Faded Spring

    Warming Up My Winter Adventures With Summit To Eat

    I used to dream of adventuring around the world, dipping into unknown terrains and exploring the environment around me with the eyes of newborn child. There would be hikes round hilly mountains, shrouded in vibrant green moss, there would be dives in clear blue crystal waters and there would be slip and slides among the worlds most beautiful glaciers, slowly dissipating into water. But then those travel dreams got locked away in a small wooden box and pushed to the back of my mind, while life came and took a big dump on all hopes and dreams. But who says all adventures have to be 'abroad anyway'? After all you can have plenty of adventures during winter at home too! I remember when I was ... read more

    The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide For Mermaid Lovers

    When I was younger, I envisioned myself to be at one with the sea, swimming in and out of the waves, like a mermaid. On land I was just as an ordinary girl, fading into the monotonous background of office drones, desensitized to themselves and the people around them but in the water I would come alive. The sea would form foamy waves around me and I would wriggle around the sea shore, plunging into the icy depths of the unknown, to explore a world best kept underground. Would I find the Lost City of Atlantis, or would I find the ultimate Christmas Gift Guide For Mermaid Lovers that would help transform me into the magical mermaid that I had always dreamed of becoming? I would channel my inner ... read more

    A Taste Of South East Asia At Nusa Kitchen

    Nusa Kitchen is a rare breed of culinary delight; founded by a mother and son partnership (Patou and Mark) in 2004, Patou and Mark sought to bring a taste of South East Asia to ravenous 'city workers in London'. What started as a 'mere soup kitchen', inspired by Patou's  lunch time school treats at the tuck shop, transformed into a popular chain franchise, which includes treats like laska's, coconut rice and noodle broths, all made fresh on a daily basis. While there is a variety of meat options available at Nusa Kitchen like Thai Style Crushed Chilli Chicken, unsurprisingly Nusa Kitchen is also popular with vegans and vegetarians who are able to try Singaporean/Malaysian  vegetarian options ... read more

    Would Faded Spring Ever Move Abroad?

    As the rain drizzles down my window pane I sigh and moan, yet another dreary day, permeated by dusty grey clouds, with no sunshine to be found. The leaves begin to fade away and the damp of winter threatens ever closer, as the trees are stripped bare from all decoration. The wind is laced with ice and biting cold, nibbling at me with vindictive vengeance, reminding me that summer is nothing but a distant memory. I pack away the floral swimsuits and the inflatable swans and drag out the sturdy wellington boots and the thick faux fur coats, summer is well and truly over. 2017 was meant to be my year of travel, but that dream dissipated into murky mush, within mere weeks. As I flick through ... read more

    The Truth About Male Infertility:Are You Fertility Aware?

    When it comes to male infertility, chances are you would have been kept in the dark. Contrary to public perception and media appropriated stereotypes, men are just as likely as females to be 'infertile', with 50 % of 'UK couples' needing IVF treatment due to the male being 'infertile'. Yet in a study conducted by DR Liberty Barnes who was researching 'male infertility' for her book ' Conceiving Masculinity: Male Infertility, Medicine, and Identity'  the acclaimed sociologist found that 'men are rendered invisible in our collective imagination when it comes to reproduction' which makes sense considering considering the lack of resources that are geared towards men who are infertile. But why ... read more

    My First Vegetarian Poké Bowl Experience At Ahi Poké

    My First Vegetarian Poké Bowl Experience As someone who lives, breathes and dreams about food 100 % of the time, when it comes to being the first to sign up for restaurant, cafe and food subscription box reviews, you can guarantee that I am there, at the front of the queue. From being nicknamed the 'human hoover' who can fashion an entire meal out of somebody else's scraps, to creating shrines to food in my dreams, when it comes to 'vegetarian cuisine' it seems like I am a dab hand. I was always told off for being such a greedy little pig when I was younger so it almost seems ironic that I am getting rewarded for my 'greedy ways', but then again I'm not complaining. You see I'm that ... read more

    What To Wear On A First Date In Winter

    Knowing What To Wear On A First Date In Winter, can be a tricky feat to master. After all, is it just me who has a strong urge to shut out the world and pretend that the outside just doesn't exist? Or maybe its just me who wishes she didn't have to shave her legs every  5 seconds and would rather come dressed as a giant blanket instead. Nope just me. When it comes to 'getting past the first or second date club' i'm under no illusions that I have the advice to take you from single to married in 10 minutes, so I would rather share some tips with you that I can actually talk good shit about and that is fashion. While turning up in a breathtaking £1,000 Ellie Saab dress might not be the best ... read more

    Faded Spring’s Novelty Christmas Gift Guide

    When it comes to a hearty 'Novelty Christmas Gift Guide' , I struggled to find a post that was as 'weird and wonderful' as my own tastes required. I longed for unicorns and mermaids dancing in unison to the beat of the waves crashing upon a sandy shore and I craved a welcome escape from the 'yuppy sub-culture' of 'city life'. I wanted to slurp slush puppies in the heart of winter, where I would picture myself to be somewhere so far removed from urbanization. I imagined me snacking on cheese and gulping down champagne cocktails, while fluffy slippers danced by my bed clamoring to get my attention. But most of all I dreamed of a world where winter ceased to exist, where anything was possible ... read more

    The History Of Pop Art With Art Your Face

    Following the popularity of the  Post World War II American Painting movement known as Abstract Expressionism, the reintroduction of images or paintings that were inspired by mass media, popular culture and consumerism was enabled by the arrival of 'pop art'. Modernism was moving away from the magical realism or surrealism of the 1920's and the celebration of common household items like 'Campbell's Tomato Soup' and 50's cultural icons like Marilyn Monroe, helped elevate popular culture as an appropriate topic to discuss and narrate through visual colourful aesthetics as mediated through pop art.  Post War, art had always seen as the epitome of 'high culture' which meant that owning paintings ... read more

    Thank You For 10K Followers On Instagram

    I remember in my second year of university when my house mates 'J' and 'N' would beg me to 'get on Instagram', because and I quote 'I was forever taking pictures so why not document them'? They had a point but as a 'self-confessed perfectionist' I struggled with the idea of 'putting myself out there' and facing the condemnation and strong opinions of my peers. You see I was abused as a child by my stepmother and severely bullied throughout my teen years and early adult life, so I had serious issues with self-confidence and accepting who I was, when others clearly had such negative opinions about me. When others would take photos of me, it would fill me with anxiety because all I could see ... read more