Weak Sugar, Weak!

Oh sugar baby, how week you are!

I have inhaled about the weight of a large swan's worth of sugar recently. I found Willy Wonka nerds in poundland -jumbo rainbow pack no less and I have pours the contents into my face on more than one occasion. Temporary weakness? Well two weeks is temporary but it's also disgusting. Now I am not about to wail about dieting. I am not a diet kind of girl. But I am ashamed and I should be.

Food should not be used as a distraction or something to do while your watching Made in Chelsea. Food is fuel for your body. I will never stop loving food but eating should never be a hobby. Cooking should be a hobby. So I want to give bento boxes another try. Getting up early in the morning to prepare something tasty for lunch is fun and gets you moving.

These angry little lumps and bumps on my face are my bodies way of saying 'F*** YOU!' and I am very, VERY sorry that I ever messed with my skin. As a result I am lethargic, moody and essentially gross. I want to chomp on green thing, drink water and feel great.

I haven't posted any nice foodiness for too long. So hopefully at least once a week I'll make something interesting to show to my imaginary audience.

On a brighter note. I wore stuff that I thought was moderately adequate! Hooray...

Loathe the skin your in!

My skin...

I've done face masks a-plenty, homemade and store bought alike. I've tried lathering lotions and potions of all sorts of brands that I respect and love. And they all result ing the same lumps and bumps, dry patches and stinging. 

-Clarins- oww

- The Body Shop- oww

-Garnier- oww

-Lush- oww

And this is not to reflect badly on any of those brands. The truth is my skin is harder than women allegedly are. I find myself looking at my Freddy Krugar complexion and screaming 

'What the f--- do you want from me!'

Damn, you's a sexy chick...

Let me specific, this is my face skin, the rest of my skin is fairly nice. 

At the moment I'm sticking to the whole stripping back thing. I'm using the forbidden soap- ulmighty dryer-outer of skin. But it works for my sister and my Mum so maybe it will work for me. My sister's skin sucked as a teenager and now it's super smooth and glows like sunshine. 

I'm using one of the only moisturiser that my skin didnt torture me for using- Imperialis from LUSH. 

And since it's for skin that 'can't make up it's mind.' It will do. There isn't a cream for skin that's a 'satanic dictator', so it will have to. I don't really fancy sacrificing a virgin every time I break out anyway. It's been two weeks on this regime. No changes yet but I reckon another month will tell me whether or not it's working. 

This partnered with pouring my body weight's worth of water into my face, sleeping right, regular exercise and a decent diet will improve things. I have been a bit wobbly on the whole stable routine thing so maybe that's why my skin is being mean to me. Probably also the reason that I feel more rotund of late although my lovely friends would insist that it's all in my head. I don't know that that is entirely comforting. 

So maybe it will turn out that all my skin wants is a nice simple life uncomplicated by fragrant gloop. If so I guess it'll make me a bit thick for not trying it out before. Switching from one regime to the next and refusing to be patient with my skin is kind of a derpy thing to do. 

Still, they say bitches make it in life.  Following that philosophy, if I was as much of a bitch as my skin was I would probably be very successful. Perhaps I'll look into that. 

Until Next Time

Song of the Day 

Carbon Monoxide- Regina Spektor

Beautiful live performance below. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw01fnRPMNg

Cheer Up Chump!

Cheer Up Chump!

It has not been the merriest of times recently. The weather, the news and life in general seems lacking in lust despite. Spring having apparently arrived (AHAHAHAHA) there are still arbitrary snow drifts- bullshit and general misery and taking place in and around London.

In light of this darkness I would like to make a poor attempt to boost spirits by listing a few of my favourite things.

