Food, Glorious Food!

So truly, after exams I've been such a massive foodie/fattie that it's a tad ridiculous, but it's fine. It just means extra time at the gym and I've got the situation handled, Olivia Pope style! (gosh I miss that show) anyways, moving on to the topic of this post... FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD! Is it weird that I actually sometimes sing that in my head when a plate of indescribable  delicious looking food appears before me? You will see what I mean later on.

Anyways, on the evening of my final exam of life, ever I met up with a couple of girlfriends of mine that were all doing the same undergraduate course as me in Manchester, the perfect plan would have been to go out and get smashed like the 20-somethings that we are but instead we decided to have a nice grown up dinner since most of them are working now and it was a weeknight, boringgg. Haha, I kid. I don't really like getting smashed.

After much hassle, we settled on Smoak Bar & Grill for our catch up, it's the restaurant that's in the Malmaison hotel right by the train station and can I just say that this was the best decision anyone could have ever made? We started off with some Cosmos and Mojitos to get everyone feeling relaxed and chilled out and then had some chicken lollipops for starters. I really didn't expect to actually have my chicken on lollipop sticks.. It was quite an odd experience actually and it makes sharing a little difficult, sadly I don't remember the different types of chicken they had on there but there was definitely some Satay and Teriyaki in that mix.

Doesn't the Cosmo look so angelic? haha

Now that everyone was suitably relaxed, we did what girls do best and had a nice old fashioned gossip sesh about any and everything under the sun, from boyfriends to ex-coursemates to holidays and parties and I heard some pretty juicy details! Wouldn't you want to know? Sure you would! Ha!

Have I mentioned the service at this place yet? It is amazing, quite literally the best I've ever experienced anywhere in Manchester, the staff were formal yet friendly, the meals were very well presented and we were never left wanting for anything. They were slightly slow in bringing the food but that was because a large party of about 10 had come in just before us, boo! Now the moment I'm sure you've all been waiting for... What did I have to eat.. 

Sing it with me now; FOOD! GLORIOUS FOOD! I don't even know where to begin describing this burger! I remember looking at the menu and deciding that I would have some steak or a regular burger when the waitress came by our table to tell us about the specials that they had for the day. She started describing this burger called the Louisiana and she had me at hello! Something something beef, with such and such done to it, cheese and blah blah sauce and a hearty helping of PEANUT BUTTER! Yup, you read that right, and my goodness was it the most divine thing I have ever tasted! I use the word divine a lot right? No, this burger takes the cake, the ice cream and the cherry on top! It also came with sweet potato fries and onion rings. One of my friends had the steak with some peppercorn sauce and she said it was the best steak she had ever had in her entire life and she's as addicted to steak as I am to my burgers!

Sadly I didn't get pictures of anyone else's food, I didn't want to be 'that guy' at the table that wouldn't stop snapping away! But I did get a few shots of the girls afterwards and everyone looked nice and full and satisfied!

It was such a lovely evening with these lot and we were one of the last tables to leave because we just wouldn't stop talking! Sadly, there was no room for dessert this time, after all that food I was feeling tooo stuffed to care about any of their yummy treats! After taking a random stroll through the city centre I ended up at my friends house and spent the rest of the night getting chocolate wasted like you're supposed to after exams! Haha, the bliss!

Till next time guys!
Reni x

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with Smoak Bar and Grill, I just think they do amazing food! No one is paying me to write this but why keep this little gem all to myself? Sharing is caring after all and I do care about all of you my wonderful blog readers!

People Appreciation Day!

“Babe can you imagine this boy! He didn’t even get me the Brazilian hair or anything. All I ended up getting were flowers; I’m so pissed off. Who has time for flowers that are going to die by tomorrow? What about some jewelry? NOTHING. He’s so annoying.” This is going to be some variation of the conversation that about 70% of girls worldwide would be having with their best friend on this special day of love! I’m not cynical or anything, quite the contrary actually; I’m the soppiest, sappiest romantic on the planet. I love the thought of cards with beautiful poetry written in it, and a bracelet I’d wear for the rest of our relationship as some sort of token of our love, even flowers that he claims are nowhere near as beautiful as me. The full works! After all it’s only Valentine’s Day once a year! Why shouldn’t I be spoilt as hell and treated like a princess?

The answer is quite simple actually, because it’s just a day! Like any other day. It’s just a Thursday, and while society has ingrained it in our minds to be a “day of love” the truth is lots of couples end up fighting because they place way too much emphasis on making it ‘perfect’. Especially the girls! One of my male friends once said to me that he never vals anyone because the pressure is too much; by the time she compares your own ‘small, heartfelt’ gift to the sparkles and champagne that Bolanle is flaunting on Instagram or that Fikayo is showcasing on Facebook you feel like you might as well have not done anything in the first place. But nothing is perfect; love is about loving an imperfect person perfectly right? Or so we all claim when we are feeling sentimental, so what’s the fuss? Let your ‘imperfect’ partner be themselves perfectly and if you know your guy is not the romantic type then don’t expect him to suddenly flip and turn into your Majid Michel and be all lovey-dovey, accept whatever he decides to get you with grace and genuinely love it because you know it’s bigger than the gifts and cards.

