A few weeks ago, I was invited for an overnight stay at The Globe in Warwick. Warwick has been on my list to go to for quite a while now, so I was excited to take up the offer and explore another place in the UK – side note, I keep wanting to say city, but apparently, it’s not one!

The Globe is part of the Oakman Inns group and is a pub with accommodation. The building first opened in 1788 as ‘The Globe Inn Commercial and Posting House’ becoming a theatre in the early 1800’s, hosting pantomimes and plays for the locals. The history of the place is apparent through the artwork spanning the hotel walls and inside the pub itself which is always a lovely touch when you’re staying somewhere new. The hotel now has 16 boutique style bedrooms and has been undergoing a renovation for the past two years.

Jordan and I travelled down on a very sunny bank holiday Sunday and when we arrived, the beer garden was full of people enjoying the great British summer. We were shown to our room, which was done out in such a tasteful way, with a huge double bed, exposed brick (my fave) and a bathroom suite which has made me want to completely overhaul ours. They also had a Sky box which would be great if you were looking for a cosy night in.

We didn’t spend long in the hotel room because the weather was so lovely and we wanted to get outside as soon as possible. The Globe sits on the edge of the town and is the perfect place to explore the area. We walked into the market square which was at the top of the road and had loads of bars and restaurants where everyone was sat around in the sun.

We wandered through the streets, getting ourselves and ice cream on the way, and walked over to the castle. If Warwick is famous for one thing, it is definitely the castle which sits within the gardens on the bank of the river Avon and spans 690 acres. Because it was a bank holiday Sunday and the queues were pretty insane at this point, we decided to walk around the gardens instead and admire the castle from afar.

After stopping for a cider in a nearby beer garden, we wandered up to the Lord Leycester hospital, which we were very kindly invited to. The hospital dates from the 14th Century and is an incredibly impressive building, which housed ex-servicemen during the Elizabethan war period. Each room was stooped in history, and to this day there are still ex-military living within the grounds who meet daily to pray.

When we got back to the hotel, we had a couple of drinks in the beer garden before heading up to get changed for dinner. We had been invited for our meal by the lovely team at the hotel and I was really looking forward to it after seeing the people outside enjoying their food earlier in the day.

We started off with a couple of drinks (G&T for me, beer for Jordan) and had a read of the menu. The specials sounded incredible, and we ordered a camembert for a starter, which the waitress recommended. It came with two pieces of grilled artisan bread and chutney and was absolute heaven with each mouthful.

For the main, I went for the prawn linguine as I fancied a seafood dish. The portion was a really decent size for pasta (I usually find you get way too much or not enough) and was really enjoyable. Jordan had the portabello mushroom burger with grilled halloumi and told me that it was incredible (I’m not a fan of mushrooms so I’ll take his word for it).

For the dessert, I went a bit off-piste and ordered the apple and berry crumble, which I would never usually go for, but for some reason, I just fancied it. It came with a gorgeous Madagascan vanilla ice cream and was the perfect end to a very scrumptious meal. I also had a bit of Jordan’s too which was the banoffee sundae and was delicious – anything banoffee, I’ll usually love!

After 0ur meal, we finished our drinks outside where it was still lovely and warm and watched the locals enjoying the sunshine before heading up to the room to relax.

If you’re up for a trip to Warwick, I would definitely recommend checking out the Shakespeare’s England website which gives you information about the different places in Warwickshire. It’s a lovely little place for a few chilled-out days away and the architecture is gorgeous.

–

Have you ever been to Warwick? What did you think?

xx

Our stay at The Globe was complimentary in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own.

Yesterday evening, I did something I never usually do – I took some time for myself. Work has been absolutely manic at the moment, so it really couldn’t have come at a better time for me personally and it was lovely to not have to worry about anything for an evening.

When you have a side hustle like blogging, you sometimes feel like you want to spend every moment you’re not at work being productive: Whether it’s pitching to brands, writing blogs or taking photos, sometimes it’s hard to switch off when its something you’re so passionate about – that’s how I feel anyway when it comes to this little piece of the internet.

I’m really lucky that I know someone who has just started doing treatments from his canal boat in the beautiful Cheshire countryside. When you first hear canal boat, you might be a bit sceptical about how this works, but I can assure you, the setting is an absolute dream, and as soon as I got out of the car I felt as though a huge weight was lifted.

The very aptly named business, take a breather with Chris, is the only one I know of it’s kind, but really, where better to switch off and relax with the sounds of nature surrounding you. Chris met me at the car park with his gorgeous little dog, Lola, in tow (a half pom, half shih tzu) and we walked up to the narrowboat which had his flag on the top – definitely unmissable. We caught up briefly and he showed me around the boat which is definitely a lot bigger than it looks from the outside!

