Celebrity sighting

A few nights ago I went out to a lovely restaurant with Marc and a good friend of ours. 

As soon as we walked to our table, I spotted Amy Winehouse. Or at least I thought I did. You see, I am remarkably talented at spotting people who look like people, but aren't them. And whenever a celebrity and I are in the same place a friend or Marc is bound to notice, whilst I miss it engrossed in, erm, picking china (happened just this Sunday). 

Well this time it really was her. And you know what? She looked radiant. Yes, radiant. I know the drill: Amy Winehouse is described as (1) gaunt; (2) drugged up; (3) wearing last week's makeup; (4) tatty... the list goes on. 

She wore a bright pink fluffy jumper, her skin glowed, she looked young and healthy.

This just makes me think that the media manipulates our view so much. It suits papers and magazines to post ever shocking photos of a young talented artist. That is, after all, what sells papers. Media can be such a harmful medium - it plays with our brains. On the one hand, it makes some people falsely gorgeous, airbrushing their flaws, changing their physiques, on the other I'm sure it uses those same tools to make people look larger, to print a story saying they've gained weight, or gaunt with shadows if they have a drug problem.

Shame on them, and kudos to Amy for a year being clean. It shows! And whilst I'm not celebrity focussed, it is a bit of a thrill to see someone famous and to think and appreciate that I live in one of the world's coolest cities (at least I like to think so). 

Fastest finger first - flights booked!

I spent much of today calling vendors and setting up meetings (seriously, don't you wish you were me?). Our calendar for February is already so full - it's going to be a real stretch to get everything done.

I also booked mine and Dad's flights out to Israel. We're late with this: Marc and his parents and even some friends booked a while ago, with BMI (a scheduled carrier).

On the plus side, Easyjet's (Britain's super low cost airline) flights are now open for booking, meaning that Dad is flying for £122 instead of about £350. Amazing!

But scheduled flight prices have risen quite a bit. I had a dilemma: fly out and back with Dad for £122 or fly out on my own and back with Marc for £350. I know it's a huge difference, but we discussed it and ultimately we both really wanted to fly back together as husband and wife.

In the end I booked an Easyjet outbound flight (so I can fly out with Dad) and a BMI inbound flight (so I can fly back with Marc). It cost a bomb, yes, but somehow flying with Marc on the way back was important to us and we had decided together that the extra cost was justified on this occasion so I didn't feel too bad.

Why 'fastest finger first'? Well, because I promised my friends £100 flights with Easyjet if they got in there quickly. That was the price this weekend. Just a few days later, the prices have risen to £150 plus. It's still cheap, but I really hope that those coming are booking their tickets so that they can get a good deal. I can't help but wonder whether the price fluctuation means that some of our friends have booked. I hope so!

In any case, now that I'm all booked it feels even more real! Arghhh!

Crazy dreams

Ok, so last night I dreamt this: I was walking around my venue in my wedding gown, but wearing my worn out black patent pumps. I had forgotten my wedding shoes at home and paced anxiously, wondering what the date was, whether this was my wedding day. There were guests arriving but I didn't recognise any of them, and I dared not ask what the date was because they would laugh in my face if it was indeed my wedding, quite rightly expecting me to know the date. Don't ask me why I'd be visiting the venue in a white dress on any other date - it made sense in the dream. I wasn't wearing makeup and my hair was a mess. I woke up in a complete panic.

Is this how it's going to be, then, for the next 7 months? I really hope not.

Pastry class at LeNotre Paris

I have no idea why I didn't ever blog about one of my most magical Parisian adventures: a croissant-making class! On my penultimate day in Paris, I treated myself to a course at LeNotre. Remember I blogged about it way back when? The fabulous patisserie that effectively introduced sumptuous French pastry to the world? It is also a professional cookery school, and thankfully they run courses for amateurs like me!

It was such a fun thing to do before leaving Paris! I was so excited with anticipation that I could hardly sleep. So many of us imagine the lovely career we could have if we could only go to pastry school and open a cake shop. Or is it just me?

Actually, the class made me realise that professional pastry making is an extremely meticulous exercise, and an extremely tiring one at that. We were taught by a wonderful, passionate, man however, in the typical French way, everything had to be 'just so'. The flour's temperature has to be measured before the mixing even occurs and at many intervals thereafter. The dough has to be left in the oven with a vessel of water underneath it, whose temperature must be precise to the degree, and periodically checked. The flour's thickness is measured, and once the dough is rolled out the triangle that will be rolled to make each croissant is measured with a ruler (yesm a ruler!) for optimum size!

The whole croissant making process is an extremely laborious and long one, taking about 12 hours! And some patisseries really do make them fresh every day. There are croissants made from frozen pastry, of course, but you can imagine the frowns that that would elicit from the pastry chefs at LeNotre. The steps are too complicated to recount and certainly too complicated to give me the will to replicate them. Not gonna happen.

