Reviews and Recommendations: Bull Rodizio

Sorry for the delay between reviews, but this place, just has to have a post dedicated to it.

If you like meat, you'll want to come here. 

Why? Because they don't stop filling your plate with it until you tell them to. 

Is it pricey? No, not really, when you take into consideration just how much you've eaten by the end of the meal, I think you'd more likely describe it as a bargain.

To put it into perspective of how brilliant this place is, both for your wallet and your taste buds - I've eaten here twice in less than a week.

Something to note; if you're a vegetarian, or not much of a meat lover, you won't want to come here because there's not a lot on offer for non carnivores. 

So where is this meat paradise you ask? It's local, in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead and even has it's own car park. In truth, you've probably driven past this place on London Road a few times already but not necessarily noticed it unless traffic has stopped.

If I had to rate this place out of 5, it'd get top marks from me. Seriously? What are you waiting for - check out the website here and go book yourself a table! 

9lbs down and more to go

This post is a little later than planned, so I'm sorry about that. I promised to write a post about my progress having started drinking Skinny Coffee Club coffee. I'm a bit useless admittedly as I have actually forgotten on many of the 28 days to drink this *facepalm* however, I have a second 28 day packet which I will definitely be sticking to as soon as I finish the first one.

Nevertheless, I am pleased to report that my current weight loss progress consists of me now being 9lbs lighter. This is not just down to the Skinny Coffee, but also to my new found motivation to go regularly to the gym, not to mention largely down to my very expensive yet worth every penny Personal Trainer, who is not only encouraging and praising, but also firm and hard (not a euphemism) when necessary.

I have found myself with more energy, renewed motivation and seeing results faster than I ever did using diet 'help' products. I'm also eating more healthily and finding myself not craving those little 'treats/ naughty' foods as much.

Further progress posts to come so keep your eyes peeled!

Insta-Fun with Instax Mini Cams 📷

I've been eyeing up the Instax Mini Cameras for quite a while now - more notably I've had one sitting in my 'saved for later' list on Amazon for at least 2 months - and finally I've actually gone ahead and bought it. Mine is the Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 in yellow (because I wanted something that looked summery and different).

I. LOVE. IT.

What more can I say? I'm a big photography fan generally and I still have my original Polaroid cam too, but sadly that one is so sold that it's actually rather difficult to get films for it anymore. This cute new little instax cam is gorgeous, it's compact (unlike my old polaroid which required 2 hands to handle it, and was quite a hefty thing too), and the quality is great. Now you have to remember that it is a film camera, so the quality of the pictures is not going to match up to that of your digital HD cam. But for a nifty little thing costing under £100 it's pretty damn good.

It comes in a few different colours other than yellow too. I'd imagine the standard black and white colours are rather popular as well as the pinks for girly girls, but I just fancied something a bit different, so I went with yellow.

If you are looking to get one of these nifty little cams, do make sure to check out all the bundle deals on Amazon, but don't forget to check Groupon too - I noticed that there were a few deals for film bundles (not including the cam) for fixed prices which work out to be pretty good value too.

I'm a Prime member on amazon.co.uk so when I ordered my cam, I ordered the bundle that including a film with 10 shots (the films only come as 10 shots each time), because who wants to buy a camera that they can't use right away? In addition to this, I also bought a 4x10 shots film bundle, because knowing me, I thought at the time, I'll get through the first 10 shots pretty quickly.

I wasn't wrong - I've currently only got 4 shots left of my first film and to be completely honest, considering how snap-happy I tend to get, I'm surprised I've managed to not finish the first film already. I guess I'm trying to be sensible with my pics. Haha.

Oh I've neglected to mention the 'selfie' friendly feature this cam comes with - it has a tiny mirror next to the lens to act as a guide when you're taking a single or group selfie. What's not to love about this little beauty?

I took this out into town with me the other night and went a little snap crazy with my colleagues. They loved it though and so did I. Here are some of the pics I've taken so far with this beaut, to give you an idea of quality.

