The Oscars Gowns

I love awards season. Great movies and great fashion. I cannot wait to see what the stars are wearing because their gowns are the stuff of dreams. Dresses that I only fantasise of wearing...and this year's Oscars did not fail to please. Here are my favorite gowns from the night:

Gwyneth Paltrow shimmering in a stunning Calvin Klein dress.

Just wow! The gown fits her like a glove accentuating her amazing physique. Her golden hair teamed with the golden dress make her glow from head to toe! It's sexy yet elegant, and I love the detailing with a multi coloured brooch at her waist and gorgeous rainbow coloured jewellery .

Next up is Mila Kunis in her lavender Elie Saab gown.

 

I love how she's grown from the dopey Jackie on That 70's Show to this poised lady in one of the biggest movies of the year. I think the delicate dress and colour offset her strong exotic features beautifully. The dress drapes off her effortlessly, and I think she's struck the perfect balance between a sexy yet understated look.

Third, is Halle Berry in this fairytale Marchesa gown.

This dress is just pure princess. I'm very into nude colours right now and with her honey coloured skin she looks exquisite. Again the detail on this gown just blows me away.

Lastly, its the adorable pregnant Natalie Portman.

I think Natalie Portman has dressed beautifully in her pregnancy this awards season. She really looks blooming and glowing and this dress shows off her neat little bump.

The Oscars fashion did not disappoint!

Monday Morning Pick Me Up (2)

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Yes, Weekend

Domis

I am so glad the weekend is finally here. It's been a long and tiring week; I am in the process of looking for my first permanent job after graduating university. I had a whole bunch of interviews this week, which for some reason I find extremely draining. But, I'm feeling positive - there have been a few really interesting opportunities come up and here's to hoping that next by next Friday I'll have some exciting job news!

I looove my weekends. What do I love about them? I'll tell you...

- We have huge family Friday night dinners and Saturday lunches every week with all my cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles - ever seen 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'? Yep, that's pretty much my family just mine is the Persian Jewish version.
-Spending hours reading all the weekend papers and catching up with my books which I never seem to find time to read during the week.
-Spending quality time with my boyfriend and friends.
-Not waking up to an alarm clock.
-Trying out new restaurants, bars, movies, cafes and not having to rush home because I don't have to get up the next day.
-My Sunday Zumba class - working out has never been so much fun!

Anyway to sum up, YES, WEEKEND.

Hope you all have a lovely one. I'd love to know what you love about your weekends?

XO

Need Summer Now

 Give in To Me

It's about that time of year again where the novelty of my winter wardrobe has worn off, the snow doesn't seem quite so exciting anymore, and morning after morning of waking up to darkness is getting slightly depressing. It's safe to say I get bored of seasons; at the end of every summer I crave my big woolly jumpers, my warm Ugg boots, and cosying up on a big couch with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Come the end of every winter i.e. NOW, I crave the opposite; my floaty pretty summer dresses with gladiator sandals and lots of colourful jewellery like in the photo below, and spending long blue sky days out in the sunshine in the park with my Caramel Coffee Frappuccino.

Just Me No-one Else

Thrilld

On my summer wardrobe wish list are these gorgeous items from Asos:

Digging the 70's trend with these high waisted shorts from Mango. 

A floral floaty dress is always a summer must!

I adore this skirt - giving some edge to your summer wardrobe!

Lastly, I saw this ad the other day from the Monsoon SS11 ad. I think it's a gorgeous shot and incidentally the perfect photo to end my post. Bring on the summer!

Le Pain Quotidien

A good friend has been raving about Le Pain Quotidien for ages, and finally took me there a few weeks ago. It is a very cute bakery / cafe with really beautiful quality food and products. I had scones with, wait for it, WHITE CHOCOLATE SPREAD. It was so indulgently good I could have eaten the whole jar with a spoon! The best part is that they sell jars of it along with other flavours and products! I went to the one in Hampstead and its quite rustic and cosy feeling. Although I didn't have a chance to sample it this time, their meals and other baked goods look great! Definitely recommended for a brunch/lunch/coffee!

 

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend! 

Rumer

Have any of your heard of Rumer? She's my new music obsession. Here's some of her gorgeous, silky music to mellow you into the weekend!

Happy Friday! xo

Faye Dunaway

Today I am fawning over Faye Dunaway. I watched the original Thomas Crown Affair with Steve McQueen a few weeks ago and I fell in love with her style and feminine glamour in the movie.

I love it all from her perfectly twisted golden hair, to the oversized sunglasses, the flirty girly dresses and the button down skirt suits. It reminds me of some of my grandmother's old pictures - I always say to my grandma that if she'd kept her clothes from the 60's and 70's I would definitely wear them now. The same with Faye's outifts! It seemed women back then just oozed glamour. *Sigh* I always said I was born in the wrong era!

Irina Werning, Back To The Future

Today I am loving Irina Werning's 'Back To The Future' series of photographs. Her concept is to take photos from people's childhoods and re-create them with the subjects now adults. The results are gorgeous and at times hilarious! I was struck by how little some of these people had changed as they'd grown up and kinda wanna re-create one of my own childhood images now!

