WHY I TREAT EVERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH A USE BY DATE

I am here today to tell you one thing and one thing only. It is totally fine to end close relationships. Whether it's your lousy partner who does nothing but make you sad (trust me gal/guy, I've been there too). Or maybe it's one of your friends who makes you feel bad for spending time with other friends. Or maybe... just maybe... it's a family member that you simply have to put up with, just because the F word is involved.

I've ended two close relationships in the past six months and it's brought me to the version of me now. At the time of both events happening, I didn't know who to turn to, what to do or how to fix things. I simply thought I had to carry on being involved in these close relationships. However, I woke up one day and realised that I am a decent person with a big heart for anyone and everyone and therefore... I deserve more.

Ending friendships can be easy for some, but hard for others. I made the conscious choice to end a nearing-ten year friendship, because it was no longer benefiting my life. Asking how I was keeping and organising to see me all of a sudden stopped. They only seemed to want me when they wanted something out of me and that just isn't fair on anybody.

So, this one friend. A friend my teenage years were spent with. Getting drunk in the park with the sun going down and a slight breeze on our faces. Moshing to Bring Me The Horizon in a sweaty under 18s 'club', both dressed in the skinniest jeans known to man. There for each other through every high and every low. 

It became one of those friendships where towards the end, a lot had changed between us and we had obviously both become adults, but we (or at least I) still cared about our friendship. However, no longer the care free 15 year olds that we once were. It's impossible to keep in touch with everybody when you're all of a sudden 24 and juggling a work, a home, hobbies, social life and a relationship. I got that. I get that. 

As much as I cared about this person and in a way, always will, it was no longer fair to be the only person left wondering what this person was doing and whether they missed having me in their life like the old days. It made me over think that I was a boring and lousy person to spend time with and in a way, it's closed me up completely. I always struggled to make friendships and now still do at 25 years old, because friendships like this one have destroyed my confidence. 

Louche Polka Dot Dress - JOY Clothing*

Bag & Shoes: Primark

Baker Boy Hat: ASOS

A lot of things were said and many truths came out. Like in any argument, the both of us had points we raised that neither of us was aware of before; simply because the communication between us had died a long time ago. 

When I sit here and think about who supported me at finally breaking free from an abusive relationship, who was there to celebrate my graduation with me, there to raise a glass at my brand new job last year... I cannot see this friends' face in any of these memories. They say to always be aware of those people who don't clap for you and this friend's elbows didn't move; let alone their hands. 

On the other hand, when they wanted to be a +1 for a restaurant review, a +1 for travel opportunities and even wanted (pretty sick if I can say so myself) photographs taken of themselves, so they could update their Instagram game, I was there. With my arms in the air and my hands waving. 

I won't sit here and type out how much of a fantastic friend I am, because life admin DOES get in the way sometimes. I sometimes take 5 days to text back, but it will take me 2 minutes to order a Pizza Hut after receiving a 50% off text from them. I don't always have a free weekend in a month to see friends, because I have a lot of shit to do and a fair few people to see within those precious 48 hours that we call a weekend.  I am sure you can all agree?

However, when it got to the point that I really, in hindsight, was the only person in this friendship checking in, asking if they was free the next weekend for dinner and asking if they was okay and if they needed anything after they got their ass dumped by their partner, it really said a lot for me. I literally WAS the only person who cared. 

It's sad when things end but I have always agreed that everything happens for a reason. I know our friendship was a blossoming one back in the day, but I am a big believer that there's use by dates on relationships. SOME will last like a bottle of red Pinot Noir - ironically ten years or more. Sadly, this one was rotten and had to be thrown away. 

FIVE NIGHTS IN AMSTERDAM FOR UNDER £250

I took full advantage of the long Easter bank holiday weekend and booked a getaway to Amsterdam. I have wanted to go there for the longest time, so when I found return flights from London for £100, I couldn't not place a cheeky booking, could I?

