My Christmas Wishlist!

My Christmas Wishlist

Its that time of the year again - christmas - so I thought I'd do a post about what is on my christmas list for 2013. Obviously I haven't asked for all of these things, but my birthday is also a week or so before christmas so I constantly have family asking me what I want!

1. I absolutely love these Daniel Wellington watches, and hopefully santa will be good and bring me one this year. I'm still massively undecided as to which colour I prefer, this is the Cardiff strap but I also love the St Andrews. I also don't know if I prefer the bigger faced ones or the 'classy' style smaller faced ones so if any of you have one I'd love to hear about it to help me decide!

2. I'm obsessed with Starbucks gingerbread syrup right now, I'm not a big coffee fan so I always ask for it in my hot chocolate instead, and Whittard are doing a similar one so I can make them at home!

3&4 I never used to be a fan of pandora bracelets, and preferred the style of the thomas sabo one I have, but after seeing this brown plaited one I've fallen slightly in love! I think I'd just want a couple of the charms on, and I love these ones, the hot air balloon one is quite quirky but I thought it was so cute.

5. I've seen so many reviews of this palette and it looks amazing, check out one of my favourite bloggers' here. The price tag is a bit steep though and I think if I asked anyone for it for christmas they might judge me, so I'm probably going to wait until after when I have some more money and treat myself, hopefully its still about as it's limited edition.

6. 'One of these things is not like the others'. This must seem pretty random on here, but as it's something I've actually asked for I thought I'd include it! I used to have a SEGA Megadrive when I was younger but somewhere along the line it got lost. Then the other day someone told me that they had one and I was immediately filled with nostalgia, and so asked for one as a present this christmas.

7. Another gift related to my Starbucks obsession, I absolutely LOVE salted caramel hot chocolates. I first had one when I went with my mum to DC a couple of years ago, and ever since I've been hooked! I'm dying to try this hotel chocolat version to see how it compares.

8. A slightly unrealistic gift, but on my wishlist nevertheless, I love the classic Mulberry Bayswater it is such a gorgeous timeless bag.

9. The new Urban Naked 3 palette is high on my list, though I don't actually know if it's stocked in the UK yet! If anyone knows where sells it please tell me!

10. Chanel nail varnishes are my faves, but as they're so expensive its a bit too indulgent for me to buy them myself. I love these two colours,  taboo and blue satin, think they're perfect for winter but also for all year round. 

11. I've wanted a dark vampy coloured lipstick for ages, and so this dior addict one, in black tie, is the perfect colour. I've heard good things about these lipsticks so I'm excited to try it!

Hope you've enjoyed my wishlist, hopefully santa brings me a few of the things! I'm feeling so festive at the moment I can't wait to finish university for christmas.

This is possibly the most belated post ever, but I am determined to blog about my trip to Brighton!

I went with one of my friends for a week at the start of August and I just loved it! Up north we don't really have anything like Brighton - seaside cities so to speak (this is probably completely wrong, but nonetheless all the seaside places near me are small and not quite as nice)

What really impressed me about Brighton though is how great the shopping is! Loads of unusual vintage shops and great little jewellery shops - whatever you want they've got! I fell in love with the massive beyond retro there, I think I could have moved in there it was just amazing. I would definitely recommend checking out The Lanes and North Laine if you enjoy a good quirky shop! 

The food places were also great, I had my first bubble tea which was just delicious and then I stumbled upon this divine ice cream parlour which had the best ice cream on earth, no word of a lie. The one in the picture was a mixture of lychee & rose, and watermelon which were both delicious! The next day I also opted for pear & elderflower which was also amazing! 

