A weekend with my bestie

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blog, Bridesmaid, food, friends, fun times, lifestyle blogger, London, Oyster Shed, Uk Blogger, weekend away

Last month I got to spend a weekend with one of my most favouritist people. Miss Rebecca Higgins, former roommate and ultimate babe is my wedding twin (weddings a month apart and got engaged within a week of one another) and I also have the huge privilege of being B’s bridesmaid, something which fills me with such warm gooey feelings you wouldn’t believe it!

The main reason for the visit was to make a start on her amazing favours which I have offered to help B with, these are top secret (but so frigging cool) I’ll share some pics after her wedding so not to ruin the surprise! But we also managed to squeeze in some fun (obviously)

On the first night we went out for a super lovely dinner at the beautiful Oyster Shed on the Thames and B also treated me to a morning of hot yoga and a swim at her super swanky gym (seriously if my gym was like that I’d never leave haha)

We also browsed Selfridges dress department with bridesmaid dresses in mind and had some lunch!

For two brides to be we’re very cool with relaxing the diet and putting good food first! haha!!

Here’s to you B, Bestest friend and beautiful bride to be…. roll on the next 10 months of planning and gossip and goodtimes xxx (ps, how beautiful is london at night?)

 

Southsea Food Festival 2016

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blog, blogging, Food Festival, food market, Shop Local, shopping, southsea, things i do

Every year I make a point of trying to get down to the Southsea Food Festival. You can read previous posts here and here.

As mentioned in the previous re-uni-on post, we paid a quick visit with the uni gal crowd on Saturday, but not being able to have a proper rummage I went back again on Sunday and had another look around.

Unfortunately not all the stalls were the same (I had some amazing spring rolls from a little family run stall on Palmeston Road which weren’t there second time round) but I still managed to buy some nice cheese, some herbs, a bit of paella for lunch and some arancini balls for dinner!

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon… I even took myself a cheeky little tequila frozen cocktail home… hey it was hot!

 

Rural Show with the Keates Clan

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blog, fair ground, family, Family Day out, Hula hooping, Merry-go-round, Rural Show, southsea, Southsea days Out, Southsea Seaside & Rural Show, uk blog scene, Uk Blogger

Earlier this month I was joined by the Keates’ clan we we headed out into the Southsea Sunshine to check out the Rural & Seaside show…

The Rural and Seaside Show is a free family fun event which includes all the things a rural show should: ferret racing, heavy horse displays, donkey rides, dog show, welly throwing, sheep grazing, sheepdog displays, geese, market stalls, Punch and Judy, classic cars, children’s rides, face painting, refreshments and much more… Phew…

In their own words ‘The Rural and Seaside Show celebrates traditional seaside entertainment and brings in elements of life in the countryside that we don’t see in a city, creating a ‘village by the sea’ feel.’

I don’t know about that but we enjoyed watching horses, eating ice cream, hula-hooping…. and well we may not have enjoyed quite so much the merry-go-round (apparently they’re terrifying for 4 year olds/amusing for parents trying to give repeated words of encouragement every 32 seconds) ha ha

Till next Year…

A Toddler at The Dockyard

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blog, days out, Dockyard, Family Blog, Family Days Out, family time, Historic Dockyard, portsmouth, The Historic Dockyard, Uk Blog

A little while back D,C & L joined Mumma, Maxwell and I for a day out at the Dockyard.

I’ve written about Portsmouth Historic Dockyard before and what a great resource it is to have literally on our Doorstep! The Dockyard with a toddler however was a little different (as most things are I’m sure)

We started the day as all good days out should begin, with lunch, stickers and being terrified of your Dad’s Zoolander impression…

After lunch (with complimentary balloon of course) we headed into the Dockyard for some wonky head shut eyed posing… It’s all the rage don’t ya know!

We decided to begin with Action Stations, somewhere in the Dockyard I’d never been before.

