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The Greatest Showman | Review

The minute I saw the trailer for this film I knew I needed to see it. With a cast containing Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Zendaya, you could just tell it was going to be incredible.

This is one of those films that is made for the big screen. As much as I'm fully anticipating its DVD release, I could tell it was going to be much more magical at the cinema scale, and I was not disappointed. From start to finish I was drawn into the storyline and each of the characters. The songs are brilliant and I can confirm I have had the soundtrack on repeat for the past week, since watching it. To go along with this, the choreography really stood out to me, especially in the 'From Now On' number. Now as a very mediocre dancer myself this might not mean much, but it really contributed to what I considered, on a whole, to be a well thought out and directed movie. 

It was colourful and funny and heartwarming. It tugged at your heartstrings and made me literally want to throw my popcorn at the screen at one point.

I think I have discovered a new favourite, one that I will come back to again and again. It made me wish I was a trapeze artist who ran away with the circus, you know, as great films always do! 

This film will have you singing along at the top of your lungs and rooting for the down trodden. It's a rollercoaster but in the best way possible. I only have good words to say about it and would recommend it to everyone (as I have been).

Beth xo

5 Series I'm Binge Watching this Autumn

Hello there on this lovely Saturday morning, I hope you're waking up with the full opportunity of the weekend stretched out before you. Now you probably aren't wondering 'where oh where have I been?' but I'll answer it anyway. America, University, in bed ill.

I haven't posted since May(!) and I feel like that's a recurring them that happened after last summer too. I don't know what happens, I think once I'm out of the routine I find it hard to slot myself back in where I left off. But to be honest I've been kind of crappy at the whole blogging thing since the summer before last, so I have a lot of slack to be picking up! But this time for real I want to get myself back into the routine of blogging. I miss this creative outlet and basically I just miss writing.

So I thought I'd catch you up with some things that I have been doing lately as to ease myself back in. And as most people when it gets to this time of year I've been binge watching tv shows, thank you to that borrowed Netflix password.

• Teen Wolf. Now I'm know I'm soo late to the bandwagon with this one but it's been on my netflix list for so long, I just haven't got around to watching it. As much as I think that some of the 'werewolf' things are a bit silly, (seriously have you seen them run on all fours?) I'm so invested now. The finale of the final season has just aired so I'm racing to not have anything spoiled for me.
• The Confessions Tapes. This is a new one for me but also one that's been waiting on my List. I'm two episodes in and I'm already trying to find ways to watch it instead of doing uni work. This true crime drama is right up my street and definitely one for you if you loved Making A Murderer.
• The Ranch. This is a project by Ashton Kutcher and it's so country and wholesome and simple that it's just feel good tv. You get invested with the characters and it gives you a good laugh.
• Love. This is on the second season now and it's not your average love story to say the least. It follows an ex-addict and her geeky new love interest as they try to navigate a normal relationship, well, as normal as it can be in LA.
• White Gold. Now this is some good old British humour, its got Ed Westwick (two mins while I just swoon) and James Buckley and Joe Thomas from The Inbetweeners. It's funny and crass but it's a good pick me up for when these other dramas pull a bit too much on the old heartstrings.  

So there you go, the 5 series' I am and will continue binge watching this Autumn/Winter time. I hope you enjoy them as much as I've been.

Love, Beth xo

4 Place I'd Rather Be

Right now this is the last thing I should be doing, but in the midst of writing (or should I say procrastinating) I found that all I really wanted to do was write here.

I go through ebbs and flows with this blog and there are day where i couldn't feel more inspired to just type my life away. Unfortunately, I have a lot more things to juggle since being at uni and I haven'y been able to find my balance. Meaning that although I love it, my blog has been very neglected! And that makes me so sad, but I will get there. Life is manic at the moment and I'm hoping that my second year of uni will allow me some more stability.

Anyway, what I'm really here to share is my desire for a holiday! Not unexpected considering deadlines are looming and summer is a matter of weeks away. So the obvious thing for me to be doing is looking up idyllic holiday locations, right?!

Now that I'm thoroughly pining for some sun and beautiful scenery, back to essay writing I go. I hope this has satisfied your wanderlust for now!

