My Current Favourite Music (II)

I am back and this time bringing you Part II of My Current Favourite Music. As before, these are not specifically newly produced songs but ones I am currently obsessed with. If you do one unproductive thing this week, let it be listening to these tunes on repeat (like me):

1) FOOLS - Troye Sivan - WILD EP

I was actually really excited for this EP to be released, as Troye's debut EP - TRXYE - had me hooked on his music immediately. FOOLS has a very relatable story to it and I love the more refined alternative pop sound coming through in his second EP.

2) Stitches - Shawn Mendes - Handwritten

17-year-old, singer-songwriter from Canada, Shawn Mendes is probably a pretty unheard of name to most people. However, he has a massive following on social media - predominantly made up of 12 year-olds, because let's be honest he has a very pretty face - but he is also extraordinarily talented. With a distinct and pitch-perfect voice, and serious skills on the guitar he is likened to Ed Sheeran who he says is one of his biggest idols. There are definitely bigger and better things to come for this kid so keep an eye on him!

3) Drive - Oh Wonder - Oh Wonder

I actually find this song hypnotising. No joke. It is so chill and feel-good but somehow has a way of making me feel overwhelmingly nostalgic at the same time. The harmonising male-female duo that comprises Oh Wonder, accompanied by soft percussion and violins, is just perfect. 

4) Magnets (feat. Lorde) - Disclosure - Caracal

Probably one of my favourites of Disclosure's collaborations to date (that is not Sam Smith, because as a two they can do no wrong). Magnets combines the soulful pop tunes of Lorde with Disclosure's obvious sense of rhythm to create an edgy, punchy and massively catchy piece of music. 

5) Reality (Dunisco ft. JeyJeySax Extended Remix) - Lost Frequencies - Reality

For anybody trying to hold onto the last of summer, this tune is for you: a downtempo electronic pop production with heavily filtered vocals and simple melody and, best of all, saxophone! 

Chocolate and Banana Bites

I realise it has been a while so sorry about that. However, I just made the most delicious and healthy snack in, arguably, the history of ever and thought I had to share it here! It is so easy to make so you really have no excuse not to give it a go. It's definitely a good substitute for crisps, toast, cereal bars etc. during the day or even ice-cream after dinner.

All you will need is:

Banana(s)
Dark chocolate
Cocktail sticks

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a Pyrex bowl over boiling water on the hob. While the chocolate is melting, peel the banana(s) and cut into pieces about 2 inches in length. Stick a single cocktail stick into each banana piece length-ways. When the chocolate is runny and smooth, smother or dip the banana in chocolate. I experimented a bit to give each piece different designs so if you're feeling a bit risqué you could take a spoon and drizzle the chocolate over a few pieces. Don't go mad and let things get out of hand though, yeah?

Once you are happy with the chocolate smothering/dipping/drizzling or whatever else you managed to come up with, put the masterpieces into the fridge to let the chocolate set for half an hour or so. Once the half hour is up, transfer them into the freezer for at least another half hour. And that's it done! High in energy and low in fat - you can thank me later.

Fat-Free Date and Banana Pancakes

Today I thought I would share with you a recipe I stumbled upon recently for Fat-Free Date and Banana Pancakes. The recipe can be found in a book called 'Eat Yourself Thin' by Gill Paul, which holds host to a variety of (literally) delicious yet nutritious meals. Let's jump right into it then.

For the batter you will need:

125g (4oz) dried dates, pitted and finely chopped

150ml (1/4 pint) boiling water

75g (3oz) wholewheat or buckwheat flour

75 g (3oz) plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp golden caster sugar

1 large egg

150ml (1/4 pint) skimmed milk

2 tbsps olive oil

2 tbsps coconut oil

To serve you will also need 2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced, and maple syrup.

Okay so as you may be able to see I made some alterations to the ingredients. I substituted skimmed milk with rice milk, wholewheat flour with gluten free plain flour and caster sugar with agave nectar. I only did this because of my intolerances, and just to make it that tiny bit more healthy!

First of all, seeing as pitted and chopped dates apparently don't exist, you must measure...

...pit, and chop them. WARNING: this takes forever and is not easy. If you have a mum kicking about beg her to do it (I hate the boring baking tasks).

After you have ruined your arms from cutting up the dates, place the dates in a jug with the boiling water and leave to soak. Meanwhile, place the flour in a mixing bowl with the baking powder, cinnamon, salt and sugar. Beat the egg with the milk and olive oil, then slowly add to the flour mixture, stirring constantly to form a smooth batter. Drain any excess liquid from the dates and stir them into the batter.

Next of all, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add a little coconut oil. When it starts to sizzle, pour in a little pancake batter. Cook for about 2 minutes until bubbles begin to appear on the surface...

