Jason Bourne Premiere - London

Working for a film company certainly has its perks and last Monday was a definite SUPER PERK.

I managed to secure 2 x tickets for my boyfriend and I to attend the Bourne premiere at Leicester Square Odeon.

So on Monday 11th July we made our way there in our smart outfits and tickets in hand. The Universal team were out in force and all excited to see the next instalment in the Bourne saga.

We entered the red carpet at about 6:50 and had a few snaps in front of the Bourne sign before trying to walk as slow as possible down the red carpet. However security were soon flexing their muscles and ushering us all along. However I did manage a few sneaky photos of the utterly gorgeous Alicia Vikander and Julia Styles. 

Vikander for me, nailed the red carpet glamour in a floor length silver sequin dress with a high split showing her gorgeous bronze toned legs (not jealous at all). Her hair was tied in a wavy plait and her outfit finished off with a pair of white killer heels.

Stiles went for a mermaid scale print dress, which was still beautiful but Vikander stole the crown in my opinion.

We made our way to our seats and opened up our bag of popcorn before TV presenter Alex Zane took to the stage to introduced director Paul Greengrass who gave a brief speech about making the latest in the Bourne saga before welcoming the cast onto the stage.

Matt Damon naturally got the biggest reaction from the crowd and then it was time to settle down for the movie.

Bourne was everything you would expect with high speed car chases, killers punches and a hero at the heart that is just looking for answers about his family.

Whilst Bourne is not the strongest film out of the saga I still really enjoyed the film and as we made our way out of the cinema screening who should be walking behind us but Matt himself. We watched as he very chivalrously opened the door for his gorgeous wife Luciana before they were driven off in a Range Rover to the after party which was taking place at the Aqua Shard.

This was my first Universal red carpet experience and it was a fun way to fill the Game of Thrones shaped hole that my Monday nights now have.

Thanks for reading, back soon.

Nic x

Vintage Carnival - Nottingham

Recently I left behind the hustle and bustle of London and spent a sunny bank holiday Saturday at Nottingham Race Course attending a Vintage Carnival with my family.

Nottingham has some great vintage events and this one promised to be bigger and better than any others the city has put on before.

Tickets were £7 or £5 if you bought the early bird tickets.

We arrived early and joined the queue of men, women and children, many of whom had got into the spirit of the event and applied their red lipstick, rolled their hair and dusted off their tweed jackets.

As soon as you enter the carnival you are met with a beautiful carousel ride and traditional children's field games such as Tin Can Alley, Ball in the Bucket and The Mighty Striker.


Moving past that there was an amazing selection of vintage cars that their owners were all stood displaying with their proud puffed out chests.

My favourite had to be this gorgeous bubble pink Thunderbird that look just like something Lady Penelope would be driven around in.

Being a foodie it was great to see a variety of different independent food and drink stalls selling wood fired pizzas to beef brisket to Jamaican jerk chicken with rice and peas. The food was reasonably priced and the pizza stall served up deliciously tasty stone baked pizzas all from their converted horse box business.

The vintage stalls were sectioned into two areas. The open air section at the back of the race course and the indoors in one of the pavilion areas.

My sister in law bought some gorgeous brown and cream patent court shoes with a ribbon bow and whilst I didn’t buy anything personally I did fall in love with this little bow tie stall made from recycle vintage fabrics.

The carnival was by now filling up fast and crowds were gathering to have their hair coiffured into a vintage roll or have the perfect cat flick eyes created by some of the make up stands.

By a country mile though one of my favourite parts of the day was coming across a vintage stall that seemed to stock everything from my 80s and 90s childhood.

From an Edd the Duck to the baby dinosaur from 90s tv show Dinosaurs, to the big yellow teapot house I'm sure that every girl in the 80s played with at some point or another.

It was like a step back in time to my old bedroom and my brother and I certainly had a few giggles as the nostalgia washed over and we remembered how much fun we used to have with these toys when life was simple and all you had to worry about was what you were having for dinner or how many levels you could complete on your favourite Sega mega drive game before your mum made you go to bed.

I filled my belly up with a glass of bubbly prosecco and a 99 ice cream with a flake before heading home a couple of hours later.

The vintage carnival was a lot of fun and I will definitely be looking to go to the next one in September.

If you live in the East Midlands and are looking for something different to do at the weekends then book your early bird tickets and go and have a fun day out or even step back in time to your childhood.