Obviously I couldn't resist the temptation of Brighton Pier which was just a short walk from our hotel along the beach! It was so retro with deck chairs to sit on and a fairground at the end! (I also couldn't resist the lure of sticking my arm into this shark - I'm a child at heart)

Also went to this great place called The Painting Pottery Cafe, where you can paint your own piece of pottery! Now we have one of these in York but I've never been - but it was AMAZING. Genuinely had the best time (and it was great to escape the rain). If you are planning a visit I would definitely recommend it, but bear in mind they have to put your pottery in the kiln so it can take a couple of days before you can pick it up. Also, we easily spent a good 5 hours in there so it is really a whole day thing - although my holiday fund piggy bank was quite intricate!

So there's my whistle stop tour of Brighton - if you're looking for a mini break in the UK then look no further :) 

5 places you HAVE to visit in Prague.

So a little while ago I did a post on my trip to Prague, I did post some pictures but didn't really mention much about the different attractions, bars etc, we visited when there or my recommendations. As I've now got my Macbook back (yay!) I thought I'd finally do a post! So here are my top 5 things I did and that in my opinion you just have to do or visit if you are making a trip to Prague (in no particular order).

My photo doesn't do it justice, theres far better on the website

Hemingway bar was one of my favourite places in Prague that we visited, and probably the coolest. Named after the man himself and a short walk away from old town square it is a sophisticated den of leather chesterfield sofas with church candle lighting. When we visited the bar was quite empty, but it was only about 5pm. Nonetheless I quite liked this as the bartenders were really attentive and we didn't have to leave our seat once! (He even took a picture of us all which was lovely)

It seems that they've changed the cocktail menu since we were there and it's making me want to go back as they look amazing (particularly the Applepearska, yum)

'Red Carpet' - served on its own piece of red carpet!

Apricot Jam - in its own jam jar with a spoon!

My Pauline Pfeiffer with a beautiful crystal glass

Though the cocktail menu has changed I thought I'd post some pictures of what we had to show how beautiful the cocktails are and how innovative their serving is! They were all amazing and made with really high quality spirits which I think is always a good thing but especially in foreign countries where the alcohol may have very different regulations!

Here's a video I got from the website-

One of my favourite quotes from the wall - 'Independence is a hell of a drug'

We visited this wall in Mala Strana just at the right time it seemed, as shortly after we had taken photos, it became engulfed by a horde of italian high schoolers (who seemed to follow us around for one day I swear, it felt like we saw them everywhere!). The John Lennon wall was created after his death in 1980 as he became a sort of pacifist hero. It was repeatedly painted over but became a political standpoint regarding western pop music being banned by the communists. In recent years, no one bothers to paint the wall, accepting the inevitability of the art.

Some of the art on the wall is very detailed and intricate whilst others write personal messages or sign their names. There was also a busker there when we visited who sang John Lennon and Beatles songs with a guitar. He was really good and it made the wall seem all that more magical.

Had to throw in a selfie - my jumper is from topshop - I blogged about it before!

Another great and thought provoking quote on the wall

I know this isn't the only Ice Bar in the world, and that there is in fact one in London, but that doesn't make it any less cool. I know the Ice Bar is a bit of a gimmick but I loved every minute of it! Plus it is a lot cheaper than the one in London; at 200CZK per person - roughly £7 including a drink served in a glass of ice.

As you can see they provide you with a coat and gloves (no unfortunately we didn't all buy matching sliver parkas - disappointing I know.) You get 30 minutes in the bar, which is just enough I think, before you start getting a bit too cold! My highlight - cheesy as it was - was the playing of the classic 'Ice Ice Baby' as the last song. It potentially made that day for me! The italian students seemed to follow us here aswell - swear they were stalking us - and one of them actually took off his top and was in there half naked - I would NOT recommend that!!

No editing at all - it is beautiful!

This library is the largest monastic library in Prague, and albeit the prettiest. Just minutes walk from Prague Castle and Cathedral is this gem. The picture above is of the theology hall, with its ornate baroque ceiling depicting the theme of 'true wisdom', and astronomical globes scattered throughout

Unfortunately you can't actually go in the libraries rooms, to stop them from becoming damaged, but the ceiling in the corridor outside is just as endearing. The attendant pointed this out for me to take a picture of which I thought was a very thoughtful gesture!

