EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE, DOLLY ALDERTON

I have loved every second of reading this book! I’m not one for book reviews but after reading Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton I can’t help but write about it.

Dolly Alderton is a great writer and I love how honest she is about her experiences and mistakes regarding love and friendship. I like how relatable the book is, I relate to some of her experiences and mistakes with love, not all but I’d be lying if I hadn’t imagined love just as she did when she was a teenager. There’s not one person who wouldn’t be able to relate to this book. I have loved reading this book on my daily commute, and highly recommend you pick it up as soon as you can!

Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton.

THE PLANT ROOM, BRIGHTON

This month I have the pleasure of living in Brighton for six weeks due to my internship in London, which means I have the opportunity to take full advantage of being in Brighton and my days will consist of visiting every cute coffee shop there is. I thought what better way to keep track of them all than to document it on my 'on and off' blog and of course on my more consistent Instagram: _caitdavies

A favourite already is The Plant Room, filled with overgrown plants and beautiful navy walls and the one I regularly visit is in Brighton Square. I love how peaceful and spacious it is here, well most of the time, I made the mistake of visiting on the Easter bank holiday weekend. Of course, the coffee is great, I mean when I say I’m a coffee drinker, I’m talking a mocha at strongest. So I’m no coffee connoisseur but it tastes great to me, and they always have a great choice of pastries and cakes. So they have the basics to make them a great coffee shop but it’s their interior that really sells it to me. I love how it’s almost tucked away in a corner of Brighton Square and you can escape the business of Brighton town for an hour or so in a green jungle of cactuses, succulents and cheese plants. Again those navy walls and overgrown plants, it makes me want to re-decorate my bedroom. 

If you're in Brighton then surely you’ve already been here, if not get down to The Plant Room. I think this might become a regular thing whether that’s in Brighton or back home, like ‘The Coffee Shop Series’, so keep an eye out for my next coffee shop suggestion. 

The Plant Room, Brighton

GIFT GUIDE FOR HER

I thought I’d kick start the new blog update with a festive gift guide for Her - so your mum, sister, bestie or yourself if you see anything you fancy. A few of the products I mention are also on my own Christmas list, pay attention Will and Mum, I love all of these products and think they make such lovely gifts. First up is of course a trusty perfume which you can never go wrong with as long as you know what type of scents someone likes. This one has been on my wish list for so long, it’s the Mason Margiela Replica Eau de Toilette in the Flower Market scent. This scent is beautiful if you like a floral scent of course, not to mention the perfume bottle. I love how each perfume scent is named after a moment such as Lazy Sunday Morning which is another scent in the collection. They also have candles which is a perfect winter gift for a nan or mum and great if someone’s recently moved house and you’re looking for a great house warming present as well.

Next up is lingerie and pyjamas sets which is a must in the winter and perfect for the girlfriend or wife. Topshop always have some beautiful sets if your looking for a more high street price, personally I prefer Topshop underwear over the boyfriend’s usual go to; Victoria Secret - however bear in mind your girlfriends size as Topshop aren’t great catering for bigger boobs sadly I don’t have this problem. Another great brand to check is & Other Stories who do stock online or if you live in one of the lucky cities that have a store well lucky you. If your feeling a bit spendy then head straight to Love Stories, again found online but worth the delivery cost. They have such beautiful lingerie whether your looking for comfy pyjamas or delicate lace bralettes. 

I’m always asking for a book for Christmas whether it’s to actually read or just to look at pretty pictures in a wonderful coffee table book. On my Christmas list this year is Jeanne Damas’s In Paris book, to say I’m a fan of Jeanne Damas is an understatement, I'm always scrolling through her lovely instagram wondering why I’m also not living in Paris as I’m on my weekly commute to uni. A few others include Get Your Sh*t Together & You Do You by Sarah Knight as well as Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and other lies by Scarlett Curtis. I think self help books are always great especially given it’ll soon be January and everyone will be making their New Year’s resolutions, mine is always to be more organised so the Get Your Sh*t Together by Sarah Knight will be a priority to read first.

Makeup & skincare is never a fail, in my eyes you can never get enough, and I always love the makeup & skincare gift sets that get released around this time of year. Glossier is a great brand and as you can only get it online in the UK it’s more covetable. Know your audience, so if someone has their favourite products I’m sure they’ll appreciate a re-stock. If your shopping for someone who’s not tried the brand their sets is a great idea such as the Phase 1 set for the skincare lover or the highlighter and brow set for the makeup lover. A few other brands that always do great sets are Benefit, Nars & Charlotte Tilbury, I’ll leave a few linked below. Travel mini’s are another great idea for your jet setter.

I’m sure everyone has one by now but if that one person doesn’t then a polaroid camera is always a lovely gift. You can also stock up on film if they already have one, as I know I’m always running out. Another stocking filler you could get that person who loves taking snaps is a disposable camera, I’ve recently started stocking up and love how the photos turn out which is never as previously expected.

