This year I didn't read too much because it was a very busy year and reading, unfortunately, didn't become my priority. But, those that I did read, I mostly enjoyed. I read many of my most anticipated book this year and they didn't disappoint.
I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson - This year, I found my favourite book in the shape of a stunning hardback packed with a terrific storyline. This coming of age, artistic novel speaks volumes from the perspective of two very contrasting siblings. This book had me feeling so many emotions but overall it was just so satisfying to read.
Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - I enjoyed this books so much because of the way it seemed to represent family values as well as portraying an adorable love story. It was fast paced and exciting but in a calming and pleasing way. I completely fell in love with these characters but especially the authors writing style. I would love to re-read this someday.
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson - After enjoying IGYTS so much, I decided to read another novel by Jandy Nelson. I liked this book but it didn't seem to capture me in the same was the other book did. This book centers around the struggles of mourning and love and, without spoiling it, I will say that there was one love interest that I found slightly strange. The only thing I took from this book was that I wanted to read more uplifting and happier books from then on - this one was just a bit too low from start to finish.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - This book was read as part of my college course but I have personally wanted to read it for a while. I ended up loving it. Reading and understanding this novel is like completing an endless puzzle. The characters, themes and story are so perfectly complex but still so seamless. I'm so glad I finally read it.
A Little Something Different by Sally Hall - 100% feel-good, adorable and cute love story wrapped in one of my all time favorite book covers. The characters are loveable, the POV twist is unique and the small details to the storyline really generate the emotional response. If it hadn't been so cleverly pieced together, it would've just been a regular love story but I'm glad it isn't because it really is something that can keep you excited whilst warming your heart.
(KINDLE) Reboot by Amy Tintera - I read this right at the start of the year; so far away that I can barely remember it. From what I remember, it was thrilling. It was a gripping storyline from a novel genre that I would've never seen myself enjoying. I was impressed by the way it was a really unique storyline and I also fangirled so much about the center relationship. There is a sequel, but I just can't seem to get into it; maybe I'll try again next year. I also really want this made into a film.
(KINDLE) Simon vs The Homo Sapiens by Becky Albertalli - This fun-loving and extravagant YA novel was a handful of giggles and fangirling moments. It was effortlessly uplifting and the ending was so happy I could've burst with joy.
I read and didn't complete some other books this year too,
but looking back, I seem to have read some really great ones.
What did you read this in 2015?
Amongst the grey, wintery days, I got delivered a new phone case which is always a good thing. I was kindly contacted by GoCustomized to try out their personalised phones cases.
I currently use an iPhone 5S and I've always wanted a transparent/patterned phone case - I was delighted when I discovered that GoCustomized made this possible.
The freedom to pick your own designs and type of case is great. You can choose from lots of phone/iPad models to the type of case you would like (soft or hard case, black, white or transparent). When choosing a design you can use one of the given pictures or easily upload one of your own. The designs that are provided are also super funky, it took me a while to decided whether to use one of those or my own. The pattern I used is by my favourite artist, Laura Manfre.
This website is the neatest and easiest way to personalise your phone case in terms of design that I've seen. It's easy to zoom and position the picture, then you can add any text or icons. I got the transparent background by selecting the transparent phone casing and uploading a transparent picture.
My case is worth £14.95, which is a great price for a personalised phone case. Similarly, the free delivery is a huge bonus. Factors like this make this site so much more attractive than some others.
There's nothing to really criticise about this product. I've had it for a few weeks and it seems perfectly hard wearing and seems to protect my phone very well. Overall, the ordering process was easy and the delivery was fast. However, in the mail, the case itself didn't seem too protected. I would've liked to have seen some sort of packaging that would've protected my case from being broken in the post.
I would definitely recommend this site for anyone looking for a personalised phone case.
Thank you to GoCustomized for this opportunity.
WHAT I'M WATCHING: Scream Queens has been my must-watch series this Autumn. I started watching it recently and I'm up to date; I absolutely love the season so far. I anticipated watching it as soon as I saw all the special guests (especially Emma Roberts, Lea Michelle, and Nick Jonas), but I was a bit apprehensive of the gore and horror aspects; the comedy definitely overrides the horror which makes it a lot easier for me to watch because I'm super squeamish.
