Israel: A New Beginning | No comments:

SHANA TOVA! As Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) descends upon us I thought I would reflect upon my year, or life, to date as I positively look forward to the new year and wonderful life ahead. As my decision to move to Israel may come as a shock to some, I invite you into understanding why it is I decided to make such a bold step, as I choose to become independent and embark upon a new beginning...

It's been over 5 months now since I returned to London after my most memorable trip of them all, my trip to Israel. To live, breathe and see everything Israel had to offer, not as a tourist but as a local, was truly a life-changing and breathtaking experience. One never to forget and one to cherish in my heart forever...so where did this leave me? I returned home to my friends and family, happy to see their faces and yet as I return to my everyday life, I am left with this empty feeling in my stomach. Something is missing. How can three weeks have SUCH an impact on me? I go on lovely holidays and have been lucky enough to see my fair share of the world at such a tender age. Yet when visiting Israel, I finally started to re-identify with my Jewish identity, I felt like I was finally living, and I started this journey to finding myself which I have left undoubtedly, unfinished...until now.

 Living such a cosmopolitan lifestyle you sometimes stretch too far from reality, which I admit I am definitely guilty of, at times. There is nothing wrong with lapping up in the lavishness of London's elite and being a fashion enthusiast and all, I can't help my love for designer clothes and expensive things, but life isn't all about that and whilst you can want for all these things, because I certainly don't have too many, there is more to be said about life than material things and whilst I know that, I now appreciate it. It is a priceless feeling, feeling humbled. I can't describe how wonderful it is because it makes you feel whole, and I need to explore it further...

Hiking through the desert and sleeping in the Ritzpe Ramon crater under the millions of stars had to be one of my biggest highlights. I remember, we were singing a silly song, a great song at that, and my friend, he just smiled at me as he clearly knew what was about to be uncovered. As I reached the peak of the steep rock face we had been climbing, we reached the clearing...and just like that it took my breath away. I don't think I have ever had my breath taken away like that, to be stunned by the beauty of our natural world. "HELLOOOOO" my voice bounces off the charred rock, echoing far, far into the distance, the world was singing back to me. So the thing is, the rock I am standing on, yeah well it has stood since before the bible was written, where cave men built their caves, the beginning of life as we know it happened right here, and there I was, just a tiny speck in this magnificently vast landscape, this is where history is written and I felt connected to the land. It isn't flooded with tourists, in fact we could see and hear no one, it was just the two of us against the world, but we weren't against it, we were part of it!

This feeling, it is something that you feel inside of you and you just can't buy it, I just can't explain it, so I hope one day you too will feel it. Travelling definitely broadens the mind, opens your eyes and OH my, my WANDERLUST is now out of control. The wonderful thing about travelling and exploring, is that in a sense, it is also a journey of self-exploration, everyone sees the world from a different perspective, your own perspective. You see it through your eyes only and how you it changes you? Well...that is something you have to explore yourself, and this is not achieved by looking at photos in glossy magazine's and pinterest y'all. You gotta do it. YOLO. So here is my message to you. Pack a bag, leave your material things at home, forget the Merc, hike, sleep under the stars, and meet people, lots, all different kinds of people, don't be shallow, be open-minded, appreciate all that happens to you and all that you see, smile, laugh, fall in love, immerse yourself in the cultures of the world and embrace life, because you only get one and these experiences are the foundations of who you become and what becomes of you.

So off I go, my choice to make Aliyah 'to return home' came naturally to me, for all of you that know me, will understand fully all the reasons why this is a choice my future (and current) self will love me for, I know if I don't do it, I will live to regret it. My story is a long one, many pieces of the puzzle lead me to make this decision, finding those pieces was not something that happened all at once, it's an accumulation of life experiences, age, my love for Israel and wanting to re-identify with my Jewish Identity. I won't leave my whole life behind, I will work hard to bridge the gaps between geography and people.

