January 31, 2012

A little bit of not much

I know I have been neglecting the blog recently and my posts aren't as often and I would like them to be. I am so busy at the moment with work, it being the last month of my managerial post and therefore a lot to tie up and finalise. 


Christoph is ill now, looking pathetic and not sleeping - which means that I don't sleep either! Although I can't complain considering I was ill for a week not so long ago... 


So really not that much to report up to now this week, just work work work. 


I will leave you with this lovely picture I took in Rome. It looks like it's growing from the bowl but in fact it's tumbling down the cliff above, I find it really pretty:

January 29, 2012

Italy and food

The one thing that I did want to do while in Italy despite being ill was eat. In fact I was hungry all of the time. As Sunday was a bed day the only time we actually got to see Rome was at night when in search of some food!


On the way to our first dinner:
The first night we had dinner at a restaurant near the Trevi Fountain (sorry for the bad picture but we were harassed so much by people wanting money and to take pictures of us that we ran away!)
We sat outside (in January!!!) and we had some really lovely food (cheeses, salad, lamb and boar, and wine of course!). 


The next evening we went to the Jewish Quarter in Rome as we had read that it had some amazing restaurant and that tourists were not usually found there. Perfect! And it was. It was lovely, we had some fried whole artichoke and fried zucchini flowers filled with cheese and capers for antipasti then some veal and for desert tiramisu of course. There was what we believe to be one of the locals singing and playing the guitar, the atmosphere was amazing. I totally forgot to take pictures of the area as by then I was starting to feel quite rough :(


                                                              The Colosseum


For the last night we were there we went just across the road (there was no way I was going to trek anywhere the way I was feeling). It was an Enoteca (which literally means "wine repository”) and we had what was probably the best meal of the whole trip (either that or I was feeling so miserable that the wine and food tasted unusually amazing). 


Christoph and I just shared a plate of salad (potatoes, olives, red onions, capers and cherry tomatoes. Simple but incredibly tasty), a plate of cheeses (gorgonzola, taleggio and others that I have forgotten the names right now!), a plate of cured meats (amongst it buffalo! which I loved but I think it can be an acquired taste). And wine of course. Which in Italy is very expensive to drink in a restaurant!



Now this picture you might think that it was a starter but it was in fact my desert! I have never had anything so amazing: gorgonzola completly covered in honey with a glass of Marsala wine...seriously it was one of the  best food experiences of my life. You have the cheese and the honey and you think, yeah it's alright, but THEN! you have the Marsala wine and you just suddenly think that you have died and gone to heaven, suddenly it makes sense. Seriously. Amazing. 

Rome...

...as you know was a bit of a disaster due to me being ill. Despite that we did manage to get a full day out on the Saturday and we went to the Vatican, seeing St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican's museums and the Sistine Chapel -  way too much for one day and it is probably why we could hardly walk by the end of it and why I must have gotten worse the next day!


We took so many pictures, around 300 and I am not exaggerating (thank god for digital!). So I have chosen a few to put here:




This is inside St. Peter's Basilica and I love this picture. The light coming through one of the windows gives it  feel that seems very fitting. 


This one is from the Vatican Museums and the bronze statue you can see is Hercules of the Theatre of Pompey and in front, Nero's Bowl (/ bathtub). 


All tapestries were in a room where the windows were blocked out so as to not let in too much light as the tapestries are incredible fragile. This one is of  The resurrection of Christ.


We did not realise as we went in just how long it would take us to go around. We mainly wanted to see the Sistine Chapel but unaware of the sheer space of the museums we thought we would do them too...by the end of it when we were just about to finally get to the Sistine Chapel, we were so exhausted that we were both ready to give up when:




Now, Christoph and I have VERY loud laughs, we can't help it, it's not done on purpose, but when we laugh everyone knows about it! The echo in this place was amazing too so it sounded like there were 2 crazy lunatics walking around. But we needed it so badly and it gave us the extra strength we needed.


