The other night, I came home to find Pete waiting for me with a big smile on his face. He had told me that he had something to give me, but I was not sure what it could be. Was it wine? Had be cooked a 3 course meal… no, he had done something even better! He had sculpted, printed and painted a Miley Cyrus on a wrecking ball bauble to hang on our Christmas tree!
It had taken him 7 hours to print on our 3D printer and about an hour to paint, but it was an amazing Christmas gift.
If you want to print your own 3D Miley Cyrus Wrecking Bauble, you can download the file from Thingiverse here: http://bit.ly/1eb15ip . Find out more on the blog for our creative project RUNdevilRUN http://bit.ly/19HuXeD
Don’t worry if you don’t have a printer, you can also print a paper version of Miley to put on your own baubles here: http://bit.ly/Jg0ttC
The Christmas tree of 2013 won’t be complete without Miley Cyrus on it!
Last weekend Pete and I headed out on an adventure. As it's only an hour from Paddington, Pete and I decided to get our Network Railcards out headed in a totally different direction to Oxford.
When we visit somewhere new, Pete and I don't really plan things and spend most of our time discovering what we can about a place as we wander around. We ended up at the covered market, the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodelian Library before continuing to our walk to the Museum of Natural History and back into the centre to visit the Museum of History of Science. Oxford is a great city just to wander around.
The city is extremely picturesque and a great place to go if you're into photography. There were several guided tours too and if we had more than a day there we would have definitely gone on one. Don’t expect to get phone signal though, so if you rely on Google Maps on your phone, be careful.
We had a great day in Oxford and will definitely be back again in the future. Check out this gallery for more pictures: http://bit.ly/1jkgREA
I was introduced to KERB last year when I visited one of their monthly markets at UCLU with some of my workmates, it was great to find out that there was an organisation bringing together the best foodie stalls in London. (Their markets happen at different locations around London, so check out their site to find our year nearest.) I had been planning to visit their market at the Gherkin, but was gutted to see that the City of London had closed it down (Check out this article for more details).
Over the summer, KERB have been holding a series of weekend markets and a couple of weekends ago, Pete and I headed to the last KERB Saturday event at Granary Square near Kings Cross.
The square itself is worthy of a visit if you are in the area, especially as it currently is wrapped in a stunning art installation by Swiss artist Felice Varini and houses some great coffee shops, restaurants and the University of the Arts London (Central Saint Martins).
When we arrived, the square was filled with a huge variety of stalls and vans to please any foodie and a big crowd of people who were stuffing their faces with the great food on offer. After wandering around, trying to decide what to eat, we settled for a devilled pork roll from the guys at What the Dickens? and washed it down with two gin cocktails as it was the weekend. Both feeling rather full, we started to stroll around the square itself and explore the Granary Square site. The whole development is massive and it’s amazing to see it change so much since I was last here in 2012 when I did my evening photography course at University of the Arts London (Central St. Martins).
As we started to crave something sweet, we head back for more food and settled on two delicious coffees from Beanstalk Coffee and hot doughnut bits covered in cinnamon sugar, chocolate sauce and crushed Oreos from the team at You Doughnut! I can’t really explain how orgasmic they were! After munching on our sweet treats and watching the world go by, we both left the event with a huge grin on our faces and stomachs full of food.
If you are a foodie, I would suggest following KERB to see what events they are up to. Or if you are at a loose end one weekend, head up to Kings Cross and explore the area.
So, some of you might have noticed that I haven’t posted a new Bond reviews for a while. This isn’t because I’ve got bored with the world’s favourite British spy, it’s my own fault.
The last two months have been pretty big for me personally. I’ve left one job, started a new one and I’ve got Pete moving in this weekend (see my last post here). Unfortunately, this has meant that I haven’t had the spare time or brain power to watch the next Bond and write a review.
But fear not, Bond will return in September with Live and Let Die.
