Afternoon Tea at Hotel Gotham, Manchester


Hotel Gotham is one of Manchester's newest hotels located 10 minutes away Piccadilly Gardens on King Street. The hotel is designed to replicate the glamorous 1920s in Manhattan and pays homage to the old Batman films with the name symbolising New York's alter ego Gotham and the small references to the Batman across the room. A few weeks ago I was invited down to the newly opened Hotel Gotham to see what all the fuss is about.



The Honey Restaurant at Hotel Gotham is situated on the 14th floor of the hotel and has windows overlooking Manchester's most luxurious shopping district. The restaurant itself has lots of character, with ornaments and decorations reminiscent of the 1920s to the more unique and quirky items such a old fashioned typewriters hanging off the walls.  The bar itself is a showpiece itself with lots of yellow gold finishings, making the restaurant look luxurious and opulent. There's attention to detail with almost everything in this room and everything is a visual pleasure.


The Afternoon Tea at The Hotel Gotham is based around popular Mancunian delicacies such as Manchester Tart, Eccles cake and Gotham cake. The sandwiches you can choose from consist of: Smoked Salmon, Lemon and Cracked Pepper Cream Cheese, Cheshire ham and mustard, Beef and Horseradish and Lancashire cheese and chutney. The Piece La Resistance - two home baked scones and Jam.






I found the sandwiches to be lovely and soft and flavoursome, but I was a bit disappointed in the assortment available for vegetarians. I was just given the same cheese sandwiches when most meat eaters get a variety of three or four different different sandwiches to try, but the sandwiches did taste really nice and I couldn't really complain. I loved the mix of desserts - it was great to try something different in an Afternoon Tea instead of the same old macaroons and brownies. I thought the Manchester Tart mixes in little jars were a nice touch and the Gotham cake was irresistible. Finally, the scones were cooked to perfection and I really enjoyed them. 

The Hotel Gotham Afternoon Tea is £19.95 per person and comes with a choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. If you would like a glass of champagne it is £29.95 per person. Over all I really enjoyed my experience at Hotel Gotham and would visit again when I'm next in Manchester. For the food I do think it is a little bit overpriced, but the venue and beautiful decor definitely makes up for it.


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Why Staycations in the UK are the way to go


Whilst other friends have jetted off abroad, I've always been the one fascinated with seeing more of my own country. I grew up caravaning around the UK and sailing around the irish sea on weekends and I've seen so many beautiful sights that people would be surprised that they are in the UK. I have seen dolphins in the wild swimming next to our boat, visited a group of sea otters, seen beaches that look like they are out of the movies and visited castles with a wealth of history, all without getting on a plane. Here's a few of my top reasons you should consider a UK staycation.


Beautiful landscapes
Firstly, the UK has an abundance of beautiful landscapes. From the white cliffs of dover to this idyllic little village called Beddgelert in Wales. There are so many Instagram worthy landscapes to explore right on UK soil.


Pretty beaches
The UK has so many sandy white beaches, most of which have lots of rock pools to explore where discover the local sea life and caves and caverns hidden in the cliff sides. On a beautiful summer's day, our beaches could easily rival those abroad. The image above is Durdle Door Cliffs in Dorset.


History
The UK has a wealth of history and you can see so much of this in exhibitions around the UK and all the magnificent castles at very affordable prices and sometimes even free. Everywhere you go there's a history to be uncovered from fossil finding on the beaches to visiting one of London's many museums. The UK is lucky to lots of beautiful castles, many in quite good condition considering their age. The above castle is Hever Castle in Kent.


Afternoon Tea
Finally, you cannot get more homely than a good Afternoon Tea. Afternoon Tea is a well known tradition in the UK and consists of an assortment of sandwiches, desserts and of course freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam. An Afternoon Tea by the seaside sounds like my sort of heaven.

If you fancy winning a staycation of your own, check out this Parkdean* competition and test your knowledge on some of the UK's hotspots.

Do you like staycations?

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Online Identity Theft


Online identity theft is something I've wanted to talk about for awhile on this blog as I don't think it is spoke about as much as it should be. When we go shopping and we enter our pin numbers at the card or cash machine, we do almost everything to protect ourselves, but when it comes to our online identities, we seem to be rather negligent. How many of us have entered our details on a website without thinking where they would end up? Even worse,  how many of us have sent addresses via emails even though we're always reminded not to? In the blogging world, there's a large proportion of bloggers that don't copyright their images and a lot of us are all too willing to hand over our details to someone claiming to be a PR.

