My Recipe Book | Lifestyle WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023 With celebration season (Christmas to New Year) in full flow, it's about time I introduce you to our staple cocktails. First of all - Merry Christmas and Happy and New Year! I hope you have a lovely holiday season, and spend time doing all the things you enjoy! And second - let's get straight into my Top-Pick cocktails: Cocktails Espresso Martini 37.5ml vanilla vodka 12.5ml Tia Maria 60ml fresh espresso 10ml sugar syrup Shake vigorously with ice. Strain into glass and top with three coffee beans. Love Potion 40ml lemon-flavoured vodka 20 ml Chambord 25ml (or more to taste) cranberry juice Shake vigorously with ice and pour to serve. Adorn with cranberries or dried fruit slices. Classiqué Daiquiri 70ml light rum 40ml fresh lime juice 20ml simple syrup Rub glass rim with lime wedge and dip in fine sugar. Shake liquid vigorously with ice, and strain into prepared glass. Garnish with a lime slice. Cosmopolitan 60ml citron vodka 25ml Cointreau 50ml cranberry juice 50ml lime juice Shake liquid vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. Citrus Aphrodisiac 1 lime, quartered 1 tablespoon honey 40ml Damiana liqueur 50ml Rhum Barbancourt 90ml fresh tangerine juice Squeeze lime wedges over a chilled old-fashioned, short, glass, and then drop them in. Add the honey and Damiana, and muddle with the limes. Fill the glass with ice, and pour in the rum and tangerine juice. Stir briefly. (Vodka) Martini 60ml vodka 15ml dry vermouth Green cocktail olive Stir the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain over a chilled cocktail glass. Run lemon peel around glass rim, twist it over the drink, and drop it on with an olive for garnish (or just skewer the olive and set in the glass). EXTRA: for a Dirty Vodka Martini, add a dash of juice from the olive jar. Passionfruit Martini 37.5ml vanilla vodka 12.5ml Chambord 50ml passionfruit juice 10ml lime Whole passionfruit Mix liquid ingredients and the pulp of half a passionfruit in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled glass and top with the other half of the passionfruit. Lemon Drop 40ml lemon-flavoured vodka 30ml Cointreau 50ml fresh lemon juice 25ml fresh orange juice Rub the glass rim with a lemon wedge and dip in fine sugar. Shake cocktail vigorously with ice and strain into glass. Garnish with lemon spiral. Mocktails Apricot Mocktini 60ml apricot nectar 25ml fresh lemon juice 25ml fresh orange juice Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist lemon peel over the drink and drop it in to garnish. Beach Breeze 120ml pineapple juice 60ml fresh lime juice 60ml cranberry juice Pour the ingredients into an ice filled highball glass, and stir. Squeeze a lime wedge over the drink and drop it in to garnish. Ginger-Citrus Buzz 40ml fresh lemon juice 40ml fresh lime juice 60ml fresh orange juice 3 slices of fresh ginger Shake liquid ingredients and fresh ginger vigorously with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with candied ginger. Hangover Cures (sort of) Whilst I tend to stick to a few cocktails and then head onto soft drinks, for those who like to indulge a bit more, I have a few (hopefully helpful) hangover-remedies, to at least take the edge off. Green Tea and Ginger Boiling water 1 or 2 green tea bags 3 thin slices of fresh ginger OPTIONAL: 70ml orange juice Chilled club soda is desired (fizz can be beneficial) In a small saucepan, bring the water to a slow boil and add the tea bags. When you remove from the heat, add the ginger. Cover the pan and steep for five mins. Drink as it is, or refrigerate until the liquid is cool. If cooling, strain the tea into a glass with ice, and add orange juice and soda (if desired). Peppermint tea (to help the digestive system and ease headaches and nausea) boiling water and fresh peppermint leaves

Create the yummiest Emma Chamberlain inspired charcuterie board. After seeing Emma Chamberlain create one of these snack boards, I felt inspired to give it a go myself. Aside from the fact that I needed to actually buy a board, as I am far from a 'culinary wizz' and so own nothing of the sort, the ingredients were all things that I had lying around. This was the ideal simple, easy and quick show-stopping piece that looks far more impressive than something that takes twenty minutes to bash together should. It makes the perfect accompaniment to a glass of wine in the garden with friends. So on these sunny summer evenings, it makes the ultimate 'trick up my sleeve' when it comes to entertaining guests. - INGREDIENTS - O French Toast Crackers O Mini Pretzels O Cucumber O Cherry Tomatoes O Green Olives O Green Grapes O Strawberries O Pistachios O Hummus O Edam O Cream Cheese O Dill O Feta O Honey - METHOD - 1. Cut the strawberry stalks off, half the tomatoes, slice the cucumber, and cube the edam and feta. 2. Place the feta in a ramekin, and drizzle with honey, placing it in the top-left corner. 