Getting Organised for 2016

Can you believe it's New Year's Eve tomorrow? I really can't get my head around the fact that it is nearly 2016! Today I wanted to get back into blogging, after a small break over Christmas, by talking about getting organised for the new year with the help of a brilliant diary and some colouring in:

I always have a lot going on in my life and I love lists and organisation, so for me a diary is a must. Stick To Stigu* is a fantastic planner which is perfect for getting yourself organised and back on track in 2016. The diary itself has plenty of space to note down appointments and work shifts and I find the layout of one week per page useful to give me an overview of what to expect each week. Personally, I love the columns for each day, so I can assign a column for different tasks including work, gym workouts, social events and blog posts.

I love the mindfulness focus of Stick To Stigu, which includes a monthly 'focus' and tasks to help you work on this. For example, January is of course all about 'restoring' and each week has a challenge or question to work towards this theme. You can write your response on the left hand page or use this space to write 'to-do' lists. If you aren't as obsessed with diaries as I am, I think this is a great way to encourage you to actually make the most out of your diary and get inspired, organised and rested.

Another great way to get inspired and relaxed is of course colouring books, and I have finally jumped on the bandwagon. I was lucky enough to receive the Harry Potter Colouring Book for Christmas and just look at it!. Isn't it brilliant? I've already whiled away a few hours colouring in Fawkes and it really does allow you to relax and take your mind off any worries. I am looking forward to making lots of use of this so I can relax in the evenings and focus on something other than the internet.

Interactive planners and books are so popular at the moment and I can see why - they provide a sense of relaxation, organisation and 'time away' from busy life. Do you have any for 2016?

*This post includes affiliate links. For more information, check out my disclaimer.*

Jess

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Fitmas is Finished! Week 5 and Thoughts

Over the last five weeks, I have been taking part in Corinne's Fitmas challenge from her fitness blog Slimmed Cartree. Well I'm happy to say that this week was the final week so as well as updating you on my progress, I wanted to reflect on the challenge as a whole:

Image from Slimmed Cartree

Workout 1:
Arms workout, combination of machines and dumbbells

I've grown to really love Corinne's arms workout, especially now I superset a couple of the exercises. It takes about half an hour to complete, which is perfect to fit into a busy day but still feel like I've completed a good workout. It's a workout I'm looking forward to continuing to use even though the challenge has now ended.

Workout 2:
45 mins cardio

I hate cardio. So much. However, another positive from Fitmas is that I have actually done some cardio. After 23 years, I have finally learnt that if I take my iPad onto my treadmill, I can watch videos and make that cardio session much more enjoyable. By watching YouTube videos or catching up on a TV programme whilst working out, I feel like long cardio sessions have become far less of a chore and although I don't think I will ever be a runner, I'm happy to be including some much needed cardio in my fitness regime.

Workout 3:
4 sets x 12 reps deadlifts
4 sets x 12 reps rack pulls
3 sets x 12 reps bend over rows
superset with 3 sets x 12 reps bent over reverse flys
4 sets x 12 reps lat pulldowns
superset with 4 sets x 12 reps straight arm lat pulldowns
20 mins cardio

I finished my final week of Fitmas with my optional routine - hurrah my brother is back from uni! I'm looking forward to Christmas because I can eat all the food but also justify it because I know my brother is going to make me work out - if you read my post about my fitness inspiration, you will know that he is a great influence on my exercise routine. Today we trained back and finished the workout with some cardio - it was a good session which pushed me the right amount and I'm relying on my brother to keep me motivated over the festive period, especially now Fitmas has finished.

Overall, I am fairly pleased with how Fitmas went but not overwhelmed - the challenge pretty much went how I expected it to for me. The first week was amazing and I was really proud of myself, but I just failed at keeping it up. I can't pretend that this was a surprise but this is exactly what I was trying to get better at as a result of the challenge; consistency. By attempting shorter workouts, I was hoping that I would go to the gym more regularly but it really is all about motivation for me - proven by the fact that I've been to the gym every day since my brother got back from university.

