Wednesday 30 September 2015

Kiko Cosmetics Haul


         
 

Considering the brand is called Kiko Milano there was something extra special about visiting the store actually in Milan. The store was not in the centre of the city, but I stumbled across it by accident whilst seeks out somewhere to eat even more pizza! I have bought quite a few bits from the company on previous trips to Italy and I have been rather impressed with the quality of their products. I only had a few things on my list when I went to store, so I went in with a pretty open mind. As always I went a little crazy, as there was so much which I just could not leave on the shelves. There was a huge sale on, so the usual "it's only... Euros" seemed to leave my mouth quite frequently whilst waltzing around the store.

So to what actually made it to the tills...

The Creamy Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks were at the top of my must buy list, there has been so many comparisons of these to both the Bobbi Brown and By Terry versions which are at least 4x the cost, which were just €6.90. The shade Rosy Brown (05) instantly caught my attention, and fitted into my usual golden brown category which I always head for. Now I had an absolute disastrous time with this, I swatched it in the shop and then picked it up off the shelves. As it was in a box I did not check the individual item. When I got back to my hotel back in Tremezzo - Lake Como (approximately 2 hours away!), I realised that it had been used and there was barely any product left and it was smudged everywhere. I thought that I wouldn't be able to get another one, but I went into Como and was surprised to see that there was in fact a Kiko store and I managed to buy another one. But I was still angry at the fact that I had one which was unusable so when I went into Como again, I took it into the store and explained the story and the assistant just swapped it for me. Therefore I now have two Rosy Browns, but I can at least use them, and it's always good to have backups!

On the same display they had many of shades on sale at just 3.40. My first impressions of these are that they are very pigmented and long lasting, I had to seriously scrub my hand to get it off when swatching in the shop. I picked up the shades Golden Taupe (38) and Passion Fruit (21).  I am really excited to try these and will report back soon. I had been told about the cream eyeshadow pots, but on swatching I did not like the consistency, as they seemed quite thick and stodgy.

I am not a huge lip liner person really, I own two and I only wear them occasionally. However, when I saw these on the sale display for just €1.20 I had to try them out. I picked up two, in the shades Pearly Pink Peony (701) and Coral (702). I am hoping to be able to wear these under most lipsticks as they are versatile and not too bright or vibrant. The Lip Gloss Pencils look like a similar concept to the Maybelline Drama Lip Pencils which I really like. At just €3.90 I picked up just one from this line in the shade Deep Pink (06), it is a medium toned pink with sparkles which is just up my street. I convinced my mum to pick up one of these as she's always drawn to a good pink lipstick and she liked the concept once I had explained it to her about 5 times!

I saw the Deco Delight lipstick range on the Kiko website a while ago, and was so intrigued by the dots on the lipstick and basically just how pretty it looked. I had also seen these in lots of hauls and magazines, and really wanted to pick one up and I was most drawn to the shade Frison Rose (02). The whole Miami Beach Babe Range was on a 30% off promotion, which was great (heads up now 50% off on the Kiko website). From the same line I also picked up a two tone blush in the shade Doral (02) for €6.90 and the Click Slick Eyeliner in Black (06) for €4.90. The whole range looked fun and intriguing, and the products which I picked up were all quickly chosen, so hopefully I've bought some great pieces.

At the tills they had this beautiful highlighter in the shade Beam of Light (02) (unfortunately not online) which I instantly added to my bill. It is a beautiful iridescent highlighter with a slight pink tone to it which is seriously gorgeous, and at €5.00 it was a steal. 

I actually saw the Rebel Romantic Collection, but none of it actually took my fancy on first impressions. I might have to have a good look around on the website to see if there's anything I fancy with further insight.

All in all everything collectively cost just under €45 (£33) which is really great value for the amount in which I bought.

Have you tried any Kiko products recently? 

