Tag Archives: autumn

Halloween 2018 in London

Last year, I wrote about some of the geekier events that were happening in London to celebrate Halloween. Whilst some of the events, like Hogwarts after Dark at the WB Studio Tour and The Walking Dead ride at Thrope Park, are happening again this year. There are also several new and scary events happening in the city that are based on movies or TV shows.

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2018 in London
  1. Teen Horror Pyjama Party

    Prince Charles Cinema has always had epic movie marathons and this Halloween is no different. As they are arranging a Teen Horror Movie all-nighter. Over 11 hours they will be showing 90’s teen horror movies like Scream and The Craft. So grab your plaid skirt and duvet and settle in for a night of scary-ish movies!

  2. Hocus Pocus Boozical
    Love going to the movies, love brunch. Why not combine both. Exhibit B is offering a brunch over the weekend, followed by a screening of the classic Halloween movie Hocus Pocus. You can also upgrade your ticket to include bottomless bubbles with your brunch.
  3. The Crystal Maze Halloween Edition
    The Crystal Maze
    The Dark Maze

    The classic 90’s game show is back with live experiences game. Where you and your friends can enter The Crystal Maze. Over the Halloween weekend, they are changing the original maze into a Dark Maze, where you can meet the Bloody Baron.
  4. Even Stranger Things
    Looking for a geeky club night to celebrate Halloween? Then Even Stranger Things is for you. An epic club night themed around the hit Netflix show. Party in two rooms, one based on the Snow Ball from season two or venture into the second room,  Upside Down!
  5. Welcome to The Bronze

    For another geeky club night head over to The Book Club. For the one night, the venue will be transformed into The Bronze, the club from Sunnydale. This Buffy the Vampire Slayer night will feature themed cocktails, an art class. And screenings of classic episodes including Once More With Feelings.
My Hacks

If you are looking for a magical night out not over the Halloween weekend. Check out The Cauldron for a night out loosely based on Harry Potter. This immersive cocktail experience allows you to make your own cocktails using a magic wand!
Geek Girls Guide to Halloween in London
Copyright: Images © The Crystal Maze

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Autumn Tag

I love blog tags! They are a great way to get to know your blogger friends better. One of my favourite tags was the Christmas tag from a few years ago. I loved reading about fellow blogger’s traditions.
That’s why I love this Autumn Tag. As autumn is my favourite time of year, I love reading about other people’s traditions.

I discovered this cute Autumn Tag on Chronical Sunflower’s blog. It was originally designed by Ellduclos to kick-start her ‘Blogtober’ series. As always the questions are at the end of the post if you want to play along.

The Autumn Tag

Autumn Tag

  1. What is one candle you MUST light every Autumn?
    I always loved the Candy Corn candles from Yankee Candle. However, it seems to have been discontinued this year. Being replaced by Sweet Seduction. I am not too keen on the smell but love the new ceramic jar! Instead this year, I brought several Pumpkin Spice home fragrances in TK Maxx. Including pretty jam-jar candle and reed diffuser.
  2. When you think of Autumn, what does it remind you of?
    Whilst, most people might think about colder weather, falling leaves and cosy nights in! For me Autumn means Birthdays! My birthday is on Halloween and my husband’s birthday is two weeks later. So when the leaves start changing colour, I start planning celebratory nights out. And shopping for birthday presents.
  3. What is your all-time favourite Autumn/Halloween movie?
    I don’t really have a favourite autumn movie. However, we tend to watch a lot of box sets in the autumn. This year I am thinking of re-watching Gilmore Girls or Once Upon a Time. And dreaming about New England in the autumn!
  4. What Halloween costume do you have in mind?
    As I said it’s my birthday on Halloween, so I never get dressed up! We tend to have a meal or drinks somewhere. So I plan a date night outfit, rather than a costume. Saying that, with MCM London, the weekend before Halloween. I am planning a little geeky Halloween outfit to wear then.
  5. What is your favourite Autumn trend?
    At the risk of sounding basic, I love PSL! I have written before about some of my favourite Pumpkin recipes. As I said I have brought pumpkin spiced candles this year. Autumn is all about the Pumpkin Spice!
  6. When you think of Autumn, what drink comes to mind?
    Obviously, for me, it has to be PSL. However, saying that I am attempting to try some other autumnal drinks from different coffee shops this year. You can follow my efforts on Instagram.
  7. What is your go-to Autumn beauty product? A must-have staple!
    I am not a beauty blogger or a make-up addict. But when the weather gets colder, I reach for my favourite lip balm and moisturiser. Currently, my favourite lip balm is Marc Jacobs’ Lip Lock.
  8. Do you prefer apple pie or pumpkin pie?
    I am not a huge fan of pies! Plus I hate cooked apples. So I am going to say Pumpkin Cheesecake!
  9. Do you have any Autumn traditions? If so tell us all about it!
    Autumn officially starts once I have had my first PSL! Once the weather gets cooler, I dig out all my favourite cosy knitwear! In October, we start decorating the house with pumpkins, autumnal candles and fake coloured leaves. Towards the end of the month, Halloween decorations get added. Then it is birthday season! This normally involves a Jason and I having a nice meal, drinks with friends and a Sunday dinner with family.
  10. The moment of truth, is Autumn your favourite season?
    Yes!

