Christmas Outfit

I'm working this Hogmanay/New Years Eve so nae chance of me dressing up to ring in the new year. So here's what I wore on Christmas day instead.




Dress, vintage (1960s). T-bars, Clarks. Belt, ASOS.

Happy new years to you all. I hope you ring in the new years appropriately. I'll probably be just in from work, in my onesie, watching When Harry Met Sally and a bottle of wine to myself. Perfect party of one, in my opinion!

It feels a lot like Christmas...

The view from my bedroom window at the start of the month, when it snowed.


My wee tree!





Snowflake and Nutcracker decorations I picked up at the Edinburgh German Christmas market with my friend Kerstin.



German Christmas market, photo taken by Kerstin.



The table set for dinner. Reindeer from Primark, Jesus (moneybox) from Paperchase. Elle magazines used for placemats (because I had none).


The starter was a Mushroom and Tarragon Paté, made by my friend Claire.


A table piled high with food, the vegetarian main was sweet potato, spinach & hazelnut en croute, with red wine & juniper gravy (that I had spent two hours preparing on christmas eve and boy oh boy was it worth it. It was delicious), from the Cornucopia cookbook.


I made the Hairy Biker's Chocolate Chestnut Pudding for dessert, which was delightfully creamy and rich! We had to wait an hour or so after our main to eat this, because so much as looking at a plate of food made me queasy. My friend Christina went all out and made a fruit cobbler and apple strudel!

A very merry unbirthday

This was me in 2001 -



Ten years on -


(Still leaning against things)

I turned 23 today. Still taking life one step at a time, but its moving too fast for my liking. Hopefully by the time this post is published I'll be clutching a bottle of wine somewhere, most likely in the midst of an existential crisis.

In the spirit of this year's most overused image/quote -

(*Not my mug)

Twas the night before Christmas...

... and I've been a busy wee lass, preparing some of my vegetarian Christmas feast for tomorrow. I'm working tonight and the rain is pouring down outside but i'm full of festive cheer (considering my birthday falls two days after Christmas day).

So from me, to you all -



Have a good one! And don't forget to get those stockings out tonight ;)

Winter in Glasgow

Well folks, I am sorry to leave the blog so lacklustre during this festive season! I've mostly been working, eating a lot of delicious food, decorating my tree, writing xmas cards, been frequently rained and snowed on, as well as getting blown about during Hurricane Bawbag and foremostly trying to keep warm in these bitter Scottish months. Here is my armour for the Glasgow winter:









Outer: Coat, Benetton kids (via eBay); Boots, years old Doc Martens; Scarf. H&M; Hat, People Tree; Bag; Kipling x Peter Pilotto.
Outfit: Jumper, COS; Trousers, Uniqlo; Shirt, Mango.

Keep cosy kids!

Winter wishlist

All I want for Christmas is at least one of these things...






La Double Vie de Veronique poster (Japan)


Illuminations, Walter Benjamin






Liberty Ianthe Turban


Aprés Ski Pictor necklace

The best veggie chilli ever?

I am partial to spicy, mexican inspired food, being a girl who likes her beans and pulses and guacamole.

I'd attempted vegetarian chili in the past, using TVP (or Quorn) 'mince', but the taste and texture was ultimately unsatisfying, I'd abandoned any hope of making a decent chili until I tried this simple recipe I'd come across on a message board.


So I'll never make it as a food blogger, but you get the picture.

Ingredients
1 can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Black beans, drained and rinsed (I just used another can of Kidney beans)
1 can Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 chopped red/green/yellow pepper (depends on preference, or in my case, whatever was left in the fridge!)
1 red onion, diced
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock (120ml)
3 garlic cloves (I used more like 4-5)
1 generous tbsp of chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3-4 glugs soy sauce
Pinch of tsp kosher/sea salt
A few grinds of black pepper

Directions
Chop the garlic, onion, and red pepper. Saute lightly over medium high heat in 1-2 tsp olive oil
Add everything else into the pot! Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 min or longer as needed
Serve with tortilla chips (or brown rice) and add whatever toppings you usually would (depending if you're vegan/vegetarian), like guacamole! But I enjoyed it just as well without!

Perfect winter comfort food.

Double denim?!

On Saturday last I updated my twitter status with "Venturing into the terrain of double denim for the first time today. Using Sissy Spacek in Badlands as my sartorial defense." Well I survived and I think I liked it. What say you?





I bought these socks on sale in Tabio when I was in London and was desperate to show them off but was at a loss as to what to pair them with. I needed something neutral so they would the standout feature of the outfit. So I denim'd it up.


Sissy Spacek working the lone ranger look in Malick's Badlands (1973) alongside Martin Sheen.

A day that began with me intending to buy toothpaste and impulsively buying orange nail polish instead, being late and losing a friend in a gallery, going in search of non existent cafés ended up with an impromptu The Babies gig at the Captains Rest and by the time I got home in the wee hours this shirt smelt of beer and sambuca after a night out on the dance floor at Nice n Sleazy.

Spot the difference

I can't believe I'm putting pictures of myself in a ONESIE on THE INTERNET. After the firemen incident the whole world may as well know about my favourite item of clothing. A number of my friends (and strangers and postmen and neighbours) have seen my wonderful, festive PJs, so I am sharing my glamourous life with you all, here on My Blog.

Note the use of the 'personal style' tag.

Autumn

A photo essay of my October and November -


I finish work late and have bad food cravings, sometimes I get in the mood and make guacamole, with homemade pita chips.



I went to see The Playboy of the Western World, starring Ruth Negga and Robert Sheehan, at the Old Vic at the beginning of November.


I've enjoyed the odd hot toddy.


I was introduced to this delicious dark chocolate, from New Zealand. I won't rest until I acquire a bar all my own!


I purchased new wine glasses, cutesy and ridiculous. Perfect. Disappointed there was no Ariel versions! 3 for 99p though, can't complain.


I've started reading for pleasure again. I have acquired new titles and some editions of old favourites (The Silver Chair was my favourite of the Narnia series, it had a much more eerie atmosphere in comparison to the others. I also rather favoured the first Narnia book over the rest).


I bought some sensible rainboots for the Glasgow winter and picked up my new favourite evening bag for £3 in Salvation Army.

Postcards and prints

One of my weaknesses is postcards. I can't afford the art, but I can have a keepsake. Here are some of the many postcards I purchased in London and kept for myself (the rest making their individual journeys to Dubai, England, Scotland and Ireland).







The Wallace Collection
L-R:
1. Boucher, The Setting of the Sun, 1752
2. Fragonard, The Swing, 1767
3. Reynolds, Mrs. Elizabeth Carnac, 1885
4. Boucher, Madame de Pompadour, 1759


National Portrait Gallery
John Donne, Vivien Leigh, Helena Bonham Carter


Leighton House, Holland Park
Postcard of a decorative tile from Damascus, seen in the entrance hall of Frederic Lord Leighton's house.


National Gallery, London
Delaroche, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, 1833 & Gainsborough, Mrs. Siddons, 1785


National Portrait Gallery
Vivien Leigh (1913-1967) print, taken by Alexander Bassano (April 1935), presented 1974 by Bassano to NPG

I can't wait to frame this and to have a home in which to display it. This photo also graces the walls of The Savoy, London.

What do you do with your postcards? How do you store them? One of my friends writes what they know about the painting on the back, along with the visiting date and then stores it. I've left it too late to start doing that I fear! But looking over my postcards I know where and when I bought it and whom I was with (for the most part).

I'm always interested in international postcard swaps with other bloggers if anyone wants to partake with me!