An open letter.....

As September is quickly approaching I thought I'd take the opportunity to look back at all that I've learnt this past year and write an open letter of advice to past me or any new freshers who are just about to start university. 

Many of you may be nervously awaiting results day, as was I this time last year and as I look back to that time not so long ago I can breathe a breath of fresh air knowing that all was ok. Everything will be OK! 

I was ecstatic to find out that I'd gotten into my first choice university, with grades which were more than I ever expected....even though I did have a full day of work to follow. 

But of course some of my friends maybe weren't so happy with their results, but a year on I can honestly say they are all doing so well whether they got into a university through clearing, found a job or apprenticeship or are taking a year to decide what step they want to take next. All options are great, and don't let anyone tell you which way is better to go because it totally depends on the person. There are so many options out there to discover all with their own pros and cons.

However, for me I'm glad I took the route to University. 

Although the wait to start is extremely nerve wracking it is comforting to remember that every student just starting out are feeling EXACTLY the same way...even if they don't show it. For many this is the first time they will be spending an extended period away from home and from their family, which can be quite distressing for some. However, its good to view this change of scene as a new opportunity to develop. Develop your knowledge, social skills, friendship group, patience, and even your dance skills on nights out (haha only joking). 

But in all seriousness this, right now is an amazing opportunity that not all get to experience so my first word of advice would be to take it all in, take a minute within all the craziness and soak it all in. It won't last forever!

There is no time like freshers week, or even the next three or four years to make as many new friends as possible, push yourself outside your comfort zone and just put yourself out there. This could be sitting next to someone you don't know and sparking up conversation in a lecture/tutorial, or joining as many societies as possible. These are all great ways to broaden your friendship group and learn about all these cool, new people who may have an extremely different lifestyle to you. Just be prepared to tell people where you're from, your name and what course you do about a million times in this period! 

Much of your first year experience (if your living in halls) is defiantly based on the random selection of people you are placed with in halls. Now I've seen it go both ways however, I was extremely lucky to be placed with a group that got on so well...we even cooked and shopped as an eight! However, this doesn't have to be the be all and end all if you don't end up getting on with this bunch of people. 

One thing that needs to be remembered is to respect other people and be aware of their way of living as well as your own. This includes not leaving your old washing up all over the kitchen, stealing peoples milk (this causes so much debate!) or making too much noise in the early hours of the morning. It just makes life so much easier if you can just have a joke and a laugh with your flatmates instead of annoying the hell out of each other. 

Although, you may end up with a pushover like me who ends up washing other peoples stuff up and cleaning the kitchen because they don't want to bother anyone....don't be that person, it gets tiring after a while (haha). It's made me realise what a mothering person I am considering the amount of cooking, cleaning and washing I did this past year, which I never thought I was!

As someone who was very shy and didn't really enjoy the clubbing scene (wow that's changed!) there are so many other ways to meet people and have fun. With the huge array of sport societies and other clubs you are sure to find something that sparks an interest, or even getting a job on campus may open up a great new friendship group, the possibilities are endless. Just remember to keep in touch with your friends at home, because after all university doesn't last forever, and it would be a shame to cut ties with the group you've been friends with for years. I even found that I was able to have more fun with my friends at home after being at university for just one term!

I suppose the main message I'm trying to get across is to take chances. That could be taking a module you know nothing about, or joining a sports club you've never done, just small steps could help so much with confidence. 

As I eagerly await summer to end so I can get back to the uni way of life I look back on my first year with so so many amazing memories that I will never forget, wishing I could do it all over again. However, the next chapter of my uni story is calling, and I cannot wait to get back to all my friends and make even more memories this coming year. 

One of our many silly squad photos :D So much love for this bunch!

Confessions of a shopaholic!

Like many people I do love a good ol' shopping trip, especially in the summer when there are so many cute outfits, as well as holiday planning to do.

I thought I would share some of my favourite items in the shops at the moment. 

(Excuse the wet hair and awkward mirror photo pose) 

Boohoo mini skirts
Liana Palm Print Mini Skirt ~ £6, Ariah Neon Crepe Mini Skirt~ £5, Dena Dogstooth Bodycon Mini Skirt~ £6 

As someone who virtually lives in high waited jeans I thought it was about time I invested in some skirts, and what better time to do it than during the summer....even if the British weather is a bit unpredictable. Although, I didn't pick the most colourful of skirts its a step in the right direction. The red, grey and black palm print skirt is definitely my favourite, and adds a pop of colour to any outfit.  I also bought a plain burgundy skirt in the same style to add another colour to my wardrobe! 

Daisy Embroidered Stripe Tee by Tee and Cake~ £22

I am a huge fan of Topshop's 'Tee and cake' range, consisting of many t-shirts with fun logos or text. I couldn't resist this stripey 'loves me, loves me not' cropped top which looks great paired with black high waisted jeans.  

