Rejoice! For 'tis the end of Sober October, may ye all drink wine and be merry once more

Okay I know it isn’t *technically* the end of Sober October, but my friends and I started two days early so we can *technically* have a tipple or two tonight, right?

I have mixed feelings about Sober October. On one hand I actually enjoyed it (yes, enjoyed it! Shock, horror!) Over the past few weeks, I’ve had really productive weekends (which I need right now, what with planning a wedding and all). AND I lost a few pounds, hurrah!

On the other hand, however, it was kind of dull. Tom and I practically became recluses for the month, which again, was good for the wedding planning side of things, but not so good socially-wise.

It was also strange/awful not having a glass of red with red meat. We had steak a couple of times, a lamb tagine one evening and spaghetti meatballs another, and I was really, really, REALLY craving a nice red. We tried grape juice as an alternative, but no… just, no.

We’re bidding farewell to Sober October properly tomorrow evening and having a Halloween party with booze a plenty. I know I’ll probably miss that smug Sober October feeling on Sunday morning when I’ll just want to spend the day lying on the sofa in my PJs, eating popcorn and watching re-runs of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

I do think I’d be up for another sober month at some point and would encourage anyone to give it a go if they fancy a bit of a detox because you definitely do feel better for it. Unfortunately (?) I’ll be missing out on Dry January because my hen party is on January 16^th which I am so excited about! My closest friends and I have booked an apartment in Liverpool and we’re going to have such a fun, mad, definitely-not-dry night! x

My not-very-Sober-October-appropriate coasters

Rugby match and Sunday lunch – the two challenges of Sober October: Week One!

Golly I feel so guilty for neglecting my blog! I can’t believe I haven’t posted since July, but things have been a little hectic with wedding planning, house sorting and work. I’m going to make sure I post more regularly now however, because I do love me blog I do.

SO! Tom and I have been taking part in Sober October with a few of our friends and we’re just about to venture into our second alcohol-free weekend. We decided to do it partly because we’re ‘shredding for the wedding’ (only five months to go now!) and also because cracking open a beer or a bottle of wine on a Friday night was becoming a bit of a routine.

Our first Sober October weekend came with two challenges. Firstly the England v Australia Rugby World Cup match, which was a mix of sulking and celebrating. While I wanted to drown my sorrows with a glass or two, Tom was all set to crack open the champers and celebrate our woeful defeat, being the proud Welshman that he is.

Our second challenge was Sunday lunch. We booked a table at The Sun, which is one of our favourite restaurants. The food was absolutely divine as always. The only thing missing was a nice glass of red with our roast beef… but we settled for elderflower pressé (in wine glasses!)

Despite those two situations which definitely warranted a tipple or two, I’m actually quite surprised how much I’m enjoying Sober October (so far anyway, it’s early days yet!) But it is quite nice waking up on a Saturday or Sunday morning with no foggy head, not wanting to sleep-in or eat junk food and having a productive day instead of slobbing out on the sofa. Let’s see how the second weekend goes!

Are you taking part in Sober October? Let me know how you’re getting on! 

I would like this waiting for me on 1 November please.

10 reasons why the LBN Conference made me feel like I can do anything!

The annual LBN (Lakeland Businesswomen’s Network) conference took place last Friday at Kendal College. As a new LBN member, it was my first time attending the conference and I had been really looking forward to it. I found the entire day so inspiring and motivating. Here’s why:

1. The Keynote speaker, Isla Wilson from Ruby Star Associates, was absolutely brilliant. Isla dispelled a number of business myths and offered an interesting insight during her talk ‘Five things that entrepreneurs told us they wished they’d learned earlier.’ Anyone who was there will know exactly what I mean when I say two words: Tin. Foil. Isla took ‘out of the box’ thinking to a whole new level by asking us to choose one of five debate topics and solve it by using… tin foil. It was an imaginative icebreaker and got the whole room talking/laughing! Isla herself was hilarious, warm, confident, engaging and set the tone perfectly for the day.

The hilarious and brilliant Isla Wilson

2. There was a fantastic range of workshops on offer throughout the day. I genuinely struggled to pick just three and I kept changing my mind before I actually forced myself to send the form back. There were terrific options for everybody, in every stage of business and in every industry.

3. My first workshop was ‘Trending, Targeting and Tracking’ with Catherine Rumney from The Creative Branch. As Catherine said, these days there is more and more overlapping across services and it helps to know which messages to convey at different times of the day. For example, consumers want a different tone when they’re reading something first thing in the morning, compared to the evening when they might be reading their iPad before they go to sleep.

Catherine Rumney told us all about trending, targeting and tracking

Catherine gave an in-depth talk, which included: online messages, data and details, the importance of tracking (and tools to do so), content and language, consumer personality types, testing and statistics. I thought it was a really informative session. I have a basic grasp of ‘trending, targeting and tracking’ and I wanted to broaden my knowledge (especially as it’s a key part of my job!) – Catherine helped me do just that.

