Monthly Playlist: November & December

Hello guys; the past couple of months have simply flown by for me! My boyfriend has started a new job and I’ve been working a lot, as well as enjoying some general me time. Part of me feels guilty for neglecting the blog, particularly as it was such a good outlet for me when I wasn’t feeling my best in terms of mental health but unfortunately sometimes life is for living and the extra work of writing and uploading blog posts was an extra something that I simply didn’t have any time for. Over the past couple of months I’ve noticed that I’ve been listening to music a lot less as I’ve been suffering with some painful tension headaches, so I’ve been preferring to read as opposed to listening to a variety of sounds. It feels like it has been years since I’ve not listened to music whilst on bus journeys but I needed a bit of a break. I have, however, been listening to the songs below on speakers which makes for nice background noise. Each of these songs brings to the fore a specific memory for me; do any of you have specific songs that you connect with a memory? I’d love to know that it’s not only me haha! Fingers crossed I’ll have sorted out my life enough to start posting more regularly on here again as I have missed it. Until next time! Xxx

1. Infra-Red - Placebo

2. Black Magic - Little Mix

3. Woman Up - Meghan Trainor

4. Don’t Look Down - Martin Garrix (feat. Usher)

5. For What It’s Worth - Placebo

6. One Thing - One Direction

7. Elastic Heart - Sia

8. With Ur Love - Cher Lloyd (feat. Mike Posner)

9. City of Angels - 30 Seconds to Mars

10. Payphone - Maroon 5

11. The Never-Ending Why - Placebo

12. What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction

13. Same Old Love - Selena Gomez

14. Animals - Maroon 5

15. This Is Me - Joe Jonas & Demi Lovato 

Monthly Playlist: September

Hello again guys; it feels to be blogging again, today I spent some time taking photos for some upcoming blog posts and I feel like I’ll definitely try to get back into the swing of it but this month has taken a lot out of me, for some reason. Mental health isn’t an easy thing, it’s not something that’s magically fixed and I feel very lucky to say that my life is going well at the moment so there’s no particular reason for why I’ve felt like shit, but it is what it is. I like to be honest with you, so here it is; life is hard and it’s a struggle. That said, soon there’s a new month which is always a good excuse to be more positive in general. I’m sorry that I’m posting this so late in the month, but it’s better late than never in a way. My music is strange as always, with a mix of artists, genres and styles all muddled in somehow. One of things that I love about using an iPod is that I can put my phone away, press shuffle on the iPod and just fall into the music and forgetting about using social media or anything like that. It’s a great way to disconnect and chill out a little bit. It’s starting to get a bit colder now and even though it’s far away, I can’t wait for Christmas time as it’s a great excuse to bring out the cheesiest music there is. Is it just me that loves a good bit of cheese? I hope you’re all well and I’ll see you again very soon! :)

1. One Thing - One Direction

2. Black Magic - Little Mix

3. Swim - Douglas Dare

4. Battlefield - Jordin Sparks 

5. Live or Die - Noah Cyrus & Lil Xan

6. Se Vuelve Loca - CNCO

7. Best Song Ever - One Direction

8. In the Name of Love - Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha

9. Mi Mala - Mau y Ricky & Karol G

10. What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger) - Kelly Clarkson

11. Say Amen (Saturday Night) - Panic! At the Disco

12. Ghost - Ella Henderson

13. Like I Did - Leadley

14. Chantaje - Shakira 

15. High Hopes - Panic! At the Disco

Monthly Playlist: August

Hello again guys; I’m sorry that I’ve been terrible at uploading blog posts this month but ultimately I wanted to have a bit of time out and basically look after myself a bit. I’ve had a batch of flu that stretched out into a cold for three weeks, which was horrible. However, as always I’ve been listening to my iPod to and from work, but I’ll admit that this months collection of songs is a little more strange (even for me) than usual, oops. As anyone who is familiar with my blog will know, I love listening to a range of artists, genres and songs at any time so my playlists can be fairly random but that’s how I like it. At the moment I’m loving Spanish & Latino songs as well as English songs as a little bit of culture never hurts anyone, haha. I’m hoping that next month will be better and so I’ll be posting more like usual, fingers crossed. In the meantime, I’ll be listening to these songs to get to work and back everyday! What songs are you loving at the moment? Let me know in the comments!

