♡ Hello Kitty Cafe in London ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

I was given the opportunity to go to the Hello Kitty Cafe, located at Cutter & Squidge in Soho, with my friend Chewwie. I had been trying to book a place for weeks, as well as trying to find someone to go with - I didn't want to ask Saph, as she was already going to go a few times in August - but alas I couldn't do so?! But swoops in Chewwie with her fabulous-ness and flair, and BOOM. Along we went last Sunday, eager and ready for our afternoon tea.

A little backstory behind Cutter & Squidge - they don't use a lot of sugar and fat contents in their treats, and have quite a selection of gluten free in the Hello Kitty Afternoon tea. On their website they state;

"We make everything from scratch and where possible we use real British ingredients or source from British producers where we can't. Our eggs are always free range and our butter is always British creamery butter (mmm real butttter).

We don't use any margarine or hydro-what-do-you-call-'em fats and certainly no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives... we really can't see the point!

Our flavourings and colourings are all natural... the hulk green of our green tea biskie is purely from the premium grade matcha green tea we use and our crazy pink raspberry biskie... that's all pure raspberry!

Our decorations are created using our homemade all natural colourings which we make from fruits, vegetables, spices and flowers - we even make our own sprinkles.

We believe in using the best fresh and natural ingredients... full stop!"

I wasn't disappointed with the shop - the layout is clean, with a splash of colour here and there, and at first, it seemed that there wasn't anyone actually in the shop?! Chewwie and I were a little confused, but after seeing a sign, we guessed that the 'secret garden' was actually hiding somewhere else! Very clever in my opinion!

Whilst we waited for our table to be ready, we were given a glass bottle filled with pink lemonade - decorated with a pink straw and a Hello Kitty bow! We were also given wristbands (I'm guessing to help the staff know who were waiting during busy periods?!) and after fifteen minutes (we did arrive early just so you know) we were taken downstairs to the secret garden for our delectable food!

The walls were donned with Hello Kitty decal style wallpaper, and there were vines donned with fruits and flowers that just oozed that secret garden vibe. We were seated at (a very snug) two seat table, that was dressed to impress - and somehow fit all the food onto as well! But they were very clever with how to put everything in front of us, as soon enough, our food arrived in a VERY high pile of wicker steamer baskets (you know, the ones you use for dim sum?) and boy, was there a lot. There were five levels altogether and that is a lot when you think about it, especially when we were told that there were refillables for EVERYTHING - food and drink! Worth it right?

The first two layers are the savoury side of the afternoon tea - the first being Kitty's snack time sandwiches of cucumber & cream cheese, hummus & pepper, cheese & red onion and salmon & chives, whilst the second layer was filled with savoury cheese scones w/ a red pepper relish and cream cheese, and a coronation cracker.

The third layer is full of a strawberry milkshake biskie, blondies and I believe the vanilla cookie - even though the vanilla cookie (the Hello Kitty face one) tasted more like the strawberry milkshake, whilst the other one tasted of vanilla and strawberry... BUT I may be wrong!

The fourth and fifth layers were the ones that were topping us at this point - the fourth layer had the Mimmy's very berry jelly kiss, Mimmy's pink lemonade marshmallow, cake truffle and strawberries and finally, the fifth layer had Kitty's chocolate mud pie and Mama's apple pie mousse.

But it didn't just end with those... ooooooooh no! We were also given ice cream at the end of it all - served up w/ strawberry sauce and in a very cute, small, blue teacup. Full is definitely an understatement at this point of the session.

Oh, I chose an apple pie flavoured fruit tea - which was very nice, lots of cinnamon, and it did have that apple pie flavour, but it was very subtle. I didn't get any other flavoured tea - which you can do throughout the session - but I did drink a bucket load of the pink lemonade, as I was seriously addicted to that stuff. It wasn't too sweet, and had that traditional lemonade sour twang at the end of each sip, which is just perfection for me.

