The Insect Collector

Tribal goodness from WAH Nails.

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 17:40:18 +0100

Tribal goodness from WAH Nails.

Agyness Deyn Image Source

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:31:06 +0000

Agyness Deyn

Image Source

Photo

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:32:05 +0000

teenvogue: Fashion Click blogger Julie Sarinana of sincerely,...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:33:05 +0000

teenvogue:

Fashion Click blogger Julie Sarinana of sincerely, jules mixes and matches patterns for a playful fall outfit. Find out how you can get her look here »

Manchester – A Guide

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:44:38 +0000

Venturing North (or South) for the weekend? Read on to find out the best places to eat, drink and be merry

Places to Eat

Don Marco, Campfield Arcade, Liverpool Road (Just off Deansgate)

I’m not going to mince my words, this is the BEST Italian I have ever been to and I often while away the hours dreaming of their perfect meatballs. The service is attentive, all the waiters are genuinely Italian and all seem to have adopted the catch phrase ‘right away’. An extensive menu, all reasonably priced and a cosy interior makes Don Marco top of the list.

Tampopo, Albert Square

A cheaper, more authentic version of Wagamama, this place fuses original flavours to make extraordinary dishes. Particular favourite is the Chap Chae from Korea, sesame-scented glass noodles with shiitake mushroom, cucumber, carroand chilli.

Dukes 92, 18 - 25 Castle Street, Castlefield

Located just by Manchester’s historical Rochdale canal, Dukes 92 serves a mishmash of surf and turf in opulent surroundings. With a great atmosphere at weekends when it doubles as a wine bar, I would suggest saving this one for a sunny day.

Places to Drink

Cloud 23, The Hilton Hotel, Deansgate

One for special occasions, this cocktail bar is situated on the 23^rd floor of the Hilton hotel, with glorious views over Manchester. At £8 the cocktails don’t come cheap and there is a bit of an odd airline vibe going on (all the staff are dressed as air hostesses), but it’s worth it for a tipple in the clouds. Tip – it gets very busy on weekends, with queues often snaking around the hotel’s marble lobby. Head there early or visit on a weeknight for a guaranteed seat.

Oasthouse, Spinningfields

Manchester’s newest bar, this olde worlde looking building, with the only permanent outdoor kitchen in the UK, seemingly sprung up overnight. Cosy and comfy, the bar is all wood and fur throws with a fantastic beer menu, friendly staff and toe-tapping tunes. Even the menus are beautiful, with spindly drawings depicting beer bottles and cocktails. A great spot to take the family for a Sunday afternoon pint.

Font, 7-9 New Wakefield Street

One for the youngsters, Font is a Manchester student institution serving a wide range of cocktails for just £2. Don’t expect class or necessarily clean toilets, but a great night out when you want to watch the pennies.

Check back next week for the best palces to shop and things to see and do in Manchester.

Red Dog Saloon - Review

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:32:06 +0000

Red Dog Saloon, Hoxton Square, London

One starter (shared), two mains and two beers, £36

Wandering around Hoxton Square on a quiet Saturday evening, we passed-up the always busy Byron and the mismatched ‘cool’ Breakfast Club in favour of the Red Dog Saloon.

I liked the welcoming outside seating area where a couple of students had set up camp, with laptops, books and smokes. With only one other party seated inside, we sat by the window and watched the autumn leaves swirling outside and sniffed with some trepidation the bottle of Kansas Dressing on our table.

When I googled this restaurant post-visit, I found the floppy haired Jay Rayner’s review from July this year (2011). With an intro stating – “Despite high hopes, Hoxton’s new barbecue restaurant is seriously lacking bite – and barbecue,” I knew I was going to disagree straight away.

I can’t purport to be an American BBQ expert. In fact, my knowledge in this area is pretty bloody limited. However, I do know that when I was sat at my desk today, three days after my visit to the Red Dog Saloon, I was still thinking about their pulled beef sandwich and buffalo wings (which to give him his dues, Mr. Rayner rates.)

We started with a sharer of eight of these wings, which had a deep fried jacket enveloping succulent chicken, served with blue cheese dressing. Two each would have been enough, but the salty crunchiness was moreish to say the least. And messy, not a first date meal.

Then on to the mains: a pulled beef sandwich and onions for me, a chilli burger for him. My sandwich was more like a burger and the combination of the smooth beef with strong cheese and fried onions was fantastic. Accompanied with fries and a splodge of fairly unimpressive homemade coleslaw, my sandwich was the main event.

