Lifestyle

Product Review – Serious Readers Alex Light is it worth it?

September 3, 2020

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post and we received this lamp for free to review. This does not prejudice or affect my review. All opinions are honest and our own.

I was approached by Serious Readers to trial one of their products. You may have read some of my earlier posts including ways to keep healthy over 50 and that I am always looking at ways to combat changes in normal function as my body increase in years and find ways to minimise the impact.

I am updating the original post to confirm that I have been using this lamp continually for over a year now and still find it to be fabulous and I note it is getting promoted more on TV. In the current climate of staying home and people are concentrating on original hobbies or taking up new ones, I still highly recommend this to optimise your lighting.

One change that I have noticed is in my eyesight. I have always worn contact lenses for astigmatism but in recent years I have noticed changes in my ability to see in poor quality light. This has caused me to be unable to wear them in low light and have been wearing varifocal glasses, which provide a much sharper image. However, I still note there is a difference in subdued lighting, and I love to have table lamps on in the evening instead of the full room light. I love the cosy ambiance these provide.

When reading or trying to complete a crossword I already struggle and either have to put the large room ceiling light on (The big light as Peter Kay calls it!) or use supplementary light from the torch on my mobile phone.

People don’t always realise that as they age, less and less light gets through to
the retina making it harder to see detail and read in comfort. This is why the people at Serious Readers, created a range of high performance reading lights using bespoke Daylight Wavelength Technology™ to allow people to see with amazing clarity and true
colour. They claim “We bring the natural light close to the daylight our eyes are built to use”

In my career as a neonatal nurse I have used similar lights to enable me to perform intricate procedures, such as venous cannulation on neonates, and I found them to be invaluable.

When I was approached by Serious Readers to trial one of their Alex lights I was more than happy to do so.

About Serious Readers

The company’s literature states that recent research shows that poor quality light not only causes eyestrain but can also damage eyes and interfere with your sleep. Too much short wave-length blue light poses a risk to the highly sensitive retina.

The absence of a harmful blue light spike in their technology eradicates the risk of damage to the retina and minimises disturbance to our body clocks. The Serious design, with a stay put flexible arm and rotating swivel joints mean the light can be set up just in the right position for you, so it takes the strain not you. Our sight dominates our sensory perception and we can’t help ourselves but subconsciously adjust our posture and strain to try and see clearly.

The Alex light is suitable for:

Reading books
Reading larger publications, (magazines, newspapers)
Hobbies involving colour (artwork, needlework)

Our opinion on the Serious Reader Alex Light

I say ‘our’ opinion because although the product was sent to me to review, my husband uses it the most and absolutely loves it! He’s hogging it daily for reading his newspaper, he has been constantly complaining that news print is getting smaller!

The Serious Reader Alex Light comes as either a floor lamp or a table lamp, their is also a choice of colours. We chose a floor standing model in white. It looks neat and sleek, taking up little floor space.

The lamp arrived in a very large cardboard box, almost as tall as me! Once the box was opened I was delighted to find that it did not require any assembly – always a huge bonus.

Serious Readers Floor Lamp arrived ready assembled and well packaged

A feature I liked was a cord holder – a rubber case where excess flex can be wrapped round and secured to reduce any trip hazard and unsightly wires.

The head of the lamp is very small but hugely powerful. Our living room has 2 sofa’s and myself and Mr Fitz sit on one each most of the time. The lamp is so powerful that we can change the angle to suit whichever one of us wishes to use it without moving the lamp.

I have been able to complete crosswords easily without resorting to the torch from my mobile and Mr Fitz has been able to read comfortably without squinting and bringing the newspaper up to his face. I was going to relocate the lamp after this trial up to my home office but it is staying put in the living room as John is such a fan of it too.

Evaluation

At around £299 the floor lamp appears expensive but if like us you are suffering with reduced vision in poor quality lighting, it is worth the price in our opinion. There was nothing we didn’t like about it. If you have an elderly relative who has given up hobbies due to the inability to see what they are doing, this would make an ideal gift, it could restore their enjoyment in leisure activities they once loved. In fact any family or friend over 60 who complains of “newsprint shrinking” or “lightbulbs not being what they were” please tell them about this fabulous product.

If you wish to see the light in action please check out my video review on YouTube

My UK Staycation wishlist

August 18, 2020

More of us are looking at destinations for a UK staycation following restrictions on overseas travel due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Here is my UK staycation wishlist.

This is the similar post to one with the same I first published but was lost after a server update. If you have read this before you will find the content changed slightly.

I may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post as I am an affiliate. This does not incur any cost to you and I only recommend companies and products that I use and trust

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We are fortunate enough to have a couple of overseas trips each year. Our favourite destinations are Corralejo in Fuerteventura and Cavtat in Croatia. We do regularly have short breaks in the UK. The Lake District is our favourite place to visit. . We enjoy walking and love the peace and tranquility it provides. And following the easing of lockdown we visited Harrogate. Since then I have however been drawing up a wishlist of other places we would like to see in the UK. Here is my current UK staycation wishlist.

Whitby

Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast is a destination we visit quite regularly too. It is on my wishlist again as we have a short 3 night break booked for next month. It is a traditional working fishing town with all the sights, sounds and smells! The lobster cages can be seen stacked on the quayside and the fishing boats continually sailing in and out of the harbour. There are fabulous walks in the area. Our favourite is the stretch of The Cleveland Way that runs along a coastal path from Whitby to Robin’s Hood Bay. This is around 7 miles and takes 2-3 hours. Quite an undulating strenuous walk but very enjoyable.