On my outbound flight to Israel from London Gatwick in February 2015, I flew solo, something I have been doing ever since I was a mere 7 years old when I would fly to Nice to stay with my oldest childhood friend, Jazzmin, in Monaco. I love travelling solo, I loved it then, and I still love it now, you are far more open to opportunity, meeting people and it urges you to take steps towards situations and people, which you may not do in a group. However, you have to immerse yourself fully, don't be shy, be independent and embrace each and every step, life is what you make it remember!

So when I travelled alone to Israel, I knew I would be fine (this is a story I am yet to tell you my darling dolls...) years of travelling alone made me enjoy it, taught me to embrace my Independence. As I took my seat upon boarding the Easy Jet plane to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, I giggled to myself and smiled, everyone was chatting and laughing, some even debating. It was all a 'do you know so and so or this person', 'where are you from',  and to be honest due to the Jewish population being small and tight, you often find out that you do have at least one mutual connection. It was just so positively great, how could you not love it Jewish or not, it was purely positive and heart-warming. People standing in the aisles, conversations flowing, sometimes singing, people joining in here, people joining in there, kind of sounds like chaos right? A beautiful chaos! Everyone was smiling and laughing and I was fully immersed in conversation over this and that for the full journey, meeting all sorts of different people. The 4 hours turned into what felt like 1. In fact I even had coffee with a family on the plane at the other end after retrieving our luggage, after nattering away, it only seemed sense to continue! In all my years of travelling alone, as an observant child, travelling all over, I had never been exposed to such a sense of community between complete and utter strangers, it is beautiful! You certainly don't get that on the London Underground!

Israel as a whole is one big community, one that thrives off a shared feeling of acceptance and love for everyone who comes together in Israel, Jews from all over the world come together as one, given all that is in the world, it is an overwhelming feeling. Walking off the plane and being proud to be Jewish and to wear my Star of David necklace with pride, not fear, was and is a wonderful feeling, one you can't quite grasp in London or anywhere else in the world for that matter. I last left Israel in March, as I stared out the window from my window seat on the plane, tears were streaming down my face, my journey hadn't finished and will be continued...

"Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's about un-becoming everything that isn't really you so that you can be who you were meant to be in the first place."

Polo darling...Polo | No comments:





CREW

June, its JUNE! So it is officially summer and there was no better way to kick of this years summer antics than an outing to Polo in the Park... oh darling! Obviously I left finding an outfit till the last minute and well what happened? Full-blown FASHION ANXIETY is what happened. This is a genuine thing, literals. After spending 4 hours walking up and down Oxford Street, in and out of changing rooms up and down those awkward escalators in Topshop with time just tick tick bloody ticking! I was failing. First came Zara, the undignifyingly skinny model shone at me from outside, wearing this gorgeous pink blossom dress...BAM! GOTCHA...an outfit just like that. If only it was that easy... Because oh no, I looked like one of those Japanese pink dolphins, in other words, a beached whale. After frantically trying on what felt like a million and one two things, I know HELLO drama queen - I found...well...nothing.

Pros: I drank some PINK coconut water, yes there are apparently pink coconuts (or i am just...nuts)
Cons: The list is endless.

OK so after being an absolute, god-forsaken drama queen I woke up super early and successfully pieced together my outfit. With the sun shining and making more than a rare sojourn, it would only be polite to save the black till ce soir and lavish it up with blush pinks and Hollywood whites. Blush pink is definitely a key colour this season. The blossom trees might be dying y'all but this colour is growing on me more and more each day!

P.S I love these shoes...

These beauties are in Topshop this season, available in Blush pink, White and Black
 

So the outfit: FYI. I have 4 suitcases filled with clothes exempt from my wardrobe which I have been told need to be sorted. WHY? Because I have too many clothes.. some dating back to 2007 maybe even the 90s...I kid you not. WELL HELLO...I am a complete and utter clothes hoarder? DON'T MAKE ME DO IT. Guess what.. that dress I am wearing, I have had it since I was 16 maybe even longer and it was in one of the 4 cases! I know this because I wore it that time my father (without agreement) put me forward to sing with the live band on the biggest cruise ship of the world...

