The Grammys and BAFTAS - My Favourite Looks

 The Grammys - 15th February 2016 

Firstly, I would like to say, as much as I like her music, there was no way Taylor was going to make it onto my list, I thought she looked ridic. As for her hair, we won't even go there....
My top 4 are
Selena Gomez  - I just love her dress. I love the colour and I love the glitter effect. In my opinion she doesn't look like she died too hard like a lot of the celebs did.
Kaley Cuoco - because I love her hair and because she is just pretty cool isn't she?
Adele - I just love Adele and she had to be on my list, okay.
Anna Kendrick - she just proves you can be pale and pretty. Being pale is one of my biggest struggles in life - first world problems ya know!

The BAFTA Film Awards - 14th February 2016

Oh hi Leo.. Glad you could make it. 

So the BAFTAS had much more glamour in my opinion. 

My top 4 had to be

Kate Winslet - I thought she looked amazing. I have been a huge Kate fan since Titanic, and if I look like her when I am her age then I will be more than happy.

Isla Fisher - Seems to be posing a bit weird in all her photos, but I love her hair (colour and style) and her make up.

Gemma Chan - Both hair and dress look beautiful.

Julianne Moore - I love this dress. Another simple but striking look. 

A Day at the Museum

Jessica Jones - Netflix Review

Healthy Pizza

Yes, you read it right. Becoming healthy has a major flaw. My love for pizza. My Lean in 15 book came to the rescue though with a great idea for a healthy alternative. The base is substituted with a tortilla wrap, and it actually works! 

Here is my version - 

Camp America - My Experience

My Twitter feed is currently full of excited posts retweeted by Camp America, of this years intake of staff.

From a young age when I saw all the photos of my aunties trip to do the Camp America programme, I knew it was something I wanted to do too.

Believing it was something that would never happen to me, I put off applying for far too long.

Finally in my final year of uni, when I realised it was time to enter the real world, I decided to ignore the real world for a bit longer and I applied.

Body Revamp - Week One

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that I am currently attempting to get healthy. At the grand old age of 24, I have come to the realisation that now is a good time to try and kick some of my bad habits. I used the New Year as a starting point for this.

Some of my goals for becoming a healthier person include -

• Sticking to the recommended calorie intake 
• Eating healthy food
• Only drinking alcohol on special occasions
• Taking my make up off before I go to bed - I know, I should have been doing that already 
• Trying to cut out sugary drinks - I'm failing this. 
• Exercising more - walking, zumba, yoga

I have downloaded a great app called My Fitness Pal. I saw it mentioned in a blog recently and thought it sounded fantastic and kept telling people about it. Awkward moment when everyone already knew about it and told me I was a bit behind there. 

But anyway, if there is anyone else that like me, is not down with the kids, I recommend this app. 

If you are looking to improve your eating habits, I have found it is very helpful to keep a record of what you are eating. With this app you record each meal, plus snacks and water intake. It also keeps track of the distance you walk - obviously when you are holding your phone, its not THAT magic. My favourite feature is that you can scan barcodes on food packaging to record it.

Food

One of my main aims is to control my eating. I love food. Pizza and curry are my weakness, and my portion sizes are ridiculous. I envy people that actually enjoy eating healthy food. My goal is to discover how to cook and enjoy healthy food. I'm not going to completely cut out bad food, because I would just fail. 

This week so far, I have been focusing on my calorie intake and making sure I have a good breakfast. Breakfast is so important and I often find myself skipping. I have found eggs to be a quick and healthy breakfast and also you can have them in a variety of ways. Scrambled, poached and boiled are my favourites. Mix with spinach, smoked salmon or mushrooms and you are creating a yummy and nutritious breakfast. 

My biggest challenge yet is lunch. I work in an office and do not have the facilities to cook. Sandwiches are an option, however I am trying to avoid too much bread. Yesterday I had a salad, but it didn't travel well and it wasn't enjoyable. However my day did improve, as I made the most delicious Thai Green Curry. I used Chicken and lots of vegetables, as well as brown rice for that extra healthy kick! And to be completely honest, I could not taste the difference with the rice, compared to normal rice. I also added some hot curry powder to give it a kick. I had initially intended to make my own sauce, following a recipe from one of my new books. However that goes into another story that resolves around stock cubes and Sainsburys stupid store layout!!

