Happy July everyone! This month I wanted to change up the presentation of SEE Recommends to be like a newsletter. You can simply view the image down below, but I’d suggest opening the PDF instead (by clicking the “download” button after the image!).
Click the “download” button below to open the PDF version in a new tab.
I was only meant to be here for a weekend. Actually, scrap that and let’s rewind a bit. I was only meant to be based in Exeter for the duration of my bachelor’s degree. Then it became “home” after my parents followed me down here from London after my first year (#stalkers – jokes, love you guys!). Fast-forward seven years, and I’ve officially spent half of my entire time living in England down in the southwest. That definitely freaks me out a bit.
I came here nearly a month ago to help my dad pack up our house. Did you hear about that bomb that went off in February in Exeter? This one. Well, my house was literally right beside it. An absurd amount of damage was done to the property and, well, the rest is history really. This looks like it was the last time I’ll ever be getting on the London Paddington to Exeter St David’s train.
I had booked a trip away only for the weekend: heading down Friday night, back to London on Sunday. But I figured I can (for the most part) do down here what I do in London, and so why not stay and take this opportunity to spend time with father dearest and enjoy what Exeter has to offer for one final time.
Quite a lot has changed in town since I was last here in December 2019. We now have a BrewDog in the city centre, The Ivy has finally opened up after taking over the stunning building on the cathedral green where Jack Wills used to be, and the general look and vibe on the high street seems to be much more fashionable than I remember.
So here’s what I’m currently loving…
Pullo natural wine shop. When my friend told me Exeter now has a natural wine shop, I was ecstatic. It is super cute inside and their selection of wine is incredible. I was even able to get my hands on a bottle of Summertown Blanc (the best natural wine – see my review of it here).
Peppino restaurant. I’m having major appreciation at the moment for the “European café” aesthetic.You know, where the table seats all face out to watch the street, the marble-esque table tops and basket-style chairs? Obsessed. I walked by Peppino for the first time about a week ago and can confirm I will be their new regular. Unfortunately, they don’t have an alcohol licence (boo!), but you can bring your own bottle of vino and pay a five pound corkage fee (yay!). In fact, why not pick up a bottle from Pullo and then enjoy it at Peppino?! How have I only just thought of this?! I know what I’ll be doing Friday night…
The weather has been utter paradise these last few days. Though I believe storms are on the horizon for the rest of the week, but hey-ho – you win some, you lose some. Whenever it reaches above 20C, I like to escape over to Topsham for a cold beer by the waterfront, so I can simultaneously tan and watch the boats go by. It’s magical. As the sun sets I like to wander through the little streets and pop into the various boutiques.
The Ivy Exeter. I’m going to do a dedicated blogpost about my first time dining here, but as a SEE Recommends place to check out, I couldn’t avoid putting it in here too. I’ve been to The Ivy restaurants in Brighton, Dublin and all over London. It was rumoured ages ago among the local buzz that The Ivy was going to be coming to the high street. Truthfully, I didn’t believe it…until I saw it. They’ve really done such a great job on it and I hope it lasts! I’ll share a few pictures below that I took, but wait to see more in my next blogpost.
Italian Moka Pot. I go through phases with my coffee. Sometimes I want to be the most extra person out there, ordering an iced caramel macchiato with extra caramel drizzle, almond milk, and only two pumps of vanilla syrup. Other times, and frankly more frequently, I just want a double espresso or a black coffee. My dad has an Italian Moka Pot and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him use it. We (re)discovered it when going through our deep kitchen cupboards. When I locked eyes with it, my dad knew in that moment he was never going to see it again. I’ve been drinking coffee from it every morning since. It’s a very therapeutic process of boiling the coffee over a flame, albeit more time-consuming than putting a Nespresso pod in the machine and hitting GO. But this is so much more satisfying. Highly recommend.
