Girls Day Out | BBC Good Food Show Scotland

These type of posts are my favourite, whether I'm reading them and sharing in someone elses memories of a fun weekend, a part of their childhood, even just a trip to a restaurant or writing them and reliving my own I could quite happily waste away hours, even days reading and writing and simply soaking up all manner of memories. And you know my favourite type of memories? Foodie memories and that is what I'm bringing you today so sit back, relax and pray for a future with foodie-vision.

So as you guys probably guessed or read from this post a few weeks ago I attended this years BBC Good Food Show Scotland (because England get their own mini shows all over the country but Scotland are of course just one big city... rant over) and stuffed my face silly with samples of sweet and savoury delights all of Scotland has to offer.

The BBC Good Food Show Scotland has something for everyone, and I'm not just talking about the food, there are stalls for shopping and sampling, celebrity chef interviews, cookery workshops, cocktail workshops, pop up restaurants, live demonstrations and of course the opportunity to take in all of the culinary delights this country has to offer. Admittedly I hadn't planned the day quite as well as others perhaps would have and we missed out on quite a few of the activities but had great fun shopping and sampling as well as sneaking a peak or two at the celebrity interviews and live demonstrations.

Now I hate to be a name dropper! But we discovered a couple of quite amazing brands at the show this year and I just want to shine a spotlight on one such brand called Seed and Bean who are a 100% ethical and organic confectionery company formed in Derbyshire who make the most amazing chocolate flavours I have ever tasted in my life. It was a bit of a struggle to sample because their stall was heaving! What I mean by heaving is that my friend almost got beaten up by some angry vegans who were so desperate for some chocolate they abandoned all queuing etiquette we Brits are known for, trust me though when I say, it was worth it. I came away with a Cornish Sea Salt and Lime chocolate bar and I'm sad to say it was finished within a couple of evenings in front of the TV. Swiftly they have been added to my Christmas list *cough cough*

I urge you, if there is a Good Food Show near you in the future do go along, even if just for the free samples! You'll discover an amazing plethora of new and exciting foods, local, organic, fair trade, home made, home grown, vegan, vegetarian, chocolate, chips, chutney, vodka, gin, sausages, sweeties, cupcakes, ice cream and that was just breakfast... 

Be sure to let me know in the comments below if you have ever visited a Good Food Show or perhaps if your city just happens to have an amazing farmers market, I do love a foodie chat. As usual you can catch me Tweeting about food and getting fat on Twitter and you can always see more of what I'm stuffing my face with if you keep up with Granite City Girl on Bloglovin. 

Until next time folks, think I've gained the Good Food Show stone!

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Girls New Hair | The emotional stages of cutting your hair

You know in life when you just need to change everything all of a sudden and all at once? This month has seen me move house, start my driving theory (for the second time), buy all new furniture (part and parcel with a new home I suppose), change up my entire fitness routine and last and certainly not least, chop the mop that resides on my head. My hair has always been relatively long and as much as I loved it, it was just getting a bit lack lustre, difficult to manage and most of the time hung like a hippy wig on my face. I found that most days I'd end up throwing it into a bobble, so my answer? Chop it all off, naturally.

Now don't get me wrong I love my new look, though at first when I saw all of the sad looking split ended hair on the floor of my hairdressers I did think I would need treated for shock, it isn't every day you leave the hairdressers chair with an ewok at your feet, but in light of my recent 'ordeal' I feel as a blogger, woman and general all around good gal I would use my experience as a means to impart some wisdom on the thoughts you'll likely have if you decide to go for the chop;

1. It's so light and swooshy; Now that I've ditched the dead weight I can conquer the world with my light head and newfound carefree head swishes and I don't even have to think of my hair slapping someone in the face anymore!

2. Oh my god I look like a boy... or Miranda from Sex and the City...; is this what if feels like to be a boy? Oh my goodness is this my Dudley Moore / Monica hair cut fiasco moment?!

3. My endless supply of bobbles are useless; I wonder if there is a charity shop specifically catering to those who have bobbles, kerbies and hair clips all of which are useless now?