3. Lay the French Toast along the left-hand side of the board, curving around the bottom-left corner. 4. Place the olives in another ramekin and squeeze the dish into the curve of the French Toast. 5. Wash the grapes and lay the bunch along the bottom of the board. 6. Chop the dill and mix it into the cream cheese, placing it in the bottom-right corner. 7. Create little sections around the cream cheese, out of strawberries, pistachios and cucumber. 8. In the top right corner, place the hummus pot. 9. Fill the gap at the top of the board with bundles of the diced edam, tomatoes and mini pretzels. - AFTERTHOUGHTS - I found that the key to filling the board effectively was to line the outside well. This meant choosing the right-shaped foods to place in each slot. However, it was also important to not just rely on placing all of the dishes in the four corners, hence having one in the centre of the board. This creates the illusion of the board being a random collection of foods, whilst helping to structure the display enough to fit everything on. Additionally it's important to have a range of foods. I like the mix of fruits and vegetables and cheeses. Being pescatarian, this board did not include any cold meats, but many other board examples do. Therefore, this could be an optional substitution for some of the items. This board went down a treat and due to the structured layout, it was super easy to replenish the foods that ran out the quickest - the strawberries, as well as the honey and feta, were by far the most popular! Why not give it a go! Do you have any other ideas for the grazing board? Any other items to add?

Romanticising is the recent phenomenon that allows something that generally would be dreaded, to be glamorised as something much more aesthetic and enjoyable. Give something a romantic aura, in order to trick your brain into enjoying it more. Having recently completed my Bachelors degree at University, I wanted to share a few of the romanticising techniques that kept me sane. Although I did enjoy studying and academia, the intensity of studying, and the stress associated with it, often left me feeling incredibly burnt-out and unmotivated. Therefore, I quickly curated an ensemble of ways to make studying more appealing. - STUDY DATE OUTFIT INSPO - going on a study date in the autumn/winter - ROMANTICISING TECHNIQUES - 1. Make a vision board Where do you want to end up? Think about your dream job, lifestyle, ambitions. By creating a vision board of all of these things, it can help to drive your focus onto pushing through to reach the life that you want for yourself. Subconsciously, I also found that when I actually materialised those ambitions on a physical vision board, I felt more accountable in actually working hard to achieve them. The goal became more tangible, and so I felt incredibly motivated to work towards it (particularly as I kept the board on display in my University room). 2. Create a calm and comfortable space Tidy room, tidy mind. This is crucial in making sure that you're not overwhelmed by everything around you. Before I entered the heat of the exam season, I would deep clean my room to make sure that it was a calm and clutter-free space to study in. 3. Background noise Find the right background music and noise to fit your style of studying. I tended to gravitate towards classical music playlists. However, I also relied on lofi playlists and the ambience videos of thunderstorms or café sounds. 4. Find study inspiration Whether it's a friend who seems to always have everything under-control, or a character from a show, find your inspiration. How would they study? Rory Gilmore is an example that I kept seeing everywhere during my time studying, and her attitude towards studying significantly motivated me to keep going when I felt burnt-out. 5. Wearing cute outfits Never underestimate the power of a light or dark academia outfit in putting you in the right mindset and motivating you to study. You should dress in the way that you want to be, and that may well mean dressing up, even if you feel exhausted. 6. Study in a coffee shop This is like a step-up from the coffee shop ambience playlists. You can sit with an over-priced coffee in a window seat and crack on with that piece of coursework. 7. Pick a font and colour scheme for your work Having a consistent style for your notes is surprisingly helpful in memorising the work. This also helps in organising your notes, as you have a simple design and structure for how to display them. 8. Have a detailed study plan I always have an A3 plain paper notebook handy, to draw out a grid calendar and plan everything. Make sure to use different highlighter colours for different modules and topics, as well as adding on fun things, like going out and meeting up with friends. As well as this helping to keep you organised, it means that you can see how the hard work will then free up your time to go out and enjoy yourself, or relax, for the rest of the day. 9. Stay organised Invest in a small diary to keep in your bag so you can always have a mini copy of the things that you need to do. I would spend an hour each Sunday to get myself organised for the week. This included cleaning my space, making sure that I had updated my giant calendar plan, and added my weekly tasks to my handy diary. 