Whitby seen from The Abbey – own photo

Lobster crates Whitby Harbour – own photo

Walking Whitby to Robins Hood Bay own photo

Oxford

I visited Oxford for a morning many years ago on my way to the Hampton Court flower show. I was really captivated by the little I saw and have always promised to return for a stay. I have recently celebrated my 60th birthday and we had a short break in Oxford planned as my treat. This was cancelled due to the current restrictions at our tender age I did not want to travel by train for that length of time and motorway journeys heighten my menopausal anxiety. Another reason for my love of Oxford is that I am a huge fan of crime drama’s and have watched every episode of Inspector Morse many times and then progressed to Lewis and Endeavour, all set in Oxford and based on the novels of Colin Dexter. The scenery and architecture looks magnificent. I want to enjoy a drink too in the bar at The Randolph Hotel.

Bridge of Sighs Oxford -Google images

The colleges of Oxford University – Google images

Jersey

Mr Fitz and I had a weeks holiday in Jersey around 20 years ago and promised to return. This seems the ideal time to visit again. Again as we are mature we do not want to spend any length of time on an aeroplane if we can help it but Jersey is less than an hour away and we still get the thrill of an airport trip. Even though I have a terrible fear of flying I still do it and thinks the holiday starts at the airport. Jersey has many fabulous beaches, sights and restaurants. As we are huge foodies we often plan trips around dining options. It tends to have a warmer climate than mainland UK.

Jersey

Isle of Man

Famous for it’s TT races and cats with no tails the Isle of Man is another place on our UK staycation wishlist. Again it is a place I visited when I was 17 – my first holiday away without family. In fact it was on that trip that I heard on the radio of the death of Elvis! Mr Fitz has never been and is intrigued by it, especially as whenever he watches the weather forecast on TV, which is often!, he always comments that the weather is good. This is somewhere that can be reached as foot passengers by rail and ferry.

Laxey Wheel Isle of Man

Cromer

We love being by the sea and Cromer in Norfolk is believed to have some of the best beaches. The only downside to this is that it is quite a long distance and journey from Manchester. I would probably break the journey up with a night’s stay on the journey. There are also plenty of other lovely towns to vist nearby. It is also famous for its Cromer crab dishes. Crab is Mr Fitz’s favourite food to eat on any menu.

Cromer Beach Norfolk

London

No UK staycation wishlist is complete without a trip to the capitol. We paid our visit for a stay only about 6 years ago. We instantly fell in love with the buzz of the vibrant City. So much to see and do. We plan to make another visit soon. I have some BuyAGift vouchers that I can use to fund a hotel stay. These vouchers are excellent gifts especially to mature relatives and friends. They are our ideal gift to receive. We have seen may of the landmarks but one thing I wish to do is see the crown jewels in the Tower of London, we have walked through the grounds but never been inside the exhibition. My interest is stimulated after visiting the Queen Victoria exhibition at Kensington Palace where some of her jewels were on display. I love anything that sparkles. My last trip away prior to lockdown was a theatre trip to London. I am a big fan of the theatre and love to see a show during any stay there. Tickets for all shows can be booked via London Theatre Direct website.

Tower Bridge London -own photo

02 London and Emirates Air Line -own photo

Queen Victoria’s Jewels Kensington Palace – own photo

I hope I’ve provided you with some inspiration. Have you got a UK Staycation list or some new suggestions for mine. Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for popping by today

Growing Tomatos – tips to ripen green tomato’s

August 12, 2020

Growing tomato’s in a pot is one of the things I decided to try when I started my square foot gardening plot. You may have read that during the early part of lockdown when we were staying home Mr Fitz and myself spent a lot of time catching up with jobs in the garden. I decided to create a small vegetable patch using one small flower bed using the square foot gardening technique plus I used pots for herbs, potato’s and tomato’s.

I have never grown vegetables before but soon became hooked. I love inspecting my little patch of crops daily looking for my seeds sprouting and then increasing in size. The thrill of seeing my crops turn into recognisable vegetables is fascinating. I have savoy cabbage, beetroot, peas, mangetout, peppers, shallots, radishes and lettuce as well as herbs growing.

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My pride though have been my tomato plants. We bought them from a local small garden centre when it reopened. We planted 2 types Gardeners Delight and Moneymaker. We had a large pot that had been tucked away at the back of the garden waiting to be used for something. It was perfect for the job along with an obelisk trellis that we discovered in the bushes in the back flower bed. A remnant from the previous owner. Mr Fitz had a good chop down of shrubs climbers when he discovered it. It was oxidising and I revamped it with some metallic paint left over from when I repainted our metal gates – another lockdown task.

When the plants were first planted in a tub on the patio

The tomato plants have been thriving and now I have a healthy crop, however they are still green with little or no sign of ripening. It has to be said that I live in Manchester and we have had a terrible summer – no sunshine for weeks just rain and grey skies. Far from ideal for growing tomato’s. This made me research tips to promote ripening.

I looked at a few gardening sites on line and of course my beloved Youtube. A couple of tips to be used when all else fails is to cut into the root, cut off the branches and hang upside down in a garage or shed – being upside down the nutrients would travel down from the root end into the tomato. Or the the green tomatoes could be picked and placed in a cardboard box in newspaper or a paper bag with an apple or a bananas, as these fruits release ethylene which would enhance ripening.

These were a little extreme for me at this point as its still only the start of August and I’m still clinging on to the hope that we will hit a heatwave with lots of sun!

Yellow tomato flowers promising new fruit

The simplest solution that I found was to cut down all the excess foliage and branches to encourage all the nutrients to go to the growing tomato’s and to also allow more sunlight onto the fruit. This seemed my best option at this stage. Before doing this I had huge bushy plants almost as tall as myself. By the time I had finished I was left with thin straggly looking ones! But the beauty was that all the tomato’s were visible. I’ve counted around 50!

I set to with my secateurs and cut off all branches without any flowers or tomato’s. The small clusters of yellow flowers are the start of new fruit. Although my research has taught me that flowers that are not turning into tomato’s at this stage could also be removed as they may not grow or ripen before the temperatures drop – however being an eternal optimist I have left them for now in the hope of increasing my yield of growing tomato’s.

Pruning lots of foliage

I have posted photographs of my plants before and after pruning – a total contrast and I now wait and watch in gleeful anticipation for my green tomato’s to turn into plump red ones.

