It Never Ends. ϟ

People ask all the time – which is your favourite in the Harry Potter series? – and I’ve never been able to come up with an answer. I usually go for the Philosopher’s Stone or the Deathly Hallows because the beginning and ending moments are those that really stick with you. But recently I’ve been rewatching all the Harry Potter films and I’ve come to the realisation that The Prisoner of Azkabani…

#Girlboss was a good read, but I expected that. The Girlboss Workbookthat followed, however, really took me by surprise. Judging from the cover, I thought that this book would just be a little bit of wacky fun based off Sophia Amoruso’s first book. I assumed it would adopt a very blasé attitude and be more about rejecting the status quo than actually moving you forwards in your career or life.…

Keeping it casual

Padded Pak’r® Black Ink Leather

A good backpack is essential for carrying all your day-to-day stuff whether you’re a student, worker or traveller. This bag is big enough that you can carry all your daily essentials and possibly even your weekend essentials if you’re a light packer! This is the classic Eastpak design and made from real leather too so it’s sure to please any guy. The straps and back are padded for extra comfort too.

Available from Eastpak for £150

River Island Cream Flecked Cable Knit Jumper

This classic cable knit is a winter essential as it’ll go with pretty much every outfit and suits every skin type. Pair it with a pair of jeans or chinos, trainers or boots, this versatile jumper is sure to be a winner.

Available from River Island for £20 (RRP £30) 

River Island Navy Borg-Lined Jacket

I’m always amazed by guys that manage to fit all their daily essentials into the pockets of their jeans and coats meaning they can forgo carrying a bag around everywhere. I’m envious. I selected this jacket because my dad’s number 1 priority when it comes to purchasing a new jacket is… pockets. With 5 large pockets, this jacket is great for guys, plus, the borg lining is suuuper warm and cosy.

Available from River Island for £80

Slaters Black and Grey Striped Knitted Scarf

A scarf is an easy Christmas present option that you know will come in handy for the months to come. This simple striped scarf from the Tresano collection is surprisingly soft and thick so it’s a great purchase for just £9.

Available from Slaters for £9 

On the go

The North Face Men’s Drew Peak Hoodie

There are few things more comforting than being smothered in a fluffy new hoodie, especially at Christmas time. You can’t go wrong with a classic navy hoodie but with The North Face you know you’re guaranteed something of the highest quality too. Perfect for either a cold outdoor adventure or lazing around in at home, this simple hoodie is a great gift option for those that are super hard to buy for.

Available from Tiso for £65 

K-Way Le Vrai Claude 3.0

Unfortunately in England, a good waterproof mac will forever remain a wardrobe essential. This royal blue number from K-Way, the original pac-a-mac brand, is both stylish and practical so it’s great for active adventures or daily wear. It’s a nifty little jacket that can be tightly packed away into your rucksack and saved for those sudden downpours. That said, you probably won’t want to keep a nice jacket like this hidden at the bottom of your bag!

Available from k-way.co.uk for £75

Whistle Punks Urban Axe Throwing

Yes you read that right – axe throwing. This is possibly the most unique experience I’ve ever had in London and it’s one that thrill seekers are sure to love. It’s not as dangerous as it looks but it’s also faar more difficult than you’d imagine. If you don’t manage to get the right spin on the axe, the most likely result is that the axe will hit the target and just clatter to the ground! This is a great group activity and there are even weekly competition sessions!

Tickets available from £22 per person

Daily Essentials

Charles Conrad Leather Watch

A watch is a great gift for someone special at Christmas *time* (geddit 😉). This no fuss, no frills watch is beautifully elegant and the roman numerals around the edge make it that little bit more special than other minimalist watches out there. This range from Charles Conrad is particularly suited for men because the watch face is fairly large and it will suit those with larger wrists, without looking chunky.

ALSO, get 30% off full price Charles Conrad watches on Watches2U.com with the code ‘WHATSHOT30’. Valid until 31st December 2017.

Available from watches2u for £26.99 (RRP £189)

Skullcandy HESH 3 Wireless Headphones

I haven’t owned anything from Skullcandy since I was a teenager but their new HESH 3 wireless headphones are an excellent introduction back to the brand. They’re technically not noise-cancelling but they do a pretty damn good job of blocking out outside sound, which is impressive considering the price tag. They’re foldable and flexible so you can take them wherever you go and with up to 22 hours of battery life they won’t let you down. The best thing for me has to be all the padding so no more squished ears if you’re listening for an extended period of time!

