What Lyd Did

Whether it's because I'm wide awake worrying, dreaming up new designs for my Etsy shop, or just can't get comfortable, I'm not great at getting to sleep these days, so I've developed a set of sleep essentials I can rely on to help me catch those Zs.

This post contains items gifted in exchange for feature and honest review.

Space Masks

gifted in exchange for review
Available from spacemasks.com or Feel Unique

These dreamy masks contain iron particles sandwiched between the plush layers that oxidise and heat up, providing a soothing sensation for tired eyes. Having that warmth, weight, and darkness over my eyes sent me off into a deep sleep, while the design of the mask allowed it to stay on comfortably so I wasn't disturbed.

Alongside the iron, the masks also contain jasmine extract to add a touch of aromatherapy, but I personally couldn't pick it up- blame my allergies. However, I see this as a good thing, because I know they will work wonders when I get migraines, which make me sensitive to strong scents. The individually wrapped masks mean I can keep them handy in my bag, and the heat will relieve the sinus pressure perfectly.

Essential Oils

Speaking of aromatherapy, I like to reach for this double act on nights where I know I'll need a little extra help. Whether it's really plant power or just the routine of using them, I'm not sure, but I do enjoy including them in my routine.

First I spritz my pillow and the top of my duvet with Feather & Down's Sweet Dreams pillow spray, which, unlike traditional headache-inducing lavender scents, combines real lavender and chamomile essential oils for a fresh, sweet scent.

To add a further boost of bedtime relaxation, I apply the Tisserand Sweet Dreams roll on to my wrists, behind my ears, and soles of my feet- which tickles like mad. The idea is that my body will absorb some of the essential oils and work from the inside.

Amazon Echo Dot*
previously gifted- full review here
*affiliate link

If all else fails, Alexa is beside my bed and ready to play rain, waves, or whatever restful soundtrack I require. These sorts of sleep sounds are free to listen to and play for hours, so you won't be nodding off only for it to fall silent. The device doesn't light up while music is playing either, so you won't be disturbed, and you can whisper your chosen track and volume, no need for finding the right buttons in the dark.

What helps you get to sleep?

My food and drink at Red's True Barbecue were provided in exchange for honest review.

My sister has raved over Red's True Barbecue many times, but it never seemed like my kind of place. I tend to choose carb based dishes instead of meaty meals, so I was intrigued to read that Red's were launching some lighter plant based and fish options, making the menu inclusive for vegans, veggies, pescatarians, and religious diets alike.

The new discoveries, as I learned on my trip to the Manchester branch, are the findings of an annual trip the team makes to America, to taste what's new on the barbecue circuit and even compete themselves. Their passion even helped them to earn the title of 1st place outside the US!

Atmosphere

Stepping into the restaurant, I definitely noticed that it's a casual, fun place to eat. The interior is dark and industrial, with wall features made of neon lights. The table we were seated at was part of a spacious room off the main dining area, so despite being dark, it didn't feel cramped or unpleasant, it just made for a different experience.

Although the vibe is casual, the service wasn't rushed or half hearted. Every member of the team was excited to talk to us, and the servers were polite, friendly, and happy to tell us their own favourites.

Drinks

I may be teetotal but it's still nice to have a 'treat' drink when I'm out, and the mocktails at Red's left me spoilt for choice. I tried their Berry Mojito and Hawai-Tai, which combined red bull with passionfruit syrup, and both were fruity, sugary, and utterly delicious.

If you like your drinks with a kick, there are boozy malt shakes or an extensive range of cocktails, including a black cherry slushie for an adult twist on a childhood favourite.

Starters

Before my visit, I had never considered myself a rib person. They're usually just too much faff for such little meat, but the ribs at Red's were actually my favourite starter! Thanks to the low, slow smoking the bone just slid straight out and the fat was soft and melty, not chewy.

The same applied to the pork belly, something I usually avoid, but the honey glazed crackling was surprisingly good, and I especially liked the crunchy mixed slaw served alongside it. It was lightly dressed with balsamic vinegar rather than mayonnaise, allowing it to cut through the richness of the pork.

Veggies can tuck into garlic mushrooms on toast or jackfruit nuggets for their starters. The toast with was soggy and spongy so I didn't enjoy that, but I was super excited to try the popcorn. I've never had jackfruit before so figured that a restaurant that knows their barbecue would be the best place to taste it, and Red's didn't let me down.

Rather than being pulled to emulate pork, chunks of jackfruit are baked then coated in a light, seasoned batter, and served with a zingy roasted red pepper and tomato dip that complemented it perfectly.

Mains

The new mains cater for everyone, with grilled salmon and an Alabama fish sandwich, a superfood plate and meat-free tray, and Memphis pork belly served with bacon and garlic kale to mention just a few.