My straggly plants post pruning to allow ripening

I will update you in a future post as to what happens next.

Are you a dab hand at growing tomato’s? If so do you have any advice to offer? What do you do at this stage – I do not have a greenhouse.

Thanks for popping by today

Hotel Gotham Manchester a stylish venue

August 8, 2020

Hotel Gotham Manchester is a stylish venue for any stay in Manchester or celebration.

As you may have read in my previous post I have just celebrated my 60th birthday. My plans of a big family garden party at home was foiled by Covid19 restrictions. Mr Fitz and myself also usually have a holiday or a weekend away when we have a big occasion to celebrate and this too was affected. I then had to think of Plan B.

Mr Fitz suggested he booked us a nights stay at Hotel Gotham Manchester. It was a venue on the shortlist for his 60th birthday celebrations but I chose to surprise him with a night and a Michelin starred dining experience at Northcote Manor in Lancashire. We both had read great things about Hotel Gotham plus I ventured in for a coffee soon after it first opened and really loved the building.

We love old buildings as pubs and hotels and much prefer them to modern contemporary ones. Hotel Gotham is situated at 100 King Street and has been created from an old bank and many of the original features remain. It is an Art Deco building by Edwin Lutyens and was designated a Grade 2 Listed building in 1974.

It is a very striking building and did used to house Jamie Oliver’s restaurant underneath until it closed. The Hotel has many feature in keeping with the Art Deco period, including its Entrance Doors. There is always a Concierge to meet and greet you in fabulous livery.

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Covid19 Closure

Hotel Gotham had been closed during the UK Lockdown and had reopened just a few days before our stay. My menopause has caused me to suffer from anxiety at times and Covid 19 so soon after suffering the loss of my brother to Cancer did not help me at all. However Hotel Gotham offered reassurances about the measures they had taken. Guests had their temperatures taken before entering the hotel and there were other hygiene measures within the hotel.

Accomodation

We were booked into a Standard Room and although not huge it was so luxurious. There is a small seating area when you enter the room with a wardrobe and built in bar. The large cupboard come wardrobe was so well stocked with not just the usual water, tea and coffee making equipment but other little treats to be purchased including tins that contained many remedies, such as hangovers, emergency phone chargers, antibacterial protection and a Couples pack (use your imagination here!)

Seating area

Inside Bar

Tea and Coffee making facilities

Guest extras for purchase

We stayed in Room 506 which had enormous floor to ceiling windows to 2 sides of the bed. The hotel is surrounded by offices so we were not too concerned about being overlooked. They had voile coverings to provide privacy. The bed was so comfortable. The bathroom was huge with a fabulous rain shower and toiletries from The White Company. Again this had huge windows but there were Plantation blinds in here for extra privacy. As an extra treat and as a reopening gift from the hotel we were given a complimentary bottle of house Prosecco and chocolate dipped strawberries – a lovely gesture that we truly appreciated.

Hotel Gotham bed

White Company Travel Toiletries

Gotham Prosecco and strawberries

Honey Restaurant

Hotel Gotham has its own Restaurant – Honey which is situated o the 6th floor – which is fact where the Hotel Reception is too – as I said its a fabulous quirky building. Also there is a bar area above on the 7th Floor named Club Brass which is swanky and has access to 3 outside Terraces. More about Club Brass later in the post.

As it was quiet and a Wednesday night we actually dined in Club Brass from the Honey Restaurant menu. The Restaurant was quiet as it was only open to residents due to Covid 19 but we were not the only residents. Service was exceptional and friendly. One big shout out to the staff and The Hotel is that all staff wore masks at all times. These were custom designed and made with the hotel colours and logo on. A fabulous touch and we thanked them all personally for this.

Restaurant are Club Brass

The food was delicious

Starters

Mr Fitz chose Artisan Sourdough and beetroot hummus,

Sourdough bread and beetroot hummus

my choice was Terrine -Ham hock, pickles, ham crisp, wasabi – this was the most delicious starter I have ever eaten – so many flavours on the plate

Terrine Ham Hock

Mains

It as an 8 oz fillet steak for Mr Fitz – we like our steaks well done and this seems to send many kitchens into meltdown and is rarely achieved – this steak was well done but still succulent – a big thumbs up! In our opinion best well done steak in Manchester and we have tried many!

Fillet Steak Honey Restaurant

I chose Cod – Confit fennel, samphire, caviar, vermouth, again totally delicious and tasty. In retrospect I can’t say I saw any caviar but it didn’t detract from the dish.

Cod Honey Restaurant Hotel Gotham

Desserts – Mr Fitz abstained but I decided it would be rude not I chose Chocolate fondant
Popcorn, caramel ice cream. I chose this as despite being a huge foodie I am not a chocolate fan and have never eaten a Chocolate Fondant. This one was a little disappointing – the texture of the chocolate sponge was a bit doughy! The waiter came over to see how I was finding it and when I told him what I thought he then informed me it was Gluten free, which could explain a lot. To be honest if I’d known before hand I would have chosen the Organised mess, as I love meringue.

Chocolate Fondant

But overall we loved our meal and to accompany it Mr Fitz enjoyed their bottled cider and I enjoyed the House red wine – I’m embarrassed to say I can’t remember what it was!

Bottled Cider Hotel Gotham

Following our lovely meal we then spent some time in Club Brass drinking area. We had enjoyed a pre dinner drink on one of the Terraces in daylight and now ventured out to enjoy a drink when it was darker.

Pre dinner drinks Terrace Hotel Gotham – own photo

Enjoying a post dinner drink Terrace Hotel Gotham

Club Brass

Inside Club Brass

Moolah. Lucre. Dinero. Bread. Cash. Call it what you like. Round these parts, we call it Brass, with a short, sharp ‘a’. With a nod to this building’s history as a bank and an acknowledgment of what makes the world go round, welcome to Club Brass.

