September has without a doubt been my most favourite month of 2019 so far, and as much as I love Christmas, I’m pretty sure even December won’t beat it. While everyone was celebrating the return of pumpkin spice in Starbucks on the 1st September, I was carefully packing my packing cubes for our trip to Italy. Big fan of packing cubes now by the way, I’m converted.

After Palma in July I was so unbelievably excited for our main holiday of the year. Palma felt like a taste of a proper summer holiday, but I really needed a longer period of time off work, and this was the holiday we had planned for most of 2019. We booked way back in February, and by the time it came round I was so ready to relax.

So my first week of the month was spent in Sorrento, and exploring there as well as Amalfi, Positano and Capri. We ate so much pasta, drank so much wine, went to Pompeii, jumped off boats into crystal clear water, and enjoyed one  of the most incredible days I’ve ever experienced in Capri.

That holiday was one of, if not the best holiday of my life. Certainly the best summer holiday and I’d go back again in a heartbeat. So far I’ve wrote two blog posts on it, one on Pompeii, and the other a mini guide to Amalfi. There are plenty more to come!

Back to work was as brutal as expected after a holiday like that, but i did have my birthday to look forward to not long after we got back. I didn’t plan anything big this year, but Kieran and I both had the Monday off work so we went out for a Sunday session to celebrate.

Sunday lunch at the Broad chare, followed by drinks at St Vincent’s and Stack. Even St Vincent, the go to French and Italian wine bar didn’t have the rosé I found in Italy, I’m still trying to find somewhere I can buy it without having to pay wine club memberships. 

Our Monday off work was a total hangover write off, but we did take the dogs for a walk along the sea front. I’d not actually been along the whitley Bay promenade from Rendezvous up to Spanish city since it’s been done up and it’s so nice isn’t it. It was that week where we got a sudden September heatwave so we got ice creams and fish and chips too.

Oh my actual birthday we tried the New Mexican restaurant on North Shields fish quay – Lobo Rojo. Thoroughly enjoyed our tacos and margaritas so if you’ve not been yet I’d definitely recommend. I wrote a small review on it here if you want to see more pics and details.

I was invited to stay at The Forge luxury apartments on Newcastle quayside last weekend, to review the complex complete with apartments, gym and residents club. We made a weekend of it and for once made Friday night happy hour in town, followed by a takeaway at the apartment, and a brunch at Eden on the Saturday. My full post on The Forge is up now if you’re considering a move to Newcastle city centre. 

My family birthday celebrations were on the Sunday, and after a very nice Sunday dinner there earlier in the year we went back to Branches in Jesmond. It was just as good as last time and the biggest critics of all (my parents) really enjoyed it too. I think they’ve booked to go back with some friends so it must have won them over. 

That was the last of my birthday celebrations, but this past week has been celebrations of a different kind. Friends welcomed baby Aurora Jane Taylor earlier in September and we made the trip up to Amble to meet her. She’s a complete beaut and while the boys wet the babies head this weekend, the girls took her for some Prosecco at the pub up in Amble. She’s amazing congratulations again Hannah and Dale xxx

I feel like I’m now ready for Autumn/winter, but by that I actually mean I’m now ready for the Christmas break. It’s taking all my effort not to book a winter getaway, but sights are on real life for a while – boring stuff like house deposits etc – so I’m really trying to make plans in the uk instead. Not missing our trip to New York last year at all…

I’m also curbing my spending and trying to find new ways of cutting down on stuff I don’t need. It’s amazing how much you can save with a few small changes. To totally contradict myself I did treat myself to one of Victoria Beckham’s eye palettes from her first make up launch with my birthday money though. I loved the quality of her range with Estée Lauder so thought I’d try her own too. 

The one thing I do love about this time of year is all the knitwear and winter boots. If you haven’t got the ‘honey’ google chrome browser extension you really need to get it. It scans the internet for working discount codes when you get to the checkout page, I managed to save myself 25% and free delivery on my topshop order last week which makes my new boots that little bit more fun. It doesn’t always work but anything from free delivery or even 10% helps doesn’t it. Just call me Martin Lewis.

Coming up I have some work trips during October, starting with Amsterdam this week, hopefully I won’t cry at the airport when everyone else is jetting off on holiday and I’m there for work. It’s so much harder after Italy!

I think I’m really having to force myself back into a routine, and I’m not going to lie I’m finding it hard. I’m a frequent player of the lottery all of a sudden put it that way, although I have enjoyed spending some weekends back in Newcastle. I also woke up to the very nice new that I’m on the Chronicle’s list of Geordie travel. Instagrammers…have a look.

A final note on October – it’s world mental health awareness day on the 10th. The change of season and dark nights often bring out things like SAD or feelings of loneliness at this time of year in people that suffer with poor mental health. I was reminded of this on a mental health workshop I went to through work last week. So be nice to people and most importantly look after yourselves.

Have a great October. Go get that pumpkin spice!