As a fashion publications student I always appreciate a magazine at Christmas especially considering they’re usually more than £5 and on a day to day basis food usually takes priority over magazines. There’s always a magazine to suit anyone, a few favourites include Suitcase, Oh Comely and The Gentlewoman. 

Last but certainly not least is jewellery, the best gifts always come in a little box. Missoma is my go-to jewellery brand with their hoops and individual studs constantly on my wish list. I also love their necklaces especially the Lucy Williams collections. They are a little on the pricier side but will always be that piece of jewellery I keep forever and continue to wear day to day. Another brand I would love more pieces from is Eyland and also Astrid and Miyu have some lovely pieces. 

Thanks for stopping by and look out for my next gift guide for Him. Happy shopping and have a wonderful Christmas!

FRIDA KAHLO: MAKING HER SELF UP

Over the summer I went to visit the Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up exhibition in the V&A Museum in London. I’d been wanting to go for so long some, my mum and my sister managed to find a day where we were all free to go. This was such a great exhibition and they had so many great pieces of her work and personal items. Personally, I prefer her paintings and that’s what I wanted to see most. I may have convinced myself I needed one of her prints for my non-existent future house as well, but you have to get something from the gift shop and sadly I can’t afford the real thing so £15 for a print sounds like a good deal to me!

The V&A has done such a great job curating this exhibition and they have an amazing wire piece of Frida Kahlo’s face including her famous flower crown. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take photos which is always disappointing although I managed to get a quick photo of the painting above. If you get a chance to go you definitely should, the exhibition is running until the 18th of November although I know tickets are selling out fast so hurry!

V&A Museum - Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up

AMSTERDAM - WHERE TO EAT

Following my Amsterdam post which if you haven’t seen I’ll leave it linked below, I’m going to post all about where to go to eat your weight in pancakes and freak shakes! Of course, before going we’d done a bit of research on where to eat and the first one we came across was Pluk which is just as cute in person as on their Instagram. It is quite small and gets quite busy so plan to get their quite early, and the earlier the better as it’s quiet enough to get a seat and take some photos. Downstairs opposite the counter they also sell some homeware bits which of course are just as cute as the bakery itself. The main reason we headed there was to try one of their famous acai bowls, which sadly a lot of them contained food I was allergic to but I did try some of the “Bali Beach bowl” which is just as good as it looks. We also ordered a stack of pancakes which is a must for breakfast in Amsterdam, I have to say I think these were the best pancakes we had the whole trip so definitely head to Pluk for the best pancakes in Amsterdam! 

Another favourite that’s just a few doors down from Pluk is Ree7, which is the best place to go for freak shakes! Granted I couldn't finish it all but it was delicious and they offer you a sweet bag to take the rest with you, freak shake on the go anyone? Again my freak shake was accompanied by a stack of pancakes because when in Amsterdam…eat your weight in pancakes. Another warning this bakery also gets very busy thanks to its sugary status on Instagram so maybe head their early for breakfast. 

More of a savoury eating place now, we’d seen the restaurant Mama Kelly on Instagram again and if the lobster hadn't convinced me the pink interior definitely did. This was in such an odd area near the athletic stadiums and just a bit out of the center but worth the tram ride. We booked in advance as it does get quite busy so decided it would be a perfect end to our last night in Amsterdam. It’s a little bit pricey for the barely four mouthfuls of lobster but I still really recommend it and of course, you can just pop in for some cocktails as well. The bar had to be my favourite part, it’s as you walk in, welcoming you into a pink abyss. Honestly, there’s a photo opportunity it seems in pretty much every bakery or restaurant in Amsterdam which is great for your Instagram content.

The last two bakeries/cafes are Cafe Blond and the Corner Bakery both in walking distance to each other as well near the Moco Museum. Cafe Blond offers more of a savoury menu and my avo, bacon and chicken wrap did not disappoint, so if you need a break from the sweet treats head here, nachos are also on the menu! However, if you have room left for more freak shakes and pancakes, the Corner Bakery will is a great break from the museums and galleries. We opted for a slightly smaller version of their freak shakes, well smaller than the huge tower of donuts and candy floss that they delivered to the girls next to us. 

Last but not least Stroopwafels, such a great snack in between pancakes and freak shakes. You can pretty much find them on every street and luckily there was one about 5 minutes away from our hotel so we never went hungry! My favourite topping had to be chocolate and fudge as if a caramel waffle wasn't sweet enough.

Amsterdam is full of great places to eat and I definitely have more places I need to visit and eat my weight in food which only means I’ll be a heading back again and hopefully soon. I’d love to visit Amsterdam in the winter around Christmas, I imagine it’s the perfect cosy Christmas picture, if anyone has any recommendations I missed do let me know! 

