My So Called Life...episode 1

When I started writing this blog almost two years the plan was to focus on the 'craft loving' side of my life, but over the last 10 months things changed and I turned it into my diary. I write about things I do, people I meet, where I go, my experiences, thoughts and reactions to things, even the random bits of advice that go through my head…all the things that make my life what it is. While I manage to write a couple of posts a week about specific highlights, there are still lots of other things I get up to that I don’t have a chance to mention. So I’ve decided that every few weeks I’m going to stock pile such events and post them under different episodes named after my favourite TV programme; My So Called Life. I’ve been catching up with the box set recently, every bit of it affects me like it did when I watched is back in the mid-90s. It follows the life of a 15-year-old girl called Angela Chase; the alternative girl at an American High School. At the time I was the 15-year-old alternative girl at a UK comprehensive. The show deserves it’s own blog post so the topic is To Be Continued. In the meantime….this has been my so called life of late:

The return of PULP:
The vast % of the population first heard of Pulp when Common People was released in 1995. Yet I first heard of Pulp in the late 1980s and was one of their earliest fans! At one point I was the youngest member of their fanclub, Pulp People, and I used to get really exciting post from a librarian called Alex who ran the club with Mark Webber (who later joined the band as a guitarist.) When I started secondary school in 1992 I had a Pulp schoolbag (homemade) and no one knew what it meant. For three years I was ridiculed by NKOTB and Take That fans, until that fateful day when Common People was released and overnight I became popular.
The day Pulp split I vowed I would be there on their return gig, as I knew they would reform.
When they made their comeback (finally!) this summer, I realised that actually I wasn’t prepared to pay £55 to see them at Hyde Park. Then they announced two special gigs at Brixton Academy and my head and my heart told me I had to be there. So on September 1^st I went to see them. It was overwhelming and emotional, the highlight being when they played an old track called Sheffield Sex City from an early album. It was a track that only a handful of people in the audience could connect with, and it’s a gig moment I will never forget.  

Brighton Beautiful:

Another trip down memory lane was seizing some of the late summer weather and taking a friend of mine who had never been there, to my other home; Brighton. I call it that because I lived there for four years and left a bit of me there, which I don’t think will ever follow me to London. But whenever I do go back I’m instantly at ease because of the familiarity. I went to all my favourite places; the pier for a chocolate and coconut waffle and a go on Dolphin Derby, all my favourite vintage and retro shops in North Laine (where I picked up this lovely flamenco shawl) and of course had a nap on the sunny beach. I don’t think I would live there again but I’m extremely lucky that I had the opportunity to.

Rosie & Harriet of TD

Drink Shop Do:

Back in London town and back on the craft scene I’ve been hanging out at one of the capitals loveliest bar venues; Drink Shop Do - a crafter’s heaven based in Kings Cross. It’s a craft shop, café, bar, afternoon tea venue and has an event calendar filled with free crafty events, workshops and book launches like ‘How to Make Jewellery’ with Tatty Devine. TD are known for designing quirky, kitschy jewellery with character and while I was there I made a rosette from a tape measure; a project in the book. I was aided by one of the friendliest girls I have ever met…I think she was called Emily. She works in the Tatty Devine shop in Brick Lane. Apparently she always gives a cup of tea to whoever pops in, so if you are ever passing by, please say hi to her. 

At the launch I sat opposite Lady Velo, a cycling fashionista who is now one of my Twitter friends.

Rocking at The Royal Albert Hall

Bollywood beats:

Bollywood wise I’ve watched two excellent films recently Bodyguard and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara but one of the highlights of my entire year to date was watching a live performance by India’s biggest musical directors Shankar Ehsaan Loy. They are three gentleman whom despite having written the biggest Bollywood blockbuster songs ever, have never performed in the UK. It was a really special occasion and totally sold out. The set list was incredible. They played so many of their popular songs that I was speechless for most of the night.

