The Summer Diaries: Majorca, Spain

For the past five years, my summer holidays have consisted of doing chores, binge-watching tv shows, days out with my grandparents and friends and the odd weekend away. By the third week I've always been so ready to go back to a classroom. This summer was a lot different. I got to travel with my best friends to Spain, and travelled to Canada with my great-grandma. The first in a series of posts documenting my adventures will take a look at my week long getaway to Cala D'or.

As a first holiday with friends away from our parents, we felt like the perfect destination was somewhere simple. All we wanted was nice weather, a beach and a pool to relax next to. All of us had been to Spain before so we knew all about the culture and the language. Cala D'or was familiar to a couple of us and if you've been there before, you'll know it's hard to resist the urge to immediately return. And why would you want to?

Cala Ferrera

The turquoise water may feel freezing at first but is the perfect remedy to skin that has been soaking up the sun for a bit too long. Although we only switched between the Cala Ferrera beach and our hotel pool, there are multiple beaches along the coast of the resort almost exactly the same, including the singing fruit man selling fresh pineapples, watermelons, coconuts and more out of his wheelbarrow.

For lunch we put our GCSE/A Level Spanish to good use and went shopping in the local supermarkets for salchicha, sobrasada (spreadable chorizo - a mallorcan specialty), fresh bread rolls and salad to make our daily picnic for the beach or pool. 

For dinner we tried various restaurants in the town centre of Cala D'or apart from our last night when we ventured to the nearby marina. We had the fanciest meals and cocktails any of us had eaten.

Cala D'or Marina

Orange and basil mojito

The holiday overall proved to be big success despite all three of us simultaneously falling asleep in the sun for 45 minutes and having matching sunburn by the end of the first full day. By the second, we had already planned to make the trip an annual event.

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Reflecting on 2014 (Life before University)

As you can probably tell, my presence on here has been non-existent for almost a year. This post has been written since August, awaiting the perfect time to upload. I was going to reflect on the entirety of 2014 but as September onwards mostly consisted of starting University, there will be a separate post on that. It was such a hectic, stressful yet an amazingly fun year which flew by, full of experiences that I will never forget. Amongst the blurry months of studying ridiculously hard, I managed to fit in trips abroad, a very special gig and many laughs with friends. To give you an idea, I'll give you a month by month update.

• January and February - Birthdays! We began the year by celebrating my great Nan's 92nd birthday, with a big family meal. Then in February, it was my turn to celebrate turning 18! I had a great week, a meal out with my family to Hickory's, a new small chain of american-style restaurants which serve complimentary popcorn as soon as you're seated with a choice of sweet or salted. As a massive popcorn fan, that helped towards my choice of birthday venue! Later in that same week, all of my closest friends and I celebrated at another restaurant, with free cocktails! I got so many amazing gifts, messages, a LOT of money and I got to spend the whole week with the people I love. 

Ring - Pandora

• March - Bastille Gig and Spain! The very last day of February was the first day of a great week. On the Friday night, my mum, one of my best friends and myself made our way to Manchester to see my absolute favourite band - Bastille. After three past failed attempts at buying tickets to see them, I finally had the chance. I usually take tonnes of pictures and videos at gigs so I can look back and remember how great they were (also so I can watch back what I couldn't see, being rather short and all), but with the atmosphere so intense, the entire crowd dancing together for two hours and almost hugging Dan Smith, I didn't get a chance. However, I am so glad because I got to fully enjoy every moment and that night will be etched in my mind forever as being the best gig I've been to. 

The Sunday after, was the day I left for a week at a Spanish school in Salamanca with 9 of my classmates. Despite freezing, torrential rain every day and siesta-ing over our essential shopping time,  the week was excellent. Living in a Spanish lady's house with 3 other students from all over the world as well as my friend from home who was now my roommate, and going to Spanish classes for 5 hours a day, with no English speaking whatsoever, was a truly great experience and I learnt so much (even if the Spanish 'mama's' cooking was terrible). Considering the cathedral was built between the 16th and 18th centuries, we spotted a famously odd sight, can you spot it in picture 2?

Catedral Nueva - Salamanca, Spain

Can you spot the strange sight?*

• April, May and the beginning of June - Exam Season! April and May pretty much consisted of stressful revision for my looming final exams and coursework and textiles deadlines. Two days after finishing my last exam in mid June, I was off to Venice!

• June and July - Summer! In the middle of June, my parents, my best friend and myself flew from Manchester to Venice Marco Polo Airport for our long awaited trip to Italy. We stayed in a lovely, family-run hotel in Lido Di Jesolo, a 40 minute bus and ferry ride away into the centre of Venice. It was an amazing experience to finally witness the magical islands of Venezia for myself. In my opinion, Venice itself was overrated, over-priced and too touristy for my liking. However, Murano - the glass making island and Burano - the lace making island were much more enjoyable to visit. They both have less of a commercial feel and you are guaranteed to experience a warm, traditional welcome courtesy of the locals living on these islands. 

Whilst we were here, we also visited Sirmione, Lake Garda and Verona. The weather was perfect as we visited Lake Garda in the morning, strolling through the cobbled streets and wandering into the countless gelato shops and jewellery shops. On the other side of the peninsula, through the hilly cobbled streets, we found a tiny pebble beach beneath the castle walls. Children and adults swam in the aqua tinted clear waters of the lake, cooling off from the humidity of midday. 

That afternoon, we made our way to Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet. After we made an essential food stop, in an authentic Italian, serve yourself/eat all you want type of place (I chose bruschetta and chocolate torte - how very Italian) we took a few photos outside the original Colosseum, built way before THAT one you instantly think of in Rome, split up with the parents and went to do some shopping on the main street! We spent hours in and out of shops like Cos, Zara and Stradivarius - my all time favourite European clothes store. With only 45 minutes before having to meet back at the coach, we realised we should maybe go to see the sights that Verona is most famous for, and what we actually went there to see. Juliet's balcony, statue and love lock-adorned gates were filled with tourists taking pictures of each other, but that was to be expected. I was expecting to see hand written letters to Juliet, as seen in the film 'Letters to Juliet' but this was not the case. However, the graffiti messages along the walls were still very sentimental and it was one of my favourite sights.  

As well as the vast amount of sightseeing we did, we spent our fair share of relaxing days on the beach, so we could unwind after the stressful exam period. 

Venice

Burano

Burano

• August - Work, work, work and RESULTS DAY! Most of August was spent working as many hours as I could in my part-time job and visiting family whilst awaiting my results. I didn't get the results I needed to get into the University I had applied for, but on results day - the irrational decision maker that I am - I applied through clearing, had an interview and secured a place on a completely different course all before 8am. The tears of sadness, anger and frustration turned into tears of happiness and laughter. I was accepted to study a degree in International Journalism!

Until next time, 

Amelia x

P.S As we have just started a new year, I once again hope to regularly post with fashion, beauty and lifestyle updates. However, as I am still settling in to an increased workload, they may be a bit irregular, but we shall see! 

A New Year and Conquering Fears.

Well, I've already broken one of my 2014 new year's resolutions. To upload a new post every Sunday or Monday evening. This was the main one, and the only one I expected to actually keep, however, copious amounts of homework and not enough time in the day to watch Gossip Girl episodes while balancing out college have seen to that.
I do apologise for the random 'New Year's' post in the middle of January but better late than never!

Ever since I was six years old I intended to keep a diary and write my thoughts and feelings in every day, that lasted until January 10th at the most. And every year until I was about 13, the number one resolution was 'get a boyfriend'. How embarrassing. Ever since I dropped that idea, the running theme with my resolutions seems to be conquering one fear each year.
In 2012 my new year's resolution was to conquer my fear of roller coasters. Just to say, I smashed that one by throwing myself in the deep end and going on an upside down, twisty, loopy, hanging from the track type of roller coaster. Twice. Consecutively.
As for 2013, towards the last months I decided to give up being early. I was always stupidly early which wasted a lot of time for myself. So even if it means procrastinating for 20 minutes longer rather than waiting around, then so be it. I am now either slightly early or just on time, although I have accidentally made myself late by trying not to be early.

And as for this year, I have quite a few.

• Have a completely spontaneous, decent conversation with a Spanish person, in Spain.         
• Learn to drive. (Or just have a few successful lessons) 
• Become more independent in preparation for going to university). - Extend into 2015.

These three resolutions seem reasonably 'do-able' but we'll see.
And the fear I am forever trying to conquer is that of escalators. I never seem to get over that one but maybe this will be the year!

New year's resolutions are something everybody needs to try, as long as they're reasonable goals that you can actually stick to or tick off that list halfway through the year. Sometimes putting yourself out of that comfort zone can turn into something really great. So even if it is just a daring lip colour, a new nail trend you've been dying to try, or an outfit that you wouldn't usually wear. Do it!

I look forward to hearing your resolutions and fears you aim to conquer this year in the comments below!

Until next time! - Amelia x

Out With A Bang!

At the beginning of December, after much deliberation with myself, poring over endless magazines, Google images of my (hair)style icons and staring wistfully at passers-by in the street with an amazing fringe - to those from the US, bangs - I decided to get my very own. I always get bored of my hairstyle after a while and then I make a drastic change to my hair (bob, ombré, colour) and I'm set for the next few months/years, especially as I hardly ever go to the hairdressers.
 
The decision was not an easy one. As a self-confessed weaslaphobe (Weaslaphobia - fear of hairdressers) I was terrified in case it didn't end up the way I wanted it, but as most of my decisions are made, irrationally, I confirmed the appointment on the Monday morning and the following Tuesday it was done.

When searching for my fringe inspiration, it seemed I could find hardly any pictures that I really liked. In the end, I took multiple pictures on my phone and asked for a mixture of all of them. My fringe ended up being based heavily on the fringes of Rose Byrne and Suki Waterhouse but from having it for almost a  month I can say it has definitely come into it's own, in the best way possible!

Rose Byrne

Suki Waterhouse

Since getting a fringe, I've noticed many celebrities have suddenly got one put in (faux and otherwise) - typical! And also, many of my friends/people I know have also been contemplating getting one. The only advice I can give to them is DO IT!
It may seem like the most useless piece of advice ever, but as long as you find the right hairdresser and they understand your face shape, the fringe type and can suggest different styling options or advise you otherwise then you will be in great hands. Slimming your face, changing your whole look and the endless styling options are all big advantages. It also keeps your face lovely and warm when the harshest of winter days roll in.



Dress - H&M

Until next time! - Amelia x

P.S apologies for the most random first post but when the words start rolling, there is no stopping!