Available from Skullcandy for £99

Magnitone Face Wash & Moisturiser

This is for the guys whose skincare routine consists of nothing but soap and water. If you put the right tools in their hands then they can’t say no… right? I only very recently became aware of Magnitone’s skincare range for men and I am impressed with this combo. The face wash contains caffeine and the moisturiser contains ginseng, both of which are known for their energy releasing properties. It also smells amazing and fresh so it’s a great morning wake up. Perfect for boyfriends and brothers.

The Clean Sweep Energising Face Wash £9.99 | The Clean Sweep Resilience Moisturiser £12

Kelloggs – Frosties bowl mug

I love that novelty cereal packaging is making a comeback and this is one of the best little sets out there. This Kelloggs combo would make for a cute stocking filler or a present for the man that’s still a child at heart (we all know one!). Plus… they’re gonna taste great! (If you didn’t get the reference, this present probably isn’t for you)

Available from Debenhams for £12.50 

City Slick 

Dobell Blue Check Skinny Fit Suit

This is certainly one of the most bold items on the list and won’t be for everyone. However, I personally think that every guy should have a coloured suit so he stands out a little from the crowd of usual black and navy. This one will be great for formal Christmas and summer parties where you need to look smart but you’re free to be a little more creative too. Perfect for the man who’s confident in his skin and wants to be noticed.

Available from Dobell.com for £79.99 (RRP £109.99)

Hammond & Co Black and Brown Reversible Leather Belt

If you’ve reached that point in life where the only thing you can think of to buy for the man in your life is socks or underwear, then switch it up a bit with this more elegant daily essential. Seriously, why do these not exist for girls? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a reversible belt for women but they are so useful! FYI, this one is “one size” and needs to be cut before it can be worn. No need to guess his size and risk the awkwardness of getting it wrong!

Available from Debenhams for £22.50 (RRP £45)

Dune Tan Chelsea Boots

Until about two months ago my boyfriend didn’t wear anything except his work shoes, trainers and mouldy converse. Then the heavens answered my prayers and he asked me if I wanted to go shopping with him. Whilst all he wanted to buy was more plain t-shirts and hoodies, I was adamant that his style could be drastically improved with a pair of good shoes, more specifically, some nice Chelsea boots. These gorgeous tan boots are easy to slip on and off and can be dressed up or down so there should be no complaints!

Available from Dune for £115 

Sawyers and Hendricks Navy Wool Mix Overcoat

A good smart coat is a top wardrobe essential for guys who want to look smart and this one ticks all the boxes. This classic style will always be in fashion and the wool mix material means it’s actually really warm and cosy – perfect for Christmas this winter! This looks great over a suit and is perfect for formal Christmas parties or any other occasion where you’ll want to look sharp af this season.

Available from Slaters for £89

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So here are some gifts for her if you’re stumped this festive season:

Fashionista 

White Stuff Nene Jacket

Gloriously soft and fluffy, this Nene jacket from White Stuff is my fave of the season! It’s incredibly warm and has actually served me much better than my other winter coats so far. It’s thick enough that it’s pretty much completely wind proof and with all that fluff the heat stays inside! I’ve been wearing this one every day since I got it because it’s perfect for pretty much all occasions. You can very easily dress it up or dress it down making it a great gift this winter.

Available from White Stuff for £120

White Stuff Grey Spot My Heart Jumper

There’s something very Christmassy about this jumper despite the lack of Christmas trees or Christmas hats adorned on it. It’s super cute and cosy and a really great, light option to keep you warm this winter. It’s simple enough that most people will love it but with enough details to make your outfit that little bit more interesting. This one is nearly sold out on the website so grab it quick if it’s on your Christmas list!

Available from White Stuff for £55

Dune Olyvea Red Suede Boots

One of my absolute favourite items on this list are these gorgeous red suede boots from Dune. I’ve only had these for a week but already had so many compliments on them. The red colour is perfect for Christmas and the block heel means these actually make for sensible day shoes and are very comfy. These bad boys were actually out of stock for weeks so if you’ve got your eyes on these then snap them up quickly!

Only downside is that they have coloured a few of my socks red so I will be wearing black socks/tights with them from now on!

Available from Dune for £99

Barts Women’s Jasmin Beanie

I find that if you really don’t know what to give for Christmas, you can never go wrong with a good hat, scarf and gloves! This chunky knit grey beanie from Barts is super cosy and even has an extra fleece layer around the inner edge to keep your head extra snug. What’s more this beanie is hand-knitted so each and every one by Barts is slightly different making it that little bit more unique.

Available from Tiso for £27

  Charles Conrad Rose Gold Watch

Minimalist watches are still all the rage right now so this rose gold watch from Charles Conrad makes for the perfect gift that you know will be treasured long after Christmas is over. I love the simple watch face with roman numerals round the edge, which look so elegant. Charles Conrad watches are actually all unisex so the watch face is a bit larger than similar watches out there. Whilst some of their other watches would work well for both sexes, I think the rose gold one is best suited to the ladies!

