The Street Complex: March 2012

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Stylish blog award

Waaaa, thank you so much Aimee Long from New-York Doll for awarding me this!
It's always so nice to hear and see that my blog is actually being read and appreciated!

This award comes with some rules:

Thank and link to the person who awarded you.
Share 7 things about yourselves.
Award other recently discovered great blogs.
Contact these bloggers and tell them they won.

7 things about myself

1. I absolutely love pilates.

2. Just this past year I have fallen in love with sushi and sea food in general.

3. I drink at the very least 5 cups of tea a day.

4. I'm flying to Orlando on Thursday morning and being spoilt with business class and the V.I.P lounges at both airports! Love you parentals.

5. I love it when you lot comment on my posts!

6. I love making lists. Anything that can be made into a list, will be made into a list.

7. I've just finished packing for going home tomorrow!

Who I'd like to award this to

Holly of Pick Is A Treat

Katarina of LoveK

Stevie of Pink Glitter Diaries

Johanna of Hand Made Dreams

Monday 19 March 2012

Sunday 18 March 2012

Turn To Dust clothing

20 year old Jack Hobbs, a Graphic Design at Sheffield Hallam University, and aspiring packaging designer is the creative mind behind Turn To Dust clothing.

"TD's unique selling point is that I try my up most to use the most DIY methods available. I used embroidery hoops as screens, organza (curtain fabric, used a weddings etc.) and PVA glue. I don't have a heat press or anything; every thing's done in my bedroom and I think that's what people will buy into. It's not just another clothing line, these are hand made items, focusing on limited editions, released regularly."

A small burgundy TD shirt is being popped in the post for my tomorrow! I'm beyond excited because of the personal tweaks Jack puts into his packaging. It's beautifully simple; Kraft paper tied with string, with a personal note from the man himself thanking you for your purchase.

I'd love to see more of this kind of DIY, personal t-shirt making from small, independent designers because you know you're getting a quality piece of clothing that's had a lot of time and effort put into it. I also think it makes a nice little story to tell when someone compliments you on what you're wearing, and asks where you got it from.

Like Turn To Dust's Facebook page here, follow their blog here, and go and buy their t-shirts here right now!

Keep your eyes pealed for a follow up blog post when I receive my t-shirt!

Friday 16 March 2012

Carcanet Press P.N. Review

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the lovely people of Carcanet Press in Manchester for an insight into all the 'going ons' in the small, but very cosy office that makes Carcanet Press.

The trip was for the School Magazine Committee to learn more about the printing and publishing process so we could gain a greater understanding of the kind of work that's done after we've put it all together on a computer screen. Although this was really insightful, what I found most useful was hearing what the Sales and Marketing Officers had to say; I don't think this side of the job, in any industry is given enough credit. The amount of work that you have to put into promoting a book or piece of writing, and trying to get the authors name out there, alongside organising events and talks, really needs more praise than it gets!

Hearing about the different aspects that ensue within sales and marketing gave me a real inspiration to be involved in something similar in my future.

All the staff are so friendly and chatty! So you should almost definitely follow Carcanet Press on Twitter.

Monday 12 March 2012

11 questions

Thank you to Stevie for tagging me in her 11 questions post (check her blog out if you're a bit of a beauty products fanatic).

The rules:

1. Each person must post eleven things about themselves on their blog

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you plus create eleven questions for the people you tag to answer

3. Choose eleven people and link them in your post

4. Go to their page and tell them

5. No tag backs

6. You legitimately have to tag

My 11 Facts:

1. I'm obsessed with the idea of secret societies like the Free Masons etc

2. If I could I would leave off breakfast food for the rest of my life

3. I love travelling, by train, car, plane, boat, anything

4. I know what I want to do with my life, but I genuinely have no idea where I see myself next year nevermind in 5 years

5. Hearing people chew or swallow loudly is one of my biggest pet hates; it makes me feel so sick!

6. One of my guilty pleasures is McFly, and I am NOT ashamed to say that

7. I have a really rather large and passionate dislike for N-Dubz, especially Dappy

8. I think I look ill if I'm not wearing eyeliner or mascara

9. I adore my family more than they will ever be able to comprehend

10. I wish I'd kept Latin on at school

11. I subconsiously judge people on the shoes they wear

1. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?

Physically it would have to be my thighs because they're horrendous! But mentally I think I'd have to change how I always put myself down about every tiny thing.

2. Where is your favourite place to be?

This sounds so verrrry cliche, but anywhere where I'm with good friends and family!

3. If you had £1000, what would you do with it?

Save it for little things like flights and trains!