10. Pretending that you're in a tv show This top tip is oddly motivating. It may seem trivial, but sitting at home in cute PJs and memorising flash cards whilst pretending to be a character studying in a classic teen film, is actually incredibly inspiring. 11. Study with friends Depending on how intense your study session has to be, you could go out and study somewhere with friends. If I was cramming before a test or rushing to meet a deadline, group study was no use for me, as I never got as much done. But if the studying can be more relaxed, then group study is an easy way to enjoy it more, as you're sat with friends, a coffee, in comfy clothes, with chat breaks. 12. Light candles Not only does this create a calming space, but choosing the right scent can help you focus and relax enough to fight through any burn-out or stress that may be clouding your study session. Alternatively, for University rooms with fire alarms, purchase a salt lamp. 13. Having a mix of study activities This helps to break up revision, and makes it easier to focus on the tasks. Memorising is brilliant, but active recall tasks can really help in making sure that the memorised information sticks in your brain. 14. Cleansing your social media Have a wealth of study motivation and inspiration accounts in your feed, and put do not disturb on your phone. I always had allotted rest breaks, in which I would go onto social media or watch something. Often, I followed a two hours on, one hour off rule, in which I would study for two hours and then take an hour off to watch an episode of a show or take a break outside. 15. Study breaks This could be meeting with friends or going out by yourself, but it's a simple way to refresh your mind. Particularly as I lived in a flat during my time at University, I did not have the option of studying in the garden, and so popping out for fresh air was a nice way of decompressing and having a little break. 16. Have a lot of little snacks I was never far from a bowl of fruit or chocolate, and always had a coffee or tea. Even buying the snacks can make up a part of the romanticising of studying, as you can pop out to the shops and pick all of your little study snacks whilst getting some needed fresh air. 17. Use study zoom videos There are many pretend zoom call videos on YouTube with celebrities, that are surprisingly motivating. These videos imitate a group study session, and feel as though there are people studying with you, from the comfort of your own home. The many 'Stray Kids' and 'BTS' versions of these study zoom videos practically saw me through my first year of University. 18. Make detailed notes in your classes Not only will this make studying easier, but it helps you to learn how to easily sieve through and find the relevant information. When you then go through and make your notes neater and formatted, you end up re-reading the material and actively engaging with it to figure out whether it's relevant or not. Interacting in this critical way with your notes helps memorisation, even though it may seem as though it is just a relaxing organisation task. 19. Lots of pillows Against all of the advice I was ever given by my tutors, I tended to study sat on my bed. Not only did this give me more room than I would have if I was sat at a desk, but it was much comfier. The key to this comfort was the cloud of pillows to lean into whilst studying, creating more of a day-bed/sofa feeling in my little University room. 20. Try to enjoy it Much like the other aspects of University life, this is a short and amazing chapter of your life. Even though studying is perhaps the least enjoyable part, it doesn't have to ruin your experience. Although it's easier said than done, changing your mindset to trying to enjoy studying and learning new things, and feeding off of the addictive academic success that comes with it, will help greatly. - AFTERTHOUGHTS - Particularly in autumn, this romanticising of studying can be surprisingly easy. You can study in a café with a hot drink, and then walk back to your warm flat, admiring the orange trees. End your day of studying by lighting a candle, wrapping up in a blanket and watching a movie with a hot chocolate. Make studying as much a part of your day as eating or drinking or going for a walk. It's just another thing on your to do list, instead of it feeling like a chore. Good luck studying - you've got this!

