htlcy

Santoro Goodies*

March 29, 2016April 4, 2016 htlcyLeave a comment

Hello! Just a quick one today. At the #HBMarchMeet we were all extremely lucky to receive a mixture of goodies from the brilliantly quirky brand Santoro. Admittedly Santoro hasn’t really been on my radar before, so it was great to be introduced to something new. Santoro produce a range of products and accessories each with gorgeous illustrations and designs that belong to a particular collection. I was extremely lucky to find a gorgeous iPad case in my goodie bag, and I thought I’d share it with you.

This is a gorgeously illustrated neoprene case that fits an iPad2 snuggly inside.

The cover features a sweet illustration of a girl gazing up at a huge fluffy creature, and it’s absolutely beautiful. The design covers the front and the back and is highly detailed.

Though made for an iPad or similar tablet, I’ve been loving using it to cart around a planner or my beloved Filofax and Kindle, which makes them easy to find when in a handbag or rucksack. The case is fairly stretchy so both fit snuggly inside, protected from the elements.

I’d really recommend checking Santoro out; I definitely have my eye on a few more items that are absolutely stunning! I’ve never seen accessories quite like this before, so if you’re wanting something unique, beautiful and practical, look no further than Santoro.

What do you think of the case?

Remember to follow me on twitter, instagram and snapchat. Find me as @htlcy ; I’d love to connect with you!

Heather x

Experience: Hotter Shoes, York*

March 27, 2016March 28, 2016 htlcyLeave a comment

Hello! It’s Easter Sunday, and I’m spending it eating copious amounts of chocolate and relaxing…what else is it for?! I thought today would be a great time to write up and share with you my recent review of the Hotter event in York.

I’m already a Hotter convert as I own a couple of pairs of formal Poplar shoes, but I bet most of you will be associating Hotter shoes with footwear for the older generation; in other words comfortable, but not necessarily stylish or fashionable. If this is the case, I hope to change your mind: Hotter really has something for everyone of any age and any taste!

Our night began with glasses of prosecco and a wonderful selection of savoury and sweet canapes. We mingled with the staff of the Feasegate store and had a very quick glimpse into what the Spring/Summer ’16 collection has to offer.

Next we sat through a quick presentation on the company behind the product, where Mel explained the origins of the company which started in 1959. Hotter shoes originally traded as Beaconsfield footwear, and manufactured a range of comfortable slippers and unbranded shoes. Eventually Hotter became the company it is today, and decided to sell shoes just as comfortable as slippers.

Hotter are proud of their ‘comfort concept’ features hidden within each pair of shoes, and ensure comfort from the very first step. These features include wider fittings when required, roomy toe boxes for wriggle-room and ultra supportive insoles. Each of the shoes is crafted using the finest quality leathers and other materials, and each sole is filled with millions of tiny air bubbles ensuring a comfortably light step. Surprisingly Hotter is also the UK’s biggest shoe manufacturer, crafting an amazing pair of shoes every twenty seconds.

Though Hotter’s factory is still based in Lancashire, Hotter now sells shoes as far afield as the US, and its call-centre is open til the early hours of the morning to cater to these customers. Although you can now buy Hotter’s products online, there are an amazing 75 stores nationwide where you will receive exemplary customer service from friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Hotter’s shoes for Spring and Summer come in a huge array of styles and bright, summery colours. I was pleasantly surprised by the huge variety on offer. There’s a fabulous selection of sandals and wedges, which will look amazing for a stroll on the beach or for relaxed summer evenings.

The flat slip-ons are available in a variety of styles and colours, and the Jewel and the Livvy styles would be particularly good for warm weather! I particularly love the pastel shades of the Livvy style, and the Jewel has a rather gorgeous floral on offer. There are also beautiful handbags to complement each pair of shoes and to complete an outfit. I particularly love the dark pink colour!

Even those who live in trainers and active wear will find a pair perfectly suited for them. Hotter’s new h92 collection comes in an array of colours, and features thick luxurious memory foam insoles. These are incredibly light, and I tried on the Float pair. The red colour is absolutely wonderful! Bounce is also beautifully crafted. If slip on active footwear isn’t your thing, you can pick up a pair of the lace-up Feather shoes. Gorgeously comfortable and perfect for summer walks.

There’s plenty of heeled shoes on offer, too. I didn’t try any on (blame the cerebral palsy!) but one of the girls picked up a beautiful silver pair of Donna shoes that looked absolutely amazing.

The loafers including the Abbeyville, Brierton and Sorbet would make the perfect pair of smart work shoes. I tried on a pair of the Abbeyville shoes and they were gorgeously soft and flexible!

