Hello once more, my friends (does that sound a little odd?). Well, hello everyone.
Now, I don't intend my blog to be centred around cooking and food, but, I do enjoy some particular recipes. So, if I ever come across any successful recipes, I shall post them, for you all to see. (Beware, there are probably cats and dogs in the world that have more cooking skills and common sense than I, so I apologise if my cooking tips seem juvenile). But, alas, do not worry, because I completed this particular recipe with a dear friend of mine. (Hello Elisha, if you're reading this, it was wonderful being your glamorous assistant.)

Here is the recipe we used to make a rich, buttery 'rainbow' vanilla cake. Enjoy responsibly.

Ingredients:

• 250g butter (softened, which basically means melted a little in the microwave)
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
• 330g caster sugar
• 3 eggs (We would recommend that you whisk the eggs before adding them to the cake mixture, just to make the cake extra fluffy)
• 260g self-raising flour
• 50g plain flour
• 180ml milk (I don't think it really matters what type of milk you use) 
• A handful of different types of food colouring

Hello!
I don't know why, but I'm always drawn to do these tags because I enjoy answering the questions and I always love to read other people's answers. Does that sound incredibly nosey? Unfortunately, that's the truth.

1. Do you have any pets?
Yes, I think I may already have answered this question. I have several fish in a fish tank (if that wasn't obvious to you already). I'm afraid I haven't individually named them, so for now, I will refer to them collectively as 'fish'. Very original, as I'm sure you can see.

Warning....my fish tank is not this exotic.

2. Name three things that are physically close to you?
My laptop, my desktop light and .... (pause a moment to pick one of the many things cluttering my table that are equidistant from my seating position, wow, that sounded far more complex than it should have done) and a maths textbook. Was that anticlimactic? No, I don't have the last existing species of a fast-disappearing exotic plant or a super expensive table-top ornament, just a plain old maths textbook.

Integration, the joy of life

3. What's the weather like right now?
To be quite honest, not that great. The definition of summer seems to have eluded the weather fairy here in the UK, so, gloomy and cloudy is all we get. At least it's not raining....oh dear, have I jinxed myself? Probably.

This is far more picturesque than what I'm seeing outside my window

4. Do you drive?
No. That's the short and sweet answer. Although.... (going on a tangent here), I am deeply scared of learning. I hope that after training, driving won't seem as daunting, but I doubt that the fear will ever disappear.

That seems about right.

5. What time did you wake up this morning?
Pause as I search my mind for the answer to this most challenging and enlightening of questions.... 7:30am. I had to go to school today, as most children and teenagers do on a Monday, so nothing out of the ordinary there. I could create an artificial story claiming that... as I got up, I was attacked by a bear that I had to fight off with my bear hands whilst brushing my teeth. Then, as I was changing into my uniform, I realised that my long-lost Prince Charming was waiting for me outside my window on a flying carpet, prepared to whisk me away to Hogwarts. But, that would be slightly inaccurate.

I need an alarm clock like that.

6. What was the last movie you saw?
I do believe the last movie I saw at the cinema was Lincoln, which was amazing, if I do say so myself. You may not agree with me, (those who frequent the movie theatre more than I do), but I thought the acting was great (now would be a good time for my use of creative adjectives to improve..., but unfortunately, that rarely ever happens).

Hello Mr. Lincoln, great movie

7. Do you like sushi?
Tough question, because I know sushi is now the food of the modern-day teenager. But, I have to confess that I have had sushi only a limited number of times and am therefore not able to come to a solid conclusion on the matter (even though prawn sushi does taste awesome).

This looks tasty.

8. Do you colour your hair?
This is an interesting question and incidentally, it's something I want to write a blogpost on. But, I haven't  built up the courage because I don't want to deter anyone who loves to dye their hair. I think, it genuinely suits some people, but for others I just keep thinking... why? I have never coloured my hair and although sometimes, I wish it wasn't so monotonous, I quite like my original hair colour. I often see people who have died their hair, who have beautiful natural hair. But, I think you should do as you please and if it makes you happy, by all means. Personally, I don't like it.

That looks very pretty, I may change my mind about colouring hair

9. What is your perfect pizza topping?
Great alliteration in that question. Now, let me think. Okay, I shall paint you a picture of my perfect pizza (NB. I am not addicted, I am just answering the question). Thin-crust, tomato base, pepperoni slices, jalapeños, ham, pineapple, possibly chicken and mozzarella. Does that sound horrendous? If so, I apologise. I am now dreaming of pizza... okay, I shall move on before pizza dreams engulf me.

Anyone feel like having a pizza now?

10. What is the colour of your bedroom wall?
Cream, or off-white. I may wallpaper one side, someday. But for now, the wall will remain cream, just a neutral colour.