A study into the rise of catfishing, identity theft and fraud conducted by My Voucher Codes discovered that a staggering 23% of social media users have had images used by some else without permission and even more concerning, a growing number of bloggers have reported online identity theft. One of the mentioned bloggers is one of my blogging friends Em from Em Talks and you can find her story here. A young girl used Em's details to obtain samples from PR companies pretending to be Em Talks. When the PR hadn't seen the coverage, they chased Em and discovered the horrifying truth that someone had been using her details. The case was passed over to the police and an official investigation began. Of course Em's situation is rather extreme and cases of online identity theft do happen a lot, but most commonly they are over stolen photographs.

Did you know that you could be fined for taking an image from Google without permission? Even if you state that you have taken the image from a search engine and credit the website, without their written or verbal consent it can be classed as theft.It often surprises how many bloggers are unaware of this and the consequences if they ever got caught. 

The main tips I would give to protect yourself from online identity theft is to: Copyright your images or any material that could be copied, be careful who you give your details to and finally do regular searches to make sure your content hasn't been stolen.

Have you been a victim of Online Identity theft?




































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The Black Swan Helmsley


Last night my husband and I spent the most wonderful evening at The Black Swan, Helmsley during our late weekend trip to the countryside and to celebrate his birthday.The Black Swan Helmsley is a 500 year old four-star boutique hotel featuring a three AA-Rosette restaurant, an award winning tearoom and exquisite pieces of contemporary art and antiques. The hotel is situated in the heart of Helmsley overlooking the bustling marketplace and is the perfect pitstop for walkers, travellers, romantics and those looking for a midway point near all the costal Yorkshire towns.

The Black Swan Helmsley has a history spanning over 500 years and was first established as a fine hostelry. Since then the hotel has taken many forms from an Elizabethan Coaching Inn to the hotel it is today. I love hotels with an abundance of charm and I'm such a history geek, when researching hotels in Helmsley, this sounded like the perfect place to visit. Add in a fancy restaurant and beautiful decor and I couldn't resist.


We arrived at the hotel promptly at 3pm for check in and we were greeted with the friendliest of smiles from the reception staff and given all the directions we would need for the evening. From entering the hotel you could see the cosy lounge area with the log fire to the left and the most beautiful paintings all across the walls. It felt warm and homely from the moment we stepped in and I couldn't wait to see our bedroom. 


The hotel room was incredibly spacious with a large king size bed, a decent sized and very clean bathroom and a hallway with a large dressing mirror. The room was full of quirky and fun items such as a teddy bear on the bed (which was so huggable, I didn't want to leave it), a retro telephone on the bedside cabinet and even a chess board underneath the television - both my husband and I are partial to a game of chess every now and then so it was a lovely to see a board in the room. The bed itself had the most luxurious fluffy duvet and gigantic pillows for optimum comfort. If I was to critique only one thing about this hotel it would be that the duvet was far too heavy for a hot summers day, but once I got comfy and relaxed, all was forgiven. 


As Sundays are often a low point of most hotels, The Black Swan Helmsley has a 'Make More of Monday's' package at £249 per couple. The package features accommodation upgrade from a classic to superior or feature room, a six course tasting menu with accompanying wines, full english or continental breakfast served in the hotel restaurant or in your bedroom and late checkout. My husband and I often splash out on hotels and that rarely includes a six course tasting meal and drinks so I think this is a pretty good offer. Plus the feature rooms are so unique that visiting The Black Swan Helmsley feels like a special and memorable occasion. If you're looking for something different and fancy taking a trip to the countryside for a special occasion, keep the Black Swan Helmsley in mind.

Have you been to The Black Swan before?

*Our stay at The Black Swan Helmsley was complimentary, but I still would have given this place an amazing review if I had paid!

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A Day in Helmsley


As a born and bred Yorkshire girl, there's nothing I love more than spending some of my time in the great outdoors. I love being surrounded by lush countryside, breathing in the country air and walking through forestland and luckily, so does my husband. Yesterday, my husband and I decided to visit a place called Helmsley situated in the North Yorkshire Moors. Helmsley is a small historic market town not too far from Scarborough, Malton and York and is a popular destination with walkers and bikers due to its picturesque scenery and abundance of country roads and pathways. 


