Press Tickets
We spent our Friday evening watching an outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet in Rack Close and it was truly brilliant! Put on by The Lord Chamberlain's Men, as part of Salisbury International Arts Festival, the all male cast performed the Shakespeare classic with Salisbury Cathedral in the background.
With a picnic and a blanket packed, we were transported to Verona for two hours. The characters were all brilliant and they had us laughing in the scenes between all of the violence and death. The whole play is all performed from one set and there are no special effects or other gimmicks, which in my opinion, shows the talent of all of the actors involved. The time absolutely flew by and before we knew it, we were at that tragic ending scene...
This production is only on in Salisbury twice more today at 2pm and 7pm and I’d highly recommend booking a ticket if you’re looking for something a bit different to do with your Saturday! If you do miss out on getting tickets for the Salisbury performances, they are currently on tour and are performing at different venues for the rest of the summer.
Romeo and Juliet by The Lord Chamberlain's Men - Review
10.6.23 • lifestyle, Salisbury, Theatre
Press Tickets
We spent our Friday evening watching an outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet in Rack Close and it was truly brilliant! Put on by The Lord Chamberlain's Men, as part of Salisbury International Arts Festival, the all male cast performed the Shakespeare classic with Salisbury Cathedral in the background.
With a picnic and a blanket packed, we were transported to Verona for two hours. The characters were all brilliant and they had us laughing in the scenes between all of the violence and death. The whole play is all performed from one set and there are no special effects or other gimmicks, which in my opinion, shows the talent of all of the actors involved. The time absolutely flew by and before we knew it, we were at that tragic ending scene...
This production is only on in Salisbury twice more today at 2pm and 7pm and I’d highly recommend booking a ticket if you’re looking for something a bit different to do with your Saturday! If you do miss out on getting tickets for the Salisbury performances, they are currently on tour and are performing at different venues for the rest of the summer.
Little Perth, Bournemouth - Review
2.6.23 • Bournemouth, bournemouth restaurant, food, lifestyle
The Tempest in Churchill Gardens, Salisbury - Review
1.6.23 • lifestyle, Salisbury, Theatre
5 Ways We're Saving To Buy A House
Perhaps quite an obvious one, but if you're not out and about, you're not spending money. You don't need what you can't see, right? There might be some cute clothes on Vinted that would fit perfectly in my wardrobe or some cool homeware pieces that would look great in the house, but if I don't know about them, I don't need them. We've also only been out for a handful of meals this year so far and that has certainly saved us a lot of money. Burger Tuesday, I miss you and I hope to be reunited with you soon.
2. Creating a cheap weekly food plan
Elliot and I have always been quite good at making a weekly food plan but we've taken it one step further. We're only making meals with ingredients we've already got in the cupboards/freezer or meals that don't contain lots of more expensive components. It's been suiting us just fine and we're slowly making our way through all of the meat we've got in the freezer. Regular meals at the moment include; kidney bean burgers, lentil curries, pork mince rice bowls, and mushroom stroganoff. With the prices of everything in the supermarket continually going up, this has really helped us keep our weekly food shop at a fairly consistent level to pre cozzie living times.
3. Only using up old miscellaneous toiletries
For someone who (occasionally) writes beauty and skincare content, having not bought pretty much anything this year is a bit of a weird one. I mean, not that I truly need to buy anything, I've got more than enough stuff already. Rather, when things have run out, I've been digging out old products I'd forgotten about and using them up too. Yes, I may not be using my favourite foundation or moisturiser, but it does feel good to be using things up. I've also been trying to avoid too many beauty TikToks - again, if I don't know about it, I don't need it.
4. Elliot has been cutting my hair
This is one that I know not everyone would be on-board with. But, since moving to Salisbury I haven't found an affordable hairdresser, and now that we're in hardcore saving mode, spending £60 on a haircut does bring a slight tear to my eye. So, let's welcome Elliot and the kitchen scissors to the chat. I think he's cut my hair 3 times now and I don't have any complaints. I just ask him to cut it all in one straight line and that's that. For anyone with pin-straight hair, I'll let you off if you're less keen on this idea... But, for my wavy hair and I, it's great. Every time it dries it looks slightly different and hides any signs of a DIY haircut.