Taken outside, in the shade & in direct sunlight

These 3 were taken indoors in artificial lighting

               

And last but not least, a 'selfie' example

I hope this has been helpful to anyone looking into getting one of these little instax cameras. I have to be honest, I was worried at first that they wouldn't live up to my expectations, but am happy to say that I was worrying for no reason. These little cams are fun and really easy to use.

Happy snapping everyone!

Figs on a Sunday

This time last week, I was in Greece. It was about 35C and I was having breakfast on the balcony, a stone's throw or two away from the sea. The title is relevant, because figs were part of my amazing breakfast that day.

It was also my last day of holiday. Sadly though, instead of being sad that my holiday was over, I was instead keen to get back (to England!) because there was someone special I couldn't wait to see again.

Naturally I was looking forward to seeing my mum and my friends again too, but this someone special was new on the scene, having met him and had a connection to him that I genuinely hadn't felt  in at least 3 and a half years. Isn't it horrible how the people you put the most faith into, turn out to be the ones who weren't worth the bother in the first place? Why does life work out that way?

Now, I consider myself to be a very positive person and I like to give people the benefit of the doubt (even if I'm then disappointed), but this person took my faith to a whole new level. I've never met anyone like him. Someone who seemed so genuinely lovely, who was polite, happy, friendly, and dare I say it, even gentlemanly. It made me believe that I had found someone I was willing to break my singledom pact for (I decided after 2 long term relationships lasting a total on and off of 5 years, that I wouldn't jump back in to anything with someone new unless I was certain it could work). Not to mention, I finally found the answer to 'so what are you looking for?', the most annoying question there is in online dating, for me at least, because I never knew how to put into words what I wanted to find.

And then I found it. I found someone who I didn't feel awkward with, who I could have an actual conversation with, who seemed to be sweet, caring, loving, and best of all, he seemed to like me back too. We had two official dates, but saw each other 5 times in total, each time was more enthusiastic and lovelier than the last if that's even possible. Our first date lasted 8 hours and both of us were reluctant to let it end (even at nearly 3am!). I know what you're thinking - did I put out too soon, and he got his kicks and did a runner? The answer is no. Over the course of the 2 weeks we'd been speaking and seen each other 5 times, the most we did was kiss, and discuss going to Paris together (too soon? Maybe, but it wasn't my suggestion, it was his). We started telling people at work about each other, and were even given suggestions of what to go and see in Paris, (aside from Disneyland which was already on the list because neither of us have ever been to Disney).

Anyway, enough about how amazing and wonderful I believed and was given the impression this person was. 3 days before I left for my holiday to Greece, I had a message, apologising that he couldn't make it, because he had to run out for a family matter (I'm not going to disclose this). It was fair enough, and he said he'd talk to me later that day, and expressed a wish for us to still see each other before I went to Greece. I replied, saying, of course, I understand and not to worry, and yes definitely try to see each other before I go to Greece. He read the message, but I wasn't expecting a reply because he'd already said he was out. That was on 13th August, and I haven't heard anything from him since.

Naturally I sent a message the next day to try and arrange to meet before Greece. I also sent a message a bit later to see if everything was ok after his message the day before, and a third message to say yay, I'd manage to get the time off for Paris (which he told me he'd already booked off).

Nothing. WhatsApp wasn't even showing the messages as 'read'. I was at work so I wasn't too worried as I thought he'd reply when he could. So Sunday came and went.

Monday I was in the London office. I checked the whatsapp message status, and it still only said 'delivered'

Fast forward through a week of sending various messages through different media, and still nothing, so I was antsy to get my plane home. Yet to no avail. Being back in the same country made no difference, still my messages weren't being shown as 'read'. I was starting to lose hope.

