Feb 7, 2011

Frugal February: Week One

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No fudge for me :-(

Wondering what on this earth Frugal February is? Don’t fret, it’s all explained here.

So far, this February has remained frugal. I’m quite proud of myself, mostly because this week involved an afternoon trip spent in the shops of Wonderful Brighton. And I didn’t buy anything! Not a bag of fudge from The Lanes, not a vintage milk bottle (been after one of those for ages) from the cavernous Snooper’s Paradise and not a Rob Ryan mug.

Actually, if it wasn’t for Frugal Feb, goodness knows what useless tat I would’ve picked up in Brighton. I try to think that every cute poster or packet of artisan fudge I deny myself is another dollar in the pot for my trip to NYC this summer.

Not to sound like a total alcoholic, but I’m also finding that using holiday cocktails as currency is more effective than boring old pounds and pence. For example, a Sunday newspaper or pot of Barry M nail polish is about half a cocktail. A dress in the sale that I don’t really need? 3-4 cocktails. Season 3 of ER on DVD? Well that’s my bar tab for the evening covered. Unorthodox yes, but it’s a technique that has worked out so far.

That said, there have been a few things that I’ve had to buy that don’t strictly fall under the label of Essential (as in, I could just about survive without them):

  • Scrivener (£25ish). I’m writing a book at the minute and this web app is about as indispensable as my laptop. It’s a tool of immense beauty and I love love love it.
  • Spotify Premium (£10). If I’m awake then there’s an 85% chance I’m using Spotify. For ten English pounds, I get to avoid having my playlists interrupted by poorly-targeted adverts. The Spotify subscription stays.
  • Hairdresser appointment (Undisclosed amount). Sorry, did you say something? I was too busy sniffing my delicious hair. Money well spent.
  • Replacement Kettle (£15). Boiling water for tea on the stove seems quaint for a while (“It’s just like in the olden days!”) but soon becomes tiresome.

Are you taking part in Frugal Feb? How are you finding it so far?

Flickr image from biscuitsmlp’s photostream

Filed Under: Life Things · Tagged: , , , , , ,
Feb 6, 2011

Chanel Iman: My Latest Girl Crush

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It’s rare that I find myself flicking through a copy of Elle but, seeing as I was at the hairdresser’s yesterday, I thought I’d go along with the whole Being A Girl thing. The highlight? Chanel Iman modelling the latest pretty bits and bobs:

You can see the whole editorial here and I highly recommend that you take a peek – Chanel Iman looks heartbreakingly beautiful. The clothes aren’t too bad either.

[via MsFashinista]

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Feb 6, 2011

Too much too young? Maybe.

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I know that nine is an awfully young age to launch a singing career…but how confident, gorgeous, funny and cool is Willow Smith in this video? Who knows, she might just escape unscathed.

[via jezebel.com]

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Jan 31, 2011

Frugal February: Introduction

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Piggy bank awaits March

Because I’m a challenge-loving masochist, this month I’ll be taking part in Frugal February with a few other bloggers. As Gemma outlines in her post on Big Girls Browse, we vow to avoid shopping for anything other than essentials.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what I’ll not be buying in February:

  • Books – this includes the books I’ve been buying as research for my novel. I’ll have to use the internet or (gasp!) join the library.
  • DVDs – TV boxsets are my weakness but perving on Noah Wyle in ER season three will just have to wait until March.
  • Cosmetics – No buying a new Barry M nail polish just because they’ve introduced a new ice-cream shade. Even if they are only £2.99 a pop.
  • Hair – I have a hairdressers appointment on Saturday which I’ve had booked for three weeks. And it won’t be cheap. I’m not cancelling but I can vow not to be seduced by a £18 tub of wonder conditioner.
  • Clothes/Shoes/Accessories – None at all, except for this one dress I’ve had my eye on. And I’m buying it on eBay for under £15 so it barely counts. As for everything else, I’ll have to make do with what I have.
  • Magazines/Newspapers – This means no weekend papers, which I can cope with really as I can find everything online. But I’ll miss Black Hair & Beauty :-(
  • Eating Out - None, apart from plans I’ve made well before February. And absolutely no buying lunch from sandwich shops because I couldn’t be bothered to make one the night before.
  • Food – I’m not going to stop eating obvs, but I will make an effort to buy less meat and avoid silly ingredients. Nobody needs avocado pesto.
  • Home Things – New bedding, curtains and a rug will just have to wait until after Frugal February. Sigh.
  • Fun Stuff – No booking tickets for concerts, exhibitions, shows, the cinema or the theatre.

