Tuesday 30 July 2013

{Top Ten Movies}

I had been trying to come up with my list of top ten movies, but I'm really struggling to narrow it down (I'm at twenty!!).

Anyway, I thought I'd share it here as it's probably quite insightful (in no particular order)...

  • The Life of David Gale - this probably is my all time favourite
  • The Game - again, definitely up there in the top 5. 
  • The Holiday - I watch this every Christmas and love it
  • Taken - not so impressed with Taken 2 though
  • Hannibal - funnily enough I don't think I've seen Silence of the Lambs, should really sort that
  • Gothika - I love scary movies, but ones that could actually happen rather than giant spiders and the like. This movie terrified me!! 
  • Love Actually - I always cry when Emma Thompson opens the CD and not the necklace, but equally I laugh at loud when Hugh Grant does the dancing through Number 10 scene. Hilarious!
  • The Dark Knight - definitely more into Batman than Superman, but not the silly voice
  • Green Mile - I think Tom Hanks is a brilliant actor
  • My Girl - this was a childhood favourite of mine


  • The Truman Show
  • I Am Legend - the scientist in me loves this film
  • Forrest Gump
  • Castaway
  • Big - another childhood classic
  • Leon
  • The Little Mermaid - I could (& do!) watch this over and over with my kids
  • Lion King
  • Rio - this is my favourite kiddie movie at the moment - I urge you to watch it if you haven't done so already
  • New Years Eve - I saw this last year for the first time and I anticipate watching it each year, at New Years funnily enough! 




What's in your top ten (or 20)?

I'm running a competition just now to win a family cinema pass for the Sea Life Centre, Loch Lomond. Have a peek at this post to find out how to enter!

Sunday 28 July 2013

{Sunday Roundup}

Well, where to start... what a week it's been.

I'VE SOLD MY HOUSE!!!

Yes, if you didn't hear the screams of delight from Glasgow (or more realistically my earlier tweets!) I am pleased to say that the house has now sold!

Four months on the market, three notes of interest, two formal offers...and one happy me!! (you can imagine me singing, badly, along to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas!!!)

I've to be out of the house in just under 6 weeks and I have no idea where I'm going to move to. Eeek!!

I've been doing a bit of packing up and feeling mixed emotions. I'm really excited for the fresh start, but I'm nervous and uncertain about where I'll be over the next few months. I'm also sad when I think about the happy memories I had when I first moved in here five years ago and then there's all the not so nice memories that followed. I just need to keep telling myself that I can do this...

Anyway, here are some of the pics from our week:

Littlest thoroughly loves trying on my shoes!!

Enjoying a glass of fizz at the John Lewis #JLvintage bloggers event. We were thoroughly spoiled! 

A miniature Victoria sponge... so cute! #JLvintage

My sister arrived on Friday for the weekend... the number of photos we took in order to get a semi-decent one was unreal!!

Ali & I did the Accreditation 1 course at the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome... I'll do a separate post on this. Watch this space!

My plumber came over to fix the toilet, much to the delight of my son who also got out his toy toolkit to help him!

P.S. Remember to enter my competition for a family cinema pass for the Sea Life Centre, Loch Lomond. It ends this week.


Saturday 27 July 2013

{Smitten Saturday}

Glasgow Mummy

This week I am smitten with Cath Tate Cards

witty, gritty, right on, switched on, political, ethical, sceptical, poetical and just plain funny

I've bought a few of these cards before from Felix & Oscar in the West End and Nuala Ashe in the Southside. 

They're so funny and right up my street. I hope you like them too.

I'm off to a wedding next month and have bought this for the couple, well the groom really, who is a Facebook addict!


Applies to a number of my friends!!



Perfect for the man in your life?



This so applies to me - I get lost all the time even though I have sat nav!!


What are you smitten with this week?


Thursday 25 July 2013

{Competition: Win a Family Cinema Ticket with Sea Life Centre}

*** This competition has now ended ***


That's right, it's competition time and I have a family cinema ticket for four (2 adults & 2 children) for your choice out of two films next month (RRP £22):



Simply leave a comment below with what your preference would be, and follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter for extra points. Easy! The competition ends on Wednesday 31st July.

Good luck :-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There is only one prize available and no cash equivalent. 



Wednesday 24 July 2013

{Blast Off!}


Earlier this month the UK Space Conference descended on the SECC.

The intu Braehead shopping mall and Xscape leisure complex have launched a series of space-related activities for kids this summer.

Do you have a budding astronaut?

