Orlando Photo Diary: Week One

Hey everyone! I just got back from my two week holiday to Orlando, Florida and thought I would share with you what I got up to. Between my phone, my mum's camera and my dad's camera we took a large amount of photos as we got up to so much so I've decided to split the post in half. For today's post I'll share with you what I did in the 1st week which will soon be followed by what I did during the 2nd week.

Arriving

The hotel we stayed at is called the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Lake Buena Vista and it's without a doubt the nicest hotel I've ever stayed at. The swimming pools were fantastic, (especially the one that had an indoor cave with waterfalls including a sheltered hot tub. This sheltered area was also where the gym/washing machine/games room were located.) everyone was very friendly and there were plenty of exciting activities to do around this 21 acre hotel e.g. pedaloing/canoeing on the lake, tennis, golf, cycling/walking/running on the trails around the beautiful hotel. Anyway, we arrived in the late afternoon and spent the rest of the day resisting the urge to sleep (thanks jet lag) by exploring the hotel. Dad and I went for a quick swim in the pool and then we ordered dinner sat around the pool at one of the hotel's cafes before we went to bed.

Day 1

We went to Epcot which I have to say was one of my favourite parks of the whole trip. I really enjoyed Test Track where you got to design your own car and then basically test out its capability, responsiveness, efficiency and speed which was really exciting and surprising. 

France - China - USA - England - Italy

After going on a couple more rides, we decided to head over to see all of the different countries (above are just a few of them) which was really fun as it felt so real. Each country had places to eat that only sold the traditional food from that country and you could also wander around the shops. 

I particularly liked Germany because the architecture was beautiful and the shops were lovely (especially the Christmas shop!). We even had our lunch here.

Day 2

Day 2 was spent at Disney's Animal Kingdom. 

The highlight for me that day was the Jungle Safari where we got in a huge Jeep and were driven around the various sections where we saw different animals up close without any fences up anywhere. We saw elephants, crocodiles, giraffes, rhinos, lions, cheetahs and much more which was so enjoyable! There were many surprises on the adventure...all I'm saying is watch out for the collapsing bridge! 

My favourite ride of the day was definitely Expedition Everest as I'd never experienced another ride like it before. I don't want to spoil it for you but it's basically a roller coaster that suddenly stops due to a broken track...there's only one way to go after that...and it's back the way you came!

We retired back to the hotel in the late afternoon and decided to freshen up then head down to Downtown Disney for dinner. I wore my Miss Selfridge dress and Primark hat (I'm still not sure of it..what do you think?) We had dinner at a lovely but overpriced Italian restaurant and then walked round the shops (btw the bear even smelled like strawberries like he does in Toy Story!) and witnessed the beautiful sunset.

Day 3

Day 3 was where the magic truly happened. As soon as we walked through the gates of Magic Kingdom a parade began down Main Street, USA leading to Cinderella's Castle. High School Musical was blasting and there were dozens of dancers and characters such as the Genie from Aladdin and Woody from Toy Story on top of the moving vehicles. I actually got goose bumps because it felt so magical!

We literally spent the whole day at Magic Kingdom (from around 9am to 9pm) so we were exhausted by the end of it. I just loved all of the buildings as you literally felt like you were in a fairytale! My sister and I bought our Mickey Mouse ears as we were jealous of everyone else who'd been wearing theres! That was the 1st day that the rain really got us as it rained all afternoon and into the evening so we bought our waterproof Disney ponchos which kind of saved our lives for the whole holiday really. Space Mountain was honestly one of the coolest rides I've been on in a long time (although it did make me feel very sick for a while) and I'm so glad we went on Splash Mountain in the dark because as we were going down the massive drop at the end, we got a lovely view of Cinderella's Castle all lit up. We left Magic Kingdom just before 10pm when the fireworks began but as we got the ferry back to the Magic Kingdom transportation centre we had a nice view of the fireworks without a massive crowd.

