Its Actually Cerulean

"This... 'stuff''? Oh, OK. I see. You think this has nothing to do with you. You go to your closet and you select, I don't know... that lumpy blue sweater, for instance. Because you're trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue. It's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean. And, you're also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent wasn't it who showed cerulean military jackets? I think we need a jacket here... And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it, oh, filtered down through the department stores and then trickled on down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs and it's sort of comical how you think that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you're wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of 'stuff' "

 

I've watched 'The Devil Wears Prada' far too many times to know the above lines too well. It seemed only right that when I wore this lovely cerulean Philip Lim 3.1 skirt ( picked in the Outnet Sale ), I had to play back Miranda Priestly's famous words. I've teamed the skirt with my *favourite* Margiela for H&M Candy Clutch, a re-edition from Margiela's SS10 collection except £600ish cheaper! You can still find some on eBay but for slightly more than the £35 that I paid.  Also featured here is a Me & Zena pencil necklace that I recently picked up from London Fashion Weekend for a bargain. I love little geeky touches.  What do you make of the outfit? Would you wear cerulean?  Ann x

 

   

Seen here: Top from Zara, the skirt is Philip Lim 3.13 from The Outnet, necklace by Me & Zena, brogues by Hush Puppies, H&M for Margiela clutch 

Photography by Edward Chandler

London Fashion Week AW13: Edeline Lee

I'd be lying if I said I knew anything about Edeline Lee before LFW. Nevertheless, I happened to get an invite to her AW13 presentation on the last day of Fashion Week. Day 5 also happened to be the day I got the maximum invites so I'm pleased that despite thinking about it, I did not give her show a miss. The location of the presentation was intriguing and historic Middle Temple Hall which brought to mind secret rituals and masonic elements. The collection seemed inspired in parts by Egyptian mythology, Adam & Eve and the Art Deco era. The prevailing ambience was one of mysteriousness. 

The presentation took place at 10 minute intervals. As we walked in, the models were dancing to what I now understand were 16th century Tudor dance steps. The fact is, I only knew this from scouring show reports whilst attempting to make full sense of the presentation. After that, the girls they seemed to partake in some kind of old-school cultish ritual but lining up to bow before the main character who wore a blouse with the Eye of Horus printed on it. It was at once both baffling and interesting.

I will now stop my feeble attempts to deciper to mind of Edeline Lee and her choreographer and let you enjoy the photos ( all mine) instead. Ann x

Keralite Easter Recipe: Kozhukotta ( Steamed Rice Dumplings with Coconut)

It's nearly Easter and the chocolate industry in the western world is maximising its profits via Easter eggs. When I was little ( and living in India), my memory of Easter eggs were rather different. I never indulged in painting eggshells or stuffing my face with chocolate creme eggs. Instead, I remember gobbling as much kozhukotta as I could soon after Easter mass. Kozhukotta is a steamed rice dumpling with a sweet coconut and jaggery centre. They are shaped like little eggs and are an integral part of Easter festivities in the Malayali Syrian Christian household. My translation of 'kozhikotta' as I called it was chick (kozhi) basket (kotta). The correct translation I believe is 'big rock' , possibly old Malayalam, signifying the tribulations of Christ. Fact is, variations of this recipes are part of the cuisine of various communities in India. A popular version is modak, synonymous with Vinayak Chathurthi festivities. Anyway, here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
250g rice flour, you could buy a shop mix or make it from scratch.
150g fresh grated coconut ( shop bought dessicated coconut may also work)

150g jaggery ( unrefined sugar, molasses)

2 pods of cardamom
375 ml water

 

Method:

Melt jaggery with about 25ml water and add the grated coconut and cardamom. Heat for 10mins and set aside to cool.

Roast the rice flour for about 5 mins to enhance flavour. Add approximately 350 ml water to the rice flour to form a dough like consistency. Make small egg sized balls with the rice flour mixture.
Make a  hole in the centre of each ball and fill with a small quantity of the coconut mixture and seal it. Steam the rice balls for about 15-20 mins and they are ready to serve.

