I'm one year older (well numerically, technically I'm just one day older than I was on Feb 4th).
Either way the day was a fun one. I saw my cousin, Dom, who I have not seen since roundabout 2008. We were inseparable when we were little children and we clicked back automatically. It was like I never left.
I spent my day with my aunt, her husband, their children, and Dom.
What did I get for my birthday? Ohh not much...
I went to River Island to treat myself to a CAT BAG!
look at it.. just look at it.
I was way to excited about that.
My family and I went to a great Caribbean Restaurant near Walthamstow called Turtle Bay. The food was spicy, to my liking.
I also got the cutest little birthday cake to blow out the candles on and had an all around good time.
This last year has been monumental. I really believe I came out of my shell personally and professionally. I've accepted opportunities and really jumped into the deep end to use my potential. I look forward to bigger and better things from this milestone and beyond.
Last night I got home around 10:30pm which for me is near scandalous.
I had a great night visiting the London Eye and eating a scrumptious dinner at Strada.
The day started out with me waking up to listen to Absolute Radio's weekend breakfast hosted by Frank Skinner before switching to XFM's Saturday show hosted by John Robbins and Ellis James.
I then visited House of Fraser for some well needed retail therapy. I went to the Lancôme stand to peruse and came out with a mascara. C'est la vie.
After a quick lunch at Pret, I returned to the student barracks for a face mask and a cuppa until 4:30 when I would begin to get glammed up for a night out.
By 4:30, my clothes were on and my face was done up as I left for the Bakerloo line to take me to Charing Cross.
I rode the eye, had my 4D video experience, and went to dinner. Despite my companion's pleas to go out and drink a little, it was approaching 11pm, and I really didn't want to be subjected to a night bus.
Whilst walking across the bridge to London Eye, I took many wonderful pictures. Whilst on the eye I took more. Here are a few of my favourites:
In 36 hours I'll be on an aeroplane again. I'll be taking myself on a long-haul flight to Blighty! That's right, England, the place where around 3/4 of my childhood took place. I can't wait to see family and friends that I have not seen for eons. Wahey!
However, my mother has disseminated an awful flu to the entire family. I plan to get rid of it before I venture out into the cold. Really bad to change climates from tropical to icy. There's a risk of pneumonia, you know. After being subjected to many weird teas and a cocktail of cough medicines, I do feel a little better; however I'm still wearing a fleece blanket as a toga in 30ºC heat. Not really a sign of optimum health, I assure you.
On the first night of the flu, I was cold and hot at the same time, shivering and too dizzy to get out of bed. I had hallucinations of Paul McCartney making a song with Kanye West. Wait... that actually happened. I imagined that my dog turned into a centaur. I further had weird cough syrup-induced dreams of me marrying someone who might be reading this. With that in mind, I'd rather not say for fear of professional status slipping and mental wellbeing being compromised. Let's just say it was a corporate wedding. However some good things have happened over the past week. I sat for six hours and got my hair braided, and I'm sure I've lost round about half a stone through being so sick I can only eat cucumber sandwiches and ginger ale. I did, however, manage to make and ingest some baked rosemary potatoes for supper. Every cloud...
One of My New Year's Resolutions is to make more packed lunches. Not only are they cheaper per serving, but they are often more nutritious and less calorific since you would be aware of what's actually going into your tuck. Here is one packed lunch recipe I've loved for the past week or so:
Tuna and Chickpea Pasta Salad
Makes 2 Servings
Ingredients
3 Cloves of Garlic 2 Cups of Pasta (I've been using the tri-colour spiral pasta but you can use what ever type you like) 1 Bell Pepper 1/2 of an onion 1 cup of canned chickpeas 1 tin of tuna Salt and Pepper Directions 1. Boil pasta in 2 1/4 cups of salted water. This should take around 10 minutes 2. Whilst the pasta is boiling, finely dice your bell pepper, onion, and garlic (you may also grate the onion and use a garlic crusher if you don't want the texture and want an even distribution of flavour). 3. Drain the pasta once finished. 4. Add your tuna, peas, and seasoning to the pasta and combine thoroughly. 5. Season with salt and pepper
That's it! It is easy, below 500 calories, and very yummy!
I know. I've been missing for a while.... Miss me? If you don't I do not blame you.
Since I last posted I've been through the wringer with finals (I've only gotten three of my grades so far (I'm dying to receive the rest), had a lovely bubbly Christmas with my family and returned to good ol' Antiguan sun, seas, and sand.
Last year I am happy to say I completed my New Year's Resolution to be more confident and outgoing. The people I've met over the past year, I'm sure, wouldn't see the difference but family and friends have. I've ventured out of my makeup comfort zone to add new shades and styles (next, I shall make a resolution to declutter and spend less time browsing Sephora's website), I've found a "fashion" I'm comfortable with and I've made new friends along the way.