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Sunday 27 September 2015

Charlotte Tilbury Very Victoria Lipstick



When I first got this shade of this Charlotte Tilbury lipstick from the matte revolution line in Very Victoria  for my birthday, I was a little unsure about the colour on my fair skin tone. I kind of neglected it and it got put towards to back of my lipstick stand, as it just didn't quite tickle my fancy. But we are well and truly into the autumn season, and I thought it was a good neutral toned lipstick to dig out and finally put it to the test. I have been enjoying wearing it and as it's quite neutral toned it is really easy to wear, and can easily be worn as an everyday lipstick. I adore Charlotte Tilsbury as brand, and I am really lucky as I can get my paws on the brand in both of the Selfridges which are no too far from where I live. From the matte lipstick line I already owned Sexy Sienna which is one my favourite lipsticks of all time. It is such a beautiful coral toned lipsticks, and regularly features in favourites post. I love the slant of the lipsticks,  as it makes application easy and helps your be more precise. I have my eye on Glastonberry from the range and I think I am going to have to pick it up as I have been nothing but impressed with this range.

What is your favourite lipstick from the line?

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Friday 25 September 2015

Tiger Haul



I found these stashed in the back of my drawers when I was packing everything together to take back to uni. I discovered Tiger about two years ago, and I just wish they would open one in Manchester. I did a rather large haul last year from the store in Palma which you could read here. This years haul comes from the store in Milan. It's a great store to browse around and find lots of bits and bobs, which you don't really need but make you rather happy inside. I love the stationery most of all as it is unique, and most of all great value. You don't feel bad for buying things as it won't break the bank.

When I saw this cute little wired basket I was not sure what I was going to do with it, but I instantly knew that I needed it. My first thought was to fill it with stationery, however I think I might use it to store products which I am currently testing out. Therefore, I won't forget about them and all the products will be all in one place. I had a classic bloggers moment with this tape. It was just so pretty I could not leave it on the shelves. My mum said the inevitable 'what are you going to do with that?', and I didn't really have an answer. I just sneaked it in my basket. It is rather pretty, and I am going to use it in my blog posts, and to make my notebooks a bit more snazzy. Last but not least, and something which had a firm place in my basket was these mega metallic paperclips. I did have a slight moment to myself to think do I need these, and then I totally reassured myself within seconds that of course I needed them. I am going to use them at uni to keep all my papers together, and look like the coolest kid in the class. All in all, I didn't really need any of this but is cost just 8 euros in total, and I totally love looking at everything in all of it's glory.

Do you love Tiger just as much as I do?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Wednesday 23 September 2015

Getting Organised & Blogging Updates


As the new school year starts it is always an opportunity to give yourself a little refresh, and implement any changes which you have been meaning to do forever. Therefore having had a good amount of time off university and a well deserved break, this has allowed me to get myself into a new blogging regime which I have been really enjoying. When I have too much uni work, and I feel deeply under pressure to fit everything in around - placement, essays, working and blogging, I always make sure that I post at least every Sunday no matter what is happening. But my usual previous schedule was Wednesdays and Sundays, but with a little extra time over the summer break I have been adding in a Friday post as well. I have been really enjoying this additional post as it has allowed me to branch into more fashion and lifestyle posts, which I have been wanting to do for ages.

As I am entering my third year of university and my course is very intense at times (not exaggerating!), but I love it and I really want to achieve the best which I am possibly able to, by dedicating myself to it wholly. But on the other hand I really do love my blog, and it makes me happy and gives me a break from the bubble of university. So I decided that before I started back at uni in order to be able to get the balance between everything, that I needed to seriously get organised. I will confess that I am messy person, no doubt about that. However, I like to be organised. I have to know in day to day life my plans in advance so I can organise my time effectively. But I feel that I have never had a proper structure to how I blog, and I think it will make my life so much easier if I create some kind of organisation. So I invested in a snazzy new notebook to help my kick start things. I have been looking for one throughout summer, every paper and stationery shop which you can name, I have been in and have left empty handed. I popped into Scribbler to get a birthday card for a friend and this instantly caught me eye, and the price tag was also very desirable at £6.99. I did a whole blog post about the book here. I love having a book dedicated just to blogging where I can express my ideas. I am excited at the prospect of being organised, and feeling less pressure on myself to always having to blog last minute as I have had simply had no other time free.

My iPad has become so handy since I got it for my birthday! It makes it so much easier to keep up on all things surrounding my blog, and to edit posts rather than on my phone when I am on the go.  I am on the hunt for a good keyboard to attach to it, to make me even more efficient, so if you have any good suggestions on places to buy one I would be very grateful. I didn't think I was going to use my iPad for much to do with my blog, but it has been stuck to my hand.