Quite a few pieces of food, throughout the afternoon tea; is gluten free, dairy free and acceptable for vegetarians - and they do offer a full vegetarian option for the savoury side of the meal - and it did all taste delicious, well 95% of it did, as Chewwie and I weren't keen on a couple of pieces, and it was all pretty much gone b the end of our session. We even ordered another third layer - with the biskies and blondies - and was able to box it up, and take it home.

I do think £40 is a fair price for this afternoon tea - especially with the amount of food and drink you are given with at first, followed on by the extras you want afterwards. Chewwie and I, were sooo full though, that even walking back through Chinatown was a little bit of a struggle... I think we almost rolled back! I think, besides a couple of items, and that feel of feeling overfull at the end of the session, I had no problems - the staff were friendly and accommodating, the food was seriously moreish, and the flow of drinks was always there.

I would gladly go back to Cutter & Squidge though, just to try out some of the delicious things they have to offer. There is such a large selection to choose from, heck I would have problems with deciding, but then, that would mean more trips back... right?!

Cutter & Squidge have quite a few social platforms - twitter, instagram and facebook - and I do recommend checking them out, just to see all the delectable goodies they post! I'm seriously drooling already... cries

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ The Blogger Hangout Summer Event ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

I had the opportunity to attend my first ever bloggers event last weekend, and boy, did I enjoy every single moment of it! I was extremely nervous at first, as I was attending all by myself, but after reading such kind-hearted tweets, from lovely bloggers about them going by themselves also, well, I didn't feel so alone and nervous!

I arrived at the Strand Gallery, literally, five minutes before the event opened - thank goodness public transport into London was kind to me that day, especially with Pride happening (literally) next door to Charing Cross station! I was shaking with nerves, but I did it! I went in by myself, and I spoke to all the brand representatives there! Everyone was super friendly, and just so welcoming. I, honestly, cannot fault anyone there. The gallery was narrow, but I managed to squeeze myself between everyone and natter away about things i.e. blog stuff, what we like, what the brand was about and so on, and so forth. It was, just a relaxed atmosphere, and I cannot find anything to complain about!

So the brands. First off, there was Regenerate - a company that specialises in products to help enamel erosion in your teeth - and I enjoyed learning about this company, especially as I have dull, yellow teeth from years of smoking and the amount of caffeine I've consumed. It'll be interesting to test the products I was gifted from them too! The next brand I met was Home Brewtique - a company that specialises in making your own craft beer, in the comfort of your own home - and even though I don't drink myself, I learnt enough information from them to take home to my dad, who is an avid beer 'collector' aka wherever he travels to, he brings home beer from the region.

The next brand was Sass & Belle - the cutest company, that specialises in what is on trend, and turning it into quirky and innovative home-ware and gifts - and what they had on offer that day... well I was in love with a few items! I could have just easily walked out, with everything they had to offer on the table... oops! The next brand along, was the super sweet Dinkibelle - a company who specialises in nail wraps - and after telling her about the awful past I've had with nail wraps (never stayed on, never looked nice blurgh) she managed to convince me about her brand. I haven't tried the nail wraps yet, as I'm trying to grow my nails every so slightly, but she did say that I could just cut the wraps in half, and have double the amount... how cool is that?!

Next in line, was T-Tox - a brand who specialises in matcha powder, and loose leaf tea specialised to help your diet slash become a part of your everyday routine - and I'm not obsessed with matcha, unlike a couple of my friends, who seem to be matcha fiends, but I was intrigued by this, especially as a couple of the matcha products were infused with other items. One had ginger and gingko infused into it, whilst the other had peppermint and nettles - the one with ginger helped boost your energy, whilst the peppermint one helped relax and regenerate you after exercise I believe? I managed to try them both (they had been mixed with coconut water) and omg, absolute delicious. And you can add them to your cooking... hello matcha cupcakes or muffins anyone?!

I had to skip a couple of brands, as it was getting busy at this point, and as it was getting hot, I scooched over to the front door to take a breather, before heading downstairs and meeting Pink Parcel - a brand specialising in THAT time of the month for us ladies. It's a subscription box, that caters to your needs during that particular time, where you feel like absolute shit, and just need a bit of pick me up, to make you feel more human again. I loved chatting away to the ladies there, and spending time picking out my gorgeous goodies, but they seriously sold this subscription box for me... I am signing up on my payday next week.

Finally; I managed to speak to United Beauty - a brand who specialises in gel nails, but the product turns any nail polish into a gel style manicure... if that makes sense?! It came with a portable UV lamp and a gel coat - either clear, or with glitter pieces embedded. I was lucky enough to have a manicure and a lovely natter with the girls there and before I knew it... it was 4.30! I had spent, almost, the entire time the event was on, there!

I did have such a wonderful time, meeting so many new people and just being in a warm, and generous atmosphere. I'm glad it was such a beautiful day for this event, and I really hope that I'll be able to go to more in the future, now that I have a little bit more confidence to go to them by myself! Oh, before I finish off, here are all the amazing goodies I received - I, legit, feel slightly like a spoilt brat because of these! So, a massive thank you to all the brands, who took time out to talk to me and gave me gifts, and a massive thank you to the Blogger Hangout crew for having me!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ WTFood; Puccho Squid + Salty Lemon Flavour ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

Upon my mass purchase of Sakura Pepsi on ebay - trust me, I frickin' love that stuff - I stumbled across something, that I knew was familiar, but at the same time, made me think "what the actual..." and thus, I give you squid and salty lemon flavoured puccho! A couple of my friends in Japan sent me packages of these items, as I wasn't sure about actually purchasing it at first, but hey - it's nice that people think of me, when they see weird things!

When I first opened up the packet, there was a strong, tangy citrus flavour, which is delightful to someone who loves citrus flavoured items, i.e. ME! Each piece is individually wrapped, and once unwrapped, you cannot tell that there are pieces of dried squid embedded in these delightful sweets. So therefore, you believe you are just simply eating a piece of sweet sweets.

It's an odd taste at first, and it's very hard to describe it in all honesty but it is a nice flavour?! You have to taste it, to believe that it is tasty... because in all honesty, who would have put dried squid in lemon chewit-esque sweets for a daily treat? Not me originally, but now that I have tasted these... I am slightly addicted and would gladly purchase more, but they seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth for now, so I'm guessing that they were a limited edition item - oh well!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ My First Colourpop Haul ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

Note; I was going to do swatches... but they turned out terrible - slightly out of focus because of shaky arms, even though I used a tripod, and the lighting was awful too, so  I'll do some proper lip swatches (with added reviews) as soon as I have some free time~

I messed up. Well, I didn't really mess up bbbuuuttt as I'm meant to be saving for my Japan trip at the end of the year... I messed up. Colourpop has been on my radar for a while now, and after seeing more UK bloggers purchasing pieces, I decided to dive in further. As Colourpop don't do shipping to the UK at the moment, the easiest way to do so, is by getting an American shipping address - I use Shipto - and doing it that way! You literally add items to your cart, enter the American address you've signed up for, in the shipping and billing sections and away you go! You wait (very patiently) for the email, saying that your parcel is in their care, then you pay a small service fee and the shipping fee from their warehouse, to you doorstep! It really is as simple as 1, 2, 3!

Now, I actually did two different orders - my first order being when Colourpop had a sale on, and the second one when they offered a free limited edition eyeshadow single, to celebrate their second birthday. I wasn't intending on doing the second purchase, but all I had to do was spend $30 (which is easily done) and voila! It happened... But basically, because both orders were put together, the shipping fee and service fee didn't mount up in the end - I paid less than $15 for both.

Eyeshadow Singles

○ Glow ○ Birthday Boy ○ KathleenLights ○ Cornelious ○

How stunning are these? Glow, KathleenLights and Cornelious are actually three single colours from the Kathleen Lights Quad collection, but when I did my first order, it was, sadly, out of stock - so I had to make do with these three for now! Birthday Boy just oozes that little bit of swish and glitter that could probably make any look pop!