The whole trip cost us £248 each, which I know is super cheap as it can be quite expensive to go away to Amsterdam for a weekend - let alone five nights/six whole days.

I found the flights through Kayak, which automatically puts you through to the airline for the booking process. Our flight was with Easyjet and departed nice and early at 8AM, which saw us landing in Amsterdam Schipol just twenty minutes later! I swear by the time we got comfortable, it was time to get off again!

Accommodation in any city can range from low to high, but we knew we didn't want to stay anywhere small or dirty. However, we still wanted to budget ourselves, as we knew we wouldn't be spending too much time in the hotel itself and would be out and about exploring the city. That's when we came across LastMinute.com's Secret Hotels.

Secret Hotels is exactly what it says. You get a brief description of the hotel, including the star rating, a photo or two of the room and what facilities the hotel has. However, you don't find out what hotel it is until after you book it. 

I read online that if you do some basic detective work, you can easily find what hotel you will be staying at. So, we found a 4 star hotel that looked nice in the photos and also had spa and fitness facilities. It was also only 7 minutes away from the airport and 20 minutes away from the city centre.

After my Googling around, I came across Amsterdam's NH Hotel which was confirmed after we booked it. We paid £286 for the both of us - which was coming up as much cheaper than any other hotels we had found for a slightly longer than usual city break. We had even been looking at booking an Air B&B, which came up slightly cheaper but had less privacy.

Our executive en-suite room was super comfortable - with a giant Queen size bed and a nice enough view from the window. It was more than we ever expected, as we didn't plan on spending too much time in the room due to the spa and fitness facilities downstairs and of course... the city of Amsterdam itself!

The pool was really lovely and relaxed - although the jacuzzi was broken, so we sadly couldn't use that. The area also had a sauna and steam room and a gym that provided free bottles of water and apples. Result!

Photo: NH Amsterdam

We did so much in six days - involving lots of walking and exploring the typical sights that attract tourists.

We was kindly given some train tickets by a random man who no longer needed them, but a 3 day train pass costs 26 euros each. The trains are incredibly easy to use and seem to be a lot more thought out design wise than London transport.

Our first lunch was at The Dirty Chicken Club and had their infamous (yeah, you said it) deep fried chicken burger. Simply delicious and very greasy, but exactly how a burger should be.

We went on a 1 hour boat tour which can be booked at any of the hundreds of tourist attraction shops. The tickets cost 16 euros each and educated us on the brief history of Amsterdam and its famous buildings.

Of course, we visited The Sex Museum and learnt more about sex throughout time. Call me innocent, but I literally had no idea that pornography was out and about existing since before the 1800's. Yes, there are willies and seedy photographs everywhere, but it was actually really interesting learning more about such a positive act nowadays. Women especially kept sex as their secret and often shot amateur stuff in the comfort of their own homes in private.

We tried Holland's super famous fries at Mannekenp - which are said to be Holland #1 Fries. I can confirm they were simply delicious and totally worth the 45 minutes of queuing.

The Amsterdam Dungeons attracted us and we ended up purchasing tickets one afternoon. It's a similar experience to The London Dungeons - just a little more interactive and DARK. During the tour, we got to find out more about the history of Amsterdam; especially the darkest of times. I don't want to give too much away, but it's definitely worth a visit if you have some extra money to spend on tourist attractions. Just save some money for the gift shop afterwards.

We ate dinner at a pan-asian restaurant called Nooch, which I had read so many good things about beforehand. I'm pleased to say that it didn't disappoint and lived up to my expectations - with an awesome service to go alongside. It was the perfect place to eat after an afternoon of wandering around in the rain.

We came across a sweet shop called Jamin, which actually have several stores dotted around Amsterdam Central. I couldn't help but take advantage when I saw they had white chocolate m&ms and grape fanta - my absolute favourite, but a rare one to find in the UK! I also got to try a peanut butter Twix, which was just as nice but weird without any caramel!