1. Chai Latte's- I love them! Warm, sweet and little spicy! They make a pretty foolproof remedy for any bad, cold or tiring day life hurls at you.
2. Dancing- classes and night clubs are great and stuff. However the dancing I'm specifically referring to is the dancing you do alone in your room. Better still if you are in your favourite underwear and throwing hazardous shapes to the Vengaboys. Go ahead- freak the f*** out!
3. Youtube! Sometimes you don't have time to watch TV but want a quick bite to take your mind off of the possible brain numbing pain of your existence. My favourite channels are-

• Jenna Marbles- Musings of a mildly aggressive, moderately unstable and thoroughly modern girl who tells it like it is. Very popular and very funny if you like that sort of thing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp-AxFdUe4A
  
  
• 'Your Grammar Sucks' from Jack's Films. Jack is a brave soul showcases the very worst of online grammar in a one man extravaganza. This is the only situation in which reading YouTube comments can possibly be a positive experience... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV6zKxM8Lw8
• Team Four Star- Pretty much for children of the nineties and anime fans. Heard of DragonBallZ? Good watch the abridged series- it's perfect. It not, umm- don't bother. Sorry no number one.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBm_2IUn4MU&list=UUsvazPPlhZlch0-Z3wPByeg&index=80

• The Fine Bros- Particularly 'Kids React' which is pretty much like that new show Goggle Box but with kids- apply same logic for  'Teens React' etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeGe7lVrXb0

There are loads more things I wanted to include but considering Easter's forecast, it looks like I'll have plenty more opportunities to list all the things that make life a little less like an endless Siberian tundra littered, with broken dreams. A desolate plain in which the only non-frozen water are the tears of disappointment shed by our shattered souls.

Have a nice day! x

Food I made!

I started cooking again. It's been a while. Life has been topsy turvy for a little while. I'm hoping for a fast improvement.

Anywho, here's some pictures of stuff I did recently and not so recently. I'm going to try to work out more. That's what they all say right? Well 2013 hasn't provided the suddenly inspired boost of life change that I wanted. It's not that 2013 has been disappointing but I always naively throw my heart into New Years. Then when that doesn't work I jump onto Chinese New Year and hope that it will give the whole new start thing another surge of hopefulness. But hope runs thin when it's cold and miserable. I want to try again and I will.

Listening to music helps. I got Jake Bugg's album and also a The Black Album by Metallica. I love the song 'The Unforgiven', it's melancholic, pessimistic and passionate. I like stuff like that. Riffs that punch you in the gut and melodies that give you that knot in your throat just before you burst into tears. Weird and mildly masochistic maybe but it's just the way I feel. That will be the song of the day. I think this is going to be a running thing. Song of the day. I know enough music for it to last for a few decades without repeating itself.

But yeah, this was supposed to be a foody entry...

Okay well I had a lot of cranberries so I mage ham salad with olives and feta with cranberries. And then cranberries and plum for dessert. It was a bit tart but sort of healthy.

This was delicious! It was lamb chops and an avocado salad with feta, olives, red peppers, mixed leaf salad and shredded carrot. It was a Friday night and I wanted a treat. The Pinot Grigio topped it off. I know that you're supposed to have red wine with red meat. But SUCK IT! I enjoyed my dinner!

You may have guessed the common theme is salad.

Well that's all I really have to say.

Bye!

Yay Emmy!

Oh Emmy, you bundle of lovely!

So I'm super happy because I have loads of fun know bottles of goo to try lathering my face in. One of my absolute kindred spirits Emmy got me a plethora of new skin products to try and cannot wait to get started on them. I'm like a kid in the candy store! A kid in the candy store that cannot read. No, I am not illiterate. You see, the thing is most of what Emmy has bought me is from either South Korea or Japan. Ergo a lot of the user directions are in either Kanji or in Hangul.

I would love to get Emmy's help in all this new fun but she's about to be swept up again by the world of Business and postgraduateness. So this leaves me to seek out the divine wisdom of Google. It's a shame too because Emmy is a fantastic beauty guru, you should check her out. See her blog, how it sparkles.

http://emi-doll.blogspot.co.uk/

She writes openly and honestly about all the products she reviews. I recommend it. Of course if you are a friend you can receive her sage advice live. The great thing about Emmy besides her face is how she tells you how it is. A little brutally at times, but she gives you the truth, the whole truth and NOTHING but the truth. Whether you like it or not. So along with the present, she gave me a consultation complete with full facial critique.

Please see diagram...

Here is a grad total of all of the awesome products.

