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#ootd | Drinks at Buddha Bar, London

February 8, 2015, 11:35 am
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Last night I headed into London to Buddha Bar to celebrate a friend of mine's 21st Birthday.

As always, i popped an outfit shot of what I wore on my Instagram, and after a few people messaging / asking where things were from - I thought I'd share the links with y'all. :)




Floral Shirt Dress, New Look - shop here
My all time fav (and comfiest) black heels - shop here

I absolutely LOVE this floral shirt dress... 
You know when you see something in the shop and it's an instant 'I NEED THIS' kind of purchase? It's soft, floaty and perfect for that extra bit of cover until these chilly winds disappear.

I sized up (from an 8) to a 10 because i love the slightly baggier look with these shirt dresses.

They have lots of different styles / patterns so you can shop similar shirt dresses here...





We had some beautiful Japanese food here at Buddha Bar, it's slightly on the pricey side of eating out in London (for me anyway) but the food is amazing and definitely worth it for a special occasion.

I would HIGHLY recommend the Pornstar Martinis (£8) here, honestly could have drunk them until the sun came up, so if you do find yourself here, promise me you'll try one!


If you follow me on Instagram (molliebylett) you may also have seen this photo I posted?



Every year for Steph's birthday I create some kind of yummy birthday cake. It's kind of become a ritual now and so the above was a photo of this years creation - The Giant Oreo Cupcake.

Chocolate sponge with a chocolate and oreo filling, drizzled with chocolate icing and topped with crushed oreos...

YUM! (if i do say so myself!)

I'm going to pop up a little recipe / 'how to make this' soon, incase i've got your taste buds tingling and you fancy making one for yourself. :)

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend!


♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx

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My Guide to Byron Bay... Cheer up, Slow down & Chill out ♡

February 10, 2015, 2:00 am
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How'z it guuuuuin? (with an australian accent)

Okay okay, i'll stick to English.
What I was trying to say was HELLO! HOW YA'LL DOING?

LOL. ANYWAY.

We were fresh off our Fraser Island Trip and after another long haul down the East Coast we were super excited about the next destination on our trip... Byron Bay.


For as long as I can remember I have pinned images of Byron Bay on my pinterest, forever dreaming of coming here. 

As we pulled up in our big red bus we were eager to drop our bags and stretch our legs, so we headed to our accommodation (Holiday Village) dropped our backpacks and headed straight back out of the door to explore.



Byron Bay was everything I dreamed it to be and more.
For the first day I think I said 'Omg I actually love this place'over 100 times. 
(Ask Hayley she ended up having to tell me to shut up. Oops.)

Everything in sight excited my soul and sent endorphins flying around my body.

Sunny Blue Skies, people carrying surfboards, skating, riding bicycles, girls braiding hair on the side of the road, people selling art, musicians busking and filling the air with raw talent, colourful ice cream shops, superfood shops with fresh coconuts ready to be cracked and stuffed with straws, hippie clothes & jewellery....

Ahhhh i could go on forever.
There is just the most beautiful, peaceful, friendly, hippie vibe and i couldn't help but smile at e v e r y t h i n g.

Let me try and show you visually.

For example look how COOL the buses are!!!
You can't tell me you can look at that and be sad!



Here's a photo of us and some friends we met that live in and around Byron Bay. 
Honestly had some of our best days with these guys chilling on the beach and them showing us the Aussie ropes! 

They were the epitome of what I love about the Australian culture.
Chilled out, spontaneous and always up for a good time.
If you're reading this guys - we love you!


Even the graffiti is beautiful in Byron.
I'd say Byron is the creative hub of Australia - bursting with talent in every direction.


'Byron Bay. A place for the dreamers & the believers.'

'Must do's' in Byron Bay:

1. Grab a coconut and relax on the main beach...




2. Watego's beach & Tallow beach...
Walk a little bit further down from the main Byron Beach and you will find a slightly quieter and less touristy beach called Watego's. Head even further round past the lighthouse and you will find Tallow Beach - a popular beach for surfing!



3. Get the hippie look... 
There are plenty of opportunities to get 'hippied up' in Byron. Get a hair wrap, a feather or a braid, woven into your hair. Or if you're feeling the full look - you could even go for the dreads...


4. Watch the sunset with a drink & some friends...


5. Silent camper van disco on the main beach... 
(not sure that it's on everyday, but it was when we were there Dec 2014)

6. Walk to the Lighthouse...



7. Stand on the most easterly point of Australia...
(located near the Lighthouse)

8. Grab a fresh juice or superfood salad...


9. Wander around the shops...

From Lorna Jayne Active to Australia's Version of Primark (Cotton On) - Byron Bay has everything you need all located on on main road.

Indulge in some beautiful souvenirs, clothing, jewellery and creative tools. 
But be careful - you'll want to spend ALL your money!


10. Get creative... 

Be it jewellery making, surf lessons, cooking, songwriting or photography. Byron Bay is equipt with all the equipment and inspiration you need.


