So for a bit of fun I decided to put my version together. Haha I felt so silly wearing shades and my beret indoors!
Shirt (Topshop) Belt (UO) Beret (Oasis) Sunnies (UO) Tights (Topshop) Shoes (KG) Bag (Marc B)
I also discovered some Coconut Jam in the house today. I was unsure at first but it is like spreading coconutty caramel on toast. Really yummy!
The answer was 'Fsh' if you're interested (It was shockingly bad I know).
The food was lovely and like my favourite Japanese restaurant in town (Mount Fuji) it was authentic. Fresh hand rolled sushi is so much nicer than the machine packed Sushi found at the likes of Yo! Sushi (don't get me wrong, I still love that place). However there was little choice and even though it was yummy, the service wasn't that good. I was quite put off by a guy who appeared to be the floor manager. Upon returning with my mum's refilled green tea, I asked if I could have mine refilled too. He answered with an unsmiling face, "Why did you not tell me?" and looked quite annoyed. It would have been fine if he had said it with a smile but it came across as unfriendly and lazy. It's a shame because the food was really good but that one small remark really tainted my visit and I doubt we would venture out there for Sushi again. Perhaps their other restaurant in town (Brindley Place) will prove to be a better experience as I really want to try the teppanyaki that they offer too.
After, we went for a browse around the shops and both my sisters came home with new shoes. Becky scored some silver flats from Topshop for £10 and Hailey bought some killer heels which my mom disapproved of...believing she would break her ankle in them. Here they are, I think they are quite gorgeous and the platform means that they aren't nearly as high as they look.
I really liked these too and I am hoping that these will eventually come in black rather than the orange.
Apart from Becky (far right) these are a bunch of my cousins who randomly all showed up at the same time at our house. The house was suddenly full of screaming kids, all competing to be the loudest. I'm quite surprised I managed to get them to all sit still.
My youngest cousin, Harry is completely adorable. Awww.
Becky; Cardi (HK) Hello Kitty Tee (HK) Skirt (Adams) Shoes (Topshop) Bow (Brick Lane)
Dress (Lipsy) Shoes (Topshop)
Hoody (Once Upon a Time for Topshop) Bow (Accessorize) Bangle (HK)
Tee (The Mountain @ Asos) Cardi (UO) Jeans (Topshop) Shoes (Topshop)
Bag (Vivienne Westwood)
One of my favourite shops to look for gifts is located down one of the Victorian Arcades in the city, Piccadilly Arcade. The Arcade itself is really lovely with a painted ceiling. Unfortunately apart from an antique jewellers and my favourite, Smithsonia (which sells gifts and jewellery) the other shops keep closing and reopening. A fairy themed shop now sells urban street wear.
Over the weekend I went to a little Japanese restaurant called Mount Fuji. The staff are super friendly and even better, it is a genuine Japanese restaurant rather than the less authentic Yo! Sushi chains. The staff are so friendly and when we left the restaurant, almost all of the staff shouted goodbye and thank you, which is always super nice! I had my favourite, yummy Chicken Karaage Bento.
After, I stopped in River Island and tried this dress on. I had to pull the dress up and belt it because it was so long. I love the print and the 50s vibe. I told myself I was on a shopping ban and it stayed in the shop. It's pretty but I can live without it.
Becky my youngest sister, was lucky enough to score these boots from New Look. They are similar to a pair that TopShop did in the Winter but were a huge £60. For those with small feet, I'd advise you to shop in the teen section of New Look. In the normal shoe section, these STILL sold for £30 but in the kids section, these were only £15 but had reduced in the sale to a bargainous £5!! I still can't get over it. Luckily we share the same shoe size so I can borrow these!
We ended our day out with some yummy Baklava from one of the stalls in the shopping centre. So much honey but so good once in a while!
