On Giggling Squid

Boyf and I fancied having a tapas-sized lunch out and ended up going to Giggling Squid, a thai restaurant. We had considered going numerous times before but never quite got around to it. We were so glad we finally did!

I have only been to one of these (they are a chain), so I can't speak for all of them, but the decor is very sleek and gives the place a really nice feel. 

Their menu starts with a selection of dishes that have four of their smaller plates. We shared one of these between us as it was only lunch (which also made it all cheaper) and simply added another dish. It is so easy to try a lot of different stuff and then add whatever else you want! All of the plates also come with a type of rice which goes well with all of the other dishes. The water was also constantly filled and the staff were very attentive. 

All of the food was incredible. The salt and pepper squid was some of the best I have ever had! All of the meat was cooked beautifully and all presented beautifully as well. Even the prawn crackers and the dipping sauce tasted amazing!* What I really liked as well is how a lot of the dishes are named around the giggling squid theme, such as two giggling squids, rich squid, which I thought was a lovely touch!

I would definitely recommend going here if you love thai food; everything is delicious! Even if you aren't a big fan of thai, there would probably be something that you would still enjoy! You can check them out here.

Would you try the Giggling Squid?

xoxo

*They offer you the prawn crackers once you are seated but you do pay for them and they are a bit pricey!

On Books | The Tenth Circle - Jodi Picoult

I apologise that this is a stock image but I left my copy at Boyfs; blogger struggles!

I have loved Jodi Picoult's books for ages and my collection of them is pretty vast. I think that a lot of people, even if you weren't so keen on her storylines, you would struggle to find fault with her writing. She has an amazing ability to become every single character, even if they are 12, or 90. Not to mention that her plot lines are always so well thought out and different to anything else I read. 

The Tenth Circle has a loose basis around Dante's Inferno (if you haven't read it, don't worry you don't need to have done!) The book sees Daniel and Laura Stone and their daughter Trixie struggle through far more than just your average teenage strops. Trixie claims that she was raped by her boyfriend. This in itself would make for a dramatic story, but the plot just keeps thickening! Her parents are struggling to keep their marriage together, and following the rape accusation, Trixie is struggling to keep herself together as well, as she begins to self harm.

Daniel is a comic book writer, and each chapter starts with a couple of comic book pages. This was something that I really enjoyed about the book as this was so different to anything else that I have read by Picoult's. These added a whole other dimension to the book as it gave you an insight into Daniel's mind and his background. Originally from Alaska, the story is flecked with Inuit references and cultural aspects. All of which helped to make the characters seem even more real. 

Throughout the book you follow Mike Bartholomew, the Detective investigating Trixie's case. As with most of Picoult's characters, he has his own past that continues to haunt him throughout the case. Yet he has a pet pot-bellied pig which just makes him a whole lot more endearing! 

As you know, I never like to give too much of the plot away, but this was one story that had a lot of plot twists that I did not see coming. It definitely made for a page turner as it quickly became more and more thrilling and dramatic. As common with most of her novels, it is easy to tell that Picoult has truly put in the research into what she writes about. Her novels are full of such clarity on a subject, even medical and criminal terminology that you almost feel like she has experienced everything she writes about. 

If you have never read any of Jodi Picoult's books before, be prepared for some heavy, yet all the more intriguing sections! If you have...you know what to expect!

Have you read The Tenth Circle?

xoxo

On Scrublets

I first got my scrublet when I was living in America. It was a L'Oreal one and came with an amazing cleanser that for whatever reason we cannot get in the UK. I then just held onto the scrublet as I found that it worked so well to really clean my skin and to help it keep clear. 

I recommended it to my sister at the time and she also raved about it! (And the cleanser; not bitter at all about the inavailibility of it...)

I had stopped using a scrublet for quite some time due to having misplaced them. However I have noticed that they have started appearing in quite a few shops. And you should definitely get your hands one! 

