Drinking Above A Market | No. 28 Newcastle Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I thought that today I would talk to you all about one of my new favourite place to grab a drink from in Newcastle . 

No.28 is a little bar that is tucked away above the well known Grainger Market in Newcastle City Centre. It offers a range of drinks, tapas style food and offers to suit everyone’s needs and also offers an ambience that just makes you want to spend all night in there. 

I decided to check out the superb space with Alex. We decided to get a mixture of food and drinks. (If you want to know about the food then go on over to my Instagram). 

We decided to get a cocktail a piece and some shots. I have been enjoying the Honey Cazcabel Tequila recently and saw that they had a coffee version so it made sense to try it there and then. I also made Alex try both the Honey and Coffee varieties. They loved both and I quite liked the Coffee version but I still think that the Honey one is my favourite. 

We tried both the Burnt Crumble and the Banana and Walnut Espresso Martini which Alex mainly drank but I mean I had to try a little bit of it for content reasons. 

Burnt Crumble contained Goslings Black Seal Rum, dark crème de cacao, Teichenne Butterscotch Schnapps, Apple and Lemon Juices, caramel syrup and a spray of Laphroaig over the glass. I absolutely loved this drink. The mixture of both the schnapps and syrup gave this drink a sort of sweet yet baked caramel taste to the drink which was interesting as when I saw butterscotch and caramel I was expecting this drink to be sickly but it really wasn’t. The rum added a sort of deep smokiness to the drink which helped to further cut through the two elements just mentioned. I think the dark crème de cacao blended into the rum as it wasn’t that pronounced when I sipped this drink. Finally the apple and lemon added a touch of freshness to the drink which cut through the sweet and smoky to make this drink not only delectable but also one that I could not stop sipping. If you’re a fan of well desserts, apples, crumbles, anything with a slightly sweet kick to it then definitely get this drink as you will love it. 

The Banana and Walnut Espresso Martini contained Black Tears Spiced Rum, Crème Dr Banane, Noix de la st jean and Espresso. I’m not the biggest fan of Walnuts so this drink wasn’t fully for me but I could definitely respect it for what it is. I also think that the Espresso Martini came in general is quite saturated so it’s quite refreshing to see a new take on it. The Banana complimented the coffee notes in this drink beautifully as it gave a sort of creaminess in regards to the flavour of this drink which I really enjoyed. If you love Espresso Martinis I definitely say give this a try and see if you enjoy it! 

Overall, g the great drinks, amazing ambience and fantastic food made for a great experience for me. I’ll definitely be coming back to try some of their other amazing drinks. 

Check out No.28.

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Have A Break and Be The Inventor For Once! | KitKat Chocolatory Bars Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new post! I've been gone a while. due, to writing a ten thousand word dissertation. As we all know, we are in hard times at the moment. I thought, that, I would create some content to hopefully help you all escape the problems that we are all going through for a good five minutes.

On that note, I thought that today, I would talk to you all about KitKats. Yes, you heard right. These aren't any ordinary KitKats though! These are weird and whacky KitKats that the people at KitKat Chocolatory have created.

KitKat Chocolatory is a concept brought to you by the wonderful people at KitKat. You get to make your own KitKats from a plethora of combinations. This concept was at York Chocolate Factory, but it might now be at John Lewis at their Oxford Street branch. Don't take my word for it though, as that's only what I have seen on the internet. Along with this create your own concept, KitKat Chocolatory have also created some innovative and interesting bars that you can also get at the Factory or John Lewis. I got mine from my local John Lewis a few weeks ago. They do a mixture of singular bars which come with six fingers, or a multipack of two different bars. I decided to get two packs of the multipacks to enjoy as many flavours as I could possibly get my hands on.

The Explorer: 

'A pack of 12 crispy wafer fingers covered in chocolate. The pack contains six KitKat Springtime in Japan wafer fingers with a cherry-flavoured and apple filling covered in high-quality Ruby couverture chocolate, as well as six Jewels of the East wafer fingers with a pistachio and rose petal filling covered in smooth dark chocolate.' - KitKat Chocolatory.

Springtime In Japan:

The bar looks magnificent even before you've tried it. On the front, it looks like your traditional KitKat but on the back, it looks like a magnificent art piece. The back resembles a Cherry Blossom with blasts of red and green running through the bar. The reasoning of this is due to Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) normally come into full bloom during the Spring.