I’d chosen to go for the Swedish massage as my treatment, as I’ve felt quite a lot of tension in my muscles over the past few months. As with most massages, I had a few questions to answer first about my lifestyle and if I had any medical issues. Chris provided me with a tub of warm water for my feet to start the relaxation process off, and it really did help. When he asked me about my stress levels, it was only when I answered that I’m feeling a 9/10 at the moment that I wondered why I hadn’t done anything like this sooner.

The treatment lasted an hour, and it was pure bliss. The sounds of nature and people sailing by outside helped me to totally relax, so much so that I actually fell asleep for a few minutes which was lovely. Switching off is something I find really difficult, even when I’m at home, so doing something like this felt like a real treat for myself, when in reality, it’s something I need to invest more time in to.

In our day to day lives, we can put so much pressure on ourselves to always be at the top of our game and constantly be achieving the greatest, when in reality, we all need time to relax and take a breather: Chris also specialises in at home visits and also corporate packages, which I could totally get on board with.

If this is something that you would be interested, I would highly recommend paying Chris (and Lola) a visit in their picturesque setting – you deserve it! xx

I’m sure you’ll know by now that travel is a bit part of my life, and even more so, this blog. This year I vowed to myself that I was going to spend more time in the UK, discovering places on my doorstep and further afield, and so far it’s going well.

With the train prices going up and up (and no longer falling into the ‘railcard’ age group, sob…) I tend to drive wherever we decide to go and it’s always nice to be in the comfort of your own car when travelling for a couple of hours.

I’ve rounded up some of the ways to make sure that your car is ready for your summer road trip.

–

Plan Plan Plan

I’m a stickler for organisation when it comes to road trips (and in my day to day life) so I always like to plan ahead. If we’re travelling on a Friday evening or Saturday, I try to check the traffic the same time the week before to see what it is going to be like when we’re planning to set off and adjust accordingly. I also try to look for an alternate route just in case the traffic starts to build when we’re already in the car.

–

Check For Damaged Parts

There’s nothing worse than chancing a damaged part of your car before you head out on a road trip, and if anything went wrong, it would completely ruin your time away, and probably put a dent in your purse. Checking your car over a week or so before you’re heading off is the best way of making sure everything is intact and gives you enough time if you need anything fixing.

Test The Tyre Pressure

Guess which idiot drove all the way to Nottingham with tyres that were the wrong pressure? You got it! Keeping your tyres at the right pressure is not only, yano… logical, but it also decreases the amount of petrol you use. If you head to a petrol station, they will usually have a machine that you can use to measure the pressure – just make sure you google your car’s requirements or check the handbook first.

Get A Service

As with anything car related, getting a professional to check over it every 6 months to a year is really important to make sure everything is running smoothly. Regular car servicing is mandatory & can be booked online here if you’re looking for a quick and easy service.

Check The Oil Levels

I’ll be honest that this isn’t something I ever did until I had a really annoying little icon on my dashboard that just wouldn’t go away until I took it to the garage, and guess what it was – the oil levels! Now, whenever we go away, I always tend to do a little check, just to make sure that everything is as it should be (but mainly because dashboard icons can really get on my nerves!)

–

I hope this post has helped you think about a few extra steps to take before you head out on the great open road and inspired you to get out and explore the gorgeous places we have on our doorstep.

This post was sponsored by Ossett Tyre House. 

London

This week I attended a conference in London and I had such an inspiring day. I love going to London for work events, and as we got a taxi from Euston to The Excel, it felt as though we did a bit of sightseeing as well! The weather was gorgeous and at the end of the day we were treated to some drinks on the River Thames.

Itsu

I was working from Manchester on Friday and my manager and I decided to treat ourselves to Itsu for lunch as it’s so close to our office. I went for a sushi platter and a sparkling elderflower drink, both of which were delicious. That’s the problem with working in the city centre, the amount of choice for lunch!

Leaving Drinks

It was my friend Laura’s last day on Friday so we all went out for food and drinks after work. We started in the Northern Quarter before going to PLY for pizza. It was a really fun night, but also sad as I’m really going to miss her personality in the office.

Birmingham

On Saturday I took a day trip to Birmingham to see my friend, Noemie, who has been living there for a few months. We wandered through the streets in the sunshine and went to her flat for a Royal Wedding party. Afterwards, we headed out for a drink and some Mexican food, and it was such a fun day.

Royal Wedding

How could I write about this last week without mentioning The Royal Wedding? I absolutely loved it! It’s made me so excited for our big day next year and I thought Meghan looked absolutely stunning. I loved the flower arches and the whole church was just breathtaking – can one my friends marry a prince please?

