Friday 27 November 2015

November Favourites



November can be one of those months which seems to never end... with Christmas still a considerable while away, the weather getting colder, the days getting shorter, money disappearing down the drain... well, it can be a little depressing.  This month I've discovered exactly how it feels to have to pay for your own heating (horrible), and my housemates and I have taken to wearing our dressing gowns 24/7 both inside and outside the house, including to our local Co-Op on our most recent 'quick-we-need-junk-food' trip (last night, of course).  

This month I've been loving a few different bits and pieces I got for my birthday/bought for myself as a late birthday present (that's allowed, right?).  The first thing are these amazing stick on nails I got from Primark.  For only £1, you too can have fabulously garish finger accessories - trust me, when it comes to conversation starters, these are a winner.  While I was in Manchester I had pink ones with pop art style pineapples on, unfortunately I managed to lose a few during the weekend's antics (you can read about those here and here), but luckily, Primark had me covered, with 24 various shaped nails in each pack to see me through my various drunken nail mishaps.  


I've also been loving the Lime Crime Velvetine lip colour that my lovely sisters got me for my birthday (read my full post about that here).  In my opinion, a strong brown lip colour never goes awry, especially as the winter months begin to descend - this one is long lasting and ultra-matte, but nowhere near as drying as I've found other matte lipsticks to be (I've shed many a bitter tear for MAC's Honey Love and Velvet Teddy, believe me).  

Equally, the beauty blenders that Josh got me for my birthday have been an absolute game-changer for my make-up routine.  I am so late to the party for this one, but if you haven't already been converted, these are well worth the investment.  I was previously using MAC's 187 duo fibre brush for my foundation, and although the brush was a nightmare with shedding, I couldn't justify splashing out for another without a really good reason.  Luckily enough, I didn't have to find that reason as these were bought for me.  Mine came in a double pack which is perfect for someone like me who is incredibly lazy with washing makeup tools.  The blender itself is so easy to use, and gives a flawless, airbrush like, no-trace application, which is what really gives it the edge over using a brush.   



Another thing I can't get enough of at the moment is my new phone case.  I was kindly given a voucher by a company called GoCustomized who make personalised phone and tablet cases.  There's quite a bit of range of the different types of cases you can choose from on the website, but I wanted a wallet case like this one that I could keep things like my ID, bus and debit card safely in.  Plus, it means I don't have to worry about my screen getting scratched by all the random debri that sits at the bottom of my handbag.  It was a bit of a task choosing what photo exactly to put on the front but I settled for one I'd scanned in of me and my sisters on the beach years and years ago - this photo makes me so happy.  The case itself is really good quality and it's really nice being able to design your own iPhone 6 case.  I think £19.99 is quite affordable, too, especially considering it's far more robust than your average plastic back case.  


Finally, I couldn't help but include this Lancome christmas gift set I bought (for myself, obviously).  Although my recent trial of the Guerlain Cils d'Enfer, (see my review here) was successful, I've come to the realisation that most likely nothing can push the Lancome Hypnose Drama off my top spot.  Around Christmas time in Boots they do it in a gift set for the same price as the mascara on its own (£22.50), so I thought it'd just be rude not to get this.  The kohl pencil is soft and easy to work with, and the eye makeup remover literally melts away even the thickest of eyeliner.  My only qualm would be that this makeup remover is oil-based, which means you are left with rather slick and shiny eyelids.  But as long as you don't mind that, it's great.  


What kind of things have you guys been loving this month?  

Ruby x

   

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Sunday 22 November 2015

Rainbow Shirts and Pleather Skirts



 
I'm currently sitting cross-legged on the rug in front of the fire wearing two tops, two jumpers, a dressing gown and a hat for good measure.  This weekend I've been at home, luckily enough, as I don't have to pay for having the heating on here... however, that's not to say I haven't been feeling the effects of the recent 10 degree temperature drop.  Has anyone else been suffering madly with it?!  Every year I seem to forget just how bloody cold it can get.  

