Revenge Friday- PoMo bike tour and second hand purchases

 Hello darlings, 

I hope you have had a good week. As part of my like revenge life, I am trying to do more like culture things and tbh I will go and do what I like regardless if anyone wants to come with. So yeah Thursday night after work I went for dinner and to a small exhibition opening for Close to the Hedge. It is an exhibition of photographs of bushes/hedges and it was in Deptford at the Gareth Gardner gallery. Defo if you are in Deptford the next week, check them out. I would say do not go out of your way because it is only small. I went for dinner beforehand at this really nice Italian restaurant called Marcella. It had quite a small menu of small plates and pasta- it was relaxed and I was on my own so I was just sat at the bar chatting to the lovely staff. So that was good fun.

Second Hand Purchases

I have recently made a two second hand purchases. I picked up this camisole from the charity shop. It is actually nightwear but I think it is actually really cute and I will probably wear it with (surprise) jeans and some ballet flats. I like the way it cinches at the waste. I was actually examining it when I got home and the fabric has some text printed on it which says 'I'm in demand because I am never late, to start a job or keep a date'- huh?

Then I brought a dress on vinted. It didn't look like much in the images on Vinted- it didn't convey how lovely it is. I had a google and I found a picture of a runway model wearing it to the 2017 Victoria Secret show. She looks gorgeous in it. 

Image Source- FASHION Magazine

It arrived and I am so pleased with it. I quite like that it isn't too fitted or short- it looks more relaxed. I love the lacey bits on the shoulder, so fun. I will wear this with a pair of black heels in the evening or some summer sandals for a day look.

The brand is Club Monaco and the body of the dress is 100% silk. Both items totalled to under £20 (£3.50+£16) which is quite fair.

Revenge Friday

So my dad has recently been organising and researching a bike ride architecture tour. He wanted to do like test run on Friday and because I couldn't be there on the actual day of the bike ride I thought I would join him on the exclusive preview. We started in Bank/ City of London, went across the river and along the south bank to Greenwich and back to Tower Bridge via Isle of Dogs. It was loads of fun.

We had to skip over a lot of the buildings from Greenwich because we had gotten so side tracked that it was actually getting late.

Here are two of the buildings we looked at...

So China Wharf  (the red building in the image) was one of the buildings on our ride this was built around 1986-8

I used to walk past this a lot as a child and I never noticed that one of the balconies is a boat- such a revelation.

Then this the Isle of Dogs Pumping Station- its basically a sewage pump built 1986-1988.

Then after the bike ride, I had like 20 minutes at home to get ready and then I had to go out again to go to an event at the Barbican, it was author Kate Atkinson doing readings accompanied by BBC Orchestra. So yeah I really enjoyed my day.

Lots of love,

Happy hippo x

Revenge Friday- Notting Hill, Language Learning and life

 Hello darlings x

I hope you have had a great revenge Friday. This week I went to portobello road which was really fun. Then I thought I would show you my language revision notebook- this is of interest to absolutely no one lol.

Revenge Day

My sister was back in London for the week and we went to Portobello Road and Notting Hill. We left the house quite early because we wanted to go to the vintage clothes Friday market , the one at the bottom of Portobello Road, under the westway. OMG the prices... prices ranged from about £100-200. I couldn't believe it. There would be a moth eaten nightie and it would be priced at £90+- I am NOT exaggerating. What's happened?

I will say if you head towards Golborne Road it is a bit cheaper but the rain was soo bad that we wanted to stay undercover.

We then went to a really nice Vegetarian café, its called Portobello Health Foods and I have been going there for years. We then went to a few boutiques on Portobello Road. There is so much tat.

After we just walked to High Street Ken and went to TKmaxx and Wholefoods.

Let me know if you have any boutiques or restaurant/bar recommendations in Notting Hill and Portobello. I need to discover some different places in Portobello. I have heard a lot about Farm Girl. I had a really fun day out. I didn't buy anything other than some snacks from Wholefoods.

Language Revision Notebook

I have been trying to learn French for several months (I have stopped and started a number of times in the past decade) and I really feel it paying off. I went to France recently and I could tell that in a matter of a few months my French and my confidence has increased- which is fab.

I thought I would show you some pages in my language learning notebook and some things I do to learn a language. But yeah any of your tips and advice is welcomed. 