We did get to the Sistine Chapel but I am afraid I cannot show you any pictures as you are not allowed to take any in there. The whole place, the Basilica, the Museums, the Chapel, are incredible works of Art and Architecture. We will need to go back another time and do it in a slower and less intense way so that we don't get burned out like we did. We ended up missing so much by not taking in our surrounding with the deserved attention after a few hours in there.

January 26, 2012

Grumps no more! Cup a soups no more! Well, until next time...


I feel like I have to say sorry because I have been such a grumps bag for the past week and that this has been reflected in my posts in a very obvious way! Bah humbug!


Well that little phase seems to have passed (fingers crossed!), it could be because I feel better, it could be because tomorrow is Friday and therefore the week end or it could be that tomorrow we get paid (FINALLY!!!!) and that I am going to have proper food to eat! Ok, I know this sounds dire but imagine having been paid 5 weeks ago AND that it was Christmas and new year AND that you are organising a wedding AND that it was my birthday AND that we went away to Italy AND...ok I think that's it, but I made my point. We have been eating some really weeeeeeeird stuff at the moment as that is all there was in the cupboard (and asparagus cup a soups for lunch...you heard it right and you are right to feel sorry for me, I most certainly do).


So it is with extreme excitement that I will be going into this week: I will not be ill, I will have food (shopping is arriving tomorrow night) and we are not having to go anywhere...ah bliss! This week end is what this blog is about: little bits of nice. Little bits of nice food (and wine of course), little bits of catching up on my fav tv programs (Masterchef, love it!), little bits of reading, little bits of wedding thinking and lots of snuggles! 


Christoph is out tomorrow night as he DJ's in a bar in Manchester as part of a group of them, for a night called Strictly Trainers and this means some me alone time. I never crave those moments but it is nice when it happens so that I can do some guiltless vegging out and stuff my face as no one will be looking! 

January 25, 2012

Work, bits and bobs, bubble bath!

Today has been manic. First day back in work since I got ill last week, it was busy trying to catch up and as I am still not 100% by the end of the day I was feeling rough and had a massive headache. Got home and had to get on with some washing, food shopping, writing and making the favours for the wedding, sorting clothes out etc etc, basically all the things that have been neglected recently. Literally just finished now...exhausting! 


I got a picture of the favours while we were in the middle of it - but not a good one! too tired :( - and I forgot to take one at the end when it is actually all put together (and to be completely honest I cannot be bothered to go back and do it right now so it will have to wait!)




Christoph ran a bath for me where I am about to go and veg out with lots of bubbles. I have added some baby Johnson oil to it, I often do, so that I don't have to bother moisturising when I come out as it will already be done! I love doing that, no standing in the cold after your bath , you can just get straight into bed and be allllll smooth.

CLEAN BED SHEET DAY!!!!!!!

January 24, 2012

Rome, Fail - Lykke Li and Bon Iver, Win

So...Rome was a bit of a disaster as I tried too hard on Saturday and ended up spending most of Sunday in bed at the hotel with a temperature and shivers...YAY for my crappy immune system! Perfect timing as always...


I will post some pics and do a proper post about it later this week, I just don't have the strength right now.


Today I stayed home still, due to me feeling poo but "everything" came out today like the Niagara falls (sorry, I know it's gross) and my head feels much better for it this evening. My throat is still sore but at least my skull doesn't feel like it's splitting into millions of pieces anymore! I was therefore feeling really miserable this afternoon when I turned the PC on to have something to look at and I found this which did make me smile. 


Simply awesome...



Christoph and I saw Bon Iver in Edinburgh last October and it was brilliant. Lykke Li played in Manchester last year also but we missed it! Totally gutted. 

January 19, 2012

First times and sore throat

I haven't posted in a couple of days, I've been ill and feeling really pathetic! I am still not feeling great but I am trying to will myself to get better... FAST!