My favourite from the selection I tried has to be the new Moving Mountains vegan burger, which you can add pulled jackfruit to. I'd heard great things about this soy based burger and it met my expectations. The patty had a true barbecue burger taste, and the inside was juicy while the outside had crisped up to deliver a good mix of textures in every bite. I also felt it was lighter on the stomach than your average burger.

The new sides offer lighter options too, with charred broccoli and baby gem lettuce with chimichurri joining the line up alongside barbecue treats like pit beans and fries topped with pulled pork and chipotle cream. Personally I felt these sides just made the meal too meat heavy so it was great to have fresh and flavourful vegetables instead.

Overall

The menu is large and varied, but the dishes are developed by true barbecue lovers rather than churned out by a chain. Too often the token veggie dish is a boring bean burger, but times are changing, and in my opinion the plant based dishes at Red's True Barbecue were the best of the bunch. They were not an afterthought, but well considered dishes that would satisfy anybody, whether you're a full time veggie, flexitarian, or just fancy something new.

Which dishes would you choose?

The Lilibeth of New York Brow Shaper was gifted to me in exchange for honest review. This post contains a non-affiliate discount code, I will not earn money from it, but you will receive 10% off your order.

Unwanted facial hair is one of my top first world problems. My eyebrows seem to grow inches overnight, I've inherited my dad's moustache along with his love of cheesy jokes, and don't get me started on the hairs on my chinny chin chin!

My tweezers are always close at hand to deal with rogue hairs, and I pluck and trim my bushy brows once a week, but in sunlight I have noticed pesky peach fuzz that would be far too time consuming and painful to pluck.

I decided that dermaplaning at home was the answer. I could not only remove these fine hairs, but dead skin, too, leaving my whole complexion smoother and better prepared to absorb products so they work more effectively.

a small baby pink folding blade sat on a pink book with white flowers next to it

There are unbranded face razors available online, but I worried that they may be too sharp or not sharp enough. You can't be too careful with your delicate facial skin, so I felt much happier putting my trust in the well known and well loved Lilibeth of New York Brow Shaper.

Available in a range of colours, the Lilibeth Brow Shaper is small and discreet, easily fitting in a makeup bag or handbag. The blade folds into the handle, meaning it won't hurt you or damage items in the makeup bag, and the blade is kept sharp and sanitary. It retails for £7.49, making it much cheaper than a trip to the salon, and you can use the code lydia10 at www.makeupboxldn for a further 10% off!

The instructions are simple: hold the blade at a slight angle and use light, short strokes on clean, dry skin. I would advise practising on the back of your hand first to get used to it. I expected a very smooth, sweeping motion like shaving my legs, but due to the serrations it does have more friction against the skin.

a closer look at the serrations on the blade of the brow shaper

Perhaps it was the serrations, my technique, or just the fact that my skin is drier than Summer in the Sahara, but after the first use my face did feel a little chapped and sensitive for an hour or so and was pink in some areas. I expected to wake up with soft, glowing skin, but it actually felt rougher than ever because I was no longer stroking the layer of fine fuzz.

In smaller areas however, the results were brilliant. Whereas it can take me 20 minutes to fully pluck my brows, they were cleaned up in under a minute with a few swishes of the shaper, and my skin felt fine afterwards.

Personally I'll be keeping the Lilibeth Brow Shaper in my bag for taming my brows and touching up spots I may miss when shaving (is it just me who steps outside in a skirt then notices a forest on her ankle?), but if you have normal to oily skin and want to give dermaplaning a go, you have nothing to lose but your peach fuzz!

How do you deal with unwanted hair?

After successfully setting up shop in Altrincham and Bramhall, the team at Tre Ciccio (pronounced 'tray keech-ee-o') decided to come to Ramsbottom, a tiny town I love to visit. Their mission? To bring an authentic taste of Italy to Manchester, inspired by their own excellent experience at La Terrazza, a family run restaurant in Calvanico.

I was invited to dine at Tre Ciccio in exchange for an honest review.

First Impressions

My first thought was 'wow, this is like the TARDIS!'. What was a little old stone building has been brought to life with a mix of old and new, cosy and contemporary. The outside is in keeping with the street and town, but inside you'll see a sleek bar, suspended exposed bulbs and a spacious upper level, combined with traditional stone floors and a mural of fruit and loaves on the wall.

We were taken to a warm, cosy corner with a fair size table -I hate feeling cramped- and quickly given time to peruse the menu. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it didn't list 20 kinds of pasta, burgers, and risottos, but was condensed into a smaller selection of fresh and interesting options.

a plate with a pile of dough rolls, and a wooden basket containing pieces of garlic bread

a wooden basket containing pieces of garlic bread with bubbles and black char marks from the wood fired oven

To Start

I'm not usually much of a bread eater, but for starters we plumped for rotolini and schiacciata, and I'm very glad we did. The rotolini, whirls of mozzarella and ham in pizza dough, are something of a Tre Ciccio speciality and proved to be very popular on the night both with the diners around us and my boyfriend. I personally preferred the schiacciata; to call it 'just' a garlic bread would be an injustice, this was the garlic bread of the Gods.