This is much prettier than my actual wall

Thanks for reading. Hopefully this may have interested you. If not, I don't blame you. I tag everyone.

Adios. xxx

This may seem random and you may be thinking 'oh dear, she's running out of options to write about', but quite the contrary. This is a topic that I find quite interesting, sweet and touching. I have in no way created any of these sayings in my compilation, but as there is a variety of sayings out there, I have chosen my favourites. Hope you enjoy.

1. These are two quotes that I particularly like in terms of inspiration:
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.”
― Walt Disney Company, Mulan 

Hello again!
I wasn't sure what to write about, so I decided to do something slightly abstract. I hope you enjoy this.

Three wishes.... let me think. Well, the truth is I have a set of practical and fantasy wishes, so this is going to end up as a 'six wishes' post. I apologise for my indecisiveness.

Practical Wishes
1. Well my first wish would be to have an opportunity to go to university and study medicine because that what I have always wanted to do. This is more of a goal than a wish, but I guess I decided to include it as I've been wanting to do this for a very long time. I know it may seem like a really cliched choice, but I really can't imagine myself doing anything else. I have pondered about going into languages and becoming an interpreter but I don't know anybody who does that, so it would be difficult for me to get any work experience. There are a few doctors in my family, so I suppose it'll be easier to get advice. I haven't really thought about any field that I want to specialise in, but I'm really hoping to study medicine. So, I guess that was my career wish (if such a thing exists).

2.  I want to see what it's like to live and work in America. This may seem extremely bizarre, but I have always wanted to visit or live there. It may be anticlimactic but I've told my parents about this frequently. I don't think they are as intrigued and excited as I am, but nevertheless, it's something I want to try. Having said that, I have still not been to America yet and upon arriving, I might change my mind, but I've always perceived it as somewhere different that I may be able to manage myself and possibly a family in. I'm not sure where exactly, but I have contemplated the idea of moving to New York or LA after university and doing some work abroad. This wish may not be as feasible, but YOLO (I apologise for using that phrase, I realise how mainstream that may be).

3. I want to be able to donate to charity more often than I do currently. Again, this is one of those weird wishes, but what can I say, it is a genuine wish of mine. I see so many adverts on the television of suffering children and families and in Sri Lanka I would see so many in poverty on the streets. It is truly heartbreaking but at 16, I'm not in a position to give money. Before I start earning, I would love to do some charity/volunteering work, which will be my way of giving back. But, in the future, I definitely want to be able to donate money to various charities, because I think it's a very important aspect of our lives. It doesn't have to be anything big or grandiose, but I want to donate much more than I do now, because the feeling you get inside cannot be rivalled.

Now for the more 'out-there' wishes, which are far more likely to not get granted:

1. I would love to meet Beyonce. Yes, you read it correctly. I am a huge fan of her, which you might have guessed from a previous blogpost. I have admired her from afar for so many years, that it would be amazing to meet her face to face or to attend one of her concerts. I remember telling one of my friends that I will meet her before the day I die, to which she replied with sarcastic nods of the head. But, I was adamant and I promised her I would do it. Now, I'm not so sure, but it is still one of my ultimate dreams.

2. I want to do a tour of the entire world! In the grand scheme of things, it does sound very inviting to someone who loves to travel, but the practicality of such a large scale project may mean that such a trip will not be possible. But, I would still love to try it. After all, you have a fixed amount of time on this Earth, why not try to see it all before you leave? There are so many wonders of the world, both natural and man-made, that I feel it would be a waste for me not to experience at least some of them. This may seem far-fetched to those who have attempted it, but if I fail, at least I would have had a go at it.

3. Last but not least, I would love to get some sort of international recognition for something that I have done. I have absolutely no idea, how, when or what I am going to do to receive such an honour, but one can never stop hoping or wishing. It's basically one of those dreams and aspirations that occupies a small corner of my brain, because I currently have other priorities, but let's be honest, who doesn't want to receive some sort of international accolade.

Well, there you go. I'm going to look back at these wishes in a long time, and even if only one of these wishes have been achieved, I will be happy. What are your wishes for the future? I would love to know.

Adios. xxx

Hello!
I felt like I've been rambling on about fashion and I never really expressed what my style sense entails.
I'm not someone who has a strict sense of style, but I tend to wear ensembles that suit my complexion, my height and my body shape.

1. What is your favourite style to wear?...
I wouldn't say that I have a favourite one, but I wear all things bright, cute, girly and colourful. I am currently very much into the collars, lace and the cute spring jumpers, with a good pair of jeans. I also quite like dresses in the summer, with brogues and frilly socks. I'm not sure whether my style has a particular name, if so, please feel free to comment and enlighten me.

