Rochester

I have vowed to explore more of the UK as part of my forty before forty list.  We are blessed with some beautiful places in the UK some of which are so close to home they can be travelled to and explored all in one day.  Places such as Rochester.  I am honestly not sure how I have managed to go this long before stumbling across this little gem of a place.

It is only a small town but it is packed with plenty to do.  In the few hours that I was there I managed to see a lot, without being rushed.  

The Cathedral was pretty grand, I imagine it would look gorgeous at this time of year decked out for Christmas.

Next up was Eastgate House, tucked just off the High Street.  I didn't go inside as there was an event taking place when I visited, but I was able to see it all from outside and even got to see the chalet where Charles Dickens used to do his writing overlooking the garden.

Lastly was the castle.  All that is left of it now is the square keep which you can still go inside and climb to the top (three floors), where the view of Rochester is worth a look. 

There was plenty more explored on the day so this isn't an extensive list on all that there is to do in Rochester.  I would say if you've not visited before, it is worth adding to the list of places to check out.  I'd like to return one year for the Dickens Themed Christmas market, maybe next year.

~ Gem x

Zakynthos

This years summer holiday took me to Greece, to the beautiful island of Zakynthos.  For me, a big part of a holiday is being able to explore somewhere new and different.  The world is a huge place, and I'd love to be able to visit everywhere.  Although there are definitely places I would happily visit again and again, I do prefer to travel somewhere new, just to be able to cross another destination off the list.

 I would usually spend the entire holiday travelling around all the different places and really exploring the island or country I'm visiting to the fullest.  This holiday was a little different though and was mainly spent relaxing by the pool, which is so not like me at all but was very much needed.  

One day was spent in Zakynthos Town, although I'll have to admit to being somewhat disappointed by this.  I was expecting something like Corfu Town which really is beautiful but sadly it wasn't comparable.  There didn't seem to be all that much there and it looked very run down and not as pretty as I had hoped.

 

I'll admit to feeling a little guilty about spending the majority of the holiday within the confines of the hotel but like I said it was very much needed.  There were plenty of evening strolls along the beach though to catch those dreamy skies at sunset, one of my favourite things to do on holiday, so not all was lost.

And all of those pool days meant that I was able to read 5 whole books.  In less than 2 weeks, that is unheard of for me, I was super chuffed.

So not quite the usual holiday for me this year but a good one none the less.

~ Gem x

40 Before 40 Update - Year 2

Back in July I reached the two year mark of my 40 Before 40 list and thanks to my first year I'm still making good progress.  In the past year I only managed to cross off 4 things from the list, however this still means I've crossed off a total of 11 things so I'm still ahead of target. This past year I managed to cross off:

2: Learn and Develop a New Skill.

I have wanted to complete a calligraphy course for as long as I can remember.  This year was the year to finally do it and I loved it just as much as I thought I would.  You can see how I got on here.

14. Complete a run at one of the Disney Parks.

This has been by far one of the best things I have achieved from this list, possibly one of the greatest things of my life EVER.  I still can't quite believe that I've done it.  You can read more about my experience here.   

24. Go and see a pantomime.

Last Christmas I saw my very first pantomime at Southend's Cliff Pavilion starring Diversity.  It was amazing, although I have to sat it was Diversity that made it for me as opposed to the pantomime set up itself.

32. See the seals and their pups at Blakeney.

I travelled to the coast with my parents in December to see the seals with their pups.  It was such an amazing thing to see.  They really are so cute.  We didn't actually go to Blakney but it was more the seals and pups I was interested in as opposed to the location of where they were.

It wasn't the most productive year, but still making good progress, and the Disney Run was a pretty big one too so I'm very happy with that one.  I'll just try and cross off more this coming year.

~ Gem x

Lydia Packham Calligraphy Workshop

For a long time I have been wanting to learn calligraphy.  I love how fancy and professional it looks and would love to be able to write out cards for loved ones in a fancy scrawl.  I'd often looked at classes but found that they were either midweek which isn't ideal for those who work full time during the week like me, or they have been mega expensive and so I have never bothered.  Well until earlier this year.  