I had a wonderful insight into the mystery of a professional pastry kitchen, though, to tools I had never seen, to a level of precision to which I can only aspire. I would encourage any home baker to take a class and be exposed to the stringent standards of a professional kitchen.

And the croissants? Words cannot describe the delectable joy! Anything made of 50% butter would be sumptuous, granted, but these were a delicious beyond belief. Flaky, melt-in-your-mouth, stick-to-your-thighs-forever heaven!


Just look at how beautiful they are!


Glazing
Pain au chocolat

I am in my element
I took all these home!

My treasure

There is definitely the treasure of the expensive variety. Sadly, despite my periodic attempts at not being (or at least appearing) too vacuous, I'll admit it: do love diamonds. Who doesn't?

But then there is the treasure of things found and kept, of things that have no 'real' value but are cherished nonetheless, the chair I bought in a junk shop as a student in Oxford, the Barbara vinyl records I collected in France over the years, the sweet box lid depicting an angel, given to me by my dear nanny Miriam once she had eaten the liquorice it once held.

When I was last in Israel I visited my 92 year old Saba (grandfather), Yehoshua. He is amazing - he worked in a steel factory all his life but devours books and could give you a history lesson on the topic of your choice. If he had been born in my era I suspect he would have become a scholar.

Touched by the news of my engagement, Saba handed me an old plastic box, weighed down by strands and strands of beads that had belonged to my grandmother, Tova, who sadly passed away too young. You see, they were Eastern European immigrants - they didn't have great jewels. My grandmother would go to the market and buy beads by weight. Can you imagine?

Saba said I could take what I wanted: I chose some strands and have enjoyed wearing them ever since. I hope to pass them on to daughters one day, im irzeh hashem, should it (be g-d's will).

Nope, they're not grand jewels, but they do occupy a grand place in my heart. And I think they're pretty cool too.

Shoes and Save the Dates

Shoes

They're in! They're in they're in they're in! What can I say? I am obsessed with them! They're just the prettiest things I've ever seen. So 18th Century. Diane Hassall is so talented. I can't wait to wear them! You'll see I went with the more traditional pair. I loved them the most in person and the heal height was more appealing. I can't wait to wear these! Thank you to my wonderful future mother-in-law, Marilyn, for treating me to these. They were a huge indulgence, and we bought them on a special girlie day, so they are very special to me!

And guess what? I found the clutch brand new on ebay at over half the price off the retail price! So pleased!




Save the Dates

What a hassle these have ended up being! I realised that I had mis-spelt the name of the town closest to our venue (to be fair, this is an Israeli town, but it's still bad). The lawyer in me couldn't allow me to live with that, even though 90% of our guests wouldn't have known/noticed. So I had to print them off all over again. I took that opportunity to insert our surnames as well. What a pain. The new card was expensive, and for some strange reason not all the pieces were of the exact same thickness. Then the printer wouldn't print the right brown even with a new cartridge. I had to transfer all the raffia ribbon. If it hadn't been for Katie, who wisely spurred me on, helped me and told me I just had to get them done I might have procrastinated further. I also printed out an insert with flight and accommodation info (Marc did a great job of compiling it). I'm proud of the effort now but I'm not sure I'm up to doing the real invitations myself. I'll have to see. I sent them out on Wednesday and they will have reached people on Thursday. It sounds funny but I was sad to send them off, as they'd sat on my desk for so long. There are a few stragglers awaiting addresses before they too can be sent, but otherwise that's it. It was pretty exciting to wake up on Thursday and know that people would finally see them. We've had a few positive comments which have me happy! Now, in my head, the countdown begins.

How to make a corsage flower

1. Buy your fabric. I chose a variety of textures: dupioni silk in two colours, a chiffon and a gauze material, but yours can be different. You will need about 10cm of each one.


2. Cut out petal shapes. You will need 3-4 of each colour if you use 4 colours, so 12-16 petals in total. Cut each petal individually, as this creates a lack of uniformity that helps to create a more beautiful flower.

3. Coat the edge of each petal with non-fray glue, which can be bought in any craft shop. This is a crucial step, otherwise your material will fray, making for shabby flowers.



(optional step: if you want to achieve a tonal hue on your petals, brush some water onto them, then dilute some watercolour paint and dab on. This will spread, resulting in a lovely natural effect).

4. Get safety pins and attach the petals to each other to suit your taste. Think of folding the petals slightly or pinching the base when attaching them to achieve some texture. Secure together with safety pints.



5. With a needle and thread, sew the petals together. Gradually remove the safety pins.

6. Sew beads/buttons of your choice to the centre of the flower.

7. Cut out a circle of fabric and using fabric glue, attach to stiff lining/another stiff material. Attach a safety pin and using the same fabric glue, attach the circle (lining down) to the base of the flower to hide the base's bare threads.