The casual shoes – Mabel and Essmy – are available in a range of styles, including gorgeous nautical-inspired colour palettes and floral finishes. After looking through the Spring/Summer catalogue I have my eye on the washable Biscay shoes, which look gorgeously bright and summery. I don’t think they were available in the store on the night because I would have definitely tried them on if so!

‘Mannish tailoring’ is a key trend this season, and when I set eyes upon the Saltburn shoe I knew I just had to try them! These brogues feature gorgeous pepper-pot punching detail crafted using the softest nubuck leathers. I quickly fell head over heels (sorry, couldn’t resist!) for these, particularly the French Blue colour. We were each given a pair of shoes to take home and review, and I knew the Saltburn shoes had to be mine.

Aren’t they gorgeous? I took some pictures of them whilst exploring the museum quarter in Hull’s Historical Old Town.

I’m loving the versatility of these and think they look great with jeans, dresses, skirts and even formal workwear! I have a blue blazer that would complement these perfectly.

I already have my eye on more in the collection, and really recommend you give Hotter a visit; there’s something for everyone!

Many thanks to the wonderful folks at Hotter for having me. I really enjoyed myself and I’m now the proud owner of a very beautiful (and comfortable!) pair of shoes! Do you love Hotter, too? Let me know what you think in the comments!

Heather x
PS; for more pictures and a glimpse into all things nosuperhero, why not check out my instagram, snapchat and twitter? Just search for @htlcy. I’d love to see you!

Happiness is…

March 23, 2016 htlcy1 Comment

Snuggling up under the duvet, the smell of coffee in the morning, waking up early and having sun shine through the window, making new friends, getting things done, leisurely walks, helpful nurses at my hospital appointments, squeaking guinea pigs first thing in the morning, cooking, feeling positive

Update: Health, Life and MRes Study

March 21, 2016March 21, 2016 htlcyLeave a comment

Hello! I’m currently writing this whilst half-asleep. The past few weeks have been very busy. I’ve been inundated with appointments, deadlines and have been desperately trying to keep on top of my current research. I’m just about getting there. I haven’t really stopped for a while; I can’t remember the last time I took a day out to do nothing, though I do know I’m very hard on myself. Tomorrow I’m at the hospital for pain management and I can’t wait; I’ve been struggling with muscular pain so hopefully sticking a few needles into the affected muscles will do the trick. I’ve also been experiencing a patch of neuropathic pain on my back, which is seriously weird. It’s not like pain – though I can’t think how to adequately describe it – but it feels like someone is pouring a stream of cold water down my back, and sometimes feels like little electric shocks pulsing across the area. It’s really strange! I’m still waiting on facet joint injections, so fingers crossed I can have some soon. The pressure between my vertebral joints causes the most excruciating, burning pain, and often comes about after doing the most mundane things (cleaning, bending down to pick stuff up, sitting for too long) so it’ll be good if they help.
I have been to lots of lovely events over the past few weeks, which is really amazing! Watch out for my posts on the Hotter experience and the Leeds March Meet which will be up soon!
I’m currently applying for further study, which is quite difficult and time consuming. I’ve filled out several forms and drafted multiple research proposals. It’s a dream of mine to start PhD study; I really feel like I have so much more to give regarding research, and I’d love to be given the chance. Funding (as always!) is the main issue here, so keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.
My MRes is getting very interesting; I’m currently drafting up another two chapters and I’m in the midst of preparing a presentation. I’m also redrafting a book review I completed in the first semester to be submitted for publication, so it’ll be great if I can get that done.
I’m so sorry this is a pretty rambling post; life is extremely busy, but I have plenty of interesting posts ready to write up and publish!
How have the past few weeks been for you? Let me know in the comments!

Heather x

Backstage In Biscuit Land at Kardomah94*

March 16, 2016 htlcy2 Comments

Hello! This is a post I’m really excited about sharing with you. A few weeks ago I was asked if I’d like to attend a couple of events at a local venue, and when I found out the subject of the events I absolutely had to accept! This was the first of the events (the next is in a couple of weeks) and is an award-winning show that has received fantastic reviews from critics and the general public. I knew I was in for a treat, but this show completely exceeded my expectations!

When we arrived we sat for a beer and admired the lovely food coming from the kitchen – the pizzas looked INCREDIBLE – and the atmosphere was really lovely and ambient. Kardomah94 would be a fabulous place for a spot of dinner! The show space was fantastic, and we picked a lovely spot with extremely comfortable bucket chairs.