A few days ago I saw that one of my whatsapp messages had been read - only one of them mind, the rest still only show as 'delivered'- and still no reply. Then without warning, his picture disappears. He's blocked me. I still have no idea why. A few days later, and I see we're suddenly no longer friends on Facebook (never has this seemed so significant before now), and all of a sudden enough is enough.

I'm wiping my hands clean and considering myself to be single again. Though it's still bugging me massively that I don't have an explanation as to what has happened.

More than ever, I wish I'd not bothered to worry, and just enjoyed my holiday in Greece, as now it feels like I wasted it, willing it to pass more quickly in the hope of seeing someone who I've obviously misjudged massively.

There's not really a way to finish this post, other than to say, I'm going to stop looking, and just have faith that eventually what I'm looking for will come and find me. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy every aspect of my life the way it is to its fullest.

I have my friends, my family and some of the best work colleagues I could ever wish for. Right now, I don't need anything or anyone else.

Reviews and Recommendations: GBK

                                

I know I said in my last post that we would be going to Tortilla for dinner and that this review would be about that, but unfortunately when we got there, the guys at Tortilla were just locking up, so we ended up at GBK (Gourmet Burger Kitchen) instead - definitely not a bad thing, but the review for Tortilla will have to wait until another time.

So GBK I have to say is without a doubt one of my favourite places to eat. Burgers, sweet potato fries, garlic mayo (!) and great people service - what's not to like? So naturally this is going to be a very good review, because as always the food as well as the service were totally on point.

One thing that makes a meal out at GBK so enjoyable (aside from the delicious menu options) is that the staff are always so friendly. I should mention, I'm writing specifically about the Watford branch - I've not been to any other GBK restaurant branches as regularly.

If you've never been to GBK before (😱) here's a bit about how it works:

1. You're seated at the table first with your menu, and then when you're ready you can order.

2. There's isn't a table service for ordering your food, you go up and order and pay, then it's brought to your table.

3. There's a loyalty scheme, where if you sign up through the app, you can get rewards for every transaction over £7, such as free sides, free burgers etc.

From what I've written so far, you can tell, I'm sure, that the entire evening was as lovely, friendly and delicious as always. So I'm going to skip straight to the menu recommendations bit

Menu Recommendations 

Burgers:

• The Mighty: Two 6oz patties, mature Cheddar, crispy bacon, garlic mayo, relish, dill pickle

 This burger is my first choice every time. It's delicious, and the meat simply melts in your mouth. Bonus: it tastes just as good as a 'naked burger'. I usually pair this burger with the Sweet Potato Fries.

• The Don: American cheese, gorgonzola, baconnaise, rocket, onion jam, house mayo, pickled onions

This burger was my first choice before I discovered the The Mighty. It's delicious, but personally I'm not a huge fan of the baconnaise, so I substitute it for the garlic mayo which is divine. Paired with Sweet Potato Fries 👌🏼

Sides:

• Sweet Potato Fries : with baconnaise 

I'm not a fan of the baconnaise, so I usually swap this for garlic mayo.

• House Onion Rings : no further explanation required 

I've only had these twice, but they really are yummy (not to mention a very generous portion). If two of you fancy these, I'd suggest sharing one portion rather than getting one each.

The Bunless Burger:

I've only tried this with The Mighty and it was delicious (probably easier to eat it this way too, as in a bun, it's pretty huge to hold)

With a bunless burger, you pay 50p more to 'go naked' and lose the bun, but you get GBK homeslaw and either a simple green salad or chargrilled corn. If you don't like slaw in general (I don't), that's not an issue, just let them know and they'll give you salad with it and the chargrilled corn instead.

Just writing about GBK and their delicious burgers is making my mouth water, so last but not least, here is a link to their menu, so you can have a browse before you go: http://www.gbk.co.uk/menu

If you love GBK too or go after reading this, drop me a comment to let me know what you think.

As always, if you have any review requests, let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate.

Have a lovely rest of the week and an awesome weekend!