The Cherry comes through instantly when you bite into a finger of this delicious delight. The Cherry is a sort of less intense Sour Cherry flavour which cuts through some of the milkiness of the Chocolate. After this, your mouth gets an intense textural contrast, via, the smoothness of the chocolate, the crispiness of the wafer, and the chewiness of the Apple pieces. Last but not least, the fruitiness of the Ruby Chocolate comes blaring through. The Berry sort of hint from the Ruby Chocolate makes you realise how elevated of a KitKat this is.

I honestly hope that KitKat, well KitKat UK bring this out as a permanent within the future. I think that it would be a great Spring product in the UK, as most Spring time sweet things are based on Strawberries and Cream, therefore this would be a fresh stand out against all of that.

Jewels Of The East: 

I liked this one, but I also had a problem with it.

I love Pistachios. I love the flavour they bring and the texture. So. it was great to have a different texture within the KitKat. I love the texture of the wafer. but having that little bit extra crunch just made the chocolate bar that little bit better. I love the sort of fresh nut flavour that the Pistachios brought, as it cut against the slight bitterness of the Dark Chocolate.

Sadly, my problems included the Rose Petal element of the bar. I love Rose anything. I love the taste of Rose in things, and I love the slight sweet floral scent that Rose brings to a lot of things, Saying this, the petals didn't really add much to the bar, except aesthetics. They just didn't add anything and it was a bit of a shame. I think that having Rose Oil within the bar might have been a bit better.

The Mixologist 

'A pack of 12 crispy wafer fingers covered in chocolate. The pack contains six KitKat Whisky & Ginger wafer fingers with a whisky flavour and ginger filling covered in dark chocolate, as well as six Zingtastic Gin & Tonic wafer fingers with a gin and tonic flavour caramel filling (made with sugar and sweetener) covered in milk chocolate.' - KitKat Chocolatory. 

Zingtastic Gin & Tonic: 

I'm not the biggest fan of Gin and Tonic, but these are pretty fantastic. The Caramel is slightly crunchy which gives a different textural element to the bar. The Gin and Tonic flavour isn't too full on that you only can have one, but its not too subtle that you're looking for the flavour for a good five minutes after you've eaten a finger. I'd definitely have these again.

Whiskey & Ginger: 

Okay, so I'm already going in with a bit of a bias, due to loving both Whiskey and Ginger. I love this one. When you bite into it, the Whiskey instantly hits you, but after a minute or so, the Ginger punches through and stays there for the rest of the flavour experience. I love the taste of Whiskey and Ginger and Dark Chocolate as the Ginger kind of cuts through the Dark Chocolate slightly and the Whiskey gives you a hit that you weren't expecting.

Have you tried any of these? What's your favourite flavour of KitKat to date? Are you a two finger, a four finger, or a chunky sort of person? Let me know down below!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

Licking The Scent Off Your Body & Into Your Mouth | Smith & Sinclair At Trinity Leeds

Hey everyone!

How are you?

Welcome to a brand new blog post! The wonderful guys over at Smith and Sinclair, invited me to the launch of their pop up, at the wonderful Trinity Leeds, and I thought that today, I would talk to you all about the launch event.

Smith and Sinclair believe that adults should approach life with the same freedom and curiosity we did as kids, but with a slosh of booze to fuel the adventure.

We arrived at the pop up store, to be greeted with smiles and hugs. We made our way towards the drink station, where there were glasses of Prosecco, with lollipops to add to the drink, and Boba to add to the drink. Both of these had different flavours, so you could mix and match the flavours. Luke had a Cherry based one,. because Luke loves Cherry anything, and I decided to go for a more Orange flavoured lollipop with Lychee based Boba. I loved choosing different flavours, and seeing how they blended together with the taste of the Prosecco. I also loved how, when you instantly dunked the lollipop in, the drink fizzed and foamed up.

After trying a couple of flavours, we wandered around and slowly found out about the edible fragrances that Smith and Sinclair have to offer the public of Leeds at their pop-up. The concept of edible fragrances can be worn on the skin, or used to flavour/spruce up a drink, by spraying it on the side. I think adding it to things like Gin and Tonics, or maybe a Mojito, or simple Lemonade, would be interesting. I decided to go for Watermelon and Citrus. I love how the Watermelon intermingles with the Citrus notes, to create a sort of Warm Summers Eve style scent.

