It's always time for cereal...

If you are visiting London and want to eat somewhere unique, different and quirky, then look no further than this post!

I'm a big fan of cereal but I do get bored of having shreddies every day. But, if you visit the Cereal Killer Cafe in either Camden Market or Brick Lane, then prepare to be blown away.

On a busy sunny day in London, we headed to the Camden branch of the cafe. The menu is laden with a vast array of cereals from all over the world.

If you fancy chocolate, honey, smore's or peanut butter flavoured cereal, you will find it here. The amount of cereal's on offer is mindblowing, and trying to choose one comes with difficulty.

I opted for one of the cereal cocktails, where you get a mix of different types. Mine was called the 'Lion King', which was a bowl of chocolatey/caramel sweetness. It even came with caramel milk, however I'm one of those weird people who prefers eating cereal dry and opted out of the milk.

If you think this cereal won't fill you as a meal, don't be fooled. The medium sized bowls don't look like much, but in real life, it counted as my lunch.

My advice would be to eat in, where you can choose to sit on a bed whilst you eat. If you are an 80/90s kid, you will be transported back to your childhood bedroom, complete with Spice Girls wallpaper and beany baby's.

The prices are expensive for cereal, but when you think about the types of cereal and the overall experience, it really isn't overpriced at all.

Lazy Girls Guide to Lazy Days

Lazy days... we all need them once in a while.

And whilst I probably give myself too many, nothing beats waking up and deciding to stay in bed or at home for the entire day.

There is nothing to feel guilty about, I actually think it's beneficial for the mind to take some time away from the stress of daily life.

Whether it be to catch up on emails, study, work on assignments or even online shopping, you can still be productive without moving from your bed.

And when the weather outside looks like a scene from a disaster movie, there is all the more reason to stay inside.

Here is my guide to lazy day essentials:

1. Dressing Gown

It's got to be worn. Mine is from primary and is the fluffiest thing I've ever bought. Not only is it cosy, it's also cute with little bear ears. The hood goes up every time. Good for saving those pennies on the heating bill as it will keep you warm at the sam time.

2. Cup of Tea

So this does require effort to go to the kitchen and make one, but it's worth it after you've got back into bed and settle down to whatever you were doing whilst taking sips of any warming drink you prefer.

3. Laptop

In the old days, this wasn't an option, but now you can practically work from bed with your laptop and still get everything done. I sometimes find that I
m most productive when I'm most comfortable, and sitting in bed is way more comfortable than at a desk. Its great for catching up on TV, listening to music or picking out your next outfit online.

4. Chocolate

This is the one time you can indulge in chocolate by yourself (unless you are having a joint lazy day) and not have anyone judge you for eating the entire bar (yes this is acceptable). Go on, be a slob for once, no one's watching!

5. Notebook

For some reason, all my creative and wonderful ideas pop into my head whilst I'm in the most comfortable position in the world. By having a notebook by your side, you can jot them down for later instead of having to move from the bed.

6. Charger

Make sure you have this because when the time comes where your phone or laptop is about to die, the last thing you want to do is move.

If you are reading this thinking you cannot remember the last time you had a lazy day, treat yourself to one! Even a lazy hour is beneficial and some me time is good for the mind. Shut out the world outside and give yourself time to be lazy once in a while.

Right, I'm going back to the bed now (I never left)

A Few of My Favourite Things: January

So blog post ideas have been lacking recently, probably due to the fact that final year project mindset has kicked in so that's all I can think about at the moment. Plus I seem to be spending all day everyday in the laboratory which makes it hard to find the time to write a blog post.

So I thought I would round off, in my opinion, the worst month of the year with the things I've been loving!

Here goes...

1. Lidl Nutrimixer

Yes that's right, it's from Lidl and it only costs £30. I can't compare it to the Nutribullet or other higher priced machines, but from using this, it is amazing! I only use it occasionally for making soups, baking and attempting to be healthy by making smoothies, and it does the job perfectly. If you don't want to spend a fortune on expensive makes, this does the same job for half the price and is perfect if you are like me and will only use it occasionally.

2. 24 Hours in A&E

For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a doctor but have never had the courage to apply to it. By watching this programme, it feeds my obsession with medicine and genuinely engrosses me on what actually happens in A&E. No one wants to end up there, so the people you see on here display their raw emotion when a loved one is sick, and it really puts your life into perspective. It makes me realise that this could happen to anyone, and you really never know what's around the corner. That's why I try and live by the motto, live every day like it's your last. It's hard, but watching this programme reiterates why it can be important.

