Adding To My Travel Wishlist
Press event // food, drink and entertainment courtesy of eShores.co.uk; all words and thoughts all my own
One thing about me is that I'm a homebird; I love my home comforts, my own bed and access to my full skincare routine; I don't like being away from my loved ones for too long and I get homesick. So you'll never catch me on a backpacking trip away for months at a time. It looks like an amazing experience of course, but each to their own! Which is why whenever I've dreamt about trips to America (because we all have at some point, haven't we?) I've thought about a week in New York at Christmas, 2 weeks in LA with a trip to Disneyworld or a summer break in Hawaii. Never a big long road trip seeing as much as possible across 2 months.
But in come eShores with their multi centre holidays which allow you to find a nice middle ground! A 10 night trip across Las Vegas, San Francisco & LA sounds good, doesn't it? But it doesn't have to be 10 nights and it doesn't have to be those 3 locations, because eShores can plan a unique trip around your requests. You can do the whole road trip thing if you wish, but you don't need to (I know I'd panic too much hiring a car in America) because they organise flights between each state. Just remember to offset your emissions guys!
If you're thinking of planning such a trip, then quote "USA/Leeds event" for a £100 discount! You are welcome.
I'd seen eShores pop up online once or twice before but didn't really know anything about them until last week when I was kindly invited to an evening of food, drinks and entertainment inspired by the USA. So what did we get up to?
6pm: After meeting up with Lucy and Luiza, we arrived at Lamberts Yard where we enjoyed a selection of cocktails served by Anthony from Mix & Twist, inspired by San Francisco.
I opted for a San Francisco (Vodka, Cherry Brandy, Lime & Sugar), followed by a Wall Banger (Vodka, Mango & Pineapple Juice, Mint & Galliano). Both delicious! And yes, my drink of choice is always vodka!
7pm: We headed upstairs for dinner, a full 3 course affair inspired by Los Angeles restaurants, with complimentary wine for each course. All made by Bears Pantry!
Starter: Vegan Cochinita Pibil Tacos (Yucatan Jackfruit, Pink Onions, Crispy Shallots, Corn Tacos). A very strong and somewhat spicy, start!
Main: Beachwood Cafe Sofia Bowl (Tofu, Kimchi, Brown Rice, Peanut). Some of the best tofu I've ever had!
Dessert: Vegas Greek Yoghurt Martini, Raspberry, Pomegranate. A bizarre yoghurt/mousse texture clash but rather delicious!
8.30pm: The wonderful Sebastian Walton performed a Las Vegas inspired magic show complete with flying cards, predicting colours and making a wedding ring disappear only to emerge in a piece of fruit! I normally hate all things magic because I don't like things that I can't understand, but the way he did it all was just so charming and fun, much enjoyment!
Now to get saving for a USA trip..
So thanks to Jennie for putting on a wonderful event as always, to the eShores team for their generosity and to Elouisa for the first 2 and last 2 photos!
Where's top of your USA travel wishlist?
Loves. Emma.
At One With Nature (And Myself)
I've grown up with this nature park practically on our doorstep, I love it and it's filled with so many memories; from primary school trips to look at the tadpoles (and see a friend get pushed in!) to family walks on sunny weekends and splashing in the summer with friends. But my strongest memories are of taking myself down very regularly in the summer after University when I was feeling most lost and unsure of myself. So although the car park has been closed because of drug deals, dogging and debauchery (yes, really!), it's still a place that I treasure! And when I pulled up at home on a sunny Friday evening for the last Bank Holiday weekend of the summer, I knew it was the perfect spot for an evening stroll with mum. We got the golden hour sunshine and it was BLISS.
It also seemed like the perfect location to take photos for a post talking all about me.
I'm 26 now and am getting to the point where I care less and less what people think. I'd love to say I don't care at all, but there's a small part of me that is still affected by certain thoughts/behaviours/people. I'm getting there though! And let me tell you, it is freeing. When you stop trying to please other people, start focusing on yourself, wonderful things will happen. I've always been shy, like painfully shy, and struggled to make friends. But now, send me off to an event where I know nobody and yeah I'll struggle, but I WILL mingle my way through that place. When I step back and look at some of the things I'm achieving, which will be so minuscule to most people, I almost don't recognise myself. I have gained SO much confidence in the past 2 years, whether that be through blogging, shooting photos in busy streets and meeting new people at events; or through work, having the confidence to speak up in meetings and make decisions; or even just in driving and taking myself off to new places. Slowly but surely I am getting to where I want to be, being the person who I want to be.
One thing that's given me so much confidence is getting out and doing things on my own. I like to think I'm quite an independent person; I've always enjoyed a lot of alone time at home and going shopping by myself, but I've expanded on that to going to cafes and the cinema alone too! I just think being comfortable in your own company is so so important! I don't want to be reliant on anybody else for my happiness and I don't want to be waiting for other people to do things that I want to. I've taken myself on day trips and it's great just being able to do whatever you want without considering anyone else. Next stop: solo travel! (I think I'm still too anxious for that but maybe soon?)
