The Good Stuff Of... September

September. That transitional month that's not quite autumn but the summer is still hanging around too.

New York
It started with me in New York - I'll finish those blog posts soon. There's still Central Park and the Jeff Koons at the Whitney Museum to show off. So, yeah, me in New York was a great thing of September. Check back later...

Music
I go through phases with music (as I do with most things in my life). I listen to music for months then not much for weeks. This month high in my playlist priority have been George Ezra (that voice!) with Blame It On Me. On repeat most days for me that song. Next up is Blame from Calvin Harris feat. John Newman. For me there is no one out there that can produce tune after tune like Calvin Harris. I still regularly listen to the 18 Months album. Plus he is ageing very nicely indeed. Hashtag HotScot. Other tunes very much in my ears are Zombie from Jamie T, Iron Sky from Paolo Nutini and All Of Me John Legend. What's in you ears this month?

New iPhone!
No Photo. You'll have seen one by now...
I can hear the android device people groaning from this far. But it had been three years since I had a new iPhone. I know, first world problems. However, I ordered it online and it was delivered by O2 on launch day. Within an hour i had it set up, number transferred and everything. I have to say, going from a 4S to a 6 is a big leap. Although the device is larger I cannot tell you the last time my 4S battery lasted more than 13 hours. In fact i don't think i ever did. On my 6 I have had a fe times this month that it has lasted me 1 day and 4 hours or more. I can tell this from the battery usage. I even think the novelty of having my battery at 5% and not flaking out on me will not wear off for a while. It's a revelation to me. The Phone itself is nice. I didn't opt for the larger 6 Plus device. It was a step too far for me. I made an actual cut out of the size and dimension of the two versions of the phone before i ordered it. The 6 barely fits in a pocket and the 6 Plus certainly wouldn't have fitted in my pockets. There's been talk about phone bending when you sit on them. Well, what donkey would put a £500 plus item in their pocket and sit on it? I mean really people, come on. Plus if you're wearing jeans that have pockets large enough to fit a 6Plus hen you should be having a word with yourself. I joke, but seriously! Anyway, so far i've got no complaints with the phone. I really love it. In depth review there, huh?

Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Netflix
I've expressed before how much I love Netflix, butler me just reiterate it. I LOVE NETFLIX. This month i've overdosed on the whole Series 1 of The Originals (the Vampire Diaries spin-off), then i went and started watching The Vampire Diaries from the beginning. Two weeks in and i'm on series 3. I'm really enjoying it. Binge watching is the way to go with programmes. Why wait a week when you can hit go on the next episode. Gotta be done.

Having said that I started watching The Leftovers when I was in New York and it had only just started when i came home so i've been watching that weekly on Sky. Not least because Christopher Ecclestone is in it, as well as Jennifer Aniston's absolute hunk of a man Justin Theroux. Dreamboat. The story is decent too. Haha, at the story being an afterthought! Jeez.

Le Labo body products
Oh Em Gee. Have you ever smelled a Le Labo product? In particular Santal 33? It is absolute heaven to the senses. I first used these products back in March when I first visited New York and they were the toiletries at the swish Refinery Hotel I stayed in. When I stayed this time I made sure I brought some products back with me. Shower gel, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner. They're only tiny bottles so I'm trying to ration them for special occasions but every now and again i'll just open the body lotion bottle and take in a huge giant sniff of that scent. It's warming, it's homely, it's masculine and feminine at the same time but most of all it reminds me of two fabulous trips to New York.

2014, what a mighty fine year you've been so far.

Angela x

Tablet TV

I don't know about you but the way I watch TV recently has changed. Sure, there are programmes I still like to watch 'live' and on a big screen (The Apprentice, Masterchef, Revenge, Emmerdale, Home and Away and more...), but for the past 6 months or so I've taken to watching Sky Go on the iPad. I've loved it.

The full two series' of Game of Thrones done and dusted over a couple of weekdays just prior to the new series beginning in April. I've watched Banshee, Series 1-3 of Mad Men, Hannibal, and now Ray Donovan which is holding my attention. I also watch some live TV on there too: sports and BINTM on Thursdays (what is up with Elle MacPherson's face? I mean she's gorgeous and that but... puffy is the word that springs to mind) to name a few.

