Bristol’s Best Bits: Wicked at the Bristol Hippodrome

Posted on February 24, 2015 by

I’ve lived in Bristol for nearly 6 years now, and I’ll confess something… up until last week, I had never been to Bristol Hippodrome! This legendary Bristol insitution is prominently positioned slap bang in the middle of the city centre, opposite the fountains on St Augustine’s Parade.
Tom is sadly not a massive fan of musical theatre, or theatre in general, which is probably the reason that neither of us have been since the duration of our living in the city, although visiting has always been high on my to-do list. I just didn’t fancy going by myself!

Just as I was planning a trip for my birthday, I was lucky enough to receive an email asking if I would like to go and see the UK tour of the smash hit West End musical, Wicked. Of course I jumped at the chance, and after some much needed sister time, I took along my little sister and BFF, Nelly. This leg of the tour is only on in Bristol for four weeks, and ends on the 21st March, so if you want to see it then you better hurry!

Wicked Musical at Bristol Hippodrome

Bit of a history lesson – the Bristol Hippodrome opened in December 1912, and is one of the largest stages outside of London (according to Wikipedia), hence why it regularly hosts such top productions of West End shows. It’s pretty amazing to think that because of the size of it, Bristol is regularly host to larger productions and top comedians – who says we need an arena?! Its spot on St Augustine’s parade next to Boots is easily walked past on the way to Park St or Cabot Circus, but there’s certainly no mistaking its grand facade. It’s just as fancy inside, too.

The Hippodrome looked absolutely amazing, decked out in green glory, complete with a green carpet for the event. Even though I had tickets for a Thursday (and despite the weather!) it was absolutely packed – apparently the best times to catch this tour are midweek, Monday to Wednesday, and there are matinee showings as well. This is the UK & Ireland tour following a massively successful showing on both Broadway and on the West End, and having never seen the musical before I had no idea what to expect.

Wicked UK & Ireland Tour_Credit Matt Crockett_5046_Kickline
Wicked UK Tour_Ashleigh Gray (Elphaba)_Photo Matt Crockett_0880_sm_RT
Wicked UK Tour_Emily Tierney and Ashleigh Gray_Photo Matt Crockett_0766_RT

It follows the untold story of the witches of Oz, and as a bit of a fan of the Wizard of Oz anyway (I played the lion in my drama group production when I was 9, wow, such fame) I was looking forward to seeing how their characters were portrayed. I was definitely not disappointed! The story blends seamlessly into the original plot of the film, and even threw in a few cheeky references for good measure. It’s a pretty powerful tale in its own right, however, detailing how Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West, obvs) and Glinda the Good Witch first met as students, and following their friendship through highs and inevitable lows.

I was pleasantly surprised how I knew some of the songs already. I’m not entirely sure how, possibly through some kind of pop-cultural osmosis of sorts, but I found myself bopping along when the cast burst into ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘Popular’. The production value of the whole thing was quite simply breathtaking – they never let the energy up for one moment, and the costumes, sets, props, giant dragons, pointiest hats… everything made the whole thing one of the most magical things I have ever seen.

It’s suitable for an audience of 7+, and if you haven’t seen it before, then I thoroughly recommend taking the kids along and watching. The Hippodrome is the perfect backdrop too, and it excited the history nerd in me to think of of all those theatrical productions over the last hundred years. I’m glad to have ticked that one off my Bristol bucket list!

[A huge thanks to Wicked UK for inviting me along – I was invited to review this production but all words and opinions are my own]

Make Your Face Funny for Money with Specsavers & Comic Relief

Posted on February 17, 2015 by

Red Nose Day 2015 make your face funny for money with Specsavers Bristol

It’s that time of year again! Comic Relief has rolled around once more like it does every couple of years to invite us to get our charitable hats on and do something funny for money. This year the challenge is to ‘make your face funny for money’ and I’ve teamed up with Specsavers in Bristol to tell you all about a special Red Nose Day themed event taking place this Thursday in Broadmead!