Love, Beth xo 

Time Flies...

It's April. 

This may be obvious to you lot who actually keep track of your calendars and probably read blog posts on a daily basis.

I haven't posted since February. 
This hasn't been a conscious decision. In fact I don't really know why I haven't written. Maybe I've been uninspired, maybe I've been busy, maybe I've been distracted. Maybe it's a bit of all of those.

It doesn't dawn on you how quickly time passes until you look back and realise you don't know where that time went. What did I do with the last 2 months? I'm unsure to be honest.

And in another 2(ish) months I'll be jetting back to the US for another incredible summer at camp. And then it will be September again! It's all a lot and not enough time isn't it?

I do want to start writing posts again because I hate that I can't keep this blog regular. I do love it and I do love writing, so I don't know where I'm going wrong. Maybe it's my lack of organisation and my major case of procrastination. I'm not going to lie I have become mega lazy and am prone to just putting things off. But how have I done that with something I love and for 2 MONTHS?! 

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

I have a week and a half left of easter holidays, uni work to do, money to earn, flights to book and 4 summative essays to write before 15th May. So wish me luck that I don't lose my head in the process. 

I hope you see you here again very soon!

Love, Beth xo

Why I Like Reading

Considering I am doing an English Literature degree it is evident that I am a fan of reading. But some of the main questions I have been asked since starting this degree are:

How do you read so much? Don't you get bored? I can barely finish a book, how do you read so read so many? 

And I have to reply by saying, 'because I enjoy it' or some other generic answer because it would take too long to explain why or how I read so much and why I enjoy it. And in all honesty I doubt the person asking is actually asking, if you know what I mean.

But I do think it is an interesting question, why do I read so much? Why do I love it? Because reading is such a personal and individual experience. Everyone gets something different from it and no two people will read the same book and have an identical experience. And that is just one thing I love about reading! 

How interesting is it that two people can read the exact same words in the exact same order and not read the same thing? Isn't it incredible that books can impact people so deeply and in so many different ways?

I love reading because you can go months unsatisfied by everything you read because it just doesn't quite hit that spot, and then you can read something and it's like a light goes on. I find that when I read, I get these little epiphanies. Random moments when what I'm reading just clicks and I'm like 'yes I get that' or 'I totally agree' and it's a brilliant feeling. Somehow by reading things you can connect with people you've never met and probably will never meet on this level that is unlike any other. It's this mutual agreement and satisfaction that you're not alone in what you think.

Books can make you laugh, cry, get angry, feel, understand. Texts can teach you things, make you ask questions. Reading is so provocative. It makes you think and interact.

What an incredible device reading is when it can do all that and more. It actually makes me sad to think that people don't read, or can't read! There is so much that is being missed.

If I had the power to advocate anything, it would be to get more people interested in reading things, whether that's novels or reports or articles. Just go for it, you never know you might just enjoy it!

Love, Beth xo 

It is true that we get nothing whatsoever except pleasure from reading; it is true that the wisest of us is unable to say what that pleasure may be. But that pleasure – mysterious, unknown, useless as it is - is enough. That pleasure is so curious, so complex, so immensely fertilizing to the mind of anyone who enjoys it, and so wide in its effects, that it would not be in the least surprising to discover, on the day of judgement when secrets are revealed and the obscure is made plain, that the reason why we have grown from pigs to men and women, and come out from our caves, and dropped our bows and arrows, and sat round the fire and talked and drunk and made merry and given to the poor and helped the sick and made pavements and houses and erected some sort of shelter and society on the waste of the world, is nothing but this: we have loved reading. -Virginia Woolf

They're Back!

I posted about these trousers a while back in this post, but I wanted to share them again because I really loved this outfit.

I love the contrast between the pin striped bodysuit and the bold floral print of the trousers. I added the belt last minute to define my waist more and to break the outfit up a bit. I paired it with some high top white Converse to keep it more casual and comfortable.

Overall I loved wearing this and am a bit annoyed I didn't manage to take any better pictures of it.

Have you got a statement piece in your wardrobe that you love to wear?

