Oompah! Brand New In Bradford | Bradford Bierkeller Launch Event

Meow!

If you know me at all then you will know that I spend most of my time in Leeds due to not a lot of things going on in Bradford but time's are changing and this week I was invited to the preview VIP launch of the Bradford Bierkeller and Tiki O Bradford. Sadly, I couldn't stay for the Tiki O launch so the post is mainly about the Bierkeller.

We arrived slightly early so we decided to wander up to the Wetherspoons that is next door to the new establishment. I knew where I was going for this event which is a first as it was a minutes walk from the college that I go to. We decided to have something to eat and to use their wifi. We talked and spent time then we walked for about a second to the event.

We walked into the cosy building which had the TARDIS effect as it was much bigger as soon as you stepped in. We didn't really know what to do so we sat down at a bench and within a few minutes realised that we got a ticket to get waitress service and other goodies. A waitress came up once I had taken some pictures. She explained that we could choose between a beer cocktail or a stein and that there were bratwurst and pretzels.

We decided to try out the steins as they seemed pretty interesting and as we were in a german influenced Bierkeller we thought it would be best to try the traditional stein and then if we're in when the bierkeller is open for the general public then we would try a cocktail then. We were also planning on going to Tiki O so we thought they would be more cocktail based... The stein had a lovely taste to it and reminded me slightly of The Simpsons/something you would get in Germany due to the size of the mug and the contents.

We then realised that we were on a bench with the staff from the Alhambra Theatre which is next door. We made conversation with them and tried explaining what a blogger was and basically what I do... We all then resorted to our phones. We also talked to the staff who were wearing German yodeller inspired clothing. They seemed pretty happy to be working at the Bierkeller which is great because happy staff who love their job make any business that little bit more better.

We then decided to set off because we needed to get home. I thought that Tiki O was already open by this time but they weren't open for another half an hour or so therefore we decided to go home. At this point, the oompah band were performing and from what I can tell it was amazing as it contained german hymns and made everyone get up on their feet.

All in all, the Bierkeller is an amazing place and has helped Bradford mould into a slightly indie yet great place to go drinking with all of the other drinking establishments that are on North Parade. I think that the Bierkeller will be amazing within Winter as it will add to the festive atmosphere along with the German Christmas Markets that are in Bradford. Students will love it as on a Wednesday from 5 onwards, certain drinks are £1.50. There is also stage games going on the night and Keller Pong which will make this a perfect place to go as it offers a lot for students and is in a prime location. This place is going to do wonders to Bradford.

As I said at the beginning of the post, I didn't go to Tiki O but with it's zany and crazy atmosphere it will be an amazing place to go drinking within Bradford and give a vibe of the exotic. I think Tiki O will be an amazing place to go to within Winter to keep warm and to have fun but also for those weekends when you want to have some fun.

Have you been to either of the new places mentioned above? Have you been to Tiki O yet? What do you think of new drinking establishments coming to Bradford? Let me know in the comments box down below. I hope that you have enjoyed this and I shall see you next time for another blog post!

 Bierkeller Bradford's Website For Bench Bookings: http://www.steinbierkeller.com/bradford/

Meow!
Jamie x

Money, Money, Money. Money! | Chocolate, Lush & Much More | London Haul

Meow!

I went down to London as you all probably know because I haven't stopped talking about so I thought that I would do a blog post explaining everything thaat I got therefore I can technically say that everything was for a blog post if anyone asks about spending so much... I'm going to try and keep it in the same order as the video but I'm not sure how well that will go.

The first thing that I got was a jumper from Topman. I went into Topman Oxford Street due to needing a bag as mine had broke and I couldn't find the bags but I found the sale racks and ended up buying a jumper as it was cute. I'll probably wear it when it gets into Autumn. It was £15 in the sale but as I have an NUS card I got it for £13.

I went to Whole Foods Market during the weekend due to the fact that they do a lot of health products and free from products which include vegan, lactose free, gluten free and others so I knew that I was going to love the store. They are very well known in America. I bought some chocolate oat milk from Oatly. I have heard great things about oat milk and I love chocolate soya milk so I knew that I was going to love it. I'm going to do a blog post about it. It sounds strange but go and try it as apparently its at Tesco's and other places.

