Mittens September Update!

Back to the norm again this month!

After having such a long time off from university, it sure didn't feel that way. Just finished my first week back. Not that I mind; if anything it will give me better structure to my everyday life. My timetable is pretty great this year too (off fridays and early finishes) so I get to keep my job going as it fits in around my timetable.

The student loan is officially in! And surprisingly it remains untouched (for now) and only will be used this week for rent, travel-card and uni supplies. As a fashion student your hit with pretty heavy costs for supplies/materials. I'm still mildly horrified at what illustration pens and markers can cost...there are sometimes good freebies during freshers and they're usually good to go to for a nosy at least. The Met Fresher's Fayre is good for vouchers and some free nibbles.

Another positive point is that shops have pretty good discounts and student nights on. They're a prime time to nab those pair of butt-enhancing jeans or cosy coat that you've had your eye on. Most student nights begin over here in about two weeks time. Keeping my beady eyes peeled for some bargains!

Less than a month until my braces come off and I can't wait. The change in my teeth in less than a year has been nothing but amazing (separate post to follow). I've had my last change of wires and next appointment I get them off and my retainer. After they come off I have to get some dental work done and am looking into cosmetic teeth whitening.. Anybody any recommendations for reputable places in Belfast to go? I haven't a clue where to start and what to look for regarding that.

A few month's until I'm 21 and I'm wondering where the hell the time has went. Now searching for that 'perfect' dress. What did you wear for your 21st?


Mittens

xxx

No. 36 on Belmont Road

After having a lovely afternoon at Ava Vintage Fair (Twitter) in the Park Avenue Hotel Belfast, we ventured out for lunch. Partially drenched due to the lovely downpour, we quickly decided on somewhere we haven't tried before. First impressions were great - the premise was beautifully presented in neutral colours with accents of a pastel and fresh green.

No.36 is on the Belmont Road in East Belfast and is an eaterie/coffee shop which prides itself upon home cooking and fresh, locally sourced ingredients. All meat, sweet treats, chutneys and fruit preserves are cooked and made on the premise itself using recipes developed by No. 36 itself. A wide range of homemade muffins, gourmet scones and tarts are also available. The soups are inspired from the Belmont Road to Bombay and beyond, served with gourmet sandwiches, wraps and ciabattas.

We were both quite hungry and the day itself was one of those days that soup seemed like the best option. The menu was great - such a range available! No. 36 offers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner...Table service, bookings and walk-ins are all welcome along with a catering and a take-away service also available.

We ordered the soup of the day 'Roast Red Pepper and Lentil' which came with a choice of gourmet sandwiches. 'Chicken Caesar with Hot Crispy Bacon, Parmesan and Cos Lettuce' was picked as the accompaniment. We also ordered their signature Toasted Club Sandwich 'a Triple Decker of Toasted Bread filled with Crispy Streaky Bacon, Pesto, Sun Blush Tomato, Red Onion, Rocket and Applewood Smoked Cheddar'. I added chicken to this sandwich as an extra filling as I thought it would have lacked something.

The sandwiches were amazing; with a crisp granary taste, they literally had 'bite'. The Chicken Ceasar Sandwich was creamy with a contrast of crispness from the bread and bacon. I'd really recommend the No. 36 Toasted Club Sandwich to any Club Sandwich lover out there. Not the typical, it certainly was a great alternative to the 'standard', lack-lustre Club Sandwich you are likely to be served in many restaurants these days.

Surprised at how much I liked the Roast Red Pepper and Lentil Soup. Smooth to the taste, with a pleasant kick to it. The bowl is massive, so great value for money.

Afterwards we ordered two No. 36 Signature Caramel Hot Chocolates (infused with Caramel Syrup, topped with Cream) with traybakes. AMAZING way to end the meal. The hot chocolate blew away all of the Hot Chocolates I've had out of any Cafe Nero's. Much nicer and sweeter, not that chocolatey as such. I liked how they offered the cream and marshmallows separately - they're not always for everybody. However, if your a sugar nut like myself then build a small marshmallow tower!

The traybakes are great; chunky and chocolatey. Only slight criticism would be that that they are refrigerated at a lower temperature than they should be, which can make for difficult eating. Didn't help when I have braces and have to be careful what I eat.

Overall, delicious locally sourced food at an alright price (would go there to treat myself when in the area). Service could do with some improvement as it sometimes felt like forced friendliness. A wide range to choose from and good for dietary requirements such as gluten-free. Perfect for sandwich lovers out there and sugar snackers.

Dinner @ Molly's Yard

Over the past weekend myself and Smidge had dinner at Molly's Yard. One of our favourite places to go for lunch, we made an evening dinner reservation there for the Friday (I'd advise to reserve a table in advance to avoid disappointment).

We went, ready to eat something the size of a small moose. I hadn't ate that much earlier that day due to work and general laziness, so I was really looking forward to this. We were quickly seated (to our usual table downstairs, next to the bar) and ordered drinks. Two Headless Dogs and a Sidecar Cocktail.

For dinner I had a Chicken dish (Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken served with Fresh Linguine, Broccoli and Tarragon Cream). It was amazing, the Prosciutto (or Parma-Ham as it is more commonly known) was well cooked and had a great texture along with the chicken. I was really impressed with the Linguine - the Broccoli was the perfect accompaniment. The Tarragon Cream was rich; but not overpoweringly so and tied the flavours of the dish together. Would definitely get this again and highly recommend it! I'd suggest to order a side dish along with this dish if you are hungry.

Smidge had the Venison (Fillet of Finnebrogue Venison with Celeriac Potato Cake, Braised Red Cabbage and a Pear and Blackberry Jus). The Venison itself was cooked well, but the outside was slightly charred - which was disappointing as it overpowered the taste of the Venison. The Pear and Blackberry Jus was a great compliment to the dish and was a refreshing change from a sauce or gravy.

Overall, lovely main meals with drinks which came just under £50.

I also liked the humor in the menu - 'fish of the day...depending on the tides...'

Bit  too long to wait for the food itself, so would book a table for the beginning of a dinner service instead, or go there for lunch or an afternoon lunch. Good service with a friendly smile and the staff really do take feedback on board...shall be going there again soon and can't wait to try some more of their fantastic menu with locally sourced food! The best of ingredients from Northern Ireland showcased by very talented chefs.

I'd really recommend Molly's Yard to anyone that has not tried it yet!

Have you been to Molly's Yard - what did you think of it?

August Update!

Lately I've been working quite a bit, but things are stating to quieten down now - people are away on holiday and saving for their children going back to school. So I've had some more time to myself, which is nice. And somewhat strange.

Since I've been off I've been able to spend more time with friends and family. I've been down at my parents house some more and it's made me realise I do miss them a lot more than I realise at times myself. It's polar opposite when I'm down visiting my parents; thrown back into little phone reception and no wifi. When I'm down there it's very relaxed compared to living in Belfast. I feel as if I'm always busy doing something up here, whereas it matters less when back in the country.

I've recently gotten some good news - my braces should be coming off in the beginning of October!
I cannot wait, I've wanted straight teeth ever since I was little, so not long to wait. Look out for an upcoming post on my experience of braces!

Still trying to de-clutter my wardrobe...easier said than done as I do have the hoarding tendencies of a squirrel with a nut...on a more positive note over the past few months I've been buying considerably less clothes-wise. Very pleasantly surprised by this...

I am now trying to vary the hair and beauty products I use by trying a few new things each month onward. I avoid trying new things such as beauty products because when I find a product I love I'll not look at anything else. However, variety is the spice of life and whatnot, so shall try more and have some fun with it along the way.

As for A/W 2013 fashion - I'm all sparkle-eyed about it. Lovely little items are slowly filtering into the shops. I have to say that I'm really excited for the upcoming season - lots of lovely tartan, grunge and cosy knitwear to look forward too!

I can't wait for the rest of this month and September, there's so much happening! In the meantime, follow my Twitter MittensFashion for instant updates on what's happening!

Mittens

xxx

Festival Fashion in Northern Ireland

Festival Fashion in Northern Ireland can be somewhat tricky to get right - you'll need something cool and preferably loose to wear, yet at the same time a coat or hoodie is a necessity due to the unpredictable weather. Many girls opt for hotpants with a crop top plus fake tan applied liberally; not my style to be frank.

I wore a pair of light blue, frayed Levi Shorts which I bought at the recent Lola's Vintage event and a pair of black tights from Primark. I teamed this with a orange scooped necked vest from Next and layered a grey linen t-shirt from New Look over the vest. I teamed this with pearl bracelets from New Look and necklaces from Dorothy Perkins. I wore the same pair of little brown boots that I wore last year to Tennent's Vital and the hat I was wearing I bought this year, on the day. Poncho was also bought on the day too but didn't end up needing it, thankfully...My bag is from Primark and had studs but I turned it inside out and was left with a plain denim bag.


This outfit was for Day 3 at Tennent's Vital!

What are your thoughts on fashion in festivals?

Helen's Bay, Crawfordsburn Beach, Stormont Park

The weather truly has been fantastic the past two weeks. Have taken full advantage of it and myself and Smidge have been out and about as much as possible. I'm usually not a fan of the sun; I usually tuck myself away in my bedroom and come out as pasty as ever - but not this time.

There's some lovely spots local to us or just a train journey away. For locality, Stormont Park is great. Really good for a walk, jog, or run if your feeling energetic. There is also a play park for children and picnic areas dotted around Stormont Park. Lots of wildlife about too - if you follow my Instagam - MittensFashion then you'll have had a sneak peak at what I've been upto!

We had a BBQ at Stormont Park and it was a great place to catch some sun in quiet surrounds.

Earlier in the week we went to Helen's Bay and Crawfordsburn Beach. A few stops on the train before the seaside town of Bangor, we got off at Helen's Bay. It's a lovely sand beach with great views and natural spots. We had a BBQ at Helen's Bay before setting off for a walk.

Helen's Bay is great to sunbathe if the weather is good and has a small picnic/BBQ area just past the beach.

There's a path that connects Helen's Bay to Crawfordsburn beach; a few miles walk but it's worth it! Gorgeous scenery and plenty of places to go rockpooling.

Was great to get away out of the city just for a day and was so relaxing! Must visit the beach more often...

Lola's Vintage Kilo Sale @ Love and Death

Due to the success of Lola's Vintage First Kilo Sale, the second  kilo sale was held on Saturday the 27th of July. Myself and Smidge popped in so I could have a rummage around. The alternative bar Love and Death was the fantastic setting for this event.





















The top floor of Love and Death was where the event was held and it truly was a great spot. Combined with the alternative decor and graffiti, it felt like an Aladdin's Cave full of treasures.


Each area of the room was sectioned off and all the clothes were all well laid out in separate rails and piles. This made it easier to find specific items.

The attention to detail and presentation was amazing; many various mannequins were used and everything that was displayed had been thought about.

The only downside was that when it was busy it was hard to move around and properly look at what was on offer.

I began rummaging immediately and soon had loads to try on. The majority of the pieces I picked out fitted great and were a definite buy. Winning! However, I was nearly overcharged when it came to paying, but mistakes can happen...

Overall, a pretty good experience and I came away with some really lovely pieces. I liked how there was music being played and how the bar got involved and made a special spiced punch just for the event.

I got items I can wear again and again and am so pleased with what I got! I even wore my Levi Denim Shorts to Tennent's Vital and they were perfect for it! Read the blog post - Festival Fashion...

Looking forward to their next event! Hope to get some lovely pieces for the next season...