Twenty Two

This year, I kind of hit the jackpot. Not only do I work for a company that gives their employees their birthday off, free of charge (!!!!), but thanks to 2016 being a leap year, the anniversary of my birth fell on a Friday. And you know what that means? LONG WEEKEND. If I could moon walk, I'd be moon walking right now.

Having only been back in the office for two weeks, waking up without an alarm and with nowhere to be wasn't quite as cleansing to the soul as it would've been, had I not butchered myself nine weeks previously. As with every other year I can recall, my bedroom door was flung open at about half six in the morning by my overenthusiastic mother grinning and singing "Happy birthday to someoneeeeeeeee" like it was the most hilarious joke she's ever pulled. Every. single. year.

I don't know why I always choose to open cards and presents first thing in the morning, I'm so delirious and bleary-eyed that I can barely read what anyone's written. I just assume it says 'Happy Birthday' in there somewhere and follow through with an "aww, they're so sweet". Usually I do a second sweep a little later in the day to fully grasp what's been written.

My mum perched on the end of my bed, as she does, still grinning to herself and repeating "open this one, open this one!" at an excitement level I've not witnessed since that John Lewis Christmas advert. Obviously, when I did open it, I died and went to heaven. In my hands I held a Marwell Zoo adoption pack for none other than their ENTIRE FLAMBOYANCE OF FLAMINGOS SOMEONE HOLD ME. They could've also bought me Zac Efron and I wouldn't have even noticed, that was where my emotions were at.

I managed to compose myself enough to share my gratitude and then snuggle back down in bed to work out what I would do with the whole day ahead of me. Naturally, I decided on shopping and spa-ing. After a pleasantly long soak in a bubble bath, where I (thank god) remembered to shave my legs, I headed out into the blisteringly warm and sunny day to play a game of 'How many times can I use "it's my birthday" as an excuse to buy myself things before I bankrupt myself'. Stops included: Anthropologie (naturally), L'Occitane (double naturally) and Hollister (because I've decided 22 will be the year of the plaid shirt).

After wolfing down some lunch, it was onto the BSpa at Brooklands Hotel; I always find it hilarious that I love going to the spa so much considering the huge problem I have with nudity. But after a small internal panic and a silent thank you to the lord that I remembered not to put on a pair of comfy-not-at-all-sexy undies that morning, I semi-relaxed enough to enjoy a fifty minute long Caudalie Fleur De Vigne Candle Massage. It was without a doubt the best full body massage I have ever had. I could've stayed there for days. Brooklands Hotel, you da one.

Feeling more relaxed than I think I ever have in my life (and smelling absolutely amazing), I headed home just in time to enjoy an Earl Grey tea (really embracing this whole 'old age' thing) and an arguably overambitious slice of caterpillar birthday cake. I consoled myself with the excuse that it's not a proper birthday until you feel sick from eating too much cake. #RealTalk.

That wasn't exactly helped by the huge Chinese feast we tucked into that evening, but it was my birthday so what was I going to do? Say no? Not likely. But I think my favourite part was waiting in the restaurant for our take out order to arrive and witnessing the "SURPRISE!" part of a surprise birthday meal take place. The temptation to grab one of the balloons and exclaim "Is all this for me!?" to a group of total strangers was almost too much. Instead my dad and I ate crackers and mentally wished my fellow birthday girl would stop crying. Pull yourself together, you're giving us all a bad name.

And then the complimentary bottle of wine arrived and suddenly everything was great again.
~ Eleanor xo

What I Learnt From Twenty One

I feel like I've just blinked and suddenly it's August twelfth again and I'm telling everyone how important it is to celebrate me and the fact that I exist!

Twenty one was one hell of a learning curve for me. I know I'm going to say that pretty much every year until I die, or you know, stop caring (whichever comes first), but I really feel like I've emerged from the grips of the past year stronger, better, faster, stronger (hands down the best Kanye song ever, can I just say).

But you know what's great about aging? (Besides being able to complain about loud noises and tutting whenever a youth is within your vicinity) Wisdom. You get chucked in right at the deep end when adult life begins, but once you get over the initial shock of being in ice-cold shark infested waters, you gradually learn how to stay afloat and keep your head above the water. Am I queen of the metaphor? Potentially. So here's a little round up of what I think the last twelve months taught me:

1. Adults actually don't have it figured out. Every single person you know is without a doubt, winging it.


2. There's a difference between making a living and making a life. I just haven't quite mastered it yet.


3. How amazing it is to witness all my friends succeeding at what they love.


4. Not everyone is out to get you. But some occasionally some people are.


5. The importance of finishing a day and being done with it.


6. How truly lucky I am, despite (what feels like) constant setbacks.


7. It doesn't matter where you are, if you order sparkling water, you is fancy.


8. People won't understand why you're saving for a rainy day, until that rainy day happens.


9. I may no longer be in education, but learning new things is more important than ever.


10. Prosecco is the blood given unto us by the Greek Gods.


11. You're allowed to scream, you're allowed to cry, you're allowed to swear; but you are never allowed to give up.


12. You are far stronger than you will ever give yourself credit for.

Here's to the next jam-packed 363 days!
~ Eleanor xo

New Years Resolutions: Six Months Later

*whispers* can you believe we're already over half way through 2016? Tim Peake's back from Space, the Queen's another year older, Justin Timberlake sang at Eurovision (for reasons still unbeknown to me), Finding Dory was released, Shakespeare's been dead for 400 years, The Harry Potter stage show opened and Pretty Little Liars is still just as confusing as it's always been. Phew, what a jam-packed six months!

