Thriller Live

On Sunday two of our lovely friends gave Dwayne and I to see tickets to watch Thriller Live

Having said we wanted to go and see it for quite some time now we embraced the tickets with open arms and skipped right on down to London's Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. 

Quality Time

Q is for Quality Time. 

Usually, like a currency we spend time on things that we know will give us something in return or will be beneficial to us. But see the difference between money & time is this, the value of our money doesn't decrease depending on it's quality. We've all come across a £10 note thats been ripped in half & cello taped back together yet when you spent it, it was still valued as ten pounds right?  

Psychology

If I haven't already told you, I'm currently studying for a degree in Psychology at City University London.

The O2.

I had to take a mini hiatus in my blogging from A-Z challenge :( I just started back at Uni last week after 4 months off in addition to working part-time I just had no time to get anything done! I've settled into my new routine and now I will be back blogging like I never left! 

I used to think the O2 Arena was somewhere you'd go if you was going to see a concert. 

Oh was I wrong! 

Nego & The True Family

Dwayne again..back with another feature ;)

If you know me, you might know I listen to all types of music. From Hip hop to RnB, Jazz, Rock, Electronic, Latin, Dub step, Reggae to name a few and the list goes on. 

Money

M is for Money. 

In line with the very name of my blog "Pennies, Paper, Plastic" I had to dedicates M's post to Money. 

Lateness

L is for Lateness. 

This is yet another relationship post, but I know ya'll love them! ;) 

So we all have these not-so-good qualities about us but we get so used to doing them habitually that they don't seem that bad. 

Well mine was lateness. 

See, you may read that and think "well that's not that bad" but you see when you're in a relationship with someone who is ALWAYS punctual come rain or shine, no matter the day or time, it becomes a slight issue. 

See Dwayne is the King of Punctuality and my inability to be on time for anything would deep down really frustrate him, probably a lot more than he admitted to me. Whilst being late never bothered me, I knew it bothered him and so I became intentional about being on time. I would purposely leave my house extra early when we was meeting up so that I would actually arrive before him on some occasions. This habit then extended to my personal life - away from meeting up with him.  I set my alarm extra early in the mornings so I would get to my lectures with time to spare. Now I absolutely hate being late with a fiery passion and I've even had people comment upon my punctuality!  

Okay, so that was my little story and everyone's will be different. Please hear me out, I'm by no means advocating the fact that we should change our personalities to be what are partners want us to be. Your partner should love you for who you are currently but over time your relationship should change you both for the better. What I'm saying is that there's small things that we can change about ourselves, that actually better us as well as being a characteristic that is more appealing to our partners. 

You reap what you sow.

Be intentional. 

Keepers

I have been featured in this blog a couple times, but for those who don't know me my name is Dwayne Edwards. I'm 25 and a lover of gadgets, games, Basketball and most things Japanese.

For a while Tasha has been asking me to guest blog, perplexed by what I would write I found the thought daunting, often putting it off for as long as I could. But after a moment of inspiration, and following suit of Tasha's blog challenge, I have decided for the letter "K" I will blog about *Drum roll* Keepers.

Jaw-Dropping Scandal

Okay.. this post is a bit of cop-out! 

I had this whole plan in my head that I was going to watch the NEW episode of Scandal (S4E1) on thursday night and then write a whole post on how Jaw-Dropping it was. Which inevitably it's going to be as this is Scandal we're talking about. 

But, after an extremely busy day on Friday preparing for my little sisters birthday (which is today, September 27th) I completely missed the day and still haven't watch the episode yet. :O

Soo, bare with me Gladiators i'm going to watch it ASAP and write a Jaw-Dropping Scandal Part 2 post very soon!!

 On the plus side the K post is coming up in the next 10 minutes and it's a very special one! 

iPhone iPod iPad iTunes...

I have a little soft spot in my heart for Apple Products. 

High Heels

I don't have a massive collection of heels, i'm more of a trainers kind of girl. 

However, this has led me to have a small refined collection of heels that I really love. 

So, for my H for High Heels post I will be showing you some of my favourites pairs of shoes and the little stories they have behind them. 

Guys

G is for Guys.

Friends

"Friends are the family we choose"

F is for Friends.

Endsleigh

This post is for all the young drivers out there! 

So, you pass your driving test at 17 but the excitement of it all is quickly killed by the outlandish insurance quotes your getting? 

Date Nights

You have to be active in keeping the relationship alive. 

Note: This doesn't mean you have to spend lots of money. 

Cakes, Cookies & Chocolate

I really enjoy indulging in some sweet treats. 

Cakes, Cookies & Chocolate just to name a few.

Beauty

B is for Beauty. 

I know I spoke about it in yesterdays post, but this one will be slightly different. Whilst getting ready for work this afternoon I decided that It would be nice to share with you some of the beauty products that I use and as it fitted with the letter B it was a perfect idea for todays post. 

I remember going to Superdrug in my mid teens and looking at the vast array of foundations, mascaras, lipsticks, and all the rest and thinking "where do I even begin!?"

