if there were a blog social services.....

then i would def have my blog taken away from me, i've abused the poor little thing for so long!!!

hello guys, i'm baaaack! well actually, that's wrong in so many senses...

i've been back, in england, for just over a week now, LA was the most amazing time of my ENTIRE life! but even better, whilst i was there i got a call saying i had been accepted to the university that i desperately wanted to go to! so when i got home from LA, two days later i moved down to university! its been a whirlwind to say the least!

i now live in a very lovely house with three other people, two guys and a girl, they are all lovely, the house is nice and tidy, my room has been turned into a lovely little room with flowers and pinkkkkkk everywhere, one problem, the cute little house doesnt have the internet yet. boo.

so i havent been able to blog until today because i just popped home (2hour drive..boo) to get some more of my clothes and stuff, not going to back here for a while unfortunately after this.

along with LA, the last three weeks have positively been the best 3weeks of my life! LA was amazing, spent alot of time with my family, partied at all the hottest hollywood clubs, i even met some famous faces along the way... and uni, well its totally not as glamourous as hollywood, but hey, party every night, recover everyday and go back out and do it all again! met so many cool friends its just fabulous! i love it!

i hope you're all marvelous and happy and just loving life... i will be back to blogging regularly as soon as i get the internet at my little uni house, so please bare with me until then my lovelies.

lots of love, be happyyyyyy :)

AlanaVictoriaXO

a quick update....

I Love L.A

man this place is so beautiful.
i'm staying with my cousin in this place called mar ina del ray, it's soooooooo nice.

yesterday was my first real day, we went to santa monica and hit 3rd street, the shopping is good down there. i spent loads of money already. oops.
i got a cool run dmc top! a lace top. a plaid shirt. and the sexiest leather jacket everrrrr.
all for under $150!

i had theee yummiest johnny rockets mocha fudge milkshake also. yumm. man i missed those things.

after that we went to get some groceries haha.

jetlagged- well thats an understatement, i am soooo tired all the time its really not cool. im trying to get some sort of a pattern back but its soooo not happening! so i had an afternoon nap which was niiiiice.

then for the best part of my day we went into hollywood and went to a really cool club! :)
got home went to sleep the end.


love to you all. missing my besties.
happy birthday to my cousin.

SMILE because the sun is shining! (Man LA is so hot!)
XO

the guide book.

(image from here)

AS you may know by now, I'm off to Los Angeles. What you may not know however is that I am off to L.A in 7hours! I have to be up to leave for the airport in only 2hours however I haven't even had a wink of sleep yet! I'm too excited what can I say?!

So after all of my scouting around trying to find the best places to go/see/visit whilst I would be in the city I thought I would compile a list of all the things I plan on doing whilst I'm there.

The venues were all suggested to me by lovely ladies (Erinn, Emily & Lisa) currently residing in LA, so you know that the spots will be hot, hot, hot. Enjoy lovelies.

the coolest places to eat in LA:

*cliffsedge.

*pinks. ((via lisa's likes))

breakfast

*the griddle cafe.

*grub.

lunch

*toast bakery cafe.

*sur.

*clementine's.

dinner

*pizzeria mozza.

*sasabune (sushi) ((all via Cupcakes and Cashmere))

the best places to shop in LA:

*milk. boutique on third street

*opening ceremony.

*intuition.

*madison. ((all via Cupcakes and Cashmere))

*planet blue ((via Cupcakes and Cashmere && Lisa's Likes- Double seal of approval!))

*the grove. ((via Lisa's Likes))

the hottest spots to bathe in LA:

*zuma beach. ((via Living and Loving in LA))

*manhattan beach ((via Lisa's Likes))

pretty places to visit in LA:

museums

*LACMA

*MOCA

*the getty

other bits and bobs

*farmers market ((all via Lisa's Likes))

Next time you visit LA I hope you plan on visiting these amazing spots.

I'm off now, have alot to do before I jet off.

I'm going to be twittering alot, so follow me to see what I'm upto all the time. I'll be popping in from time to time also, comments and emails will be muchly appreciated.

Goodbye lovelies. Have a fabulous 2 weeks ;)

SMILE. Because its the only vacation I'm getting this year and I'm so god dam excited!

xxxxxxxxx

packing up.

(Photo by Jono Winnel, check out his photoblog here- Pure brilliance)

So I've been rushed off my feet with preparations for California andseeing my family and just general shizz nizz. I went to Brighton on thursday night which was fabulous, I'll upload a pic of my outfit later. Friday was filled with recovering from the night before, and I went to the pub for a drink with my dad, which was nice.

I'm really excited about California, only 2days until I leave. I shall try and get some posts together for the blog before I leave, but my cousins and aunts have computer access so I can always blog whilst I'm out there, and I'll take my camera leads so I can even upload some pics too.

