Family Film Time with Sherlock Gnomes

As a single Mum of a pre-schooler and a teenager, it can often be difficult to find things to do as a family, that both boys will enjoy. But one thing we do enjoy is film time.

Paramount Pictures' Sherlock Gnomes hit the cinemas at the end of last month. 

The boys and I were invited along to an Exclusive Screening of the family friendly sequel to Gnomeo and Juliet. 

So we headed down to our local Showcase Cinema de Lux for a Mummy / Son date. 

Armed with our snacks, chocolate coated popcorn (Yes really!!) and Tango Ice Blasts (have you even been to the cinema if you didnt have an Ice Blast?!) we got comfy in our seats ready for the film. 

We love Showcase; the seats are huge and super comfy, lots of leg room and there's a touch of luxury in every theatre. 

Sherlock Gnomes is the perfect family film to entertain all ages! 

James McAvoy and Emily Blunt return to their roles of Gnomeo and Juliet, joined by a few new voices; Mary J Blige, Micheal Caine and Ozzy Osbourne, with Johnny Depp taking the reins of Sherlock himself.

The gnomes are back for a whole new adventure in London.

Whilst getting their new city garden ready for Spring, they discover that garden gnomes all over London are going missing. 

After returning home to their garden one day, to find their family and friends have been kidnapped, Gnomeo and Juliet set out on a comedy filled adventure, alongside famous detective and sworn protector of London's garden gnomes; Sherlock Gnomes and his sidekick Watson who lead the investigation to solve the mystery of the missing gnomes.

With lots of life lessons within the film, such as not taking people for granted, the film was a fantastic all-rounder for all ages to enjoy. 

Sherlock Gnomes is currently being shown at Showcase Cinemas. 

Exclusive Screening tickets gifted to us for the purpose of this review

5 Tips for your Child's First Trip to the Theatre

It can be a daunting experience, introducing young children to the theatre for the first time. 

Will they enjoy it? Will they get bored? Will they sit still? 

I recently took my three-year-old to the theatre for the first time. 

I'll be honest, I was a little nervous. I wasn't sure how he'd behave or if he'd sit still throughout the show.

So after our first experience, I've put together my top five tips to help make your first trip to the theatre with young children run smoothly! 

Choose a Suitable Show

Go for something age-appropriate. Don't be too ambitious! 

Something fun, colourful and full of catchy music is perfect for keeping young children's attention. Choose something that isn't too long, or something with a well-timed break to stop them getting restless.

We went to see 'What The Ladybird Heard'; a stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monk's farmyard fun tale. 

The story follows two crafty robbers Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len on their cunning plan to steal the farmer's fine prize cow. But the tiny little ladybird saves the day!

The story really came alive on the stage, with the bright and colourful backdrops which looked as though they were taken straight from the book itself. 

The show captured Taylor's attention straight away with it's fun, easy to follow songs, the audience participation and we loved how they created the farmyard animals using everyday items found around the farm, yet perfectly captured the illustrations from the book. He loved shouting out when he spotted the ladybird and was soon singing along to the repetitive rhymes. 

At an hour long, with the perfect mixture of singing, dancing, puppetry, storytelling and humour, it was a fantastic choice for a toddler's first theatre visit. 

Prepare Them

It's a good idea to chat to them about the upcoming visit, so they know what to expect. 

Look at pictures online together, read the book if based on a children's story and maybe chat about the characters they might see. 

Also talk about what is expected of them. Talk about where they'll be sitting, explain that they have to sit nicely, speak quietly and use their listening ears. Of course, children can be noisy, and if you're at a child-centred show, it's likely that other children will be doing the same. But it's never too early to teach them a little theatre etiquette.  

Make It a New, Fun Adventure

A new experience is always exciting, but some young children can often be a bit wary of new places.

I made a huge deal out of Taylor's first visit to the theatre. We were going on an adventure!! 

First we had to find the theatre. Curve is situated in the heart of Leicester's Cultural Quarter. 

We had to follow the winding 'magic line' as Taylor nicknamed it through the Cultural Quarter which led us to the theatre. He LOVED this! We then had a look around the theatre; which is a beautiful building! 

Arm Yourself With Snacks & Drinks

If your child is anything like mine, they'll get hungry, or thirsty after the first 10 minutes!
(...just mine?)
Making sure you have something to drink, and a few healthy snacks in case they get peckish.

