A day off.

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Taking Time Out.

I am notoriously bad at doing nothing. I'm in the 1% of people who hasn't bothered getting a Netflix subscription 'cause this gal ain't got time for that. Instead, I tend to head out and do something (anything) to make sure that it's not a day "wasted". Whether it's heading to the gym or going out to a coffee shop to catch up reading the Times over something with a fair few ounces of caffeine in it, it's rare you'll find me at home. However, a couple of weeks back I took the day off work to do just that.

Waking late, I took the opportunity to start slow and poach some eggs while the kettle boiled. The daffodils bought a week previously had started to bloom, and served myself brunch (because you definitely can't call a 11.30 meal breakfast) while things outside were weirdly quiet. It's amazing what smokey eyes you can create when you're not against the clock, so make up did I headed out into town for a mooch and then sit down in Foundation with a coffee for an hour or so, before making the trip back home and cooking chicken pie for dinner. That evening involved watching Easy A, hot chocolate and candles, to fully live out the basic bitch life I'd always dreamed of. And you know what? It was great.

Who knew doing nothing could take up so much time?

If you're into your doing nowt, then definitely let me know your favourite ways to pass the time. Because, until next time, here I'll be constantly doing stuff. brb, going out.

What I Wore.

Uniqlo coat. And Other Stories tee. And Other Stories kick flare jeans (new season version). Urban Outfitters bag. Tatty Devine necklace. Zara faux fur loafers (similar).

What's On Insta.

Nope, no angle will make these shoes look pretty, but beyond caring #Zara #ootd #outfit

A post shared by Rebecca 😈 (@rebeccacohen_) on Feb 23, 2017 at 12:05am PST

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Playing it cool on the set of Harry Potter.

Zara coat. & Other Stories top. Oasis jeans. Topshop hat. Tatty Devine speech bubble necklace. Adidas Superstar trainers.

Visiting Durham

Do you ever get it in your head that you're going to love a place, despite never having visited? Well, I did. I've been internally bigging up Durham for a long ol' time, and when I got wind of my pal Clarity moving there, it was only a matter of time before I'd booked myself some train tickets and was on my way up. I'm not even sure why I'd wanted to go for so long, as it's not like it's been repeatedly talked about online (yeah, you guys have massively killed any want to head to Brighton again, can you stop now?), and barely gets any mentions by my friends. I'm just going to assume that it's down to how much I like York, and just thinking it's an even further North version of that.

Thankfully, Durham lived up to my expectations, and then some.

Okay, okay, the weather's just as bad as it is in Manchester, but as my hair is now in a permanent state of frizzy, I was more than happy to wander from the train station down into town and head straight out for lunch. Clarity recommended a place called Leonard's Coffee House, and boy do they do a decent toasted sandwich. I mean, nothing will come between me and my love for Northern Soul's grilled cheese sandwiches (nothing, I swear), but this sarnie is moving its way up on my List of Sandwiches I Need to Master.

We then headed onwards and upwards to the Cathedral. Even if half of it is currently covered in scaffolding - damn you unphotogenic renovations - it's still pretty impressive, dominating the Durham skyline. Of course, I lost my shit when I recognised bits from the Harry Potter films, so got myself a cheesy lil snap "on set". Don't even try to pretend you wouldn't too.

I've got another post coming up on my second day of visiting Durham too (been storing these up for a while), so keep an eye out if you're a fan of cream teas and peonies like every single blogger out there. Hardly surprising I've been a bit absent from the internet when I've had to deal with such cliché delights, is it?

Where we went

What's on Insta

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Don't forget who you are.

Ribbed polo neck and denim pinafore dress: c/o Fat Face. Hobbs monk shoes: £69 (similar). Marks and Spencer bag: £43. Tatty Devine bunting necklace: made by myself!

Scheduling is the poor man's time travel (bear with me, it kinda makes sense). I'm sitting with a fresh brew writing this on a Thursday lunchtime, knowing it'll be published on Sunday morning, and you'll be reading this maybe that day or in 2019 or whenever. In the interval of 72 hours, I'll have packed my bags, decamped Essex in favour of Manchester*, probably had a minor panic attack on the train as it leaves Euston and thought of pancake day approx 93 times. So, as you read this I'll be fuming at how bloody cold the North is, when in reality I'm chilling listening to a bit of Radio 1. In the past. See? Sort of like time travel.

East London, in a roundabout way, has a similar feel. I'm not an eastender by any stretch of the imagination, but I am firmly rooted there in quite a few ways. Last week I met up with Kristabel and we headed to Pitfield Street's eponymous café for a coffee. As we sat looking across the street I kept thinking of how lots of time paths crossed along this street - obviously not whilst we were talking, because that's weird and a little bit rude. If I were to turn right, I'd end up pacing the well-worn track back to my old place of work, via the local, home to plenty of breakdowns and a fair few hurrahs. Turn left, however, and you'll work your way up to the church my grandparents were married in, their first home and the bakery my cousin still works in to this day. Of course, you'll all have a vested interest in going straight ahead and ending up at the Breakfast Club because their huevos rancheros is amazing and 100% #instagrammable. And there I was sat, wearing some clothes from the brand where I had my first job. One part funny, one part kinda reading into this 100 times too much.

*With the slight upheaval, there might be a bit of change here. I've got a few posts scheduled, but can't guarantee things will be running like clockwork in the next few weeks+, so please bear with me while I sort my life stuff out. I'll inevitably be tweeting and gramming, so see you there in the meantime!

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Polka dots and pretty houses.

Chinti and Parker polka dot shirt: £4.95 (!!), via charity shop (similar). Vintage leather jacket: £17.50. Asos petite Ridley jeans: £30. Oasis chelsea boots: £41 (now on sale). Primark hat: £7. Speech bubble necklace: c/o Tatty Devine. Topshop and H Samuel rings. Essie 'maximillian strasse her'. MAC 'Ravishing'.

It would seem that my mum and I have been tackling a 'places in Essex we've never been' list with much aplomb. A far cry from TOWIE (literally, we went in the opposite direction from Sugar Hut), we stumbled across enough pastel-coloured houses to rival Notting Hill, with significantly less tourists and plenty more opportunities for no-queuing-necessary afternoon tea. Castle Hedingham (the place, not the castle) is full of narrow winding streets working their way up and down, interspersed with plenty of ancient pubs and tea-rooms. Dreamy.

Onto one of my other recent finds: this shirt. I've been frequenting charity shops less than usual, but will still pop in if I happen to be in town for a reason other than to use the train station/go to the gym/be a bottle of wine down. I picked up this Chinti and Parka shirt for less than a fiver because I genuinely liked it, not realising till I got home that they retail for well over £100 - can I get a 'hell yeah'? And, of course, I couldn't not mention this amazing necklace team Tatty sent over to cheer up one very blue Monday, featuring my tweet in cold, shiny, hard plastic. It may not make the start of the week any easier, but it sure gives the guy at the station something to chuckle at as he prepares my 'large, for Monday' latte.

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