...then carefully turn over with a spatula and cook the other side for a further minute. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining pancakes. 

Top with the sliced banana and (the recipe says drizzle) smother with maple syrup. I am a massive fan of maple syrup and could not agree more with Buddy the Elf in the sense that maple syrup goes with EVERYTHING.

I can't explain in words how good these pancakes actually are, so you'll just have to make them yourself to experience the yumminess. They're definitely a good alternative to American pancakes - I certainly didn't feel guilty after eating them! Enjoy x

Introversion vs Extroversion

The other day I watched a film - The Way Way Back to be precise - and it just got me thinking. First of all I should tell you the plot: a shy 14-year-old boy, Duncan, goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of a water park, and resultantly, Duncan begins to come out of his shell. It is actually a really great film, and I have realised recently that I enjoy films based on introversion. This is partially because I certainly see some of myself in the main characters. I consider myself to be an 'introvert' as opposed to 'extrovert'. The official definitions of the two are as follows:

Introvert: a shy person // [psychology] a person predominantly concerned with their own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things

Extrovert: an outgoing, socially confident person // [psychology] a person predominantly concerned with external things or objective considerations

However, am I really an introvert? I personally would not say that introversion is about being shy. Introverts feel more switched on when they are in quieter, more low-key environments, whereas extroverts require large amounts of stimulation. Introverts withdraw in crowds, get easily distracted, hardly ever get bored and shut down when it is time to be alone. I can relate to all of these matters intimately; I am one of the few people who actually enjoys their own attention and I have done since I was little. Nevertheless, there does come a time about once a month in which I essentially transform into an extrovert. During this time I constantly crave attention, love getting out the house, like to explore, do things I wouldn't normally do, meet new people...the list goes on. And, when I am on the other end of the spectrum hovering around introversion, I tend to be confident and outgoing within my close friends and family (that is when I actually choose to socialise). Ultimately, I think most people can associate themselves with characteristics of both introversion and extroversion. After much deliberation I have come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, a good mix of both and I am happy to be that way!

In light of the topic of introversion, I put together a list of my favourite films referring to it (in no particular order):


1. The Way Way Back

As previously mentioned.

2. The Art of Getting By

George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who has made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.

4. Garden State

A quietly troubled young man returns home for his mother's funeral after being estranged from his family for a decade.

5. It's Kind of a Funny Story

A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.

LDN

So I have just come back from London after spending a few days there with my friend Carole. We had planned to go in the summer but never got round to it, so instead I decided I would take her there for her 21st birthday (I'm a great friend I know). I hadn't been to London for 5 years so I was massively excited about going, and it wasn't an anticlimax as I had an amazing time too. We did a lot of sightseeing - London is a beautiful city - and a LOT of shopping as well. While I was there I decided to film short clips on my iPhone 5s using an olloclip to produce a fisheye lens effect. I have never filmed anything with the intention of making a compilation before, and equally have never produced a film so I am completely new to this. I actually had a lot of fun doing it as it gave me a chance to be creative while exploring London. Here is the finished result - enjoy:

I'm hoping that now I can have the courage to do more of this, and maybe even upgrade to a GoPro (obviously I will have to save up for that as I'm not made of money). The olloclip was also very useful for photography, which is an area I consider myself to be more competent in. Here are a couple of pictures that I particularly like:

The Thames and the Houses of Parliament

Chelsea

The Shard floor 72

The Shard floor 69

I was only in London for 3 days, but I absolutely fell in love with it and can definitely see myself living there in the (hopefully near) future. There is such an eclectic mix of people and so many different things to see and do. Equally, after mastering the (at first daunting) underground system I felt quite at home. So, thanks for having me London - until next time! X

Oh Christmas Tree...

I am back! Clearly. I decided to take a bit of a break to focus on revision and hand-ins, because I get distracted enough as it is. I've not finished exams yet though, my last one is this coming Thursday which I cannot wait to get out of the way - mainly cause then it is Christmaaaas! Can you tell I'm excited? Excited may even be an understatement.

Traditionally, my family decide to put the Christmas tree up at the very last minute which has annoyed me for years. I like to start getting into the Christmas spirit as early as acceptably possible (Michael Bublé's Feliz Navidad made an appearance in the middle of November and I am not ashamed). So this year I took matters into my own hands and purchased a mini tree to decorate myself, in my own style, and when I wanted. I actually had so much fun doing this as it has been a while since I let my creative side loose.

Okay so here is the wee tree - bare and sad and lonely. I got him from Homebase for a tenner (I think) which is pretty reasonable. Time to get decorating!

Oh wait no, sorry. I forgot Santa's Little Helper. Internet, meet Pepsi. I mean Pepsi's idea of helping is getting caught up in the fairy lights and trampling on the baubles, but she is cute so we can forgive her.

