Popcorn Shed Review

Last week a box stuffed full of delicious sounding gourmet popcorn from Popcorn Shed arrived and I've been tucking into it since. Popcorn Shed are a family company who make all their popcorn in the UK with natural ingredients. I also love the sound of their chocolate popcorn goji berry bark recipe so I'll have to give that a go in the run up to Christmas too. 

You can see how hard they have worked to get the flavours and textures just right. Ever flavour I've tried had been better than the last so I can't pick a favourite. I did love the whole nuts in 'Butterly Nuts' and 'Pecan' pie. 'Berry-licious' really is delicious. Even my boyfriend admitted he enjoyed them when he didn't think he would. 

They have two cheese flavours - 'Say Cheese!' and 'Sweet Cheesus' which I'm going to pass onto him because they don't really appeal to me and my sweet tooth. 

It's easy to see why they have won great taste awards for 'Salted Caramel', 'Say Cheese!' and 'Berry-licious' flavours. The shed boxes are a nod to where the company started and are really fun. They would make the perfect gift for someone who likes to hide out in the shed. 

Each shed box is £3.50 and the snack bags (the perfect size btw) are £18 for 14 bags. If you see them in your local superdrug, coop or John Lewis I'd recommend picking up a box. 

Aspire Lounge at Manchester Airport with Holiday Extras

I hate going through the airport, I find security stressful, everywhere is busy and everyone is in a rush. We've talked about booking a lounge before our flights a few times but not being sure what to expect we've never done it before now. 

Our lounge passes to Aspire Lounge in terminal one were complimentary from Holiday Extras* before our flight to Orlando from Manchester. My boyfriend always books car parking through Holiday Extras and it is really easy to add on lounge access at that stage. 

These would have cost us £45.98 - just £22.99 each which once you consider the price of food and alcohol in the airport seems really reasonable. There was a buffet breakfast available so we filled up on scrambled eggs, sausages and pastry. We also helped ourselves to as much tea and coffee as we could drink which is always a blessing first thing in the morning. 

There is also a full bar available if you are there at a more sociable hour and different meals available throughout the day. You can check out the full menu on their website before you book. Best of all it was a nice quiet place to chill before your flight and make sure your phone is fully charged too.

If you have the budget to book into a lounge before your next flight I'd 100% recommend it. Aspire Lounge at Manchester Airport was good value for money, the staff helpful, decent food and a nice atmosphere to relax in. 

I'd read mixed reviews for this lounge online which almost put me off but all the negatives couldn't be further from the truth the day we visited. The whole place was perfectly clean and there was plenty of food and drink to enjoy.

Huge thank you again to Holiday Extras* for the passes. Just don't make the mistake of getting to the airport slightly later like we did... 

A Postcard from Orlando 2018

Places To Eat in Orlando Florida

Places To Eat in Orlando Florida

There are so many places to eat in Orlando it can fell quite over whelming choosing somewhere every night. We had a couple of favourites from our last visit but we wanted to try some new places too. I thought I would give a run down of everywhere we eat today and maybe it will help someone else plan their trip. Some of these restaurants are within walking distance on International Drive and others we had to use the car but all were delicious.

Ruby Tuesdays

I love the salad bar at Ruby Tuesdays – it was the main reason why we came back this year. I choose a fried chicken sandwich and it was delicious so we left feeling full and happy. The one in Hunters Creek is closest to International Drive and our service was great so I’d recommending visiting.

Olive Garden

So, Olive Garden is our favourite American Restaurant – we went twice on our last trip and have talked about it on a weekly basis for over two years. Thankfully our two visits this time lived up to expectations. The breadsticks were delicious and I had left over pasta for lunch the next day each time.

Sweet Tomatoes

Again, this is another place we visit for the Salad Bar which is the main part of the restaurant. It is very casual for a night when you don’t fancy much fuss, they’re buffet has delicious soups, mac and cheese and desserts too. We left feeling very very full.

IHOP

You can’t go to America without going to IHOP for pancakes – the strawberry cheesecake stack is something I will be dreaming about for many months to come. I wish we’d been able to go back to try the Grinch pancakes…

Bahama Breeze

We walked along to Bahama Breeze a little bit tipsy and looking forward to their cocktails. I can’t remember which one I had now but it was good! We both had tacos for main and they were really tasty too. I just enjoy the whole vibe of this restaurant.

Dave & Buster's

In 2016 we only got to visit Dave & Buster’s for cocktails so this time we went back to this awesome arcade for something to eat. I had the pulled pork cooked in my favourite American cider ‘Angry Orchard’ and it was delicious. The curly potatoes that it was served with the awesome too.

Chevys Fresh Mex

I love a Mexican meal and this restaurant was so much fun. I spend the whole time checking out all the staff’s different t-shirts because they were so cool. The meal we had was good but I left feeling too full which wasn’t fun.

Dennys

I would have just kept going to IHOP for breakfast but Scott persuaded me to try Dennys. Their pancakes were good too and their breakfast combos were really well priced meaning we could fill up before going to Disney Springs for the day.

Hawkers

I watch Tim and Jen on YouTube all the time so when Jen said Hawkers was her favourite place to eat in Orlando I made a mental note. I’m so glad I persuaded Scott to visit because it was probably one of the best meals of the tip. We shared 5 small plates and they were all delicious (you can see them on my Orlando highlights on Instagram).

P.F. Chang's

This Chinese restaurant was recommended by a friend so after a walk round the Mall at Millenia we went for dinner. The food was delicious and the portions huge so we had enough for lunch the next day too. I think we were so hungry I didn't even take a photo of our food. 

Panera Bread

We visited Panera A LOT on this trip because it was my boyfriends favourite place to get coffee. Their breakfasts were good but we particularly enjoyed this turkey sandwich because it was on the most delicious bread. Plus you get to re-fill your coffee which is perfect first thing in the morning.

Aashirwad Indian Food and Bar

Since we knew we’d be in Orlando on Thanks Giving we thought long and hard about where we would eat. Last minute we chose the most non-American thing possible and went for an India. It was really good and the perfect change to all the burgers we’d been eating.

Cheesecake Factory

This restaurant was on my list of places I’d like to visit this time and we made it on our last day. The restaurant in Winter Park is so grand inside and we spent ages reading the menu. In the end I went for a Mac and Cheese burger which was the tastiest one I’ve ever had. 

We also choose a slice to cheese cake to take away but with loads to choose from it was a really really hard choice.