1. Being an adult is expensive
It's only when you move out and have to fend for yourself that you realise that daily life is expensive. There's no magic fairies around restocking toilet roll and laundry detergent, and every month there are utility bills that unfortunately aren't optional. School never prepared me for the heartbreak that is spending £30 on a water bill.
2. Making it to 9ams is an extreme sport for only the bravest
Now that I'm at university I have no idea how we all went to school for 8am every day, no hassle. 9ams are always the emptiest of lectures and there's always that sense of achievement when you do actually make it to one. It's not like 9 is even that early, there's just something about 9ams lectures...
3. Going out gets boring
Lol, am I allowed to be a student and say that? I don't know, there's something pretty dull about dancing around in a club to the same exact songs for a fourth night in a row that just doesn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, I loooove a good drunken boogie with my friends, just not 10 day benders, please and thank you.
4. Your housemates absolutely make or break your experience
Obviously, there are far more people at your university besides just your flat, but your flatmates are the ones you see all the time, day in day out. You argue with them all the time about washing up, being messy and taking the bins out, but at the end of the day, there's nothing that binds a friendship better than cleaning a sick covered toilet together. Whilst it's not the end of the world, being put in a 'bad' flat definitely puts a huge dampener on the whole uni experience.
5. Cooking and preparing meals is a chore
Before uni I was so excited for the freedom of cooking and eating whatever I want when I want. Spoiler: that gets boring real quick. After 7 laps of Aldi and only a packet of custard creams in your basket, the novelty really does wear off. On the plus side, if you want garlic bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, heck have garlic bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
6. Freshers week is 10000% overrated
Yes, it's a week (we had two) of all sorts of activities, but no one knows anyone yet. The best nights at uni are the most recent ones with your best friends, and not Tom, Dick and Harry who you met at the common room 5 minutes before heading to the club, and will inevitably never see again.
7. Everyone knows everyone
I think I say 'uni is such a small world' at least three times a week. Despite going to a fairly big uni, it seems that everyone knows everyone, literally. No matter who you meet there is always a link back to someone you know or things you've done. It's so weird that in a uni of 24,000 people, this happens on a very regular basis. Madness.
Do you have anything to add to this list?
If you've gotten this far and want to read more, I've since written a post including another 5 things people don't tell you about going to university.
If you've gotten this far and want to read more, I've since written a post including another 5 things people don't tell you about going to university.
1. Being an adult is expensive
It's only when you move out and have to fend for yourself that you realise that daily life is expensive. There's no magic fairies around restocking toilet roll and laundry detergent, and every month there are utility bills that unfortunately aren't optional. School never prepared me for the heartbreak that is spending £30 on a water bill.
2. Making it to 9ams is an extreme sport for only the bravest
Now that I'm at university I have no idea how we all went to school for 8am every day, no hassle. 9ams are always the emptiest of lectures and there's always that sense of achievement when you do actually make it to one. It's not like 9 is even that early, there's just something about 9ams lectures...
3. Going out gets boring
Lol, am I allowed to be a student and say that? I don't know, there's something pretty dull about dancing around in a club to the same exact songs for a fourth night in a row that just doesn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, I loooove a good drunken boogie with my friends, just not 10 day benders, please and thank you.
4. Your housemates absolutely make or break your experience
Obviously, there are far more people at your university besides just your flat, but your flatmates are the ones you see all the time, day in day out. You argue with them all the time about washing up, being messy and taking the bins out, but at the end of the day, there's nothing that binds a friendship better than cleaning a sick covered toilet together. Whilst it's not the end of the world, being put in a 'bad' flat definitely puts a huge dampener on the whole uni experience.
5. Cooking and preparing meals is a chore
Before uni I was so excited for the freedom of cooking and eating whatever I want when I want. Spoiler: that gets boring real quick. After 7 laps of Aldi and only a packet of custard creams in your basket, the novelty really does wear off. On the plus side, if you want garlic bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, heck have garlic bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
6. Freshers week is 10000% overrated
Yes, it's a week (we had two) of all sorts of activities, but no one knows anyone yet. The best nights at uni are the most recent ones with your best friends, and not Tom, Dick and Harry who you met at the common room 5 minutes before heading to the club, and will inevitably never see again.
7. Everyone knows everyone
I think I say 'uni is such a small world' at least three times a week. Despite going to a fairly big uni, it seems that everyone knows everyone, literally. No matter who you meet there is always a link back to someone you know or things you've done. It's so weird that in a uni of 24,000 people, this happens on a very regular basis. Madness.
Do you have anything to add to this list?
If you've gotten this far and want to read more, I've since written a post including another 5 things people don't tell you about going to university.
If you've gotten this far and want to read more, I've since written a post including another 5 things people don't tell you about going to university.
As much as it drives my friends and family mad, I am that person that always has to take photos of everything. Going for dinner at a restaurant? It’ll be photographed. Baked a cake? Better get a picture for the gram. New clothes? Should probably take an outfit pic. My friend’s doing something stupid? This certainly needs to be documented. On holiday? Every second of the day will be photographed. I love taking photos. So much so, in fact, that I took GCSE photography outside of school. My Year 9 art teacher was genuinely so upset that I wasn’t going to be taking photography any further (due to my other options taking priority, hello triple science) that she offered to teach me in my own time. Despite it being a two-year course, I managed to squeeze it all into an hour a week session in a year and managed to come away with an A. So yeah, I’m pretty proud.
For today’s post, I thought I’d compile a little list of some blog photography tips that I’ve managed to pick up along the way. I currently have a Canon DSLR but ideally would like to upgrade to something like this Mirrorless 12-60mm Lens Camera* in the future. I bought my camera back in 2013 so it’s fair to say it’s a little outdated now, but it still more than does the trick.
Bright lighting
I know this one sounds pretty obvious but it honestly makes a whole world of difference. It’s a pain when it’s dull and overcast outside and photography plans have to be scrapped, but bright natural lighting is the best thing for photos. Fling those curtains wide, open those windows, get all that light in.
Edit, edit, edit
Haven’t got time to wait for a nice sunny morning? Editing is your best friend. It’s pretty easy to get carried away in the post-processing stage, but sometimes less is definitely more. I always adjust the brightness, check the saturation and play around with all the other settings until I create something I like the look of. It's fair to say I'm not an editting whiz, and tend to just go with the flow.
Get a tripod and remote
I’ve had my tripod for a fair while now and it’s definitely been a great help when taking blog photos. Not just for portraits when I can’t rope a family member/friend into giving me a hand, but also for flatlays too. I can’t even begin to explain how much easier it is to take a good flatlay when you don’t need to worry about keeping your hand still whilst holding the camera. Definitely invest in one.
Tell a story with your photos
This tip sounds a bit cringe but it’s definitely one I think is important. For example, the photo in this post contains an old film camera my Grandad gave to me and a couple of disposables I took in London back when I was about 13. I mean, with a photo of a lipstick it’s admittedly a bit trickier, but with lifestyle photos it's a really nice touch
Create a theme and try to stick to it
Consistency is key, kids, consistency is key. Now I’m not saying all of your photos should be carbon copies of each other, but some sort of coherency is a good idea. Perhaps in the form of a certain flatlay prop, or a particular background, or lighting style. That way when people scroll down your blog there’s a sense of fluidity and it all just sort of fits together.
