The Tickled Trout

On Easter Monday I wanted to head to Dobbies to get inspiration for my garden at my new house (don't think I've mentioned it in my previous posts 😉). We opted to go to the one in Milngavie because this meant we could visit the splendid Tickled Trout pub for lunch. Part of the Vintage Inns franchise, it has a rustic charm and is set in beautiful surroundings of typical Scottish countryside. The building itself has a quaint feeling that continues inside with a beautiful log fire and tartan carpets.

The staff were friendly and attentive.  Only slight grumble was that I asked for a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc and was only given a small. Thankfully they only charged me for a small one and I can only presume they couldn't believe anyone would be ordering a large one with their lunch. Casa Legano  (I think) from Chile which was absolutely delicious. Maybe it was because it was a small glass but it disappeared quickly and with ease.  Priced at around £4.50, I was happy with that.

It wasn't just a liquid lunch though. For my food, I ordered scampi with chips. Not a dish I would order frequently, but for some reason as soon as I saw it on the menu it was what I wanted. The food came relatively quickly especially considering it was a bank holiday and it was busy. The scampi was delicious and beautifully complimented by the wine I'd chosen (a happy coincidence rather than a conscious choice on my part). I could have eaten them a good three time over. The chips I was pretty underwhelmed with if I'm being brutally honest but not so bad that it let the meal down. The salad accompaniment I can not comment on as I'm allergic to anything healthy (honest).

I can't remember how much the meal came to altogether as the other half paid but I do remember thinking it was very reasonable. We had a lovely meal, the staff were very friendly and it has a lovely ambience. If you're looking to get out of Glasgow City Centre but don't want to go too far you should definitely consider this lovely venue.

http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/content/vintage-inn/en/restaurants/scotland-northern-ireland/thetickledtroutbearsden

March 2016 empties and fails

I've decided that I might start letting you lot know what products I've been using and how I'm rating them. I am starting this pretty close to the end of the month so there will be products I'll have missed but if it proves popular I'll try keep it up.

The first product I finished up was Avon's Supershock mascara. This has been a great mascara for me. I used to get eyelash extensions which I blogged about towards the end of 2015 (check it out here http://hansunahnah.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/eyelash-extensions.html), so I obviously didn't need to bother with mascara. Now that I'm closer to the move in date for my house, I've had to cut back on things like my eyelash extensions. It nearly broke my heart but this little beaut from Avon has seen me through.

Would I purchase it again? Yes, I already have and would be using it had My Little Box not given me a sample size of Givenchy mascara. But as soon as that is done, I shall be switching back to this new favourite.

Also finished up is Soap and Glory's 'Love at first blush'. I originally bought it on an emergency dash around Boots one day when I had forgotten my make up bag. It really was love at first try. I was quite sad to see the end of it. It does give you a nice wee shimmer through it and people have complimented me on it before. It is shimmery though so if that isn't your preferred look I wouldn't bother.

Would I purchase it again? Yes, most probably. However I have got other products from My Little Box that I'm waiting to try: one being a NARS blusher and the other being a cheek tint from their own brand, My Little Beauty. So I want to give them both a try before opting to buy another Love At First Blush.

I've fully used another Avon product this month which is their new Dry Shampoo. I was reluctant to try it because I've always had good results from Batisse  Dry Shampoo but I thought I'd give it a go. Whilst I wouldn't say the absorption is as good as Batisse, it does the job without leaving white residue on your hair and it smells amazing. I was pleasantly surprised if I'm honest.

Would I purchase it again? Yes. Definitely. In fact I already have another 2. Big fan of this!

The next one I have to say is a bit of a fail for me. It was a sample size of Noxidoxi 'Mask and Peel'. I've tried it as both a face mask and an exfoliant. Wasn't impressed with either way. The mask literally left my face burning hot and looked like a sunburnt lobster (not a good look). I used it yesterday as a face scrub and whilst it didn't have such a negative effect on my skin as using it as a mask, I was severely underwhelmed. 