Helmsley is a really small village, but it is packed with character and charm. From the 'Walled Gardens' to the Helmsley Castle, The Rievaulx Abbey to the quaint craft shops on the street corners, there's something for everyone to enjoy in Helmsley and in my opinion, Helmsley is a place that deserves much more recognition as a Yorkshire tourist destination.


The first place my husband and I visited yesterday was Helmsley Castle. Helmsley castle is over 900 years old and classed as an English Heritage site. The castle anciently known as 'Hamlake' is situated in the centre of Helmsley and overlooks the Duncombe Park and the Walled Gardens, both vast acres of land belonging to the Feversham family. Helmsley Castle is in pretty good shape for a ruin and also features an exhibition in the main hall of items discovered in the castle grounds and Helmsley during archeological digs. I loved visiting the castle yesterday as the sun was shining and the grounds looked so pretty. There was quite a lot to see and equally, it was just as nice to sit on one of the benches and admire the view. I've been to a lot of castles in my time and this has to be up there as one of the prettiest.


Our next stop was Duncombe Park and The International Centre for Birds of Prey. Duncombe Park is 300 acres of beautiful parkland on the Faversham family estate. Resting on the parkland is The International Centre for Birds of Prey, North England's biggest bird of prey centres. The centre features 66 species of birds of prey, daily flying demonstrations and a small but friendly cafe for refreshments. The Eagle above did not look too happy with me and the barn owl below is only a few weeks old, how cute is she?!


After a long day of walking and exploring my husband and I stayed at The Black Swan Helmsley hotel which is coming up in the post after this and had an even more amazing night. Honestly, when I looked at Helmsley on Google I couldn't find much about this village and thought it would be one of those days nice walking but we would get bored rather quickly. I couldn't be anymore wrong. Helmsley had so much to offer and with it being so close to Pickering, Scarborough and York, there's no reason to not to visit on a weekend trip. We're already planning on going back and taking my parents.

Have you been to Helmsley before?


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Slate NQ, Leeds


Last week Lizi (aka my blogging wife) and I were invited down to Slate NQ on Merrion Street, Leeds to check their new place and a play a few games of pool. Slate NQ is new pool bar and restaurant in Leeds that offers a great variety of cocktails, artisan pizzas, italian meats and deli cheeses, as well as games on their 7ft and 9ft pool tables in the main room and private Tudor Lounge upstairs.

The Slate NQ building is a little bit like a replica Tudor House with traditional Tudor style panelling on the outer walls and dark wooden beams running through the interior. This design makes the bar look unique amongst all the high rise brick built bars in Leeds and it really stands out from the crowd. The bar features two outdoor seating areas - one at the front of the building and another on a balcony upstairs opposite the Tudor Lounge. These seating areas are really clean and tidy and have lovely views of the park situated behind Slate NQ. On a summery day, I can imagine this area getting packed rather quickly.


As guests of Slate NQ, on arrival Lizi and I were led to upstairs to the Tudor Lounge, a room which is available for private hire and consists of three 9ft pool tables and its own bar.  Lizi and I were both utterly useless at pool. Neither of us had really played before and embarrassingly had to ask one of the bar staff to help us set it up and talk us through the rules. Strangely our barman told us that he often gets asked how to play and how to set up pool tables. It made me feel slightly less humiliated and both Lizi and I were thankful for the help and the fact we had not felt judged at all.



After setting up the pool table, the barman took our cocktail orders. The cocktail menu consists of 12 unique Slate NQ cocktails as well as the classics. I opted for the called named 'Summer in Leodis' comprising of my two favourite alcoholic drinks, gin and pimms. Summer in Leodis is a mix of Gins and Pimms paired with lemon, apples juices, a homemade lavender syrup and a spoonful of blackberry jam. The drink is then finished off with fresh strawberries and blueberries. The Summer in Leodis is really refreshing and not too sweet or strong.


After our cocktails, Lizi and I decided to order pizza and I ordered the large Wild Mushroom pizza with wild mushrooms, fontina, garlic and olive oil. I must admit this wasn't the best pizza I have had - I found the garlic a bit too strong because it had a lot of raw garlic clumps on it, but the mushrooms were perfectly cooked and I loved the crispy base. The pizza was large enough to fill me up and left me feeling satisfied rather than sluggish after the meal. Despite not liking certain aspects of this pizza, I'd still recommend eating at Slate NQ as the prices are reasonable and it's a nice snack whilst you hang out with friends playing pool or drinking cocktails.

