Polesden Lacey Adventure

Hello there!

Last Saturday I went out (what? I left the house?!) and decided to explore the wonders of Polesden Lacey, a gorgeous Edwardian estate, which is now owned by the National Trust.

Of course, there's no surprise there - we all know that I'm obsessed with their sites!

I can honestly say, that was one of the best days I'd had in a while. It was a lovely day, sunny with blue skies (a true blessing in grey old England) and my parents brought some food along for a picnic. The house of Mrs Greville was stunning, especially the gold room in which a very talented pianist was playing at the grand piano, and the gardens were amazing with beautiful flowers. We wandered around for hours, just taking it all in and having such a great time.

After, we had dinner in a little pub called 'Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower', what a name! It was very quaint though, and the atmosphere was relaxing and friendly. The food did not disappoint - it was delicious and I was stuffed when I was done!

♥

♥

I love you

xxx

March Favourites

What? Another month already? I just did my February favourites though?!

Ah well, I've got plenty more ;)

Also, I'm going to Sicily soon, so expect lots of photos when I come back! I'm so excited - the food, the sun, the adventures, the food...and more food... I've heard that Sicilian cuisine is even better than Italian, and I didn't think anything could be more heavenly than that!

But hey, let's get on with it!

♥

Skincare:

Quinoderm 10 - For those of us 'blessed' with skin that resembles the sky on a starry night.

How do you do, Mr. Ursa Major? Enjoying life on my face?

This is a strong cream with 10% benzoyl peroxide hydrous, which is GREAT for acne sufferers. And it actually works! I always make sure to moisturise or use some oil after though, as it does dry your skin out.

Fashion:

Denim on denim - I've been absolutely loving this look. Mostly because it's comfy and versatile, but it also looks cute! Pairing my jeans with a denim jacket is my go-to outfit nowadays (I probably wear it more than I should...), finishing it off with a silver necklace and black boots.

Music:

Death of a Bachelor, Panic! at the Disco - I have come to this so late, I know. I'm horribly ashamed of myself. How that had happened, I'm not sure, but I spent those few months missing out on something so amazing. My favourites, the title track and Crazy=Genius, literally send shivers down my back. I love the story behind this album, the fact that Urie now is Panic!, his marriage, and his struggles in the past year. This album is the best!

Book:

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Oliver Sacks - I'd say that this isn't for everyone, but you never know, so I'll let you decide. It's a book by the neurologist Sacks who tells the stories of various patients who have neurological disorders. It's fascinating to read about these illnesses and the effect they have on people's lives. Some are completely bizarre, whilst others are deep and touching, and it's made me really appreciate my mind and body.

Food:

Knusperflocken - My dad went to Germany and came back with a few bags of chocolates, and this was one of them. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what's in it, but apparently, it's white chocolate and crispbread, and it's very very nice. Not the most sophisticated of chocolates, as one expects from Berlin, but one should appreciate it nonetheless.

Physalis - I think it's a fruit. Or maybe a flower? Or maybe it's overcompensating for being a type of the infamous nightshade? Either way, you can eat it (and not die).

Moment:

Witnessing a gaping hole being burnt through a measuring cylinder due to a bit of ash in hydrogen peroxide. It was hilarious, terrifying, and awesome.

Seeing Billy Elliot the musical (I enthused over it here), which was so inspiring.

The dream I had a few days ago, where I went to a dog-buying convention to get a dog. I found the perfect one.

(But then it was snatched away from me by a little girl, and suddenly I was crawling around on my knees, trying to catch running beagles. I don't know either.)

Apps:

Sworkit - Since it's the holidays, I've been doing a little bit of exercise in the mornings, just ten minutes or so, and it's helped me wake up easier and stay in a better mood for the rest of the day. I've been doing five minutes of 'core strength', followed by five minutes of 'full intensity cardio', and it's been great. I love the customisability of the workouts and the super easy interface that even a lazy novice like me can handle.

Person:

It isn't the person that I like, as such, but a quotation by him that I heard.

Rudyard Kipling once said,

'A woman's guess is much more accurate than a man's certainty.'

Isn't it just the best? What empowering words for all females!

♥

That's all folks!

Hehe, I used to love Looney Tunes.

I love you

xxx

Under The Eiffel Tower

How are you?

I've been talking about myself non-stop recently when really, I should do more thinking about others.

I hope you're great, honestly. And if you're not, keep going, everything will get better. In the meantime, I'll give you a virtual hug.

