24hrs in The Peak District

I knew that I wanted a quick getaway right before the kids broke up for school, I also knew that this getaway would be in the country somewhere, so after hours and hours of scrawling through Airbnb, I finally found a gem of a place in the cute village of Storrs (complete with hot tub - a review on this will be coming soon!).

Arriving at 2pm, we were slightly early for our check-in, so we stopped off at the nearby village of Bradfield and had a leisurely stroll. I had previously found a nice 1 mile route on the internet which I had printed off - it had snippets of history and we learnt about the floods that happened years ago as we made our way round. I've never really been one for history but found this really interesting - I definitely know I'm getting older! After this we headed back to the car and onto our Airbnb. After dumping our bags and having a quick rest, we freshened up and drove 10 minutes to a local pub, The Old Horns Inn, which had the best views of the countryside.. the photos really don't do it justice. Unfortunately there were grey clouds looming, so I didn't want to risk dining alfresco so we opted to eat inside.

After devouring 2 gorgeous courses I couldn't wait to get back so I could get in the hot tub. It was so peaceful and the views of the rolling hills were stunning. It was away from our cottage and was private, so there was not a soul in sight.. absolute bliss. We watched the sun set then made our way to the summer house. Damp from the hot tub, we got a little chilly so popped the fire on in there and it was so cosy, completely disconnected from technology and social media. We chatted - something that we don't do often because our heads are always into something, whether it be the TV or our phones. It was lovely to just switch off for an hour, recharge and connect.

The next morning we drove 30 minutes to Treak Cliff Cavern where we went underground to learn about stalagmites/stalactites etc. We then headed another 30 minutes to check out Bakewell - somewhere that I've always wanted to go! We had lunch in the famous Bakewell Pudding shop, then took a walk to the love-lock bridge and ate our Bakewell slices (I couldn't not buy one!).

We popped in a few shops before tiredness got the better of Mike (he had a rough nights sleep with his hayfever!) so began our 2hr drive back home.
We were only away just over 24hrs but managed to cram so much in and feel relaxed at the same time. We said we'd come back in September for a day trip which I'm already looking forward to!

Have you ever been to the Peak District?

Top 5 Tips when visiting Corfu

So I've just come back from a week in Corfu, Greece. I actually visited there many years ago when I was 15, but can't remember a thing. Low and behold this time round, we ended up staying in exactly the same village as last time, or so my Dad tells me.

After an amazing visit to Skiathos last year, I was so excited to explore another Greek island and tick it off my list!

Here are my top 5 tips when visiting Corfu....

1. Visit Corfu old Town
So there's a difference between Corfu town, and Corfu old town. I was worried that I wouldn't know the difference once I was there, but after a quick google, I knew I was in the right place. Corfu old town is where the real traditional quaint Greek streets are, full of little shops, selling an array of items from jewellery to handbags and soaps. Some of the streets are really narrow but add so much character to the place - I could have photographed every street if I had the chance! There's a slightly different vibe there to the actual new town - it feels less cosmopolitan and more laid back and a slower-paced vibe.

Corfu Old Town

2. Choose wisely on where you stay
We ended up staying in a cute village called Moraitika. It had enough taverna's and supermarkets to meet your needs, with a handful of shops amongst them, and a beach to go with it, but there wasn't much more going on. To get to Corfu town was approx 30 minutes on the bus each way, which after a few trips got a little tedious. Although our hotel was amazing, I would definitely look at staying closer to the town if I was to return.

Hotel Grounds

3. If you are into culture, avoid Kavos!
On our last day we spontaneously decided to take a trip to Kavos on the bus, mostly because Mike had visited here on an 18-30 holiday when he was 18, so he wanted to reminisce and see what had changed. I envisioned a rather cosmopolitan place with lots of swanky beach bars (I was thinking Ibiza style), white sands, and lots going on. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was a complete let down and just reminded me of an English seaside resort that just couldn't quite get it right. There was no atmosphere, it lacked the traditional Greek touches such as the tavernas and all the lovely bright flowers they have everywhere. The main 'stretch' of Kavos just looked so tacky and cheap, and I'm so glad I've never chosen to go there as a holiday destination. Luckily though, Mike found his old hotel he stayed at, and even spotted the kebab guy that served him all those 17 years ago after all those drunken nights out! All was not lost!

