tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86181690530722507532024-03-13T20:15:29.590+00:00The Life of a Mancunian SheepMancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-25701239298513003512015-12-27T09:00:00.000+00:002015-12-27T10:13:49.535+00:00119. This Is The End...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...Hold your breath and count to ten. Only I could start my final post with an Adele reference. I wanted to start off with being light-hearted before things possibly got quite philosophical and also, I have a habit of singing when someone mentions a lyric in everyday conversation. Anyway, after exactly four and a half wonderful years, it is time to say goodbye to The Life of a Mancunian Sheep. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I finished education six months ago and have only really started learning about myself since walking out of the exam hall for the final time. I'm sure others will agree that whilst you are in education, you are in a comfortable bubble surrounded by your friends, academics and the routine of coursework, revision, exams and repeat. I bought my first car about six weeks ago and trust me, people are not lying when they say that you only begin to learn to drive once you're alone in your own car (in true Mancunian Sheep style, I am rambling but at least my posts will be consistent if not anything else). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Essentially, what I am trying to say in a long-winded way is that I want to live life to its fullest and I believe that today, society wastes too much time sat on our smartphones/tablets/laptops with many seeking the approval of others through likes on social media and views on blogs and YouTube videos. Don't get me wrong, I am guilty of procrastinating far too much on social media as much as the next person but I want to spend my life watching great moments through my own eyes and not s</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">creens. I want to spend more time with friends and family, travel the world, run long distance for charity, pursue photography, better my baking, learn how to play the piano and so much more. At this moment in time, I feel that I am wasting far too much of my time on social media and even before the typical New Year Resolutions, I've been making a conscious effort to better myself as a person.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the record, I will not be deleting this blog and will leave it up for as long as Blogspot allows me to host it, I have thoroughly enjoyed writing every word and taking every photo that I've posted. I'm sure I will go through the blog in the future due to nostalgia. A few days ago, the camera on my phone started playing up and I am actually seeing this as a blessing in disguise because it will force me to use my actual camera more. Humanity survived without blogs and YouTube for millennia and call me old fashioned but I personally still find scrapbooks, photo albums and diaries far more satisfying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I would like to thank every single person who has ever visited The Life of a Mancunian Sheep for coming on this journey with me which has unbelievably lasted for almost half a decade. I would like to wish you all the best for not only 2016 but for the rest of your lives.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-70078506801866432822015-11-29T23:18:00.001+00:002015-11-29T23:39:24.648+00:00118. November Favourites<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hello lovelies! I hope you've had a fabulous month. This may be my personal favourite monthly favourites yet because it's been a very exciting month as I've literally been waiting years for some of the things mentioned in this post</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">! There's a bit of a theme this month as several people I love have made me super proud this month and I've cried a fair bit with happiness in all honesty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1) Adele - 25. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you will be aware of Adele's highly anticipated return. Quite a few of my tears this month are because of this lady who is beautiful both inside and out. 25 has been described by Adele as a make up record whereas 21 was a break up record but that doesn't mean that 25 is not full of raw emotion and tear jerking songs. My top three tracks off the record are I Miss You, When We Were Young and Million Years Ago. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I love the nostalgic feel of both Million Years Ago and When We Were Young but I Miss You is my absolute favourite because the instrumental is perfect as the drums and the backing singers just add to the dramatic lyrics. For those of you who watched the BBC One show on the evening of the album's release date will know the story behind Million Years Ago and it just shows how down to Earth and genuine Adele is and how she's not let all her success change her as a person. My favourite part of the show was when Adele surprised her impressionists, she's just so lovely and funny. Adele's my favourite artist and I was lucky enough to see her with my friend, Lauren, at the Manchester Apollo in 2011 and we were literally next to the stage. She waved at us and I almost died with happiness. Lauren and I also met one of Adele's support acts, the Grammy Award winning Civil Wars. This week, she announced that she's going on tour next year, how exciting?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. Sir David Attenborough narrating Adele's music video for Hello. If for some absurd reason, you don't like Adele then you might as well skip my second favourite too because this video is the best thing since sliced bread, it contains two people who I adore. Please watch it, you won't be disappointed, trust me. I can't get over "The Lesser Spotted Adele". I sincerely hope that both Adele and Sir David Attenborough are immortal because the world won't be the same without them both.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. Heidi. This month, we welcomed a new member to our family...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yes, I've finally bought my first car and I am just so happy and grateful, alhamdulillah! We are quite lucky with the public transport links in Manchester but it's still far from perfect and especially in this weather, I like being in the warming presence of Heidi :') She's a Ford Focus Zetec/Titanium hybrid for anyone interested.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4. <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motivational-Quotes-Help-More-Positive/dp/1409158764" target="_blank">Chris (Simpsons Artist) - Motivational Quotes to Help You to be More Positive</a>. I have followed Chris and his wonderful artwork and unforgettable stories on social media but to have something physical is brilliant. This book does exactly what it says and is like no other book. I highly recommend it as a Christmas present as it will definitely make your loved one laugh and smile which is all you can ask of a present.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5. Great Britain winning the Davis Cup - Regular readers will be aware of just how big an Andy Murray fan I am which is why it comes as no surprise just how proud I am of him, Jamie and the rest of the team for winning the Davis Cup for Great Britain after 79 years today. He's made history yet again and it's the perfect way to end such a wonderful year for Andy during which he got married and announced that he is becoming a father! Actions speak louder than words and the quality of tennis Andy has played over the past three days and in fact, for the past decade, should silence critics such as David Lloyd. Well done and massive congratulations to Team GB! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6. <a href="http://www.paperchase.co.uk/gifts/bags-and-travel/folding-tote-bags/mystic-rose-foldaway-bag.html" target="_blank">Paperchase foldaway shopper </a>- Last month, a 5p bag charge was introduced in England so me being my super organised self decided to invest in a small foldaway shopping bag that I can keep in my handbag at all times. I don't mind paying 5p for a bag but as a biologist, I know just how damaging plastic bags can be to marine species. This bag was £4.50 but it is well made, folds up very small and has a handy hook so you can attach it to your bag or keys and never forget it. When I'm using the bag, I attach the pouch to it so I don't lose it. As it is a waterproof material, it's great in this awful weather and I like the psychedelic floral pattern too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7. <a href="http://www.next.co.uk/x6d270s4#907971x56" target="_blank">Next Suede Slippers</a> - My feet are always so cold during winter so I treated myself to a new pair of slippers this month. I love wearing burgundy and these are as warm and cosy as they look. They have a strong sole with a good grip like outdoor shoes so you won't slip and they won't get ruined if you do have to nip outside in them. They are available in lots of colours so I've included a link to them. If you are thinking of buying these then I would say go a size up, I'm usually a size 6 in Next footwear but went for a 7 in these.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8. Accessorize Stacking Rings - I love wearing rings but one ring won't do and in summer, I bought a set of rings from Accessorize but wanted some new ones as I got bored of them. I admit I went a bit crazy and ended up buying three sets because they were just so nice and would go with pretty much any outfit as I opted for a silver set, a gold set and one with lots of different coloured gemstones.</span><br />
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<a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_19,acc_2.9/8853921261" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; text-align: start;" target="_blank">Silver stacking ring set </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_2,acc_2.5/8852108162" target="_blank">Gold stacking ring set</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_2,acc_2.5/8852989753" target="_blank">Gemstone stacking ring set</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">9. Twinings Salted Caramel Tea - Salted caramel is one of my favourite flavours so I was super excited when I spotted this in Tesco and just had to try it. This smells absolutely divine and you can drink it without feeling guilty. It is perfect for this time of year! I made one of my colleagues a cup of this and she loved it too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10. Meha Art and Design Manchester coaster - Fellow Mancunians and those of you who have been lucky enough to visit Manchester around Christmas will be familiar with the wonderful German markets that are here every year. I was after a nice coaster for my desk at work and this Manchester themed one seemed fitting for the Mancunian Sheep. As I mentioned in my previous post (which you can read <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/11/117-cake-and-bake-show-2015-eventcity.html" target="_blank">here</a>), I love supporting independent retailers which is why I will include the links for the artist who has designed this gorgeous coaster. I love the pops of colour and the intricate detailing of some of Manchester's best known landmarks like Malmaison. Meha's stall is just opposite the H&M on Market St and she's so lovely, definitely worth visiting her stall if you're after a unique Christmas present or treat for yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You can find Meha Art on the following:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MehaArt/" target="_blank"> </a></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MehaArt/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/meha_h" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MehaArt" target="_blank">etsy</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">11. Peep Show - My television favourite this month has to be Peep Show. The similarities between myself and Mark are scary and I'm gutted that this series will be the last one however, I can see why they'd rather end the show on a high just like Miranda did around this time last year. At least there are nine series that fans of the show can binge watch to get their fix of Mark, Jez and SuperHans. My favourite scene of the series so far has to be Sober Hans' juicing stag do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I hope you've enjoyed this post. Let me know what your favourite song is on 25! Hope December is best month of 2015 for you all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-51285250229136627802015-11-15T13:47:00.002+00:002015-11-16T20:49:02.819+00:00117. The Cake and Bake Show 2015 - EventCity, Manchester<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hello everyone, hope you're well. Regular readers may remember when I went to the Cake and Bake Show in March 2014 at Manchester Central (you can read my <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-cake-and-bake-show-manchester-2014.html" target="_blank">post</a> from then here). Anyway, I went to this year's event yesterday with my friends, Sammia and Sean and it was at EventCity this time. There were less display cakes and a lot more stalls compared to 2014 which I was a little disappointed at if I'm honest because I feel as though the show's all about the money making now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We set off at 11.45 am got there at about 2 pm because the traffic was insane thanks to the UNICEF football match, the Cake and Bake show, the Christmas shoppers at the Trafford Centre and a home show that was also taking place at EventCity. Some elements of the show remained the same as 2014 including the demonstrations and the stalls selling fudge but I'll get onto the fudge later!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This will be a photo heavy post and I'm sorry the photos aren't of the best quality because of people in the background, it was just so busy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I loved these plants at the Dr. Oetker stand, so pretty!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">There was a Great British Bake Off style competition and we're pretty sure there was a children's book theme.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some entries were submitted by children such as this one, lovely to see the next generation of bakers.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I completely agree with this statement!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Me during revision season.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5dB_6WOSmMk/Vkh9plUD6VI/AAAAAAAADjg/Ge2f0t7rp04/s1600/DSC00737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5dB_6WOSmMk/Vkh9plUD6VI/AAAAAAAADjg/Ge2f0t7rp04/s640/DSC00737.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This cake won first prize and rightly so, I love the tree.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">There were a lot of Alice in Wonderland themed cakes.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Little Red Riding Hood and the hedgehog are so cute!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">James and the Giant Peach!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One of my personal favourites, can't think why, baa!</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IleypWMQ-4Q/Vkh9zAfXH6I/AAAAAAAADkY/b0u-XUxPtWc/s1600/DSC00745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IleypWMQ-4Q/Vkh9zAfXH6I/AAAAAAAADkY/b0u-XUxPtWc/s640/DSC00745.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-Cs-HHGy5k/Vkh9zaQc65I/AAAAAAAADkg/k-I5dpCXPuU/s1600/DSC00746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-Cs-HHGy5k/Vkh9zaQc65I/AAAAAAAADkg/k-I5dpCXPuU/s640/DSC00746.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Snow White looks a bit scary but the dwarfs are cute.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iWUY-_c20L8/Vkh92nC7IvI/AAAAAAAADkw/72w-vyQmEbk/s1600/DSC00747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iWUY-_c20L8/Vkh92nC7IvI/AAAAAAAADkw/72w-vyQmEbk/s640/DSC00747.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The watercolour detail is absolutely beautiful.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xumRoRQ83Eg/Vkh96udFZbI/AAAAAAAADlU/BZEUr6WDDUY/s1600/DSC00752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xumRoRQ83Eg/Vkh96udFZbI/AAAAAAAADlU/BZEUr6WDDUY/s640/DSC00752.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think Stitch has eaten too much cake!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybDf6BYUva0/Vkh98jnLy2I/AAAAAAAADlg/c5yKXAsA8Ws/s1600/DSC00753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ybDf6BYUva0/Vkh98jnLy2I/AAAAAAAADlg/c5yKXAsA8Ws/s640/DSC00753.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Morph!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My personal favourite #1</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fe-qttzsl-E/Vkh9-qFMWqI/AAAAAAAADlw/WCRc7jKYG8U/s1600/DSC00755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fe-qttzsl-E/Vkh9-qFMWqI/AAAAAAAADlw/WCRc7jKYG8U/s640/DSC00755.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My personal favourite #2 - this cake defies the laws of gravity.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5d-Sr7ZpU3s/Vkh-BO62JCI/AAAAAAAADl8/LTrBZlJQGnE/s1600/DSC00757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5d-Sr7ZpU3s/Vkh-BO62JCI/AAAAAAAADl8/LTrBZlJQGnE/s640/DSC00757.