And because I love an excuse to write a blog post featuring a semi-colon in the title, I decided now would be the perfect time to look back at the year so far and see if any of those resolutions I made back in January are actually being put into practice. Turns out, I haven't done too badly...

1. Learn to talk slower

(Sub note: learn how to pronounce my own name correctly)
I've actually got quite good at this, I have to admit. It's a bit strange trying to force yourself to talk slower but when I'm talking on the phone, I notice what a huge difference it makes (because the person has no other visual cues to what you're saying). I haven't quite mastered the name pronunciation yet but I've developed a new system: say my full name and then spell out my surname. Obviously this doesn't work in Starbucks, but if I'm making an appointment or calling to confirm something, it works a treat.

2. Read more
I've managed to complete twelve whole books so far this year which probably isn't a huge number for some people, but personally I'm rather pleased. It's still sometimes difficult to find the time to switch off and delve into a book, but I've come to realise the benefits of doing it and I really value the time I have to fall into a fictional world. I've really been digging thrillers (like Gone Girl and The Kind Worth Killing) as well as books set around war time (like All The Light We Cannot see and Life After Life) with the occasional rom-com chucked in there for good measure (a la Me Before You).

3. Have a proper clear out of all my shit
I mean, are any of us surprised that this has yet to happen? I mean, I've done the odd thing, sure, but not quite on the scale I'd have liked. I'm hoping that when I regain dual-handedness and my parents start their elaborate house restoration project it'll give me the kick in the arse I need to evaluate all my belongings and work out what I do and do not need, as well as how much I can realistically store. Or maybe I'll just keep procrastinating.

4. Get my #GirlBoss on 
This was going super well, but for obvious reasons, this is now on hiatus. I'd gained so much confidence during the last few months and it really showed in what I was doing and how I was handling things. I still get the odd nervous blip, but overall, I'm able to power through and get shit done. I love it; I feel pro-active and capable and it's brilliant. Onwards and upwards!

~ Eleanor xo

One Whole Year

Huzzah huzzah! Today officially marks a complete 365 days since I opened my laptop and published this blog post. You don't have to click the link, it basically just says some weird, largely incoherent stuff about how I've forgotten how to be a human being after completing my final year of uni and that I was now, with my new found free-time, super committed to like blogging and stuff. Words. I'm great at them.

Obviously, I ten-thousand percent was all like "yeah, this is going to last for about five minutes and then I'm going to run out of inspiration and give up". But alas, this was not to be a repeat of the Professor Layton Nintendo DS game which I gave up on after I couldn't complete level five, this was to be different. Mucho mucho different.

And lo-and-behold, 113 blog posts later, here we are. Happy unofficial first birthday, Life as Eleanor! What, if the Queen's allowed to do it, why can't I? So, to mark this exciting day, I've complied a list of some of my favourite blog posts from the last year. Some of them even make sense.

1. That time I announced my comeback tour (and 100% did not believe a word I wrote about sticking to it)


2. That time my two best pals and I explored Albufeira, in the sunny sub-continent of Portugal


3. That time I went to Bill's for breakfast and ate pumpkin seeds on eggs benedict 


4. That time I contemplated what I'd learnt in my twenty-one years of life


5. That time I had a birthday


6. That time I had a monstrous afternoon tea and almost passed out


7. That time I got a job and kickstarted my career *dances*


8. That time I admitted I'd become middle-aged


9. That time I graduated while wearing sky high heels 


10. One of those times where I shared a sneak-peak into my daily working life


11. That time Windsor dressed up in its Christmas finery


12. That time I decided to make some resolutions for the new year


13. That time I admitted that I am so totally not a morning person


14. That time I went to the London Coffee Festival


15. That time the Queen of England turned ninety and let everyone know about it


16. That time we all realised I have a thing with Wisteria

Happy birthday, Life as Eleanor. Time to drink champagne and dance on the table!

~ Eleanor xo

What Next

I had an epiphany one evening last week while driving through Windsor Great Park. It's been a while since I had a really thought-provoking epiphany so it felt kind of nice to know that my subconscious mind is doing something other than replaying the latest Once Upon a Time episode over and over again and making me feel massively sad about the whole CaptainSwan storyline. But I digress. This epiphany came to me as I approached a set of traffic lights where two teenage girls were crossing the road on their horses. I know, typical Windsor. But it got me thinking, I need to get me some of that.

I then attempted to play out quite how I, a twenty-one year old female who's only ever sat on a horse a handful of times at a farm ground and didn't enjoy it one bit (I think it's my total lack of balance) would somehow learn to overcome these insecurities and become a jodhpur wearing babe. Not to mention that I've no idea how much funding that as a hobby would cost. Or if I could stomach being surrounded by Berkshire-bred teens. I'd be all, "kale, am I right?" and they'd be all, "why are you talking to me?". And then I'd cry.