11. Grab a warm brownie at (I CAN'T REMEMEBER THE SHOP NAME)

All i know is that it was on the corner of the Roundabout, one corner clockwise from 'The Balcony' restaurant.

Honestly. 
THE best brownie I've ever had. AND it's served warm.


12. Spot the wildlife & spiders (hehe)


13. Hop on the Happy Coach to Nimbin...
Known as Australia's most famous hippie destination and alternative lifestyle Capital, Nimbi is tucked away in the hills just outside of Byron.

You can book a ticket pretty cheap to get there, most of which are just for the day.
I didn't actually go as most people will say it is mainly an attraction for those that aspire to be Bob Marley (if you know what i mean).

Nightlife:

- Cheeky Monkeys (Very well known as a backpackers bar!)
- Woody's Bar (Club)
- The Northern (Bar and restaurant)
- Cocomangas (Club)
- Railway Bar (pretty cool, chilled vibe with outdoor seating / tables)

Food:


- Woolworths supermarket (for all backpackers cooking for themselves)

There are SO many places to eat out on the main street, i can't possibly mention them all but here are a few of my favourites:

- Guzman Y Gomez (Amazing burritos - haha you can rely on me to find it!)
- Legend Pizza
- Aquarius Cafe (Brunch shown in photo above!)
- Any of the smoothie / superfood pop ups along main street
- Kinoko sushi restaurant (always packed)
- Best brownie shop ever (on same roundabout as 'The Balcony' one corner of the roundabout clockwise)

Accommodation (for a backpacker budget):

Personal hostel recommendations (places I've stayed):
- Byron Bay Holiday Village (book here)
- Aquarius Backpackers (book here)

Other options:
- Nomads (book here)
- YHA Hostel (book here)
- Arts Factory - the place from Inbetweeners film!! (book here)

Photo's I took in the Aquarius backpackers all girls dorm:


OR Sleep in the back of a camper van & have a road trip - true hippie style...

Byron Bay Camper Van Hire:

Wicked - book here
Hip Caravan Hire - book here
Byron Bay Campers - book here


I recently came across this place in Byron that hire out American style Trailors which look AWESOME. 
I know i'd love to hire one when i, one day, go back to Byron.

If you're up for beating me to it, you can see what i mean here: Atlantic Byron Bay.



That's Byron Bay in a nut shell for you!

If you have ANY questions at all about visiting Byron Bay then pop them in the comments below and I will do my bestest to answer them :)

♡

I do have a couple more posts coming up for you from our time in Byron Bay, so hold tight!

Coming soon:'Christmas in Byron Bay, our first Christmas on the beach'

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx

If you're thinking about / planning a trip to Australia, I've answered all your questions in my brand new video...


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The Giant Chocolate Oreo Cupcake ♡

February 12, 2015, 7:06 am
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So you may, or may not, have seen this photo i posted on Saturday?

Judging by the reception it got, i think it's safe to say a lot of you have a cake weakness. 
If you don't, I congratulate you, because I go completely weak at the knees for a good piece of cake.

On Saturday, one of my friends celebrated her 21st Birthday at Buddha Bar in London & every year I will turn up with a cake creation. Last year it was my famous Rocky Road and the year before I did another Giant Cupcake Creation...

So this year, I went all Oreo on it and this is how I did it...

(I usually bake the cake the night before, leave it to completely cool and then ice / decorate the next day).

You will need:
- Giant Cupcake mould (Buy here only £7)
For the Cake:
- 8oz self raising flour
- 8oz Caster Sugar
- 8oz butter (room temp)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

For the Filling:
- Butter + Icing sugar (i never measure... just until it looks / tastes right) + 5 Oreos.

For the Topping:
- Icing Sugar + Water + Cocoa powder + 5 / 6 oreos for decoration.

1. Preheat the oven to 170deg.
Whisk the flour, butter, eggs and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture is throughly mixed, even and drops of the spoon.
2.Add the cocoa powder and mix in.
3.Your mixture is ready!
Split the mixture into the 2 moulds, half in one and half in the other. Place in the centre of the oven and set a timer to check it in 30 minutes. 
(Because it's such a large cake, you use a slightly lower heat than you would usually and bake it for longer to make sure it is cooked throughout.)

To Check if it's done: Stick a knife through the centre, if it comes out clean then it's done. If it's still gooey with mixture put the cake back in the oven...

Mine usually takes 30-40 minutes.

4. Take cake out of oven when done, and leave to cool thoroughly on cooling rack before decorating / removing from mould.

(I usually decorate the next day, but if it's cool and you are tight for time then go for it!)

5.In a bowl, it's time to make the filling.
Whisk your desired amount of butter and icing sugar to create a butter icing to your taste. 

Then take 5 Oreos and crush them into the butter icing...
Stir!

6.Use a knife to spread the filling generously on the bottom half of the cupcake before placing / sticking the top half on top of it. 


7.In a separate bowl, mix together a bit of icing sugar, water and tiny bit of cocoa powder to create this light chocolate coloured icing.

8. Drizzle in on the top centre of the cake and let it fall naturally down, gently helping it in different directions where necessary.

