Glastonbury OOTF

So I thought I would do a blog post on the outfits that I’m going to wear over Glastonbury (OOTF if you will). Unfortunately Glastonbury often becomes a catwalk for every skinny girl to get her legs and stomach out in cutoff’s and croptops – not that I wouldn’t be the same if I wasn’t a size 10 but that’s by the by.

Before my future boyfriend had even seen me my friends had filled him in on how my nailvarnish matched my wellies and he thought “who is this nightmare girl who will probably hate camping and be going back to change every second” – of course he couldn’t have been more wrong. Yes I like to match my nailvarnish to my wellies but that’s just fun! Still my Glastonbury packing is a highlight – It’s like when you have non-uniform day at school and you want to wear your best, coolest outfit – times that by 10 and you’ve got the 5 days of Glastonbury in a nutshell (for me anyway!).

So here we are, my 5 days of Glastonbury!

Wednesday:

Something comfy to travel down there in, walk around, and pitch a tent in! I love these trousers from New Look. They are in a soft material, slightly baggy and so comfortable. Plus they are covered in tiny little Elephants, what's not to love?!

 Thursday:

All these outfits are weather dependent but if the sun is shining I will be wearing this dress. It's from Dorothy Perkins and they have it in 3 different style, hearts bows and cobalt blue. I bought the hearts but think I might go back for the blue as well. Adding a touch of glamour to Glastonbury,

 Friday:

The fun really starts now as the music properly starts. I will be jumping around to The Hives in my favourite H&M top and Primark shorts. (I avoid shorts as a rule as they make my legs look awful but it's Glasto so hey ho!)

Saturday: 

Time to get out the leggings - weather forcast says rain so far but I will be seeing Chase & Status and Example so I think these (Primark) Aztec leggings will be perfect for dancing. 

Sunday:

Last day of the festival requires a dress for some swaying to Mumford and Sons. I picked this green dress up in the sale in New Look. I do like a fit and flare dress - the necklace was from a friend.

I have also stock piled on jewellery - I do like shiny things and I bought a canvas bag, although I will probably grab one of the free festival ones once I am in. 

Canvas Bag - Primark

Neon Ring - New Look

On the Monday I will just wear leggings home as they are the most comfy and require the least effort. I keep talking to my friend about it and we are both getting so excited. I can't believe it is so close now!!!

xxx

See you on the other side.....

The time is nearly upon us! It is just over a week before I will be taking myself off to Glastonbury for 5 days and to say that I'm a little excited would be the calm version of what I am feeling.

This will be my 4^th year going to the land of mud, music, fun, and smelly toilets. My boyfriend and I weren't too sure if we wanted to go this year as quite a few of our friends aren't going and we aren't too impressed with the line up this year but when we sat down and wrote a list of pros and cons no matter how many cons there were the biggest pro was always IT’S GLASTONBURY!

It is always quite special when we get to go because I met my boyfriend there and it will be our 3 year anniversary this year so it’s nice that we are lucky enough to keep getting tickets and are able to go back. If you haven’t been you have to go at least once in your lifetime. The atmosphere is just incredible, everyone is so friendly and they look out for each other, you get to see some amazing bands that you perhaps wouldn't normally get to see – prime examples and some my favourite are Scissor Sisters, Faithless, Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, and Coldplay to name a few. The not washing for 5 days is fine as everyone else smells the same and it’s what baby wipes were invented for, there are always strains of music to be heard from somewhere and on the first night going up to Stone Circle and watching the hundreds of lanterns being lit and sent on their way is skin tingling. These are the reasons that we are willing to pay £205 for a ticket despite the line up being a bit crap.

I want to see the following:

Arctic Monkeys

Mumford and Sons

Vampire Weekend

Example

The Hives

Chase & Status

Bastille

Disclosure

Rudimental

Skream & Benga

Sub Focus

SBTRKT

Netsky

Flux Pavillion

I am also taking a trip to Primark at the end of the week to pick up some bits and pieces so I can put together some Glasto outfits. I have been frantically checking the weather and although it’s still 9 days to go and could change it doesn't look too awful currently but if it does rain I've got my brand new wellies to splash around in.

So now it is just a case of buying all of our alcohol – we are going for two 2ltr bottles of vodka & mixer and rum & mixer each and some cans and boxes of wine. I really am not looking forward to carrying it all on my back though!

I am so looking forward to this, it’s going to be different as it will just be my boyfriend, our friend and me but I think Glastonbury is what you make it and we are going to make it a bloody good one! xxx

Over and done with...

I've finished my exams and with it I have finished my 4th year and 'Reading and Studying Literature' and I can't say that I'm not relieved. Revising for that exam was horrible, learning quote after quote, frantically reading my notes and wondering what on earth the questions could be.

The morning of the exam before I had even opened my eyes I ran through the quotes in my head before I had even opened my eyes and found that I could remember them all which put my mind slightly at rest. The exam wasn't too awful and I answered all the questions (I hope) precisely and I even managed to drop in all the quotes as well.

I have to wait until August to find out if I passed the course which hopefully I will have done as I passed all my essays.

I've also been looking at which course to do next, either 19th Century Literature or 20th Century Literature. They both start in October so I will still get a few months off which will be nice as it means I get to read my own books for a little bit. 19th Century has an exam at the end but it looks like it might be the better course with novels that will hold my interest and it will have an element of History to it which is appealing.

I am looking forward to going into my 5th year, I am so close to finishing and getting my degree. Still it wont be until 2015 so a little way to go yet!

xxx

Splashes of colour

Saw these flowers on the way to work by the canal. There were tons of bumblebees buzzing around and it put a smile on my face despite the sky being grey and an impending exam...