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sean and I were both very impressed by the spherical cake. This would be perfect for a Christmas wedding!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p3hWBe5dnB0/Vkh-EGVkMnI/AAAAAAAADmQ/o806mNS_r34/s1600/DSC00759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p3hWBe5dnB0/Vkh-EGVkMnI/AAAAAAAADmQ/o806mNS_r34/s640/DSC00759.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dream wedding cake - I love the birds!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luis Troyano, GBBO finalist 2014, doing an empanada demonstration. Sean told us that they're<br /> basically a Spanish version of a Cornish pasty.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tamal, GBBO finalist 2015, did a demo of his rose and pistachio Madeira cake. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who would have thought that you could make roses from apples?</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Surprisingly, we didn't buy any cake because there weren't many stalls selling cakes and the ones that were, didn't have many. Sammia spotted a Halal sweet stall and because they're hard to come by, we all stocked up. The tubs were only £1 each so were a bargain. I like supporting independent retailers so you can find out more about Scrumptious Sweets <a href="http://www.scrumptioussweets.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At the start of the post, I mentioned fudge and here it is...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Okay so there was a lot more fudge yesterday but a picture speaks a thousand words as it was so delicious that 5 bars went to 2 bars in under 24 hours. Pictured is Madagascan Vanilla on the left and Banana and Chocolate on the right. The fudge is produced by the Kilted Fudge Company and they had an offer of 5 bars for £10. The other 3 flavours I bought were Salted Caramel, Cookies and Cream and Millionaire's Shortbread. The Cookies and Cream was good but the Millionaire's Shortbread was heavenly. My Mum had the Salted Caramel so I'm not sure how that was. I spoke to the man at the Kilted Fudge Company stall and he told me that it keeps for 5 weeks in the cardboard box and 2 months if stored in an airtight container. They have some amazing flavours including Irn Bru and you can find the company's Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Kilted-Fudge-Company-739949532730280/" target="_blank">here</a>. You can place orders for Christmas until 3rd December and they have a next day delivery service! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you went to The Cake and Bake Show and what you thought of it. What was your favourite cake mentioned in the post?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-34312778890952045842015-11-01T19:57:00.002+00:002016-03-16T10:02:09.422+00:00116. October Favourites<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hello everyone and Happy November! Hope those of you who celebrate Halloween had a fabulous time yesterday whether you were out trick or treating or attending a party! I'm pretty sure I say this at the start of every monthly favourites post but I can't believe how quickly the last month has gone by. At work, we've already decided on the venue for the Christmas lunch, it's insane just how close we are to the festive period once again. I can't wait for Christmas this year as it will be the first time in six years that I won't be revising for January exams during the Christmas break (sorry to rub it in to anyone studying for A-levels or a degree) but hold your horses, we still have November and most of December to get through first!</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Here's what I loved in October:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">1. <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Barry-M-Gelly-High-Shine-Nail-Paint_1281299/" target="_blank">Barry M Gelly Nail Polish in Chai</a> - My love for neutral nail polish shades continued from September and I've been loving this grey shade from Barry M. This is probably the first grey nail polish I've worn as far as I can remember and I love how versatile it is. As for the formula, I wouldn't say the Gelly range is more shiny than the standard Barry M nail polish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Neutrogena-Norwegian-Formula-Lip-Care-4-8g_1415/" target="_blank">Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Lip Balm</a> - Every winter, I like to have a new lip balm. Last year, I used Lush's Lip Service but because it was in a tin, I decided to go for one in a tube this year. This has a very subtle vanilla scent much like the Nivea original blue lip balm and it has good staying power, I only top this up once during the day. This has SPF 20 too so is great for all year round.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">3. <a href="http://www.tedbaker.com/uk/Womens/Accessories/Purses/KASSADY-Leather-crystal-bobble-matinee-purse-Bright-Pink/p/123836-56-BRIGHT-PINK" target="_blank">Ted Baker Kassady Leather Crystal Bobble Matinee Purse</a> - After over two and a half wonderful years, my Cath Kidston button spot folded zip wallet broke (R.I.P) :'( I fancied a change so decided to go for Ted Baker because their purses are real leather and I just love their vibrant colours and patterns. I went for bright pink so it's easy to spot in my bag. I love how it has card compartments on different parts of the purse so I keep my four most used cards at the front. This purse also has an ID window where I usually keep my staff card. The rose gold hardware and monochrome pattern compliment the bright pink and tone it down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">4. <a href="http://www.schuh.co.uk/womens/schuh-wonder-black-flat-shoes/1339147020/" target="_blank">Schuh Wonder flats</a> - I wanted some new flats for work which weren't Chelsea boots so decided to go for these lace ups. A lot of you may not know this but if you write a review for the Schuh website, they reward you with a 15% discount which lasts for 90 days. I reviewed my Crocs sandals a few weeks ago so thought I may as well use my discount code on these. What attracted me to these was the white sole and the tan detailing. Also, as they are real leather at a mere £55, you can't go wrong. I've worn these most days since purchasing them. Honestly, whenever I buy a pair of shoes from Schuh, I wear them so much.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5) George Animal Print Socks- My Mum and I were in Asda and I spotted these and they were so adorable that I just had to get them. The colours are gorgeous and the animals are so cute, my personal favourites are the robin and polar bear so I'm saving them for Christmas. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be on the George website so I'm unable to include a link but check in your local store if you want some. I've worn the fox ones so far #foxsox</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">6. Icestone Gelato, Oxford Road, Manchester - So a new dessert place has opened near work which is great news as most of my friends, colleagues and I have a very sweet tooth. Two of my colleagues and I went to Icestone Gelato for lunch I kid you not (yes, just to reiterate, we had dessert for lunch and no main in sight). My colleagues and I all had banana in our desserts so at least we got one of our five a day, teehee. I went for the banoffee cookie dough and one of my colleagues went for a banoffee and Nutella waffle. My other colleague decided on a crepe with strawberry, banana and cookies and cream gelato. Their gelato flavours sound amazing, they have everything from Jaffa Cake to Bounty so there's something for everyone. I can't wait to try them all next summer!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">7. The Apprentice Honest Subtitles - Have any of you been watching The Apprentice? I am so disappointed with the girls this year, they all spend most of their time bickering instead of paying attention to the task. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I miss Nick but love Claude as he's so brutal. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After each episode, there's a short video uploaded onto BBC iPlayer with the highlights and honest subtitles and it's so funny. My favourite moments of the series so far have been the guy who was trying to sell fish to a vegan </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">café</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> and the guy who was fired in week one who suggested "Sugar Babes" as the team name. In the honest subtitles for episode 1, when the secretary answers the phone, the subtitles are "You can go through to get shouted at now". Watch all the Honest Subtitles </span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p034244d" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">8. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates - This is the first piece of feminist literature I've read and it certainly won't be the last. Many of you will be familiar with The Everyday Sexism Project which was quite prominent on social media during 2012 and 2013. It is a website set up by Laura Bates that allows women and girls from all over the world to submit their experiences of you guessed it, everyday sexism. Bates has gone onto write this book and it was a fantastic read. What I loved about this book was how the different chapters focused on a particular oppressed group in society, examples of chapters include Women in Politics, Double Discrimination and Women in the Media. Each chapter starts with vital statistics, for example, did you know that the UK parliament comes 57th in the world for gender equality? For a developed country, that's awful. Laura also includes a chapter about the difficulties men face in society and I think that was a brilliant idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am a feminist and I'm incredibly passionate about encouraging more young women to study STEM subjects and work in those areas too, however, gender equality has to work both ways. Men need to feel comfortable in society so they are able to seek help for eating disorders, domestic abuse and suicidal thoughts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I give Everyday Sexism 5/5 for taking a hollistic approach to sexism and also using statistics to back up the points made. It's a great introductory read for anybody looking into reading more feminist literature like myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">9. Bridget Jones' Diary - I am a massive Colin Firth fan, I don't think it's possible for a film to be bad if he's starring in it. Surprisingly, I've never seen Bridget Jones' Diary from start to finish (shameful I know) and after seeing some scenes on Gogglebox, I watched it last weekend. I love British rom coms from the early noughties like this, Wimbledon and About a Boy but obviously I was too young to watch them when they were released initially. *SPOILER ALERT* Bridget and her friends are just so lovable and it was great seeing a few other familiar faces including Celia Imrie, Jim Broadbent and Sally Phillips. I'm so happy Bridget and Darcy end up together because Daniel's a lying cheat and I can't believe he blamed Darcy for being unfaithful when it was him all along. My favourite scenes are when Bridget and Darcy prepare her birthday meal together (blue soup, yum yum) and when she runs after him in the snow at the end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I had to give this 5/5 as it is such a classic and has become one of my all time favourites. The above picture includes my favourite quote and I really must read the books soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">10. Paddington - Paddington and I have quite a bit in common, we both love marmalade and own a blue duffle coat. Colin Firth was originally cast to play this iconic lovable bear but the film's release was delayed and Ben Whishaw ended up taking on the title role and he did a marvellous job. *SPOILER ALERT* After an earthquake in darkest Peru in which Paddington's Uncle Pastuzo unfortunately dies, Paddington's Aunt Lucy sends him to England after she moves into the Home for Retired Bears. Explorer Montgeomery Clyde visited Pastuzo and Lucy long before Paddington was even born and they told him all about Peru and in return, he taught them all about British culture after he realised that the bears could speak English. The Brown family spot the eponymous bear at Paddington Station but Mr Brown is determined for Paddington to move out. Mr Brown isn't the only one Paddington needs to worry about because a Cruella de Vil-esque taxidermist is after poor Paddy. Mrs Brown and their children are much more welcoming of Paddington and want to help him find Montgomery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My favourite scenes were when Paddington wreaks havoc in the Browns' bathroom and when he carries a random dog down the escalator after taking a health and safety sign literally. Although this film is aimed more at children, it's a fantastic film for the whole family to enjoy and laugh at. I love marmalade and how quintessentially British Paddington is so I have to give this 5/5 too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Phew, well done if you made it to the end of this post, have a great November. I have</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">a couple of exciting posts planned for this month so see you soon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
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Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-57977444025796139592015-10-25T12:28:00.000+00:002015-10-26T09:24:22.716+00:00115. Autumnal Day Out in Manchester<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I hope you're all having a great Sunday after the extra hour in bed. I could never remember whether the clocks went 1 hour forward or back in March or October but then I thought of a good way to remember: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I was working on the first two Saturdays this month because of Open Days which I enjoyed and were one of my favourite events even when I was a Student Ambassador, I took Tuesday off this week to have a break so I met up with my friend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Regular readers may remember that I went to Moose Coffee back in June and had some of their gorgeous granola </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(you can read more about my first time at Moose <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/06/102-week-i-became-social-butterfly.html" target="_blank">here</a>)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. I went for a cooked breakfast this time and Sammia and I ended up both having the same. Although I don't really drink hot drinks during summer, I do like the occasional hot chocolate, coffee or fruit tea to warm my hands in autumn and winter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Vegi Liberty Moose was scrambled eggs cooked with pesto and topped with pine nuts. I absolutely love green pesto, basil is my favourite herb! Although a green omelette may not look or sound very appetising, it's the most lush omelette I've ever eaten (cheeky reference to Gavin and Stacey there). For drinks, Sammia went for a mocha and I went for a latte. The drinks were good but it's the food which really stands out for me at Moose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We decided to go to the Northern Quarter as Sammia needed some art supplies but we couldn't find any canvases in Fred Aldous so went to The Works instead. To burn off our hearty breakfasts, we walked to Albert Square and here are some shots I took of Manchester Town Hall. Did you know that the architect, Sir Alfred Waterhouse designed Manchester Town Hall, the Old Quadrangle at The University of Manchester and the Natural History Museum in London?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Enjoy the final week of October and remember to look out for my monthly favourites next weekend!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-22285975589482599762015-10-11T23:19:00.000+01:002015-10-21T06:26:38.613+01:00114. Links Worth Sharing - Baking Special<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, as the Great British Bake Off finished this week, it only feels right to upload a baking related post this weekend. Firstly, for any fellow GBBO fans, what did you all think of the final? Personally, I found it to be the most emotional one yet! I was crying at Nadiya's winning speech and both her and her family's reaction but then when they showed Mary with tears in her eyes, I had a full on breakdown. Nadiya deserved to win as she improved her baking every week. I am so proud of how far she's come over the course of the series, especially in terms of confidence. The other two finalists did amazingly too, especially during the showstopper challenge. Nadiya's wedding cake was gorgeous and I'm sure any couple would be happy with that on their big day. Tamal's showstopper, which was inspired by an abandoned Chinese fishing village, may not have been quintessentially British but it is the most beautiful cake I've ever seen. His sugar work was superb. Also, Ian's Colossal Carrot Cake certainly lived up to its name, I have no idea how he managed to make 10 cakes in 4 hours, hats off to him. I'm really going to miss GBBO but can't wait for the new series of The Apprentice which starts on Wednesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now back in June, I did a post called <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/06/101-links-worth-sharing-june-2015.html" target="_blank">Links Worth Sharing</a> which is exactly what it says on the tin. Regularly, I share links on my personal Facebook and Twitter accounts so figured I should do the same on my blog too as you probably have similar interests to me if you are reading my content in the first place. I have three baking themed links to share this time around and two of them are science related, enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. The Cakes of Science - Now if you enjoy baking and happen to study/work in science like myself then you will thoroughly enjoy this picture heavy article featured in The Guardian. My personal favourites are the first periodic table cupcakes shown in the article as it is the perfect excuse to justify making 114 cupcakes and the cake which has a message written in DNA base code.