I also bought some chocolate. The first bar that I bought was Cassis Chocolate by Vivani. Sounds weird but that is the main reason I bought it. If you have used the Comforter bubble bar from Lush then you know that it contains Cassis absolute as Cassis is Blackcurrant liqueur and I wanted to see if chocolate and blackcurrant would work as I've never had it. It worked amazingly. The bitter strong dark chocolate contrasted with the creaminess of the interior but also contrasted with the slightly fruity Cassis. It wasn't overly blackcurranty which I was expecting but it was more Blackcurrant with a slight hint of floral. Reminded me of a much better less rich Turkish Delight somehow.

The last thing which I bought which was another chocolate bar was kind of for a reason. I found lactose free chocolate and I honestly wanted to see how it would taste. I searched through all the different bars and found one that sounded very intriguing. I decided to buy Lavender Chocolate from Seed & Bean, The bar was Organic and Vegan which is amazing in my eyes. I'm going to do a full on blog post about it so I can explain it a lot more so look out for this one. If you can find it near you then I suggest that you buy it so you can try it for yourself if you want something a little bit different.

 I went to SITC as everyone knows but I just thought that I would talk a little bit about the things I got in the goodie bag which was to do with the sponsors of the weekend long event. I got some sunglasses from EE as they were a major sponsor of SITC. I was also given some EE SITC Sim Cards and a wristband on the day as I went to the seating area of their EE Power Shed which was something I have never experienced before but it was quite refreshing for a vendor stall at an event. In the goodie bag I was also given some Pokemon Trading Cards due to Pokemon sponsoring them as there was massive Pikachus roaming around the ExCel and meeting people throughout the day. I also got some other things but I felt like I needed to talk about them the most.

I went to Lush Oxford Street... Yeah, Jamie went to the mothership and he somehow got out of there three hours later which is pretty quick for me... It wasn't filled with teenage girls not moving out of the way to get a product either which is quite rare when beauty shopping. I'm not going to talk much about what Lush Oxford Street is like and stuff as I'm leaving it for another blog post because I can't express a full Lush store with a haul post. I'm going to explain most in this post and a few in the Oxford Street post as theres an explanation behind them.

The first thing I'm going to talk about is the Intergalactic, I bought this before I went to London but I thought I would include it. The bath bomb contains Peppermint as a main ingredient so it is quite refreshing yet invigorating. It has Cedarwood oil in as well therefore it gives the ballistic a rounded woody element which isnt detectable at first but the more you sniff it the more you notice it. It also contains popping candy to give a blasting off into space sort of feel.

I also got a sample of Cup O' Coffee. This product is an exfoliating mask so you get into the nooks and crannies of your skin to get dirt and to remove dead skin whilst doing other great things for the skin. Ground coffee infusion gives the product it's coffee aroma which also makes the mask exfoliating. Roasted cocoa extract takes the edge of the smell and gives it a sweet undertone so if you don't like the smell of coffee then it still might be for you. The mask wakes you and your skin up for the day.

I also got The Comforter Shower Crea,. This one is a cream rather than a gel so it's going to nourish your body a lot more than a normal shower gel would. This is available at all stores but as I was at the store I just thought that it would be easier to get it now rather than waiting until I next pop into Leeds. I decided to get the 500ml mainly as I love The Comforter's blackcurrant/cassis and vanilla scent The shower products from Lush go a long way as I still have some of the Hot Toddy from Christmas 2014 left, Most of the new shower products are at most stores except Lord Of Misrule. The shower gel has a vibrant pink-purple colour and has flecks of lustre throughout the product so if you're not a big fan of lustre but love The Comforter then stick to the bubble bar. I might combine a bit of the bubble bar and the shower cream together, If I do then I'll let you guys know of the result. I could talk about this forever.

I got a chunk of Salted Caramel Soap from the soap bar. Yes! You read that right This one is also available at most stores but the whole concept of the soap bar is quite amazing and if all Lush stores were big enough to have one that would be amazing. (I'll tell you about the concept in the Lush post.) This soap reminds me heavily of sticky toffee pudding but with a more smoky element to it. The description says it should remind you of a hot pudding crossed with a caramel sauce crossed with creme brulee which it seriously does. It is that good, it wouldn't surprise me if I ended up licking it accidentally at some point... The woman at the bar asked if it reminded me of Yog Nog which I agreed but without the whole cocoa powder layer. It has Coconut Oil and Rapeseed Oil which will nourish the skin but it also has coarse sea salt in so if there are pieces in the soap then it will exfoliate at the same time such as Rub Rub Rub would. Ah I can not wait to use it once I've used my current soap up... I have a soap collection...

