Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Palace of Holyroodhouse (or Holyrood palace), as many of you probably already know, is the queen's official residence in Scotland. And whilst it is a 30 odd minute walk from home, up until recently we did not get around to exploring it properly ( other than walking past it every so often). My mum's visit over the summer finally gave us a reason to do so.

Holyrood Palace is a stunning piece of baroque architecture and beautifully symmetric. We started our exploration of the palace at the quadrangle with perfectly manicured lawns where we stood and observed the different levels (floors) of the palace and learned about their significance. The Royal accommodation is on the second floor as was the place where Mary Queen of Scots took residence during her eventful stay here.

Photography was not allowed inside the palace but the Queen's chambers, the royal dining room as well as the chambers occupied by Mary Queen of Scots were fascinating to see and learn about. Mary Queen of Scots lived here for about six years until the murder of David Rizzio and her forced abdication. The listening guides we borrowed were very useful in bringing to life the rich and sometimes dark history of the palace.

After our tour of the palace interiors, we were led to what is left of Holyrood Abbey. Despite the ruins, the abbey is a beautiful place and what remains of the architecture is very impressive. It was built in 1128 as per the orders of King David I of Scotland. A lot of early Scottish history is closely linked with this Abbey.

The palace is surrounded by beautiful  gardens that are also well worth exploring but as we were happening a typically Edinburgh weather day with light drizzle and cool winds, we cut short that part of the tour. We hope to be back on a drier day to walk around the gardens some more.

All in all, I think the palace is great place to explore some European and British history. As we managed to get a year along entry pass when we bought our tickets ( I'm not sure but I think its what happens with all tickets), we will be back to explore it some more.

For more of my photos from the day, check out my Instagram page. Hope you are having a lovely week! Ann x

Wearing: Petit Bateau dress, Muubaa jacket, Bloch ballerinas, Wolford tights and Longchamp bag

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Exploring Scotland: Isle of Arran

Good morning folks! No, I have not given up on the blog yet! As with many of the previous hiatuses, this last one was due to yet another case of work and life not quite being balanced. However, I promised myself that I would make time to write this weekend ( and spurred on by an email asking 'where are your blog posts, Ann?!'). 

Back in July, we took off to the Isle of Arran to mark a special weekend- our wedding anniversary, our being approved to adopt (!!) and my mum's visit. Arran was close enough and warm enough enough (relatively speaking) for my mum to enjoy the trip without turning into a tropical icicle.

I did prepare her for the worst on the weather front and we pretty much got that. As we drove to Androssan, a combination of torrential rain and gale force winds threatened ferry cancellation. We were booked on the last boat to Arran but we luckily made it to our holiday cottage without too trouble.

Our long weekend commenced with a quick recce of the island. Arran is tiny and so you can drive across and around it many times in a day. It is a popular destination for cyclists who take the ferry across the Clyde on day trips to the island. Arran is often referred to as a mini Scotland -agricultural low lands in the South, beautiful beaches along the west and the east and rugged hills to the north.

We were staying on the very south of the island near Kilmory and we started our exploration driving westwards and heading north to Lochranza. We hoped to explore the standing stones at Machrie Moor but the weather wasn't suitable for making my mother walk a long way. We came back the next morning (in the rain) to check the place out. 

Lochranza is beautiful and the castle is set against the rugged mountainous backdrop. From Lochranza we drove south east wards, stopping by the golf course for a quick lunch followed by a quick stop every so often to admire the scenery.

My favourite view of all is the one of Ailsa Craig from the south of the island. Ailsa Craig has a bird sanctuary and also serves as a granite quarry. It was up for sale (by the Marquess of Ailsa) a few years ago but I'm not sure if it did sell. If there are any canny investors amongst you, do check it out!

We also visited Brodick Castle, a beautiful red sandstone building with stunning gardens. Unfortunately, given the weather, we spent more time indoors than outdoors here. The castle serves a decent lunch too.

The beaches of Arran are great for families. The areas of Brodick (more touristy) and Lamlash are popular as there are number of things to do with small kids and family groups. As for us, we chose to simply crisscross the length and breadth of the island several times over, exploring areas that looked interesting and stopping for spectacular views. 

We also visited the Arran Distillery, the Arran Cheese Company and Arran Aromatics, all of which were very interesting. Ed likes his whisky and was impressed with what we tasted at the distillery. My favourite place though was Creelers, the seafood restaurant next to Arran Aromatics which serves fantastic fresh oysters!

There is so much to do and see in Arran-I've only just skimmed the surface in this post. For more of my photos from the weekend, check out my Instagram page. 