Still, garish reality check aside, there are still a bunch of other hobbies and/or extracurricular activities I could try out to enrich myself. I mean, I'm hopeless at a lot of hobby-esque type things (hands up anyone else who managed to get hit in the eye by a rounders ball during PE! Just me then...) but I am very determined, and oh god so stubborn so I'm thinking perhaps those traits may work in my favour.

1. HORSE-RIDE
Aside from the fact I've already listed all the potential cons to this, there is still a small part of me that's like "yaaaaaassss". Windsor, what on God's green earth have you done to me?

2. TAKE UP YOGA
This I feel is a potentially attainable goal. The fact that I'm the least flexible person on the planet does set some alarm bells ringing though.

3. DO SOMETHING ARTSY LIKE PAINTING, OR MAKE POTTERY OR KNIT JUMPERS FOR DACHSHUNDS
I'm really not very gifted when it comes to all these kind of hands-on creative activities (I still remember the moment I realised I'd managed to cut a hole in my GCSE exam piece) but I spend so much time in front of a screen that getting stuck into something totally different might be a nice change.

4. LEARN TO COOK
This one I'm really down with. I've got super into food lately so I feel like now could be the time to really learn the ins-and-outs of meal creation. I am slightly nervous it'll turn out to be like Masterchef though...

5. BECOME FLUENT IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE
This one I would love to do. Like, honestly love. Sadly though, my brain just isn't wired that way. Even though I did manage to (after several sobbing fits) scrape my way into getting a GCSE in Spanish, I'm so far off fluency it's unreal.

6. FLOWER ARRANGING
I took a class in this once about seven or eight years ago so I've already got a head start. Also, it could help me get one step closer to my dutch tulip farm dream.

7. MEDITATE
I tried this back in my first year of university while I was going through one of those phases. We've all been there, let's not judge. However, thanks to the age of technology, I now have the attention span of a gnat which makes sitting still for a prolonged period of time potentially problematic.

8. PLAY TENNIS
Oh god I cannot tell you how much I wish this could be my hobby but oh god I have absolutely no hand-eye co-ordination and it makes me so sad everyday to know that I've been given a lopsided brain.

9. LEARN HTML
I work in digital marketing so that alone says it all. Also, blogging. I've tinkered with HTML and coding since I started my first Piczo website way back when. Plus, if Karlie Kloss is doing it, why shouldn't I?

10. WALK, HIKE, SKIP, HACK, EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS
I read a study recently that suggests that walking just twenty minutes each day helps prolong your life (and has a bunch of other great health benefits) and ever since I got my FitBit, I've become super aware of how active I am each day. Not to mention that there's always something pretty to Instagram out in the wide world.

Or perhaps I'll just start with switching up the books I read to include all those classic novels I've never found time to try. Well, I've gotta start somewhere...
~ Eleanor xo

Easter Weekend Scenes

When your daily FitBit step count goes down and your pre-10am chocolate consumption goes up, it can only mean one thing: it's Easter! Also, rain. By the gallon.

I love Easter, I always have. So many great memories from my childhood centre around this time of year and I can't help but feel positive and upbeat. Even now, while the rain hammers down outside, I've still got my positive pants on. This is my first Easter break with a full-time job, which means I'm now part of the mass revelling in a much anticipated four-day bank holiday weekend, as opposed to two/three whole blissful weeks off from education. Still, I'm really digging it. Despite the seemingly never-ending downpour.

This weekend has been about indulging in the sweeter things (to put it mildly), enjoying the simplicity of how happy seeing a bright blue can make you (especially after Storm Katie attempts to uproot everything), and planning for the upcoming weeks. Also, lots of productive blog post writing and photo taking. Hooray for me.

Good Friday dawned as, to coin a much-loved British phrase, a gloriously sunny day. Spring was well and truly in the air and it was the perfect antidote to the hectic last couple of weeks. 

I drank large cups of coffee, basked in the sunlight and caught up with my favourite TV shows of the moment before deciding that the afternoon would be the perfect time to learn how to grate lemon zest (spoiler alert: it's much harder than it looks #lemonjuiceEVERYWHERE) by baking up some lemon drizzle slices. Because as we all know, I’m basically Mary Berry. I also took the opportunity to try out courgetti for the first time; I liked it, but it’ll never quite be pasta *deep sigh*.

Saturday rolled around and the heavens opened. Of course, this being our natural habitat, we were undeterred and headed out as planned to a newly discovered Farm Shop not far from our house. I love discovering new places; especially those that include fresh, organic and free range produce (because I’m both a middle class wannabee and about ninety years old). We picked up some delicious looking meats, honey, sauces and some bantam eggs in preparation for some mighty meals to come.

We also stopped for a little nose around the farm itself, where (in between laughing at how strange geese are) I clocked a beautiful barn conversion that doubles up as the farm’s B&B during the summer months. Just look at it. This is why #Goals was created.

After a quick coffee break at Le Starbucks (I seriously can’t get enough of these vanilla bean macchiatos), we headed towards home to cook up an immense fish pie dish for dinner because apparently it’s tradition to eat fish at Easter. What ever the reason, I am on board.

Easter Sunday dawned with a bright blue sky which meant I was able to slip on my Ugg boots and hot-foot it to my car in time to retrieve the Easter eggs I’d bought as a surprise for my parents. (I had to disclaim that the chocolate had been sitting in my car since the previous Monday so if they were melted and/or broken, I was not liable...).

