Coyne-Operated Culture: Beauty and the Beast

Photo by Bill Cooper from northernballet.com

Last week I headed off to the Grand Opera House in Leeds to watch the Northern Ballet perform Beauty and the Beast. As I have previously mentioned, I am a big fan of ballet, and it was great to see a production I haven't seen before, either live or on television.

I really really enjoyed the evening, the set and costumes trod a fine line between modern and traditional which really complimented the slightly more contemporary style of dance. I recently watched some of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake and personally, I dislike how modern the choreography is, Beauty and the Beast maintained the beauty of traditional ballet while adding modern twists which I felt made it more accessible to the modern audience.

This was my first Northern Ballet experience, but it hopefully won't be my last, I had a great time and felt very Christmassy afterwards!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas, I'm still off work so I'm now just savouring the huge amounts of sleep I can have and all the time I can spend with Ryan.

P.S. It's a week until my birthday! Eek!

My Winter Survival Kit

I've never been good in cold weather, come to think of it I'm not great in hot weather either, but the minute I get cold I stay cold, and find it really difficult to warm back up. In changeable weather like what we're experiencing at the moment, it's important for me to have my 'Winter Survival Kit', I know most people think of shovels, fresh water and antifreeze when you think about a winter kit, but mine is a bit different.

My survival kit is all about keeping warm and on my two feet, I have a dreadful habit of slipping over at a spot of rain or ice, and I often sit shivering inside for half an hour after I get in because I haven't worn enough layers. So these are my essential items which come with me everywhere when it's cold.

The Faux Fur Coat

Coat: River Island

My mum bought me this coat two Christmas' ago and it is my favourite piece of kit for winter, it is so warm but because it doesn't fasten at the front, if you get a bit too warm it's really easy to cool down (I often have this problem commuting as you go from being cold on the station to boiling hot on the train). 

The Fingerless Gloves

Gloves: H&M

I seem to buy a new pair of these every year as I always lose one of them. I don't know how people wear gloves now we use mobile phones all the time, but these fingerless ones leave my fingers free for texting, but I can still pull them over my fingertips if needed - perfect.

The Animal Hat

Hat: River Island

I think there was a point last year when I hated these hats... not anymore. It rules. It is warm, it is versatile and most of all it's utterly adorable. It really does keep me warmer than any other hat I have ever owned.

The Welly Boots

Boots: Hunter, Mud: Local park where my parents walk the dogs

I'm pretty firmly against wearing wellies as everyday shoes, they are for dog walking, festivals, and probably most importantly: extreme weather conditions. I love knowing I have a great pair of welly boots just waiting to help me in the snow and ice, or to get me through a particularly rainy day.

What are your winter essentials?

All dressed up with nowhere to go

Feels like all I do recently is dress up nicely in outfits that I want to feature on the blog, but I never have an opportunity to take some photos. I wore this outfit for a trip to Tesco and then a trip to see friends. What an exciting weekend...

 

Jumper: H&M, Leggings: Primark, Vest: Topshop, Boots: Next, Hat: River Island

I love outfits like this, for me this is the perfect balance of fashionable and lazy, and lazy is my middle name. The leggings were only £6 from Primark and they fit really well, but I often find their leggings are rubbish, so it was a bit of a risk buying them. The jumper is from the January sales this year and the boots are falling apart. Basically, this outfit is a bit lame. Apart from the hat, the hat rules.

What's your go-to lazy day outfit?