lizfairy

lizfairy @ 2009-11-07T13:17:00

2009-11-07T14:02:52Z

When I'm sad, like as of now, I try and think of the following two concepts, to remind myself of life's limited fairness, difficulty to figure out, and sheer craziness.

"Language is a virus" William S Burroughs.

Nature can be approached in two concepts, it's relation to culture in terms of being an inner human nature, or it's existence as the external nature, like the ecosystem in which humans live. With a huge belief in science's role as an empirical method, but only as that, I believe it is important to realize, that society is what molds individuals. Culture can be described as the cultivation of humans, and acquiring of various behaviors, beliefs and customs. Whilst obviously humans see a lot of fear in the 'real' natural world, we are all products of nature, just shaped socially, so as that we can acquire language and communicate in our societies.

With this line of human culture identified and simplified to this extent, can we seriously doubt Burroughs analogy? I know, if not in metaphorical terms, it's pretty unlikely, but after all, in cases of feral children we have seen humans that, despite acquiring the biology of a human being show in behavioral aspects not considered human. Instead they only share physiology, and innate needs from birth such as the need to gain energy through eating and drinking and releasing the waste, breathing, keeping warm and safe etc. The verbal language we as humans use to communicate both facilitates development and keeps us unhappy... Why? Because we can communicate to each other greater things, think through things verbally in our heads, rationalize, reason, and develop a greater array of emotions. We can persuade, advertise, argue, compliment, even entertain, or love.

Language is the expression of our value system of consciousness, and this in itself causes objectivity. Moral views and opinions change from individual to individual. Language is a relational concept. It can only exist if other concepts exist. Language is like a loop or cycle that repeats itself. You could sit thinking it through carefully and frustrated, and still return to the beginning of the chain of thought.

"The world's a stage" William Shakespeare.

Action and interaction are two keep aspects that hold together the framework of social life. Though an acting person in a movie or in theater is usually the only type of person labeled by society as an actor, Shakespeare seems to speak the truth. In varying degrees, I can see people from different cultures (from my etic perspective) all showing this same characteristic. Humans need to out act each other in order to reach the top. From the Western style parties in which ladies compliment each others prom dresses then bitch about them later, to the Indian and Italian theatrical way of acting and gesturing compared to the minimalist, subtle way of doing it in the UK. Obviously, as I mention myself as an etic, this is quite an ethnocentric way of describing this observation, only it does inform of cultural relativism, which is important to remember.

For this reason, I've always felt that when in the spotlight one should smile, cooperate with fellow actors, and try one's best not to be hated by the audience, if need be remain neutral if the conscious, being unavoidably objective doesn't agree in everything. Obviously we cannot always act and win an Oscar, unfortunately.

Bad week. Only up side? I've made some really good new friends at college and I'm definitely going to study Anthropology in London in 2010. I wish I could just hibernate for the whole of Winter. This Autumnal air is bringing me down.

Aww...

2009-11-01T14:14:32Z

Okay... I have to admit I was slightly skeptical about the prospect of listening to a song called 'The Anthropology song', but man, this is heart-felt.

what...

2009-10-31T13:29:51Z

Aristotle: "What does it mean to be a good person?"
Descartes: "What does it mean to be?"
Nietzsche: What does it mean?"
Bertrand Russel: "What does 'it' mean?"
C.S.Lewis: "What does it?"
Lil John: "What?"

I have my first offer to study Anthropology...!

2009-10-27T11:31:04Z

hu·man (hymn)
n.
1. A member of the genus Homo and especially of the species H. sapiens.
2. A person: the extraordinary humans who explored Antarctica.

(No I have no idea who this guy is)

lizfairy @ 2009-10-21T15:04:00

2009-10-21T14:11:53Z

Emiliana Torrini is amazing!
I knew this before, only I just reminded myself of her brilliance listening to her last album for the first time in ages. Beautiful, Bellissimo, or whatever word you wish to describe it with.

On evolution...

2009-10-18T17:41:54Z

I can fully comprehend why some who think humans were magically created from a puff of magic smoke foresee Darwinism as a threat to their ideals of creationism, but regardless of faith, why is it some say evolution isn't happening and hasn't happened? Paleontology has provided extensive collections of evidence, and even the humble flu virus and irritating problem of lice infection in children are modern displays of evolution. So I think we can conclude that evolution is indeed, a fact. The struggle for existence leads to survival of the fittest, only those species with randomly caused but advantageous qualities are likely to survive in changing environments and pass on their alleles to next generations, making them more frequent in the gene pool.

