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YES! I have it….The first in the UK and maybe Europe, the Spain away goalkeeper shirt! 😀
I searched high and low, Adidas.es, Adidas UK, the usual UK shops and websites, and my usual Spanish websites, and nobody had this shirt. I eventually found it, so had to order it immediately, and it came quite quickly.
The away goalkeeper shirt for 2014 is a fluorescent yellow colour, and they have a very similar (almost identical) training shirt of the same colour, however it’s a slightly different style, and does not carry the World Cup 2010 badge which the Spain team uses in it’s match shirts. I got the home goalkeeper shirt 2014 some time ago, and when the away outfield shirt was announced and released I thought this would soon follow, but it seems very rare and hard to come by.
The badge, just like the other shirts this year, is mono coloured, and is fluorescent yellow and black instead of the usual colourful self. The shorts and socks are the same colour, making it an all neon affair.
I am not a big fan of fluorescent yellow on the black away shirt, I thought they could have used a better colour, it’s not very “Spanish”, but fluorescent yellow as a main colour is great, it reminds me of the 90s and it seems this year Adidas are really going for their neon and fluorescent colours.
I have tasted and bought some of the best and most premium vodkas which you can buy; From household names such as Grey Goose and Belvedere, Ciroc, Russian Standard and Stolichnaya, to lesser known premium brands such as Crystal Head, Roberto Cavalli and Wyborowa.
My latest is this Beluga vodka, and this is it. You can get a pack which includes a glass, something great in itself. The glass is a heavy, thick glass, with a metallic Beluga fish on the glass, which is trimmed with metal at the bottom and finished with the Beluga branding. The vodka itself is brilliant. It’s so smooth and crisp, you can taste it without a horrible aftertaste, it’s a very fine vodka. It’s probably the smoothest I have tasted, and I was so confident of the taste I tried a little neat, something I have ever really done with vodka, and it went down well.
About the vodka
Produced in 2002 in the world famous Mariinsky distillery, it’s a classic Russian vodka. Refined and rich taste is made from malt spirit and the purest of water from the Siberian artesian wells. You can pick up a bottle of Beluga Noble Russian Vodka for around £45.
In my opinion it’s better than Grey Goose and Belvedere, it has a much smoother taste but maintains the kick you want from a vodka when mixing your drinks. If you are looking for a premium vodka, then this should be near the top of your list.
I never used to be much of a vodka flavour drinker, apart from when you buy racks of shots from places like Revolution which was always fun. A good few years ago I tried vanilla vodka, and since then I love it!
I usually keep it simple, with just a vanilla vodka and Coke, and it is really good. I am actually surprised that when I go out most bars have the vanilla flavour, and over the years I’ve bought or drank a few different brands of the stuff, but the question is, which is the best?
As with all vodkas they are around 37-40% in alcohol, but the price differs quite a bit depending on what brand you go for.
Absolut Vanilia
Absolut Vanilla “Vanilia” vodka is most well known and loved vanilla flavoured vodka out there. It was the first one I had, and I have to say, it is the best. Absolut is known for making high quality vodkas, and this is yet another.
The scent is alluring, and the taste is very pleasant and sweet, but strong enough to know you’re still drinking a vodka and not a non-alcoholic drink.
The price varies around £20 – £30, and it’s worth the money. You can get Absolut Vanilla in 70cl and a larger 1L bottle, which is worth the investment.
One of the newest vanilla vodkas on the market is Ciroc French Vanilla, and it’s one which I got back in 2017. Ciroc is famous for it’s premium vodka, and this one is no different. The taste is very smooth, and it is a really nice vodka.
If you’re looking to create a wow factor with friends or at a party, this is possibly the one to go for. A standard 70cl bottle will set you back around £26, and it is a good vodka, but not necessarily better than the rest.
Grey Goose Vanilla
With the Grey Goose label, you know this is going to be a premium price. I got a bottle for around £45, however this was a 1L bottle rather than the standard 70cl. Having said that, it’s still the most expensive, around 3x more than the Absolut Vanilia. It has quite a nice taste to it, but is less sweet and “candy like” than the rest, and the taste of vodka does come through quite a bit.
Smirnoff Vanilla
Probably the most known brand name for plain vodka, Smirnoff do a vanilla but it can be hard to find. I did find some, tried it, and yes, it’s pretty nice. You can pick this up for around £18, so it’s a good price for a well known brand.
I have had Stil Vanil quite a few times, but never bought a bottle. A few bars I go to used this as their standard vanilla vodka, and I have to say it’s really nice. It’s probably the most sweetest “vanilla tasting” of the four, and there’s no unpleasant aftertaste. You should be able to pick up a bottle for under £20.