Instead of chocolate eggs for breakfast, we poached a few of the bantam eggs we'd found at the farm shop the previous day and toasted up some sourdough bread to serve them on. The morning was going blissfully well and pleasantly slowly until the rain began to fall once again. After an obligatory lunch of roast lamb (I opted instead for roast chicken as lamb is the one meat I can’t stomach), we settled down for a cosy afternoon session on the sofa (me blog post writing, my parents detective show watching) while the storm well and truly hammered outside. It was a welcome change to not suffer from Sunday night blues, but instead indulge in a two-hour documentary about the queen. Wait, how old am I again…

I think the world and its wife woke up on Easter Monday thanks to the battering of Storm Katie. Luckily the majority of our garden was left intact (apart from the roof lining on top of our summer house which was ripped and half missing – we later spotted this in a heap at the bottom of our neighbours garden #SozMate. Meaning my parent's first, and rather unexpected, task of the day was to hit up Wickes, buy some replacement lining and somehow attempt to fix the thing, all while the wind continued to whip pretty ferociously. I enjoyed watching the events unfold from the warmth of the living room with a frothy latte in hand).

Eventually the sun re-emerged and the ‘I’ve got to go back to work tomorrow’ blues were momentarily silenced. I took the opportunity to prepare for the week ahead as best I could, then curled up with my new favourite magazine, a bar (or two) of Easter chocolate and a homemade berry smoothie.

---

Unsurprisingly, the majority of events this weekend revolved around the weather. That's just how British I am. Sorry about that.

~ Eleanor xo

What I like about being an Adult

I talk about being an adult a lot, I know. I'm not one-hundred-percent sure why that is; maybe because I've lived such a sheltered life up until this point and I'm slowly discovering the world and it's all a bit overwhelming, but who can be sure. It's almost definitely because of that.

But I'm enjoying myself nonetheless. And here's a list as to why (because I also like a good list):

1. I can paint my nails without asking my mum's permission. I was never allowed to have painted nails while I was at school...
2. I don't always have to eat my vegetables. And no, dear parents, I shall not go to bed hungry, I shall scoff my face with coco-pops when you've gone to bed.
3. I have a savings account with actual money in it. I've no idea what I'm saving for but I'm sure I'll be pleased as punch when I find out what it is.
4. I can wear as little or as much make up each day as I so choose. Choosing to wear none and look like I'm at deaths door is sometimes a decision I regret.
5. WEEKENDS. Now I live an adult life I can enjoy that weird concept of a weekend where you can go out and do whatever the hell you want hells yeah because essays and homework and a thing of the past!
6. The thing where you drive to meetings that are over a hundred miles away and getting to make it all back via expenses.
7. I can do whatever I want with and/or to my hair. My mum always tells me that I look "much more grown up" with shorter hair, but I absolutely despise having it shorter than shoulder length so we on a non-stop train to rebellious-hood.
8. CANDLES. ALL OF THE CANDLES ALL OF THE TIME. And if I happen to burn down the house, then the fault rests solely on my shoulders...
9. Knowing I could buy any kind of travel ticket and run off somewhere. Not that I have. But I can.
10. Knowing that I possess the power to actively choose a gluten free lifestyle. And equally knowing that that's a ridiculous and totally stupid idea.
11. Having the ability to drink an alcoholic beverage to 'take the edge off' after a hard day. 
12. Drinking caffeine and having no fear that your heart might explode (unlike when I tried Pepsi for the first time as a kid and I thought I was dying).
13. You can buy a diary and fill it full of actual real life appointments and events.

Here's to paying bills and getting drunk!
~ Eleanor xo

Things to get excited about in 2016

Welcome, dear ones, to the year MMXVI. The year, according to Chinese zodiac, of the Monkey. Better known to us mortals as '2016'. Though that weird 'M' code thing is really kind of cool, so let's roll with it. Gonna start planning meetings for 22/01/MMXVI. Because that's how cool I am.

But before we all lose ourselves in the Georgian calendar and the traits of the zodiac (I was born in the Year of the Dog, if you're wondering), let us observe the fun festivities that are to come:

1. Pretty Little Liars is back. A is gone, time for B to step up.
2. That British guy in space. You know, the one who dialed a wrong number from the Space Station.
3. The Queen turns 90. I'm hoping that means party time in Windsor.
4. The first movie from the greatest film franchise of all time, High School Musical, celebrates turning ten with a live telecast on Disney Channel.
5. The fiftieth SuperBowl. Though the team I root for always seems to lose...
6. The Summer Olympics in Rio.
7. Leaaaaap day. Happy birthday to all you guys born on February 29th. I hope it's balling.
8. Getting to upgrade my iPhone. Fingers crossed for an iPhone 7 release.
9. My sister goes to New York and I will disinherit her if she doesn't return with a suitcase full of gifts.
10. America will get a new president. Which kind of sucks because Obama seems like a fun guy.
11. I'm hitting up the London Coffee Festival.
12. The Harry Potter universe is back. With a stage production AND a film involving beautiful majestic Eddie Redmayne.
13. Shakespeare's 400th anniversary. #ShallICompareTheeToASummersDay
14. An all female Ghostbusters line up. Basically because I just love Melissa McCarthy.
15. Russia is apaz going to launch a 'space hotel' for tourists. For a mere $100,000 per ticket. 
16. Finding Dory. I have mixed feelings about this but I'll probably watch it anyway.
17. Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden. Something to look forward to EVERY year.
18. NASA's space craft will land on the exotic distant planet of Jupiter. I like that it's called Juno.
19. I turn twenty-two. I only care about this because it means I can sing T-Swift for at least three-hundred and sixty-four days.
20. The world's longest railway tunnel will officially open in Switzerland. Big news.
21. THE NEW BRIDGET JONES DIARY FILM.