1. Crying for No Reason - Katy B

2. Suerte (Whenever, Wherever) - Shakira

3. Nota de Amor - Wisin & Carlos Vives (feat. Daddy Yankee)

4. One Kiss - Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa

5. Never Be the Same - Camila Cabello

6. Amor, Amor, Amor - Jennifer Lopez (feat. Wisin)

7. Only You - Cheat Codes & Little Mix

8. Rumba y Candela - Daddy Yankee

9. Mi Mala - Muy y Ricky & Karol G

10. Me Enamoré - Shakira

11. She Loves Control - Camila Cabello

12. If You’re Over Me - Years & Years

13. Like I Did - Leadley

14. Chantaje - Shakira

15. Love Lies - Khalid & Normani

Valencia, Spain

Hello guys; I’m sorry that it’s been a while, but to be honest sometimes life is made to lived outside of routine. At the end of the month of May, I spent a week in Spain, more specifically in Valencia. The last time that I visited was fourteen years ago, so it was surprising how much of the main sights that I remembered from that previous visit, although that said, it was nice to have a proper camera to capture the memories on. One of things that I loved about where we stayed was that it was in a village rather than a town; a lovely way to see the area without feeling like a stereotypical tourist. There was a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains and rural countryside, which I enjoyed attempting to capture whilst on a walk every day, morning and evening. It was definitely better using my DLSR than my iPhone, simply because the colour range, depth of field and general tools made the image look as close to the view as possible, whereas my iPhone only managed to capture the overall details rather than the full details. Alongside visits to the beach, the town, local shopping centres and wandering the streets, one of my favourite sights that I visited during this trip was the Collegiate Basilica of Gandía. I read, slept and ate a whole lot during the week break and I have no regrets, even though I feel heavier than ever, oops. 

I said in a blog post right at the start of this year that I wanted to travel more, which I do feel as though I’m managing to meet that life target, having explore two countries this year so far and looking to end of this year and beginning of next year, there are three more countries ready to explore in my plans. Spain is a country that I wasn’t desperate to visit, as I have visited before, but having now revisited, I can say that for sure I would like to explore the country further; there’s something lovely about the people, the food, the sights and the lifestyle in general that appeals to me. I enjoyed exploring the streets, the markets, the central squares and seeing little independent shops and cafés at every corner, but ultimately I loved the slower pace, the chilled atmosphere. My favourite pastime was watching the sun set over the mountains, which I spent literally days attempting to capture correctly on my camera; there was something so calming about sitting and watching. I have a habit of trying to do too much of everything, such as work, blogging, reading, etc and so it was nice to slow myself down and simply appreciate life. I didn’t do as many of the tourist-like things that I generally wold when exploring as I was travelling with an older (and physically disabled) person, but actually I didn’t mind too much. It was nice to slow down and enjoy company the world rather than tick off a list. I’ve definitely caught the travel bug now. Until my next trip!

May Playlist

Hello again guys; I feel like I’ve really lost the plot with uploading posts to the blog recently for no particular reason. However, in my day to day life, I do still love listening to music for whatever reason; whether it’s a journey to work or the shops, getting ready after a shower or simply to settle down and relax. If you’ve read my blog before, then you’ll definitely know that I’m open minded when it comes to musical genre; I listen to more or less everything as well as languages other than English too (even if I don’t understand) as I just love the way that music can make you feel even if you don’t understand a language. There’s just so much to love about music. At the minute I’m enjoying positive, upbeat songs and in a way that matches my current good mood - over the past few months my mental health has really improved and listening to positive songs really helps to add that extra something into my everyday life. The list of songs below aren’t in any particular order, they’re just the fifteen songs that I’ve listened to the most over the past month. What songs have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments! :)