Or treat them to something yummy from the cafe!
The apple juice and popcorn definitely kept this one occupied during the show!

Relax and Enjoy Yourself!

Finally, and probably most importantly, enjoy it!! 

After the whole, 'Ooh front row balcony seats, I hope he doesn't attempt to climb this barrier...' 'Is he going to mess about on this bumper seat the whole way through?' and 'A whole hour without a break, can he manage that? Is he gonna need a wee halfway through?' moments, I sat back and I enjoyed it.  

Enjoy the show!

Enjoy the experience! 

Enjoy making memories with your children!

'What the Ladybird Heard' is a glittering treat for all the family and on at a theatre near you until the end of August 2018. Book tickets here. 
And if you're local to Leicester, check out future family fun shows at the Curve.

Theatre tickets gifted to us by the Curve for the purpose of this review

What do you look for in the perfect 'GIRLS DATE' venue?

Ladies. We lead busy lives; work, children, relationships, homes. 

All of which can take its toll. We can often feel like we're on a treadmill, balancing plates.

So it's so important to have that time out, with the girls; to let your hair down, catch up on each other's lives, spend time in the company of those you trust, that love you, empower you and will entertain your stories, listen to your vents and worries, build you up and keep you grounded. 

It's actually good for your health! ;) 

So, after being invited to the press night of a recently opened bar / restaurant in Leicester Town Centre, it got me wondering; what kind of environment do you look for, for the perfect girls catch up?

I asked this question on social media recently. 

My favourite reply has to be: 

'Good lighting for too many pics, good WiFi for uploading said pics, well-presented food for #instafood pics, pretty cocktails (also for pics), some kind of feature that's good for taking pics against... Basically, as long as everything is well thought out for good pics. Think that covers the criteria these days right?' 

That is why she's my best friend. ;) 

So, judging by your answers, the things of most importance to you when it comes to the perfect venue for a girly catch up are...

A Relaxing, Inviting Atmosphere

We want somewhere cute.
We want somewhere quirky.
We want good lighting.
We want good music, but at a volume where we can still talk to each other. It's never ideal to have to shout over loud music while Daisy is trying to talk about her aunties best mates' neighbours cat dying. 
We want the perfect table; a booth or a round table so we can all chat. I've been to many meals out with friends and not even spoke to half the people there all evening as they were at the other end of a long table!

I really loved the set up of the new Head of Steam bar, recently opened on Market Street, Leicester. A really spacious, stylish venue. They have lots of different seating areas dependant on your mood. Comfy armchairs, simple bar stools and tables (the nearer to the bar, the better?), a relaxed dining experience downstairs, with cute booths or different sized tables. And a waiter service upstairs, again with different areas and table areas to suit everyone. We were sat upstairs at a table perfect for two, in the corner, which was nice for a quiet catch up out of the way of the hustle and bustle. And after dinner, we headed downstairs for cocktails.
The decor was fab; really quirky with caged beer on display, beer and brewery themed artwork and an amazing beer bottle chandelier. You're sensing a theme, right? Head of Steam champions local breweries and specialises in craft beers.

They also offer live entertainment on certain evenings if you fancy that too.

An Extensive Cocktail Menu

Us girls love a cocktail. Personally, I'm not really a drinker, I don't really like the taste of alcohol. So cocktails are perfect as they almost taste like pop. Disclaimer: It's not pop. Drink responsibly guys! ;)
Is it because they're pretty? Is it because they taste amazing? Whatever it is, we love them. And we love splashing them all over our Insta! ;)

Have you even had a cocktail if you didn't boomerang it? 

The cocktail menu at Head of Steam, Leicester has a good variety; from the usual classics to their speciality beer cocktails; the Pink Elephant was going down a storm on Press Night.

I went for a Raspberry Chew (pictured below) which was rather lovely!!

Great Tasting, Insta Worthy Food

My friends, even my kids, know me well enough to know that they're not allowed to start eating until I've at least updated my Insta Stories with a quick snap! 

Us ladies like a good menu with lots of options. Me, I like good hearty English food; presented well, perfectly sized portions and of course, it must taste no less than AMAZING!! 