8. (optional) scrunch the whole flower in your hand slightly to create texture.

Et voila!



As I stated before, this is not an 'official' method. There may be better ways, and if you know of any I would love to hear your suggestions. I do, however, think that this is a method anyone could use, so I encourage you to give it a try to spruce up an outfit. It's also a great way to use up your scraps of material and, best of all, it's so inexpensive yet pretty!

Bridesmaids outfits

I am feeling so proud of myself right now!

I always thought that I would never have bridesmaids when I got married, but I am so touched by my friends' generosity and support in coming to Israel to see me get married that I want to honour them. I haven't finished the asking, because I want to do it in person if possible, so I will introduce you to my lovely bridal party later.

For now though, let me share with you what they will wear. I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of bridal matchiness (I know that's not a word, but please bear with me). I like it enough for other people's weddings, but not for mine. Also, in England the bride pays for her girls' outfits, and prices are so high here that this would set me back nigh on $700, for dresses I am pretty certain the girls wouldn't wear again. With that in mind, I wanted to do something a little different. Something a bit vintage.

I settled on each of the girls wearing a black dress of her choice. I will give each one a chocolate brown shawl and a brown/pearly necklace. She will wear a sash with a hand-made corsage on it. I saw these in a London department store and they were so expensive. But it was love at first sight, so I thought I'd buy them. Then I decided that I should at least try to make them myself. If it didn't work I would not have wasted too much money. And I am so glad I tried because I LOVE the outcome and I am so happy that my girls will be getting something that I made. I think that's so much more special than a shop bought piece. I was going to make the necklaces too, and even ordered the beads, but when I found a pre-made one that was perfect I thought I'd cut out the hassle.

I didn't have instructions on how to make the corsage flowers so it may well be that there is a better method out there than mine. If you know of one please comment. Otherwise, this is a method that anyone can use to achieve a good result. I will provide instructions soon, but in the meantime here is the outfit!

Please let me know what you think!

Charity

So these past few days I have been manically clearing the house. Why? Well, because I have time on my hands and because, at the back of my mind, I feel I should start to organise my stuff in some way in preparation for moving out when I get married. Isn't it lovely to have space?

So off I went yesterday to give two huge black bags of things I no longer needed to charity. Was what I was doing charitable? In all honesty, the sentiment wasn't entirely charitable. I needed space, minus the guilt derived from throwing things out.

Anyway, I couldn't even get close to a charity shop in my area, so I went to Kilburn. This is a more deprived area with lots of immigrants, unemployed residents and shops that seem to come and go. You'd think it would be depressed, as a lot of its residents live in counsel housing, but actually it's buzzing. Lower rent means there are some independent shops - not of the quirky pretty variety, admittedly, but independent none the less, selling cheap household goods, tupperware boxes and the like. The charity shop was buzzing, too, with people buying things I would never have thought would leave those racks and shelves - people really appreciate things that I take for granted or would never wear. Seeing that gives me perspective on all that I have and on how spoilt I can be.

I felt SO good dropping off my goods at Cancer Research UK. I hadn't realised what a good feeling giving would give me. I literally left the place elated. Elated and armed with a good find: this beautiful shirt (that perfectly matches my new Etsy headband, I might add). It's several sizes too big but I'm going to take it in using my sewing machine. Yay - I love a good find.

A small way in which the current economic climate is opening up my eyes to a different life, to people who are better than I at being careful and at appreciating what they have.

Charity

So these past few days I have been manically clearing the house. Why? Well, because I have time on my hands and because, at the back of my mind, I feel I should start to organise my stuff in some way in preparation for moving out when I get married. Isn't it lovely to have space?

So off I went yesterday to give two huge black bags of things I no longer needed to charity. Was what I was doing charitable? In all honesty, the sentiment wasn't entirely charitable. I needed space, minus the guilt derived from throwing things out.

Anyway, I couldn't even get close to a charity shop in my area, so I went to Kilburn. This is a more deprived area with lots of immigrants, unemployed residents and shops that seem to come and go. You'd think it would be depressed, as a lot of its residents live in counsel housing, but actually it's buzzing. Lower rent means there are some independent shops - not of the quirky pretty variety, admittedly, but independent none the less, selling cheap household goods, tupperware boxes and the like. The charity shop was buzzing, too, with people buying things I would never have thought would leave those racks and shelves - people really appreciate things that I take for granted or would never wear. Seeing that gives me perspective on all that I have and on how spoilt I can be.

I felt SO good dropping off my goods at Cancer Research UK. I hadn't realised what a good feeling giving would give me. I literally left the place elated. Elated and armed with a good find: this beautiful shirt (that perfectly matches my new Etsy headband, I might add). It's several sizes too big but I'm going to take it in using my sewing machine. Yay - I love a good find.

A small way in which the current economic climate is opening up my eyes to a different life, to people who are better than I at being careful and at appreciating what they have.