Living for the Good Life: chester

Showing posts with label chester. Show all posts

A couple of weekends ago me and B finally arranged a catch-up and decided to start the day off with brunch at Carluccios, one of my favourite places to eat out at the moment.

As usual when we get together, the waitress had to come back and forth a number of time before we were ready to order because we were too absorbed in our conversation that we hadn't even looked at the menu!

For drinks we both opted for bellinis, which were like nectar from the Gods. I drank mine far too quickly and promptly ordered another...it was a Saturday after all!

After much conversation and deliberation, B opted for the Eggs Royale, which after one bite she stated was the nicest one she'd ever had. I went for the herb frittata, with added grilled tomatoes.

It was hands down the best omelette I've ever had, and it takes a lot for me to be impressed by an omelette, trust me!

We devoured the food and the drinks, and were left thoroughly satisfied.

After our brunch, we proceeded to do what we do best - shop and enjoy each other's company.

Love you, B! x

If you read my last blog post, you'll know that I've been pretty stressed recently and life has been, well, challenging for me. Not challenging in the typical sense of the word or I guess what most other people would see as challenging, but for me it was my version of challenging. Not having my own space was a real struggle for me, as I'm one of them people that really like my own space when I want it, and not being able to suddenly retreat to my bedroom was really frustrating. Anyway, to stop babbling, I have my bedroom, and thus my sanity, back!! A month and about three weeks later, but hey, it's back! I have a new carpet and new ceiling, and it's much improved. The day it was completed I literally power-walked back home to put all my furniture back together and in place and spent the evening decorating. I thought I'd share some pictures with you, because I'm just so pleased with it and so happy to be back with my own space.

As I said in my last post, I've recently fallen in love with Nars during my multiple Space NK trips. One of the things I had been eyeing up was the Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Studio Palette, swatching it and swooning over it time and time again, but never actually buying it. The perfect excuse/opportunity came up a week or so ago when I received an N.dulge N.centive via email, and on top of that I was feeling a little ill so L wanted to treat me, and I finally got my hands on it.

The box it comes in matches the actual packaging, and although I'm slightly unsure of the image, it's nowhere near as creepy as the Tearjerker eye set.

The packaging is beautiful though, and feels wonderfully luxurious - weighty, but not too heavy. When you open it up, it's even more of a beauty.

As you can see it comes with 7 products: A highlight, contour, bronzer and four blushes.

For some reason they don't name the highlighter on the back of the product, but the contour is Paloma and the bronzer Laguna. The blushes from left to right are Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita.

I've used all but two blushes so far, and can confidently say it is an amazing palette.

I'm particularly taken with the Dolce Vita blush, which gives a gorgeous deep flush to the cheeks, perfect for this time of year.

I have to say I am marginally disappointed with the highlight, having expected it to have some kind of sheen or shimmer. Instead it is more of a matte powder, which offers little highlighting properties, for me anyway. I've been using it to powder under my eyes so at least I've found another function for it I guess.

I tried to do swatches for you but they seemed to payoff lightly on my fingers and the lighting was poor to say the least, but here's my best efforts. Ever so inconveniently it's in reverse order, starting from Dolce Vita on the left and going backwards through the blushes and then through to the bronzer, contour and finally the highlight.

I'd highly recommend getting your hands on this palette if you're as much into face products as I am at the moment. It's brilliant value but it's also limited edition, so get it whilst you still can!

As a little late treat for graduating, L offered me up a budget to pick a goodie of my choosing. I've be in and out of Space NK like a mad woman recently and the sales assistants are starting to recognise me, which is equally embarrassing as it is comforting. Anyway, in my many visits I'd been eyeing up the Nars range, which in all honesty I'd never given any real scrutiny to before. I own the Orgasm blush, which I adore and have had for 3 years or so, but apart from that I've had nothing else. I was in the mood for both a new lipliner and a new eyeshadow, and turned to Nars to satisfy my cravings.

A lover of gold eyeshadows, I opted for one of the Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in the shade Himalia. It's a gorgeously smooth applying eyeshadow, in a sort of antiqued gold. It looks lighter in the pan compared to how it applies, going on to the lid more antiqued and bronzed. I can imagine that this is incredible applied using a slightly damp brush to give a really impactful look. It's just passable for daytime wear, and I especially love it patted all the way around the eye to give an almost-but-not-quite smokey eye.

For lipliner, I wanted a sort of nude-but-more colour, one that was fine for daytime but a little but more noticeable than my usual Mac Subculture or my Kiko. I opted for the Patong Beach Velvet Lip Liner.

It's a slightly brick toned nude-red, that could be worn daytime for a bit more of a done-up look, or night time for a 'I've made an effort but not too in your face' vibe.

My only problem with this is that it definitely requires touch up. I'm used to more nude tones that I can just leave and eat and drink and not think about, but this one does need to be watched. I made the mistake of wearing it during a busy day at work and caught myself in the mirror towards the end of the day and it was all kinds of blotchy. Not good. Apart from that it's gorgeous, and I'm really pleased with both products.

May this be the official happy start to my love affair with Nars...