We also might get hit by a meteor and wiped out like the dinosaurs but who wants to be a Negative Nancy?

~ Eleanor xo

Cool stuff that went down in 2015

While 2016 is already a grand fourteen days old, I couldn't resist putting together a post about some of my highlights from the past twelve months. Half because there were some really low points during the year and I feel it's important not to let that cloud my memory, and half because I do in fact have a really bad memory so it was quite nice to trawl back through all my photos and social media to find out what actually went down.

This list is in date order, rather than by highlight preference (so fret not, my number one highlight was not that I started drinking copious amounts of caffeine each day...):

1. I developed a huge coffee habit.
2. While working on university assignments, I watched the Chronicles of Narnia films everyday, repeatedly, for weeks.
3. I tried peaches for the first time. I discovered they have furry skins. My life was changed.
4. Katy Perry played the half time show at the Super Bowl and it was everything.
5. It actually snowed. A teeny bit.
6. I became wholly obsessed with One Direction.
7. I had my first experience with jump starting a car.
8. I sat on a rooftop in London with my best pals and took this picture.
9. We were on said rooftop in London because we were visiting a super cool advertising agency.
10. I also went to London (solo) to conduct interviews for my dissertation. One interview featured my first experience with pulled pork (it was amazing), the other featured my hand gushing blood. It was an eventful day.
11. I won at Mother's Day by sending my mum a gorge 100 stem bouquet of flowers from M&S.
12. My dad bought me a Marmite Easter Egg and it was PHENOMENAL.
13. I took a picture next to a huge inflatable Lindt bunny because obvs.
14. Occasionally the people at Starbucks spelled my name correctly.
15. I pretended to be Pocahontas whenever blossom blew off the trees around me.
16. Stephen Hawking made my life with this comment about Zayn leaving One Direction.
17. My friends and I threw caution to the wind and dressed up like stereotypical students for a pitch.
18. Princess Charlotte was born and it was swell.
19. I discovered Buffalo milk ice cream and nothing has been the same since.
20. 'Revenge' finished and it was a brill (and totally emotional) finale.
21. I actually started, completed, printed, bound and submitted a HUGE dissertation.
22. I presented a live brief to a real advertising agency. And then ate pastries.
23. I celebrated completing university with my best pals by buying loads of 2-for-1 cocktails and then playing on a dance mat.
24. On my last night in my university house, I was awoken by a guy throwing rocks at my window. Didn't take him long to realise he'd got the wrong room.
25. Pitch Perfect 2 was released and it was crack-a-lackin'.
26. I started to drink tea on occasion.
27. I went to Portugal with my two favourite gals. Lots of sunbathing, lots of uno playing, lots of crazy fun times, and most importantly: lots of ice cream. And also some strange hayfever type allergic reaction.
28. Justin Bieber sort of got his life back together. His new album is dopeeeee.
29. I was awarded a First Class degree in Advertising.
30. Celebrating everyone's twenty-first birthdays. Including my own. With cake. Lots of cake.
31. I got myself a real life job in digital marketing.
32. I accidentally impulse bought a Fiat 500.
33. The Muppets got their own show and I've been watching it on repeat ever since.
34. Starbucks released coffee cups with autumn designs on them and they were super cute.
35. I spent the afternoon at Wembley watching American Football. And worrying that I'd get uneven sunburn from the angle of the sun over the stadium.
36. I took up baking. So far so good.
37. I have my own business cards. I have no idea what to do with them.
38. I tried a lot of American candy. Reese's are saaaaa good.
39. I attended my own graduation ceremony. And looked kind of like a drowned rat while doing it. #ThanksStormBarney
40. Later that week I returned to Southampton for the day with my pals to attend a Great Gatsby themed Graduation Ball. The party itself was kind of a flop, but the Hoedown Throwdown pre-ball dancing was excellente.
41. I got to experience the perks of working with automotive clients. Attending events, test driving cars and eating and drinking everything (including a load of Christmas lunches).
42. I put my name on a Marmite jar.
43. Attended my first Christmas party, complete with a secret Santa gift, a board of directors gift, a trip around Windsor castle, a champagne breakfast, a free bar, beer pong, a photobooth, so much food and so. much. fun.
44. And after the craziest year imaginable, I enjoyed a restful and relaxing Christmas break.
45. I decided to actually write thank you cards. I felt like a bit of a sap. But it was worth it.

Here's to 2016. And even more craziness.

~ Eleanor xo

My New Years Resolutions: 2016

I am notoriously awful at making, keeping, fulfilling and actually remembering my New Years Resolutions. I haven't bothered to attempt to make any for the last two years (that is, if we don't count the small mental note I always seem to make to myself to try and eat a little less. "Think of biscuits as drugs, Eleanor. JUST SAY NO").

