Weekly Update!

Chatter, Platters and 90s Dancing!

Because I had so much to do after New York I decided to take a full 2 week break from blogging, so there are some things at the back end of last week that I haven't been able to include. Nothing substantial to report, apart from the fact that I now have a lovely new boyfriend (the guy who I went on a date with just before my holiday) and therefore this week my social life has perked up slightly more than usual and been a good mixed bag of pursuits!

The beginning of the week (Mon-Weds) was fairly quiet, I went for coffee and cake with Hannah and Natasha on Monday at Gastronomy in Hale, a lovely little cafe/ wine bar that was much bigger than I expected from the outside. The rest of the time was spent working out, running errands, the usual. I did get chance to dye my hair though, and to pick up a dress that I had the zip mended on ready for a wedding on Saturday.

On Thursday I went with Sam to a pub for a few drinks to celebrate his friends birthday. It was the Sale Sharks rugby team end of season night out, so there were some very interesting fancy dress costumes to look at to keep me entertained! On Friday I went to Emily and Smeed's for a catch up, as it had been ages since I saw either of them. It was nice just to chat and fill them in on what we'd been upto in New York, and the latest on my love life! Afterwards I headed into Hale to meet up with Lydia and Sam for some drinks once she'd finished work. As usual (the three of us are clearly a bad influence on each other) we stayed out until 2am, got horrendously drunk, and ended up back at mine drinking Baileys until silly o'clock in the morning. It was a really fun and spontaneous night though, which is always good fun.

The following morning I obviously felt awful, but somehow managed to get through a six hour shift before getting ready in a massive rush and going to Sam's to go to the wedding of one of his friends. It was certainly a very quiet one, but the group of us that went made it a fun night anyway by getting slightly tipsy and requesting 90s dance routine songs that us girls then performed for the room. We were home at just gone midnight, goosed from the previous nights antics!

Today I've had a really lovely time actually. We met up with Jen and Simmo (the couple we were out with last night) and went for lunch at The Alderley Grill which was really nice. We shared a Mezze platter that had pitta bread, olives, houmous, tzatziki stuffed peppers, vine leaves and other little nibbley bits between the four of us, and then I had a cobb salad with chicken, bacon and blue cheese. Apart from the bacon being a little too crispy for my liking, it was all delicious, and gave us some shelter from the horrible rain that kept up all day. This evening we went to Jen and Simmo's and watched both Kung Fu Panda films, which I really enjoyed having never seen them before. Simmo made us all a lasagne, which we somehow managed to eat despite still being stuffed from lunch and then we went home at ten ready to start another week!

Traveller's Tales...

New York City (Part 2)

The following day (Friday) Abi was off again so could join us for the day. We got the subway to Grand Central Station and had some breakfast there, I got a yoghurt, fruit and granola pot which was lovely. Next we went to Brooklyn Bridge and walked across it - the views were spectacular and we were really lucky with the weather as it was lovely and sunny. For lunch we stopped at a little bistro in Soho called Frankies 570 and had some wine in the sunshine, and then got cakes from the world famous Magnolia Bakery - I had a pistachio one that had the fluffiest icing!

We retreated home shortly afterwards to get ready to go out for tea, we had decided to get dressed up for the occasion. We went to Pastis,  a French restaurant that Gordon Ramsay loves. I had mussels and chips, it was the biggest portion I've ever seen. Afterwards we had champagne at a bar and then we went on to a club called The Griffin which was fun, we got free entry and drinks! We didn't get too drunk as we were saving ourselves for the next night, but it was a bit of a tipsy one with plenty of dancing.

The following day we had brunch at a place called Virage - we had the special where you got to choose a 'main' (I had bacon and eggs in wholemeal pancakes with salad) and then you also got a cup of tea or coffee, a fresh juice or a cocktail and a little basket to share of mini muffins and flavoured breads with jam, all for $15.