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Reviews and Recommendations: Chiquito Restaurant Bar & Mexican Grill

As promised, here is my post review about our dinner at Chiquito Restaurant Bar & Mexican Grill last Tuesday,14th June. I have had a bit of feedback that my last review was a bit longwinded so I will keep that in mind with this one.

First impressions
As I always do for our Meetup dinners, I booked a table for us; this time through the online website. The procedure was simple enough and within minutes I had a confirmation of my reservation for 5 people at 8pm. We had chosen to go to the Chiquito in Hemel Hempstead. It's a reasonably new branch as it is one of the restaurants that were added onto the Jarman Park complex when it was hollowed out, refurbished and made new again.  Like with Ed's this wasn't the first time I'd been to this restaurant or branch, so I will also make some comparisons to previous visits like I did with Ed's.

Arriving at the Restaurant
As with all Chiquito restaurants, the one in Hemel Hempstead has a beautifully decked-out interior, with more than one unique feature that draws the eye even beyond the first visit.

When we arrived at the restaurant we were greeted and immediately taken to our table. The restaurant wasn't overly busy and our server attended to us immediately, taking our drinks orders. When we go for dinner as a group, there are often new members or members that we haven't seen for a while, so the first thing we tend to do is chat, and more often than not we delay placing our order with the server because of our distraction from the menu. This time was no exception, though thankfully we did already have some idea of what we wanted by the time the waiter came to us the second time. He demonstrated patience and understanding and interacted with us in a friendly way; coming to check if we needed anything throughout the meal.

Over the years that I have been to Chiquitos, the menu has changed in noticeable ways, not only the food choices expanding, but also the look of the menu. I am a very visual person so I love looking through menus with pictures, often searching for the image that represents what I am looking at ordering for my meal. From memory and experience, I would make the assumption that the menu changes somewhere between once every 6 months and one to two years, likely depending on consumer demand. The menu changes here have proven to be a positive thing as although some items may have also been taken off the menu, many have stayed the same and also been added, for example under the Fajita options, there are now more options than there used to be, thus catering for more tastes.

The meal, as expected, was delicious, and as far as I could tell I wasn't the only one who thought so. Having been there recently with one of the other girls, we commented how much more relaxed we'd been than the last time - when we had been rushing to eat before going to the cinema (granted the restaurant had been a little busier, but not full then either). Our conclusion was that the last time must have simply been a fluke as the staff on that visit had seemed more stressed than this time too, so there must have been a reason for that.


Time to leave
At the end of the meal, our server came to see if we wanted desserts, but before he could ask, we requested the bill. We weren't on a schedule this time, and the meal had been lovely, but we were too full to eat anything else. Unlike in some restaurants I have been to in the past, we didn't have to wait long and when he brought it over, he took the time to point out the [ongoing] incentive on the bill - leave a review and have the chance to win the latest iPad (unfortunately - something I noticed later on- he hadn't filled out part of the information we would need to complete the survey online). within a few minutes of handing over the bill, our server came to see who would need a card machine; it seemed we all had cash. Splitting the bill evenly between us, we decided to leave a tip and all added another £1 to the total. We left satisfied and full and eager to go again.


Recommendations for Chiquito Restaurant Bar & Mexican Grill

1. Our experience this time was great, the server was friendly and the food was fantastic. Encourage your staff to realise the importance of customer service no matter how busy the restaurant is and what stresses they have; it only takes one bad impression to put people off coming back.

2. If you want customers to fill out the feedback survey, tell your staff to make sure they fill out all the information needed for customers to do so.

Menu suggestions
For anyone considering a visit Chiquito Restaurant Bar & Mexican Grill, I would recommend trying some of the following from the menu:

Starters
My personal favourites are the Mexican Garlic Bread (with cheese), and the Jalapeño Poppers (formerly on the menu as Chilli Poppers), but the Baked Potato Skins are yummy too.

Mains
I used to only ever go for the Classic Chicken Fajitas, which are lovely, but since they have added the Street Food  menu option I find myself often choosing this as you can get 3 for £12.95 and they are good if you don't want something too heavy, if you are looking for something to share, or if you simply can't decide on just one.


