I'm feeling 22

Well, the festival of Jenni has returned for another year and while I haven't managed to stretch it out quite as much as my 21st last year, I've still had a jam-packed week long of celebrations. After my bottomless brunch last Sunday, I spent my one free evening on Monday baking birthday treats for work. On my birthday in particular, I like to make my cakes very "me" so last year I did cocktail cupcakes and this year I did queen bee ones! I made them honeycomb flavoured with vanilla frosting and mini fondant bees (which took me absolutely ages to individually paint with a cocktail stick). There seems to be more and more people each time I bake so I did a tray bake too (because they're easier to transport) with these jammie dodger white chocolate blondies, which were amazing - even if I do say so myself! It's safe to say that everything went down very well at the office and they'd scoffed the lot by lunchtime.

Then on Tuesday night, I headed out for my celebratory meal with Laura at Yamas, which I have wanted to try for absolutely ages. They had a really big menu with loads of things that sounded amazing but some of the tapas dishes were like £9 each so it's on the pricier end of tapas places I've been to. However, they offered a mixed mezze menu for 2 which was only £18 each so we both decided to go for that and it was amazing! All the food was amazing and it was seriously good value because it just seemed to keep coming and coming. We got olives, flatbreads, houmous, tzatziki and feta chilli dip (my personal fave of the 3) then fried calamari, king prawns and white fish in a lemon and garlic butter, then chickpeas in tomato sauce, a Mediterranean take on a lasagne (using orzo pasta), fried halloumi (amazing) and spanakopita, then chicken souvlaki, chorizo sausage, lemon rice and a massive bowl of greek salad. We were really struggling by the end and practically fit to burst but it was all SO good. I also got the first of my birthday presents! Laura is very good at knowing my tastes and she bought my a new black bag with big gold rings as handles (looks very designer - can be seen in later pics), a new plastic sippy cup shaped like a wine glass with 'prosecco princess' on it and some cute little gold bow shaped earrings! It was warmish on Tuesday night so I wore one of my playsuits (but a long sleeved one because it wasn't really hot) with flared sleeves and choker neckline and added mustard yellow and bright red accessories; red tassel earrings, red chanel boybag and mustard yellow suede jacket.

Then on Wednesday, after already 2 lots of celebrations, it was my actual birthday! I had booked the afternoon off work so decided to save presents and cards until I got home and instead went to work as normal in the morning. Of course, I arrived to find my desk covered in 'happy birthday' confetti, blair waldorf pictures pinned up everywhere and a cleverly photoshopped picture of ja'mie private school girl with my face on hers (because Joe says I'm just like her). My team had also got me some lovely presents; they got me a new book (perfect timing as I just finished my last one), a queen bee t-shirt (they know me well) and a handbag made out of chocolate! Then at lunch time, me Joe and Rachael headed down to the pub so that my birthday drinking could begin! We also had lunch and me and Joe both got the mac and cheese bacon burger which was amazing and the Horn in Hand was another place to check off my list of places I wanted to try. Then as they headed back to work (ha!) I headed home to continue the celebrations. Me and my brother headed straight to the pub after a quick outfit change; I wore this gorgeous Miss Selfridge dress which is a perfect dupe for a Self Portrait one, with lace up sandals. Then after a few drinks, it was finally present time! I was utterly spoilt (as always) with new bags, new books, new clothes, new makeup, new homeware, new perfume, new jewellery and new bits and bobs (the little things are often my favourites), plus mum got me a bunch of my favourite flowers (pink peonies and roses) and a giant princess balloon. Then we sat down to eat and had the same thing I ask for every year; an afternoon-tea-style picnic with tiny cobs, mini sausages and sausage rolls, salad, crisps, plenty of prosecco and cake! My dad did extra well with my cake this year (as per my request) as it was all my favourite things; red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting, macarons and strawberries! He made it even better than I expected too by making it 4 layers - fancy!

