Weekly Musings

2017 - Week Twelve

'Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, charm to the sadness and life to everything.' 
(Unknown)

My parents have gone to Sri Lanka on holiday for a couple of weeks this week (lucky buggers) so I went 'round to theirs for tea on Monday evening before they left, I'm going to miss having them around the corner when I am at a loose end/ need a natter! I had a quiet couple of days after that, I put my latest poem up on Instagram on Wednesday (read it here) and babysat for Aum that evening, I am penny pinching at the moment so the extra money was gratefully received! 

The track that I have chosen this week is one by a young girl from Oslo in Norway that I was sent to review for the magazine. I think the progression from the delicate vocals at the beginning to a more punchy electro feel is bang on trend with other current successful artists such as Purity Ring and MØ, and I have been playing it a lot recently.

On Thursday I met up with Hannah, Tasha and Abi for a meal at Cote in Hale, as I was owed a bottle of wine (a lovely Bergerac Sauvignon Blanc for £24.95 - not bad for a freebie) for joining their rewards program last time I went. After a complimentary pea-puree starter as an apology for running out of mussels, I had the pork belly, which came with savoy cabbage, baked apple, thyme and calvados jus and a separate ramekin of gratin potato, and for dessert I had the praline pancake (sans caramelised banana, anyone who knows me knows my hatred for the fruit!). All tip-top as last time, seriously impressed with the quality of the food considering it is a chain restaurant, albeit a higher-end one.

On Friday evening I stayed in, and after taking the dog for a little walk, I baked some blueberry muffins and enjoyed a glass of red wine and a couple of said muffins in front of the telly (watching The Replacement on BBC iPlayer, SO gripping!). I don't often give myself down time - I can't stand being bored so try to fill every second I am free - but sometimes a chill-out at home is needed.

Yesterday the weather was glorious again, so I decided to get out of the flat and took the dog to Wythenshawe Park. I packed my book, a thermos of tea and some more muffins and literally just sat and basked for a few hours whilst Ferryn ran herself ragged. My friend Ellie and her boyfriend Jordan are in the process of moving into their new house just across the road, so they popped in for a while for a chat and a break from the chaos of unpacking which was welcome.

I got my review of last Sunday's Little Comet's gig up (read it here) in the evening, and then babysat again until 11pm before an absolute mad rush to drive home and get changed - I wore the pencil skirt pinafore I bought a few weeks ago with a lace tube bra underneath - in time to catch the last train into Manchester at 11.30pm. I just made it, and met up with some friends for my mate Jonny's birthday in Dusk 'til' Pawn, before moving next door to Noho for a boogie. With the clocks going forward the night flew by, and I eventually got in at 6am, a valiant effort!

Today aside from being completely knackered and hungover, I actually managed to make it to a gig at Sound Control with Rosie. We had a drink (latte!) at Font Bar beforehand, and then saw Lewis Watson, who is very Ed Sheeran-esque, so wasn't too raucous for our sore heads, my review of the show for Candid will be up on next week's post. I had to go via Mcdonald's on the way home for much needed late-night sustenance, and now I am off to bed; it has been calling me all day!

Weekly Musings

2017 - Week Eleven

'Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished'

(Lao Tzu)

I had just about recovered from the weekend's hen party on Monday, but still had a quiet few days at the start of this week. I went to watch Aum in his school concert on Tuesday evening which was very sweet, lots of super talented young boys there, two kids did James Arthur's 'Say You Won't Let Go' on guitar/ vocals and were really something. On Wednesday the sun was shining so I took the dog for a run around on the football fields behind my house and I got my latest Instagram poem up, read it here.

I am so thrilled Lana Del Rey is back with her single 'Love', I was originally going to post that for my track this week, but then I watched this again and my God, that opening monologue just kills me. For me she is the epitome of a babe - skating the line between vintage and modern, empowered and fragile, feminine and badass; I could go on but I'll spare you the fan-girling. I saw her out on a date in an Italian restaurant in East Village in New York a few years ago, she is just as stunning IRL. I read a comment on YouTube (unusually, there was only one negative comment out of over 100 I read) where someone had said 'I think the reason Lana is so loved is because she represents this freedom that we all want but yet this vulnerability of wanting to be loved and making mistakes.' Absolute word.

On Friday I booked a holiday with my friend Bex, for a week in Palmanova in Mallorca in June, so excited! I can't wait to have some sunshine and lie on a beach, and we got a great deal on an amazing looking hotel 5 minutes away from the centre so it should be lots of fun. After the positivity of the day it would have been rude not to continue it into the evening and partake in a drink or two to celebrate St Patrick's Day, so I headed to Chorlton to meet my friend Rosie. It seems a common theme when it is the two of us that we end up getting absolutely hammered, so sure enough 4 bottles of prosecco later (in Oddest, Chorlton Tap and Electrik) I found myself sleeping in her loft instead of taking the last train home; successful catching up!

Yesterday after a horrible early tram/ train ride back home (to be honest I think I was still steaming) I had a lazy, chilled day and then my mum came round in the afternoon with not one, but two different types of cake (carrot and lemon for anyone wondering), did the washing up and dyed my hair, what an absolute star. In the evening I met up with my friend Phil, known to our friends as MC, in Font Bar which is an old haunt where we all used to get very drunk on £2 cocktails when we were underage! I was driving so just had the one, a mudslide which was my signature choice back in the day. We then went to watch a band called Club Drive at Sound Control, which I was reviewing for Candid, you can read my article here.

Today after a much needed lie in, a decent breakfast and a hot bath, I finally felt a bit more alive. Benn came to mine to chill out for a bit in the afternoon, and we went to the cinema to see Get Out,a thriller/ horror that was actually much better than we both expected. After watching the trailer I thought all the best bits would have been shown, but I would recommend it, it was original and had a few surprises. 

This evening I went to Manchester Academy with Laura, where Little Comets were playing, again to review for Candid (article coming next week) it was a sold out event packed with people bopping away, which kept the energy high for a Sunday evening!