Eyeshadow Collections 

○ Kaepop ○ Jenn Ne Sais Quad ○

Two stunning quads for $20 each? I was sold in all honesty. I love how different the formula is of these eyeshadows... they don't seem powdery? It almost feels as if it's a cushioned liquid/mousse kind of formula?! It's weird, but I'm super looking forward to using the beauties properly! On first impressions, the Jenn Ne Sais Quad appeals to me more, because of the two bottom colours (brick red and a blackened brown) are more... well, me I suppose? 

Ultra Matte Lip

○ Are & Be ○ Bianca ○ Cheap Thrills ○ Lumiere II ○ Trap ○ Tulle ○

Matte lipsticks are my favourite at the moment, and after searching through different swatches on google - the above six colours were my favourite! I will probably make my way through the whole collection in the future... but these six will satisfy. At first glance, I'm more pulled towards Cheap Thrills and Are & Be, compared to the others, and normally I would have a berry/bold red matte lip colour in ANY haul but this time, I stuck with nudes and pinks - for now.

Ultra Satin Lip

○ Dopey ○ Echo Park ○ Frick 'n' Frack ○ Marshmallow ○ Prim ○ Tansy ○ Toolips ○

As soon as I saw Marshmallow, I just knew that I had to have it. And it's shocking for me, because I don't have any satin lipstick in my collection any more? I just have a few Gerard Cosmetics lipsticks and some Etude House ones, but the rest are liquid and matte... that's how predictable I am these days. But it wasn't just Marshmallow I had to have straight away, Tansy and Toolips also won me over... Tansy because it's a little weird and Toolips because... I actually don't know why, but the swatch looked amazing. I am, so looking forward to using the beauties soon!

Lippie Stix

○ Cami ○ Creature ○ Lumiere ○ Pillow Talk ○ Taurus ○ Tootsi ○

I was slightly heartbroken, that Cami and Creature came a little bit weird? Cami was backwards and all twisted, whilst Creature was slightly twisted in the tube. None the less, all the colours are simply stunning. A couple of colours are from the Matte X collection - I think Cami, Pillow Talk and Tootsi? Lumiere was part of the Kathleen Lights collection, and hence why I got this was because of Lumiere II as well! I love all of these colours in all honesty... I really don't know how I'm going to choose whenever I need a lip colour!

So there we have it! I love each and every item, even the ones that are a little twisted, but I am looking forward to incorporating these items into my everyday - and extreme - looks!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ 10 Things I Can't Live Without ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

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The gorgeous Lizzie linked an old blog post of hers, onto her twitter a while ago and, after reading it and finding myself nodding along, I asked if I could do the same sort of thing for me, and she was happy to - so thank you darling, for the inspiration ♡

♡ Friends and Family

Cliché, I know. But it's true, so why deny it?! I love my friends - especially my closet friends - as they have seen me at my best, but also at my worst and haven't discarded me, because I was broken, like people have done in the past. I have pictures EVERYWHERE in my room of friends (for now - I'm in the middle of sorting out family photos!) and just looking at them, makes me smile - and I love how they have that affect on me.

♡ Make-up

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Sounds so superficial, but I do love my make-up. I love that little rush of adrenaline, whenever I purchase something new, that little shiver that runs down my spine whenever I first break the seal. Lipsticks are definitely my favourite ever item - seriously, I have over 100 in my collection - and yet, I do not seem to believe, that I have enough. Somewhere in my brain, something is telling me to just keep purchasing them. Cries. False lashes are the second priority in my list of make-up... even though I have cut back on wearing them these days (damn you sensitive eyes!) I still NEED them. I feel, that my look isn't complete without a pair of lashes.

♡ J-Dramas and Movies

I. Am. Addicted. To. Japanese. Dramas. Movies are, well I don't mind, as the range of movies go from Disney to creepy horrors. But dramas, boy are they something. I do prefer Japanese dramas to Korean/Taiwanese/Chinese etc. as the episodes are shorter - 45 minutes long - and they get the whole story done, and dusted, within 10-12 episodes. What's so hard about that? Others just seem too padded, too "must get many episodes, must do extra branch of story"? Anyway, dramas are one of my, truest, loves and it'll never change.