Once again, I hope this has been helpful and please do leave me a comment with feedback.

The next Review & Recommendations post will be about Tortilla which is where we will be eating this evening. This is a restaurant I haven't actually eaten in before, so I am excited to see what it's like and review it for you, so keep an eye out for this one.

Reviews and Recommendations: Ed's Easy Diner

                                    

This week I will be reviewing Ed's Easy Diner, in Watford, where we went for dinner last Thursday evening, 9th June.

First impressions

Let me start with my first impression, which I got when calling to book a table. The person answering spoke clearly and was easy to understand, which you may or may not think is important, but believe me, it can be rare.

Upon my asking if I can book a table, I was informed that they do not take reservations - this is fair enough, as many restaurants have a first come first served arrangement, however it would be useful for groups and larger parties, for special occasions for example, to have that small guarantee of a table.

Having been told that I cannot book a table, I asked whether a table for 4 people would typically be available for the time we were looking to book - at 7:45/ 8pm. The reply again was clear, but having interrupted before I had finished speaking, the person answered my question regarding 7.30pm instead - which was too early for my needs.

I thanked him for the information, and then repeated that I was looking to arrive closer to 8pm. Upon this, he said that around that time should be fine, and that it can be busier closer to 8.30pm, as they start to close up around 8.40pm, because the shopping centre shuts at 9pm. Following a few additional questions, I also discovered that the last food orders are taken at 8.40pm.

Arriving at the Restaurant
When we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted by a server and seated immediately. Left alone with our menus, we noticed a significant difference since the last time we had been there - there was less choice and the prices appeared to have gone up; not the best combination. It took us a while to decide from the menu, which is not a good sign when the choices have decreased in number, but we eventually settled and the server came to take our order. I opted for the Ed's plate but asked if I could change one thing, as I don't like coleslaw. Without listening to my full question, the server interrupted me to inform me that they don't do swaps. I explained my reason for the question - I don't like coleslaw, he repeated the same information.

When our food arrived, I was surprised to find I had still been given coleslaw, despite making it clear that I don't like it - I had expected them to not give me any so as not to waste food. Luckily, my friend does like coleslaw so I gave mine to her.

One of the things I had liked about Ed's in the past, and continued to be a selling point for me is their mini jukeboxes - 20p per song and the money goes to charity - so I was disappointed to find that our jukebox had a coin stuck in it and meant we were unable to play anything from it. This triggered a conversation about the last time we had been there and sat at another table to find that that jukebox was also not available to use, due to a stuck coin. When I mentioned to the server about our jukebox, he offered no apology for the disappointment, but merely responded "yeah that happens sometimes as people put 10p's in them, plus they're not the best quality". I would have thought that if this was something that happened often, Ed's would have either invested in better machines, or instructed their staff to check the machines each evening before closing, and each morning before opening in order to avoid disappointing their clientele. Alternatively, if people were putting in the wrong coins, the staff who seat customers could draw attention to the jukeboxes, as a selling point, and mention that the machines only take 20p's, to avoid the wrong coins being used. Finally, it is never good for staff of a restaurant to insult or draw attention to something negative about their place of work - at least not while in uniform and to potential customers.

Time to leave
Meal finished, we asked for the bill and discussed between us how we found the food - the overall consensus was that the food was alright, but perhaps not worth the money. The server came to give us the bill and asked how many of us were paying on card - only one person. She informed the server that she knew the amount, to which he jokingly replied "oh phew, saves me trying to do the mental maths". I appreciate that staff may be encouraged to keep the interaction with customers lighthearted and friendly, but that particular comment did not paint our server in a good light, and through such a comment it suggests that Ed's don't have a high standard they keep to when hiring staff.

