Roxy Ballroom Leeds

Yesterday, I was invited by Tia from Roqaa PR to try out one of Leeds new bars; Roxy Ballroom. It's a new bar where you can not only have some great beers and cocktails, but play ping pong or snooker in a sociable and relaxed environment. As soon as I heard two words, I knew that I wanted to try this place out; beer pong! It's a students' dream!

I loved the laid-back and 'unpolished' atmosphere of Roxy Ballrooms; the owners told us how keen they had been keen to keep the original features of the place and included various characteristics, such as the graffiti and mesh fences, to give the place the look of an American basement-style sports bar. The location is great, just above Cafe Nero in the Trinity Centre, and provides a great view and feeling of space once you've headed up the stairs into the bar.

We were lucky enough to be given the VIP room for the evening, which includes your own pool table, ping pong table and a huge fridge. Hiring this room costs £20 an hour for one table, or £30 for both. However, the space can fit over 60 people so the price per person is really great value. Furthermore, Roxy will stock the giant fridge with anything you want, including cocktails, beers and wine so all you need to do if help yourself. It's the perfect combination of a house party vibe in a more special environment - plus you don't have to clean up the next day!

The 'Ping Pong Punch' was scrummy and we all had great fun attempting to play ping pong, although I can't pretend that it ended very successfully! Outside the VIP room, games tables cost £4.50 per half hour, except on Friday and Saturdays after 5pm which costs £6. Beer pong is free, except the cost of four cans of beer - pretty good huh?

Tomorrow night, Roxy Ballroom will also start serving food with the launch of their new kitchen. Fitting in with their chilled out vibe, you will be able to order a variety of pizzas, grilled sandwiches and sharers to munch on. I love the look of both the shredded pork and chipotle chicken grilled sandwiches served with potato wedges for £8 each, along with the smashing jaffa ice cream pie for a sweet and cheap £4 dessert. Delicious!

Overall, it's a great bar and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. I was also excited to hear about the soon-to-open Roxy Lanes - this time, the sport is tenpin bowling! Doesn't bowling and cocktails sound like a fabulous night out? I can't wait to try it out! In the mean time, get down to Roxy Ballroom for an original and fun-filled night to remember.

Jess

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A Warning Against EE

Now this isn't the type of post I normally write, but it's come to a point when something needs to be said about the terrible company EE. Prepare for a complaint, my readers!

My housemates and I signed up for a broadband contract back in August for our student house. EE looked like a great deal, especially as we got the contract half price as I was an Orange customer. It was easy to sign up to and the internet connection works well. But then everything started to go quickly downhill.

Initially, we want to pay the line rental upfront for the year, which would have saved us over £50, then pay the monthly broadband of just £2.50. This never happened, despite phoning up and reporting the incorrect bill every single month. Last month, I was finally informed that due to a system error, NO upfront line rentals were applied to any contracts which began in August and September - so check your statements if this might have affected you too!

Had EE contacted any of their customers to inform them of this? No, they had simply continued incorrectly charging customers like myself until they noticed (and are in fact, still charging me and probably others incorrectly). Finally, after being told this last month, I was promised a reduced monthly fee, so I would still save what I would have done if I had paid the line rental up front, and promised two months free broadband as a 'goodwill gesture.' Today I checked my bank statements - I have been charged again. It's simply not good enough and I am thoroughly upset and frustrated.

Every time I phone up the customer service desk (which has been every single month without fail so far) I have been met by polite and helpful staff. They bend over backwards to sort my problem, apologise profusely and I hang up feeling like everything has been finally resolved. Then I discover, none of these promises ever actually happen. The correct billing, alongside various 'goodwill gestures' I am offered after each phone call, never actually materialise. The following month, I am billed incorrectly again. I phone up, a member of the customer service team apologises, notes that nothing was applied to my account and promises that this time it is sorted. And guess what? It ISN'T. Each month this process is repeated and I am completely sick of it. I don't know what it will take for any action to actually be taken, and as my complaints directly to the company have had no effect, perhaps this will give EE some encouragement to finally fix the matter. Although I may be putting too much faith in the power of the internet!

I would never recommend EE and if you are tempted by their offers, don't do it. The resulting hassle, alongside the actual price you will be charged per month, will cost you far more than it is worth. It's disgusting that such a big company can get away with taking my money every month without fail. As a student, I know how hard it can be to make ends meet and my strict budget simply doesn't have room to be overcharged every month and not refunded. I simply hope that, as a result of this post, I might finally get a solution from EE and a few more people will now know not to use this company.

Have you also had problems with EE? Let me know in the comments below!

Overnight Oats with Acai and Goji Berry Tea

Hey there! I've had quite an eventful week this week, starting with a dartboard falling on my head which has given me a lovely bout of concussion and my first ever trip to A&E! As a result, I've been stuck in bed for most of the week feeling rather sorry for myself. However, yesterday I discovered Whittard's Healthy New Year Blogger Carnival Competition and decided that it looked like a great pick me up.

