August Round Up

Kimberley

Watching: everything Edinburgh International Festival!! I lost count of all the shows I watched so I'll be sharing my top 5 next week. As well as the comedy and theatre, I went along to the Standard Life Festival Opening Event to watch the light and sound show. This year it was moved to George Square and I thought it worked quite well projected against the three sides- it certainly felt more relaxed and less crowded in the larger space. I also went to the Lush Gorilla Perfume launch party, to check out the art installations created around the scents. They were fun- I liked the granny's sitting room and play kitchen the best but the cardamom coffee scent is delicious.

Doing: during my festival staycation, I made it along to a lot of non-festival goings on. I really enjoyed the Paul Marr x Rowanjoy exhibition, which celebrated ten years of creative collaboration between the photographer and dress designer . I love that these photoshoots have been purely for the creativity, with pieces designed specifically for the concepts rather than retail. The space was beautifully dressed with the prints sat alongside the garments and huge floral displays by Jack Fleuriste. To top up my culture, I saw the latest Dovecot tapestries (swoon!) and the ECA Masters Show. I also popped along to the Edinburgh Cocktail Festival, where there were cocktails served in pineapples- now that's my kind of event!

Buying: I have honestly never put so much thought into a purchase as I have for these damn New Balance trainers. My commute now includes a bit of a walk so I keep my nice work shoes in my office. I've worn down a pair of cheap-but-cute trainers and want something more robust. And not pink. I keep looking at pink ones. I find trainers so uninspiring to look at, so it's taken me forever to match up functionality with style. In the end I've gone for the most nondescript. Meh.

Clicking: I'm more than done with August now, and have looking at all things Autumn since about the 14th. I already have my tickets booked for this year's Enchanted Forest in Pitlochry, after having such a great time last year. We are going to stay in Pitlochry and make a weekend of it, so I'm looking for fun walks to do and places to stop by. Any recommendations?


Helen

Watching: I've already harped on to everyone I work with about A Ghost Story so now I'm bringing my love for this film to the blog. Casey Affleck wandering around in a bed sheet while Rooney Mara looks sad and eats a pie. Ok, so it sounds terrible but this film was an amazing cinema experience. It's beautiful, sad, powerful, thought provoking and reassuring. It's difficult to describe and I can see why people might not like it but I was just blown away. The soundtrack, the visuals, the ghost costumes, the movement through time... haunted is the word. When I got home from seeing it my flatmate even asked if I was ok and offered me a hug! I urge you to go and see this film. If you do (or have already seen it) let me know what you think. If you don't like it though we may not be able to be friends anymore.

Doing: I went to not one but two Masters shows in August. Not quite as many as the Degree shows I made it to earlier in the year but still pretty good. I had a quick wiz round Edinburgh College of Art, where I particularly enjoyed the Illustration section. So many colours, playful artworks and some great paper cutting! I also visited the DJCAD show where the work of  B.D. Owens,(pictured) stood out to me.
Kimberley and I also had a lot of fun taking part in Emily Millichip's Carmen Miranda Bag Charm workshop at the Craft Scotland Summer Show. It was lovely to have an afternoon filled with tropical shapes, crafting and chat, especially in such nice surroundings. Now I just have to find a bag that deserves my fun new charm!

Buying: While at the ECA Masters show, I treated my self to some work by illustrator Pilar Garcia de Leaniz. I really liked the poster for the event so when I found out it used Pilar's work I knew I wanted to take a piece home. I got myself a pretty skull print that's the perfect mix of creepy and colourful that I enjoy and a fun coaster because they always come in handy. Now I just need to get my act together and get a frame for my new artwork. I still have a few pieces I picked up at the degree shows that are awaiting this treatment so I'm not sure how soon that will happen!

