Graduating, tanning and dreaming...

So here I am, 26 years old and finally a graduate. Never one to win a race, predictably I did it 5 years later then my parents wanted. And predictably the weather was a heatwave, the Graduation Hall had no air-con, and I was sliding around inside my gown. Which was about 3 sizes too long and permanently falling off my shoulders. Cue me asking any random I could to "pin me in". But the sun was shining, the parents were happy(ish), and I even got my own shout-out due to my course no longer even being a degree (yes Leeds realised it was a hopeless course mmm about mid-way through me being on it). Nothing like good money wasted! I also got asked by several students 'what the job market looked like'. Whilst it made me feel rather self-important, I also felt I was looking the closer age of 30 and settled this unease with a few Peach Bellini's in the Union afterwards. De-light-ful #newfavouritedrink (yes i hash-tagged!). And whilst my mum got drunk and threw scathing remarks at my divorced father over the Union table I still couldn't help but think all in all it had been rather a successful day.

Back to London and a few days later I went for a highly anticipated high-tea at The Savoy with my godmother. And I have two words for you. STALE SANDWICHES. I may be from the North, but a high-class hotel can't fool me, I know if my breads been out in the sun a bit too long. And my finely cut sarnies were slightly tough around the edges. But the cakes were tasty, and no eyebrows were raised when I substituted my choice of tea for a coca-cola. But still, should have gone The Ritz...

The weather in London is currently amazing, and this long long heatwave makes me feel great about the fact that I can't afford to go on holiday this year. Being a freelancer I'm working on a rewarding project at the moment called tanning. Its currently looking good.

Apart from graduating, eating stale-ish sandwiches at The Savoy and re-hydrating this heatwave with Pimm's, I've been having some wholly sunny thoughts about the future. Sunny thoughts which involve moving to LA in January and working there for a few months. Just to ward off the cold winter blues in London, and to split up Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes (joke!) (well...kinda). I've always wanted to be one of these people who work in LA for a few months of the year, and then London the rest so I've decided I'm just going to do it! Flight is getting booked the minute my bank account starts to resemble the plus side.

Hope everyone in the UK is enjoying this glorious weather!

Emily x

old places and faces...

So the month of May has gone past and I have neglected the blog. Again. I honestly cannot believe how fast time has flown, days turn to weeks which turn to months far too quickly!

This time last year I was out in Peru up a Mountain suffering from altitude sickness, having just finished my final year at University. 

 

Now I'm living in Melbourne with friends, and working my first proper job at Neighbours. The last year has been monumental and life changing. Life is what you make of it and that is what I am doing. Whether I stay or leave Australia in July is a decision that is wholly out of my hands, and I am at piece with the idea that if I don't stay in Oz fate only intends better things for me than I could get out of being here.

I took a walk down memory lane last weekend, going to visit one of my best friends Jenna at her hometown of Toowoomba. Jenna is a gorgeous soul, who lives her life with the mantra 'there is no such thing as luck, only preparation meeting opportunity'. And Jenna appears to be one of the luckiest people you could meet. I met Jenna when I studied in Brisbane for the year.

She picked me up at Brisbane airport and on the drive to her house we passed the bus route that I used to take back from Uni to my house. I love Brisbane SO much. Its a different vibe to Melbourne, a lot more relaxed, tropical and carefree.

Toowoomba is a small town about an hour out of Brisbane. I ate and shopped my way around the town. The best beef chilli pizza is there, as well as the most insane opshops. I bought a furcoat for 30 dollars and several other items which I do not need but I could not resist! All in all a lovely weekend, thank you to the Holmes for your hospitality!!

Emily x

Christmas is coming...

REINDEER CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs

4 spoons of cocoa powder
1 ½ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup (185mL) milk

Put remaining Jaffa's in mixture 

ICING 

50g butter
 2 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1pkt Jaffas for nose

  Smarties for eyes

Chocolate as eye dot
1 pkt pretzels

HOW TO…
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place cupcake papers in tray. Cream butter and sugar together before adding all the other ingredients.
2. Fill cupcake papers ¾ full. Bake cupcakes for 15-25 minutes and small cupcakes (until a skewer inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean).
3. Allow to cool before icing
4. Cream butter until pale and smooth. Add the milk and half the sifted icing sugar. Beat until well combined. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. The mixture should be a spreadable paste; if it is too dry add some more milk, if too wet add more icing sugar.
5. Decorate
6. EAT AND ENJOY!!!

The sunshine and hot weather makes it easy to forget that its actually the run-up to Christmas. So nothing like a bit of baking to get you in the Christmassy spirit!
 
Slaved away over these last night...don't want to blow my own trumpet, but they are bladdy delicious! Feeling rather sick this morning however as half of the batter didn't make it into the oven, somehow ending up in my stomach instead!

Hope everyone is starting to feel festive! 

Emily x