Winter Weekend Break 2014

This weekend, my Mom, Dad, little brother, Alfie (the puppy) and I went to Whitemead in the Forest of Dean for a Christmas weekend break. We stayed in a lovely apartment on the resort and had the most lovely time. We've been coming to Whitemead since we were little so it's a place that's very dear to me. The pictures below are from Taurus Craft Centre which is full of stalls selling vegan and veggie food, handmade gifts, luxury deli items and much more. 

Hope you had a great weekend!

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The Graduate

Dress - River Island ♦ Shoes - New Look ♦ Bracelets - Pandora ♦ Necklaces - Gifts

Jack & I

My Dad and I

Mom and I 

The uni girls! Sophie, Laura & Vikki

Guess this is old news now, but job-hunting has seriously taken over my life for the past few months. The day I never believed would come came - GRADUATION! It sounds cliche, but the time really has flown by - one minute I was a frightened little fresher just beginning my degree and now I'm a frightened little graduate, pursuing my career path. It's both exiting and terrifying at the same time.

I was so nervous for my graduation ceremony, convinced I was going to trip on stage and embarrass myself. Thankfully, it all went smoothly and after an anxious start, I really started to enjoy my day. I was glad to have the support of my mom and boyfriend Jack, my Dad even managed to pop out to see me in his lunch break. For anyone who is still at uni, study hard, I promise it will be worth it.

love Alice x

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TAG: My Furry Friend #1

It's been ages since I've posted, and I guess I don't really have any good excuses. I've been out and about recently, travelling to Norfolk and London in the last few months but honestly, I just haven't felt incredibly inspired. However, I decided to post something a little bit different today and do the Furry Friend tag! Because I have two dogs and three cats I've decided to split this tag up into five posts, so hopefully you'll look forward to seeing those. So without further ado, let's jump in!

What is your pet's name?

Rudy.

What kind of pet is he and what breed?

He's a doggy and is a working type English Springer Spaniel

How long have you had your pet friend?

Last July.

How did you get your pet friend?

He's actually my boyfriend Jack's dog. He had a lovely old Springer Spaniel called Taz who sadly passed away. A few years later, Jack decided it was time to fill the puppy sized hole in his life. So we got on the net and bought Rudy from a local reputable breeder. His mother was a stunning black and white roan spaniel called Meg and he had a black cocker spaniel Auntie Winnie who was sad to see the puppies go!

How old is your pet?

He's one year and two months old.

Baby Rude

What are some quirky traits your pet has?
This little pooch is one of the funniest creatures I've ever met! When he was a tiny puppy, he had a very distinctive heart marking on his back, which is what made me notice him straight away in the litter. As he's grown, it's become a little more blurred, but it's still there! He also has a little Cavalier King Charles friend called Bo who he's happy to let boss him about - when they play tug of war, Rudy purposely lets him win! And instead of chewing his toys, he likes to suck them. Oh, and dislikes muddy water and absolutely loves to have a bath. Go figure.

Rudy after his first ever bath

What does your relationship with your pet mean to you?

Until Rudy, I've only ever had cats and wasn't sure how I feel around a dog. I've always wanted one, but they are quite different to the moggies I'm used to. Rudy has helped me feel so much more comfortable around dogs and never fails to me to make me smile. He loves nothing more than to cuddle up close and be with his family. 

What are some of your favourite pastimes with your pet?

As he's a spaniel, Rudy loves long walks so we often take him for picnics to the beach, through the forest or just the local park. Afterwards, we'll head home and he'll sit underneath the sofa sucking his favorite teddy bear.

And his nicknames?

 Rude, Rude Boy, Doody, Officer Doody and Officer Rudolph Rudius Doody.

Hope you guys enjoyed this post; I'll have a few more coming where I'll be introducing my other furry friends. If you're not really a pet person, they'll be plenty of my regular fashion, beauty and entertainment related posts so never fear! Oh, and if you do have a pet, furry or otherwise, write up this tag and leave me your link below, I'd love to check them out. See you guys on the flipside.

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My 21st Birthday

It seems like only yesterday I was a fresh-faced seventeen year old anxiously awaiting my eighteenth birthday. Fast forward a few years (very quickly, I might add) and I've just turned twenty one. Oh my gosh, you guys do not even know how fast the time has gone, it is actually truly frightening. In recent years, I haven't really enjoyed my birthdays much, Don't get me wrong, I've loved spending time with my friends and family and I've been incredibly grateful for my gifts and money, it's just the thought of growing up was a pretty scary concept to come to grips with. Now I'm graduating from university, the reality that I'm no longer a girl but a woman is dawning on me. But this time, I felt positive from the start of the day until the end and can say without a doubt, my 21st was one of the best birthdays I've had. It may not be the typical wild night you'd expect from a twenty one year old, but it was perfect for me. Lets jump in!

Derren Brown

For the first part of my birthday treat, I went to see Derren Brown's latest show, Infamous. You guys know I'm the biggest fangirl of this guy you'll ever meet, and just like Svengali, the show did not disappoint. We're sworn to secrecy so as not to spoil the show, but I will say both Jack and his friend participated in some way - and it was truly the most bizarre thing I'd ever seen in my life, and made the night even better! You need to see this show, as always, this man continues to blow my mind with his brilliant brain. A serious hero of mine, I'm giving good old Derren a huge thumbs up!

The Big Day
On the 9th May (the big day itself), I had a lovely relaxing day which consisted of playing with my puppy and cats, visiting my Grandma and enjoying the company of family members who came to wish me a happy birthday. Later, we ate dinner at one of my favourite restaurants, The Spode Cottage. I ordered a Vegas Spicy Bean burger (which is topped with cheese, pineapple and sweet chilli sauce), my favourite!