This is the philosophy hall and was actually built around the floor to ceiling shelving

The philosophy hall ceiling has some beautiful artwork on 'Mankinds Quest for True Wisdom' which is very fitting for a library, and has figures from Adam and Eve to Greek Philosophers.
I can't remember how much it was to get in, but I remember it wasn't expensive at all, maybe about the equivalent to £5? It was 30CZK to take a picture, but this is literally about £1 so it hardly breaks the bank, plus all proceeds go towards the upkeep of the library :) Also, a helpful tip, if you are a student do take your NUS card as you get discounts here as well as other places such as the Jewish Museum - I was stupid and didn't bring mine out and couldn't get the discount :(

St Vitus cathedral is an impressive display of architecture, built over almost 600 years with its foundation stone being laid in1344! The best bit though is that it is completely free to go inside - you have to pay to explore the whole cathedral but you can just go in and have a look for free.

When we visited there was a wedding taking place, and the bride and groom were having pictures taken outside, I hate to think how much it would cost to get married there, but it was very beautiful in any case.

Inside the stained glass was beautiful, in many different colours and designs across the whole of the cathedral - much better than just a clear pane! If you go in and see a small door with seven locks - this leads to the chamber where the bohemian crown jewels are kept, but unfortunately these are not open to the public.


So there it is, my top 5 things to do in Prague. However these aren't the only things we did and there are many other recommendations I would make of places to go: Prague Castle, the Jewish Museum, the 360 bar, the Astronomical Clock and Bar & Books to name but a few!
If you are looking for somewhere to go this summer, I would definitely recommend Prague! :)


Tamsin xo

Returned from the exams abyss

So I've been a pretty bad blogger recently - oops.
In fairness I have had a lot on what with University exams etc, but the final straw was when my Macbook had to be taken in to be repaired (sob sob).  It's still at Stormfront & I'm hoping I get it back soon as I just can't survive without it! (Turns out that yes, I am completely dependent on technology...).

So anyway, I was planning on doing another Prague post, seeing as I have a fleeting feeling of wanderlust, and was hoping that blogging about my past travels would fill the void slightly! However as my photos are on my Mac, and a post without photos is well, entirely boring; I'm having to do something  different instead!

So I'm going to post some of my recent instagram snaps and blog about my recent trip to london (yay!)

1. Salted Caramel Cupcake from Cuckoo's Bakery Edinburgh - The cupcakes here are literally to die for, if you live in Edinburgh or are thinking of making a trip you've got to pay a visit :) Salted caramel was a weekly special but they always have new flavours, I would recommend Sticky Toffee Pudding aswell.

2. My new hand Panja from River Island - I absolutely love this it really makes any outfit look unique

3. Some lovely Gnocchi I had at Earthy Edinburgh (I've blogged about it before, it's such a nice place and I'm gutted I wont be living near it next year!)

4. Macarons from Laduree in London - I have a massive obsession with Macarons, and Laduree's are the nicest!! I got these from Harrods but they have quite a few shops in London including one in Covent Garden and one in Burlington arcade.

5. Green Day at the emirates stadium - it was packed! Apparently this is the first time the Emirates has sold out capacity for a gig - exciting!

6&7. This was definitely one of my highlights of going to London - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed afternoon tea at The Chesterfield in Mayfair! I found this on The Afternoon Tea Club blog (if you haven't checked them out you totally should!) It was a bit pricey but totally worth it, the cakes were delicious: a selection of Willy Wonka themed treats including a blueberry macaron (Violet Beauregarde...), oompa loompa cupcakes, golden chocolate eggs and wonka bars! This was aswell as scones (including chocolate scones that were delicious mm!) and sandwiches.
The thing that really impressed me about the chesterfield afternoon tea is that they were really accommodating to me as a vegetarian! I've been for a few afternoon teas and usually they just give extra of the few vegetarian flavours they usually have, but here they asked me the details of my diet and then brought me a plate of my own special sandwiches!
Also they would restock anything you ate - win! Check out more details here.