One big thing that we are told about trying to help keep our faces clean is not to touch them due to all of the oils and dirt that we can pick up on our hands. Using our hands could be preventing your cleansers from doing their job properly. By using a scrublet you avoid having to touch your face with your hands. Not only that, but because of their design they give your face a much deeper clean and can really get into the pores. (Over time this supposedly shrinks your pores, but I have only noticed this minimally over a period of a few months; but that could just be my skin!) 

Due to being made generally from silicone, this means that the scrublets can easily be cleaned and do not harbour any dirt or germs so are perfect to keep using! They are also very easy to clean. Most of them also come with a sucker so that they can just stick to your sink. 

Scrublets can often be found fairly cheap and are definitely worth picking one up! (Places such as Forever 21 often have them by the tills)

Have you tried a scrublet?

xoxo

On Sundays

Happy Sunday! Boyf and I spent the week eating good food, having  picnics and going on long walks; if only we had a dog!

Here are some things that I've been loving lately.

House hunting? Hopefully you won't experience any of these Terrible Estate Agent Photos!

If you're a Gilmore Girls fan, then like me you'd be wishing you could go to this town's fan fest.

The Vogue Documentary air dates have been released!

I adore my Victoria's Secret travel make up brushes and their related sets are so nice.

I have just rediscovered this song by Dry The River.

The Danish Collection has fast become one of the shops I wish had money to spend it all in.

I keep reading reviews of Emma Cline's The Girls; cannot wait to read!

Everything leather from KikkiK.

Have a good week!

xoxo

On Sundays

Boyf and I sadly ended up having to chamge our plans so we have been chilling and trying to make the most of freedom! I hope you have all had a lovely weekend and here are some things I've been loving lately. 

The Olympics has brought out some great photos. This one of Usain Bolt and this one of Jess Ennis Hill are brilliant.

This video of Trump supporters is ridiculous.

How jazzy is this song called Karina?!

Pantone cafe!

I cannot get enough of Rosie's Instagram.

Although Summer is quickly leaving us, I loved this post for Summer reading.

Do you have runner's knee? I certainly do!

M&S have got a huge sale going on right now.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

On Korean Beauty | Too Cool For School (Samples!)

My sister recently sent me these samples of the Korean brand Too Cool For School and I am excited to try them out! I'm not going to lie; we aren't 100% sure what some of it is for! The brand aims to bring you beauty that breaks the rules, and all of the packaging is so cool (hence the name probably!)

The backs of them have really funny application uses and explains why they have the names that they have. It is all so different from what we can easily get in the UK so I am very happy with them!

Most of what I have here is from their Rules of Skincare. There is a Pore Minimising Serum, a Replenish Aqua Soft Peeling and a Replenish Hydra Essential Toner and Serum (all of which are coming soon)

They have the Dinoplatz Cinema City CC cream.

There is the Juan George Llong collection for men (also coming soon). 

And then we have the tiny little pouches which I am the most excited about!

The McGirly collection uses secrets of rice wine to create cleansers. 

The Morocco Ghassoul aims to clear pores all in an ecoefficient way. 

But the most exciting: Sleeping Packs. I have Pumpkin and Fresh Gore. I don't know what these will do but I cannot wait to try them! I can only assume you apply them at night, and have good results in the morning!

The whole brand is very new and not easily available, so keep your eyes peeled!

What makes you too cool for school?

xoxo

On Primark Goodies

I reallyreally like Primark Home. It is the closest thing I have to H&M Home without having to go into Central London. Primark is often considered a bit of a love it/hate it type thing, but if you really look through their products, you can find some really nice stuff!

I recently (read before and after strict spending ban) picked up these little bits and have been really loving them!

Now I am a self-confessed candle snob. I only like candles that actually smell when you burn them and that actually last for a long time.