• iMyss- Natural Aloe Mask Sheet. - 

(which has English instructions, I knew I loved Jo Kwon for more than his great dancing! He's the gentleman with the charming quif and jaunty pose. And the boy can SING!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YTPva14Nms

Emmy was kind enough to give me a facial and used this mask back in the summer of 2012. For that reason and to show you the epic Jo Kwon I have included the image above. I will be including pictures of the rest of the items  individually as and when I try them...

• Skin Food- Gold Caviar Cream
• Elemis- Tranquil Touch Body Scrub
• The Face Shop Enersurge Emulsion
• The Face Shop Super Repair Moisturiser
• Missha- Super Aqua Revitalising Emulsion
• Tony Moly- Tomato Magic White Massage Pack
• Tony Moly- Red Apple Fox Honey Cream
• Innisfree Capsule recipe pack.
• Tony Moly Mini Bunny Hand Cream 
• Clarins Paris Daily Energiser Gel, Wake Up Booster Toner, Daily Energiser Cream
• Seikisho- Cool Cleansing Gel

For now though here's the whole bundle!

I cannot wait to get stuck into all of this!

Until then!

New Year, New You?

Happy new year!

Tis the season to be punishing and unrealistic with the best intentions. Time to scream at your self in the mirror 'your disgusting!'. By New Years Eve I'm so looking forward to stripping away the sticky sweetness of the Yuletide season. I see New Years Eve as one more opportunity to have a massive blowout, big hair, bold make up, and jagerbombs, jagerbombs, jagerbombs!

I have a long list of things New Years Resolutions that I really want to implement this year. 

First of all I really want to learn to

***Shut The Hell Up***

because....

1. Don't talk more than other people participating in conversations.
2. Awkwardness, if you can't think of anything interesting to say- DON'T!
3. When angry belt up or walk away before you say something awful.

'Oops, accidentally mortally wounded our friendship, my bad!'

There's a New Years Resolution that a lot of people make or secretly hope for that everyone can probably sympathise with. 

*** I Will Find Love****

Umm...no you won't. Love will find you on it's own terms. When and where it feels like it. The time you look for it, you are least likely to find it. 

***Diet Riot***

Okay first of all...Eww!

I love food too much to turn it into an enemy. 

But I want to change my relationship with food like I want to change my relationship with shopping. I don't want it to be a comfort blanket for when I feel like throwing myself off of something high and onto something pointy. That's a dangerous habit and one of my worst. 

Also while I'm here. 

***Dress like it's my last day every day***

I guess overall, my new years resolution is to be the best I can be, a little bit better than last year. 

To live life as vigorously and optimistically as I can.

And

***When life gives me lemons- make margaritas! ***

All the best for 2013.

Flattery

I am a little free with my compliments. If I see someone in the street with a jacket I like I will tell them, stranger or no. I think sometimes though, it can make things a bit awkward. Like this poor East Asian girl I met briefly while working. Firstly I remarked how cute her jumper was, then I started gushing about her eyes (I have a thing for eyes).

She left with one of those 'please-don't-follow-me' smiles that you wear when you pass someone on a tube platform screaming into their tote bag of eggs-crazy cat ladies. You know what I mean.

 I was livid when I realised how I must have come across to her. Usually I am quite secure, not at all a 'no homo' type of girl but I could help for her and even more so for myself.

The reasons why I give compliments are numerous. Mainly though, I like when someone looks good and enjoy the fact that by acknowledging that I can make them feel good too. When someone compliments my hair or my shoes it gives me a spring in my step. I like passing that spring on to as many people as I can.

Of course I sometimes pass people who are dressed in a way that doesn't appeal to my tastes. But so what? If my opinion is negative, I should keep my mouth shut. Nothing positive or helpful is going to come of my expressing it. Who the hell am I to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't wear? That's what guru's are for, I'm just a humble appreciator.

I used to see people all the time who were well put together, quirky or cute but not say anything even though I was foaming at the bits to tell them the goodness I saw. It's part of my shyness that can sometimes be crippling. Frankly, it sucks. Talking to strangers can e pretty daunting at times. But complimenting strangers or saying good morning to arbitrary locals has taught me that most people are nice and wear the same mask of apathetic indifference and borderline aggression.

