Coffee & Craic
Craic
Hey everyone!
We’re SO sorry that we’ve been a little absent for a while, but we’re BACK!
Well, Mel is *waves*, as Cassie has jetted off back home to her motherland for a few weeks. Obviously, life in the office is a little duller without her but I’ll have to just make do.
We’ve been gone for a while because we’ve got some things going on here at HQ that have been keeping us really busy. There’s some exciting changes going on with JUXDIT.com, so we’ve been getting those on the move ready for the summer!
I would LOVE to tell you, BUT it’s top secret, so just keep your eyes peeled! In the meantime, we’ve been getting some great new Vendors up on the site. My current personal fave is Trobla:
It’s perfect for those summer days sitting in the sunshine in the park, with friends, some gin and some music. Which all seems like a distant dream right now because it was SNOWING on the way into work. What?
It’s also Friday AND it’s payday, so spirits around the UK are particularly high today. Not to mention, it’s also a Bank Holiday Weekend, yay! So our Cassie has popped off home and I will be accompanying her for the long weekend. I’ve only ever passed through Dublin before on the way to a wedding, so naturally, we quickly just hit up the main tourist spots. I’ve been promised that I’m going to be shown the REAL Dublin, I’m so excited! I’ll be doing a little blog post about it all when I’m back.
I’m also flying on my own, so I’m a teeny tiny bit scared. I will probably have to have a gin or ten for some dutch courage. Wish me luck!
Apologies that this is a bit of a quick one, I’ll throw in a track of the week for good measure:
BEYONCÉ - LEMONADE.
Just basically, all of the tracks and the visuals are incredible. There’s been so much media coverage about all the cheating craziness etc, but whatever, I think it’s a great album and I am, was, and forever will be a proud member of the BeyHive #sorrynotsorry.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!
Happy Easter, everyone!
Hope you had a fabulous weekend filled with food, friends and family.
I had a great weekend, starting off with a walk up Moel Famau with some friends. We were so lucky because the weather was gorgeous! I haven’t climbed it since I was a little kid and it was a LOT steeper than I remember. I made it to the top first though! My thighs were burning, but I soldiered through and just sang the Lord of the Rings theme tune in my head and pretended the fate of Middle Earth rested on my shoulders. Needless to say, if you ever need motivation that’s a good way to go.
The beautiful view at the top of Moel Famau.
Cassie getting blown away after our steep ascent to the top.
Then we stopped off at a lovely pub on the way home, then it was back to mine for my Grandad’s birthday. It was Good Friday and we’re all Catholic so it was no meat for us! So my poor Dad waited nearly an HOUR at the chippy (best chippy in Liverpool like, Steve’s) for some fish and chips as a birthday tea for my Grandad. We accompanied it with a bottle or two of champagne, because obviously the light refreshing citrus notes of the champagne, really compliment the batter and the mushy peas.
The next day it was off to the wonderful Independent Liverpool Festival. It was bloody glorious. It was chocka block and everyone was eating, drinking and being merry. I naturally gravitated towards my food soul mate, Lucha Libre and got some amazing halloumi tacos. I could eat them again right now. My fella, got himself some tacos too, then also went for a hot dog and sweet potato fries (which I robbed loads of). The gin was flowing and the music was sensational! Also, who knew gin in a can could be so glorious? The festival also coincided with the reopening of the Baltic Gin Garden, which is a stone’s throw from our office. I think we all know I’ll be spending every Friday evening there from this day forward.
My Easter Sunday, was spent consuming a HUGE amount of crisps, as I’d given them up for Lent. It was amazing but I’ve eaten so many salt and vinegar chipsticks that I think I may have burned the roof of my mouth off. A sacrifice I was more than willing to make. Then we were onto a brilliant family party in the pub down the road. There was endless singing and dancing from start to finish!
Monday consisted of a catch up with an old friend, a few drinks with Cassie, then a roast with the family, delish! Now we’re back in work, well, I am. Cassie has a day’s annual leave so she’s still chilling at home with a whiskey hangover. I’d like to say I’m spritely as ever, but I’m currently battling the Liverpool Lurgy, or 19th Century consumption, not too sure really.