ALSO, get 30% off full price Charles Conrad watches on Watches2U.com with the code ‘WHATSHOT30’. Valid until 31st December 2017.

Available from watches2u for £169

Rose Gold Pandora Rings

I’ve always been a huge fan of Pandora’s stacking rings and I’ve been eyeing up their new Rose Gold collection ever since it’s release. They have a huge range of rings with some very simple and other more extravagant items. What I love about Pandora’s jewellery is that you can mix and match pretty much all of it and over the years I’ve built up a collection of silver and rose gold jewellery that can be paired with anything. Pandora’s charms and stacking rings make for great Christmas presents if you know that someone’s already a fan of their range because then you can just add to the their collection. I wear four of these Pandora rings daily, with three stacking rings and the radiant elegance ring as the star of the show. The Daisy Band one is really special so I save that for parties and such!

Puzzle Heart Ring £45 // Droplets Ring £55 // Radiant Elegance Ring £55 // Linked Love Ring £45 // Dazzling Daisy Band Ring £75

  Beauty Addict 

Magnitone BareFaced Shimmer Brush

I have always been skeptical about gadgets like this, wondering if it’s just the beauty industry trying to push another expensive product that I don’t really need. However, ever since I first got my hands on this back in 2015, I’ve been a convert to the Magnitone BareFaced Viba-Sonic Brush! The best thing about this brush is that the results are immediate (yes, immediate!) and you’ll have silky smooth skin from day one. For people who think that their skin is good enough without one of these, I can assure you that it is honestly impossible to get as deep a clean from just using an exfoliator or cleanser. This would be the perfect gift for any lady as it’s great for all skin types and can be used on a daily basis. The shimmer brush is limited edition, which makes it just that little bit more special for the festive season. What’s more, it comes with a 12 month warranty so there’s no need to worry about repairs – I’ve had mine for 2 years already and never had a problem with it!

Read my full review of the Magnitone BareFaced Vibra-Sonic Brush here.

Available for £90 from Magnitone

Magnitone Wipeout! Cleansing Cloth

I’ve seen a couple of reviews of these wipes and I honestly just couldn’t believe that they would be able to remove make up without the help of a cleanser. However, I managed to remove a full face of foundation, mascara and eyeliner with just a few rubs from this uber soft cloth. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was most impressed that it managed to remove all of my mascara, which is usually quite tricky and I have to use an oil-based make-up remover. This cloth works like  m a g i c  and it’s now an essential part of my night-time routine! This is an essential for any girl that wears makeup during the day and she’ll thank you eternally (well, for 1000 uses) for bringing this magic cloth into her life.

This pack contains two cleansing cloths and each one is reusable up to 1000 times. Yes, 1000 times. It’s machine washable, super compact and super useful – great for every day use or for travelling! Using one of these also means less disposable wipes in the landfill so it would make the perfect gift for an eco-friendly gal.

Available from Magnitone for £15

7th Heaven Complete Pamper Pack

7th Heaven face masks have always been my go-to when I’m in need of some pampering. At only £1 per pack, they’re super cheap but soo good! The new complete pamper pack that they’ve released for Christmas would make the perfect gift for someone who’s been a bit stressed lately and needs a bit of time to themselves. This pack is complete with 8 different face masks, an exfoliating and bath & shower pom pom, a headband, a mini towel, glove masques, sock masques and finger masques. If you’re wondering what the hell the last three are, the glove and sock masques are ultra moisturising gloves for dry or rough hands and feet, and the finger masques are for strengthening your nails and cuticles. For just £19.99 this is one of the best beauty bargains out there this Christmas should make any girl very happy on Christmas day. Giving someone an excuse to treat themselves is one of the best things you can do this season!

Available for £19.99 from Argos

Iconic London Make Up Brushes

Now I’ll be honest, when I first got my hands on these babies I had no clue what each brush was supposed to do. It’s been a steep learning curve but I’ve realised that having a specific brush for each part of your face really does help create that ultra-flawless look and it makes me feel like a badass makeup pro. These 12 pearl gold brushes are sure to make any makeup fiend very happy and add a bit of luxe to their beauty collection. The best thing about Iconic London is that all their brushes are 100% cruelty free and vegan!

Here’s what’s included:

Large Powder, Tapered Powder
, Foundation Buffer, Contour Buffer (Perfect for sculpting)
, Angled Powder (to sculpt cheeks)
, Concealer blender (to cover imperfections)
, Flat Fan Brush (perfect for dusting)
, Large Shader (apply shadows
), Medium Angled Shader: Gives a soft application of colour. Great to use on brows or to blend the crease
, Tapered Blending Brush (perfect to apply colour)
, Small Angle Brush (perfectly shape and define brows) & Small Point Brush (use with gel or liquid liners).

