LONDON | Review: Hotel Megaro, Kings Cross

After attending the launch of Mouth Cancer Action Month (well, the after party anyway) over in ol' Westminster, a night in a London hotel called. Dentists sure know how to party a night away, and time just flew by speaking to mouth cancer survivor, Rachel, and their families. Before I knew it (and before another drink could be thrust into my hand) time had flown by, so I was prudent enough to book a hotel to save a night bus ride home.

Hotel Megaro's* located right off Euston Road. As in, you can stand at the entrance and see St Pancras station in all its glory. It literally couldn't be any closer unless it was the St Pancras Hotel (but what are you, a millionaire?). To say it's located in a convenient place would be a massive understatement - Kings Cross can take you to central London, to the city, to Euston and up north, or to Paris and the south.The building's painted in every colour of the rainbow, a theme that continues inside.

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Is borrowing clothes from stores really such a bad idea? #cheapskate

It’s fair to say money’s tight. For those of us who work, a hefty chunk is taxed, a hefty chunk is spent on bills, rent and phones, and another hefty chunk is probably spent on trains, buses or petrol to, y’know, actually make enough money to spend on rent, bills, phones, trains buses and taxis after your earnings are taxed heftily.

So with wallets being pulled every which way, is it really so bad to buy a dress, wear it, then return it for a refund? Is borrowing really so bad?

I don’t think so. And sure, it may shock you and you might judge me for being a bit of a skinflint, a cheapskate, a tightarse, but hear me out. Because if my late-grandad taught me one thing, it was the value of money. And that year out-of-date Corn Flakes really aren't that bad if you forget you're eating them.

I had a wedding to go to a few years back. It was a wedding of someone who was once really special to me, but through circumstance things changed. Of course, I was going to be invited to the happy day. And of course, I needed to make an impression. After seeing how much was in my account (literal tears began to form in the corner of my eyes) I took my first step into borrowed buying.

I went to a high street store to buy a really special dress, a twenties inspired beaded flapper style dress. It would have cost me £120 – something I’d never spend on a dress that was only going to be worn once or twice EVER – but at least I knew my overdraft could handle it until Monday. I tried it on to ensure I got the right fit, and handed over my debit card mumbling an excuse about not knowing whether I wanted to keep it. The cashier was more than happy to explain I had 28 days to return it. Which suited me just fine.

The day came and went and a jolly time was had by all. Then it was time to face the store and get my non-existent money back. But, not being a monster, I’d had the dress dry cleaned so I knew wherever it went next, whether a bargain rail or to someone else, it wasn’t covered in the night before. So basically, it was a clean, shiny dress almost brand new. The cashier had no quibbles about taking it back and my overdraft was soon back on track.

So my argument is this: I’ve bought clothes before completely knowing I’m in two minds about them. I’ve bought a jumper, worn it and the boy’d turn around and say it was hideous and had to go (I never suited the granny cardi craze). 

So what’s the difference between changing your mind about a garment and returning it a month later? It’s been worn, sat in a bag, not washed and covered in the smells, dust and other detritus houses have. In fact, half the clothes I buy have been tried on by hundreds of people and thrown into the 'no' pile. Whereas my borrowed dress was clean, fresh and even wrinkle-free. It’s not a habit I indulge in often, mainly because I’d only really do it for that special dress, or an interview outfit, or something equally as rare. But I am a borrower, and I will keep on borrowing (unless I become a millionaire, in which case I’d only ever need a bikini because Bora Bora).

So what do you think? Am I being stingy? Should I just pay out and be done with? Are you a borrower too? Let us know below and we’ll reply!

By Laura.

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Ryan Reynolds? More like Ryan Rey-no, amirite?

I can’t be the only one. I can’t be. I refuse to believe it. But for some reason, it seems I am. And I just don’t understand. You see, the men you girls probably fawn over, the Ryan Reynolds (weird head), the Harry Styles (ew, young) and the Robert Pattinsons (he played a sparkly vampire a little TOO well), I just don’t find remotely attractive. So while you dream about being the next Mrs Gyllenhall, just know that I have no idea what you find attractive about them.