"aaaaaand now we have Bianca Caplan, all the way from London singing My Heart Will Go On!" ummmmm.....yeah so that totally happened. The video still haunts me today. I sang at the very front of the ship in front of a good 200 people...more over Celine Dion.

I pieced this Lipsy white tea dress with a baby pink Zara blazer which I accentuated by adding one of my Chanel pins. Oh you thought my jacket was Chanel? Whilst it unfortunately isn't, this jacket portrays a supple fabric with a sophisticated quality which in turn could trick anyone into thinking it was Chanel and when you add a pin well... How's that for Designer vs. Highstreet.



I dug up one of my flower crowns (not literally...the roses are fake) and Voila! I had managed to put together a look, with my favourite colour of the season and not spend ANY money! The day itself? It was TOO much fun. Seeing as it was PIMMS O'CLOCK, we all enjoyed a 'Personal Pimms' at all times. AKA too much Pimms to handle, who needs a cup when you can have a jug..........EACH #goals

What I Wore:

 

White Tea dress - Lipsy

Pink Blazer - Zara

Brooch - Chanel

Shoes - Balenciaga

Handbag - Chanel Boy Bag (TOTAL LOVE)

Flower Crown - Ebay
Sunglasses - Louis Vuitton

DINE WITH BEA: The Leaning Tower of Caprese | No comments:

Hey Dolls,

This weekend has been far less debauched than usual, and whilst I opted to stay in with my family this weekend, I have had an absolute hoot in the kitchen. Over the years I have been extremely fortunate and have travelled near and far; acquiring a more than adventurous palette. Experiencing foods from a different country or culture is a must and whilst this is a VERY simple recipe that we all know and love, I couldn't help but share with you one of my favourites.

THE CAPRESE SALAD... this is genuinely my answer to that dreaded question 'What is your favourite food?' HOLD UP! Firstly - what sort of a question is that? There are 196 countries in the world, and it is impossible to say how many different types of food there are available. OK, so you can tell that I am incredibly (if not appallingly) indecisive when it comes to food. NOTE: Google menu before date. Anyways back to the subject of favourite foods... every time someone asks me, The Caprese Salad just pops into my head! HOW BORING! Realistically, all it is, is a bit of tomato and cheese, right?

Ordering this at your local Pizza Express is hardly going to give you a taste of the finest flavours (sorry but that really is just a bit of tomato and cheese) or transport you to Capris, Italy. I am talking about a proper Caprese Salad, and no you don't have to be in Capris to experience it, in fact you can do this from inside your very home! Although, if ever you have the chance to visit Capris, DO order it, trust me it lives up to its name and its origin...nom nom nom! This means making it properly (and with love of course) with the finest bufala mozarella and tomato's bursting with local flavour (the tomato's in the South of France and Italy are just undeniably the best in the world), it is fresh, flavoursome and filling. So actually I think it's not a bad choice after all...looks like all those summers in Italy and the South of France paid off! Buon Appetito!

I opted for Marmonde Tomato's, harvested green for fuller flavour, they are perfect for a Caprese Salad. Marmonde Tomato's are a Mediterranean tomato and are available in Waitrose. They are harder than your average soft, supermarket tomato, this adds texture and intense flavour to the dish. If you are throwing a dinner party or looking to impress someone special with these leaning towers, you will need these FO SURE! I also made my own homemade pesto drizzle, except I didn't use pine nuts and I improvised! It's easy peasy lemon squeezy!
































The Ingredients

Pesto Drizzle (NO NUTS)
- Generous Handful of Fresh Basil Leaves (I stripped my lil tree and now he's naked. BE GENEROUS)
- Basil infused olive oil (I prefer this it adds more flavour)
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1/4 lemon to drizzle
- Crushed sea salt/ Crushed black pepper to taste
- Handful of Parmesan

(I am not one to follow a recipe religiously, I add to taste so with this keep adding till you reach the consistency you like. For Example for drizzle, it would be more oily, I have used mine like a paste so used more parmesan - make it your own!)