1. Howl - Florence & The Machine

2. We Can’t Stop - Miley Cyrus

3. Five Colours In Her Hair - McFly

4. No Tears Left To Cry - Ariana Grande

5. Crying in the Club - Camila Cabello

6. Touch - Little Mix

7. Unstoppable - Sia

8. What About Us - P!nk

9. Pillowtalk - Zayn

10. Échame La Culpa - Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato

11. Reggaetón Lento (Remix) - CNCO & Little Mix

12. Crashed The Wedding - Busted

13. Come & Get It - Selena Gomez

14. Now - Paramore

15. Shape of You - Ed Sheeran

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hello guys! I know that I’ve previously spoken about wanting to explore the world on the blog, as my goals for this year heavily featured wanting to travel and capture memories for years to come. For a few days in April, I celebrated my 25th with my boyfriend in Amsterdam and it was such an experience; after having some issues with the original hotel, we ended up staying in a completely different place and not quite in Amsterdam, but in the overall region so it was easy enough to travel into the center with minimal hassle. As much as I’d read up about the city, I do feel like it’s definitely a busy city to the point that even as a Londoner I was a little overwhelmed! Two things: bikes and strange road layouts. Being from London, I’m used to seeing bicycles but this was to the extreme! Literally thousands of bikes line the streets and because of Holland using left hand drive I was so confused by simply crossing the road at times because of bikes, people, trams and buses being seemingly everywhere. I feel like myself and Piotr managed to pack a lot of activities into 4 days but at the same time, I do wish we had seen more as there’s just so much to see and do in Amsterdam. That being said, I don’t think I’ve taken so many landscape photographs in months; everything about the city just transfers so well into imagery, perfect for good memories!

Arguably the best thing that we did was a Canal tour at sunset; it was such a lovely way to see the city and it was great to hear about the city from a local guide as you learnt not only about Tourist hotspots but also everyday life. We also visited the Rijksmuseum, Tulip Museum, Van Gogh Museum, Red Light District, Sandvoort Gallery (inside Amsterdam Centraal Station), Cheese Museum and the Hash, Marihuana & Museum and Gallery. It doesn’t sound like much, but honestly it felt like a lot alongside various cafés, restaurants and wandering the streets. The Library in the Rijksmuseum literally took my breath away, as did Odelle’s dollhouse, the inspiration for one of my favourite books, The Muse. The museums in general were insanely good. I was disappointed that we couldn’t visit the Anne Frank House as there were no tickets available, but that does feel like a good excuse to revisit the city again as Piotr fell completely in love so I know that we’ll definitely be visiting the city again at some point. We were also there for Kingsday, a celebration of the Kings birthday which results in a massive street party in the centre of Amsterdam with street performers, dancing, drinking, music and more. It was an experience to say the least; the Dutch definitely know how to party hard, whereas I just found it exhausting! The city is so photogenic and there is so much to do that it was completely worth the ridiculous price of food, attractions and travel but if you do visit the city, try and take more money than you’ll think that you will need as it is very expensive, unfortunately. It was a lovely way to spend my birthday and spend time with Piotr; however I’ve definitely caught the travel bug so I can imagine travelling a lot more over the rest of this year, which I’m not sure my bank balance will love, haha. Until my next trip! 

Book Review: Still Me

The third and final instalment in a series that I have loved. Both Me Before You and After You easily make it onto a list of my favourite books, although for very different reasons. Louisa Clark is an incredibly lovable character as she’s so imperfect, yet always manages to stay true to herself, with her wacky outfits and clumsy ways. There’s a part of me that is so, so sad that this is the last time I’ll read about her with fresh eyes. The first thing that made me love the beginning of the book, where she embarks on a new life, a new start in New York of all places, was that she references her commitment to Will by saying yes to new opportunities. The series has always been haunted by Will’s decision to end his life, so it was a nice ode to him that Lou has kept her word, living her own life to the fullest. That being said, it’s hardly a surprise that Lou struggles to adjust to life in New York as the family that she works for is so incredibly rich that to go anywhere includes a limo or taxi ride - a very different world to what a down to earth suburban girl is accustomed to. It’s important to remember that although she was living in London, the city is very different to New York; for a start, those in the USA tend to take everyday fitness incredibly seriously, something that Lou definitely struggles with.

One of things that I absolutely love about Lou is her bravery and commitment to everything that she does; even though she struggles to keep up with New York life and manage her long distance relationship, in a world of secrets and lies. She loves Sam, but she also begins to love her new life, her job and all of the experiences she is having. She’s a modest person, believing that by being brave she’s doing exactly what Will would’ve wanted her to do, but in reality, yes he would be proud of her, but the experiences she’s having are a result of her own doing. She is shaping her world for herself, by herself. As much as she’s taking more chances and saying yes to more things, she’s still the same clumsy girl and that is what makes her so lovable and definitely relatable. Her personality literally shines through the page, she’s the kind of character that manages to feel like a friend; each book that I’ve read about her has been different in terms of place, relationships and even country yet she never changes, always staying true to herself. There’s so much to enjoy reading about as her adventures are always both believable and hilarious as well as sad, however I prefer seeing her plough through life without a care in the world, with her quirky fashion sense and understanding of what she does and doesn’t like. As much as it was lovely to see her thrive in New York, strike up a good relationship with her employer, get physically fit and embrace her new way of life, I actually love her best when she’s dealing with difficult situations and finding her own two feet on her own. Louisa is so strong, yet lacks so much self confidence and that it what makes her stories so lovely to read; she’s so normal yet so beautifully quirky!