HOS had a great menu inc. light bites, sandwiches, stone-baked pizzas (next on my list!), their special recipe burgers and hotdogs, and then their World Flavours menu; each of which has been carefully matched with the perfect beer to partner with your meal. I chose 'Road Crew & Sage Sausages' served with creamy mash, buttered greens and gravy and it was delicious!! 

My friend devoured the '21 Day Aged Yorkshire Sirloin Steak' complete with fries, sun blushed tomatoes, peppercorn sauce and a side salad in which she commented was the best side salad she'd ever tasted!! Other than the steak being slightly more well done than she'd asked, she really enjoyed it!

To-Die-For Desserts

Life is short, eat the cake! ;) 

Everyone that knows me knows I have a bit of a sweet tooth!

For me, dessert is THE most important part! ;) so you gotta be getting this bit right!! 

There needs to be a good selection of desserts on the menu. 

Us girls want more than chocolate brownie, apple pie or ice cream to choose from. We want variety. We want sharing options. We want light options (sometimes, a refreshing sorbet is perfect after a big meal!) They need to satisy us, taste wonderful and finish us off perfectly!!

My friend and I decided on a Trio Sharing Board, which for just £9.95 we could choose three full-size desserts from the menu, to share. We went with the Knickerbocker Glory, the Strawberry & Rhubarb Cheesecake and the Profiteroles with Butterscotch Syrup. 

Well, where do I start? The cheesecake tasted SO GOOD, the rhubarb complemented the cheesecake just beautifully. Other than the berries being a little too sour, the ice cream was lovely and creamy and then the butterscotch profiteroles finished it off perfectly. Definitely one of the best desserts I'd ever had. Well done, Head of Steam Leicester ;) I'm definitely going back if only for dessert!!  

So what about you?

What do you look for in the perfect place

 for a girls night out?

*Many thanks to Head of Steam Leicester for the invite to the Pre-Launch Press Night.

We received complimentary meals and drinks in attendance of the Press Night.

Mission Inspire | 7 days in South Africa

After an 11-hour plane journey, we watched the sunrise as we touched down in Cape Town.  We took in the mesmerising scenery as our driver drove us to our humble abode for the next seven days, in beautiful Hout Bay surrounded by cloud-topped mountains and white beaches lapped by the Atlantic Ocean.  But as beautiful as South Africa is, we weren't here to see the sights.  This was no holiday. We were here on a mission.  Five volunteers. Five beautiful souls.  Five very different people. One reason = To give our love and time to the young children of Cape Town, South Africa.

Introducing Mission Inspire
Warren Inspire Ryan is an International Speaker & Confidence Coach with a view to providing young children around the World the tools and strategies to become their more confident selves, to give them a voice and show them that are are capable of being whatever they want to be in life, no matter their background. Project Manager Caz, a Virtual Assistant and self-confessed Crazy Cat Lady, planned our full packed itinerary over the seven days.  We then had Travel Host & Blogger, Emma.  Recently crowned 'Entrepreneur of the Year' and CEO of FIVE successful businesses, Dawn.  And then ME!  Seven days in Cape Town, South Africa.  Seven days to make a difference. I've been looking forward to sharing our journey with you. Get comfy, it's a long one... ;) 

Day One    After a surprise greeting at the airport from Kim Worrall, CEO of Amoyo Performing Arts Foundation who played a big part in the planning of our trip, and our security driver Jade, who soon became part of our family, we made our way to our house. The rest of the afternoon was our own, to prepare for the week ahead. So we spent time planning the visits and workshops, visiting the local beach and area before heading out to a local seafood restaurant on the harbour for dinner and back to the house for a good nights sleep.

Day Two 
We were up bright and early to head over to Bush Radio Station, where we met up with the boys from Youth Redemption, for a radio interview with radio presenter and local celebrity / public figure Mr Meyer. We got the chance to shout over the Western Cape airwaves about our mission; why we were here and what Mission Inspire is all about, before jumping back in the car to the first of two secondary school visits. We walked into the first school to a classroom full of heads down, confused looks. After Warren gave a POWERFUL Confidence Workshop, the children didn't want us to leave! The girls taught Caz and I a cheeky little dance, the boys discussed their dream careers with Warren and after a few selfies and promises to return, we left them (albeit with a broken table, but that's a story for another day hey Emma!) and moved on to our next school, where Warren gave an edu-taining (that's educating whilst entertaining, clever huh? ;) ) talk to an assembly hall of 400 students!  

