Cupcakes are SO last season.

Everyone is always raving about cupcakes. I'm an avid baker and I love making cupcakes, but it's SO popular right now I find it annoying. (What? So I hate band wagons - who doesn't?)

I'm making a call people. I'm going to tell you what the next 'big' thing is going to be in baking. People will be opening shops and I am calling it right now.

Pies. Yes. Pies. But not savoury... sweet. You know, like, totally American! 

Because unlike cupcakes, making pies (and most importantly pastry) deems actual baking prowness! I've been baking a few years and I'm still trying to perfect my crust, though I've come on leaps and bounds recently (without the cheating tool of the KitchenAid).

Here are so uber cool pies I love to make:

A good Cherry Pie:


Pumpkin Pie (don't know it until you've tried it)



Key Lime Pie:



Grasshopper Pie:



Boston Cream Pie:



Peanut Butter Pie:



Believe me, in a year or something you'll be queueing up to buy a slice and I'll be here... no richer. But probably fatter.

You're welcome!

That's not ALL I can do.

I always blowg about my uselessness, my writing failures and boring life assessments. But that's not ALL I can do, god-damn. But I suppose I do it so well, why venture away? Why stop when the going can't get any worse?!

So, recently I went to Harrogate. I also recently (as in, when I was there) decided that one day in the near future I really want to move there. So here is a list of my reasons why.

When I want to go to HMV, or any other kind of 'city' shop I have to get the bummy (just came up with this adjective, hollaaaa) train into Manchester (which I Do love) and wander around all over the place like a pinball on speed to try to get to all the shops I need, which are so lovingly placed as far apart as possible, before I need to get the ruddy train home. Harrogate on the other hand... it's all the charm of a small town (with no stresses of city living) with all the best shops right THERE. Now, I must list the shops that are there so you can understand:

Hoopers
Hotel Chocolat (erm, yes please!)
2 (yes 2) cupcake shops!
TK MAXX
HMV
Starbucks
Costa
H'n'M
Top Shop
Dorothy Perkins
River Island
Primark
Kath Kidston
Marks and Spencers
WH Smiths

Plus more I've probably forgotten. All one one street!

There are old people as far as the eye can see. I love old people, me. The more old people there are, the less young people there are. Which is perfect! Also, it's also proving very helpful when looking at properties... a very high turn over of houses and flats... strange...

The Greens and Valley Gardens are amazing. Seriously. The gardens are probably the best gardens ever. You can just sit there all day and play with all the dogs that run up to you - because they do. There are a lot of dogs on the run and for someone like myself who loves dogs it's kind of like heaven!

The old houses are amazing - the architecture in general is lovely, and the old stone houses make you feel like you could be back in time. Not this stinking 21st century we've someone stopped our DeLorean in.

The McDonlands is 24 hour for most of the week. Now. I don't often do Maccy D's, but it's my boyfriends most FAVE food... wait... I'm not sure if this is such a good idea. I might have to start a movement to get it closed down.

It's far enough away from Manchester to mean people I know can only come and visit via careful planning and timing. I'm not being mean, I just really love the idea of not having to answer to any one else's plans... at least for a little while. I'm from a big family - I never get time to myself!

The hills are very... hilly. I mean, god damned steep! I'm not kidding. My fitness has come on leaps and bounds in the past year but I couldn't walk up some of the hills without having to stop and catch my breath. It was an embarrasement every time the old people stomped past me without even breaking a sweat! So my fitness would improve much more! haha!

Finally - It's got a blues bar for sobbing out loud! I haven't been, but any town with it's own blues bar has me sold. Now... someone give me money so I can buy a house there! Please?!


Sam

I'm glad I don't 'Shine' - and other thoughts on The Shining

Just watching The Shining. Wanted to do a quick blog. How is this little kid SO good at acting? How is this movie SO terrifying? I haven't gotten to the scary part yet (in my eyes this is the snowy maze scene), and don't think I will.... I'm going to have dreams of being chased... again... I always have dreams I'm being chased, but the ones tonight are going to be extra special!

Do YOU like the shining? Tell me your thoughts!

You know, I just gotta get outta town...

I love saying that. This is my new saying of this week:
"I'm going to Harrogate for a couple of days, just gotta get outta town... unwind..."
Because no one ever says this in the UK, it's such an American thing to say. And I love it! hehe.