Phase 1 of my life in the flat will be drawing to a close very soon. After being here on my own for nearly 6 months, it’s time welcome Pete into my home and let the place become our home. I do love living on my own, but I am looking forward to having someone to come home to every (most) nights. Before the flat takes on the radical transformation from being a home for one into a home for two, I thought it would be worth reflecting on what I did to make this place my home. Buying a new build has had it’s ups and downs. Downs being lots of little problems that need to be fixed and little things getting rectified by the original builders. Not to mention the massive problems I (and other residents) have been having with the communal hot water system. The system has had some massive problems over the last 6 months. These problems though are to be expected with a new build. Hopefully everything will be fixed and all residents can get on with their everyday lives. On the up side, I’ve got a huge blank canvas to stamp my identity on. I’ve always loved looking at interior design and used to spend loads of time flicking through the Ikea catalogue as soon as it hit my parents doormat. I used to watch Changing Rooms, Home Front (both versions) and Grand Designs to be inspired by what I could achieve. So, when this blank canvas got handed to me I had to take a step back and make sure that all of my ideas didn’t come spilling out at once. I’ve dreamed of this from a very young age as my parents refused to let me decorate my childhood and teenage bedrooms. When I was 15 and I ended up with a dark blue and yellow bedroom (I blame the late 90’s). This has made me very cautious about doing anything too drastic in my new flat. But, I know for some this can be a bit of a daunting task, so here are a few tips that have helped me along the way. 1 - Keep everything simple
The furniture I chose was very clean, simple and relatively inexpensive. Doing this means that everything you chose can go with it. I’ve always loved a vintage look, but doing a style like this is expensive and takes time to find the right pieces. Once you start on a very stylised path, you can’t really go back. The only strong pattern I have is on the curtains in the living room and cushions on the sofa, which means that I can change it when I need to. 2 - Pick an accent colour
Even before I moved in I knew that the key colour in my flat was going to be green. Once I knew this, I built the rest of the flat around it. Choosing very simple furniture to go with it. My sofa is green, I have a green rug, tea towels, green lamp shades in the hall, green bedspread and even a green watering can. By only using it on a few things means that If you don’t like it after a few years you can always change it. That is also the good thing about Ikea sofas, you can always buy new covers. 3 - Don’t put anything on the walls
This pains Pete, but I haven’t hung any of my pictures on the wall yet. In most new builds they say not to decorate or put things on the walls for the first year. This is so you let the building settle and can get the builder to fix things if cracks appear. I also know that as soon as I put in the first nail, that’s it. I have lots of things leant against walls (very Carrie Bradshaw in her apartment in Sex and City) and am prone to move paintings around until I have decided on the perfect location. 4 - Let things develop and leave space
When I put together my first furniture list I tried to include everything I could. I would've needed a huge budget to buy everything I wanted. So, I sat down and took non essential items off the list and I’m so glad that I did. I have consciously left myself space in rooms, and a few extra pennies, to buy more furniture if and when I need it. Also, if I change my mind and start moving things around, it won’t be an issue. 5 - Treat it as your home, not a show home
It’s great to flick through a magazine and see beautiful homes. But, most of the time they look very soulless. Don’t be afraid to put up and show what you want. It’s your home and no one else's. For me, this means that I have my Daleks, Lego figures and Superman figures on show. I haven’t hidden them away. Make sure you have space to show your stuff. So just to show you what I’ve done, here are a few pictures of my flat. The before and after. A few spaces, such as the hall and the 2nd bedroom are still in development. This will happen over time. Phase 2 (as I like to call it) is already planned so I will show you more when it happens.
What advice do you have? Have you just moved into your first place. Tell me more in the comments below.
To me, Sean Connery plays a great Bond in the majority of his films for the franchise. His cheeky smile, charm and white make you fall in love with a man who you know is going to break your heart. His fight sequences are great and he really brought Bond to life.
He was lucky enough to start so many Bond legacies that have echoed through all of the 22 films over the past 50 years.
