Annual Christmas shopping trip

For the last ten years or so, my uni friends and I have organised a Christmas shopping get-together just before Christmas. We usually meet in late November or early December, but we met a little earlier this year due to my impending trip to New York.

Our first few meet ups took place in Cribbs Causeway, and we've also met in Cardiff a few times. However, in recent years, we've met in Bristol city centre as that's the most convenient meeting point for the majority of the group.

Our trip was scheduled in for last Sunday and I decided to catch the Megabus to Bristol. It only cost £10 for a return ticket and it was certainly a lot more relaxing than trying to drive my way around Bristol. I took a photo of City Hall from the bus just before I left Cardiff, purely because of the unexpected rainbow!

It was raining when I left Cardiff, but I was met with brilliant sunshine and blue skies when I arrived in Bristol. I wandered around a couple of shops and made some standard purchases from Lush before making my way to our meeting point on Park Street. I got trapped in the massive Remembrance Day crowd while I walked to Park Street, so I stopped for a while to watch some of the ceremony and to pay my respects by observing the two minute silence.

We all met just before 12 and decided to go straight for lunch. These days, there's a lot more focus on eating and talking than there is on actual shopping during our meet ups. Our go-to restaurant is Pizza Express as there's always something on the menu to suit everyone, so we made our way there immediately.

I ordered a pink gin cocktail and the ragu romana pizza. I don't think my pizza was quite as good as last year's festive beauty, but it was still pretty excellent. To be fair, I don't think I've ever been disappointed by a meal in Pizza Express.

After a long lunch with lots of catching up, we looked around a few of the pretty shops on Park Street. Although I didn't buy much as I've nearly finished my Christmas shopping, I always love looking around the beautiful independent shops and soaking in the Christmassy atmosphere.

I needed to get back to the Megabus stop by 4:30pm, so we finished off the day with a caramelised orange hot chocolate in Costa. Let's be honest, no Christmas shopping trip is complete without a Christmas hot chocolate with all the trimmings. I did accidentally ask for a caramelised onion hot chocolate which was pretty embarrassing, but let's gloss over that part.

I was completely exhausted by the time I got on the bus. I even managed to have a little nap on the journey back to Cardiff which is unheard of for me. I loved catching up with everyone and sampling Bristol's Christmassy atmosphere, and it feels pretty exciting that one of my pre-Christmas staples has already taken place. 39 days to go until the big day!

My TV favourites

I'd much prefer to read a book than watch television. I'll quite happily turn off the TV if nothing takes my fancy and curl up with a hot chocolate and my Kindle.

However, there are a few TV programmes I make an exception for and could watch over and over again. They feel 'comfortable' because I've loved them for so long, and they make me forget about everything else just for a minute. They're a bit like a comfort blanket, you could say.

So, which programmes will always put a stop to my channel scrolling?



1. Friends 

I must have seen every episode of Friends about a hundred times by now, and I'm still not tired of it. I might check if there's anything else on if the episode is from Season 6 or 7 (the weakest in my opinion), but on the whole this is absolutely my go-to TV programme of choice. It makes me laugh, sometimes makes me cry, and makes me reminisce about my house sharing days. It does tend to be on Comedy Central whenever I put the TV on, but all ten series are now on Netflix too when I desperately need my Friends fix. I own all the DVDs, but does anyone actually watch Friends DVDs anymore when it's so readily available everywhere else?

2. Neighbours

I used to watch Neighbours religiously when I was a teenager and a student, then working life got in the way and I didn't watch it properly for about eight years. When I was off sick for a while at the end of 2016, I started watching it again and now I'm completely hooked. I spent hours poring over Wikipedia pages to get myself up to date on all the storylines I'd missed (don't judge me, I was recovering and couldn't drive anywhere!), and now I eagerly watch each episode on CatchUp when I get home from work. The hilarity of the ridiculous situations these characters get themselves and other people in to honestly makes my day.

3. Suits

Neil suggested that we should start watching Suits a couple of years ago. I just pretended to watch it at first because I didn't really like any of the other series we'd started watching on Netflix, but it quickly became a bit of an obsession for both of us. After a lot of binge-watching and 'oh, let's just watch one more' moments, we caught up and watched series 7 in real time as it was aired. Due to the unexpected mid-season break, we've watched the whole six and a half series again over the last few months and we're waiting with bated breath for its return later this month!

4. The Big Bang Theory

Although I don't love The Big Bang Theory as much as I love Friends, it's still one of my favourites. I'll happily re-watch episodes of this on E4 whenever Friends isn't on (or if the Friends episodes are from Season 6 or 7!) and I absolutely love Sheldon and Amy. I can't stand Penny, but let's not dwell on that. I must admit that I don't get all the geeky references and it makes me wish I was more intelligent than I actually am, but I still find it hilarious.

