Weekly Update!

Food, Food & Food!!

So this is it, the final post of 2014! On Monday I went to Carluccios for lunch with Aum and his friend AJ, and Abi joined us. I had the chicken and prune salad which was delicious, washed down with a couple of lattes. On Tuesday we had quite a lazy day at work, and then ate at the Country Club - I tried the chicken breast with king prawns and red curry sauce which looked very nicely presented and tasted even better. It was my last day at work so I swapped presents with Aum and his parents and toddled home for the evening.

Wednesday/ Thursday were of course Christmas Eve/ Day (see previous post) and on Friday it was Boxing Day and Mum's 50th, so we had the whole family descend on us for a massive buffet spread and some fun and games as usual when we all get together. Yesterday I did a yoga class, and then Grandma, Grandad, Grandpa and Mum came round for lunch at the flat, as the oldies hadn't seen it for ages and I've done a lot to it since then! In the evening Mo came round and we got a Chinese and chilled out, was nice to have some peace after the chaos of Christmas! 

Today I went into Stockport shopping with Mum and Jasmine, got a few Primark goodies (nice new underwear and some gym stuff) and then went round to Abis for a glass of wine and to see Srishti who was home for the weekend. Excited to enjoy my next week off and for New Year's Eve next week! 

Christmas!

Christmas Eve/ Day

It's that time of year again! Christmas is always pretty unconventional in our house because we have so many people to see and catch up with, but this year it was surprisingly normal. Christmas Eve I spent at a party at Emily and Smeed's house, which was loads of fun - they'd made slow cooked pulled pork, and homemade yule log, cupcakes, macaroons; perfect spread by them as per! Most people went into Hale and Alty at around 10pm, but I wasn't too bothered so stuck around at theirs drinking prosecco until 2am!

Christmas Day was started with opening our stocking presents - still on the end of my parents bed despite us now being 22 and 24! We then had Bucks fizz and eggs Benedict for breakfast before getting changed and settling down to open our main presents. I got some great stuff, and every year expect the pile of presents to be smaller yet it never is!

For Christmas dinner we had prawn cocktail followed by a five bird roast which was tasty, and then we had a lazy evening watching bits of TV and playing some classic games before going to bed fairly early for once at around midnight. We had to wait until Mum was in bed as we had lots of banners and balloons to put up as it was her 50th on Boxing Day!

Weekly Update!

Coffee, Penguins & Pork Belly!

This week has been pretty fun, as Aum broke up on Wednesday so we've had a couple of days to do non-school things for a change. On Tuesday I went into Altrincham with Jasmine, and we had coffee and cake from the new Rhode Island Coffee there, which is a really cute little cafe that does amazing combinations of drinks and food (I had a coconut mocha and a white chocolate millionaire shortbread).

On Wednesday I collected Aum at 12pm and we went for lunch at Cafe Gourmand, where I had carrot and coriander soup which is one of my faves. The next day I took Aum and his friend Alex to see the new Penguins of Madagascar film, which was brilliant! (see previous post). In the evening Rick came to mine for a cuppa as I'd not seen him in forever.

On Friday we took a trip to the Blue Planet Aquarium and had hotdogs there for lunch, and then I babysat until 1.15am as it was their works Christmas party. Yesterday we did our now annual girls festive meet up at my place, where we all ate and dranks lots and swapped our secret santa presents, it's always so nice to catch up and be totally chilled all sat around in our PJs!

Today I went to see the last Hobbit film with Mo (see previous post) and then we cooked pork belly with carrot and swede mash and roast potatoes which was gorgeous! Nice chilled Sunday.

Weekly Update!

Zombies, Articulate & Sneaking!

On Monday I saw Bombay Bicycle Club (see previous post), who were amazing, and definitely worth me buying a ticket last minute for. I went with Lydia and Lizzie, and we bumped into Kelly and James there too which was cool. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nothing much happened, I had a gorgeous dinner at Mum and Dad's of meat, falafel and halloumi on the sizzler, gymmed and stayed at Mo's, and babysat for a bit of extra money, where I made a lovely prawn rice dish.

On Friday after work I got the train to Luke's and had some Mexican food with him and his two friends from school. We were going to do the Christmas markets, but it was pouring down, so we opted for a few drinks instead. We started in Soup Kitchen, and then moved on to Hula Tiki where we hit the zombies. We didn't want a super heavy night so went home at 12pm, and played a couple of games of Articulate, very civilised!

Yesterday I got the train home and met Abi for a spa day at the Country Club which was really chilled and great to have a mammoth catch up. In the evening we went out to Manchester for Jasmine's birthday (see previous post) and today after sneaking Mo out of my parents' house this morning (my dad doesn't know we're seeing each other again, awkward!) I had a roast dinner and am now chilling at Mo's for the evening.

Nights Out...

Jasmine's Birthday!

