I Dream of Gin | Cocktails at Orchid Aberdeen

It's so refreshing when you meet people who are genuinely passionate about their craft. People who could sit and chat for hours about their business and who always greet customers with a smile, this sums up city centre cocktail bar and Aberdeen hot spot, Orchid, to a tee. Home to the inventive minds behind Porters Gin and no stranger to the odd award winning bartender, Orchid is always first on my list of nightly hot spots.

Recently the Aberdeen bloggers and I had the pleasure of being invited along to Orchid to have a chat about the business,  learn a bit more about the brains behind the bottles (Porters Gin that is) and of course enjoy some stellar cocktails from their new winter menu, and with my other half in tow for his first ever blogger event. Here's how we got on.

 
Mini masterclass & the pink orchid
To start off our evening I got behind the bar and showed the other bloggers how it was done...Nah I'm just kidding but I did get to make a pretty fantastic Pink Orchid Cocktail (THE cocktail of the Aberdeen drinking scene if you didn't know) We were given a brief history of the drink, a rundown on how to create your own version of the pink orchid and we even came up with a rather fantastic tasting melon daiquiri!

A history of gin
Being the 'in drink' of the moment, Orchid have fully embraced the spirit with their own Porters Gin (delish!) and we were treated to a trio of gin's from throughout the ages. Suffice to say these guys seriously know their stuff, from conception to creation and all of the nasty, gritty bits in between it's amazing to hear just how far gin as a drink has come and changed into the sophisticated beverage we know and love (a little too much sometimes) today.

Brand new Winter Cocktails
For our groups grand finale we were treated to three new cocktails from Orchid's winter menu. The Religious Robbery (my favourite)  a gin based, spiced pina colada and a new take on the sweet and vanilla pink orchid from earlier which is unlike anything I have ever tasted for sure. The Honey Rice, a rum lovers dream full of dark notes and warming to the core, and finally the Beerlini, a long drink, which is exactly what it sounds like and unfortunately not my cup of tea or indeed cocktail of choice.

During the winter months Orchid will be releasing 8 new winter cocktails, and each cocktail will be associated with a location in Aberdeen, for example rum based Honey Rice is associated with Fittie for it's piratey connotations (clever huh?) Originally inspired by a New Orleans bars idea, Orchid have placed their own Aberdonian twist on this clever piece of marketing which encourages cocktail connoisseurs and visitors alike to get out and explore the city. A badge will be presented with each cocktail and customers will be encouraged to go and snap a selfie at their given cocktail location which may win you a prize when you next visit.

Thoroughly buzzed and happy with the evenings events we stumbled home, ending another holly jolly night at my favourite cocktail bar. I'm so looking forward to visiting Orchid over the festive period and much as my liver may not agree I'm feeling pretty determined to attain every badge and tick every place off of Orchid's list. What can I say? I want to be the very best... like no one ever was...

Hopefully once again you guys have enjoyed this small glimpse into Granite City life and perhaps have found a new Aberdeen haunt if you've never visited Orchid before (say whaaaat?) If you like what I've done here I do even more! Right here on Twitter, right here on Instagram and of course more from the Blog, here on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, spice up your gin?

H.Elizabeth x

Lush Skincare | Imperialis Facial Moisturiser Review

 

It was the rainiest day in the history of the world when I ran soaked through to my bones into my local Lush store, and at 5.25pm no less (5 minutes before closing; sorry again guys!) desperate for some skincare goodies and a bit of skin TLC. Recently my face has been a nightmare of immense proportions, after suffering a cough an cold for a good two weeks my nose has been rubbed raw and my face seems to have broken out in that hellish rash again, leaving me resembling the unsexy side of the Phantom of the Opera. Lush were the answer.

I came away with a good couple of products, one of my favourite fresh face masks (which I hope I don't forget about again!) another bubble bar and finally my current skincare favourite Imperialis which the lovely lady helped me pick out, and if you hadn't guessed happens to be the subject of todays post.

The Imperialis moisturiser is known as one of Lush's great all around products that is a treat for your face whether you have dry, oily, combination or even scaley skin and if I'm going to be totally honest the tipping point of my purchase was the scent, it is divine, though I have been struggling to put my finger on just what the smell I'm drawn to is, I have a hunch it's the lavender or the cocoa butter but stay tuned!

And if the scent wasn't enough to draw me in I just had to take a peak at the ingredients, with balancing properties such as lavender and lily petals, soothing elderflower and throw that in with the olive oil, shea butter and orange flower absolute, I was sold, and couldn't wait to see what the shea butter would do to my skin. The pretty pale pink formula is a bit heaver than the Enzymion which I used throughout the summer last year, but my skin drinks this stuff I'm never left sitting with an oily face for very long and afterwards my skin feels so silky smooth and hydrated though because it is still quite a thin consistency and my skin is very dry I do sometimes need a bit more than one coat which is a bit of a downer give the price tag of around £12.50 per pot.

Throughout the interwebs I have found a lot of people have broken out using this moisturiser, this isn't something I have found personally thus far but it's something to consider if you're thinking of giving this a go, and I'd steer clear if you have a lot of allergies or have particularly sensitive skin, but as I'm sure you can tell I've found this months match at least and hopefully this will save me through the remaining winter months!

What are your favourite lush products? Or do you even have a recommendation for other similar moisturising products that might save my scaley, dry, phantom esque face? Be sure to leave everything in the comments below, come be a pal and share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with my own reviews, recommendations and rambles be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, off to tune my organ.