Take Brad Pitt for example. Sure, a fairly decent looking guy if you’re in to foreheads, blondeish hair and varying degrees of manbeard. As far as an actor goes, I find him stilted. So that’s probably why the only film I’ve ever really seen him in is Mr & Mrs Smith, which I watched for all of ten minutes before checking out mentally. The Friends episodes he was in I found so cringe. Not the storyline. Just him.

Or how about Gary Barlow. A talented guy. But not appealing in the slightest, with a voice that sounds rather meh and samey.

Spencer Matthews. I physically can't look at his face without cringing. And that was before we all found out about the personality issues.

Prince William. No. Not attractive. I suspect his royalty and wealth has a lot to do with his attractiveness. If he was working in Screwfix handling orders for plumbers, would you look twice? NO.

Maybe it’s fame. Maybe I just don’t like people with fame. Because I see a slight arrogance in them. Like they expect me to fancy them because they feel they’re smart, hot and talented. So maybe subconsciously my brain says ‘Right men, we have a code 3. The guy is cute, yes, but memory recall from the Daily Mail’s Sidebar of Shame tell us he is famous and has enough fan girls. SHUT DOWN ALL LUST SYSTEMS. And Smitty! Delete those really important things she needs to do later!’

So off Smitty goes and I forget to write an appeal letter for the penalty fare I got a while back (see my tale of woe from last week to read about the most epic of fails). And I go through life with a kind of WTF face when girls start mooching on about how hot whoever was in that film when whoever did something for that girl (the Notebook, maybe?). I just don’t get it. Nor do I get Love, Actually. Or the fascination with Hugh Grant.

So tell me, ladies of the world. Am I a right weirdo? Or will you join me, virtual hand virtually in virtual hand, as we stand together and say to celebrities, ‘We don’t rate you, mate’?

(In the interests of full disclosure, when I was about 12 I had a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio. I bought the trading cards. I was fairly soon snapped out of it after I discovered I was being a right loser.)

Interested? Read on...

When the week just doesn't go the way you want it: featuring Greater Anglia and broken fingers

We all have One of Those Days, but what's worse is when Those Days is actually one of Those Weeks. The Week when the universe, nature, and people all seem to huddle together and conspire to make your life just that bit more stressful and bothersome (I feel like Winnie the Pooh saying that).

Take for example a fortnight ago. I was tired, up early and slightly frazzled. I'd been called at 5:30am to head into London to cover sick leave. I dutifully trotted to the station to get the Hell Train into work. If anyone's ever commuted with Greater Anglia, you'll know what I mean and how there's no exaggeration when I say Hell. So, I chose my ticket, put my card in the machine, punched in my PIN and walked off. Without my tickets. I only realised this when I got to Liverpool Street (five minutes late as usual) and couldn't get out of the barrier.

So, like a good passenger, instead of just winging it and following the crowd through the open gate, I let the revenue control man (ticket police) know my idiotic mistake. Because honesty and policy etc. He issued me a £20 penalty fare, but said I could appeal it. 'Send in your bank statement and they'll get you a refund,' he'd said as he took my money. And too right, I thought. It's not as if I was dodging, I'd just genuinely forgotten. There was proof I'd paid, right?

OH HOW WRONG HE WAS. I got an email saying that because I hadn't travelled with the ticket, my appeal was rejected. So. I'd spend £15 on lost tickets. £20 on a penalty fare. And £15 to get home. Because who doesn't love over-spending £50 on a Monday morning with a train company who wouldn't know the meaning of 'On Time' even if it bent them over a bench and kicked them up the bottom with a suede brogue while singing Ja Rule featuring Ashanti's Always On Time. Fortunately I'm one of those people who doesn't back down easily so I wrote to let them know about this. We'll see if they have any compassion.