♡ Popteen

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Popteen magazine is a Japanese magazine that (used) to do Gyaru make-up and fashion, but over the past few years, they've kind of drawn away from the Gyaru image, and just stick to what is fashionable at the moment. They also do make-up tutorials, the step-by-step kind, and I love following them, getting inspiration from them, and just flicking through the pages - it's mesmerising and relaxing.

♡ Wigs
Ever since I had a bleaching incident - about five years ago now - I didn't like my hair at all, so I had it all chopped off and that was fine at first, but once I was able to start growing it again, it went to that horrible, ugly in-between short and medium length, you know the one I mean? Well, in comes wigs and I feel pretty and have pretty hair, and because of the different colours, I managed to sustain my hair dyeing urge. I do have, a rather extensive collection of wigs now, but I love how with these wigs, I can chop and change so easily, without the damage. And because of the wigs, my hair is now healthy and happy, and is down past my shoulders! It'll never be as thick as it was before the bleaching, but I'm just glad that I was able to save it - and I'm leaving the bleaching to the professionals now!

♡ Books

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Even though, in my room there doesn't seem to be many books on display - I have a couple of manga series and some leather bound books, along with photobooks and my Popteen magazines, all on one shelf - I do have, a harem of books hiding under my bed, in book boxes. I have loved books, ever since my parents started reading to me, when I was little - I think I still have some series (in mint condition) up in the loft, safely packed away, because I took such amazing care of them - and it makes me super sad, when I see the children at work destroy books, just because. I physically cry over the books.......

♡ My pets
I adore my pets. They know me way too well, and they know my emotions. I have been struggling over the past few years, to conquer my depression and anxiety but there have been days, where it has just hit - and boy did it hit hard. My dogs have, somehow, picked up my changes and have stuck beside me through the toughest spells, where as my cats.. are just my cats and stick by my side whenever I am at home, working. Recently, we lost one of our horses and that hit harder than I imagined, as she was the same age as me, and mum had owned her since she was eight weeks old, so she is more than a pet - she was a family member, and letting go of that family member, broke me. And that's how I view my pets - they are my family members, and they are no less than that.

♡ Music

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Where would I be without music? Over the past eighteen months, I have been studying my NVQ Level 3 in Childcare - to officially become a qualified nursery nurse - and because I haven't watched as many movies and dramas as I would normally do, over this time, I have turned to my music, just to keep me sane through the deadlines and mountains of coursework. I don't stick to one genre of music though, I actually have an eclectic taste in music, because my family listens to so many different genres and artists, how could I just stick to one?!

♡ Laptop / Tablet
My ppprrreeeccciiiooosss~ My laptop has been, my ultimate boo over the past eighteen months, and I do not know what I'd do without it. I have over 1GB of memory, and I swear, it's just jam packed with music, photographs, dramas, movies and coursework... that is what my laptop runs on. I don't really do games - I think I just have solitaire loaded on, to be honest? My tablet, I have had almost three years now and it has done me well. I use that for my instagram account and other social media, whenever I don't have my laptop to hand. People have their phones - I have my tablet, instead of a phone to rely on.

♡ Cooking

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And finally, cooking. Cooking soothes me, relaxes me through stressful times, and I love seeing the final outcome. I started learning how to cook, because of nan, and after watching her bake/cook many a times, I asked her when I was around five, to teach me the basics. She started me off, and since then, my mum has been teaching me - either by me watching her, or her helping me etc. I don't know, if I like baking or cooking better, to be honest, but I enjoy both, no matter what.

So, there we go! These are the things, that make me tick. I hope this post, has kind of made me seem more human, and not just a person rolling out make-up review, after make-up review on this blog? I've, actually, enjoyed writing this and I did control myself, not to ramble away, so yay! Brownie points for me!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo