Ad | 4 Things I'll Be Doing The Summer After Lockdown

Oh my christ, lockdown has been going on forever, and we're only JUST being forced to wear masks... Jojo's 'too little too late' comes to mind, but that's a rant for another day. Over 4 months we've been stuck inside, working from home, staying away from family and getting used to the new norm, but it's so hard not to think of what we could have been doing this summer if Corona never hit.

4 Gift Idea Hacks for Her | Christmas 2019

Shopping for a woman can be quite stressful for some, just ask my husband! – but it absolutely shouldn’t be, and not when there are so many great products and gift ideas out there that every woman is guaranteed to love. Whether it’s your partner, sister, friend or mother, these hacks are set to help you prepare yourself for your Christmas shopping, whether last-minute or otherwise!

1. Take Inspiration from What She Already Has 

The best inspiration comes from simply observing. Yes, lads, that means you actually have to listen! ;) See what she wears, what she uses in her everyday life, how she furnishes the home and what she likes to spend money on – anything which can give you a hint into her habits, wants and needs. This is much easier if the lady in question is your partner and you live with her, so you can see her day today, but if it’s another loved one, take the time out to pay more attention – even if means having a quick scan around when you’re next round at their house. My husband is actually quite good at this, even when I think he’s not listening, he manages to surprise me! 

2. Check Current Stock Levels 

If the woman in question has a certain routine with items she uses – especially beauty items – it might be that she’s running low on her favourite stock. This could be makeup, skincare or perfume, or maybe even kitchen items if she’s a foodie - but definitely not something that you’d benefit from; she’ll see right through it, trust me. Anything which she uses regularly, and which has an expiration date. 

You can then investigate in more detail into the make and model (when she’s not looking, of course) and simply replace the item as a gift. You can buy women's perfume online either to replace her current favourite or go for an entirely new one with similar top or base notes to her current one!

3. Consider Trips Away Rather Than Specific Items

If you’re really struggling to think of anything you can wrap up under the tree, why not think about a trip away? This could be a mini-break for the weekend, a city break abroad or go the whole hog and book a luxury two week holiday - the dream! Best case scenario, you can book the trip for you, too, meaning you can both enjoy this special gift together. For me, I would be over the moon if my husband surprised me with a trip to Disneyland - hint hint.

Maybe she’s always mentioning somewhere she would like to go, or always been hinting about a certain luxury retreat. You can always consider it (budget-allowing, of course!).

4. Ask Her 

It’s always nice to receive a surprise gift which someone has put a lot of thought into, but if you’re seriously struggling, there’s nothing wrong with asking! It may be that she has something in mind she desperately needs but nobody has thought of. She’s probably written a list even!

If you’d rather think of something yourself, you can always buy her the item she mentions and buy a complementary item you have thought of yourself, too. 

She may even simply say ‘Surprise me!’ in which case you might feel a little less pressure to get it right and have a bit more freedom in what you choose. 

Gift-buying shouldn’t be a stressful time – what matters most is the thought, and any woman is going to appreciate that someone thought to buy them a gift, whatever it may be.

p.s. after 9 years of HINTING like crazy, my husband finally listened and bought us a trip to Disneyland! There's hope for him yet!

Tips for a Winter Getaway | Travelling in London

London is a wonderful place to visit at any time of year, but most especially during winter. There's a vibrant and electric energy, making London very pretty once the sun goes down. This makes it a great time of year for visitors and there are many popular hotspot which are particularly good at this time of year.

Whether you enjoy Soho and Chelsea or find Camden more your scene, London can cater to all types of people and personalities. For those looking for tips for their London getaway this winter, keep reading.

Getting Ready for Christmas | Festive Finds in Covent Garden

It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.... As the last working day of November came to a close in my Shoreditch-based office, having spent the day putting up the office Christmas tree, playing Christmas tunes and digging in to the first of the Christmas chocolate, I didn't want the festivities to end. Luckily we were all sent home early, so my work friend Eemaan (you need to visit her Etsy shop!!) and I decided to head into Central London in search of hidden gems filled with beautiful lights and whimsical decorations to feed our excitement for the upcoming first day of Advent. I knew the exact place to head to; where there'd not only be lights, but huge Christmas displays, trees, music and shops where we could really get into the festive spirit...

The 7-in-1 Cleanser You'll Never Travel Without | Tri-Balm Cleanser

As you may know, we like to travel a little so we know there's always so much to think about when going anywhere, even if it's just for a few nights. From trips far abroad to uk road trips, there's always that annoying feeling that you've forgotten something. Planning is one of the most difficult, and most stressful parts of travelling, above the stressful air travel, catching transport on time etc. But we firmly believe that knowing what to pack is by far the hardest. By. Far. Especially if you're hand luggage only.

