She-Nail Brighton

Nail art is something that I've dabbled with in the past. During my Brighton days, I would fish out my dotting tools as a way of delaying writing my essays. These days I'm certainly less adventurous with my nails. However, I feel this is about to change after meeting ex-WAH Nails girl, Poppie. I was super excited to be invited along to her SHE-NAIL studio in Brighton for a nail makeover!



After browsing through Poppie's amazing nail designs on her Facebook page, I knew I had to go for some adorable daisies. Having pretty nails makes me so happy and I honestly couldn't stop looking at mine! I went for a lilac base but the daisies look stunning on a naked nail too! Negative space nails are a big trend at the moment and they're one of Poppie's current favourites, along with her signature Paisley nails.



The SHE-NAIL space is situated within the Dental Health Spa on Queen's Road and Poppie has really made it her own. Her polishes are housed in printer's trays and she's decorated with tissue paper tassel garlands. It's such a cute space and the perfect setting for a good old chat and after work treat. It was so lovely to chat to Poppie about her time at WAH Nails, travelling in South America and setting up SHE-NAIL. She's honestly so sweet and I had the best time!



I'd highly recommend Poppie if you're after some fancy fingertips. There are four levels of nail art available and to celebrate the start of SHE-NAIL you can get anything you like painted for £15. The studio is open Monday – Wednesday evening (6-8pm) by appointment only, with drop ins welcomed Thursday & Friday evening, and Saturday 10-3. SHE-NAIL is at the Dental Health Spa, 14-15 Queen's Road, Brighton. Email bookings@she-nail.co.uk or call 07572 383722 to make an appointment.

CLOCLOTHES Pop Up Shop

I love finding new independent brands, especially ones that produce beautiful handmade items. On Saturday I had the chance to go along to the CLOCLOTHES Pop Up shop in Brighton's Laines. Owner Chloe Pestell launched the company in May last year and offers adorable and unique clothing and accessories. What I particulary love are the strong vintage vibes throughout Chloe's designs and the dreamy fabric she uses.



The pop up was hosted at It Is What It Is and the CLOCLOTHES team were there all week. Along with the new collection, there were workshops, live performances, prosecco and cakes to be enjoyed! When I popped in Lizzie was there with her ukulele, singing some beautiful covers. It was a really nice touch and combined with the festival feel of the collection I found I was wishing for summer!



The Spring/Summer collection is bursting with pretty patterns and co-ords. My favourite items featured some amazing seventies inspired floral prints! Each item is handmade by a member of Chloe's tiny team. This means that there are only a handful of each design made - a breath of fresh air in comparison to the high street's copycat pieces. There is also a chance to get your paws on limited edition made-to-measure pieces!



It was really lovely to meet Chloe and chat about her gorgeous business. Keep your eyes peeled for a special collaboration with Liv Purvis soon - you might have already seen Liv sporting Chloe's watermelon shorts. I'm currently on a 'get fit for summer' campaign, but as soon as I've reached my goal I'll definitely be treating myself to something from the S/S collection which launches online next week.

If you're in London, you can find CLOCLOTHES at Greenwich Market and Chloe will also be trading at festivals during the summer (including Secret Garden Party). Alternatively shop online at www.cloclothes.com or at ASOS Marketplace.

Brighton Day Trip

Oh, Brighton! I've missed you. Since moving back home after graduating I've not had the chance to go back and visit as much as I would have liked. I was so excited to return yesterday for a girly day trip with my Mum. The weather was perfect - in my eyes blue skies make Brighton the best place to be.



For lunch we toyed with idea of trying out one of Brighton's vegetarian or vegan eateries. In the end, however, the lure of MeatLiquor's burgers got to me. My goodness, how good are the fried pickles! The standard bacon cheeseburger I went for was honestly one of the tastiest burgers I've ever eaten. I can't wait to go back another time - I really enjoyed the whole vibe of the place. It would be great to visit in the evening as I expect this is when the restaurant really comes to life. Their cocktail menu looks lush!
    

In the afternoon we wandered through the North Laines and down to the pier. It felt so good to be strolling through the hustle and bustle. I made sure I stopped off at old favourite Roly's Fudge. We had a peek in Snooper's Paradise and Infinity Foods too. I'd forgotten how refreshing it is to have so many independent shops on your doorstep. It's something that I really miss.

I couldn't leave without an ice cream on the seafront (always a 99) and wasting a few too many 10p's in the arcade on the pier. I had such a lovely day, but it made me realise just how much I miss living there.

I'll always have a soft spot for you, Brighton!

Wolf Hall & Bring up the Bodies

I've been wanting to write a book review for a while now and what better time to start than on World Book Day!  I picked up Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies to coincide with the BBC series.  I have to say that both had me hooked.  The novels especially have left a lasting impression.



I came to both books with a fair bit of background knowledge of the Tudors (mainly thanks to Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Philippa Gregory novels). Everything that I'd watched or read before had been from a female perspective or had concentrated on the details of the romantic relationships of Henry and his court. I found it incredibly refreshing to read about Anne Boleyn's rise and subsequent fall from the eyes of a man, namely Thomas Cromwell and his boys in training.

As with many others, I found the first section of Wolf Hall a real struggle and it took a long time for the story to really grip me. But once it had, I couldn't put it down! Mantel's characters are so sharp that you really feel as though you know what's like to be in a room with Anne Boleyn. It's been a week or so since I finished Bring up the Bodies (the easiest read of the two), and I haven't been able to get Cromwell out of my head. I now have a lot of admiration for a man I'd previously heard very little about.

I'm eagerly awaiting the publication of the conclusion to the trilogy. In the meantime, I want to read more Mantel. Her memoir, Giving up the Ghost, is on my to-read list!