Set in a historic boathouse (built somewhere between 1845 and 1848) Action Stations is a high-tech, interactive indoor attraction which features a unique series of physical challenges, simulators and technological experiments, which put visitors at the heart of the modern naval experience.

It was actually fab, more targeted for slightly older kids (Lilly is only just two) but she absolutely loved the Sky Tykes rope course (built especially with little ones in mind) It’s a series of rope bridges and balance beams with no set route or time limit so they can go round and round and round and round! (You get the picture) She was great though and got really confident with the different obstacles… The fact she’s strapped in with no where to go probably helps too!

After that there was just enough time to make a few important Naval phone calls then we headed on…

We decided to check out the recently opened M.33. HMS M.33 is not only the sole remaining British veteran of the bloody Dardanelles Campaign of 1915-1916, but also of the Russian Civil War which followed. The ship is one of just three British warships from World War I still in existence.

It was fab… I was lucky in that i was actually allowed to step foot on it before the restoration as we did a photoshoot on board for a project I organised but the renovation and tour we had was brilliant.

I admit it’s probably not the most interesting place to be if you’re 2, but I think when she’s about 4/5 she will love running round the ships and pretending to be a sailor!

So there you have it…. a few pics from our whistle stop Dockyard Tour…. We brought annual passes as they’re so cheap so we’ll definitely go back again sans toddler and continue to do so… In the mean time a touristy snap of family in front of big boat… check!

 

Nothing but Her

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blog, Blogger, bloggin, Emma Breschi, Fashion, fashion film, feminism, girls in media, Girls on film, london film maker, Nothing but her, uk blog scene

You know when you see something and it just resonates with you?

Well the other day a friend shared a short film online that she was featured in.

The film; NOTHING BUT HER has a focus on fashion but explores and profiles 11 women in today’s society.

The film-maker, Emma Breschi is an Italian/Filipino beauty herself and in addition to making films & taking photos in London, she also occasionally steps in front of the lens too..

Emma explains her thoughts behind the film: “Weaving each and every narrative into one story that intends to celebrate modern women and empower young women to embrace your own individually and what it means to be a woman!”

To me, what is so powerful, isn’t only the empowering and individual women who are featured but the poem that is spoken throughout.

I’m not sure who wrote it or where it came from but I adore the words…. So much so that I attempted to share them with you today (apologies if I got some bits wrong… I’m positive I did)

So with Emma’s permission here is her film; NOTHING BUT HER and below, my attempt of sharing with you the spoken words which I think are so awesome.

NOTHING BUT HER a film by Emma Breschi from Emma Breschi on Vimeo.

When she was young, with her long and silky curls

her mumma always told her ‘Honey, you’re more then just a girl’

now she may not feel so pretty, but a diamond in the rough

she’ll never have to worry, cos she’s always good enough.

 

When her lips are always kissing, Girl, Those lips are never blue

Soft fingertips will have a grip, that she does hold on to.

Don’t need no four-leaf clover, rabbit’s foot or good luck charm

With a flick of the wrist and a shake in a hip she’ll find herself in those arms.

She will be heartbroken, though she’ll never get a bruise

And if she plays that game called love she knows she just cant loose.

 

They wonder where her secret lies, the truth it is behind her eyes

The window to a very soul, something we’ve all been told before

A one-track mind with a one track heart

And if she fails she’d fall apart

But hey that’s life it’s all a test, it’s not that bad when you feel like you’re the best

 

So lets raise a glass to the girls with sass

Celebrate it baby let’s liberate young ladies

And to that we say, remember this,

beyond all that glitters, social flair and fancy fur

There is just no meaning, for its nothing but her.

 

If you want to check out more of Emma’s work you can visit her Vimeo page or website. You can also find her on instagram, twitter & facebook.

