October Movie Nights | It's Finally Autumn

I don't know about you but by the end of summer I find myself longing for the darker, colder nights and basically just hibernating for a few months with hot chocolate, candles and blankets. And this usually marks the start of movie season! I have a list of go to movies I watch in September/October and a different one for November/December. We've pretty much always got a series on the go but sometimes it's nice to sit down and watch a movie and get cosy!

So I thought I would share with you my list of October films...there's 31 in total (one for each day) and they're all mild and easy to watch for most ages! I'm not a massive fan of "scary" films so this list suits me perfectly, plus it means no matter who we hang out with they should be okay with what's on the tv!

Let me know what you think and if there are any movies you would add?!

Zoe xx

My Hen | Wedding Series

I've been meaning to start my wedding series for several months now but I couldn't decide which post I wanted to start with! It seems only fitting however to start with my hen do...the beginning of the end you might say! I wasn't too sure what to expect from my hen seeing as I'm not really a girl who enjoys drinking and going out a lot (I'm a cosy bitch at heart) but I hadn't of needed to worry! We had the best time with the best people!

My maid of honour Nicole organised the whole thing and to say she did a fantastic job would be an understatement. She had so many little details that were so thoughtful and perfect that I was absolutely blown away. From pictures all over the house to little hangover kits, she really did think of everything. My mum and sisters picked me up and we made our way to the house we were staying in and things typically didn't go as planned (me and Nicole have the same level of luck in that we don't have any at all) as the person who owned the house had forgotten that Nic had requested to enter the house early! But it was all okay because me and my family just went for a cheeky maccies whilst everything was set up!

We started the night with a delicious meal at Zizzi's followed by an amazing cocktail masterclass in The Slug & Lettuce with barman Jim. I've always wanted to do a cocktail masterclass but I'd never had an excuse before! Jim was wonderful at teaching us how to make a raspberry mojito and an espresso martini! As usual my mother was pushing boundaries and putting extra of everything in her cocktails which was hilarious to say the least! She even managed to convince Jim to get her hot espresso shots as she said it would be better than cold coffee. Honestly I want a DNA test because I'm sure we're not related! The good old Jim gave us all a free glitterbomb shot which was delicious because it had cinnamon in which is my go to flavour for almost everything! He then proceeded to pull out a free bottle of prosecco! It's fair to say Jim was our favourite person that night!

The following morning, feeling a bit tender and sorry for ourselves we had a delicious breakfast that Nicole had prepared with so many options I wished I hadn't drunk as much so I could stuff my face more! Once we had packed everything away and tidied up (my mum taught me to leave somewhere as you found it) we headed into town for a bit of shopping followed by afternoon tea! Again, something I have always wanted to do but never had an excuse to do before! It was absolutely delicious and is definitely on my list to do again asap!

When Nicole messaged me all those months ago asking for a list of people to invite to the hen I had a bit of a panic as I don't have many friends as it is let alone ones I'm close enough to to invite to my hen. And when Jack told me he was having 14 people at his stag I worried even more but honestly I'm glad I just had my little group of people that I genuinely wanted there as opposed to a big group i was only half fussed about! Quality over quantity as they say!

And now my main hen is done I have at least 2 more to look forward to before I become a wife and I cannot wait!

Zoe xx

Coffee Shops | Zoe Recommends

Hey folks! I realised recently that I really do miss blogging regularly but most importantly I miss blogging about things that I actually enjoy and have knowledge of. This coupled with the fact that I changed my blog name to Life In South Wales made me realise that I want to blog more about the beautiful city in which I live and the surrounding areas because I'm passionate about it and I want more people to fall in love with Cardiff and South Wales in general.

So I'm starting a new series called Zoe Recommends and you can probably guess that it will consist of different things that I recommend people trying, whether that be coffee shops, cocktail bars, brunch places, days out...you name and I will recommend places I've tried and loved.

So to kick things off we're starting with a list that I am very familiar with as my full time job of a barista means I might be slightly obsessed with all things coffee and by extension all other coffee shops. I've always loved independent coffee shops but it wasn't until I started working for a coffee shop (be it a massive chain) that I really started exploring them more and falling in love even harder so this is my list of favourite coffee shops in and around Cardiff.

1. Academy Espresso, Barry waterfront

I first discovered Academy when one of my friends started working there and we visited to say hi. This little gem is located on the Barry waterfront which is an up and coming area of Barry. The beautifully designed coffee shop has unique decor and a long list of drinks including a cocktail list for the evening as it transforms into a bar. They also frequently have performances from local artists and most Thursday evenings they host different street food vendors which make for the perfect summer evening sat outside with great drinks, food and company.

2. Coffi Co, Cardiff Bay

I only recently visited Coffi Co for the first time but I fell in love with the rustic decor inside of a shipping container! I was also drawn in by their unique drinks such as a honeycomb latte, curly wurly latte and bueno latte alongside the delicious looking cakes they have fresh every day and the chilled out atmosphere.