The red light district is definitely worth the visit; unless you are squeamish, shy or somewhat sexually awkward. There's roughly 300 windows in the red light district, which means 300 girls selling sex to make their money. Renting a window costs 150 euros per night and the rest of the money they make is their profit, so I really felt sorry for these girls and the kind of work they have to do in order to feed themselves and put a roof over their head.

Top tip when visiting the red light district: Do NOT take photos or film the girls. They will tell you off and the pimps have the right to take your phone and smash it up.

We wouldn't be in Amsterdam if we didn't take a bike ride, so we decided to rent some bikes for an afternoon. Now, this is the difficult part as despite Amsterdam having thousands of bikes on its roads and chained up on any part of the sidewalks and pavements, it was actually quite difficult to find bikes to hire.

We ended up hiring two bikes from Lock Amsterdam, who honestly have the prettiest bikes in the whole of Dam. We paid 18 euros for both bikes and a £50 deposit, which was super cheap compared to the 300 euros deposit quote that we got from the previous man five minutes beforehand!

The roads in Amsterdam are absolutely mental, which is something to bare in mind. There are designated cycle lanes, but bikes are a part of the road, so you have to abide my road laws and stop at traffic lights. You also have to be aware of trams as they ding dong and appear out of nowhere! Thankfully, we lived to see the day!

I fully recommend Amsterdam as a place to visit - although, I personally felt like with most city holidays, once you've done it once, there's no need to return again. However, if I found a cheap weekend getaway, then I probably would!

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My highlight: The hotel itself and riding care free on a bike with the sun and wind on my face.

Ricky's highlight: The bike ride too. It was fun seeing inside and outside of the city.

Disclaimer: The trip was paid with my own money and this blog post is not sponsored. 

NATIONAL PET DAY - 6 BENEFITS OF SHARING THE BED WITH YOUR PET

There is nothing more satisfying than waking up in the morning and seeing your cute pooch or tired kitty curled up next to you, snoring away. With today being National Pet Day, I teamed up with Happy Beds to bring to you all of the lovely reasons why sleeping with a pet really can be a pet-owners greatest pleasure.

A feeling of company

A lot of people have reported that having their pet sleeping nearby brings a sense of security and companionship. Some find comfort in having their pet curled up right next to their body, while others feel calmer just knowing that their pets are nearby.

Synchronised sleep patterns

Dogs can adopt a sleep pattern that is identical to humans. We can both fall asleep at the same time and wake up together in time for breakfast. However, cats can be the opposite and reposition themselves several times throughout the night.

The bond between pet and owner

Back in 2015, Science Study Mag revealed that dogs and infants bond with their owners/parents exactly the same - with long gazes. Dogs feel a lot more connected to their humans after they lock eyes and share a long stare. They also feel connected by sharing a bed. It invites this special bond to happen more often.

Getting to know your pet’s habits

If you’re the type of person to always put your pet first, then this is a great reason for you. Puppies often need to go outside to the toilet several times in the night; while multiple pets can tend to wake each other up constantly. Sleeping beside your pet is a great way to understand what your pets get up to in the night. This could mean a 4am tug of war or waking up for a midnight snack.

Warmth

Dogs have a body temperature that is between 3-6 degrees higher than humans. This means that you can crank your heating down AND save a little extra on the monthly heating bill during the colder months.

Feeling of happiness

It isn’t just you that will feel an extra bit jolly! Pets love sleeping with their owners too! Pets massively increase a human’s happiness level and there is nothing more precious than sharing a loving moment with your pet. Pets are opportunists and take every measure they can when it comes to being with their owner, so thrive in spending hours of sleeping with their owners.

How do animals sleep around the world?

You might like my review on my wonderful memory foam mattress from Happy Beds. 

Do you let your cat or dog on the bed? I'd love to know!

Disclaimer: In collaboration with Happy Beds in celebration of National Pet Month, on April 11th. 

SENSSE DEEP PORE SUCTION CLEANSER

It's not everyday that I try a beauty product and am wow'd on the first try, but this is exactly what this bad boy did.