H.Elizabeth x

Ditch Dull Winter Skin | The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

Throughout the summer I get freckles, I suppose we can call it a Scottish tan can't we? During the summer I may suffer with hayfever but my skin never feels better, my skin feels more hydrated, looks brighter and just feels great. Fast forward a few months or rather a couple of weeks given the length of the Scottish summer in comparison to winter and it's a different story. My freckles have faded, my skin looks grey and I'm just not drinking as much water as I really should be, and this happens every year, like clockwork.

So when I visited the Body Shop in Aberdeen's St Nicholas Centre a couple of months ago and explained my impending skin problems I was handed the holy grail of hydrated, healthy skin in the form of their Vitamin C Exfoliating Facial scrub. As the name suggests the scrubs key ingredient is Vitamin C, commonly known as the sunshine vitamin and can be found in citrus fruits like oranges, but you know rather than eat an orange from time to time I'd prefer to smother them all over my face! 

The scrub does exactly what it says on the tin, gently buffs away dead skin cells leaving skin feeling soft and smooth as well as giving your skin a refreshing summer glow and over time can improve your skins texture and overall tone. And a small bonus point? It smells amazing! This scrub strikes a great balance between being an abrasive and gentle scrub with micro particles and crushed garnet making up the abrasive texture of the formula, but it might still be a little too much for sensitive skin types. The beads are very fine and can get a little messy but as I use this product in the shower before cleansing it really doesn't make a difference but it's something to consider for the traditional morning rush.

Since I began using this scrub I have noticed a difference in my skin tone and texture, it's simply smoother and brighter, the effects seem to be lasting a little longer than the more 'fashionable' scrubs I have used in the past and I'm looking forward to seeing when the cold weather really sets in just how well the scrub can hold up. Though this scrub is a little more pricey than the usual high street brands retailing at £15 for a 75ml tube a little goes a long way, all you need is a pea sized amount for each use so you will get the good out of the product.

Keep your eyes peeled throughout the winter months on my instagram for a new, fresh summer face, or a dried out one from scrubbing too hard, only time will tell! What is your favourite winter skin care saviours or even your favourite Body Shop products? Be sure to leave them in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more of my radiant / dried face be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, rubbing oranges on my face for winter.

H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | Apple and Cinnamon Flapjacks

With my healthy eating going relatively well (for three weeks in a row, what an achievement) I thought it was high time I got back into my kitchen and began to experiment with some healthier snacks and sweet treats to stave off any hunger pangs, cravings and general sweet toothiness I get throughout my days and I thought what better way than some sweet and fruity flapjacks?

Following a general flapjack recipe I altered it slightly to make it a bit healthier and Granite City Girl friendly (by simply adding honey, apple and cinnamon) and with it having become my new health friendly snack I thought I would share it with you guys as part of my year of health and well-being. 

Equipment

Scales 

Shallow tin

Baking Parchment

Wooden Spoon

Grater

Ingredients

115g Margarine 

75g Brown Sugar

250g Rolled Oats

4 tbsp Honey (add or take away depending on how gooey you like them)

1.5 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 Apples

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C, grease and line your shallow tin with baking parchment ready for your mixture.
2. Add the butter, sugar and honey to a pan and place over medium heat until melted. Remove from the heat and add your rolled oats and ground cinnamon. Grate your apples, skin on or off, entirely your choice and add this to the mixture too.
3. Spoon your mixture into the shallow tin and press into corners of the tin with a fork, bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Once golden brown remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes then cut into squares (or any shape you so choose)
4. For decoration you can add a few slices of apple to the top or you can drizzle over some honey.

These are really fun to make and you can even substitute the apples for pears, bananas or even chocolate, they're so versatile and you can always make them that little bit healthier... you know if you really want to mess with the masters recipe! Of course I'm not saying if you eat these everyday you'll lose a great deal of weight or that its a miraculous hidden health gem, but it's a damn sight better than eating a massive cake or chocolate bar on a daily basis.

So now that I'm back to baking I'd love to hear what you've been doing in the kitchen, especially if your home bakes are relatively healthy, and of course if you do give these flapjacks a go be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know how it goes. As always I love hearing from you be sure to catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more from the Granite City you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time, I'll be baking.

H.Elizabeth xx

New Year Reflections | 2014

It has certainly been a blast this past year, and at the moment I have been seeing a great deal of posts surrounding the new coming year and how much everyone would like to change themselves, their circumstance and generally their happiness and I think that's great, self improvement is where all great things begin in my opinion. But today I personally would like to do something a little bit different and reflect on 2014 in all its glory, because to sum up my past year in a word would be wonderful.

I didn't set any resolutions for 2014 except to just get by, through and enjoy all of the upcoming milestones (I didn't half make life difficult!) and likewise I won't be setting any resolutions for 2015.

First and foremost I graduated from my 4 year degree in Communications and Public Relations with a 2:1 and happily did not fall flat on my face collecting my scroll as I had feared (years of watching Lizzie McGuire face-plant had given me THE FEAR, in addition to those darn You Tube videos we all love to laugh at!)

This unfortunately was followed by a couple of difficult months finding a job, which looking back now I wouldn't trade for the world! (silly me to have left my stable job of 5 and a half years due to a workplace bully and of course to focus on my dissertation) after a couple of stints in various jobs and experiences, which I value as part of myself and my past now, I have found a job which  I have been in for about 5 months now, I really enjoy and allows me to gain valuable experience in magazine writing, editing and general marketing and communication goodness!