What is your number one blog photography tip?
*This post contains a sponsored link*
As much as it drives my friends and family mad, I am that person that always has to take photos of everything. Going for dinner at a restaurant? It’ll be photographed. Baked a cake? Better get a picture for the gram. New clothes? Should probably take an outfit pic. My friend’s doing something stupid? This certainly needs to be documented. On holiday? Every second of the day will be photographed. I love taking photos. So much so, in fact, that I took GCSE photography outside of school. My Year 9 art teacher was genuinely so upset that I wasn’t going to be taking photography any further (due to my other options taking priority, hello triple science) that she offered to teach me in my own time. Despite it being a two-year course, I managed to squeeze it all into an hour a week session in a year and managed to come away with an A. So yeah, I’m pretty proud.
For today’s post, I thought I’d compile a little list of some blog photography tips that I’ve managed to pick up along the way. I currently have a Canon DSLR but ideally would like to upgrade to something like this Mirrorless 12-60mm Lens Camera* in the future. I bought my camera back in 2013 so it’s fair to say it’s a little outdated now, but it still more than does the trick.
Bright lighting
I know this one sounds pretty obvious but it honestly makes a whole world of difference. It’s a pain when it’s dull and overcast outside and photography plans have to be scrapped, but bright natural lighting is the best thing for photos. Fling those curtains wide, open those windows, get all that light in.
Edit, edit, edit
Haven’t got time to wait for a nice sunny morning? Editing is your best friend. It’s pretty easy to get carried away in the post-processing stage, but sometimes less is definitely more. I always adjust the brightness, check the saturation and play around with all the other settings until I create something I like the look of. It's fair to say I'm not an editting whiz, and tend to just go with the flow.
Get a tripod and remote
I’ve had my tripod for a fair while now and it’s definitely been a great help when taking blog photos. Not just for portraits when I can’t rope a family member/friend into giving me a hand, but also for flatlays too. I can’t even begin to explain how much easier it is to take a good flatlay when you don’t need to worry about keeping your hand still whilst holding the camera. Definitely invest in one.
Tell a story with your photos
This tip sounds a bit cringe but it’s definitely one I think is important. For example, the photo in this post contains an old film camera my Grandad gave to me and a couple of disposables I took in London back when I was about 13. I mean, with a photo of a lipstick it’s admittedly a bit trickier, but with lifestyle photos it's a really nice touch
Create a theme and try to stick to it
Consistency is key, kids, consistency is key. Now I’m not saying all of your photos should be carbon copies of each other, but some sort of coherency is a good idea. Perhaps in the form of a certain flatlay prop, or a particular background, or lighting style. That way when people scroll down your blog there’s a sense of fluidity and it all just sort of fits together.
What is your number one blog photography tip?
*This post contains a sponsored link*
I mentioned in my latest Sick Tings post that I headed home for the weekend last week. It was lovely. Despite only being home for less than 48 hours, my mum, sister and I managed to squeeze in a very fruitful shopping trip. We hadn't initially planned to go clothes shopping, but we had to return a faulty clothes rail back to Argos (what a glamorous life I lead, it's not all parties and blogging events) and ended up falling into Topshop, New Look, H&M... The usuals. I was only really on the lookout for a potential boat ball outfit, but somehow managed to accumulate quite a haul, none of which including a boat ball outfit. I did, however, make an ASOS order and think I've found the dress I'm going to wear, there's a photo of it on my twitter here if you're interested. I'd love to hear your thoughts. My housemate said it looks like I've just wrapped a beach towel around me so there's that. It's definitely out of my usual dress scope, but I do think I really really like it, and I'll be more than likely wearing it to the ball.
New Look are currently holding a sale (when are they not??) and I managed to grab all three of these pieces from the sale, winner winner. Now, let's start with that skirt. I'm still not entirely sure how the tie at the front of it works, but the print is what absolutely sold this to me. I absolutely love the red and the pink together, particularly with the black contrasting with it. This skirt was only £5 and whilst I can't find it online, it might still be in stores if you want to look out for it. The Bonjour tshirt is in one of my favourite colours at the moment and was only £3 ?? Whaaaat? I'm going to pair it with blue denim and my white Missguided leather boots for casual days, and I think it's going to be a vibe. As for the floral number, it's a playsuit and cost a measly £8. I have quite a lot of events/parties/balls coming up after exams so I'm sure I'll be wearing this to one of those. It fits really nicely, and the print is stunning. I'm not usually a florals kinda gal, but there's something about winter florals that really draws me in.
Shall we just pause here for a second to admire the beauty that is that botanical print? I absolutely love it. Both of the above pieces are from H&M and were only £8.99 each full price?? I've recently ordered quite a few Boohoo playsuits and had to send them back due to them covering less than 30% of my derriere, so was pleasantly surprised when this H&M one was plentiful in length. I got this in a small and it's genuinely a perfect length, so if you're after a playsuit H&M is certainly worth looking at. Wait what, is that two floral pieces in one haul? Yeah it is, kids. This second piece is actually a maxi dress and I'm lowkey in love with it. I haven't had a maxi dress in years, but this one fits like an actual dream. The bodice of it is really tight and the skirt has a slit the whole way up of it, so it's super flattering and not at all frumpy. Get me to Bali in my maxi dress already please.
Have you bought any new pieces recently?
I mentioned in my latest Sick Tings post that I headed home for the weekend last week. It was lovely. Despite only being home for less than 48 hours, my mum, sister and I managed to squeeze in a very fruitful shopping trip. We hadn't initially planned to go clothes shopping, but we had to return a faulty clothes rail back to Argos (what a glamorous life I lead, it's not all parties and blogging events) and ended up falling into Topshop, New Look, H&M... The usuals. I was only really on the lookout for a potential boat ball outfit, but somehow managed to accumulate quite a haul, none of which including a boat ball outfit. I did, however, make an ASOS order and think I've found the dress I'm going to wear, there's a photo of it on my twitter here if you're interested. I'd love to hear your thoughts. My housemate said it looks like I've just wrapped a beach towel around me so there's that. It's definitely out of my usual dress scope, but I do think I really really like it, and I'll be more than likely wearing it to the ball.
New Look are currently holding a sale (when are they not??) and I managed to grab all three of these pieces from the sale, winner winner. Now, let's start with that skirt. I'm still not entirely sure how the tie at the front of it works, but the print is what absolutely sold this to me. I absolutely love the red and the pink together, particularly with the black contrasting with it. This skirt was only £5 and whilst I can't find it online, it might still be in stores if you want to look out for it. The Bonjour tshirt is in one of my favourite colours at the moment and was only £3 ?? Whaaaat? I'm going to pair it with blue denim and my white Missguided leather boots for casual days, and I think it's going to be a vibe. As for the floral number, it's a playsuit and cost a measly £8. I have quite a lot of events/parties/balls coming up after exams so I'm sure I'll be wearing this to one of those. It fits really nicely, and the print is stunning. I'm not usually a florals kinda gal, but there's something about winter florals that really draws me in.
