Tuesday 26 June 2012

Fragile

So this week is moving week - the lead up to which has kept me particularly quiet on the blog front.


I hate moving, but unfortunately, in the areas of Leeds that we want to stay in, contracts are 'student' lets, from July 1st - June 30th and unless you sign for the same house again (which wasn't really even an option for us this time due to a change in letting agents and the break in that I've never really got over) you face the inevitable homeless night on the 30th and stress of moving the same day as the entire student population of Leeds.

Let me tell you a little something about what we like to call LS6-mas.
Everyone dumps their unwanted belongings on the streets, and the whole of Hyde Park, Headingley and Burley kind of becomes a tip/free for all hybrid.
If I'm honest, the cheap skate in me thinks it's a great time to grab yourself some free furniture (and apparently, scrap metal) and the piles of ikea items and mounds of bin bags have come to be an expected part of the moving day experience.
The homeless night I so lovingly refer to also comes part and parcel of the weekend. Everyone has to be out by midday on the 30th but can't get the keys to their new place until the following lunch time - thank god for Miles' parents living near enough for us to stay, or it would make the move a whole lot more stressful.

I'm a stress ball at the best of times, but moving house brings out the worst in me.
I have been packing for what feels like an eternity (3 days) yet nothing seems to be packed! How Miles and I have managed to fill a 2 bedroom house (with a junk room and an attic) is beyond me. We've only been living together for a year so I can only imagine what our houses will be like in the future! I have packed 4 boxes of ornaments (labelled 'nice things' and 'be fucking careful' - such a lady) and that's not even touched the ever growing collection of weird stuff we decorate our home with...
I also packed a box of multi coloured hair, a separate box containing solely candles, and another full of false lashes. Christ.

I wasn't kidding...

I've been googling 'packing tips' in between boxing up our belongings and taking countless (much needed) tea breaks, though the suggested 'reuse old boxes and don't use thin black sacks for clothes... start six weeks before your move (we have 4 days left now) and put heavy items at the bottom' all seems like common sense to me.
If anyone has any genuinely helpful moving tips, they would be well received right now, but maybe a miracle is our only hope?!

One of the more politely labelled boxes

Apologies for my slightly erratic post, it's clearly just a reflection of my poor little mind right now - I have to give it to Miles, he's incredibly patient with his 5'11 red headed crazy woman and calms me down every time I have a 'moment' - I'm very lucky to have such a brilliant chap in my life (plus our amazing parents who are helping us out with the move).

Anyway, as of Sunday, we will be in our new place, just down the road from where we are now, another 2 bed house to fill with our weird and wonderful ornaments and make a home (until next LS6-mas at least!)

Once we have the internet set up at our new place, I'll be making an effort to post more on here because I feel I've been a bit rubbish at blogging recently.

I'm off to pack myself into a box labelled 'Fragile' - see you on the other side!
xo

Friday 8 June 2012

Moonrise Kingdom


On Wednesday I watched Moonrise Kingdom and have become so obsessed, I can't stop thinking/talking/dreaming about it.

Wes Anderson, you've done it again.

My little heart actually squeezes every time I think about it (which is a lot) and I want everyone I know to go and watch it so we can gush about it together. I'm actually so excited about the film, that I'm typing really fast (and making loads of typos in the process) because I want to talk about it FOREVER.

I knew I'd love it from the trailer alone and I don't even know where to start when it comes to talking about it.
The costume, the set, the soundtrack, the actors, the story line, the tiny cute kitten...

I don't want to ruin the story for anyone that hasn't seen it, and this is far more of an appreciation post than a movie review, but I thought I'd dedicate this post to my newest obsession.

I watched the film at the Hyde Park Picture House, which I'm sure only added to my falling in love with it. I've only ever been to the Picture House once before and it's so awesome, I'll definitely be going again. It's cheaper than the standard cinema, more intimate AND I had a cup of tea while watching the movie. Can't complain!

So -

The film follows 12 year old Suzy and Sam who run away together on an adventure planned in letters to one another and the adults who try to find them. Wrap this up in delicious 60's costume and sets beautiful enough to make your eyes water and you've got Moonrise Kingdom.

The story is set in 1965 so you can already imagine how delicious the wardrobe would be - tiny dresses with peter pan collars (a permanent obsession of mine), bold prints and knee high socks.
In a story of the most heartwarmingly innocent love, the youngest characters eventually appear to be the most mature; with Suzy's blue eyeshadow, a reflection of her old soul, and the khaki scout uniform looking more fitting on Ed Norton's character Scout Master Ward, than the 12 year old runaway Sam.

The story line alone is enough to warm even the iciest of hearts, but the film's impeccable casting and Wes Anderson's magic touch means (and yes, I'm being serious) move over Virgin Suicides, I've got a new favourite film on my hands.
It's a feast for the eyes, ears and soul. Characters on an adventure I can still only dream of, in clothes I want to own, with a soundtrack I could listen to forever...oh yeah, and it has the cutest kitten in the world. Meow.

Have some pictures, and if that's not enough, a trailer. Go and watch Moonrise Kingdom as soon as you possibly can, I promise you won't regret it.