Sian works in a pub so often can't get evenings or weekends off work and unfortunately she didn't manage to for my bottomless brunch or my night out the weekend after, so we decided to head out and have an extra celebration! I don't get to wear these jeans very often because we can wear jeans for work but they can't have embroidery, however I love these and thought they were about due an outing. I wore them with this bright orange choker style bodysuit, gucci belt and nude heels. Another place on my list of restaurants to try was Last Chance Saloon and when better to go than when they're offering a £10 all-you-can-eat-tacos deal? The place is really cool and themed like an old western and their whiskey cocktails are really good (I always order the ones that say 'block' because I think having 1 giant ice cube is cooler than a few normal ones). The food was absolutely amazing! I ordered the chicken tacos, then the spicy fish, then the chilli beef and Sian ordered the sweet potato, then the feta and refried beans, then the feta and refried beans again! I didn't quite manage my last chilli beef one but I think we did well enough to get our moneys worth. I've always loved Urban Outfitters books and Sian got me one for my birthday called 'the princess saves herself in this one' which we both agreed was very me!

Not content with 3 meals out for my birthday, I went out for my family meal on Friday night to Alchemist. Checking a fourth one off my restaurant list, I've been to the Alchemist for cocktails and I've eaten at the London one before but I was yet to give the Nottingham one a try. Obviously we started with cocktails and I went for the pot o' gold (complete with pineapple vodka jelly shot) and then decided to get 3 starters as a main instead of a starter and a main. I went for the pork steamed buns, halloumi fries and duck gyozas and it was all amazing (although I was slightly jealous of how cool the chicken in the basket is that my mum and grandma got). I was pretty full by then so me and mum decided to share a dessert (candy floss baked alaska) that was served with a side of theatrics! I was also a fan of the fact the dessert menu had a queen bee on it. In fact, I'd managed to dress in true queen bee attired in black, yellow and stripes. I wore black mini skirt, black mule heels, black lace bralet and white, black and yellow striped flared sleeve top. Then we got another round of cocktails (this time I got the Batternburg) before I was presented with a free birthday one (the Lightbulb), complete with candle! You may get older but you never really change; my cheeky grin for the camera was exactly the same at 2 as it is at 22!

Thought I was done there? Not a chance. Afternoon tea with my mum and grandma is now a firm tradition for my birthday and this year we upped the ante at the super posh hotel and restaurant, Harts (the site of the old general hospital in the nice bit of town). I obviously had to wear a suitable ladies-who-lunch style outfit so I went with pleated grey midi skirt, pink floral mesh top and nude pink caged heels. In fact we had all managed to coordinate in very pink floral outfits! The afternoon tea itself was amazing and they get extra points for the cool glass teacups and the macarons!

Then the end was finally nigh and I went out on Saturday night for my final round of birthday celebrations. I got this dress from boohoo with 20% off so it only cost me about £20 and I love it! I think the two-tone lace is really nice and it's a super summery dress. The dress is actually white and navy but I wore it with black accessories anyway; black boots and my latest gucci dupe bag. When doing my makeup, I kept the bag (and its embroidery) in mind and matched my eyeshadow to it. I blended khaki green through my crease, navy blue in the outer corners and the outer side of my lower lashline, bright red on both halves of my lid and the inner part of my lower lashline, and then added a gold shimmer right in the centre; love, love, love! I used my new Juvia's place palette to achieve the look and then added my new Eylure lashes, lots of highlighter and Chili lipstick by MAC. Staci and Katie were super late (as always) but it gave me time to set up a gin and prosecco station for predrinks! I'll also let them off for the lateness when they came bearing such lovely presents. Katie had got me a Ted Baker floral bag (a new beach bag she said, because my current one is too small and doesn't fit my towel in haha), a new notepad filled with lists and sticky notes (an organised persons dream) and a lovely floral photo frame with a picture of us parasailing in Ibiza in it. Staci got me a massive Marc Jacobs Decadence gift set (one of my favourite perfumes) which contained a 100ml bottle, a small travel bottle and a body lotion, plus black choker (I broke mine in Barcelona last year) and new mug complete with rose gold J. Then after presents and plenty of prosecco, we headed in to town and started with cocktails at the Hockley Arts Club (I got the Prince of Hockley) and then went on to Das Kino before ending up at the Bowery.

Then after an amazing night out, my dad proved he's the real MVP by cooking me a perfect hungover breakfast. Although he may have actually needed it more than I did; him and mum were also out on Saturday night and he had to get off the bus early on the way home to throw up! Overall, I've had the best birthday and am forever grateful for all the amazing people in my life who have spoilt me rotten and made my week long of celebrations so much fun! Let's see what 22 brings...