Garden & Leaf

Despite the botanical name of this post, you'll be pleased to know I haven't suddenly gone all Charlie Dimmock, braless and rummaging around in the bushes (isn't that a nice image?), I am in fact referring to some lovely little establishments in Liverpool serving delicious food: The Garden at FACT and LEAF on Bold Street, both of which have the same team of people behind them.

Starting off with The Garden, I need to talk about the setting which has the whole outside inside thing going on with flowers and greenery everywhere you look. Its colour and vibrancy makes me feel perkier just by being there and I definitely spied some neon cacti I need to get my hands on (not literally...ouch). They offer a fantastic salad bar stocked with tasty combinations as well as a great selection of healthy soups, sandwiches and more. It's nice to be able to have a lighter option which leaves you feeling satisfied whilst still tasting delicious, and The Garden definitely delivers on that point. I went for the salad bar and had pretty much everything that was on offer that day, all of which were amazing. I highly recommend it as a relaxed place to sit and catch up with friends or have some time, just you and the food... 

Whilst I do like to be able to talk about nutritious food and give out these Gwyneth Paltrow health goddess vibes, if you've ever read any of my previous food posts then you will know that I like burgers and pancakes and all that good stuff too. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, I ate five desserts in one sitting. FIVE. That might make me sound like a gluttonous beast but to be fair, it was all part of a special experience at LEAF and frankly, it was insanely good so I'm willing to take it. 

Pudding Club is a monthly event where you get to sample five puddings, each accompanied by a specially-selected cup of tea. Now I never drink tea, ever (I know, I know, terrible excuse for a Brit), but I enjoyed trying out some options and was surprised to find some that I really liked. I'm always a bit skeptical of the whole partnering food to drink thang, but I really did find that the flavours of the teas complemented the puddings very well. Each of the five courses was delicious and I would seriously recommend going if you get the chance. You can see a sneak peak of my numero uno, their cherry and almond cake pictured below.

I've also had breakfast there (I went for the cinnamon toast, again below) as well as lunch a couple of times and everything that I've tried has been really good. Unfortunately my photos of the inside are kind of limited (bad blogger!) but there are plenty here if you're interested and there always seems to be fun things going on there in the evenings so it's definitely worth checking out their website for upcoming events.

It's safe to say I'm a huge fan of both The Garden and LEAF and I'm pretty sure you will be too. Next on my list is the final member of the family, Oh Me Oh My, which is a tea house during the week and holds events at the weekends. I'll be reporting back in due course!

On Repeat #2: George Ezra

When it comes to music, I can get hooked pretty easily. The story tends to start off with a quick Spotify search and end with me being on YouTube for hours, watching every existing music video, live performance and interview I can get my greasy mitts on. The most recent case in point: George Ezra. There is something about that voice - a deep, rich and smooth but then somehow simultaneously gravelly sound - which makes me want to listen to him pretty much non-stop. His Ezra Express videos have done nothing but fuel the love and add a hint of jealousy that I missed out on the whole affair, because on top of his undeniable musical talent, he just seems like a generally lovely chap. On the bright side, I'll be seeing him at Longitude festival in July along with some of my other favourite acts, but more on that later. For now, crack on a bit of Budapest, pretend the sun is shining and find yourself one step closer to our British summer...

Top Tracks: Did You Hear the Rain?, Angry Hill, Over the Creek, Get Lonely with Me, Budapest 

(Basically everything he's done thus far...)

Glasgow

I love city breaks. There's a lot to be said for taking a few days away and exploring somewhere new, and we ended up settling on an impromptu trip to Glasgow. I've only been to Scotland once before, a couple of years ago for The Fringe, so I was looking forward to hopping on the train and heading back up to be greeted by thousands of James McAvoy sound-a-likes. I'm very fond of the Scottish accent and I swear that by the end of our trip, my inner monologue had a Glasgow twang going on... 

We didn't do too much planning before we left and kind of treated it as a relaxed few days to get to know the place. Having said that, I did research some options for eating (priorities, guys) and turned to Kate's post about her top places for food in Glasgow. We went to Cup three times in four days, which I think speaks for itself really doesn't it? It's getting a bit worrying how often I seem to talk about American-style pancakes on this thing but I have to say that Cup offered the best ones I have ever had the pleasure of demolishing. They also did incredible home-made scones, served warm with jam and although we didn't have an opportunity to sample a full-on afternoon tea, they looked amazing (that's on the list for next time). I honestly can't recommend the place enough if you're in the Glasgow area! 

