Happy Station(ery)

Happy Station is a Fun Fun track but this post is about stationery. One of the highlights of having a permanent job is having access to all the stationery in the stationery cupboard.

I remember as a kid, my mum buying me the cutest stationery for school. She bought my sister and I Japanese pencil cases which I used to fill with the coolest mechanical pencils. I used to think mechanical pencils were the most grown-up thing to own and use.

Well, that was only true until I started using pens. I quickly disposed of mechanical pencils and found love in my favourite type of pen. The Pilot Extra Fine Hi-Tec V5. I have since bonded with fellow V5 fans over the beautiful script produced by using this pen. It pleases me that there are bigger fans of pens out there!

I recently discovered this website and I love their paper goods. There is a really tastesful selection of old and new stationery and I am itching to get my hands on some. Orla Kiely, who I work for has also started producing stationery. Her designs are perfect on paper.

Serizawa Calendar

Keisuke Serizawa was a textile designer who made stencil-dyed calendars that were particularly popular with officers’ wives in US Forces. The calendars are still being produced and available to buy, but with his old designs following his death.

With Christmas just around the corner, I am feeling very inspired by things that I have seen and am thinking of card designs. At present, I am feeling very fond of plain brown paper and am thinking of using it as a blank canvas for ideas.

Drink this cake (enjoy Coca Cola)

What do you bake for someone who loves coca cola? This recipe is easy to make and fun to decorate.

I found myself free on a Tuesday night this week and decided that I would bake.

I stopped off at the supermarket after work and walked home with my bag of baking ingredients, excited and impatient to see the finished result.

coca cola cupcake

I bought a bag of fizzy cola bottles and some straws. I sat and listened to Human League and sang along while I frosted the cupcakes. I placed a fizzy cola in the middle and stuck a straw in it.

Airpistol on a loop

My recent vinyl purchases have been Elaste’s Space Disco compilation and Osbourne’s single, Airpistol.  It was a miserable day, the sky was pouring down and the only way being in town was bearable was by being indoors and choosing a few records and putting on the headphones. Just by closing your eyes, you can be anywhere the music takes you.

I loved Elaste’s Slow Motion Disco and have found it difficult to remove this from my ipod. This new Space Disco version is catchy and filled with some lovely 80s gems. I particularly love Stroer’s “Don’t Stay Till Breakfast”.

There is something sacred about putting a record on. As much as I love the convenience of mp3s and cds, I always think that putting on a record makes you listen to a track properly. Now, this is why I am glad I have  Airpistol on vinyl.

This beautiful and melodic track is ever so slightly minimal with dashes of disco-funk. All the ingredients of music to my ears. And one that I’ve been listening to on a loop, even though it means I have to keep walking back to put the needle back on the groove.

I love to Jjige, jjig, jjig in Korea

I love living in a big city where it seems like the world is always within reach. After having lived in London for nearly one and half years, I have only just discovered the tiny strip of Korean eateries on St Giles High Street. Here, in this little pocket just off Tottenham Court Road I feel like I’ve been transported into a Korean film.

And here away from the maddening crowds of Oxford Street, I tried Kimchi Jjige for the first time. This is a dish that uses a combination of ingredients that epitomises the best flavours for my palate- spiciness and sourness.

Traditionally this is a hot pot of leftovers- made using old kimchi and cooked with beancurd or tofu and either pork or beef. It reminded me of my favourite Chinese New Year dish, a spicy and sour soup, again made with leftovers from the Reunion Dinner feast.

Now that the days are darker and the air crispier, nothing is as warming as having a bowl of kimchi jjige with some rice.