4. Though having said that I'm going to save a ton of money on shampoo; what I wasted on bobbles I'll be earning back with the shampoo I'll use, pea sized I tells ya pea sized!

6. Wow it's dry already! Towels and hairdryers may also be useless; my life is about to become so much more productive, I'll never have stiff arms from blow drying AND I'll have an extra 5 minutes in bed....or you know, something worthwhile and productive.

7. Ah this dress only suits long hair damn; aw geeze now I'll have to buy a WHOLE new wardrobe...what a hard life

8. Who cares? I look flawless; every day is like a catwalk... and I can finally be one of those #shorthairdontcare people!

BONUS: Now it doesn't dip in my beverages (which has previously happened on more than one occasion)

So now I have firmly become a proud member of the 'short hair don't care' brigade and shared my words of wisdom I think I have done my part for the cult (just so you're aware our lords are Taylor Swift and Kylie Jenner... just sayin) be sure to share your thoughts on hair cuts, hairdressers and just all things hair in the comments below, on Twitter or if you'd like to become part of my cult you can keep up with the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm going to say it #ShortHairDontCare,

H.Elizabeth x

Aberdeen Events | Kevin Bridges at the AECC

Comedian of the moment Kevin Bridges may be gracing our television screens more than the Kardasians these days and packing out arenas and concert venues up and down the country but he has by no means forgotten about his humbling roots in Scotland as he brought far more than a chuckle and a few cheeky stories to Aberdeens' Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) this November with his hotly anticipated, 'A different kind of story,'

It isn't often I get to see a comedian in concert, in fact I think the last person I saw was Eddie Izzard about 2 or 3 years ago, so when the AECC team came a callin' and asked if I would like to attend dinner and a comedic set for none other than Kevin Bridges, not only did I jump, I back flipped, leapt, pranced, somersaulted and did a trapeze act of such skill you'd think I had won the lottery. And so it was Granite City Girl would indeed attend the show after all.

The dinner was lovely and intimate (and no, Kevin Bridges himself was not in attendance - something a few people had asked before the evening) and before I go further I would just like to thank the catering staff at the AECC for their hospitality and amazing presentation as well as their pr and marketing manager Leigh-Ann for putting on such a great event (and braving the queues running back and forth for wine and delicious beverages!)

It's a very rare thing when you can connect and identify with a stranger and there is no medium by which this is better achieved than comedy and Kevin's particular brand of observational comedy struck all of the right chords with the audiences in Aberdeen that evening. Not only are his observations about life in Scotland, school , wider political issues and seemingly minute encounters totally spot on and relatable but are delivered with such passion and ease that the evening felt like a chin wag wee an old pal despite his Scottish Kardashian like stature.

Chants from the crowd of 'one more joke' could undoubtedly be heard in the surrounding neighbourhoods as Kevin prepared to depart but thankfully returning once more for his encore during which he read Tweets and answered questions from the crowds in attendance, something I personally have never seen a comedian or act do in all my years but was pleasantly surprised by his use of new media (that's me with my PR hat on!)

I returned home that evening with 'sare chicks' from smiling and laughing so much and next time Kevin visits the Granite City I'll be dragging my other half along, though I'm sure he won't take too much convincing. Kevin Bridges continues his A Whole Different Story tour throughout the UK for the rest of November and part of December and if you're interested in some relatable comedy with a Scottish flair get yourself along!

Were you lucky enough to see Kevin Bridges in concert this time around? I'd love to hear what you thought in the comments below. Otherwise you can catch me hanging out tweeting and twittering away on Twitter and if you'd like to see more of my 'sare chicks' be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, laughing my lower 'chicks' aff.

H.Elizabeth

Granite City Mer Case | Go Customized Personalised Phone Case

Today as you could undoubtedly tell from the title of this post we're heading off under the sea, don't worry though we won't be talking on shells or god forbid heading into the chilly depths of the North Sea, nah today we're taking a rather metaphorical trip under the sea with my brand new iPhone case from Go Customized.

Now just so you know when it comes to my phone I am super lazy, I always see people on instagram or you know, outside in the wider world with these amazing phone cases  bejeweled, cat shaped, unicorn shaped, french fry boxes, fluffy, suede, leather, glitter filled, liquid filled and generally magnificent creations which I have never bothered to treat myself to (I know, I know, me not treating myself? Whaaaat?!)