Shall we just pause here for a second to admire the beauty that is that botanical print? I absolutely love it. Both of the above pieces are from H&M and were only £8.99 each full price?? I've recently ordered quite a few Boohoo playsuits and had to send them back due to them covering less than 30% of my derriere, so was pleasantly surprised when this H&M one was plentiful in length. I got this in a small and it's genuinely a perfect length, so if you're after a playsuit H&M is certainly worth looking at. Wait what, is that two floral pieces in one haul? Yeah it is, kids. This second piece is actually a maxi dress and I'm lowkey in love with it. I haven't had a maxi dress in years, but this one fits like an actual dream. The bodice of it is really tight and the skirt has a slit the whole way up of it, so it's super flattering and not at all frumpy. Get me to Bali in my maxi dress already please.
Have you bought any new pieces recently?
On Wednesday evening I headed to another blogger's event with the lovely @Sotonbloggers. This one was hosted by The Body Shop, at West Quay, and was to showcase a few of their newest products. Now, I'm going to be honest here, The Body Shop isn't somewhere I ever pop into and I can't even tell you the last thing I bought from there, perhaps a solid perfume back in '09? Every Christmas and birthday I'm fortunate enough to be absolutely swamped with new toiletries to use, so much so that in my twenty years of life I don't think I've ever bought myself a bottle of shower gel. So, popping into The Body Shop just isn't something I ever find myself doing, as prior to this event, the only things that came to mind when I thought about them were shower gel and body butter. Two things this girl certainly doesn't need any more of... But, this event really changed my opinion of the brand, and I think I could be a convert, particularly to their skincare.
The event itself was to showcase all of their newest products, particularly the body yogurts and face mists. Both are 100% vegan, which, whilst I don't live a vegan lifestyle myself, is never anything but a good thing. After we'd all arrived at the store, we had a little wander around and then were given a talk through of the products in question. Of all of the mentioned ones, the yogurts were the ones that interested me most. They're body moisturisers with a gel consistency and The Body Shop claim they sink in within 15 seconds. Which, can I just say, if it's true could absolutely revolutionize my skincare habits. So much so, that I knew I had to buy one on this premise alone.
They've launched six scents in the yogurt but my favourite by far was the Almond Milk one. It smells really clean and fresh, and isn't overpowering in the slightest. From what I could see, the Almond was the most popular scent at the event by a country mile, so if you're looking at getting one, that seems to be the blogger's pick. They retail for £8.50 a pot, and I'm really excited to see if it lives up to expectations.
They've launched six scents in the yogurt but my favourite by far was the Almond Milk one. It smells really clean and fresh, and isn't overpowering in the slightest. From what I could see, the Almond was the most popular scent at the event by a country mile, so if you're looking at getting one, that seems to be the blogger's pick. They retail for £8.50 a pot, and I'm really excited to see if it lives up to expectations.
During the event I also had a skin consultation. I was looking at the plethora of skincare bits in the shop (including a terrifying-looking metal blackhead remover) and didn't really know where to start. After a couple of tests with some interesting devices, it became apparent that my skin was very very dehydrated (note to self: get swigging that H20), and wasn't anywhere near as oily as I thought it was. I was also told the importance of toning, which is something I've never thought was that much of a big deal and hence haven't ever really done. Not toning is apparently, and I quote, 'like washing dishes in soap and then not rinsing them'. Oops. My poor skin.
I was recommended a whole routine's worth of new products but decided I'd start with the toner and take it from there. My skin can be pretty temperamental, and bombarding it with a whole routine's worth of new products is a bit of a risky move that would only ever end in tears. The toner I bought was the Chinese Ginseng and Rice one, which claims to brighten and smooth the skin. Two things that my acne scar ridden cheeks are always screaming out for. I've used this a couple of times already and I'm actually quite impressed, my skin feels lovely and looks a bit brighter. This retails at £9.50, and could very much be a skincare game changer for me if I keep loving it as much as I do currently.
We were lucky enough to be gifted a few products to take home with us, one being one of the new face mists. There are five different mists, all targeting different skin types and qualms, and personally, I chose the Mint one. It's the mattifying one, which, in the summer I think is going to be ideal. A fresh scented, mattifying, refreshing facial mist? Sounds good to me. These can be used both on top of and underneath makeup apparently, but don't work as a setting spray, so won't prolong the duration of your makeup. I haven't used this yet, but when I have I'll certainly be reporting back. The other bits in the goodie bag were a British Rose Shower Gel and a Strawberry Conditioner - neither of which I have used before, but both are fully vegan too! Which, as always, I'm sure you'll hear all about once I've tried them.
Thank you for a really nice evening The Body Shop, I'm sure I'll be back soon to pick up the rest of the skincare bits I was recommended and maybe another yogurt or two...
Southampton Bloggers: The Body Shop Event & Haul
4.5.18 • beauty, bloggers event, event, skincare, soton bloggers, southampton bloggers, the body shop
On Wednesday evening I headed to another blogger's event with the lovely @Sotonbloggers. This one was hosted by The Body Shop, at West Quay, and was to showcase a few of their newest products. Now, I'm going to be honest here, The Body Shop isn't somewhere I ever pop into and I can't even tell you the last thing I bought from there, perhaps a solid perfume back in '09? Every Christmas and birthday I'm fortunate enough to be absolutely swamped with new toiletries to use, so much so that in my twenty years of life I don't think I've ever bought myself a bottle of shower gel. So, popping into The Body Shop just isn't something I ever find myself doing, as prior to this event, the only things that came to mind when I thought about them were shower gel and body butter. Two things this girl certainly doesn't need any more of... But, this event really changed my opinion of the brand, and I think I could be a convert, particularly to their skincare.
The event itself was to showcase all of their newest products, particularly the body yogurts and face mists. Both are 100% vegan, which, whilst I don't live a vegan lifestyle myself, is never anything but a good thing. After we'd all arrived at the store, we had a little wander around and then were given a talk through of the products in question. Of all of the mentioned ones, the yogurts were the ones that interested me most. They're body moisturisers with a gel consistency and The Body Shop claim they sink in within 15 seconds. Which, can I just say, if it's true could absolutely revolutionize my skincare habits. So much so, that I knew I had to buy one on this premise alone.
They've launched six scents in the yogurt but my favourite by far was the Almond Milk one. It smells really clean and fresh, and isn't overpowering in the slightest. From what I could see, the Almond was the most popular scent at the event by a country mile, so if you're looking at getting one, that seems to be the blogger's pick. They retail for £8.50 a pot, and I'm really excited to see if it lives up to expectations.
They've launched six scents in the yogurt but my favourite by far was the Almond Milk one. It smells really clean and fresh, and isn't overpowering in the slightest. From what I could see, the Almond was the most popular scent at the event by a country mile, so if you're looking at getting one, that seems to be the blogger's pick. They retail for £8.50 a pot, and I'm really excited to see if it lives up to expectations.