This is not to say that guys have an excuse not to try oh! All of una busy “losing your phone” “falling ill” and other various excuses to drop off the face of the earth on top Vals day.” Una well done! God has seen you! Would it really take that much effort to let your girl know she’s special? Saka swine! Girl, if your man has mysteriously ‘disappeared’ sad to say but I doubt he was ever really yours. To all the REAL dudes out there who make an effort every day and also today, God go make you bigger! Even if your girl forgets to say it everyday, she loves and appreciates you J well I hope she does anyways. Lol.

I think every day should be Valentine’s Day, the world would be such a happy place and there would be far less pressure. Maybe we should rename it People Appreciation Day and just remind all the people all around us that we love them. Why restrict it? After all, sharing is caring. Haha.  To the people in love, I hope you have an amazing day with your significant others. To those angry or upset with the ones they love, heck you might as well forgive them. And to the people on Team Single #foreveralone #singleawarenessday #phuckyolove then don’t be bitter. Valentine’s Day isn’t only for the lovers out there! Remember it’s peoples’s appreciation day! I’d even be your Val if you want to go that far! As long as you send me those Loubs by midnight, hehe.

Lots of love,

Reni x

P.S: This post got featured on another website, Dindindara. You can check out the post and website here. 

Staying Single: Part 6- Cut Your Cloth

If you haven't been keepig up, find older parts here:

Part1: I Will Be Single! Will I?

Part2: Poor little Sola Boy

Part3: Return of the Mac or umm, the Ex?

Part4: Pure Carnal Lust

Part5: All Hail the Queen of Awkward Moments
Part 5.5: A Suitor, A Disciple & A Sola

________________________________________________________

I suppose I should be happy, two, or is it three? Guys were literally fighting over me. But it’s not fair, I only want one!

It had been 6 days, 14 hours and 13 minutes since the scene at Amaranto, the most embarrassing day of Kemi’s life so far. Sola had pulled her out of harms way and then gone to join in with the bouncers in separating the fight. He had then taken her home, a place she no longer allowed him to frequent recklessly since his big reveal. Clearly thinking that he had found his window, he gave her a mock lecture on the perils of too much alcohol and of wearing teeny tiny skirts while trying to engage her in a stimulating match of tonsil hockey. It took a ‘playful’ slap from her to get him to stop acting like a crazed beast and leave her be to nurse what would surely be the hangover of Satan himself.

6 days, 14 hours and 13 minutes. She only knew this because this was also the same amount of time she had been constantly talking to The Suitor for. They had seen each other two more times since then; once when they went to the movies to see “Think Like A Man” and again when they went on a ‘picnic’ on Primrose Hill. Whose silly romantic idea was that?! **Covers head in shame at the thought of herself running away from grasshoppers** Of course the Disciple had forgiven her, in fact she hadn’t even had to apologise, he apologised for getting jealous and insecure and she graciously accepted. All those poise classes are finally paying off.

Today was going to be their third date, well it wasn’t really a date so much as a gathering but still Kemi was excited. Stephanie (one of The Girls) was having a pool party that weekend and The Suitor would be present. Time to show off this summer body I’ve been working on! Also let it be known that Stephanie is filthy rich and spoilt rotten by her father.

At Stephanie’s house on the event day:

Remy: Today is going to be too mad, Steph did your dad get the DJ sorted out?

Stephanie: Ahh, of course now, you shouldn’t even have to ask.

Nkechi: Alcohol nko? There’s no rockies without the sauce oh!

Kemi: Guys, this is Steph we’re talking about, has she ever dulled us?

Steph: Help me ask these harlots oh!

Remy: **mock offence** I’m not a whore, but I do plan on being one tonight

All laugh

Kemi: Technically the time for the party is now, what’s everyone wearing? I think we should start getting ready now.

2 hours later. Yes it took 2 hours to get ready for a pool party; we are fine girls, stop judging us!

Kemi: Umm, guys.. My skirt wouldn’t zip. Somebody come and try, it must zip by force today! Lord please let the skirt zip, I would never try and fit my ass into a size 6 again!

Nkechi: Come here let me try

After heaving and ho-ing for about 20 minutes, the girls were about to give up on Kemi’s skirt until Steph had a brilliant idea!

Steph: I think the zip is just stuck, come let me sew you into it.

All agree. Another 20 minutes and the skirt is done, people are already arriving downstairs and you can hear the DJ blasting Wizkid and M.I. Getting downstairs there is an array of topless boys and scantily clad girls but mostly topless boys, or that’s what Kemi sees anyways. Today is going to be a great day. She wonders of to find the Suitor whom she knows has arrived and finds him seated in a circle with his usual posse and a few extras. Of course Remy has found Jide and is sitting comfortably on his lap, she marks her territory so well. When he sees her he picks her up and spins her around playfully and kisses her forehead.

