Vintage Village - Sunday 12th May

I am massively delayed in not only writing this post but updating the blog in general. I have been busy getting my features for Issue Two of Pretty Nostalgic ready amongst other things...so lots of catch-up blogging impdending!
First off, we had a lovely Sunday at Vintage Village in Stockport a few weeks ago. I asbsolutely love this fair for many reasons.
For one, the people are lovely. I always find myself chatting away to stallholders! I got chatting to the gorgeous girls from Show Us Your Threads about Pretty Nostalgic, crafting and they told me about their boutique on ASOS which has some fabulous pre-loved clothes and accessories (https://marketplace.asos.com/boutique/show-us-your-threads)

I fell in love with some vintage dessert glasses on their stall, as well as several china cake stands and teacups. I had been having a bit of a spending spree on vintage glassware that week, which I was buying to shoot the fabulous Ginger's Comfort Emporium ice cream for a forthcoming feature in Pretty Nostalgic. I wanted to go back and get them but the other half told me I wasnt allowed as there were lots of them and I had already bought too many!!

I also met with the organisers of the fair - Alan and Sarah - and I am pleased to say they are now going to be stockists of Pretty Nostalgic magazine, at both the fair and Room at the Top!! (http://www.thevintagevillage.co.uk/room-at-the-top-vintage-goods)
A strange and chance encounter also occurred whilst I was discussing the magazine with Sarah. Second Hand Suzy of the wonderful Second Hand Safari (http://www.secondhandsafari.com/) happened to be stood next to me. She had also written a feature in Issue One!

Another thing I love about Vintage Village is the mix of items available. Not only is there vintage homeware, clothing, accessories, music etc...but also craftspeople selling their beautiful products made from upcycled materials. As well as that theres food, including baked goods!
The prices of items are also very affordable. So many places label items as 'vintage' and think that means that they can put ridiculous prices on them, but I came away with a load of stuff for £17!! Heres some pictures of my purchases that day.

Firstly, these lovely green glasses - I got to use for the ice cream shoot but thought they would make great wine and dessert glasses afterwards. I got all five for £4.99!!

Next, a variety of china plates. I have a thing for pretty floral ones and they are great for serving all my baked goods on, but again I thought they would be nice to use for the Ginger's Comfort Emporium photo shoot too. The first pair were only 20p each from Kitsch Republic!

Also from Kitsch Republic was this gorgeous floral fabric which I am going to make a cushion out of...

And this 50s nightie was my favourite purchase of the day. So pretty! I have worn it around the house since, channelling Jean from Mad Men!

My gorgeous other half also made a fabulous purchase which is now pride of place on our living room wall.

Looking forward to seeing what bargains I can pick up at next months Vintage Village!!

Victoria Sponge

Baked a classic yesterday - a good old Victoria Sponge. So simple yet always a winner in my eyes.. Adding the Strawberry Jam and Whipped Cream was so satifying, especially the part where you put the top layer of sponge on top and it oozes out the sides....

Writing this has made me want more, so i'm off for a wedge of it right now!

Vintage Glassware finds....

I'm currently working on one of my next features for Issue Two of Pretty Nostalgic Magazine. I'm doing another article for 'The Larder' section and this time it's on.....ICE CREAM!!

I'm not saying any more than this but its going to be fantastic! Plus you can't have an issue about the British Seaside and Picnic traditions without including this much loved Summertime favourite!!

I'm going to be shooting various flavours of Ice Cream so went looking for some appropriate Vintage Glassware that I can use to present it in. I found these fabulous pieces which could also be used to serve Cocktails in...

Free as a Bird...

I volunteer at a local school two afternoons a week as a Reading Helper, assisting three year 4 boys with their literacy. I try to make our sessions as fun and creative as possible. One of the things we did was use my bookbinding knowledge to make the boys own concertina story books. We then wrote stories for them, placing each child alongside their favourite fictional characters.

One of the boys that I work with is very creative and particularly enjoys drawing. I have been incorporating time into our afternoons so that he has a chance to draw and make things based on things we have been reading about. I have found that this has made me rediscover my own long lost passion for drawing, something which I lost touch with when I switched to taking photographs.

I used to be a pretty confident drawer, but as we all know - and I tell my creative pupil regularly - you only get bettter with lots of practice. Initially when I began trying to draw again it was a complete disaster but I have found myself starting to slowly improve. I'm not claiming to be amazing at it, but the pleasure it gives me is much welcome and I find sitting with my little sketchbook on an evening super relaxing.

