Joy At The Theatre

When I was around eight years old I went to see 'The Sound of Music' in the West End with my family. Even today, I can remember the production so vividly. It was truly the most magnificent experience and looking back I was so overwhelmed, especially since 'The Sound of Music' is a film which I have adored ever since I can remember. When I was in my early teens, I went to Manchester to see 'Mamma Mia' which was also phenomenal and the cast (who were bloody brilliant) got the audience to join in on the last few classic ABBA pieces which made the whole thing so enjoyable and I remember leaving the theatre with such a buzz and the biggest smile on my face. Of course, I've also been with college to see a couple of plays such as 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime' which were both brilliant! But considering how much I enjoy going to the theatre, I rarely ever go. That's why I wanted 2017 to be the year I made it my mission to go and see as many plays and productions that my bank account would allow. So, with that thought in mind, I made sure that 2017 would be the year that I tried a little harder to save up and see some wonderful performances.



Hamlet

On March 11th, my friend and I went to the Almeida Theatre in London to see the wonderfully talented and gorgeous Andrew Scott in my favourite Shakespeare play, Hamlet. Every moment of the famous text rang with significance and Andrew Scott was utterly charming. At first I was hesitant about the features of the play that brought it to the modern era but it certainly made it unique and for that I enjoyed it. As part of the audience I felt as though I was being engaged and spoken to directly and despite seeing it over 9 months ago I can remember some of the details as if I saw it yesterday. It really was a dream of mine to see this production and It was definitely worth the wait. The casting was exceptional and I feel utterly blessed to have seen Andrew Scott portray Hamlet in such a memorable manner.

Abigail's Party

The oh so famous and much loved for it's humour and realism Abigail's Party returned to the stage last year for it's 40th anniversary. Due to not knowing much about the play I did my research before purchasing tickets to see the wonderful and utterly brilliant Amanda Abbington as Beverly. I saw this production with my sister on April 19th in Malvern and it really was the most enjoyable day. Having never seen the classic, I can only describe this as a truly atmospheric piece and Amanda portrays Beverly as intoxicating yet unbelievably irresistible. The period design was stunning, I completely fell in love with the whole vibe of the production and it felt as though we really had been taken back to the 70's. It was truly a laugh out loud production and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The cast was sensational and I particularly enjoyed Charlotte Mills' performance and her character had me crying with laughter at times. Plus, the dancing throughout the play was simply unforgettable. 

Labour of Love

I was lucky enough to purchase tickets to see Labour of Love back in the Summer last year and so my friend Amy and I saw this magnificent play on October 25th in the Noel Coward Theatre. Written by James Graham, this production was a political comedy based on the Labour Party that follows MP David Lyons (Martin Freeman) and his constituency agent Jean Whittaker (Tamsin Greig). The play follows the story of the Labour Party over the last 25 years from the Kinnock years up until the recent election with everything in between and it was thoroughly enjoyable. The chemistry between Martin and Tamsin was absolutely mesmerising, I had no idea they'd make such a brilliant double act! I laughed out loud on endless occasions and found the comedy to provide context which made it easier to follow.  I was thoroughly impressed by the writing, acting and set designs. It really was a dream come true to see Martin performing on stage but Tamsin completely stole the show for me! 

Annie

Oh my goodness, where do I even begin? It's such a cliche to say but I have dreamed of seeing this production for as long as I can remember. I have grown up and adored Annie since I was a little girl where I'd come up with my own dance routines for It's A Hard Knock Life in my bedroom after watching every version of the film ever made. I was extremely lucky to see Annie in the Piccadilly Theatre on October 26th last year and my god, what an experience. I can't begin to put it into words just how overwhelmed I felt. I mean, I'm highly sensitive and nostalgic so that definitely contributed but it was just a dream come true. In all honesty, I found it incredibly difficult not to get on the stage and join in with the singing and dancing. The cast were sensational. Those kids are SO unbelievably talented I couldn't get over it. Plus, Craig Revel Horwood played Miss Hannigan effortlessly. Comical, charming and a classic. I completely and utterly adored it. 