5. Outnumbered 

This programme always cheers me up! In some ways it's very relatable, and in other ways it makes me very grateful for my clean and tidy house. Hugh Dennis, Ben and Karen make this programme for me, but I do think they should have stopped filming before the last series as the children are way too old to be funny anymore. As this one isn't shown as often as the others on my 'top 5' list, I always make sure I put it on if I spot it as I'm scrolling through the channels.

What are your go-to TV programmes? 

A weekend in Milton Keynes

A couple of weekends ago, we travelled to Milton Keynes to visit one of my best friends from university and her husband. They've recently bought their own flat so we were excited about visiting and having a grand tour, as well as making the most of the opportunity for an overdue catch up.

We drove up to Milton Keynes on the Saturday morning and arrived at midday, just in time for lunch! We all walked around the corner to a little independent cafe and passed some very instagrammable architecture on our way there. Fee and Dave's block of flats is next to a canal and the old railway works which means it has some really unique and unconventional surroundings.

When we got to the cafe, everyone else opted for sensible sandwiches but I decided I wanted a sausage, bacon and egg bap because I couldn't stop thinking about it once I'd read it on the menu. It was really really really good... I'd like to think that everyone else secretly had food envy.

After eating our lunch, we went for a wander around the local neighbourhood which included walking alongside the canal and stumbling across lots of tranquil scenery. The weather was surprisingly mild and it was a walk full of picturesque views, certainly very different to the 'concrete' Milton Keynes everyone talks about! 

After walking for half an hour or so, we stopped at the local pub for a drink. We sat outside with our beers and our wines which was a nice change for February, but we were pretty cold by the time we'd finished our drinks as the sun decided to disappear behind a cloud halfway through!

After getting back to Fee and Dave's flat, we settled down and said hello to Fee's hamsters. They're so little and cute and I have no idea why I didn't take a photo of them! In the meantime, Dave was busy cooking in the kitchen and his creation smelt divine...

This was such good food! It consisted of lots of tasty gammon with a homemade onion and mustard sauce, along with all the trimmings. I was ridiculously full after this and even had to turn down dessert. It's rare for me to turn down dessert, believe me. 

After finishing our food, we played Exploding Kittens for an hour or so... don't panic, this isn't as barbaric as it sounds. It's just a very amusing card game which has weird parallels with the much-loved Uno. With all of us being over 30, we started falling asleep at around 12:30am so went off to bed at a fairly decent hour. 

The following morning, we went to the Harvester for breakfast which was lovely as always, although does anyone else get really confused by their breakfast menu options? I can never work out which option gives me the most value for money along with the most food)!

After getting back to the flat, Neil and I said our goodbyes (to the hamsters as well as to Fee and Dave!) and started our long drive back to Cardiff. The roads were quiet so we made it back in just over three hours, and I was in my pyjamas by 5pm. Standard Sunday evening. 

I always love visiting my uni friends, or having them over to visit us, as we don't see each other very often any more due to living in various different areas across the UK. Our weekend in Milton Keynes was no exception, and I definitely need to schedule in some more visits over the next few months.

Have you ever been to Milton Keynes? What did you think of it? 

2016... the good bits!

You know a year has been particularly bad when people start using it as an adjective... 'Oh it was terrible, so 2016!' 2016 has given itself a bit of a reputation for being a lousy year, mostly because of game-changing political events and the seemingly endless stream of celebrity deaths.

Sadly,  aside from all this, 2016 has also been a bit of a personal disaster for me. It started with my grandmother passing away in February, then the whole summer and autumn disappeared in a thundering wave of horrible emotions caused by lots of tests, nail-biting delays and my resulting cancer diagnosis and surgery. When you combine these personal issues with the wider political calamities of 2016, it's hard to look at the year in any kind of positive light. In fact, I'm pretty sure I cried more in 2016 than in all my other adult years put together!

However, before I gladly condemn this year to the rubbish heap at midnight on New Year's Eve, I wanted to find a way to remind myself that 2016 hasn't been ALL bad. That's why I decided to blog about all the good times I've had this year - there have been plenty of them which means the year hasn't been a total write-off. I want to keep all those good times at the forefront of my mind rather than looking back in complete doom and gloom.

Without further ado, here are the greatest hits of 2016!

Fake Christmas

The annual much-anticipated 'Fake Christmas' event took place in January with my university friends. The year had already got off to a bad start by this point as I'd just found out that my grandmother was very ill, so this was a nice distraction with some of my favourite people.

Liz's hen weekend 

I had the opportunity to meet up with my university friends again in February for Liz's hen weekend. We spent the day in London with an underground challenge and afternoon tea, then had a sleepover in the evening with lots of crisps, wine, reminiscing and Cards Against Humanity!