One of the lovely members of the team had explained that the dough is a Neapolitan recipe that is very wet, resulting in a lighter bake that is chewy but not tough nor heavy on the stomach, and the schiaccata showed it off perfectly. The dough was beautifully fresh and yeasty, with a smoky flavour from the wood oven, and just the right amount of flaky salt and garlic. It made simple ingredients into something sensational, setting the tone for the rest of the meal.

a large black dish with steaming pieces of chicken and potatoes in a tomato sauce

The Main Event

Since we'd already had a taste of Tre Ciccio's divine dough, we decided on something different for our main: a roast chicken and potato bake to share. There were 4 varieties to choose from, all using locally sourced chicken.

We opted for polla alla cacciatore, or hunter's style chicken with rosemary, olives, and mushrooms. In all honesty I thought just chicken and potatoes might be a bit boring, but I had to eat my words because this dish was utterly delicious. I don't even like olives but I found myself searching for more in the bowl because they worked so well with the other flavours. Even the potatoes had absorbed the cooking juices and become so tasty and moist.

To accompany our main Claudia, our bubbly server, suggested we tried the broccoli stems wilted with parmesan cheese. While I wasn't a huge fan, it was lovely to try something new and authentically Italian. It felt like we were enjoying the same meal a family in Tuscany might sit down to, as opposed to the same old passata laden pasta you'd find in a chain.

To Finish

As soon as we saw the menu my boyfriend guessed I would choose the torta al cioccolato,and he was right. What can I say? I'm a creature of habit and a chocolate fiend, and the sound of the pistachio gelato served alongside it sealed the deal.

My first few bites of the ganache filling the pastry were too rich and dark even for me, but when I let the creamy, nutty gelato melt over it I found that they were a match made in heaven. If you're looking for a lighter dessert, try the rhubarb panna cotta, but if, like me, you love something indulgent, you must try this.

Meanwhile, he made short week of his apple and pear crumble, which was served in the same light pastry case as my tart. He said that the pear helped to sweeten the apple, and commented on how smooth the vanilla gelato was.

Overall

Tre Ciccio is the place to go if you want something different, something fresh. When you see Italian chefs on television turning a few quality ingredients into a mouthwatering meal, that is exactly what you taste.

It isn't the cheapest but not ridiculous, and the prices are very fair for generous portions of such lovely food. In fact, our main was £26.95 for the 2 of us and we couldn't finish it, so the waiter kindly offered to box it up, meaning Tre Ciccio wasn't wasting food and I got to enjoy it all over again for lunch the next day.

While the menu was different to a Britalian restaurant, so was the atmosphere. There was definitely a buzz of excitement, and the team were constantly moving between tables to deliver food and menus or check on the diners, but from our cosy corner it didn't feel hectic at all.

Everyone was looked after, and even with the restaurant full, the owners and servers found time to say hello and tell us more about the menu. It was obvious that they were excited about bringing their business to Ramsbottom, and I'm excited to have that garlic bread right around the corner.

What is your favourite Italian dish?

Liverpool is one of my favourite places in the North West. A vibrant city, thriving with culture, you're never short of things to see and do or new places to eat and drink. I was challenged to spend a day out in Liverpool looking a little closer at what the city has to offer, and I like to think I've found some of its finest hidden gems.

For my trip, the spending money was gifted by hotels.com, but all views are my own. Whether you're staying in one of the hotels in Liverpool or enjoying a flying visit like mine, I can promise that it's impossible to be bored for even a minute in this city.

left: a front-on view of tall ship zebu in the water with blue sky behind her. Right top: six sepia photos of male prisoners on the cell wall. Right bottom: 3 smiling girls holding signs reading 'I broke out'

What To Do

Breakout Liverpool

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle, where better than an escape room? I visited with a bunch of bloggers for my first escape room experience, and found that the staff explained things really well and the props we had to seek in the room were well thought out, making it even more fun.

Tall Ship Zebu
As the name suggests, this majestic piece of maritime history isn't exactly hidden- you can see her standing tall at Canning Dock or The Royal Albert Dock. The real secrets are seen below deck, where for just £1 you can explore and learn how she has been lovingly restored after sinking in 2015.

St George's Hall Prison

Maybe 'out of sight, out of mind' was the inspiration for these underground prison cells! Under the grand and gorgeous St George's Hall you can step into the eerie cells, see the faces of the inmates, and read about their crimes. It's free to enter, just follow the main road to the left of the building and go through the door marked for St George's Heritage Centre.

a photograph taken standing in the aisle of a clothing shop. The rack to the right has bright, tropical print shirts, and the left rack is hung with coats, including a black raincoat with pink and aqua patches.

