My Favourite Blogs #5: Rhyme and Ribbons
One of the first blogs I started following was Amanda’s lovely creation at Rhyme and Ribbons. She amazingly fits in a busy life in London with posting almost every day with beautiful outfits, days out around London and delicious recipes (including co-hosting the infamous Bake Off Bake Along 2015 with Ala at This Particular). Of all the bloggers I follow and frequently read, I’ve probably had most correspondence with Amanda, as she replies to every comment, with so much attention to detail with every single part of her blog. She’s also so photographic and gorgeous, with such inspiration for all sorts of different posts which makes reading her blog a joy! Over to you Amanda…
1. How would you sum up your blog?
I’d call it an eclectic lifestyle blog. A bit of travel, some restaurant reviews, some fashion, a fair few recipes and the occasional dinosaur balloon.
2. You’ve just started the Bake Off Bake Along, which week are you most looking forward to, which do you think you’ll be worst at?
Advanced Pastry week as the worst for me last year. My eclairs were not up to scratch. I know I haven’t really improved in that realm this year!
3. What are your goals (career and personal) over the next five years?
Well, I don’t blog about work for privacy reasons so my career goals are a bit vague, but I would have liked to have advanced and a payrise wouldn’t hurt anything. Personally, I’d like to have saved up enough money to a deposit on a small flat, although if London prices keep rising, that’s a total pipe dream!
4. Describe your ultimate meal (starter, main and pud)?
Oh! So hard to choose! I suppose a lovely, fresh caprese salad, followed by a a spicy orecchiette pasta and pistachio gelato for dessert.
5. If you were a cake (GBBO themed) what would you be and why?
Red Velvet cake. (I have no real explanation, it was just the first thing that popped into my head.)
6. Name the book/s that have had most impact on your life?
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Conan Doyle, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. My mom read Narnia to me when I was little before bed, and it got me hooked on the sound of words. It started a lifelong addiction with them. I started reading at a freakishly young age, and The Hound of the Baskervilles was the first “grown up” novel that I finished. It took me weeks, and I was about 8 but it created a love of all things Sherlock Holmes. I even wrote my college entrance essay on the impact that Sherlock had on my life. And as an embarrassing stereotype, as a teenager I felt that “The Bell Jar” really spoke to me.
7. In a film about your life, what would three of the tracks on the soundtrack be and why?
I’m going to slightly sidestep the question and say that I’d want tracks from Fleetwood Mac, Arcade Fire and Josh Ritter. (My 3 favourites to listen to.)
8. If you could have a superpower what would it be and why?
Flight! Because then I could travel wherever I wanted to go to!
9. What’s your go-to interesting fact about yourself?
I’ve broken both legs and my collar bone (all at different times).
10. Name three countries you haven’t been to yet on your travel bucket list?
Italy, Greece and Thailand.
11. What would your patronus memory be?
When I was young, it was the day my mom, my little brother and I went to DisneyWorld in Florida. It was my summer memory touchstone for so many years. Now my answer would be the day Sam asked me to marry him.
12. Which are your current favourite blogs?
Smitten Kitten for recipes, Hyperbole and a Half for a dose of the sublime, The Everywhereist.
Thanks to Amanda for taking time out to go through my questions, it’s been such a pleasure to feature you this month as one of my favourite bloggers!
