tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56397295211043497972024-03-13T02:37:48.141+00:00- FrancesCassandra: UK fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog.Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.comBlogger505125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-75758173621782395072015-07-02T11:35:00.002+01:002016-07-17T17:10:33.262+01:00Frances Cassandra Arcala Coyne<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Frances Cassandra Arcala Coyne</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">13th June 1992</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">28th June 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Greatest Daughter Any Parent Could Wish For.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have so many people to thank for all the support and love that has been given to us during this terrible time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is an impossible task to name and thank each of you personally, so many came together to offer assistance and friendship, especially to Frances' mother, Amy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To the Filipino community, your love and warmth was overwhelming. We live our separate lives, we see each other often just passing in the street but when one of the community needs a friend, the selfless nature of the Filipinos' floods forward to help and protect their fellow people. These selfless actions are a tribute to the loving kind nature and strong bonds that Filipinos' possess, you are all remarkable people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To all Frances' friends, thank you for all the kind messages sent via social media, over 1000 via twitter alone. To those friends that personally came to offer your condolences, to hear your words about your friend Frances truly made us proud that our daughter had such beautiful kind people in her life, again thank you, please keep in touch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Many of the organisations, companies, and agencies that gave such kind recognition of the work that Frances had done for you, we would like to thank you for all your kind words. Frances was such a talented young woman and loved all the opportunities offered by you, thank you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To Annabel Viar, the tribute slide show that you made was so beautiful, it chronicled the life of Frances wonderfully. You took the songs of Frances singing and her beautiful photos and produced the most fitting tribute one could ask for, thank you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To Shane Murray, you were the greatest of friends of Frances throughout all her life. I am so grateful that you and Frances had done the musical video of your fabulous composition, “Do you Believe”, that showed Frances just how we all like to remember her, smiling and happy. Your special tribute song that you wrote for her was fabulous, you are the most talented musicial </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To Patrick, Frederick, Shane, Kristian and Simon. I need to thank you for helping me to carry our daughter on the final yards of her journey, you all were very brave and during those final steps, Frances was surrounded by those who loved her so much – Tony</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whilst Amy had the lovely support of the Filipino community, I would like to thank those that helped me, personally, so much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ian Hampton, you are such a wonderful man. Your kindness and support, you shared my grief, we laughed, we cried, you were there for me unconditionally, thank you . Theresa Hampton, you are a superstar at all times, words can never describe the comfort and help that you have given.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bob May, your wit, humour and strength of character helped greatly to at least divert my attention briefly from the tragedy before me, I thank you Bob, you are a good friend. - Suzzane May, you are always a whirlwind of positive spirit, thank you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rick “Joe” Jackson, thank you, your presence is always a pleasure for me, we have had our moments of difference but you have always been there for me in time of need, thank you - Tony </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peter Gurney, thank you for your time to come and see me. I wish we had longer but I truly appreciate your friendship. - Tony</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My cousin, Mike Taylor and my dear friend Neil Webb. Let's keep in touch more, you have been a part of my life for many many years, I thank you for all your love and support. - Tony</span></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-17947615660950143582015-04-30T23:36:00.000+01:002015-05-01T01:11:14.113+01:00Travel: My Travel Bucket List. #TransunLights<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Singapore 2014.</span><br />
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Boarding my first plane at four years old for my first fourteen-hour trip of many to the Philippines, the travel bug bit me at a very young age (or I suppose you could call it the travel gene; I hope to take after my Dad, who constantly boasts a full passport of stamps, although the thought of having over 700 flights under my belt makes me feel a little queasy- I'm that person who squeezes the hand of the person next to me so hard during take off that it might break and panics at any signs of turbulence). As I grew older and started attending school trips to Rome and New York, and finally making journeys without a familiar face (or hand to squeeze) by my side to Calvi, France and most recently Singapore, I was captivated by the beauty and culture of places unfamiliar to me and have since craved more adventures. There is an endless list of places that I would like to visit during my life time, from quaint and quirky European cities such as Paris and Amsterdam, to Walt Disney World to relive the part of my childhood I never got chance to experience, and of course, to see the Northern Lights (but that need not be mentioned, after all, this blog post is an entry to <a href="http://www.transun.co.uk/blogs/bucketlist-blog-competition">Transun's amazing competition</a> to win a trip to <a href="http://www.transun.co.uk/brochure/arctic/northern-lights">see the fascinating Auroras</a>). However, here is a list of some of the top destinations on my travel bucket list:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Rickshaw Run, India.</span></strong></div>
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Whilst the sun, sand and surf of typical holiday destinations is usually enough to keep me happy, sometimes the bolder side of me craves something a little more adventurous and down-right ridiculous, and what says that better than travelling 3,500km across India in your own pimped up tuktuk- or what <a href="http://www.theadventurists.com/rickshaw-run">The Adventurists</a> describe as a "7 horsepower glorified lawnmower". Since watching the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCz4fqxNcuDmmA-Z_m1F6BJ3IXC5hQwdR">JacksGap series</a> on their Indian adventure, the Rickshaw Run has been right at the top of my bucket list, not only for the feeling of accomplishment as we cross the finish line, the sheer stupidity of it and the laughs (and probably tears) that would be shared with my friends, but to stop and enjoy views such as the Taj Mahal and have a authentic Indian curry or five along the way.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Iceland.</span></strong><br />
I've got to hand it over to the lovely Amy over at <a href="http://www.thelittlemagpie.com/">The Little Magpie</a> for the mini-series she has recently written documenting her <a href="http://www.thelittlemagpie.com/search/label/Iceland">trip to Iceland</a> for the fact that I am now completely obsessed with the idea of visiting this slightly cooler holiday destination. Iceland was never a country that had crossed my mind as somewhere that I <em>needed</em> to see, but where else can I bathe in mineral-rich 37 degree hot springs with a face mask on and a cocktail in hand whilst enjoying the view of snow-covered mountain tops? <br />
The Golden Circle Tour sounds amazing also; unsurprisingly one of Iceland's most popular tours amongst travelers, watching the Strokkur Geyser intermittently erupt in to a turbulent blast of hot water and steam, witnessing the powerful flow of the Gullfoss waterfall and strolling around villages of quaint little brightly-coloured houses isn't something that you get to do at home (or many other places, for that matter).<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Philippines (well, more of it).</span></strong></div>
As mentioned before, I have visited the Philippines a lot throughout my life- nine times to be exact- and whilst I know the streets of the capital city, Manila and my mother's home province, Zambales like the back of my hand, having half of my family and a little house at our convenience has meant that I haven't really had the chance to explore much of the country that holds half of my heritage (did you know that the Republic of the Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands in total? That's a lot of islands to explore!). One of the saddest things about Zambales is that the devastating <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pinatubo#1991_eruption">eruption of Mount Pinatubo</a> in 1991 left the surrounding beaches covered in a layer of volcanic ash, so whilst they are still lovely to visit with their own beauty and stories to tell, I would love to travel over to the island of Boracay, one of the Philippines' more popular tourist destinations which luckily still boasts beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise waters. The island of Bohol is home to one of my favourite animals, the Philippine tarsier, and it has been on my bucket list for many years to see one of these boggle-eyed, pint-sized primates in the flesh.<br />
As well as these, it would be amazing to see some of the Philippines' very own wonders in real life, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_Hills">Chocolate Hills</a>, the incredible 2,000-year-old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banaue_Rice_Terraces">Baneue Rice Terraces</a> and the (almost) perfectly conicle <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayon_Volcano">Mayon Volcano</a>.<br />
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What are your dream travel destinations?<br />
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<strong>Frances x</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: This blog post is an entry in to Transun's <a href="http://www.transun.co.uk/brochure/arctic/northern-lights">#TransunLights</a> blogger competition.</span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-5370732344597057472015-04-12T22:12:00.001+01:002015-04-12T22:18:02.990+01:00Lifestyle: Let Your Shoes Do The Talking.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg_HGlYxW7-oMMilVjUiTCARapacSeK2ZEQLBynmQrjR8HHaGmiuP0cOmBHFqvSEp2h5i5zm9286HpQguYwOeH4hXD1BqX5VQOGIbctD6whHiqEoCjdxyhW1mTIvlm7qmGoE58BEsT9x5/s1600/Jacamo+Let+Your+Shoes+Do+The+Talking+Campaign+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYg_HGlYxW7-oMMilVjUiTCARapacSeK2ZEQLBynmQrjR8HHaGmiuP0cOmBHFqvSEp2h5i5zm9286HpQguYwOeH4hXD1BqX5VQOGIbctD6whHiqEoCjdxyhW1mTIvlm7qmGoE58BEsT9x5/s1600/Jacamo+Let+Your+Shoes+Do+The+Talking+Campaign+1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Firstly, I just wanted to apologise for the lack of blog posts over the last week or so- You know when you work a day job that you no longer enjoy and it diminishes any motivation you had to do the things you actually love? Yeah, that.</div>
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Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I was able to take a short break from work and was treated to a romantic (albeit partially sponsored by Jacamo) night in by Simon, which involved dinner, a bubble bath and a chick flick with a glass of wine and a box of chocolates. Not a bad one, is he?</div>