Clicking: My friend Ashley suggested I listen to a podcast called Criminal. I'm not great at discovering new podcasts so I always take on the advice of others. She sent me a specific episode called A Bump in the Night. I listened to it during the day and it still freaked me out! Now I've downloaded a bunch of other episodes and I'm loving the variety of interesting stories.
As I'm visiting Ashley in Northern Island next month, I've also been researching places to go, things to do and where to eat. I've already found 11 Alternative Things to do in Belfast, checked out where the Game of Thrones locations are, found out about Belfast Vintage Shopping and read some food reviews from a local. Have you been? What should I check out?

Blogger Crushes 31

Kimberley's crushin' on ...Twenty-Something City

Alice is a fellow Edinburgh blogger that I've known for a while, but recently she has seriously upped her blogging game! I'm not sure if it is has coincided with her moving to London, or working with fantastic photographers (as she explains), but the growth in style confidence is really evident in her outfits choices. There's been a real honing in on signature style this year that she has written about quite a bit, and I think this is great encouragement for girls who want to step out of their comfort zone. With flamin' hair and makeup (and those lashes!) always on point, Alice wears current trends with ease for a consistently glam look. I love to keep up with her instagram too.


Helen's crushin' on... Alice's Wonder Emporium

It's all about flame haired ladies called Alice for this month's Blogger Crushes! My pick is the joyful Alice-Christina and her Wonder Emporium. I came to Alice's blog through her Instagram. I just love her orange hair and the way she hunts down a colourful wall. Her blog is a mix of fashion, reviews, beauty and general lifestyle shenanigans. Her photos are always beautiful and bright and we share a very similar sense of style, just look at her rocking that egg dress.


We're also lovin':

• Zabby Allen's Crafty Critters series is just so much cute!!
• The lovely Lauren (aka The Tartan Devil)'s new venture Bimbo Magazine makes politics easy.
• Christina's talking Over 30 Style and why comfort is king- we couldn't agree more!
• The In Colouful Company x Lucky Dip Club colour walk at Dreamland Margate looked like it was THE BEST time. Check out #incolourfulcompany for a colour explosion.
• Sarah from Brass Buttons and Confidence has a brilliant post about finding your instagram style, featuring her new dreamy, surreal photography style.

Top 5: Craft Scotland Summer Show

One of the best hideaways from the bustle of the Edinburgh International Festival in August is the annual Craft Scotland Summer Show. An exhibition of contemporary homeware, jewellery and textiles, it really showcases the design-led talent existing in Scotland right now. Of course, that means it features some of our favourite makers, so we're ready to shout about it. We were invited along to the private view, and to join in on one of the hands-on maker-led workshops, so we've definitely had a good look around. The exhibition is beautifully curated and the space on floor 2 of White Space is really used to its best. It was hard to pick a top 5 but we've whittled it down to a mix of personal old faves and new treasures:


1.) Studio Emma
The mix of colours on these concrete planters, pots and vessels is just plain delicious. Neither of us are especially plant people but these are pretty enough to display on their own. The rugged edges contrast beautifully with the candy shades and the mix of shapes and sizes means there's one for any spot or shelf space.


2.) Collingwood-Norris
It doesn't feel like we should be thinking of knitwear just yet but it's hard not to with this kind of luxury Scottish design filling our eyeballs. Woolies might seem a strange choice for a Summer Show but the colours of these are very inkeeping with sunnier seasons. Plus, this is Scotland after all, we have to be prepared for all eventualities!


3.) Evgeniia Balashova
There's such a refreshing feel of movement to Evgeniia's pieces that's hard to achieve with a technique like 3D printing. There's something about them that begs to be touched and the colours are just so soft and delicate. It's great to see makers embracing new technology and really making it work beautifully and seamlessly.


4.) Helen Ruth
Yes, we're still not over out love for illustrated scarves and our addiction has most certainly been fuelled by these beauties. Helen Ruth's intricate designs are full of fun subtleties and each tells it's own story. We are so in love with her latest collection, just look at that fly detail!