5. We've been going for walks as a fun hobby
I know the saying is save the best for last, but this is definitely the worst one. Welcome to boring-ville. But, what's a free way to spend an afternoon when you're not keen on just sitting on the sofa? A walk. Just this past weekend Elliot and I went for a walk in the New Forest and another in Bournemouth. (Yes, the petrol to get there cost money, but the actual activity was free!) It also helps that I'm currently doing a charity walking challenge at work, so all of these walks feel productive and worthwhile (for me, at least).
The best way to ensure success with all of this? Repeatedly tell yourself why you're doing it. It's no secret that Elliot and I love going out for dinner and on holidays. We're both definitely missing our old DINK (double income no kids) lifestyle that we'd become accustomed to, but it will all be oh so worth it in the end.
What are your tips for saving money?
5 Ways We're Saving To Buy A House
Perhaps quite an obvious one, but if you're not out and about, you're not spending money. You don't need what you can't see, right? There might be some cute clothes on Vinted that would fit perfectly in my wardrobe or some cool homeware pieces that would look great in the house, but if I don't know about them, I don't need them. We've also only been out for a handful of meals this year so far and that has certainly saved us a lot of money. Burger Tuesday, I miss you and I hope to be reunited with you soon.
2. Creating a cheap weekly food plan
Elliot and I have always been quite good at making a weekly food plan but we've taken it one step further. We're only making meals with ingredients we've already got in the cupboards/freezer or meals that don't contain lots of more expensive components. It's been suiting us just fine and we're slowly making our way through all of the meat we've got in the freezer. Regular meals at the moment include; kidney bean burgers, lentil curries, pork mince rice bowls, and mushroom stroganoff. With the prices of everything in the supermarket continually going up, this has really helped us keep our weekly food shop at a fairly consistent level to pre cozzie living times.
3. Only using up old miscellaneous toiletries
For someone who (occasionally) writes beauty and skincare content, having not bought pretty much anything this year is a bit of a weird one. I mean, not that I truly need to buy anything, I've got more than enough stuff already. Rather, when things have run out, I've been digging out old products I'd forgotten about and using them up too. Yes, I may not be using my favourite foundation or moisturiser, but it does feel good to be using things up. I've also been trying to avoid too many beauty TikToks - again, if I don't know about it, I don't need it.
4. Elliot has been cutting my hair
This is one that I know not everyone would be on-board with. But, since moving to Salisbury I haven't found an affordable hairdresser, and now that we're in hardcore saving mode, spending £60 on a haircut does bring a slight tear to my eye. So, let's welcome Elliot and the kitchen scissors to the chat. I think he's cut my hair 3 times now and I don't have any complaints. I just ask him to cut it all in one straight line and that's that. For anyone with pin-straight hair, I'll let you off if you're less keen on this idea... But, for my wavy hair and I, it's great. Every time it dries it looks slightly different and hides any signs of a DIY haircut.
5. We've been going for walks as a fun hobby
I know the saying is save the best for last, but this is definitely the worst one. Welcome to boring-ville. But, what's a free way to spend an afternoon when you're not keen on just sitting on the sofa? A walk. Just this past weekend Elliot and I went for a walk in the New Forest and another in Bournemouth. (Yes, the petrol to get there cost money, but the actual activity was free!) It also helps that I'm currently doing a charity walking challenge at work, so all of these walks feel productive and worthwhile (for me, at least).
The best way to ensure success with all of this? Repeatedly tell yourself why you're doing it. It's no secret that Elliot and I love going out for dinner and on holidays. We're both definitely missing our old DINK (double income no kids) lifestyle that we'd become accustomed to, but it will all be oh so worth it in the end.
What are your tips for saving money?