Swfitly this was followed by our beautiful wedding which I wish I could relive over and over again as it really was our perfect little day just for us and a few friends and family of course. Admittedly the bridezilla in me did come out and I am ashamed to admit the stress got to me a litte bit you know planning a wedding, completing a degree and looking for a job do tend to get a bit stressful in themselves. But of course as you know it all came together for our intimate ceremony in the Cornish countryside in what we consider to have been our dream wedding.

And of course ladies and gentleman, I started documenting my thoughts, feelings, reviews, life ramblings and memories with all of you in my little piece of the internet that is Granite City Girl and I have loved every minute I have spent as part of this blogging and reader community, relationship thing we have going on and may it long continue!

So 2015, dare I say you have a great deal to compete with but I look forward to your efforts!

I hope your 2014 has been as lovely and eventful as mine and I look forward to venturing forth into this brand new year with you ladies and gents! Be sure to share your best memory from 2014 in the comments below and if you would like to follow me into 2015 come find me on Bloglovin

Until 2015 folks!

H.Elizabeth x

Merry Christmas from Granite City Girl and family!

Hello everyone, hope you're all well and looking forward to the big day tomorrow! As I have been incredibly busy with Christmas shopping, family trips, visits and generally keeping above the festivities that come hand in hand with this time of year I decided that today all I would like to say to you all is thank you for tuning in every week and I really do hope you have a lovely Christmas and Santa is VERY good to all of you! 

Merry Christmas all! 

Until next time folks! 

H.Elizabeth 

Not another MAC post?! | Burgundy Party Line

With party season well and truly upon us, and may I also add almost passed us, I thought what better way to mark this occasion than with a brand new MAC lip purchase!

Recently I've been going through my make up having a bit of a sort through, clear out and general 'I've forgotten what I have' rummage around in my drawers and I realised that I have a few bits and pieces missing from my collection which I would love to have throughout this party season. One of said items I was meaning to purchase during October when the Rocky Horror MAC collection was released, but sadly it was not meant to be and I had to venture forth into my life Rocky Horrorless....

So finding myself at a loose end I decided to take a trip to the MAC store and treat myself, again, to a pre Christmas present from me to me and I walked out with one of their Cremesheen lipsticks in 'Party Line' and one of their 'Burgundy' lip liners to go along with it. Of course I rushed home to try it out as soon as I could (much like Charlie Bucket with his golden ticket)

 

The colour is a bit more intense than what I would usually go for, but I am getting a little more adventurous in my make up use, I say adventurous but I'm hoping the look I'm achieving isn't 'eccentric' Since playing about with it a little I must say I am surprised it hasn't been highlighted as more beauty bloggers party season favourite, it's a classic berry sheen with the perfect balance of shimmer in there and paired with the 'Burgundy' liner along with a slick of gloss it's gorgeous! 

I'm really chuffed with this lippy I think it's going to be a great asset to my collection as it can be dressed up with a perty frock, paired with a sleek hair do you could go very 1950's pin up or you can of course wear it with a slouchy jumper and a hint of liner, it's that versatile! The shade I feel will also go along with a number of different skin tones, it is a very shocking and intense colour against my peely wally skin but the colour is so deep and lovely I think it would look just as lovely on someone with a darker skin tone.

As always I'm really chuffed to find a lippy that won't dry out my lips, stands the test of time and water and of course has such a gorgeous colour. Another thing I'd like to say just before I sign off is that I'm always really chuffed with the way the ladies in the MAC store help their customers out, they really got my requirements spot on especially given I'm usually so vague about what I want and I am terrible at verbal descriptions! In short I highly recommend you pick this lovely little number up for party season and as I say I'm very shocked more people haven't been raving about this sooner!

What do you guys think? Have you got any go to party shades this year or do you even have any MAC recommendations for me, I'd love to hear them? Be sure to drop me a comment below, come chat with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to see more of me, my reviews and my face be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth

Christmas at the Cinema | St Vincent Review

For those of you who were wondering, yes I am still very much a cinema geek dating back to my 'cinephile' post a little while back I can tell you with great certainty that nothing has changed. In fact now that my life has a bit of routine in it since leaving university earlier this year I'm a more active cinema goer than ever, and my unlimited card has certainly been through the ringer these past few weeks with the latest in Christmas releases, from Paddington and Horrible Bosses 2 to the Hobbit and the Hunger Games my cinema life has never seen so much action!

But today I wanted to tell you about an unexpected gem that I suspect may go overlooked by many a cinema goer in the coming weeks and just as a word of recommendation from me I highly suggest you see Bill Murray's latest acting endeavour 'St Vincent' 

St Vincent Movie Poster 2014

Now I know what a lot of you will be thinking, Bill Murray is often viewed as a love him or hate him kind of actor and well I love him and my mother hates him, but in this film I can't imagine anybody not being able to muster at least a smirk at his comedic performance as inappropriate aging childminder Vincent!

I will try not to give too much of the story away but in the opening scenes we are introduced to the crass, elderly veteran Vincent de Van Nuys (Bill Murray) who lives out his days drinking hard liquor, wasting his money at the race tracks and generally making others around him a bit miserable. Of course when introduced to his new neighbours, Maggie (Melissa McCarthy) and her 12 year old son Oliver (Jadeb Lieberher), is nothing but his typical grumpy self. Following unexpected difficulties at school, Oliver finds himself in the care of Vincent after an opportunity to squeeze some cash from single mother Maggie presents itself.

