Alice in Wonderland!!!!

images: accessories online

Hi!!

Sorry havnt written have had an incredibly busy weekend- with a birthday dinner and an engagement party of my close friend Helen. Was really lovely!!

Yesterday I had university and saw friends so today I have decided to sit down and write... because Alice in Wonderland fever is hitting!! I am dressing up for a costume party as Alice soon :) and.... I found the most gorgeous jewellery thats been designed by designer Tom Binns ahead of the new film coming out in March! So So pretty!!! I love the drink me necklace.....

Lots of love...

El xxxx

Loving and Living.

images: google-

Hi,

So this post is about all the things I am loving/ doing etc :) let me know what you've been up to!!!

I am READING Paulo Coelho's latest novel - 'The Winner Stands Alone'

The last FILMS I saw were- The Princess and the Frog and Veronika Decides to Die

I am LOVING the style and theatricality of Lady GaGa.. and also randomly loving bow headbands. Ever since the oversized Luella headband came out a couple of years ago I have been in love!!!

I am equally LOVING Alicia Keys- her performance at the Brit Awards with Jay Z was amazing.

The last PLAY i saw was Hamlet... the next one I want to see is one by Tennessee Williams

Lastly,

I am LOVING my friends and family and all the sweet people who post comments on my blog!

El xxxx

A lovely rainy day in London.

image: google- Kenwood House Library- a perfect place!

Hi!

Today was such a great day. I'm on reading week (weeks break) from university and this morning, my mum and I went to Kenwood. Its a beautiful old stately home open to the public, with stunning grounds overlooking a lake and London itself. It actually was used in the film where Julia Roberts is playing an actress.. ahh I can't remember the film... wait yes I can.... Notting hill!!! If you look in the film, Hugh Grant tracks Julia Roberts to a film set and that set is

Kenwood House. Just an idyllic, perfect location.

So we walked around the pretty grounds in the rain :)... sharing an umbrella and running under the vine walkways... and then went inside the house. My favourite room is the library. It has beautifully painted scenes on the ceiling, mirrors, little chairs to sit.... and walls of old books containing entire worlds. The library reminds me sort of of the one in Beauty and the Beast but on a smaller scale...

After Kenwood, we had lunch and then this afternoon I went with my friend to see 'The Princess and the Frog', the latest Disney film. I loved the fact at last Disney had produced a princess in 2D, but Tiana is a thoroughly modern Princess- she works hard for her dreams. I particularly liked the romantic firefly Ray and his love for the star Evangeline. A very sweet film!

So to end this beautiful day, I am in bed reading Paulo Coelho's latest novel :)

Happy Tuesday!

El xxxx

A few thoughts for the week ahead...

image: google

Hi,

I havnt been feeling so well for the past couple of days and so I wanted to write this post to cheer me (and maybe you) up. I was reading Chocolat by Joanne Harris over the weekend, and here are a few favourite quotes I found....

'I could see the broad band of the Milky Way like a road around the world'

'The scent of ripe apricots in the sun, of warm brioche and cinnamon rolls, lemon tea and lily-of the-valley'

'I remembered for Josephine the little canal at Ourcq, the Pantheon, the Places Des Artistes, the lovely avenue of Unter Der Linden, the Jersey Ferry, Viennese Pastries eaten in their hot papers on the street, the seafront at Juan-Les-Pins, dancing in the streets in San Pedro...'

This novel is a beautiful novel with rich description, deep psychological plot and beautiful sensory imagery. :)

May your week be beautiful!

El xxx

Valentine Thoughts...

image: google

'To see a world in a grain of sand

And heaven in a wild flower

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand

And eternity in an hour....'

-William Blake

Happy Valentines all! I am curled up reading 'Chocolat'. Hope youre all having a wonderful weekend,

El xxxx

Delicious Memories...

