ER'DAY I'M SHARKIN'

I made these shark cakes not because it's Shark Week (according to the oracle of Twitter) but because my friend Jerry celebrated her quarter of a century yesterday with a Virgin Suicides themed picnic and requested (hinted heavily for) them. Despite the heavy retching I did over the heated-up icing (HATE THE STUFF) I was very proud of them and showing them off like a child who's just managed to write their name. I'm not normally so hot at receiving praise but I lapped it up for these. WORD.

Another flabulous recipe taken from Hello Cupcake!

AWAKENINGS

I remember being made to watch this film during a Drama lesson in Year 10. At first we laughed at the funny frozen people suddenly lurching to catch tennis balls but before long most of us had tears silently rolling down our cheeks. As usual with any film shown in school, I don't believe we got to see the end. I don't remember it anyway, so I decided to watch it again today on my day of ignoring the sun outside and staying in my cave.

I'd forgotten just how amazing Robert De Niro is in his role of Leonard, the patient brought back from 30 years of 'sleepy sickness'. He's right up there with Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Arnie in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Robin Williams is also great as ever at playing a lonely middle-aged man. GOD THIS FILM MAKES ME WEEP.

In other news, I also spent the film thinking how much the nurse Eleanor (below) sounds like Marge Simpson. Well, after a quick Google, turns out Julie Kavner who plays her is indeed the voice of Marge. Husky.

BABYCAKES, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW, KNOW

My dear friends Jerry and Carys presented me with the most amazing cupcake book EVER as part of my 25th birthday present a few weeks ago. In the South of France. (I didn't need to mention that bit but WE WERE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. It was great. Thanks for asking. My first birthday abroad.) So when I discovered it was our online editor's last day before leaving to pop out a sprog I jumped at the chance to make the baby cupcakes:

 

Jerry's already requested the shark cupcakes for her birthday which incidentally she's celebrating over the weekend, hence why I'm getting my bake on in the kitchen on a Friday night for her. THASWAHFRIENDSDOMUVVAFUCKA.

WASTED ON THE YOUNG

Got sent a Wasted on the Young check disc last week and sat down to watch it not expecting the violence and suspense I was presented with. Being based around a high school and involving horrific acts teenagers shouldn't be capable of, it draws obvious (and lazy) comparisons to Brick and Elephant. But there are some beautiful swimming sequences to give welcome relief from the nasty stuff. GOD I'M SUCH A GIRL. I loved the premise of this film but I hate violence. So so much. Watching someone's face get smashed in isn't my idea of fun and I'm usually affected by it for a good 24 hours (if I seem a bit out of it even after a coffee then chances are I watched a scary film the night before.)

In happier news, I developed a new girl crush on Adelaide Clemens. Her cutesy and innocent portrayal of victim Xandrie made the events of the film even more tragic.

But basically, the moral of this story is - school really sucks sometimes. Well...a lot in this case.

COCO CHATMOISELLE

Whilst flicking through the August issue of Elle, the Chanel AW11 campaign starring Freja Beha Erichsen caught my eye. Me likey. (Obvs. It contains animals. Kinda.)

via Fashion Gone Rogue

MICE TO MEET YOU

My friend has a pretty cool family - her family home is the stuff of kitsch dreams and her little tween sister has better effortless style than most Shoreditch try hards. So I wasn't too surprised when I heard her mum had taken up taxidermy as a hobby. (The vegetarian me was very happy to hear that her mum didn't bash them over the heads to stuff them, she simply purchased them from Pets at Home's gourmet snake food section.)

Meet her creations:

NEW LOOK

No, not the questionable high street store with random gems of shoes (that fall apart in 2 weeks) but the cute as a button husband/wifey band from NYC/Canada (maybe they're unsure...).

Taken from their blog

Her voice is insanely beautiful live as I discovered last night at the Shacklewell Arms down Prostitutes Valley (so a taxi driver once told me) in Dalston. These guys were so good live and sound so much better than on record. Really lovely stuff. Their album's out in Autumn and I cannae wait.

Incidentally, they're playing at the Old Blue tonight. Go.

I'VE GOT A (BLUE) CRUSH (2) ON YOU

I love cheesy happy beachy films as like many people lucky enough to embark on a gap yah (or 2) I believe I truly belong in a beach community, surfing with friendly sharks and pretending that vegetarians can survive living at one with nature. (Mmm, leaves.) Having a penchant for cringey surf films is pretty handy when you work at a teen mag and get sent preview discs of BLUE BLOODY CRUSH 2. Or Blue Crush 2 as it's more commonly known. Why it went straight to DVD, I'll never know...

This song's in it and it's ruddy brilliant. The sort of song you hear in your head when you realise you're on the other side of the world sharing a euphoric moment with people you've only just met but who you feel like you've known forever. TOTES CRINGE. (Totes amaze.)



Blue Crush 2 is out on DVD on the 18th July. Someone buy it? Anyone?