Simone Reddington

As I mentioned in my previous monthly favourites post, May is my favourite month of the year.  In Britain, we always seem to enjoy the best weather just before the official start of summer and this was certainly the case this year, with a record-breaking heatwave this May.  After what felt like the longest winter ever, we were certainly ready for some sunshine.  I have had a lot more flexibility to enjoy my spare time with friends and family recently, now that I started a new corporate job after two years of working in full-time hospitality.  I have made the most of my free weekends this month, which I have spent celebrating birthdays; attending the BBC Radio One Music festival and going on spontaneous days out.  It has been lovely to have been so busy, but this weekend I can’t wait to relax and recharge my social battery.  Here are some of my favourite things that I’ve enjoyed this month, now I finally have time to write about them. 

• The Cage: The best TV programme that I’ve watched this month was The Cage, which was broadcast on BBC One. The gritty drama stars Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha as two casino employees who have found themselves in desperate financial situations and turn to swindling money from their employer.  Socha delivered an outstanding performance as a deeply flawed character whom it was impossible not to root for.  Sheridan Smith was once again in her element, portraying a working-class mother on the edge.  I don’t know if the producers are planning to continue the story for a second series, but I really enjoyed it as a stand-alone drama series.  

• Mesh top– This mesh crop-top is certainly not new, but it finally had its first outing with me this month.  Originally from New Look, I bought it from Vinted last year as I wanted a cute little top that I could wear for casual nights out.  I love seeing mesh tops on other girls, but I wasn’t sure if I felt comfortable wearing it when I first tried it on.  It is very tight and I had to be very careful choosing what bra to wear with it as it is see-through.  I really didn’t like the idea that I’d wasted money on a lovely top that was just left to languish at the back of my wardrobe, so I finally wore it for my friend’s birthday party last month.  I hadn’t got dressed up in ages, so I wanted to make myself look and feel hot.  I styled it with a comfortable black A-line skirt and wore it over a dark strapless bra that didn’t distract from top’s daisy pattern.  I really liked this outfit and felt like the fun and cool version of myself that I forgot existed. 

• Michael Jackson: He is obviously not a new and upcoming artist, but I have been loving the revival of the King of Pop’s music over the last few weeks since the release of Michael, the new biopic film that everyone is going mad for.  In my opinion, Michael Jackson was the most talented musician of all time.  I’ve been a huge fan of his music since I was a child, despite not even being born when he was at the peak of his career. The fact that the compilation of his greatest hits hit number one in the charts, as well as classic albums of his such as Thriller and Bad returning to the top 10, cements his position as a musical genius whose art transcends generations.  

• The Stand Comedy Club– During the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, I watched a comedy show at The Stand Comedy Club in Newcastle.  I used to love watching live comedy when I lived in Liverpool, but I didn’t know any comedy venues in the North East until my friend told me about the Stand.  Located in the heart of Newcastle city centre, the venue was small and intimate which allowed the acts to build a rapport and get the audience closely involved with the show.  The Stand hosts comedy shows every Friday and Saturday night that offer several up-and-coming comedians the opportunity to perform.  The acts that I watched were very funny, and I will be returning to watch another show.  The venue also had a cute little bar, with affordable prices and friendly staff.