We spent the rest of the day in Central Park as the weather was so good. We hired bikes and cycled around the perimeter, and then had an ice lolly and sunbathed for a bit before heading to Bloomingdales. We got mac and cheese takeaway for tea from a place called S'Mac; they can put everything you want in it including olives, chorizo, prawns, southern fried chicken - you name it! All three of us (the other two were still shopping) opted for the slightly more traditional Alpine which had two types of cheese in and bacon, delicious!

We got ready leisurely for our night out and had predrinks at a 'hostel' that some of Abi's friends were living at, but it was more like a hotel, and the room we were all in was massive, it felt like a stately home! That evening we went to One Oak - owned by Heidi Klum - and again got in for free with free drinks, I don't want to go back to England and paying for drinks! It was really lavish inside (the toilets were amazing) and we got very drunk and had slices of pizza at 4am before going home.

Traveller's Tales...

New York City! (Part 1)

Last week I got back from New York, and it was the best week of my life! We (there were 3 of us travelling there) went on Tuesday 10th April, arriving at our friend Abi's house at about 2am UK time, which was 9pm in NYC. After a full day of travelling, we were really tired, so set up our beds and crashed out ready to feel refreshed for our first day.

We all woke up quite early due to the jetlag, and got ready quickly so that we could go for some brunch. We went to Cafeteria, which is the place where the Sex and the City girls are known for going in the famous series. I had a waffle with summer berries and cinnamon flavoured chantilly cream and a latte, and most of the rest of us had pancakes. It was the perfect American style first meal for us to have!

After eating, we went to Chelsea Market, which had loads of awesome little food shops, selling everything from lobster to brownies and flowers to bunting! We then walked long the High Line, a disused railway line that had been made into a walkway above the streets. It was cool to have a view of the city from high up, and it was all really well designed with little collections of plants and deckchairs made from the wooden bunkers - they could even move along the traintracks!

We got an Auntie Anne's pretzel for a light lunch and then went and sat in Bryant Park for a bit as the sun had decided to come out. Then we went into the Central Library for a look around, it was enormous! The interior was all very grand and old fashioned, the ceilings looked more like cathedral ceilings than inside a library. It is here that Carrie famously gets left at the altar in Sex and the City, which was another reason why we'd gone for a gander!

Later on in the evening (after we'd ventured to look at Times Square and go into a few shops) Abi took us to a restaurant on Broadway called Stardust, which is where all the aspiring musical stars work to fund their training. It is a typical all American diner, complete with red cushioned booths, baskets of fries and hammered metal tables, and the wait-on staff all get up on a stage and sing songs from different Broadway shows while you eat. I had seasoned chicken goujons with fries and honey mustard sauce, topped off with a delicious warm alcoholic chocolate milkshake with whipped cream. I could have drunk that drink all night! Naughtily, we told the staff that it was Hana's birthday, so she was serenaded by our waiter, which was a hilarious end to the day. We were all really giddy afterwards, so messed around in the M&Ms shop before we caught the subway home and all collapsed into our beds, exhausted after such a busy first day.

We still woke early even on the second day, probably due to the jetlag again. Abi was at work, so it was just the four of us from home exploring for the day.We had decided to do some of the touristy bits that Abi had already done, so our first stop was The Empire State Building as we'd been told it was an attraction that gets busy. We had breakfast at this gorgeous little cafe called Panya (Ryan Reynolds has recently been spotted there) where I had an almond croissant and a very frothy mocha, and then caught the subway. We paid $39 for the full package including a queue jump, which saved us time. We took some amazing photos at the top, it was incredible to see NYC from such a viewpoint. We weren't there long but it was well worth it.

We met Abi for lunch near Bryant Park and went to a salad bar called Pogola where you construct your own dishes - mine had pasta, chicken, avocado, olives, salad leaves, sweetcorn, potato and other bits, there was everything possible to add to it, and it felt slightly healthier than our previous few meals! After lunch we did a spot of shopping (including Forever 21) and bought tickets to see a musical that evening. Then we caught the free ferry across to Staten Island to get some photos of the Statue of Liberty. We didn't get off the ferry as we'd been told it wasn't worth it, but it was good to see the landmark in the flesh.

