Rainy weekend in Amsterdam (DAY 1 & 2)

Many weekends ago, I decided to take a weekend break away to Amsterdam with my best friend. I got to spend a couple of days in the capital and was treated to many beautiful sights that it had to offer.

After a very quick one hour plane journey from the UK (yes just one hour, I couldn't believe it either..) we landed at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport where my mind was blown. Okay maybe I am being a bit dramatic.. but it has to be said it's by far one of the best airports i've been too. Okay, so this my be down the fact that there were many pilots walking around and i'm a sucker for pilots, I genuinely get a bit giddy and let out a small squeak when ever I see one, don't ask why it's just a thing that happens.. But it wasn't just the large amount of uniformed men that got me excited, it was the sheer scale and general 'coolness' of the place (coolness.. is that a word? it is now any way ) Anyway I think maybe that's enough chit chat about the airport.. 

We found our bags and hopped on our shuttle bus that would took us to where we were staying. We stayed at the 'Ramada Apollo Amsterdam Centre' and whilst the hotel isn't directly in the heart of the city it's not far from it, just a short tram trip away. The hotel it's self was modern and sleek and we were treated to fantastic views of the Rembrandtpark from our window. We settled in for an early night, excited to explore the city in the morning. 

Steph and I are big foodies, so naturally the first thing on our minds the next morning was breakfast! We headed into the centre in search of a nice cafe to grab something to eat, we didn't have to walk too far until we found 'Cafe STOCK' a cute small cafe that belongs to 'The Exchange Hotel' After a long wait for our food, we soon realised that we had been forgotten about, we informed the staff and they were quick to rectify the situation with complimentary smoothies. A little later than scheduled, our stomach's were satisfied so we hopped back on the tram and headed to 'Anne Franks House'. (Quick side note! The trams are definitely the best way to get around the city excluding the famous bikes of course, more of that to come later on! We bought a two day tram ticket from our hotel which gave us unlimited travel on all lines across the city, all for under €15 - a bargain!) Be prepared for a long wait to get into the Anne Frank's House, we queued for a good two hours! But this comes as no surprise really, it's worth the wait! It's a very interesting, though provoking and  quite an eerie but sad place to visit. A little while later, we jumped on the next tram and headed to the 'Van Gogh Museum' Now i'm not much of an art fan myself, but if you're interested in this type of stuff then I would recommend a visit! After meandering around in the museum for a bit we headed out and spotted a hotdog stand, the nearby park was the perfect spot to have a quick bite to eat and even the sun made an appearance! 

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the hotel and get ready for an evening in Amsterdam. 

The beautiful view from the Amerstdam Centraal Railway Station. 

I had a quick look on my phone before we left the hotel to see which area we should be heading out too, a few websites had suggested the 'Leidseplein Square' but I wish we hadn't took any notice of the sites! Maybe we had gone to the wrong part of the square (i'm not sure if that's even possible?) but we were approached by a number of what can only be described as 'shady looking people' shouting all sorts of things at us, so we quickly ducked into an italian restaurant. 

We finished our meals and made a pact that we would definitely need to research better places for the tomorrow evening. We decided to call it a night and headed back to our hotel, there was plenty of Amsterdam left to explore the next morning! 

Camping in Wales

I spent last weekend camping in Wales with my boyfriend's family and family friends. We stayed in the historic market town of 'Rhayader' in Powys, Mid Wales for two nights. Having only been to Wales once before and being too young to really remember much of it, I was quite looking forward to the trip. The last time i'd been camping was probably around ten years ago, a long time before straighteners were introduced into my life! Nevertheless, I was looking forward to what the weekend had to bring. 

We set off on the long road trip down to Wales. Living in Yorkshire it took us around four hours (and a short pit stop to refuel on KFC) before we reached our destination. We arrived quite late at night, so popped into the local pub to show our faces to everyone who had already arrived, before heading back to our tent (our late arrival meant our tent has already been pitched - bonus!) we crashed out right away. 

