Clean eating

The other day I bought my first cookbook – Deliciously Ella and I absolutely love it! Have been recommending it to everyone I know and since then I have bought 3 more cookbooks like Ellas. Get the glow by Madeline Shaw, Oh she Glows by Angela Liddon and The Art of Eating Well by Hemsley and Hemsley, really excited for those to arrive so I can try some of those recipes. (my first Ella recipe – Black and Kidney Bean Chilli)

 Getting Ella’s book has made me want to try new recipes, start a new life style, be healthy and strong not just skinny. It isn’t just a diet to get the bikini body you want, it’s a way of life. My two sisters Eloise and Josie are also clean eating so we like to compare foods and share recipes.

(Another Ella Recipe – Apple and Honey Loaf)

The best thing about making these recipes is you know they are good for you, you know that everything you are putting in your body is good for you, is natural is going to make you feel better than if you were to have a meal thats bad for you, they’re also extremtly tasty and flavoursome.

  (Another Ella recipe, cacao and hazelnut spread – to die for!!!)

There are also healthy treats, this chocolate spread goes geat with the apple and honey loaf, and there you’ve got a healthy, delicious snack!

What to cook next…?

“This way of eating is not about deprivation and starvation, but instead its about embrassing a positve, healthy way of life”
– Ella Woodward

 

London weekend with my bestest

My bestfriend unfortunately for me lives in Leeds which is a 4 hour car journey from where I live, which sadly results in us hardly seeing each other. So after a lot of planning, this past weekend we managed to get together for a nice London weekend, booked in an afternoon tea at the Bluebird in Chelsea, shopping on Oxford and Regent Street and make the most of just being together while sipping on numerous cocktails.

  
We get to the Sanderson hotel just off of Oxford Street and make our way up to our room on the 6th floor, and it was stunning the bed was huge, the bathroom to die for and a nice balcony (if only the weather was sunny), then on the side table we found an envelope with my name written on it and inside 8 cocktail vouchers to enjoy at the Long Bar downstairs. 

   

Drinking wasn’t ever going to go well, because in true Dani, Chelsea style we had a starter of cocktails, main of Doritos, carrots and dip and a pudding of prosecco and brownies. But it sure was fun at the time, at about 10pm we made our way down to enjoy the rest of our cocktails after having 2 around 6pm and the bar was heaving, apparently it’s the place ot be on a Saturday night. 

  
After 1 cocktail each there we decided it was time forus to move onto another bar, heading to one that looked good on google we headed towards Oxford street but once we got there realised it was a dingy club not a bar like we wanted to we kept searching and ended up at the Cocktail Club on Goodge Street, which was a very strange experience. We walked in and Elvis was playing and the barteners were wearing Hawaiian shirts which was fantastic but then they started throwing ice everywhere and banging on the fridges with metal spoons it was verybizarre  but the atmosphere was insane and the cokctails were yummy yet odd.

   
 

When the bar closed at 1:30am we decided to call it a night while we were feeling quite jolly, ready to sieze the day tomorrow, but of course that wasn’t the case. We were more drunk than we realised and this resulted in me being incredibly hungover / sick pretty much all day and nearly ruining our afternoon tea, and Dani having to look after me while wanting to look around the shops. 

At many points thoughout the day did we think we may ave to cancel our afternoon tea, but we didn’t, and I kept telling myself to suck it up and make the most of having Dani down for the weekend. So at around 1pm we headed to Chelsea and started the long walk from Sloane Square station to the Bluebird, but it was so worth it!

We had our afternoon tea booked in at 3pm and got there at around 10past and my hangover had pretty much past, but unfortunately for Dani her’s started to hit her; however that being said she did not let it affect her like I did mine. We conquered that afernoon tea, which was absolutely amazing, and the seats / set up very cool and comfy. 

   
    And after that it was time for us to part ways, and for Dani to return to the North to startt her new job tomorrow!!!! (Good Luck babygirl!!)  

But I would definitely recommend all of the places we went, the Sanderson, the Long bar, the Cocktail Club and the  Bluebird, and to top it off it was the weekend of the Marathon so when we were getting ont he tubes all of the finishers were boarding! We’ve learnt our lessons though, and are going to make sure the next weekend we do something will be full of pampering and massages which only means one thing….SPA!!