Even though his Bond was more of a womanizer, he will always be one of my favourite Bonds.
Each of his Bond films built on the other and they weren’t afraid to try things out. You could tell that the directors got more confident with the character over time.
So, here are my favourite Sean Connery films in order:
1 - Goldfinger - With Pussy Galore and my favourite villian we are lead on one great Bond Adventure. I gave it 9/10 - Read my review here: http://bit.ly/17Daqtg
2 - You Only Live Twice - A great end to Sean Connery’s Bond and a great Bond film where East meets West. Will “Little Nelly” and ninjas, what could go wrong? I gave this film 8/10 - check out my review here: http://bit.ly/ZRBV0h
3 - Doctor No - The film that started a 22 film franchise that has lasted over 50 years. if you really want to find out the origins of the modern Bond. This is one to watch. I gave it 8/10. Check out my review here: http://bit.ly/16ucJNF
4 - Thunderball - Even with the epic voice of Mr Tom Jones singing the theme song, I found it hard to get on with this Bond. Even though he had a jetpack and fought off the villain in an underwater fight scene. This was not one of my favorites, I gave it 5/10. Check out my thoughts on it here: http://bit.ly/ZJdG30
5 - From Russia with Love - From great start with Dr. No, you can tell this is the Bond where they tried something different. It was more of a serious spy thriller than a Bond for me. I gave it 4/10. Check out my thoughts here: http://bit.ly/10NUnni
6 - Diamonds are Forever - It’s great to see Sean back after the brief stint from Geroge Lazenby. For me, it might an echo of Goldfinger, but it lacked so much for me. I gave it 3/10: Read my review here: http://bit.ly/19ixLRV
What do you think? What would your order be? Let me know in the comments below.
There might be a few spoilers in this review... you have been warned.
After the disappointment of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and finding out that Diamonds are Forever marks the return of Sean Connery, I had high expectations for this film.
Unfortunately I was left disappointed.
The 70’s had started to hit Sean Connery in this film. With his longer hair, bushy eyebrows and more relaxed dress sense, Sean had definitely lost his sparkle. Even when he seduces a woman, it still feels like he is not really there. Maybe he should have finished off his run with You Only Live Twice.
Even the Bond girl didn’t save this film. I can’t even remember her name so I’m not even going to mention her. On the other hand, Miss Moneypenny was back on form and who could forget the name of “Plenty O’Toole” the saucy mare.
The only saving grace for this film were the villains. Even though Blofeld has been used alot in the last few Bonds, each actor has played the roll slightly differently. Charles Gray has to be my favourite Blofeld. He is interesting and a little bit crazy, but not too weird, even when he is dressed as a women.
I would have loved to see more of Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. Their double act saves the film in so many ways and I was more interested to see how they were involved in the story. Unfortunately you never really find out.
As you can tell, I really didn’t enjoy this Bond. It was great to see Sean Connery back, but I think it’s time for next chapter.
I give this film 3/10 What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.
It’s very hard to take over the very iconic role of James Bond following the brilliant acting of Sean Connery. George lacked a lot of the charm and the sparkle that Sean brought to the role. His love scenes seemed very flat and he looked a bit dead behind the eyes. His fight scenes were quite impressive, and this was one of things that got him the role.
For me, this film was trying so hard to be the new Bond, to move it on from where previous films had left the character. Showing Bond fall in love and then to see his new wife die before his eyes was a hard thing to watch and very different to how we have seen Bond before.
I might be quite biased as I have just watched Diana Rigg in The Avengers as the amazing Mrs Emma Peel, in Doctor Who as the evil Victorian villain and Game of Thrones as the forthright grandmother. I would say that she was a brilliant Bond girl. She was action packed, intelligent and beautiful. She gives Honor Blackman in Goldfinger a run for her money, in my honest opinion.
