Baking gingerbread biscuits with Amy Beth Ellice!

On Monday evening I thought I would try doing some baking! 

I was sent this lovely signed book by Amy Beth Ellice in a competition that I won. 

It contains all year round recipes for all different kinds of occasions, including Christmas and Mother's Day!

I decided to make Christmas themed gingerbread biscuits.

It was a fairly simple process; however I won't give too much away; more info in her book 'Amy's Baking Year'. You can buy it at all good bookshops including WHSmiths and Waerstones. Retail price at £14.99!

The ingredients

The book

The first step

Kneading and cutting

Just before it went into the oven

The finished product!

Have you done any baking recently? I would love to know what your favourite recipe is! :)

Dishoom restaurant review!

Last week I went to Dishoom in Kings Cross with a friend for dinner.

Dishoom is a 'bombay cafe' restaurant inspired by the old Irani cafes of Bombay in the 1960's, there are now fewer than 30 that remain! This vintage style restaurant has both an unique quality and a traditional Indian atmosphere.

There are currently 3 Dishoom restaurants in London; Shoreditch, Covent Garden and Kings Cross being the latest to open. 

The place was huge, spread over 3 floors with a bar and seating area. It was dimly lit creating a more casual/laidback vibe to it. 

As soon as we stepped into the restaurant we were greeted with welcoming staff and our waiter went through each dish explaining what they were; being very informative and professional at the same time.

We ordered a dish called Bhel for our starters. This consisted of puff rice, pomegranate, tomatoe, mint, onion, lime and tamarind. It was something different and was very tasty.

For our mains I ordered the Chicken Tikka (boring i know) and my friend, being veggie, ordered the Gunpowder potatoes. We ordered some rice and naan bread as our sides.

For drinks I ordered the Nimbu Pani which was just a lemon cooler and my friend ordered a Lassi, which is a yoghurt based drink.

 

We were stuffed and had no space for dessert afterwards which was a shame as I probably would've liked to try some different types of Bombay desserts! Maybe next time!

The food was flavoursome and filling, less greasy and more tasty than your usual Indian takeway place.

My friend kept on saying how I should've tried different dishes, more exotic ones which she was probably right about!

The bill came to just over £30 including service charge. 

Overall, the staff were friendly, the food was good and the place was spacious. However, it was slightly overpriced. I would go again and I give this place a 7/10.

Have you ever been to Dishoom before or would you like to try this place out now? Let me know! :)

My Christmas Wish List!

It's Christmas in 18 days! :O

Here's a quick list of the things I'm hoping to find under my little Christmas tree this month!

- A guitar (I really want to start learning)

- Daisy by Marc Jacobs

- Tickets for Taylor Swift at British Summertime Hyde Park

- This USB cup warmer http://www.findmeagift.co.uk/gifts/hot-cookie-usb-cup-warmer.html?gclid=CO6ouN-ItMICFYKWtAodER4AQQ (It's so cute!!! I may just buy this as a Christmas present to myself :P)

That's about it really!

What's on your Christmas wish list this year? :)

Albums Reviews/Top Picks this Autumn

There are a couple of albums that I have fallen in love with that I want to share with you all!

The first is Taylor Swift's - 1989! Most of you have probably heard all the songs by now but I am literally obsessed with them all at the moment! Each song is so unique! I think 'Wildest Dreams' sounds like a Lana Del Ray song?! Is it just me? The style and tones makes it sound like a Lana song. My fav track would have to be 'How You Get The Girl'; it's so catchy and upbeat, I love it! A perfect Monday morning song. I didn't buy the deluxe version, so I'm not sure how some of the bonus tracks sound but I'm sure they're all fantastic too!

The next is Pvris - White Noise. I actually found out about them through Instagram and Twitter and I'm glad I did because they are amazing! They sound quite similar to Paramore/We Are the In Crowd. But they are definitely very unique which I like. I love their tracks 'Fire', 'Holy' and 'Ghosts'. Deffo check them out if you get a chance, I think they're gonna get really popular within the next year or so!

Last but not least I have recently discovered 'Morning Parade' and their album 'Pure Adulterated Joy'. They remind me of an old school The Kooks and have a really lovely mellow sound to them. Their tracks are soft but powerful at the same time and they are the perfect soundtrack for a Sunday afternoon! I will deffo see if I can catch them on tour next time!

What do you think about these artists/albums? Any others that you think I should be listening to?

Let me know in the comments below! :)

Quick Update/Thoughts/General Life

Hi everyone!

I've got an exciting couple of weeks ahead. I'm turning 21 on the 30th November! Ekkkk! So that's quite huge. Although I still feel like a little kid inside! 

Got quite a couple of gigs coming up that I'd like to share and see if anyone else has got tickets/going to the same date as me?!

 So, I'm seeing Tonight Alive on the 25th November @ KOKO London. They're an Australian pop/rock band, definitely check them out if you haven't heard of them before. Their album 'The Other Side' is a killer and I can't wait to see them live!

I'm also seeing the incredibly talented Nina Nesbitt on the 2nd December @ Union Chapel, Islington, London. She has supported Ed Sheeran and Example in the past, I've already seen her live a few times. However this show is all acoustic, so I can't wait to hear her album 'Peroxide' with just  her and her guitar! Bliss!

Finally, I'm going to Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball on the 6th December at the world famous o2 Arena in London. The line-up includes, Take That, The Script, One Republic, Union J, The Vamps and loads more! I'm really excited about this one as every year it is always a great show and never disappoints.

Also, work is very busy atm leading up to Christmas and as I work alongside bloggers I'm always wanting to get to know more and more bloggers from around the UK! So if we haven't spoken yet, drop me a comment or an email and let's chat! :D

xoxo

Online/Independent Clothing/Jewellery Sites that I have discovered!

Hi guys, I thought I would make a little blog post on all the independent websites I have come across recently within the past few months that I think you all might enjoy!

The first is MADE fashion, run by Olivia Drury. This has personalised and unique clothing pieces with a small price tag. The likes of Cara Delevigne have been spotted in a personalised jumper!

I purchased my jumper with my initials 'UC' on it. You can choose from either navy or grey with red or navy lettering. It came in a cute packaging finished with ribbon and a label. The website is http://www.madefashion.co.uk

 

The second independent store is Literary Emporium, run by the lovely Rio. She makes jewellery and stationery based around works of literature. I have a couple of pieces from this store as I love it so much! Everything is so unique! You can either buy from 'notonthehighstreet' or http://www.literaryemporium.co.uk 

The third is Fashion Union. I would describe this as similar to 'Missguided or Pretty Little Thing' and has killer clothes to suit every type of girl. The clothing is affordable and in line with the fashion at the moment. I haven't purchased anything from there yet but watch this space! You can find their stuff at http://www.fashionunion.com/ 

Other stores I would recommend would be: Thrift Store, Fawn Clothing and Revolva Vintage.

Any other sites/shops you would recommend? :)

Weekend in Southampton - Restaurant Reviews

So last weekend I went to Southampton to visit my friend that goes to university there.

We went to a couple of restaurants including Trago, Loch and Fyne (Winchester) and 7 Bones.

Trago is a bar/restaurant in Southampton. There was no-one to greet us at the door and instead you just find a table and sit down. We went up to the bar to order our food, I ordered the mac n cheese (I was craving it!) with kale and cauliflower. We were prompted that there would be a 45 minute wait and it took over 50 minutes for mine to arrive! If this was London, complaints would be out the door! Everything seemed so chill here. The atmosphere was quite nice, no noisy drunk men or overly loud ladies. The portion size was small and I was a bit disappointed. Whilst the food was average, I felt like I could've eaten another plate! I would give this place a 6/10.

On Saturday, we went to Winchester for the day and stopped at a fish restaurant called 'Loch and Fyne' for lunch. We were greeted by friendly staff instantly and I knew I was going to have a great restaurant experience already. We chose from the set menu which was 2 courses for £10.25. I chose the mackerel and bread for starters then I had mussels with fries for my main. The food was amazing! Although there was a bit of a wait for the waiter to come and take our order it was soon dismissed as he apologised several times for this. I was so full afterwards and my wallet wasn't much lighter which is a bonus! I would give this place a 9/10. I would definitely come here again.