4. What is your favourite make-up item that you own?

Oh my god this is a really hard one... I'm going to have to say Finding Mr Bright - Benefit. So nice for a little glow!

5. How did you meet your best friend?

At boarding school when I was about 11 years old.

6. What is your favourite type of blog post to read and why?

I love blog posts that have some personality injected into them. Whether the post be about makeup, hair dye, food, a new clothing line, I like to see opinion and a little sense of humour.

7. What is the funniest thing that has happened to you?

I'd like to keep my dignity thankyou very much!

8. Have a crush on someone that you shouldn't?

Most likely.

9. What do you do when your home alone?

Sing really loudly and talk to my dog more than usual.

10. Where was your last holiday?

Krakow, Poland.

11. What is your favourite ever song and why?
This is too difficult! My favourite song changes every second depending on what mood I'm in haha.

My Questions:

1. Who is your role model, and why?

2. Where is your favourite place to be?

3. If you had £1000, what would you do with it?

4. What is your favourite make-up item that you own?

5. What's one thing you love most about your bestfriend?

6. Where would you most like to travel to in the world, and why?

7. What's your favourite type of food?

8. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

9. What do you do when your home alone?

10. What's your favourite day of the week, and why?

11. What's your favourite drink?

My tags:

Aimee Long

Laura Blush

Fern Rhiannon

Emma Jane

Sunday 11 March 2012

Is spring finally here?!

I wore a skirt with no tights and sunglasses and everything. It was brilliant.

Saturday started with a really nice walk to Rosie's house, where we got very creative and put together the most incredible lunch you have ever seen in your whole entire life.

That evening Kallum, Rosie, Jordan and I went to a cocktail bar in York called Bora Bora; we sat outside under the heated lamps and it genuinely felt like we may have been on holiday. Rosie and I somehow managed to sink three pitchers of Sex on the Beach and find some really cute back gardens.

Jordan and myself, looking rather happy..

Kallum and Rosie - the most beautiful couple ever

Jordan and I

On Sunday morning Jordan and I had lunch in Pret a Manger followed by fruit sorbet from Patisserie Valerie and a walk around the markets where I, being the kindest girl in the whole world, bought Jordan the most amazing looking and smelling brownie I have ever laid my eyes on! It was from a stall called 'Fairly Scrumptious', and the lovely Veronica Harnett bakes and decorates everything herself. You can find out more about her delicious baked goodies here.

Jordan

Avocado and cray fish salad! Mmmm

Lemon sorbet and Mandarin sorbet

Fairly Scrumptious cupcakes

Thursday 8 March 2012

Tea, tea, tea, tea!

I adore tea and coffee, and in Krakow I was just swimming in the most beautiful flavours, smells, and roasts. To prove both of those points, here is a picture of every tea and coffee I drank from Tuesday to Thursday!

Monday 5 March 2012

Some of my favourite blogs and websites this week.

Saturday 3 March 2012

My absolutely delicious Saturday afternoon.

It started with a quick trip to Coffee Bean with one of my close friends James (http://www.jamesreckitt.co.uk/), as I couldn't believe he had never been because the coffee and food is just spectacular and the cafe is so cosy and beautiful!
Their mugs are so minimalistic-ly perfect; in fact James and I spent a lot of time discussing how nice they are and how much we'd like to buy them, which I found out we could from the cafe!

These two photos are courtesy of http://www.yorkparents.co.uk/the-coffee-bean-pocklington

Jordan and I then drove into York and he took me to a sushi place called Oshibi. It was incredible! It's owned by a couple; a really lovely English man, and the sweetest Korean woman who make everything themselves. They'll soon be getting in some green tea ice cream and as they do takeouts on all their foods I will be going in every weekend for some. A seriously good place which I recommend - it was fairly cheap as well which is a bonus.

We then popped into Betty's tea room to buy my favourite raspberry and pistachio macaroons and Jordan bought some heavily seeded brown bread. The great thing about Betty's, apart from it being the most gorgeous place you've ever seen in your whole life, is that everything is freshly made that morning. It's always so busy, and very expensive, but definitely worth it just for the quality. After walking down some of the side streets in York we found a Moroccan style cafe/tapas type place where we ordered Earl Gray, strained coffee, and some carrot cake to have with our macaroons. I genuinely have never had better coffee or carrot cake before in my life!

Taking a a really nice walk through some more side streets and wishing I was a millionaire are so I could buy out all of the vintage and antique shops I was given these, which along with all of this incredible food, makes my Saturday one of the best in a long while.