On Saturday morning I went for breakfast with my Mum at a little cafe by the seaside.  We both had Eggs Benedict which was absolutely dreamy - I hardly ever eat out for breakfast, as my burger addiction means I tend to be limited to lunch and dinner if I'm going to try and keep vaguely within the lines of what's socially acceptable (of course I would eat a burger for breakfast if there was the option, but for some reason I haven't yet come across a restaurant which does).  It's always so nice to come home for the weekend because I get to spend time catching up with my family and friends, and, in some cases, also forcing them to take blog photos for me: it was my mother who lovingly obliged this time.  I have to admit I was pretty chilly in this outfit.  I had a couple of layers on under the shirt but could've definitely done with an extra jumper on top, as it was so windy being close to the seafront - you've only got to look at my out-of-control mane in these photos to tell that!

 
Top - Zara / Shirt - Vintage Kilo Sale / Skirt - New Look
Boots - River Island / Bag - Thrifted



 This crazy Elmer-esque (if you didn't read Elmer the Patchwork Elephant as a child click here to be enlightened) shirt is one of the items I picked up at the Vintage Kilo Sale while away in Manchester (read my up-north weekend blog posts here and here), and I must say, although I've had a couple of 'what the devil is she wearing' sort of looks from a few people while out and about in my home town, it's not enough to put me off.  During winter it's so easy to end up wearing all black outfits every day (something's got to camouflage the effects of all the mince pies and mulled wine), but I have faith now in this shirt to rescue some of those outfits, such as this very one.  





The skirt is something I picked up from New Look a couple of weeks back, and although I was really unsure about how to justify adding another pleather skirt to my wardrobe, I must say I have no regrets in the slightest.  Being slightly shorter, and slightly tighter, I feel that this skirt is actually far more flattering for my short stumpy legs which seemed to be cut in half by my other one.  I reckon it'll be a great staple piece for winter, as black is so versatile, and leather seems to go with everything... plus, it was only £17.99 after student discount - it would've been rude to say no.   

Don't forget to follow on Bloglovin' to keep up to date with me and my money-spending antics!
 
Ruby x


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Thursday 19 November 2015

Manchester Part 2: Hangover Day, Christmas Market and Crazy Pedros' Nacho Libre Pizza





On Friday night, Emily took me on my first Manchester night out with a couple of her housemates, one of our old friends from home who also studies in the city, and his housemate.  We may've been a small group, but my God we hit it hard; you should've seen me on the dancefloor.  There's a funny picture of us uploaded by the club's photographer that went on Facebook a couple of days ago.  At first, we all look normal, look a bit closer, and you can see I've got my phone stuffed down the waistband of my leggings and my shirt tucked into my pants.  That's one for my future employers to admire, of course.  

After our escapade on Friday night, neither me nor Emily were in any position to get out of bed a minute earlier than 3pm... so that's what we did.  Saturday's weather was pretty atrocious, with more rain and wind than you can shake a stick at, so I didn't feel too bad about staying in bed that late (heck, if I can't be honest here, I can't be honest anywhere).  

And as many will know, where there is a hangover, there is always that insatiable, alcohol-fuelled appetite that craves all the carbs it can lay its eyes on.  Admittedly, we had to wait a few hours for our stomach's to settle (too much information?!) but then headed down to a place called Fallow which is only 5 minutes from Em and served us up some once-in-a-lifetime sweet potato fries and a platter of falafel, hummus, warm pitas, tzatziki, piri piri relish and garlic mayo.  As a girl who doesn't even like mayonnaise, in fact, really hates it, this made no difference.  The monster was within me, and the food was too bloody good to leave even a crumb behind.  Guys, if you're in Manchester and hungover, you should go, right now.  They've even got this lovely little heated seating area outside so you can gaze out over the balcony and stare romantically at the urban city skyline. 



Once we'd made it back from Fallow, feeling considerably better, we got ready to head off to the Christmas Market with one of Emily's housemates, Lara.  In a way, we were really lucky that we managed to catch it at all, as it was the first day it was opening - but in another way, I was a little more than narked about the consistent rain.  I mean full on, hold on to your hats rain, nothing for a £3 Primark umbrella to contend with.  So we kind of speed walked through the Christmas market - obviously, though, I stopped to take a picture of the one store which really caught my eye (hint: it's below, and yes, it's edible). 