How to make a quick miso soup, except it's not exactly miso soup because the recipe is much simpler and it only takes ten minutes. Whilst I am hesitant to even call this dish a miso soup, due to the exclusion of many traditional steps in making miso soup, I do still include the most crucial ingredient: miso paste. Although this is an over-simplified version of a miso soup, it still holds practically all of the same flavours. Not only does this dish taste amazing, but it has many great benefits for the body. The key ingredient is the miso paste, which is made from fermented soybeans. Although not especially yummy alone, when added to soups or other dishes, it provides an intense salt-y taste. Miso paste is also host to a plethora of helpful bacteria and these probiotics are miracle workers for your gut health. Watch out for over-indulging however, as miso paste is salt-heavy, and too much could actually be bad for you. However, one miso soup a day would offer you the benefits of the probiotics, as well as miso paste being a good source of protein, as it is derived from soybeans. The recommended daily amount is between 1 and 2 tablespoons a day, so the tablespoon that I add to the miso soup sits well within the healthy intake range. Additionally, the other ingredients in the soup only add to the benefits, as you can combine any selection of vegetables that you fancy. - INGREDIENTS - O 1 tablespoon of white miso paste (amazing for gut health) O 1/4 of a vegetable stock cube O 3 handfuls of spinach (full of iron and fibre) O 2 handfuls of baby chestnut mushrooms (high in Vitamin D) O (you could add cubes of silken tofu or chicken as extras or alternatives to the mushrooms) O Boiling water - METHOD - 1. wash the spinach and mushrooms. 2. add boiling water and the stock cube quarter to a pan. 3. boil and mix until the stock cube has fully dissolved. 4. stir and dissolve the miso paste into the boiling stock. 5. add the mushrooms and spinach into the broth, and leave to cook. 6. once the spinach has wilted, take the soup off of the heat and pour into a bowl. - AFTERTHOUGHTS - I love this soup. It feels super healthy, whilst also being super yummy. It's quick to whip up, and makes an easy addition to your day. Aside from being a quick, refreshing, healthy and filling soup, this miso soup provides so many nutrients and vitamins that you body will be grateful. What other ingredients do you think we could add - let me know if you try it!

Your new go-to quick and tasty cookies. Not only are these cookies super yummy, but they are REALLY easy to make! With only 5 ingredients, you can quickly whip up a batch if needed at short notice. - INGREDIENTS - O 140g sieved icing sugar O 1 egg yolk O 250g softened butter O 375g sieved plain flour O 2 squeezed oranges/clementines (a classic Christmas fruit) and the zest OR 1 squeezed lemon and grated lemon zest OR 2 tsp of vanilla extract (if this makes the dough too much of a liquid, add a tad more plain flour) - METHOD - Add icing sugar, egg yolk, butter, orange juice and zest (or alternative flavouring) into a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the flour and mix until it forms a dough. Wrap the dough and chill for 25 minutes whilst you heat the oven to 190C/170C fan. Cover 2 baking trays with baking paper, and roll out your dough on a floured surface to about 1cm thickness. Cut out your desired shapes - these could be pumpkins for Halloween, candy canes for Christmas, hearts for Valentines. Bake until lightly golden, for around 10-12 minutes. Leave biscuits to cool, and then ice the cookies (icing can be as simple as the classic mix of icing sugar and hot water, however you could also try mixing orange juice and icing sugar for each flavour). - AFTERTHOUGHTS - These cookies are not only super easy to make, but they are versatile for any occasion. I used a circular cookie cutter when I gave them a go, but you could easily use a themed cookie cutter for a Christmas or Halloween party treat. Additionally, these cookies would be the perfect home-baked Valentine's gift. You could make little heart cookies and wrap them up as a gift. Did you give them a go?