Love, Beth xo

New Year New Hair

At the end of 2016 I was very unsatisfied with my hair. The blue was fading and a constant effort to keep blue and I was bored with the style. I knew I wanted to grow my hair to getting rid of the blue would have been on my agenda at some point anyway. 

So at the beginning of January I decided to cut my hair up to the length of the dye and also get a middle part and a short fringe cut in as well. It's taken a while to get used to styling it but I actually really love the fringe, although it is a lot more effort than before. One thing I do miss is being able to scrape all my hair back out if my face every now and then, but I can get around that with a clip. There are pros and cons, but overall I'm very happy with the change.

Love, Beth xo

We Will Walk

It's important to show up ✨✌🏼#womensmarch #womensmarchlondon ❤#useyourvoice @womensmarchlon 💪🏼 https://t.co/kN5qyBNBOz pic.twitter.com/YJXoWCgWuL

— Estée Lalonde (@EsteeLalonde) January 21, 2017

Pre-march photo! #womensMarchAntarctica ❤️🐧 pic.twitter.com/NaRyZaIvsM

— linda zunas (@lindazunas) January 21, 2017

(All pictures sourced from New York Times website)
I know there has been a lot of talk about the Women's March on Saturday 21st Jan, I even witnessed it first hand in London, which I am overjoyed to say. I did not personally take part as I am not great with crowds and London is not a familiar place to me, this feeling was also shared by the friends I was with. But I was wholeheartedly taking part in spirit, you can believe that without question. 

It was so heartwarming and reassuring to see such a widespread support for this cause. To see that real people, on such a scale, think and believe in the same ideals is me is honestly relieving, because for a second there I thought I was going mad. To see how much progress has been made in recent history and then for it to be snatched away so abruptly has been truly exasperating. However if anything, I think it was eye-opening to see how many people have not followed this trend of evolution in society.

It is evident that we are not where we thought we were in terms of how we think things should be in 'the 21st century'. People say but 'it's 2017' and I think we have to realise that no matter how far we think we may have come from the days of women not having the vote or being able to work, we still have to fight just as hard now, as they did then. These demonstrations and their reactions show how little has changed in the perceptions of people as a collective. 

It is easy to be blinded by what we think and what those around us believe. We attract those who are like-minded to us and through this become unaware of those who do not comply to our standards. It is a dangerous slope to assume that just because we think a certain way, others do also.

I also think that is easy to isolate this within America, after all this has stemmed from the election and the ideals that Trump upholds and stands for. However I think it would be ignorant of us to view it that way. This affects and impacts further than that.
This is not a fight for just America, this is bigger than one country, this is bigger than Trump. This is a stand for what is right, for what is and should be, equal. I was overwhelmed when I saw how many countries, far and wide, marched on Saturday. I saw a boat in Antarctica who marched. The sheer volume of support for this cause gives me hope and for now that is enough. Hope is the catalyst that keeps the movement going.

I read an incredible post shared on my facebook that you can read here, which inspired the title of this post. I think what is said is so important and reaffirming, that no matter the obstacles, no matter the consequences, people are prepared to fight for what they deserve. People are prepared to fight and they will.

This will go down in history and I want to be able to say that took part, that I fought for what I believed in. I will not sit aside and be silenced because others do not want to hear what I have to say. No matter how small your contribution, it has an impact. Whether you walked in the march or you shared a post about it. Spreading this message is key to breaking down the barriers. 

This is important and it will not just go away.

We will walk.

Beth

The Rain Won't Stop Us

A couple of days ago Molly came down to stay. It was such a lovely weekend, any time spent with her is guaranteed to be filled with laughter. I decided to take her to have a look around he north coast of Cornwall, so we visited Godrevy Lighthouse and St. Ives.

We got soaking wet at Godrevy because the wind made the drizzle 100x worse but that didn't stop us. We walked as far as we could without getting lost in the fog and then tuned back to dry off in hr car.

With hopes of the weather clearing up a bit we heading further west to St. Ives, without much luck. We took shelter in an adorable, cosy pub and had the most incredible lunch! I would definitely recommend The Queens Hotel pub, it was dead quiet while we were there but I think that was mainly due to the weather. We were probably thought crazy by the people who lived there. 

