Living My Best Li(f)e by Claire Frost

A few months ago I was in a reading slump. I hadn't been finishing as many books as previous years because of lack of time around my job, and so I wanted each read I picked up to be truly worth it and wow me. But they didn't. Until I devoured Lindsey Kelk's I Heart Hawaii (the final installment in her most wonderful I Heart series) and Claire Frost's Living My Best Li(f)e back-to-back. I finished Claire's brilliant debut in almost one sitting, it was that good, and together this power-duo has rekindled my love for reading ♥

Chambers: Multi-Dimensional Dining With Gingerline

[AD – invited] Immersive theatre experiences have become all the rage in recent years. From Alice's Adventures Underground underneath the Vaults in Waterloo through to slapstick comedy The Faulty Towers Dining Experience set in an actual hotel, there is something to enjoy for all stagey tastes. One company that has mastered the art of immersive adventures is Gingerline, well-known for their Chambers of Flavours series. They combine an imaginative theatrical journey into the unknown with a surprising fine dining experience.

Top Tips for a Weekend Break in York

With cobble-stoned streets, riverside walks, medieval architecture, and the Yorkshire Dales on its doorstep, York is a picture-perfect representation of a traditional English town. It's also where many of our national chocolate originates from, it's the home of the Yorkshire pudding, and with multiple locations of Betty's famous tea rooms in the heart of the town, it isn't just a picturesque destination, it's a foodie one too. And as it's just a 2-hour train journey from London, you can easily make the journey for a day trip. However, there is so much to enjoy in York that a long weekend break is really the way to go – and here are my top tips to make the most of your visit.

Highlights From MCM Comic Con & Blogger Brunch

I used to go to conventions all the time, I even made it to the holy grail of geekery: San Diego Comic Con (making the trip all the way from Australia where I was living at the time). As I'd just finished my studies and was travelling, it was easy to take time out for these events. Nowadays though, with a busy day job and other interests as well, not so much. Until last week, when I was given the opportunity to combine two of my loves at the MCM Blogger Brunch: geeking out about pop culture and books.

School of Rock at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

[AD – gifted] School of Rock is what you get when you cross the headbanging music of Rock of Ages with a talented young cast like in Matilda. Preppy children in school uniforms turn into rock stars in this super fun show with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellows. Nearly three years on from its West End debut it's still rockin' night after night, and I had the joy last week to see the show again for the first time in a few years.

A Shakespearean Evening With Viking

[AD - Gifted] Last month, office suppliers Viking hosted a Shakespearean evening filled with themed workshops, networking opportunities, and delicious food, which they kindly invited me to come along to. And since today, 23 April, is the day we celebrate the Bard I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share my blog of the event. Fun fact: it's also 'National Talk Like Shakespeare Day', but since I don't really want to translate this post into old English, I'm going to pretend that isn't the case...

How to Spend a Rainy Day in Bruges

The Belgian city of Bruges is known for its picturesque beauty; filled with cobble-stoned winding streets and stunning architecture showing its rich history. On our visit we were planning to spend a lot of time walking throughout the compact town and get lost in its charm. Unfortunately the weather had different plans, and the day we visited it was cold, pouring non-stop with rain. We'd also managed to coincide our visit with a festival, which meant the iconic square was obscured from view by large white tents. Not ideal. We are planning a do-over in sunnier weather, but in the meantime here are my top tips for making the most of a rainy day in Bruges, as there is still plenty to see and do when trying to avoid the cold and rain.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre

[AD – gifted] Everybody's been talking about Jamie. Inspired by the BBC documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, the musical with a book and lyrics by Tom MacRae and music by The Feeling frontman Dan Gillespie Sells has been a West End hit since transferring to London from Sheffield in 2017, winning a slew of WhatsOnStage Awards and being nominated for five prestigious Olivier Awards too. And this week I finally had a chance to see for myself what all the buzz was about.

Gingerline's The Grand Expedition – A Steampunk Dining Experience

[AD – gifted] The Grand Expedition is a new immersive dining experience promising to provide visitors a "flying, feeding, floating" night out. Set up in a secret location not too far from Central London, audience members are encouraged to dress up as aviators to fully immerse themselves in the Jules Verne-esque adventure.

Rock of Ages at New Wimbledon Theatre [UK Tour]

[AD - Gifted] When Rock of Ages was playing in the West End I was obsessed with the show. The feel-good story, rockin' 80s score, absolutely perfect casting, and the hilarious absurdity of some of the characters, mashed together in a winning combination that had me return 20+ times. Yes, I thought it was THAT good. There is no other musical or play I've seen that often (or even more than a handful of times), so needless to say I was very excited when a new UK tour of my favourite 80s-inspired musical was announced. This week the tour hit the edge of London at the New Wimbledon Theatre and I was thrilled to be invited to attend the gala night.