Wednesday 30 October 2013

A nice wee Wednesday.

I was lucky enough to have training at the artisan roast roastery this morning with my pal Marie, which was great! We got to see the beans go through the roasting process and learnt about the different kind of brewed coffee like v60 and Chemex. I drank so much coffee I thought I was going to pass out which is a sign of a good morning.



(Necklace Topshop)
It was pouring down today and I would have loved to do some photos outside, but my face and the rain would have made everyone sad.  I did manage to take a couple of photos of the beautiful ring I got from Hannah Zakari today. Hannah Zakari is a local, independent business which sells gorgeous handmade jewellery and other lovely things. This wee shop is perfect for presents or if you just want to treat yourself. 


Monday 28 October 2013

Amy and Caseys cafe crawl extraordinaire.

Good day!


In this post i've decided to focus more on the lifestyle side of my blog , and what a life I lead. I work full time in a cafe and for some reason every single day off I have, I decide to spend in other cafes, and my oh my there is some amount of cafes in Edinburgh! So me and my pal Casey decided to narrow our choices down to 5 and go on a cafe crawl ...

The plan
Our journey began at Freemans in the Marchmont area. Freemans is a quirky cafe with a relaxed vibe and comfy interior. With a spread of armchairs and benches you can always find a corner to nestle in. There is also free wifi which is always a bonus. The main thing I enjoy about Freemans is their focus on good coffee with guest espressos and perfectly sized flat whites they honestly have something for everyone. 


LOVE IT

Our second stop on the crawl was Artisan roast in Brunstfield which is a pint-sized hang out with friendly staff and a cosy atmosphere. Artisan roast, roasts all of their own coffee beans and are an independent business based in Edinburgh. While having a few cafes around the city, they also have their own roastery and supply beans to a lot of other top cafes and restaurants around Edinburgh, including the cafe where I work: Hula juice bar. Their coffee is without doubt one of the best in the city and they have a bean to satisfy everyone's taste. 
Soya picollo and El chollo brew 

Next, we tried somewhere a bit different. Pekoe tea of Edinburgh in Tollcross is a loose leaf tea specialist who stock 100 loose leaf teas which you can buy or try inside their calm interior. They also have a selection of adorable tea ware.  I had 'white monkey green tea' which acted as an excellent  detox after all the coffee I had just drunk and tasted amazing. Casey had the 'chocolate mint rooibos tea' which tasted equally superb. I will definitely be coming back here to try out some more teas and maybe even purchase a cute teapot.

Of course I didn't give it time to cool.

Looking glass books was our fourth stop. It is tucked away in the quarter mile area of the city and is a wee gem. Half bookshop half cafe it is a perfect balance with a large selection of interesting books to browse through. Smiley staff and miss matched furniture fits perfectly. I had a delicious soya hot chocolate which was a perfect winter warmer and Casey a peppermint tea. This is one of my favourite spots and if I'm ever struggling for something to do on my day off I can sit here for hours and pretend to be productive. 

Our 5th and final stop was Brew lab on South College Street. It is on a quiet cobbled side street. However it's the opposite inside with students getting on with work and friends chatting and laughing. It provides a great atmosphere for concentrating or a catchup. The interior is gorgeous with exposed brick work and restored wooden tables and chairs to plonk down on. I tried the decaf filter coffee as our over consumption of caffeine had finally hit us. uh oh. The decaf was extremely fragrant, fruity and refreshing. It was different to anything else I had tasted before but I will definitely try it again. Brew lab is a definite stop off for a rainy day, which is most days...



Ok so those were the five great places in the cafe crawl. In all of them I was greeted with a smile and made to feel as welcome as possible. However, I couldn't do a post about cafes and not include my own place of work. Warning. This will be 100% biased but who cares eh. Hula juice bar situated in the Grassmarket has recently been voted the 'best cafe in Edinburgh 2013' by readers of 'The Skinny'. I've worked in Hula for around 5 years and have kind of grown up with it, watching the interior and menu evolve over my time there. From green super juices to Artisan roast coffee, Hula is a health kick and a half with gluten-free goodness as well. I promise you will never be disappointed with fresh art exhibited on the walls and homemade soups and salads changing daily. No matter if it's 8 in the morning or 4 in the afternoon, you will always get a smile and a warm welcome. Especially if you've read this blog post!