3. Espresso Lab, Cardiff Bay

This place was on my list of shops I wanted to visit for ages; I finally got around to it and boy was it worth the wait! The shop itself was stunning, there was a long list of drinks to choose from and loads of delicious baked goods. The best part was upstairs where there are loads of board games to sit and play whilst you enjoy their coffee and food!

4. Blanche Bakery

Blanche has become an instagram sensation and it's easy to see why. With it's quaint blush pink exterior, walls of greenery, colourful coffees and adorable doughnuts it's hard to believe anyone with an instagram account hasn't already popped in to grab delicious coffee and food as well as a couple (hundred) snaps! They're currently closed until September for a refurb and I for one cannot wait!

5. Uncommon Ground, City Centre

This was one of the places that was always high on my list of places to visit and I'm glad I did! It's a very modern space with comfy seating, atmospheric lighting and delicious food and drinks. I'm not normally a fan of multi-region blend coffee but Uncommon Grounds coffee is absolutely delicious and I cannot get enough. The staff are super friendly and welcoming and honestly I could spend hours here.

There are so many more places I could recommend but this post would be so long! So here's a list of other coffee shops to check out...

- Waterloo Tea, Penarth

- Little Man Coffee, City Centre

- Sunflower&I, Cardiff Bay

- Ocho Lounge, Penarth

- Big Moose, City Centre

- Coffee Barker

I absolutely love finding hidden gems in the city to just relax and have a coffee so I'm sure I will update the list soon! Where's your favourite place to enjoy a cup of the good stuff?

Zoe xx

Finally a Maunder | French Wedding

Me and Jack had the absolute pleasure of being invited to one of his long term friends wedding which was held in a small, beautiful village in South France. It was crazy how quickly the time came around, one minute we were asking Sam if there was anything we could do to help and the next thing we know she's living in France for several weeks and then we're travelling to France.

We decided that it was easier for us to do the long drive in this country instead of in France and so we drove from Cardiff to Stansted and flew straight to Bergerac airport instead of Bordeaux. We then had about a 20 minute drive to our AirBNB which was a lot easier to find than we were expecting. The place we stayed was absolutely beautiful! It was a big barn conversion with a ridiculous amount of garden space and a pool. It was also really cheap and 5 minutes from the wedding venue!

The wedding venue was absolutely beautiful! It was in the Chateau le Tour in Faux, the grounds were absolutely stunning and there was so many beautiful rooms in the Chateau itself and cottages throughout the grounds. Originally the blessing was suppose to be outside overlooking the beautiful scenery but as the weather was a bit uncertain the couple decided to move the blessing inside in one of the beautiful rooms. The bridesmaids and the bride looked absolutely stunning (including my handsome bridesmaid fiance)! We then all headed to the ceremony conducted by the Mayor.

We headed back to the venue where we all drank, talked, had photos taken and just generally had a good time! Traditionally the speeches follow the food but the last time Tom (the groom) had to make a speech at a wedding he was so nervous he didn't eat all day so they decided to do the speeches first so that he was able to eat the delicious food they'd paid for! Which if you ask me, I think was absolutely genius! All of the speeches were brilliant but especially the maid of honours! She 100% nailed it! 

After speeches we had food and then we danced the night away! It certainly helped that there was a free bar! It was like a dream I didn't even know I know I had when I saw a big drinks dispenser full of gin! My heart might have skipped a beat! Then at midnight we had French onion soup to end the night which was such a great idea because what do drunk people want more than anything? FOOD!

The next day they had a BBQ at the Chateau with delicious food, more drinks and loads of games! It was absolutely the most perfect end to the most perfect weekend. I can honestly say it was one of the best weddings I have ever been to! Everyone was so friendly and so happy to be able to be there for Sam and Tom. There aren't many couples that inspire me but these two really do. They are so perfect together and both deserve every happiness that comes their way.

Here's to a lifetime of happiness for the newlyweds!

Zoe xx

Ps. The photographer Michelle was absolutely incredible! She made everyone feel so relaxed that you actually forgot she was there to take your picture! She was an absolute pleasure to talk to throughout the day and the sneak peek pictures are incredible (I've use a couple in this post)! So if you're looking for a photographer I would definitely suggest looking at her work.

My First Time | Disney

Considering I have two Disney tattoos with the intention to get more and I have been obsessed with Disney since before I can remember you would have thought I'd have been to Disneyland Paris before last year. But unfortunately for me I have high anxiety when it comes to travel and no one I know has wanted to go. I genuinely thought I was cursed not to go, especially after we booked to go in March and on the day of our flight the British weather decided we were not allowed to leave the country.