Surrounded by animal skulls and images of Harley Davidson’s speeding across the desert, the Red Dog Saloon might not be a genuine American BBQ restaurant, as Rayner moans. But who gives a damn when the food is this tasty on a cold autumn night in Hoxton.

Photo

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:31:06 +0000

calivintage: gpoy! weekend wear edition. you can click-through...

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:56:46 +0000

calivintage:

gpoy! weekend wear edition. you can click-through for more photos.

top: j.crew boy shirt
sweater: h&m
jeans: j brand maria
coat: bb dakota trench
shoes: bass wayfarer
bag: j.w. hulme mini legacy bag
sunglasses: rayban rounded wayfarer
lipstick: ysl rouge pur couture in le rouge

by calivintage.

We need to talk about Kevin - review

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:05:51 +0100

Tilda Swinton’s feet are the star of We Need to Talk about Kevin.

There, that’s the way I wanted to start my review. Not with a comparison to the book, or how the film is commenting on modern times, or even about the film’s red theme- tomatoes, ketchup, paint, which suggests the blood you never really get to see.

Nope, for me, it’s all about Tilda’s tootsies.

She plays Kevin’s mother, Eva. A child she wasn’t that keen on having and who matured from a sullen and strange toddler to a psychotic, murderous teen.

Kevin has been in prison two years when the film starts, and Eva is in a living hell. She resides in a pokey, messy shack, people slap her face and abuse her when she ventures out and her once illustrious career as a travel writer has been replaced by soulless shifts at a local travel agent.

The story is told through a non-linear and often higgledy-piggledy narrative, much like the book, which is written as letters addressed to Eva’s absent husband and father to Kevin, Franklin.

Early on in the film, you see Eva’s bare foot sliding across her messy living room floor as she awakes from her sofa. It’s emaciated and dishevelled, just like her. Her metatarsal bones jut out. Feet are not the most beautiful part of a human body, but Eva’s are downright unsavoury. That lone foot was a stand out scene for me. Amongst all the half eaten food and dirty blankets, Eva’s foot is withered, alone and vulnerable. Your heart breaks a little.

However, this film would not work, or be as watchable, if you didn’t also feel some sympathy towards Kevin. Played (superbly) by three actors, Kevin isn’t evil. Even Simon Baron-Cohen (cousin of Sacha, in case you were wondering), professor at Cambridge University agrees with me. Kevin has no empathy, literally not a care in the world.

And without getting into the nature vs. nurture debate, it can be argued this is partly down to his mother. Refreshingly, Kevin doesn’t once blame Eva for his many faults, calling an isolated act of violence ‘the most honest thing you [Eva] have ever done.’

Kevin’s father Franklin, played by John C. Riley, is almost unbelievably naive about his son, even when a family pet meets a gruesome end. In the book, this is how Eva portrays him, but without this personal narrative, Franklin looks ridiculous. Surely no-one can be that ignorant?

Despite the horrific events that have preceded it, the film ends on almost a happy note, leaving the audience emotionally exhausted, but relieved and in my case, haunted by an image of a lone foot.

Image source

Contagion - review

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:16:57 +0100

My brother pointed out that actually, light and sound travel much faster than fear (in relation to Contagion’s strap line - ‘nothing spreads faster than fear’).

This cheesy strap line, along with the Love Actually style overlapping multiple narratives with a star-studded cast were all things that initially made me shy away from watching Contagion.

However, this film, unlike other apocalypse pictures, does not slap you around the face with swooping aerial shots of the dead and since Independence Day, seemingly obligatory shots of dilapidated landmarks and that’s why I liked it.

Steven Soderbergh’s picture focuses instead on a few, those most involved with the disease which is sweeping across the world, predicted to kill four per cent of the population. (It turns out its some sort of mad pig / bat flu).

Gwyneth Paltrow’s character is the first person to contract the virus in Hong Kong and spreads this, inadvertently, across America and London. No one is spared by the disease, as shown by a dead Paltrow five minutes in. The film flits between those trying to establish the cause of the flu and figuring out how to treat it and those simply trying to live through it.

Within the first half hour of the movie we are told the death count has shot alarmingly from 12 to thousands, with only a few bodies shown on-screen.

The avoidance of showing this death and destruction is akin to an alien film, where the monster is never fully revealed to the audience - your mind makes up images which are often much worse than the ‘reality’.