  

“True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable”
 – David Tyson Gentry

5 Year Anniversary

This past weekend was Oscar’s and my 5 year anniversary. Each year we take it in turns to plan what we are going to do, and luckily for me this year was Oscar’s turn. Now we are supposed to be saving for the ‘future’ so I made sure to say “don’t spend much, just take me somewhere with nice food!” 

On the Friday night when Oscar arrived home from work, he packed up the car and we drove 4 hours South, it wasn’t until I saw a sign for ‘Bude’ that I knew we were in Cornwall! And not only where we in Cornwall but Oscar had found the most incredible, romantic, totally ‘us’ place to stay (Stargazey Cottage), seeing it at 10pm when we arrived I was honestly breath taken. A studio cottage, which had this huge round copper bath tub behind the bed, not to mention the towel swans on the bed, it was stunning!   

 

So we got into bed after the long drive and decided tomorrow we would wake up bright and early and seize the day. Seize the day we did, we were up and out by 9:30 and made a trip to Widemouth Bay (being on crutches made the walking a lot slower) and then took a trip into Bude where we wondered around the shops, up to the castle and of course grabbed a real cornish pasty. We then went back to the cottage and I was told to change into some ‘comfy’ clothes, and at 2pm Oscar walked me around the corner of the place we were staying and into a beauty therapy room for a Hot and Cold Shell massage. I’ve had a hot stone massage in the past and loved it, but this hot and cold shell one was on another level, the most relaxing and satisfying massages I have ever had, and I felt truly blessed to have Oscar in my life. 

  

 

The rest of the afternoon was quite relaxing with Oscar having his massage after me, then having a cream tea (to die for) and watching a movie (and a nap) before we knew it it was 8pm and Oscar was cooking us dinner, fried seabass with pancetta on a bed of mango chutney and chilli sweet potato with a side of veg, it was honestly delicious! 

  

 

Now it was time for the bath, which turned out to be a jacuzzi! I need one in my house, it was so romantic sitting in the jacuzzi with candles everyone and champagne!

 

Oscar really made it so we celebrated our 5 year anniversary in style….now I’ve got to try and beat him next year  

 

“When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
– When Harry Met Sally

Me, myself and I

Here are a few key facts about me:

– My name is Chelsea

– My birthday falls on Christmas Eve

– I am a 90’s child

– In the summer of 2014 I travelled around America with my sister and our friend, and fufilled my dream of attending the CMA festival in Nashville. 

– I like to exercise and be healthy.

– You’ll usually find me curled up on the sofa with a book and a cup of tea with country music playing in the back ground. 

– My boyfriend and I are celebrating our 5 year anniversary this year! 

   

         

“The body is a house of many windows: there we all sit, showing ourselves and crying on passers-by and to come and love us.”
– Robert Louis Stevenson

Team member down…need back up

Over Easter weekend and the week following that, I was snowboarding in Alpe d’Huez with my boyfriend and his family. I am a novice when it comes to snowboarding having only been twice before, but couldn’t wait to get back on the snow!

 

Luckily for us there was snow, but with the days being hot by the afternoon it quickly turned to slush, good side of that was it didn’t hurt when you fell, bad side was you fell a lot more, also meant that come the mornings it had iced over, so the conditions weren’t great, but hey! no complaining from me, as I know how lucky I am to be able to go snowboarding. 

  

 

On our 6th skiing day, I had a tumble down one of the pistes and much to my embarrassment had to be carried down the mountain in one of the ‘blood wagons’ (which also set me back €521 so super happy I had travel insurance) I then got transported to a medical centre where they told me I had damaged the ligaments in my foot and no more skiing for me (wahh) (hearing this also set me back another €200!)

 

So my final two days I was left feeling sorry for myself, on crutches trying to navigate myself around a snowy mountain, but at least I had the sun, the snow and some beer! It did turn out to be a fantastic trip though, even though I had an accident and now am working from home until I am able to walk properly.  