After lunch, the Youth Redemption boys; Dylan & Charlton took us to their stomping ground to experience just one of the community projects they run; the Kick Game Grind. Let me tell you a little more about Youth Redemption; these guys are amazing and I feel so blessed to have met them and been a part of their project. It is their mission to create a platform for youth to realize their passion & live their dreams, becoming entrepreneurs and to make positive life choices. Alongside this, they are also set on assisting those less fortunate by organising regular community projects; namely Kick Game Grind, where they collect donated and new shoes to hand out to those in need. We headed to a wasteland area, where homeless families set up home in handmade shelters using whatever they could find and we handed out shoes and trainers, and leftover food from lunch. They were so grateful, and some were happy to chat and take pictures with us. But it was here that hit home, just how different life is for some out here. 

Day Three
I could get used to the mountain view from my bed each morning. Cape Town really is a stunningly beautiful place! The sun was out today as we visited a Women's College where Warren held an amazing confidence workshop. He bought a young lady up to the front who was really shy and 'just wanted to hide' yet afterwards felt truly inspired, much more confident and had a whole new perspective. Afterwards, she commented that she'd 'never experienced anything like that before, it was once in a lifetime!' Another girl explained how she was inspired to become a motivational speaker and wanted to use her background to help others.  This was it! This was exactly what we came for!!

We then headed back to the wasteland area with Dylan & Charlton with a bag full of toiletries for the homeless families. The feeling when seeing those people quietly queue up and one by one take something they needed; a toothbrush, a razor, sanitary wear, cotton buds, soap... will stay with me forever. Why is it acceptable for these people to be living like this? What can we do to help?
The boys had arranged for us to head to a beautiful location for a photoshoot to mark the end of our collaboration... and the beginning of an amazing partnership!! 

We finished the evening at a local market, where the locals held stalls of beautiful handmade gifts, clothing and jewellery, a live band was playing and there were amazing food and drink stalls. It was a really lovely evening spent with Kim and her family, experiencing some of the local culture.

Day Four 
Today we visited Amoyo Performing Arts Foundation. Amoyo is a non-profit organisation for children, based in the heart of a township in Hout Bay. Providing after-school and weekend classes in dance, drama and life skills, their vision is that each child will continue into further education after school, equipped not only with performing arts skills but also life skills, self-esteem, self-confidence and self-discipline to conquer life successfully. This was our first experience of a township and it's something that will stay with me forever. Imizano Yethu is made up of 92% Black African people living in poor living conditions. The settlement lacks important infrastructure, minimal water supply, few toilets and no sewage system. Families are living in what can only be described as 'tin sheds', some just 3 metres by 3 metres. Just last year a devastating fire blazed through the township, leaving thousands of people homeless. Reconstruction is still underway and many people are still without basic living arrangments. 

We were welcomed into Amoyo with so much love. There isn't enough room in this blog post to explain to you how passionate I am about this place!! Kim and her team have set up a fantastic organisation; providing love, life skills and a platform to help them grow into successful, employable adults in the professional world of work, outside of their environment of poverty, crime, neglect and gang life. 
The children surprised us with amazing performances and joined in with our confidence workshops and games. The children wanted cuddles, they'd sit in our laps, braided our hair and pulled our arms tighter around them. 
They wanted love. They wanted attention.

I wish I had the words for how my day at Amoyo made me feel.  The children opened up about things happening in their lives that they hadn't opened up about before. Those stories broke my heart.   These children were living in circumstances many of us can't even imagine; controlled by gang culture, neglect, criminal activity, poor living conditions... yet they were a group of happy, talented, loving, well-mannered children I was blessed to spend my time with. 
Kim posted this about our visit: 

'Our children felt truly accepted and connected.

For the first time, we heard our children’s true voices.
For the first time, our children heard their own true voices as they spoke their truth.

Heartbreaking and healing all in one go.

My heartfelt gratitude to the Mission Inspire Team who ignited this opportunity.

Life changing for all of us.'
I'm not done with Amoyo. I will be back!! ;) 

Day Five 
Today was Sunday, our rest day. So what better way to spend it than to climb a mountain! I'll be honest, it wasnt my top choice of ways to spend our day off, but it's not often you get the opportunity to climb Table Mountain, huh? :)  And this wasn't just your usual hike, we were joining Andrew Patterson for Day 77 of his 365 climbs of the mountain this year. I know, right?? Andrew is climbing Table Mountain every single day this year, to raise money for a number of charities based around housing, education and leukaemia. He is an amazing human being, and I was humbled being in his prescence. Read more about his mission here. 
Unfortunately, a mix of anxiety, stomach ache, heat (it reached 35 degrees on the way up), altitude and not being used to hiking mountains made me ill, which isnt pretty half way up a mountain.  BUT, I still did it. I climbed Table Mountain, with my bare hands ;) 

Day Six

I wasn't feeling too well this morning so unfortunately, I missed the visit to the Pebbles Project, an organisation whose mission it is to enrich the lives of disadvantaged children and families in the Winelands farming communities in the Western Cape, especially those whose lives are affected by alcohol, through providing support and training to local wine farm and township crèches and establishing after-school provision for older children living in the Winelands.

The afternoon was our own so after spending the morning recovering in bed, Caz and I ventured out for a walk around beautiful Hout Bay; a walk along the beach, lunch on the seafront, stumbling across a quirky shopping village and then shopping for a barbeque back at the house later that evening. 

Day Seven 

Our final day of visits started with an organisation called the Salesian Institute Youth Project who for over a century have been committed to providing programmes of education, training and rehabilitation for disadvantaged youth in the Cape Town area. They offer support, life skills, and vocational training. We were fortunate enough to have a meeting with the CEO who took the time out to talk to us about the institute and the work they do. The project is truly inspiring. When 44% of the Western Cape population are under 25's, with a third of them living in poverty and 1 in 5 suffering severe deprivation, projects like these are vital for the futures of these children. They provide children with the skills they need to stay out of danger, find decent jobs and lead happy, successful lives with a custom-tailored mix of education, social skills and accessing fantastic vocational training. 

Giving children a 'hand up, rather than a hand out.'

We were treated to an amazing performance from the school choir, who Warren did a little confidence workshop with before being shown around to see some of the amazing programmes they run, including trade skills such as bricklaying and sewing, classes for children who have dropped out or been expelled from previous schools and their newest project - the Porsche Training & Recruitment Centre where over three academic years, a total of 75 men and women from socially disadvantaged backgrounds will be trained as automotive service mechatronics technicians. How amazing is that? There should be more organisations like these all over!!

After heading for lunch at Telegraph's voted World's Best Coffee Shop in the World; Truth Coffee Roasting which was the most instagrammable coffee shop I ever did see, we arrived at the Butterfly Art Project; a non-profit School, based in Vrygrond, one of Cape's oldest townships. The project encourages creativity and healing through Art. We joined in with some outdoor parachute games, were shown some of the amazing artwork and then took part in some fun art games with the children. It was a fantastic place to visit. 

FINAL DAY  

Our last day in Cape Town was an emotional one. We invited Kim and the Youth Redemption boys over to the house for a Facebook Live Interview before we left. But it wasn't goodbye, it was definitely a see ya next time!! We're not done with Cape Town. There is still so much we want to do, see and help with. And these people are now family! 

Jade took us on the most beautiful drive across Chapman's Peak, known for its breathtaking views along the rocky coastline before we arrived at Boulder's Beach, somewhere we all wanted to squeeze in a visit before we left. Boulder's Beach is a gorgeous beach covered with huge granite boulders and home to a colony of African penguins. Children were playing in the shallow waters, whilst penguins paddled around them. It was a beautiful place, and the perfect spot to finish our trip, reflect and relax, lose a few flip flops... don't ask! and have our farewell lunch together, before heading to the airport for the 11-hour trip back home.

South Africa changed me. 

I learnt so much. 

I experienced so much. 

And I'm so grateful for the opportunity! 

I want to say a HUGE thank you to Warren for creating this mission, bringing us together and being AMAZING out there! We changed lives out there and YOU made that happen!! To Caz for planning such a fantastic trip and partnering us with such inspirational people and organisations. To the rest of the team for being such amazing friends out there, I love you all dearly. To everyone we met out in South Africa and my BIGGEST thank you goes to every single one of you that donated towards our sponsorship fund, YOU made this trip happen for us and played a big part in our mission. 

'We all belong to South Africa, and South Africa belongs to us all' -  Oliver Tambo

So, who's coming next time? ;)