Vincent and Oliver go on to share in all kinds of debauchery and archaic experiences including a few stints at the race track, broken noses and of course Olivers introduction to Daka (Naomi Watts), a 'lady of the night' Throughout the course of the film Vincent and Oliver forge an unlikely friendship which is both heartwarming and endearing to witness. The film has scenes of laughter, love and heartbreak and  I would recommend it to anyone who would like to avoid the shiny shiny of the many blockbusters we have thrust in our faces these days in favour of a gem of a film.

Hopefully this encourages at least one of you to give the film a go, if you do go see it let me know or if this has convinced you to see it drop me a comment below! If this isn't up your street I also highly recommend Paddington, the final Hobbit movie or if it's still in of course do not miss The Imitation Game! Are there any films, cinema, DVD or television you've been loving lately, I always love to hear about new releases, be sure to leave a comment, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more Granite City posts come find me on Bloglovin.

Happy watching until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth xx

Where is all of the 'Christmas Spirit?' | Christmas Shopping

It must be said, at this time of year I tend to have a love / hate relationship with shopping , well I say it's shopping but if I'm being totally honest it's Christmas shoppers. I apologise in advance for the unseasonably downer of a Christmas post but I'm afraid the world must be called out on their behaviour and so called 'Christmas cheer'  

I entered with high hopes, my mum had treated me to a slap up breakfast in town and the sight of the biggest and brightest decorations the shopping centres had to offer left me feeling incredibly full of festive cheer and I was incredibly ready and rearing to greet the days worth of shopping. And that's when it happened...

The not so subtle shoving, barging, pushing, lack of shopper etiquette as well as the complete and total abandonment of the much coveted Christmas spirit of the year and so the days events unfolded! If I could pinpoint one moment in the day I began to notice a difference I suppose I would say it all started with a tea set, beautiful, vintage and right up one of my friends/family members street the perfect gift....and did I mention it was also the very last one in store! Having picked it up, examined it for scratches, scathes and general scrappiness I decided, yes, this was the one, but all the while I felt a breath on my neck and a handbag nearly up my backside of another suitor for this tea set and upon discovering, much to her dismay, that I had claimed it as my own audibly sighed, mumbled profanities and shot a look in my direction which can only be described as 'bah humbug'....and that was only the beginning.

Throughout my Christmas journey I encountered similar acts of festive cheer and bah-humbugery of the highest order, such as the lady who decided to stop dead in the middle of the busiest street in town only to tut and titter when everyone maneuvered quickly around her or goodness forbid accidentally bump her handbag or perhaps the tale of the family who decided to use their push chair (child still inside) as a battering ram in order to fully dominate the tiny aisle space in BHS would be a more Christmassy tale. And lets not get started on Poundland (which may as well have a sign above the door which reads, 'Ye who enter here, abandon all hope) where I ditched all of my shopping in favour of sanity at having seen the queuing system, or lack thereof, a pet peeve of mine and the rest of the nation. Or perhaps the most interesting of all the elderly lady in Thorntons  who fully bashed, and made me fall onto the counter, in a bid to show her disdain for her lack of purchase, but not to worry she was quickly shut down by the cashier who came to my rescue as the bumper decided it was in fact my ass that was too big, as opposed to her manners being too few.

Much resembling THAT scene from much beloved comedy Christmas movie, 'Jingle All the Way' (the bit with the ball chasing) my hometown became a bloodbath of red tinsel, festive footwear and frivolous spending (that is the only way I can describe a woman piling handfuls upon handfuls of Christmas gift bags into her paws!)

So today ladies and gentleman I ask, why at the 'most wonderful time of the year', the time we ought to be the kindest, warmest and cheeriest we can be (it is indeed an unrealistic expectation I know) do we behave like animals, abandon all sense of moral right and wrong and simply stress one another out!? I myself have noticed that since the Black Friday madness those of us not living under a rock were forced to endure, shopping and the entire experience has refused to go back to normality and the sales aren't even on any more!

In fact in order to de-stress, cool off, let off some steam and generally calm down my mum and I found ourselves trailing a MILLION bags into the cinema with us to see Paddington, and I tell you it worked wonders, watching a fuzzy wee bear navigate London made Aberdeen and the shoppers look a little bit better.

Everything about the entire Christmas shopping experience this year has forced me to reevaluate the way in which I shop, the next time I shall not be going out armed with a fluffy parka and eyes full of hope, instead my weapon of choice will be steel capped boots and a hard visor! 

As I said I do apologise for the cynical Christmas post but I just wondered if everyone elses Christmas shopping experiences have been similar to mine this year? Or is it perhaps just me? (I really hope not) I would love to hear your Christmas shopping experiences from this year or perhaps you have a funny Black Friday story to share! Either way leave them in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to hear more of my Granite City rants be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'll be here catching up with a little zen!

H.Elizabeth x

Christmas Gifting | DIY Festive Lip Scrub

Recently I have been experimenting with various scents, flavours, food stuffs and colours in my kitchen, and as odd and potion like and, well, Breaking Bad as that sounds, don't worry it's all in the name of a cost effective Christmas. From a failed attempt at a gingerbread house, too embarrassing to share, to eventually ending with flour, sugar and all matter of ingredients all over my kitchen, living room and my cat, I accepted defeat at the hands of Baking Mad and moved on to something more my speed.

And so with the incredible success (if I do say so myself) of my own little DIY lip scrubs I thought I would share some of  my more festive scrubs with you so you don't have to go along and shell out £5.50 at Lush for Santa's Cola Lip Scrub (not that I am claiming mine are ANY better than Lush but they are tasty!) This is a super easy DIY and I bet you can find most of the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard, the only thing you may have to go on a little hunt for are small plastic containers to hold you lusciously lovely scrubs in.