What I cannot understand is the debate still existing around the word evolution. Isn't it just a process, a way of describing a mechanism by which living organisms adapt and change?

A random little visual and descriptive representation of moi

2009-10-10T10:18:26Z

1. Who inspires me?

Audrey Tautou... French actress, new face of Chanel perfume, model. Why is it that French and Italian girls are far more often able to pull off the act of being 'iconic'? In America and England, I think of Twiggy, Edie Sedgewick, Marylin Munro, Audrey Hepburn, just to name a few. They ooze this French/Italian Chic which is all too commonplace in Italy and France.

The French and Italian girls far more often have style, and the self respect and discipline to maintain a slim, petite physique whilst still appreciating good food. They are careful with words and gestures, and their artful etiquette emphasizes the desirability of their characters.

I loved Tautou in Amelie, and have continued to love all films she's been in since, including Priceless and Coco Before Chanel. She proves you can be cute and classy at the same time.

Bob Dylan...

I've been listening to this American singer-song writer since I was a baby. My dad's always been a fan, and I've deep empathy with his interest and ensnarement by this artist. Dylan is not only a song writer, he is a poet. Dylan saw his place of origin, Minnesota, as a dust bowl, one of those monotonous wastelands you need to get out of if you have any life of you.
I can see his attraction to New York, a diverse city where many artists meet and explore their creativity, whilst attracting an open minded generation of followers.
I love his music. It causes an effect and makes you think, causes you to get goosebumps and shiver, smile and contemplate.

Socrates... There is only one thing I know, and that is that I know nothing. To know the limits of your own intelligence, as Socrates discovered, is the wisest you'll ever be. Millions fail in ever becoming true geniuses by feeling top in their field, satisfied with their knowledge, unwilling to learn and accept they are ignorant in many subject fields. This is so important to remember. I would consider a polytechnic student reaching beyond the 'dog hairs', metaphorically speaking, and reaching out to look at 'God' of far more potential intelligence wise than those tightly attached the the dog's body, in higher institutions such as Oxbridge, who feel content in their ability. After all, to just regurgitate existing information isn't progression, we need to find a balanced equilibrium.

Beside this, numerous directors, including Tim Burton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Yvan Attal, Thom Yorke, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, A.R.Rahman.

2. Favorite artists?
David Thorpe.

I feel from his work an intense modern likeness to another favourite of mine, Hokusai. The simple but bold, stylistic line and limited palette truly reference this older Japanese style. I was actually a little gutted, (beside liking it) to find a painter who so strongly succeeds at doing so, as I have often in the past thought about doing this type of reference myself.

And to Nagasaki Hokusai...

Mt. Fuji off Kanugawa

This woodblock print, picturing a wave framing Mt. Fuji is probably the most infamous view of the volcano. It would have been risky to produce, as one error in the printing procedure could have spoilt everything. To me, this is what art should be. Aesthetically pleasing, moving, individual and produced with skill. It is so culturally different to the type of art we have seen produced in the West, and so iconic.

Francis Bacon

An image from his series of three of the crucifixion. Bacon certainly causes an effect in any viewer. His imagined up creatures and visions have a nightmarish quality, and are often disturbing, provocative, ambiguous in meaning. This allows us to apply our own horrific meaning to his images. Despite having been through many tragedies, such as the love of his life, George Dyer allegedly committing suicide, Bacon denied his images reflected his personal life. Critiques however are often tempted to overlook this.

Other artists/photographers... Claude Monet, Jean Michell Basquiat, Banksy, Robert Henri, Georgia O'keeffe, Edgar Degas, Leonardo D'vinci, Andy Warhol, Edward Ruscha, David Hockney, Eikoh Hosoe, Reza Khatir, Steve McCurry, Nick Knight.

3. Which authors?

Jane Austen
Not just chick flicks, novels such as Pride and Prejudice and Emma have become timeless classics, written with great intellect, knowledge of people, and humor.

Eva Ibbotson
Whilst Journey to the river sea triggered my desire to visit the Amazon rainforest from a young age, the Star of Kazan to turned my mind to the often overlooked Eastern Europe, and the adventures to be had outside society's grip.

