Weekly Update!

Hair Dye, Victor's & Lancaster!

This week started in Liverpool at the wedding that Mo and I were at over the Bank Holiday (see previous post) Once we got home we made a lovely comfort food dish of toad in the hole with boiled potatoes and onion and mushroom gravy. 

On Tuesday it was back to work, though Aum was at a tennis camp so I had chance for a gym session and a quick trip to the Trafford Centre. On Wednesday I had my hair dyed and had dinner at Mum and Dad's, and on Thursday after work I went for dinner at Hale Kitchen (see previous post). 

After the food we went to Victor's, the new bar and diner that has opened in Hale village, where Man Zen Chinese used to be. It is owned by the same company as Neighbourhood in Manchester, and has a great atmosphere and the food looked incredible... shame there's a MONTH waiting list for an evening meal. We had a couple of drinks, which weren't too badly priced for Hale, and then got taxis home at around 11.30pm - Mo came round to my parents at 3am after his works leaving do had finished!

On Friday after work we headed over to Lancaster for a weekend with James, Kelly, Jack and Anna. The first night we had a lasagne that Mum had kindly made, and played a few games with some drinks, which turned into quite a late night! See next weeks post for what else we got upto!

New Tastes...

Hale Kitchen

Last night a group of us met up to go for drinks at Victor's, the new bar and diner in Hale. I got a phone call earlier in the day from Tasha, saying she had managed to get a Groupon voucher for Hale Kitchen for a meal, so we decided to go there first for some food. It was the first time all five of the girls left in the area have managed to get together in ages, so was a lovely evening.

We ordered some bread and olives as a starter, but unfortunately they forgot about it, and so we chose to cancel it rather than have it arrive at the same time as the mains. I chose pork belly, which was served with a baked apple stuffed with chutney, and horseradish mashed potato, then drizzled with a red wine jus. The meat was cooked to perfection, and all the flavours had been clearly thought out as the different elements complimented each other well.

Between us all we had different mains, Tasha had lamb shank, Emily had seafood pasta and Abi had chicken supreme - Hannah had already eaten beforehand. Everyone commented how tasty it was, though it was a good job we had a voucher as mains are all quite pricey at between £16-18 each.

Overall it was a nice meal, and was great as part of a deal (we each paid £15 including wine and tip), but with the expensive dishes and the lack of appetisers due to the forgetful staff, I wouldn't be rushing back to pay the full prices.

Travellers' Tales...

Becky & Oli's Wedding

This Bank Holiday we have been at a friends wedding for the whole weekend, which has been so much fun. They got married at 2pm on Saturday in a lovely little church in New Ferry on the Wirral, which we just made due to being stuck in Creamfields traffic! The bride's dress was a 50s style one with a full skirt down to her mid calf, and she wore a veil for the ceremony. The bridesmaid dresses were a similar style, in a turquoise/ teal shade which looked lovely next to the flower arrangements of orange, fuschia pink and buttercup yellow.

After the service, a double decker bus was provided to take us to the reception venue, a church hall in Heswall. There was no seating plan which meant everyone mingled, and tea and cakes were served buffet style upon arrival (including some baked by the guests - I made peanut butter blondies!). Drinks flowed, and after the speeches there was a live band and a hog roast later in the evening to keep everyone going.

A group of us ended up going out in Birkenhead afterwards, to some dive bar that was open until 4am. It was so much fun though, and even one of the bridesmaids rocked up in her dress for the occasion!

The following day Mo and I were very hungover, so after a McDonalds we went back to bed until the afternoon, when a barbecue at a local golf club was put on as a second party! There was a quiz and a musician who was very funny, getting everyone involved, and the drinks got going again, hair of the dog!

This time we ended up out in Liverpool, although after going to a couple of places playing dance music and serving cheap double vodkas around Matthew Street, we found ourselves back in a McDonalds before grabbing a taxi home to our hotel. Today we are enduring a double hangover, and at 2pm I drove us both home, where I will be vegging out for the foreseeable future!

