Blue Skies & Bunting At The Continental's Beer & Cider Festival

The rain clouds took pity on Preston this weekend and stayed away (for the most part) for The Continental's Sixteenth Beer and Cider Festival. 

Kimono clad, I went along on Friday to get the closest I was going to get to Glastonbury, and keen to try a few of the 150 plus beers, ciders and craft ales under blue skies and bunting. 

Bad Hair, Big Macs & Bloggers Block

It would be fitting to say that after typing the title to this post I spent the next ten minutes or so huffing and puffing, wondering where to begin. So, after typing the title to this post I spent the next ten minutes or so huffing and puffing, wondering where to begin. 

In fact, the majority of my weekend has been spent this way. I have had a bout of Bloggers Block. 

*Bloggers Block not to be confused with an inability to defecate*

Every once in a while I have a teeny tiny itsy bitsy mood that creeps up on me and floors me. One of those 'stop the world I want to get off moods.' You know the one, no amount of Real Housewives catch ups can shift it and a vanilla slice doesn't even scratch the surface.

I Read Becoming AND Bumped Into The Author

 "You'll end up on dangerous ground if you reckon you'll love yourself only once another boy does."

The power of social media reigns supreme. Two weeks ago I got swept up in the excitement that was brewing on my twitter feed when Laura Jane Williams (blogger behind Superlatively Rude) released her first book, Becoming. A book about "sex, second chances, & figuring out who the hell I am."

Daisy Buchanan is quoted on the cover as saying, "If you've ever felt a little lost, I hope this book finds its way to you." I ordered a copy.

Using Waterstone's click and collect service, I had a leisurely five days to pick up my order. On the first of my five days the excited murmurings about Becoming had spread... to the tabloids. That same day I ran into Waterstones to get my copy. I did literally run, I'd parked on double yellows. 

Blogosphere Cover Reveal Party

Have a guess which blog graces page 94 of Blogosphere Magazine, Issue 9? Stone the crows it's only Not Your Nine To Five.

Yours truly has made it into the "In The Spotlight" final 3. A new feature launched to give every blogger who enters, which can be anyone, the opportunity to have their blog featured in the magazine. Bloggers who "deserve to be centre stage."

If making the final wasn't enough to have me humming S Club 7s 'Reach For The Stars' an invite to the Blogosphere Cover Reveal Party definitely was. 

Dinner Date: You Had Me At Pizza & Wine

There's been a definite post-holiday blues vibe in our humble abode since we got back from a long weekend away. When the biggest decisions you make each day are, is it too early for a cocktail and which restaurant shall we try, who can blame us?

What better time to take up the offer of trying the latest edition to the Ristorante pizza range, a limited edition large Pizza Salame Arrabiata. (Try saying that after a few drinks). We had a solid plan, beat the holiday blues with a mega easy to make dinner at home for two.

A Long Weekend In St Ives: Part Two

Welcome to the final leg of my long weekend in St Ives Cornwall. If you didn't catch part one you can get yourself up to speed here. 

I decided to split my visit to St Ives into two posts. It's the most photogenic little place and basically I had too many photos to fit into one... you can't expect me to leave out any bobby dazzlers like the seagull postcard can you. 

Anyway, after two nights of exploring, eating and drinking, we met up with my family for two more nights of exploring, eating and drinking. There's something special about meeting up with people when you're away. How lovely it is to see familiar faces when you're in different surroundings.