As as for the awesome women who featured in the film here they are:

Helena Lester-Card | Heidi Petite | Daisy Chandley | Aimee Foy | Clea Martin
Jennifer Boctor | Coral Kwayie | Lena Abbas | Portia Ferrari | Fay Douglas

Lilly Turns Two

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auntie, birthday party, blog, celebration, cute kids, family, kids, Lilly, turning 2, Uk Blog

A little while ago I shared with you the present I made for my darling niece (you can see it here) I thought it was only right that I shared some photos of the little lady too on her 2nd birthday party weekend.

Now I know I’m biased but she really is the most amazing little girl! She had a small party with family and a few of her little mates… an afternoon tea party, an easter egg hunt and a brand new slide… what more could any two year old want?!

one | opening special cards with ma & pa

two | such serious tasks take serious concentration

three | a close look at special book cover notes from uncle maxwell

four | with grini

five | time for cake

six | butterfly cookies

seven | sunshine, shades and slides

eight | a pretty special present from grini

nine |a favourite umbrella

10 Most Wanted: A Valentines Day Special

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10 Most Wanted, blog, blogging, gifts, Lotales 10 Most Wanted, romance, Romantic Night In, Uk Blogger, Valentines, valentines day

With Valentine’s Day just round the corner I have put together another Valentines 10 Most Wanted for you, you can see last years here if you’re interested…

We’ll be having another relaxed, romantic and quiet affair… saving for the big day means extravagant weekends away are out of the question… so we’ll be out trolling charity shops in the day and enjoying a romantic evening in. I have done a few sneaky bits to make the day a bit more special but incase you needed some inspiration here’s some suggestions:

one | make some homemade chocolate truffles that you know he’ll love. two | light a beautiful scented candle. three | buy an awesome card. four | treat yourselves to some beautiful flowers. five | put on some special underwear that makes you feel amazing. six | apply a kiss friendly red lip tint. seven | get cosy with an awesome cushion. eight | pop a bottle of his favourite fizz. nine | bust out your special glasses. ten | dust off your favourite records and record player and lay back and enjoy.

(all links were working and correct at time of post)

An American Tale 14/14

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blog, Disney Holiday, Engaged, Family Holiday, holiday, Holiday Blogger, Magic Kingdom, new year, New Year in Disney, Orlando Holiday, Walt Disney

So…. Our last full day had arrived…the first day of 2016… How time flies when you’re having fun!

Unfortunately we spent the majority of the day packing and trying to squeeze in everything we bought into our cases (who’s smart idea was it to buy a Christmas Tree… ha!) Luckily I hadn’t brought a lightsaber (cough cough… ha) 

When we weren’t packing we were playing (being beaten) at pool and table tennis in the games room/garage. We enjoyed one last swim in the pool that I knew I’d miss and then, because we felt like we should, we headed back to Disney one last time to really say our goodbyes….

We were clever and booked the fast pass for 2 of our favourite rides (Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain) but first up we decided to catch the Magic Kingdom World Railroad on a tour of the park…

After that we did the rides (as good as we remembered and even better when you didn’t have to queue) and then headed towards the huge paddle boat which we’d been wanting to ride since our first night in Disney…

On a tour round the lake my love was in his Shipwrights element! and it was all quite dreamy being all light up on the dark lake!

After the boat ride (with a feather friend nearby) we watched the lovely new years day fireworks which were all about making a wish and that wish coming true!

Then it was time to say farewell to and get a cheesy photo in front of the castle…
Then it was back down Mainstreet, a few more shops and one last portion of Disney Fries…

Then we really did say goodbye to Walt one last time…

 

An American Tale 13/14

Tags

American Holiday, blog, holiday, Holiday Blog, House of Blues, New Years, New years Eve, Orlando, Orlando Holiday

New Years Eve and very nearly the end of our holiday! 😦

I honestly cant remember what we did on New Years Eve in the morning (That’s what happens when you’ve been back to work for half a week) but as there’s no photographic evidence I’m guessing it’s safe to say we had a very lazy morning, eggs for brekkie then book/pool kinda action… as the day wore on we decided to tidy ourselves up a bit and go out and have a little NYE fun….

