Working as a blogger can be quite solitary at times and I’ll admit that it can quite easily leave me lacking motivation when left to my own devices. Whilst I’m glad to have the balance of a more social working environment when on modelling jobs, when it comes to the days spent at home blogging and creating content, it can sometimes feel a little bit stagnant. Don’t get me wrong, some days I absolutely love those days that I have alone to work with no interruptions, especially when I’m in my creative zone and I can film, edit and write all day, happily in my element. Other days however, I can feel so unmotivated and just need to get out of the house and find inspiration in something other than the same four walls.
As much as I like to find inspiration and ideas online, sometimes I need something tangible and a bit of human interaction, just to stop me from going mad in my own confinement. I feel lucky to have a few close friends who are also self employed, with a similar unpredictable working schedule too. To be honest now I think about it, I don’t know what I’d do without them…probably end up going mad, that’s for sure.
Sometimes a change of scenery can work wonders too. I have a few of my favourite go to coffee shops in Manchester but on Tuesday when I met up with L’Oréal, Onyi and Rosie, we wanted to try somewhere different to one of our usual haunts and decided to try Porter + Cole. It’s such a cool little spot with comfy sofas, aesthetically pleasing interior, and coffee served in a proper mug (yes it’s the simple things that please me). I can see this becoming one of my new fave places. They also have a little home wear store with a bunch of stuff that goes perfectly with the colour schemes in my house (dangerous) and I quickly fell in love with an Elephant cushion that I knew I had to purchase.
An afternoon spent with fellow creative gal pals always leaves me feeling super motivated and a simple change of scenery can give me that spark of inspiration I need. Whatever your working environment, it can often be useful to try something new to help you get back in the zone and you can’t beat some girl power encouragement to help motive you along the way either.
I knew we needed to book our girl’s trip in that moment whilst (almost) all together, or else it was never going to happen. We had the dates for when we were all available so all we needed to do was book!
As I grabbed my towel and headed for the door I looked back at Lydia and Hannah who were both still recovering on the bed and said, ‘right’ in a determined manner, ‘I want you to have found flights to where we are going by the time I’m out of the shower’. I naturally left this one to Lydia, the organiser of the group, whilst I quite simply made my demands and left to go and shower, in an attempt to refresh myself in the midst of an ever growing hangover brought on from the night before.
When I returned feeling somewhat better and mostly excited for this still ambiguous trip ahead, the first question I asked was ‘where are we going?’. ‘Oslo’ Lydia joyfully replied. Fabulous I thought, ‘where’s that?’ (Geography had never been my strong point). Lydia giggled, ‘Norway’. Cool! I’d never been to Norway.
The flights were only £35 and Hannah was already reading up on what to do and see in Oslo. It sounded like a great place to visit.
We quickly made a call to Charlotte who sounded even more tender than we did and didn’t seem in any type of mood to talk (our partying the night before had obviously taken its toll on us all). Still, over loud speaker we excitedly bombarded Charlotte with the information we had just found. She sounded somewhat less excited than we did and in that moment I think her agreement of the trip was purely to get us off the phone.
And so it was booked and we were going to to Olso baby! It wasn’t long after our booking that we discovered that temperatures in Oslo can reach as low as minus seven in February (when we’d booked to go). MINUS SEVEN! We could only laugh, as whilst doing our vague, hungover research, along with planning where to stay, we’d forgotten to look up one vital thing – THE WEATHER. Anyway, hey, ho, we had our girl’s weekend booked and later another friend, Sally joined on to the trip and the five of us were really looking forward to our fun weekend away.
The Cost
Now something we’d been repeatedly told before we even got to Oslo was ‘it’s really expensive there’, usually followed by a pitiful look of confusion. Why were a group of twenty something girls going to Oslo for the weekend? Erm, because the flights were cheap. Many often laughed at this reasoning. We did not let it dampen our spirits.