  Would I purchase it again? Given that I haven't even finished the sample size, I think it's safe to say I will 100% never buy this product. Ever! 

This next product is one I've been using at my parents' house when I stay. Nivea's Pure & Natural Regenerating Night Cream. I really love this product and if you look at the picture below you'll see I've scrapped the jar dry. It's nice and thick and moisturising which is perfect for night. It really makes a difference for my tired skin. But yeah, really great product.

Would I purchase it again? Absotootly! I have already got some Olay Night Cream I want to try out but if that's a non starter, I'll probably buy the Nivea again! 

It's another Avon product: bubble bath. Their White Lily variety. I love baths. Actually as I say this I'm running my second bath of the day! As you can imagine, my love of baths means I go through bubble bath very quickly. This is inexpensive, bubbles up a lot and this one smells fab.

Would I purchase it again? I have a stock of bubble bath already as I do through it so quickly

 I'm trying out the whole range from Avon to find my favourite scent so I may very well buy this one again.

That's it for this month. Next one should have a whole lot more as I'm going to be ruthless in ditching things I haven't been using rather than taking them to the new house. 8 days and counting so not long! I hope you've enjoyed reading and let me know if there's any products you'd recommend! Speak to you soon! :) xx 

Happy Easter Weekend

Thursday

Let the bank holiday weekend commence! I was later out of work than planned so I wasn't able to go meet my parents as planned for mass. Instead I went to a great little pub near my work called Sloans. Down a lane and away from the hussle and bussle of Buchanan Street with a great outdoor seated area. It has heaters so there's no need to worry about it being cold (which it is in Glasgow most of the time). Myself and a friend shared a bottle of Prosecco before heading our separate ways. I apologise for not having photos but I only decided to do this blog on the Friday! If you are in the main shopping area of Buchanan Street, Argyle Street and St Enoch's Centre looking for somewhere to rest your feet and get a good drink, then Sloans is a great place to do it. To top things off they have ceilidhs in the top floor on a Friday night for only a tenner. I can highly recommend it. For more information on Sloans visit www.sloansglasgow.com


Good Friday

This morning I got ready and we went to visit my two friends to take their dog for a walk. They are lucky enough to live in a converted farm that has a forestry area right next to them. Perfect for dog walks on a beautifully sunny bank holiday. Always nice to get out of the city (only a 20 minute drive) and as we'll be moving to the area soon, it's nice to find out about these places we didn't know about.

After that I went back into Glasgow to go toe the Good Friday service at St Aloysius. If you are a visitor to Glasgow (or indeed from Glasgow and have never been in) do take the time to visit this beautiful Jesuit Church in the heart of the city centre. It is a little gem that has a brightly coloured, magnificent dome and a recently purchased new organ. The floral arrangements in the Church are always beautiful and it also house the national shrine for the Scottish martyr, John Ogilvie.

I returned home to the traditional hot cross bun and cuppa tea. Decided to do my nails in a pastel purple  from Barry M's 'Speedy Quick Dry' in Lap of Honour (502). Then I decided to do this blog for over the easter weekend. So again a lack of pictures that I can only apologise for but I shall try to be better tomorrow.

Easter Saturday

I need to say sorry....again! I left my phone at my parents house so was unable to post an update on Saturday itself or take as many pics as I was hoping.  I didn't manage to wrestle the phone off my significant other to capture lunch at least.

We went to Cafe Andaluz in the West End of Glasgow. This is one of our favourite places to eat. In fact, it's where we went on our first date. They do a great deal of 3 tapas and a dessert for something like £15. Not to be argued with. The service is always first class and incredibly friendly. For my drink I had my usual 'Cal y canto bianco' (large obviously!). I think it might be the cheapest wine on their menu but I must say I love it. I ended up actually having 2 glasses.

My three tapas dishes were Patatas Bravas, Chorizo al vino and Pollo Rebezado con Miel. All dishes were delicious as per usual. The chicken was probably the winner of this visit. The Chorizo maybe wasn't quite as awesome as usual but it was still incredibly tasty. 