 

 You can find the rest of her series here: Back to the Future

Sweet Treats

People who know me will know that I am by no means a natural cook. But recently I have been trying really hard to teach myself how to cook better, and amazingly its been a success! I've come across some great recipes and I'd like to begin sharing some of them here.

First up, a close friend of mine told me how for Christmas a friend of hers had made her a pot of homemade jam. I loved the idea - i think its so much more special when something is homemade - and I decided to try and make some strawberry jam myself. A few mishaps and burnt fingers later voila! I did it and it tastes damn good. Here's the recipe that I found on the BBC Good Food website:

Strawberry Jam

Time: 1 hour
Makes about 4 pots of jam


Ingredients

1.8kg of small whole strawberries
Juice of 3 lemons
1.84kg of jam sugar
Knob of butter

Instructions

1. Wash, drain and hull the fruit and put in a large non-metallic bowl. Sprinkle over the lemon juice and sugar, gently mix. Cover with a tea towel and leave overnight. (This helps keep the strawberries whole.)
2. Put a saucer in the freezer. Tip the fruit and juice into a preserving pan or a 4.5 litre/8 pint heavybased pan. Heat gently, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Do not boil until it has.
3. Turn up the heat, then boil hard for exactly 4 minutes (use a timer). Take off the heat to test for setting point. Spoon a little jam onto the cold saucer. After a couple of minutes gently push your finger through the jam and if the surface wrinkles it is ready. If not, return to the boil for 2 minutes, then re-test.
4. Take off the heat and swirl in the butter. If the scum doesn't dissolve, skim with a slotted spoon. Cool for 10-15 minutes. (Pot when too hot and all the fruit rises to the top.)
5. Stir gently to distribute the fruit, then pour into warm sterilised jars. Put waxed discs on straight away, cover with lids or cellophane circles, then seal, label and wipe the jars. Keeps for 6 months in a cool dry cupboard.

 
Now having all this strawberry jam and wanting to make a dessert for Valentine's Day, I decided to make a Victoria Sponge with my own jam. I also got the recipe from the BBC Good Food website and it was just delicioussss! Really soft, sweet, and fluffy cake and just gorgeous overall with the jam and cream. Here's the recipe:

Victoria Sponge

Prep: 20 mins
Cooking: 20 mins
Cuts into 8-10 slices

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for greasing
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 medium eggs
• 200g self-raising flour , plus extra for dusting
• about 6 tbsp strawberry jam
• 250ml double cream , whipped
• icing sugar , for dusting

Instructions 

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease and flour 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Place the butter, sugar and vanilla extract into a bowl and beat well to a creamy consistency. Slowly beat in the eggs, one by one, then fold in the flour and mix well.
2. Divide the mix between the cake tins, place into the oven and bake for about 20 mins until risen and golden brown. The cakes should spring back when gently pushed in the middle. When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 mins in the tin, before turning out onto a wire rack and cooling completely.
3. Spread the jam onto one cake and top with the cream. Sandwich the cakes together and dust with icing sugar.

Oh so good! Hope you enjoy the recipes!

Photos Copyrighted 2011

All You Need is Love

Feelings of the Heart

"I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible" 

Billy Crystal in 'When Harry Met Sally'

This morning is a special morning because last night my best friend since kindergarten got engaged to her boyfriend! I have not stopped smiling since I heard the news and I am so excited for her and this amazing new chapter in her life. I thought it fitting to share this with you today as it is Valentine's Day.

As one of my closest friends and fellow blogger If You Love Me Feed Me told me, it's a beautiful thing that people everywhere are celebrating love in all forms on this day. I am blessed with so much love in my life from so many different people and I am so grateful for that. So here's to love in all its wonder and beauty!

Happy Valentine's Day y'all!

True Beauty

"Beauty tips: For attractive lips, speak only words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
And for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." 

Audrey Hepburn

This has long been one of my favourite quotes. Lots of girls think their beauty lies in heavy make up, dressing or acting a certain way. But as cliche as it sounds, true beauty really does come from within - be it your kind acts or your goofy personality. I find people are most beautiful when they can allow themselves to be natural inside and out and embrace whoever it is that they are.
 

The Road Not Taken

Today I want to share one of my favourite poems with you...The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 20


The trail, originally uploaded by jtobiason08.

This has always been one of my favourite poems. Now that I am at a crossroads in my life having just finished university and trying to decide what my next step is, it is especially relevant. I read this poem whenever I need to abate my fears about taking a less travelled path.

I'd love to know what poems you find inspiring?

Happy Friday guys!

Just Adorable

I saw this adorableee image on a site I found called WeHeartIt originally posted by Rafaaafrrrk. It's a lovely site where people can upload their interesting photography, and people visiting can then "heart" images they like to create their own online photo collection. This photo made me smile, and I wanted to share it with you so it could also make you smile! Enjoy!

Free Design - Love You

I have fallen in love with this song. It's so light and airy and kinda makes me feel like running through a meadow barefoot.

Oscar Season

The Oscars are right around the corner and guys, I can't tell you how much I'm loving the Oscar films right now!

