Month by Numbers: broken & lifted

7 faves...

1.) One of the most important people in my life had received from pretty life-changing news, and had to have some equally as life-changing surgery. What we thought was a success and left us feeling relieved, quickly and suddenly changed and turned into heartbreak, uncertainty and a lot of waiting around. Thankfully, the NHS are amazing, as if my tiny but tough mum. I've never been so emotionally and physically drained and tired, and also so proud and happy how close and loving my family are. 

2.) Well, when it rains sometimes it really likes to fucking pour it down doesn't it? Within the same month with the absolute shit-show that happened with my mum, I had a second shit-show of a break up. Which happened pretty suddenly, pretty much out of my control and ironically, after a bit of a turning point of us as a couple. No, we weren't together for that long. No, I'm not heartbroken, just left with a bit of a heavy heart. But I don't think he or anyone but I will ever really know how much it actually took my to let my guard down and commit my feelings to someone. But I am - as I knew I will be - fine! Because, you always am in the end aren't you?

3.) And you know part of the reason I know I'll always be right as rain eventually? Because I have amazing and caring people in my life that I'm lucky enough to call my friends. Friends who know you're having a pretty fucking rubbish time that's dampened even your usual Disney-esque optimistic persona. And they send you surprise presents in the post and meet up with you with roses to keep your life rosy and remind you to be brave, even if sometimes you don't feel it.

4.) Apart from the major ups and downs, there's still the constant love and support of my amazing family and friends, who turned what could have been an August spent moping around, into a month filled with new memories that'll make me smile.

5.) I love books. No biggie, I know. But if you know how much I resented reading, you'll get what a big deal it is for me that I've tapped into my love of reading. I tend to find myself reading a lot of non-fiction from American comedians and my absolute goddess, Caitlin Moran. But I completely fell in love with the characters and story of The Rosie Project. I gasped, I rooted for them, I was invested and I whizzed through that book and was sad when I realised I'd reached the end. But never fear! The sequel, The Rosie Effect, is on it's way in the post already, and I can't wait to be obsessed once more.

6.) As much as I love London, growing up in suburbia and being from that there up North, I really bloody miss some greenery. And yeah i know, there's parks and fields upon fields in The Big Smoke as well, but it usually involves a significant amount of travel. Enter, what is essential a big-ass greenhouse filled with enough plants until your heart's content. Both in central London, if you're aching for some leaves and nature, head to The Barbican Conservatory or The Sky Garden. You can thank me later.

7.) I'm a BIG Friends fan (who isn't eh?) so, wondering around Monica's apartment discussing Nestle tollhouse recipes, singing Smelly Cat at Central Perk and flipping up the barca-loungers in Joey and Chandler's was enough to make my little fangirl heart flutter. And if that wasn't enough, with cocktails named 'Pivot', well, what more could you ask for eh? 

5 tweets...

1.) It's been the longest weekend & emotionally draining. But the Lo family assemble, get through it & ofc eat lots ❤️

2.) Recovering from laughing in stitches from a meeting where we & my editor ended up doing renditions of X Factor songs...I love my job 🎤

3.) Can retailers stop rolling out AW16 pieces already please? I'm not ready for knitwear & my legs to be prisoned by tights again, NOT YET! 🙅🏻🍂

4.) Can more commuters dance to their music? It'd make my low-key bodyrolls & subtle shoulder shimmies more acceptable💃🏻

5.) My body this morning: "Here! Have some hiccups along with your hangover so you think you could potentially vom every 5 seconds!" 😷 

3 songs...

1.) Becky Hill - False Alarm

This makes me fell all a bit emosh - especially when I'm talking to the station early in the moring - and i can't quite put my finger onto why that is. It makes me feel like anything could be round th corner and anything's possible if you just give it a chance. Ironic really, given that I got into this song during mentioned break-up, when the lyrics are all about finding someone when you didn't expect to...

2.) Tom Odell - Concrete

This song makes me feels things that I didn't know were possible by a song. It makes me feel nostalgic, a yearning, sadness, hope and almost even, dare I say it, aroused?! all at once. Oh and that build up in intensity towards the end? I don't know how you do it Mr. Odell, but hates off to you sir. 

3.) Imani Williams- Don't Need No Money 

Ok, enough of all the lovey dovey songs, with an upcoming holiday with the girls, with lots of dancing and drinks planned, a party tune and needed and this fitted the criteria perfectly. Cue the killer moves. 

July Highs

Summer means hotter weather. And hotter weather means less clothes. And less clothes means more skin. But clevage central and legs eleven? Give over. It's all about the cold shoulder for me - and I'm not talking about Adele. 

Yep. The shoulders have been well and truly out to play this July, and boy oh boy, did those girls get a lot of action.

From one-sleeved tropical numbers to bardot styles of dreamy woodland of  watercolour prints (which, not to brag, I made myself! well, the fashion degree has to come into use at some point...)

Strappy to strapless, I just couldn't get those sassy shoulders to settle down. 

But thankfully, I have plenty of party playsuits and lacy pastel pieces to show off said shoulders, and even some twinkly temporary tattoos to accessorize them. Well, what else did you expect from me eh?

Throw on a choker as well and you're ready for a school disco like it's 1999.

Ever the 90s girl, when it was the 20th anniversary since Spice Girls' Wannabe came out & not even intentionally, people at work had pointed out I'd dressed in full Girl Power mode complete with a Scary Spice dress on. Spice Girls just runs through my veins so much, I just knew!