Open to members and Gotham guests only, Club Brass is a VIP lounge on the 7th floor. You’ll pass through two vault-like doors on your way into a Prohibition-style speakeasy that will make you feel like a million bucks. There is a tempting bar menu and cocktails such as The King of King Street, Bellboy Barry’s Bramble and Lady Crumpsall’s Champagne Cocktail.

If Hotel Gotham is the King of King Street then Brass is the jewel in the crown. It is not a huge area but has a luxurious feel again in keeping with the Art Deco era. I enjoyed another red wine and then a nightcap of an Old Fashioned cocktail, which was well served. There are many fabulous decor features. such as mannequins dressed up.

Dressed Mannequin Club Brass Hotel Gotham

Inside Club Brass

Decor Hotel Gotham

I must also mention the toilets – I have a thing about toilets and love a nice bit of toilet decor, this one did not disappoint.

Ladies Toilets Club Brass

Textured glittery peacock wallpaper ladies toilets

We retired to bed and managed to catch a bit of Match of the Day on our well situated TV – a perfect end to the evening for a big football fan like me, especially as highlights of my beloved Manchester City’s game from the previous evening was shown. We both then settled down to a great nights sleep in the super comfy bed. Waking up on my birthday to find myself a 60 year old woman!

We had a complimentary breakfast in our room rate and this was in the actual Honey Restaurant which has magnificent low level arched windows affording great views of surrounding rooftops which have some fabulous architectural features. The continental breakfast is usually buffet style but due to Covid 19 measures we chose from the menu and it was served by our waiter. Toast was served in a novel way in a linen money sack! A great touch but the bread could have been a bit crisper. The choice of food was again excellent and service was attentive.

Swag bag toast Hotel Gotham

Summary

A fabulous break in sumptuous surroundings. Despite all the restrictions around the Pandemic I had a really enjoyable and relaxing overnight stay for my milestone birthday. We would highly recommend Hotel Gotham and its restaurant and bar. We would stay and dine again.

Our night away was so enjoyable even though it was in our home town – a novel Staycation we think it could be the future while times are difficult. We celebrate our 35th Wedding Anniversary at the end of September and we are planning another hotel stay in Manchester – we are researching our options.

Thanks for popping in today – have you done something similar and if so do you have any recommendations? et me know in the comments below.

Turning 60 – celebrating with Covid 19 Restrictions

July 31, 2020

Turning 60 makes me sound really old and I cannot believe I am this age. Last week I reached this milestone and celebrated turning 60. How I celebrated was very different to how I had planned.

After I retired from nursing and we moved into this house we inherited a fabulous large garden. It has a big lawn space and a large patio space, perfect for entertaining. My initial plan was to hold an afternoon garden party for my immediate family, my husbands and few close friends. The guest list would have been around 35 and would fit comfortably in the area with room for the little ones to run around and play. However these plans were obviously curtailed by the Governments Guidelines to help control and contain the spread of Covid19.

I may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post as I am an affiliate. This does not incur any cost to you and I only recommend companies and products that I use and trust

Turning 60

My plans for celebrating then meant I could just have my immediate family around in the garden. This then posed it’s own problem as the weather in Manchester has been dreadful for most of the month – grey skies and so much rain, in fact leading up to my birthday it rained every day.

Mr Fitz and myself usually have a holiday or trip away to celebrate a BIG birthday. I have wanted to visit Oxford for ages and we had booked a stay in a Hotel for this month much earlier in the year. However we had cancelled this due to the uncertainty and because we planned to travel by Rail and this was not something we were ready to do yet.

Therefore we decided to have a mini break much closer to home and Mr Fitz treated us to a night’s stay at Hotel Gotham Manchester and a meal in the hotel’s Honey Restaurant. I’ll write a full review of this in my next post. All I will say here is that we had a wonderful time and is something we are considering doing again for our 35th Wedding Anniversary at the end of September.

Hotel Gotham

British Weather

As you may know I live in Manchester UK and I love living here. However this summer we seem to be getting more rainy days then other area’s. Despite me posting that it’s a myth about it always raining in Manchester, conditions are making me doubt this! I see social media photographs from friends and fellow bloggers around the country and they look to be enjoying being outside in sunshine. I have been looking forward to turning 60 and enjoying muted celebrations but have been so anxious that the rain would stay away.

The weather was dry when we travelled to Manchester and I didn’t take a coat but the minute we had checked in Hotel Gotham then ventured outside for a bit of shopping it started raining. My freshly styled hair started to flop. My fine menopausal hair does not tolerate any moisture well at all.

For my garden celebration I had my poor family on standby as to whether my little gathering would go ahead. I had to hold it outside for Social Distancing reasons and for enjoyment. I have 5 boisterous great nieces and nephews who love to run around and play. More so at the moment as they have been apart during lockdown. Anyway thankfully the forecast was dry and I decided to proceed.

We had a gazebo on standby and is probably an essential for any UK garden

I bought a selection of inexpensive garden games to lay out on the lawn for the little ones to play with and keep them entertained

Garden Games Snakes and Ladders

Flamingo Ringo Garden Games

Snakes and Ladders

Flamingo Ringo

A Twister style game

We also had a few other games that we all enjoyed

Rory’s Story Cubes by Asmodee Games

Rory’s Story Cubes Asmodee Gamesj

Dobble Card Game

And no get together would be complete without a Pinata – as adults we love watching them squeal with delight trying to release the sweeties

The rain stayed away and we had a lovely afternoon, a much needed get together as we had suffered the loss of my brother only about 6 weeks before lockdown and we had been apart since then.

Even though it was to celebrate me turning 60 I made the emphasis for my great niece and nephews as we are all happy to watch them play and be happy.

I put on a simple spread to meet everyone’s needs, my Sister in Law follows a Gluten Free diet and some of the little ones can be a bit picky but also love nothing more than cucumber and tomatoes! So there was finger food and hot food selection of chilli or chicken curry, in case it was a bit chilly and something warm was required.