The SENSSE Deep Pore Suction Cleanser is like no other and I am so excited to share it with you all. We all know it can be difficult to get squeeze out blackheads; especially in those hard to reach places - side of the nose?! Well, the difficulty is over thanks to this revolutionary pore cleanser.

The device is charged by mains and I find lasts around two weeks before needing a re-charge. It's readily available in the comfort of your own home and even looks pretty on your dressing table with its sleek, white and rose gold design.

It comes with three different 'suckers', all of which are different sizes for different purposes. The small sucker removes impurities from the skin. The big sucker removes sebum and bigger impurities. Finally, the blackhead sucker removes those clogged up and stubborn blackheads from the skin.

After choosing which size sucker you require, you simply fill up the small tank at the top with cold water. There are three different suction levels which you can use all in the same routine or stick to one or two levels only. I find I prefer to work my way up and then use the level 3 on my nose which provides a bigger and more intense suction; thus removing more impurities and blackheads.

When you start the regime, the device sprays water onto the area you are working on. This makes it easier for the suction to work its way down your skin to remove the nasties. As I say, I like to increase the intensity from beginning till end and find this works best for me.

On my first go of using this, it did take some getting use to because the suction is pretty intense. However, once you get used to how it works, it becomes easier to guide the cleanser down and remove imperfections effectively. On the other hand though, I could not believe the results after my first go. It might be a bit TMI, but I had no idea how many clogged up blackheads I had on my nose - not to mention how radiant and bright my skin looked too!

I have been using this regularly since and have been continuously impressed with the results it has given me, so cannot recommend it enough. Available from Amazon for £59.99, I honestly think this is a fantastic price for a product that actually WORKS. I would go as far as saying, I'd happily pay more for this product.

I have recently got my hands on another SENSSE beauty product, which I am really looking forward to trying and reviewing!

Disclaimer: Contains a PR sample. All words, opinions and photographs are my own. 

4 ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS FOR KEEPING YOUR BROWS ON FLEEK

'Brows on fleek' didn’t used to be a thing. You only have to take a look at some earlier photos of your favourite celebrities and you’ll find that it didn’t really look like they spent very much time on their brows. At that time, the fad was focused on pencil-thin arches, with little to no definition. Fast forward some years later, and women all over the world are borderline obsessed with perfecting every eyebrow strand; making sure they’re plucked, shaped, drawn and defined to absolute perfection.

Below, we enumerate the tools every brow craftsman (or woman) needs to get to tame those brows into submission:

Eyebrow Pencil

The most basic and versatile way to apply makeup to the brows is by using a pencil. If you know how to colour in between the lines, then you’ll have no problems filling in your brows with a pencil. Whether you choose one with a slim tip or one that’s slanted, a pencil allows you to shape and fill in any sparse areas in your brows with quick precision. 

Most pencils come dual-tipped with a spoolie brush on the other end to help facilitate blending; like the Pony Effect Eyebrow Pencil from MEMEBOX. They’re also perfect for reshaping your brows if you just want to change your look up a little. Remember to use short strokes when filling in and do your best to mimic and follow the direction of the growth of your brow hairs for a more natural look.

Brow Powder

Brow powder is the way to go if you want soft and even more natural looking brows. Brow powders always go on light; unlike pencils which may come on too strong if you're too heavy handed. They usually come in handy compacts that contain 2 or 3 colours; a darker shade to fill brows in, a lighter one for the ends and a skin tone shade to sharpen the edges. You can use the included angled brush or a spoolie to distribute the product along your brows. 

Powder also adds density if your brows have thin strands and look a little too sparse. Arguably, this is also the method most suited for beginners; since you can start light and pack on the colour as you go.

You may be interested in my KISS Beautiful Brow Kit review.

Brow Pomade

A makeup artist favourite, but not for the faint hearted. Brow pomades are cream/gel based products that are packed with pigment and stay on for hours. It survives even through the harshest conditions, as pomades are smudge proof and waterproof. However, this is not the method to start with if you’re a beginner. It’s for someone who has mastered powder and pencil, but wants to elevate their brow game to the next level. 