It’s the opening sequence which made me want to reach for the hand sanitiser and back away from anyone coughing. Through a series of close ups - a bowl of airport nuts, a bus rail, a glass, the reality of how fast such a disease could spread is frightening.

In my opinion, the film would have benefitted from fewer characters, as the film flits about some players are neglected for over half an hour and seem insignificant. Marion Cotillard’s UN worker could have been cut out of the film all together.

All-in-all, a realistic and well-acted piece which sheds light on an epidemic which could very well be just around the corner. And remember kids, coughs and sneezes spread diseases.

Teenage dreams - The perfect bedroom

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:14:20 +0100

When I was younger, I would spend hours drawing out blueprints, plans and immature architectural drawings of my dream bedroom.

Much like now, I was obsessed with Americana and shows like Clarissa, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and books such as Sweet Valley High added fuel to the bedroom-based fire.

The Wakefield twins, Jessica and Elizabeth had rooms which reflected their ‘wild’ and ‘prissy’ personalities; I believe they were purple and floral respectively, joined by a bathroom. Sabrina’s room was in the turret of a gothic house, complete with a four poster bed and Clarissa had a pet alligator.

In the world of film, I lusted after the poster festooned walls in 10 Thing I Hate About You and Frenchy’s en suite and above-bed shelf in Grease.

In comparison, my room (until I was 15), was white with a carousel horse border. It was chock full of toys, stuffed animals and towers of clear boxes full of more stuff, for want of a better word. My first CD player, acquired in 1998 had pride of place atop a chest of drawers (remembered due to the accompanying gifted CD - Big Hits ’98, which featured such hits as If you tolerate this…by the Manic Street Preachers and Just the Two of Us - Will Smith).

It was a typical ‘tween’ bedroom, but all the while I dreamed of wide, slide open windows painted white and large, enveloping beds covered in throws and cushions. I wanted a bedside table phone, with extra long cable and covered in stickers. An en suite felt my god-given right as a teenager. Huge sound systems, a TV and a plethora of other gadgets, as well as a dressing table (white, with ornate mirror and glass top) covered in little pots and paints and those perfume bottles with a cushiony ‘poof’ release were also on the wish list.

My drawn up plans often featured a pet of some kind which would reside with me. Something exotic. Spiral staircases, slides and three storey bunk beds also included.

For a while I also really wanted a Dutch style cupboard bed (literally, a little bed ensconced in a wall set cupboard), which I saw in a picture book.

There’s probably some sort of psychological reasoning around soaring 13 year old hormones and wanting to sleep in a cupboard.

And guess what, things don’t change, except the cupboard thing. I am now 24 and living in a rented property, meaning my dream room is still just that, a dream. I thought my tastes would change…but they haven’t. Current best bedrooms are Thora Birch’s in Ghostworld and Carrie Bradshaw’s surely iconic abode in Sex and the City.

Lets address the checklist -

En suite? Check - both. Carrie’s is surely the best as you walk right through her wardrobe to reach it

Poster festooned walls? Check - Thora Birch has an eclectic assortment adorning her walls

Over the bed shelf? Check - Carrie’s, loaded with magazines

Big, squidgy bed? Check

Old-school telephone next to the bed? Check

The list could go on. It just goes to show, no matter how much your outlook, ambitions and even tastes change, where you want to rest your head and call home stays very much the same.

Other greats:

Buffy’s room in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Juno’s room in the film Juno

Seemingly, all the bedrooms in Judy Blume books

Blogger superstar Tavi’s room

Carrie’s room in SATC

10 Things I Hate About You

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Clarissa Explains it all

Juno

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

macaroonella: Cute Kitten picture for FRIDAY!

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:17:36 +0100

macaroonella:

Cute Kitten picture for FRIDAY!

The Million Dollar Dress

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:18:37 +0100

The dress which launched Diana Princess of Wales as the most famous and glamorous royal sold for £192,000.

It was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel who went on to create the princess’ wedding dress. The black ball gown, with its racy neckline and relatively simple cut had been languishing in the designer couple’s garage in a bin bag and was expected to sell for just, £50,000 ( I say ‘just’, that amount of money could two Audis or two nights on Richard Branson’s private island.)

A dress has the power above all other garment to gain ‘iconic’ status and command an astronomical price tag. A survey published by offersupermarket.com cited Geri Halliwell’s union jack dress as the most iconic from the past fifty years.