During the event I also had a skin consultation. I was looking at the plethora of skincare bits in the shop (including a terrifying-looking metal blackhead remover) and didn't really know where to start. After a couple of tests with some interesting devices, it became apparent that my skin was very very dehydrated (note to self: get swigging that H20), and wasn't anywhere near as oily as I thought it was. I was also told the importance of toning, which is something I've never thought was that much of a big deal and hence haven't ever really done. Not toning is apparently, and I quote, 'like washing dishes in soap and then not rinsing them'. Oops. My poor skin.
I was recommended a whole routine's worth of new products but decided I'd start with the toner and take it from there. My skin can be pretty temperamental, and bombarding it with a whole routine's worth of new products is a bit of a risky move that would only ever end in tears. The toner I bought was the Chinese Ginseng and Rice one, which claims to brighten and smooth the skin. Two things that my acne scar ridden cheeks are always screaming out for. I've used this a couple of times already and I'm actually quite impressed, my skin feels lovely and looks a bit brighter. This retails at £9.50, and could very much be a skincare game changer for me if I keep loving it as much as I do currently.
We were lucky enough to be gifted a few products to take home with us, one being one of the new face mists. There are five different mists, all targeting different skin types and qualms, and personally, I chose the Mint one. It's the mattifying one, which, in the summer I think is going to be ideal. A fresh scented, mattifying, refreshing facial mist? Sounds good to me. These can be used both on top of and underneath makeup apparently, but don't work as a setting spray, so won't prolong the duration of your makeup. I haven't used this yet, but when I have I'll certainly be reporting back. The other bits in the goodie bag were a British Rose Shower Gel and a Strawberry Conditioner - neither of which I have used before, but both are fully vegan too! Which, as always, I'm sure you'll hear all about once I've tried them.
Thank you for a really nice evening The Body Shop, I'm sure I'll be back soon to pick up the rest of the skincare bits I was recommended and maybe another yogurt or two...
Our third day in Amsterdam was a cold and rainy one, so it's fair to say we weren't too keen to spend too much of the day outside, battling the elements. So, what would we do instead? Go and eat allllll the food, right?
We originally headed to Bakers and Roasters for breakfast, but it was only after we'd made it there did Holly, my sister, realise that she wasn't particularly fond of anything on the menu... So, plan aborted, we went for another wander, in the hope we'd stumble across a nice looking cafe for breakfast...
In the end, we stumbled across a food market by total chance, and had the tastiest mini pancakes for brunch. I had mine with white chocolate and strawberries whilst my sister opted for just sugar. They were so incredibly tasty, and I'm so glad we found them... They were just being made in a van at the market and were the best €3.50 I spent the whole trip.
Also whilst at the market, I tried a Stroopwafel. I'd spotted them in packets literally everywhere whilst on our trip, but when I saw a man at the market making them there and then, I knew I had to try one. It was really good, and definitely something to try, especially if you can get one that's been made fresh!
I hate to admit it, but the next thing we did with our day was head straight for more food... Are you sensing a theme here? The Hard Rock Cafe was our destination, and oh my, we weren't disappointed. I've been to quite a few Hard Rock's in my time, and the food at the Amsterdam one was just as good as all the others! In case you were wondering, I had the Hickory BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger and it was incred.
Because of the really poor weather, we decided to head back to the hotel for an hour or so to get some shelter from the rain, but didn't do so before stopping to buy a spacecake. (If you've never heard of them before, it's essentially just a cake baked with weed in it). Having heard from a few friends that these things are pretty lethal, it's fair to say I was intrigued to give it a go. The label on it read that it'd take at least an hour to kick in and headaches, nausea and passing out were common side effects... Sounds pretty intense, right? Yeah, I thought the same. That was, until, it was 3 hours later and I still hadn't felt a thing... I'm not sure if I just had one from a bad bunch, or they're just not as crazy as people make out. But, either way, the thing did absolutely nothing to me and wasn't even tasty. 0/10.
We spent our last afternoon and evening wandering the shops. We found a road that had Bershka, Topshop, Pull and Bear and Monki on... Success!! My sister and I both bought quite a few new bits for summer, we're just waiting on some nicer weather now to whip them out. We shopped until the shops started shutting, and then headed for our last dinner. No prizes for guessing we went to yet another Italian, and had the best pizzas yet. Once we'd eaten we headed to the hotel to get into bed as we had a 5.30 alarm the next morning in order to make our 8.30am flight home!
I honestly had the best few days in Amsterdam, it was really nice to spend a few days jsut eating, wandering and shopping to my hearts content. happy belated bday to me! If you haven't already, you can read about what we got up to on day 1 here and day 2 here
Our third day in Amsterdam was a cold and rainy one, so it's fair to say we weren't too keen to spend too much of the day outside, battling the elements. So, what would we do instead? Go and eat allllll the food, right?
We originally headed to Bakers and Roasters for breakfast, but it was only after we'd made it there did Holly, my sister, realise that she wasn't particularly fond of anything on the menu... So, plan aborted, we went for another wander, in the hope we'd stumble across a nice looking cafe for breakfast...
In the end, we stumbled across a food market by total chance, and had the tastiest mini pancakes for brunch. I had mine with white chocolate and strawberries whilst my sister opted for just sugar. They were so incredibly tasty, and I'm so glad we found them... They were just being made in a van at the market and were the best €3.50 I spent the whole trip.
Also whilst at the market, I tried a Stroopwafel. I'd spotted them in packets literally everywhere whilst on our trip, but when I saw a man at the market making them there and then, I knew I had to try one. It was really good, and definitely something to try, especially if you can get one that's been made fresh!
I hate to admit it, but the next thing we did with our day was head straight for more food... Are you sensing a theme here? The Hard Rock Cafe was our destination, and oh my, we weren't disappointed. I've been to quite a few Hard Rock's in my time, and the food at the Amsterdam one was just as good as all the others! In case you were wondering, I had the Hickory BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger and it was incred.
Because of the really poor weather, we decided to head back to the hotel for an hour or so to get some shelter from the rain, but didn't do so before stopping to buy a spacecake. (If you've never heard of them before, it's essentially just a cake baked with weed in it). Having heard from a few friends that these things are pretty lethal, it's fair to say I was intrigued to give it a go. The label on it read that it'd take at least an hour to kick in and headaches, nausea and passing out were common side effects... Sounds pretty intense, right? Yeah, I thought the same. That was, until, it was 3 hours later and I still hadn't felt a thing... I'm not sure if I just had one from a bad bunch, or they're just not as crazy as people make out. But, either way, the thing did absolutely nothing to me and wasn't even tasty. 0/10.
We spent our last afternoon and evening wandering the shops. We found a road that had Bershka, Topshop, Pull and Bear and Monki on... Success!! My sister and I both bought quite a few new bits for summer, we're just waiting on some nicer weather now to whip them out. We shopped until the shops started shutting, and then headed for our last dinner. No prizes for guessing we went to yet another Italian, and had the best pizzas yet. Once we'd eaten we headed to the hotel to get into bed as we had a 5.30 alarm the next morning in order to make our 8.30am flight home!