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Now, I wish I could say that this was all for no reason, but this bout of romance came with a bit of a twist. <a href="http://jacamo.co.uk/">Jacamo</a> have recently launched a new campaign called, "Let Your Shoes Do The Talking", which has not only been created to try and prove that romance in relationships is, in fact, not dead, but also give a little advice to the men out there who need a little help getting off on the right foot (teehee) when it comes to dating. If you've been wondering where it keeps going wrong, guys, it could all be down to what you are wearing on your feet.</div>
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You see, Jacamo carried out a survey which showed that a man's shoes are often what us ladies notice first, and 51% of women use a man's shoes to try and figure out his personality (I suppose it's kind of true!). Now, before you throw out those battered old Nike Blazers that have probably been turning off the ladies, don't despair- Jacamo have made a dedicated <a href="http://www.jacamo.co.uk/blog/shoeduction/">Shoe-Duction</a> page full of shoe success stories and advice on picking the right pair from some top British male fashion bloggers. You can also find out what type of shoe is the most popular amongst the female population in your region of the UK and then shop from Jacamo's collections (which are available in a huge range of sizes and are pretty spot on, if I may say so myself) right from their website. </div>
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So guys, treat yourselves to a new pair of trainers or brogues and try your luck- You may find that it wasn't that cheesy chat up line that turned her away. And if shoes just aren't your thing, there's still hope; there's still another 49% of ladies who are attracted to other articles of clothing- I'm pretty sure I complimented Simon on his jacket on our first date!</div>
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Ladies, do you think that a man's shoes do all the talking?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Jacamo kindly provided us with a date night hamper as part of their campaign.</span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-13142565952777752402015-04-02T20:41:00.001+01:002015-04-02T23:33:45.007+01:00Review: Breakout Liverpool.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Image credit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/breakoutliverpool/photos_stream?tab=photos_stream">Breakout Liverpool</a>]</span> <br />
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Remember those online escape games that you used to sneakily play (along with The Impossible Quiz and all of <a href="http://www.miniclip.com/games/en/#t-n-G">Miniclip</a>'s procrastination-perfect offerings) instead of learning how to use Excel during I.T. lessons in high school? They've recently been popping up in the form of real-life escape rooms that you and your friends can pay to get locked in, in the hopes that you can break free in just an hour. </div>
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I was recently invited along to the Northwest's newest escape centre, <a href="https://breakoutliverpool.com/">Breakout Liverpool</a>*, with my team consisting of my boyfriend, his brother and his brother's girlfriend, to try our luck at breaking out of their '<em>Classified</em>' room. The second hardest of their three rooms and the prequel to their most difficult escape game, '<em>Sabotage</em>', <em>Classified</em> saw us sitting our final exam to become a secret agent, in which we had to examine the various objects in the room for hidden clues, unlock a series of padlocks and find a sequence of cards in order escape from the room and pass the test.</div>
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Sixty minutes trapped in a room no bigger than your living room where every single object inside is relevant to your mission. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. Whilst a GCSE in math isn't compulsory in becoming a top secret agent (a calculator is provided for any mathematic equations you may need to work out, who knew?), these escape rooms require a fair amount of logical thinking, common sense and a knowledge of how to actually open different kinds of padlocks after you have unlocked them (heh...). By the time we hit the thirty minute mark, the suspenseful music was getting to us, our patience with one another was wearing thin and nervous sweats were forming at the sound of the yelling coming from the escapees trying to break free from the room next to us. We had only managed to find three of the eight cards needed to work out the final combination and we had been stood staring at the same pictures on the wall for the past ten minutes- we were doomed, surely. </div>
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However, the Breakout team are on standby in the control room, watching your every move on the CCTV cameras and flashing up cryptic clues on the wall-mounted monitor whenever they felt you needed a little extra help (and probably laughing every time you walk past something obvious... suckers). These clues aren't easy, however- they are puzzles in themselves, there to jog your mind in to thinking outside the box and they often left us kicking ourselves for not noticing clues that were right in front of us.<br />
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With twenty minutes left to spare, the thought of continuing with our day jobs got too much for us and we picked up the pace, working out the last few combinations and discovering vital clues which led us to the remaining cards. With just over six minutes to spare before our dreams of becoming the next Jason Bourne would be crushed, we tapped the mathematical equation on the series of cards in to the calculator to reveal the four-digit padlock combination which broke away the chains on the final box containing our key to freedom. The name is Bond. Frances Bond.<br />
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If you are in to puzzle-solving, team-building or simply yelling at the contestants on Fort Boyard/ The Crystal Maze on your TV, Breakout Liverpool is for you. Allowing teams of between two and five players, the more people you bring along with you, the cheaper it is for you to play. However, it is never going to cost you more than £20 a head, so Breakout Liverpool is a fun and affordable way to try something new with your friends, whether it be a birthday, a staff night out or just a much-needed break from essay-writing. Read more about the missions they offer and book in for a game <a href="https://breakoutliverpool.com/rooms">here</a>. Or, if you're not local to Liverpool, Breakout also have a centre in <a href="https://breakoutmanchester.com/">Manchester</a>.<br />
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Have you visited Breakout Liverpool/Manchester yet? Did you escape?<br />
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<strong>Frances x</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: We were kindly invited along by the Breakout team to escape from a room for free in return for an honest review.</span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-83154008234657273032015-03-27T10:06:00.000+00:002015-03-27T10:53:40.665+00:00Outfit: Festival Bunting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>Top: C/O Sugarhill Boutique* (</strong><a href="http://www.sugarhillboutique.com/ss15/festival-bunting-tee-top.aspx"><strong>buy</strong></a><strong>) | Skirt: C/O Poppy Lux * (</strong><a href="http://www.sugarhillboutique.com/pst15/poppy-lux-wilma-scuba-midi-skirt.aspx"><strong>buy</strong></a><strong>) | Shoes: Matalan (old) | Hair pins: Miss Selfridge (old)</strong></div>
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It has been a little while since I had my last <a href="http://www.sugarhillboutique.com/">Sugarhill Boutique</a> fix and I'll admit that I had almost forgotten how much I love the brand until their SS15 lookbook found it's way in to my inbox. In less than five clicks they had won me over yet again- I mean, it's hard to pass up a dress <a href="http://www.sugarhillboutique.com/st15/bark-in-the-park-tunic-dress.aspx">covered in Dalmatians and Corgis</a>, isn't it? Feeling inspired by a couple of the looks that their gorgeous model was sporting in their lookbook, I opted for a midi skirt and t-shirt combo, and please, can we just take a minute to appreciate this elephant print that was hand-drawn by a complete design genius in the Sugarhill Boutique studio? I predict a new best seller coming on- I have my eye on the dreamy <a href="http://www.sugarhillboutique.com/ss15/festival-bunting-print-smock-dress.aspx">smock dress version</a>, too.</div>
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Teamed with this classic PU panel midi skirt by Sugarhill's sister brand, <a href="http://www.sugarhillboutique.com/shops/poppy-lux/">Poppy Lux</a>, which they now aptly describe as "a complimentary brand of wearable basics with trend-led shapes and finishes", I think I have found one of my favourite pairings for the Spring. And just when I thought I couldn't be more smitten, I tried it on to find that it has pockets. The little things, guys...<br />
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Have you taken a look at Sugarhill/Poppy Lux's Spring/Summer range?<br />
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<strong>Frances x</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.</span></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-49766926987912232382015-03-25T15:28:00.001+00:002015-03-26T10:47:16.009+00:00Food: Jamie's Italian, Liverpool.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A couple of weeks ago, Simon and I were invited down for dinner at <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/restaurants/liverpool">Jamie's Italian in Liverpool</a>*. We arrived at the dimly lit, rustically decorated restaurant and were greeted by our waiter, James, who was great and a huge help throughout the entire evening- after he had sat us down at our candlelit table, he handed us our menus and talked us through the specials that were written on the chalkboards on the wall beside us. When ordering, we also asked him about portion sizes and whether it was worth ordering side dishes with our main meals and he was totally honest and never pushed us in to ordering unnecessary extras.<br />
We decided to start the evening with a <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/menu/drinks#">cocktail</a> each whilst we perused <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/menu#">the menu</a>- I tend to try new things whenever I eat out for the sake of my blog posts, so I went for the Grey Goose Le Fizz whilst Simon played it safe with Jamie's Mojito, which I think was the better choice in the end (can never go wrong with a good mojito, although the Grey Goose was still nice and refreshing).<br />
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To start, Simon and I opted to mix and match few items from the Antipasti menu; Pork Scratchings, Crispy Squid (the winner of this round) and the Music Bread, which partially won us over with its cool name even though we had no idea what it was. It turned out to be a thin and crispy flatbread (similar to Indian poppadoms) topped with generous slices of pecorino Sardo cheese and a dot of chilli jam. As expected along with Jamie's infamous rustic style, our food was served to us on wooden boards, copper chalices and terracotta tapas dishes. <br />
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We both ordered pasta dishes for our mains, Simon choosing Jamie's Famous Prawn Linguine and myself the rather scary-looking Squid & Mussel Spaghetti Nero, which featured black squid ink pasta with whole, flash-fried squid, mussels and slices of tender octopus. Both were delicious, although I am partial to dishes containing large amounts of seafood. However, staying true to tradition on our food-related escapades, we carried out a smooth and swift swapping of plates half way through the meal to avoid any food envy (I don't think anyone saw).<br />