WHAT I'M READING: As part of my college work, I have just started reading The Great Gatsby. It's not the easiest book to love, but I'm starting to like it. I predict that I'll end up watching the film after I've finished the book, because Leonardo DiCaprio.
WHAT I'M EATING: Cheekily, the festivities has begun already as I bought mince pies. They remind me so much of Christmas and, even though it's only October, I couldn't resist them.
WHAT I'M DRINKING: I've been loving gingerbread syrup, especially in hot chocolates. I usually get this front Costa, but now that I have my own, I can make them at home too. The syrup that I use is the same brand that Costa use, it's available in Sainsbury's.
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO: Three particular albums that I have been listening to this month include Honeymoon, Wild and Wishes.
Honeymoon by Lana Del Rey is different to the recent album with a complete new, dreamy vibe - I've loved listening to it.
WILD by Troye Sivan is obviously fantastic, the songs are super catchy. I can't wait for Blue Neighbourhood to be released.
Wishes by Rhodes is beautiful. It's my favourite of them all, especially because I went to the Wishes Tour. Seeing Rhodes live was one of the most fantastic nights of my life and he was so kind when we met him.
WHAT I'M WISHING FOR: Cranberry eyeshadow is in my eye line lately. I don't have shade like it but I am really wishing to get my hands on one. Especially in autumn, I'm sure it would be a colour worth wearing. This month in general, I have been really enjoying wearing eyeshadow - especially glittery/metallic effects and gold colours.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?
Feet are weird and wonderful. No matter whether you love them or hate them, they still need a little TLC from time to time. Here's a few of tips that I've collected on how to care for your feet.
FILING - I'm guilty of not doing this enough, but it's important to file away any dead skin on your feet. This stops the build up of hard skin and leaves them look smooth and feeling a lot easier to walk on. Foot files can build up with dead skin - ew, that's gross - so you should change them often.
PAINTING - Dress up those little piggies. By using a base coat, it can stop staining on your toes. Also, painting your toe nails can last weeks, so you don't have to do it often.
SCRUBS - Using mittens and an exfoliating is another way of saying goodbye to that pesky, dry skin. I use The Body Shop Peppermint Pumice Foot Scrub, which smells fantastic and does a great job.
WASHING - It's not ideal to scrub every time you're in the bath/shower because you could end up with sore feet, but you should make sure that your feet are always washed to get rid of dirt and germs that could cause infection.
DRYING - It sounds strange, but not enough people dry their feet properly (in-between their toes). Not doing this well can lead to Athlete's foot.
MOISTURISE - Pick any thick, strong moisturiser and treat your feet to a good silky finish. Rub in moisturiser then pop on some socks to keep it all in and stop you from slipping around the place. I use The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue which smells irresistible.
SHOP LATER - Strangely enough, your feet swell during the day meaning they are at their biggest in the afternoon, therefore it's ideal to shoe shop in the afternoon to get the right size and comfort.
By caring for your feet, you can definitely love your feet.
How do you care for your feet?
I'm back, again. I am aware that I have been leaving gaps in my blog this year, but it is solely because 2015 is a very big year of challenge and change for me. I sat exams, had a very long summer, and started college.
Most recently, I started college. I am studying English Language, English Literature, Media Studies and Art at A-Level and it is a very big change. I've had my ups and downs whilst dealing with the change but I'm working towards a clearer and more steady mind.
I completely missed September on this blog but I haven't really done much, I've just mostly been getting through college. I am hoping to kickstart my blog back up to normal.
Autumnal Bedding - George Home // £12
'Happy' Cushion - Next // £12
Mustard Cord Cushion - George Home // £7
I threw my bedroom into Autumn this month and, after craving it all summer, it feels great to bathe in the warm glows of oranges and other warm, autumn-y colours. This bedding is especially gorgeous and I think the 'Happy' cushions really injects positivity into the cold, frosty mornings.