A positive reaction helps boost my confidence in people, as fundamentally as kind hearted and social as me. A negative reaction like you standard blank stare or worse the old 'cross to the other side of the road' thing, can easily be brushed. After all, they don't know me personally, so why take things personally?

All it takes to peel away the negative 'f*** off' persona of your average Londoner is a compliment, a greeting or even a nod and a smile.

Try it, give someone a boost and in the process boost yourself! Most of us city folk aren't as bad as you think!

Until Next Time!

Porridge and Green Mush!

In keeping with the food them, here are more goodies I have tried during the last couple of days. My lovely friend Emi was nice enough to sell me a big sachet of Japanese Macha Green Tea for a very reasonable price. I have to say it perks you up quicker than most coffee and is supposedly good for your skin.

So I had the drink sorted but as part of a nutritious breakfast what could I eat?

Porridge!

Nutritious Benefits

-Healing Skin

-Fights Heart Disease

-Beats depression- Vitamin B6 bumps up brain serotonin

-Boosts Energy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sirwiseowl/2975927428/

But just plain porridge with salt can be boring and I didn’t want to add sugar so I decided to make it more interesting with sunflower seeds...

Nutritional Benefits

-Bone Health- Contains lots of Magnesium

-Anti Inflammatory- Big source of Vitamin E

-Lowers Blood Pressure

See for yourself!

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/6-health-benefits-of-sunflower-seeds.html

...And raisins

Health Benefits

-Lots of Iron

-Boosting Libido

-Good teeth

-Healthy blood

Manly sex power is not a joke by any means. Look!

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-raisins.html

Here are bad pictures of my awesome porridge! It is really delicious although I've hardly had the chance to munch because work has been really crazy of late.

My sleep patterns slowly improving and I'm using a face mask called 'LOVE LETTUCE' made by 'LUSH' which is essentially green mushy stuff, see!

And just to prove that I don't look like that all the time. I tried a vintage look with red lipstick and air hostessy accessories. Please see below!

Well Goodbye! 

Olives and Omega Three!

I'm trying my best to change the worst elements of my horrific lifestyle. Well it's not that bad. I don't chain smoke and inhale cheeseburgers, nor to I snort cocaine, chug gin and watch Jeremy Kyle. Things could be worse. That's not good enough though. I want things to be better. So I've started experimenting with my food and the way I treat my body. On the way I discovered 3 great things.

1. Olives

I used to hate olives. But I was desperate for a filler to add to a salad and I thought I'd try something a little different. Olives are full of fat. In fact the internet tells me that up to 85% of the calories found in olives are fat.

Health Benefits

On the bright side though they lower blood pressure and they are packed full of antioxidents, they help prevent cancer (the internet told me) and they also taste really good with poultry!

(If you don't believe me there it is!)
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=46

2. Wakame

My good friend Emi introduced me to this. Wakame is seaweed. The type I have at the moment it the dried version which can be found in most East Asian Supermarkets, all the ones I have been to anyway. All you have to do is soak however much you want in water for about 5-7 minutes and add it to your meal. It has a delicious sweet flavour. I've started putting it on my salads especially when using Salmon or Tuna.

Health Benefits

Wakame contains vitamin E, vitamin K, Iron and Calcium. It's good for your skin, bones, helps your blood to clot and also is really low in calories. It can help flavour food, so richer ingredients aren't needed. I think that was wikipedia talking. On the downside there is a lot of salt in it.

3. Jalapenos

Or if you prefer on a 'steek'.

I can't get that n. It really bothers me.

I'm training myself to handle spicy food. This is kind of helping me and they taste good on cheese and toast, in sandwiches or on salad!

Health Benefits

This is surprising. I was just going to say they're spice-tastic but actually they are good for much more.
They help to clear a blocked nose, stop a migraine, prevent cancer, help with weight loss and stop you looking like a wimp when you order nachos.

Check it out!

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/6-health-benefits-of-jalapenos.html

Hey I made stuff!
Fried scallops and japanese rice with sweet chilli sauce.

Scallop and olive salad

Wakame chicken salad with olives, kos lettuce and sesame oil. Grilled bread with sesame oil.

I hope I can make more interesting things soon. I'm not the biggest fan of scallops so next time I'll use king prawns or squid!

Bye!