'OOPS, MY PHONE'S DEAD OFFICER :((' - FREE DLR TRAVELLING FOR LIFE/FOR NOW.

The wonderful Docklands' Light Railway (DLR) celebrates its 30th birthday this year and it has been nothing short of a blessing for Londoners, especially myself. My uni's situated aaaall the way out in Beckton, E16 (far east) and if not for the DLR getting to uni would be a nightmare.

The line conveniently links you up with some of London's best areas.. in my opinion; Lewisham, Stratford, Canary Wharf, Canning Town, Greenwich, Tower Bridge to name a few and the best thing about it is.. IT'S TOTALLY FREE OF CHARGE NOW UNTIL FOREVER (for some 'daredevils' lol). Of course, it's not, but it is barrier-less at least for now and if you're a 'train station opportunist' then yeah, it's basically always free.

No barriers means you can choose not to tap your oyster or buy a paper ticket as there is a 90% chance that the DLR station you're heading to is also a barrier-less one. Things do heat up a lil' as once you're on the train you've got to emulate the fantastic Mr. Fox in your attempts to read and avoid the ticket man. Look out for signs and signals that tell you what his or her next steps are going to be.

NOW. Most people are already fully aware of this and therefore all the above isn't really relevant to you. Sorry for not saying earlier :)

BUT I'd like to make people aware of something they may not already know..

When the inspector comes towards you armed with his needlessly chunky, card-checky-thingy and there's absolutely nout you can do WHACK OUT YOUR APPLE PAY. A friendly Nigerian conductor once informed me that by law conductors cannot reprimand you if your apple pay fails. This is simply because your payment can fail for a multitude of reasons, usually network/3/4G related and obviously sometimes we can't help these things from happening..  therefore it is unfair to be charged a penalty fare. IT'S NEVER FAILED ME OR ANYONE I KNOW, AS OF YET. 

Photo by Zach Ekpe.

I am, however, pretty certain that TFL are already working on this - if they're not already planning to install barriers at every DLR station. It's just too big a loophole for them to ignore. So if you find yourself in the common situation of being asked to present your ticket and you haven't paid for once pull out your Apple Pay and let them scan that I promise you they'll walk on. It's fool-proof.  Either that or you can always say your phone died and it's the only method of payment you brought out with you. Nothing much anyone can do/say about that either.

DISCLAIMER: Out of the 45 stations, on the 7 different lines, 4 (to the best of my knowledge) will always have automated ticket barriers, these stations are; Stratford (not Stratford International, that's free), London City Airport, Canning Town and Bank - tap your oyster prior to travelling to or through any of these stations. Unless you want to be squeezing through the barriers behind an unsuspecting stranger whilst it squeals out this vile tone in desperation to see you caught by the TFL staff member(s), the barrier not the stranger.

Again, if you're a regular fare dodger you've probably already worked out the effectiveness of the 'my phone's dead' line. But for those who haven't tried their hand a bit of free travel for whatever reason, spread the word for them, so they may travel as freely as the rest of us!

Bye!

What do people most fear? (TWITTER POLL)

On my Twitter page, I've been conducting a series of polls - oo don't I sound scientific!? I've been doing so for a couple of months now and will probably carry on indefinitely! Given that I study Journalism and am looking to do things of this nature more in the future.. it wouldn't hurt starting now, on a smaller scale and less formal platform.

One of my first (I think my 4th or 5th) poles was targeted at everyone and posed the question, 'Generally speaking, what do you most fear being..?', the possible answers were; A Victim Of Crime, A Victim of Terror, Poor or Lonely.

I wasn't actually going to post anything on it, but yesterday, I mentioned to my mum that I'd polled this question and her reaction reinforced the significance of these findings.

These were the results..

Of course, there are a huge number of negatives that could be drawn from this data as well as one or two positives. This polls suggests that on average people in the UK fear being 'A Victim of Terror' less than crime, poverty and loneliness. The only positive from that is that people (or at least my Twitter seemingly aren't buying into the shit in the media. People, as you can see, most fear being lonely.. closely followed by poor.

My perrrrsonal opinion is that our 'system' is to blame for such a high number of people fearing for the financial stability. It's purely a reflection of the complete uncertainty surrounding employment for over 18s. Zero-hour contracts, poor wages comparably to the price of life, lack of jobs various reasons, poor education system that doesn't prepare you for 'adult life', discrimination (racial, gender etc), lack of motivation, anxiety, lack of confidence... the list sadly is endless! But all of these are indicators of a failing system. Now obviously a number of people have flourished in the same system but again, in my perrrrsonal opinion, that's a kind of luck of the draw thing. Either you were luckily instilled with the right mentality to help you succeed (upbringing/life xp has resulted in good money management, high motivation, innate dislike for laziness etc) from a young age - whether you were raised poorly or well. Either that, or your from a rich/connected family blah blah blah, you know the story.