After tactically speed-purchasing a faux fur headband to keep my ears warm, we headed off to somewhere Lara had recommended for drinks and a bite, and that was Crazy Pedros.  This place was just my cup of tea - it was nice and warm, for starters, and they had this big old tent out the back full of lights and a stage for the bands that were on that evening.  Everything is pretty laid back here: we ordered our 'Nacho Libre' Pizza at the bar as well as some drinks, before sitting down on a picnic-style bench in the big tent and watching some local original talent, by which we were all impressed. 

 

And I can now assure you, the pizza at Crazy Pedros is second to none.  This certainly soaked up whatever was left of my hunger, as the base is thick and the toppings are lavish.  One pizza between the three of us was even a bit of a struggle - just warning you.  We decided to head back soon after that, deciding on an early night before getting up tomorrow to jump on my train home.  And that's sadly where it all ends!  I would love to go back, as there seems to be so much to do and see there, one weekend is definitely not enough.  Keep your eyes peeled for my upcoming post on what I picked up at the Vintage Kilo Sale while in Manchester.  Thanks for reading guys!

Ruby x






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Tuesday 17 November 2015

Manchester Part 1: Sightseeing, Coffee Spots and Afflecks


Good morning my loves!
This weekend I went up to Manchester to visit one of my oldest and bestest friends Emily who goes to university there.  It was so nice to go to somewhere I've never visited before, as I'm always forgetting that England is just as full of potential weekend away spots as the rest of the World - and a lot less expensive.  I got the train from Brighton on Thursday morning and arrived at Manchester Piccadilly mid afternoon, we then spent the rest of the day catching up, eating hot dogs and drinking £2 cocktails from a place round the corner from where Em lives. 




On Friday morning we were up bright and early as Em had uni and I had some serious sightseeing to do.  We caught the bus together and I stayed on until I was nearer to the town.  It was quite embarrassing, on the bus ride I was sitting looking out the window in my own little world, enjoying taking it all in, and didn't realize everyone else had already got off since unbeknownst to be, it was the last stop.  10 seconds and one angry Northern bus driver later, I was wandering around the city feeling a little bit like Kevin in Home Alone 2 when he ends up lost in New York.  Obviously, when in doubt, there's always Primark, and Manchester's is huge.  I'm talking three floors of fabulous bargainous shoes, jackets, jewellery, homewear... it was a great way to spend my first hour in the city, and I'll share some of the bits and pieces I picked up from there soon.


After my Primark quest, I wandered around the streets like a lemon for a couple of hours, taking photos and walking in circles.  I looked in a few other places along the way, including stumbling across the massive Arndale Shopping Centre, which is certainly not for the faint hearted.  Emily and I met up again around 1, and tummies-a-rumblin' headed to find somewhere for food and coffee.   





Luckily enough (everywhere was so busy!), we managed to find a seat in Common, a 'bar, eatery, coffee spot, bakery' type of establishment in the Northern Quarter, just in time for a heavy downpour.  It wouldn't be England without rain, right?  This meant we had time for coffee, sourdough sarnies (yes, I think I'm a Northerner now), and chocolate brownies and custard doughnuts to top it all off.  We rolled out of there a couple of hours later with jeans feeling considerably tighter, heading out into the drizzle to find the infamous Afflecks for a snoop. 





On its website, Afflecks is described as an 'emporium of eclecticism' - an alternative department store that sells, well, all sorts.  In between the multiple tattoo and piercing places (tempting), the cereal cafe (even more tempting but the waistline of my jeans wouldn't allow it), the club and fetish fashion and this ah-mazing sweet shop, there's plenty to keep you going for at least a couple of hours here.  We also found a makeup store where I got persuaded into buying one of the W7 palettes: they all have very similar colours to the Urban Decay Naked palettes, but are about a fifth of the price, and, I was informed, are 'just as good'.  To be fair, I have been impressed, as the colours are beautiful but also far more pigmented than I would expect for a £7.99 palette... I may well do a proper review in the next couple of weeks once I've tried it out a bit more. 







After galavanting around Afflecks for the rest of the afternoon, we were pretty exhausted and began to head home to begin preparing for the evening's events, which I will talk about in part 2 of this post which will be arriving soon.  On the way back, something very exciting happened - we managed to stumble upon an event called The Vintage Kilo Sale, which I'd heard about on Instagram and through other blogs I read many a time, but never actually had the pleasure of actually being able to visit, as most of the events are pretty far from me.  Basically, they bring tonnes (literally) of vintage clothes, hang them on rails in big-city venues, and sell them by weight for £15 a kilo.  Just to add a little suspense, I'm going to save my findings from the sale for a separate post... but let me tell you, they were very, very bargainous, and very, very dashing.  

On that note, have a lovely Tuesday everyone and expect to hear from me again soon!  

Ruby x






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Thursday 12 November 2015

Instagram Pic(k)s of the Season





Buena noches!  Tonight I wanted to write something a little different, so I thought I'd try doing an Instagram based post, talking about a few different pictures from the past 6 weeks or so (if you want to follow me on Instagram you can find me with the link at the top of my blog, or search my username: @anotherrubytuesday).  Looking at these photos has been a bit of a shock to the system - I feel like an old person when I say this, but I can't believe how much time has flown!  The bottom right photo is from almost two months ago, and believe it or not was taken in a coffee shop of all places.  Josh and I discovered it while walking into town from my house, if I remember correctly it's called The Coffee House and it's on London Road in Brighton - if you happen to be in the area make sure to check it out as its a really quirky place!  Equally good for coffee or an alcoholic beverage if that's what tickles your fancy is The White Rabbit in The Laines (bottom centre).  I love the outdoor area here, as I really can't resist bunting, plus, the mood lighting is fabulous.  It's quite a lot busier on the weekends but I'm pretty sure when I took that photo it was a Monday or Tuesday (you know what they say, glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away).  

Speaking of beverages, I've also been loving my new mug (middle right) which Fleur, my best friend from sixth form, gave me for my birthday.  I think you know a true friend when she gets you a mug that manages to sum up perfectly my life's motto: 'Whatever Forever'.  I'm pretty sure I took this a day or two after our ever so slightly manic Halloween/Birthday party, which my housemates and I dubbed 'Ruby's Bloody Bday' - comic geniuses, I know.  It's safe to say our back yard is still covered with the glittery traces of that night (see picture middle left).  I must say, turning 20 was actually surprisingly painless compared to my expectations.  I thought that not being a teenager any more was going to be just horrible and serious and boring.  Considering I spent the evening watching Enchanted with my housemates and doing Disney karaoke off YouTube I have strong reason to believe I was wrong - I think I'll always be my 8 year old self at heart.  

On my birthday (top right) I lost my Gourmet Burger Kitchen virginity.  Oh sweet Lord, that place is nirvana.  I remember my burger being some utopian combination of beef, bacon, pesto, cheese and avocado (obviously doused in ketchup as it is me), and all I can say is if you haven't been, you must, MUST go.  It was so nice to catch up with my sisters and parents that day too.  The picture in the top centre is from Josh's birthday.  He turned 22 last week and we celebrated by going for a massive Indian the night before at Planet India in Brighton which is equally amazing (writing this has made me come to the frightening realisation that my life does indeed revolve around food).  On his actual birthday we popped back to his home to see his family where we baked a 5-star coffee and walnut cake and I also did my washing... I'm such a predictable student.  We went out to Walkabout in the evening, a great bar/club hybrid at the bottom of North Street, before falling into bed around 1am, realising we are in fact old and can't stay out late drinking any more.  

What's everyone else been up to recently?  I feel very dishonest writing this blog post, as I've actually been spending 90% of my time for the past 3 weeks writing essays, but nobody wants to hear about that shit.  Tomorrow I'm off to Manchester so expect to see some posts about 'up north' coming from me very soon.  

Ruby x



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Saturday 7 November 2015

Lips of the Month: Shroom


It's a Saturday evening and I'm sitting in my bed feeling pretty bloody sorry for myself after last night's antics and my consequent lack of essay progress today.  I'm off to Manchester on Thursday morning, coincidentally the same day as the deadline for a piece of my media coursework... only a true optimist would book to get on a train that leaves before the deadline for a piece of work... or am I just a complete and utter fool?!  Either way, I haven't made it any easier for myself by gaining a reputation as probably the most enthusiastic drinker of far too strong gin and tonics that Ring of Fire has ever seen.  On the plus side, I did get to wear out my new favourite lip colour last night - it's a new one!


Having recently had my birthday, I was lucky enough to get one of the Lime Crime Velvetines from my lovely sisters.  On the website this product is described as 'liquid-to-matte lipstick', and I couldn't say it better myself.  The applicator is a kind of triangular sponge stuck onto the end of a wand, exactly the same deal as you get with your standard year-8 lipgloss.  I was surprised, but I actually really like using this kind of applicator for lip colour: strangely enough, I found it to have more precision than a traditional lipstick, especially when you've only got around 25 seconds allocated from your morning makeup routine for lip colour application.  



I'm not going to lie, the formula does take some getting used to, and I wouldn't exactly call it moisturizing.  However, the results are so much more pleasing than other matte lip colours I've tried which make my lips look, well, dry (for example, Honey Love by MAC - I know, I almost cried).  Despite a little bit of inevitable almost-at-Winter lip chapping, this product really does give a smooth finish when used with a little bit of lip balm underneath.  I love the colour, too: I got it in the shade 'Shroom', as I love a good '90s brown shade almost as much as I love my dear mother (but not quite, don't worry Mum!).   


I took these last two photos in natural daylight to try and show the colour best, but unfortunately the weather recently has meant there isn't actually too much daylight to be had at all... see above for a photo with my bedroom light on. 



All in all, after trying this Velvetine, it is with great joy I can say that I do believe there is hope for anyone who, like me, has struggled before with matte lip colours and their horrible habit of drying out lips.  This is a great alternative, comes in many a snazzy shade, and can I just take a moment to appreciate the box it arrived in (you'll have to scroll back up to the top to remind yourself, but trust me, it's worth it)... that's probably at least half of the postage and packaging cost, but it's oh-so-Instagram worthy.  

Ruby x



 



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Wednesday 4 November 2015

Quick Eat of the Week



Hello!  Wow, it's been well over a week and for that, I apologize.  On the weekend my housemates and I hosted our first house party in the name of Halloween/my 20th birthday which was also last week, a party which seemed to take me about 5 days to prepare for and a further 4 to recover from.  For some reason, Halloween this year well and truly topped me: don't get me wrong, I had a fabulous time, but I'm certainly paying for it now... 

Today's post is dedicated to the rediscovery of one of my all-time favourite quick and easy but bloody yummy breakfast/lunch/dinners.  Yes, this is the ultimate mealtime hybrid - a dish that can satisfy hunger pangs at any time of the day.  This time last year every time I went on Instagram someone else was eating eggs and avocado but the thing is it's just such a good combo.  

Basically, all you need to make this is your bread of preference (give rye bread a go, it's delicious), about half a ripe avocado, 2 eggs and some salad on the side if you so wish.  Whack the bread on the grill, mix up the eggs with a little bit of milk, salt and pepper then start scrambling over a low heat.  Once your bread is toasted, mash the avocado on top of it and add more salt, pepper, and a little bit of cayenne pepper for special interest if you're into that shit (I most certainly am).  Keep an eye on your eggs, and once they're done to your personal liking layer them on top of your avocado toast and season again with smoky paprika.  Throw some spinach and chopped tomatoes on the side with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and bob's your uncle, fanny's your aunt - I told you it was easy.  

Do let me know if you try this out, or if you have any other ways to add variety and pizazz to your avocado/egg dishes... I'm addicted!!

Ruby x



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