Co-op #Tweet4ATable Leeds

I really do think of the Co-op (or if your me: t cwop) as very much a local shop. Although Asda, Tesco and the other big supermarket chains are storming ahead of the Co-op in terms of size, the Co-op still remains quite local. I pretty much don't know many people who don't have a local Co-op near by. 

In fact if you ever ask me for directions in my neck of the woods and don't know where "t cwop" is then your pretty much lost! Thinking about it it's pretty much a local landmark. 

In our house when were short on the usual milk, bread...(mumbles) wine, the first words anyone seems to say is "why don't you have a walk up to the co-op". I can't quite get across what I'm trying to put, it not exactly Harrords but locally it's more or less a landmark. 

Now after I've said the words "co-op" a total of 8 times (including cwop) there, I think I've established my point a little. So we shall move on to the event now. 

For all you tweeters out there you may have noticed the hashtag #Tweet4aTable popping up over social media this week. The idea behind simply tweet why you deserve a table at one of the 6 UK locations or send tweets to @Tweet4aTable and you could be in with a chance of dining for free at the rather yummy pop up restaurants. The pop up resturant located outside Harvey Nics in Leeds is with us until Friday 11th July so get your tweets on. Tweet for a takeaway is also commencing soon as well so if you fancy a burrito for lunch..check that out too. 

9th – 11th July	Leeds	Briggate, outside Harvey Nichols
1st – 3rd August	London	Truman Brewery, Brick Lane
8th – 10th August	Newquay	Boardmasters, Watergate Bay*
10th – 12th September	Liverpool	Paradise Place, Liverpool One
17th – 19th September	Manchester	Exchange Square, outside Selfridges
24th – 26th September	Newcastle	Grainger Street, outside Urban Outfitters

Onto the food, from the co-op summer range. Typically the menu reminded me the great British weather, by that I mean the kind of party food that's enjoyable indoors and out, the BBQ backup I'm going to call it.

To start with the great sharing favourite of nachos were delivered, smothered in yummyness of cheese, sour cream, guacamole and sala. 

For main I choose the head honcho burger with BBQ pulled pork, guacamole, sala and sour cream, where as the others had hot dogs and the holy mole burger (I think that's what it was called) and we all choose a side of chill cheese fries. I do rant pulled pork seems to be a recent trend and everyone's jumping on the tex-mex wagon recently but honestly you cant beat it. To say the food was cooked in a pop up restaurant it was surprising tasty and all the food felt replicable, as in I could easily throw this yummyness together at home and host my own great British (back up) BBQ. 

For more details on #Tweet4aTable check out the Co-op website.

Sammie

Le Tour Yorkshire

It seemed liked forever a little excitement has been building in me for the Tour De France coming to Leeds / Yorkshire. A lot of my friends hadn't been interested in watching a "bike race". Apparently it must be a little "uncool" now a days to support the biggest cycling event in world and morose the biggest sporting event Yorkshire has held...but Saturday morning myself and a quarter of a million spectators "fellow uncool kids" rose from our warm cosy beds that extra bit earlier to show our support for the Grand Depart of the Tour De France setting of in Leeds city centre. 

Bustling through the crowds at 8:30 am. Honestly Saturday morning I really was awake at that time, I excitedly rose from my pit to watch a "bike race". Yes this is my typing this. It was surreal in some ways walking through the centre with the volumes of people all trying to secure there places at the front row to take their places in history. I feel I should mention as I was walking through the crowed I couldn't help but think, if zombies took over I bet this would be the size of an apocalypse crowed. Now that I've made you all click the little x at the top of your screens...thinking freaking weirdo, lets move on to the pictures. 

First up is my shameless tequila inflicted hangover selfie from my night at Hirst Yard (my fav bar in Leeds). If I'm honest even my tequila hangover didn't put a downer on my day as I scurried (scurried.....did I evolve into a rodent over the weekend?) through the crowds, as the amazing folk at The Light in Leeds has given me an invite to their VIP breakfast with complementary amazing views. 

Sipping champagne and bucks fizz (hangover wan't too bad obviously), tucking into croissant's and pain au chocolate, I couldn't help but feel smug that I had one of the best seats in the house for the departure.

The parade before hand set of in the morning with a range of floats to keep the crowed entertained. My favourite has to be the float for Yorkshire Tea...for the funnies reason the crowed behind thinking"what's going on".."why can't I see"..although disappointedly to me, (meanie pants me) a second float coming by the other way came by soon after.   




The crowed began to fill the centre of Leeds more and more as the celebrations got on their way and I shamelessly felt smugger and smugger about my top notch view. As the Team Sky van drove by and the roar of the crowed grew stronger I couldn't help but to jump up at the window more and more with excited butterfly's. 