Other highlights included more food at Babbity Bowster, The Willow Tea Rooms with its amazing Charles Rennie Mackintosh interior (they love him there, seriously) and a personal fave, Saramago at the Centre for Contemporary Art, where I had a mezze plate which caused the two French men sat to my left to 'ooh' and 'aah' to the point where I felt like I should offer them some hummus (I didn't). 

Highlights which didn't involve food tended to involve beautiful art and architecture instead. As I said, CRM as he's known to his pals (which I feel we now are) is a big name in Glasgow and rightly so. The Mackintosh House is definitely worth visiting and I also really enjoyed our tour around the School of Art, which again was designed by Mackintosh. There were students working and moving about the place which gave it a really bustling atmosphere and you definitely got a feel for the history of the building. A final favourite was the Kelvingrove gallery which is a lovely building with an impressively large and eclectic collection of works. It also gets extra points in my book because they'd hung the paintings lower than is typical (there was some scientific study behind it...) and as a self-confessed shortie, that's always going to be helpful to the old stiff neck sitch. 

I really enjoyed my time in the city and am definitely tempted to go back again. The locals were so friendly and helpful, and being able to walk to most places easily or just hop on the subway is ideal when you're only there for a few days. I don't want to come across as some pancake-obsessed weirdo but I genuinely think that unless I can find some as good as that at home then I will probably end up visiting again just to get my fix...excessive? Nahhh.   

The Trend: Pastel Pink for Spring

Topshop t-shirt  / H&M shirt  / Topshop skirt / Topshop ripped jeans / River Island platform sandals  / Topshop leather sandals  / Forever 21 white clutch  / Topshop rings / Urban Outfitters eye bracelet / Urban Outfitters turtle bracelet / Nars lipstick in Schiap

I haven't worn a pair of coloured jeans since I thought I was the fourth member of Klaxons and purchased some bright yellow H&M skinnies circa 2006. I loved them to pieces, before eventually realising that they made me look like a giant banana/idiot. That being said, imagine my surprise when I was recently drawn to a pair which were not only something other than the usual denim or black, but were a colour which I never wear in any other item of clothing. Just to set the scene, I am pretty much the real-life equivalent of Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls in that on Wednesdays, I would have to borrow Damien's shirt. Well, that was until Topshop lured me in with their pastel pink Leigh jeans.

I've confessed my love for their Leighs many a time (they are just so darn comfortable!) and when I saw the blush pink pair pictured above I thought I may as well go crazy and give them a go. I was expecting to hate them because they're so unlike anything I would usually wear, but was very pleasantly surprised. The colour is just slightly off-white which is ideal for someone who spills things as often as I do - I love the look of white jeans in spring and summer, but sometimes they're just not practical. The added hint of colour taps into the pastel trend and the distressing also toughens up what is essentially Percy Pig in trouser form. 

I'm planning to wear them with some sandals and a classic t-shirt for a casual day time outfit. I'm also loving the look of layering a few dainty bracelets at the moment - the above offerings are from Urban Outfitters which I personally think can be incredibly over-priced as far as jewellery goes, but I managed to find some in the sale in store so it's worth having a look if you get the chance! They look lovely paired with some simple rings and are my go-to option at the moment when I'm wanting to wear something a little more understated.

Now I know that pink clothing might not be everyone's cup of tea, but that's where the shoes come in. These chunky heels from River Island are, again, very slightly off-white with a hint of pink and would look gorgeous worn in the warmer months for an evening out. No surprises that the rest of the outfit is monochrome, but pairing these two clashing patterns and topping it all off with my favourite Forever 21 clutch in cream makes for an incredibly chic outfit. I've also picked out the brightest of bright fuchsia lipsticks from Nars for a pop of colour which would work really well to tie either of the outfits together.

There's nothing more spring-like than pretty pastels so why not give the 'so light it's almost white' shade of pink a go? 

  

Pancakes

I may be a little late on the scene as Pancake Day came and went a couple of weeks ago now, but in my opinion, something so good should in no way be confined to one day of the year. I recently had a craving which could only be filled by some doughy goodness and settled on American-style pancakes as the only cure. I followed this Nigella Lawson recipe (which labels them 'breakfast pancakes', but let's be honest, breakfast food at any time of the day is always a winner).  I find Nigella & Jamie Oliver recipes in particular to be pretty foolproof, so I had very high hopes.

