Revision Season

 Favourite time of the year has once again spring upon us. To be fair, I think it gets a little hate. Once I get into the happy zone where I feel like I'm being productive, I don't mind it too much. I like creating my own schedule.

That being said, I think the record attention span I've held in the last few weeks has been about 15 minutes, so it's not really going as well as it should.

Anyway, here are some photos from the last few weeks.



I honestly didn't get up to anything (even less than usual,) except for a little trip down to London. And of course, as with every single time we go, we went to Constancia for Good Friday dinner! Constancia is an Argentinian steakhouse a short walk away from the flat in Bermondsey, and even though we usually drop 3 digits in the bill, it's never a disappointment. Mind, I wouldn't know, because I eat the exact same thing every time.

Nice weather making me happy! I'm still smashing through my circuits, even if I'm hurting for longer as they get harder. So nice doing them outside, although I renewed my gym membership and went this morning. I know it shouldn't matter... but I am a bit conscious regarding people watching my silly repetitive actions (probably doing the difficult ones wrong too) with raised eyebrows!

We get to walk past this every night on our way home! Tower Bridge is so pretty when lit up. Of course, it's nothing on the lights of home... been feeling really homesick lately.

CONSTANCIA!!! Even thinking about it is making me want to go back so bad. The sad little bowl of porridge I just had can NOT compare.

We went to watch Need For Speed per Joe's request at the Odeon before a Chinatown dinner on our last night. Food was good, even if I kept dropping into Chinese at certain points when ordering. (Didn't want to seem like I was showing off or anything....)

Anyway, I've been nominated by Lauren over at Tangible Treasures for the inspiring blog award which is pretty cool. I'd love to do more proper blogging and networking but really don't have the time to at the moment (I could, but I know I wouldn't stop,) but I'll put it my seven facts and recommend you go and read her blog!

FACTS (In no order)

1. I love, love, love classical soundtrack music. My favourite composer is Joe Hisaishi who is most known for his work on a load of Ghibli films. I also have all the Final Fantasy piano collections on my iTunes for when doing work/revision/relaxing.

2. I hate onions to the point where it's basically a phobia. I won't eat one and won't have them anywhere near me.

3. I get really bad collector tendencies. I had huge collections of beanie babies and pokemon toys and all the such as a child, and I have to be really consciously careful to not start 'collecting' stuff (running tops is a pretty weird one.) 

4. South America is the only continent (if you are the type to count it as one) that I haven't been to (excluding the arctics...) I love traveling.

5. My family on my mother's side doesn't speak English.

6. I really really want to run a half marathon either next year or the one after. Just to do it.

7. I can't do anything in my room if it isn't tidy. It drives me SO MAD.

That's about it for my facts then! Tried to pick ones people wouldn't know. Although if you've dined with me you probably know I'll cry if an onion is near me.

Good luck with revision everyone, you'll be delighted to know my next post will be about my next new Pokemon obsession! (No, I never stop.)

March Healthy Eats & Detox

I'm back! Not just back here, back in the UK! Okay, so I've been back for a week now, but surely everyone knows you need at least a week to adjust back to this miserable cold weather? Especially when I've been in sunny France, right? Whilst a ski tour update will have to wait until I finally sort through and put the photos up, here is a little update featuring... drumroll!... FOOD.

Really couldn't beat this view... even if the gorgeous sunny weather meant that (a) I got a super attractive goggle tan (b) the snow was slushy as something you would find in cone with little fruit bits in it.

 I skied to Switzerland! Which is pretty cool, especially as I can't really ski. I didn't quite go down the Swiss Wall but went around some way. (I'm not sure what way. I may have spent 5 days skiing the resort but I could barely find my way back to the hotel using the one run that gets us back there.)

Now that I am stranded on a remote island in the middle of nowhere, (I'm not even kidding... my boyfriend happens to live on a private island in the Lake District, and you need a boat to get to the rest of the town...!) I've decided to use this time to revise, apply for jobs, and cook and eat healthy meals! I generally eat quite well but a week out on the alps with twenty-ish of my good friends, pretty expensive supermarkets and a tightly-packed schedule has left me feeling not my best. PLUS, a whole week of NOT RUNNING? You can bet I was terrified I would be five minutes in huffing and panting and giving up - I get pretty bad "IF I DON'T RUN AT LEAST X TIMES A WEEK I WILL BE AWFUL," I guess my last few start-running-agains have left me with bad experiences.

