Days Out
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Buyagift - The Perfect Present | Review

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Disclosure - We received a Buyagift experience in return for a feature on our blog. The idea for this post was my own as is all thoughts, opinions and photographs. This post contains affiliate links.

A wrapped present
We are those people that when it comes to birthdays or Christmas we never want anything. We really struggle to think of something and in the end we usually ask for a voucher. Over the past few years we have asked experiences vouchers such as Buyagift and for people like us it really is the perfect present. We have selected some of  our favourite experiences that we have enjoyed so far using Buyagift.

Drayton Manor Theme Park


Theme Parks
If you know us then you will know that we are quite the thrill seekers and are usually head to theme park at least once a month. This Summer we headed to Drayton Manor which was perfect for both big and little J.

As there is an 11 year age gap it can be tricky sometimes to find somewhere that is suitable for both their age ranges however Drayton Manor had something for everyone.

Drayton Manor Theme Park
Drayton Manor Theme Park
The park has lots of thrill rides suitable for big J including Shockwave and Maelstrom and little J loved Thomas Land which has lots of rides based around the popular character Thomas The Tank Engine.

The theme park also has a 15 acre zoo which was fun for all of us and a 4D cinema too.

Our voucher included two adults and two children with lunch to Drayton Manor Theme Park


Prezzo Restaurant


Dining Out
On a recent day out to Southport, John and I ended our day with a trip to Prezzo. Using our voucher was easy we just made a reservation online and we were sent a redemption code to hand to the waiter when we had finished.

On arrival we were handed the Buyagift set menu which has so much to choose from. John started with the Garlic Bread with Mozzarella and I had the Tomato Bruschetta.

For our mains we both went for Spaghetti Bolognese. I assumed as this was a Buyagift menu that the portion size may be smaller but it wasn't.

We both saved some room for desserts. I went for Honey Smash Cheesecake whilst John chose his favourite Tiramisu.

The voucher was for a Three Course Meal With Wine For Two at Prezzo


View from the Shard


Days Out
We like to go to London at least once a year to visit the London tourist attractions. One of our favourite attractions is viewing the London Skyline from The Shard.

View from the Shard
Once at the top of The Shard you can get a great view of St Pauls Cathedral, The River Thames, The London Eye and if you look closely you can also spot Wembley too.

There was no need to book beforehand for this experience and the voucher we used was View From the Shard - Two Adults and Two Children

Go Ape
Adventure
I managed to keep my feet firmly on the ground for this experience however I did enjoy watching both John and big J making their way through the trees on Go Ape.

Go Ape is a tree top high ropes adventure that has you climbing across obstacles and rope ladders through the trees.

Go Ape
Once they had finished their course they used a zip wire to fly head back to the ground.

Go Ape
This experience was really fun for them both and we did enjoy watching them as they challenged themselves to reach the end. The experience we used was a Tree Top Adventure at Go Ape



These are just a few of our favourite experiences we have done so far but our list is huge and we still have so many more we want to do. There are so many experiences to choose from with Buyagift and if you are unsure on a what experience to choose you can always buy a Smartbox which gives you 1000's of experiences to choose from. If you don't like your chosen experience Buyagift offers free exchanges and once you pick your new experience you can have your voucher sent direct to your email.

For more experience ideas you can visit Buyagift

Michelle
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Disney On Ice 100 Years of Magic

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Disclosure - This is a preview post for Disney On Ice 100 Years of Magic. I will be receiving tickets to see the show this year and will post a review shortly after.

Disney On Ice teaser poster
It may be obvious from our blog and socials that we are huge fans of Disney. We have been very lucky to see Disney on Ice in Manchester quite a few times now and I am so exited that it is returning this year with Disney On Ice - 100 Years of Magic.

Disney On Ice teaser poster
Disney On Ice teaser poster
Featuring a cast of over 50 unforgettable Disney characters, Disney on Ice 100 Years of Magic will be skating in to an arena near you from September 2019.

Disney On Ice teaser poster
Disney On Ice teaser poster
Disney On Ice teaser poster
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy will be there as well as many of the Disney Princesses including Jasmine, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Snow White and Tiana.

Disney On Ice teaser poster
Relive the magic of Disney’s Frozen with Anna, Elsa and the hilarious snowman Olaf as they discover that true love is the greatest magic of all.

Sing-along to over 30 unforgettable songs including favourites like “Let It Go”, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”, and “Hakuna Matata”.

Disney On Ice teaser poster
Disney On Ice teaser poster
Be thrilled by exciting moments from Disney’s The Lion King, Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, Finding Dory, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and more, leaving your whole family captivated with memories that will last them a lifetime.

This skating spectacular is truly a century of Disney Magic, and it was all started by a Mouse!

The show dates are

Intu Braehead, Glasgow 20st-29th September 2019

Utilita Arena, Newcastle 2nd-6th October 2019

Manchester Arena, Manchester 9th-13th October 2019

Arena Birmingham, Birmingham 16th-20th October 2019

Westpoint Exeter, Exeter 23rd-27th October 2019

TECA, Aberdeen 31st-3rd November 2019

Flydsa Arena, Sheffield 6th-10th November 2019

The SSE Arena, Wembley 13th-17th November 2019

The O2, London 26th December-5th January 2020

You can find out more about the show and also book tickets by visiting Disney On Ice

Michelle
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Italian Gathering Menu At Prezzo

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Disclosure - We were gifted a voucher to cover the cost of the Italian Gathering Menu. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. 

Italian Gathering Menu At Prezzo
Last week we wear invited to Prezzo restaurant to sample their Italian Gathering menu. We have visited Prezzo many times in the past but it's always nice to try out new menus. We headed to Prezzo  in Media City, Manchester before a trip to the theatre. It was a glorious night but we decided to sit inside even though there were tables outside overlooking the green.

On arrival we were given a main menu and also the Italian Gathering menu which has a choice of starters, mains and desserts.

John decided to start with the cheesy garlic bread and I went for tomato brushetta. For mains John chose the Spaghetti Bolognese and I chose the light chicken pizza. Included in the set menu is a choice of drinks, house wine, Peroni beer or a soft drink. John went for a Peroni and I got a Pepsi Max

We didn't wait long for our drinks to arrive. When they did our order was wrong, however it was rectified very quickly.

Cheese Garlic bread
Our starters arrive a few minutes later and I was pleased to see a full portion, even though it was on a special menu. Sometimes in other restaurants when we have ordered from set menus the portion size seems smaller however this wasn't the case at Prezzo.

Brushetta
I didn’t taste the garlic bread although it smelt delicious. My tomato bruschetta was very tasty and like I said earlier, a decent portion size.

Spaghetti Bolognese
Lighter choice pizza
Whenever we go for an Italian John always orders Spaghetti Bolognese it's his favourite dish and he wasn't disappointed. The bowl was huge but he still managed to finish it is all. My pizza was chicken and broccoli, it was smaller than a normal size pizza, however I knew this at the time of ordering, it is a lighter choice.

The Italian Gathering menu is two courses plus a choice of drink for £16 95. You can add a desert for an extra £3.

If you choose to add mozzarella to your starter you will be charged an extra £1.

I will definitely be dining at Prezzo again in the near future and hopefully the Italian Gathering menu will still be available. It's really good value for money.

Michelle
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The Night I Missed The Spice Girls Concert

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The Spice Girls
This is not the post I was expecting to write today but the reality is, it is the only one I can. Tonight we had tickets to see The Spice Girls 2019 Concert but unfortunately due to John being very ill we were unable to go. Last November I spent almost 2 hours on the phone and online trying to secure tickets for their tour and luckily I managed to finally get through and order a pair of VIP tickets.

At the time the VIP tickets were the only ones available and were almost £250 each. I couldn't really justify spending that much money on a pair concert tickets to see The Spice Girls but John told me to go ahead and book them anyway because he knows just how much I love them.

My love for the Spice Girls all began when I saw a clip of Wannabe on the TV, after watching it for about 30 seconds I was hooked. I was 16 at the time and everything after that moment became all about Girl Power. I would dress like them, sing like them and pretend to be them. It sounds a bit sad now but for those couple of years I was in a Spice bubble as was all of my friends.

Everyone had a favourite Spice Girl, mine was Geri. The day she left the Spice Girls I was heartbroken. I had just turned 18 and was working part time and I felt like my world was crashing down. I had to stay off work for two weeks which sounds ridiculous but it's true.

I continued to follow the Spice Girls and then their solo careers and when they left the music scene I was heartbroken. I continued to play their songs and prayed that one day they would make a return.

All my wishes came true in 2007 when they announced they were doing a tour. The concert sold out in minutes but luckily I managed to get tickets and it was the best night. I loved every second.

The Spice Girls Tickets
Obviously I have missed this tour and I am devastated but the power of social media has meant that I have followed along watching those who have been to the concerts. I did insure our tickets so I am hoping that we will get a refund and not all is lost, obviously I would have preferred to see the girls. I have never claimed on ticket insurance before so not sure what to expect, fingers crossed it all works out.

I really wanted this post to be full of photos I had took and photos of my VIP Merchandise but unfortunately it just wasn't meant to be.

Michelle
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Days Out | The Very Hungry Caterpillar Live

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Disclosure - We were gifted tickets to the show for the purpose of this post. Thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.  

A few weeks ago we took little J to the theatre for the first time to see The Twirlywoos live. He loved it so much so last weekend we headed back to The Theatre Royale to see The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. 
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Days Out | Twirlywoos Live at St Helens Theatre Royal

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Disclosure - We were gifted tickets for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. 

It's been a few years now since we first became fans of the TV show Twirlywoos. In that time we have watched all the episodes, collected the Twirlywoo teddies and played with The Big Red Boat and last weekend we got to see the Twirlywoos Live at St Helens Theatre Royal.
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Christmas 2018 | The Lanterns at Chester Zoo

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On Sunday we headed over to Chester to experience The Lanterns at Chester Zoo. We have never been before but some of the family went last year and loved it so they booked for us all to go this year. I had no idea what to expect so I was really surprised when we got there to see lots of animals made out of lights.
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Christmas 2018 | Tea With Santa At Dobbies

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On Saturday we headed to Dobbies Garden Centre for our first visit of the year to see Santa. I say our first visit because we have at least another 4 visits planned to various grottos but I can honestly say now I doubt any will compare to the whole Dobbies experience.
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Dining Out | The Ring O Bells, Warrington

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Have you ever walked in somewhere and got a good feeling about it straight away? I have a few times and one of those times was recently when we went for a pub lunch at Ring O Bells in Warrington. We were invited along to sample the menu and take a look at the pub which is soon to celebrate it's 1 year anniversary under new ownership. 
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Dining Out | Kids Menu at Turtle Bay

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Last week we headed in to town to for lunch at Turtle Bay. This was our first ever visit to Turtle Bay so we were not sure what to expect. Little J is quite a fussy eater but as they had just updated their kids menu we were keen to give it a try.
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Days Out | Royal De Luxe Giants Come To Liverpool

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Last weekend we were very fortunate to witness the amazing Giants as they visited Liverpool. Royal De Luxe last visited Liverpool in 2014 and I was so amazed back then that when we heard they were bringing their giants back to the streets of Liverpool we just couldn't wait.
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Closed Giveaway | Family Ticket To Winter Wonderland

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One of Liverpool’s most iconic landmarks will be transformed into a magical, immersive, Christmas attraction for 2018.St Luke’s “Bombed-Out” Church, situated at the top of Bold Street, will be turned into a Winter Wonderland for almost four weeks this festive season and is set to become the ‘must visit’ Christmas Grotto experience of the year in Liverpool. I have a family ticket worth £60 to give away to one lucky reader.
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Days Out | Knowsley Safari Park

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We live under 20 minutes away from Knowsley Safari Park yet we haven't been for years which is such a shame. Last week we visited and I instantly remembered all the things I loved about the park and how much fun we have missed out on.
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Days Out | CBBC Summer Social 2018

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We were so excited to hear that the CBBC Summer Social event was coming to Liverpool this year and we were literally counting down the days. The lineup for the 3 day event was amazing including lots of CBBC and CBeebies favourites such as Sam and Mark, Mr Tumble, Dr Ranj and lots more.
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Days Out | Indoor Play Centres In Manchester

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Over the last few months we have visited lots of indoor activity / play centres, however there are three in particular that little J has said are his favourite. All completely different but all based around in and around Manchester so I thought I would share with all three.
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Disney On Ice - Dream Big Coming To UK This Autumn

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When I heard about that Disney On Ice was returning this Autumn with a new show I was eager to see how it could top the show we saw a few years ago. When I saw the announcement that Dream Big will feature Moana, Frozen, Beauty and The Beast, Tangled, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin I was so excited, what a fantastic bunch of characters. 
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CBBC Summer Social Is Coming To Liverpool

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We are so excited about CBBC Summer Social coming to Liverpool this year. We have been to something very similar in the South a few years ago and it was amazing. This time it is our hometown and we cannot wait to attend.
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Exploring Cheshire This Summer

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The Summer Holidays is one of my favourite times of year. I get the whole school holidays off with the boys and together we love planning all the things we want to get up to. Days out is usually top of the list as we love being out and about and this Summer we are going to be #ExploringCheshire. We are so lucky to live close to Cheshire as we get to experience all the fantastic things to do and see.
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Breakfast With Santa At The Alton Towers Hotel

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One of our favourite Christmas traditions is visiting Alton Towers each year for Santa’s Sleepover. This is a tradition that we have enjoyed for almost 20 years now and over those years we have seen the Alton Towers Resort change and evolve with new activities added each year. This year we enjoyed a breakfast with Santa for the first time.

Santa Breakfast at Alton Towers


Usually we visit Santa on our first day over at CBeebies land in the theme park and whilst this is still an option we were staying in an Arctic Explorer room so had the chance to have breakfast with Santa instead.

Breakfast was booked for us at 9:15am on the day of our departure. There were two sittings, one at 7:30am and one at 9:15am. I can’t say how busy the 7:30 sitting was but the later one was extremely busy in fact it was full and we did see a very disappointed family who had obviously booked but there was no room for them.

If you have enjoyed breakfast at the Alton Towers hotel before in the secret garden well the Breakfast with Santa is just next door in the Emperors Suite. We were advised to arrive at 10 minutes early and even by this time the waiting area was full.

When the doors opened there was a stampede to get through the door and find a table however there was no need as we had all been allocated a table already.

Santa Breakfast at Alton Towers
We were given a table for four and I will say it was a squeeze. Not only was the table of four small but we were packed in between other tables and it just felt a little overcrowded. Having said that little J didn’t seem to mind and was quite happy tucking in to the pastries that were on the table already.

meeting Mrs Claus
Once everyone was seated we were welcomed by Sir Algenon who is the explorer mentioned throughout Alton Towers. He told us of a time when he met Mrs Claus and then suddenly she arrived. She had prepared a lovely breakfast for us all but before it was time to eat we had to help decorate the tree. Some of the tables had tinsel on and some had presents. We had a present and little J took the present down to the front and placed it under the tree while Mrs Claus and the elves sang a very upbeat and happy song.

Then a special visitor arrived down the chimney - Father Christmas. He was sat throughout the breakfast by the tree so you could visit him, have a photo taken and receive a gift. Mrs Claus and the elves were happy to have their photos taken too.

Once the buffet opened everyone was on their feet to get some food. It was about 9:50am by this time so I can imagine there were quite a few hungry tummies by this time.

The selection of breakfast was just as you would expect. Cereals, fruit and pastries then hot food such as sausage, egg and beans.

There was plenty of food and it stayed available throughout right until it was time to go.

When it was little J's turn to see Santa he went very shy as usual but Santa was great and chatted to him before posing for a photo and then giving little J a gift. He received a cute elephant hand puppet.

Once everyone had finished their food and had their photo with Santa it was time for him to return to the North Pole to prepare for the big day. He sang a lovely duet of ‘Its the most wonderful time of the year’ with Mrs Claus as they made their way through the tables and towards the exit.

meeting elf
Little J really enjoyed the breakfast and was entertained throughout.

What We Loved

A nice addition to the Santa’s Sleepover experience.

It was something we hadn’t experienced before so was good to try something new.

The room and tables were decorated perfectly for the festive season.

Great selection of food and drinks available throughout.

Chance to meet Santa and receive a nice gift.

What Could Improve

The number of people in the room. The room was overcrowded.

There was no professional photograph with Santa as promised. We had to take our own.

The gifts were not wrapped and were not as good as previous years of seeing Santa at the resort.

Overall it was a nice experience for little J and I think we would definitely book again if it is an option next year.

Michelle
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Half Term Travel With Virgin Trains

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I know a lot of my readers will be enjoying Half Term this week although up in the North of England a lot of schools enjoyed their autumn break last week. We had lots of plans for half term but as you may have read little J got a stomach bug so all our plans went on hold. However as we missed out on a week of adventures we are planning a weekend away and I can't wait. You may have read recently that John and I headed to London for the day to see Wicked The Musical. We got the train bright and early and we were in the capital in no time. I love sitting on the train knowing that we will be in a new city soon, it's now one of my favourite things to do. We are lucky to be able to get a Virgin Trains Pendolino train and it's so nice to sit back and relax and let someone else do the driving. For our next break we will be taking advantage of the Virgin Trains family ticket at a fixed price for up to 2 adults and 4 children.
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