Category Archives: lifestyle

Spreading Summer Fun with Macabella

04th August 2017
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of a delivery from Macabella, the makers of the most divine chocolate base spread ever. I’ve featured, and baked with the brand before as well as giving the spread itself a glowing review so I was more than excited to get the chance to work with them again.

By way of introduction for those who don’t know, Macabella spread is a heavenly fusion of chocolate and macadamia nuts which comes in two varities- velvet smooth and crunchy. It’s now available to buy from Ocado at £3 for a jar- and trust me, it’s well worth every penny.

This time the package included a curious selection of baking accessories along with the spread, including some silicone ice lolly moulds that just begged to be used. Therefore the first recipe I present to you today is for some Macabella ice lollies that use just two ingredients- so simple it can barely be called a recipe!
For these I quite simply took 1/3 cup of Macabella Crunch and 2/3 cup of milk the blended it all together until well combined. I then divided this between four ice lolly moulds- although I could have got six from it and popped in the freezer. I think probably these would have worked better with whole milk rather than semi skimmed but it’s really down to preference- they’d probably also work well with cream for a more indulgent treat! I left mine to freeze over night but did take some out after a couple of hours to pop on some decorations.
The second thing I made was these swirly muffins, inspired by my boyfriend musing about marble cake after we saw it in a coffee shop one Saturday. These turned out so well- the spread makes the cakes super moist and provides a good contrast to the sponge and they’ve already been requested again by aforementioned boyfriend. I used a recipe I found online here but obviously used Macabella (velvet this time) instead. They were really easy to do and I strongly recommend both this recipe and incorporating Macabella in to just about anything you might be planning to bake!
Let me know if you try either of these ideas out, or what else you think I should bake with the spread.

end

Posted in baking, brands I love, food, lifestyle, recipes

Permalink 3 Comments

Bristol Life: The Downs Festival 2017

02nd August 2017
I might not be a festival goer in the traditional sense of the world. It’s a long time since I packed up my tent and headed away for a weekend- mostly due to cost more than anything else, but I love music and a good gathering so I decided that this year would be the year I head to Bristols very own festival- Downs Festival, taking place on Saturday 2nd September from 13:00 – 23:00. Having missed out on a cracking line up last year, I was keen not to be feeling left out this year.
These images are from last years event at which Massive Attack headlined. This year the all day event has Elbow as it’s headline act (the selling point for me!) as well as Seasick Steve (also a big fan), Soul II Soul, The Districts and De La Soul joining them on the main stage.

The second stage will play host to Groove Armada with a show-stopping DJ set that I can’t wait to experience.

Last year’s festival was the first major music event hosted on Bristols Downs for 27 years and proved that Bristol has what it takes (of course) to host something on this scale. This year it returns with more live music, more bars and more independent food stalls.

‘The Information’ stage will also return, offering a dedicated area for guest speakers, question and answer sessions, film screenings, photography and charity representatives. More information on this will follow shortly.

Tickets are on sale now priced at £45. Last year the event sold out incredibly quick so you’ll want to be acting fast.

All online ticket sales will be subject to a £1 donation with funds going directly to the upkeep and maintenance of The Downs, for all of Bristol to enjoy.

There will be a limited number of reduced price tickets at £25 available to anyone unemployed or on income support. These tickets are only available in person from Bristol Ticket Shop and supporting documentation and ID will be required. Children under 4 are free (though must be wearing adequate hearing protection) and a limited number of tickets for children aged 4- 12 years will be available at all outlets for £10 per ticket. All under 16’s need accompanying by an adult.

Tickets are restricted to six tickets per person/per billing address. Please note that in order to protect our audience from ticket touts we are putting in measures to help eliminate them. The lead booker will need to attend the event (or nominate a 3rd party at the point of purchase) with their guests and will need to show photo ID in order to enter the concert arena.

Tickets are available from the following outlets: The Downs Bristol, Bristol Ticket Shop, Songkick, Seetickets and Gigantic

Have you been to any festivals this year? Who would be your dream headline act?

end

Posted in bristol, lifestyle, music

Permalink 2 Comments

Crazy for Ice Cream*

01st August 2017
I’ve always said that should I ever get married then my one requirement is that I can have an ice cream van at the reception. I’m an ice cream obsessive- although it’s only recently I’ve felt able to admit this (anorexia banned me from admitting to liking any type of food for far too many years). Childhood holidays are punctuated with memories of Mr Whippy, getting covered in ice cream and red sauce and laughing at my Nan as she inevitably was the first to spill hers down herself, so when this graphic about the evolution of the ice cream van came along courtesy of Van Monster I knew I had to share. Fellow ice cream fanatics read on…
I’m a bit of a history geek so it’s great to finally know the origins of one of the greatest inventions of all time, as well as how things differ around the world. It’s definitely true that there are far less vans on the streets these days, although where I live appears to have quite a dense population of them still- there’s always one parked up near work seemingly all year round!

What was/is your favourite thing to get from the ice cream van? For me it’s a 99 flake with a good squiggle of red sauce…I do recall a place in Cornwall that had a whole rainbow of different sauces though, that really ought to be a thing nationwide!

end

Posted in food, lifestyle

Permalink 2 Comments

The Pink Pumas

31st July 2017
I’ve gone from wanting to collect all the pretty high heeled shoes in the world to being completely obsessed with trainers. I’ve built up quite the little collection and seem to live in them outside of work, but that doesn’t particularly justify why I felt the need to buy another pair a couple of weeks ago…my defence is simple, they were calling out to me (and on sale). It just had to be.

Dress: Pull&Bear (here) | Trainers (here)

Literally the day after I ordered these trainers they went back to full price, but hands down I’d pay it. They attracted a lot of attention on Instagram when I posted them and a few people wanted to know what the platform is like. In a word, subtle. The sole is a bit thicker than your average trainer but not obscenely so- the perfect hybrid trainer/platform in my eyes and they are so damn comfortable too.

This whole outfit/hair style combo feels a little bit 1990s to me. I never thought I liked the choker neck trend but since picking up this dress a month or so ago I might be converted. It was a bargain in pull&bear at £12.99 and it’s made in a really stretchy jersey so the neck doesn’t feel restrictive. I was a bit concerned I might feel too exposed- as I’ve explained before I’m not at my most body confident right now, but it drapes in the right places and actually manages to be vaguely flattering.

And body confidence does remain a big issue and a lot of the time it’s a real effort to wear anything but my baggiest clothes. Not that they are so baggy any more. Things are starting to fit me again, a blessing and a curse. Great I can suddenly wear half my wardrobe once more, a curse because it makes anorexia turn my brain in to even more of a battleground therefore taking a whole lot more energy and determination to power through. But there’s always a nap for that. I find naps are a great healer.

Despite this I’ve felt hugely positive lately, in a way I really haven’t before. Life suddenly feels exciting- I don’t want to be governed by my insecurities and control issues any more. There’s so much that I want to do an experience and there’s nothing going to get in the way of me doing that anymore. I’ve been my own worst enemy for half of my life, it’s about time I let this go. For good.

(Accidental tangent there, oops!)

Back on track- what do you think of this outfit? Anybody else a complete trainer fiend?

end

Posted in fashion, lifestyle, outfits, personal style, recovery, shoes, shopping

Permalink 6 Comments

Blink and You’ll Miss It: How to Film the Perfect Wedding Video*

30th July 2017
Your big day is fast approaching and you and your partner can’t wait to tie the knot but truth be told you’re worried about all those small wedding details that could go wrong on the big day- things like the wedding video for example.
Following you and your partner throughout the day your wedding videographer captures those timeless moments that you can look back at fondly once your wedding day is over. There are however a few things that you can do to make sure your wedding video looks great for years to come… so that you’re not afraid to show the grandchildren (where they’re guaranteed to laugh at the by then outdated technology!)
Together with Get Film, specialists in wedding videos in Newcastle and your wedding planning company we provide you with a few helpful tips that ensure your videographer gets the best possible shots on the day.

(Photo by Anne Edgar on Unsplash)

Always communicate
Once you’ve picked a wedding videographer it would be a good idea to have a conversation with him or her as soon as possible. This gives you time to elaborate on what kind of video you would like- for example, should they be filming the light-hearted moments or should your video express the traditional aspects of a wedding and express the emotions you feel on the day?
Make sure they know each individual detail in advance; if the bride is wearing her grandmother’s earrings or the groom is wearing his father’s cufflinks these are aspects of the wedding day that the videographer can shoot so that your wedding has an individual and personal touch from the start.

Act natural and be yourself
Never pay attention to the camera, or your wedding videographer when they are around you. The essence of a wedding video is that it captures the true emotions of the day: laughter, tears, smiles and all.
Don’t get camera shy and remember, the wedding videographer is there to film not just you – but the whole day. If you know that the camera is going to affect the way you behave on the day then why not ask them to have the camera set at an angle to the direction of guests with the focus and camera settings set? This way everyone is still captured in the shot but it is not obvious that there is a camera pointing in their face.

Don’t rush the perfect shots
Even though you might want to turn your wedding video into a cinematic masterpiece it’s still important that the wedding videographer is there for those all-important moments like your first dance, cutting the cake and the vows.
Although your attention will be elsewhere on the day make sure that your videographer is hanging around for those important moments; to ensure the film maker catches the perfect shots of all those important moments throughout the day don’t go full speed ahead! When it comes to things like cutting the cake, putting the ring on and giving that all-important speech don’t rush it – not only will it savour the moment for you to enjoy it also allows the videographer to make sure they are in the right space and in focus to film the shot perfectly.

Practice makes perfect
As well as the big day make sure your videographer is at all of your rehearsals. This will help them make sure that there will be no problems with lighting, microphone placement and where they should stand so that their view isn’t blocked. This may cost a little bit more but trust us it will be worth it to ensure your day runs smoothly and the best footage is caught on camera.
This is also your last chance to consult with your videographer on any other requirements you have; remember, they can’t read your mind so it’s best to discuss any last-minute changes you have with them so that they’re always kept in the loop. Rehearsals also help you to understand where you will be in the shot on the day; knowing which way to walk in the church and in any other venues will help you look natural in your video without making any errors that may spoil the flow of the video.
Your wedding is the happiest day of your lives together so above anything else remember to have fun on the day, and your videographer will take care of the rest so that you can look over all the memories with a smile on your face.

end

Posted in lifestyle

Permalink