However I really liked the smell of this one (my affinity with Pink Grapefruit goes back a long time, mainly to when I used to drink Pink Grapefruit flavoured Robinsons undiluted when I was little. I know.) This smells so good. And it smells when you burn it. And it has actually lasted probably for about 30 hours. Which for a Primark candle at only a couple of pound, I was very impressed with!

Their jars are really cute and they actually have a big candle range. I would definitely recommend if you just want some nice smelling and looking candles that don't break the bank. 

Boyf was not impressed when I showed him that I had got another mug. But. This was £2. !! I couldn't resist. It is soso cute and it is really big. Also, it is microwave and dishwasher safe, which again, for something so cheap is such good quality! A lot of my more expensive mugs lack this quality, so I couldn't not buy this one really.

I often find with cheaper mugs that they can feel a bit flimsy and be very thing, but this one is quite heavy and feels much more expensive. I no longer have the packaging but it does come in a part box/part stand thing as well which makes it seem that bit more pricey.

If cats aren't your thing, they also had some other prints. Definitely a bargain. 

So if you're heading to a Primark soon, check these out before they all go!

What would you buy?

xoxo

On Books | Swimsuit - James Patterson

I'm just going to start with the truth; this book was okay. I've heard a lot about James Patterson and still have a couple of his books to read, but, I just was not that thrilled over the style of his writing. With this being the only book of his I have read, it is slightly unfair for me to judge that but I was not a big fan of it here. 

The storyline was pretty good and I did want to keep reading and finished this book in a few days. However I just did not like the format of the book. It starts with the main narrator of the book giving a note to his readers, as he himself is an author. Yet I just found this slightly confusing as to who was talking. The chapters also jumped around quite a lot with where they were set and who they focused on. It just was not as slick as I had been expecting.

With that being said, I did enjoy the storyline and most of the characters. The book follows Ben Mackenzie who is a retired police officer turned crime writer and how he gets caught up in some horrendous murders, following the disappearance of model Kim McDaniels. You see both his point of view and Henri's, the killer (no spoilers don't worry!) The story behind why Henri does what he does and his motivations are quite interesting in the sense that I have not read anything like it before and it's pretty inventive. 

Patterson does change his writing to fit with the different characters and personalities really well. There was a good sense that you were reading a different person and feeling their emotions and thoughts. 

The plot itself also accelerated in a way that I was not expecting, which did make for it to be quite a page turner. The ending however did leave me a bit underwhelmed, with very little conclusion to the actual storyline. 

Overall, Swimsuit wasn't my favourite book, but I would recommend if you love crime fictions, especially of the more unusual kind!

On a sidenote, having also been written with Maxine Paetro, I could not say how much was written by each author. However I have also seen that a lot of women find it odd that a woman would put her name to a book like this, as there are some horrible sexual encounters which were slightly uncomfortable to read. If that kind of thing bothers you, I would maybe steer away from this book!

Would you read Swimsuit?

xoxo

On Next

Next are sososo on it at the moment! I mean, the majority of their collections at the moment are Autumnal, but they are still so good. Their home stuff is great as well! Here are some of my top picks!

(Please ignore the layout going on here; do not ask)

Chrome Finish Alphabet Hooks - £6
Henry the Hedgehog Doorstop - £14
Alphabet Cushion - £10
Character Slippers - £12-£20 (and these are soooo soft!)
Slogan Top - £18
Super Soft Sweat Top - £22 (They don't lie about the softness!)
Super Soft Jogger - £20
Cotton Linen Boat Sweater - £28
Chinos - £20
Victoriana Blouse - £28
Copenhagen Sweatshirt - £24
Grey Coatigan - £38 (I adore this, and its name!)

What would you pick!?
xoxo

On Saving Money (And On Not Spending It!)

Photo from www.katelavie.com - I used this as inspiration for the lovely things that can be done with money!

I have mentioned previously that I am on a strict spending ban. This is all in a bid to save money. Now this is not something that I am actively bad at; I have always saved birthday and Christmas money. However I do have a fairly bad spending habit (not to mention my year abroad did pretty much drain my savings, but that's another story). 

