Making a comeback: Attempt #2 (AKA Holiday Essentials)

About a month ago, I tried to be really funny and clever and make some sort of hilarious comeback on my own blog, which basically ended in a really shoddy past about diddly squat that I was far too embarrassed to let loose on the general public. Yeah, it was pretty atrocious. So, here is attempt numero deux at making some form of 'welcome back' post that isn't completely shit.

I've just returned from a beaut of a holiday to Majorca with some friends, where I got the first tan of my entire life (whut), took part in some hilarious water aerobics, and pretty much just sat by the pool drinking cocktails all day, every day. It looked a bit like this:

Hashtag no filter. Oh alright, maybe on the first one. Anyway, since I am the universe's actual worst packer, I've been thinking all about holiday essentials, especially since I've got to pack for two weeks away at the end of August which I'm actually dreading. If anyone wants to come help, holler at me.

Since I'm whacking this out late on Sunday, I can't guarantee anything fancy or well put-together here, but we'll give it a shot. LEGGO:

• SUNCREAM. Ok, let's start with the obvious. If you're going somewhere where sun exists, you're gonna need to be whacking the stuff on. My top tip for suncream is to start high-ish (I started around 40 but I have the skin of a ghost so 30's probably fine) and then work your way down. Probably pretty quickly if you're anything like my mother.

• AFTER SUN. Another pretty obvious one, but it's a godsend of a creation, even for the slightest of sunburns. Really good for getting moisture back in the skin too and doubles as an everyday moisturiser. I've always used a Nivea one, just because it's never let me down and is incredibly moisturising: 

• EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS: Shampoo, conditioner,  deodrant etc etc. Blindingly obvious, but if you don't write it down, chances are you'll forget. Easy to pick up at the airport if you want, but I always nip to Primark for empty bottle set. Only £1 and saves spending more on new shampoos. OH, and do not forget a TOOTHBRUSH and TOOTHPASTE.

• PASSPORT and TRAVEL INSURANCE DOCUMENTS and MOOLAH. Yeah, probably naht a good idea to leave these behind.

• FIRST AID TYPE KIT. Just make sure you've got a good selection of essential medicines like ibuprofen, paracetamol, bug bite cream, Imodium and stuff like that, just in case.

• SUN PROTECTING SPRAY. I swear by Charles Worthington's Takeaways Sun-Shine UV Protection Spray for keeping my hair looking not too shabby in the heat, especially since I dip-dyed it. Spray on before you hit the pool, and again once you've been in water. The shampoo and conditioner counterparts are pretty awesome too. 

• iPod SPEAKERS: When you're getting ready for just about anything, it's always good to have a banging' playlist on, so make sure one person brings some speakers. Oh, and get someone to create some sort of holiday playlist to keep everyone happy.

• SUNGLASSES: Obviously, but essential. A cheap pair is good for going in the sea, but I think it's worth investing in a decent pair to get the best protection for your eyeballs.

• MAKE-UP. Waterproof mascara is an absolute must, so you don't look like the joker when you glide effortlessly out the pool/sea/unexpected downpours. I'd also highly recommend BB Cream, and I swear by this Maybelline one for £7.99. I don't like putting much make-up on abroad as it feels so heavy, so this BB cream is a godsend, and is perfect for putting on round the pool too, as it contains sun protection. Also, bear in mind that with a tan, your normal make-up might not fit, so don't go too cray cray. Sun protection Vaseline or Nivea Sun Protect stick for lips are also highly recommended to save from nasty sunburnt lips. 

• SHOES: Alright, here's where it gets tough for me. I normally bring abut 5 pairs too many, but on an essential level, I'd opt for some flip flops, a couple of pairs of sandals, perhaps a pair of nicer wedged heels for any nights out. You could chuck in a pair of espadrilles in you're not a sandals fan, and I've also just fallen in love with jelly shoes which are AMAZING. I have these ones from New Look, which are £9.99 and only gave me blisters at home. Sounds bad, but I walked over two hours in them (an hour each on separate days) and they didn't hurt one iota. 

• CLOTHES: Again, this is pretty subjective, but as long as you've got a couple of bikinis or swimsuits, some underwear and enough outfits to last, you'll be good to go. I always take a few cover-ups for if you want to pop out to the shops too - kimonos are a new favourite of mine, because you can also add them to other outfits to jazz them up. Perfect for a bit of cover up if it gets a bit chiller in the evenings. I always over pack outfits for choice, but a good variety of day and night options will be perfect, in case you plan any day trips and whatnot. A couple of dresses/playsuits, a couple of pairs of shorts and some tees will see you through. OH, and a good hat is a wonderful idea too. So is jewellery. AGH.