Great Manchester Run

Although I didn’t do the run this year, I felt so proud of the whole of Manchester taking part. I had a couple of friends who were running and they both did amazingly well. It’s inspired me to start running more and maybe even sign up to one later in the year.

Yogberries

One of my favourite things about the warmer weather is getting the chance to eat ice cream and frozen desserts wherever possible. As the weather was so lovely on Sunday, Jordan and I drove into a little village that we used to live next to for some froyo and it was delicious – I wish they delivered to our house!

DIY

On Sunday evening, we went to help out at my friend Charley’s boyfriend’s new restaurant that he’s opening in Chorlton. The place is a bit of a building site, so we helped with painting and cleaning the outside windows – it was all worth it though because we got to see her sausage dog! I can’t wait until the place has opened either as it’s in a great space.

Sunday Dinner

After working up an appetite at the restaurant, we decided to head for some mezze on our way home. We stopped at a place that we always drive past, Damas, and sat outside as the sun was setting. I’ve mentioned before that I love Greek food and this place was delicious too. A perfect way to finish off the weekend.

–

What were you loving last week?

It’s not difficult to find reasons to travel to Greece. Between historical sights, seaside cities, and countless breathtaking islands, it’s about as appealing a destination as there is in the world. Much of the country more or less epitomizes what we think of when we picture beautiful Mediterranean lands. For many, however, interest in Greece comes from childhood – before consideration of beaches, islands, or cities, and rooted in history and legend.

Perhaps more than any other culture or kingdom in the history of Western civilization, Greece is defined by its legends. While most of them are just that – legends – they are the tales, characters, and locations that shape our understanding of the ancient culture and in many ways keep it uniquely interesting. And the fascinating thing is that a lot of these myths and bits of history actually do lead to landmarks and destinations you can get to while travelling in Greece.

These, in particular, are four remarkable places to visit if you have an affinity for ancient Greece and its culture and legends.

–

Delos

Known as one of the most sacred places in ancient Greece, Delos is an island in the middle of the Aegean Sea. It’s said to have been the birthplace for Apollo and Artemis – two of the most prominent Greek gods. Later on, the island became a bustling trade centre, in part due to its mythological significance and also thanks to its favourable location.

One of the amazing things about Delos, particularly for visitors, is that it hasn’t been built up in modern times. That is to say, while the island remains a fairly popular spot for tourists, it’s free of commercialization or even much in the way of contemporary architecture or upkeep. That allows people who make it to the island to take in untouched remnants of buildings and culture that are believed to date back at least 5,000 years.

–

Olympus

Mount Olympus is perhaps the most thoroughly fictionalized place in Greece (which is saying something). Known as the ancient home of Zeus and the gods, the mythical mountain has been portrayed as a sort of Utopia above the clouds in numerous films. More recently, an “Age of the Gods” game series has been developed. Showcasing the beauty of Mount Olympus, the series uses animated, superhero-like interpretations of Greek gods to attract an audience. It’s just the latest in a line of interpretations that make Olympus seem like a fantasy realm of sorts.

That’s more or less what it is in mythology, but the important distinction is that Mount Olympus itself is not a myth. Located near Thessaly, it’s a very real mountain, towering over the sea at almost 3,000m. People hike the mountain from a town called Litochoro, and there are places to stop and rest for the night along the hike.

–

Kommos

One of the best-known ancient Greek tales is that of theMinotaurr. Legend has it that King Minos, who ruled Crete and was the son of Zeus, was cursed by the gods to have a son who was half-man and half-bull. This son – the “minotaur” – is among the most feared and intriguing monsters of the ancient world. Minos built a labyrinth for the minotaur to dwell in, with unfortunate visitors or prisoners driven to try to escape his wrath within the walls. It’s a legend that’s still familiar to day, and even seems to have inspired a recent game about characters stuck in a trap of elaborate design.

Unfortunately, there is no labyrinth to visit in real life – at least not definitely. But Kommos, on the southern coast of Crete, may in fact contain some of its walls. This is known to have been the home of King Minos, and with well-preserved ruins, you can still explore it, and possibly even get a little bit lost within.

–

Delphi

The Delphic Oracle is another famous character of Greek legend, and is likely rooted in some form of reality. Films like 300 among others have presented a stylized, fictionalized version of the oracle, but the truth is likely that there was simply a high priestess in the area who was trusted for certain kinds of advice.

Nowadays Delphi is a fantastic place to visit largely from a visual perspective. Located on the side of Mount Parnassus, the Delphic ruins are actually designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and standing among the ruins looking out on the surrounding land is something visitors won’t soon forget.

–

Have you ever been to Greece? Where would you recommend?