Month by Numbers: Ice, ice, baby

7 favourites...

1.) I left on a jet plane and hopped over to Iceland and it was unlike anyone I'd ever been on holiday.

The sunshine was swapped for snowy mountain-tops and bikinis were out while thermals were in. 

We galloped around geysers, went chasing after waterfalls and soaked our troubles away in the Blue Lagoon.

I came back feel uber-zen and my soul feeling as happy as Larry.
(and skint. very skint. Reykjavik is expensive y'all.)

2.) But you know what doesn't cost a thing? Love. 

So when my lil' nephew ran and threw his arms around me when I arrived for a surprise visit, boy did my 

heart feel all warm and fuzzy.

Oh, and when he told me he likes me visiting and wants me to come back on a sunny day? 

Well, I'm done. No emotions left in me cus he's taken them all.

3.) Perks of my jobs are one of the best things about my job and this month has been particularly brilliant.

First thing's first is the opening of a new gaming bar. Four Quarters in Peckham is filled with old arcade games

and holds a special place in my heart. So when they invited me to the opening of their new bar, for a night

of beer, burgers and video games, well how could a girl refuse?

Also, I won Street Fighter, and my girl Chun Li came out with this, on International Women's Day nonetheless.

Jumping for joy like chocolate frog that I'm drunk off butterbeer on Diagon Alley 🔮✨#forbiddenforest #WBTourLondon #harrypotter #HP #diagonalley #london #boomerang #gif #instavideo #instavid #video

A post shared by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Mar 28, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

4.) Secondly, a night to galavant around the Harry Potter studios while I chomp on canapes and sip on bubbly?

Erm, YES PLEASE. I got invited to the opening of the new forbidden forest at the studios, and despite having 

been before, going after hours with booze somehow seems more mischievous. 

5.) Last, but not least, the third perk was a night to run around Thorpe Park like a bunch of school kids. 

And free beers, which I didn't take full advantage of because I didn't want to embarrass myself on rides!

I haven't been on a rollercoaster in about 10 years, and I used to get my kick out of them, and I'm proud 

to say that after some initial nervous-ness, I still bloody love them (and love to swear on them it seems...)

The Last Thing on my Mind when I went on a Steps night out was that actual @officialsteps would turn up to Stomp all night. Pretty sure I turned a Deeper Shade of Blue from excitement as 8-year-old me was SHOOK 😱💃🏻🌟 @middletonhadley @welovepopclub @lisascottlee1 @fayetozersmith @princessclarabella @ianhwatkins #deepershadeofblue #videocollage #video #collage #nightout #weekend #instavid #steps #90s #london #vsco #vscocam

A post shared by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Mar 12, 2017 at 5:03am PDT

6.) Steps was one my favourite bands growing up, so when they reunited and released a new single that 

was everything I wanted to be and more, I was all over it. 

(Groups looking to have a reunion - THAT'S how it's done. Don't try and be 'relevant'. Don't lose your identity!)

So when me and friend went to a Steps themed night out, expecting an evening of fun and silly dancing,

and lo and behold, the actual band decided to show up!

We were excited to say the least.

7.) On March 22nd, an attack happened in Westminster and people were killed and injured.

I never thought I would see the city that I'm living in, trending on social media as people prayed for us.

My heart was breaking, and this happens all to much all over the world, all the time sadly. 

It's always horrific, always shocking. But when it's happening to London, to your home...

But I couldn't be prouder to be British and live in London. While the media were scaremongering and 

portraying to the rest of the world that we were stopped with few, in actual fact, mere hours after the 

awful event, the Westminster tube stop was open and running again.

Our Shaun of the Dead 'let's go to the Winchester' spirit will never be beaten. 

5 tweets....

1.) Woman next to me on the train has a bottle of wine in handbag, listening to Streisand & whipped out a
cheese toastie. She knows how to LIVE 

2.) Back in the day I would've already started drinking & putting my lashes on for a night out.

Now, I've just cleaned the house & made a tea 

3.) Papa Lo just fed some Pringles cus I've painted my nails and they're still wet. My dad's a babe 

4.) Brother laughed that I have feminist badge on my jacket. C'mon bro, get with the programme, this has 

been the situation for years now! 