But I must say, the wine, cheese and chirzo selection I got spolit with after my accident was amazing! By far one of my FAVOURITE things about France is the cheese and wine. 

 

“We’ll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it. #giveyouwings” 
– Travis Rice

Skiing packing list essentials

When going skiing you are usually really limited on space, because your ski trousers / jacket / suit always takes up so much room. Unless you are a regular on the slopes then you’ll already have this down to a T. 

As I am still a beginner having only been twice before, I put together a ‘travel essentials list’ for my upcoming ski trip. 

– Ski clothes (jacket, trousers or suit…I personally have a ski suit which I would recommend every beginner getting, as it means when you fall over you dont get snow up your back or down your bum, but always take a ski jacket for the evening anyway)

– Gloves (make sure these are warm and very waterproof, they will spend a lot of time in the snow)

– Ski socks (you need thick socks so your ski / snow boots dont rub)

– Ski under clothes (you will always need some leggings and a top under your ski outfit to keep you warm, depending on the time of year will depend on the layers you wear under your ski clothes)

– Helmet (this is an essential, I know it will cramp your style, but it will also save your life, and nowadays you can get some really cool helmets)

– Hat (for the evening)

– Goggles or sunglasses (depending on the time of year, you will need one of these, goggles are always the safest option)

– Electronic goods and chargers

– Personal toiletries (small shampoo, conditioner and body wash, moisturiser, make up, toothbrush and paste, make up remover, hairbrush and deodraunt)

– Underwear / socks etc..

– Jeans (again for the evening)

– Jumpers (for the evening)

– Pajamas (do I need to explain this?)

– Swimsuit (because there is always a spa!)

– Waterproof boots (for the evening, timberlands are usually a good choice, ot CAT boots but make sure you spray either with protector spray)

– Towel (for the spa)

– Rucksack (for the slopes, to pack your lunch, water, port, lip balm etc… in)

I know that looks like a lot of stuff, but honestly its the most minimilalist list I could put together. 

And don’t worry pictures from my ski trip will follow when I get back!!

“A pair of skis are the ultimate transportation to freedom”
– Warren Miller

Job interview prep

Going for a job interview is always a nerve-racking experience and even though you prep no matter what you still feel unprepared for what’s to come. 

When I have a job interview I scour the internet for tips, questions to ask, questions I am most likely going to be asked, so I thought I would put together all of the information I have collated in one place. 

Here are my interview prep tips

Research

You should research the company thoroughly for two main reasons. 1 making sure that it is the type of company you could see yourself working at and 2 so when they ask you questions about their company to see if you have done any research you don’t look stupid. 

Practice Answers

Everyone knows at a job interview they grill you on your past, present and future, here are a couple of main questions they will ask and some tips on how to answer:

1. “Tell me about yourself” this is the standard interview question, they want to get to know you. Not in a way someone would in a social situation but in a work place situation. They want to know about your job history and your highest qualification. 

2. “What are your strenghts” using the job specification and the desired skills and experience, base your strenghts around that, they want to know why you would be good at the job, try not to lie though.

3. “What are your weaknesses” this is always a tough question, you want to answer with something honest but also something that you can change, are you rubbish using Excel on a computer? If so use this, but mention that you are slowly learning how to use more formulas etc… 

4. “What are your goals” with this question they want to gage how long you are going to stay working for the company, are you going to want to work your way up through the company or get some experience there and then move on.

5. “Why are you seeking employment” be honest with this one, tell them the real reason, but try not to slag off the company you currenty work for as they wont want to hire someone who bad mouths the place they are currently working for even if they don’t enjoy it. 

6. “What are your salary expectations” with this one, I would always go a bit higher than your current salary, that way if they can match it you are getting a pay rise but also if they can’t you will probably stay on the same wage. 

Look the part

When preparing for an interview you need to make sure you’re presented well, even if you know the company you are working for has a smart casual dress code, make sure you still dress to impress, for girls nice smart trousers and blazer with a nice blouse or a skirt blouse blazer combonation. If you wear a skirt or dress make sure you wear black tight, you don’t want to show off to much skin in an interview. For guys a suit and tie is always a safe bet. And make sure that your shoes are polished and not scuffed, its these little things that people will notice that doesn’t say good things about yourself. 