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/gallery/2015/aug/12/the-cakes-of-science"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/gallery/2015/aug/12/the-cakes-of-science</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Now strictly speaking, this isn't baking related but more to do with the fruits of your culinary labour - here is The Scientific Way of Cutting a Cake. Yes ladies and gentlemen, for centuries, we have all been doing it wrong. Watch this video, it will make cake even better than it already is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. It was my best friend's birthday last month so I baked her some cupcakes because she liked them when I baked them for my Parkinson's Awareness Week bake sale back in April. I want to improve my piping technique and found this video by Cupcake Jemma to be really useful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are the cupcakes I baked for my friend which were vanilla cupcakes with a blue vanilla buttercream icing topped with wafer daisies to finish them off with an overall pastel coloured look:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hopefully the above links don't leave you feeling too hungry. Have a great week and see you next weekend!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-575299033180617452015-09-27T10:15:00.003+01:002015-10-21T06:30:48.728+01:00113. September Favourites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I hope you're well. Apologies for not posting much these past few weeks, I started work in mid-August and have been ill so haven't had much time to blog. I would like to wish all my Muslim readers a belated Eid Mubarak, hope you all had a lovely day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Autumn seemed like it was here but now we're getting an Indian summer, not that I'm complaining. I've not been out to enjoy the sunshine this weekend as I'm being a sloth in bed because I am working for the next two Saturdays. Also, I've not been getting much sleep for the past few days as I keep having coughing fits (yes, I've had Freshers' Flu for the 4th consecutive year). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This month's favourites are diverse even for me but there is an autumnal feel to a few of them and two others link together as well. Instead of keeping you in suspense, I shall get on with sharing my September favourites with you all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. <b>H&M maroon tote bag</b> - I have been on the hunt for a maroon/burgundy bag for the past 2 autumns and Accessorize didn't have any that I liked but I spotted this one in H&M whilst casually browsing and at £14.99, it was a complete bargain so I had to get it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is generously sized and has a main zip so I was very impressed considering the price. On the interior, there is a small zip compartment for your keys, phone etc. Also, there are two other open compartments that I put pens in. The bag is available in other colours and you can find out more <a href="http://www.hm.com/gb/product/75747?article=75747-D" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. <b>Nails Inc Jermyn Street</b> - I've actually had this nail polish for over 2 years and it is still in great condition. Regular readers know that I love nail polish and don't get me wrong, I love my bright and pastel colours but I've been really enjoying Jermyn Street this month as a more neutral shade. In my opinion, it is a combination of mauve and taupe and co-ordinates well with my new bag. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am wearing just one coat of Jermyn Street in these photos, you can see just how brilliant the Nails Inc formula was. I'm yet to purchase any of the new Nails Inc. products since the brand's overhaul last year but may well treat myself to Alexa Chung's collection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. <b>John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Agent Touch Up Crème</b></span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- My other beauty favourite this month is a hair product which I have needed for years but only found this month. I have thick hair and there are quite a few baby hairs around my face which annoy me as flyaways. This is the first item I've found to tame them to give a sleek but not greasy finish. It smells gorgeous too. Massage a small amount into your palms and apply it where required on dry hair. You can find out more about it </span><a href="https://www.boots.com/en/John-Frieda-Frizz-Ease-Secret-Agent-Touch-Up-Creme-100ml_5626/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. <b>Simpsons Pictures That I Gone and Done mug</b> - For those of you who have heard of Chris (Simpsons Artist), you will know just how much joy he brings to the lives of many. If you haven't heard of Chris then you are seriously missing out and can read his amazing stories and look at his incredible artwork <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheSimpsonsArt?fref=ts" target="_blank">here</a>. I bought a t-shirt from Chris three years ago and have also pre-ordered his book. I have far too many mugs as it is but just had to get this because of the brilliant quote on it which I couldn't agree more with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. My fifth favourite links to my previous and that is <b>Carte Noire instant coffee</b>. Now, I used to drink a lot of coffee (what student doesn't?) and then for the past year, I stopped but I do occasionally have it. We have a </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">cafetière</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> but sometimes you just want instant coffee in the morning when you don't have the time to wash all the components of a </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px;">cafetière</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. I used to love Asda Extra Special Brazillian Instant Coffee but they stopped doing it over a year ago so I bought Kenco Millicano instead but since buying a new pack, I've found that the coffee granules will not dissolve. I picked up Carte Noire because I don't like Nescafe or the other Kenco instant varieties and it is lovely. It has a strong, rich flavour and the granules dissolve, hoorah!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6. <b>Imperial Leather Rock Pool Hand Wash </b>- We've been using the Imperial Leather Spring Meadown Hand Wash in the kitchen and bathroom for the past year and I was absolutely sick of the scent so decided to order this in our weekly grocery shop and it smells incredible. It smells so fresh and reminds me of an aftershave although I'm not sure which one. I like the blue colour too as it goes with the blue and white colour scheme in our bathroom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. <b>Danny and the Human Zoo - </b>This was screened initially on Bank Holiday Monday in August but as I had work the next morning, I watched it on iPlayer a few days later. It is roughly based on comedian Sir Lenny Henry's childhood and teenage years. There were a few familiar faces from the Harry Potter films including Evanna Lynch who was Danny's girlfriend and also James and Oliver Phelps which was of course an added bonus for a Potterhead like myself. Sir Lenny himself played Danny's father. The programme showed the racism and bullying encountered by Lenny in 1970s Dudley. Unfortunately, the lack of BME comedians and performers in the UK even today is a real concern. Although it was 90 minutes long, I'm gutted that it isn't a series. The programme is available on iPlayer until Wednesday <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b068znzx/danny-and-the-human-zoo" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. <b>First Dates</b> - I'm so happy that there are finally a few good shows to watch on television with Gogglebox, GBBO, First Dates and also, The Apprentice which is starting soon. For those of you have never heard of/watched First Dates, it is a Channel 4 show which takes place in a restaurant and we follow 4-5 real first dates per episode as the title suggests. The people are paired up based on similar interests when they apply to be on the show but have never seen one another before entering the restaurant. There have been some real characters on the show including a couple who both loved Cheese Balls which was hilarious. Occasionally, a person may come back to the restaurant for a second date with a new person if the first one was a total disaster such as a really sweet guy who was so nervous that he kept stammering during his first date which was full of awkward silences. There have been 3 episodes screened so far this series and you can catch up on All 4 (no idea why they changed the name from 4OD because everyone still calls it that) <a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/first-dates" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. <b>Andreya Triana - Gold </b>- I first heard this song in Asda back in June and since then, I've been trying to find out who sings it and what it was called. This week, BBC One released a new autumn trailer and it was used as the background music and after a quick Google of the lyrics, I found it! It is so catchy and I'm looking forward to hearing more from Andreya who has a beautiful voice. For the record, it is about as far from Spandau Ballet's Gold as you could possibly get.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Enjoy the last few days of September and for everyone who went back to school/college/university this month, best of luck for the new academic year! To Class of 2015 graduates like myself, good luck to those of you starting new jobs. I will try my very best to post before my October favourites, see you all soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-2478725441205353722015-08-23T11:23:00.000+01:002015-08-23T17:41:43.432+01:00112. August Favourites<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I hope you're all well! It's actually been a year since I posted my first ever monthly favourites on here and I'm so glad that I did as they are my favourite posts to write. This month's favourites have quite a nostalgic feel to them, all will become clear by the end of the post so let's get cracking!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Colouring - The older you get, the more stressful life becomes so I was surprised when I saw the colouring for mindfulness range in Waterstones at why such a simple stress busting method hadn't occurred to me before. We all associate colouring books with childhood which was relatively stress free for most of us thankfully so this is such a great concept. It is nice to see a screen-less activity make a comeback and if you're a parent then you can colour in with your little ones. I love Paris and really hope to visit soon which is why I bought the Secret Paris colouring book as it heavily features two of my main interests - food and fashion (you can buy the book <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/secret-paris/zoe-de-las-cases/9780600632115" target="_blank">here</a>). I included Paperchase in my July favourites (click<a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/07/108-july-favourites.html" target="_blank"> here</a> for my other July favourites) and I also bought my colouring pencils from there. They are in a really cute cupcake patterned tin which is such a good way to store them so that they don't get damaged or lost. Unfortunately, Paperchase no longer seem to have the cupcake print tin on the website but there are alternative pencil tins such as an Aztec patterned one which you can find <a href="http://www.paperchase.co.uk/36-colouring-pencils-wild-aztec.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> 2. Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream - Every summer I seem to fall in love with a new perfume, last year it was Givenchy's Very Irresistible L'Eau en rose and in summer 2013, it was DKNY's Be Delicious Fresh Blossom. My friend Misbah actually bought me Daisy Dream last Christmas but I'd treated myself to Givenchy's Very Irresistible so only got round to using Daisy Dream this month and it is a subtly sweet fresh scent. It's very light so perfect for summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don't worry, I've not lost the lid! It's a silver sphere so the reflection of the camera lens annoyed me which is why I chose a photo without the cap on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Songs from old Bollywood films - Now I did say at the start of this post that it would be rather nostalgic for fellow 90s kids and with colouring and this music favourite, you'll know what I mean. Regular readers will know that I don't listen to Indian music so I surprised myself with how much I like it, I'm actually going to order the Kabhi Khushi Khabi Gham DVD because if the soundtrack is so good then surely the movie has to be too. The second song is one that my cousin and I used to sing along to apparently when we were kids (I'm not surprised we enjoyed it as children because there's a dodgy looking Mickey Mouse in the video) and the lyrics are so adorable, the man is complimenting his wife throughout the entire song.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Primark candles - I mentioned a </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">candle in my July favourites too but these smell more summery. Primark have quite a decent candle range, they look nice and although they don't smell as strong as Yankee candles, you can't really moan at such low prices. I bought the sweet vanilla and coconut one from the Primark in Chester (it is so much nicer than the Manchester one as it is less stuffy and chaotic) and I bought the Red Berry and Jasmine one from the Manchester store. I'm really impressed with the sweet vanilla and coconut one because the stronger scent is coconut which is surprising as vanilla can be quite overpowering. The berry one reminds me of my smoothies. I really like the art deco style labels. The coconut one was £2 and the berry one was £1.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. KitchenAid Raspberry Ice Artisan Stand Mixer - I've wanted one of these since I first set eyes on them whilst watching GBBO back in 2012 and I've put off getting one until we have our kitchen refurbished. For the past month, my mum's been asking me constantly what I want for my graduation/21st birthday and she's suggested a designer handbag but I said no because I have too many bags as it is. I told my mum that I'd like a KitchenAid once we get the kitchen done but she asked me to pick the colour I wanted and order it now so here is my baby:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So far I've used it to make chappati dough, it's made my life so much easier! I also made some marmalade muffins using a recipe featured in the latest Asda magazine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Andy Murray's big news and win - Regular readers will know that I am a huge Andy Murray fan and this month, Andy and Kim announced that they are expecting a baby! I am so excited and happy for them as they will no doubt make fantastic parents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I mean just look how loving they are of their Border Terriers, Rusty and Maggie May.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also, this month, Andy beat Djokovic for the first time in over two years to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal and although he has been playing fantastically well this year, this victory was very much needed psychologically and comes at the perfect time just before the US Open.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keep smiling Andy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Twinings Blueberry and Apple tea - I've not included a drink in my monthly favourites for ages and although it's still quite warm, I've been loving this fruit tea. I love using blueberries in my bakes and also just topping yoghurt/porridge/granola with them so it's no surprise that I love this blueberry flavoured drink. It smells divine!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As you can see from our kitchen tablecloth, I love fruit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. Asda CBY Low Fat Fruit Yoghurts - Continuing with the fruit theme, my food favourite this month are these yoghurts. I just love all things peach/apricot/nectarine this time of year and in fact, peaches/nectarines were one of my August favourites last year which you can find <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-favourites.html" target="_blank">here</a> (some things never change). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">The peach flavour is my favourite but the other two are nice as well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
