Eating Out After Lockdown: No. 131, The Promenade, Cheltenham.

Eating out has been one of those things I've simultaneously really missed and not thought about a huge deal during lockdown. For the majority of the last few months I have been staying with my family who are massive advocates of home cooking over takeaways so I've been enjoying the home comforts that go along with that. However, my boyfriend and I are big foodies and one of our favourite things is going out to explore new places and eating amazing food. 

So when the restrictions eased and restaurants opened, we decided to book into somewhere lovely and treat ourselves to some delicious food and drink that we didn't have to prepare ourselves. 

No. 131 is an upmarket hotel and restaurant situated in the heart of Cheltenham. It neighbours The Ivy and Brasserie Blanc (owned by renowned chef Reymond Blanc) so it's certainly in good company. Neither of us had been before but we often walk past it and the pretty outdoor dining area was certainly a plus for us, particularly at the minute. I wouldn't say I am nervous about being out and about in public but I am in busy places and being outside in the fresh air away from other people definitely helped me to feel more at ease and enjoy the experience instead of worrying about Covid. 

But onto the good bits... the food and drink!

To be honestly I hadn't looked at the menu before we went so I wasn't really sure what to expect. In general I think there was a good variation of options including meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan. I'm pescatarian and my boyfriend eats meat so overall we were well catered for. I'm not sure if it is a running theme or changes with the menu, but I think the food had an overall Asian feel to it.

Drinks wise, No. 131 has a fantastic selection of cocktails, wines and spirits and actually has a separate bar called Gin & Juice to the side which boasts one of the largest selections of gins in the country. This is still on our list of places to go as we didn't end up making it over in the end. However at No. 131 I had a mojito and my partner had wine - both were delicious! 

Now onto the food... I went for a broccoli and quinoa salad with salmon (above) and my boyfriend had a chicken poke bowl (below). Don't worry if that's sounding a bit too healthy, we got fries as well! 

Overall I definitely enjoyed the food even if it was a tad expensive for what you got. But everything tasted super fresh (no microwave meals here!) and expertly prepared and I would certainly go back. I think I'd be interested to see how the menu evolves over the winter months as in my opinion it felt very summery - which was perfect for sitting out in the sunshine but perhaps less so when it's -5C outside!

All in all we had such a lovely evening and I would recommend No. 131 for anyone looking for a special, luxury experience. 

Have you been out to eat anywhere nice recently?

Lily | itslilyolivia

Black Lives Matter: How Can I, a White Person Help?

Hey guys, super quick intro today! I've seen so many petitions, links, images etc floating around twitter and I felt like it might be beneficial to put them all in one place. This is by no means a definitive list of EVERY link (there are other google docs etc out there with more) but I wanted to share as much as possible in one place so it's easy for you guys to help and not lose the info amongst the retweets. 

At the bare minimum we should be signing petitions and sharing content on our platforms. If possible donating is an amazing option. (I will also be leaving links to some donation sites as well.) As white people it is our job to educate ourselves - we don't need to be spoon fed information and it isn't up to black people to make sure we're not ignorant. So I'm going to share a list of books, Netflix options and podcasts as well. 

Lastly I wanted to share the profiles of some amazing black influencers. I already followed a few but definitely not enough and I want to make a conscious effort to have a more diverse social media feed.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I wanted to use my platform to do something helpful. 

Petitions

So this is the main link for all of the big petitions: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#petitions 

It includes information on zip codes to use if you're based out of the US. 

However here are some smaller, less promoted ones (credit @solaceil):

https://www.change.org/p/bheki-cele-justice-for-andile-mchunu-bobo

https://www.change.org/p/free-eric-riddick

https://www.change.org/p/ralph-s-northam-justice-for-elijah-nichols

https://www.change.org/p/bill-lee-demand-a-retrial-for-angel-bumpass-wrongfully-convicted-13-year-old-with-a-life-sentence

https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-crystal-mason-we-call-for-the-immediate-pardon-of-crystal-mason

https://www.change.org/p/fox-news-justice-for-rashad-cunningham-%EF%B8%8F

https://www.change.org/p/goodwood-magistrate-s-court-justice-for-tazne-van-wyk

https://www.change.org/p/portland-police-bureau-justice-for-tete

https://www.change.org/p/state-of-georgia-fire-sheriff-ron-freeman-stop-his-corruption-and-constant-cover-ups-as-sheriff-in-forsyth-count?