Still, this year, the big twenty-sixteen, I am entering January as the dictionary definition of 'adult'. I'm probably totally incorrect here because I've never actually looked up the dictionary definition of adult, but I digress. In Eleanor's Dictionary (available at all good make-believe bookstores), an adult is an individual who:
a) Remembers running headlong down the middle of a road on the night of the last millennium
b) Is fulled by caffeine
c) Walks through a park when it's dark and is certain they're going to get mugged by youths
d) Is in the process of replacing every polyester blouse in their wardrobe with 100% cotton shirts
e) Talks about the weather constantly
f) Has an actual real life job and enjoys reminding people of the fact as often as possible
g) Wonders why their car isn't locking as they continually press the 'unlock' button on their keys

So, as a real life adult, here are my adult-proof resolutions:

1. Learn to talk slower

(Sub note: learn how to pronounce my own name correctly)
Talking fast is a habit I picked up after watching a large number of American teen shows and movies. At first I was all "this is so cool no one can keep up with what I'm saying and I look awesome", now I'm all "how many times do I need to repeat this ONE SENTENCE SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING JESUS CHRIST". So I figure it's probably best to train myself to talk slower and then I won't have to repeat myself twenty times and everybody wins. Huzzah.

2. Read more
It's been three years of forcing myself to read through ginormous textbooks on everything from advertising, to market research to the psychology of a brand. AKA soul destroying stuff. Now I actually have my life back, I'm going to use my time to indulge in fun fictional reading. Also, I spend a large amount of my time each day sat in front of a mahoosive iMac screen, so being able to do something other than that is probs good for my health, eyesight and general well being.

3. Have a proper clear out of all my shit
When you spend three years with essentially two homes, you accumulate a hell of a lot of crap. I've been back home for just over seven months now and I still have half my stuff in boxes/stowed somewhere it shouldn't be. I need to fix that. Probably by stopping myself being a hoarder and actually keeping what I need and dumping what I don't. Famous last words.

4. Get my #GirlBoss on 
I'm the kind of person who wants everyone to like them so much that I try not to upset the peace by demanding stuff from people. However, I am paid to get shit done. Therefore I must make sure I am not afraid to do whatever is necessary to get said shit done.

Wishing you all a totally swagalicious 2016 (definition of which can be found on page 743 of Eleanor's Dictionary). Keep it real.
~ Eleanor xo

I'm a Graduate!

Greetings dear ones, the person typing this is officially a university Bachelor of Arts graduate! (She's also full of pasta because she just consumed her own body weight at an Italian restuaurant because immense hunger took over). She also has some pretty hefty war wounds on her feet. She also needs to stop talking in the third person. Weirdo.

Graduation day was kind of insane, and frankly, passed way too quickly. It's all a bit of a blur and before you know it you're piling back into your car (full of Italian food) wondering where the day went and how you'll ever walk again.

From what I remember, it went a little something like this: you arrive, a tiny lady dresses you in your robes, she puts on your cap (it's really tight), you get professional photos taken (it's really awkward), you're ushered out, you explode with excitement when you see your friends, you pose for more photos (so so many photos), you leg it through the rain, you get registered, you find your seat, you sit and listen, you get called up, you concentrate on remembering what you name is and how to walk, you get given a degree (and in my case, a surprise Digital Marketing award), you sit through the rest of the ceremony, you clap (a lot), you parade out, you take more photos, you throw your cap in the air, you have some 'champagne', you say goodbye, you slip into your flat shoes and grumble about how you've never felt pain like this, you return your robes, you leave, it's over. You feel almost bereft.

But let's not dwell on how much I wish I could relive the day, here's a few fun tidbits for you:

Things they don't tell you about graduation that you have to learn the hard way:

1. Robes are really sodding heavy and will take any opportunity to strangle you

2. Attempting to pee whilst wearing said robes is a Herculean task

3. You don't suit hats

4. The ceremony is actually really long and you're clapping the success of people you've never heard of

5. Everyone else will give in an wear flats while walking across the stage. You'll realise too late.

6. It's actually quite stressful

7. You will want to cut your own feet off at the end of the day

8. You'll feel really emotional when they play a showreel of life at the university

9. Hosting a ceremony when there's a gale force storm going on is not ideal #StormBarney

10. It'll remind you how much you miss spending everyday with your best friends

11. You'll be too nervous to eat, but once the scary part is over, you'll be so ravenous you can barely stand 

12. You have no idea whose hand you're shaking

13. You'll be forced to wear Ugg boots to the office the next day because that's all your feet can manage

And finally: 14. It'll be a day you will never ever forget.
~ Eleanor xo

Signs You May've Hit Premature Middle Age

I've thought long and hard about the content of this post over the past week (in between searching for the perfect fruity spelt cake recipe, that is) and I've come to the conclusion that this intro, while completely honest, is absolutely not going to help my case. Oh how I wish I could interrupt with a "psych! I'm just messing!", but sadly this is neither a lie, nor a scene created for the audience's entertainment. It is my life.

It isn't exactly a huge shock to me, but the more I think about it, the more it slowly sinks in that I am indeed a middle aged woman stuck inside a twenty-one year old's body. Here is some evidence I've gathered that causes me to doubt my millennial heritage:

1. You have a budgeting app on your phone that you absolutely swear by
Look, it means I can sleep soundly at night knowing I have underspent on this month's petrol budget by a WHOLE ENTIRE two pounds fifty. If you're wondering (or in need of a trusty finance app yourself), I use OnTrees.