5.) Rebecca Wilson
We both fell hard for Rebecca Wilson's bold and usual jewellery and objects. Another collection that looked good enough to eat, we loved the mix of huge statement pieces and more wearable items. Those shades and sprinkle patterns are just to die for.


If you'd like to catch the Craft Scotland Summer Show you will have to be quick- it closes this Sunday 27th August! You can find the opening hours here.

Top 5: Things to do in Dubai

Burj Khalifa | Madinat Jumeirah | Dubai Marina | Al Fahidi Historic District

Since Kimberley did her Top 5 Things to do in Brighton, I thought I'd try and cast my mind back and pick out my favourite things from my birthday trip to Dubai with Heather Mac. My main reason for choosing Dubai for my first holiday abroad was to visit our friend Susan. To be honest, it probably wouldn't have been my first pick of destinations - there are a few spots higher up my 'to visit' list. But the chance to spend time with one of my best friends (who I'd been promising to visit for ages), and the offer of accommodation, swayed me and I'm so glad it did! I ended up having an awesome time and it's definitely somewhere I'd visit again. With my guidebook in hand, my sis by my side and Susan acting as tour guide we managed to squeeze a lot in...

XVA Gallery | Angélica Dass Humanae

1.) Art, art and more art
One of my favourite things to do in a new place is visit its art galleries and Dubai didn't disappoint on that front. There were plenty of spots to look around and a wide variety of art to admire. The first gallery we happened across even had a cat! That's two of my favourite things in one spot! The bulk of my allotted art time was spent at Alserkal Avenue, an industrial estate turned gallery complex. There are so many small galleries in this one spot, showing a selection of contemporary art from sculpture to photography and painting. My favourites were the Leila Heller Gallery, Nick Brandt's Inherit the Dust at Custot Gallery and Angélica Dass' Humanae exhibition.
I can also recommend the Al Fahidi Historic District which has a number of little galleries dotted around, including XVA Gallery, as well as some colourful murals.

Kite Beach              

2.) Heading to the beach(es)
While most of the holiday was spent zipping around, we still managed to fit in some relaxing beach time. I enjoyed a very nice morning on Kite Beach, lying on the sand and reading (didn't see any kites though). With it's selection of small eateries, colourful lifeguard station and view of the Burj Al Arab, it was a wonderful spot to spend a few lazy hours. We went on a weekday, on a not so sunny day and it was lovely and quiet.
For a busier and more bustling beach side experience head to The Beach at JBR. It has some very nice shower and toilet facilities, lots of beach side activities and a lovely boardwalk littered with restaurants and shops, which leads me nicely on to...

Gold Souq         

3.) Shopping!
S*uce ON-SEA was my favourite from The Beach. It had a lot of designers I recognised and some great pool floats. I could have spent a lot of money in there!
Dubai may be known for its huge malls (Dubai Mall is the largest in the world) but I found these a little too much to handle. In fact, I had a mid holiday breakdown in one (blame hunger and exhaustion). The Bur Dubai and Gold Souq's, while fun to look around, left me feeling similarly exhausted.
I felt much happier wandering around Madinat Jumeirah. This hotel and shopping complex has been made to look like an old style souq but has a lovely calm feel, even when busy. While it still has plenty of souvenir shops, there's also some nice crafted items and you can even have a boat ride on the waterways. Another fun shopping experience was Ripe Food and Craft Market. Taking place weekly in Za'abeel Park, it featured lots of lovely food stalls and a selection of art and craft stalls - basically a hipsters paradise!

RAW Coffee | Wild and the Moon

4.) Eating and drinking
With all the activities and adventures we had there were plenty of stop offs needed to refuel. These were mainly chosen by proximity to where we were when we happened to get hungry.
RAW coffee was recommended to us by one of the gallery owners and it's delicious coffee didn't disappoint. Wild and the Moon gave us some healthy eats in a modern setting. The XVA Café had lots of lovely veggie options and the most delicious mint lemonade.
I already mentioned in my last post, but my birthday afternoon tea at the Waldorf Astoria was super good. Also, as we were staying with Susan, we enjoyed a number of delicious home cooked meals. You probably won't be able to do that if you visit but I could try and put in a good word for you.