https://www.change.org/p/visalia-police-department-jail-time-for-dylan-mota-and-jacob-robles

https://www.change.org/p/nigeria-police-force-justice-for-young-uwa

https://www.change.org/p/seattle-police-department-arrest-jared-campbell

https://www.change.org/p/greg-abbott-pardon-black-woman-imprisoned-for-voting

https://www.change.org/p/the-trayvon-martin-law-stop-this-from-happening-again

There are way more than these but this is a great place to start - it literally takes seconds to sign each one. I didn't want to post hundreds because then people might just gloss over them - but these 14 plus the ones from the main list will take under ten minutes to sign. 

Also quick note: I've seen the petition about raising the officers involved in George Floyd's murder to a 1st Degree Conviction. I have seen on twitter that this will NOT help and he is likely to be found not guilty. Therefore please don't sign any petitions or retweet anything and kindly let people know if they're unaware.

Donations

If you DO NOT have the money to donate here is a link to a YouTube playlist in which all the money made goes to BLM Organisations. 

However if you do here are some options:

Again: here is the main link with the most options https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/#donate so you can have a look for yourselves but I'm going to find some others and link them below!

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ms_blm_homepage_2019

https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/black-lives-matter-bail-protestors-donate-charities-1234622677/

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/olivia-bell-2?utm_id=1&utm_term=Yn4NmXNMG

https://www.gofundme.com/f/justicefordavidmcatee

Note on donations - apparently donating to Change.org isn't the best way as they keep a portion of the funds raised. Instead donate to the organisation directly if possible :)

Books, Netflix, Podcasts etc

As I said earlier, we as grown adults are capable of educating ourselves and do not need to be spoon fed information. I wanted to compile a list of some books, Netflix etc that can be used to help do that. As white people I think it's easy to just glide by in life and not realise the extent of the injustices but that needs to stop. We need to be angry and step up and use our voices alongside our black friends. 

Books: (Thank you to @bethsbookclub_ for this list + a few extras I've found)

1. Queenie: Candice Carty-Williams
2. Girl, Woman, Other: Bernadine Evaristo
3. Americanah: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
4. An American Marriage: Tayari Jones
5. Such a Fun Age: Kiley Reid
6. The Bluest Eye: Tayari Jones
7. The Colour Purple: Alice Walker
8. Rainbow Milk: Paul Mendez
9. Small Great Things: Jodi Picoult 
10. Noughts and Crosses: Malorie Blackman (This is a fantastic book written in a world where blacks are seen as the superior race and whites are inferior. I first read this when I was 13 and it was an uncomfortable read. It forces you, as a white person to think about what it would be like if things were the other way around and that's so prevalent, even more so today.)
11. Sister Outsider: Audre Lorde
12. So You Want to Talk About Race: Ijeoma Oluo
13. White Fragility: Why is It So Hard for White People to Talk About Race? - Robin DiAngelo PhD

Beth also has a really great post on her website with links to books for kids, YA and adults so I will link that here as well because it's worth a read and I didn't want to steal her thunder!

Netflix:

1. 13th 
2. American Son
3. Dear White People
4. See You Yesterday
5. When They See Us

Podcasts (based on a list from @dy_diabeatic on Instagram):

1. 1619 - by The New York Times
2. About Race
3. Code Switch by NPR
4. The Diversity Gap
5. Intersectionality Matters! - Kimberlé Crenshaw
6. Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
7. Pod For The Cause - from the leadership conference on civil and human rights
8. Pod Save the People - Crooked Media

Influencers / Instagrammers

I wanted to share a few of my favourite black influencers and instagrammers. Some of these I've been following for a while but some I've only found recently. It's super important that we begin to diversify the content that we're seeing and speak up for POC in regards to influencer campaigns. 

