I’ve been feathering my nest since I moved in last August (one year anniversary in a couple of weeks – yay!). A gorgeous print from Neil Leonard here, (buy one!), a lovely vintage lamp over there. A well-loved red armchair, a garland of red flowers above my bed, some coloured tea-light holders and a feminist [...]
Category Archives: Home
Star Homes
Also posted in Movies, Style, Video Tagged Film, I Want To Go Home, Interiors, Joy, Things That Make You Go Mmm 6 Comments
Why I Love… Candles
Among the many shimmering stars – yoghurt, crispbreads/rice cakes, Special K – of the GirlPlanet™ firmament, candles are right up there as a cultural signifier of girlieness. No, don’t deny it. I have done the (completely unscientific) research: all my girl friends have candles. All of them. Some are used as fancy air fresheners in [...]
Also posted in Love, Why I Love... Tagged Candles, Stereotypes, Things That Make You Go Mmm 2 Comments
The Electrician Always Buzzes Twice
Perception is a powerful thing. What we see, and what we think when we look are inextricably linked in the dark and murky recesses of our brains. I was thinking of this last Thursday afternoon, after the fire alarm in my building went off.
Also posted in Humour, London, Work Tagged London, Sigh, Stereotypes, The Wire, Ugh, Writing 6 Comments
Hit It Or Quit It?
A couple of weeks back, singer P!nk came out firmly on the side on spanking during an interview with Access Hollywood. She said: “I think parents need to beat the crap outta their kids… I think the whole spanking thing and how it’s gotten all PC is for the birds. (My dad) put me through [...]
Also posted in America, Family, Identity, Society Tagged Black People, Childhood, Discipline?, Smacking, Spanking, The African Experience 10 Comments
Coconut Cupcake Crazy!
Last weekend saw the last Bank Holiday Weekend of the year till Christmastime. Allow that to sink in, won’t you? That’s it, basically. Unless you have some allocated holiday time still unused, all you traditionally employed people are looking at about 14 weeks of non-stop work, save the occasional cheeky duvet day most of us [...]
Also posted in Food, Humour, London Tagged Awesome!, Eating, Food, Friends, Things That Make You Go Mmm 7 Comments
Settling In
Apologies for the recent silence. As I explained last Friday, I moved house on Saturday. The following day I collapsed, exhausted, in between bouts of frantic floor scrubbing, intensive clothes folding and manic hoovering. On Sunday evening, delirious with tiredness, I had myself a little self-pitying cry. I ache from the tips of my hair to [...]
Also posted in London, Love Tagged Getting started, I Want To Go Home, Joy, London, Things That Make You Go Mmm 1 Comment
Alone vs. Lonely
Next week, I shall be moving into my new flat. At the moment, I am caught up in the minutiae – packing everything six levels deep, with the top and most accessible layer made up of the things I’ll need immediately – socks, tea, clean pants, deodorant and my radio. But I know that when I move [...]
Also posted in Identity, London, Love, Video Tagged Gaah!, How To Be Alone, I Want To Go Home, Joy, London, Singledom 7 Comments
Eating My Feelings
On Monday night, filled with angst from the 9-5, I came home in a huff, and fell into the welcoming arms of food. If I could not resolve that which plagued me in the workplace, I would seek refuge in the cracking of eggs, in the mashing of banana, the sieving of flour and the fiery heat [...]
6 Reasons Why I Need To Live By Myself*
I have always wanted to live alone. Forget wedding dresses and flower arrangements; aged nine, I designed and drew plans for my dream house. Charitably, I included several rooms to accommodate visiting relatives. Briefly. I live with two smokers. I don’t smoke. At this point, I must make clear that they do not smoke in my room. They do [...]
YorubaSis – A Birthday Tribute
Apparently, my big sister wanted me to be a boy. She enquired with her two-and-half year old lisp, “When can I thee my baby bwuther?” over and over until she and my dad were brought through to gaze upon my bad-tempered newborn face. There is no family story that details her subsequent disappointment at my gender. [...]
Also posted in Family, Identity, Love Tagged Birthdays, Family, Happy Birthday, Joy, Sisters, YorubaSis 3 Comments
Why I Love… Christmas Telly
For many, Christmas is exemplified by the consumption of alcohol before noon. People roll out of bed and keep on rolling straight into the booze cabinet – Champagne, Port, Brandy, Gin, hold the tonic – emerging only to leisurely swallow their own weight in meat and vegetables, before resuming the imbibing or yet more alcoholic [...]
Also posted in Love, Movies, Television, Why I Love... Tagged Film, Movies, Sexy telly, Telly, TV Shows 2 Comments
Post-Birthday World
It was my birthday last Friday, and I was inundated with good wishes – I’m very lucky to have people who love and care for me so much. Do you remember how I lamented that 27 was such a non-age and all that? Well, for such a non-age, it kicked some serious ass. Many lovely things happened in [...]
Also posted in London, Love, Travel Tagged Bicycle, Cycling, Getting started, Gifts, Happy Birthday, Joy, Names 4 Comments
Jollofing It Up
A couple of days ago, I woke up with a dream lingering in my head and the distinct aroma of spices in my nostrils. Later that day, I went to see my Ma and Pa, and to be held in the cushiony bosom of family for a while. I was richly rewarded.
YorubaDad Returns
I’ve been in a bit of a slump for the past few weeks; perhaps it’s the onset of autumn, or maybe I’m just getting more maudlin with age. Either way, I’ve lost my sunny edge and have been a bit of a Debbie Downer… Thankfully, being down means there’s a capacity to get up. This [...]
All Aboard The Weepy Express!
To be completely and utterly fair, he started it. I wept like a baby when I parted with YorubaDad. It was surprising to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a weeper anyway. I mean I’ll cry over a movie (the end of E.T. is a killer), a book, a song; I swear one time, an unexpected [...]