Dubai Museum         

5.) Seeing the sights
My guidebook has a list of the top 10 sights and we managed to see 7 of them. I'd say that's pretty good going.
Dubai Museum was busy but gave an interesting look at the history of the place and just how fast it's grown. I got to look at sharks and a giant crocodile at Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo in Dubai Mall (seeing fish swimming around in the middle of a shopping centre was a little weird though). And we went (not quite) to the top of the Burj Khalifa. It is one impressive structure and the view was pretty spectacular even on a cloudy day. On top of all that, we also went on a Dessert Safari. This was fun but probably would have been more fun if I was less hungover.


There you have it. I think I've managed to subtly sneak more than 5 things in there. There's still loads I've missed out but I feel like this post has to stop somewhere. Have you been to Dubai? Let me know what your favourite things to do were and I'll pop them on my list for next time.

Waldorf Astoria         

What Helen Wore: Dubai

Kimberley's post about her recent trip to Brighton has me all reminiscent about my own holiday. Granted, mine was way back in February but it was a pretty special one. To celebrate my 30th birthday I jetted off to Dubai on my first trip abroad. Yep, that's right, it took me until the ripe old age of 30 to get out of the UK (well, apart from one weekend in Dublin). And it's taken me 6 months to write this post. The photos have been sitting in drafts since I returned but now it's finally time to share what I wore in Dubai.

Going in February meant that the weather wasn't spectacular but it also meant I could survive the heat. The temperature varied from about 17 to 27 °C (if I recall correctly) so it was manageable for an unacclimatised soul like myself. Being from Scotland I was a bit worried that my wardrobe wouldn't be summery enough and I'd have to buy lots of new stuff. Turns out I was wrong. A lot of my items worked and I only ended up buying two new pieces of clothing, both of which can be seen in this outfit. The top and skirt were bought for their comfort factors and have become firm favourites in my wardrobe since this trip. Don't you love a holiday purchase that lasts!




Top | H&M
Skirt | Zara
Shoes | Clarks
Necklace | Charcot (gift)
Glasses | Spex Pistols

I wore this outfit for a trip to The Palm for afternoon tea at the Waldorf Astoria. It was a birthday treat for me so I thought I'd get a bit more dolled up - hence the heels. I also added this shiny Charcot necklace, which was a surprise birthday gift from the lady herself - Kirsty Stevens. I might have blinded a few people as the mirrored surface caught the sun but it was worth it.

The food was absolutely delicious and we all stuffed ourselves while listening to a medley of power ballads being played on the piano. It was hilariously good fun. Afterwards we went for a wander around the grounds (where I demanded these photos be taken) and enjoyed a few wines at the bar. The heels came off pretty quickly (boy do my feet swell when they're hot) but I'd brought some sandals with me so I didn't have to hobble around like a weirdo. Apart from the footwear, it was a pretty successful outfit. I've definitely developed a new love for floaty midi skirts since this holiday.

One of the things I got asked about a lot before I went was "what are going to where - don't you have to cover up in Dubai?". Luckily we were staying with our lovely friend Susan, who lives out there, so I had her on hand to ask advice about what to pack. Turns out I could wear pretty much the same as I where at home, just without as many layers. I kept my knees and shoulders covered, mostly because that's how I dress anyway, and I didn't have any trouble. It all felt really rather relaxed. Here's a few examples of some other outfits I wore during my trip.





Looking back at these photos has me dreaming about going away again. Where would you recommend I try next?