Hi :),

So this post has been inspired by a quote I found. I have been keeping a diary (journal) for years. Last week, I found one of my old diaries....whenever I find a quote I love, I write it down so I will remember it forever. I particularly like this one that I found last year in 'You' Magazine, a magazine that comes with a British newspaper we have.

It was said by Sophie Dahl, model and granddaughter of story teller Roald Dahl, and its about memories, the senses, food, love and beautiful things.

Here it is, Have a lovely weekend! xx



' For me, wound up in that delicious sense memory bank are so many things. My mothers gooseberry fool, eating in the garden on a hot summers night, my father making me scrambled eggs on toast in his kitchen with the chequered linoleum....then there is the soup for someone who is grief stricken, the long lazy breakfasts of courtship, the messy tray composed by a child....
I remember a picnic with the boy I love on the floor of a new house with no furniture and wine in mugs.
These are the things that are rare and precious in all that is higgeldy piggeldy and crooked'


xx

5 Beautiful Things.

Wintery Sunlight- theres something about being indoors and seeing sun streaming through the trees, lighting up a cold day.

Log fires- incredibly beautiful and calming

Quilts- making a piece of art work that is unique in each patch and has meaning behind it. Plus amazing to snuggle in.

Hearing someone playing acoustic guitar... preferably whilst on a beach :P

Secret Gardens- ever since I read the book I have dreamed of finding a Secret Garden. In a park near me, there is a little walled garden with a lake, and trees to hide in....

:)

There are so many beautiful things in life.


Have a wonderful love-filled weekend! Its my mums birthday so I will be trying to make her feel special! :)

xxx

Watching Amelie...

images: google

Hey,

So tonight my housemate was ill and we decided a 'pick me up' was needed! And so we decided to watch the french film 'Amelie' (the full title is something like 'The Mysterious Life of Amelie Poulain) . This film is my sisters favourite, and I'd only seen bits of it....

Its such a beautiful story... kooky, humourous and artistic, about life and love.... and human relationships. All set in France.

We loved it.

I want to go back to Paris now... I'm dreaming of balmy summer afternoons walking through the city with my camera... *sigh* I have only been to Paris once, on the way back from India. We stopped over for 7 hours and walked around the Champs Elysees, saw the Eiffel Tower, stopped off in a little cafe which as I recall did amazing hot chocolate....

What was also really funny was that in the film, the name 'Dufayel' was used, which was the adopted surname of my French great-grandmother! I've never heard it used before, it must be a popular French surname.

The perfect way to spend a cold, dark English evening. Oh how I love to dream <3

I recommend Amelie, if you havnt seen it go and watch it!

El xxxx

Monday Musings.... Change...

Today I have been thinking about change......

'If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies..'- unknown.

El xx

Theatrical Thoughts

'Goethe said, 'Talent is developed in privacy, 'you know? And it's really true. There is a need for aloneness which I don't think most people realize for an actor. It's almost having certain kinds of secrets for yourself that you'll let the whole world in on only for a moment, when you're acting.' -

Marilyn Monroe


xx

A Happy Thursday...

pic: India Arie, my favourite singer from google images. Congratulations India on winning a grammy!!!!

Hi all

I got such a lovely message from a friend I havn't seen in a long time about my blog- thank you so much! <3

I've had such a hectic day today... went to see a production of Hamlet in Greenwich with a society from uni after my class. Greenwich is stunning its like the South London version of Hampstead... I love the fact it has the observatory for Greenwich mean time, and the old naval college.... the big park.. the cute shops and craft market... the Greenwich picture house (an amazing cinema which is vintage-style with red plushy reclining chairs) and now the Greenwich theatre, which is a really sweet little theatre tucked away down a side street.

If you ever go South of the river, I also recommend the pubs in New Cross- particularly the Hobgoblin for its cute family atmosphere, and the Amersham for its general artyness (imagine big lamps, binoculars and weird art on the wall..) and they often have live gigs there too.