J.R.Tolkien
Another author I've read since I was little, the hobbit and the lord of the rings are now so important in modern literature, and the resulting movies, epic. These are truly British stories, consisting of fantasy and a perilous path and task and a variety of folklore creatures. The lord of the rings is so large you can notice Tolkien's mood changes as he writes new scenes and chapters.

J.K.Rowling
Of course, majorly popular, but just because things go mainstream doesn't mean they're trash for the masses, much to pretentious snobs disbelief. The Harry Potter series has had me holding my breath since I was 7 years old, and first dipped into 'the boy who lived'. A book that inspires and captures our imagination can't be bad.

Jerry Spinelli
Not a unreal magic moment in it, and yet I feel that books like Milkweed and Stargirl have been more magical and fantastical than many fantasy and magic book's I've read. Spinelli succeeds in making his characters descriptively beautiful, and their stories to.

Harper Lee
To kill a mockingbird is one of my favourite books ever. It feels so much like the deep South of America, and strongly puts across points about racism whilst providing the suspense and poignancy of a great novel.

Meg Cabot
Okay, the princess diaries and all American girl may not seem like high literature in relation to Jane Austen and Harper Lee, but the diaries of Mia Thermopolis have certainly converted many young women to reading, and I feel will continue to do so for a long time. They speak of contemporary matters, growing up in high school, embarrassing moments, boys, sex, putting on weight, yet these are extenuated by the fact the subject matter usually has a huge claim to fame. Mia for example, is Princess of the fictional European country of Genovia and still needs to go to high school.

Other authors... Aravind Adiga, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare (if it was really him!), Charlotte Bronte.

4. Favourite foods?

Vegan carrot cake cupcakes

I'm sorry, but I like my food to be trendy. New York was full of over the top, crazy cupcakes, including Donald duck and Barbie varieties, but on returning to the UK it seems to be very 2009 here to. So what is it that makes a vegan carrot cake cupcake better than regular carrot cake?
Firstly, veganism is better for the environment and more in tune with our own human morality. Secondly, the sliced cake just can't look as cute and design like as the cute, centre piece of the cupcake, which could solely exist without the rest of the pan or batch from which it was made. Taste wise, these provide just enough moist, delectable and sweet spiced cake to leave you wanting more, or satisfied with a coffee, than the huge slices which leave you wanting to vomit. If I'm in the mood for carrot I'll also turn to gajar ka halwa.

The south Indian dosa

Teamed with Coconut chutney and spicey sambar, the dosa, a thin and crispy crepe like pancake made from lentil and rice flour is a staple in the South of India. It is incredibly tasty, and can be eaten any time of the day, and with a number of fillings, the most popular being plain or masala, a mix of spiced potatoes. This is greats for vegetarians and vegans, as the dosa never contains meat, the only animal products that can potentially end up in this dish are milk products such as yogurt and paneer, but only on request.

Tofu

Fry it, bake it, Marinade it, grill it, blend it, scramble it... This stuff is so versatile. I've made cake and brownies from it, yogurt, pudding, 'steak', countless stirfries, smoothies, ice cream, and poured the liquid form, soya over my cereal, porridge, milkshakes, pancakes, desserts, another endless list. Those who don't like it can't cook it. Simple.

Other foods... Pumpkin, Broccoli, Spinach, vegan crepes with banana and dark chocolate, tomatoes, Mexican food, raw food (particularly raw pecan pie with macadamia cream!), Italian food, Thai sweet chilli, Indonesian satay, Vegan sushi, Thai spicy tom yum soup, Churros.

Random...

Colour: Green and turquoise
Place: India, New York, California, Italy, Glastonbury festival
Band: Radiohead

Blackberry time

2009-10-06T16:41:59Z

So it's early October, and I wanted my dad to buy some berries, but it turns out at £1.99 minimum, my daddy didn't want to buy me any berries. Not quite end of story. It's so misty today, and I feel terribly run down with flu, but I headed out in the drizzly English countryside right next to my house to make use of the air whilst it's not quite bitter, and the berries whilst they're ripe but not rotten.

And then I had to add some to my vegan chocolate cupcakes, recipe from 'vegan cupcakes will takeover the world. It tasted like black forest gateau after my experimentation.

So... I finished the Who are you project.

2009-10-04T15:44:26Z

I have produced 5 final outcomes for 3 people, they just require mounting.

I will post these soon!

Rotations start on Monday, and I'm doing fine art for the next 2 weeks. Turns out our residential trip is to NY to so I'm happy :) Would have loved Moscow to though.