I honestly had the best few days in Amsterdam, it was really nice to spend a few days jsut eating, wandering and shopping to my hearts content. happy belated bday to me! If you haven't already, you can read about what we got up to on day 1 here and day 2 here
On our second day in Amsterdam, we got up fairly leisurely, got ready and were out of the hotel by 10am. Our first stop was the Sex Museum, because, well, when in 'Dam hey? It's €5 to get into and is a good way to kill an hour or so. I wasn't quite sure what to expect other than that 6ft penis statue that everyone and their neighbour has a photo stood next to... If you've never been, here's a quick summary; tonnnnnnes of photos of people having sex, a naked Marilyn Monroe animatronic posing for photos and a load of old crockery/decorations/statues with penises on in glass cabinets... I mean, it's a bit of a weird one but it was on my bucket list (which you can read here). I wouldn't go again, but it's one of those things you should do at least once.
We skipped breakfast as we knew we'd be having an early lunch in the form of some diabetes-inducing milkshakes. The place we originally headed to was shut, Bulls and Dogs, so opted for the Corner Bakery instead. I had a Vanilla Freakshake and it was amazing. If I'm honest I did feel fairly sick (unsurprisingly) for the rest of the afternoon afterwards but it was well worth it. The interior of the cafe was an absolute bloggers' dream, with marble tables, lots of plants, and pastel prints on photo ledges... The whole shebang. It was very popular, and we did have to wait for a table, but luckily it was only about a 15-minute wait in the end. If you're in the area and have a sweet tooth, it's definitely worth checking out.
After absolutely stuffing ourselves with sugar, we decided to head for a wander around Museumplein. This, if you're not sure, is the area where all the main museums are in Amsterdam. We didn't actually go into any of them ourselves, but the area is really nice just to walk around in without the fear of being knocked over by a car/tram/bike/wild tourist.
Whilst on the tram to go shopping, I spotted the Bloemenmarkt, and dragged my sister off the tram at the next stop. We had a quick wander round - I mentioned in the aforementioned bucket list that I wanted to go there to take some nice photos... Umm, yeah, was perhaps not worth bothering... Unless you want to buy tulip bulbs or wooden tulips that is. It wasn't quite the botanical wonderland I had imagined... That being said, we did manage to get some souvenirs for our Nannie, so all was not lost.
The weather wasn't ideal, so we headed to a coffeeshop for a while, and then went for another explore. We had pizza for dinner again, and this one was slightly better than the other, but again, nothing to write home about.
After we'd eaten, we headed to De Wallen, otherwise known as the Red Light District. Again, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but what I saw was far tamer than I'd anticipated. It was also absolutely swarmed with tourists, so if you're not a fan of crowds, this is definitely one to give a miss.
As if we hadn't already eaten enough already, we then tried to track somewhere down to sit in and have pancakes... They were nice! My sister didn't really like hers, however, so I won't mention the place in this post as a recommendation! But finding somewhere to sit in and eat was fairly difficult!
Our first proper full day was an absolute success, and it's fair to say we were absolutely knackered by the time we made it back to the hotel... You can read all about our first day in Amsterdam here.
On our second day in Amsterdam, we got up fairly leisurely, got ready and were out of the hotel by 10am. Our first stop was the Sex Museum, because, well, when in 'Dam hey? It's €5 to get into and is a good way to kill an hour or so. I wasn't quite sure what to expect other than that 6ft penis statue that everyone and their neighbour has a photo stood next to... If you've never been, here's a quick summary; tonnnnnnes of photos of people having sex, a naked Marilyn Monroe animatronic posing for photos and a load of old crockery/decorations/statues with penises on in glass cabinets... I mean, it's a bit of a weird one but it was on my bucket list (which you can read here). I wouldn't go again, but it's one of those things you should do at least once.
We skipped breakfast as we knew we'd be having an early lunch in the form of some diabetes-inducing milkshakes. The place we originally headed to was shut, Bulls and Dogs, so opted for the Corner Bakery instead. I had a Vanilla Freakshake and it was amazing. If I'm honest I did feel fairly sick (unsurprisingly) for the rest of the afternoon afterwards but it was well worth it. The interior of the cafe was an absolute bloggers' dream, with marble tables, lots of plants, and pastel prints on photo ledges... The whole shebang. It was very popular, and we did have to wait for a table, but luckily it was only about a 15-minute wait in the end. If you're in the area and have a sweet tooth, it's definitely worth checking out.
After absolutely stuffing ourselves with sugar, we decided to head for a wander around Museumplein. This, if you're not sure, is the area where all the main museums are in Amsterdam. We didn't actually go into any of them ourselves, but the area is really nice just to walk around in without the fear of being knocked over by a car/tram/bike/wild tourist.
Whilst on the tram to go shopping, I spotted the Bloemenmarkt, and dragged my sister off the tram at the next stop. We had a quick wander round - I mentioned in the aforementioned bucket list that I wanted to go there to take some nice photos... Umm, yeah, was perhaps not worth bothering... Unless you want to buy tulip bulbs or wooden tulips that is. It wasn't quite the botanical wonderland I had imagined... That being said, we did manage to get some souvenirs for our Nannie, so all was not lost.
The weather wasn't ideal, so we headed to a coffeeshop for a while, and then went for another explore. We had pizza for dinner again, and this one was slightly better than the other, but again, nothing to write home about.
After we'd eaten, we headed to De Wallen, otherwise known as the Red Light District. Again, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but what I saw was far tamer than I'd anticipated. It was also absolutely swarmed with tourists, so if you're not a fan of crowds, this is definitely one to give a miss.
As if we hadn't already eaten enough already, we then tried to track somewhere down to sit in and have pancakes... They were nice! My sister didn't really like hers, however, so I won't mention the place in this post as a recommendation! But finding somewhere to sit in and eat was fairly difficult!
Our first proper full day was an absolute success, and it's fair to say we were absolutely knackered by the time we made it back to the hotel... You can read all about our first day in Amsterdam here.
Our first day in Amsterdam started with a bit of a delay. Our flight was due to leave at 9.05, but due to low visibility Amsterdam's end, we didn't leave until 10.30, cue a lot of airport boredom... But, we were grateful our flight went at all, as two other flights to Amsterdam that were scheduled the same morning as ours were cancelled. We flew with KLM from Southampton, and it was nice, it was £70 return each, so an absolute bargain. The flight was just over an hour, so by the time we'd sat down and put our seatbelts on, it was pretty much time to get back up again...
We flew with hand luggage only, so when we landed at Schipol airport, all that was left to do was pass border control, and then we were free to wander around Amsterdamto our hearts content. Once we were through the other side, we headed to the train station to buy our travel passes. We bought the 3-day train/tram/bus passes from GVB for €26 and they were so incredibly handy. I can't tell you the number of times we used them. They were ideal for us as we didn't have to faff around with tickets and could just hop on and hop off as we pleased.
