February 2011
9 posts
Your eyes here
source www.old-chum.com
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7 tags
Monday Meals
Roasted Vegetables with Citrus Couscous
You will need
1 red onion
1 pepper
1 courgette
Half a small butternut squash
3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp thyme
salt & pepper
Couscous
350g couscous
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground cumin
450ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
zest & juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp finely chopped mint
3 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf...
5 tags
Top of the Tops
I have a new addiction, blouses. I just can’t get enough of them. They are so easy and versatile to wear, whether with a pair of denim shorts or with a killer pair of skinny jeans. I just can’t wait for the warmer months, I think I will just end up living in my ever growing collection. Here are a few I have my eye on for the next payday.
ASOS £30
Topshop £24
Topshop £45
Suno
Miss...
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Getting hitched
Whilst planning my wedding last year I came across the oncewed blog. It provided me with so much inspiration and became somewhat of a wedding ‘bible’ for the big day. I had a huge folder on my computer full of inspirational photos. I loved being able to see what people had done, many of the magazines I had bought soon after getting engaged had left me uninspired and a little deflated...
6 tags
Thursday Baking
Pecan and Chocolate Oaties
A really quick and easy recipe. You can make double and freeze half to bake whenever you fancy it.
You will need
175g plain flour
85g porridge oats
175g golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
140g butter (diced)
50g roughly chopped pecan nuts
50g chocolate chips
1 beaten egg
Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix the flour, oats, sugar,...
10 tags
Mr Penfold in Madrid
I became a tour widow of sorts last week. The husband packed his bags and joined a group of artist friends for a painting trip to Madrid for Persianas Libres Madrid. As they were there for quite a few days they made the most of it and painted lots of additional shutters. There seems to have been a good response to their work including being featured on the BBC website as well as many Spanish...
7 tags
Monday Meals
Pita- mum’s special recipe!
Now, this is truly a family recipe so it is a real treat that I am sharing it. Everyone that knows me has sampled this treat and the response is always great. This isn’t the pita everyone thinks, this is more of a ‘pie’ made with filo pastry originating from Bosnia. There are lots of different types that you can make. Cheese, potato, meat,...
8 tags
Damn You Auto Correct
I do love iPhones. Being directionally challenged, the online maps help put me back on the right track. There are reams of websites to check when out and about. I can listen to music while strolling the streets. It’s just generally quite handy.
BUT, as sausage fingers and touch screens aren’t the best of friends, I’ve often sent accidentally-odd messages when my misspelt words...
6 tags
January 2011
19 posts
5 tags
Your Eyes Here
Image courtesy of Bert Stern
V
6 tags
Monday Meals
Mirin Poached Beef
Serves 2
You will need
250g piece of rump steak with fat removed
150ml vegetable stock
3 tbsp soy sauce
5 tbsps mirin
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
1 small onion thinly sliced
2 pak choi
1/2 tsp chopped pickled ginger
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 red chilli, thinly sliced.
Steamed rice to serve
Combine the stock, soy, mirin and sugar in a pan and bring to the...
7 tags
Design For Living
The “Steel Tree” house (above) is the brainchild of Joel Sherman, principal architect and owner of Californian design company JLS.
Built along the sweeping hillsides of the Sierra Nevada forest, this statuesque building reflects playful, childhood dreams into practical, adult reality, whilst supporting and remaining sympathetic to its surrounding environment.
You can imagine...
7 tags
Saturday Baking
Banana and Peanut Butter Muffins
You will need-
200g self raising flour
25g oats
75g light brown muscovado sugar
3 medium ripe bananas
100g crunchy peanut butter
2 medium eggs lightly beaten
25g melted butter
125ml semi skimmed milk
Firstly preheat your oven to 200C, gas mark 6. Then line a muffin tin with muffin cases, I used greaseproof paper cut into roughly 15cm squared and pushed...
5 tags
Stair Porn
For your viewing pleasure.
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Your Eyes Here
Image courtesy of Joel Zimmer
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Thanks!
