Sean Ono Lennon and The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger

It's definitely time for a little update on my life. Firstly, I went to watch a music video being shot and managed to take some photos. I will upload all of them in another post but for now, here's one of me wearing a headpiece from the carnival in Rio! It was like a jewelled eagle - so beautiful. I want one of my own! 

I also went to see Sean Ono Lennon perform with his band 'The Goast of a Saber Tooth Tiger'. I really didn't know what to expect - would he be talented in his own right or is his band getting publicity purely because of who his parents are? As soon as he came on stage, it felt surreal - he looked and sounded very much like his dad, John Lennon, as well as having his stage presence. He was really funny and down to earth, cracking a few jokes about his band name and how all the good names had been taken, like 'The Backstreet Boys'. His great sense of humour definitely comes from his scouse genes! He also had Yoko's traits, including her dance moves. His voice was truly incredible, his style and presence oozed coolness - not surprising really, but I was pleased at how talented he is in his own right and how he deserves to do well. I'd love to see him perform again. Here's a pic I took and a little video below of the song  'Animals' - it's a shame instagram only allow 15 second videos!

Mondrian and his Studios

A friend asked me to go along to the Tate and view their latest exhibition on the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. If I'm being honest, I didn't particularly want to go as I'm not a huge fan of his work but I convinced myself that I was being a little narrow minded and couldn't have an informed opinion unless I went to see it in the flesh.

As I walked in, to the left of the exhibition, I was met by a window looking into a life-size reconstruction of Mondrian's Paris studio. This was my favourite part.

Mondrian believed that an artist's studio should be a reflection of his current work which leads the development of contemporary art. He thought that an artist could not develop if their studio was 'a museum of ancient art'. I've got to give it to the man, I respect the dedication he had to his work, allowing his art to seep into every aspect of his life.

One thing I realised as I was wandering through the Tate was that although I may not be a huge fan of his art, it's certainly iconic; one of his pieces only has to appear on the TV or internet for a couple of seconds and it's instantly recognisable. It's unique.

The piece above is called 'Composition with red, yellow and blue.' (Apologies about the blurriness, I moved as I was taking it)

I felt that once I'd seen a few of the paintings in the style of the above, it became very repetitive as they were all so similar.

I'm glad I went to the exhibition and I do have a new found respect for Mondrian and the style he created, however it didn't fascinate me and I wouldn't rush back for another look!

I'd love to hear your thoughts about Mondrian's work.

Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Ultra Nourishing Oil Review

Emma from Escentual kindly got in touch last week to see if I wanted to try out the newest launch from Roger & Gallet - their Fleur de Figuier Ultra Nourishing Oil. During the last couple of years I've converted to using oil on my hair before styling it so I jumped at the chance to get my hands on this fig-scented oil which can be used on skin and hair.

I did a little research and time and time again the scent was described as being addictive, so as soon as Mr Postman delivered it, I quickly unwrapped it, took off the lid and had a good sniff! I didn't know what to expect as I'm quite particular with which scents I like, but true to all the reviews, the scent is delicious and really 'moreish' - I wanted to smell it over and over again. The aroma is a mixture of grapefruit, fig pulp and fig pulp - not a combination I've tried before, but one I'll definitely be using more of. 

The oil is made up of 96% natural ingredients - I'm trying to use more natural beauty products so I'm very happy about this. It contains a blend of grape, pomegranate, blackcurrant, apricot and sweet almond oils, rich in omega 6 and antioxidant vitamins A and E. I sprayed it a few times into the palm of my hands and massaged it into my arms and legs. It felt lightweight, not greasy in the slightest and left my skin feeling nourished; it also looked really healthy and not overly shiny. I keep sniffing my arms whenever I use it though as they smell soooo good!

I also used it on the mid lengths to the ends of my hair after I'd washed it and before I used my hairdryer and GHD's on it. Like the effect it had on my skin, it made my hair feel soft, silky and shiny. Be careful to only use a little bit though as using too much would make your hair greasy and don't use it in your roots (I spritzed the oil into my palm first - about the size of a 5 pence piece, then distributed it evenly into my hair). 

