The Staple - Duffle Bag

Squid Vicious

I'm not really a bag person; APC aside, I lust over Mulberry, Prada and Hermes as much as the next blogger, but I just can't bring myself to pay that much for a bag. So it was lucky when I was on holiday and spotted this gem, as it was only 10 Euros. It's a simple raw canvas duffle bag; a style I've not really seen much, but somehow seems quite appropriate for summer. With an opening at the top rather than along the side, you can fit more stuff in, and the canvas is more waterproff than it might look. Also, the strap is quite short, so it sits really high on my back, which is great when cycling and doesn't drape in the way of the light. Finally, the ridiculous octopus print is pretty unusual; it reminds me of all the seafood I was eating when I was away and I've nicknamed him Squid Vicious, merely because I thought it was quite an amusing pun...Anyway, awful jokes aside, I'm really loving carrying something a little different from the norm that also has a bit of practicality. Especially as it was so dirt cheap that I don't worry when I put it down, get it dirty or leave it on the floor of a pub - totally washable. It's that weird blend of slightly ridiculous yet oddly practical which makes a Staple, and this bag is definietly going to be glued to my back for the next few weeks...Other Staples:
Canvas octopus-print duffle bag
Dalston Superstore on a Sunday Night
Discovering that my Macbook has (brilliant) internet radio
The Bottle Apostle in Victoria Park with the expert knowledge of one Mr. S. Holian
Imperial College Union
Correctly-pumped bicycle tyres
Friends escaping serious injury on the roads

The Staple - Holiday Time

It Would Be So Nice

It's been 2 years since I went on a holiday. I mean, a proper holiday with beaches, suncream, and swimming in the sea. A holiday where you come back refreshed, chilled and brown. Not feeling broken like after a festival, or buzzing from the excitement of a city break and weighed down with extravagant purchases. Last time I went on a proper holiday the best thing about it was its simplicity; the biggest decision of the day was whether to have fresh pineapple or mango for lunch. It's not often that you can say that about your day when you live in Britain, let alone in central London. When my parents invited me on a trip to a little Greek island, I was a little reluctant at first - it's hardly rock and roll to holiday with your Mum and Dad - but then I realised that was precisely what I needed; time away from everything and with nothing specific to do for a week or so in the sun. The necessity of taking a proper holiday is undeniable, and I can't believe I'd left it this long since my last one! But when you only have 20 days of paid holiday a year, It seems incredibly greedy to use a third of it just doing nothing. Not so. We reverted to a simple routine of getting up late, going straight to one of the 2 beaches on the island, swimming and lazing in the sun, returning for a siesta, then heading back to the beach for an afternoon, often until 7pm. Then we'd head home again, and go out for dinner. Where we'd eat the most luscious, fresh and delicious seafood I've tasted in a long while. The freshly-caught squid stuffed with vegetables and feta was so good that I had it three times in the space of a week; I mean, when are you going to get that in London? And then we repeated the same routine every day. It sounds dull, but it's the ultimate luxury - having the time to do absolutely nothing. I've come back feeling much more chilled out (well, almost; the return journey was LONG) and recharged. I've said it before, but it;s so important to get out of an urban environment as often as you can, to reconnect with nature and switch yourself off. I'm sounding a bit Mother Earth, but I'm serious. I've always been of the opinion that relaxation time and sleep are just as important to your sanity as work, and this holiday has proved it. Next summer I'l be off to a beach again somewhere, and I urge you to do the same. Relaxation is the ultimate Staple, and the only was to do that is on holiday. Other Holiday Staples:
The beautiful island of Halki with my family
An iPod full of electronica
Stuffed squid from Remezzo
Mythos lager
A woven straw hat from New Look (with some Liberty fabric wrapped around the base)
Prescription sunglasses
Havanaias flipflops