I have also been joining in a few bloggers chats recently and I have really been enjoying the interaction. My favourite is #bbloggers on Wednesdays and Sundays. I love being able to chat to others who have similar interests to me, and  also getting the opportunity to talk about new products and must haves which I need to pick up. Unless I am on a shift which means that I will miss some of the chat by the time I get home, I am going to dedicate myself to joining in the weekly chats.

Have you any organisation tips for me ?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Sunday 20 September 2015

20 Autumnal Blog Ideas - Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle


Today I thought I would give you a bit of blog inspiration for the Autumn, Sometimes you find yourself in a rut, and completely clueless of what to blog about so I've put together 20 ideas for you.

Beauty
1. How to do Autumnal Makeup Trends
2. Must Have Pieces
3. Essential Handbag Products
4. Switching Up Your Makeup
5. Rediscovering Your Beauty Stash
6. Monthly Favourites
7. Autumn Makeup Tutorial
8. New Beauty Buys for Autumn
9.  Skincare Update
10. Recent Product Realises

Fashion
11.Must Have Autumnal Pieces
12.Autumn Wishlist
13. Transitioning Summer to Autumn
14. How to Look Stylish in the Autumn
15. Upcoming Trends

Lifestyle
16. What I Love about Autumn
17. Organisation Tips
18. Home Haul - Candles/Blankets
19. How To Prepare for Christmas - Budgeting/Where to Buy/How to Save
20. Places to Visit

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Friday 18 September 2015

Train Tickets - Tips and Tricks


Having just started my third year of uni, I have quite a bit of experience now at train ticket buying! I have a few easy tips and tricks which I would like to share to help you save as much money as possible.

Lots of us have started back at work/college/university after the summer break. Last week I saw a article from the Manchester Evening News which you can read here about Virgin Trains no longer allowing people to use their rail cards to buy off peak tickets for on peak train times. This was a massive shock to me as I often travel on peak but even though the tickets are more expensive at full price, I have always been about to use my 16-25 railcard to save 1/3 on all tickets. For university I have to travel to Lancaster for some of my lectures last year this would cost £14 for a return using my railcard, this year it's £23. On this particular journey Virgin have been rather cheeky and put the full price ticket up. They are allowing you to use your railcard but to buy an on peak ticket rather than getting it at an off peak price. The ticket is now £9 more, so they have still made the profit which they have intended to. I think all the tickets have been put up even if it's just £2/£3. They are very nifty those people in Virgin HQ, as they know people will still pay it as they have to go to work or home.

Being at university in Carlisle a return ticket from Bolton - Carlisle without a railcard is £49! Which I think is absolutely ridiculous for a journey with takes under 2 hours. With my railcard this same ticket would cost £32.35. This is a hefty saving but to me it is still a rather large amount of money. Over the summer I quit my part time job which I have had since I was 17, as it was just not working having being on placements and also my summer holidays. But I have managed to pick up a bank job which is perfect as I can pick and choose when I want to work, with no ties into working every week. So I have decided that I am going to be coming home a lot more this years due to personal matters, but I have thought about the additional cost which this is going to cost. I did buy my first ever car over the summer - finally after passing my test two years ago. But I am having a few teething problems and I'm not quite ready to be whizzing up and down the motorway all the way. I would also be travelling in rush hour, and come the dark winter nights there are no lights on a main part of the motorway which I would be traveling on. So for now I'm sticking with trains until I build my confidence up to face the motorway journeys.

So how do I save money in my tickets? My best tip is booking your journey in advance if possible, it can save major pennies. I no this isn't always the case, as you might need to get to somewhere spontaneously, but if possible if you look two/threes weeks or in further in advance you can save a good sum of money. I can get tickets as cheap as £6.75 for a single ticket meaning for a return that's over half of the original sum. I have to say this doesn't happen that often but for me if I book three weeks in advance tickets are available for £8.20, nearer the time the price is usually £12.20. Over time if you are travelling regularly you will notice a big saving, for not that much work. The closer you get to the date you are travelling the more it will be, as they set a limited amount of 'cheaper' tickets available on each train journey. They are first come first serve, so literally when they are gone, they are gone!

