Afternoon Delight @ Lena's Tea Room

No, the title is not an innuendo. I swear people must think all I do is eat! For Christmas last year Laurence and I got my mum a voucher for Afternoon Tea at Lena's Tea Room in Carrick On Shannon, and I was lucky enough that my mum decided to bring me with her seeing as it was for two people. I was making dying whale noises by the time we got there because I was so hungry - which was a good job because there was so much food.

I've been to Lena's Tea Room once previously so I had a fair idea as to what the food would be like, but I had no idea the Afternoon Tea would be so good. Mum told them on the phone before we booked that I was vegetarian and they were very accommodating. 

The Afternoon Tea came out after a short wait and it was presented beautifully on a 2-tier cake stand filled with sweet and savoury delights. There were the usual sandwiches (chicken and egg mayonnaise) but also some absolutely gorgeous treats I'd never seen in an Afternoon Tea before; grapes and cream cheese on homemade bread, roast vegetables and cream cheese on homemade cheese and chive bread, goat cheese and beetroot tartlets, and savoury cheese and tomato muffin bites. Everything was absolutely divine - I was so impressed it wasn't just a bog standard sandwich and scone affair, and the different flavours and textures made for such an interesting Afternoon Tea. 

Next, it was time for the sweet treats (the best bit!). We had scones topped with slivered almonds - with lashings of cream, jam and real butter, of course - fruit tarts, chocolate brownies, lime and coconut cake, and lemon drizzle cake. Honestly, I swooned with every bite, it was so good. I could've eaten another full cake stand full of the food - if I'd had any room left!

We were looked after so well by the staff and owner, and I just love the decor and ambience of Lena's - everything was perfect. It truly is a relaxing spot to grab a bite to eat and a cup of tea, or treat yourself to their Afternoon Tea - you won't be disappointed.

Resolutions

I never stick to New Years' resolutions. 

So why should 2017 be any different? I think there comes a point where you really desperately want to get your sh*t together and sit yourself down and tell yourself: "You're kind of an adult now, maybe you should stick to some of your resolutions." It's really easy to develop bad habits.

For example, sometimes instead of cooking dinner I'll sit there and eat a plate of crackers spread with soft cheese. Or I'll just snack instead. I have so many fabulous cooking utensils, ingredients and a passion for cooking, so why don't I fuel my passion? Because I'm lazy sometimes a lot of the time, that's why. In 2017, I resolve to keep practicing in the kitchen and experiment every day. Whether it be making my own pizza dough or perfecting a recipe I've always wanted to nail, I'll do it. Or at least try to.

With that comes the classic trying to eat healthy resolution. I'm sick of feeling sick from eating rubbish so I'm determined to really give some sort of structured eating routine a go, instead of eating a whole tub of Pringles and wondering why my jeans won't do up. Watch this space.

I feel like 2016 - the latter half especially - has consisted of a lot of rushing around and not a whole lot of taking time out for myself. Since moving in with Laurence I've noticed myself becoming a bit needy and dependent on him which I think can be smothering in a relationship. 2017 will be the year I try and take up a new hobby (I'm not sure what yet, any ideas?) and practice more ~self love. Cheesy as it sounds, there's a lot to be said for having a pamper evening, going for a walk or even making yourself an indulgent breakfast you really love. Everyone needs to be a bit selfish sometimes.

Since starting college I've found myself slipping into a very same-y style of dressing. I used to always dress up in skirts, nice tops or dresses with tights and heels or boots, and lately I just dress for comfort which isn't like me at all. I was very lucky to receive some Penneys vouchers for Christmas and I'm determined to do a wardrobe blitz and sort out my style. For some reason I went through a phase of buying sleeveless summery clothes that are more suited to Malibu than Westmeath. Not very logical for Irish weather, but on my next shopping trip I'll be sure to opt for slightly warmer clothes!

This year I've been so busy I feel like my blogging has fallen by the wayside, and I've felt a little disheartened about how my blog has been faring. There's such fierce competition in the blogging world lately, but as they say, there's nothing wrong with healthy competition. Sometimes it feels as though the blogging community isn't a community and everyone is totally out for themselves though. Google has decided to take my blog off the search engine which has drastically affected my stats, and it's really getting me down. However, I won't let it defeat me. I will resolve to keep blogging, e-mail Google to see what's happening, and try and make my blog more varied. After all, blogging is an outlet for everything going on in my head and I really do enjoy it - even if there's only a handful of people reading!

So those are just a few of my resolutions - what are yours? I hope you all have a happy, safe and healthy New Year. Time to fit as many Pringles as possible into my mouth before the healthy eating kick tomorrow.

Beauty Review: Penneys P.S. Beauty Brush Cleaning Mitt

Phew, that was a bit of a mouthful, wasn't it?

I don't do many beauty type posts, even though I am a bit of a beauty aficionado. Laurence claims I have enough makeup to sink a ship but I disagree. After all, there are lots of days in a year and each one requires a different makeup look, obviously.