Brow pomade requires a steady and light hand, as nobody wants to look like they've attacked their brows with a Sharpie pen. It also requires some level of artistry and finesse. You will want to be able to shade your brows to be lighter in the front and darker in the arch and tail for a flawless finish. 

Brow Gels and Mascaras

If you have already been blessed with full, thick brows, you can skip all of the above and use a product that keeps those strands in place instead. A brow gel or brow mascara is a liquid product that comes in a tube much like an eyelash mascara. You’ll need just a few swipes upwards and outwards to get perfect brows all day. 

Brow mascaras also come in several delightful colours that can help you match your brows to your hair colour if you’ve recently dyed it. They can also help you tame unruly brows that grow just about in every direction except correctly.

Whether you have thin or thick brows, or if they’re full or patchy, there’s an eyebrow product out there for you. For maximum impact, keep them looking neat and clean by going for a waxing or a brow threading appointment every now and again, or do it yourself with a pair of tweezers.

Disclaimer: This post is a Guest Post. 

THE GEORGE AND DRAGON, BRENTWOOD

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a restaurant and been impressed from beginning to end, and that’s exactly what The George and Dragon did recently.

Firstly, this is one for those of you who live in or the surrounding areas of Essex. The George and Dragon is based in Mountnessing, Brentwood, and has recently had an interior refurbishment and menu update. I was kindly asked along to review and having been in the diary 6 weeks in advance, the Sunday afternoon finally arrived that we had a reservation for.

This 1700s townhouse is a place I had never heard of until recently and I’m so glad I was, as we cannot wait to return for some more grub soon! 

Upon pulling into the on-site car park, The George and Dragon is a simple looking magnolia coloured town house with gridded window panes and duck egg painted window frames. Very cute. 

 
There is additional parking around the back of the building, which gave us a lovely view and walk through the gardens. Brand new benches and tables are scattered around the garden, with concrete slabs leading up a small pathway to the entrance. Although, a few steps are included, so disabled or less able people will have to walk around to the front to enter. Saying that, the disabled parking bays are at the front of the pub which is a handy addition for a friendly pub-meets-restaurant like this one. 

Upon entering, the staff were aware of my arrival and greeted us straight away. The general manager came over and introduced herself, telling us about the recent refurbishment and a small history about the place. I thought this was really professional and a nice gesture for two new people to the venue for food. 

I am unsure what the pub looked like before the refurb, but it is situated into three separate levels. It looked like throughout the evening that a waitress or two managed each floor, so you could guarantee assistance quickly if you needed anything during your time there. Having the restaurant spread out across a few different levels is something both my boyfriend and I agreed is an excellent idea for such a large and bustling food establishment. 

Places like this can get quite loud (Nandos, I'm looking at you honey), so it was nice to feel like we was away from everyone else and able to enjoy our meal in peace.  Our table was situated on the top floor in the corner and gave us plenty of privacy to enjoy the food and have a chat about everything we was reviewing.

The new decor is cosy and warm and makes you feel like you're dining in the comfort of your own home. They have some pretty cool lights dotted around the place like the one above; making it feel modern and up to date with current home styles and trends. 

We started off by ordering some cocktails, which you just can't go wrong with on a Sunday afternoon. We ordered a minty Mojito and a Raspberry and Rhubarb Spritz for me; made with Circo vodka and Chambord. Bloody delicious and very refreshing! 

Next, it was time to galavant at the menu, which I hadn't had a sneak peak at - unlike Ricky! I knew I was probably always going to go for a Sunday roast as I am one of them people who is automatically in the mood for a Sunday roast every 7th day of the week!

To start, we decided to order the Grazing Platter (£16.95) to share as a beginning 'nibble starter', as everything that it came with was something we both liked. It came with minted lamb and balsamic koftas, sweet chilli chicken skewers, pulled pork croquettes and aioli and chorizo topped flatbread.