Weekly Update!

Brunches & Baking!

Before I start talking about this week, I have to mention where I went last weekend, as I didn't do a weekly view post due to being in Croatia for the majority of the week. On Saturday I went to an event being held for ten weeks called 'Up In Your Grill'. It is a pop up bar/ food joint in Brownsfield Mill, a disused warehouse in Ancoats, where each week three food outlets have stalls to sell their wares, as well as a bar selling cocktails and local ales, and a DJ playing on the decks.I had a Mumma Schnitzel burger that was a chicken schnitzel with bacon, cheese, barbecue sauce and homemade slaw, so good!

This week has been good as I had a few days off after Croatia before being back in work. On Monday I met up with my friend Rick and his little boy, and we went to McDonalds for lunch. It was the first time I'd met Kieran, which was nice as Rick talks about him all the time. In the evening I did a great yoga class, and then Mo came round for the evening.

On Tuesday I had my speed awareness course, which took four hours! It actually wasn't too bad though, it was interesting and I was with a good group of people so it could have been much worse. On Wednesday Mo had the day off work so we went for lunch in Manchester at a place called Moose. It is an American style diner, so I had French toast with bacon and maple syrup - not quite as good as New York, but still mega tasty! I accompanied it with a caramel macchiato, and Mo had a beef patty with eggs and bacon in a brioche bun with homefries.

Thursday was my first day back at work, but it wasn't too bad as we started with a walk into Hale and breakfast in Cafe Gourmand. I had scrambled eggs and bacon with a croissant, two great brunches in a row! The rest of the day we just chilled out as Aum was a bit jet lagged. Today has been much the same, although we went to my flat to bake some blondies (white brownies) in the afternoon with Mo and this evening I had tea at my parents before coming home and catching up with this seasons Geordie Shore. This weekend is a Bank Holiday and we are at a wedding (see next week's post) so I'll sign off now to get some beauty sleep!

Travellers' Tales...

Zadar, Croatia (Part 2)

On Tuesday we went to the beach at about 2pm and stayed there all day, stopping for an incredible chicken burger for tea! We didn't go home until about 9pm - watching the sunset was gorgeous. We got changed and wandered to the old town, we just had a pizza slice for tea (quarter of a pizza for £1!) and then went for a couple of drinks in the narrow streets near the university which were full of character, and a mojito was only £3. As everything kicks off so late in Croatia even after a couple of drinks it was 2am before we got to bed!

The following day we got up quite early as we were going on a trip to Krka National Park. We walked to the bus terminus and caught a coach there for £11 each return. The journey took about forty minutes and then we had to queue to get a boat along the river to the entrance of the park. It was boiling hot and we had to wait for nearly an hour, so it was nice to have a breeze on us once we were aboard!

A ticket into the park was £10 and included the ferry crossing, so good value. It was very busy, we had to push through the crowds to the waterside, but it was definitely worth it - the lake and waterfall were beautiful! It felt like we were in Thailand or somewhere exotic, not two hours from home! We swam in the lake, getting in through the rocks was rather precarious, but we made it in the end with help from each other.

We had an ice cream and then started queuing again at 4pm to head back. As it took so long we missed our last coach home, but luckily we weren't the only ones as a group of four Irish guys had too, so we all shared a minibus. We had to go to a place called Sibenik and get a coach back to Zadar, but the lads were a laugh so the journey was relatively painless. We didn't get home until 9pm so once we'd showered and had a quick drink we headed out to The Garden where we had arranged to meet the boys again for a night out.

We stuck on Caipirinhas there as they were lovely, and then when The Garden was closing at 1.30am we went to a club in the central square of the Old Town called Lebara, which we had been eyeing up all week as it always had good music on and lots of bright lights, as well as being in a really cool sort of outdoor Roman ruin!