Anyway, along with lots of makeup comes lots of makeup brushes, which is good and bad. Good because I love makeup brushes and bad because it's a pain in the arse to wash them, quite truthfully, and I don't do it half as often as I should. Oops.

I've decided lately that has to change. I don't think it's doing my skin any good by using dirty makeup brushes, and it's nice to have clean brushes anyway. They're much easier to work with when they're not caked with makeup - who'd have guessed?!

Whilst on my thrice-weekly (ha) trip to Penneys, I went to the beauty section as usual and was delighted to find a black silicone brush cleaning mitt. Seeing as it was only €2.50 I decided there was no harm in trying it and popped it in my basket. 

I left it unopened for a few days (you have to sneak up on cleaning your makeup brushes, they can smell fear) and finally decided to complete the arduous task. I chose a few of my dirtiest brushes and set to work with the unassuming cleansing mitt. I noticed the mitt had lots of textured lumps and bumps for getting right in there with the brushes. 

I applied baby shampoo - you can use any brush cleanser though - to the mitt, a little bit of water and then swirled my brushes around. I'm not kidding, it was like magic. The dirt just fell off the brushes and the textured mitt was perfect for scrubbing off every trace of makeup. Even the really dirty foundation brushes weren't a problem for this little beaut - I had all my brushes washed in a fraction of the time it usually takes. Result.

Overall, for the price this thing is amazing. The Sigma one may look a bit fancier and prettier but at €30+ it's not cheap, and I've heard the Penneys one gives it a run for its money. For €2.50 you really can't go wrong - give it a go.

Have you tried out this nifty little brush mitt or any other P.S. Beauty bits?

Something To Smile About: Trump Day Edition

Credit to my mum for the very clever hump day/Trump day witticism. It's time for another weekly 'things that made me smile' blog post. This one wasn't as easy to write as last week's one was because it's been quite a long stressful week. After coming back from a relaxing week off, college assignments and revision have taken over seeing as we only have 4 weeks until our Christmas exams. Eeek. Let's not even mention the recent American presidential election result.

Having said that, there were a few key moments this week that put a grin on my face. Without further ado: 

1. Standing on the balcony looking over the estate at the back of our apartment and seeing two dogs walking up the road together, side by side, and then both running into a garden as if they were best friends for life.

2. The fact we only have two Christmas exams and are finished on December 15th. Score.

3. Becoming Class Rep for my course, alongside my friend Oliwia. 

4. This week's free food finds from AIT's Student Union: lemongrass, courgettes, coleslaw, a lovely seedy loaf of bread, and some Tesco Finest stuffing.

5. Looking up at the stars with my boyfriend and having a deep conversation about life, the universe and everything in between.

6. Making a last minute decision to go to Lidl last night - and finding a wet, dirty €20 note on the ground outside.

7. Realising there are some genuinely really nice people out there who do care when you complain about stuff. Faith in humanity restored.

So there's just a few happy moments from my week - did anything happen to you this week that cheered you up? Let me know, and remember, keep smiling. :-)

Beat The Winter Blues

Winter is not my thing.

 I feel like I'm the only person nowadays who isn't into the autumn/winter months. Everywhere you go you're blinded with autumnal colours, pumpkin spice everything, and - dare I say it - Christmas paraphernalia. Don't get me wrong, I do love Christmas, but not the cold, dark nights it brings, and how they make me feel.

Until recently I suffered from SAD - Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder - so bad I'd dread winter. As soon as the clocks went back, and even before then, hibernating and curling up in a ball under my duvet seemed so tempting. Thankfully this isn't the case as much any more - probably because of the fact I now have a wonderful boyfriend to keep me warm in these cold winter months.

With that being said, winter still does affect me, and I'm noticing it in dribs and drabs lately. Like the fact it starts getting dark at around 4 p.m. now. Or the walk to college in the morning when all I think about is whether or not it's acceptable to wear a dressing gown outside. And when I open my wardrobe to see all my lovely but totally not winter-appropriate clothes, but not really having the budget to revamp my wardrobe to be a bit more cold weather friendly.

I think what set this blog post into motion was the fact Laurence and I came back up to Athlone last night after spending the week with our families, and the contrast in temperature of our houses was phenomenal. Our student accommodation has never been cold by any means, but last night I couldn't feel my nose in the bedroom, and we had to succumb to the wall heaters for the first time since moving in. Our electricity meter was practically screaming this morning!

This year, instead of letting SAD affect me, I've decided I'm going to tackle it head on. I won't let winter beat me this year, I'm going full on Gloria Gaynor - I will survive, dammit. So I've compiled a list of a few steps I - and anyone else who reads this blog and feels like it may help them - can take to make these next few months a little bit easier.

1. Get out there. Please don't click out of this blog just yet!

I know myself that exercising when it's cold outside is the last thing anyone wants to do, unless you're one of the Happy Pear guys (respect to them). I have the option of watching Netflix in my Bambi dressing gown whilst eating pizza, why wouldn't I just do that?! 

