Old Faithfuls

I need a new black coat. As my mum keeps reminding me. But I can't say no to this old faux fur of mine, an Ebay bargain. That, Topshop jeans and Revlon Red lipstick. Old faithfuls for winter.

Photos by Rianna Tamara.

Cotton Candy Colours

I got this adorable little woolen jacket from a charity shop this summer for £4. There was a matching baby blue one with a rip in the lining that the lady was going to throw away so she threw it in for the same price and my Nan did some sartorial SOS and saved it for me. Even with just regular jeans and a vest, add a slick of candy pink lipstick and I automatically feel like a lady who lunches.

Photos by Rianna Tamara.

Eat: Veggie @ Hakkasan

"But what can you eat if you don't eat meat?" Well in some restaurants, the menu might be a little lacking but not so at Hakkasan. I went this week for a pre-Christmas meal with some friends, me being pescetarian and Ruth being vegan we opted for the veggie set menu and we feasted. Hakkasan specialise in modern Cantonese food, and their sleek dark surroundings are the perfect setting for a special occasion (the week before Christmas is special right?) Bowls of kumquat salad, roasted tofu with pumpkin and veggie dim sum with veggie fish floss (!) started us off right as did the off-menu, creamy cocktail the Hakka.

While the mushroom stir-fry was a bit bland I did like all the large cashew nuts. Difficult to eat with chopsticks though! The okra topped with pumpkin and chilli was delicious as was the aubergine and mushroom filled aubergine but the winner was the vegetarian steaks. Tender and served in a sweet yet creamy sauce, they were something I've never seen on a vegetarian menu before and really enjoyed.

We must always find room for dessert...

A little snap of what I was wearing. Fedora from New Look, dress and boots H&M.

Read: Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Image from Literally Darling

If you're still looking for a Christmas gift for the woman in your life, this could be it. No, this should be it. For ladies who play Scrabble, girls who have watched 'Girls', young women who love the Hunger Games, females who have danced to 'Blurred Lines' or sexist rap tunes, watched Django, had an abortion, been raped, experienced racism. But especially those women who don't think of themselves as Feminists, because this book of essays by writer and professor Roxane Gay breaks down just why we shouldn't give up on the feminist movement and why its okay to be a 'Bad Feminist'; it's better than being no feminist at all.

The book is written in short, easily digestible essays that examine such up to the minute and relatable moments in contemporary culture, from reality TV shows like Love and Hip Hop to the R'n'B singer and ex of Rihanna, Chris Brown, all through the prism of feminism and the impact that they have on women and society as a whole today.

The feminist movement is often criticised for being un-inclusive and repeatedly being told from the perspective of heterosexual, middle class white females and this can be alienating for some women, leading to (sometimes necessary) divides and separate spaces for black feminists or gay feminists for example. Bad Feminist at least attempts some interscectionality, as Gay is a black woman of Haitian descent, and this informs her own experiences and ways of relating. The book is divided into sections: [ME]. [Gender & Sexuality], [Race & Entertainment], [Politics, Gender & Race] and [Back To Me], and for me personally it was refreshing and validating to see essays regarding black issues such as representation and even the creative output of media by and for the black community such as Tyler Perry films and 'Fruitvale Station' being analysed and discussed with the same gravitas and importance as the rest of the book.

Gay's writing is deeply personal and funny which makes it easier to consume as there are a lot facts, figures and theory which can often be difficult in non-fiction writing, but her voice is so strong it feels as though you are just reading the thoughts of a much more articulate older friend. Gay is very vocal on Twitter (@rgay) and I don't know if that influences her ability to write in such an easy style - being succinct in 140 characters is a skill after all. There is even an essay called 'When Twitter does what journalism cannot'. I didn't personally agree with everything she wrote but I could never undermine her passion and commitment.

" It's hard not to feel humorless, as a woman and a feminist, to recognize misogyny in so many forms, some great and some small, and know you're not imagining things. It's hard to be told to lighten up because if you lighten up any more, you're going to float the fuck away. The problem is not that one of these things is happening; it's that they are all happening, concurrently and constantly"

And that's why we need more young women to identify as feminists, to not be worried about being called a man hating lesbian who doesn't shave her legs or get caught up on worrying about being the right kind of feminist. Gay's book lets you breathe a sigh of relief to know you can want to wear pink stripper heels and have a man at home to have kinky sex with and still identify as a feminist. If that's what you want.

Christmas Prints

Christmas is just around the corner and the Christmas parties, gatherings and catc-ups have begun..
Rather than stick to monochrome or the classic red jumper I decided to go for print that would clash beautifully with the Christmas tree.
I picked up this incredible African print inspired shirt at the Bloggers Swapshop and love the slightly longer cut and large collar. The bright colours are perfect for brightening up a boring December day.

Above are some of the presents from our little friends Christmas earlier this week. We gave ourselves a budget of for each present and managed to find some really well suited presents on the cheap, I'll be wearing some of my gifts very soon! How cute is the Queen Nataly drew onto my pressie? It's meant to be me! Wrapping paper you can't bear to throw away...

