Mothering Sunday

Well I hope you all had a lovely mothers day, I had a very stressful one as I was cooking dinner and making pavlova (which isn't as easy as it looks).
The reason it was so stressful was because I rose early, half past seven in the morning to be precise, and went straight into the kitchen to make my pavlova and when I had made that I began work on my second pavlova... because the first looked like this...

As you can see it's rather over cooked, my second attempt was much better though.

It doesn't look fantastic but it tasted rather good.

As I said, it was a stressful day, I think I must have spent a solid 7 hours in that darn kitchen!

Here's a quick shot of the flowers me and my sisters got my lovely mother

After the chaos of dinner we got dressed to go watch Bethan perform in 'A Night Of Musicals (a Hopper production).

I couldn't decide what look I wanted to go for so I just threw some stuff together and I ended up looking like so strange kind of Doctor Who.

The following photos where not taken by me but taken by Mr Kevin Ho of Kevin Ho photography.

Enjoy

 

They sang songs from Cabaret, Hair, The Book of Mormon and Rent (plus many more I can't remember) and put on a great show that I'm jolly well over the moon they will be performing it again very soon!

It was such a brilliantly performed and produced/directed show and I would just like the congratulated everyone involved (especially David John Hopper as it was his first production).

My Family (minus 2)
 and here's a few vain shots of me looking dramatically down, or rather up, my staircase.

Till next time folks,
Laura Lou x

My Valentine(s)

Well although it's a little late in coming here is my Valentines Day blog post!

This year was the first year I have actually had someone to spend actual valentines day with and what did I do? 

I went to see Train instead!

 

Now for those of you who don't know who train are shame on you!

No I'm kidding but I do feel sorry for you, they sing amazing songs such as 'Parachute', 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Hey Soul Sister'.

It was an incredible show even if Pat did have a bad throat, the opening act didnt even let them down.

I usually hate having to sit through opening acts at gigs but this one was a top class act.

Gin Wigmore

 

Her songs were, the only way I can describe them, kick ass and her band? They know how to play!

Here's a link to one of her songs so you can check her out for yourselves.

Anyway Sadly all the photos I took that night didn't turn out well so I wont bother sharing them with you, apart from these ones anyway.

 

A special Valentines Kiss for Sarah Lou

 

Just a little look at my hair and makeup for that night.
Victory Rolls

The outfit was neither here nor there so I won't bore you with pictures of it.

 

I received roses

a teddy bear (aww)

and a pearl bracelet

 all from (and I hate to be soppy and romantic but hey) probably the best boyfriend. In the world :)

I hope you all had a wonderful day too weather you spent it with a loved one, with friends or just on your own.

Till next time Folks,
Laura Lou x

Friday Night Rock Night!

Last Friday Myself and Bethan went to our local rock night at one of our favorite bars... Trocs :)
The music was pretty bad but me and Bethan looked pretty darn good.
Pictures Please!

 Bethan went for a modern fresh young thing kind of look and I channelled more of a 60s vibe with a beehive and cardigan.

 

We tried out some Alfred Hitchcock type poses, I like doing this far too much.

 

Till next time folks,

Laura Lou x

 

PP Arnold

By now you will all know how much I love 'oldies' music (I prefer to call it 'good' music) what with my Ronettes post and all.
Well Now I want to share with you another of my most loved artists from the 1960s.
PP Arnold.

Patricia Cole was born into a family of gospel singers, and so began her musical training at a very young age. An unfortunate marriage to David Arnold when she was only 15 brought a period of considerable hardship throughout her late teen years, but she persevered with her musical ambitions in the hopes that it would open the door to a better life.
(For full bio visit http://www.nndb.com/people/840/000043711/)


I first discovered her when I was around 9 years old and had bought my first 60s compilation CD which I believe I have already told you about.
Well, PP Arnold's song 'The First Cut is The Deepest' was the very last track on the disc and boy was it a treat. I used to listen to it over and over and imagine myself singing it in a typical black and white sixties mini dress and of course matching white boots.
When I got older I heard more and more of her music and understanding more of the world the words seamed to mean a lot more. I couldn't relate to any of them but you get the point (yeah?)

I was awed and amazed by this one song so much that it made me want to become a pop star just so I could sing it, but what child doesn't think that at one time or another?
So anyway, the point I am trying to make is that You don't really hear too much about singers like PP Arnold nower days. People only remember 'the greats' like Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield and beautiful singers with soulful voices like PP Arnold get forgotten about.

And lets not forget how utterly beautiful she was (is). her style wasn't typical, it had a relaxed feel to it.
Except for in picture like this of course!




It's hard to have a favourite song when it comes to PP Arnold because there are so many amazing songs like 'Though it Hurts Me',  'Angel of The Morning', 'A Different Drum' and her version of The Beatles 'Eleanor Rigby' but as it was the first I ever heard of hers I shall have to say that 'The First Cut is The Deepest' hold something a little more for me than the others and here it is for your enjoyment.

Till next time,
Laura Lou x

A Blast From The Past!

Oh my goodness, I have just found a little file of old photos from our my singing days hiding on my sisters laptop and I thought 'I can't not share them!'.
The back story is... About five years ago me and my sisters started up a little singing group called The Girls (original I know), we were quite successful in our local area and we did rather a lot of gigs.
We followed the example of the great girl groups of the past like The Supremes and The Crystal and dressed the same and sang classics as well as the modern clap trap of those days.
This particular set of photos was taken during a Ladies Christmas Lunch at the Vermont Hotel where my aunt was the manager at the time.
I think this was my favourite gig of all time purely because we sang old Christmas songs like ' Have yourself a merry little christmas' and ' Santa Baby'... it was so much fun!
We also did a dew charity gigs with a live band called Moonlight in Vermont singing things like 'Soul Man', 'Hold on I'm Coming' and 'Knock on Wood'.
*sighs wistfully* Those were the days.

 

Us 'getting ready' for a gig. This was clearly just for apearance sake. as you can see we were already fully dressed.

 With our aunt Teresa before the show. Funny story about her actually, she now looks nothing like this and works for David Guest :s

Pretending we hate each other when really we do haha only kidding (or am I?)

 

A quick costume change for the second half!

 I look like I'm singing sweet nothings to the tech guy but I don't even know him.

And that was just one of The Girls many (unpaid) gigs. I'll try and find some more old photos of us singing and if they are flattering enough I'll post them for you all.

Lizzie Jobes

I would like you all to take a look at this.
It is a video made by my cousin Johnny Robson in memory of my best friend Lizzie Jobes who died suddenly last October.
I literally saw it for the first time 5 minuets ago so needless to say I am sitting here in floods of tears as it is such a beautiful video and so well put together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur7SezFhqZg

I miss Lizzie an awful lot and always worry that I'll forget little things about her so it's nice to have things like this to remember her by.

Laura Lou x

Obsessed with...

The Ronettes!

I have always loved music from the 1960s ever since I was around 9 years old. My first CD was a compilation call 'Super Sixties' and I listened to it non stop for about six months... I'm sure I drove my mother crazy with it.
Amongst some of my favourite groups from the sixties are The Small Faces, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Searchers, The Hollies and my most favourite... The Monkees! I also loved people like Dusty Springfield, Bobby Vee and Marty Wilde but I had never heard of the Ronettes... until now.
The are probably remembered as the "girl group" of the early '60s. They achieved their biggest success under producer Phil Spector. In towering black beehive hairdos and dark eye makeup, the Ronettes were a classic mid-sixties girl group with a sultry twist; vulnerable but tough, sexy but. sweet.
And I can't get enough of them! For the last few weeks all I listened to is The Ronettes, I just love their sound. It's like bubble gum pop but at the same time still pretty mature and adult.
Their biggest hit, as everyone will know, is Be My Baby but they had so many other great songs like This Is What I Get For Loving You and Paradise but my all time favourite song by The Ronettes is... I Want A Boy.
It is such a cute catchy little song and I want to share it with you all. So here it is... The Ronettes singing I Want A Boy.

Hope you all Enjoyed it as much as I did,
Laura Lou x