I made an activity out of serving ice cream – I made an ice cream station and everyone got to have a vanilla ice cream in a dish or a cone and could decorate it themselves. I provided an assortment of sprinkles and toppings including fabulous sauce, including unicorn shimmer and bubblegum flavour and other fantastic flavours from the Skinny Sauce Company. This was a big it with the little ones and the adults!

Ice cream fun

So here I am at 60 , and all my working life I expected on turning 60 to collect my Pension and bus pass at this age, but sadly due to changes in legislation and local authority guidelines that was bot to be. I can however receive free prescriptions, which thankfully I don’t need regularly and I look forward to a Bowel Cancer screening kit in the post! Happy Days!

Have you had a celebration or milestone occasion during lockdown, what did you do to celebrate? Did you still manage to have a great time?

Anyway thanks for popping by today and come back to see my full review of our night in Hotel Gotham Manchester.

Visiting Harrogate A stay at Artists Cottage

July 15, 2020

Harrogate is in North Yorkshire and Artists Cottages are a selection of cottages, 5 in total, perfect for a self catering stay.

I was lucky enough to win a 2 nights stay for a winter break at the end of 2019 from a Facebook competition for myself and Mr Fitz. My stay was originally planned for February 2020 but due to family circumstances and then the worldwide Covid 19 Pandemic my stay didn’t take place until the accommodation had been allowed to reopen again after Government advice.

Our stay was a Monday and Tuesday at the beginning of July, 2 days after it was open again for business. Before I proceed further I must state that writing this review was not a requirement for our stay. As a lifestyle blogger I love to share the things I do in retirement.

We enjoyed a lovely scenic drive from our home along the A59 through the Ribble Valley to Harrogate.

Artists Cottage

As I stated earlier Artists Cottages are a collection of 5 different places to stay, Artists House, Artists Loft, Artists Cottage, Artists Corner and Artists Place. All owned by the same team.

Our stay was in Artists Cottage. A 2 bedroom terraced cottage a short walk away from the centre of Harrogate, approximately 10 minutes.

We were met by Marie-Therese, one of the team and given a warm welcome, all socially distanced, due to the challenging times we are in.

The cottage had been empty during lockdown and had been given a thorough clean by staff who had been specifically trained and provided with Corona Covid-19 Certification.

There was hand sanitiser in the utility room as you entered the property and of course we brought our own supply too.

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Accomodation

Downstairs it comprises of a kitchen, a lounge, a utility room and a bathroom. Leading from the kitchen is a steep staircase up to 2 double bedrooms.

The lounge is compact and cosy with a sofa and 2 armchairs all comfortable. There is a chest containing the garden seating cushions that doubles as a coffee table. Along with a TV and a vintage style record player. A small selection of vinyl records was provided. On the walls in the lounge are a selection of paintings from local artists to promote their work and are available for purchase. Most of the images were of local Harrogate scenes or Yorkshire landmarks.

Lounge Artists Cottage

The Kitchen is very well equipped with everything you would need for a boutique stay, including a coffee maker. As a welcome we were provided with milk, tea, coffee, local delicious Harrogate shortbread biscuits and a fabulous bottle of Rioja. Everything is high end from the kettle to the cooker.

Kitchen

Kitchen

Outside of the kitchen is small yard with a table and chairs for outside dining.

The bedrooms were similar in size and both contained a double bed, a wardrobe and a dresser. A hairdryer, towels and fans were available.

Front bedroom

We chose to sleep in the rear bedroom and the bed was so comfortable.

Rear Bedroom

As we were only on a short break we ate takeaways and didn’t choose to cook anything for ourselves – lazy I know but it was such a treat to be away from home after lockdown when we’d had ample opportunities to cook!

Visiting Harrogate

As I said it was short walk into Harrogate and that’s what we did both days of our stay. It was quiet when we were there pubs and restaurants had only been reopened 2 days.

We took the opportunity to walk around the town looking at the buildings and sites. It was a our first visit for many years and we wanted to familiarise ourselves plus we love admiring buildings and architecture. Amazed at how they were built and decorated without modern day techniques and equipment. There are many fabulous buildings to admire. Particularly the houses and properties around Swan Road close to the magnificent Swan Hotel. The Swan Hotel is famous as being the hotel the famous novelist, Agatha Christie fled to during her mysterious 11 day disappearance in 1926.

The Montpellier area is very picturesque and I loved the tree sculpture to commemorate the visit of the Tour De France in 2014.

Tree Sculpture

We also walked around the shopping area. I visited the Rigby and Peller store – I have always promised myself one of their bra’s, however when I was inside browsing I wasn’t blown away by what was on offer. The products did not look any different from other brands but at extortionate prices. I was offered a fitting but declined. I didn’t see anything that I thought was worth the £100-£200 price tag. I also visited the Slingsby gin shop, a local Gin, after a recommendation from a friend. As you may have read I have been a gin drinker before it was fashionable. There were many fabulous Slingsby gins on offer and I was able to try 2 free samples. Oh yes please!

Betty’s Tea Room is one of the iconic places to visit in Harrogate, it was open with restrictions and under normal circumstances we would have enjoyed a visit or visited the shop to purchase a takeaway treat. As there was a need to queue we decided to give it a miss but it will be a must for our next visit.

We love pubs so we had a couple of drinks on both days in the Montpellier, the landlord was so friendly and welcoming with great social distancing measures in place. Also we visited All Bar One, where again social distancing measures were in place. I enjoyed a lovely Aperol Spritz as part of their 5 0’clock cocktail offer.

Aperol Spritz All Bar One

No visit to anywhere is complete for us unless we’ve visited the local Wetherspoons. Mr Fitz and myself are big fans of the pub chain. Harrogate has a large pub based in the site of the historic Royal baths. We love how Wetherspoons convert old historic buildings into pubs and hotels retaining the character and original features.

Wetherspoons

Harrogate is close to many beauty spots and sights but due to the times many events had been cancelled for the year due to Covid 19.

