BUBBLE AND SQUEAK #4.

This will only be a short bubble and squeak post because I have a bit of work to do :( and also because I have had such a boring week that there is nothing much to write about.

Let's go.

1. Great Gatsby Sweater

If you have read a few relevant posts, you will know that I am a great fan of The Great Gatsby especially with the Baz Luhrmann adaptation coming up. I also am a huge fan of Modcloth so you can probably imagine the carnage when I saw this for sale:



AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Oh my goodness. This is my life. More than anything I know. MY LIFE IS A LIE.
This is my shining beacon of fire, the reason for living. I have not known existence until now.

You can picture me tearing out clumps of my hair when I found out that the best deal for this sweater is around $40.


Why must my life be so hard?

Any donations will be kindly put towards a fund for the charitable dressing of girls in warm, well-rated jumpers that demonstrate literary prowess.

Turns out the guys who make it have an epic Great Gatsby online game and a whole heap of awesome stuff so I know exactly what I am getting for Christmas in July. That's right. Nothing.
Check them out here. I love absolutely everything in this store.

2. Generationals - Ten-Twenty-Ten

This is a really great song that sounds like it was whisked out of some trippy 90's bush doof somehow held in the States. Basically it has a really old vibe and all but the tune is just brilliant. The vocals are a bit like a rougher, less refined Tame Impala but the guitars give the song guide and drive.

It is amazing, I know.

3. Teacup Candles

So of course this is from Martha Stewart dot com, but this project looks stunning, channelling shabby chic and DIY at the same time.

Martha Stewart

This one is from Grace Sheppard's website. I liked the candle colour.

4. Ashkenazy

Being the music nerd I am, the other day we went to the Sydney Opera House to see Ashkenazy conduct Beethoven's Pastorale (as well as the Grosse Fugue and Triple Concerto for violin, cello and piano). It was the first time I really enjoyed classical music, and to hear the oboist's solo made my night. Basically it was awesome (a word probably not commonly associated with Beethoven). Ashkenazy was a pretty great conductor and the Sydney Symphony was spectacular (as always).

Yes everybody I am a dork. I'm surprised it took you simpletons that long to work it out.

5. Cupcake Cones

I love to bake. I'm a tremendously better baker than I am a cook. It seems that when I cook I make a huge mess (not that I don't make one when I bake) but my mum's cooking is always better so I don't bother having to clean up when I make a second-best meal.
These are quite old news but I still adore how cute they look. It's my friend's birthday tomorrow (yes, I have friends) and although I don't have time to bake these I thought these would be pretty cool for a birthday party.


 I can't shake the feeling that I have skipped something - I was about to write point 6 but the thought fleetingly disappeared from my mind and now I am sad. That's this Bubble and Squeak, folks.

FLIGHT.

I love airports. For some reason they just appeal to me so much.
Well I flew out today and I remembered that although I love airports, I hate plane trips with a vengeance. Well, the trip isn't too bad. The views are amazing, even though we went at night and you couldn't even see Gollum clawing at your window. It was so dark.

Nah but after take off we saw the lights of Sydney below us and it was so pretty. And you could see the heavy traffic on Parramatta Road. Of course.

But oh dear I hate plane food and the pressure and the claustrophobia and the bathrooms and the cloying thought that you're going to plummet 10000 m to the ground. I used to think it was like a train ride. Yeah, like trains can just fall from the sky, burst into flames and become a Titanic of the skies. You get the idea.
I like heights. The view is always cool. But I also like heights because I know that I'll be safe on the ground soon after the adrenaline rush. I get no adrenaline rush on planes. This is not a comfortable situation.
The food is horrific. Hate to say it, hate to think about it. It's bland and heavy and gluggy and I know there's nothing I can really do about it except fly business class. But still. It's pretty gross. I swear they could put anything in there except rats' tails and human foetuses. And we ended up paying like $120 for the family.

Planes would be cool if you flew during the morning and saw the sunrise, then landed just after sunset. The sunset was beeeeeautiful and I'm just waiting to see this sunrise in the land of sunshine. Pfft.. That's a new one.