I Hope this has inspired you to try out some of the best hang-outs in Edinburgh. See ya!

Thursday 24 October 2013

Outfit Inspo. 24/10/13

Sawubona!

I was a wee bit bored this evening and decided to occupy myself by doing a quick inspo. post . By the time I get home from work these days all the light has gone, but I hope to do some more photography posts this weekend ! 




This denim dress is a staple in my wardrobe and is good in hot and cold weather  .Wear it casual or glammed up with some jewels and wedged boots. The oversized coat is very popular this season and I managed to grab a bargain in h&m with this beige one last Autumn. The black boots jazz it up and of course the tartan scarf brings more vibrance and colour to the outfit.

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Amys five essentials


I am such a lounger and love to be comfy wherever I can. So although my five essentials look simple you honestly can't go wrong with this comfy collection .

1. 'The oversized t-shirt' At work , at home, There is nowhere you can't wear this baggy beauty . I tend to wear it with leggings in the summer and skinnys in the winter. 

2. Everyone needs those one pair of jeans that no matter how many slices of chocolate cake, you just slip them on and feel like a size 0. My favies are the 'Joni super high waisted' from Topshop , simply because the material is so stretchy and cosy.

3. My vans are the shoes I look to when my feet seem like they can't take anymore of life. Nike lo blazers are also a personal favourite. Especially when I have to be on my feet all day at work , these shoes honestly are the best. They go with anything and add a couple of centimetres to your height. Quality.

4. I chuck on my chain with anything and everything in my wardrobe and seem to never get bored of it. So good at adding a bit of bling to any outfit. 

5. Finally the handbag which stores items that could cope with any situation. From plasters to purses you might not know whats hiding in the depths of the dark abyss, you know deep in your heart that it will come in handy one day. 

Sunday 20 October 2013

Tartan Walkies.

Hellooo!
It seems like it's been raining forever , but when I looked out  of  the window this morning I finally saw some sunshine creeping through and decided to take my wee dog on a walk. Tartan is a top trend this A/W and I managed to grab a bargain with this lightweight tartan jumper from Primark for 12.99. Wear your tartan with a chunky gold necklace and it really brightens it up. Pair it with something simple and the tartan will become the focus of the outfit. I'm so lucky to live in a city with so much green space. All the photos are taken at Arthurs seat in Edinburgh.





Saturday 19 October 2013

OBSESSION ALERT.

Hiya

I am absolutely obsessed with over sized coats and coatigans this autumn. I already have two and have a feeling I'm going to be adding to the collection. Oh dear. In my opinion Topshop and asos have the largest collection to my liking so far, however If you're near any vintage shops then have a rummage through and you will surely find something with a story and a reasonable price tag. There is just nothing better than a jacket giving you a hug while fending off 80mph winds. 

Heres a few of my favies...

Cocoon coat-Asos

Asos

River island

Topshop
River island

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Sunday 13 October 2013

A hint of Ox-blood.

Bonsoir.
I cannot get enough of boots this winter! There's just so many choices. Ox blood and deep reds are also really popular and add a really nice touch too any black and white outfits. 




Saturday 12 October 2013

Outfit Inspo.


Hey guyz
I've been meaning to do an inspo post for ages.
Since the temperature seems to have dropped to -100 degrees here in Edinburgh it's time to wrap up and layer up. I would most likely throw a pair of thick tights into the mix with this combo but lets face it , tights aren't pretty. I've chosen to accessorise less as the pattern on the dress is so bold against the block colours on the jumper and coat. Layering a smock dress up with a woolly jumper and over sized coat is one of my favourite look this A/W. 
Try it you'll love it.




Dress & Boots - River Island
Hat- Asos
Chain- Thrift
Rings- Primark
Jumper & Coat- Topshop
 

Thursday 10 October 2013

OOTD 10/10/13

Hiyaaa

I had a lovely day off from work today and finally got a chance to catch up on Paris Fashion week. which looked amazing. I managed to squeeze a few shots of my outfit for the day . We had such a good Scottish summer, which seemed to last ages. However I think it may have just lost the battle with the winter chill as today was absolutely freezing. So I had my wee hat on, and huddled in a nice warm cafe with some good coffee and a good book all day. 


                                                           Shoes:Forever 21
                                                           Jeans&Coat:Topshop
                                                           jumper:Urban Outfitters 
                                                           Hat:My pal Gildo
                                                           Rings:Various