9. Crush as many Oreos as you like on top of the giant cupcake until your heart's content.

VOILA!
Highly recommended to be served with a cup of tea and good company...


Let me know if you make it! 
And make sure to tag me on Instagram/Twitter in any photos if you do! @molliebylett ♡

For more of my recipes click here.


♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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Christmas in Byron Bay, Australia... My first Christmas in the sun ♡

February 14, 2015, 1:00 am
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Now, it takes a lot to draw me away from a glass of mulled wine and being cosiest up in front of the fire at Christmas. 

But when the other option is basking in the sun with a coconut... let's just say the mulled wine happily takes a back seat.



Let's rewind a little...

We arrived in Byron Bay on Christmas eve warmly welcomed by the glorious sunshine and streets filled with travellers.

A rep from our accomodation (Holiday Village) met us at the Greyhound Bus stop and showed us back to our little home for Christmas. If you're wondering about where to stay in Byron, check out My Guide To Byron Bay.

Christmas eve, in England, is usually the day you rush around like a headless chicken completing tasks you had promised yourself to get done weeks ago. Like buying Christmas presents.

But in Byron Bay nothing seemed out of the ordinary, aside from the odd over excited lad swinging his Santa hat around his head on the way back from the bottle shop. (Was pretty funny though).

We did have one task to complete before the shops shut - a Christmas Food shop, and admittedly this was the one day we really did let our backpacker budget slip...


(worth it).

Christmas eve found us first at a big BBQ hosted by our accomodation, notably an ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT which aways gets a 10/10 from me.

The addition of half naked Santa's running the BBQ, a Santa on the DJ decks AND a santa handing out free condoms made the whole experience so much more entertaining... and i hadn't even had a drink yet! 



We ate until our hearts were content/ stuffed and then we actually met up with a friend I met 2 years ago in Koh Phi Phi who happened to be here for Christmas too!


The night continued on to Woody's and Cocomanga's both of which are too located walking distance on the main strip of Byron Bay.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS  ♡

Admittedly, no matter how old i get, i still open my eyes on Christmas morning with a grin on my face. 

Despite there being no (well 2 little) presents to open and no christmas tree, Hayley and I still hopped straight out of bed knowing exactly what it was time for... A NAUGHTY BREAKFAST.

Presenting... the Australian delicacy that is Banana bread, toasted and topped with ice cream and 2 fingers of Cookies & cream kitkat. 


THE BREAKFAST OF ALL BREAKFASTS.
Shorty followed by a return to bed and a nap.


When we finally agreed it was time to start the day, we... popped on our bikinis, grabbed some snacks and headed to meet our friends again down at the beach.


Stopping for a fresh coconut on the way obviously...


Not the usual Christmas day view hey. 
Most certainly was not complaining!! HEAVEN.

Standard tourist photo with the ol' santa hats on the beach...

... followed by one with my mate Mr. SnowSandman.

Handsome chap isn't he? 



After wasting away on the beach all afternoon with music playing through the speakers, the odd dip in the ocean to cool off and a few cold ciders, our tummies were rumbling for something a little more substantial and so we headed back to our apartment to feast on our food supplies.

With another cheeky stop off for a coconut...


In our Christmas shop, aside from buying everything in sight, we had actually bought everything to cook a proper english roast home from home (even Jamie Oliver stuffing). 

But it was 2pm midday heat in Australia and well... there was honestly no worse thought than standing and cooking a hot roast and then having a roast dinner hangover as we headed back to the beach in our bikinis.

So for that reason we saved the roast and opted for a yummy salad...



...and some of my favourite cheese e v e r which I was SO happy to find here in Australia...


For me, foodwise, Christmas is all about Mulled Wine and this cheese, so after being stared at like an alien when asking about mulled wine - i was more than satisfied with the finding of this cheese.

As the day turned to night and the beach bums cleared to freshen up for the evening, we headed down to a quiet main beach for a little walk and nosey about.


Plus a few selfies... obviously.

On our noseying mission, we came across this guy and his camper van at which my jaw DROPPED AT.



How insanely cool is THAT!
A campervan thats roof opens up and turns into a DJ deck & silent disco!

We were the first to grab headphones as Hayley and I are both extremely partial to a silent disco.

Travelling is always full of new experiences, but I didn't think a silent disco on the beach was going to be one of them! LOVE IT. 



We passed on the message, enjoyed a bit more of the peace on the beach and then pretty much danced the night away...




A one in a million Christmas Day hey. 
Did I miss Christmas in England?
Aside from family, nope. 
I have the rest of my life to enjoy cosy Christmas's.

This is definitely one I will be telling my grandchildren.

♡

Boxing day was also filled with the unordinary.

It began with a Boxing Day stroll to the Lighthouse, staying true to the English Tradition. None of us had much energy which was probably something to do with all the dancing and excitement involved in the silent disco, so when we realised after an hour of walking that we still couldn't see the Lighthouse, those beaming Christmas grins were beginning to slide...


We dragged our heels around a couple more, beautiful but at this point tiring, corners and finally we made it.

