Sunday 20 May 2012

So, where the devil have I been, eh?

On the 16th of February this year I decided to take a nastily long blog-break in order to finish my degree. However, enough of that sadness, because today, three months and four days later, I am back and am absolutely ecstatic :) Before I get stuck back into reviews, hauls, event write-ups etc, I decided to ease myself back into the blogging scene with an update on what I've been up to over the past three months... I'll give you the highlights shall I?

1) My 21st Birthday!

 
 

My 21st was a fab day. My best pal Vikki from Victoria's Vintage came to visit me at home in Stoke-On-Trent from Milton Keynes which was lovely. We went shopping, ate at my favourite Chinese restaurant with my family, went clubbing with my little sister (who is in the first picture... I know she looks WAY older than me when she's actually only 16!!! FML). I got some great presents including the outfit I'm wearing in the photograph, a Bobbi Brown make-up book and a Thomas Sabbo bracelet. My white chocolate and raspberry birthday cake was lush! 

2) The Hippy Hippy Shake Company presents HippyHaze 2012

 




I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but my dad lost his mind about four years ago and left his job as a Sales Executive so he could open a milkshake chain, named The Hippy Hippy Shake Company. I know, crazy right? But since my mother promised to love him in sickness and in health, she left her job with the NHS and jumped aboard the crazy train. During Easter weekend, the crazy train pulled in at Foxfields Railway Station which my dad decided was a fantastic location to start his own local music festival named HippyHaze. Before we knew it, he'd thrown together an awesome weekend which everyone who's anyone in the local area showed up to and thoroughly enjoyed. The weekend could not possibly have gone any better and in spite of the insanity, I've never been prouder of my adorable father. 

3) Study, study, study!!!


Of course, I studied like a nerd on crack. I had to! I had a 10,000 word dissertation to write on the relationships between adults and children as presented by popular twentieth century children's literature. Thrilling right? At least I got to read Matilda, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, Mary Poppins, The Lion, The Witch and The Warbrobe, The Secret Garden and The Little Princess for my degree *Ican'ttellyouhowpainfulitwasformetolistthosebookswithoutcomplyingwiththeharvardreferencingsystem*. I also had a 2000 word language assignment on the narrative features of film. Then I had two exams, one on Shakespeare plays which lasted for two hours. Then the other was three hours on fantasy literature titles such as Lord of the Rings, Beowulf, Lud-in-the-Mist, The King of Elfland's Daughter and many more. There was a LOT of reading to be done in time for both of my exams and I had to work really hard to prepare. I definitely did my best. In the above picture you'll see my colour-coded Shakespeare notes. Impressive, methinks.

4) Boux Avenue opening...





If you haven't already heard of Boux Avenue, then I'm about to let you in on the sexiest secret since Victoria's. So we all know the business brain-box Theo Paphitis from The Dragon's Den UK show. Furthermore, ladies nationwide know him as the man behind La Senza for a certain amount of time (before it went a tad tacky with desperate signs splattered all over the place with 'TWO BRA'S FOR £20' written on them. Not that I have anything against getting two bra's for a tenner, but when the sizes are as screwy as I often find they are at La Senza, I could be getting ten bra's for £20 and I'd still be £20 poorer without a single useful bra... *RantOver*) However, Theo has a new exciting project and its called Boux Avenue. I will do a full write up of the event that I attended in Birmingham with more pictures, but for now all you need to do is prepare yourself for a luxury lingerie experience like no other at exceptionally reasonable prices.


5) Bedroom Organization...



Not sure about you guys, but when I'm going crazy with studying I'm constantly trying to find a new way to procrastinate. The dishes in my house have never been so clean as during exam time. My family has never eaten such elaborate and time-consuming-to-cook delicacies. And my bedroom has never been so tidy! I've only put the one picture here as I'm planning on doing a full Youtube room tour soon, so keep and eye out for that...

6) Holiday? BOOKED.




Last summer I worked at Disney World in Orlando with my pal and fellow blogger Victoria's Vintage. If you want to know more about my Disney experience, please click here for my Disney International College Program Youtube Channel. Anyway, I've always been mad for the United States and had planned to travel the country after finishing my College Program. Unfortunately, I broke my finger whilst working on one of the rides and after putting up with agony and pain-killer-caused exhaustion for a couple of weeks, I decided to come home a week early and skip my travelling. Luckily, I was feeling spontaneous early on this year and decided to book a five week coast-to-coast tour from San Francisco to New York city for this summer. I'm going all alone and I leave in just over a month! Wish me luck...

So I think that's everything IMPORTANT that I've been up to over the past three months. Exciting, right? Haha. Anyways, now we're all up-to-date with me, I want to get up-to-date with the blogging community! What have I missed? Any great events coming up which I must attend? Have you tried and reviewed any fantastic products recently? Have any of you decided to spend a bomb on an insane travel sesh? Catch me up!

Anyway, keep an eye out for any upcoming blog-posts as I have loads planned :)
Love and snuggles
gabriellasofia
x

14 comments:

  1. Welcome back! So jealous of your travel plans across America, it's my dream to so something similar. I will one day!

    Charlotte xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Charlotte! I'll try and keep a good log of everything I do while I'm out there, promise!
      Love
      gabriellasofia
      x

      Delete
  2. Welcome back!
    Oh my god, what an amazing thing to do - traveling across America alone! You're so brave! Who did you book that with?!
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Louise! I'm so nervous, I can't wait though. I booked with STA but its with a company called G-Adventures. They are fab and I promise I'll blog about how I booked it and all my plans etc.
      Love
      gabriellasofia
      x

      Delete
  3. Love the pic of you with Theo! Glad to have you back :) P.S. we look fabbo in that last pic! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YES WE DO. We are the ultimate Sex Goddesses! Ahh well you know, we go way back, Theo and I.
      Lolll
      Love
      gabriellasofia
      x

      Delete
  4. Woo you're back! Congrats on finishing your degree! :) Can't wait to read what you've got coming up. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the congratulations! So so happy to have it over and done with :) I'm working on a couple of fun and exciting projects, so as soon as I know any firm details, you will too :)
      Love
      gabriellasofia
      x

      Delete
  5. Hooray, welcome back!

    First off, happy birthday! Your cake looks delicious, and you look stunning! My sisters are like yours - younger than me, and still look older *huffs*

    Secondly; I think I need to go on holiday now, thanks...hahaha!


    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the happy birthday! I know, how annoying is TheCurseOfTheSexyGrownUpLookingSister? Haha, VERY annoying.
      Go crazy and book a holiday! Haha, I did!
      Love
      gabriellasofia
      x

      Delete
  6. Congrats on finishing!! xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! I have so much time on my hands now :) Whooop!
      Love
      gabriellasofia
      x

      Delete
  7. Wow! Can't believe you're going traveling on your own! That'll be such a good experience! :) Well done on finishing your degree :) I've still got two weeks to go and three exams left eeek!

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ahhh Zoe, I'm so effing nervous! Although TOTALLY can't wait. At least it's America where everyone speaks English lol.
      As if you have so many exams left! That's crazy :( They gave us all our exams in the first week, so I got that well over and done with. Thank God. I wouldn't have lasted this long. Keep pushing though, you'll do great clever lady!
      Love
      gabriellasofia
      x

      Delete