Author Archive
Collective Inspiration - Holly Bantleman

Collective Inspiration – Holly Bantleman

Collective Inspiration – Holly Bantleman.   I was thinking recently how bloody lucky I am to have so many inspiring and frankly wonderful people in my life. But I don’t want to keep them all to myself! That line of thinking quickly drew me to kick off our Collective Indi ‘Collective Inspiration’ initiative – a...
Lessons running has taught me - by my body

Lessons running has taught me – by my body

I bloody love running. For the past few years it’s been part of me and my identity – if I don’t run I don’t feel like me – it’s as simple as that. Now I’m not going to wax lyrical about ‘wow how it changed my life’ (but it did) or how it’s the best...
Winter is coming: 12 reasons why I love it

Winter is coming: 12 reasons why I love it

Ok, the cold has set in, the evenings (and mornings) are dark and our gas and electric bills are about to fly off the charts from having the central heating on all.the.time…but let’s try and look on the bright side. To cheer myself up this week as the rain came drizzling down, washing the memory...
The San Francisco Food diaries

The San Francisco Food diaries

I was recently in the extremely fortunate position to be weekending in the fabulous city by the bay, the city that rocks, the city that never sleeps: San Francisco. San Francisco is of those cities that everyone – from friends and family to Jack Kerouac and the Beat crew (and indeed San Franciscans themselves) –...
I'm dreaming of a Christmas Hamper

I’m dreaming of a Christmas Hamper

Today a funny feeling overcame me almost the very moment after I donned my winter knitwear for the first time this year (yes, it’s November, but I was cold and all my other jumpers were in the wash or somewhere on my bedroom floor under a mountainous pile of clothes).  I started getting VERY EXCITED...
THIS IS THE BEST AND MOST SIMPLE SOUP EVER

THIS IS THE BEST AND MOST SIMPLE SOUP EVER

It is! To make the most simple, delicious, creamy, restaurant-quality, perfect-for-autumn soup, all you need is: One pear, one fennel bulb, one onion, one garlic clove, 600 ml of vegetable stock. And some olive oil (not pictured) I can’t express enough how EASY and BEAUTIFUL this soup is. The full recipe is below, but basically...
Music To Run To

Music To Run To

Some people prefer running to the metronome of their own footsteps and breathing. Others, like me, need headphones in their ears and a killer Spotify playlist to spur them on. Sure, there’s the whole debate from running purists that they wouldn’t be caught dead listening to music, and that only ‘joggers’ listen to tunes. But...
The vegan challenge month

The vegan challenge month

For a girl who used to quite happily down a pint of milk, regularly extol the virtues of poached eggs and consider cold frankfurters to be the best snack in the world, a month of self-enforced veganism for non-ethical reasons might seem like a baffling choice to make. However, my vegan April consisted of the...
A World Gin Day blog post

A World Gin Day blog post

In light of the fact that tomorrow is World Gin Day, we just wanted to draw your attention to a recent Collective Indi gin-related experience courtesy of the little wonder-shop of culinary and boozy delight that is Brixton Cornercopia. Now, I’m one of those people who likes putting all my kitchen ingredients in jars. Sod...
The perks of being a juicer

The perks of being a juicer

If you’d asked me what my favourite Christmas present was about 20 years ago, I reckon my Slyvanian Families gypsy caravan would have been a strong contender. However, now I’m older and bestowed with far more sophisticated and domesticated tastes I can quite confidently state that the best Christmas present I have received since the...
Currently coveting...salted chocolate (and Easter Eggs)

Currently coveting…salted chocolate (and Easter Eggs)

It’s Easter Sunday this weekend!! Whoop. And what better way to whet the tastebuds than celebrating one of our favourite gastronomical partnerships – chocolate and salt. One Tuesday evening a few months ago we had a Collective Individualism blog evening round my house. I cooked and Sarah brought dessert – aka The Chocolate That Changed...
Currently coveting…Mr. Gugu & Miss Go sweaters

Currently coveting…Mr. Gugu & Miss Go sweaters

Not until we saw these dazzling sweatshirts did we realise just what our lives had been missing. The hypnotic, psychedelic, animal-jumper shaped hole in the Collective Individualism wardrobe can now be filled (come pay day)! WE WANT THEM ALL. But especially the tiger….         ….and the crazy cat.   These are pretty...