So the three ways I am learning are

1. Duolingo- my everyday practice and it helps me to actively keep learning
2. A text book which I don’t do everyday but is more sort of active revising, more in-depth grammar rules and learning vocabulary of a particular category (e.g. days of the week, months, numbers). The book is ‘Dk 15 Minute French- Learn in Just 12 Weeks’ (it has taken me more than 12 weeks).
3. TV, Film, going on hols

Notebook pages:

Firstly I use a postcard with French quote as a book mark- it says ‘all grown ups were once children’. I just use this is to mark the pages. I also use a perfume tester to mark a page. Just adds a bit of cuteness.

So I use the notebook alongside the textbook- so I write any grammar rules or vocab and also any quizzes from the text book I will do them in my notebook. I find it helps me absorb information. In terms of pages I just keep it really plain. I’ve never been someone who likes to decorate my revision- I’m not really creative in that way.

In my notebook I have a list of films and TV series I want to watch- this is really fun and if you are learning a language I would defo encourage you to like google and films or TV series in your chosen language.

I have since added more to this.

Then on one of the pages I have a list of things I want to refresh and/or learn

The thing about learning a language it is sort of a journey and unless you do like an intensive language course it is probably going to take a while. So you have to make the journey fun and not lose motivation. 

Okay I hope you enjoyed this weeks post.

Love,

Happy Hippo x

Revenge Friday - Summer Wish List, Day Out in Bermondsey and What I Have Been watching

 Hello darlings, 

I hope you enjoy reading this post! This week I am going to tell you about my day out in Bermondsey and what I have been watching. Also Netflix has released a few more shows and I am very relieved because I was getting slightly desperate. I was so desperate I watched this awful show called My Life With the Walter Boys- it was so bad. I do apologise for this slightly boring post. 

What have I been watching

Ripley: I watched this with my mum because she loves the book and also the film. I was a bit reluctant to watch it- I am quite fragile and stuff like of that subject matter really upset me. I did really get into it and I had watched the film but I like it as a TV series because it is like a slower pace but it is very exciting to watch over several nights. I really enjoyed watching it over the past week. Yeah it also defo makes you want to go back to Italy. Defo give this a watch.

Baby Reindeer: I am currently watching this series and it is really unique. It is based on the writer of the series, Richard Gadd, (he plays himself in the series) experience of being stalked by a woman who claims to be a lawyer. She sends him these really unhinged, incoherent emails and it gets progressively more sinister. It is soo fucking chilling and scary. It is slightly excruciating at times because you really see like hindsight. I am only on episode three but I am soo gripped. It is very like thought-provoking.

This Town: This is on BBC iplayer and yeah I watched this a few weeks back. It is basically about a teenager called Dante growing up in like the 80s and he is trying to start a band with his friend and his cousin. I enjoyed it but I found it slightly cringy and it is co-written by kae Tempest who, I am ngl, I am not a fan of at all... I just don't get their music. There are several story lines such as Dante and his cousin's quite dysfunctional family. Dante's cousin Bardon is also being like forced by his father to do tasks for the IRA. There is a lot going on in this six part series, idk if it completely works. That being said, I quite enjoyed watching it.

Summer Wishlist

I am so done with this weather and so looking forward to summer. I have been thinking about some things I want to get for summer. So here is what I fancy.

Black linen dress- I had this really nice black linen dress and I had a few clothes at university that just didn't make it back home (I hate losing things) and this dress was unfortunately one of them. I loved this dress. So I would like to replace it and I am going to try to make it. It was a really lovely dress and I have been thinking about how I can remake it- I have a plan.

Embroidered Cardigan- I have a pink cashmere cardigan that I have had for years and to be totally honest it is so not my colour despite the fact I wear it all the time. I would sort of fancy getting a new cardigan but I would quite like it to have embellishments and to be a cosy cashmere. I have a few saved on my vinted so I think at some point I will pick one to buy.

Sol De Janeiro 68- I went to the cinema a few weeks back and the person sat next to me was wearing this perfume (or one really similar) and granted I think they had way too much on but I was not complaining because it smelt gorgeous. I would like this but in order for me to buy it for myself I need to finish three perfumes- that is what I am saying to myself. I find it really hard to finish perfumes because every scent is like a time in your life and a memory.

