An Adventure on the Isle of Wight
At Christmas we promised my niece and nephew a trip to the Isle of Wight, two weeks ago, we got to go on that adventure.
Video Blog: Abbotsbury
During half term, I drove west along the south coast, to meet my very good friend Corrie in Abbotsbury.
Corrie works at The Clock Workshop, just at the bottom of St Catherine's Hill. After meeting her for work, we walked up, past St Catherine's Chapel, and sat overlooking Chesil Beach.
We walked back down for dinner at the village pub — a halloumi, pepper and humous burger, followed by a chocolate brownie for me — before going to watch the sunset from Chesil Beach.
Video Blog: A Sunny Afternoon in Winchester
Last week seems like a million years ago — it's been a busy first week back at work — but it was so good to spend a lazy, sunny afternoon in Winchester with Alice.
Video Blog: Saturday 22 April 2017
I spent the last weekend of my Easter Holidays exploring the New Forest with Emma and Annora Bird; drinking and heading out in to town with friends; and then recovering the next day with Nandos and drinks with Alice.
Video Blog: Friday 21 April 2017
Friday 21 April 2017: vocal session with Pyra follwed by dinner and drinks with Dave and Livi
Video Blog: Wednesday 19 April 2017
It's been so good to have time off work to spend with friends. Video blogging these simple, lazy days helps to make memories from moments that are all too easy forgotten,
A Day In London
I was in London this week for a day with the Musicians Union. After staying overnight, I spent the day seeing family and friends.
After a morning at the British Museum, taking in the 'American Dream' exhibit, I met Dan and Luke on the South Bank, for lunch, drinks and a visit to the Tate Modern. After dinner with my brother and (soon to be) sister-in-law, it was time to head home.
2016
If my 2016 has a theme, it is probably this: finding comfort amidst the confusion.
An Unsure Start
Finishing university in 2015 meant I was back in my old job — the reason I had gone to uni in the first place — and wondering what my plan was going to be. In September 2015, I gave myself a year to find the next new challenge, and so had set about writing a funding bid to Youth Music for a new project at work. That application went off in January, and kick started so much of this years big moments.
M-Tech
By May, we found out that our funding bid was successful and my new role as M-Tech project manager had begun. It's meant incredibly long hours, and so much extra work, but it was the challenge I needed when I decided it was make or break last September. It's been an incredible start, and one of my first jobs when I'm back in January is to wrap up what we've learnt from the Autumn term, which I can't wait to share.
Pyra
Over the year, I've been recording with Pyra, continuing to work on new music together. This year, we both feel like we're creating our best work yet, and whilst much of it remains hidden until it is finished, 2016 did see two songs we worked on go out in to the world: ‘Ride U Better’ and ‘Bodies’ (embedded above).
Invaleurs
In August, I released an EP under the name Invaleurs:
I have a confession.
For too long, the anxieties I experience around sharing my music online have kept me from creating things I love. But when I set out writing these songs, I made them just for me.
With that freedom, I could explore more freely, able to push beyond the boundaries of my own comfort zone, to create songs I am proud of. And so, I am sharing them with you
If you enjoy them, if you share them too, then I feel honoured to know that these songs have found new connections beyond the ones I hold with them. If you don't, that's fine too. I've already done what I set out to do.
Family Holiday
This year we went on a big family holiday to Cornwall, and it was an unforgettable experience: a wonderful, special time spent with family in such a beautiful location. I video blogged the trip to try and keep the memories captured to remember in years to come.
The family holiday came accompanied by two big announcements:
1. Becoming An Uncle (Again)
My brother and his wife, and their two beautiful children, are adding to their family with another one. And later in the year, I got to help them make a special announcement about it...
2. My Sister's Engagement
And the second big announcement was that my sister got engaged!
Annora Bird
Two of my very best friend's a simply the most adorable little baby in to the world, and every time I see them together, my heart swells with pride and love for them all: I couldn't be happier. I wrote a song for her, on the day of her birth, and Emma writes the most incredibly honest, funny and frank blog about what it's like being an expectant, and then new, mum.
UK Music Award
As a result of the successful M-Tech bid, I was nominated by Solent University for the UK Music ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award. It was an honour to be nominated amongst other high achieving new graduates.
Starting a Blog
Finally, in 2016 I started this blog. As I wrote about in October, I started this blog as a way of creating and releasing music that was better for my mental health. And I'm so happy with what I've started to build. As this blog grows, and develops, it's been fun to explore what shape music can take when you remove the constraints of the old methods of production and consumption. I don't feel like I have any answers yet, but asking the questions has been reason enough on its own.