I've been an avid Vinted fan for a couple of years now and, if you're still using Depop, it's 100% time to make the switch. Not only do the items generally tend to be better priced but there is also a larger range of things too. In terms of selling, there aren't any fees for the seller, only the buyer. Not only that, but the range of postage options is also better too. Their partnership with Evri means you can just print out a label, stick it on and drop it off at any Evri point at any time. Aka there's no need to hurry down to the Post Office on your lunch break because it shuts at 4pm every day. Anyway, you're here for the tips for shopping on Vinted not selling, let's get started, shall we?
5 Tips For Shopping On Vinted
01. Search vague terms
I tend to have the most success shopping on Vinted when I'm not looking for something specific. I find if I go in with an open mind, and search for a brand and a size, I find all sorts of things that I wouldn't have considered looking for. That said, if you want something specific like a 'cream knit jumper' then they're absolutely on there, you might just need to trawl through a few before you find one that catches your eye.
02. Set a maximum spend per search
Unlike on Depop, the majority of items on Vinted are really well-priced. That said, there will always be sellers trying to flog pieces for far more than they're worth. Personally, I set up a maximum spend on each and every search I do. Everyone's budget and idea of a reasonable price are slightly different, but it's a great place to start. You might have to trawl through a few more scrolls of toot if you're more stringent with what you're looking to spend, but it's worth it. Also, it goes without saying, if you can't find anything, upping the budget only takes a couple of seconds.
03. Search items to see how they look on other sellers
A majority of people selling on Vinted don’t post photos wearing the items which makes gauging sizing a bit harder. So, I always try and search for the item before adding it to my basket to see if anyone else has it for sale. For common high-street pieces, there are always a few people selling the same thing. I tend to favourite the one I've found and then do a really specific search with all of the details in the hopes of finding someone else selling it with better photos.
04. Choose a range of sizes
Particularly with older garments, a lot of the sizing has changed over the years. Even just in the last few years, popular high street retailers like Primark have drastically changed their sizes too. I always try to bare this (and the fact that things shrink after many washes) in mind when browsing. I'm a size 10, but I'll often search with sizes 8-12 to account for things that are oversized or smaller fitting. If it's a jumper I'm buying, I often add another size or two on top of that as a personal preference as I love a baggy jumper.
05. Filter By Newly Listed
I've noticed that a lot of the items have been on the app for a long time. A few times I've gone to buy something for the seller not to have it anymore. I think because there aren't fees to sell on Vinted, people tend to a) post more items (often worth a lower value) and b) forget what they have on there. So, before you set your heart on a jumper that's been on there for a couple of years, check the date it was posted! And, if you always search by newly listed, it means you won't be scrolling the same things over and over at a later date.
So, there you have it, 5 tips for shopping on Vinted. I've built up quite an assortment of different things in my slow fashion wardrobe from the apps, and I couldn't imagine not having them now. Affordable clothing that doesn't cause as much damage to the planet? We love to see it.
What are your tips for shopping on Vinted?
I've been an avid Vinted fan for a couple of years now and, if you're still using Depop, it's 100% time to make the switch. Not only do the items generally tend to be better priced but there is also a larger range of things too. In terms of selling, there aren't any fees for the seller, only the buyer. Not only that, but the range of postage options is also better too. Their partnership with Evri means you can just print out a label, stick it on and drop it off at any Evri point at any time. Aka there's no need to hurry down to the Post Office on your lunch break because it shuts at 4pm every day. Anyway, you're here for the tips for shopping on Vinted not selling, let's get started, shall we?
5 Tips For Shopping On Vinted
01. Search vague terms
I tend to have the most success shopping on Vinted when I'm not looking for something specific. I find if I go in with an open mind, and search for a brand and a size, I find all sorts of things that I wouldn't have considered looking for. That said, if you want something specific like a 'cream knit jumper' then they're absolutely on there, you might just need to trawl through a few before you find one that catches your eye.
