The One With All The Yoga

It occurs more to me as I get older (yes that does sound old) just how important it is to take care of yourself. Taking care of the mind and body is just as important as doing all the other things that you enjoy and that make you feel good.

Admittedly, I haven't really been into sport and fitness since I took dance and athletics at school - which was many moons ago! This year, I was determined to find a sport or fitness class that I could enjoy and call my own. Something that would make me want to get up, work hard and sweat it out.

A few weeks ago, a very lovely lady friend of mine asked me if I'd like to join a yoga class with her and I said yes. From everything I had heard and read before joining, Yoga seemed like the perfect class for me. A spiritual practice that is good for both physical and mental health. A place where I could keep fit, increase flexibility and clear my headspace. 

Looking around for classes was daunting - there are so many classses, teachers and different styles of yoga. In the end we opted for a class at R1se Yoga (located in the Krynkyl building at Kelham Island) and we found a block booking deal on Wowcher meaning our first four lessons cost just £17. Even better!

R1se offers a range of classes including Chill, Flex and Power yoga and each class is offered in hot or cold setting. Our first session was an evening Flex class with Rosie. I wasn't sure what to expect at first but everyone was really friendly and just before the session, Rosie invited us into the studio to answer any questions and chat about what we would be covering in the class. 

The class was quite busy and was filled with people who had different levels of experience. Being a total beginner, there were points when it was quite hard to keep up or hold the positions Rosie was demonstrating. Pigeons and Scorpions and various Dogs. We then found out that the classes ran in programmes and we had joined in the fifth week! Talk about jumping in at the deep end! But in most cases, there is an easier alternative move and all throughout we were encouraged to do our best and not push ourselves too much or cause discomfort. Rosie is lovely and welcomes questions and feedback at the end, which is really good. With the classes being quite large there isn't always time for indivisible feedback but if there is something you are struggling with, I'm sure Rosie would be happy to chat about it before/after the session.

The classes run for 45 minutes but it really does feel much longer, especially when you're holding a difficult pose and wobbling from side to side. Or maybe that was just me...

The warm down was one of my favourite parts of the routine. There was something so peaceful about  sitting cross legged, back straight, eyes closed, taking in the music and concentrating on breathing. I felt stretched and flexed and challenged. I felt good.

All those upward dogs and downward dogs had my core aching for three days. I mean, I've never met a dog I didn't get on with straight away! But for the rest of the week I felt good about my body and I was eager to book the next session. 

If you're looking for a yoga class, I would recommend R1se yoga as a great starting point. Their classes run daily, everything you need is provided, the atmosphere is lovely and there are a selection of tasty herbal teas for you to try after your session, which is perfect way to warm down whilst having a chat.

I'm already looking forward to next Monday and just hope that my body will (forgive) thank me for it in the long run. I'll let you know how I get on.

Speak soon,

TSN x

The One Where We Were VIP's

Sheffield boasts a number of cinemas, from chain theatres like Vue and Odeon, to independent artsy theatres like Showroom and Curzon.

Now I am a fan of our independent cinemas but naturally a smaller cinema means that there are fewer viewings and fewer films to choose from. Cineworld is an all rounder and although it isn't unique to Sheffield, it's still a place that I enjoy visiting with friends or family for a casual outing.

The lovely staff at Cineworld invited me along their Galentines Day event to try out the VIP service. So I went along to see what all the fuss was about...

Galentines Day is a day for celebrating female friendships and is celebrated on February 13th, the day before Valentines Day. I'd never actually heard of the holiday before but I was definitely on board and recruited one of my best friends to come with me.

To celebrate Cineworld were hosting a special VIP screening of Fifty Shades Freed and they had invited local writers and bloggers (and their gal pals) to attend. 

We were greeted by a member of staff who escorted us into the VIP area and took us on a tour around the lounge. The room was very swanky, the floor sparkled, the dining tables were neatly lined and there were plenty of plush armchairs to sink into. 

Along one side of the room was a self-serve buffet, inclusive of the VIP ticket price. The food was comfort food at its best; Pizza, Mac n' Cheese, Stew. I do think that there could have been more of a varied menu but there was definitely plenty to go around.

Soft drinks and hot drinks were also inclusive but there was also a bar, for those who fancied spicing up their cinema trip. And my favourite part, the snacks! If stuffing your face with a free buffet wasn't enough, there is also a popcorn vendor and a nachos stand. Perfect for grabbing just as you go in.

The seats were ah-mazing! Soft leather reclining seats with room to hold all your snacks and drinks. Chandler and Joey eat your heart out. The capacity of the screen was smaller too, which meant that there were no (or certainly fewer) talkers and rustlers interrupting the film. 

The film itself wasn't my cup of tea and I hadn't seen the two previous films so I had no idea what was going on. My friend, who had seen the others in the series, seemed to enjoy it though.

Personally, I think that £30 is a bit on the pricey side for a regular day out but for a special occasion, a monthly treat or if there is a film that you and your loved ones are really excited about, then I would recommend going VIP. And you do get your money's worth if you are making a night of it.

My first Galentines Day was a lovely one, it was nice to dedicate some time to a good friend doing something a little bit different. Thank you to the lovely staff at Cineworld for inviting us along. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Galentines/Valentines Day. Sending all the love.

Speak soon,

TSN x

The One Where It All Began

One of my favourite spots in Sheffield. No filter necessary.

Hello and welcome to The Sheffield Native. A brand new post for a brand new blog.

Writing the first blog post is a little bit like the first day of starting a new job. It's daunting, it's scary but hopefully by the end we'll all have made it out alive and consider coming back again. Or something to that effect.

The aim of this blog is simple - to shout about all things Sheffield. From the yummiest street food to the coziest pubs, from true vintage treasure troves to the best dog-walking jaunts, from local music to local businesses, hopefully you will find something to inspire you here. Consider this an insider's guide if you will.

Now, of course I don't know everything there is to know about Sheffield but that's all part of the fun! Finding new places and sharing them with you lovely lot. And for those of you who already know Sheffield pretty well, I'll be writing posts on other things too. Recipes, playlists, reviews, interviews...

There are thousands upon thousands of blogs just like this. So, why am I even bothering you may ask? Well...I love writing and after years of studying how to write for magazines and newspapers and all that jazz, I kind of just want to write for me. To write because I enjoy writing and because I have something to say - not just because there's a deadline looming and it looks good on my cv. Heavy, I know. 

So in short, this blog is simply a place for me to write to my hearts content and hopefully some of you will join me on this blogging journey. I know that this won't be everyone's cup of tea but fingers crossed, eh?

Speak soon,
TSN x