To celebrate the opening of the very first franchise store of Specsavers, and all the charitable work it’s done for the Bristol community over the years (including working for countless local charities including Above & Beyond), there will be a special event being held at the Bristol Broadmead store this Thursday 19th February. It’s also the store’s 30th birthday, and if that’s not a reason for celebration I don’t know what is!

Red Nose Day 2015 make your face funny for money with Specsavers Bristol

The event will take place from 1-4pm, with a photobooth and props inside for passersby to pop in and make their faces ‘funny for money’. All they are asking for in return is a £1 donation to Comic Relief, and you will get two prints of your photo, one to take home, and one to enter into a prize draw to win a brand new pair of specs! To help kick-off the day’s celebrations, The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Alastair Watson will be visiting the store at 1pm, and there will also be goody bags and balloons for everyone who comes along, so get yourself down there and get your best faces on.

Red Nose Day 2015 make your face funny for money with Specsavers Bristol

If you do pop along then be sure to post your photos in the comments or tweet me @lilydoughball, and see if you can do better than mine!

January Favourites

Posted on February 1, 2015 by

January
(No, this is not Soviet Russia, this is Bristol. I took this snap on my way to work crossing the ‘banana bridge’ in Redcliff, in case you were wondering!)

January is OVER! Hooray! Everyone’s least favourite month has gone; we are now waving a hearty hello to lighter evenings, warmer mornings, and finally getting over our fear of it snowing. My car still has ice on the inside of the windscreen, but I can let that one slide after getting up to all sorts of lovely things in the month of January, including…

Lily Doughball Bristol Lifestyle Blog | January 2015 Favourites
This glittery bad boy from Paperchase // A beautifully picturesque and frosty evening along Bristol Harbour // Easter chocolate cornflake cakes, a few months early // Fancy lunch at Cosy Club Bristol

Tom bought me a belated Christmas present – tickets to see Mariachi El Bronx! // These lovely prints for sale at the Victoria Park // A new crabby jumper // Wolf cuddles with Emily‘s beautiful direwolf Logan
Lily Doughball Bristol Lifestyle Blog | January 2015 Favourites
This very odd sticker I found in the Cube // The best skirt ever from the Whitepepper // The park looked absolutely stunning in the frost // I messed around with the world’s cutest handbag

I #tbt’d back to when I could grow stuff in my garden // Tom is the best at Saturday brunches – he made shakshouka! // Went home to see the family pooch (and the family, of course) // I got a new bike!

There’s lots of things to look forward to in February – as well as the aforementioned gig it’s also Tom’s birthday, which I’d been hoping we could go on a little weekend break for. Sadly, neither of us have passports, and seeing as his birthday is the day after Valentine’s it’s making it a little tricky to find anywhere last minute! Oh well.

Did you get up to anything fun in January?

New Year, New Job: My Top Interview Tips

Posted on January 18, 2015 by

It seems weird that I graduated three years ago. I’ve since bumbled my way through jobs enough to pick up a few tidbits which I thought were worth sharing. When City Calling got in touch to challenge me to jot down my interview tips it seemed pretty apt to share them with you all, considering I have just recently started a new job myself. City Calling are a website who offer jobs in construction, IT, retail… you name it, they got it! If you’re looking for employment in a specific category then websites like this are really valuable in your hunt.

home office mac computer modern desk setting

I mentioned in my 2014 round up that towards the latter half of the year I took a massive leap of faith and quit my job as a photographer. A few months of searching and interviews later, and I’ve taken my tentative first steps into working in social media marketing, for the awesome folks at Noisy Little Monkey.

Looking for a new job is tiring, tough, and can be downright boring. Half the struggle is making your CV look perfect, writing out endless cover letters and perfecting that LinkedIn profile. Being rejected from places you have your heart set on can really knock your confidence, and so it’s even more important to really shine when you land yourself an interview. Based on my recent experiences, here are my top tips for that scary first meeting:

Frankie Says Relax metal light up sign

1. RELAX
I know this is easier said than done, but calm down. I get really anxious about stuff, and I’m one of those people who babbles when they’re nervous. I’ve often been known to say really inappropriate stuff to lighten the mood, on account of being terrified of the silence left between sentences. Be calm, collected, professional (I’m still working on this one), and most importantly, speak s l o w l y. Take your time to think about and answer the questions properly, don’t just say the first thing that pops into your head (like I do!)