Now, I don't wear much make-up, hardly any compared to some of the tutorials I've come across on YouTube but here I go anyway...

America's Next Top Model

Day 1

It has begun! 

I had to dedicate this post to one of my favourite shows. I don't watch a lot of television but I never miss an episode of Americas Next Top Model (thanks to the series link I have on my Tivo box of course!) 

I just wish it was more popular here in the UK! 

A Personal Challenge

I started blogging around 2 months ago and I must say I have grown to really enjoy writing about and sharing my thoughts and experiences with anyone who wants to listen (or should I say read) Ha! 

I was laying in bed the other night and I thought to myself "I really want to make blogging more of habit" and so searched the Internet for any blogger challenges that I could participate it. My search returned unsuccessful and thus lead to me to think "why do I need to participate in a certain challenge when I can just do my own personal one"

So here I am starting my own personal challenge. 

I'm vowing to blog every day for the next 26 days starting tomorrow.

In addition to this I aim to blog thematically with my first post based on something to do with the letter A, whilst the second the letter B and so on. 

If you'd like to follow my challenge then please follow me on BlogLovin to keep up to date on my latest post! 

P.s. I am aware that there is a Blogging A to Z April Challenge that runs during the month of April but since I didn't want to wait that long I decided to start my personal challenge straight away. I'm deffo in love with the idea! 

Recipe: Fried Chicken Wings

This one is for my fellow chicken lovers... sorry veggies! 

Wedding Bells

On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the most beautiful wedding for the most beautiful couple. It was an emotional day filled with love, happiness & joy.

Heart Of Gaming

I'm not a massive gamer (probably just because I suck at them) but Dwayne is and so a few weekends ago we visited The Heart of Gaming. Dwayne had come across it whilst researching some of the best arcades in London & so he thought "might as well give it a try".  

London

On Wednesday my Auntie Judy and Cousin Owen came to London for the day from their little hometown of Doncaster. My mum, Kayla & I acted as their very own tour guides and showed them round some of our favourite parts of London for as little money as possible. 

Just a tad bit obsessed with Nandos

I LOVE NANDOS. 

Excuse Me.. Do you have the time?

My boyfriend bought me this gorgeous Rose Gold Stella Fossil Watch last Christmas and I absolutely love it! I hadn't really been into watches much previously but there's just something about a Rose Gold watch that wins me over. With the increasing popularity of Michael Kors watches, despite the fact that they are stunning, I'm glad that mine is a Fossil. It came in a pretty little tin box which I still use to store it in whenever I'm not wearing it. The face still shines like the day I first opened it and there's no one scratch on it! 

The Man behind my Smile

 He's been mentioned in a few of my posts but I've never really introduced him. Dwayne & I have been together for 3 years 4 months and I can truly say I am deeply, madly, truly in Love with him. As the title of this blog states he is the man behind my smile, my best friend as well as my biggest motivator continuously provoking me to become a better person. 

New Car :D

On Tuesday I got a new car after my previous one was damaged beyond repair by my local garage 

 :( 

I chose this beautiful black 1.2 2010 plate Vauxhall Corsa which I got from CarCraft in Enfield. Despite the paper work process taking 2 Days to complete the customer service I received from the guys was amazing. After being told I would have to come and pick up my new car at noon the next day I was offered a lift home by the manager in addition to being picked up the following day. 

My car is second hand but has only ever done sixteen and a half thousand miles so to me its basically brand new and the interior and exterior are in excellent condition. I got it for a bargain price of £6,500 and I couldn't be more happier, the petrol lasts me a while and the tax isn't too extortionate. Not to mention I get free 5 years warranty, 5 years MOT, 5 years servicing and 5 years breakdown cover! 

I think its safe to say that I love my new car :) :) :)

Uber

You decide you want to get a cab so you open up your Uber app...

your pick up location will already be set to your actual location but you can easily move this if need be. During this time you can also see how many minutes your cab will take to arrive. You then click "set pick up location" this allows you to enter your destination, get an instant fare quote and enter a promo code if you have one. Last but not least you REQUEST uberX and your cab will be on its way. Easy as 1, 2, 3!

The service you get after booking your cab is, in my eyes, exceptional. You will be shown a profile of the driver who is coming to get you this will include: their picture, the kind of car they have and their number plate as well as their 5 star rating. At this point you will also be able to track your Uber precisely on the map watching it’s every stop and turn. You'll then get an app notification when your Uber is waiting for you outside. 

Once your journey is finished you can just say good-bye to your driver, hop out the car and the fare is paid for automatically. If you want to give your driver a rating out of 5 stars this option is also available. Last but not least you will receive an email with the exact breakdown of the cost of your journey. 

Uber is a relatively new online cab ordering service that guarantees a price cheaper than a London Black Taxi, everything is paid for through your debit or credit card and if there is more than one of you sharing the cab you can easily split the fare within the app by entering your friends Uber details. It takes the hassle out of having to call your local cab station (or having to find their number if you're not in your local area), telling them your exact pick up and drop off locations, and then asking for a quote and how long the driver is going to take. I've used Uber a few times in the last couple of weeks and have enjoyed the service every time. 