2. Who is your fashion role model?...
This is hard... I have to confess that Miranda Kerr has a great sense of fashion, no matter where I see her, I absolutely love what she is wearing. Jessica Chastain always has an air of old Hollywood glamour, that is beautiful and classy at the same time. If I was to pick someone who is closer to my age range, I would have to say that Jennifer Lawrence always manages to pull it off, even though her fashion choices may seem quite mature. Well, I guess I didn't really answer the question, but I think everybody has their own unique sense of style and they may have certain hits and misses, but that's the fun in experimenting with fashion.

3. What do you always have on?...
I always wear some type of earring. I am a huge fan of 'drop-down' or 'dangly' earrings, I think they can really enhance the aesthetics of any outfit. I only have my ear lobes pierced, so I don't wear any other type of piercings. But, a good statement pair of earrings are essential.

4. What are your favourite jeans?...
I'm not sure whether this is valid, but I absolutely adore my jean/jeggings from Marks and Spencer. I do have jeans in various colours, but I think the traditional blue jeans are my favourite by far.

5. What are your favourite sunglasses?...
I am currently using some brown Polaroid sunglasses which are kind of square-shaped. They are very protective and look fairly stylish. I don't often have to wear them, but when I do, they make my summer outfits look complete (or at least I think they do).

6. What are your favourite shoes?...
I am loving the new brogues I got for my birthday from Clarks. They are very cute and girly with little cutout detailing and I can wear them anywhere. They are also exceptionally comfortable and perfect for the summer, as they can be worn with or without socks.

7. Who influenced you to write about fashion?...
Well, this is the first post where I talk about my own style, but I love to read what others write about fashion. I think fashion is something that developed (for me) during my teen years. When I was younger, fashion was not something that intrigued me, because my mother would choose my outfits. But, as I have grown, I've got more freedom with what I choose to wear. So, for inspiration I would read other people's blogs or watch youtube tutorials, which were my real influence.

8. What is your favourite store?...
I don't really have a specific store that I like, because I tend to get pieces that I like from all over the place. But, New Look is a shop that always has something that I like. The House of Holland by Henry Holland section in Debenhams has pieces that are fashionable, affordable for all the seasons.

9. Who is your favourite fashion person on YouTube?...
I am always intrigued by Zoella's youtube videos because I am equally obsessed with collars. I also like to watch the uglyfaceofbeauty's channel because her fashion is always very modern and up-to-date.

10. What is your favourite fabric?...
I would have to pick either chiffon or silk, because they are probably the most comfortable fabrics that make me look presentable. Otherwise, I love whatever fabric my pyjamas are made from, because I'm not one to 'glam-up' during the day unless I have somewhere important to go.

11. Who is your favourite model?...
I think I'll have to pick from Victoria Secret's Miranda Kerr or Adriana Lima because I think they are absolutely gorgeous, but they also promote healthy lifestyles, rather than the easier route of starving oneself. If you look back into their background, it's easier for me to relate to where they came from and the struggles they had to overcome to get to where they are.

12. If you had £5000 to spend on any item, what would it be?...
Well, this is pretty easy for me, because I constantly peruse Vogue to see the newest designer fashions. I would buy a tote bag from Louis Vuitton or a 4-wheel Zephyr Suitcase, by the same designer. From the remaining amount of money I would buy something from Elie Saab's collection or some shoes from Christian Louboutin. These are my three favourite designer brands, so anything from there.

13. Heels or flats?...
Currently I would say flats because they are the most comfortable to walk around in (for me). But, I am fairly short, so I hope to buy some heels and practise, so that in a few years time, I can answer heels for this question.

14. What purse do you currently use?...
I'm not sure whether this applies to the handbag or the purse that you keep money and various cards in. So, I am going to answer for both possibilities. My handbag is a one shoulder, brown/tan leather bag from Clarks. My purse is a light-brown, leather one from Radley. I love both because they are both fairly spacious and easy to carry around.

15. Is fashion in your blood or your jeans?...
I'm not exactly sure how to answer this question. But, I think it's a bit of both. My grandmother on my mother's side use to sew and design clothes quite a lot, but I also think that my fashion sense has evolved throughout my lifetime, as it is mostly influenced by the latest trends. Nevertheless, I am not afraid to experiment and wear ensembles that I like, despite not being very fashionable in comparison with what other teenagers are seen wearing on the streets.

I hope you found this blog interesting. I certainly discovered a lot more about my style whilst writing it and I would like to tag anybody who reads this post and wants to answer the questions.

Adios. xxx

Hello again!!!
I know this may seem like a controversial topic, but it is something that bares a lot of meaning to me and I feel like Ellen (from the Ellen Degeneres Show, which I love to watch/laugh along with), hit the nail on the head when she spoke up about it.