Unsplash Rayi Christian Wicaksono

2. Prepare
I think this is pretty much a given, but still a solid piece of advice for anyone who has recently graduated or is looking for their first proper job. This ain’t no Saturday job at Topshop – read up about the company: who they are, what they do, key people in the business (who are you likely to meet at the interview?), when they first started the company, a little brief history, how it relates to your experience and skills, and try to imagine a little bit about where the company is going, and how you can help get them there. It sounds like a lot of effort, but trust me, it’s worth it. Write down a list of possible questions they might ask you and try to answer each one honestly, positively, and to the point.

3. Be honest
Remember that episode of The Apprentice where that guy lied on his CV and got fired? It was super duper awkward. I don’t ever want to live through that, poor guy. Don’t make an idiot of yourself by lying about things which people can easily find out. Likewise, if they ask you a tricky question and you don’t know the answer, then just say so. Trust me, it’s a million times better – in the past I’ve made up answers to questions in the hope that I’ll get it right, but ended up sounding stupid. Just inform them that you’re not entirely sure how to do that thing, but have experience in this area which is similar/are a very fast learner/will Google it when you get home/will take evening classes to improve your skills (don’t actually say these last two).

sheep in field
Sheep… geddit?!

4. Be yourself
I think this one comes with a combination of the last three – if you’re calm enough, have got your questions and answers down to a T, and are answering the questions honestly and to the best of your ability, then your passion and enthusiasm for this job is bound to shine through. The company are obviously interested enough in you to invite you in for an interview, so really make the most of it – tell them why you’re interested in their company in the first place, and what makes you different from all the other people they’re likely to get through the door. Also, mention your hobbies! I wouldn’t have my current job if it weren’t for this blog, so be sure to put your passions on your CV.

lady putting on comfortable boots

5. Wear comfortable shoes
This is the most important one of all. When I went for the interview for my first job, I wore some smart heeled boots, which I hadn’t worn for at least a year. I had to walk all the way from Bath train station to the interview, which was a little under 2 miles. By the time I got there my feet were so ripped to shreds I couldn’t concentrate on the questions the chap was asking me. The moral of the story is make sure you’ve got a decent, well fitting, smart-ish pair of shoes which you can comfortably walk in – you don’t want to be going A over T when you walk into the interview room. Not cool. Likewise, wear something smart, but not restricting, and above all, comfortable.

What with the state of the economy and the government doing a fabulous job with youth unemployment at the moment, it can seem really impossible to try and get your foot in the door. Don’t lose faith – it took me ages to find the job that I’m currently in. I know it’s disheartening when there are so many people all going up for the same thing, but take a positive look at yourself, the skills you have to offer, and keep on trying.

Image credits:
1. Desk – Unsplash
2. ‘Relax’ – Nan Palmero
3. Hand & mouse – Unsplash
4. Sheep – Unsplash
5. Shoes – Unsplash

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December Favourites & 2015 Goals

Posted on January 2, 2015 by

I’m absolutely loving reading everyone’s 2014 round up posts at the moment! Especially Megan and her lovely photos, and Lyzi, who generally inspires me to live in a much more adorable and artistic way every day.

I was looking through my Instagram the other week and 2014 really has been quite a year – I’ve moved house twice, took a massive leap of faith in quitting my job because it was making me miserable, starting a brand new shiny one with a small team of lovely folk, and also changing my hair colour a fair bit.

Looking back on my goals I set out at the beginning of the year, I don’t think I’ve done too badly:
1. Get blonde hair again – I did this! It was on my way to getting peach hair, then orange hair, then ginger with blonde ends, and now it’s just… well, I’m not sure what my hair is doing at the moment.
2. Go cycling more often – I still don’t cycle enough. I really want to cycle to work but I’m afraid of a small stretch near Gaol Ferry Bridge where cyclists and pedestrians kind of smush in to one another, and I’m scared of running someone over.
3. Take a trip to Beeses – I still haven’t done this, to my eternal shame and misery.
4. Run more rolls of film through my many disused cameras – I still haven’t done enough of this either – I’ve got a Pentax K1000 which needs testing out, which will be first on my list.
5. Do more craft – I’ve done loads of craft this year! Most recently my first go at needle felting. It’s my ambition to be generally more creative this year, whether through blogging, photography, drawing, needle felting, knitting – it doesn’t matter, as long as I can make some time for it.