Now that I've graduated, I have moved back home, and with the knowledge that I will probably be here for at least a year, I want to save as much as possible in order to make it all the easier for when I do move out. (Boyf is already concerned about the kind of home interior that I want!) So I thought that I would share some of the ways in which I have been saving money lately, and how I have avoided spending any!

Not Going Out - This seems like an obvious one, but I am not actually referring to the Micky Flanagan 'out out' situation here. I am meaning plain going shopping kind of out. As Mother and I always say, if we don't go out, then we are not tempted to buy anything! Plus the fact, shopping with no money is just not fun. Instead of my usual fairly frequent trips down the town, I have been far more productive inside!

Organising - I have been having a full on clear out of my room. (The amount of stuff I had kept and who knows why was beyond ridiculous). This has meant that I have gotten rid of a lot of clothes (and other things). Clothes can easily be taken to Cash For Clothes sites where you are paid for giving your clothes away based on the weight. Not to mention upcoming boot sales!

Do I Need It? - When having looked at something I really like, I have thought to myself, 'Do I need it? Will I actually use it? Where will it go?' All of these kinds of questions generally result in negative answers, meaning that I do not buy anymore things that I do not need nor have any room for. (Read: no more books, make up, moisturisers etc.) 

Piggy Banks - Yes I am 22. And yes I have a piggy bank. Which is in fact a giant pig named Penny. And as ridiculous as it sounds, having put all of my money that I have acquired (the amount I found in aforementioned clear out!) has been put in there. Not only do I forget I have it, but I also cannot easily get it. (Don't worry, it will be going to the bank!) 

Having Ideals and Wishlists - Knowing that I like to buy things, knowing that I like to have what I want and do what I want, and having some sort of ideal of what I want to be doing and where I want to be living all helps with the fact that these all require money. And having money means saving. Following Boyf's advice, I have started a wishlist, helping to narrow down the things that I do really want. Keeping all of my ideals (and kind of dreams I guess :') ) in mind helps to put down the reduced bedding set that I do not need. 

Hopefully these have helped to motivate you to save some money and be more frugal!

Are you a spender or a saver?

xoxo

On Indeed Laboratories; Hydraluron

Hydraluron is not something that is new to the world. The serum is definitely something of a cult hit and doesn't really need much discussion! But for the past year I have been using the serum and the moisture jelly and I have been loving them. 

I first started using the serum a couple of years ago, having read so many positive reviews about it. I definitely noticed a difference in my skin after a few weeks! Using it before my standard moisturiser both night and day, the serum just helps your skin to really absorb the moisturiser and to keep hydrated.

Both products are full of hyaluronic acid which holds up to 1000 times its weight in water. Due to this, it means that your skin looks a lot more fuller and fresh as it is holds a whole lot more moisture meaning that your skin does not get dry! 

Dry skin is definitely not something that I have suffered with at all since using these. I started using the moisture jelly about a year ago which is very similar to the serum but just, as you would imagine, a different consistency. The pot is a pump system where you push the top down and the jelly is dispensed. Again, this is a product that allows for your skin to keep more hydrated than with just use of moisturiser, as it can hold much more moisture. 

(Please ignore my shocking nail wrap condition D: )

The combination of both of these, followed with my regular moisturiser has massively changed my skin. I find that it rarely ever gets dry at all. I have had barely any spots; if I have they have been very few and far between (and more than likely hormone or stress related). I also find that on the days I've maybe forgotten to apply them before my moisturiser that my skin just hasn't felt as nice and plump. They definitely help your moisturiser to do its job even better! 

For my skin personally, I probably will just stick to using the serum as opposed to both the jelly and the serum, as this seems to work really well for me. But I cannot recommend these products enough! Even if you don't think that your skin is in bad condition, this will probably just give it that little push to make it look even better! 