Suitor: Hey baby, I’ve missed you today. 6 days and we’re already on baby? Well I suppose he is American. You should have warned me you were looking so hot, definitely ain’t mad at that skirt!

Kemi: Haha, don’t make me blush.

Suitor: **sitting down** come sit with me

She can feel the scalding looks the Ex is giving her from the other side of the circle. Na you oh, jealousy go worry you tey today.

As Kemi adjusts her skirt and begins the slow descent that would ultimately end with her backside on the Suitors muscular thighs, she hears a funny sound and feels a cold gush of air on her backside.

Don’t. Tell. Me. My. Skirt. Just. Ripped. Please Heavenly father say it isn’t so!

Her Best Friends Guy

Happy new month everybody! Here's to praying that August brings you all the success and joy that you want for yourselves in life! Stay strong! Not to take away from the Staying Single series currently going on, but I still have to blog about 'normal' things sometimes!

Anyways, as some of you may know by now, I like to rant and recent conversation with friends begs that I with my infinite wisdom (self washing, le worst!) try and answer the question. “Is it ever okay to date your friends ex?” Unfortunately this question has so many variables that even as a seasoned engineer (another bout of self washing, forgive me, the sun is out or at least it was when I was writing this!) my head spins as I think about it. Let us now postulate that:

1. This question is specifically but not entirely directed to girls, our male counterparts have all sorts of other rules in their universe that I will not try and understand.

2. The friend is question is not an acquaintance; she’s not one of the girls you call when you want to go out. She’s one that you call when you’re feeling low.

3. Her and her ex dated ‘seriously and exclusively’ for 14 months.

4. They’ve been broken up for about 4 months now.

Okay, I think I’ve got it all covered now. You see, many variables.

Now as much as I am always pro Sparta and someday seek to be their Queen. (A Spartan is a woman who knows what she wants and goes for it), I think that there is a point where things can be taken too far and issues like this can cause irrevocable damage to a friendship.

Some people say that sometimes things just happen, you didn’t mean to fall in love with him. BULLSHIT! You know who he is, and you know all the ins and outs of his relationship with your friend, this was no mistake. You wanted him and now you have him, don’t try and hide behind silly stories of a flame lit in a period of darkness. You should have considered your friends feelings before you were having midnight conversations with him. Other times girls just have to be careful and know who their true friends are. Unfortunately not everyone out there that you consider a friend actually has your back in this life. Some people have bad belle for you and have always wanted your man, especially if they can see he’s a keeper.

I was going to say that the only time it is acceptable to date your friends ex is when she says so but even this is only half true. Sometimes girls like to try and prove to their friends that they have moved on, especially if the guy did her dirty. As her friend you should know if she’s lying to you or not, she might say it’s okay but if every time his name comes up she gets a glassy look in her eye you should know that it’s not okay.

Sadly, it seems I have failed you; I don’t have an answer to this question :(

All I can say is, if you’re the girl that wants her friends ex then make sure that you’re sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is worth it. And if you’re the girl that’s feeling betrayed by her ex and former best friend then all I have to say is don’t worry they would break up soon! The sun would come out tomorrow and you would be fine.

Use the comment box people, share your thoughts on the matter, help me answer this age old (?) question!

Graduation Season: Appreciating the Good Friends

As we can all tell, it’s graduation season, how happy I am to be amongst the privileged many that get to throw their hats up into the sun, hoping for a bright future J. In case you didn’t know, I recently graduated from the University of Manchester, BEng (Hons) in Chemical Engineering. Whooop!

One other thing that is commonplace in graduation season is various lunches, dinners and other events to celebrate. And as the universe has been trying wickedly to expand my waistline I can say that I am happy I have been to the last of those for now! (time to hit that gym baby!) At one of said dinners, I was asked to give a short speech about a very dear friend of mine. It was awkward sha I can’t lie! I don’t like speaking in public but if I am to be Queen of Sparta I see no other way to get around this, so I took this as a practice run. Thinking about what to say during the dinner made me reflect on my friendship with her and think of all the years I’ve known her. Truth be told it gave me a better understanding of the word friendship, both through the good times and the bad times we’ve managed to somehow still be here today as good friends and that made me glow with pride (okay, not quite glow, but what’s life without a little exaggeration?). We sometimes spend every day with friends, or speak to them every day but we rarely ever take time out to let them know that they mean everything to us and we appreciate them.

I am writing this post grateful that the god Lord has deemed it fit to bless me with some of the best friends a girl could ever asked for and I just want to let you all know, both my close friends and my not so close ones, that I appreciate you all! Now go on out there and tell somebody that you love them!

Side note: For anyone that went to the Watch the Throne concerts, through out writing this post I kept thinking of Kanye’s loooong performance of Runaway and him going on forever about telling someone out there that you love them! Some really soppy ish! LMAO

Love,
Moi