Question Time

The lovely Brooke Amanda recently got in touch to pass on a couple of questions from what I think was another Liebster nomination. For all of you who have nominated me for the Liebster, thanks for the time and effort - if I do get time, I will try to post back and answer questions but I think it's only fair now I've had it that other upcoming blogs get their time in the limelight. Thanks Brooke, it's very sweet of you. Here are my answers:

1. What nail polish colour/brand is your fave?
I have to say Barry M is the counter I always return to - my last purchase was Cappuccino, a colour that looks a chic brown in some lights, and a light purple in others which I love.

2. Favourite song?
This is an impossible question for me! The songs I can't stop listening to right now are:

• Sacrilege by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Gold by Wake Owl
• Default by Django Django
• You Can't Be My Girl by Darwin Deez

3. Book you are currently reading?
Books! Sadly it's mainly books relating to my University course. The fun ones on the side aren't getting enough attention, and they are:

• Harry Potter à l'ecole des sorciers (Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone in French)
• Le Dossier (a book about why the French hate the English [might as well know thy soon-to-be neighbour], in English)

Read the rest after the jump!

Darwin Deez: You Can't Be My Girl

"I think I love you are horrible."

After Darwin Deez's new album, Songs for Imaginative People, landed in my lap a little while ago, I've been bopping around like a happy little puppet and now I think it's time for you to join me. And where better to start than You Can't Be My Girl. It's easy to see that if all the songs were lined up for a race, this would be the flat-out winner. You Can't Be My Girl is an insanely catchy song that will keep you bopping all through the night to the point where you'll wake up with it on the brain. This, coupled with another comical-genius video from the band shows why you should never take life too seriously, and why you too should get your hands on a copy of the album. You are an Imaginative Person after all, right?

Darwin Deez, in the words of Jack Black in School of Rock, thank you for "sticking it to the man".

Wake Owl: Gold

I'm not sure what took me so long to post about Wake Owl; I've had the band bookmarked for months. I'm not sure how I stumbled upon them, but I'm very glad I did. Like a band full of more convincing and sombre James Vincent McMorrows, I've now listened to Gold on loop for a good twenty minutes... if I ever do turn my half-finished novel into a fully-fledged hardback and then into an independent film, it really would be an honour to have this song as its theme song. For now though, if anyone could, uh, send a girl a tenner, I'd love to get their full album, Wild Country. Until then, here's to few more plays...

Noah & The Whale: There Will Come a Time

"And I've got to say... well done. Not many people have done what you guys have done y'know."

Noah & The Whale are back, and it looks live they've swapped their velvet suits for police uniforms as they reveal their new album and film. There Will Come a Time gives us a glimpse into the Orwellian "Teenland", a detention centre for all teens (not half as fun as the theme-park imagery I had in mind).

The single itself isn't half as catchy as L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N., the first single they released from Last Night on Earth, but as always it's going to be a case of locking myself in a room with the album once it's out before I can really make a judgement. What with a chameleon-type attitude, it seems that every album has its own style twist, with Heart of Nowhere being no exception.

For now though, it seems this new direction is a cross between Last Night on Earth and Arcade Fire's Scenes from the Suburbs. For me, I'm pretty sure the beautiful film accompaniment to The First Days of Spring will remain my favourite, but I'm still excited to see how this new film plays out! Looking forward to the full release!

21 Things Before 21

For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you'll know that this past weekend was my birthday weekend where I magically transformed from a teenager to an adult (this is of course, sarcasm, except I did get a full fringe!). Being 20 hasn't really felt that different (yet), so I've decided to shake things up a bit and set myself some adventures and challenges for over the course of the year. I'll keep you updated as to when I tick things off the list - here goes!

1. Sleep under the stars
Well, I've never slept outside without a tent before...
2. Get the next plane train to anywhere
Planes are a little out of my budget right now!
3. Buy a lottery ticket
I never have, and it could just be my lucky day
4. Graffiti
Watch out, I might be the next Banksy
5. Get my fortune told
I don't believe in fortune tellers, but it'd be fun
6. Live a month without TV
I'm pretty sure I'd get a lot more done
7. Knit something worthwhile
I'd love to become a prolific knitter (granny-ish, perhaps...)
8. Paint a picture and hang it
I've painted before, but never hung anything
9. Become a better chef
Moving to France = learning French cuisine
10. Karaoke
I'm so shy about my singing voice!
11. Send a message in a bottle
Someone might stumble across it someday
12. Take up meditation
I really think it'd be good stress relief
13. Give blood
Possibly the scariest challenge, but I would love to do it
14. Complete my novel
It's been ages! I apologise!
15. Eat a steak
Never ever had steak. Ever ever.
16. Stay in a five star hotel
Yes please!
17. Stay in a one star hotel
For the comparison!
18. Disappear from Facebook
Forever and ever. I hate Facebook.
19. Read LOTS
I ought to read more. In French and English.
20. Volunteer
Do something charitable
21. Commit random acts of kindness
We'll see how these come along over the year...

Westfield Merry Hill S/S13 Fashion Show!

So, I can now let the cat out of the bag - last night I was invited along to Westfield Merry Hill to see an exclusive S/S13 high-street fashion show! Apart from getting a little lost in the huge - and when I say huge, I mean H-U-G-E - shopping centre, the night was a great opportunity to see some of the upcoming trends (and from my point of view, what I shall be donning when I start working in Paris!).

I've got to admit, I'm still very much a girly-girl at heart (my wardrobe is at least 70% dresses) so it was the Blurred Splash Print Maxi Dress from Warehouse that really caught my attention, along with the bright floral outfit from Oasis. I've got a nice little pink blazer of my own which fits right in to the S/S trend, but it's the maxi that's now on my wish list - possibly a winner for the Uni Grad Ball this year.

Other trends included daring monochrome from New Look, sports couture at Internaçionale and that indie-kid look that a lot of people are rocking these days at Vero Moda and Jack Jones.

To go alongside the enormous Merry Hill shopping centre, there's a huge discount event going on this weekend (Friday 8th - Saturday 9th March) with up to 20% off over 30 stores - perfect for that last minute Mother's Day present or seasonal wardrobe revamp! For any shopaholic in the West Midlands, it's definitely worth a day trip (you'll need that long to get around all the shops!). To get your voucher booklet in advance, click here - I hope you have a good time if you go along!