Now, people most feared being lonely in the future. That's quite telling. I've found this to be true in life tbh; people aren't too scared about terror unless a bomb goes off, people utter the odd word about being the victim of crime but I don't hear it often, people are alllways talking/worrying about money and people genuinely all want to be accepted. It's just important that we speak to people often and if you see anyone looking like they could potentially need a friend, be the friend!!

Follow my Twitter for more polls!

Happy Sunday!

COOL EVENTS; DISTINKT SOUNDS - Don't be boring this Friday.

Right at the beginning of summer '16, I was lucky enough to be introduced to a group of awesome people. We met via a long-term pal of mine at Rinse FM's Born & Bred Festival (HIGHLY recommended urban music fest - check the link) and had such a swell time that we moved our boogieing across East London to a Hackney manor occupied by a few members of the group. 

At the party we got talking more, as you dooo.. It was then that I found out that most male members of the group were either underground or established DJs who were buzzing to announce the launch of their very own night, Distinkt Sounds - "London's most fire event since 1666".

Held at Bar 512 on Kingsland High Street, Dalston, the debut was popping and dancefloor packed from 10pm all through the night til 6am! Great vibes and a decent turn out made the event an success and it suddenly became a permanent fixture on the calendar of many. 

"Richard Ware

July 23 · 

Thank you so much for all the hard work, this was sincerely one of the best nights I can (patchily) remember. Cannot WAIT for the next one!"

I, personally, had so much fun that I couldn't resist an invitation to join the team of funky lads.. I now find myself heading up the social media (FOLLOW THE INSTAGRAM) as well as taking the majority of the photos with fellow photographer Dan Munro.

Vol.2 was just as enjoyable if not more. Pelikann was the headliner on the night and preceded fab sets from the super versatile line-up. 

Vol.3 is now a few days away and tickets are still available here. Try something new and get yourself down to Dalston for one of my favourite new London nights. If you have something else planned, especially if it's in the East London area, be sure to pop if after as doors close late.

The night is super cheap at only £5 online and before midnight OTD. That's a tiny amount to let go of in exchange for a guaranteed goood time.

Don't be boring this Friday - come and enjoy a good ol' affordable boogie..

COOL PEOPLE; ELIJAH MUSIC

"My goal in life is to be creative - with absolutely no limits."

The past few weeks have been hectic. I've taken on a number of projects (some of which I will be blogging about) and uni has resumed for the year. I am well and truly up to my neck in work but I've still managed to meet with and get to know some intriguing characters...

The second person I have for you is someone I met in London a few weeks ago now. His name is Elijah and he's a proud north Londoner. He actually approached me in need of a lighter but we soon began exchanging life stories. Elijah (Eli for short) is a second year Fine Art student who aspires to one day live off money made from his art as well as is other passion - music. After meeting we exchanged numbers and plan to stay in touch.

Oh yeah.. he also raps and has dreams of making it in the music industry.. Click here to find Eli's soundcloud and stay tuned he will be uploading some of his new music this week! I've been in a studio session or two with him and boy do I have the utmost confidence in his ability to do well.

I decided to include Elijah in this because he is doing a lot creatively and is letting absolutely nothing and no one tell him otherwise. This is the attitude that everyone should have, whatever you want to do, however it may look to friends, peers & contemporaries.

Your free time is YOURS and though you may not have as much 'leisure time' as a student you still have some so make the most of it.

Age - 19

Full Name - Elijah Brown

A.K.A - Eli

Favourite Colour - Gold.

Favourite Drink - Hennessy & Coke, Pineapple Fanta

Inspiration - His family, especially his dad. Rich The Kid (Eli recommends watching Rich The Kid's semi-recent 'Noisey' documentary - 'Rich The Kid is Rich Forever' for an insight into the rapper and his main inspiration.

Background - Part Brazillian, Part British

Occupation/Hobbies- Student, Model, Rapper, Photopraghy

Dream Job - Rapper, Artist & Model

Location - London

Instagam- @ej.brxwn

Cool Person - #1

Hey, if you didn't read my last post on my upcoming blog series (I forgive you).. and here it is!

Although constant updates on celebs and their lives is entertaining, it really isn't as beneficial as ordinary people connecting with ordinary people. If you know me well then you know I use the term 'cool' broadly - in my world it means 'interesting'. It certainly isn't defined or measured by someone's online presence, although that could be a genuine reflection of someone's 'coolness', I guess? Anyhow, these posts should ideally feature people who:

- have interesting things going on in their lives (could be anything..)