Whilst our airbnb was affordable, upon arrival we did in fact find that, yes, everything in Oslo is ridiculously expensive. Our first round of drinks in Oslo was in a traditional style pub: 3 wines and 2 beers came to the equivalent of £45 and each place we went to thereafter, the price continued to be roughly 8 or 9 pounds for a glass of house red wine. However that said, this did not deter us from heading out on the evenings and a having a good time whilst we were at it.
Of course this meant that food was pricey too and Seven Eleven became our new best friend when it came to eating out/on the go in order to stick within our budget for the weekend.
The Weather
The weather wasn’t actually that bad. Okay, let me rephrase that…We’d brought the appropriate clothing meaning that we didn’t get too cold. So much so, that on the Saturday after bussing it all the way to the Viking museum we decided to walk back. We actually spent a good two hours walking through the snow. It was actually really good fun and we got to see a lot of pretty sights.
The Moral Of This Story
Another little spanner in the works that I almost forgot to mention was that we’d booked our flights to and from the wrong airport. Okay the moral of this story is fast becoming why you should never book a trip hungover and without proper research…BUT we found getting from Torp Oslo airport where we landed, to central Oslo was reasonably easy. We were able to jump on one of the coaches outside to embark on the one and a half hour journey to central Oslo (I know, I know), which cost around £25 each. Somewhat defeating the object of the initially ‘cheap flights’ but whatever. You live and you learn.
And The Icing On The Cake
On the Sunday we were more than ready to head home after our random yet fun weekend in Oslo and after checking out of our AirBnb we took the hour and a half long coach trip back to Oslo Torp airport.
We’d gone through customs, we’d order food and as we sat and waited for our flight details back to Manchester to show up on the board, we noticed a number of flights were being delayed and then cancelled.
A flight delay we could deal with, a cancellation we could not…and after seeing a number of flights being cancelled due to severe fog, our Manchester flight was next to join the list. I’ve dealt with flight delays before but this was the first time for a cancellation and believe me, it was not fun.
It’s exhausting to go through the next 24 hours that followed in detail but in short it included queuing for 3 hours. Having to book new flights for the next day to fly to London Heathrow (the flights back to Manchester were full until Tuesday). Getting in touch with our AirBnb to see if our apartment was still available (thankfully it was) and booking another night. Getting the train back to Oslo centre and checking back into our Airbnb. Waking up on Monday and heading to the central airport to fly to Hamburg and then to London. The girls getting a hire car and driving back from London to Manchester. Me getting off the plane and running through the airport to jump on the Heathrow Express to get to central London in time to make it to my modelling job that same day. I made it (Phew).
In these scenarios I like to say, ‘it could have been worse’ and the main thing is that we made it home in the end, even if it was a little later than expected…and I finally got to go home, home, after a week working in London. My bed had never been more appreciated.
The Round Up
Well. Oslo was an experience to say the least. Was it one of the most random (and at the very end, stressful) trips I’ve ever been on, yes…but was it fun, yes, actually, we had a fun time and didn’t stop laughing for most of it. But as the line goes, it’s not where you are, it’s who you’re with and that was certainly the case for this trip.
I may not have left a piece of my heart in Oslo on this occasion but I am glad I went as my random adventures are all about exploring somewhere different and that’s exactly what we got to do.
Would I go again?
Not in a rush, no. However that’s not to dismiss Norway as a whole, as whilst outside of the city centre of Oslo, we saw some absolutely beautiful sights and if I were to head back to Norway again, I’d love to do more outdoor exploring and take more of an adventure type holiday there. But I’m glad I got the chance to visit anyway and enjoy quite a different girl’s weekend away.
Have you ever been to Oslo or have you ever taken an alternative city break somewhere? Let me know in the comments section below. 🙂
Germany is fast becoming one of my most visited European destinations. I’d actually been to Hamburg for the fist time a couple of years ago during the summer but this time I was ready to explore much more of the city and experience Hamburg in winter as something different. My friend Chloe and I decided on the trip at the start of January and after finding flights that suited us perfectly for only £35, we quickly booked our three day city break for the 13th to the 15th February.