Rimmel London Rita Ora nail varnish~ 498 'Rain Rain Go Away £3.99'

I've never been a one for bold nail colours so when I spotted this grey/lilac coloured nail varnish by Rimmel I quickly fell in love. This simple but pretty colour will bring elegance to any outfit, and in my eyes is perfect for all year round. It also goes amazingly with my topaz Pandora ring, which is always a bonus! 

Eat Pray Love 

 After purchasing the film adaptation of 'Eat, pray, love' a couple of years ago I have wanted to get my hands on a copy of the book, and although, I am only a few chapters in I am already loving it! As always, the book is even better than the film, and what better way to spend summer evening than with a great book and a nice cup of tea or a cocktail.

Primark Blue denim pinafore~ £12 

I have been looking for a denim pinafore for a while now after falling in love with my MOTO burgundy corduroy one from Topshop. Finally, after a quick browse in Primark I found one that fits my tall physique. This also goes really well with the stripy top from Topshop, and is perfect for days out or dressed up in the evening. This also goes great with an oversized shirt thrown over the top for those cooler evenings.

My final summer buy is the JBL Flip Three Bluetooth speaker. I previously owned the flip two but unfortunately it broke, probably due to my excessive use of it all day every day!
Although, these speakers are relatively compact the sound that they produce is of great quality and volume, which is perfect for me to use while studying, as well as other social uses. Their battery life is around five hours, which is pretty good for such a small device, and they charge up fairly quickly too. 

Thanks for reading, I hope you liked my mini summer haul!

The Neverland!

"So come with me where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in never never land!" 

Once again my favourite time of year has come around and gone ever so quickly. Every year since 2006 LeeFest has invited local and up and coming bands to play a small festival in Kent. However, what makes this little festival oh so special is that it was created by my neighbour Lee, in his garden when his parents went away for a weekend and told him not to have any house parties. 
So what better idea than to throw a mini festival in your garden. 

I still remember looking over my back fence seeing the amazing atmosphere Lee had created. Ten years and three venues later LeeFest was transformed into The Neverland, which was so fitting with a festival that seems timeless. 

Now this was my third time attending LeeFest after one of my older brothers has been going ever since it started. My first official experience of this little festival was in 2012 where to my delight Bastille played when they were first starting out along with Mystery Jets, Man like me and To Kill A King. I did in fact manage to get a picture with Dan Smith (the lead singer of Bastille) however, to my annoyance my eyes are closed in the picture! But being able to now say I am seeing them play the O2 in November after falling in love with them in 2012 is a dream come true. 

Although I did not attend in 2013 LeeFest was the host to some amazing acts such as London Grammar, Clean Bandit. With The Cribs, Frightened Rabbit, Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobious Pip, Mo, Years and Years, and Jack Garratt playing in 2014 when I finally dragged along many of my friends to this festival I could not stop raving about. 
And Oh boy have some of these act become huge stars in the years following their LeeFest performances. 

Frightened Rabbit 2014

MO 2014

This year LeeFest took their game to a whole new scale, with doubling the size of the venue and creating a whole new theme they really had their work cut out. But, their hard work and dedication really paid off and I can defiantly say this was the best LeeFest yet. I really enjoyed spending the weekend with all my friends and just having such a laugh partying the night away in all the wonderful realms they had created. 
Beach parties in Mermaids Lagoon, raving in Skull Ridge and never growing old in the Neverwoods, there were endless opportunities for fun. 
Among these sets some amazing acts performed including Everything Everything, Circa Waves, DJ Luck and MC Neat, Shura, Corey Fox-Fardell, Nimmo and the beautifully angelic Lianne La Havas. 
I cannot wait to watch these artists develop into well known acts, as they truly deserve it.

The Neverwoods main arena

Circa Waves

Everything Everything

Lianne La Havas

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed hearing about LeeFest and maybe you might give it a go one year, or another small festival!

The American dream!

Last week I arrived home from a fun packed two weeks in the United States, where my parents and I travelled to Boston, Cape Cod and New York!  (Wow, I never thought I'd actually be saying I visited the Big Apple XD)

Each of us have wanted to visit Boston and New York for quite a while now so this trip defiantly got us excited. After a busy weekend at my brothers wedding, and having just finished my exams at university we were all very eager to get away on holiday for a rest. Although, as you may know going to any big city on holiday means there's a lot of walking involved, we even walked 12 miles in one day, which was exhausting to say the least in the 27 degree heat. 

I do love a pretty sky picture!

After flying into Boston airport we hired a car and made our way down to Cape Cod, with an overnight stop off in Plymouth so we didn't have to drive too far that night. While in Cape Cod we stayed in Hyannis, where we were able to easily get around the whole of the Cape, and see some lovely scenery on the way. 

Hyannis beach

One thing I noticed nearly straight away in the US is the difference between food culture from the UK. It is clear that generally restaurants and other food businesses within the US are focused upon the taste of food rather than presentation, and the surroundings. Of course when going for a meal the taste of the food is the main driver however, I believe that a combination of amazing flavours, presentation and pleasant surroundings plays a huge role in modern food culture. We are all entitled to our own opinions however, I did not expect to go into a restaurant that had amazing reviews and be served some amazing seafood on polystyrene plates and plastic knives and forks.....and this was a common occurrence. As a major foodie I found this so interesting, and I was defiantly intrigued to learn more about food culture within the US. 

