Happy Saturday, everyone!
Thanks so much to everyone who submitted questions for this Q&A and I hope you enjoy the video! It was a dark and stormy day - perfect time for a big cardigan, a hot cup of a tea and some chats!
2022-03-12 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy Saturday!
This week's video is a bit of everything! Some behind-the-scenes, some PO Box surprises and a quick trip out to a local town!
Hope you guys have a great weekend and thanks so much for being here!
2022-03-05 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostHey Patreon! I'd like to do a Patreon-Only Q&A video soon - but I need your help! If you have a question, please leave a comment on this post!
It can be about my life, UK-related stuff, expat-related stuff, or totally unrelated stuff! It can be serious, silly - it doesn't matter! The more the merrier.
Thanks so much!
2022-03-01 19:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi everyone! This month I'll be reading The Power by Naomi Alderman (you can buy it here if you'd like to read along)
My friend back in Ontario recommended it so I'm giving it a go! I didn't want to read too much into it (I like trying books blind) but the back cover says it's a cross between Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tail - if that genre interests you!
It also looks like it's available on Audible if that's more your style.
Happy reading, everyone!!
2022-02-28 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostFor February, our book choice was The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - I really enjoyed it! While much of the book is about war, it's actually a really beautiful love story. Who would have guessed it! It felt pretty quick, even though some of the names and characters can be a bit confusing at first.
If you'd like to read it, you can find it on Amazon here. If you read Madeline's other book Circe and enjoyed it, I think you'd really like Achilles, too!
Did anyone else read it this month? Would love to know your #nospoiler review!
2022-02-27 14:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy Saturday, everyone!! Hope you guys had a good week, although probably a bit windy!
This week I decided to dive head first into the comment section on my videos - hope you enjoy the video!
2022-02-26 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hope you guys have a great week! Today we're back in Butler's Kitchen for our third recipe mystery! Will we be cooking? Baking? Crying? Who knows!
Thank you so much for your support on Patreon - it truly means a lot and it directly helps me and Adventures and Naps!!! If you ever have any ideas of videos you'd like to see, please just let me know!
2022-02-19 10:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy Saturday, everyone!
This week I wanted to show you guys how I organise just about every aspect of my life! I love to organise!!! It's probably a bit much for most people, but if you love a good chart or calendar as much as I do...
Hope you all have a great weekend! And thanks so much for being here!!!!
2022-02-12 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy Saturday, everyone!!! Hope you like these 7 surprising facts about Canada! If you ever have the chance to visit my homeland, I hope you take advantage!
Any plans for the weekend? Think it'll be pretty normal and quiet over here.. but quiet weekends are good weekends!
Thanks so much for your support here on Patreon and I hope you have a lovely weekend!
2022-02-05 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Our February book is The Song of Achilles by author Madeline Miller! You can buy it here if you'd like to read along this month.
You might recognise her name - we read her more recent book Circe in 2020. I really enjoyed Circe so I figured I would give her first book a chance, too! The Song of Achilles is the same style as Circe, using mythical gods and historical elements, so if you're into that kind of thing I would certainly give it a go!
What is Book Club?
Each month I post a book that I'll be reading and you are more than welcome to read along! One of my goals is to read more, so this is a good way to help me achieve it. At the end of the month, I'll post a spoiler-free review of the book and you can share your thoughts if you read it, too! You can also listen-along with an audio book version instead - it's all good!
I'll check back at the end of the month to see how it went!
Happy Reading!
2022-01-31 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
What a mess!! lol Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Felt a bit scatterbrained in this video and it probably shows!
Any plans for the weekend? For me I think it'll be pretty calm and quiet.. otherwise I'll be live at 5:30pm GMT on Sunday on Twitch and Monday night is our monthly Best Buds livestream - and we'll be cooking!
Hope you guys have a great week coming up and get to see some new February sun!
2022-01-29 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostThis month I read The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (you can buy it here if you're in need of a new book!) I didn't know anything about it other than it was a mystery-type book and it's in Reece Witherspoon's Book Club (so it can't be horrible, right??)
I enjoyed it!