Places to Eat:

Pluk

Ree7

Mama Kelly

Corner Bakery

Cafe Blond

Stroopwafels

AMSTERDAM - WHAT TO DO & SEE

So I’ve finally got round to writing this post which is all about the places you have to go if you're off to Amsterdam anytime soon. Granted I went to Amsterdam in June and it’s now September but I haven't forgotten how great all those places were and I would go back in a heartbeat. I’ll start with where we stayed which was in the Hoxton Hotel which I have always wanted to stay in and it did not disappoint. It was in a great location right on the canal and in walking distance to everywhere we wanted to go, the only time we used the tram was when we headed to the zoo as it was 40 minutes too long of a walk for us. I love the aesthetic and interior of the Hoxton Hotel and it wasn’t much more than just your bog standard hotel so worth the extra few pounds. Something that I definitely wanted to make sure I did was visit the Anne Frank House, we booked this in advance and even then a lot of the days were sold out and we were lucky to get tickets. Definitely book in advance and we chose to do a half an hour talk just explaining who Anne Frank was and her family, this was the only ticket available but I’m so glad we did. It’s of course very sad but I feel like you can’t not visit the Anne Frank House if you’re going to Amsterdam. 

Another thing we booked in advance was the A’dam Lookout and the swing, this was my favourite thing we did in Amsterdam! It’s across from the main train station and you catch a free ferry across and they come every 10 minutes which is so convenient. It’s basically a rooftop & lookout point, there’s also a restaurant and bar but the main reason we were there was for the A’dam swing experience. You swing out over the edge of the tower looking out across Amsterdam, it was the most amazing experience! For me, a person who doesn’t like heights this was kind of terrifying but worth it, it was the most amazing view which was only 5 euros extra. You do have to pay extra to keep the photos, of course, it’s all in the small print but still worth the few extra euros not to mention they get a great shot of you almost crying over the top of Amsterdam, that’s if you don’t like heights! 

A must see and quite bizarre experience was the Sex Museum, not everyone's cup of tea but you get to have a photo next to a giant penis, do it for the gram… I had a great laugh taking photos next to the giant penis pulling questionable expressions and then after that, it all got a little too weird for my liking. Especially when I noticed a few older creepy looking men who seemed to be taking the whole thing very seriously not to mention they were creeping around on their own so we did make a quick escape with our penis photo and moved on to the next stop. The second great photo opportunity was next to the ‘Wake me up when I'm famous’ wall which is easily found and I have tagged the location on my Instagram photo if you need any help finding it. There’s not much more to say other than this makes a great Instagram photo but it’s also in such a nice area so I’m sure you’ll find a cute coffee shop to re-energise in after. A slightly out of the way trip was the trip to the Artis Royal Zoo but still such a nice day although I’m not completely comfortable with Zoo’s, I did pick up a sloth teddy however which I still don’t regret and is now comfortably sat on my bed, 20 euros well spent.

 

We only went to one more museum as we didn’t have time to go to any more and this was a much better museum than the giant penis one and slightly more cultured, it’s the Moco Museum. I specifically went there to see the Banksy exhibition which, of course, was amazing and I picked up another exhibition poster to add to my un-framed collection building up in the corner of my room. We just managed to squeeze in a canal tour at about 10pm on the last night which was such a nice way to see Amsterdam. We sadly realised there was so much more we hadn’t seen so another Amsterdam trip is definitely on the cards.

We ended our Amsterdam trip with the Iamsterdam sign and the choice of soft denim was not a good one as I slowly slipped of the giant e letter. A shout out to the lovely woman who took our photo and managed to not get anyone else in it even though there seemed to be hundreds of people around trying to get the same exact photo. I would go back to Amsterdam in a heart beat and there’s so much more I want to see and do!

To see more photos from my trip to Amsterdam head over to my Instagram _caitdavies, and keep an eye out for an Amsterdam - Where to eat post that should be up soon!

Places to see:

Hoxton Hotel

Anne Frank House

A’dam Lookout & Swing

Sex Museum

‘Wake me up when I’m famous’ wall

Artis Royal Zoo

Moco Museum

Canal tour

Iamsterdam Sign

BLANCHE BAKERY, CARDIFF

It’s about time there was a cute Instagram worthy cafe in Cardiff and boy is it worthy, it’s Blanche Bakery on Mackintosh Place, Cardiff. Credit to my bestie Olive for giving me the heads up, it’s quite small so I imagine on a busy day it gets quite cramped which is a great reason it’s not in the center of Cardiff town. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing but vegan-friendly as well, of course, this isn’t a necessity to me but who knew vegan donuts tasted that good! Their lunch menu sounds great with vegan mac and cheese being my top pick and I will definitely be heading back there to give this a go. We picked such a nice day to go with the sun actually shining for once and picked the best spot by the window to eat our vegan donuts and people watch. They have a great grass wall with a neon sign which I can never resist so expect to see another neon sign grace my Instagram very soon. I definitely recommend you walk a little out of town to come here, even if it is a bit of walk you can reward yourself with the best strawberry lemonade or peach iced tea. I can’t wait to go back when it’s colder and cosier to have a hot chocolate and see if they bring out any Christmas themed donuts!