Recently a few friends and I enjoyed fun, food and frolics by the sea at the Sidmouth Folk Festival. The weather was glorious (before it took a grey turn for the worst the following afternoon, in typical British summertime fashion) so we enjoyed our first evening by the coast sat in the garden with bubbles, sangria, and one helluva fabulous feast!
New shoes always make a girl feel better but what if you didn’t really need them?
Life changes can make you lose confidence and I think it’s important to remember how to build yourself back up when you take a stumble. I wanted to write a short post on what I believe will hopefully help you on the road to feeling like a better, more confident you…
#1 New hair, new you
You know the phrase – a hair cut can make you feel like a new person, something that I tried and tested this week. I already feel happier now I’m blonder, in fact I practically skipped down the road beaming with more confidence! In the words of Coco Chanel, “a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life”, and I couldn’t agree with her more. It’s a statement of change, major or minor, and it might just jump start a new outlook on life.
#2 Building a good foundation
A shallow step perhaps but I do believe that a good foundation can work wonders. I recently purchased Revlon’s ColorStay foundation and am so impressed with the results so far – the colour match is pretty perfect and makes my skin feel like skin, just a slightly more flawless version. Finding the right one can be a tedious process but by simply swatching two or three shades onto your jawline you will hopefully begin to see which colour is your skin but better. Makeup or no makeup, bare your skin with confidence.
P.S. Lipstick also works wonders.
#3 Smile
A simple smile when you might not be feeling so great sends a message to your brain that you are happy, and this can automatically change your body language and behaviour. It can be difficult at first and hard not to look too ‘fake’ but if you train your brain to believe that you’re happy and confident, chances are so will everyone else.
There are so many other steps you can take but these are just three that I have tried and tested this week. What helps you to feel better about yourself?
Hope you all have a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend – let’s keep our fingers crossed for sunshine!
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As a Cheltonian born and bred I’ve seen restaurants come and go, but when Montpellier Brasserie closed down last summer I was disappointed. Their food and cocktails always raised a smile when I visited and I held fond memories of the place, but I was intrigued to find out who would replace this local dining spot.
Côte is a French chain inspired by Parisian bistros, putting together ‘authentic brasserie dishes with a modern twist‘. From steak to seafood and salads, there is something for everyone to enjoy and I couldn’t wait to tuck in and try what is on offer. Officially opening in Cheltenham on Monday 13th April, myself and a friend got to sample some of the delights a couple days early.
Lunchtime on a Saturday: the atmosphere was lively in an informal yet elegant setting. Friendly faces greeted us as we entered (and departed), the service was efficient and we didn’t have to wait long before our drinks and complimentary nibbles were served. Supervisors were on hand to prompt some of the staff to ensure customers were happy, monitoring the room for further improvements, something that will probably be present for the coming weeks whilst they settle in to their new surroundings. Our waiter was lovely and he was extremely attentive and the quality of the dining experience shone through, even before food reached our stomachs.
We enjoyed a bowl of juicy olives and crusty bread whilst perusing the menu, offering plenty of choice for most appetites. Whilst Sam chose the Boudin Noir as his starter (French black pudding with caramelised apples, poached egg and a frisée salad), I went with an old favourite – calamari.
I was conscious not to fill up on too much fresh bread (despite how tasty it was) in fear of ruining my two courses. Thank goodness I did as the portion of calamari was particularly generous! I’m used to sharing this dish in other restaurants so on average I would expect 6-8 pieces between two people, but there must have been 10+ pieces in this cute little pan of breadcrumbed squid! As my stomach started to shrink I felt like I had been eating a main course, so left the final few pieces for Sam to finish off. Dare I say it it might be the best calamari I have ever had! I would recommend this as a sharing dish though, unless you are feeling particularly ravenous.
For my main I chose the Salmon Fishcakes, a favourite dish of mine, with a baby spinach salad, dill, a wholegrain mustard sauce, and a side of French green beans to compliment the meal. I was slightly full from the starter but found it easy to demolish most of the main course, the only thing I didn’t care for were the number of capers on my plate – perhaps an ingredient that should be mentioned on the menu. Sam ordered the roasted duck breast with gratin potato and a griottine cherry sauce, and after trying a mouthful of the tender duck I look forward to ordering it on my next visit.
We were offered more drinks and handed the dessert menu. Everything sounded scrumptious! It’s a shame I felt so full up because the Praline Crêpes sound amazing, I will definitely be ordering this next time. We went with a coffee instead to end our lovely lunch with, and before we knew it it was time to leave.