3. Crumpets with Jam and Peanut Butter

Another breakfast discovery, in a previous post I discovered jam and peanut butter on toast, but it just got a whole lot better when spread on crumpets. Top tip, microwave your crumpets before toasting to make it fluffy!

4. Lighter evenings

As soon as Christmas is over, my next time of year to look forward to is Spring. I love seeing the nature bloom and as the evenings stay light for a tiny bit longer each day, it is so nice start to see flowers start to blossom and the sun staying out for longer. I notice a massive difference in my mood as well.

5. Metcalfe's Rice Cakes

Wow, these are amazing as a snack, and so filling! Plus, they're sort of healthy! But I love dark chocolate, so these layered rice cakes are the perfect little sweet treat. The only downside, they're pretty pricey!

6. Uniqlo Disney Collection

How amazing is this Disney collection? I've never bought anything from Uniqlo before but as soon as I saw their collection of Disney sweaters, that soon changed. They aren't pricey at only £20, and they have the perfect choice of cosy sweats to wear on any occasion. I went for the navy blue one, but they have a good choice of colours and styles including hoodies, sweatpants and t-shirts. Here is the link if you want to check it out: http://www.uniqlo.com/uk/store/feature/uq/disney-magicforall/women/

7. Benefit Porefessional Primer Balm

I don't usually join the hype for high end, expensive facial creams and primers, in fact the most expensive skincare product I own is a Mac primer, but I received this in the Benefit beauty advent calendar and boy does it do wonders. I'm not sure if it is actually doing what it says in the fact that I don't tend to address the issue of pores and blackheads (too many better things to think about), but I love the way this feels so silky and smooth, the way a primer should feel! I apply this before any make-up and it means that applying foundation and concealer feels so much easier to blend in than my usual moisturiser. It's also nude in colour which means it kind of acts as a tinted moisturiser as well, so spending £25 on a primer, tinted moisturiser and something that's gonna minimise the appearance of pores is not too bad!

Battle of the Christmas Drinks

This post is about Christmas drinks! Yes I know what you're thinking, Christmas has been and gone, but I started this around 2 months ago. I wanted to try as many Christmas themed drinks as possible, and only managed about 5 but I have included my thoughts on the most popular flavours:


So I just tried the famous  Gingerbread Latte from Costa, which is one of their festive special edition drinks and my first ever holiday drink!

Yup, I've never tried any Starbucks, Costa, Pret, even McDonalds festive drinks ever! Call me crazy because it was the biggest mistake of my life!

So I had an epiphany, why not try as many festive themed drinks as possible and review them all? At first this sounded like a good idea, who wouldn't want to gorge calorific, sugary drinks and call it research?!

Then I realised how bad they were for you, so for 'research' purposes (and so I don't get diabetes), I will be trying the skimmed/non-fat sugar free versions. Also, these things aren't cheap and due to being so busy, I only got around to trying ones from Costa and Starbucks.

Disclaimer:
This is my personal opinion and taste, which differs from every single other person, so just because I don't like something doesn't mean you will too!

Up first is...

1. Costa Coffee Gingerbread Latte 

Well, this was delicious in every sense. I had it with no whip because I hate the stuff, but as soon as I took one sip of this I was succumbed to that warm, festive feeling. The gingerbread is prominent throughout the whole drink, not just the first few sips. It also meant I could enjoy a coffee without the need for sugar because the sweetness finishes it off nicely. If you are a fan of gingerbread, this is the drink for you. It was sensational! Extra points for the cute cup designs as well.

2. Costa Coffee Caramel Fudge Hot Chocolate

Admittedly I tried a sample of this as I'm not a big fan of hot chocolate, but nevertheless it was nice. I failed to taste the difference from normal hot chocolate's though, which made me question why it was a festive drink if there was nothing festive about it. It was pretty sweet, too much so that a full size drink would have been too much for me. Last year I believe they had a chocolate orange drink which they never bought back this year, to many peoples anger, and I couldn't help but feel this would have been better than the fudge version this year.

3. Starbucks Toffee Nut Latte 

Well this surprised me. I expected it to taste like a generic toffee latte, but the nutty flavour really stands out. I'm not the biggest fan of nuts (no pun intended), but this adds to the whole drink. It's subtle enough to not overpower the sweet toffee syrup in the milk, yet it adds a nice festive touch. I found myself wanting another one straight after. Again, I went for no whip but it was still really nice and I would definitely recommend trying it! I would even go to say that it is worth the more expensive price than the other coffee chains, just because it is quite a unique flavour.

