OOTD: Red maxi dress

Outfit:
Orange pleated maxi dress: Very*
Nude heeled sandals: New Look (similar)
Nude clutch bag: Acessorize (similar)

Very got in touch with me to see if I would like to style a maxi dress and offered me to style and review. As soon as I spotted the vibrant colour, pretty pleats and gorgeous neckline, I knew this was the one for me. It's the perfect dress for a special occasion such as a wedding but also works just as well for a weekend outing with friends. Wear with heels to dress it up or espadrille wedges to keep it more casual.

This weekend has been pretty manic! I took the long journey to Putney - only for you Hannah! - for an afternoon feast of delicious tacos. That girl sure knows how to put on a spread! It was a great afternoon consisting of too much gossiping, making me  forever grateful I took the plunge to take to those girls on the internet. This afternoon I'm off to have a look at some wedding dresses with my sister-in-law. I can't quite believe she's old enough to be getting married! Can time slow down a bit please?

Read more

How to create the perfect antipasti

As I mentioned in my Shakshuka post, Tracklements challenged me to put together two recipes. This one is my second one! It may be bit of a cheat to call it a recipe as it's so simple but who can go wrong with an Antipasti? The chilli jam tastes delicious alongside the gooey camembert and fresh crusty bread. It's always the condiments in my opinion that make a cracking spread. The chilli jam, olive oil and balsamic vinegar all play their part. Picky dinners are my favourite type of dinner, the best kind to enjoy sitting in front of the telly catching up on your current boxset. It reminds me of the festive season where you spend the whole month of December eaten buffet food.

Here I have a selection of cured meats (chorizo always goes so well with cheese I find!), juicy sundries tomatoes, pickled stuffed vine leaves, crusty bread and the star of the show - a gooey camembert. Stick it in the oven for around 20 minutes to ensure it's melted all the way through. Add some rosemary or some garlic if you fancy jazzing it up a bit more.

What's your favourite antipasti selection? As always please do show me a picture on Twitter if you end up making it!

Read more

Three places to visit with your Gdansk city card

As I mentioned in my first post about Gdansk, we were very kindly gifted city cards to help us get to know the city in depth. So many different attractions and free public transport was included so we made sure we got our use out of them! They absolutely worth it if you have quite a few days in the city to enjoy so you can make the most out of it. These are my favourite places that are included free of charge with the city card...

The Crane
One of the most defining landmarks of the city, represents Gdank's trading history with the current design dating back to 1444. Amazingly it was 80% destroyed during the battle for Gdansk in 1945. You would never have thought it! Part of the Polish Maritime Museum, it offers a fascinating insight into the port's history and the view from the very top is pretty impressive. The best way to get a feel for any city is from above it!

SS Sołdek
Sitting majestically in the port, this ship was the first one of it's kind built in Poland after the Second World War. Originally built as a coal and oil freighter, it is now part of the Martime museum in Gdansk. It's well worth exploring with a great insight into the city's shipyard history.

Church of St John
One of the special perks card users can enjoy is climbing the tower of the Church of St John. Dating back to the 1300's (I never stop being in awe of Europe's incredible history), it is now an exhibition space. But it still holds mass once week. Twice a day city card holders are able to climb the tower to be treated to great views of Gdansk.

Read more

A catch up: August 2017

House renovations
It's hard to believe that we've had the keys to our home for five months and sometimes it feels like we're making absolutely no progress. But then I glance back at pictures and realise just how far we've come. The living room is now plastered and painted with the wooden floor already laid - our sofa is coming in September. Then we can start making it feel like a home. In one room at least! My dad and boyfriend have insulated the ceiling and laid the plasterboard  so I'm hoping to order our kitchen within a couple of weeks. Sometimes I think I made an awful mistake buying a house that needed so much work doing to it but then when I see it start coming together and think it's the best thing I've ever done. Even if my bank account doesn't agree... Such a rollercoaster!

New hair
I'm growing my hair at the moment as hoping to donate it to charity. So as a result it's been in a bit of a state but Rush* offered to help me tidy it up a bit. I only had a small amount cut off the ends and my fringe tidied up but it's made a world of difference. It looks a lot healthier already and seems to be growing even more if that's possible! Rush always has such great customer service and it's a pleasure to go and have my hair cut. They even curled my hair as I mentioned I was going to a party in the evening. It's the little touches that really make an experience enjoyable.

Weddings and weekends away
September is gearing up to be a very busy month. I'll be travelling down to Cardiff for Gem's wedding then on the following weekend we also have a wedding in London where we will be enjoying a little staycation. God bless those three day weeks eh? I've got a lunch date at Hannah's too look forward to and going wedding dress shopping with my sister-in-law. One of my friend's is also due to welcome our first baby into the group. I don't feel old enough for that! It's a good job I'm staying in for the rest of August!

Read more

Recipe: Shakshuka

Brunch is one of my favourite meals of the day. In fact I'd eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Tracklements got in touch with me to see if I wanted to collaborate on a couple of recipes with one of them being a brunch recipe. I immediately thought of creating a variation of a simple Shaksuka dish. There are so many different recipes out there but this is my favourite way of doing it. Ideally you would want running eggs but runny eggs are not my speciality but it tastes just as good like this. I promise!

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
4 eggs
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 pack of feta
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp of Tracklements fresh chilli jam*
Slices of crusty bread

Method
1. Heat the oil in a skillet pan before frying the onions on a medium heat until they are a golden brown colour. Then add the peppers. Fry until soft.

2.  Throw in the garlic, cumin and the fresh chill jam and cook for another couple of minutes.

3. Pour in both tins of chopped tomatoes, turn down the heat and let it cook for around 20 minutes. Try the sauce and add a teaspoon of sugar if you think it needs sweetening up.

4.  Make four wells in the picture before cracking an egg in each hole and seasoning lightly. Pop them under the grill for around 10 minutes until the eggs are cooked with a runny yolk.

5. Sprinkle the feta over the top and serves with lots of crusty bread.

As always, please do let me know if you make then and tweet me to show me the pictures!

Read more

Why Gdansk should be your next European city break

I think I stumbled across Gdansk on a blog somewhere and soon popped it top of my list if I ever made it back to Poland. When we started planning our two week jaunt across the country, we decided to peg it onto the end. I'm very glad we did! Gdansk was my favourite city on the whole trip - there's just something so serene about being close to the water.

Located in the north of the country, Gdansk is a port city with a rich history. It's the place where the first Polish shots were fired in WWII and the place which is said to kickstart the fall of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe. Part of a 'Tri-city' with Sopot and Gydnia, the narrow, cobbled streets are perfect for getting lost and spending a few hours admiring the architecture. It's a great location to base yourself to enjoy the Polish Baltic coast.

Still fairly undiscovered, it doesn't have the insane hustle and bustle that many other popular European cities have. Sure it's busy but it isn't unbearable. The heart of the city is Main Town where you'll find numerous restaurants, cafes and bars to refuel. Check out the city's landmark Żuraw for a fantastic view over the city. Or, head to MS Sołek to find out about the rich maritime history. The European Solidarity Museum offers a fascinating insight into the Gdansk Shipyard movement that kickstarted the fall of Communism. It's worth investing the Gdansk tourist card* as you get invaluable unlimited public transport around all the Tri-City, free entrance into certain attractions and discounts off others alongside restaurants. If you're looking to really take advantage on everything on offer, it's worth investing.

But the best way to enjoy the city is to simply walk. Walk and walk and walk. Always remember to look up and don't worry about getting lost. It's a small city so you'll always find your way back home. It's so rare to find somewhere in Europe that feels so new and authentic. Make sure you visit before too many people find out about this gem of a place.

Read more

OOTD: Summer florals

Outfit:
Orange and navy floral maxi dress: Zara (similar)
Navy pillbox hat: Coast (similar)
Nude chunky heeled sandals: New Look (similar)

The day before I flew off to Poland I was invited to spend the day at Ascot with Appetiser. So my mum and I put on our fanciest glad rags and caught the train to Surrey. The races are our thing but we tend to go to Newmarket as it's easier to get too. Appetiser kindly put us up in their box with an incredible spread and unlimited fizz. It was great to watch the races from high up and we both has a whale of a time! Thanks so much for the invite guys.

I decided to pump for my trusty maxi Zara dress. It's my dress I always turn too when I have no idea on what to wear and it always delivers. The elasticated waist is great for a foodie day and the long length means it doesn't matter if you forget to shave your legs... Paired with my trusty nude sandals and a bargain fascinator from Coast I got in the sale, it was the ideal outfit for a rainy summer day.

Read more

Restaurant review: Mien Tay, Shoreditch, east London

I'm sure I've mentioned it before but Vietnamese is one of my favourite cuisines. Kingsland Road in Shoreditch is known as "Vietnamese Mile" and boasts numerous restaurants but like many places where there's a concentration of specialist restaurants, it can be hard to pick a good one. From the outside Mein Tay may not catch your attention but cast aside appearances as this will be the one you want to eat at. In my humble opinion, it's the best one on the street.

I'm not overly adventurous as I know what I like. Why fix what isn't broken? But I highly recommend the gorgeously crispy spring rolls with an addictive dipping sauce, the creamy Vietnamese clay pot chicken curry, the rare beef brisket pho and the fresh chargrilled mince pork and spring roll rice vermicelli noodles (my favourite!).

BYOB is available Sunday to Thursday with a corkage charge of £2.50 per person. But it is fully licensed if you want to purchase your drink there.

Mien Tay is amazing value for money, the food is always consistent and the location is great if you fancy heading out for a drink afterwards.  It's very rare that I visit a restaurant in London more than twice but I have been back here time and time again. Let me know if you pay it a visit! 

Read more

How to get European flights for £20 with Ryanair

People always remark how I manage to travel so many times a year so I'm about to reveal my secret. £20 Ryanair flights. Yes £20. Amazing right? Simply click on Farefinder, select your local airport and the maximum price of £20. Once you've clicked search, then the magic begins.

Book last minute
I've found the flights tend to come on sale the same month or the month before. If you're lucky, you might get them two months before like we did for Ireland. So book a period of time off work and sit and wait. I recommend to keep checking daily until something tickles your fancy. Book fast as they soon sell out!

Be flexible
I know it's good to make the most out of your annual leave by booking weekend and bank holidays. But this isn't where you're going to find cheap flights as it's when EVERYONE wants to go on holiday. So be prepared to go midweek. I tend to find Wednesdays to Saturdays work really well for finding flights.

Be willing to go anywhere
The key to this whole shebang is not to be fussy. There tends to be lots of German cities and French cities listed. Some you haven't really heard of but this is all part of the fun of discovering somewhere knew. Recently I've found a couple of cities in Denmark and you can usually find places in Ireland to venture too.

This isn't a sponsored post at all, I'm just obsessed with finding £20 flights and thought you should be all in on the secret too!

Read more

Exploring London: Anna on the Thames, Doubletree Hilton, Docklands

Sometimes London grinds you down. It's all-comsuming, frantic and tiring. But when I get to the river, there's something about being on the water that makes all those feelings disappear and I feel so incredibly lucky to spend most of my time in one of the world's beautiful cities. So as you can imagine, I was pretty happy to receive an invite in my inbox to spend the evening at the new Anna on The Thames terrace at the Doubletree Hilton.

A little bit of Barcelona has sprung up on the riverbank for the summer months. You're greeted with grey sofas, slick black tables and a sprinkling of plump Anna cushions - making it the perfect place to sit back and relax.

Staying put until September, the terrace showcases the best of what Cordoriu Cava has to offer. Choose from various different cavas ranging from sweet Anna Dulce to an Anna Blanc de Blanc. If you're feeling extra fancy opt for a sangria cocktail which I can confirm tastes absolutely delicious. Top marks!

Once you get a bit peckish it's time to try out the tasty tapas menu. We sampled a feast of meatballs smothered in a sweet tomato sauce, a classic potato bravas, bite sized pieces of squid, manchego cheese and jamon mini sandwich (my favourite!) and crispy croquettes. What could be better than some nibbles and a glass of fizz eh?

Thanks for such a lovely evening Doubletree Hilton!

Read more

Exploring London: Colombia Road Flower Market, Hackney, east London

Colombia Road Flower Market was one of those places that I knew I would love but somehow had never made it down. Now I finally have, I want to visit every Sunday!

Just a short walk from Bethnal Green Station, the street market has been drawing Londoners in since 1869. A sea of vibrant sunflowers, trendy cacti, bushy shrubs and fragrant herbs, it's an attack on your senses as soon as you turn the corner onto Colombia Road.

Taking over the road from 8am - 2pm, it's best to go in the morning to beat the crowds. But it's also fun to go during the late morning when it's absolutely heaving for the great atmosphere. Make sure you take some cash in case you see anything that tickles your fancy. The surrounding area is a great place to stop for a leisurely drink, a bite to eat and a place to people watch the hipsters of east London. 

Have you visited the market before?

Read more

Not fitting into the blogging world - and why it's ok

It's hard to believe I've been writing my thoughts down on this little space the internet for the past seven years. And what a seven years that has been. I've made friends for life and had some incredible opportunities. All down to being bored once evening in 2010 at my boyfriends house while he was watching the football.

There has also been some incredible changes in the blogging world over the past seven years. We've gone from taking photos in our bedrooms with a camera balancing on a few books on a shelf to carefully curated photoshoots that wouldn't look out of place in a glossy monthly magazine. Somewhere along the way I've forgotten how to keep up. When I first started I seemed to fit into the crazy world. We were all young girls who had found this outlet and thrived on each other's successes. We went to the same events, we worked with the same brands and became each other's cheerleaders, religiously commenting on posts.

Now the blogging world has evolved so much I almost don't recognise it - it has taken on a life of its own. It's now a full time job filled with girls completely kicking arse. And now it's become somewhere where I don't have a place. Somewhere where I feel slightly irrelevant. My blog isn't really anything. My photography isn't going to set the world alight. I don't have an amazing fashion eye to shoot magazine worthy campaigns. I'm still awkwardly posting looking at my feet. I'm no longer top of brands lists to collaborate with. Sometimes I feel like I should just call it a day. Maybe deep down I just don't want to work at it. Maybe this is why I sometimes I feel so disconnected from the blogging world.

But then I look at seven years worth of posts and I feel proud. Proud that I've managed to keep this going for most of my adult life. Proud that so many brilliant brands have thought my blog was worthy of a collaboration. Proud that over the years my content has consistently got better even if it isn't up there with the best. Proud that people still read my words I pour into this space. Proud that this blog has become an extension of who I am. It's simply something that I don't think I could ever give up. So really it's ok I don't fit into the blogging world.

Sometimes not fitting in is the most fun of all.

Read more