July has been a pretty great month. I don’t always write a round-up, but sometimes there’s just too many things to celebrate!
The Last Shadow Puppets
One morning, eight years ago, I switched on my little box-shaped TV and saw a music video quite unlike anything I’d seen before. It featured ice skaters, the bright lights of Moscow, an army of tanks and a chorus of Russia soldiers. And two boys with shaggy, Beatles-esque haircuts, drainpipe trousers and Chelsea boots.
That’s how I discovered (and fell in love with) The Last Shadow Puppets.
After releasing a beautifully-crafted debut album, the band – a side project of Arctic Monkey’s frontman Alex Turner and ex-Rascal Miles Kane – dispersed. I still listened to them religiously, counting Standing Next To Me as my all-time favourite song.
In the coming years, I saw the Arctic Monkeys live. And I saw Miles Kane live. But I never thought I’d get to see them together. That is, until they released a second album and announced a tour – completely out of the blue!
Word can’t describe how quickly I jumped on those tickets. I’d recently hooked my friend Jaz on the band, so I had a ready-made gig-buddy. And we had an absolutely brilliant time. Pre-show cocktails, screaming ‘YAAAAAAS’ over the orchestra, swooning over Alex’s crooning and singing along with our favourite tunes. In the scrapbook of my mind, that evening is absolutely covered in glittery hearts and stars. And from me, that’s pretty high praise.
Pizza on the beach
If you’ve read my
Mini Food Guide post, you’ll recognise The Wood Oven. But pizza on the beach is just too amazing not to mention twice, right?
My work friends and family spent the evening sipping drinks from plastic cups, gorging ourselves on freshly-baked pizza and admiring the gorgeous pink-and-blue sunset. It was my idea of heaven, so I’m planning on recreating the experience at least twice a month until it’s too cold to sit outside.
New job!
Guess what? I DID IT! I started my new job two weeks ago and I’m absolutely loving it. I don’t talk about work too much on here, because a girl’s got to keep some things private (and I don’t want to go through the ‘the views expressed here do not represent the views of my employer’ agro). Suffice it to say, I really like my job. Two thumbs up.
Oh, and I had a Magnum at my desk on Day One, because that’s how you make a first day really great.
More beach trips
I was also lucky enough to be reunited with my old housemate for an evening. We ate pizza (obviously) and took a walk on the beach at Sandbanks. It’s wonderfully photogenic, isn’t it?
Tex-Mex party
Nearly two months after I turned 25, I celebrated with a big birthday bash. Why so late? Because me and my friends decided to club together and have a joint party!
We went for a Tex-Mex theme, which meant piñatas, BBQ, quesadillas and beautiful decorations. There’s an awful lot to say on the subject, so I’ll be saving that for my next blog post 😉
I hope you had an absolutely wonderful July – and I’m wishing you all an exciting, inspiring, happy August!