 Patatas Bravas 

 

Chorizo al vino 

 Pollo Rebezado con Miel 

They have a good selection of desserts to choose from. I tend to go for the Raspberry Pavlova but I knew I would be having that for dinner tomorrow so instead I opted from their Créme Catalana  (essentially a Créme Brulee). I've had it before and in my option it's far too large. I have a massive sweet tooth but even for me it's too much. Don't get me wrong, it is soooo good.

 Créme Catalana.

I might be biased because it has so much sentimental value for me, but I really do love this restaurant. The staff are great, there is loads of choice and it has a really nice cosy atmosphere. Close to Ashton Lane with loads of options for places to get a tipple afterwards. Definitely check it out! http://www.cafeandaluz.com/restaurants/glasgow-west-end

After the Easter Vigil mass, I went round to my friends' house for a couple of glasses of fizz and some of her delicious homemade pretzels. Once I'm settled in the house I'm going to have a try making them and I'll let you know how I get on.

Easter Sunday

Today was fairly quiet today. Just a day at home as a family. Not only is it Easter but it is also my dad's birthday. I've had the perfect present for him for ages and have been dying to show him it. My parents are both big fans of travelling through Europe. Once of their favourite programmes on BBC is 'Great Continental Rail Journeys'.  The programme features Michael Portillo travelling Europe using a Bradshaw's travel guide from 1913. It's a great insight into what Europe was like pre-wat. My dad loved the present so I was really happy. 

Later on in the day my sister, brother-in-law and nephews came round dinner. Before eating we had a great time doing an Easter Egg Hunt in the garden. The boys loved it and then we tucked in to a lovely lamb roast.

I hope all my readers had a lovely Easter with friends and family. Hopefully the Easter Bunny was good to you all.

My Little Box March Products

Having now tried out the My Little Box products for this month, I have to say I'm upgrading from OK box to great box. Well done to everyone in the My Little Box team. This was a total winner. 

First product I got round to testing was the Blending Sponge from their own brand. I was very impressed and it did a great good of applying my foundation. Really happy with this item and it had its own little feature spread in the My Little World magazine with suggestions for other ways to use it.

I already knew I would be but I was absolutely delighted with the Givenchy Noir Couture Volume mascara. I'm still a bit unsure of the wand shape but it was lovely to get such a high quality brand in our boxes. On top of that it is a beautifully packaged mascara with a textured geometric feel. Pictures don't do it justice.

Next up was the Bubble Blush for lips and cheeks from My Little Beauty. It turns out my initial observations were in fact completely the wrong way round. I thought this would be a lovely product for my lips.

I wasn't overjoyed with it as a lip colour. It was a little too light for my liking and after about 10 minutes my lips felt really dry.

However, with reluctance, I tried it on my cheeks. Texture was nice, colour was subtle and yeah, I was very pleased with it as a blusher. It's now about an hour after doing my lip up and my cheeks still feel fine and the colour is still good. I just wish they'd told us how much it would cost!

  I have now tried the Essie nail varnish. Belugaria nail lacquer (288) is a black nail colour textured with glitter and (I think) some sort of gritty sand like material. Help me out if you know what it is. It has a matte finish and is very thick in texture. Dries super quick. I had no idea it was so textured when I started applying it so it wasn't looking the best after my first coat and I wasn't that keen. After adding the second coat I think it looks pretty cool. Definitely a statement nail polish that's more suited to a night out than everyday usage. 

I still need to try out the hair brush too. It's too hard to say goodbye to my old faithful paddle brush but it really is on its last legs so it will need done soon.

Let me know what you thought of the products this month. Were you as happy as me? And I'm upgrading my approval of the box from an alright to awesome! Well done, MLB! 

Pink Parcel March Products

I should have known....I'd spent all day stropping about with no motivation, craving alcohol, caffeine and sympathy.  Yet I hadn't suspected a thing. When I realised I was heartbroken followed immediately by excitement. Excited about my period....wtf?! But I was so looking forward to trying out the products in my Pink Parcel that I kind of didn't mind.