I prefer the thicker, fluffy pancakes you'd find over the pond as opposed to our traditional counterparts; there is something so satisfying about stacking them up, choosing your weapons (toppings) and going for it. I think when it comes to pancakes, the rule should always be that you eat enough to be full and then one more which makes you feel a little bit sick....just me? Ok then.

I decided to add some dark chocolate chips as well as a few whole raspberries to the mixture before cooking. I then piled on some more raspberries, another handful of chocolate chips for added melty deliciousness and a drizzle of agave syrup to serve. I would have gone for maple, but sometimes you have to work with what you have, so this was the next best option - it just adds a little sweetness as there's not a lot of sugar in the recipe itself.

They were so easy to make and perfect as a nice little treat if you fancy doing something special for your breakfast/lunch/any time food option!

Orange is the New Black

(L-R Sleek Papaya Punch, Rimmel In Love With Ginger & Revlon Tutti Frutti)

Now I know what you're thinking, 'Why have you picked three lipsticks which are exactly the same colour, lined them up in a slightly wonky manner and taken a photo of them?' WELL let me tell you. It's becoming pretty clear that one of the major beauty trends for spring/summer is an orange lip and lucky for me I have a good few to choose from. As far as the shades go, the subtle differences in colour aren't really done justice by a photograph unfortunately, but I promise they are there. And if the crooked nature of their arrangement is irritating you as much as it is me, just bear with me - lipsticks have a tendency to roll around, and when you don't have Blu-Tack to hand there's no stopping them. I tried to create a beautifully precise composition and it just didn't happen, so I'm sorry about that.

Onto the important stuff - I've picked out a few options if you're wanting to tap into the orange lip trend; a couple of bold choices and one slightly more understated option.

1. Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Papaya Punch - If you like matte lipsticks, this is an absolute must. The colour is beautiful orangey coral with a slight hint of pink and when I wear it, I feel as though I should be in some tropical place rocking a grass skirt and flower garland. If that's not a reason to buy a lipstick then what is? The formula is fantastic as well, it stays put like nobody's business and whilst matte lipsticks can be a bit drying, I find that if I wack on some lip balm beforehand then that's not a problem at all.

2. Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in In Love With Ginger - This is another great bold option, but feels more nourishing on the lips and has a sheen to it rather than being completely matte. I would say the shade is more of a true orange with red undertones and for such a hydrating lipstick, the pigmentation is insanely good. I don't find that it lasts quite as well as the Sleek option, but that's the price you pay for such a glossy finish. 

3. Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti - I absolutely love the Revlon lip butters; they're so hydrating with almost a balm-like texture and provide a far more sheer finish. Having said that, they do provide a nice dose of colour and can be patted on to achieve more of a stain or built up for a slightly brighter finish. This shade is a lovely orange coral and, most importantly, there's not a hint of shimmer in sight (why they insist on having some of the lip butters resemble a glitter glue stick is beyond me). If you're not quite ready to commit to a full on, in your face orange lip then this is a brilliant choice.

I think as far as the orange lip trend goes there's definitely an option for everyone; you can go matte or glossy, bold and bright or for something a little more daytime appropriate. And anyway, you know what they say: just because the weather's still stuck in mid December, it doesn't mean your face has to be... (nobody says that).

The Staples #5: The Colourful Statement Necklace

(Clockwise from left: Accessorize, Accessorize, Next)

It's time that I came clean; the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, after all. It's been years in the making and it's not something I'm proud of, but I can't deny it any longer; I have an unhealthy obsession with statement necklaces. My jewellery stand is buckling under the weight of the twenty million purchases I've managed to squeeze onto it and I'm still not satisfied. I can't walk past an Accessorize without being lured in by the window display and every time I go into Zara, I genuinely consider spending thirty quid on one of their jewel-encrusted beauties. 

The way I try to justify it to myself is that they are a staple in my wardrobe and if I think about how often I wear them, then I definitely get my money's worth (Ahh that old chestnut! Don't tell me you've never used that argument before). The thing I love about a statement necklace is that it instantly adds something to an outfit; chuck it on over a plain t-shirt or jumper and you've dressed it up in the space of five seconds. As I've mentioned a thousand times before, I unintentionally dress in monochrome or neutrals too much of the time which is where the insanely bright and colourful options come into play. I'm definitely partial to a slightly garish, over the top necklace that treads the line between amazing and tacky and the three pictured above are amongst my favourites for adding a pop of colour to an outfit. Next on my list is this pastel number for spring...who says I have a problem?