Anyway, enough of my vague attempts at last year’s goals, here’s what I’ve squeezed out of the last month of 2014:

Free chocolate in my ASOS parcel! // Best Christmas tree fairy ever, from clever Jojo who works at Aardman // Amazing hot chocolate from the Bristol German Christmas market // Our friend’s lovely winter wedding
December 2014 Favourites

It was ‘Christmas’ jumper and roast day at Aardman, the best day ever! // I made my own Christmas jumper and went on a blustery harbourside walk // We put the tree up, which meant the return of elephant-Santa
December 2014 Favourites

Bought a lovely Pogues-themed card from Berny’s Place // Wore my Hufflepuff house pride on this spectacular shirt I found at Primark // Had the most awesome work Christmas do ever, with chocolate making at Clifton Cakes
December 2014 Favourites

Was given a fantastic book about kittens with this chap in it // Went home and saw the dog in her elf outfit // Gifted the best pair of slippers ever for Christmas // … and the best cookbook ever!
December 2014 Favourites

Went on a day out to the beautiful Clifton village // Found an amazing Mexican shop in the arcade and bought these awesome tiles // Baked some ultimate comfort food // Wore my ‘David Blaine’ shoes for a pizza date

Of course, with it being new year and all, it is tradition to make some new goals for the next 12 months, and so they are as follows:

1. Use my disused cameras
Ok, so this is a recycled resolution, but I really need to start using some of the cameras that I’ve been hoarding for so many years. There’s that famous William Morris quote – “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”. This keeps rattling around in my head whenever I glance across the shelves; they certainly are beautiful, but they deserve to be useful, too.

2. Explore more bits of Bristol
I’ve moved to yet another bit of Bristol I haven’t quite explored properly, so my starting point is to find my way around Totterdown and Windmill Hill properly, and then move further afield to St Philips (and the awesome market), maybe all the way out to Clevedon to the Curzon cinema, then on to Greenbank and Easton where loads of my friends live, and absolutely love it.

3. See more live music
There is so much going on in Bristol – from comedy gigs at the Hen & Chicken, films at the Arnolfini, the Watershed and the Cube, and music at the Fleece, the Louisiana, the O2 Academy, the Thekla, the Exchange, the Old Duke… you name it! I want to soak up as much of this local musical goodness as I can, seeing as it’s right on my doorstep. I’d love to go to more big gigs in the capital too – I’ve already got tickets for Ed Sheeran in Wembley in July (and am eyeing up The Script tickets at The O2 for a potential birthday gift for Tom’s mum), plus it’s my ambition to go to at least one alternative summer festival this year. My eye’s on you, Secret Garden Party!

4. Learn a new skill
I loved learning to needle felt. It’s been on my list of things to try out for absolutely ages, and I genuinely felt I’d achieved something in ticking it off. I want to be able to add another string to my bow this year, but I’m not entirely sure what yet – learn how to swim properly (I would totally drown if I fell off a boat), learn how to make my own clothes, learn a new language… basically, this is just an excuse to do some more courses at the Folk House.

That’s all I can think of at the moment! I suppose to make it a nice round 5, the last one can be to make 2015 a right good’un. What are your own ambitions for 2015?

{this post contains collaborative links}

What I Got For Christmas

Posted on December 30, 2014 by

I feel compelled to follow everyone else’s lead here and apologise for being MIA for a week or so, but to be perfectly honest it’s been quite nice having a little break, getting up late, stuffing my face and figuring out how many Cadbury’s Roses are too many Cadbury’s Roses.