Summary

In summary we enjoyed a pleasant 2 night stay after staying home for 3 and a half months. Harrogate is a lovely town and somewhere we will revisit again as it is not too far from home.

The accomodation was lovely, the biggest plus was the decor. Each room was painted the same colour, which I understand from the owner was custom mixed to match the Laura Ashley fabric on the bedroom headboards. It was a subtle shade of greeny blue, taking on different hues in different times of the day. I would best describe it as a pale peppermint green. It was a very calming, peaceful colour.

The things that caused us problems was the heat – the heating was on and Mr Fitz and myself do not like to feel too warm. Our first nights sleep was broken by being too hot. The windows were original sash window and could only be open a small amount. We are used to having 2 windows open in our bedroom regardless of the time of year or outside temperature. The second night we had found the fan and cooled the room down before retiring for the night. Also the radiators had individual thermostats so we were able to bring the temperature of the house cooler to how we prefer it.

The bathroom and toilet being downstairs was a bit of a problem too – the stairs a re very steep with narrow treads. I had to leave the bathroom and utility room light on at night to enable us to see our way to the bathroom during the night. I have arthritic knees and Mr Fitz has size 10 feet too which added to the challenge.

But overall it was a lovely accommodation with luxury touches.

Bloggers giveaway

July 13, 2020

Bloggers Giveaway

I am so pleased to be involved with this Bloggers Giveaway in collaboration with some fabulous UK bloggers. What would you but with £100 to spend on Amazon.

Lots of wonderful UK bloggers have teamed up together to be able to give away a £100 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner! All organised by Sarah over at Whimsical Mumblings.

Find out who’s involved in this amazing giveaway below, and how you can enter to win this fantastic prize!

Travel Bugs // Life With Jupiter & Dann // Happy Homemade Home // Soph – Obsessed

Three Little Z’s // Home In The Pastures // Discover Kent // My Tunbridge Wells

The Sporting Blog // Family Fun Reviews

We Made This Life // Early Retirement Rocks // A Rose Tinted World // Two Plus Dogs

A Penny For Them // We Made This Vegan // Typical Mummy // So Nostalgic

Mummy And Me x2 // Life With Alden Jax

Lazy Mum // Thrifty Chap // The Parent Game // Joanna Victoria

For The Family // Wotawoman Diary // Live Rich Media // A Life Less Plastic

Tea In The Tub // Moneysaving Superhero

Mummy vs Work // Savvy Squirrel // My Love Of Home // Emma Drew.Info

Our House Our Home // #MyBlogMyBusiness // The Mini Millionaire // Boring Mother

Photographyish // Cats, Kids, Chaos

Lylia Rose // Simple Happy Home // Savvy In Love // Student Cash Flow

I Beat Debt // Hawkes At Home // Styling Life Today // According To Nikol

That Copper Life // Real Home And Living // The Somerset Foodie

I definitely recommend checking out all of these wonderful blogs!

The competition will run from 13th July 2020 – 27th July 2020. The prize is x1 £100 Amazon Voucher, which will be emailed directly to the winner.

You can enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter widget below, there are over 100 entry options, which means 100 chances to win! UK entrants only, must have a valid email address.

Once the winner has been verified and contacted, and the prize has been delivered, their first name and surname initial will be displayed on the Rafflecopter widget. All other information from every entrant will be permanently deleted after the competition is over.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

Plus size celebrity style – Get the look

July 9, 2020

Plus size celebrity styles

Plus size Celebrity styles are photographed and published regularly as examples of how to dress. As a woman fast approaching 60 I do still like to look my best and be on trend as much as is realistic for my age and body shape. I have discussed many times how the menopause has not been kind to me, weight gain around the middle, anxiety and thinning hair being the main culprits. In my early career as a nurse I was a UK size 8 and am now buying size 16-18 tops! I think there’s a genetic factor in the size of my boobs. I’ve recently acquired some old photo’s of my grandmother and great aunts -yes you guessed it – all blessed with ample bosoms!

Many of the celebrities are youthful skinny minnies, and fabulous to see. However there are some more plus size celebrity styles who are larger sized and manage to look fabulous. Style is not determined by your dress size!

I thought I’d share with you some of the larger fashionistas I admire and how to replicate their looks. Get the plus size celebrity style.

I may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post as I am an affiliate. This does not incur any cost to you and I only recommend companies and products that I use and trust

Dawn French her plus size celebrity style

Dawn French

Dawn always looks stunning – her biggest assets are her stunning smile and fabulous glossy hair – the best accessories for any outfit.

For a red carpet look similar to Dawn’s Evans have a dress to achieve a similar look – click here for more details

She wears a lot of black but also adds colour pop to break it up like in this photo. Teamed with a black leather look jacket it gives a younger more contemporary look – a fabulous plus size celebrity.

Dawn French casual look

This look can be put together with this top from Roman Originals

Roman Originals tunic top

Or this one from Lovedrobe

Lovedrobe Tunic Top

Evans have a suitable black biker style jacket which is suitable for ladies with bigger boobs – I know because I can wear this style

Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy can have so many different looks, you’ve only got to compare her character in Bridesmaids to her red carpet look. She is not scared to try colours and quirky styles. She is another plus size celebrity who has a dazzling smile – with dimples and glossy hair. Melissa even has her own clothing range called Melissa McCarthy Seven7

Here are some of her different looks

A casual look – with jeans, trainers. sunglasses and an oversize crossbody bag

Melissa McCarthy casual look

There is a fabulous pair of jeans in her own range – although a little on the expensive side

This blush lace blouse from Lovedrobe is a lovely feminine addition

Hotter shoes have some fabulous Leanne trainers to match

Leanne Hotter shoes

Who can resist a Kipling bag

These oversize sunglasses can have you completing the look on a budget

Here is her red carpet look wearing dazzling metallic silver – check out how to do this yourself from Wallis

Melissa McCarthy Red carpet look

Melissa is not afraid to rock a pencil skirt and heel

Melissa McCarthy rocks a pencil skirt

Roman Originals has a super smart knot fronted pencil skirt

Roman Original Knot fronted pencil skirt

Pair it with this Evans blouse

Evans swirl blouse

Finish it with a pop of colour with your heels and bag

This outfit is quite conservative – give it a real wow with these fabulous Irregular choice heels in pink

Dame Judi Dench

Dame Judi isn’t a classic plus size celebrity after losing weight over the years but she is my style idol in many ways – her demeanour and understated elegance. She is growing old gracefully and naturally.