Can't let the shoulders take all of the spotlight now though can we? Not when there's not-so-subtle things like big puffy tutus on offer as well. 

Sometimes, that's all a bit too much though, and you just want to throw on a wonderful white dress and feel like you're off to Wimbledon. Or just wear jeans with a novelty tee of your homegirl, Daisy Duck. Yes. I know. ME. In jeans and trainers. 

And even perhaps look, dare I say, a bit sophisticated in a laced-up, backless, floral not-so-little maxi number, while swanning around the streets of Lisbon.

But who are we kidding eh? I'm always going to revert back to something a bit more colourful and nd up looking like a stick of Brighton rock. Well, with the city of Lisbon being so beautifully busy and rainbow-coloured, it'd be rude not to! 

Month by Numbers: Lisbon, love & life

7 favourites...

1.) I’ve been looking forward to July for SO long and for SO many reasons. And while there was a small bump in the road, there were holidays planned, weddings to attend and a relationship to blossom. Simultaneously one of the worst and best months I’ve ever known.

2.) You know that small bump in the road I mentioned? Well, my mum receieved some bad news and although it’s the last thing anyone ever wants to hear about a loved one, it’s the best of a bad situatuation. And do you know what the best thing is? How flipping great my family are. We all love each other so much that without asking we all assembled together like the Power Rangers and were there for my mum – and each other – without a second’s thought. And the thing that has caught me off guard to make me weep like a baby the most, is the support and love and well wished thoughts that people around me in my life have given. From hugs, and deep chats, to flowers and little notes and even just a text. It’s all meant so much and really reiterated to me just what great people I have in my life. Thanks chick-a-dees.

3.) The perfect remedy to being a bit drained from a mad emotional rollercoaster, is a getaway to the colourful city that is Lisbon. I truly fell head over heels in love with the capitol of Portugal, and the people in it. It has everything you could possibly want in one place – rooftop bars with RnB songs to bust your dancemoves over the sparkly skyline, authentic, fresh and amazingly delicious food, palaces and castles aplenty, clear blue water lapping onto the scorching hot beach, and more pretty balconies, brightly coloured building and more jaw-droppingly impressive graffiti than you could shake a stick at.

4.) After what seemed like a lifetime of scrolling on Rightmove and going to viewings of places that weren’t ever quite The One, we finally found a new house to move into, and guys, it’s pretty damn dreamy. We’ve got a garden of luscious green space and everything. AND THE WARDROBE. I can’t even begin to explain to you just HOW fab it is. You can even hop out of my window and sit yourself on the roof and watch the sun set. If that’s not great, then I don’t know what is.

5.) Summer brings out the drinker in me (not that there’s much to bring out to be fair..) It’s the late sunsets, it’s the Pimms, it’s the pub garedens. And when brans like Rekordelig and Stella Artois invite me to their brilliant and boozy events, well, who am I to say no? So in comes the sweet Swedish summertimes of grilled meat and floral feasts, and the wacky, weird and wonderful immersive theatre experiences of being transferred to 1809 Wimbledon, solving crimes with Sherlock Holmes. Yes. I know. It felt as weird typing that as it did for you reading it.

6.) And with these summer months, come the summer nights, like Danny and Sandy sang with all their might in Grease. Summer nights that consist of FINALLY going to see the The Lion King on the West End (I know, criminal for someone whose loved Disney all their life), 1920s bar in old underground stations to surprise your friend who's back from travelling, and a picnic and Pimms date while watching the sun set over the London skyline (yes I know how soppy that sounds, and yes, it was delightful thank you very much.)

7.) One of my closest friends and most beautiful human beings - inside and out - that I know, got married and I honestly felt priviledged to be invited to her and her newly-wed's husband's special day. 3 years ago, these 3 girls and I didn't even know one another, and after this date being on my calender for a year and a half, the big day finally arrived and I couldn't have felt more content, happy and joyous the entire day! We cried (a lot), we cheers-ed, we hugged, we laughed and we were the first and last ones on the dancefloor. Naturally.

5 tweets...

1.) Last night my flatmates went to a party - I declined, started my #OITNB binge, did my nails & eat doughnuts in an empty flat. IT WAS BLISS 🍩

2.) The Pokémon Go app is now more popular in Tinder and that's exactly the kind of world I want to live in ✔️🔥✖️

3.) I miss singing hymns. But as @anna_tabs points out it's not the same if you're not with a congragatio. You're doing Sing Hosanna alone 👼🏻🎶⛪

4.) I'm out in central London with no bra & no make-up on. TMI? Perhaps. Blissfully free? You bet your sweet ass🚫👙💄

5.) BF: 'you look sexy - & I never thought I'd say that about a pair of culottes...' Changing perceptions on fashion💪

3 songs...
1.) M.O - Who Do You Think Of?

Sassy 90s R'n'B throwback anyone? I became obsessed with these girls when the came out with Dance On My Own with an old-school sample of 90s garage, and I'm so psyched that these girls are finally getting the recognition they deserve!

2.) Disclosure - Boss

I love those Disclosure boys and this song is no exception. Over a month on and when this song comes on my shuffle, I still stut along the tube platform like I'm the boss. Yep. That's what this song will do to you guys.

3.) Christine and the Queens - Tilted

Whimsical and good ol' pop at it's best. If this doesn't make you feel you're meandering along the street of Paris with a bouquet of Peonies in your bicycle basket, well, then I don't think we can be friends. Soz. 

Until next time,

A.x