If you didn't take part in Fitmas, why not try it in January? Check out Corinne's Fitmas challenge eBook and let me know how you get on! 

Jess

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Coffee - what else?

A few weeks ago, I had a complete disaster of a weekend when my trains to Leeds and Manchester for a job interview and some exciting blog events was cancelled. I headed home completely fed up with public transport and quickly tried to make some alternative weekend plans. Luckily the wonderful team at Joe Blogs came to the rescue when they added me onto the list for a coffee event with Currys PC World and Nespresso in London - my weekend was saved and, better yet, filled with coffee!

The event was created to introduce a hoard of bloggers to the wonder of the Nespresso machine, a product you might be aware of thanks to those George Clooney adverts - what else? At home, I have a Tassimo machine for my coffee or I go old-fashioned and use a cafetiere. I hadn't tried a Nespresso machine but it was really easy and I thought the design was slick and modern. Although the initial machines are more expensive, the coffee pods are actually cheaper so we were assured that a Nespresso machine is actually cheaper over time - something to think about if my Tassimo ever stops working!

We were rotated around various stations, including coffee tasting, latte art and cocktail making. For the first time ever, I actually didn't drink the cocktails at a blog event as they simply weren't to my taste - crazy! I would have loved to have made an Espresso Martini or a combination of coffee and Baileys, so I was a little disappointed by the cocktails we were offered; one rum-based and one whisky-based. The only spirit I can't drink is whisky and my attempt at the Kraken rum cocktail failed miserably - I'm clearly not going to become a bartender!

If you do want to try the Vanilla Sky (as my only objection was the whisky and I'm sure the cocktail itself is tasty) simply combine these ingredients in a cognac glass:
50ml Black Label Johnnie Walker Whisky
50ml Vanilla Gomme
1 Dulsao do Brasil Espresso pod
100ml cream
If you try it, please let me know what you think!

If you want to read more about the event, check out Currys' blog about the day here.

Have you entered my competition to win Sue Perkins' awesome auto-biography Spectacles? Enter here before Friday 18th December!

Jess

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Win a £50 voucher to spend at The Broadway, Bradford

Christmas is well and truly on its way and I'm so excited! I am counting down the days to a much-needed break and time with the family. As we head into the final Christmas countdown, I've teamed up with The Broadway, Bradford's new shopping centre, to give one reader the chance to win a £50 gift card to spend there.

Alexandra Burke officially opened the shopping centre on the 5th November and it has been a huge success in Bradford. I haven't had chance to check out The Broadway myself yet but I've heard fantastic things! I'm particularly impressed by the great range of beauty brands, including MAC, Clarins, Clinique and Kiko as well as high-street favourite fashion brands, such as H&M, Topshop and River Island.There are also some fab places to eat, including the delicious Patisserie Valerie and Taco Bell - which I need to try since I never got the chance in New York! 

The Broadway is open in the build up to Christmas from 9am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sunday. If you love your sales, the Boxing Day sales run from 9am to 6pm.

To be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher to spend on a snazzy New Year's Eve outfit, buy any last-minute festive gifts or treat yourself to a delicious meal, simply:

1. Follow me on Bloglovin

2. Leave your answer to this question in the comments below (visit The Broadway Bradford website if you need any help!)

Which store would spend your £50 voucher in, if you won?

Please leave either your email address or Twitter handle in your comment so I can contact you if you are the winner!

This competition will close at midday on Wednesday 22nd December, to be posted to the winner on Christmas Eve. The voucher will arrive just after Christmas, when you can get more for your money in the sales! Good luck! 

*This giveaway is in collaboration with The Broadway, Bradford*

Jess

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A Snug Christmas

A few weeks ago, I was invited to another wonderful event at The Snug. You may remember my overexcited post about a certain gin-tasting event, so when an invite to try out The Snug's Christmas Menu dropped into my inbox, I couldn't wait to throw on a Christmas jumper and bring out the Christmas songs! 