Alcohol consumption well under way, my first thing to do was get the wax melt going. At the moment we're in quite a small flat, so I opted just to use a quarter of the melt. Two minutes after putting it on my boyfriend came through from the kitchen to announce how amazing it was smelling. As if I hadn't noticed! Simple Candle Company have done themselves proud. I literally want to eat the Caramel scent out of the air, yet it isn't overpowering. I am genuinely considering subscribing to their own monthly box once I'm settled in the house. I can't afford it right now sadly. Bravo, people of Simple Candle Company!

Next on my to try list was Papayagold's "Paw Paw Moisturising Balm". My friend had tried it out already and had mentioned how great it was. My skin can get a bit dry during my time of the month. I applied a teeny tiny amount and it's amazing just how far it went. It feels highly moisturising and has a texture/smell like that of Vaseline. But given that it contains Manuka Honey I really think it will be much better. Again really happy with this product! :)

OK Montagne Jeunesse over to you...I hope your Cucumber Peel-off Deep Cleansing Mask is going to make me feel better. It states on the back of the packet that after 15-25 minutes I will feel fab. Right now I am not going to  argue with that but will instead try it out.
(15-25 minutes later)

I needn't have worried about it smelling like cucumber because it really really didn't. I must say that despite the fact I hate cucumber, I think I might have liked it to have some kind of scent, even if it was cucumber. However, my skin felt pretty awesome and must say yeah, I feel a little fab. So another job well done.

Whilst waiting on my mask to set, I thought to myself what a better time to treat myself to some chocolate goodness. I wish I hadn't I'm afraid to say. The branding is gorgeous and they looked absolutely delicious. My distrust of healthy chocolate was based on a solid judgement I fear. I did not like it one bit so I offered the other truffle from Sweet Virtues to my better half. Smiling he popped it in his mouth. The smile did not last long: he spat it out almost instantly and looked at me with eyes that screamed "why?! Why for the love of god did you let me put this in my mouth". I'm not going to lie it was quite funny and if I had another, I'd do it again and in some sort of sordid way that made me happy. I can only deduce this is what they were going for.

I did try out the natural deodorant from Native Unearthed. I can't say that it was a long test or that I was under any stress/exertion that might cause lots of sweating. But I can see that it was scent free and easy to use. That's about the extent of my feeling thus far. 

Last but not least, the Vitalitea from Pink Parcel themselves. A fusion of ginger and Pineapple in a green tea. I had been so excited to try this out. After quite a bit of prosecco I thought green tea might (just might) counteract the harm I had done to my liver this evening. The teabag itself looks lovely. One mug of green tea later and....I was not disppointed. The perfect combination of flavours and as I love a good cuppa I couldn't be happier.

To sum it all up (with the exception of the chocolate) I was absolutely delighted with everything in this box. I love the products, the concept and the attention the Pink Parcel team pay to their social media interactions. I hope every moment with be to this level. Should it be I can see myself subscribing for a long time to come!

Pink Parcel March 2016

This was my first ever Pink Parcel box and after seeing some good YouTube reviews (check out www.youtube.com/raaaach92 and https://youtu.be/nFFyqbfcg9w by Anxiety Mum for a few of my favourites) I decided to sign up. I deliberated about it for a while but hey every girl needs tampons/towels so why not get a wee treat whilst stocking up.

First thoughts: nice discreet packaging. Especially as I'm having to get it delivered to my parents house whilst I wait to get into my new house (3 weeks tomorrow now). It's quite strong branding and definitely appeals to my taste.

I don't know if it was because it is my first box but I got it in a cute little canvas bag saying "Classic Period Drama"....it's as if it was made just for me! Period Dramas are some of my favourite things to watch and read. But also I'm like a demon on speed when I have my time of the month (I'm sure my boyfriend would testify to that too).

Inside you have a little pouch marked "For Now" which is essentially to keep your monthly goods in your handbag. Again nicely discreet and able to easily hold 5 panty liners and 4 tampons.