I have been shopping in Hollister, which is a 'cousin' shop of Abercrombie and Fitch, as it is more prominent in England, for around two years. I remember at the time, so many of the girls and boys in school would sport their clothes during trips or non-school uniform days and some would just bring the bags in to school, despite the presence of a half-naked man or woman emblazoned on the bag (which I thought wasn't very appropriate at all, but who am I to judge). I remember seeing Hollister as a  fashion icon for teenagers and I felt like I should hop on the bandwagon at some point. So I did.

Initially, I was very excited. The store always had a distinct, look, smell and inability to see anything that you are doing when in it. But, for me, it just added to the aura of it. I myself, am quite price conscious and I was devastated that so many of the more unique pieces were fairly steeply priced. But, nevertheless I was always able to find a discounted shirt or top that I liked. We would purchase it and walk happily out of the store, bearing the bag (the tell-tale sign that I had visited and bought something from this shop). From that day onwards, I would wear the tops on special occasions and I thought I was just following the trend.

However, I remember looking at their website from time to time and it would strike me just how slim some of the girls they advertised were. They were all very beautiful models, but it would scare me, because I was the customer buying the clothes and I knew that there was no way that I would ever manage to pull those particular looks off. I remember always admiring the girls that worked in the store,  wondering how they manage to look so effortlessly 'beautiful'. The sizing would also frustrate me as I wasn't used to being categorised as 'small', 'medium' or 'large'. I never knew which one I belonged in and I remember thinking to myself that it must be extremely difficult for slightly curvier girls to find their sizes, which I thought was completely unfair. Anyway, until around a month ago, I was still someone who looked on their internet and spent hours just window-shopping.

I'm not sure exactly what was said by the CEO, but I remember being completely devastated. I felt like everything that was said about the label only catering for a certain size girl applied to me. The video about the person that has decided to take old clothes to the homeless, despite the CEO expressing his wishes for that not to happen, is (in my opinion), a brilliant way of showing that the consumer and customer should be in charge of what they do with the clothes (they are, after all, the people that buy the clothes). It wasn't a shock to me, it was just disheartening. I know that there are models in the fashion industry that may seem exceptionally thin, but they are catering for a specific audience and not many teenagers I know can afford designer labels. But, for me, it's sad because I realised that I spent so long trying to follow everybody else, hoping that if I wore Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollister, I would finally look like one of their models.

But, I have realised that in reality, that is not feasible. But I don't mind because I am happy with the way I look and I have found other places to shop for a style that I like. I hope other girls who have been affected by the recent controversy can do the same.

Best wishes. xxx

Hello again!
I'm just going to write about some of the things that interest me. I would love to know the kind of things that you get up to in your free time and your hobbies. 

I'm someone who loves music. I have been playing the piano since the age of five and performing in various concerts. I also play the oboe, the steel drums (think about Under the Sea from the Little Mermaid and the drums that you hear). I also sing. I don't know how well I play these instruments, I guess I'll have to ask the audience (who are mostly family members), but I do love doing it all the same.  For me, music is something that can instantly lift my mood and make me feel happy. 

I love music, because of its ability to instantly lift and change my mood. My favourite singer and musician of all time has to be Beyonce. I have admired her pure natural talent for so long. I think she is a very inspirational woman and I would absolutely love to see her live or even to meet her (despite the fact that I may faint upon eye contact). 

I loved swimming for a long time, because it seemed to be the only 'sport' I could do, as I wasn't the thinnest of people in my youth. Unfortunately, as I got older, the commitment levels for swimming increased and I couldn't cope with it, as I had my schoolwork to concentrate on (I had a feeling that I wasn't going to become an olympic swimmer). Tennis is a sport that I now enjoying playing, as both my brother and father are very good at it (my brother's very good, which doesn't pose well for me as I am five years older than him). I play rounders and badminton at school, which I thoroughly enjoy because I get time to exercise and chat to my friends. 

I also love to shop (oh, how girly). However, I am only sixteen, so I'm only able to 'window shop'. But I love it all the same. I could literally spend a whole day in a shopping centre (or mall), looking round each shop and manage to emerge from the day without purchasing anything at all! How talented I am. But, I feel like that won't last for long, once I start to work and earn my own money. 

In terms of reading, I am a huge fan of detective novels, especially the epitome of detective novels; Sherlock Holmes. I love all the books and the television show (featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, I'm sure you know what I'm referring to). Basically, I like quite emotional books or rather mysterious books. Currently, I don't have much time to read, but when I do, I think my Kindle will occupy me well. 

One of other favourite hobbies is travelling (I'm not sure whether that can be classed as a hobby, but oh well). I wish to travel and see the world, which may seem cliched, but who doesn't. I'm somebody who is always unsure about taking opportunities and experiencing new things, but I think to myself that, if I don't, I may be missing out on some amazing memories. 

So those are some of my hobbies, I may adopt some more in the future, who knows!
Adios. xxx