Pumpkin spice latte season is upon us. As someone who burns easily in the Summer sun, the onset of Autumn is like an early Christmas present to me. Not only does it stop me from having to hide from the sun, but some of my favourite things are in Autumn and Winter. It becomes social acceptable to drink hot chocolate at any convenient time, as well as the weather permitting you to wear the cosiest oversized jumpers and trench coats. Additionally, Halloween is the first celebration that kicks of these colder seasons for me, only to be followed up by our all-time favourite holiday, Christmas. However, it is not always easy to go and buy a bunch of new decorations and transform your entire home into an autumnal haven. Personally, I prefer more subtle decorations, which are quick and easy to put up and eventually take down. Therefore, I have created a small guide to Halloween. Initially, I have detailed some small and homemade decoration ideas, some of which are more autumnal than Halloween-themed, and so can be kept up all Autumn. Then I have added a short list of Halloween night activities. Even if you want easy to set-up Halloween and autumnal decorations, there is more that you can do than light a few pumpkin-spiced candles (although I do love a pumpkin-spiced candle). - SMALL DECORATION IDEAS - O Little trinket dishes I recently bought a trinket dish with a pumpkin design and it adds a little autumnal feel to my room, without taking up too much space. These dishes can also be washed and used for Charcuterie boards (see my Charcuterie board recipe). O A few pumpkin corners Buy a few little stuffed pumpkins or make them yourself (see later in the article about how to make pumpkins from socks) and place them in small corners to create little autumnal 'nooks'. O Themed cushions for the centre of the bed Invest in an autumn themed cushion to place on your made bed. This adds an instant autumnal feel, without needing to decorate very much. Additionally, you could purchase some themed bedding and make even more of a statement. O Autumnal candles It's the pumpkin-spiced candles' time to shine. This is a simple and effective way of giving your home that cosy and warm feeling. - HOMEMADE DECORATIONS - O Pumpkin bunting How to create your own: Cut out the template that I have designed and included at the end of this article. Cut along the solid lines, fold along the dotted lines. Fold the paper inwards and bring up so that the points marker with an 'x' meet together at the top. Cut a long piece of string. Tie these top points together with your string and tie the pumpkin along, about 20cm apart. Now that the paper pumpkins are firmly tied along the string, draw little faces with a pencil or pen (If you are using coloured card, a pen would work best. For tissue paper, the pen may spread and so try using a pencil). O Classic pumpkin carving Although this should be done closer to Halloween, so that it lasts until Halloween. O Sock pumpkins How to create your own: see my blog post on DIY Sock Pumpkins. O Ghost balloons How to create your own: Take a white balloon and blow it up. Place the balloon inside the end of a pillowcase, leaving the end of the pillowcase open. Now to create the floating part of the 'ghost', you will need to tie the pillowcase (roughly the centre of the pillowcase) to the base of the balloon. This will make the pillowcase around the balloon tight, and leave the rest floating loosely beneath the balloon. For an additional step, you could stitch a thread through the top of the pillowcase (be careful not to catch the balloon as you stitch) and then use this thread to hand the decoration around your home. - WHAT TO DO ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT - O Halloween pizzas I have been seeing a lot of Halloween-themed pizzas on my feed, and my favourites have to be the ghost shaped pizzas and the pumpkin shaped pizzas. These are incredibly easy to achieve, and you can simply shape the dough and then add your chosen toppings. O Halloween cookies using Halloween shape cookie cutters (check out my short and easy recipe for orange zest or lemon cookies) O Halloween movie night Collect all of your favourite horror or comfort movies and binge-watch them with a hot chocolate and snacks. O Apple-bobbing An old-school favourite Halloween activity. O Make your own candy store for the night Create your own candy store by picking all of your favourite chocolates and sweets, placing them in lots of little bowls, and having a make-shift pick and mix. I look forward to knowing if you gave any of these ideas a go, and any ideas that you had - Happy Halloween!

Lifestyle | DIY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023 Short but sweet - an easy autumnal DIY. Need a quick, last-minute decoration idea? I've got you. Grab a clean, fluffy sock and start by stuffing other socks inside until it gives a rounded effect. Tuck the open end of the sock at the bottom of the sock ball, and begin to wrap string around the sock to give it that pumpkin shape. Make sure to begin wrapping the string from the open base of the sock, and leave the end of the string loose. When you have wrapped the string in regular intervals to give a pumpkin shape, tie the two ends of the string together at the base of the sock pumpkin. For extra effect, squish a stick into the web of string at the top to act as a stalk. The cutest little pumpkins!