Revenge Friday 12/04/24

My Mum and I went to London Bridge because there was an exhibition at the fashion and textile museum that we wanted to see. Firstly we had a browse down Bermondsey Street and we got a coffee and matcha latte from Fuckoffee which was really chill. Then we went for a viewing at Kerry Taylor Auction, it was a fashion sale and accessories sale and it had some cool things. I tried on a few things but nothing was really doing it for me. We didn't end up putting a bid on anything. I think there is another auction in June so I will probably go again for that.

We got some lunch at a Vietnamese place. Then we went to the Fashion and Textile Museum and it was basically so busy they weren't excepting walk-ins for another two hours. I just couldn't be bothered to wait. The exhibition is on for another few months so we will probably go another time. Then we went to Borough Market but I suddenly got really bad period cramps- agonising. We ended up heading home but yeah despite it not going completely to plan I still had a really fun day.

Okay I will chat to you again very shortly.

Love

Happy Hippo x

Revenge Friday- Easter vibes

 Hello bunnies x

I hope you are well and having a good Easter. I am working unfortunately on the Saturday and Easter Monday too. 

My Easter decorations.

Revenge Friday- Revenge Trip to Crystal Palace

I am on my own for easter and I feel like everyone has left London so I sort of wanted to go into town and go to a department store and buy some Easter treats to get in the mood. However, I woke up and just couldn't be arsed. So instead I just went to Crystal Palace and it was actually so lovely. I went to a Cafe for lunch and got an omelette and chips which I ate on the terrace. I am trying to remember the last time I went to Crystal Palace and yeah it has been ages- I sort of forgot how lovely it is. I had a browse of the boutiques, antiques shops and charity shops. I promptly left one charity shop when I saw an ugly shein dress for sale for £10.95- they're delusional.

Then I went to a chocolate Cafe, Blowing Dandelion which was really cute they had like lots of easter eggs and truffles for sale- it was very busy as you can imagine. I chose four little eggs and I also got a hot chocolate to-go because I wanted to walk through the park with it. The staff were really friendly and the hot chocolate was good. So yeah I recommend you going if you live in the area and you want to buy some chocolate.

They let me pick the ribbon colour too! I also picked up some earl grey tea from the health food shop because I want to make an afternoon tea on Sunday with hot cross buns and I will have my chocolate.

Then I walked through Crystal Palace park and made my way home.

Anything else?

I am going to have a think about some things to write for the next few Revenge Friday posts.

I actually did manage to finish sewing a dress. I think it looks really cute. I have decided to start doing a quarterly sewing post. So that will be posted maybe next week.

Alright see you next week!

love, 

Happy Hippo 

I am back! x

 Hello darlings

I am so sorry I haven't posted in almost a month. I was actually really unwell and I half wrote a lot of blogposts but never posted them... basically I am just going to sort of put it all together in this blogpost. Yeah quite a few factors: I was quite unwell, I had a migraine/ positional headache that lasted for four days, I was also hit by a car while I was crossing the road lol (I was actually like completely unscathed) and I was on holiday last week. I am back and living to fight another day. But yeah I hope you enjoy this sort of mismatch of all the blogposts I didn't get round to posting in the last month. Enjoy x

Revenge Friday- Day out in Forest Hill and Results Day?

I was in Forest Hill for a bit of a random reason: I was collecting my GCSE certificates. I was having dinner with a school friend a while back and I was saying how badly I did in my GCSE's particularly my Religious Studies GCSE which I got a D in (which always surprised me because I was on track to get way higher than that). Anyway she told me that the exam board had our years RE GCSE remarked and a lot of students' marks had gone up significantly. However, I would have never known because I never collected the certificates. I sort of got excited as well because I didn't do that well at GCSE (I have four lol). So I popped into the school when I had my day off and unbelievably they still had them after 6 years. So I opened them... absolutely no change haha.

So after that I had a facial booked which was really nice. I felt very zen afterwards. I am sort of loving getting like doing beauty appointments- I feel very adult.

I had some lunch at Aga's, I got a cheese toasty and a chai latte which was really delicious. I had a browse of some of the boutiques. They have a really lovely boutique called Better Things which stocks like small independent brands and merchandise from small makers. Then after browsing a few shops I headed back home and just had a chill afternoon.