Overall I would visit Slate NQ again and I'm looking forward to taking my pool fanatic husband there in the next few weeks. Slate NQ is a reasonably priced bar and perfect for an after work treat.

Have you been to Slate NQ?
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My European Bucket List


When I was growing up, I admit travel was never the first thing on my mind. In my teenage years and admittedly earlier twenties all I cared about was the more superficial things in life such as my next Michael Kors handbag or buying more MAC lipsticks than I actually needed. In fact,  I hadn't stepped on a plane in almost 10 years until my 21st birthday and that was a time when most of my friends were on gap years or going on girls holidays. Looking back I was young and naive and to be fair, aren't we all at some point? Since my trip to Thailand earlier this year, travel is all I can think about. Seeing the different culture, the beautiful landscapes and the experiences money can rarely buy inspired me. I loved feeling enriched and learning something new.  It may have taken me a few years to get bitten by the travel bug, but now I feel ready to see the world and as a much more mature person, I feel ready to appreciate the world's true beauty and learn more than I could ever read in textbooks. So here's a little run down of the top places my husband and I would like to visit next year. 



Lake Garda

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and is a popular tourist destination in northern Italy. I love beautiful landscapes, lakes and everything Italian so I think this would be a great place to visit. I would really like to rent a boat and fully explore the lake and trek along the picturesque hillside.


Paris

I have been to Paris before, but when I was a lot younger. Back then my main priorities were finding Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, now I would like to go back and visit all the tourist hotspots and dine at an authentic French restaurant. My husband and I have a friend who lives in Paris so I'm hoping she will be able to take me out to see the sights.


Budapest

Budapest is one of the largest cities in the European Union and is the capital of Hungary. A lot of my friends have been to Budapest and I have spent many hours flicking through their Facebook albums with envy. I really want to see the architecture, learn more about the country and of course cruise along the Danube.


Transylvania

As a big fan of Dracula, Transylvania has always been on my European bucket list. I've been told Transylvania is like stepping back in time to 100 years ago and that Transylvania is a great place to visit if you're a history geek like myself. My itinerary for Transylvania would consist of: SighiÅŸoara, a Saxon fortress town which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and The Mikes Estate at Zabala to watch bears.


Reykjavik

The final place on my bucket list for now would be Reykjavik to see the Northern Lights, the blue lagoons, shop at their world renowned flea markets and to watch whales from the harbour.

                                                            What's on your bucket list?







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Sunday Thoughts & Style


It feels like two minutes ago since I last did my Sunday Style post. These last few weeks have been going so fast, I don't know whether it's just my busy timetable or whether everyone else feels the same. This week has been pretty fun week and you know what they say, 'time flies when you're having fun'. My friend Lizi and I went to review a new bar in Leeds called Slate NQ on Wednesday, on Friday night I went out for my husbands birthday and yesterday I got my hair done. Unfortunately today has been spent curled up on the sofa having a bad 'RA' day. My wrists feel achy from some DIY work my husband and I have been working on and my energy levels keep dipping everyday. I've been put on some stronger tablets by my Rheumy so I'm so hoping that this fatigue and pain is only temporary. After all, I have a busy few weeks coming up including a trip to Ireland.


Today I thought I'd share with you a few of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe that I can't stop wearing recently and items that I'm looking forward to taking on the city breaks I have booked for the near future. The dress I'm wearing is from Zara and I bought this about a month ago when I was internet shopping from my hospital bed! I bought this in the Zara sale for £12.99 and at the time I thought this was such a steal. The colour is vibrant and the dress is a classic shift dress that can easily dressed up or down and suits almost any occasion. The colour red is great for adding a splash of colour into your wardrobe in both Summer and Autumn and I can see myself wearing this regularly over the next few months. My favourite way to wear this at the moment is with my cropped leather jacket.

If you follow my blog quite regularly, you will have noticed that my hair looks considerably longer in these photographs and that is thanks to my new hair extensions from Lush Hair Extensions*. These particular hair extensions are the 18" clip in full head human hair extensions. I'm not usually one for wearing hair extensions but when I have a special occasion coming up or a particularly glam event in my calendar I love wearing them. My hair is rather fine and often lacks volume so I'm always looking for ways to make my hair look really bouncy. These hair extensions are one of the best sets I have owned. They look incredibly natural, clip in really easy and match the colour of my hair perfectly. They also feel really soft, glossy and of high quality compared to some hair extensions I have bought in the past.


