...missing Iceland Airwaves

We went to Iceland for the Airwaves music festival last October. It was my first visit and I fell in love with the frosty city. Sam has been there countless times and I've been desperate to go but it hadn't worked out until last year.

It was a short flight just an hour away and when we disembarked the plane I braced myself to be hit by a wave of steely cold air, the complete opposite to a warm holiday. But it never came, at 5 degrees the weather was quite refreshing. This soon changed when we were hit by the tail end of Hurricane Sandy lashing out whisps of 75mph winds which blew a car and me across the hotel car park.

Here is my take on Reykjavik...

The main high street is Laugavegur and there are a lot of cool boutiques to check out there. It’s the strangest capital city – quite small and not very busy, hardly any cars but this only makes it more magical to me.

12 Tonar is the best music shop in the world. Icelandic artists just drop off their home produced records for 12 tonar to sell.

Sightseeing

You can see the best views of Reykjavik from the top of Hallgrímskirkja - the cathedral.

It almost goes without saying that everyone who goes to Iceland must go to the Blue Lagoon 

We hired a really cheap car from sad cars for a day and went on a mission around the golden circle. 

I’m sure the tourist information will let you know all about the golden circle - the geysirs, Gullfoss etc but check out the black beaches of Vik and the beautiful little church on the coast of Gullbringusysla.

Bars

A great daytime hangout for food (amazing pulled pork sandwiches), drinks, free wifi and people watching is Kex 

Ólafur Arnalds played a beautiful afternoon gig there while we sheltered from the wind

Kaffibarinn is a bar that is part-owned by Damon Albarn and hosts lots of live music from locals. Sam Amidon surprised me by playing my favourite song Louis Collins in these really intimate surroundings. I haven't heard him play it live before, pretty overwhelming, made me cry.
 
Boston is a new bar which according to locals is the favourite haunt of Jonsi from Sigur Ros and Bjork at the moment

Check out the architecture of Harpa - it's a beautiful venue for gigs 

Food  

Sam has been going on about Saegreifinn's lobster bisque and he wasn't wrong it is mighty fine and not too rich or creamy so a real hit with me.

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur serves the tastiest hot dogs, which are great to eat when you are out drinking. It basically a hot dog van in a car park - the beginnings of street food right here. I had quite a few while I was there – they are quite addictive and my vegan friends had the crunchy onions and sauce in the buns without the sausages.

The Noodle station serves cheap and spicy noodle soup, great for refueling when you are rushing around.

Remember to keep looking up at the sky at night, because you are sure to see the northern lights. Sam was complaining to a guy we'd just met that he'd never seen them and the guy told us to look up and we saw them.

Music 

The best gig was Daughter who played in a church in the centre of Reykajvik. Everyone was so quiet and the music was so powerful it felt like this is the best use for a church. It made me very thankful that I was there to experience it.

It really is my favourite city.

...Cracking open Easter 2013

 Here's a taster of bank holiday celebrations with my family.

                                                    My nephew Luca with my twin Carly

My nephew Brandon Beans

The boys just chilling

A photo with both my sisters, Daniela and Carly

We spent a lazy bank holiday Monday watching Les Miserables and snuggling up with Badger on the sofa. My new Primark dungarees are ideal to keep the cold out, but a little tricksy when negotiating toilet breaks.

...entering Badger in the La Senza 'Pets on Pyjamas' competition

...thinking about it, I haven't asked Badger yet how he'd feel about starring on pjs in La Senza stores next year...I'm taking liberties, I know.

My lovely colleague Grace is submitting her gorgeous sausage dog pup Dexter and has demanded that we all enter our pets. So I couldn't really refuse and his photo is just too cute not to submit it.

Here's a more recent pic of Badger sleeping with his partridge.


It may look cute but Badger has destuffed the partridge, poor partridge.

Happy Friday! x

...celebrating Willy's 30th birthday

...finally recovered from my best friend Willy's 30th birthday party. His lovely girlfriend, Laura, rented a cottage in Mere, Wiltshire for the weekend.


We had a relatively well-behaved Friday night with his parents and sister, before the idiots turned up on the Saturday. With a surprise appearance from his close friends up north (which means past Southampton) Windsor and Scrase.



Here are some of my favourite photos of the weekend's antics...

...tickling a pig

Wondering where to start after all this time has passed between us...

With the three Fs is as good a place as any: food, fun and friends at Open Sandwich #5

Thanks to Toby Thomas for the pic 

Hosted by Poppy Mae in Westbourne, Nick organised a fab evening with a food quiz and charity auction. Now, if I was ever in any doubt that I know nothing about food, this quiz cleared that up. Fast.

 I did manage to surprise myself by knowing the correct answer to one of the questions was wild garlic – but can I remember the question now? Can I heck. As it happens, we came 2nd – not too shoddy at all. Without my team members, drafted in for their knowledge and enthusiasm for food, I would have had a much lowlier place on the results list, I’m sure.

During the auction, I bid for brunch at the Living Room in Alum Chine – which I am really looking forward to – and Sam bought dinner for two at the opening night of the Tickled Pig in Wimborne.