Eventually the race commenced and as I heard the count down I lept from my chair to let out a scream that I can only (sorry for this next part) compare to when I saw One Direction live for my 22nd birthday. I really didn't know my lungs had it in me or where it came from but I felt somewhat proud to be at such an event. I'm often jealous of other bloggers who post amazing pictures of their seaside villages and so on,but over the weekend I've truly realised I have something to be proud on right on my doorstep and I shouldn't take any part of it for granted. 

Hope you all got to finally see more of my humble surroundings of Yorkshire on the News, TV and News papers. 

Have you been supporting the Tour De France?

Sammie

Bundobust Leeds review

There seems to be so much excitement in Leeds this week with the opening ceremony of the Tour De France tonight, there seems to be such a buzz going around the city. Leeds seems to evolving so much over the past year and it seems were always happy to welcome on-bored new restaurants & bars with open arms. 

Yesterday I had the chance to visit Bundobust a vegetarian, Indian street food restaurant opening at 6 Mill Hill (a stones throw from the train station for those unfamiliar with Leeds).  Often when I get the chance to visit new restaurants and places in Leeds, the first thing I find myself asking, is will this add anything to the city? Recently there seems of been an influx in trendy cocktail bar/restaurants such as the Botanist and the Alchamist with the opening of the trinity shopping centre. We've seen the hype of Reds True BBQ exceed expectations for delicious american style BBQ grub, not to mention some of my fav restaurants including rare and roast & conch popping up in the past year, but it still felt something was missing. Then tonight Bundobust arrived, offering something quite different. 

Bundobust, has delighted me in offering up something new to the city. Stepping away from the cliché cocktails bars and hyped up burger joint this place has taken a risk and for that I adore them. 

Serving up firstly a vegetarian menu, secondly by deciding to serve mostly craft beers and finally by been daring enough to offer up traditional style Indian street food. 

All a delicious combination located in a very understated modest, yet cool setting. Just like the food and drink it's self. I can really see an effectiveness in the simple location with exposed brick, chipboard still showing around place and low hanging light bulb lighting really takes the emphasis on dining and drinking back to basics and offers much more opportunity to enjoy the simplicity of good food & drink and  good company. 

For the food it's self we was treated to try two of the dishes from what will be a tapas style menu (or the option to get a dish when a little peckish...there's no formal rules). First I tucked into the more unusual Bhel Puri (puffed rice, tamaran chutney, turmeric noodles, onion, tomato and samosa pastry) which I can honestly say I have nothing to compare this dish to. It kind of tasted like crunch, tomatoay, sweet and sour chilli-esk noodles, told you I had no comparison. However as weird and wonderful as all that sounds it was exceptionally moorish and very very delicious. 

The second dish was something a little more familiar (low and slow mung beans, gara massala  and basmati rice) known as the spice & rice. I'm a huge fan of lentils or bean dishes such as chana dal and this to me feels like comfort food. A nice little warming pot of something flavoursome and filling.

Overall I cant wait to see how the Bundobust takes of and I'm really rooting for this place to be a success. Upon first impressions I was quite unsure what I felt about the place, was it going to be a "posh takeaway" that now served beer such as barburrito? but after trying the food and really getting more of a feel for the place I'm defiantly backing this 100%. It's amazing to see new concepts bought into the city and the food seems something very special. I'm pretty sure over the next few weeks I'll be recommending this to friends and colleges with a lot of enthusiasm. 

Defiantly check this place out!  

Sammie

Zatchels store York

A couple of weeks ago a very nice little invite popped into my email box for the grand opening of the Zatchels shop in York. As far as events go which warrant booking the day of work and hopping on a train across Yorkshire....this event defiantly counted as one of them.

One of the main reasons I love Zatchels (other than the amazing sale at the moment) is all their products are hand produced here in the UK. Leicester to be precise. They took up the traditional skills in the area from the shoe making factory's and began manufacturing modern satchel style bags in 2011. 

If you look at the bags in details its quite amazing the amount of time and effort that goes into making each bag and it really makes it feel that little bit more special. Plus the smell of leather as you enter the shop for me is always a sign of good quality. You don't get that from many shops now do you. 

Despite all the products been made by traditional techniques it still doesn't stop the brand having a quirky edge with Zatchels bags ranging from metallic reds and blues to shocking neons. My favourite been the rose print bags, inspired by the Yorkshire rose. 

See my gorgeous metallic red Zatchels barrel bag styled in my latest outfit post. 