What is annoying me and forcing me to send this needless post however? Seetickets.com is annoying me... I've been on the phone and site from 11am til now (16.45), waiting to purchase tickets. I went so crazy earlier that during my tea break (being in a que around 15:00) I went to vent in the kitchen, cooking up some vegan carrot cookies and chocolate cupcakes.

Oh yes I'm so mad and angry I resorted to baking. I'm obviously beyond crazy...
Now to pull those devils out of the silicone pan and try and concoct some kind of frosting. Hmpth.

Avaz climate global wake up call, 21st September Exeter

2009-09-22T08:44:00Z

People from all over Devon and Dorset meet up on the cathedral green to support the global climate wake up call.

Alarms set to 12:18, picnickers and students and workmen on their lunch breaks are temporarily distracted by the alarm bells ringing of many mobile phones.

Situated in close proximity to the vegan/veggie cafe The plant Deli cafe, this event had a huge and successful turnout and gained many new Avaaz supporters as locals became curious and came over at the sight of commotion and the press (me and another guy working for the Echo and Express)

Who are you?

2009-09-18T22:07:25Z

My next project brief.

I have to interview three of my new classmates who I picked at random from a hat, and produce a series or one off portrait or symbolic series based upon them. It's easy to build up my own perceptions by spying, interviewing, looking at their facebooks, analyzing their writing, their facial expressions, their clothes and possessions, their way with words, their friends, their interests, their social groups...

As Andy Warhol said, "I like people, they're so interesting".

Besides this I also need to do an essay on a photographer who's inspired me.
Piece of cake. (I wrote about Steve McCurry)

:)

Testing, testing, Pop art testing...

lizfairy @ 2009-09-18T22:40:00

2009-09-18T22:03:47Z

So, I've just started at Exeter college, the university of arts London Art & Design foundation diploma. I've now officially been going for a week. I wake up at 6:00 every morning but Tuesday, my day off to catch a 6.50 bus. I've met a load of people, and what's best (and most interesting), is that I don't know who I'll be friends with yet and I don't know how my friends group will be, if existent. It's looking pretty positive though so far. People seem really eclectic in this art group. Sure, there are the stereotypical pretentious art 'experts' who critique on everyone's work after spending ages rambling about how he managed a scribble and what it conveys.

We have been set mainly induction projects, the first was "I am". The objective was to produce three 10X10cm squares in any media based on the title.

I came up with several ideas on identity, masks to emphasize my shyness and hidden identity, wooden elephants walking toward a sunlit window, to act as a metaphor for my desire to travel, my ambitions, my feeling of being in the dark and wanting to break free. I also did an image of myself crouched, hands covering face in black and white, and another revealing my face 'turning my body into colour'. I thought of this to symbolize how I don't quite agree with the Buddhist teachings of harmlessness, that you shouldn't harm anything with eyes. Sure, they may be the windows to the soul but do I cease being a human because my eyes are hidden? Do I loose the essence, and colour of my humanity and life?

Masked

How important are Eyes?

Finally, my final idea was to take an Anthropological view point. I am... what am I literally? I am human. The human being is my species, I am an animal. I wanted to convey human aspects of myself which are animal, and have sensual and expression function. I didn't want to start the course by telling people about what I was like. I wanted to present the raw ingredients of me as a human being, flesh, disgusting tongue, pores and all.

Raw Human

Last night in bed... I came to a weird decision...

2009-09-12T16:32:32Z

I'm not suited for studying Zoology. Sure, I like animals, but I'm not a scientist. I like travel, culture, people watching, art, essay writing and trying to read people.
I'm therefore applying as soon as possible for Anthropology.

I got a funny buzzy clicky feeling as the thought appeared in my mind, it just seems to fit my aspirations perfectly. I can be a better photojournalist if I understand people and culture and customs and etiquette. Heck, I spend most of my life watching people, nosying into people's lives online and reading up on culture and etiquette. Kate Fox's 'watching the English' is one of my favorite new books. Thoughts of anthropology... Where have you been all my life?

Other than that, my boyfriend is currently at his cousins catholic wedding being forced to attend confession despite being atheist, I just bought a new sketch book in town, and my mum's cousin is visiting from Canada. She has a strange mixture of Canadian and Northern in her accent.

Top 10 things to do in my hometown, Lyme Regis

2009-09-10T17:46:14Z

1. Go take a walk along the marine parade, followed by the cob. It may be obvious but I need to emphasize it. Even as a convert to more exotic and more chaotic destinations such as India, I still appreciate the sea and it's infinite scale. The seascape is stereotypical, with the seaguls, the distant cliffs, and fishermen. Besides, it's fun to people watch.

