my friend done a blog

about one of my favourite subjects too... cakes! :)

http://cupcakesetal.blogspot.com/

holding ya nerve

so i am facing a period of 'resting' as an actor might say.. yes, i shall soon be in between jobs!

it's been a while since i was a job seeker... almost 3 years ago i was almost unemployed when i moved to Brum but i managed to get a last minute reprieve and a job at Smooth Towers... so the last time i was out of work was about 2001 and that was only for a few months before i landed at Radio Juice* but i remember the boredom and lack of cash as the biggest problems... i signed up for free classes in 'stress management' and Microsoft Powerpoint just to get out of the house... but i had to count the pennies for busfare! my poor housemate would get home from work and i'd talk her head off cos i had been home alone all day! lol (she is a saint that girl) - this was before internet was as 'affordable' and cost per minute so at least come October I'll have Twitter and Facebook to keep me company! lol

having this break makes you inevitably take stock and seek advice from those around you... what to do next? my industry has taken quite a knock or three in the last couple of years and too many people for my liking are keen to push me to do something else! but i love doing what i do and it seems a bit previous to say i'll quit now cos the going got tough! lol i suppose in 6 months if i was still watching daytime TV and chatting on FB i might need to change direction in life, but to give up at the first hurdle seems... unseemly! certainly i hope i'm made of tougher stuff! but i suppose it means i'm thinking about what other stuff may fulfill me and earn me money should the situ arise...

you may recall i have a new electric guitar so mostly i'm looking fwd to lots of practice time! lol but infact maybe my geet is the new career on the horizon! the new roadie on the block ;) and my mum is gonna give me some insight into the sewing machine - i could be the next big name in shift dresses! lol it certainly is giving me plenty to think about.. 'know thyself' being the ultimate enlightenment... and yet navel gazing a little indulgent if left unchecked! lol

*bless them halcyon Brighton days!

Eating for England

I shall attempt today to eat only classic English fodder!

I have begun my quest with that traditional English brunch: Beans on toast... I can't properly explain how tasty and comforting it was! haha Perhaps it's simply belly nostalgia! I've been eating beans on toast for so long that now it seems like an old friend... it's cheap and cheerful... not too naughty... is good at any time of day... it's a bit of an easy feed too, so that's always going to help... open tin... tip beans into bowl... pop toast in toaster... nuke beans for 2 mins... butter up that toast... tip beans on toast season with black pepper... good times! haha (you can taste it can't you? you're gonna have it for your tea aren't you?!!)

So what for lunch? I have my eye on fish & chips* for tea! Perhaps egg & soldiers for lunch... don't really fancy eggs tho today... could do bangers & mash** but had some bangers on Tuesday and they weren't that nice... don't really do that sorta stuff anymore... ooh i know i should have a classic English sandwich for lunch, cucumber perhaps? in little triangles haha with afternoon tea and scones!

As much as i dream about living in another country I love my English creature comforts too much to be gone for long! I certainly hope that Kraft don't ruin Cadbury's, life would be less indeed if they were to turn Dairy Milk into anything that resembled American chocolate!

Mmm, maybe as part of Eating for England day I should have some classic English goodies too, chocolate digestives and a double decker for a treat anyone? Of course that would mean getting dressed and missing the end of Trisha...***

*sans fish obv

** veggie bangers obv ;)

***holidays are amazing! lol unemployment looks better every day!

London Calling

How much do I love our capital city? Well I was conceived there so I'm practically a Londoner ;)

On my most recent jaunt had the best time with my mate B.. we visited the Royal Academy of Arts and the Tate Modern* for a wee spot of culture..

then headed to see a surf garage band from Chester The Suns ** play The Borderline just off Charing Cross Road via Crobar for some cheeky happy hour Sambucas...

a good time was had by all.. you just can't beat Londinium for a weekend.. if you're a city girl like me anyways... maybe I'll move back there one day when I can face the rent prices hehe

*will post some pics here

** who were frickn awesome! fyi

White Out

Saw a fabulous exhibition by Todd White in Birmingham Mailbox yesterday... Never heard of him before but his PR guy assures me he is WELL famous! Lol

Turns out Todd was chief artist on Spongebob Squarepants! OMG! respect! and now he's Hollywood's favourite artist... well this ex is on until September at Three White Walls Gallery and he's flying in from LA to make a special appearance at the gallery in September too, can't be bad!

Wish I could move a brush like that across canvas... *sigh*

the joy of random

i have long come to the conclusion that if you watch out for it the joy of random can truly enhance your life experience... you just gotta know when to grab it!

today on the high street in Kings Heath i was popping to the bank and post office boring stuff.. then at the lights i saw a man wearing a bright yellow Hull City teeshirt, i smiled to myself as i know 2 very ardent HCFC supporters and i thought how unusual...

then i notice he was reading a book about an Italian singer/songwriter called Carmen Consoli

now when my mum lived in Rome in the late 90s and i visited as much as was practical i heard Carmen on MTV and bought a couple of her albums, she is in essence a guitar chick in Italian, sure i can't understand everything she sings but it sounds good anyway! lol

but a random guy in a Hull City top reading about her - in Italian i might add - curiosity just got the better of me!