To top it off, the other two of us who attended the meal, paid cash and were due to get change back from the server, yet after 10 minutes sat waiting for him to reappear with this, it became apparent we were not going to get this back. Worried that we would get stuck in the car park because the shopping centre was shutting (we made it out just as they were locking up), we left, unanimous in our decision not to eat there again.

Recommendations for Ed's Easy Diner

1. First come first served is fine, but this could lose you the custom of larger groups and parties for special occasions as there is no guarantee of a table for them

2. Encourage your staff members to practise their listening skills - I was interrupted twice in this last experience and in one of the two incidences I was given irrelevant information because of this and had to repeat my question.

3. a) If you're going to offer potential selling points like the mini jukeboxes on the tables, make sure you tell your staff to check the machines are working before opening and after closing, and in between where possible, otherwise customers will be disappointed and it doesn't leave a good impression.

3. b) Following on from the above, if you have this selling point, draw attention to it when you seat your customers - not every table has one, so if the table you seat your customer at does, point it out and let them know how it works - they'll appreciate the information, and no doubt so will your partner charity.

4. Don't change the entire menu all at once, change one or two things to begin with, and then see the result and go from there. Also, if someone says they don't like something, even if you can't be flexible, don't give them it anyway, as it will most likely go to waste, and a restaurant known for wasting food is not a good thing.

5. Finally, make sure that staff know what is and isn't acceptable to say when interacting with customers - their words can and will reflect back on the company.


As I explained in my introductory post, these reviews are meant primarily as feedback for improvement for the restaurants and not as slander, therefore a link to this post will be sent to Ed's Easy Diner privately.

I hope this has been helpful. Please feel free to leave me a comment below. Also if you have any requests for reviews, please let me know.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next Review & Recommendations post which will be about Chiquito Restaurant Bar & Mexican Grill in Hemel Hempstead, following our visit there this evening.

Reviews and Recommendations: Introduction

Some of you, if you know me personally, will know that I run a Meetup.com group, where I organise local events and dinners for our group to attend. The dinners part of this is once a week.
Following our last dinner social, I have decided to write a weekly post called "Reviews and Recommendations: (INSERT RESTAURANT NAME)" in which I review the restaurant that we attended.

Occasionally, over the last 8 years I have worked as a Mystery Shopper, specifically regarding restaurants, where I have been given an assignment to go and visit a restaurant, have a meal there and then submit a questionnaire report (which was then sent to the restaurant contact person who originally requested this service). Having this experience means that I know what to look out for when writing these types of review. As these posts are to act primarily as feedback for improvement, I will be sending a link to the post privately to the relevant restaurant each time.

In the review I will cover the restaurant itself and its cleanliness, the menu, the service, the facilities and the attitude of the staff. The recommendations part will cover recommendations from the menu (if applicable), and suggestions for improvement for the restaurants. I am aware that some restaurants have a different menu, depending on location so based on this I will also always mention the location of the restaurant I am reviewing.

So keep your eyes peeled!

Sun, Sand and... Cork!

No, not Cork the place in Ireland. Cork, as in the material you find stuffed into the top of bottles of posh wine, sherry and champagne, put there to test your patience when you find you really *need* a small tipple (and to keep the liquid in) - that kind of cork. What has that got to do with sun and sand you ask? One word - Portugal.  Let me go back to the beginning..

Last week I ventured overseas to visit a friend of mine in Portugal. He lives in a little town called Moita, situated across the river from Lisbon. Aside from going to visit him, I went over because I wanted to experience some of the festivities which take place there twice yearly - in May and September. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my bank balance) it turned out the festivities at the end of May were only for one weekend, so I only got to enjoy them for a day. However, that was long enough for me to find and purchase one of my new found loves - a cork handbag. The detail on it is fantastic and it is so lovely that once I clapped eyes on it, I couldn't walk away from it. You may call that greed, I call it a sound investment.