Thanks for reading, back soon.

Nic x

Yoga & Me

A few years ago I used to be called what is known as a 'Yoga Procastinator'.

A person who had never done a yoga class but always would say to myself 'you must try yoga Nic, remember to book a yoga class' and alas I never did.

For years it was always on my to do list but for some crappy reason I never did. Life just always seemed to get in the way, which is a terrible excuse.

However just over 18 months ago I finally stopped being a 'yoga procrastinator' and booked my first class.

I started going to a weekly Hatha yoga class on a Tuesday evening. It was an hour and 30 minutes of gentle yoga and 20 minutes meditation. It was just what I needed at a time when my life felt a bit upside down and my negative thinking and fuzzy head was not at its healthiest. During those 90 minutes I was able to do the 'impossible' and switch off my brain and just be in the moment.

Personally I don't believe that Yoga is about who is the strongest or who can make their bodies bend into every positions. Yoga is individual to you and I have learned over the last 18 months that there are just certain things my body will and wont do. Seated forward folds are still elusive to me, (damn you tight calves), but on the flip side my body has become so much stronger in other ways. I can now pull my tummy in and lift my legs off the floor into a headstand, and use the growing arm muscles to do the side crow.

Tripod Headstand

Side Crow Variation

I now go to a weekly Vinyasa class with the lovely Hannah from Stretch and whilst I do need to work on practicing more Yoga outside of my classes, and not letting a hard day at work be an excuse for not attending class. Yoga still provides me with that time out from my weekly routine to steady my mind and be in the moment. I look forward to my classes so much and always leave feeling energised and awake. The time I spend on the mat I go into a different place where I concentrate purely on the moment.

Spending 5 days recently with my Yoga class in Sintra, Portugal was the perfect excuse to strengthen my yoga practice with twice daily classes and make new friends. Yoga on the beach at sunset with the sound of the sea was pure bliss.

Yoga has played a significant part in making me a stronger person. Both physically and mentally. Some of the breathing and relaxation techniques have really helped me to keep my anxiety at bay.

I can still feel it there on bad days but then I try to focus on my breath and tell myself it will pass. Yoga has really helped me try to get past that. I now feel healthier and much more in control of things than I have in such a long time. 

Fallen Angel

Yoga means union, and yoga and I are now firm friends.

If you like me keep putting off joining a class then do it, I promise you wont regret it.

Thanks for reading, Nic x

Sketch - London

Ah Sketch, I have wanted to visit you for so long and have often trawled through your instagram feed wishing for the excuse to visit.

So when a promotion came my way at work a few weeks ago I knew it would be the perfect excuse to indulge and treat myself. I also dragged along my best friend as she was celebrating too. Double Whammy!!

We were booked in for 6.30pm but arrived at around 6pm and sat in the Parlour for an early evening cocktail. The 'Let's talk about passion' cocktail is a mix of vodka, passion fruit, raspberries, pineapple and lime. What a way to start the evening.

We were shown to our table in the gallery just before half past and I may have done a little squeal of excitement. It's pink walls and low lighting along with the velour scalloped stools gives the gallery a dreamlike feel to it. It feels like a cross between a Mad Hatters Tea Party and a Turkish Delight.

As we took our seats we couldn't help but laugh at some of the David Shrigley artwork on the walls. From the obscure, to random to downright weird the decor really catches your attention. Here are some of my favourites.

Upon opening our menus out popped a cut out cutlery set, further enhancing my feelings of being at a fantasy tea party.

It was straight on to mains for the two of us and whilst I ordered a rump steak my friend opted for the hake. Service was attentive and speedy and we were literally salivating as the plates were placed in front of us.

Washing down the steak with a lovely glass of red, it felt like the ultimate indulgent evening.

When it came to using the loo's I may have been more excited than my actual food. Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration but I have never been to an alien pod like toilet before.

There are around 20 egg shaped pods situated around the floor under a multi-coloured domed ceiling. Whilst locked in my pod doing my thing I was joined by the sounds of ducks quacking. Am I dreaming again or am I aware??????

Dinner was finished off with a plate of macaroons. The chocolate was to die for and just the right amount of sweetness to complete our meal.

We left a couple of hours later with full bellies and big smiles on our faces.

Thank you Sketch for a wonderful evening. I hope to be back one day soon.

