Mishmash Monday

It was very sad to hear that Clarence Clemons had passed away a few days ago.  He seemed to be a wonderful man with a big passion for his music and an even bigger heart. I love this clip of him and The Boss at a Los Angeles show in '85. It just shows you how close Bruce and Clarence were, and how much fun they had.

I've now been home in Edinburgh for over a week now, not much to do except apply for festival jobs and see some friends. My family and I are going on our summer holiday to Iceland, and I'm rather excited about it. It's going to be so different from any other holiday I've been on before, and I'm really looking forward to the geographical wonder of it all. And I'll take my camera with me this time, I promise! Look forward to Sigur Ros inspired images.

Also, I keep forgetting to put up buttons and mention that I'm on Twitter and Tumblr, and you can follow me there, too! (tweet tweet! tumble tumble!)

Twitter & Tumblr

The Fall

This is an amazing film. It follows a young girl who is in hospital because of a broken arm. She meets and befriends a stunt man who is currently bed-ridden after a great fall off of a bridge. He tells her an amazing story involving bandits, explosive experts, swimming elephants, butterflies, beautiful women, vast deserts, majestic Eastern palaces, evil Spaniards... 

It is also an aesthetic masterpiece. The locations that this film was shot at include India, Brazil, Prague, Cambodia, Argentina, Thailand, Egypt, the list goes on. If there's ever a film that's going to get you itching for travel, it's this one.

Apple Pie Recipe - Yum Yum!

Bleugh. How long has it been since I've posted here? Too long!

So, spring is definitely in the air over here now. It's like no-one's ever felt the sun before. It's like we didn't even know what flowers WERE. It's as if we had never experienced a gentle, warm breeze...

The best way to celebrate this sudden (and hopefully not short-lived) burst of warm, loving springy goodness is to, in my opinion, get in the kitchen and bake an apple pie. At least, that's what I did...

It is fairly easy, and absolutely delicious, especially warm with a splodge of whipped cream.

Here is the recipe, I've adapted it a bit from the original, that can be found here (cough cough, "adapted"? sort of, just added more cinnamon...).

Sunshine On my Mind

click on photos for source

I don't want it to snow anymore, I don't want it to rain anymore, I don't want the wind to howl anymore.

I want sunshine to beat on my windows, creep into my bedroom, lie on the floor and light up the dust. 

I am dreaming of summer.

Your Guide To February Courtesy of the Stars

source

I have a funny relationship with astrology.

First of all, I love space. I love stars and space and the absolute terror that fills me when I try to fathom just how big it is. I took an astronomy course last year, I'd like to say I actually learnt something, but I think I was too busy taking furious notes and trying to not freak out over spectroscopy and centrifugal force. I love sciencey space. And we all know that science and fortune-telling do not mix.

Secondly, I totally love the idea of fortune telling! I remember taking out a massive blue volume out from my school library when I was about ten. It had a big palmistry hand on the front, and was an extensive guide to discerning the future through tea leaves, hands, cards, runes, numbers, astrology... it was amazing. A friend and I would sit in the playground and read each others' hands, tell each other our Chinese Zodiac qualities and try to mediate. It was all a little bit crazy, don't get me wrong, but it was so much fun.

So here is where I stand with astrology: fun, interesting, but not so big on whether it actually works or not. Of course, some of you will say that it doesn't. With you, I half agree; I have a horoscope app on my phone that gives me my fortune for the day. It once warned me that I would have back trouble that day. Load. Of. Rubbish!! The specific horoscopes that are dished out daily in crappy tabloids are not helpful in the slightest.

But here is something that I believe: horoscopes give you damn good advice sometimes. When you're not that sure where to turn to, perhaps it's written in the stars? Specific directions aren't helpful, but sometimes you can read them and they will offer a gentle nudge down the right path. I have spent a few hours (gawsh!) compiling some astro information for this month, hopefully if you are feeling a little confused and lost, you will find a little arrow pointing you in a safe direction. Now, I'm no astro boffin, but I have done a fair bit of research...

NEW MOON IN AQUARIUS

Today!

It's almost over, but worth mentioning. The new moon represents the beginning of a new cycle, and Aquarius is, of course the water bearer; think of a flowing river. It is a good time to plant some new ideas that you wish to see come to fruition later on this month. The strong current of this 'river' and the new energy that feeds it means that you may feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment, but stay calm and go with the flow -  you're probably heading in the right direction.