You also receive 2 boxes "For Later". Mine contained 10 tampons in each. Should definitely be enough to see me through. Extremely happy with that.

Each month you also get a "For Down There" box containing a feminine hygiene product. These are products from SASS which (given it can be purchased through the pink parcel website) I think may be an in-house brand. I received their refreshing wipes. I've used similar products before and although it isn't something I'd usually go out my way to purchase I was really happy with this as well. Something I'll definitely get use from.

The last box you receive is named "For You" and really it's the reason we all subscribe. First product that practically came flying out out me because the box was so full (good sign) was a "Montague Jeunesse Cucumber Peel-off Face Mask". Now firstly I am not a fan of cucumber  (taste or smell) and I'm not massively fond of peel off masks, but I am more than happy to try this product out when the time comes (if you get my drift). These sell for a pound a pop, so not one of the more expensive products I've seen in previous boxes.

Next out was a "Simple Candle Co Wax Melt" in "Caramel". Before I'd even opened my box I could smell this product and it does smell delicious. Might be slightly overpowering if used in a small room, but I am a huge fan of candles, oil burners and incense so really looking forward to giving this one a go. These come in at £2 each and after a bit of a snoop on their instagram I've discovered they do a subscription box, so thinking I might give that one a try out I'm settled in the house. But yeah, really happy with that.

There was also a travel size of "Native Unearthed Natural Deodorant". It looks pretty cool and is free from everything even the strictest of hipsters would hate, so it must be good. Haven't tried it out yet but definitely will. Although maybe when I've got a bit of time off work and don't need to worry so much about whether or not it's working. Really strong branding again and I must say another product I'm happy about. Full size product would be £5.39 so call this a couple of quids worth.

Still more in the box..."Papayagold Paw Paw Moisturising Balm". I suffer with quite dry lips doing the winter months so had I got this a few months back it would have been a godsend. Round about my period I can get quite dry skin so it may still be useful. A good sized product with Manuka Honey which is well known for its healing properties. Normally costing you £5.99, so I definitely can say at this point I've made my money back.

The next product would have been perfect if only I hadn't bought one the previous week. "Mylee Crystal Nail File" which would normally set you back £4.89. Sadly, as I have just bought one, chances are I'm gonna give this one away.

The last of the beauty products was a "Hello Gorgeous Makeup Bag". If you read my other posts you'll know I also subscribe to My Little Box. I get a make up bag with that every month, which I always love to pieces. Fear not, I shall have a use for this. I am going to put some tampons in this one for my boyfriends daughter. My logic is that this will be a much more pleasant way of keeping them handy when she needs them most without the embarrassment of accidentally pulling them out along with her pencil class in school. This product is normally  £3.99, so again happy with that.

Now one of the main reasons I loved this subscription box concept is for the next two items which are two of my great loves. Each month you get a different tea and sweet treat to try. I love sweet things and cups of tea sometimes more than is rational. Both this month sound delicious. The tea this month is from Pink Parcel themselves (they really seem to be branching out). "Ginger & Pineapple Green Tea"....now what is there not to love in that sentence?! Ginger: yummy

and good for nausea which I suffer from a lot (never mind when I have my period). Pineapple: also yummy and just the right fruity flavour to compliment the ginger. Green tea: I love love love tea! I am so excited to try this bad boy out but I  am holding off for when I need it. Can't wait to let you know what I make of it.

Last but not least, this month's sweet treat. "Sweet Virtues Baobab & Vanilla Balance Chocolate Truffles" claim to be a healthy chocolate. I don't trust healthy chocolate. I judge healthy chocolate. If it's healthy, it won't taste good, right? I'm hoping I'm proved wrong because let's face it, healthy chocolate would be the best thing to ever happen to mankind. The packaging is absolutely beautiful and I so so want to like this product.

All in all, I was delighted. It's a great concept, executed to a high standard,  great customer service from some correspondence I've had with them, really active on social media and all round great box. Definitely be keeping this one. Please let me know what you made of this month's box in the wee comments section.