Homes for Wales rally 

This was one work achievement I absolutely had to include in the best bits of 2016. Months of hard work preceded this huge event in March to raise awareness of the housing crisis ahead of the Welsh elections. It all paid off and this was one of my proudest days of the year!

Toronto

We spent a week in Toronto in March and had an amazing time full of sightseeing, spectacular views, Canadian culture and (of course) eating. I would definitely recommend Toronto if you're currently planning your next holiday!

Liz's wedding

I was very honoured when Liz asked me to be her bridesmaid for her and Pete's wedding in March. It was a lovely day (in spite of the torrential rain) and it was yet another chance to catch up with my university friends! Three times in three months... we really were spoilt this year.

Visits from friends

Nicola, Sarah, Liz and Fee all came to stay at various points throughout the year... I love having a spare room with a proper bed! These visits all consisted of lots of laughing, talking about old times, shopping, eating and drinking, and never failed to cheer me up whatever else was going on.

My 30th birthday 

I celebrated my 30th birthday in June and it seemed to go on for about a month. I was lucky enough to have lots of celebrations with different people and I received a huge amount of lovely gifts.

A visit to my nephews 

We visited my sister, brother-in-law and my two nephews in Southampton in July for my youngest nephew's second birthday. It was an unexpectedly sunny day and we had a lot of fun!

Second wedding anniversary

Although our second wedding anniversary was overshadowed by the news of my diagnosis a few days before (and my MRI scan on the day itself!), we still made sure we went out for a nice meal near Penarth Pier to celebrate.

Florida 

We went away to Walt Disney World in September, in between my diagnosis and my operation. In spite of the circumstances, we had an amazing time and were able to spend some quality time together in our favourite place.

Theatre trip to London

Three weeks after my operation, we went to London for a theatre coach trip which include a night away and tickets to see Aladdin on stage. We'd booked it months before everything happened but decided to go ahead anyway as there wouldn't be too much walking for me to do. It was so nice to be out and about again after being confined to the house for so long!

Harry Potter Studio Tour

I visited the Harry Potter Studio Tour in Watford with my university friends in November. It was even better than I'd ever imagined and I definitely want to repeat the experience!

Celtic Manor 

We went to the Celtic Manor for a night away, dinner and breakfast at the beginning of December because we thought we deserved a treat, quite frankly. It was a nice mini break and the Christmas decorations at the hotel were beautiful!

Christmas

I couldn't blog about my highlights of the year without including my favourite time of year... Christmas! We spent lots of time with family and friends, as well as relaxing with each other, and it was nice to finish 2016 on a high. 

So there you have it... obviously 2016 wasn't all bad. However, I'll still be glad to see the back of it and am desperately hoping for a calmer and happier year next year!

What were your best bits of 2016?

Ten reasons to be happy

As more time passes since my diagnosis and my operation, I feel as if I should be improving a little bit every day - physically and emotionally. However, I'm definitely learning that this journey isn't that simple. Sometimes, I feel sad. Other times, I feel angry. Sometimes, it's too hard to be positive and I get fed up of pretending. And, most days, I'm EXHAUSTED.

Although I'm very good at putting pressure on myself and berating myself for not getting better quickly enough, I'm trying to remind myself that this ordeal has been a pretty big deal and there are no set timescales to follow in terms of my recovery. Easier said than done, believe me, but a lot of people have told me I need to be kind to myself and I think they're right.

In order to help me through my recovery and to try to counteract the negative emotions when they crowd me, I'm trying to focus on the little (and big) things that make me happy. I thought I'd share some of those things with you...

1. My family and friends

I blogged about the support of my family and friends last week, and these amazing people in my life are still continuing to support me every day. My support network is definitely something to be positive about! 

2. Christmas is coming

I've always been a huge fan of all things Christmas, and this year I'm even more excited than usual about the festive period. After such a horrible few months, it'll be really nice to end 2016 on a high with my favourite time of year. 

3. Florida 2017

We've booked to go back to Walt Disney World next April and I couldn't be more excited. A huge incentive to keep positive and keep improving! 

4. Hot chocolate

I've drunk a ridiculous amount of hot chocolate during the last few weeks, even by my hot-chocolate-addict standards. I'm steadily trying all the different festive drinks, one by one.

5. My car

I'm now allowed to drive again after having an enforced six weeks off after my operation. I have a new-found appreciation for my car and how much I rely on it! At the moment, I'm mostly using it to satisfy my craving for hot chocolate...

6. Cosy nights in

Our cosy nights in are currently even more welcome than usual as I'm so tired all the time. I'm spending a lot of time in my pyjamas, slippers and dressing gown in the company of our latest Yankee candle! 

7. Books

I'm making the most of my free time and reading book after book after book! Reading always makes me happy and is by far my favourite form of escapism. 