I loved how this book started at one point, then developed further, with Louisa starting off in one job then slowly changing various elements of her life, from her relationship, to her friendships and even her confidence begins to change. Her friendship with Margot is a beautiful one; it showcases how age is simply a number and how an older woman can be the best influence on a young, broken woman. It was a pleasure to see them help each even though they’re from entirely different backgrounds, countries and ages there is always some common ground, something that places people together for a reason. Both of the ladies love fashion, which added another level to their friendship. Age is just a number may be a cliché, but in the case of Lou and Margot it definitely is true; like only true friends can, they argue, they sulk but ultimately they’re always honest with one another and it was great to see an older female character shown as good influence. Margot was just as influential for Lou as Will was, way back in Me Before You. She injected a dose of reality, a reminder that life can be hard but you can always find a kind, loving and supportive person wherever life happens to lead you. Relationships are at the heart of this series and something that Jojo Moyes depicts incredibly well; whether it is platonic or romantic, there is a healthy dose of realism relayed through description and conversation in this book - just as in reality, relationships don’t always work and life isn’t always easy. Louisa Clark is an easy character to love because her personality just shines through pages and words to the extent that she literally feels like reading about an old friend rather than simply a character. Even reading about her family felt familiar, how they love each other whilst constantly bickering. 

Overall I’m torn about this book; on one hand, I loved it. It felt like the perfect ending to Louisa’s adventures, but ambiguous enough that her life would be easily revisited, which is also exciting. However, the question on my lips even as I bought this book was ‘is it necessary?’ due to After You being so different from Me Before You and so I expected (rightly) that Still Me would be difficult once again. Although as a reader, I didn’t feel like I needed to find out what has happened to Louisa and some of the other characters, but at the same time I wasn’t disappointed as this novel did live up to my expectations. As I’ve already mentioned, I love this series because it feels real; there’s nothing extraordinary about Lou, yet she has a beautifully written character that makes you wish she was your friend. She’s clumsy, funny and never seems to know what to do, yet she manages to work her way through life doing the things that she loves, surrounded by the people that she loves. Each book in this series has been different; although the characters are familiar, the situations are always different and it’s also nice to see realistically how life continues regardless of tragic or difficult events. However, personally I liked that each book felt like a standalone novel, rather than simply the same storyline. One of reasons why I’ve loved this series so much is how realistic it reads; Lou genuinely feels like an old friend at this point. This book was a solid 4 stars; it wasn’t my favourite of the series but regardless I devoured it and so I’d recommend it if like me, you’ve fully committed to the series and it’s characters. It was a pleasure, as always.

April Playlist

Hello again guys; I feel like I’ve lost my way a bit in terms of blogging recently and I’m not even sure why if I’m honest. It’s not that I don’t enjoy blogging anymore, it’s actually because I just never seem to find the time to finish off posts how I would want to (I’m a bit of a perfectionist haha) or I’m just not taking photos in good enough light. Basically, I need to get more organised. However, I am happy with how my life is at the moment; I’m reading more and more, plus having a better social life overall is making me feel super positive. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been listening to music mostly as I walk to and from the bus stop on my way to anywhere. I find that when I’m listening to music I walk faster, at a more controlled pace and I simply enjoy the (smallest amount of) exercise within my day. As I’ve said before, my music taste is very broad; I listen to a variety of artists, genres, languages at any one time. I’m constantly making new playlists on my iPod, too. I love using an old school iPod rather than my phone because I feel like it’s so much more intuitive and user friendly; I don’t even have to look at the screen to change the song, it’s all in the click wheel. I don’t listen to music as often as I used to as I’m reading more often instead, but that’s ok. None of the songs listed below are in any particular order, they’re simply songs that I’ve been listening to constantly over the past month. What songs are you obsessed with this month? Let me know in the comments! :)