The Snug is a chain of seven restaurants down South, including Cambridge, St Albans and High Wycombe. They offer great value food and unusual cocktails, often with a 2 for 1 offer - I do love a bar that offers more alcohol for your money! For Christmas, The Snug are offering more than a traditional turkey roast. Instead, they are sticking to what they do best - burgers, platters and great cocktails, but with a festive twist.

I loved the platter we were given, full of moreish chicken, cheesy mozzarella sticks and zingy jalapeño cheese bites - a little bit for everyone, whatever their tastes. My vegetarian plus one also loved his veggie platter, especially because he got it all to himself! I was also extremely impressed with the steak we were served. Honestly, steak isn't something I would normally order in a bar-restaurant like The Snug but it was cooked perfectly. Pink in the middle with a little caramelisation on the outside, it melted in the mouth and was so tender, served simply with chips. I also enjoyed the brie, bacon and chicken burger - the brie and bacon made the burger Christmassy but it didn't feel too gimmicky as it was still tasty. 

The cocktails were, as ever, excellent. I loved the miniature milk bottle cocktails which arrived with the festive platter and they were a great way to sample the cocktail menu. We were also treated to a demo and tasting of The Snug's festive cocktails, including a Mince Pie Martini, a Candy Cane flavoured cocktail and a Brandy cocktail, which was impressively set on fire by our bartender. There's nothing quite like flames to get into the spirit of Christmas right? 

Have you tried The Snug? What do you think of their festive offerings?

Have you entered my giveaway to win Sue Perkins' autobiography yet?

*I was invited to sample the food and drink at The Snug free of charge, but of course my views are my own*

Jess

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Review: Wahaca, Liverpool

I recently spent the weekend in Liverpool with a group of friends from university. The weekend was full of laughter, alcohol and a huge amount of catching up; all I want from a weekend away with friends. Obviously, food also played a huge part and I dragged my friends to the newly opened Wahaca in Liverpool One:

It turns out my friends were quite happy to be dragged to Wahaca as our lunch was excellent. I had previously visited Wahaca in Covent Garden so I knew we were going to be treated to some great food, but I had forgotten quite how huge and varied the menu was. We had to ask the waitress to give us a few more minutes a couple of times - at no fault of our lovely waitress, simply because there was so much to choose from! I finally plumped for the pork pibil tacos, some sweet potato and feta taquitos and finally the chorizo and potato quesadillas. The recommended number of dishes is 2-3 plates and since I am a greedy pig, three dishes left me feeling full and content.

I was seriously impressed with the huge range of vegetarian options on the menu. Although I am not veggie, many of my friends are, and it is frustrating to often see the meat-free options overlooked on a menu. This isn’t true of Wahaca, which has a creative and tasty variety of vegetarian dishes. We all chose the sweet potato and feta taquitos, which resemble deep-fried rolled tacos, stuffed full of fresh vegetables and delicious feta cheese. However, I also really loved the pork pibil tacos, topped with sharp and fiery pink pickled onions for an extra burst of flavour.

When the dessert menu arrived, my eyes immediately landed on a rather interesting option at the bottom of the menu: chilli chocolate tequila toddy, an intense hot chocolate shot with a dash of tequila. I couldn't resist trying it and it was actually delicious! The initial tequila taste melted into a rich chocolate aftertaste; a far more pleasant experience than a traditional tequila shot which actually left you wanted more!

Finally we headed up to the second floor to explore the rooftop bar - the Wahaca in Liverpool is a great location for drinks as well as food. The rooftop bar was perfect for people-watching the street of busy shoppers below and the cocktail bar is interesting and extensive. Our favourite discovery were these incredible 'bird-cage chairs.' Swinging from the ceiling, they were great fun to twist and turn in with a drink in hand and they are sure to be popular! If you are looking for somewhere to eat in Liverpool, or simply somewhere to head for a fun drink, Wahaca is a great addition to the city centre. Have you visited yet?

Have you entered my giveaway to win Sue Perkins' autobiography Spectacles?

Jess

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Fitness Friday: Free From Snacks

Happy Friday! I have spent the week ill and therefore completely failed with #Fitmas - so rather than spend another post talking about my missed workouts, I thought I would skip this week's #Fitmas update and talk about a completely different topic: free from snacks.