Spicy bean burger topped with cheese, sweet chilli sauce & pineapple with salad, coleslaw & chips - delicious!

My 'blowing out candles' face 

Jack & I 

My brothers & sister; William, Edward, Rosie and I

I've received so many lovely things, including a beautiful gold bangle from my parents, Pandora charms, an Instax Polaroid camera, a Pandora ring and a golden chain belonging to my Grandma. Here's some pictures of a few of my presents.

Today, I finished university. I handed in my last assignment at nine o'clock, grabbed a bus home, took a shower and fell straight to sleep. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster, but surprisingly, the third year has been the calmest for me. Was it a good experience? Hmm, it was mixed. I've met some wonderful people and worked pretty hard but of course, the end of my studies have left me questioning my future. Next week I have work experience at a prestigious paper and I'm hoping it will help put all the little thoughts whizzing round my head into some order.

Here's to the next step.

♣

The Spode Cottage

credit: thespode.co.uk

After uni on Tuesday I was craving a burger, and remembered my Mom had told us about a pub, The Spode Cottage, a Western themed pub. The decor screams cowboy and it has a warm and welcoming feel to it and the staff are really friendly. The pub is pretty big and has alcove style rooms which really adds to the charm. It also has a library area by the bar where you can chill out and read. 

Being veggies, we often find we're limited to a few choices when we go for lunch, but what was so great about the burger menu is that you got a choice of burger; vegetable, spicy bean or chicken - and then choose out of a huge selection of topping combinations, which you could mix and match to your taste. Check out the extensive menu choices here I chose the Vegas topping - pineapple, cheese and chilli sauce but opted to swap the sauce to BBQ. Jack went for a classic fried onion, cheese and BBQ named Memphis but there was a host of other options such as blue cheese, fried egg and bacon.

The salad was fresh and crispy and the coleslaw was lovely. If I had to suggest one improvement, I'd say rustic chips perhaps would have been a bit more interesting with this meal, but to be honest I can't complain because the whole plateful was delicious! My burger was amazing - they weren't at all skimpy on the cheese and it was such good quality; I could tell that a lot of effort goes into the burger preparation.

For a pub, it's quite pricey, but I definitely think it's worth the money, my plate was totally loaded with food. Every day there is a different deal and as it was Tuesday we each had a free dessert with our food, but sadly we were too stuffed to take advantage! Rest assured, next time we'll come with completely empty bellies as I'm desperate to try a pudding. To my surprise, The Spode Cottage isn't a chain pub, it's independently run. I personally think that's partly the reason the standards are so high - chain restaurants and pubs tend to be very samey and use ingredients that maybe aren't so fresh. If you are in the Rugeley area, check this cute little place out, I don't think you'll regret it.

Check out their website here

The Spode Cottage
Rugeley Road, Rugeley WS15 4AT

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How to make ... Lasagne Cupcakes

I must confess, I'm no domestic goddess, I love home cooked meals but I'm a bit of a menace in the kitchen. However, my boyfriend is a fantastic cook and one of my favourite dishes that he bakes is lasagne. I saw a picture on Twitter that inspired this recipe for mini portions. Because of the neater shape these would be great for dinner parties or, in our cases, making everyday meals a bit more exciting. We used Quorn mince & added veggies but of course use your own favourite lasagne recipe if you wish. We also opted not to make a white sauce this time but again if you want to, you can use one. Let's get started!

Hope you enjoyed this post although it's a little different to my regulars. Don't forget to add your favourite seasonings! Let me know if you try it out!

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A Weekend in Paris - Day 2

On Saturday we had the chance to try the continental breakfast before setting out. It included fruit, yogurts, cereal and of course, breads and pastries. Nothing like a genuine French croissant and the pain au chocolats were lovely. The restaurant was so pretty and pink - just perfect for a girly weekend! After a lot of Actimels and a huge gulp of orange juice, we headed out on the underground to see the sights.

The Eiffel Tower

Coat - Peacocks ♦ Jumper - Boohoo ♦ Leggings - Primark ♦ Boots - New Look ♦ Bag - Obsessed ♦ 
Camera - Nikon Coolpix L820

Sophie & I beneath the Eiffel Tower!
My earrings - Forever 21

The symbol of Paris - the Eiffel Tower! Sadly, the very top of the tower wasn't open but we went all the way up to the second floor (in the lift, of course!) The view was incredible, if a little foggy. I'm so glad I got to experience it firsthand at long last.

Sightseeing 

The only way to see see Paris is surely along the river! The boat took us on a tour of the city, where we saw some iconic bridges such as the Pont de l'Archevêché, where lover clip padlocks onto it and throw the key into the water. We also visited the Flame of Liberty and memorial for Princess Diana, next to the tunnel where the accident happened. It was covered in heart-warming messages and mourners had attached locks to the chains of the memorial. 

Art Gallery 

I want this for my house!

You may or may not know I'm a bit of a arty farty fan, so I was really looking forward to checking out the gallery. The ticket was six euro fifty which was so reasonable as the gallery was HUGE! I could show you all the pictures I've taken from the gallery, but this post is already so photo heavy as it is so I've decided to just show you my favourite artist and pieces. Zeng Fanzhi creates amazing bright bramble paintings that look almost 3D, alongside a hauntingly odd collection of mask paintings.

After a short nap at the hotel and dinner, we got ready for a night out to celebrate a wonderful weekend. The night was amazing - the bartender set fire to bar so that flames covered the table, I'd never seen anything like it before! 

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our adventure in Paris; I'm pleased to say Laura had an amazing 21st. Au revoir Paris, one day I shall return! Read about my first day here

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