But the weather did clear and it actually left us a lovely day to explore the harbour. It was like a ghost town, but that only meant that we could enjoy it for ourselves. I took my camera along to capture some of our day, I want to do this more as I think it is so lovely to be able to look back on what I've done. Pictures are great but there's something a little more personal about a video. It was really fun to make, so maybe you'll see a few more of these.

Enjoy, Beth xo

 

New Year, New Products

Testers are the best way to figure out whether you like a product or not before you shell out the money on the full size product. However it's not always that easy to get testers of products you're interested in, unless you go to a counter. 

That was until I came across a blog post saying how Feel Unique now allows you to order 5 free samples every month, all you have to do is cover the p+p fee of £3.95, however you don't lose this money! They will email you a code that you can use on your next purchase on their site for a discount of £3.95.

I think this is such a great way to try out new and potentially expensive products without having to fork over the money beforehand!

I chose to try the Nars Languna Bronzer because it is a cult product that I've actually never tried, so I'm really excited about this. I picked the Emma Hardy Moringa Cleansing Balm because I've only heard rave reviews about it and let's be honest the little pot it adorable. Marc Jacobs make the most incredible perfumes so I couldn't resist trying their newest addition, and I will say I'm now very tempted to buy a much bigger one. It's amazing. 

Have a look at the products they offer samples of here.

Love, Beth xo

We Made It! | Blogmas Day 24

It's christmas eve! And that means it's day 24 of Blogmas. Where did the time go? 

Last thing I remember it was September and I was moving into uni. I actually can't believe 2016 is almost over, on the one hand I can't wait and on the other I'm slightly sad to leave it behind. 

Tomorrow is the big day! Time for food and gifts and family. What a crazy month December has been, I honestly don't think I've stopped at all. 

I saw my two best friends from school yesterday and it was so lovely to spend time with them after so long. It's strange how easily you fall back into place with people who know you so well. It's like a nice warm hug. 

I spent all evening wrapping presents, I find it quite relaxing. Bailey's has become my staple in the evenings whilst watching films. 

One more day of work and then I'm off until Thursday. I can't wait to have a few days off of any kind of work. We're visiting my gran on boxing day and staying for a couple of nights. I can't wait to see her, we don't get to too regularly because she lives so far away. She has two kittens, who probably aren't kittens anymore, but I'm just as much looking forward to meeting them too!

Blogmas has taught me a little bit about blogging. Daily updates is harder than it looks. If you're not feeling it one day, you can't just leave it and come back to it. If you lose inspiration or have a bad day you can't just not post. Also not being able to take decent photos is frustrating, I only like to post them if I truly like them, so limited time and lack of light is an issue in that case.

It was a good trial though, and I'm proud I made it to the end!

I hope you enjoyed my 24 Days of Blogmas.

Have a very Merry Christmas and I'll see you in a few days!

Love, Beth xo

The Christmas Rush | Blogmas Day 23

I think this year is the most unprepared I have ever been for christmas!

I did the majority of my present shopping yesterday and I'm still not finished. I don't know whether it's the lack of fund (student life) or the fact that I only got home on 16th Dec, maybe it's a bit of both!

I don't even feel that christmassy this year which makes me so sad because I love it so much! I think I've just been so rushed since I got home I've hardly stopped. I've listened to christmas songs and watched a few christmas films and even been blogging about it all December! But I'm still not there yet. I'm hoping when I get to wrapping my presents and putting them under the tree that'll get me going. 

I'm looking forward to not having to work for a few days and going to the pub with a few friends for a drink. Maybe the key is relaxation, that's part of what christmas is all about right?

Anyway, the big day is only 2 days away now! So whatever happens, I bet christmas day will bring the festive feeling I need.

How christmassy have you felt this year? What are your favourite things to do to get you in the christmas spirit?

Love, Beth xo

Letter To Myself | Blogmas Day 22

 Dear Beth,

2016 has been an odd one. It started just like any other. The first couple of months were pretty uneventful but you got yourself through. It was head down and work hard.

You began the year with only one cat and by April you had persuaded mum to adopt another. Now you couldn't imagine home without him there. 