So yes, all, I am off to Harrogate for 2 days (1 night for all you night counters) and staying in what looks like a LUSH apartment, but I'm kind of scared it's going to end up a dump. Although research says otherwise, I'm still worried... oh well.

It's the fella's birthday so we're visiting his once home town... out of many home towns. He used to move around a lot, but this place is one of his favourites so who am I to stand in his way? I love Harrogate. Any old spa town really. So for the next 2 days I'm going to be chilling (literally) in the park, walking around the streets, going to the cinema (That amazingly old Odeon they have there... if they're showing anything other than Titanic. Not watching that again), and eating my face off. I feel I need this. I'm stressing about Uni work and real work and writing. Well, not writing. I'm loving the re-writes for my book, but it's always playing on my mind and I just need to breathe for a bit.

In other news... I have no other news. This past week has been filled with nothingness. But that's ok, riiight? I have been trying to figure out how to succeed in my next assignment for uni, which is to find and write for a magazine competition/ publication that is suited to my writing style etc. So I need to find a magazine which has, like, a fiction competition or something. But I am the WORST person when it comes to finding anything. Can't find the salt and pepper in the cubboard, can't find a competition in a magazine. So, yeay... but not really.

If you know of any please link me!

Thanks

Sam
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It looks like I'm working... but I'm not

I just like to click click click on my keyboard so it looks like I'm working. In a second I'll stop typing and look out of my window thoughtfully, like I'm pondering something really important, because I should be writing an essay but I just can't get my head in the game.

This is my life. There isn't even anyone around to bust me on not doing this essay, just my Dad who is reading in the living room and not giving a damn about what I'm actually doing - which means I am just trying to fool myself. Jeez, I'm sad!

SO! Hello world! I haven't blogged for a while just because I've been busy and writing blogs is the last thing I should be doing at the moment. I am still doing uni work, which is getting really difficult, but mostly because my brain doesn't seem to be picking things up very well... oh well. I have decided next year I'm doing 2 courses which don't include exams at the end, which leads me to Children's Literature and Advanced Creative Writing. I'm not even joking when I say those courses are SO far up my street I might as well squat in their living rooms for the rest of forever.

Recently I've also been editing my novel - which is now printed and in an A4 folder with post-it's all over it saying which chapters start where, and soon it will be covered in red pen with edits and then I'll be back to the laptop implementing those edits. I am halfway (by which I mean 1%) into finding an agent I want to represent me when I get to the stage of wanting it published. It's not even a dream anymore. It's a reality. I know, it's hard work getting published etc, but I'm pretty set on doing it and I'm going to put in the hours and the work and I think having a positive attitude is a good thing here. I know I won't get the agent/publishing house of my choice, but that's just fine right now. I am going to go out there with a smile on my face and everything will work out.

What else have I been doing? Hmmm... spending too many hours and too much money on my Tumblr. So, I said I had set a new Tumblr up. It was for funsies because I was doing it anyway but it's kind of gotten going quite well. I was just making replica outfits of Zooey Deschanels ones in New Girl (her TV show), because I started watching in ages ago (I couldn't wait for it to come to UK TV, so I watch it another way...), and her style is one a lot of people, including me, love. So I started hunting around for things she was wearing. Then I posted them on my Tumblr (www.likezooey.tumblr.com) and now I have a largish following for me (nearing the 200 mark) and I spent about £30 buying a new layout to make it look all cute for people. It takes a looong time to get the outfits together, because I try to make them affordable and I, in no way, ever saw myself doing what I supposed is a 'fashion blog', but hey ho!

Recently I've noticed someone else started one...She calls hers 'dress like zooey'... I have been rather miffed lately, because it's almost identical to my own. I know this happens, but still...

OK, I've started ranting. Let's wrap this up so I can eat lunch and then attempt to start this essay properly.
So far this year I have read 20 books. I'm onto number 21 (well, almost finished).
I've been to the cinema 3 times in the past 7 days.
And none of my blogs about such things have been updated. So.... joy!

I am sorry I haven't been actively on here, reading your blogs and posting my own - it's just been the last thing on my mind - but I miss all my regular reads and I will catch up soon!

Sam
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