I have already written a post about different cravings and how to tackle them and today I wanted to share some more yummy snacks. I was sent a huge selection of Trek bars from Natural Balance Food*. These energy bars are the perfect boost of energy, with the added benefit of being gluten, wheat and dairy free. My favourite were the Cocoa Chaos bar; it definitely tasted 'healthy' but I liked the chocolate taste and nutty texture. They are great when those afternoon cravings hit or simply with a cup of tea instead of a biscuit. 

Another great healthy snack I have recently discovered are these Snapea rice sticks from Yushoi. They were included in my goody bag from the Camb Eat Up Christmas meal at the Pint Shop, with my fellow Cambridge food bloggers - a huge thank you to Karen from I Don't Like Peas and Aoife from Sweetpeas and Sours for organising! These rice sticks are suitable for vegans, as well as being nut free. They are surprisingly tasty and moreish, helping those crisp-cravings in a healthier way with lower calories. I think I'm a little bit addicted!

Have you tried these snacks? What 'free from' snacks would you recommend?

Have you entered my giveaway to win Sue Perkins' autobiography Spectacles?

Jess

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Giveaway: Sue Perkins' Spectacles

I don’t often post book reviews on my blog but I do read – in fact, I read a lot. Now I have finished my Masters I have more time to read for fun and I’ve read some gems recently. One of my favourites has actually been non-fiction, in the form of Sue Perkins’ autobiography Spectacles

I was lucky enough to see Sue talk about her book at the Cambridge Literary Festival, where she discussed her time at the University, her love for her family, feminist issues and GBBO. As you might expect, the book is definitely funny. One of my favourite scenes was the first chapter, where Sue’s family outline how they want to be portrayed in her book, resulting in a very tall father and hugely attractive brother!

Although I am a huge fan of the Great British Bake Off, I didn’t know a huge amount about Sue outside of the show, so I personally found the book really interesting. Whether you are a huge fan of Sue’s entire career, want to know about one half of the duo who present GBBO, or simply want to read an entertaining autobiography, I would definitely recommend Spectacles. I also think the cover design is stunning, especially in comparison to standard covers for autobiographies, and you need to take a peek inside to see the fantastic endpapers!

This book is perfect for fans of Sue Perkins, comedy, autobiographies and of course, The Great British Bake Off – and you can win this copy by entering my giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway is open for readers in the UK only and will close on Friday 18th December, just in time for Christmas. It’s a perfect present for yourself or a loved one this Christmas! Good luck!

*This post includes affiliate links*

Jess

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Use Your Noggin

Christmas is well on its way and I have been feeling rather festive. For me, Christmas is all about spending time with family, eating lots of food and indulging in some drinking! So when I was challenged by Waitrose to create an Eggnog recipe, I was excited to get inventing:

I didn't know Eggnog actually originated in East Anglia, where I live, so I was excited to bring Eggnog back to its birthplace and put my own stamp on it. For a drink to be called Eggnog, it needs to include cream, sugar, eggs, an alcoholic spirit and spice. I wanted to put my own twist on traditional Eggnog by changing the spirit from spiced rum or brandy to whisky, and I couldn't resist adding a unique Waitrose twist with my choice of spice.

For two glasses (alcohol is for sharing!)
Two eggs, separated
1oz caster sugar
Splash of whisky
4 fl oz milk
2 fl oz double cream
Waitrose Signature Spice, to garnish

1. Place the egg whites into a large bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, whisky, milk and cream, until pale and slightly thickened.

3. Transfer the mixture to a pan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and creamy.

4. Remove from heat and fold in half the egg whites until well combined. Add the second half of egg whites.

5. Divide between two glasses and dust with Waitrose Signature Spice.

My verdict on Eggnog? It's basically an alcoholic pudding and I love that! I thought the addition of whisky rather than the more traditional brandy or rum gave the drink a smoky taste and I love the addition of the Waitrose Signature Spice. I raved about the Signature Spice when I visited the Waitrose Christmas Press Day in the Summer and it works so well in so many different ways. I've used it in scones for a Christmas twist, shortbread and, of course, this Eggnog recipe.

