Floral Zoe

2015

2015 so far...

13:37

Happy Easter!

Since I have been away from blogging I have decided to give you a short update on what I have been up to this year.

This year has already started off with a big bang, moving from Norwich back home to Worthing, getting a new job and my first tattoo as just some of the big changes.

I have also been to Wales several times, and loved climbing up the mountains in the Brecon Beacons.

Other highlights have included seeing Elbow in London and spending a foodie day out visiting Borough Market and Camden. I find in life you have to focus on the positives and create things to look forward to, to keep yourself motivated and happy.

So here are a few pictures of 2015 from my instagram so far:

From the left: Coffee from the Small Batch Company in Brighton, Mushroom at Borough Market, Valley in South Wales, Pen-Y-Fan mountain in the Brecon Beacons, House-sitting for my aunt, Pen-Y-Fan mountain in the Brecon Beacons, Vegan Cookies from Camden Market, Worthing Pier, Commute to work over Brighton.

Zoe

blog

Revamp

13:17

Hello

I hope everyone is well. I feel like I should apologise for not being attentive with blogging recently, I guess it is because so much changed has occurred since the start of 2015.

I have moved from Norwich and am now living back home in Brighton, have a new dream job, got my memorial and first tattoo, and am adapting to a long commute to work everyday.

Life has been rather up and down, as with my anxiety, I don't tend to like change. However I am well and happy, currently spending Easter in Wales with my boyfriend.

I've decided that I am going to revamp this blog and make it more into a general lifestyle blog. I love going out for dinner and discovering new places in my local area and around the UK. I think I stopped blogging for a while because I lost "inspiration" and wasn't happy with any of the material or ideas that I had for blog post. I guess that is what they call "writer's block".

So stick with me and I will be revamping this blog in the next week all so and will be attempting to post weekly.

Exciting things to look forward to in the next few months:

Anniversary getaway (still haven't decided and it is in a month's time)
Radio 1 Big Weekend and seeing Taylor Swift in Norwich
Glastonbury
Salcombe
Graduation (again) for my MSc in Environmental Sciences

Zoe

2015

Life Updates #3: New Years Goals: Bring on 2015!

18:43

Ok so 2014 isn't exactly over, but honestly I am looking for a new start. 2015 is going to be a big year for me, I have so many plans to carry out already. I think I might as well list blog today, as it will be easier to summarise.

Plans:

- Sell flat and pay of debt, go on holiday*

- Hopefully go to New York in September

- Graduate (again) with a Msc in Environmental Sciences (Merit) in July

- Get that Graduate job/experience

- Finally learn to drive (been nearly 6 years since I started learning, uni got in the way)

- Hopefully move in with the BF (not until at least October)

- *Travel to somewhere in Europe, maybe visit Japan again depending on finances

Goals:

- Exercise more. I want to get into a routine and start running more as I have been slack in 2014 due to finishing my Masters and then getting a full time, avg 46 hour week job.

- Eat healthier. I have been able to do this more recently but I want to start cutting out all meat from my diet. I already don't eat meat regularly, only when dining out as it is easier for me due to being Lactose intolerant and most vegetarian meals containing some sort of diary.

- Be Happy. It sounds crazy as I am happy most of the time, but I want to start doing things that make me more happy, looking after myself and allowing myself to treat myself (sounds very self-absorbed, but I am really a selfless person I get told a lot).

- Learn to Knit

- Paint/draw once a week

- Step away from the computer more and go on more walks

What are your 2015 plans and goals? I would love to hear them

Zoe

Adnams

Weekend Away In Southwold

12:49

Hello! Sorry I haven't been blogging recently, as a current Christmas Temp working for Adnams I am working ridiculous 12 hour days, getting home and literally eating/showering/going to sleep. However today is my day off so I thought I would do a bit of blogging.

Recently (about maybe 3 weeks ago, even though it seems a lot longer) I went to Southwold on the Suffolk Coast. A small town that is absolutely stunning but is also home to the Adnams Southwold Brewery, headquarters to the place I am currently working. I decided to take my boyfriend away for the weekend and take advantage of my staff discount and book a weekend away, staying in the Crown Hotel, with a brewery tour the next day. I have already been on a paid brewery tour before as part of my job and highly enjoyed it, so went again! Why not?

Travelling from Norwich on a wet and dreary Sunday we got 2 buses to Southwold via Lowestoft as neither of us can drive. It cost us £7 each in total on the way down and took just around 2 hours 30. We arrived, slightly cold and drenched, and checked into the Crown Hotel on the High Street. After making our way to our large room (swear we were upgraded) we settled and freshened up before heading to a quaint pub called the Lord Nelson. After an hour of meeting a friend in the pub and having a cheeky G&T and half a pint of ale, we made out way back to the hotel to get ready for our 3 course meal, with another cheeky G&T on room service. I'm going to insert some photos of the room because it was stunning!

Our Bed! So comfy and pretty before I jumper on it and messed it up

Our Bathroom

The Lord Nelson pub, it had a massive fireplace, and welcomed dogs

Cheeky room service!

For dinner I had a Scotch Broth for starters, followed by Partridge in a port jus with lentils (absolutely delicious!) and a Crumble for pudding. We had a bottle of Rioja with our dinner, and our bellies were very full before we headed upstairs to bed.

The Crown Hotel Dinner Menu

Waking up fresh and very happy in our extremely comfy bed, we headed down to our 2 course breakfast. I ordered a glass of champagne (we are on holiday) with a fresh pastry to start, followed by the full english. Extremely good breakfast, definitely recommend going to the Crown if you are in the area, just for their breakfast alone, you will leave very full and ready for the day.

Look at that pastry! I crave it now.

The view from one of our windows in our room

After breakfast we made our way around Southwold visiting many of the shops and wishing we could buy from the many delis, grocers and bakery. We then headed to the beach and walked along to the pier on a crisp autumnal morning. We walked along the pier before ending up in the Old Arcade where we played some very strange and victorian looking games. I don't think I have laughed so much before. Great fun, especially the Photo Booth! Give it a go. I even won $1billion!!

At midday we headed back into town to grab something to eat in one of the local cafes, the Magpie Bakery, and then headed to the brewery tour before getting the bus back to Norwich home.

I miss Southwold very much, it is a stunning place and would love to go back and go for many of the walks around the area.

Zoe

breakfast

Norwich Review #3: Muddy Cup - Best Breakfast Ever

16:17

Ever the adventurous one and always willing to find a good place for breakfast, I recently ventured to the charming café Muddy Cup. Hidden behind an East of England Co-op on Dereham Road, this small and quaint establishment you should not judge to quickly.

On arrival we noted the quirky teapots dotted about the café and was not disappointed when my tea arrived in a small pot with a knitted tea cosy on it! As I was quite hungry I decided to order the Irish Breakfast for a cool £5.95. I replaced the eggs (as I do not eat them) and asked for an extra slice of bacon instead. I did want a sausage but was denied one.. not to worry as due to the wait of the one person run kitchen, they kindly added an extra Guinness sausage on as well! As it was a Friday, the Muddy Cup was fairly busy and so we waited 45 minutes for our food. Long wait I know but trust me it was well worth it!

Irish Breakfast - minus the eggs and extra sausage and bacon

The breakfast finally arrived and my word it was delicious, especially the guinness sausages and potato farl. The best part of it was that it wasn't greasy at all and I left content. So content that we ended up going back 3 days later to try out some of their other dishes.

Pancakes with Maple Syrup and Bacon

Veggie Eggs Benedict

Both occasions the food was excellent and what is best is that I only live around the corner from it. Not only are the portions amazing, but it is cheap, almost too cheap for the quality and care you are getting (I ended up tipping, something I don't tend to do for Breakfast as it was so good). I will definitely be a frequent customer.

Ratings:

Food - 10/10

Service - 9/10

Atmosphere - 8/10

Zoe

life

Life updates #2

21:06

Finally some things are going up in life. I now have a new job as a Christmas Temporary Retail Sales Supervisor at a local brewery's pop up shop (which I am loving) and I recently found out I should be graduating next year with a Merit in my Masters degree.

I am also planning many visits with to see friends over the next month, have tickets to Glastonbury next year with my boyfriend and friends, and I am loving living in Norwich and exploring all the places to eat and drink.

If that wasn't enough positives, my house with the lovely Rachel is complete and so homely! Should really blog about it, maybe another day?

Hopefully I will remain on a high for a while, my anxiety seems to be keeping at bay, which I am very grateful for as it was getting a bit extreme, and hopefully I can save up enough money to finish driving lessons and go on holiday in the New Year. Fingers crossed!

Also I have a new hairstyle and colour!

Zoe

42 Juice Bar Brighton

19:12

I recently went home to my family home for our early fake Christmas, a family tradition. While I was there I decided to pop into Brighton to get my haircut, a now stylish dark copper brown bob. After my haircut I wondered the North and South Laines, my favourite part of Brighton. While in the South Laines I came across a new Raw/Cold-Pressed Juice Bar, similar to ones I had visited in London and was immediately impressed by the choices. 42 is a new Cold-Pressed healthy juice bar that also sells smoothies and raw snacks.

I am Buzzing

On entering I was wowed by the range of different juices to try. After much deliberation I went with a take away Matcha drink and a smoothie called "I am Buzzing". The smoothie is made with almond milk, banana, manuka honey, bee pollen, chia seeds, cinnamon and buckwheat groats. I didn't know what to expect when I first tried it, but it turned out to be delicious and very filling! Took me about half an hour to finish the drink, which is unusual for me. My partner got "I am Glowing" - made with almond milk, mixed berries, flax seeds, banana, coconut nectar and oil, as well as nectar - which I also had a try of and was equally mouth watering delicious! I highly recommend this place in Brighton, if only a place in Norwich opened up so I could get my healthy juices and smoothies all the time.

Zoe

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2015 so far...

Revamp

Life Updates #3: New Years Goals: Bring on 2015!

Weekend Away In Southwold

Norwich Review #3: Muddy Cup - Best Breakfast Ever

Life updates #2

42 Juice Bar Brighton

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