Hope you are having a lovely Sunday! Ann x

Wearing: Chinti and Parker cashmere top, Uniqlo trousers, Marni for H&M jacket, Bloch ballet flats, Tom Ford sunglasses, ASOS raincoat and Longchamp Neo bag

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Tea and Travel

Tea has a rich and chequered story. From its origins in China and its eventual expansion overseas, this leaf is inextricably linked with the cultural and political history of our world. The Dragonfly tea company has capitalised on the evocative nature of tea and created a sensory guidebook, Brewed with a View. This 'tea book' is in essence a collection of hand-crafted teas, each paired to a destination in Britain by virtue of its history and unique characteristics.

I've slowly been working my way through the 'book' and so far, my favourite is the silver needle white leaf tea. As I drank this exquisite brew, I played back the writer's imagination and reasons for pairing this tea with Wast Water in the Lake District. The views from there, across to the majestic Scafell Pike ( the cover image of this post) are not dissimilar to that of the region where the silver needle tea is cultivated in China.

Other tea pairing inspirations include Glamis Castle, Kibble Palace and Glengoyne distillery in Scotland, the  Roman baths of Bath, Ashdown Forest, Leadenhall Market in London etc. 

For more information, check out the Dragonfly tea website where you can also buy Brewed with a View for just £10.98! Far cheaper than an air or train ticket!

Hope this inspires you to put the kettle on, enjoy a nice cuppa tea and have a lovely Sunday! Ann x

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Haiti in Scotland

Readers of this blog will know of my deep love for exploring new places and experiencing different cultures. Stella Jean's creations capture the essence of Haiti in an incredibly vibrant and fun way. I've always felt that wearing one of her creations would be a bit like spending a beautiful summer's day in Haiti. I've been stalking Stella Jean on Matches Fashion and a handful of other sites for at least a year now. Unfortunately, as much as I loved the Haitian's style and aesthetic, I could not find a piece that worked for me.  Those that did were always sold out!

Meet my fortuitous Stella Jean find - the swallow print dress (purchased the second it landed on Vestiaire Collective)!!! Its been a while since I've written a mainly fashion focused post and this wee find has now helped remedy that situation. I absolutely adore the dress- it makes me happy, I got complimented lots and it is so very bouncy!! I'm extremely impressed with the tailoring (despite my waist feeling corseted) and I am really looking forward to seeking out (i.e. buying on sale) more of her work.

Ed loved the dress too but said I had to save it for a special occasion. That's always a bit tricky.....define special?! Anyway, I figured a day spent drinking cocktails out of china cups followed by stomping around the Scottish Modern Art Galleries appreciating Roy Lichtenstein and Escher with friends seemed special enough.....don't you think?

For more of my photos from the day, check out my Instagram page. Hope you are having a lovely week! Ann x

Wearing: Stella Jean swallow print dress bought via Vestiaire Collective and Whistles shoes.

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter,Instagram or Facebook.

A Journey Across Italy with Birra Moretti and La Favorita

I've confessed my love for Italy many times over on this blog. It must come as no surprise then that I was particularly excited at the prospect of spending an evening at Birra Moretti's Gran Tour pop-up in Edinburgh. The tour promised a culinary trip around the fascinating country, accompanied by a few pints of Birra Moretti (obviously!).

The Edinburgh part of the tour was held at the multi-faceted Summerhall venue. The area was mapped out into Italian regions with numerous stalls serving food from all over the country. I started off my culinary tour with Sicialin arancini balls, followed by antipasti from Tuscany and paninoteca's from Umbria and finally La Favorita Campania inspired pizza. My colleagues and friends, who also came along to the event, covered a few more regions after I gave up eating. We polished it all off with gelato, espresso and more Birra Moretti. To allow you to sample a taste of Italy, the folk at La Favorita have shared one of their favourite new recipes with us....

Recipe: Mac & Cheese with Crispy Pancetta by Manuel Giacometti, Head Pizza Chef and trainer at La Favorita Delivered

La Favorita Delivereds’ mac & cheese with crispy pancetta is relatively new to their menu but already proving very popular. Treated with typical La Fav flare, an otherwise humble, yet much loved pasta dish has been elevated with fantastic Italian ingredients to make a deliciously moreish dish!