Christmassy Lip Scrubs

What you will need

3 Tablespoons of caster sugar

3 Tablespoons of conditioning oil (you can use coconut oil, jojoba oil or extra virgin olive oil)

Flavouring of your choice (make sure it won't irritate your face!)

Small amount of food colouring of your choice (optional and remember your face!)

Small pots or containers (depending on how much you make add a bow for decoration)

What you need to do

 Measure out your oil into a small bowl

Add the sugar and mix well

Add the flavouring and colouring (if you have chosen to do so)

Scoop your finished creation into clean containers and you're ready to scrub!

As you can see I opted for the ever so traditional Red and Green, I had pondered going for a yellow food colouring to go for a gold ish scrub... but then I remembered yellow snow is not such a good look especially not for something to rub across your face day to day (good one if you want to give someone a slightly rubbish gift)

If you are looking to make it a little bit more Christmassy I would suggest adding the juice of some cranberries, which will enhance the taste of your scrub and may even give your lips a little bit of a glow (you will just have to add a bit more sugar to get the correct consistency) Flavour wise I chose vanilla (playing it safe following the gingerbread incident) but you could always go for something a little more festive like cinnamon, or dare I say ginger! And if you're feeling a bit more brave you could add some face friendly glitter or dazzle dust into the mix for added sparkle!

I hope you guys have enjoyed this beauty DIY which will hopefully save you some pennies and of course save you from the chaos that is Christmas shopping. I'd love to see your efforts if you decide to tackle this tasty lip scrub or anything that you have been making this holiday season, have you successfully erected a gingerbread house? Of course as you know I love to hear from you so be sure to drop me a comment below, tweet your photos at me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City antics come find me on Bloglovin

Happy gifting folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Winter Reads | Wuthering Heights

Set the scene: A cold, dark, Granite City night, you come in and shake the snow from your drenched fluffy hooded coat and stomp excess snow and water from your boots drop your bags and head to change into those fluffy pj's that have been beckoning all day.

Pyjama and slipper boots ready you whip up a home made hot chocolate complete with canned cream, mini marshmallows and grated chocolate, throw a blanket around your shoulders and settle on the sofa. Cosy setting at the ready you pick up your favourite annual winter read, in this case Wuthering Heights, and scene.

At Christmas there is really nothing better than grabbing a blanket, cup of hot choccie and snuggling down with a good book. I think this is a tradition that nobody can escape, unless of course you're running about like a mad man trying to get Christmas gifts last minute (tut-tut) So with that in mind I thought I would share my annual winter read, why I love it and what it means to me!

At this time of year I'm afraid Dickens and his Christmas Carol just doens't do it for me, in fact nothing says Christmas to me more than Wuthering Heights (despite there being no mention of the festive season in the book!)

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Overly loved copy of Wuthering Heights

I first discovered Wuthering Heights when I was in my final year of school, so about 5 years ago, during an assignment where our English teacher asked us to abandon our comfort zones and read a genre we traditionally wouldn't (with most of the girls choosing the ever so original Twilight - which they traditionally would have read anyway ugh!) so I opted for one of the classics and decided Wuthering Heights dark undertones and twisted story line sounded far more interesting than the trials and tribulations of Mr Darcy or indeed Edward Cullen! During the assignment I read the book two or three times and so began my long lasting love and Christmas tradition of enveloping myself in Bronte's world.

What draws me so much more to this book than the other classics is that the heroine is a very flawed and real character who isn't like your run of the mill female characters from the classics who quite frankly allow their men to walk all over them. Likewise our anti hero, Heathcliff, isn't all frilly shirts and afternoon tea, you really have to look hard and dig deep to find any real and 'usual' romance in the novel.

Of course as a bonus the scenery and entire landscape which Bronte paints of the moors, which you can kind of see on the cover, Wuthering Heights and the locations the characters find themselves in are just spectacular, so chilling, dark and  wintery which of course explains my need for a hot chocolate whilst reading!

I'm not going to explain the plot in great detail for those of you who haven't read it but still may but I will say it will be unlike anything you have ever read before and it far surpasses the times in which it was written especially from a feminist point of view, and I'm not for a moment saying that Cathy in the book is a feminist role model but for the times it was set and written in, but I'm pretty damn sure she was.

Do you have any winter traditions you uphold year upon year no matter what? Share them with me in the comments below or tell me your best reads on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with my Granite City musings come find me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Christmas Time | Granite City Gifting and Special Reader Offer

Aberdeen's Castle Gate at Christmas (Image courtesy of Google - Since we have no snow yet!)

With Christmas just around the corner we've been in and dated with Christmas gift guides for him, her and them as well as the traditional Christmas Tag we've all come to know and love. But I thought I would do something a little different and since I am the Granite City Girl I thought I'd do something a little special for us Aberdonians and do an Aberdeen Christmas Gift Guide.

Also just as a wee side note be sure to stick with us until the end as a brand new local Aberdeen company contacted me recently to offer you lovely Granite City Girl readers a cheeky discount on their products!

Nova Gifts

24 Chapel Street, Aberdeen

Anytime I seem to find myself at a loose end (and at the far end of union street) I always take a gander into Nova because they always seem to have such a variety of cute nick nacks and whoosits and whatsits galore (breaking into song over here!) There is a bit of something for everyone, mugs, beautiful frames and niche beauty products. My top picks from their store would be their Mr Men and Little Miss mugs, their amazing rage of scented candles like Jelly Belly and finally anything from their range of natural toiletry products! Unfortunately you can't order from their store online so this truly is an Aberdeen exclusive (sorry guys!)