So overall, I'd definitely recommend this oil, even if it was purely for the smell, however it ticks all the other boxes as well and thoroughly nourishes hair and skin. The packaging is very pretty as well and ideal for gifts. The price of the oil is usually £25.50 making it more of a luxury buy in my book, however there is 1/3 off the Roger & Gallet range until the end of August at Escentual, making this oil £16.83 - so I'd pick it up whilst it's on offer! You can buy it here.

Thanks to Emma and Escentual - who sent it to me for an honest review. 

Mario Bertorelli

This evening I logged onto Facebook and noticed that 'Saatchi Art' had chosen Mario Bertorelli as their artist of the day. If I'm being honest, I've never heard of him before, but I clicked the link to the artist's profile and really enjoyed looking at his artwork. However, it was when I read the 'about me' section in the artist's profile when I felt really inspired by what he had to say (inspired enough to write a blog post about it and that's saying a lot).

The beach.

"For almost forty years I have dedicated myself to combining objective, dreams and surrealistic reality through collages, shadow boxes and kaleidoscopes . Collages have a dreamlike essence which completely disregard logical principles, as all surreal creations do. In the waking life 2 plus 2 equals 4. In dreams, 2 plus 2 could well result in red alligators atop underwater polka dots clouds, and so ad infinitum. Shadow Boxes have been defined as a box to keep dreams. Dreams form the other half of our lives that we, unconsciously, live when our experiences are arbitrarily represented with our senses only while we are dreaming. Dreams already appeared in writing circa 5000/6000 years ago in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. A magnificent example of surrealism is the stream of consciousness writing in the last 25 pages of Joyce's Ulysses: there are no punctuation signs whatsoever in there, just as it happens with our mental processes. They are not hampered by any punctuation, they just occur, even smells, voices, songs, cries, fear, love and all the human and not so human utterances. I have also been a Cultural History professor for three decades. What's relevant about cultural history, dreams and reality? They are all inextricably linked in surrealistic images. There are no punctuation marks, no paragraphs separating a renaissance soldier from a NBA player or a Petra column from a Manhattan skyscraper or a horse's nose. It's all part of human experience and our mind can integrate them, rather easily. "

I dream a lot myself and thus could truly relate to Mario's ideas.

Alice, you are late.

Happy Birthday Venus.

Miranda and Ferdinand.

Out of time.

To take out.

 You can read more about Mario and buy his artwork here.

Recent times.

Hello to my blog's number one fan (my Mum) and anyone who happens to stumble across this post.

I've had a little blogging hiatus or maybe it's been more of a blogger's block. I've been thinking a lot about what I want my blog to focus on and I definitely want it to contain a lot more of my own photography. These photos below are from my trusty iphone but I'll be using my Canon a lot more, especially when I have a little training from a friend. 

The first couple of photos are taken when I went for a wonderful walk in the pouring rain and loud thunderstorm that shook my little village. I love walking in the rain when I'm all wrapped up and to make things even better, there was a glorious sunset as a backdrop.

My Uncle took my Mum and I out to a beautiful restaurant on my favourite street - Hope Street. The photo doesn't do it complete justice but it overlooks charming Georgian terrace houses and cobbled streets.

Sometimes it's difficult to completely relax, but gardening really helps me chill out and seeing it flourish over the space of a year has been amazing.

My beautiful pink lupin.

Finally, I went to a really cool African music concert in a park not far from my house. The music was incredible, everybody was there to have a good time and I got to try authentic Jamaican food - saltfish and ackee! I didn't take any photos unfortunately but I managed a little instagram video which I've posted below. PS - if you're on Instagram, it'd be great if you checked mine out - sophie_rossetti

Thanks for reading x

Met Gala 2014 Fashion Illustrations by Katie Rodgers

Instead of posting photographs from the Met Gala 2014, which I'm sure any fashionista has already seen, and as I'm a huge fan of fashion illustration, I decided to dedicate the post to the most beautiful sketches drawn by fashion illustrator Katie Rodgers. The gowns were a tribute to Charles James, an American designer honoured in the new exhibition at the Met. 