Whittard Teas want bloggers to share their healthy, detoxing or simply wholesome recipe perfect for that January feel-good fix. My poorly head certainly feels like it needs something fresh and energising, so I decided to use some of Whittard's Acai and Goji Berry Tea as the base for my recipe. Breakfast is the one meal that I frequently forget about and I want to focus on improving in 2014, so I decided to create an overnight oats recipe, using tea.

You will need:

2 mug of porridge oats

1/2 mug of hot water

Acai and Goji Berry Caffeine Free Fruit Infusion Tea (c/o Whittard) or similar fruit tea

Handful of fresh or frozen berries 

Any other fruits, spices or nuts you might want to add

1. Brew your tea for at least an hour in 1/2 mug of water, until cool and strong. I used loose tea, which I store in this lovely pot I got for Christmas, and gives a rich, fruity flavour. 

2. Pour your oats into a bowl (I added about two third's of a mug's worth). Strain your tea if you used a loose blend tea like I did, or squeeze out your teabag and remove from your infusion. Add to the oats mixture and stir.

3. Add any fruits, spices or nuts you have to hand into a bowl and stir. I simply used a handful of frozen berries for a simple and cheap addition of vitamins and flavour.

4. Leave to steep overnight and in the morning, heat up over the stove or in the microwave for about 2 and a half minutes. Add a little honey or sugar and enjoy!

The beauty of overnight oats is obviously that they are ready and prepared for you in the morning - all you need to do is warm them up! They are also endlessly adaptable - this simply mix can be constantly changed by adding different fruits - such as apple, blueberries or raspberries - spices, including cinnamon and nutmeg, or even a variety of healthy nuts and raisins. How you do like to make yours? I'd love to see some recipes!

Jess

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ASOS Swap Shop

Although I have already shared an outfit this week using some of my swap shop items, I haven't yet shared the details of the day itself with you all. So today I wanted to post a few photos from Asos HQ and share some of what I learnt:

Typically, most of my photos from the day are of food! We were greeted by breakfast, including these adorable jars of granola and some yummy pastries, and settled in to meet some other bloggers. We were kept on the edge of our seats all day as we waited for the actual swap, and the tension was built as we were allowed to browse what was on offer. I instantly loved the metallic dress below, which I eventually managed to bag, but as we all chose our number one item and planned our game plan (yes, we had tactics), we also didn't want to set our hearts on anything. We were allowed to browse the items at various points over the day, but by the afternoon I simply couldn't look anymore - I didn't want to risk the heartbreak!

However I feel like I've talked enough about the swap shop, as this was only a part of the day. We were also treated to three talks; one from Asos Marketplace, and two from some Asos Marketplace Boutiques, Mod Dolly and House of Jam. The talk from Asos Marketplace explained the site to us. I had never personally realised that anyone can sell on Asos Marketplace, not just Boutiques. You can list up to 100 unwanted clothes for free as a 'Wardrobe' seller and when sold, Asos Marketplace only take 5% commission. 

As well as the huge platform in return for such a small commission (part of which goes towards the Asos Foundation, which supports a variety of charities so you're doing some good too), I was really impressed with the support that Asos Marketplace offers all its sellers. A great example of this is the Asos Seller School, where both Wardrobe sellers and Boutiques can hear more about expanding their sales. As a result, what may simply start as clearing out your wardrobe can turn into a business. This happened to Amy, who blogs over at Dolls Are Reunited and runs Mod Dolly. She began selling a few of her handmade dresses, but her company has really expanded, mainly thanks to her use of bloggers and the support of Asos Marketplace. It was fascinating to hear from such a success story, as well as have a look at some of Amy's beautiful handmade dresses - I'm in love with the Hanna Fitted Tartan Skater Dress.

Finally, we were given a talk by Steve from House of Jam - although the focus was definitely on his adorable pup, Ernie, who everyone wanted to take home with them! You can actually watch a similar version of the talk on Youtube here, so if you want to hear more about selling on Asos as a boutique, why not check it out? It was also interesting to hear how Steve and Jazz are expanding their vintage brand to include their own designs - I love this Sheer Chiffon Pocket Dress, designed by Jazz.

Overall it was a really interesting day and I went away knowing a lot more about Asos Marketplace and how I could get involved. Of course, I'm loving all my Swap Shop finds, but I also had a lovely time meeting some fellow bloggers, eating some yummy food (get ready for some more pics) and learning more about the fashion industry. If you want to get involved, Access All Asos are accepting applications until the end of January and you can apply here. 

<3

xx

OOTD: Into The Woods

As I've mentioned a few times, one of my blogging resolutions is to find more time to take outfit photos over the year. Sometimes it can be a struggle in winter to find the right conditions for an outfit post, especially when I rely on a tripod and camera delay to take my shots. However, today I managed to take advantage of a spot of sunny weather to share my third outfit post of the week - I think that might be a record!

Jumper: Asos. Skirt: Topshop. Boots: Asos. Necklace: New Look. Earrings: New Look.