Nova on Rose Street

Old Aberdeen Gift Shop

605 King Street, Aberdeen

Shooting across to the other side of the Granite City pond is another cute and quirky gift shop offering all sorts for all kinds! They have lots of geekery products that might be a great trinket or stocking filler for your other half like money banks shaped like an Iron Man helmet or a transformers head water bottle. But my personal pick has got to be their Cupcake Mug with Frosting Lid, to be used for only the finest beverages of course!

Cupcakes by Jo

7a Crown Street, Aberdeen

Now I know what you're thinking, how are they going to even last until I get home?! Let alone putting in a Christmas order and expecting me to give them away. And really I did put them in here as an intention to first of all bring attention to a brilliant up and coming local business and secondly to say go and treat yourself! I recently had a Scottish Tablet Cupcake and a Millionaire Shortbread Cupcake, and their selection doesn't stop there, from good old vanilla to cookie monster coconut these beautifully decorated delights are simply delish! And if cupcakes aren't up your street then order yourself a personalised cake! Go and check out their website to see their culinary creations!

Cupcakes by Jo on Crown Street

Juniper Aberdeen

35 Belmont Street, Aberdeen

Juniper are a small, independent family run business in the centre of Aberdeen who specialise in unique gifts ideas and home trinkets. I must have bought my mum so many birthday and Christmas gifts from here in the past and I have a few pieces of jewellery from there myself. The way I describe Juniper is very Highland, they have a great deal of Celtic designed jewellery and the whole atmosphere of the store is very cosy. My top pick from there would be their cutesy Owl Cushions or their Bunny Ring Holders.

Aberdeen Whisky Shop

474 Union Street, Aberdeen

Something for the men in your lives now! Another wee independent shop again at the other end of town, boasting over 1000 different kinds of Whisky (who knew there were so many?!) there will be something for every Whisky lover. Whisky chocolates, books, hip flasks and those cute little miniatures that are right up my street as a non whisky drinker!

Some of the other independent stores around Aberdeen that are worth taking a gander into are Peapod for vintage lovers, Oil and Glass for artsy folk, Finnies the jewellers who do some beautiful jewellery pieces, MacBeans for coffee connoisseurs, Wowzie for sweetie lovers, and finally a new find for me Eighty7 Design and Living who from their Facebook seem to have some amazing and unique gift ideas!

The Natural Juicing Company Reader Offer!
The Natural Juicing Company are brand new to the Granite City scene and basically do what they say on the tin. Their cold pressed juices are said to retain up to 95% of all of the ingredients nutrients. If you'd like to read a bit more on their company, it's a great story which was recently featured on STV, click on over here!

Definitely one to watch in the New Year and with that in mind we arrive at our special Granite City Christmas offer! Send this as a gift or of course treat yourself to a refreshing detox towards the end of the year with £100 off the Natural Juicing Company's 'five day plan with nutrition guru' for your readers (Voucher code 5DAYGURU)

So there you have it ladies and gents, my top picks for Granite City gifting this festive season! I hope you guys have found it interested and I apologise if you aren't natives but hey at least you know where to come for some cool souvenirs if you ever venture this far North or maybe even gift someone something from one of the website stores!

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed this Granite City Christmas post, thank you for making it this far! Share some independent stores and stocking fillers in your area with me in the comments below come tell me about them on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl adventures come find me on Bloglovin

Until next time!

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Girl's Christmas Tag

Since it's Christmas time the bloggosphere appears to be overwhelmed with festivities, from the blogger gift exchange and gift ideas for him and her, to all of the festive make up collections and of course who can forget all of the gingerbread syrup products we've all been drooling over.

So I was quite chuffed to be tagged to do this post by Kate of Girl With Bambi Eyes as this year I've been feeling particularly festive!

These days I get more into the Christmas spirit. (Me and my Dad in 1993)

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie/s?

Elf, I still remember seeing this in the cinema when it first came out and I am still as much as in love with it now as I was then. I think cinema wise you get to see a different side to Will Ferrel's acting and it's a completely unique take on the traditional Christmas story. It also helps to be set in New York which I have had a love affair with since a very young age and will continue to until I visit ALL OF THE STORES to get it out of my system!

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
My mum HATES me for this and accuses me of lack of excitement but I always wait until Christmas morning, it's not that I'm not enthused by gifts but I like the wait, plus it feels like Christmas lasts that little bit longer.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
My favourite memory from my childhood at Christmas was leaving out a Turkish Delight and glass of Coke for Santa (judging by those Coke ads Santa is an advocate!) At least when he came to my house he got something a little bit different!

4. Favourite Christmas food?
I love gingerbread if we're talking simple festive foods, I love that bit in the Grinch where they give him a Christmas cookie but he eats the plate, the gingerbread looks amazing. In fact the entire who feast in the Grinch looks amazing! If we're talking favourite part of Turkey dinner, I'd have to say roast potatoes with cranberry sauce, delish!

5. Favourite Christmas gift?As a kid I got an amazing Barbie dream house, I was very much a girly girl back then too, I remember it was mainly pink and white and it had blue roofing and I was jealous of her interiors and truth be told I still am,  Barbie has got taste!

6. Favourite Christmas scent?

Cinnamon scents are my favourite scents ever, I love anything tasting of cinnamon and extra bonus if its apple and cinnamon.