Autumn Tag

The Questions

Note: I have changed some of the words into British English e.g. using Autumn instead of Fall and adding a ‘u’ into the word favourite. For the Americanised version see Ellduclos‘ original post.

  1. What is one candle you MUST light every Autumn?
  2. When you think of Autumn, what does it remind you of?
  3. What is your all-time favourite Autumn/Halloween movie?
  4. What Halloween costume do you have in mind?
  5. What is your favourite Autumn trend?
  6. When you think of Autumn, what drink comes to mind?
  7. What is your go-to Autumn beauty product? A must-have staple!
  8. Do you prefer apple pie or pumpkin pie?
  9. Do you have any Autumn traditions? If so tell us all about it!
  10. The moment of truth, is Autumn your favourite season?

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Halloween 2017 in London

There are loads of fun events taking place in London for Halloween 2017.  But I have found a few fun things to do with an interesting twist for Halloween this year. These five events are all based on TV shows or movies, making them ideal for geeks.

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2017 in London.
  1. WB Studio Tour
    What is more Halloween than Harry Potter? The WB Studio Tour just outside London will be celebrating the Dark Arts all throughout October. With the Great Hall decorated with floating pumpkins, recreating the Halloween scene from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. On top of that over the Halloween weekend, they are hosting Hogwarts after Dark, a Halloween feast in the great hall.Halloween at Hogwarts
  2. Halloween Edible Cinema
    The Edible Cinema offers a different movie adventure, rather than just experiencing the movie via your visual and audio senses, they add the elements of taste and smell. For Halloween, they are staging a showing of Beetlejuice at several the Everyman Cinemas around London. The tasting menu features numbered boxes to be opened throughout the movie to heighten your experience.
  3. Supper Club UK presents The Red Wedding
    The Supper Club UK is hosting an interactive dining experience based on the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones. On the 31st October, they will create an immersive dining experience based on the eventful wedding feast. The evening will include a five-course meal, music, and actors recreating the iconic feast.
  4. The Walking Dead Maze at Thrope Park
    As part of their Fright Nights at Thorpe Park for 2017, they have added an attraction based on The Walking Dead. Featuring two mazes (one indoor and one outside) fans of the zombie apocalypse programme can experience several scenes from the show facing off against the un-dead and Negan. The park also has a feature based on the SAW movies.
  5. Hitchcock Themed Afternoon Tea
    If you are looking for something a little less scary, but still with a Halloween twist. The Royal Lancaster Hotel has a Hitchcock Themed Afternoon Tea. Alongside the traditional finger sandwiches and scones, they are serving sweet treats based on classic Hitchcock movies like Cursed Blackbird Macaroon and Psycho Marbled Lollipops.
My Hacks
  • If you are looking for a Halloween party or club night, check out Design My Night, they have tons of listing for the Halloween weekend in London, from Silent Discos to a prison-themed pop-up called Alcotraz.
  • For ideas of Halloween actives with children, LondonTown.com has a list of family fun over half term. Including, pumpkin carving and sleepover in a museum.
  • If you are not in London for Halloween but want to add a scary element to your stay, Visit London has a list of 13 Spooky things to do in the capital from Jack the Ripper walking tours to Haunted pubs.

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2017 in London

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100 Cups of Coffee

When uploading these photos for the #100cupsofcoffee project to Instagram, I messed up the numbering. So I have added these in the order they happened, which doesn’t tally with the little number icons.

Coffee & A Great Read #100cupsofcoffee

As I mentioned in my last 100 cups of coffee update, whilst in the Philippines. I use to pop to Starbucks every afternoon for 4 p.m. caffeine fix. All the travelling I did in October, gave me the ideal time to catch up with my reading. Ideal for travelling was The Good Immigrant, as the short essays where easy to dip into whilst waiting to board a plane or riding on a shuttle bus.

