adventures | the stand comedy club - edinburgh

Last month, I booked a train ticket down to Edinburgh (again!) with my friend to attend the Edinburgh Zoo Late Night event but unfortunately, we were too late in getting tickets to the event but the train was already booked. My friend used her epic event planning skills to arrange some alternative evening entertainment.

She didn't tell us ANYTHING until we arrived in Edinburgh but she had arranged to go to a comedy club called The Stand on York Place. It's an intimate setting where 4 comedians play during the evening and they aren't necessarily well known. It was such a good laugh even though there was one comedian who was just not getting any of my laughs by using the f-word in every second word he spoke. In my opinion, comedians don't have to swear to be funny. 

Afterwards, we headed to the Grassmarket for a few drinks to end the night We ended up in a cocktail bar called Dragonfly which I was led to believe did cocktails in goblets and fishbowls but apparently they stopped doing them. Devastated. 

The next morning, our train was at 1.30pm so we went to re-fuel in the form of breakfast. I think breakfast is one of my favourite meals of the day despite the fact that I rarely get time to eat it! My friend recommended Cafe Lucano on George IV Bridge which is a little cute cafe. I ordered 'The Breakfast' and I didn't realise how much food there was. Under the toast lay another meal in itself in the form of black pudding, mushrooms, tomato, sausages and bacon. Oh my. Are you salivating yet?

We had a little wander down to the train station stopping at some of the small boutiques which I ended up buying a print from. It's currently waiting patiently for a pretty frame to be housed in. 

I had such a great weekend with my old uni friends and so many laughs! Edinburgh is fast becoming one of my favourite Scottish cities ever. I would love to live there one day and explore even more!

Vanessa

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review | bobbi brown long-wear gel eyeliner - espresso ink

This product has been sitting in my drawer unopened and unused for about 2 years now but as I'm being a bit more adventurous with bold eyeliner, I decided to finally break the seal. 

The shade in question is 'Espresso Ink' which is a brown shade. I find black is a very harsh colour for me and I prefer to use black for evenings or for bold eye makeup looks. The brown shade is perfect for every day wear and has a more gentle feel to it. 

The product itself is very easy to use. I use the Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner brush and off I go. It's got a smooth application and very long wearing as I can go a full 9 hour shift at work and it's still there. The pigmentation however is something I need to touch on...

I'm not sure if it's because I'm not using more of a heavy hand to apply it or because the brown shade really doesn't come out unless you really build it up. Therefore, I must be bolder and be not afraid to really concentrate and get a fluid line!

At £17.00 a pop (ouch!), it's really more of a splurge than anything. I believe I bought this on QVC where I got Black Ink and Espresso Ink with the brush in a set so it was slightly cheaper than buying it indivdually. I don't think I would have bought it had it not been for the deal. 

I think there are more affordable and better gel eyeliners on the market. The drugstore brands have really up their game in regards to gel eyeliners and Maybelline does a fantastic one for half the price. 

In saying that, Bobbi Brown does a brilliant range of colours and if you're looking for something a little extra special then this may be for you. You can click here to view their range.

What did you think of this product? Have you got any holy grail eyeliners that you can't fault?

Vanessa

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review | lush yuzu and cocoa bubbleroon

I am not a usually a bath girl. I prefer the ease of a shower. Spontaneously, I decided to draw a bath and spend a little time with Jay Gatsby (in book form obviously!). The lady in Lush was so lovely when I purchased this as I wasn't quite sure if you'd use it in the same way as a regular bubble bar. The scent is a strange mix of cocoa and light grapefruit, although the citrus scent is what comes through the strongest.

The lady in Lush suggested I grated the bubbleroon and when the bath tub fills with water, there would be more bubbles. I didn't try this technique as I don't have a non-food related grater so I went in with the usual crumbling it under the water. I pulled in in half and decided to save the other half for another time. I was disappointed with the lack of bubbles one half provided so I crumbled the other half in and there still wasn't as many bubbles as I would have liked. Not sure if I was crumbling it the wrong way (surely there is only one way to crumble a bubble bar!). So I was left sitting in a lack of bubbly water with the scent of citrus filling the air and the odd bit of undissolved bubble bar at the bottom of the tub.

This experience certainly hasn't converted me to the bath ways but I still love Lush nonetheless. This is slightly on the cheaper side for a bubblebar at £2.95 so it's nice to have a little treat. I probably won't be re-purchasing this particular product.

Have you tried this bubbleroon before or any other ones in the range?