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Of course, there's always room for desserts and we both decided to satisfy our sweet tooth with chocolate in the form of a warm and rich "Epic" Brownie with vanilla ice cream and caramelised popcorn for Simon, and a Chocolate & Hazelnut Arctic Roll for me, which featured an espresso semifreddo amongst the mound of chocolate sponge, chocolate ice cream and chocolate shavings (is the word chocolate starting to look weird to you...?), which took the edge off its richness.<br />
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Overall, we had a very pleasant experience at Jamie's Italian Liverpool; each course was brought to us promptly and the staff were friendly and accommodating. Thank you to the team for inviting us along! :)<br />
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Have you ever eaten at Jamie's Italian?<br />
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<strong>Frances x</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Jamie's Italian kindly provided partial payment for our meal in return for an honest review.</span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-18984464341970802042015-03-15T23:39:00.000+00:002015-03-16T10:07:38.355+00:00Luxury Gift Guide for Her.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Going from being a full-time student to having a close-to-minimum-wage paid job means that luxury items and high-end brands rarely appear in my wardrobe or on my dressing table, except around birthdays and Christmas time when one or two extravagancies sneak their way on to my wishlist, or on the odd occasion that I receive especially good payslip. I believe that everybody deserves a little bit of luxury in their lives, whether it be emptying the penny jar to buy that Michael Kors purse you've had your eye on or treating someone special to a bottle of their favourite eau de parfum, so I decided to put together a little gift guide including some of the luxury items that I have been lucky enough to add to my collection.</div>
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My favourite thing to accessorize an outfit with is a statement watch, and the first designer piece I ever received was my beloved <a href="http://www.thewatchhut.co.uk/Michael-Kors-Ladies-Watch-MK5038.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=google-shopping&utm_term=253659&CAWELAID=620015420000086603&CAGPSPN=pla&utm_medium=cpc&network=google&utm_campaign=[Shopping]_-_[Mid_Sellers]&utm_source=google">tortoiseshell Michael Kors watch</a> (£185) from my dad one Christmas around the time when MK was all the rage. Both my Michael Kors watch and my rose gold <a href="http://www.shadestation.co.uk/Tommy-Hilfiger-Watches-Gracie-1781204.html?aff=aff10&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKEAjw25SoBRCMn7Gc97Knj0ISJAC7vaMrDI8BCFcFVxzLhSGzD6Dq6BwqWdsuGHQ4J0vc14QYVhoClKvw_wcB">Tommy Hilfiger</a>* (£140) number have gotten so much wear over the past couple of years, a special wrist piece is definitely the perfect gift for any punctual fashionista.</div>
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I'm not a huge beauty fanatic so drugstore brands usually see fit for my daily winged eyeliner needs and the occasional red lip, however I do have a couple of high-end palettes tucked away in my makeup drawer for special occasions. The <a href="http://uk.spacenk.com/virtual-domination-cheek-palette/MUK200013993.html">NARS Virtual Domination Cheek palette</a> (£45.00) and the infamous <a href="http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_123932030999_-1">Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay</a> (£38.00) have been two very welcome pieces in my collection recently as they allow me to experiment with different looks without splashing too much cash, plus they last for <em>ages</em>. My two Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks were extremely generous gifts from my grandparents last Christmas, and at £23 a pop they only get used on very special occasions as I'm terrified of ruining the bullet (this is exactly why I don't buy high-end makeup...)! They do look beautiful sat on my dresser in all their rose-gold glory though, right? (Shades <a href="http://www.selfridges.com/en/charlotte-tilbury-matte-revolution-lipstick_455-3003231-MATTEREVSLIPS/?previewAttribute=Glastonberry">Glastonberry</a> and <a href="http://www.selfridges.com/en/charlotte-tilbury-matte-revolution-lipstick_455-3003231-MATTEREVSLIPS/?previewAttribute=bondgirl">Bond Girl </a>respectively, incase you wondered).</div>
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Buying luxury gifts doesn't necessarily mean forking out hundreds of pounds. This <a href="https://www.flamingogifts.co.uk/products/ted-baker-blue-brogue-notebook">Ted Baker brogue notebook</a>* (£11.04) and <a href="https://www.flamingogifts.co.uk/products/ted-baker-outdoors-wood-pen">outdoors wood pen</a>* (£16.99) set looks high-end with its intricate detailing and gold hardwear (the notebook features gold-edged pages and beautiful parrot-print endpapers also) but doesn't boast the designer price tag, and <a href="https://www.flamingogifts.co.uk/">Flamingo Gifts</a> stock them in plenty of colours and styles suitable for both men and women (plus lots of other fun, nice and quirky gifts- their website has fast become one of my favourite online stores for scoping out unique and affordable presents).</div>
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Perfumes have always been one of my favourites to give and receive as they are so personal to the recipient. I fell in love with my all-time favourite Freak by Illamasqua eau de parfum when I received the <a href="http://www.illamasqua.com/shop/other/gift-sets/freak-eau-de-parfum-30ml">smaller 30ml bottle</a> (£34.00) for Christmas two years ago. After using it sparingly over the next year, I finally bit the bullet and snapped up the <a href="http://www.illamasqua.com/shop/other/gift-sets/freak-75ml-eau-de-parfum">75ml bottle</a> (£59.00) in Illamasqua's crazy end-of-season sale last month for an amazing 60% off, so it's worth keeping an eye out for super deals before you splurge.</div>
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One thing you can't go wrong with when buying for even the fussiest lady is jewellery. I recently discovered <a href="http://jewelstreet.com/">JewelStreet</a>, a huge online marketplace stocking men and women's jewellery from over 250 designers, including <a href="http://www.jewelstreet.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=sari+jules">Sari Jules</a>, from whom I picked up these <a href="http://www.jewelstreet.com/infinity-ring-statement-earrings">gorgeous 14 carat gold-filled statement earrings</a>* (£59). They also stock designs by a few award winning online boutiques, including Sara Gunn and one of my most favourite jewellery designers, <a href="http://www.jewelstreet.com/designers/Jana-Reinhardt-Jewellery">Jana Reindhart</a>, who makes luxury gold and silver pieces in cute designs inspired by wildlife and her childhood, like this <a href="http://www.jewelstreet.com/golden-twin-hummingbird-ring">Hummingbird ring</a> (£89) which I also have in my collection.</div>
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I think it's every girl's dream to one day have the likes of Christian Louboutin or Jimmy Choo sitting in her shoe closet, and I was lucky enough to receive my very first pair of designer footwear from Harvey Nichols in the form of these <a href="http://www.harveynichols.com/107115-butterfly-print-canvas-espadrilles/">butterfly print espadrilles</a> by Valentino* (£285) last week. Just look at that packaging! Valentino also have a whole collection of pieces in the same butterfly print, including <a href="http://www.harveynichols.com/115596-butterfly-print-nylon-pouch/">this clutch bag</a> which I have somewhat fallen for, and you can find all of them plus lots of studded designer goodness by searching for <a href="http://www.harveynichols.com/brand/valentino/">Valentino over at Harvey Nichols</a>.</div>
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What is your favourite luxury purchase/ what's on your wishlist?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.</span></div>
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Something that Simon and I found we share is a mutual love for cooking and trying new foods (and just eating food in general- I'm pretty sure most of our early dates involved dinner), so with this discovery we thought it would be fun to set ourselves a little challenge and embark on a hypothetical trip around the world, having themed cooking nights at home and turning them in to a blog series.</div>
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Both lovers of sushi, we agreed that Japanese cuisine would be a good place to start, and after a week of intensive research Simon had dubbed himself a theoretical sushi master. He also discovered <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/">Kazari</a>, a fantastic website which sells the sushi-grade fish (super-frozen throughout at -65 degrees to make it suitable for raw consumption) needed to make safe, <em>legit</em> sushi (none of that smoked stuff from Tesco, although we used that too...). As it can get quite expensive to buy specialty fish (Kazari also charge £5.99 for 24 hour delivery within the UK to ensure that it gets to you as fast as possible), we decided to start off small and cheap for our first attempt at sushi making and opted for a piece of Sake (<a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/salmon-for-sushi">Atlantic salmon top loin</a>, £8.99) and four steamed and prepared <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/steamed-shrimp-ebi-to-make-sushi">shrimp</a> (£3.29). We also picked up the essentials needed to make sushi, including <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/sushi-essentials?page=1">sushi rice</a>, <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/sushi-essentials/products/copy-of-kaitatuya-yakinori-blue-grade-10-full-size-sheets">yakinori seaweed sheets</a> and a <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/sushi-essentials/products/yutaka-bamboo-rolling-mat">bamboo rolling mat</a>, plus a few extras such as <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/sushi-essentials/products/buy-s-b-wasabi-paste-43g-japanese-horseradish">wasabi paste</a>, <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/sushi-essentials/products/yutaka-pickled-sushi-ginger-gari-190g">pickled ginger</a> and <a href="http://kazari.co.uk/collections/sushi-essentials/products/mizkan-sushi-vinegar-sushi-su-250ml-to-make-sushi-rice">sushi vinegar</a>, which brought our whole order to around £40.</div>
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Following his new-found expertise, I let Simon be in charge of making the norimaki- cylindrical rolls of rice with fillings inside, wrapped in a sheet of nori- plus the "inside out" version with rice on the outside- uramaki. I have attempted to make these types of sushi in the past and mine didn't come out looking so photogenic (probably due to my lack of rolling mat and an extra sharp knife- you <em>need</em> these to make pretty-looking sushi!), so I assigned myself the slightly easier temaki hand rolls and nigiri- a thin sliver of salmon, crabstick or a shrimp placed on top of a mound of hand-pressed rice (I make it sound impressive though, huh?). The ingredients that we bought made enough sushi to feed around four people, and since <strike>it didn't</strike> not <em>every</em> piece fell apart upon contact with chopsticks and nobody fell ill afterwards, I'd vouch to say that our first sushi night was a success!</div>
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Setting ourselves a three-course challenge, we also decided to try our hand at making our own version of the popular Wagamama classic, Chicken Katsu Curry. Mainly containing ingredients that could be found in the kitchen cupboard we followed <a href="http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/29578/chicken-katsu-curry.aspx">this recipe</a> and I don't think we did a bad job, although the sauce could have been a little thicker. </div>