*virtual hug* sending...

...sent.

I hugged someone recently who really needed it, and it made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside to know that it helped.

And here I go, talking about myself again...

Anyway, I found this tucked away, in a folder from when I was showing my photos last year in November and December.

Isn't the sky just gorgeous? And aren't the intricate patterns of the Eiffel Tower so dainty and beautiful?

It's somewhat calming, too. I know some people view sunsets as the end of light and beginning of darkness, but I love the beauty of sunsets too much to agree.

(And my wandering mind has just conjured up an image of me wearing an 'I HEART SUNSETS' tourist-shop style T-shirt...)

♥

I love you

xxx

Billy Elliot the Musical!

Yesterday was awesome!

My friend was too sick to see Billy Elliot yesterday, so I took his place and ventured into the unknown of leaving the house on a Friday night. It was a last minute phone call from his mum (who I went with), but my decision was basically instantaneous:

"YES! Yes yes yes yes pleeeeeaaasseee!"

I've wanted to see it for years now, yet I could never find the time, or when I had a free weekend I would spend it watching something else or lazing away at home. I was so excited that I finally had the chance to see it :D

It was at the Victoria Palace Theatre, a pretty little theatre a short way from Victoria Station, thank goodness, for it was freezing outside. We went in and there were formally-dressed ladies and men chatting and sipping on bubbling drinks, standing under chandeliers and fancy lamps in the lobby.

And on the other hand, girls wearing leggings and baggy hoodies were pulling at their parents, who muttered about missing tickets and missing people (I'm not kidding, there was a woman who was frantically searching for a 'Claire'). It was like two worlds brought together, and it was kinda amazing.

The musical itself was wonderful. I love the cool ways they used the stage and all the trapdoors and sections of the set which could be pulled out. There was a round trapdoor that had a whole section underneath that could rotate upwards and extend into a raised platform, which was used so brilliantly and in the most clever ways. The art and drama style, with some scenes realistic, some abstract, was absolutely phenomenal!

I hardly use that word, so you'd better believe it!

And of course, the dancing was on fire. The boys especially...there's something so gorgeous and magical about boys who can dance. It may be because they're so passionate about it, as surely the ones who aren't would have dropped out early on from such a 'girly' activity. You can tell with any male dancer that they're truly in it for the fact that they love dancing.

I think I melted when the older Billy came on - did it get a bit hotter in here? That was probably my favourite part, when both younger Billy and older Billy danced together. It was perfect, they moved in sync with each other, gliding through the smoke and blue light. (Wow, just writing about this has me grinning and sighing to myself...)

I loved it so much. I'm now ashamed that I had not seen it sooner, and I'm so grateful that I got this chance (thank you, my ill friend) whilst it's still running. It was a great end to the weekdays, and I'm certainly going to channel this love for Billy Elliot in my next dance lesson!

♥

I love you

xxx

February Favourites

I always forget how short February is until 1st March comes along and I stare at my calendar, wondering how two months have already passed since the new year... Just think, that's basically 1/6th of 2016 - GONE. What have I been doing?!

Anyway, whilst I have my existential crisis, here are some of the things that have brought me joy in February :)

Hair:

Bulldog hair clips (similar) - I've been getting a bit frustrated with my hair recently whenever I have it down, it's always flapping in my face and flicking in all directions. So I decided to try these out, and they've been a lifesaver. I love pulling back the front sections of my hair and clipping them behind, using a subtle plain black clip with colourful outfits, or a patterned one as an accent.

Body/skincare:

Bio-Oil - I never thought I'd say this, but I've been using oil on my already oily, acne-prone skin, and I'm liking it. Which is terrifying. There's been talk all over the internet about how essential oils can prevent acne, and though I haven't tried that out yet, I'm definitely starting to see the benefits of oil on my skin. It's very hydrating, balancing out the other products I use on my spots which dry me out, and it's clearing up my scars and hyperpigmentation fabulously.

Makeup:

Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon in Red Island - It's a very bold and bright colour which I'm usually too terrified to wear, but I used it during the dance show and it was great! It's more moisturising than a lipstick and I love the smooth non-sticky formula which makes it just melt onto the lips. I have to say though, it's a bit lacking in staying power, and does tend to bleed without lip liner.

