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Archive for November, 2014
Pumpkin, Pingu and Bramble
0A couple of weeks ago Charles and I added a few more members to our family – three more baby rats! We originally wanted two more to live with Mabel and Heather, as the intro between them and Miggley just wasn’t working, but when we found out that the breeder we use had three females left, we decided to get them all.
The three new girls are called Pumpkin, Pingu and Bramble, and they’re currently ten weeks old, and incredibly cute! Here they all are…
Pumpkin is an Agouti Berkshire and is a little feisty thing. She’s very confident and keeps play fighting with Mabel, which is always fun to watch.
Pingu (so-called because she’s black with a white belly!) is my little shy girl. She’s smaller than the other two, and quite timid, but she’s so loving. She reminds me a lot of Mog in her demeanour and appearance.
Bramble is an Agouti Hooded Dumbo – my first ever dumbo rat! Just look at those gorgeous ears. She’s feisty like Pumpkin, and also likes picking play fights with her big sisters.
The three new girls have the same dad as Mabel and Heather, which I think made the introduction process a lot easier. After a week of quarantine we let all the girls meet each other on neutral territory, and they got on straight away. Nobody showed any signs of aggression, and after two intros they were ready to live together!
Charles and I also invested in a Savic Royale Suite cage, which is a top-of-the-range piece of kit. It can fit about twelve rats, but we’re sticking to five for now, so they’re very lucky in terms of space! The five rats have now been living together since Monday, and we’ve had no trouble. In fact, they’re all like best of friends! Every morning I find them squished into one bed together asleep – so cute!
Naomi x
XPlus Screen Launch Event
0On Thursday, myself and Charles attended a VIP event at the Leicester Cinema de Lux, for the launch of the new XPlus screen, with a release day screening of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1.
The event started with a drinks reception in the swanky Director’s Lounge, complete with red carpet. For an hour we were showered with glasses of Prosecco, canapés and lovely little desserts. I particularly enjoyed the mini millionaire’s shortbread which was dusted with gold glitter! We also spotted a few Leicester Tigers rugby players in the crowd.
We then headed up to the XPlus screen, which I was really excited about, and I wasn’t disappointed. As soon as we entered the auditorium I was amazed to see the size of the screen. I knew it was going to be big, but it was even bigger than I expected. It’s literally floor to ceiling, wall to wall, and also slightly curved.
Everyone at the event was treated to yet more refreshments in their seats – a drink, and a bag of popcorn, along with a couple of other goodies. When everyone was settled, the manager of Cinema de Lux, and one of the main men at Dolby both gave a speech. They explained that Leicester’s XPlus screen is one of only five in the country, and is designed to give a premium, immersive cinema experience. The screen is in fact 60 feet wide by 20 feet high, and provides sharp imagery, on point brightness, and vibrant colour.
Another special aspect of the XPlus experience is the sound. The auditorium features a Dolby Atmos sound system, and is fitted with over fifty speakers, which provide 360° sound. Having speakers all over the walls and ceiling, which are controlled by sound specialists, allows for dialogue to follow the characters, and for sound effects to come in at all angles, providing sound which completely envelops the audience. Before the film the sound system was demonstrated with thunder-storm sound effects, and I was blown away. The sound of rain and thunder flooded the room from all angles, and I actually got goosebumps because it felt so real.
After the introductions we got to watch The Hunger Games. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the film that much, and I’m not sure it was the right film to show off the Dolby Atmos sound system, but the XPlus definitely improved the viewing experience.
I’m incredibly impressed by the XPlus screen, and after experiencing it once I’m sure a ‘normal’ cinema screen will now just look and sound inadequate. I can imagine the immersive sound working really well for action movies, and I bet it would make horror movies even more scary if you could hear things coming up behind you!
Naomi x
Little Black Dresses by George
0
4 years
by Naomi in Fashion
The festive season is just around the corner, and I’ve already been invited to a few Christmas parties and meals out. As such, I’ve started to do some online window shopping for the perfect party outfits for this season, and I’ve found that George at Asda have some really gorgeous women’s dresses in their Autumn/Winter collection. I’m a sucker for a classic LBD, and George have two in particular that I’ve been eyeing up. It’s been a while since I put together a wishlist type post, so I thought I’d do one to show you how I’d style these two dresses.
Outfit One
George Sequin V-Back Dress / New Look Pony Hair Structured Clutch / Jeffrey Campbell Lita Ankle Boots / Zara Interwoven Chain Necklace
Outfit Two
George Peplum Bodycon Dress / Irregular Choice Stitch In Time Clutch / ASOS POETIC Platforms / George Bobble Bead Necklace
Outfit One features George’s Sequin V-Back Dress, which retails for an incredibly affordable £28. Sequins and a V-Back would both make a huge statement at a glitzy Christmas party, so this dress doesn’t need a huge amount of accessories. A simple structured clutch would be ideal to offset the sparkle, and a chunky chain necklace would add a bit more texture and depth. It’s not always easy to find a pair of shoes to go with sequins, but I quite like the look of a chunky heel with this kind of dress, hence why I chose a classic pair of Litas to go with it.
Outfit Two features George’s Peplum Bodycon Dress, which costs just £30. I absolutely adore this dress as it’s classic and feminine, but has a bit of an edge with its faux leather waist detail. To enhance the waist, I chose a pretty floral clutch by Irregular Choice which has a similar black on black look. An elegant pair of stilettos and a beaded necklace finish off this look, but I think it’d look just as stunning without the necklace.
Which of these two looks do you like best?
Naomi x
*This post is a collaboration.*
What I Wore: November Red
3
4 years
The last couple of months have been ridiculously busy and stressful for Charles and I, what with us both starting new jobs and moving house. This weekend was the first in many that we had time to spend on ourselves, doing whatever we wanted, so that’s exactly what we did! Seeing as Friday was pay day, we spent Saturday shopping, eating in our favourite bar, and in the evening we went to the annual bonfire and fireworks display at the local park.
A relaxed weekend called for a relaxed outfit, and as there is finally an autumn chill in the air, and I was spending most of the day (and evening) outside, it had to be warm too!
New Look Leather Biker Jacket (Thrifted) / Primark Crew Neck Top / Blue Rags Red Ornate Embroidered Trousers / Dr Martens Lauren Boots / DressLink Cowl Scarf / Topshop Leather Bag (Thrifted)
These red embroidered trousers are a new purchase of mine. They’re by a French label called Blue Rags, but I actually got them from Everything5Pounds. Most of my wardrobe is black, but I like to add a splash of colour here and there, and these trousers are the ideal shade for Autumn. They’re incredibly soft and comfortable and the detail of the embroidery is stunning. I also ordered a pair in black and I’m so glad I did as they’re a real statement piece.
My Dr Martens Lauren boots are another new purchase. They have that buckled biker look that I adore, so they match my biker jacket, but they’re not as clumpy as a lot of my other Dr Martens. I’ve been wearing these a lot over the last few weeks, casually with jeans, but also with my work dresses, and I think they look great. I walk to work so it’s essential that I have a warm, comfy, waterproof, sturdy pair of boots for the winter, and these tick all the boxes.
Naomi x