1. Speakerphone - Rixton

2. Devuélveme Mi Corazón - CNCO

3. Come and Get It - Selena Gomez

4. My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson

5. What About Us - P!nk

6. We Don’t Talk Anymore - Charlie Puth (feat. Selena Gomez)

7. Ain’t It Fun - Paramore 

8. Strangers - Sigrid 

9. Échame La Culpa - Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato

10. One Thing - One Direction

11. Para Enamorarte - CNCO

12. I’m Yours - Alessia Cara

13. Touch - Little Mix

14. Havana - Camila Cabello (feat. Young Thug)

15. We Can’t Stop - Miley Cyrus

March Playlist

Hello again guys; I have to admit that I feel like I’ve lost my blogging mojo this month... I usually post a lot more regularly, with a lot more variety but to be honest I’ve been enjoying reading in the evenings, losing myself in another world so blogging has taken a slight backseat, oops. However, on the way to and from work I’ve been loving listening to music, just like I always have. All of the songs below are in no particular order, as always; I’ve been listening to songs old and new, in different languages and also different genres; I love listening to any kind of music, dependant on my mood but at the minute I’m loving fast paced songs to walk to, or even to wake up to. (I have a habit of falling asleep on buses...) What kind of music do you like to listen to? Let me know in the comments! As I’ve got older I’ve definitely become more open minded in terms of what I listen to, liking a song because I want to, not because it fits a look or is cool - as you can probably tell by the mess that is my monthly playlists, haha. Until next month! :)

1. Tan Fàcil - CNCO

2. The Greatest - Sia feat. Kendrick Lamar

3. Stronger - Kanye West

4. Heartlines - Florence + The Machine

5. Over My Head (Cable Car) - The Fray

6. Come & Get It - Selena Gomez

7. Chandelier - Sia

8. Rootless - Marina and the Diamonds

9. No Light, No Light - Florence + The Machine

10. We Can’t Stop - Miley Cyrus

11. Learn To Love Again - Lawson

12. Devuélveme Mi Cirazón - CNCO

13. Who Knew - P!nk

14. Ex’s & Oh’s - Elle King

15. Battle For The Sun - Placebo

February Playlist

Hello again guys; another month is passing me by so quickly it’s ridiculous! 2018 is definitely going by super fast, which is insane as it felt like 2017 took forever, so maybe I’m just doing too much at the moment? Who knows, I definitely don’t, haha. In terms of music taste for the month of February I’ve been listening to a variety of genres, such as Latino Pop, Alternative and Pop. I genuinely do like so many different kinds of music that it’s hard to narrow down my favourite songs of the moment, but for whatever reason, the songs below are the fifteen that I’ve listened to the most this month. With the weather being pretty awful at the moment, I’m enjoying listening to upbeat, positive songs with a fast beat to be in the right frame of mind for the day; music really does have an affect on my mood (in good way) and I do love using a little iPod rather than my phone as it’s just so much more compact. What songs have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments :)

- - -

1. Hallejuah - Panic! At the Disco

2. Tan Fácil - CNCO

3. Be the One - Dua Lipa 

4. I Won’t Let You Walk Away - Mako (feat. Madison Beer)

5. Quisiera - CNCO

6. Where We Go - P!nk

7. No One Ever Loved - Lykke Li

8. Para Enamorarte - CNCO

9. Dead - Madison Beer

10. Let Me In - Grouplove

11. Closer - The Chainsmokers (feat. Halsey)

12. Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time - Panic! At the Disco

13. Devuélveme Mi Corazón - CNCO

14. Still Into You - Paramore

15. Victorious - Panic! At the Disco

Exploring London // Regents Canal

Hello again guys; this post is a little more out of the ordinary for me and I’m hoping to start posting more photographs of the world around me as the weather improves (I literally cannot wait for Spring!) and I love the light of the sky as the seasons begin to change. I had to travel to the Regents Canal // King’s Cross area of London recently for a course after several years of just travelling through the area and never exploring. Even in the midst of the winter months, the view of the canal and beyond is lovely; I know not everyone likes an urban view, but personally I like the mix of the man made and the natural world. Since I was a child I’ve loved looking at buildings old and new alongside rivers and fields, although that’s probably because I’ve grown up as a city girl. The day that I visited this part of London it was pretty grey and dreary; typical of London actually. Using the app A Color Story, I then picked the filter May from the Seasons pack that was made by the blogger Rebecca from aclotheshorse which made a beautiful pink sheen across the skyline in each image and generally lifted each photograph with minimal effort from me. I would love to revisit this area in the middle of summer, all green areas and blue skies (hopefully). Sometimes it’s nice to simply walk around and enjoy the air rounding areas. What parts of London do you like to visit? Let me know in the comments :)