I saw @zoelondondj on twitter saying how whenever she works with a brand she asks who else is on the campaign to ensure it's not white, skinny, able bodied people only. And I think this is super important. How many brand trips to the Bahamas have I seen with the same 8 blonde, skinny girls? Too many to count. And this isn't a dig at the girls because they've worked hard to get where they are too - it's a dig at the brands for not looking beyond what they see as a cookie cutter white girl influencer. This industry has to change and I really hope that BLM is the trigger for a more real and representative form of influencer advertising. 

With that being said here are my pick:

@Patricia Bright - obviously she had to feature. Ultimate girl boss who taught me everything I know about freelance money, taxes and knowing your worth.

@Underbeautyssurface - Stunning lifestyle blogger with the most gorgeous glowy skin.

@withloveyossy - one of the most beautiful Instagram accounts I've ever seen. 

@Sarahdiallo - I discovered her whilst researching for this post and her feed is amazing! Ultimate sassy, fashion blogger vibes.

@erinondemand - entrepreneur and ultimate brand strategist boss.

@loranelisecollective - another business babe! Also how nice are her graphics?!

@unicornniqui - fashion, body positive entrepreneur. 

Ok so that's my list! I've tried to not include toooooo much because I don't want it to be overwhelming, I want it to be achievable that we can sign all the petitions listed, donate if possible to some of the links and watch / read the content.

As a blogger and an Instagrammer myself I want to make more of a conscious effort to not just follow other white people and to actually diversify my feed. I want brands to know that it's not ok to not work with black women and the release 'charity' BLM t shirts (cough InTheStyle). We have the power to come together and make a difference!

But yeah - thank you for reading and I hope this was a good start. I believe Victoria / Inthefrow is in the middle of writing a post all about black owned businesses so as soon as that's up I will amend this post with a link to that as well! 

If you're a black business owner or Influencer comment your links below because I would love to start a conversation going.

Lily x

Instagram | Twitter

My Favourite Missoma Jewellery Pieces for 2020

One of the things I love spending money on is jewellery. For me, having beautiful, long lasting pieces that I can wear in the shower, at night or whilst working out is so key. I really don't mind spending a bit extra if I know it's going to last well and still look stunning six months down the line. So with that I thought it was time to do an updated Jewellery Favourites as since my last post, my style has changed quite a bit. 

For today's post, I wanted to focus specifically on one brand, give my individual reviews of each of my pieces and whether I think they're worth investing in. And that brand is Missoma. Missoma is definitely one of those Instagram brands. I've seen so many influencers and bloggers wearing and promoting their delicate gold jewellery and as someone who has been a fan for about eighteen months now, I wanted to give the tea on which products are worth it and what you should stay away from. 

Earrings

My first ever Missoma purchase was about eighteen months ago and it was the Moon and Star Hoops. I have to say that these are my most worn pair of earrings possibly ever and I absolutely love them. Mine have tarnished a tiny bit around the star and moon charms and they could also do with a clean but it is worth noting that I wear mine in the shower (which you're not supposed to do) and have pretty much worn them every day for over year. I absolutely adore these hoops and would highly recommend them if you're looking to treat yourself to some beautiful earrings. 

Additionally I did also own these hoops. However unfortunately the charm fell off not one but both of them. I was so disappointed because honestly these are the most beautiful hoops. Because of this I probably wouldn't recommend spending your money on them as they don't seem very sturdy. 

Rings

After my earrings fell apart I emailed customer services and they kindly offered to either send me a new pair or do an exchange up to the value of the item. I decided to use my exchange money to buy a ring - namely this beautiful moon one. This has been another great purchase and I'm so happy with it. It's fantastic quality and in the year or so since I've had it none of the gems have fallen out and it remains in amazing condition.

- Bracelets -

Again, my Missoma bracelet is honestly one of my most worn pieces, I barely take it off. (Similar) It's so delicate and the details in each of the charms are so beautiful. Honestly, if you love delicate, gold jewellery, Missoma is definitely the place for you! This is another piece I would recommend - it's a perfect everyday piece but also works well with a few other bracelets stacked up. Personally, I pair mine with my Fitbit (I have a custom gold strap) and a silk scrunchie. 