Supermarkets abroad are pretty damn good, so don't worry about food or anything if you're going self-catering. 6l of water was about 6Euros in Majorca, so stock up. The alcohol was surprisingly cheap as well, so if you forget any, ne panique pas. Just drink Sangria and Pina Coladas and forget the rest. OO, reading material - Pack a good book/magazine for pool times.

This has turned unnecessarily long and that's all I can think of for now, but I might come back to this if I think of anything more that's needed. 

Please comment below which anything you can't go on holiday without :)

Love y'all
x

A Japanese Visitor and a New Job...of sorts

After my tirade against David Cameron earlier this week, I thought I'd end the week on a slightly more humourous note and fill everybody in on what's being going on in my life. I know how much you all care of course (and if you don't, JUST PRETEND OK?!). Sidenote: Who suddenly ordered all these spiders?! I HATE THEM. That's all.

EXCITING THING NUMBER ONE

Six years ago, my GCSE Japanese class and I travelled to Japan for a two week tour of Kyoto, Hiroshima, Mount Fuji and Tokyo, where we completely a one-week homestay. Last year, a friend and I travelled to Tokyo, where I meant up with the girl I stayed with. AND THEN, last week, FINALLY, said friend visited England for the first time and stayed with me for a week. HURRAY!

We spent the week sightseeing around London, Hastings and little ol' Tunbridge Wells, where we experienced a very traditional afternoon tea (yuuuuuuuuuuuuuum). We went for a cruise down ye olde River Thames (which I had actually never done before and LOVED) and had a quick spin on the London Eye, where the views over London are simply stunning. It's probably easier to sum the week up with photos, so I've put them below (minus my phone pictures which are being useless once again). I had such a fantastic week and it was fab to actually get out the house and do something different for a change - even if I did prove myself to be a bit of an awful tour guide! I hope Seiko had a brilliant week too, and I hope we can meet again soon :)

 

^ Yes, that man is almost floating. WHAAAAT?!

YES, there was a fake-Psy doing Gangnam Style in British gear in London. Bloody brilliant.

I also had the chance to quickly say hi to my boyfriend. Obvs.

EXCITING THING NUMBER TWO

Last weekend (yes, it was a very hectic week) I started writing for Entertainmentwise.com, live tweeting the Strictly shows and reviewing them afterwards for the website. I'm really enjoying it, and it's giving me great experience for online writing, using a CMS and for improving my social media experience. I'll admit I also still find it exciting to see my name on an ACTUAL WEBSITE - don't judge me. I'll be putting all the reviews under 'Portfolio of Work' on here if you fancy a ganders by the way... please read them. Please. This is all working towards a job - any experience is good experience and I can only hope someone will see my writing, like it and offer me a job. Ahem. 

Tomorrow I'll be starting two weeks of work experience at Mother & Baby magazine, which I'm both hugely exciting and very nervous for- eek! Wish me luck!

Until next time (and hopefully a longer post. Sorry.),

x

The Pros and Cons of Becoming an Adult... of sorts.

Sincere apologies for my complete lack of blogging lately. Since last time, I've completed two brilliant weeks of work experience, firstly at GoThinkBig (I'll put a list of the articles I've written under a new page) and then at Top of the Pops Magazine, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. I've also had my adenoids removed, celebrated my 21st birthday and officially become one of those adult things.

Credit for photos to the lovely Jack and Sophie. Please enjoy the beautiful hospital gown, and know that I did actually have a sophisticated birthday with family... the photos just won't load on my laptop. First world problems

 Unfortunately this means I have to become somewhat of a sophisticated, mature, independent, financially stable young lady... something of a difficult task when you're still living in the delightful town of Tonbridge with your Dad, paying £7.30 for a drink in Tunbridge Wells because there's nowhere remotely good in Tonbridge. End of rant. This is why I've decided to write a really quick and short post debating the pros and cons of effectively becoming old, although I am genuinely struggling to find some pros thanks to the above difficulties... hold tight everyone.

The Pros?

• The only pro I'm going to highlight here is INDEPENDENCE: You've got actual real money from an actual real job to spend on actual real things that you actually really want (I'm not including myself in this one... hello unemployment). You can go out to a pub with friends whenever you want. You can vote! You can act all sophisticated drinking cocktails! The list really is endless. 