Top 5: Things to do in Brighton

Yay, it's holiday time! I spent a wonderful break in Brighton during those few days of summer we had back in July. I have never been to Brighton and Hove, and it was only vaguely on my Places To See list. The visit was a birthday treat from Ian and, since he used to live there, he was my guide for my stay. I only know it as a cool place a number of my fave UK designers and makers live but I hadn't thought of it as a modern holiday destination. I was all set to be underwhelmed by the much-talked about hipster haven of a seaside town that is Brighton but, damn it, I was won over.

1.) Brighton Royal Pavilion
I thought I was going to skip this attraction when I was planning the trip. And by planning, I mean glancing at Tripadvisor and vaguely nodding at Ian's suggestions of places to go. He's not really a fan of it but I have to say I really fell for this building and the surrounding gardens. It was my fave and I went to see it twice. The pavilion was originally a royal seaside residence that was completely renovated in the 19th century in the style of Indian palaces. Maybe that's why I love it- the nostalgia of when I lived in India- but the symmetry and repetitive patterns, along with the theatrical flair of Indian design really speaks to me. I recommend it!

2.) The Lanes, North Laine and flea market
One of the major pulls to Brighton is the very studenty vibe, with lots of shabby-but-cool shopping areas. It's a bit confusing because there's the Lanes and then there's North Laine. North Laine is the side I was expecting to see. It has a market feel to it, with vendors of the weird and wonderful, like one shop that is almost exclusively fur throws alongside delicate lace underwear. There's a lot of festival wares. Snooper's Paradise is top of most people's lists; a huge indoor market of vintage bits and bric a brac. I was feeling a little tired when we went, so I recommend going when you have the energy to sift through all the piles of things.
The Lanes, on the other hand, is a quaint series of (you guessed it) tiny lanes that offer a more bespoke shopping experience. There are independent shops that I recognised, alongside a load of specialist shops for cookware, fancy jewellery and, of course, the now infamous Choccywoccydoodah.

3.) Eating and drinking
Let's be honest, this is what I go on holiday for. I could have more than filled my Top 5 with foodie places and coffee shops but I'll sneak them in here instead.
The Chilli Pickle is hands down my favourite Indian restaurant. They were amazing with my gluten issues and I am still dreaming about the masala dosa I ordered. I nearly cried that I couldn't order the sweets selection for dessert (because of wheat)- gulab jaman and ladoo are my favourites.
There are a lotta lotta coffee shops in Brighton with all the latest brews (and we sampled 2-3 in a day with Ian's coffee addiction) but Twin Pines Coffee was my fave. Moving away from the now-typical hipster industrial style, this coffee shop has an art deco vibe and the most beautiful loo.
Decent pubs were The Craft Beer Co. for beer, The Black Dove for cocktails and Brighton Beer Dispensary for a relaxed atmosphere (and board games!).
I also enjoyed really good pizza at Morelli Zorelli and ice cream at Boho Gelato.

4.) The Pier
Being big kids, the pier was an instant lure for us. A mini theme park at the end of the pier, it offers arcade games, coin machines and rides. It seems I'm pretty good at throwing basketballs, bopping lights and shooting dinosaurs. It was easy to lose an afternoon playing all the games for those precious prize tokens, with candy floss and slush puppies. After all that competition, we pooled together our tokens (I didn't have many at all) to pick a prize. I now own a 17% stake in a fidget spinner. Lucky me!

5.) Brighton beach
I couldn't go to Brighton and not mention the beach, especially after a July visit. It's a typical British beach, in that it is shingle rather than sand. Although the smooth pebbles not comfortable to sit on, it's actually quite nice not to come away with sand in all the wrong places. Ahem. As I mentioned, I grossly misunderstood how hot it was going to be, so I was just wearing my breton stripe outfit from this wee's outfit post, when really I could've done with a bikini. It felt very much like a holiday!

What a lovely staycation. (Is it still a staycation if it's not even in Scotland? The climate suggests otherwise). I'm already half-planning the things I'll do next time, so hit me up with your favourite hotspots to add to my list. Five is too few for this wonderful seaside resort!