8. Trip to the V & A museum - I love a museum, unashamed geek.

9. My new Nails Inc kit! The colour here is a bit off (instagram filter problems...) but its actually a more green colour. It is similar to the nail caviar kits where you dip your nails in glitter to create a beautiful glitzy effect! I did one nail here but it looks amazing on all nails for a night out or special occasion.

So there's a taster of my last few weeks! I'm back from uni now so I'll probably be blogging a lot more (and hopefully I get my Mac back soon!) Including another Prague post... finally!

Tamsin xo

Dove Real Beauty Sketches

Today I came across an intriguing, advert whilst browsing youtube - from Dove. I'm sure everyone is aware of Dove's real beauty campaign, trying to promote that women aren't perfect, and that ,well, everyone is beautiful really.

© Dove

And today I found their new advert:

In the  advert, an FBI trained forensic artist sits behind a curtain and draws a portrait from the subject’s self-description, then he  draws a second portrait of the same women using only the descriptions of strangers, which results in a much softer and dramatically different more realistic picture.

The advert has actually come under fire and caused a lot of controversy in the media, critics have said it simply encourages women to care about what other people think about them. Really it is doing nothing different than its predecessors in the capacity that it is still objectifying women. Similarly, we have to remember that this is an advert, and Dove are still trying to sell us some soap or deodorant. When it comes down to it we can't simply take this message at face value.

All this being said, I must admit I still do love the ad. I think it really rings true with how we see ourselves overly critically and will often blow our perceived flaws way out of proportion in our self deprecation. Advert or not, the message is a powerful one, and it is undeniable that we are our own worst critics. 

Prague

So as you may or may not know, I very recently went to Prague (or Praha as the Czech say) with three of my friends. It was one of the best holidays I have taken and is such a beautiful and amazing city. I can honestly say it wasn't what I was expecting at all - drunken stag do's and a soviet union grey vibe - it was quite the opposite!

This is kind of just a general post with some pics, I think I'll do some more specific ones on where we ate, drank and all the touristy things we did because otherwise this post will be ridiculously long!

We stayed in an amazing hotel, that I would definitely recommend to anyone thinking of making a trip to Prague any time soon called Fusion. It was extremely cool and all the rooms have different themed artwork on the wall. Our room was the Dog Room, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that!

The hotel was right in the centre of the Stare Mesto or the old town, meaning it was really close to loads of the major tourist attractions like the astronomical clock and Wenceslas Square, the only downfall of staying in this area is the lack of tram stops but to be honest everywhere you would want to go is within walking distance as the city centre it pretty compact, and its nice to have a wander around anyway to see all the sights and hidden gems!

The hotel is also a hostel and was very reasonably priced, we got a Jet2 deal in January where they had £50 off holidays so it was a bit of a bargain. I don't have any pictures, because I'm an idiot and forgot to take any but I did find some rather nice ones on the fusion website.

© Fusion Hotels

The reception area was the coolest place ever, and really gives you a feel of what Fusion is like. There were hanging lightbulbs, multicoloured drawers and leather seats covered in cushions.

© Fusion Hotels

This room is similar to what ours was like, it was simple and basic but had everything you could want, including an Apple TV which had loads of films on it to watch, including finding Nemo, which is clearly worth watching 24/7.


The hotel also had a really unique bar that rotated 360 degrees (unsurpisingly called the 360 bar), they had a great selection of drinks and although it was quiet, I imagine it is bustling on the weekends. You could enjoy a shisha by the bar or there was also the 'playroom' which had sofas giant beanbags and a kinect! (Apparently volleyball isn't a hidden talent of mine, who would have guessed). I had high expectations for Fusion but it definitely surpassed them and I would definitely suggest it to anyone visiting.

