Can we talk about : Ocean's 8

After lots of days of fangirling the day had finally come where I got to see the long awaited all female empowering Ocean's 8. Let me tell you something, this film was so hyped I thought it was going to meet my expectations... however, sadly this film was underwhelming! 

Firstly, I solely wanted to watch this movie due to the fact that it had been heavily advertised and with it's all star female cast Rihanna, Anne Hathaway and Cate Blanchett to name a few, I thought this lineup was going to be awesome! 

It's based on the 'MET Gala' ball which was held in New York and eight ladies try and steal a Cartier necklace. 

Having watched the film which was a slow 1hr and 51 minutes, I thought the movie was a slow starter but picked up towards the middle and end. I felt the cast tried too hard in the beginning as it was too intense however, the fun and comedy elements were far and few between. 

For me Anne Hathaway and Rihanna really stood out and the wardrobe certainly had the WOW factor!  (I mean if the movie featured the 'MET Gala' why wouldn't the outfits be AMAZING). 

There were guest appearances from no other than the Jenner- Kardashian sisters and the Hadid's, it was and you'll miss it moment! James Corden also made an appearance albeit a minor role.  

I'm glad I got to watch it even though it didn't get to meet my expectations, some of my friends really enjoyed it! I recommend that you go and see it and make up your own mind, but this was not for me. 

I think I would've enjoyed it more had it been shorter say 1hr 30 mins and a bit more lighter in mood to match the comedy element of the movie. As a one off I think this works, but compared to the previous Ocean's franchise it was a brave move to have an all female cast, I just hope the storylines are better should they try this format again. 

Maybe cut down on the all star cast and focus on the storyline. 

xNx

Drinks and Dinner (Birmingham edition) : Gusto and The Alchemist

Hello and welcome back to my blog, it feels like ages since I've last written, but you can blame my exams for that! Now that exams have FINALLY finished, I thought I better share my trip to Birmingham with you lot. 

As I have wanted to go to The Alchemist which is a restaurant and cocktail bar with a Chemistry Lab Theme and Gusto which is an Italian restaurant  with my family for a very long time (I've already been to Gusto with my friends), I thought this was a good time to go since we were celebrating end of exams!! The best thing about going to these places is that both restaurants  are right next to each other so we went to The Alchemist for drinks and Gusto to eat without having to walk to far!

The Colour Changing one (R)

The Colour Changing one (L)

We first went to The Alchemist for cocktails,  which is a restaurant and bar, where the drinks are AMAZING!! The staff give you a drinks menu which is in the form of the Periodic Table (I know it's very cool) and  the drinks are split into sections (Summery Drinks, New Classics, Fruity, Creamy, Spirits, Non-Alcoholic, and Drinks to Share), so there's something for everyone! Every drink is unique and some come with a Chemistry themed container, eg, flask and glass jars. Some drinks are prepared with dry ice and bunsen burners, I never thought I would enjoy Chemistry so much!

Since I wanted to show my family how scientific this restaurant was I decided to go for a drink which was from the fruity side of the menu called The Colour Changing One.  I honestly did not know what to expect, but when I saw the two flasks I knew the drink was going to be incredible. The waiter told me to pour the blue flask in first, then the clear flask so that's exactly what I did. 

When I tell you that this drink was smoking, you're going to think I'm joking, but honestly I'm not! The second picture (on the right) shows what the concoction looks like when both the flasks are poured into the glass, and you may not be able to see but it turned a lovely lilac colour,  it was very smokey due to the dry ice. It tasted very nice indeed I definitely recommend the drink if you decide to go!

While I had the colour changing drink, my cousin opted for the drink which came with a flask you get to keep called 3.5oz Of Happiness! Now the picture on the left pretty much focuses on the flask (the main star of the show) but I thought it was pretty cool that the cocktail comes out of the flask and the drink is very well presented as you can see in the picture on the right! I had a little taste of the drink and it was a very nice cocktail - it was very fruity and refreshing. 