Just before the Lighthouse you will pass 'the most easterly point in Australia'...

... at which point you grab your camera and selfie it.



2 minutes later, you'll reach 'The Lighthouse' which boasts amazing views in all directions. 


You can grab an ice cream up there and look back over Byron Bay or on in the other direction over Watego's Beach which is equally as beautiful... 


The walk from Byron Bay to the Lighthouse is a well known one. Bottle nose dolphins, rays, green turtles and other species are no strangers to the coastline and in season (May-Oct) you can even sight the humpback whales heading north to the warm Coral sea.

Even though we have seen whales, dolphins and turtles on our travels, we did miss out on that experience. 
But the experience was more than made up for as we began our walk back to Byron Bay.

QUE A HUMUNGOUS TROPICAL RAINSTORM.




When i say we got drenched. We got DRENCHED. 

Luckily I had my Kanken backpack with me which was fully waterproof so everyone tucked their phones / valuables safely away.
(The backpack was such a good investment for travelling - shop mine here).

It rained SO much and SO hard that we had no choice but to embrace it, jump in puddles and surrender to the backsplashes from the cars on the road.

I didn't mind at all though really... the rain was warm, we laughed silly amounts and we had that heart warming roast dinner waiting for us at home...



A Christmas to remember :)

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx

If you're thinking about / planning a trip to Australia, I've answered all your questions in my brand new video...



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SUPER Easy-to-make Healthy Banana Pancakes ♡

February 17, 2015, 9:10 am
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Whipping up a batch of pancakes is admittedly a speciality of mine, my childhood friends can most definitely vouch for this as it was always a sleepover ritual.

But for pancake day this year, I fancied something different - a challenge. 

I am increasingly becoming fascinated with healthy alternatives to standard recipes and being able to make adjustments to my diet without sacrificing my enjoyment of food.

These pancakes DEFINITELY get the seal of approval and I am going to recommend you make some be it pancake day or not...

What you need:
(for 4/5 mini pancakes)

1 egg, 3oz Cottage Cheese, 1.5oz Rolled oats, 1 Banana, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon & a dash of almond milk (or a milk of your choice).


1. In a blender, blend all of the ingredients into a smooth mixture.

2. Heat a little coconut oil (or butter / oil) in a saucepan, add the mixture and cook for a minute on each side.

3. Stack the pancakes with fillings of your choice.
I chose extra banana, whole earth peanut butter, blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup...

ENJOY!


♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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Kintan - London's First Authentic Japanese Eating Experience

February 19, 2015, 4:00 am
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After returning from my recent Australasian adventures, I was immediately dreaming up where I wanted to venture next. 
China? South America? Europe? Honk Kong? Japan?

It was then that an email landed into my inbox inviting me and a friend to experience London's first Yakiniki-style (Authentic Japanese BBQ) restaurant. 
Talk about perfect timing!

This unique dining experience has easily made it into my favourite London hotspots and I'm going to show you exactly why...



Kintan is situated a 2 minute walk from Chancery Lane tube station in Central London and is open for both brunch and dinner menus.

As you walk in you are greeted with an array of Authentic Japanese decoration & Japanese waiters eagerly on hand to show you to your table...


We began the evening by sharing a bottle of Sparkling sake (£20) which I am going to straight off recommend if you come here...


It's a sweet, fruity and utterly refreshing Japanese delicacy - it reminds me of something you'd take on an afternoon picnic.


We were dining on one of the Set Menu's here at Kintan (the premium one) but everything you're about to see is available seperately to order too (see full dinner menu here).


Are you ready for a feast? 

First up were the starters:

Edamame beans...

& a light Miso soup...

...alongside Kintan Salad, Hot Oil seared Salmon, Tuna Tartar Volcano & Garlic fried noodles.

Every 30 seconds something new was being bought to our table and the table was slowly becoming a jigsaw of food plates. 
Que the 'where are we going to fit all of this' face...


In between all this, our lovely waitress came and turned on our table BBQ to warm up in preparation for our main courses...



The dishes come out in bite size pieces ready for you to pinch with your tongs and throw straight on the BBQ for cooking...


You can choose between an array of authentic meat, fish or vegetarian dishes all of which are jam packed with beautiful flavours.

You can compliment your choice of dishes with sides of noodles, vegetables, spinach or... a Japanese beer?


My Recommendations:

We were each treated to the Premium course (£44 each) which was A LOT of food obviously reflected in the price. We only managed to eat about half of the food served so that's something to bear in mind if you come here.

Next time, I would probably order 6/7 main dishes to share, making it more affordable & then also less/ no wasted food!

My favourite dishes:

There were some definite stand outs from the menu for me.

- Filet Mignon, premium rib eye & cab short rib (both served with tare sweet soy)

I'm not usually a meat eater but the meat here was incredible - the best I've ever eaten out. Extremely tender, moist and of high quality.

- Garlic fried noodles
- Miso soup
- Edamame
- Sparking Sake

Oh and I cannot forget about the desserts...

I had never seen / tried these creations before, as I'm sure you may not have. These little balls are called Mochi Ice cream - a traditional Japanese dessert.


