Why I Celebrate Thanksgiving

 Albino pumpkin

I warn you, I've gone mental. Mental for PUMPKINS. I've had a Thanksgiving pumpkin-filled weekend. It's been amazing.

Mantle Pumpkin 

I've been celebrating Thanksgiving for a while. It all started at uni when I used to live with an American and she made us all do a Thanksgiving dinner and it was a whole heap of fun. And then I went to actual America, and had ACTUAL Thanksgiving, and I was sold. I mean, a four day weekend where you literally do nothing but eat yummy food? I'll repeat that: Four days. Nothing. Yummy. EAT.

Sign me up.

Pie of Pumpkin 

And so I came to wholeheartedly embrace this quintessentially American holiday to my bosom. I have henceforth always taken that Thursday and Friday off of work and plan to continue doing so. But this year was the first year I decided that I would cook a proper authentic Thanky G feast all by myself like a GROWNUP.

Half-Eaten Pumpkin 

On the menu was a turkey, cranberry and cornbread stuffing, sweet potato with marshmallow topping, maple roasted parsnips, green bean casserole all covered in lovely turkey gravy and finished off with a pumpkin pie. I don't think there was anything on that table that didn't come into contact at some point with either maple syrup or cinnamon or both. Yum.

And I'm really impressed with my friends that they didn't run scared by some of the above (yes, that was sweet potato with MARSHMALLOW - which exploded everywhere but that's another story!), they all gave it a go. It was DEE-licious.

Munchkin Pumpkins

And it was lovely to share the feast with good friends, good wine and a good stretchy pair of pants. 

Oh yes, the pre-Christmas diet started again today. I'm already having syrup withdrawal symptoms. Hold me.

Boom Boom Boom. Even Brighter Than The Moon Moon Moon

Baby you're a firework

I love love love firework night! The bonfires, the wrapping up warm, the hot dogs, the drinking, and the fireworks. Ooh sparklers too, I almost forgot those guys.

Neon pink rain 

I find it really weird that fireworks can provoke such emotion in some people, myself included. When you see a really impressive firework display, it's such a spectacle and so dramatic. Usually a crowd of people is involved and the fireworks are there to mark an occasion so you're all there having this shared experience and it's just bloody lovely. I mean, when they let off a couple of rockets at the end of the Milton Keynes Foo Fighters gig in July I lost my shit and actually started blubbing all over my best friend. Possibly a few randoms too. Which now just seems stupid. But THAT is the power of the humble firework.

Burning leaves

But bonfire night marks the point in the year at which all things autumn are in full swing. The bonfire makes the russet and golden leaves on the trees glow so they too seem aflame. The smell of hot dogs and mulled wine is in the air, and you're all bundled up in your warmest scarves and coats, waving your sparklers (or in my case, spinny glowstick thingy) in the air like you just don't care. And the fireworks are the exclamation point to the whole evening. 

All of the lights all of the lights 

I think it's such a shame that so many of the firework displays in London haven't gone ahead this year because the council's can't afford it. Ally Pally and Clapham were cancelled. I love that we have this event in the British calender so I really hope this is just a sign of the economic times and not of the tradition dying out. I mean the American's have the fourth of July, the French have Bastille day, so this is our thing!! We need to keep it alive! With that in mind, I made my way to the other side of town to Battersea Park and I'm really glad I did, the fireworks were epic. I mean, it was super busy, and there were crazy queues for food, but I managed to snarf some hot dogs JUST before the fireworks started. Boom!

Spinner love 

Whilst the fireworks were really impressive, I thought the bonfire was a bit of a let down but then maybe that's because I seem to compare every bonfire to the EPIC BALL OF FLAME I experienced in Ottery St Mary many moons ago. That was like a 20ft beast of a fire that burnt for days, so I guess it's not really fair to have that as the yardstick. Everything's going to fall short.

 Purple rain

I hope there's more displays to choose from next year. I don't want to live in a world where we've forgotten our god-given right to, once a year, burn our (non-toxic) rubbish and let off some highly dangerous chemical explosions in the sky in an ORGANISED MANNER!! This is our tradition! Long may it reign.