I don't know what exactly has led me to drawing birds. Perhaps it's a subconscious thing as there is a certain air of freedom about a bird, with it's abillity to just take off into the sky, going wherever it wants. I can sort of relate to a feeling of being freer at the moment, as personally i've recently come through a long battle with some personal stuff. I  have started to find that life is finally getting much brighter, and good things are starting to happen to me as a result of confronting these issues.

Another appeal of drawing birds is their beauty. I have an old 'Observers Book of Birds' that I use to sketch from, but I have always had an interest in encyclopedias and other old books that illustrate various animal species and their latin names.

My next step is to play around with the sketches and see what I can do next with them. I would like to try embroidering some of them, and collaging others to produce some interesting illustrated versions of them.

It's just finding the time!!

Pretty Nostalgic Issue 1

Finally the waiting is over!! Issue One of Pretty Nostalgic magazine arrived in my mailbox last monday and I couldn't wait to see inside!! I was leaving for a trip to Dubrovnik as I collected it, hence the delay in writing this post...

I was so excited to see the two features that I had written and photographed. The first a piece about my colllection of  love letters and greetings cards sent between two of my relatives during World War II. The other, a food feature in a section called 'The Larder' which was all about the great british Scotch egg!

Not only did I want to see my own features, but I couldn't wait to see all the other amazing things that were featured in the magazine. It is such a beautiful publication. So wonderfully presented and designed with a real attention to detail that truly embodies that love of nostalgia and all things vintage.
I may seem a little biased but I cannot recommend it more. It is far superior to other magazines out there, and you can tell that it has been made with real love and passion.

I am so thrilled to be a part of it and am already on my next features for Issue Two!!

Almost Famous

    For weeks now there has been a lot of buzz around Manchester. A certain pop up bar/food establishment by the name of Almost Famous has seen all kinds of Manchester folk queuing on Fridays and Saturdays outside a plain wooden door, much to the curiosity of passers by.
What could possibly lie behind that wooden door? a new club night perhaps? a bar?

It is in fact a burger joint and cocktail bar. Tucked away up an old Victorian tiled staircase, some more stairs, and then through what looks like you're about to enter a disused office space, you suddenly come upon a door and step into a wonderfully vibrant bar. The exposed brick walls are full of gorgeous artwork - from pin up illustrations, to Bansky and other street stuff, as well as the psychotic ramblings of Charlie Sheen during his infamous meltdown, which have been scrawled on the walls.

 The bar is impressive for a pop up joint - row upon row of shelves are lined with ever possible liquor you could require. You really do forget that you have travelled through the disused spaces to get inside once you get in there. Two rooms lead off, one with a mismatch of tables, chairs and more great artwork, the other similar but with some sofas and bigger tables.

 One thing that has to be stressed is the popularity this place has seen since its opening a couple of months back. With no sign or advertising apart from on Twitter, Almost Famous' reputation has been earnt purely from word of mouth and people spreading the word virally. As word rapidly spread, each week the queue for entrance became bigger, stretching around the corner and down the street.

A security guard lets you in once you finally reach the privileged front of the queue.
Once inside though, you are met by more queues - first for the bar, and then the get a table. After thinking the waiting part was over once let into the building, this was particularly frustrating. We split up like a lot of the others waiting. One at the bar, the other in between the two doorways to the other rooms, eyeballing anyone and everyone to hurry up and leave.
Rather torturously, the staff paraded the burgers past every few seconds to the tables, giving a teaser of the filthy delight that was so close, yet still so far away from my tastebuds.

 Finally, after much waiting, I nabbed a table. It was still quite a while before my friend arrived with the drinks though, but because of all the hype I'd been hearing about this place for weeks it was kind of to be expected, and I knew that when I finally got one of their burgers in my paws it would all be all worthwhile.

I sat browsing the impressive cocktail list in more detail after having made a quick choice on our arrival whilst waiting for a table...

                                         



Eventually my friend returned from the bar, cocktails in hand. They were beautifully presented in glass jars - nice quirky touch I felt - with these two glow sticks and fresh fruit inside. We both got the Bitch Juice - a delicious mix of gin and various fruit flavours.

We  also had a larger one to share - a bigger jar priced at £12 that had a very distinctive taste. It took me back to this old Victorian sweet shop we visited when I was a child. It contained Violet Falernum and gave it a wonderful spiced edge.

But the best was yet to come....Burger Heaven was awaiting me. I opted for one of the naughtiest options on the menu, the Triple Nom Burger (although to be fair none of the options were for those counting calories - this place is for the carnivourous meat junkies, veggies needn't bother queuing up outside...)
It arrived in a red basket with a shiny bun and was stacked high with all kinds of juicy meaty goodness. The Triple Nom consisted of a two burgers,  BBQ pulled pork, cheese and homemade coleslaw.

What happened next when I took a bite is a bit of a blur. It was incredible. The burger medium rare, juices dripping all over my fingers, the BBQ pork mixing with the melted cheese....It was quite honestly the best burger I have ever eaten. It was pure filth.
As it neared its end, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness. I didn't want it to be over, and I'm not afraid to say that I half considered purchasing another one.

But waiting to comfort me were the Trailer Trash Fries, which somewhat eased the pain. Loaded with cheese and BBQ sauce they were an extra calorie load of carby delight - and a perfect accompaniment to my burger friend.

And that was it. My Almost Famous experience was over. Despite all the queuing and waiting around, it seemed to end far too soon - the burger devoured too quickly, only to leave me with a food coma and impending meat hangover.

It was a bittersweet moment - for my first taste of Burger Heaven was to be my last. That night was the end of Almost Famous. It was apparently their final night of being open, as despite it passing as a convincing regular establishment once you were up those stairs, I was reminded it was a pop up venue and a temporary one.
One can only hope that they are just saying this to leave us all gagging for more, and shall return again soon with their filthy juicy burgers and kick ass cocktails.

La Mercat de Boqueria (Boqueria Market) Barcelona

When its a grey and miserable morning in Manchester (which it is most days lets face it) my thoughts often turn to more sunnier places I have visited.
A few years ago I spent almost a month living in Barcelona. I had just graduated University and after a four day trip there to celebrate, I fell in love with the place. On returning home I was sick with longing to be back there so myself and a friend arranged to go back for a longer time period - this time staying in a beautiful apartment where you could see the old Trividabo amusement park from our room.

Each morning, I would take a solitary walk down to La Boqueria - an historic marketplace that is a buzz of activity that appeals to every sense. I would take in all the bright colours of the fruit and vegetable stalls first, and pick up one on the freshly made juices to accompany me on my journey of exploration.

The juices were a perfect morning refreshment to accompany on my journey, with every variety of fruit sold available in juice form.

It was such a treat to see freshly picked produce, with its vibrant aromas and colours. None of that supermarket rubbish here.

There were even freshly made fruit smoothie ice lollies for those really hot days

Next I would move on to the butchers and admire the vast array of meats available.

I would approach the butchers stalls with caution as sometimes I would find stripped sheeps heads and skinned rabbits (their beady eyes staring back at me) and all manner of other gruesome looking animal guts and body parts. But it was fascinating to see the various things that are used in Spanish/Catalan cooking. We are far too squeamish in England a lot of the time, and here they were putting every last part of the animal to use in some way or other.

 One day I purchased an enourmous chicken to cook a traditional roast dinner for our flatmates, giving them a taste of a British favourite that is always a crowd pleaser! The chicken was completely intact, head and all. I watched as the butcher skillfully removed all my unwanted parts, leaving me the neck to use for a chicken stock. One thing he failed to remove though was the heart. There was a horror movie scene back at the apartment when myself and a flatmate attempted to remove it, blood spattering all over the cupboards! But the taste of the chicken when cooked was very distinctive, and so much better than those bought in a supermarket back in England.

It was in Barcelona that I first developed a taste for Seafood. I was never a fan, put off by the look of Prawns, Mussels and Scallops.  But on seeing the beautful colours and array of Seafood on display at La Boqueria I started to develop cravings for it.

I was always excited at seeing all these bizarre looking sea creatures, especially when you moved past a crab or lobster and it suddenly started to move!

Suddenly I found myself eating Paella, filled with Gambas, Languistines, Squid, Mussels - even Octopus that had been a definite no go area for me (they give me the creeps)
Next I found myself eating Moules Provencale with fresh Mussels purchased from La Boqueria.

Whilst there are plenty of Markets all over the World, La Boqueria will always be special to me. Each time I visit Barcelona, I find myself getting lost again in its hustle and bustle, admiring its wonderful variety of produce, the characters of the stall holders, and the amazing smells and colours that greet me.