Review: Marco Pierre-White Steakhouse

Cambridge is full of new and exciting places to eat and I love discovering somewhere new whenever I dine out. When I was invited to review the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse at Cambridge's Doubtletree by Hilton hotel, I jumped at the chance to try something new in Cambridge. I have been to the stunning SkyLounge in the Doubletree in Leeds a couple of times now, including a fantastic Great Gatsby poker night, so I knew the hotel was sure to be great quality.

The Doubletree Hotel is hidden away near Fitzbillies towards the river but once you enter the dining room, you are welcomed by fantastic views of the river. I loved watching the cows calmly walk down the riverbank from our table; it really was a stunning location for dinner.

I opted for the Town & Gown cocktail to accompany my meal, a 'Cambridge spin' on a Pornstar Martini, and it was fresh, zingy and refreshing. To start, I chose the rarebit, topped with two poached eggs, whereas my brother chose the calamari. My eggs were perfectly poached and a delicious addition to the rarebit on sourdough. 

However, the meal was always going to be all about the steak. I couldn't wait to try my sirloin steak, simply accompanied by salad, vine tomatoes and chips. My steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked exactly as ordered - and my brother proclaimed that his T-bone steak was the best steak he'd ever tried. For me, the best steak needs no accompaniment to distract from the great cooking and Marco Pierre White's ethos is clearly the same. 

To finish the delicious meal, we both chose the chocolate brownie and ice-cream. Personally, I would have liked the brownie to be warm but I loved this rich and indulgent end to the meal. Cheese, steak then chocolate is pretty much my dream meal! I can't wait to head back to the Doubletree by Hilton to either the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse or just for some cocktails by the river. The location was stunning and the food more than lived up to its environment. 

Have you tried Marco Pierre White's Steakhouse? Where was the best steak you have ever tried?

Jess

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15 Ways Your Blog Can Enhance Your CV

After spending three years studying English Literature, then gaining a Masters in Publishing, this year I finally joined the world of full-time work. I'll be honest when I say it wasn't easy - I applied for a variety of different jobs and roles through websites such as Indeed, recruitment websites like Spotlight Recruitment and direct to companies before finally landing my dream role. 

But this post isn't about me and my career - it's about you and how blogging can enhance your CV. One of the reasons I have my job is thanks to my blog and I always find it surprising when bloggers don't shout about their blog on their CV. You put so much time and passion into it, so why not let your employers know? I've put together a whopping 15 reasons why your blog can enhance your CV, whether you want to work in marketing like me, or another industry:

1. Dedication
Blogging is hard work. It takes time and although many people start a blog, far less keep it going. Having worked on a blog for a good length of time shows you can start something and stick at it - a great thing for employers to see!

2. Creativity
Blogging, by its very nature, is creative. From designing your blog to taking photographs, or coming up with ideas for posts or creative ways to fit a brief from a PR, creativity is something which comes naturally to bloggers. 

3. Networking
When I started blogging, I would never have thought that I would ever be brave enough to be able to go into an event, knowing nobody there, and network - but thanks to blog events, this has become second nature. This confidence is vital for the workplace, and also helps with interviews. 

4. Time-management
Blogging is definitely a time-consuming hobby but this is a huge positive on your CV. I often say that blogging is like a full-time job by itself, so balancing a blog with other commitments is a difficult and impressive thing!

5. An eye for design
Whether you have designed your own blog or not, all bloggers need some kind of eye for design, from framing photographs to choosing and developing a blog theme. An eye for design is great for a variety of jobs and a useful skill to add to your CV. 

6. Coding
I can't pretend that I am the world's best coder, but as a blogger, you can easily forget that a blogger's 'basic knowledge' of coding is better than the average applicant who has never seen HTML in their life. Coding is becoming a must for many industries, so a basic knowledge of HTML is a huge plus to talk about to any potential employers. 

7. Social media 
Chatting on Twitter and updating your Instagram might be second nature to you, but it's often easy to forget that even Facebook is only 9 years old! Social media is still a rapidly evolving platform which, let's face it, still seems to scare some companies and proving that you understand social media is great on your CV. 

8. Copy-writing
The ability to write well is one of the obvious benefits of writing a blog for your CV and demonstrating your ability to write is vital for a huge variety of jobs. It also shows your ability to write in different ways; a long blog post is very different to a tweet and shows that you can adapt your writing to different platforms and audiences. 

9. Email Etiquette
This sounds like a weird one but bear with me - sending a good email is an art form! The ability to send a well-worded email is a skill and blogging means that you are used to sending emails to a variety of people, including PRs and clients.

10. Knowledge of the competition
As I work in the fitness industry, writing about fitness on my blog has huge benefits as I have worked with some of the competition on my blog. This knowledge of the competition is invaluable for identifying strengths and weaknesses in the company and industry you want to work for. 

11. Deadlines
The ability to hit deadlines is definitely an underrated one! Blogging allows you to show that you can hit targets and deadlines - something which is particularly important to prove if you are applying for your first full-time job. 

12. Pitching
Something I intentionally started doing when I began applying for jobs was to pitch to brands. I hadn't been brave enough to do this before last year but I found it was a brilliant thing to talk about in interviews - I could prove that I had successfully pitched myself to a brand and successfully created a partnership.  

13. Show You Are In Demand
As well as pitching to brands, blogging also shows that collaborations work both ways. As much as employers were impressed by my ability to pitch to brands, the fact that brands approached me seemed to really impress them - it shows you are in demand and if brands rate your blog, then employers rate you!

14. Knowledge of Trends
A mild addiction to Twitter and an obsession with current trends means that having a blog ensures you are always ahead of the curve. We bloggers are often the first to know when the latest Instagram update is due and how to make the most of it - something which is invaluable for employers. 

15. Something Different
Finally, blogging is something different. In the blogging world, it might not feel like blogging is unusual or special but to employers, it really stands out. Blogging has been discussed in every interview I've ever had as it stands out on your CV as something different. I always say my blog is an extension of my CV, and if you see it as this, it adds a whole new dimension to your application for any job. 

Phew! I hope I've shown just how useful running a blog can be to your career, as well as a hobby. There are definitely many more ways your blog can enhance your CV - I'd love to see some more suggestions in the comments. Do you include your blog in your CV? 

*This post is in collaboration with Spotlight Recruitment*

Jess

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OOTD: A Slinky Summer Maxi Dress

Dress: Superdry c/o House of Fraser. Heels: Primark. Necklace: eBay

Can short girls wear maxi dresses? If you type this into Google, there are 2.21 million results. Some of the headlines include "16 Trends Short Girls Should Avoid" and "Short Girl Fashion Rules" so it's clearly a topic which short girls have asked many times before.

Well, what a load of old rubbish - wear what you want as long as it makes you feel good. And I feel great in this beautiful maxi dress from House of Fraser* Superdry isn't a brand that I would ever normally look at but this stunning slinky dress jumped out at me when I browsed the maxi dresses on the House of Fraser website.

Which reminds me - did I mention I'm going on my first 'travel blogger' holiday in two weeks? Jet 2 Holidays and BH Mallorca are sending me away to Magaluf for a week and I absolutely cannot wait. I am in serious need of a week of sunshine and cocktails - and lots of Instagram holiday spam!

This maxi dress has gone straight in my suitcase as it's the perfect holiday dress for trips to the beach and dressed up for evenings. The cotton material is super comfortable but the strapless back makes it a little more dress, meaning it's versatile enough for me to even wear it to a wedding this weekend.

I also couldn't resist wearing my Time Turner necklace - my new Harry Potter themed jewellery to add to my geeky jewellery collection. My brother bought me it as thanks for helping with his dissertation - I feel like Hermione whilst wearing it! Finally, I popped on some gorgeous tan coloured lace up heels from Primark and let the dress take centre stage surrounded by the beautiful flowers of Hyde Park.

Are you a maxi dress wearer? What do you think of this outfit?

Jess

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