My last recommendation is different from the norm, and that is to be flexible with plans and just allow life to happen. I am a major planner who likes everything to be organised. I didn’t expect to be here more than a weekend, yet this Friday marks one month away. I only came down here with one outfit, one pair of shoes, one handbag, one coat – you get the gist. Luckily, I still had some clothes and shoes out here that I’ve been living off since. I decided to stay on and not book a return train to London until I am absolutely ready to go back. Although it’s a stressful time packing and being constantly surrounded by boxes, this is also a once in a lifetime chance to spend this amount of time with my dad. I’ll forever cherish these memories we’re creating together. As Ferris Bueller said: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” So my final SEE recommendation is: Don’t Miss It.
Bubble tea, books, and (more) block-heeled shoes – Oh MaY!
Can we just take a second to really absorb the fact that it’s May. How are we already in the fifth month of the year? Christmas is only seven months away now. *Queue existential crisis number 724,568*.
However, with a new month comes a new SEE Recommends blogpost.
1. Books.
I am on my seventh book of the year so far. A truly life-changing habit for me in 2021 has been committing to reading at least ten pages of a book a day. I really recommend that if you implement any new habit into your life, it’s this one. If I hadn’t started reading ten pages a day, I can guarantee you that I wouldn’t even be close to having read seven books already.
I’m a non-fiction book lover. Recently, I’ve taken a liking to diary-style books, thanks to a novel I read by Jasmine Christ called ‘London to Fenland’. Her book is non-fiction in that it consists of real diary entries from her life over a period of a few years. I read this book in a weekend and can’t wait for her to come out with her next masterpiece. Christi is a breath of fresh air in a very modern, digital world. She’s authentic and unique in every way. I’d recommend following her on TikTok too to get a feel for her personality and interests.
In her book, Christi frequently references ‘Mrs Dalloway’ – the main character in a Virginia Woolf novel. Naturally, I had to get my hands on a copy, despite it being fiction. Extraordinarily coincidentally, last weekend I was at a vintage flea market and right there on the table at a book sale was Mrs Dalloway staring me right in the face. My copy is from 1976. The pages are orange and it smells like an old library. I’m only a few pages into it, but it’s a similar type of diary-style book that speaks of those who made an impression on Mrs Dalloway, and gradually reveals her personality.
Another book I have going at the minute is ‘Good Vibes, Good Life’ by Vex King. This is a very empowering book about how to become a positive person who can live a good life through daily personal evaluation and development – whether it’s meditation, manifestation, or visualisation. The author has first-hand experience overcoming hardship and his story is incredibly inspiring. Reading my daily ten pages of this book definitely puts me in the right mood to tackle whatever the day may throw at me.
2. The Ordinary.
I have been seeing people rave about The Ordinary skincare range on every social media platform. I’ve searched long and hard for it in each pharmacy that I’ve walked past over the last few weeks, but I believe it’s only available online at Boots pharmacy (though the company has a dedicated store in Covent Garden). This Thursday I will finally be getting to try it out. It may be cheating, recommending something I haven’t yet tried, but I’ve been googley-eyed over these products for a good month now, so I have extremely high hopes. Perhaps I will do a dedicated blogpost on my experience with the products later down the line.
I completed their online personalised quiz to see what regime was recommend for my skin type. I didn’t buy everything suggested for me as I already have a cleanser and moisturiser that I am content with. I was more interested in their serums. I was recommended the 100% Plant-Derived Squalane serum and the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. I bought these two, plus the peeling solution (AHA 30% + BHA 2%), as this is the specific product I’ve heard mega-reviews about. I couldn’t resist.
The Ordinary is a very affordable skincare range, which is sort of their whole ethos. As they claim: ‘A game changer from day one, The Ordinary is the stripped back premium skin care brand without the eye-watering price tag.’
3. Shoes.
It wouldn’t be a SEE Recommends without me obsessing over a new pair of block-heeled sandals. On the menu this month are two stunning pairs that I bought online from Zara. They are comfortable, chic, professional yet still fun, and are a bold statement piece to add to any outfit.
I’ll leave it there and let the shoes do the rest of the talking for themselves.
