Weekend in Norfolk

Last weekend I came away from the city, after spending two weeks interning at British Airways' High Life magazine. It was ultra exciting to see what went on behind the scenes of the magazine I read when I flew from home to Glasgow for university, and excited I managed to spend some time there. What also was a dream, was where the office was situated. It was right by Covent Garden, and only minutes from the Thames, making every lunch break different each day.

After leaving London on Saturday to catch the train, I met my uncle at North Walsham and we went into Cromer for the afternoon. I tried my hand at crab fishing (failing miserably), walked up the pier, and then settled with a cornflake cake and strawberry milkshake as we spoke about what we had been up to.

Leading on from that, we went back to his beautiful cottage situated by the North Sea and took his dear Cavalier King Charles named Poppy along the coastal walk.

The longest beach in forever, where we went for a walk in Bacton.

It was a really lovely day and the sun was shining on us, as we went to go and my aunt and sister in Norwich for dinner. We settled in a restaurant called Coast to Coast, where I had a full rack of ribs! It had an american diner feel to it.

Me, my uncle and sister.

The next day we were taken into Norwich, where we had a wonder round the city. It was a vibrant and buzzing place, somewhere I would definitely return to, and the Old Town was so picturesque!

Cobbled streets

It was a lovely weekend and I'm looking forward to returning soon! 

Have you been up to anything recently?

Kirsty 

xx

The Silent City, Mdina

It's a lovely Saturday morning in Malta, and I've been here now a week with my mum. We had a friend come to visit and so we paraded around the island, showing her the sights and scenery of the best places in Malta. She was only here for three days and so my mum and I had to choose the most interesting places we think she would like.

We visited the Silent City, located in Mdina on the first day.

The gate to the front of the Silent City.

Historically, Mdina was established by the Romans. Melita (meaning Honey) was divided into two. The citadel was known as Mdina (the city) and the rest of the area was the village of Rabat (the suburbs). These two names are still used today. Mdina at one point in history was the most desirable place to live in Malta, not only because it was the capital, but because it was one of the highest places on the island. It's fertile land at its base provided food, and it was easy to defend for those who would try to attack.

The city wall, at the entrance of Mdina.

When the Order of the Knights arrived in Malta in 1530, they settled in Marsa, diminishing the importance of Mdina, as they were left undisturbed. When Valletta was built and became the new capital of Malta in 1571, Mdina became known as the 'Old City'. The term 'the Silent City' became prominent and the name is still kept today because no vehicles are allowed beyond the city walls, barring the residents, who are given chosen areas to park their cars. The narrow streets and alleyways make the city so picturesque and personally, I love to wander around the city for hours. It is so small and there is little here, consisting of only restaurants, churches, monasteries, tourist shops, and houses. All of this is protected by a dry moat and city wall that surrounds the area.

The beautiful alleyways, full of history.

The vicinity of this area is packed full of so much history, and the panoramic views are something to envy. All three of us loved it, and I took lots of photos!

A lot of these alleyways are only big enough for horse and carriage.

One of the beautiful churches inside Mdina.

St Agatha's Chapel dates back to 1410. This chapel was damaged in the earthquake of 1693.
Restoration of this chapel is ongoing as it is so old.

The panoramic view from the city walls.

We stopped by here for a drink, it was getting very hot!

The Cathedral is one of Mdina's Baroque cathedral, dedicated to St Paul and shares the title
of Co-Catherdral with St John's in Valletta. It was erected between 1697 and 1702 after the
earthquake destroyed the original.

I had the most lovely morning here. It is definitely a place to admire and muse upon. I will be returning there soon.

What cities have you visited that are very old and boast a lot of history?

Kirsty 

xxx

Baby Daisy

Happy Wednesday!

I hope your week has been pleasant thus far, despite the weather being poor (where has the heatwave that was predicted for June gone!?) it's not looking too dreary out. My plans over the last two days have been cancelled because of my poorly pooch, Daisy. :(

Yesterday morning I awoke to her, quietly sitting in the corner breathing heavily. I rang the vets and they told me to bring her down.

Daisy when she looks her lovely fine self, with her most favourite treat, Bonios!

When I brought her into the vets, a nurse took Daisy instantly from me and she was rushed into a consultant room, taking her temperature, which was at a mere 32 degrees. The normal temperature for a dog should have been 37.5 degrees. She was at the state of Hyperthermia, the doctor said. Furthermore, Daisy was also struggling to breathe, so they placed her on Oxygen Therapy too, whilst placing her under a bear hugger to bring her core temperature back up to a healthy level.

Both my parents were at work, and it was only my dad I could get ahold of. After trying for an hour, he finally picked up and came to the vets as soon as he could.

Daisy in the cage at the vets :( 

After being told Daisy would need an X-Ray of her abdomen and chest, she would also need a blood test further, to establish the problem with Daisy. With that, we decided to leave the vets and come back later that evening to see the test results and the outcome of Daisy's situation. 

