Simone Reddington

Now that August has drawn to a close, we can start to embrace the transitional period between the end of summer and the start of autumn. This is one of my favourite times of the year, not only because I am a Virgo baby who celebrates my birthday at the end of August, but I think there is a lovely, peaceful feeling in the air. The weather is still often warm and sunny, and everybody wants to appreciate the light evenings before the clocks go back. These are the thing I’ve enjoyed most this August:

• French Martinis- I don’t often order cocktails when I’m on a night out but on my birthday, I do like to be a bit boujee and order some of the fancy drinks on the menu that I hadn’t tried before. For my 24th birthday this year, I went for a meal at a local restaurant in my area where I tried a French martini for the first time. Oh my days, it tasted divine. I would really recommend it if you like the taste of raspberries and enjoy fruity drinks that aren’t overwhelmingly sweet.

• Ackley Bridge- This month I’ve been binge watching Ackley Bridge, which is basically Channel 4’s version of Waterloo Road for today’s generation of teenagers. It is set in a newly-built comprehensive school, which has been set up to educate students from both the white and Asian communities that the fictional town in West Yorkshire is home to. The show tackles some gritty and difficult themes, but does so with emotional warmth and a dry sense of humour. Perfect viewing for a lazy weekend.

• Vans- I have been on the look out for a new pair of trainers all summer, so I was over the moon when I saw that these beauties were in my size on the Schuh sale website. I owned several pairs of vans when I was a teenager as I think they look so effortlessly cool, and they go with a lot of outfits. I absolutely love the pink and red heart details, as they make the shoes look a little bit quirky and different.

• For The Love Of North- I absolutely love small independent businesses, whether their shops, bars and cafes. While visiting Whitley Bay, a coastal town near Newcastle, I came across ‘For The Love Of North’, which is a shop that sells artwork and gifts that celebrate the beauty of the North East. I am fiercely proud of being from the North East, and I think the area is very underappreciated and the people are worth so much more than the negative stereotypes that are portrayed of Geordies (why does everyone else in the country think that the North East is just Newcastle?). For The Love Of North works with local artists and celebrates the uniqueness and beauty of the North East. I absolutely loved it.