Day 4

Day 4 began perfectly. We chilled by the pool for a bit preparing to have a lazy day and awaiting the arrival of mine and Olivia's best friend, Amy and her siblings (who were also on holiday in Orlando at the same time) to arrive so we could have a day of exploring the hotel and cycling round the trails etc. We did manage to get a nice swim in and have lunch beside the lake before the sky turned black and a huge storm hit that literally was on top of us all day and stopped as soon as Amy left (typical!) 

Due to the severe lightning we weren't allowed to swim in the pool so we hid out in the indoor cave area and sneakily hopped into the sheltered hot tub. 

Day 5

I was beyond excited for day 5 as we spent the day at Universal Islands Of Adventure and we spent most of it around Hogsmeade and Hogwarts! My favourite ride of the whole entire trip was by far Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey which is a ride located inside the Hogwarts castle where Harry, Ron and Hermione help you escape one of Professor Binns' boring History of Magic lessons. There is literally so many surprises on this adventure and you genuinely feel like you are flying. For any Harry Potter fan, this ride will be your all time favourite. Even the queue was absoloutely brilliant as once you get inside after the Greenhouses, you walk through Dumbledore's office, the Gryffindor Common room and a class room. Watch out for Dawn French and the moving pictures!!

The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter was honestly amazing and a dream come true for me to visit. Honeydukes was great and so mouth watering...I even bought a Chocolate Frog which was delicious and my card was Albus Dumbledore! I bought some Butterbeer from a stall in Hogsmeade and it was ever so sickly and sweet (imagine sweets, icecream and even more sugar) but at the same time I loved it!

Day 6

We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios and that was pretty cool because they were having a Frozen Summer and had a huge screen set up where Olaf would have interviews. It even began to snow! The Hollywood Tower of Terror was absoloutely amazing. I was beyond nervous waiting in line but once we began dropping over and over I couldn't stop laughing/screaming. It's strange because I read somewhere that you're supposed to drop 13 floors, but it never felt like that at all!

We finished our day at Hollywood Studios early so we decided to head back over to Magic Kingdom to get some ice cream and browse around the shops in Main Street, USA. I had a vanilla ice cream cookie sandwich which was heavenly but very sickly!

It was a lovely evening back at the hotel. We decided to have some drinks on the beach beside the lake and watch the sun set.

Day 7

The week was very busy and exhausting so we treated ourselves to a lie in and then went shopping at the nearby outlet centre. I bought two pairs of printed shorts from Forever 21 which I absoloutely love. 

In the evening we returned to Epcot for dinner (we had it in the Moroccan restaurant and ngl it wasn't that great) and to watch the fireworks.

So that's everything that I got up to in my first week in Orlando. I hope you've enjoyed seeing my adventures and stay tuned for part 2 which should be posted shortly. Have a great day!

Sophie x

Long Time No See

Hey everyone, long time no see! We hope you are all well.

We've both been extremely busy at college doing our AS level exams. We have now completed our first year at college. It hasn't been the easiest year, as it was a massive leap from GCSE standard, however we have survived, haha! This now means we can focus on being productive in ways apart from revision and college work, from now until the end of summer, when A2 courses begin. 

This is just a quick post to let you know that we should be posting content on here a lot more frequently and we have a couple of exciting posts lined up to share with you so stay tuned.

Olivia & Sophie x

Debenhams Winter Style Challenge

Debenhams have launched an exciting competition which involves creating a mood board (using clothes from their store) for two winter outfits. One has to be a stylish daytime outfit to keep you warm and cosy and the other outfit is a winter party look. Each outfit had to be below £250. If you win, you receive £500 of Debenhams vouchers and the two runners up will win a £50 voucher each. 