It was pretty easy to read and it felt like it went by quickly! I don't think it's a Life Changing Book, but not every book can be like that! Overall it was a good read, I was interested in what would happen next and enjoyed my time reading it!
Has anyone else read it this month? What were your thoughts? #nospoilers!
Wooo, we're back in the kitchen!! This week, it's Butler's Kitchen - Episode 2!
I gotta admit - this one was hard... and I definitely got a bit hangry by the end! But it was really cool to have learned so many new things. Hope you guys like the video and have a wonderful weekend!!
2022-01-22 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
I think the latest Matrix film is going to be pretty polarising...!
Recently we watch the Matrix Resurrections and I didn't like it! I love Keanu! I loved the first film! But this was so boring! I get what they were trying to do, but it was so blah to me.
I think one review summed it up best for me:
"I enjoyed thinking of this film more as a form of media criticism than I enjoyed watching it as a movie."
What did you guys think?? No spoilers!
2022-01-21 19:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Alright - this movie is pretty dumb and pretty silly and honestly I had a great time! If you like Resident Evil (especially the video games) I think you're really going to enjoy Welcome to Raccoon City!
It doesn't pretend to be something it's not. It's stupid and over the top, but it knows it. The film felt so much like the video games and I was surprised at how much fun I had! Not something I would recommend my mum to watch.. but if you like RE, give it a shot!
2022-01-18 19:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Thank you so much to the un-named Patreon member who suggested this video idea!
This week I've gone back through my taste test videos and have re-tried some of the things I hated the most lol Has my verdict changed? Hope you guys like the video!
Happy Saturday!
2022-01-15 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
I went into Encounter knowing nothing other than it had Riz Ahmed (who was incredible) and that it was listed as a "sci-fi mystery-thriller" which is exactly my kind of thing!
If you're looking for something new - give this a try and don't read up about it! I really enjoyed it and couldn't stop guessing what would happen next. Really interesting story and something a bit different!
And it's available on Amazon Prime! So it's an easy choice for your next movie night!
2022-01-14 19:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
After loving the first season of Ted Lasso, we were definitely going to watch season two - and it was good! Maybe not as wonderful as the first... but still really enjoyable. I wish there were more adult TV shows that were still wholesome and funny like this show is. And I pray the third season remains just as good!
If you haven't gotten around to watching the first season yet, I would 100% recommend it. You'll probably end up binging it like we did!
2022-01-12 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Hope you guys are having a pretty decent 2022 so far!
I don't do "New Years Resolutions" but I have been thinking about areas where I want to focus on. This year, I've picked 4 areas that I want to direct my attention to - hope you guys like the video!
One of my first goals: replace my dead cactus lol oops
Have a goal, aim or focus this year you want to share? Let me know down below!
2022-01-08 10:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Merry Christmas everyone!! And Happy New Year! This year I filmed my Christmas celebrations - hope you enjoy the video!
Thank you all for your support throughout 2021! I really appreciate and I can't wait to see what we have in store for 2022!!
(Here's our turkey recipe if you're ever bored and looking to try something new!)
2022-01-01 10:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Happy 2022, everyone! I'm starting this year right with reading! Woooooo!
This month I'm reading The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (you can buy it here if you're interested)
I wasn't sure where to go next for a book choice, but this one comes up on a lot of "Best Of" lists and it's part of Reese Witherspoon's Book Club so it can't be horrible, right??
I didn't read anything about this book before starting but I will say I would classify it as a "crime thriller/mystery" Hope you guys enjoy it!
Book Club is very casual - if you'd like to read along, you're more than welcome to! If not, then no worries! I'll check in with everyone at the end of the month with a review of this month's book! (Also feel free to listen along via audiobooks if that's more your style!)
Happy reading!
2021-12-30 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostLike I mentioned in the "Book Club Recap of 2021" video - I finished December's book: The Silent Patient (you can buy it here if you're interested)
I thought it was good! I didn't see the twist or where the book was going, so that's always a bonus. Love small chapters - it makes reading seem so much faster!
Usually thriller/mystery-type books aren't groundbreaking (and this wasn't) but they're still a good read and something to do other than scroll through Instagram! I can't help but read a crime mystery!
Did anyone else read the Silent Patient this month? I think a few people have already read it before - let me know what you think!