As it turns out, Portugal has a thriving cork industry - it produces about half the world output of commercial cork. On this one day of the festivities, there was a local market with lots of trade stalls including a few different traders selling handmade cork products, and being handmade, they are usually unique and one of a kind items (which is another reason I couldn't walk away from the bag - I knew I would never find another like it). Aside from bags, they also sold cork jewellery, such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and even watches with cork straps, plus notebooks and stationery  - all of which make fantastic and affordable gifts for special occasions. I think it is fair to say that I am now fairly obsessed with cork products. As a plus, the bag is treated so that it is water resistant too, which means I don't need to worry about it getting wet in a non-sunny-most-of-the-year country *cough - the UK - cough* and because of the colours it goes fantastically well with jeans too!

Handmade cork handbag and my cork bracelet, which with the same colouring, matches perfectly

You can find bags similar (but not the same) as mine and other items by this lady here.

A closer look at the cork bracelet

I confess..

I think I may have a slight obsession with watch straps, Yes, you did read that correctly, I said watch straps.  Maybe I should clarify - Apple Watch Straps for my  Watch. Ah yes, see that makes more sense doesn't it?

Anyway, so around this time last year I got my Apple Watch, I wear it every day and absolutely love it. In fact one of the things I love about it is that Apple keep bringing out new straps, in an array of different colours (my bank balance doesn't quite love it as much as I do).

The first strap I got came with the Watch and is the black sports strap. It's smart, and goes with every colour, plus you can change the watch face colour too or make it multicoloured like I do, which means if you like to accessorise with your outfit, you can choose a colour that will match it.

The second strap I bought is the bright green one. I like it because the colour really pops which is great if you find yourself wearing a lot of dark colours, for example to work or just generally. and what's even better is that if you mix and match the straps this green is fantastic with the black strap and green on black watch face.

               

The next two were purchased in New York, at the Apple Store on 5th Avenue, and yes I bought 2 straps, because they're 'cheaper in the US' (only by about £10 but still it's better than no saving). These were the Vintage Rose and Turquoise straps, which incidentally also look fab together. The vintage rose is not too pink, and it's subtle enough to wear with darker shades, and pink enough to still look feminine. The turquoise was the perfect compromise for me as I thought the first blue sport strap was a bit too blue and wouldn't look right with my skin tone. Again it's blue enough to go well with blue jeans and subtle enough to blend in with other colours.

           

When Apple brought out the red strap, I knew I couldn't resist for long, (especially with it coming up to Christmas at the time) I even had the perfect gel colour for my nails to match! And again, because I am often indecisive, black and red is always a good combination, even with watch straps.

            

Having the turquoise strap was one thing, but putting it together with another blue strap, the Royal Blue strap in particular was just too good to miss out on.. They just go really well together, and especially with the bright blue watchface #shadesofblue

Last but not least, as I have a few olive green tops, I thought it would be nice to have a strap for my watch, other than the bright green and the black that would blend a little more with my outfit, but still look smart enough for formal occasions; the Mint strap is the perfect solution. Two words: love it.

See? I told you I'm a bit obsessed.. but let's be honest; that's not likely to change.

Positive Thoughts bring Positive Things

This post is a follow up of sorts from the last post, and I have good news to report - I got the job! They were impressed with me and liked loved my idea and have offered me the role with a 3 month fixed term contract to start, with a view to being extended. So as you can imagine, I am very happy :)

I'm feeling generally very positive at the moment and as a result I'm also feeling more motivated, which has led me to try something new. This evening, I attended my first ever Slimming World meet, and honestly, I'm not 100% sure of what I think of it yet - I probably won't be able to make up my mind completely until I've been next week and seen what progress I have made. My friend who encouraged me to do it with her, is really enjoying it. I think I might go to Slimming World again next week as another friend of mine wants to join too, and maybe go to a Weight Watchers meet the week after, just to see what it is like in comparison and then decide which one I prefer.

Has anyone on here ever tried Slimming World or Weight Watchers? What do/ did you think of them and which would you recommend? Please let me know in the comments below...

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