- Necklaces -

My newest piece was actually a gift for my birthday a few weeks ago. I'd been eyeing up the choker necklaces for a while and I felt like what my jewellery collection was really missing was some beautiful layering necklaces. I decided to opt for the choker style first and maybe later down the line I'll look into some longer pieces. (Shop my necklace: here)

All in all, I'm really happy with it. It's my style down to a T and I love that all my pieces match and look cohesive together. I know that Missoma isn't the most budget friendly but if you're looking for stylish jewellery that will truly last for years I would recommend it!

*

So that's my Missoma collection and my 2020 jewellery faves. If you enjoyed this post please leave me a comment and let me know!

Do you own anything from Missoma? Is Jewellery something you like to spend your money on?

The 5 Best FREE Apps for Instagram.

Good morning guys, I'm back with another Instagram related post! I've been really enjoying Instagram recently and luckily my account is still growing steadily which is fantastic news as I know the algorithm can be a bit temperamental. Out of all the social media apps I think people find Instagram the hardest to grow on, whether that's creating cool inspiring content or improving their reach and followers. So today I wanted to focus on the apps that I use and some hints and tips or curating a beautiful Instagram feed.

Before we go any further be sure to follow me on Instagram!

So You've Finished University... Now What?

If you'd asked me six months ago what I would be doing after I finished at university, my answer would be very simple: I'd have a job ready and waiting for me and I'd be moving in with my boyfriend. You see, I'm the kind of person who likes to have everything clearly planned out in my head and the thought of not knowing is super daunting. When I did my gap year, I already had my place at uni sorted. When I applied for my placement year, I was one of the first to get a job sorted. And I thought finishing university would be the same. I have good grades from a good university and a year of relevant experience so I wasn't overly worried about finding an entry level role in Marketing.

How to Grow on Instagram Fast: 1000 Followers in Under 3 Months.

After three months of posting almost every day to my instagram - I finally hit 1000 followers! This feels like a massive milestone as I remember saying when I started my account that if I ever make it that far I'll consider it a success. At the time I didn't really know how long it would take or if I would even stick it out that long - I had a blog instagram a few years ago that took me AGES to grow. I posted semi regularly (approx 3 times a week) and it took me a year to hit 300 followers. However, since then I have worked as a Social Media Manager and I feel like I understand the platform a lot better from both a professional and individual sense. So today I wanted to share my top tips on how to reach your first 1000 followers AND have a high engagement rate (Mine is 9.96%).

1. Be Consistent

There is a lot of debate at the minute as to whether posting every day or a few times a week is best. In my experience the Instagram algorithm favours consistency - meaning posting daily at roughly the same time each day. 

I would suggest looking at your insights and going to the audience tab. If you scroll down a little, Instagram will show you when your audience is most active. Aim to post everyday at this point. This will give you the best chance of increasing your reach and engagement. For me this is between 6 and 9pm so I aim to post at about 6:30pm to get the most views possible. Remember: photos on Instagram have a limited lifespan so post towards the start of your audiences most active hours. 

Being consistent with your posts not only helps the algorithm, but it makes you more memorable to your audience. If you follow 800 people and post everyday, your audience is more likely to remember your face / posts than someone who only posts once a week and may get caught up in the feed.  

2. Use Instagram Stories Daily

I know that sometimes this is easier said than done. I have days when I feel like I have nothing to post about. Like literally nothing. But Instagram stories is such a fantastic tool because it shows a less 'filtered' version of the person you follow and they're a great way to make a real connection with your audience. I know that when I watch people's stories, I like to feel like I'm getting a glimpse into their real life. It makes Instagram more personal and less polished.

On stories I still try and post things that are relevant to my niche, but you can be a bit more relaxed here. If you strictly post fashion content, showing your new makeup finds or what you're having for dinner wouldn't feel out of place on your stories.

*Top Tip* Be sure to use Instagrams built in features like gifs and the temperature symbol etc. I don't have any solid evidence but my views tend to be better when I do which makes me think the algorithm prefers it.

3. Follow loops, engagement pods etc

I think everyone has their opinion on whether using follow threads and that kind of thing is worth it. On the one hand, it's a great way for a quick follow boost, on the other: is it actually going to be worth it in the long run because your followers won't be genuine 'fans' of your content. 

My opinion is that follow threats with no firm requirement to follow back (I've seen Facebook groups that kick you out of the group for not following back all 100+ people in under 15 mins) and that are relevant to your niche are no problem. It can actually be a great way to discover new accounts and build connections. 