I have only ever paid the full amount of money on 2/3 occasions, and that has been when I decided the night before that I want to venture home for the weekend. What is madness is you will notice that train tickets are practically the same amount for singles as open returns - how crazy! A single from Bolton to Carlisle is £31.00 and a return is £32.35. So bare this is mind as if you get an open return you can use the return part for an entire month. I have had many train journeys where my ticket has not been checked, meaning that I have been able to reuse it within the month. I must state I actually like getting my ticket checked as it makes me feel like it was money well spent, whereas when you don't I get that feeling of I really shouldn't of bothered. 

What really annoys me is that there is always a cheap train at 15.49 for me to get home, as its just before the start of on peak and rush hour is about to start. However I finish uni at 4 which is so annoying! But if you are able to travel during the day, you can save a good sum of money. Take this into consideration if your going on a day trip if you travel between 10-3 and then after 6 you'll notice you can get some bargains. 

Another tip is splitting up your train journey. For me, 9/10 times I have to change in Preston. So when browsing for tickets if there is no cheap direct journey, consider splitting your journey up. If the journey planner is telling you that you have to change somewhere anyway, then that's the perfect place to do it at. So I browse for tickets from Carlisle to Preston and then from Preston to Bolton. As the part of the journey from Carlisle to Preston is definitely the most expensive. For example once again booking in advance, I can get both parts of the journey for £12.50 so £25 a saving of £7 just for splitting up the journey. 

Finally, the train line app is an absolute god send as you can quickly browse and book tickets. On the app they charge 0.50 for a booking fee for paying on any card, which is cheeky once again as you obviously can't pay cash. So if you live near the train station you can book them at the ticket office and not pay the booking fee. But that's a lot of effort if you don't live near the station, so what I do if possible is to bulk buy. As if you doing four journeys within a week and book them separate that's £2 extra. Also, the most convenient way to collect your tickets is by collecting them at the self service ticket machine. You can collect them within an hour of buying them from any self service machine across the UK. If I've booked a few different journeys you can collect them in bulk. You can check your tickets on the my tickets section of the app as it tells everything you need to know about your journey.

I hope this has helped you as before I went to university I was clueless as to where to start and simply didn't go home that often as I thought that I couldn't afford to! Have got any other tips for train users? 

Lucy 
xoxo
SHARE:

Wednesday 16 September 2015

Sephora Lip Cream Stain in Maderin Muse



The Sephora Lip Cream Stain in Maderin Muse is totally an Essie Button enabler product. She has mentioned it many, many times in her videos and on her blog, and I wanted to get my hands on it. However, as there are no Sephora stores at all currently in the UK, that resorts to us either buying abroad or shopping online. I have only ever been to two Sephora's in my life and I have two posts on those visits - one in Palma last summer and one in Milan this summer. If you read this year's post you will see that I picked barely anything up, but this was what I managed to get my hands on.

I had been meaning to try it out for the last month, and had never quite found the right occasion. However, last week I whipped it out for the first time on a dinner date with a friend. Now, I did not know what  to expect but all I can say is 'WOW'. First up it is so pigmented, I have never seen I product like this in my life - which is a bold but very true statement. Application was actually tricky as you have to be so precise, due to the colour payoff. Once it is on it dries very quickly to a pure matte finish, which is there to stay. It is actually a lot brighter than I first expected, it is very much a vibrant orange. First impressions were that I was very impressed, and I was excited to see how it lasted throughout the day.

For dinner I went to an Italian restaurant and had a pizza. When I had a quick check in the mirror it had started to come off in places which is expected when eating, but it still looked okay. It had faded a little, but in order to test the product properly I didn't bother reapplying just yet. However, a few hours later it had flaked off and dried to the outer layer of my lips and looked very patchy, which was disappointing. But with a quick reapplication it looked just as good as when I had first applied it. Like I say though it takes a little time to get it perfect as it is both bright and pigmented. 

All in all, I was very impressed with this. They cost 9.90 which is such great value for how great this product really is. If you have any Sephora trips planned in the near future, I highly recommend putting this lip product instantly to the top of your wishlist. They come in 12 different shades, so get swatching if you go shopping!