2. You're super into stocks and shares
Hells to the yeah do I own shares in a telecoms company and hells to the yeah am I now digging it. Admittedly, my stake in the company is minuscule but it's got me seriously thinking about future investments. AND I've now found a use for that annoying-as-eff Stocks app that comes with your iPhone.

3. You've vowed to become an ambassador for wildlife
I'm sorry, but there's only so many woodland creatures you can see dead on the side of the road before you decide you need to take action. Don't even talk to me about that time I saw a fallen fawn. And we all know about my teeny obsession with hedgehogs.

4. You want your out-of-work hobby to be flower arranging
Well, I've got to kick-start my train to Dutch-tulip-farm-ownership somewhere. (Also, every day I drive past a shop called 'Autumn Leaves Florist' and it fills me with joy).

5. You now drink tea after never touching the stuff before 
And your preferred choice is Darjeeling. Loose leaf Darjeeling. I just.

6. You shop at Gap
I bloomin' love Gap; their cotton shirts are so comfortable I could fall asleep in them, their jeans are the nokia of the denim world because they last an age and their colour palette is so gorge it makes my mouth water.

7. You have different candles for different times of the day
I own so many candles that I now have a sort of candle schedule. Morning is reserved for fresh, fruity and floraly scents, come afternoon we transition into warm shea butter and all things snuggly, until evening rolls around and we say hello to lavender (as this encourages restful sleep). I'm aware I need help.

8. You check the time on your watch, not your smartphone
I woke up one day and without realising, I became this. Lord have mercy on my iPhone.

9. You've started gravitating towards 'Ideal Homes' and 'Country Living' magazines
I do not own a home, nor do I live in the countryside, but these magazines are just so adorable and some of those DIYs are the things of Pinterest-filled dreams!

10. You're into gardening
I currently own a quadrant of cacti, a Wonderflower, two different types of mint herbs and five succulents. And no social life.

11. You start googling things like "when is plum season?" and "how to make rye bread rise"
In case you're wondering, plum season is May through October and you should probably mix normal wholemeal bread flour into your rye flour to help give it some oomph. You're welcome.

12. You have an uncontrollable desire to bake things even though you can't cook to save your life
I made my own spelt cake this weekend and flipping loved it! See also previous post where I blogged about making blackberry compote from home grown blackberries. I mean.

13. You see youths canoodling in the street and feel positively outraged
Excuse me but can you touch each others behind's on your own time?

*Gulp* Someone pass me a drink.
~ Eleanor xo

My Kind of Weekend

Everyone has their ideal weekend, right? Well, I certainly do, and it goes a little something like this...

Saturday morning was spent at my favourite place in the world: our local garden centre (Right, because you didn't know I've already hit middle age). After a mix up with table numbers and my dad ordering almost every item on the breakfast menu, we settled down with our lattes and breakfast plates (I went for scrambled eggs and salmon because OBVS) and gossiped about life. We then decided it would probably be a good idea to attempt to walk off the consequent food coma and went for a stroll through the outdoor plant area (I was internally squealing at all the gorgeous colours) until we found ourselves in literal heaven. And when I say heaven I obviously mean: THE CHRISTMAS SECTION. Sure, it may only be a couple of days into October, but if a garden centre deems it Christmas season, then who am I to argue?

After nearly losing myself in the seasonal euphoria and picking out a new reed diffuser for my bedroom, we headed to the farm shop and picked up some tasty local (& organic) produce, including: chocolate, cheese, plums, rye flour, carrots, duck breasts, pork & marmite sausages, loose leaf tea and a few other goodies (including beautiful sunflowers). I couldn't resist spending the remaining hours of Saturday curled up on the sofa, reading blogs and munching on these suuuper delish chocolate buttons.

Sunday was an exciting day for the minuscule sports fan inside me. I am a lover of American Football and October 4th saw the Dolphins and the Jets cross the ocean to face off at Wembley Stadium in London. While it was technically the Miami Dolphins' home game, something told me to root for the New York Jets; and it ended up being a good call because they won! #Balling. The Dolphins' put on a great show though, with fireworks, bubble machines AND water cannons firing all over the place while their team raced onto the field. I enjoyed sitting in the warm Autumn sun, snapchatting the entire Dolphins team lunging (what a view, am I right), vowing never to eat carbs again in the hope of becoming NFL cheerleader material, all while waving my flag and pretending to know anything about the game.

And in amongst all the fun, I still managed to find time to catch up on the latest episode of Once Upon A Time. #DarkSwan is goals.
~ Eleanor xo

Advice About Job Hunting

Looking for your first adult job is unbelievably daunting. Picking up the phone to strangers telling you they've seen your CV online and feel you'd be perfect for a role they're recruiting for; your inbox being flooded with emails titled "1000 jobs in your area matching your search credentials" (quite how 'Forklift Driver' matched my search of "advertising account executive", I'll never know); and endless hours of waiting, searching, driving, smiling, lying, dressing smartly, re-working your résumé and so much more. Keeping your sanity is definitely no easy feat.