Backstage in Biscuit Land is an extremely powerful show, containing equal measures of comedy and emotion. It is a show unlike any other, and is something that will stay with me for a very long time. It was shown as part of the Heads Up Festival in association with the Battersea Arts Centre, which presents some of the most exciting contemporary British and international theatre in some of the best venues in the city of Hull, of which Kardomah94 is one.

Through a mixture of puppetry, comedy and song by the aptly-named ‘Touretteshero’ Jess Thom – and her sidekick Chopin – we are given a poignant and at times intimate insight into life with Tourettes. You see, Jess Thom has Tourettes, which causes her to say ‘biscuit’ 16000 times a day.

Tourettes is a condition often trivialised by the media. We’ve all heard jokes about people swearing loudly then blaming it on Tourettes, and most of us – myself included – understand very little of the condition, so it was incredibly refreshing to be introduced to something I know very little about.

The set itself was like something out of a dream; huge cardboard cutouts of trees, a loaf of bread, dolphin puppets, an assortment of biscuits and twinkly lights, and as we sat down in our seats we heard a muffled voice projecting a stream of assorted words from the wings. Chopin welcomed Jess onto the stage, and explained that her tics would – inevitably – contribute to the show and its content. We were encouraged to laugh at the tics if we found them funny, and sure enough some were so unusually wonderful they were difficult to ignore. As is turned out Chopin – real name also Jess – is referred to in that way as a result of tics!

Jess explained how tourettes is an awful lot more than the media-portrayal of incessant swearing that we’re all accustomed to. Jess needs to have a care plan sheet, which informs a reader of the steps needed to take when she has a fit as a result of the Tourettes and constant physical and verbal tics, which become completely exhausting. This is another of the realities of tourettes we don’t often hear about; sometimes her tics become so intense she loses the ability to communicate with others. This was extremely interesting to hear, and made us realise how hard life can be with constant physical tics. Jess revealed that her vocal tics have also made life very difficult, and recounted a time where she was asked to leave a theatre as she was apparently disturbing others. This was incredibly emotional – in essence the episode made her feel that she wasn’t allowed to be herself – and this really got everyone thinking.

Anyone who knows me will know how personally invested I am in societal perceptions of disability. My MRes explores disability through literature and the impact this has upon cultural attitudes. Though I have a form of cerebral palsy and other conditions – which aren’t always noticeable – I have been treated disrespectfully and without care by members of the public. It can be really upsetting, and Jess’s story really resonated with me.

The whole show was a spectacular journey of incredible highs and gut-wrenching lows, and when I went to meet Jess and purchase her book and a T-shirt emblazoned with a selection of tics, I was completely overwhelmed. Her work is so integral – so vital – to thousands of people who face prejudice every single day for disabilities they have. Awareness is key; disability doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care where you’re from, or who you are. And I firmly believe that sharing experiences is key to advancing understanding of disability. Disability has many faces and forms, and the more we discuss it the more we can begin to understand. I left on a complete high, and feel privileged to have had an insight – albeit small – into her world.

Jess and Chopin are currently touring their Backstage in Biscuit Land show around the UK. You can see the tour dates and locations here.

Thanks for having me Kardomah94 ; I can’t wait to visit in a couple of weeks for another fantastic show!

Hope you’re having a great evening,
Heather x

#HBMarchMeet at Al Porto, Hull

March 12, 2016 htlcy1 Comment

Isn’t it strange how quickly things creep up on you? That was certainly the case when it came to the hotly-anticipated Hull Blogger’s March Meet. The last meet was a huge success, and we enjoyed an afternoon of drinks, demos from brands such as Lush, Weleda and Viridian and – of course – plenty of chat. Though the March meet was smaller with just under 20 attendees, it was by no means any less fun, and I came away feeling grateful to be a part of such a welcoming and warm community.

The event was held at Al Porto, a gorgeous little Italian restaurant situated on Hull’s marina. You may recognise the name of the place as not only did we hold the Hull Blogger’s summer meet there, but I was also asked to review their delicious Christmas menu with a couple of the girls. You can find these links here and here.

Al Porto has become a favourite with the Hull Bloggers; it serves authentic Italian food in a gorgeous rustic setting. We enjoyed a drink – including wine, if that takes your fancy – and a very hearty portion of delicious food from the lunch menu, which is sure to cater to everyone’s tastes. Their lunch costs £8 a head, and it is well worth it. I can definitely recommend the salmon pasta. Find their lunch menu on their website here.

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Al Porto’s food is always beautifully presented and extremely delicious. The winter salad was also a hit with the other bloggers, and I will definitely try it when I go back!

As usual we came away with a fantastic array of goodies. Here’s just a few photos of them, and I’m currently busy reviewing them so hopefully you’ll see the whole selection soon! A massive thank you to all the generous brands who got involved.

KIKO campus idol collection

Creightons

Stick to Stigu

Nailene

Crazy Angel Tan

Sass and Belle

Luscombe drinks

Lab2

Elegant Touch

Argan+

Luscombe drinks

Elegant Touch

Baylis and Harding

There are many other lovely little things so stay tuned to see what I think of them!

As always a huge thank you to the wonderful bloggers who make these events so worthwhile. Sadly Kat (who did an AMAZING job with everything) was too ill to attend, and we missed her very much! You can check out Kat’s blog here.

I can’t wait to review all of the wonderful things for you.

Hope you’re weekend is going well,

Heather x

Cooking up an Easter Feast with Primula: Creamy Chicken*

March 10, 2016 htlcyLeave a comment

Hello! How are you? It’s really sunny over here today and I’m having a day of recipe-developing and MRes work (which never stops!). You might remember a few days ago I posted a recipe using Primula cheese and created a super-tasty tart. You can find that recipe here.

I wanted to come up with something quick yet tasty, and I think I made just the right thing to fulfil those requirements!

Ingredients:

Two chopped chicken breasts,
Handful of chopped mushrooms,
1/2 chopped onion,
1/2 tube of Primula Original cheese,
150ml single cream,
2 chicken stock cubes,
2 crushed garlic cloves,
Rice/pasta to serve,
Green salad to garnish (optional).

Method:

1. Soften onion and brown chicken over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the crushed garlic.
2. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and fry with the chicken, onion and garlic.
3. Turn heat to low, and add 1/2 tube of Primula cheese. Combine well.
4. Stir in the cream, combining well. Here is where you can add the stock and cracked black pepper of desired.
5. Leave to simmer on low heat, ensuring the chicken is cooked through and everything well-combined.
6. Serve immediately over rice or pasta. I also served ours with a simple salad dressed with olive oil.

Couldn’t be easier!

I hope you’re enjoying this Primula series; I have a really tasty dessert perfect for an Easter feast coming your way soon!

Have a wonderful day,
Heather x

Review: Wella’s System Professional at Unique Salon*

March 7, 2016March 7, 2016 htlcy2 Comments

Hello there! It’s very busy over my way. I’m trying to apply for as many PhDs/jobs as possible and it’s all a little time consuming and stressful. I know what I want to do but money is the biggest obstacle at present. Wish me luck!

With all this in mind you can imagine my relief when I got a lovely email inviting me to try out the newly launched System Professional range at Unique salons. It was just the little pampering treat I needed.

I decided to attend Unique’s Beverley branch, and made a little day out of it. I got in early, had breakfast and explored the shops. Beverley in East Yorkshire is historic and beautiful, and is well worth a visit if you’re around Hull. It was nice to head somewhere a little different; I love where I live as it is so convenient but things do begin to become a little bit mundane after a while!

Unique’s Beverley store is nestled right in the centre of town and is really easy to get to from the bus station. When we arrived it began snowing very heavily which was quite unexpected! Typically I hadn’t really dressed for the weather so I was more than glad to get into the warmth of the salon!

The staff were lovely and welcoming on arrival, and I was offered a hot drink which was most definitely appreciated! I was asked to fill out a form regarding what I expected from the appointment, and the lovely John made sure to ask lots of questions regarding my hair type, current hair care regime and past treatments. He noted all my answers on a tablet which the calculated my ‘Energy Code’, allowing us to work out what treatments would prove beneficial to my hair. This process ensures the correct combination of products for optimal results.

Next my hair was washed using the appropriate products; the System Professional Balance Shampoo, the System Professional Smoothen Conditioner and System Professional Reconstructive Elixir. This was a wonderfully relaxing experience, and I felt totally at ease with the friendly staff.

The salon itself was really beautiful, and made the whole experience feel like a very special occasion. After having my hair washed and prepped, John blowdried my hair to see the results.

My hair felt really bouncy and healthy, and it was lovely to have a professional blow-dry. I really struggle to dry my hair with my hemi hand, and often end up unable to do it, so it was lovely to have it done for me.

My ‘Energy Code’ combination was noted down for me so I know what to ask for when I head back!

All in all I was really impressed with my experience at Beverley’s Unique salon. The System Professional range looks extremely promising and I can’t wait to try out the samples I received.

Many thanks to the wonderful Unique Salon Beverley team for making me feel so welcome; I’m sure I’ll be back very soon!