Available from Iconic London for £75  (+ 10% student discount online!)

Magnitone BlendUp Brush

A new addition to the Magnitone family is the BlendUP Vibra-Sonic Makeup Blending Brush. As I said above, I’ve been a huge fan of Magnitone since 2015 so I was pretty excited to see their new product for applying foundation. There are three different modes: blend, airbrush and clean, and you can use these for light, medium or full coverage. What’s really cool is that you can even use this brush to add the finishing touches such as bronzer, highlighter and blusher! I’m sure this will quickly become a must-have for beauty addicts who’ll accept nothing less than flawless coverage. My only problem with this product is that it takes longer to apply because you’ve got to wait for the vibrations to absorb smoothly into your skin but the result really is so much better than your average make up brush. There is literally zero evidence that you even applied any product to your face!

Available for £70 from Magnitone

Blink Brow Bar Super Natural Brow Gift Set

Did you know that brow exfoliator existed? I certainly didn’t until I opened up this small package of brow essentials. I even created a poll on Twitter and Instagram and it turns out most other people don’t know these exist either! Strong brows are all the rage right now and I don’t know many girls who haven’t been sucked into this trend. This super natural brow gift set is for those that aren’t messing around when it comes to their brow game. Including brow exfoliator, brow day cream and a brow pencil, this will take your brow game to the next level!

Available from Blink Brow Bar for £35

Bobbi Brown Bronze Shimmer Compact

Bobbi Brown’s Shimmer Compact is a favourite amongst beauty lovers. This little compact works as a highlighter, bronzer and eyeshadow making it an essential for all outings. The versatility of this means this is suitable for pretty much any makeup fiend so throw a little bit of glitter their way this Christmas!

Available from Debenhams for £30.15 (RRP £35.50) 

Cook Extraordinaire

Cookshop Waffle Maker

Waffle makers are one of those things that everybody wants but no one feels like they can justify buying, which is exactly why they make the perfect Christmas presents!! Everybody loves a good Belgian chocolate waffle at the Christmas market but nobody wants to pay the $$$ price tag that comes with them. Problem solved with this uber cheap waffle maker so you can make them in the comfort of your own (warm) home!

Available from Debenhams for £21 here (RRP £35)

Kilner Spiralizer

A spiralizer is one of those trendy gadgets that insta-foodies love to have in their kitchen. I picked this Kilner one up at random but it is actually so, so good and I was amazed by how quick and easy it is to use. For £15 I thought this was an absolute steal as the vegetable lands right inside the jar creating zero mess and you create your salad to go quickly and easily. The blades at the top are engineered so that your vegetable of choice is firmly stuck vertically on top of the jar and you just need to twist it round to create those beautiful vegetables swirls.

Available from Debenhams for £15 here 

Breville Blend-Active Blender

When I went through my fitness crazy phase in my second year of uni, I quickly nabbed one of these Breville Blend-Active Blenders to mix up some tasty protein shakes and smoothies. Three years later, this is still one of the top blenders on the market and I’d say that you definitely get the most value for cost to quality. I love this blender because it blends directly into a bottle, ready for you to take away with you. This blender has so many uses and my mum and I now share it with me using it to make protein shakes and her using it to make soup!

Now available in green, blue and pink with different container sizes.

Available from Debenhams for £20 (RRP £30)

Shop more of Debenhams Christmas range here.

Biscuiteers Nutcracker Biscuit Tin

I have been a huge fan of the Biscuiteers ever since I did work experience with Penguin Random House (read more about that here) and they had a custom box of Willy Wonka inspired biscuits made up. Whoever said food isn’t art clearly hasn’t seen these beautiful biscuits because they are stunning! Almost too stunning to eat. These Nutcracker biscuits make for the perfect Christmas gift and your recipient can always keep the tin to remind them of these exquisite biscuits!

Available from Biscuiteers for £35

  Home Goodies 

HEMA Instax Accessories

In this digital age it’s nice to see that polaroid cameras have made a solid comeback. I love taking polaroid photos to mark special moments but, the problem is, I’m always losing these little prints since I’m reluctant to risk damaging them by pinning them up. I’m so glad I’ve now got my hands on the Instax accessories range from HEMA so I’ve can put my fave prints in a little album and safely store the rest of them in this handy polaroid sized box. This bundle would make the perfect gift for anyone who already owns an Instax mini, or, if you know someone who’s keen to get one, you can purchase one of those too at HEMA for £70.