ANYWAY, here’s to a productive four day week with a Last Shadow Puppets gig at the end of it to look forward to!
Love,
Mel
xo
Why hello there friends,
I’m a mix bag of feelings right now. Super happy because we have the next four days off. Super excited because my friend Jess is paying me a visit from Ireland. Super relieved because I don’t have an assignment due till the end of April. Finally, a little disheartened because it’s raining. We haven’t seen rain for a while and I felt like summer was nicely rolling in. As well as this a terrible thing happened … okay maybe I’m a teeny bit dramatic but due to the surprising rain I came to work unprepared. As I was without an umbrella I ran to the office and this happened …
*HEARTBREAK HOTEL*
And...
*TEARS*
This is a pain in the arse mainly because I’m not a handbag kinda gal at all and this bag suited me perfectly for carrying to work and to uni.
And that is why I need this … Oombrella
Not only does it keep you nice and dry because it’s super sturdy but it looks so deadly, it tells you if it’s going to rain AND it sends you a reminder if you’re about to leave it behind. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE.
You are also able to pop a Go Pro on top of it so you can capture all those stunning lashing rain shots.
ANNNYYYWAYYY, there’s too much to look forward to to be too blue…
Tomorrow, myself and Mel along with her fiancee and the rest of her buddies are climbing some mountain for our sins - well we are gonna be up step ahead and apologize for our sins we are about to commit this weekend. The plan is up, down and then stop for some yummy fish and chips - hold the fish for me thanks kid!
Then .. I plan on being at Todd Terje in The Garage here in the Baltic Triangle tomorrow night. I mean I have nothing organised but I REALLY wanna go so I’m trying to convince Nathalia to come with me. *Can’t mention Mr. Terje without this …
Saturday, ye probably know where you will find the three of us. Yep, parked right in the middle of the Independent Liverpool Spring festival sipping on gin and beers and eating loads of glorious food. We have been looking forward to this for weeks now so we will probably clear the food stalls out. A full report of this next week ..
Sunday, we will probably be resting our weary heads, eating 100 Lindt bunnies and perhaps perparing for another night of dancing. Can we do it? Probably not, but I like to think I’m still 19 and able to do a three night in a row no bother. Tune in next week to find out about all the galavanting!
Have a wonderful Easter break guys!
Smooches,
Cassie
x
It’s Friday and it’s the Friday before Friday pay day it’s usually quite a tame one for us.
BUT we did have a few for St Patrick’s day because Cassie is Irish and why the hell not, the rest of Liverpool were. Cassie has been reeling off more weird Irish words today too. The conversation basically went as follows:
Cassie: ‘I need to charge my phone, I’m going to have to get down on my honkers’
Mel: ‘Erm, ok’ … ‘What?’
Cassie: ‘My honkers’
Mel: ‘Right… What the fuck* are your honkers’
Cassie: ‘My honkers! Like, on your honkers! Did your teachers in school never tell you to get down on your honkers?!’
Mel: …
Cassie: ‘LIKE THIS’ ~squats inelegantly~
Mel: Oh. Right. A squat. You’re squatting. Bloody honkers ya weirdo.
Anyway her phone is charging and here we are, with Cassie and her weird words that aren’t things.
* Disclaimer: Swearing isn’t cool kids, stay in school. Don’t do drugs.
We’re going to get American Pizza Slice for lunch and I don’t know of anything that could make Friday any sweeter. Apart from maybe an afternoon gin*.
* Disclaimer: Drink responsibly, always with friends and out of a large glass that you won’t misplace accidentally.
Tonight, I’m off to a Ceilidh, I’m also trying to drag Cassie too but she’s having bloody none of it. I’m already expecting to be incredibly sore tomorrow from too much Irish dancing and excessive gin consumption.
We hope you have a LOVELY weekend, I’m expecting to beat Cassie in the music quiz later on but you’re probably all tired of hearing about that now.