Now onto the bath oils! Bath Oils are like Bath Melts but Oils are slightly smaller and slightly more vibrant so they give a colour to the bath instead of a creamy layer which the melts give off. There is a lot more oils and as they are slightly smaller this means that they are cheaper than the melts.

The first one that I bought was Sun. The oil literally looks like The Sun due to the round shape and the glitter that encases the product. If you're a fellow Lushie or watch fellow Lushies on YouTube then you'll recognise that this product shares its name with The Sun Perfume. This one contains Shea and Cocoa Butter to make the skin soft and also contains three types of Orange oils to give off a strong orange juice like scent.

The next oil is the complete opposite of Sun. This one is Dreamtime. By the name you can tell that it's a bath product that is going to help you relax and unwind. This one contains Lavender and Chamomile from what I remember which helps the skin as Lavender is such a versatile ingredient for the skin but also helps you slowly relax and drift off to sleep. This one shares the name and basically the scent of the bath melt. This melt has a soothing purple colour to it with a gold lustre Z therefore in the bath its going to give the water a deep purple colour with flecks of gold lustre. The scent is slightly stronger than the melt but if you wanted to make it ten times more stronger then use the Serendipity soap and maybe the Dreamtime Shower Smoothie which is at most stores.

Bringing us back to the bright side of life is the Lime Pastille bath oil. This product has a green exterior with a layer of silver lustre to mimic sugar on this Rowntree's based product. Most of the oils consist of a cocoa, shea and jojoba base which nourish the skin deeply. It also has lime and lemon oils to give the product and your bath a very citrus scent. It reminds of Lime Zest when I smelt it but that might be due to most lime oil being within the zest of a lime. I feel like this could be paired with Avobath if you wanted a full on citrus fizz or the Dragon Egg ballistic if you wanted to amplify the sweetness but not too much to the point where it was useless putting the oil in.



Happy Thoughts is next on our list. This one contains the generic base that all oils have which is the oils but this one also has Brazillian Orange Oil and Neroli which give a slightly orange blossom scent to the product, Neroli is apparently one of the most expensive things in the world so a little goes a long way. The product also contains gold lustre so if the scent isn't uplifting yet relaxing enough to make sure you think happily and positively then the lustre will.

The last bath bomb is Shark Infested Custard. Custard in a bath product?! Yes that's correct. This one doesn't contain lustre from what I can tell but to replace the whimsical cuteness of lustre there is a shark fin. I think the fin is to do with the lack of sharks that are left in the world as most are killed for Shark Fin Soup but I may be wrong. This product has a strong scent of Vanilla but it smells very fresh and natural. It contains Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and many other beneficial oils for the skin. As it sports a very bright yellow to resemble custard, it will give the bath a similar colour which you may either like or loathe. If you were going to mask the colour of the bath then I would use a Butterball to try and keep costs low and as they share a similar scent.

Now onto the two bath bombs... I only bought two as most of them are available at most stores. Golden Slumbers is available via the Spa so if you ask nicely then they might sort that out for you and I wanted a scent that was interesting.

The first one was Cyanide Pill. I have heard so much about this ballistic so I wanted to try it out. Cyanide is one of the ultimate ways to kill someone as it doesn't leave any traces when a post mortem or anything like that is performed. Cyanide also has a very strong almond like scent so Lush have played on this and created a ballistic which reminds me of plastic Paracetamol pills or something from Super Mario. This ballistic also creates a 'volatile' experience in the bath giving the customer a sense of thrill. When it dissolves, the product opens up and releases a whirlwind of silver lustre mimicking mercury. This ballistic contains Lemon, Cedarwood, Rosewood and Almond. When you sniff it, you get more of a mixture of Almond and the Wood oils. If you keep sniffing then you slowly realise the Lemon but its not detectable at the beginning.

I did get a few more things from Lush but they will be in my Lush post as there is a reason behind them and that includes the store so it makes sense to do that. I hope you have enjoyed this haul and if you have tried any of the mentioned above then comment down below and let me know as I'd love to know! I hope to see you next time for another blog post!

