Sunday 31 December 2017

New Year New Me...Sort Of

Well I failed tragically at Blogmas but December proved to be a particularly busy and stressful month so I took some time out for myself.

New year always brings out the best and worst in me in terms of thinking about the future so this year I have decided to think about it differently.

2017 was a reflective year for me but I think these things are only worthwhile if you actually use it. I decided to concentrate on making resolutions using the things I have enjoyed most in 2017 rather than a long list of "I must not's"

With that in mind here are my thoughts on what I want to concentrate on in 2018...

1. Putting more effort into friendships: Within the vintage community it can feel really easy to make friends but sustaining the relationships is another matter. In 2017 I made some amazing friends but I am not the best at being the first to suggest meeting up or being organised about seeing people.


Of course it is very good for me when I do make those connections with people so in 2018 I want to continue to put energy into those I love which is a pretty great position to be in all round!

2. New experiences: 2017 was a big year for me in terms of travel. I took my first ever flight alone to see my friend in Spain and once that milestone was out of the way (I am a nervous flyer at the best of times) I decided it was time to take a trip alone and went to Poland.

I had such a fantastic time that there is no stopping me now and I plan on making at least two trips in 2018.


It's not just travel that I want to experience, there are plenty of things here in England that I want to do and I am aiming to experience one thing each month but it has to be something that will bring me joy. After all, as my dad says, what do we work for if not to enjoy ourselves.

3. Making healthy choices: I am not going to put any numbers on myself this year when making resolutions, no number of pounds to lose or weeks to do it in, I am simply asking myself to think about what is good for me, whether that be physical health or in letting go of toxic old friendships 2018 is going to be a year where I consider whats best for me and if I don't like the medicine at least it is my choice.



I have started my 2018 content plan and hope to be doing more YouTube this year as well as blogging. Of course I have already started the annual wardrobe clear out and already have quiet a sizeable "for sale" pile.

Wishing you a Happy New Year and a wonderful start to 2018 wherever you are in the world!

Lots of Love
Lucy
xxx

Saturday 30 December 2017

Era Go Again Travels Poland Part 2 - Music and Munch

Aside from the touristy things I did in Poland which I covered in my part 1 post there was also an awful lot more to write about. Mainly music and food!

I knew I wanted to go and check out some of the musical offerings of Krakow so I did some research before I travelled. 


Opera 


I had actually never been to an opera but had always wanted to. I called the Opera Krakowska ahead of time to book a ticket before I went. Tickets cannot be booked directly online. On the telephone the lady told me she only had one ticket left and it was the highest priced ticket. 


It was 120 PLN which when converted to pounds makes the ticket £25.50, I couldn't believe how affordable it was an quickly sent over the booking form. 




The opera house is a little too far to walk to from the main square so I jumped in a taxi (also very cheap in Krakow) 





The opera I saw was Countess Maritza by Emmerich Kálmána. So many people asked me what language the performance was in, unsurprisingly it was in Polish but it really wouldn't matter as I only speak English. It was still easy to follow the love stories twists and turns and not understanding the language didn't distract from enjoying the music and costumes (which were fantastically well done) 


I loved every moment of it and wore my fanciest dress which I had taken specifically for this occasion. 




Chopin Piano Recital 


Similarly to the Opera I have never found the occasion to go to a piano recital but Chopin, originating from Poland but living much of his short life in Paris, is celebrated in these events which are organised by Cracow Concerts 


The recital is held in the beautiful Chopin gallery and you are given a glass of wine on arrival. The price for this event is 60PLN which equates approximately to £12.70. 



The gallery is like an escape from the outside world and for a while you can just drift off with the music, there is little to distract you there. 


I think this was my favourite musical event in Krakow, it was smaller and more intimate than the opera and there is no story to follow it's pure enjoyment. There is also no assumption that you will know anything about classical music so anyone could enjoy the event. 


Jazz Bars 


Like all things in life not all Jazz bars are created equal but I visited two in Krakow which each have their own merits. 


Harris Jazz Bar


One night I went to the Harris Jazz Bar which is on the main square, the place was packed and to sit in the music area was 20PLN for the show and table service. 