From left to right we have Green tea flavour, Chocolate and Caramel & then on the right sesame seed & vanilla? (can't remember exactly).

The balls are made from mocha (pounded sticky rice) with an ice cream filling. The texture is pretty unusual but I was sold on them.

For those of you less adventurous eaters, I guarantee you will love the Chocolate and Caramel one if any.


But if the balls still aren't takin' ya fancy, you CANNOT go wrong with the 'KINTAN House Ice-cream'.

Oh my. That is what i'm talking about.


All in all, I found the Japanese hospitality faultless, at any moment they were willing to explain, help, and assist in any way possible.

The restaurant was beautifully and calmly lit, creating a perfectly chilled but sophisticated environment to enjoy anything from a casual lunch to a special occasion dinner.


 There is no better sign of a good Japanese restaurant than when it is FULL of Japanese people enjoying their own cuisine.


Top marks Kintan!

We had a lovely time dining with you & will no doubt be seeing you very soon!


You can visit the Kintan website here for reservations, menus and the exact location.

Perrrrrfect for a special occasion or for a unique dining experience...

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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Afternoon Tea at The Balthazar, Covent Garden | London Fashion Week 2015

February 22, 2015, 4:24 am
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Coat - Primark // Top - H&M // Skirt - Topshop (shop here) //
 Boots - New Look // Clutch - Primark


If you follow any fashion bloggers / tv personalities / fashion lovers then for the last 3 days your Instagram feeds will have been completely bombarded with a mayhem of catwalks, street style and cups of coffee keeping the crazy cats warm in the streets of London.

I joined in the zoo-like madness for the first day of LWF and it was certainly a cold one...

After meeting some friends, cuddling some cute dogs, staring at some jaw dropping outfits and being swamped by a mob of cameras for an hour I truly felt like I had had my share of LFW and so i headed inside to warm up my toes.

Just around the corner in Covent Garden is a beautiful french inspired restaurant called The Balthazer. The original Balthazer lies in New York city, and was bought to the streets of London in February 2013.

Until 1st May The Balthazer have teamed up with Matthew Williamson (British designer) to bring you an Afternoon tea inspired by MW SS15 Collection.

I was lucky enough to be invited along to trial the afternoon tea and so i can show you exactly what it is like...


As you can see in the photo above the decor is coated in red and gold, with oversized mirrors and flowers opening up the room and creating a spacious atmosphere.


There are two choices for the MW Afternoon tea, both come with a selection of desserts, scones, sandwiches and teas but one comes with a champagne cocktail (£35) and other without (£25).


The scones were most definitely my favourite part. 
They came out fresh and warm, so the smell had me weak at the knees the moment they were placed on the table. 

I actually ate my scone before i touched the sandwiches... THAT'S how good they smelt!
Oops...

We chatted about fashion, shows, travelling & how much we love cake (obviously) whilst grazing on the beautiful array of treats before us...


...before having a pot of fresh mint tea & another sweet treat.


(Pecan Praline millefeuille - UNREAL.)


I had the pleasure of meeting these two lovely guys, Jaime (www.boymeetsfashion.com) & Prince Cassius (www.princecassius.com) alongside many other lovely bloggers, Harriet & Coco.

It was a lovely way to warm up and spend my LFW afternoon.
The food was exquisite, the company was wonderful and the atmosphere mirrored the energy & authentic class that London has to offer should you seek it.


If you're looking for somewhere to spoil your Mum this Mother's day, or any other day of the year - this is a beautiful spot and just minutes walk from Covent Garden itself.

They are open for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner . 

If you'd like to view the menus or make a reservation you can get all the information you need on their main website here...

www.balthazarlondon.com

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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10 reasons why you need to STOP comparing yourself to others on social media...

February 24, 2015, 9:39 am
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Although I am too, guilty, of using social media way too much, we are undeniably in a generation that depends on it. Particularly, as a Singer / Blogger, without it, my career would be non existent.

But social media has some very negative effects on our lives whether you've already noticed it or not.




One issue that i feel very strongly about is 'Comparing ourselves to others on social media'.
The amount of times i hear girls say things like, 'i want to be her' or 'i wish i had her life' is silly.

My Struggle With Acne (which has gone on to be my most viewed post of all time) is a prime example of being oblivious to what someones actually going through.

But anyway, i'll stop nattering!

Here are my 10 reasons why you need to stop comparing yourself to people on social media:

1. Wasted energy
All that energy you are focusing on someone else's life - you could be investing in driving yours closer towards to where you want it to be.

2. Comparison is the biggest thief of joy.
One minute you'll be in a great mood - next you'll see someone upload a photo on Instagram and suddenly think that their life is better and boom... your mood has dropped. 
We all do it. If you hadn't looked, then that great mood wouldn't have been stolen from you?

3.  You will never be them.
No matter how hard you try or how much you copy them. You will NEVER be them - so save yourself the grief and go back to doing you.