4. Costa Coffee Black Forest Hot Chocolate

Another sample I tried, but I was remarkably surprised by this drink. The cherry flavour really is prominent in this drink and compliments the chocolate well. It really is like drinking a Black forest gateau. So if this is one of your favourite desserts, then this drink is the one for you!

5. Salted Caramel Cappuccino (Costa)

A cappuccino is by far my favourite coffee drink so I was very excited to try this. I love salted caramel as well, and when I received the drink it was topped with gold chocolate! How cool is that?! So when I took a sip of this I was a little disappointed. I could taste the caramel, but no salt. It tasted like a regular cappuccino but with a pump of caramel syrup. It did redeem itself with the gold chocolate though!

6. Starbucks Gingerbread Latte

So my last taste test was the Gingerbread Latte from the American chain, so I could do the ultimate comparison between Costa and Starbucks. I have to say, this was good, but Costa ever so slightly won in the taste test. In fairness, they do taste pretty similar so it was hard to distinguish which one was better, but maybe Costa had that little extra drip of syrup.

So that's all I managed this Christmas because these drinks ain't cheap!
My favourite and winner of this experiment has to be Costa's Gingerbread Latte, just because I love ginger and the cute cups made it slightly better than Starbucks!
However, it is followed closely by the Toffee Nut Latte which was unique and still just as delicious.

Hope you enjoyed this experiment, I know I have! Now it's time for a sugar detox as I wallow in post Christmas depression. See you next year!

A Visit to Winchester Christmas Market

Another Christmas market that's worth a visit, this time it's in Winchester!

This is a quaint city that is trendy yet historical at the same time, and by the cathedral are little market huts where you can browse the gifts and do a little spot of Christmas shopping.

The best way to visit the market is by going into the city via the Park and Ride. This way you get dropped off right at the beginning of the market.

If you've ever seen the film 'The Holiday', the part where Cameron Diaz is shopping in the local village in Surrey, this is what Winchester reminded me of!

The lights were magical as Christmas lights usually are, and there was a cute ice rink in the centre of the market that was on the grounds of the Cathedral.

You could find all sorts of unique gifts, from super cosy scarfs to scented candles and bath bombs.

One part I did love was watching the brass band play traditional Christmas carol songs in front of the Christmas tree. It bought back so many nostalgic feelings of when I was in Christmas carol concerts in primary school.

Me and my dad couldn't resist helping ourselves to a cup of hot mulled cider. This was delicious and definitely my drink of choice this Christmas.

I finally got to try a Bratwurst German sausage as well, which is basically a giant hot dog. They seem to appear at every Christmas market though so I felt that I needed to try one for myself.

To end the festive day, I treated myself to a Greggs Christmas tree cookie, which was so cute!

Winchester is the perfect place to visit if you are down by the south coast in the UK even without the Christmas market, so make sure it's on your bucket list!

A few of my favourite things: December Edition

Goodbye November, Hello December!

I hope you are counting down the days till Santa arrives by opening each window of your advent calendar, I sure am!

As we are officially in the festive season, I thought I'd share with you my favourite festive things.

Christmas Lights

There is something so magical about Christmas lights, and seeing the streets filled with sparkling lights in all different colours just makes me feel so happy! I'm loving the array of different themes in London, as well as the bright and colourful Christmas tress that are dotted around.

Brighton Lanes

Advent Calendars

Nothing counts down to Christmas better than chocolate. This year I've gone for Mars, and I just love the little treat I can have each day! I've also invested in a beauty advent calendar from Benefit, although it's only a 12 day one so will have to wait a little longer before I can open that!

Mulled Cider

I love the traditional mulled wine but I decided to try something different this year, and I had a taste of Rekorderlig mulled cider. It was heaven! It's like having the perks of a summer cider drink but in winter and its warm so it makes you feel all cosy.

Festive Drinks

I won't go into too much detail about the holiday themed drinks from many high street coffee stores, but these are A-mazing!! So good that they will feature in a review post of their own, in which I'm taste testing all of them! Some of the cup designs are awesome as well.

Christmas Jumpers

I bought one from Primark last year and let me tell you, it is the warmest jumper I own! I'm practically living in it all the time and it saves me having to put my heating on. I'm especially loving the disney collaboration in Primark; two of my favourite things together!

