What I'm loving right now...

• Music- Soundtracks from the OC, especially Mix 1. It brings back all the memories of when American teen drama was good and not suffering from the curse of season 3-aka when the characters start to grate on you and the storylines become so melodramatic and unrealistic that watching is painful. Check out the current season of Gossip Girl to witness such a train-wreck. Great tunes from OC:Mix 1 to check out:

-South~ Paint the Silence

-JEM~ Just a ride

-Joseph Arthur~ Honey and the Moon

-Spoon~ The way we get by

-Jet~ Move on

-The 88~ How good it can be

-Doves~ Caught by the river

-Turin Brakes~ Rain city

-The Dandy Warhols~ We used to be friends (soundtrack to Veronica Mars)

-Finlay Quaye and William Orbit~ Dice

-Alexi Murdoch~ Orange Sky

-Phantom Planet~ California

• Books- Leo Tolstoy 'Anna Karenina' and 'War and Peace'- epic in the true sense of the term due to the great length of each book and the sheer scope of the stories which cover the greater part of a lifetime. These books may be hard going at first but the reward of reading them more than compensates for initial difficulty. The characterization is superb, and although the often hard to pronounce names might get you confused they also add a touch of foreign intrigue and mystery. 'Anna Karenina' in particular is a heart-rending tale of romance, society pressures and the consequences of wrong choices. A very shocking ending.

• Shoes- I have been on the hunt for new going out shoes for AGES and still can't quite seem to find the perfect pair. They need to be predominantly black so as to go with all my different coloured dresses, they need to be high enough to make my legs look good but not so high that I a)fall over b)am over 6ft c)break my ankles, and they need to ideally be cage sandals rather than flimsy strappy ones or too girly peep toes. Dramas. This pair of GlamRock sandals from Oasis are the closest I've come but I still can't decide.

• Clothes- I have recently purchased, at long last, my beloved nautical themed playsuit from Urban outfitters. The top section is like silk and feels wonderful against your skin. I can't wait for it to stop raining so I can wear it!!

Unfortunately I do not have the lithe limbs, flowing locks and clear, dewy skin of this model so shall not be looking this gorgeous wearing it.

• Make-up-I have, of recent years, become far more of a lipstick fan than lipgloss. I think it has something to do with the youthful pink glitter associations of lipgloss and the fact that most were flavoured with strawberry or bubblegum to heighten the appeal. The richer colour of lipstick allows for a more dramatic look than the sheer effect of gloss, so it is easier to create impact in a brief amount of time. The new range of  rouge coco de chanel lipsticks, advertised by Mrs Johnny Depp herself, Vanessa Paradis, are perfect. They are rich and moisturizing creating a smooth, satiny finish, and the range of colours from lightest pink through beige and brown tones to dark red will suit everyone.