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Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-10715115257947468642015-08-08T12:56:00.001+01:002015-08-08T13:42:49.445+01:00111. Great British Bake Off Appreciation Post<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I cannot believe that I've not done this post before as I've been religiously watching the show since 2012 which to me is still the best series ever because I just loved John, James and Cathryn and most of the others that year and they were all of a very high calibre. I've met John Whaite, the winner of series 3 twice and he is so lovely! My friend Misbah and I went to the <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-cake-and-bake-show-manchester-2014.html" target="_blank">Manchester Cake and Bake Show in 2014</a> and met John and the winner of series 4, Frances Quinn and two of our other favourite series 4 contestants too - Ali Imdad and Kimberley Wilson.</span><br />
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Apologies that this photo is so blurred!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On Wednesday, the new series kicked off with Cake Week which is my favourite week as that is what I bake the most compared to bread and pastries. I've already chosen my favourite contestants for this series. I really like Marie who was Star Baker this week and also Tamil who made the most beautiful cakes. Nadiya and Flora seem lovely too. If any of you have watched in previous years then Flora may remind you of Martha who was the youngest contestant ever and participated last year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Apologies that I've not posted a baking post since April because I've not actually had the chance to bake since my <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/04/what-to-bake-for-charity-bake-sale.html" target="_blank">Parkinson's Awareness Week bake sale</a>. Last week however, I had a baking day to celebrate the start of GBBO by using recipes from two of my favourite contestants ever, James Morton from Series 3 and Ali Imdad from Series 4.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My friend, Sammia actually bought me James Morton's second recipe book for my 21st birthday. I don't have his first one as I don't really bake bread but that's something that I am hoping to change as shop bought bread is so processed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I actually really want to read James' book cover to cover because he thoroughly explains why things are done in a certain way when baking and he gives really good tips on what to do when things don't go according to plan as it says in the title. He's so cute, he reminds me of Where's Wally! :) I've only baked James' chocolate orange cookies but there's everything in the book from blackberry macarons to blueberry pizza (I know?!). I can see this becoming one of my favourite recipe books. My cookies went down a storm when I took some for the nurses at the hospital and Sammia said she liked them too. I added both the zest and juice of the orange to the cookie mix for added flavour whereas James only included the zest in his recipe. You can purchase the book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/009195990X/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0091955602&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=02CF3C95YQTZ5XGF26N0" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ali unfortunately hasn't released a traditional recipe book but he did release a free ebook last year. The best place to find his recipes and news on his other projects is his Facebook page which you can "like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aliimdadbakes" target="_blank">here</a>. He also has a YouTube channel which is where I followed the recipe for his raspberry and Oreo cheesecake brownie tart (trust me, it really is as extravagant and yummy as it sounds). You can watch Ali make the tart <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4umJW5byg" target="_blank">here</a> and here is my attempt:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope you've enjoyed this post and if you're a regular reader you can already tell that I have given the blog a makeover so let me know what you think!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
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Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-79828684328026464282015-08-06T09:13:00.002+01:002015-10-26T09:15:38.050+00:00110. Summer Book Club Review 3 - One Night in Italy by Lucy Diamond<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, as promised at the end of my <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/07/109-summer-book-club-review-2-us-by.html" target="_blank">last post</a>, here is my review for One Night in Italy. As the last book I read was set in various countries in Europe, including Italy, I thought I may as well read this next. This is the first book by Lucy Diamond that I have read and she has eight others, I really like the look of one of her other novels mentioned in the back of this book called Sweet Temptation so this certainly won't be the only book of hers that I read. </span><br />
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The story is centred around Anna, Catherine and Sophie and alternating chapters are written from each main character's perspective. One Night in Italy is funnily enough not set in Italy for the majority of the book as the three women actually reside in Sheffield.</span><br />
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32 year old Anna Morley is a journalist who works for the local newspaper and after visiting her grandmother, Nora, she finds out that the father she has never met is an Italian called Gino. Not only does this revelation change the dynamics of her family life as she sets out on a mission to find her estranged dad, it also improves her career as she is promoted to food writer and restaurant reviewer too. Unfortunately, things aren't looking so good for Anna's love life as she sees her boyfriend, Pete kissing another woman sat by the window in Nando's (classy or what?) at a time when she needed him the most after finding out about her dad. With only her father's name and her mother refusing to speak about him for the entirety of Anna's life, it seems unlikely that she will find Gino but supported by her colleagues, she immerses herself in Italian culture by joining an evening Italian class and also attending cooking courses in the UK and Italy.</span><br />
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Catherine Evans is a devoted mother to twins, Emily and Matthew and wife to GP, Mike. As the twins move out for university, Catherine is heartbroken at how lonely she will be but is trying to remain optimistic as it will mean that she and Mike will be able to spend more time together. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse for Catherine as she discovers Mike has been having an affair and that he never loved her as they met on holiday when they were both at university. Mike admits that he only stayed with her as she fell pregnant. Whilst searching some documents that Mike leaves behind when he comes over to tell her that she needs to move out, Catherine discovers that Mike has also been lying to his patients but she's not sure how to resolve the problem without upsetting the twins. Catherine is a pillar of the community and participates in various voluntary activities but since meeting Mike, she has lost her own identity as he was condescending to her throughout their marriage. She wants to put herself first for once so decides to attend an Italian evening class to regain some of her lost identity.</span><br />
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Sophie Frost left home only a few months before she was supposed to complete her A-levels when she found out that her mum had secretly declined the offer she'd received to study Drama at Manchester. Sophie's parents had instead applied for her to take Business Studies at Sheffield. When Sophie realised, she was livid and decided to get away from them by travelling the world. Whilst living and working at a cafe in Sorrento (which reminds me of my favourite Hey Little Cupcake, Sorrento Cello), Sophie receives a phone call from her cousin, Samantha to say that her father has suffered a major heart attack (A.K.A myocardial infarction). On returning to the UK, Sophie and her parents make amends and her mum helps her to find a job as the teacher of the evening Italian class which is where she meets Anna and Catherine (what a coincidence!). Although it appears that Sophie is finally settling down and is a natural at teaching, her heart has always been in drama but she fears that it is too late.</span><br />
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One Night in Italy really exceeded my expectations as from the title and blurb, I assumed it would be about holiday romances for the three leading ladies but decided to give it a go nonetheless as I love Italy and really want to visit soon. Although there were a couple of things that I predicted such as Catherine's husband and Anna's boyfriend cheating on them, I think if the twists had been something else, the story wouldn't have worked or appeared genuine. Also, the name of each chapter is written in both English and Italian which I found to be a lovely touch. The three main characters of the book are very likeable as are all the others that attend the Italian class and I like how Diamond reveals a snippet of each of their lives too.</span><br />
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading One Night in Italy and despite it being just under 500 pages, I read most of the book in two days. It's one of those books that you can't put down once you start reading.</span><br />
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Rating: 5/5 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This may genuinely be the best piece of chick-lit I've read so far. It was consistently perfect and a very easy and light read which I highly recommend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As the three books I've reviewed so far this summer have all been fiction, I think some non-fiction is long overdue which is why the next book review will be for Periodic Tales by Hugh Aldersey-Williams.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-90571967587559182812015-07-31T12:05:00.001+01:002015-08-13T08:05:13.424+01:00109. Summer Book Club Review 2 - Us by David Nicholls<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I finished reading my second book of the summer earlier today, the first also being one by David Nicholls which I <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/06/summer-book-club-week-1-review-starter.html" target="_blank">reviewed last month</a>. Us is his latest novel and was published in 2014. This is the third book by Nicholls that I've read and I really do admire how flexible his writing style is, I feel that he can write about characters who are obviously very different in terms of age, class and gender but all share some attributes which is what makes them so human and relatable. </span><br />
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Us follows Douglas and Connie Petersen and their son Albie during the most eventful summer of their lives so far. Albie is off to university come September to study photography and Connie has dropped the bombshell that she is thinking of leaving her husband. Connie used to be a painter and was working in an art gallery when she and Douglas met while he was a biochemist working in the field of Drosophila ( fruit fly/ the bane of my life during my degree but that's a story for another day) genetics. As Albie is following in the artist footsteps of his mother, Connie decides that a grand tour of Europe's art galleries should be their final family holiday so Douglas is determined to make this the best summer of their lives whilst simultaneously saving his marriage. Unfortunately, as one might expect, things don't always go the way you want them to in life and after a heated argument, Albie runs away and Connie returns to the UK but the story is far from over.</span><br />
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The story is told from Douglas' perspective and alternates between the present (their grand tour of Europe) and stories from his 25 year relationship with Connie. There are usually clusters of two to four chapters told from either era which is much better than it alternating after every chapter. The chapters are short with 180 in total but I think that just adds to Douglas' character of being a scientist, I've often been told how concise I can be (although my blog posts are usually anything but). There is a chapter towards the end of the book where Douglas considers what the book would have been like had it been told from Connie's or Albie's perspective albeit briefly. This made me realise that I related to Douglas quite a bit and if the story had been told by Connie or Albie, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed Us as much. Douglas and I share a hatred of glitter and a view on how the next 50 years is not looking so good for our species, oh the joys of being life scientists!</span><br />
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There are several aspects of the book that I loved. First, it has to be the travel aspect. Late last year, I reviewed <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-single-breath-review.html" target="_blank">A Single Breath</a> and that really made me want to go travelling in Australia and Us has done the same but with Europe. Also, it's made me want to learn more about art as I spent a great deal of time on Google searching some of the paintings that are mentioned in Us. Aside from what I personally gained from the book, I love how genuine Douglas, Connie and Albie are and this is a reason why I have read almost all of Nicholls' novels. The ending wasn't the happy ever after you may expect after a major event towards the end of the book but it was realistic and in that way, is similar to the ending of One Day. Us touches upon issues that many 50 something couples go through - death, depression, affairs, tough career choices and parenting challenges but he writes about them in a way that is universally accessible. My favourite quote of the book is: "Grief is as much about regret for what you've never had as sadness for what you've lost" and I think from that quote you can see what I mean about the book being universal.</span><br />
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The only thing that is stopping me from giving Us the full 5 sheep is that the first half of the book is quite slow. There is a lot about the art in France and Amsterdam but most of the time, the family are just arguing or travelling and even the chapters about their history focus on the first weekend they met for a considerable amount of the book despite Douglas simultaneously protesting that he is not writing about their meeting through rose tinted spectacles. I think we really get to know Douglas once Albie runs away and Connie goes home which is why I enjoyed the second half of the book more.</span><br />
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Rating: 4/5 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The next book I am reading is One Night in Italy by Lucy Diamond which I have no doubt will make me want to travel too and also leave me quite hungry as Italian cuisine is my favourite. Keep an eye out for the review which will be posted in the coming week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-20231901810596679212015-07-26T19:03:00.003+01:002015-08-08T00:47:02.030+01:00108. July Favourites<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, it's monthly favourites time and I have everything from a shop to a candle that I've been loving this month.</span><br />