Instax mini 8 camera bag £12.50  | Instax photo album £5 | Instax storage container £2 | colour film Instax mini Glossy (2×10/pk) £15 

Unicorn Slippers

Unicorns are all the rage right now and I can’t think of a better gift for someone who likes to hibernate at home during the winter months. These amazing slippers will make each step feel magical and add a bit of fun to your home. Plus, the super thick unicorn face at the front means your toes will never go cold!!

Available from Find Me a Gift for £14.99

Leather Goals Journal

Every #girlboss needs a goals journal to get sh*t done, or as it says on the cover “achieve your dream life”. This plain leather journal feels suitably luxe for your biggest, wildest dreams. Over the past few months I’ve become obsessed with writing to-do lists for my day/month/year/LIFE. What’s more, this journal is filled with that thick cut paper that’s really satisfying to write on. Help your gal pal achieve her goals this coming year with a swanky new leather journal.

Available from Find Me a Gift for £36.99

*This post contains some PR samples. All opinions are my own. 

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First up were these incredible (and enormous!) drinks. As it was only a Monday lunch time, Iona and I opted for mocktails – but they didn’t spare any of the fanciness! I’m usually not a fan of mocktails – I find them sickly sweet and fairly underwhelming without the alcohol – but not this time. On the left is a Samsara, a mix of cranberry juice, passion juice and lemonade, which was so, so refreshing. Thank God these were mocktails, if I’d had a drink that large with alcohol in it I’m not sure I would’ve made it home!

For starters, we were spoiled with some of my favourite types of asian food – wagyu beef and sushi. These weren’t just any Wagyu puffs, however, these were wagyu puffs topped with gold leaf. Fancy af. I tried Wagyu for the first time when I was in Japan this summer but I have to say that authentic Japanese street food honestly has nothing on Chai Wu’s wagyu puffs. The beef melts in your mouth and is worth every. penny. Next up was the Harrods Sushi Special, which I’ve actually tried before down in Chai Wu’s sister restaurant Pan Chai (check out my review here). Yes, they are topped with caviar and they are increds!

Have you ever seen anything more delicate and exquisite than this steamed dim sum platter? I certainly haven’t had dim sum topped with gold leaf or caviar before! All five of these delicacies are different and it was impossible to choose a favourite: Alaskan crab spinach dumpling with XO sauce, Seabass with gold leaf, lobster dumpling topped with caviar, scallop foie gras or prawn & vegetarian dumpling?! We were spoilt for choice! It’s a shame that these are so small and delicate because I could eat these for days.

Although this restaurant would mostly describe itself as serving Chinese cuisine, they clearly take inspiration from all over Asian and indeed the world. These leaf wraps on the left remind me of Korean BBQ where you often wrap your BBQed meat with a lettuce leaf and on the right we have sticks of wagyu beef, a Japanese delicacy. These may perhaps look like pretty simple asian dishes but obviously with the Harrods touch they were mind-blowingly delicious (yes, seriously).

  By this point I was thoroughly stuffed by the food just kept on coming! Next up, we were treated to this amazing Korean lobster with spicy honey sauce. They’d already cut it up for us and it was exquisite. They served it in the lobster shell, which looked very impressive but it looked impossible to eat! We left the lobster til last because neither of us were brave enough to brave these shells. However, in the end, we realised that they’d actually carefully cut up the meat for us so it was easy to dig into. Woops.

This was followed up (finally) with Chai Wu’s signature Peking duck pancakes. This was a really special experience as we had the chef at our table cutting the duck meat right in front of us! I regularly have Peking duck pancakes at home and have had eaten this dish in Beijing many times too but, again, the Harrods version managed to match authentic Beijing pancakes. We didn’t manage to finish these as there really was far too much food on the table but I was loath to leave any as the duck meat was so succulent and fatty.

Unfortunately I had to rush off before dessert but I have been reliably informed that the matcha cake is incredible. I’ll just have to go back to try that!

All in all, I had an incredible dining experience at Chai Wu in Harrods and it is top of list for asian restaurants in London. Obviously it’s not the cheapest restaurant around but this is definitely one to consider when you’re celebrating an occasion and looking to treat yourself to exquisite food that is actually worth the $$ you’re paying.

Many thanks to Chai Wu for having me for lunch!

Address Chai Wu Harrods, 5th Floor 87–135 Brompton Rd Knightsbridge London SW1X 7XL

Website

www.chaiwu.co.uk

Opening Hours 

Monday-Saturdays 11:30 to 8pm Sundays 11:30 to 5pm

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If you’re thinking about picking this book up because you think you’re going to be the next Instagram star, think again. Capture Your Styleis not a quickie guide to getting a million followers on Instagram (or 4.7 million in Aimee Song’s case). If, however, you’re looking to improve the quality of your pictures, your overall instagram feed and start posting more consistently to create a…

Radcliffe Camera (1749)

I thought I’d start with the most iconic library in all of Oxford. It’s really Rad. Sorry, I had to. It’s lame, I know. The Radcliffe Camera, known to students as the Rad Cam, is the central library to the university. The iconic round exterior is a big hit with the tourists and you’ll usually find the square around it flooded with groups of them. Thankfully the tourists aren’t usually allowed inside so it’s remains a quiet place to work for students all over Oxford. It’s situated between Brasenose and All Souls, two other colleges mentioned on this list.

Christ Church (1562)

Magnificent both inside and out, Christ Church library is one of my all-time favourites (not biased or anything). It is an absolutely enormous building in the beautiful Peckwater quad. The upstairs and the downstairs are two very different floors, with the upstairs section holding the special collections. Stand just one centimetre too close to the stacks of old books and you’ll set the alarm off. The upper section is only open to finalists so I guess there are some perks to drowning in finals fear.

Over the last year they’ve started adding a large number of general fiction books, which isn’t all that common with college libraries. Most tend to be filled with books for academic use with a couple of general fiction ones thrown in. These large armchairs were also installed which are great for curling up if you want some peace and quiet, surrounded by books.

Duke Humphrey’s Library, The Bodleian (1480)

The Duke Humprhrey’s library may be more familiar to you as “The Harry Potter Library”. This part of the Bodleian library was used in the Harry Potter films, which makes it very special to a Potterhead like me! As the books in this section are so old and precious, the room is usually kept pretty dark and the wifi is not particularly strong so it’s a great place to go if you want to hole yourself up with your books, much like Harry in the restricted section!

The Old Library, Oxford Union (1879)

The Union Library in Oxford is only accessible by Union members (though if the door has been left open, non-members could just walk right in). It is one of the only libraries in Oxford that stocks a decent amount of general fiction available for students to borrow, which is why it’s one of my favourites. A lot of my friends abandoned reading for pleasure when they got to Oxford and many didn’t realise that there was a resource like this available to them. This is also where I came to find translated versions of my French texts (shh).

Buying membership of the Oxford Union comes at a hefty price but it gives you lifetime access to this institution. On the whole this library is fairly peaceful but at peak times seats can fill up. Around the room there are several leather armchairs which I’ve noticed a lot of old Union members like to come back and read the daily paper in, which is rather sweet.

Codrington Library, All Souls (1751)

Access to All Souls library is sought after by many Oxford students but not granted to many. Mostly because people seem to be under the impression that it’s very difficult to gain access, when in fact you just need a reference from your tutor. I sorely regret only managing to visit this library in my last week at Oxford as it is a very spacious library where you can work peacefully with a huge amount of space between you and the next desk. Perfect when you just want to be a hermit for the day. It’s the sort of space where you think you should be writing with a quill and ink, not typing away on a macbook.

Brasenose Library (1664)

This is one of my post liked pictures on Instagram and it was taken in about 4 seconds when I quickly ducked my head into Brasenose library. This library is much cosier than the others featured on this page but the ceiling is just so gorgeous, I had to feature it! In between each row of shelves there’s a desk where students can sit and study. Although it’s not very spacious, it does afford the students a lot of privacy, which is a huge plus if you have the attention span of a gnat like me. Would you have guessed this space holds approximately 55,000 titles?

Lincoln Library (1975)

I spent a large part of my fourth year trying to find someone who could take me into this library. Once I managed to sneak in past the first gate but then when I got inside the library doors, I saw you needed some sort of pass to get in – I was gutted! So the photo below was originally taken by fellow Oxford ‘grammer, @musingsofemma! This library is absolutely enormous and the high ceilings and grand architecture make it one of the most impressive in all of Oxford. It’s actually housed in All Saints Church, an eighteenth century building.

Taylor Institution Library (1845)

Last but by no means least is the Taylorian, which is the Modern Languages Faculty library. This is where I spent a large part of my final year and I definitely didn’t appreciate just how beautiful this room was until it was nearly time to leave. Modern Languages are very fortunate to have such a wonderful library as some of the other faculty libraries I’ve been in have been .. less than inspiring. There are many study rooms within the faculty but this large study space is everybody’s favourite. There’s a spiral staircase leading up to another floor where there are 6 window seats, which are highly sought after by finalists in Trinity term. People actually queue for these seats before 9am on weekdays.

Et voilà, there’s a little look inside eight of Oxford University’s most beautiful libraries! For more posts about my time at Oxford University, check out the following:

8 Do’s and Dont’s When Choosing an Oxford College

How Many Books Did I Read For My French Degree At Oxford University?

What is it like to study French at Oxford University?

The Harry Potter Tour of Oxford University

A Potterific Halloween at Christ Church, Oxford 

3 TV Shows To Prepare You For Life at Oxford University

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Review | The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

Since my travels this summer I’ve gotten really into translated Japanese fiction, so when I was offered a proof of The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawato get my teeth into, I couldn’t resist. I’d already seen numerous bookstagrammers raving about this story on social media and since I couldn’t see how a book about a cat could possibly have captured so many people’s hearts, I knew that I…

The Hotel 

As expected from a hipster establishment like this, we were greeted by a very enthusiastic receptionist upon arrival. It was a bit like when you walk into Hollister and everyone’s like “hey dude”, except they’re not fake af. If you’re a baller, there’s the option here to open a tab so that anything you buy during your stay is automatically deducted from your credit card. After a brief welcome, she handed over our room keys and directed us to the 6th floor.

We were provided with a cosy double room for our one-night stay but with the clever use of large mirrors and windows, the space was still bright and airy. It is clear that a lot of attention to detail went into designing these rooms and making them as “Shoreditch” as possible. I loved that if you looked closely, the carpet was a map of the area and the headboard was a sign for Brick Lane Bakery. Small touches like a retro telephone and radio really added to the whole “vibe” of the room.

The room doesn’t really come with any frills but it has all the essentials you’d need and expect. I was impressed by the clever use of space meaning that the kettle etc were actually inside a panel in the desk and the TV could be pulled out from the wall to face the bed! In the corner of the room there’s a large lounge chair where you can curl up with a good book or magazine in the evening.

The bathroom was chic and modern with tiles all around the walls and a large mirror with lights. We were provided with loads of towels and they’ve got their own shower gel, shampoo and conditioner for you to use. That’s just about it though so don’t forget your toothbrush!

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Breakfast

Unfortunately as the downstairs grill is owned by a separate business, a full breakfast is not included in the nightly price. Instead, the Hoxton offers a light breakfast to go comprising of granola, a banana and some orange juice. They have a rather clever breakfast system whereby you leave a paper bag outside your room, ticking off what time you’d like your breakfast. When you wake up in the morning, food magically appears inside the bag! Ok it’s not quite magic but someone will deliver you your breakfast before your stated time so it’s ready for you when you wake up. Ingenious!

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The Work Space 

Although I was staying here with my boyfriend and the room was super cosy, I felt like this would be a great place to stay on a work trip in London. My boyfriend left for work at around 8am in the morning (with the aforementioned breakfast to go!) so I was up bright and early and sat myself down at the desk for a morning of studying/blogging. I really surprised myself by how productive I was here but with a large desk to myself, some complimentary peppermint tea to wake myself up and light streaming in through the window, conditions were perfect for bashing out some law and blog work.

As I said, the first time I discovered the Hoxton was through googling cafe shops in London to work in so after checkout at 11am, I headed downstairs, plonked myself in one of the many comfortable sofas dotted around and set up my laptop. At 11am the place was already full of young entrepreneurs with their mac books so clearly this is a popular hangout for creatives.

The Area 

The Hoxton Hotel Shoreditch is in the perfect location in East London with a co-op supermarket right outside and Boxpark less than a 10 minute walk away. This makes it a great place to stay if you want to explore all the restaurants, bars and shops that this area has to offer. You’ll find places like Dishoom and Andina around a 5 minute walk away, both of which are perfect for brunch. I couldn’t resist heading to Dum Dum Donutterie in Boxpark where I also managed to pick up these adorable Pusheen slippers that I’ve been after for weeks!

All in all, I had a wonderful stay at The Hoxton Hotel Shoreditch, which offers you everything you could possibly need for a short stay in London. The staff are friendly, the room is comfortable and chic and the restaurant/work area downstairs is perfect for either a date or a business meeting (and few places can boast being suitable for both..). If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in London, I’d highly recommend either The Hoxton in Holborn or in Shoreditch for your stay – you won’t be disappointed!

Address

The Hoxton Hotel Shoredtich 81 Great Eastern Street London EC2A 3HU

Website www.thehoxton.com/london/shoreditch/hotels

Tel 020 7550 1000

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Book Review | The Anxiety Solution: A Quieter Mind, A Calmer You

Self-help books are flooding the market at the moment, claiming to declutter your home, your mind and your life. A lot of them are focussed on mental health, claiming to be able to help relieve you of your anxiety or help you cope with depression – but how many of them are really, genuinely useful? The Anxiety Solution: A Quieter Mind, A Calmer Youby Chloe Brotheridge is definitely one of the…

Musée de la vie romantique

Widely regarded as one of Paris’ most beautiful and quaint museums

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  Musée de Montmartre

Takes us through the history of Montmartre from windmills to the Moulin Rouge (there’s a whole room on the French Cancan!)

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Musée Rodin

Housing some of the most significant pieces of work by sculptor Rodin

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Palais Tokyo

A breath of fresh air in traditional Paris, here yo’ll find modern and contemporary art

Petit Palais

This museum may stand in the shadow of the Grand Palais but it has plenty of its own significant artwork on display

Grand Palais

Most famous for its enormous glass vault, some of the best exhibitions are held in this spacious museum

Musée Gustave Moreau

Moreau’s home has now been converted into a museum dedicated to his works. He counted Henri Matisse amongst his students and influenced many of the most influential 20th century artists

Musée national d’Histoire naturelle

Houses a seriously impressive gallery dedicated to evolution

Galerie de paléontologie et d’anatomie comparée

Hoards of dinosaur and animal skeletons that make for an impressive, if rather scary, exhibition

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Institut du Monde Arabe

There’s never been a more important time to explore France’s tricky past with the Arab world.

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BEAUTY & MAKE UP HAUL | THE WINTER EDITION

I’ve never been the sort of girl to change her make up or beauty routine according to the seasons. I am aware that changes in temperature and the conditions outdoors can have a big impact on your skin but frankly I’m usually far too lazy to give a damn. However, my skin has noticeably deteriorated over the past year, no doubt due to the stress of finals and then a long bout of travelling, so…

Here’s what went down:

Invitations:

First up, everyone received personalised Chocolate Frog cards in their pigeon holes. We were all given special Potter-related names for the evening, which were based on our real names. My surname is Hartley so I was Laura Lockheart for the night ☺

Dress Code: 

Dress robes and gowns (jacket + tie). Witch hats encouraged. Costumes definitely an option.

Reception:

Upon arrival, we were encouraged to pick up a wand or a Hogwarts scarf to add to our costumes. At Christ Church we have to wear black gowns when we eat in formal hall anyway so most people were already wearing their “Hogwarts” robes. In the antehall, the Hogwarts theme tuned was played as we sipped on “felix felicis” (bucks fizz). The hall was decorated with pumpkins, howlers and more on the inside.

Menu:

Now Christ Church food is not the best so this menu definitely sounds a lot snazzier than it actually was but we all appreciated the effort that went into trying to jazz it up for us.

Witches’ Broth

with Stardust

Supreme of Dragon

with Lizards’ Tails and Mixed Mandrake

Fortescue Sundae

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Of course, before the feast began the choir sang The Hogwarts Song.

Then Dumbledore gave his welcome speech.

But the best bit?

At the end of the feast, Quirrell ran in screaming “Troll in the Dungeon” “thought you ought to know” before collapsing onto the floor.

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For more posts about my time at Oxford University, check out the following:

8 Do’s and Dont’s When Choosing an Oxford College

How Many Books Did I Read For My French Degree At Oxford University?

What is it like to study French at Oxford University?

The Harry Potter Tour of Oxford University

3 TV Shows To Prepare You For Life at Oxford University

–

What’s the best Halloween story you’ve got to share? Will you be going trick or treating this evening?

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6 CHILLING CLASSICS TO READ THIS HALLOWEEN

Have you got your pumpkins ready? In just over one week, Halloween will be upon us! There’s a noticeable chill in the air and there’s nothing better than curling up under a blanket, lighting some candles, and digging into a spooky read at this time of year.

(more…)

10 MORE BEAUTIFUL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS FOR BOOK LOVERS

A year and a half ago I wrote about 10 beautiful instagram accounts for book lovers. Since then, the bookstagram community has only grown and grown so I thought it was about time I shared some more of my favourite accounts with you. So here are 10 more beautiful instagram accounts for book lovers.

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THE VEGETARIAN BY HAN KANG | DISTURBING & BEAUTIFUL

Having flirted with the idea of turning towards a vegetarian diet for quite some time now, I was instantly drawn to The Vegetarian. When I was 17, I decided to give up meat for lent, to prove to a friend that I could and would survive for forty days without meat. However, when I got home from school and announced this news to my mother (Chinese), she was horrified. Although the vegetarian…

5 MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES FROM DUMBLEDORE TO GET YOU THROUGH MONDAY

Most of my favourite quotes can be found within the pages of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter. There are so many little pearls of wisdom hidden within these pages, many of which are great pick-me-ups for when you’re feeling a bit demotivated or down in the dumps. It makes sense that many of these quotes come from the greatest wizard of all time himself. So without further ado, here are 5 motivational…