02. Set a maximum spend per search
Unlike on Depop, the majority of items on Vinted are really well-priced. That said, there will always be sellers trying to flog pieces for far more than they're worth. Personally, I set up a maximum spend on each and every search I do. Everyone's budget and idea of a reasonable price are slightly different, but it's a great place to start. You might have to trawl through a few more scrolls of toot if you're more stringent with what you're looking to spend, but it's worth it. Also, it goes without saying, if you can't find anything, upping the budget only takes a couple of seconds.
03. Search items to see how they look on other sellers
A majority of people selling on Vinted don’t post photos wearing the items which makes gauging sizing a bit harder. So, I always try and search for the item before adding it to my basket to see if anyone else has it for sale. For common high-street pieces, there are always a few people selling the same thing. I tend to favourite the one I've found and then do a really specific search with all of the details in the hopes of finding someone else selling it with better photos.
04. Choose a range of sizes
Particularly with older garments, a lot of the sizing has changed over the years. Even just in the last few years, popular high street retailers like Primark have drastically changed their sizes too. I always try to bare this (and the fact that things shrink after many washes) in mind when browsing. I'm a size 10, but I'll often search with sizes 8-12 to account for things that are oversized or smaller fitting. If it's a jumper I'm buying, I often add another size or two on top of that as a personal preference as I love a baggy jumper.
05. Filter By Newly Listed
I've noticed that a lot of the items have been on the app for a long time. A few times I've gone to buy something for the seller not to have it anymore. I think because there aren't fees to sell on Vinted, people tend to a) post more items (often worth a lower value) and b) forget what they have on there. So, before you set your heart on a jumper that's been on there for a couple of years, check the date it was posted! And, if you always search by newly listed, it means you won't be scrolling the same things over and over at a later date.
So, there you have it, 5 tips for shopping on Vinted. I've built up quite an assortment of different things in my slow fashion wardrobe from the apps, and I couldn't imagine not having them now. Affordable clothing that doesn't cause as much damage to the planet? We love to see it.
What are your tips for shopping on Vinted?
After a busy weekend in Weymouth, a roast dinner with all the trimmings was very much required last week. We parked in West Lulworth, walked over the top to Durdle Door, and sat at the top of the cliff googling local carveries and pubs. The Countryman Inn came up a few times and based on a) the price (a lot of others were quite expensive and b) the photos, we were sold. We did manage to book a table just a couple of hours before but they were very very busy. So, I'd definitely recommend booking ahead if you're planning a visit.
Just a 10-minute drive from Durdle Door, The Countryman Inn is a large pub with nine en-suite bedrooms. The team were all really friendly and the menu is pretty extensive. But, being a Sunday, there really was only one thing we were interested in... Their carvery.
A regular plate is £12.99 and a large is £14.99. Elliot and I both went for the regular and were absolutely stuffed afterwards. You can fit a huge mountain of food on the regular, I wouldn't upgrade to the large!
There were three meats on offer; beef, turkey, and pork, and because I'm a creature of habit, I naturally went for the beef. The meat was really tasty but, if I'm honest, it was the trimmings that were the star of the show. Besides Christmas Day, when the trimmings are exceptional, when has anyone ever said that?!
Normally, when you go to a carvery, you get a choice of carrots, peas or green beans and maybe a bit of stuffing if you're lucky. Well, not at The Countryman Inn. And for that reason, I think this could be the best carvery I've EVER been to.
I'm talking... roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, baby carrots, green beans, savoy cabbage, swede mash, cauliflower cheese, AND stuffing balls. Besides maybe some broccoli, I think they have truly covered all of the bases there
For me, the standouts were the Yorkshire, the parsnips, and the cauliflower cheese. In hindsight, if I'd known they were going to be that good, I'd have had less of the other bits and absolutely loaded my plate up with those! In my opinion, the roast potatoes weren't anything special, but everything else got my approval.
So, if you're planning a wholesome Sunday day trip and don't know where to start then allow me to suggest a walk at Durdle Door and a carvery at The Countryman Inn - we had a fantastic day!