The next item I cannot stop wearing is my new piece of arm candy, this beautiful wooden Jord watch* I was sent all the way from America. This watch is called the Fieldcrest Natural Green timepiece and features Citizen Miyota Quartz Movement, scratch resistant material and is also designed to be splash proof.  It's the first time I've ever come across a wooden watch before and this is absolutely beautiful, you cannot help but admire the intricate carving of all the wrist strap and timepiece and I love the natural design.  The watch is approximately £88 when converter from American dollars and shipping is available worldwide.


Last but definitely not least is this fantastic Ted Baker Jackie Jewel stackable ring £22.50 (originally £45.00) from the House of Fraser  sale. I love the bright colour of the gems and the mix of rose gold and silver rings. 

What have you been buying lately?




Wooden Watches by JORD
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The Alchemist New York Street, Manchester


If you're looking for flamboyant cocktails, a night of surprise and excitement plus a great atmosphere, you can never go wrong with an Alchemist bar and restaurant.  The Alchemist has a chain of four bars: one in Leeds, one in London and two in Manchester, all of which specialise in molecular drinks curated by a team of highly trained mixologists.

Last week I was kindly invited to the Manchester New York Street Alchemist to try a few of their signature cocktails whilst I was in town doing a spot of shopping with my husband. My husband and I are regulars at The Alchemist in Leeds, but it was the first time I had ever visited one of the Manchester bars. The New York Street Alchemist is much larger than the one in Leeds. It is very spacious, has beautiful decor and a large bar where you can watch the drinks being made and socialise with your friends.

The New York Street Alchemist is just a few minutes walk from Piccadilly Gardens in central Manchester and is easy to find from both Victoria or Piccadilly train stations. The bar is conveniently situated in the heart of the Manchester shopping district enabling you to call in at your leisure whilst having a day of retail therapy and making it really easy to find on an evening if you have friends travelling from the outskirts of town. The Alchemist is more commonly associated with cocktails rather than food, but they also serve really scrumptious meals ranging from Thai food to gourmet burgers and sandwiches.


The first cocktail my husband and I had the pleasure of sampling was the Mad Hatters Tea Party. The Mad Hatter's Tea Party is one of The Alchemist's newest creations crafted from their top secret laboratory. The cocktail consists of Ketel One Vodka,  elderflower liqueur, Cointreau, citrus, gomme and water boiled up and infused with a fresh fruit mix. The mixture is boiled over a bunsen burner whilst you watch and then served up in smoking tea cups.


The Mad Hatters Tea Party not only looks spectacular, but tastes spectacular too. The cocktail is fruity and fresh and soft on the palette. It's not too strong but still packs a punch and it's every Instagramers dream. At £20 this sharing cocktail is one of the most expensive on The Alchemist menu, but it is worth buying it for the experience alone, nevermind the amazing taste.


The next two drinks brought to us were the Bubble Bath cocktail and Solero.  The Bubble Bath cocktail featured on the left is a mixture Bombay Dry, Chambord, Aperol, apple juice and a dash of sugar, whilst the Solero was a much tamer cocktail of Passoã, Ketel One, lemon and lime juice, orange and apple juice with a touch of mango syrup all garnished with white chocolate foam. I really liked the sweetness of the Bubble Bath and the way it was presented and loved the white chocolate foam on the Solero, even if it did feel a bit heavy on the stomach afterwards. 


Next on the menu was the 'Flavour Changing One'. I couldn't wait to try this cocktail as it incorporated two of my favourite cocktail ingredients - apple and raspberry. If you are someone who gets bored of your cocktail towards the end, this one is for you. It starts out with a juicy raspberry taste then progresses to a really tart, but juicy apple.  I love this cocktail because it is simple and elegant and still has a little bit of Alchemist magic. 


The final cocktail and my husbands favourite was the Vesper Martini, based off the 2006 James Bond film, Casino Royale. The Vesper Martini is a complicated blend of French vermouth, Grey Goose and Bombay Dry and comes served in it's own little hip flask that you are keep and refill once you have finished. The hip flasks are a really nice added extra to these drinks and make really nice presents if you don't want to keep one for yourself. The cocktail was far too strong for us at first, but one of the mixologists offered to add lemonade and in my opinion, it tasted so much better. 

My husband and I had such a pleasant time at The Alchemist New York Street and like always, The Alchemist didn't disappoint. If you're looking for something a little bit quirky and cocktails that are conservation makers, you really need to pay the Alchemist New York Street a visit.