Also, I have been buzzing around in my box of candles, raking out the christmas scents (sorry, not sorry) and being hypnotised by the dreamy aroma of Salted Caramel. There's nothing getting me back off this Autumn bandwagon anymore.
My friends and I visited The Olde Young Tea house for Afternoon Tea. The food was so delicious, along with the vintage and chilled atmosphere - I definitely recommend this to anyone in the area.
We also visited Mog On The Tyne! This very popular cat cafe was fantastic. The cats were friendly and playful, along with the yummy food. It's such a brilliant idea; I am delighted to have been able to visit.
I'm desperate to get back to blogging a lot more often, but it is something that I am struggling to gather motivation for, so thanks for sticking along.
Find out more about what I've been doing lately:
I'm super happy with the turn out of this creation. It is the first time I've actually made something successful from Pinterest.
It took me a while to introduce succulents into my wannabe-chic bedroom, but I now found an excuse. This super cute, easy DIY pot really reflects happiness and positivity because of the smiling cat.
It's made from a used and washed lemonade bottle. I cut out my shape using a Stanley Knife (not the safest things, I know) along the marked lines. Cutting it was probably the hardest part but I didn't particularly focus on it being perfect because I knew a lot of the edges would be covered.
I then went into the garden and spray painted it matt white. I seriously enjoyed using the spray paint - it was such fun! I applied one coat in the morning and another in the afternoon for maximum opacity.
The succulents are from B&Q and they came in a big glass bowl, meaning they were pretty pricey at £10. However, I think I will eventually find a different use for the bowl. The plants got de-potted and placed into Cactus Compost. If you're replanting cacti or succulents, it is important to use the correct compost because they use a lot of nutrients from the soil around them.
Finally, I drew on the face and painted the ears. I'm so please with how it turned out and I can't wait to watch my plants settle into their new home.
What DIY have you been doing lately?
Remember when you saw this advert and realised that foundation adverts can be incredibly beautiful - well you were right. I saw this advert, did my research and decided that this foundation was for me.
The Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation has a tongue-twister of a name but definitely represents all of these qualities. I've been trying this out for over a month now and, since it is my first foundation (I know, shock-horror), I am super impressed. Here's my review and it's long.
Packaging - From the Nars Sheer Glow foundation, this packaging is a big improvement. It has its own built in pump (it looks like the Nars Gods were finally listening to our wishes) so there is not need to buy a separate one. Now, I don't know if it's just my pump that does this, but it does leak a tiny bit which means it needs wiping with a damp cloth every so often. Also, with the lid being matte plastic, any traces of foundation on your fingers passes onto it and sticks; it's not too easy to wipe off either. Otherwise, the cuboid, frosted glass bottle is gorgeous. I'd say it's very suitable with the no-messing-around quality. With the bottle being glass, you have to handle it with care, it's too precious to break.
Value - I'm not going to pretend that this was cheap - it certainly wasn't. I paid £32 which is very expensive for a foundation but this is a high-end product and you do get what you pay for. Because this foundation has been formulated carefully and comes in precise shades, the price really is worth it. You only need a small amount, just a little blob can go a long way meaning this will last you a while.
Application - I apply this by pumping one pump on the back of my hand, dabbing blobs around my face (focusing on areas of redness), using the Real Techniques foundation brush to spread it around my face then finishing by using my RT buffing brush to really smooth everything out and blend. I will buff for a while and the results are very soft. It is easy to apply but I have found that buffing is essential to eliminate any streaky marks. Otherwise it leaves a flawless, medium-coverage finish. It's also very buildable for even more coverage.
Consistency - One big annoying factor I find, is that it does not sit well on the driest parts of my skin (e.g. the tip and bridge of my nose). It looks blotchy on these areas so I no longer apply it there. I wouldn't say it is bad for dry skin because I do have quiet dry skin, I would say it just doesn't tolerate rough skin. For these areas I think I will have to invest in a primer (feel free to recommend primers in the comments) or maybe just focus on moisturising those places on the days when I'll be wearing this foundation. The overall consistency is runny but, personally, that doesn't bother me.
