PILLARS OF THE EARTH

Egypt April 2010

Photographs taken by myself and my father

A long overdue insight into my trip to Egypt in April this year; a country I found brimming with beautiful things, but blighted by relentless tourism. Egypt reached its tourist heyday in the 1930s (The Death on the Nile era), and has gone downhill ever since. At the pyramids of Giza, litter tornadoes spun around the base of these monumental triumphs, against a background of starved horses and idle 'tourist police'. I preferred to avoid the crowds and the emporiums pawning gold jewellry to snap from the back of a speeding van through the heart of Cairo and try to get the horsecarts, pedestrians and carrot stalls in focus.

The last photograph shows the attempts of Coptic Christians to cover up the Egyptian hieroglyphics at Aswan. The Christians believed the Egyptian symbols were evil and could be brought to life by bad spirits. They set upon vandalising as many of the figures as possible, scratching out their faces and limbs, or by painting their own murals to cover them completely. Luckily, their design prowess wasn't nearly as impressive as the Egyptians, and the pillars of the earth still stand today.

HORNED

ROLLACOASTA magazine September 2010, photographed by Kate Bellm

Songs For Late Night Train Journeys

L'AUTOMNE EN PROVENCE

Silvery boughs of ripening olives, the faint scent of drying lavender, a tree burdened with sharon fruits which I had never noticed before; this is the russet-tinted glow of autumn in Provence. Next month, the olives will be pressed into oil in the village, and the sharon fruits will have all but rotted.

I love my wild, ancient garden; it takes ten minutes to descend the terraces to the bottom of it. It is my Paradise Regained.

\\\ MOHAWK ///

\\\ MOMO ///

Burning desire Martinis at Momo's, Heddon St, London 19.09.10


"Are you on Vivienne's table?" asked the maitre'd.

photographed by Audrey Rodgers, our girl in Paris

\\\ NOVEMBER STYLE STALKING///

\\Knight Cat//Frou Frouu//Nana in Wonderland//Style Stalker//

Sheer Layers

Velvet & Silk kimono jackets

Orange, Purple & Camel

Arran knits

Black mesh

Leather leggings

Berry lips

Pom Poms

So goes my winter shopping list. Yesterday's trip to Armstrong's was super successful. A gorgeous 50s camel swing coat with fur cuffs came home with me, along with a bright purple wool trench and some silk shirts. I think some outfit posts are long overdue, once this essay is out the way and the sun decides to make an appearance over this gloomy isle once again.

\\\ AUDREY ///

Scans my own from Audrey Hepburn Taschen//Audrey Hepburn by Sean Hepburn Ferrer books

I'm home in Edinburgh for one week on a self-medicated sabbatical from uni. I've had flu for most of the time, the rest I've been trying to punch out an essay on Moby Dick, so nothing too enjoyable. But today I'm heading into Edinburgh city library to work, which means ideal proximity to Armstrong's Vintage Emporium and a few other choice venues to browse for oddities in the Grassmarket. My lunchbreak treat. Last time I popped in I picked up a replica of Audrey's Givenchy Breakfast at Tiffany's gown, so my hopes are high.

\\\ BLUE MONDAY ///

Yvan Rodic, Unknown

Songs for this morning. It will probably be raining, so nothing too jolly, just sublime.

...And if you're really struggling with the mean reds, this nine minute masterpiece should have you doing synthesiser sun salutations at your window in no time. It always works with me.

Get EIGHT LONDON updates by joining the facebook page here

\\\ YOU LOOK WELL BOSS IN THAT ///

DAVID LONGSHAW S/S 11

It was a delight catching a few moments with David Longshaw, possibly the biggest sweetheart at the LFW exhibition. His collection caught my eye for the subdued delicate palette; the tones you pick out of a landscape seen on a foggy English morning. His illustrations, inspired by the storyline of a bunch of city yobs who break into a stately pile and run riot, playing dress up in the antique costumes and jewels they discover, are placed on dainty shift dresses and vests and embellished with 'antique' touches; ostrich feathers, beads and corsages. David was this year's winner of the BFC/Elle talent Launch Pad award for S/S 11, so he's definitely one to watch.

GOOD MORNING.

\\\ BEDROOM ///

A Selby-style self portrait of my university life in Leeds. Yes, I know there are shoes on my bookshelves, but some pretty hefty books too!