4. They've been at it for a while.
Be it an amazing singer, a talented make up artist, a model, an athlete, a photographer or anything else; chances are they've been working hard at it for a long time. Nothing worth having comes easy so unless you're one of the lucky few - you'll need to get your butt into gear. Stick to your craft, focus on your goals and you can be as good as you set your mind to be.

5. It's probably been edited.
We all use apps, we all use filters, therefore most of the time what you see isn't actually REAL. It's modified. Even if only slightly, you're falling in love with something that technically doesn't exist.

6. Reality vs. Highlights.
'The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.'
Need i say more? 

7. You're wasting your own time.
Time spent browsing / stalking / whatever you call it - is time you could be spending living your life. Making a conscious effort to turn off your phone and return to living your life will make you feel a lot more fulfilled at the end of the day. Fact.

8. Social success doesn't guarantee happiness.
Since when did we start rating success on the number of twitter followers / pairs of shoes someone has? Sure, they are great things to have, but isn't the real success in happiness? I can promise you some of the wealthiest and 'socially successful' are also some of the loneliest and unhappiest.

9. No-body is perfect. Nobody.
Trust me, even Beyonce has flaws. 
(It took me a while to realise that, but i'm a lot happier now. haha!)

10. Set yourself free.
Set yourself free from the illusion the media creates. At the end of the day it's a business. Nobody would bother watching Rihanna in concert if all she did in-between songs was moan about her life and cry about how tired she is. Remember that.


♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx

P.s. If you enjoyed this post - make sure you share it with your friends :) (I'd love it if you did).

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My GoPro footage from backpacking New Zealand...

February 26, 2015, 6:24 am
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Here's a montage of the footage that I collected from backpacking New Zealand Nov/Dec 2014.

I can only hope it inspires you to travel :)

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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My top 10 adventures not to miss in OZ & NZ ♡ - Cosmopolitan Feature

March 2, 2015, 3:05 pm
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Eeeek last week i got my first feature in Cosmopolitan UK!

'My Top 10 adventures not to be missed in OZ & NZ'
Read it here: www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/entertainment/travel/backpacking-adventures-australia-and-new-zealand/

The article was based on my recent time down under & includes the activities I personally think you cannot miss out on if you head over to that part of the world :).

If you'd like to read more about my adventures head to the 'Travel' tab, and select either 'Australia' or 'New Zealand'.

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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BRAND NEW COVER of Ella Henderson - Yours ♡

March 5, 2015, 11:37 am
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Sorry it's been a while :)

I absolutely love this song at the moment and couldn't help but cover it!

I am currently on a Schools Tour around the country and this is one of the songs i sing when i perform. If you're reading this and you've been in the audience - yay you made it to my blog... hello :D 

Anyway, i hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please share it on Facebook Twitter etc etc - or just let me know!

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love as always...
Mollie xxxx
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10 Mother's Day Ideas that won't break the bank ♡

March 6, 2015, 11:30 am
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Stuck on what to get your Mum for Mother's Day?
Student? Tight for money this month? Or just generally useless at present buying?

YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

For me, Mother's Day is about showing your Mum, or Mum figure in your life, just how much you appreciate and love her. 
I genuinely don't believe that showing someone you care means spending all of your money on them.

Instead, throwing your time, energy and thoughts into something can be equally as wonderful, and often more valued. After all, they've invested a lot of those into you, growing up, right?

Here are 10 ideas for Mother's Day that show you care without breaking the bank...

1. 
Cook Breakfast (whilst Mum has a lie in). 
For all those times she made your packed lunches whilst you got ready for school, tell Mum to stay in bed and relax whilst you rustle something up.

Ideas? 
- Heart Shaped anything... try my heart eggs on toast from my Valentine's Day post.
- Homemade Chocolate croissants and fresh berries (see last years  Mother's Day post)
- Full English 


2.
Fill the house with Daffodils.
The flower of the season. As winter draws to a close and Spring starts creeping in, these daf's will immediately bring sunshine into the room.
You can grab a bunch from Tesco / Waitrose etc for just £1!


3.
Handmade decorations / cards.
Taking time to get creative and make something yourself ALWAYS shows & goes down a treat. Last year, I made mum breakfast and decorated the kitchen with a handmade 'Happy Mummy's Day' banner. You can view the post here.

Other Ideas: Cards, I.O.U vouchers, Breakfast/lunch/dinner Menu.



4. Go for a walk & enjoy the outdoors together.

As part of a generation that continuously stares into screens, it's the simple things that mean the most. Drive to that spot you've always wanted to go to, get some fresh air & grab some tea & cake at a little cafe after.



5. Leave post-its / notes around the house.
Leave notes, post it's, presents, or whatever else you can think of, around the house. Places you know Mum will stumble across in her daily routine - remind her how much you love her.

Ideas - Pack of cards (52 things i love about you post), Post its on mirror/ fridge door/ bathroom cabinet/ hair brush/ front door.


6. Do the housework WITHOUT her asking you.
oh, and with a smile on your face.

7. Give her your time. 
I.e. put your phone down and spend quality time together

8.  Create an afternoon tea at home.
If afternoon tea isn't your thing, then do dinner or lunch. Put a table cloth down, lay the cutlery, write a menu and cook your mum's favourite.