I'm going on another date tonight, have no idea what I'm going to wear as quite alot of my clothes are packed for my trip already!

OH. And this is quite important, not life changing to any of you however, but, I've decided that I am not going to university this year, the uni that I was going to go to was rubbish-y and I knew I could do better so its all good, I am just going to reapply to the ones that I wanted to go to, for next years entry. It was a tough decision to make by myself, you know I didn't want to disappoint my parents etc... but it'll all be ok!

Need to find a job now! Uh-oh.

SMILE lovelies.

AVx

hair 'mare

So I didn't fall in love with hairbands when Blair Waldorf stormed onto the scene with her cute little Chanel style. But what I did fall in love with was Pixie Lott's hairband when she performed at the V festival this weekend. I think she looked the epitome of cool with her long blonde hair flowing out from a flowered headband. Now my problem... I have a bob, no cool long flowy wavey locks flowing from under my headbands....

An AV-update: So this weekend I had my last night at work, I actually have a whole weekend off before I jet off to LA in 8DAYS! I'm going to Brighton on Thursday with a few of my friends, hit some clubs in celebration of my cousins 19th Birthday (a few days early because I'm missing her birthday- for the second year in a row! oops!), then friday and saturday will be going with the flow!

But before all that, I am going to London tomorrow with my mother to view the apartment that I am moving into when I get back from California. We're going to check out the local area, figure out all my routes to uni, shops, pubs etc...

What did you girlies get upto at the weekend? And have you seen any cute headbands anywhere?

SMILE (because your living, and you have choices, and you have freedom, and you make your own way :) ) XO

FRESH START!

Wowzers. Just wow.

So much has happened in a space of 48hours! I went on my hot date, which was perrrrrfect. And then, I got my results!

I got a B in Media Studies (YAY), in Government and Politics I got a C, then in English Lit I sadly got a D, but that doesn't matter, is still a pass at the end of the day!

But the even bigger news of the day is..... drum roll please....... I'M MOVING TO LONDON!!!!!!!

I got into London Metropolitan University, to do a joint degree in Public Relations and Event Management!! I return from L.A on the 16th September and then move to uni pretty much straight away! Its going to be an amaaaaazing year!

XO

Judgment day...

...Is fast approaching!

Tomorrow I get my A-Level results, it completely determines where I go to university, where I live, and maybe more importantly; what country I'm going to live in!

I found a quote on Snippets of Wisdom, that really made me feel not more confident about my results because what is done is done and I can't change that now, but it made me feel more confident about how to cope with the already done stuff....

"Failure is not an option- because it doesn’t exist. Failure is just one critical step on the path to success. You can start over any time you choose, no matter what mistakes you made in the past. You can change anything with a new attitude and new mindset. Winners know that it’s the comeback that counts."

Good luck with any of you getting your results tomorrow, and if they aren't what you expected or hoped for then honestly, it isn't the end of the world. You should take every crossroads that you come to in your life as an opportunity for reinvention of the self and to start a new road to your success!

Other news in my life, I have a hot date tonight, tables booked for 8:30 and that is all I know right now! I'm nervously excited........

Emily is doing fabulously, everytime I see her I go weak on the insides, who knew a teeny tiny baby could do that to you? I miss her when I'm not with her and when I am I hold her as tight as possible (without being cruel obviously!) My whole family is completely infatuated with her <3

Well have a lovely day and what not, the sun is shining here, I can here my mum blasting Michael Jackson downstairs (she's obsessed), I am gonna go to the gym, and just be happy today. So you have no reason not to SMILE :) XO

P.S Only 13 days until I'm in California! Soooo excited! I'm still needing your tips on all the coolest places and things to do in L.A!

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO MEET.....

'EMILY'

Everybody, meet the newest addition to my already huge family, but by no means any less special, Emily.

Born on Sunday 16th August at 2:32am, she weighed 6lbs8oz.

I love her.

Smile. Because you can. Because nature is such a beautiful and wonderful thing. Be thankful, and just smile. XO

busy bee week

Well well well, where to start....

It has been one of the busiest weeks of my life, and oh boy did I pay for it.

The fashion show was a fabulous success! It was a crazy day, I hadn't eaten for nearly 4days so I was shattered, but I got through it, and had an amazing time, it is a great experience to put in my portfolio which I will be readily showing around! I will post some pictures of the event very soon. Oh and by the way, we raised nearly £1000! How incredible is that for two 18 year old first time event planners........

After the event I was drained, went to stay at my dads for a few days (minus laptop), oh and the amazing happened, I got tonsillitis again! This post HERE only in June was when I last had it :(

So laptop-less, bacteria riddled, bored bored bored, I've been watching a lot of films, a lot of Hills, and lots of thinking about my trip to L.A.... (ONLY 20DAYS!)

