Valentine's Day...The Single Way

So if you haven’t already guessed I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. I have no boyfriend and so wasn't expecting to do anything really exciting in the lead up. However the girls all decided that we shoukd go on a group dinner on the "most romantic day of the year". Hearing this I decided instead to rename the day for me "Celebrate Being Single Day". And last night I did.

So what did you actually do, I hear you ask? Well the day was pretty boring, obviously the postman sent all my cards and presents to the wrong house haha but I spent the day doing uni work and attending the hour of classes I had. That evening however I did celebrate. I went with 5 of the girls for dinner.

 WE went to a lovely little restaurant that’s just opened in Guildford called AllBarOne- yeah the name made no sense to me either. Anyway it’s a lovely little restaurant/cocktail bar and I know they have lots of locations and you should all go visit.

I loved the catch up and gossip I ended up having with the girls and I must admit I completely forgot what day it actually was. Even with Jess making an idiot of herself numerous times in front of Olly our waiter with her demands for spoons and her hate of Claudia’s bedroom furniture.

For it being Valentine’s Day the restaurant really wasn’t that busy. There were probably 3 couples in there with us and another group of 6 girls who arrived halfway through our meal. I guess couples are now deciding to eat in and spend alone time together on Valentines (I did hear that the M&S 2 dine for £10 ended up being raided that day) and I must admit it was nice having the restaurant virtually to ourselves for the night.

I must admit I did pig out and had a starter, main and dessert but it was so good. Right well I ate Calamari with aioli sauce for starter, gammon for main and then chocolate fudge brownie for dessert which was the biggest slice of brownie I’d seen for my life.

I have also discovered some new cocktails that I want to try. I started with the Pink Spritzer which consisted of Champagne, Blackcurrant Liqueur and Lemonade and I must admit that was yummy. Then there were a few more cocktails including the Elderflower and Cucumber one that apparently tasted of cucumber (can’t say that that appeals to me really but apparently it was nice) and the Merry Berry and Winter Cruise which I think may be a must for the next visit.

I can honestly say it was the best way to spend Valentines, dinner and cocktails with the girls putting the world to right and doing what we do best and just having fun. I hope you all had a lovely day too.

Oh and I forgot the best part...I got my first ever rose. We were sat there before the meal discussing the fact that we hadn’t gone and bought chocolates or cards etc for the girls as it would be completely pointless for us to do so. Anyway after saying this Mimi came home from work and surprised us all with roses. They weren’t red roses as she informed us that the florist in Wimbledon near where she’s currently working wanted £90 for a bunch of red roses- a bit steep I know! Anyway we ended up all getting a single yellow rose- yellow symbolising friendship and loyalty and as my mum responded to my text telling her of my rose, friends can always be relied on...and I guess she was right.

Home is where the heart is...where we started...where we belong

So this weekend I decided to venture home back to Essex seeing as uni didn’t start properly till the 8^th for me. It’s probably only been three weeks since I was home for Christmas but I decided to pay a nice visit back and catch up with the people I didn’t get to see over Christmas and also to spend some time with my family.

I spent about 3 days at home and in those 3 days I appeared to fit a lot in. I managed to catch up with Nicole, my friend from college for lunch and a chat, focusing a lot on her wedding plans. Although I’m nowhere near the whole wanting to settle down and get married stage I did enjoy discussing it with her and hearing all about the plans for her wedding and afterwards. I also took the little sister to the cinema with my mum to see Tangled. I think I was most excited about it, Tiah wasn’t all too bothered. If you haven’t seen the film I highly recommend it. It’s fun for all ages and had my giggling in pieces but still had the happy ending you expected from Disney. Surprisingly (or not surprisingly to the people who know what a party animal I am) I managed to fit in a girls night out on Friday night. I ended up in Liquid for a bit of Bas Vegas with Kirstie (who I used to work with in Asda, before she left us to go work in the hospital). I must say it was a very good night out and I enjoyed our catch up as well as enjoying a good night out at home, all be it a bit drunken.

The thing I learnt from the weekend, and the whole point on this blog post, is me realising how much I love my home town. Although when I was living there before uni, I was constantly moaning about how much I hated Essex and wanted to get out, now I am actually out of it I wanna go back, and the weekends like this one remind me why.

Firstly I just find Essex so much friendlier. I go out at uni and there’s a strange atmosphere, like you have to be careful who you talk to and some people appear to have a stick up their ass. In Essex however it’s a completely different atmosphere, anyone talks to anyone, you can stand at the bar and whilst waiting have 3 different conversations, stand in the smoking area and have loads of chats, and everyone is always welcomed with a hug and normally a kiss on the cheek, regardless of how long you’ve known them, whereas in uni it’s the kind of awkward hug of oh you’re a stranger.

 I also like nights out better in Essex, maybe it’s just because Guildford is ridiculously expensive and the union although cheap gets tiresome after a while. In Essex I seem to be able to spend less money, have more to drink and dance a lot more. Telling my housemates about the nights out they’ve decided they want to come to Essex and try out a night out, the question being are they ready for Essex? And is Essex ready for them?

I guess I am proud of being an Essex girl, I’m not one of these people who when asked where they are from reply “oh a little place just outside London” which is an answer I have discovered a lot of people I know do. I’m proud to tell people I’m an Essex girl (even if the reaction is usually related to the stereotype) and I’m quite looking forward to moving back in the summer once uni has finished.

February: An Update

Well a whole month has already gone from the calendar and we can well and truly say we are into 2011. This both terrifies and excites me. It means that there’s only 5 months till I graduate and turn 21 but also means its closer to summer which I cannot wait for!

So I’ve finally started my new year’s resolutions properly, only a month after I made them! The healthy eating is well and truly kicking off, even if I have had a few malfunctions with the cooking, like blowing up a jacket potato in the microwave, but in all fairness that wasn’t my fault. I’m also going to the gym more, I’ve had the membership since last year and think I could count the times I’ve been in the last 6 months on both hands- which is bad considering how much I’m paying for it. However that is all going to change, I’ve already been to the gym 3 times since Friday and I’m also making use of these 10 minute workout DVDs I’ve bought. I am yet to try the ministry of sound one that I have, anyone have any tips or tricks for it?

So February...what do you have in store for me? Well if my friend has her way I will be kicking off February with a round of speed dating. The University in all their wisdom have decided to arrange speed dating for the 7^th February. I am however rather sceptical of what will be achieved apart from maybe embarrassing myself for all eternity and meeting some questionable people- I mean what if everyone who turns up is female? No dates are gonna occur then.

February also marks the start of a new semester of university (the final one) and means I’m actually going to have to do some work instead of sitting with a book open staring blankly at the same page pretending that I’m doing work.

February also holds Valentine’s Day *shudders*. Don’t get me wrong if you enjoy the day good for you, but I personally cannot stand it, even in a relationship. I loathe all the hearts and cupids everywhere and all the adverts asking me to make my love known to my valentine by spending loads on some present or card they’ll look at for two seconds then not look at again. It’s not that I’m single and bitter, I just find the whole day completely over commercialised and a way for Hallmark to rip everyone off. The idea of a day put aside to tell people you love them is probably a sweet idea however why should you just use one day? This valentines day I will be doing what I do best, sat in front of the TV with a film, takeaway and ice-cream with my housemates, celebrating independence and friendship.