Once we'd sorted ourselves out, and found the right train, we headed to our hotel to drop off our bags. We couldn't check in until 2pm, but after the delayed flight, the time difference, and the time it took to get to the hotel, we arrived at bang on 2. We stayed at the Ibis Budget Amsterdam City South, and it was good. I mean, it wasn't centrally located in the slightest, it was about 25 minutes on a tram to Centraal Station, but it was clean, modern and cheap - so no complaints here.
After a very brief wander around, we headed straight to the A'DAM Lookout and the swing. (Which, involved a free public ferry across the water, whaaaat?) The weather forecast for the 3 days we were in Holland was pretty rainy, but the day we arrived was really sunny, so we decided to head straight to the swing. We didn't book in advance, we just turned up, and there were plenty of slots free. We had our slot booked (4.20) and headed for a little wander before ascending the tower. The lookout was really nice. You could see for miles, and the skybar was really pretty, but I wouldn't say it was massively worth going to if you weren't doing the swing.
So, the swing was great fun. It's 'Europe's Highest Swing'. It's 100m tall, and you swing over the edge of the lookout building, with the water beneath you and the city all around. You're not allowed to take photos whilst on the swing, but the staff do take photos for you which you can download for free from their site. It was really really good fun. If you're heading to Amsterdam anytime soon, I'd highly recommend doing it!
Because of our excitement to get on the swing in the sun, we missed lunch. Big mistake. My sister and I are pretty big eaters, so, by the time we'd got back to Centraal we were starving. We went for a bit more of an explore and stumbled across an Italian restaurant that looked nice. I can't remember what it was called, but it was one of the 35384 pizzerias in Amsterdam, and the food was good. Nothing to write home about, but good nonetheless.
After getting up at 5.30am to head to the airport, it's fair to say we were pretty tired after all our travelling and wandering, so, after dinner, we just headed back to the hotel to sleep, ready for our second day of adventures...
Our first day in Amsterdam started with a bit of a delay. Our flight was due to leave at 9.05, but due to low visibility Amsterdam's end, we didn't leave until 10.30, cue a lot of airport boredom... But, we were grateful our flight went at all, as two other flights to Amsterdam that were scheduled the same morning as ours were cancelled. We flew with KLM from Southampton, and it was nice, it was £70 return each, so an absolute bargain. The flight was just over an hour, so by the time we'd sat down and put our seatbelts on, it was pretty much time to get back up again...
We flew with hand luggage only, so when we landed at Schipol airport, all that was left to do was pass border control, and then we were free to wander around Amsterdamto our hearts content. Once we were through the other side, we headed to the train station to buy our travel passes. We bought the 3-day train/tram/bus passes from GVB for €26 and they were so incredibly handy. I can't tell you the number of times we used them. They were ideal for us as we didn't have to faff around with tickets and could just hop on and hop off as we pleased.
Once we'd sorted ourselves out, and found the right train, we headed to our hotel to drop off our bags. We couldn't check in until 2pm, but after the delayed flight, the time difference, and the time it took to get to the hotel, we arrived at bang on 2. We stayed at the Ibis Budget Amsterdam City South, and it was good. I mean, it wasn't centrally located in the slightest, it was about 25 minutes on a tram to Centraal Station, but it was clean, modern and cheap - so no complaints here.
After a very brief wander around, we headed straight to the A'DAM Lookout and the swing. (Which, involved a free public ferry across the water, whaaaat?) The weather forecast for the 3 days we were in Holland was pretty rainy, but the day we arrived was really sunny, so we decided to head straight to the swing. We didn't book in advance, we just turned up, and there were plenty of slots free. We had our slot booked (4.20) and headed for a little wander before ascending the tower. The lookout was really nice. You could see for miles, and the skybar was really pretty, but I wouldn't say it was massively worth going to if you weren't doing the swing.
So, the swing was great fun. It's 'Europe's Highest Swing'. It's 100m tall, and you swing over the edge of the lookout building, with the water beneath you and the city all around. You're not allowed to take photos whilst on the swing, but the staff do take photos for you which you can download for free from their site. It was really really good fun. If you're heading to Amsterdam anytime soon, I'd highly recommend doing it!
Because of our excitement to get on the swing in the sun, we missed lunch. Big mistake. My sister and I are pretty big eaters, so, by the time we'd got back to Centraal we were starving. We went for a bit more of an explore and stumbled across an Italian restaurant that looked nice. I can't remember what it was called, but it was one of the 35384 pizzerias in Amsterdam, and the food was good. Nothing to write home about, but good nonetheless.
After getting up at 5.30am to head to the airport, it's fair to say we were pretty tired after all our travelling and wandering, so, after dinner, we just headed back to the hotel to sleep, ready for our second day of adventures...
For my 20th birthday, my sister Holly and I are heading to 'Dam for four days of wandering, eating, shopping and exploring. I haven't been before, my sister has, so she will be my official tour guide for the trip. That being said, there are a few things I'd like to try and do whilst we're over there, so I thought I'd compile them all into a blogpost for future reference...
Vondelpark // A wander around one of Amsterdam's many parks is definitely on my list, it's one of those must-dos don't you think?
Anne Frank House // Unfortunately, there are no more tickets available for the entire time we're in Amsterdam, so this is one thing we won't actually be able to do.
Red Light District // Another of those that features on many 'Things to do in Amsterdam' lists. Again, something I'd like to see for myself. Not somewhere to be hanging around for too long though
Ride a bike // This one is pretty self-explanatory considering there are apparently more bikes than people in the capital.
Jordaan District // Is said to be really nice for eating, shopping and wandering. It's slightly less busy than the city center, so could be a nice place to explore of an afternoon.
Coffee Shops // What would a birthday trip to Amsterdam be if a few coffee shops weren't included...?
Rijksmuseum Gardens // Are home to the I amsterdam sign, so we will definitely have to pay them a visit. I fully intend to get allllll the cliche tourist photos.
The Sex Museum // My sister has visited it before and didn't particularly rate it at all, but I think it's one of those you should do at least once.
The Sex Museum // My sister has visited it before and didn't particularly rate it at all, but I think it's one of those you should do at least once.
Flower Market // What is Holland without its tulips? The flower markets are said to be really pretty and will make for some beautiful photos.
A'Dam Lookout / Over The Edge Swing // Is weather dependent but one that my sister hasn't done before. It's Europe's highest swing. My housemate has been on it and said it was really good fun. But, at €17,50, it will be one for a nice, sunny day. What's the point in going to a lookout if it's dark, foggy and grim?...
So, there we have it, a list of some of the things I'd like to try and do whilst in Amsterdam next week.
For my 20th birthday, my sister Holly and I are heading to 'Dam for four days of wandering, eating, shopping and exploring. I haven't been before, my sister has, so she will be my official tour guide for the trip. That being said, there are a few things I'd like to try and do whilst we're over there, so I thought I'd compile them all into a blogpost for future reference...
Vondelpark // A wander around one of Amsterdam's many parks is definitely on my list, it's one of those must-dos don't you think?