The week got worse after that.

I was turning 28. Now officially in my late twenties, I started noticing creases and wrinkles where there were none. A £50 overspend when I'm broke is tolerable. But skin can't be replaced AFAIK.
I all but broke my finger when a woman at work barged into the door of the loos. She didn't even say sorry. And it looked like a sausage for a good few days.
I ripped a hole in my 100 dernier tights. How that even happens is unfathomable. But I did it.

All in all, it was pretty dire. But at least that means it's onwards and upwards from here on in!

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Ale-o Ale-o, what have we here then? Autumn cocktails, guv

The season of elderflower cocktails, lavender-infused gin and strawberry champagne is over. As we bid a fond farewell to sunny days, it's time to look forward to all that winter has to offer us. Mulled wine. Salted caramel mochas. And ale cocktails? Seriously, just read on.

Ale is usually the tipple of choice for red-nosed country folk in their local thatched pub. And with names like Fursty Ferret and Tangle Foot, it certainly brings to mind sitting in a pub in Norfolk next to a log fire while locals play cards and the rowdy young generation laugh over the day's fun. But apparently, Badger have created a range of cocktails using their selection of ales for you lovely folk to try out. Trust us. They may sound strange, but ale cocktails really work well. Let us know what you think!

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Here's how to... be a charity shop thrifty pro

Everyone gets it; that buzz from shopping. The surge of excitement as you step through the doors, the thrill of the search as you battle against the other customers and the great sense of achievement as you leave with your new purchases.

Not everyone gets the same rush as they step into a charity shop, though. Once the haunt of grans looking for knitting patterns, now every fashion blogger knows their worth. You can find some real gems hidden in the shelves if you’re prepared to shake off a little bit of dust and run it through the wash before you wear it. In fact, I actually prefer browsing through the charity shops now. It's much more peaceful, it doesn’t cost me even nearly as much to find a brilliant outfit and the staff are always more than willing to help you out and point you in the right direction for the best items.

Interested? Read on...

Suffering in silence: how needles can help

New research out today suggests that women are suffering with anxiety in silence, as over two thirds of the estimated three million UK sufferers fail to seek treatment. The study carried out by the British Acupuncture Council and Anxiety UK, to mark World Mental Health Day two weeks ago, questioned whether sufferers are currently aware of all the alternative options available to them.

43% of the women interviewed said talking to friends and family about their issues helps them cope with their anxiety, whilst physical exercise also plays a part in managing their struggle. The women surveyed used the words "trapped, lonely and tense" when describing how their anxiety makes them feel. And I'm sure most of us can relate to feeling those at some point throughout our lives.

Interested? Read on...

The top ten things women want to do on a day off... could you do better?

It appears that during the average working week women clock in at least 20 per cent more hours than men. A major study claims that because of housework and childcare, career women are working much longer hours than men, even though they may not be spending as much time in the office.

Researchers at Cambridge University have found women who work outside the home still do the bulk of the domestic chores, including picking the kids up from school, helping with homework, cleaning and cooking. A woman's work is never done has never seemed truer.

Unfair, right? So even though men tend to spend more hours at the office, often because they are in management positions and earn higher salaries, it's us women who are actually on-the-go for longer.

So the guys at girls at Vita Liberata tanning have created a Liberation Day competition, that we think sounds just lovely. Imagine if you had a full 24 hours to spend selfishly. No holds barred. Purely and simply, what would a woman do if they had 24 hours entirely to themselves, with no responsibilities, no financial issues, no worries at all?

The top responses from their survey were:

78% were so knackered all they wanted was a day to rest
Shopping!
Cocktails
Spend a day ‘out’ are New York, London or Paris
Go to Nashville and visit the home of Elvis Presley
Watch Barcelona football team - at their home ground
98% chose not to include their other half in their day off
Do makeup on a Hollywood film set
5% wanted an active day – bungee jumping, skiing, white water rafting, being the most popular
Drive the 5 fastest cars in the world

But we think you can do better. Cocktails? Elvis? Nah. So enter here: www.liberationdayiscoming.com to take part and possibly win your very own 24 hours of unbridled fun.