It started with Summer Shorts...
Moving on to Autumn Pieces...
And finishing the year with Vlogmas.
So, to finish, I come back to the theme of 2016: finding comfort amidst the confusion. With all that has happened this year, I have tried to learn to bring myself more fully in to each moment, to enjoy and take comfort in friends and family, and to be a little kinder to myself. What did you learn in 2016?
Vlogmas (Parts 8–10): A Very Brombley Christmas
From Christmas Eve through Boxing Day, the Brombley clan, along with assorted others we've pick up throughout the years, come together for Christmas celebrations. Every year, I make the food.
Food & Recipes
Christmas Dinner:
- Turkey
Local, organic, free-range bird from Uptons of Bassett, roasted with butter, lemons, clementines, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, sage and thyme - Gravy
Made from roasting juices and organic chicken stock - Pork shoulder stuffing with cranberries
A Jamie Oliver recipe with dried cranberries added - Sausages in bacon
Use thinly slice pancetta for wrapping for extra flavour and crunch - Roast potatoes
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roast in hot goose fat - Roast parsnips
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roasted in hot goose fat - Carrots
Cooked in butter, sugar and star anise from a Tom Kerridge recipe - Cauliflower cheese
Gently cooked cauliflower covered in a basic béchamel sauce, with lots of cheese in, and over the top - Brussels sprouts with chestnuts
A BBC Good Food recipe - Red cabbage with apple and balsamic vinegar
Another Jamie Oliver recipe - Cranberry sauce
Another BBC Good Food recipe with a cinnamon stick thrown in for extra festive cheer - Yorkshire pudding
I used this Jamie Oliver recipe
Boxing Day Lunch:
- Ham in Coca-Cola
4kg ham, from Uptons of Bassett, cooked according to Nigella's recipe - Coca-Cola sauce
I used a recipe from Rock Recipes, replacing soy sauce with tamari to make it gluten free for my sister - Dauphinois potatoes
I used a BBC Good Food recipe - Roasted sweet potato
Par-boiled and roasted in rapeseed oil - Carrots
Boiled and glazed with honey - Green Beans
Steamed and dressed in fresh lemon - Squash
Roasted whole, then mashed and served with toasted seeds - Whole Roast Cauliflower
I used a fairly plain recipe, as this was a side, not a main, but there are many more exciting versions out that would make an incredible main dish - Spinach
Quickly sautéed, and well drained - Broccoli
Steamed - Sausages in bacon
Just like Christmas day
A couple of staples I cannot cook without:
- Maldon sea salt flakes
The best salt for everyday cooking - Rapeseed oil
A British crop, with lots of the goodness of olive oil, but a higher smoke point
Video Blog: Cornwall
This year marks 60th birthdays for both Old Ma Brombley and Papa Brom, and so, a full-scale family holiday was called for.
Booked through Perfect Stays, our home for the week was Ednovean House in Perranuthnoe, Cornwall (just outside Penzance).
Day one marked our arrival with an evening soaking in the views across the bay, taking in St Michael's Mount and Penzance. Day two was a lazy day: exploring the house, the garden and taking a trip for ice cream at the local beach.
Day three, I made a birthday roast dinner to celebrate the parental units' birthdays. In the evening, we sat around the fire pit, toasted marshmallows and looked at the stars.
Day four was the day we had a photographer come to the house to take pictures as a joint 60th birthday present. Quite how we all ended up playing duck duck goose, and then doing the hokey cokey I'm still not sure, but the photographs were great, so I suppose it worked. In the evening went for dinner in Penzance.
Day five the kids and Papa Brom went kayaking. We set off from Porthleven Harbour and paddled west along the coast. On our return, we ate pasties and returned home to enjoy a well earned, relaxing evening.
Day six we took a trip to St Michael's Mount. We arrived just in time to paddle across the causeway and walk up to castle. When we reached the top, we looked hard to find Ednovean House: having spent all week looking down at St Michael's Mount, it was nice to take a moment to look back up. In the evening, after a quiet meal together, my sister and her boyfriend returned to the house to announce their engagement. As prosecco was opened, my father took the opportunity to watch a Facebook video of a man driving with no arms. Needless to say, we insisted he bookmark the video so it can be played during his wedding speech.
Day seven, and our final day together, we visited St Ives for food and an afternoon at the beach. My sister created her engagement announcement photo from stones in the sand, and the little ones enjoyed some rock pooling. Back at the house, we had just enough time to fly a kite before we say our goodnights and goodbyes.