I have a problem with them (as I said above) when they become a high pressure thing where everyone MUST follow everyone else regardless of their gender, age, content and niche. Having an extra 300 followers means nothing if they're not interested in what you post and won't engage with it. In fact all this will do is negatively impact your engagement rate. 

My recommendation would be: be careful. By all means use some of follow threads on Twitter that are targeted to your niche, but don't rely on them. You want people to find your content organically however that being said, they can be a great way to give your numbers a boost now and then. 

4. Use Twitter to Your Advantage

Twitter has the best blogger community from what I've found. Facebook is too focused on 'follow groups' and 'engagement pods' and it all seems very fake to me. No one genuinely seems to want to connect it's just a constant stream of 'follow me, I don't care who you are, I just need 10K so brands will give me more free stuff'. I doubt most of the people on these groups have genuine engaged audiences. 

But Twitter is a more friendly community for bloggers to get to know each other and ask questions and engage with people they wouldn't have previously found. Even if you don't use your Twitter to constantly tweet about your Instagram, it's a great way to meet more likeminded people and get more involved in the blogging world. 

5. Curate your Feed with Inspiring Content

This really should have come at the start because I truly believe that without an aesthetically beautiful Instagram it probably won't go that far. That might sound really blunt but Instagram is a visual platform and we are bombarded with beautiful content on the daily. If your individual photos and your feed as a whole doesn't look stylised then a possible new follower will probably just click off your profile. 

Some of the apps that I use and their purpose:

Facetune: Renowned as the retouch app, this does way more than just give the Kylie Jenner fake waist look. Personally I don't edit my body in my photos but I do use some of the amazing tools such as 'makeup' to go over background and enhance individual colours. I could literally do a whole post about this app, I think it's one of the best on the market.

Preview / Planoly: Instagram feed planning apps. Both are free and absolutely ESSENTIAL if you want your feed to look curated.

Lightroom App: General touch ups like exposure, saturation and contrast. If you use presets this is the app to have as well.

Unfold: If you want to take your stories up a notch - this is the app for you. I use the free version but there is a paid one too. 

I'm actually thinking about doing a whole post dedicated to how to achieve a seamless and attractive feed so let me know if that's something you would like to see!

So they're my main tips! Be sure to follow my Instagram as I post daily and follow back all bloggers!

If you want to see anymore posts about instagram such as a more detailed look into some of the best photo editing apps or how to achieve a curated theme, let me know and I'll be sure to write it!

How to Spend 4 Days in Iceland.

Good morning guys! So obviously with everything going on at the minute, this post is not about a recent trip but I asked on my instagram stories and you guys still really wanted to see it - so here we are: my take on how to spend four days in Iceland! A bit of back story - I booked this trip for March 2019 after my previous relationship ended as something to look forward to. At the time, I was working a high pressure job that I wasn't loving and this coupled with the fact I'd just had my heart broken, left me in a really low place for a while. So me and my best friend decided to book a holiday and after looking around at a few places, settled on Iceland. 

How to Achieve the Perfect Glowy Base.

Morning guys! Recently I feel like I've really nailed my makeup base. After years of not wearing foundation I've gotten back into it big time and I wanted to discuss some of my favourites with you. When I put on my makeup in the morning I love the glowy, lit from within look and whilst this can sometimes be synonymous with shiny, I feel like I've amalgamated a few key products that help me achieve the perfect glowy base. 

Side note - obviously we're in lockdown at the minute and I'm aware not everyone wants to wear makeup. That's fine - but for me, I feel like if I don't do my makeup and get ready for the day, I'll just end up sitting around and watching Tik Toks all day. Which, unfortunately I don't have the time to do! So I wanted to create this post to talk about some of my makeup favourites that are perfect for spring and summer.

The Foundation and Concealer

I have combination to oily skin and I hate when foundation starts to separate and go oily. That's one of the main reasons I stopped wearing it because after about two hours it just didn't look good anymore. But a couple of months ago I treated myself to the NARS Sheer Glow and applying this was like airbrushing myself. It doesn't feel overly heavy on my skin and the coverage is buildable. I haven't found this to separate too much and it lasts pretty much all day! I find that this foundation gives such a lovey, glowy undertone to your skin that really catches the light in the prettiest way possible.