2. Take another walk long the undercliff foot path, starting in Ware cliffs. This walk starts in Minehead and continues around the whole stretch of the south west, including Cornwall. The swamps and dense forest in this section though make this one of the most intriguing of all. You may even see some wildlife if you're quiet.

3. Go to the Scott cinema. We're lucky, in a small seaside town, to be equipped with a cinema. It may be small, but it's worth going to. I've seen many films here with friends.

4. Take a drink in the Harbour inn. This surprisingly stylish restaurant/pub serves up popular sunday roasts, beside being a favorite with local artists for an afternoon drink. The atmosphere here is often great, and there is occasionally live music.

5. Avoid the gift shops. That's right. Unfortunately there is nothing worth buying here, as all worthwhile goods can be bought far cheaper in Exeter or online.

6. Be a foodie... Buy perhaps a pasty at Mulberry manor, fresh bread from the town mill bakery, fudge from Quality corner, tapas and cocktails from Sontanos, and picnics from the good food store.

7. Check out the art galleries. There's a great number of them, the biggest probably being the town mill gallery, which has seasonally changing exhibitions. A good time for artists is the art season during September, during which many local artists open their gardens to the public to show off their paintings and sculptures.

8. Take a boat trip around the bay. Maybe even ride to Beer. There have been basking shark and dolphin sightings during the summer months.

9. Come for fossil week in late Spring. Lyme Regis is the site of Mary Anning's fossiling, so why not relive it? Maybe even pick up a chisel and hammer and see if you have any luck in finding some prehistoric creature. If not you can always buy one.

10. Enjoy the sea and beach. Jump off the North wall at high tide if your daring enough. Make sand castles, sunbathe if you're lucky enough that weather permits. Eat your chips on the beach but be sure those seagulls don't finish them for you. It happens.

Thai in town and vegan findings

2009-09-10T17:18:57Z

A few friends and I went for a Thai meal in the new Thai restaurant in Lyme Regis to say goodbye to those of whom were immediately heading off to university or arts college.

The Bay hotel has been renovated a lot over the last few years. Apparently, when I was a baby my parents stayed with me in one of the high up rooms before we moved to Lyme from Bath. It has a good position on the marine parade just meters from the pebble beach and a short stroll from the sandy beach, the cobb, and the shops on Broad street. I was happy to see a good vegan selection, lots of vegetable, noodle and tofu dishes, and desserts.

With a small appetite for savory however I just opted for a Mushroom tom yum soup, and asked if they could make it extra spicy. It was good and flavorsome, plenty of lemongrass and chilli in there.

Afterward I had banana in coconut cream, though unfortunately I forgot to take a picture. It was a little too salty but I enjoyed it anyway. 2 of my friends found it too rich.

My options are improving! Today I also discovered The terrace art cafe in Seaton. It's a vegetarian/vegan cafe. I didn't have time to stop but had to get a takeout tofu cheesecake. There were three flavors but only one remaining.

The Lime, coconut and ginger tofu cheesecake (and a marks and spencers espresso, thanks moka)

The extremities of fusion 'high tea'... When English tea is replaced with Italian espresso and clotted cream scones are replaced with NY vegan cheesecake with an Asian flavor.

MMMM. I need to get back there and try out the vegan cookies, crumble and other varieties of cheesecake. And maybe some 'proper' food.

A monday in London

2009-09-10T15:38:12Z

I love London, really, the diversity and variety astounds me. If I lived there I can imagine hopping almost hourly between crazy manias, from yoga to painting, karate to animal activism, Otaku to historian... London has everything. Despite often feeling terribly imprisoned on this little island, the global hub of London offers a huge consolation to the feeling of wanting to travel and escape the familiarity of the rural and remote South West England.

On monday my parents and I went to the lovely capital.

My dad and I started by exploring the Sri Mandhir temple in Neasden whilst my mum slept in the car. It is the largest Hindu temple outside of India.

Only a religious organisation could come up with such funds... The white marble was sourced from Bulgaria and the famous Carrara in Italy, and taken to India to be handcarved, before being shipped back to the UK... That's a hell of a load of airmiles!

Next door is a vegetarian restaurant, sweet shop, and fully stocked asian grocery. It stocks loads of egg free cakes, exotic juices, spices, and pulses.
The sweet shop is seriously to die for!