And the easier part: CONS

• Money: You have to pay for everything. You may still be in a student overdraft. You may have no money (this is where I take inspiration from my dear self). Now adult life gets tricky...
• Hangovers get significantly worse: Perhaps even lasting two days, perhaps made worse by texts and photos (no I will not 'send you a pic') reminding you of the night before. Highly unfair. 
• Unemployment: This one might just be me, but I'm feeling like somewhat of a disaster still being unemployed almost three months since leaving uni. This is a whole other debate, but being an adult no longer means I can simply reply to any 'why don't you have a job?' comments with 'I'M STILL A STUDENT GOD'
• Being ID'd for a drink when you're 21: Not sure whether to take this as an insult of a compliment. Hashtag youthful face
• Shopping: You are now expected to spend money on important things and 'work clothes' rather than all the fun 'student night out' clothes you find on Missguided. Sadface.
• And finally- Judging acceptability: Just how acceptable is it to still be watching Toddlers and Tiaras? And how acceptable is it to want to go on this Helter Skelter?

Sorry if this was a little dull, but I thought I'd keep you all up-to-date on how life is going. Here's a promise that next time will be tonnes more exciting.

If you can think of any more pros and cons that you've experienced since becoming an adult, comment below...

Ciao!

x

My Week in Pictures #4

This is going to be a bit of a mismatched post, as I try and cram a few extra bits in. This is because I may not have a chance to blog properly for a while as I have racked up a couple of weeks of work experience HOORAH!!!... followed by turning 21. I'll let you know how that one turns out. Hashtag I am getting old.

Moving on...

Firstly, MISSGUIDED. I'm going to make a separate 'Summer Wishlist' post at some point, which turned out to mainly be consisted of Missguided products. Yes, I'm a little obsessed. During my last couple of years or so of university, I'm pretty sure my housemates and I kept Missguided going, judging by the amount of parcels we had delivered to our house. I don't doubt the delivery man began to recognise that. There's so much stuff I could buy from there, especially thanks to their new 'Sweet Deals' range, and I thought I'd just share my favourite dress on the website at the moment. I'm obsessed with it, and I keep having to debate with myself over whether or not I can afford it (newsflash: I really can't. Someone please buy it for me). It's this lovely skater dress...

... and you can pur-chase it from here. For me. As a present. Thank you very much (IT'S MY BIRTHDAY SOON).

Secondly, just thought I'd draw your attention to my current eBay. I've started uploading a bunch of clothes to sell that I don't like/don't wear/don't fit into anymore, and I've got a tonne still to come, so go have a ganders... because I am poor. Thanking you kindly in advance.

FINALLY. The point of this post. My week in pictures. This week I have been catching up with uni friends in Primrose Hill (as featured in the collage) and in Leicester Square, celebrating my sister's birthday with a delicious roast, experimenting with my Mum's new record player and doing a tour of London food markets, from Borough Market (which holds the biggest meringues EVER) to Southbank's food festival. Also thrown in what the Science Museum thinks I looked like as a child. Not accurate AT ALL. 

Apologies for the blurriness of this collage, can't quite figure out what's going wrong but I'll keep trying to fix it. That's all from me for a bit. Looking forward to my next few weeks of work experience and birthday-ing and perhaps a bit of blogging in between. Have a lovely weekend!
x

My Week in Pictures #3

This is more like 'two weeks in pictures,' but I thought I'd show off the two main events that have dominated the past couple of weeks- our holiday to Tenerife (TAKE ME BACK) and my amazing graduation (AHHHH!!!!). The reality that university is completely and utterly over for good has yet to hit me, meaning I am completely in denial that I need to get some form of job (although if anyone wants to employ me, I won't say no!). Enjoy...

Tenerife

I won't describe these collages, as they're pretty self-explanatory. I'll be honest, most of my Tenerife photos are of food and drink, and it was down to my housemates to get the lovely group ones. This is a quick look at how our holiday went, from the delicious food (see tapas and ice cream) and cocktails, to the gorgeous views and just having a great relaxing time together (all together now... AWWW). 

Graduation

Again, won't be explaining but here is a snapshot of my graduation. Amazing day all round!

There are more photos of my holiday and my graduation on my Instagram feed if you fancy a ganders, with more to be added I'm sure. I'm hoping to put up a feed on the side of this blog too (when I figure out how) so keep an eye out for that :)

Enjoy your weekend! 

