Overheard.

Setting: London train, early-evening rush-hour.

A passenger's phone rings.

Woman: 'Right, I am on the train - I need you to sort dinner before I get back.'

Man: Questionable gruntle...

Woman: 'Oh for Chr*st's sake! We have been married for 35 years and you still don't know how to make a bloody bowl of spaghetti?! Boil the water and put it in, it's not rocket science!'

Man: Questionable gruntle...

Woman: 'Sauce?! POUR THE BLOODY BOTTLE ONTO THE PASTA!'

Phone-call complete.

Woman: 'Bloody men...'

Amidst the chuckles of the surrounding travel-goers, I noted that this was only one of the number of similar conversations I have bared witness too as I have traveled too and from London during peak-traveling time. When asked to lend a helping hand at a bank in the city, I was reluctant as my feelings towards rush-hour train journeys are not held with high regards. Being the wee, fit lass that I am, I am almost always pinged with that feeling of self-guilt when I see someone older than me standing throughout the journey as I, relish in the comfort that is the beauty of a chair after a long-days work. As I give up my seat (with much hesitation) I begin the wonderful process of people-watching.

Oh how I adore a spot of people-watching!

Not only do I note peoples questionable office fashion-wear (I find a secret pleasure in the ol' power-suit and sneakers combo), but I notice those who gravitate towards their phones and those who know, that although there is no sign pointing out that phones should not be of use whilst traveling, conversations are best had when the whole world is not lending an ear. Don't get me wrong, it is not like I black-list anyone who does engage in a phone conversation or two whilst using public transport. I get that for some it is the only time during their day when they might actually be able to have a conversation without the presence of a nagging colleague or a sticky-fingered child. For some, traveling on the train is a momentary escape. As the world rushes by you, you get a wee break before you enter the doors of life again.
Why not take pleasure in other peoples phone conversations? How many times have you flashed a smile to a complete stranger as you both note that Passenger X will be visiting his mother in Cornwall this weekend and 'He doesn't care if she doesn't like her, they have been married for 15 years and she is his wife and mother to his children.'

Someone should really write a book about funny conversations 'over-heard on public transport.'

Because I would buy that!

Time To Get Seriously Serious.

There is something quite cathartic about clearing out your wardrobe. I have been a hoarder from way back. The kind of kid that, when packing up to ship myself down to University, brought every pair of shoes, every book off the shelf and every item of clothing from the wardrobe. Do I wear 95% of it? No. As I embrace all that is 'adult-hood,' I decided to ditch the old and limit all that is new.

 Boy, is that easier said than done! 

How many times have you picked up your 'favorite' top, the one which looked so darn good (on the ASOS model), the one which goes with everything (that you don't have in your wardrobe) and thought to yourself...

'Yes, I shall keep you because the situation might occur when we will need one another.'

Sweetie, we both know that situation is never going to happen.

After having a conversation with my (soon to be a high-school graduate) younger sister about essential College attire, I started wondering if the items I call my own are really worth paying that continuous excess baggage fee I seem to face every, single time I travel. This moment really should have occurred as I packed away the untouched, sixth pair of shoes at the end of a week-long trip away. Seriously though, are my clothes weighing me down?

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Every woman has their weak point. The certain items which get chucked in your bag without even a thought in the mind. Mine? Shoes. I know, here we go again, another girl completely obsessed with shoes. I love a good pair of shoes but what makes me different is that I love a good pair of simple, comfortable shoes. I lurve, luff, loave the pretty stuff but give me a pair of neutral-toned loafers and I am smiling from ear-to-ear. 

Walk with me...

Keds - White, high-top = Essential. I am not going to lie, I am a little bit depressed as I can't seem to find the classic high-top ANYWHERE anymore. They go with everything - jeans, shorts, dresses. A timeless shoe really. Comfortable, affordable and oh, so groovy.