January Playlist

Hello again guys; I’m sorry if it seems like I’m blogging less at the moment, but I promise that I’m not! Honestly, I blog for pleasure and make no money from my blog so my blogging fits around my everyday life, which is fine but it does mean that I upload really erratically at times. This month I’ve been loving (as always) listening to music on the go, to and from work. I find it super relaxing and it’s a good to get into the mood for work, or to wind down after a long day. I listen to whatever I want to, I’m not fussed about if it’s cool or not, I do love a cheeky guilty pleasure to listen to. None of the songs below are in any particular order, they’re just the fifteen different songs that I’m obsessed with listening to at the minute; I keep absent mindedly hummed the tunes to myself without realising, ahah!

1. Beautiful Trauma - P!nk

2. Something Just Like This - The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

3. One Last Time - Ariana Grande

4. Reggaetón Lento (Remix) - CNCO & Little Mix

5. Échame La Culpa - Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato

6. Where We Go - P!nk

7. Where Do Broken Hearts Go - One Direction

8. Dusk Till Dawn - Zayn feat. Sia

9. Reggaetón Lento (Bailemos) - CNCO

10. Crying in the Club - Camila Cabello

11. Payphone - Maroon 5 (feat. Wiz Khalifa)

12. Still Into You - Paramore

13. Heart Skips a Beat - Olly Murs (feat. Rizzle Kicks)

14. Elastic Heart - Sia

15. Havana - Camila Cabello (feat. Young Thug)

New Year Goals // Bonjour 2018

Hello guys and Happy New Year! After Blogmas I got really ill (thank you christmas stomach bug, ew) so I decided after posting so often in December it was time for a break as I needed to rest, in all honesty. I celebrated the New Year in with my friends and boyfriend and it was actually lovely; however now it’s January I feel like it’s time to get back into blogging. Over the past few years I’ve actually done a couple of posts similar to this and ivone definitely learnt over the past couple of years that I’m stronger than I think I am; I don’t make New Years resolutions per se, but I like to have some goals, some ideas for what I’d like to achieve over the course of a year and that seems to work fairly well for me.

Relationships - for 2017 I wanted to really focus on keeping up old friendships, making the effort to see friends whenever possible and work through the fact we’re all busy people with different lives to rekindle some friendships. I achieved that in 2017 so for 2018 I want to continue that, I’ve been messaging my school friends and I’m due to see my uni friend in a couple of weeks, which is an excellent start. What I want to focus on in 2018 is keeping up with my old work mates, some of them I’ve known for six years and I’m excited to see where that goes. In terms of my boyfriend, I’m looking forward to spending another year together, exploring life and the world around us.

Hobbies - I’m proud that I now have a few hobbies, namely reading, photography and blogging which I’ve been able to utilise so much over the past year and I can’t wait to continue those over the coming year. This year I want to expand my hobbies a little more, through scrapbooking (I really want to collate my memories into albums) and maybe starting a YouTube channel, something which I’ve been debating about for the past few months. I’d also like to keep enjoying having hobbies, hopefully this year I’ll be lucky enough to meet some like minded people, for example I’d love to meet some other bloggers in person one day.

Adventure - I want to focus on exploring the amazing city that I live in; London is a city like no other and yet I feel like I’ve barely seen any of it. My boyfriend is Polish and so I have an excellent excuse to start making more of an effort and discovering new places. This is actually something that I had planned for 2017, but that never happened so it’s always good to reattempt a goal. During 2018 I want to discover at least 5 places in London that I’ve never been to before.

Holidays/Time Off - So far, I have three trips planned for 2018; to Rzeszów in Poland for Easter and Christmas with Piotr, to Amsterdam in the Netherlands for my birthday and to Valencia in Spain with my Nana in the Spring so I’m looking like a very busy bee for next year, which I’m really excited for as that means that I’ll definitely be living my life to full during the next year. I’m also hoping for a chilled out, stress free year.