I hope you have fun making kozhukotta and let me know how you get on. Ann x

London Fashion Week AW13: Haizhen Wang

 

Haizhen Wang's was the last show of LFW AW13. Considering it was my first LFW season, I'd done pretty well with shows to the point where the much anticipated Emilio De Morena show failed to move me. It is amazing how quickly one can get blasé about these things. The long queueing in the cold and dark for Haizhen Wang ( it was a 6pm show that got delayed) was starting to get to me. However, as soon as the show began, I was completely won over by his fantastic collection.

Haizhen Wang was a newcomer to the main scene at LFW. He won Fashion Fringe last year and there was much excitement over his debut collection. That excitement was well justified. The designs were futuristic, well tailored and like a cross between Margiela, Balenciaga and Acne. I was completely wowed by both the show and the collection. Despite starting to feel slightly jaded by Day 5, the creative genius that was displayed at the final show enthused me all over again.

Do you like the collection as much as I do? Ann x 

P.S. All photos via Vogue Online

Easy Avocado Ice cream Recipe

A couple of weeks ago I tweeted my desire to make avocado ice-cream with edible flowers. I finally got to make it this week and the result was absolutely divine, even if I say so myself. Here is how I made it.

Ingredients:
4 avocados
300ml whole milk
150g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
Juice of 1 lime or 4 tbsp bottled lime juice

Method:

Chop the avocados and blend them into a fine paste, adding 150 ml milk. In a saucepan add the sugar, lime juice and vanilla pod and bring to a boil. Cool the mixture and remove the vanilla pod. Add the sugar mixture to the avocado puree in a large bowl. Now Add the remaining milk. Freeze the mix in an airtight box. Whisk with a blender or fork every few hours to ensure a smooth consistency and to reduce crystallisation. The ice cream is ready to eat as soon as it is frozen. It takes less than 30 mins to prepare and a few hours to set. Alternatively, use an ice-cream maker for more instantaneous results.

Note: Before you freeze the mixture, taste to see if you are happy with the flavour. Adding some extra lime juice/ sugar mixture increases the depth of flavour and you may choose to do so.

Whilst my original idea was to add chocolate or edible flowers, the ice-cream is best served without anything else.

Let me know how you get on making the ice cream. Ann x

Are you Fruity or Chirpy?

The weather has been playing silly buggers for too long and I am getting fed up with it. To help keep my mood upbeat, I've been on the lookout for things that make me smile. If they make others smile, all the better.

One such great discovery was Pancoco on Etsy.  The shop has the most delightful items on sale but my favourite is this watermelon scarf. Its warm, well made and so very cute! The shop also sells pencil scarves which I'm eyeing up for next time.

If you are not the fruity types but feeling chirpy, check out Aussie designer Madeline St. Clair. She recently launched her her debut jewellery collection for SS13 which has been inspired by the Art Deco era. However, my favourites from her collection are these quirky parrot earrings. So smile-worthy! Her handbags and jewellery collection are available on her website www.madelinestclair.com.

What are you wearing to make you smile today? Ann x

P.S. I have not been compensated for writing this nor received any discounts towards the items in mention.

Let's Brooch the Subject

 Did you know that brooches date back to the bronze age? Nothing sharpens a dull piece of clothing like a quirky brooch or two. The little wonders also work miracles on most pieces of clothing that need a cheer-up. I've been tidying up my jewellery box and have fallen in love again with some of my little funky friends. I thought it was only right that I channel that love into a post on the subject.

There is no limit the style potential of brooches. You can use them in lieu of buttons, wear them on the tip of your shirt collars, use them as scarf pins and pin them on coats and tops. And, why wear one brooch when you wear five at the same time? I love using my brooches to spruce up tired coats or relatively dull outfits




I find that charity and vintage stores are often the best places to find unique brooches. One of my favourites is this black cab brooch from a Sue Ryder shop. You can also find lots of brooches on sale on eBay at great bargains. Les Nereides make some of the most beautiful brooches I've come across in the long while. They are not cheap but if you keep an eye out on sites like Brandalley and Secret Sales, you could find some real bargains. Etsy is another great place to find unique handmade brooches.