Was having a conversation with my housemate and we were saying how much we love London. How beautiful it is and how much there is to discover even though weve lived here all our lives.... and we still havn't seen it all yet!

Its also so nice to meet new people and make new friends. This has been happening quite a bit lately. :)

So here is a list of things I want to do/see/what makes me happy:

1. I want to BAKE a white chocolate and cappuccino cake. I found this great recipe I want to try.

2. I want to SEE the new disney film 'the princess and the frog' at the cinema

3. I want to WATCH many theatre shows: on my list is the latest Tennessee Williams adaptation, Les Miserables and of course Avenue Q!

4. I want to find some street art around London....

5. I want to go on a road trip to somewhere interesting in England when the weather gets better.

6. I want to BUY some more pretty things and dresses as I havn't been shopping for a while. Oh and a pair of beautiful heels! Ophelia in Hamlet (modern adaptation tonight) was wearing some quite gorgeous brown v shiny and pretty court shoes (sounds not so nice but was beautiful)

What is making you happy and what do you want to do or see?

Have a good weekend,

Love El xxxx

ps... i am so happy because my favourite singer India Arie won a grammy for her song Pearls!! Thoroughly deserved!

Flapper Girls and Glamour...

images:google

Hi everyone,

So I'm reading Sophie Kinsellas latest novel 'Twenties Girl' (often curled up in my duvet.. obviously bed is the best place to read!) and theres tons of amazing, beautiful descriptions of 1920s flapper girl dresses. Its incredible how women changed so much in one decade, and the rebellion that the flapper girls embody. Hem lines lifted a bit, hair was cut shorter, women drunk alcohol and were drunk in public. But what draws me to the flapper girls is their sense of mystery, fun and glamour.

I love looking at by-gone eras for inspiration... particularly as I am a 90s child, born in the 80s ... and those two decades did not really symbolise great fashion!

So today, after a day of studying and being uninspired by the grey drizzle that is English weather (yes we do talk about the weather a lot, its a cliche!)... I am dreaming of pretty sparkly dresses... cloche hats... feathers and bows in the hair..... heels.... and freedom!

I'm looking forward to a good weekend though. I have a friends birthday party and a posh ball to attend, which is black tie dress. Who says a girl cant have her fun? :)

Love and Glamour,

El xxx

Fairy Tale Princesses...

image: google images and deviantart.com

Inspired by a wonderful blog i read today- called 'Waiting for My Glass Slipper', I have decided to post about fairy tales ! I love the idea of fairy tale stories, having studied them more in depth at university as well, they are much more complex then at first meets the eye! For more feminist/ grotesque fairy stories try Angela Carter but I personally prefer traditional ones.

I am very very excited about seeing the new Disney film 'The Princess and the Frog'! Not only is it the first black disney princess BUT the film is also the first film in a long time with an animated disney princess (sadly Fiona from Shrek cannot count... as its Dreamworks...).

I love the old fashioned dresses, chivalry, castles......I would say my favourite fairy tale.. (I think it can count as one?) is Beauty and the Beast. I particularly love the dancing teapot and cups...

Happy fairy tale dreaming.... :)

El xxxx

5 amazing things I have found this week

images: google images

1. Sophie Kinsella (author of Shopaholics) latest book- 'Twenties Girl', perfect for a cosy night in with your duvet and a cup of hot chocolate

2. Laura Jansen's music... dutch singer who sings acoustic, calming music... my friend sent me a song of hers and its beautiful. The lyrics keep getting stuck in my head...:)

3. Cath Kidston stationary writing set, complete with cute stickers of roses and vintage style things to put on your letters!

4. 'Elephant Ears'- swirly biscuits covered in cinnamon.. i assume the name is because they look like elephant ears? American in origin.. I must make these.

5. Aussie Long Hair Leave In Conditioner- amazing at detangling and making hair soft. i am in love.

Having a wonderful week.. :)

El

xxx