So when Dutch born company Go Customized got in touch asking if I would like to review one of their personalised phone cases I was excited to give my good old iPhone 5 a bit of a spruce up. The company had a plethora of cases to choose from soft cases, hard cases, ultra light hard cases, wooden cases, flip cases, wallet cases, tough cases in fact the only thing missing were little trolleys in which to transport your phone around in, that and you know inflatable cases (how awesome would that be?) 

Thinking of what I wanted to put on the case must have been the toughest decision I have ever had to make in all of my 22 years of life! Well, you know how I am for exaggeration but think about it, I have my phone in my hand 50% of the time, it's always with me and it's considered the hub of all social activity.. so yes I suppose it is a pretty big deal! And why the mermaid scales? Well because I'm a mermaid of course and wanted to skin the tails of my mer enemies....

The case I ended up going for was a full wrap hard case, mainly to get the good out of the picture I uploaded as well as the fact I'm super clumsy and need a hard case, I was a little nervous as to the quality of a case ordered online and half expected it to be a flimsy plasticy thing, but to say I was impressed simply doesn't do it justice. The design is the same as I had uploaded with no obscurities, the texture is lovely and matte which I think is something a little different to the traditional cases you can buy in the shops in short it just looks so sleek. Admittedly, yes I dropped the case as part of a test just to see if it really could be 'Hannah proof' and as you can tell from this post, yes it did indeed survive, this ain't no boy in the striped pyjamas tale I'm telling! 

It may vary for different types of phone cases but if you're like me, a little overwhelmed by the plethora cases on the market why not make it your very own and personalise your iPhone 5 with Go Customized? Make it blue, make it pink, make it a multicoloured multitude of styles, sparkles and most importantly make it you! Hopefully you have enjoyed hearing about my case woes and customised purchases of late and perhaps it has inspired you to get a little more personal. As always you can catch me on the flip-side also known as Twitter, more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, skinning the scales of my enemies for more cases.

H.Elizabeth x

Happy Anniversary Mum & Dad

Just a quick soppy little post to say a big happy anniversary to my mum and dad who have been happily married 21 years today, if Nick and I are half as happy as you in 20 years time we'll count ourselves lucky, Ross and Rachel ain't got nothing on these two let me tell you! Unfortunately as they are quite camera shy (unlike me!) and I couldn't snap a picture of the two before this blessed day despite my best efforts. But hey just you wait until next year!

Continue to enjoy your 'happily ever after' and live long and prosper.

Love Hannah, Nick and Marble x

Social Media | Unfriend Zone

Oh I do love a good rant, and since posting my blogger pet peeves recently I've came to see you guys do too! Admittedly I perhaps rant a bit more than the average human being and hey why not? The world is so full of wondrous moments of idiocy, irritants and general annoyances that if I didn't point them out who else would!? So in light of my devotion to and deep love of the good old fashioned rant I thought I would share with you today some of the things I have unfriended people for on Facebook during the course of my social media years.

Now before I get started I just want to say that you know, to each their own, I don't mind baby pictures, pictures of your latest holidays, after all isn't that what this glorious social media generation is all about? So take that baby picture, upload that tanning snap and come at me horizon and sunset pictures! But please, for the love of god, keep the following in your home or in your head!

Women who make anti feminist statements

This one wasn't as much a 'I hate feminist' post, rather it was a post on why men should be regarded as higher beings than women and that this particular young lady, 'exists to serve her man' that it (I guess it meant her life) ought to be about his hopes, his dreams, his ambitions and above all else his desires. To be quite honest it looked like an excerpt from 50 shades taken that step too far and if that's the kind of things you'll be sharing I say sayonara to you! 

Excessive photoshopping of selfies

This one was so ridiculous I must have shown every single one of my friends and family members, somebody had smoothed their face, altered their features, hair colour, eye colour and added a false hair accessory only to display this as their own profile picture. Of course being the understanding soul I am (cough) I gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought ach it's a joke. Oh no my friends, oh no, this picture received well over 50 likes and a good few comments on how amazing this person looked and how different to which this person replied, aw thanks just good lighting..... hm... I rest my case.  

