Way back in September I got stopped on the way from university to town by a photographer who was starting a project on the people of Liverpool. I know, I'm not technically a Liverpudlian but the student lifestyle is such a massive part of the city's culture that it's playing a major role in the project.
I admit I kind of forgot that this even happened until a couple of days ago when I thought I'd see how the process was going and searched it up on Google.
After Thursday's glorious weather I dabbled in the thought that spring might finally be here - alas the rain in the early morning of Friday dashed these thoughts! Nevertheless, it certainly got me thinking: I need to sort my summer wardrobe out. Specifically, I need to sort my swimwear out. I haven't been abroad on a proper summer holiday for nearly four years and so am really hoping to get away for a week or two in between working and digging this summer. This has resulted in me not buying a decent bikini for a while (well, I bought one in Primarni for just general trips to the beach last summer, but that doesn't count!) so I've done a little bit of hunting and concluded that Topshop - oh that old haunt! - have certainly got a brilliant collection of vintage styled swimwear this season.
Bird Outline Bikini - £26 (I love the brightness of this and the bow adds a cute detail)
Push-Up Bikini with High Waisted Pants - £32 (What is not to love about this bikini?! High waisted bottoms look great on every shape)
Hibiscus Print Bandeau & High Waisted Pants - £30 (Ahhh Hawaiian prints! Love them!)
Pink Gingham Bikini - £30 (Bit more rockabilly, but still fabulous! Also available in mint green)
Red Palm Print One-Piece - £32 (Looks great from the front but not sure on the back though...Also available in a bikini)
There are lots more on the site that I haven't included, equally as lovely, including little beach dresses to cover up with. I shall definitely be purchasing one for this summer but which one...?
As a gal that went to a Catholic school for five years Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Lent in general was always an important time in the calender. I'm not that religious really, I go to church at Christmas and Easter (if I'm not at a show aha!), but I always do Lent. It's not for the religious purposes now but just as a show of willpower on my part. In previous years I've given up burgers (mmm!), coffee, and last year Greggs. This year I've gone a little extreme though...
First up I've given up meat. I've wanted to do this for a few years but always felt a bit mean making mum cook two dinners just because I've given up meat for Lent. So, as I now make my own dinners and control all aspects of my diet I thought that this year it would be a good chance to try it out. I must add at this point, I love meat. I would eat meat at every meal if I could. It's only day three and I'm already missing meat! There are the little things that I've found hard to grasp, like when I go to buy a sandwich for lunch and have to put down my usual tuna and sweetcorn and pick up a ploughman's. Even the salads had meat in them!
Seeing as I've already done coffee I decided I needed to take it up a notch, so I've waved goodbye to tea and coffee. Note, this does not include green teas and fruit infusions, so I can still have some hot drinks. Anyone that knows me understands that tea is my favourite drink. I think I'd actually rather have a cup of Rosy Lee than a nice glass of wine. This one is really tough. It's different to meat because it's quite easy just to stick to a restricted diet, but once I get a whiff of freshly brewed coffee I need it in my system - yes, I probably am addicted to caffeine, hence the 'grumpy' in this title.. Plus, I regularly start the day with a mug of tea, and green tea just isn't hitting the spot!
Goodbye my old friend...
Finally, as I currently live in take away central in Liverpool I must now resist the temptation of those delicious pizzas, chips and chicken. The last thing I've given up is take away food (not Greggs; I couldn't give up Greggs for another year) and although I haven't wanted one recently - well maybe some chips after last night's dancing escapade with the archaeologists - I know that three, four, five weeks down the line I am going to be craving a crappy pizza or a greasy burger.
Here it is again. Every year I get my hopes up. Maybe this year I won't actually be single? Maybe this is the year I go on a date and it'll be lovely? Nope. Yet again the Postman didn't call and I remain dateless for Valentine's Day - or National Singles Awareness Day (NSAD) as I have renamed it for bitter singletons such as myself.
Talking of cards: This is the best NSAD card I've ever seen. It made me a little bit sick when I saw it in the shop when shopping with the better half of my hoemance - needless to say, we also wet ourselves.
Oh Edward...
I know it's easy a 'forever alone' person such as myself to scorn the big V Day, but really? When you are presented with the above evidence is it really hard to understand why? Mind you, as a person who has never received a NSAD card in her life, I shouldn't really judge on standard. That's right, folks, I have never even received the opportunity of a Valentine's card. Cue the violins! Maybe my family are right...maybe I am destined to be 'her'...
So what am I going to do with my day? (Except sit and dream about my Mr Bingley coming and sweeping me off my feet - I was never a Darcy girl). Well, after watching This Morning - I'm a student, don't judge - I might head to the gym for a little work out to boost my self-lovin' levels, maybe then take a trip to the library to start one of my twelfty essays, and then it's home to indulge myself with a good shower, and then spend hours on hair and make up to make myself feel all beautiful. This will probably all be completely ruined when I go and meet Heather (the better half of the hoemance) and co for a cheeky night at The Raz. Anyone who has been to The Raz in Liverpool knows two things: a) You don't go in sober, and b) You definitely do not wear your best shoes (Raz juice ahoy!).
That's all I really have to say one the matter of National Singles Awareness Day for this year. Maybe next year I'll have a date who will bring me cards and flowers and all those lovely things. Oh, what's that? Is that a pig flying past my window?