- have had unique, intriuging and thought-provoking life experiences.

As I say, it's important to for ordinary people to connect so that ideas can be shared, relations can be built and prejudice/stereotypes - broken down. Prejudice can be defined as "a preconceived opinion that is not based on actual personal experiences." - learning about others leads to a less judgmental world! Hopefully these posts can inspire different people in multiple ways (fashion, ambitions, work, lifestyle).

The first cool person I'd like to introduce you all too is someone that I've now met on a couple of occasions - both times at fashion-related events and boy does she have style!

 Her name is Emily, she moved to London from Italy and she's determined to make it in the fashion industry as a 'streetwear influencer' (which is pretty self-explanatory), not saying "no" to any modelling opportunities on the way. She strikes a mean pose on her Instagram but in actual fact she is really soft spoken and has an cool Italian twang to her voice. She currently works in and studies fashion in London.

Age - 19

Full Name - Emily O'Donnell

A.K.A - Queen Skally

Favourite Colour - 'Plant Green'

Inspiration - I.D Magazine

Background - Part Italiana, Part Irish

Occupation- Student, Model
Dream Job - Streetwear Influencer

Location - London

Instagam - @emily.j.odonnell

A lot of people like the idea of getting into fashion but it can seem intimidating and opportunities sometimes look out of their reach, but there are loads of routes into the fashion world. Start looking at courses and the requirements of your local college, speak to a teacher or someone you know in the industry. Also.. Check out the ever popular 'Fashion Retail Academy(FRA)' -- who offer LOADS in the way of courses and fashion qualifications.

Thanks for reading  - look out for the next cool person!

COOL EVENTS; LFW - SS'17 (Street Style)

"London Fashion Week (LFW)is a clothing trade show held in London twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with the New York (NYFW), Milan (MFW) and Paris (PFW)." .. Gracias Wiki!

It is now Wednesday and London Fashion Week is well and truly over for the year.

Once again I got myself down to the vibrant centre of London, to connect with new people and take some cool shots in between. I leave LFW with a bag full of business cards, a bulkier personal portfolio, a slightly boosted online presence.. Oo and a big smile on my face!

Over the past few days I have also been brainstorming various ideas for a potential 'blogging series'.. I've trialed many before but haven't had that burning passion for any of them - the burning passion is the key to it's success, I feel. 

Anyway, I will be blogging more about that later. For now, here are some photos from the past 4 or 5 days.

Follow my Instagram for more of my snaps!

COOL PLACES; ZERO - The UK's Best Sushi Bar?

I must confess, I have an extremely addictive personality - once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. I mention this because over the last few months I've found myself lunching at the same place daily. The subject of my addiction on this occasion is the Japanese-inspired ZERO juice and sushi bar, found on Lower Kings Road in the heart of Berkhamsted.

It must have been back in November when my boss advised me to try the Chicken Katsu Curry for just £5 from 'the sushi bar close to the Waitrose entrance' and I loved it so much so that I'm blogging about it four months down the line.

They specialise in a Japanese-styled cuisine, serving up wholesome portions for veggies and non-veggies alike. All ingredients are natural and every meal is made in front of the buyer's eye. Have a look at the menu below. They also stock healthy vegan-friendly snacks which means no one's left out- from Kamikaze Wings to Sashimi, they've got it all. The sushi bar is open every day of the week from 9-5 and is super affordable.

The owner Louis Belson, a local lad, spends everyday on the frontline of his business tending the empty stomachs of the 'Berkhamsted massive'. Business has been booming for Louis, so much so,  that a second store was recently opened in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, with a third still in the pipeline. The third is set to become the first Restaraunt in the chain, diverting away from the current lunchtime focused theme.

Support your local business and get down to ZERO as soon as you can, you WON'T regret it. Here are some photos...

You can find ZERO online at www.zerosushi.co.uk, on Facebook by searching 'Zero' as well as on Twitter... @ZeroJuiceSushi.. Have a blessed day and stay tuned for more essential life updates/tips.

OPEN Hairdressing: WHO NEEDS A FREE HAIRCUT?

Sooo.. who needs a cut or colour? 

OPEN Hairdressing, Berkhamsted's newest salon, is currently looking for hair models - ladies who are both flexible with their hair as well as time. All cuts are absolutely free of charge and are performed by the salon's talented apprenticess, Molly and Amy.

Pop into the salon at 279 Berkhamsted High Street or give the salon a call on 01442 862227 and we can arrange your free cut. Oh yeah, I work there too!