It was here that we met our downfall - the dreaded rakija. Croatia's local liqueur, it is fruit flavoured (usually cherry or plum) and bloody awful! We had more than a few shots courtesy of the boys (cheers lads) and somehow ended up moving on to Maraschino again once Lebara shut at 3.30am! We eventually got back at about 5.30am and sat up drinking coffee and eating chips (naturally) eventually sleeping at around 7am. Awesome night! 

As can be expected, we weren't the most spritely the next day, eventually dragging ourselves to the beach and literally sleeping all day until about 7pm. It was a bit overcast which was a good thing as we would have burnt otherwise! We stayed chatting until 9pm before heading back; as it was our last night we wanted a nice meal out. We went to a place just as you get into the square, where we both had lobster and crayfish ravioli that was amazing and a perfect sized portion for two hungover girls! I finished it off with pistachio cheesecake, but I found it a bit rich to eat it all.

The next morning we packed the last of our stuff up and went out for a drink for breakfast (we couldn't find anywhere that did food, Croatians obviously just run off coffee!). We caught a bus to the airport and flew home, and I got a great Chinese to cheer myself up upon arrival at my flat - after such an incredible week, I needed it!

Travellers' Tales...

Zadar, Croatia (Part 1)

I have just returned from a week in Zadar in Croatia, on such a holiday comedown - I had an amazing time! It was my first time there, but my dad's friend had been a few weeks previously, so I went armed with a recommended list of what to see and do.

I went with my friend Laura, and it was our first holiday together, we were both desperate for some sun! We travelled early on Friday 8th August, so arrived at 2.15pm local time (the flight is just over three hours). The weather was lovely when we stepped off the plane - we jumped on a bus into the city centre where we stopped for a glass of wine in a little bar on a side street.

After a rest we headed to the apartment where we were staying, and after a slight delay due to not having contact details for our host (we were using air B&B) we got inside. It was a gorgeous place with everything we could need - including a dishwasher and washing machine.

After unpacking we walked down to the beach and had a cocktail in a bar on the shore called Hitch. Unfortunately all beaches in Croatia are shingle, but it is very pretty, and the mojito we had was bloody good! We went home and got changed and then walked into the Old Town (a five minute walk) and had some food in a restaurant in the main square. I had a prawn and spinach risotto which was really tasty, and we shared a half litre of house white wine, a steal at £4. We were both pretty knackered so went home afterwards and had some wine, saving ourselves for the next day.

We were both up early on Saturday, so went to the beach and paid for sun loungers for the day (only £2). We stayed there until the evening, stopping for a lunch of pizza and chips in one of the beach shacks and indulging in a few ciders! That evening we ate in and made a tuna salad, and then drank excessively until 12pm when we headed out. We went to a club called Maraschino which was around the corner from us, and managed to befriend some boys who bought a bottle of rum for us all to share on the table. Laura was slightly worse for wear so I took her home and then dashed back out thinking I'd lost my phone and camera (I found out at the end of the night that I'd left them on the sofa at home) so ended up staying out drowning my sorrows until 4am!

The following day we were a bit fragile to say the least, I wandered down to the beach by myself at 2pm to sunbathe for a while. That evening we went out quite late as Laura still felt rough! We walked all the way along the harbour front before stopping in quite a posh restaurant which overlooked the sea. We finally managed to get some prosecco there (we had been asking for it since we arrived to no avail) and I had stuffed chicken wrapped in parma ham with puree potatoes and vegetables - gorgeous! We went home and watched TV for a while before crashing out - most sleep in one day I've had for a while!

On Monday we got up and ready for a day exploring Preko - one of the neighbouring islands. It was £3.60 return on the ferry, which took about twenty minutes and was very modern, it even had a bar! We stayed on the island all day, the views were amazing and it was so serene ad quiet. We had crisps, doughnuts and lemon beer from a shop there, and stopped for a mojito in the afternoon. The sea was crystal clear and a good temperature so we both had a dip and caught the ferry home at 6.30pm.

