Five things I loved this week....

I'm hoping that this becomes a regular feature here, just to share with you a few things I've been enjoying each week. It's never too late to act on my New Year's Resolution of being more grateful right?

Lucius - Wildewoman

Fan of Haim, CHVRCHES, or Sky Ferriera? Then this Brooklyn based indie pop quintet is bound to be your summer soundtrack. Their light, vintage-soul sound evokes memories of hot, lazy summer days so it’s no wonder their festival schedule this summer is packed.

The vocal harmonies of front women Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, work brilliantly together – so much so that it’s almost impossible to work out which one is singing when! They continue this by performing in completely matching outfits (even down to the hairstyles!)

Annoyingly I’ve just missed their European tour, but they’ll be back at the end of the summer for the End of the Road festival.

Check out their NPR Tiny Desk Concert to get a feel for their infectious energy!

The Secret History - Donna Tartt

In the wake of her recent nomination for the Bailey’s Prize along with the Pulitzer Prize win, I decided to revisit her classic The Secret History. 

A tale of epic proportions, heavily influenced by ancient greek literature, involving an intriguing investigation into the murder in the prologue. With all the frivolity of the Famous Five, and the depth of a Greek Classic – there’s nothing not to love. I was glued to all 629 of the pages!

Tartt’s literary skills shine through, so it's no wonder that The Goldfinch has been sweeping up literary prizes this year. After all it has been ten years in the making!

The King’s of Summer

After premiering at Sundance in 2013, this feel good coming of age film made me long for hot, summer days! If you like the cinematography of Wes Anderson, and particularly enjoyed Moonrise Kingdom, this is certainly one for you.

The touching friendship of Patrick and Joe as they leave home to build a house and new life in the woods, following their adventures along the way. Although pegged as a comedy the film’s not packed with as many laughs as I’d originally hoped, but charming performances by the young actors, and the endearing spirits of Joe and Patrick make it a highly enjoyable watch.

Little Paris Kitchen – Rachel Khoo

After a friend raved about Khoo's smoked fish pie, I couldn't resist buying this as a little early birthday present for my mum. So far we've tried out the dulce de leche and apple filled brioches, which were delish! (Expect a blog on them soon). Her little anecdotes peppered throughout the book make it entertaining to read, and every single recipe makes my mouth water. 

The beautiful illustrations (by Khoo herself!) add to the charm of the book, and I certainly can’t wait to try out a few more of the recipes. It’s certainly made me excited for the French cuisine I’ll undoubtedly be enjoying next year…

Home

It's been almost four months since my last visit to Edinburgh, so it's exciting to be back with the family (even if it is just for a flying Easter visit)! I've arrived home to discover that my bedroom's been redecorated, so gone are the days of Harry Potter posters adorning the walls, and welcome to my significantly more sophisticated room. 

I'm just enjoying home cooking after months of halls food, the fact that I've finally got a double bed again, and all the Easter eggs we've had this weekend! The simple pleasures, eh?