Have you tried any of the Sephora Lip Cream Stains?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Sunday 13 September 2015

Blah, Blah, Blah Blogging Notebook



I have been looking for a notebook for the entire summer, and I was on the brink of giving up. I have been trying to get organised, and a dedicated blogging notebook was where I thought I would start. I had stumbled into every stationary and notebook shop within the entire Manchester radius. I had also spent hours looking online, but they are always so expensive and then delivery on top. Most of all, I never actually found one which I truly loved. But they say you find what your looking for, when you least expect and that is exactly what happened in this case. I was shopping in Scribbler for a birthday card for my friend's birthday and I spotted this starring at me on the shelves. (Unfortunately this is not available online, but if you have a local Scribbler I would pop in and have a look if you like it).I had set out to get one with a ringed edging, as it makes it easier to keep the pages open, and help prevents it from getting tatty. This one however has a ridged edge which makes it much easier to use, and the pages will stay open when a little pressure is applied. The blah, blah, blah message is great, as it is a notebook where I am going to writing endless notes, which will only make sense to me. What makes it even prettier are that the words are embossed in gold. I also really like the elastic attached as it very practical and keeps everything together, and if you have any loose papers they won't fall out. The notebook has a real autumnal feel with the leaf design, but it is still a simple, classic notebook. I was so happy to have finally found a notebook which I really like, and I was pleasantly surprised at the price tag of £6.99. I am hoping this will be the start of my organisation journey, as I often get random thoughts when I least expect and I will now have somewhere to jot them down instantly.

Do you have a dedicated blogging notebook?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Friday 11 September 2015

The Black Milk Cereal Cafe

Last week one of my friends suggested us visiting the Black Milk Cereal Cafe, which is situated in Afflecks Palace, in the Northern Quarter part of Manchester city centre. To be honest I am not a huge cereal lover, I give and take Weetabix from time to time but that is about it. On the other hand, my friend who I went whether adores cereal and I knew she would truly love it when she suggested it. It is a very cute and cosy place, with just five tables.


 


You can order bowls in single, double or triple size, and I opted for the double option as I wanted two different types of cereals. I choose mini chocolate Weetabix and Lucky Charms. They offer at least thirty different types of cereals for you to choose from. You can also choose any sauce of you choice, and the best bit of all as many toppings as you like. This was the bit which was most exciting I opted for Toblerone, Crunchie and Smarties. You can also choose what type of milk you would like, I was boring and went for normal milk. But there are many different types of milk available including strawberry, chocolate and almond. My friend choose a chocolate bowl, which is self explanatory - the bowl is made out of chocolate. I didn't think I was going to able to eat that as well as everything else which I had ordered.

On to the milkshakes, which were simply exceptional. I choose the strawberry, with cream and sprinkles which is my ultimate favourite. He offered us the milkshake of the day which was strawberry and nutella which my friend opted for, but I am really not a nutella fan at all. They were so delicious yet so filling.

By the time my cereal had arrived, I had already drank half of my milkshake which was a bad move. I started to delve into my cereal bowl, and instantly realised I had over ordered. I did not expect the bowl to be quite that large. It tasted really nice though, which was a surprise to my non-loving cereal self. I actually really enjoyed the mix of everything which I choose, but the Toblerone differently filled me up. I unfortunately only managed to eat about 1/2 a bowl, as I was absolutely stuffed. I was disappointed with myself, but I made sure there was no chocolate left in the bowl! Now eating the chocolate bowl was a serious challenge for my friend, and unfortunately she did not manage very much of it. It did cost me £8 for my milkshake and cereal which I know is not cheap, but you are paying for the novelty of the idea. I really enjoyed the experience of going, and it a great cosy place to catch up with your friends. For more inspiration I suggest you follow their Instagram page here.

Do you fancy visiting the Black Milk Cereal Cafe?

Lucy
xoxo





SHARE:

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Primark Pom Pom Shoes





I have seem pom pom shoes everywhere recently, and I just could not decide whether I loved or loathed them. I recently saw the Charlotte Olympia pom pom heels, but they come with a rather hefty price tag. In Selfridges within the Trafford Centre, there is now a Primark section. At first, I was so against this as Selfridges is such a high end, luxury shop. However, in the upstairs section of the store they have incorporated many high street brands such as Missguided and Miss Selfridge into the store. The cashier also told me that Selfridge's have bought Primark, which makes the explanation a lot simpler.

You know your regular Primark - the hussle and bussle, things everywhere, huge queues, well it's Primark's must have pieces without all of that. It is there best pieces of the season, and they even have some Selfridge's exclusives. I have been converted and I have actually really become fond of the section. I stumbled across these pom pom shoes in this beautiful navy shade on my last trip, and I instantly snapped them up. My sister picked them up in black which are just as lovely, but there was very limited sizes left on the shelves. I originally did want the black, but they didn't have my size. However, it was meant to be as I have fallen in love with the navy. I like that they are a statement shoes, but one in which you can wear so easily. I know not everyone is going to like these, as my dad described them as a 'genie slipper'. But, I really like that they are different and a little bit out of my usual comfort zone. I think Primark shoes as a whole as really comfortable, and these didn't disappoint.

Are loving our loathing these shoes? Please let me know in the comments...

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Sunday 6 September 2015

August Favourites



For once I think I am finally happy to say bye bye to the good old English summer, and welcome autumn well and truly. For me as soon as September arrives. autumn is officially here. In August, I used lots of different products as for two of the weeks I was on holiday in Italy, which can find all about here.

BonBon by Viktor & Rolf has been my go to perfume for this month. My go to perfume scent is typically fruity and sweet, and this ticks all the boxes. I got this for Christmas last year, and wore it for a while and then got out of the routine of wearing it. I rediscovered it this month, and I am glad I did, as I have fallen in love all over again.

The Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Scrub was such a perfect product for me when I went on holiday at the start of August. My skin was very dry and needed a good scrub to help exfoliate the skin deeply. This is the first time I have ever tried this, and I was so impressed. First up the scent is delightful it smells of sugar and fruity, with a distinct orange hint. For £2.50 for 50ml it is excellent value, it is so great for travelling. Once this is used up I am definitely going to be picking up the full size product.

REN Ever Calming Gentle Cleansing Gel is a skincare brand which I had been wanting to try out for a while now. I picked this up in the summer sales in Harvey Nichols at the end of June, as they were a big skincare sale for £10.50. At full price it cost £15, which is still reasonable for a high end skincare brand. My skincare routine is something which I have been trying to piece together slowly but surely, but I am a bit clueless of where to start. I have added this into my currently rather small skincare routine, 2-3 times a week and I have really been liking it. It is a very gentle, soft gel which gently deep cleanses you skin, and it makes it feel refreshed and clean.

Mi-Ny Cosmetics is a probably a brand which you have never heard of, and neither had I until I spotted the brand across stores in Italy. It is a brand solely dedicated all things nails. I picked up this pink glitter polish, and I have been truly impressed. It has a thick formula, and I only needed one coat which was definitely a bonus. This also stayed on my nails for 3 days without needing a top up of any kind. The brand comes up the drugstore bracket, as these cost €6.90, which is great value. Unfortunately, I do not think there is currently any stores within the UK, but you can get shipping over here. But, if you are in Italy I seriously recommend popping in and taking a browse.

I got this Nars Audicious Lipstick in the shade Catherine for as part of my 21st Birthday makeover the Nars counter. At £24, it was definitely a splurge buy, but it is the best orange toned lipstick which I have ever bought. It is super easy to apply and the pigmentation is beautiful. I do feel that I do have to reapply it, more often than some of my other lipsticks which is a shame.

What have been your favourite products throughout August?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:

Friday 4 September 2015

Italian Travels: Pasta and Pizza

Italian food it my absolute favourite, and there is nothing better than a good old Spaghetti Bolognese. Whilst on my recent holiday in Italy I did a post all about where we stayed in Lake Como, and must see places to visit which you can find here.

I thought I would do a dedicated post to the types of food which were available and just how delicious they really were. By the end of this post you will be licking your lips, and wanting to jump on a plane!

 

Pizza, pizza, pizza. The classic Italian dish and by gosh they don't do things by half. As you can tell by the photo they are pretty gigantic. The pizzas come on a thin base, with loads of toppings is exactly how I like it. They definitely do not do all the options as Domino's with all their different types of bases. They all come thin and crispy - delicious. The topping on this pizza was parma ham which tasted sensational.


Tagliatelle al funghi is a lovely pasta dish, containing Italian porcini mushrooms. The sauce is a creamy which goes really well alongside the mushrooms within the dish. I found this dish very filling and did not quite manage to finish it, but it is a great hearty pasta meal. The sauce is along the lines of a carbonara type sauce. My aim is to learn how to make this type of sauce, as I am presuming it is rather simple. I will report back if I have any success.


