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Showing posts with label Diary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diary. Show all posts

Like many of you, I've spent lockdown venturing no further than my neighbourhood and don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed exploring and getting reacquainted with the area I grew up in. However, now that lockdown is easing, it's been such a treat to venture out on short day trips. So, when my lovely friend Ildi (@edienthusiast on Instagram) alerted me to the fact that there's a lavender field just a short drive from my parent's home, I couldn't wait to head out on another outing! After a little online research, we discovered that Scottish Lavender Oils host open days to give the public a chance to explore their lavender field and learn a little about the process of converting freshly cut lavender into their various products, like soap or lavender essential oil. I'll leave a link here to their store if you'd like a browse.

Scottish Lavender Field

Wednesday, 22 July 2020

Exploring South of Scotland

Monday, 10 February 2020


Autumn is here and I couldn't be more excited about the change in the seasons. I always find myself in a bit of a reading rut in the warmer months but as soon as the leaves start changing and there's a noticeable chill in the air, one of my favourite things is to curl up with a book. Since I have a few books I'm thoroughly looking forward to reading this season I thought it'd be fun to share them with you. For those of you who don't know me, I enjoy classics, whodunnits, the odd sci-fi book, and anything feel-good! So, these books may not be to everyone's tastes but if you have any recommendations or wanted to share what you're currently reading, I'd love it if you left them in the comments below - thank you and happy reading!

My Autumn Reading List - 2019

  • The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

    Even though the Hobbit is technically a children's book, it's quite possibly one of my favourite books ever, and as soon as the days start to get shorter and I start to dig out my woolly jumpers, I always find myself reaching for this book. So, it should come as no surprise that this is top of my autumn reading list, in fact, I'm already halfway through it! 

     Blurb: Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent.

  • The Shadow of the Wind - The Cemetery of Forgotten Books by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

    Isn't it lovely when friends lend you books? Well, The Shadow in the Wind was introduced to me by my friend and her mother after it came up in conversation that I wasn't sure what to read next. After reading the book's blurb and hearing its praise sung, I'm very excited to curl up with this read and find out more about the 'cemetery of lost books'.

    Blurb: Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the 'cemetery of lost books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out 'La Sombra del Viento' by Julian Carax. But as he grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find...

My Autumn Reading List

Wednesday, 25 September 2019


I admit I had a rather narrow view of what Aberdeenshire had to offer before my first visit. All I knew about the place was it had connections to the oil industry, most of its city centre buildings were made of granite (the Granite City), and I had heard whisperings of something they ate called a buttery (turns out it's a delicious savoury). That all changed on my first visit. I was shocked to discover the size of the county and therefore its diverse offerings. From their vibrant street art scene and quaint fishing village Footdee to being home to the most castles in the UK, I was seriously impressed. You can imagine my excitement when I was invited back for another press trip with VisitAberdeenshire. This trip has once again opened my eyes to what the county has to offer, by introducing me to its royal connections. Colin from VisitAberdeenshire did such a marvellous job of planning a wonderful tour of the county's royal connections, that I thought I'd share the itinerary with you (along with my thoughts) so that, if you wish, you could follow the same route as we did! So, without further ado, here's a Royal-inspired weekend in Aberdeenshire.

A Royal-inspired Weekend in Aberdeenshire

Weekend in Aberdeenshire

Monday, 5 August 2019

 

 Best Afternoon Tea in Edinburgh? A Visit to The Colonnades

Dear afternoon tea, where do I begin? Those who know me, know my love for the rather indulgent meal. To me, it's the perfect blend of sweet and savoury, perhaps with a dash of nostalgia, as it's become a tradition for my mum and I to go for afternoon tea as a little treat.

If you've read my Edinburgh bucket list blog post, you'll know that the Colonnades has been top of my list of places to enjoy afternoon tea in Edinburgh for a while but somehow I've just never got around to it. However, I recently had the chance to cross it off my list as Sharon/Mrs Bite from Bite Magazine and I were kindly gifted an afternoon tea as part of a project I'm working on (looking forward to sharing more information soon), and it was simply divine.

Afternoon Tea at The Colonnades

Saturday, 8 June 2019


Hello! If you read my last blog post or follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I recently went to the Scottish Highlands for the first time! I shared day one of my magical weekend in the Scottish Highlands here, and now here's how we spent "A Weekend in the Scottish Highlands - Day Two".

Scottish Highlands - Day Two

Thursday, 15 November 2018


Some of you may be fairly shocked to find out that up until last weekend, I'd never been to the Scottish Highlands! It's been on my bucket list for quite some time but it's one of those things I'd just never got around to. So, naturally, when a good friend of mine invited me up to their family holiday home near Loch Earn, I couldn't have been more excited. I thought it'd be fun to share my experience in case some of you are planning a visit as well as documenting my first trip for myself to look back on in the future!