 So opening night finally came around and we made our merry way over to 26 Westborough, Wimborne Minster, GB on Friday 1^st June.

I loved the quaint but stylish restaurant as soon as I walked through the door. Very friendly staff led us upstairs where another older couple were already dining. The lady was enthusing about the interior design, especially the farrow and ball paint, whilst having a right good snoop around, opening cupboards to see what she could spy. 

Sour-dough bread, olives and olive oil and Mascatel vinegar arrived right away with a bottle of rose – the palest of pinks, perfect.

I picked scallops with asparagus and bacon for starters while Sam plumped for the beetroot soup. Even after my warning that it was served chilled, Sam mischievously declared, as delicious as it was (and I can vouch for that, it was delicious) it would be even better after a quick blast in the microwave. Men!

The flavour of the asparagus, bacon and scallops combined managed to pip the soup to the post, winning me the best starter in our ongoing competition. Yay, me!

For our mains, I was seduced by the crackling and Sam went for his old favourite; marinated lamb rump, hummus, beetroot, mint, fennel, rocket and feta. Both beautifully cooked and full of flavour.

Now I am a sucker for dessert and usually go for the chocolatiest mess I can find. But my head was turned by the lavender and honey panna cotta.  Sam’s chocolate tart was divine but…oh my, the lavender with the honey… and the lavender… and the pana cotta, and did I mention the lavender…woah.

Thanks Matt, Luke and Nikki for looking after us so darn well. And let me put it this way, even though at no point did I get to tickle a pig, (though perhaps Sam could have if he’d tickled me afterwards) I’m looking forward to going back again, very soon. 

...asking socks or no socks

There is still a chill in the air which leads to the question, socks or no socks? My friend Matt has responded to this with his typical cool style, which I have to share with you.

Does remind me of Hunter S Thompson, always a good thing in my book.

I have seen some interesting fashion choices today, driving to and from work. This unseasonably warm weather seems to caught some people on the hop. And some people on the hop straight out of their clothes - those who, in typical Bournemouth-style, have stripped off before their hibernating bodies are ready.

To contend with the chill, I myself haven't been brave enough to bare my legs yet. They need a bit of fake tan to prevent them dazzling passers-by with their bright whiteness. Daz could learn a thing or two from me.


I am also suffering from an extreme case of shoppers guilt...but I blame LisaB who directed me to this dailymail website article and my twin who made me do it. Well encouraged me, maybe I didn't need much encouragement to buy this dress.

Lipsy

I really can't wait to wear it for my best friend from uni's wedding, here's hoping I can squeeze into the size 6...

...singing a song for Sam

...celebrating Sam's 30th birthday.


The oh so talented Tom Rosenthal very kindly made me a song for Sam's 30th birthday.
Using my many emails filled with facts of Sam's likes and little quirks, Tom composed 'Song for Sam' and made me cry it was so good.

Luckily this was one of the criteria 'Would be good if we could make him cry a bit'
Well his eyes did well up so wonderful work, Mr Rosenthal.

The Museum Inn

I also whisked Sam and Badger off to the Museum Inn for his birthday night, where we were fed up like foie gras on the finest foods.

Badger in the Stables

My dippy egg with blue cheese soldiers was to die for and Sam's goats cheese and red pepper souffle was ridiculously good tasting. My steak was tender & juicy, but Sam had picked the winning dish; pork belly - so crispy Sam declared it was definitely not toothkind. All topped off with sticky toffee pudding and coffee...we ended the evening passed out Tinie Tempeh styley to try and digest it all.




This did not deter us from ordering the beautiful, big breakfast, (when in Farnham and all that!) the next morning to have a tiny taste of the black pudding.

Snowdrops

After a roam through the village in warm sunshine(!) we set off for The Fontmell, where we could only tackle a liquid lunch. I definitely won that round though, the crab soup was so delicious it totally trumped the leek and potato.

We headed home, full of North Dorset goodness to starve ourselves for a visit with our idiot club friends to the Larder House on the weekend. And James did not disappoint. His lamb shoulder, gave all the other restaurants the cold shoulder. So tender it obligingly fell off the bone and happily on to the fork to be eaten, and so much that we all got to have a mouthful.

An absinthe cold jasmin and peppermint tea cocktail finished the birthday celebrations off and nearly finished me off too. Fantastic.

Thanks to everyone who looked after us and helped me make Sam's birthday a special one xxx

...wishing my dad a very happy birthday

...singing along to the Beatles song:

"Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out till quarter to three, would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?"

My daddy is 64 today and I just wish so much that he was still here so I could sing it to him. He was the biggest Beatles fan and he loved telling us the story of, when he saw them live, how he shouted "Spit on me Johnny, I'm in the third row!" Much to my young disgust, why would you want his spit? I kind of get it now I'm older and aware of what a huge impact he had on the world. He had a pretty big impact on me just through my dad.

My daddy

My family at my older sister's wedding

This verse is so fitting, it includes Valentine's Day - my dad's birthday greetings and my dad loved red wine so we will be toasting him tonight for sure. I never thought while listening to that song as a little 'un that he wouldn't reach 64 - I was looking forward to singing it to him and seeing if it came true.


I love this photo that Sam took of the beautiful, sad sky on the evening that my dad left us.

Happy Birthday Ronnie.
All my love x

....watching Charon

So I've welcomed the relaxed weekends of January with open arms.

As well as comfort food, this depressing month has awoken my hunger for melancholy music. Rihanna and the party playlist has been usurped by Keaton Henson - a creative soul, who wrote his album while ravaged with heartache, as all the best albums are.

My spectacularly, sprained ankle over New Year meant it would've taken me an age to negotiate the aisles at Tesco, so i was car-ridden with 'Nests' on loop. On Sam's return he found me in floods, exclaiming "The poor guy, he's really hurting."

This video is beautiful, just like the song.

Keaton Henson - Charon from Keaton Henson on Vimeo.

...opening an alternative advent calendar

...no words


Advent 4 - Keaton Henson from David Wilson on Vimeo.

David Wilson Vs Keaton Henson

www.altadvent.tumblr.com

...keeping schtum about Maverick Slacklines Project X

...but not doing that good a job.
Just check out the sweet skills of team Maverick

...shopping for a Christmas tree

...starting our search for owl decorations, we went to homebase. I have this dream of a Christmas tree covered in little white owls but sadly it was not to be.

...refusing to even glimpse a tree there, I dragged Sam to Stewarts Garden Centre in Christchurch, because it's tradition. For more years than I can remember, the Illingworth family Christmas tree shopping experience involves my dad and my sisters standing by the biggest, fullest  tree we can find, while my mum holds on to a much smaller one across the other side of the centre. Where usually the matriach rules supreme, at Stewarts this rule relaxes, & as is tradition, we bring home the monster tree.

And in recent years they also have reindeer, and Badger likes to rub noses with them as a Merry Christmas greeting, it's his tradition. This year did not disappoint, we brought home the biggest tree. I actually started to sound a little like my mother, "Ron, where are we going to put it?" And like Ron, Sam dismissed my uncertainty, hauling the monster tree to the overeager sales guy.

As is tradition, we had to rearrange the lounge and lop off some of the trunk to make it fit. But fit it does and I love it!

After the tree decorating , drinking hot choc with marshmallows & listening to carols, our friends came over and we moved on to mulled wine and went for a gorgeous Salathai in Southbourne. A great start to December. Hope you're all feeling festive too.

... feeling like a chocolate teapot after Bournemouth Tourism Awards

Reporting back from the Bournemouth Tourism Awards, I have to admit I didn't see eye to eye with the judges on most of the results.

However a fun night was had by Chloe and I, which we have the Bournemouth Echo to partly thank for... worth it even though I felt like a chocolate teapot the next morning...

I feel like I should explain I am holding the second glass of wine for Chloe while she takes the photo.

Watching Maverick Slackline's RedBull Excam 48 hour film challenge entry - SlackLife

Our brief from RedBull on the Friday night was to make a three minute film within 48 hours.

We summoned the slacklining troops and missioned to a derelict, secret location at 6.30am on the Saturday morning. After 4 hours of rigging, the boys set to sending the lines and their crazy combos were captured in the hazy autumn afternoon sunlight by Life Cinematic - Jon Moy.

24 hours later, the video was judged joint first by the RedBull judges at Pop in Southampton.

My heart was beating in my chest, not knowing what to expect as we, team Maverick, gathered in the club with the other entrants to watch it for the first time. It blew us away...

...watching Tyrannosaur

...a harrowing afternoon at the picture house. Highly recommended.


Tyrannosaur

As we don't have a decent art house cinema in Bournemouth, we took our stinking hangovers up to the Harbour Lights Picture House in Southampton to watch Tyrannosaur. My love for Paddy Considine knows no bounds and after seeing his short film, Dog Altogether, I was a little prepared for the trauma in store for me.

But no one else can make his lead character kill his dog within the first fifteen minutes and then have me rooting for him by the end. That's the truth of a film like this, it's dangerous to stereotype people. You might hate an aspect of their character, but it's just that; an aspect. A few times I've tried to write people off and then they show a different side to me and I feel awful for being so dismissive. I'm in a constant circle; hating then liking, then hating, then liking the people on Big Brother. I guess you can't like all people, all the time.

An old lady was so moved by the film she had to talk about it and stopped me to voice her views over the sinks in the loos. "Unjust but very real" and "I wanted her to call a solicitor".

I did give Badger an extra tight squeeze when we got home though...poor pup.

...enjoying the sunshine at the Burley Cider Festival

...browsing twitter on Saturday morning, I came across tweets from @lostinthelarder and @thelarderhouse (thanks guys) about a cider festival in Burley. So we rounded up our cider loving friend Will & the dogs and went to sample some cider.

Roscoe the whippet having a little drink

Roscoe the whippet having a little taste

Not having a taste...

Smooching on the haybales

After the festival, we got a bit lost as we always do driving out of the New Forest. The boys brought home 10 litres, yes 10 litres of New Forest cider and we stopped off at St Catherine's Hill to take the pups for a sunset jaunt.

We found a wigwam and Will fiddled with the camera settings until it looked like daylight

As the sun set, we set off for cocktails at the Larderhouse