Recently my body has been crying out for exercise, and begrudgingly I can say a brisk walk outside does wonders. It doesn't have to be far - it can be as simple as walking down to the shop, or around your estate, or walking your dog - but it does help to clear your mind and appreciate the beauty of winter: crisp, brightly coloured leaves, festive cups in Costa, winter fashion, dogs wearing little padded jackets to keep them warm... it's not all bad. 

If you can't get outside, why not try a home workout? You don't have to go full on Dwayne Johnson but even just by doing some sit-ups it can help clear the cobwebs, and as a bonus you might burn off some of the calories from all those pre-Christmas chocolates. Sure, someone has to taste test them before distributing them as gifts. *cough*

2. Treat yo'self. 

Even if it's something small. Yesterday my mum and I stopped off in Lena's Tea Room in Carrick-On-Shannon for a bit of cake and a warming drink. It's absolutely gorgeous there, so cosy and pretty, and the coffee and cake is just delicious. Now that I've found I can eat dairy again I chose a brownie and a mocha, while mum went for tea and seasonal fruit cake. It was such a lovely treat and really broke the day up. If you ever find yourself passing by Carrick-On-Shannon, do stop off in Lena's.

If you have the funds to have a full on blow-out and do a spa day, dinner, wine and a shopping spree, go ahead. If, like me, you're feeling the pinch in the run up to Christmas, why not save up for something nice? Laurence and I found a lovely jar my mum got me and decided every week we'd each put a bit of money into it. The jar sits on our coffee table so that we can't pretend it's not there, and whenever one of us has some loose change - it doesn't have to be much, we just put coins in - it goes into the jar. Over time it builds and builds and eventually you'll have enough to buy yourself a little treat. We've decided to use the money for our Christmas shop, and any left over we'll use to get ourselves something small. You deserve it.

3. Get creative.

Now that I have my own living space I've found myself very excited for seasonal holidays, partly because it's nice to make the place look pretty, and also because I kind of want to put up the Christmas decorations in mid-November. Oops.

You can get creative in any way that inspires you and lifts your spirits. It doesn't have to be putting up tinsel and plastic Santas nearly 2 months too early; you could make your own winter-y decorations, put some fairy lights in your room, or even get a nice throw to put on the sofa. Penneys have some lovely soft throws and some are as cheap as €5 - that's a lot cheaper than putting the heaters on all day! 

If you're more into kitchen creativity like I am, make the most of some of the gorgeous food that's perfect for this time of year. Now that Halloween is over many places have pumpkins for very cheap, so I've been enjoying making pumpkin pie, soup and even pumpkin curry. Hearty, warming comfort food such as stews, curries and roasts are also great options, not to mention the drinks - mulled wine, hot chocolate and seasonal coffee drinks. Mmm.

4. Talk.

If you do feel like you might have SAD, or are feeling a bit down in general, talk to someone. Your doctor might be able to help. Alternatively, talking to a friend or family member can really lift your spirits, and you never know who might also be suffering in silence! There's a massive stigma in this country around mental health, but that's changing. It's ok to have a bad day, or week, or even month. I'm going to end this blog post now, because I'm starting to sound like the Friends theme tune.

Hope you enjoyed this post and it was helpful in some way - and remember, to quote Albus Dumbledore: "Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

Recipe: Easiest French Toast Ever

Friday was a good day. Not only did midterm break start, I headed to AIT's Student Union and discovered a basket full of free food sitting on a table, free for any student to pick from it. It turns out Tesco partner with a scheme called FoodCloud where they donate all their short dated/out of date food to those in need, which is such a fantastic idea. In this day and age there's so much food wastage when it could go to the homeless or schemes like this. I picked up a loaf of tiger bread and 2 packets of sprouted seeds from the basket and gleefully brought them home.

The tiger bread was slightly stale on the outside but perfect on the inside, so I thought what better to use it for than some French toast? I had originally planned to make a healthy lunch but French toast always wins.

Without further adieu - and because I hate those recipe posts that spend 14 paragraphs talking about their neighbour's cousin's gerbil's flu due to the snow storm that's been happening recently (I made that up) - here's the recipe. So easy and perfect for brunch!

Ingredients

Plain flour

Milk of your choice (dairy free or normal milk)

Drop of vanilla essence

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Unflavoured oil for frying

Tiger bread or thick loaf

Method

1. Cut the bread into fairly thick (1 or 2 inches, oo-er) slices.

2. Preheat a frying pan with some oil - I used coconut as it provides a nice flavour.

3. Make your batter. To be honest I don't like measuring stuff so I just added about 100ml of milk to a bowl and added flour until it was like a thin pancake batter. I think I added about 4 tbsp of flour. I then added the cinnamon and vanilla and gave it a good whisk until smooth.

4. Coat your bread evenly in the batter and add to the hot pan.

5. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve with whatever takes your fancy!

Here's mine, topped with an Alpro Dessert Moments hazelnut & chocolate pudding, crushed almonds, peanut butter and vegan dark chocolate spread. Yum!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe post and try it out for yourself. Let me know if you'd like to see more recipe posts!