Colour - My shade is Mont Blanc. I tried all different colours at my local Nars counter and we found that this was the perfect shade for me. It was a very close call between this and Gobi which was a bit more yellow. I'm super impressed with the colour match and the lady at the Nars counter was very helpful and patient when helping me choose a shade.
All Day? Luminous? Weightless? - Sort of, yes and yes! All day is exaggerating, but I feel like it would vary across skin types. Personally, I find it needs powdering across the day and does seem to wear off by the end. It's certainly luminous because it does make me look radiant and definitely not dull. I'm mostly comfortable with agreeing with the weightlessness of this on my face. I can't feel it on my face, which is always my biggest fear with foundation. There's nothing worse that the heavy feeling of cake-y makeup on your face and this lies lightly on my skin with no bother.
Overall, I have completely fallen in love with this foundation and would recommend it in a flash.
Which foundation do you use? Let me know in the comments.
I haven't done a 'Catch Up Sessions' in a while and I love writing them so it's back. You can check out #1 and #2. I have had soooo much happen this year so far and it's about to get even more hectic. There's a lot to catch up on since the last post, so here's a pretty long post.
In June, I left school. We had a leavers day consisting of farewells and a balloon release. It was a rather emotional day considering I never really liked school. We then had prom which was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better evening to celebrate the end of an era with everyone. There was a lovely meal, dancing and lots of fun with friends.
I'm absolutely loving my time off yet, as I go into the 5th week, I still haven't fulfilled the time right. I planned to blog so much more and read so much more but I just haven't done it (sorry about that). I completely blame the weather. It is very hot in this not-so-gift of a heatwave; it's making me far more than excited for winter.
In June, a new house member arrived and it has completely changed everything. As I finished my exams, my dream became a possibility and my family finally GOT A KITTEN!
This is April. She was 9 weeks old when she arrived at home and she is currently 13 weeks (just over 3 months). She's an absolute bundle of joy and I love her so, so much. She is a longhair tuxedo domestic cat and she is growing so well. I could kiss her precious white socks 24/7.
I'm sure there's going to be lots more happening this summer; including the biggest events of getting my GCSE results and starting college. I have decided which college I'm going to and the courses I'm taking so I am just waiting to enrol now.
I'm currently loving George Ezra and awaiting the Wishes album by Rhodes. Reading nothing because my motivation has flown away. I feel like I just don't have the stamina for reading lately. I'll just see where the wind takes me.
What have you done/are you doing this summer?
I've built up a collection of favourites lately and I've managed to condense them down.
The image quality isn't the best. I've heard a lot of people having problems with blogger images lately.
Belvoir Fruit Farms - Elderflower and Rose Pressé
I've been loving this fresh, summary drink. I love the taste of rose especially so I jumped at the chance to buy this when I saw it on the shelf. It is rather sweet but tastes delicious on a warm evening with ice. It's a very unusual taste for a drink which is what appeals me so much. I'm so disappointed that I've finished the bottle - I'd definitely buy it again and again.
Homemade Flower Crowns
Flower crowns are quite the summer essential. They are available in different shops but, with all the time I have, I decided to try making them. I didn't have much faith that they'd be fantastic however, after my flower-enthusiast Grandma helped be, they turned out exactly how I wanted. I created 3 and my favourite one is shown in the image above. Also on the sidebar image.
& Other Stories - Floral Memento Body Mist
This body mist doesn't have the most potent or long lasting smell but it I find it's handy to spritz this on my clothes. I often use this just after getting out of the shower because it's very light and refreshing. The scent is musky floral.
Rimmel - Stay Blushed! in Sunkissed Cherry
I got this as a free product from the Clothes Show but I never really got around to using it. This month, I pulled it out of my make up collection and kindled my love for it. The consistency is great, it doesn't feel cake-y or powdery and it doesn't slide off my face. It's so easy to blend and definitely buildable. I was unsure about the shade at first but, as summer appeared, this was creating a more 'sun kissed', bronzed look.