The Leaning Towers of Caprese
NOTE: For Serving, use 1 tomato per darling doll as an appertif at a dinner party, so adapt to however many darling dolls are cordially invited to your soiree)

- 3 Marmonde Tomato's
- 2 Bufala Mozarella balls
- 6 pieces of Italian Prosciutto

Approx creating time is 30 mins (be creative...and make with love)






MAKE IT HAPPEN:

1. OK Dolls, lets start with the PESTO DRIZZLE or paste! Firstly, crush 1 clove of garlic into a bowl.
2. Add the Basil infused olive oil, Parmesan, basil leaves and blend together with a handheld processing, blending blade. Zzzzzooooshhhhhhzzzzz! This takes approx. 2 mins. To make it runnier, add more oil, to make it like more of a paste, add more Parmesan. 
3. Squeeze the lemon into the bowl and add cracked sea salt and pepper to taste.

Now it's time to build your towers...BEWARE...they lean! Think of Jenga and be strategic.

1. Grab a tomato. TO-MAY-TOE. Cut off his hat (sorry sir!) and slice him in equal widths as seen below:

2. Take the bottom slice of the tomato and place on your serving plate, add a splodge of your pesto paste.

3. Slice the Bufala Mozarella. HOLD UP! This is far softer than your usual Mozarella, so grab a smaller sharp knife, gripping the mozarella ball, gently slice moving the knife back and forth as opposed to just pressing down. You want to get the slices as round as together as possible. PRESENTATION IS EVERYTHING DOLLS!

4. Pop a slice of mozzarella on top of the tomato, and pop another splodge of pesto paste on top.

5. Yep! You guessed it - continue doing this with each tomato. Once you have put his hat on, remove his stalk and grace him with an even better accessory! A small drizzle of pesto, topped with a miniature basil leaf (like a stalk)

THERE YOU HAVE IT! 1 Leaning Tower of Caprese... 

TIP:

When building your towers, try and keep the pesto in the middle and try not to fiddle too much as the more you spread it, the more slippery it becomes and when they lean to much...THEY COLLAPSE. This can ruin your presentation, be delicate and patient and try and structure them around their shapes etc! They'll look Beaut!

6. PROSCIUTTO FANS: Take a piece of sliced Prosciutto and fold it into a fan, I prefer to start from the right and work my way into the left. Place the fan neatly on the plate. Per tomato (person) there should be a prosciutto fan either side, keep it symmetrical. 

7. Take a slice of Bufala Mozzarella and peel off the harder skin, GENTLY (don't break it), from around the edge. Gently swirl it into a.....swirl? Place at the bottom of the fan and decorate with pesto paste/drizzle (see below).

THERE YOU HAVE IT! Bea's Leaning Tower of Caprese!

Perfect for dinner parties, impress your darling dolls with the presentation and the TASTE! Bellissimo! 

Buon Appetito Dolls!

Kisses,

Bea 

#dinewithbea

#LFW: Press Passes at the Ready! | No comments:

What is your favourite day of the year? Some may say their Birthday, or Christmas, or Hannukah or maybe even their Anniversary (well..I am single so *X*) not forgetting Valentine's Day (OH that happened already? I think my roses got run over by accident..like... I didn't receive any? That's weird?). Yeah...Not me. Whilst it covers 5 days (EVEN BETTER) and happens twice a year in both February and September (DOUBLE WHAMMY); I can officially say that LONDON FASHION WEEK is my all time favourite event in the Calendar. Whilst all Fashion Week's are to be watched and adored worldwide, LFW is by far my favourite overall, not only is it close to home, we get to see the most creative, influential and up and coming British designers showcase their work right on our very doorstep. LFW doesn't stop on the catwalk, we can expect to see the hottest cocktail spots swarming with our favourite industry faves, from models, to designers to our very favourite fashion bloggers swarming from near and far. It really is the ultimate fashion fest! I mean lets be honest, London really is THE fashion capital of the world!

