My Month In Photos | December 2018

December really is the most wonderful time of the year and it's always a month I get really excited for as it feels like everything comes all at once for me - my birthday and Christmas! That being said it's always super hectic and busy and I have at times felt myself feeling a little burnt out. Fortunately for me I cracked out the majority of my Christmas shopping in November which did alleviate a lot of the work this month, but even so the to do lists have still felt a little never ending at times!

10 Years Together | Life Stories

Never in a million years did I ever think I would meet my future husband in a nightclub but that's exactly what happened ten years ago today. My friend and I were on a festive night out before Christmas and dancing the night away when in he walked. His hair was the first thing I noticed and I admit to at the time having a think for Russell Brand types so the fact that he was also wearing skinny black jeans was the icing on the cake. 

Why I Can No Longer Call Myself A Vegan

Last week I made the announcement on social media that I felt that I could no longer call myself a vegan. It's something which has been playing on my mind a lot this year and I've wanted to say something for a while now, but I've also been full of anxiety about admitting this publicly to all of my followers and potentially facing a major backlash and losing friends along the way.   

A Birthday Break At Soho Farmhouse | Travel

When it came to deciding what I wanted to do for my birthday this year I knew there was only one place I really wanted to go back to - Soho Farmhouse. My husband and I visited earlier this year for the first time for a little Valentines getaway and it was seriously one of my favourite breaks away ever. We had such a great time that I couldn't wait to re-book and go again! 

On Being 36 | Life Stories

At the weekend I hit the ripe old age of 36 and I have to say it really does feel like a bit of an insignificant milestone for me. I've always heard people say that your thirties are the best years of your life but I'm really not sure if I completely agree with that...

Why I'm Excited For Winter

Everyone should know by now that I am big fan of this time of year so there'll be no surprises that I'm excited for the official arrival of Winter next week (21st December). Give me Autumn and Winter over Spring and Summer any day of the year! Yep, I am one of those annoying people that actually doesn't mind the cold and dark days. 

Dressing My Home For Christmas | Interiors

At the start of November when I tidied away all of my autumnal and Halloween decor my house felt so bare and I couldn't wait to start adding some little festive touches around the place. Over the past few weeks I've gradually started getting more and more of our decorations out and slowly but surely turning my home into a little winter wonderland!

My Month In Photos | November 2018

Oh I how love you November. We are slap bang in the middle of my favourite time of year and I just can't get enough of these beautiful Autumnal days! I've just been loving the chill in the air and that I can wear all of my cosy clothes again and wrap up warm. The anticipation of Christmas is now in the air and I just wish I could freeze this month in time and all of the feed good vibes that come with it. 

It hasn't really been a particularly busy month for me and I've actually taken some time to slow down a bit and appreciate the quietness before the craziness of December kicks off. My favourite activity of the month has been my dog walks as each one is just a beautiful leafy adventure and every direction I look in is photo worthy. I can't get enough of these colours! 

I treated myself to a gorgeous faux fur leopard print coat from ASOS that I'd had my eye on for a while and it's been the best purchase ever! It's so warm and cosy and just goes with every outfit perfectly. 

Bonfire night is one of my favourite nights of the year and we really made an event of it this November with a trip to our local display and a family get together at our house too.  

Things have also got pretty festive this month with the releases of all of the new Christmas sandwiches. I've managed to try a few different ones but I think Pret's vegan Christmas sandwich is my absolute favourite!

I was trying to hold out until December before I started on the mince pies but that soon fell flat on its face around mid November time! What is it about a mince pie that makes it just the most perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea!? 

I also made a batch of my own No Fuss Mince Pies which always go down a treat and make a fun festive activity at home. 

Things have been a little quiet on the blogger events front but I did get invited to check out the newly refurbished George & Dragon in Epping and try their vegan menu. 

As soon as I saw that the Christmas lights in London had been turned on I just couldn't wait to go and see them for myself. London is just so special and festive this time of year! I also really love the Queen and Bohemian Rhapsody themed lights at Carnaby Street. And if you haven't seen the film yet I'd really recommend it!  

 

As we were in the area we also enjoyed a little dinner pit stop at my favourite place - Tibits!

Things have slowly but surely started to feel more festive at home too and I've gradually been adding more and more decorations around the house.