We just had nibbly bits for tea and got ready with a few drinks before going to The Garden - an incredible bar at the end of the harbour that has beds to sit on and delicious cocktails, to a delightfully chilled soundtrack. I had one called an Ebouska which had apple, mint and gin in amongst other ingredients. We then shared a pitcher of Zombie before moving on to Maraschino again. It was another super late one full of dancing and drinking!

Candid Article 53

Anberlin - Manchester Academy

For my latest Candid article on Anberlin's concert at Manchester Academy last night, click the link below:

http://candidonline.com/live-review-anberlin/

Weekly Update!

Drinks, Eggs & Packing

I thought I'd do my weekly update today, as I'm off to Croatia early tomorrow morning! This week has been lovely knowing that I was only in work for two days before a couple of days off and then a holiday. On Monday I took Aum to Bap for some lunch and then to see How To Train Your Dragon 2 (see previous post). After work Mo and I went to The Little B in Sale for a few drinks with his friends; there was a good group of us out so it was nice to catch up with people and have a night socialising.

On Tuesday Aum and I went to Cafe Gourmand for lunch, where I had eggs Royale which was amazing as usual, and then in the evening Mo came round to chill out for a while. Yesterday was my first day off, so I did a Body Pump class, then had my holiday nails done and met Abi at the Country Club for a coffee. It was a gorgeous day so we were sat outside in the sunshine chatting for ages! I spent the rest of the evening packing my stuff up for Croatia and then Mo came round and we had dinner together.

Today has been a fairly relaxed one, I did a Grit class then packed the last few things into my suitcase and went round to Mum and Dad's for dinner. We had a gorgeous lasagne, and I am now just getting ready to go and see Anberlin with Jasmine. It is their farewell tour so I am sad but also hugely excited, as they are one of my favourite bands!

Summer Views...

How To Train Your Dragon 2 - 5 stars *****

I only recently watched the first of these films and loved it, so when the second came out, I jumped at the chance to take Aum to see it. The story begins five years after the initial instalment, and dragons now live peacefully in Berk amongst the villagers. 

Main man Hiccup is at the age where he has to make a decision about his future, and he is being pressurised into taking over from his father Stoick as chieftain of the village. He has his reservations, and instead enjoys flying around with his dragon, Toothless, and exploring unmapped areas. On one such trip, he encounters a dragon trapper named Eret, who is hostile towards him and attempts to capture Toothless in the name of his boss, a shady character building a dragon army named Drago Bludvist.

Upon returning to his father to warn of Drago, it turns out that Stoick has had a run in with him before, and he is a barbaric war lord who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Determined to believe that war isn't the answer, Hiccup runs away to try and reason with Drago, only to be captured by a dragon rider called Valka, who turns out to be Hiccup's long lost mother, believed dead. She takes him to a dragon paradise that she has founded from rescuing dragons, created by a humongous species called a Bewilderbeast, known as the Alpha, to whom all dragons answer.

Stoick follows Hiccup and is reunited with his wife, but Drago has also followed, backed with his own Bewilderbeast, who fights the Alpha and wins. Using its power of control over all the other dragons, it turns them against the humans, including Toothless, who ends up killing Stoick whilst hypnotised.

Distraught, Hiccup returns to Berk and sets a plan to ride baby dragons (who are not controllable by the Alpha) and defeat Drago. He manages to break the enchantment over Toothless, and when he battles against Drago's Bewilderbeast and wins, he becomes the new Alpha. Hiccup takes up the role of chieftain and despite losing a leg in battle, order is restored.

I actually preferred this film to the first, which doesn't happen very often with sequels! The visualisations are amazing, it actually feels like it could be possible for somewhere as beautiful and magical as Berk to exist. The relationships throughout are extremely believable, and I easily shed a tear at the demise of Stoick, who was a very likeable character. The twist of Hiccup's mother returning was a lovely plotline and helped to explain why he has such a talent with the dragons, and there were some create comedic moments which seemed to make everyone in the audience chuckle, regardless of age. A great one to watch with the kids -but I will also be watching it again with the boyfriend!

