Pretty Girl Friday

Lily Cole

A Hug From The Inside

As August becomes cooler, and all the Pumpkin Spice Latte posts start clogging up my Facebook feed I start thinking of breakfasts that are more than simply fruit and yogurt. 

I have become an adult lover of porridge. As a kid I just saw it as plain and boring and sometimes lumpy... and why would you ever eat that when you could have a big bowl of sugary cereal instead? But as an adult I adore it's ability to give your body a hug from the inside out. I love how comforting it is, how much it nourishes my body and heats me up. 

My favourite way is always unsweetened porridge made with half milk/half water, some chopped banana, some natural yogurt and a drizzle of honey. My mum has given me a glut of hazelnuts this week so I'm thinking of trying a baked hazelnut porridge. I also love the classic combination of apple and cinnamon too, but I've recently spotted a lemon and poppy seed porridge recipe that I'd love to try out. Or maybe just a spoonful of stewed rhubarb and a sprinkle of brown sugar on top. Mmmm m m m...

How about you? Do you like porridge? How do you dress yours up? 

Wednesday Wishes

I know autumn is almost upon us but I can't stop wanting a black and white striped maxi dress. One of the most basic of summer staples, but I want it for when the weather turns cooler and I can layer it up with boots and a cozy sweater. There is something so fresh and clean about black and white stripes. Love them.

Things I Love Today

Puppy Perfection - I currently rent a room in a house with a live-in landlord. He's pretty cool, the same age as me, and not crazy precious about everything in the house so it's not awkward to share the space with him. And last week he brought home two new additions to the house. We now have two pug puppies in the house, Molly and Bella. They are tiny (10 weeks old this week), and crazy (I was told that pugs sleep 14 hours a day... not these two), and so so excited to be part of a new family (they are both attention seekers in a big way). They are ridiculously entertaining to watch as they play in the back garden, and they absolutely kill each other. They have horribly sharp little teeth though, and I found out last night that they are the perfect size to fit around my big toe, ouch! 

Dear Diary - In the fast paced digital world we line in now there is something so incredibly beautiful about the written word. The idea of taking time to put pen to paper and let your thoughts and ideas flow out onto a page. Whether in a daily diary, or a memory journal, a doodle pad or a wish book... it is so calming to just get the contents of your mind down onto a clean white page. I really love journals with leather covers, all sorts of sensory pleasure all mixed into one... the smell of the rich leather, the smooth touch, watching the words. Try it... a beautiful notebook, a new pen, a few hours in your favourite place, see what happens. 

Eat Smart - Ok, I know that this one is a no-brainer for most of you but for me I need a gentle reminder every now and then to eat, not just better but smarter. My diet isn't bad by any stretch and is already full of natural and greek yogurt, fruit and eggs, but sometimes (ok, pretty often) I just forget about the whole vegetable and meaty protein part. I ended up fighting three back to back infections over the last month and I can pretty much attest my terrible immune system to not getting enough good quality food. Multi-vitamin and iron supplements were recommended for me by sympathetic friends, but ended up sickening my stomach so bad that I was almost confined to the sofa most evenings. When I mentioned this to my doctor while I was having a check up she told me that I should be able to get all that I need from what I eat and to stop taking them. So instead I went to the grocery store and began shopping for good quality produce. Lots of vegetables that taste as good raw as cooked, small portions of organic chicken (there was no nice looking steak on display that day so I went for white meat only this week), plenty of quick to grab and satisfying yogurt and a cheeky block of tasty cheese. 

Honourable Mentions - a steaming bowl of couscous with a softly fried egg and a squeeze of lemon juice, barbecued salmon, green tea shower gel, plain and simple matt silver rings, drinking lots and lots of water, bright mornings and windy afternoons, orange blossom scented hand cream, snail mail, stir fried broccoli, wearing trainers to work mid-week, maxi skirts and sweatshirts, reuniting with old college friends, going on puppy dates  with friends, warm chicken salad, nude nail polish with subtle sparkles

Wednesday Wishes

Today's wish is a selfish wish, and possibly not attainable... but hey! A girl can dream.

I wish... for back dimples

Learn to Know When To Rest

Sometimes a person needs a swift kick up the behind to realise that they are burning the candle at both ends. 

I got mine this weekend when what I thought was an insignificant cough resulted in a near hospital visit, parental intervention (kinda mortifying when you're not a teenager anymore), a bag full of medication and a warning that if I didn't slow down a little, and eat a lot better, that I would end up in a little pile on the floor. Thankfully several days bed rest, some antibiotics and other meds, and good quality, home cooked food have done wonders for me and it looks like I'm on a slow, but progressive road to recovery. 

This weekend brought it home to me that sometimes a person really needs to put aside time in every week for a little rest and recovery. There are lots of ways you can show yourself that you care enough to make a little effort for yourself...

- A long hot shower, or bath, with your favourite products can do wonders for reviving the body. All those lovely smells and bubbles just washing away all the troubles of the week. Mid week I love all things citrusy to brighten up my days but at the weekend it's all coconut or almond to help me unwind and calm down.

- A date with yourself where you take a few hours to go sit in your favourite cafe or bar and sip a coffee, tea or glass of wine and enjoy your own company. Make it special by dressing up for no one but yourself. I like to treat myself with a trashy magazine while I sip my coffee, and pretend that I am an incognito celebrity with my huge sunglasses and oversized scarf. 

- Take an evening to go buy some beautiful fresh produce and cook yourself a beautiful meal. Set the table properly, put out a cloth napkin and some nice glass wear. Maybe a small flower in a bud vase. If you're feeling up to company invite your best friend around to share it. I like to keep it simple with either chicken or fish and a crisp green salad, just to make sure that there is still room for a little ice cream afterwards.

-  I feel naked without a fresh coat of polish on my toes so I get a tremendous amount of joy out of having a quiet night in to take off the old polish, soak my feet in something nice, put on lots of thick moisturiser, and re-paint my toes. Just remember to leave lots of drying time before sliding your beautiful feet under your duvet. 

- My absolute favourite way to taking some time off though is to seek out a puppy... a friends, a family members, I'm not picky really... and just roll about on the floor, the couch, the garden with it. There is no way that you can stay stressed with a small, excitable, lickable, lovable ball of fluff is trying to chew on your ears cause they love you that much.

Nemesis of Nom

Do you have a food nemesis? 

Something you know that you really shouldn't eat... due to intolerances  or allergies, or just because it's not good for you? Something that you are almost scared to let into your kitchen because you know that you cannot control yourself around it? Something that no matter how many times you tell yourself that you are better that this you still find yourself standing at the counter in your pyjamas at midnight, eating it with a pang of guilt keeping it company in your stomach?

My undeniable weakness is white bread. Soft, doughy, fresh white bread... piled high with sweet, sticky jam or smeared with a little pesto and melted cheese, toasted with a slightly charred edge and smothered with butter or torn from the loaf and used to mop up a savoury gravy. It is one item I have no self control around. I will happily eat slice after slice of bread until the entire pan is gone and only crumbs remain on the breadboard. I will have it plainly buttered for starters, with a savoury topping for mains and persuade myself that spreading it with jam, or nutella can count as dessert. 

I know that it does me no good. I know that processed wheat and gluten are not good for the digestive system. I know that it is full of hidden sugars... and I also know that I don't care. It tastes wonderful, and it makes me happy to get to enjoy it as a treat every now and then. 

What about you? Is there anything out there that you are scared to let into your kitchen? Is there anything that calls out to you when you go grocery shopping?

Movie Hug

What are your Go-To Movies? 

The ones that you put on when you want the cinema equivalent of a hug from a friend? The ones that you know every character, every piece of music, every quip? The ones that may not be cool to watch but always hold a special place in your heart. 

My Top Ten Movie Hugs, in no particular order and for many varied reasons, are

- Zoolander -

- Edward Scissorhands -

- Leon -

- Beetlejuice -

- Chocolat -

- Pretty Woman -

- Some Like It Hot -

- 10 Things I Hate About You -

- Moulin Rouge -

- Fight Club -

Morning Memories

Have you ever woken from a dream and been very unsure whether you had just had a good dream or a bad one? 

Last night I dreamt. Of a man that was once in my life. Not someone I ever dated, or who ever chased me or was chased by me, but I knew him. Unfortunately circumstances changed, people drifted apart, messages were not returned and he is no longer in my life.

In this dream we shared moments of intimacy. Hands on face, cheek to cheek, skin on skin. Shared breath and tangled limbs. Moments of joy, sprinkled with pleasure. The room was warm, the light was golden, all cinematic filters and flattering angles. There might have been a soundtrack playing, full of sunshine and adult joy.

I woke alone, in a cold room, in the grey morning light. And, even thought I never had him, I now miss him.

Wednesday Wishes

A lie in, in a freshly made bed, with a good book and a great coffee.