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I hate to be the one to judge a book by its cover, but when the Japanese-style cheesecake we made for dessert came out of the oven, photographs of its convex shape and sunken edges were the last thing I wanted to take for this blog post. With beaten egg whites serving as a key ingredient in Japanese cheesecake, it is a very light and delicate cake that is difficult to perfect without getting a cracked top at the very least. Simon was proud of our attempt, however, and I wish I had had a little more faith in our sad-looking little cake, as served with cream and a spoonful of apricot jam as recommended, it actually tasted really good. </div>
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So, now that we are practically professional Japanese sushi chefs, we are already planning the theme for our next night in- Anyone for Spanish tapas?</div>
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Are you a fan of sushi? Ever tried making your own?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-88846390475339739682015-03-10T11:51:00.000+00:002015-03-10T11:56:09.575+00:00Travel/Food: Ibis Styles Liverpool Dale Street (part two) #CaptureIbisStyles. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before we released our competitive streaks at <a href="http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-7601-ibis-styles-liverpool-dale-street/index.shtml">Ibis Styles Liverpool Dale Street</a> last week, the Ibis and Gray Matter team thought it would be a good idea for us to get to know each other over dinner before the long day of games. With drinks on tap all evening it was certainly an ice breaker, and it wasn't long before the eleven of us were sat down at a long table in the centre of the hotel's open-plan dining area, taking photos and chatting away.</div>
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We were lucky enough to be trying the taster menu that evening, which meant sampling pretty much <em>every</em> dish that they had to offer, which looked like more of a challenge than it originally sounded when six different starters were brought out and placed on boards in front of us. Even though the menu is simple and quite basic, the quality and presentation of the food for a budget hotel was quite impressive. The Prawn Twisters and the Posh Squid (Ibis Styles' genius name for calamari) were to die for, as was the Hearty Leek & Potato Soup with a toasted Croque Salmon on the side. Along with Rustic Charcuterie Boar (AKA, cured meats with ciabatta) and Falafel-stuffed Pittas, there was so much food on offer that we could have called it quits after starters, but we resisted finishing off the battered prawns to save a little room for the mains.</div>
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The only main dish I was disappointed with was the Mini Chicken Caesar, which I found to be all lettuce and not much of anything else. But who is going to go for a salad when there is Spanish-style Surf and Turf on the menu? This Valencian paella dish containing mixed seafood, chicken and chorizo was so moreish it was at danger being placed next to me on the table. I did force myself away from it to sample the other dishes, however, and the Salmon Supreme (salmon with a white wine sauce and roasted vegetables) and the <strike>fancy fish finger sarnies</strike> Mini Cod Goujon Sandwiches both got points from me (can you tell I like seafood?). For people who aren't big on fish, they also had some restaurant classics including Aberdeen Angus Mini Beef Burgers plus Steaks Frites, which were cooked perfectly.</div>
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As intimidating as dessert sounded after the abundant amount of food we had just consumed, there were only two to face and the mini portions were perfect to take the edge off my sweet tooth. In fact, after I had tried one of the Mini Chocolate Puddings I'm sure I could have had another couple. The Apple Crumble was lovely too, and was finished off nicely with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.</div>
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<u><strong>The #CaptureIbisStyles Campaign</strong></u></div>
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Full, and with a cup of green tea in hand (because we all know the green tea cancels out at least 75% of calories consumed, right?), we were briefed on our tasks for the following day plus the worldwide campaign, which- as promised in my last post (<a href="http://www.francescassandra.com/2015/03/travel-ibis-styles-liverpool-dale.html">read here</a>)- I am going to tell you more about today. As previously mentioned, Ibis Styles are launching a campaign on Friday, March 13, 2015, offering Instagram users residing in six countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil and the UK) the chance to win from a possibility of fifty-seven pieces of designer furniture that are showcased throughout the fifteen participating Ibis Styles hotels. </div>
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If you are local to one of the hotels (Liverpool and Edinburgh if you are in the UK), all you have to do is pop in with your smart phone and take a photograph of whichever of the four pieces of designer furniture on offer take your fancy (they will be in the lobby area with an Ibis Styles label attached to make them easy to spot) and then upload it to Instagram with the designated hashtags. It is then up to you to use the power of social media to collect as many 'likes' as you can on your Instagram post. The amount of 'likes' required to be in with a chance of winning your chosen item will be stated on the attached Ibis Styles label, and once you reach this target you will be entered into a draw to pick the lucky winner of the piece of furniture. Exciting, no? If you don't live close to one of the participating hotels, don't worry- there will be a digital version too, so head over to the <a href="http://www.ibis.com/gb/showroom/events/capture/index.shtml">#CaptureIbisStyles webpage</a> for more information on the competition and to see the pieces of furniture that are up for grabs (very jealous of the folks over at the Lille Centre Grande Place hotel in France who can win this <a href="http://www.ibis.com/gb/showroom/events/capture/stool_ella.shtml">adorable elephant stool</a>!). The competition will run for two months from March 13 to May 13, so there's plenty of time to gather up those likes!</div>
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Will you be entering the #CaptureIbisStyle competition?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 16.2px; text-align: center;">*DISCLOSURE: I was kindly invited to stay at Ibis Styles Liverpool free of charge to take part in their #CaptureIbisStyles campaign. All opinions stated are 100% honest and my own.</span></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-75102546730363585682015-03-09T22:47:00.003+00:002015-03-10T00:32:19.178+00:00Competition: Win 12 Pairs of Adidas Originals Trainers With Mainline Menswear.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello ladies (and gents- tonight's blog post is especially for you)!</center>
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Just a quick post this evening to let you know about a really cool competition that <a href="http://www.mainlinemenswear.co.uk/">Mainline Menswear</a> are currently hosting.<br />
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Mainline Menswear are a UK-based online retailer of lots of popular men's brands including Fred Perry, Vans and G Star Raw, plus some high end designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Versace and Armani. They are giving one lucky person the chance to win twelve pairs of Adidas Originals trainers, and all you have to do to be in with a chance of claiming the prize is <a href="https://www.mainlinemenswear.co.uk/competitions/adidas-originals-trainers">click here</a> and fill in your details - the winner will be selected at random once the competition closes and will be able to pick a new pair of Adidas Original trainers to be delivered to their doorstep every month for a whole year- Not bad for thirty seconds of your time, eh?<br />
There is a great selection in the Adidas Originals line to choose from, including classic styles such as their Stan Smith and Gazelles. Simon is modelling the super sleek <a href="http://www.mainlinemenswear.co.uk/product.php?xProd=60421&xSec=84">Adidas Originals ZX Flux NPS mid trainers</a>* above.<br />
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Hurry though, there are only six days left to enter - the competition will end at midnight on Sunday, March 15, 2015. <br />
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Good luck! :)<br />
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<strong>Frances x</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Contains PR samples.</span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-49096679688083961532015-03-05T15:42:00.001+00:002015-03-05T15:50:28.979+00:00Travel: Ibis Styles Liverpool Dale Street (part one) #CaptureIbisStyles.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I was invited along to stay a night at <a href="http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-7601-ibis-styles-liverpool-dale-street/index.shtml">Liverpool's Ibis Styles hotel</a> with six other bloggers and the lovely Ibis Styles/ Gray Matter team to take part in their #CaptureIbisStyles blogger campaign. Upon arrival it was immediately evident that the Ibis Styles hotels are design-centred and I was met by an eye-catching but tasteful yellow, purple and blue colour scheme and geometric shapes, plus a huge wall mural containing Blackbird lyrics, a walrus and four famous scousers which gave away the overall theme of the whole hotel. After checking in, the lovely lady at the desk showed me to the interactive social wall in the lobby, where guests can share and view useful tourist information about the city as well as check out pictures of the different themed rooms throughout the hotel. Each of the seven floors of Ibis Styles Liverpool has been appointed a different Beatles-related theme, including 'Strawberry Fields' which sees every guestroom on the third floor covered in a red, strawberry print wallpaper that I now want in my own bedroom. Other themes include 'Iconic Style', 'Yesterday' and 'Lucy', which features a diamond-themed wall mural and sparkly accents.</div>
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I stayed in a room on the sixth floor of the hotel dedicated to 'Abbey Road', which is fittingly decorated with a road sign, a black and white-striped ceiling and yellow glowing lights which pay a subtle homage to the famous London-based zebra crossing. The room was quite small as is expected of a budget hotel, but I was impressed with the sleek and modern design, the cleanliness of the place, plus the little added extras (bottled water, hospitality tray, a safe, a 32" TV with freeview and a fluffy robe & slippers) which, to me, screamed at least £90 a night. Room prices vary depending on when you stay and how far in advance you book, but at around £54 for a midweek stay in a double room with breakfast and WIFI included, I think this is one of the best city centre hotels to choose for a good night's sleep on a budget.</div>
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As mentioned in my <a href="http://www.francescassandra.com/2015/03/food-travel-courtyard-restaurant-ox.html">previous hotel review</a>, breakfast can be the dealbreaker, however given that Ibis Styles is a budget hotel with a continental offering, I left my expectations and my camera behind. I really wish I had swallowed my pride as I was very impressed with the selection for a three-star hotel, which included yogurts and cereals with various toppings, fresh fruit, breads & pastries, cheeses & cold cuts, plus a few hot options- hash browns, sausage rolls and bacon & cheese turnovers (winner). </div>
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<strong><u>The #CaptureIbisStyles campaign</u></strong></div>
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Gray Matter like to think outside the box for their campaigns, and if you follow me on <a href="http://instagram.com/francescassandra">Instagram</a> (@FrancesCassandra) you will have seen that during our time at the hotel, we were let loose to <strike>cause havoc</strike> sensibly snap photos of some of the quirky features and spam each post with cringe-inducing hashtags (#like4like on my #picoftheday, anyone?) in order to rack up the 'likes' and prove our social media skills for a chance to win a two-nights stay in one of the UK's Ibis Hotels, plus the <em>adorable</em> Waaf dog lamp pictured above. We were also taken on a rather chilly open-top bus tour of Liverpool where we learned lots about the history of the city as well as having our imagination and creativity put to the test with a series of tasks which we were to complete via Instagram, including taking a selfie with one of Liverpool's iconic Superlambananas and hunting down a Beatles look-a-like. Unfortunately, I wrote myself out of the games pretty quickly, mainly due to the poor battery life on my retro iPhone 4S (note to self: find your <a href="http://futurocks.com/">power bank</a>, that was the best purchase you ever made).</div>
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Now, all of this fun and games wasn't because <em>bloggers get all the cool stuff</em> or because of our tendency to Instagram everything from our morning coffee to our lunch, to the cute cat we made friends with on our way home from work. Not completely, anyway. We were the guinea pigs for a worldwide campaign which is due to launch on March 13, 2015. The campaign is offering the public local to any of the fifteen participating Ibis Styles hotels across the world a chance to win some of their quirky designer furniture, which means that if you live close to Liverpool, you could enter to win <strong><em>the dog lamp</em></strong> or the awesome cassette tape coffee table, plus two other pieces of cool home decor. More details on the campaign will be given in another blog post a little closer to the opening date, but you can take a sneak peek at what's to offer on the designated <a href="http://www.ibis.com/gb/showroom/events/capture/index.shtml">#CaptureIbisStyles webpage</a>.</div>
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Have you stayed in an Ibis Styles hotel?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 16.2px; text-align: center;">*DISCLOSURE: I was kindly invited to stay at Ibis Styles Liverpool free of charge to take part in their #CaptureIbisStyles campaign. All opinions stated are 100% honest and my own.</span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-55372111509249772492015-03-04T14:39:00.001+00:002015-03-05T15:46:08.476+00:00Food/ Travel: Courtyard Restaurant, Ox Pasture Hall, Scarborough (part two).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u><u><b>Dinner</b></u></u></div>
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During our stay at <a href="http://www.oxpasturehallhotel.com/">Ox Pasture Hall Hotel </a>last month (you can read my full review of our suite and afternoon tea <a href="http://www.francescassandra.com/2015/02/travel-ox-pasture-hall-hotel-scarborough.html">here</a>), we were also offered a three-course meal* at their highly blogger renowned Courtyard restaurant. Being the only restaurant in Scarborough to have been awarded two rosettes for culinary excellence and feature in the Michelin guide, it was one of the things we were most looking forward to on the trip and we arrived with high expectations.</div>
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Greeted by a young waiter, we were shown to the bar and ordered a bottle of red wine to accompany our meal whilst we pondered over the choices on the simple but well-varied menu. It took a little while for us to be seated at our table despite there only being us and two other tables dining that evening, but once we had sat down and ordered, our food was brought out promptly, starting with an appetizer of rich, butternut squash soup and a selection of fresh, homemade breads, compliments of the chef. Simon opted for the <i>duck</i> starter (£7.50), which consisted of duck liver parfait with melba toast and a crisp pastry cup filled with shredded duck, accompanied by a tangy cherry sorbet and compote. I chose <i>Ham, Egg & Peas</i> (£8,75) - a mini ham hock terrine sat on a bed of piccalilli, with a crispy hen's egg which was cooked to runny perfection, complimented nicely with a drizzle of pea puree and honey mustard.</div>
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Before our main course, we were offered a shot glass containing a refreshing berry palate cleanser to prepare us for the showstopper. Simon and I had decided to choose different dishes for our mains so that we could sample as much of the menu as we could, but we agreed to share with each other to avoid any food envy that might jeopardise our relationship ;) I went for the straight-to-the-point main, <i>The Lamb </i>(£21.50), a pink-in-the-middle two bone rack of lamb and lamb & kidney faggot resting on dauphinoise potatoes, mingling together with courgettes and a sweet, butternut squash puree. As happy as I was with my main dish, I'm glad that Simon had agreed to go halves with his aptly named, <i>The Pork</i> (£18.95) because it looked amazing - a succulent piece of slow-cooked pork belly, surrounded by slices of pork tenderloin roulade, a tasty, homemade black pudding and finished off with sides of savoy cabbage, sauteed potatoes and red onions. A concern that I am often met by with fine dining is that the food is expensive but you don't get much of it, however the portions at the Courtyard were <i>huge. </i>After mixing and matching our main dishes we were left pretty full, but after a fifteen minute breather and another palette cleanser, we found a little room for dessert. </div>
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Simon decided on the <i>Yorkshire Cheese Board</i> (£8.50) which included a trio of cheeses accompanied by a selection of homemade breads and crackers with grapes and a cranberry chutney. I, on the other hand, needed to satisfy my sweet tooth after our savoury courses, and opted for the ultimate decadent dessert, <i>Chocolate Trio </i>(£7.95) - a rich, chocolate tart and hot chocolate fondant balanced out with a sweet, melt-in-the-mouth white chocolate parfait. Admittedly, I didn't make it very far in to my dessert- it was lovely (especially that hot fondant) but I felt I was about to burst, so feeling beyond satisfied, Simon and I took our bottle of wine and headed to bed.</div>
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<strong><u>Breakfast</u></strong></div>
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Breakfast is often the highlight of my hotel stays- I think it's because I don't often get to enjoy a full-English breakfast which is usually what I opt for, and there's just something about having someone else bring you a pot of coffee, a rack of toast and a glass of fresh orange juice first thing in the morning. This time was no different, and both Simon and I ordered ourselves the cooked breakfast (they also offer continental choices such as yogurts, porridge, fruit and cereals), which included a sausage, two rashers of bacon, a tomato, a generous slice of the delicious homemade black pudding that we had sampled during dinner, sauteed mushrooms and eggs, cooked just how we like them. Even though it was quite simple, we both agreed that it was one of the best hotel breakfasts we had had- the sausages and bacon were hearty without being too fatty and the eggs were cooked to perfection- mine were poached with a nice, runny centre whilst Simon's scrambled eggs were fluffy and light.</div>
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Overall, our stay at Ox Pasture Hall Hotel was a pleasant one- the rural surroundings were a nice change from the norm and the dining experience was a much-needed luxury treat. If you are looking for a relaxing, weekend getaway with your other half, perhaps to celebrate an anniversary, birthday or other special occasion (Ox Pasture Hall are also renowned for being <a href="http://www.oxpasturehallhotel.com/weddings">a beautiful wedding location</a>, and with the picturesque surroundings I'm not surprised!), I would recommend Ox Pasture Hall for its romantic setting and attention to detail. At around £300 a night for a luxury suite like ours including dinner and breakfast, it's definitely a treat, but they also offer gorgeous four poster deluxe, double deluxe and classic double rooms a little cheaper at £205, £190 and £160 respectively.</div>
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Are you planning a relaxing getaway? Ever stayed at Ox Pasture Hall Hotel?</div>
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<b>Frances x</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 16.2px; text-align: center;">*DISCLOSURE: I was kindly invited to stay at Ox Pasture Hall free of charge in return for a honest review. All opinions started are 100% honest and my own.</span><br />
<br />Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-73306886383957443012015-02-26T12:46:00.000+00:002015-02-26T12:58:49.871+00:00He Wears, She Wears: Parka Coats.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: <a href="http://shanemurray.co.uk/">Shane Murray</a></span><br />
<strong>Him: Coat: C/O Jacamo (<a href="http://www.jacamo.co.uk/shop/label-j-parka/ly697/product/details/show.action?pdBoUid=2137#colour:Navy,size:">buy</a>)* | Jeans: H&M (old) | T-shirt: Burton (old) | Shoes: Nike via Office (old) | </strong></div>
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<strong>Me: Dungarees: Topshop (old) | T-shirt: C/O Army of No Country (</strong><a href="http://armyofnocountry.com/product/bambi/"><strong>buy</strong></a><strong>)* | Shoes: Nike C/O Get The Label* (old)* | Coat: H&M (old) | Beanie: Primark</strong></div>
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I think there comes a time in any blogger's boyfriend's life where he is invited along for a taste of the blogger lifestyle only to be met by the dreaded words, "but you have to be on my blog". There's a small price to pay for the freebies, guys. That was the case for my beau, Simon, when I coaxed him in to joining me in front of the camera in return for a new jacket. He did an amazing job on the shoot though, right?</div>
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I guess this means that I have to get clued up on all the menswear retailers now; admittedly I had never heard of <a href="http://www.jacamo.co.uk/">Jacamo</a> before, although their stores and their TV advert seem to be popping up everywhere now. I have been informed that they were once a brand targeting larger men, however stocking from chest sizes S to 5XL on the website (Simon is sporting a size M) they now cater for men of all builds, and stocking a wide range of well-known brands including Adidas, French Connection and Timberland, there is sure to be something to suit everyone.</div>
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As for my own ensemble, yes I saw the opportunity to be all matchy-matchy and ran with it (solely for blog purposes, I promise). And yes, that's a skeletal Bambi wearing a flower crown printed on my t-shirt. <a href="http://armyofnocountry.com/">Army of No Country</a> are an independent brand that I recently discovered and fell in love with their quirky designs that give a edgy nod to some of my favourite Disney characters; I still have my eye on the <a href="http://armyofnocountry.com/product/mickey/">Mickey Mouse</a> and <a href="http://armyofnocountry.com/product/ariel/">The Little Mermaid</a> prints!</div>
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Have you checked out Jacamo?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.</span></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-58223033213917507712015-02-25T22:20:00.000+00:002015-03-05T15:45:57.922+00:00Travel: Ox Pasture Hall Hotel, Scarborough (part one).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was recently invited to stay a night at <a href="http://www.oxpasturehallhotel.com/">Ox Pasture Hall Hotel</a>* in Scarborough and although it is a rather hefty journey away from where I live in the Northwest, the endless amount of blogger reviews I had read and the opportunity to venture out of my incredibly unexciting hometown for a couple of days became too much of a temptation to resist, and so I grabbed my boyfriend (it didn't take much convincing really), booked our train tickets and soon we were on our way to the Northeast coast.</div>
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After a two hour and forty-five minute train journey we fell in to a taxi for a short, fifteen minute drive to the hotel, where the scenery seemed to transition from urban to calmingly rural rather quickly and seamlessly. Set in seventeen acres of countryside in the North York Moors National Park, it's needless to say that Ox Pasture Hall has found itself in a serene location, perfect for a relaxing weekend away and boasting beautiful backdrops for <a href="http://www.oxpasturehallhotel.com/weddings">wedding photos</a> or nature lovers. If you're looking for a place to stay during a business trip, however, I would steer clear- internet and mobile reception were hard to come by!</div>
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Upon arrival we were welcomed at the front desk by friendly staff, who offered us a pot of tea before showing us to our abode for the evening- one of their simple-but-tastefully decorated luxury suites which had a lounge area complete with a television, hospitality tray and a CD player (you might want to provide your own music unless you're particularly fond of Jackson 5's <em>I'll Be There), </em>a bedroom with a king size bed and hairdryer, and the <span data-dobid="hdw">pièce de résistance- the marbled bathroom- screaming luxury with its rainfall shower, waterfall taps and his-and-hers sinks. We didn't have much time to settle down and take advantage of the waffle robes that were hanging in the wardrobe right away though, as we were booked in for the hotel's signature afternoon tea (£15pp) soon after we arrived, so we dumped our bags and took a short stroll back through the courtyard and in to the lounge area, where we were able to sink in to the leather sofas, take in the relaxed atmosphere and thaw our fingers next to the burning log fire. Ox Pasture Hall doesn't have the hustle and bustle of the more populated inner city hotels and we were pretty much by ourselves for the duration of our stay, except for when a couple of dogs wandered over to say hello- did I mention that this is a pet-friendly hotel?</span></div>
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<span data-dobid="hdw">We were greeted in the lounge by a coffee table already laid out with teacups, napkins and cutlery, and we didn't have long to wait until a cake stand full of afternoon tea classics was brought out to us. The cream cheese & cucumber, beef and tuna finger sandwiches, warm scones and sweet treats including chocolate & praline cake, <strike>lemon</strike> cheesecake and profiteroles (extra points for those) went down a treat after our long train journey and we managed to wash the whole lot down with a couple of cups of tea. Satisfied and carrying afternoon tea food babies, we headed back to our suite to do a whole lot of relaxing before our meal that evening- Oh, but that's a whole nother blog post- watch this space!</span></div>
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<span data-dobid="hdw">Have you ever stayed at Ox Pasture Hall Hotel?</span></div>
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<span data-dobid="hdw"><strong>Frances x</strong></span></div>
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<span data-dobid="hdw"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: I was kindly invited to stay at Ox Pasture Hall free of charge in return for a honest review. All opinions started are 100% honest and my own.</span></span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-73009800104572196712015-02-08T19:35:00.003+00:002015-02-08T23:06:41.692+00:00Beauty: Poize Salon, Liverpool.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Working in a restaurant, neatly manicured and polished nails are a luxury that I don't get to enjoy very often, so during my month off in January, I decided it was time to treat my phalanges to a little TLC. I was invited along to Poize Salon, a fairly new hair and beauty salon on Liverpool's West Derby Road, a short taxi journey away from city centre.</div>
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Decorated with a black and hot pink colour scheme and plenty of baroque print, faux fur and sparkly ornaments, Poize Salon would give any scouse bird's parlour a run for it's money. In for a full pampering experience, customers are relieved of their coats and bags and offered a beverage upon arrival, and whilst I was feeling particularly sensible this day and settled for an Americano, you can also opt for a cheeky glass of wine.</div>
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Steph looked after me and my nails for the duration of my appointment at Poize, and although she complimented me on my natural nails and advised me against cutting them down and covering them up with acrylics, she was more than happy to oblige. Steph is a super talented nail technician, and although I was rather taken by some of the designs on display plus the candy-themed talons she was modelling on her own fingers, I decided to go for a classic, natural-looking tip with a rhinestone accent nail*. The whole process took around an hour-and-a-half, with Steph chatting away to me throughout, except for a ten-minute period of silence when all her concentration was placed in to making sure the acrylic was painted perfectly on to my nails.</div>
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<br>Poize Salon don't only offer a range of manicures including acrylics and gels, you can visit them for haircuts and beauty makeovers as well as spray tans and waxing. They also host pamper parties for all ages if you fancy treating yourself and a few friends. Although their website is currently under construction, you can find more information on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/poizesalon?fref=ts">Facebook page</a> or follow them on<a href="https://twitter.com/poizesalon"> Twitter</a>.</div><div align="center"><br></div><div align="center">What do you think of the new Poize salon?</div><div align="center"><br></div><div align="center"><b>Frances x</b></div><div align="center"><br></div><div align="center">*DISCLOSURE: Poize kindly invited me to enjoy a treatment at their salon free of charge. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. </div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-77696442082092114032015-02-04T11:54:00.000+00:002015-02-05T14:06:42.209+00:00Event: #DivasGlamVegas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credit: (<a href="http://divas.thomascookairlines.com/divasglamvegas/event-photos/nggallery/page/4">Photos 3,8 & 9 provided by Thomas Cook Airlines</a>)</span><br />
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For a while now, Vegas has easily been in the top ten list of places in the world that I would like to visit. However, being a graduate, my post-uni budget has prevented me from ticking America's city of sin off my bucket list, so when <a href="http://www.thomascookairlines.com/Search.aspx">Thomas Cook Airlines</a> popped an invitation in to my inbox, inviting me for a taste of Vegas right outside my doorstep, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.</div>
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So last Wednesday, I donned my glad rags and headed down to Manchester's swanky Milton Club, where I was instantly welcomed in to diva territory by Britney Spears herself (okay, maybe it was an incredibly uncanny look-a-like) with a Viva Las Vegas cocktail, and ushered over to the make-up artist station to receive my own celebrity makeover.</div>
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Looking more the part with an ombre lip and an added touch of sparkle to my regular winged liner, I was let loose with my blogging loves, Katie (<a href="http://www.thequickredfox.co.uk/">The Quick Red Fox</a>), Lola and Fikki (<a href="http://thepastimebliss.blogspot.co.uk/">Pastime Bliss</a>), to grab another vegas-themed cocktail, get papped, and of course, try our luck over at the roulette table. Thankfully we were provided with fake diva dollars to gamble with, as my confidence was high (I blame the cocktails) but my winning streak was short-lived.</div>
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Now, there was a reason for bringing all this glitz and glamour to Manchester (although true divas never need a reason to get glammed up). Thomas Cook Airlines have recently introduced flights to Las Vegas from Manchester Airport (as well as Glasgow and Belfast), and costing from £549 for a return journey (or as little as £247.99 for a one way ticket if you fancy staying a while), they are some of the cheapest around. And if that wasn't enough to get you booking your next holiday, Thomas Cook have clued me up with some of their A-list recommendations and hotspots to visit in the city. If you're looking to run in to a famous face or five, Las Vegas is home to a number of celebrities including Nicholas Cage and Celine Dion, and if they don't reside there then you can pretty much guarantee that Vegas is where they go to party, with Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio and John Legend being regular visitors at the 1 OAK nightclub in the Mirage, and the likes of Prince Harry, David Guetta, George Clooney and Lady Gaga spotted hanging out at Vegas' luxury resort, Encore.</div>
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However, with stardom-status comes stardom-price tags, so with those pennies you saved booking <a href="http://book.thomascookairlines.com/cheap-flights/to-Las-Vegas-USA/">cheap flights with Thomas Cook Airlines</a>, perhaps you would fancy a trip to Sweet Surrender, the Palazzo's candy and cupcake shop, where you can purchase a $750 cupcake complete with a sparkly gold leaf. Or maybe you would like to head down to The Palms Hotel to try the most expensive burger in Vegas, costing $6,000? No? Don't worry- there are plenty of more affordable places to grab a bite to eat between all the dancing, shopping and gambling.</div>
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If you'd like more tips on how to embrace Las Vegas like a true celebrity, you can read more of Thomas Cook's guide to traveling a top diva <a href="http://divas.thomascookairlines.com/las-vegas/">here</a>.</div>
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Or, if you don't need any more convincing, you can go ahead and book your trip <a href="http://book.thomascookairlines.com/cheap-flights/to-Las-Vegas-USA/">here</a>.</div>
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<em>What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.</em></div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-26325644990431210692015-01-25T15:47:00.001+00:002015-01-25T15:47:21.716+00:00Outfit: New Look Denim Part II.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjV3DeFMBzV0JPAswa7pRfiw0vL1SnsvfGD2BTrbNyUhWKfno2uqm96tzVMCKmgv19BvoW9n1TCNHm-tT6Ybv6OYB59QednLz7fYuZ_htv87dB-YQ7IcyLVA0zXulvT_XJ-lOwZAWzXbU/s1600/Frances+Cassandra+Blogger+Wears+New+Look+Denim+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjV3DeFMBzV0JPAswa7pRfiw0vL1SnsvfGD2BTrbNyUhWKfno2uqm96tzVMCKmgv19BvoW9n1TCNHm-tT6Ybv6OYB59QednLz7fYuZ_htv87dB-YQ7IcyLVA0zXulvT_XJ-lOwZAWzXbU/s1600/Frances+Cassandra+Blogger+Wears+New+Look+Denim+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.shanemurray.co.uk/">Shane Murray</a></span></div>
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<strong>Jeans: C/O </strong><a href="http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jeans/black-multi-ripped-skinny-jeans-_334800801"><strong>New Look</strong></a><strong>* | Top: </strong><a href="http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-sweetheart-bardot-top-with-long-sleeves-in-texture/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4558497&clr=Black&SearchQuery=textured+bardot&pgesize=18&pge=1&totalstyles=18&gridsize=3&gridrow=4&gridcolumn=1"><strong>ASOS</strong></a><strong> | Coat: C/O Fashion Union* (old) | Boots: </strong><a href="http://www.hm.com/gb/product/46458?article=46458-A#shopOrigin=SA"><strong>H&M</strong></a><strong> | Hat: Primark</strong></div>
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When I opted for a pair of ripped jeans from <a href="http://www.newlook.com/">New Look</a>'s vast <a href="http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jeans_20017?No=120&Nrpp=24">range of denim</a> for their style challenge, I didn't quite take in to consideration how difficult it would be to style outfits for three different occasions with gaping holes in my knees. However, it isn't impossible. Here is my second ensemble in my three-part mini-series (you can see the first one <a href="http://www.francescassandra.com/2015/01/outfit-new-look-denim-part-i.html">here</a>), and whilst it's still a pretty casual look, I think it's less "girl at the rock show" and more "date night with friends".</div>
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Now that the jeans are covered, can I just avert your attention down to the weapons on my feet for a second- At a steal of £15 in the H&M sale, they are not only my sale purchase of the year, but they are also the new stars of my rather ridiculous shoe collection.</div>
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How would you style up your ripped skinny jeans?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.</span></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-44565117200020955772015-01-21T21:06:00.001+00:002015-01-21T21:10:31.848+00:00Outfit: New Look Denim Part I.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: </span><a href="http://shanemurray.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Shane Murray</span></a><br />
<strong>Jumper: Primark | Jeans: C/O </strong><a href="http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jeans/black-multi-ripped-skinny-jeans-_334800801"><strong>New Look</strong></a><strong>* | Shoes: Converse via <a href="http://www.schuh.co.uk/womens/converse-all-star-hi-black-and-white-trainers/1900327270/">Schuh</a> | Jacket: Wrangler via Depop | Beanie: ASOS (old)</strong> </div>
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So we're already in to the latter third of January and I am already doing a fantastic job of not sticking to my New Years resolution. In my defense, it is only a lack of photographer that has been stopping me from getting content live over the last couple of weeks, but then again this could have been avoided with better organization. Anyway, my best friend happened to purchase a beautiful, brand new DSLR camera last week, and I jumped at the opportunity to be his guinea pig ;)</div>
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I told you I was becoming more of a jeans person this year! <a href="http://www.newlook.com/">New Look</a> contacted me last week challenging me to choose a key piece from their <a href="http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jeans_20017">range of denim</a> and style it in three different ways, so expect a mini series from me over the few days. Despite my many attempts to tear myself up a pair of distressed jeans back in my wannabe-rockstar days, I have never actually owned a wearable pair, so I decided to channel my teenage self and opt for this pre-destroyed pair of black skinnies.</div>
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Styling them up in a casual way is pretty straight-forward, I went for a relaxed vibe with a thin jumper, my trusty converse, a beanie and my oversized Wrangler jacket in this tame attempt at double denim. The real challenge lies in my next outfit post; putting together a smart ensemble!</div>
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Are you a fan of ripped jeans?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>*</strong>DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.</span></div>
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<!--END HYPE WIDGET--><br />Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-43298916518944274502015-01-12T14:15:00.001+00:002015-01-12T14:15:38.999+00:00Lifestyle: Alprotops Breakfast Challenge.<div style="text-align: center;">
Along with a lot of people, one of my New Years resolutions is to be healthier. Alpro lent me a helping hand at getting started by sending me a little care hamper* including four of their Big Pot soya-based alternative to yoghurt flavours and an array of different toppings, presenting me with their Alprotops challenge to put a healthy twist on a blank yoghurt canvas, and come up with my own healthy combinations using the ingredients provided.</div>
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The first combination I tried out was with their vanilla-flavoured yoghurt, topped with bitesize shredded wheat, banana, cashews and dark chocolate flakes; a guilt-free solution to a sweet tooth!</div>
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For my second day of the Alprotops challenge, I decided to switch it up with a parfait-style layered breakfast. I used their Strawberry & Rhubarb flavoured yoghurt (my personal favourite!) and layered it up with oatmeal and berries, topped with chia seeds and muesli. Also, how cool is the personalised spoon that Alpro sent me?!</div>
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For day three, I went for Alpro's plain yoghurt so I thought I would go to town on the toppings, adding a sliced banana, dried mango cubes, shredded coconut, goji berries and flax seed.</div>
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Alpro's soya-based Big Pots, like all of Alpro's products, are 100% plant-based and are a great alternative to yoghurts for those people with lactose and gluten intolerances. They are currently available in four tasty flavours; plain, vanilla lemon & lime and strawberry & rhubarb, and can be picked up in selected Tesco stores.</div>
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What toppings would you choose to liven up your breakfast?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Alpro kindly provided me with the products needed to complete the Alprotops challenge.</span></div>
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1. <a href="http://www.hm.com/gb/product/55994?article=55994-A#shopOrigin=SA">Jumper: H&M</a>, <strike>£29.99</strike> £10</div>
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2. <a href="http://www.hm.com/gb/product/46480?article=46480-A#shopOrigin=SA">Beanie: H&M</a>, <strike>£6.99</strike> £3</div>
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3. <a href="http://www.riverisland.com/women/sale/trousers--leggings/Red-peg-leg-trousers-662025">Trousers: River Island</a>, <strike>£38.00</strike> £15</div>
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4. <a href="http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/boots/black-lace-up-buckle-strap-metal-trim-ankle-boots-_326118201">Metal Detail Boots: New Look</a>, <strike>£29.99</strike> £15</div>
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5. <a href="http://www.hm.com/gb/product/46458?article=46458-A#shopOrigin=SA">Cleated Sole Boots: H&M</a>, <strike>£29.99</strike> £15</div>
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As a fashion blogger fortunate enough to receive new wardrobe additions every now and again from some of the brands I work with, I try to refrain from spending my wages on my already overflowing wardrobe. However, with a bit of money left over from Christmas, I can't help but have a little nosy through the online sales. Usually I'm disappointed by the offerings in the January sales and I tend to only come away with a couple of accessories, but this year it was a little harder to resist a splurge. Luckily, I'm not bad at controlling my impulse purchases and I've limited myself to only the H&M boots (although the jumper seems to shout my name a little louder every time I look at it), but I thought I would share some of my top picks from the January 2015 high street sales with you :)</div>
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Have you shopped the sales this year?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-50714996437434617602015-01-05T22:55:00.000+00:002015-01-06T01:26:40.602+00:00Personal: Reflecting on 2014 & Goals for 2015.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's true what they say; time certainly does seem to pass by faster the older you get. I can't even fathom where 2014 disappeared to; I still remember exactly where I was and who I was with as I welcomed in the New Year as though it was only a couple of months ago, yet five nights ago I was waving goodbye to it with completely new company. I am one of those people guilty of giving a shrug of the shoulders and a boring answer when faced with any question involving life and events (you know the kind; "what you been up to?", "nothing much..."), but it was only when I sat down thinking that this blog post would be a breeze to write that I realised that 2014 was probably one of my most eventful and defining in recent years.</div>
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<strong>2014 Highlights.</strong></div>
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2014, although tainted with a few downs amongst the highlights, was an improvement from the previous two years at least. I passed my driving test, completed an internship where I gained invaluable experience in my chosen career path plus some wonderful friends, and I finally got the opportunity to travel to Singapore (a country that I have wanted to visit for a <em>long</em> time) to see my dad for the first time in two years. Not to mention some of the opportunities that my blog has brought my way, including Liverpool Sound City and Creamfields, numerous press events, plus jumping out of a plane at 14,000 ft; something that I never thought I would do in my lifetime. As always, writing my blog has been a joy in 2014, and I'm extremely grateful to all the brands who choose to contact me to represent them and their campaigns and you lovely lot, whose support keeps my passion for the community strong, even at times where I have found it hard to stay motivated.</div>
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<strong>2015 Resolutions.</strong></div>
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What I love about New Year is that it really does feel like a fresh start. 2014 isn't a thing any more and it's exciting (if not a little scary) not knowing what the next twelve months are going to bring. And with that comes New Years resolutions; a way of shaping your year to be what you want it to be. For 2015, I have made three:</div>
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1. <strong>Blog consistently</strong>. During busy times in 2014, I found it difficult to maintain my blog, resulting in some months only seeing two or three blog posts. Shocking. This year, I have bought myself a blogging diary in an attempt to keep organized, and I plan on publishing at least four posts per week.</div>
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2. <strong>Be healthier</strong>. Those of you who followed me on Instagram in 2013 will know how important health and fitness is to me, but I did slack <strike>a little</strike> a lot in 2014. It's time to renew that gym membership and put my Christmas sweet stash away for special occasions!</div>
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3. <strong>Do more things</strong>. No, really. This year I am going to make an extra effort to spend time with those who matter, do the things that I have always wanted to do, and hopefully travel to someplace new.</div>
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What are your resolutions for 2015?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-89984158717455201492015-01-03T20:21:00.001+00:002015-01-03T21:01:26.941+00:00Outfit: 2015.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: <a href="http://shanemurray.co.uk/">Shane Murray</a></span><br />
<strong>Blouse: C/O </strong><a href="http://www.shelikes.com/rhia-abstract-floral-print-blouse.html"><strong>She Likes</strong></a><strong>* | Jeans: C/O <a href="http://www.dresskode.co.uk/nina-carter-lightly-shaded-skinny-jeans-gold-buttoned.html">Dresskode</a>* | Boots: Primark | Coat: Peacocks (old) | Beanie: Primark (old) | Bag: Mango C/O House of Fraser (old)* | Choker: <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tattoo-Choker-Stretch-Necklace-New-Black-Retro-Henna-Vintage-Elastic-Boho-90s-/221528945848?pt=UK_JewelleryWatches_WomensJewellery_Rings_SR&hash=item33942774b8">eBay</a></strong></div>
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Happy New Year, my loves!</div>
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Ideally, my first blog post of 2015 would have been a cliché, reflective post about the year that has just passed, but it wasn't until I set myself the task of writing a quick blog post in an hour and a half that I realized just what a heck of a year 2014 was. It would be impossible to summarize the past year in such a short amount of time, so my official New Year post will have to wait until tomorrow, when I have the entire morning to recollect my thoughts and memories from the comfort of my bed.</div>
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For now, here is my first outfit post of hopefully many in 2015! Could this be the year I become a jeans person again? Since my slight love affair with my boyfriend jeans over the latter months of 2014, I decided to give the skinny jeans a second chance. I don't think I will ever completely get over my pet peeve of wrinkly knees, but I'm happy to announce that I find them far less offensive in this light wash pair from <a href="http://dresskode.co.uk/">Dresskode</a>. I had also forgotten how much I love a gaudy blouse until this abstract floral number from <a href="http://shelikes.com/">She Likes</a> popped through my letterbox. It has already served me well through many days out, blog events and date nights in December alone. Hello, 2015 wardrobe staple.</div>
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Here's to another year of outfit posts here on Frances Cassandra! <3</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.</span></div>
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<!--END HYPE WIDGET--><br />Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-5158527678022427782014-12-30T11:00:00.000+00:002014-12-30T17:38:54.166+00:00Lifestyle: The Huawei £100 challenge.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A couple of weeks ago, <a href="http://www.huawei.com/uk/index.htm">Huawei</a> got in touch with me with a proposal for their £100 blogger Christmas challenge, in which they were asking a few UK bloggers to capture the highlights of an exciting evening on a £100 budget with their brand new Huawei Ascend Y550 smartphone. Not one to turn down a good challenge, I accepted, and armed with £100*, my own Huawei smartphone* to take some snapshots of my outing and a date for the evening (not provided by Huawei) who is equally as bad at making decisions as I am, I hopped on a train to Liverpool for an evening of spontaneity. </div>
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Since Simon and I had already taken advantage of Liverpool's <a href="http://www.liverpool-one.com/icefestival">Ice Festival</a> a couple of weeks prior, we did have a little trouble thinking of other activities that were weather appropriate for mid-December, so we played it safe with something that Liverpool definitely isn't short of- places to eat and drink. After loosening the seal on our budget with a coffee at Bold Street's Moroccan-style <a href="http://www.kasbahcafebazaar.co.uk/">Kasbah café</a>, we decided to stick to an international theme with a meal at <a href="http://www.sapporo.co.uk/">Sapporo Teppanyaki</a>; not the cheapest place to eat, setting us back around £50, but somewhere I would definitely recommend if you are looking for something a little bit different (or just happen to have £50 to blow).<br />
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Thinking we were still down with the kids, our next stop was one of Liverpool's top student hangouts, <a href="http://thefontbar.wordpress.com/liverpool/">The Font</a>, where in true student style we stretched the remainder of our budget as far as possible by purchasing a Font card for discounted drinks, which we lost count of over a few rather heated games of MarioKart, before kicking ass (not really) at The Font's weekly pub quiz.<br />
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Slightly tipsy, and with a little spare change left in our allowance, where better than to end our night than at Bar CaVa, where tequila shots are just £1 each and there is a huge array of flavours to suit everyone's taste and level of drunkness.<br />
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Thanks to Huawei for choosing me to be a part of this challenge- Check out my <a href="http://instagram.com/francescassandra">Instagram account</a> (@francescassandra) over the next couple of days to see some of the snaps I took on my Ascend Y550 smartphone. Huawei have also been so generous as to offer one of my readers a device of their own, and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is share your £100 budget itinerary with us in the comments. A winner will be picked at random one week from now, on <strong>Tuesday, January 6, 2015</strong> (!).<br />
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How would you spend a day out with £100?<br />
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<strong>Frances x</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: The device and the budget used for this campaign were kindly gifted to me by Huawei. All opinions expressed are still 100% honest and my own.</span></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-2997382318159770892014-12-17T13:27:00.000+00:002014-12-17T13:27:08.722+00:00Travel: Mocks #WhatsYourAdventure.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I like to think of myself as a bit of adventurer. Well, an adventurer in the making. Whilst my current situation doesn't allow for me to do as much travelling as I would like to, I love exploring new places, researching exciting things to do abroad and you can bet your life I have a bucket list as long as my arm that I would love to start ticking off as I progress through life.</div>
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One place that I find I neglect, however, is the UK itself. Living here for your entire life means that you forget that places other than the streets you are familiar with exist and I hadn't even thought about the fact that I have never visited our Northernmost country in my 22 years, until <a href="http://mocksonline.com/">Mocks</a> contacted me asking if I fancied a Christmas adventure to Scotland's capital with Statesman Rail* as part of their #whatsyouradventure campaign.</div>
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Last Saturday, equipped with a pair of Mocks each, a polaroid camera to capture some moments (lots of snaps coming to my <a href="http://instagram.com/francescassandra">Instagram</a> soon) plus a hamper of tea and biscuits to see us through the four-and-a-half hour train journey, my mum and I were welcomed upon the Statesman rail train at Warrington Bank Quay station. Admittedly I'm not brilliant at early starts, and after a wake-up call of 6AM I slept through most of the train journey, but woke up on time to witness the beauty of the hills and lakes from Cumbria upwards. </div>
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The only con about getting the Statesman Rail train to Edinburgh is that the long journey leaves you with under four hours to explore the city, and I hadn't quite anticipated how busy Edinburgh would be on a Saturday so close to Christmas, so our visit ended up feeling quite rushed. However, that didn't stop us from making the most of the time we had, taking a small hike up to Edinburgh Castle and enjoying the view overlooking the city of Edinburgh, checking out the tourist-y shops down the beautiful cobbled allies and consuming my weight in steak rolls, hot cider and nutella crepes in the German-style Christmas markets.</div>
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Thank you very much to Mocks for sending me on a Christmas adventure and inspiring me to go on more adventures in my own homeland. Edinburgh is a place that I would definitely like to visit again in the Summer when the weather is nicer and we have more time to explore everywhere that the city has to offer.</div>
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Have you been to Edinburgh? </div>
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Do you have any adventures planned in the new year?</div>
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<strong>Frances x</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*DISCLOSURE: This trip was kindly planned and paid for by Mocks. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own.</span></div>
Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5639729521104349797.post-88423672874373962482014-12-12T11:13:00.002+00:002014-12-12T11:17:47.570+00:00Personal: My Life Lately.<div style="text-align: center;">
Hey, my lovelies!</div>
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Long time, no blog it seems- compared to the past few months where I had been managing to blast out 12-15 blog posts, this month I seem to have disappeared from the blogosphere completely, and it was only when a friend messaged me to check if I was still alive as I hadn't posted on Twitter or Instagram for a week that I thought I should check in and write a little post about where I have been.</div>
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At the end of last month, I got myself a new job to scrape in a bit of money which takes up four to five [often full] days of my week. Whilst I know so many bloggers who often balance full time jobs and manage to maintain their blogs perfectly well (kudos to you!), working full time hours whilst juggling my blog is something that is brand new to me, and whilst I fully intend on adjusting to a routine that allows me to do both, it is taking a little getting used to, especially since my days off are usually spent catching up with friends and taking part in festive activities (I haven't even found time to start my Christmas shopping yet- Eek!). That said, I haven't given up my blogger duties completely- Some of my spare time has been spent attending blogger events and organized trips for brand campaigns including an exciting trip to Edinburgh with <a href="http://mocksonline.com/">Mocks</a> and a very spontaneous day out in Liverpool, so I still have plenty to tell you all about when I find a moment to sit down with my laptop and sort through the hundreds of photos!</div>
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In the New Year- after the busy Christmas period has passed- regular blogging should resume, but for now I will try my best to write a blog post at every free opportunity I get. I will also try to do a better job of keeping my <a href="http://instagram.com/francescassandra">Instagram</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/fcassandrablog">Twitter</a> accounts updated, so feel free to follow me over on those!</div>
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I hope you will all bear with me whilst I pull myself together, and I hope you are all having an amazingly festive December so far!</div>
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How do you balance your blog with work?</div>
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<strong>Frances xx</strong></div>
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Frances Cassandrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10396769709691027428noreply@blogger.com5