Interested? Read on...

In which I stay in a London Travelodge and wash my hair with a bar of soap

London's a wonderful place. But London hotels really aren't, setting the ol' bank balance back at least a few hundred pounds for a night. And if they're not expensive, they're the size of a shoebox. Sure, I may live under an hour away from the city, but it's still annoying having to get anywhere early. You know what's even more annoying? Missing the last train home, and having to catch an array of night buses, each containing their very own selection of London's, er, specialest people.

So when the boy's parents were travelling the long, cold, and rough journey from deepest, darkest Cumbria to our nation's capital, it was only logical I was going to book a hotel stay. With a trip to the Shard planned (hey, we all need to impress) this would give me enough time to have a good sleep, get ready and travel over without too much fuss.

I booked in one night at Travelodge on Southwark. I love this little part of London. It's not as hipster as Shoreditch and Dalston, yet can still make for a great night out. It's near enough the river for a walk into West End, the Strand and Covent Garden, too. My only experience of a Travelodge was a good few years ago when I managed to bag a cheapy room in the Midlands for a weekend away, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But rates were reasonable at £72 for a double room, so I thought it was worth a punt.

The hotel itself is a moment's walk from Southwark station, past a huge office building and loads of Soviet-style council tower blocks. The area doesn't look the most appealing - it's no Kensington - but it's oh so convenient. It's weird that there's so much security at the hotel (you need your keycard to get in at night, and reception is on the first floor) but again, it's a rough and ready area.

The rooms are fine. Basic, and very large, so there's enough space for two people to get ready for a night out. The main selling point apparently is their beds. Their new mattresses are designed for a good night's sleep, even if you sleep next to a fidgeter, or a snorer, or a takes-half-the-duvet kind. And I'm pleased to say they are lovely and comfy, and very big. I slept like a baby for most of the night. The room was on the 6th floor, so high enough not to get disturbed by noise on the street. I'd recommend you ask for a room as high as possible, especially as there's the really quirky (and loud) pub The Lord Nelson outside some rooms.

There are only two main bugbears I had. One: there are no toiletries provided at all. As in, you only get a small very thin bar of soap. I did not know this before booking. So, not only did I have the pressure of showing off the best of the city I adore to relative newcomers, I turned up at the Shard, meeting the parents, with what was basically cheap Palmolive in my hair in a futile attempt to rid my tresses of dry shampoo and mousse from the night before. Not a way to make a great impression on any count. Fortunately I'd bought deodorant so that was something.

The second is the light on the telly. For convenience sake, it's mounted on the wall opposite the bed. Handy. But the blue light literally lights up the whole room. I'm fine with the ambient glow of orange street lights. Even those harsh eco-friendly white lights don't keep me up. But this blue light was very annoying. And as the TV was wall mounted, there was nothing I could use to cover it. So bring a small roll of electrical tape or find a way to unplug it.

After a brisk shower breakfast beckoned. If you book online it's £6 for a buffet style service in the cafe. I rarely make it down for breakfast because I love my sleep, but seeing as champagne at midday was the plan I thought a lined stomach was a good idea. Breakfast is self-service. So there's tea, coffee, yoghurt and honey, cereal, fruit, croissants and muffins, Nutella and jam on toast and the full English of course. It's cheapy and cheerful, and if you're cheeky you can take supplies back to the room to be eaten. For some reason I'd pay £6, but £7 on the day just seemed too much. Especially when it comes to just under £15 for to people to have breakfast. Saying that, a recent review that stated "The cafe staff were very patient when my husband set fire to a croissant in the toaster," was hilarious.