Countless trips to London and Ozzy's broke up the routine of those first 5 months and excitement grew as your leaving date got closer.

You had to get everything prepared before you went away, money, bags, clothes, visa. You had to leave very descriptive instructions for mum to be able to pick your uni accommodation in case the internet in America was bad, which it was.

Then it was time to leave the job you'd worked at for 2 years and check everything was set for you to go away for 3 months.

You took 2 bags that contained your entire life for that time and said goodbye to your parents on the train station platform, they cried and you did too. 

But this was only the start of an adventure that was bigger than you ever could've imagined. You stayed at Ozzy's again and they took you to the airport. They said goodbye and wished you luck and left you with a group of people you barely knew. But I'll tell you now, they turned out to be the best people, who would make your summer incredible.

A 7 hour flight and a 5 hour time difference and you were greeted by your new American family, although it didn't seem that way to begin with. You were nervous and out of your comfort zone. But you sat for a few long hours talking to a girl with brightly coloured hair who was actually interested in what you were telling her and even though you'd just met her, she made you laugh so hard you cried. That would become a regular occurrence.

The next 2 weeks you become friends with some incredible people from all over the world and ate lots and lots of American food.

Camp was one of the best experiences of your life and although it was tough, the summer flies by before you know it. The weeks are so fun and rewarding but you live for the weekends because you get to spend time with people you don't really see in the week and you go to places you've only ever had on your bucket list. An Orioles Baseball Game, 5th July Carnival, Baltimore's Inner Harbour, Hershey Park, Washington DC. You can't stop thinking about how lucky you are to be in such an amazing place with amazing people. And although camp ends your summer does not. 
You cry because you have to leave a place that has made you feel so at home, that has changed you as a person and that has brought these people into your life. You cry some more when you actually have to say goodbye to those people. People who have supported you when camp life got hard, which it really did, people who you may potentially never see again. People who made you laugh until you couldn't breathe and your sides hurt. People who sang and danced with you, who did weird and wonderful things just to make kids laugh. They're the best kind of people, people you only find at camp.

But you don't leave them all behind, because now comes the reward for your hard work all summer, now is time for the travel. You go to stay with a girl who has been by your side all summer, she's been a lifesaver and a damn miracle worker for putting up with you the whole time. But in truth you worked as the best team and know that the summer wouldn't have been the same without her. There's four of you and you explore Harper's Ferry and her local area of West Virginia, her parents are lovely and make the best food! You decide to dye your hair purple and get your first tattoo! This is only the start of your crazy adventures that follow. The four of you make you way to New York City and it is better than you could ever imagined. You're only there for a short time but you never want to leave. A whirlwind tour of the big sights and it's time to part ways and head to JFK.
You spend the next 12 days in a daydream, your with a girl who is like your twin, in a group of incredible aussies touring the West Coast. San Fran, Bass Lake, Yosemite, Las Vegas, Route 66, Grand Canyon, Sedona Desert, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles. You will never forget this trip, it was truly once in a lifetime. 
When this came to an end you did something that at the start of the summer you would never have been able to do. You left everyone of that summer behind, cried again, and boarded one of two planes to cross the country alone. It came with a lot of panicking and time wasting in airports but you did it and that's something to be proud of. After a very long time and very little sleep, you were right back where you started, Baltimore.
You squeezed this trip out as long as you could. You stayed with the outgoing girl who was always wearing a hat and never failed to make you laugh, in her uni dorm, which was another thing to tick of the bucket list. Just like everything in America, the schools are huge. You slept for a very long time. Jetlag's a bitch. You met her friends who were so lovely and welcoming. They made you dinner and talked about you being British for a bit, like they do over there. Then you both boarded another bus that would take you right back to New York City. This is a trip to laugh about, it didn't quite go to plan but worked out anyway. It taught you some things about big cities and how you can look after yourself better than you thought. You got some massive blisters from walking around the city all day in some crappy shoes. You got rainbow bagels in Brooklyn and walked the Brooklyn Bridge, you saw parts of the city that you didn't get to last time. You fell in love with it even more.
When it came to leaving, it really felt like goodbye this time. You didn't cry, but you felt so deeply sad to be leaving behind such a significant trip. One last flight and you were in England again, where they talked like you did and questioned why you had blue hair.
  You're bankrupt and nostalgic when you return to work for 2 weeks, earning as much money as you can before you move 8 hours to the opposite side of the country for uni.
The bags are packed again, the room looks half bare and the car is full to the brim. You feel oddly optimistic yet nervous about this next step. Little did you know it would be incredible. You stop in at Ozzy's again on the way and begin to wonder if he just thinks your using him as a half way house or whether he's considering charging you per night. It's lovely to see them so much in one year. 
You move in and buy new furniture for your room, you unpack and food shop. Then it comes the time for mum to leave and it's like your back on that train station platform all over again. But neither of you cry this time. There's no time difference or ocean between you. It's just a new start.
The next three months go by so fast you can't believe. You find some incredible friends in your flatmates and on your course. You settle in like it's somewhere you feel you've always meant to be. You read a lot and discover texts you never would've otherwise, which only builds your inquisitive literary mind. Formatives, a presentation and 3 summatives down and the first term is over. You cooked more often that you thought you would. You managed to produce a roast dinner for 8 in 1 microwave and you made yorkshire puddings from scratch. Being independent feels great and having your own space is even better. Living on a student loan is not the best however.
So that brings us to now. You've made it to day 22 of Blogmas and not missed one post yet. Your home and have only just bought the majority of your christmas presents. Gizmo is at the end of the bed and you've missed having the animals around as company.
Looking back through this year makes you realise how lucky you've been. This has been one for a lot of change in you. You've learned to let go. To fight when it's necessary. To work hard when you want something. To open yourself to others. To live life everyday and to grab every opportunity when it's presented to you. You've learnt not to be afraid of being told no, or taking a risk. That it's ok to be yourself and to like yourself. There are people out there unlike anyone you've ever met and even some just like you.