7. Do you have any Christmas traditions?
I must still be in bed before midnight, otherwise it just throws off Christmas, even if it's 11.55pm it must be before! We also always watch Elf when we're putting up our tree, truth be told that is quite a recent tradition that Nick and I have implemented over the last 3 years. Oh and when we're opening present I always sit on my blanket on the floor, some childhood traditions you just don't let go of!

8. What tops your Christmas tree?
A silver glittery star, I like to keep it traditional when it comes to our tree and those angels often freak me out!

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you asked for but never got?
Probably a puppy, I was never too disappointed though I got some amazing gifts, and I still do!

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?

I love watching people open their gifts on Christmas morning, I also love sitting eating my breakfast on Christmas morning while this is happening, food and presents have to be the best combo ever!

This tag has been so much fun to do I really do recommend you give it a bash if you're a bit low on the festive spirit this season so with that in mind I tag all of you bloggers and even non bloggers to give this a bash on your facebooks, blogs, social media or even writing it down will help.

Of course if you've enjoyed reading this or if you'd even like to share some of your Christmas memories, drop me a comment below, send me a Tweet or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latests on my Aberdeen antics, little life posts and such like, come find me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Girl's Week Without Heat

For those of you who follow me on Twitter you will know that just last week I embarked on a journey back to health... back to healthy hair at least and I decided to go an entire work week without applying any heat styling or drying etc to my hair whatsoever. So I thought today I would share with you just how I got on, how I styled my hair and the overall results.

Just for a reference my hair without any blow drying, straightening or curling irons looks a bit like this, so I don't suffer from any MAJOR frizz or slicky greasy problems some people do when they go without heat can, in that sense I have been quite lucky, but it was still no picnic!

Just so I can clearly lay the parameters, I wash my hair every evening and I use a hair masque twice a week. I lightly towel dry my hair afterwards, brush it through and leave it to dry itself.

Hair Au Naturale

Day One

This was the day my hair was in the worst condition and it was definitely the day it took the most getting used to. My split ends were out in full force, but on the brighter side I was surprised to learn the style itself was actually not too bad, so all I had to do was give it a wee brush and off I went (although people at work did think I had just rolled out of bed)

Day Two

It seems even though I wasn't using direct heat to my hair you still can't escape some damage, especially with these cold wintery days! So needing a little bit of TLC I broke out my new Tres Emme Keratin hair masque, and indulged by leaving it on my head for about 10 minutes.

Day Three

After my hair care and TLC from the night before this was probably the day I noticed a considerable difference in my hair, it seemed much smoother especially at the ends (which are usually frazzled!)Unfortunately due to the lovely Scottish weather we've been suffering of late I had to just swish my hair into a pony for the day!

Day Four

Another TLC evening for my hair as it was treated to yet another indulgent hair masque, which it thanked me for the next day! Since I had an event on the Friday evening I thought I had better pay extra attention to it this evening and ended up wearing my rollers for a while while it dried minus heat obviously! It still came out voluminous of course but just not as I would have hoped!

Day Five

Using a barreled hair brush I got my desired volume without heat, just with spray! And you'd never have been able to tell I hadn't used any heat on my hair whatsoever if you were judging simply by the style. It's much more work than I am used to but if it's going to improve the health of my hair then I say go for it.

I survived my week without heat, and I do recommend you try it from time to time to give you hair a little break from styling and harsh temperatures otherwise you are at risk of causing some major damage in the long run! When I was younger I'm the first to hold my hands up and say yes I was guilty of OVER straightening my hair and no wonder it took so long to grow out my Snow White bob!

Of course if you must use heat for example if you have a special occassion or just cannot part with your heat styling tools be sure to use a good quality heat defence spray on your hair, below I have listed a couple of my favourites just in case anyone is interested in how I plan on maintaining my silky smooth locks now I have them back!

Heat Styling Product Choices



For day to day - Tres Emme Heat Defence Spray

For evenings out - VO5 Plump it Up Amplifying Blow Dry Lotion (Heat Defence)
For styling - Large barreled hair brush
For long lasting hold - VO5 Ultimate Hold Hairspray

I hope you enjoyed today's post, have you ever gone without something to improve the health of your hair or have you even gone without something to improve your skin and nails? Be sure to share you experiences in the comments below or come tell me about it on Twitter or if you're interested in keeping up with my latests come find me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Filling Station Aberdeen | Christmas Menu Review

As you'll probably notice this is not Wednesday or Sunday, but I couldn't wait to share this special review with you from an event I attended just this week, I hope you enjoy!

Just this week I attended my first ever blogger event, which was exciting, nerve wracking, fab and just a down right brilliant evening. We were all invited along to try out and test the Filling Station Aberdeens new Christmas menu and cocktails which I do believe go live as from next week and guys really, get yourself along and stuff yourselves silly!

The Filling Station Aberdeen Union Street

The Filling Station, for those who have never been is an American Style restaurant who have a good few restaurants in Scotland. They specialize in authentic American dishes and always try to offer a unique twist to their specific menu so there really is something for everyone.

When we arrived the scent of warm cinnamonny cider filled the restaurant and thankfully those were for us, and was to be the first of many more cocktails on their way! But let's crack on and review this menu shall we?!

Cocktails

We were treated to a mini cocktail masterclass which was entertaining when the head cocktail master (this is absolutely not the technical term!) picked on people to pretend to be Parick Swayze. We were shown literally every new Christmas cocktail and the meaning behind them was explained which was great to listen to.

Mimosa (Or as we know it Bucks Fizz)

Pitched to us as the simple Christmas morning drink, this is the American style version of our Bucks Fizz, sounding a bit more sophisticated, but I was really surprised as to how much work and attention to detail the bar tender put into this particular drink as it seems so simple.