Feeling completely better now about love, life and my impending A-Level results on thursday, me and my mother had a heart to heart about my future, we visited my potential university yesterday, was a lot of fun, road trip with my mum.

Anywho will get the pics up as soon as possible.

SMILE guys and girls, be happy with what you've got XO

this clear blue sky

Since you've been gone, I've lost that chip on my shoulder.

Since you've been gone I feel like, I've gotten older.

- Lily Allen

I feel like I'm in a tropical paradise. I'm free, as a bird. I'm swimming in a pool of crystal clear blue water. I'm bathing in the rays of golden glowing sunshine.

The fashion show is coming up very fast 4days until its all over. I'm trying to make sure I think of this as fun, and not getting stressed, but lets just say its hard...

L.A is coming up just as quickly, only 30days until I'm on that aeroplane, all by myself, setting off on this big adventure, of fun, shopping, and getting that one step closer to fulfulling my dreams.

Another big date that is coming up is my A-Level results day. The 20th August, I basically get told whether I am allowed to go to university do to the course of my choice at the places that I want to.... Its a day I've been dreading for pretty much the last two years, and its coming and theres definitely no escaping it. Its going to be one of those moments where you really realise how hard you have to work to get what you want in life.

Sorry for my philosophical rant there. I hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

SMILE, because it uses less muscles than frowning :)

XO

Photo by Ryan of Pacing the Panic Room

I'M COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some pics from my amazing trip to California last year to visit my family. AND GUESS WHAT! I'M GOING BACK!

Since I was a little girl I always dreamed of living in America, then my mum got married and my step fathers family all live in America. So now I have a free place to stay any time I can afford a plane ticket to California.

I'm so excited about the trip this year though! I've had a stressful year, what with college, my exams, breakups, hook ups, more breakups. Its just been chaos!

I'm heading to LAX on the 1st of September, my flight lands at approx 14:35 in the afternoon. And guys I'm so excited. On my old blog I posted the run up and how excited I was, as I don't hav that blog anymore i'll just have to do it on here instead! There will be a countdown, all my feelings and all my preparations, after all, this is what this blog is all about, my mission to get out of England and into warmer climates with endless opportunites.

Love to you all, SMILE! I am and probably will be for the next 36days!

XO

11 days until the fashion show!

36 DAYS UNTIL I GO TO CALIFORNIA!

p.s To any of my love American readers!

I'm going to L.A by myself this year (I normally go with the parents), and staying with my two 20 something year old cousins, do you have any tips of cool places, cool things to do whilst i'm out there? I'm out there for 2 weeks! Love to you all xo

nothing is..

i am going to be more positive. i am going to be happier. i am going to do EVERYTHING that i aim to do. i am going to be POSSIBLE! Because in the words of my all time idol:

today is clearly going to be a better day! i hope you all have a fabulous day you lovely lovely people.

SMILE (lots. its infectious. you may make someone elses day. and that feels good.) XO

via. Snippets of Wisdom.

simple.

(Via WeHeartIt.tumblr)

crazy times ahead

WOW. I'm organizing a fashion show.

Yep you did read it right! I am so nervous, but this will work and be amazing! I'm doing it for/with my bestie, Jaz. She is a finalist for the Miss Teen Queen UK 2009 competition! In the competition there is a section where you have to raise funds for a charitable organization called the Phillip Green Memorial Trust, which help disabled children to lead a normal life. So I am putting my PR skills in to practice, (ok I have none so far but hey this is what I am going to uni to study so hopefully I shall do a good job!)

The Manager of the nightclub where I work has agreed to let me have one of the rooms called ENVY, for the night for FREE! How incredible is that!! So hopefully it will be a success, we have a lot to do considering it is going to be taking place in under a months time!!

I am currently looking for clothing boutiques and stores to either lend us a few garments or donate one garment, which will then be showcased on the catwalk, and if donated will be auctioned off at the end. What do you guys think? I also need to create a logo sort thing to be a letterhead for all of our correspondence, as we are going to be very busy bees these next few weeks travelling around and having interviews with shop buyers, managers and potential sponsors!

If you are creative and fancy trying to create a logo then email me and I will give you the deets and requirements. Anyone who attempts this will be my best friend forever :)

Hopefully this will now explain why I am going to be very blog very far between. Lots of Love. SMILE XO

source

HEARTBREAK hotel.