Where To Shop

GRIN

If hunting hidden gems is your thing, head to Bold Street with purse in hand and dig through the many vintage shops to unearth some goodies. GRIN is my personal favourite- it's eclectic but organised, with different areas of the shop offering a whole range of different items, from casual sweaters to shiny foil rompers, and even gothic occasion wear.

The Hippy Hole

Also on Bold Street, this is, as the name suggests, a patchouli scented tie dye haven packed with pieces that look like they're straight from the swinging sixties. At the back there is an Americana vintage store with racks of old sports sweatshirts, cool cropped shirts, and even authentic Levis' jackets for £30 a pop. There's also a vegan cafe downstairs to refuel between bargain hunting.

left: a picture of villa romana liverpool, a pale red brick building with large windows and an arched beige doorway. Right: a tomato garlic bread topped with basil leaves.

Where To Eat

Bold Street is full of independent eateries and is THE place for grabbing lunch in stylish, Instagrammable surroundings. If you're looking for a full 3 course meal head to Villa Romana- Liverpool's number one Italian- tucked just one street behind the bottom of Bold Street.

Inside is a cosy setting and atmosphere, with a pretty varied menu and huge portions. I started my visit there with a delicious fresh garlic bread and haven't stopped thinking about it since; perfect chewy dough laden with a tangy tomato sauce packed full of garlic, just the way I like it.

What are your favourite things to do in Liverpool?

My sister recently turned 30 (she'll kill me for telling you that), and asked to go for afternoon tea, so being the excellent sister I am, I got her e vouchers from Groupon for the award winning Dearden Tearooms, in Haslingden, and we took a family trip on Friday afternoon.

The tearooms themselves are in a cobbled street, and the interior is old fashioned, like stepping back in time for tea with your granny. The room we were seated in was freezing, dark, and just looked dingy rather than vintage. However, this wasn't the case with other rooms we walked through which looked lighter and cosier, we just happened to pull the short straw on this occasion.

A picture of Lyd (me) sat at a table with a lace cloth on it, holding a jar of pink lemonade with oranges slices in it. My hair is down, I am smiling, and I am wearing a jumper with blue, pink, yellow, mint, orange, lilac, and white stripes.

The waitresses were friendly and polite when they came over to explain the beverages we could enjoy with our afternoon tea. There were around 30 teas on offer, as well as coffee, or homemade pink lemonade. As soon as I heard those three words, my eyes lit up! Pink lemonade is my favourite drink, and this one didn't disappoint. Served in a mason jar with fruit and mint, it was the perfect mix of syrupy sweet and tangy kick- I wish I'd upgraded to the refillable option because I could have drunk gallons.

The tea itself was a traditional afternoon tea, although I did spot that they do themed ones, such as Harry Potter. The savoury layer consisted of cheese savoury, ham and mustard, and egg mayo finger sandwiches, and parsnip and ginger soup. I hate both of those flavours, so steered clear, but my parents assured me it was well balanced and delicious. I did hoover up the sandwiches, and they were absolutely delicious, but I wish we had been given more. Perhaps it's just me being greedy, but they only made up 3/4 of a normal sandwich.

Happily the tearooms were more generous with their scones, giving us one plain and one fruit each, all of them still warm. They had a lovely crisp edge and moist centre, and plenty of clotted cream and strawberry jam to go with them.

two afternoon tea stands with white floral plates sitting on a table with a lace cloth. The middle tiers have small sandwiches and cups of soup, and the top tiers have peach macarons, squares of chocolate cake, and miniature glasses filled with lemon cream and topped with raspberries.

The cake tier is always my favourite, and I was definitely not disappointed! Sometimes eateries will give you only one of each item, forcing you to choose or cut them in half, but luckily we each had the same: a slice of spiced chocolate cake, a lemon posset, and a large macaron.

The chocolate cake was lightly spiced, which would normally put me off, but it was rich, sweet, and had the fudgy texture of a brownie. It was actually my favourite bit of the meal. Posset isn't really my thing, but the citrus did stop the rich cream from becoming. The macaron was pretty large and had been made really well. The discs were crisp, there was plenty of buttercream, and there was a light peachy flavour that was both unusual and a good partner for the almond in the biscuit and the sharp raspberries decorating it.

I'm not sure Dearden Tearooms' afternoon tea can top my all time favourite from the Garden Kitchen, but it was a lovely experience. I paid £38 and felt that I got great value for my money. All the food was fresh and good quality, and I appreciated that they had included more modern, unexpected items in a traditional afternoon tea menu, such as the pink lemonade and macaron.

What's your favourite part of afternoon tea?

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