At the shopping centre this week between 11am and 5pm there is a galaxy of free activities on offer, including special science projects and space-related craft workshops.

Youngsters can also beam themselves up to a Space Academy between 11am and 5pm every day from July 20th to August 11th at Xscape. The free activities and entertainment include dressing up as an astronaut, heading for the cosmos in a rocket ship playhouse, exploring the sandy surface of Planet Xscape and space-themed arts and crafts workshops.


Sunday 21 July 2013

{Sunday Roundup}

I've had a rather busy week. This weekend I didn't have the kids and I had planned a few nights out with friends but unfortunately due to lack of childcare both nights out had to be postponed, so it's been a quiet weekend. But I actually think it's done me the world of good just to relax and not do very much.

Here are my pics from the week...

My dinner outfit for going to La Tasca last weekend. 

Ice cream with the littlest on the bank holiday Monday :-)

Lots of sunshine... plus some new trainers (my old ones had a hole in the sole and needed replaced!)

I've been sticking to paleo as best as I can. I've stayed at my target weight and I'm continuing to feel good and no bloating/Crohn's symptoms.

Monday night was spent drinking mojitos and I used the leftover lime with some Belvoir lime and lemongrass cordial and sparkling water.

On Friday we got the craft stuff out and did a giant painting!! What a mess was made!

Getting creative!

Enjoying a Crabbie's raspberry ginger beer... loving the sunshine!

Last night I watched Crazy Stupid Love and ate two small tubs of Haagen-Dazs... it was good!!! (not paleo, but worth it!)... pralines & cream is my favourite!

...and I used my tiny heart shaped Alessi coffee spoon. So cute!!

Today I ran 9 miles in the morning, followed by a browse round town and then some relaxing in the sunshine. Perfect!

{Smitten Saturday, on a Sunday...oops!}


This week I am Smitten with BHS and their 'Millie' range for girls. How adorable is this concept... they have outfits for little girls, with a matching outfit for their doll!!! 

It's not often that I'm in BHS (despite working in a BHS store when I was at school!) but I happened to walk through the one in the St Enoch Centre fairly recently and that's when I spotted the Millie range. There don't seem to be as many outfits available online as in store, so I suggest you pop in and have a browse.

I've not set up a linky this week, apologies...  but stick your Smitten Saturday link into the comments :-)

Promise to be on time next week!!

Glasgow Mummy

Thursday 18 July 2013

{What I Wore}


It's been a while since I hooked up with Transatlantic Blonde's What I Wore Wednesday (yes, I know it's Thursday and I'm late to the party!!).

Anyway, here's an outfit of mine from the last week:

Gold lion belt, Warehouse

We were given a very cute party bag from a wee boy that was leaving my son's nursery, and inside was this sweetie watch. Yum!

Go and have a peek at the amazing watermelon mojito recipe on Transatlantic Blonde's post. Looks divine!! I love a wee mojito!! :-)

{Review: La Tasca Glasgow}

Hola!

The other evening my friend Kath & I went along to La Tasca on Renfield Street to try their new menu.

I've not been to the restaurant before, so didn't know what to expect.

It was a Sunday evening and when I arrived the restaurant was quiet. I was seated at a table by the window, and the full height sliding windows were opened which was lovely as it was a nice night. The view of Renfield Street wasn't brilliant, but that can't be helped.

I ordered a mojito to have whilst I waited for Kath, but was disappointed to find out that the bar had run out of mint so I had a woo woo instead.

There was authentic Spanish music playing which set the scene and the decor was fresh and modern, authentic Spanish and no Spanish tat. We did get a bit of a holiday vibe.


My woo woo!


La Tasca, Glasgow - the bar

La Tasca, Glasgow

Kath & I were really impressed to see that they had a specific set menu that was gluten-free. 

The gluten-free menu

To start we had the Tabla Espanola sharing platter for two: traditional Spanish cured meats with mixed olives, Manchego cheese, Spanish ciabatta and an extra-virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar dip which was served on a wooden platter (£9.40).

We then tried three of the tapas dishes:

Langostinos - wild Patagonian tiger prawns, salt-baked over a piping-hot plancha, served with lemon and a sprinkling of sea salt (£5.95)

Chorizo & Morcilla - Spanish black pudding and chorizo cooked with fire roasted peppers, basil and onion (£4.95)

Pollo Marbella - chicken breast, cooked with smoked paprika, chorizo, mixed peppers, onion and a white wine & cream sauce (£4.95)


We followed this with a paella for one which we shared. You don't really get an appreciation of the size of this dish from the photograph, but it was more than enough for the two of us! We were full up by the end!

Paella Valenciana 'La Tasca' - with chicken, Galician mussels, king prawns, squid and traditional toppings (£10.95 per person)

The food was good, but not amazing. My favourites were the sharing platter to start, the Chorizo & Morcilla (the mini black pudding was beautiful) and the Pollo Marbella (I could have eaten more of this one!).

The waiting staff were attentive, and as it became cooler the windows were closed for us.

We both thought the restaurant felt like a chain, and it's only now that I look at their website that I'm realising just how many La Tasca restaurants are - there are over 40!

We both enjoyed the meal and the restaurant, but I'm not sure that it was that special and if I was out in Glasgow city centre for dinner, I'm not sure I'd choose to go to La Tasca. 

Nobody Parties Like the Spanish

That said, I think it would make a great venue for a bigger group of friends for a night out, like a hen party or birthday. Kath noticed a promotional poster in the ladies and it turns out that La Tasca offer an exclusive birthday offer when you text them your details. They also seem to have a number of other promotions running, like Paella and Sangria Thursdays where you can have a sharing paella for two with a jug of Sangria for just £20.

Cheers!

Have you tried La Tasca before? What were your thoughts?

Kath & I received a complimentary meal in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

Tuesday 16 July 2013

{Review: Sleep Accessories}


I love my bed.

A good night's sleep is a must for me to function properly during the day.

I split the childcare with my ex, and it's pretty much 50/50. On the night's I have the children, I can be awake a few times with my eldest who still doesn't sleep through (littlest is an angel and will sleep for 12 hours straight most nights!). Here is an older post on my tips for sleep training a toddler, but I think I need to try something new now! Open to suggestions readers...please leave me a comment!

On the night's that I'm kiddie-free, I try and get to bed early so I can catch up on sleep.

Lately thought I've been struggling to get to sleep... it's not like me to be awake at midnight... but there I am, having been in bed for hours trying to sleep, but just not managing to get over into snoozeville.

I was asked to review a sleep accessory with Silentnight Beds Scotland as recent research suggests that only a quarter of all parent's are getting a good night's sleep.

Do the sleep accessories stand up to claims that their manufacturer's make? Can they make you relax before bedtime? Do you feel more refreshed in the morning after using them?

I was asked to review a pillow spray and was sent the National Trust Coast Room & Linen Spray:


I had anticipated receiving a spray that had sleep-inducing lavender in it and was surprised when I sprayed this fresh scent in my bedroom. I don't think it invoked images of sleep in my mind, and instead felt more awakening and uplifting than relaxing.

I gave it a shot though, but I'm sad to say I don't think it made a difference to my sleep or the time it took for me to get to sleep which is a shame. 

I was also asked to share my own sleep advice.

I stumbled across this infographic on Pinterest with 10 tips for better sleep and I agree with all of them...



I've pretty much cut out caffeine and now drink decaf tea where possible. I do exercise regularly. My bedroom is dark with blackout blinds and grey curtains. I sleep on an amazing memory foam mattress and pillow. I've also been using the sleep cycle app on my iPhone and it's supposed to wake you at the most appropriate time based on your body movements. I'm not sure whether the app has made a difference or not, it's a bit of a hit or miss if I'm honest.

What am I doing wrong?

So tell me, what are your tips for a better night's sleep?

I received a complimentary Room & Linen Spray in exchange for this review. Opinions, as always, are my own.


Monday 15 July 2013

{Recipe: Mango Creme Brulee}

Here's the final instalment in my three course menu that I used to cook frequently to impress guests... onto dessert of mango creme brulee. This was a recipe for raspberry creme brulee (originally from Sainsbury's magazine if memory serves me!) that I adjusted slightly to make it suit my Far Eastern themed menu!

{Ingredients}

284 mL pot of whipping cream
2 fresh bay leaves
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons caster sugar
One mango, cut into small cubes
Caster sugar, to serve

{Method}

Heat the cream with the 2 bay leaves to let the flavour infuse into the cream, then allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks with caster sugar.

Gently reheat cream and whisk into the eggs through a sieve.

Put a small amount of mango in the bottom of each ramekin (you should get approx 4 creme brulees from this recipe).

Add the custard on top.

Put the ramekins into a baking tin half-filled with boiling water.

Bake at 140 deg C / 275 deg F / gas mark 1 for 30 minutes until set.

Cool, sprinkle with caster sugar and grill until caramelised.


I used to serve these with a little shortbread biscuit (shop bought to save time, sorry!).

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