Revenge Friday- Sloan Square

 I was going on holiday and so I thought it would be nice to get a new pair of ballet flats. I decided to go to Sloan Square because they have some really nice boutiques that you could probably get ballet flats from. I first wanted to go to Anya's Village which is like a selection of themed shops by the designer Anya Hindmarch. It's very fun. I went in a few shops. I wanted to go to the Anya café but I was on my own and honestly it looked full and intimidating but I would love to book it with someone at some point because it looked really nice from the outside. Then I walked to Sloan Square and grabbed some lunch.

I went to Peter Jones/John Lewis and I brought some ballet flats. I also tried on a few denim dresses. Then I ended up buying a perfume, its Chloe Nuit d'Egypte and it took my fancy- I did fall slightly victim to a very persuasive sales assistant. It is very nice though- it makes me feel classy. Peter Jones is a really nice department store and it feels very relaxed- it is quite a good place to go if you have like an occasion you need to buy an outfit for.

Then that was it, I didn't really go in any other shops in Chelsea. They have quite a big Zara but I didn't fancy going in (iykyk). 

Yeah I had a really chill day.

These are the ballet flats that I got and I chose a Mary Jane style with a square toe because I think they look slightly more contemporary and I think they will work with everything. Excuse the terrible photo, I keep saying this is the year that I learn to take better photos for my blog.

Then this is the perfume I got and the man was quite sweet because he gave me loads of samples which I ended up giving to my sister. 

Perfect Days... and Japanese Cinema?

I went to see the film two weekends ago, Perfect Days which is about a man who cleans toilets in Tokyo (I slightly needed a piss half way through and it was like just unbearable watching all these toilets so I did have to nip off to go) and he lives like a very zen life, quite routine and very understated. This is sort of a spoiler but he has sort of curated this life sort of because he is estranged from his family, although we never really find out why. It is a really beautiful film but I will say I am in my early 20's and I don't know if it is an age thing but my parents loved this film and it was a bit lost on me. 

I am potentially going to Japan at some point, so I need to like get into Japanese Cinema because I have never really got into the Studio Ghibli films. I think I have watched Spirited Away as a child and I was quite disturbed. So let me know if you have any like film recommendations Japanese or like Studio Ghibli.

Holiday to Nice

I took some days off and I went to Nice with a school friend. We had loads of fun. 

We went to Monaco one day and we went to Cafe du Paris which is in the same square as the casino and hotel so it is really fun for people watching. We sort of just went for a wonder about and we also went for happy hour in the evening which was really fun and there was live music which... was quite a laugh. The bar I like to go to in Monaco is called La Rascasse 

Then we spent just a day in Nice wondering the shops and looking around the old town and we had another day which we spent in Antibes. We had a cheese board one evening at Les Distilleries Ideales which is my favourite bar in Nice. Yeah we did loads and it was really lovely to just host and show someone around. We had loads of fun. I need to do a post where I like recommend where to go and places to eat in Nice.

I feel so dorky.

All right I will chat in my next post. 

Lots of love,

Happy hippo x

Revenge Friday- Valentines Outfit, Day Out in London and life

Hello darlings x

I hope you had a lovely Galentines or Valentines Day. I didn't end up doing anything actually (logistical issues). I am sure at some point I will celebrate it- maybe next week. My sewing machine kicked the bucket last week so I need to go and get that fixed.

Films and TV

One Day (Netflix): This is so so good. I definitely recommend you watching this. It’s about a man and a woman who meet at a University party and they become friends. The TV show is based on a book and basically they meet up on a particular day every year. It’s really sweet but quite sad. 

There are a couple of films I want to see at the moment that look really good. I really want to see All of us Strangers and The Zone of Interest, so I think I will maybe go see one next Revenge Friday. 

Valentines Outfit Plan

I didn't actually do anything for Valentines day but I have such a cute outfit planned for when my partner reschedules. I got these really cute lacey tights in the Tezenis sale after Christmas. They were like 60% off or something, so worked out I think around €2.50. My sister got the same ones but in pink. Then I have this Zara dress. Then I just finish off the look with some black heels and a white faux fur (for the mob wife vibe).

I was going to try it on but was feeling lazy.

