Things Which Make Me Smile #2

Following on from yesterday's post, here are some more things which make me smile. Of course the most relevant thing to make me smile today is that it's Friday!

3. Fumbling upon amazing places you had no idea existed

I love travelling, and I love travelling "off the beaten track". Before I go away on a trip, I usually end up spending hours on the internet searching things like "quirky places to go in Paris" or "best street art in Berlin". I think you get to know a place far better when you jump on the underground and head on out of the town a bit - it's quieter, it's definitely cheaper and you're way more likely to come across something which makes you stop and want to take a million photos. That's not to say the big attractions of major cities aren't interesting or wonderful in their own right or that they shouldn't be visited, but if you have 3 or 4 days to spend somewhere new, a day or two spent adventuring the unknown with a coffee and my camera is what I like to do best.

Building in Berlin

Garden in Montmartre, Paris

Manchester

Bricklane, London

Pitlochry, Scotland

Bricklane, London

Scone Palace, back when I had pink hair!

4. The Edinburgh Festival

For those of you who have been to the Edinburgh Festival, you will know how unique and cool and absolutely manic it is. For those who haven't, the Edinburgh Festival takes place every year for the month of August and consists of thousands of shows - comedy, dance, art, theatre, burlesque, magic, circus, basically anything and everything you could imagine plus a whole lot of weird on top of that - which take place in various venues over the whole of the city. 

Some of the shows are by professionals and cost money, some are by amateurs and are cheap or even free. Pubs and clubs open till 5am, shows go on all night, there are crowds of people on every corner and the whole city is BUZZING.

I could go in to much more detail but I will leave that until August when I get to go again...for now I hope I've intrigued you enough to book a trip up for a couple of days and come and see it all first hand!

5. Cocktails
Because let's be honest, who doesn't love cocktails? And since it's Friday, it'd be rude not to include these!

Things Which Make Me Smile #1

Since today marks International Happiness day, I have decided to do a few posts over the coming days about things which make me...and hopefully you!...smile. 

I've had my camera a lot longer than Fairy in the Blossom Tree has been around and so through these posts I am going to show you some of the things which I get up to in my life. I really enjoy reading other people's blog posts where you find out what they like, where they've been and what they've been up to...so if you're nosey like me then you might enjoy these next few posts of mine!

Today's things which make me smile are:

1. The Sun
A few years ago I spent a summer in Tanzania in Africa teaching first aid to children in rural schools. During my time away, I saw some of the most amazing things I've ever seen. One of these had to be the sunrises. It still doesn't feel like it was me when I say that I have seen the sun rise over the Ngorongoro crater before going on safari, or that I sat on a deserted beach in Zanzibar at 5.30am watching ladies pick seaweed from the shores, but thankfully I have the photos to prove it!
I think travelling is a very important part of life and whilst going to far flung places like Africa might be a little too extreme for some people, I do think everyone should try at least once to go somewhere that is totally out of their comfort zone. The things you learn about yourself are amazing.
The most poignant lesson I learnt about myself from my 2 months in Africa? That no matter where I go, I WILL lose my mobile phone within 2 days of having it, no matter what!

Sunrise over the Ngorongoro crater, Tanzania

Seaweed pickers, Bwejuu beach, Zanzibar

Pier jumpers in Stonetown, Zanzibar

2. Food

Who doesn't enjoy their food?! I find so much pleasure from what food can bring - obviously the first and foremost is that it's bloomin' yummy, but I love the way food brings friends and family together, whether it be a birthday meal out to a restaurant, a summer BBQ in the park or a big Sunday breakfast in your PJs with your love. 

Breakfast in Gullane, Scotland

Pizza from the Vittoria Van at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Birthday dinner for the boy!

Fresh croissants and coffee in Paris

Currywurst at the German Market in Edinburgh

What makes you smile? Would you like to see more of these kinds of posts?

Pastels and Jumpsuits

This weekend was spent in bliss, nestled away in the Highlands of Scotland with my nearest and dearest. We got blown about on a windy walk around the loch and then spent the evening eating gorgeous food, drinking wine and playing Articulate by the fire. The girls lost and the boys won but they weren't allowed to gloat for too long!

For the evening meal I wore a black H&M jumpsuit and a pastel pink ASOS jacket with my trusty Matalan strappies and Primark bag. I also recently got a new Makebelieve lipgloss which just looks like glittering diamonds on your lips! 

Panda & Sons in Edinburgh

I had the pleasure of living in Edinburgh for 6 years whilst I went to Uni, so it holds a special place in my heart. Given that both of my sisters and almost all of my friends still live there, I've got plenty of excuses to visit regularly and this past weekend I thought was time for an Edinburgh trip! When we arrived on Saturday afternoon the sun was shining (it finally feels like spring!) and we went to check out a relatively new bar which I'd found out about through the wonders of Instagram and blogs. You would walk straight past Panda & Sons on Queen St thinking that it was a vintage barbershop - but step in and down the stairs and grab hold of one of the old books jutting out from the "bookcase" to open the door and you are suddenly in the hidden basement bar...how very Harry Potter/Narnia! The interior is a candle lit, cosy cornered retro heaven where you can even sit at a table with vintage barbershop recliner chairs if you so wish...

Bookcase door

The cocktail list is extensive but quirky. We went with the 'Liquid Brunch' which is probably the nicest looking and tasting cocktail I've ever had - and I like my cocktails! The concoction of vodka, chamomile tea and fennel syrup was served as a sharing cocktail in a japanese teapot complete with a peppermint and lemon 'Oshibori' hand towel. Need I say more except - how freakin' cool?!

Liquid Brunch

Saturday's outfit: Gap jeans, New Look top and necklace, Red Herring boots, Topshop coat

Does anyone know of any other 'hidden gems' from your city? 

The Enchanted Forest

A couple of weekends ago I spent the evening feeling like a real life Alice in Wonderland at an event called Enlighten at Scone Palace. The grounds of the palace, which is where many Kings of Scotland were crowned in years gone by, were transformed in to an enchanted forest with fairy lights, fire, music and projections all around.

 The trail took 2 hours to walk around and it is probably one of the most beautiful nights I've ever had. Even the pictures don't quite do it justice but hopefully you can ooo and ahh anyway!

The moon was amazing!

Projections on to the Palace