My all time favourite concealer is the Collection Lasting Perfection. This is such an OG concealer I can almost feel Zoella stirring...
But it's SO cheap and the coverage is amazing. I've tried concealers by Chanel and YSL and I always go back to Collection. With concealer I would recommend getting one or two shades lighter than your foundation for an added highlight. 

The Powder

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a couple of weeks ago I treated myself to the Laura Mercier translucent powder. This was my first time using a loose powder and I was a little skeptical about whether the lack of colour would make me look pallid and washed out. But there is something about this powder that just disappears into your skin when you blend it. It doesn't completely omit the glow from the foundation, but it definitely stops you looking so shiny! I have to say I'm a massive fan of this and I may be a convert to the loose powder life.

The Highlight

Nothing satisfies me more than catching your highlight in the mirror. I absolutely LOVE the Benefit Cookie Highlighter because it's just so beautiful and shimmery. This always works so well as an eyeshadow for an allover glowy look. I would definitely recommend this highlighter - I use it every single day and I'm not even close to hitting pan which is fantastic.

Now you may notice I haven't included bronzer in these pictures. I do love bronzer - I use the Body Shop Honey Bronzer every single day but I accidentally smashed it before I went to take these photos... oops. So I'm currently in the market for a new one! Let me know if I should stick to Honey or branch out? I love a warm toned bronzer that gives the affect of the sun hitting the high points of your face.

Thanks for reading guys! I would love to know your favourite base products in the comments and be sure to follow me on Instagram for more beauty content! I'll be back on Wednesday with a new post x

Lily x

Instagram | Twitter

Lemon Drizzle Banana Bread Recipe

Good morning guys! I posted a photo of my lemon drizzle banana bread on Instagram the other day and a few people DM'd me and asked for the recipe! So since I took a whole bunch of photos I thought I would write it up - because who isn't baking banana bread right now?! This cake is super moist and moorish - you could definitely add chocolate chips or walnuts if that's your cup of tea - but I stuck with a simple banana loaf and some super easy icing. 

Ingredients

For The Cake:

- 140g caster sugar

- 140g softened butter (I use Bertolli because it makes the cakes lighter than using actual butter!)

- 140g self raising flour

- 1tsp baking powder

- 2 eggs

- 2 ripe bananas (overripe works perfectly!)

For The Icing:

- Juice of half a lemon

- Enough icing sugar to form a thick but still runny consistency. About 50g.

Method:

1) Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and smooth. I use a stand mixer but a hand whisk works just as well!

2) Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a tablespoon of flour.

3) Mix in the flour and baking powder and whisk until combined.

4) Mash the two bananas until they are smooth and 'wet'. Mix into the cake batter and give a final whisk. At this point the mixture will probably be quite wet - this is normal!

5) Transfer into a loaf tin - be sure to grease and line the base as it will make your life a lot easier later on. 

6) Cook for 40-45 minutes or until a cake prong comes out clean at 180C. If it looks like the edges of the cake are cooking but the middle is still runny - lower the temperature to 160C for the last 15 minutes. 

7) when your cake comes out of the oven, let it sit in the tin for about 10-15 minutes before taking it out to cool.

8) To make the icing, squeeze the lemon juice into a small bowl and add the sugar a few table spoons at a time. Keep adding more until it is thick but still runny. Remember you can always add more, but you can't take it away!

9) When the cake is fully cooled, transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with the icing. Leave in the fridge for half an hour until the icing is set... if you can wait that long!

And that's it! Honestly this cake is so moist and delicious I would highly recommend. It's such a simple bake - perfect to do with kids - or just for yourself! Thanks for reading guys - I will be back with another post on Sunday.

Lily x

Instagram | Twitter

Review: Pasta Evangelists: Fresh Pasta Delivered to Your Door?!

If you asked anyone what my favourite food is, I guarantee they would say pasta! And they would be right. Nothing beats a delicious bowl of fresh pasta, creamy sauces and maybe some warm garlic bread on the side. So when I discovered Pasta Evangelists I just knew it was something I had to try. Essentially, it's a delivery service similar to Eat Fresh or something along those lines. You order what you want from their menu of amazing options and they send it to your door! The idea is that you get fresh, authentic Italian pasta which takes minutes to prepare. 