4. Avoid going all inclusive/half board.
I feel that Greece is a place that has to be explored on all levels, including their restaurants/food. It's not often that we go half board/all inclusive, but I found a really good deal at the time, so on this particular trip we had our breakfast and tea included, which is something I regret. On the night of my birthday we ventured away from the hotel and visited a taverna in the mountains that had really good reviews. When we sat down and had our food brought to us it was then that I realised how much I've missed this side of things. Being able to sample different restaurants is a big thing for me when I'm on holiday, so being half board can get quite repetitive. Greek food is to die for, and their meats literally fall off the bone, and I really missed the excitement of knowing I was dining out every night.

Birthday meal with a view

5. Book a boat trip!
Because we were away for my birthday, I wanted to do something a little different, so we booked a boat trip. These enable you to visit gorgeous lagoons and caves that you wouldn't have been able to get to otherwise. The colours of the water are mesmerising and we had the opportunity to sample another Greek cafe up in the hills with a great view over the ocean. These little nooks and crannies you wouldn't have known about if not for the boat trip. It's a really good way of seeing more of the island and I always make a point of doing at least 1 boat trip on our Greek holidays now. There are of course lots of different boat trips to book, itineraries varying slightly, so you have the opportunity to pick whatever suits you. 

Blue Lagoon

Have you been to Corfu before?

UK Staycation Bucket List

There's something I want to start doing more of, and that's seeing my own country. I've been a bit of a traitor over the years and have visited more countries outside of UK than I have in. However there are so many beautiful places within England that I long to visit, and that list is ever-growing. Here are my top 5 places that I would love to visit within the next year or so..


Bath

I love the look of bath, and how it holds a lot of history. I remember learning all about the Roman Baths as a kid in school, so I'd love to be able to visit them one day! It's a slight trek from us, at a 4+hr drive, but I'm determined to get there at some point. I'd love to visit whilst they had their Christmas market on!


Edinburgh

I've never visited Scotland but again, Edinburgh really appeals to me because it has the perfect mixture of city life and history, with countryside being on your doorstep. I'd love to see Edinburgh castle too, and I can imagine the military tattoo festival would be amazing to watch!


The Lake District

Now this one I've been to on several occasions, moreso when I was a teenager though so I can't remember it too much (and definitely wouldn't have appreciated it back then). My last trip was with work in 2010 for a sponsored hike. We didn't really get to explore too much and 8 years have passed since then, so I think another trip is in order! I'd love to get a cottage with a hot tub and just enjoy lots of walks in the countryside and getting in touch with nature.

The Cotswolds


I'm a sucker for quaint little villages, and this looks like somewhere I'd love to live (how could you not think those houses are cute?!). I don't really know too much about the place but I can imagine walking down all the country lanes on a summers day and admiring all the cute thatched medieval villages and sitting by a lake whilst enjoying a picnic... dreamy.

Cambridge













This one is closest to us, but still a 2.5hr drive, yet somewhere that I've never visited. I like the fact that this is predominantely a university city, but has that quaintness to it. I want to see the boats/punters and I'd find a cute little tea shop and have afternoon tea whilst people watching. My perfect afternoon!

We have started to save for our wedding (yes, he finally popped the question on New Years Day!) so unfortunately a lot of travel plans are having to go on the back burner for a while, so it may take me a while to get through this list!

  

Where would you like to visit this year?

Scrapbooking: Getting creative with Cheerz!

I've always wanted to do scrap booking but its just never happened... until recently.

I was contacted by the guys at Cheerz to review their big scrapbook which of course I didn't have to think twice about. I love getting creative with doodling fonts so I was in my element with this.

The hardback scrapbook is 32cm x 32cm so it's a really good size to get creative. Unfortunately you aren't able to select from various colours/designs, and are instead given a blue book with a gold fleck design. I think this design is quite effective though and adds impact to the cover. As well as your photos, the scrapbook also includes a white gel pen and several sheets of small stickers which enables you to stick your photos in without any mess.

The quality of the book is impressive - solid and hard wearing, with the black card inside being extra thick to help with durability. The book contains 20 pages which was more than enough for me to create a 'story' through my photos.

At the very back of the book is a hidden envelope which is convenient for photo storage.

With your purchase you can select between 30 and 80 photos in order to fill your book. I had the opportunity to select 30, which I found to be too little. Because of this, I padded it out with other smaller photos I had hanging around the house, but which still fitted into my story.
Of course you can go wild with what you want your scrapbook to document - I have a passion for travelling and my partner and I have just celebrated 10 years of being together, so it made sense for me to celebrate 10 years of Travel by documenting it through this book. On the front cover lies a small box which enables you to title it as necessary. I decided to dedicate each full page spread to 1 year of our lives, and showcase where we had been in that year. If you enjoy doodling and getting creative with pens then maybe purchase a second gel pen as a back up. I learnt the hard way - my pen ran with one last page to go! The white gel pen against the black card looks fantastic and really gives impact to your doodles. 