4. Lunch was an ideal opportunity for networking. As well as chatting to new people, I saw some familiar faces, which was lovely. The sandwiches (which were provided by the college I think) were very yummy and there was lots of variety. It was great to see lots of dietary options, such as gluten-free and vegetarian, too.

5. The second workshop I went to was ‘Creating Compelling Goals’ with Nicola Jackson of Growing Potential. I am a goal-making enthusiast, so this was right up my street. There has been so much research lately about the importance of having both business and personal goals. There are many advantages of setting goals, but one of the key benefits is that goals give you a clear focus – you can concentrate your attention on what it is that you really want in life.

We created compelling goals with Nicola Jackson

As Nicola said, goals can influence the way you live, month by month and day by day. She talked about the mindset of high achievers, problem thinking vs outcome thinking and tips to create compelling goals. Nicola’s guidelines were really useful and the session helped me outline exactly what it is that I want in the next three months, six months and 12 months.

6. We had one last networking opportunity before the final workshop. The word ‘networking’ can put the fear of God into some people. I know because I used to feel that way! I think the thing with networking is to remove the pressure, then it becomes much more enjoyable. Networking shouldn’t be a desperate attempt at making sales or generating leads and if you stop thinking of it like that, then you’ll definitely enjoy it more.

The great thing about the LBN Conference was that it was a friendly gathering of women who all have one thing in common – business. It wasn’t about being competitive or who’s better than who. It was an encouraging and supportive atmosphere and a fantastic chance to get to know women who are also self-employed or wanting to start their own businesses. There was nothing scary or intimidating about it! (Plus, there was yummy cake and lots of tea!)

7. The final workshop was one I’d been really looking forward to. It was called ‘Allowing yourself to think BIG’ and was presented by Alison Tordoff of Fidget Design. Her business story was truly inspirational. She offered some excellent tips and encouraged us to think big and go that extra mile. On a personal note, I was really pleased to hear how much she values PR. Sometimes, it can be tricky to explain the importance of PR to businesses, so it was great to hear Alison talk about how hiring a good PR consultant has opened up lots of doors for her (including a fab column in Lake District Life, which I really enjoy!)

Alison Tordoff encouraged us to think big!

8. After an educating and hugely motivating day, we gathered in the main room for the closing session with Isla Wilson. It was aptly titled ‘Let it Go!’ (which also meant I had that song in my brain for the next couple of hours!) The idea behind it was brilliant. Isla talked about habits and the way that everything we do (everything – including the bad things), we find rewarding in one way or another. Otherwise, why would we do it? So, with that in mind, we all picked up an origami bird and wrote on it the bad habits that we wanted to stop. We then stuck them to a line at the back of the room and made a promise that we were going to let those bad habits go and leave them behind. What a sweet, but effective, idea!

I left two bad habits behind

9. The conference asked for voluntary donations to raise money for two very worthwhile charities – the Birchall Trust and the Tiger Lily Trust. The Birchall Trust supports those affected by rape and sexual abuse in South Cumbria and North Lancashire. The Tiger Lily Trust provides tangible symbols of rememberance for parents bereaved through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death. Hopefully lots of money was raised for the two charities! 

10. My final point is this… the conference was FREE! How incredible is that? Three informative workshops, two motivational talks and lots of networking opportunities… all free of charge thanks to funding provided by Cumbria Growth Hub. I left the conference feeling confident and inspired. I had so many thoughts and ideas. It really was a fabulous day!

If you are interested in joining LBN, check out the website here.

... Also, as this is very much a 'girl power' post, I thought I'd share this fabulous pic that I posted on my Facebook and Instagram for International Women's Day on Sunday!

A foodie’s paradise! Eating, drinking, learning and exploring at Kendal Festival of Food

Cumbria is a treasure trove of food and drink producers. So, when we heard that Kendal Festival of Food would be bringing them altogether for one fabulous foodie weekend, we knew we absolutely HAD to visit.

Tom and I dug out our roomiest jeans, wore our warmest jackets (we are in the North West after all) and recruited my mum as the designated driver. Then, we all set off for the festival, which was taking place in the centre of Kendal. We parked at the K Village, which offered free parking all day and was only a five minute walk away from the main festival areas.

After picking up our ‘Food and Drink’ wristbands, which cost £15 for the one day, or £26 for the weekend, we made our way to the first event.

Although tempted by the talk entitled Chocolate Heaven (need I say more?), we were all really keen to learn more about the history of the famous Grasmere Gingerbread. We subtly hid our enthusiasm though and definitely did not sprint to the three empty seats in the front row...

No "probably" about it! Definitely the best gingerbread in the world

The hour flew by as Joanne Hunter told the fascinating tale of Grasmere Gingerbread, from its creation in 1854 to the worldwide following it has today. The captivating story is definitely worthy of a film!

Of course, the tastings were a highlight of the talk. We tried a slice of the gingerbread, as well as their rum butter. I had never eaten the famous gingerbread before and I can honestly say it really was the best I’ve ever had in my life! You can’t even compare it to other gingerbread. 

A piece of Sarah Nelson's Grasmere Gingerbread

The rum butter was a delicious treat too, perfect for those with a sweet tooth! We loved them both so much that we bought a big pack of gingerbread and a jar of rum butter as soon as we had a chance to wander around the stalls.

Rum butter... SO good!

You can read about the fascinating history of Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread on the website, it’s definitely worth a look!

The second talk was The Art of Sourdough with Aidan Monks and Mark Lloyd. It was in the town hall at the Best of Cumbria Stage, which was an ideal setting, as well-positioned video link cameras meant you didn’t miss a thing and there was ample seating – a good call as the room was packed!

Aidan, who owns the (extremely) popular Lovingly Artisan shop in Oxenholme, gave the audience an interesting insight into the benefits of sourdough. He talked us through the process of making a sourdough starter (not as daunting as I originally thought) and how to turn it into gorgeous bread.

Aidan Monks and Mark Lloyd told us all about sourdough

Samples were passed around the audience. Again, they were so good that they sent us running straight to their stall to sample some more! It seemed everyone had the same idea as they were starting to sell out, but we managed to grab a five grain rye. That evening, we had it with some baked Camembert and a few other cheeses, then the next morning we used it for our wild boar bacon (another great purchase) butties. 

I know there is the beginning of a theme going on and I’m saying everything is the best, but honestly, it is THE BEST EVER! It's lucky that we don’t live in Oxenholme, because if we did, we’d be in Lovingly Artisan every single day! If you do live nearby, I’d definitely recommend popping in. Check out the Lovingly Artisan website here.

By this point, it was 1pm, so *obviously* that meant it was wine o’clock… We met up with our fellow foodie and friend Zoe, aka The Quirky Traveller, and we all headed over to Wainwright’s Yard Drinks Village – a new addition to the festival this year.

The next session, called Let’s Talk About Wine, was presented by Colin Burbidge, from The Lancashire Wine School. We all took a glass of red and a glass of white and Colin guided us through the basics of tasting wine. By using a piece of cheese, Colin demonstrated how drastically a wine can change when paired with the right food.

Colin Burbridge setting up for his wine tasting talk

The next talk was timed to perfection... What is the best combination with wine? Cheese, of course! So off we dashed, back to the town hall (I like to think we burnt off all the calories we consumed by our running to and from each of the different talks!)

The room was absolutely packed, the organisers had to add extra chairs and there were lots of people standing at the back. I am not at all surprised by its popularity, however, as it was one of my favourite talks of the day. 

Andy Swinscoe, of The Courtyard Dairy, and Graham Kirkham, from Mrs Kirkham’s, made a fantastic team. Andy’s passion was clear to see and Graham’s jovial spirit was infectious. They both made me proud to be a northerner! It was so interesting to learn all about the history of British cheeses and the importance of the farmhouse cheese industry.

Andy Swinscoe from The Courtyard Dairy

We also had the chance to try three yummy cheese samples. Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese was our favourite. So much so, that we found their stall later on and bought a giant wedge of it to enjoy for dinner. The Courtyard Dairy is in Settle, so whenever we’re next over that way, we’re definitely going to pop in.

Delicious cheese samples were passed around the room

The final talk we went to was Taste the difference with Bedrock Gin. Vince Wilkins told us all about Bedrock Gin, as well as the new export strength version (46%). The stronger version was too strong for me (I’m a weakling when it comes to spirits!) but Tom enjoyed it. The gin itself was really nice, it smelt and tasted very fresh, with strong hints of citrus. One excellent tip was serving a G&T with a basil leaf! As anyone who knows me will know, I am OBSESSED with basil. So, if you ever come round to mine for a drink, you know what you’ll be getting!

Dinky Danni sized G&T!

This post could go on forever, so to save your sanity, I’ll be brief. Other festival highlights included:

• Kendal Mintcake liqueur
• Withnail Ales by Eden Brewery
• Silver and Green olives
• Sillfield Farm wild boar bacon
• Vodka and whiskey from The Lakes Distillery Company
• Blue Moose Kitchen

Thankfully, the rain stayed away from Kendal. It was very chilly, but the stalls seemed really busy all day. We bought loads of goodies, then promptly headed home to eat them! 

Our foodie feast!

If you didn’t go to Kendal Festival of Food this year, you must, must go next time! It’s a really wonderful way to spend a Saturday and it's so nice to meet lots of local food and drink producers. Everyone had a smile on their face (despite the cold!) and it was a truly lovely day. I’m already looking forward to next year!