While we were there we visited some amazing bakeries, that presented some incredible desserts and pastries, which got my creative juices flowing! 

And of course no trip to the US is complete without a visit to the famous IHOP, where I defiantly got my try of an american breakfast!

We followed the coastal route around Cape Cod, visiting a few stunning beaches and lighthouses along the way. We ended our trip in Cape Cod in Provincetown where we had a lovely afternoon browsing the seaside shops and wandering along the pier looking at all the boats. 

Chatham 

Chatham

With any family holiday there's always at least one boat trip along the way! We took a trip to the lovely island Martha's Vineyard, where we took a bus to two of the towns on the island, which were hosts to some amazing houses that looked like they could be stars in a movie. 

Ferry to Martha's Vineyard

We then travelled back up to Boston and spent three days exploring the city, and its sights. Within Boston they have an amazing self guided walking tour called the freedom trail, in which you follow a red bricked path, taking you to all the major sites in the city. We thought this was a great idea, which would work so well in many major cities allowing tourists to easily navigate around the city. 

Unfortunately, we were unable to see a baseball match while we were in the US however, we did manage to go for a tour around Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox. As a group that did not know much about the sport it was extremely interesting to learn about the history of the baseball parks and more about the game. The view across the city of Boston was also amazing from the top of the stadium!

Finally, we took a Greyhound bus from Boston to New York where we stayed in the Lower East Side in a Sanctuary Yoga hotel. Now we are in no way Yoga goers however, the beautiful style of the apartments, and the location defiantly drew us to this hotel and we were not disappointed. With easy access to many subway stations and a short walk into china town and Little Italy there was a great atmosphere in this part of the city. it defiantly felt like an up and coming area. I would really recommend visiting Schiller's Liquor Bar for some amazing food and a great vibe in that area too!

During our stay in New York we visited the Brooklyn Bridge, Ground Zero, Central Park, the Empire State Building, Times Square, the MET museum and the statue of Liberty. 

Ground Zero 

Times Square~ What an amazing place!

A misty Downtown New York from Brooklyn Bridge 

For a massive Cake Boss fan like me no holiday to New York would be complete without a trip over to Hoboken in New Jersey to visit the original bakery. In addition, to the amazing cakes and pastries within the bakery Hoboken offers an absolutely stunning view of the New York skyline, that was truly breathtaking. 

XOXO GOSSIP GIRL ;)

I'm not going to lie, I did feel like I was in an episode of Gossip Girl when sitting on the steps of the famous MET museum! 

Another highlight of the holiday was defiantly visiting Liberty Island, as well as sailing round the Hudson River on our last day, both felt like a dream. 

Statue of Liberty 

I do love a jumping photo!
 View of New York from Brooklyn 

My dad and I with the New York Skyline

Sailing the Hudson River 

We had an amazing holiday and I cannot wait to visit New York again one day to see more of what the Big Apple has to offer! 

I hope you enjoyed my photos :)

A Cinderella Story!

Twelve years ago my eldest brother Tom met his girlfriend Jo, and after a two year engagement they finally got 'hitched' two weekends ago on the 19th June. Now you may be puzzled by the title of this post however, I thought it was only fitting considering the whole day felt like a bit of a fairy tale. It was made even more magical for me as I was able to play a huge part in their special day by not only being one of Jo's bridesmaids but also making their wedding cake! 

Now this sounds like a huge amount of responsibility, and it defiantly was but being able to have the chance to challenge my baking skills and try something new was a very exciting concept, in which I am extremely proud of the result. 

I will be posting a recipe of how I made Tom and Jo's wedding cake on my other blog shortly :) 

Having the honour of being a bridesmaid made the day even more special and I have never felt more glamorous than after I had my hair and make up done the morning of the wedding. Although, I don't tend to wear much make up or get dressed up that often having someone pamper you once in a while is a great experience and added to the magical feel of the day.... 

....as well as the matching mint green dressing gowns all three bridesmaids wore.

Being able to be part of the bridal party and see Jo getting ready was an amazing experience, which made me even more excited for her to become my new sister-in-law. Of course with any responsibility comes some nerves, and Kate, Clare and I were defiantly feeling the nerves of walking down the stairs and aisle before Jo during the ceremony. However, these were helped by a little bit of prosecco and the calming influence of the amazing staff and Cooling Castle Barn. Arriving in a mint green car defiantly added another wow factor to the whole day.  

It was amazing to see every detail that Tom and Jo had planned beginning to unveil as we stepped into the venue, from the sparkling fairy lights to the table decorations and picture boards, everything was perfect! 

A quick peak at the guests arriving 

I can't think of anything that would've made the day any more special, and I am so glad that I got to spend the day with so many of my close family and friends, who wish Tom and Jo the greatest happiness in the world. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about their special day!