Sunday 18 October 2015

Exploring the old town of Zadar, Croatia

What feels like forever ago now, myself and Jess visited Zadar in Croatia. These final photographs have been sat in my draft posts, since May! So before I share with my more recent trip to Italy, I thought I would finally give Zadar a final post on the blog.  You can check out my previous posts from Zadar (here & here) and our trip to Plitvice lakes here.

Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town

The cost

The trip to Zadar was a steal as we found bargain £35 return flights and found a beautiful apartment in the centre of the old town for around £100 for the 3 nights. So the total trip cost us an impressive £85 each plus spending money. Zadar is a relatively small town with everything within walking distance so the cost of been there is extremely cheap too, the food is also good value for money, in which 3 courses and wine will set you back around £20 max. 

Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town

The food

The food is in Zadar is all excellent quality. Been such a small town there isn't any "tourist traps" and all the restaurants are the places the locals will be eating too. Meaning the food is all authentic and affordable. The food is a mix of Mediterranean and Italian with fresh seafood, plenty of pasta and gnochi and a range of local cheeses available on every menu. I'd say comparing Zadar to my recent tour of Italy, where Italy the food was very hit and miss as it caters more to tourists in the larger cities, Zadar is quite the opposite, focusing on simple dishes all with good quality local ingredients . 

Zadar old town
Zadar old town

The attractions
  • The main two attractions in the old town are the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun. 
  • Outside of the old town is Plitvice Lakes, beautiful national park. (easy to reach by a local bus)
  • Boat trips - A quick walk to the harbour and there is an abundance of day trips on offer. 
  • Pag Island - For a trip to the beach. Buses run frequently from Zadar and the trip should take around an hour to reach the island. 


Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town

The Shopping:

Whilst the city is set in the old town, there is a few trendy shops there. I spotted the likes of New Balance, Sworovski, Nike, Havaianas, L'occitane, United colors of benetton etc, however the items you should be looking to bring home are the local specialities. Now I'm not suggesting brining back pag cheese and fresh fish in your luggage but the one local speciality which originates from Zadar is Maraschino (cheery) liquor. 

Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town
Zadar old town

SAMMIE

Thursday 15 October 2015

Outfit of the day | Missguided co-ord

When I was looking for an outfit for the #BloggersBlogAwards I knew I wanted something which would see myself through from a day time event to the evening. Whilst I'm not saying this is typical day time dressing, I simply fell in love with this buckle detail cropped top and cigarette pants co-ord from Missguided and knew I had to have it. Plus the best thing with buying a co-ord outfit is I can mix and match the top and trousers for future looks. 


The bloggers awards were held at the gorgeous event space at Lamberts Yard in Leeds. Which as Laura found out, also has the perfect corridor with the best light ever for a cheeky #ootd photo shoot. . I'll be posting about the awards soon so stay tuned. 


Co-ord set - Missguided
Shoes - New Look


Verdict on the outfit?

SAMMIE

Tuesday 13 October 2015

Bills restaurant Leeds

A new place in Leeds has opened once again, well quite a lot has been opening (as per-usual) and as always I decided to check things out. 

One of the latest addition to my favourite city, has come in the form of Bill's restaurant, serving up classic comforting home dishes from breakfast through to bed time. Now I really really wanted to check this place out for brunch as I have heard their blueberry pancakes are amazing, however as we all know I'm not a morning person and despite breakfast been served until 1pm on a weekend, it was still quite frankly too early for me to function (although the lure of pancakes was tempting), so a nice evening Sunday meal it had to be. 

Bills restaurant Leeds

Bill's restaurant it self is located in the city centre of Leeds on Albion Place near to the popular Trinity shopping centre. The building is such a great location and really emphasised the charming, rustic, inviting nature of the restaurant. 

Although there are no pictures of the interior on my blog (because I don't want to look too weird photographing when people are eating) you will just have to trust me on how charming and lovely this place is. 

Bills restaurant Leeds
Bills restaurant Leeds

In all honesty despite now been won over and ready to rave about this place, the menu isn't really my kind of menu. Although I was swayed initially by the breakfast/brunch, the menu didn't wow me on first glance, and the dishes are all "kinda classics"  or as I think of it, commonly found dishes on most generic menus. With starters including the likes of, crab cakes, soup, squid, bruchetta and mains including fish pie, burgers, chicken, ribs, salads and steaks. Ohh and fish finger sandwiches, because there cool and secretly we all love them (sarcasm not intended there). I wasn't really expecting anything that good in all honesty.

Bills restaurant Leeds
Bills restaurant Leeds

Perusing what seemed a little like a dull menu for starers, I did come across the halloumi salad (grilled halloumi, with quinola, and lentin sprout salad, a little red chilli, with a caper, mustard and  honey dressing). Obviously I can be won over easily by cheese. 