Post checking out the fragrances, we moved onto the Selection Boxes. These are boxes filled with alcoholic (vegan) sweets that ensure that sweets are also for adults! You can choose to purchase a box that has been curated around a theme, including the After Dinner Selection and Gin Lovers Selector, or you can pick and mix. I decided to get a Pick & Mix, which is filled with several scrummy flavours, including, Mocha Espresso Martini, and Hibiscus Negroni. (If you want to find out all about my review of the sweets, look out for my review that will be up soon.)

After looking around the wonderful pop-up store, we were then treated to a few drinks at the intriguing yet excellent establishment, The Alchemist. We first tried the Bubble Bath, which contains, Tanqueray gin, Aperol, Chambord, lemon, apple, and, 'fairy liquid'. The drink also came in a sort of spiralised martini glass which added to the aesthetic. To say that I don't like Gin, I loved the taste of this drink. I'm not sure if its because of the Chambord mixed with the Lemon, but I just kept on sipping and sipping. The 'fairy liquid' was such a weird texture on the lips. Although it was weird, it was kinda of brilliant at the same time. I love Bubbles, Baths and Alcohol, so if you've never tried this one before, I'd definitely tell you to give it a go!

I chatted with a few of the other bloggers for a bit, including, Lizi and Kayleigh, before the next deliciously different drink came by. This one was called, 'Lightbulb Moment'. This contains, Tanqueray gin, Pimms, ginger beer, raspberry, lemon, mint. The background of this drink, is that half of the drink comes in a lightbulb shaped glass which you add to your drink. I loved this drink instantly, because well, you get to interact and make some of your drink. Again, I'm not the biggest fan of Gin on it's own, but I love Ginger Beer and Raspberry in anything! (I'm that person that will pick the Raspberry garnish out of a drink, and save it for the end.) The Raspberry and Ginger Beer gave it a sort of sweet but warming taste to it, which is perfect for this time of year.

Don't forget to check out Smith & Sinclair! 

Thanks again to the lovely guys at Smith & Sinclair and Trinity Leeds, for inviting me to this amazing event!

I hope that you've enjoyed this food based blog post! I hope to see you next time, for another blog post! 

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

This post wass in collaboration with Trinity Leeds & Smith & Sinclair. All views, opinions and ramblings are my own!

Tips On How To Calm Down Anxiety With Sanctuary Bathrooms

Hey everyone!

How are you?

Warning: mentions of mental health and things related to mental health such as anxiety attacks and depression FsanFare discussed within this post. 

Welcome to a brand new post! I don't talk about it a lot, but, if you know me at all, then you will know that I suffer from mental health problems... Therefore, I thought that today, I would talk to you all about how I try to relax when my mental health isn't that fab. I have collaborated with Sanctuary Bathrooms on this post, please do check them out, as they are an amazing brand!

Sanctuary Bathrooms, is an incredible family owned Bathroom supplier that specialises in full Bathroom Suites, and everything else that you need to create the perfect Bathroom based in the wonderful city of Leeds.

The main way that I relax when I'm severely anxious, or when I feel a bit bleh, to put it in simple words, is a bath. Yes, I get that it's probably a bit cliche, but s good relaxing bath can help. I love baths of every sort, but one of my favourites to help me relax, has to be Lush's Dragons Egg. It has Lemon & Bergamot Oils in, and Popping Candy. I'm not massive on ASMR videos, but honestly, Popping Candy in a bath is such an amazing and relaxing sound.


i also love getting a candle ready whilst it's running. If you want to carry on the popping/crackling sound, then I suggest Woodwick 'Seaside Mimosa.' It just helps to set the mood and well ensures that the room is full of amazing scent before you even get into the bath. I honestly am such an enthusiast when it comes to smells and aromatherapy helping us to get on with life.

Snacks are important when it comes to having a bath. Yes, when I have a bath to help my mental heatlh, I go all in. I try and stick to lactose free things, in regards of chocolate or anything of that sort. The main reason being that, if I'm using products to moisturise my skin, then what is the point in making my skin dry straight after via digesting lactose. I also have to have a drink when I'm in the bath. I normally try and go for a fruit juice. Yes, I know it's boring but it's just the best for me. If you wanted to, you could always mix some Prosecco with an Orange Juice to create a Bucks Fizz feel, if you're feeling fancy.

The other way that I like to relax when my mental health is bad, is weirdly to blog. Blogging helps me to escape whatever is troubling me, and helps me to talk about whatever I want to. I can talk about reviewing a face mask, or talk about the last time I went to a restaurant. I love to put music on, whilst writing as it just keeps my mind realising that something is on in the background, so it can't overthink.