4. Bubble Tea.
I hated the stuff back when I was a teenager. The last time I had it was when I was around fifteen-years-old and had gone with a group of friends to Portobello Road. We went into the Bubbleology there and I got some orange coloured fruity drink. I couldn’t even finish it. Never again, I thought.
Well, fast-forward nine years (*cries a little that this memory is nearly a decade old*), and I cannot get enough of it. Not the fruity tea though, that probably won’t ever appeal to me – it’s far too artificial and sweet. But the milk teas I could drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner any day of the week. My favourite places to buy it in London are Golden Tea UK (try out their limited edition rose milk tea), and Xing Fu Tang (their brown sugar milk tea is the bomb.com).
5. Journaling.
A few weeks ago, I went on an adventure up to Hampstead. On the bustling high-street outside the tube station, I wandered into Waterstones book shop and bought myself a pretty pale pink journal and a black ink pen. I was happy to have bought them in such a beautiful part of London so that I’d always remember where they’d come from (rather than ordering them from Amazon). I tucked my notebook and pen away into the pouch of my leather crossbody satchel and headed for the heath.
After looking around for a good place to sit-down, I chose a spot right in from of a pond surrounded by tall houses. It was quite the view. It was perfect. I pulled out my journal, opened the first page and began jotting down my thoughts.
I used to journal a lot back in 2019. I carried on with it for about nine or so months and then life got too busy. But I miss it, and I think my new-found love for diary-style books is what has also inspired me to take it up again. It’s very therapeutic and I find it a fun thing to do while I’m out and about in London. The best part about journaling is that you can do it anywhere: airplanes, trains, sitting at bars and outdoor café tables – wherever!
90’s trends are returning and I couldn’t be happier! Here are my top five faves for April!
Today I woke up with a sense of purpose – something that I haven’t felt in a good long while. It’s amazing how much one’s appreciation for the little things in life grows once those things are taken away. Whether it’s going to the gym, meeting up with friends for a glass of wine, or wandering into little boutiques, I am overjoyed that from today we are allowed to do all of the above here in England.
1.With gyms opening again, I wanted to find some jewelry that I could wear while working out, which I could leave on during my sweat-sesh and shower, without worrying about the colour fading. I was so excited when I came across Hey Harper, who makes waterproof jewelry. My order is only arriving today, so I don’t have any of my own pictures yet, but I ordered the Nicole Hoop Earrings (of course, with my name being Nicole – I just had to!), the Barbados Necklace in gold, and they even threw in a free Señorita Necklace too! I cannot wait to wear them to the gym tomorrow morning!
2. I haven’t bought a pair of heels in what seems like forever. But a few weeks ago, I caved into temptation and ordered some shoes online from Zara. I wanted to get a few pairs of heeled sandals that were practical for the uneven London streets, while still being completely adorable. I got three pairs of shoes that I am so obsessed with! Two are block heeled sandals and the third is a more classic pair of heels (though the heel is small so I can walk fine in them).
Zara has such amazing shoes and at pretty decent prices too. Some of its other block heels/open-toed heels I am currently eyeing up are these pink leather sandals, these white leather sandals, and these light blue sandals.
Why heeled sandals? They’re comfortable, I feel like a fashionista in them without really trying, I get to show off my freshly painted toes, and they perfectly transform any plain outfit into something fit for the runway.
3. Resin rings are returning! Those bulky plastic, jeweled rings most of us wore growing up are making their comeback. Of course, I had to hop onboard this trend and order one (unfortunately I didn’t hang onto my collection from the actual 90s). I got my green ring with a peach stone from Etsy here.
4. Another 90’s trend that’s coming back is phone charms. I had one custom-made on Etsy to say “SEE” with an orange and pink colour theme. I got it here.
5. Yet another trend that I couldn’t resist is bubble candles. I ordered a duo set that came with a female body candle and a bubble candle. Once again, I got these from Etsy (I should really be sponsored at this rate, right?!). They are so beautiful and look amazing on top of a stack of books.