5.) It actually felt like spring today! I'm happy as my natural comfy state is in sunnies (which @anna_tabs 

points out is a Mariah statement ) 

3 songs...

1.) Little Mix - Beep Beep

This is just pop-tastic, fantastic. Makes me feel like I'm a Pink Lady in Grease and about to break out 

into a synchronised doo-wop dance routine.

2.) Gavin James - I Don't Know Why

This makes me feel SO excited about summer and when Gavin goes all falsetto to sing the leading lines,

boy does it give me goosepimples.

3.) Sigala - Only One 

If Gavin James' song makes me think of summer in a chilled on the beach, watching the sunset kinda way. 

Then Sigala makes me think of summer in a 'opps, I accidentally got drunk by day-drinking in a beer

garden all day' kind of way. Very mad. Very excitable. Very happy.

It's the golden labrador of songs.

Month by Numbers: skates, stars & shimmying

7 favourites...


1.) There’s been ice-skating, there’s been present opening and there’s been drinking. Oh my has there been drinking…I think at one point it was just pure prosecco and cocktails running though my veins. Festivities to the max y’all.

2.) This month has been filled with a lot of work-related fun outside of work time. This time last year I had lost one job, working a freelance job, and hunting for another job. It was lonely and soul detroying to be quite honest, but this year could not be more different. Colleagues have become more than just that and are now friends, and I danced with them along to cheesy festive songs, drank with them in cringey christmas jumpers and boozy brunch-ed with them on a Sunday afternoon. Once upon a time in Sheffield, me and my bestie said ‘imagine if one day we’re both journalists, living in London & in the same office!’ and lo and behold, here we are! From shorthand lectures together to dancing the night away at the office Christmas party together. And I could not be happier or how it’s all turned out and the new friends I’ve made in my life because of it.


3.) Every year some some of my closest friends and I get together and have a Christmas weekend together, or as we call it, Hunmas (long story). We stayed up until the early hours of the morning swapping secret santa presents, we drank wine, we ice-skated, we ate food and we talked the world to rights. That how weekend with these girls usually go and they never, ever get old and I’m always planning and feeling psyched for the next one.


4.) One of the perks of my job is I get to go to cool events, and one of the more recent and also coolest things I’ve been to is the Christmas party that Netflix held. Not only were there sets made up to look like some of their original shows, but the actors and actresses dressed up in those sets never went out of character and pulled up in to get involved.

Stranger Things have happened on a Thursday night ✨🔮 #strangerthings #netflixmas #netflix @netflixuk #london #lights #xmas #christmas #boomerang #instsvid #gif

A video posted by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Dec 1, 2016 at 1:13pm PST

 I essentially played charades with Queen Elizabeth on the set of The Crown. There was cocktails being passed around, I took full advantage of the gif-making photo booth, and there was a free chrome cast in my goodie bag to take home. Oh and I met Bake-Off winner and queen, Candice Brown, who I just banged on about how she slays the lipstick game and I love her piggy sausage rolls. So there was that too...good job Netflix.

5.) And one of the other perks of my job is that I get opportunities to go to stuff that I’ve loved for years, like Strictly Come Dancing. It’s the one show me and my whole family all love - it’s just pure joy! And after the hellish year my mum’s been through, it was an absolute privilege to be able to take her and every now and again, I was sneakily look over at her and she was laughing and enjoying herself with so much joy. It filled my heart up with so much love and not gonna lie, it filled my eyes up with tears.


6.) Christmas calories don’t count, and i may have taken that motto a bit too seriously. Just maybe. My body is made completely out of pigs in blankets, Quality Street sweets and red wine right now. i think when you you cook essentially a Christmas dinner in a pie and plait the crust of it and feeling like flipping Snow White, you’re in full on festive mode aren’t you? I’ve even been gifted sparkly jam that has prosecco and actual glitter in. I mean, I’m living my best damn life right now, but my waistline and health says otherwise.