Where We Stayed
Superbude
The super cool hotel/hostel Supebude kindly put us up for our two night stay in Hamburg. Located in St Pauli, it’s only a stone’s throw away from a large selection of coffee shops, bars and restaurants, in the super quirky hipster area of Sternschanze. We actually spent a lot of time around the local area and found several great places to eat and drink.
Superbude, labels itself a hostel and hotel, however right away I have to say it isn’t like any hostel I’ve ever stayed in before, as whilst being affordable it is definitely a lot more stylish than most accommodation that falls into the ‘hostel’ bracket.
You know when you walk into Supebude that you’re in a cool spot and all the staff are really friendly. To the right of the reception there’s a cool chill out area with a couple of refrigerators that serve as a self service bar and behind that is the area where breakfast is served. Breakfast was included and we were both pleased with the selection of food on offer. Of course being in Germany it’s the usual continental style breakfast selection but there was plenty to choose from and we left feeling satisfied each morning.
We were also pleased with our room. Whilst being simple it provided everything we needed for our two nights stay. I’m happy as long as my bed is comfy, the shower is hot and overall everything is clean. I’m happy to say that it ticked all the boxes. Chloe and I both had good sleeps and agreed that we’d happily stay at Superbude again.
What We Ate
Eating Our Way Around Hamburg
It’s probably easier to compile a list of things we didn’t eat on this trip than the things that we did. In fact, I can go as far as to say that we didn’t stop eating for the entire three days. This was much to the delight of Chloe who is vegan and has mentioned how she often struggles finding food options when she’s away. We quickly noticed lots of vegan options close by to where we were staying, in Sternschanze. We managed to get our hands on everything from vegan cherry pie, to vegan donna kebab! Even I was in my element with it all and all the food we tried was so, so good!
A few favourites included:
Bullerei – A popular restaurant where we went for lunch on our first day. I had the salmon risotto which I thoroughly enjoyed. They didn’t have any vegan dishes but they made one of the dishes dairy free for Chloe on request. ElbGold – A cute coffee shop serving great cakes and pastries and even better coffee. We had a vegan apple slice & a vegan cherry pie with coffee. It was all very good. Cafe Piya – A restaurant on Schanzenstraße where we went for dinner one evening. We both went for the vegan burger and it was really good. The wine was good too.
We also had vegan Currywurst at a fast food place round the corner from our hotel. I unfortunately forgot to take note of the name of the place but it was either on or close by to Schanzenstraße.
What We Saw
Being Tourists
Aside from eating out…A LOT…We also managed to fit in quite a bit of sight seeing too. Although this was my second time in Hamburg, I ended up discovering a whole other side to the city that I hadn’t previously. I learnt that Hamburg is a creatively vibrant and artistic city. On first appearances you don’t see it’s quirks and unique flare but take a walk around an area like Sternschanze and you’ll see unique graffiti on every building. Whilst looking edgy I have to say that it still felt safe whilst wondering around these parts and overall there was a really chilled and pleasant vibe to the city, especially in the area mentioned. It had been Chloe’s first time in Hamburg and the second day into our trip she was already saying how she wanted to come back.
On our first day we took a two hour bike ride around the city on one of the StadtRAD rental bikes. Whilst it was absolutely freezing that day, I couldn’t have thought of a better way for us to explore the city. There are bike lanes on every single side walk, so there’s no need to worry about biking on the road. The hop on, hop off bikes are such an easy way to get around and when you’re done you can just hook them back up at one of the many bike docks around the city.
We also went on a boat tour and a bus tour during our trip but I have to say that the bikes were still my favourite mode of transport and a great way to see everything too. We also did a great deal of walking, which is so easy to do when you’re in a place like Hamburg which is very relaxed compared to other more crowded cities. There’s also a great deal of greenery in Hamburg with parks dotted throughout the city.