What are you loving this month? Comment down below!
From books & podcasts to heart-shaped coasters & espresso cups, here are my top five faves for this month.
We officially have dates for our roadmap out of lockdown here in England. The light at the end of the tunnel can finally be seen! Yipee! Let’s just hope it stays in sight.
Brighter days are definitely ahead – and not just metaphorically. Over these last few weeks, the weather here in London has been absolutely divine. I’ve even been sleeping with my bedroom window open. Normally that doesn’t happen until May/June time. Definitely not complaining though. BRING. IT. ON.
In the fourteen years that I’ve lived here, I can say with certainty that I’ve never relied on the weather for my overall happiness more than now. I suppose being stuck inside 24/7 with lockdown makes you way more dependent on external factors for your mood.
I want to share my top five favourite things that I’ve been loving lately and will continue to use throughout March. Let’s get into it!
I have a Tower air fryer. You can find it on amazon here.
2. Nespresso Machine. I love a good coffee. My boyfriend’s aunt kindly got us a nespresso machine so we could stop living out of Kenco and Nescafe jars for our caffeine fix. I’m definitely a fan of a straight espresso, but I recently started making milky coffees and OH MY my life has changed forever. Starbucks, WHO? There’s a new barista in town! My favourite pairing is a nespresso coffee with two fresh chocolate orange biscotti from my local Italian deli.
You can find my nespresso machine here.
3. Etsy. I could spend hours browsing Etsy (and believe me, when I can, I do!). In the above pictures you can see some recent purchases I made that I’m completely obsessed with. The first is my modern-chic single espresso coffee cup. It’s handmade and so delicate! You can find it here.
I also bought two handmade heart coasters. They’re pink and glittery and make any photo of a drink look more put together. You can find them here. The girl who makes them also has such an amazing story.
4. Business books & podcasts. Every day I read ten pages of a book. Normally I would wait until I had a big chunk of time to sit down and read, but that’s very unrealistic. There is never going to be a right time – so you just have to do it. I bought a couple of self-starter business books and the two I’ve read so far are by Maria Hatzistefanis, founder and CEO of two beauty empires: Rodial and Nip & Fab. Her books, How To Be An Overnight Success and How To Make It Happen, are unbelievable. They have motivated and inspired me so much, especially on those days in lockdown when you feel like you’re reliving day number 320 of Groundhog Day. You can find the first book here and the second book here.
This brings me onto podcasts. I have been listening non-stop to Maria’s podcast, Overnight Success, for more career and motivational tips. I listen to it on Spotify here.
5. Skincare. I’ve really been prioritising my skincare lately with “maskne” having got the better of me. A recent find of mine that I’m loving is Carbon Theory’s charcoal and tea tree oil cleansing bar. I bought it at Boots and you can find it online here.
I swear by tea tree oil and I typically do a charcoal face mask once a week too.
Well, there’s my top five faves! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these things out ❤ and Happy March! Stay safe x
With even Cupid himself in Lockdown, here’s some Valentine’s Day gift ideas you can order online for that special someone.
Well folks, it’s that time of year again. Some people love it, some people hate it. Whatever your viewpoint is on Valentine’s Day, it’s undeniable that this year’s is going to be very different from normal times.
Last year, my boyfriend and I stayed at a stunning waterfront hotel by Tower Bridge. We had champagne and chocolates and got to escape our everyday lives for just one night. I’ve had to really put my thinking cap on for this year’s plan.
I asked you guys on Instagram if you’d like me to put together a list of some Valentine’s Day gift ideas for him, with links to everything. It seems my peers are also struggling to come up with something, as the majority of you voted “yes”. So, without further ado, here we go.
Menkind. You know the saying: Men and their gadgets! This website is a super cool store filled with all the things your boyfriend probably doesn’t need, but certainly wants! They even have a special “Valentine’s Day gifts for him” section. You can find it here.