Scottish Highlands - Day One

Wednesday, 7 November 2018


I had the pleasure of joining my good friend (and fellow Edinburgh Instagrammer, @edienthusiast) Ildi, on a little adventure to Glasgow to have a sneak peek at Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival. Molly, from Glasgow Doors Open Days, had been in touch with Ildi to arrange the day and I was fortunate enough to tag along! Before we go any further, here's a date for your diary, the Festival officially begins on the 10th-16th September! This year, there's a total of 115 fascinating venues taking part and Molly has done a wonderful job designing a gorgeous (and super helpful) booklet. If you can get your hands on one, I'd highly recommend it or click here to see the full programme.

Glasgow's Beautiful Buildings

Friday, 31 August 2018

 

As some of you may know, I recently visited the USA for the first time and more specifically New York City! I was fortunate to be a part of the Residence Inn City Swap (if you've seen The Holiday, it's the same concept but with hotels rather than homes), where New York resident Will (@brightbazaar) swapped with little old me to experience each other's cities. Before the trip, I was given a rough list of activities to do in NYC - recommended by Will and his followers - which was fun as it wasn't your regular touristy locations. I also added a few places I really wanted to visit on my list.

I received a few lovely messages asking me to post a blog when I was back and include what I thought was worth visiting so here we are! We visited a multitude of places which I'll include in another blog post but for the moment here's my Must-See Guide to New York City - which includes 10 of my favourite places I visited in no particular order!

My Top 10 Recommendations to do in New York City!

New York City

Saturday, 28 July 2018


“The significance of the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture goes back hundreds of years. In their country, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and the beauty of life. It's a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short.” - Homaro Cantu 


Cherry Blossom season has to be one of the most beautiful seasons in Edinburgh but also one of the briefest. This is the first year I haven't stayed in Edinburgh during Cherry Blossom season so I don't have quite as many photos as I normally would, or so I thought... I recently sorted through some of my photos and came across a selection of photos I didn't get around to posting to Instagram so I thought it'd be a nice idea to document this beautiful season in a blog post. I hope you enjoy the few photos I chose and if you didn't get a chance to visit Edinburgh during the season then I hope you get a chance to experience a slice of the magic of it!

Cherry Blossom Season

Saturday, 26 May 2018


I love animals! So, after hearing through the grapevine (aka Instagram) that Gorgie City Farm had lambs, I was very keen to visit as soon as possible. On the next sunny day, my friend James and I decided we would meet up and have lunch then pay Edinburgh's only city farm a visit! We both hadn't been in quite a while so we were excited to see what had changed. 

Gorgie City Farm


 

After what feels like a year of winter, we finally had a day warm enough to head to the beach! My friend Ashleigh and I were determined we would make the very most of the sunny weather, so we hopped on a train to North Berwick. Despite being rather suspicious of the sunny weather (as it can often still be rather chilly) the weather was surprisingly warm.

Sunny Day in North Berwick

Wednesday, 2 May 2018


Something very exciting happened this week (the title is kind of a giveaway) I had my first ever roll of film developed! Fairly recently, the opportunity arose to inherit my grandma's film camera (Olympus OZ10 panorama) and naturally I jumped at the opportunity.

What makes it extra special to me is, my grandma who lived in Scotland, brought this exact camera with her to Malaysia, the first time she met me! We still have the photos from her trip tucked away in one of our many family photo albums. Anyway, as well as sharing my first experience with 35mm film, I wanted to document these memories for myself.

South Queensferry, 20-02-18
Leith, 20-02-18
Leith, 20-02-18
Culross, 13-01-18
Glasgow, 09-01-18
Dunfermline, 11-01-18
Glasgow, 09-01-18
Beast from the East, 28-02-18
Nelson Monument, 06-01-18
Dunfermline, 11-01-18
Leith, 20-02-18 (Taken by James on his film camera)
Glasgow, 09-01-18
Nelson Monument, 06-01-18
Overall, I loved the experience and I'm pleased with how the photos turned out. I had myself convinced that since the camera had not been used for potentially 15 years, all my photos would be blank, so it was a huge relief when I picked up them up from Jessops! I definitely plan to continue to use the camera to document special occasions and for any future adventures.

Bye for now x

First Experience with Film

Thursday, 15 March 2018

I've always enjoyed browsing through bookshops, but was never a big reader. However, since I graduated university I've turned into somewhat of a bookworm. So, on the snowiest day of the year, my mum and I found ourselves in Stockbridge and I suggested popping into Golden Hare books to warm up - somewhere I'd been wanting to visit for quite some time. As we stepped through the front door we were greeted by a lovely member of staff who offered us a warm cuppa - now there's the kind of service you don't get at Waterstones!

First Visit to Golden Hare Books

Wednesday, 17 January 2018

Ever since I watched the bucket list and the scene in "New Year's Eve", I've liked the idea of keeping a list of things I particularly want to do. Perhaps one day I'll share my personal bucket list, but, for now, I thought it might be fun to share my Edinburgh-specific list of things I want to do.

