Feeling Fruity

Feeling Fruity

So... I've shed hair for the summer. My hair has halved and I am pretty happy with that fact - using a hairdryer for longer than 20 seconds is a thing of the past, bare necks with added breeze for everyone.

Another sunny day in Manchester was upon us - not a rain cloud in site. I decided to dress refreshing, let me tell you a story about this skirt...

... I had tried on a skirt in a size 12, which I managed to drag up over my bum, but it stopped there - no way was it going to fit. Distraught I wandered around Primark, I spotted this beautiful watermelon creation hanging lonely on a rail, I instantly ran over to find it was a size 10. Not one to be deterred I tried it on anyway and it fit! Celebrations, (mainly dancing) ensued. Me and the skirt came together in one moment of perfection - I loved the skirt and the skirt loved me. I gripped the skirt, eyeing people with disgust if they came near the skirt (I had to protect it, the till was close). I arrived at the till - the tag said £12 yet it went through at £5. Winning.

So anyway, I obviously had to wear the skirt right away. I am not the kind of person who can buy something and save it. I dressed like a watermelon to go for lunch, drink iced coffee and play in the greenhouse amongst the baby fruits and vegetables. Did you know that tomatoes started their lives as flowers? Did you know that strawberries grown in my Grandad's greenhouse are the tastiest?

Tell me your stories :)

Manchester > London

Fool For Love - The Dress of Dreams

Fool For Love - The Dress of Dreams

...You are picking apples on an orchard in Woodstock with your sweetheart, you carry your bounty back to the wooden cottage you are staying in and get started on apple pies and an afternoon nap...

Wear the Fool For Love dress with a big straw hat and a bunch of daisies .

Who could not fall in love with this dress after reading this description?

This dress has been waiting patiently for the right amount of sun, grass and happiness to tease it out of the wardrobe. Myatts Field Park opened its gates for the 'Camberwell Arts Festival' delivering delicious food, reggae bands and shaved ice. SHAVED ICE? Possibly the most magical discovery, ever. Not only does it look ridiculously instagrammable but it's a delight to the taste buds.

Two of my housemates were judging the 'Camberwell Bake Off' - they appreciated my offer of being 'chief taster' before gracefully pointing me in the opposite direction... The bandstand was transformed to host a pretty spectacular reggae band, did you know that sunny days are made for reggae music?

Toujours Toi Family Affairs is one of the most beautiful brands, with one of the loveliest people behind the helm. Me and Nina discovered that we have a mutual love for what each other creates - skill swapping was the only way forward. Skill for skill, dresses for paintings.. but more on that soon!

Camberwell is starting to feel like home.

Oval Farmers Market

Oval Farmers Market

After living in South East London for a year, I discovered the 'Oval Farmers Market' which appears in St Marks Church every Saturday from 10 until 3.

I have always walked past in a hurry and not really paid much attention, that is until the delicious scent of dripping, Somerset cheese drew me in. There are around 20 stalls, with a mix of stalls selling cheese, organic veg, home-made marmalades, cakes and epic cheese toasties, which were bulging with leeks and red onion...

After lapping the market a few times to make the best decision on lunch, we sat within the church grounds, in the sun eating and chatting in equal measures.

I love going to farmers markets, you feel like you are buying into somebody's life, rather than just stuffing food into a basket with no connection to anything. The man on the marmalade stand was pretty awesome 'would you like to try my Sicilian orange marmalade? I have made everything except the jars and table' - 'yes, yes I would'

^^^ The said nicest marmalade wielding man

Eat The Weekend

Eat The Weekend

I don't think I had ever properly realised the excitement Easter can bring - two days off work and it is perfectly acceptable to devour your body weight in chocolate? WHAT? The Easter arrived... along with the typical English 'let-down' weather. Allan was staying in London with me over Easter - days of food, beer and Game of Thrones followed.

Opening the curtains on Bank Holiday Monday pushed my bank into the confines of my warm duvet watching videos on YouTube and listening to the rain trying to enter the house. Opening the curtains for a second time was a lot more pleasing - SUNSHINE.

Me and Allan immediately leaped into the shower / clothes and in the space of 30 minutes we were out the door to make the most of this peculiar turn around. There were rumours of a Street Food Festival at Queens Walk along the Southbank so we set off in that direction, willing to take solace in a pub if the taps turned on again.

We hit the Thames, still sunny - so sunny in fact that we actually sat on a boat OUTSIDE with a beer before continuing onto Queens Walk. The food festival looked (and smelled) incredible. After runnin around all the stalls wanting to eat everything - I settled for a home brewed cider, the best hot dog in the whole world from ' The Polish Deli London', followed by a pot of churros from 'Churros Garcia'
Whilst walking along the Thames feeling that ' London in the sun feeling' I thought it was time to take a few snaps of what I was wearing - you can see under the rain mac my choice of outfit was slightly more optimistic.

The Weekend Vlog 02

The Weekend Vlog 02

What happened over the weekend?

Thanks for asking - I had a pretty swell weekend involving lot of sun, a long walk, a run in with an older gentleman, ice cream, shopping, cider and goblets.

If that wasn't as in depth as you wanted... click here to see my 'Weekend Vlog' over on my YouTube Channel

An unusually sunny day.

An unusually sunny day.

As always with Manchester, when the sun rears its elusive head - it's a special occasion. I had a distinct urge to be by the water so I grabbed Allan, threw on a floaty dress, sunglasses to hide my mostly fresh face and we jumped in the car to Hollingworth Lake. It turns out a lot of people had experienced the same brain wave and the lake was like filled with ALL THE DOGS, which made for good viewing and future dog planning.

What sunny day is complete with fish, chips and cider?... I somehow escaped (never happens) getting sunburnt but Allan was not so lucky and spent the rest of the week sporting an oddly red neck. The sun has now left us again, so until the next time.