The Christmas PJ's and slippers are out too! 

And the mugs! 

I've also started to post more seasonal content on the blog including My Festive To Do List and The Christmas Eve Box. I always feel more inspired to blog this time of year! 

I also go to work with Thomas Sabo on their Kingdom of Dreams campaign which was so enjoyable and their jewellery is just stunning. 

If you haven't organised yourself an advent calendar yet then I'd really recommend checking out my 12 Days of Tropic review. It's an advent calendar with a difference! 

So that's it for this month and as much as I've loved it I am of course excited for December as it's always a busy and fun month with my birthday and Christmas. I'm also so excited to get our Christmas tree up and decorated! 

How was November for you? 

The Christmas Eve Box

The Christmas Eve box is quite a new tradition in our house but it's one that I have fully embraced. I think I actually get more excited to shop for this than anything else! If you celebrate Christmas and you're not already familiar with the Christmas Eve box concept then this post will hopefully fill you in on everything you need to know and maybe even inspire you to make your own this year. 

No Fuss Mince Pies | Vegan

You should all know by now that I am not the best when it comes to getting creative in the kitchen. I am blessed to have a husband who cooks for me and I'm a creature of habit when it comes to my eating so you'll sadly never find me creating any amazing recipes. However, what I am very good at is finding quick and easy solutions and that's exactly why these no fuss vegan friendly mince pies have been a favourite of mine for the past few years.

My Festive To Do List

It's getting to that time of the year when I can start to feel my to do lists peaking and I seem to have about five or six different ones on the go! Christmas and December are notoriously busy months for a lot of people, myself included, and particularly if you're hosting Christmas dinner or festive parties too. The lead up to the big day can feel pretty stressful, especially if you're unorganised or lacking in time. I'm quite lucky in that I'm a naturally organised person but even I can feel the pressure building and my to do lists become my little saviours.

Kingdom of Dreams by THOMAS SABO | AD

With the festive season fast approaching it's always a time of year I find myself wanting to dress myself up a little more and add some sparkle to my outfits with jewellery. 

The George & Dragon Epping | Vegan

Last week I was invited along to a special preview evening of the newly refurbished pub The George & Dragon in Epping, Essex. I used to visit this pub quite a lot back in the day so I was really looking forward to making a return visit and to have the opportunity to check out their vegan menu which I'd never tried before. 

12 Days of Tropic Gift Collection | Vegan & Cruelty Free

It's that time of year again when you're probably starting to think about your Christmas shopping and what advent calendar to get in time for the start of December. I always really look forward to seeing what new advent calendars hit the shops and it's always a tough choice of whether to go down the simple but yummy chocolate route or invest in something a little more special. It's actually become a bit of a  tradition in our house for my husband and I to surprise each other with an advent calendar and so it's usually around about now I start to drop some serious hints!

My Month In Photos | October 2018

October is always my favourite month of the year and this year has been no different! I love it when the weather gets colder and the leaves start to turn brown. Everything suddenly becomes so colourful and beautiful outside! I get so excited for all of the Halloween and Autumnal homeware to hit the shops and decorating my home for this season is one of my favourite activities. It also feels like the calm before the storm of Christmas and I've promised myself that I'm not going to get sucked into anything Christmas related until at least mid November. I like to relish this time of year and everything that comes with it. Its an opportunity to slow down, appreciate the little things and give life a little refresh. 

Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel - My Diary | Beauty

Back in early September I was invited along to the Dermalogica flagship store in Chelsea for the launch of their new rapid reveal peel product which is a professional grade at home peel, clinically proven to enhance radiance and visibly reduce fine lines. As I'm now in my mid thirties these are things I find myself worrying about more and more. There's no denying that my skin doesn't look as youthful and fresh as it did ten years ago and I'd really like to be proactive in taking care of my skin and doing what I can now to prevent signs of ageing.

Club Mexicana at The Spread Eagle | Vegan

This review has been such a long time coming, I can't even tell you how many times I have planned to make a visit to The Spread Eagle and something has got in the way. The last time I actually made it to their front door only to find out that I had messed up the times and they were indeed closed. It almost started to feel as though we were destined to never meet! But finally last weekend I made it there, they were open and they had just launched their brand new brunch menu. 