My Week in Pictures #2

Apologies in the rather large delay in posting this. Picasa was refusing to acknowledge I had uploaded any of these photos, so I ran out of time between finding out I'm graduating with a 2:1 (yay!), going to my last ever Summer Ball (sadface) and jetting off to Tenerife (SUN WOOP YEAH etc.) to post this. As a slight warning, this is the post that will officially establish myself as a massive fatty. Also, the next post after this will be post-Tenerife, so jealousy may ensue when I post a gazillion pictures of THE SUN. Again, just a little warning...

1. Dodgems at my last ever Summer Ball. Definitely as fun as ever

2. An artistic representation, courtesy of friends, of the three burgers in two days I consumed whilst in Manchester. The sensible part of me regrets this decision... the greedy part does not.

3. High Contrast was one of the acts playing at our Summer Ball, and a managed to grab a quick photo with him, courtesy of Anna, before his set, which was awesome.

4. Just one of the yummy £2 cocktails we found in a bar called The Font in Manchester, during a visit to my home friend Lizzy. This was, as far as I can remember, a Mudslide, which was super creamy and really moreish. You can browse the whole menu here, if you ever wanted a visit.

5,6, 9, 10. During this visit, we were also taken to Home Sweet Home, a quirky little café where we had Loaded Fries, which were a mixture of standard and sweet potato fries, topped with cheese and bacon. Unbelievably delicious and very VERY fattening. I also had a Sweet Carolina burger, which you can see at the bottom. This is a pulled pork burger, with breaded pork schnitzel, bacon and Carolina slaw. Again, DELICIOUS, and something I would definitely revisit in the future. Pulled pork is up there with one of my favourite foods in the whole world. The 'quirky' theme of the café was continued in the presentation of cutlery in a teapot, and straws in the drinks. All-in-all, a cute and recommendable café. You can peruse the menu here.

7. Our final night in Manchester was spent playing a drinking game related to the show The Bachelor. Introduced to me by Emma, this is a show you HAVE to see, especially the American version, if only to laugh at all the horrible clichés the contestants come out with. It was a really nice way to end a fun road trip up North.

8. Finally, this is an (admittedly slightly shoddy) photo of James Arthur, another of the acts playing our Summer Ball. Sadly, I was pretty disappointed with the performance, and opted to get a hog roast instead. Good shout I say.

Finally, courtesy of Emma, here one of the last photos of all my housemates together. I will miss these guys a lot, and I can't believe three years have flown by so quickly. Currently considering a sit down protest in my house as I'm definitely not ready to leave quite yet. 

My Week in Pictures #1

NEW FEATURE: Decided to start doing 'my week in pictures' that I'm hoping to routinely update, depending on how medial my week may have been. This week's is coming slightly late, so it now spans from last Monday - yesterday (Tues 5th June). 

Now Playing: Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines

1. Last Monday was glorious, so we decided to move our sofa outside into our (disappointingly not so glorious or sunny) garden. Best idea we've ever had, and I think I may consider a career move to a removal person...

2. Below this, Monday night is Q Bar night... for any Reading students, need I say more? Picture 2 is me and my housemate Prema.

3. On Wednesday, we headed to Anna's house in Gloucester, which has an amazing view (which sadly I don't have a good picture of), as Gloucester is a lusciously green and serene place which we are now all in love with. Picture 3 is the first night of late-night, Bachelor-watching snacking.

4. On Thursday, we went to Anna's family friend Julianna who gave us our first manicures for just a fiver. I loved the pink sparkly colour I went for, and Julianna did a fabulous job. Highly recommended!

5. The day we left ( :( ) we went to see the bluebells Forest is infamous for, and they were glorious. The top picture is my housemates Emma and Prema in the bluebells, and the picture at the bottom shows a close up.

6. On Saturday, we went to Surrey to celebrate our bonus housemate Lucy's 21st Birthday at an amazing party (as you can see by the champagne). Free bar, gorgeous buffet (which we may or may not have run to as soon as it opened) and loads of dancing... what more could you want?! Happy Birthday Lucy!

7. Last but not least, yesterday I went with my home friends to El Mariachi, a Mexican restaurant which has recently opened in Avebury Avenue, Tonbridge. I had spicy beef nachos, chilli con carne potato skins and spicy chicken enchiladas, all of which were delicious. However, perhaps my favourite part of the evening was the £3 cocktails (it was Senõritas' night... wahey!), so I (obviously) took full advantage, opting for a Piña Colada, a Chiquito and an Amaretto Choco Cream... or words to that effect. They were SO good, and I would highly recommend giving the restaurant a visit if you're in the area.

I'm now onto a week of job and internship applications, followed by a trip to Manchester, so I'll be posting more pictures very soon!