8. Food

Well this is an obvious one (for me)... sometimes, when I'm having a really bad day, the thought of having a nice evening meal or eating out in one of my favourite places makes me feel happier even it's only for a few minutes! 

9. Autumn walks

The weather has been lovely for the most part during my recovery so I've been for lots of autumnal walks. Definitely the prettiest season!

10. My iTunes

On those days when I'm busy blogging or don't feel like watching TV, I love listening to my iTunes on shuffle in the background. Who couldn't be cheered up by the likes of McFly, S Club 7 and B*Witched?

What makes you happy during difficult times? Let me know! 

Restaurant review: Kaspa's

Kaspa's is a dessert restaurant which has two branches in Cardiff - one in the city centre and one on Roath's City Road. At first glance, the restaurant and its retro branding might not look very enticing or impressive. I promise you that first impressions are incorrect in this instance!

I'd been determined to visit Kaspa's as soon as I could after seeing lots of mouth-watering photos on Instagram. I decided to take the opportunity to go for the first time when two of my university friends came to visit as the three of us have a mutual love of food in common. We went for a late lunch at Cafe Citta before relaxing with a few cocktails, then we walked over to Kaspa's just before 9pm.

The city centre restaurant looks tiny and cramped at first glance but, as you're led to one of the many booths at the back, it becomes clear that it's a very long and narrow restaurant with plenty of seating areas. So don't let the gaggle of people hanging around by the door put you off - they'll either be waiting for their takeaway dessert or ogling the display cabinet!

The menu is massive. MASSIVE. You can choose anything from sundaes to waffles to cheesecakes to milkshakes to crepes, with a whole host of side and swap orders to give you even more choice. I decided fairly early on to narrow my options down to the Waffles section just for my own sanity. I figured that I could have a sundae or a cheesecake anywhere, but I've never had a particularly good waffle outside of America.

I eventually decided on the Strawberry Shortcake Waffle... in the meantime, I saw lots of waffles being delivered to other tables and realised what size they were! It's worth noting that, for an extra 99p, there was an option to choose your own flavour of ice cream to go with your waffle rather than Kaspa's standard vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. However, I had a sneaky suspicion that I wouldn't be able to finish the whole waffle, let alone tackle the ice cream, so I didn't go the whole hog this time.

My dessert arrived in no time at all...

Look how amazing it was! This beauty was made up of strawberries, crushed digestive biscuits and white chocolate sauce and it was absolutely heavenly. I couldn't finish the whole waffle as it was so big, but I made sure I ate all the strawberries and the crushed digestive biscuits as they were so delicious. Although I'm not usually a fan of excessive white chocolate, this sauce was really tasty without being sickly and helped to break up the texture of the waffle. As predicted, I didn't even touch the ice cream!

My dessert was £5.95 which I thought was pretty reasonable considering its colossal size, and they definitely didn't skimp on the toppings. You'll generally pay around £5 for a dessert in a chain restaurant and this was much bigger than anything I've ever eaten in one of those (thankfully - imagine trying to eat one of these immediately after a big meal!).

Just one piece of advice... I can eat a LOT, and I couldn't finish this even though I'd eaten my lunch 4 hours earlier. I wouldn't recommend going to Kaspa's straight after a big meal - save it for when you're really hungry or for a few hours after you've eaten.

Have you been to Kaspa's? What did you think? I can't wait to go back!

Birthday haul #1 - gifts I can gaze at!

I turned 30 a few weeks ago and I've already blogged about my lovely birthday weekend. I've been completely overwhelmed by all the thoughtful gifts, cards and surprises I've received from various friends and family members so I thought I'd write a few blog posts to share these gems with my readers.

Although this birthday seems to have gone on for weeks as I've had lots of presents, cards and meals at different times, here's the haul I opened on my actual birthday morning...

Having to arrange your presents neatly before you tear into them is such a #bloggerproblem, isn't it? Not to mention photographing everything after you've opened them... I just tell myself that it'll be worth it when I've published all my posts! 

I'm going to start this mini series by blogging about the birthday gifts I received which I could happily gaze at all day long. It won't surprise you to discover that this post is almost entirely Disney themed...

Chip and Dale Disney Traditions figurine from Neil,

and a Bambi figurine from my nephews. Very cute, I think you'll agree.

A Belle figurine from Nicola. How beautiful is this?! 

Jungle Book canvas from Chris. I can't wait to hang this up!

In addition to these beautiful gifts, I certainly had something to gaze at when I went out for a belated birthday meal with Nicola and Sarah (my best friends from school) last week. I was spoilt rotten with a giant balloon, birthday badge, more presents and a surprise cake - my eyes were like saucers! 

I need to tear myself away from gazing at these gifts to write my next blog post at some point... check back soon to read my post on birthday gifts I can wear!