There shall be a video of the haul up at some point as due to the length it may take a while to upload so just look out for it on the channel and I'll update the post with the link when it's up.

Meow!
Jamie x

Last Minute Festival Outfit Advice | Superdry Competition Post

Meow!

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-04-12/the-best-summer-music-festivals

So if you have read my blog before then you know that from time to time I like to give out some fashion advice so that hopefully it will help out you lovely people when you're looking for a particular outfit and that's exactly what I'm doing today!

Even though the end of Summer may be nigh, there is still a few festivals that are happening at the moment and I thought I would help you guys plan out an outfit if you're going to any festival that is coming up in the next few weeks or if you've already planned to go to another festival next year. We could all do with a little light planning for the next year so we aren't frantically rushing about the day before you go to the festival.

To start off the festival look, you need a good vibrant yet fun looking tshirt. I'm going to go with the Property of SD tshirt which is on sale at the minute at Superdry. It's meant to be a mens top but honestly if you're female then you can totally rock it as it will be a little bit baggy but it would be awesome for a top to sway about in. I mainly like this top due to the cracked print as it screams out summer and good times out to me. ]
Buy here:

On Sale £17.49

I would personally team this with either a shirt draped over the top and then maybe a windchester if it's really cold as you can never be too prepared for a festival. The shirt I would choose is the blue Lumberjack Twill Shirt. It's comfortable and it looks great. It would match the blue tones of the tee yet give a relaxed look to the outfit. The fabric of the shirt is quite thick so you could drape it over the top if it's slightly chilly or wrap it around your waist or shove it in a tote bag if it gets too warm during a set.

£44.99

If it was super cold then I would also maybe layer a windchester on top but keep it open so all the other items of clothing have room to sing. Windchesters are meant to keep you warm. They're such a staple item of clothing for festivals as they're versatile. Take this one for example. It has a black exterior making everything else with colour within your outfit do its thing but compliments the interior via matching with its royal blue sort of colour. Blue is the colour of the sky and therefore has relevance to the sun which relates to festivals...

£74.99

W

Skinny jeans are a staple piece of clothing when it comes to any outfit, If you can cope with dancing about in super skinny jeans then by all get them as you'll be able to pull them off but regular skinny jeans give you the freedom and space to move about which make it the ultimate type of jean for a festival. Black jeans are best for this outfit mainly as it will let the other bolder items of clothing do their thing.

£59.99

£59.99

Bags are a necessity for festivals. Bags are basically unisex so choose whichever one you want but I like the Tropics Montana rucksack as it gives your outfit a summery influence which intertwines with the outfit but also doesn't take too much attention away from the outfit itself. Everyone needs some sort of bag when going to a festival to put things like phones, portable chargers etc in and I love this one.

£39.99

If it gets sunny at the festival then you obviously need sunglasses. I've gone two ways with these. You can either keep everything very casual and in the trend with the Rock and Roll Folding Sunglasses or go slightly retro which is still very in at the minute with Navigator Sunglasses which are aviator style.

£24.99

£24.99

To finish off the look, you need a good pair of shoes. This can be a tricky situation as there are so many different types of shoes in the world but I'll suggest some suitable for a festival. I'd suggest the Meteor Chukka Boots due to their durability. They're also pretty fashionable due to the leather exterior and I feel that they would stand a chance within mud and rain. I love the colour of them as well...

£74.99

I have done this post as a competition piece for Superdry where I have a chance of winning some super cool things just for writing and publishing this post. If you're a blogger and you want to take part in this competition then the link shall be down below. I hope you don't mind.

I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post and I hope to see you next time for another blog post. Have you ever bought anything from Superdry then let me know down below! Are you going to any festivals then let me know via the comments as well!

Enter The Competition Here: http://www.thestylerawr.com/2015/08/the-big-superdry-festival-fashion.html

Meow!
Jamie x

Shopping, SITC & Much More | London Weekend

Meow!

If you read my last post then you will know that I went to SITC (Summer In The City) this weekend and I thought that I would do a blog post all about the weekend. I'll be doing one about Lush Oxford Street and Summer In The City in a bit more detail as I don't want this blog post to be a ten thousand word essay.

Before going down to London, I had to make sure that everything was in the suitcase and that someone was in so I wouldn't have to triple check that all the doors were locked. I also decided that I was going to dye my hair an hour and half before going as I have to somehow leave the house in a mess before I leave to go somewhere...

