Music for your "soul"

Every once in a while I come across a song that feels like it was written in tune with the foundations of my being. I don't know what it is, but the music reaches somewhere deep inside my subconscious and rides along in perfect harmony with my brain waves. I know there must be a great deal of research and theory on this kind of thing, but saving that discussion of another time, I'm just going to post a couple of songs that have struck a special chord with me.

So one of my favourite websites, Love the Garden, are running a competition to promote growing your own fruit and vegetables. The competition entails submitting a recipe featuring their chosen vegetable, cabbage, and the winner is chosen by popular vote. Luckily, a good friend of mine gave me this Spanish recipe recently that's absolutely amazing and just so happens to have cabbage in it :) So without further adieu, here is the recipe for Caldo Gallego Soup:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of stelline pasta
• 4 oz prosciutto thickly sliced
• 4 oz fully cooked/cured Spanish chorizo sausage, thickly sliced
• 9 oz can of white beans, drained and washed with water in a colander
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium boiling potatoes quartered
• 1/2 lb green cabbage thickly chopped
• Salt to taste 

Method 

• Cut the prosciutto, chorizo, potatoes and other vegetables as directed.
• Cook pasta separately to al dente.
• In a deep steel pot, add the potatoes and a dash of salt. Cover with cold water.
• On a high heat, bring the water to a boil then reduce to medium-low heat. Skim off any foam that forms. Allow to cook for 15 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with water. Bring to a boil at high heat and then reduce to medium-low heat again.
• Cook for approximately 10 minutes testing that the potatoes are tender but firm and the rest of the vegetables are tender. Continue to skim off any foam that forms.
• Let simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes at low heat for a more intense flavor.
• Add pasta to soup at the end.
• Serve and eat!

So there you have it! That's the recipe. Now if you like it go and vote here: Vegetable Garden Competition

Thanks!

One of the best things about winter...

Is hot chocolate! Given the funds I could easily drink a small country out of it's entire supply during the course of one winter. To me, the best hot chocolate tastes of milk chocolate and is topped with loads of whipped cream in a glass mug.

I once had a traumatic incident where I was drinking a cup of hot chocolate with marshmellows when I suddenly felt something strange in my mouth. I spit it out to discover that it was in fact a horrible little moth larvae that had somehow made it's way into my delicious drink. Needless to say, I had a little puke in the sink afterwards. However, that was still not enough to sour my love for my favourite drink.

So, to celebrate this delectable mug of warm chocolatey liquid goodness I've done a little Flickr search for some lovely photos featuring the drink of the season. Enjoy :)

(source: a little tune)

                                          (source: a4gpa)                                                             (source: ginnerobot)

(source: striatic)

I feel so on the ball

Because I've already done my Xmas shopping! This will be the first year where I won't be running around last minute through crowds of other procratinators trying to find a decent present.

Oddly enough I tried to go back and get photos of the some of things I bought my family, but they've already been taken off the websites I bought them from. I managed to find a few photos though which I will post here for anyone who might be interested :)

I got my both my mother and sister scarves, gloves, and purses, but then I saw this really nice locket on Etsy so I decided to get it for my sister:

I haven't actually bought my mother's present yet, but I pretty much know what I'm getting her. She's really into her Harley Davidson stuff, so I was planning on getting her a long sleeve Harley Davidson shirt from a shop in London. I spoke to her recently though and she said she wanted a sweater. I didn't see any nice ones on the online shop so I'm going to go to the shop tomorrow and see what they have. If I don't see a nice sweater I'll just get her the long sleeve shirt instead I think.

For my Dad, I originally didn't know what to get him so I bought him this nice looking watch off Amazon:

Then I actually asked him what he wanted and he said one of those hats with the furry flaps on the side. So, I had a look around and I found a really nice one on ASOS which is now actually sold out. So I guess my promptness payed off.

I'm actually really excited to give everyone their presents this year. Last Christmas we didn't really exchange anything and tensions were a bit high between us all. If all goes as planned this will turn out to be a very nice Christmas for my family.

Cape?

Yesterday I came across this post over at Bargain Fashionista where she talks about wanting a checkered cape from Zara. I've never put too much thought into actually getting a cape, but after seeing it I'm really tempted to get one.

While browsing all the capes on Zara and I came across this poncho with a fur hood that I think is really nice as well. 

I feel a bit shallow for saying this, but I hate not being rich sometimes... It'd be great to be able to just buy whatever I wanted, when I wanted and not have to deal with the purchase guilt. I got a sewing machine a few years ago so I could make my own clothes, get creative and save some money. Unfortunately, I'm spectacularly lazy and have yet to make anything wearable. I did make a nice little laptop case though. It's somewhat mangled in the flap area. Looks really nice if you just don't look under the flap.

What I really need is someone to teach me to use my sewing machine properly. The last few times I tried to use it the thread just ended up all mangled. I swear I used to be able to sew. Not sure if I managed to break the machine or have just forgotten how to use one. Anyway, I may take a dressmaking class. They're all so expensive though. I need to find one I can afford.

And it begins...

Every blog has one. The first post. I suppose I could introduce myself, but I'll leave that for the about me section. No, this first entry will just be a sign post. Something that says "This is when and where it all began."

I've kept a blog or a journal since I was about 15. They've always been heavily personal and private. This is the first blog I've created where the intention is to write about pretty much everything, but myself personally. Well, there will be a little bit of my personal life thrown in, but mainly this blog is about the things I love. Everything and anything. Everything there ever was.