Recent Book Purchases

Shopping for books at charity shops has become my new favourite activity. Most of these books were a pound or two at charity shops in Durham, Newcastle, London, or York.

Above:

• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – I understand the hype about this book, but I won’t class it as an all-time favourite. A very enjoyable read though, so I’d recommend it. (And I actually bought this from a Waterstone’s at a third off.)
• Fahrenheit 451 – I actually bought this online, after seeing it recommended by the Vlogbrothers on Youtube. I’m very glad I read it, and I’d recommend it, but it was a little odd.
• The Lovely Bones – Hmmm. Not to convinced about this one. Haven’t read it yet, but I only bought it because it’s been recommended and because it was super, super cheap.
• A Spot of Bother – Haven’t heard great things about this one, but it’s Mark Haddon, and it was very cheap. Haven’t read it either.
• Catch-22 – Haven’t read this yet, but I’ve always wanted to, and it was nice and cheap.
• Down Under – Some good old Bill Bryson. Haven’t read this yet, and I’m scared that this will make me want to go to Australia now. And since he was Durham University’s Chancellor up till a few months ago, I felt like I had to buy it. :)

Below:

• The Song of Achilles – I read this book in London. I bought it from Foyles, and oh my, it was amazing. Highly recommended. A touching love story, lots of battles, and there’s even a centaur! Awesome.
• Others: my Fawlty Towers script, the Gourmet Society directory, The Child in Time (borrowed from the library, haven’t read it yet), Divergent (read it, it was entertaining, but mehhhh).

 

The English Patient – I’ve been meaning to read this for ages, and finally found it in a little charity shop for a pound or two. I’m about a third of the way through.

 

Perfume – Oh. This book was such a pleasant discovery. I’ve been meaning to read it for ages, and I finally found it in a charity shop in Newcastle (I think). I recommend this book so highly, so highly. An amazing read. Grenouille, the main character, is so fascinating. I can barely string proper sentences together – I was just incredibly impressed. READ IT.

Music Mondays: I’m already missing the summer

 

A soothing song for your Mondays.

Sunday Photo Mishmash: a formal, candy floss, ScotlandScotlandScotland

I love this ridiculously fancy life as a postgrad at Durham University. That wine. (I was wearing a floor-length dress and my date had a bow tie and EVERYTHING.)

And look at this napkin. Oh my.

AND THE MENU.

Then we went to Castle for the postgraduate ball. Amazing. Unlimited candy floss. Aaaa.

Always impressive.

An evening at one of our favourite Durham haunts. Playing Dingbats, and I’m sipping on an elderflower mocktail. Delish.

A recent find at a charity shop. I fell in love and my boyfriend bought it for me. It is so awesome. A glass of wine? Just one!

This is possibly the best thing ever. A milkshake made with tonnes of ice cream and tonnes of Oreos. HEAVEN.

We went on a little trip to Scotland last week, and I had found an awesome deal on Living Social for a 2-night stay in a CASTLE (Shieldhill Castle Hotel near Biggar). The rooms were insanely amazing:

Then we stayed at an amazing B&B called Strathview near Dornoch in the Northern Highlands. Look at that breakfast spread:

We (obviously) visited the Glenmorangie distillery. It was actually my third time there. Insanity.

Some delicious Chinese food from a new place in Durham called Woksupp!

Having a pint in Durham:

Cider and photography in Yorkshire.

Crossing the border! I love Scotland.

The view from our room at the Strathview B&B. So awesome.

Lunch at our favourite place in Glencoe (the Clachaig Inn).

David (my boyfriend) recently made me fresh cheese scones (from scratch) for brunch. Amazing.

Hope you all have a great week. I’m in Dundee right now, and it’s crazy wonderful.

Things I Love Thursday

• Moving into our new place. It’s beautiful, I have a massive new room, and it’s amazing. I’m incredibly happy and I can’t wait to finish unpacking/positioning so I can take a tonne of photos and post them here so I can show you guys!
• Going to a ball at Durham Castle and going to a wonderful formal at Hild Bede College. So much fun and glamour.
• A Birthday Cake candle
• New stuff for our new place
• Sleeping in a double bed (my default sleeping position is diagonally, or STARFISH)
• Bidding farewell to a really lovely housemate at our old place
• My parents visiting Durham for 10 whole days
• A trip to Scotland with my boyfriend and my parents – some fantastic experiences
• Email conversations
• Did I mention that I love my new place?
• Snapping photos of pretty things
• FOOD OH SO MUCH FOOD
• Leaving our old house. And my tiny room. If anyone reading this is thinking about finding a place in Durham: stay away from Clubeasy. UGH.
• Suits (the TV show)
• Being driven around in a massive VW Passat mmm
• Really sweet people helping us move
• Not collapsing after two days of hardcore moving
• York (again!)
• Back-up plans for next year
• Living in the centre of Durham, oh yes
• Charity shop finds! I found a NEXT blazer in the perfect size + condition for £5! And the cutest colourful decorative mugs.
• Reading wonderful books (Perfume is highly, highly recommended.)
• A bra fitting at M&S and finally finding one that fits like a glove,  WOO! (TMI? Perhaps.)
• Awesome plans for the weekend

 

Music Mondays: Bible Belt

 

My friend Hillary had suggested on a sweet card all the way from Liverpool that I listen to this song. It’s lovely.