Test Driving An Electric Car With Lookers | AD

Over the past year my husband and I have had many discussions about whether we should get an electric car. It has in fact become a regular bone of contention in our relationship in that he is ready to go fully electric and I am still somewhat on the fence. Now don't get me wrong, I can certainly see the appeal. The environmental and economical factors alone are already extremely appealing to me but I have had concerns over practicability along with the fact that we are yet to find one that ticks the box of attractiveness.  

Cruelty Free & Vegan Secret Santa | 2018

Yes, it's that time of year again! I hate to mention the 'C' word so early but in this case I'll make an exception. The success of the first ever Cruelty Free & Vegan Secret Santa in 2017 was really heartwarming and a little mind blowing all at the same time. I wasn't 100% sure if I would do another one, or if it would become an annual thing, but after asking all of you on social media for your opinions it was a unanimous yes to another one!

Bill's | Vegan

Last week I was invited along to Bill's to try out their newest vegan options. Prior to this visit I hadn't actually been to Bill's for a very long time because the last time I'd been I really struggled to find anything vegan on the menu, despite them catering for vegetarians really well. So when this email popped into my inbox I did let out a little 'hoorah!' because it does feel like vegan options at Bill's have been a long time coming. 

My Month In Photos | September 2018

Is it just me or has September just flown by!?? I honestly don't know where this month has gone but I will say that i'm very happy that Autumn is here and we're about to enter October because it really is my favourite time of the year. 

What I Eat On A Normal Day | Vegan

Welcome to my no thrills presentation of what I usually eat on a normal kind of day! I'll pre warn you - it's not hugely exciting or groundbreaking, but it is just a real representation of what every day eating looks like for me as a vegan. The other day I just decided to snap everything I ate in a day and well, here it is! 

Hello Autumn

There's a change in the air and I can almost smell the arrival of Autumn. It's a time of year I honestly feel myself craving and after the intense Summer we've had I am more than ready for it. 

Wulf & Lamb | Vegan

It's another week, and another vegan burger making an appearance on this blog. What can I say? I  appear to have a growing obsession for trying all the vegan burgers London has to offer and I can't see it stopping anytime soon! This week I happened to be in Chelsea for a skincare event and it presented itself as the perfect opportunity to make a long overdue visit to Wulf & Lamb which has been on my hit list since January of this year. So yes, it's only taken me nine months to get myself there! I guess that's a testament to how spoilt for choice we are for vegan food in London right now.

South of France | Travel With Dogs

Last week my husband and I, and my Mum, and our combined 5 dogs, took a trip down to the South of France that I have wanted to do for such a long time. Ever since having dogs I’ve really wanted to take them on a trip abroad and France has always seemed like the perfect option. 

My Month In Photos | August 2018

I'm going to be honest, August has felt like a really long drag of a month and I've been looking forward to it being over. That sounds quite dramatic and depressing, particularly when nothing bad has really happened, but lets just say it hasn't been my favourite time of this year. I've been really struggling with a low mood this month and it's felt like a big of struggle to motivate myself to do much. But then when I was getting the photos for this post ready it does in fact look like I've done quite a lot! However, I feel like a lot of time has been spent feeling bored and almost like I am just waiting for Autumn to arrive and for a fresh start.

Half Man Half Burger | Vegan

Until last week I'd never heard of Half Man! Half Burger! and I only happened to stumble across them after failing to find any vegan options whatsoever at the Eastbourne Air Show. The smell of burgers and hot dogs from all the food stalls there really gave me a craving for a good burger and after a quick search online I came across this place and the vegan menu looked exceedingly good.

A Night At The Malmaison Brighton | Travel With Dogs

It wouldn't be Summer without a little jaunt down to Brighton and it's something which has become a bit of a tradition for us this time of year. Having spent a few days at my Mum's in Eastbourne enjoying the air show weekend it made sense for us to extend our break away with an extra night in Brighton. 

The Vurger Co. | Vegan

What's that I hear you say! Another vegan eatery in East London? Hell yes. The Vurger Co. opened their doors up this year and they're already proving to be a major hit with all the vegan foodies and bloggers. Their claim is that they are 'revolutionising fast food through the power of plants' which is basically just like music to my ears! I couldn't wait to get myself down there to find out what all the fuss is about.