It's been a good'un. Let's see what 2017 brings us.

Love, Beth xo 

Gift Wrap Inspiration | Blogmas Day 21

I'm not going to sit here and say I'm an artist when it comes to wrapping, and considering I've only bought one present so far I haven't even done any this year! But it is one of my favourite things to do at christmas and it is something that I try to get creative with each year. 

It's normally something that looks better in my head than what my hands can fabricate but I do try. So I thought I would look up some inspiration this year and I must say Pinterest pulls through again. I genuinely wish I was as crafty as these people, but we can give it a go right?

Which of these do you think you would try your hand at?

Love, Beth xo

Christmas Sparkle | Blogmas Day 20

Christmas is all about the sparkle, from head to toe. 

But I thought I'd focus more on the head part as I've noticed I really haven't done much do do with beauty over blogmas, which is crazy! 

Anyway, we all love a bit of a glow this time of year, skin looks a tad lack lustre and there's lots of lights to reflect off of, so let's make the most of it!

I love to pull out the golds and bronzes in winter, but every now and then it's good to try something new right? Cranberry's and purple's are beautiful to incorporate, they just add that extra oomph to an eyeshadow look. All That Glitters by MAC is gorgeous in the inner corner or even all over the lid and Amber Lights is great on blue eyes, it really makes them pop! 

I love this Sigma Warm Neutrals palette for the festive season as it has so many amazing shades to play around with.

Not forgetting the skin of course, my favourite highlights all year round are MUAs Undress your Skin, such a bargain, and such good quality and Benefit's Watt's Up, this gold tone is perfect for the christmas vibe. 

I get so excited whenever I can add a little extra to my makeup and christmas is such a great excuse!

Love, Beth xo

Decorating the Tree | Blogmas Day 19

I know it's late but mum promised not to decorate the tree until I was home. It's one of my favourite parts of christmas and I couldn't bare to miss it just because I was at uni. 

I wanted to have a traditional colour scheme this year, so we went to town with the red and gold, I couldn't be happier! I think it looks so christmassy. I love having a real tree, it just adds to the whole atmosphere. 

I'm so happy to finally have the tree up and decorated, I feel truly ready for next week, it's come around so quick! 

Love, Beth xo