Black Keys & Cupcakes

It's only Saturday and my weekend has already consisted of mosh pits, excessive sweating and a brief moment of tinnitus - as unappealing as it sounds, it's not the nightmare you'd expect. Yesterday evening, a friend of mine and myself headed up to Alexandra Palace where The Black Keys gig was taking place, little did we know that Band Of Skulls were supporting - which was a pleasant surprise as they have become a bit of a favourite recently. TBK played a good selection of their songs, including some tracks off their latest album 'El Camino' - which will not disappoint if you are already a big fan. 

Awesome cupcake we found in Whole Foods, Kensington. Seems such a shame to ruin this and actually eat it, never thought that would be said about something so tasty.

I spent today in Kensington visiting some of the usual culprits to blame for my inferior bank balance. I ended up buying two scarves from H&M, the first a lovely checked number with just the right amount of fabric to be able to wrap round my neck and still look like it has length and the second, a leopard print fur collar to replace my stone one which I lost on a night out. It doesn't have a fastening like the one before, but I think the pattern makes a nice change to the original ones most fashionistas have caught on to these days. The spending doesn't stop there (I know, I am admittedly saying I have a problem), I headed on over to Zara where I found this gorgeous lace 3/4 sleeve top - perfect match for the s/s12 trends.

Drive

This week I finally got round to watching 'Drive', a compelling action/thriller featuring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. The film is based around the mysterious Driver, who works as a mechanic and stuntman by day, and a getaway driver by night. He is introduced to his neighbour Irene and her son, Benecio - and complicated implications start to unravel as the two characters begin to fall for each other. Little does Gosling's character know that Irene's husband is soon to be released from prison, and he needs Driver's help to complete his last job. 


Apart from the gripping, unconventional storyline - the cinematography and soundtrack also support making this film an absolute success. Definitely worth a watch.

WARNING: Not for the faint hearted.

Pastel Picks

Once again, it's that time of year when we can put all our dark, autumnal shades to the back of our wardrobes - and bring out those candy coloured pastels we've all been waiting for. Fun and fresh, this trend is one that will definitely never become dull. Whether it's incorporating a small dash of colour to add some variation to your outfit, or going all out for a bold statement - keep it simple and you can't really go wrong.

Tim Walker

In one of my lectures the other day, we were asked to think of which photographers we admire. I've always been interested in photography, film especially, but have never known much about the people behind the camera. Of course there are names which a lot of people are familiar with; Mario Testino (I particularly like the book 'Kate Moss by Mario Testino'), David Baily and Annie Leibovitz - however, Tim Walker is one that has stolen my attention. Coming from Exeter myself, I was surprised when I discovered that this was the place in which he studied at one point - he has also shot on location at Chanter's House in Ottery St Mary, a quaint village also in Devon. I think I am drawn to Walker's images as each one tells a different story, yet they all seem to follow the same fairytale like theme. He likes to use animals and obscure props in the shots, and the focus is not always on the models which is a refreshing take. My next assignment involves creating and styling a shoot, I cannot say my final outcome will be as good as the man himself, but at least I have a large archive of his work to hopefully inspire my dormant brain cells.