Indeed tomorrow is the day of the trip. If any of you guessed the riddles I posted before,  I am going to Italy tomorrow! Present of my wonderful man Christoph for my 30th. So I will have 4 lovely days in...well I don't know where!! It is still a surprise and I am only going to find out when we are at the airport. 


I have to say I am extremely excited, of course, and at the same time slightly worried because he organised all of this by himself...(sorry sweetie, I do think you are wonderful, just forgetful that's all!). I am sure it will all be incredibly amazing, I have never been to Italy and I am very much looking forward to it...without the headache, sore throat and aches would be awesome!


The last time we went away together just the 2 of us was when we went to the Alps at the Mont Blanc, it was amazingly beautiful and the best holiday (that is an actual picture took, how awesome it that!):






I'll make sure to post some pictures when we get back! (might be able to sneak a quick post tomorrow morning from the airport to tell you where I am going! :P)


Also today I sewed with my sewing machine for the first time! I mean I have been practicing doing straight lines (doing ok...ish) but I mean I actually sewed something! Ok it was a little bit of material that had ripped on the sleeves of a top, but still!!! I sewed! It was AMAZING!


Oh and my friend Caroline told me of pinterest, which I had no idea existed (!!) and it is just amazing. So of course I am now addicted to that and in the last 2 days of being ill bored at home I have been adding to it. This is it, if you fancy having a look to either see what it is about, or have a nose at my picture boards, follow me or join yourself!  http://pinterest.com/bitsofnice/

See you all in a few days!!!

January 17, 2012

Cold, elephant and cake

...I now have a cold...yay...

My bedside table looks like a chemist and my face feels like I have an elephant sat on it...well this is obviously an exaggerated image, I think if an elephant actually sat on my face I would have no face...

No idea what I am saying, lack of oxygen does that to people.

I want cake.

January 16, 2012

Meh grumps

I know that the tittle of this post goes against what littlebitsofnice is about but man, January blues are proper settling in!


Today was so busy in work, I feel completely shattered, been in bed since 8pm trying not to fall asleep or I will be wide awake at 3am and get really angry about it...


I must be really good at concealing when I am not in the mood as that's how I felt all day and yet a student told me that I always look happy and smiling...really?!? I have this image of myself when in work and it looks like something like this:






Maybe I'm nicer than I think I am......nah.


Hmmm I'm obviously a bit of a grumps tonight, I'm not feeling the 2012 love right now, tiredness and a general sentiment of meh does that to someone.


Holiday, holiday, holiday...just keep saying it....

January 14, 2012

Presents, car keys, lasagna and sewing machines

So, it's been a couple of days, what has happened...

First my actual birthday day: An amazing day despite the fact I was in work. I was woken up by Christoph with a chocolate cake and candles to blow, as well as ballons and presents of course! Chocolate cake for breakfast is definately the best thing ever!


I got a lovely necklace and a clue to our trip next week end...the clues were in pictures and I had 4 pics:

1. Some ice cubes
2. Knees
3. Bell
4. Scones

I got it, but will you? ...

The excitement continued as I got to work (although I had to get the bus...Eurgh! Due to drinks later) and I was greeted by birthday banners and ballons and a lot of excitiment. I got lots of hugs (Yay!), a voucher to treat myself and another necklace (can you tell I love them?)

To make it even better we received our wedding rings that morning and they are beautiful!! 

We then went for a drink with some work colleagues and decided to go to Bem Brazil and basically stuff our faces and drink caipirinha! We ate so much we felt ill!

We have now come down to Surrey as we had a few appointments with flower shops...our trip was a bit of a disaster though and we did not get to Christoph's parents until 5pm! Car keys not working so we were either locked out of the car or couldn't start it, or put petrol in it...it did get a bit tense I have to admit!