Crazy Stupid Pumpkin Love

Pumpkinny wumpkinny 

Oops. It's been a while since I've written anything here. I guess I haven't been doing anything that noteworthy. Although to be honest if I have to really fully analyse the situation, I could probably chalk up at least a whole two weeks being lost to scouring the internet for photos of Ryan Gosling. If you are that way inclined, may I recommend this website.

I've been to see him in Drive (the soundtrack literally won't leave my ears) and Crazy Stupid Love this month and might be a LITTLE BIT obsessed. Honestly, I have no idea where the time goes. I could literally stare at him for hours. Excellent example of the perfect man. Well done to everybody involved. If I ever met him in the street I think the only appropriate reaction would be to give him a standing ovation. The Ides of March is the next Gosling cinematic offering and I'm already rubbing my legs in anticipation.  And don't even try and pretend you aren't too.

Next of (pump)kin

So ANYWAY. Enough of my lusting after Hollywood celebrities. What a contrast between my last post and this! Last time I was reporting from the front line of the unexpected but fully welcomed and fondly remembered late summer 2011 heatwave (RIP)... and now here we are, clocks gone back and dark evenings closing in, wrapped up warm, central heating on, surrounded by pumpkins and fake blood.

It's no secret, I love Hallowe'en. This was a love that was spurred on all the more from my experience of a full-on American 'We'en during my time in New York. I'm not sure Britain will ever quite reach those heady heights but it doesn't stop me trying year after year!

I have actually purchased a further four pumpkins of varying sizes. True story.

The past five years or so have been spent constructing elaborate costumes and getting very very (very) drunk. This year I've decided to take it easy, by purchasing a whole armful of pumpkins and getting my carve on in front of the umpteenth showing of Ghostbusters. Which to be honest, is probably more fun and with less hangover.

Altogether now: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... MASS HYSTERIA!

Run to the Beat of my Biscuits

Maritime Museum, Greenwich 

In case you didn't know.. 

This weekend I watched my best mates boyfriend, J-Man Jizzle* complete an amazing achievement - he ran the Nike Run to the Beat half marathon and we are all very very proud of him.

(*Not actual name. Name that I call him. Largely against his will)

He's training to run the London Marathon next year, and this race signifies the furthest he's ever ran so it's a huge deal.

Cheerleaders (although I think I was better AND I didn't have balloons!) 

Arms outstretched, J-Man at the 11 mile mark, only two to go! 

However, the day was not without its drama. The day was lovely and sunny, but we think the heat got to him because 150m before the end of the race, J started to slow and come to a stop. Even the encouraging screams from two old lady spectators couldn't help him. A random man (we're not sure whether it was a fellow competitor, a marshall or a member of the crowd) came to help him over the final finish line, before poor old J collapsed from heatstroke/exhaustion and had to be taken to the medical tent.

He is now fine, just needs to rest up and get lots of fluids, but it just goes to show what a huge effort it is to complete these things and how amazing it is that he crossed the line. I'm so impressed. Props. Massive props.

Greenwich Observatory, obvs

Love the smell of biscuits in the morning

Other than that dramz at the end of the race, the rest of the morning had been really fun. There's always a great atmosphere at these events - I'm a natural cheerleader of life in general, so I love that it's socially acceptable on such occasions to scream COME ON ALEXXXXX!!! in random stranger's faces. Not that I do that at any other time, OF COURSE.

I'd baked some Apple & Oatmeal cookies for our group to eat whilst we were waiting for J to appear at our vantage point at the foot of Greenwich Park, and they were just the ticket for a sunny autumnal mid-morning snack.

Leftovers

Of course I gave the majority of the cookies to J and his girlfriend (not that he could appreciate them at that point in his poorly state), but I kept a select few back for me. And they were just the ticket to soothe my aching hands (from clapping) and scratchy throat (from aforementioned stranger-face-screaming). I mean, really I worked JUST AS HARD. Right?!

No, I know: not right. I joke.

Well done J-Man Jizzle, Jam Master Jay. SO PROUD.

Wedding Details

Sugar flowers handmade by the bride herself - better than any cake I could make! 

I love weddings. Even if I don't really know the betrothed couple that well, there's something about sharing that special day with them that gets me all teary eyed. It will become part of their history and story as people, and you are contributing in some small way to the narrative of their lives, to tales that they will tell for generations. Its a privilege.