On Sunday we went to 7 Bones. Which is an American diner themed place serving burgers and hotdogs. I ordered a chilli hotdog with fries (again, I know) with a salted caramel milkshake. Firstly, my milkshake came without the caramel on top, I only noticed when another person had ordered it and saw that, I didn't bother complaining as I was already half way through it and I just cba haha. I have to admit, the portion sizes were big so I was very full after it, however, the food wasn't particularly great and the staff seemed very chill, as if they hated being there and they wanted another job. Very unprofessional. I didn't really have a good dining experience and it was very costly. I would give this place a 4/10.

The only good thing with these restaurants in Southampton/Winchester is that they don't add on service charge unlike London haha.

Has anyone had any good/bad dining experiences that they want to share or have even been to any of the three above? :)

GIVEAWAY COMPETITION!

As you may or may not know I run my own little online jewellery store. (Novemberquartz.bigcartel.com) So, I've decided to do a little giveaway on here!

The winner will be able to win one each of the 3 different earrings. (Hamsa hands, wings and key)

All you have to do to win is like/share this post and comment what outfit you would wear the earrings with! (Must be following me on bloglovin') 

Entries close at 10am GMT on 17th November, sorry this is open to UK entries only. I will contact the winner shortly afterwards to arrange delivery. However, if the winner doesn't respond within 7 days after first contact, another winner will be randomly chosen.

Looking forward to reading all your comments, thanks and good luck all!!! :)

The Maze Runner + The Imitation Game Reviews (No Spoilers)

This week I saw two incredible films: The Maze Runner and The Imitation Game.

The Maze Runner is about a group of boys released one by one each month into an unknown location surrounded by a maze. They have made that place their home; where they herd goats, make their own homes + clothes and hunt for their own food. The maze is a series of high, moving concrete walls and it shuts every night and opens up every morning, it is deemed highly dangerous as what is inside remains a mystery. None of them know why they have been placed there nor remember anything about themselves apart from their names. It isn't until a boy named Thomas (Dylan O'Brien') and Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) turn up and they are left a note which says "She is the last one, ever".....

I thought the film was brilliant, the actor was great and the storyline was confusing at times however it adds to the mysterious aura of it which makes you gagging for more! The film is 112 minutes long but I love action packed films because they always go so quickly and you are on the edge of your seat the whole time so when it's finished you are suddenly aware of your surroundings! If you loved The Hunger Games, you will definitely love this. The film also starres Will Poulter who was in the highly recognised film "We're The Millers". I loved him in that so was happy to see how he could portray a character in an action movie. 

As the film was based around these teenagers, it is such an awesome opportunity for them to become the next faces of Hollywood, and I think this was the director's motive. It is great to see two young Brits become increasingly famous in this industry!

I can't wait for the second installment now!

The Imitation Game is about a war hero named Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) who cracked the Enigma Code of the second world war. The MI6 division kept this a government secret for the past 50 years until today. It tells the story of his determination to end the war with Germany and the prejudice that he encountered throughout this.

This film was incredibly good!! When I first heard about this film, I was unsure as I knew nothing about what the Enigma code was or anything about the second world war. So it was definitely a history lesson for me too. It has also been described as similar to 'The King's Speech' which I found very boring so I wasn't sure If I would enjoy this film. However, Benedict Cumberbatch was exceptional, and I can now finally understand why so many people are obsessed with him! He is an amazing actor and he really did justice for his part; he played Alan Turing really well. One of my favourite actresses, Kiera Knightly was also in the film. She helped Alan to crack the code as part of MI6. I always loved the films she is in and this one was no different! Both actors are top class which made this film A+ for me, the acting is believeable and emotional at the same time.

I am not going to post too much information on here, but I can truly say that this film is extraordinary and you can learn the history of the true story behind the Enigma code and the second world war and how heroic and yet tragic the whole story was for Alan Turing. An exceptional piece. This needs to win a Bafta.

The Maze Runner is out in UK cinemas now! The Imitation Game is out in UK cinemas on the 19th November!

Will you be seeing any? :)

November Quartz - My online jewellery store

Hi guys, I realised I haven't made a blog post to promote my own little online jewellery store yet! So here we are :)

I've recently started to make and put together my own jewellery to sell to other jewellery lovers like yourselves! The website is www.novemberquartz.bigcartel.com 

Please go and have a look, all items are packaged in a little drawstring bag. Perfect for presents for loved ones :)

Everything on there is currently £4 and I only ship to the UK at the moment but watch this space, I may expand my delivery distance! :)

All items are handmade by me and made from my bedroom!

Any questions, just shout!

Thank you and happy shopping! :)

#bloggersfestival - 6/9/14

Last Saturday I was lucky enough to be invited to the #bloggersfestival by the lovely Scarlett from Scarlettlondon.com

It was an event where beauty and fashion bloggers could network and mix with different brands.

The brands that were there included; Quiz Clothing, Urban Outfitters, Oriflame, Very, Ted Baker, ECCO, IZ beauty of London amongst others. They all had a stall where we can win prizes, talk to members of the company and get a general better feel of the brand.

The event was held at Paramount Soho in Tottenham Court Road. We were on floor 31, so we had excellent views over London.
We were treated to nibbles; scampi, tofu, and even sweet pizza!

I met a couple of lovely bloggers and it was good to meet Scarlett for the first time too!

I was blown away by the amount of goodies I got to take home!

I would like to thank Scarlett for having me, she done such an amazing job and I can't wait until the next event! :)

Did anyone else attend?! Let me know!

The Kooks Vevo Go Show

Last Friday I was lucky enough to win tickets to see The Kooks at an intimate gig at the Loft Studios in Willesdon Junction. It was part of Vevo Go Show which holds frequent music events for fans to get up and close with their idols. It was sponsored by Malibu.

When we got in we were greeted with staff who gave us a complimentary pina colada (yummy).

We went round to the stage and we luckily got barrier! However, we were right next to the speakers and I couldn't hear out of my right ear for a good two days ahah, worth it though right?!

They came on at about 9pm and sang songs including Junk of the Heart, Bad Habit, Seaside, Around Town.... They also took it old school and sang Niave and She Moves In Her Own Way! Ahhhhh <3

They kept on looking over at us and even looked into my camera when I was taking pictures. Luke sang to me and my friend stuck out her hand and he grabbed it haha. Peter also had a drink in his hand at one point, looked at me and did that cheers thing where he lifted the glass! I've enever been right at the barrier at a gig before but I understand why people queue hours on end for it now! :P

They ended with 'Westside' and the whole place went crazy! They thanked everyone for coming and headed off stage. 

It was honestly so good to finally see The Kooks live as I have always wanted to since they first burst into the music scene! 

Thank you Vevo and Malibu for putting on a great show!!

Sewyoursoul felt cornershop! UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST ONLY!

Calling all individuals who love wierd, wonderful and wacky things....

 If you live in London you may have heard about the cornershop where everything is made from felt?! Yep, you heard right! A lady called Lucy Sparrow has spent the last 8 months sewing and stitching a whole cornershop of items! From tampax to garden peas! It is a true dedication of hard work and determination. Her company name is called 'sewyoursoul' and I guess that's what she has gone and done!

The cornershop is only there till the 31st August where it will then be making it's way down to Brighton. So if you have time, check out this cool little place it's located on 19 Wellington Row, Bethnal Green, E2 7BB. You can buy products in the shop but you can only take it home with you once the installation has finished! There was a strict no touching policy to mkae sure everything was kept in tip top condition! For anyone that can't make it there, here are some snaps I took during my little visit! :)

Lucy holds sewing workshops so you can learn to make your own! All the info is on her website http://sewyoursoul.co.uk/ 

Has anyone visited the little felt cornershop yet or do you plan to? Let me know what you thought!

A vintage afternoon tea at The Pelham Hotel - 10/8/14

Last Sunday me and the mother went to afternoon tea at The Pelham Hotel, South Kensington. I had a Time Out voucher (surprise surprise!) so a bargain for an amazing experience!

The hotel is a little boutique hotel in the heart of South Kensington (right opposite the tube station!)

When you first walk into the hotel, it has a little sitting room which has comfy chairs, a laptop to use and book/magazines to read. It has a really homely atmosphere and I could've stayed there all afternoon if I could!