Since our last visit 6 months ago, the restaurant has had serious refurbishment. The menu to has changed from spiced up pizzas to authentic vegetarian North and South Indian cuisine. I had a plain dosa with sambar and coconut chutney whilst my dad opted for paneer masala and lemon rice. Good stuff.

We took away from samosas, kulfi mix, Indian sweets, hot masala chilli sauce and rose syrup.

After a good lunch we woke up my mother, and proceeded to drive on to Richmond via the North circular.

It was time for shopping therapy! I found a UNIQLO, my absolute favorite clothes shop beside Hollister and Zara. Being a Japanese clothes shop, the fashions are often slightly retro, and fit petite sizes often with a taylored look. Often to, one can find cheap cashmere, angora, and other good quality fabrics.

I bought a coat, heat tech socks and stockings, a linen shirt, a John Basquiet t- shirt, some synthetic suede boots, and a dress t shirt. I would have bought some jeans had my funds allowed it. Afterward, I picked up some Emporio Armani sunglasses from Cancer research for £12.50! Absolutely chuffed with my new findings!

Beside shopping, I quickly learned that Richmond is a beautiful borough of London.
The location beside the Thames adds a certain grandeur and prestige to a town already high ranking in class; the narrow side streets are laden with gelaterias, patisseries, and boutique shops radiating continental Europe. I smiled at the site of Ciao ciocolata and mulino Bianco in a deli window! The charity shops to are adorned with plenty of Italian and French second hand books, beside designer clothing.

Of course, the most impressive area is by the riverside.

...What else can I say?

If ever in London, I thoroughly recommend these slightly alternate destinations.

Update on stuff

2009-09-09T14:32:34Z

I haven't actually managed a straight diary entry in quite some time, looking back it's been all reviews, photos, food, recollections of trips... In all fairness however, I've had a really immense summer.

As soon as my A level exams were over it was Glastonbury festival, followed literally the morning after with picking up Robbie from the airport, and touring around the likes of London, Bath, Cornwall, Cambridge, to name a few destinations. A few days later and I was jetting off to New York to celebrate my 18th birthday in a place I'd love to live. My parents and I met my second cousin and her uncle and husband there, along with Liz, an old family friend of ours. After a week in New York I returned to the UK, and visited my Grandparents in Cambridge, certainly receiving a generous surprise. On the way home I again visited London and went to highgate cemetery, Camden town and Hampstead Heath. A few lyme and Exeter visits later and I was off for 3 weeks in August to Robbie's house in Bella Italia, his family showed me a load of amazing places I had previously missed, including Grazzano Visconto, Castello di Bardi and Lago d'Iseo. On returning I have missed the sweet and welcoming nature of Italians and Italy, pistachio gelato, and Robbie very much.

I managed a visit to Cambridge and London again the other day. My dad and I went to the Sri Mandhir temple in Neasden. We've been there already, but once in a while go back. It's the largest Hindu temple outside India, and the marble in handcarved in India from marble from Bulgaria and Carrara in Italy! It's incredibly beautiful and impressive. Afterward we had lunch at the vegetarian restaurant of the temple. I had a plain dosa and my dad had a masala paneer and lemon rice. I'd thoroughly recommend it! After picking up some groceries at the accompanying sweet shop and Asian store we headed along the North circular to Richmond.

I seriously neeeeeeeed to stop spending. I'm starting to empathize with the woman from 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'. I bought a coat, 3 shirts, leggings and socks from UNIQLO, boots from T.K.Max, some Emporio Amani sunglasses, some dark regional chocolate from thorntons...

I keep trying to play it real. My life is designed as a fairytale and I can't seem to escape it, I need chaos, a busy schedule and things to excite; I've already booked my next flight to Milan in November and need art supplies for college on Tuesday. Maybe this chaos is to take my mind away from other decisions, like the impending one of do I go to university in England or America, do I take up my current offer or subtract and reapply, do I do photography or zoology?

I don't know. For now I'll content myself with what I'm doing. Yesterday I actually achieved cleaning out my room of old clothes and paper, baking some pistachio rose vegan cupcakes (see post below) to sell at the car boot sale (and eat!)and watching silly movies like 'Lesbian vampire killers', and those television programs 'Jamie's American road trip' and 'Being Human.'

lizfairy @ 2009-09-09T13:12:00

2009-09-09T12:24:55Z

I made more cakes from Vegan cupcakes will take over the world... This time, an Indian inspired cupcake made with rose water and pistachio.