Revenge Friday

I went to London because I wanted to go to an exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery which was actually really good. It was Frank Auerbach: Charcoal Heads and yeah it was pretty fab. There was two rooms of his charcoal portraits and they were very striking. A lot of them had been like sort of patched up and reworked and it was interesting reading about his creative process.

There was a Hello Kitty exhibition at Somerset House and I was sort of tempted but I was on my own and I just felt a bit like it was something I would rather go to with someone else (there is a Hello Kitty Disco in the exhibition and I can't just be dancing on my own in the Hello Kitty disco). So yes my poor partner might be getting dragged to that.

For lunch I went to a Japanese Ramen place near embankment station called Ippudo. I had been there before with my mum and I had liked it. I got a vegetarian Katsu curry and some veggie gyozas. It tasted way nice than it looks, it looks quite bleak in that photo. It was quite a relaxing experience sat at the bar on my own.

I walked through Covent Garden. I went to the usual shops I always go to. I walked to Carnaby Street and browsed Liberty's. I had a Matcha latte at Grind, they do really strong coffee and the matcha lattes are really good. I tried on some clothes from & other stories and I was humbled because they looked awful on me.

I had some vouchers which covered a perfume, I picked up Miss Dior. I did actually order a card case when I got home because I accidently card clashed and I am so annoyed with myself so I thought to avoid doing that again I will use a separate card holder for my travelcard.

I loved my day out- so much fun. Let me know if you enjoy my little day out posts or what other content you like seeing.

I will chat with you soon! 

Love, 

Happy Hippo xx

Revenge Friday- Valentines, Sewing and What I Have Been Watching

 Hello Darlings

Sorry this blogpost is coming late and I also skipped a week- I was feeling a bit under the weather. I am feeling a bit better now. 

What I have been watching and podcasts I have been listening to

Offstage: Inside the X Factor (BBC Sounds)- I have been listening to this podcast series which discusses the behind the scenes of the X Factor and how the show was produced. It is really interesting. I haven't listened to it all but some interesting details they included is how the contestants would have information leaked about them to the press and some details about how contestants would sort of be provoked by producers. It does make you think because I have watched the 'top 10 worst  performances on X Factor' comps on Youtube and some of them are clips from like 15 + years ago- like you forget that behind the clip is a person who is probably being like haunted by their X Factor performance that took place like years ago.

The Holdovers- I went to watch this with my dad at the cinema and it was really good. It is about a boy who is left behind at a boys school over Christmas in the care of the school's cook and a classics teacher. The characters are quite troubled such as the cook, Mary who is grieving for her son. It is really good I defo recommend it actually. It would be really nice to watch at Christmas.

Griselda- I finished watching this series which is about a female drug lord, Griselda Blanco. It basically about her trying to dominate the Miami cocaine scene in the 80s and it is biographical- she was a real person. It is 6 parts and really well done. I don't think it glorifies her so much because it conveys the senselessness and destructiveness, like what was it all for? I think it is defo worth a watch.

Sewing

I have been making this really cute dress which has been a really nice sew actually. It is not too tricky. I love this style of fabric (toile du juoy) but this one when you look closer it looks a bit too cartoony for my liking... it is the faces that need refining. I think it pairs really nicely with the style of dress. I can't wait to wear this once it is completed. The pattern is by Tilly and the Buttons and it is called the Marnie dress/top.

For Valentines Day I decided to make some pyjamas for my partner. I brought this really nice, I think it is an ex Liberty design of an ex William Morris design, fabric. This is really pretty; I think I smashed it with my choice of fabric. For the sewing pattern I picked up this McCall's sewing pattern which I think looks really classic with the patch pockets. Admittedly I don't think I will have this completed by Valentines Day but it is nothing in terms of technicality that I haven't done before so should be completed soonish.

Maybe every quarter I will do like a sewing related blogpost. So I will show you these projects when they are finished in a few weeks.

Revenge Friday

I didn't really do anything on Friday because I was covering for someone at work. In the morning I did a bit of voluntary administration work which has actually been quite interesting. I did get time to go for brunch with my mum. There are some really good brunch places on my highstreet which I am slowly working my way through. My favourite brunch order is a shakshuka or Eggs Royale with a chai or matcha latte- what do you like to order?

I will take next Friday off so, Revenge Friday will resume- I think I might be going to Oxford for the day. I hope you have had a lovely Valentines Day.

Love,

Happy hippo x