Dear October

You surprised me, that's for sure. In a month where I thought very little exciting or productive would occur, you sprang out of nowhere and gave me just what I needed; a push.

The leaves are still green and the weather is cold but not as biting as you might expect. Not like my studies. The essays bite harder than any frost; nipping at my heels like rabid dogs. But they have been surprisingly easy to remove. One I sat with for four hours, and what seemed like a hard subject to master slowly became more understandable, until the wild, savage dog became a sweet puppy. There are now only two left to tame.

You have shown me true colours. The people who you thought perhaps were friendly can stab you in the back at a moments notice. It hurts, obviously, but I need to learn to channel my inner Merida and maybe let Snow White take a back seat for a while. 

And of course, the phone call you brought. The one which told me I had a principle role in a musical production in Brighton next year. You have shown me that what you always wanted can come to you, the moment you stop needing it so desperately. 

I can only hope that November is the same, if not better for me. The thing I want most is strength. Emotional rather than physical. Strength to believe and strength to love myself, because I think that's one thing that October quietly forgot.

Youtube ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Tumblr

Noodles Soup, Brighton

I have a very quick foodie post for you today coming directly from my boyfriend, because this sweet n' spicy little shop is pretty special.

You know ramen, those noodles you eat when you're at university and you're not due to be paid until next week, but you've managed to spend the majority of your money on clothes? Well this is Super Noodles done right!

You will never want to open another pot noodle again after you try this concoction. 

If you live in Brighton but have never heard of this place, then I can guarantee that you've most likely walked past it without even realising. Noodles Soup is a teeny weeny shop in the middle of West Street (the road leading up to the clock tower) right next to Tortilla. Once you see it, you can hardly miss it's big red sign and giant menu plastered on the window. 

My boyfriend had been wanting to go here for ages and now that I've let him loose he seriously doesn't want to go anywhere else. 

Great big bowls of soup are served to your table. You can pick from the extensive menu by quoting the number, but they're happy to switch out the noodles to other types if you prefer. Our favourite is the spicy roast duck ramen, which has just the right amount of kick without setting your mouth on fire.

Alongside we ordered a plate of vegetable spring rolls which were also pretty marvellous. 

Not only are the bowls of noodles massive, but they are really well priced. A big bowl will only set you back around £7-£8 and due to the high water content they fill you up for the entire day. Not bad for the price, I say. 

BUT, be sure to bring cash with you if you decide to pop in for a visit, as they don't accept cards. Also, they only give you chopsticks unless you ask, so be brave and give the traditional utensils a go! This place is now the reason I have the valuable skill of using chopsticks. 

If you're looking for some super authentic Asian food which is a million times better than Wagamama (seriously, you'll never go there for noodle soup ever again), definitely head down to Noodles Soup next time you're in Brighton.

Youtube ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Tumblr

Photoshoot

A couple of weeks ago, a friend from school who is now a freaking excellent photographer asked if he could take some pictures of me to practise fashion style photography. And I was like...UM YES. 

So we set up a makeshift studio in my bedroom at my parents house and started snapping away. 

Photo Cred: Allie Cleve

I would absolutely love to do modelling as a career, but standing at a pretty puny 5'4" means that that dream is pretty much out of reach. Literally. 

Anyway, the brilliant man with the camera is Martin Brown (no relation, although we once managed to convince a girl at my school that we were married. Yes she believed us), who is extremely talented and you must check out his website for more of his amazing photos. 

Of course it would be pretty lame if I didn't show you the final pictures, so here they are. I honestly feel a bit silly putting them up on here because I never really know how to feel about photos of me. But either way I really hope you guys all like them!

Oversized Jumper - Miss Selfridge

This one became my new blog header, which I have somehow failed to mention until this point even though it's been up for about a week. Would love to know your opinions on it!

Thank you so much to Martin for taking the time out to come and make my face look better on camera than it normally does! All go check out his website and be sure to recommend him to anyone who needs a photographer!

Now, I'm going back to writing my three essays which are due in next Friday. It's hard being a wannabe model...just kidding. 

Youtube ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Tumblr

Hollywood After Dark

My best friend turned 21 today, which prompted a swift return to Kent last week to attend her party. In her true style, the theme was Hollywood Glamour. Allie was my date, and we wandered the lonely streets at night, dressed to the nines. 