We had a table booked for 1pm and was pleasantly surprised when we turned up and the place was empty! A nice quiet Sunday afternoon was just what I needed after a long, tiring week at work!

There was only another family eating lunch at another table and a couple of riends at another table later on.

We had extremely friendly waiters who greeted us when we first came in and seated us. We started off with our choice of tea from the menu and there were so many lovely fruit teas and milk teas to choose from! I opted for the 'White Apricot' which was a combination of apricot pieces, marigold flowers and yellow rose. It was really refreshing and tasty.

 

The food consisted of a selection of sandwiches; salmon, egg mayo, cucumber and pickle. Scones with clotted cream and jam, slices of lemon drizzle cake, chocolate brownies, macaroons, fruit pastries and cheesecake. It was all very filling and sweet at the same time. It was more sweet based than savoury based and I could've done with a few more sandwiches! All in all it was very delicious.

I would definitely go again! Has anyone been before?! Or any afternoon tea places you would recommend? :)

Altitude London + Captain America - 2/8/14

Last Saturday I went to Altitude London for a film and some food!

I bought a Time Out London voucher (they're the best) and for £20 we got a film, burger and a bellini!

I went with a friend and we watched the second Captain America, it was my second time watching it, but I loved it so much the first time, I didn't mind watching it again!
The film started dead on 7 as proposed and there was still lots of empty seats!

After the film we made our way up to level 28 to have our meal at Lobster London.
For a Saturday I was very surprised as the restaurant was so quiet throughout. Scarily quiet actually. For a central London location it didn't have that weekend vibe.

We had a cheeseburger, served with chips and salad. The burger was the biggest burger I had ever eaten. I had to use a knife and fork! I felt so embarrassed haha. 

The food was tasty and I don't really have a bad thing to say about it! The portion size was good and it lived up to its standard.

We also had a bellini each and we had an option between raspberry, peach and strawberry. I chose the peach whilst my friend had the raspberry one. It was so strong my friend had to add some water to it!

After we finished our food we hung out in egg chairs (yay) and I think I got a little too excited eeekkkk....

Overall, the food was good, the waiters/waitresses were friendly and the views were amazing! For the price tag, it was okay, I wouldn't class it as being expensive and I wouldn't exactly say we got an excellent deal. However I did enjoy myself and I would go back to try the lobster mmmmm......

Lobster London is on the 28th floor of the Millbank Tower, to reserve a table or to find out more visit: www.lobsterlondon.com

Liebster Awards!

So, after a busy few weeks at work, I finally got round to checking my gmail notifications/blog comments and was surprised and excited to be nominated for a Liebster award by not 1 but 4 lovely bloggers!!! I would like to thank Samantha over at http://smallandblondex.blogspot.co.uk/, Theresa over at http://www.violeteyesblog.blogspot.ie/, Nicole over at http://theprofessionofspending.blogspot.co.uk/, and Jess over at http://jessicasjournel.blogspot.co.uk/

You guys are uber cool :)

So these are the rules:

• You must answer all questions that are given to you 
• You must link back to the person who nominated you 
• When you finish this, you must nominate eleven bloggers who have less than 200 followers
• Provide your nominees with eleven questions of your choice
• You cannot nominate the person who nominated you 
• You must inform your nominees that you have nominated them 
• Provide your nominees with a link to your post for more information

I've randomly selected a few questions from each nominator, so I will answer a total of 11 questions.

How long have you been blogging for and what do you love about it?

I've been blogging for about 2 months now! I love how the whole blogging community are so friendly and you can get to know more people through your things in common! I just hope I can one day attend a bloggers meetup! :)

 

If you were stuck on a desert island, what would be the 5 things you take with you?

Wow, um, definitely my phone.... wait, I won't be able to get signal will I....?!

Okay, that's out the window... um, my cat, so I won't get lonely. My mp4 or some sort of device that will let me play music. Can I take my bed? And does food count? Oh and also a tv?! :P

Do you have any hidden/funny talents?

Unfortunately, I don't! I'm quite boring aren't I?

Heels or flats and why?

