Oh my goodness where has this year gone! We have quite a short favourites this month as not too many things grabbed my attention but there are some things I really want to talk about.
Music
Mentioned before but not with as much enthusiasm. FJK, All FJK songs that can be found. Spotify FJK and prepare to be very happy.
Another song on repeat on the walk to work has to be 'Take me to Church' by Hoizer.
Books
So you know how recently I have been really unimpressed with the books I have been reading? All of that has changed because I finally found a trilogy that I devoured in 3 days. I literally read a book a day and I couldn't put them down. I read these books in favour of TV, in favour of going out, in favour of sleeping. These books which kept me up at night are the Mazerunner series by James Dashner, at a cinema near you. I'd seen the poster for the film and thought it looked just up my street what with it being dystopian and all. The books are slightly on the young adult side but it doesn't diminish their appeal. The whole concept is original and a real page turner. People have likened it to the Hunger Games but I don't think that is fair on the story as they are entirely different concepts. There is a fourth book, the prequel, but as it has different characters I haven't read this yet as I needed a break and didn't feel I would emphasis with the new characters having submerged myself in the trilogies character. I still haven't seen the film but I'm dying to! Read these books.
Fashion
LOVE LOVE LOVE my floppy hat. I've wanted one for a while and finally got round to buying one. It's a black felt hat and I just feel that little bit cooler in it. Mine was from Dorothy Perkins (£14) but they appear to have sold out. I know Topshop, ASOS, H&M all do these hats if you are in the market for one!
I talked about the a red version in my September Favourites and now I have bought a blush and black one too (as seen above). I am quite big chested and as such it means I can never wear shirts without them gaping or having to go several sizes up. These tops have the shirt feel without the buttons and are perfect for a smarter look.
Now you know me, I'm not really one for make-up. Excessive make-up for me involves some eye shadow and maybe some foundation but I have found a new Bourjois lip gloss that I just adore and have been wearing non-stop. I call it a lip gloss, but it's a matte texture so after the initial application it becomes more like a lipstick. This is perfect for me as Leigh doesn't like sticky lip gloss kisses. It also stays on for quite a while, another bonus as I am really bad at remembering to reapply throughout the day. I'm wearing Velvet (No 7)(£8.99 in Boots) but they have other gorgeous colours too!
And that is it for the favourites. I'm trying not to buy anything home based as it's so close to Christmas and I can put it on my Christmas List! What have you loved this month? Anything you would recommend? Leave a comment in the box!
We popped to Bath this weekend for a friend's Birthday! I am very lucky as Leigh's family live in the area and so I often get a chance to go to quite frankly one of the prettiest cities I've ever seen.
Sometimes you don't need to go there for anything other than to wander through the streets lined with Bath stone buildings
Find lots of little shops selling their wares.
You can stop and marvel at the cathedral
Or take a step back in history and visit the Roman Baths and the Pump Room which Austen brings to life in Northanger Abbey.
It is rumoured that Austen disliked the city but I cannot see how as it is filled with history and charm.
It's always worth taking a trip up the hill to see the beautiful buildings curving round in the Royal Crescent.
And do make sure you stop and say hello to the locals
It is also a good place to get very merry on local cider from the number of different bars and pubs which is exactly what I did when I decided it was a good idea to drink 6.5% cider, followed by more cider, followed by beer on Saturday night.
If you haven't been before I really would recommend that you do....especially as they have finally, after years of waiting, got a Primark!
Ingredients For the cake
240ml groundnut or vegetable oil
300g caster sugar
4 eggs, seperated
4 tbsp of milk
180g carrot, grated
120g walnuts, chopped finely (plus some for decoration)
100g raisins
240g plain flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
For the frosting
200g unsalted butter
175g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
525g cream cheese
Method to the madness
Preheat the oven to 170c. Butter two non-stick sandwich tins. Line the base with baking paper and butter this too. Whisk the oil and sugar together, separate the egg yolk and whites then whisk in the egg yolks and milk.
Fold in the carrot, nuts and raisins. Sift the flour, spices and baking powder in to the bowl and combine all the ingredients.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold these into the cake mixture in two goes.
Divide the mixture between the two cake tins before popping them in the oven to bake for 30-35mins.
Once a knife or skewer comes out clean then turn them out of their tins and leave to cool.
While the cakes are cooling it's time to make the frosting. Whisk the butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and contiure to whisk until combined. Add the cream cheese and mix by hand until completely smooth.
Remove the baking paper from the cakes and dollop a layer of cream cheese on to one of the cakes. Sandwich this between the other cake and add the remaining frosting on the top and sides. Sprinkle with cinnamon and decorate with chopped walnuts. Place in the fridge to set for an hour before serving.
If you have come to my blog via Facebook then you will probably know that I was one of the lucky 15,000 to snag myself some tickets to next year's Glastonbury Festival on Wednesday when the Coach + Ticket went on sale! (The main sale will be on Sunday at 9am where 120,000 more tickets will be available).
Having missed out on a chance to go last year after failing to secure a ticket I thought "Oh it doesn't matter!" Which was fine....until the run up to Glastonbury and my Facebook was filled with other people going and it was everywhere and I suddenly realised I did bloody care.
Imagine my horror when I found out I had a work event on Wednesday and I wouldn't be able to get online to buy some! I enlisted the help of a few friends and set the seetickets page open from 3.45pm just in case I could get back to my desk. Luckily my boss is amazing and she let me slope off to try my hand at getting some tickets. I sat hunched over my desk with a glass of wine and a slice (two slices) of pizza and I patiently waited for 7pm to roll round.
With nervousness creeping in I screamed when I managed to get through at 7.04 (The tickets sold out at 7.14!), my hands shaking as I frantically typed in the registration codes for four of us. Clicking through with the speed of light I managed, in all the excitement, to book us on the 6am coach leaving from London - which is all well and good as we will get to Glastonbury relatively early - however the Underground doesn't start running until 5.30am....which means we will miss the coach. It appears we will have to get a taxi!
But as I sat back shaking with all the adrenaline I realised that none of that especially matters because I AM GOING TO GLASTONBURY! This will be my 5th time and its also quite special because Leigh and I met there in 2010 so it will be our 5th anniversary or meet-aversary as I like to call it. I am chuffed that we will be able to spend it in the fields that bought us together.
If you are going to try to get a ticket on Sunday then Good Luck! If you aren't going to try - well you just really should because you need to experience Glastonbury at least once!