I really underestimated how frustrating fairy lights are. I bought an LED set from Paperchase which seemed great at the time, until I got them out of the packet and discovered they covered approximately a quarter of the tree which was not a good look. I had to go in search of different fairy lights in the attic, found some, then discovered I needed more batteries (I seriously wanted to give up at this point). BUT, I stayed strong, overcame that little hiccup and the tree was finally lit up like the Fourth of July.

Lights done, time to hang the baubles. I also got my baubles and decorations from Paperchase - their Christmas section is on point every year. Also, by this point Pepsi got bored (or tired - she sleeps 90% of the time) and left.

So the colour scheme I went for was gold, silver, white, black, grey and rose gold (my current favourite colour for decorating). I also found some bloody adorable laser-cut polar bears in black, white and wood. It is probably quite lame how much I enjoy design-related stuff like this but I don't care!

I am so h!p$t3r.

You can't forget the star on top of the tree! 

This wasn't staged at all.

The finished product! I'm actually really happy with the way it turned out. I hate to ring my own bell but I think it looks great. 

The star is actually silver, not sure why it looks gold here but it's not the end of the world. It is also from Paperchase, but to be honest I wouldn't recommend it. The hole is far too small, and considering this is a small tree it would be useless on a normal sized one! Please ignore the innuendo there was no way around it haha.

Getting up close and personal with one of the polar bears here. Look how cute it is! 

So, I hope you enjoyed this post about me decorating a Christmas tree as much as I did doing it! It has made me feel even more Christmassy and was actually a good break from revision. Since my exams finish next week, I'll be posting weekly blogs again for the foreseeable future - I know, I am too kind. See ya next week x

My Current Favourite Music

Hey guys. This blog is going to be relatively short - I will not be rambling on and on - as I've been pretty busy this week. Exams are coming up and I've started to knuckle down already, which is so unlike me.

As I have mentioned I have a very eclectic music taste. I thought I would share some of my favourite songs right now. They are in no particular order and are not necessarily current songs either!

1. Blank Space - Taylor Swift - 1989 (+ video)

The video which was released last week took the internet by storm. I actually only watched it yesterday and it made me fall in love with the song. It cleverly portrays Taylor as the crazy girl which the media like to say she is. Maybe she is crazy but she makes great music! TS also worked in collaboration with AMEX to produce an app which is scored with Blank Space. It was shot with 360° cameras and is supposed to be a 'cinematic interactive musical experience starring Taylor Swift'. It says the app is supposed to be an experience which is 'an immersive journey with intertwined story lines, multiple rooms and dozens of hidden interactive features' - keen to give it a go! Taylor is also the first woman in over 50 years to replace herself at Number 1 (Blank Space overtook Shake It Off last week). You go girl.

2. How You Get the Girl - Taylor Swift - 1989

3. From Eden - Hozier - From Eden EP

4. Left Hand Free - alt-J - This Is All Yours

This is from alt-J's second album which isn't nearly as good as their first 'An Awesome Wave'. That being said it was pretty hard to follow as the first was a masterpiece. 

5. Fool's Gold - One Direction - FOUR

6. Strong - London Grammar - If You Wait

7. Right Now - Mary J. Blige - The London Sessions

8. I Lived - One Republic - Native

Got to love a bit of One Republic, huh?

9. Tennis Court (Flume Remix) - Lorde

I discovered this a few months ago. Definitely worth a listen. Flume has produced some other really good tunes, which are mainly uploaded on YouTube.

10. Many of Horror - Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions

Thanks to Matt Cardle for ruining this for me for ages after X Factor. 

11. The Longest Time - Billy Joel - An Innocent Man 

Major throwback - this song puts me in such a good mood and has done since I heard it about 3 years ago.

12. When a Fire Starts To Burn - Disclosure - Settle

Put this song on, turn it up loud and walk somewhere. My personal favourite time to listen to it is walking to a 9am, with the sun rising, and basically marching to its incredible, punchy beat.

13. Adore You - Miley Cyrus - Bangerz

Not sorry.

14. Give It All Back - Noah and the Whale - Last Night On Earth

15. You're The Best - Wet - Wet EP

16. Trojans - Atlas Genius - When It Was Now

This has actually played in my work (Jack Wills) for months and every time I go to work, I leave with it stuck in my head.

17. Oceans - Coasts - Oceans

18. Bros - Wolf Alice - Bros - Single

19. All Night Longer REMIX (feat. B.o.B) - Sammy Adams - All Night Longer REMIX Single

Ultimate skite tune.

20. Stronger - Kanye West - Graduation

It is still just as incredible as it was 7 (yes s.e.v.e.n) years ago. 

21. XO - John Mayer - XO

22. Fireworks - Acoustic Version - Thyra - Fireworks (Acoustic Version)

x