Health - In terms of mental health, over the past year I’ve had one of the best years in a long time. I’ve finally started to feel free, to not panic so often and somehow manage to work my way through life with minimal stress. I’m hoping that 2018 will be just as good in that sense, as yes not every day is amazing but if there are more good days than bad then that is a win. Last year I was always meaning to join the gym and get physically more healthy, however this year I’m determined to get more active as I’ve started being more sensible with my diet.

Work - I’m in a job that I love, I honestly can’t believe I’ve worked there for a year already; here’s to another good year!

Feeling Festive

Hello again guys; it’s Christmas Eve, which means that finally my household has put up the Christmas tree. It’s crazy to look about on the last month, how quickly the time has flown and how many blog posts have been written and shared by me; some are good, some weren’t as good as I feel that they should have been but overall I produced some content that I was really proud of. Since getting a new camera I do feel like my content has improved somewhat, but maybe that’s wishful thinking, haha. Seeing as next year I’ll be spending the Christmas period in Poland, I’m enjoying chilling out and having some family time this Christmas. It’s strange how you forget how many decorations and pretty things you own for the festive season over the course of a year; so many of these decorations I had forgotten about and I have no idea how I did. They’re so stunning, particularly against the green tones of the Christmas tree. Tonight I’m planning to vegetate in front of the tv with a hot chocolate and some Pringles, so excited haha. It’s taken me a while to get into the Christmas spirit so I’m going to revel in it over the next couple of days. Merry Christmas 🎄 

The Christmas Tag // 2017 Edition!

Have you ever had a white Christmas?

No, England (more specifically London) isn’t really a country (city) that really gets much snow, although at the minute it definitely feels cold enough for some snow... But next year I’m likely to be spending Christmas in Poland so I’m sure that I’ll be seeing a white Christmas, which is exciting as seeing a white Christmas is a bit of a dream for most people!

Where do you usually spend your holiday?

Always at home with my family and for the past couple of years, my boyfriend. I like a quiet, chilled Christmas with good food and hours spent watching the Christmas themed tv shows and films just because it’s always nice to get in the spirit of things and basically relax. A lie in is always key to having a good Christmas too, alongside all of the good foodie stuff like Yorkshire puddings and pigs in blankets!

What is your favourite Christmas song?

This is actually really difficult! I like so many Christmas songs although I do love the ‘Power of Love’; both versions, but I do prefer the Gabrielle Aplin version that was used in the John Lewis advert a few years back. I’ve always had a soft spot for ‘The Fairytale of New York’ by the Pogues and Kirsty McColl too as it’s my Nana’s lifelong favourite so it’s a Christmas staple in my household - I’ve lost count of how many she’s played it in the house already this month, haha.

Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?

No, I never have, although that is likely to change if I do celebrate Christmas in Poland next year as they celebrate present giving on Christmas Eve. But in the UK (e.g. Christmas with my family) we always celebrate on Christmas Day and spend Christmas Eve preparing for the next day. I think generally it depends on what traditions you and your family uphold.

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Erm, no... I get stuck after Rudolph, Dancer, Prancer. Oops.

What holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?

I’m so ready to open a box of Celebrations after Christmas Dinner and pudding... We always sit and watch crappy tv whilst eating chocolate and other naughty but nice food bits whilst relaxing and just enjoying having a day spent being happy and together as everyone in my house works different jobs and shifts so it’s a rare occasion to all be together. 

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

Always fake, personally I find it easier to just whip it up and decorate every year, although real trees are beautiful and the smell of a real tree is gorgeous, let’s be honest I’m a lazy Christmas decorator and so fake is easier and cleaner haha.

What is your all time favourite holiday treat/food/sweet?

I’m a sucker for a pig in a blanket, although Lindt reindeer’s are definitely another item high up on my list of must haves for a good old Christmas Day dinner and treat. This tag is really getting me ready for Christmas dinner...

Be honest, do you like giving or receiving gifts better?

If I’m honest, I’m a bit of both person. I like seeing what my family and friends buy me as it’s nice to see how well that they know me, but I also like the process of picking out presents for those that I love. This year I’m being a bit more creative in terms of giving and I’ve had a wardrobe clear out with the intention of donating to my local charity shop, as well as donating some food to the local food bank. At the end of the day, I don’t care how many presents I get, I love spending the time relaxing with those I love.

What is the best Christmas present you ever received?