On return, Daisy looked extremely worse. She was rather dazed and she seemed to be breathing more heavily. She was collapsing to try and sleep but needed oxygen and so she was having a constant internal battle between sleep and oxygen. This meant oxygen was always winning, but as a result, she was becoming more exhausted. 

Poor baby Daisy with her leg attached to a drip.

The surgeons at the vets were so knowledgable and Matt, the night doctor, told us all about what would be happening to Daisy over the evening. We left, feeling that Daisy was in capable hands, and would know what to do if Daisy took a turn for the worse.

Daisy this morning, after arriving at the vets.

This morning, we all returned, not knowing really what to expect. This is the first we saw of her through the window and she looked so adorable. We went in and Daisy came out of the cage to greet us with her tail wagging. She looked so much better and what a change over night and improvement that had been made. Our doctor that was dealing with Daisy made it clear we weren't at the finish line yet. 

We were told from the scans that Daisy had an enlarged heart (isn't it ironic, a small dog who loves us all so much, her heart has enlarged) and as a result, has caused her left lung to collapse. I couldn't help but look at her and think the pain she must be going through. To complicate things further, Daisy can easily become dehydrated because of the tablets she is taking. There is fluid in her lungs which is not a good thing. Whilst these tablets make her more dehydrated, she is constantly wanting to drink more. 

However, upon asking whether or not she could feel anything, Ellie replied, "no." Although, somewhat comforting, we also knew that she was now to be put on more medication. Despite this, it meant we were able to bring Daisy home and she is now resting here with us. My sister and I are taking lots of photos with Daisy and praising her for every milestone she makes, such as drinking, eating and going outside. 

Wrapped in a throw and cushioned so she doesn't get cold and so she can breathe.

I will keep you all updated with the situation of Daisy, but for now, she sits cosily in the armchair, watching the family walk by in our living room, and wagging her tail when we speak to her.

Have you got any pets in your family? 

Kirsty 

xxx

Day in London with Lucy

On Saturday my sister and I headed into the city for the day. With our parents currently away and the freedom to make our own plans, we decided to go into town early before seeing McBusted later that evening.

We got the C2C into West Ham and headed towards EC1 (Brick Lane, Hoxton, Spitalfields) and arrived within good time to look around. The first place we went to was the Beigel Bar on Brick Lane. This brings back so many fond memories as a child. Our parents always used to take us here to get a smoked salmon bagel or hot salt beef. We also got two doughnuts, filled always with lots of jam!

The Bagel bar

Once stopping by here to buy a dozen bagels to take home, we carried along the high street. We found alcoves of thrift shops and cubby holes of warehouses FULL of unique clothing lines and international foods. We then went to look for the Hummingbird Bakery to get cupcakes for our dessert later that evening!

The entrance in Shoreditch

One of the lovely cakes inside.

Before entering the arena, Lucy and I went to Pizza Express, where we devoured a pizza!

How beautiful does it look!

We had a cocktail at All Bar One, then made our way to our seats in the arena. We did not have to wait too long for the band to come on as we did not see the supports. They played some of their new songs but their old songs were best!

This was their set:

And this was at the end of the night:

It was a great day and I will definitely be going back to Brick Lane when I have money to spend!

Have you had a day out recently?

Kirsty

xxx

My weekend in Loch Lomond

It was such a surprise when my parents said they wanted to come and visit me in Glasgow. They would be staying at Cameron House in Loch Lomond and they planned to pick me up so we could go out somewhere for the day.

I've been waiting all month, but finally, Saturday evening came and mum and dad picked me up at Glasgow airport and took me out to what looked like the wilderness, when coming from such a busy city like London and the south east!

My dad excitedly getting into the car!

We arrived at the hotel and I was shocked to see such a lovely swimming pool with a flume. I wish my parents had told me and I would have brought my swimming gear! I left my things in the room and we went to Duck Bay for dinner where I had the most amazing steak accompanied by my favourite - BBQ sauce and chips! My Mum knew that I love a good Strawberry Daiquiri and so one was ordered to the table for me - And it was perfect! The evening was lovely and we came back to the hotel after and both had a hot chocolate, whilst my Dad enjoyed a Scottish beverage - Irn Bru in the bar at the hotel overlooking the Loch and watching the snow fall. It felt ever so christmassy!

The next morning I awoke and opened the curtains to see the utmost amazing view!

The view of Loch Lomond from my window.

We all knew that today was going to be a fab day just from the weather. The breakfast was unbelievable! I had Kippers while my Mum had Eggs Benedict and Dad had a Full English. After this, our adventure began as we decided to get in the car and go off on our travels further into the highlands! 

The first place we visited was Luss, a small village with cute gardens, exceptionally well kept. A church was also in this town to highlight the religious element upheld in this village. After a quick stop here to see the view of the Loch we made our way further up to the next village on our journey.

Loch Fyne

We stopped in a little town called Inveraray, where we were allowed to park free as it was out of the summer months. The town was deserted but had the potential to be buzzing full of tourists in the summer! 

Inveraray Castle.

Coming into Inveraray, over the bridge we saw this majestic castle, where my dad slowed down so I could take a photo.