One tourist attraction I would recommend is the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in the HafenCity quarter. It’s free to go up and from the viewing deck you’re able to take in the views of Hamburg. Also, if you’re into architecture the building itself is pretty stunning and it cost a pretty penny too, which definitely shows. Even the inside of the Elbphilharmonie impressive, and I’d say it’s worth stopping by if you get the chance.
The Low Down
When we visited: February 2017 Weather: Average minus two degrees – Cold and crisp with blue sky. How long we stayed: Monday to Wednesday – Two nights Where we stayed: St Pauli Accommodation:Superbude Hotel Hostel Food To Try: Vegan Currywurst (if you can find the takeout we went to on Schanzenstraße), otherwise just look out for Currywurst in general. Suggestions: Layer up if you’re visiting during the winter. Recommendations: Go up the Elbphilharmonie, it’s free and you can see great views of Hamburg from up there!
Also, rent one of the StadtRAD bikes and cycle around Hamburg. Would I go again: Yes! Would I go again in February: Yes, however I’d love to go again in the summer too.
Chloe and I both loved our three days in Hamburg. I enjoyed myself the first time I visited but it’s the second time around that I really grew to love the city. We both liked the easy going vibe and Chloe has already said how much she is in love with Hamburg after our visit.
If you enjoy good food, street art and a city with a creative vibe, then Hamburg could be just the place for you and I certainly recommend the visit.
Samio x
*Our accommodation was kindly provided by Superbude along with thanks to Hamburg Tourism who organised it also provided our travel whilst in Hamburg.
It was a dreary day in November and I scrolled through my Twitter feed in search of some mild entertainment. As my eyes flitted down the screen I spotted my friend, L’Oréal, had tweeted expressing how she was keen to go to Berlin again for a city break. This instantly caught my attention! I’d been feeling a strong desire to take more trips in the new year, especially to places I was yet to explore in Europe…Although I knew it would be a long shot that we’d actually end up going anywhere, I thought I’d put it out there that I was eager to go on a city break too. And so without hesitation I tweeted back…Because you never know, right!
I’m often reminded that not everyone is quite as spontaneous as I am, but when L’Oréal tweeted back agreeing that we should make the trip happen, I was on Skyscanner before we’d even had a chance to discuss things properly.
I was happy to see that L’Oréal was just as enthusiastic as I was when we got round to properly discussing our trip over private message. We both decided on January for our time to travel. Then Berlin quickly evolved into Lisbon with L’Oréal’s suggestion and the slightly warmer weather in mind.
Lisbon had never been somewhere I’d thought of going to before, but I quickly got enthused about the idea when I found flights for £40 each, to go over on the second weekend in January. Of course we couldn’t say no to that and so Lisbon was booked and my first trip of 2017 was set in motion.
The Important Stuff
Rather than rambling on too much (more) in this blog post, I’d rather give you the important details that may help/benefit you if you’re panning a trip to Lisbon during the winter…Or any time for that matter. I must admit that L’Oréal and I didn’t do much touristy stuff, with the focus of our trip being on relaxing, eating and generally just hanging out and enjoying the laid back city.
That’s one thing I can tell you, that Lisbon has a super chilled and laid back vibe for a city. You don’t feel in a particular rush to go, or be anywhere and people seem to slowly ease into the day without much rush – that’s how it felt on the weekend at least.
Transport
In terms of transport, the subway is affordable and easy to navigate (if you’re use to the London Underground, you’ll find Lisbon’s version a doddle). We only used the subway once during our weekend, and that was to get us from the airport when we arrived, to Baixa-Chiado – Although I’m sure we’d use it more if we were to go back during the summer and explore more areas. Our tickets cost less than two euro each and were easy to buy from the ticket machines at the subway station.
Accommodation
For our accommodation we stayed in an AirBnb, which we’d actually booked pretty last minute (the week before), although I wouldn’t recommend organising it so last minute during the summer, as you may find many of the best place have sold out. I’ve noticed the AirBnb that we stayed in is already starting to fill up fast!
