At the age of 26 I still don't feel like I'll ever be too old for a sleepover, even though my 11 year old sister has just started going to her first ones (and she thinks I am totally ancient!) I've mentioned it before on here, but I am still amazed at the close friends I have made through blogging. When I started this blog at uni I never realised that it would introduce me to people who would become friends for life. Crying with laughter together at girly weekends away, crying over a cuppa in the kitchen at whatever shit life has thrown at you, and crying tears of joy watching them get married. Happy tears and happy times with a lot of these wonderful humans! A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a midweek festive sleepover with Laura, Lynsay, Lori, Lisa and Sami at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.
I turned up at the hotel in a comfy little outfit I could lounge in, only for us to change into animal Kigu's not long after arriving. I managed to win a prize for best instagram photo after running downstairs and getting a picture in my kigu at the main entrance to the hotel (which is rather fancy, but every fancy hotel needs a pink unicorn, right?!) I literally just missed the red carpet laid out for the Small Business Awards also on at Grand Central that evening, which would have been the icing on the cake haha.
TALKING ABOUT CAKE, oh my goodness. This salted caramel chocolate and popcorn cake (aka The Beast) from Three Sisters Bake was the most insane thing I have ever seen and completely delicious. The Tempus Restaurant put on a fantastic spread of canapes for us, including adorable little deserts and macarons, but I had to make sure I had space for this guy at the end. I love tapas, buffets, finger food and canapes (I take after my foodie mother) as I would prefer a big mix of lots of little things, rather than a massive bowl of the one thing. You know it's been a good scran when you have to lie down on the floor halfway through for a 'rest'...
We had a lovely evening chatting over food and cocktails, watched a couple of movies and had a giggle until around just after midnight... when we retired to bed realising maybe we weren't teenagers anymore who could stay up until the wee hours of the morning (Okay Tyler, maybe I am ancient now after all!) I've actually had my Unicorn Kigu from Tickled Pink for over a month now, so this picture gave me mega LOLZ as I felt like I was finally part of a little kigu clan! Rather than just wearing it in the house while getting funny looks from Pete and the cats chasing after my tail. The suite was the perfect size for us to have this gathering in, and I'd definitely recommend the hotel to anyone coming to Glasgow for a visit. You literally could not be more central.
After a sound sleep in the comfiest of beds (luckily Lynsay missed out on my usual snoring that night, I must have been out for the count!) we got up the next morning and went for a coffee before heading our separate ways. Back to work, off to meetings and appointments - I felt like adult life resumed as soon as I stepped outside into the crisp Glasgow streets. Prepared for rain, I'd worn my new Story Horse raincoat, but Glasgow actually stayed dry that morning! So I managed to squeeze in the last of my Christmas shopping before heading off to a nail appointment at Swoon in the afternoon. I was a right wee right tourist in my own city, leaving my overnight bag at the hotel so I could head out for some hands free shopping. I'd been denying those 'festive feels' before the sleepover, but that morning was the first day I thought okay, Christmas is almost here and I don't want to fight it. I actually sorta like it! I can't thank Laura enough for arranging such a lovely, relaxed evening for us girls. It was nice to take a little pause during what can be a really overwhelming and hectic time of year.
Special thanks to Edinburgh Woolen Mill, Arran Aromatics, House of Fraser and Benefit Cosmetics for providing us with goodie bag treats and game prizes, along with Funkin Cocktails, Diet Coke and Thorntons for the drinks and snacks!