I was shocked when I found out that Rodgers' drawings were each created in only ten minutes, using watercolours and embellished with rhinestones.  

Dita Von Teese cuts a killer silhoutte in Zac Posen

Karolina Kurkova's sculptural Marchesa

Sarah Jessica Parker's Oscar de la Renta gown was a modern take on James' famous petal dress, and was Rodgers' favorite of the night.

Blake Lively in Gucci. This dress was one of my favourites from the night.

Emmy Rossum's floral Carolina Herrera.

Sarah Silverman in Zac Posen

Solange in a bright Phillip Lim dress.

Taylor Swift in Oscar de la Renta.

Toni Garrn stepped out in a mermaid-shaped Topshop gown.

 Anna Wintour, the organiser of the Met Gala (centre).

Zoe Saldana in Michael Kors.

Suki Waterhouse in a Burberry design

The colours in this illustration are magical.

I hope you love these drawings as much as I do.

Fashion, music and art.

On Saturday night, I hit the town to watch a few bands and let my hair down. It was one of those nights where I really felt like dressing up so I decided to wear some of my new beauties.

Top: Asos (similar)

Skirt: I'm in love with this skirt, especially the colour and the fit. It's one of those pieces that I can't get enough of and have to stop myself from wearing it all the time. Asos (similar) - I've also bought this one.

Boots: Stylistpick (last season)

We then went to an art gallery which was hosting a night of live performances and visual arts. I was right at the back and it was difficult to see the band but they sounded amazing and I love the fact that they projected a video of gorgeous images onto the wall behind them. So even though I couldn't see much of the band themselves I was absorbed by the beautiful sunsets and birds flying around behind them.

After the amazing bands finished we headed to a new bar. What really made the bar special were the stunning neon signs and artwork scattered throughout the building. I think neon can really make a boring space pop and would love to have my own piece one day.

Fashion, music and art. My perfect kinda night.

I hope you're all having a wonderful week.

Spring accessories

Despite the fact that the wind and rain is battering my window and it's pitch black outside, according to Google, spring officially began last week. Around this time of year, I start to look around for new pieces for my spring/summer wardrobe. It at least gives me hope that the sun will start appearing pretty soon! 

As you can see, pastel hues really appeal to me and look beautiful in the sunshine. 

Top left: I love this lilac lacy top from Miss Selfridge. It will look great teamed with skinny jeans and heels.

Top right: This cross body bag in lime sorbet is so beautiful. It's from Reiss and at £159 it's not cheap but the quality is always amazing and it will last for many years.

Bottom left: Jewellery is also high on my agenda to purchase. I want a few colourful pieces and that's why I love this bracelet from Asos. The semi precious stone is the prettiest colour and the bangle is gold plated so I'm definitely willing to pay £38 for this little gem.

Bottom left: Last but not least are these divine heels from Brantano. The pastel pink colour will be perfect for the summer weather and will look great teamed with a summer dress. The embellished toe strap also adds glamour and they are an absolute steal at only £40! 

I hope this pieces provide you with a little inspiration and you enjoy shopping for your spring wardrobe as much as I do!

Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum Review

Winter is an absolute nuisance when it comes to my skin -  the central heating and cold weather play havoc with it. I tried moisturising my skin morning, noon and night but it wasn't doing the trick. Recently, I was sent a serum by Escentual to try in between cleansing and moisturising my face.  I was excited to use the Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum.

Lokum Istanbul Turkish Delight

Lat week I received the most beautiful box of turkish delight from Lokum Istanbul. I knew I was going to receive the rose flavour, however the packaging it came in was a total surprise and I was delighted when I saw it. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to you. Whether you're madly in love, spending it with your girls or having an anti-Valentine's Day party as inspired by the movie, I hope it's a good one. Personally, one of the best Valentine's Days that I've had was when I was at Uni; My girlfriends and I decided to buy lots of pink wine, heart-shaped biscuits and cakes, laughed until our stomachs hurt and went to a club and danced the night away. Perfect. 