The other modern dresses on the list included one held together by giant safety pins and another festooned with feathers and a fat swan’s head.

The two classics featured on the list were, of course, Marilyn’s white halter-neck frock from The Seven Year Itch, 1955 and Audrey’s black Givenchy number from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Looking at these two dresses made me realise that pretty much every dress I have ever worn when I wanted to look my absolute best are based, however roughly, on these two dresses, either short and swishy or a fail-safe LBD.

Sure, you know exactly which dresses I’m talking about, but they’re ridiculous. Memorable, but not beautiful or wearable by any means. Geri’s dress was a tea towel sewed on to a top, for Pete’s sake!

Marilyn’s dress has been valued at £1.5 million and is owned by the partner of the designer, William Travilla who died in 1990 and, a close friend of Marilyn’s was very protective over her dresses. He also owned the pink silk dress Marilyn wore to sing ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ which recently sold for £170,000.

Audrey’s dress recently beat off competition from Ursula’s bikini in Dr No and Sandy’s leather pants to be crowned the best screen outfit of all time. Fifty years old and still kicking Keira Knightley’s bum, now, that’s what I like to see.

But what makes a dress go from awesome to iconic? I think it can be split into two categories – outrageous or classic. So, unless you want to wear a coat with stuffed animals sewn into the hem or a plate of food as a hat, I suggest you take these tips and who knows, in fifty years your dress could be sold for £192,000. After all, Diana was a nursery teacher and Hurley was just Hugh Grant’s girlfriend before those dresses.

Tips to pick your own iconic vintage dress

Pick a simple shape to flatter your figure, sounds obvious but honestly, it works. Marilyn enhanced her curves with a halter-neck, Audrey showed off her shoulders
Go for a block colour, prints and patterns can look much more dated
Match with timeless accessories, pearls or a string of vintage chains and charms
Don’t be afraid to invest a bit more money in your dress and take care of it as though it’s going to last forever
Visit The Frock for inspiration, this site has some incredible vintage, yet timeless dresses as well as garments actually worn by Sophia Loren and Eva Gabor

Photo

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:08:12 +0100

More Miu Miu lust...

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:54:04 +0100

Simply gorgeous.

Happy Autumn all! Image source

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:51:46 +0100

Happy Autumn all!

Image source

Crazy, Stupid, Love review

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:30:06 +0100

While watching Crazy, Stupid, Love, I kept wondering what the film would have been like if the gender roles had been switched. Instead of Julianne Moore opening the film telling her husband, Steve Carrell, that she wanted a divorce and she’d slept with a co-worker, what if it had been Carrell’s character, Cal, who had committed adultery?

Maybe I am just playing devil’s advocate, but throughout the film I kept thinking, this would be a very different film if Cal was a Caroline and had gone on to befriend a suave woman who demands men go home with her (this character, Jacob, was played very well by the delectable Ryan Gosling.)

Cal, after overhauling his wardrobe and sleeping with a few women, decides his cheating wife is the woman for him and does everything to get her back.

Emma Stone plays Gosling’s love interest and the woman he describes as a ‘game changer’, causing him to quit his womanising ways.

With a genuinely surprise twist and some good gags throughout, I enjoyed Crazy, Stupid, Love. And that’s coming from someone who can’t remember the last time she went to the cinema to watch a rom-com.Although, if I had been the director, I would have switched the gender of all the characters to shake the genre up a little, God knows it needs it. For example, the trailer preceding this film was for New Years Eve…there are no words.

jmak: Thanks, Steve. Posting designs like this one makes me...

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:53:19 +0100

jmak:

Thanks, Steve.

Posting designs like this one makes me paranoid, because I can’t shake the feeling that it’s not original. I enjoyed the process regardless, but please let me know if somebody else beat me to the idea!

Thoughts?

Monki now ships to the UK!

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:34:05 +0100

Swedish clothing company Monki now ships to the UK for only six euros.

Quirky and a bloggers favourite, here are my picks:

Clarissa dress, 40 euro

Lottie jacket, 50 euro

Nico skirt, 30 euro

Cara top, 15 euro

Mona boot, 60 euro

Leaf necklace, 8 euro

The site’s style and trend pages also deserve a peruse.

Want: Hillier London jewellery

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:22:10 +0100

Gorgeous set of necklaces in the ‘British Treasures’ collection from Hillier London.

Love the hedgehog!