You're like Paris in April and May

Weighty Issues

Something new readers will not know is of my continued efforts to lose weight and eat better.

Last year I was doing really well. I had dropped a stone and half, I was going to the gym 3 times a week (which I still hated but forced. I don't think I will ever like the gym.) and I was feeling much better about myself....And then I climbed over a park gate, my dress got stuck at the top and I fell with my ankle twisted under me and a with a rip in my dress.

I didn't break it but I did sprain it VERY badly meaning that all my hard work and gym time had to stop and with it the weight piled back on and I avoided the scales.

My saviour came in the form of a very lovely girl called Sarah who needed someone to do a case study on for her nutrition course. I volunteered and promptly set to work cutting out all white carbs, most sugar and all the fun things in life. Keeping a food diary meant that I had to look at the food choices I was making and realising that someone else was going to see those 5 babybels I ate in a row made me stop.

I have now been eating brown rice, weighing my cheese and scoffing down fruit for 12 weeks. I have managed to lose a very respectable 13lbs or 5.8kg for the Americans/Australians/Anyone else. I am 1lb off a stone and I have been promised a present so I am very eager to see how I've done at my weigh in tomorrow.

So far I haven't been indulging in exercise, my ankle still twinges a year on so I need to be careful but I have said to myself that once my exam is over I will make a real effort to work out and hopefully keep losing.

I am doing this to be healthy and happy and because I need to do this now before I become old, or pregnant and I can never get my body the way I want it. I still have 34lbs or 15.4kg to go but I am optimistic that I will have lost this by the end of the year and I will finally be satisfied that my body is a happy place. xxx

Pretty Kitchen

Coming into my sunshiny kitchen every morning makes me happy

Exam Exam Exam

As mentioned in my previous post I am a part time student at the Open University and currently in my 4th year. This year I have picked 'Reading and Studying Literature' which all sounded well and good 9 months ago but then I realised that I would have to do an exam and I freaked out.

But I told myself it would be fine, 'it's miles away' I said. Apart from now it's only 3 days away, I don't think I know enough quotes (YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR BOOKS IN!!) and what if I don't know how to answer the question.

This is the first exam I've done in 7 years and I swear I didn't used to get this worked up about them. I'm normally quite calm and don't get stressed about these things but all I can think about is 'what if my pen runs out?!'

Of course none of this is helped by sitting on here writing a blog when I should be violently trying to cram quotes into my brain until they stick.

Why on earth am I doing this again?!

xxx

Recipe - Lemon Tart

Let's get things kicked off with a sunshiny recipe :)

Low calorie lemon tart :) Only 186 calories a slice!
Ingredient

For the pastry

• 50g butter , cut in pieces
• 140g plain flour
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 medium egg yolk

For the filling

• 3 medium eggs , plus 2 medium egg whites
• 140g icing sugar , plus extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
• 125ml lemon juice (from 4-5 lemons)
• 200ml tub half-fat crème fraîche

Method to the madness

Rub the butter into the flour until the mix looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar, then make a well and stir in the oil, egg yolk and 1 tbsp cold water until dough comes together and gather into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out so it fits a 23 x 2cm loose-bottom flan tin/dish. Ease the pastry into the tin. Press the pastry into the flutes so it sits slightly above the edge and trim the excess. Lightly prick the pastry base with a fork,  then chill for about 10 mins. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.

While it’s chilling make the filling! Beat the eggs and egg whites together with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then gradually beat in the eggs. If the mix is at all lumpy, simply beat with a wire whisk. Stir in the lemon zest and the juice. Leave to stand so the lemon flavour can develop.

Line the pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans and bake blind for 15 mins or until well set. Carefully lift out the beans and paper, then bake the pastry case for another 3-5 mins until the base is cooked and pale golden. 

Strain the lemon mixture through a sieve. Beat the crème fraîche in a medium bowl until smooth, then slowly stir in the lemon mix until well blended. Transfer to a jug, then carefully pour two thirds into the warm pastry case. Place in the oven with the oven shelf half out, pour in the rest of the filling, then carefully slide the shelf back in. Reduce the heat to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Bake for 25-30 mins until barely set with a slight wobble in the middle. Cool for about 1 hr, then serve with a light dusting of icing sugar. Best eaten the same day - yes, all of it!

xxx

Fresh as a daisy

There is always something nice about starting a shiny new blog.

In this case though it is something of a challenge to leave behind my other blog on tumblr which I have been updating with my heart and soul for the last 3 years. I am having a few problems with the features on tumblr – you can’t comment on your posts and you can’t easily access old posts which means that you have to click like mad to get to old posts. I am hoping that I will love this one just as much as my old one!

But I’m not one to start something on a downer so welcome to my blog! I started blogging about 3 years ago and gradually it over took my diary writing and now I write all manner of things on my blog. I find it soothing to know that there is a record of my life somewhere out there, and I hope that the things I post about are helpful and provide some fun into a dull day.

For the most part my blog will be filled with recipes, London and my life in general as I skip along into my late twenties.  A little bit of background information is always required: My name is Cara, I am 25 and live with my boyfriend of 3 years and our cat of 9 months in the East of London. I moved to London 2 years ago and I wish I did more on a daily basis. I am in Business Development but wish I was in PR or Events. I am also a Open University student studying English Literature part time – I am currently in my 4^th year, with 2 more years to go before I receive my degree. It has been going on for so long I feel that I will never reach the end!

I am a social network-aholic. I like cheese in unhealthy amounts. I hardly ever wear make-up. I wish I had never given up horse-riding. I giggle a lot.  I can’t stand to be alone for longer than a few hours. I always dreamed of travelling but responsibilities won out. I can never find anything to wear. My life is a bit like candyfloss, full of happiness, sugar and air. How profound.

This is my life....