Vanessa

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the 'i don't know when i'm going to wear these but i bought them anyway' haul

I think the best thing about giving away half my wardrobe is getting to buy new clothes to refill it again. Over the last few weeks, I've been carefully picking out new things and trying to be more fashionable. I am very much influenced by the blogger community so send me over your favourite fashion blog links!

I popped into Primark to have a look around and yes, I bought some things that I don't know when I'd wear them but I bought them anyway...

The Paris top is a long sleeveless top and was only £4.00. Again, no idea how I'd wear this but I love Paris and the ombre sunset in the background sold it to me.
I've been buying so many skirts lately (alas, not enough tops to go with them) and as a big fan of navy this caught my eye. It comes a little past my knees and is a silky material. I really like it but have no clue how to style it. Ideas? This was £10.00

Lastly, the main reason I went into Primark. I have never worn or owned a pair of sandals before. Really. I have a fear of feet. Bare feet, toes and just feet in general. I thought 60 steps ahead and invested in a pair of sandals if I ever get to go on holiday this year to a sunny location. I've done the whole Converse wearing situation in Hong Kong before and it was horrible. These cover up all the necessary and they are sandal-ish! They have a Topshop look about them and they were also the last pair in my size. Hurrah! At £12.00, I went to the cash register a happy shopper.

Vanessa

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H! By Henry Holland

Whilst I was at the Benefit Blogger Event, we got invited up to see the new H! By Henry Holland department to have a wee browse of the collection. Debenhams at Aberdeen has recently undergone a big revamp including the beauty hall and introduced new clothing departments. We had a personal shopper, Sophie, at hand to answer all our questions about the collection and we were left to peruse at our leisure.

The collection itself is very cutesy, fun and there were some really crazy prints and style! I particularly enjoyed the detail gone into some items such as the lace on the shorts and the studs on the leather jacket. Most of the items are perfect for the summer if you're planning a trendy city break or going for a night time walk by the beach.

We were given a styling challenge to come up with an outfit with the H! By Henry Holland collection. We could go into the store with a friend and style it for them or for ourselves. I've not had a chance to go back to the department this week due to work commitments but I've had a good look on the website and here is what I've come up with...

Top | Shorts | Denim Jacket | Bag | Sandals

Since festival season is coming up, I decided to come up with a simple festival style outfit. And obviously the denim jacket is optional until the evening where it may get a bit chilly!

What do you think of the collection? 

Vanessa

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temporary tattoos

I'm sure we've all thought about it at least once in our lives...getting a tattoo. I've definitely been thinking about it a lot lately and I think I want it on my right wrist (obviously due to my horrific wrist breakage ordeal, I think it's quite fitting!). Before taking the plunge, I decided to get a few temporary transfers to see if I'd like it there or what design I'd like. 

I hit up Etsy and found this seller. I picked two different designs and they came about a week later all the way from Australia! 

The great thing about temporary tattoos is that you can change the design and they usually last around a week. They can be easily removed at any time...in the shower, a good scrub or by rubbing a little perfume over it. I've already had a few of my friends stop and enquire after my new wrist accessory thinking it's a real tattoo but alas it is temporary. 

I'm definitely not one for rash decisions when it comes to permanently inking my skin so it'll be a while before I take the plunge but I'm pretty content with my temporary transfers at the moment!

Have you got a tattoo? Does it have a personal meaning to you? 

Vanessa

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Benefit Blogger Event

I was recently invited to attend a Benefit Blogger Event organised by the lovely Laura at Lipparazzi and I also nervously met some other lovely North East Bloggers. It was held at the newly refurbished Debenhams Beauty Hall in Aberdeen at the Benefit counter. Our hosts for the evening were Jo and Claire who were without a doubt, the liveliest, the funniest and friendliest ladies I have ever met.

The evening was a masterclass of the latest Benefit products presented by Claire and the lovely Jo modelled the finished makeup look. Wanna see...?

During the masterclass, we learnt about some of the products on offer and some new ones that had been launched. I definitely have my eye on the Cha Cha Tint and the Fake Up Concealer. Oh purse, please don't hate me! The night was fuelled with drinks and cute cakes and sweets to keep us going.

After the masterclass, we got a chance to play around with the products, take photographs and just generally chat the rest of the night away. A competition was launched soon after the event begun and it was to come up with a hashtag for Twitter for all Benefit events in Aberdeen. I thought mine was pretty good but 3 lovely bloggers ended up coming up with the same hashtag and won £50 worth of Benefit products. The winning hashtag was...#Benedeen! Pretty cool huh?

We were let away with a goody bag full of Benefit samples and a chance to come back to the Benefit Brow Bar and get a free wax and tint. How very generous of the ladies! I went home a pretty happy blogger!

As this was my first event, I was nervous to meet the other bloggers but they were so nice and friendly. I won't be so nervous next time!

Check out #Benedeen for more snippets of the evening and meet some other North East Bloggers!

Vanessa

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Review | L'Occitane Duo

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil and Milk Veil*

Summer is slowly rearing its beautiful head and I'm sure all you guys and gals are getting ready to enjoy the great weather. I've been paying more attention to my skin lately and have been making an effort to moisturise everyday. Dry skin is a big no no for the summer!

I've been testing out this duo for the past week and all I can say is that it's love. I can't stop stroking my arms because they're so soft (obviously in a non creepy way!). The shower oil turns into a milky consistency when it comes in contact with water and really softens the skin. You can also use this for prepping your legs before shaving as well. Works great that way! I'm not the biggest fan of almond scented products as it reminds me of marzipan but the oil doesn't have a strong scent of it and is quite subtle.

The milk veil is what makes the duo set complete. It's a light lotion and when applied, it has these micro pearls which makes the skin look shimmery. Not too shimmery to the point where you look like an extra in Twilight but enough to give you a glow. It applies really well and the pump application gets bonus points from me. I use this after I come out the shower and doesn't leave a sticky feeling afterwards.

When used together, it's a powerhouse of beautiful scents and soft skin. L'Occitane always has an amazing selection of products and this is fast becoming my favourite combination.

Are there any L'Occitane products you recommend for me to try out?

Vanessa

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makeup i have been loving again

There is always a new makeup product out on the market or something new to try so sometimes it's easy to forget what you already have. Lately, I've bee re-discovering some great makeup products that I had resigned to the back of my drawer.

Revlon Colorstay Makeup: I wasn't on the market for a new foundation but I had bought this foundation after I had heard great reviews a while ago. It's got great coverage and used with the RT buffing brush, it gives a flawless finish to the skin. The one thing I dislike however is the fact you have to pour the foundation out which means there's a little bit of wastage but for such a great foundation, it's just a tiny glitch.

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Balm Stain - Honey: I found this nestled in the bottom of my makeup tin and I wasn't feeling like it was a bright lipstick day so I popped some of this on and I'm loving it all over again. It's a 'your lips but better' kinda shade and it has great staying power. 

Revlon have really stepped up their game lately and I'm loving a lot of their product lines! Have you re-discovered any beauty favourites that you had forgotten about?

Vanessa

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aberdeen international market

There is an amazing international market that graces its presence in Aberdeen every once in a while. Filled with delicious food stuffs and quirky market stalls, it sometimes feels like the entire Aberdeen population flocks to the city centre to sample some delicious delights over the weekend. 

I was down into the city centre with some friends and we decided to pop in and have a look around. It was a Sunday so it was a little quieter than the usual Saturday hustle and bustle. The prices of the things are a little expensive but it's not everyday you get to try something interesting so it's definitely a payday splurge whenever I go!

 Mmmmmm, tasty tarts.

 Casually roasting a hog in the middle of the market. Smelt amazing.

 Brightly coloured cupcakes looked so inviting.

My friends got dutch pancakes with nutella. I watched with envy!

I came away with some french pastries, tarts and turkish delight for the Mother. I love the smells, sounds and atmosphere of a market. The enthusiasm of the market holders is infectious sometimes and you come away with more than you anticipated!

Does your city ever have these kinds of markets? What's your market food weakness? Mines is definitely cheese. Love the stuff.

Vanessa

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new in | see by chloe shirt

If you follow me on Twitter, you will know that I was having a big wardrobe clear out which involved me getting rid of about 50% of my clothing! Eeeek! I had no fashion sense anyway so it was time to start anew. I was in TK Maxx the other day trying and failing to find a birthday present for my half sister. Whilst rummaging through the clearance rails I spotted this beauty, It's a 'See by Chloe' shirt and I quickly grabbed it before the pesky lady behind me got her mitts on it. 

I tried it on and it fit like a glove! I got home and tried it on again with a plain black skater skirt and it resulted in one of my favourite outfits! The material is a mix of cotton and silk and the colour is an off cream/leaning towards a very light tan colour.

The best part? The price of course. This item was part of the 'Gold Label' department of TK Maxx which I know neither TK Maxx's in my city stock it so it was kind of strange. But the RRP was £250 (*faints*) but it was reduced several times and the final price came to £34. For me, it's a little expensive but I can see it being a classic piece in my now empty wardrobe!

I'm not a big fan of rummaging amongst the TK Maxx rails but I'm glad I did this time! Does your TK Maxx have a Gold Label department? What are your key pieces in your wardrobe?

Vanessa

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