I’m saying all of this presuming you’ve heard of AirBnb and at least know what it’s all about but I do realise not everyone has used it yet. It’s a great alternative to staying in a hotel, whereby you stay in someone’s home instead. Not to worry if you don’t fancy shaking up with a random family, there are plenty of Airbnb’s available where you can rent the entire home to yourself (like the one we stayed in here)…Overall it generally works out affordable and pretty good value for money. Our AirBnb was excellent and right in Bairro Alto, which is an area I’d stay again if/when I were to go back. Also, if you’re new to AirBnb you can get £25 worth of travel credit if you sign up using my link here…You’re welcome. 😉
The Weather
The weather when we were in Lisbon was thankfully much milder than in the UK! We left England with snow and arrived to blue sky and sunshine. The average temperature was thirteen degrees celsius, which actually felt warm compared to back home. The sky was clear and blue for the whole of our trip and we even managed to eat al fresco for lunch on the Saturday!
The Nightlife
The nightlife in Lisbon is really good fun – from what we experienced anyway. Although we only made it out, out, one night of our trip, which was the Saturday, we found that there were plenty of bars to choose from which seem to get busier later into the evening. Later into the night you’re likely to find groups spilling out onto the streets, with plastic cups in hand giving the city a summer type vibe even in the winter. The only downside to the Lisbon nightlife (and also the only negative thing I can say about the entire trip), is that it’s still legal to smoke in bars over there, so if you’re not use to the smoke it can get a little overpowering! However, after getting over the fact that you feel like you’re back in 2006, you’re likely to get use to it and happily dance away into the early hours, especially when you’ve had a few drinks like I had.
Food
And last but not least…(my favourite) Food…If you’re going for somewhere that’s offering the local cuisine, you’re likely to find a lot of meat, fish and potatoes on the menu, usually with the one vegetarian option of lasagne. The local cuisine is very tasty though if you do happen to try it but not to threat if it’s not for you, there is lots to chose from! Even in the small radius from where we stayed we found a verity of different restaurants, with everything from vegetarian to vegan options, so there really is something for everyone and overall I found the food to be really good!
Also whilst in Lisbon I do recommend you try the Pasteis De Nata, which I insisted on calling a ‘Lisbon Pie’ for the entirety of the trip when I didn’t know the proper name. Whilst in Lisbon someone on my Instagram recommended we try Manteigaria (a pastry shop/cafe selling only Pasteis De Nata), and it was an excellent suggestion!
The Low Down
When we visited: January 2017 Weather: Average 13 Degrees C – Mild with blue sky. How long we stayed: Friday to Monday – 3 nights. Where we stayed: Bairro Alto. Accommodation: Airbnb. Food To Try: Pasteis De Nata. Suggestions: Take Comfortable Shoes. What we spent there: Roughly €160 each on food, drink and transport for the entire weekend. Would I go again: Yes! Would I go again in January: Most certainly!
I think it’s pretty clear to say that we both LOVED Lisbon. The people, the vibe of the place, the colourful buildings, the blue sky in January, were all brilliant! We’ve been told by almost everyone that we should visit again in summer, which I would certainly love to do, but I’d also strongly recommend Lisbon for a winter getaway destination too. If you’re from the UK especially, jetting off to Lisbon for a weekend of blue sky and slightly milder weather over January or February, is the perfect way to beat the winter blues. It certainly helped me beat mine!
Have you ever visited Lisbon? What city breaks do you recommend?
The Friday before last I jetted to Hamburg to visit my friend Tara. I’d never been to Hamburg before but if I’m being completely honest, my excitement for this trip wasn’t to explore the city but it was instead to see my friend. I think it’s very true what they say, ‘It’s not where you are but who you’re with’. The company you keep can often make any place better and that’s not to say that Hamburg wasn’t a great place to visit (as I do always love exploring new cities) but my main focus on this trip was on catching up with my good friend.
