Pretty music

I was working on some designs the other week, bopping away to BBC 6music in the background, when I heard Undertow by Warpaint. It was love at first listen. The feminine voices singing lowly over guitar and bass reminded me of Mazzy Star crossed with My Bloody Valentine. It took me straight back to my teenage years, spent almost entirely with my Sony walkman earphones plugged in my ears.

What's more the four girls that make up the band are all gorgeous girlfriends from childhood. I can feel another girl crush coming on. My husband last night said to me "you really do love them don't you?" upon finding me sitting, glued to my computer, watching them perform some of their songs live. Their CD has been played on a loop continuously since I got it last week. I told him, that these girls must have grown up listening to the same music I did; they are from Los Angeles, I have never been there, but in my imagination, its not worlds away from Sydney; and if I could have ever been in a band (forget for a second I cant play any instruments, and even though I enjoy singing immensely, technically I don't have any actual ability...at all...whatsoever) this is the band I would have wanted to been in.

Their first full album, the Fool, was released just a few weeks ago on Rough Trade records. If you like your alternative 90's bands, music filled with distorted guitar riffs and ethereal female vocals, I strongly suggest having a listen.

I missed out on tickets for their London show next week. However my Australian friends might have a bit more luck, they are heading down that way in February and from all reports (and my Vimeo watching), they are brilliant live.

My girl-crush on Sophie Dahl

I have had a fair few girl crushes lately, there are so many super girls out there doing their crafty, clever, and creative things that makes me want to be their best friend and follow them around like Mary's Little Lamb. One such recent crush was on Sophie Dahl, and not for her risque modelling (which was pretty cool anyway! Love that Dior ad). It has been for her cooking and writing.

Recently the BBC presented the Delicious Miss Dahl (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rs7c9), a cooking show overflowing with prettiness. What a kitchen! I'm sure it was in a studio somewhere (my husband used to work in the office where Nigella's supposed "home" kitchen is now settled! Big illusion bubble popped!), but if that was in my house i would be in heaven! I am completely converted to the French white brick tile, it will be the only tile i ever buy in future - i wish i had listened to my mum about this years ago now! Not to mention the beautiful wall papers, and the island bench and enormous stove!

And then her clothes, so gorgeous and comfortable looking whilst still being ultra gorgeous and girly. The photography in the show and in her recipe book is lovely, it could be a coffee table book its so nice to flick through. She has little passages at the beginning of each section (broken down by the seasons, something i am quite into at the moment as i am trying to eat food that is in season) that are about her life and experiences she associates with certain dishes. She is funny and has lived quite an interesting life. Her stories might be perceived as being a bit "wow me", but i don't think so, she is charming, and her self effacing tone seems genuine to me. I think she is aware that she has had a very blessed and lucky life and is exceedingly grateful, well that's what i think anyway!

I bought her cookbook at the same time as i bought her novel Playing with the Grown-Ups (don't you just love Amazon recommends?), and i have to say i was impressed. It was a great read! I really didn't want to put it down. I was intrigued as to how much of the story she had drawn from her own experience, indeed there were some similarities between the stories in her cookbook to those in her novel. Ultimately it is a coming of age story about a girl whose mother acts like an irresponsible teenager. The descriptions of New York and London as well as her time in a boarding school had me very interested and i could see it all playing out before my eyes. It's not going to win the Booker Prize or anything like that, but its a great holiday read, a guilty pleasure if you like.

Finally i should mention her food! In a word, divine! I have tried a few recipes, most notably a Tom Kar soup - it was gorgeous. And filled the kitchen with the most amazing smells as i cooked. I am looking forward to trying more.

So there you have it, a clever, creative, talented, gorgeous girl - Sophie if you ever read this we should definitely go for coffee sometime!