From the decor to the service I was impressed with the experience and leaves you wanting to try more – great quality food for excellent prices.
Will you be visiting?
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Last weekend the family and I took a day trip to Oxford, where we had matinee tickets to see Top Hat at the New Theatre.
We chose the afternoon performance so we could have a leisurely lunch and browse around town (they have a MAC counter, enough said?) I’ve seen a few shows in Oxford now and they are always so professional, a real joy to watch and will rival any West End performance.
As a big theatre lover I couldn’t wait to sit in my seat and wait for the show to start. I hadn’t seen the famous film, which stars screen icons Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, so I didn’t know what to expect. I had seen a few clips on YouTube and I knew it featured one of my all time favourite tunes ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz‘ (it’s actually become my kitchen dance at home, what a sight it is to behold….)
We joined the many other theatre-goers who were queuing and picked up a programme and confectionery en route, before making our way to our seats. Boasting an 1800 capacity and beautiful art deco features, this theatre dates back almost 180 years to it’s original opening and is still home to incredible talent.
Whilst we sat in our seats waiting for the show to begin I enjoyed reading the performance history of the actors, it’s always interesting to find out what their background is and occasionally you recognise them from previous work they have done. Does anyone else enjoy this? It’s a ritual now whenever I see a show.
A little bit about the show…
Jerry Travers is an American dancer who travels to London to star in a West End show, produced by the idiotic Horace Hardwick. Whilst practicing his tap dancing routine he ends up awakening the beautiful Miss Dale Tremont. After a good telling off, he immediately falls in love with her and begins to follow her all around town to win her affection. She somehow mistakes Jerry for Horace, the husband of her friend Madge and escapes to Italy with the flamboyant Italian fashion designer Alberto Beddini. After a proposal and a wedding, both from two different men, Dale soon realises she has made a mistake and reconciles with her love, Jerry Travers.
As the live orchestra started to play the overture and the golden curtains parted, I was already tapping my feet and the excitement was building rapidly. The brilliant cast were led by Alan Burkitt (Jerry Travers) and Charlotte Gooch (Dale Tremont), who I would praise as the perfect pair to play these iconic characters. With big shoes to fill I wasn’t sure anyone could live up to the talents of Astaire and Rogers but these two have surely raised the bar.
Puttin’ On The Ritz set an energetic pace for the rest of the production, oozing such class and sophistication that took you all the way back to 1935 when the original film took place. I started to fall in love with the era, the music and Jerry Travers – I suddenly wanted to take up dance again!
As the show went on and more songs were sung and danced to, the more I realised I had heard several of the songs before without the Top Hat association. Cheek To Cheek and Let’s Face The Music are all classics most of you will have heard before, whether in an advert or on Strictly Come Dancing, they are some of theatre’s greatest musical numbers to date. I don’t think there was one person in the audience who didn’t want to get up on that stage and join in.
Horace and his wife Madge, played by the wonderful Clive Hayward and Rebecca Thornhill, make up the comedy sub-plot with Gooch and Burkitt. Horace’s butler Bates (John Conroy) is a gem to watch, cue a sequence of funny disguises and accents as he keeps a close eye on Dale Tremont, while latino Sebastien Torkia (Alberto Beddini) steals the show at one point in his pants. Yes, it is just as brilliant and absurd as it sounds – what’s not to love? Burkitt makes tap dancing look so effortless and does it with cheeky charm, especially when he sweeps Gooch off her feet in that iconic feather gown.
Top Hat is a beautifully written love story with a humorous case of mistaken identity, brought to life through an astounding cast of talented individuals. Aside from the leading ladies and gents, the ensemble were just as entertaining and stunning to watch. They all seemed to be loving every moment they were on that stage, a ‘dream job’ for any musical theatre actor I can imagine. It is with thanks to Burkitt and the rest of this cast that Top Hat is now cemented as one of my all-time favourite musicals, sitting comfortably alongside Chicago.
Choreographed by Bill Deamer and directed by Matthew White, the team behind the production have created something spectacular and no doubt will leave audiences all around the UK falling in love with the show. The lavish sets, glam costumes and timeless music really make it a magical and memorable performance, I’ve had the soundtrack stuck in my head ever since and there doesn’t seem to be a sign of that stopping.
Top Hat, Top Show.
See here for the Top Hat tour dates, and let me know if you see it!
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