Judi Dench has her own graceful style

Dame Judi’s best accessory is her wicked sense of humour. She often wears neutral top and slimleg trousers with a longline jacket.

This pink sparkly longline kimono can add a finishing touch over a plain black cami and trousers – making you evening ready at home or on holiday

I hope I have provided you with some inspiration and plus size celebrity looks.

Do you have a favourite celebrity who’s style you love – I’d love to know. Please comment below. I love a nosey at photo’s of clothes and accessories for my own inspiration.

Wimbledon a visitors experience

June 28, 2020

Wimbledon is The annual tennis event. A fabulous social occasion watching the World’s best tennis players. The setting is The All England Lawn Tennis Club, (AELTC), in Wimbledon London SW19.

It runs for 2 weeks each year and the tournament begins on the last Monday in June or first Monday in July and I have been fortunate enough to attend on 2 occasions. Both times they were as a result of competition prizes, one won by myself and the second where I went as a gust of a friend who was the prize winner. Entering competitions is one of my main hobbies and passions after watching football. Here are 10 random facts about me

Getting tickets

Obviously you don’t have to be a competition winner to obtain a ticket. You can apply to The AELTC to be in the Public Ballot. The Wimbledon Public Ballot, first launched in 1924, is intended to be the fairest means of obtaining tickets for The Championships. Entry into the Ballot does not automatically entitle applicants to tickets, but to a place in the draw. It is not possible to request tickets for specific days or courts, as the day and court offered are chosen randomly by a computerised selection process.

The Wimbledon Public Ballot is comprised of two compulsory phases: Registration – open from 9 September to 21 October, followed by Application – open from 1 November to 30 November.

I have applied this way and was unsuccessful the first occasion and the second time the tournament was cancelled due to the worldwide Coronavirus outbreak. Hopefully better luck next time.

Getting to Wimbledon

Once you are in central London there are a few ways you can travel to the Lawn Club. Buses run at a reasonable price. I used this method the first time and we picked up the bus close to Euston Station, once you’re on its a pleasant trip but it is a long journey over an hour and it was very hot and sticky.

Other ways are to use the overground and underground transport routes. You need to research the route most suitable for you. Myself and my friend used a tube from London Euston to Vauxhall and then the overground to Wimbledon. A swift journey under an hour. Once you arrive at Wimbledon Station there is a slick system to get you to the Club as quickly as possible. There are marshals who funnel you into a queue for cabs if you don’t wish to walk. They group 4 passengers into a cab and there is a set fee per passenger. Easy and stress free, plus the opportunity to meet new people on the way. The atmosphere is very relaxed and friendly.

Inside Wimbledon

If you are collecting tickets you usually have to produce photographic ID such as your Drivers license or passport. Once inside I found it to be such a fabulous venue. I have been fortunate enough to ahve visited many top sporting events, such as Cheltenham Races, The Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris, Ascot races and numerous Cup Finals. This in my opinion has the best organisation.

Looking at it from outside it can give the impression of being very formal and stuffy. There is a certain set of rules in place, such as only being able to enter the stands to your seat during breaks in play. However you can take in drinks bought from the bars and picnic food brought with you from home. On my visit myself and my friend took a cool bag and our own food.

Enjoying a Pimm’s watching tennis

Our own food

When I have been to other venues trying to get served for food or drinks has been really difficult and slow. At Wimbledon it is so slick and there are few queue’s. Fabulous considering there can be 42,000 spectators within the ground on any one day. Prices were not extortionate, as well as beers on tap they also had Pimm’s on tap which was very enjoyable.

Pimm’s and Beer on draft

A bowl of the strawberries and cream, which Wimbledon is famous for is around a fiver, which I know is expensive but I did expect it to be more. n 2017, fans consumed 34,000 kg (33 tons) of English strawberries and 10,000 litres (2,200 gallons) of cream.

Hospitality

On my second visit hospitality was included in the prize she had won. The hospitality was just outside the grounds and we were transported from the venue to the courts by golf buggy. The hospitality was fabulous we had a buffet lunch with wine. The food on offer had plentiful choices catering for everyone’s tastes. We were also treated to afternoon tea, which we could make our way over for when it suited us during play. If you ever get the chance to enjoy hospitality you would not be disappointed.

Wimbledon Hospitality menu

Afternoon tea at Wimbledon – we’d eaten half before I took the photo!

The grounds are beautiful with so many floral displays and ample places to sit. The area known as Henman’s Hill or latterly Murray’s Mound is a fabulous space. Spectators can sit and relax and watch play on a large screen.

Henman Hill at Wimbledon

There are tickets available where you can have access to the grounds without a seat in a court.

Play can continue quite late into the evening so when you are leaving you can hand back your ticket at the gate and they are then resold at a much reduced rate for charity. Therefore if you live in London you can visit in the evening perhaps after work to spend a few hours.

When you are ready to return to the train station again there are points to join in a taxi queue and again Marshals are present to divide people into groups of 4, the queue’s move quickly and you are soon back on your way home.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visits. I have described the venue without even mentioning the fabulous quality tennis on display. I like tennis but it is not my main sport, however once in your seat watching you soon get caught up in the match and the atmosphere. Cheering on your favourite. One thing I hadn’t really noticed when watching on TV is the training of the line judges and ball boys/girls. Their movements are coordinated and acted out with precision. Everyone makes the same move at the same moment. Such discipline to help everything move forward fluently.

