So, Summer '09: Part 1

So I graduated in the glorious sunshine on July 2nd, was tapped on the head with a medieaval space bonnet (don't ask), posed for multiple photos... Packed up my room and headed for the Big Smoke. What a cliché, hey?

I spent the first two full weeks of July interning in the travel section of the Independent, and it was pretty much better than I could have imagined in every way. I learnt loads, they gave me far more useful tasks and responsibilities than I had imagined, and in the end I actually got some pieces of my writing published in the paper - obviously not full length articles, but it's still pretty amazing from where I'm standing. Google my name to see!

As for the rest of the summer, well... The word recession is banded about a lot these days, but what it really meant hadn't hit me until a few weeks ago. If anyone has any paid jobs for a talented young writer with a good work ethic and range of experience... I'll send you my CV on request!

That's not to say it hasn't been a lot of fun. I really do love London, and I can't imagine anything much better than a sunny Sunday at Brick Lane market. The food, the clothes, the people, the stalls, the atmosphere: I'm addicted. But more on that later.

Burberry eases the pain of an impending Autumn

I love Summer. More than I can probably say. I love the sunshine, I love the heat, I love the relaxed attitude, I love warm evenings where you can sit outside drinking with friends, I love going to the beach. I could go on. In Britain, as everyone is aware, Summer is hit and miss, though the last couple of weeks have been pretty decent, but Autumn on the other hand is reliable. You know what's coming: increasingly short, cold days with lots of rain. Lots. I dread it with every fibre of my being; not even the colourful leaves crisping under your feet and the poetic melancholy bring me any sort of happiness. However, reading this September's particularly excellent issue of Dazed & Confused I came across something which did cheer me up about the impending doom - sorry, season - in the form of a snood. A Snood? I hear you say, Isn't that a glorified sports scarf that joins the whole way around? Yes, yes it is. But this season, Burberry have taken the Snood and transformed it into a must-have item. In four prints, including the nova check, which I am just not a fan of, it looks snug and stylish - and I loved D&C's tip to wear it as a cummerbund when you're not protecting your neck. This is what everyone should be using to shut out the cold!

The lushly textured strains of Ms Heap

To tide you over, here is the ever-wonderful Ms Imogen Heap's gorgeous new album to listen to, online, for totally free. What a generous lady she is.



It does admittedly sound a lot like Speak for Yourself, but as that is one of my all-time favourite albums, I'm not complaining. Again she mines the multiple joys of electronic and every day sounds, mixed with her fragile, questioning lyrics. The closing track, 'Half Life,' is absolutely beautiful. The only tracks I'm not sure about are 'Wait it Out,' which whilst lovely does sound like an attempt to recreate 'Hide and Seek,' though without attaining that songs almost sublime heights; and 'Bad Body Double,' which just made me cringe a little. Sorry Immi, I still love you.

Summer in the city

It has been far too long. I realise this blog really had no direction... Rambling thoughts may be interesting to me but don't make for dynamic reading really. I'm going to overhaul. Things have changed. I graduated, I moved to London... Summer is passing by... It's time to start over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF9bQp717dE