I’m a walking cliché but every year I get something Harry Potter related, for example the illustrated versions of the original series and I always love whatever book I receive each year. It sounds strange, but getting Harry Potter books as a gift was a massive part of my childhood and so I like that those gifts have carried on into adulthood.

What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?

Realistically, I’m really looking forward to going to Poland for Christmas next year; my boyfriend is Polish and I’ve fallen in love with the country more each time that I visited (even if learning the language is a nightmare for me) but in all honesty, I’d love to go to Iceland and see a proper wintery, snowy Christmas with the Northern Lights in the background. That is the dream.

Are you a pro present wrapper or do you fail miserably?

Hah, definitely a failure of a present wrapper... I absolute hate wrapping anything as it is, but Christmas is the worst as there’s so many gifts to wrap as in my household we wrap everyone’s presents for everyone altogether, it’s literally the most stressful part of the season for me. Luckily my mum is a pro!

Most memorable Christmas moment?

Last year was the first Christmas as a couple for my boyfriend and I, as well as the first time he had spent Christmas with me and family and I loved seeing his confused face at receiving so many presents from various members of my family. Neither of us expected it, but it was nice to realise that he was being properly included even if my Nana made millions of jokes about him being spoilt because he’s was a guest and not family... Generally Christmas Day for my family is really quiet so we don’t have any wacky moments as such.

What makes the holidays special for you?

I love being able to chill out, eat as much as I want with the excuse that I’ll start a diet in January (which never works haha) and just spending time with family and not stressing about work or anything. It’s great to just enjoy life and relax knowing that you’ve got a bit of time to yourself at home, all comfy and cozy in a crazy Christmas jumper and pajamas. I feel like it’s the only time of year that people noticeably care for one another, friends, family or strangers; a lot more love is shown at Christmas in terms of giving and I like that.

Life Update // Hello December

Hello again guys; is it me or has this year suddenly disappeared?! Honestly as I age, I feel like the years are going by faster and faster, which is so frustrating. As December comes around, I always seem to find myself wondering if I’ve done enough with my life, if I’ve taken enough risks or been happy enough throughout the year and as much as it is a good thing to measure yourself by achievements and happiness, I often end up finding myself stressing and obsessing about it, which isn’t great for my mental health. However, on a much more positive note: HELLO DECEMBER. I love the build up to Christmas and starting to open the advent calendar is always really exciting, amongst the various Christmas traditions that come throughout the month, such as putting up the tree, preparing gifts and dinner, etc. I’m looking forward to a quiet Christmas with family, relaxing, watching tv and stuffing my face, haha. I mean, everyone loves a good old Yorkshire pudding right?

As you can probably tell from the photographs below, I finally decided that I could afford to invest in a DSLR camera; after studying photography at a-level and at university, I really regretted selling my camera and so I’ve spent the last few months reading reviews and comparing cameras and prices before deciding on this camera, the Canon 750D. I actually purchased it on Black Friday and I have no regrets at all... It came with two lenses, a 50mm prime and a 18-55mm standard zoom as well as the camera body which was excellent value for money. This model isn’t the latest in the market, however that was better for me in terms of price and honestly, it does everything that I would want it to do. I’m really excited to see how having this camera will improve my content over the coming months and I’m even thinking about starting a YouTube channel, although we’ll see if I can be that brave haha! The strap isn’t the generic canon strap, but one that I purchased from eBay for a reasonable £3; absolute bargain. I’m so excited to improve my photography and generally experiment with the camera over the next month - perfect for Christmas related posts! Are you excited for the festive season too? Let me know in the comments :)

Snippets of Life: November

Hello again guys; it feels like the month of November has literally disappeared from under my nose. It’s been a bit of a strange month, I was ill for quite a bit of the month and then some stuff hasn’t gone to plan, so all in all it wasn’t my favourite month of the year, but that’s life I suppose. I definitely haven’t taken enough time out for myself this month and so I’m looking forward to having some time off to spend with family and friends over the next month. I’ve had some good times in November, going for night time walks with my boyfriend and generally enjoying taking photographs of the seasonal changes, which is something that I’d like to continue doing throughout the next month. I want to put a lot more effort into my blog over the next few months, stay tuned for some interesting developments over the next couple of weeks in terms of content! Goodbye November, now it’s time to enjoy Christmas and everything that comes over the next month.