The best vanilla vodka
I have to give this to Absolut. It is that much better than the rest, and at less than half the price of the premium Grey Goose brand too. The Stoli and Smirnoff come in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
As mentioned, my drink, is the simple but lovely Absolut Vanilia vodka with Coke. There are quite a few cocktails you can make with this flavour vodka, such as a Cookie Monster, Absolut Monster, Absolut Vanilia Passion and a lot more.
Simple, but it tastes really good! 😉
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It’s 2014 and the start of a new year, and everyone’s favourite dating show is back on ITV! Warm up to your Saturday night with the flirty 30 in your living room along with the man with the catchphrases, Paddy McGuiness.
Once again it’s a case of no likey no lighty, but this year there is a brand new twist to the show. If a guy has 1 or two girls left after the end of the final round, he’ll be asked if he’s feeling frisky or risky, with the option of choosing a 3rd, mysterious girl instead, based solely off the sound of her voice. The lad will have to choose what to do, he won’t be able to see her and she will be hidden in the love lift, is there a boy who will take the risk?
Who is your favourite? Here are the pics and bios of all the 30 girls who will be kicking off TMO this Saturday night!
Better later than never! :p Each year for the past few I have featured the infamous Fenwick window on my blog, and this year is no different. This year’s theme is fairy tale forest, and as usual there is the reflections aka free advertising for the shops across the road 😉
If you read my blog or know me you’ll know that I support Spain and always have done since I was a kid, and I always buy the Spain kits, usually the home and away, and then the goalkeeper’s home and away too. Usually I get the home shirt first, this was unveiled a few months ago on my blog, and have been available to buy for a while. I have not got that yet, but I have got the brand new Spain home goalkeeper shirt ready for the 2014 World Cup, with official Casillas printing 😀
The goalie shirts are usually hard to get, but Adidas have discovered people outside Spain actually want them, so are selling them. This is direct from Adidas, and they printed the official name and number, but you may notice something missing…No front number! I have spoken to them and they insist that they do not print the front number. This is odd because you’ll know that all international shirts have a small number printed on the front as well as the back. It’s actually a FIFA rule in the World Cup.
The shirt is a combination of blues, with gold trimming, and I really like it. It’s finished off with a two tone Spain crest, something they’re doing on all the shirts and training gear, this being blue and gold, the home shirt being all gold and red.
The away shirt and GK away top are yet to be unveiled, with some suggesting black for the away top, with a yellow stripe through the middle.
The shirts come complete with the FIFA World Cup Winners 2010 badge 🙂
Recently ASOS got in touch with my and told me about an exciting new opportunities they were offering for their biggest fans, called AccessAllASOS. It offers an inside look, as well as other things, but it’s a brand new concept and it’s an invite only service at the moment.
I got an email confirming that I would be one of the first ASOS insiders, and today received a had written letter and little gift in the form of a beanie and pair of socks 😀
Have you ever wanted to try some premium spirits, but don’t know where to start or want to go to the expense of buying full size bottles? Flaviar is the answer to that. You can discover different and exciting premium flavours of a number of spirits, which are sold in tasting packs.
I got the Señor Tequila, Por Favor tasting pack which as you can guess, is a tequila tasting pack. The pack itself is very well presented in a nice rack-style box with the bottles neatly packaged up, you get 5 45ml bottles which is enough for 3 friends to have a good taste of the various tequilas. This pack contains Casa Noble Crystal, El Jimador Reposado, Patron Reposado, Arette Añejo, and Sierra Milenario Extra Añejo.
If tequila is not your thing you don’t have to worry, they have a great selection of packs including whisky, scotch, rum, gin, cognac and more. Tasting packs start at £19.99 with the tequila one costing £24.99. They have two options to purchase; A one off for yourself or as a gift, and a subscription for £24.99/month where you’re sent a tasting pack each month with free shipping.
For a tasting pack for your party or just to try yourself, check out Flaviar here.
He By Mango Cardigan, DR Denim Shirt, Versace Watch, MR KG Kurt Geiger Shoes, Nudie Jeans
Hello blog 🙂
Shit I am tired! We were out last night, I can’t remember what time I got in, maybe around 2am, but make the mistake of listening to music until 4am! Then made the further mistake of waking up at 9am and not bothering to try to go back to sleep, so I feel shattered!
Last night we went out in Newcastle as we do, and started off in Jesmond and went to Osbournes. It was pretty good. We had intended on going to As You Like It, but the hilarious taxi driver convinced us to go to the town. For the entire journey he was telling us about how The Diamond Strip was the place to be, it was the place with the girls, and we needed 18 year old hot girls He was an old guy, and was talking constantly about younger women, I tried telling him I like older ones who have something interesting to say about themselves but he was having none of that 😀 He then told us “When I was 21 my wife was only 5” and we all laughed!! The taxi driver was a legend, as many of them are.