Going out also helps me when I feel like everything is about to boil over. Whether that is, going on a  ten minute walk and snapping a couple of photos on my phone of things that I think look pretty, going on full on days out to places like Manchester, or, York, with people that I adore, or going on nights out with friends that make it that much more memorable and exciting. Doing any of these take my mind off the big thing, as my mind is normally focused on travelling and enjoying the day/might. or the friends themselves, so my mind can actually leave its worries for some time, and enjoy everything for the mean time.

Bingewatching is also a great way to help your mind calm down when it comes to mental health. You can get into your comfiest clothing, warmest of locations, grab some food, some drinks and just turn the outside world off, and escape to a world of your wildest dreams. Spending a day bingewatching a tv show and getting to know the characters inside out, or watching a full series of films, ensures that you are entertained and aren't thinklng of all the worries that have been building up in your mind.

The last tip I have is a simple one. Napping. Nappng solves everything. I know it's probably not the best thing to do, but, it helps REM and well helps you relax as soon as you actually gotten off to nap. You don't have to cope with anything that's going on for a couple of hours.

So, those are my tips to help with anxiety. Let me know if you check any of them out. Let me know if you check out Sanctuary Bathrooms. How do you help with any mental health problems? Let me know down below.

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

Surfing It Up In Wet Leeds | Limeyard White Rose Event

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I was invited to try out some of the amazing food and drinks at Limeyard at White Rose Shopping Centre last week, and I thought that today, I would talk to you all about it! 

Limeyard, All Day California Kitchen, brings you delicious West Coast-inspired treats for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Serving up their signature delicious dishes including, Coca Cola Glazed Ribs and a Yards of Tacos, just to name a few.! From early morning breakfast to late evening dinners and drinks, you will always find something to cool and breezy at Limeyard.

Sadly, Luke couldn't come along, so instead, I brought along a friend who I shall remain anonymous or the purposes of anonymity throughout this blog post. We made our way throughout the glass doors of White Rose After making our way through the ultra modern food court, we found Limeyard and made our way into the relazing looking building. 

We sat down in a comfy booth in the corner of the restaurant, and chatted for a few moments. We were then allowed to choose two things from a list of the new menu and whatever drink we wanted. As there were four different cocktails, I made it my mission to try all four, because well, I love a good cocktail! The first cocktail of the night was a Koko Mojo. I love saying and typing it for a start... This drink contains Coconut Rum, Lime, Mint, Passion Fruit and Soda. I love anything that starts off with Rum. I loved this slightly more tropical version of a Mojito as the Passion Fruit and Coconut offset the tartness of the Lime. The Passion Fruit just muted the Coconut a bit which is good as sometimes Coconut can make drinks a little bit sickly I could drink these over and over again whilst chatting with friends after some shopping, but also, I could see myself drinking these on a beach! 

The first dish that we tried was, Mississippi Street Wings. This dish contains House Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip, Coriander and Lime. I rarely eat Wings. I'm not really sure why, but I think its just one of those things that you have to be with good company for, you know? These Wings were delicious. They were succulent on the inside and crisp on the outside. The House Rub that was on the Wings were delicious, but they did come with a kick once you had eaten the wing. I didn't mind this due to the refreshing Koko Mojo. The Lime added a bit of zing against the sweetness of the Chicken and the Coriander added a touch of freshness. 

The second drink that I enjoyed was, Frosé. Frosé is well, Frozen Rosé. This drink contains Rosé Wine, vodka, Watermelon, Strawberry and Simple Syrup. I wasn't sure if Wine and Watermelon would work but it kind of did. It gave the drink a refreshing kick! The Strawberry and Simple Syrup took the bitterness away from both the Wine and Vodka, as Vodka is known as that Spirit that no one drinks due to the burning afterwards. I think that this would best during alfresco dining in the middle of a Summers afternoon. 

Next on the food truck was, Popcorn Chicken. This dish came with a Chipotle Mayo Dip. The Popcorn Chicken were super crisp and warming on the outside and succulent in the inside. I loved the size of them as you could just pick them up, dip them in the dip, and pop them into your mouth. The Chipotle Mayo Dip was sweet but refreshing,. The coolness against the warm chicken was gorgeous, but the addition of Chipotle was amazing, as I'm not the biggest fan of straight up Mayo. The only problem that I had was that I wanted more! 

