It was recently the 9th Annual You Rawk Day and I’m still learning new endearing facts about Gareth. Like when he falls asleep on the couch he folds his arms neatly over his chest, like a dictator lying in state. Also, he gets really cranky when product packaging has first-person copy on it. Innocent Smoothies are Read More
Now that I’m getting on in years there’s this little hair that keeps appearing under my chin. I dutifully pluck it out and then it comes back and then I pluck it out again. I always know it’s time to grab the tweezers when Gareth suddenly says with an evil grin, “Hey! Shakespeare’s back!”. I Read More
I love road trips in Britain – it’s a small island, so you’re never too far from a loo, the sea or a cup of tea. But sometimes I still pine for Australia’s endless miles of nothing, so I was chuffed to get a small fix of big highways last week. I went to North Read More
“Mum mum mum! Australia won four gold medals today!” “Noooo,” said the Mothership, “Australia won one gold medal.” It was 1984 and Australia had won the 4,000 metres team pursuit at the Los Angeles Olympics. “But there were four men on the podium! And they each had a medal!” I yelled with as much indignation Read More
Now and then when working from home, Gareth and I like to meet up at lunchtime to have a cup of tea and listen to the radio. We quite like newsy programmes on Radio 2 or 5 Live because they can get some real nutters calling in and it’s fun to shout at them. Awhile Read More
A surprising and fun thing that’s happened with the Perfume Project is that people have been keen to give me a shot of their favourites. I thought they might have been protective of them but it’s been more like when you really love an album and you want others to get their ears around it. Read More
You cannae beat the combination of cake and fruit. Like chocolate and mint, another favourite of mine, it’s a marriage that gives the illusion of health. Thus I was excited that ”Getting Fruity” was the theme of the Edinburgh Cake Ladies’ summer gathering at Craigie’s Farm. These gatherings are crazy popular, so when I managed to score Read More
“I cocked up the cake!” “What?” Gareth staggered in from an evening bike ride to find me flapping around the kitchen with oven gloves on. “The passionfruit slice! I left it in the oven too long and it’s all burnt at the edges! And I don’t have enough ingredients to make another!” “What are you Read More
Have you ever found yourself talking a lot of bollocks at a department store beauty counter? I went to Harvey Nics to try some Diptyque Philosykos for the Perfume Project. The lovely Sali Hughes proclaimed her love for it in her perfume column last year (“figgy, woody and unique”), as did some of you excellent, Read More
I’m on a 2012 mission to try 52 perfumes in 52 weeks. I was looking for a minor project that didn’t involve sitting on my arse. I’ve never been a perfume person but I suddenly became possessed by the idea of being a perfume person. As learned from Impulse Body Spray ads in the 80s Read More