So why am I doing this to myself? Well, frankly I could do with the extra cash. My trip to New York isn’t going to pay for itself, and I don’t mind going without a few little luxuries in order to have more fun in what is my spiritual home (no, I haven’t been before).

I can’t imagine I’ll save a great deal of money anyway – it’s not as though I live decadently in the first place. I pride myself on the fact I don’t buy random shit and I abhor waste to a psychotic degree. Chucking away food causes me a little bit of pain (in short, I’d have been an excellent housewife during WWII).

But I suck at keeping track of what I buy and where my money goes. And that isn’t a good habit.

Expect updates over the next 28 days. I think I’ll do okay, but we’ll see – not being able to buy vanilla pods for my latest culinary experiment might just tip me over the edge…

Flickr image from bradipo’s photostream

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Jan 30, 2011

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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WIBBLE!

WIBBLE!

There’s nothing sarcastic about this blog title, I genuinely mean it. Really.

If you read this blog last year, you might have noticed me being a little grouchy over V-Day. You can read that post again if you like. See what I mean? What a GRUMP.

I kinda feel I need to atone for that. I was a bit miserable and should have kept my mardy bum attitude to myself. So, inspired by Bangs and a Bun, I’ll be sending a Valentine’s card to anyone who wants one. A real paper card you can hold, not an e-card. I’ve never sent a Valentine’s card before and I imagine the whole process will fill me with warm fuzzies. Mmm, fuzzies.

Want a Valentine’s card? Just email me a postal address to alexsheppardsb@googlemail.com before 14th February for your very own card. Warning: I will pick the tackiest, sparkliest, most teddy bear-est card in the whole of Clinton’s.

Yeah, I’m going to Clinton’s. May as well do things proper.

Flickr image from Karen Horton’s photostream.

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Jan 29, 2011

New Year Resolutions

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Boring January Skies

D
id you do the whole New Year resolutions this year? Course you did. “New Year, New You” is what they say.

Now nearly a month into the new year, how many of you are still keeping your resolutions? How many of you lasted a week? Don’t be ashamed. The reason why you didn’t last isn’t because you’re pathetic, but because it’s January.

January is unremittingly bleak; that 3.34pm-on-a-thursday feeling every sodding day. Also everyone is broke, feeling a bit tubby and pining for the days when it was normal to start the morning with a mug of Bailey’s and a handful of Quality Street. To explode into January 1st with crazy resolutions that are completely outside of your character just doesn’t make any sense.

It’d be like me swearing off inappropriate nail polish (BARRY M MINT GREEN 4 LIFE) or deciding to cut down on my Dreamgirls intake. Utter madness.

In my opinion January should be spent easing into the New Year. Stay in, make vegetarian chilli and spend the month planning stuff. So what if the highlight of my month was discovering Misfits series one on 4OD? I’ve booked tickets to see lots of fun things, written the first chapter of my novel (more on that later) and nearly finished planning my trip to NYC in the summer.

I’m definitely not against the concept of New Year resolutions – I just don’t think that January is the best time to start them. Which is why I’m starting my NWRs in February. Controversial, I know.

Here what they be:

1. Write 300 words daily of the aforementioned novel. Even if it is crap, it’s something. I’m not in any hurry, but hopefully I’ll have the first draft ready by autumn.