Beach Hair Travel Essentials | CoCo LoCo jeT sET

I have developed a habit of taking just hand luggage with me on trips abroad in recent years, even on trips as long as 7 or 8 days. This is coming from a place of sheer cheapskatedness but if I wasted £60 on hold luggage for every trip I wouldn't be able to go away nearly as often as I do. I am hoping to write a cheap travel guide soon but for now I wanted to share my travel hair essentials for the perfect beachy day look as well as a sleek evening 'do.

3 Reasons to Visit Portugal | Summer Festivals

I've been lucky enough to visit Portugal in summer for the past 3 years. My husband's family have villas in the Algarve which I just love visiting. Located not too far from Faro, Vale do Lobo is a paradise filled with palm trees, white sands and your choice of restaurant for an evening bite and a cocktail. The one thing holding me back this year from attending is my house purchase! My husband keeps reminding me that holidays are temporary, houses are permanent! But the pull of the Portuguese sun is real and this sun we're having at the moment is making me really sad I'm not off work lounging by the pool.  To combat my sun lust, I'm already looking forward to next year's trip.. and here's why...

4 Reasons to Visit Turks and Caicos | 30 Before 30

I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions, my theory is if you don't make 'em, you can't break 'em. So, to avoid disappointment and commitment because I'm super lazy, I've created my 30 Before 30 list instead, giving me just over 5 years to get things ticked off.

Photo Diary and Things To Do | Dubrovnik

You know you are a terrible travel blogger when you literally go on 12 trips in 12 months and don't write up about a single one. I get so caught up in planning my next trip that I never sit and reflect about the adventures I have taken and I suffer terribly with wanderlust and holiday blues that I don't like to bask for too long in the memory of the beautiful places I have seen because it makes me kind of sad.

Places to Visit | London's Hidden Gems

Growing up in London was great, we learnt common sense, street smarts, navigational skills and independence. But as we were so young, we never got to explore the city the way you can when you're a bit older. We moved to Hertfordshire back in 2006, when I was 13 and Kirsty, 15. The time for exploring the capital and our home city came a bit later, but as tourists - sadly.

How To | Plan The Perfect Trip With Your Siblings

Who knows you better than the people you grew up with? Travelling with siblings should be on everybody’s bucket list – not only can you truly express yourself when you are with them, but you can also tighten bonds that often fade in adulthood. As sisters, writing a blog together has been great to keep us connected, but one thing we are yet to do, is go on holiday together!

Street Art Tours | Alternative London

Having lived in London for many years, it can be surprising that many Londoners have never been to or seen the wonders of Brick Lane. Not really knowing what to look for and most likely getting lost, many aimlessly wonder around looking for the hidden (or not) art of the streets. Offering 2 hour long Walking or Cycling tours across London as well as graffiti workshops and a Pub Tour, Alternative London guides small groups through the infamous streets of Shoreditch, explaining the history of the area and how street art came to be.

Algarve, Portugal | Holiday Snaps

Having jetted off to the Algarve coast for the second year running, I'm really starting to fall in love with the warm air, palm tree lined roads, 5* restaurants, private villas and stunning clifftop views. 

DAY TRIP | Mersea Island

I cannot remember the last time I went to the seaside in Britain, it has literally been years. I grew up going to Brighton fairly regularly and the muddy beaches of Weston-Super-Mare whilst visiting my late great-grandmother. I love the smell of sea weed and the swirling murky water, taking strolls along the beach picking up sea shells as I go. 

15 Handbag Essentials | Travel

When you're on holiday or off travelling the world, there's a certain number of things that you just HAVE to have on you at all times.. like in England, if you don't carry an umbrella with you at all times.. you're just not prepared! Come rain or shine, my bag is always packed full of 'just in case' items.

BARCELONA | CITY SNAPS

Back in April I took a little trip to Barcelona for the weekend to destress in the run up to my dissertation deadline (and procrastinate in the best way, obviously). I went with a friend for a long weekend and spent a lovely few days eating delicious food and seeing the sights. Barcelona has been on my bucket list for ages and it would be rude not to take advantage of the cheap flights and Lastminute's secret hotel deals, which by the way, I am completely obsessed with. My travel companion was sort of incapacitated after a ski accident meaning we had to stick to activities that didn't involve too much any walking and took taxis rather than getting to grips with the local public transport. This was totally at odds to what I am used to on city trips but it was fun to play the tourist, and although a bus tour is something I would absolutely avoid, it was a great way to cram in all the must-see sights. 

In hindsight, April probably wasn't the best time of year to experience the Catalan city, it was very windy and I stupidly didn't bring any jumpers or coats. We did get a bit of sun though, which gave us the perfect opportunity to sit and sip cocktails. The highlight of the trip was probably the time we spent at the W hotel, but I'm going to write a separate post so this doesn't get too pic heavy. I'll also do a write up of my recommendations for food in Barcelona, because we ate a lot of it and there are some really great places I'd like to share with you all. 

These are a few snaps I took over the three days we spent there. 

isn't the scaffolding pretty? 