Despite my many Edinburgh explorations over the years, there are still various places, restaurants, and activities I want to visit/do. Hopefully, I'll get the chance to cross a few things off my list that I have never gotten around to. I also intend to blog about the activity when I cross it off the list. So, without further ado let's get started with the list.

My Edinburgh Bucket List 

1. The Scott Monument - Done!

Some of you may be quite surprised that I haven't climbed the Scott Monument yet, it might have something to do with the fact that I'm not very keen on heights but hopefully this year I'll have the guts to just go for it as I hear the views are spectacular. 

Update: Did I make it to the very top? No, but I really enjoy what I did see. First of all, the views are truly magnificent and I'm sure they would be even better if you were brave enough to climb to the very top. Secondly, I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful small museum on the first floor with four stunning stained-glass windows which were designed by Scottish artist David Roberts and made by James Ballantine. The museum turned out to be my highlight!

2. The Roseleaf Bar/Restaurant - Done!

I've heard glowing reviews about this quirky bar near the Shore. They're also meant to have delicious vegetarian food so I can't wait to visit and try it.

Update: The Roseleaf has become one of my favourite places to pop into for a drink or a spot of lunch. Thanks to Mini Mack Tours for treating me to one of their Edinburgh tours which stopped here and I got to tick it off my list.

3. Gladstone's Land

My mum kindly treated me to a National Trust membership and I'm looking forward to visiting various historic buildings and gardens with it. Gladstone's Land, one of the oldest buildings on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, is top of my list!

4. The Secret Herb Garden - Done!

Nestled at the foot of the Pentland hills at the edge of Edinburgh lies the Secret Herb Garden set within a magical 7.5 acres bordered by native hedgerows and a gentle stream - plus they have a glasshouse cafe. I've seen so many lovely photos and it looks magical! Definitely, one to visit in spring or summer when it's all in bloom.

Update: I can confirm it's just as magical as it sounds! I remember visiting with my close friend and then flatmate. Being "poor" students we didn't have anything to eat but we did enjoy a lovely wander around the grounds. I'll leave an old YouTube video if you'd like to watch it.

5. Nelson's Monument - Done!

As I previously mentioned, I'm a little apprehensive to go up the Scott Monument but I think Nelson Monument looks much more manageable, so perhaps this will ease me into the Scott Monument.

Update: Thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Nelson's Monument. I made it to the top without any anxiety and was blown away by the beautiful views across Edinburgh and beyond. There's also a small museum on the ground floor.

6. Mary King's Close - Done!

The Real Mary King’s Close is a warren of underground streets and spaces. For years, the hidden Closes of Old Town Edinburgh have been shrouded in mysteries and it sounds like something I would love to learn more about. I've actually wanted to do it for a few years but it has just never worked out.

7. Afternoon Tea at the Colonnades, The Signet Library - Done!

Is it silly to say that afternoon tea is my favourite meal of the day? Perhaps, but it is. By no means do have it every day but, to me, it's the perfect balance of sweet and savoury. I've been fortunate enough to enjoy various afternoon teas in Edinburgh over the years, but the Colonnades have been top of my list for a while.

Update: As part of my research for my book Pockets of Pretty, I got the opportunity to cross this off my list with Sharon/Mrs Bite from Bite Magazine. We were kindly gifted an afternoon tea and it was sublime. I wrote a short blog post about our visit which I'll link here. 

8. Rooftop of St Giles 

I've been in St Giles several times but I'd love to join one of their tours which apparently includes a visit to their rooftop - I bet it has stunning views of Old Town! 

9. Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo - Done!

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of the most iconic events in Edinburgh's calendar. The Tattoo celebrates the skills and talents of military bands and display teams from across the globe. As if it wasn't impressive enough that 1,000 military and civilian performers from around the world deliver superb performances which show their precision and hard work, the Tattoo also has Edinburgh Castle as a backdrop.

Update: What can I say about the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, other than it's simply spectacular! I'd happily go every year.

Edinburgh Bucket List - 2018

Wednesday, 3 January 2018

There are few things that I enjoy more than having a good wander and discovering something new. So as I was walking down Broughton Street last Friday and spotted a sign for a shop called Rosevear Tea, I couldn't help but pop in for a browse.

Almost as soon as I was through the door I was greeted by a friendly face (I later found out it was Mr Rosevear himself), who offered me a sample of their vanilla green tea, which I gladly accepted. To my delight, I saw that the shop's walls were covered with shelves holding various types of teas and glass jars full of samples to smell. There were even small pieces of paper pinned near certain teas with notes left by customers explaining why that particular tea was their favourite - which I thought was a lovely idea!  

A New Discovery: Rosevear Tea

Saturday, 23 December 2017

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