The music in here was fine, enjoyable to listen to and although I didn't eat my friend did, the food looked great and they served till late. 


I would say this venue is more of a tourist spot though as it seems to be really popular online. 


Jazz Club u Muniaka 


I found another Jazz bar and decided to give that a go one evening. It's underground (just like the Harris bar) and the cost is about the same. This place was quieter when I arrived but soon picked up. The tables are less squashed together and there are two large booths at the back for bigger parties. 


The atmosphere here is just a bit friendlier and you also get table service. It took some getting used to that you are only expected to pay for your drinks when you are leaving and not round for round. 




The music here was better I would say, the musicians varied night to night (I went more than once) and they had more of a range of style. I am not a jazz snob by any means but I found this variation more enjoyable. 


The drinks here are slightly more expensive than a normal Polish bar but that's to be expected and it's still cheap by UK standards. 


If you can only make it to one then this venue is the one I would recommend. 


Food 


There is tonnes of food to try in Krakow and restaurants of every cuisine can be found in the main square but there were a couple of typically Polish things that I wanted to try. I'd read some travel blogs which all spoke about traditional polish dishes and they sounded right up my street. 


Dumplings - called Pierogi are a traditional Polish food. These ones were stuffed with mushroom. You can get them boiled or fried but I preferred boiled. You get them just on their own and it's a good thing as they are so filling.  



If you go to Krakow be sure to visit a milk bar for cheap and hearty food as above. I found  Milkbar Tomasza near the main square and likes it so much I went there at least three times. They play really good music there and the food is gorgeous! 



Groats - Dobra Kasza Nasza 



Groats is a very traditional Polish dish made from pearl barley, millet or buckwheat, combined with tasty ingredients and cooked in the oven. We don't have a dish to compare it to in England but all I can say is it was so scrummy and really filling. 

This restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere, very attentive waiting staff and is reasonably priced. When I go back to Krakow I would definitely come back here. 


Weasel 


I read about this place online and it was pitched as traditional Polish food in a romantic setting. Since I was travelling alone I decided that no one loves me more than me so I was going in for a table for one! 

Stuffed cabbage leaves -  I had read about these online and really wanted to try them, cabbage being one of my faves. What I noticed about polish food is that is doesn't come with loads of sides it is filling just as it is. 

This dish came with a rich tomato sauce and was stunning, definitely try cabbage leaves in Krakow! 




Cheese  - Another polish delicacy is sheeps cheese which is griddled, sheeps cheese is quite strong and rich so a little goes a long way. This starter was cooked to perfection! 


So there you have it, my entertainment/foodie round up of Krakow. I hope you enjoyed reading this post and I am already planning more trips for 2018! 

Until next time 
Love
Lucy
xx




Tuesday 5 December 2017

Blogmas Day 5 - Best Christmas Reproduction Jewellery

When you can't lash out a months wages on some of the beautiful vintage reproduction clothing that comes out every Christmas it's easy to feel dismayed. However you can dress up any old LBD with some retro Christmas jewellery. Here are my favourite pieces... 


Gingerbread Heart Gift Set 
£45.00

This gift set is so sweet it's almost edible and is a lovely take on a Christmas theme without being to obvious. The adorable little details look like icing and jam and who doesn't need that in their life?


Erstwilder 
Seasons Greetings Brooch
$39.95 AUD

I love brooches and own a few Erstwilder pieces, they are really good quality and well made. These more themed items sell out quickly on their website so be sure to sign up for their updates to snap them up. I love this snow globe design with the iridescent detail on the house and the way the white exterior would sit so nicely against a dark outfit to really make the brooch stand out. 


Fun Bah Humbug Raspberry Acrylic Word Necklace 
£9.50


For anyone feeling less than festive there are tongue in cheek options like this naughty necklace. I love this companies collection of Christmas offerings and the prices are really reasonable too! 



If you are looking for something truly unique you need to check out this gorgeous ladies designs, each piece is lovingly handcrafted and really different. 

I love this necklace with it's arch filled with a selection of mini bells, I've never seen anything like it and well, isn't that the point? 