Ingredients – 1 portion

Macaroni Pasta – 180g

Double cream – 80ml

Parmesan – 50g

Mascarpone – 50g

Mature Scottish Cheddar – 100g

Cooked Crispy Pancetta – 60g

Croutons – 20g

Salt/Pepper and freshly chopped parsley to taste

Method:

1.     Gently simmer the cream in a large frying pan or saucepan, stir regularly to ensure it doesn’t burn

2.     Meanwhile, put a pan with the macaroni pasta on to boil for the recommended time

3.     As the cream simmers away, add the parmesan and allow to melt

4.     Add in the mascarpone and stir

5.     Once the mascarpone has melted add in the cheddar

6.     Drain the cooked macaroni and add to the pan with the creamy cheesy sauce

7.     Mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly and bring back to the boil

8.     Serve the ingredients with crispy pancetta, toasted croutons, fresh parmesan shavings, parsley and season to taste

Hope you are all having a lovely week...only two more days to the weekend! Ann 

To get in touch and see the latest on all my adventures, follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter,Instagram or Facebook.

Androids And Mobiles Code

 *Samsung Galaxy Y Secret Codes:-

*#*#4636#*#* phone information 

 *2767*3855# hard reset

*#*#7780#*#* factory reset *#*#7594#*#* change end call/power option 

*#*#197328640#*#* service mode

 *#*#273283*255*663282*#*#* file copy screen (backup media files)

 *#*#526#*#* wlan test

 *#*#232338#*#* shows wifi mac address 

*#*#1472365#*#* gps test

*#*#1575#*#* another gps test 

1.  *#*#232331#*#* bluetooth test

1.  *#*#232337#*# shows bluetooth device address

1.  *#*#8255#*#* gtalk service monitor

1.  *#*#0283#*#* packet loopback

1. *#*#0*#*#* lcd test 

1.  *#*#0673#*#* melody test 

1. *#*#0842#*#* device test (vibration test and backlight test)

1.  *#*#2663#*#* touch screen version

1.  *#*#2664#*#* touch screen test

1.  *#*#0588#*#* proximity sensor test

1.  *#*#3264#*#* ram version codes to get firmware version information

1.  *#*#4986*2650468#*#* pda, phone, h/w, rfcalldate 

1. *#*#1234#*#* pda and phone

1.  *#*#1111#*#* fta sw version

1.  *#*#2222#*#* fta hw version

1.  *#*#44336#*#* pda, phone, csc, build time, change list number            

    * SAMSUNG MOBILE  CODES

• If you have downloaded corrupted or incompatible Java midlets or other media, which are causing problems with the phone, try this *2767*JAVA# Java Reset and (Deletes all Java Midlets) *2767*MEDIA# Reset Media (Deletes All Sounds and Pics) *2767*WAP# Wap Reset *2767*CUST# Reset Custom EEPR0M *2767*FULL# Reset Full EEPR0M (Caution) For example : *2767*JAVA# would be keyed in as *2767*5282# Note : Not all codes will work with SGH-C100. The master reset code is: #*7728# This will not delete anything from your mobile phone, but set each and eveything to its default/standard setting as it was on the time of purchase. To unlock your phone put a sim from another company, now type *#9998*3323# it will reset your phone. Push exit and then push 7, it will reset again. Put your other sim in and it will say sim lock, type in 00000000 then it should be unlocked. Type in *0141# then the green call batton and it’s unlocked to all networks. This code may not work on the older phones and some of the newer phones. If it doesn’t work you will have to reset your phone without a sim in it by typing *#2767*2878# or *#9998*3855# (not tested) Other Samsung Codes *#9998*4357# Help Menu *#9998*5282# Java menu (GRPS/CSD settings for JAVA server) *#9999#0# Monitor Mode *#9999# or *#9998*9999# Software Version *#8888# or *#9998*8888# Hardware Version *#9998*746# or *#9998*0746# or *#0746# Sim Infos *#9998*523# or *#9998*0523# or *#0523# Display Contrast *#9998*842# or *#9998*0842# or *#0842# Vibration On (until you push OK) *#9998*289# or *#9998*0289# or *#0289# Buzzer On (until you push OK) *#9998*288# or *#9998*0288# or *#0288# Battery & Field Infos *#9998*377# or *#9998*0377# Error log *#9998*778# or *#9998*0778# or *#0778# Sim Service table *#9998*782# show date and alarm clock *#8999*638# show network information *#9998*5646# change operator logo at startup *#9998*76# production number *#9998*968# view melody for alarm *#9998*585# Non- Volatile Memory (NVM) *#3243948# Digital Audio Interference Off *#32436837# Digital Audio Interference On 

   *IPHONE TOP SECRETS CODES

  

 Here are some more secret iPhone codes for you to enjoy. After realizing that the *3001#12345#* was a familiar Nokia code, I decided to spend some time googling for other phone codes that might work on the iPhone. These (mostly) do. There are more. Feel free to add your own to the comments. *3001#12345#* and tap Call. Enter Field Mode *#06#Displays your IMEI. No need to tap Call. *777# and tap Call. Account balance for prepaid iPhone. *225# and tap Call. Bill Balance. (Postpaid only) *646# and tap Call. Check minutes. (Postpaid only) *#21# and tap Call. Setting interrogation for call forwards. *#30# and tap Call. Calling line presentation check. *#76# and tap Call. Check whether the connected line presentation is enabled or not. *#43# and tap Call. Determine if call waiting is enabled. *#61# and tap Call. Check the number for unanswered calls. *#62# and tap Call. Check the number for call forwarding if no service is available. *#67# and tap Call. Check the number for call forwarding when the iPhone is busy. *#33# and tap Call.

*ALL NOKIA CODES:-

 To check the phones Software revision for Nokia Mobile. On the main screen type *#0000# To enter in the secret menu in Nokia Phone. On the main screen type *#92702689# [*#war0anty#] It will take you to a secret menu where you may find some of the information below: 1. Displays Serial Number. 2. Displays the Month and Year of Manufacture 3. Displays (if there) the date where the phone was purchased (MMYY) 4. Displays the date of the last repair – if found (0000) 5. Shows life timer of phone (time passes since last start) To restore Factory Settings for Nokia mobile *#7780# reset to factory settings. Taking picture without getting noticed. Turn on/off the “click” sound made by the camera by selecting the ‘Silent’ profile or by turning warning tones on/off. Hiding your Mobile/ Cellphone Number Go to: Menu > Tools > Settings > Call > Send My Caller ID > ‘Yes’, ‘No’ or ‘Set By Network’ to follow the default settings of your home network. It works only with very few network who provide you facility of “Private Number” Speed Dialing From Simcard contact (not stored in mobile phonebook) Type number followed by # then call. Example: 1# or 2# or 21# 

*ALL LG MOBILE MOBILE CODES

 LG all models test mode: Type 2945#*# on the main screen. 2945*#01*# Secret menu for LG IMEI and SW (LG 510): *#07# Software version (LG B1200): *8375# Recount cheksum (LG B1200): *6861# Factory test (B1200): #PWR 668 Simlock menu (LG B1200): 1945#*5101# Simlock menu (LG 510W, 5200): 2945#*5101# Simlock menu (LG 7020, 7010): 2945#*70001# Simlock menu (LG 500, 600): 2947#* LG-U81XX SPECIAL CODES Code to read phone version : - Phone without SIM - Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454# - Select ‘SW Ver.info’ Code to reset phone : - Phone without SIM - Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454# - Select ‘Factory Reset’ Code to enter UNLOCK MENU : - Phone wit SIM inside - Enter 2945#*88110# Test Menu 8330 : 637664#*# Test Menu 8180 V10a: 49857465454# Test Menu 8180 V11a: 492662464663# Test Menu 8130-8138: 47328545454# Test Menu 8110-8120: 277634#* LG all models test mode: Type 2945#*# on the main screen. 2945*#01*# Secret menu for LG IMEI and SW (LG 510): *#07# Software version (LG B1200): *8375# Recount cheksum (LG B1200): *6861# Factory test (B1200): #PWR 668 Simlock menu (LG B1200): 1945#*5101# Simlock menu (LG 510W, 5200): 2945#*5101# Simlock menu (LG 7020, 7010): 2945#*70001# Simlock menu (LG 500, 600): 2947#* LG-U81XX SPECIAL CODES Code to read phone version : - Phone without SIM - Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454# - Select ‘SW Ver.info’ Code to reset phone : - Phone without SIM - Enter 277634#*# or 47328545454# - Select ‘Factory Reset’ Code to enter UNLOCK MENU : - Phone wit SIM inside - Enter 2945#*88110# Test Menu 8330 : 637664#*# Test Menu 8180 V10a: 49857465454# Test Menu 8180 V11a: 492662464663# Test Menu 8130-8138: 47328545454# Test Menu 8110-8120: 277634#      

Remove Window isnot Genuine From windows

1> Go to Cmd 
2> left click it 
3> Click Run as Administrator
4> And type below code one by one :-

takeown /f "%windir%\System32\slui.exe"

icacls "%windir%\System32\slui.exe" /deny *S-1-1-0:(X)

5> Restart your computer
        Now its Done Enjoy!!!