Day Five - Tunbridge Wells Food Festival

After a scrabble-filled couple of days stay with my lovely Nan, today I headed off to the Tunbridge Wells food festival, where I ate and drink a hell of a lot of definitely stayed well clear of all the food and drink samples, and had one of the best burger-like things I've ever had in my life. Thought it would make the post stupidly long if I put every single photo separately, so I decided to put them into collages... unfortunately this has cut some of the photos, not least because of my editing non-skills, so apologies for that. It was great to see so many local people enjoying LOCAL produce.

Couldn't find all the producers online, but these are ones I've found so far, and I'll add to the list if I find others:
- Arcade Fisheries (Hastings)
- Elizabeth Santer Creative Catering
- High Weald Dairy (West Sussex)
- Potash Farm (St Marys Platt, nr Sevenoaks)
- Yumptious Cupcakes
- Kieron's Game (Tonbridge)

More important, LUNCH. My Dad opted for a venison burger (seen first,) but I opted for the monstrosity that was pork belly with crackling and apple sauce. I had no idea it was going to be so big, but it was insanely good, so I struggled my way through it.

The food festival is on again down The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells. Well worth checking out if you've got the time.

Day Three - Beats, BAFTAs and Bikini Body Battles

ALBUM OF THE DAY

Bit of a long one today...

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

After 7 years without a studio album, Daft Punk are back with the collaboration-filled Random Access Memories. Since Get Lucky has already maintained four glorious weeks in the number one spot, and doesn't look to be going anywhere anytime soon (thank GOD, since it is the only song I know that has the ability to be played 24 hours a day without getting boring or repetitive), the album has a lot to live up to. There aren't many compliments I could pay this album that haven't already been said elsewhere, so I'll be keeping this to a very brief mini-review.

From the punchy opening beats of Give Life Back to Music, to the slightly strange ending of Contact, via the chilled-out The Game of Love, the musings and teachings of Giorgio by Moroder, the string-based build-up of Beyond and the old-school, disco, relaxing feel of Fragments of Time, RAM is full of brilliance and surprises, forever keeping you on your toes. Coupling a feeling of nostalgia with sounds that are as fresh and relevant as ever, RAM proves just why this duo have still got it after 20 robotic years. 

You can stream the album now on iTunes, by going to their artist page, and feel free to comment below with your thoughts and any favourite tracks!

BAFTA Fashion

In other recent news, the BAFTAs happened on Sunday [winner's list], and as expected, there were some amazing and not-so-amazing dresses all round. Thought I'd present some of my favourites here, although feel free to pop a comment below if you disagree (or agree!). All pictures thanks to Google Images... naturally.

Monochrome seemed to be the trend of choice at the awards, with Sheridan Smith, Louise Redknapp, Tess Daly, Laura Whitmore and Claudia Winkleman, to name a few, all in dark ensembles.

Some of my favourites, however, came from Zoe Hardman, who's fitted number beautifully showed off her enviably figure, and Millie Mackintosh's thigh-high Sass & Bide dress, with gold detail, showing off her long legs and slim figure. 

Away from black, nudes, whites and creams were another favourite amongst many, such as Jenni Falconer and Louise Thompson, with my favourites being Jenna Louise Colman's simple maxi dress, completed with statement clutch, and Lucy Watson's white embellished design.

Finally, a pop of colour provided many glamorous red carpet moments, from Binky Felstead's pink jumpsuit (below), to Imelda Staunton and Mary Berry showing that you can look fabulous at any age. My favourite, however, and perhaps one of the best outfits of the night came from Sienna Miller, who wore a gorgeously detailed powder blue dress from Matthew Williamson teamed with an up-do hairstyle, a simple clutch and studded heels.

Like any of these? Any favourites I haven't mentioned? Let me know :)

And Finally...

With a mere 35 days until I head off to Tenerife (TAKE ME THERE NOW PLEASE), the battle for a bikini-ready body is definitely on, so I'm ending this post with a little insight into how I've tried to start to get into shape today aka the healthiest day I've had in a VERY long time (nb. I am definitely no fitness expert!!). Starting the day with a bowl of porridge, I then completed 50 squats, 50 sit-ups and 2 minutes of butt-kicks, high knees and mountain climbers. Afterwards, I had the best Covent Garden Leek & Potato soup, with one slice of white bread (preferable wholemeal but we had none), followed by a banana. I'm hoping that a few changes here and there will help me get ready for the beach, so I will keep you all updated!