Anyway, accusations against my body were unfounded as I managed 6k with Joe when we arrived up in the Lake District... even if it was slightly painful, it was more due to me coughing my lungs out. As I tell everyone - because all I do is talk about running - I can't really run in the cold weather. As someone used to running in hot humidity, the cold air hits my chest pretty badly. A few quick google searches (bloody millenial habits,) suggest that cold air is just generally a problem for those who don't run in it (i.e. stubborn girls who run like maniacs on the treadmill then fall apart of frostbite the minute they break into a jog outside.) However, as something with not-great lungs anyway, I'll be wrapping a scarf around my face and nose for an ultra-sleek, on-trend winter look an extra layer of face protection, as that's what many websites suggest. And STAY TUNED for more super exciting news!

Anyway, here is one of the first documented 'super easy BUT I still scarfed in down in about 3 seconds flat' meals we made this week! A very simple lemon-roasted veggies and sea bass plate. Me and Joe only had sea bass for the first time a few weeks ago and as it so happened, on that day, sea bass was EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED, even though we had never had it before. It was just so perfectly catered to what we'd been craving for dinner, so we went for it again at the supermarket.

Anyway, this was pretty simple: chuck the oven on, cover everything with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and roast until cooked! (MAN, roasted broccoli is good! I only got the recommendation on ski tour and I may not ever go back.) 

You don't need lemon slices on the plate, I actually just put them there to make the photograph a bit 'fancier.' 

Asides from our first day's run, the weather's been a bit rubbish so I've been doing my workouts indoors - we set up the treadmill downstairs so I kind of have a little home gym! Except it's COLD down there as it's the garden room.

We're also looking after Joe's puppies who are sixteen weeks old now. They may be cute, but they are SO mischievous! I've already had my wellies kidnapped and I've been fighting with them over the 3kg DUMBELLS of all things. 

This is a deceptive outfit. I've been bundling up in about three thousand layers here. I've also managed to lose one of my favourite mittens today, and I'm still a bit in shock.

The next two pictures are the delicacy from two nights ago! I'm kind of obsessed with vegetables so we usually have a salad with every meal (minus breakfast...) and it usually ends up being the same things in it. This time, based on the success of my recommended pesto chicken on ski tour, we decided to go for a pasta salad! Whilst I could happily eat veggies for every meal without so much as a carb, boys generally won't agree with that so I cooked up a portion of pasta to stick in the salad and it made it a whole lot more filling/more of an acceptable meal for the boyfriend.

This had: roasted peppers, aubergine and tomatoes with a little oil, salt and pepper, garden salad leaves (pre-bagged,) mixed salad leaves, pasta, quinoa (accidentally made loads so just put it all in because health benefits,) lentils, an avocado and various beans. We also put chicken cooked with pesto in! (PROOOTEIN) Dressing was extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice - only a splash of all, and hummus!

All mixed together in my plate/bowl! Plate/bowls are the superior combination of both their pre-evolved forms. Especially if you're an unfortunately messy eater like me and usually end up with food everywhere. They do not, unfortunately, stop food getting in your hair. 

Keswick is full of these quaint and lovely little cake shops. Didn't take any pictures of actual cakes, but a few days ago I had a gluten free almond and peanut cake - I don't eat gluten free but will occasionally substitute when there is a yummy looking alternative - and today I had a carrot! Still going strong into lent, although there is NO chance that I am NOT going to devour a horrid amount of malteaser bunnies when it's over.

The rest of the time has been slowly ambling through starting to revise, (I won't quite dignify it with the word 'revision' yet,) applying for jobs in the big scary world, and we're not just playing Pokemon now, but watching it. I'll post the Pokemon update in a separate post though, to try and keep things a bit tidier and so I look a bit cooler than I actually am.