Check out Waitrose Cellar for their Eggnog recipe - I also want to try the Hot Gin Punch! What is your favourite Christmas drink?

*This post was written in collaboration with Waitrose*

Jess

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Fitness Friday: #Fitmas Week Three and Florette

It's Fitness Friday! After a successful first week of #Fitmas, followed by a somewhat less successful second week, I was excited for Week Three of the challenge. Yet again, however, things didn't go quite to plan:

I started the week off with Corinne's legs workout, as detailed in her plan. After skipping my exercise class, I was pleased to still complete a workout to start the week. And then... I failed. My week has been so busy (I know, excuses, excuses) so I simply haven't had the time or energy to complete my other workouts. I feel really guilty about my poor attempt at #Fitmas so far, despite a positive first week. Next week, I've got a less busy week planned so I'm hoping to get back on track - any words of encouragement?

Unhelpfully, I've spent about half my evenings this week eating out, so my healthy eating has also taken a knock. I've tried to balance out my evenings with some healthy salads for lunch, thanks to the brilliant A Salad for All Seasons by Harry Eastwood. Florette sent me this book alongside some of their salad and some recipe ideas. I love the look of this stilton, pear and walnut salad for a healthy salad with a Christmassy feel. I always think that salads are a Summery food so I was pleased to see some Wintry and Christmas-style salads included in the book to inspire me in the colder weather to still eat healthily.

How are you getting on with #Fitmas? I've got a very unhealthy weekend planned so I'd love some motivation - and any great salad recipes you might have!

Jess

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Get Fit Skin with Mio Skincare

At the grand old age of 23, I am finally realising that I can't just roll out of bed and look my best. Skincare products are a must in my beauty regime and after revitalising my facial skincare with some amazing acne-fighting products, my attention has turned to the rest of my body:

Mio Skincare offer a range of high-intensity body care to really tackle skin and body issues. It sounds pretty intense and that's because it is, thanks to their motto to provide 'fit skin for life.' The products sent to me were a bit of a mixed bag, which gave me an overview of the brand, so I wanted to run through the products I loved and the products I, well, didn't love.

First, let's get the product I didn't rate out of the way: the Get Waisted Sculpting Body Shaper* which was included in a goody bag at an event and therefore not tailored to me. I hate products which claim to 'sculpt,' 'blast away fat' or generally 'cheat' your way to a slimmer body. These products are always accompanied by the caveat that the product works best when used in combination with diet and exercise - no sh*t, Sherlock! I just don't rate them so I was never going to be impressed with this product as I think any cheat products won't work and will leave you feeling more demotivated than a fitness regime and healthy eating plan.

However, the other products were much more suited to me, as I was specifically sent them by Mio Skincare. I was sent the 'Run Faster' kit*, which includes a miniature Liquid Yoga, Workout Wonder and two Clean Wipes, all perfect for your gym bag. Liquid Yoga is designed to be used in the bath to ease aching muscles but I don’t actually have a bath (hence my lack of obsession with Lush bath bombs!) Instead, I like to use it as a foot soak to ease my aching feet after a run or even just a long day shopping. Workout Wonder is a great little product, which you apply either before or after a workout to sooth and revive tired muscles. I always suffer from horrendous DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) after heavy weight workouts, so this little bottle is perfect to relieve and wake up my exhausted muscles. Finally, the Clean Wipes are perfect to chuck in my gym bag for a quick freshen up if I don't have time for a shower - gross but true!

My absolute favourite product was the Mio Body Brush*. These dry body brushes are supposed to be fantastic for dry skin, cellulite, ingrown hairs and scarring. My skin suffers over winter as I always end up neglecting it, so I've been making a conscious effort to use the body brush before the shower a few times a week to exfoliate my tired body. The massage nodules alongside the boar bristles gives a more intense brush than I was expecting and my body always feels awake and refreshed after each use. I would really recommend it if you feel like your skin needs an extra boost this Winter!

Have you tried anything from Mio Skincare? What were your thoughts?

Jess

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