Yes, it's another midi skirt - I did say I was having a moment! I have had my eye on this Topshop skirt ever since it came into stores, but it was far too long for me so Topshop prices made me resist. However, I discovered it in the sales for a measly £6 and couldn't resist that amazing print. I shortened the hem using my new secret weapon, Wonderweb, which I talked about earlier this week, and it was ready to wear.

Today I teemed it with one of my favourite jumpers from Asos, featuring this adorable Labradoodle sketch! It's from last season, but I love the cute image and the quality of the jumper has lasted really well. I added some black tights, my trusty boots and statement necklace and I was ready to go. Simple!

The first proper week back at university has been a bit of a shock to the system, as the work piles high and my dissertation looms. I'm looking forward to a few great nights out over the next few days to let off some steam and enjoy being sociable again! What are your plans?

Jess

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OOTD: Swap, Drop and Roll

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be invited down to London again as part of my role as an Asos Insider for Access All Asos. After their Social Media School last month, Asos had yet another amazing event planned - a Swap Shop. We are all guilty of hoarding those items in our wardrobes which never get worn, and this was a great opportunity to send them to a good home - and of course, get something back too!

We were told to bring up to three items to the Swap Shop and, in return, could choose the same amount of items from the rails. Asos had kindly bulked up the rails with some of their own sample items too so we had plenty to choose from. I will post in more detail about the day itself later in the week but today I wanted to share how I styled one of the items I received from the Swap Shop:

Top: c/o Asos.Vest (underneath): Topshop. Skirt: c/o Asos Swap Shop. Socks: Primark. Boots: Asos. Necklace: New Look.

Both of these items are what I am now referring to as my 'bonus items.' After the initial swap, there were still plenty of items left on the rails, so the Asos team allowed us to have another round! I picked up this Asos top and Amanda from Monochrome Queen's midi skirt, and they team perfectly together. This Asos top is actually from their men's range and currently in the sale. I wear men's clothing probably more than I should admit, because I love the oversized feel and they often have some great prints. This top is no exception and I'm looking forward to wearing it all summer. Today I layered it with a pale turquoise vest top underneath to hide any bra straps and add a pop of colour to brighten up the whole look, co-ordinating with my favourite New Look statement necklace.

I'm currently having a bit of a moment with midi skirts, thanks to my recent discovery of Wonderweb. Midi skirts have always been slightly too long and unflattering on my short legs and I'm not confident enough to hem my own wardrobe. However, my Mum introduced me to Wonderweb, a hemming tape which you simply iron on with no need for sewing, and now I can easily turn up all my clothes! As soon as I got home, I cut a good two inches of this skirt, used Wonderweb to fix the hem and this skirt was now the perfect length. It's the perfect addition to my growing midi skirt wardrobe, as it's a great staple to dress either up or down. Today I opted for the more casual look by teaming it with the Asos top, some bare tights, cute ankle socks and my favourite boots. The overall look is really comfortable, hopefully flattering and a great new look for my wardrobe. So thank you Asos and Amanda; I hope you like how I've styled this look!

<3

xx

Neal's Yard Lengthening Black Mascara

Hello and Happy New Year! I can't believe I haven't blogged yet this year (what a strange thing to say) so today I decided to delve into the world of beauty. I rarely write beauty related posts, but I enjoy sharing them when I do, and today I wanted to talk about Neal's Yard's Lengthening Black Mascara, which I was lucky enough to receive for Christmas:

Thanks to its iconic blue packaging, you immediately know this is a Neal's Yard product - a neat branding trick, originally a result of practicality; blue glass stops light from damaging the products inside, a fact I learnt at a recent Leeds Neal's Yard blogging event. Ever since this event, I was intrigued by Neal's Yard's relatively new make up range and bookmarked this mascara to go on my wishlist. My eyes had been feeling particularly sensitive and I wanted to try a more natural mascara and see if this made a difference. Since I replaced my drugstore mascara with this, I have noticed a positive difference regarding the sensitivity of my eyes; just one of the reasons I love this product.

I love the sleek and chic packaging of this mascara, and the slim design is far more convenient to carry around as opposed to some chunkier, louder drugstore versions (I'm looking at you, Maybelline). However, my one criticism is that the case tends to show up my finger prints rather easily, which isn't ideal when photographing! 

The brush is slim and fine, which means that the mascara goes on easily without any clumping or mess. I think the end result is natural yet impressive as my lashes certainly look far longer, yet don't scream "I'm off clubbing!" As I've mentioned, the natural products within the mascara means that my eyelashes are protected, conditioned and nourished and it really feels kind on your face.

I wanted to share with you a proper example of this mascara at work. The photos aren't as perfect as I would have liked, but I don't see the point in beauty reviews without a proper demonstration of the product in action:

I hope you aren't too terrified by my eyes staring at you and can see the difference! I've only used the mascara, no eyeliner or shadow, so you can really see the product realistically. The Lengthening Black Mascara is £16, which seems to be pretty average for a higher-end product, and it certainly does the job well. If you are looking for a natural, nourishing mascara, I'd really recommend you give this mascara a try. 

Have you tried any Neal's Yard make-up products? What would you recommend from their range?

<3

xx