It is the last day of 2012 and therefore the last chance I have to offer you my personal notes on the ‘Best of 2012‘. This is a rather eccentric mix of personal and impersonal loves, mon cheres. Enjoy (and tell me yours!)

Best Photo Shoot
For their April issue, Dazed & Confused enlisted the genius of photographer Jeff Bark and stylist Katie Shillingford to tap into the cat craze of the past few years in a whole new way. The result was “Animal Attraction” (full shoot here); kittens, Bette Franke, Balenciaga, bows…adore.

Best Musical

Singin’ in The Rain London. It is just incredible.

Best Spot in London
Chiswick. Though not ‘Central’, it became part of Greater London in the 60s and I only managed to have my first proper look-around this month. Definitely on the cards to become the area I buy a home in (its Old English origin translates to “Cheese Farm” – fate for any halloumi addict).

Best Weekend Wonder

This one by F. Scott Fitzgerald rules my every day.

Best Red Carpet Look

Jennifer Lawrence at the Hunger Games Premiere in LA. The gold Prabal Gurung gown, the hair, the make-up (which I did a tutorial on) – all so perfect. Solidified Miss Lawrence as my Girlcrush of The Year.

Best Make-up Tutorial

The last-minute Halloween Leopard Make-up Tutorial. Lots of you sent me photos of your gorgeous results and it always feels amazing to help!

Best Youtube Video

Though this particular cover video was released in 2011, it gained popularity in 2012 after Anna Kendrick covered the song in the movie Pitch Perfect. “You’re Gonna Miss Me (Cups)” is an incredibly catchy tune by Lulu and the Lampshades and Anna Burden’s version – above – is lovely. I watched it for one hour straight to learn how to ‘play’ the cup.

Best Beauty Product

African Botanics’ Marula Oil. I use it for EVERYTHING.

Best App
Though Instagram is a very close runner-up, nothing beats Producteev for me. I started using the desktop version earlier in the year as a paper-free way to be obsessive compulsive about productivity and scheduling, but the app takes it to a whole new level. Everything from showers to blog posts are scheduled in this baby.

Best Holiday

In May I went back to the homeland (the good ol’ Estados Unidos) for my best friend’s wedding and two stop-overs in New York. It was an emotional and exhausting vacation in the most wonderful ways. I miss everything/everyone!

Best Twitter Moment
The Olympics Opening Ceremony. I have never felt so proud to be British and see everyone else so proud to be British. I must have tweeted over 100 times. It was not dissimilar to being at the world’s most hilarious and sentimental party.

Best Celebrity Couple

Kimye. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West – who today announced that they were having a baby – are a match made in tabloid heaven. Dripping in excess, I can only imagine the ‘Babywatch’ that will go on in 2013 over this pair (and the rush to get Kim divorced, who is technically still married to NBA player Kris Humphries).

Best Life Moment

I got engaged. That was rather spectacular.

Best WTF Moment
The success of 50 Shades of Grey. I mean…what.

Best Remix

The Spectrum (Say My Name) remix by Calvin Harris for Florence + The Machine (listen to it here on Spotify).

Best Movie
TED.

Best Outfit Post

Naturally, the only one shot without a good camera. This is something of a uniform for me and one I will never tire of. Demure top and skirt with ‘boom’ heels.

Best Meal

Tom Aikens. The post speaks for itself.

Best Photoshop Fail

Doutzen Kroes in Vogue China lost a leg.

Best Fashion Show

Louise Gray Spring/Summer 2013. Still hoping to add every piece to my wardrobe.

Instagram (@lelalondon) – left to right, top to bottom:
1. The Christmas gift that keeps on giving: Lucky Charms.
2. Turtle time!
3. Bestie guy friend just sent me an old school jam from his bedroom at home.
4. Some whack job has taken the time to hop on the track and direct me to my next…ahem.
5. Singing songs from Rent. Having a staring contest with you.
6. Throwback Thursday!
7. First it’s Christmas. Then it’s Boxing Day. Then it’s Giftcard Spending Day.
8. Bournemouth was a bit wet this weekend…
9. He decided to relax in the bin.