Instead of tinting with red food colouring, I drizzled rose syrup over these cuties.

Aren't they pretty!?

And then I took a bite...

What's in them? In no order...
The cake...Pistachios, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cornflour, sugar, soy yogurt, sunflower oil, rose water, vanilla extract, soy milk, cardamon

The frosting.... pure soy butter, icing sugar, soy milk, rosewater
drizzled with rose syrup and chopped pistachios

I WANT ONE!!!

2009-09-09T11:26:18Z

This is at the Honiton show, my mum's friend has loads of exotic pets, and here's a baby one of them :)

My mum and I fell in love with him...
We asked the owner how much they cost, what you feed them, and how they are as pets.

£500, cat/dog food, and apparently they make lovely cuddly pets but are extremely mischievous, leave them alone and you may come home to find cupboards open, clothes rearranged and a bit of redecorating!

Vegan Banana split

2009-09-01T17:18:56Z

Sliced Banana
Scoop of vanilla soy icecream
Melted chocolate biona spread
Raspberry sorbet from waitrose
mixed nuts
Soyatoo whipped cream

wAlLaH!

Soyatoo whipped cream is passing the taste test, I served it to my dad on a Soy hot chocolate with soy mashmallows, from wholefoods from back when we were in NY... SOY OVERLOAD!

I also had it on an espresso.

lizfairy @ 2009-08-31T14:00:00

2009-08-31T13:08:36Z

NEWS NEWS NEWS flash!

I got my A level results... ABBB!

A in Photography, full marks for coursework and the exam.

A in Biology

B in Geography

B in general studies

I exceeded my own expectations! I may now have a go at applying to a bigger and better university such as UCL, st Andrews, Edinburgh or Exeter!

Really chuffed with myself, but now for a year of art. It will be a nice pause I hope. I've just got back from Italy and am really missing Robbie and the heat and gelato!

Will post some pics and stuff soon.

Saturday night I also went out to Nandos and the cinema to watch The time travelers wife, which unsurprisingly considering Rachel Mcadams played the leading actress was very romantic and sad.

Ciao for now.

xx

Today...

2009-08-08T22:10:09Z

I made the vegan carrot cupcakes from 'Vegan cupcake will takeover the world.' It was my first attempt at a recipe from the book, and I must say the result's good. I took 5 to my Nan, one so far for my mum and 1 for me. I have frozen 3 for future indulgence and 2 are in the fridge for tomorrow!

I had to substitute some ingredients. I didn't have vegan cream cheese which was required for the buttercream icing so made some by blending sunflower oil, lemon juice and tofu. I didn't have walnuts either but replaced them with pecans, which is fine because I prefer pecans anyway.

They're so yummy. I sliced some strawberries in half and topped the cupcakes off with them to give me a slight French influence, a fresh and delectable look. The inside is moist as a carrot cake should be, the frost light and sweet and creamy! No one would think they were vegan, no omnivore anyway!

I've flicked through the book. There are so many I want to make! Particularly the skinny vanilla cupcake, the green tea, chai latte, peanut butter, boston cream pie, cashew butter, pistachio rosewater, mexican hot chocolate, banana split. I should also do the basic golden vanilla to practice technique.

Which in your opinion is the best from this book?

Oh, and I went to Lyme Regis Regatta and Carnival. Unfortunately in recent years it has become crap... no floats, few people dressed up, mainly a chance for the majorettes to emphasize their supressed womanhood. Stealth's puppy was cute though.

lizfairy @ 2009-07-29T17:24:00

2009-07-29T16:55:09Z

Hope gone...

Ascending unknown,

this haunted near my home,

Where light rises from dark,

And people take risk for art,

Sometimes darkness flees,

Interval for returning beas

hmm dee dee dee dee dee.

A look back in time... 24th-29th June, Glastonbury Festival 2009

2009-07-26T22:31:10Z

Laura and I hit Glastonbury 2009

Mark and Daisy's wedding

2009-07-26T22:08:00Z

One of my brother's, Mark, finally got married...

A cupcake mountain cake
Far more beautiful and popular with children than the traditional marzipan fruit cake.

There were loads of adorable children everywhere. The middle one is my nephew.

Bjorn, a photographer and the alternate priest guy on your right

Mark and Daisy

Covered in rose petals...