Enter PROMO CODE 47dea OR G4K5H to get £10 free credit to use on your first ride. 

Visit Uber to find out more 

Student Discounts

During my first year at Uni I found that the word 'discount' meant so much more to me then it did before! There are so many websites, cards and discount schemes available to students that it can be hard to decide which ones are worth signing up for. Soooo, I thought I'd share some of my discoveries with you :) 

Venosa Beach and Spa resort, Turkey

Two weeks ago I travelled to the 5* Venosa Beach and Spa resort in Altinkim Turkey with my partner Dwayne my Mum and my 3-year-old sister.  I booked the holiday through First Choice last October and due to booking it early I got a really good deal for 7 nights in this lovely resort. The hotel was all-inclusive and so we could eat and drink all we wanted all day, which was a God send especially in the heat.

The Hotel 

We arrived at the hotel at about 1:30am local time after a four hour flight and an hour and a half transfer from Bodrum airport. Despite arriving in the early hours of the morning check-in didn't take too long and a lovely gentleman showed us around the hotel room as well as carrying our luggage. Our room was on the middle of the 5th floor, which means we had a massive balcony and an amazing sea view. The hotel was extremely clean inside and out even at meal times and despite the pools not being covered over at night there was never any insects or rubbish in them. Speaking of pools the hotel has four pools, 3 water slides as well as a private beach so the pools were never crowded. Daily meals consisted of: Breakfast, late breakfast, lunch, snack bar, dinner and then late night snacks so we never went hungry. The hotel has some really good facilities; my personal favourite was the spa. I had a Turkish bath and an aromatherapy massage which was amazing and very cheap too. In addition it had a few little shops and a games room that were very handy for buying water inflatables and those odd toiletries I forgot.

Turkey

Firstly, I have to say the weather was amazing; the temperature was in the high 30's almost every day, which was a lovely excuse to jump in and out of one of the massive 4 pools! Of course this kind of heat does become a slight problem when you want to travel into the town or to do some sightseeing because it is just so HOT. However, venturing out of the hotel is very easy, a small bus (called a Dolmus) stops right outside the hotel and takes you into the town for just 2L each, which is about 60p! Bargain! Just a warning though, the roads are very bumpy and they do drive very fast! Eeekk. The town is full of little shops trying to sell you merchandise and they will pester you to come inside their shop and "look" and when you do find something you like they will try and over charge you haha. We was advised to half their asking price and then half it again and offer them that price, they will never say no! This is all a part of the Turkey experience and can be good fun. 

There's just so much I could say about the week I spent in Turkey: like my visit to the local water park and to Apollos Temple, but I think I'll save them for another post ;-) Overall, my holiday was good fun and I would certainly go back. But, I'm itching to travel the world, so for now this is my "Gule Gule" to Turkey 

Gladiators!!

I am a massive Scandal fan! When I first heard that the show would be coming back for a Fourth Season this September I was over the moon. Scandal only starting premiering in the UK about a year ago and is currently at the end of Season Two. Of course I'm too impatient to be that behind and so I watch Scandal online so that I'm up to date with my fellow American viewers. 

I'm in awe of how each and every episode leaves me on the edge of my seat and always wanting more. At times it's so unpredictable and I'm sure the aftershock of revelations remains with me for a couple of hours. I have really enjoyed how each characters personalities and backgrounds have been built up over the current three seasons; I sometimes have to remind myself that Olivia Pope is actually not a real person and it's not okay to cry about Hucks cruel past. It's safe to say I absolutely can't wait for what Shonda Rhimes has in store for us in the Fourth Season.

Who will be "Standing in the Sun with Me" on the 25th of September?!

I'm already putting my White Hat on! 

Cineworld Unlimited Card

As regular cinema goers at the beginning of the year me and my partner Dwayne looked through a comprehensive list of all films being released in the UK during 2014. After counting the number of films we 'definitely' wanted to see (which was about 20+) we decided that it would be much more economical for us to get a Cineworld Unlimited Card. 

The Cineworld Unlimited card costs me £15.90 a month, however I believe the price for new members recently increased to £16.40, and it means I can see as many films as I like at any Cineworld (except for the London west end) every month. I think this is amazing value and would recommend it to anyone who watches on average more than one film a month in the cinema. 

Being an unlimited card holder Cineworld offer a huge range of benefits to its members! One being 10% off all food and drink brought at Cineworld. Additionally, with the new allocated seating feature unlimited members can book showings in advance online ensuring they have the best seats in the house! 

To view even more benefits of being an Unlimited Cineworld Holder or to sign up follow this link: 

Cineworld Unlimited Card

P.S. We recently saw the new Dawn of the Planet of the Apes movie and it was amazing! Would definitely recommend to everyone

Firsts Things First

Hello Everyone,