French Connection eyeshadow palette - A few years ago I bought the 'Eye Perfection Collection' (it's discontinued now), which contained various eye makeup items, including a nude eyeshadow palette with eight gorgeous colours. They're mostly shimmery colours, something I've been loving nowadays, though I use a matte dark brown for filling in my eyebrows too. Lazy old me loves the fact that there's a shade for my eyebrows, a shade for highlighting, and pretty shades for eyeshadow - I only need to bring this small, great-for-travelling palette and I'm good to go.

TV/film:

Miraculous Ladybug - I should be ashamed to say this, but I'm not... This kids TV show is SIMPLY THE BEST! It's the strangest, most wonderful thing, filled with transformations into superheroes and cat puns for days. It follows the story of two teenagers in Paris (let the shipping begin!), who turn into superheroes to save everyone from the evil akuma. Honestly, and don't kill me, I'd say this was better than adult TV...

Music:

Hamilton soundtrack - I've already mentioned this before, but it's too good not to mention again. Also, it keeps getting better and better the more you listen to it, so right now I'm completely obsessed ;)

Dessert, Dawin - A song I first heard when I was taught some choreography to it last week, and since then I've been playing it on repeat for most of that time. It's so catchy! The lyrics are a bit crude, and this isn't actually the sort of song I would normally listen to, but it grows on you, and then won't leave your head.

Pinball Wizard, Glee - This song is originally by The Who, but (and I may be the only one, I know many people don't like Glee) I prefer the Glee cover of it. It's a bit faster, and this version was the one I heard first so it stuck with me. It's not so surprising that I came to know this song through dance, and I guess I like it for that reason - it's fun to dance to!

Book:

Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes - I'm currently reading this, more than halfway through now, and I haven't been able to put it down. It's awesome - a mentally disabled man, Charlie, has a brain operation to raise his IQ, the first human to have this operation after the success of Algernon, a mouse. The book's in the form of Charlie's diary, and you can see how his writing improves over time, which I think is amazing.

Food:

Hazelnuts - I have no idea why, but I've had a really big craving for nuts (don't you dare...) this past month. I had a huge jar of hazelnuts at home, which I've already demolished, and yet I'm still craving more. What is this crisis I'm having?!

Apps:

Calm - If you ever want calm background music, this is the app you need. I like playing it at low volume whenever I work, though it also has a meditation feature. I tried a 2-minute meditation with my friend and almost fell asleep...so I guess it works! 

Twilight - This is a new thing I discovered, it's an app which filters out blue light for Android devices. Blue light distorts your natural sleep pattern making it harder to sleep if you've been staring at a screen at night, and so Twilight adds a red filter to prevent this. I like how there's a setting so that the filter automatically adjusts depending on sunrise and sunset times, and it makes the display softer so when I'm tired my screen doesn't burn my eyes to cinders!

Game:

Brain Dots - This is a physics-based game where you have to draw lines to get two dots to meet. It's pretty cool, I've had it for a while but hadn't played it in a long time, then recently my friends rediscovered it and have been stealing my phone off me to play it. So...I'm back at it. It's very rewarding once you finish a level, and addictive too.

Person:

Congrats to Leo DiCaprio for finally winning his well-deserved Oscar!

♥

That's all for this month's favourites - check some of them out, you never know, something could become your new favourite!

I love you

xxx

Dance Show

Hiya!

Wow, it feels weird to be back after such a long break!

How are you all? It's strange, I used to write every day, which became every two days, then a week, two weeks, and now...now it's been too long. I'm kinda missing it, though I feel like the pressure's on now for me to write something at least decent!

Haha, don't expect much...

Anyway, I'm pretty excited to talk about this - I was in a dance show last month! It was near the end of February, and it was AMAZING! We spent a full week doing rehearsals before the show, and had a professional photographer in to take photos of us in our full makeup and gorgeous costumes.

I am now a pro at winged eyeliner, and a master of the art of liquid eyeliner without needing makeup remover. Oh, the many many times I had to do it in a hurry... ;)

The show itself was a blast - the slight nerves before each dance, the adrenaline once you're on stage, then the exhilaration after - it was all so perfect. Of course, not all the dances went as well as they could have (ha, let's not mention my matinee tap dance...), but we had so much fun regardless. It was just awesome seeing little toddlers in 'alien' leotards, and the older dancers in neon pantomime costumes, somehow pulling off 2-inch false eyelashes with green glittery tips...

Honestly, this was one of the best things I've done recently. After the show I came out starry-eyed and on a sort of hyper rush, yabbering on about it to my friends and parents. I swear, I wasn't drugged! Just probably drunk on excitement and happiness :D

I loved it, so so much.

♥

I love you

xxx