We then met Abi after work, and went to a pizza place for one of the famous slices NY is famous for, I had spicy chicken and cheese. Afterwards we went to Broadway for the show - Prescilla Queen of the Desert. It was hands down the best musical I've ever seen! It was all men in drag and the costumes were phenomenal. All the songs were well known so people sang everything, and it was really funny; very tongue in cheek. It was the perfect show for a group of girls on a trip to the Big Apple!

Afterwards we went home as it finished pretty late, but Abi and Lydia went to 16 Handles (a frozen yoghurt bar) and saw supermodel Karlie Kloss there, I was very jealous!

Weekly Update!

New York Prep & an Extra Long Weekend!
This week has been really fun actually, mainly due to an extra day off work because of the bank holiday weekend, and lots of socialising! Monday to Wednesday were fairly boring, standard days of working, writing my latest Candid article, a bit of babysitting and some working out, although I did find the time to book my tickets and flights to Benicassim which is majorly exciting! On Thursday however, my week began!

During the day I went to watch Aum perform in The Jungle Book, which he had been practising with the drama school he went to at the start of the week. It was so cute, and lovely to see him enjoying himself. In the evening I went to The Griffin with a couple of my friends to do the quiz, but then some of the people I know from the pub turned up, so we ended up having a very wild night in Hale with copious amounts of booze and a very bad head the following morning! Luckily none of us girls were working because it was Good Friday, so I spent the morning in bed before getting my nails done (see previous post) and then hitting McDonald's for some serious hangover food!

In the evening I went on a date (ooh er!) at The Plough and Flail in Mobberley. I had the fish pie followed by a lemon meringue roulade which was gorgeous and then we went for a few drinks afterwards before heading back to watch a film. I had a really lovely time actually, nice food and good company is a winner every time.

I worked on the Saturday and then afterwards my sister and I had a little gathering at our house as our parents were away for the weekend. There were about twenty of us, and the majority of us went out to Baa Baa on Deansgate Locks. It was pretty busy (originally we had intended going to The Ritz but it was full) and we didn't stay too long before getting a taxi back, but it was a decent night nonetheless.

Today I had a nice lie in and then spent the rest of the day beginning to sort clothes out for New York where I go on Tuesday. This evening I am going out in Knutsford with a few people, which will be a new experience as I have never had a night out there, so it should be fun. (Added pictures the morning after!)

Treats!

Gelish and Minx nails!

I am off to New York next week with four of my friends to visit our friend Abi who lives there. I have never been before and am very excited!

I get my nails done every couple of weeks at a salon called Peaches and Cream near my house in Timperley, but wanted to treat myself to something a bit different in preparation for my trip. My friend Hana and I booked ourselves in together so that we could have a bit of a gossip whilst getting them done. We were both having Gelish put on our fingernails, which is basically a gel based nail varnish that I adore, as it is chip resistant, dries instantly and lasts for upto three weeks. Considering I work as a nanny and in a pub, it is great to not have to worry about painting my nails everyday as they can chip so easily with standard nail varnish. It comes in a variety of different colours, some of which can be layered over each other to create effects such as a new colour, or a glitter/ shimmer. Since discovering it in Autumn, I have never looked back, and get so frustrated with normal polish now!

I chose a gorgeous bright coral shade called Tiger Blossom, while Hana went for a traditional french polish (which is slightly more expensive at £28 instead of £25). I wanted something that was obvious enough that it could be noticed, but not a colour I wear very often, so that it didn't clash with my clothes.

As well as getting our fingers done, we also had a pedicure and our toenails painted. Rather than going for Gelish again like Hana did - she chose a dark plum colour called Rendezvous - I opted for Minx. Minx are basically foil transfers that come in loads of designs, and they stay on your nails for about a week on fingers, and upto six on toes. I took ages deciding which ones to have, before settling on a blue and black striped pattern, that I'm really happy with. They look so unusual and were definitely the extra treat that I needed for my holiday, roll on Tuesday!