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1) Dettol mould spray - If you have read The Life of a Mancunian Sheep for a long time then you may remember <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-top-5-favourite-cleaning-products.html" target="_blank">my favourite cleaning products</a> post from 2013. This is the best bathroom cleaner I've come across. It has left our tiles and shower unit sparkling white and the best thing about it is that you don't even have to scrub. Simply spray on and rinse off. I leave it overnight but if the strong smell of bleach gets too much for you then rinse off after 5-10 minutes. I actually bought 3 bottles of this in a pack off Amazon, it's that good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2) Primark ankle high socks - Even in summer, I just have to wear socks (unless I am wearing sandals or flip flops) and these are perfect because they are a nude colour so they don't look weird with flats. You get 5 pairs for £1.50 and although they only last one or two washes before they get holes in the toes, you can't really complain at that price. I wouldn't mind buying some that are of a better quality but I haven't found any in M&S which is where I buy socks from usually. Other shops do have the ones that are like shoe liners but I'm worried that they won't stay on and that you'll be able to see the top of them on your ankle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3) Vanilla Frosting Yankee Candle - Up until a couple of years ago, I hated candles (I know, how could I?) because I just found them boring and pointless (unless they were birthday cake candles, I've always loved cake) but now, I love them. I haven't actually had the time to bake since <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/04/what-to-bake-for-charity-bake-sale.html" target="_blank">my bake sale for Parkinson's Awareness Week</a> back in April but this candle fills the house with the scent of freshly baked cake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4) Paperchase - Paperchase is one of my favourite shops because they have the most gorgeous stationery with really cute and pretty floral patterns. I've taken countless trips to my local store this month because I've needed to buy lots of cards for birthdays, graduation and also my stationery for work. I've been using an academic diary but now that I've finished education, I've bought an 18 month Moleskine planner so that it sees me through until the end of 2016. It comes with really handy stickers for work and play commitments. I also bought a couple of notebooks for myself, I'm using the floral one as a diary that I've been keeping since I turned 21.</span><br />
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Paperchase have recently brought out their Treat Me card which is fabulous because you get 15% off with your first purchase after registering your card and you also get a £5 voucher as a birthday treat. My local store has a cafe too and you can get a free hot drink from there but as it was Ramadan, I didn't bother. You can find out more here: <a href="https://www.paperchase.co.uk/treat-me-info">https://www.paperchase.co.uk/treat-me-info</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5) Gardening - Gardening has been one of my favourite hobbies for as long as I can remember. I used to have my own vegetable patch even when I was a toddler and used to help my parents by planting carrots, peas, beans and tomatoes. Unfortunately, I've had to place my green fingers on the back burner for the past 5 years due to A-levels and university but this month, I took a trip to B&Q and HomeSense and have had lots of fun gardening again. I've planted petunias, fuschias, pumpkins and courgettes amongst other things. I last planted marrows in 2010 after finishing my GCSEs and they were massive so watch this space for the pumpkins and courgettes!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6) Films - I've watched a few films since Ramadhan finished last week so have included two in my favourites. One is a recent release and the other is a film that I wanted to watch but didn't have time to because of university.</span></div>
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a) Ant Man - So my Marvel obsession continues into July. Don't worry I'm not going to watch this 3 times like I did with Age of Ultron (she says now). Quite a few people are skeptical of an ant sized superhero but I knew Marvel would deliver. Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly are all brilliant but my favourite character was Luis who is played by Michael <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Peña, his storytelling is hilarious.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #6a6a6a; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> </span>Evangeline Lilly looks so much like Cobie Smulders in Ant Man that I had to ask my friend Alex what Maria Hill was doing in this film. The story is a heart warming one as Ant Man is very much Marvel's answer to Robin Hood. I love the relationship Ant Man has with one of the ants, Antony and also with his daughter, Cassie. I strongly recommend that you go and watch this unless you suffer from myrmecophobia. There was a scene with a gigantic (relative to Ant Man) rat and I almost died. </span><br />
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Rating 5/5: </span><br />
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b) Love, Rosie - I love Lily Collins and Sam Claflin after watching her in Stuck in Love last month and him in The Hunger Games films so decided to give this a watch earlier this week. Rosie (Lily) and Alex (Sam) have been best friends since they were children and are practically joined at the hip until they're 18 when Alex decides to apply to Harvard to study medicine and encourages Rosie to apply to Boston to study hotel management. They are both accepted but unfortunately, something big happens to Rosie which prevents her from joining Alex in America. She's left behind and their lives become very different to one another so they drift apart and each time they try and become close to one another again, someone else is involved romantically with one of them. </span><br />
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Although it is quite a predictable will they, won't they? chick flick, Lily and Sam's acting and on screen chemistry is undeniably brilliant. They are best friends and I guess that's what your spouse should be because best friends love each other no matter what. </span><br />
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Aside from Alex and Rosie, my other favourite character was Ruby (Jaime Winstone) who is Rosie's best friend after they meet in a very unlikely place (I can't say anymore about Ruby without giving a massive spoiler away). Ruby is very straight talking and a great friend to Rosie. Suki Waterhouse is also in the film and she really isn't a very convincing actress, later on in the film, her character becomes a model so I guess she didn't have to act. I really liked the two lead characters and the storyline is quite cute but the number of predictable twists was getting a bit ridiculous:</span><br />
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Rating 3/5: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7) Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand. I love Jess' voice and have done so since hearing her on Clean Bandit's "Rather Be" and Route 94's "My Love" last year. I'm obsessed with this song and have had it on repeat this past week. My favourite lyric is: "Break my bones but you won't see me fall". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />What's been your favourite film, song and shop this month?</span><br />
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Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-34533584653235350352015-07-25T10:29:00.000+01:002015-10-26T09:19:34.775+00:00107. Lilac Nails - Barry M Berry Ice Cream vs Rimmel Rita Ora Go Wilderness<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, just a quick little beauty post for you today. I love painting my nails and am loving lilac this summer so thought I would review two lilac nail polishes for you.</span><br />
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First up is Barry M Berry Ice Cream:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Barry M is my favourite nail polish brand because they have such a large collection, are reasonably priced and well pigmented. Berry Ice Cream is more of a pinky lilac compared to Rimmel's Go Wilderness. I applied two thin coats to achieve this finish:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Go Wilderness is part of the 60 Seconds Supershine nail polish collection by Rita Ora for Rimmel London. I can vouch for the 60 seconds as it did dry quicker than the Barry M one however, that is likely to be because it is such a thin formula. This shade of lilac has more blue undertones rather than the pink seen with Berry Ice Cream. I used two coats for Go Wilderness too but whereas one coat of Berry Ice Cream could have passed, you really do need two coats for Go Wilderness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What I really like about the Rimmel nail polish is the brush, it is wide so makes application much easier despite me testing this on my right hand.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As you can see, the wide brush made it easier to apply so that the nails on my right hand are neater but usually as I am right handed, they are messier than my left hand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Overall, I like the formula of the Barry M one better but the brush of the Rimmel one. If Barry M made their brushes wider, they would be perfect. I love both the colours and they're both £2.99 so you can't lose!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As well as using lilac products on my nails, I am obsessed with the passion fruit EOS smooth sphere lip balm. It smells delicious but these aren't just a gimmick, they are really good lip balms. I love the sphere packaging because it makes for hygienic application, it's compact and there's no way that you're losing the lid. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hope you've enjoyed this post, let me know if you've tried any of the products mentioned above and what you thought of them. Also, what nail colours are you all loving this season?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-3059117609372918122015-07-24T16:58:00.001+01:002015-08-08T01:17:28.775+01:00106. Busy Bee<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Honey I'm home! See what I did there? I'm really sorry for not posting at all so far in July, it has been the busiest month of my life so far which means I have a lot of Mancunian Sheep news for you all. I may as well start from the beginning of the month!</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got a job! I will be working at the university and my role involves widening participation to higher education and science communication as well as administrative work so it combines my degree and previous work experience as a student ambassador and my summer internship at the university last year. It's the perfect job for me and I can't wait to actually start. There are just over 3 weeks of summer holidays left for me before I start working so I have been making the most of them!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I went to Liverpool! My friend Sean finally got back from his placement year in Barcelona so my other friend Alex and I went to visit him! I love Liverpool. They actually have a green space in the city centre unlike the horror that is Piccadilly "Gardens" and with the dock and masses of seagulls, you feel like you're close to the beach. Liverpool One is also really nice and I like how the shops are mostly outdoors so the stores are larger and it's not as stuffy as the Arndale can sometimes get. This is actually only the third time I've been to Liverpool but we're already planning to go back again soon. It was too hot to take photos in Liverpool despite having my camera with me!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I graduated! After three years of biology and learning about everything from cell organelles to elephants, I graduated! I'm so happy that so many people I love could be there including my mummy of course, my neighbours who are basically my honorary godparents, my two best friends at university and also my two besties who I've been friends with since secondary school. I'd just like to thank everyone mentioned above and others for their support as I couldn't have done this without you all, you know who you are. (What I wore for anyone that wants to know: Shrug - Debenhams, Dress - Coast, Headscarf - from a local independent Islamic shop, Tights - M&S of course, Flats - Next, Ring - Accessorize and Watch - Daniel Wellington).</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I turned 21 - As my birthday was during Ramadan this year too, I didn't have a party and to be fair, since my 18th, I really don't get the big deal about my birthday (I only enjoyed my 19th because Andy won Wimbledon and it was my final teenage year). I just want to thank all my friends for all of my beautiful gifts. I really appreciate all the trouble you went to as we've all been so busy lately with Ramadan and graduation and everything else!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am no longer a student ambassador! As I have now graduated, I am no longer a student and therefore no longer a student ambassador as of yesterday. I have thoroughly enjoyed this job for the past 3 years and have had such fun at every single shift I've worked. It's not every day you can say that you met the Chief Medical Officer at work; worked with hundreds of prospective students, their parents and teachers and also alumni; played Charades sat on deck chairs in the rain and all as part of one job! I've made so many friends on other courses that I wouldn't have otherwise met! Being a student ambassador is one of the best things I did at university and would recommend it to any students reading.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Watch out for a book review in the next few days! I wasn't reading during Ramadan so unfortunately feel like the summer book club has gone out of the window but oh well, I will still review all of the books in due course. Also, my monthly favourites will be up in a few days time so keep an eye out for that too. Finally, I haven't been blogging much but I have made a couple of YouTube videos this month, one is the closet confidential tag and the other is an updated what's in my bag and you can watch them here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
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<br />Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-7330497616871667092015-06-28T12:49:00.002+01:002015-08-08T01:16:47.417+01:00105. My Essay On The Shaking Palsy<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Regular readers will know that my mum has suffered from Parkinson's Disease since 2004 when she first got the symptoms and was eventually diagnosed in 2006. When she was diagnosed, we weren't told much about the condition except the fact that it will get worse with age and it's precisely that fact that has been constantly lingering at the back of my mind for the past decade.</span><br />
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In Avengers: Age of Ultron, there is a scene where Scarlet Witch rips out Ultron's heart with her bare hands and particularly recently, there is nothing more that I've wanted than for Parkinson's to be objectified so I can do the same as her. It was last week when the manager of my mum's carers came to visit that she said something that hit me hard - "Your mum has all of the memories of being able to do things for herself and she's in the same body but can't do those things anymore" and that literally broke my heart. Not only is the past haunting her but also the future whilst she is suffering in the present. When we're all planning out our lives nobody factors in "gradual decrease in mobility, cognition and general quality of life from 40 onwards" or even earlier as early onset cases of Parkinson's are common and account for 15% of all those affected.</span><br />
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This wretched illness tears you apart gradually and it's the false hope it gives you that is most infuriating. Just when you think the doctors have hit the nail on the head with the right dosage of medication and you've reached homeostasis, it strikes again and takes something else away from you. In some cases, people with Parkinson's go onto develop dementia in the later stages of their life usually when it's taken everything else that defined that person as an individual and gave their life meaning. Not only does Parkinson's progressively lead to a decline in the quality of the patient's life but it makes them anxious and their loved ones of what's next and trust me, it's never predictable or simple.</span><br />
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James Parkinson first described the bane of my life in 1817 and almost 200 years later, we're yet to find a cure. Personally, I think the main reason we're struggling to find a cure is because it presents so differently in each person so gene therapy becoming more feasible is probably the most likely option. </span><br />
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Unfortunately, I can't destroy Parkinson's with my bare hands and cure everyone from it. Trust me, I would even it was made out of graphene and it meant serving a life sentence in Guantanamo Bay before going onto hell. I really hope that I'm still around when they find the cure because that's probably going to be the first day since I was 9 that I feel genuinely happy again.</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-67327710487188416702015-06-27T11:20:00.000+01:002015-08-08T01:18:20.740+01:00104. June Favourites<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, summer is finally here and apparently there is going to be a heatwave next week across the UK coinciding with Wimbledon which at least won't prevent play but it's going to be no fun for everyone fasting! I've been enjoying the sun by sitting in my back garden and looking at and smelling these gorgeous white roses there.</span><br />
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As it's the sixth month, I have six favourites and they're pretty diverse as they have been for the past couple of months.</span><br />