Ready. Steady. Runway! The LFW #hashtag will undoubtedly be trending for the next 5 days.NO? MORE, with both Twitter and Instagram being the ultimate go-to portals for the most up-to-date fashion fixes and latest live videos straight from the catwalk; not forgetting the ever-inspiring and mouth-watering street style shots from the most sought-after photographers in London. There is no better place to start doing a few outfit steals and gaining some real outfitspo from the chicest on the streets.

So with that in mind what can we expect to see this season? As Gareth Pugh makes a come-back on his home turf, I predict to see a McQueen-esque performance with Pugh hopefully immersing us with his androgynous style meets cubic city skylines, as he creates his renowned masterpieces of style. I'm looking forward to the sparkle and female touches from Mary Katrantzou whilst I am almost certain Matthew Williamson will grace us all with his splash of vibrant colours and intricate patterns that bring out the sparkle in all of our eyes.

I am not lucky enough to be seated at the shows...YET...BOO HOO! So I have turned to none other than Instagram and Twitter for my Live updates from my favourite fashion insiders. I thought I would brighten up your mornings and share some of my best picks so far from the savvy portals that make not being there bearable...just.

Kisses,

 

Bea {x}











Defending My Decision To Wear Fur... | No comments:

As the temperature drops to what feel like below freezing, I reach into my closet for my mink fur coat, wrapping myself up, whilst preparing to brave the cold...

I bought this Mink coat from Beyond Retro, a renowned vintage shop in Soho - I did not buy this new therefore it has passed through generations

FUR, the word itself has caused controversial debates for decades. From protests involving red paint being thrown over people adorning fur coats, to abuse being screamed at you in the streets. As a fur wearer, I too have engaged in many debates over the matter. Do I condone the immobilisation of fur-farmed animals...to which as PETA plus footage (which I don't dare watch again) shows us...NO! Why should any animal be treated with such cruelty, it's truly inhumane and un-imaginable to try and even understand why animals are so mistreated in our world. On the contrary, I find the way the world pipes up baffling sometimes. As humans have evolved they have undoubtedly become crueler, one could say to the more hopeless, in this case, animals, but is doesn't end with fur...

Beauty products...lets have a think about this one for a second. Who remembers Jaqueline Traide? No..? Well let me remind you; Miss Traide carried out a brutal and extreme re-enactment of the animal testing procedure undergone by global brands to make the every day beauty products that no doubt, sit on our dressing tables today. Whilst the Oxford student didn't ACTUALLY undergo such barbaric tests in real, it was enough to raise enough eyebrows or make you gag. I will refresh your memory..

Images c/o the Daily Mail

This is a classic example of what is called the free rider effect, people will speak up on Facebook now and again or make comments but don't actually protest hard enough to make an actual impact whilst others just sit and wait for someone else to make that impact. This of course doesnt account for everyone, but many. So we gasp, we look on in disgust and we may even tell our friends about it, or better so, an onlooker may take a photo on their smartphone and upload it to Facebook just as I have added these photo's to my post - BUT - do we still use these beauty products now? Because even after seeing that, how many of you, who protest against fur or have posted articles and videos on Facebook can honestly say that all the products you use have NOT been tested on animals? Hmmm.. here are a few products that have undergone various and multiple tests on animals:

- Clearasil (for those dreaded spots that you try and desperately clear...)

- Clinique (one of the leading skincare and make up specialists)

- Max Factor (I myself use max factor make up, do you?)

- Nurofen (now this one surprised me, then again not really... I know that pretty much every single person I know takes Nurofen including me, and I bet you didn't know this was tested on animals.)

- Venus

- Bobbi Brown

- Garnier

To name but a few. So many products are made through undergoing animal testing and even some that claim that they aren't, still ARE...OH but... in China, so apparently it's OK. Brands such as Avon and Covergirl have chosen to sell in markets that require (by law) animal testing on their products before they are allowed to sell in that market.