We got to our hotel by metro which was so cheap (about £1 including a bus), especially compared to the Taxi we got back  (around £6 ea.) but it did take quite a long time as you have to go around the whole airport on a bus before getting to the station, so bear that in mind with time constraints etc. It's also probably a lot safer than a taxi as our driver was pretty crazy and I did feel like we were going to crash many a time!

This post has kind of turned into a hotel review, which wasn't my aim but never mind! Here's some photos  of my trip in general:

The Charles Bridge

View of Prague from the castle

View from the Bridge

Padlocks on a Bridge a la Paris :)

Colourful Houses

Cheeky photo of me, Maria & Naomi after walking up a huge hill! 

Hope you enjoyed this post, Prague really is a beautiful city and its a great place to visit for a short break :)

xoxo Tamsin

Nasty Gal Wishlist

So I've had my eye on a few things from Nasty Gal recently, I absolutely love the stuff on their website but as its based in the US I find it hard to justify buying anything from ther e with the shipping costs! I currently only have one item from them, a gold shiny backless dress, but I can see myself making a purchase very soon, maybe when my student loan comes in....

1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6.

Looking at the pictures there are a lot of black items, letting out my inner goth! Although monochrome is in at the moment so we'll just say I picked them because of that... I can see myself getting some of these but obviously I can't afford them all! I just don't know which ones to choose...

 xoxo Tamsin 

Tonight, the foxes hunt the hounds.

So i'm going to blog about my last couple of weeks at some point but I thought I'd do a post with some of my recent Instagram pictures before I do some more detailed posts!    
It took me a ridiculous amount of time to work out how to get this to all fit, and ended up using an application called 'PicFrame' on my Mac that was only 69p - bargain!

The lyrics from the title are from a song on the new Fall Out Boy album  - Save Rock & Roll - called 'Young Volcanoes' which is possibly my favourite so far (I only downloaded the album yesterday!) It's a really good album and I would definitely recommend you purchase it if you're into that kind of thing!

1. Free prosecco in our hotel room in london!  2. Laduree Macarooms - yum  3. Shakespeares Globe Theatre  4. St Pauls Cathedral from the Tate Modern  5. 'Silence Violence and Violins' @ the Tate Modern 6. My new UO watch  7. Doors in the restaurant at our Prague hotel  8. Cheeky restaurant selfie with my new bright blue Topshop jumper  9. Hard Rock cafe Prague with Justine, my nose seems to have disappeared!

These are just a taste of my last fortnight! Unfortunately I feel my next weeks pictures will be much less interesting!

xoxo Tamsin

Review // Earthy Edinburgh

So this post is a little overdue, but I've been pretty busy lately (my later posts will explain!) However, a couple of weeks ago I visited earthy, a cute little restaurant / deli / store close to my accommodation in Edinburgh.

It's literally 5 minutes from my flat and I pass it whenever I come back from my bus ride to uni, so this visit was well overdue!

I went for lunch so only got a main, but I had the most lovely soup; mushroom courgette and chilli! It was delicious and only £6 - a bargain! It was served on the most lovely wooden board with some artisan bread and butter, my crappy phone picture really doesn't do it justice!

They had loads of other great things on the menu, my flatmate got a sweet potato stuffed with chilli and a rocket salad (amongst other things) that donated £1 to charity for every sale. They also had a great selection of salads that could be combined to make a platter which looked delicious!

All the food is organic, locally sourced and/or seasonal, adding to the great experience.

As well as the food, there was also a great selection of drinks and I opted for a good old Fentimans Rose Lemonade (love their drinks mmm)

The restaurant was decorated beautifully and with a rustic charm, think light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, bird cages, plant pots on the tables and unique vintage candlesticks.

As well as the great restaurant there was also a shop selling locally grown produce as well as other organic and unusual delights, although the prices are quite expensive, alike other health food type stores, some of the fresh ingredients and produce is very reasonable and would be fine for a treat!