I'm still on the plane, but obviously I can't post it because it would be a safely hazard violation and then the CIA will come and take me to Area 51 and lock me in a scary basement. Because the Americans have basements.
Oh, and also because international roaming data costs crazy amounts of money. You'd need a home loan to finance a blogger's Internet abroad.

Well considering I'm on my phone, surrounded by sleeping people, sitting on a tin can, listening to my awesome music and reading The Lord of the Rings, this isn't a bad plane trip. As long as the meal agrees with my stomach.

FAVOURITE THINGS.

The other day my friends were asked who their favourite superhero was, what their favourite songs were and all these other favourite things and preferences.

I'll answer five of these.

1. Favourite superhero?

Gwen Tennyson from Ben 10. She is a LEGEND. I've always kinda liked Ben 10 more than the Marvel characters mainly because it's so much easier to follow and less dramatically charged and hilarious when Ben changes into the wrong alien.
Gwen's boyfriend Kevin E. Levin is pretty epic too. The fact that Gwen is also an Anodite made her awesome. And her hair! She's like Hayley Williams but more awesome.

2. Favourite song?

Knowing me, I have no favourite song. That's like asking me which is my favourite finger.
Let's pick five.

• Never Run Away - Kurt Vile (check previous post)

I would give my description/praise of this song, but I already did. But I'll say that he sounds like a Beck a lot. And I love it.

• While We're Young - Pegasus Bridge

I did a short review of the band before in a previous post as well. Ok. Maybe not a review.
This song is my favourite by these guys - it was written way before YOLO so it's ok with them saying While We're Young. No need to bring out the guns.
It's catchy, has a good melody and is a heck of a lot of fun to dance to.

• Words - Ane Brun

Already mentioned here. Hm. Same blog post as the other two songs :/ it's truly beautiful.

• Kill The Director - The Wombats

These guys are the best. I loved them first.
Their lyrics are quirky, witty, and somewhat introspective. Their latest album (well, 2011) was so subtle and understated and mature, but their debut (which this song is from, 2008?) is energetic, lively and a lot of fun. Any song with the lyrics 'If this is a rom-com, kill the director' is a good one.

• Hands - Alpine

These guys are so fresh. They sound almost minty.
I don't know how to put it into words - they're music sounds crisp, clean and perfect. It's like standing in a white room. Not blank, but it's all light and airy and wonderful. The clean guitars perfectly match the high, ethereal vocals which travel from dissonance to haunting melodies in seconds. It's beautiful.
Actually, they were originally called Swiss, which would suit them perfectly as well.
They're Australian, which makes them that little bit more satisfying. Knowing that you're supporting local acts makes me happy :)

3. Favourite food/cuisine?

I like Mediterranean food.
There's this show on TV where this man goes around the Mediterranean to all these countries like Tunisia and Greece and he cooks all this food and it looks amazing. I love olives. Mediterranean just has such unique flavours and scents and visual appeal - it's invigorating.

I also adore Japanese food - its simplicity and the mastery of these simple things just make it all amazing. Udon is a very good idea in winter.

4. Favourite book?

This one's tough. I really like dystopian novels and sci-fi but those really psychological and symbolic books are some of the best I think. There's nothing quite as satisfying as reading a book that makes you think.
A book I love is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - classic, and rightfully so. I suggest you go read it if you haven't already. And The Lord of the Rings. And The Great Gatsby.
I do love YA fiction - The Hunger Games, The Selection, Divergent, Delirium, The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, Matched and all that jazz.
There are some books that I am dying to read, like House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. Or Lord of the Flies (yes I know I should most definitely read it.)

5. Favourite colour?

Favourite colour. Ah, the bane of quiz takers everywhere. This is the hated question.
I would ask people to guess my favourite colour, but since the only reader of this blog is me (if you do read, please leave a comment! Please?! So I know you exist!), I am just going to say my favourite colour is mint.


UTTER PERFECTION, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

I love everything mint. The colour, flavour, scent. Also helped by my love of Alpine - they're pretty minty.
I also love Dr. Martens shoes. So those shoes are now my life.


So there's some of my favourite things!