But now, when people who I know ~irl~ are judging me for choices that I make, I'm able to just rise above it now instead of incessantly thinking about it and getting upset for days. Come up to me at a party laughing and telling me I post more on Instagram than 'anyone you know', that only tells me that you need to diversify your following list, thank you! But don't feel the need to comment on my outfit or bring up my blog if you've not got anything nice to say. Because I've learnt to value myself and my time and won't give you an inch of it!
I watched the (heartbreaking) Jesy Nelson documentary on BBC last week about the effect trolling has had on her life, and I've since seen online creators sharing their own journeys too, whether that be with trolls online or bullies in real life. I'm very lucky to say that I've never had bad experiences with bullying to have to share my own story; the worst I would get at school was boys telling me to smile more or catty comments about me not talking. And I think I've simply not had enough ~attention online to receive nasty comments (at least not that I've seen). And I recognise that that makes me highly privileged, I do, but it doesn't mean that I haven't suffered. I've battled with disordered eating, I've got self-harm scars on various parts of my body and I've spent months of my life in therapy. I broke down and walked out of one of my final year University exams because I was struggling so bad with my mental health. But although I can have horrible bouts of anxiety now, I'm still so far from that girl. And I'm really at peace with who I am as a person now.
Loves. Emma.
A Day In Haworth
I've lived in Yorkshire for my entire life and honestly, couldn't picture myself anywhere else. We have the most beautiful scenery and rural landscapes, I will never tire of a countryside walk; so I thought it was about time I included more of my favourite places in Yorkshire, here on the blog! And what better way to start than with Haworth?! It's less than a 30 minute drive from where I live, so when I had a day off work a few weeks ago, Mum and I took ourselves for a nice day out in the sunshine.
Many people will know Haworth for being home to the Bronte sisters and for that reason, it's such a little tourist hotspot. It's not very big, but it's quaint and cosy and full of cobbles. Quintessentially British and bustling with independent businesses!
Main Street
The whole of Haworth centres around Main Street, the cobbled hill packed with shops, cafes, galleries and homes. No two businesses are the same! There's vintage clothing stores, quirky gift stores, a traditional sweet store, an old book and vinyl store and not forgetting the bakery! Favourite shops of mine include:
The Cabinet of Curiosities; an old apothecary shop warmly lit by glass globes and fragranced with exotic oils, you can find an array of bath salts, soaps and lotions or explore their range of 'extraordinary gifts'.
Lighthouse Lane; a gift shop with something for everyone, they stock an array of art and gifts from a diverse range of independent British designers among their ever expanding range of unique and fun art, homeware, gifts and clothing. (I picked up a Punky Pins enamel badge!)
Choosing a spot for lunch was tricky because everywhere is so nice! We settled on The Cookhouse because neither of us had been before and the menu had lots of vegan options. We sat outside initially but there were SO MANY WASPS, that once our food came we had to move indoors to shield ourselves (as did many other people). I went for a roast pepper, sundried tomato and vegan mozarella panini while mum opted for a cheddar and red onion marmalade toastie - both were scrummy and would highly recommend!
Central Park
At the bottom of Main Street is the rather spacious park (a Green Flag park, no less!) made up of beautiful greenery, a bandstand, playground, sculptures, an ice cream van and fabulous views. A perfect spot to sit and enjoy an ice cream or go for a nice sunny stroll (as we did).
For the Bronte fans
Off the side of Main Street, you can find the old school in which Charlotte Bronte once taught and directly opposite (ok, maybe a teeny bit higher up) is the Bronte Parsonage Museum! We didn't go in this time, but if you're visiting the area and you're a keen literature fan (or even if you're not) it is absolutely a must-do. There's so much history! Even walking by it made me want to grab a copy of Wuthering Heights and sit with my head in the book under the sun. Bliss!
So we didn't cram too much into our day, wanting to keep things nice and relaxed (it wasn't our first time there after all!). But sometimes that's the best kind of days. Pottering around scenic villages on a mother/daughter date? Fabulous way to spend a day off if you ask me. If you want one more recommendation for Haworth though, I'd say visit the Keighley and WorthValley Railway Station; who doesn't love a steam train!
Have you ever been to Haworth? What's your favourite thing there?
Loves. Emma.
A Summer Round-Up
At the end of June, I never got round to posting my June round-up, even though it was all written (lazy, tbh!), so I decided to hold off on July and instead do a bumper special Summer round-up! A nice long chatty post! I've had rather a nice summer - not all that many plans and no big holidays, but sometimes they're the best summers to have. Just some chill time at home, exploring towns and cities nearby, a few day trips at the beach, trying new hobbies and a boat load of reading in the sun!
