YOURS Restaurant & Bar

 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the launch of brand new restaurant, Yours. Based in the centre of Manchester, on busy Deansgate, Yours is a cosmopolitan hot-spot serving Asian fusion dishes and an array of cocktails.

We were invited to sample their new menu with a selection of dishes, across five courses, plus dessert. I personally loved that there was a set menu as it made me try new dishes that I probably wouldn't have chosen myself.

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Sweet Genius

 

Yesterday, I visited Sweet Genius Manchester to sample their new Afternoon Tea menu. 

Opened in March 2020, Sweet Genius initially started offering a delivery and collection service for sweet treats and cakes. A trained pastry chef for over 15 years, owner Cherrelle wanted to bring something new to Manchester; with a cosy, welcoming environment serving high quality, home made treats. During the easing of restrictions towards the end of 2020, Sweet Genius also hosted several supper clubs which were a great success.

In time Cherrelle & brother Jordan hope to develop the space as a training academy for new pastry chefs, not only focusing on cooking but also improving working environments within the hospitality and catering industry. 

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Seven 54 Cafe Bar

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting the newly renovated Seven 54 Cafe Bar in Didsbury to try out their new menu.

Opened initially in 2004 as ‘The Deli’, the space was opened as an Italian coffee house that later upgraded to a ‘deli’ serving a small breakfast menu. During lockdown, The Deli became Seven 54- with a complete renovation of the decor and the whole concept. Seven 54 now features a rustic style interior, the light leather booths contrasting with the mellow decor of cream and green hues. 

The updated brasserie style menu includes a variety of dishes with global influences, with a number of small & large plates, sandwiches, salads and grill options to select from.

Rocket Eats

 

Earlier this week, I was kindly invited to visit the brand new Rocket Eats concession. Located within SPAR, in central Bolton, Rocket Eats is setting the standard high- offering Instagrammable burgers, mouth-watering desserts and milkshakes as well as loaded fries and spectacular salad dishes. Launched in 2021, Rocket Eats is already becoming a popular option for locals, with all food Halal-friendly and vegan choices also available.

Spend a weekend with me: May Bank Holiday 2021

I always say that I want to be super active in posting on my blog and then life gets in the way and I only get round to doing a couple of posts a month, at best! I am also conscious that I share a very little amount of my life and what I get up to on here in comparison to my Instagram so I'm really keen to share a bit more here.

I had a really jam-packed bank holiday weekend so I thought it would be fun to bring you all with me and share what I did. If you want to see what I got up to, keep reading!

SHELF LOVE: Books vs TV

If you know me (or you've read my blogs), you'll probably know that I am a book over TV kinda gal. Although I do love the odd series here and there, it can sometimes take me ages to get into a new one whereas I can pick up a book and easily finish it that night!

I've read quite a lot of books and watched the TV series too so I thought it would be interesting to see how they marry up against one another. I've surprised myself here as I usually much prefer books but some of these series just cannot be beaten!

Keep reading to see how I've rated 5 books vs their TV show addition!

Fondue Heaven: Charlie’s Chocolate Fountain

Valentines Day for me is just another day of the year - probably the same for a lot of other fellow single people! This year I decided, with lockdown especially, that I was going to celebrate with my friends!

I was lucky enough to be sent an amazing box from Charlie’s Chocolate Fountain. Started in May 2020, during the midst of the COVID pandemic, Charlie began creating chocolate fondue boxes for family members and friends to enjoy in the comfort of their homes. Due to their popularity, this grew into a business opportunity for Charlie. She has since expanded her business by offering a variety of different style boxes.

5 feel good books to read during lockdown!

I’ll be honest, since about 6 months ago I wasn’t a huge fan of ‘chick lit’ books, or to be honest, any kind of books that aren’t thrillers! I usually read a lot of thrillers and, save for my book club selection that month, I rarely deviate from this! However, 2021 brought with it another lockdown and thanks to the English winter weather, I’ve found it really hard to stay completely positive. For this reason (I think) I’ve not been as interested in reading thrillers and have found myself leaning more towards feel good, uplifting books. Let’s face it, everyone needs a bit of a boost right now! 

Here are 5 books I’ve read this month that I have loved and that have left me feeling much more positive afterwards!

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2020 Christmas Gift Guide for Her

 

Is it just me or does anyone else much prefer giving gifts at Christmas? I just don't think you can beat selecting a gift for someone and seeing their face when they open it and love it!

If you're struggling for ideas for her, I've put together a list of 10 gift ideas for her - all for under £40! Whether you're exchanging for a Secret Santa or you're after a stocking filler, these gifts will all be the perfect addition this year.

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SHELF LOVE: 5 of my favourite 'RomCom' novels

I’m not sure where you’re reading this from right now but if you’re in the UK, you’re probably just as fed up as I am. After another lockdown, we’ve been put into Tier 3 in Manchester, which doesn’t seem much different to a lockdown to me if I’m perfectly honest.

This year I’ve completely immersed myself in reading to keep busy/keep my brain working and for the most part, it has helped. Sometimes you just need cheering up and what better than a feel good book or film?! I've put together a list of my favourite romantic comedy fiction books - happy reading!

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SHELF LOVE: 5 of my favourite thriller novels

It's been a while since I have written a book related blog, even though I've been reading more than ever. I've found myself lacking motivation to write recently so I decided to wait and note down some blog topics/notes for when I feel the 'writers block' has passed. I feel that I've exhausted the book challenge style blogs but I wanted to keep with a sort of 'theme' and so I decided that, with most people wanting book recommendations for different genres, that is what I would do.

Thrillers are probably my favourite type of fiction and the books that I read the most. I do try and mix it up by reading different genres but if I see a good thriller advertised, I can't not read it. I always get asked from friends and family for book recommendations, particularly thrillers, so it seemed logical to start with my 5 favourite thrillers...

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Robusto Luggage

 

Robusto is a luggage company providing high quality but affordable suitcases, making their brand accessible to all. Their cases range from carry-on styles, to medium or larger suitcases providing an option suitable for your needs. Their hard shell suitcases have been described as "Robusto by name, robust by nature" due to the strong polypropylene material used, making the cases hard wearing and long lasting.

My favourite healthy evening meals (pt. 1)

Cooking has never really been an interest of mine. I've always considered it to be tiresome, long and - honestly - pretty boring. However, during lockdown it's like someone has flicked a switch in me and I'm suddenly obsessed with cooking. I don't mean the type of cooking where you take the frozen food and throw it in the oven, rather fresh, homemade meals from scratch. I've found myself a new-found Pinterest addict, constantly looking for new recipes that I can try.

It's been a long 12 weeks but cooking has really helped to give me some structure and routine within my days, as well as a new hobby! Here are 5 of my favourite evening meals that I've cooked over the last three months. I hope you enjoy!

SHELF LOVE: 5 books in (just over) 48 hours

Keeping myself occupied during this lockdown has been a challenge, at times, with boredom creeping in quickly some days. I've found reading to be an amazing escape from reality and so I've spent a lot of time soaking up the nice weather (one bonus) with my Kindle in hand.

I used to think I could read quickly but I've found recently, with reading more, I've sped up even more. I've found I can read a good book in around 3-4 hours (when a book averages around 300-450 pages). So, with A LOT of time on my hands, I decided to set myself a challenge...

5 books in 48 hours

I know this sounds a lot but without much to do to pass the time at the minute, and being a quick reader, this didn't feel impossible to me.

My 5 favourite healthy breakfasts

Cooking is one of my recent passions and, with trying to eat healthily, it can be a challenge. I find that eating clean can be tedious and without variety, difficult to keep up. I'm a real foodie so I can't eat the same thing over and over - I like trying new recipes and different flavours.

Breakfast is by far one of my favourite meals of the day. A good breakfast can start your day off well and be the first positive action you make. Here are five of my favourite healthy breakfasts (in no particular order)..

SHELF LOVE: February reads

This month, I've found myself reading a lot more and have managed to hit my four books target. I've read a mixture of genres and have mixed reviews about each. I'm finding the more I read, the more critical I am getting about the plots and the writing style, amongst other things.

To see what books I selected this month, keep reading!

SHELF LOVE: January Book Challenge

The last few months of 2019 were fairly busy ones for me and, I have to say, I did neglect reading. I just didn't have the time with assignments, exams and the festive season... However, I have set myself a target this year and will aim to read approximately 52 books this year (1 a week) so I will be posting my book reviews regularly again.

I've compiled a list of books I read between towards the end of last year for January's challenge as I did read some really good books that I wanted to share with you. If you want to see what I've been reading, keep scrolling...

2020 EATS: My favourite restaurants of the new year...

For most people, January is one of the worst months of the year. It seems to go on for an eternity (no, seriously, there aren't 365 days in January alone) and your pay packet from before the Christmas and New Year festivities suddenly has to stretch a looong time before the next one. However, January isn't all that bad - especially in Manchester - with so many restaurants offering amazing food deals to cure the January blues!

Here are a few of my favourites...

Women Love Business: A luxury shopping experience

On Thursday 6 February, I attended the #WomenLoveBusiness event. This concept was first created in 2018 by Lyn from The Edge Events who saw a gap in the Manchester market and wanted to design an event where business women could support and empower one another. The event has grown into a success with regular business women attending and providing sponsorship.

LES DEUX: A 'come as you are' pizzeria

I was recently invited to review the latest addition to Alderley Edge. Les Deux is a pizza bar with feel-good food, a variety of cocktails and cosy vibes. Opened in December 2019 by Matthew Eberson and Sax Ashard, Les Deux or "The Two" aims to add something a little different to the area.

Easily identified by its bright pastel exterior, the colourful quirky decor continues inside.