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1) Taylor Swift - Welcome to New York. I finally bought 1989 in June and I've no idea what took me so long, it's an amazing album. Also, as I haven't included a song in my monthly favourites since November, it was long overdue (that was another Taylor Swift song, Blank Space). This is my favourite song on the record as it has such a catchy beat and like with all of her other songs, you can't help but sing along.</span><br />
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2) Spy - Two of my university friends and I intended to watch this early on in June but we ended up watching Avengers: Age of Ultron again. One of my friends and I have now seen Age of Ultron three times, I've seen no other film at the cinema more than once but it actually gets better the more times you watch it. We finally got round to watching Spy and it has two of my favourite people in it - Miranda Hart and Melissa McCarthy. Spy is honestly the funniest film I have seen in years and for me personally, Jason Statham stole the show surprisingly. At so many points in the film, lots of people were laughing out loud in the cinema, it was that good! *SPOILER ALERT* When Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) kills for the first time in the field, it was hilarious because it was an accident and she makes it worse for herself by throwing up on him and then collapsing herself as he lands on a spear. My other favourite scene was when Rick Ford (Jason Statham) describes the million and one ways he has escaped death such as the time when one of his arms completely came off and he fixed it back on with his other arm, it's so ridiculous. Also, there is a well known rapper in the film and he becomes very close to Nancy (Miranda Hart) which is brilliant. What I love about this film is that it shows that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover because nobody would think Susan would make such an amazing spy but she does. I also loved the various identities Susan had to use including Crazy Cat Lady.</span><br />
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Rating: 5/5 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Carlyrowena" target="_blank">Carly Rowena</a> - I stumbled upon Carly's YouTube channel somehow and I am in love with how honest, positive and sweet she is. I've been loving Carly's 3 minute abs workout and her video on how to tone up wobbly thighs (let's be honest girls, most of us have issues with our bums, tums and legs). Carly is a personal trainer so it's like having a personal trainer for free who doesn't yell at you. I've not been going to the gym during Ramadhan for obvious reasons but I've still been able to workout thanks to Carly. She has lots of videos on healthy eating and gym clothes too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4) <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005QILJ74/ref=twister_B00GGASCIK?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Anker Portable Charger</a> - I intend to go on quite a lot of trips with my friends this summer and although smartphones are amazing, their battery life is nothing compared to the old school Nokia 3310 (I'm showing my age now haha). I picked this little beauty up from Amazon because it is super small, cheap and has excellent reviews. You charge this up and when your phone runs out of charge, you plug your phone into this and I get one full charge out of it (my phone is the HTC One Mini). I love that it comes with a little pouch too so it doesn't get damaged or scratched in your bag.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5) Postcards - I was in Waterstones and fell in love with all the postcards they had so I've decided to start collecting postcards from places I visit and also just generally ones that I like the look of in local shops. I think I'm going to have to buy an album for them as my collection grows hopefully. These are the three in my collection so far:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I went to Chester and picked this up from the Waterstones there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6) Passing my degree! :D I received my final set of university results this month and I am absolutely overjoyed to tell you all that I will graduating with a 2:1 in Biology. University has by no means been easy but it really is a life changing experience. I've met so many wonderful people and it has increased my confidence a lot. I've learnt so much ranging from thermoregulatory proteins in bacteria to the social hierarchy of hyenas. It's been three years well spent as it has helped me transition from teenager to adult too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Apologies as I realise that my book review of The Establishment by Owen Jones should have been up on Monday but I have been really busy lately and haven't actually had much time to read. Hopefully, it should be up next week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-74912500743762963112015-06-15T19:39:00.000+01:002015-08-08T01:19:06.419+01:00103. Summer Book Club Week 1 Review - Starter for Ten by David Nicholls<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone! Firstly, I'd like to apologise as I did mention in my previous post that I would post this review yesterday. As I post a variety of things on Sundays usually, I thought I would mix it up and have my summer book club post on a Monday (if you have no idea what I mean by my summer book club, then read <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/06/mancunian-sheeps-summer-book-club.html" target="_blank">this</a>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The book for week 1 was Starter for Ten by David Nicholls, some of you may be familiar with one of his other novels, One Day and its film adaptation starring Anne Hathaway. I love One Day and strongly recommend it as it is one of my favourite books and films despite making me cry a lot. There is also a film adaptation of Starter for Ten as I Googled it yesterday and despite having an impressive cast including Benedict Cumberbatch (aww can't believe he's a dad), James Corden, James McAvoy and even Catherine Tate; from the trailer, it seems to be very loosely based on the book so think I'm going to give it a miss. If any of you have seen it, let me know what you thought!</span><br />
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Starter for Ten follows Brian, an English Literature student from Southend who is studying at what one assumes is a Russell Group institution. I can relate to Brian a fair bit having now completed my undergraduate degree, there are many characters in the book who I feel like I also met at university. Like myself, Brian is an only child and also lives with his mum only after his father passed way. Brian and his father used to watch University Challenge together (for those of you who aren't familiar with the show, it's basically two teams of 4 very intelligent students from various universities in the UK who compete on a televised general knowledge quiz show but the questions are much more difficult than your average quiz show) and his dad was really proud of Brian each time he got a question right so he is keen to make it onto the team once he arrives at university.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Alice Harbinson is a Drama student who has had a very different upbringing to Brian but like him, also sits the examination which determines who will be on the University Challenge team. Brian falls for Alice at first sight at a house party on their very first night at university even before they meet again at the exam. I found Starter for Ten to explore class and romance very well and although the book was published in 2003 and is set in the mid 1980s, there is a very obvious class divide at prestigious higher education institutes even today and I personally believe that not enough is being done to tackle this ugly truth. Another prominent female figure during Brian's time at university is Glaswegian Law student, Rebecca Epstein, who is the exact opposite of Alice. Both Alice and Rebecca stay in the same halls of residence corridor and Alice is unaware of just how much Rebecca despises her (it's pretty obvious all along that Rebecca hates Alice because she fancies Brian who is in love with Alice).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*SPOILER ALERT* University Challenge team captain, Patrick is so pompous and self-righteous and makes some very nasty comments about both Brian and Spencer who is Brian's best friend from home. I'm not one to condone violence but when both Brian and Spencer hit Patrick on separate occasions, I felt no sympathy for him. Patrick reminds me very much of Percy Weasley and is definitely a character that you love to hate. Right before the ending, Brian makes a huge error and it is so shocking that I had to stop reading and hugged my teddies in shock as I was rooting for him so much and then out of nowhere, he fell at the very last hurdle. I felt so bad for him and if any of you think you have had an embarrassing moment, trust me, it's nothing compared to what happens to Brian (I understand that none of this makes any sense but don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone who wants to read Starter for Ten). Another part of the book that I enjoyed was the very end because Brian ends up with the right person and I'm glad he is brave enough to make a fresh start as many people I know who disliked their course at university, stick it out whilst getting very depressed about it. Also, I love the actual layout of the book with a University Challenge question at the start of each chapter and the actual book being divided into 5 sections like the 5 rounds of each episode of the show.</span><br />
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Starter for Ten did leave me with some questions, ironically. I wish we'd found out more about Rebecca Epstein because I felt that too much of the book was devoted to Alice. Brian's obsession with Alice reminded me of Pat's obsession with Nikki in Silver Linings Playbook but as Pat was mentally ill, he had a valid excuse. Also, there were hints of some fatherly love being displayed by one of Brian's tutors, Professor Morrison and I wish this relationship had been been explored further and it would have made it more realistic for Brian to ask for his tutor's advice too regarding his academic issues at least.</span><br />
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Overall, I would give Starter for Ten 4/5 as although the book centres mostly around a love triangle, there are some other important issues explored mentioned above making it relatable to many young adults despite being set 30 years ago. It is definitely a good coming of age novel and by having University Challenge as a major theme, it makes it unique.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Establishment by Owen Jones is the book for week 2 of my summer book club so I will see you all next Monday with a review post for it. Also, Ramadhan Mubarak to all my Muslim readers as I probably won't have the chance to post again before Thursday.</span><br />
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Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-26065209386564049542015-06-13T16:02:00.002+01:002015-08-08T01:19:50.491+01:00102. The Week I Became A Social Butterfly<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I hope you're all well! I've had an extremely busy week but it's been great to catch up with lots of my friends, some of whom I've not seen for months because of university. I don't think I've ever eaten out so much in any other week in my life but you may as well make the most of it with Ramadan around the corner. I tried to be as healthy as I possibly could which isn't too hard when in most restaurants, I'm limited to the vegetarian option due to eating a halal and mostly pescetarian diet.</span><br />
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Monday - My best friend, Sammia and I went to the Trafford Centre and despite living in Manchester, I think I've only been to the Trafford Centre a whopping 5-6 times in my entire life. I find that most of the shops it has that I actually shop at are also in the city centre so there's no need to travel so far. If there is a shop in the Trafford Centre that is not in the city centre then I usually just order online such as John Lewis. Despite spending more than 7 hours at the place, Sammia and I bought nothing but food hahaha, such fun! As I hit the gym hard last weekend, I used Monday as my cheat day and I personally think it's actually quite a good day to have as a cheat day because a bit of cake certainly made Monday easier to get through than usual. We went to Debenhams for breakfast and had coffee with a Millionaires' shortbread. We then walked around John Lewis, Next Home and M&S home sniffing far too many candles which left us with a headache. I've been really lucky with the weather this week as it has been gorgeous, usually when I go out with friends, we end up getting caught in the rain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For lunch, we went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen as Sammia had not been before and I love their super skinny fries and falafel burger (I could live off falafel and I pretty much did whilst writing my literature review, it's one of my favourite foods ever). We also had the strawberry and elderflower fizz at GBK which was gorgeous and I really wish they sold it as a readily available bottled drink in shops. </span><br />
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For dessert, we went to Cadwalders which I'd never even heard of before but Sammia recommended. We both devoured the super indulgent hot chocolate muffin melt, it was yummy! After dessert, we spotted a carousel outside and despite being in our early 20s, that was not going to stop us. We were the only ones on the ride and shoppers walking by were looking at us hahaha. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life!</span><br />
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We had a look around some more shops such as HomeSense and Selfridges where I bought some rainbow cake from the Hey Little Cupcake concession as you can't buy slices at their Spinningfields cupcakery. It's actually the first rainbow cake that I've come across which is suitable for vegetarians as usually, the red food colouring contains beetle extract. "Shopping" can be thirsty work so we finished the day with Costa Coolers, Sammia had the mango and passion fruit one whilst I had the strawberry and watermelon one.</span><br />
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Tuesday - I actually had two shifts at work because you know, you've got to work hard and play hard. I don't consider my job to be work as I love being a student ambassador, it's been one of the best things about university as I have met so many people and many of them have become firm friends. On Tuesday night, I met my women in science hero, Dame Sally Davies and I could not believe that I had the opportunity to ask her a question too. You can find out more about Dame Sally's work as the first female Chief Medical Officer for England <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/06/101-links-worth-sharing-june-2015.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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Wednesday - There are about three restaurants that I can tolerate on the Curry Mile - Gelato, Lahore and after this week, Falafel. Yes, despite loving the actual food, I've never been to the restaurant that shares the same name. I had a lovely afternoon out in the sun with my friend Melissa who used to be my neighbour but recently moved away and two of Melissa's friends who I had never met before properly but were very lovely and welcoming. We had a little Ramadan shop by looking around three Islamic shops and I picked up a couple of books, one which offers practical advice for Muslim women and the other one is Imam Nawawi's 40 Hadiths which are widely considered to be the fundamental sacred sayings of Islam.</span><br />
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Thursday - I had my haircut for the first time since September 2014 as I haven't had the chance because of being so busy with university. My hair's not been this short since I was 14 but I prefer it like this as it is so much more manageable and feels lighter in summer. If any of you are from Manchester and are looking for a salon, I go to The Razor's Edge in the Royal Exchange. My regular stylist is on maternity leave (I didn't even know she was pregnant until I went in to make an appointment last week hahaha) but the stylist I had this time did an amazing job and was so quick too! After my haircut, I went to Costa and had their green tea, lime and mint cooler which is amazing and my favourite one now! I've had a few mojito mocktails in the past and it's very similar to them! I ended up watching One Day in the afternoon because I was lending the DVD to my friend who I was seeing that evening and wanted to make sure it was working fine but once I stuck it on, I just had to watch the whole film as it is one of my favourites of all time. As I graduate next month, I felt it was a good time to watch it. In the evening, I went out with my friends from university, Alex and Rick and we were meant to watch Spy but instead, we went to Chiquitos and I can't believe I'm saying this but afterwards, we went to watch Avengers: Age of Ultron (I've seen it 3 times now and it keeps on getting better). At Chiquitos, Rick and Alex shared fajitas which were served on a sizzling platter (it felt like we would set the smoke alarm off) and I had the sea bass salad with sweet potato fries which was gorgeous. I love Mexican food!</span><br />