Cassie, anything to add girl?
I said it before and I’ll say it again … Pizza Fridays … BE STILL MY BEATING HEART.
Here is some of our pizza:
#NOFILTER #pizzadontneednofilter #aintnopizzagottimefothat
Remember kids...
So I’ve had a mildly lonely week without Cassie.
It’s Friday, all I can think about is gin and jalapeño poppers. It’s lovely and sunny outside and it’s making us pine for Summer days.
I had a fabulous little evening last night with my Mum. As a little treat I bought us tickets to go and meet Charlotte Tilbury and have our faces painted by one of her best makeup artists. It was FABULOUS. We got prosecco, canapes, chocolates, and freebies galore.
Charlotte herself, was absolutely lovely. Really humble and down to earth. Also absolutely drop dead gorgeous. Those 70s style Stevie Nicks red locks are to die for. Well I was absolutely in my element anyway, makeup and prosecco. Now I don’t want to fall into a Scouse girl stereotype here, but I’m obsessed with makeup. I LOVED the fact that she launched phase two of her Project Confidence in Liverpool, instead of London! No offence London girls, but it’s time we got a little credit for our love of beautiful makeup.
She took the time to chat to everyone and chose one of her signature looks for each of us. I got Dolce Vita, which I was made up with as it’s one of my favourites! Anyway. I’m even more obsessed with her now than I was.
I’m also headed for a weekend of vintage fairs and food and drink and to galavant to Manchester with my Maid-of-Honour to be. So roll on 5:00pm!
I also can’t wait to beat Cassie in the music quiz later. T’ra!
CASSIE HERE!
Yes I had some time off this week it was glorious. Funnily enough we are not off to the pub tonight. This is mainly due to the fact we are already broke (We did say we live like Kings & Queens the first two weekends after payday).
Sometimes it’s great to just sit in on a Friday and watch a good film. (Note: I said ‘sometimes’ I mean I would prefer to be out with a beer in my hand having a lil’ boogie). Anyway, a movie night it is. So, last weekend my best friend Kate was over and after a wonderful drunken adventure on the Saturday with Mel we spent the following four days eating and watching films. I actually can’t remember everything we watched (yep it was a lot) but ‘Shutter Island’, ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘True Romance’ were definitely viewed.
Shockingly I landed back in the office to discover none of my co-workers have seen ‘True Romance’. I know. They’re so not cool … They won’t even get that reference *sigh*
The good samaritan that I am I decided to spread the ‘True Romance’ love and have brought the DVD in. Mel is the first to take it so I shall report back once they’ve all had a watch.
No idea what tonight’s picture shall be but I love the feeling you have after a great book/film so I hope I discover something great this weekend.
Any suggestions for me readers?
Smooches
x
Hey you guys,
I feel awful starting a blog about International Women’s Day with a androcentric colloquialism, BUT, I do it all the time so I’m not going to change.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!
I’m doing this blog solo, as our Cassie is off for a few days. Missing her terribly, of course.
We were both lucky enough to attend the Women In Business Awards 2016, as our Founder Annie, was up for the Business Enabler of the year award. SHE WON! So I had the honour of going up on stage to collect it for her. After an initial flap about what I was going to say, thankfully there were no speeches, so I just went with a ‘Hi thanks so much, I’m not Annie, thank you’ when collecting. Smooth and informative, was it not?
It was a great day hosted in the Crowne Plaza, Liverpool. We sat on a table with some wonderfully inspirational women, who were all ambitious, successful business women and active members of the Women’s Equality movement.
We also heard an incredible speech from Keynote speaker, Nisha Katona, the entrepreneur behind Mowlgi Street Food. They began on Bold St, Liverpool, and if you haven’t been yet you’re missing out on a whole world of flavoursome wonderfulness. They’ve recently opened another restaurant in Manchester, with many other cities to come on the list. Ending in eventual national and international Mowlgi domination! We’re all for the Mowlgi Movement.
Nisha spoke candidly about the hardships she’d faced as the first Indian, female barrister in the city and one of the first in the country. She also spoke about how words like ambition, drive and tenacity, can be harsh words on the lips of a woman.
Inspirational people like Nisha, are breaking this stigma and are pushing for more women to be confident enough to take the steps to building their own business.
Women’s equality and feminism is close to my heart and something I follow closely and passionately. During my History degree, watching the roles of women change and evolve for the better was something I was so interested in and still am now. My favourite inspirational lady from times past, is Catherine the Great. A formidable and incredibly interesting woman. She was the longest ruling female of Russia, and Russia was revitalized during her reign, growing stronger than ever and becoming one of the greatest powers in Europe. She also set up the first state financed higher education facility for women, The Smolny Institute.
I’ll stop fan-girling over Catherine now, but seriously if you get a chance look her up, she had a pretty wild personal life too. You know, as well making Russia one of the most formidable powers in the world. Goals.
Today is a day to celebrate the wonder of women, where we’ve come from and where we’re going. One of the things that women need to change if we’re to keep moving forward, is that we NEED to support each other. If you’ve never before, I’d suggest reading up a little on the various feminist movements and how you are a part of that, female or male. In my personal (and maybe controversial) opinion, every woman should have the pride to call themselves a feminist and empower themselves and those around them, with the values of the movement. We need to smash the stigma of successful woman in the business world. Smash the stigma that being a feminist somehow makes you unfeminine and that being a feminist means immediately that you have to grow out your armpit hair, take off your bra and start to wear unflattering silhouettes.
I definitely and proudly call myself a feminist. The only time I ever struggle with calling myself one, is when I’m singing/rapping along to gangsta rap about bitches and hoes with fat asses. Even though for a sec I’m like, errmmmm respect your woman, Jesus. I’ll be finishing the rap like a second later.
All I’d say is read up (if you don’t already know) and be an inspiration and a support to women and men around you. Proudly be able to call yourself a feminist, even if you really like gangsta rap. Own it.
I just did like three swears then I’m just wondering if I’m going to get away with it while Cassie’s off.
Love, Mel.
P.S. Here's some pics of me & Cass at WIBA 2016.
FRIDAY.
WE ARE HAPPY.
Last Friday Cassie, Mel and Nathalia checked out the craft beers in Black Lodge Brewery and we had a wonderful night, not so wonderful Saturday, but hey ho that’s the way it goes! We drank many many tasty beers and had a couple of games of cards which Cassie whipped everyone’s arses at .... Winning the music quiz and cards last week … Just sayin!
After a week of super hard work we have decided to head again and this time drag the lads along. YAY FOR BEER!
After an evening of treating ourselves we will be getting ready to treat our Mother’s on Sunday! It feels like Mother’s Day has been coming a long time now as we have spent the last two weeks chatting about our Mam’s and our very own Annie will be celebrating her very first Mother’s Day!
Mel and Cassie dug out some photos of their Mam’s for this special occasion, some were so stunning the blog is genuinely not worthy of them, think 80’s hair, clothes, make up! But here are our favourite women in the world besides each other …
LOOK AT MEL. THE HAIR. THE SMILE. THE WAISTCOAT.
What’s amazing about this photo is not only Mel’s beautiful Mam but while little Mel was chilling out in her stunning waistcoat in Liverpool, Cassie was also chilling out in the same waistcoat (okay different colour) in Perth, Australia!
Anyway, I have outfit envy over my very own self. I would genuinely wear that outfit right now if I could. Oh here’s my Mam with my siblings and I think they are cookies that we painted on, who knows what we were at!
So there we go, not a very exciting blog but look it’s Friday give us a break. Have a great weekend whatever you get upto and we will be back bright and early Monday morning.
Lots of love kids,
Cassie & Mel
xo
Friday Craic
Friday’s fill us all with so much happiness but pay day Fridays are like no other. We don’t know about you guys but we feel like kings and live like the richest people on the planet the weekend of payday.
So today we are all about the treats and have purchased matching jumpers (we are so cute), we grabbed a pasty (Cassie’s first) and then we are all off to Black Lodge Brewery to celebrate a week of hard work and a superb talk by our Annie at Creative Kitchen last night.