Here's just a sneak peek of how I've designed my scrapbook and the photos I used. Getting creative with fonts helps to add variety to your book and keeps each page interesting. 

I'm really happy with my finished scrapbook and think it'd make a great coffee table book for visitors to browse!

If you want to document your travels, or anything else for that matter, go check Cheerz out. They do a large range of unique ways to showcase your memories. Why not surprise a loved one this Valentines day with a photo of you both? Use the code J8AYNU at checkout for a £5 discount (on all orders over £20).

Happy Snapping!

2017 Overview (inc Photos)

As we roll into a new year we tend to get reflective over how 'good' or 'bad' the previous year had been to us, it helps us to recognise where we may need to improve or even change things up a little!

Here is an overview of my 2017!

January

I started the new year by hosting my first ever roast dinner for more people than just me & Mike. Admittedly it was only for 2 more (4 in total) so I didn't go wild, but I got really good feedback which encouraged me to do a similar thing in the future.
I gave my dressing room a much needed make-over from its old shabby chic interior. This had been a work in progress for a few months, but January was when it all finally came together and I was happy with the outcome. Shame it doesn't stay as tidy as this!
As January came to a close, we booked yet another holiday to America, both to NYC and Florida, somewhere where we'd only just left weeks prior! And of course, the planning started all over again!

February

February was a fairly quiet month. Mike did his first attempt at being romantic on Valentines day by showering the house in love heart sequins (that got everywhere!) - these led to a candle-lit bath upstairs followed by a candle-lit meal cooked by him. We also celebrated a friends 30th birthday at Damons in Lincoln and I had the best ribs I'd ever had. I also treat my niece to a teddy bears afternoon tea - cute!

March

March saw a lot of things change at work, and consisted of a leaving do over gorgeous afternoon tea. I also went on lots of really pretty scenic walks with my mum and discovered that I really enjoyed being outdoors and around nature.

April

April was a good month. I cracked it open with my mums 60th party and enjoyed yet more walks out in the countryside. I began the huge declutter of my beauty products which was so liberating, and also had my head stuck in some good books! We visited a country park that is on our doorstep but one I had never been to before. I treat my mum to a weekend away in York where we saw Motown, had posh afternoon tea and had nice casual strolls round the shops.

May

May was another good month, I caught up with friends over Italian food, spent my birthday in Manchester, and flew to Skiathos the very next day and got to experience the prettiest Greek island I've yet to see - I definitely recommend! It was lovely just having a 'chill holiday', full of casual strolls, eating, drinking and the odd bit of swimming (when I dared to brave the still cold waters!) - so different to our usual action-packed holidays, but it felt good.

June

In June we took a day trip to Harrogate, then to Knaresborough (which was so pretty!). We also treat my dad to a meal at another new restaurant which fast became my new favourite for my local area (this is always worth a mention!). We got on board with healthy eating and begun our weekly food subscription to a fruit and veg box.

July

July saw us do lots of smaller day trips out, firstly to the seaside town of Mablethorpe, we went strawberry picking, and also took a trip to the York Retail Outlets in hope of finding some designer bargains. My mum ate a hot chilli (by accident) in Wagamama's, and tried to play it cool by not letting on, till I noticed her face was red and eyes were streaming. That was a funny moment! I'm sure that will be her first and last visit to Wagamamas!

August

August saw further days out, firstly to Skegness with my friend and her 2 boys where we spent the day on rides, a week later we treat my niece to a day out to York Maze for her birthday which she loved. We had a low-key celebration for Mike's birthday, and my dad built us a fabulous seating/decking area in the garden which is nice and private. We also took my niece and nephew out of town for a picnic and paddle!

September

September was a biggy in terms of travel, a week in and we were flying to NYC for 4 nights. We did the tourist-y bits that we never managed to do on the prior trip. 5 days later and we flew to Orlando and enjoyed some Disney magic, and got to experience our first Halloween Horror Nights in Universal Studios.





October

I spent October catching up with friends over afternoon tea, visiting Hull and taking a trip to a world buffet. I finished my 2nd audio book, and we attended a friends babies' christening.

November

As winter drew near I found myself indulging in lots of naughty drinks full of whipped cream and chocolate, and as the air turned cold I found myself indulging in lots of bubble baths.