We travelled to Bradford's train station and decided to get the tickets from a person. We eventually got the tickets and made our way to the platform where the train was waiting as it was about ten minutes before the train was meant to depart and as soon as we finally got to the train, it decided to shut the doors and go without us so we somehow had to spend four hours until the next one in Bradford.

We somehow slowly killed time within Bradford such as going somewhere to eat and using a lot of free Wifi. We made our way back up to the train station for the second time and finally got on the train. Luke had decided to listen to Joan Rivers 'I Hate Everyone Starting With Me' via Audible and I chose to alternate listening to music and listening to Tina Fey's 'Bossypants' via Audible.

We finally got to Kings Cross and made our way to the Travelodge. We decided to take a taxi which was a massive mistake but we did it because we weren't that sure how to get there and we were too tired so it made sense at the time.

We finally got there and found out that we had a double bed and not two single beds but as the hotel was sold out which I'm guessing was for SITC, we just coped and realised that it could be a lot worse. We enjoyed some food for the night and got settled in afterwards.

The next day mainly consisted of going to Covent Garden as Luke wanted to find the Whittard Of Chelsea shop which didn't go that well but we wandered through a Jo Malone shop and I stopped myself going into CyberCandy as I love American sweets when I can afford them due to the prices. (If anyone wants to buy me American candy then get me Mint M&M's or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop Tarts...) We bought some drinks fot SITC and made our way back to the hotel.

On Saturday, we went to Excel for Summer In The City and then went back to the hotel as we were pretty drained. I'm going to be doing a full post on SITC so look out for that!

On Sunday, we went to Oxford Street. This included going to Whittard Of Chelsea, Lush, Topman and H&M. I'll be telling you why in another post and I'll be doing a post just for Lush so look out for them.

On Monday, we tried to go to Jamie Pine's meet up in Hyde Park which decided to relocate at the last minute so I ended up wandering around Hyde Park until I decided to go to Piccadilly Circus to track down Whole Foods Market to get some lactose free things. They'll be mentioned in another blog post. We went back to Kings Cross, got something to eat and waited for our train.

I hope you've enjoyed this little blog post. Look out for the other blog posts and don't forget to watch the video/vlog that goes along with this and I shall see you next time for another blog post!

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL32iLgGQPc

Meow!
Jamie x

How To Conquer Summer | SITC Tips

Meow!

If you check out my social media outlets then you will know that I'm going down to London for the weekend for various reasons. The main one is to go to Summer In The City. The event attracts thousands of people from the general public who watch YouTube every year which means that theres a good chance that some of the people that are going this year will not have been to the event before and as I went last year I thought I would give some friendly advice to newbies for Summer In The City 2015.

1: Don't Complain:

I know this probably sounds like an annoying tip to start off with but hear me out. I've been lurking on Twitter for the last month or so with Summer In The City on notification as they may release some information about guests and whatnot but a good 40% of the time I have seen SITC trying to reply calmly to certain complaints that have been sent rudely. It's not on. If you have a serious problem then ask them calmly. This also goes for when you get to the event. Don't moan or shout at volunteers because something is taking a bit longer than you expected. Just ask calmly and wait. You need to realise that the creators of SITC and everyone else involved have put in a lot of time, effort and other things to ensure that the event is the best that it can be for everyone going.

2: Bring Money/Food & Water:

So, at SITC, there is normally a good couple of vending machines and quite a few food vendors so it's great to get a drink to make sure you're not thirsty and so you're hydrated and you should get food when you're hungry as it may be a warm venue so you may faint if you don't or become very irritable. You can also bring your own food to share with friends or maybe because you have an intolerance or allergy to a certain food therefore you know that you can enjoy your food without anything bad happening. I would suggest bringing water as well as it will keep you hydrated, it will help your skin look its best for when you're taking selfies and is quite cheap so you can stock up on it. I normally buy a good flavoured water if I'm doing this as I'm quite particular with water.

3: Meet New People:

This sounds like a stupid tip but it might help you. If you're bored or alone in a queue then talking to someone that's behind you may be slightly awkward and uncomfortable but you're in the same queue for some reason so talk about that because you never know they could still be their close friend 5 years down the line plus it means you might not feel so uncomfortable and feel a bit more at ease.