Weekly Update!

Catchups, Preparations & Buffets!

This week has been good and sociable! On Tuesday I met up with my friend Katie who I have known since I was about 4; we went for lunch and a catchup at Bap cafe in Altrincham, which was lovely - I had a bacon, brie and cranberry sauce baguette and a white chocolate cookie. Mo stayed that evening and then on Wednesday after work I went to my friend Luke's house for a barbecue which was really nice, even though the sun disappeared by the time we ate!

On Thursday I went round to Mum and Dad's for tea; Dad was working so it was just the three of us and we had fishcakes and a good natter - sometimes it's the best thing just to chill out at my parents house. On Friday I met up with Laura in Didsbury to sort out the final plans for our holiday. We went to Folk, a bar/eatery, and we both had the same - lamb burger with feta cheese and harissa sauce in a bun, it was delicious. I love going out in Didsbury, as it is close to my flat and quite trendy - there is always a good crowd out and it has a very relaxed vibe. I like that the majority of the bars there are privately owned too, as it gives it a community feel that is contemporary and slightly bohemian.

This weekend I have been at a hen party in Liverpool (see previous post) which was so much fun, and I felt surprisingly sprightly this morning! It's a good job as I have just had the family over for dinner (mum, and grandparents). I couldn't face doing a full roast, so did a bit of a buffet tea instead, with potato salad, quiche, olives, coleslaw, salad, cooked meats, cheese and pork pies. It went down well, and used up a lot of stuff I had in my fridge ready for going away on Friday!

Hen Do!

Liverpool

This weekend I headed to Liverpool for Becky, one of Mo's university friend's Hen party. I have only been to one Hen do previously, in Edinburgh, so was excited to hit Liverpool for the second!

I caught the train at 12.33pm, and landed at the station just before 2pm, ready to meet a couple of the other girls before getting a taxi to the hotel. We stayed at 33 James Street, the place where the Titanic was registered, and the rooms were amazing! They had padded quilted walls, big black sleigh beds, roll top jacuzzi baths - probably the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in! There were 5 of us per room, and I was sharing with the bride's sister Siobhan, Paula her friend from school, the groom's work colleague Marion, and Mel, who is another uni friend of Mo's who I have been out with lots of times before.

We dumped our bags and went for a cocktail at All Bar One until we could check in. An hour later, we went to the rooms and everyone congregated in ours for some pre-drinks of prosecco, wine and jaegerbombs! We got ready at the same time as we were booked in for a meal at Bem Brasil at 8pm.

We got taxis to the restaurant and were sat on three tables which was a nice number to chat to everyone around us. I have never eaten at Bem Brasil before, but would definitely go back, I had two types of beef, lamb, chicken hearts, and a load of sides including sweet potato mash, olives, salad and condiments. I was good and stuck on water until the meal was over when I had an amazing cocktail before we headed to the next place, a bar called Slaters.

Slaters is a cheap and cheerful sort of place, downstairs and a bit of a dingy bar, but it plays good indie music and sells 'quad vods' for £5.40 so you can't complain! We had a couple of drinks in there before going to the club we were finishing the night in, PopWorld. As the name suggests, it plays pop and cheesy music, which isn't my cup of tea, but considering we were a large mixed age group it was lots of fun as we could all dance and knew the songs well. We got taxis back to the hotel at about 2.30am, and everyone had stayed out for the full duration which I thought was a pretty good turnout!

The next morning after grabbing continental breakfast at the hotel and packing all our stuff up, we went for a wander along the docks and popped into The Tate Modern for a wander. I think it was a little over our (hungover) heads, so after a while we went for some lunch in a place called What's Cooking, where I had a gorgeous plate of fish, chips and mushy peas. Mel and I walked back to the hotel and caught a cab to the station as we both had earlier trains than the rest, and the hour trip went surprisingly quickly!