Another big difference in this film is the portrayal of Blofeld. In You Only Live Twice, he comes across as the crazy, evil villain. In this film, he seems a lot more sophisticated and clever. His new lair in the Alpes is very special, but not as spectacular as his previous places.
To be honest, I wasn’t really impressed by this Bond and am not surprised that George didn’t come back for a second. He actually quit the role just before this film premiered. The overall film feels very slow to me and not one that I will be revisiting again soon. The story is ok, and the honey trap scenes in Blofeld's Alipine HQ are fun. The action sequences are very well done, and the ski chase is impressive, but not enough to save the film.
I’m going to give it 5/10.
What did you think? Is this actually your favourite Bond? Let me know if the comments below.
There might be a few spoilers in this review... you have been warned.
When I watch a new Bond, I have my notebook at the ready to take write down all of the key quote, plotlines and observations. I showed these notes to Pete the other day, he started to giggle at a few things I had written about You Only Live Twice.
My top notes were:
SPACE
Screen play by Roald Dahl?!
Little Nellie
MONORAIL
Friggin Ninjas
From it’s start in space, I knew this Bond film was going to be pretty epic and end up at at the top of my favourite Bond list.
Before the title sequence has rolled, we are thrown into the story with a US Space capsule mysteriously disappearing and World War 3 nearly erupting as the US blame their Russian enemies. We also find our lovable hero in Hong Kong on a romantic encounter with a Chinese women when he is mysteriously assassinated in front of our very eyes. This scene also included one of Pete’s favourite lines - “You give good duck, Mr Bond.”
What also surprised me at the beginning was seeing Roald Dahl’s name on screen. The only things I knew he had written were his children's books, but it was great to see his name associated with this film.
The film includes some epic fight scenes. I’m don’t want to give away more of the story, but after Bond is chased from the Osato Chemicals, we see the enemies car lifted off the road by a helicopter wielding a giant magnet. This was pretty cool!
But more excitingly we are introduced to “Little Nelly”. When the contraption is first mentioned, I had no idea what he was referring too. Later on, with the return of Q, we are introduced to one of my favourite Bond gadgets, which I think is even better than the jet pack in Thunderball; the gun laden mini helicopter. The fight scene involving this little baby and four gunships is brilliant.
One of things I like about this film is that it is quite different to the other films in terms of locations. We have been to tropical islands in Dr. No and around the US with Goldfinger, but it was interesting to see James explore a totally different culture. I love the rapport he builds with Tiger and especially his scenes with Aki. It’s so sad when tragedy strikes. :(
This film also sees the introduction of one of the biggest villains from SPECTRE, who has been mentioned several times before, but we have never seen. We actually don’t see him to till the very end of the film, but he is a brilliant villain. His headquarters are in a frigging volcano that includes a bloody monorail (I love a good monorail). The final fight scene of this film is brilliant in terms of scale and destruction!
There are too many awesome parts of this film to mention, but I this is definitely at the top of my list to watch again. It was a great film, with a good story. Welcome back, Mr Bond.
I gave it 8/10.
What did you think? Is this your favourite Bond? Let me know in the comments below.
I’m going to be very frank from the start and say that this was not one of my favourite Bond films. After the amazing Goldfinger, I was left feeling a bit down after watching this. To me, it felt like a really, really rushed film with an excessive use of swipe cuts trying to bring the story together (my inner Media Studies student is coming out!). It was also all about the never ending fight scenes. The last scene with the scuba fight is great for the time, but it goes on and on and on....
One of my favourite moments of this film was right at the beginning when James Bond dons a Jet Pack and flies out of trouble. I mean, A BLOODY JET PACK. Another good point of this film is the fact that Sean Connery spends most of this film jumping in and out of water in a pair of blue swimming trunks. But all this jumping in and out of the water is very reminiscent of From Russia with Love and that whole section in the train carriage.
The Bond charm from the first three films has also crossed the fine line from charming to harassment. The scene in the health spa when he forces the nurse in charge of him to sleep with him made me cringe really. This is not Bond, he can charm a women, but he would never force them to bed him.
