As if we didn't love Mal at Lazy Boleyn enough, last week she nominated us for a Sunshine award!
Thanks Mal - I've really enjoyed answering your questions...here's a thankyou photo from me!
(me and my chins with Leo!...Jealous?!
Taken back in July, when we visited the National Hotel in Havana
...allegedly where they filmed some of Great Gatsby.)
So, this should be a great opportunity for anyone who wants to learn a little more about me too...if that's you then read along!
First off 11 facts and 1 fiction about me....
(You can play along...see if you can spot the fiction - then give me your guess in a comment!)
1) I believe tinned tuna and anything aniseedy (Pernot, Ouzo, Liquorice) are the devil's own foods.
2) When I was little my grandfather 'Grandie' told me that if you chopped your finger off before the age of 13 it would grow back. And many other things I'm amazed now I ever believed!
3) My little sister calls me 'Sasquatch' (big foot).
4) Mr Peach and I spent our first new year's day together in the centre of the M6 motoway. We had spun our car on a patch of ice, bumped around a bit (well a lot really) and ended up stranded in the fast lane in the centre. After climbing out of the window, they then had to shut the whole motorway (one of the biggest Motorways in the UK) to rescue us. So, I have run across the M6. We still can't believe we escaped without a scratch - someone was definitely watching over us.
5) I will probably be hated for this but I really can't stand the TV programme 24 - Mr Peach says I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like it.
6) My first celebrity crush was Dean Cain (aka TV Superman)...geek!
7) My dad and I have our own little book-club - we buy each other books that we want to read as gifts, then borrow them back after the other has read them.
8) Mr Peach's nickname for me is 'Little Princess'.
9) I hitch-hiked from Portsmouth (UK) to Morocco when I was 21.
10) I love swimming, but I hate swimming over seaweed.
11) I am genetically missing 2 teeth. My dad is too. We believe we are more evolved than those who have all the usual teeth.
12) At university my flatmates recreated my bedroom in full in the kitchen - bed, wardrobe, light fittings, everything! I slept in there for a week before we could be bothered to move it all back.
And now to answer Mal's 11 questions - as you can see this really got me thinking!
What is your best holiday memory?
That's a really tough one...I LOVE holidays!
Either staying in Lot in France with my family when I was 14 - I'd been to Paris before but this was the first time I'd experienced rural France...chateaux, the pretty villages and the food...the cheese, the pastries, the fruit, oh my...I put on A STONE in 2 weeks!
Or, It would have to be sitting by the sea in Croatia, eating incredible seafood pizza and drinking Karlavazco lager, with Mr Peach. That's where that black & white photo of me I use in my profile, was taken.
Getting engaged in Paris on Valentines was obviously unforgettable too - i'll tell you all the story someday!
What's your favourite TV show and why?
OK, there's a lot and I can't choose!
I'm a sucker for any kind of reality documentary - fascinated by 'one born every minute', 'midwives', '24 hours in A&E' or any programme with people on holiday or living abroad. I really love 'Countryfile' (British Sunday night programme about nature, farming, & social culture in the UK)- so much so that Mr P buys me their charity calender every year! My guilty pleasure is 'Real housewives of NYC' but we only have repeats here at the minute and there's only so many times you can see Ramona argue with anyone & everyone!
'Strictly come dancing' (the UK's 'Dancing with the stars') and Downton Abbey are my favourite Winter weekend programmes. Mr Peach and I have been catching up with Homeland series 2 recently & about to watch series 2 of 'The Killing' too - once we start we get addicted to them! Breaking Bad is just going on that list, though we haven't seen any of them.
Basically I like anything that provides escapism or allows me to be nosy about other people's lives.
If your life was made into a film, who would you want to play you?
Well, I would want to look like me, so that would rule out cool people who look nothing like me like Marion Cotillard or Audrey Tatou....sadly.
So, it would have to be Kate Winslet. I know some people love to hate her, but I like her, and she did save Richard Branson's mum after all! I would choose 'Hideous Kinky' Kate Winslet though...or 'The Holiday' Kate.
Mr Peach would say Clare Danes should play me - but she'd have to load some curves as she's too skinny at the moment for my liking.
What book you've read recently do you recommend?
Best book I've read recently was 'The Thread' by Victoria Hislop and I would definitely recommend it, if you like the same types of books as me, especially if you're interested in Thesalloniki (I really want to go there now!).
It's been a while though since I've been so blown away by a book I just had to tell everyone - 'The Bookthief' would have been that last time that happened. Closely followed by 'One Day'.
'Gone Girl' is going to be my next purchase, on the recommendation of one of my only friends who likes the same types of books as me. Most of my friends read 'chick-lit' (Cecilia Ahern, Marian Keys etc), which I totally get, it's just that they're not really the books for me. I do love reading though, so I'm always interested in other people's recommendations - I have my eyes on quite a few blog bookclubs!
What is your favourite part of the day?
Hmm, dawn or dusk.
I love first thing in the morning, when you're up and hardly anyone else is.
But then I am a real night owl too.
I basically love the whole day, except the bit when I'm actually asleep in bed.
If I was being super-soppy I'd admit I probably love most of all the half hour when Mr Peach and I catch up after work and tell each other about our days...bleurgh!
Where do you like to shop online?
For gifts and homewear it would have to be Etsy or 'Not on the high street'. I love supporting small businesses and getting unusual things.
For clothes I'm only an online shopper when necessity calls. I managed my mum's boutique for the past 3 years, so I try to support other local boutiques for things like unusual tops and knits or accessories (things that fit fairly easily or don't need to fit).
