February Favourites

Hi there everyone! It’s time for my February Favourites! Woo!

Isn’t it crazy that February is over with, time goes so very quickly when you are having fun. Without further ado let’s jump right in!

Website

My website of the month is the incredibly humbling www.52-lives.org. The aim of the website is to help somebody once a week for a year. You can nominate somebody to get picked for the week and the site then appeal for volunteers to help out. It is so very heart-warming and the kind of idea that I love.

Music

As always it is hard to pick a favourite song of the month but I have listened to this new track by Sam Smith non-stop since I first heard it so I think it deserves a mention:

Another favourite of mine is Dance with Me by LE YOUTH which includes a brilliant sample of No Scrubs by TLC

Book

I have finally got round to reading this book, it’s always so hard to read my own stuff when I’m swatting up on all my nineteenth century literature but I managed to grab a weekend and devoured this book. The twists and turns are brilliant and you change sides throughout. A must read.

Food/Drink
I may have mentioned before but I don’t really like hot drink. I HATE COFFEE. Tea is ok and I only really like Hot Chocolate if whipped cream is involved. BUT I have found my drink! We went to Leigh’s parents over the weekend and his mother didn't like this so I gave it a try and I love it. Chai Tea Latte! All the froth without the coffee. It’s spiced yumminess that perhaps is better in the winter months but I might just drink it all year round.

Fashion

I've made a few fashion purchases this month (when don’t I?) but not enough for a haul so instead they are being dropped in here, because I just love clothes.

Dorothy Perkins - Blue Chevron Pencil Dress - £22

Dorothy Perkins - Pale blue textured dress - £19

New Look - Grey Kimono - £17.99

Film

EVERYTHING IS AWESOME! If you don’t know what I am talking about then you haven’t seen The Lego Movie, and if you haven’t seen The Lego Movie you are wasting vital time by not going to see it. Leigh wanted to go and I went along to keep him company but I thought it was hilarious and laughed more than the children in the cinema. Surprisingly the cinema consisted of about 30% kids and 70% adults!

We might have also bought The Lego Movie game to play, because EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!

Random

My random favourite of the month are these 2 cookbooks which I bought from Amazon. It does say for students, but in my mind that just means cheap good food. There’s tons of recipes including one  for cheese and ham puff bites and another delicious sounding one for Coconut and Lime Icecream.  I got the Vegetarian one and the Standard as I’m always on the look out for new recipes.

I hope you have enjoyed my February Favourites, let me know what your favourites are this month in the comments below.

The light is hanging around in the evening and it’s starting to get a bit warmer so dare I say it spring is on its way!

xxx

Please mind the gap

It is with some regret that we don't seem to do an awful lot in London but when we do we make sure it's  good.

I booked this trip about 6 months ago for mine and Leigh's anniversary present and the day finally came. I had booked us to go on an abandoned underground tour at Aldwych. The station opened in 1907 and closed in 1994 and in that time it has been used for a majority of things, not just the obvious means of transport.

We went in at ticket hall level and from the minute you walk through the door you can almost smell the history of the place and as a huge lover of the past it was quite thrilling to know I was walking in history. The ticket hall still contains all the original flooring and tilling work and is exactly how it was when it opened. 

The station closed in 1994 as there was a considerable lack of use and the original lifts needed to be repaired at a cost that was much greater than the worth of keeping the station open. As such the only access to the platforms is by 162 steps spiraling down into the ground - 92ft below street level.

Round and round we went until finally we were on the ground level where the lifts would have dropped the passengers off before heading back up again. As I have lived here for about 2 and a half years now I think I can safely say that I barely give being underground a thought, but when you are able to look up an elevator shaft and see just how far down you are it is quite daunting indeed.

We walked through the tunnels towards Platform 1 and the first thing you noticed is that apart from the echo of the group's voices it was so quiet. No announcements, no rumbling of tubes - it was quite surreal. 

 
We entered Platform 1 and were immediately transported back as the tour guide took time to explain to us how Aldwych station was used as a shelter in WWI and II. The station actually stopped being used as an underground line in September 1940, during WWII, and at its largest capacity used to hold 1500 people who slept in 3 tier bunk beds along the platform. There were some beautiful old posters of the time as well which added to the whole atmosphere. During its peak use the station had a first aid post, canteen and library. There was also entertainment provided, including a night where George Formby held a concert and Londoners sat on the tracks to watch him perform. This performance was broadcasted by the BBC across London.

The station was also used as a storage space during the war with Buckingham Palace storing their bone china, and the V&A storing priceless works of art in its walls. As well as being an incredible place of history the station is also used as a film set including Atonement, V for Vendetta and 28 Weeks Later. This well known tune and music video was also filmed on the tracks and tunnels.

We walked through to Platform 2 which was all sealed off but the track was still exposed and its the original track that was first placed in 1907. At the end of the tunnel we were able to go through a to an 'overflow' section - which was built in, in case the train didn't stop! We also got to walk through the tunnels which were built for passengers to reach the platforms and lifts but were never finished because there just wasn't a need for them in the end.

After trudging back up 162 steps were emerged back in the ticket hall and got to stand in the stationary lift where they used to sell the tickets after they realised there wasn't a point in having the ticket hall open due to the lack of public traffic through the station.

It was so such a good experience and I'm so glad we did it. As a lover of history and with Leigh's love of trains it was really interesting and the fact that few people have experienced it makes it special. 

We got free entry into the London Transport Museum with our ticket so we decided to go and have a wander around which was fun - apart from the children who kept stealing my go on all of the interactive games..... not cool, little children.

It was lovely to actually get out and spend the day doing something and I will say now as I always say - we really must do more!

xxx