2. Cook one new thing a week. I don’t care if it makes me sound like a massive girly-girl, but I really enjoy cooking. I might not be that good at it (we no longer talk about the Cinnamon Roll Incident) but I enjoy it.

3. Take better care of myself. Just general body admin really – drink more water, try not to sleep in my make-up and limit my consumption of Sicilian Meatball sandwiches from Nani’s Cafe.

Wish me luck!

Flickr image from damo1977′s photostream

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Dec 20, 2010

2010: How was it for you?

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If the main theme of last year was meeting new people, then 2010 was all about being an adult. Not only did I discover the existence of standing orders and make my first solo trip abroad, the word ‘intern’ is no longer present in my job title and (*drumroll*) I moved out of my dad’s flat. If paying bills electronically and not having to let your parents know when you’ll be back in doesn’t make you a grown-up, then I don’t know what does.

Unfortunately I feel that a spot of writer’s block has held me back. Though 2010 has been fantastic, I wonder how much more I’d have achieved if I had not suddenly lost all confidence with my writing. It’s frustrating to say the least, and I’m still not quite over it.

Still, there was plenty in 2010 to keep me busy. Here’s what I got up to:

January

If I’d have had my way, January would have been written off as a non-month. It was just too cold to function. But somehow I managed to drag myself away from my electric blanket to go on a few dates, work on secret Domestic Sluttery projects and see Caitlin Moran, who I kinda adore, discuss porn culture.

February

I went to Paris for the weekend! Seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time and drinking wine by the Louvre certainly brightened up a miserable month. As did a spot of cupcake decorating and cocktails with Gail.

March

It was around March that the bone-crushing cold decided to let up a bit. I found myself at the glorious 40 Winks, the dinky boutique hotel in Mile End (yes, really), for an afternoon of girly girlishness. Insanely enjoyable despite my evil hangover, courtesy of Shoreditch Twit.

When not nosying about other people’s homes for blogging purposes, I managed to get my face on a Henry Holland scarf and a second job as Community Intern at Qype. I was thrilled. But to be fair, I’d had a stalky crush on that company for some time – they had to hire me at some point.

The picture above (via Orbyn.co.uk) shows me, Robyn and Gail doing what we do best – karaokeing to Teenage Dirtbag.

April

My favourite evening in April had to be the Jim Haynes and Fernandez & Leluu’s Supper Club event, organised by Qype. Twenty or so people gathered in Uyen’s (one half of F&L) Hackney flat to eat fantastic food – including the most amazing bread pudding, above – and far too many cocktails. It was brilliant.

Incidentally, if you ever get the chance to visit Fernandez & Leluu’s Supper Club then do. They are tremendous cooks, incredibly warm and you’re bound to have a fantastic time.

May

Another quiet month thanks to our non-existent summer, but I managed to sneak in a trip to Chicago (the musical, not the city or band) and my first ever burlesque show. Me and Domestic Slut Frances ate scones while corseted ladies stripped to their suspenders and nipple tassels. Lovely.

The above snap was taken at the end of yet another cocktail-y Qype event. Yes, that’s chocolate fondue and no, we weren’t meant to drink it through a straw. But we ran out of strawberries.

June

Running around Embankment filming a remake of Ghostbusters with the Webjam crew – most bizarre team-building day ever, but the finished films were the funniest things I’d ever seen. Can totally recommend the team at Videopia. And no, I’m not linking to the video (but I will say that I played Venkman).

But most excitingly, I met Zadie Smith at a Q&A (which I reviewed on For Books’ Sake). That’s actually a life goal fulfilled, so it’s pretty damn special. Even tops the excitement of meeting Mayer Hawthorne last summer.

July

July saw a long weekend in Tallinn, Estonia with travelling buddy Sian. We discovered underground wine bars, Medieval-themed restaurants and the best hot chocolate known to man. We also had early nights with Rocky II and room service tea in our perfect (and very reasonably priced) hotel. Lovely little weekend.