However, as I'm quite tall (5ft10") standard sizing trousers and jackets are often too short and with dresses the waist tends to sit too high on me (everything ends up empire line). So, I couldn't live without Next and Topshop for their 'tall' ranges, which I do usually buy online - they're brilliant!
We don't really have it in the UK but I always see things from 'J Crew' that I like on other people's blogs, so I might shop there if we had it and if I had enough money!
Who's your celebrity style icon?
Carey Mulligan - you never, ever see her looking bad. She either has great stylists or a great sense of style!
I like Cate Blanchett's style too - though her figure is nothing like mine. I like some of the things Holly Willoughby wears, but then sometimes I think she looks like she might have borrowed her daughter's dresses. If I had to pick the body of any celebrity to swap for my own it would be Shakira.
What are your top 3 pet peeves?
(uh oh....apologies in advance for the rant)
1) Latent racism. It happens all the time where I live as the population is quite elderly. But just because you're elderly doesn't mean you should live in ignorance and pay no attention to what it is appropriate to say about other people and what it is not. For example, I have more than once had a customer ask me for 'N**ger Brown' trousers...which honestly made me sick to my stomach I was so shocked! Nobody should be using that word in my opinion. I have also had people suggest that the family who run the local post office are a bit rude because they are 'Pakistani'. Firstly, they are not rude. They are utterly adorable, incredibly friendly, excellent at their job, just speak a little quietly sometimes. Secondly. they are British, of Asian origin - no idea which particular bit of Asia because I've never had reason to ask - it's irrelevant! The place they or their parents were born has ZERO to do with their ability to do their jobs. People would never come and tell me how rude they thought 'that English girl in the Post Office' is.
Latent racism and small town attitude are the things I hate the most about moving back from the city.
2) I'm a bit of a sucker for grammar - I have to stop myself pointing it out on things like Facebook all the time as I'd just sound like a really uptight crazy person. I particularly hate misuse of 'to lend' and 'to borrow'....('I borrowed him a book'....no you didn't, you lent it!)
3) Crumbs on the kitchen worktop & damp towels (both usually created by Mr Peach).
Who is your favourite historical figure?
I studied Marilyn Monroe for some time at university, and became a bit obsessed with her so that would be my immediate choice. I'd also like to meet Artemesia Gentelleschi (after reading the book 'Artemesia' a couple of years ago) ....in fact loads of famous artists. I don't know if I could pick an absolute favourite figure though.
If you could teach any subject what would it be?
Art, with a MASSIVE dose of Art History alongside...without a doubt. I'd love to teach French one day too, if I could ever speak it well enough.
Are you a homebody or a go outer?
Another tricky one! If you'd have asked me before I met Mr Peach I'd have said without a shadow of doubt that I'm a go outer. Going back to my life in the city, I was hardly ever at home.
But since I met him I love nights in together or when our friends come round, just as much. Still, I get fidgety and even a bit sulky if we don't go out at least once a week. That doesn't mean a crazy night out - just going out for a pizza, or a walk, lunch at a pub, to see a film...whatever really - I like variety. Mr Peach is the real homebody in our house - he loves our time away, but no matter where we go he gets giddy when we're on our way home!
Well that was fun! Now I get to pass the award along!
So, my nominations for the Sunshine Award go to...
Katherine @ The Duchess Of Plumewood
Lucy @ The New Northener
Amanda @ Rhyme & Ribbons
Sara @ Sara In Le Petit Village
Amber @ And Yes to Joy!
If you'd like to play this is what to do..........
#1 Write a post. First acknowledge the nominating blogger
#2 Share 11 random facts about yourself (I copied Mal in playing the 11 facts, 1 fiction element of the game)
#3 Answer the 11 questions set by your nominating blogger
#4 Nominate 11 bloggers yourself (um, i only managed 5)
#5 Post 11 questions for your nominees to answer then let them know they're up
And here's my 11 questions!
(I've tried to keep them simple so you can answer as big or as small as you like.)
- What flavour of ice cream is most like you & why?
- Chocolate or Cheese - you have to give up one now for the rest of your life. Which will it be?
- What is the craziest place you've been to in the world and why?
- What is your 'claim to fame'? I.e. what famous person have you met, hung out with, or have you ever been famous for something yourself?
- What blog post did you read by someone else and wish that you had written it?
- What musical act dead/alive do you wish you could see?
- What was your favourite nursery rhyme, song or poem when you were little?
- Have you ever walked out on a film? Or wished you had have done? What film & why?
- What day in your life has been more significant than any other?
- If you could bring any imaginary film or TV character to life for a day, who would it be?
- And finally.....Prince Harry or Prince Wills? (assuming Wills were still single)
Hope you've enjoyed learning a little more about me everyone!
And don't forget to guess which one of my facts is really fiction! ;)
Sarah x
Ha so jealous of the picture with Leo! lol
ReplyDeleteI think that the fiction fact is the hitch-hiking story, although this could be quite possible. Am I right? You can tell Mr Peach that there are two people in the whole world who don't like 24: you and me lol.
Love your answers. I adore Kate Winslet and would love her to play me if my life was made into a film. Also, thank you for the book recommendation. I love reading and am always looking for new books to read.
Well thank you kindly! I'm thrilled to play along :)
ReplyDeleteWow I can't believe what happened to you on the M6! I would have been petrified! Motorways make me feel a bit jittery anyway, let alone running across it! I don't think this one is fiction... although I will feel silly if it is :P
ReplyDeleteKate | Diaries of an Essex Girl