I invited Lulu Guinness to Tea.

Fortnum and Mason sure know how to dress up a milk and two sugars.

Miss V x

'Be my thrill, my little white pill.'

Last night, I stumbled across The Weepies: the husband&wife folk double act from Massachusetts.

{Via Amanda Palmersheim}

Their music is nothing short of blissfully happy &really rather cute. Give 'Be My Thrill' a listen. I've had it on loop for almost 24 hours.


If you fancy watching/listening to something even cuter, this is guaranteed to make you grin like the cheshire cat.


Miss Dx

Ambled upon: Slanchogled, arts & Craft Shop

A beautiful summers afternoon in Camden, London. Before enjoying a delicious latte outside a trendy cafe, I stumbled on this treasure trove, for all you artistically inclined.


'Slanchogled' is a Bulgarian art shop, situated within minutes of the famous Roundhouse and close to Chalk Farm Station. I am always 'drawn' to art shops, but this one in particular had me enthralled, for its impeccable organization, quirky finds, and creative atmosphere.

What's more, the staff were friendly, and the choice of materials available to buy were diverse.A picture may paint a thousand words, but this craft corner will leave you speechless. 


Miss V x


P.S
more info can be found on their website: Slanchogled

A few things I've learnt from cinema...

As any of my friends will tell you, I have big love for films, and the bottom shelf of my bookcase is brimming with  a few of my favourites. From 'Some Like it Hot' to 'Juno', each &every one fits snugly, matching my changing moods to make me laugh like a fool or cry like a baby. Much like a good book, a good film doesn't merely entertain, it can teach you something, or at least remind you of something you've forgotten. A well crafted plot with real people (NOT caricatures) should reflect life as it is, which is why I'm relegating the first three 'Twilight' DVDs to the attic, where they will stay forever.


So, in no particular order, here a few things my favourite films have taught me...


#1: A clumsy double act will always surpass a bombshell
When I was ten, my uncle introduced me to 'Some Like it Hot'. It was a refreshing and hilarious change to the sea of chick flicks I normally got excited about, and they seemed pretty dull in comparison. Why? Because Jack Lemmon &Tony Curtis in drag will always be a classic recipe for a comedy caper. Even with Marilyn Monroe wedged between them, the two gents will always be the real stars of the film, because they're not afraid to make complete fools of themselves,and they pull it off with class. 


#2: It's fine to have a trippy imagination
As a kid, I sincerely believed that Narnia was real. So deep was my conviction that I sat in my wardrobe for an hour in the hope that I could meet Mr Tumnus and prove that mythical creatures really did exist. Sadly, though maybe luckily, I grew out of this phase eventually. Nevertheless, the fantasy of a far removed world that only a privileged few can access continues to have a strong appeal. Admit it, it would be cool, right? This is why works like 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'Big Fish' will always be classics to me. A giant, witch, and a ringmaster/werewolf who turn out to be real?! Oh, if only...


#3: Audrey Tautou is wonderful
From the shy and awkward Amelie to her stunning portrayal of Coco Chanel, this lady knows how to act. I've come to admire how the elfin beauty can carry of wayward gold digger to fashion paragon with ease &grace. I like that she hasn't been typecast, because she can carry off all shades of womanhood without seeming false or pretentious about it. When there are a few too many Megan Fox-alikes out there, Miss Tautou represents real women, from the dippy to the classy.


#4: Guys fret about the opposite sex just as much as us girls do
Maybe it's a little odd that '(500) Days of Summer' can instantly cheer me up when I need it, given that it's not at all romantic or slushy, but that's where its charm lies. The opening line of 'This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story' tells you instantly that this will be one of the rare films about love that doesn't sell a trussed up fairytale. The girl wont be timid and reticent about pursuing her hellenic hero, and he wont be strong, sturdy and superhuman. Instead, she can be a bitch (as us girls can often be), and he'll feel anxious, because, wait for it... He's... human!!! So, ladies, don't feel distinctly 'girly' (n.b. naive/weak/whatever) whenever you find yourselves analysing what those two kisses at the end of his last text symbolised. Why? Because guys do it too! (No, really. I once overheard two men on the Central line having a  very similar conversation). 