We awoke on Saturday to beautiful sunshine, the tent soon became too hot to bear, so we ventured outside to the smell of bacon sandwiches cooking on the BBQ. Is there really a better smell to wake up to? 

I had previously been told there might be a chance of us going on a walk, little did I know what I was in store for. Sandwiches scoffed and tea drank we set off to the Elan Valley visitor centre, which marked the start of our walk. I'm all smiles here at the start of the walk, maybe I should have taken a picture of me at the end - i'm sure that would have been more entertaining!

Our group set off, walking sticks in hand and backpacks on their backs, I sheepishly looked down at my jelly shoes and cursed myself for not thinking trainers would have been a good idea. 

I spent most of the walk out of breath and willing my legs to carry me on, it's safe to say i'm not the most healthiest or fittest person going (something I definitely need to change) but I made it to the end! My shoes didn't rub me or give me blisters once - hoorah! Something else that kept me going on the walk, (other than the fact that once i'd reached halfway point, there wasn't much point in turning back now), was the stunning views I got to see. 

I love views of the natural landscape like this, it really makes me appreciate being able to see such things.  When asked if i'd enjoyed the walk my reply was "..I enjoyed the scenery!" much to everybody's amusement. I think it's time I got in shape!

As soon as we'd all made it back to the car park, we headed back to Rhayader, the sun still beating down on us, we set our sights on a beer garden. The dogs came too, after all they'd done the walk too it was only fair that they got their own refreshing drink!

I really wish I had taken more photo's of Rhayader itself, the town as a whole was really pretty, especially basking in the summer heat. On our walk to the pub we passed the River Wye where children and their families were all paddling and cooling down, I wish I could have jumped right into the water there, but I knew there'd be plenty of time for that later. 

A few drinks later we made our way back to the campsite, where we decided it was our turn to paddle in the river. Lots of other campers and their dogs had the same idea, I thought it'd best if I didn't bring my phone in to take pictures, downside I don't have any pictures of us in the river, upside I still have a dry and working iPhone! We ended the night with a feast of food from the BBQ,  burgers, skewers and chicken galore! I ate quite a lot and made a bit of a name for myself as everyone tried to feed me more food! A satisfied stomach later and my legs beginning to ache from the day, I decided to hit the hay and soon drifted off...

Carly x

A Weekend Away

After many years of discussing holiday ideas, trying to sort out our schedules so they would match and endless failed plans, three of my close friends and I finally went on weekend break together.

My friend Lauren's family owns a caravan in Mablethorpe, which is a small seaside town in Lincolnshire, England. So we packed our bags and hit the road on a late Friday afternoon, the weather was gorgeous so naturally the windows were down and the music was up. We made a quick pit stop in the town of Gainsborough for some Fish and Chips, we stopped at 'Cox's Traditional Fish and Chips' after I saw it was ranked the number 1 restaurant in the town on Trip Advisor. Of course, it's highly unlikely that Trip Advisor ever lets me down, the meal was delicious! After our stomach's were full to the brim and happy, we were soon back on the road. As soon as we arrived, we unpacked and headed straight to the beach! Just in time, to watch the beautiful sunset.

A few brave ones decided to brace the cold sea and go for a paddle, where as I was much happier enjoying the view from afar and keeping my feet firmly in the sand.

The wind had started to pick up and we were instantly regretting not bringing any jackets to wear. We just had time for a few quick pictures, before the thought of pyjama's, blankets and a film became too tempting.

From left to right, myself, Lauren, Lauren and Chloe all sporting the windswept look. Chloe also has a blog where she write's book reviews, you can check that out here if you like. 

Snuggled up back in the warmth of the caravan we settled in for the night and watched The Purge, me being the wuss I am, spent most of the film hiding behind a pillow, so after the film had finished we decided something a bit more happy and uplifting was needed, we picked Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, which was the perfect way to end our first night. 

Our second day was another gloriously sunny day spent exploring Skegness's market, eating ice creams, and spending far too much money in the amusements. We eventually decided it was time to head back to Mablethorpe, where a couple of hours lounging on the beach were needed. 

I'd spent the day in my skinny black jeans, in my defence it had been raining when we'd left the caravan in the morning. So after i'd peeled them off my legs and put my shorts on, I knew the next place I needed to visit was the sea! This time the cold water was my best friend, so Chloe and I cooled off after a scorching day. 

Not the most appealing look sea i've ever seen, but the sea it was and that would do! 

After a couple of hours of gossiping and lots of laughter, we headed back to the caravan, we favoured a takeaway pizza and another film night over going out drinking, Planet of the Apes was on the cards tonight. We ordered from Papa Johns and were pleasantly surprised that they delivered right to your caravan door, we could have easily walked to their shop, but when on holiday right? 

The next day was our last day, so we decided we'd have a lay in, it was a sunday so surely that's acceptable? We packed up and headed off to the Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary just down the road from where we were staying. The Sanctuary rescues injured and orphaned seals, healing them back to health before they release them back into the wild or in some cases giving them a permanent home, if they are unable to return. Other animals such as foxes, badgers and owls are also given refuge here. The sanctuary is only fairly small but they are doing a great job for the animals, so it's well worth a visit or donation to show your support. 

I think these meerkats had to be my favourite animals we saw, their funny little things! 

Overall, I had a great weekend spent with some great people and can't wait to do something again soon.

Carly x

May 2014 | Playlist

Playlist: 

1. Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Dani California
2. Phantom Planet - California (Tchad Blake Mix)
3. Ryan Star - Breathe
4. The Fray - Break Your Plans
5. Broods - Never Gonna Change
6. Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars
7. P!ink - Glitter In The Air
8. Charlie Simpson - Winter Hymns

April 2014 | Playlist

Playlist:

1. Jessie Ware - Wildest Moments
2. A Great Big World - Say Something
3. Pharrel Williams - Marilyn Monroe
4. Howie Day - Collide (Acoustic)
5. Howie Day - Longest Night
6. Lifehouse - All In
7. The Fray - Rainy Zurich
8. Beyonce - XO
9. Boyce Avenue - I Had To Try
10. Ryan Starr - Last Train Home

March 2014 | Playlist

Playlist:

1. Daughtry - September
2. Paramore - Aint it Fun
3. Capital Cities - Safe And Sound
4. 5 Seconds of Summer - What I Like About You
5. John Legend - All Of Me
6. Death Cab For Cutie - Tiny Vessels
7. Neon Trees - Trust
8. Cute Is What We Aim For - Hollywood
9. Marianas Trust - All To Myself
10. Imagine Dragons - Demons

Enjoy! :)

Mothers Day Gift Guide

With mothers day right around the corner, I thought I best create my own gift guide! Hopefully this will give you some ideas.

1.Patisserie De Main Miniature Bath & Show Cremes (Asos) - £8

(You can't really go wrong with these shower cremes. I know my mum would love the lemon scent in particular!) 
2.Lovely Kiku Yankee Candle - £19.99

(Candles are a great gift, of course you can choose any candle you like!) 

3. Paperchase Butterfly Pencil Case (Asos) - £5.50

(I know a pencil case won't be the best gift for some mum's, but for others it'll be perfect! If your mum didn't want to stash it with her stationary she could use it as a mall make-up/brushes case! 

4. Paperchase Lace Heart Frame (Asos) - £10 

(Pop in a photograph of you and your mum and you've got the perfect gift!) 

5. Short Necklace (H&M) - £9.99

(Perfect for mum's who are jewellery lovers! H&M have some great affordable jewellery at the moment, so if this necklace isn't your (your mum's) cup of tea, i'm sure you'll be able to find something. I'm tempted to buy this beauty for myself actually..)

6. Wedge-heel shoes (H&M) - £19.99

(I love these wedges! I think there'll especially look great with cropped trousers, skirts and dresses right through spring and summer!) 

