Bloggers' Holiday: Food, Glorious Food

Hopefully you saw my first post all about our bloggers' holiday to Arnside - if not, you can read it here. All caught up? Well, now it's time for the food and alcohol! We certainly overindulged over the weekend (that's what holidays are for, right?) so there's plenty to share with you:

We were certainly well prepared for the weekend - the first picture doesn't even cover the entirety of the alcohol we had brought with us! Our haul included some mini tequila bottles thanks to Kel which we combined with beer and topped with lemonade to create some incredible Beergaritas. These accompanied our Mexican themed night perfectly, as we were treated to a feast thanks to Sammie - seriously, this girl understands food!

The following day we took a day trip to Kendal where we discovered the Famous 1657 Chocolate House. Of course we had to try the hot chocolates - I opted for the ginger flavour which was delicious and faintly spicy alongside a huge scone. It was a lovely place to stop for a refuel, despite being laughed at by our fellow customers as we all brought out our cameras and started snapping our food!

On our way back home, Kel, Hayley, Sammie and I decided to detour to the wonderful Wensleydale Creamery. I am quite the cheese fiend (as well as a Wallace and Gromit fan) so it was a trip I'd been hoping to make this summer. I was very happy to be able to go sooner than planned, especially with some fellow food-obsessed bloggers!
We toured the factory and then hurried our way to the Cheese Shop. After tasting every single cheese twice just to make sure, I finally opted for the Wensleydale with Pineapple, a sweet and crumbly cheese, as well as the Abbot's Bronze Cheddar with Balsamic Onion, a tangy and vinegary strong cheddar. I also treated myself to some cheese on toast from the cafe, and I can safely say it was the best cheese on toast I've ever had. The combination of finely grated Wensleydale and Cheddar accompanied by wholemeal bread, a delicate salad and tangy sweet chilli dip certainly helped justify my cheese purchases!

Jess

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Bloggers' Holiday: Arnside, Cumbria

Hello! You may have seen that I spent the weekend away with some lovely bloggers in Arnside. I've met some wonderful people through blogging and these Leeds girls are just a few of them. We stayed at a beautiful cottage in the Lake District after being contacted by Sykes Cottages, a handpicked cottage holiday website. Today I wanted to share a few photos of the fantastic Mountain View cottage and surrounding area - there are plenty of pictures!

The cottage was immaculate and beautifully presented. The kitchen was spacious and packed full of useful kitchen appliances, which was really appreciated when cooking meals and baking. Every detail had been thought out, from the decorations to the binoculars by the window - which we put to good use! With three bathrooms, all complete with showers, plenty of towels and a hairdryer, the cottage catered well for a group of beauty bloggers and if it was good enough for us. it's good enough for anyone!

As beautiful as the cottage itself was, the star of the show was the stunning views and surrounding area. It was a perfect relaxed setting for a chilled weekend away:

I know this post is extremely photo-heavy, but I couldn't resist those wonderful views and adorable sheep! Check out my blog over the next week for some more posts from the holiday, including plenty of food and places to visit. If you want to check out my fellow holiday bloggers to see what they thought, here they are:

Hayley from Tea Party Beauty

Sammie from Little Blonde Life

Kel from Adventures in Tea and Cake

Katie from Sugarfixx Beauty and on Youtube

Simone from Married to a Geek

Sharon (a York local) from Stargazy Eyes

Jess

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Rare London SS14

Last week I traveled to London for Rare London's Fashion Blogger Event at Bounce Ping Pong. It was an opportunity to view some of their SS14 collection, drink some prosecco and snack on some delicious food:

After reviewing Roxy Ball Room in Leeds, I already had some idea of what to expect from a ping pong bar such as Bounce. This one was extremely impressive and absolutely packed at 6pm, mainly full of men in suits! The food was delicious and I really enjoyed meeting and chatting with the PR team and some fellow bloggers. 

We also got a chance to have a peak at some of Rare London's SS14 collection:

I was already aware of Rare London, but if you haven't come across them they have their own website and are also sold as a Topshop concession. These are my top picks from the new collection and I've been scouring the website's New In section every day for them since the event! I particularly love the white sheer paneled dress with its bold neon yellow embellished neckline. The pineapple print playsuit is seriously cute and just perfect for summer.

Thank you to Bounce, Rare London and Label PR for a wonderful evening! I can't wait to get my hands on something from the collection!

Jess

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Cath Kidston Factory Shop, St Neots

Last week I discovered a bargain hidden gem - the Cath Kidston Factory Shop in St Neots. This store stocks various Cath Kidston factory products at cheap prices and as soon as I discovered its existence, I knew I had to go:

The Factory Outlet is brimming with reduced goodies. Some are damaged or incomplete, but many are simply reduced in price despite their perfect condition. The Outlet stocks everything from handbags to fabrics, kitchenwear to clothing. It was full of bargain hunters, mainly families, looking for homewear or childrenswear. I managed to pick up a dress reduced to just £25, simply because of a tiny penmark which I would never have otherwise noticed.

If you're near St Neots, I'd definitely recommend a visit to the Cath Kidston Factory Shop for some great quality bargains from this lovely brand. Have you visited?

Witch Anti-Blemish Primer Review

Today I've got another beauty post to share with you. I've recently become addicted to Megs from Wonderful You's blog and YouTube channel as I've discovered she has very similar skin to me. I've started buying every product she recommends, especially those concerned with acne skincare and makeup. I even won her Courthouse Clinics giveaway, which I am loving so far and looking forward to reviewing after a proper trial period.

However, today I wanted to share with you another product; Witch's Anti-Blemish Skin Clearing Primer.

The Witch Anti-Blemish Skin Clearing Primer retails at £6.99 but is currently on offer for just £3.49 in Superdrug - bargain! It promises to prepare your skin for foundation by mattifying and absorbing excess oils, providing a smooth and silky base. I've been thinking of investing in a primer for some time, as my make-up rarely lasts all day, and it certainly has improved this.

This primer also claims to prevent and target blemishes by protecting the skin from make-up. I've changed my skincare routine quite dramatically recently, particularly now that I'm using my Courthouse Clinics products, so I can't entirely claim any skin improvements are due to this product alone. However I do feel that this primer creates a 'barrier' between my skin and foundation, allowing it to feel simultaneously nourished and protected. Importantly, it doesn't affect the texture or application of my foundation, as some products can, so my foundation still applies smoothly despite the extra layer of product.

Overall, I love this product; it's a wonderful primer for both your makeup and your skin. All in all, it's a budget friendly product that is guaranteed to give great results. Have you tried it? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Jess

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Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Elusive

Have you tried the new Revlon Colourburst range yet? If not, where have you been? I finally managed to get my hands on one last week so today I wanted to share a few snaps with you:

Ironically, the shade 'Elusive' was a nightmare to track down - I eventually managed to grab the last one left at my local Superdrug. I love the pretty pink shade, which is something a little different for me as I usually stick to deep reds or plum colours. I decided to opt for a more summery tone suitable for daytime wear and I wasn't disappointed.

The packaging is sleek and looks great in your handbag. I'm a huge fan of lip crayons as a foolproof alternative to lipsticks - they are so much easier to apply! The crayon is smooth and creamy and the colour is strong, unlike some more 'lip balm' style alternatives which don't create a great colour payoff. You can see me wearing it in my last OOTD here.

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms are £7.99 and available in an impressive range of 10 shades. Have you tried them yet? What did you think?

Jess

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