For that omnipresent ‘Christmas Spirit’ we keep hearing about, high energy bills act as a rather shady kryptonite. We search for warmth in our mulled wine, our onesies, and even with each other…but that energy bill still has the power to leave us chilled. When British Gas recently contacted me about their smart meters and the major effect they have on our relationship with energy, I could almost feel my house warming up with appreciation. If you have yet to hear of the life-changing British Gas smart meters, you will be interested in finding out that British Gas have essentially created a device which aims to put each of their customers in control of their very own energy consumption.

The meters feature a super-smart energy monitor that shows exactly the amount of energy that is being used at any given time. Gas and electricity consumption is shown in pounds and pence and kWh/CO2 can be tracked overtime. For those of us that barely take a peek at our meters – come on, they’re hidden under the stairs (next to Harry Potter)! – this creates an entirely new experience.

The smart meters look fairly similar to our traditional devices, but British Gas’ clever tech update communicates to an in-home display unit (a Smart Energy Monitor) and therefore offers you an instant view of your energy consumption for both gas and electricity. As part of its ongoing commitment to a Smart Energy Future, British Gas commissioned Oxford Economics to investigate the value of smart metering to Britain. The results were rather impressive and reported that British homes and businesses could be almost £14 billion better off with folks using smart meters. The report also analyzes the costs and benefits of smart meters from 2012 to 2030 and finds that whilst the national roll-out will cost £11.5 billion, the benefits of smart meter usage could total £25.3 billion. Under this research, British Gas have committed to providing smart meters in all homes by 2019. We’re looking at: – £11.2 billion in energy savings for households and businesses.

The report finds that smart meters, by helping households and businesses see the energy they use and by providing personalised energy advice, will help save the average household 5% (around £60) on their yearly bill. – £10.7 billion in efficiency savings for energy suppliers. With the British energy market being one the most competitive in the world, the report expects much of these savings will be passed onto consumers giving them additional reductions on their energy bills. – £3.2 billion in generation related savings. Lower energy demand from smart metering reduces the amount of energy generated and used for consumption in Britain. The savings will be made from reduced costs around the trading of carbon. Saving money and energy is obviously a great help to both the individual and environment, so I am super excited to see what kind of impact this has when it starts to spread in the mainstream.

Click here to take a further look at the smart meters and pre-register for one of your own. (When your home is ready for an upgrade, British Gas will contact you!)

If you want to find out more about British Gas: Facebook and Twitter sites.

Sponsored Post

“It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough food to eat, and it is a miracle if you get to spend your days and evenings doing whatever it is you like to do, and the holiday season – like all the other seasons – is a good time not only to tell stories of miracles, but to think about the miracles in your own life and to be grateful for them.”
- Lemony Snicket

We all seem to get very thoughtful and retrospective in the week between Christmas and New Year. Following the fashion, I became rather pensive during a cosmetics clear-out today and thought I would share with you the oldest makeup I own (and for hygienic reasons, never use).

Left to right:
Swimming by MAC
Though my eyes change colour, their most dominant colour is green. When I was 12, I believed my first venture into coloured eyeshadows was ‘safe’ if I matched the colour to my eyes. It is a medium and grassy green with a gold shimmer and subtle gold sheen in their ‘Lustre’ finish. I think I’ve used it twice. The shimmer is gorgeous, but I have very few occasions that call for such a green. Amazingly, the eyeshadow has yet to be discontinued.

Ruby & Millie in Pink 485P
The first lipstick I owned. This shade of ‘pink’ is, in fact, very orange and was given to me by a very gaudy and fabulous family friend. Before I knew the incredible talent of Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall I can remember using this as a pre-teen and thinking that it made me a ‘woman’. It has since moved with me internationally…six times.

Groupie by MAC
The pink lipstick that marks my first visit to a MAC counter. A sugary sweet lustre finish which is well and truly discontinued. This hue does absolutely nothing for my skin tone but happened to be the ‘hot’ colour of the year when I saved my pocket money to purchase it. If any product makes me a hoarder, it’s this one.