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Friday - I've heard really good things about Moose Coffee in Manchester from several of my friends so one of my friends who hadn't been previously either and I finally went there for brunch yesterday. As I ate so late on Thursday night and it was so hot, I had the granola with yoghurt and berries. Misbah had the Vegi Mighty Moose which is essentially a cooked vegetarian breakfast. I will have to go back when it's cold again to try some of the coffee and cooked food. The portion sizes were huge (even the blueberries were larger than usual) but the food was so delicious! We were stuffed after brunch so went for a walk and sat by Manchester Cathedral which is also on my to-visit list this summer! Moose's yummy granola actually inspired me to make my own last night which I'll be having at sehri for Ramadhan on days when I want something more substantial than my usual smoothie. </span><br />
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I hope you've all had a great week too and are having a lovely weekend. My first summer book club review post will be up tomorrow so look out for that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-7165200628715547242015-06-10T16:48:00.001+01:002015-08-08T01:20:38.051+01:00101. Links Worth Sharing - June 2015<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well! After complaining about eReaders in my previous post, I must admit I love reading the newspapers online and have the apps on my phone as well as reading them on the browser, most of the content is online and free too. I often share articles on my personal Facebook and Twitter pages but as a new regular feature for The Life of a Mancunian Sheep, I am considering recommending three things that have caught my eye every week/month amongst the masses of information on the internet. What do you all think of this, is it something you'd be interested in? I'll attempt to share a mixture of interviews, articles and videos like the three below. I'll try to make them as recent as possible but one of the great things about the internet is how easy it is to access archives.</span><br />
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1) Andy Murray on feminism - Now, it's been approximately a year since Andy controversially (not that I personally found it controversial but many others did) appointed Amelie Mauresmo as his coach and it wasn't long before all the sceptics came out and questioned Andy's decision. Despite not reaching the final at the Roland Garros last week, Andy has played his best ever clay season, he reached the Australian Open final in January and I'm sure his outstanding performance will continue through grass court season, the US Open and beyond. Andy has been surrounded by amazing women for most of his life namely his wife and mother who is a fantastic tennis coach so it should come as no surprise that he would hire a female coach. As one of the world's greatest ever and most influential athletes, for Andy to so openly support feminism gives me yet another reason to love him, he has yet again silenced the critics. Bring on Wimbledon 2015 and all the best to Amelie on becoming a mum!</span><br />
<a href="http://www.redbulletin.com/int/en/sports/andy-murray-i-have-opened-my-mind-0"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://www.redbulletin.com/int/en/sports/andy-murray-i-have-opened-my-mind-0</span></a><br />
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2) Dame Sally Davies on antibiotic resistance - With Ramadan fast approaching, I am both trying to work and play hard as I won't be much use with no food and water in me for about 19 hours every day for a month so last night, I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by Dame Sally on antibiotic resistance and I also asked her a question. She is the first female Chief Medical Officer for England and a real inspiration for attracting more women into the STEM subjects. After doing my final year project on antibiotic resistance, watching her TEDx talk countless times and reading her report, it was truly an honour to finally meet her. Dame Sally is a fantastic and highly entertaining speaker and I have chosen to share her TEDx talk as it provides a great overview of the issue.</span><br />
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You may think I am biased but antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest challenges facing us all today. Bacterial infections will affect you regardless of your age, class, gender or ethnicity and without effective antibiotics, immunosuppressive treatments like chemotherapy and transplants will no longer be carried out. Even in the UK, where we are lucky enough to have the NHS, multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea and TB are on the rise. Dame Sally is doing everything she can to make sure that we have an international and effective response to this problem by liaising with the WHO and UN and also our own government. </span><br />
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You and I also have the power to make a change and should be doing so by not demanding antibiotics from our GP for something which is more likely to be a viral infection, by completing the entire course of antibiotics if prescribed to you and practicing good hygiene particularly when visiting people in hospitals and care homes. There has not been a new class of antibiotics since 1987 and with an increasing population size expected to reach 9 billion by 2050 and life expectancy also on the rise, we have to look out for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. </span><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7evvWt8XN7o"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7evvWt8XN7o</span></a><br />
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3) Finn Harries on climate change - Similar to antibiotic resistance, climate change is another issue facing us today and for the foreseeable future so the more immediate our action, the better. In his article, he sums up the dire situation that unfortunately, our predecessors have left us in. Alexander Fleming warned us of resistance bacteria and for decades now, we have been warned of the damaging effects of fossil fuels on the delicate balance required between nature and nurture for our ecosystem, food productivity and health yet our addiction to both fossil fuels and antibiotics persists.</span><br />
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There is absolutely no point in burying your head in the sand or running away from the problem because climate change is catching up with us and it will most likely have the better of our children and grandchildren and Finn Harries of JacksGap explains exactly how it is doing so and what you can do to change that. </span><br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/08/its-up-to-us-to-create-a-better-future-for-the-planet"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/08/its-up-to-us-to-create-a-better-future-for-the-planet</span></a><br />
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Comment below with a link you think is worth sharing and let me know what you thought of this post as it is different and something I've not previously done on here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-19176924975738176942015-06-08T22:17:00.000+01:002015-08-08T01:21:09.361+01:00100. My Favourite Places in Manchester<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone! As much as I would love to dedicate the 100th Mancunian Sheep post to sheep, unfortunately not many of you would appreciate it as much as I. Instead, I shall relate it to my immense hometown glory having lived here for the entirety of my existence. Thank you so much to all of you regardless of whether you have read 1 or all 100 posts, I'm not sure how you've managed to keep up with the ramblings of a madwoman for over 4 years but here's to 100 more posts. Ideally, I would like to bake you all a cake to celebrate but until teleporting becomes a reality, a photo and celebratory post will have to make do.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The best cake at the Manchester Cake and Bake Show 2014.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here are my three favourite places in Manchester that I highly recommend you visit, if you have not done so already. I could have chosen so many more but I had to be extremely selective to prevent this post being as long as some of my others so without further ado, here are my top 3! </span><br />
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1) <a href="http://www.ziferblat.co.uk/edgestmanchester.html" target="_blank">Ziferblat, Edge Street</a> - I have already written a lengthy <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/04/ziferblat-edge-street-manchester.html" target="_blank">post</a> singing my praises of this wonderful venue in Manchester's Northern Quarter which is my favourite part of the city. It's such a great concept and was much needed in Manchester. Last week, Ziferblat announced the opening of four meeting rooms so not only can you play hard (you can literally play board games), you can now work hard there too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2) <a href="http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands/" target="_blank">John Rylands Library, Deansgate</a> - My friend and I spontaneously visited John Rylands Library one afternoon last week and it is the most peaceful and beautiful building that I have ever been lucky enough to set foot in. I'm genuinely considering it as a prospective wedding venue although, that's certainly a few years off yet. I highly doubt wedding ceremonies take place there sadly and I'm too scared to ask as it will crush my dreams! The intricate craftsmanship of both the building and the books upset me when I compared them to the ugly, monotonous glass buildings being erected left, right and centre along with the demise of independent bookshops thanks to eReaders and Amazon. As this is supposed to be a celebratory post, I will stop ranting as on a more positive note, it was the ceiling high bookcases that inspired me to do a <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/06/mancunian-sheeps-summer-book-club.html" target="_blank">summer book club</a> on here. Apologies in advance for the photos not being of the best quality, like I mentioned, the visit was a spontaneous decision so I was without my camera and had to make do with my phone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This desk is 113 years old, this is what you call a desk, Ikea.</span></td></tr>
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3) Hey Little Cupcake, Spinningfields - I love cake and with the vast number of tearooms and cafes we are blessed with in Manchester, it was very difficult to choose one but I had to choose Hey Little Cupcake as their bakes are so creative. Each month, there is a special cupcake and there are always seasonal cupcake selections at Christmas, Easter and Halloween. The interior is gorgeous, the staff are so lovely and with the ability to order personalised cakes for special occasions, there really is something for everyone. I love the Sorrento Cello cupcake which is a signature one and their rainbow cake is the only one that I've come across which is actually suitable for vegetarians. You can have afternoon tea at HLC and they have cupcake shaped sandwiches, what more could you possibly want?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As ever, thank you for reading. Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-14429711615189707502015-06-04T18:17:00.003+01:002015-08-08T01:21:51.791+01:0099. Mancunian Sheep's Summer Book Club <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone! As many of you will know already, I love books and one of the things I'm most excited about now that I've finished university is being able to read for pleasure again. I've bought a lot of books over the past year or so that I've not yet had the chance to read and I aim to do so this summer. As I have reviewed many a book on here already, I thought I might as well do a summer book club where I read a book every week and then review it at the end of the week. If you want to join in and read the books too, I've listed the ten below. The books are a mixture of fiction and non-fiction ranging from politics to classic novels so there really is something for everyone. Feel free to comment on them so we can have an online book discussion. This week's book is Starter for Ten by David Nicholls so look out for the review post on Sunday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 1: Starter for Ten by David Nicholls </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 2: The Establishment by Owen Jones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 3: Periodic Tales by Hugh Aldersey Williams</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 4: Us by David Nicholls</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 5: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 6: The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 7: One Night in Italy by Lucy Diamond</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 8: What Has Nature Ever Done for Us? by Tony Juniper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 9: The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Week 10: Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh</span></div>
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In other news, I have filmed a summer beauty and fashion haul that you can watch here:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AIJL6GUwpeE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AIJL6GUwpeE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you've not done so already!</span><br />
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See you on Sunday with the Starter for Ten review post. Enjoy the rest of your week!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-16640822633890511032015-05-30T21:14:00.002+01:002015-08-08T01:28:46.158+01:0098. The First Day Of My Life<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well, apologies for the lack of posts during May but it was the final month of my degree so I've been hitting the library hard. When you're revising for the last time, you might as well go hard or go home. Yesterday morning, I finished my degree and it still hasn't sank in yet (Andy winning Wimbledon sank in faster than this and that was a much bigger deal) and I don't think it will either until graduation when I physically see my name on that certificate. I spent yesterday afternoon celebrating with my lovely friend Alex by shopping, having Go salads for lunch (neither of us have ate properly this week because of the stress of finals so wanted something light) and buying our Avengers teddies from Build-A-Bear and then cuddling them whilst we watched Age of Ultron for the second time which is the only film I've ever been to watch at the cinema twice as it is so perfect. You'd think we'd just finished primary school, not university but one is never too old for teddy bears- that's my motto. Alex was an absolute babe and bought me my favourite record of all time which is of course, AM by Arctic Monkeys and that album got me through some of the worst months of my life. Anyway today, I watched Andy continue to dominate clay this season and had lunch with 9 of my lovely uni girl friends. We had such a laugh and took lots of photos! Tomorrow, I'm spending the day with my best friend as I've barely seen her during the past three years which sucks big time as we went to the same secondary school and sixth form together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last night, I got quite philosophical and deep (after I'd finished dressing Captain Bear) and thought how I've literally been in education for as long as I can remember. I'm no longer a student which has been the default box to tick on almost every application form I've filled out and feel like I'm having a bit of an identity crisis but I'm happy and excited to begin the next chapter of my life. Today's the first time in months that I've woken up without my backpack packed at the bottom of my bed full of all my stuff to take to the library and my to-do list now has "lunch with the girls" and "go shopping" instead of "finish mind maps for UPEC" and "reading for DMD" and it feels so strange. I'll actually be able to watch The Sound of Music again at Christmas without feeling guilty and read for pleasure (talking of reading, look out for a book related post very soon)! Whether you want to admit it or not for fear of coming across as too keen/ being a nerd but whilst you're in school/ college/ university, your entire life is taken over by education and it's only once you finish, you realise how you can do whatever you want without feeling guilty and procrastination no longer exists! Having said that, the security and community feel of being at school/ college/ university and seeing your friends everyday will be greatly missed. </span><br />