Have you ever been to The Countryman Inn?
A Carvery at The Countryman Inn, Dorchester - Review
13.2.23 • dorset, food, food review, restaurant review
After a busy weekend in Weymouth, a roast dinner with all the trimmings was very much required last week. We parked in West Lulworth, walked over the top to Durdle Door, and sat at the top of the cliff googling local carveries and pubs. The Countryman Inn came up a few times and based on a) the price (a lot of others were quite expensive and b) the photos, we were sold. We did manage to book a table just a couple of hours before but they were very very busy. So, I'd definitely recommend booking ahead if you're planning a visit.
Just a 10-minute drive from Durdle Door, The Countryman Inn is a large pub with nine en-suite bedrooms. The team were all really friendly and the menu is pretty extensive. But, being a Sunday, there really was only one thing we were interested in... Their carvery.
A regular plate is £12.99 and a large is £14.99. Elliot and I both went for the regular and were absolutely stuffed afterwards. You can fit a huge mountain of food on the regular, I wouldn't upgrade to the large!
There were three meats on offer; beef, turkey, and pork, and because I'm a creature of habit, I naturally went for the beef. The meat was really tasty but, if I'm honest, it was the trimmings that were the star of the show. Besides Christmas Day, when the trimmings are exceptional, when has anyone ever said that?!
Normally, when you go to a carvery, you get a choice of carrots, peas or green beans and maybe a bit of stuffing if you're lucky. Well, not at The Countryman Inn. And for that reason, I think this could be the best carvery I've EVER been to.
I'm talking... roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, baby carrots, green beans, savoy cabbage, swede mash, cauliflower cheese, AND stuffing balls. Besides maybe some broccoli, I think they have truly covered all of the bases there
For me, the standouts were the Yorkshire, the parsnips, and the cauliflower cheese. In hindsight, if I'd known they were going to be that good, I'd have had less of the other bits and absolutely loaded my plate up with those! In my opinion, the roast potatoes weren't anything special, but everything else got my approval.
So, if you're planning a wholesome Sunday day trip and don't know where to start then allow me to suggest a walk at Durdle Door and a carvery at The Countryman Inn - we had a fantastic day!
Have you ever been to The Countryman Inn?
Last weekend, Elliot and I headed to Somerset for the weekend in the campervan. We had a few things planned but the real reason for going was to go on a guided tour of Shepton Mallet Prison. I received the tickets for Christmas and, spoiler alert, we had a really good morning exploring the prison and hearing all about its (gruesome) history.
Shepton Mallet Prison Guided Tour Review
Last weekend, Elliot and I headed to Somerset for the weekend in the campervan. We had a few things planned but the real reason for going was to go on a guided tour of Shepton Mallet Prison. I received the tickets for Christmas and, spoiler alert, we had a really good morning exploring the prison and hearing all about its (gruesome) history.
Shepton Mallet Prison Guided Tour Review
I'm not a massive fan of setting myself strict targets or New Year's Resolutions but it is useful to have a few loose goals to be working towards. 2022 turned out to be a very busy year and 2023 looks set to be even busier, but in this post I'm going to outline a few things I want to try and do... I've moved jobs (and am already so much happier) so that's one thing I don't need to think about this year. With that weight off my shoulders, here are my 5 goals for 2023.
5 Goals for 2023
1. Buy A House
Straight in with the MASSIVE one. Yep. This year will hopefully be the year of the house. It's all sort of come around quite quickly and I'm SO excited at the prospect of painting 10 rooms sage green. We were meant to have a house viewing on Friday but that's already been cancelled as an offer has been accepted on it. So, morals of the story, don't get too excited and try and be one of the first viewers haha.
2. Walk A Mile A Day
We're doing a charity walking challenge at work and we each need to walk the equivalent of a mile a day if we want to hit the target. Now, I can't say I'll 100% be walking a mile each and every day (I'd describe myself as a fair weather walker) but I'm definitely going to get my 365 miles in. The thought of walking in the deepest darkest depths of rainy January? No, thank you. A sunny August day with a stop at the pub? Yes, please.