Breakfast Coffee #100cupsofcoffee
In Manila and Gibraltar, the cafes we used to have breakfast in served coffee in tiny cups. In London I have a large mug or “venti” cup with my breakfast. As a result I found in Manila, I needed several cups each morning to get my coffee buzz!

Fall 2016! #100cupsofcoffee
When I returned home in London, autumn was definitely here! My uniform for the Fall Season in 2016, became my “Her Universe” bomber jacket and a Pumpkin Spiced Latte!

Coffee & A Movie #100cupsofcoffee
At the end of October we were lucky enough to get tickets to the Doctor Strange Fan Screening in Leicester Square. Before the screening of the movie, the director and movie’s cast (including Benedict Cumberbatch.) did a short introduction.

Final PSL of the Season #100cupsofcoffee
When I discovered my local Starbucks had run out of Pumpkin Spice syrup at the before the end of October. It meant I didn’t get a P.S.L. on my birthday! So when I discovered another branch still had syrup in November. I took the opportunity to enjoy my last P.S.L. of the season.

What is #100cupsofcoffee? You can read about the project here.
You can see all the photos from the #100cupsofcoffee project on Instagram.

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100cupsofcoffee 11-15

100 Cups of Coffee

I’m extremely behind writing up about my 100 cups of coffee project, most of these coffees were back in October.

Coffee & Knitting
Ling was testing out a new base yarn for her Whimzy yarn collection and asked me if I would knit her up a sample for a knitting show in November. I picked a really simple pattern which I managed to knit up in several afternoons – all fuelled by lots of coffee.

Outsider Tart Coffee

For the final episode of The Great British Bake-Off (that seems so long ago), we continued our tradition of having cakes whilst watching TV, once again I was too busy to bake so I popped to the local American bakery for some brownies and cheesecake. They have this amazing counter – which is extremely instagrammable.

People watching

Most the time I have coffee whilst working or when out with friends, but occasionally, I have a coffee on my own. Then I like to sit in Starbucks on an autumn afternoon with a pumpkin spiced latte and people watch.

Gingerbread Latte

One of the great things about having the Starbucks app is early access to the “Holiday” drinks, this was my first gingerbread latte of the season – before the red cup became so newsworthy. Normally I don’t like cream on my drinks – but the new gingerbread cream was amazing!

Last PSL

Red cup season also marks the end of pumpkin spice latte season ☹️, time for me to put away my pumpkin cozy for another year. BTW, I am slowly adding these cozies to my Folksy store.

What is #100cupsofcoffee? You can read about the project here.
You can see all the photos from the #100cupsofcoffee project on Instagram.

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5 Favourite Things About Halloween

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Five Things I Love About Halloween
    1. My Birthday: The Halloween traditions in our family are going to be a little different than most you see Halloween is an extra special day for me as it is also my birthday!
      Halloween Decorations
    2. Decorations: I love decorating the house for any occasion, and this day is a double whammy for me, so it is fair to say the decorations in our home at a little over the top. This is our bedroom from a few years ago!
    3. Halloween Themed Food: In the States they seem to really embrace “Halloween” themed food, luckily this is a trend that it catching on in the U.K. I’ve noticed Cadbury and Kipling’s both do Halloween variations of their products.
    4. Cadbury’s Screme Eggs: Which brings me to my fourth favourite thing. Cadbury’s Creme Eggs used to be reserved for Easter, but a few years ago they introduced a Halloween variation with a gooey green filling, so now I get to enjoy my favourite chocolate later in the year.
    5. Catching up with Family & Friends: As well as having my birthday at the end of October, I have several friends and family members with birthdays around then, so it is always a perfect time to meet-up, gossip, and celebrate.

Thank you The Nerdy Girlie & Super Space Chick for creating Fandom Friday check out their blogs for more information. Or follow the #fandom5 or #5fandomfriday on Twitter.

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Five Fandom Friday

5 Pumpkin Items Cannot Wait To Purchase

5 Pumpkin Items Cannot Wait To Purchase
  1. PSL – It will come as no surprise to readers of the blog that the first thing I love to buy when autumn rolls around is a Pumpkin Spice Latte! In fact autumn hasn’t truly arrived until I have had my first sip.
  2. Pumpkin Puree – Autumn is a great time to get baking, I have already shared some of the recipes I want to try this year. The one thing I need for all this baking is Libby’s Pumpkin Puree!
  3. Pumpkin Candles – As I mentioned in the last Fandom Friday, when visiting the States in the autumn my first stop is Starbucks for a PSL, my second is Bath and Body Works to stock up on scented candles, bubble bath, shower gel and antibac. Seeing as we aren’t going to America this year, I am looking for a substitute pumpkin candle – until I find one I will make do with the Infamous Boyfriend Candle.
  4. Philosophy Pumpkin Icing Shower Gel – My search for autumnal scented products did uncover Philosophy’s Pumpkin Icing Shower Gel, I have used their Pumpkin Pie variety before – and it’s amazing for adding a quick burst of autumn into my morning routine.
  5. Pumpkin Spice Latte M&Ms – I adore M&Ms so of course I was over the moon when I read about these limited edition PSL version. Unfortunately, they are not available in the UK (not even in a M&M World Store), but some quick stalking of some US stores online have produced some leads.
    Edit: Amazon have them.

