Sunday - Best Day of the Week

My dad, stepmum and 4 year old brother paid me a visit this weekend. Lovely to see them but unfortunately, they didn't tell me they were coming until Thursday. I had planned a big weekend, a few friends were having a birthday party then I was planning to host a tea party and make lots cupcakes, use my favourite Christmas present, a three tier cakestand, whip out some champagne and get some cucumber sandwiches in the mix. Due to the unexpected presence of the parentals, this was not possible.

Saturday evening and the party went well. Lots of people and a few different venues ensued including gallivanting back and forth over Battersea Bridge. I stayed at my friends' house where they live in Battersea Square.

We all woke up and the Sunday activities began. Cheap breakfast and a pint of lemonade later, headaches were banished and Emily and I made our way back over the blooming bridge to the Trafalgar for the replacement of what I was originally meant to host. We only stayed there for half an hour or so before heading back to Lucy's house on the Fulham Road for chocolate cake and a cosy bed. Here is Lucy, Anna and Emily in Lucy's bed. I would be sitting next to Lucy but reluctantly got up to take the photo.



And the top notch Asda cake...



My dad picked me up shortly after this and we went to The Ship across Wandsworth Bridge which I love, it really is a good pub.



We took the Sunday Times with us. I read, as ever, Style whilst my dad amused himself with the grown-up bits. I didn't really think that people honestly read the Money section. It was the men's issue of Style Magazine but still good. Mainly because Robert Pattinson is on the front cover and did this interview (now on my bedroom wall) but also a good interview with Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana.

Chris Ofili

Even though it was 2 weeks ago that I went to see the Chris Ofili exhibition at the Tate, I enjoyed it so much that I thought I should shout about it again. (Already put something up at Handpicked).

Unsurprisingly, there were a LOT of people there when I went mid-afternoon on a Saturday. It really didn't matter though because these pieces are so huge in size and character you could see them from space. The point of them I think is to use crude materials (Ofili made a name for himself when he won the Turner Prize in 2008 and his signature elephant poo pictures which were showed here too), dress them up and make them into something that people appreciate and want to be around. They're so big and beautiful, adorned with glitter, bright colours and layers of materials, it makes them so engaging.

This is defo my fave, Afrodizzia:

Alice in Wonderland Mania

I thought I'd start off with something that seems to have taken the world by storm.

It's official, Alice in Wonderland Fever has taken the world by storm. With the new Tim Burton film due out in the next few days (March 5th to be precise) it has become the inspiration behind many a fad of late.

The film has the standard Burton duo - Johnny Depp and Burton's wife Helen Bonham Carter. The rest of the cast includes some great British actors too - Matt Lucas as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Alan Rickman as the Caterpillar, Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat, Timothy Spall as a Bloodhound and Barbara Windsor (!) as the dormouse. The cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Michael Sheen and Christopher Lee. Tim Burton and Helen Bonham Carter's children also have cameo roles. This is the sixth feature film that Depp and Burton have worked on together, There's quite good interview done by Fearne Cotton.

There was a lovely interview in the Sunday Times Culture this weekend just gone with Mia Wasikowska who plays the nineteen-year-old Alice. She is now about to embark on the filming of Jane Eyre in which she plays the title role.

I paid a visit to Selfridges this weekend specifically to go to the Alice in Wonderland pop up shop. The shop had the most beautiful old Lewis Carroll first editions of Alice's various adventures. Please excuse the dodgy photos, juggling Blackberry camera and shopping I can't afford whilst trying to avoid deadly elbow shoves from angry Saturday Oxford Street shoppers didn't leave much room for my inexperienced photographic eye to shine through.

There are also these Mad Hatter/Johnny Depp Barbies:

Anna Lou had specially designed some teapot pendants in her signature style alongside the Queen's Head ones which have been around for a while. Unfortunately didn't manage to swipe a snap of the teapots because I got a bit scared of the sales lady giving me dodgy looks but here is an image of the Queen's Head one.

There are also the most incredible hats which are illustrated by a particularly bad photo here but I feel it should get shown.

What also gets me super excited about a trip to Selfridges is the window displays and the Mad Hatter's tea party theme definitely didn't disappoint.