FIRST QUARTER MOON IN TAURUS

February 11th

The first quarter of the moon asks us to stop the small problems we have from snowballing. Look at the plans you have made at the beginning of the month and see them through objective eyes. We may see things we don't like - you may touch upon a sensitive area, but the fact that the moon is in Taurus is a good thing: it gives us stability and a sense of patience.

FULL MOON IN LEO

February 18th

Leo represents art, love, playfulness. The full moon here asks us to release the social tensions we may feel and just let off some steam. Also, don't be afraid to use this time to go out there and get what you want -  the moon in Leo will give us confidence, creativity and strong will.

SATURN RETROGRADE

25th Jan - 14th June

Saturn is a planet that represents maturity and growing wisdom. It helps us structure our lives and make the right decisions. In astrology when a planet is in retrograde this basically means it loses some of its influence over us. So, Saturn in retrograde means that we feel a little more insecure and less sure of making decisions. We should take this time to look over the commitments we have already made, and decide whether they are benefitting us or not. We should not be afraid to say "no".

So... where do you stand when it comes to astrology?

How To Get Happy

photo by yyellowbird

I speak on your behalf when I say that we all like to think of ourselves as bubbly, bright, super-productive, creative beings, right? We like to think that we spend our days working hard and swanning about in our spare time, don't we?

Sometimes, there are days when we just don't feel it. Sometimes, there are days when all we want to do is curl up in front of the TV, lose ourselves in chocolate, drown in endless internet, spend our grocery money on a pair of new shoes. But does it really work? Sugar, shopping and skimming through endless pages in Tumblr doesn't make me feel that much better, in all honesty. And I'm sure it doesn't work for you.

Here are a few ways to brighten your body and mind, leaving you feeling fresh, light and most importantly, happy.

GET CLEAN

Messy surroundings = messy mood. How can you be expected to function if your bedroom resembles a bomb-site?! It may feel like a chore at first (especially if your room is as terrible as mine was this morning...), but it gives such satisfaction! Tie up your hair, put on some loud music and hop to it!

Of course, if you already live in impeccable surroundings, why not give yourself a good scrub? Take the time to have a long bath, or slap on a face mask, or paint your nails. Moisturise, exfoliate, wash away that bad mood! Clean body, clean mind.

GET IN THE KITCHEN

I'm sitting here writing this after having just cooked and eaten a super-delicious dinner for myself (Thai Chicken Wraps with Sour Cream Dip, anyone?). If you are hungry and bored (and sulking), sugar is going to do nothing but make you feel good for a little while, and then make you feel worse. Get some real grub inside you! Look though recipes in books and online, and choose something that sounds fresh and snazzy and delicious. Go out and buy the ingredients (and a little something for dessert!) and get cooking.

GET OUTSIDE

Take a long walk to goodness-knows-where. I often find that it helps me think and gives me a lovely endorphin boost. If you live in the city, try exploring a new area. If you are in the countryside (lucky you!), explore a new footpath or forge one of you own. I love a good walk around my city, and it's even better with a camera or a good friend (or a good dog!!).

GET TOGETHER

Search out other human beings! Seek out someone you haven't hung out with in a long while and catch up; initiate an insane tickle war with your beloved; invite a close friend over for dinner and gossip. It's hard to feel sorry for yourself when you're with friends!

GET DRESSED

Dress up! Put on something with sparkle and texture. I wrote an article about dressing up a while ago, here. It doesn't matter if you're not going anywhere, just put on something that makes you feel good. And take some photos.

GET CALM

Light a candle or some incense, and lie on your bed (over the covers!! you're not going to sleep!). Meditate for ten minutes or longer, if you wish. You can either set an alarm or search the internet for guided meditations. I like this one here. Clear your mind and feel your body refresh itself. You will bounce back up, I promise! It feels really good just to take some time and concentrate on absolutely nothing.

So, there you have it: a quick guide to beating the everyday blues. Hope you all feel refreshed and ready for the rest of the week!

Swan Song

I've got about two months to compose a "song" set to the words of Yeats' poem The Wild Swans at Coole. I'm putting "song" in inverted commas because it's not your easy verse/chorus/verse/chorus/piano interlude thing. We get extra points for being "original" and stepping outside of normal "tonality" conventions, keeping it 21st Century, yannow?

I went down to the library and took out a few songbooks. This post is basically a little mood board, if you will. My head is full of swans and forests and lakes and Modern Romantic melodies.

Small Things

The fact that my English Lit tutor wears a pocket watch.

I heard someone who had the name "Edgar" today.

Dogs who wear bandanas instead of collars.