7.) Living your best life during Christmas consists of mainly of drinking, dancing, partying and not much sleeping. And as much as i love a life of that, it starts to take it’s toll, and that’s when it’s time to hop of a train back to the shire and switch off for a bit. My fave thing about Christmas is how people bound together with joy and I’m lucky enough to have an amazing family full of love to share that with. And being an aunty in that family to 3 gorgeous nephew and nieces means i get to spoil them rotten and seeing their faces and reactions of pure, unadulterated excitement when they open presents that i’ve put so much thought into buying, makes me feel like there’s no better way for me to spend my hard-earned money.

5 tweets...
1.) My neck hurts from too many hair whips on the dancefloor & I'm still finding glitter on me - THAT'S how fun the xmas party was last night 🎄
2.) Have come to China Town for dim sum with family. Randomly developed a rash out of the blue - am I allergic to my own culture?! 🎎
3.) My friend just told me I look like I'm straight out of a 90s music video & I couldn't be happier with comparison ❄️
4.) Nephew's present consists of Star Wars, Pokémon & McFly's @TomFletcher. Couldn't be more excited, pysched & proud of that combo 🎁 #TopAunty
5.) What do you mean I have to go to work tomorrow and can't sleep in till 10am and have a cheese board as a snack?

3 songs…
1.) Gallant -  Weight In Gold

The coolest, most chilled vibes you could want to balance all the cheese and excitement of December. I started hearing this and was thinking ‘oh this is cool, I feel like i’ve come across this sound before?’ And that would be because they supported Jack Garratt when I went to see him and I can say they are fucking brilliant live so go and do that guys and girls.

2.) Barbara Streisand - Rain on my Parade

I found myself listening to this many a morning on my commute, and i think it was solely to psych myself up to get myself to work and make my commute that bit less shit and that bit more chipper.

3. ) JC Cooper - September song

December is an odd time to feel all summery, but this is what this song did. And as much as I am essentially Mrs.Christmas, this made me look forward to sunny summers to come and feel nostalgic about sunny summers past.

Until next time,

A.x

Month by Numbers: fireworks & festivities

7 favourites...

1.) Never mind winter is coming Jon Snow, winter is well and truly here. And yes that means i'm shivering to deathwhile waiting for my train (but then immediately boiling when i get on it), but it also means steaming hot drinks, hibernating under blanket and all the autumnal boots, hats and dark lipsticks that you could wish for.

2.) One of my favourite nights of the year is Bonfire Night. It's just an everning to feel all snuggled up and always feels like  the start of the festive season with the cold air, massive scarves and mulled wine. And this year, I made my way up north to Manchester and was huddled around the bonfire with some of my favourite girls, drinking mulled wine and 'ooh-ing' and 'ahh-ing' at al lthe pretty bonfires. We spent the whole weekend basically doing nothing nad it was bliss. We chatted the world to rights on everythng from ironing and feminism, to fluffy jumpers and our hopes and dreams, all while sipping on Baileys hot chocolate covered in a mountain of marshmallows. YUM.

3.) Someone came into my life as if it was a British romcom from the 90s starring Hugh Grant. We met on the tube (I KNOW) and things were ticking along. I knew he wasn't for life, but he was nice enough and our time spent together was fun enough for, well, now. I'm an eternal optimist and forever want to see the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt. But sadly, this came person proved me and my glass-half-full nature wrong and came out of it as soon as they came in. I can forgive busy schedules, I can forgive you not a fan of my emojis, but i can't forgive rude-ness. Nop. Boy, BYE.

Thanks @bellaitaliarestaurants for teaching me how to make my favourite food: fresh blooming pasta! Also thanks for feeding me ALL the carbs - I'm one happy & full lil piggy 🍝🐽🇭🇺 #cooking #foodstagram #instafood #italian #foodporn #food #pasta #instavid #video #collage #london #vsco #vscocam

A video posted by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Nov 10, 2016 at 5:22am PST

4.) There are few things in life that I love more than food and carbs in particular. So when Bella Italia asked me if I wanted to taste their new menu and also learn to cook some of the dishes and how to make fresh pasta myself, I was there quicker than Wilde E.Coyote trying to catch Road Runner. I rolled out dough, tossed some pasta and ate so much delicious Italian food, puddings and wine that I almost needed to be rolled home.