Last weekend I attended the wedding of a good friend of mine from uni - there was a big group of us that all lived together for the first two years of uni. She's an absolute diamond of a girl, and we are all super super happy for her that she's getting married, to a really sweet guy (who ticks pretty much all the boxes of her list of essential husband qualities she made in our first year!!) so it was a real 'meant-to-be' day. This appeals to all my Disney-influenced romantic tendencies!

Party favour

There are certain moments in a wedding that I always enjoy as they tend to happen at pretty much every one you go to - the moment when the bride makes her entrance, and the look on the grooms face, the first kiss as a married couple and father of the bride speech to name but a few.

But the best bit of weddings is seeing all the little details that make it unique and special and completely 'their' day.

Barn chic 

Last weekend there were so many of these. The vintage car that they drove from the church in. The wedding cake that was decorated with a huge cluster of hand crafted sugar flowers, made by the bride no less! The beautiful barn adorned with fairy lights, bunting and flowers in the middle of the Dorset countryside that hosted the reception. The exhausting but damn hilarious ceilidh. The mismatched crockery that held the afternoon tea - of course the wedding breakfast would be afternoon tea! The bride is famed for her tea obsession. The tables were all named after different teas, and even the party favours were a selection of gourmet teas.

 Vintage crockery

It was completely and utterly their day, and so beautiful.

Dorset Days

Lulworth Cove. Pirate-friendly.

I've been on a trip back to the homeland this week. The homeland being Dorset, where I was not born, but certainly bred.

I go back to Bournemouth quite a lot to see my family, but this week I had an EXTRA reason to make the trip down south.

One of my lovely friends from uni is getting married in a couple of weeks, and held a somewhat unusual hen festivity. Kayaking around Lulworth Cove! I would literally expect nothing less from the former treasurer of Exeter University Canoe Club.

You might think thats a little dinghy. It's not. It's a pirate ship. 

Having never kayaked before I was convinced I would be the first to capsize, but actually nothing of the sort happened and I actually really enjoyed it! As you can see the weather was super gorgeous, and the water really was that blue.

All in all, I highly recommend kayaking - the only downside is the enforced wetsuit situation. The less said about that the better. There's a reason there's no photos of me ACTUALLY kayaking.

Sip, savour & quaff

It was also my beautiful (see above) sister's birthday yesterday - and whilst most of the day did not go as planned (long story involving an ambulance *alarmed and concerned face* and various minor health complaints amongst various family members *bewildered and sad face* and a broken cake *MASSIVELY FUCKING ANGRY FACE*) we did have a brief moment of calm at our latest Bournemouth eaterie obsession - The Larderhouse.

Artisan coffee station - with added plastic bag on table ambience (apols)

The Larderhouse's shtick is fresh local ingredients (check), with seasonal menus (check) and a heavy emphasis on really frigging awesome coffee (check, check, a thousand times check). I mean, what the heezy is not to love!? 

It was really warm yesterday and I was all hot and bothered from all the DRAMZ so didn't have a coffee this time, but they do that lovely pattern thing in the cappuccino foam which I will get a picture of one day!

Mushroom & chorizo tart - FIT

Food-wise the daily-changing menu is normally short but all the choices almost always all sound delicious - so never an issue with finding something good! I went for the mushroom & chorizo tart as I have had a massive craving for chorizo lately. I love charcuterie, so sue me. It was lovely, creamy yet salty and all round lip-smackingly good.

 Ginger beer - beverage of kings

It's a great place for brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks - a local gem that I intend to reward with my trade as much as I can when I go back to visit the rental units. And by 'as much as I can' I OF COURSE mean that I intend to take up residence.

Yes. More Cakes.

Crumbs!

This week was a triumvirate of cake-worthy events. Someone was leaving work, someone else at work was celebrating a birthday, and it was also the final week of Wimbledon.

In honor of all three I had a go at the Strawberry Cheesecake Hummingbird cupcakes following the success of last weeks chocolate variety.

Yummy biscuity topping

These cakes are a bit different because they have chopped fresh strawberries on the bottom, which are baked with the plain cake batter on top. This means the strawberries go all soft and jammy at the bottom. They are then topped with cream cheese frosting and crumbled digestive biscuits.