Have you been to Barcelona?

Amsterdam | Food Favourites

I'm going to have to split this post into two parts because even though we only took a four day trip, we ate so much AMAZING food that I need to share all of the places with you. 

AMSTERDAM : The Bols Experience

I started writing this post ages ago and then got distracted by dissertation, essays and miserable exams. Now that's all behind me and I'm starting to think about heading back to the wonderful city of Amsterdam I thought I ought to start blogging about the trip I took last November. 

We spent a lazy wet afternoon at the House of Bols in the South of the city on Paulus Potterstraat which is just around the corner from the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. When I lived in Switzerland, Bols Blue was an ingredient in my favourite cocktail and I was so disappointed when I moved back to the UK and found that Bols isn't available here. I have since realised the same liqueur is made by another brand but the magical blue liquid is just one of many amazing genevers and liqueurs made by Bols. 

Bols has existed since 1575 and claims to be the oldest distillery brand in the world, they make vodkas, gins, genevers and liqueurs. It goes without saying that this museum is for over 18s, it was pretty quiet when we went and we pretty much had the main museum to ourselves. You go through a series of rooms with exhibitions teaching you about the history of the company and their production technique. There's a cool section where you get to try and guess the flavour of the liqueur based on its' scent and then right at the end is a little bar. The bar doesn't take cash and included in your ticket price is a cocktail and a few shots to give you a chance to try a few different flavours. Further drinks can be bought by purchasing cocktail tokens from a little vending machine. They also have computers that you select your cocktail from and it prints out the recipe for you to hand to the mixologist. We stayed for a fair few drinks but a huge group of office workers on a mixer arrived and there wasn't a ton of seating so we called time on our genever experience. 

When I booked our tickets online, it was marginally cheaper than paying on the door, but it seems that they now have a special offer that gives you a few freebies when you book online, as well as 10% off in the gift shop. I spent a fair bit in the gift shop (in my defence i'd had a fair few cocktails by this point) the only saving grace was that I only had hand luggage and couldn't lug all the Bols bottles home with me. Luckily the airport sold a few flavours, but the choice was quite limited. 

Tickets are available here for €15 each. If you want to sample some lovely drinks under the guise of a cultural, educational experience, I totally recommend spending an afternoon at the House of Bols. 

What are your top tourist picks for Amsterdam?

8 Destinations on my Travel Bucket List

I long to travel. There's nothing that gives me a deeper sense of happiness than the excitement building up to a holiday. An escape from reality, from work, from the daily struggle to get up in the mornings. I dream of places I can jet off to, but without the funds, or the annual leave, I'm limited to one holiday a year, if I'm lucky. 

Blogosphere Magazine | Issue 7 Launch | Hoxton

Back in November I took my friend Emily to the Blogosphere magazine launch for their newest issue... issue 7, featuring Samantha Maria. 

Having been so fortunate as to work with the magazine for our BloggersXmas party in December, we can't emphasise enough how great this magazine is. Jam-packed front to back with amazing articles by talented bloggers from across the UK, shedding light on different issues, events and such like. 

Arriving at Hoxton Overground Station, I was quick to get the map out to navigate our way to this venue.. tucked away in a side street under a bridge arch, Motel did't take long to find. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a red carpet and some welcoming, friendly faces. With as much wine on offer as you could drink, my friend Emily and I grabbed a glass and started to look around. 

This was the first time I'd really seen the magazine up close. It really was high quality and felt similar to the likes of Vogue with its thick gsm and weighty feel. A real bloggers mag! I was even more surprised at the level of content that it had, with bloggers with followings both big and small and a well known blogger as the main feature. The celebrated blogger of Issue 7's face was prominent and stunning, adding yet another high end vibe to the print.

We were lucky enough to give bloggers the chance to read Issue 3, starring Fleur de Force, by adding them to our goody bags for BloggersXmas.

We met some lovely people at this event, including Claire Eastham from We're All Mad Here and has a feature on Mental Health within issue 7.

Flicking through copies of past issues featuring bloggers and vloggers like Essie Button, Liberty London Girl, Louis Cole,  Thatcher Joe (Joe Sugg) and Marcus Butler, we noticed the venue had gotten quite a bit busier and louder, so decided to mingle some more. Introducing ourselves to fellow bloggers, editorial staff, and even Samantha Maria herself! We actually managed to talk to the photographer behind Issue 7's cover and learnt of his experiences as a photographer and how he got that cover shot. He gave us a few pointers on photography and we continued to mooch around, drinking wine and meeting new people.

They even had a photobooth at the event, which we couldn't help but take advantage of!

Getting invited to an event like this was a real privilege and I'm so glad to have gone! We each took a copy of Issue 7 home to read and then add to our coffee tables ;) Samantha is so down to earth and lovely, it was so great to meet her!

Did you go to the launch event? What do you think of the Blogosphere magazine?