Sammie

Listen up we're looking for recruits

I  think I'm going to finally admit I love taking outfit posts. Especially when Jess is taking the pictures, I will freaking miss that gal when she goes back to Coventry although I'm sure I will see her little face out and about at events. 

This outfit I feel is "me". Statement heels, Tartan and leather, plus I seem to wear red and black quite a lot. The tights are actually fishnets as well which I feels gives more the rock chic edge too the outfit. I wore this outfit Saturday to meet some of my favourite ladies for lunch...although I was late so I only had time for desert and a cocktail (who's complaining? not me). Then it was onto a meeting with Cohorted, the social shopping website. I'll be explaining more about Cohorted in upcoming posts but for now I recommend you check the website out. 

Jacket: Topshop (old)

Dress: Ark clothing £12.00 (All sale items 241 in store)

Shoes: New look via ASOS (old)

Bag: Zatchels* Currently on sale £50 now £15.00

I love this dress I feel it's one of those multi-wear items, perfect for work, summer with bare legs and winter with thick tights. 

The bag is an amazing treat which I was gifted with at the Zatchels opening in York. It's the perfect size for nights out and I love the metallic red colour. All Zatchels bags are handmade and are excellent quality so I really don't have to worry about the embarrassment I've had over the years from Primark bags snapping on a night out. I think it's more or less fact that 90% of all girls have experiences a primark bag strap snapping on a night out. At first I didn't know what to think of the fastening on the bag been a buckle and not a magnet popper. However I am freakishly paranoid about someone mugging me as I'm waking through town or on nights out so for that reason I love it, it's also not as much hassle as you would think. Plus this weekend only Zatchels have the most amazing sale where there leather bags are reduced, meaning this beauty is down from £50.0 to only £15.00. As much as Mr Banker would disagree I feel I should stock up on more colours.

Now onto the shoes. Yes I am wearing glitter boots. I bought these in a past ASOS sale and at the time I did think, when will I get the chance to ever wear glitter heels however I bought my time for a while and still the opportunity didn't arise. So in the end this weekend I thought I would finally brave wearing them. I don't actually think they look half as outrageous as I expected and I find the cut of ankle boot style added to the  grungy look. I will admit I do like playing dress up with my outfits and creating different looks. 

Verdict on the outfit?

Hope your all enjoying the weekend.

Remeber to check out Cohorted!

 Zatchels sale , ends this weekend.

Sammie

Monthly Beauty Favourites

Imperial leather Foamburst: Sweet vanilla and cherry blossom & Rebalancing green tea and jasmine.*
I love shower gels that lather well as they always tend to feel a little bit more luxurious. The newly revamped foamburst shower gels from Imperial Leather feel great on the skin and are a very affordable treat for the morning wake up shower with the rebalancing green tea and jasmine scent, or good for a post bed shower with the soothing scents of sweet vanilla and cherry blossom. I also find these a great alternative to shaving foam and much better scented (and often cheaper) too. Also the packaging looks pretty cool. 

Superdrug Vitamin E nourishing night cream £2.99
I've had quite dry skin recently and I will admit I don't tent to stick to any long cleansing skin care routine I just use the basics. Therefore I want my products to be simple and require very little effort. Since I do usually forget to moisturise on a morning and am usually running out the house in a rush I prefer to stick to more an easy night time routine. I've never tried many night creams but for £2.99 I picked this up in a Superdrug haul (I think I'm preferring Superdrug to Boots recently) and it's working just fine to add moisture back into my skin. It's by far not the best but for the price It's pretty good and the moisturiser has a good texture. It does the trick for me so spending money on a more expensive night cream seems pretty silly. 

Superdrug dead sea mud mask & aloe vera mud mask £2.59
whenever I'm having bad skin days I seem to always think I really should put a face mask on. Despite these occurring thoughts I haven't bought face masks in years as quite honestly I find them a chore. I am trying to be better to my skin so I picked up these 2 mud mask (buy one get one half price). I must say both have been impressive and they dry very quickly on the skin and you can really feel the tightening tingly sensation on the skin. There is something about mud masks that makes me instantly feel refreshed and reminds me of a spa. Again for the price I'm impressed and hope I find that little bit of extra time to pamper myself every now and again. 

VO5 Plump it up dry shampoo £1.77
I talk quite a bit about my my fine damaged hair and I'm always looking for a quick fix to cure it. Whilst there is no quick fix to this what there is, is a quick fix to volume. Having had a love hate relationship with batiste xxl volume dry shampoo for about 2 years I find it drys the hair out and makes it feel matted. I was sceptical this product would do the same but for a volumising dry shampoo it actually still leaves the hair feeling soft just with the added extra bounce.

What are your favourites this month?

Sammie