Yellow Saturday

Spent the day looking around the Liverpool Biennial today with my parents. My favourite part was the 'A Needle Walks into a Haystack', it's an exhibition about our habits, our habitats, and the objects, images, relationships and activities that make up cycles and patterns in our lives which I found fascinating. I also loved the way that it was displayed, instead of being shown in a conventional gallery it can be found in the Old Blind School. The work that stood out to me particularly was that of Louise Hervé & Chloé Maillet- two amateur archaeologists and science-fiction enthusiasts. I was intrigued by the science fiction twist on their work which make is surrealist and interesting to me. My favourite piece of theirs from the exhibition was the video/film 'Un passage d'eau' in which the main characters question whether humans can become something else in order to regenerate themselves and no longer age. In in the film you learn that some marine creatures, such as lobsters, are immortal. The film revolves around the question of if in the future, instead of ageing man can do the same. It was really gripping and in places I found that the suspense built was unbearable! Really worth a visit if you're near to Liverpool and it's not too far from the Quarter which is a perfect place for lunch or coffee.

When the World is Waking Up

I've been waking up early for work this week and each morning as I open the bathroom blind (which looks out onto the back garden and the long grass fields beyond) I'm captivated by the young, morning sun and the stillness of the world outside my window. I love the freshness of the light and the reflections coming off the dewy plants. The hum of morning bees not tainted by cars or music or people talking. The sounds are pure and natural, except for the click of my camera as I try and capture the mood of these mornings. It's impossible to fully translate that atmosphere but these photographs are my attempt.

Places to Eat & Drink: Rococo Chocolates, Belgravia

If you're looking for a relaxed, tranquil place where you can escape from the overcrowded atmosphere of London then feel free to praise me as I HAVE FOUND IT. It's name is Rococo Chocolates and it is located on Motcomb Street, Belgravia. It's a perfect place to go either on your own or to meet friends or family and you can choose to sit inside in their cafe which has a cosy feel or if you'd prefer a more private enjoyment of your hot chocolate (or any of the many other hot and cold beverages they serve inc. a mint hot chocolate which was tempting and reason enough for me to return in future) you can opt to walk down a small staircase into a walled garden at the back of the shop. It is a light and airy garden filled with tiles and mirrors which gave it a definite moroccan feeling and as it was sunny when I was there it instantly transported me to somewhere like Morocco in contrast to it's actual location which is central London. The hot chocolate was delicious, but a bit rich and too milky for me so I'd perhaps recommend sharing it with someone if you are a milky drink-aphobe like me! It did also come with a handmade raspberry marshmallow which is a lovely touch, and my mum got a mint and dark chocolate ice lolly which was extremely delicious. 4/5

Foxgloves

Documenting a beautiful field full of foxgloves this weekend in Maentwrog.

Wild Flowers

For a change, I decided to make a budget-bouquet from wild flowers and the result was surprisingly charming and smelt beautiful. I especially liked the blossom although it did have thorns so picking it was more tricky than I thought it would have been but so long as you're careful I think whatever you can find which looks pretty on it's own will be a lovely addition to any wild flower bouquet of your own. Bluebells are also currently in season so they add a little pop of colour. There are obviously no rules to making your own wild flower arrangements, however I would recommend sticking to a simple (2 max) colour scheme as otherwise it could look a little bit- 'I picked every flower I saw and threw it in a vase', and unless that's the vibe you're going for then perhaps stick to two colours, I chose white and blue.

Places to Eat & Drink: The Nordic Bakery

Whenever I'm in town I always have to go to the Nordic Bakery. They have three branches in London but I've only ever visited the Soho one as I always seem to be around that area when the fancy for a scandinavian cinnamon bun or a glass of saft blåbär has popped into my head. I am also a big fan of their oven-baked pancake which is literally the most delicious thing I have ever bought. My favourite thing about this place is the quite escape that it provides from London. I love the busyness of London but it's also refreshing to find little pockets like this which are far from the stuffy Starbucks- packed with chatty shoppers and with the stench of sickeningly sweet coffee syrups plaguing the air. In the Nordic Bakery- the scent of freshly baked goods linger in the air softly and cool light fills the space making it feel relaxing and there's something perfectly simple and 'nordic' about it. The coffee is also excellent and the prices are all very reasonable. All-in-all a wonderful place to pause for an hour or so and break up the day. 5/5.

Strøget & Duty Free

So here are a couple of the things I bought whilst visiting Copenhagen! The cup is from Illums Bolighus which (incase you don't know) is basically just a big shop full of Danish design things and I could have spent all day in there (and all of my money) but I had to remind myself that I hadn't gone to Copenhagen to walk around one shop all day (and also remind myself of my budget)! I decided that I  needed this cup because:

a. it didn't have a handle and I love holding my cups with both hands and handles only hold me back

b. it was designed by a great Danish designer Arne Jacobsen

And also the description which comes with it explains how useful it is; 'Can be used for both cold and hot beverages, or as a vase'. So useful!

Another item that I bought (which was from Duty Free) was the Estēe Lauder Double Wear foundation. I've tried this foundation before and it's one of my favourites because the finish is not too matte but at the same time you aren't shining like a disco ball so it's suitable for both daytime and evening wear. Also- the coverage is so buildable which is good for when my skin is less than satisfactory! Anyway, I could rant on about this foundation forever because it's great but I won't bore you!

Finally I bought this gingham wool skirt from Topshop. I saw this when I was in the UK but only online and it had sold out in all of the UK stores and also online so I was heartbroken. But I decided to pop into Topshop on the last day to see if they had it and there it was- calling out to me from the front of the store. And it was 50% off which made it a bargain! It's a beautiful skirt however it doesn't have a lining so the inside is a bit itchy on your legs but it's worth it because it's perfect apart from that!

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