Bowery Mural

Happy Valentine's Day, to me

Saturday 15 February 2014


Ah Valentine, schmalentine. That day of the year when folk who barely stand each other pretend it's love. Okay, okay that's my old self saying that. I've never really been into it though. You don't need lavish presents, roses and pink cards to say I love you to your special someone and who *actually* proposes on Valentine's day? Sorry if you have.

*Screech to a halt!!* Presents! Did I say who needs presents? Well, it's been an age since a card dropped through my letter box, never mind a present, so I thought I'd treat myself to a nice little present. Happy Valentine's Day to me. Meet Alexander, Alexander Wang that is.


Yes. I bought myself my first proper designer handbag. An Alexander Wang Rocco in ultra light dove grey lambskin leather. Wow I love it. I've been checking these out for a while now and have often thought about buying a 'Focco' (fake Rocco) from eBay. But I resisted as they just didn't look right. Then I bought myself a decent looking, black bag from Zara over a year ago. It's faux leather and so after every day use the straps are beginning to fray and one of them is ready to burst. I decided it was now or never. But since I'm going to New York in a month's time I wanted to wait. Oh yes, I've done the GBP > USD price comparisons, even from those great online stores who now ship to the UK but it was still pretty expensive. Then, last Friday as I lay in bed on a day off, I checked my emails and lo and behold an email had come in from The Outnet, Alexander Wang, New In, On Sale. Waaaaah! It was too good to resist.

I selected AW, then Bags, and searched never thinking that i'd actually get one but there it was. Now, it did say white on the description but as you can see from the pictures it's not white. Nevertheless, I still quite like it. I think the white would have been too stark. Really great for the summer though. This is described as Duvet on the label. All I can think is that Duvet describes that kind of off white grey feather colour you get. But it's really lovely. Perhaps a transition piece from winter to spring, then into summer.



I was surprised that it was small. This is the Rocco and not a Rockie (a smaller version). But in fact, it fits everything i'll need on an every day basis. As everyone says it is quite heavy but i kinda like that. The hardware on it it silver, my preferred choice. There are really cool studs on the bottom to prevent any leather touching the ground when you do have to lay it down. It feels substantial and like it will last for a while. I do hope so. The handles are grab handles which is god and there's a longer strap that you might just be able to wear cross body. If not it actually sits at a nice hip length on me. I'm sure i'll need it after a good few hours of lugging it around. The leather is think and pebbled. there's two hidden zip pockets on one end, a zip compartment inside as well as two pockets on the inside, one a mobile phone sized pocket.



I've brought it out for the first time today. I think it's safe to say I made a good spontaneous decision adding it to my shopping bag on The Outnet. So last night, it was just me, Alexander and the ice road truckers.

Hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day,
Love
Angela x


Rosabotanica

Friday 14 February 2014


I've become more experimental in my choice of fragrance over the past few years. Eternity by Calvin Klein will always be my one true favourite however slowly but surely I've branched out and dallied with other scents to suit my mood, or indeed the season. Lancome's La Vie Est Belle is hot on the tails of Eternity in the number two slot. Jo Malone Honey Blossom and Nectarine is my spring summer scent. Now though. Now i have discovered Balenciaga Rosabotanica.


All I can say is YUM. I don't know what's actually in this but once it settles on the skin it's lovely. So lovely I had to buy myself a bottle. I got a little sample in a box i got delivered last week. I sprayed it on my top to try it. After a little while it settled into a gorgeous floral but not too sickly smell. You see I wold never say that i'm a flowery person. I don't particularly like flowers around the house. I would always choose fruity over floral but this, this might just have changed my mind.

And let's not forget about the design of that bottle and box. Isn't it just great.

I can see me leaving this on my dressing table top for all to see. But just don't you try to take a sneaky spray!

Angela x

Let's Catch Up

Sunday 9 February 2014

It's been over a month since my last post. Sorry. A lot can happen in one month. A lot of good stuff that is. Life got in the way, as is the way of things, and with that came opportunity. I concentrated on that for the past month. But hopefully I can get back to this blog and make it what it should instead of some barren wasteland of intermittent posts that it has become, probably over the past year.

Good things from the past month are... that I have finally booked my first holiday in about 4 years. Exciting. Well I say holiday, what i really mean is a city break. but not just nay old city break. I am going to NEW YORK. I KNOW! I can't believe it but it's happening, at the end of March. Finally. Phew. So as you can imagine i've spent about the last three weeks booking flights, researching hotels, booking a hotel and generally Google mapping routes to sites and shops every spare minute I have. (Okay not *every* spare minute). I've listed every site I want to visit, I've searched the shops i'm going to shop in, places to have tea and cake, burgers, pancakes and I cannot wait for my first yellow cab ride. Big kid alert! And I've listed it all on a FourSquare To Do List. Exhausted even before I go.

As well as that excitement, I am also getting a new car. Not a big del for some but i've had my current runabout for seven years and it was about time I bought my first brand new car. Actually, I had to go and choose my number plate today so that they can register it as soon as the calendar hits 1st March. Now that I am really excited about. I probably won't be picking it up until about 3rd March (due to timings and stuff) but that'll be a really good way to start of the week of my birthday.

This sounds so materialistic, I know but these things don't generally happen to me so when they do I'm gonna celebrate it. I think I've earned that right.

Also in March I've booked myself onto a photo walk and workshop in Glasgow. I'm really looking forward to this one since I missed the first one. It looked really good and this one has a workshop by someone I follow on Instagram, so that should be really interesting and inspiring. Cannot wait.

So..this blog? In all honesty every time I sat down to write a post I'd just get a mind blank. In those instances I thought it was better not to try to force it. I always believe blogging should come naturally to you. You should't try to force it. I see every day now on Twitter too many people simply getting a post out there, even if it's similar to what someone else might've posted that week. That's fine too.

I've tried to become organised. I've tried to get a notebook and folder together with a blog calendar. Lasted a few weeks. I tend to forget, what with working all day then hitting the gym, there's not much time in the day leftover after i make my dinner. You've got to want to do it though I suppose and I really do so i'm setting myself mini goals.

Last week saw me up my training regime too. I got a new strength programme worked out in the gym. For completing one to two times per week, or as an alternative to one of my classes. I've also been set an ab challenge, ten sets of ten leg raised crunches. It's not as easy as it sounds and after six sets I was flagging yesterday. I ploughed on through though.

Now onto the bad. Ugh. I've been getting bad stomach problems. I self diagnosed myself the other week and added to the stress which made my symptoms worse. Tip: never Google any medical symptoms, go to your doctor. I did. He gave me some medication. It didn't really work. I now think there are certain foods triggering my symptoms and I'm going to try to note things down that may flare up the pains. But... ONIONS! I was watching a video on YouTube earlier from someone who talks about healthy eating and fitness. I did not know that onions can make you gassy, did you? I had onion gravy last night with my steak, my symptoms are bad today after a fairly stable week. Hhmmm, I think we could be on to something. Let me know if you have any triggers or indeed any natural ways to prevent bloating, stomach cramps and the like. I'd really appreciate it.

So that's all for now. Hope you'll visit again.

EDIT: OH I can't believe I nearly forgot this. I'm going to see the Mrs Carter tour next week. Yep. Queen Bey, Beyonce! Woohoo, can't wait.

Angela x