"sorry, are you reading about Carmen Consoli?" he looks up from his book surprised by my outburst.. "it's just i own a couple of her albums and obviously she's only known in Italy.. so how come you know about her?"

turns out he also had lived in Italy, was studying for a MA in Italian Studies and Carmen Consoli was featuring in his dissertation! we walked and talked for a little while he explained all this and how she had an album out just last year and he travelled to Milan to see her live.. we then arrived at a grocers where i needed to get some broccoli.. he also needed the grocers so i asked his name (Noel) and said 'piacere, ciao'

such a wonderful random moment in life, no more no less... and reminded me about Carmen Consoli - hope you like!

Gay Paree How I Love Thee

So I been to Paris! For the first time ever! And I can't believe I've never been before!!! Argh!

Loved it so much! And all those French movies I've watched too, how could I not have hopped over the Channel to visit our nearest chic European city?!

The people were tres fabulous, the weather was scorchio and the sights were leg killing! Lol

Okay the checklist:

Saturday we* went up to Montmatre and walked up the massive incline to Basilique Sacre Coeur... listened to a string quartet busking up there, checked the view of the Parisian skyline.. went for dinner at Le Moulin de la Galette (complete with original windmill) and enjoyed a glass of vin rouge (say hello to my new friend Olivier the waiter if you get there!).. enjoyed some pastis at a bar before heading back to our apartment on Rue Saint Maur..

Sunday croissants and fresh baguette for breakfast! Then it was Louvre o'clock and a bit of face time with Mona, Venus et al (plus lots of getting lost - that place is seriously huge!)... Sunday night after a siesta and some gorgeous camembert and tomato homemade baguettes we headed for Lady Eiffel via the Arc Du Triomphe, me legs nearly dropped off from all the stairs but the view was fabulous and worth every step! lol We got a taxi home and met a nice man from Guinea who had been in Paris for 10yrs and loving it..

Monday we spent a few hours roaming the exhibits at the Pompidou Centre, my little mind was blown by seeing Dali/ Matisse/ Picasso up close and personal (which is more than you can say for Mona in her glass cabinet 6ft away!) then in the evening went to the Latin Qtr and ate at Le Jardin D'Ivy because it was recommended to me by my friend Belle.. very cool!

Tuesday me and the papa went shopping.. Dad really needed to see the brand new Apple Store on Rue Halevy - a converted bank with the vault doorway intact! I bought a fabalas French cover for my phone... then popped over to H&M and found a little red dress which is tres Ooh La La! haha

A ruddy marvellous time was had by all! Other notables were the French radio station I found that played Franco/ English pop and had the Autoglass ad in French! Awesome! And on the way in at passport control the chappie checking my papers saw my retro 80s sunnies hanging on my teeshirt and gestured for me to put them on.. I was confused at first but then realised what he was asking and he laughed when I posed in them and said I was cool! a tres bien beinvenue indeed!

Paris c'est magnifique!

Can't wait to get back!

See some of my Parisian pictures here

*Me and my dad :)

Bubblegum Masterclass

Recently at a friend's anniversary BBQ I met a couple of my their young kids aged 5 and 6 respectively... In my car I had a big bumper box of retro bubblegum... given to me by my mate CF and unlikely to get an airing until I thought of putting the two together! Turned out it was quite the though provoking combination...

Blowing bubbles with bubblegum isn't something you give much thought to as a 30-something young lady, but I realise now that at some point you had to learn to do it!

And so began a Sunday morning Bubblegum Masterclass in a kitchen in Somerset... it'd been a long while since my last bubblegum session but let me assure you it's like riding a bike hehe

The boys both chewed the pink retro gum til it was soft then tried to poke their tongue through... failing to find the strength, we resorted to a beginner's cheat... taking the softened gum out of our mouths and flattening into a mouth shaped piece, holding with fingers and sticking tongue in, then trying to position behind the teeth... then blowing without spitting the piece out again... mind blowing stuff! you take so many life skills for granted.. the playground is invaluable after all lol

after about a half hour we were beginning to get small beginner bubbles but i left them a large bag of bubblegum to practice with ;) when i visit again this summer I'm hoping to get a picture of them doing some serious bubbles!

I'm so proud to have been the one to pass on this great life skill to a couple of West Country boys haha, they'll always remember Aunty Jodester who 'talks funny' haha

Happy Canada Day!

A proper Canadian treat for y'all ;)