Carrying on with the dishes, the next plate was the delicious 1/2 Yard Of Tacos. These are described as soft Corn Tortillas with a choice of delicious fillings, all served with house Guacamole and Sour Cream. We chose to go for BBQ Pulled Pork, but there is other choices such as, Steak, Spicy Chicken, Crispy Cod and Spiced Black Turtle Beans. The Taco's were delicious. The sweetness of the Corn Tortillas against the smokiness of the BBQ Pulled Pork was gorgeous. The Pork was melt in your mouth which I love and the Guacamole added a splash of coolness and freshness against the deep and warming flavours of the BBQ Pulled Pork These and a Cocktail are good on their own, but they become addictive especially as they just about fit in the mouth all at once. Trust me, I know as I tried it... 

Sadly, the third and final drink was Mango Spritz. This contains Sauvignon Blanc Wine, Vodka, Mango, Pink Grapefruit, House Triple Sec, Simple Syrup and Peach Bitters. The other drink that was on offer during the night was Bay Breeze (this contains Vodka, Coconut Rum, Pineapple and Cranberry), but I didn't finish my Mango Spritz until I finished my food, and it looked a bit weird asking for another drink without any food at the end of the night. I'll have to come back for that last drink! I liked the fruitiness of this as the Mango complimented the Peach Bitters which also cut some of the bitterness out of the Vodka. I'm not massive on Pink Grapefruit but I liked it as it added a bit of zing to the drink. 

Now to the last dish, which was, Coca Cola Glazed Ribs. First of all, I love Ribs so I instantly knew that I had to try them. I also had to try these due to the fact that they were glazed in Coca Cola, and I wanted to know what that tasted like. These ribs are slow cooked for 8 hours which means that the meat is easy to remove from the bone, for those who hate bones. The meat was succulent and the glaze was sweet but spicy at the same time which I adored. Spice as in that sort of Cinnamon and Clove way, not the Chilli sort of spice. I could eat these for days! 

Have you ever tried out Limeyard before? Let me know down below! 

Check out Limeyard and White Rose for more amazing food including desserts and for a great shopping experience within Leeds! 

Thanks to the PR for invting me to this Blue Monday event, and thanks to the staff on the night for taking care of all of us bloggers that attended. 

I hope that you've enjoyed this blog post, and that you come back next time for another blog post! 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

This blog post was in return of goods and or services. All views, opinions and ramblings are my own! 

Getting Local & Getting Festive | Booths Christmas Preview Event

Hey!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I know that it's far too early to be typing Christmas but Booths invited to their Christmas Preview Event at their Ilkley event a while ago and I thought I would talk to you about what happened at the event.

We arrived at Booths and entered the designated area where everything was screaming festive and ready to party. Myself and Luke grabbed a drink and slowly made our way around the room.

We stopped off at the Vodka stand. Of course, I would instantly go to the Vodka stand. Honestly, I'm bad with remembering names and brands unless it's completely drilled into me but this Vodka tasted of sweet Caramel with a slight salty kick and I loved it! I think that this would be great to have alongside dessert at any Christmas event or on Christmas Day itself.

We then wandered onto the Pie stand and I absolutely loved these. From my recollection, you can order the big Pies within in store for you to collect for big parties or or the big day. You can also pick up some of the smaller pies instantly in your local store including a wonderful Game one which I had a slice of and it was delicious. I also had a taste of the Ham and Apple Pie and oh my gopd I could eat both all day everyday!

Myself and Luke then walked on to the Sweet Treats section. I could live in this section forever. If you don't see me for the festive season then its probably because I'm hibernating here! The first sweet treat that myself and Luke tried were the Chocolate Stollen Bites. I know that Stollen and Chocolate sounds like a weird mixture but I loved it. If you're a bit confused at what Stollen actually is then let me tell you. Stollen is known as a rich German fruit and nut loaf which sometimes has Marzipan and other things in. These little bites had little dark chocolate chips embedded into them and were dusted in sugar.

We then had a taste of some Amaretto Brownies and I think that these are my new favourite thing in the world. These are described as a Dark Chocolate Brownie bites with Amaretti Biscuits,topped with a light Sugar dusting. I love a good Brownie but these were amazing as the Dark Chocolate mixed with the sweet but slightly nutty Amaretti Biscuits is amazing. If you can get your hands on these then I'd definite;y tell you to try them.

 Next on the sweet treat list were Caramel and Pretzel Shortbread Bites. These are described as s crumbly all Butter Shortbread base with a generous layer of smooth Caramel, topped with salted Pretzels and finished with a drizzle of Belgian Milk Chocolate. I loved these due to the sweetness of the Caramel and Chocolate against the salty pretzels but I think personally a tiny sprinkle of salt on top would make it perfect for myself but I love anything that has a sweet/salty relationshio going on.

Last stop on the sweet treats train is, Iced Christmas Cake Bars. These are described on the website as, Fruit Cake with Apple soaked Vine Fruit, Cherries and Dates, topped with a layer of Marzipan. I'm not the biggest fan of Fruit Cake or Marzipan but the Cake wasn't as dense as it normally is and the marzipan was weirdly not as full on as it has been in other products in the past so I quite liked it. I think that it would go very well with a cup of Chai maybe.

All of the above Sweet Treats are 2 for £6.
f;i
Thank you to Booths and their PR for inviting myself and Luke to this event. Thank you to the staff at Booths Ilkley for putting on an amazing event and being amazing when chatting to them.

I hope that you've enjoyed reading this slightly early festive food blog post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

Leeds Loves Cocktails 2017 Press Event

Hey!

Welcome to another blog post! The wonderful guys over at Leeds Loves Cocktails invited me to their pre-launch event so I thought that today I would talk to you all about what happened at the event.

Leeds Loves Cocktails is a 7 day festival bringing together 36 of Leeds finest venues (including places like Almost Famous, The Pit, Meatliquor, The Wardrobe and many more) for a week of events (with great brands such as Jack Daniels, Absolut Vodka and many more), parties, masterclasses, tastings & £5.00 cocktails. The festival starts on 5th June and finishes on the 11th of June.

Myself and Luke were already in Leeds to do some shopping beforehand the event so we went to a few shops and had a good browse to kill some time. I love browsing sometimes as in your head it means that you're not looking for anything exactly but instead you're just seeing what catches your eye.

We made our way around to Headrow House which I love due to it looking amazing but we decided to take the steps and honestly I instantly regretted doing that with Luke but ah well. We arrived at Redondo Beach Leeds which is also known for being the Roof Terrace Bar within Headrow House and was greeted by the lovely Hayley who gave us two goodie bags and two wristbands to the week long festival. If you want to grab a wristband to ensure that you enjoy the festival and £5 cocktails then click here.

We then wandered over to the bar where there was a member of staff with a big tray of cocktails. He asked us if we wanted a Rumbullion Rum Punch cocktail or a Bathtub Gin cocktail. I love Rum so I already knew that I wanted to try the Rum Punch! This particular cocktail contained Rumbullion Rum, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice and Tropical Sours. I absolutely loved it! So tropical but a great cocktail for Spring/Summer.

We then said hi to the other bloggers who were sat down in the leather and wood furniture and sat down next to them. We chatted for a while and then the bartender came over and suggested that we tried the Gin based cocktail. This one contained Bathtub Gin, Lemon Juice, Thyme Syrup, Cloudy Apple Juice and Soda Water. I liked this one due to the Apple Juice and Thyme Syrup which meant that the Gin wasn't as strong as expected.

We were then split up into two different teams. One stayed where they were and got a Q&A about the event and the other team had a Bathtub Gin Tasting Session. We stayed where we were and got a Q&A about the event which included things about the events and parties, the brands taking part and what it has been like in previous years.

We then went over to the Bathtub Gin tasting where we found out more about the brand of Gin and got to senses with the notes of the alcohol. It contained Orange Flower as one of it's main notes We then tasted the gin and I quite liked it for a gin but I thought that it would be great in a cocktail and not on it's own.

We all then got split up into smaller teams and was given a mystery box containing certain ingredients to create a cocktail. The mystery box that we had contained Rumbullion and included other things such as Rosemary, Pineapple Juice and Mixed Spice. Our team tried Rumbullion with and without water to see the difference then we went around creating our cocktail and in the end decided to create a spin on the Dark & Stormy cocktail but include Ginger Syrup, Lime and Pineapple Juice instead of the general Rum, Lime and Ginger Beer. We also had a Mixed Spice rim on the cold glass of the cocktail and garnished it with a plump juicy Raspberry that was dunked into Mixed Spice. We then served it to the judges and whichever cocktail won went onto the menu at Jakes Bar during the festival but sadly ours didn't win.

Photo by Culture Bean (http://culturebean.co.uk/)

We drank up, said our goodbyes, got the lift back down to the ground floor and headed to the train station.

What's your favourite cocktail? Let me know down below. 

Thank you to the guys at Leeds Loves Cocktails and Headrow House for putting on and inviting myself to an amazing pre-launch/press event.

If you want to buy wristbands to the festival then click here. (There's also a student discounted wristband. 

I hope that you found this post informative and entertaining and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post.

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Three Cocktails For February | Caorunn Gin

Hey!

I know that weekdays can be a bit bitter and somber so I thought today I would suggest three cocktails that would be amazing within February. All three contain Caorunn Gin so if you love Gin then keep reading!

Caorunn is a small batch, quadruple-distilled Scottish Gin personally crafted by one man called Simon Buley. Using only the finest pure grain spirit, natural Scottish Water and 11 botanical gin ingredients, he personally crafts each and every bottle of Caorunn.that is sold to the public. It can be found in many stockists but is served in places such as The Botanist in Leeds.

A tall long glass with a red coloured liquid within wuth slices of apples placed on the rim of the glass on a blurred out background. 

Bite From The Apple: 

Ingredients: 

• 30ml Caorunn Gin 
• 15ml Cointreau
• 7.5ml Lillet Blanc
• 7.5ml Lillet Rouge
• 7.5ml Gomme
• 7.5ml Lemon Juice
• Half of a Red Apple 
• Half of a Cassia Bark

Method: 

Add all ingredients in a shaker, shake and double strain

Garnish with an olive stick and sliced apple

Caorrun Tea Punch: 

Ingredients: 

• 50ml Freshly squeezed white grapefruit juice 
• 50ml Freshly squeezed orange juice
• 50ml Ginger syrup
• 150ml Caorunn
• 200ml Green cardamom and cinnamon infused black tea 

Method: 

• Add all ingredients to a punch bowl and fill with ice.
• For the tea: brew a strong mug of tea, add 6-8 green cardamom pods and two cinnamon sticks. Leave to cool and strain into punch bowl (diluted and sweetened to taste).
• Garnish with Star anise, slices of red apple and some pink peppercorns. 
• Makes 6 servings.

Apple Winter Toddy: 

Ingredients:

• 45ml Caorunn Gin
• 125ml cloudy apple juice
• dash of port
• 20ml lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons of caster sugar
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Method:

• Build in glass
• Garnish with clove studded orange, grated nutmeg

Have you tried Caorunn Gin? Let me know down below! If not then try it at The Botanist.in Leeds if possible.

I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post. If you like cocktails then there are a few more posts that include some delicious drinks if you search on the blog.

Thanks for reading!
Jamie x

What Is Drinking With Anxiety Like?

Hi!

I thought that today I would do a post about anxiety and drinking because I always get quite a few questions/enquiries on it and I think that it will just be easier if I explain everything via this post then I can just point to the post when I get asked a question about it.

Credit to Michelle for taking this photo! 

If you have been reading the blog for a while then you will know that I suffer from depression and anxiety and I openly talk about it on social media and on the blog and I have also mentioned quite a lot that I can't get drunk due to anxiety and it seems weird to anyone that I mention that to. The simple thing is that alcohol releases endorphines and slowly makes you see things a certain way which causes adrenaline which for most is a good thing but isn't for anyone with anxiety as it then causes a panic attack. My mind notices this and instead of going panic panic panic, you don't know whats happening, it decides to ride it out and just goes stay with it so I don't get drunk but I just notice where I am and whats going on around me a bit more. This normally means I'm the friend who shouldn't be looking after people but who ends up looking after people.

I know that this seems weird and that you're thinking that I must get drunk at some point but I don't and its weird. I realise where I am, get kind of tipsy for ten minutes and then I realise where I am and then I'm like, 'I know where I am, I know what's going on. It's alright.'

Honestly, being like this puts you off wanting to go out/drinking as you realise what the world turns into when the night sky is about but its also interesting at the same time.


Anyways, I thought that I would just kind of explain that a bit. I hope that you have found this post interesting and I hope that you come back for the next blog post!

Thanks!
Jamie x

Going To Some Of The Best Bars In Leeds With Michelle

Hey! I'm in Leeds a lot and being a blogger means that you go to quite a few bars and restaurants so I thought that I would drag Michelle along to a few of the best bars within Leeds (as you always need a friend to have a good natter to when it comes to bars) and write about it as I want to share the best bars with you just in case you haven't been to them so get some food, get a drink and be prepared to learn about Leeds' finest bars!

The first bar that I think is one of the best bars in Leeds is Turtle Bay. Why? I love the Caribbean vibe of the whole restaurant which is shown in ways such as the paintings on the walls, the music that is played within the restaurant, the food and drinks that are on offer and much more. The Caribbean vibe means that you feel like you can be relaxed instead of feeling stuffy and awkward like you would in a quite expensive eating establishment. I also love how they have a two for one offer which is 12-7 and 10pm until close which means that you can go in any day and get two drinks for the price of one during the day for a casual lunch or a good evening out.

 

We arrived and perused the menu which included things such as Run Down (v), Street Burger, Jamacian Browned Chicken and Rum Cake for several minutes until we both decided on what we wanted. Myself and Michelle decided to just stick to cocktails. We decided to take part in the 2 for 1 offer and ordered Beachcombers Zombie (4 Rums, Absinthe, Bitters and Tropical Fruits) and Vanilla and Passion Fruit Mojito (Cockspur Gold Rum, Vanilla, Fresh Passion Fruit, Lime and Mint.) The Zombie was fresh, fruity and naughty due to not being able to taste the alcohol so you could definitely have more than one and the Mojito tasted like the epitome of Summer due to all of the freshness thar was within the glass.

 

 

 

 

The next stop on the best bar train after Turtle Bay was Cabana. I honestly think Cabana is one of the best bars/restaurants ever for several reasons. There's the friendly staff who make you feel welcome in the establishment, the great street food inspired cuisine thats on offer, the crisp drinks that they serve, the quirky furniture... I could go on! Just like Turtle Bay, they offer 2 for one on certain drinks but they also have many other offers such as a lunch deal where you can get your own Latin inspired lunchbox for £6.95, a 2 course set meal on weekdays for £9.95 which is on until 5pm and theres an early bird special meal which involves a main course, two sides and a drink for £9.95 which is on everyday from 5-6:30pm.

 

 

We arrived at Cabana, sat down and ordered two drinks just like before as they were on 2 for one. We decided to get an original Caipirihna and a Blueberry & Acai Caipirihna. Myself and Michelle also decided to get some Cheesy Baked Dough Balls and Chocolate Rainbow Doughnuts to share between ourselves. I love a good Caipirihna and I instantly think of warm nights in tropical Brazil when I sip one. The Blueberry and Acai one was really nice. Sweet but slightly tart. It reminded me of Blueberry Jam somehow! Myself and Michelle were somewhat hesitant of getting it as we both thought that it would flush us out but it didnt. The dough balls were so nice. Golden on the outside but melting and gooey on the inside but slightly salty. The Nutella Doughnuts were great. Bitesized but chocolatey. The crispy sugary exterior worked so well with the dark gooey interior and there was more Nutella on the side so great for Nutella lovers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last stop on the best bar adventure was Be At One. Be At One is a cocktail bar that is based within Millenium Square with the likes of Epernay and Revolution that are within Electric Press. BAO also have a Happy Hour on that is on every night which is around 4:30/5-8pm. We went on a Tuesday and the hours for Happy Hour were 4:30-8 which means Be At One is a great place for a student date! We started off by having a Reese's Pieces cocktail but sadly it's not on the site so I can't remember the name but it had Bourbon, Reese's Pieces and Vanilla ice cream in. We got it because I like Bourbon and Michelle loves Peanut Butter. I liked it but the Bourbon was quite strong and when mixed with ice cream it made it quite rich. I was expecting it to be heavily peanut butter but it wasn't. We then had a Maple Margarita and oh my god it was so good. I had never had a Margarita before but this was a good one to represent the whole Margarita clan with. Sweet but slightly tart. Myself and Michelle then finished off the best bar train by drinking our last drink at Be At One. This cocktail was called Stormier Seas and the salty seas never tasted any better. This contained Kraken Rum, Lime and Ginger Beer. It tasted like something that you would want to warm you up when youre on a cold English beach. (The only problem that we had here was that Michelle did see a bartender put a phone number into someone who looked like a customers phone but I was guessing that he was on his break or something?) I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post. Don't forget to check out Michelle's photography! I have also linked the restaurants in case you actually want to go and check them out as I really think that they are some of the best bars within Leeds. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog post. Have you ever been to any of these bars? Have you tried any of these drinks? Let me know down below! Thanks! Jamie x This post was in collaboration with Cabana and Be At One. I chose the bars that I wanted to feature within this post therefore all views and ramblings are my own. Myself and Michelle got 14 drinks for £14 in total due to 2 for one etc but do check the places out if you want to know more details of them.