Tara knows Hamburg well as although she’s from LA, she stops there each summer whilst modelling. This summer was no exception and that is why I’d planned the trip to see her there (as it’s not far from the UK). I was just over for the weekend and joined Tara in the house which she had been staying in throughout June, via Air B&B. The couple she was staying with were so lovely and I was impressed with the place and the great location.
I enjoyed the relaxed vibe of Hamburg and had lots of fun during the Saturday whilst we wondered around the shops. I had such an enjoyable weekend overall, sampling some great food and getting to hang out and catch up with my friend.
Here are some snaps of the weekend…
We spotted Tara’s Gore-Tex ad in a shop window, so I obviously had to get a snap!
Time flies when you’re having fun and before I knew it my weekend with Tara was coming to an end. As I packed my bags on the Sunday, I didn’t quite feel ready to leave. Tara had often told be about her love for Hamburg and it made me think that maybe I was now feeling it too. Or maybe I’d just had such a great time with my friend that I felt slightly saddened, as I knew I was going to miss her company.
It’s not often I dedicate an entire blog post to one restaurant but for a place as pretty as this, I had to make an exception…
Last Wednesday I finally got to go to Tattu Chinese Restaurant and Bar, situated in Spinningfields, Manchester. The place has only been open for a short period of time and I couldn’t wait to try it out. I finally took the trip with a few of my girlfriends and my friend Rae was also up from London, which was an added bonus.
First off, the place is visually stunning. The décor is slightly ‘oriental’ (without sounding too vague) and the bar area, as you first walk in, has a slight rustic nautical twist with the theme of tattoo art running throughout.
The bar area is situated downstairs and the faint scent of incense makes it the perfect place to sit and relax with a pre drink before heading upstairs to dine.
When you do make your way upstairs, you’re in for a real treat, as you enter a fabulously decorated indoor Chinese garden.
In terms of the décor, I think the images speak for themselves and show you how beautiful the place is but let that not distract from the food, which I have to say was as equally as impressive!
The waiters were really friendly and attentive and as we were spoilt for choice, they helped us with our final decisions on what to order.
To start, my friend Rae and I went for Dim Sum to share and opted for the Chicken Truffle Shumai and the Chilean Sea Bass Spinach Parcels.
Between our whole table we ordered so much that we began to pick and share each others starters. My favourites were the Chicken Truffle Shumai, which we ordered and the Mushroom Spring Rolls which Jazmine and Chloe went for.
For the main dishes, again Rae and I shared and we went for the Black Angus Fillet and the Chilli Salt Squid with a side of Steamed Mixed Vegetables.
The Black Angus Fillet had been highly recommend and I have to agree that it was extremely good. It was served rare (just how I like it), on a bed of asparagus and the caramel soy it was served with had the most incredible flavour (I’m salivating just thinking about it).
The Chilli Salt Squid was also a tasty treat but the Black Angus Fillet was definitely my favourite.
The food looks deceptive and by this point we were actually quite full but not too full for dessert, which we were all excited to get stuck into.
Again Rae and I shared and for dessert we ordered The Silk Road, consisting of Strawberry, lychee and rose and the Cherry Blossom with Chocolate, miso and cherry.
Both desserts were presented fabulously and tasted really good too. My favourite was probably Cherry Blossom but both desserts combined made the perfect end to a delicious meal.
I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Tattu. It’s certainly not your typical Chinese restaurant and I would certainly recommend it to those looking for more of a fine dining experience. This is the perfect place to go for a special occasion or when you fancy something different and I would definitely go again.
On Friday I headed down to London to be reunited with Natalia and Tara or the Cheeky Chicas as we like to call ourselves. It was nice to be in London with time off for a change, rather than going down for castings or work and as Natalia had flown over from Slovakia and Tara had made the long haul flight over from L.A, I was super excited to see them both. The three of us (along with another girl Maria, who unfortunately couldn’t make our London reunion) had first met this summer in Spain, during my time modelling out there in Barcelona. We were all with the same agency and so lived together whilst staying there. We had so much fun in Barcelona together and constantly kept in touch after we had all left, so a reunion was greatly anticipated.