It was Jasmine's 22nd birthday on Monday, so she had a night out with all her mates last night, and I decided to tag along with Abi and Emily. We predrank at Mum and Dad's first, before getting a minibus to the Northern Quarter where we went to Terrace. We were quite lucky that we managed to get in, as it is always really busy on a weekend. They were playing some absolute tunes and we had a good boogie altogether, we even managed to grab a booth when a large group left which gave us space to keep our drinks and have a rest now and again!

Terrace shuts at 2am, so afterwards we left and went to Bar21, though we had a bit of a delay getting in as we were waiting for Emily to get a lift so missed last entry and had to sweet talk our way in! Mo and his friend from uni came and met us in there as well as they had been at a wedding and ended up in Blackdog Ballroom. We left at about 2.45am and had a stop at McDonalds in Broadheath for some much needed sustenance - I managed to devour twenty chicken nuggets, fries and a chocolate milkshake!

Candid Article 68

Bombay Bicycle Club

Click below to read my review of Bombay Bicycle Club's Manchester gig last night:

http://candidonline.com/live-review-bombay-bicycle-club-2/

Weekly Update!

Playboy Sushi & Blow Dries!

This week has been fairly chilled, not much to report that hasn't already been given its own post. I ate at the Country Club on Tuesday and had the playboy sushi which had rare beef steak on top of the rice roll which contained lobster - a little bit extravagant and super tasty!

I had a half day at work on Wednesday so went for a coffee at Abi's in the afternoon before hitting the Christmas markets in the evening (see previous post). On Thursday I had my hair cut which was much needed, I felt like a Desperate Housewife afterwards as the blow dry she gave me was huge! I babysat on Friday, and then spent the weekend in Daresbury/ Chester with the family to celebrate Jasmine's birthday (see previous post).

Today I had an article to write once I was home, and now Mo is round for a chilled evening, feels nice to be lacking a hangover on a Sunday!

Travellers' Tales...

Chester & Daresbury

This weekend has been lots of fun, spending time with the family and chilling out to celebrate Jasmine's birthday. We left Manchester at 10am yesterday to travel to Chester for a day wandering around, shopping and perusing the Christmas markets (which, granted, weren't quite up to our home city's standard!). We took the park and ride bus into the centre, and much to Dad's dismay, had a spree in Primark before stopping in a Wetherspoons for some lunch. I had a chicken burger with bacon and cheese on it, with fries and onion rings, and a pint of cider - about two days worth of calories!

After lunch we went for a look around the cathedral, which was really pretty with all the Christmas decorations up, and there was a The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe exhibition on with mechanical characters and scenes from the book which was fun to have a gander at. After a tad more shopping we caught the bus back to the car park and drove to Daresbury, where Lewis Carroll, author of Alice In Wonderland, is originally from. We stopped for a coffee at the Ring O Bells there, which is a gorgeous old fashioned pub with a few knick knacks to theme it to the famous children's book.

We then drove on to our hotel, The Daresbury Park, which we had got on a Groupon deal. We got a three course meal there (granted only a carvery and buffet for starter and dessert) the room with access to the pool and sauna facilities, and a bottle of wine for just £59 per room - a crazy bargain. We were also offered the chance to pre-order wine at the time of booking for half price a bottle so got one each of white, rose and red - forgetting that we got a free bottle with the rooms too so ended up with 5 bottles!

We drank (some) wine in the bar after eating, and then went to bed before midnight as we were all pretty shattered!

Nights Out...

Manchester Christmas Markets

The Miles trio's annual trip to the Christmas markets in Manchester took place last night! I love going every year as it is a welcome change to do something with Dad, who often gets overlooked in favour of shopping trips and cake outings with Mum! 

I caught the train after work and met him and Jasmine at the met stop, and we wandered to the main market in St Ann's Square. I had a cherry gluhwein to begin with, and we all got a hog roast sandwich from the stand that is there every year. We looked at the stalls, and got some ceramic novelty wine toppers for Christmas presents before wandering to some of the other sites. We stopped for our second drink in a wooden hut selling German ales, and I decided to try an eggnog - which I instantly regretted, it was bloody awful! Dad must have drunk half of it, because I really couldn't face it!

After a crepe (with caramel and almonds) for dessert we followed tradition and went for a cocktail at Alchemist. Dad had a brandy based one that was practically straight! I had the Garden Martini (Hendrick’s gin, Briottet elderflower, rose liqueur, lemon juice and sugar topped with lavender foam and garnished with cucumber) and Jasmine had a White Cosmo (A frozen orchid bathed in Green Mark Russian vodka, Briottet elderflower, Cointreau, citrus, white grape juice and lemon bitters.)

The train times were really inconvenient so I decided to test out the new metrolink line that goes back to my flat - what a mistake that was! It took me over an hour and a half to get back, as they are not very frequent, and my stop is one of the last ones so it takes an absolute age to get there, then I had a twenty minute walk home. If I had walked to Piccadilly station, waited twenty minutes for my train and walked from the stop I would have been home over half an hour earlier. Not an experience to be repeated again!