First up, I went to see 127 Hours.

The movie tells the true story of Aron Ralston, who whilst hiking in Utah, gets his arm trapped under a boulder. After 5 days trapped he amputates his own arm with a blunt knife. The film is shot beautifully especially in the way it shows the stunning landscape. But the real beauty of it is how most of the film focuses just on James Franco, the actor who plays Ralston. There's not a huge amount of talking, or action, and much of the film is of the same frame. We just watch as Ralston takes steps to keep himself going, and tries to figure out a way to release himself and its awe inspiring. I think this film is a huge achievement for Franco and well worth watching. It will leave you contemplating what amazing things the human mind and body can do and survive even in the most dire of situations.

Second up is The King's Speech.

This film is pure perfection! There is no other way to put it. The film tells the story of King George VI in his fight to overcome his stammer. The acting is just sensational from Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter. The movie is filled to the brim with heart and wit and I can't see why anyone, young or old, can fail to fall in love with this gem of a film. And gawd Colin Firth I've had a crush on him since he played Mr Darcy!

Lastly, I went to see Black Swan.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, I found parts of this movie petrifying. Before I went I'd heard from others how disturbing it was. I thought pfft, whooses, it's a ballerina movie. How scary could it be? Answer - VERY. Despite this, wow, Natalie Portman. I'm a huge fan of hers anyway, but this movie is such an accomplishment for her. I read she trained in ballet for 2 years to prepare herself for this role and it shows. The film is exquisite in many ways, and after leaving the movie I realised more and more how clever the plot was. Despite the fact its a little gruesome at times this is a must see.

Overall, I have been hugely impressed with the Oscar line up this year! In the past, it has been very rare for me to enjoy so many of the movies nominated. Have any of you seen these films? What do you think?

Monday Morning Pick Me Up

Mountain Life

Over the Christmas holidays I went on a ski trip to Austria! It was fantastic and I wanted to share some snippets of it with all of you. From the minute I stepped off the plane I was just enraptured with the beauty of the mountains around us. This is the view of the town as we landed...

We stayed in a gorgeous lodge where hot chocolate and indulgent cakes were aplenty! Since I was burning so much energy skiing all day, (at least that's what I liked to tell myself), I allowed myself to have as much of these as I liked..and after a day battling the slopes it was just what I needed.

The first days were hard I'm not gonna lie. I think learning to ski is the hardest part. You constantly have to climb up a little part of the mountain and ski a little way down displaying the latest skill your instructor had shown you. My first teacher was called Hans and had a tendency to say "ya" constantly. So much so, I caught onto it too and by the end of the first day my "yes" was doomed to remain "ya" until my return home.

By the end of the first 3 days I'd successfully navigated my first blue run (albeit for part of it I was holding on to my instructor's poles). I was very proud of myself. My body on the other hand was not so thrilled. I felt as if someone had taken a ski pole and battered my legs with it until they were completely bruised. I was waddling around like penguin as my legs had lost the ability to bend. So much so in fact someone in my hotel stopped me to ask why I was walking like that? And ski boots, pah, well whose genius idea were they? They are possibly the MOST uncomfortable shoes I have ever worn (imagine having two 5 kilo weights on each foot whilst trying to carry your skis up a mountain).

Anyway, day 4 was the exciting part. Day 4 is where it all just clicked! The first few days I think I'd held back. Probably just from the nerves associated with doing something new, and you know the possibility of crashing full speed into a tree. But on day 4 something changed and all my fear and somehow my pain disappeared and wow what a feeling it was. There is no greater feeling than whizzing down a glistening mountain, in gorgeous sunshine, with the wind rushing past you and no other sound except other skiers passing you by.

The next few days were phenomenal and I even progressed to the red slopes. The last day was the pinnacle - we stopped for lunch on an outside deck overlooking the Alps. The sky was a burning blue, and I sat on my rocking chair with a thick blanket over me just appreciating the beauty in front of my eyes. I found myself thinking how peaceful it was in the mountains...no cars, horns, no nothing. Just silence and spectacular beauty...and everything just felt so clean, the air, the mountains, all of it so pure.

Talking to some of the ski instructors I found myself a little envious of the happy simplicity of their lives. Most were born and bred on the mountain, never visited a big city, brought up in a tiny village, and they seemed extremely content. I found myself wondering if I could be happy living somewhere like this?

My experience on the mountain was so memorable and after experiencing the rush of skiing I am itching to go back. I'd love to hear about your mountain experiences?

Photos Copyrighted 2011

“I'm leaving because the weather is too good. I hate London when it's not raining.” Groucho Marx

London is where I was born and bred and quite frankly it's an awesome city (apart from the weather). The newest feature on my blog is gonna be called "Street Treats" where I'm going to share my snapshots of my city with all of you.

The pictures below were taken at London Bridge today. Enjoy!

Twinkle lights

Those who know me will know I have a twinkle light obsession! They add sparkles, romance, and just a general fairytale-esque feel which is why when I passed this restaurant's cute window display today I couldn't resist snapping a photo! I loove the way they've gathered them to look like twinkle light curtains...