I didn't give up though and booked to go in October for Halloween! We had a very stressful day of travelling and confusion with trains and security gates at Disney and we almost lost our passports and all of our money (no big deal!). But we were finally in Disneyland and I couldn't have been happier! It was everything I imagined and more.

We spent a lot of the first day just walking around and taking it all in because I just wanted to see everything and I'm so lucky that Jack completely understood and was willing to walk around for hours on end with me. We made a HUGE mistake and went during half term and so there were queues everywhere!! Which did unfortunately mean we didn't manage to get to go on a lot of the bigger rides and the wait was over 2 hours for a lot of them and I was just so happy to be there that I didn't mind missing out of some of them. Plus it gives as an excuse to go back...not that I need one!

One of the bigger rides that we did go on was Hollywood Tower Hotel as Jack loves it and I'm one of the people that will go on most rides even though I'm terrified and then maintain that I didn't wanna go on in the first place...it's a flaw I'm not really working on. I would definitely say it's the scariest ride I've been on. I'm not a massive fan of drop rides as it is but with the added surprise of simulations and dropping and being lifted again and dropped several times, I was full of adrenaline and screaming my head off...I'd definitely go on it again!

And to top of the perfection that is Disneyland, Jack decided to ask me to marry him and I of course said YES! So all in all, although we went during half term and didn't manage to get the full Disney experience, my first time in the magical land was absolute perfection for me and I can't wait to go back!

Zoe xx

Women who inspire me | 2019

You're probably aware that today is International Women's Day (if you're not then I have to assume this is the first thing you've seen on the internet today and in that case, I'm flattered and also concerned) and as is tradition for me, I'm making a post about women who have inspired me this year. So let's dive straight in!

1. Nicole and Abbie

Two of my best friends and my maid of honour and bridesmaids to be. Nicole has been working for Starbucks for nearly 4 years in total now and 3 weeks ago she got a job in social media which is a department she has wanted to work in for a while now and she's pushed past the fear of leaving a job you're comfortable in and taking a leap of faith. And Abbie also left her job to take a leap of faith into something new last year and she has been absolutely smashing it ever since. She's one of the best people in her department and she was recently nominated for an award at work. I couldn't be more proud of either of them.

2. Evie

My soon to be sister in law who inspires me to make better choices with my health, she's in amazing shape and has turned her love of fitness into more than just a hobby by hosting a dance class twice a week. She's also an amazing singer and last year she entered a competition and performed at a festival. She also bravely spoke out about her mental health last week and I'm going to be so proud to have her as a sister in November.

3. Chelsea

My best friend from back home who I actually haven't seen in a couple of years. She's smashing life with two kids, working in a school and starting her own business. She is the definition of inspiration. And I'm so sad that we aren't as close as we use to be! 

There are plenty of women in my life that inspire me in a number of ways and I'm so lucky to be able to experience that and to have so many strong, independent women to learn from and shape me into the person I am.

Who inspires you the most?

Zoe xx

What I've Been Watching | Jan/Feb

Does anybody else always find themselves re-watching programmes they've seen about 50 times and can quote word for word and yet they still keep coming back to them? Because same. Mine always seems to be Friends, How I Met Your Mother and Gavin and Stacey. But in January I did try to make myself watch stuff that had been on my watch list for years. Here's what I managed to get through...

1. Making a Murderer

This documentary became popular years ago and I do remember trying to watch it but I've always said that I couldn't get into it and found it boring. But recently I've been getting into more murder and crime documentaries so thought I'd try it again and I LOVED it! I loved that it followed from Steven's first conviction in the 80's right up to now with all the court proceedings. I honestly don't know how people genuinely think they are guilty of committing the crime and I really am rooting for them both to be released.

8.5/10

2. Abducted In Plain Sight

I honestly still have no idea how half the stuff that happened to that poor girl happened. It was confusing and beyond belief right from the start and honestly I think I could watch it 50 times and still not understand how the parents let it happen and so frequently. If you want to spend an evening being completely confused and bewildered then I would recommend this documentary before anything else.

6.5/10

3. Doctor Who

We'd already watched up to season 9 last year but season 10 has only just been released onto Netflix so we decided to watch it. I thoroughly enjoyed the pairing of Capaldi with Mackie and thought their friendship was one of my favourites; it took me back to Tennant and Tate. I much prefer the doctor/companion relationships that don't revolve around them falling in love with the doctor. We then watched season 11 on BBC iPlayer and I'm not sure how I feel about Whitaker playing the doctor. Don't get me wrong, I love her as an actress and I can appreciate the producers trying to make doctor who more inclusive but I'm just not feeling it to be honest. We'll see with time though.

When I started this post I honestly thought I had watched more TV than I apparently have so that's a bit awkward... but anyway! I would definitely recommend checking out the programmes mentioned above! Let me know of any recommendations you have!

Zoe xx