All in all, I'd say it's worth a one night stay, especially if you can get a £29 room rate. I mean, £29! It's not somewhere you'd want to stay for a romantic night with your other half, or the kind of hotel you'd check your parents in to for their anniversary. But for a stop over in the city they're as spacious as you're going to get for that price, and with views over the Shard and the city, you could be looking at worse. Oh, and the beds are pretty awesome. And did I mention £29?

(Because it was a very short stay I stupidly forgot to take photos, so I've pinched these from tripadvisor)

Interested? Read on...

Quick, light and easy winter soup recipes (includes avocados)

With a winter the worst in one hundred years on its way (yay *breaks out the mittens*) it's time to start eating warming, healthy food. Not the double cheeseburger and medium fries I've had for lunch every day for the past fortnight. I tell myself it;s allowed now cold weather's drawing in - after all, bears do it - but alas, I am not a bear. I need something more than cardboard burgers to nourish me.

So here are a few recipes we've handpicked to suit even the drizzliest of days.

A soup for those battling a winter cold

Chicken broth

2 chicken thighs or 4 chicken wings

1 tablespoon oil

3 thick stalks celery, peeled and sliced

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

1.2 litres chicken stock

100g brown rice

1 teaspoon horseradish sauce

A generous bunch of parsley, stalks removed and leaves very finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Roast the chicken pieces in a medium to hot oven until the skins are crisp and they're cooked through.
While the chicken is roasting, prepare the other ingredients to make your soup.
Warm the oil in a soup pot, add the celery, onion and carrot and sauté gently until the vegetables are tender, for about 15 minutes.
Add the stock and bring slowly to the boil.
Reduce the heat, add the rice and simmer, covered until the rice is cooked, around 20 minutes.
Skin the chicken pieces and shred/chop before adding to the soup with the horseradish sauce and parsley.
Stir well and season to taste.
As rice soaks up a lot of liquid, you will probably have to add more stock or water to achieve a lighter meal.

A soup for the brave

Warm avocado soup

1 tablespoon oil

1 small onion, peeled and "nely chopped

1 small green chilli, seeds removed and "nely sliced

1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tablespoons coriander leaves, roughly chopped

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

2 small, ripe avocados, stoned, !esh spooned out and diced

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and pepper

 

Warm the oil in a soup pot and gently sauté the onion and chilli until tender, but it's important not to let the onions brown.
Add the garlic and coriander.
Continue to sauté very gently for a further 5 minutes.
Add three-quarters of the stock, bring to the boil.
When it's bubbling nicely, neduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let the soup cool a little.
Add the avocado and lemon juice, season to taste and either transfer to a liquidiser or blitz with a hand blender until preferred consistency - some like it chunky, others like it smooth.
Add more stock if it is too thick and lemon juice to taste. Serve while warm.

 

 

A rich and filling soup for the dieter

Skinny mushroom soup

20g dried porcini mushrooms

1 tablespoon oil

2 medium onions, peeled and "nely sliced or chopped

600g button mushrooms, cleaned and "nely sliced or chopped

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon Mushroom Ketchup

100ml dry sherry (optional)

Salt and pepper

Fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Soak the dried mushrooms in 200ml boiling water and set aside while you get on with preparing the onions and button mushrooms.
Warm the oil in a large pan, add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes until golden and slightly caramelised around the edges then add the fresh mushrooms and sauté for a further 5 minutes - again, go for a slightly
caramelised edge.
Drain and roughly chop the dried mushrooms and add both the mushrooms and the soaking liquor to the pot.
Add the stock, Mushroom Ketchup and sherry, if using and gently simmer for a further 15 minutes then season to taste.
At this stage you can either serve the soup as it is, liquidise the whole lot until smooth and creamy or remove the mushrooms before liquidising and return them to the soup before reheating and serving with lots of chopped parsley.

These soups were taken from the Soup Can Make You Thin cookbook, which is available here if you fancy it!

Interested? Read on...

Why the X Factor has gone too far #ExpolitingPeople

The X-Factor, with its comedy acts, acid-tongued judges and brutal cuts, has crushed people’s dreams since its inception in 2004. Who hasn’t watched the first auditions and laughed at people singing to their cats, whilst insisting that ‘it must be a dare, it must be!’ Who didn’t laugh at Wagner? It’s hard to bear in mind, or care, that it probably wasn’t a dare and that they have genuine hopes of being successful – however misguided. If you thought Louis Walsh laughing hysterically as someone performed was uncomfortable, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Susan Boyle’s massively underreported mental health issues should have been a warning signal for producers of talent shows, but, instead, they’ve decided to go even further with the addition of ‘judges’ seats’, a process where each judge has six seats to fill, contestants are forced to vie for places.

Now, this was fine until it became apparent that judges are allowed to ‘swap’ contestants, so those sitting comfortably could be uprooted. The music industry is a tough place, sure, but I am reluctant to believe that artists have worked hard for a contract, been promised one and then have had it ripped up infront of them – infront of millions.

When you add in the ‘swap, swap’ chants from the audience and the open discussion of a candidate’s weaknesses infront of them, it makes very uncomfortable viewing. Hannah Sheares, only 17, had already been forced to get rid of her band mates at first auditions, but was still booted out. I challenge you to find an hour of TV that includes more tears - one Twitter user said: “I’m actually not watching the X Factor anymore… Why is it so cruel all of a sudden??? #NoNeed #ExpolitingPeople”.

It doesn’t stop there. Not only are the seats controversial, but even the judges houses stage has upped its cruel-factor. Putting aside the fact that several contestants had been through to the stage before, the producers have added a wonderful new feature where unsuccessful applicants are filmed telling family members the bad news.

You’ve not seen awkward, or unnecessary, until you’ve watched a young boy come through the door to a packed living room of expectant friends and family and apologise for not getting through. Cue them jumping up and doing the best they can to console a sobbing teenage boy whilst being filmed. What’s worse is that in some cases it was clear that family members were expecting the news to be a joke. With a cameraman there, who can blame them?

Twitter wasn’t pleased about this either: “And now the x factor is filming people telling their families they didn’t get through? This and the new bootcamp is just cruel”.

Talent shows by their nature will always be cruel, particularly when they involve children or teenagers, but the X-Factor seems to have gone out of its way to ensure vulnerable contestants are kicked when they are down. Over, and over, and over again. As long as the viewing figures are still high, they’ll keep trying to outdo themselves, and it will only be after tragedy happens that something is done.

By Lauren Cope.

Interested? Read on...

What's on your winter wishlist?

Unpopular though it may be, I'm actually quite glad to see the back of summer.

I enjoyed the sun, the summer clothes and spending my graduation boiling in a black robe (alright, that one a bit less), but I'm happy to see the darker evenings and feel the autumnal bite in the air. And now the trees are turning all shades of the rainbow, it won't be long before we're in the throes of autumnal weather.

Probably the top reason for this negative attitude, is the winter fashion - I, and I think many others, love winter fashion. While I claim to have no fashion qualifications or expertise as such - I own a pink leopard print onesie so judge as you will - I love clothes, and shopping, and feel relatively qualified to write a "winter wishlist" sort of article. So here goes.

Interested? Read on...

The top five awesome and moresome bars in Glasgow

Ah Scotland. The land where deep fried Mars bars were invented, and rich, peaty whisky sits in ageing barrels just waiting to be sipped in front of a warm fire. For those two reasons alone we're huge fans of our northernmost counterparts.

So where better to enjoy a wee dram or cracking cocktail than Scotland’s second city? Glasgow is simply jammed with gems. Whether you're a Glaswegian by blood or just a tourist popping into town, Claire from DesignMyNight has collated and curated her top picks for the city.

Next time you're heading north, give these five amazing bars a try. And while you're at it, uni is free in those parts so maybe get a degree under your belt as well? (We're not jealous and resentful of all the awesomeness. Honest.)

Interested? Read on...