With lockdown going on at the minute, my lovely boyfriend surprised me with a delivery from Pasta Evangelists, and I just had to write a post on my thoughts about it. I also this another post talking about how to treat your loved one in lockdown, so be sure to check that out to!

Dish Number 1: Porcini Mushroom & Truffle Ravioli

So literally within an hour of my package arriving I cooked the first pasta. Each order comes with a little booklet of the recipes but they're so super easy to make. For some context to make this pasta, I literally boiled some salted water, cooked the pasta for three minutes and melted the chunk of garlic butter that came with it. After mixing the two together I added the chopped hazelnuts and a whole lot of parmesan. AMAZING. 

For something that took under five minutes to make I really cannot fault this! I would definitely order this again however be warned, if you're not a massive fan of garlic, this pasta is SUPER garlicky! 

Dish Number 2: Fresh Pesto Tagliatelle

So I didn't think the second pasta could possibly top the first but oh my goodness it was incredible! Pesto pasta is such a simple pleasure in life but there is a difference between a jar of sauce with dried pasta, and a fresh homemade meal. The tagliatelle was super light and cooked in just three minutes which is AMAZING! Literally these meals are perfect if you're a lazy cook! The pesto itself was really rich in colour and flavour. Often I find homemade "restaurant" pesto can be a bit bland, but this was super flavoursome. I topped it with some of the leftover hazelnuts from the first pasta and a whole heap of parmesan.

Overall I will definitely be ordering from Pasta Evangelists again... It was so worth it!

If you're interested use my discount code for 25% off at checkout!

Use code "Lily Jamieson"

Thanks for reading and I will be back with a beauty post on Wednesday!

3 Amazing Home Delivery Treats During Lockdown

Morning guys! So we're about to enter our 5th (?) week in lockdown... Wow, that is simultaneously the fastest and slowest five weeks of my life. Before the sh*t really hit the fan, I decided to come home from uni to isolate with my family. This was definitely a good decision overall but it also means I haven't seen my boyfriend in 6 weeks now - the longest we've ever (obviously) gone without seeing each other. So a couple of weeks ago I decided to send him a little present in the post and after doing some digging I realised there are some great places offering home delivery right now!

1) Patch Plants

If you or anyone you know is a houseplant lover you HAVE to check out patch. They sell and deliver reasonably priced, beautiful houseplants across the whole of the UK. This is actually what I treated my boyfriend to and have to say the service and delivery was impeccable. (Though, do be warned they come in MASSIVE boxes to protect the plants!)

*Edit* Just checked the website and all deliveries outside of London are taking a minimum of 3 weeks so bare that in mind.

2) Pasta Evangelists 

Oh my god. Guys. This is something I haven't tried yet but I'm absolutely dying to... Pasta Evangelists deliver homemade, incredible pasta to your doorstep. How does it work? You choose from their weekly menu which pasta dishes you want and they send all the ingredients (including fresh pasta) to your door, next day! The meals take five minutes to cook and I have it on good authority they are incredible...

3) Letterbox Hampers

Ok if we have any foodies amongst us, there is something for everyone on Letterbox Hampers. Everything from Cheese to Chocolate to Alcohol, trust me, a treat from here is guaranteed to make anyone's week. Tempted to buy one of these for myself actually....

My sister got one of these for her boyfriend and I believe it went down a storm. I mean who wouldn't want to receive some delicious treats in the post!



I think right now with everything going on, a lot of people are feeling a bit down. And that's ok. Even if you're isolated at home and everyone you know is safe and healthy. You shouldn't feel guilty for missing normal life. I'm aware that I'm super lucky to have garden space and to live in a village where I can walk over the hills without seeing anyone... but I still miss my boyfriend and my friends and stupid things like buying an overpriced coffee in Starbucks and sitting in the park. And that's ok. So thanks for reading guys, as always you can follow me on my socials in the sidebar and I will see you on Sunday!