It's a fantastic venue with great acoustics and even better that it's a grade 1 listed building which originally opened in 1834. Charles Dickens famously gave his first ever public reading of the Christmas Carol here, in 1852. Also, if you were wondering about the Iron Sculpture, it is 'The Iron Man' by the fantastic Anthony Gormley.
The building itself has spent the most part of my memory growing up, under scaffolding. This was because it underwent a £35m renovation moving from a blackened building to the pearly white facade we can see today. This Neo-Classical piece of architecture is definitely something that stands out in the architecture of Birmingham, along with the famous and very contemporary, Selfridges building. How different these buildings are and only a stones throw away from each other.
Moving back to the music...Bat for Lashes were fantastic. Natasha Khan has an amazing voice which is even more stunning live. I really can't say enough as to just how good she is. Very talented and she deserves all the success she's been receiving lately.
I'm sure you've all heard her latest single but here is the video...
Denim Jacket (Asos) Tee (UO) Skirt (AA) Leggings (Topshop) Scarf (Oasis) Shoes (Faith)
I have to admit I was a little naughty last week. I broke my ban and bought this tee. It's over sized with a print of a ink-sketched lion. It's long enough to wear just with leggings too. Even though I broke my ban, there was a marked change in how long it took me to buy this tee. I went into UO on three separate occasions and tried it on, only to buy it on my last visit. I never do that, so this in itself was a marked accomplishment! I'm definitely thinking more on the lines of, 'do I love it?' rather than 'I want it' which obviously is so much better for the longevity of a purchase. It's not too long until the end of my ban now (until May) but I am back on track...i think!
We ended up walking through the church which dates back to medieval times, marvelling at the beautiful Celtic tombstones.
The bell ringers were hard at work and we noticed a door that had been left open. Hannah was very curious.
I found a door that seemed to be the perfect height for me. I love how this door makes me look average height, I'm really not as I am about 5ft. It was like Goldilocks discovering her bowl of porridge that was 'just right'. Hannah said very seriously that they were that small because people were a lot shorter hundreds of years ago. I suppose I might even have been considered tall then!
Skirt (Good One) Boots (Blowfish) Denim Moto jacket (Pepe Jeans) Bag (Marc B)
We ended up at the park reminiscing about the old times we used to walk through the park to reach our sixth form college. However, we had to make a quick get away because it began to pour down with rain!
This book arrived for me today, I love receiving nice new books in the post and even better if they are free! The book is YiYun Li's, 'The Vagrants'. I'm quite excited to start reading it because she has had such good reviews for her award winning collection of short stories, 'A thousand years of good prayers'. However I already anticipate this first novel to be rather bleak seeing as it is based on true events in 1979 surrounding Communist China. 
What books are you all currently reading?
Scarf (gift) Coat (UO) Jeggings (Silence and Noise) Boots (Red or Dead)
When I returned, I succumbed to some tasty Cheese twists. 
I happened to watch a weird Chinese version of Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the stars. The dances were all themed with lots of props, my favourite was the hilarious mission impossible themed one with red ribbon as the 'laser beams' guarding a diamond necklace. Also, one of the contestants got to wear a bright pink wig which was a bit bizarre. I'm not actually a huge fan of the original shows but when I was at Uni, my housemates used to watch them religiously.
Using some Easter chocolate and cake decorations I made Chocolate cupcakes with pastel coloured buttercream icing!
Oh the anticipation....
My youngest sister and I got pretty crazy decorating the cupcakes. I think sometimes less is more, but nothing could stop us piling on the sprinkles, icing flowers and pink icing balls.
They looked so good I didn't want to eat them...but of course I did! The 'ball bearings' may look pretty but they're a bitch to eat. Luckily no chipped teeth!
I really love the jacket she is wearing. Bought from a little boutique from Causeway Bay it's perfect for milder weather and it looks great with this outfit. I'll have to get a better photo of it another day.
Jacket (Hong Kong), Top, belt, jeans, Sunnies (Topshop) Shoes (Faith)