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Thank you The Nerdy Girlie & Super Space Chick for creating Fandom Friday check out their blogs for more information. Or follow the #fandom5 or #5fandomfriday on Twitter.

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Pinspirational – Pumpkin Recipes

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Recently I have pinned a lot of pumpkin themed recipes, and whilst it is fun to try adding some pumpkin to my overnight oats or yogurt for breakfast what I really want it to bake some calorific pumpkin treats, these are some of the recipes I am looking forward to trying this autumn.

Macarons are certainly en vogue in the baking world, one of my favourite things about Paris (or Covent Garden) is getting trying all the flavours in Ladurée. This recipe from Tasty Kitchen used the pumpkin in the filling and the “spice” is added to the macaron.

Autumn is the start of my hibernating months – lazy weekends, binge watching my new favourite TV show into the small hours followed by a hearty brunch. Obviously the healthy diet goes out the window on these weekends, so I am looking forward to indulging in these pancakes.

This recipe for pumpkin bread from Sallys Baking Addiction, can also be adapted to make muffins which I think would work well as part of a lazy weekend brunch or for a quick afternoon treat with your pumpkin spice latte.

In the UK prepackage “pumpkin spice” isn’t readily available so I have found this recipe to make your own version.

EDIT: There seems to be an issue displaying the pinterest widgets, I am looking into this and hopefully will find a solution soon.

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5 Favourite Things About Autumn

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  1. Pumpkins – I have mentioned before how I love going to the pumpkin patch at the beginning of October to buy decorations for the house, I also stock up on canned pumpkin purée for cooking. I hate pumpkin pie, but love experimenting with other recipes, cheesecake, muffins and cupcakes. This year I want to try to make pumpkin pancakes.
  2. PSL– following on from loving pumpkin flavours food, I am obsessed with Pumpkin Spice Latte’s. Oddly the drink has only been available in the Starbucks in UK for the last three years, before that I had to order the syrup online or binge drink them when we were on vacation in America. When we went to Las Vegas I even brought I drink at the airport before collecting my suitcase from the carousel.
    Finished Gretel
  3. Berets – autumn is all about layers, I do love scarves and chunky cardigans, but for me autumn is all about the beret. Every year I like to knit myself a new hat (normally a beret) in the new colour of the season. This weekend I will take my hats out of storage (I put them away over the summer in a box with lavender bags) ready for the colder months.
  4. Birthdays – Yes I know you can have a birthday at anytime of year but both my husband and I celebrate our birthdays during the autumn, just a few weeks apart. This means that from the end of October to mid-November our calendar is filled with outings for our birthdays. Over the last few years we have both celebrated big birthdays so this has involved a vacation, but normally its a few meals, maybe an afternoon tea and lots of cocktails!
    Halloween Afternoon Tea
  5. My birthday actually falls on Halloween (my final favourite thing about autumn), this means that a lot of activities around my birthday have a Halloween theme – which I love! It also gives me an excuse to decorate the house in Halloween/birthday hybrid of decorations!

Thank you The Nerdy Girlie & Super Space Chick for creating Fandom Friday check out their blogs for more information. Or follow the #fandom5 or #5fandomfriday on Twitter.

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(P)inspirational- Pumpkin Crafts

pinspiration

I’ve noticed a trend on blogs to decorate homes ready for this time of year – a sort of pre-Halloween decoration. I love this idea, slowly I have added some trinkets around our house – mainly mini pumpkins and pumpkin-spiced scented candles. These are a few of my favourite pumpkin crafts.

I actually made these little pumpkins last fall, when I planned on starting my new autumn tradition. The free pattern from The Sitting Tree is a lovely, quick knit so add some autumn love to your home.

Most of us have a jar full of buttons with no idea what we are going to do with them (I’m assuming button stashes grow with yarn stashes), this lovely picture was designed, as a project to do with children – but it is so effective I think it would great added to anyone’s fall decorations.

Finally, show your Pumpkin Spiced Latte love with this embroidered cute PSL mug by Wild Olive (she’s also made a brooch version).

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