Lily x

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Top 5 Skincare Tips for Under 25s

Morning guys! Today I wanted to talk about one of my absolute favourite topics... Skincare! I think I started properly getting into taking care of my skin when I was about 19 and it's only grown from there. I really wanted to do this post because I think so many young people do not take care of their skin and in doing so are setting themselves up for the effects of ageing. Now, ageing itself is inevitable however there are things you can do to slow down the process. Remember, preventing is easier than trying to reverse the effects.

So for today's post, I wanted to share my top 5 tips for under 25's because frankly right now you don't need to be bathing in retinol every night but there are some things you should be doing!

1. Wear SPF!

I cannot stress this enough. By favourite fact is that 80-90% of skin ageing comes from the sun! That's just insane. And I'm sure you're thinking: well it's ok, I don't live somewhere sunny, so as long as I wear sun screen on holiday, I'm ok right? Wrong. Unfortunately it's the UVA rays that cause ageing and these are about the same all year round, whether you're in LA or Loughborough.

So my recommendation would be investing in a good facial SPF with at least factor 30. Personally I love the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. It's super lightweight, doesn't feel greasy and doesn't have that horrible white, washed out look some cheaper suncreams do. Unfortunately, most good facial SPF creams are not cheap, however neither is botox, so choose wisely!

2. Drink More Water

Ok, so this one goes without saying. We all know we should be drinking more water and I am guilty of not drinking enough too. But this is your daily reminder!! Personally I love my Chilly's bottle for taking to work or the gym or even just out and about. It keeps your water nice and cold which is perfect.

3. Moisturise Twice Daily

I really hope it goes without saying but you should be washing your face twice a day and following it up with a good moisturiser. Especially if you wear makeup. Throughout the day, makeup sinks into your pores and if you're not cleaning it off adequately you run the risk of getting blocked pores... you know those little bumps you get on your forehead? Chances are that's because you're not washing your face properly. So I would recommend throwing out the makeup wipes (not only are they terrible for the environment but they DO NOT remove makeup) investing in some Micellar Water (does not have to be pricey) and a good facial cleanser. I promise you your skin will thank you for it. After you've washed your face, it's super important you rehydrate with a good moisturiser.

4. Stop Smoking and Cut Down Drinking

Guys.... I know this isn't something we want to hear but alcohol is awful for your skin. It dehydrates leaving you (and your skin) thirsty and lacklustre. Let's be honest we all know that person who goes out a bit too much and they just look knackered and tired all the time. Now I'm not saying stop drinking completely, but I am going to say be mindful of what it does to your body (not just your skin) and make sure for every drink you have, you have a glass of water alongside it. And whilst we're on the subject: please stop smoking! There really is no excuse.

5. Use a Good Acid

Now this is probably an optional step, but if you're really serious about the longevity of your youthful skin, I would suggest finding a good acid based serum. I'm going to talk a little bit about the two I use, why I use them and what they're good for!

Vichy Mineral 89 - Hyaluronic Acid: Ok this is is an AMAZING product... I seriously cannot recommend it enough. It's a plumping serum that actually works... my skin feels so hydrated and plump and amazing. I use this twice daily but it's probably only recommended to use once a day! You wear this under moisturiser and it is really fantastic.

Alpha H Liquid Gold - Glycolic Acid: Now, this is an overnight treatment I do about twice a week. You apply the product onto a cotton pad and then sweep it all over the face. Just a warning, it may make your face tingle but it shouldn't be painful. If it is remove with water. This is a fantastic treatment that essentially removes that top layer of your skin... sounds dramatic but I promise it isn't. When I've used this, I wake up in the morning with soft, fresh skin and a gorgeous dewy complexion. But be warned, if you use a product like this you MUST use suncream as well because it leaves your skin even more vulnerable than usual.

So that's it guys! Let me know your favourite skincare products in the comments below and I will see you for a new post on Wednesday!

Lily x

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Mini Egg Easter Cookie Recipe

This weekend I decided to do my best impression of a domestic goddess and get baking in the kitchen. Because we're all in lockdown everyone seems to baking 10x more than usual, including me! I've done chocolate cake, cupcakes meringues and now these delicious mini egg cookies. They're easy to make, really yummy and perfect for a quick treat with a cuppa tea.