Still, I somehow made it out alive and I picked up some handy tips along the way:

1. Lose the bullshit
Every person looking for a job is "hard working", "a fast learner", and every other cliché under the sun, so don't waste space on your CV proving to an interviewer that you have zero individuality. Either provide relevant proof, or cut it out altogether. It's not an accomplishment to have "IT literate" on your CV anymore; this is 2015.

2. State your achievements loud and clear
Make the interviewer pay attention to you; I chose to create a small section on one side of my CV briefly listing four of my best (relevant) achievements. Interviewers won't read all the mindless body copy, but they will take notice if you state that an advertising campaign you helped create won an award in Antwerp.

3. Have confidence in yourself
This is something I struggled with; I still do, in fact. But once you realise that oh wait, you are ready and more than prepared to do this, it'll be so much easier to tackle any question an interviewer has for you.

4. Don't let the recruitment agencies boss you around
Or tell you what you want. I had one agency tell me which roles they'd be seeking out for me and neglected to hear when I tried to suggest otherwise. This is your career, don't let someone else tell you what you should be doing.

5. The perfect job does not exist
But the one that's perfect for you, will absolutely find you.

6. Be prepared to put up a fight
I have no shame in admitting that I fought very very hard for the job I have now and I don't regret casting my ego aside for one moment. In order to get this role I had three separate interviews and wrote an email to the MD stating the reasons why, although they had doubts about hiring me, they really needn't. Turns out they liked my ballsy attitude and my desire to not give up, and lo-and-behold, I now get to call them my managers.

7. Always ask at least one question at the end of an interview
Something I realised far too late, frankly. It is so important to ask your interviewer questions, either about the job, the company or what you can expect from your life at work. By doing this, you're showing you're interested, you're keen and you have a drive to impress. Just make sure they aren't questions you should A) already know the answer to, or B) something they've already covered. (Or C) "What's the salary" - that'll get you struck off straight away).

Job hunting is one of the most unenjoyable experiences there is, but what you learn will be invaluable.
~ Eleanor xo

A New Beginning...

Greetings, loved ones, let's take a journey... to Windsor! My new playground! I mean, work place. That's right, you don't need to adjust your television sets, I am in fact an employed person! Wahooooo! *releases confetti canon and twirls in circles*. As you can tell, it's still very early days, hence the continued excitement. Give me a month or two and I'll be dragging my heels and ruing the day I ever decided a 9-5:30 job was a good idea.

Officially, I am a 'Digital Marketing Account Executive'. I know, that probably means absolutely nothing and I've spent the last week attempting to explain what it is to various family members. It means I'm badass. Basically, my soul purpose is to help manage the digital marketing of a certain French car manufacturer (and at times, a few other brands). And it's super exciting!

I'm actually not sure how much I'm allowed to say because I've signed so many confidentiality and 'non disclosure' agreements that I'm a bit scared to open my mouth at all. One said NDA was for a little known company called 'Apple Inc.'; maybe you've heard of it? There's a lot of super cool and top secret stuff happening in the three-story townhouse conversion I now call my office, and I can't wait to see what's in store.

I've had a whirlwind first week of production meetings, agreement signing, team introductions, welcome emails, business trips, client meetings, software training, celebratory lunches and "no, I don't shorten my name to Ellie"; and I couldn't imagine anywhere more perfect to work than beautiful Windsor.

Here's to this exciting next chapter!
~ Eleanor xo

{Keep your eyes peeled for lots of fun job related content coming soon!}

Champagne Afternoon Tea | The Aviator Hotel, Farnborough

First of all, do not eat for at least four days before you indulge in this afternoon tea. Sure, it may not look like much in the photos (my family and I all fell into that trap too) but oh my word will you waddle out of the building thanking all kinds of Gods that you wore a skirt with an elastic waist. But of course, even when you start to feel yourself getting a bit full (midway through scone number two) you simply can't stop.

We spent a little over two hours in the hotel's Sky Bar; chatting, eating, drinking, lounging, eating, eating and yes, eating some more. They make you feel totally at home in the hotel; when you arrive, you are invited to relax and get comfortable while they fetch the perfectly chilled (and totally legit) Champagne which they then pour into your glass like a total pro. Everything runs seamlessly; after the champagne, the host then returns to offer you hot beverages and gives detailed explanations of the vast variety of the Jing loose leaf tea on offer. Once you place your order (I went for Darjeeling) you are given your own cafetiere full of your chosen tea that you can drink at your own leisure. And then, and then, the cake stand arrives. Lord have mercy on my waistline.

For each person in the party, the 'starter pack' includes: four finger sandwiches, two scones, three cakes, one macaroon and one panna cotta. Absolutely everything, right down to the jam and clotted cream for your scones, is made by hand at the hotel just for you. I say 'starter pack' because as it turns out, you can order extra of anything you like and they'll (freshly make) and supply it for you. I have no shame in admitting we ordered extra sandwiches because they were so unbelievably tasty. Who knew cucumber, cream cheese and mint would be so good?!

An afternoon tea was the perfect way to round off a birthday (the chef's even surprised me with a plate of chocolate truffles!) and I would absolutely recommend choosing The Aviator for pretty much any occasion.

~ Eleanor xo

Address: The Aviator Hotel, 55 Farnborough Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 6EL