#BloggersBelowZero | ICEBAR LONDON...

On Monday rather than having the normal the-weekend-is-over blues, I was wishing the work day away so that I could head to @LDNmeet's latest event, #BloggersBelowZero at ICEBAR LONDON. If you've not heard of it, ICEBAR LONDON is located just off of Regent Street and at a nippy -5c° it is the only permanent bar made of ice in the UK. 

The evening started downstairs in the warmth of the cellar bar where we were greeted by delicious cocktails and canapés. I bumped into Kirsty who I met at #WimbledonSummerParty and met some lovely new bloggers Chanel, Nicola and Nevena. 

Before being let loose in the ICEBAR, Marketing Manager Tom explained why he was so keen to work with bloggers and how as a group we are hugely passionate about what we write. He then introduced Molly the digital editor from Phoenix Magazine, who introduced the bi-annual publication and the launch of their new monthly online publication which launches tomorrow! 

Each year the venue changes its theme and the current one is 'ICEBAR London Rocks.' Gigantic skulls and an incredible tattoo covered woman carved into the wall filled the ice room. The theme even goes as far as the cocktails with 'Rock' drinks on offer; I went for a We Will Rock You! The ice itself is actually harvested from Sweden and then carved by a specialist team of designers and sculptors. For the night we were split into groups and had 40 minute sessions in the room. For someone who really feels the cold, this was the perfect length of time as we left just as my fingers started to get numb from all the photograph taking and not wearing gloves! If you're looking for an unconventional night out with some fabulous drinks and staff, ICEBAR is the perfect option! 

There was also a photographer from RDA Images who took some amazing pictures, below are a couple they snapped of me!

A huge thank you to Lauren and LDNmeet for organising such a fab event and to ICEBAR London for making us bloggers feel truly appreciated! Find more photos and other posts on #BloggersBelowZero! 

I Know Where Your Cat Lives...

Being someone who spends a lot of time on social media and updating this blog once a week, putting 'data' out there is something that I do quite a bit of. When I read that Somerset House had a exhibition on data that included an experiment called 'I Know Where Your Cat Lives', I knew it was something I'd enjoy! Big Bang Data is an exploration by artists and designers of the datafication of our world and how it affects everyone. Everyday we produce huge amounts of data and in a world that now utlises and promotes the collection of it (how many people now have fitness bands that are all about tracking your every move?) we have had an explosion of data - a 'Big Bang'.

The exhibition itself is a collection of information about how easy it is to find and use people's data as well as artistic interpretations of the infinite scale of the world's data usage and potential. One particular experiment, 'I Know Where Your Cat Lives', visualised a sample of 1 million public pictures of cats through plotting them onto Goggle Maps. All photos were found through public sites such as Instagram and highlights how companies can use and interpret personal data. Another of my favourite experiments used the iPhone's location history function. James Briddle was able to use this data to create a book that maps his movements between June 2010 and April 2011 entitled 'Where The F**K Was I?' The exhibition goes on to visualise how data can be beautiful and a rich source for artists and designers to create abstract worlds. It ends with Jonathan Harris' 'Data Will Help Us' manifesto which reflects on the positive and negative possibilities of data-based logic. 

Big Bang Data is on until 20th March and I couldn't recommend it enough! Being part of a generation that willingly puts information and data out there, it's fascinating to see what other trails I'm leaving and how this can be visualised.

A Winter Walk...

Who else loved waking up to snow this morning?! Despite generally being a person who loves Summer, there's something about snow that I absolutely love! As there was only light sprinkling here and it had already started to melt by the time Ben and I were up, we decided to head to Greenwich park for a winter walk. 

First on the agenda was a nice hot coffee so we stopped off in Blackheath en route. We then walked to the observatory in Greenwich park to look at the view. Despite having see this view hundreds of times over the years, it never gets old. It's a constant reminder that where I grew up I got the best of both worlds - green parks and the ease of being in Central London within 25 minutes! I think the view was made all the more poignant as this weekend marks the end of an era as Ben and I are finally moving out of home! This time next week we should be all moved in to our flat on the other side of London!! If you have any tips for packing up 24 years' worth of belongings then let me know...

A Week In Photos...

As I've started to take my camera out and about more, I thought'd I'd make use of some of the photos I've snapped. The week began with heading back to work after the festive period and caffeine was very much needed! On Tuesday I finally got round to trying out the goodies I bought from Sephora in New York (the Ambient Lighting palette is almost to pretty to use). Wednesday evening's boring commute home was made a little better as I whiled away the wait for the train snapping away at The Shard. My favourite day this week has to be Thursday as for my Christmas present, Ben got us tickets to Book of Mormon! I've had the sound track on repeated since about 11pm Thursday evening and I'm dying to see it again. I spent a rainy Friday longing for sunshine and reminiscing last Summer's trip to Kefalonia. Saturday was back to normality and the gym whilst Sunday was filled with flat hunting in Clapham. 

Hello 2016...

I'm hoping 2016 will be a big year. I'm settled in a job I love, have plans to move out of home and am fully throwing myself back into blogging. Last year I feel a little out of love with As A Blonde, I let myself get swept up in comparing my little space of the internet to others and felt like what I was producing was rubbish. This year I'm going to love my blog for what it is, a place that I can look back on in the future and remember all the things I've done. Having said that, I am going to put more effort into improving my photography and writing. I'm also going to make sure I get a post up every Sunday during 2016. So here's to the New Year, the one in which I turn 25, finally become an adult and move out of home!