Converse - Speaking of groovy, check these babies out! Converse high-tops were my high-school must have. If you wanted to be cool, you had to rock the black high-tops. I have always been a bit dubious about this particular shoe, however. I personally feel that there is a line which can be crossed from 'sensible shoe' to 'clown foot.' Am I right? I waver between both sides, which is why I am more partial to your flat-soled Ked. Couldn't pass up on a bit of leopard print though!

Ballet Flats - I have to have flat, flats. I like my foot to the ground, ballerina style. This is why Topshop is perfect for me. I had my favorite pair of Topshop flats for two years, only recently updating them. They are super affordable and comfortable. They are also the only pair of flat shoes which have not cursed my feet upon their first outing. 

Classic Sneaker - I always invest in a classic white sneaker. The kind of shoe which goes with pretty much everything. This year I went with Jack Purcell for Converse. Super, dooper comfortable and not clown-like at all. I usually head to somewhere like Target to pick up my yearly pair of white sneakers but this year, with a European adventure on the cards, I decided to splash out and get something a bit snazzier. 

So I suppose you can see my problem. Shoes are simply a hazard to my sanity when jet-setting abroad. I swear, if I have to do the 'baggage re-shuffling of shame' on the airport floor one more time I just don't know what I am going to do with myself! 

What should stay and what should go?

Probably one of the hardest questions you will ever have to ask yourself my friends!

Oh Hello!

Please forgive me.

It has been a million years since I last did post however I feel that I have a good excuse!

You see, I was in Spain.

Rota, Spain to be a bit more specific.

Visiting some cool kids in the U.S American Navy to be even more specific. 

So, as you might imagine, it has taken me a good seven days, a wee snooze in a bowl of cereal and a tap on the shoulder from a London train conductor (following yet another wee snooze) to get some life back in me. 

However, I am back!

Back and ready to rumble despite living in a state of delirium for the last week. 

It's rather funny what can happen when you are too tired to function.

The strangest things came to my head as I walked about the city of London, one step from falling asleep on the side of the road.

Are Martha Stewart and Oprah friends?

Is there a big difference when you walk up an escalator versus to walking up stairs?

Do people who work on the train, catch the train to work?

After coming to the conclusion that M-Stew and Oprah are probably caught in your classic 'Frenemies' scenario, and yes, when you walk up an escalator the steps disappear making it an easier climb - I decided that this week would have to a write off. Excess Sangria and Tequila has tainted any productive bone I have in my body. 

And I am not even sorry!

Anywho, how beyond gorgeous does K.Middleton look in her latest green Jenny Packham number?

Seriously woman, the jokes over. Do you ever look bad?

Don't you hate it when people make looking this good, easy?

Psssh.

Oh to be a Duchess!

Red Velvet Cupcakes.

I had big plans for today. 

I was going to go out and purchase all those last minute things I need before I dart abroad this week.

Then it started raining...

As I stared aimlessly out the window, sipping on my third English Breakfast tea of the morning, my feet got me moving towards the cookbook shelf. 

'Today,' I thought 'I shall bake."

Now I know I said that I was going to compose 5 posts detailing my favorite bits and bobs, however I have decided that (in my spontaneous nature) that I shall post them randomly. Although baking is one of my most favorite things to do - I thought I would give this gem a spotlight of it's own.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
From 'The Hummingbird Bakery - Cake Days.'

As we all know, I am a sucker for anything pink. This my friends, does not stop at clothes and accessories. Oh no, when I can get my hand on a pink cookbook - I have to snatch that baby up!

Introducing:

I am under the impression that the originators of The Hummingbird Bakery are some-what legends within the English baking scene. The whole book is simply delicious! Filled with cakes, cupcakes and whoopee-pies, you simply can not go wrong WHICH is why I dabbled in a bit of cupcake creating one rainy afternoon!

FOR THE SPONGE:

120 grams (4oz) unsalted butter, softened

300 grams (10½oz) caster sugar

2 large eggs

20 grams (3/4oz) cocoa powder

40 ml (1½fl oz) red food colouring (such as Dr Oetker)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

300 grams (10½oz) plain flour

240 ml (8½fl oz) buttermilk

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda   

FOR THE FROSTING:

100 grams (3½fl oz) unsalted butter, softened

600 grams (1lb 5oz) icing sugar

250 grams (9oz) full-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)

 Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line your muffin tin and get that bad-boy ready for action!

 

 Using an electric whisk, or better yet, a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Break in the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition and mixing in the bits which attach themselves to the side of the bowl.

In a separate, small bowl, stir together the coca powder, food colouring and vanilla essence to form a paste. Add the paste to the batter, transforming your mixture to a crazy colour of red. 

Sift together the flour and salt in another bowl, then add the flour to the batter in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk and mixing thoroughly after each addition. Finally, in a small, wee bowl, mix the vinegar with the baking soda together by hand and toss it into the cake batter, mixing it right on up!

 Spoon the batter into paper cases so they are ¾ full. I am slightly obsessed with my new ice-cream scoop with dollops out the batter in the most perfect of ways. Place your creation in the oven let them back for 18-20 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when lightly pressed. Allow the cupcakes to cool for a short while in the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool completely before you whip some frosting on them.

Cream-Cheese Frosting:

 Using the electric whisk or freestanding electric mixed with the paddle attachment, , and mixing on low speed, beat the butter and icing sugar together until no large lumps of butter remain and the mixture is sandy in texture. Add the cream cheese and mix together slowly until everything is whipped together, then increase the speed to medium and whip the frosting till light and fluffy. 

Cover all but one of the cupcakes with 2 tablespoons of cream cheese frosting. Place the remaining cupcake in a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs, then sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with the crumbs (or sprinkles if you prefer.)

Presto! A lovely cupcake for a rainy day!

Lurve. Loave. Luff.

Am I one of the only people who Loves a bit of Spring Cleaning?

Love is an understatement actually...

In the words of Woody Allen in Annie Hall -

I Lurve Spring Cleaning

I Loave Spring Cleaning

I Luff Spring Cleaning

I am a bit O.C.D when it comes to organizing and tidying-up. People will either love you for it it or despise you for it. I can commit to the fact that for someone who does uber-amounts of office work, having organizational O.C.D is not a good thing when sticking to time-frames.

We are working on it though.

Anywho, as this loavely time rolls around once again, I have taken it upon myself to clear out my belongings - ridding the old, restoring the new. 

To the dressmakers I went to get some old dresses revamped. 

To the garbage bin I went with some shoes which could not be trusted in stormy weather.

Presto! Closet cleaned. 

Now, I know it's not some dream, walk-in wardrobe that we are constantly pinning on Pinterest. It is cute and small and most importantly - limits how much I can actually purchase. 

One thing I luff to do is to re-invent a style I once wore, way back when. Funnily enough some of my most treasured pieces are items I 'borrowed' (a.k.a claimed as my own) from Mumma J. Things like an old denim shirt or a big, cosy jumper purchased from a small seaside town - items which were loved before me and will be loved since. Style is such a funny thing. It always mind boggles me that one thing can be so trendy one day, and so not another. Ever thought about what items you are wearing now, that you will be cringing over later?

My own wee motto - 'Laugh now, Cringe later' seems to suit the future embarrassment I might face when reminiscing back on my early 20's. 

Who cuuuures though!

As I fumbled around the mountain of clothing which I call my own, there are certain things I just could not let go of. Certain things that I have continuously bought replacements for too. Ex-boyfriends old t-shirts which I really should toss but the idea of sleeping in a slightly less comfortable get-up is worth the emotional stigma attached to keeping an ex-flames belongings. Bad? Probably. 

So, I have decided to rise some of my favorite items to fame. I shall now be committing to posting 5 posts, exposing things such as my much-loved shoe collection to the journey of how I, Christine, chose my signature fragrance of 2012. Are you ready for it?! I can feel the excitement buzzing!

Maybe you could join me? I must say that I am rather heavy on the challenges at the moment huh? 

Lurve you long time!

Kindle versus The Book.

I am in a bit of bind.

With the introduction of my '21 Book Challenge,' I am walking into the grey abyss that is:

The Kindle versus Book debate.

Normally I am a fan of kicking it old school. I like my pens, my paper - my weekly trip to the stationary store to see what's cooking in the world of all that is staplers and highlighters.

Do you know what I love? Sticky-notes.

I can't put a sticky-note on a Kindle?

Point one for books.

I feel like the introduction of a Kindle to my life would just add to the height of the Mountain of Technology I seem to be trekking up. But they makes so much sense! As a frequent traveller, I like the idea that my carry-on baggage won't be slowly dislocating my shoulder as I migrate from security to my departure gate. Oh imagine the space for other things - like pens, and paper, and all the other useless objects I swear I need whilst preparing myself for my journey. 

Point one for The Kindle.

However, now that I think about it, what happens if my Kindle dies - mid-flight, mid-read? I won't be able to read during take-off or landing...

Point two for book.

Brilliant huh?
www.newyorker.com

But on the other hand, with the subtle light which the Kindle so kindly produces, I won't have to endure the self-doubt and anxiety filled decision to switch on my over-head light and become the most unpopular person on the plane. 

Point two for The Kindle.

Do we also consider the fact that the Kindle lets us download instantly to our devices? As someone who had to wait 3-weeks for a highly anticipated book, instant downloads are high up there in things to love. 

But I won't be able to turn a page? I won't be able to experience the smell of a book - something which everyone enjoys, admitted or not. My trips to the local library will be deemed unnecessary but on the other hand, I can kiss return fees goodbye?

Oh goodness gracious. 

What to do?

Anyone?

A Bit A Rant.

I consider myself reasonably flexible when it comes to fashion. I feel that I am accepting of personal preference in regards to shades, prints, cuts and colors. I stand firmly on the idea of 'each to their own.' Everyone has their own style, I am cool with that. I understand that some might cringe at the thought of wearing leopard print whilst others embrace their wild side. Some feel empowered in heels whilst others prefer keeping their feet on the ground in flats. Glitter, pearls, pink, blue, frills or stripes - throw it at me baby! 

As I like to say, life is a catwalk - strut it.

However, keeping in mind just how accepting I am of personal style, I have a slight issue. With summer coming up, all that is warm and delightful seems to be popping into the shops. Swimwear, sun-dresses, wide-brimmed hats...and shorts. 

Right, so I used to feel that a girl was either a shorts or skirt person. I have moved past such ideas as my wardrobe expands into a multitude of styles. To me, a pair of denim shorts has become a must-have for the summer season. A basic, staple item which you can dress up or down when need-be.

Now someone please tell me - when did shorts stop being produced and when did they become replaced with denim underwear? No, I don't want to flash my derrière to some poor, innocent person who has the pleasure of walking behind me. No, I don't want to look as if I am fashioning an adult diaper. What I would like to wear is a pair of shorts that covers me up. Too much to ask? Surely not. As I did a twirl in my 234th pair of shorts whilst out shopping last week, I sank to the ground and started to think - why on earth does not one, single store sell shorts that can surpass the 30 centimeter mark? When and how did such a trend rocket to mass popularity, and production? All I could think as I stared down at the harsh exposure of my oh-so-white legs was, 'my mother would kill me if I came home with these shorts.' And that is saying something considering I am a 21-year old woman who considers herself quite independent when it comes to my fashionable choices. We know we have an issue when we can already predetermine the reaction of our mothers. 

Shorts, knickers - call that what you want, but they just are not doing it for me this season. Maybe our best bet is to cut a pair of old jeans to a reasonable length? Would it be as easy as to venture into new stores? Will I have to wait until some famous face decides that hot-pants are a fashion 'no no?' How long is that going to take? Someone please sympathize with me. Tell me I am not crazy for thinking this current fashion trend is as ridiculous as Kim Kardashian's 72-day marriage. I just need some length. A bit here and there to cover up what does not need to be seen by the world. It does not need to be seen on a 21-year old and it surely does not need to be seen on a 12-year old either - the prime targets of our high street shops. 

Until then, as our trends stay for longer and our clothes grow shorter, I will continue to go to great lengths to source my suitably stylish summer staple.