I’m pretty sure I’ve even used this website in the past to find gifts for my dad. Here are some of my favourite items:
Hampers, Food Boxes and Experiences. Seeing as how we can’t go out for a romantic meal, why not order it straight to your door or do a live cook-along class? This way it’s also a present for both of you!
Hampers
Food Boxes and Experiences (ps. I definitely owe my knowledge of what’s available to @southeastfoodies on Instagram – they put together a fantastic guide!)
Small Businesses to support
Other things to do
Whatever you end up doing, I hope you all have the most romantic Valentine’s Day yet!
It’s vegan, lasts you 3-5 years, saves you money and is environmentally friendly. You’re going to want to read on…
You need to stop buying makeup remover wipes, liquids, balms, – whatever it is you use. Right now.
What I’m about to share with you will completely change your life and save you a ton of money.
When I was in New York over Christmas, I was out shopping and came across a product called the “Makeup Eraser”. I had heard about this product many times on social media, but never really thought twice about it. Boy, oh boy, don’t I now wish I had given it more attention.
I ended up caving and buying it. It was $20 before tax, so I had all my fingers crossed that it would be worth it.
Here’s the crazy thing about the “Makeup Eraser”: it works. It advertises that it removes all makeup with just water. I feel like anybody would be seriously skeptical reading that. It seems too good to be true.
It also states it’s “equal to 3600 makeup wipes”, “lasts 3 to 5 years”, is “machine washable” and “reusable”, “great for sensitive skin” and “saves money”. All that I think it really needed to add was: This product is PURE magic!
I put it to the test that same night after wearing a full face of makeup all day. Using only warm-to-hot water I cleaned my face with the eraser side followed by the exfoliating side. I use a lot of mascara because, much to my despair, I have extremely thin and straight lashes. If it could take off my layers upon layers of mascara then I knew I had hit the jackpot.
Well, *ding* *ding* *ding* ladies and gentlemen. Hit the jackpot I did!!!
It’s been almost a month since I started using this product and I can still attest to the fact it’s the best investment I’ve ever made. I haven’t bought any other makeup removing product since. And I don’t intend to.
Here are some of the other benefits it advertises:
So how exactly does just a towel remove makeup? According to the packaging, the towel is a special blend of polyester that works like a suction cup. It’s made up of millions of tiny hair-like fibres, which are 10-15 times thinner than a human hair. All of this contributes to the towel adhering to makeup and gently pulling it up and out of the skin.
Pretty awesome if you ask me.
This product is the number one thing I’d recommend right now. It you think $20 or £20 is too much to spend on something like this, just think about how much you’ll be saving in the long run – potentially for 3-5 years!
This product comes in a lot of different colours. If you don’t want to see your makeup come off onto the towel, then I’d recommend going for the black one. I bought the neon green towel because it’s actually super satisfying to see your makeup come off like this!
After I remove my makeup with the eraser towel, I take a cotton pad and rub some witch hazel all over my face and neck. I do this after every makeup remover I use, simply because it takes off any excess product, dirt and oils.
I recently ran a survey on Instagram asking about makeup removers.
Based on this survey, a lot of you are spending more than you need to.
The “Makeup Eraser” is the answer. It’s easy to use every day, free of alcohol, oils, astringents, parabens, fragrances and sulfates, and it’s probably the last makeup remover product you’ll ever buy.
I’ll link it here if you’re interested.
I compared the Terry’s Chocolate Orange that’s available in England vs. America.
I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be assessing the breakability factor of a chocolate orange. But I’ve entered the food blogger realm and committed and curious I am!
When I asked you guys on Instagram if you wanted me to compare the Terry’s Chocolate Orange I brought with me to New York from England, with the one I got here in America, I thought I’d have a more exciting, more noteworthy experience to share with you. Then again, I suppose the excitement here actually arises from this chocolate I got in America not letting me down this time. Let’s be honest, the creamy decadence of British chocolate is unparalleled anywhere else and typically wears the crown in most of these types of situations.
I’ll admit this was a tough one though.