August

I moved out! For the first time, I was living with housemates and paying rent (the three months I spent at uni doesn’t count). Here are my house keys, which my delightful new housemate put on an Eiffel Tower keyring for me. It’s the perfect pitstop while I plan my move back to North London.

September

Thanks to the magic of Twitter, I’ve managed to make a few friends with kindly Manchester folk. The incredibly lovely Cris invited me up for a weekend of tequila, dancing until 4am, a perfect hangover-y Saturday and a tour of Manchester’s city centre. I’m a bit in love with the place.

The pic shows me, Jane and the rest of our team at the FBS Ladyfest Quiz. Thankfully there are no photos of the carnage that ensued.

Snap by Sam Evaskitas.

October

In a bid to get out of my London bubble, I’ve been trying to visit somewhere new every month. October saw me day-tripping to Oxford with Gary, for an exhibition at the stunning Ashmolean. I bought a Michael Caine poster and drank in a pub straight out of Harry Potter. In fact, the whole town is too picturesque to be true. Beautiful, but I’ve never felt more like a tourist in my own country.

Despite writer’s block being all up in my grill, I managed to knock out a piece for The Tip Online on why I chose to leave uni. Some lovely supportive comments there, always welcome.

Not very often my job involves me posing as a Charlie’s Angel, but I’ll go along with it. The fantastic piece of Photoshop art above was taken for Rob’s (aka Mr. Qype UK) leaving do. Also sad to report that Rachelle and Susana are no longer fighting on the Qype Community Front Line :-(

November

Novembers are always busy – a lot of my friends (and me!) have birthdays this month so it’s usually a hungover blur. But it was also the month I joined Qype full-time. For the first time, my job is no longer defined as an internship and I have a pretty fantastic team too. Couldn’t really ask for more than that right now.

As well as volunteering at Ladyfest Ten, taking a solo day trip to Paris (for Mona Lisa and hot chocolate) and a girly weekend in the Cotswolds, I had the best birthday party ever. Followed by the type of hangover that makes it painful to speak. But a night dancing to Elvis, meeting lovely people and drinking cocktails topped with flaming limes was fully worth it. And! Special guest Wibbs turned up for a drink and dance. Totally my favourite plush pig.

December

Honestly? I’ve done nothing exciting this month. Just counting down the days until the Christmas break and enjoying the snow.

And beyond…

So very excited about 2011. Not just because it includes a trip to New York City and a Rihanna concert, but because I really don’t have a clue about what it will hold. Will I move back to North London? Dye my hair Jessica Rabbit Red? Be whisked away to a romantic retro cottage in Wales? Who knows!

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Dec 19, 2010

A nearly perfect Saturday

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I moan a lot about having to move south of the river, and for good reason. It takes hours to get anywhere, the trains cancel at the merest sniff of snow and I’m sure most of it isn’t actually London. Most of all, I miss my grubby little corner of Holloway.

But there are days when living in South London, specifically near Greenwich, has it’s perks. A Saturday with extreme snowfall is good enough. But throw in spiced apple brandy, sniffing posh soap in charming shops, dithering in the market and a very satisfying snow angel session to get this level of pie-eyed giddiness:

My favourite spot of the day? The enterprising local youths who used estate agent signs as toboggans. That’s London all over.

Snaps by one Sian Meades. Aren’t they lovely?

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Nov 17, 2010

The fabulousness of living in your own place

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My house keys!

And by “living in your own place” I mean “not with parent(s)”. Yeah, that. It’s amazing. Probably not news to many of you, but this is something I’ve only discovered since moving out  of my dad’s flat in September.

Maybe I have a slightly skewed perspective because I’m pretty lucky. I’m living with three lurvely housemates, made even lovelier by the fact that none of ‘em work regular office hours. Ergo no need to schedule showers, no crowding around the toaster/microwave/kettle and no queue to make dinner at the same time. There’s also none of this ‘stick to your own milk’ bollocks. “Mi milk es su milk”, or something. It’s all very relaxed at ours.