Moving Day!

We’re moving house today. It’s all very stressful, but I can’t wait to have everything sorted. Photos from the week and (hopefully!) photos from the new place will be up here later on next week. Excitement!

Things I Love Thursday

• A glorious week with Annelise, my best friend, who visited me in Durham
• Visiting York
• Visiting the Metrocentre (twice!)
• Buying onesies and having a onesie party
• Surviving rain and cold and awful weather
• So much delicious food
• The tennis
• A walk in the countryside (and meeting a horse!)
• Opportunities
• Books, so many books
• Charity shops
• Happy pictures
• A house party with amazing food and lovely people
• Suits
• Cider, Pimms, etc
• Anchor diagonally (private joke)
• Durham Cathedral and Castle
• Evensong at the Cathedral
• Hugs

Things I Loved About London

• The amazing hospitality of our wonderful host (a luscious, super-comfy bed! Twinkly lights! CRUMPETS.)
• Pancakes and maple syrup
• Quavers crisps
• Snuggling
• The first glimpses of London
• The Big Ben clock tower – ALWAYS
• So much Indian food – from Leytonstone and from Brick Lane (so so so good)
• Pretty market stalls
• Hearty Vietnamese pho soup
• The National Portrait Gallery – love, always
• Meeting so many Maltese people in London
• Cake
• A Hummingbird bakery cupcake
• Free drinks
• Cosy pubs
• New dresses
• Les Mis!
• Successful research trips to the British Library and the National Archives (Kew is so pretty too)
• A jumbo hot dog on a hot day in Embankment gardens
• Actual nice weather (bare legs and everything! What the hell? :D)
• Visiting a blues bar in Camden
• Free wi-fi
• Turkish sweets
• Borough market!
• Renting Boris bikes and SURVIVING
• So much history and so many museums
• Love, love, love
• Frozen yoghurt
• Carnaby street (particularly Monki)
• Liberty – wow
• Spitalfields market <3
• The Imperial War Museum – possibly my most favourite museum ever – we spent absolutely hours there and it was divine (there may have been some tears as I watched a film about genocide there…)
• The Tate Modern and its hugeness and its silly art (I love some pieces of Modern art but on the whole I’m not its biggest fan)
• The V&A! Particularly the chairs dotted about the place (photos soon)
• Denmark Street
• Stratford! Olympics fever! Westfield!
• Visiting a Forever21 for the first time ever (even though I didn’t buy anything)
• Camden Town
• St Martin’s-in-the-fields – such hauntingly delicious music
• A random friend’s exhibition in Hoxton
• BOOKS
• Seeing a random just-married couple getting photos taken in front of the Globe
• Meeting a tattoo artist from New Zealand
• The Euro 2012 final at a pub with lots of loud people
• Charity shops
• The British Museum
• SO MANY THINGS

London was rather fantastic, as you might have gathered. I hope I’ve also given you some ideas about what to do in London if you’re planning a visit, and I’m hoping to compile a proper post about my super special top tips for a wonderful time in London soon.

(The photo was taken in Muriel’s Kitchen in South Kensington.)

Music Mondays: Daniel Radcliffe

 

In honour of my best friend who is currently staying with me in Durham. She’s quite a fan of Daniel Radcliffe, and she had sent me this song a few weeks ago. I had actually seen Slow Club at the Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road Stopover in Huddersfield in May, and they were pretty wonderful. Enjoy.

Sunday Photo Mishmash: frozen yoghurt, my best friend visits, London London London, museums, and choosing books

As you might have seen in my happy London post, I was in London last week and at the beginning of this week. We had an absolutely fantastic time, although I’m quite convinced that I don’t think I can live in London, or at least I wouldn’t be able to live in London for a prolonged period of time (over 6 months, for example). It is one stressful city. I love that there’s always something going on everywhere, but it’s all a bit too much for me. Give me cosy little Durham any day. The good thing is that London is a mere 3 hours away by train, and we found ridiculously cheap tickets (£21 return!) which made the visit all so sweet. And David’s lovely second cousin hosted us at her place in Zone 3, which meant free accommodation in London (a.k.a. a Godsend). Marvellous!

Above, you can see me at a Matalan trying on a dress or two (I finally bought the purple one – for £9!).

Below, looking at postcards in the Imperial War Museum shop. (Oh, how I love that museum.)

Probably the best Indian meal ever. That peshwari naan was divine, and even though my lamb pasanda looks grey in the photo, it was so delicious, I kept stuffing myself even when I was utterly full.

Trying to decide on a book to read on the tube at Foyles. I finally chose The Song of Achilles, which was absolutely fantastic. Heart wrenching. The other books must be purchased and read in the near future.

At the Tate Modern.

More divine Indian food (at the same restaurant as the one above – it was called The Star of India in Leytonstone). So much coconutty goodness.

Frozen yoghurt in Soho.

My best friend Annie is visiting Durham this week, and we’re having a blast. Here we were at the Metrocentre after a respectable evening of shopping. That corn was rather amazing.

We’re all about the food. Here we were at a Slug and Lettuce in Durham, feasting on a platter called Fisherman’s Feast. Yum.

Have a happy week! =)

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