7. Pink & Red Umberella (New Look) - £7.99

(I used to go through umbrella's like nobody's business until my mum bought me one from New Look and it's lasted me all the way through winter! I thought i'd return the gratitude and buy her this floral one!) 

February 2014 | Playlist

Playlist

1. You Me At Six - Carpe Diem
2. Marina and The Diamonds - How To Be A Heartbreaker
3. Maroon 5 - Wipe Your Eyes
4. Tiesto - Red Lights
5. The Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather
6. Metric - Help I'm Alive
7. Fall Out Boy - Where Did The Party Go
8. The Weeknd - Wicked Games


This months playlist is a little more upbeat than January's. I listen to such a vast selection of music, that sometimes i'll go weeks where all I listen to is slow acoustic songs, but the minute I hear a new song or a golden oldie, i'll bust out my air guitar and pretend i'm the lead singer of a famous rock band!

Enjoy :)

Love Me Beauty Box: February 2014 (REVIEW)

I was really excited to receive my beauty box this month. What drew me subscribing to Love Me Beauty in the first place, was the fact that you can choose the box you think will suit you best and therefore you're not going to waste your money, receiving a box of products you know you're never going to use. However, I did love the fact that this months box included a mystery product for Valentines.

This month, I picked menu three.

La Claree Gentle Cleansing Milk 

(RRP £15)

The first thing I noticed about this cleansing milk was the smell - I absolutely hate it! I feel like i've found something in my kitchen and decided to slap it onto my face! However, saying that this little tub is packed full of organic goodness to help your skin. My theory is that most healthy things don't look very appealing, maybe this can be applied to the smell of this cleansing milk? 

Bakewell Soap Company Multi-Purpose Pocket Balm (Lavender & Lemon)

(RRP 5.45) 

Another product where I hate the smell! However the reason for this is that I hate anything Lavender smelling. Moving past the smell of it, I do really like this balm. I have yet to use this anywhere else than my lips, but i'm so far impressed. You can never have enough lip balms in your handbag right? 

Dr Bragi Age Management Moisturiser 

(RRP £120)

I wasn't surprised to only receive a tiny bottle of this, after all it costs a whopping £120 for the full size! Which I personal think is a downright ridiculous price to pay for a moisturiser. I'm haven't been using this product long enough to give it a proper review but at the moment i'm not seeing any miraculous improvements to my face. However saying this, the moisturiser is targeted for ageing skin, and at 20 years old, i'm fortunate to not have to worry about that, jet yet! 

Percy & Reed No-Fuss Flawlessness Dry Conditioner 

(RRP £12) 

This was the product that I was most excited to try out of the whole box. I've only ever used Batiste's dry shampoo before so was really intrigued to try this dry conditioner. It doesn't leave a powdery residue on my hands like the Batiste product does to me, however it's nothing special either, so I won't be repurchasing. 

Mystery Product - Nip + Fab Dry Leg Fix

(RRP £10.25) 

Last but not least, my mystery product! I received the Nip + Fab Dry Leg Fix and I was very excited to try this out as i've heard plenty of good reviews about the brand. The smell of this is incredible, (yes that's right, something I like the smell of!) I've been going crazy the past few days trying to figure out what the smell reminds me of, but have yet to figure out what it is. Can anybody help me out here? The lotion leaves my legs really smooth and i'm really happy happy with it, so will defienetley be investing in this or trying out other products by this brand soon! 

Are you subscribed to Lovembeauty? Did you enjoy this months box? Or are you signed up to another beauty box?

What i've been loving lately..

I have not taken these slippers off my feet since I bought them! (not literally) their the warmest, most comfiest slipper my feet have ever had the pleasure of sitting in! Not to mention, how cute are they? I bought these from Primark for a couple of pounds and I'm definitely considering buying some more. 

I've loved stationary ever since I was a little kid. In fact I went through a stage where I collected pencil cases, I was obsessed with buying them (well at that point in my life, it was my poor mum who was buying them for me!) I'd been on the hunt for a nice notebook for quite a while and when I came across this one in Tesco for just £6, I knew I had to get it. I love the map design and it's the perfect size to fit in my handbag. 

I've had my Kindle for nearly two years and I love it! I've been using it even more lately so thought I would include it. I'm currently reading Insurgent from the Divergent Triology by Veronica Roth and I highly recommend it! My friend Chloe has a review blog where you can read her reviews of the books. Check it out here! 

When i've not had my panda slippers glued to my feet, I've had these boots on. I recently ordered some similar ones from Forever21 and was gutted when they arrived and didn't fit me properly. So I went on the hunt and found these beauties in New Look for just £20. They are really comfy and have a small heel on them, which makes them perfect for every day wear or to wear on an evening if you don't want to wear heels. 

Last but not least, is my new TV obsession! Suits. I had only heard a few things about the programme before I looked into it and after watching the Season 1 Promo, I wasn't convinced it was something i'd enjoy, but thought i'd give it a try anyway and i'm glad I did! I love it. 

Valentines Gift Guide (Him & Her)

With Valentines day fast approaching I thought it would be a good idea to create my own 'Valentines Gift Guide'. I've tried to find a variety of inexpensive gifts that will hopefully suit everybody's tastes.

So ladies first!

1. Floral Scarf (River Island) - £18 

2. Travel Flask & Cup (Asos) - £11

3. Yankee Large Candle: True Rose - £19.99

4. Heart Earphones (New Look) - £5.99

5. Little Miss Princess Mug (BHS) - (£3)

6. Dolce & Gabbana: The One (30ml) (Boots) - £39.99

7. Vanity Case (River Island) - £25

8. Benefit 'Do The Bright Thing' Set (Asos) - £26.50

9. Hello Beautiful Tablet Case (Asos) - £12 

And for the men...

1. Red Backpack (Asos) - £23 

2. Paco Rabbane: 1 Million (50ml) (Boots) - £39.50 

3. Stamford Hi Boots (Topman) - £20 

4. Converse Snapback (Asos) - £14

5. Drinking Games Pack (Asos) - £12.99

6. Slim-fit Shirt (H&M) - £9.99

7. Batman Onesie (Asos) - £40

8. Driving Experience (Buyagift) - £59

9. The Book of Steak (Debenhams) - £10

Hopefully you've got some ideas on what to buy your boyfriend/girlfriend this Valentines day and if you don't have a special someone in your life this February then why not be your own valentine? It's the perfect excuse to treat yourself!

I hope you have a lovely Valentines day whatever you may be doing :)

January 2014 | Playlist

Playlist:

1. Ben Howard - Depth Over Distance
2. Tired Pony - Your Way Is The Way Home
3. One Republic - Something I Need
4. The 1975 - Fallingforyou
5. Mat Kearney - On & On
6. The Gatsbiers - Young And Beautiful (A Tribute to Lana Del Rey)
7. The Weeknd - Devil May Cry (The Hunger Games Soundtrack)
8. The Killers - Be Still
9. Katy Perry - By The Grace Of God
10. Kodaline - All Comes Down

I decided to put together a playlist of songs i've been enjoying over the past few weeks. My music taste is quite diverse but I definitely prefer listening to slower songs over loud, i'm sure you'll be able to tell that when you listen to these songs.

Enjoy!

Love Me Beauty Box: January 2014 (REVIEW)

I'd been toying around the with the idea of subscribing to a beauty box for some time. There are a whole host of beauty boxes out there like the Glossybox or the Birchbox for example, but it wasn't until I came across the Love Me Beauty Box that I decided "Yes i'm going to give it ago!" 

What really intrigued me about this beauty box was that you are given the choice of it's contents. Each month you are given three different menus to pick from. Whilst this does take out the whole surprise element to beauty boxes, it suited me much more as I was able to pick the box I think I'd get the most use out of.

NYX Single Eyeshadow - Cherry

(RRP £5)

I've heard good things about the NYX brand but had never used any of their products before. I normally only wear beige, brown and gold coloured eyeshadows, so I was a bit skeptical when I received this. However this is a beautiful cherry red colour and although I won't be using this all over my eyelid anytime soon, I think it would be perfect to blend into other eyeshadows. 

Cosmetics A La Carte Divine Lash Mascara - Black

(RRP £23) 

This has to be my favourite product out of the whole box. Being a bit of a mascara junkie, I was eager to try this one out and I'm happy to say i'm impressed! The thin wand creates great length and separation between lashes, and also leaves you clump free. Not to mention the mascara comes in a lovely sleek shiny silver tube, so tops marks for packaging! 

Lord & Berry Pailettes Eye Pencil - Sparkle Black

(RRP £8.95)

Again another brand i've heard talked about heaps before, but never have I got round to purchasing anything from them before. I've never owned a sparkly eyeliner either, so I was quite excited to try this one out. I tried the eyeliner on my waterline and was impressed with it's pigmentation, the sparkle in the product is just the right amount too. I'm definitely looking forward to using this to experiment on different areas of my eyes. 

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil (Sample Size)

(RRP Full Size: £15.95) 

I'm not a huge fan of body oils, I much prefer using body butters after my bath or shower. However, I think this product may have changed my mind! The oil has a beautiful fresh orange scent to it that stays on your skin for a long time after use. It leaves your skin not only smelling delicious but feeling and looking it too! This is definitely a product i'm considering purchasing once i've used up the sample.

Pureology Colour Stylist Silk Bodifier

(RRP £15)

I used two pumps of this mouse on damp clean hair, just before blow drying. The first thing I noticed was that it hadn't left my hands feeling horrible and sticky, which you can sometimes get using mousses. The next thing I noticed was the smell, it's almost cinnamon smelling - maybe that's just me, but it lingered in my hair for a long time after use, and yes I may have been sniffing my hair every now and again.. i'm not crazy I swear, it just smelt really good! I used this on my naturally straight/wavy hair and it left it looking nice and shiny, so i'm looking forward to how it compares when I curl my hair.

Overall i'm really impressed with the box and it's value for money and would I recommend to anyone thinking about subscribing to a beauty box. I'm already looking forward to what February's box has to offer! You can subscribe to Lovembeauty via their website for just £10 + P&P. 

Are you subscribe to Lovembeauty? Did you enjoy this months box? Or are you signed up to another beauty box?

Hearty Vegetable Soup

There's nothing that quite beats a bowl of homemade vegetable soup in the winter time. Perfect if you're feeling a bit under the weather at the moment or if you just fancy a nice hot bowl to cozy up on the sofa with.

Ingredients:

• Four carrots
• Two potatoes
• One onion
• Two pieces of bacon
• One OXO cube  

You don't have to stick to what I have used. This recipe make around four bowls, so you can definitely use double the amount of ingredients I have selected to create more. Or you could even use totally different types of vegetables. It's up to you!

One you have washed, peeled, cut and chopped (oh and cried a little over the onions!) you're ready to start cooking!  

Add 3 tablespoons of oil into a good sized pan and add some chopped up pieces of bacon. Once the bacon starts to crisp add in the onions and carrots, give them a stir and place a lid on the pan. Leave to cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next stir in the potato pieces and replace the pan lid. Make up 750ml of stock, i've opted for the beef OXO cube, but you can use whichever stock cube you wish. Pour the hot stock over the vegetables and stir in well. Turn the heat down gently and leave the soup to simmer for around 15-20 minutes.

Once the vegetables are tender you can then take the pan off the heat. Scoop the mix into a blender, and blend until the smooth. I tend to do blend about five spoonfuls of the mixture at a time, simply because my blender scares the hell out of me! Once you have blended all of the mixture, season with salt and pepper, grab a bowl and enjoy!