Amazon Prime

Ok so not Christmassy as such but you can watch Christmas films on it so it is kinda related! As I'm a student, I get a free Amazon Prime account, which has so many benefits such as free next day delivery on selected items, plus the use of streaming music from their spotify-like service and movies from their netflix-like streaming site. This is fab for me as I hate paying subscription fees and can't afford it at the moment, but here I've been able to listen to the latest albums such as One Direction and Little Mix, as well as catching up on my favourite films and TV series. I've been loving Grey's Anatomy which has been a long time favourite, and I've just started rewatching The Hills! Also, they have their own series such as The Man in the High Garden. Very recommended!

Let me know if you have any favourite things about Christmas!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is the ultimate festive place to visit in the run up to Christmas.

Traditional German huts line the pavements selling goods that range from decorative candle holders to Christmas smelling bath bombs.

Since I first visited this place 5 years ago, it has expanded so much. Walking around this place takes a good 2 hours if you wanted to have a look at everything.

Sweet stalls

Fridays evenings and weekends are the peak times, so expect heavy crowds and feeling like cattle. It is very hard to look at everything when there are so many people packed into confined spaces. Also, look out for other members of your party!

I arrived early Thursday evening, just as it was getting dark and the lights were turning on, and walked straight in. It was so much more pleasant being able to look at all the stalls. My favourite was the cupcake shaped bath bombs that smelt absolutely amazing!

Food and drink places are plentiful here. You can try everything from a German hot dog, donuts, pretzels, crepes, churros, waffles, sweets, burgers, mac n cheese, fries... the list could go on!

Apple and Cinnamon Crepe

Various sit in bars are scattered around where you can enjoy a hot drink or my favourite, a cup of mulled wine whilst sitting around a fire. They also have live music which is the perfect chance to have a little rest. 

Enjoying mulled wine by the fire

The stalls and food here are overpriced as you would expect, but it's perfect as a weekend treat and really gets you in a festive mood.

You can upgrade your experience by booking tickets online to ice skate, or visit the ice bar.

Ice Rink

If that's not your thing, you can test you fear factor by going on the many funfair style rides. I recommend the fun houses as they are good value for the amount you pay to go on them. Some rides were asking for nearly 10 tokens (equivalent to £10) for one ride!

Fun House

I definitely recommend having a look around this place. In the run up to Christmas, it's the perfect place to grab some unique gifts, just be warned about the crowds! If you can visit off peak, do it!

BBC Good Food Show

Last weekend I got the chance to go to the BBC Good Food Show as well as the Bakes and Cakes show.

Now these are two of my favourite things: Baking and Food.

So as I arrived in Olympia in London, I was immediately greeted to free samples of kinder chocolates! From then on, I knew I was going to enjoy this!

The Good Food show has a huge variety a stalls, selling everything from local food to the latest culinary products. The main motto of this event is try before you buy! There was no need for lunch as I filled my stomach up on everything from fudge, chocolate to curry and falafel. Don't forget the vast array of wine, beer and cider to sample as well!

Of course these food stalls are selling there products, many of which aren't easily available in supermarkets. Also, they are all of high quality and are not excessively priced which means you are getting your moneys worth.


Unfortunately I was too full to fit anything in, but the things that caught my eye were the homemade sausage rolls which looked amazing, as well as the unique flavours of fudge. Also, in the smaller yet still amazing cakes and bakes section, there were so many delicious cake stands selling everything from giant donuts, cupcakes to macarons. Think borough food market but all sweet things!

The ticket also included a chance to watch many well known TV foodies participate in cooking demonstrations and interview panels. It gives you the chance to find out their tips and tricks, as well as gaining an insight into their favourite foods and how they got into cooking/baking.

Of course, the main man of the show was Paul Hollywood, who showed us how to bake bread and make a chocolate and cherry roulade in the supertheatre. I believe Mary Berry was there on the other days it was on, so if you are a fan of the Great British Bake Off, this is definitely the event to attend!

If you are a foodie, this is the place to go and I highly recommend it. I love baking so this was the part I enjoyed the most, seeing all the decorated cakes that looked like pieces of art! It also gives you the chance to receive so many discounts on baking equipment and accessories from independent brands as well as bigger companies like Lakeland.

You could easily spend the whole day here and it was a really valuable experience for anyone who has a passion for cooking or baking. The BBC also hosts a winter and festive show, as well as various other themed ones around the country. And best of all, they are great value for money.

Feeling Festive

Welcome to Christmas!

As the evenings get darker and Halloween has passed, we have now officially entered the countdown to Christmas (in my eyes)!

Yes, I am one of those people who is obsessed with Christmas and gets ridiculously excited over anything christmassy.
Last year I had all the christmas spirit sucked out of me, and I was miserable and a bit down over Christmas.

This year, I refuse to let that happen, and I will saviour every last detail.

Christmas candle from Primark

Since being away all summer, I have missed all things British, and nothing sums up being British than a traditional Christmas day spent with your family eating too much, drinking too much and watching too much TV.

As we are in November, I thought it would be acceptable to post my Christmas bucket list now, and then I can slowly tick them off as we progress through to Christmas Day.
This is the ultimate guide to get yourself to feel more christmassy, and if this doesn't work then I don't know what will!

- Get yourself a Christmas candle

A simple and cheap way to practically smell Christmas. This year, I've chosen a Cinnamon and Maple scented candle from Primark. At a mere £2.50, I've already got this burning and making my room smell like Christmas baking!

- Watch as many Christmas films as possible

There are the classics like Elf, The Holiday, Love Actually, Santa Clause but this year I am going to make myself watch one I've heard of but never seen, and that is It's A Wonderful Life. Grab yourself a cup of cocoa, marshmallows and all, and snuggle down on the sofa in a onesie to make yourself feel  the Christmas spirit.

- Go to a Carol Concert/Midnight Mass

I say it every year but I never go. This year I am going to force myself to wonder down to my local church and sit through a carol concert on Christmas Eve. These remind me of my primary school days when we had to participate in them, so I'm hoping it will bring a sense of nostalgia as well.

- Buy some Christmas PJ's

Again, another simple one but they have a huuuge selection in Primark, including Disney themed ones, and I will adorn these whilst baking homemade mince pies, which by the way will feature in another post of my own recipe!

- Visit a Christmassy place

Not to go shopping as this takes all the fun out of Christmas. I will be going to London and various Christmas markets as well as ice skating just to take in all the lights, and the sights and sounds. Of course, I will treat myself to Christmas food and drink, especially the mulled wine! I will also be going to DISNEYLAND PARIS the week before Christmas! I'M SOO EXCITED! What better way to feel Christmassy than to visit Disneyland!

- Buy a Christmas jumper

I will wear this everyday in the lead up to Christmas. It has the added bonus of keeping you warm and snug as well. Again, visit Primark for their amazing selection!

Last but not least, I will be buying and trying every Christmas hot drink there is, as well as all the Christmas chocolate! This is a time for indulgence, so eat till you cannot physically fit in anymore and drink till your head is spinning! You can hit the gym in January, but my philosophy is that extra bit of tub is going to make you warmer through the colder days!

My First Mince Pie of 2015!

If you're still feeling cynical, remember that this is one of the only times of the year that many people get to actually relax and see their friends and family.
So enjoy spending time with your siblings and parents, as I've realised that growing up takes the fun out of a lot of things, so it's up to you to inject some of your own effort into making it more enjoyable and memorable to you.

Oh and... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

That Sunday Post...

Ahh... there is nothing in this world that beats that chilled Sunday feeling. I love Sunday mornings. It's a chance to forget about the stress of day to day life, and to spend the last bit of the weekend doing nothing without feeling guilty.

With the changing of the clocks, I arose from my bed feeling refreshed with the extra hour of sleep, and was greeted with the autumnal sun shining through my window.

After a lazy morning spent eating breakfast in bed, it seemed only fitting to do a tiny spot of Sunday baking. Being a student at university, I don't have the luxury of being able to use my mum's range of baking equipment that she has accumulated over many years. Instead, I go back to the basics when baking at Uni.

Something I hadn't baked in a while were brownies.

Nothing beats the smell of them baking in the oven, and the first taste of warm, gooey chocolate brownies that seem to melt in your mouth.

So, armed with tesco's basic baking ingredients, I managed to create the perfect (well, to me) chocolate brownie with a hint of orange.

The orange gave it an autumnal, almost christmassy kick, as well as providing a way of using up any leftover fruit I had lying around.
Seriously, when I was baking them, the kitchen smelt like Terry's Chocolate Orange. It was the perfect addition to spice up the simplest of recipes.

Speaking of the recipe, I followed the BBC Good Food Best Ever Brownie recipe (found here), but as I'm baking I tend to meander away from the steps and add my own little additions. You can do this to, creating it to your own taste by adding nuts, raisins, more chocolate, whatever! It doesn't have to be perfect, just as long as it tastes delicious!

So, when you're feeling lazy and in need of a cosy weekend treat, give these tasty little brownies a go!