Perfect Plaits

I have recently been obsessing over plaits! If your anything like me, creating styles with your hair can be somewhat of a chore..not to mention the fact it never looks the same as what the YouTube tutorial makes it out to be!

Fishtail plaits and braided plaits are perfect with summer approaching; its the type of hairstyle that you can change up all the time and one that will last you through with all the parties, weddings, holidays and festivals! They are easy to do (once you have practised on someone) and make an amazing look on any outfit.

Check out my inspiration pics below and try it out for yourselves girlies :0) 

let's just take a reality check...

 

 

 

This is the picture that humbled me in so many ways this week, and a picture that inspired this blogpost. I came across the story below and wanted to share it with you...

 

 

 

“We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we’re aproaching our table two people come in and they go to the counter: ‘Five coffees, please. Two of them for us and three suspended’ They pay for their order, take the two and leave. I ask my friend: “What are those ‘suspended’ coffees?” My friend: “Wait for it and you will see.” 

 Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each, pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers - three for them and four ‘suspended’. While I still wonder what’s the deal with those ‘suspended’ coffees I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view towards the square in front of the café. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in through the door and kindly asks ‘Do you have a suspended coffee?” ~ @ATravelledWoman

 A Suspended Coffee ~ where people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm beverage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in Naples, but it has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee but also a sandwich or a whole meal. Wouldn’t it be frigging amazing to have such cafés or even Supermarkets in every town where the less fortunate will find a warm drink and some good food!?

 

 

HOT 5 VIDS OF THIS WEEK

So, it's been a while since I posted on my blog but I wanted to bring something visual to the table for you guys to get inspired by and to give you sense of what I am into at the moment. I could literally put up about 20 vids today but I appreciate you might be reading this on your lunch break or commute home so I have kept it nice and snappy....ENJOY!

x

First up is R-TIZT and UMA crew busking in Trafalgar Square. In my opinion, R-TIZT is one of THE best beatboxers in the U.K. He teams up it up with some explosive freestyle from UMA crew to make this a crazyyy asss performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VnmnJm7VrQ

Next up is my music crush Bluey Robinson. If you love old school Craig David this is his predecessor...
He has been around on the music scene for about 4 years and was luck enough to tour with Justin Bieber and most recently the support act for the Trey Songz U.K tour.
Check his vids out on YouTube, insane talent that I just cant get enough of!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQaCKT_OULk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA-HIE908M8

With Beyonce's new Mrs Carter world tour coming round I thought I would dedicate a few vids to that. Now, i'm not exactly a massive fan of B's new song 'Bow Down', but that aside she is one of my biggest inspirations ever; as a performer, a business woman and a class act lady. If you havent seen her 20 min vid about her journey to her last album 4 then you need to get on this ishhh NOW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vXXiku0580

 

 Lastly, and still sticking with the B theme I came across this choreographer on YouTube. His name is Wildabeast. There is something about his dancers that I just find mesmersing. They are all performing his choreography but each one is individual in thier style and performance. It's like he respects that everyone is going to do each move different and embraces that. 

They pack it with rawness, expression, interpretation and nastyness...the kind of nastyness that gets me pulling that face like I have just smelt an old trout :0)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3y17D_K9Zw

 

Hope you got some positive vibes running around after watching the above. Now go get out there and get where you want to be.

 

BIG LOVE!

 

 

 

 

 

it's been a crazy old week and manier nights I have been getting 4 hours of sleep (eeeek) but that hasn't bothered me because I'm finally making steps to where I want to be. The tiredness is never the same when your waking up to do what you want to do. I'm in a really good space at the moment and have so much gratitude for the movements I am making.

Stay focused and you will find that when your grind is right, your mind is right.

Big love x

my lady of the moment - Samantha Barks

Samantha Barks has quite simply captivated me.

She is an actress/singer who is currently on the most amazing journey. If you have seen Les Mis you will know her as the character 'Eponine' which she played fantastically well! Not just an amazing singer but a truly believable actress too.

She trained at Arts Ed and not long after was a contestent on the BBC 1 show 'I'd Do Anything' for which she was fighting week after week to be given the honourary prize of becoming Nancy in the west end hit musical  'Oliver'. Unfortunatley, Samantha only made it to third place on the show.

In a crazy twist of fate a few years later, and after various roles in West End musicals, she became Nancy in 'Oliver' and it was here when Cameron Mackintosh announced live on stage at the finale that he wanted her to play Eponine in the highly anticipated feature film, Les Miserables.

The film has gone on to recieve critical acclaim (which it thoroughly deserves) and everyone seems to be asking the same question...who is this Samantha Barks?

This is the begining of a very VERY bright future for the 22 year old. For me personally, I loved seeing her at The Oscars on Sunday night. It was quite emotional yet inspirational to see a girl roughly the same age as me go through setbacks and defeats but still push on and find this an amazing path which any actor dreams of!

Taking a swerve from the acting perspective and more onto style (which is a big passion of mine too) I thought she nailed the 'Oscars' look 100%.
For an actress that has only just come onto the scene, who wasnt nominated for an award but an actress who wanted to say 'hi, here I am' this was the PERFECT ensemble.

Understated yet bold. Classy, but sexy.

the perfect app for a working actor

So, I have heard many good things about this app, priced at £13.99 it's not exactly cheap for an app but in terms of the use you will get out of it, it is definitely worth the invest.

Script reading, line learning and note making is a process that ALL actors go through before and during any project. I don't know about you guys but when learning a script I always in depth study it by myself first. When it comes to reading it through and learning the text, 9 times out of 10 I need someone there to bounce off. I also like the added factor of recording the speech onto my phone/ camera to see how it sounds and what changes I could make to improve the way it comes across.

Rehearsal 2 has all this in one app so you don't need to bother your brother, boyfriend, teacher, girlfriend or...ahem...dog any longer! (sometimes my dog Jessie is a perfect study partner okkkk....)

Features include...

- opens your script directly from your email

- breaks down the script into your scenes to learn

- highlights lines in a range of colours for different characters

- record your lines and play them back

- peekaboo to memorise, it reveals your lines in blackout mode so no need for the old book covering your lines when learning

- create as many direction notes as you want


You know, this app isn't for everyone! Some people, myself included, like the old school way with pencils and paper script but for you tech geniuses this could possibly be your new best friend when on the go or at home.

Let me know if you purchase it and how it goes for you.

Big love x

be a phoenix