So all in all, I really didn’t like this Bond, one of the only saving graces was the great soundtrack provided by the one and only Tom Jones! Let’s hope that You Only Live Twice brings things back on track.
I give this film 5/10
Am I wrong, did I miss something? What did you think? Please add your comments below!
Friday is my favourite day of the week. Firstly this is because it’s the last day of the working week. Secondly it means that the next episode of Doctor Who is only one night away. Lastly it’s because I get to play my #FridayPop playlist!
After watching lots of The Big Reunion, I was inspired to make a playlist featuring some of my favorite songs from the pop stars of the later 90’s and early 00’s. I had a lot of fun going on an adventure through spotify and reminding myself some great artists that took the UK Charts by storm. It’s amazing what you can find...
If you want to join me on a Friday, take a look at the playlist here: http://
Think I’ve missed a track? Tell me in the comments below or add them to this Spotify playlist - Your #FridayPop . If I like them, I will add them.
Anyway, each week on the blog, I thought I would remind you of some great pop hits from some of the greatest pop stars of my teens. I’m going to kick things off with the one and only Geri Halliwell.
Geri left the Spice Girls in 1998, just after the phenomenon that was Spice World the Movie and before the girls released “Viva Forever” from the Spice World album. It was a sad time in British pop and the news took the world by storm.
But the sadness didn’t last for long as Geri returned to our radios in 1999 with the lead single from her debut solo album Schizophonic, “Look At Me”. The pop hit made us fall in love our favourite ginger again. Remember the video? Take a look here:
I’ve been a huge fan of the Brit Awards for many years now. For me, one of the most memorable moments of my teenage years was when Geri performed ”Bag It Up” at the ceremony in 2000 and emerged from a giant pair of inflatable legs. Remember it?
If you start singing “Bag It Up” in your office, I swear you could get a sing-a-long started in just a few moments. One day I might try and see if it works on the tube!
These two songs along with our favourite Spanish classic “Mi Chico Latino” appear on the #FridayPop playlist. Even though there were some other great pop songs from Geri on her two following albums Scream If You Wanna Go Faster and Passion, these are my three favourite tracks.
Most of my friends have given me a very judgmental look when I mention how much I have been listening to these tracks again. They really get stuck in your head and I often find myself humming them or trying not to start dancing around my flat. I just have to be careful that I don’t start singing them on the tube. Geri, even for her weird and wonderful ways will always hold a special place in my pop heart. These are definitely some songs that I will be playing to my future nieces and nephews! God help them!
What do you think? Is your office now singing "Bag It Up"? Tell me in the comments below!
With an extravagant villain, Nazi gold, a Bond girl called “Pussy” who runs a flying circus and Q returns with his amazing spy car, Bond is really back!
If you cannot tell already, I really liked this Bond film. The storyline was really interesting and very different to the first two films. James knows who the enemy is, but gets close to him to find out more without the need to hunt him down and kill him.
Pussy Galore, was a perfect Bond girl for me. She was passionate, determined and strong minded. She was a perfect match for James Bond. In the original book by Ian Fleming, Pussy Galore was a lesbian. Honor Blackman was a perfect choice for this character, especially after her stint in The Avengers. Apparently producers were so determined for her to be in the film that they even wrote in her Judo ability. Honor was also the oldest women to play a Bond girls, as she was 37 at the time of filming.
Goldfinger was also a great villain. He knew what he wanted and knew how to get it. His base was even more amazing, with lasers and moving walls. He had extravagant plans to steal the gold reserve at Fort Knox. It’s the type of grand plan that makes a bond film very interesting. I also loved his assistant Odd Job.
One of my favourite scenes is when James is strapped to a table and about to be killed by a laser. The classic exchange between James Bond and Goldfinger was brilliant.
James Bond - “Do you expect me to talk?”
