Lifestyle Blogger
It’s that time of year again, time to get cosy and comfortable with Mary Berry & Tom Kerridge at the BBC Good Food Show! Plus last year’s Bake Off winner, Nadiya Hussain will also be there baking up a storm I expect. Some of Britain’s most popular chefs will be demonstrating at the show so you can learn some top tips and check out their prized recipes straight from the mouths of the experts!
I’m very much a home bird usually but recently I’ve been a bit of a social butterfly with so much going on. It’s the festive season, there’s always a lot happening around this time of year! But, saying that, I do love a good night in with my nearest and dearest. Whether it’s the girls or just my partner in crime, an evening on the sofa is sometimes just what you need when you’ve had a busy week at work.
Interior design and decorating my home is one of my favourite things to spend money on. Of course, I love beauty and shopping for clothes but you’ll probably more likely see me buying a fresh and fancy cushion than a new blusher!
I picked up this Homebase Chrome Ball Floor Lamp the other week to add yet another light source into my living area in the flat. We already have a large black and chrome oversized lamp in the opposite corner and usually just have the two of them on and this gives a really nice light to the room as opposed to having the ‘big’ light on. For just under £30 I thought this pretty Homebase number was super good value and it looks much more expensive than it actually is. I love a bargain! It’s sitting pretty next to my minimalist frame wall and my plant stand which usually houses fresh flowers (when I remember to buy them!).
Having my tea out is one of my favourite hobbies. Yep, eating out is definitely a hobby, it’s 2016, I can claim that, right? Our latest trial was Coast To Coast in Victoria Centre, Nottingham. The all-American inspired restaurant is supposed to give you a taste of anywhere in the USA that you’d want to visit. Now, I don’t know really how authentic things are because I’ve only been to New York for a couple of days so I’m just going to rate it on the usual benchmarks…
When a hotel room is at least 3x the size of your flat you know you’re about to have a great night, right? The Titanic Hotel Liverpool suites are absolutely ridiculously huge and beautiful and we had an awesome time. We paid for a standard room which looked incredible in itself but we managed to wangle an upgrade when we said it was our anniversary. I mean, if you don’t ask, you don’t get and we just thought we’d try it!
The idea of eating in order to lose weight is often thought of as a bit of a weird thought. After all, most ‘diets’ tell us that in order to shed the pounds, we need to limit our diet. In many cases, it certainly can be. After all, if you are already eating a poor diet full of saturated fats, and not exercising enough to burn off the calories, you are going to put on weight. With this in mind, many people continue to eat the same diet, but just less of it. When we restrict food from ourselves, our bodies realise we are hungry and can go into starvation mode. When this happens, our bodies survivalist instinct kicks in and it does all it can to hold on to the few calories it is receiving. Instead of processing certain fats through the body, our body tries to hold on to them to keep what it perceives as its diminishing fat stores afloat. It is for this reason that people on a very low-calorie diet actually stay the same weight as they were before.
This ASOS Parka has been glued to my back ever since the temperatures dropped because it’s so cosy and surprisingly warm when it’s all buttoned up and you’ve got a scarf on and the hood up! Cosy as anything. You can usually find me in a Breton top, this New Look Striped Top, (similar here) was a bargain a few months ago at under a tenner and I’ve had so much wear out of it. I just love a classic striped top because they always go great with skinny jeans. My skinnies of choice at the moment are the Topshop Black Jamie Jeans. Finally, these Deichmann Loafers have made their way into my winter wardrobe. I’m usually a trainers girl through and through but occasionally it’s nice to wear an actual pair of shoes!
It’s official, we can 100% talk about Christmas now because we’re well past Bonfire Night and there are no more specific holidays or events to come before the big C. Yes! Well, I’ve already started my Christmas shopping because I like to spread the cost and I like to pick things up, as and when as I see them. How do you shop? Are you a last minute shopper or a ready-since-August kinda person? Either way, I like to get a few off the wall gifts when I’m shopping for my family and friends!
I couldn’t think of a more exciting title for this outfit because it’s simple and basic and just what I’ll be wearing for probably the next sixth months. Well, variations on a theme, anyway. Comfortable jeans, a cute jumper (this one has surprise stars embroidered on the elbows!), Converse and a cosy coat.
Need cake, epic hot chocolate, freak shakes, pancakes with bacon and coffee in your life? You need The Pudding Pantry in Nottingham. Located super close to Victoria Centre is this teeny tiny cafe that’s packed with character and insane cake. This has been one of my favourite places to head on a weekend for ages and I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t actually featured them on my blog before.