Winter daytime outfit

Coat - £44.50 || Top - £45 || Bag - £22.40 || Hat - £9.95 || Boots - £38.50 || Jeans - £19.20 || Mittens - £11.20 || Belt - £5

TOTAL = £195.75

I think this outfit is perfect for a day shopping or going for an afternoon walk. I fell in love with this tartan bag and paired it with this pretty coat in the same print. Peter pan collars are so adorable and change a plain, white tshirt into something a lot more stylish. How awesome are these boots?! They'd look great with a pair of black skinny jeans. I thought the mittons and beanie would keep you feeling warm and cosy on an afternoon walk. I love this casual but warm outfit and it's something I would definitely wear!

Ultimate party outfit

Skirt - £28 || Top - £14.99 || Shoes - £75 || Jacket - £50 || Lipstick - £15 || Clutch - £16

TOTAL = £198.99

I'm not exactly a party person and I don't really feel comfortable in wearing tight dresses or glittery tops. So I decided on making this outfit a little more on the casual side which would be perfect for a meal out or cocktails with the girls. This skirt is absolutely beautiful! I love how it's still a short, pretty skirt but the sheerness of it makes it completely original, ensuring you'd stand out from the crowd. I thought it would look awesome paired with some black heels, a dark lip and a jewelled clutch. I really like this textured top and the necklace just adds to its chicness. Evenings can be very chilly so I decided on incorporating this snug jacket into my look.

I realise there's a lot of black in these two looks, but dark colours are perfectly acceptable to wear in the colder months (or at least that's what I think!) Good luck to everyone else who's entered! You can read more about the competition here although its closing tomorrow!

Sophie x

Harry Potter WORLD!

On the 3rd of January I visited the Harry Potter Studios in London. Being a big Harry Potter fan myself, I can honestly say it was insane and so overwhelming that I was seeing the actual sets and props. I don't want to explain everything that went on, and show you all the details, just because there are a few surprises along the way which are not worth spoiling. (If you are intending to go, which i think you should  DEFINITELY should;-) ) Here are some images I took during the tour. Considering not all of you will be massive Harry Potter fans I thought i would label some of the photos just to make it a little clearer. (But i expect most already know, haha :-) )  Enjoy.

    

As i'm studying graphic design A Level this was one of the most exciting parts to the tour. To see all the design work that had gone into Harry Potter was so so interesting and really inspiring.   

(This was right at the end of the tour on a big screen)

I hope you enjoyed this post, we are hoping to be updating more often in the upcoming weeks and months. :-) 

Have you been to Harry Potter World? 

Olivia x

Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram 

   

Favourites of 2013: Music, Film & TV

Now that it is officially 2014, I reflected on 2013 in the world of film, music and TV shows and shared my favourites with you.

Films

1) I'm a huge Avenger fan (although I only just watched all of the films throughout 2013 for the first time) but I went to see Iron Man 3 with my friend in May and thought it was absolutely brilliant and the best Iron Man film yet! Of course Robert Downey Junior is hilarious, but I loved how he had a softer, darker side to him. This film would not have been as successful as it was, had it not been for the humour that Ben Kingsley brought to his role.

2) Although this was released only a month or two ago, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was probably my favourite film of 2013. It was so emotional (I cried and then I laughed and then I cried some more) and I personally believe that it was way better than the first film. Jennifer Lawrence is a wonderful actress and her fellow cast mates were also brilliant.

3) I watched Thor: The Dark World the day that it came out as I was so excited to see Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston! I had high hopes for this film and I was definitely not disappointed. Again, this film was an emotional roller coaster (Tom Hiddleston, you deserve an Oscar for your hilarious/heartbreaking acting) but the storyline had a very interesting concept that I really enjoyed. The only downside of this film was that it was over way too quickly (even though it's nearly 2 hours long - time flies when you're having fun).

I also liked:

We're The Millers - World War Z - The Great Gatsby - Now You See Me - Olympus Has Fallen

Albums 

1) MSMR have quickly become one of my favourite groups and Secondhand Rapture is wonderful. I heard "Salty Sweet" and "This isn't Control" in Pretty Little Liars a little while ago and fell in love with Lizzy Plapinger's voice and the catchy tunes of their songs. The lyrics are passionate and honest, for example "We fear rejection, prize attention, crave affection, Dream, dream, dream of perfection" to demonstrate the pressures of modern day society. My favourite tracks are Hurricane, Fantasy, Think Of You and Ash Tree Lane.