Goldfinger - “No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die”
As mentioned before, this is the film when the real spy gadgets come into play. The great banter between James Bond and Q is what you know and love about them. The car is also amazing. A beautiful Aston Martin DB5. Originally this was going to be an E-Type Jaguar, but they decided not to take part in the film. To be honest, I think they made a better choice with this iconic car.
I loved this film, it is my favourite Bond film so far! I will definitely be watching this one Bank Holiday weekend. I give it 9/10
But what do you think? Is this your favourite one too? Please put your comments below Steve Whiting
After how much I loved Dr. No, I was expecting a lot from this film, unfortunately I was left a bit disappointed.
I felt that this is when James Bond got a little too serious. The lightheartedness of the first film never really materialised for me here. It was a more serious spy thriller, which was probably very similar to most films of the same time.
The story was quite complex and I found my mind wandering instead of concentrating on what was going on. They seemed to be spending a lot of time in an out of a train cabin. However, the fight in the sleeper car at the end was great.
I found the ‘Bond girl’ in this film really annoying. She was very weak and naive. One moment she would say that she was in love with James and then she would be trying to get secrets out of him. You could tell that James was only with her for the sake of the missions, not because he actually liked her. In my honest opinion, she should have been locked in that train carriage for most of the film!
It was though, the first introduction of spy gadgets with the amazing suitcase. As we all know who 'Q' is, you think it’s him that walks in when Bond is in M’s office, but it is actually a totally different character.
After watching this, I hope that Goldfinger will actually get me back into the swing of things.
I give this film 4/10
But what do you think? Did you like it more than me? Leave your comments below.
Dr. No. is the film that starts off the 50 year phenomenon that is James Bond. For me, it’s what a Bond film should be, a light hearted spy thriller. With the style and elegance of the 1960’s, it's the film that brought us all of the hallmark Bond moments we have grown to love. There is a camp villain, beautiful girls, epic car chases and fight scenes, superb tailoring and of course the famous vodka martini, shaken not stirred. What is there not to like?
According to IMDb, this was not originally supposed to be the inaugural Bond film, but after some legal problems it was chosen because of its simple and straightforward storyline and because it was set in only one location.
From the moment that you first see Sean Connery you know that you are seeing everything you know about James Bond being brought to life. His devilish good looks, amazing body and suave accent will make any women or gay man slightly crumble at the knees. But it’s not until at least 8mins into the film where we meet James Bond who is playing cards in a swanky hotel. With the first minute of us meeting him, he has already organised his next shag, thats even quicker than a gay man who is constantly on Grindr.
Even though he was first choice of James Bond, for me, I think he pulls it off really well. The reason that producers chose him was because he was a big tough looking man who moved gracefully on screen. Another interesting fact I found out was that Sean Connery wears a toupee in all James Bond films he was in.
Dr. No was also a great villain with a sea base layer set out in the most modern 60’s style. What a great villain he is with his elaborate and extravagant schemes for SPECTRE.
The arrival of Ursula Andress from the sea in a white bikini will always be an iconic moment and setting the standard for all Bond girls to come. Her acting might not have been great, but he voice actually dubbed by another actress, who also dubbed the voice for many women in the film, apart from Moneypenny.
For me, I think that Moneypenny is the only women who really sees the real James Bond. He jokes and is flirty with her, but she knows he is full of broken promises. She is a strong women though and doesn’t get caught up in his false promises.
Even though this was the first time I’ve seen this film, I have to say that I loved it. I liked the story and felt from the beginning that we were really immersed into James Bond’s world. It’s going to be interesting to see what they do next...
I give this an 8/10, but maybe I’ve marked it too high for the first film?
I’m going to start off with a generalisation here.
I would say that most men who were born in the past 60 years have watched James Bond at least once in their lifetime. Am I right?