I'd absolutely love to continue visiting the theatre as often as possible and see a whole variety of different plays and productions. I genuinely love the experience and how memorable each performance is. There is something so magical about the buzz you take away with you from the theatre and I'd encourage everyone to visit every once in a while. Thank you so much for reading this one. I'll be back soon with another post for you all.

Lots Of Love,

Meg X

Smear For Smear

I wasn't planning on writing this blog post because like so many other people out there, I wasn't completely aware of the seriousness and importance of the topic. Monday 22nd - Sunday 28th January is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week and that is what I wanted to talk to you all about in today's post. 

Cervical Cancer is a type of Cancer that develops in a woman's cervix and it often has no symptoms, especially in the early stages. However, cell changes in the cervix can be detected from an early stage and treatment can prevent the cancer from spreading. The NHS offers what is most commonly known as a 'smear test' for women to be checked from the age of 25. 

Now, the smear test itself doesn't affect me personally at this very moment since I am below the age of 25 but I do think it is so so SO important to raise awareness as so many young women do not attend their smear test or simply don't know much about the disease that can have a huge impact on somebody's life. 

In fact;

• 1 in 4 women don't attend their smear test when invited
• 1 in 3 of those women are aged between 25-29
• Cervical Cancer is the most common in women under the age of 35
• 9 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day
• 2 women lose their lives to the disease every day

In all honesty, these statistics are terrifying. Of course they are. But what is even more terrifying is the thought of so many women not attending their smear test for the chance to prevent this horrendous disease. The campaign #smearforsmear (click here to see more information) wants every woman to know that smear tests can prevent Cervical Cancer and even though the idea of a smear test can encourage fear, anxiety and embarrassment, it can also save your life. 30 seconds of discomfort can result in peace of mind or perhaps the correct medical treatment and support in such events. 

It's crucial to share your #smearforsmear 2018 to raise awareness and reach women everywhere with a message about the importance of attending your smear test. I found it so informative to read up about this and I think we can all do a little something to raise awareness and spread the message. I hope you enjoyed reading this one and I'll be back with another post soon. 

Lots of Love,

Meg X

My Goals for 2018

I actually find it so motivating to set New Years Resolutions which I never in a million years thought I'd say but here I am. It's only over the last two or three years that I've set myself goals for the year and actually made an effort to achieve them so I thought why not make some more for 2018, especially since it's going to be a pretty hectic year (gulps). Of course I'll definitely come up with some more as the year goes on but these are the ones that came to mind at the beginning of the year!

1. Move to Brighton
The fact that this is happening this year makes me want to scream with happiness and pure terror. For those who don't know 2018 is the year I finally start University to study English Language and Linguistics in Brighton and while I'm beyond excited to start this new chapter in my life, naturally I'm so nervous to move so far away from home. Therefore, I am making it my goal to make the most of the experience by exploring my new surroundings, getting involved and hopefully meeting some lovely people.

2. Be proud of my A Level results
It won't be long before my final A Level results day is here and I'm so motivated to do well this year. This is my third year in college due to choosing the wrong subjects in my first year and I'm finally thoroughly enjoying my courses. I genuinely love doing my assignments and studying (most of the time) because I love my subjects so I'm definitely making it a priority to do my best and get the results I deserve this time around. 

3. Visit Edinburgh
I have wanted to visit Edinburgh for soooooo long now. It's been on my bucket list since forever but this year will be the year I finally visit. I'm not too sure when it'll be yet, whether I'll go during the Easter holidays or wait until the Autumn but I'm already beyond excited to explore.

4. More Self Care
This one is quite vague but oh so important. By self care I mean drink more water, exercise more, take more time out to do my skincare, less social media and more reading etc. Just the little things that I need to do more of that will help improve my physical and mental health. No excuses, lets do this!

5. Get another tattoo
Ever since I got my first two tattoos last March I've wanted more. Nothing major but I've definitely got my eye on a couple of designs that I'd love to get at some point later on this year. 

6. Save don't spend
Moving to Brighton in September is definitely motivating me to start saving a lot more. I'm absolutely awful for spending on things I really don't need so it helps to have something in mind that I should be saving for. Hopefully this year I'll make wiser decisions and be a lot more sensible with money yikesssss.

7. Read more
I said this last year and as predicted I completely failed. I used to be such a bookworm oh my goodness, I'd read a book every single week but with technology, work and college taking over I'm definitely not reading as much as I would like to. I've made a long list of all the books I'd like to read this year so lets hope I can get back into it and fall in love with reading again.

8. Make my mental health a priority
This goes without saying but there are times where I'll priorise my work or I'll do something knowing full well it'll affect my mental health because of the fear that others will think less of me. This year I absolutely MUST think about my mental health and put that first above everything else. 

9. Be Happy
I know, I know. It's SO much easier said than done. But this year I want to do more of what makes me happy and not more of what I think I should be doing or what would make everyone else happy. You only live once and I want to start making that count for something. Life can be cruel at the best of times and so I'm striving to make this year the year that I say yes to more opportunities and adventures, regardless of what other people think of me. 

And there you have it. Just a few of my 2018 goals that I'd love to achieve within the next twelve months. I love reading blog posts about everyone's New Years resolutions so I thought it would be fun to write this and look back at it at the end of the year to see how I got on. Thank you for reading, I hope you're having a great weekend wherever you are.

Lots of Love,
Meg X

Apple Crumble & Custard Cupcakes

It's the New Year and I'm back with another recipe for you guys today. It's no surprise that I LOVE baking and I'm always looking for new recipes to try. I stumbled across this one a few months ago and thought I'd give it a try because it just looked too good. I didn't realise that apple crumble and custard cupcakes were a thing but they are and oh my are they delicious! What could possibly go wrong?! They were a little complicated to make, especially since you need to prepare the custard the day before but they were sososo delicious so it's totally worth it. It really is the perfect cross between a cupcake and an apple crumble and custard pudding. If you'd like to know how I made them then just carry on reading!

INGREDIENTS:

For the custard cream icing:

• 100g icing sugar 
• 3 tbsp custard powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 600ml double cream

For the cupcakes

• 3 small dessert apples
• 3 tbsp custard powder
• 140g slightly salted butter, softened
• 140g golden caster sugar 
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 140g self raising flour 

For the biscuits and crumble topping

• 75g golden caster sugar 
• 100g slightly salted butter, chilled 
• 140g self raising flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 1/4 ground cinnamon

METHOD

1. NOTE: The icing will need to chill in the fridge overnight, so make it the day before you want to serve the cakes. Sift the icing sugar and custard powder into a large bowl, add the vanilla extract and 4 tbsp of the cream, then whisk until smooth.
2. Tip all but 2 tsp of the remaining cream into a medium saucepan and heat gently until small bubbles start to appear around the edges of the pan – the cream should be hot, but not boiling. Gradually pour this into the bowl with the custard powder mix, whisking all the time. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Cook gently for 4-6 mins, stirring all the time, until the mixture has thickened and the custard powder has dissolved. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface directly with cling film. Leave to cool, then chill overnight.
3. The next day, heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. Toss the apples and custard powder together in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together, using an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and vanilla extract, whisking well after each addition. Fold in the flour, then stir through the custard powder- coated apples. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 18-20 mins until lightly golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool on wire racks.
4. Blitz all the ingredients for the crumble together in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Tip half the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 5-10 minutes until lightly golden.
5. Continue to mix the remaining half of the crumble topping mixture until it comes together to form a dough, adding 1-2 tsp of the reserved double cream to bind, if needed. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins, or until firm.
6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using an apple-shaped and a leaf-shaped cutter, or a sharp knife (which is what I used), cut out 12 apple shapes and leaves. Lift the shapes with a palette knife and transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment. Bake for 8-10 mins until lightly golden. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
7. Whip the chilled custard cream icing to soft peaks, then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Pipe some icing onto each cupcake, then smooth the surface using a small metal spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle over some crumble, then insert an apple biscuit into the top.

I hope you enjoyed this one. Like I said they are a little trickier to make and they're not something I'd make often but as a one off treat they were fun and delicious to eat! This post is longgggg overdue but you know what they say - it's better late than never. 

Lots Of Love,

Meg X

Two Thousand and Seventeen: Oh What a Year!

I can't quite believe that as I'm writing this we're already half way through the first month of 2018!? Time seems to go quicker every single year which quite frankly terrifies me. I love the beginning of a new year for so many reasons but I also love reflecting on the last twelve months to see what I've achieved, what I've completely and utterly failed at and also to look back at the memories I've made. I wanted to write a quick post where I can list (because I love a good list) my highlights, new discoveries and of course my favourite memories from 2017 so that I can look back on them! I'll also include a little photo diary at the end of this post because I have so many photos from last year which really make me smile. So, here I go!

What has made this year special:

• Went to see Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime Production (26/01)
• Trip to Cardiff with Meg (21/02)
• Visiting the Harry Potter Studios with Char & my media group (07/03)
• Seeing Hamlet with Tamzin in London (11/03)
• My 18th Birthday (13/03)
• Getting my 1st and 2nd tattoos (23/03)
• Trip to London with Emily (17-19/04)
• Meeting David Tennant with Em & Em at Stage Door in London (18/04)
• Seeing Abigail's Party play in Malvern with Emily (19/04) 
• Meeting Amanda Abbington again (19/04)
• Voted for the first time (08/05)
• Spending time in London with Tamzin (21/06)
• Attending my first Pride in London (08/07)
• Got my first car (29/07)
• Visited Friends Fest in Manchester (08/08)
• Passed my Driving Theory Test (09/08)
• Got ABBC on results day (17/08)
• Went for a little holiday with my best friends in the Caravan (21-25/08)
• Passed my Driving Test (04/10)
• Applied for University (23/10)
• Went to see Labour of Love Play in London with Amy (25/10)
• Visited Brighton (25-26/10)
• Went to see Annie in West End (26/10)
• Attended the SHERLocked Convention (27-29/10)
• Finally met my twitter best friends (27/10)
• Visited Derby / Drove to Derby for the first time to see family (31/10)
• Visited Bangor with best friends (01/11)
• Got my unconditional offer from my first choice uni (09/11)
• Got a girlfriend (20/11)
• Got tickets to see Taylor Swift in June 2018 (29/11)
• Visited Christmas markets in Manchester (06/12)
• Visited Harry Potter Studios (again) (28/12)
• My wonderful friends and family who have loved and supported me through absolutely everything - they make every year special
• TV Shows I've LOVED & discovered: Sherlock S4, Broadchurch S3, Big Little Lies, Doctor Who, Victoria, Game of Thrones, Modern Family, The Crown, Stranger Things, Liar, Safe House, Doctor Foster, GBBO, Trust Me, Black Mirror, Line of Duty, Call the Midwife
• Films I've watched & LOVED: Rent, Lion, The Blind Side, La La Land, Denial, The Devil Wears Prada, Beauty & the Beast, Hidden Figures, IT, Moonlight, Kingsman, Adult Life Skills, A Street Cat Named Bob, Before I Fall, The Perks of Being A Wallflower, One Day, The Edge Of Seventeen, The Other Boleyn Girl, About A Boy, Paddington, The Intern, The Kings Speech, Florence Foster Jenkins, The Dutchess, Legally Blonde, The Lovely Bones

Favourite moments from 2017 in a little photo diary:

Thank you so much to everyone who has made 2017 such a special year! And thank you to everyone who has stuck with me, I feel so overwhelmed and appreciative. Like I said I wanted to write a little something just so I could look back and see what my highlights were this year, especially since it's often hard to remember the good moments when clouded with the bad.

I hope you've all had a magical Christmas and I hope the New Year is full of happiness for you.

Lots of Love,

Meg X