This piece was originally published by Severine in 2019.

She came onto my screen

A flurry of limbs and awkward sex

A navy coated, red lipped nymph.

The sister. The best friend.

The lost         

               The broken

The f r a g m e n t e d

We are all her

And

I really want to steal a gold headless statue someday.

Hey, hi. It's November. WTAF. No really. Today in keeping with tradition and my excellent timeliness*, we have five things for November. Music, TV, Christmas, Literature. All that good stuff. 

The Crown, S3: Given I have been rather excitedly counting down to November 17th for a while now, this day could not be coming fast enough. Season Three of The Crown features a new cast, including godmother Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret. The latter may be my favourite casting choice of late, okay-it is, it really is. If the trailer is anything to go by, S3 looks set to be fantastical and fascinating. Please excuse me while I go put some sparkling wine into the fridge and dust off my finest tiara. Okay, let's be real it's a flower crown. Leave me alone.

Lana and Elton: In one of my favourite unexpected pairings, these music legends met and bantered for Rolling Stone magazine. I know, quite literally hold me closer tiny dancer. the resulting discussion is brilliant. The love and admiration they have for one another is beautiful. Give it a read here. 

Severine: The lovely Terri-Jane, one of the brilliant ladies formerly of Oh Comely, set up this fabulous literary journal. it's an inspiring, creative hive of voices. Of books and poetry and stories. I am still so excited that three of my poems were published there. 'An Ode to Fleabag' is my personal favourite but I also have a poem in honour of Florence's album 'Lungs' and another inspired by the word 'Golden'. Check out the site in all its glory here. 

Phoebe Waller-Bridge-all day, every day: Anna Wintour only went and put PWB on the cover of December Vogue. Cue me being all heart eyed cat+twinkly star emoji**. Brilliant interview and editorial. Cannot wait to see it IRL. And secondly, the extensive Q&A The Guardian published over the weekend. When quizzed x Olivia Colman regarding alternative careers, Phoebe quipped she'd be Olivia's overbearing assistant. Same Phoebe, same. Read both, they demand your attention.

Happy Holidays (almost, not really): Ok, my fave time of the year is approaching. So I thought I'd share some links to festive bits I am loving. Just a lil' quick fire round for you. First up, this English Pear & Freesia cologne x Jo Malone London. Dreamy scent, dreamy navy and gold. Yes please. Next,    this cute reindeer decoration from Bed Bath N Table. Side note, they have stunning, inexpensive decorations. And last but by no means least, this cute festive tape for all your decorative+wrapping bits from Kikki K. I love it.

-What are you loving at the moment?

*deepest sarcasm

**used and abused for days

Hello and Happy October! As per usual I am over here marvelling the passage of time, don't ever consider turning that in to a drinking game future Sophie, if you are reading. This week actually ended up being rather busy somehow-lotta spontaneous hangs and the rest so I am only just blogging now, on a Saturday night. It was that or the rugby and come on, you know what I'd rather be doing. So five things for October. We have some stationery, socks, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Patti and politics. Enjoy!

The Politician (Netflix): Where Ryan Murphy leads-theatrics and potential musical theatre numbers follow. And Jessica Lange, always Jessica Lange. Murphy's latest series, a Netflix exclusive focuses on a student body presidential election. Starring Ben Platt as Payton, the ambitious, extremely driven teen with Harvard and eventually the White House in his sights.  Lucy Boynton is also fantastic as Astrid Sloan, Payton's rival presidential candidate. The Politician also deals with topical issues for teenagers and young adults alike but never in a way that feels insensitive. As this is a Ryan Murphy show it brings the drama and hilarity in equal measure. I loved it. The costuming also didn't disappoint either. Where else will we see Gwyneth Paltrow in what can only be described as the kaftan to end all kaftans? 

Olivia Purvis x Papier: One of my favourite pen-pals and blogging ladies Olivia, has only gone and collaborated with stationery gems Papier on her own exclusive collection. Cue me internally squealing with delight. Liv loves her stationery so I KNEW it was going to be a golden combination. There's pastel pinks, burnt oranges, gingham, Liv's signature doodles. It is dreamy I tell ya. So if you are in need of some beautiful notecards, notebooks or a dishy new diary for 2019, head here. 

Patti Smith Newness: It's not really a secret to anyone that I lovelovelove Patti Smith's writing. Just like it's no secret to anyone I love Phoebe Waller-Bridge but I am getting ahead of myself. Patti has recently dropped two new books** full of her beautiful prose and imagery. Our shelves and minds are in for a treat. First up, we have Year of the Monkey. A rumination on 2016. She writes of stories and dreams. Recurring motifs. Facts melding with fiction. It is an exquisite slip of a book that will hypnotise you. She has also released Just Kids in an absolutely beautiful, illustrated format. Perfect for coffee tables or luxuriating over with said beverage in bed on Sunday mornings. The latter which I have been doing. I know some of you will balk at the mention of the festive season but both would make perfect gifts. 

BCFNZ x Glassons: October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Glassons have bought their designer collaborations back for a good cause. With a help from some of their friends like Twenty Seven Names and Shaaanxo to name a couple, they have released a range of scarves and socks. All proceeds go to the New Zealand Breast Cancer foundation and they are all super cute. My pick are these socks x Twenty Seven Names.

Fleabag & The Messy Woman: Could I go an entire post without mentioning PWB in some capacity? Probs not. Not even sorry about it. Madeleine perfectly articulates what it is about Fleabag and the messy woman that just makes them so endearing. As does Jia Tolentino in her essay about self-optimisation from Trick Mirror. Give Maddy's post a read here. 

Hey hi, 'tis July! What even is this sorcery. The passage of time (obviously) but seriously, how the flip does it end up being July so quickly!? Marvels aside, today I have five things to wax lyrical on; from poetry to essays, films to listens and even a lil' beauty spot. Have a nosy...

NZIFF is here: Aka the one where I miss being a student, if only so I could study and sneak off to films in between lectures and tutorials. I digress, NZIFF is back for 2019 and it is quite the lineup. I am only gonna be making it to this but I wish I was able to see more. I recommend you check out Maddy's post of films to watch this festival season. 

This essay x Florence Welch: "I tend to look back on that time with a mix of nostalgia and terror. There's a part of me that's in awe of that girl, her total disregard for self-preservation, how she could run at the world headfirst, eyes closed, with no care for the consequences." Florence Welch wrote an essay for British Vogue and first and foremost, can she write more essays please!? This is brilliant. She perfectly encapsulates the feelings and worries of adult life but at the same time the brilliance of I guess finding calm in the chaos. Read it.

The one with Fleabag: Aka Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Yes, I am still talking about Fleabag+PWB. Sorry, not sorry. Anyway, she is back on Elizabeth Day's How To Fail podcast and it is brilliant. I laughed out loud at my desk in the office #noshame. Loved it. Going to listen to it again. 

The Green Room: One of my pals Steph has set up this awesome, holistic skincare experience in the Hawkes Bay and it looks like a treat. Steph has over 14 years experience and is super clued up on all things skincare. Seriously, she is my personal Google sometimes (sorry, Steph). Anyway, she offers two facial experiences; intuitive skin sculpting and intuitive skin clearing. She uses Tribeca Skin Tonics in her studio which I've heard are amazing. So if you're in the Hawkes Bay, go check it out. I'm quietly envious of y'all getting to experience Steph's magic! 

Luminescent x Nina Powles:  I read this a couple of months ago and loved it. It was in the middle of a work day and I needed a moment of quiet+solitude and escapism and these chapbooks delivered. I particularly loved Sunflowers, about Katherine Mansfield and Her+The Flames about Phyllis Porter, a ballet dancer struck by tragedy. The whole collection is beautiful. You can have a read of two of the Katherine Mansfield poems here. 

-I hope y'all are having good July's so far! I will be back soon(ish)-I hope, with a book review.