We did get here in the end and we had a feast waiting for us (lasagna!!) and more presents! We got some money for our trip from Teresa and Michael (the inlaws) and an AMAZINGLY beautiful sewing machine from Andy , Christoph's brother


Edit: It's a Singer 28K in case anyone was wondering

It is the most beautiful machine ever! I will need to get a motor for it and pedal but it is mint condition and it's the loveliest thing...Good thing too as the machine I had bought was damaged during transportation so I had to send it back! 

Tomorrow is car boot then another flower meeting and then back up to Manchester...those trips are killing us...4 hours of grim death!

January 11, 2012

Eat.Sleep. And birthdays

And eat and sleep is all I will be doing tonight! I slept awfully last night, couldn't sleep, had weird dreams that kept waking me up and with a super busy afternoon at work I could fall asleep right now if it wasn't for a promise of a huge plate of sausages in the next 30 min (I can't fall asleep knowing there is sausages to be had!)


I have been trying to be really good and not just write "it's my birthday" everyday this week in here, and I have succeeded well enough but I can't help myself today, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW! 


To celebrate my last day being 29 - no reason why you can't celebrate your new age AND say goodbye to your old one - Christoph has bought me some lovely flowers. 






I absolutely love birthdays, I celebrate them the whole week (dam right) which are called birthday weeks (yes very imaginative) and I have been shouting about it for the past 2 months to anyone who wants to hear it... and those who don't. 


Tomorrow I will be 30. I have been asked this week if that is a bad thing and the answer is no! Like I said in my first post I actually think that this will be an amazing year and I think life is actually going to get better. 


So turning 30 is bloody brilliant! Plus I think I'm too much like a silly teenager in my head for age to actually mean anything - body wise is another story...gravity is a sad thing! 


This also means that there probably will not be a post from me tomorrow as I will be too busy having drinks and eating lots of food!!! What more can you ask for? 

January 10, 2012

Say hello to Meryl Sheep

Meryl Sheep has arrived today!



We will be spit roasting one of her friends on the wedding day and we think she is perfect for writing the menu down on! I think it will look fab!


January 09, 2012

My craft space

I am totally exhausted today. So glad the working day is over and I have come home without the emergency phone after having it for nearly 1 week! Happy days!

So from one desk to another...


...there it is, my own little space!

As we don't have that much money I had to go the cheap and cheerful way but I actually really like it! (Particularly my red chair!!Red is my favorite colour...in case you hadn't noticed...)

I have also had to put all of this in the living room as Christoph did not seem too keen to have me and my mess in his music room, I cannot think why that would be...

January 08, 2012

Sewing starter essentials

I have been searching online for a bit of a quick guide on what I would need to buy to start sewing and making little projects - a part from the actual sewing machine of course!

I found this by this blogger called Cheryl  and I thought it was a great list of essential sewing tools so I am sharing it!


Essentials


It's worth checking out her page as it's full of cute little bits and bobs and lovely life moments.

January 07, 2012

Woooooo!

Today is a good day! 


For one thing, I FINALLY won something on ebay! And I have never won anything on ebay. I tend to be the worse bidder in the world, I am way too slow and I panic so much that I don't even realise I have been outbid and by the time I do it is inevitably too late...useless.


But the really exciting part is WHAT I won...I won a beautiful old singer 201k sewing machine! My first sewing machine. I cannot wait to get going! It needs a new belt for the motor and I need to get a desk to have it on and bits and bobs to use it with...ok so it might be a little while until I'm all set up but oooooooh I'm so excited!


I'll try to get  picture up as soon as I can! 


Wooohooo!


Update: I've managed to get a picture so here it is! Isn't it beautiful!



Hello

Hello!


It's been a tough few years for me but it is now a new year and I have high hopes for 2012! 


There is a lot to look forward to, not least my wedding to the most wonderful man on earth...cheesy I know but I loooove cheese! It makes me happy!


Between the excitement of organising our wedding and new projects I want to get into, I might go as far as to say that this could be the best year ever...at least until next year :P 


That is why I decided to start this blog, to share all of the little bits of nice that will come our way.


This is my first try at a blog so please bear with me until I get the hang of this!