The Body Shop - Passion Fruit Shower Gel
I treated myself to this when I visited my local Body Shop outlet (I also bought too many other products). I just couldn't resist the smell - which can only be described as passion fruit. It's a staple 'Body Shop' scent, quite sweet and citrusy. This is definitely my favourite shower gel at the moment.
Music
George Ezra - Drawing Board
RHODES - Vienna (Live for Burberry)
RHODES - Morning
RHODES - Sway
I'm going to see Rhodes in October and I'm ecstatic!! I love his music so much.
What are your June favourites?
I've begun to notice that my collection of Shampoo Bars is building up. The more and more I get, the more I fall in love.
The bars that I have include: Jason and the Argon Oil, Karma Komba, and Lullaby. Of All three, I'd say that Karma Komba is my favourite for hair washing qualities but picking a favourite scent is very difficult.
Jason and the Argon Oil is the first one that I got for Christmas 2014. If you've ever smelled the Rose Jam shower gel from Lush you will know the scene of this. I'm a sucker for a rose scented product so this was the one I chose first. It is good at lathering however, after it tragically broke in half, it is difficult to get the lather because it just crumbles. I now have to wash my hair as well as pick crumbs out of my hair with this one.
Lullaby is possibly my favourite scent. I got this lavender beauty for my birthday and it's completely irresistible. This is more of a grainy bar that I wouldn't recommend you run against your hair because it's rough enough to cause damage. It doesn't lather a well as the others, especially because handling it is quite sharp. The qualities of this one is the oat milk and soothing lavender which perfectly revive and regenerate your scalp and hair.Lastly, Karma Komba is my favourite because it smells just like Karma - my ultimate favourite Lush scent - and washes excellently. The lather that this bar creates is intense and I can rub it through my hands or on my hair without feeling like I'm damaging my hair. This bar is slippery when wet which I think is what gives it such spectacular suds. I regret the day I ever run out of this shampoo bar and I will definitely repurchase.
Overall, these are certainly something that needs place in your bathroom; they are so handy and perfect of washing at home or on-the-go. I would definitely recommend the square tins for them instead of the circular ones because they do expand with water and it gives them more space to breath. After using, it's ideal to dry them lightly and leave them to dry out standing up because putting them straight back in the tin causes them to stick to the tin and break.
Have you tried Lush Shampoo Bars?
Which is your favourite?
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I teamed up with WeWork to discuss creative spaces. WeWork are a coworking company that offer beautiful office spaces. After seeing what they work with, I was so inspired to inject my own space with maximum creative surroundings.
My creative space is all about motivation and positivity. I strive to keep a calm and bright environment around me because I feel it ensures the most fresh and innovative ideas.
The majority of my work done is on my Mac Book or in notepads. I have a draw with a pile of different size notepads, all of which serve their own purpose. The notepads themselves have to be very colourful and ready to work with. My current favourite has flowers on the front cover which really reflects my personality.
To heart, I am a girly-girl. I love the feminine touches and, as much as I idolise these chic white office spaces, a floral pattern never fails to win me over. I think one of my favourite decorations in a creative space is pattern on white. I have a white wall and I loved adding my fabric covered cork board. I find it's really essential to express with colour.
Detail is also very important within my creative space. I like to call it 'eye-food'. Lots of little things to look at is far better one plain thing to look at. This is particularly why I love my large world map (from IKEA). There's so much to look at and learn about from that one picture. It's so interesting and that is a fantastic spark for creativity.
As a round up, my office, my bedroom and my chill-out area is my creative space all in one place. My ideal creative space requires comfort and attractive surroundings in order to stimulate ingenuity.
What's your dream creative space?
Thank you to WeWork for this opportunity.
March has been so busy with big events and deadlines. I have been diverting between 70% excited to 30% stressed.
I saw McBusted at Newcastle and met them on 16th - the whole night was out-of-this-world. I then had my birthday which was wonderful and you can see my gifts here. I saw Insurgent in cinemas recently; I now completely recommend this film because I am still craving a re-watch.