'Valentine' by Carol Ann Duffy is one of my favourite poems. It's not a lovely dovey poem, in fact it's probably an anti - Valentine's day poem but it's something I think every woman can relate to.

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.

Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.

Not a cute card or a kissogram.

I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.

Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.

Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.

I'm sure we've all been blinded by tears at some point but this only means that Mr or Mrs Right is still out there.

Valentine's Day goodies.

Happy Valentine's Day! I have picked a few of my favourite products inspired by Valentine's Day. Whether you're going on a romantic date or having a night out with your girls, I think you can wear these beauties. 

This heart necklace from River Island is sooo pretty and if the man in your life doesn't buy it for you, then you need to buy it for yourself. It's perfect for any occasion and I'll be popping along to River Island asap.

I love the lips design that Lulu Guinness uses. I'm so tempted to invest in her luggage but in the meantime this cute red lips purse is more affordable.

Finally, a sexy pair of heels are a must this weekend. The bonus of Valentine's Day falling on a Friday is that you can spend Friday night with your man then go partying with your girls on the Saturday. These beauties are from Charles Clinkard.

Whatever you're doing tonight, have fun! ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

My pretty new iphone case

Thank you to Mr Nutcase who kindly sent me a pretty new case for my iphone. I could choose any photograph I wanted, which was then printed onto the cover. I decided to opt for an image by my favourite photographer, Nick Knight. I think this makes the case a lot more special and it gives me something pretty to look at.

The service was really fast and it was delivered within a few days of being ordered. The quality is great as well, the colours have turned out perfectly. It costs £14.95 which I think is really good considering that it's customised.

The Secret

I've wanted to write a New Year post for a while but as I type this I'm still figuring out what to say. 

2013 was a tough year for me. I lost a dear friend to cancer and generally had quite a negative outlook for a while due to this and other things which had happened. I think it's a vicious circle...once you begin to think negative thoughts it's difficult to remember the positives. I really took it upon myself during the summer to start having more fun. I realised that I needed to start thinking positively again. I heard of a book called The Secret. I haven't read it but I did look at a brief summary which explained how our thoughts affect our lives. Positive thoughts attract positive things and the same goes for negativity. If you want something enough, you should imagine yourself doing it or being with a certain person and hopefully this will come true. I started to do this and believe it or not, good things started happening and things that I really wanted and I was thinking positively about started to come true. Maybe it's simply a coincidence but I really do believe that this has helped me. The only person I know who reads this blog is my Mum and the rest of you kind visitors are total strangers. Oddly enough, I'm a very private person and wouldn't tell anybody this but I kind of don't mind sharing with you as I don't feel like I'm being judged and I genuinely hope it might help one of you.

I have a good feeling about 2014. I feel like there's something special about the number fourteen so fingers crossed. My resolutions are to spend more time with my wonderful family and people I love. I couldn't ask for better people around me. I take time to be grateful that I have people like this in my life. They made my Christmas and New Year so special.

Another resolution of mine is to take more photographs. I invested in a new camera in the summer but I'm still learning how to use it properly. This is a shot of the view from my bedroom window. I love sunsets and I want to enjoy the beautiful things in life. I want to see new things and go to new places.

I try and be as kind as I can to people, but I want to do this even moreso this year. I bought the roses below for a friend who's been so kind to me and hopefully I can be a good friend to her as well. Little acts of kindness go a long way.

You might think this is a very cheesy post but it's from the heart and I mean every word. I'm going to carry on with my positivity and hope more fun, love and good things come my way. I hope they do for you too. 

Backyard Bill

One of my New Year's resolutions is to take more photographs and I've just been very inspired when I stumbled across a blog, called Backyard Bill - a place where Bill posts photographs he's captured of interesting people. It started off in his backyard and has expanded into the subject's spaces. What I love about his work is that he really does meet his objective of capturing interesting people. I love how they're not necessarily typically beautiful people; they're so much more than that. I'm going to share some of his photos with you and I chose them because when I was looking at them I really thought 'Wow, they seem like such fascinating people and I'd love to meet them and find out more about them.' I think that's a difficult thing to capture in photography and Bill does it oh so well. If only I could take photographs like him.