We went to places like Tokyo which is always pretty good, and Perdu. The taxi driver should go into predicting the future or something because we did meet some girls, they were cool, one girl in particular who I met 😉 I did not get her number/give her mine, I have such a paranoia about giving my number out I really should have though. I should be like the other losers, “I’ll add you on Facebook…” haha :p
It was so hot out in Newcastle last night! I knew it would be quite warm beforehand because I checked, so I did not wear a coat but I did wear a shirt and a cardigan…My got I was boiling! The night ended like most do, a Subway sandwich, I have such love for their flatbread now 😀
Barcelona is a cool city, with lots to see and do, whether it be on a night or through the day. But what about the myths, what you hear and read online, of course I read a bit before I went, so I will give my little overview and FAQ on my time in Barcelona.
Crime – Pickpockets and the like
OK, so it’s been called the crime capital of Europe and it’s no secret about pickpockets and Barcelona. But when I was there I did not experience any, and I did not feel less safe than my city, London or other places. Of course the crime does exist, but if you are sensible and stay on your guard then you’ll minimise any chance of this happening.
With that said, should I take my big DSLR camera?
I was wondering too, and thought about not taking mine but I did. A lot of people now own a DSLR, so you can imagine lots in Barcelona were using them. I made sure it was round my neck at all times and I also kept my hand on it just to be sure.
Wear your backpack back-to-front
I had also read about this, and you may think you’ll look silly but there are so many people doing this. If it’s on your front then there’s less chance of someone taking something from you without you noticing.
Beggers
There are beggers in Barcelona. Most will not bother you, but on occasions we had people asking us for money for food…Even when sitting in a café. The staff are normally quick to move them on.
What about the famous La Rambla? What’s it like?
It’s a decent enough place, but it’s not amazing. If you’re looking for a traditional tourist trap then this is it. Souvenir shops, Over-priced bars on a night, street acts, lots of people, that is La Rambla. The top end, nearer to Plaça De Catalunya is probably better than the bottom. It’s worth a visit, and there are many narrow streets hidden away with lots of restaurants and bars.
Where can I shop for high end fashion and premium things?
Passeig De Gracia in L’Exiample is the place to go. It has everything high end, all the premium brands such as Hugo Boss, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and more. It’s shop after shop of retail heaven, fashion, jewellery, restaurants and regular fashion shops like H&M and Zara.
Where can I shop for regular fashion things?
Plaça De Catalunya and the area around it is probably best. There is El Corte Ingles, a huge department store (think Selfridges) which sells a lot, El Triangle is home to a few brands, and the general area of the top of La Rambla too.
Where are the bars?
A problem with a lot of big cities is where do you find the bars!? Barcelona is similar, with pockets of different areas with one or a few bars in them. There are lots of bars, dotted around the different parts of Barcelona, so I’ll let you research that! 😛
How much is the beer!?
Drinks can be a bit on the expensive side, if you go to La Rambla to drink they certainly are. It’s the tourist trap of the city, so the bars around there charge lots. Over €6 for a pint in places, over €5 for a bottle and you could pay over €8 for something with imported spirits in it. The places on La Rambla are not just expensive but over-priced, as they tend to be your traditional British types of pub/bars but at a high-end price.
What about food?
Yes, there is food in Barcelona There are so many restaurants you’ll never know which to choose. From expensive looking places to traditional Catalan ones, cafés, tourist spots, Italian, Chinese, Indian, you name it, they have it. If you’re just looking for snacks there are plenty of sandwich type of places too, Pans And Company seems to have a few franchises in Barcelona. There is also the world famous Hard Rock Café in the city.
If you like your fast food or are a fussy eater then there are plenty of McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Burger King places to keep you going.
Is it Stag And Hen party heaven? I want to avoid them!
Yes and no. We only ever seen one hen and one stag party in the 3 nights of bars, and never really noticed any round the streets on a night like I would in Newcastle. If you go to the traditional tourist bars then you’ll probably see more, so if you want to avoid them then the best way is probably avoiding La Rambla! 😀 Google Stag and Hen Bars in Barcelona, make a note and don’t go (unless you want to)
What is the transport like?
It seems pretty good although I walked most places. There is a metro which is not expensive and takes you to lots of places which you’d want to go. Taxis seem cheap, 20 minutes from the airport to L’Eixample only cost €23, so a short taxi journey with a couple of mates will not break the bank. There’s also a couple of trams which go to a few places, and the Barcelona City Tour bus costs €26 per day or €34 for a 2 day pass.
Take walking shoes and blister plasters!
If you’re like me when you go to cities you’ll want to go around and explore, usually on foot. Barcelona is massive, with attractions and landmarks all over the city. If you plan on walking I highly recommend getting some footwear up to the job. I wear my Converse and know they are not, so should not of took them. Next time round I will wear some footwear better suited to the job.