Where am I going with this? Because, I use some of these products, and yes I do not agree with how animals are treated, but one thing that is forever baffling me, is that the people who often criticise me for wearing fur are usually contradicting their own beliefs. Maybe because they are misinformed, or maybe they have chosen not to inform themselves fully. Many of these people may not wear or buy fur, yes, but do in fact use multiple beauty products that have been tested on animals; in cruel and barbaric environments and against their will, so how can this be justified?

Animals are helpless without a voice, they can cry and cry but won't be heard, because unless you are a lion which can't be tamed they are usually smaller, weaker and unequipped to deal with such a situation. To be honest, even a lion can be captured these days, for example a poacher using a tranquiliser gun can can capture a predator, so high in the food chain in a matter of seconds. Again, another barbaric offence and crime is poaching; the killing off  of the most beautiful creatures on our earth and for what reason? An unjustifiable one.

The world keeps on spinning and the killing doesn't stop. Will it ever really stop? I believe the killing will never stop whether it's for fur, meat, beauty or vain; just as I believe as long as there is religion there will be war. So how can we live in a society where there is moral peace? I do not believe that protesters should stop protesting because without demand there would not be supply, however, someone who wears a fur coat is not a demon or a sinner. They should not have red paint thrown on them nor be called a murderer in the street, they did not slaughter the animal and their story has not been heard.

I own 2 mink furs. One I bartered down in a vintage shop in Soho, probably generations old, now passed onto me, and the other was handed down to me by my best friend's family when her grandmother sadly passed. Does this make me a murderer or a bad person for wearing these furs? No. Protesters should keep on protesting and trust me, I too believe the way the animals are skinned is beyond barbaric and I myself refuse to watch the videos. However as a protester know your boundaries and your rights, the consumer isn't the enemy by which you should penalise and it is utterly ridiculous. Needless to say, I am sure you enjoy wearing leather shoes or that Gucci bag you got last week...well how do you think that was made?

In reality the slaughtering of cattle is equally appalling especially when you look at the statistics penned against the figures for those animals killed for fur. "In 2012 about 9 billion farm animals were slaughtered by the meat industry in the U.S. alone; the number for fur animals is 50 million worldwide. One fur coat can be worn for generations, while a steak is consumed in half an hour. I know these facts don't make fur morally stainless, but I have to wonder why the revulsion is so much more instantaneous when it comes to fur" as Pamela Evans says, I can't beg to differ. Fur can be worn for generations, passed down, restored and loved year on out, yet that steak you had at dinner was consumed within half an hour, no, less. Yet you obviously don't abstain from eating meat, wearing leather or using beauty products tested on animals. I can't speak for you all only for the people I know and have encountered over the years through studying fashion and general conversation.

For centuries fur has been used for warmth and I cannot fault it's practicality. Any wearer of fur knows that if you're going to wear it whether it be rabbit, fox, mink, there will be opinions so be prepared to hear them... I don't believe in any form of animal cruelty, however, I also do know I can't stop it, there are some things I feel I can help stop in this world, but to me I am fighting a losing battle that I cannot justify for; for I eat meat and wear many of the products produced by brands who condone animal testing not forgetting the leather on my sofa and my handbags and more. I am not a horrible person, I have a huge heart which is used to love many animals, in fact all the animals I encounter in life.

Vegetarians and vegans don't feel the need to throw food at carnivores, when far more cattle are killed for meat than for fur. Instead we live in a society of understanding and norm, so I find it hard to justify why I must defend myself every time for wearing fur. Yes eating meat is part of our food chain, but how come vegetarians and vegans claim to live such healthy and sustainable lives? When someone tries to show me clips of animals being skinned in cages, I can't bear it and leave the room as I don't want to see animals suffering, just like some people don't like watching gory or scary movies. So if you have something to say about me or someone else wearing fur, just ask yourself do you eschew meat and leather or use beauty products that have in fact been tested on animals?

Now there's some food for thought...