We got out of the car and had a wander around the village to take photos of the views. There was also a memorial of the men who fought in the World War, which I thought was a lovely gesture.

We then stopped in a small teashop to have a drink and I ordered Chowder, it was beautiful! 

It was such a lovely afternoon I didn't want it to end. On the way back, it was like driving another way because you had such a different view of what you saw on the way there.

We then went into Balloch, the town right by Loch Lomond to the farmers market. As it was closing at four, we got there right before the end. I managed to get an onion, which was needed for my Spaghetti Bolognese I'll be making later in the week! I also got an Apple Crumble, which was homemade by one of the ladies at the stall. It was such a lovely view, with the wonderful colours in the sky.

The day came to a close as I was then dropped back to my halls, as my parents made they're way to the airport back home to Essex.

Do you ever have any spontaneous weekends where you just get in the car and go off to somewhere you've never been before?

Kirsty 

xxx

Edward Scissorhands at Sadlers Wells

On 11th January, I went along with my family to Sadlers Wells in Islington, North London, to see Matthew Bourne’s adaptation of Edward Scissorhands. We went to the afternoon performance, which was the last show of the run. Dominic North was playing Edward and there was heightened tension in the air due to last show nerves and giving it their all before the tour began in Woking two weeks later. 

On arrival, my parents both had photos with the cardboard cut out that was displayed upon the entrance and as we took photos, more people followed to take photos. We then made our way to our seats to see the holographic name of the production on the stage, projected, for everyone to see. 

My Mum and Dad

Mum and Me!

The stage before the curtain arose!

The first act was an hour, and it flew by so quickly! The most obvious thing to point out firstly is that there is no talking in the production and feelings and thoughts are all displayed through dance. We quickly learn the plot line of the show. Edward dies and many crowd round his tombstone to mourn his death. Later, we then see a workshop where an inventor creates a doll. The doll is rather different to a normal childs toy. Edward has scissors for hands. With the fantasy of lightening, he comes alive and becomes a living person. He escapes out the window, and makes his way to a traditional classic town in America.

Matthew Bourne very much epitomises the classic things expected in an area where society compete with each other. The idea of ‘keeping up with the jones’ came to mind. Matthew shows that if one family member does something, then the next door neighbour equivalent would stride to get something better. Moreover, we see the secrecy in a town where we see there is an affair going on behind the scenes of ‘happy families’.

We go on a journey with Edward as we learn through his solo dance before the end of act one, that he is in love with Kim, a teenager of the family who takes in Edward. They try to fit him into society as normally as they can, aware that he has scissors for hands. They take advantage of this and he cuts hedges majestically to create animals out of grass, only to envy the surrounding neighbours. 

Throughout the show, I never once see a dancer falter and they appear strong equally with strong technique. We learn that Edward is only trying to fit into society. Out of all the shows Matthew has directed over the past few years, I believe Edward Scissorhands is by far my favourite.

The cast list of the day I saw the show.

After the show had ended, my sisters, parents and I went to Whitechapel for dinner. We had Nandos, whilst I celebrated my last evening with them for a while. It was a lovely day, in which I very much enjoyed myself.

My dad decided instantly what he would have.

Did you go to see anything over the Christmas or New Year period?

Kirsty

xxx

Family holiday to Egypt

So whilst most of you were probably sleeping on Christmas Day, I was on my way to the airport with my family and boyfriend to the airport where, we were flying out to Sharm El Sheikh. We started the morning at six am as we headed towards the Dartford Crossing to get to Gatwick. Whilst en route, we were listening to the radio and decided to call up as they were asking what we were doing whilst listening to the radio at this time. Later on, before meeting someone at the airport to take the car away, we popped open the bubbly!

Christmas Day drinkies with red cups!

Brandon had to get a different plane to us, as by the time he booked, the Monarch airlines flight was too expensive. His flight was delayed and so he got to Egypt a little later than us, but that did not ruin the fun week we were about to have!

The first few days we stayed just by the pool. We were relaxed, drinking cocktails and juices (making use of the all inclusive package we had!)

Brandon and I getting into the pool.

The pool at sunset. My room overlooked the pool and mountains!

The highlight of the holiday definitely was when we went quad biking in the desert. My whole family left at 2.30pm to get into the desert. We went out and then went for Bedouin Tea and carried on biking until the sun set. We did a family selfie with my dad's new selfie stick!

Sitting on the cushions at the Bedouin Tea.

In the desert with the squad!

On numerous evenings, we also made our way down to Naama Bay which had an impeccably good nightlife. It was always buzzing no matter what day we went and they even had Pacha nightclub! Something that caught my eye however, was the stars hanging in the bazaars. They were so magical  that I couldn't help take a photo!

So beautiful with lovely designs!

New Years Eve was quickly approaching and my sister and I were looking forward to the big evening. She bought headband and glasses to wear and we ready when the evening arrived. I wore my two piece, available from Boohoo (in the sale at christmas!) and we made our way to dinner!

New Years Eve!

Unfortunately, on New Years Day, it was our time to leave. We had a great week though and I would love to go back again. Definitely a place to go for the winter sun!