Film Fayre:
More recently I went to the launch of the Native Spirit Foundation’s annual film festival which celebrates films about indigenous cultures. The event was held at Rudolf Steiner House and started with a spiritual procession and incense lighting ritual and included a remarkable set by international ethnic folk star Kouame Sereba who played some very unusual instruments.

Dinner with Delwar:

Then last weekend I attended a dinner party to celebrate one of my best friends completing his PhD at Cambridge University. I met Delwar when I was 13, we appeared on a TV show together and since then our paths have continued to cross in the most peculiar of ways. We have a joke between us that we will probably end up living in the same old people’s home. But before that we have other paths to follow. I felt so proud of him, knowing  he’s completed his labour of love. And so I joined him in burning his notes!!!

Something I could NEVER do to my own. I still have my secondary school exercise books even of the subjects I couldn’t stand….I just can’t part with them. And here were pages of recent handwritten research. I guess I should take this as inspiration to de-clutter my belongings?

I could open a shop with this lot!

Finally: work:
I don’t write much about my work….but these last three months have been spent writing my second book….which I can reveal has a working title of ‘101+ Things to do with glitter’. It is due to be published Autumn 2012 by Vivays Publishing. It’s been sooooooooo hard not talking about it because I so want to share the projects I’ve been making but they are under wraps for now! However I can reveal that my entire flat is currently one giant glitter ball. Here on my bed are all the sample glitters I was sent by PRs…over 150 varieties. The book is due for completion very shortly and then I am not sure what adventures I will be embarking on next…

Opening Verdict: Westfield Stratford City

Best freebie: New Look

When Europe's biggest urban indoor shopping mall opens on your doorstep (well 20 minutes away) a girl can't just sit at home. She needs to be there to watch the ribbon being cut and so I headed out to discover the delights of the new Westfield in search of freebies and special offers. Starting with a free photo (more on that later!)

Worth queuing for: Hotel Chocolat

Most stores had opening offers for the first customers through the doors. Forever 21 gave away £50 in vouchers to the first 50 shoppers while Topshop were offering free leopard print manicures. Appealing yes, but I knew instantly where I'd be queuing. Hotel Chocolat is my favourite brand of chocolate so when I heard they were handing out goody bags I was so there!

 Inside was yummy scrummy choccy....all for me : ) Success!

Best technique to attract women

Semi naked men with six packs?....Now that's a way to get attention... except I didn't figure out what this store was, just that there were male models outside it!

Oddest use of space: Look Magazine

Look Magazine took over a shop space. Today from 10am-9pm only bloggers were allowed in. You also had to 'make an appointment' to go inside. This sounded intriguing like they were interested in meeting/talking to bloggers. When I went inside to 'book' they said ' Are you a blogger? Great. Here's four computers. Blog away.....' So basically it was just a room  of computers on which you could blog from. There were no free magazines or activities, they didn't even ask what blog I write : (

 Best windows

Other empty shop spaces were used more inventively with random window displays like these two. N.B. There's not a huge amount of empty spaces but some shops like book store Foyles aren't open yet).

Best customer service: Apple Store

The Apple Staff burst into applause; screaming, shouting, clapping and cheering at all customers as they entered; now that's a way to make a person feel special!

Beauty fan's idea of heaven: Lush

I'm a tester junkie, so imagine my delight at entering a new shop where all testers were fresh and untouched? Heaven! Lush also gave away free glittery juice, yes GLITTERY JUICE! An idea I am pinching from them!

Most intriguing shop name: Pulp

How a shop is allowed to be called Pulp is beyond me. It should be exclusively reserved for the band. I had never heard of it or been inside before. I discovered that it's full of band t-shirts....but no Pulp ones. More rockier stuff like Muse and Nirvana. They also had some bands doing in store performing live sets today and tomorrow - one for the alternative teens. Strangely I also spotted THREE, I kid you not, THREE types of Stone Roses t-shirts on sale....what yoof today wants one of those or is that to appeal to the older folk???!!!