For anyone that reads my ramblings regularly you’ll know that I am a student. It is a well known fact that students are generally poor, but I want to bust the myth that we just live on beans on toast and bowls of cereal so we can spend on money on beer and vodka (or rum, in my case). So, I’ve decided to run this series called ‘Student Suppers’: they are recipes that I’ve found, come up with or tweaked that are cheap, tasty and fulfilling (hopefully healthy too, but I can’t promise anything!).
This dish has become a staple supper for me - in fact, I have it every Sunday instead of a roast! Toad in the hole, in my opinion, is delicious! I make it with three sausages, a little onion (and/or garlic sometimes too), and serve it with baked beans when I make it just for me, but it could be doubled up and serve as many people as you can. Of course, you could make gravy with it, but seeing as that is the Devil's liquor I would never do it.
Ingredients:
2-3 (depending on how greedy you are) pork sausages (or Quorn ones!)
1/2 white onion
50g plain flour
1 medium egg
50ml milk
25ml cold water
1 tbs oil (if needed)
Gravy, beans, ketchup, whatever you feel like to serve.
Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C, and cook sausages for 10 minutes in a metal pan.
Meanwhile we can make the batter: sieve the flour into a bowl, add the egg and then whisk in the milk and water mixture until you have a smooth mixture.
Add the onions, roughly chopped, to the sausages and any extra oil if needed, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
When the oil is spitting hot (the hotter the oil, the crispier the batter) add the mixture and cook for a further 30 minutes.
I don't think I've ever done a film review for 'Roxie Reviews' so here is my first one! I only saw this film for the first time back in September when they finally had it in stock in HMV, but I have seen images and what not from Cry Baby (1990) floating around on the internet for a while. The first time I watched it, it was all a bit of an excitable whirl of greasers, music and laughs so I didn't really appreciate the ironic genius of John Waters' creation. It wasn't until further viewing that the subtle jokes clicked and I fully fell in love with the characters.
Now ladies, please remain calm. If you are of a nervous disposition, enjoy 'drape' guys, and have a wee crush on Johnny Depp I would advice you to sit down, maybe have a brown paper bag nearby and perhaps even a tissue to mop up the drool. In my opinion, Mr Depp has never been more fine! The tagline "He's a doll. He's a dreamboat. He's a delinquent." has never, ever been more appropriate.
*Sigh*
Can you see why I wasn't really focusing on the storyline the first time I watched the film? Well, once you've picked yourself up from the floor and recomposed yourself its time to get into the story. It might appear basic at first but underneath there are definitely some values that Waters' is trying to convey. First, we have the Romeo & Juliet scenario with square Allison Vernon-Williams (Amy Locane) falling for drape Wade 'Cry Baby' Walker (Johnny Depp); this is the main storyline for the film and really plays on the 1950s teen movie parody theme Water's runs through the entire picture. Other characters, like the Drape gang, Allison's grandmother and boyfriend, and Cry Baby's a-little-messed-up family all play into this but equally come together under the more subtle themes like acceptance, denial and equalism. I've read a few things on IMDb that this film is racist and anti-American but I think it couldn't be further from the truth; the drapes - who were always the teenage delinquents that society scorned - appear to be the heroes (if such characters exist in this film) who accept anyone into their gang, removing the stereotype of highschool drop outs, and the so-called good guys of America (the squares) are nothing less than judgemental bullies. Of course, there is irony as Waters plays up the stereotypes of hillbillies (Iggy Pop's first scene as Uncle Belvedere Rickettes is him "butt neckid" in a tin bath), teenage mothers (Ricki Lake as sixteen year old Pepper Walker already has two children and is pregnant with her third), and tough, knife-flicking social outsiders (I wouldn't want to take on Hachett-Face), but I think that just adds to the charm of the film.
I wanna be in their gang!
On a more superficial level I would like to add at this point that I want to be Wanda Woodward (Traci Lords) so much! I would love to have that bad gal attitude, her hair (she is the reason I cut my fringe back in...) and her wardrobe. I truly join John Waters when he says that he always wanted to be in a drape gang as a teenager.
Wanda Woodward
Waters says that Cry Baby not Hairspray is his musical, and I have to say the music is amazing. He mixes more popular classics of the era with new rockabilly numbers written just for the film, such as King Cry Baby and Highschool Hellcat.
So, I'd like to finish this post with two things. First, I would like to reinforce (if you hadn't already gotten the message) that if you like rockabilly music, enjoy those teen movies of the 1950s, or just have a completely understandable crush on Johnny Depp I would definitely give this movie a go - it's only an hour and a half long, so what's the risk, eh? And lastly, just some quotes, because in my opinion, Waters is a genius script writer and he needs more credit!
Romona Rickettes: Oh Wanda, you sure is pretty in them tight clothes, all painted up like trash!
Hachett-Face: There's nothing the matter with my face. I got character!
Wade 'Cry Baby' Walker: Fellas of the press, this chicken race tonight is for my daddy. And I'd like to sing something in his memory. Something hill-billy... something colored!
Mrs Vernon-Williams (Allison's Grandmother): Juvenile delinquents are everywhere. Right here in this community. Boys with long hair and tattoos who spit on the sidewalk. Girls who wear tight slacks. Hysterectomy pants, I call them.