My friend ordered the crab, chilli and prawn cakes (served with baby gem lettuce, mango and spring onion salad). 

Now as my friend and I waited for out starters to arrive, my friend (who's not really an adventurous eater) did point out one thing that annoyed here with the menu. 

Now this certainly doesn't annoy me, not was it aimed at Bill's, this is mere just something she took note of, but she point out the use of trendy food. You all know what I mean. Foods starting to become trendy. I'm sure it wasn't just me last January sprinkling chai seeds on my cereal like a wannabe health freak, or upgrading my cous cous to bulgur wheat, FYI bulgur wheat is so last season, we're now all about quinola. However as she was pointing out the use of...basically quinola (I've just had to scan the menu again to make this point worth now typing out a full paragraph and I'm yet to spot another) ohh and KALE CRISPS. It was defiantly the kale which set her of. It kind of made me think....

the menu is actually really nice. It's not really that dull, it a nice well rounded menu which would suit a range of customers, with a slightly modernised version of everyone's favourite classics. It's also ideal for those (annoying) indecisive friends, or the ones who aren't that adventurous as there's food to suit everyone yet without been disappointing to the foodies.

Bills restaurant Leeds

The halloumi was actually amazing. I mean I'm never going to fault a plate of cheese but it was a really nice dish and the "trendy salad" complimented it nicely. The honey and mustard dressing was a little too sweet and could of done with less honey more mustard but I certainly finished my plate. 

My friend stated she really enjoyed the crab cakes and really liked the mango salad, she said it worked well and I can only really judge this by the fact she cleaned the plate. 

Bills restaurant Leeds
Bills restaurant Leeds
Bills restaurant Leeds

For the main course, as I said "classic food" seems dull to me so nothing on the menu stood out. I never order this type of (could cook this at home) kinda, food as I kind of see this as a wasted opportunity to try something new in a restaurant, so in the end I choose the Bill's lamb koftas (coated in toasted sesame sea salt pan fried and served with hummus, tzatziki, cucumber, baby gem lettuce, radish coriander and mint salad, picked red onions and warm piadina bread). Despite not been too excited originally by my choice, it was nice and I really enjoyed it. The lamb was cooked nice, the salad was refreshing and the bread warm. My only moaning point was there could have been more tzatziki as in end I was basically eating bread on it's own. Although I'm sure had I of asked for some more this wouldn't have been a problem. 

Bills restaurant Leeds
Bills restaurant Leeds
Bills restaurant Leeds

My friend who again is the opposite to me in the food world, choose the BBQ pork ribs (slow cooked with bbq sauce, with cream slaw and skin on fries). Again I can't comment too much on taste on other than pinching a few chips, but the meat fell clean of the bone and again an empty plate. 

Bills restaurant Leeds
Bills restaurant Leeds

Over all I'm actually really converted to Bill's. The food is all cooked well, the restaurant has a charming character and so what if there's no impressive slightly out there crazy food on the menu (other than kale chips and quniola). The menu is full of dishes we all know and love. It suits the fussiest of eaters, the family gatherings, the lunches with friends and I'm sure a cute little date. I can defiantly say the next time I'm out shopping and want to grab some lunch, or am suggesting a place to eat for friends and colleges Bill's will be at the top of my recommendations, as you cant really go wrong. 

SAMMIE

Monday 5 October 2015

Dressing for autumn

The leaves are falling from the trees, the dark nights are drawing in earlier and the clocks are soon to go back. Yet amongst the cold dark nights during autumn come the spectacular bonfires, late night shopping (Christmas lights been switch on!) and a chance to pull out your pre-loved favourite winter coats and autumnal accessories. 


Personally for me dressing for autumn is a mix of learning how to make my summer clothes warmer and digging out the previous years winter clothes. It's not quite time for a new winter shop and it always feels as if I've not quite got full use from my summer wardrobe, in fact does anyone make full use of their summer wardrobe here in the UK? Hence the mix match style, which can work quite well with a little thought.

Although the photos aren't great (we all know the struggle with limited natural light) this outfit perfectly sums up autumn dressing for myself. A summer skirt paired with a long sleeve tshirt, summer converse and warm black tights and a chance to dig out my old winter cape. Of course I teamed the outfit with my favourite new leather satchel and berry coloured lipstick which I feels ties the look together perfectly. 


Skirt - Primark (summer season)
Top - Primark
Coat - Topshop
Converse - (old)
Satchel - Jones Bootmaker
Watch - Daniel Wellington



How do you dress for autumn? 

SAMMIE

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