Mothers Day Lunch

This weekend was Mothers Day here in the UK so on Sunday I headed to Essex to spend the day with my family. My sister invited me and my Mum over for Sunday lunch, although she forgot to mention that I would be cooking! Luckily I enjoy cooking so I didn't mind. Once the food was in the oven and the veg was prepped, we got onto the all important business of a good girly catch up and gossip over a bottle of wine.

I hadn't seen everyone for ages and it was lovely spending time with niece and nephew

Soon enough it was time for dinner. Pork with roast potatoes and veg was the dish of the day. There was cheesecake for pudding but that got demolished before there was anytime for photos!

My Mother hates posing for photos but I managed to sneak a few. Doesn't she look lovely!

And here is a very rare one of the two of us...

A few more random snaps from our afternoon together...

It was such a lovely day. Must do lunch with the fam more often.

Girls Weekend in Liverpool

As a belated birthday present to my friend Jess, this weekend we headed to Liverpool for a night out. Celebrations started on the train with a bottle of bubbles, and a couple of hours later we arrived.

After getting dressed up we headed out for cocktails

Next up was dinner at Circo, where we were treated to an impressive freakshow performance during dinner.

Birthday girl was invited to the stage to perform!

Dinner was lovely. I had the confit if duck to start, pork belly for main and a hazelnut and chocolate brownie for dessert.

We woke up the next day with sore heads all round. After refueling with a fry up we took advantage of the good weather to blow the cob webs away with a stroll around the docks.

 We had an amazing time and want to make it an annual trip. The last time we went to Liverpool together was 7 years ago. Here is a little then and now picture.

Kicking the January Blues

January can be a depressing time. Pay day feels like a lifetime away, the mornings are dark, it's cold and rainy and it feels like there is nothing to look forward to. Well all the above is true but I've decided that this year I am going to enjoy January.

First off, dry January. Bare with me. I know the thought of giving up alcohol for a month doesn't seem like a happy one but the effects have been surprising. No weekend hangovers means I have been waking up a lot earlier and going out and doing stuff rather than lazing on the sofa, which can be a very tempting past time at this time of year. No alcohol means that eating out is very cheap. Grab your friends and a Taste Card and try a restaurant that is normally a bit out of your price range. 

Exercise. It seems that everyone is trying to shake off the excess of Christmas and focus on being healthy. Take advantage of this new found motivation to cultivate some healthy habits. I love running but hadn't done any exercise in 18 months, until now. I forgot how good the 'high' is after a run. My aim is to get those endorphins racing regularly.

Pamper sessions. When it is cold, dark and raining and you don't want to go outside, have a mini home spa. Run a hot bubble bath (don't skimp on the bubbles!), light some candles and grab a magazine. Follow that with some exfoliation, and open that posh moisturiser you got for Christmas. Then give yourself a manicure and pedicure. I love a pamper session followed by an early night in fresh sheets and pj's.

Happy January!

Summer Round Up

It's officially autumn here in the UK, or "fall" as our American cousins call it. That said it doesn't quite feel like autumn yet. The sun is still blazing, definitely no chill in the air and no sign of autumn leaves - yet! This Summer has been a really good one. Lots of time spent with friends, old and new and a whole host of memories made. This post is a round up of my Summer and everything that made it great.

There have been a LOT of girl's nights out! 

This was taken one Friday evening on one of the first warm summer days. We all met up in the City after work for a few drinks and ended up throwing shapes on a dance floor until late into the night. I love nights like this.

Here are a few more snaps from nights out with the ladies

And then there was Lovebox. Music festivals tend to scare me (mainly the fear of camping and mud) but Lovebox is a non-camping festival and we go on the first day. This was the third time I have been and each year the group gets bigger! I absolutely love this shot...




And this little lady got hitched! This is the bride to be taking pride of place at her hen do which kicked off in a cheeky little Mexican restaurant in Greenwich

And here are some snaps of us hens getting into the Mexican spirit

After lining our stomachs with a Mexican feast, we whisked the bride to be to party the night away. And party we most certainly did! This has to be my favourite snap of the night...

I believe that waking up in the morning with remnants of the night before is a sign of a good time had...

Following the hen do was the wedding, and this one was truly beautiful. Here is a gorgeous photo of the new Mr and Mrs...

And check out the beautiful bridesmaids...

A whole bunch of us turned 30 this year, and we celebrated. Hard, at every possible opportunity

The only person I didn't get to see this Summer was my best friend who lives in Sydney. We may be apart in body, but we're together in spirit - mainly vodka.

And here we are...

I can't complain, this really has been an awesome Summer.