Stuffed. 

Green and black olive focaccia bread

Portobello mushrooms stuffed with roast pepper couscous, tabasco sauce and cheeeeeeese.

♥  ♥  ♥

February 3rd

February already...that didn't take long. I have no classes today so I've just been lounging around. I woke up at 12.30 to our doorbell hoping it was the books I ordered from Amazon but the postman tends to mash all the buttons when anyone, anywhere in the building receives a package. Thoughtful to a fault, that man.
I ordered The Sartorialist, a book I've seen mentioned a few times online here and there. It's a composition of various street styles from around the globe from the blog of the same title. I have a few books just like this, Nylon Street being my favourite. This one got such good reviews on Amazon and was only £10, so I threw it in my virtual shopping cart. It's also quite new, released in July '09. Scott Schuman is The Satorialist, a fashion marketer who turned to photography after the effects of 9/11. He photographs men and women of all ages. His blog is - http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/. Though you probably already knew that. I'm a late Sartorialist follower.

The second book I ordered was Three Nights in New York, written by Michelle Jackson. I keep reading biographies and stories that I need to be in the mood for, so I thought I'd read something light-hearted. I'll review both when I read them.

Since for the most part of December and January I was home in Dublin, I got used to having a fully stocked fridge. I went out drinking a lot and went out for dinner, so I've started a health kick since I got back. I started off with porridge and jam, for lunch I had made chicken caesar with quorn and I'm just about to make something for dinner...no ideas yet though.

♥ ♥ ♥

December 12

I'm never tired anymore. *Knocks on wood* The last ten days or so I've been going to bed between 3 and 5am and waking up at a reasonable time, bursting with energy. There was a time a few weeks ago where simple things like eating a sandwich made me lethargic, so nay complaints.

Didn't do much today, slothful Saturday. I attempted to pack a little bit for going home, just to see what would fit. So far so bad...at the moment it's two parts clothing, one part bag. A plate has mysteriously gone missing from my cupboard and seemingly the flat. I checked everywhere (ghost!), which relates to the suitcase situation; two part bowl, one part plate. Gahhh.

Later on, Louise, Edelina and me went over to Helen's flat for dinner, all very lovely and festive. It all tasted so good, lots of salad, veg, potato, a full chicken(!), gravy, a spicy sausage thing for starters and dessert. It was all M&S stuff. M&S, I love you.

Post feast, we watched Almost Famous, all snuggled up around the screen. Billy Crudup, you are a total babe. Zooey Deschanel, you are too cute. Stillwater, you are the best fictional band.

♥ ♥ ♥

December 11

Yesterday was busy, I started InDesign for my article submission and afterward came home to write rough drafts for my Tabloid assignment.

It has to be done in the style of The Daily Mail, but I may have made it a little TOO dramatic and trashy, even for a Tabloid. I think it suits The Sun more...I'll tone it down after my tutorial.

When I came home after nearly three hours of trying to get the knack of InDesign with Faye, my flatmates surprised me with dinner, dessert and Christmas songs. It was very thoughtful and tasted good, so good that I forgot to take a picture of the dessert - pancakes with ice-cream and strawberries.

This morning I saw Helen, she came over to use my printer. She did a really interesting trend report on when a musicians popularity evolves, stylists are employed, in turn focusing more on promoting an image than the music itself. Loved it. She brought tasty gifts as a thank you....

I went to Media Analysis at 2-4, my last lecture for the semester. We went through anaylsing a magazine by report layout, including a flat plan from cover to cover. The report word count is 600 words, not an awful lot, I hate axeing relevant info. I was suprised when some people were complaining it was too much. I chose Vanidad, a Spanish publication similar to Nylon's collage-esque layout. I need to brush up on my Spanish before I start, everyone else chose one in English but I thought this would make it more interesting.

Tonight I'm going to see 'Where the Wild Things Are' with Helen and Louise. Hopefully the cinema isn't too packed, the release date was today...

Only a week and I'm home for Christmas. I can't wait. Until then I have another InDesign workshop on Monday, project submission on Tuesday and an hour Tabloid tutorial on Wednesday. My flatmates and me are going shopping in Kingston on Wednesday and plan on making Christmas dinner as we're all heading home soon after.

Thursday I plan on washing, cleaning the flat (my room needs hoovering, my cupboard is untidy and may be full of perishables) and packing, then its home to Dublin on Friday afternoon.

Our Christmas light couch...

FACT: Coffee tastes better in a cat mug.

♥ ♥ ♥

December 8
Things I have learned so far today.

1.) Some people are weird about saying hello on the street. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. They are either blind, have developed chronic amnesia, or have come down with acute 'You're not cool when I'm with company!' syndrome.

2.) My skin is dry. Must drink more water and consume less discounted yellow-pack biscuits. So cheap. So tasty. Or change skincare routine.

3.) My last wisdom tooth is happening. Dear Devil Tooth, your emergence should be a slow and graceful process, like all other elements of nature. You are my enemy now, but I'll keep you close. You'll come in handy when crusty bread and peanut slabs are on the cards.

4.) The hob is still stained with egg white from my culinary escapade that took place some weeks ago. I fear it may be permanent.

5.) It is almost impossible to contact Play.com during the Christmas season. 'You are currently in a queue and we have given you query ticket number 5812357.' I really hope they're not on customer 10 right now. Or 11.

On a lighter note,

6.) Someone from maintenance came (after four abrupt emails) and fixed the smashed lock on our postbox. I was just looking out for my neighbours. My Our special Christmas packages were at risk. Crisis averted.

Only ten days left and I'll be home for Christmas!

♥ ♥ ♥