So a bit like an inverted strawberry cheesecake with added cake sponge. All in all - the bomb diggy.

From punnet to cake tin

The sunny weather we've had this week along with the tennis fever that has swept my house (Poor Murray *sniff*) has made this the perfect accompaniment to the long hot tennis-watching evenings.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off seeing the Foo Fighters LIVE tonight and am at this very moment right in the thick of the crowd, off my face on excitement. I can't stress this too strongly - I am currently breathing the very same air as Dave Grohl.

Who knows whether I'll ever be able to rejoin normal life again?

A Very Knitted Birthday

 Storm: A tunic with eyelet panels

BEHOLD! For I hereby present to you what I believe to be the best quality knit I ever did knit! And how did this great work of craftmanship come about? Well, I'll tell you.

It all started about 6 months ago. At Christmas, when descending on the rental unit's house for the festive period, I brought with me every knitting pattern book I own, and presented them to my mum with one simple prospect.

"Mother!" I exclaimed, for that is her name. "Mother, I have a proposition for you. I hereby agree to knit you one item of clothing, for your birthday in June. This will be your present. But you have to choose which pattern you want from these mags. Get cracking - I need a decision by January 1st. Loveyoubye!"

 The button, the button, whose got the button?

And choose she did. The pattern was 'Storm' from Kim Hargreaves Heartfelt collection. I love Kim's designs and eagerly await any new pattern books released.

Her designs are always fresh contemporary, modern designs, inspired by current trends and what is showing on the catwalks each season - about as far removed from what anyone normally thinks of when they think of knitting patterns. A pullout from the middle pages of 'Yours' magazine, this ain't!

Follow the eyelet stitched road? No? No. You're right, that doesn't work.

ANYWAY, back to Mum. She'd chosen Storm, and the colour of wool, so the challenge was set. Her birthday was in June so I had six months to complete something half decent, worthy of gifting as a respectable present.

Storm was an interesting knit as you end up knitting it all in one piece, by joining the two front panels at the back neck and just keep knitting to complete the back. So there is no seam on the shoulders. This made it quite easy, and it ended up being quite quick as its a big chunky knit too. 

Sleeve me alone

So, I had visions of this being something that was being knitted right down to wire - staying up all night to get this finished on time, amped up on coffee. But no, no, it was all ready and finished in plenty of time. It got packaged up and sent to her for her birthday last week via the medium of Dad's Courier Service and all was well.

I haven't yet seen her in it, but I am told that it fits really well, and that it keeps her warm (a knitted item of clothing providing warmth? WHO KNEW?!). However, I was horrified to learn that it was also apparently, when worn on her actual birthday last weekend, slightly dampened by an impromptu rain shower!!! Yes! Yes! I know! This is bad! Wool and water do not happy bedfellows make! But don't panic - I have been reliably informed that it has in fact recovered with no visible damage. Phew.

Although, I did of course warn that this can never happen again or I might have to confiscate it. Because, I'm quite proud, it's turned out real good. Which when you're knitting for someone else, is always best.

Birthday Drama

 To paraphrase Lady Gaga: I was born that day-heyyy

What a WEEK I'm having! I have literally been busier than several hives of bees. Not only have I been moved onto a new exciting but demanding project at work, but I've also been trying to organise moving house (stress central!), advertising for and interviewing several prospective housemates after my original to-be housemate flaked out on me (HONESTLY), organising some kind of activity to celebrate my birthday only to then have my phone stolen that night! So on top of everything else I had to deal with police reports, insurance claims and new phone contracts.

PHEW.

 Oh nana... what's my name?

So I had every intention of blogging last weekend about my birthday, but I think, given all of the above, its understandable why this is a week late!

Even though everything and its mother seems to have come at once (isn't it always the way?!) my birthday was (until the phone incident) a nice calm amidst the storm of activity that has become my life these days.

 Liberty oven gloves. For SHOW ONLY.

I spent a lovely day with my current (but soon to be ex - nooooo!) housemate Holly. We went to old favourite Wahaca for lunch - where they presented me with free birthday churros, complete with candle! Always a pleasure never a chore. Then, I have no idea how we made room, but we wandered over to Gelupo to sample some of their dairy delights. So scrummy.

