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!
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!)
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.
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!!
Last night was the opening night of Prince of the Pagodas.
The dock, (the area to the side of the stage, used for storing the scenery, lighting etc), was turned into a hive of activity in the run up, with makers coming from all over the place. One of the beauties of working with a ballet company is that they have to have their working area at a certain -warm- temperature; so instead of being stuck working in a space that normally feels like an icebox it is in fact quite cosy.
One of the makers was an old friend, Phil, whose job I took over at ENB, (or London Festival Ballet, as it was then), when he left to go freelance. And very well he's done too...an Emma Peel catsuit a la Uma Thurman anyone?
Today is the start of the Chinese New Year. So it is quite fitting that we are staying at the Novotel hotel across the road from China Town.
This year it is The Year of The Horse, (as opposed to The Horse of the Year show!)
There have been 3000 red lanterns put up around the town. There is a 4 day Chinese food fair, and on Sunday, (when we go home), there will be the dragon parade and a giant firework display in the evening.
Although we will miss it this year, we partook in 2012 and it was brilliant. If you get a chance to visit, it is well worth the effort.
On Googling info what to do this week in Manchester, I keep finding this picture...
...but am I the only one that thinks his legs aren't quite right? Surely, if he tried to walk like that, he'd fall over?
The Chinese Arts Centre is doing all sorts of 'horsey' things and I found this on their Facebook page.
It is by William Cotterill, and I think it is stunningly beautiful.
Even Google has got in on the act. When you actually go into the page it is in fact a moving rocking horse.
Off up to Manchester and am certainly looking forward to a break!
Odd gynaecological goings on saw in the New Year with urgent hospital appointments and tests. We are pretty positive that all is OK, but just awaiting test results.
I will write about it in more detail, just in case it helps anyone else!
A fine Mancunian band, whose lead singer, Mark E Smith was married to Brix Smith Start, who was also in the band at one time, but is now known more as a fashion guru-thing-a-me-bob on TV.
(And she has the cutest pug doggies too!).
Hastily taken photos of the new, limited edition palette, by Bobbi Brown and Katie Holmes.
A pretty fair colour match even though this was taken in electric light.
Sharon really took her time with trying out the cheek/lip colours out on me with no pressure put on to buy, which is always nice! These 2 colours are not available in their regular range.
I think this will be a good travel set and a good starter set of BBs' items for me to try - some matt eye colours, some with a very fine glimmer and a glittery brown one. There is also a brown eye pencil.
I've also got a foundation stick which Sharon used on me and that I have fallen in love with! I think it will be my lifetime quest to find the perfect foundation; the colour suits, it feels great to put on and blend and seems to have great staying power too! I think that's Winter 2013 sorted then!
Was also given a sample pot of Vitamin Enriched Face Balm, that I tried under the foundation. This moisturises and works as a primer too. If I hadn't got a new bottle of MACs prep+prime sitting at home, I think that may have gone in my bag too!
New next door to the old. Quite a mix; I much prefer the old, so beautiful, so much detail.
A very long walk by the canal and around the Northern Quarter, followed by iced coffees, vanilla chai cake with frosting and beetroot and courgette cake at Oklahoma.
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