…for the support so far, every follow, re-blog, message and like never goes unappreciated.
It’s a great time to be on the internet, there’s a multitude of interesting blogs, websites and information at our fingertips - just when you think you’ve found it all, turn another corner of the WWW and another avenue opens up.
V&I
3 tags
Little Dragon
Little Dragon, fronted by the deliciously quirky singer Yukimi Naganoare, are a four-piece band hailing from Sweden, with their style largely rooted in electronic music. Their debut, self-titled album was released to widespread acclaim back in 2007, but still sounds just as fresh to the ear a few years and numerous listens later.
The name came from a moniker Yukimi acquired during early...
7 tags
Monday Meals
I received Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty book for my wedding and ever since I have been trying out lots of the recipes. These quesadillas have become a firm favourite and are really easy to make. Great to enjoy with friends but also great the next day for lunch.
You will need:
8 small corn tortillas
Soured Cream
Cheddar cheese
230g black beans (I used canned and then drain them)
1 tsp...
Scribbles
My writing book. She’s a beauty. Full to the brim with half-formed sentences and a tangle of random words.
Red Pantone Notepad - www.pantoneuniverse.com
V
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Original It Girl
Years ago, as the often repressed, controlling era of the 1950s was gasping its last breath, and the optimism and change of the 1960s were beginning to spark, a young woman named Edie Sedgwick made her first tentative steps toward the social worlds of New York.
The daughter of a distinguished family, her parents expected a suitable marriage and settled home life - but Edie was fiercely...
5 tags
Your Eyes Here
Image courtesy of Unknown
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8 tags
Nu:Tone Words and Pictures
Words and Pictures is Nu:Tone’s eagerly anticipated third album. The album is vocal heavy featuring some of the top singers of the moment such as Heidi Vogel known for her work with Cinematic Orchestra, Ben Westbeech, house vocalist Lisa Millett and ofcoarse Natalie Williams who has featured on all of Dan’s albums. The album also features Dan’s very talented brother Logistics...
7 tags
Design For Living
Baqueratta is a Tokyo based architecture practise, spearheaded by Yoshiyuki Moriyama.
The “KG” house (above) is Baquerattas version of minimal construction, which takes into account the limited building space availible in Japanese residential areas.
It may be too stark and clinical for some peoples tastes, but I really appreciate the beauty of these clean, simple structures.
...
7 tags
Mina UK
A shining example of British fashion can be found by browsing the rails and web pages of Mina UK. My (limited) wardrobe space is always making way for another addition from this London brand. Established in 2005, Mina’s steadily been making an impact on high streets worldwide.
Quirky, cool, yet accessible, the unique prints and cuts pull this label to the top of the ranks. Ranging from...
7 tags
FFFFound!
One of my favourite finds from last year has to be FFFFound!
I remember stumbling blindly across it during a boredom induced trawl through the internet. A frantic clicking and delving session ensued, by the end of it I was left wondering where the last four hours of my life had flown to.
An eclectic mix of graphic design, photography, art and more, this site relies on the keen eye of its...
8 tags
fashion four
My spring/summer wardrobe is set to look something like this…
ASOS- Their collections do no disappoint. This 50’s inspired polka dot dress is super cute.
Pins & Needles- I can’t get enough of the Peter Pan collars.
Primark- I am not usually a big fan of this store but they definately seem to have upped their game for their spring/summer 2011 collection. Will have to...
4 tags
James Blake
There’s been a boom of underground artists making a break onto mainstream ground lately, and a better example couldn’t be found than James Blake.
Starting his career making more experimental beats for labels such as R&S and Hemlock, his foray into singing has (quite rightly) been met with massive support from Radio 1 and the popular press.
Check out “Limit To Your Love” in the above...
5 tags
Hello!
We started Critique out of shared love for everything that’s going on in culture and the world right here and now. From music to fashion, photography to food, we’re interested in it all.
You’ll find our thoughts, opinions and reviews on the blog, covering a colourful spectrum of current topics.
It’s not just a one way street though - we want your views and feedback. So...