Remember I said I loved the backs of dresses, well this one is a showstopper. 

Sometimes the simplest dresses are truly the most elegant. The front is simple, figure hugging and not too low cut, while the back is daring, outrageous and screams for attention. 

I purchased this beautiful number in Essex last year, a shop which used to be in Lakeside but is now closed. I also can't remember the name of the company because I cut the tag out, so basically I'm just pretty useless. 

BUT my clutch bag and shoes were from Dune, and were the ones I wore to my prom. They were from a range called Black Sand, and the heels are covered in Swarovski crystals. The clutch itself is also smothered in the crystals. Because what's Hollywood without a little sparkle? 

My earrings are from Accessorize which aren't on their website but are currently available in store. 

The party was so much fun and it was so lovely to see Olivia for the evening. The food was amazing and she made a Hollywood themed cake that would rival most bakeshops. Sadly I never got to try a slice but it looked so delicious! She even mentioned me in her speech (Go Brighton!). 

Obviously, the photos above were taken at night, so they weren't as good quality as hey could have been. Here are some more where you can see the outfit a bit more clearly.

The evening was beautiful as was Olivia, and I'd like to wish her a very happy birthday! 

Let me know in the comments what your dream party theme would be and what you would wear to it. 

Youtube ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Tumblr

My Little Box by Diane Von Furstenberg

After last month's amazing box, I was extremely excited when I found this waiting for me in my recycle bin when I got home (because mailmen always leave my parcels in bins for some reason). Inside the grubby package was a beautiful white box; the October My Little Box designed by Diane Von Furstenberg. If I'm totally honest, she was a designer I'd never heard of until this box arrived, so I was excited to learn more about her and her work.

In typical My Little Box style, it was all tied up with a ribbon and topped with a gorgeous card quote, this month said, "Be the woman you want to be!" Diane. Along with last month's card, this has been added to the back of my desk. 

It was exciting to see the first issue of My Little World in here, having not received one in the first box. I think it's adorable that they have their own magazine and gives me something to read and enjoy in my spare time.

The next item was this super sweet red lip pin which is supposed to embody confidence. I absolutely love it and it will definitely be finding a place on one of my bags or coats.

On to the beauty products! Again, all three things I know I am going to use which is amazing. 

As always, one of the product is from their own beauty line; My Little Beauty, and it's a micellar water! I was on the hunt for one in shops for a while, so this will really come in handy once I finish my current cleanser. The second item was a handy travel sized hairspray from Kerastase. I'm always in need of hairspray as my other is about to run out. The final product was a purse sized hand cream from one of my all time favourite brands, L'Occitane. It smells absolutely incredible (as do all their products now that I think about it) and I was delighted to see it in the little bag. 

Right at the bottom of the box was a mysterious envelope containing this gorgeous silky scarf. The print is very similar to the scarves you find on Diane Von Furstenberg's website which gives it a very glamorous feel. 

At first, I wasn't really sure if I liked it, so I wore it out to town and it really grew on me. The colours are perfect for the colder months and it's great for when you don't feel like wearing a huge knitted scarf on warmer days. 

Overall, I'm once again super happy with My Little Box! They are on the pricer end of the beauty box scale at £14.95 a month, but it's completely worth it for the amount of care that goes into every box! PLUS, if you get this one there's a 20% code for the Diane Von Furstenberg website, so if you love any of her stuff, it's definitely worth having a purchase.

Let me know in the comments what you thought of this month's box! 

Youtube ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Tumblr

A Birthday at Alec's

Last week it was my lovely dad's birthday and we found ourselves dressed up and bound for Essex for the evening. The evening was bright and I thought I'd take advantage of an outfit I haven't worn in a while. 

This absolutely gorgeous ensemble was bought last Christmas while I was in Dubai and I wore it on New Year's Eve and remains to this day one of my favourite outfits. I think it's mainly because I don't own a lot of dressy short/top combinations, but I think this is as striking as any dress.

The shorts are a super soft satin material which can be worn in either Summer or Winter because as you can see I just stuck a pair of tights on underneath. 

But the top is my favourite bit. All lace with a corseted front, a high collar and of course, backless. I love backless things. 

