Back in September we went to the Harry Potter Studio Tour for my birthday treat. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and have been wanting to visit the Warner Bros. set for ages so I was really excited when my boyfriend Jamie said he would take me there. We decided to stay in Reading as the Warner Bros. studios weren't too far from there, and because it was also a direct train journey away from London. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Reading, which was a lovely hotel situated right beside the River Thames.
I was so excited when we arrived at the studio tour. I proudly wore my Gryffindor scarf (even though I am actually in Hufflepuff according to Pottermore), another birthday present from Jamie. It was so surreal walking around the set and seeing everything up close. I love the soundtracks to all the films and I was so pleased to hear them playing throughout the tour. The staff were really friendly and knowledgeable and were more than happy to answer any questions we had about the films. I absolutely loved every minute of the Harry Potter studio tour and I can't wait to go and visit again as they have recently added a Dark Arts section.
Another part of my birthday present was a trip to London to watch the Chase Christmas special being filmed. I am a massive quiz show fan, and I am obsessed with Christmas so this was the perfect present for me! We have been to the ITV studios before to watch a celebrity version of the Chase being filmed and it was brilliant. It was even more enjoyable this time as the set was decorated with a giant Christmas tree and all four of the Chasers took part. I was even visible (only just!) in the audience! The four celebrities were Paula Lane (Kylie Platt in Coronation Street), Steve Pemberton (Benidorm actor), Educating Yorkshire’s Mr Burton and comedian and actor Ben Miller. While we were in London we also had a quick stroll around South Bank, through St. James's Park (where there were some very friendly squirrels and ducks!) and down to Buckingham Palace.
After reading (and loving) the very first issue of Vegan Life magazine, I couldn't wait for the second issue to come out. The magazine is bi-monthly, so the latest issue is for November and December, and consequently contains lots of recipes and ideas for a vegan Christmas! This issue is packed full of delicious recipes for the festive season. I especially liked the look of the chocolate fondant puddings, lentil & mushroom crumble pie and spinach swirls. One article I particularly enjoyed was 'A Very Big Surprise', which tells the story of Esther the pig. Esther was adopted by a couple called Steve and Derek, who had never looked after a pig before but took her in when she needed a new home. They were told that Esther was a mini pig, however on taking her to visit the vet, they discovered that she was actually a 'commercial pig' and had had her tail cropped. I really hate the idea of pets as 'trends', which is what is happening with these so-called mini or micro pigs at the moment. Mini pigs are just tiny piglets that will eventually grow into much bigger pigs. A lot of people rush into buying mini pigs because of their cuteness and tiny size but are all too quick to disown them when they realise that they won't stay that size forever. I also think a lot of people are buying pet Pugs just because they too seem to be 'trendy' at the moment; (does anyone else think this or is it just me?) I only hope that they will love them and look after them forever and not just until the trend becomes outgrown. Back to the original story... Esther now weighs around 650lbs and is good friends with the cats and dogs she lives with. The best part of the story is that she caused Steve and Derek to make the connection and become vegan. They made a Facebook page for Esther and have received hundreds of messages from people telling them that Esther has made them realise that eating animals is wrong. Esther even has an Instagram account so you can see what she gets up to everyday. Steve and Derek are planning to open an animal sanctuary so that they can rescue all kinds of commercial farm animals (something I would love to do myself one day). It's amazing how one animal can change your whole life and enable you to help save the lives of others. I can't wait for issue 3!
I was recently offered the chance to try some products to review from a company called Beefayre. I had never heard of them before, and my first thought was that their products were going to be full of beeswax and honey. Upon emailing the company to find out more information, I discovered that most of their products are actually vegan, with the exception of the lip balms and gardener's balm (they also sell some honey and bee pollen products which are obviously not vegan). Furthermore, Beefayre are PETA certified and donate 3% of their profits to bee conservation, which is great as we need to help save the bee population from declining. I was sent a candle and a reed diffuser to try. Both the reed diffuser and the candle are packaged in pretty boxes, and they would make lovely gifts. The Winter Scent Votive candle comes in a cute little glass jar with bees on it, and it retails at £7.50. The candle is hand poured and is made of 100% soy wax with a cotton wick. The jar is made of recycled glass and can be reused for other things once the candle has finished. The scent is described as 'a delicious wild fig aroma that captivates the senses'. I really like the delicate, slightly sweet aroma, and when it burns it gently scents the room. It burns cleanly and evenly, and has a burn time of approximately 25 hours. The Bluebell & Wood Anemone reed diffuser also comes in a cute glass container with bees on, and it retails at £14. The diffuser is made with alcohol free natural bio oil. The scent is described as 'the wonderful fresh scent of Spring and glades of dewy bluebells; nature coming back to life'. I really like the scent and how it leaves the room smelling sweet and fresh. The scent lasts for approximately 6 weeks.
I really enjoyed using both of these products as I love their designs and natural scents. Have you tried any of Beefayre's products?
This post is really late but I thought I'd share a few photos of Jack's 4th birthday back in August. I always spoil him on his birthdays and at Christmas by buying him lots of presents and wrapping them up. He just loves unwrapping presents (just like me!) and every time I receive a parcel he helps me to rip it open. We got Jack lots of treats and a few new toys. He loves balls so we bought him a giant one but sadly it didn't last half an hour before it burst! So we ordered him a giant proper tennis ball instead. We also got him a cute hoodie to wear on walks when the weather gets colder. I made Jack a birthday cake as I do each year (recipe here). I also made one for my brother's dog Rhino as his 4th birthday was a few days before Jack's. We went for a long walk to one of our favourite spots. There were lots of beautiful cows in the fields and one even let me stroke her. Jack had a lovely day and was worn out by the end of it :)
I'm always on the look out for new vegan chocolates, so when Traidcraft, the UK’s leading fair trade organisation, invited me to try out one of their products, I eagerly browsed through their selection. Traidcraft sell a wide range of fair trade products, including groceries, toys, clothing, jewellery, homeware and gifts. I decided to try the Divine fair trade dark chocolate ginger thins, as I thought it would make a nice change to have something other than mint chocolate. The chocolates come in a nicely presented box. They are made with Ghanaian cocoa and fair trade sugar, and consist of thin dark chocolate squares with a ginger jelly centre. You get 20 in a box and they retail at £3.95.
I shared these with my boyfriend and my family after dinner one day. Everyone loved them! The chocolate is nice and rich without being too bitter, and the ginger filling is tasty but not overpowering.
These dark chocolate ginger thins are perfect for passing around after a family meal. They would be great after Christmas dinner, and even as a stocking filler too. Because the ginger thins are dark chocolate, you know they are (somewhat!) good for you, and because they are fairtrade, you know you are helping to make a difference to other peoples' lives.
I've recently joined Instagram (better late than never) and thought I'd jump on the 'my week on Instagram' bandwagon. I'm always looking for new accounts to follow so do send me your links :) Jack looking out to sea | Picking the last of the blackberries | My first attempt at banana nice cream (Lotus biscuit spread flavour!) | Beautiful cows | Wild chamomile | New perfume from Superdrug | Curled my hair using my new curling wand | My gorgeous doggy nephew Rhino