9. Print off a photo & frame it.
In a digital society we are becoming less likely to print photos and more likely to just store memories on Facebook. Therefore the value of a photo in a frame has gone up and shows you've gone to the extra effort.

Ideas: Polargram - printing polaroid style photos (blog post here), Photobox - print your favourite photo onto a mug, calendar, card, or even shirt! (website here).



10. Tell her you love her.
Do you say it enough?


♡

But incase you do want to buy something (as well) here are some gift ideas i love:




♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love as always...
Mollie xxxx

Join me on instagram - molliebylett
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The Occasion Dress ft. Boohoo

March 9, 2015, 10:06 am
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I don't know about you, but I cannot wait for summer. 

Summer parties, festivals, proms, weddings, garden parties, denim, shorts, flip flops, holidays& some colour back in our cheeks!

We had an absolutely glorious day on Saturday and so I thought it would be perfect to show you this new dress of mine from Boohoo.

Dress - buy here
White heels - buy here
Fluffy Clutch - Topshop
♡

As I was scrolling through the Boohoo Prom Dresses (click here to shop) this dress caught my eye straight away. First of all because of the Pastel pink which is just so beautiful in the summer and with a tan, and secondly because of the intricate detail. The dress has beautiful beaded detail around the collar, cuffs and knee line making it unique, sparkly and without the need for accessories. 

This is actually my first dress from Boohoo and certainly not my last as I've realised how AFFORDABLE the collection is. 

With so many events coming up this summer, i think Boohoo is going to save me quite a few pennies to put towards my travels!

You can view their prom collection here
&
their full dress collection here

www.boohoo.com

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love as always...
Mollie xxxx

Join me on instagram - molliebylett

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On the road - #ootd

March 13, 2015, 5:30 am
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Jumpsuit - Glamorous
White Duster - Forever 21
Shoes - Public Desire
Bag - DKNY

So for this past week I have been super busy in Birmingham on a Schools Tour with my music. I have been posting my outfits, each day, on my Instagram but this was my favourite outfit and so i decided to take a few extra photos and feature it on my blog.

The jumpsuit is just the comfiest thing ever and comes from a brand called Glamorous which i discovered last week and am already addicted to! The White duster adds a bit of dimension to the outfit without bulking it up too much, and compliments the jumpsuit perfectly for a summery look.

These Public Desire beauties are unusual but really top off the whole look, keeping it fresh and summery.
As for the bag - well it was love at first sight. It's simple, classy and a definite new staple in my wardrobe.


SHOP MY OUTFIT:




♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love as always...
Mollie xxxx

Join me on instagram - molliebylett
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NEW VLOG - Mollie & Hannah go north! | Schools Tour

March 15, 2015, 4:41 am
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Had an amazing week touring Wolverhampton this last week! Thank you to everyone who was in the audience! Can't wait to see you all again!

Time to work on my EP for you all :)

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love as always...
Mollie xxxx

Join me on instagram - molliebylett
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Sweet potato, Lentil and Carrot Shepherd's pie (vegetarian) | Recipe

March 16, 2015, 1:58 pm
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You know me. I LOVE my sweet potato recipes.
Tell me you've tried my cinnamon sweet potato chips? Or the out-of-this-world recipe that is the sweet potato & peanut butter dauphinoise?

If you answered no to those questions, and you love sweet potato, i demand that you try them. ASAP.

Today I have another sweet potato combo for you. 
Inspired and slightly adapted from this recipe.

Sweet potato, lentil & carrot shepherd's pie... but without the meat.

Trust me on this one.

You will need:
- 4 medium sized sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped into chunks)
- 1 large onion (chopped up)
- 2 large fat carrots or 4/5 small ones (chopped into 2cmx2cm ish chunks)
- 1 can (400g) of chopped tomatoes
- 2 veggie stock cubes
- 1 can (400g ish) of green lentils
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 200ml red wine
- handful of feta to sprinkle on top
- 2tbsp fresh thyme (take the leaves off the stalk)

1. 
Preheat the oven to 180deg.
In a frying pan, fry the onions until they turn golden. Add the carrots and the thyme to the pan, making sure you leave a few pinches of the thyme aside for later.
Pour in the wine, 150ml water and the can of tomatoes, then crumble in the stock cubes too.

Leave to simmer for 10 minutes.


 

2.
Empty the can of lentils (juice too) into the pan and simmer for a further 15 minutes or until carrots begin to soften (not squishy).

3.
In a separate saucepan (after you have left the lentils to simmer in 2.), boil the chopped sweet potatoes until you can slide a fork in and outta them pretty easily. Usually 15 mins.

4. 
Drain the sweet potatoes and mash them until smooth. I added a bit of almond milk and a little bit of butter to cream it up here.

5.
Empty the lentil mixture into an oven proof dish and smooth the sweet potato over the top.
Season with the remainder of the thyme that we kept aside previously...


6.
Pop it into the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
At 20 minutes i took it out and crumbled feta cheese over the top and put it back in for 5 more minutes.


Thyme to tuck in!

MY TIPS: 
- Don't leave your carrot chunks too big, keep them to the recommended size so that they cook thoroughly and soften enough.
- Experiment by adding in different vegetables with the carrots e.g. peppers, courgette, mushrooms.

Thank you for reading!
♡
Mollie xoxo

If you make it, tag me in a photo of it!
If you love it - share the recipe with your friends using the buttons below :)

Don't forget to join me on Instagram - molliebylett
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NEW VIDEO! Backpacking Australia - Tips, Tricks and Help planning your trip ♡

February 5, 2015, 11:26 am
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♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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The Falls Festival, Byron Bay | New Year 2015

March 19, 2015, 12:53 pm
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G'day y'alllll hope you're having a good week?!

Today we are going back to my East Coast adventures in Australia and  we happen to be stopping and reminiscing on one of my biggest highlights - The Falls Festival. 

Falls festival, is located 20 minutes outside the heart of Byron Bay and is a 4 day festival that takes place over New Year.

(They also have locations in Lorne & Tasmania - see official website here.)

When travelling down the East Coast we had taken the 'make it up as you go along' approach - which is my favourite. It had however meant that we were stuck for hostel accommodation over New Years... i.e. homeless backpackers. So when looking at our options we came across this festival and thought WHY NOT. 

Although it was going to set us back $400, about £200, we would have spent $180 on hostels in those 4 days anyway, and well... a festival, in Australia, at new year, with the sun shining... Would be silly to turn it down right!? RIGHT.

So off we went with a tent, a back pack, some wellies and a 4 day supply of ritz crackers...

Our Falls experience in pictures...

(I will answer all FAQ at the bottom of the post!)


Conclusion?
UH-MAY-ZING.

Highlights of the festival?
- George Ezra's set (Reppin' for the UK)
- Milky Chance set
- Ice cold Strawberry & Lime Rekorderlig's to cool you down
- Chill out music tents (for the morning after)
- Late night boogying in The Village
- Watching our friends Elementals dj set on the Troubadour stage
- Discovering the band Sticky Fingers

Luckily, we pitched up our tent next to an amazing group of Aussies who were actually from Byron Bay itself. They took us 'pommie's' under their wing and showed us the Australian way of doing things! Safe to say it was a New Year's I will forever remember and I am so glad we found ourselves homeless and ending up there.

If you want a free spirited, carefree, music, sun and fun filled New Year with your friends... and you happen to be on the East Coast then The Falls is your place, and I would recommend it to anyone.

♡

FAQ's

Where did you leave your backpacks / valuables?
We took one backpack between the two of us, and left the other (with valuables e.g. laptop in) with a friend in Byron Bay. Travel agents in Byron bay will look after your bags for a fee $.
Did you take a camera?
I took my iPhone and GoPro with me, I kept them with me at all times in a bum bag.
Can you get food there?
Ridiculous amount of food there, not too overly priced either and LOTS of choice.
How did you get to the festival and back?
There are shuttle buses from the centre of Byron Bay straight to the festival for $10 each way.
Where can you purchase tickets?
Can you charge your phone there?
Yes there are portable chargers that you can hire for a small price, or there are a couple of plugs in the toilets.
Are there showers?
The showers were surprisingly good, the water was refilled regularly and they were pretty clean!
Do you get signal at the festival?
Signal isn't great, the only place I got 3G was at the top of the amphitheatre - but after all you aren't there to be on your phone!
Where did you get a camping stuff from?
Right by Woolworths in Byron Bay there is a camping shop where we picked up a 2 man tent for $50, some wellies for $25 and a torch! 

Got a question i haven't answered?
Pop me a comment below and I will do my best to answer it...


After 5 days of madness, partying, muddy feet and living off ritz biscuits, we were SO happy to head back into Byron for a proper shower and a hearty meal. Suddenly backpacker life felt like a luxury and we retreated to the Beach to catch up on some sleeps...

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx

If you're thinking about / planning a trip to Australia, I've answered all your questions in my brand new video...

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GoPro footage from the East Coast of Australia ♡

March 22, 2015, 4:16 pm
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♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx

If you're thinking about / planning a trip to Australia, I've answered all your questions in my brand new video...

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You got that James Dean daydream look in your eyes - #ootd

March 24, 2015, 1:54 am
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'M' Cropped jumper - shop this item
Black bralet - shop this item
Black hotpants - shop this item
Ripped jeans - shop this item
Converse - shop converse
Sunglasses - shop this item

♡
This is my favourite kind of outfit... casual, comfy yet completely hip'n'trendy. Admittedly it may be slightly early to have ripped jeans on, but I'm so excited for summer fashion that i couldn't stop myself purchasing these. Likewise with the bralet and hotpants, COME ON SUMMER!

This is pretty much a fully Miss Guided outfit. This becomes a bit of a habit in summer as Miss Guided is just SO reasonably priced you can afford to buy more. And what girl doesn't like a massive summer wardrobe!

Shop Miss Guided's NEW IN section here :)




♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx
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