View from my seat Wimbledon

Fred Perry statue at Wimbledon

Have you ever been to Wimbledon Tennis tournament, if so what were your opinions? Or is there another sporting event you have found to be a fabulous occasion.

Plus if you have any hints or tips about visiting please share with me as I would love to learn more. If you enjoyed this review you may want to take a look at my review of a trip to London for a Theatre break

Thanks for popping in today.

&Juliet The Musical – an overnight break to London

June 24, 2020

&Juliet is the last show I saw prior to lockdown due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. As Lockdown is easing gradually we are now beginning to plan where we want to go and what we want to do. I thought I’d write up and share my review. I’m hoping this review will get your juices flowing for a show or a night away somewhere. I love visiting the theatre, you may want to read my previous review of Motown the Musical.

One of my main hobbies is entering competitions. This trip was a prize I won from entering an on air competition with Heat Radio. It was not a condition of the prize that I wrote this review.

I’ll briefly outline the prize: Travel to London, a night at The Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel in London, dinner at Scoff and Banter and 2 tickets to &Juliet at The Shaftesbury Theatre.

I took my friend Ilsa with me and we visited in the middle of January.

We travelled First Class from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston. If you haven’t had the opportunity to travel First Class let me tell you it’s a lovely treat. If you book in advance you can get some great deals. As well as comfy seats you get food and drinks included served to you in your seat. The journey from Manchester to London is just over 2 hours.

1st Class Travel

The Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel.

This is a fabulous hotel officially in Camden and really close to Covent Garden and the British Museum. Our room was spacious with a huge bathroom and our own Nespresso Coffee machine. Staff were very friendly and helpful. There is a lovely lively bar area in the hotel We were also booked for breakfast, which was a mixture of buffet style and waiter service. There was an excellent choice. Lots of windows making it light and airy.

Hotel Room

Breakfast

After check in and dropping our bags we went for a stroll close to the hotel. There is so much to see close by. We wandered up to Covent Garden and of course had to pop into the Charlotte Tilbury Store. Having just returned from a week in Fuerteventura I was trying to have a no spend trip but my friend treated herself to some cosmetics. The store was very well staffed and they were very attentive without being pushy. One thing I love about anywhere I go and particularly London, are the pubs. London have an infinite number of fabulous old pubs with great history’s. We visited 2 to quench our thirst!

Charlotte Tilbury shopping with a beer pub

Time for a refreshment

Cross Keys Covent Garden

After another mooch around Covent Garden watching the street artists and admiring the sights we made our way back to the hotel to get ready for our evening out.

Covent Garden London

Scoff and Banter

The restaurant was approximately a 2 minute walk from our hotel. It is part of a small chain, this is how it describes itself:

“At Scoff & Banter, we celebrate hearty and contemporary British cuisine. Discover a home from home with lovingly prepared seasonal British cooking, using the finest locally sourced ingredients. Find your classic British favourites at one of our four London locations”

The restaurant has a good vibe and features cool marble floors and comfortable leather chairs. On the walls specially commissioned artwork gives a modern interpretation of the Dutch masters. It is located just 5 minutes from Theatre land. It’s perfect for pre-theatre dinner and post-theatre drinks.

Artwork Scoff and Banter

We enjoyed a 3 course dinner with drinks, as it was mid January it was fairly quiet, but the food and service was really lovely. My choices were, Starter: Cornish Crab cakes with chilli lime sauce.

Cornish Crab Cakes

Main: Herb-crusted rack of lamb, layered creamed potatoes, minted pea purée and rosemary lamb gravy

Scoff and Banter Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb

Scoff and Banter Crusted Rack of Lamb

Dessert – well it would have been rude not too! : Warm Bramley apple crumble, served with Cornish clotted ice cream or vanilla custard

Bramley Apple Crumble

All totally delicious accompanied with a glass of Prosecco.

I feared I may snooze during the show after all that but I soldiered on! It was then time to walk the short distance to the Shaftesbury Theatre to see &Juliet.

The Show &Juliet

Ironically this show had been in Manchester prior to coming to London. It had received great reviews from friends who had been to see it. I had chosen to see a different show.

&Juliet Opening Stage Set

The Shaftesbury Theatre, like nearly all London Theatres is old, having opened in 1911. I love the feel inside these old buildings, they all maintain their original features and have graced so many great shows and artists over the years.

Inside The Shaftesbury Theatre

The show &Juliet is a remix of the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet – it asks the question What if Juliet’s famous ending was really just her beginning? What if she decided to choose her own fate? In essence the show outlines an alternative ending – she didn’t die and proves when it comes to love, there’s always life after Romeo with a modern day twist and contemporary songs.

The plot is surprisingly fresh – it’s the 16th century sort of, and Anne Hathaway comes to London for the premiere of her husband William Shakespeare’s new play, she doesn’t like the ending and changes it! Anne Hathaway is funny , bossy and has William under her thumb. The story line progresses with songs you all want to sing too cleverly slotted into the plot. Some of the vocals are top class. It was a very enjoyable show and if I’m brutally honest not one I particularly wanted to see. My prize also included interval drinks. Really spoiled.

All in all a fabulous trip away – only one night but we packed a lot in. Thank You Bauer Media and \heat radio.

Myself and Mr Fitz often have one night away, planned right it can feel much longer and you come back refreshed. I highly recommend you try it.

Do you ever go away for just one night or love a good theatre break. What are your favourite shows or have you been to a show you weren’t sure was for you but were pleasantly surprised.

Let me know I love to hear recommendations. I’m already starting my wishlist of places to visit next.

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Covid19 Closure

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Turning 60

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Artists Cottage

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Visiting Harrogate

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Bloggers Giveaway

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Plus size celebrity styles

Dawn French her plus size celebrity style

Melissa McCarthy

Dame Judi Dench

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Getting tickets

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Inside Wimbledon

Hospitality

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The Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel.

Scoff and Banter

The Show &Juliet

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