Both the shorts and the top are from Bebe, an American company where the majority of my favourite dresses are from (including my prom dress), but they do have international stores. Sadly not one in the UK. Because I bought them last year they are now no longer in stock, but seriously, check out their website because their clothes are something else. 

Earrings - Accessorize || Hairclips - Primark || Shoes - Miss Selfridge (No longer available) || Faux Fur Coat - Mela Loves London (at New Look) 

We hopped in the car and headed off to Brentwood, Essex. My dad had been recommended Alec's by a friend and my mum was a bit sceptical, considering she hadn't heard of the place before and it's literally smack bang in the middle of nowhere. 

We entered what looked like a house from the outside, but the inside was a whole different world. Trendy and modern with the bar lined with rows of glittering polished glasses. 

The glass doors which lined the back wall overlooked onto a lush green lawn. If it had only been warmer it would have been beautiful to sit out on the decking. 

We were presented with the menu which was positively huge! I'm all for variety but the extensive selection made it extremely hard to pick what I wanted. Everything sounded extremely scrummy.  

After doing my usual, "I can't decide so please ask everyone else first" to the poor waiter, I finally made a spontaneous decision. Only my dad and my boyfriend were to have starters, which came out speedily from the kitchen.

Carpaccio of Scotch beef fillet, roquette, parmesan, soy and Japanese horseradish.

I took the plunge and had a mouthful of the raw beef, which was actually pretty amazing.

My dad had white crab ravioli with asparagus, tomato, olive oil and lemon dressing. 

Both received great feedback so I was pumped for the mains to come out. 

Both my parents had the grilled monkfish and king scallops with Atlantic prawns and lemon butter sauce. 

Beautifully presented, but the monkfish was a little overdone. However, as soon as my dad mentioned this politely to the waiter it was removed from the bill. Couldn't ask for more than that really. 

The ultimate surf and turf belonged to my boyfriend. Fillet of beef, jumbo tiger prawn and bearnaise sauce. I managed to snag a mouthful and it was one of the best steaks I've ever tried. 

My quick decision led to me ordering the roast fillet of turbot on samphire with hollandaise sauce. I think mine was the best out of everyone's. The fish was rich, fresh and perfectly cooked. 

We also ordered half of the side orders on the menu, because nothing is served with anything other than what it states. We had new potatoes, fine beans and creamed savoy cabbage. 

But the cream of the crop with the hand cut chips. If you order anything on the menu order these. Similar to chip shop chips in style, they are the finest chips in all the land. Trust me, I'm a chip expert. 

We had a quick pit stop for cocktails. 

A fabulously perfect Pina Colada (my favourite cocktail dontcha know). Actually my mum's, but I'm the only person I know who loves glacé cherries, so I had them, as well as a good few mouthfuls. 

My boyfriend had a Margarita which I can tell you nothing about because I would never drink it. I thought he was ordering a pizza for a little while. But he said it was lovely. 

After a short break to settle our stomachs, we moved onto desserts, which I was extremely excited for.

I can tell you now there wasn't a single dessert that wasn't gorgeous. I ended up stealing a bit of everyone's. 

A beautiful strip of perfect lemon meringue tart. Slightly sour lemon with a crunchy base, sweetened by the marshmallow meringue on top. 

Plum tart tatin with vanilla ice cream and smooth butterscotch sauce. Cooked from fresh so it takes a little longer, but it's worth the wait. 

And my first choice, steamed jam pudding with custard. You can't go wrong with a classic British pud, that's all I can say. Very tempted to replicate this at home because it was that good.

Full to the brim we set off for home, back over the QE2 (bonus points if you know what I'm talking about) to roll into bed. 

I cannot recommend this place enough if you are looking for a special occasion dinner. The food is outstanding as is the service. I'll warn you now it's not cheap though, with starters ranging from £10-£15 and mains ranging from £20-£30. The price is a testament to the food, though, and I do believe it is worth every penny. Their lunch menu, is a lot more affordable, however, so I would recommend lunch if you are only looking for a quick bite to eat. 

It's one of those places we never would have found without the recommendation so I'm sincerely glad we were told about it. It truly was a wonderful evening for my extremely wonderful dad. Happy Birthday! 

Youtube ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Tumblr