5.) What better way to get into the festive spirit than ice skating outside the tower of London! but of course, because it's England, it's never long until it rains and ruins all the fun. But fear not, when the ice rink turns into a slippery hazard, there's an ice bar and a tour of the Tower to indulge in. Learning abotu the Tower of London made me feel like I was on a school and also like I know nothing about the city I live in as I soaked up and was equally creeped out and fascinated by all the history. 

6.) I went to a few screenings this month which including the magical Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the fabulous E! series on Mariah Carey. But a big tick in my book for very different reasons, but the fact that at the Mariah screening there were diva-appropriate pink cocktails and a gold glittery photobooth that had a wind machine kinda was just like being in a diva playground.

One of the most talented, humble & fun people I've seen live. It was a pleasure dancing along to you @jackgarratt 💃🏻🎉🎸 #london #livemusic #live #gig #confetti #lights #music #collage #video #instavid #videocollage #vsco #vscocam

A video posted by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Nov 24, 2016 at 12:24am PST

7.) Jack Garratt is some kind of musical genius. Him, drums, a sound baord and some back up singers and it was was of the most engaging gigs I've been to. And the best thing is despite absolutely killing it on the scene, he's still got so much genuine excitment, creativity and adorable disbelief that he gets to do what he gets to do as living, and I think we can all afford to be a bit more Jack Garratt in our jobs.

5 tweets...
1.) In an attempt to drown my sorrows, I went to the vending machine & it dished out 2 of my selected treat. World's not COMPLETELY broken then
2.) Reading stories w/my nephew this moring & he stopped to say 'Amy, I'm having fun with you!' HEART. MELTED.

3.) When you see a photo of young Trump & have the awful realisation that your ex looks like him (key word here being EX )

4.) I'm singing Colours of the Wind at the top of my lungs while dancing around my room in my underwear....what about you?

5.) "The pièce de résistance was the hash brown" - an actual thing I said. (And I meant it. It was a pork belly & hash brown quesillda guys!)

3 songs....
1.)  Sexual - Neiked ft.Dyo

Not to get TMI but this song is as it suggests, a lil bit sexual. ALSO, how does she hit those high notes? Believe me, I've tried in the shower, and I can tell you it does NOT sound the same.

2.) Pour some sugar on me - Def Leppard


For some reason I was a bit obsessed with this song when I was about 15 and although I'm not sure why, my god do I applaud teenage me. It makes me want to do knee slides on a bar countertop in a Coyote Ugly style, and whips my hair into a backcombed mess.

3.) After the afterparty - Charli XCX

This is kinda a bit Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl, as in you can imagine it being played at some prom and everyone chanting along with it. And I enjoy that bubblegum pop goodness immensely.

Until next time,

A.x

Month by Numbers: Ibiza heat

7 favourites...

1.) At the very beginning of this month, I headed to Ibiza and it was the perfect remedy that came at the most perfect time. After what were some of the worst months of my life, I got to get away to a sunny paradise with some of my favourite people. We danced, we did nothing on the beach and our meals consisted mostly of sangria and gelato. 

This is uber-melty, but there was one point on the holiday where we were on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (6th in fact FYI) and I went for a swim on my own in the bluest, most crystal clear water I've seen in my life. And there was not a worry or thought in my mind and before I know it, I'd swam so far out, I was just on my own and I just felt truly content for the first time in ages. After all that's happened this year, I was just floating there thinking 'You know what? It's really not all that shit. Life's OK. I'm OK.'


2.) After coming back from Ibiza tanned and filled with tequila, I spent a whole weekend with my bestie and a bunch of boys from Sheffield who I have a blast with every time I see them. Which would be once. I've met them once before. One weekend last year, I spent a weekend with my BBF, and her boyfriend had some uni friends stay. We all ended up hanging out all weekend and becoming friends - isn't that just the sweetest story you ever did hear? And this time, we drank a lot, and played a lot of games (because, you know, we're really cool like that)


3.) Sadly, all those drinks and games means a lack of sleep and an increased chance of feeling pretty rubbish. Probably not the best combo before you do a 5K charity run for Cancer Research. BUT, even after 5 hours sleep and being low-key hanging, I laced up my trainers, travelled from North to South London and threw myself (literally) into the mud that is the Pretty Muddy 5K. I'm not even joking, there was mud EVERYWHERE. In places where mud should never, ever be. But we did it! We raised over £350 for an amazing cause, which was made even more amazing after receiving the news that my no.1 gal Mama Lo had been given the all clear from the Big C after showing it who's boss, just like we all knew she would. 