Have you ever been to Sketch? Let me know.

Thanks for reading, Nic x

Hello Kitty x Lola's Cupcake

Who doesn't love a cupcake?

I am more of a savoury fan girls myself, but when it comes to cupcakes I'm happy to break the rules. So when I was invited to Selfridges today for the launch of Lola's Cupcakes collaboration with everyones favourite feline fashion icon - Hello Kitty, I knew I would be in for a treat.

The collaboration features a range of mini cupcakes using Kitty's iconic red bow and her cute little face, but also a range of personalised cakes for you or your best friend.

Hello Kitty is all about friendship and sharing and what better way to prove this by ordering a personalised cupcake.

The event was held in the food hall at Selfridges and lots of little girls were excitedly jumping up and down after getting a little red Kitty bow painted on their heads.

I am typing this blog post as I tuck into my red velvet gooey cupcake.

Be sure to stop by Selfridges for a sugary treat.

Thanks for reading x

What's in my suitcase?

I type this post excitedly as I count down the days until I am off on another adventure. Back on a plane, off to explore somewhere new. This time its Amsterdam.

On Thursday morning I will be flying out for 3 days in the Dutch capital. To the land of tulips, clog shoes, bicycles and canals, and I cannot wait. Not least because it will settle the niggling wanderlust that has been shaking my ankles since I got back from Munich last November.

I thought I would share a little insight into what I will be taking with me for the trip.

Tartan Scarf from Zara / Topshop Jeans / Breton Stripe tee from New Look / Maggs London make up Bag / Biker boots from New Look / Denim Shift dress from New Look / Chunky Knit sweaters 

If you like to be super organised when going away then I recommend you download the Trip List app which is free from the app store. The app allows you to utilise pre-prepared lists or create your very own, tailored to whatever type of trip you are going on.

Items are clearly categorised: clothing, documents, electronics, family, medical, miscellaneous, outdoors, tasks and toiletries.

Items can be ticked off with a tap of the screen and then they disappear from the list and into your checked items list.

The geek in me seriously loves ticking things off the virtual list as they go into my case. 

Well worth a download if you are off on a trip in the near future.

Stay tuned for more about my Amsterdam advernture in the next few days. Thanks for reading.

Back soon, Nic x

Red Velvet Cake

Who doesn't love a good bake sale eh? Any excuse for a piece of cake is fine by me.

As our office is celebrating Chinese New Year this week we decided to hold a charity bake sale to kick off the festivities.

In Chinese culture the colour red is supposed to symbolise luck so what better cake to make than a Red Velvet cake. In all honesty I have been looking for an excuse to bake one of these for while now.

I have added an easy how to guide below in-case this post inspires any of you to give it a try.

Firstly you will need the following ingredients:

For the cake

2 x Large Eggs

120g unsalted butter

300g white  caster sugar

50g cocoa powder

2 tbsp red food colouring gel

1tsp vanilla extract

300g plain white flour

1 tsp salt

240ml Buttermilk

1 tsp bicarb of soda

For the cream cheese topping

100g unsalted butter

6600g icing sugar

250g cream cheese full fat

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C, gas mark 4). Line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with greaseproof paper.

Step 2

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl either with a spoon or electric mixer until the ingredients are light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time and continue to mix until all the eggs are part of the mixture.

Step 3

Sieve the cocoa powder into the mix and add in the vanilla extract

Step 4

Sieve the flour into another bowl and add in the salt. Gradually add half the flour to the chocolate mixture and the add in half the buttermilk. Mix well and then add the other half of the flour and the last of the buttermilk.

Step 5

Add two tablespoons of red food colouring gel making sure it is mixed in well. I would buy two of the tubes you can find in the supermarkets as one if not enough.

Step 6

In a small mug combine the white wine vinegar and the bicarbonate of soda, then add to the mixture, stirring until combined.

Step 7

Split the mixture between the two lined sandwich tins and place in the oven for approximately 30 minutes. Your cake is ready as soon as a toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool.

Step 8

For the icing, place the butter, cream cheese and icing sugar in a food mixer and beat until smooth (or do by hand, beating quickly until thick and smooth). Cover one layer of the cake with icing, then sandwich the two pieces of cake together. Cover the top and sides of the cake with icing then grate dark chocolate over the top for the final touch.

For the finishing touch I added my Chinese Dragon topper from Tesco.