4: Just Breathe

I know this also sounds like a stupid one but if you remember this then you shall be fine no matter what. SITC has other 7000 people going and it's going to be busy as lots of things will be happening and you may feel a bit smothered. Just remember to breathe and hopefully you'll be okay. If you need a friend to calm you down then make sure they're near or message them saying SOS if you can. Try and get out of the enclosed places if you feel a bit closed in as the fresh air will help you feel a bit better due to it being a normal fresh thing within the world. Just try and be okay.

5: Don't Be Sad About YouTubers:
So you may be sad that you don't get to meet a certain YouTuber via meet and greet but try and think positively. Everyone says this every year but there is a reason behind not being sad that you don't get to meet a certain YouTuber. A lot of YouTubers that go are normally at a panel so you can ask them a question and see them in the flesh or wandering around the venue having a good time just like us because creators aren't robots so there's a good chance that you may still meet them!

6: Have Fun!:

I know this should be a thing that's already happening but sometimes at SITC everything isn't how you expected it and things may go wrong due to the universe being the universe but don't be grumpy. go and enjoy some new music via the open mic room or the live stage, go on the funfair, try and use the wifi if you can, get some food. Just enjoy yourself really.

I hope that you've enjoyed this blog post. The video that goes along with it shall be linked below. If you're at SITC this year then let me know down below. If it's your first time then let me know down below.

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/J3sWedWh0p8

Meow!
Jamie x

Italy On Your Front Doors | Nigellissima Review

Meow!

The amateur photos in this post were taken by me. I bought the book but obviously the natural photos in the book are not mine and were taken by a professional photographer who works with Nigella. Just typing so everyone knows and people can't comment with things such as you've ripped them off etc. The photos of the food were used in the blog to represent visually the dishes that Nigella has created within the book. 

A while ago, I did a vlog of when I went to see a friend in Leeds... I'm not that sure if it went up as a couple of my videos from my MIM series didn't go up. On the day, I decided to go buy Nigellissima in Waterstones Leeds. I have a slight collection of cooking books which may seem strange but it just increases my passion for food. I had been looking for this book for a while as my local Waterstones in Bradford didn't have it for a while so I was thrilled when I found it.

Nigella's gastronomic heart is in Italy and in this new book she conjures the warmth and simplicity of Italian cooking in her own irresistible style. - The blurb of Nigellissima.

This book has 6 different chapters so to start off theres something for everyone. There's pasta, fresh fish and fowl, vegetables & sides, sweet things and an Italian inspired Christmas. This means that if your strong point is baking then you can bake some delicious treats from this book or if you're in the mood for say lasagne then you can cook it up from the book in a simple way that you never knew before and you can pass it down throughout generations and it can become a well known recipe within your family.

The pasta category is quite a varied category. Recipes range from well known dishes via the series such as Pasta with Courgettes and Spelt Spaghetti with Olives and anchovies to dyed pasta such as Green pasta and yellow pasta which is dyed with saffron. This chapter also includes longer recipes with a simplistic view such as Quick Calabrian Lasagne. It's a great category for people who are diverse or who love pasta.

The next category is fresh fish and fowl but I think that is should have a more exquisite name for a category as this one contains quite a lot of rich and lavish recipes with a simple twist. There is lamb chops with chilli, mint and golden potatoes, Butterflied leg of lamb with bay and balsamic vinegar, Pork chops with Parma ham and Oregano, These are mainly on the series that goes along with the book but there's even a recipe for an italian inspired stew for when it get's a bit chillier or when you need some comforting food!

This brings us along to vegetables and sides which may sound bland and unentertaining but when you turn the page into this section it is an absolute surprise. The first recipe that comes up is baby Aubergines with oregano and red onions which doesn't sound great but the contrast between textures and colours just on the picture at the side of the recipe are a masterpiece. The red onions have been steeped therefore the colour of them has been intensified. This a recipe which again is on the series as Nigella explains on the show how to lose the acrid burn after taste of raw onions. This chapter also contains peas with pancetta which could be a luxurious side to any meal or could be added to pasta dishes for children. There is also a recipe for cherry tomatoes with olives which is pretty much a good side for anything or could be added to a sort of antipasti. There is also Tuscan fries which are fresh homemade chips with an Italian twist of garlic and herbs fried along with the chips. Sounds delicious.

