A Little Bit More Shopping

OMG 



Converse x Missoni

I don't jump on the designer bandwagon often, if ever, really...but I fell in love with the photos I had seen of these before I came away.

So, that was that. Or so I thought.

Happened to see them in Office in the Arndale in MCR and then again today at the Trafford Centre. They actually had my size in both the dap and the hi-top, which is what I plumped for. Super Autumnal colours with just a hint of glimmer.

 

 

Missoni was the first ever proper perfume that I bought when I started earning up in London, so it has a 'thing' with my past!

 

Happy weekend!

Zxx

A Little Bit O' Shopping

Well...come on, Manchester, a shopping Mecca!
 

A visit to Abakans, of course, for fabrics and notions.
 

Jaycotts

Having been given an overlocker just before we went away, I needed some stretchy fabric to use it on.

Tipped off by Char about Jaycotts, I ordered some half price Simplicity patterns. A cosy cammo sweatshirt-y fabric and a denim blue stretch with a very pale pink glittery sheen.

 

A whole host of goodies from TK Maxx and Homesense.

 

The yellow bag of Dreamies was a present for the cats from Kathy of Rockers. So kind! Got a couple of pressies for Mr B for Christmas from her shop on Oldham Street.

 

 

TK Maxx jewellery afforded me this lovely Bibi necklace and this beautiful hematite 'tusk' necklace.

 

 

Don't know the make but its' rrp was 195 quid!! It was in the sale and it was less than a tenth of that price.

I like hematite and I find it a very healing crystal.

 

 

 

And of course...shoes. By the end of Monday I had blisters on each of my little toes and my right heel.

 Not the best start to the week.

Ouch!

(And that's with packing tried and tested footwear!)

Zxx

Spitting Prohibited (hear hear)

Today Google have produced a doodle for the 60th anniversary of the unveiling of the first Routemaster bus.

It was barely a week ago that we had the chance to have a free ride of these in our own town.
It brought back memories of living in London and using these buses as part of my daily commute.
 In those days you could jump on and off the bus whilst it was still moving!
(Or when it was at a standstill in a traffic jam in Oxford Street!)



They used to just have a conductor, but, now, with H&S, we had an extra chap keeping the open end at the rear end of the bus clear!

 

Just in case you've never seen the inside of a bus!!

 

Wooden window frames, leather(ette?) seats, a 'dinging' bell

I'm safe jumping off now...it's stopped!

Zxx

I Was A Chiquito Virgin

Lucky for us there's a smorgasbord of places to eat at across the road from the hotel. We wandered over aiming for Frankie & Bennys'  but waivered and wandered into Chiquitos' instead.

 

I'm really not into 'exotic' cuisine and have never been here before.

I was not disappointed. 

yay...booze on the way

 Our server, Jade, was really helpful and a joy to talk to. A jug of Long Island Iced Tea was ordered...slurrrp!

 

I didn't stray into unknown territory and stuck to steak! Mr B had a burger with 'fajita' (?) vegetables. We stuffed ourselves with desserts too; a banana wrap-py thing and I had churros. OMG - I had a churro years ago when we were at Southsea Show or the like and loved it. Never seen them since! Which, is probably a good thing! I mean...how many calories???

 

They played fab music too. There was Gloria Estafan and the like but also some real 'old style' salsa music.

I did take classes some years back; how I didn't (a) get up and dance or (b) get massive indigestion I really don't know.

 Just a really lovely way to spend Mr Bs' night off on Saturday.

Zxx

Another Room With A View

 

Panoramic view from our hotel room window. (That's why there's 2 trams in it!) it 's Media City, where all the BBC and ITV programmes are now being made. Mr B is working at The Lowry which is just behind the crane, which was for bungee-jumping nutters at the weekend!

 



Same -ish view at night .

 

 

The Lowry is the round tower behind the red building.

 

There has been beautiful sunsets; we may not be abroad, but the sunsets have been worthy of somewhere more glam than Salford!!

Zxx

And...

...so the week in Manchester begins...

Travelling In Style

Tomorrow Mr B and I will be travelling in style.

 

 

A vintage bus to the Vintage Fair!
 

 

The old buses are run over the weekend as part of the Heritage Open Days, which is held across the country; lots of places not usually open to the general public are opened specially.

 



 *****

 

Been rather 'bleurgh' recently.

 

But, on a plus point, I got to Birmingham, on my own, to see an osteopath who has worked with me before when doing his final training. That last visit was 2 years ago I guess, and now Geoff has his own practice!

 

The top cervical bones are a bit 'dodgy', for want of a better term, and it is this that caused my 'migranes'. They are if fact 'cervicogenic headaches'. But whatever name they are given, I wouldn't wish it on any one!

 

I have wallpapered the third wall in the front room! (2 years and counting, possibly?). Just who thought it'd be a good idea to put the central heating water pipes along the top of the wall???

Arrrgh!

Just the wall with a door, pipework and a window to paper around left!!

But it'll look lovely when it's finished!

 

Whatever you are doing this weekend - have a good 'un!

Zxx



All The Nice Girls Love A

 

 

Rosy, from Sewingadicta has been, in conjunction with other bloggers, hosting "Share in Style" this summer.

I am very behind, I know!

 

But fresh from the joys of "PlaidUrDay" organised by señora Allnut I did rather fancy joining in again with this too.

 

These bloggers are the ladies who I never felt quite brave enough to follow or converse with. Sassy, amazingly dressed and all with that indefinable quality - style.

 

Maybe I'm just getting braver!

 

So, my 'sailor' style comes and goes over many years. I have an original pair of sailor pants from when I was a student and slim enough to fit 'em. I made a slightly bigger pair in London. Bright red cotton seersucker with brass buttons for the fold-up frontage.

But the picture I choose is from when my mum still lived on the South Coast and I'd taken Mr B down for a visit.

 

 

My stripey 'deckchair' dress, already old when gifted to me from a mate when we were at college together, (my, it must've been big on me then!!), and still comes out every summer. Patched with zigzag machine-stitching where it ripped under the arm, but, other than that, still going strong. And worn with the bestest of 'sailor' deck shoes, which, if memory serves me well, (and believe me, that seems to be getting less and less well!), were bought from Red or Dead when still running as a stall at Camden. Those I think have ultimately hit the refuse bin! (But not before I removed the laces!!).

 

So....let's party!

 

A little starter, or 'dish of the day', Crayfish and avocado salad.

A Nottingham special

To take care of the drinks-side of the party, may I offer up this...a rum-based cocktail.

 



Old Cuban1.5 oz. Jamaican rum
1 oz. 1:1 simple syrup
¾ oz. lime juice
6 mint leaves
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 oz. chilled champagne or dry sparkling wine

Shake all ingredients—save for the champagne—with ice in a cocktail shaker.
Double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass and top with two ounces of champagne.
Garnish with a small mint sprig.

 

 

Eve: Here ya go, one champagne cocktail.
Adam: Oh, thank you.
Eve: I thought only hookers drank those things?
Adam: Well, I know mom sure likes 'em.

 

The Champagne Cocktail—a drink for hookers and old ladies.

(check out the mannequin legs 'table')

The band, as it is now, a mix of old and new members, (sons of an original member), can be booked for your party or function here.