In the spirit of the season, and without meaning to shamelessly gloat too much, I thought I’d share with you lot some of the treats I got for Christmas. I always find it’s nice to see what other people got under the tree, and I got some right crackers this year which are too good not to share.

loads of Lush Ltd goodies
books and illustration pens
urban decay naked 2 palette and vaseline lips tin

thug kitchen book and matryoshka measuring cups

I think my family know I’m a bit of a fan of Lush, judging by this pile of treats big enough to sink a small ship. Among them was the Rosie and Happy Daze gift sets with a multitude of amazing treats including my favourite Rose Jam shower gel, a Pop in the Bath, Hot Toddy shower gel and amazingly glittery Space Girl bath ballistic. I’d better get bathing if I’ve any chance of using these beauties up before my birthday!

I usually get a few awesome books for Christmas, and this year was no exception. As well as an interesting title – “We Are All Weird” – I got a book by hero history lady Ruth Goodman on how to be a Victorian, as we all know I was born in the wrong time period. I also got some new pens for doodling, as I hope to do some more illustration type things this year!

I know I’m a little behind the times, but in my stocking this year is the one item which is a must have for any bona fide beauty bloggers – the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. To be honest, my want for this palette has simply stemmed from my being incredibly lazy, and having a multitude of go-to shades in one handy place seemed ideal for me. The colours range from light to dark, matte to shimmery, and they’re all beautiful. I’ll need to have a bit of practice with some YouTube videos but I’ll let you know how I get on. My sister also got me this Vaseline set, which comes in the most amazing tin!

Last but certainly not least is a cookbook I’ve had my eye on for ages. I’ve been following Thug Kitchen for about a year on their and have always had a little chuckle at their sweary yet delicious looking recipes. Finally they have brought out a cookbook, like a vegan hipster bible, packed to the brim with awesome photos, amazing recipes and plenty of the f-word. I was even given these adorable little Russian doll measuring cups in order to make sense of the baffling American quantities inside. I’m going to be eating well this year.

What did you guys get for Christmas? Let me know!

How to Avoid Boredom on Train Journeys

Posted on December 17, 2014 by

How to Beat Boredom on Trains

Ah, Christmas. As well as all the festive tidings and heaps of presents, for people of my age group there is the inevitable Christmas Eve dash home to the parents, for a week of stuffing your face with cheese, cake and Pringles which you didn’t pay for. Woo, mid twenties!

Sadly, though, for me and Tom this year it’s slightly complicated. Our car took a turn for the worst a couple of weeks ago and we are just a bit too poor from buying all those Christmas presents to fix it, so this year it’s going to have to be a mad dash on a train. As much as I love getting the train in normal circumstances, I am preparing myself for the worst on Christmas Eve, and so have compiled this handy go-to guide to keep you from boredom and/or madness on the journey home.

Beat Boredom on Trains - pack a rucksack

Pack a knapsack filled with things to prevent you losing your mind and take you away to your own happy place – a notebook for writing things or potential blog ideas, a sketchbook and pens, a mini paint set, play doh… whatever tickles your fancy. Get lost in your own little world and forget everyone else’s festive stress. Alternatively, transport yourself into a Christmas wonderland by making a festive playlist. Ain’t nothing like bopping away, humming along to Jona Lewie and the Pogues to get you in the festive spirit. Make sure you’ve got some snacks in that backpack – you don’t want a sugar slump in a carriage full of people.

How to Beat Boredom on Trains - take a Kindle

The obvious option is of course to read a book. I’m currently still battling through Game of Thrones – it’s not that it’s a bad book, in fact it’s a pretty amazing book, but I’m a really slow reader, and I kind of already know what’s going to happen. If you’ve got the attention span of a child, like myself (hey, don’t worry, it’s nothing to be ashamed of), then another option are short clips and films on some variety of portable device or tablet. My iPad mini is never too far away on a long journey, and he’s served me well over these last couple of years.

Beat Boredom on Trains

An excellent choice for both entertainment and short attention spans are Channel 4’s series of Shorts, available on 4oD. These little bite-sized nuggets of joy are perfect for this kind of situation – being only a few minutes long you can fill your boots on whatever takes your fancy, plus you’re sure to not miss your stop from not paying attention. My personal favourite are the ‘Two Players‘ clips – different faces from the world of gaming and comedy kicking back and playing a video game or two. It’s like Gogglebox, but for gaming nerds. Awesome!