Previously I had two deadlines: Art and Textiles which included a surprisingly great minimum of only one breakdown. As the exams begin to creep in I am beginning to realise that there is no way to 'balance school and life' because it's hard enough trying to balance school. During these two deadlines I was staying back late for 4/5 nights and then my weekends are crammed. Having time to read has banished so I'm really looking forward to this all being over. I've decided to treat myself to something after my exams, so far I'm thinking another MAC lipstick... hmm...
On 28th March, my friends and I jumped on the train to Manchester to meet David Leviathan and Sally Green (David Leviathan being the worldwide author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson and many other well known books, and Sally Green being the author of Half Bad and Half Wild). I spoke more about that in this post and the day was fantastic.
I've also found that, this month, I've been loving Pinterest. After moving into a new room in September I still feel like my room is incomplete so I've been looking for inspiration to finalise my room. Ive found some lovely ideas that I am going ahead with and I am particularly excited because one of them is to be included in a future collaboration post.
Besides having no time to read I have started reading We Were Liars by E. Lockhart which is very oddly written but it's still great. I'm shamefully not very far in considering I've been reading it for a month but I will try and get more read soon. Since the last catch up session I completed I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson which is my current favourite book of all. I blogged about it here.
Stay Smiling
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On Tuesday 17th February I decided to record a little 'day in the life'.
I like sharing the places I've been and this time I went to visit fellow blogger and friend: Katie. We had a really relaxed chill day which I really enjoyed. I'd like to record a few more 'day in the life's i the future so let me know what you think.
My Dad drove me in the car and the journey was just under an hour so I listened to Lorde, McFly and Vampire Weekend (I know! What a mixture?). It was a really nice day but so cold so I wore my winter coat from Next.
When I got to Katie's we chatted for a short while and played with these blocks. The had words around each side (like a dice) and you line them up to make poems/stories which is awesome. This is what mine turned out to be like - completely random.
We popped out for lunch at The Fat Hippo which is my favourite place ever because they serve the most divine burgers in the country (biased but hey-ho). I got the Texas burger and the chips on the side are just out of this world. It was my second time going and it just gets better overtime, however you do leave without the ability to walk because they're super filling. The restaurant itself is also really lovely. It has funky music, a tranquil atmosphere and gorgeous art work and interior design. The inside is very small with (I'd guess) eleven tables; it makes it very quaint and quirky.
After lunch we 'tottled along to a modern-vintage style cafe called 1901. It was an old church hall (as Katie educated me) so it had chic high ceilings and the furniture inside was all vintage pieces - as shown by the old leather chairs in the image above. There was items for sale from dog shampoo to art and signs; I just wanted to buy it all.
The food menu had me swooning although after a big lunch I settled with a lightweight fruit smoothie. I chose Banana and Orange - I couldn't decided whether it was spiced with cinnamon or not but either way it was delicious.
We chilled in there for around two hours, just chatting and being typical bloggers with our DSLR's.
I had lots of fun during the day to the point where I nearly dozed off in my relaxing bubble bath in the evening. I've recently been loving the Imperial Leather: Sea Of Tranquility Bath Cream.
So that was my day and, now looking back at the pictures, I really want to eat that burger again, yum!
How has your week been? Let me know and
chat in the comments.
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I've had a lot going on recently, from christmas onwards. I wanted to put up a post that was just a bit chattier and personal. I have a list of things I'd like to natter about - all random.
I had mock exams in preparation for my real ones in two months time and they were... meh? I kind of felt confident in my geography which I was pretty worried about because I have an awful habit of skim-reading the questions and then I read it wrong. I also managed to get the necessary revision done before hand which helped. My only exam that had me feeling awful when I left was my Maths. Maths is just boring therefore my marvellous 'don't-read-the-question-properly' kicks in. I 99% feel like I haven't reached my target grade in that exam and it's worrying me a lot - I need to find a way to sort it out.