4.) Ah the Bake-Off. It'll come as no surprise that I'm a massive Bake-Off fan. In fact, last year, me and my flatmate baked something each week to go the theme of said week. I love how wholesome it is. I love the cheeky innuendos. I love the characters on it. I love Mary Berry. I love how a whole nation is gripped by a show about cakes and soggy bottoms. And then, it all came tumbling down all so suddenly! First, it was moving to Channel 4. Then the hilarious Mel & Sue were leaving. And the final blow, the Queen herself Mary Berry bowed out. This current series of the Bake-Off is the last one as we know it, and I am not emotionally prepared for that guys.


5.) Hi, my name's Amy and I've become obsessed with pin badges. They're sassy and cute and creative and teeny tiny and up my accessorises game in a big way. But sadly, they're also starting to drain my bank account in a big way too.

6.) And speaking of little things, I've been doing more little gestures. I know what a heartwarming surprise it is when you get or hear something you really didn't expect to. So I've been writing postcards left, right and centre for my friends. To cheer them up, to encourage them, to thank them, and just to say hello. And I'm hoping they've loved the sentiment as much as I've loved sending them. 


7.) A mixture of holiday blues and that back-to-school slump of September meant that I felt like I was in need of about 50 hours sleep, 50 cups of tea and cuddles with 50 puppies. Fortunately, one of my fave babes told me to come up North where she could provide me with lie-ins, all the teas I could ever ask for and 1 adorable puppy. She even threw in a 10-course fancy and fabulous Italian dinner and some dancing as well. She knows the way to my heart.

5 tweets...
1.) Catching up on #GBBO on the train. Man asleep next to me woke up as I let out an audible gasp at someone forgetting to turn on their oven
2.) Playing Heads Up at the pub & Vera Wang came up. Me: designer makes lovely wedding dresses!  Lads: surname sounds like a DICK 
3.) Something in my lad of washing has made all my clothes glittery...whilst I don't love it, I don't hate it either
4.) Let's just get this out of the way. Thing I don't like that everything else loves: avocado, Idris Elba, chocolate orange & salted caramel..
5.) Can never remember how to do an accented 'e' on my keyboard. Always end up googling Beyoncé and copy & paste. PROFESSIONAL JOURNO Y'ALL 

3 songs...

1.) Tove Lo - Cool Girl

This makes me feel like a genuine cool girl, no matter how much I may not be. If you see you strutting down the street and swooshing my hair, 90% certain this is what's playing on my headphones.

2.) Little Mix - Move

I feel in love with this song with my BBF 2 years ago at uni, and even now, it still makes me dance like I wish I was in a girl band. Sass-central y'all

3.) Kanye West - Fast

If the other 2 songs make me feel like feisty and cool independent women, this song makes me feel tough and ready to box about 10 rounds in the ring. Neither of which I am, but the bass lines and auto-tuned singing in this makes for a good disguise for it

Until next time...

A.x

Month by Numbers: broken & lifted

7 faves...

1.) One of the most important people in my life had received from pretty life-changing news, and had to have some equally as life-changing surgery. What we thought was a success and left us feeling relieved, quickly and suddenly changed and turned into heartbreak, uncertainty and a lot of waiting around. Thankfully, the NHS are amazing, as if my tiny but tough mum. I've never been so emotionally and physically drained and tired, and also so proud and happy how close and loving my family are. 

2.) Well, when it rains sometimes it really likes to fucking pour it down doesn't it? Within the same month with the absolute shit-show that happened with my mum, I had a second shit-show of a break up. Which happened pretty suddenly, pretty much out of my control and ironically, after a bit of a turning point of us as a couple. No, we weren't together for that long. No, I'm not heartbroken, just left with a bit of a heavy heart. But I don't think he or anyone but I will ever really know how much it actually took my to let my guard down and commit my feelings to someone. But I am - as I knew I will be - fine! Because, you always am in the end aren't you?

3.) And you know part of the reason I know I'll always be right as rain eventually? Because I have amazing and caring people in my life that I'm lucky enough to call my friends. Friends who know you're having a pretty fucking rubbish time that's dampened even your usual Disney-esque optimistic persona. And they send you surprise presents in the post and meet up with you with roses to keep your life rosy and remind you to be brave, even if sometimes you don't feel it.

4.) Apart from the major ups and downs, there's still the constant love and support of my amazing family and friends, who turned what could have been an August spent moping around, into a month filled with new memories that'll make me smile.

5.) I love books. No biggie, I know. But if you know how much I resented reading, you'll get what a big deal it is for me that I've tapped into my love of reading. I tend to find myself reading a lot of non-fiction from American comedians and my absolute goddess, Caitlin Moran. But I completely fell in love with the characters and story of The Rosie Project. I gasped, I rooted for them, I was invested and I whizzed through that book and was sad when I realised I'd reached the end. But never fear! The sequel, The Rosie Effect, is on it's way in the post already, and I can't wait to be obsessed once more.

6.) As much as I love London, growing up in suburbia and being from that there up North, I really bloody miss some greenery. And yeah i know, there's parks and fields upon fields in The Big Smoke as well, but it usually involves a significant amount of travel. Enter, what is essential a big-ass greenhouse filled with enough plants until your heart's content. Both in central London, if you're aching for some leaves and nature, head to The Barbican Conservatory or The Sky Garden. You can thank me later.

7.) I'm a BIG Friends fan (who isn't eh?) so, wondering around Monica's apartment discussing Nestle tollhouse recipes, singing Smelly Cat at Central Perk and flipping up the barca-loungers in Joey and Chandler's was enough to make my little fangirl heart flutter. And if that wasn't enough, with cocktails named 'Pivot', well, what more could you ask for eh? 

5 tweets...

1.) It's been the longest weekend & emotionally draining. But the Lo family assemble, get through it & ofc eat lots ❤️

2.) Recovering from laughing in stitches from a meeting where we & my editor ended up doing renditions of X Factor songs...I love my job 🎤

3.) Can retailers stop rolling out AW16 pieces already please? I'm not ready for knitwear & my legs to be prisoned by tights again, NOT YET! 🙅🏻🍂

4.) Can more commuters dance to their music? It'd make my low-key bodyrolls & subtle shoulder shimmies more acceptable💃🏻

5.) My body this morning: "Here! Have some hiccups along with your hangover so you think you could potentially vom every 5 seconds!" 😷 

3 songs...

1.) Becky Hill - False Alarm

This makes me fell all a bit emosh - especially when I'm talking to the station early in the moring - and i can't quite put my finger onto why that is. It makes me feel like anything could be round th corner and anything's possible if you just give it a chance. Ironic really, given that I got into this song during mentioned break-up, when the lyrics are all about finding someone when you didn't expect to...

2.) Tom Odell - Concrete

This song makes me feels things that I didn't know were possible by a song. It makes me feel nostalgic, a yearning, sadness, hope and almost even, dare I say it, aroused?! all at once. Oh and that build up in intensity towards the end? I don't know how you do it Mr. Odell, but hates off to you sir. 

3.) Imani Williams- Don't Need No Money 

Ok, enough of all the lovey dovey songs, with an upcoming holiday with the girls, with lots of dancing and drinks planned, a party tune and needed and this fitted the criteria perfectly. Cue the killer moves. 

Month by Numbers: Lisbon, love & life

7 favourites...

1.) I’ve been looking forward to July for SO long and for SO many reasons. And while there was a small bump in the road, there were holidays planned, weddings to attend and a relationship to blossom. Simultaneously one of the worst and best months I’ve ever known.