Why not check out Unique Salon on twitter? Search @UNIQUEsalons

You can also find out more about the System Professional range over on their website.

I hope you’re enjoying your Monday,
Heather x

I am confused

March 4, 2016 htlcy1 Comment

I’m unsure whether I’ve had a mental health blip. I don’t know.

I wish I did know.

Yesterday was strange. I had a meeting with a disability officer and I ended up crying in front of her. I suppose the tears were a result of relief and sadness. I explained everything that was bothering me – preparing for the future, dealing with constant pain, worries about not completing my dissertation to a high standard – and I then felt really stupid for letting everything get to me. Hopefully I’m getting help with the pain management as she’s referring me to a course that’ll help me to deal with all the stress that chronic pain brings. I’ll just have to wait for that.

I spent the rest of the day with that familiar anxiety swirling round right in the pit of my stomach, but I persevered. I got on with stuff. I did everything I was supposed to. In the evening went out for a drink and a catch up, and left feeling happy – completely at ease – and everything was lovely. But today I’ve woken up feeling dreadful.

I have already cried. I have a seminar to attend this evening.

Whenever I go for my medication review I always forget these things. I tell my doctor that I’m doing fine – which is mostly true – but often forget to mention these crippling episodes of anxiety. My dreams are so vivid at the minute that I wake up genuinely convinced they were part of my waking life. I’ve never had dreams so lifelike before.

I’m just really confused. I’m dreading today; it’s awful outside and I’ll be coming home in the dark. I’m already wanting to get back into bed but I have reading to do and work to finish.

Even if I did get back into bed I’d feel too anxious to sleep or relax. I’m feeling a strange mixture of confused and ridiculous.

I hope it passes.

Healthy Snacking with Nothing But*

February 29, 2016 htlcy2 Comments

Hello there! I hope you’re having a great Monday. I’m just relaxing after having dinner, and thought now would be a good time to share a fabulously healthy – and incredibly tasty – snack with you all.

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by the lovely Hannah if I’d be interested in trying out some tasty snacks. If you’ve been reading for a while you might know that I’ve been trying to include more recipe posts and easy snack ideas. Having a long term medical condition means sometimes it’s hard to ensure you’re eating well; on very painful days I’m extremely lethargic and the last thing I want to do is spend ages cooking, which is typical as excellent nutrition is just what’s needed on bad days! Most snacks are known for being fattening or high in salt/sugar, but these snacks are refreshingly different.

Nothing But are a range of snacks available in either fruit or vegetable combinations. They’re simply fruit or vegetables…no added salts, sugars, fats, colours or preservatives. These sounded right up my street, and when I opened the box and saw plenty of brightly coloured packages I was keen to try them out.

We prepare it with care to make sure Nothing But the water is removed

…

The fresh produce is taken by the lovely folks at Nothing But and then frozen, and the water evaporated. This leaves a product that is exceedingly tasty and full of natural flavours. Only ever two ingredients feature in each pack, and the flavour combinations are truly delicious.

The vegetable ones are available in the combinations of: Parsnip & Beetroot, Pea & Sweetcorn and Red Pepper & Mangetout. I was pleasantly surprised by the concentration of all-natural flavours in each bag; the process somehow intensifies each flavour, providing a tasty, natural snack that’s a lot easier to eat compared to their non-freeze dried equivalents! They’re crispy so provide that ever-so-satisfying crunch that we’re all looking for when eating a delicious snack.

If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, you’ll love the above fruit snacks. These were incredibly tasty, including the following combinations of Apple & Fig, Pineapple & Grape and Strawberry & Banana. I had a packet of these with my breakfast and I was incredibly impressed! They were incredibly fruity and deliciously sweet, which is great if you’re after a healthy alternative to other sweet snacks. These snacks are prepared in the same way as the vegetable snacks, which produces a naturally sweet range of delicious snacks suitable for any time of the day.

What is really fantastic about these is that each pack contributes to your 5 a day, providing a whole portion of your fruit/veg in each packet. Replacing those daily bags of crisps with a product like this would help you to meet this daily recommendation in no time! They’re also gluten free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans which is great if you have particular dietary requirements.

All in all I’m extremely impressed by these, and will definitely look at swapping my usual snacks with them. My personal favourites were the Red Pepper & Mangetout and the Strawberry & Banana. It’d be fantastic if these products could be bought on my university campus to stop me snacking on chocolate bars and crisps during the day.

Thank you very much to Hannah and the wonderful team at Nothing But for sending these to review. Why not check out their website?

I hope you’re having a great evening,
Heather x