Unfortunately, I haven't had chance to read anything in about 3 weeks due to the exams and the fact that I got Sims3 up-and-running on my laptop. I'm currently reading 'I'll Give You The Sun' by Jandy Nelson which is a gorgeous book with excellent reviews. I'm only one chapter in because each is just so long so I can't find the time to read a chapter because I'm already quite a slow reader. Ugh! Before this I finished reading Reboot by Amy Tintera on my Kindle and it was a fantastic ending. I look forward to reading the sequel (that's if I ever read - jeez). I've also just purchased a copy of The Great Gatsby to read and study before college starts.
Luckily, I have a week off now which makes me happy. A week off after two weeks of exams is bliss because I can stop stressing. My skin suffered during my stressful weeks - I had an allergic reaction to concealer and I haven't started wearing it again yet; I'm going to give it another week even though my skin is a lot better. It's as though it knew my exams were over because it got better over night.
It's a busy month next month which I'm looking forward to. It's my birthday, good movies are released, friend's birthdays, more college open night and of course McBusted. I'm super excited for McBusted because I was lucky enough to get the 'MEAT and Greet' so I get to go and meet the boys - WHAT?! :o
Overall, January and February has been a roller coaster ride. It's nice to write a post to catchup with my goings-on. I also faced some fantastic opportunities this month that I look forward to getting my teeth into.
Stay smiling.
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On Friday 2nd my friends (Lucy and Millie) and I kicked off the New Year with a trip to my favourite winter city: Edinburgh. We had this planned since July and I was super excited since because I go to Edinburgh nearly every Christmas time, it's fantastic!
We set off on a two hour train journey on Friday morning. When we arrived we hit the shops straight away for a good look around. At this point I was showing the basics to my friends, they grasped the city's layout pretty quickly as we used Princes Street and George Street for our sales search.
We did some more shopping on Saturday, I got a new top from Topshop which is totally me and then a new purse in the Cath Kidston sale. Although I didn't buy much, I love both of my purchase.
On Saturday, a trip to Grass Market via the Castle and the Tartan Mill, had my us in the ultimate vintage shop called W. Armstrong & Son. This shop is much loved by my family and any of the people we ever bring with us on our trips to Edinburgh therefore I thought I'd show my friends.
W. Armstrong & Son is the quirkiest, most interesting shop full to the top of vintage clobber. From wedding dresses to hip-hop 1960's patterns and everything in-between. It's so fascinating and almost a look on history as you walk from year to year of fashion railings.
Along from W. Armstrong is a little café. This place is called Mary's Milk Bar and is near the top on Trip Advisor for café's in Edinburgh (Oh yes, I do my research), so I was so happy that it was open. Mary's Milk Bar is super adorable; made up of pastel pink tables, homemade chocolates, delicious ice cream flavours and a fantastic view of the castle, this place is perfection. My friends and I decided to go for a mid-afternoon hot chocolate - myself and Millie got Milk Chocolate, Orange and Cinnamon - which turned out to be one of my favourite ever hot chocolates. So good, I bought a packet (which was £9.50 for a 250g bag of infused chocolate shards, ready to melt and drink at home).
On our last evening, I introduced my friends to another family favourite. The Dome Bar and Restaurant attracts tourists all around the year - especially at Christmas. The place glows like a symphony of fairy lights with the extra added smell of pine and cinnamon... it's Christmas haven! The decorations are so vast that they have to close for a day in order to take them down.
Lastly, our meals throughout the trip were from La Tasca and Jamie's Italian. I thought I'd book two different cuisines, both of which were de-lic-ious! La Tasca is an all time favourite of mine and I'm (not so secretly) a huge fan of Jamie Oliver. We also visited Tiger Lily which is another bar that's pretty posh. The decorations were lovely, so suave.
Despite Christmas being over, hanging on to the festivities came easily as Edinburgh glistened the last sparkle of fairy lights. If you're planning on going to Edinburgh then I'd recommend the Chirstmas season.
On Saturday we went Ice Skating at St. Andrews Square which was an oval shaped rink around the monument. I uploaded a picture and a Time-Lapse to Instagram for you to check out.
What city do you love at Christmas?
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