In order to compare the two chocolates sufficiently, I wrote down a list of things I needed to examine: packaging, breakability, appearance, ingredients, smell, and flavour. Why do I all of a sudden feel like I’m writing up my answers to a chemistry GCSE practical exam? HA!
My results were as follows:
Packaging: This is probably the most subjective of the six categories. Ultimately, what kind of packaging I like might be very different to what you like. But as it’s my blog – I’ll tell you which I prefer. That is the point of this whole thing, isn’t it?
First, I’ll analyse the American Terry’s. There is a simplicity to this packaging that makes it feel almost vintage: the “retro” Terry’s compared to its British counterpart. Although the British one has more going on in terms of detailing, colour and even box design, the writing on the American one is a lot to handle and extremely fine font for those of us lacking 20/20 vision. It actually takes away from what could have been an eye-catching box. It just doesn’t scream “special” to me, ya know?
The British Terry’s. This is the one I am going to have a form of favouritism for because it’s the most familiar and most memory-rich box to me. When I look at this box I think: Christmas! Christmas! Christmas! I like that the word orange is written in an orange peel style font, and I like that it is more colourful than the American one.
Overall, despite both having a hollow cut out allowing you to see the ball of chocolate inside, the two boxes are very different. I think the American one’s vintage appeal would stand out more if the layout weren’t so wonky and obnoxiously asymmetrical. The British box therefore wins this round for me.
Breakability: Each orange received equal treatment, with both being dropped two times and then another half drop each to ensure the segments had definitely broken apart.
As you can see, the segments of the American one did not fall away as much as the British Terry’s. I must admit I was rather disappointed. In fact, I actually pulled away that large piece of connected segments you see in the left photo, just to make sure they would in fact break off.
The British orange was untampered with. All of the segments came away from the centre core on their own.
The photo of the two oranges shows both looking pretty much identical, after I had separated out the pieces of the American Terry’s.
Overall, the unique selling point of this chocolate orange is that the segments are meant to magically separate after dropping it on the floor a few times. I don’t know about you, but that’s definitely my favourite part of the whole Terry’s experience. The American one did not deliver on that. Therefore, the British Terry’s wins this round too.
Appearance: Both oranges scored equally. The oranges, both whole and in segments, were pretty much identical in size and shape. Each orange also contained exactly twenty segments.
Ingredients: I figured that the ingredients would be different, as is usually the case for things sold in America and England. This was indeed the case.
American Terry’s ingredients are: sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, nonfat milk, whey, vegetable oil (palm, shea nut oil), milkfat, soy lecithin, orange oil, polyglycerol polyricinoleate, vanillin (articifical flavor).
British Terry’s ingredients are: sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, skimmed milk powder, whey powder (from milk), vegetable fats (palm, shea), milk fat, emulsifiers (soya lecithins, E476), orange oil, flavouring.
Unless anyone sees fit to object, I would rule that both oranges tie again. Yes, the ingredients are different. Maybe one or two extra preservatives here and there. But the replacements are very similar and nothing seems too unaccounted for.
In case you’re wondering about their nutritional values, they’re more or less the same again. A serving size of four segments is 31g for the American Terry’s, and 31.4g for the British Terry’s. The former’s serving has 160 calories, while the latter has 164 calories. I’m not too sure what makes the British one higher, except that perhaps it’s due to the 0.4g more in a serving, or the slightly extra creaminess of the chocolate.
Smell: Another very close call. As you’d hope, both Terry’s smell like orange chocolate. Although I expected some difference in potency of the orange scent, I did not get that. Both smell more or less exactly the same. If you really concentrate on it, you can notice that the British Terry’s has a more creamy, rich chocolate scent than the American one. But it’s a very tiny discrepancy between the two.
Flavour: Now for the ultimate test: TASTE! I hate to sound like a broken record, but both oranges tasted more or less the same too. I really did think that the British one would be so much nicer, given the common waxiness and flavourlessness of American chocolate. Both tasted creamy and orange flavoured and utterly delicious! Once again, if you really focused in on it though, you could taste a bit more richness in the British chocolate, but it was certainly not as noticeable as if I were to taste test this against a Hershey’s chocolate bar.
Overall Verdict: I was very impressed with the Terry’s Chocolate Orange you get in America. It really was not what I expected at all. So, given that, I think it wins in some respect. But it definitely did let me down on breakability, which is a very important factor for me. The Terry’s Chocolate Orange you get in England will forever be nostalgic for me, and given that it’s my preferred packaging, on top of that little bit of extra creaminess the chocolate has, and the way it perfectly broke apart, I hereby declare that one the overall winner!
What’s your favourite Christmas chocolate?
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A delicious grapefruit rosé mulled wine recipe to wipe away those Tier 4 tears.
Tis the season for vast disappointment it seems. I cannot even believe that with only four days before Christmas, London has been put into Tier 4. Families are now kept apart, and many people will probably be spending Christmas alone.
That would’ve been me. I was meant to go down to Exeter this Wednesday to spend Christmas with my dad, but now we will be separated for Christmas for the first time ever in my entire life. Luckily, he won’t be alone. But it’s still very upsetting this has been the outcome.
The news was announced the day before I was meant to fly home to London from New York. I actually fly out from Newark Airport in New Jersey, so it’s a four hour drive to even get to the airport from Upstate New York where I am staying. If Tier 4 had been announced today, I would’ve been so stuck. I would’ve been halfway to the airport and probably would not have turned back.
I am so grateful that instead of flying back to London to spend Christmas alone in an undecorated London flat, I can now stay here in New York and spend it with my mom.
Thinking it was our last day together yesterday, I made us some homemade mulled wine to lighten the somber mood. It turned out so wonderful that I thought I should share the recipe. Seeing as how people will be stuck at home now looking for things to do, making this mulled wine will surely put a smile on your face and warm you from the inside out, even if only for a brief moment.
Some background to this recipe. My mom is allergic to oranges, which means she has actually never had mulled wine before. Nevertheless, I wanted to make us some and figured there must be a way to make it taste like normal mulled wine, without adding any oranges.
I came up with a grapefruit rosé mulled wine recipe. I thought red mulled wine just wouldn’t be the same without oranges, so we opted for a rosé.
Here’s how to make it
Ingredients:
Method:
I also have a delicious eggnog recipe that you can find in my IGTV here.
Happy Holidays everyone ❤ Sending my love to all!
I travelled from London Heathrow to New York, USA, in a pandemic…again.
I’m currently somewhere over the Atlantic ocean; in fact, I’m 35,999 feet up in the air.
I’ve been awake since 5:30am and, surprisingly, I’m not that tired. I left my flat in London Bridge at 6:15am, and hopped in an Uber, which took me to Heathrow Airport in just under one hour. I had to queue to get into the airport, which I certainly hadn’t been expecting. It was definitely anxiety-inducing as I wasn’t sure how long the line would take. Luckily, I was three hours early for my flight. I couldn’t help but feel the stress of those people who arrived to the airport late, only to find out they couldn’t run straight to the gate without first waiting in a long line that wrapped around the building.
It probably took me just over ten minutes to get inside. Once in, I checked-in easily and headed through security. The airport was way busier than it was in June when I had last made this trip.
*Turbulence for a few minutes*
Ok, where was I? Oh yes, how busy the airport was. In June, the airport was like a deserted town: minimal people, all a bit weary and freaked out by travelling during a pandemic. But now, I guess we’ve all sort of got the hang of it, and it’s just business as usual. Or people are just so fed up with being trapped at home that they’ve said f*** it – I’m outta here!
I got through security really fast and found myself with an hour and a half to spare before my gate would be displayed onscreen. On the bright side, unlike in June, more cafés and shops were open. Last time I flew, Leon was the only coffee shop open. And yes, I did join that 25 minute line for a coffee, and it was worth every sip.