It being the festive season and all – they’ve only gone and made some Christmas Specials! Seriously, if you are a hardcore gamer, an over-the-shoulder player like me, or even if you just want a giggle then check it out. My favourite is from indie game creator Mike Bithell and Charlie McDonell which I’ve posted below – I have no idea what that narwhal game is, but it looks amazing!

[just a word of warning, most of the Two Players clips are definitely NSFW – this one below is a-ok though :)]

Other gems from the Shorts line up also include Taxi Gags, where a series of comedians share their jokes, stories, rants and confessions all in the space of a cab journey, and Craic Addicts, two Irish chaps who found fame on the internet, picking apart the best and worst current cultural phenomenon. As previously mentioned, these clips are all pretty close to the knuckle, but they sure are guaranteed to make you giggle.

I’ll most definitely be charging up my iPad to the max before stepping on any trains this Christmas – I think it’s the only thing guaranteed to make me forget all the commuter stress and put a smile on my face!

{images 1 and 3 via Unsplash}
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Gifts for Brothers

Posted on December 13, 2014 by

Gifts for Boys

Boys are difficult to buy for at Christmas. Luckily I’ve got Tom’s present sorted, but I’ve also got two older brothers, 5 and 7 years my elder, and I seem to find that it’s more and more difficult to buy them something year upon year. I’ve exhausted the list of possible gifts and run out of ideas

Thankfully, in steps ASOS. Alongside their huge range of awesome fashions for all occasions this festive season, they’ve also got a wealth of stocking fillers, most of which are under a tenner. Bargain! I also happen to be a Premier member, meaning for only £10 a year I get free unlimited next day delivery. Double win!

I was kindly sent these little gems to wrap up and give to my brothers this year. Among them there is a diddly little harmonica (*), a desktop pool set (*), a book of spectacular beards (*), and a little wind up car puzzle (*). I always find that it’s the little gifts that you can play with on Christmas morning that get the most attention, and I reckon this little selection are perfect.

It’s not just the boys they cater for, though. Why don’t you get a little treat for yourself for completing all that Christmas shopping? I love this little moon necklace, or how about some unicorn slippers?!

I really can’t wait for Christmas now, we put our tree up this afternoon, and I’ve nearly finished shopping! Have you?

M&S Christmas

Posted on December 8, 2014 by

Marks and Spencer Christmas Event Cribbs Causeway

The week before last I was invited along to a special Marks & Spencer Christmas event in Cribbs Causeway – a chance to catch up with some of my favourite bloggers and share a drink whilst scoffing a sausage roll or two!

I think it’s fair to say that Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a bit of ‘magic and sparkle’ from Marks, and they most certainly won’t let you down this year – as well as sampling the absolutely delicious treats they have for the Christmas dinner table it was a chance to catch up with the season’s latest trends… there’s a lot of gold and glitter! There was also a beauty bar where I got my nails painted a very festive shade by Leighton Denny, and Emily had tested out a new shade of lippy.

We were also all entered into a draw, and I was pretty shocked to find my name read out! It was my job to be one of the M&S Christmas fairies, and pick out gifts for a charity of my choice. Enlisting the help of Emily, Lyzi and Megan, we wandered off around M&S to pick out some special toys (including a 1D puzzle, which no Christmas would be complete without) which I then chose to donate to Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal.

All in all it was a very festive evening, and it was so lovely to catch up with blog friends, and meet new ones too. Thanks to Marks and Spencer’s for such a lovely event, and for letting me be a fairy for the evening!

November Favourites

Posted on December 2, 2014 by

It’s that time again! Time to round up all the fabulous things which made me happy in the month of November. It’s pretty important to take a step back and realise little things which make you smile – recently I’ve been pretty mardy thanks to a combination of early starts, horrible cold weather and the development of a pretty nasty sniffle. If I could just hibernate with a tub of ice cream and a load of old Christmas films that would be great