Stay calm

Interviews are stressful, but the last thing an interviewer wants to see is someone fidgiting with nerves or not being able to make eye contact with them because they are so nervous. You are trying to sell yourself here, beat out everyone else to get this job. You need to stay calm, make eye contact and make sure your body language is strong!

Ask questions

Asking qestions to the interviewers is always difficult because most of the time they tell you everything you want to know during the interview, but you should always ask at least one question at the end. A couple of good ones to ask are:

1. “How do you find working here?”

2. “What’s your favourite thing about working here?”

3. “What is the personal growth like?”

Also, ALWAYS arrive 10 minutes before your interview is due to start, make sure you print off and take your CV with you as well as a note pad and pen. Even if they don’t ask for it, it will make you feel more prepared. Remember your body language can say alot about you, don’t retrive into yourself by crossing your arms, and expect the unexpected!

“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em ‘I certainly can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it” 
– Theodore Roosevelt

Being an Introvert

For years I have wondered why I would much rather stay in, curled up on the sofa with a good book and a cup of tea instead of going out to the pub or to a club with my friends and sisters. It wasn’t until this past week when I went to see Sam Hunt play at Borderline with a group of people including my brother and sister as well as my boyfriend that it all clicked into place. 

You see my boyfriend likes to read (and listen to) a lot of really intellectual books and he recently read one called ‘The 5 Human Types’ by Elisa Bennidict, where he read about being an introvert. But it wasn’t until he saw me in this social situation that he figured it out, and we both were finally able to understand why I get so uncomfortable when I’m surrounded by people I don’t know and they’re touching me unneccesarily by dancing and moving through the crowd. 

So a couple of days after Sam Hunt I decided to do some research on being an introvert, worrying that it was a bad thing, that I wasn’t normal, looking to see if this is something I could fix? But after looking online and reading a lot of the ‘buzzfeed’ like lists (e.g 14 truths about being an introvert) I realised that it’s not a bad thing. People are either introverts or extroverts and you need one to balance out the other like Yin and Yang. 

I now understand a lot of things about myself that I have struggled with in the past and have caused problems within my relationship, but having a reason behind it makes everything easier to understand, and I have been able to realise that it’s not something that I need to fix, it’s part of who I am. 

1. Introverts choose who they connect with very carefully, and when that connection has been made it runs very deep.
2. Introverts are usually the observer in the group, which can be very beneficial.
3. Introverts love having time to themselves, whether it be having a bath or going for a run.
4. Introverts prefer to spend time with friends one-to-one or in a small group. 
5. Introverts will always be asked for advice / option / help.
6. Introverts will bend over backwards to help the people they love, even if this means putting themselves second.

“Telling an introvert to go to a party, is like telling a saint to go to Hell” 
– Criss Jami, Killosophy

Is honesty the best policy?

Recently I’ve been wondering whether or not honesty is the best policy. Will a lie or a secret always come around and bite you? Is telling a white lie a big deal? Is omitting the truth a lie by default? Where should we draw the line. 

People mainly tell lies, or hide the truth to protect the ones we love from being hurt either from our doing or someone elses, is this right? Or should we let them make up their mind whether they’re going to be hurt by what we’re telling them or move on from it being stronger and better knowing the truth?

Telling a little white lie never hurt anyone, but once you tell one, you have to tell another and another, before you know it you are caught in a web of lies, with no way out. When just telling the truth would have been easier for you and in the long run probably the people around you. 

I live on the basis people are always going to find out if you’ve been lying, whether it’s soon after or not for a while, but the truth always has a way of coming out, so why not just do yourself the favour and the people around you and be honest in the first place. Because by lying even if it is to protect the people you love, will probably hurt them in the future. 

Do we not trust them enough to take the truth? 

Do we not believe they can accept it? 

Do we not think that the truth will help them grow into the person they are meant to be? 

I don’t know, but from my experience honesty is always the best policy even if it hurts the ones you love, everyone will be better people from hearing / telling the truth. 

“Telling the truth and making someone cry is better than telling a lie and making someone smile”
– Paolo Coelho