Merry Christmas Bitches Jumper Enamel Pin
£7.00

I have a bit of an addition to Punkypins and their designs that always give me a chuckle. Their pins are really fantastic and well made, the pin stopper is made out of rubber and they don't fall off the way the metal ones do. They have brilliant Christmas collection. 

I hope you enjoyed this post , what are your favourite Christmas jewellery designs? 

Until tomorrow
Love 
Lucy
xx






Monday 4 December 2017

Blogmas Day 4 - Holiday Hair Flowers by Miss Bella's Blooms

Christmas is a time for giving, and where better to start than with yourself. When planning my Christmas outfits I came to the conclusion that I needed some hair flowers for the holiday season.

Of course I went straight to Miss Bella's Blooms, like I said in my review for the company this summer (which you can read here) I knew that they would have some brilliant Christmas pieces.




The parcel arrived really well packaged, this is one thing about ordering hair flowers online because if they are not protected they could turn up looking worse for wear, but not these. 

They come wrapped in pretty paper with the Miss Bella's Blooms distinctive sticker. 

The first piece I choose was this beautiful red and gold corsage with ribbons and acorns. 


There are little gold flecked details all through the design. It's completely gorgeous and oh so christmassy! 


As ever the attention to detail is fantastic, there are tiny little gold flowers offsetting the larger red ones, and layers and layers of leaves underneath. 


The back of this piece includes a hairclip and a pin so I can wear it as a pin or in my hair, I love multi purpose uses for things. 


The next one I choose was this silver and white one, I was a bit apprehensive about glitter but of course it's high quality so it's not all coming off over everything.


The design includes the large white flowers, silver accent flowers, tiny little pine cones and little silver berries. 


Even the dark green leaves are highlighted with silver. 


This one has a clip for the hair but I also clip them to other things, through a button hole on a coat or to a hat. 


I also received a lovely surprise in my package by the way of hair pins, it was a lovely thank you from the seller. 


I am so pleased with both these pieces and will be a returning customer fore sure! 


I hope you enjoyed this review 

Until tomorrow 
Love 
Lucy 
xx

Sunday 3 December 2017

Blogmas Day 3 - Crazy for Cardigans

Cardigans are a massive staple in my wardrobe as I hardly ever go out without one. Sometimes I find the high street a bit lacking but around christmas time there are always some great finds and of course the vintage reproduction companies always have some fab designs too.

Here are some of my favourite cardigans available now...


All the Trimmings Cardigan 
Joe Browns  £39.95

Wear it with...


SimplyBe £14.25


All that Glitters Cardigan 

New Look £20.99 Available in Tall and Petite

Wear it with... 
 
River Island £36.00          Topshop £36.00


Smart and Sassy Cardigan 

Collectif £49.00 Now £34.30

Wear it with... 





Ice Queen Cardigan 

Voodoo Vixen £30.00 Now £15.00

Wear it with...



I hope you enjoyed this post, it's put me right in the shopping mood which is a bit of a shame since I cannot buy anything for me right now! 
Until tomorrow 
Love 
Lucy 
xx






Saturday 2 December 2017

Blogmas Day 2 - Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree

I live in a flat share and one thing that occurred to me, having not been settled in one place for the last few years, was how sad I was not to have a tree.

Because I am a grown up and can do what I want I decided to buy myself one.



What I bought:

Argos did me proud this year and they also had a 3 for 2 deal so I ordered the bulky things from them and got them delivered.

Noel 5ft Christmas Tree - Now £10.99



Home 50 Piece bauble pack - £9.99



60 Holly and Berry Christmas Tree Lights - Red £9.99 - no longer on deal


(These are not on deal as mine were 50 lights but they may have sold out)

I also bought a few other bits a bobs to mix it all up a bit, these all came from Poundland who have a great selection these years. I went for a bow rather than a fairy or a star and I love how it looks on top of the tree. I also adore the little vintage wooden ornaments which remind me of ones we had when I was little.











I'd love to do lots of different Christmas tree styles, maybe one day I'll have my own place to make grotto like but for now my tree is cheering me up everyday, now I just need to get some gifts under it!

Until tomorrow

Love
Lucy
xx