Anne Frank House // Unfortunately, there are no more tickets available for the entire time we're in Amsterdam, so this is one thing we won't actually be able to do.
Red Light District // Another of those that features on many 'Things to do in Amsterdam' lists. Again, something I'd like to see for myself. Not somewhere to be hanging around for too long though
Ride a bike // This one is pretty self-explanatory considering there are apparently more bikes than people in the capital.
Jordaan District // Is said to be really nice for eating, shopping and wandering. It's slightly less busy than the city center, so could be a nice place to explore of an afternoon.
Coffee Shops // What would a birthday trip to Amsterdam be if a few coffee shops weren't included...?
Rijksmuseum Gardens // Are home to the I amsterdam sign, so we will definitely have to pay them a visit. I fully intend to get allllll the cliche tourist photos.
The Sex Museum // My sister has visited it before and didn't particularly rate it at all, but I think it's one of those you should do at least once.
The Sex Museum // My sister has visited it before and didn't particularly rate it at all, but I think it's one of those you should do at least once.
Flower Market // What is Holland without its tulips? The flower markets are said to be really pretty and will make for some beautiful photos.
A'Dam Lookout / Over The Edge Swing // Is weather dependent but one that my sister hasn't done before. It's Europe's highest swing. My housemate has been on it and said it was really good fun. But, at €17,50, it will be one for a nice, sunny day. What's the point in going to a lookout if it's dark, foggy and grim?...
So, there we have it, a list of some of the things I'd like to try and do whilst in Amsterdam next week.
Last night saw me attend my first event with this blog, Becc4, and it certainly set the bar for future events extremely high. It was hosted by the lovely @sotonbloggers (not to be confused with @soton_bloggers which is a whole other story. You can read about that here) and Supermarine in Southampton.
The lovely Rosie drove Nicole (on the right and left of the first photo, respectively) and I to the event, which if you're local to Southampton, was the other side of the Itchen Bridge in Woolston. (Sidenote, I actually met Rosie many moooons ago at another blogging event, when I was more awkward and not legally old enough to do anything, so it was an absolute blast from the past seeing her again.)
When we arrived, I was blown away. The restaurant was beautiful. Gorgeous Moroccan tiles, low hanging lights, fresh flowers, and marble tables. The absolute bloggers aesthetic, right? We were offered drinks when we arrived, wine, cocktails, the lot and all sat at a long table chit-chatting away about everything under the sun. I won't mention what, it's perhaps not wise considering my parents are avid readers of this blog...
Anyway, we ate so much good Italian food including cured meats, crostini and olives to start. The highlight of those three for me was the sausage and mozzarella crostini, it was delicious. I'm not an olive person at all, the last time I ate one I was sick on our dining table, but the other girls said these ones were really good. Two of the girls I was sat with were vegan, and there was plenty on the menu for them to eat, so that's a thumbs up from me.
But, onto the main course, the part we'd all been thinking about all day. The pizza. I say we, that might just have been greedy old me. Supermarine use a wood-fired pizza oven, and can I just say the pizzas were incredible. I tried one with lots of different meats on and it was really really good. The base of a pizza, for me, is always make or break, but this one was really soft and doughy, a definite pass with flying colours.
For dessert, we had a nutella and strawberry pizza ?!?? Which, can I just say, was just as confusing for my brain and taste buds as it sounds... It was tasty, but not something I'd have again. Pass me a cheesecake or some ice cream, something a little less strenuous on the old brain.
The lovely Rosie drove Nicole (on the right and left of the first photo, respectively) and I to the event, which if you're local to Southampton, was the other side of the Itchen Bridge in Woolston. (Sidenote, I actually met Rosie many moooons ago at another blogging event, when I was more awkward and not legally old enough to do anything, so it was an absolute blast from the past seeing her again.)
When we arrived, I was blown away. The restaurant was beautiful. Gorgeous Moroccan tiles, low hanging lights, fresh flowers, and marble tables. The absolute bloggers aesthetic, right? We were offered drinks when we arrived, wine, cocktails, the lot and all sat at a long table chit-chatting away about everything under the sun. I won't mention what, it's perhaps not wise considering my parents are avid readers of this blog...
Anyway, we ate so much good Italian food including cured meats, crostini and olives to start. The highlight of those three for me was the sausage and mozzarella crostini, it was delicious. I'm not an olive person at all, the last time I ate one I was sick on our dining table, but the other girls said these ones were really good. Two of the girls I was sat with were vegan, and there was plenty on the menu for them to eat, so that's a thumbs up from me.
But, onto the main course, the part we'd all been thinking about all day. The pizza. I say we, that might just have been greedy old me. Supermarine use a wood-fired pizza oven, and can I just say the pizzas were incredible. I tried one with lots of different meats on and it was really really good. The base of a pizza, for me, is always make or break, but this one was really soft and doughy, a definite pass with flying colours.
For dessert, we had a nutella and strawberry pizza ?!?? Which, can I just say, was just as confusing for my brain and taste buds as it sounds... It was tasty, but not something I'd have again. Pass me a cheesecake or some ice cream, something a little less strenuous on the old brain.
The staff in the restaurant were extremely welcoming and friendly, and with pizzas being between £8 and £13, it's definitely somewhere I'll be visiting again.
Southampton Bloggers Event: Supermarine Woolston
16.3.18 • bloggers event, event, food, lifestyle, review, soton bloggers, southampton bloggers
Last night saw me attend my first event with this blog, Becc4, and it certainly set the bar for future events extremely high. It was hosted by the lovely @sotonbloggers (not to be confused with @soton_bloggers which is a whole other story. You can read about that here) and Supermarine in Southampton.
The lovely Rosie drove Nicole (on the right and left of the first photo, respectively) and I to the event, which if you're local to Southampton, was the other side of the Itchen Bridge in Woolston. (Sidenote, I actually met Rosie many moooons ago at another blogging event, when I was more awkward and not legally old enough to do anything, so it was an absolute blast from the past seeing her again.)
When we arrived, I was blown away. The restaurant was beautiful. Gorgeous Moroccan tiles, low hanging lights, fresh flowers, and marble tables. The absolute bloggers aesthetic, right? We were offered drinks when we arrived, wine, cocktails, the lot and all sat at a long table chit-chatting away about everything under the sun. I won't mention what, it's perhaps not wise considering my parents are avid readers of this blog...
Anyway, we ate so much good Italian food including cured meats, crostini and olives to start. The highlight of those three for me was the sausage and mozzarella crostini, it was delicious. I'm not an olive person at all, the last time I ate one I was sick on our dining table, but the other girls said these ones were really good. Two of the girls I was sat with were vegan, and there was plenty on the menu for them to eat, so that's a thumbs up from me.
But, onto the main course, the part we'd all been thinking about all day. The pizza. I say we, that might just have been greedy old me. Supermarine use a wood-fired pizza oven, and can I just say the pizzas were incredible. I tried one with lots of different meats on and it was really really good. The base of a pizza, for me, is always make or break, but this one was really soft and doughy, a definite pass with flying colours.