Overuse of pet names and PDA's

This I have done to more than one couple in the past, it simply baffles me that couples validate their relationships through gooey pet names and sickly sweet PDA's in their day to day life let alone in the digital world. Worse still, these people generally live together, that's right folks, they're sat opposite each other, in the same room of their house, tagging, untagging, liking, poking, prodding and causing a general digital annoyance to my feed, see ya later pookie!

Well guys, now you've heard my social media pet peeves, well at least we've scraped the surface! So now I'd love to hear yours, be sure to let me know what gets your goat, gives you social sweats or just blows your digital top in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or of course if you'd like to hear more from Granite City Girl you can follow me on Bloglovin'

Until next time folks, love you forever honey and I'll see you soon pookie!

H.Elizabeth

Yoga in the Deen | What to expect from your first yoga class

Lady my body simply wasn't meant to bend that way!

Hello everyone, today I am back with yet another exciting Granite City Girl what to expect post and today I'm going to be tackling what to expect from your first yoga class. A few weeks ago one of  my friends and I decided that it would be good for our fitness, health, minds and general well being to take on a yoga class and get some much needed zen in our lives. As you guys know I recently moved house and as well as all of the lovely little moments life throws at you in the mix I was stressed, and I don't do well with stress, and my solution? Yoga! A little piece of advice guys....yoga is NOT the answer!

Unfortunately my local fitness haven Pure Gym does not host yoga classes (guys sort it out!) at the moment so we went to an independent city centre yoga studio which had been given the thumbs up by various yogis and reviewists of the inerwebs and decided to go with a class which noted it was ideal for all experience levels and even beginners. At the beginning of the class we were told to take our yoga mats and some foam blocks (which I had NO idea what they were used for) and find a space. Now this is where we ran into our first hurdle, these classes are in such high demand that you're seriously at risk of a yogi smashing you in the face with their foot, hands, face and all manner of orifice, you're genuinely that close to your neighbour at all times which obviously makes it quite difficult to relax.

We moved through the different positions but it soon became quite clear we were the dunces of the class as we were consistently corrected by the class leader and then advised to literally sit and watch our fellow class mates (rude, hey lady I paid £8 for this class!) I continued to join in and try my best, which as a beginner in a class full of yoga genii that's all you really can do, but at this point either I was acing it or the instructor just straight up gave up on me! I was beginning to enjoy myself a little more, I felt like around halfway through I found my flow and stopped worrying a bit about what everyone else was thinking about me and my abilities, hey everyone's got to start somewhere right? 

The part of the class I found the most difficult and that I wasn't very prepared for was the amount of breathing techniques that would be involved, that is definitely something I have got to work on if I want to keep this class up (if any of you have any yoga tips be sure to leave them below) The class in its entirety lasted about 1 hour and 15 minutes with a 5 minute savasana at the end (the sleepy sleepy relaxy bit) and leaving I certainly did feel more refreshed and ready to take on my bed, let's be honest guys yoga makes you sleepy!

The next day however, was an entirely different story. I hurt more than I did after spin class. My legs, my thighs, my abs, my arms even! Everything ached and I found my regular walk to work far tougher than I really should have, so mix that in with having to shift boxes from one end of Aberdeen to another for the next week I was not relaxed, de-stressed or ZEN at all! 

I'm definitely going to continue my You Tube yoga with Adrienne (she always tells me how brilliant I am) I feel like the videos are so much easier as it's just you by yourself and you can pause, rewind and generally take it at your own pace rather than attempting to keep up with a class of 30 seasoned yoga students. Perhaps in a few months time when I'm feeling a bit more confident in my techniques I'll go back but for now I'll stick with spin!

Have you ever attended a yoga class in your area? How did you find the experience? I'd love to hear all of your tips, tricks, and experiences in the comments below, come have a laugh about my experience with me on Twitter or of course if you'd just like to see more of my humiliations be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm just going to skip to savasana.

H.Elizabeth x