Pulp stocked my favourite brand of hair dye....now you know my secret. Though I won't be buying future bottles from here, they retailed at £4.99 each, I pay £1.79 from a local afro hair shop!

Busiest moment: Ribbon cutting

Just after 11am the mall came to a stand still, no one could move. The reason? Mayor of London Boris was here to cut the ribbon (a moment I witnessed but just missed photographing : ( )....

Biggest celeb: Nicole Sherzinger

...then we were treated to four live songs by Nicole Sherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls. Yes she's utterly gorgeous and can dance but her songs are dreadful...her brand of pop is sooooo unlikable, and irritating. And her voice so grating....but what was most amusing was that despite the fact she 'talks' confidently when she's 'singing' she couldn't speak normally when she was supposed to be addressing the crowd:  'Wazzup Westfiiiieeeeld?' is hardly original and everything else she said was so mumbled. Stick with modelling. Seriously.

Worst backdrop: New Look

Alot of stores had live DJs, but New Look's made no effort what so ever. Check out that wall space. All he had up was an advert for how to book him for your wedding, talk about CHEAP!!!!!! Maybe it's because they put all their money into the free photobooth where my photos were taken at the start of this post?

There was a fabulously sparkly photobooth with added wind and lights to make you look like a celeb. You got to strike four poses, and could keep the snaps.

 Worst stock: Forever 21

Forever 21 is billed as the coolest fashion store of the times...a hip Californian chain that only arrived in Europe this year. It attracted the biggest crowds so of course I had to check it out. It was basically like H&M, affordable BUT the most hideous, unflattering, unfashionable clothes ever.....picking out which one to photograph was so tough, there was so much awful stuff, this combo made the 'what an 80s nightmare, it should never ever be worn by anyone' grade, hence the mention in my blog!

Yummiest thing: Great Eastern Market

As well as lots of decent places to eat there's also an alleyway of delicatessan type shops where you can sample unusual breads and snacks.

Biggest surprise: Greggs

The other day I had a builder working at my flat and the first thing he asked me was where is the nearest Greggs? For the uninitiated, Greggs is where you can pick up a tea and sausage roll on the move. Or in my usual case, a cup of Heinz Tomato soup and vegetable pastie on days I'm feeling in need of some thing 'cheap and trashy', certainly not how you would describe this branch. Talk about Gourmet Greggs, it even had seats!

Something for everyone?

This view fascinated me. On one level it's chocablock with suited and booted types at the champagne lounge and below it, a children's play area. It sums up Westfield perfectly. It really did feel like there is something for everyone here. I was very impressed with the clear, light, airy layout and variety of shops and services. Its location is appealing as are transport links - it's just so surreal to think it actually exists. It's far superior to the West London Westfield which is focused on strange designer shops no one needs to go to. Here it's more diverse and already I'm feeling there is no need to be swinging by Oxford Street anytime soon.

 Old Stratford

When I took these two photos I was standing in the middle.On one side is old Stratford and behind, the new one. It's so strange to see an area transform so much. The old centre is still there but houses pound shops and indoor fruit and veg markets but now there's another world, a few metres away. 

 New Stratford

  

 Thank you: HSBC

After a morning spent seduced by the shops (I also had a tasty lunch of an Ackee and Plantain Sandwich from Caribbean Scene who are a local restaurant who have set up a stall inside, and treating myself to a sit down massage which my shoulders were crying out for), it was time to head home. I spotted my bank in amongst the mall and as I went to pay in a cheque I was offered a free Krispy Kreme doughnut, just what I needed to lift up falling energy levels. Who would have thought a bank would be dishing out doughnuts? I think this makes me forgive them for the rubbish new internet banking system they've recently introduced. Maybe HSBC aren't that bad after all?

So anway, Westfield Statford City: The Verdict.....it's a Thumbs up from me! Well worth a visit if you're ever in these parts and want to do some high street shopping. No doubt I will be back soon : )