2.) You know that small bump in the road I mentioned? Well, my mum receieved some bad news and although it’s the last thing anyone ever wants to hear about a loved one, it’s the best of a bad situatuation. And do you know what the best thing is? How flipping great my family are. We all love each other so much that without asking we all assembled together like the Power Rangers and were there for my mum – and each other – without a second’s thought. And the thing that has caught me off guard to make me weep like a baby the most, is the support and love and well wished thoughts that people around me in my life have given. From hugs, and deep chats, to flowers and little notes and even just a text. It’s all meant so much and really reiterated to me just what great people I have in my life. Thanks chick-a-dees.

3.) The perfect remedy to being a bit drained from a mad emotional rollercoaster, is a getaway to the colourful city that is Lisbon. I truly fell head over heels in love with the capitol of Portugal, and the people in it. It has everything you could possibly want in one place – rooftop bars with RnB songs to bust your dancemoves over the sparkly skyline, authentic, fresh and amazingly delicious food, palaces and castles aplenty, clear blue water lapping onto the scorching hot beach, and more pretty balconies, brightly coloured building and more jaw-droppingly impressive graffiti than you could shake a stick at.

4.) After what seemed like a lifetime of scrolling on Rightmove and going to viewings of places that weren’t ever quite The One, we finally found a new house to move into, and guys, it’s pretty damn dreamy. We’ve got a garden of luscious green space and everything. AND THE WARDROBE. I can’t even begin to explain to you just HOW fab it is. You can even hop out of my window and sit yourself on the roof and watch the sun set. If that’s not great, then I don’t know what is.

5.) Summer brings out the drinker in me (not that there’s much to bring out to be fair..) It’s the late sunsets, it’s the Pimms, it’s the pub garedens. And when brans like Rekordelig and Stella Artois invite me to their brilliant and boozy events, well, who am I to say no? So in comes the sweet Swedish summertimes of grilled meat and floral feasts, and the wacky, weird and wonderful immersive theatre experiences of being transferred to 1809 Wimbledon, solving crimes with Sherlock Holmes. Yes. I know. It felt as weird typing that as it did for you reading it.

6.) And with these summer months, come the summer nights, like Danny and Sandy sang with all their might in Grease. Summer nights that consist of FINALLY going to see the The Lion King on the West End (I know, criminal for someone whose loved Disney all their life), 1920s bar in old underground stations to surprise your friend who's back from travelling, and a picnic and Pimms date while watching the sun set over the London skyline (yes I know how soppy that sounds, and yes, it was delightful thank you very much.)

7.) One of my closest friends and most beautiful human beings - inside and out - that I know, got married and I honestly felt priviledged to be invited to her and her newly-wed's husband's special day. 3 years ago, these 3 girls and I didn't even know one another, and after this date being on my calender for a year and a half, the big day finally arrived and I couldn't have felt more content, happy and joyous the entire day! We cried (a lot), we cheers-ed, we hugged, we laughed and we were the first and last ones on the dancefloor. Naturally.

5 tweets...

1.) Last night my flatmates went to a party - I declined, started my #OITNB binge, did my nails & eat doughnuts in an empty flat. IT WAS BLISS 🍩

2.) The Pokémon Go app is now more popular in Tinder and that's exactly the kind of world I want to live in ✔️🔥✖️

3.) I miss singing hymns. But as @anna_tabs points out it's not the same if you're not with a congragatio. You're doing Sing Hosanna alone 👼🏻🎶⛪

4.) I'm out in central London with no bra & no make-up on. TMI? Perhaps. Blissfully free? You bet your sweet ass🚫👙💄

5.) BF: 'you look sexy - & I never thought I'd say that about a pair of culottes...' Changing perceptions on fashion💪

3 songs...
1.) M.O - Who Do You Think Of?

Sassy 90s R'n'B throwback anyone? I became obsessed with these girls when the came out with Dance On My Own with an old-school sample of 90s garage, and I'm so psyched that these girls are finally getting the recognition they deserve!

2.) Disclosure - Boss

I love those Disclosure boys and this song is no exception. Over a month on and when this song comes on my shuffle, I still stut along the tube platform like I'm the boss. Yep. That's what this song will do to you guys.

3.) Christine and the Queens - Tilted

Whimsical and good ol' pop at it's best. If this doesn't make you feel you're meandering along the street of Paris with a bouquet of Peonies in your bicycle basket, well, then I don't think we can be friends. Soz. 

Until next time,

A.x