December

December started nicely - we stayed overnight in Leeds and saw Ricky Gervais live, and I discovered that I actually quite like him as a comedian. We visited a German Christmas market and enjoyed afternoon tea at The Malmaison in Leeds as well. I treat myself to get my nails done (only the second time ever would you believe!). A week into December and everything changed - Mike's mum passed away from cancer so the rest of the month became a blur. We didn't really 'do' Christmas as such this year - we didn't put a tree up, it just didn't feel right. I did pop a few fairy lights around and a few Christmas ornaments, just to try and keep a little bit of normality. I had 12 days off work and it was nice just to have time with Mike, to offer him comfort and support.

2017 has been a very 'standard' year in most areas of my life - I don't feel like I have progressed in any area as such. Travel wise it has been quite successful, and we managed to make a very small dent in terms of home decoration and getting the house ready to put on the market, but to complete that journey right now feels like a lifetime away.
It's just so sad that the year had to end like it did, so close to Christmas as well. I had a lot of time for Mikes mum, my future mother-in-law. She will definitely be missed.

With such a sad end to 2017, 2018 has begun so perfectly, and if you follow me on social media you'll know why, but I'll share that news soon.

Happy New Year everyone.

Review: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World.

Last year I was lucky enough to experience many people's dreams - Walt Disney World at Christmas time.

After experiencing a few days in NYC, we took an internal flight to Orlando, and spent 2.5 weeks of December in this magical place. Because we knew we'd been spending a huge amount of time in the parks, we went all out and spent extra on tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

We saw the Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, Cinderella's castle adorned in icicles, and collected complimentary festive treats from various stands throughout the park (being the foodie I am, this was my favourite part of the night! Being able to finally sample Egg Nog and eat Christmas cookies is right up my street!)

Egg Nog & Cookie!

The atmosphere was brilliant. The air was filled with festivities, Christmas lights everywhere, Disney characters dressed up in their festive attire, and 'snow' falling from the night sky down Main Street as Mariah Carey's 'All I want for Christmas' softly played in the background (this was truly magical, and definitely a proposal opportunity if there ever was one!).

'snowing' down Main Street

One favourite memory of mine was taking a ride on the carousel at night with Mike, with all the lights glistening, and seeing Cinderella's castle poking through the buildings, glowing in all its glory. This ride gave me time to reflect and people watch, and made me realise just how lucky I was to be there, not just in Magic Kingdom, but to be there at Christmas time.

Unfortunately we never managed to do any meet and greets, but I know this is a huge favourite for many people, because the majority of the Disney Characters wear their Christmas suits, which is something that can only be seen at this particular event.

source - google

The parade, although festive with both the characters costumes and floats, wasn't much different from the standard parades. It definitely got you in the spirit though (if you weren't already feeling it!).

There were smaller shows on throughout the night but we decided to make the most of the short queue times (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train I'm looking at you!).

Do I think its worth the ticket price? Probably not. Although you get to see shows unique to that event, and free snacks and drinks are provided throughout the night, there is only so much you can eat! Admittedly the atmosphere is truly magical, but visiting Magic Kingdom in November/December on a non-Christmas party night will still squeeze that festive spirit out of you! The lights will still be on, you can buy your own festive treats to snack on, as well as see the standard firework display.

I'm glad I can say I've done it, and although it was a magical experience, I wouldn't rush back to do it again.

 

My Top 5 Disney Restaurants

Last Christmas I was lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World and experience the (regular) Disney Dining Plan. Being the foodie I am, for months in advance I meticulously planned which restaurants to dine in, not just because of the food it had to offer, but because of the interior or the experience. Worry not, for those not familiar with Disney restaurants, they're not all fairytale-esque filled with screaming kids and dress-up characters! I dined at a few rather suave candle-lit restaurants with dress codes, exquisite food and dreamy views (and not a child in sight!).

It was hard to whittle it down to just 5, but here are my favourite restaurants on Disney property.

 

California Grill bar, pre meal

California Grill - Steak
 

1. California Grill (based at Disney's Contemporary Resort)
For those Disney nerds out there, you'll know its tough to get a booking at this restaurant because it's so well liked, for many reasons. I remember making this my first priority when I was booking my dining, and I luckily managed to bag myself a booking.
California Grill is based on the 15th floor of The Contemporary Hotel. It has floor to ceiling windows and gives THE perfect view of The Seven Seas Lagoon & Cinderella's Castle in the distance. If you time it right, you can munch your way through your food with the most impressive view of the fireworks from Magic Kingdom. You can even wander out onto the viewing platform outside - and what's even more impressive - the hotel is in sync with the soundtrack in Magic Kingdom, so whatever they can hear in the park alongside the fireworks, you can hear from the restaurant, even though you're a distance away! Unfortunately for us, because it was mid December, it was a little blustery up top, so I could only manage a few minutes in the night air before I had to dash back inside - Next time Cali, next time!
The food is absolutely divine - we ordered steak and it really was the best  (but definitely most expensive!) steak I've ever eaten. It's Michelin star quality for sure. The service was impeccable and I was so glad I booked this on our last night in Orlando, it really was the perfect ending.

 

Do you wanna build a snowman?

 

All the meat!

2. Teppan Edo (Epcot)
This restaurant ticked all boxes for me. The food quality was perfect, it offered a unique dining experience with no Disney cheese (albeit the odd subtle hint!). This is based in Japan around the world showcase. You are in groups of approximately 8, and you do end up sitting with these people, but the way the table is positioned its definitely not awkward (trust me, I wouldn't have done it if so!). You're positioned in a live cooking station if you like, and each group has their own chef, who prepares and cooks the food right in front of you. There's interaction too, if you like - you can ask the chef questions, but I was happy to just sit there (in awe) and watch as she prepared food, made a smokin' Olaf from onions (and sung 'Do you wanna be a snowman?') and prepared our food, right before our eyes. The food was so flavoursome and the experience so personal and unique, this had to make the top 5.

Ohana's lei's (and no, my hair just accidentally fell into Mickey style ears, much to the delight of my boyfriend!)



The view from outside Ohana's (The Polynesian Resort)

 

3. Ohana (The Polynesian Resort)
Ohana's is based in Disney's Polynesian Resort (oh so pretty!) and is Hawaiian themed. You are given a flower lei by a bubbly Hawaiian lady as she sings and dances around the restaurant (sounds tacky but it really isn't that bad). This is a restaurant that is fairly deluxe, but caters for children as well (i.e. they have coconut races etc). The food is almost buffet style, but you don't leave your seat, the waiters come to you. People were arriving every 10 minutes with skewers of steak, fried prawns, lots of different meats etc, and you basically keep eating till you say stop! I wasn't blown away by the desserts but the mains were gorgeous. Although this was definitely more of a livelier restaurant compared to the previous 2, it still didn't have what I usually call that 'children's dining room' feel to it. I know in the mornings for breakfast, Ohana's is a character meet and greet and children can meet Lilo & Stitch, but evening meals are a little less 'Disney-fied'.

There was more food to come (Garden Grill)

Mickey Waffles at Garden Grill!

Hate this photo but you get the idea! (Garden Grill)

4. Garden Grill (Epcot)
Our first morning was spent having breakfast here. This restaurant is SO underrated! Again, it ticked all boxes for me. It was buffet style breakfast food again, but without leaving your seat. We were presented with endless amounts of sausage, potatoes, warm cinnamon pastries (these were SO good!), fresh fruit.. the list was endless. Whilst you were eating, you got to meet certain Disney characters - Mickey Mouse, Pluto, The Chipmunks etc - great for the kids. You were in your own booths and because of how this restaurant was designed, it was extremely private - the restaurant tables are positioned in a circle - which rotates.. very very slowly! So you're getting to see different things as the restaurant slowly goes round. By the time its done a full lap you've pretty much completed your meals.

Famous naan bread

Mains at Sanaa

Dessert at Sanaa

5. Sanaa (Animal Kingdom)
Yet another underrated restaurant that doesn't get half the attention it deserves. This is based in the deluxe resort of Animal Kingdom. As you can imagine from the theming of the hotel, this restaurant was African/tribal themed, with gorgeous Moroccan lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The attention to detail in any Disney hotel is on point but Animal Kingdom for me is just fascinating. I'd heard so many things about the naan break here, so we had to try it for ourselves, and these reviews weren't wrong, it was bloody brilliant! Warm soft flavoured naans with an array of dips to choose from. The main course was just as good, the lamb just melted in your mouth and ohh.. I'm reliving those flavours right now. The service was perfect, as always, but, I haven't even got to the best bit yet - Sanaa overlooks a savannah.. yes, a real life savannah! So if you want to see giraffes, and zebras, and god knows what other animals that stroll around there, then get yourself here! Unfortunately because it was winter, for us it was too dark (and late). But fear not! we strolled outside, and there are rangers that provide you with night vision goggles which enables you to see in the dark and look out into the savannah to help spot those animals! I spotted a zebra in the wilderness, it was so surreal! There was a small fire pit near here too, with cute wooden rocking chairs to sit on.. Honestly, we visited here on our first night of arriving and experiencing the Disney Dining Plan and just seeing what this place had to offer got me so excited for the few weeks ahead. This will definitely hold a special place in my heart.

Moroccan Lights at Sanaa

Fire pit overlooking the Savannah at Sanaa

Have you visited any of these restaurants before?