I arrived in London just after 11am and then I headed to Paddington train station to meet Tara who was due to be travelling in from Heathrow airport. She had spotted my afro before I got chance to even look for her and so I first heard an excitable American accent shout my name. I turned to see her, coffee in one hand, wheely case in the other, looking boho chic and surprisingly fresh after an eleven hour flight. We were soon squealing in excitement and embracing in a hug. Together we then headed to where we were staying to check in and it wasn’t long until Natalia arrived. I spotted her walking in from outside and in the excitement I ran out of the lobby leaving my iPad and phone unattended on the table, as she giddily came bounding over in her cool white Docs and skinny jeans. After hugs and excitable hellos, we headed up to surprise Tara in the room and then we were soon gathering our things ready to head out and explore London together.
We were all rather tired on the Friday evening, not to mention Tara’s jet lag, so we took it easy and wondered along the River Thames, getting a close up view of the London eye. We walked around the Christmas markets as well as riding on the carousel and sampling some delicious food from The Real Food Festival at Southbank Centre Square. I of course had to go for an organic Sussex beef burger with rocket and blue cheese, which tasted incredible I have to say.
The next morning we were up reasonable early and after a hearty breakfast we headed to Oxford Street to shop. Probably not the most sensible choice for a Saturday during the first December weekend in London but as our days were limited and it was Tara’s first time in London, we decided to do it anyway. I for once am proud to say that I barely spent any money whilst wondering around the shops and in London of all places. All I purchased was a skirt, top and scarf from H&M. I had the most enjoyment helping my girls shop and showing them round the English shops that they had never been to before.
After a long and busy day shopping we were desperate for food and so after wondering down a few side streets we stumbled upon an ambient little Italian named Olivelli. We went in and enjoyed some scrumptious dishes and sat and chatted for hours. Afterwards we went to London Bridge for a few touristy snaps and then headed back.
On Sunday we went to Somerset House. As Natalia is a big fan of fashion photographer Guy Bourdin’s work, we went to see his exhibition there and I’m very pleased we did. We even took it upon ourself to recreate one of his iconic photographs whilst still in the gallery. The funny part is nobody seemed to bat an eyelid. We’re constantly clowning about when we’re together so it was inevitable really.
On Sunday evening after going to look around outside The Tower of London, we went to the famous Winter Wonderland, where we enjoyed some sweet treats and coffee as we wondered through the hustle and bustle of the Christmas markets to look around the novelty stalls. Later we wondered back through Hyde Park and went to Buckingham Palace to take snaps, then we went for Greek food to end the evening.
Before we knew it Monday had arrived, our last full day together. I was feeling pretty exhausted by this point as I’d been powering through a cold whilst constantly on the go and not having much sleep. But it was all totally worth it as I was having so much fun and we were constantly getting into the most deep and interesting conversations about life and our plans for the future. I truly cherished our time together and feel incredibly blessed to have such lovely inspiring friends from such different backgrounds to my own.
After another jam packed day we resided back at our favourite restaurant of the trip, Olivelli and again enjoyed some delicious food, including my seafood pasta dish which was gorgeous.
On the Tuesday morning we just had time for a quick coffee and a bite to eat before we said our goodbyes and each headed our separate ways home. I enjoyed a truly magical weekend with my Cheeky Chicas and cannot wait for our next reunion which we are already hoping to plan for early next year. Now I’m back home and fully into the Christmas spirit after such a wonderfully festive time in London. I’m actually back down in London tomorrow but I have to say it won’t be the same without my Cheeky Chicas. <3
Friday was such a good day and I got to spend it with some of my favourite people, enjoying some of my favourite things.