Happy Chinese New Year everyone.

Thanks for reading, back soon.
Nic x

Chinese New Year

 

Gung Hay Fat Choy. Happy Chinese New Year everyone.

2015 is the year of the Goat and starts today on the 19th February. The sign of the goat is believed to bring a mood of peace, harmony and tranquility, and is a time for coming together to join forces. Happiness, success and good fortune are believed to follow.

This year my company is taking part in its own Chinese New Year celebrations, largely due to the fact we are part of a large Hong Kong based corporation.

We were given a box of decorations including lanterns, stuffed animal toys, chocolate pennies and many more decorations. We all decided to be a bit naughty too and order Chinese take away for lunch, that coupled with a bake sale it was great way to start the celebrations.

As I am off to China in September I am trying to embrace the culture and the traditions in preparation for my trip. For example I now know that the reason red is such a prominent colour in Chinese culture is that it is believed to bring good luck and warn off evil spirits.

I find these traditions fascinating and cant wait to learn more on my trip.

Let me know if any of you are celebrarting Chinese New Year in any form. It could even be just ordering from your local takeaway :)

Thanks for reading, back soon. 

Nic x

DIY - Rope Lamp

A different kind of post this week and my first ever DIY blog post.

I am a big fan of the lovely Caroline over at Burkatron and often feel inspired by her many DIY projects.

However this little DIY project  I came across on Pinterest and it was so easy and cost less than a tenner.

On this post I will be showing you how to turn a plain old boring lamp into this nautical rope lamp.

I picked up this plain cream lamp from Wilkinsons at the weekend for £6, along with some garden twine and pva glue. All in all I spent a total of £8.

Simple huh?

Starting at the top I applied a generous layer of pva and started wrapping the twine around and around. Don't worry if you get glue on the twine as this will dry clear and you wont notice any difference.

You will see from the picture below I did this in two stages due to the shape of the base. I found it was best to work from the smaller part and work outwards. This way the twine stuck easier. For the middle parts I just turned the lamp base upside down and applied the same method.

If you don't mind getting a bit messy this DIY lamp project is quick, cheap and easy and hopefully the finished product looks better than the original.

I did two of these in just over an hour on a Sunday afternoon and they are now sitting pretty on my bedside table.

Have any of you got any DIY projects you care to share? Let me know.

Thanks for reading, back soon x

Gone Walkabout

You can't beat a sunny but cold walk on a Sunday morning. It's the perfect way to blow off the cobwebs, get some fresh air and work up an appetite for a Sunday roast.

Living in Nottingham I have a very famous forest right on my doorstep. Sherwood Forest is most famous for its association with Robin Hood and only a 30 minute drive from my house, so it is the perfect place for walking.

Last Sunday my boyfriend and I headed to the forest, grabbed a hot cappucino from the woodland cafe and set off with the camera for a chilly walk in the woods.

I actually quite like wrapping up all warm in thick socks, my huge tartan scarf from Zara and breathing in that foresty smell. I also reacquainted myself with my old Quecha walking boots that carried me up and down Machu Pichu last year and are super comfy.

It was great to see so many other people out enjoying the sunshine especially running into all the dogs walkers along the way. I have serious Dog lust at the moment and would one day love to have one of my own.

No filters or photo-shopping were required with the photos, as my camera really captured the orange and green of the forest perfectly. There was even a little bit of snow still on the ground from the recent snow flurry we had.

After a good two hour walk I was so ready to tuck into a big sunday roast dinner.

All in all it was a perfect Sunday.

Thanks for reading x

Liz Earle Beauty Products

I first came across Liz Earle products about fifteen years ago when I used to steal the small samples that came whenever my Mum bought the products. I always remember how soft and clean my skin felt after using the range.

Despite it taking me a fair few years to become reacquainted with the brand I was so happy on Christmas Day to peel back the wrapping paper and get my mitts on some more products.

The 'Cleanse and Polish' hot cloth cleanser is great for giving your skin a deep clean and the muslin cloth is non abrasive on your skin. After that the Instant Skin Boost tonic really freshens you up and the smell is divine.

I will definitely be giving my chilly winter skin some extra TLC over the next few weeks.

These two products have now firmly made their way into my daily skincare routine along with the good old cucumber face wipes and No.7 moisturiser.

Do you like Liz Earle products? If so let me know which ones.

Thanks for reading x