OPEN are now also online and can be followed on a number of different social mediums, from Facebook to Instagram, we also have their wonderfully simplistic website - http://www.openhairdressing.co.uk/.

Remember that all of our first-time customers receive a whopping 20% off their first cut!

"iMoan" - iPhone Chargers!?!

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

As in my first ever post, over a year ago now, I am coming to you with yet another 'iMoan'. I promise you, this won't be the last either. If you are also under the thumb of the world's most valuable brand, Apple, you will know all about the problems that surround owning one of their products.

You don't get to the heights Apple have reached without being smart and that is exactly what they are. From accessories to repairs, Apple have their innocent, tech-savvy market forking out near-enough the same amount they paid for their apple treasure yearly. The product that comes with the most problems is undoubtedly the iPhone, obviously, it is the highest grossing product of all time.

There is an endless list of problems that you should expect to encounter, during your time as an Apple slave, I mean customer.... Here are some of them; POOR battery life (typically after about 6 months usage), over-heating, signal failure, cracked screens, cracked hardware, button failures, microphone issues and many more. If do experience any faults, you'll know doubt be advised to get it repaired by either Apple or a 3rd party, Apple repairs costs are exceedingly high and if you dare go to the cheaper option, Apple will disown you, as they know everything, down to your every move (no exaggeration, check my first post).

The issue that we are ALL familiar is the dreaded cracked screen, whether you own an iPhone or not, you would have felt this pain, either personally or you've felt the pain of a close friend/family member. From day 1, when you first touch your brand new iPhone, amazed by it's simplicity, the fear of dropping your phone will kick in almost instantly. I am sure it's all a scam and my view hasn't really changed much but I'm not really going to push that to you guys, I'm just saying BE CAREFUL.


 A colleague, the owner of an iPhone 5S.. She's had her phone since January 2014 (1 year and 2 months) and it is MINT condition. I know, how the hell.. So unfair.. Here's a picture to rub it in..

She's obviously really careful with her phone, charging it only when it's below 50% and hardly ever dropping it, taking all this into account.. She's still dropped it numerous times, after all she is human and so are we all. We drop things. This admittance prompted me to ask the question, 'How is your phone so prestine?!'. She then told me, it's ALL in the case. She bought a shatter proof case that has well and truly lived up to it's name. So my first piece of advice is.. 1) Buy a shatter proof case.

This post however, is not going to be focusing on cracked screens (we're all fully aware of the possibility of cracking it). I am going to be drawing the issue of iPhones Chargers to your attention. With every new iPhone you can expect a new, unexpected, problem. You might realise that the iPhone wires since the 5s have become quite stiff, this is due to a tougher metal being used inside the wire. Don't ask me why, I'll just day it's all a scam. 

Unfortunately Apple's Lightning cables do tend to fray and weaken at the point where the port meets the cable. It seems that the cable just gets twisted here, and over time the plastic coating wears out. This brings me on to my second piece of advice.. 2) Gaffa that - use either isolation or gaffa tape to support the cable, helping it to stay straight.

If it's starting to weaken and wear away then a similar pre-emptive measure may help to ensure that it lasts a bit longer before giving way. But if you've got to the point where the cable stops working, more drastic measures may be required. 

The introduction of this 'upgraded' wire is coupled with Apple's new and improved software that can detect any charger/accessory that isn't an original Apple product. The world's most valuable brand has now altered the inside of it's products, this change means that the use of a Non-Apple product will actually cause harm to your phone, this is a sly yet in-your-face tactic that Apple have used to completely kill off companies such as Mophie, who invented the 2-in-1 case and charger, specialising firstly, in iPhones.

The main way to prevent this happening is by pulling the charger out by it's plastic port at all times and NOT by the wire itself. This should prevent any future malfunctions and should save you £15-25 every few months..


Here are 2 tips on how to treat this delicate piece of equipment, this should add a few more months, maybe even a year to your cable's life expectancy.

1 - Never pull it by the wire.

2 - Always pull it from both plastic ports, even if you are only using the USB.

3 - For your own good, don't bother using a third party charger as this will be detrimental to your phone's performance.



Gone are the days of phone's that could withstand falls from airplanes. You have to realise what you have in your pocket.. £600! You have to treat it like £600 and not like a Nokia 3310.

I must add before I leave you, that I am totally addicted to iPhones, I love everything about them and I know that a lot of you feel the same way, credit to Apple. It is for this reason and this reason alone that I am warning y'all to look after your precious mobile telephone device. The money Apple gets from it's sales clearly isn't enough, they definitely do want to take advantage of your blind love for this product, so open your eyes a little wider.


Stay tuned and stay blessed.