Casual Friday - Janelle Monae

MEGA TALENT

Meet Janelle Monae - Born 1985 in Kansas City, she released her debut album "The ArchAndroid" in 2010 (it's awesome - go DL it now) Like some brilliant bastard menage et trois offspring of James Brown, Prince and Grace Jones, Janelle has an amazing talent for song writing, powerful vocals and groovy dancing - she is THE ultimate Girl crush Idol.

She almost always wears a tuxedo and a quiff in her coiffure.  Black and white... perhaps Janelle was an inspiration for the whole monochrome trend we're seeing right now?

You may know her from her collaboration with Fun in their Queen-esque hit "We are young" which hit no.1 - her first top 10 single.

Rocking the white suit - with no shirt! #Hawt.

Have suspenders ever looked cooler? Nailed the red lip and strong brow look.

She's a spokesperson for Cover Girl.

On her dress sense she has said: "A tux is such a standard uniform, it’s so classy and it’s a lifestyle I enjoy. The tux keeps me balanced. I look at myself as a canvas. I don’t want to cloud myself with too many colors or I’ll go crazy."

And for an added shoe-fiend angle she wears George Esquivel shoes in her awesome videos

Check out her first single "Tightrope" on Youtube here

And her latest single for her upcoming Album here - Due out September 10th 2013

She's let her hair down! I've seriously watched this 5 times. 

I hope you guys check her out, if you like music you'll like her ;-)

Happy Friday everyone and have a great weekend!

What do you like to rock out to?

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Adventures in Scotland Part 1 - Edinburgh

Part 1

View from inside the castle.

Scotland was the best memories of the UK for me.  I did SO MUCH while I was there, just SUCH an amazing place, but probably the main reason is I got some serious Sister time. I started the fun in Wales where I caught the train to London (my post about that here), where we had the floral high tea at One Aldwych Here.  Then flew to Edinburgh, full as two full chicks who'd just eaten a buttloada high tea.  

Peruse through my photos so I can give you the haps' before you go there yourself - seriously - Everyone should >:D

View from Arthurs Seat - Edinburgh.  You have to climb one mother of a hill to get this view.

There are no chairlifts, or roads, just a steep assed hill!

 

Brew Dog - Boutique Beer brewed in Edinburgh - on Cowgate

I had to take a picture of the board "Growlers" LMAO

The bar at The Dome - FLASH as f*ck bar/restaurant on George st.  I bought the first round and held my breath but it was really reasonable - so they look flash but they're not overpriced.

 OK - if you're EVER in Edinburgh you HAVE TO go to The Stand Comedy club.

The Stand Comedy Club - York St, HILARIOUS comedy, great food, cheap drinks - munted FUN

You sit right by the stage so it's intimate - book your tickets in advance!

After this a pub crawl ensued and many a drink were drunk.

Which brings me to said resulting hangovers cure: Full Scottish Breakfast 

(Scottish = English + haggis) Cafe Marina: Cockburn St (ko-bern, dirty peeps)

 chose the vegetarian haggis - was red kidney beans with spices- tasted like falafel #YUM

Dolly the Sheep - first successfully cloned sheep.

Made right here in Little old New Zealand (we like sheep here) Museum of Scotland

Sweet new houndstooth blazer from River Island.  Wutt wutt.

Weird street art - grow food... as opposed to processed food?  Dunno.

Angela (my siss) had to take a picture of the 7,000 quid whiskey!

Scotch Whisky Experience - most awesome whisky store ever - a must visit for scotch fans.

Siss and I's room - Randolph Guest rooms

Closing Shot - view from Arthur's seat.

These are just a tiny amount of the amazing pic's I got - I didn't wanna overwhelm you with awesome.

Have you guys ever been to Scotland?

I would actually go back and I seriously encourage you to try and get there in this lifetime! 

Next Wednesday - Scotland Part 2: Perth, Glasgow, St. Andrews.

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Shoesday 23.07.13 - Masterclass: Pierre Hardy

So everyone knows Manolo Blahnik (crotchety old man that seems to rage against any form of publicity and wants to be left alone - fair enough*) and Christian Louboutin (fame whore who seems generally to love women if not to slightly torture them too.  Likes toe cleavage*) but today we focus on Pierre Hardy.  Any good shoe lover should know him - if not for his eponymous label then for all the awesome work he's done for other labels... DIOR, Hermes, Balenciaga. Hardy is more concerned by design and architecture than fashion trends - now let us bring the shoegasm:

All pic's from pierrehardy.com and are from 13/14 collections

Do we ♥ Hardy?
Do you have an inspirational shoe designer?

*My unexpert opinion formed in 5 seconds from reading 1.5 interviews - but an opinion all the same...

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.

Sunday Baking - Chocolate Peanut Butter Pinwheels

HOLLAH - it's Sunday, so lets do a spot of baking!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pinwheels

125g Butter

220g Caster sugar

125g Smooth peanut butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp milk

275g Plain flour

1/2t salt

1/2t Bicarb of soda

175g Plain choc, broken

1 Tbsp butter

Combine the butter, sugar and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.  Add the egg and milk and beat till smooth.  In a separate bowl sift the flour, soda, and salt together.  Add to the butter mixture and with a wooden spoon, stir until just combined.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Combine the chocolate and 1 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until melted.  Set aside.

Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape into balls.  Flour a work surface and roll one ball into a 24x30-cm (9 1/2 x 12-in) rectangle, 5 mm (1/4in) thick.  Spread half the chocolate mixture over the rectangle.  Starting at a narrow end, carefully roll up the dough to the other end.  Continue with the other roll.  Place both rolls seam side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 20 mins.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.

Transfer the rolls to a floured surface and slice into 1-cm (1/2in) wide cookies.  Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes, until set and slightly golden.  Allow to cool for 5 mins on the sheets and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Taken from the excellent tome: Cookies, slices & squares: Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Wilson

Link here

These are severely fiddly but SO yummy!  And therefore totally worth it!!!

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.