The Botanist Manchester


Hello beautiful people!

Manchester is a great city – so vibrant, energetic and happy. The people are lovely and there’s always so much to do. One thing I love about Manchester is its incredible variety for places to eat. I am a big fan of food.. I love a good meal! I especially enjoy independent cafes and fancy restaurants, both of which there are lots of in MCR. One of the nicest places I have been to is a high end restaurant/bar called The Botanist.



The ambiance! Oh my. Inside The Botanist is garden/floral/nature themed. Just like the name suggests. It’s absolutely breath-taking. The mix with a vintage yet retro feel just makes it even more special. I am someone who can only truly love a restaurant if the atmosphere is good – just good food doesn’t give it a place in my top 5. Staff are lovely too, always a bonus as customer service is very valuable. They have live music there which is a great touch and can really add to make your evening special. 




So now the main thing.. the food! Their menu is not super diverse, but still has a decent variety. The food itself tastes heavenly and they give good size portions. Presentation is also something to look out for, as they serve their food on ‘garden’ themed utensils. Very pleasing to the eye! There is a very large drinks menu with some really good things on there. I have only ever tried a mocktail as I don’t drink alcohol, which tasted delicious.

The food featured is a selection from their 'deli board' that I ordered - humous, bean salad, salmon & potato salad, which came with a large piece of Turkish flat bread
Their famous chandelier!
Overall, I would suggest that if you’re visiting MCR for a few days or are just looking for a nice place to eat here, try The Botanist. It’s definitely a place to impress. It’s certainly in my top 5 places to eat in MCR (and I have been to a lot of places!) I think I am going to go there to celebrate my birthday too.. haha.. I’ll have been there too often before I leave! I would recommend making a reservation first as they are usually very busy and all booked up!
Have you tried The Botanist? Is there anywhere in MCR that you would recommend going to before I leave MCR?

Lotsssssss of yummy and tasty love,
Ayesha xxx

There is always at least one reason to smile..

Hello gorgeous people!

I'm still alive.. hehe.. sorry for being in hibernation! My Master's degree has been my main priority. But now I am exam and assignment free! Well.. I say that, but technically I'm more busy, as I'm conducting research and doing my dissertation.

ANYWAY.

How are you all? I was thinking of being a little positive again (woop woop). Everyone has some form of stress going on at some point in life, but it's important to keep your chin up and stay strong. Being resilient to the negative events is what makes someone strong and able to cope - so I've learnt (and studied actually).

You've probably got one worry or the other. One thing going wrong, one thing upsetting you, someone hurting your feelings, someone bothering you, lots of studying, arguments at work.. bla blaaaaaaaaaa. The list of negativity can go on.

But, how often do we focus on the positives? There are always SO many things to be grateful and thankful about. One of the simplest ones is the fact that you have your eyesight, if you're reading this. Not everyone has that. And then the other things in life we take for granted (our body, food, shelter etc). 

Let's get a bit more personal though. Think of something that you have that is important to YOU. It could even be a pet. You know best what makes you happy. Think of reasons that you can smile about, not reasons to be sad for. 

At the end of each week, write down five good and positive things that happened for you in a diary/notebook. Don't even think about the negative! They don't have to be big either - anything small that made you feel good. When you start to count your blessings, you will focus less on the bad things in life. Hopefully you will be happier that way. I'm just trying to be a little blunt.. I know things are never that easy.. Then at the end of the month you can look back and realise how good your month has been. You can even look at this when you feel down and need something to cheer you up.

Okay I'll go first. Five good things for me in the past week:
1. I finally started getting participants for my research study
2. I ate some raspberries (I loveeeee berries!)
3. I got a good grade on my hardest assignment 
4. I saw my parents
5. I spent time with friends

Here's some flowers because they make me happy :)
Sometimes it's best to 'let go' of the things that stress you. We don't always have to try fight - just let it go. Set yourself free from the stress. If you do that, no one can possibly change the way you feel about it. Don't let anyone get to you. If you are strong in yourself, you will not care. :D

Okay stay happy and smiling everyone! Love you all!
Ayesha xxx