Have you ever visited an Alchemist bar?

*This visit to The Alchemist was complimentary.
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Thaikhun, Manchester


There's not a day that goes by when I do not think about my recent trip to Bangkok. As someone who has barely travelled in their life, Bangkok left a long lasting impression. I loved everything from the food to the culture, the shopping and of course the people. Thailand was the first place I've ever flown internationally and the place that really stole my heart. Everyday I long to go back and see more of the country.

When I heard there was a restaurant in Manchester that was pretty much a replica of a Bangkok food market, I knew I had to visit. At least one in three foodie nights out, my husband and I dine at a Thai restaurant. We're always on the look out for more authentic Thai food and new places to visit and Thaikhun seemed to tick all the boxes. Thaikhun is an exciting new restaurant from the owners of the Chaophraya restaurant group (another one of my favourite places to eat). The interior is set to look like an authentic street market and is decorated with rustic ornaments and features a large open kitchen. The table settings feature everything you would expect to see when you visit Thailand - a handful of chilli flakes, chopsticks and of course, fish sauce. If you haven't been to Thailand, the people there will pour fish sauce onto almost anything. The word Thaikhun derives from a popular thai saying which roughly translates to 'when you dine, you feel welcome and part of our home as you would in Thailand.' 


My husband and I arrived at Thaikun at 8pm yesterday and although I expected the restaurant to be busy, I didn't really anticipate an hour and a half wait for a table. Since we set our hearts on eating at the restaurant we decided to wait it out and visit all the neighbouring bars. Luckily Thaikhun is situated in the Spinningfields region of Manchester where there's quite a lot of bars in one area. When we eventually went back to the restaurant, we were seated straight away, our orders were taken within five minutes and the staff were really courteous and apologised for the long wait.  I was really happy to see a wide selection of vegetarian meals on the menu and I opted for the deep fried sweetcorn cakes for starter and the tofu thai green curry for main. If I was being ultra picky I would have liked to see a few more vegetarian starters on the menu, but I was happy regardless.


When the deep fried sweet corn cakes arrived they were so much better than I expected. Crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. The sweet chili dipping sauce was the perfect accompaniment to this dish and I loved the rustic, street style presentation.  This was one of those starters that left you wanting more and I couldn't wait for my main to arrive.


Before I went to Thailand I used to avoid anything hot and spicy and I would often refuse to eat curries. After being introduced to Thai Green Curry my mind had been completely changed. A lot of Thai curries are based around coconut milk making them creamy and rich and full of intense flavour. The spices are just enough to get your temperature soaring and make the dish a pleasure to eat. This dish was exactly that - the tofu was succulent and soft and not overcooked like some restaurants have a tendency of doing and the creamy thai curry sauce was perfectly seasoned. I really couldn't fault it.

Our bill came to just over £30 which included two starters, two mains and a drink. My husband and I are used to paying almost double that at our favourite Thai restaurant and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of food for such an affordable price tag. The only thing that let the evening down slightly was long wait - it would have been nice if Thaikhun had an online booking system, but in all fairness it was Saturday night and they are one of the must-visit restaurants in Manchester. Was it worth the wait? Definitely, but I will be going in much earlier to reserve a table next time.

Have you been to Thaikhun before?


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Sunday Thoughts


It has been awhile since I did one of my 'Sunday thoughts' posts and today, I thought it was about time I touched base with all my lovely readers. These last few months have been a little bit of whirlwind if I'm honest and getting back on my feet since my operation was a lot harder than expected. I still having a lot of tests to rule out what is actually wrong with me, but my life feels finally back on track. I'm enjoying sinking my teeth into blogging and work, I drove on the motorway for the first time yesterday as I bought my car just before I got ill and I have barely been able to use it and I've been invited to quite a few blogging events again that has enabled me to see all my old blogging friends. Right now the only way is up and life is finally heading in the right direction. For once I'm looking forward to what the future may bring.

Current feeling...

Today I'm feeling content. Yesterday I spent an amazing day in Manchester with my other half sampling Alchemist cocktails and having a yummy afternoon tea courtesy of Hotel Gotham. We ended the evening by visiting Thaikun a restaurant that I have been longing to visit. Today my parents came over and my father spent the day with my husband building a new rabbit hutch for my little fluff ball. We are looking at getting her a companion in a few weeks time and I cannot wait. 

Currently listening to...