How do you like to wear your brooch? Ann x

Amma's Kitchen: Varutha Meen (Keralite Fried Fish)

Ed was winding me up non-stop the other day. Rather than ranting and raving at him, I finally and calmly asked him how he was going to make up for his behaviour. He said: 'I'll buy you fish!'. Although he got berated for being tight northerner etc, he knew exactly what I needed. A nice piece of fish makes me very happy. Whilst back home, my mum's way of showering love was to fry me lots of fish, keralite style. I've never quite been able to recreate her style of fried fish, partly due to lack of availability of the right fish and partly because of how fish is filleted here. My mum ( a.k.a. Amma) has very kindly shared her recipe here as part of a new twist to the food section, Amma's Kitchen.  In case you were wondering, varutha meen is Malayalam for fried fish. Here is how Amma makes it.

Ingredients:
6 pieces of fish (I'd use mackerel or pomfret although I'm sure it works with most fish)
2 tsp chilli powder
Salt, to taste
1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 lemon
1 onion
2 cups semolina for dipping the fish
1 cup oil for frying



Method:

Sprinkle the fish with the juice of half a lemon, add salt, chilli, ginger and garlic  and set aside to marinate. After about 30 mins of marinating, roll the fish in semolina and deep fry until nicely browned on both sides. The trick is to make sure the fish is nicely fried without getting overcooked and disintegrating. Serve with lemon and onion slices. 

I'm yet to perfect Amma's varutha meen but I'll keep practising. Let me know how you get on with this recipe. Ann x

DIY Flower Embellished Sunglasses

I'd been lusting after statement sunglasses of late, partly due to inspiration from the catwalk. I trawled through sites like Asos and Etsy and found some fabulous shades out there. However, it also inspired me to investigate a little DIY project. I found an eBay shop that sold resin flower cabochons which were perfect for what I was planning. The H&M sale yielded a couple of great pair of  shades. All I needed was some superglue and a toothpick and I was all set to create a lovely pair of floral shades .

To make a pair yourself, you will need the following:
A pair of sunglasses ( an old pair or a sale find should work well)
A small tube of superglue
A toothpick for positioning the flowers
An assorted set of resin flower cabochons

To embellish your shades, plan how you would like to style it and lay it out accordingly for gluing. Apply a small amount of glue to the base of the flowers and stick them on the sunglasses. It will take a minute for the glue to set properly. Once you've glued all the flowers and let it set for about ten minutes, you are good to go.  So easy!

Let me know how you get on with your DIY project. Ann x

LFW AW13 Fashion Scout: Krystof Strozyna & Ekaterina Kuhkareva

I know it's three weeks since London Fashion Week and I have been slack in writing about all the shows I've attended.  An unexpected surprise of the LFW saga was the invite to some Fashion Scout shows. I knew very little about the designers whose shows I was invited to but that just made the experience more interesting. I'm going to play lazy and rather than writing reams about the show, I will share my favourite looks from Krystof Strozyna  and Ekaterina Kuhkareva. All photos via Vogue online as mine were just not good enough.

One way to my heart is definitely through my tummy. The Krystof Strozyna show got off to a good start with servings of delicious frozen yogurt and champagne. The collection itself contained a mixture of streamlined greys and teals and minimalist shapes. Whilst interesting, it was not colourful or quirky to make me want to run to shops and buy it all. 

The Ekaterina Kuhkareva show on the other hand was a different affair. Whilst the I didn't quite 'get' the show notes about idle housewives dreaming of more exciting times, I did like the collection. It was full of colouful knits and sheath maxi dresses. I also loved the rollers inspired glittery headgear and the fab doorknocker earrings. Shame there was no frozen yogurt or champagne!

Hope you are having a lovely weekend. Ann x

Quirky 80's Fashion and Comic Relief

I am ashamed to state that this post is born out my failing to adhere to the Tenth Commandment. My fashion sense is very 'individual' but on rare occasions, I covet what others have. In this case, some of the cool girls of blogosphere have been sporting the Vivetta Primrose top and it set me on a desperate pursuit to find it, and for cheaper than retail price. After a few months of looking around, I found it via the Italian boutique store Cafe Moda Rinaldi and at nearly 70% off. I'd seen it styled in a few different ways but I chose to go the eighties route and wear it with an old black jumpsuit from ASOS. I'm not convinced the jumpsuit really works for my petite pear frame, but I wear it nevertheless!

 

In case my non-UK readers were wondering what has happened to my nose, I chose to combine this outfit post with a note about Red Nose Day. It is part of  the charity Comic Relief's fund raising campaign to create a world free of poverty. The funds raised through Red Nose Day are used in the UK to provide shelter to young people living on the streets and protection to those living with domestic abuse. In Africa, it helps save thousands from malaria and provides whole communities with fresh water and life-saving vaccines.

I know the fashion world may seem a bit shallow but many of the top designers like Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Lulu Guinness etc. help contribute to Red Nose Day by creating unique fashion items, with part of the proceeds going towards raising funds for the charity. This year, I bought the fabulous Lulu Guinness Dolls Face Tote from Sainsburys as my little part of supporting the appeal. I also bought a couple of these as pressies as I think they are fabulous!

What have you lovely people been up to for Red Nose Day? Ann x

 

Wearing: Vivetta Primrose Shirt; ASOS Jumpsuit; Mulberry Alexa Satchel; M&S Faux Snakeskin Heels; Lulu Guiness Tote for Red Nose Day from Sainsbury's

Things to do in Kerala: Insider's Tips: Part 1

It is rather ironic that I'm writing a travel post on Kerala. I'm a 'mallu', a.k.a. Keralite. (Not Keralan; I hate it when people don't use the right term. It's like someone referring to an English person as Englandan). And I never thought of Kerala as a travel destination.  Anyway, distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that bollox. I now live in cold, wet and grey England and I miss Kerala. I miss it's constant sunshine, warm and furious monsoon rains, paddy fields, food etc. There are things I don't miss but they don't matter if you don't stay in the place long enough. I've never lived in Kerala very long but we visited every few months when I was younger. And, I never truly appreciated the place. Visiting Kerala was like a chore, sometimes even a necessary evil. Not anymore though. Living in England has taught me many things including the ability to appreciate what I left behind. Now, Ed and I have always try to get a visit in, every time we've fly to India. It has also meant I've provided Ed with a slightly non-touristy view of the place. With the blog and all, its fair I share my thoughts with you too.


Stay: Kerala has numerous posh hotels to choose from but for the authentic Keralite hospitality experience, you've got to stay in a homestay. We've used Mahindra Homestays a couple of times and have been very pleased with them. The site provides detailed information, reviews and photos to give you a sense of what you could be in for. It won't be a five star experience and you are unlikely to have a champagne and bubble bath opportunity. But, it is an interesting eye-opener to the little nuances of Keralite/Indian living. Welcome to the world of bucket baths!

Keralite Breakfast: I believe that Kerala serves up the best breakfast, ever. It isn't remotely like a milk & cereals or a fat fry-up or even the much loved continental posh nosh. Breakfast in Kerala is a proper meal, relatively labourious to make, delicately flavoured, nutritious and very satisfying. My favourite is iddiappam (aromatic rice noodles) with fresh coconut milk. I also love puttu and kadla ( see pic below), appam (a pancake of sorts) and stew, parotta et.al. Most local homestays serve Keralite breakfasts. If not, they are inexpensive to buy at local restaurants. Keep an eye out on my blog for recipes from my mum.







Fish: Keralite food isn't particularly spicy; the focus is on flavour instead. My favourite food whilst is Kerala is a good meen (fish) curry or varutha meen ( fried fish). Although river fish are just as popular, I'd recommend indulging in some good quality sea fish like pomfret or mackerel. I could live on fried pomfret. Again, watch this space for recipes.

Getting around: There are plenty of ways of travelling to Kerala. It is well connected by rail, road and air. Emirates fly direct from the UK to Cochin (Kozhikode) and Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram). Alternatively, most Indian airlines fly from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai to Cochin and Trivandrum. Travelling around Kerala is inexpensive by train. You could also use a good bus company (Volvo buses come to mind) to travel to hill stations like Munnar. I have family all over the place and we sometimes hire a car with driver for a day or two. It costs around Rs.1000 for a day or 80 kilometres. However, if you do choose to travel via road, always be prepared for a potential fuel strike. Keeping a jerry can with some fuel may be a good idea as we once go caught out  by running out of fuel during a strike. Particularly stressful if you have a flight to catch.

Have you liked my little tips so far? I'll share more on places to visit, cultural experiences and activities in part two. Ann x