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Wednesday 22 February 2012

Reality Check 18th Century Style

While researching for a comic I'm making for the street magazine Megafon, I came across some rather beautiful quotes from Samuel Johnson, which I for one would do good to contemplate every once in a while. Thought I'd just share some of them today. Enjoy!

 Samuel Johnson, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, c. 1772
Picture from here

"The fountain of content must spring up in the mind; and ... he, who has so little knowledge of human nature, as to seek happiness by changing any thing, but his own dispositions, will waste his life in fruitless efforts, and multiply the griefs which he purposes to remove."

"Every man may grow rich by contracting his wishes, and by quiet acquiescence in what has been given him, supply the absence of more."

"The pleasure of expecting enjoyment is often greater than that of obtaining it."

"We see every day the unexpected death of our friends and our enemies, we see new graves hourly opened for men older and younger than our selves, for the cautious and the careless, the dissolute and the temperate, for men who like us were providing to enjoy or improve hours now irreversibly cut off: we see all this, and yet, instead of living, let year glide after year in preparations to live."

Monday 13 February 2012

Treasures From London

 I went to London. I shopped.

We all know my husband is the most knowlegable and sensible person on the planet, and now it turns out he is the most amazing and generous one as well. Last Tuesday, for my birthday, he produced plane tickets to London, and on Thursday I was whisked away for a long weekend of shopping, friends and fun! I stayed with my friend Anna, and we met up with our friend Ellie for wine and catch-up. I was worried I'd shopped too much and would have to pay overweight when going home, but as it turned out I could in fact have bought 5 kilos more of stuff, so I'll just have to go back soon to make up for that. Anyhow, here are my little treasures! (And no, I didn't buy any clothes)

Nice stuff from the Benefit shop in Shoreditch.

Nappy from Beauty and the Bib, Greenwich Village.

Yeah, I know they're Tesco ones, but they're still delicious. (Because you don't go to London without buying your favourite biscuits in the whole wide world no matter what your New Year's resolution is)

This was my birthday present from my friend Ellie! Napkins, tissues, fairy cake cases and lovely party bunting!

1st present for husband: Cock o' the Walk, a "very malty beer" according to the stall keeper in Borough Market.

A lovely notebook from Paperchase on Tottenham Court Road.

Great coffee (whole beans) from Monmouth Coffee Company at Borough Market.

Cute espresso cups from an equally cute little shop on Colombia Road, Shoreditch.

"Keep calm and carry on"-pisstake mug from Nauticalia in Greenwich Village.

My friend Anna has a pitch at a Hackney market, and was given these tote bags to give to her customers. I got one too!

Lovely calendar for 2012.

Little Moomin books from the gallery shop at Tate Modern.

Another note book from Paperchase, perfect for writing down all my recipes.

Perry pear cider, 2nd present for hubby.

Cute little purse for my pounds from Accessorize at Gatwick airport.

Postcards galore! Some are from the gallery shop at Tate Modern, the rest are from Paperchase.

More postcards - the "sew it yourself" one is made by Anna's brother Martin.

Cool bibs for my son! From Beauty and the Bib.

A lunch box and flask for kindergarten! My son will be the coolest kid in town with these, bought at Beauty and the Bib and Urban Outfitters.

Delicious tea from Harrod's at Gatwick airport.

Beautiful mobile from the same shop I got the espresso cups.


Now I just need to buy a heap of frames from IKEA so those lovely postcards can go on the wall! Thank you, hubby, for my amazing 30th birthday present!

Tuesday 7 February 2012

Go Shawty, It's My Birthday!

Hooray for me! Now I can finally say I'm a woman in her 30s, married to a twenty-something man. I've been looking forward to that!

30! Dang, I'd better start behaving.