If you’re like me, then your Dad made you watch James Bond films from a young age. Especially the ones that were being shown on ITV over Christmas holidays or Bank Holiday weekends. It always seemed to be your Dad’s favourite and you were never allowed to turn off the television.
Most dads have their favourite Bond and they would always make you watch their favourite film, whether it was Dr. No, Moonraker or You Only Live Twice. Luckily the franchise has continued for just over half a century, so that each little boy has grown up and selected their favourite incarnation of Bond.
As a child I watched Timothy Dalton’s films. I think my mum despaired at how many times my brother and I decided to get The Living Daylights or Licence to Kill on video from our local library. Pierce Brosnan with his floppy hair, amazing gadgets, beautiful cars and cheesy chat up lines, will always be one of my favourite Bonds as he took me from childhood to my late teens. By the time Die Another Day had been released, it was time for a fresh start and Daniel Craig certainly brought that.
After many years of only watching a selection of the films and most of the modern ones, I thought it was time to find out where it all began and how this character has developed. So, I set myself a little challenge. My plan is to watch each of the Bond films, get myself up to speed with the British Institution and write a little blog post about each films, starting off with Dr. No.
It’s time to sit back, relax and go and grab a vodka martini pitcher. It’s going to be a long ride.
It’s very weird to think that I’ve nearly been in my new flat for a month now. Time has totally flown by and I expect that that next time I blink, it will be 6 months from now. It’s been great showing people around! I promise that I will share some pictures when I have sorted stuff out. My favourite comment so far when I’ve shown people around is that is looks like an a page in the Ikea catalogue!
Anyway, with all of the unpacking (nearly) done, the next step is really to discover more about the place that I will call home for many years. It’s time to find the best bar, best pub, best places for a romantic dinner and the best place to take the parents for Sunday lunch, that’s if I don’t attempt to cook it myself.
For me though, I know this area quite well and it holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Greenwich with a couple of friends about 3 years ago. It was the first place I lived in London and an area that I felt so comfortable in. I did love living in Brixton and I would recommend the area to anyone, but Greenwich really had my heart.
One of things I always do when I move somewhere new is start following local blogs and Twitter accounts to really get up to speed with the area. If you are moving somewhere new, I would totally suggest doing the same.
The last few weeks have been a pretty amazing for me, if you have read my #deartuesday post you would have seen that I got my mortgage offer. (if you haven't read it yet, check it out here http://bit.ly/UagO47). I've been waiting for over a month for this information now. But, it finally means that I can make progress on my new flat.
In my life I really didn't think that I would ever be able to buy a flat, as you need at least a 20% deposit to get a mortgage, which is a huge amount of money. I never thought that I had been earning enough money to live in London, save some money and pay off the debts that I built up as a student. So buying a flat had always been out of the question.
In July last year I was speaking to my mum about my housing situation. I was living in a shared flat, which firstly was being sold by my landlady and secondly I had a housemate who was going through a few issues that were affecting all of us. I had always wanted to live in my own place and on my own for a while. You know the feeling when you just want a place where you can wander around in your pants, watch the TV you want to watch and do the cleaning when you want to.
My mum suggested that I take a look at the Shared Ownership scheme, where first time buyers can buy a certain percentage of a property and the rest of the property is owned by a Housing Association. You pay for the mortgage on the percentage you own and pay rent to the Housing Association who owns the rest of the property. For these type of properties you usually only need a 5% - 15% deposit on the section of the property you own. Which it an easier sum of money to save compared to the usual 20%. It would mean that I could have my own place where I could settle down. No one but me could sell the place from under my feet and the money I was spending was not going just going into someone’s pocket, but helping me up the property ladder.
It sounded too good to be true, but I took a look and found that I could get a brand new/newly built flat with a small amount of savings and at an affordable monthly rate. If I decided just to rent on my own, I would be looking at spending at least £1500 a month, but with this, I would be paying much less on a mortgage and rent. The places available usually are in upcoming areas of London and come with a few restrictions, but if you are happy to put up with that, you are all sorted.
So that was it, I visited a few places and somewhere affordable and in a location I was happy with. It was time to save for the deposit, so I moved back in the parents and the rest is history.
If I’ve got you thinking about doing the same, here are my tips to get you on your way:
1. Register with First Steps London (or look here to find your nearest place) and take a look at the properties available
2. Look at the different areas and work out how much you can afford to spend on rent/mortgage every month. Also add about £300 on top for bills, just in case. I made an excel document to track my outgoings and work it out. It was really useful!
3. Look at the required deposits and work out how much you have or can save on what you are on. Also, add on £4000 to the required deposit for legal fees, mortgage costs and for kitting out your new home
4. Take a look at a few places. Get a feel for what is available. Ask lots of questions, the housing association and developers are happy to help
5. Get your finances in order. Reduce your overdraft and pay off any loans or credit cards. The Housing Association and mortage company will look at your finances thoroughly. Most schemes will ask you to speak to a Financial Advisor, which is usually free until you get a mortgage. Again, ask lots of questions and don't be scared to tell them the truth. They want to help you
6. If you find a place you like, find out what the process is and how long it will take. Sometimes you might have to buy off a plan if the place isn't built yet.
7. Ask your friends or family for a good Solicitor. Ask them lots of questions. I was lucky one of my close family relations is a Solicitor.
8. Lastly, be prepared for extra and hidden costs. This could be ground rent or additional money for other things. Even though this is 'affordable housing' people are looking to make money from you.
Keep following this blog to see what happens next and how the move goes! If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below.
The start of each year get’s me excited in many ways. One of them is the naming of the BBCs Sound of 2013.
Each year in December, the BBC release a long list of artists they believe will be big the next year. The list is created by a group of critics, editors, broadcasters and bloggers. I’ve been following the list for many years and get really excited to see what new gems are on it. In the past it has helped me discover artists like Hurts, La Roux, Ellie Goulding, Florence + The Machine, Frankmusik, The Ting Tings and Corinne Bailey Rae, I could go on with more, but there are too many!
The BBC Sound of 2013 long list has been no exception and has introduced me to 2 great acts. They are:
Away from the list though, one of my favourite K-Pop acts, Girls’ Generation released a new album. The lead single is the little number below. A little bit more random than some of their other hits such as The Boys but still good. You can’t help but notice the very 90’s/Shoreditch styling. Yes, it is random, but I really wanted to share it.
What are your top acts at the moment? Which artist do you think will make it big this year? Let me know in the comments below.
So, as the clock strikes 12:00am on 31st December, we welcome in a new year. But what will 2013 bring? What plans are in store? We never know what is going to happen, but it is always nice to set ourselves a few goals to get us through the year, however long they last.
2012 let me have a fresh start and build some foundations. 2013 will be my chance to get stuck into a few projects and really start to build an exciting future.
Here are a few things I hope to achieve in 2013:
- I want to finish writing a TV drama concept I have...not I won’t tell you what it is about
- Kick some new life into #deartuesday - Yes, it’s back. GET INVOLVED - http://bit.ly/deartuesday
- Write, write and write some more. Maybe blog more too - I think I say this every year
- Take more photos, start a little project and share it with you - it's all about the memories
A few things that I hope to achieve are already in progress and there are a few more things I would love to do if I can fit them in, but this is where I am going to start. If I make too many big plans none of them will happen. So, it's good to start with just a few.
As well as these things, the big thig for me this year is finally buying a flat. It's been on the go since November, but I think (and hope) that all will be sorted soon. I've dreamt of this for many years now and I never thought it would happen, but thanks to the shared ownership scheme, it might even come about. If you're thinking about it and want to know more, let me know in the comments below.
But anyway, enough of planning. Grab yourself a drink (if you are not too hungover from last night) and raise your glass to 2013, the year that you do more.
What are your resolutions? What have you got planned for the next 365 days? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