Cilla Black. I have such fond memories of spending Saturday night with my grandma (who sadly passed away when I was really young) watching Blind Date and my parents brought me up listening to her music.  Since she passed away I've been listening to a lot of her music and falling in love with all the tracks again. 

Currently wearing...

My new Ted Baker dress and Calvin Klein sunglasses. I have wanted this Ted Baker dress in the above image for so long. I remember walking into the store and it was pretty much love at first sight. I love the 1950s and this dress had such a retro vibe and when I tried it on, it fitted me perfectly. The only issue was that I couldn't afford the £169 original price tag. I waited weeks and checked every the website everyday to see if it had gone on sale. Eventually I found it on the Selfridges website last week for a much more affordable £90 and I bought it straight away. I've been teaming this dress up with my new Calvin Klein sunglasses from the Discounted Sunglasses*. Discounted sunglasses sell quite a lot of big name brands at discounted prices and if you're going on holiday, they are the perfect place to stock up on designer names and they have free delivery. I chose this red sunglasses as they looked a little bit quirky and the rounded style really suits my face shape. I love the gold detailing on the side of these glasses and they fit perfectly. 

Currently looking forward to...

I have quite a few weeks away booked over the next few weeks and I'm really excited. I will be visiting Helmsley on the 23rd August, a Spa on Bank Holiday weekend, Ireland at the beginning of September and I've booked Amsterdam for October.

What's on your mind this Sunday?




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Win Tickets to The Good Life Festival


Wales has always been one of my favourite places to visit and a place that has been such a prominent part of my childhood. Almost every weekend I would visit Wales to see my family or spend time on my father's boat. I had sailed with my family around most of North Wales before I could even walk, seen more than my fair share of dolphins by the age of 10 and even now, I still find that there's something magical about the Welsh shoreline. 

Visit Wales and I have teamed up to celebrate their new find a festival tool and to give one of my lucky readers a chance to win tickets to The Good Life Festival in Wales. The festival is a weekend of fun and discovery based around books, food and the great outdoors. It's the perfect festival for those who looking for something quirky and different to do on a weekend and those with a passion for culture, food and lying beneath the stars. There's everything from demonstrations from Ben Fogle, Roger Phillips and Campfire Mushroom Man to food made by Deliciously Ella. To help you relax and have some fun there's also a vintage fairground, yoga instructions, Tai Chi demonstrations and so much more. In fact, I'm jealous that I can't go.

To win all you have to do is enter the rafflecopter form before 30th August 2015. The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over.


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Holiday Packing with George, ASDA


When it comes to holiday packing I'm a girl that never likes to travel light, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Like the times when you're strapped for cash and you need to share your partners suitcase or those mini trips away where you cannot justify a 15kg suitcase for two days. The older i've got the more I have realised that I have a tendency to overpack and when I try to limit myself, I end up taking all the essentials that I need and have a lot better time as I'm not going through the endless amount of clothes in my suitcase every day trying to figure out what to wear. 

Recently I was asked to pick a few holiday essential pieces from George, ASDA. George isn't usually the place I would visit when planning my holiday outfits, but I was pleasantly surprised by their offering.  I used to associate George with older women's clothing or cheap and cheerful pieces that you would pick up at the supermarket, but the brand over the last year or so have really upped their game. When I was planning the items for this post, I found myself adding so many items to the basket that I had almost doubled my shopping budget, but in the end I did manage to narrow it down to these few pieces. 

Firstly, how amazing is this city graphic swimsuit? At £12 it's an absolute bargain. Not only is this swimsuit eye-catching, it also comes with detachable straps and padded cups to ensure optimum support and comfort. Secondly, these sunglasses are a steal at £3. They are almost identical to my Michael Kors aviators and are only a fraction of the price. I've been wearing them nonstop since I received them. If you plan on lounging by the pool with this fab swimsuit and these lovely sunnies, then why not combine them with these simply elegant gladiator sandals? These gladiator sandals will ensure your feet stay breezy and comfy and will look great with any outfit due to their versatile design. When you have picked all your pieces and need something to carry them in, George even has a wide variety of affordable suitcases from you to choose from.

George has everything from luggage to holiday gear and even an amazing selection of dresses. I have been blown away by the quality and price of these items and will definitely be checking out George again in the future.  For a trip on a budget or last minute holiday clothing, George has proved it definitely has you covered.

Have you shopped at George recently?