I had found Lydia Packham Calligraphy via Instagram and noticed she was running beginners workshops for modern calligraphy local to me in Chelmsford.  I headed straight to her website and booked myself on one of her workshops being held at Moto Pizza on a Saturday morning.

The set up was great.  Everyone each had their own little pack including a nib, nib holder, ink, paper and calligraphy guides all cutely laid out on the tables ready for the workshop to begin.

Lydia demonstrated how to get started and explained how to hold the pen and when to apply pressure to get the letters looking their best.

It was a fairly small group which allowed her time to move between us all guiding us as and when needed and giving us pointers and tips to help us improve our writing.  I was amazed at how well my work turned out, it was much better than I ever imagined it would be.

I've probably not practised anywhere near as much as I should have and writing this has made me think I really ought to get the pen and paper out and get practising again but that aside it was a really great workshop which I enjoyed from start to finish.  If you're local to the Chelmsford area and are keen to learn Calligraphy then Lydia is definitely your girl.  She is so friendly and a great teacher in a very relaxed environment.  I'm really glad I booked on.

~ Gem x

New York City

Back in February I was lucky enough to jet of to the big apple for 3 nights, yep New York City, so great they named it twice.  The catch, I had to escort 34 teenagers, now I know you're jealous.  All joking aside though, apart from it being a really full on, hectic and tiring  trip, it all went without a hitch and I had a great time.

 

Once we had arrived and checked into our fantastically located hotel (which lets just say was very basic and not quite the standard I'm used) it was straight back out again to visit The Empire State Building.  Now I've been to New York before but I don't think you could ever tire or not be amazed by the sites of this city.  It really is something quite special, and for the second time I was not disappointed.  What was even nicer this time around was seeing the faces of those around me who were seeing this for the first time.  It was a great way to end the first day.

The next morning we headed out on a superheroes tour.  Probably not the best thing to have done on our first morning as we were all still tired from the previous day and not feeling quite as energetic as our tour guide, but she did well to keep going in an attempt to entertain 34 unresponsive teens.  For me having not long before found a love of Marvel films this was a great opportunity to see filming locations for some of their films as well as many other superhero films such as Hulk and the highlight for me Superman.  Being able to step inside that famous News Building and seeing it for real was pretty cool.

After the tour we had a quick stop for a coffee and in my case a cake to go with my coffee, before we hopped onto the Staten Ferry, which I will be completely honest about, I was dreading.  I don't do very well with boats at all so I was panicking big time about this. As soon as we got on board I made a beeline for the stairs to get myself outside in preparation for the onslaught of vomit I was bound to be producing.  I spent so long worrying about this expected course of events but in reality I was absolutely fine.  I don't know whether it was the fear of it happening that stopped it or whether it was just genuinely an OK journey, needless to say I managed to snap some great photos of the New York skyline as we sailed away.

The fear I'd been feeling for the journey was all worth it.  During my last visit to New York I hadn't done this, it was nice to see the city from a different perspective but also being able to get up close to the Statue of Liberty and wander around Liberty Island.

Back from the island we walked to the ground zero memorial.  It actually felt quite chilling walking towards the site where the twin towers once stood.  Walking those same streets that all those years ago I had witnessed people running from, covered in the dust and debris of the huge buildings that were burning and crashing to the floor on my TV screen.  The fear, panic and pain etched on their faces.  I visited this site when I last visited in 2006, but back then it was still a building site.  It is lovely to see what they have done in honour of all those who sadly lost their lives on that day, a really beautiful memorial.

Dinner that night was in Times Square.  Possibly one of my favourite spots in New York.  I'm a sucker for lights and every time I see Times Square it always makes me think of the Usher music video for My Boo with Alicia Keys (I love that song).

Second morning and it was another day of new experiences in New York as we took an extremely cold (so cold even the water fountains had frozen over) walk to the NBC Studios for a tour.  Definitely one of he advantages of going on an educational visit, I ended up doing things I would never have done on a trip by myself and I enjoyed all of it.  The tour was fantastic and so interesting.  There is no way I would have done this on my own accord.  The highlight was being able to go back to see the monologue rehearsal for the Seth Myers Late Nigh Show which was really funny.

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Waking up for the third and final day I honestly felt sad.  Even with 34 students I didn't want to come home.  I had laughed so much during the trip, it was just what I needed.  A small group of us decided to head to Central Park to spend a couple of hours exploring.  I mean the place is huge, you could spend a couple of days alone to see it all, so a couple of hours was really only just a whistle stop tour, but we spotted some great things during that time and worked off a fair few doughnuts and other naughty treats we had devoured during the trip.

It was then one final walk back to the hotel via Times Square before our transfer picked us up to drive us back to the airport for our flight home and the end to an unforgettable trip.

For the second time New York was incredible.  I will definitely be returning one day for sure.  There still a ot ore to be seen and a lot more to do so I know I will be heading back.  And if you got this far, well done, this was a long one.

~ Gem x

2018 A Year in Review

These round-up posts are definitely my most favourite blog posts of the year to write (even though I haven't posted here for a while).  It always amazes me looking back and seeing how much I have achieved in the year so it was a no brainer for me to complete another this year.

January

I started the year off in January feeling positive about 2017 and all I had achieved.  I was adamant I wanted 2018 to be much the same, however I started the year off in bed with a horrendous cold and feeling very sorry for myself.  In fact much of January was spent feeling a bit under the weather and generally out of sorts.  I did still manage to get out and about and achieve a few things though.  An evening at the theatre to see my first pantomime, which was a great disappointment that saw us leaving very early on.  A couple of cinema trips one to see the new Jumanji film the other to see Darkest Hour both of which I loved.  A day by the sea visiting Walton-on-the-Naze walking along the pier, playing in the arcades and admiring the many pretty coloured beach huts along the sea front.  Dinner out with a friend at Bills.  Lots of cosy nights in drinking tea and reading.  Plus making plans for the year ahead with a day out to France with friends, my soon to be sister in law's hen weekend and a trip to Disneyland Paris to complete their 10k run all booked, the diary was fast filling up.

February

This was the month that saw me focussing on my fitness.  I went to my first boot camp session and started running regularly on the treadmill at home, all in preparation for my 10K run in Disneyland Paris in September (little did I know at this point that it would not continue through the year).  A weekend was spent exploring Oxford including an amazing dinner at the Malmaison Hotel.  I had a delicious vegetarian afternoon tea at Le Bouchen in Heybridge to celebrate a colleagues 60th birthday.  Lots of Valentines themed doughnuts were devoured at work.  Brunch was enjoyed with a good friend and her gorgeous little boy as we caught up on all that is going on in one another's lives.  A cinema trip to watch the new Jumani film again but this time in 4D, it was fantastic, and far better then seeing a film in 2D.

March

Lots of snowfall in March.  Crisp walks listening to the crunching snow underfoot.  Lots of cosy nights in reading with the candles lit.  A night out with friends celebrating a birthday.  I had my hair cut short, donating my hair to the Little Princess Trust charity.  And a day trip to France with some friends.

April

The month of April started in the beautiful island of Malta.  We were treated to a few days of sunshine although it could have been a little warmer but anything was a bonus following the snow we had been experiencing a few weeks previously back in the UK.  A little drive out in Essex to discover the picturesque village of Finchingfield.  Another highlight of the month was meeting Jenny Colgan at the Women's Prize for Fiction Baileys Book Bar event in London, I seriously love her books. 
  I embraced Spring in April, there were tulips and peony's galore, my favourite.

May

May saw me leaping above the treetops at Go Ape then spending the afternoon exploring Bury St Edmunds.  A day out in London walking through Kensington and Chelsea seeing the gorgeous wisteria adorning the grand houses.  After 3 years I finally got to fly in a hot air balloon.  One of the most peaceful and calming experiences of my life and something I've had on my bucket list for years.  I spent another day heading back into London to see Aladdin at the theatre with my parents, a really good show and a great way to celebrate my Dad's birthday.  An annual trip to the Essex Young Farmers Show and of course you have to check out the steam carousel.  And lastly the second Bank holiday Monday was spent in Halstead stopping for a bite to eat and checking out the antique centre.

June

An evening was spent under the stars watching Back to the Future at the outdoor cinema.  Riverside walks were enjoyed in the sunshine.  I was able to cross something else of my bucket list and ride in a helicopter, only I go to try my hand at flying it myself too.  This was followed by brunch with Mum and my Nan at one of my favourite little tea rooms The Doll's House Café in Harrow on The Hill.  It was during June that I picked up my new wheels after not having a car for a year and a half.  I celebrated this new piece of independence by driving to Wolverhampton with my Nan to visit the David Austin Rose Garden which literally blew me away with it's beauty, and of course we had afternoon tea to top of the day trip. I spent a weekend in Center Parcs celebrating my sister in law's hen weekend, it was here I got to try my hand at archery.  A day trip to Margate, walking along the beach and enjoying the rides in Dreamland.  Plus meeting the Gruffalo at Chessington World of Adventures with my friend and her little girl

July

The highlight of July for me was my brother and his now wife's wedding, it was such a beautiful day and I felt privileged to be a part of their special day.  I crossed the final thing from my 30 Before 30 list (only a year too late) and climbed the roof of the O2.  I celebrated my birthday with lots of cake and was treated to dinner at the Giggling Squid Thai restaurant in Brentwood, somewhere I have wanted to try for a while.  I spent a morning checking out the food festival at Cressing Temple Barns with a friend where lots of Disney chat took place.  I also got to visit the Lavender farm again this year, I last visited in 2016 and promised myself I would return.  This time I went along with my Mum, she loved it just as much as I did.

August

During August an evening after work was spent in London catching up with a friend visiting from America in Greenwich, the company was amazing and the sunset was beautiful.  A lazy morning was spent in a coffee shop, sipping on my Starbucks coffee and enjoyed my book with no interruptions.  Country walks were had.  After years of enjoying V-Festival on my doorstep in Chelmsford this year saw the arrival of RiZe Festival and it didn't disappoint with the highlight being Sean Paul who was just as good as I imagined him to be.  I took part in a 5K Bubble Rush run for a local hospice as part of my training for the Disney 10K Run of which little training has taken place and time was running out.

September

By far the best month of 2018 for me.  Finally after months of planning the month arrived that I would be going to Disneyland Paris and what an incredible trip it was.  I ran my first ever 10K, and it was such a great achievement.  I am so glad this trip happened.  September was also the start of the signs of autumn, my favourite season of the year and the return of Pumpkin Spiced Lattes to Starbucks and X=Factor to our TV screens of a Saturday night.

October

The month of all things pumpkin spice, a time when autumn becomes it's own. A visit to the Pumpkin patch, pretty much customary for October.  My Mum & Dad surprised me with a Mickey shaped pumpkin macaroon all the way from Walt Disney World that the managed to get back in their hand luggage.  A day tip into London to visit the Instagram famous Peggy Porschen Cakes to check out their Halloween décor and gorgeous cakes.  Pumpkins.  Country walks and discovering my first ever red toadstool. Pumpkins.  Lots of candlelit evenings with pumpkin scented candles of course.  Halloween night complete with carved pumpkins, I loved my Dracula Mickey pumpkin this year.  Did I mention pumpkins?

November

I managed to squeeze in two firework displays this month, the first the local display in Chelmsford and the second one being Disney themed which was pretty amazing.  A day trip to London to check out the 90th Mickey Mouse anniversary art exhibition in Shoreditch.  We spent the rest of the day checking out some of the museums around the city and spotting the first of the Christmas decorations and ice rinks.  A new destination was explored, a day trip to Ipswich, another place I have never visited before, the building were quite something.

December

Lots of festive days our were enjoyed during December including 2 visits to the Backyard Cinema on Clapham Common within Winterville.  The first to see Home Alone, the second to see Love Actually.  The lights around London were enjoyed including some festive cocktails in Covent Garden plus the beautiful festive displays in Liberty's, Covent Garden and Regent Street.  I picked up the keys to my new home this month too, a beautiful little cottage that I can't wait to share more on very soon.  A day by the coast to see the seals and their pups in Horsey was just what was ordered to blow away those cobwebs and to work off the Christmas dinner and all those hot chocolates I have been sipping on by the Christmas tree.  The month was ended nicely with a day out in Durham, such a sweet little city with beautiful architecture to admire.

And so another year draws to a close.  2018 you were certainly eventful.  I can't wait to see what 2019 has in store for us all.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

~ Gem x