I'm a tesco girl, have been since I started uni, and it's rewarded me over the years. Whenever I get my clubcard points through I use the boost system and convert them into restaurant vouchers, and this time I managed to redeem £30 worth for Zizzi. Not bad I say!

So, me and L headed out for a dinner date, chuffed in the knowledge that the bill would be pretty much on Tesco.

We asked for our favourite table, the one by the window (because we're both nosey), and perused the menus.

It had been ages since we'd been to Zizzi and I was thoroughly craving their delicious offerings.

For drinks, L ordered the Passion Fruit Punch, and I the Sicilian still lemonade, as always.

After much deliberation from L, and little from me (I may or may not have already looked at the menu beforehand and chosen what I wanted...keeno), we placed our orders.

We opted for a starter and a main instead of a main and pudding, and were not disappointed with our choice.

I felt like something different, something other than my old faithful bruscetta, and opted for the fonduta formaggi, which consists of 'a melting pot of gorgonzola, gruyere and pecorino cheese with 'little soul' bread for dipping'.

I was equal parts delighted and horrified at how much bread came with it. Delighted because I am a unashamed bread fiend, but horrified for my waistline.

It was delicious and I completely devoured the bread, leaving a little cheese and instead using the last 'little soul' to mop up a dreamy mix of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic. Though I have to admit I kept offering up bits of bread to L to try and quell my bread-overdose guilt.

L went much healthier and decided on the calamari.

Which he said was good, but didn't have a notch on Piccolino's.

After we'd greedily polished off our starters, our mains arrived.

I chose the superfood salad, swapping the goats cheese for mozzarella, and adding a side of tuscan potatoes.

It tasted just as good as it looks. Though note the additions of MORE little soul bread - I simply felt obliged to leave these as I kind of felt that 6 rolls of bread was ever so slightly excessive, even by my standards.

Hilariously, due to his last minute decision-making on his main and being flustered by the waitress suddenly springing upon him, L mis-read the main dish he ordered.

Expecting a dish of baked pasta to arrive, he was very shocked to see the most ginormous calzone plumped in front of him. Especially as he'd never had calzone before and was bemused to what exactly it was that had been given to him for a minute or two.

Nevertheless, he thoroughly enjoyed the beast of a dish, and astonishingly managed to polish off the lot! I was impressed, and I think he was too - noting that it should have been an eating challenge it was that monstrously big!

We left feeling incredibly full and satisfied, got back home and immediately threw ourselves into bed, falling asleep in no time, knocked out in food comas.

Thanks Zizzi, and thanks Tesco!

On Friday it was my graduation for my undergraduate Sociology degree and of course, it was a brilliant day!

I started the day by getting my hair done at Andrew Collinge, with my favourite hairdresser Louise, so that already started the day off on a good note.

I got my hair cut slightly shorter than usual, but I love it as it's made it feel a lot healthier, thicker and fuller, which it really needed.

Anyway, after the hairdressers I went home and did my make-up, put on my new French Connection dress and new heels and was ready to be picked up by my mum and step-dad. They arrived and came up to my flat and surprised me with some lovely graduation gifts!

I knew I was getting a bracelet from Chlobo, my favourite jewellery brand, but the rest was a surprise.

The bracelet is so gorgeous and it matches loads of my other jewellery, as well as my new tattoo...which you'll be seeing shortly!

They also got me a bottle of Cava (they wanted champagne but didn't have time to buy it hahaha. Apparently it's a nice one though...)

As well as some lovely Decleor goodies.

Presented in a beautifully presented box.

The Hydra Floral BB Cream.

As well as the Aroma Confort Moisturising Body Milk.

I'm really excited to try both of them out as I've never used anything from the brand before.

On top of all this they also got me some fridge magnets from Stratford-Upon-Avon, which I'd specially requested because I'd lost some of my old ones.

I'm a big fan of Shakespeare and I think he's highly under-appreciated these days by my generation, which I think is mainly down to his use in English lessons in school, which makes people fed up with him, unfortunately. Luckily I was brought up with him and will forever hold a love and appreciation for his work.

I was so grateful for my gifts, and after opening these we all headed off to collect my graduation gown and get pictures taken.

After having our pictures taken, we all headed off to either the Student Union (my grandma and grandpa went here to watch a live stream of the graduation because unfortunately they couldn't get tickets), or to the Cathedral for the ceremony.

I met my course friends and we took our seats within the Cathedral, whilst my mum, step-dad and dad took theirs.

The cathedral looked magical, like something out of Hogwarts.

The ceremony took place in all its splendour, and I took to the stage to shake the Chancellor's hand and receive my certificate.

Afterwards, the obligatory pictures with family began.

And I proudly showed off my certificate.

Once the photoshoot was done we headed for a quick coffee to perk ourselves up and then it was off to Piccolino's for a celebratory meal - myself, the boyfriend, my grandma, grandpa, step-dad, mum and dad.

It was a perfect day and evening, and we all left feeling very merry and content, with bellies full of food and wine, and I was officially a First Class Bachelor of Science in Sociology.

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