I had a little wander around to see how many of the shops were open. I went into WHSmith and got myself two massive water bottles and an energy drink. I drink a lot of water when flying. The energy drink was excessive, but I figured it would come in handy when I began to crash…in energy that is. I really must watch my flight puns right now while turbulence is present!
I then went to go find myself a seat. Every other seat was blocked off with a sign covering it saying: “Do not use this seat.” I took out one of my water bottles and added in my Emergen-C vitamin packet. Got to get those vitamins in folks – especially when travelling!
Then I wandered over to Leon (we meet again my old friend), and bought an oat cappuccino. I drank it in the café as there was a seat available and I fancied some comfort with a table to rest on. In June, the café had only been open for take-away. I stayed there until my gate was announced and then walked for 13 minutes (precisely, according to the sign) to the gate. We boarded pretty fast after that and, luckily, I once again have the whole row to myself. In fact, lots of people do. That’s definitely one perk of travelling during this time. Empty flights mean the possibility of actually sprawling out and being able to relax is more likely.
Despite having the whole row to myself, however, I’m yet to really “relax.” I think at this point, with less than three hours of the flight remaining, I’m just going to stay up. I never ever sleep on flights. I have enough trouble sleeping generally, so you bet your bottom dollar that when I’m flying and my life is in someone else’s hands I’m definitely not going to. Believe me though, I do try. Last time I flew, we were handed blankets and pillows, but not this time. Perhaps if I had been given those then I’d feel more obliged; but without them I cannot seem to get comfy and cosy enough to get some zzzzs. I’m not really sure why the blanket/pillow situation is different to last time.
What have I done so far on the flight?
I’ve watched two movies, and now I’m listening to the “All-Country” audio package on the airplane TV. It’s not bad, but we’re yet to get to the real classics like Chris Stapleton, so my review is still pending.
As for movies, I’ve been very impressed. I watched the New Mutants film first, which was really good. Then I watched Mean Girls, which I don’t think I’ve seen in over a decade. It was so fetch. They have a bunch of holiday films onboard too, which is so nice to see. They even have Elf. Um, yes please! Elf, much like Love Actually, is a gateway into the Christmas season – it’s essential to watch every year. I would go so far as to argue that you haven’t truly embraced the Christmas spirit without it.
The food so far has been really impressive as well. Normally, plane food is beige, beige and more beige. Carb on carb and all that. But they actually gave us a delicious, well-balanced meal. We were served our first meal at around 11:15am. I had a creamy chicken risotto, a bulger wheat salad, a bread roll with butter (ok, yes, so far kind of heavy on the old carbs – BUT), a bag of natural almonds (protein and fat), and for dessert – chocolate truffle ice cream. To drink…I had some chardonnay wine. Don’t judge me. When you’re flying you can drink at any time of day. Plus, I’ve been up for so many hours it basically felt like the late afternoon for me anyways.
Now, with 2 hours and 48 minutes left of this flight, I’m not sure what to do. The final hour of a flight goes by so quickly, with the crew feeding us again, as well as the process of landing taking up the final thirty minutes.
I could watch another movie…
*Update*
I ended up watching Die Hard, which took me pretty much to the end of the flight. Great film by the way, if you haven’t seen it.
For our final meal, we were given a turkey and cheese pretzel roll, which was terribly greasy, but by this stage I was so hungry that I actually found it quite delicious. I washed that down with some more chardonnay – it was past 5 o’clock in England now, so it would’ve been rude not to have some!
Once we landed, it was totally different to last time. Before, some authorities had come aboard and told us about the importance of being aware of COVID symptoms over the next two weeks. Then off the plane, we had had to queue up and be asked a few COVID-related questions while our temperatures were taken. None of this happened this time though, which I thought was really weird given cases in the USA are still extremely high.
I collected my suitcase rather quickly (another perk of an empty flight), and went to go find my mom who was waiting outside the airport for me.
I’m now home in upstate New York and being fed and looked after like a Queen. My mother is really the most fantastic cook and host. If you want to see what I’m up to and the yummy food I’m eating – follow me on Instagram here.
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