I would definitely recommend a trip to earthy if you're about, I visited the canonmills restaurant but they also have a cafe in causewayside and a shop in portobello, you can check them out and find out any more info here. Unfortunately they don't have that much info on their website, but take it from me they are well worth a visit!

xoxo Tamsin 

Worldwide Wardrobe 2013

Today I found a brilliant competition hosted by Travel Supermarket and it is offering some amazing prizes!
All you have to do is create an outfit within the budget of £200 for one or more of the following places and occasions;
- Sightseeing in Paris
- Clubbing in Ibiza
- Shopping in London
- Cocktails in New York
- Partying at a Full Moon Party in Thailand

You can just style up one outfit, or do them all it's completely up to you, so I went for 2, Thailand and New York.

This is my Thailand outfit, what I think would be perfect for hitting up a full moon beach party. I tried to keep the look casual and went for a bright tie dye bikini as the thai heat would call for little else, especially as party goers will be covered in neon paint before the night is over. I teamed this with some Levi's shorts that add a casual vibe, look great with everything and involve minimal effort (and ironing)! I chose the bum bag because although it isn't usually considered the 'coolest' of things, this one is bang on trend and would be really handy for dancing as it wouldn't get in the way but would keep everything safe, nothing worse than a massive bag getting in the way when you're trying to do your thing! I added some statement jewellery, with a hair feather adding a sort of 'bohemian' vibe. Paired with some sunglasses (ray ban copies, but wouldn't want to take real ones!) and finally some gladiator sandals that are both stylish and practical for avoiding broken glass.

This is my New York look, very different to the last! New Yorkers are both stylish and classy so I tried to keep this look both. I originally wanted to find an LBD but I stumbled upon this scarf print mini and thought it would be a perfect statement piece that would fit right in. Although it is reasonably cheap I think it looks way more expensive and could easily be mistaken as designer! As the dress is quite busy I went for some simple black accessories with a pair of heels definitely a must have to keep it as dressy as New York, very SATC. I also went simple with jewellery so as not to overcomplicate the outfit, just some dangly earrings to add a touch of class and bring everything together.

So there you go, hope you like my entries! Some of my favourite bloggers are judging so fingers crossed, if you want to enter you can find details of the competition at travelsupermarket.com Good luck!

xoxo Tamsin

My Current Wishlist

Another completely different post for today, a lust list of some clothes I have my eye on! This month i've given up buying clothes for lent (harder than it sounds, but apparently great for my student budget!). So now I'm ready to burst with the amount of clothes I want! Next weekend I'm taking an impromptu trip to London with a friend so I feel my shopping woes will finally be ended, but until then I'm compiling a list of all the things I've seen and loved!

I love this blazer, i think it would actually be great to dress up jeans or shorts, or maybe over a more girly dress to give it a more 'boyfriend' edge? (Blazer, Topshop £48)

This bright blue cropped jumper is something I wouldn't usually go for, but I saw someone in a similar pink version and was surprised at how versatile it looked! Cropped styles are really popular at the moment, and I think i would pair this with some high waisted shorts or a skirt, and with the current weather theres no need to worry about it being too hot in summer!! (Jumper, Topshop £30)

Another cropped style, but I love this striped crop top, great for day wear or on the night with some dressy accessories! (crop top, River Island £20)

I LOVE this bag, I really do need it in my life as my current handbag of choice is an old bucket bag that I've had so long its actually got pen on. I was considering buying it online, but I think bags are something you really have to look at in person to judge size etc. (Bag, Zara £59.99)

I think this dress would be lovely for a summery formal occasion? The beading is just beautiful! Its quite expensive but for a formal dress I think its quite reasonable, especially with student discount (Dress, Topshop £85)

What do you think of these items? I think my bank balance is going to have some major issues this month!

Tamsin :)