Friendspiration

I think the best people to draw inspiration from are the people you already know.
Sure you can be inspired by the likes of a pop star all over the tele or a blogger that seemingly has everything just by writing a few words online and that's all good, but actually the people who make the most impact on us day to day, are the people in our lives, our families and friends, people at work, partners.

At the weekend I headed over to a friends new home to celebrate her birthday and see how the renovations were going. I was sooo impressed with how much they'd got done and their design choices, even the Christmas tree! Ruth is the second friend of mine to buy a place recently, and while buying is not even in my sights just now, it shows me it can be done and is definitely inspiring.

The girls above are mates I've had since I was 11, we all went to school together and 17 years later are still as close as ever. It feels great to know I've got such good friends but even more than that they inspire me. Life is different for twenty somethings now than it used to be or than we had thought it was going to all turn out. A Glamour magazine report found that 56% of readers aged 29-30 are less financially secure than they expected to be and loads of people are living in the family home. House prices are crazy especially in London, but my mates give me a little flicker of hope!

And it's not just property. One of my best mates Louise (often featured on the blog) is retraining in naturopthic nutrition, whilst working full time and another intends to eventually swap her sturdy secure job in law for the wedding videography business she's started with her boyfriend. It felt great to hear her say that she was a little bit inspired by me, with my not so secure lifestyle but absolute commitment and passion for chasing my dreams. A friend I used to be close to recently called off her wedding to the man she had been with for 8 years, much to the shock of everyone, but is now blissfully happy with someone else, and that has inspired me not to settle for less than I deserve in my own relationships.

Adult life comes with its challenges so I like to find inspiration wherever I can. But it means just that little bit more when the people I'm inspired by are my amazing friends. Here's to h

Product Review: Dr. Organic Manuka honey face scrub

For anyone who suffers with dry skin, particularly in the winter, this face scrub is turning out to be a right blessing! It was a gift from a friend, that predictably sat in a drawer unused for absolutely ages but since I have started to use it, I haven't stopped! I'm quite picky when it comes to face scrubs and am usually never 100% satisfied but this scrub tops it for me.

 What we put on to our skin is so important, so knowing that the Dr. Organic range is paraben, SLS, artificial colour, preservative and fragrance free is nice and reassuring. The Dr. Organic brand pride themselves on and have been given several awards for their natural and mostly organic grown ingredients and are suitable for vegetarians as well as not tested on animals. Their complete range uses loads of organic plant oils, butters and extracts and interestingly aloe vera replaces water in most of their products.

Maybe it's the volcanic particles or maybe it's the corn cob powder, but this is one scrub I can really feel. So often scrubs have pathetic little beads that I don't feel like are actually doing anything to get rid of that dry winter skin, but this thick white scrub has a nice gritty feel, so it feels like it's actually you know, exfoliating, like it's supposed to. The aloe vera juice, sweet almond oil, avocado oil and grapeseed oil mean that like the label says, the scrub is 'deep cleansing, super hydrating and intensely nourishing', to the point where I can feel an immediate improvement, in the softness and tone of my skin. Manuka honey has long been known for its natural benefits and the best bit? It smells like honey. Try not to get too close to anyone straight after using, they may want to lick your face, that's how good it smells.

This was a gift from a friend not the company, so these are all entirely my own views.
You can check out the Dr. Organic site here and they are also stocked at Holland and Barrett with the scrub retailing at £5.99. I've also seen adverts lately about the Dr Organic snail gel range which is meant to be good for wrinkles...because I aint getting any younger!

Out and About: Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland has definitely become a winter tradition for me over the past few years, I always end up there with someone, somehow! Hyde Park in central London is turned into a gorgeous winter park every year from November until January, with ice-skating, rides, even a circus this year. But just as importantly there is the Christmas market and lots of stalls and bars to eat and drink at. This year I went along with some of my closest pals and Nataly's mum who was a lovely last minute addition to our crew.

Snowman loving is essential..

I'm not gonna lie. I'm the type of girl who holds the bags while her friends go on the rides and was more than prepared to do that again this time...but Nat's mum snuck off and bought us all tickets so I couldn't be rude and decline, no matter how terrified I was!

It was an assault course just to get to the ride!

Absolutely terrifying! I screamed so loud I'm sure the whole of central London heard me!

It was quite a mild night which was nice, but in the dark all the rides are lit up, adding to the magic. Check out the creepy haunted house below.

At the carousel bar you can drink while the carousel spins..obvs i couldn't resist a little spin.

Little bars are dotted all over the park, serving mulled wine and hot cider.

As are various little performances for the crowds entertainment. This little band played swing tunes on a bandstand and they were perfectly christmassy.

Galaxy hot chocolate...

With  a shot of Baileys...

And cream...

Cheers!

This girl had such a soulful voice and they had the crowd up and dancing to reworked versions of 'Happy' and 'Get Lucky'.

Happy 1st December! Christmas is just around the corner and I must say, Winter wonderland defo helped me get into the Christmas spirit. Have you been to Winter wonderland before? Or are you more of a bah humbug?