Lifestyle | Must Haves WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2023 Grab your hats and scarfs - it's getting cold! As the weather gets colder and the nights get darker, many of us will be switching out our wardrobes and getting ready for six months of cosy days and nights. With this comes a number of different essential items, compared to the iced lattes and bikinis of Summer (but make sure to keep using your favourite SPF even in the winter sun!). - MY ESSENTIALS - 1. Cute mug Because what else would you have a hot drink in? 2. Trench coat Not only is this the 2023 Autumn fashion-item of the year, but trench coats are super practical. They're a fashionable way of keeping warm in the colder months of the year, by covering most your body from the elements. 3. Hot chocolate This is a staple in Autumn, as a hot chocolate is the perfect end tot he day as the nights are getting colder. Recently I picked up the Starbucks Hot Chocolate powder, and it is well-worth a try. 4. (Dark Academia) Book such as Donna Tartt's The Secret History We're entering Dark Academia season! Schools and Universities are back, the evenings are darker, the weather is colder, and dark coloured clothing and tights are back in fashion. In short, Autumn is the perfect season for reading a (Dark Academia) book in a café when it's raining outside. 5. Scarf This is an unquestionably crucial Autumnal item. 6. Cardigan Cardigans act as an extra layer for those intermediate Autumn days where it is not quite cold enough for a coat yet. However, it can also be an extra layer under a coat for those extra cold days where a coat does not feel warm enough. 7. Knee-high boots I love that knee-high boots are coming back into fashion, with every fashion girlie on Instagram owning a pair. Not only is it a dream to be able to wear fluffy socks wiht these boots and no one would know, but they make wearing a skirt and tights much warmer. 8. Beeswax candles These candles produce much less smoke than other options, and do not produce chemicals when they burn. Therefore, they are the perfect way of creating a calm and cosy evening ambience. 9. Hair bobble Particularly as the weather gets windier, these are essential. By tying up your hair, you also prevent it from becoming tangled whilst tucked under a scarf. 10. Fluffy socks The perfect item for cosy nights at home in PJs, or for when you wear knee-high boots or Doc Martens. 11. Gloves Similarly to a scarf, gloves are a vital Autumn must-have. 12. Baking cookbook Spending the weekend or an evening baking is the perfect Autumn activity. Particualrly wiht the colder weather, a kitchen with a warm oven heating up the room is the perfect spot int he house. Therefore, get that cookbook open and bake some yummy snacks and treats. 13. Pumpkin-everything Pumpkin-spiced lattes, pumpkin-spiced candles, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cushions, pumpkin carving. It truly is pumpkin season. 14. Conkers Although this may well be an old wives' tale, there is a theory that little piles of conkers in the corners of your house can deter spiders. 15. Umbrella Perhaps one of the most practical items on the list, considering that Autumn weather is notoriously unpredictable. I personally am so happy that it's Autumn and have already started drinking my evening hot chocolates. I hope that these essentials help you get into the Autumn-mood!

Lifestyle | Travel WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2023 One of my favourite places in the world (but by bus). I love spending time in the Lake District, and when I was younger we often used the open-top bus. These buses are the perfect way to take in the gorgeous surroundings and explore the local area. Having not gone on a bus trip for quite some time, I conjured up the idea of a self-designed bus tour, taking us to a few of our favourite locations. Particularly if you're staying in the Ambleside region, this bus tour gives you a lovely route through some of the key spots of this incredible location. If you're visiting the Lakes for the first time, it also gives you a small insight as to what is around. I also recommend browsing through my Lake District café recommendations, as this highlights some of the best coffee spots for you to try out. - BEFORE YOU START THE TRIP - O Have a quick research to make sure that you have an idea of where you are going. O Look at the timings of the bus, as this will help you to plan when to leave and when to arrive at each stop. O Check the weather! This is particularly important if you are hoping to catch an open-top bus. - THE JOURNEY - 1. starting the day off at Ambleside bus stop Head to Kelsick Road in Ambleside, and wait at the Bus Interchange Stop for the Lakesider 599 bus. This will act as your first and last stop on our bus tour. 2. Grasmere Stay on the bus for a few stops and hop off when you get in to the centre of Grasmere - coincidentally right in view of our coffee stop, Mathilde's. Also make sure to explore Grasmere, and particularly pay a visit to the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, which is famous for its unique gingerbread, created by Sarah Nelson in 1854. When you are looking to begin the next leg of the tour, the 599 buses are one of the more regular buses in this part of the Lake District. Therefore, if the first bus you see isn't open top, I would recommend waiting for the next, so that you can enjoy the open top bus views for this next part of the journey. 3. Bowness for lunch Once we reached Bowness, we headed off to a hotel restaurant recommended by my Grandparents. I often forget that you can wander in and eat in a hotel restaurant, and this restaurant was well worth the journey. We sat outside and had a beautiful view of the boats passing along the glistening water of Lake Windermere (as seen at the bottom of this article). 4. Rydal Hall You will have already passed this stop on the other side of the road whilst heading to Grasmere, however on the way back to Ambleside, you are on the easier side of the road to hop off and pay a visit to Rydal Hall. Rydal Hall hosts an incredible garden and vast woodlands (free to the public, donations welcome), including an Instagram-worthy waterfall. A small room was built to frame the waterfall perfectly. This room, named 'The Grot', was built by Sir Daniel Fleming in 1668, and became a favourite spot for William Wordsworth who found it to be a place of inspiration for some of his poetry. 5. back to Ambleside The last stop takes us back to where we started (perfect if you have parked your car here). We hopped off of the bus and grabbed some baked goods from the Apple Pie Shop and Cornish Bakery for dinner, before leaving Ambleside after a long day of travelling and exploring. I would love to know if you try this bus tour! I'm also thinking of trying a self-designed bus tour again, finding a new route with new places. So let me know if there's anywhere else in the Lakes that I should look into.

Lifestyle | Guides WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023 Not exactly chestnuts roasting by an open-fire, but I love to snuggle up with freshly baked cookies to watch a movie. Let's begin our countdown: 1. Bake cookies This is the perfect way to kick off the festive season. I would recommend following my recipe for Zesty Cookies, as these do not spread in the oven, and so will keep their shape if you use a Christmas cutter. 2. Christmas movie night There is no better way to spend your evening! I'm not really the biggest fan of 'Christmas movies' (I know, it's strange), but I do love a cosy, Autumn/Winter comfort film. You could choose to watch some classic Christmas movies, or mix it up by having a Harry Potter marathon, or binging your favourite series. Snuggle up with some snacks and relax! 3. Christmas pyjamas A staple Christmas activity. Buy some matching Christmas PJs and get cosy. 4. Drive around to see the Christmas lights This is a childhood-favourite activity, as there is nothing more festive than looking at all of the gorgeous Christmas lights and choosing which house decorations are your favourite. I particularly love when people have the cute light-up reindeers. 5. Go late night Christmas shopping Alongside the shopping, you will get to see the Christmas lights and decorations adorning the high-street. 6. Wrap up and go for a walk Grab your hats, gloves and scarfs and head out for a chilly stroll. 7. Go to a Christmas market The onset of Christmas markets is a marker for the festive season, and most cities will host their own. However, there are also many famous Christmas markets across Europe, which may be worth a trip (if you are looking for a festive get-away). 8. Make a Christmas cocktail For those over-18, there are so many festive cocktails to try out! They are also warming for these colder months. However, many of these cocktails can be made into alcohol-free mocktails for under-18s and non-alcohol drinkers. 9. Gingerbread house This is likely one of the most festive activities to do, as the gingerbread house is an iconic Christmas image. Notoriously difficult to build, these gingerbread houses will be both fun and challenging (and really yummy). 10. Pop your Christmas stockings out Get ready to collect your little stocking presents. 11. Making Christmas cards This is an activity that you would do earlier in December, and then you could send out to your friends and family. 12. Cover your home with fairy lights Add a bit of sparkle and brightness to the cosy winter evenings. 13. Make your own snow globe A little bit trickier to make than other types of decorations, but you end up with a really cute, Christmas-y decoration. 14. Make paper snowflakes Another type of decoration, except this one is a lot more straight-forward to create. Cut and fold a circle of paper, and cut various little patterns into it. Then when you open it up, you should have a pretty snowflake design.

You will never see me without my trusty handbag of (definitely not) essentials. Recently, I've seen the 'what's in my bag' videos flooding the internet, particularly with students heading back to University and showing their daily study essentials. Whilst I'm no longer at University, I was interested to see what exactly I kept in my bag. It was surprisingly interesting, as I rarely think about the items that I carry around with me. After having a proper look at what is in my bag, I've decided that I definitely need a clear out and maybe a handbag organiser. - INSIDE MY BAG - 1. Headphones This is my number 1 essential item. Particularly when I'm out alone, I have to have headphones on me at all times to listen to music (or a podcast if I feel like I need something longer to listen to whilst I'm on public transport). 2. Claw clip I always like to keep a claw clip on me in case of a hair emergency. You never know when a gust of wind will turn your cute blow-dried hair into a bird's nest, or when there's a giant bowl of pasta that requires your hair to be firmly tucked away to fully enjoy it. 3. Hand sanitiser Even before the recent few years, I kept an anti-bac of sorts handy. There's nothing worse than going to eat a pastry for breakfast, and thinking about the number of public doors that you had opened just before. Therefore, besides the obvious sanitary benefits, this little essential means that you can enjoy that croissant with the peace-of-mind that your hands are clean. 4. Hairbands These are often in my bag as I tend to wear them out, but take them off after a short time wearing them. However, they remain in my bag because you never know when they will come in handy (aka I always forget to take them out). 5. Hand cream Particularly as the leaves turn orange, the weather becomes very drying for skin. Colder temperatures mean that access to hand cream is super useful to keep your hands moisturised at all times. 6. Portable charger I tend to forget to charge my phone before I head out anywhere, so a portable charger can be a god-send. 7. Pocket diary I often like to have my life planned to the minute, and so a pocket diary is a (truly) essential item to have on me at all times. 8. Purse An obvious item (because how else would I buy a hazelnut iced latte without my purse?). 9. Sunglasses I cannot go anywhere without sunglasses - although they tend to live on top of my head, as opposed to in my handbag. 10. Lip balm Similarly to hand cream, in these colder months, lip balm is crucial. Recently I took my lip balm out of the tin it came in, and squashed it (very unprofessionally) into an empty lip balm tube, so it was easier to use and throw into a bag. 11. Jewellery Generally the collection of jewellery in my handbag is made up of a random assortment of jewellery that I have taken off throughout the day, never to be seen again until I randomly stumble across them. 12. Compact mirror I cannot count the number of times that I use a compact mirror throughout the day. It provides a much better, and less awkward, method for checking make up than trying to subtly look in my front camera. What am I missing that you can't live without (I am always open to suggestions of more things that I should buy)?

A little list of activities to do around Sheffield. With Sheffield hosting two universities, much of the city is orientated around student activities, with many bars, clubs and pubs. However, this is not where everyone would want to spend their time when they visit the city. Particularly when people came up to stay with me in Sheffield, I would have to think of things to do, outside of these classic student activities. Of course, cafés and brunches were always high on the agenda, but this is a little weekend plan for a weekend stay in Sheffield. - WEEKEND EXPLORING OUTFIT INSPO - Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter - ITINERARY - 1. Saturday morning: Brown's St Paul's Chambers, hills.hoping.effort [whatthreewords location code]. Begin the weekend with some brekkie in Brown's! I recommend the fruit and yogurt pancakes or the pastry board. Brown's is situated opposite the Peace Gardens and a short walk from the Winter Gardens – one of the city centre’s main attractions. 2. Saturday activity: Chatsworth House Bakewell, powering.vague.outright. Chatsworth House is one of the must-see locations nearby Sheffield, and before you even walk into the main grounds, you enter through the restaurant. In the same entrance courtyard, there is also a little converted-carriage café, offering teas, coffees, juice and ice cream. We had the homemade soup from the restaurant, which is made from vegetables that are grown in the gardens of Chatsworth House. Additionally, we booked a buggy ride around the Chatsworth House gardens, and I highly recommend this. Not only did we see the entire garden this way, but we had an hour long history tour of the gardens and House, which acted as an incredibly interesting counterpart to the beautiful House grounds. 3. Saturday evening: Ego 88 Surrey Street, tubes.actors.ends. We ventured into the town centre and had dinner in Ego Mediterranean. The location looks into the Winter Gardens, and provides a summer-y vibe. The food is also delicious, with the Greek salad coming with a whole piece of feta that you break up yourself. The Ego cocktails are also slightly larger than most restaurant cocktail sizes, and I highly recommend the Lemon Drop. We followed up the main course with the mini dessert and a [decaffeinated] coffee, which was the perfect amount to finish the meal. It was the Eurovision final on this evening for us, so we went back to watch the final. However, there are many bars and cocktail bars within the centre, which could be a further evening activity. 4. Sunday morning: Marmadukes 42 Cambridge Street, mime.harsh.stuck Of course we had to visit my favourite place in Sheffield – Marmadukes. We arrived not long after the café opened for the day, and watched as the fresh pastries and cakes were delivered (which is pictured in the opening image of this blog post). Our party had a teacake, the breakfast sandwich and I had a pain au chocolat, as well as lattes and an iced latte. It is the most relaxed start to the morning and set us up for the day. 5. Sunday activity: Botanical Gardens Clarkehouse Road, found.chops.dips. We only had the morning to explore on the Sunday, and so we went to the Botanical Gardens, which are another must-see location in Sheffield. These gardens are just down the road from the accommodation that I stayed in, in my first year of university, and so it felt very nostalgic to go back. The Gardens in Sheffield are beautifully designed, and the Glass Pavilion (pictured) is home to hand-watered plants from all around the world. 6. Sunday lunch: Marmadukes 42 Cambridge Street, mime.harsh.stuck. After a walk around the botanical gardens, we decided to head back into the town centre and go back to Marmaduke’s for lunch, having seen the toasted sandwiches in the counter earlier that morning. Whilst waiting for the sandwiches, we filled up one of the aesthetic water jugs, as well as having coffees and iced tea. The toasted sandwiches themselves were lovely, and I can highly recommend the pesto, sundried tomato, and mozzarella one. What would you add into your perfect weekend away?