Both of these products can be bought from Boots (and currently have a third off!)

Have you used Hydraluron before?

xoxo

On Sundays

Aaaand they're back! My Sunday posts will hopefully now be back to normal! I am currently sat with a face mask on (one of those full face Korean things that is a bit terrifying) and have basically been here all afternoon watching the Olympics. (Max Whitlock!!!)

I hope you've been having as much of a relaxing weekend as Dusty up there, and here are some things I've been loving this week. 

I really want some of the GB Olympic kit.

A BLUE Lobster has been caught!

I cannot wait for Erin Loechner's book to come out!

I have rediscovered FleurDeForce and am loving her.

There are new Benefit releases for eyes and lips!

A really cute beach library.

This Bobbi Brown video is incredible. So simple!

Have a great week!

xoxo

On The Rio Olympics 2016

It's Super Saturday! This Saturday four years ago at London 2012 is when we, Great Britain, basically showed everyone what we are capable of in Athletics. Jess Ennis, Mo Farah, Greg Rutherford; all these people did soso well and made us all soso proud. 

So today I am bringing you some great things from the Olympics this year to get us all prepped for the day!

How cool are these swimming costumes? They come in six different nations.

Couples competing in the Olmypics.

Bradley Wiggins, the most successful British Olympian!

Have you seen the Rio mascots? They're so cute!

#FixTheSwamp might start trending regarding the green diving pool.

Memes. Have you seen PhelpsFace and Laurie Hernandez?!

The Best and Worst Opening Ceremony outfits.

This New York Times article on Simone Biles is incredible; as is she!

Have a Super Saturday. Go Team GB!
xoxo

On Bad Habits

Image from nightmismart.tumblr.com

Since moving back home I have started to fall back into some bad habits of mine. The awareness of these has only just started to dawn on me, but admittance is the first stage of recovery right? So here are a few of my bad habits that I am going to try and break! 

- I really struggle to cleanse my face if I'm not going to put make up on. If I'm just staying indoors all day, then I tend to just not bother; my poor skin! 

- Exercise. I went for my first run in a long time this week. Oh my word. I've gotten so unfit. Definitely need to work on this one!

- Flossing. I have actually improved lately with this one, but remembering to floss on a daily basis is such a struggle. 

- Drinking only tea. I've added in some green but I sooo should be drinking more water!

- Eating waaay too much. Portion control needs to happen. 

With some time on my hands, I am going to be making a habit of breaking these bad habits! (I feel no shame for how cringey that sounds). 

What are your bad habits?

xoxo

On My Wish List

Being on a strict spending ban at the moment in a bid to save all of the monies, I am still of course discovering things that I want! Creating a wish list is the closest I can come to buying anything at the moment... 

Anything rose gold let's face it is a must have! Asos have some really lovely dainty rose gold rings at the moment, some not even that expensive! I've been looking for another Infinity ring to take over from my current one which has seen better days... 

These initial letters by Lucky Eyes are so lovely. The colour is so bright! I feel like these would brighten up any outfit. And I also love anything with a K on it. 

Has anyone smelt these candles?! The Gin and Tonic one is delicious; their other ones are also amazing. I have had my eye on these for a while but they are quite pricey. (It could also probably be argued that I do not need any more candles). 

I am also currently on the hunt for a lot of photo frames to redecorate my walls, but I specifically want a double framed one for Graduation photos! Again, this Asos one is just the kind I want.

It may only be August but I am definitely already compiling my Christmas wish list! ;)

What's on your wish list?

xoxo

On Books | The Opposite of Loneliness - Marina Keegan

A few weeks ago I did post about this book over on Instagram, telling everyone that they need to read this book. This had been on my to-read list for a long time and I ordered it a couple of months back from Amazon after seeing someone else post about it and thought that now was the right time to read it. 

