Wednesday 28 October 2009

A little bit of shopping

A flapper-style, slender, silver, velvet, tassled scarf. This is elegant and retro. I imagine Clara Bow would wear one whilst sipping a Gin Martini and Charlestoning the night away in a sleazy Chicago speakeasy. Hopefully it will also work well on weary, washed-out teacher devouring a quick lunchtime Cheese and Onion pasty in Greggs.


Another scarf. I do love scarves. I think that's because it doesn't matter how many Greggs' cheese and onion pasties I've snaffled, they still fit! This one is long, knitted & croched and cosy. Coupled with a croched hat it is totally Ali McGraw in Love Story (but hopefully without the terminal illness and feathery stroker boyfriend). I hated that movie's line 'love means never having to say you're sorry.' Bollocks! Sounds like Fanny Rat propaganda to me!



OK, so this is the hat I chose to accompany the Ali McGraw scarf. To keep me snug during 7am bleak and wintry lurcher walks. I hope it is Ali McGraw. I have a nagging concern that it may be more Victoria Wood.

Now, ever since I had my Bobbi Brown make-over this summer I have been something of a convert to nude lipsticks. For 25 years I have been tethered to dark, gothy, berry shades. Or the occasional Ava Gardener vampish, patent red. I am now getting fond of a more 60s look of pale, nude lips and ebony black lined, smoky eyes. So, my search is on for the best nude lipstick. On this shopping trip I bought a MAC shade called Blankety. I normally steer clear of MAC, in my heart I feel it is make-up for transexuals (you know what I mean). But, this is a lovely shade. Not the Holy Grail of nudes, the search for that continues. I need just a hint more mauve, I think.


I've been craving chocolate all week, so I stocked up at Hotel Chocolat. I must recommend Butter Caramels. Sweet, buttery, salty and bitter all at the same time. Historic! I apologise for the lack of picture. I couldn't find a picture on the Hotel Chocolat website, and I have now scoffed all the chocs I bought. They were so good. . .

I also bought a couple of books. Marian Keyes' new novel 'The Brightest Star in the Sky'. I love Marian. Beautiful, bonkers, witty, glamorous with a country-mile long streak of melancholy (she starts her latest novel with a quote from Leonard Cohen). Plus, she gave the phrase 'Feathery Stroker' to the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you.



I bought John Irving's new novel Last Night in Twisted River. In 1989 John Irving wrote my favourite book of all time the deeply moving, tragi-comedy A Prayer for Owen Meany. That's a book I have bought for almost everyone I know. My Dad adored it. Sadly, I haven't liked (or even finished) any of his books since. I keep buying though. I hope and pray this is a return to form.


Oh, and for winter, candlelit bathing (with Marian Keyes novel and HC butter caramels) I indulged in this great L"Occitane set from QVC. Full of my favourite aromas: shea butter, milk, vanilla, honey and almond. L'Occitane is not cheap, but I promise you, you will feel like Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra. Asp is not included. Neither, sadly, is a swarthy, be-sandaled Richard Burton type with a big loofah.
On another, totally unrelated matter. Check out this fantastic youtube clip. I promise you. It will make you smile.

I feel like I should persuade some of the Stepfords at The School of Hard Knocks to do our own version. Pompous Pilate, the pot-bellied prig, could get involved. Our cheesy boy-band song? Well, Take That 'Rule the World' would no doubt appeal to PP's unbridled megalomania.

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