The penultimate chapter is Sweet Things. This is where you instantly salivate just reading the chapter and instantly want to make everything... Well that's what I'm like except I don't have kitchen scales so I don't. There is a varied amount of sweet things within this chapter such as Chocolate Olive Oil Cake which is gluten and dairy free which caters for coeliacs, wheat allergic people and lactose intolerants such as myself. Chocolate cake without being naughty and containing lactose is an amazing yes in my opinion. There is also a Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake which is very simple to make as most of the ingredients only need a whip up or a stir and they mainly come from jars and packets making it easier on us all... There is a few full on Italian dishes such as Tiramisini which is a quicker version of Tiramisu which mean you can eat Tiramisu without waiting a lot of time for it to chill. There is also Yoghurt Pot Cake (the Italian term for it is Ciambella) as all the measurements are via a yoghurt pot which I am considering making at some point. It's easy and pretty simple and can be served us a cake to serve to the family or something to eat the day after for breakfast if there is any left!

Tiramisini

Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake 

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

The last chapter does what it says really. It gives you recipes that are best used at Christmas but with an Italian twist such as Italian influenced canapes, an Italian influenced Turkey dish and an ice cream cake which is a hybrid of panettone and crema di mascarpone. Recipes include Polenta triangles with a Chilli Tomato salsa which are an Italian mini toasted sandwich with an amazing slightly spicy salsa to cut through the rich cheese. There is also Pappardelle with Chestnuts and Pancetta and Wholewheat Pasta with Brussel Sprouts, Cheese and Potatoes which show that Pasta is also for Christmas. The Turkey recipe in question is Turkey Breast stuffed with Italian Sausages and Marsala steeped Cranberries. Sounds like a lot but it sounds absolutely delicious as it shows that Turkey needs to be dry and bland, It can be exotic and full of flavour! There's all the trimmings included recipe wise such as Italian Roast Potatoes and much more! Theres a panettone french toast for Christmas morning. There is also Fig & Olive Chutney and Spaghetti Spice to give as presents. The hybrid cake is a showstopper to serve for any party within the Christmas party season as Italian Christmas Pudding Cake screams out decadence. There's also a Chocolate Salame and Chocolate Nougat Cookies for when people come over unexpectedly.

I would give this book a 10/10. Wow, that is a first! This book is absolutely amazing! The photos look pretty damn amazing and the cooking style is very simple. I love simple Italian food so being able to cook it is perfect in my eyes and I also love Nigella for being simple recipes. If you're not a big fan of Italian food then you'll still like this book but some Italian purists may not. I do have to admit that the title of the recipes font colour does sometimes make them hard to read.

Simply Nigella is coming out in October and I can not wait to read it and watch the show that goes along with it especially as it's food that helps the mind and soul. The book shall be out and probably in Waterstones and other places on October 8th (I rhink?, please don't hold me to that.) There are some great recipes that are simple and amazing so watch out for that.

If you're in Leeds at any point then I urge you to check out Waterstones as it's a grand building which has 3 floors of books so if you love books then it's heaven for you. There's also a cafe if you want to relax and all of the staff there are friendly and sweet! The store holds quite a lot of book signings and such so go in and have a look!

I hope that you have enjoyed me rambling about food in a book. I hope that you have enjoyed this review of Nigellissima. Do you like the sound of any of the recipes mentioned? Have you been into Waterstones in Leeds before? Let me know down below! I shall see you next time for another blog post!

Video: https://youtu.be/GZQjOyJ3o-g
Buy Books Here: http://bit.ly/1ANyO6y
Waterstones Leeds Twitter: http://bit.ly/1ThOvg6
Nigella's Website for Recipes: http://bit.ly/1DAqiA1
Nigella's Twitter To Keep Up To Date: http://bit.ly/1f25ci2


Meow!
Jamie x

A Festival For My Heart | Birra Moretti Gran Tour

Hey!

We went into Leeds on the Thursday which was the first day that the Birra Moretti Gran Tour was on at Leeds Town Hall... After stress, anxiety trying to defeat me and other things due to many reasons, we made it to Leeds Town Hall.