Exercise

This is going to be my biggest challenge. I'm not the most active person in the world. I have joined and quit the gym too many times to count.  For Christmas I asked for a Zumba DVD and I previously purchased Charlotte Crosby's Belly Blitz. These will be my starting points for exercise. I also am aiming to go on at least one long walk a week (weather dependant of course). This week I have chosen to go to Kilve Beach at the weekend. Kilve is a pebble beach and can be great for finding fossils. I felt this would make it more fun and less like exercise.

Lifestyle
My first big change of the year is that I have got myself a new job. I had been job hunting for a while, as my current job was bringing unnecessary negativity not my life.The job is based in my hometown and is more relevant to what I like doing (its still admin based). I will also have less of a commute which will be much more convenient. I'm still not really sure what it is I want to do with my life, as I don't think the all expenses paid travel bloggers are hiring at the moment, but if I'm in a happier environment, I will be closer to finding out. 

Happy New Year

Its the beginning of January and we are all a little depressed that Christmas is over. January is the month everyone claims will be the start of a 'new person', but really we are all exactly the same as before.

Last year I made a resolution to 'say yes' more often. And I was successful. I ate food I had never tried before, and went to places I had never been before.

This year I haven't set myself a resolution, but I have set myself tasks.

• To learn how to poach an egg
• To master the eyeliner flick on myself
• To go on at least two holidays abroad
• To move out of my parents house
• To progress my career

If I can at least complete three items on my list I will be happy. 

A goal I have also set for 2016, is to educate myself on nutrition and how to look after the body. As someone that is always ill/tired/grumpy. I feel its about time I tried to do something about it. 

In December, I made the decision to cut out alcohol from my life (excluding special occasions).  I am also avoiding coffee (sometimes) and aiming for at least 8 hours sleep a night. 

For Christmas I received a good selection of books to help me with my goal. Hopefully I will actually use them. 

• Lean in 15 
• Made by Millie Macintosh
• Khloe Kardashian
• Jamie Oliver Superfood 

As I get to use the books more I will review them and let you know whether they are worth the buy. 

2015 Top 10

1. Justin Beiber - When did Justin become so cool? How did I become a Belieber? As someone that has also had a strong dislike for Beiber, I was a little ashamed to grow to love him in 2015. Now I'm an open and honest fan. I even got his CD (yes, old school) for Christmas! Sorry and Love Yourself are my current faves and I even follow him on Insta - the shame!

2. Byron Burger - I think I'm a little behind with the times here. But this year I discovered Byron Burger! I had seen it about in London but never visited, but then we got one in Exeter which is a lot more local to me, and now I'm hooked. When my boyfriend took me to London for my birthday I even chose Byron as my birthday dinner! The Byron Burger, the milkshakes, the mac and cheese!! I wish they delivered!

3. Post Office Gift Card - My new favourite type of gift card. I hate the restrictions of store gift cards. You can guarantee, if you get a Topshop gift card, you're probably going to want something in River Island. And if you get cash, it is spent on food or petrol - boring! This gift card can be used in all the big high street stores so you can get exactly what you want! I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a gift!

4. Hannah Gale - My favourite blogger of the year. I love all her posts and her writing style never fails to make me laugh. Hannah is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger and if you're not following her already, I suggest you check out her blog! She also just released a sweater range, and yes I did ask for one for Christmas. And she did tell me I looked cute in it *fangirl moment*.

5. Lidl - I think there used to be a bit of a bad stigma about Lidl and Aldi but suddenly we are all realising its greatness. We don't have an Aldi where I live but we do have two Lidls - lucky us. Its amazing how cheap their items are and they have some different things to the main supermarkets. You queue a little longer at the checkouts, but who cares! I love Lidl.

6. Pandora Rings  - I have never really been a fan of Pandora until this year when I discovered their rings. After being dragged in their for like the 5th time by my friend in one week, I decided to browse, and I instantly fell in love with the rings. This year I have gained too. The tiara ring - because I'm a princess - duh. And the bow ring, just because its pretty.

7. Christmas - The first year I haven't had to work at Christmas. Now I work in education, I got 2 weeks off and it was amazing. Okay, so I was ill for a week of it, but it was still nice to relax and actually enjoy Christmas to its full potential. Also this year was the first year I was able to buy proper gifts as I have previously been a student (last year I was in debt still from travelling so that doesn't count). This year it was amazing to be able to put more thought into my gifts and actually be able to buy things people want.

8. Iphone 6s Plus - My new toy. I was initially worried it would be too big, but its not. As someone that never puts a phone in a pocket, and always in a bag, the sae doesn't bother me at all. Its got a great screen, a great camera, and it just looks pretty.

9. Kylie Jenner - A controversial choice I'm sure, but I wish I was Kylie Jenner. I'm just gunna leave it at that.

10. GHD Styling Wand - I'm a huge fan of curling my hair, so when my hairdresser showed me this wand, I was instantly obsessed. I got this wand for Christmas and I love it already. They heat up so quickly, the curl so well and they even look cool. GHD are up there with packaging winners. Pictures coming soon.

Dismaland, Weston Super Mare

Last month I was lucky enough to get tickets for the very popular Dismaland. For those of you that dont know, Dismaland was an exhibition by artist, Bansky, in Weston Super Mare, North Somerset. Bansky is a top secret street artist whose work can be found all over the world.

London Town

The past few weeks were super exciting for me. I had a visit from my Australian friends that I met during my Camp America adventure visit me at the beginning of the month. I hadn't seen them for a year so it was a great reunion.

New York - Day 5

So day 5 was our final full day and we had scheduled a trip to Coney Island in Brooklyn. I was so excited because I had not been before and I was looking for a relaxing day. The problem was - It was cold and raining! Not wanted to be defeated we still set off.

On the way we stopped for breakfast in iHop - because its 'Merica and you have to. I had an American version of a full breakfast, followed by pancakes - and I enjoyed every mouthful. The American version of a hash brown is just so yummy, it's making me hungry thinking about it. I went to iHop in New Orleans last year, and they do have the same grubby look to them, and a bit of an odd smell, but the food is too good to care.

We then hopped on the subway for an hour journey into Brooklyn, where we eventually got to Coney Island. For those who don't know, Coney Island is a beach in Brooklyn, which a big funfair. It is probably really good - when its not raining and things are actually open. The first place we went was a big sweet shop. We stocked up on some American candy and set off to explore. There was lots of food places and little shops, most of which were closed. I'm not sure if this was due to the weather or the fact it was Sunday.  There was lots of rides and different sections to the fair/theme park, but again, most things closed. The place did have a good atmosphere though. Everything seemed a bit old fashioned - but in a cool vintage way if that makes sense - see 'Nathans' below and you might understand. 

So after a pretty unsuccessful trip to Coney Island - so disappointing. We headed back to Manhattan. Our next port of call was The Brooklyn Bridge.  The weather was still pretty gross so it wasn't going to be a long visit.
I didn't realise ho big this bridge actually was. We seemed to be walking for ages but not really getting very far. However we walked up to a good selfie point - because thats what it is all about right?

By the evening I just wanted to sleep - I'm super lazy I know. But my friend had other ideas. It was time for the night time view of the New York Skyline at the Rockefeller Center , and I'm so glad she made me go. It was incredible.
We got there at 9.30 pm and there was an hour wait - so make sure you plan in advance. The good thing was, your ticket gives you an assigned time - so you're not spending that hour queuing. Its open until midnight, with the last elevator going up at 11pm, and a ticket cost $30. The experience was brilliant. When you get in the lift, the lights go out and the ceiling is glass. All the way up there is - fairy lights so it looks like you are going into the stars.
The day we visited the Rockefeller Centre was also the day the Gay Pride parade took place in Manhattan. So we were lucky enough to see the Empire State lit up like a rainbow to support it. It was super pretty. I would definitely recommend the night time view of Manhattan. I'm secretly glad my friend didn't let me sleep - as much as I moaned at the time.

New York Day 3 + 4

Day 3 was difficult, by this point we had walked so far my feet were suffering unbearable pain. However today was my friends birthday so I was determined to put on a brave face.
We started the day by visiting the Empire State Building. Overall we paid $50 for a ticket, but this included a video thing at the beginning. We hadn't really realised we had signed up to that but it was an interesting addition to our visit as it explained the history of the building.
At the top the view as you can imagine was incredible. It was pretty windy up there, almost a bit chilly - but not quite! It was still very hot. I spent a bit of time looking through the binoculars - I think it was about 25c for 2 minutes, but very interesting. I could even see into the offices and could see people working.

After the Empire State we went to TGI's for lunch as their website boasted a good gluten free menu - my friend is gluten free, and as it was her birthday she didn't really want a salad. Unfortunately it was a bit of a let down as they didn't have any gluten free buns - or anything gluten free. 

We then went of a bit of a treck to find the New York Sex Museum - which I would like to point out was totally not my idea of how to spend an afternoon. But of course the birthday girl gets to choose. Personally I thought the place was rather boring, and would not pay to go again. The only good part was a big bouncy castle of boobs. Strange I know, but it was hilarious, and I got to take my shoes of at this point so I was happy to go in. You basically got 2 minutes to bounce around in the boobs. There is no other way to describe it!

In the evening we had to celebrate the fact my friend could now legally drink in the USA so we went out to party. We had to make sure it was a unique night and not something we would do in the UK so we went to the Coyote Ugly Bar. For someone that doesn't really enjoy going out drinking, I had an amazing night. We weren't out for very long as my friend may have partied a little too hard, but it was a great atmosphere and I would recommend it to anyone. It's basically like the film - if you haven't seen it, go watch it now! Girls get to dance on the bar and the bar staff and singing and dancing on the bar. Its brilliant. The only downside was I kept banging my head #tallgirlproblems.

New Yorkers seem so much more friendly at night time! 

The next day was pretty much a write off - which is why is doesn't get its on post. My friend had the hang over from hell so it didn't look like she would be making an appearance. So I decided to head out myself and see Central Park. So off I went, braved the subway alone, and ended up in a park. It was nothing like what I had imagined - very quiet. There was a fitness class taking place, so I sat nearby on a bench and chilled for a bit. It wasn't until I got Google Maps out to see how to get back to the subway that I realised. When I got off the subway previously, I had turned the wrong way and was infact not in Central Park, but actually just in a random park on the outskirts of Manhattan - fail. 

New York Day 2

Day two was without a doubt the most jam packed day! We got up nice add early and headed the the Statue of Liberty to beat the crowds. This was a great plan as we were on the second boat of the day, and queue was a fraction of the size of when I went later on in the day last year. The only downside was that the ice cream stand wasn't open. Which obviously ruined my whole day.

Next up we visited the 9/11 memorial. I had hoped to visit the museum this year, but we didn't realise you needed to pre book tickets. You can pre book a time there, but the queue to do that was so long and was directly in the sun. Being the palest person in the world, I don't think my skin would have coped with this, so we decided to give it a miss. The memorial is a lovely place, but makes you feel very emotional. It's crazy to think that such a tragic event took place right there. I was particularly affected by seeing a white rose placed in the name of one of the victims.

After grabbing something to eat, we had a scroll down to Wall St. Because thanks to Leo that's now a super cool place to have a picture of!

We headed to Soho to have a look around the shops, and of course being a major KUWTK junkie I did have to visit the DASH store. It wasn't what I expected at all. It was a lot smaller for a start. Sadly the place didn't have a very friendly vibe, and nothing had prices on. Sneaky. Being the nerd I am, I had a quick look on their website before the trip so knew all the clothes were way out of my price range. I decided top play it safe and grabbed 2 pencils and 2 key rings. I was pretty shocked when I got to the till and they said it came to $36! 

In the evening we went back to Times Square again to see it all lit up. It looks much better at night, but is still ridiculously busy. For dinner, we went to The Hard Rock Cafe. This was the third Hard Rock that I had been to, and was definitely the best. The place was huge. We were told there was a 40 minute wait, but we were sat at a table within 20 minutes. I had the fajitas, and they were fantastic. I loved the fact you had to create your own. My friend had a salad and it was massive. She most definitely got her money worth for a salad.

On the way back to the hotel, my friend got her photo taken with a snake.. and a muscly man. Most of the people in Times Square charge you to have a photo with them. This one was $5, and I have to say, you couldn't pay me to touch that snake!!!