We are full to the brim right now after our lunch. We glided into pasty heaven, they were scrumptious and Cassie can now die a happy woman. So much cheese, so much pastry, so much happiness!
Thankfully after a pit stop on route to the pasty party we picked up fig rolls. Little did we think this would be the greatest part of pay day Friday. Nathalia had never had a fig roll before - it was a day of firsts! Cassie captured the moment just before Nathalia’s world changed. As you can see Mel takes fig rolls and photos very serious …
Mel - Fig rolls are the king of the biscuits, you’ve got to give them the respect they deserve!
Back to the office then meant Music Quiz Friday time. The current scoreboard is as follows -
Cassie - II
Mel - I
Sam - I
Mel - You know it sickens me when I see someone with a score higher than mine, it really does. I would make the worst zen monk ever.
Check out this video of Mel ‘Competitive’ Quayle before her defeat last week!
We had two rounds of our music quiz today! So, today’s winner is Mel and Cassie WOOHOO!
So now we shall celebrate the win, the hard work, the amazing talk last night by Annie in Black Lodge Brewery to drink all of the beer and eat all of the food till we have to roll home. HURRAY!
Hey everyone!
I’m officially back in the office after a gorgeous break in the Welsh countryside. We stayed in a beautiful cottage in Penmachno in Snowdonia, it was honestly the cutest, cosiest cottage I’ve been in. You can have a nose and their Air BnB page here.
I’m an absolute city girl through and through, but I love getting away to the countryside now again. Where there’s no phone signal, no wifi and lots of greenery and wildlife, bliss! I also love that you can take dogs pretty much anywhere and everyone is just cool with it. Pub dogs are my fave and I usually try and befriend every single one of them.
It’s weird to be back in the buzz of the office right away. With us being a small business, you really do miss someone if they’re off even for a few days! So on my part there’s tonnes of catching up to do and hundreds of emails to answer. However, we’ve got a lovely team, so it’s nice to be back to that ugly lot. Especially my partner in crime, Cassandra.
We attempted a walk up Mount Snowdon while we were away, which I can say was nothing short of a near death experience. There was bloody 50mph winds, which kept blowing me over so much. My Fiancé kept having to sit down when one of the massive gusts blew over, otherwise we would have been knocked down! It was also picking up ice off the top peaks so I’m pretty sure I’ve got ice/wind burn, which is not fabulous. Alas, I live to tell the tale. However it kills me that we didn’t go to the top, because incase you didn’t know, I’m super competitive and I really wanted to stand on the top and be the highest person in Wales, for just a sec.
On the way home we stopped off at Llandudno, a place which has got tonnes of happy childhood memories for me. However, the memories usually involved sun and ice cream, and unfortunately we just had drizzle and clouds. We did go to a gorgeous little pub called The Cottage Loaf and I filled my boots with all of the carbs and roast beef and it was delicious.
Alas, I’m back to reality and back on the health bandwagon. So I will be going to yoga tonight to cleanse my body and soul of all of the cakes and pasties and gin and wine. Then tomorrow is basically the weekend!
Hope you didn’t miss me too much, Cass!
Love,
Mel xo
Colloquial Craic
We played an AMAZING game today called 'Accentuate'. It's our new fave.
At the Toy Fair, we were lucky enough to meet the creators of this ingenious, yet simple game. I love messing about with accents and I'm extremely proud of my 'Old Scottish Lady' one, inspired by legendary fictional women like Professor McGonagal and Mrs Doubtfire.
You get two cards, one with a film quote on and one with an accent. You have to say the film quote in the accent on your card. Simple yet HILARIOUS. Watching Cassie trying to figure out how to say 'Houston we have a problem' in Israeli and each time it coming out more Irish than the last, was incredible.
Here's some clips of our Sam and Nathalia having a go. Nathalia's is particularly amazing, I can't even remember what Sam's was. However our resident Colombian, Nathalia, attempting a Japanese accent is one of the best things I've ever seen.
So, you’ll have noticed that in my ‘About Cass’, I call her out for saying the MOST Irish things in the world. Thus I have challenged her to guess what 5 Scouse colloquialisms mean and I’ll guess what 5 Irish mean.
I’m not going to make this easy.
Trabs
Cassie thinks: Some sort of footwear
Answer: Trainees
Gigs
Cassie thinks: Money
Answer: Glasses
Ken
Cassie thinks: Boy/Man
Answer: Someone's residence or to 'ken off' is to sit in someone's residence
Frabs
Cassie thinks: Food/Meal
Geggin’
Cassie thinks: Really excited/Horny
Answer: Poking your nose in
Your turn Cass!
Dare ya to guess these right:
1. Hotpress - A freshly iron shirt? Nope - Airing cupboard
2. Shift - Like, get a shift on? Hurry up? Not even close - Kiss
3. Eejit - Idiot/Divvy - GOT IT
4. Gargle - Bubble some liquid in the back of your throat?! - No! Drink/Alcohol
5. The Jacks - A family of people called Jack? A fruity cider? The toilets, duh.
In conclusion:
Language is weird and wonderful and we all have bizarre words for stuff.
Love,
Mel & Cass
xo
Pancake Tuesday is a glorious day when it is acceptable to eat pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner and so far it’s going great ...
We headed out on this beautiful day (No rain -HURRAY) for lunch to ‘Brunch Club’ on Duke St. Liverpool to gorge on fluffy circular pieces of heaven, the simple yet scrumptious ‘pancake’.
On our stroll down we discussed the origins of ‘Pancake Tuesday/Shrove Tuesday’. Super long story in short, it is always the day before Ash Wednesday where many Christians begin the fasting period of Lent. Did you know shrove comes from the word shrive meaning absolve? Now there ya go! We are planning on a little detox ourselves so make sure to tune in and watch us struggle for the next 40 days. *shudder*
So basically you go wild and treat yourself to all the pancake goodness before it’s time to behave and start fasting!
And, did you know ‘Pancake Tuesday’ is ‘Mardi Gras' in many other places around the globe. My favourite fact from today is that Mardi Gras is the French for ‘Fat Tuesday’ … perfect!
We decided to go with savoury pancakes for our lunch so Mel feasted on chicken and chorizo pancakes whilst Cassie munched on mushroom, goats cheese and pesto pancakes, holy moly they were super yummy!
So now that you are somewhat informed on what this wonderful day is all about go and get your fill! Oh and don’t forget your beads so you can be super cultural and celebrate the 2 in 1.
NOW WE CAN’T MOVE PLEASE SEND HELP
Whilst @JUXDITSam was off bothering other unlucky people in the French mountains we took it upon ourselves to look after his poor Bonsai tree. After some quality girl - Bonsai time we learnt so much about our leafy friend and felt it was necessary to share our knowledge and time together with you all!
5 ways to properly look after your Bonsai featuring JUXDITBonsai:
1. Since JUXDITBonsai has moved into the office hes spent most of his time with @JUXDITSam bored out of his tree (lol) just chilling on the desk. We felt it was time for him to get out and about and meet the other plants of the office ... We've never seen a happier Bonsai!
2. There was many a time we felt our Bonsai neighbour didn't look in the healthiest condition but yet he was getting watered? We found the solution! After a long day of growing and listening to @JUXDITSam he needed to unwind. What better way then a shower, perfect water pressure and a little seat to rest those weary roots.
3. There have been so many times when @JUXDITSam had his earphones in dancing away to his music and @JUXDITBonsai looks on despairingly. Being the great tree-sitters we are we decided to give him a gift ... the gift of song ...
4. Hitting the great outdoors, taking in the sunshine and rollin with the homies ...
There's nothing else to say really ...
5. Enjoying a tipple every now and then because all the water can get too much. So sometimes your Bonsai Just needs a great tune and a bottle of whiskey to keep those leaves green and soil in tip top condition!
Mel & Cass
xo