I could survive before him, so I can survive after him.

why do we feel we NEED a man in our lives to make us complete?

numb. together for nearly a year, only one little break up in between, this time its for good.

we're both going to uni this year, he's off on a boys holiday this summer. its for the best.

now i feel like i'm a changed person, not the same girl i was before, and not for the better.

i don't mean that in a nasty way, just an 'i'm gonna get over it in the end' way.

uni is a huge weight on my shoulders right now, i can't get it off of my mind. drilling like a massive hole in my brain.

other than that, i've finished college forever now, have three months off until uni in september (which right now, i have no idea where i'm going).

i'm gonna be doing some work at my step fathers businesses for the summer, saving some money for uni. even though i will probably blow it on clothes.

anyway, i'm out.
smile peoples. i'm trying. xx

(photo via flickr)

ICE CREAM & slumdogs.

So.... once upon a time there was a young girl, she was happy, and bright and had AMAZING fashion sense (joke), she had one problem however, her tonsils hated her.
Whilst growing up there would be days where her tonsils were riddled with bacteria (how gross).

The moral of the story, yesterday was one of those days for me.

I was completely disabled, I couldn't talk, walk, eat and when I woke up I couldn't breathe. It was horrid. All because of two little lumps at the back of my throat. What are the point of tonsils anyway if you can have them removed??!?!!?!?!?!

POINTLESS!!!

My main problem was the lack of food, all I could manage was a milkshake, my mum made sure it was the most fattening one she could find I think. And when I have a lack of food, I get grotty... very grotty, and because I was ill, I was just so weak.

Watched Slumdog Millionaire. It was good. I still think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was better though.

Felt a little bit better today and ventured out in my Mummys new car (its a convertible!!!) to Starbucks. I have never savoured a frappacino so much!

This is pretty much an exact version of the outfit I wore today, the only thing different is the bag and love ring!

Shorts & Jumper- Topshop. Sandals & Bag- Miss Selfridge. Belt- Dorothy Perkins. Wishbone necklace- Vintage. Love ring- farfetch.com (my version is from Accessorize)....

When I showered, did my hair and make up, then got dressed this morning, after yesterdays 'hideously ill' look, I felt like I had just stolen my mojo back from evil Dr (errr) Evil.....
Ooooo and I won a leopard print top off ebay today. I should so stop with the leopard print, I know its so wrong, but I just love it. Oh well, we all have our flaws....

SMILE XO

My achy breaky heart.

I think that this quote (from here) sadly describes my life right now.
You know when you have that gut instinct, and the saddest thing is you know that its hurting you more to stay where you are than it would to leave?

Feelings right now: alone, used, taken for granted, unhappy, stressed, upset, under-pressure.

I honestly don't need this right now at this time, I'm doing the most important exams in my life and a guy is making me go nuts. This isn't right. Who said my life should be ruled around a man?

Whatever you do, keep smiling. I'm trying. XO

My Ladybug...

I watched Sex and the City again today, and fell in love again, with all the wonderful clothes. I have particularly started obsessing over studded belts, like the one that Carrie wears like all the time through out the movie. So anyway I started my hunt and this is what I found....

I thought how perfect would all these belts go with this beautiful dress from brownsfashion.com at only £160....

My fave belt there is the one in the bottom left corner, black suede studded belt from ASOS, only £15. Can't wait till I get some money so I can go on a shop shop shoppy spree. (I'm going to label this as a holiday investment- I said I would not spend anymore money now unless its for holiday....)

For now my friends, I sleep. Happy dreams about everything beautiful.

SMILE XO

P.S I'm smiling, lots.

I got given my mums car today! She got a new one, so I now own her old one. Which isn't a bad thing. It's a beauty, a little red peugeot 306. I'm calling her Ladybug. XO

Love. With a hitch.

Hello, thought I had abandoned you ey? Well I'm really sorry for the lack of love but I've been being a really good girl revising and what not for these extremely important exams coming up. So please, I beg, forgive me :)
Well I haven't got much today apart from this hilarious set of illustrations entitled 'I love you but..' I selected a few of my fave to show you, but to view the whole picture book go HERE.

'I love you but...' is a hilarious project by Alex Holder and Ross Neil, who made this picture book about the moment in a relationshop where you realise you don't love someone completely, because there is one little thing that keeps bothering you. When it bothers you so much it actually makes you physically cringe, you know it's time to say; 'I love you but...'.

Have you ever had a love like that? Whats the funniest excuse you've ever given for a break up?

I once went out with a guy who was so infatuated with history (particularly the Tudors) that he would never stop going on about it. When it came to breaking up, the words 'obsession' and 'unhealthy' popped up....

Anywho, Shakespeare is calling me, TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

Wish me luck with my horrendous exam tomorrow (believe me I need it, failing is the only option right now.).... Fail to prepare, prepare to fail and all that jazz.

SMILE XO

Men

.

"Men aren’t stupid,

and you don’t need a complicated set of rules to find a good one who loves you.

Here’s the only rule you need:

if a man loves you, he will do anything he can to keep you around.

Anything."

.

Quote found here