2) I first heard Sweater Weather in 2012 and soon realised just how talented The Neighbourhood truly were. They released their first album, I Love You early last year and it swiftly climbed the charts in the US. They basically combine dark, hypnotic hip-hop and indie beats with catchy lyrics and clear vocals to create a unique and distinct musical style. My favourite tracks are Afraid, Sweater Weather, Female Robbery and Let It Go.

3) I'll admit, I wasn't exactly the hugest fan of Arctic Monkeys before AM; I liked to listen to them but I would never consider myself to be a dedicated fan. AM is without a doubt their most successful album of their career. NME describe the album being about "sex, lust, frustration and isolation" and its clear Arctic Monkeys aimed to create an album without specifying a genre. The beats are dark and intimidating, yet excitingly thrilling to listen to. My favourite tracks are Knee Socks, Fireside, Snap Out Of It and Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?

I also liked:

The 1975 by The 1975 - Bad Blood by Bastille - Holy Fire by Foals - Long Way Down by Tom Odell

Songs

1) I heard Of the Night by Bastille at the start of 2013 and soon became obsessed with it. It's one of those songs that make you just want to stand up and dance to. It immediately puts me in a good mood. Bastille, that was one amazing cover you did.

2) My Number is such a catchy song. I first heard it when I was watching MTV Rocks and this tune came on. I literally listened to this song more than a hundred times last year (it's the most listened to song on my iPhone) and I don't think it's possible to get bored of it. The chorus is brilliant and again, it makes you want to dance. Foals definitely stepped up their game last year.

3) Carry Me by Bombay Bicycle Club is a drum-heavy, electronic and bouncy song that you have to listen to on full volume to get the full effects. It's such a busy and intense song with sounds that shouldn't go together very well but sound absolutely brilliant. "You carry, you carry, you carry, you carry me" chants Jack Steadman. I want to go to an indie themed party with this blasting all night long. It's that good.

I also liked:

Full Circle by Half Moon Run - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? by Arctic Monkeys - Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke - Get Lucky by Daft Punk

TV shows
I absoloutely love watching TV shows, but I'm the kind of person that doesn't tend to start watching TV shows as soon as they're advertised on the TV. I seem to wait a little bit until I'm sure I'm ready to become addicted to the show. I love Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, Glee, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Pretty Little Liars, Teen Wolf and Made In Chelsea. Admittedly, I've only begun to watch two TV shows that premiered in 2013.

1) The Originals is a spin off from The Vampire Diaries. It's focused on the Mikaelson siblings, also known as the original vampires; Klaus (Joseph Morgan), the most hated and feared of the Originals, Elijah (Daniel Gillies), the most reasonable, peaceful and caring vampire and Rebekah (Claire Holt) who wishes to be normal but behaves cruelly and violently. Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) is pregnant with Klaus' child and Klaus now focuses on taking down his protege, Marcel (Charles Michael Davis) who is in charge of New Orleans. The show has a good soundtrack and storyline which is entertaining to watch.

2) The Carrie Diaries is an American teen drama show which is a prequel to Sex and the City. The show focuses on Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) during her junior year of high school in 1984. She explores life in New York whilst interning at famous fashion magazine, Interview, juggling love, friendship and achieving her dream of becoming a writer. The clothes and soundtrack is incredible due to it being based in the 80s (I would give anything to have grown up in the 80s). Austin Butler stars as Sebastian Kydd, Carrie's love interest (I have a huge crush on Sebastian ngl) and Freema Agyeman plays Larissa Loughlin who brings colourful energy and humour to the show. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my 2013 favourites as much as I enjoyed writing it although it took me ages to write.  Let me know what your favourite songs, film and TV shows of 2013 have been in the comments!

Sophie x

Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram