Run, run, run

For those of you who follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you'll have probably seen various tweets/photos about my running antics and training for some long distance events.

I took up running a couple of years ago and entered the Great North Run for the first time in 2011, but unfortunately, injury kept rearing it's ugly head - I've always had incredibly weak ankles and at one point pulled my Achilles tendon. The actual worst.

So, after deferring 2011's run, I got back into the training.

Last year, I ran the GNR for the first time in 2 hours 12 mins - a time I'm pretty damn pleased with considering I don't think of my myself as a super fast runner.

The past year has seen me completely up the training, change diet and lifestyle, and as well as running, I've been focussing on strength training and overall stamina. This has been massively helpful in improving my running times and hopefully will help me get the holy grail of a sub-2 hour half marathon this year.

So, next month, I'll be lacing up my Asics Gel 3030s to run the GNR for the brilliant charity Help for Heroes - check out my Just Giving site here.

And the day after the run? I jet off to LA - can you think of a better recovery than In-N-Out Burgers, Coronaritas and sunbathing on Venice Beach?!

Are you doing the Great North Run this year? I love a running nerd - share your tips.

Slacker

Like the title of this post, that's what I've been lately.

Life has been a blur of work, running, holiday planning...the last 2 months have literally flown by.

Here's a sneak peak into AMB's world over the past few weeks.

1. Getting my fill of all things cultural with Monocle / 2. Naughty purchases from Space NK (well, not naughty, but some very vital Institut Esthederm for my upcoming holiday to California / 3. RUNNING. I'm training for the Great North Run (4 weeks today!), so training has been taking up most of my free time. / 4. Getting my foody fill at The Grazer's Ouseburn Festival Feast. / 5. The gorgeous airstream caravan down at The Cycle Hub / 6. The Miller's Daughter's yummy sweet treats; she does a mean bake. / 7. New pooch addition to J's family, Poppy / 8. Brightening up some neutral postcard prints with acid green Washi tape / 9. Big Bro.

1. Street art in Heaton / 2. Riley's Fish Shack goodies down at King Eddie's Bay / 3. Going green for Newcastle Racecourse's Ladies Day / 4. Studying the race card / 5. Smarty pants / 6. Recovery food at Lola's (MUCH needed after one too many Pimm's / 7. Taking Somerby for a ride; in love with my new basket / 8. Joe's vintage Mini, perfect for coastal drives on sunny days / 9. Pretty flowers on the bar in Barca

1. Posh beers on a recent Friday night / 2. Sa'll about the hipster / 3. Beautiful sunset after a heavy thunderstorm in the Toon / 4. Flat White at Sugarloaf  / 5. Anchor nails for Kate's hen do / 6. Vibrant flags down at Tynemouth Sailing Club for Riley's Fish Shack pop-up curry night / 7. Our hen donning some fancy dress finery / 8. The classiest club in Penrith / 9. Finally, GNR pack game. Hoping to smash 1.55 this year! I'm raising vital funds for Help For Heroes.

What's been going down.

1. A brilliant new event in Newcastle, which takes place on the first Friday and Saturday of the month. Amazing local food, drinks and music...I give you The Boiler Shop Steamer / 2. Sea salt soap at RE:found Objects in Corbridge / 3. Gifts from America / 4. One of my best evening's I've had in a long while...The Grazer's Supperclub at the Ouse Street Arts Club. Can't wait for the next one! / 5. Espresso martinis from Ouseburn Coffee Company / 6. Retriever doing their thing at The Cluny / 7. Dirty Beaches! / 8. New beauty treats / 9. Cocktails at Toon favourite, Alvinos.

1. Food with Mama and Papa Barnes at Lola Jeans in Tynemouth / 2. A favourite shop of mine in Tynemouth, Boys Like Dolls - a fantastic selection of vintage fashion and homeware pieces / 3. Celebrating my Mama Barnes' 60th birthday in Newcastle / 4. Food heaven courtesy of The Broad Chare / 5, 6, 7. Celebrating the wedding of Beth and Hal at Shortflatt Tower in Belsay. Hands down the best wedding I've been to - filled with so much love, happiness and great memories. Check out their utterly brilliant first dance. / 8. Homemade burger and chips / 9. Nadine Shah being rad.

1. Green goodness to help me get over a horrible cold / 2. Mum's 60th birthday party with the whole family. This amazing cake was made by Becky - check her out if you need some sweet treats for any occassion / 3. Checking out new Tynemouth cafe, Dil & The Bear - I can highly recommend their chorizo homemade baked beans and array of smoothies / 4. Have you seen this bird? / 5. Payday treats from ASOS - the perfect lightweight summertime jacket / 6. Sydney Hale Company candles - a treat for the nose / 7. A summertime essential. Coconut ice cream from Di Meo's, Whitley Bay / 8. Mojito time! / 9. Beautiful King Edward's Bay in Tynemouth. So lucky that this is 10 minute stroll from my flat.

Tatty Devine comes to the Toon

I have long been a fan of Tatty Devine,  the ultimate laser cut perspex jewellery supremos.

Ever since first discovering them at the age of 14, I've been bowled over by their super-cool jewellery and accessories, and have made a fair few purchases over the years; their iconic name necklaces, plectrum earrings and spectacle neckwear.

This summer, BALTIC Shop, one of my favourite North East shopping destinations, part BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and TD's larget North East stockist, welcome the Tatty Devine team, who'll be hosting the region's first Bunting Necklace Workshops. Aspiring jewellery makers can work with the team in choosing their own necklace components and create a bunting masterpiece all for themselves.

The two workshops, running on Saturday 13th July, are sure to sell out quick, so to book your place on this super exclusive workshop, hot-foot it over to BALTIC Shop to get your hands on some tickets, or click here to book online. 

Tatty Devine Bunting Necklace Workshops

Saturday 13 July 2013

Workshop Times: 12.00 and 14.30

£35.00 per person

BALTIC SHOP, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead

All images courtesy of BALTIC and Tatty Devine

Come Closer.

There is so much bloody great music coming out of the North East at the minute, I can't get enough.
I'm more than obsessed with Lulu James (from South Shields, what's not to love?!) and I literally can't get this song out of my head. If you haven't heard it, where have you been?