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University has had its highs and lows but what I do know is that I have met some wonderful people and have made friends for life and even if I don't get the grade I want, I've gained so many transferable skills! Some of the highlights of my degree include mentoring during first year, my summer internship in second year and then going back to my old sixth form to teach two A-level Biology classes in final year. In terms of studying Biology itself, the reason I picked such a broad life sciences degree and not a specific degree like Genetics or Zoology was because at A-level, I enjoyed learning about all aspects of Biology and didn't want to restrict myself. However, by doing this degree, I know that if I do choose to do further study, my calling in life is Microbiology because bacteria are so overlooked and I find it fascinating how they are able to do things that we can't despite their minute size. I'm not sure where I'm going with this post but I am feeling such a mix of emotions that I just wanted to write them down and document them and I know I could have done it in a physical diary privately but by doing it on here, I'm sharing it with others who I'm pretty sure feel the same. </span><br />
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Anyway, I have rambled on for long enough so I'm off to bed to watch Captain America with Captain Bear to be philoSLOTHical rather than philosophical. Look out for my book related post which is something I've never done on here before and I look forward to blogging a lot this summer, hopefully!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-7088753374683848132015-05-21T18:01:00.000+01:002015-08-08T01:29:33.169+01:0097. May Favourites<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone! I hope you've all had a great month. May has been incredibly busy for me as I had four exams this month but have still managed to have some fun times with my friends. I'm posting these favourites quite early as I can't think of five things that I will like more than these in the last 10 days of May. Similar to my <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/04/april-favourites.html" target="_blank">April favourites</a>, I have a real mixed bag of favourites for May as well. There's everything from homeware to shoes this month so enjoy!</span><br />
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1) Avengers: Age of Ultron- May is a great month as we have two bank holidays (yay) so I went to see this with my friend and her siblings as a revision break on the first bank holiday! This and the first Avengers film are the only two Marvel films I have seen so far (but that is going to change over summer, trust me) after several of my friends have been telling me how good they are. *SPOILER ALERT* I loved this even more than the first one and one of my favourite scenes was when everyone tried to lift up Thor's hammer and when Captain America almost managed it, the look on Thor's face was priceless! I also loved the bit when Iron Man had to calm the Hulk down and it just wasn't working, Iron Man is so funny! I loved how everyone kept calling out Captain America for saying "language" at the start throughout the entire film, he's such a gentleman. It was a bit sad when Hulk left Black Widow at the end and when everyone thought Ultron had killed J.A.R.V.I.S. The way Quicksilver died was aIso upsetting. I can't wait to watch all the new Marvel films like Captain America 3 so need to catch up on them all this summer! Have you seen Age of Ultron, if so what did you think of it?</span><br />
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2) Seeing S Club 7 live in Manchester- Regular readers may remember that it was back in my<a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2014/11/november-favourites.html" target="_blank"> November favourites</a> last year that I first mentioned managing to get tickets to see S Club 7 and the big day finally arrived in May! It was spectacular, I love them so much and it was amazing to relive my childhood that evening with my lovely friend, Alex. I never got to see them first time round so I'm so relieved that I managed to go to their reunion tour. They opened the show with Bring the House Down and they most certainly did and ended with Don't Stop Movin' which is my favourite song to listen to at the gym. My other personal highlights were when Paul did a beautiful acoustic version of Reach for the Stars, Jo and Jon sang a lovely duet and Rachel also did an amazing medley of two of her solo hits - L.A. Ex and Some Girls which worked so well! They also sang Uptown Funk and that was genius, Bradley has so much funk and it was just as good as the original and definitely got everyone up on their feet! God bless Tina for getting everyone back together!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3) Peter Kay's Car Share- Now I have been lucky enough to see Jack Whitehall and Miranda live but there is one man who my Mum and I really want to see live and that is the brilliant Peter Kay! He is a comedian that I have loved for as long as I can remember, he's the epitome of being Northern, I love it! I've not watched much television this month apart from this as I have been at the library most days. This show is such a simple concept but like everything else Peter Kay's ever done, it works so well! I love it when Peter and Kayleigh re-enact a big music video from the 80s and their on-screen chemistry appears to be genuine. If you've not given this a watch already then I highly recommend it, it's available on iPlayer <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02n62v4" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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4) <a href="http://www.schuh.co.uk/womens/crocs-huarache-flat-multi-sandals/1746379960/" target="_blank">Crocs Huarache flat sandals</a>- Never in a million years did I think I'd buy a pair of Crocs but these are nothing like the regular monstrosities. I actually went looking for a pair of black flat shoes and ended up buying a pair of multicoloured sandals, go me! (I did buy some black shoes too haha). These are light as a feather and I love how they go with such a wide range of outfits. I don't like the look of my feet but these don't actually expose that much. I bought mine from Schuh and they are available in lots of different colours.</span><br />
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5) <a href="http://www.next.co.uk/x5d6376s1#661099x55" target="_blank">Next slogan drinking glasses </a>- I love Next Home, we've bought bedding from there in the past but never anything for the kitchen but when I saw these tumblers, I just had to get them. The quotes are so cute, the glasses are a nice shape and very reasonably priced too. My favourite ones are "do what makes you happy" and "be with those who make you smile".</span><br />
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I hope you've enjoyed this month's favourites. What has been your favourite TV show this month and what are your favourite summer shoes? Best of luck for any remaining exams!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-44516950184937161862015-04-29T11:20:00.001+01:002015-08-08T01:30:24.607+01:0096. April Favourites<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello everyone, it's monthly favourites time and as it's April, I have 4 for you. They're quite diverse this month with two technology favourites, a TV and a fashion one too.</span><br />
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1) Back in Time for Dinner- This and Gogglebox are the only shows I have been watching during April as I have been busy writing my dissertation and also because there is nothing else good on TV! For those of you who haven't seen Back in Time for Dinner, one family spend 50 days living through 50 years, it's a bit like Doctor Who on a smaller scale and centred around food rather than battling Daleks. The family are an absolutely lovely bunch and they were so funny! Each episode follows the family through a decade from 1950-2000 and the final episode was about food in the future. I absolutely loved it when the Mum got so excited over the fridge. It makes such a nice change to the regular shows about food which are all about cooking. Food history is so interesting. It is still available on iPlayer and can be found <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b05nc5tv" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2) Photo Grid app - I could not believe that I've not included this in my favourites previously because this is such a useful app. Usually when I've been out with friends or it's a special occasion, it's so much better to just post a collage on Instagram instead of loads of individual photos clogging up other people's feeds. It's free too so what more could you want! Android users can find it <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.roidapp.photogrid&hl=en_GB" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3) <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/uk/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=5771435694600&category=BRANDS-EU" target="_blank">Black Deena and Ozzy Croc Angular Backpack </a>- I realised that I didn't have a "smart" backpack in my bag collection and I wanted a new everyday bag as well so after a look around on the Topshop, Asos, Zara and Accessorize websites, I finally found THE ONE on the Urban Outifitters website. It goes with everything, is the perfect size, it's well made and has compartments! The straps are easily adjustable and wide enough to stay on your shoulders. The drawstring and two button fastenings makes it secure and you do have 2 zipped compartments for things like your keys or phone. The croc detail is a nice touch and the angular shape of the flap makes it a bit different to other backpacks. It is also available in a tan colour if that's more your thing but I bought a tan bag from Accessorize a few months ago so decided to mix it up a bit and go for black. If you would like me to film an updated What's in my Bag video featuring this backpack then comment below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4) Sony a5000 with 16-50 mm kit lens - I bought a new camera after having my Nikon P520 for 14 months. The Nikon was very good but the size just wasn't practical for my lifestyle and I wanted a camera with an interchangeable lens so I can experiment with photography more. I purchased the Sony a5000 as it has a tilt screen like the Nikon P520 but it is much more compact and you can change the lens. Honestly, I regret staying loyal to Nikon for 5 years as this camera is miles better in terms of photo quality and also, the Wi-Fi feature on this makes sharing photos so much easier. I also love the ? button which provides a description of what each setting does. Below are some sample photos taken with the camera around our house and garden and a couple of the camera itself. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If I ever get married, it will have to be in Spring just like the great man himself, Andy Murray! </span><span style="font-size: small;">How beautiful did Kim, Andy, Judy and everyone else look?</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This camera is awesome!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">All photos in my <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/04/what-to-bake-for-charity-bake-sale.htm" target="_blank">previous post</a> were also taken with this camera if you'd like to look at some more sample photos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8618169053072250753.post-65327186904023376982015-04-26T04:35:00.002+01:002016-08-06T11:39:56.707+01:0095. What to Bake for a Charity Bake Sale<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hello everyone, I hope you're all well. For the past few weeks I have been working on my final ever piece of coursework day and night but on Wednesday afternoon, I swapped my laptop for my mixing bowl because this week was Parkinson's Awareness Week (if you haven't already checked out my post about this year's campaign then click <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2015/04/parkinsons-awareness-week-2015-3-ways.html" target="_blank">here</a>) so I decided to raise some money for Parkinson's UK by putting on a bake sale at university. My lovely friend Alex helped to sell the cakes and set up the stand on the day. Also, Alex and her Mum baked some mini blueberry muffins and a gorgeous Victoria sponge. We managed to raise £75! :D Although most of you won't have been able to come to the bake sale, you can still donate £3 to Parkinson's UK by texting FRIENDLY to 70300. I thought I would do a post to share some photos of what I baked and why. Also, if you're planning on running a bake sale then this post may provide you with some inspiration. Enjoy!</span><br />
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The first thing I baked on Wednesday were The Londoner's infamous Sl***y Brownies because who could resist the temptation of an Oreo and Cookie Dough Brownie. If you're going to have brownies at your bake sale, why have any old brownie when you can have these? I made these for the first time one weekend last June and ate most of the batch whilst watching the French Open and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows parts 1 and 2. These are dangerously easy to make which is why I avoid having the ingredients in the house for them to keep the number of chins I have at a minimum! Check out Rosie's recipe <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2011/06/slutty-brownies.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Also, I bought a new camera this week so I hope the photo quality is okay!</span><br />
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Now although a lot of people love chocolate, there are some who aren't too keen on it and prefer something slightly healthier and lighter (depending on whether you think cake can ever be healthy) but with the next three bakes, you get at least some of your 5 a day in (probably about 0.25 but hey, it's better than nothing). </span><br />
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First up are my raspberry ripple cupcakes which some of you may remember me baking for my last birthday. I came up with this recipe and I have to say, these are my favourite ever cakes even though I may say so myself. The raspberries just balance out the sweetness so well and the soft cheese icing is much lighter than a traditional buttercream. You can find my raspberry ripple cupcake recipe <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2014/07/raspberry-ripple-cupcakes-recipe.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I love how the cake mixture has a slightly pink tint to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Almost done!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Et voila!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The other "healthier than Sl***y brownies" bake was lemon drizzle and I had to include it because it is just such a classic that is simple to make too. You can find this recipe and another bonus one <a href="http://mancuniansheep.blogspot.com/2013/02/2013-so-far.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you're not a fan of the tart flavour of both raspberries and lemons then blueberries are a great alternative whilst still keeping it healthy! Alex baked these adorable mini blueberry muffins :D I love the pops of gorgeous violet dotted throughout the cakes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We all thought this one looked like a shark! *cue Jaws theme tune*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Parkinson's UK very kindly sent me some adorable cake flags that I had to simply put to good use so I also baked some vanilla buttercream cupcakes. These are great for any bake sale because you can colour the buttercream the same colour as the charity you are supporting and decorate the cupcakes however else you wish. Also, these vanilla cupcakes are a great option for people who don't like strong flavours such as chocolate, lemon or raspberrry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One man who bought a cake said not many United fans would be buying these,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> I see where he's coming from because the icing is a Manchester City blue!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> Up Your Friendly!</span></div>
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Similar to the vanilla cupcakes, a Victoria Sponge is also a classic, very easy to bake and you really can't go wrong with it. Here's the yummy one that Alex's Mum baked! (Sorry the photo is so blurred)</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1GzlW8kHuEU/VTxaIaFadLI/AAAAAAAACzU/54Gio-pwNtg/s1600/DSC00059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1GzlW8kHuEU/VTxaIaFadLI/AAAAAAAACzU/54Gio-pwNtg/s1600/DSC00059.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Finally, to add some crunch to your bake sale and to make sure those biscuit lovers and the Cookie Monster are catered for, I'd recommend baking Tanya Burr's Milk and White Chocolate cookies. Packed full of Dairy Milk and Milkybar, these are the biggest and best cookies that you and your customers will ever taste. You can watch Tanya's recipe video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsUzi4x9m-E" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I hope this post hasn't left you feeling too hungry and has inspired you to run a bake sale or just bake for your friends and family! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Until next time, take care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mancunian Sheep x</span></div>
Mancunian Sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04690742636863202669noreply@blogger.com0