3. Grow My Freelance Marketing Business
Towards the end of last year, I started getting approached about freelance marketing projects. 2023 is hopefully going to be the year of the side hustle (and working weekends) and getting that well and truly off the ground. Not only is it extra money that I can save but it's also even wider marketing experience and knowledge!
4. Continue Cooking Loads Of New Things
5. Write On My Blog More
Don't say I don't stick to my goals... Here I am. With everything else going on my blog is always the first thing to get neglected. But, this year, I really want to make a conscious effort to write more posts and spend more time growing my readers etc. If there's anything specific you'd like to see me write about, let me know, I'm all ears!
And there we have it, my 5 goals for 2023... At the end of the year, I'll have to do an update and let you all know if I forgot about these after approximately 3 weeks or not.
Did you set any goals for 2023?
I'm not a massive fan of setting myself strict targets or New Year's Resolutions but it is useful to have a few loose goals to be working towards. 2022 turned out to be a very busy year and 2023 looks set to be even busier, but in this post I'm going to outline a few things I want to try and do... I've moved jobs (and am already so much happier) so that's one thing I don't need to think about this year. With that weight off my shoulders, here are my 5 goals for 2023.
5 Goals for 2023
1. Buy A House
Straight in with the MASSIVE one. Yep. This year will hopefully be the year of the house. It's all sort of come around quite quickly and I'm SO excited at the prospect of painting 10 rooms sage green. We were meant to have a house viewing on Friday but that's already been cancelled as an offer has been accepted on it. So, morals of the story, don't get too excited and try and be one of the first viewers haha.
2. Walk A Mile A Day
We're doing a charity walking challenge at work and we each need to walk the equivalent of a mile a day if we want to hit the target. Now, I can't say I'll 100% be walking a mile each and every day (I'd describe myself as a fair weather walker) but I'm definitely going to get my 365 miles in. The thought of walking in the deepest darkest depths of rainy January? No, thank you. A sunny August day with a stop at the pub? Yes, please.
3. Grow My Freelance Marketing Business
Towards the end of last year, I started getting approached about freelance marketing projects. 2023 is hopefully going to be the year of the side hustle (and working weekends) and getting that well and truly off the ground. Not only is it extra money that I can save but it's also even wider marketing experience and knowledge!
4. Continue Cooking Loads Of New Things
5. Write On My Blog More
Don't say I don't stick to my goals... Here I am. With everything else going on my blog is always the first thing to get neglected. But, this year, I really want to make a conscious effort to write more posts and spend more time growing my readers etc. If there's anything specific you'd like to see me write about, let me know, I'm all ears!
And there we have it, my 5 goals for 2023... At the end of the year, I'll have to do an update and let you all know if I forgot about these after approximately 3 weeks or not.
Did you set any goals for 2023?
So, you're looking for somewhere a bit nicer to go for dinner in Salisbury... Now, don't get me wrong I don't have any Michelin star recommendations for you here, just places we tend to head to if we're looking to spend a bit more. They're all in the city center and also independent businesses, so great ones to add to your list to visit in 2023....
Where To Go In Salisbury For A Nicer Dinner...
01. Cafe Diwali
02. Nole
03. Tinga
3 Places To Go In Salisbury For A Nicer Dinner...
8.1.23 • Featured, food, lifestyle, Salisbury, Salisbury Food Guides, Salisbury Restaurant
So, you're looking for somewhere a bit nicer to go for dinner in Salisbury... Now, don't get me wrong I don't have any Michelin star recommendations for you here, just places we tend to head to if we're looking to spend a bit more. They're all in the city center and also independent businesses, so great ones to add to your list to visit in 2023....
Where To Go In Salisbury For A Nicer Dinner...
01. Cafe Diwali
02. Nole
Social Icons