I've really embraced the dresses this summer, as you can see in these pics of my fave outfits!
What I've Read
After a spell of not really reading much, I got back into it with a day at the beach laid out with my head in a book for multiple hours. I finally finished Michelle Obamas 'Becoming' which was an absolute delight; such an uplifting and inspiring read from a bloody brilliant woman; I flew through David Nicholls' 'One Day' which I can't believe I haven't read before?! And adored Rupi Kaurs 'Milk & Honey'; basic? me? I don't know what you're talking about! Along with a read of The Tales Of Beedle The Bard, because did you know I love everything Harry Potter?
In non-book related reading, I'm trying to make an effort to vary what I read in terms of magazines/articles/news. After discovering (very lately) my new favourite store Village in Leeds, I picked up an issue of Oh Comely which I have loved reading and will definitely be picking up future issues of! If you have any other ~indie magazine recs (or any recs in general!) please send them my way.
What I've Watched
I binged my way through season 2 of Handmaids Tale before the 3rd season aired and I'm bloody loving it right now. The first season was very grim and I couldn't get through more than one episode without needing some light-hearted relief but in the next two seasons there's a bit more hope and a (very small) light at the end of the tunnel. A must-see!
Another binge-watch was Killing Eve which is without a doubt the best thing on TV at the moment. I love the characters, the actors, the witty one-liners, just everything about it. And I feel conflicted every time I find myself cheering on such an evil person, it's just incredible.
We can't not talk about Stranger Things 3 because oh! my! god! I'll admit the second season didn't pull me in as much as the first so I was a bit dubious, but they topped it this series. The styling, the characters, the plot, just everything! And boy did I cry like a baby at the end. A new discovery for me, which my friend at work has been telling me to watch for ages was Derry Girls. It's fantastic, hilarious and if you haven't seen it, please do; they're only short episodes and there's nowhere near enough in a series tbh!
Back in June, I took my dad to see American Idiot at The Alhambra after buying tickets for his birthday. Neither of us really knew what to expect, but it was a bloody brilliant show and really made me fall back in love with Greenday - I had a playlist on repeat in the car for weeks after. I also went to see Les Miserables, again at The Alhambra, with my mum and wow. What a show! We both left a bit in awe of it all; the singers were all incredible and the show as a whole was just captivating.
In August I went to Roundhay Park with some family & friends to see Ed Sheeran at Roundhay Park and we had the best day! Not only did he put on an amazing show (what a voice!) but Lewis Capaldi was supporting and he was bloody brilliant; and we had lovely sunny weather for it all! As much of a music fan as I am, I'm not a big gig or festival go-er because of the crowds, but sitting on the hill away from the rush made this a wonderful experience.
I can't talk about things I've watched and not mention Lion King! My all-time favourite movie, I was kind of scared for the remake, but it was amazing and still made me cry like a baby. The animation and graphics are just mind-blowing when you think about it tbh!
What I've Listened To
I've had a lot of Greenday, Lewis Capaldi and Ed Sheeran on repeat, all influenced by the above shows! But I've also been loving a whole load of Blossoms at the moment, along with some Peace and Spector throwbacks, as I find they just make the best driving soundtracks in the sunshine! Oh and I'm always loving a bit of The 1975 because, who doesn't? Their set at Leeds/Reading looked bloody wonderful and their new song is a good 'un!
Because I'm a big Harry Styles fan, I read his Rolling Stone interview with Rob Sheffield (the best pairing we could've asked for!) almost immediately after it went online and they've compiled a Spotify playlist 'The Eternal Sunshine of Harry Styles' (great name) of all the tracks/artists he mentions and it's full of classic rock hits and some real gems - definitely worth a listen!
Because I've been enjoying sing-a-long playlists for driving in the sun, I'm not all that up-to-date with podcasts! But some episodes I have loved include Sam Fender on Happy Place, Greg James & Bella Mackie on Table Manners, Pat McGrath on Desert Island Discs, Olly Alexander on Table Manners, Reality TV And Me With Jamie Laing on Down The Rabbit Hole and every episode of The Receipts Podcast - those gals are a delight.
Some Highlights
- I joined a new gym at the start of summer with a pool, jacuzzi and steam room. I've really loved getting back into swimming (I'm such a water baby!) and also just having a nicer experience at the gym!
- I've taken the time this summer to visit a few museums and art galleries and they left me feeling all kinds of inspired.
- We've fit in a couple of beach days this summer on the east coast and I really love the calmness of being by the sea!
- On a sunny day, I love nothing more than getting out for a nice long walk somewhere scenic; and living in Yorkshire thats pretty damn easy! I always feel so relaxed surrounded by greenery.
- I love a food festival and managed to visit a couple over the past 3 months with some friends. It always pushes me to try new food and also gives me inspiration for cooking too.
Let me know what you've been loving over Summer!
Loves. Emma.