Just seeing the picture of this Cannelloni makes my mouth drool. After a rather long decisive process, I finally decided that this was my favourite meal of the entire trip. I cannot put my finger on the exact reason, but it was out of this world. But it definitely had something to do with the incredible meat and tomato sauce combination. Everything within the dish was cooked to perfection, and it all went together perfectly. I can say that three weeks after visiting this restaurant, I am still talking about this Cannelloni.


And finally my favourite, the bolognese. On this occasion I opted for the tagliatelle option, as I was trying to mix it up, as at this point I had probably already had at least five spaghetti bolognese's already! I just cannot get enough. It is all about the sauce, the tomato ragu is just the most tastiest sauce which exists, and it is truly a dish which I will never, ever get bored off. When I was younger and we would go on holiday to Italy I would have Spaghetti Bolognese for the entire 14 nights of the holiday, as nothing can ever top it. These days I have ventured out to different pastas, but it is always my go to dish, and always will be.

What is you favourite Italian food?

Lucy
xoxo
SHARE:

Wednesday 2 September 2015

The Suede Trend




Suede seems to be all over the high street and designer brands this coming A/W. At first I didn't think it would be me at all, but seeing as it is everywhere I have taken a huge liking to the new trend.

I love the new lace up trend, which is has been roaming the recent A/W styles. This Burgundy Crop Top incorporates both the suede and lace up look, which I think it really on trend for this season. Burgundy is such a great colour for the Autumn, and I think it looks lovely on my paler skin tone. I never really shop on MissGuided but I was super impressed with a lot of their new season clothing, especially this Khaki Mini Skirt . I love the dark grey shade, as I feel it is super versatile and I could wear it in lots of different ways, The additional studded detail finishes off the skirt perfectly.

In Zara they have a new page just dedicated to all things suede, which was excellent and made it so easy for me to browse. Two particular items caught my eye from the website, first the Faux Suede Bomber . I was surprised that this was £39.99 as I was expecting it to cost much more, as it looks expensive. It is a perfect jacket to be able to throw over many outfits, to help complete the overall look. I have been seeing this emerald green shade of suede everywhere, which I have been so intrigued by. The Green Leather Boots  are so cute and would seriously jazz up any outfit, and is a great statement piece to have in your A/W wardrobe.

I love, love, love this Suede Pinafore  dresses from ASOS. I totally adore skater style dresses as they such my figure really well. I think it will be super easy to wear with different tops underneath, a pair of tights and some classic black ankle boots. ASOS had so many great places including this Embossed Croc Bag, this is actually currently sat in my saved for later basket, and is an item I keep going back to time and time again. I love the pale grey shade, and the fact that it is real leather and just £35. I really wanted to get it, and use it at university and I think I am going to have to get it. This Oversized Jacket by Pull & Bear instantly caught my eye as most of the jackets I have seen from other brands have been cropped bomber style jackets. I love how easy this would be to wear, and you could throw it over pretty much any outfit and I would look brilliant. At £99.00 it would definitely be an investment piece for me, but one worth while as it has such great detailing with the studs and big pockets.

I know that this Karen Millen Pink Clutch does not belong to the traditional Autumn/ Winter colour scheme, but I think it is a perfect addition to add a little brighter colour to an outfit. I would probably use this in the evening to add a little extra dimension to my outfit.

You can always rely on Topshop when it comes to statement shoes, and this season they have bot failed to impress me. These Chunky Platforms  are a perfect addition to your wardrobe as you can are able to wear with lots of outfits. I love the gold detailing around the base of the shoes, adding a little more detailing. This Suedette Skater Dress  is once again bang on trend with the additional lace up detailing. I love the traditional tan suede colour, and that it is also a skater style dress. I am sure I am going to pick this up at some point during Autumn, as it is a great and reliable piece to have.

When I first saw this Khaki Suede Dress   in Dorothy Perkins, I was not a 100% sure whether it was me or not. But I actually really like the Khaki colour, and is a great alternative to the traditional tan or black. I love the big pockets on the front and the loose style of the dress.

Do you like the suede trend? and have you picked any suede pieces up yet?

Lucy
xoxo

SHARE:
Blogger Template by pipdig