Flats! Definitely! I can't walk in heels!

 

What is your favourite magazine?

Company magazine is my favourite! I also love Look, Kerrang and heat.

Who is your inspiration for your blog?

Hmm, I really like Zoe London and Lily Melrose! I'm actually in contact with them quite often for work and I've met them before at an event :) 

What is your favourite book?

I love the 'House of Night' series, I still haven't got round to reading them all, but they are a must read. Really beautifully written, P.C Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast are such amazing writers.

What is your favourite movie and TV show?

I really like films that make you reevaluate your life and see that there is more to life than work or school. I saw a preview of 'Into The Storm' recently and it was such an eye opener, really moving film and I highly recommend it! My favourite tv show are: 2 Broke Girls, The Big Bang Theory, New Girl, 90210... I can't pick just one!!

What do you love most about the world?

Wow, what an amazing question. Nature. & the natural form of this world. I really want to travel the world one day and see as many countries as I can. I want to see the Colorado River creeping up in the Grand Canyon, the glaciers and waterfalls in Iceland, the coral reefs in Australia, ahhhhhh!

What would you say was your favourite holiday/vacation? 

I went to New York/Canada when I was about 7, and surprisingly I still remember it! I really wanna go back to the states and see more of it! 

What are you favourite pizza toppings?

Ham and mushroom! 

Anyway, enough about me! My nominees are:

1.) Alicia -  aliciadeyes.blogspot.co.uk

2.) Nicole - cocomadeherdoit.blogspot.co.uk 

3.) Melissa - melissavictoriawhiteley.blogspot.com

4.) Julie - lineshereyes.blogspot.com 

5.) Annie - the-lostangeles.blogspot.com 

6.) Natasha - tashhhemily.blogspot.co.uk 

7.) Louise - lovefromlouu.blogspot.co.uk 

8.) Victoria - victoriabellxo.blogspot.co.uk 

9.) Chloe - uniquechloechic.blogspot.co.uk 

10.) Keli - kelskurls.blogspot.com

11.) April - ThatGirlthatlikesmakeup.blogspot.com

My questions to you are:

1.) What's your favourite band?

2.) What's your favourite clothing store?

3.) If you can have dinner with anyone, be it dead or alive who would it be and why?

4.) Would you rather be a unicorn or a mermaid for a day?

5.) How do you like your eggs in the morning?

6.) Favourite London Underground station?

7.) If you could visit anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

8.) What is your best childhood memory?

9.) Marmite. Love it or hate it?

10.) Do you have any siblings and if so, what are their names and ages?

11.) Do you think bloggers could take over the world one day?!

Looking forward to your answers! Drop me a comment when you're done so I can read them!

Thanks! :) x

Shake Shack and Let The Right One In - 18/7/14

Two weeks ago me and a friend went to Shake Shack in Covent Garden before seeing Let The Right One In, in theatre.

Shake Shack is a primarily a burger place which also serves hot dogs and milkshakes (hence the name). I think it's better described as a fast food place than a restaurant as there are no waiters and you have to go up and get your food yourself before finding a table.

It has the same system as Pho; you get a mobile timer which let's you know when you're food is ready to collect. If you're looking for something more formal, then you're better off looking elsewhere as this was anything but glamorous.

The food was average, I had heard good reviews from this place so I was a bit disappointed. I ordered the regular burger with crinkly fries. I was nothing special, just a normal buger with fries, didn't send me into food heaven. However, it was relatively cheap, the total for mine came to about £7.

I don't think I'll be rushing back there anytime soon though!

 

We then made our way to the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue where Let The Right One In is showing.

We had actually got pretty cheap tickets from a Time Out offer (love them!), and had good seats for the amount we paid.

 

The show is based on the famous Swedish film 'Let The Right One In' and there was also an American version 'Let Me In' starring Chloe Grace Moretz.

It is about a boy who gets bullied at secondary school by two other boys in his year, until one day he meets a girl who he falls in love with and gives him the confidence and builds up his courage. However, she isn't who she says she is...  

Let The Right One in is currently being shown in theatre and you can purchase tickets here: http://www.apollotheatrelondon.co.uk/let-the-right-one-in/