For dessert, we had a nutella and strawberry pizza ?!?? Which, can I just say, was just as confusing for my brain and taste buds as it sounds... It was tasty, but not something I'd have again. Pass me a cheesecake or some ice cream, something a little less strenuous on the old brain.
The lovely Rosie drove Nicole (on the right and left of the first photo, respectively) and I to the event, which if you're local to Southampton, was the other side of the Itchen Bridge in Woolston. (Sidenote, I actually met Rosie many moooons ago at another blogging event, when I was more awkward and not legally old enough to do anything, so it was an absolute blast from the past seeing her again.)
When we arrived, I was blown away. The restaurant was beautiful. Gorgeous Moroccan tiles, low hanging lights, fresh flowers, and marble tables. The absolute bloggers aesthetic, right? We were offered drinks when we arrived, wine, cocktails, the lot and all sat at a long table chit-chatting away about everything under the sun. I won't mention what, it's perhaps not wise considering my parents are avid readers of this blog...
Anyway, we ate so much good Italian food including cured meats, crostini and olives to start. The highlight of those three for me was the sausage and mozzarella crostini, it was delicious. I'm not an olive person at all, the last time I ate one I was sick on our dining table, but the other girls said these ones were really good. Two of the girls I was sat with were vegan, and there was plenty on the menu for them to eat, so that's a thumbs up from me.
But, onto the main course, the part we'd all been thinking about all day. The pizza. I say we, that might just have been greedy old me. Supermarine use a wood-fired pizza oven, and can I just say the pizzas were incredible. I tried one with lots of different meats on and it was really really good. The base of a pizza, for me, is always make or break, but this one was really soft and doughy, a definite pass with flying colours.
For dessert, we had a nutella and strawberry pizza ?!?? Which, can I just say, was just as confusing for my brain and taste buds as it sounds... It was tasty, but not something I'd have again. Pass me a cheesecake or some ice cream, something a little less strenuous on the old brain.
The staff in the restaurant were extremely welcoming and friendly, and with pizzas being between £8 and £13, it's definitely somewhere I'll be visiting again.
I've been getting quite stuck into my blog's Instagram recently, so much so, I've even been trying to stick to a theme and have added an Instagram widget to my sidebar, professional hey. If you've come to this post hoping for some algorithm-busting magic then I'm not sure I quite have the answers (not that I think anyone does at the moment, by the looks of it)... What I can offer you, however, is an easy step by step rundown of how I edit my photos.
As for taking the photos, I always just use my iPhone 6s camera, but if I'm uploading a pic from a blog post then those pictures were most probably taken on my DSLR. I tend to take a good 38592 photos and then sort through them afterward looking for the one where my eyes are slightly more open or the products are in slightly crisper focus.
The main app I use to edit my photos is VSCOcam. I love it. It's free and the filter I always use is 'HB2'. Yep, the secret's out, that's how I get the cool moody tones. I tend to then play around with the brightness, contrast, and temperature until I'm happy with how it is all looking.
If I've taken a photo against a 'white' wall, eg in my dingy student house, then I tend to add an extra step in before I go into VSCOcam, Facetune. I will take the paint tool in white and lighten the background so that the walls actually look white, and not the dirty greige shade we've got going on in my house. (Now that I've actually just written this down I've realised just how extra this sounds, lol and have been debating not admitting to doing such).
The last step is Instagram itself. By this point, the photo tends to be looking pretty good but sometimes I'll adjust the contrast or shadows a little more and voila... You have a photo edited in the style of Becc4
As for taking the photos, I always just use my iPhone 6s camera, but if I'm uploading a pic from a blog post then those pictures were most probably taken on my DSLR. I tend to take a good 38592 photos and then sort through them afterward looking for the one where my eyes are slightly more open or the products are in slightly crisper focus.
The main app I use to edit my photos is VSCOcam. I love it. It's free and the filter I always use is 'HB2'. Yep, the secret's out, that's how I get the cool moody tones. I tend to then play around with the brightness, contrast, and temperature until I'm happy with how it is all looking.
If I've taken a photo against a 'white' wall, eg in my dingy student house, then I tend to add an extra step in before I go into VSCOcam, Facetune. I will take the paint tool in white and lighten the background so that the walls actually look white, and not the dirty greige shade we've got going on in my house. (Now that I've actually just written this down I've realised just how extra this sounds, lol and have been debating not admitting to doing such).
The last step is Instagram itself. By this point, the photo tends to be looking pretty good but sometimes I'll adjust the contrast or shadows a little more and voila... You have a photo edited in the style of Becc4
I've been getting quite stuck into my blog's Instagram recently, so much so, I've even been trying to stick to a theme and have added an Instagram widget to my sidebar, professional hey. If you've come to this post hoping for some algorithm-busting magic then I'm not sure I quite have the answers (not that I think anyone does at the moment, by the looks of it)... What I can offer you, however, is an easy step by step rundown of how I edit my photos.
As for taking the photos, I always just use my iPhone 6s camera, but if I'm uploading a pic from a blog post then those pictures were most probably taken on my DSLR. I tend to take a good 38592 photos and then sort through them afterward looking for the one where my eyes are slightly more open or the products are in slightly crisper focus.
The main app I use to edit my photos is VSCOcam. I love it. It's free and the filter I always use is 'HB2'. Yep, the secret's out, that's how I get the cool moody tones. I tend to then play around with the brightness, contrast, and temperature until I'm happy with how it is all looking.
If I've taken a photo against a 'white' wall, eg in my dingy student house, then I tend to add an extra step in before I go into VSCOcam, Facetune. I will take the paint tool in white and lighten the background so that the walls actually look white, and not the dirty greige shade we've got going on in my house. (Now that I've actually just written this down I've realised just how extra this sounds, lol and have been debating not admitting to doing such).
The last step is Instagram itself. By this point, the photo tends to be looking pretty good but sometimes I'll adjust the contrast or shadows a little more and voila... You have a photo edited in the style of Becc4
As for taking the photos, I always just use my iPhone 6s camera, but if I'm uploading a pic from a blog post then those pictures were most probably taken on my DSLR. I tend to take a good 38592 photos and then sort through them afterward looking for the one where my eyes are slightly more open or the products are in slightly crisper focus.
The main app I use to edit my photos is VSCOcam. I love it. It's free and the filter I always use is 'HB2'. Yep, the secret's out, that's how I get the cool moody tones. I tend to then play around with the brightness, contrast, and temperature until I'm happy with how it is all looking.
If I've taken a photo against a 'white' wall, eg in my dingy student house, then I tend to add an extra step in before I go into VSCOcam, Facetune. I will take the paint tool in white and lighten the background so that the walls actually look white, and not the dirty greige shade we've got going on in my house. (Now that I've actually just written this down I've realised just how extra this sounds, lol and have been debating not admitting to doing such).
The last step is Instagram itself. By this point, the photo tends to be looking pretty good but sometimes I'll adjust the contrast or shadows a little more and voila... You have a photo edited in the style of Becc4
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