I've had a great experience on Tremr.com (hyperlinked image in the sidebar) and met great writers who inspire me to really explore the discipline.
If a year ago I had told myself that I was going to be doing a writing internship I would've laughed at myself and returned to my miserable internships at banks and businesses.
In 2014, I believe I finally found myself. I found my style, defined my likes and dislikes, and dare to say, found the adult I want to be (when I finally grow up of course).
Instead of controlling my life with an iron fist and trying to predict the world, I've finally calmed down and started to just take the opportunities thrown at me and go a long with whatever life throws my way.
2015 is going to be a great year. I'll travel a lot more ( more on that to come), be reunited with old friends, and be sure to make some new ones. I'll document it all here.
November has gone and December is here. I am finally allowed to blast Christmas songs at high volumes in order to get rid of the "End of Semester" stress.
As a result of papers, exams and just overall stress, I have not been caring about my appearance as much (the university hoodie and legging ensemble has returned); but I do have a few favourites up my sleeve! Here we go.
1. Tarte "Lights Camera Flashes" Statement Mascara
This mascara makes my thin and near non-existent lashes longer and more voluminous. It gives lashes a curl that lasts all day long and does not smudge or budge. My lashes do not clump together and retain definition and length. This is a natural, every day alternative to the Benefit "They're Real" mascara which can be a little to akin to falsies for my tastes.
2. Bite Beauty "Luminous Crème Lipstick" in the colour "Cassis"
It's autumn/winter. With autumn/winter comes plums and
aubergines on the nails and lips. It is a creamy, silky lipstick which
has easy application and removal-- a bit too easy at times when eating
and drinking is involved, but that's what you bargain for with a crème
lipstick. It really suits my skin tone and proves to be a good wintery
lip colour.
3. Laura Mercier Eye Pencil in the colour "Brunette"
I ran out of my Anastasia "Brow Wiz" eyebrow pencil and a trip to Sephora was fruitless as my colour was out of stock. Not needing to be mostly browless until they restocked my local Sephora, I asked a sales rep for a good alternative. She recommended this eyebrow pencil and said that it will last longer than the Anastasia one... I hope so, that lasted around a month or so. This , like the Brow Wiz comes with a spoolie brush to blend out the lines drawn and the lead is soft and smudge-able. Great pencil for natural-looking brow filling!
4. Tangle Teezer "Compact Styler" in the colour "Gold Rush"
I love Tangle Teezer brushes. They well... detangle my hair without snagging unto it and causing breakage. My good ol' pink teaser was looking a little worse for wear after a year of dealing with my thick curls and I'm going to be traveling a lot over the next two months, so I thought I would invest in another. I'm going to be traveling a lot over the next two months, so I
thought I would invest in another. In the Sephora "aisle of fiscal
irresponsibility" or that sort of maze of shelves before the cashiers, I
spotted this tangle teaser and, like a magpie, was drawn to its beauty. I find this style of teezer to be a lot more grip-able than it's larger counterpart and I love the little lid to prevent the bristles becoming damaged or bent.
That's it for beauty favorites, now for music.
Musical Favourite: Cage the Elephant
This month I've been listening to a lot of Cage the Elephant. I saw them open for the Black Keys back in September, so it may be just nostalgia. I've been listening especially to the track "Take It Or Leave It" from their album Melophobia.
Food Favourite: Greek Yoghurt with Blackberries, granola and honey
I go through phases with this foodstuff. I go through weeks of loving it and having it everyday, then a few months of being sick to death with it. The occurrence of these phases is unpredictable. I've a new phase of it once more and see it as a healthy breakfast with protein and calcium. Especially good after a morning walk.
I love winter. I like the cold, the coats, wearing hats (i.e. not having to deal with my hair) and Starbucks seasonal drinks (Chestnut Praline Lattes for Life!).
My friend Amelia needed a model for a shoot she's doing, but she could not get one and settled for me (badum tss).
After a day or two in H&M and Sephora, I got dolled up and met my Amelia and my friend Arizé for the Central Park Shoot.
It was incredibly fun and I even brought my Nikon D6100 to get photos for myself. Safe to say that there were some awesome edits.
Here are some of my favourites!
I'm short. I know. I was in the process of falling backward too!
This is Arizé, forever the professional.
This is him again, pondering life...pondering death.
Obviously when you have long legs you need a to use them to support trees.
Blue days.
My favourite edit of the skyline from Central Park. Safe to say it's my new desktop wallpaper.
Me sans glasses. The edit makes it so much more epic than it actually was.
I learned out to colour splash. I got way to excited.
My favourite picture of me.
Wry smile and spectacles.
Laugh!
There you see it! Thanks once more to Amelia for the fun day out and for teaching me (finally) how to contour. I'm now considerably less sucky at make-up.