3.5oz of Happiness (R)

3.5oz of Happiness (L)

Bubblygum (R)

However, since my mum was driving, she opted for Bubblygum (a Mocktail). I didn't think her drink was going to be very surprising since it was a Mocktail, but I  was very surprised when I saw the flask with the drink in. She also had dry ice in her glass, therefore when she poured her drink in it became very bubbly as she got too excited and poured it all in very quickly!! I also had a taste of her drink and it was very refreshing and tasted a lot like bubblegum (shocker). 

Bubblygum (L)

 Finally after the drinks we went over to Gusto's for something nice to eat.  I didn't take very many pictures of the food, but honestly the food is delicious!!! The decor of the restaurant is very nice (as my dad pointed out), it looked very authentic and traditionally Italian and classy but I think the main star of the show had to be the Tiramisu dessert!

I've had the tiramisu once before with my friends and when I tell you it's a dish I wouldn't mind eating daily, you know it's something special! I definitely recommend this dessert because it's literally like you're eating a cloud it's just so light and fluffy, and you can barely even taste the alcohol in it!





I hope you like this review of the first segment in the new series of Drinks and Dinner! I really recommend you to go to both The Alchemist and Gusto. The Alchemist and Gusto that I went to are on Colmore Row in Birmingham, but I know they have an Alchemist in London, Liverpool, Manchester and lots of other places.

If you have eaten at any nice places that you would like to share, comment down below!

xNx

Favourites: Netflix shows

Since it is coming to the end of 2017, I thought I would begin this series by reflecting on my four favourite Netflix series that I watched over this past year! 

1.  Pretty Little Liars 

After 7 years of watching this series, the series came to an end and to tell you the truth I was very sad about it! I loved watching it and the attachment I had made with all of the characters was just too strong, I had to let go and wave 'goodbye' to the PLL gang for good. In April, when season 7 came to an end, I was so eager to watch it that I stopped myself going online. I did this because American episodes came out on the Wednesday, and English episodes came out on the Thursday, so I didn't want to spoil it by going on Twitter and finding out who -'A' was!!! Unfortunately, I failed. I was angry with myself but decided to watch it anyway because I had never seen the character myself.  The ending was bittersweet but I'm glad it ended on a good note for each of the characters. 

Reasons to watch: good plot twists, good characters, good storylines, fashion sense is fantastic (Hanna's and Aria's are my fave) and if you like a good high-school drama filled with issues relevant to today this show is a good one to watch!  I also loved the character relationships they had with each other.  

Reasons not to watch: bad ending to the final episode, you can't binge-watch all 7 seasons in one day and you might just get attached a bit too much to the characters which may be bad when it ends as you prize yourself away! 

2.  13 Reasons Why 

After I had watched the trailer, I knew I wanted to watch this series! I had never read the book, but the storyline appealed to me, and plus Selena Gomez had produced it so I thought it would be more 'watchable'. I remember watching this and getting my friends in on it, but while I had watched some of the episodes, some of my friends had binge watched all of the episodes. I then had to watch them to catch up with them as I wanted to talk about it with them and get involved in the gossip. I loved the acting and loved how they conquered issues such as mental health and suicide, and the way it was presented really stuck with me! I loved how each of the characters got their own tapes, and how their own stories with Hannah intertwined with each other. I loved it, but I didn't like how the characters own stories stuck with me, and how after the show ended, the story still seemed to go on for me. 

Reasons to watch: good plot twists, good character storylines and  loved how they talked about relevant issues. You can binge-watch Season 1 in a couple of days. 

Reasons not to watch: after something so intense your mind goes overboard and it feels like it has affected you, issues which people might not like are prevalent. Intense and emotional to watch as it feels very real. 

3.  Gossip Girl 

I have always wanted to watch this series after I watched parts of it on NCS about a year ago. I started watching it in the summer, and to be honest I watched Season 1 and part of Season 2, but I stopped after watching part of the first episode  of Season 2! I don't know why I just stopped watching it, but I think it had something to do with how obsessed I was with some of the characters!!! I will continue to watch this in 2018, as I need to know what happens in each of the seasons.  It was so good, and I recommend anyone to watch this! 

Reasons to watch: characters fashion sense (especially Serena), high-school drama, cheesy but brilliant to watch! Loved the setting of it as well as the characters relationships!

Reasons not to watch: 6 Seasons (so you cannot binge this in a day) 

4. Riverdale 

I heard other people talking about this, but I had never really watched it until I gave in! It was like any other teen- filled drama that I had seen but with a completely different concept and I loved it! I instantly fell in love with this series, as it followed a bunch of teens trying to solve a mystery over who shot Jason. I loved the season 1 finale, and I have loved watching Season 2, however, I NEED BUGHEAD to get back together (if you know, if you don't I recommend watching this). I hope it gets even better in 2018!

Reasons to watch: Cole Sprouse, teen filled drama, intense, Cheryl's personality, Toni's hair. 

Reasons not to watch: Relationships that you've got attached to are no more, exaggerated scenes that might not happen in real life and scenes might be inappropriate for how old the actors are supposed to be in the series (e.g. Betty's pole dancing scene- a 16 year should not be doing that).  

After such a good year in TV I hope 2018 has more shows to offer!! If you have watched something that you think I might be interested in, comment down below and I'll check it out!

xxNxx

Sweater Weather: New Buys

River Island ~  https://www.riverisland.com/p/grey-faux-shearling-biker-jacket-707222

Miss Pap ~ http://www.misspap.co.uk/cordelia-mustard-ruffle-neck-cropped-knitted-jumper/

Misguided ~ https://www.missguided.co.uk/brown-ribbed-chunky-knitted-jumper-10072251

Topshop ~ http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/brands-4210405/adidas-6008354/crop-logo-hoody-by-adidas-originals-6865137?bi=20&ps=20

Misguided ~  https://www.missguided.co.uk/red-zip-detail-oversized-hoody-10062198

Misguided ~ https://www.missguided.co.uk/yellow-roll-neck-jumper-10064252

I've recently  bought these items due to the fact that I basically had nothing wintery in my wardrobe to wear. I love all these items, and am looking forward to wearing them and feeling warm! 

I love the colours as I feel I am capturing Autumn by wearing these clothes; these items are super soft and super cosy, and not what I would usually buy! 

I'm excited to be pairing these items with a comfy pair of jeans and converse, and I'll probably pair the jumpers with a black skirt, tights and Chelsea boots. 

I'm looking forward to the weather turning colder as I know I'll be warm wearing these items!

xNx

Pandora: Disney Collection

These three pictures are of the Olaf Pandora charm that costs £55. This charm is apart of the Disney range that Pandora has just brought out here in the UK. The charms start from £15 and go up to £100 and there are so many different charms to pick and choose from. 

You can go for a Lilo and Stitch charm to a Cinderella dress charm to a Mickey and Minnie Mouse charm; the choices are endless! I came across this collection as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and ended up clicking on the link as I wanted to see how many different charms you could get and the different Disney characters you could choose from, however, on the website, I wasn't that interested as it seemed that all the charms were targeted for couples. 

I waited until I saw my friend and discussed it with her and she agreed with me and said it was pointless getting a charm, as I wasn't in a relationship. I was disappointed but knew she was right, as I wanted a Disney charm, but was sad to think that they only catered to couples! 

Fortunately, I met up with another one of my other friends to shop, and we walked past the Pandora shop and I discussed having a Pandora charm to her.

 We both started to walk into Pandora and I immediately fell in love with what I saw in the shop display, as they were advertising the 'Disney' range. However, I started to ponder about getting a charm as I wanted my bracelet to have a few more charms on it, as I have only just started wearing it again because I have more charms on it. 

She then suggested we go inside to see if they had more charms and I agreed, I think I knew I wasn't leaving this Pandora without a Disney charm! (They were just too irresistible not to get). We walked in to find a glass table filled with Disney charms! We started looking, and I was having a hard time choosing wether to get the Olaf charm (which fitted my bracelet aesthetic to a tee ~ think girly rose gold with silver charms) or a Cinderella charm (this was also girly but Cinderella wasn't my favourite Princess). I had a hard time deciding, do I go for the Christmassy charm or the girly Princess charm?

I decided to go for the Olaf charm since that was the charm that complemented my other charms, plus the fact it was nearly Christmas. Although my friend said it was technically Christmas so I felt extra Christmassy when buying this charm in October! 

I now know that the Pandora charms aren't just for couples, and that you could treat yourself to a charm if you are just a Disney Buff or just buying it for a really good friend whose favourite Princess happens to be Cinderella, Belle, Elsa or Anna! The prices aren't that bad, Pandora caters for all budgets. I recommend you to go into a Pandora store and have a look at the Disney charms, or maybe even buy one for yourself! 

xNx

My September Favourites

Hello, it feels that I haven't blogged on here in a while - and I kinda miss it. So for todays post, I thought I would share what my September favourites were! It feels like I've blinked through September because it's gone SO QUICKLY!
But, September has always been my favourite month, one because it's my birthday (I'm not being biased) and because Autumn begins, which means Christmas is around the corner! This means all the winter shows begin, and you can snuggle up in your favourite blanket while drinking hot chocolate with the fire on! Oh what bliss.....
However, before we get to that stage, I need to tell you about my favourites, so without further ado:

My first favourite is the Bilou 'Coco Coconut' body fragrance 

I first saw this body fragrance on Zoella's 'Huge PO Box Opening video' and knew I had to purchase this, the packaging was too pretty! t. I knew it had to be good because of the fact that it was featured as part of Zoella's PO Box Haul, I mean which person wouldn't want to send Zoe their products! She is the most famous British YouTuber and a great advertiser at that! 

So, after ages of pondering, I managed to go to my local Superdrug and find the fragrance there! OMG it smells like coconuts (as you would imagine), and smells like the summer that has just gone! I have literally been wearing this when I haven't been wearing the Stradivarius perfume! I love how subtle the scent is as it's not overpowering  and how you can pop it in your bag and touch up your scent. 

Second favourite: Stradivarius perfume 

As it was my birthday, one of my parties was going out with my friends to shop in Manchester which led to me and my friends planning where to go in the Trafford Centre, and one of the places we decided to was called Stradivarius. This was because my friend loves to shop in there and since I always liked her perfume, I thought I would get myself some, and I did! It smells amazing, very peppery and like an aftershave, which I love but I promise that it is actually a perfume and not an aftershave! I love the scent, and it was what the shop was fragranced with, which made shopping in there more appealing. I got the big bottle of the perfume since they didn't have any smaller bottles, but this has got to be my favourite scent as I wear it all the time! I don't think I've ever loved a perfume so much, this perfume smells amazing; the scents Sandalwood and Lavender really do go well, and sometimes I think I overdo it but I really don't care, I love it too much!! 

Third favourite: Bilou 'Fizzy'Berry' Shower Cream 

Again, another Bilou product which I also found on  Zoella's PO Box opening video! I wanted to get a variety of fragrances, and when I went to Superdrug, I picked up the fizzy berry, coco coconut and candyfloss! I still haven't used the candyfloss fragranced one, but will do when I finish the tubs of all my other shower gels. However,  as I can choose which body cream I'm feeling, I always grab the Bilou one as it moistening my body less time consuming, rather than putting cream on your body than massaging it in, you can shake the cream till it reaches the foam consistency, then squirt out the correct amount and massage that onto your body. However, I do feel that you have to work very quickly with it as the foam loses its consistency after a while which makes it more difficult to work in. Apart from that, I love it as it leaves my body smooth, soft and smelling amazing!!

Fourth favourite: Pandora bracelet 

Since it was my birthday, I got some new Pandora charms, one which I was gifted from my parents which is a cute little 18 charm, another was one that I got myself which is a rose gold flower and my friend gifted me the 3rd rose gold charm with lots of little flowers on. I wanted to put this into my favourites as I am wearing the bracelet more and since I have bought or been gifted more charms. (I was originally gifted this present 2 years ago for Christmas and haven't worn it since my 18th). 

 I wear it more, so that people can see how my charm collection is expanding and I love wearing the bracelet with pride, as I love showing my friends how the charms they got me look on the bracelet! It makes me want to buy more charms now.  

Fifth favourite: Heart Charm bracelet 

Another birthday present from one of my friends. I love this bracelet as it is small, as it has a very thin chain, it is also  cute with just a little bit of detailing which is a rose gold heart, and it is on a silver chain which you can tighten depending on how tight or loose you want it. I've worn this bracelet every day as I feel it goes with everything I wear, it's just a delicate piece and I love it! However, I've only ever had to take it off just to my give my wrist a break as I would tighten it too much, now I just loosely wear it. 

Sixth favourite: Unicorn Slippers 

Again, this is another birthday present I was gifted off my parents. The gift came from Boux Avenue which is a shop that does really cute underwear and nightwear. Anyway, they got me the cutest pair of Unicorn slippers, and I absolutely ADORE THEM. I love wearing them as they are fluffy inside and keep my feet warm, also the colours are cute and super girly. Since the dark nights are approaching, I know what I'm going to continue to wear!  And I mean who doesn't like wearing unicorns on their feet!

Seventh and Final favourite : Koala socks 

My final favourite has to be my Koala slippers socks that another friend gifted me as part of my birthday present. I love them because the socks have cute Koala faces on with big, grey pomp-pomps for ears, they're really cute and really soft! I usually don't like wearing bed socks, but these are the softest bed socks ever, it's like you're walking on pillows. I love the colour scheme too.

I love the fact the socks keep my feet warm and soft, and I love the cuteness of the Koala face on the side of the socks!

What were your favourite items in September, and did you like this blog post, I'm thinking of doing more of these in the future!

Thank you for reading!

xNx

THE FAT DUCK

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Bray Berkshire for my birthday celebrations! I went to Berkshire with my family  where we stayed in a hotel called The River Arts club and the interior was so fantastic that I couldn't quite believe we were staying there! I shared a suite with my mum and our room was once used by Heston Blumenthal's sister, who stayed there for a week! The room was called English Garden and the feeling was certainly that with its floral decor!! The exterior looked like a mansion, and when I went inside the room, I was amazed to see how pink the room was, a true girls dream!! 

I loved the country-house feel that the hotel had, it was a once in a lifetime experience!! I would love to go back and stay in the suite longer because I only spent one night there. I did not get the full experience and I couldn't take it all in and explore the city in general as there was so much to see and do and I think a 4 day stay would have been better to get a better experience.  

Once we were settled in our room, we went out for some lunch, there were so many pubs and eating places near the hotel, and later got ready to go out with the family for the evening. The bathroom was so big that I could do my makeup in the mirror and the lighting was perfect so I could see if I had blended out my foundation and contouring enough! 😂 

Once I was ready, we went in a taxi to 'The Fat Duck'. I cannot believe I'm writing the name of the restaurant down because I am still in shock that I was really there! I'm fascinated by Heston Blumenthal and the way he creates all of his meals. I watch him on TV, and it doesn't seem real the things he creates, but it is! You have to see it to believe it! 

When we got to the restaurant, a smartly dressed man walked up to us and and greeted us, we didn't quite know what to think! However, he was showing us to the restaurant, as the exterior isn't obvious, you really have to 'be in the know' to know exactly where you're going! After the man greeted us, he showed us inside the restaurant. Outside it had an air of secrecy about it and once inside, there was an air of people enjoying and oohing and aaahing at the food. Our waiter gave us a map, with the menu inside of it! I KNOW.... MYSTERIOUS!! 

When we were seated, the' experience' began. We ate meals with little stories behind them, and got involved with the activities that came with the experience! It truly was a magical and surreal experience with 4 hours enjoying and experiencing 16 courses (whenever I tell people that they always get baffled) but it really was a fun experience because the waiters told us everything we needed to know about the food which was EXQUISITE!!! Every meal was different, with different flavours, which some people would love and others may not! There is something for everybody! 

  

I loved this experience so much, the food was just something else and the items you took away in their branded 'goody bag' from the experience are collectors items as you know after you've been you aren't going to be going again! I loved how the food told a story and sent us on a journey. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience something new and special to go there as the things you experience aren't normal everyday things you get to experience! I know going to this restaurant isn't cheap but it's really worth it! 

I hope you enjoyed reading this and I hope that you get to experience going to The Fat Duck! 

xNx