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The Moretti Gran Tour, Leeds


On Thursday night my friend Lizi and I were kindly invited to the press launch of the Moretti Gran Tour, a pop up four day Italian food festival in the centre of Leeds. The food festival showcases leading Italian Food vendors from across the country and their signature dishes. There's everything from Arancini to Pizza, Pulled Pork to Lamb skewers. The entry fee is £10 but for that you get two Birra Moretti beers, two dishes from any vendor on-site and a lovely authentic gelato to finish.


The first thing I noticed upon entering the festival was the amazing decor. Leeds Town Hall has been decorated to evoke the sense of an authentic Italian food market. There's wheelbarrows full of flowers, haystacks with street directions and the most beautiful lights dangling from the ceiling. The main room of Leeds Town Hall had been transformed from dull and drab to scenes that replicate the heart of Italy. 


Our first course of the evening were these wonderful Arancini balls courtesy of the Arancini Bros, London. The Arancini Bros originally started out in Melbourne making risotto balls for Melbourne's Italian expat community. As their popularity grew the two men decided to move to London and set up store where they make their own unique versions of the Italian classic dish. These Arancini balls are based on a Sicilian recipe consisting of a fried risotto ball stuffed with cheddar, mozzarella, fresh parsley and lemon. 


After devouring the overly delicious Arancini balls I made my way to Pasta E Basta, another London based food vendor. The company was founded by Fabrizio who had a vision of bringing quintessential Italian food to the streets of London and after 8 years of working in London's busiest restaurants, he made his dream come true. 


The dish I chose to sample from Pasta e Basta was the roasted beetroot gnocchi with a creamy gorgonzola sauce, toasted hazelnuts and wild rocket. The gnocchi tasted light and fresh and the accompanying gorgonzola sauce was rich but not too overpowering. I loved the slight hint of beetroot coming through the gnocchi and the toasted hazelnuts were a lovely finish as it added a nice crunchy bite to the dish.


Once I had filled myself up with yet another Italian dish, it was time to take a break and give my stomach a short rest from all the food. This leads me to one of the many highlight of my evening, the masterclass with Cin Cin. Cin Cin have been friends with the Moretti brand for quite some time and have often partnered up to host pop up masterclasses and shops across the south. Now in 2015, Cin Cin are preparing to open their first restaurant and to promote their authentic cuisine, executive chef Luke Robinson came to Leeds and decided to show us how to make the Italian classic Ravioli.


I admit, I was a little bit apprehensive about the masterclass at first. My cooking skills have never been the best and the thought of getting tangled up in pasta dough in front of a big group felt rather daunting. However Luke Robinson, who originally trained under the watchful eyes of Mr Jamie Oliver,  made the process feel relatively easy and kept us all relaxed and entertained whilst showing us the basics. 


After a few minor mistakes (mainly turning the handle in the wrong direction), I finally picked up the hang of this pasta making malarky and eventually had two perfect sheets to make my ravioli. After sorting out the dough, Luke dolloped the filling in the centre and we began making the shape with two ravioli sized cutters. Once the pasta was made Luke mixed the sauce which consisted of butter, basil and vegetable stock and garnished our dishes with pine nuts and herbs.


Even though I didn't make it all, I was rather proud of myself when I saw the completed dish. The funny thing is that I have a pasta machine at home that I bought well over a year ago but never dared to use it. Now I have been shown by a professional chef I will definitely be giving it a go and whilst I know I'm not the next masterchef, I feel confident enough not to screw it up.


After the masterclass and several bottles of beer, Lizi and I decided to go outside and grab dessert before heading home.  Our dessert was authentic Italian Gelato courtesy of Brio Gelati, a Yorkshire based Gelato company. Brio Gelati moved to Leeds from Italy in 1979 and after owning several restaurants, teamed up with Jonathan Dale and set on a journey of delivering authentic Italian gelato via their retro Piaggio Ape Classico van. The gelato options were: Pistachio, Ricotta, Limoncello cheesecake, Nutella, Moretti Beer Sorbet and different types of coffee.  I opted for the Limoncello cheesecake and it did not disappoint. The gelato was creamy, sweet and tangy and I could have easily gone back for second helpings. It was refreshing and light and the perfect way to cleanse the palate after a lot of food.


The Moretti Gran Tour was one of the best events I have been to in a long time and there's still a chance for you to visit on their last day of opening tomorrow. I would definitely recommend the festival and if you're passionate about italian food and cooking, you would be crazy to miss it. 

Have you been to a Moretti Gran Tour?
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