Candid Article 13

The American Way

The era of the 50s is synonymous with a seven letter word – glamour. With the rise of American stars such as Katy Perry, and more recently, Lana Del Rey, the days of slicked back hair, Cadillacs and milkshake bars has been given a whole new lease of life.

Some design houses were quite subtle with the trend, such as at Proenza Schouler, where hair was set in barrel curls and block colour t shirts were given the ever popular Peter Pan collars and paired with plastic coated skirts. Also featured were retro floral print knee length skirts worn with crop tops – showing just the tiniest slice of flesh around the smallest part of the waist. Elbow length black gloves and the use of animal print cemented 50s Americana as the inspiration behind the outfits. For the brands print advertisement shoots, model Natasha Poly was placed on 50s style chairs in classic pin up poses.

It is an era I am particularly fond of, having been a huge fan of Dita Von Teese since I was about 15, who is perhaps one of the most famous contemporary 50s style pin ups. In more recent decades, glamour is a quality that is so often overlooked in favour of appearing slimmer or being practical, so it was interesting to see such an injection of it on the current catwalks.

Sky blue gingham and ankle high school girl socks were used at Marc Jacobs, harking back to visions of Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz. The super high waisted skirts cropped up here as well, and head scarves were tied in a band around the head. Jil Sander took the use of gingham to a whole new level, making two piece suits out of the fabric for a more full-on effect.

Aside from headscarves, another piece of interesting head gear that was used was a bizarre contraption at Nina Ricci. Constructed out of straw, it sat on the back of the head like a hat, but from the front almost gave the impression of a tiara. It perfectly complemented the pretty printed blouses worn by the models.

Prada probably won in how literal they took the trend, creating leather skirts with appliqué cars on, and shoes that had rear car lights and flames shooting off the heel. Creative director Miuccia Prada chose cute pastel pinks and blues paired with a dark bottle green to add a sex kitten attitude.

Other designers to embrace 50s glamour were Bottega Veneta, Valentino and Rochas, who quiffed model’s hair into a Danny from Grease effect. And, of course, cat’s eye sunglasses were never far from the catwalk, a sure investment for when the sun comes out this summer!

Weekly Update!

Late Nights & Bad Mornings!

This week has been so hectic! This is mainly due to Emily being off work and Hana being back from university, so it has meant I've actually had things to do during the day with people for once. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous as well, so a few hours were definitely lost sat in the garden in the sunshine!

On Monday I worked, and on Tuesday during the day I met the girls for a coffee in Hale. We moved onto the bowling green once we'd finished our drinks, and stayed there until I had to collect Aum from school. Pretty much straight from work I went into Manchester to meet my friend Mike for a few drinks in the Northern Quarter. Three hours later we decided we had got suitably drunk to justify staying out later, so went to a place called Keko Moku's to have a pint cocktail called a Flaming Zombie, and then stumbled into 42s. I ended up with about four hours sleep, but was very proud of myself powering through two exercise classes on a horrific hangover on Wednesday.

That evening I met up with Chris and we went to watch the Fun Lovin' Criminals at the Hard Rock Cafe in Manchester (see previous post). Because of the previous nights antics I decided to remain sober, so it wasn't too late a night, and I was fast asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow!

On Thursday during the day I went back to the Cake Gallery in Bowdon, this time with Hana, and sampled the triple chocolate cake. I was supposed to be going out for drinks again in the evening, but I was so knackered I decided to call it off and have a well deserved night in. I got absolutely nothing done, which was the main plan for the evening, so I consider it a success.

On Friday I had a massive drive to do through Yorkshire which was grim, and then went for dinner at Emily's house (see previous post). Saturday I went to work at the pub, and then got ready for a girly night out. It was the first time the majority had got together for drinks and a dance, so it was really cool to listen to some music, play a few drinking games and catch up. We ended the night in Suburbia in Hale, which I had never been to before (and was always rather dubious about if I'm honest), but it was actually a really good place, and then randomly a few of us went back to a friend I know from the pub's house to continue drinking!

Today was spent in bed, in various stages of hangover, and then I dragged myself out for a beautiful lamb roast that Mum cooked for us all. It was greatly appreciated!