But the best thing about my house is living with fellow Domestic Slut Sian. Not only are there twice as many freebies (ranging from hot pink kitchen paper to fancy vodka and tea towel after tea towel after sodding tea towel), but it’s like having a fellow partner in crime. Delicious, Nigel Slater-influenced crime. It’s also great to have someone to yell at the telly with every time Nigella chats breeze about pixies and moonlight.

Another awesome thing about living with a mate? If you’ve had a crappy day, they will totally prepare lovely things for when you get home. A couple of months ago I had the most paHAINfully dull first date. But arriving home to pizza and a specially-ordered tub of Ben & Jerry’s took the soul-destroying edge off the situation. By the time we’d finished watching IT Crowd, I was over it.

So for now, I’m loving not living with parents. Yes, there’s rent and bills and things, but once I worked out what standing order was (a whole five weeks ago…) it’s not so much of a hassle.

I do miss the cat though.

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Nov 15, 2010

What I’ve been up to: Links and things

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I made you some coffee.

Pardon the ‘oh-bum-I-should-really-update-my-blog’ nature of this post, but it’s about time I wrote something longer than 140 characters. So, just in case you’ve not been following my over-sharing on Twitter, here’s a few things I’ve been up to these past few months. There’s nothing particularly life-changing, but I won’t let a little thing like that stop me from knocking a blog post together, oh no.

Volunteering at Ladyfest Ten

If you follow Jane Bradley on Twitter (if not you should – she’s part sheer delight, part pink lips) then you’ll have heard about Ladyfest Ten, the three day festival that she helped to run. It’s described as…

…a not-for-profit, independent arts festival, hosted by an open collective of volunteers and enthusiasts and aimed at celebrating and promoting women’s creativity and talents.

Sounds cool, right? I found myself volunteering for the festival on my beloved Holloway Road last weekend.

And it wasn’t the least bit scary! As someone who is constantly unsure and wishy-washy, I get a tad nervous around people who are very sure of what they believe in and the principles they hold. Even more so if those principles make me feel guilty (watch me cower in a room full of vegans). And while I do identify as a feminist, I have virtually zero knowledge of the history behind it. Still, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of education and I did leave the festival with a mental list of blogs and magazines to look up.

Anyway, it certainly wasn’t all hardcore discussion. The highlights of Ladyfest Ten for me were learning how to knit (check out the rag I made!) and picking up some handy facts about women’s erotica in a fantastic workshop led by the founder of Filament magazine. Buzzword of the day: “tumescence”.

The Tip Online

Yet another situation brought on by a talented young woman I follow on Twitter, this time Christiana Mbakwe (aka @Christiana1987). She contacted me about writing a piece for her baby, online magazine The Tip Online, on why I decided to give university a miss. Despite being in the throes of writer’s block (me, dramatic?), I agreed to do it because it’s something I feel isn’t discussed enough. So here it is, my article. It’s not the best thing I’ve written (and I managed to bizarrely irritate a man called Tim – check the comments) but I’m pleased I did it nonetheless.

New job! Kinda…

For the first time in a year and a half, I’m now working full-time in one job! During the day you can find me doing community bits and bobs with the gang at Qype HQ. Why not follow us on Twitter?

Domestic Sluttery photoshoot

A few of the London-based Sluts were rounded-up and herded in front of a camera for a charity calendar. I can’t say too much about it just yet but there was a chubby cat, vintage fashion and talk of certain unorthodox practices that had us all in giggles.

Also, standing next to several gorgeous women while you’re feeling grubby and hungover? Not recommended.

My face! On a bag! In Debenhams!

Ya herd.

Flickr image from spaceageboy‘s photostream

Filed Under: Writery Things · Tagged: , , , ,
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