Everything was scrumptious! I particularly loved the minted lamb koftas, which went down well with the added sour cream and chive dip to accompany. The chicken was soft and fluffy inside and went really well alongside the garnished side salad. It really got us excited for the rest of the meal. 

I'll tell you now that I have no idea how we fit all of this food into our bellies.. but next, it was time to try the individual starters we ordered. Ricky likes to try calamari everywhere he goes, so he decided on the Salt and Szechuan Pepper Squid (£6.95). The portion was very generous and went down a treat.

For my individual starter, I tucked into the Crispy Karrage Chicken (£6.95), featuring ribbons of fresh cucumber, mouli, kale & cauliflower salad; with a pot of hot katsu curry sauce. The sauce had a slight kick to it which I was hoping for and really added a buzz to the chicken with a nice healthy salad to accompany. Delicious and definitely moreish!

We was so pleased when the mains came out around 20-30 minutes after starters. We felt a little stuffed already, so needed some time to allow the extra room for even more food. 

For main, Ricky ordered the Wagyu Burger (£16.95), which came with smoked Irish Cheddar, crispy onion loaf, tomato relish, fries and aioli. There's even options to add more to your burger. Choose from; bacon, chorizo, grilled halloumi, Cropwell Bishop Stilton, flat mushroom, king prawns and 1/2 lobster. 

As it was a Sunday, I did that extremely British thing and ordered a Chicken Roast (£13.95). They have a huge selection of different meats to choose from: Beef, Pork Loin, Roast Chicken, Lamb Rump, Trio of Meats (£17.95) and there's even a vegetarian Fig & Dolcelatte Nut Roast (£12.95). Such a difference from going to local pub style restaurants and always having a limit as to what meat you can have! My biggest annoyance! 

All the roasts come with smoked beef-dripping potatoes, honey-glazed carrots and parsnips, seasonal greens, a HUGE Yorkshire pudding and bottomless gravy. The vegetables were the perfect not-too-soft-but-not-too-hard texture and there was so much chicken that I ended up leaving a fair bit because I was so full! Everything was cooked to perfection, although it would've been nice to receive a pot of gravy to pour onto my meal myself. I felt there wasn't enough poured over the potatoes!

Feeling very satisfied and shocked at how nice the food was, we was approached with dessert menus and decided to order something because... why the heck not?!

I was tempted by so many of the desserts and found it difficult to choose between the Bramley Apple & Blackberry Shortbread Crumble (£5.95) and this absolute sickly delight.

The Melting Golden Chocolate Orange Bomb (£7.95) really was a bomb in the mouth and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. It arrives as a chocolate ball sitting in the middle of a plate, with a dollop of praline ice cream and a sprinkling of chocolate popping candy. The waitress then pours a pot of hot chocolate sauce (so hot, that you're not allowed to pour it yourself for health and safety reasons... complete BOO for my insta story plan!) all over the ball and it melts infront of your eyes into a puddle of diabetes. So much chocolate, so much popping candy. 

Keeping to the chocolate theme, Ricky ordered his favourite dessert and the only thing he ever seems to order; a Warm Chocolate Brownie (£6.50) with Bourbon vanilla ice-cream! The presentation was really lovely and made it much more appealing to eat. Inside, it was warm, fluffy and full of chocolate chips. Surprise... another chocolate surprise!

I cannot begin to describe how full and overly satisfied we felt after leaving The George and Dragon, but it was honestly one of the best 3-4 course meals we have had in a while. I find it very hard to find a chicken roast that beats my dads', but this one was definitely a close second.

The service we received all afternoon from the staff was outstanding and made us leave with a very positive feeling about the place. We have recommended it to so many people and already cannot wait to return to eat again on a near not-too-distant Sunday!

Disclaimer: A complimentary meal for 2 people was offered in exchange for an honest review on my blog. All words, opinions and photographs are my own.