I’d booked us a table at The House of Blues, and whilst we would have loved to have gone to one of the bigger parks and see the NYE fireworks, we didn’t feel it was worth the over filled parks, pushy shovey people and then queueing to get home for over an hour…. plus I wanted to have a celebratory drink with my fiancé and toast in the new year with him… something he couldn’t really do if he was having to drive us all home….

So we headed back to Downtown Disney and as one of the only Disney destinations that wasn’t doing fireworks we were pleasantly surprised at the easy car parking situation! Yay!

We decided to do a bit of shopping first, after a brief trip into the Harley Davidson shop with my love (who being a boy needed to sit on the massive motorbikes) we split up so the girls could do girly shopping, the boys, boy shopping… I headed back to a shop that had caught my eye on an earlier visit and preceded to treat myself to a couple of playsuits and a fringed suede jacket! bags in arms I then headed to the House of Blues and got myself a daiquiri and watched the bands set up outside whilst waiting for the others to join us….

We then headed in and had ourselves a proper little feast…. I went all authentic and had spinach and artichoke dip to start and shrimp and grits for main! Yum!

Tummies full we headed back to the house, skyped the future in laws and had ourselves a little pool party!

We saw in the New Year in the pool, listening to the fireworks from across the parks and watching a live feed of them on the ipad! haha…

And there you have it…. 2015 done.

 

An American Tale 11/14

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blog, Blogger, holiday, Holiday Blog, Holiday Blogger, Orlando, Orlando Holiday, Universal Studios, Universal Studios Orlando

Day 11 = Universal Studios.

We’d dabbled in Universal Studios at the very beginning of our holiday when we did Harry Potter but we didn’t go anywhere else in the park so today was the day to tick off as many things as Universally possible…. with limited days left in our holiday and our energy levels dipping we decided to do just 1 day here and cram it all in!

The day was hot and the queues were long… with no fast passes we had accepted we’d be waiting in queues quite a bit, but I must admit, we hadn’t quite anticipated the 3hr+ wait times…. arghh….

We’d been very sensible and planned a route and order for the day, but that didn’t last long I must admit..

We started the day off with Shrek 4-D… like all the 4-D simulator type shows I’d experienced on our holiday I blooming loved this… 3-D things flying out into your face a seat that moved as you galloped along with Donkey and the odd squirt in the face… obviously fun times a plently….

We’d then planned Transformers but not with that wait, so we saw a few of them lurking round the edge of the block but sadly didn’t get to experience the ride

So…. passing on Transformers we moved on to Krusty Land and joined our favourite yellow animated family….

Joining the HUGE queue we watched an endless string of Simpsons clips as we crawled along in the queue. When we finally got the the front the ride itself was again really good, and saw you crashing your way through Krusty Land and going on the worlds worst/best rollercoaster… Fun times!

After the ride we grabbed some food (and a well deserved cold drink) and checked out a few more Springfield landmarks and well known residents…

Next up was the men in black ride which I presumed was something it wasn’t and actually wasn’t that great, luckily we joined the single rider queue so we only waited about 10 minutes!

Then the boys and girls split up so the boys could queue for Transformers and the girls could check out some shops, grab some tator tots and secure a good spot for the Macy’s Christmas Parade….

After a little food fuel, the sun set and the huge parade began… Borrowed balloons and floats from NYC Macy’s Thanks Giving Parade lined the streets and we sat on the curb for a while and enjoyed the festivities whilst the boys crammed in another couple of rides…. (Transformers, The Mummy & the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit)

When the parade finished Freya and I made a mad dash for the Mummy Ride (on recommendation from the boys) even joining the end of the parade in our rush to take advantage of the incredibly short single rider queue…. Our efforts paid off, we went straight on and this ride was fab!! Lots of mummies jumping out on you and flames everywhere… lots of pitch black backless rollercoastering…. lots of fun!

And there you have it, another day, another park done! yay!