Planning a composition set to the words of Yeats' poem The Wild Swans at Coole for music class.

Gabriel Fauré.

Good Morning!: How To Get Dressed

Who wakes up some days and reaches straight for the skinny jeans? Who dreads the daily question of what to wear? Who uses winter as an excuse to sling a coat on and be done with it?

It's time to bring the romance back in to getting dressed in the morning.

SET YOUR ALARM.

I am not one of those people who plan their outfits the night before; I'm a last-minute, spontaneous kind of girl. Therefore it is wise that I get up with plenty of time to frolic over my chest of drawers in the morning. You cannot argue: waking up with five minutes before a lecture, you're going to grab the cotton over the crochet. Give yourself time to muse about the sartorial possibilities of the day.

MUSIC!

Get some music on, some really, really good music. The stuff that makes you want to dance. If you ain't in a good mood, you are going to want to spend the day in your pajamas, and who knows how that will turn out. Stick on your most favourite tune and boogie to that wardrobe!

I often find that what I'm listening to will influence what I'm wearing. For example: while listening to Yves Montand crooning about Paris, I found myself in breton stripes and searching for my beret. Embrace the music! Let it dress you.

CHOOSE ONE THING.

If you're anything like me, you have goodness-knows-how-many number of clothes, and yet you still have absolutely nothing to wear. Something to do with not being able to see the wood for the trees, huh? Start slowly: try just picking one item from your wardrobe and take it from there. What item did you choose? How can you wear it? A vintage slip gives you an opportunity to work the 'underwear as outerwear' trend, whereas a crisp white shirt leads you in a more androgynous direction.

It doesn't have to be an item of clothing, though. Maybe you can dress yourself around a certain hairstyle, or, heck, nail polish colour! Let your imagination run wild.

COME RAIN OR SHINE.

Of course, if we all had it our way, the sun would be shining every day and we could skip out of houses in floaty dresses and ballet flats (at least, that's my idea of a good day). Rain brings an unnecessary downer on days (unless you really, really like rain, but that doesn't happen here in Scotland). Don't flop back on the bed and pull on the UGG(ly) boots! Layer up, put on a cute hat and a pair of wellington boots-- use that rain to your advantage.

FEARLESSNESS.

Finally, don't be afraid of trying new combinations. I used to worry that if I wore something that was a little different from my 'norm', people would question it. Read: there is no 'normal' for you! You can wear whatever you want, however you want, you will still be 'you'.

Get up, get inspired, get dressed. It's as simple as that.

Gift Hunting in Edinburgh

I don't know about you, but I always find hunting for the perfect present unbearable. Casting off into the tumultuous sea of shoppers on Princes Street is always a test of tolerance, and it's difficult to find something really unique and meaningful... a pair of socks just isn't going to cut it anymore, ladies and gents! Never fear: I'm here to help. If you're one of the many lost souls in the centre of town, bedraggled and just about giving up hope on that glorious gift, take my hand, let's get outta here!

First of all, let's talk clothes. I would like to draw your attention to a shop on Cockburn Street: Cookie. One thing this shop does well is sell a damn good dress. Impress your loved one with a swishy-skirted, polka-dot or floral number, and they will love you forever. I bought one for myself on my birthday: best gift I have given myself by far! If your recipient is a quirky character, look no further than Armstrongs. Three shops in Edinburgh, the largest being their one down in the Grassmarket. Buy your lovely a fur coat (they stock faux as well as real) to dull the winter's chill, or perhaps purchase your beaux a snazzy bow-tie... there really is something for everyone.

Jewellery is always a go-to for presents. Sometimes it can have sentimental value and other times it's a "uhh I went into Accessorize and bought the first thing I picked up" gift. If you want to treat someone to something real and one-of-a-kind this Christmas, hit up those antique shops! A good one to go to is Cabaret, which sits up and round the corner from the Grassmarket area on West Port. There is a wide (and I'm talking wiiiiiiide) selection of brooches, necklaces, bracelets, etc. Plus, there is a wondeful selection of second-hand books down the rickety stairs at the back! Buy your loved one a real, leather-bound copy of their favourite classic.

If you're looking for something with a little more modernity, you can't fail with the Red Door Gallery on Victoria Street. Stocked with notepads, cards, jewellery, planners and prints from contemporary artists (as well as a few good Lomography cameras and some Polaroid film), this has been a long-time favourite shop of mine in Edinburgh. Hannah Zakari on Candlemaker row also has some wonderful gifts along the same vein: great jewellery, bags and some other homewares.

You really have no excuse... get spending!