Before starting the day’s activities I headed to Chorlton to my dear friend Beckler’s place, for a much needed hair cut! My hair has been so dry lately. Over the past weeks, every time I went to wash it, it was extremely knotty. My hair hadn’t been in this bad of a condition since I used to bleach it (which was years ago). I’ll be honest I’ve not taken the best care of my hair lately. During my month in Barcelona I was washing it everyday, so that it looked fresh for castings and work but I think that with that, along with the intense sun on it everyday, it just finally took it’s toll and my split ends got way out of hand… So anyway, after much deliberation, I decided that it must be a haircut that I needed and I was right.
Beckler is a very handy friend to have, because not only is she brilliantly funny, a good listener and lots of fun, she also cuts hair and is in fact the only person I trust with scissors near my fro. This time Beckler took about two inches off my fro, which was scary at the time but as soon as the ends were gone my hair felt much healthier. Straight away I was able to comb my fingers straight through my hair and it felt knot free and much thicker too.
Beckler and I then headed back into the center and went to (my favourite) Richmond Tea Rooms for afternoon tea. I’ve been to Richmond Tea Rooms lots of times, sampling many of their delicious cakes and food dishes (I’m sure many of you have heard me rambling on about it) but it was the first time I’d tried their afternoon tea.
We were there for Beckler’s belated Birthday celebrations together, so we decided to go all out and opt for The Richmond Tea, which is a traditional afternoon tea served with a glass of bubbly. It was delicious! We enjoyed a selection of finger sandwiches, quiche, a variety if mini cakes and two great big scones along with a large pot of Earl Grey tea, not forgetting our all important glasses of bubbly. It was very tasty and so filling too, so it was definitely worth the money and great for a birthday treat.
I just love it when food is so beautifully presented and so of course I couldn’t help but take a few snaps.
After our afternoon tea, Beckler and I headed over to The Northern Quarter and hung out in one of our favourite bars, drinking prosecco and chatting even more (when the pair of us get together we don’t stop). Soon it was after work time and so our friend Nick came and joined us, shortly followed by my boyfriend, Damien. We spent the rest of the evening drinking in The Northern Quarter and before we know it, it was late and time to head home. Beckler and a Nick decided to carry on the evening’s antics and turn it into a night out. For me however, I’d had one too many glasses of wine and so it was time for bed, ending an lovely day spent with great company.
I don’t even know where to start with this blog post. So much happened in a month, it’s hard to detail it all down. So without the elegance of a detailed account I’ll be concise to cut a long story short… I went to Barcelona to model at the end of June; intentionally I went for two weeks but ended up staying a month. This was my fourth time in Barcelona but my first time I’d gone there to work. I booked a couple of really fun commercials whilst I was out there, one which took me to Madrid to film for 4 days, where I worked with some really cool people and had so much fun.
Whilst staying in Barcelona I shared a flat in my agency with four other models; Maria from Spain (who was also my roomie), Natalia from Slovakia and Tara from L.A. The four of us all became really close and formed the type of friendship you don’t find everyday. Collectively we named ourselves the Cheeky Chicas (as you do) and stayed up most nights chatting into the early hours about anything and everything and giggling like school girls… We also had some pretty amazing nights out too not to mention our many adventures between castings and work during the day.
I also got to see lots of one of my oldest best friends, Lydia, who lives in Barcelona, with whom I did lots of catching up, eating and wine drinking. All in all my month in Barcelona was amazing, I met some really cool people, went to some really fun parties, worked some awesome jobs and made some amazing new friends.
One of my best friends, Lydia is back over from Barcelona for the weekend, so yesterday I met up with her and her Mother for her belated Birthday Celebrations and went for tea and cake at one of my favourite places, Richmond Tea Rooms. This place has featured on my blog a few times now but I do always love taking friends along for their first visit. Lydia and her Mother loved their first visit to Richmond Tea Rooms and we had a lovely afternoon enjoying lunch, cake and wine whilst having a good catch up. We were seated in the far corner, under the mini marquee which is my favourite spot because you are able to look out onto the rest of the tea room whilst being costly secluded in your private corner.