Last week I was updating my LoveFilm rental list online and an advert popped up for Netflix. I've resisted Netflix for a while, not wanting to jump on any bandwagon too soon. I'd browsed their selection a few months ago and didn't like what I saw. But last week I had another swatch at it and also the ads for Orange is the New Black had me hooked a little so I signed up for a months free trial. After that runs out I think it's only £5.99 per month. Not too bad considering my LoveFilm subscription is only £4.07 per month. I'm still on the 2 DVDs per month sent in the post one. I quite like getting them being sent in the post. I'm old fashioned like that.

Anyway, since signing up for Netflix a few weeks back I've watched a few decent rom coms that I'd seen before at the cinema. I would probably never buy them, but would watch them again. You know when you have that with a movie? Netflix is ace for that. And you can watch them as many times as you like.

I've also started watching Orange is the New Black. I'm on episode 5 but don't want to rush through it because you end up with that empty feeling knowing that it'll be at least another 6 months to a year before the new season is out!

Then, with all the hoo-ha about the new season of Breaking Bad starting this week, I decided to give in and started watching that. Series 1 episode 5 is where I'm up to. So far Walter's cough gives me the boke, but it's interesting enough to keep me watching.

What I'm trying to say is this new way of watching TV is a pure delight for me. I can have the iPad sitting on my bedside unit and watch from under the duvet. A huge plus is that I don't need to wear my glasses to watch it, its that close, which means no waking up with glasses squashed onto my face or an indent across my nose.

Angela x

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You watch something new every day: Game of Thrones

I'm totally new to this Game of Thrones party that's been on around me for a couple of years now. I'd never bothered with it before due to the fact that I didn't have access to watch it since its broadcast on Sky. And only having council telly means no Sky. Until I got the Sky Go app (from my sister) on my iPad. AMAZING!

The technicalities are that Sky customers can use the Sky Go app on two devices for free. It gives you access to the basic Sky channels and some that you are subscribed to. You can 'watch now' or watch 'on demand'. You can also download.

It's been a great addition to me. It means that I can watch in my bed without having to wear my glasses. Which is a great thing for wearers of glasses i;m sure you'll agree. I set my iPad on my bedside unit close enough so that i can see and off we go.

I've taken to watching the Australian Open tennis in January, the F1 races LIVE!, cycling on Eurosport and lots of new series' that I always felt I was missing due the volume of tweets about such programmes.

So, back to Game of Thrones.

I'm not really a fantasy book/show fan. If I'm honest I only dip in and out of Dr Who. I hate Star Wars and the likes and i never imagined I'd like Game of Thrones. The new series (3) began this week with a great deal of publicity and a nod that the first two series' were going to be available on Sky Go 'on demand'. I decided I'd try it out.

OMG. I watched the full first series in a day and a half. Which isn't too bad since there's only ten episodes. But it really was good. Great even. I think I'd recommend watching them all in one go like that, or at least in quick succession otherwise the plot and story-lines a plenty may be a little difficult to follow. Here's some blurb on it...

Summers span decades. Winters can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plots, lusts and intrigues; to the vast and savage eastern lands; all the way to the frozen north, where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. King and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men... all will play the Game of Thrones.

By far my favourite has to be little Arya Stark. Ser Eddard (Ned) Stark's tomboy daughter. She's a sword wielding little champion. By far the least favourite is Joffrey. Little weasel Joffrey. Oh man, never have i wanted to punch someone so much. I hope he gets his comeuppance. The characters are quite and I've noticed the cast is like a who's who of Scottish actors. Some probably relatively unknown outside of our borders. Still the stories and characters intertwine in some way. I'm glad they don't shy away from killing off main characters too. Oh and heads up, if you're at all squeamish it may not be the best viewing for you.

I'm currently on season 2, episode 7. (I would have been further on but my broadband has been going really S L O W L Y in the evenings and so my viewing has been cut short). With there only being 10 episodes per season do think that seasons 1 and 2 were so close in time they could've run 2 straight after 1. Maybe they did. I'm new to all this remember.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying something I never thought I would. Brilliant.

Game of Thrones, Sky Atlantic. Go.

Angela x

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