Egg nog

Something I have never tried, but having watched it being made I would certainly love to, and usually when I see something being made it puts me off! The key ingredient for this festive treat? Gingerbread syrup, need I say more?

Chocolate Orange Martini
Based on the UK tradition of enjoying a Terry's Chocolate Orange in your stocking (clever eh?) it was actually blended with a white chocolate liqueur to take the darkness out of the drink which is great if you're not looking for something too heavy.

The Snowman
By far my favourite, I can only describe this fun little fella as milkshakey, he's made of vodka and creamy goodness and vanilla syrup. With whipped cream topped for a heat and chocolate for eyes he's simply adorable!

Filling Station Festive Menu 2014

Starters

Mushroom Risotto
(This is actually a main on the menu but since there was a vegetarian among us it came out first)Since I don't like mushrooms I wasn't really holding out much hope for starter number one, but this creamy dish was a delight, and I scoffed it! (minus a few mushrooms)

Goats Cheese Bruschetta
My friend actually ate this for me (sorry Filling Station Chef) but the only cheese I dislike is goats cheese.

Main Dishes

Maple Bacon Burger
Of course this reminded me of Elf (perhaps this was the inspiration?) Everyone was pretty skeptical about this dish but it was a-ma-zing! I am now a passionate advocate of maple syrup on everything, I mean who would have known!? Traditionally Aberdonians aren't known for their keen palette on sweet and savory but all I know is we were in awe!

Maple Bacon Burger

Turkey Dinner
Of course we had to have this wee traditional feast in here, even though it was a smaller portion it certainly filled a gap. Turkey with all of the trimmings indeed, my favourite part of a roast is dipping all of the things in cranberry sauce so I was chuffed by the major tub we were given!

Turkey Dinner

Dessert

Cookie Cheesecake

A sharer I'm afraid for us anyway, things got serious when I heard my friend and I had to share, I was stuffing my gob like I don't now what! The cheesecake is made with oreos and mascarpone cheese, the perfect blend of creamy taste and the richness of the oreos.

Cookie Cheesecake

Verdict

I highly recommend you get yourself booked in for the Filling Station at least once this Christmas, perfect for if you're organising the office party, catching up and exchanging gifts with old friends or even if you just want something a little different from your usual Christmas dinner. This restaurant has something for everyone this festive season! Remember this is just a sample of what they actually have in the restaurant for the full menu please check out their website.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the Filling Station for giving me the opportunity to come along and sample their Christmas menu for the blog, I hope you guys enjoyed reading my thoughts on the menu especially and I hope you do get a chance to go and have a taste! If you do happen to go what do you think? Drop me a comment below come catch me on Twitter or keep up with my latests on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

November Wishlist | Winter Wants

Hello everyone, so it's that time of the month again and this month I'm going to be sharing my list of Winter Wants before the proper festive season kicks in and my personal spending budget is knocked down to zero.

This months wants revolve around a mix of the home, beauty and fashion. Which I find incredible given that my make up drawer is at capacity, my wardrobe is bursting at the seams and my home is so full of junk I could easily host a sale in the midst of the chaos. If anything the most sensible thing that ought to be on this list would be extra storage space or better yet a brand new home (but let's be realistic here and just keep buying the 'junk')

The amount of gorgeous home things in Next and Debenhams at the moment is unreal, and yes, it is technically for the festive season but some of the goodies I've spotted recently are perfect additions for a year round homey feel!

#1 Grey / Silver Cushions

I have recently been getting blogger home envy and decided I need to get my bum in gear! Our home is overrun with stuff, just stuff everywhere! So in an effort to clean house, I have made a list of homewares I would like to accentuate our flat with and number one is brand new 'grown up' cushions and we chose silver!

#2 Make Up Brush Holder

Unfortunately my make up brush holder at the moment leaves a lot to be desired. The amount of make up I have managed to clart on my Real Techniques holder is unbelievable, so I endeavour to find a nice (preferably silver) pot to hold all of my brushes. This little doll pen and pencil pot caught my eye in Paperchase recently but I might just have to hold out for something a little more homely since that's what we're going for now.

#3 Smelly Goodies

By which I mean Yankee smelly goodies for my house. I recently bought a beautiful silver plated candle holder with a gorgeous smelling candle but unfortunately the scent doesn't linger as long as I would have prefered (for £10!) so I have decided to invest in a slightly safer bet and go for some Yankees, since I know they're long lasting and gorgeous. I'm very much looking forward to checking out their Winter and Christmas range!

#4 A Winter Cape

These have been knocking about for a little while now and being the curious cat I am I decided to just see if they suited me, and you know upon trying it on I don't even care if they do! They are warm, they are comfy, versatile, beautiful, really the list goes on. I currently have my eye on a monochrome number from New Look which will be mine...oh yes, it will be mine!

#5 Party Lashes
My love of the lash has been revived! Having been out of the loop for quite a while I hadn't noticed the brand new range of Eyelure Katy Perry lashes stalking my Superdrug and Boots stores, until I invested in the 'feline' set for my Halloween costume last week. Having now bought these, I just can't stop, Katy Perry party lashes have very quickly become my must have for the Winter and party season!

If I get these things, especially given I have yet to begin Christmas shopping... has anyone really started yet? Not only will I be chuffed with myself and my bank balance but I will be incredibly surprised!

What have you been lusting after lately? Maybe you've already tried out some of the above or have recommendations on where I might be able to hunt down a couple of things, if so drop me a comment below, come tell me about it on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with my latest, come find me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth x