I like cheap and easy solutions at the moment because I'm not in a permanent location, and I don't want to buy big heafty mirrors etc that I'l only have to take down and move around with me at a later date.
xx peace xx
Messing about making wall art for my room with old wrapping paper and permanent marker..anything to brighten up my room!
I like cheap and easy solutions at the moment because I'm not in a permanent location, and I don't want to buy big heafty mirrors etc that I'l only have to take down and move around with me at a later date. xx peace xx
0 Comments
Source: juxtapost.com via Wines of Argentina on Pinterest On Wednesday it was Malbec World Day so I decided to do some research on Argentinian wines. I found some cool Youtube Videos and a groovy website; www.winesofargentina.com. This website really impressed me because a) it has a clear message and purpose b)the branding is cool and up to date c) the social media is integrated and utilises Pinterest and Instagram, and to be honest I could go on. But what it did lead me to think about is whether English wines have such strong identity and exciting on-line activity? Sadly it seems we don't, and here is an awful example www.english-wine.com. It makes us seem so boring, but anyway, moving on.....
All of this got me thinking about travelling to South America., and when I speak to people about travelling it seems to be either about Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia etc or South America; so there must be something good about these places. What I have learnt about Argentina (in particular the regions outlined) is they offer amazing organic growing conditions. The idea of irrigating the vineyard with pure snow-melt water, readily available from the Andes is beautifully natural. They also speak with an amazing Italian sounding Spanish accent, which can be attributed to immigrants arriving in the 1800's. Sexual! A couple of years a go I went to Thailand with the intention of seeing stunning sites and getting smashed, and somehow I think that would be the case if I went to Argentina, however I'd be expecting to drink alcohol from a glass rather than a bucket. My Fact File for Argentinian Wines: Fact File : Argentina- the 5th biggest wine producer in the world! Grapes:
Red: Elegant Malbecs with floral aromas made in premium high altitude vineyards as well as fuller, fruitier examples grown in lower altitudes. White: Aromatic Viogniers with peachy fruit on the palate. Moderate Acidity. Regions:
Geography: The Andes play as massive part in wine growing across Argentina, with vines growing at different altitudes in different regions. The growing conditions allows for good acidity and slow ripening. Climate: An organic growing haven with desert like conditions. Pure snow-melt water from the Andes provides excellent natural irrigation. Big Names: Catena Wines ( Dr Nicolas Catena spent many years researching techniques and technologies to improve wine in the 1980’s and 1990’s. ) Alamos (part of Catena Wines) Viñalba:Set up in 2008 by a Bordeaux Wine maker, this company has vineyards across Mendoza and Patagonia. Viticulture: (grape growing) Viticulture in Mendoza is almost organic, and like Chile, they don’t need to spray plants with pesticides or worry about disease. The Pergola System is a way to train vines from growing away from the ground, thus protecting them from the heat of the soil. Modern vineyards also use the Cordon Training system Random Facts: Malbec was brought to Argentina in 1850 and is mainly used as a single variety in wine, however it is often blended with other grapes to create premium blends. - The planting of traditional low-yielding grapes like Criolla and Cereza have dwindled, with the domestic market and international markets enjoying the same, good quality wines. 'I've learnt that you can't have everything and do everything at the same time'
Oprah Winfrey Have you seen Pepe? I did, in the charity shop for £4! As you can see the vintage pair are labelled 'Pepe World Service', which was the original logo for the brand back in 70's and 80's before they got the swish lettering. The style is high waisted, however they are a little bit small for me at the moment and I need to lose a couple of lbs to fit into them comfortably. I love real denim and find it really annoying how cheap jeans lose their shape after a few wears, so these badgers were well worth buying considering the quality, and it will be well worth the dieting to fit into them! Check out this early advert! I love this company because they've always had super cool models in their campaigns like Kate Moss and more recently Alexa Chung, and now Cara Delevingne with the little Kate Moss nose. The fact that 'How Soon is Now' (The Smiths) was used in an advert in the late 80's instantly gives them credibility in my eyes (thanks wiki for this amazing fact). I love brands that have a real story behind them and have clearly built on success.. Okay so they aren't really a 'heritage brand' as such, and can't claim to be Levi's in the innovation department (think 'CURVE ID'), but they have remained high up in the design stakes and kept up with their international counterparts. Since writing the previous post I've realised that the rest of the month is not going to be as much fun as I thought because I've spent a ridiculous amount of my wage on pointless things like car batteries, parking fines (there was a 4 hour restriction and I didn't realise), £3 quid pasties and scratch cards that I never win on.
On the brighter side I did find a cock-and-a-hen on Nelson Square in Bolton, which bought two purple coloured 'cocktails'. I'm addicted to charity shopping and did a good second hand rummage in Alton last week and found some Pepe Jeans! Anyway, despite the lack of money there's still things to look forward too for the rest of the month. Moving to a bigger store I received a call from my regional manager explaining that the time has come to move to a bigger Majestic Wine store, and that I should know which one it is within the next few weeks. :-) This will be within the existing region and I'm hoping for Winchester or Farnham. It means I work with a bigger team and face more challenges!! April Photo A Day challenge on Instagram I did one of these last year in BCN and it was fun so I'm trying to do another, however I'm going to struggle tomorrow because its 'look-a-like'. I mean, I'm not going to admit that I look like any remotely good looking celebrity however I don't think I'm particularly shocking hahha. I like these photo-challenges because it gets my creative juices flowing a little bit, which is kind of difficult these days even though its in my blood. Work has taken over I suppose so I never get the chance to draw or paint anymore. Any spare time is now dedicated to WSET. Studying for WSET I've booked my WSET Level 3 exam, which is vital for my career progression in the wine industry. Its going to be in August, which gives me time to structure my studying and prepare for the training days. I'm not jumping for joy over this added stress but I'm trying to view it as a challenge that I can embrace and do well in and not a burden, so keeping positive about that is going to be essential over April and the next few months. Winchester Night Out! On the 27th I'm going out with my landlady to discover some places in Winchester and hopefully make some new friends. And this place looks amazing so I hope we go here... what a mint idea! http://theblackbottle.co.uk/wine-by-the-glass/ |