We went up a few stone steps and talked to the PR people who had sorted a good chunk of the tour out. They checked my name against the list and I was dubbed a VIP. This basically meant that for the night I got free drinks from the bar. I also got some tokens which meant that I could sample as much food as possible to tell you guys about. (I also went with Luke but I'm guessing that he'll publish a post about it at some point so I'm leaving him out of the post as much as I can.)

We saw a sort of map post thing with destinations within Italy pointing to a different direction. I stopped really noticing it and just went from vendor to vendor. This meant that we ended up queuing at Pasta E Basta first. P&B use ingredients that haven't travelled far which is pretty impressive. Pasta E Basta has been going since 2012 via Fabrizio and his wife, They even make their own pasta which is pretty amazing as making fresh pasta takes some time! I ordered two servings of gnocchi with pulled pork from what I remember... There was some Parmesan grated on top to make sure that it echoes the authenticity of Italy. The pasta was amazing. It was al dente and I loved it. I could tell how much love and effort was put into it. The pulled pork was so tender and lovely. The flavour that it gave off was husky yet sweet with a lot of depth. It was so delicious! You can find Pasta E Basta via markets in London!

The next place that I went to was Tigellae. Tigellae is very well known for bringing Italian street food to people but in a way that youve never tried before. I egot fusilli with Birra Moretti braised pulled pork with honey, balsamic vinegar and herbs. The fusilli was perfectly cooked. The Moretti gave it a slight kick but gave it a slight bit of sweetness to the pork. The honey added to the sweetness but mixed with the balsamic to take a slight bit off the edge of the acidity of the balsamic. I love balsamic and pulled pork so the mixture of the two with pasta was heaven in my eyes. The herbs added a slight freshness to the dish as we decided to eat everything al fresco (outside) mainly because the weather was amazing and inside was slightly packed for my liking. You can find Tigellae within Greater Manchester.

The next vendor that I visited was the Arancini Bros. I have been wanting to try arancini balls for such a long time. I finally got the chance to try them out. The Arancini Bros consist of two people 'Big' Dave & 'Little' Dave. The guys started via a small market and then made their way via selling in more places such as festivals and other places. Arancini and festivals sound like a match made in heaven. They ended up taking over an old cafe and now have three shops and even though their business is Italian they actually met in Australia where they were working together as they have been working in restaurants since they were 16. I got a mixture of mushroom, tomato and spinach arancini with mushroom pate to dip them into with strewed basil on the side. The tomato one reminded me of a rich tomato sauce maybe made with a strong tomato puree mixed with the creamy risotto. The spinach one reminded me of the Italian stuffed pasta that I have sometimes so I could tell it worked and I love spinach when it's paired with something creamy. The last arancini was an unexpected one. I love mushrooms but I've never had mushroom risotto weirdly so I wasn't sure what to think of it but the interior reminded me of a strong mushroom soup. I loved it as the interior was creamy with chunks of mushroom where as the exterior was crispy and different which made it extra delicious. The mushroom pate gave a contrast of textures due to the crisp outside of the arancini and the smoothness of the pate. The pate tasted of mushroom but there was a underline of sweetness to the pate which made me want more and I love basil. Basil, mint and coriander are my favourite herbs so I loved it especially with the tomato arancini.

During all of the vendors, I was drinking Birra Moretti. I normally don't drink beer but this beer was delicious due to many reasons. One being the gorgeous weather that it was outside and another was the fact that the crispness of the drink went amazingly with all of the food.

At this point, we had to go so we decided to drink up and walk down the vintage stone steps. We decided to get a gelato each from Brio Gelati. Brio Gelati was founded by Gianni who moved from Italy to Leeds and makes delicious gelatos. I tried Chocolate Nutella because this screamed out to me when I went to the stall... The chocolate wasn't too strong but you could tell that there was a decent chocolate flavour within the gelato but then came the swirls of Nutella within the gelato which were amazing as they created a bit of texture via the crunchy hazelnuts within the creamy gelato. Was sensational. We said our goodbyes and left.

I had a lot of fun at the Birra Moretti Gran Tour and I hope you went and sampled some of the amazing food that was on offer whilst it was on at Leeds Town Hall. I hope you have enjoyed my blog post and I hope to see you next time for another blog post! I would also like to thank all the vendors even the ones who served food that I didn't get to try for cooking so many times during the Birra Moretti Gran Tour and you all deserve a lot of appreciation!

Meow!
Jamie x