#5: Despite my latent cynicism, I should admit that I am a hopeless romantic
'Once' is a beauty. If you've never seen it, google it now. You wont regret it. What you'll find is an Irish busker (Glen Hansard, singer/songwriter), and a Czech Immigrant (Marketa Irglova- also a singer/songwriter with a hauntingly gorgeous voice to boot) in a sweet limbo between friendship and 'something more'. They're never truly honest about their feelings for one another through the spoken word, as it's through their songs that they really reveal what they're thinking. This is where the romance comes in. With lyrics like:

'I don't know you

But I want you all the more for that

Words fall through me

And always fool me

And I can't react'

I'm pretty sure anyone would turn to putty. 'Once' wont deliver a fairytale, but what it will give you is something much more valuable. In it you'll find a story of love as it really is: shy, slow, &sometimes painful. 

Miss Dx

It's quite fun, listing all the things you can't do. Be glad someone else can. They think the same about you.

                          {via Jessie Di , source weheartit }

Maths is not my strong point.

It's not so much that I cannot make head or tail of it, for I am currently studying for a Masters degree where logic is very much part of the equation (as it were). It is more of a case that I don't feel inspired by numbers. There isn't a great deal of capacity for me to say a lot about the 3 times table- it is what it is. I wish I was better at numbers, I envy those who can reel off digits and do 'on the spot' calculations, and it is easy to feel, like with any skill we don't possess...inadequate.

But perhaps, its ok not to be ok at Maths. Yes, I can't really long divide. But give me a jotter, and I will fill it with doodles, phrases, sayings, poetry....like some kind of extra storage capacity for my imagination. Give me a calculator, and I will probably crunch in my own phone number.

But you know what? We cannot be good at everything. It would be boring if we were. We are all made differently, with some really great personal strengths, and some very vibrant and diverse facets of our different personalities. Which got me thinking: we need to stand up for our own talents a bit more. We could whittle away our lives feeling small because we can't do some of the impressive things other people do. But we are taller in more ways than we probably conceive.

For all I know, maybe Michael Schumacher isn't  very good at singing (sorry Sir, if this is a misrepresentation of your vocal range), but he is really good at racing cars. Albert Einstein himself, was a genius at physics. But the question is, could he tap dance? I'm not so sure, but what I am certain of,  as I'm sure Mr Einstein would agree, is that there will be many geniuses out there who can.

Shine for yourself, don't just be a mirror for everyone else.

Miss V x

Brand yourself.

What one wardrobe essential do you have that makes you feel your most *you*?

I have two. First, big sunglasses. Many a time I have looked barely with-it as I have dashed to the post box/shops/ coffee catch up. I have however feared not because of owning the most effective of concealers: the power of the shades. To make a big impression they have to be bigger-frames-the-better. Personal faves - some much love Tom Fords, one of my most favourite birthday presents.


Second: cashmere jumpers.Otherwise known to Miss D and myself as 'goats' ( after the dear fellows who's coats are so super soft) . There is just something so classic and comfortable about them. Crew neck styles are my personal choice and for me they never go out of season. Whether I am bracing winter winds, or enjoying a summers evening, a 'goat' will never be far away. Those close to me will know that they have become part of my image . Which just goes to show - you don't need the labels to define your style. You define yourself.


What are your trademark pieces?


Miss V x

Rise and Shine Summertime..

To early to get excited? Nothing like a bit of optimism at the start of March...

First thing this morning, I looked out the window while simultaneously listening to Radio 4's weather forecast "Prepare for a chillier start to the new month". 


Clearly, they were prematurely practicing their April fools. Nearly Midday, and we got a scorcher.


So thought for the day: Enjoy it. Have your lunch break outside. Sit in the Park. Walk home, don't bus it. Leave your coat for the cupboard and roll up those sleeves.


And if tomorrows miserable, who knows? Maybe a little tan will be present to remember this by.


Miss V X