Marina had just graduated from Yale in 2012. I was just about to graduate when I started to read The Opposite of Loneliness. Tragically, Marina died four days after graduation; a tragedy which I think only hightens just how wonderful this book is. 

A combination of essays and stories, Marina's writing is amazing. I did not even realise at first that I was reading fiction, and not her own life, when I first started the book. That is how well she draws you into the stories. The essays (most of which were written for the Yale Daily News), all involve considerations that seem so mature and well thought out for someone so young (because I'm so old!) She was clearly highly intelligent; she knew what she was good at and how to do it, and do it she did. In her essays she covered thoughts that probably all 20 somethings have about how hard life is and what we are going to do with ourselves. She discusses topics that were obviously very close to her such as the conservation of whales and being a celiac. All of which are written in a way that makes you feel as if you are reading the thoughts directly from Marina's mind. 

The stories also hit directly on the emotions of the characters that you feel as though you know them, that they are your friends, that you are there going through the motions with them. 

The way that Marina writes gives you hope and inspires you to find something that you love and to pursue it. And with the knowledge that Marina could not do the same, it almost compels you to go and do that thing because of her. 

If nothing else, I truly found this book inspiring. At moments it was sad, funny, just good old interesting. If you read nothing else this year, then make it this book. I cannot explain how much I adored this book and want everyone else to as well.

xoxo

On No7 | Beautiful Blossom Free Gift

It is that time of year again where Boots give out their No7 £3 off make up and £5 off skincare vouchers, 3 for 2 offers are on, and to make it even better, when you buy two products you get their Beautiful Blossom Gift box free! 

No7 is a brand that I can't really fault; their products are genereally pretty affordable (especially with the aforementioned vouchers!) and are always great quality. And when you're getting some of them free? You might as well!

The set includes their Airbrush Away Primer, a mini eyeshadow from their Cappucino collection, their Dramatic Lift mascara and the best part: a voucher to get a free lipstick. One which you receive after they test your skin to check the colour and then tell you which shades suit your skin tone the best. And their lipsticks are so good. 

I am yet to try the other products yet, but when I have tried their eyeshadows in the past they have not disappointed. Nor have their mascaras. My hopes are high for the primer! (I'm hoping it will sit beautifully under their Beautifully Matte Light foundation). 

So if you're a fan of No7, now is the time to stock up!

What would you buy?

xoxo

On Mondays

I know, I know what you're probably thinking. She doesn't normally post about Mondays? But seeing as July saw me quite absent from the blog, I thought we might as well shake things up a bit! 

A lot has happened. 

July saw me move back home, watch the boyf graduate, graduate myself as well as fill my days with anything at all. I have read numerous books. Cleared through old magazines like there is no tomorrow. Celebrated birthdays. Eaten way too much food. Met new people. Organised my beauty collection (I do not need anything.)
Now we are over a week into August (already!) and here is a Sunday-meets-Monday post for you, filled with the things that I've been loving lately.

I (finally!) bought this plate and the matching cup from H&M.

I am absolutely loving Bear's Den and Blossoms music wise.

I am currently in a phase of trying to make bendy rollers a thing.

Mac Velvet Teddy. Enough said.

These M&S glasses are my new favourites.

After seeing the poster at tube stations, I've just watched the trailer for Wiener-Dog; definitely on my must-see list!

I recently acquired a Jack Wills rucksack; their bags are so en pointe.

It's the Olympics! I'm finding Google the best way to keep up with it all.

I am really appreciating having started my One Line a Day Diary last year; reading back what I was doing is really really nice.

This Boots Time Delay moisturiser is my new favourite.

If I wore glasses, I would definitely buy this Paperchase case.

It took me a half hour at least to unsubscribe from Apple Music; unsubscribe today from everything you're accidentally paying for!

The Garnier Ultimate Blends Collection have been the cause of me receiving a fair few comments on the condition of my hair lately; the Honey Restorer is the way to go!

How was your July?!
xoxo