Later on that night we had another lovely meal at The Real Greek in Hoxton before heading over to The Book Club for drinks and dancing until the wee small hours. It was all going so well until about 2.30am when I realised my phone had been taken from my bag, which put a slight dampener on what had been a brilliant day.

His name is Gerald.

But as is eventually the way with these things, everything seemed to work out in the end - an old friend confirmed he would like to become my new housemate, my phone was due an upgrade anyway before it got stolen so I walked away with a brand new one the very next day (and as it was iPhone to iPhone I lost NO data whatsoever - SCORE!) and I had lots of gorgeous presents to cheer me up from the stress and strife!

Hummingbird and Magnolia books, pretty glassware, exquisite oven gloves and a new stuffed animal friend were amongst my haul this year - I am a very lucky girl!

So basically the moral of this story is, that when the shit hits the fan - it's nothing good friends, good food and a stuffed owl can't remedy.

Bread & Cakes and Time & Space

 Meringues are the new porn

It really is birthday season in my family. Last weekend my cousin had a birthday party, and this weekend it is the turn of my dad, who is 57 years young today!

I invited my parents up to foggy London town for a little birthday weekend break. My dad is really into science and astronomy so I thought it would be nice to take him to Greenwich for the day.

 Bready.

While we were in Greenwich we stumbled upon a Paul Rhodes bakery, which was amazing and everything a bakery should be to me! We are all massive bread and cake fans in my family, and a Paul Rhodes bakery is a real artisan treat. The smell of fresh bread hits you as soon as you walk in and there are delicate homemade cakes for as far as the eye can see.

Bake em away toys.

It's super popular and it's not hard to see why! So we snaffled some of their wares as a birthday treat, my dad went for the pecan tart, my mum for the chocolate cupcake and I came away with one of those sexy meringues. SO good.

Rental units

And boy did we need the treat! We had just walked up and down the epic hill to Greenwich Observatory. It was a really cold and blustery day, and I was complaining about the wind constantly, but actually in reterospect - I really wouldn't want to climb that hill in the height of summer. I'd be an unsightly sweaty mess, and that's never good for anyone.

Hope springs eternal

On the way up, I spied some snowdrops on the hill. I didn't see ANY snowdrops last year so got really excited about these. I'm huge flower fangirl (Top Tip: get me a bunch and I'll do anything) and I always find snowdrops such cheery l'il guys. It means SPRING IS NEAR!! Hope, light, warm is just around the corner, which is just what you need to be reminded of at this time of year. 

Dad-dad-daddio

We spent some time wandering around the exhibits at the Observatory (all free - bargainous!) and paid a small charge to watch one of the shows at the Planetarium, which we all enjoyed, but mainly because the chairs are in a recumbant position so you can watch the ceiling. We've decided this is the way forward for cinema generally.

Greenwich has a really lovely olde worlde villagey feel to it, I'd love to go back again soon and explore the markets and perhaps also the Naval College. Maybe one for the summertime.

But most importantly for me my dad had a happy dappy birthday and that's reason enough for me to scale a mountain and scoff a meringue!

Paper Faces On Display

Lethal Cocktails. Deadly.

Forgive me. Normally I try and post on a Sunday. Yesterday I was unable to do this and the above photo pretty much sums up why. Dirty filthy hangover.

 On Saturday, my cousin celebrating turning 21 by holiding a super brill-pants party.

Biffday boy 

Above handsome fellow is my aforementioned 21 year old cousin. The theme of the party was a Masquerade Ball, hence the face gear. He doesn't just dress that way for fun you know. Or maybe he does. I didn't ask.

The best bit of all parties - CAKE

There was lots of yummy food, and yummy cake. And quite a lot of alcohol. 

 Yeah, don't be fooled. She's drunk as a skunk!

Seriously, a LOT of alcohol. At one point my mother (above) was even doing tequila shots. Ha! I love her.

 Also don't be fooled. I probably fell down right after this was taken.

Oh to be 21 again! I had a similar big family/friends party for my 21st, and it was so much fun. I love my family get togethers, everyone gets very very merry and laughs a lot. Sometimes we even dance. And there is a 99% chance that bacon sandwiches are served the following morning so really, life doesn't get much better.