The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have caused a never-ending lockdown, and one of the funny things to emerge from that is ‘quarantine 15’. In my opinion, the best way to fight the quarantine 15 and keep your health goals on track is to skip the diets and hours of cardio and opt for the calorie-counting option. Curious what that is? Keep reading to find out!
Hey everyone! I can’t believe that the Easter weekend is already upon us. It feels like only a week ago we were celebrating Valentine’s day. How time flies. This year, I’m sure, is a particularly strange Easter. Even though the stores were stocked with chocolate bunnies and eggs from the beginning of March, COVID-19 has meant that our usual celebrations have all had to change. We usually have a big brunch on Easter, complete with an elaborate hunt around the garden for chocolate left by the Easter Bunny himself. We may not be having a brunch this year, because lockdown is still intact and it’s social distancing instead of social gatherings, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to enjoy the same delicious treats. Hot cross buns, scones, fresh fruit, croissants and carrot cake are usually part of our spread, and for me, nothing is more Eastery (apart from the chocolate eggs and such) than fresh carrot cake with cream cheese icing. The warm spices combined with the fresh carrots, the flavour from the raisins and walnuts and the silky sweet icing is just too mouth-watering to resist. So this weekend, to make things feel a little more festive while we’re all stuck inside, I’m making carrot cupcakes for everyone. I don’t really have a taste preference between the two but I prefer making cupcakes for groups of people because then you don’t have to worry about evenly slicing up a cake. Each person gets their own mini cake. If you’re looking for something to bake this weekend and have some carrots lying around, why not try out this recipe? I promise it is delicious and well worth the effort.
Hey everyone! I hope you are all keeping well, given the COVID-19 pandemic, and that you aren’t going too crazy with all the social-distancing and having to quarantine at home. I was looking through my planner the other day and saw that today was caramel popcorn day! How delicious and heavenly does that sound? Now I was tempted to write a post all about the wonders of this scrumptious treat, along with a recipe of mine to make the best caramel popcorn ever. However, as I was writing out my recipe I was struck by inspiration and found something even better to talk about. As amazing as caramel popcorn is, it isn’t exactly the healthiest and that got me thinking … this period has been challenging for all of us and one of the predominant hurdles is how on earth we are meant to stay fit and healthy when we have to stay home and limit our grocery shopping to non-perishables or frozen foods. I love pastas and frozen meals as much as the next guy, but that doesn’t mean they are friendly on our diets or bodies. It isn’t easy, and certainly far from ideal, but even in this current situation, there are ways for us to keep our health in check. It just requires a little extra effort and a positive, persistent attitude.
For a person who avoids coffee like you cannot believe, I was amazed at how blind I had been to such an intricate, and seriously complicated beverage. My three Saturday’s of making and drinking coffee on a large scale didn’t exactly change me over to a coffee drinker. Still, it did give me a fantastic new understanding of the drink, a look into how detailed the process is and also a way to appreciate drinking it that doesn’t make me want to dash for the bathroom and rinse my palette. Just because I love tea, doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate coffee. So today, in honour of my new appreciation for this other popular hot beverage, I will be sharing an introductory guide to all things coffee. BUT, from the perspective of a tea-drinker.
Hello everyone! Getting crafty seems to be becoming much more of a trend nowadays. While it was once considered a laborious chore, it is now something people find fun. People seem to enjoy making things now. I’m not sure if that is because it is easier (and cheaper) to get materials, or apps like Pinterest have made them so easy to do, but crafting is now a well-loved activity. Personally, I’ve always loved crafting. Maybe it is because it’s an excuse to use an excessive amount of glitter, or just because the creative in me loves taking bits and bobs of random material and turning it into something pretty. So, I was scrolling through Pinterest looking for inspiration for today’s post, and I kept seeing so many DIY craft posts that I thought, why not? I’ve always subscribed to the philosophy that homemade is more meaningful, and with Valentine’s Day around the corner it is a great way to knock out some handmade gifts and cards for my friends and family. Two lovebirds with one cupid’s arrow, so to speak. So today, I’ll be doing a step-by-step craft tutorial for how to make a simple gift and card. Maybe this will be the perfect gift for a close friend or partner? So, whether you make this craft for yourself, for someone else or just read to see how they turn out, I hope you enjoy today’s post.
One of the most stressful elements of Christmas is the gift shopping. What if you don’t think of the right gift? What if you can’t afford the perfect gift? What if you just have no clue what to get the person? Well I have also felt the pain of Christmas shopping and I know that it can be a nightmare, so today I’ll be giving some gift-giving advice for all those who need a little inspiration for their gift shopping. Keep reading for more!
New York City. The Big Apple. The fast-paced, most intimidating city ever? Hi everyone! This week I am writing my posts from the Big Apple itself as I am here to check out a few colleges for next year, but in between campus visits and information sessions, I am exploring and enjoying this incredible city. Now I’ve been privileged enough to have travelled to New York City a few times, and anyone who has been to NYC knows that there are some tips and tricks to making your time more fun and the experience less intimidating. Sometimes I still get nervous that I’ll be trampled by sprinting busy people on the sidewalk or get lost in a lesser-known area. But, the city doesn’t have to be intimidating if you have the right mindset and a few tricks and tips up your sleeve. With a few adjustments to how you spend your time, you’ll be tackling the city like a local with no fear and all the confidence in the world. So today, I’m going to be sharing some tips for how to manage a trip to the Big Apple. Here is my beginner’s guide to New York City. I hope you all enjoy it and if you have comments or tips that I missed out, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section.
London is an incredible city to visit. It is full of excitement and beauty and attracts millions of people every year from all over the world. It has a remarkable history and is filled with all sorts of attractions, activities, and locations that can satisfy all ages and kinds of people. The only problem with this fantastic city is that all of the hustle and bustle can be quite intimidating for first-time visitors, which can mean that people don’t get the opportunity to enjoy their time there fully. And that is just a terrible loss. However, if you note how ‘relaxed’ and confident a lot of people look when they move through the city, you’ll soon see that, with a few tips and things to remember, London is actually not so intimidating and is pretty easy to navigate without causing you too much stress. Now, I may not be a local in London, but I have had the privilege of travelling there quite often, and over time, I have learnt these tricks through a variety of experiences and talking to people more familiar with the city than me. You don’t need to be intimidated by London, as long as you have an open mind and keep these few tips in your thoughts. So if you are planning a trip to London and the idea of this international melting pot is intimidating you, then read these tips and soon you will be walking around and managing your day as confidently as the locals, maybe even more so.
In every relationship, there are milestones. One milestone in my head is surviving the first trip together. You see, travelling with your significant other can be incredibly fun, but it can introduce new complexities and problems that you may not be ready for. Before you panic though, there are ways to deal with this and have the best trip with your partner. Interested? Read more to discover the ultimate guide to travelling with your partner.
Tall Blonde Tales 