2021-12-28 19:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! woooooo!!
This week's video is 2 parts! First half is the crazy amount of Christmas gifts viewers sent to the PO Box! Thank you!!
Second half is a massive taste test!!
I mentioned in the video - for 2022, I'm going to compile all of the PO Box unboxing stuff and put that into it's own separate video. I feel bad that lots of my latest videos are PO Box related and I don't want you guys to be bored!!!! ahhh!! (but still thanks to everyone who's sent stuff, very much kind and appreciated!)
Also! I'll be live on Twitch on Boxing Day in case you're bored or looking to escape family (more details in the video)
Thank you guys SO MUCH for all your support this year - across Patreon, Youtube, Twitch, Edenbridge and everywhere in between! THANK YOUUUUUU!! Lots more fun to come in 2022 - hope to see you there :)
Alanna x
2021-12-25 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi Patreon! Happy Wednesday!
Just in case you haven't seen this on YouTube yet - I'm going to be livestreaming tonight at 7pm GMT on Youtube! My partner has made some homemade gingerbread and I'm going to TRY and turn it into a house.. we'll see lol
The video will be on my channel after the fact in case you want to watch another time!
Hope you guys are having a great almost-Christmas!
2021-12-22 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
We watched the new film The Last Duel and I thought it was a great period piece!
It's important to note that the story revolves around sexual violence which is... not my favourite plot point...
This is the latest story written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (and Nicole Holofcener but I've never heard of her.) While both Ben and Matt are in the film - oh my god Matt Damon WHY. He's so distracting, I wish they had used literally anyone else for that role. But what are you gonna do?
If you can get past the violence and Matt's silly face.. it's a good film and beautifully shot. Another good one by Ridley Scott!
2021-12-20 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
A whole year of books - can you believe it?? This week I'm recapping Book Club 2021! If you'd like to get any of the books mentioned (or learn more) please check out the links below!
If you have a book suggestion - you can always DM me on Patreon, comment on this post or share it in our Discord!
Jan - The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Feb - Zoey Punches the World in the Dick by David Wong
March - The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
April - The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue by V.E. Schwab
May -
June - In the Darkness, That’s Where I’ll Know You by Luke Smitherd
July -
Aug - My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Sept - The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: or the Murder at Road Hill House by Kate Summerscale
Oct - Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh
Nov - Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Dec - The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Thanks so much for reading along!
2021-12-18 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
We couldn't find anything good to watch the other night so we chose Deepwater Horizon - I never saw it when it first came out, so why not.. I don't really care for Marky Mark but beggars can't be choosers!
I loved it! The film was very simple and to the point - the special effects and the action was really good and I actually got teary-eyed! I was really surprised. A great film that I was not expecting! I would definitely recommend it! Shocking! Good job, Marky!
2021-12-16 19:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
We watched the new show Girls5eva and enjoyed it! It wasn't incredible, but it was certainly funny. It's very 30Rock-style if you liked that show!
Synopsis: "When a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 1990s gets sampled by a young rapper, its members reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot -- this time while balancing spouses, kids, jobs, debt, aging parents, and shoulder pain."
Overall it was a pretty funny show with lots of nostalgia for 90s pop girl groups! Worth a watch if you're looking for something new.
2021-12-14 19:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
WOW I have received so many PO Box surprises that it takes this whole video to unbox them! THANK YOU to everyone who has sent stuff - it's truly kind and you are wonderful people!
If you ever want to send something to the PO Box, the address is:
Edenbridge
PO Box 302
FAVERSHAM
ME13 3DR
KENT
GB
PS: All packages need to be sent with Royal Mail as the PO Box is registered with them.
I hope you guys have a wonderful weekend!! Merry-almost-Christmas!
2021-12-11 10:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
We watched Lamb and I have so many opinions. It's weird, it's strange and I think I really enjoyed it. It's listed as "fantasy/horror" which I think is pretty accurate. It's not scary, but it's pretty unsettling and for along time you aren't even sure why.
If you're looking for a weird one, please give this a try. It's a slow burn and very atmospheric, but don't let that stop you seeing the surprise!
2021-12-09 19:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post