Travel & Lifestyle

Lisbon, Portugal: Hotel Stays PT.2

8/10/2018

LX Boutique Hotel

Lisbon stole my heart so much we decided to stay an extra day, and for the last day of our trip LX Boutique kindly offered us accommodation. It’s a 4* Hotel in the centre of Lisbon, just overlooking Pink Street as you can see.

Of a day Pink Street is a quiet place where you can grab a coffee, see the sights and chill out. However of a night the streets become alive with music, bars, drinks flowing & entertainment. More for younger travellers this hotel is perfect for a quick route to the party scene of Lisbon, aswell as allowing comfort at the same time.

All rooms come with all the key features such as; air con, hairdryer, Wi-Fi, mini bar, a safe & many more little features that give that extra touch to a place. The views definitely make this hotel as you can see the centre of Lisbon so clearly, just outside your window & the convenient location.

To book your stay here at LX Boutique, click this link.

Lisbon, Portugal: Hotel Stays

8/10/2018

Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa – The Leading Hotels of the World

This Summer I was lucky enough to visit the beautiful city of Lisbon and to visit a country I’d never been before. As a blogger I’m extremely lucky to be able to review hotels, travel & see the most amazing things, so here’s one of them.

Tivoli Hotels were founded in 1933 and have always tried to offer a one-of-a-kind experience throughout their different campus’s, which are Portugal & Brazil. As for myself personally and my partner we got the experience first hand.
From the lobby, to our junior suite, to poolside bar services & generousity by the hotel our 2 night stay was made more than comfortable.

As you walk through the hotel and towards the pool area, you’re greeted to a circular pool with sun beds, a bar & peaceful tranquility. The menu offers tasty snacks, delicious cocktails and those little touches to make relaxing all that more enjoyable. Towels are also fresh and sunbeds are easy enough to grab in the mornings!

Coming to the top of the Hotel now Tivoli is home to the Sky Bar, which even if you aren’t a a guest at Tivoli you can still enjoy. The views over look Lisbon and the great music lets you dance the night away. As mentioned I went with my partner and this added the perfect touch of romance and fun to our night, especially being able to see the sunset from here.

The last part of this blog post will be talking about the room, spa services and overall feel of the hotel itself. As you can see the room is very spacious, opening up to a double bed. There is also bathe robes, small complimentary toiletries, a bath and a shower, with a marble finish.

The Spa & Gym downstairs allows guests to escape the stress of everyday and relax into a more peaceful mind set for an hour or so. We was lucky to receive a one hour massage from the hotel & can tell you I certainly felt more relaxed after.

Overall the hotel is well deserved of the 5* rating it up holds, the location is perfect being only 15-20 minutes from the Airport & surrounded by shops such as Burberry & Hugo Boss if you’re a big shopper.

Link to the hotel can be found here if you are keen to book in for a week or just a weekend break.

Just want to say thank you to the lovely people of Tivoli
Avenida Liberdade Lisboa for hosting us for two nights!

Case Station X MARVEL

8/3/2018

A couple of months ago I attended Comic-con with fellow bloggers and as a guest of Case Station. Whilst there we created our own cases, aswell as receiving one each from their MARVEL collection which features the likes of Spider-Man, THOR, The Hulk & Iron Man. As you can see I went for Iron Man as it’s a super hero I would love to be myself! I mean how cool would that be? Link to MARVEL cases here

After Comic-con I was lucky enough to be sent an Apple Watch along side three straps and two cases from the lovely people at Case Station. I went for a marble case, a marble strap and a Spider-Man themed strap and a Doctor Strange case. MARVEL has always been a favourite genre of mine and I love reading the old comics, seeing the films at cinema and attending places that celebrate everything MARVEL.
Link to watch straps here

For all things Case Station head over to their website to create your own cases & straps, select from different collections & of course grab your own MARVEL products today!

Link here

This is a sponsored post for Case Station

A Cornerstone Christmas

22/12/2017

As we enter into the last week before Christmas, it's a time to get those last minute gifts for loved ones. This year I've gone to Cornerstone for a special kind of gift for my dad, including a full grooming routine with pre-shave & post-shave creams.

The first step of the routine is the 'Face Scrub' this allows for a smoother shave as using this before hand allows you to avoid nicks, cuts and shaving bumps. Blended with cedarwood and volcanic sand exfoliating grains help release ingrown hairs, reduce shaving spots, unblock pores and lift dead skin for smoother, clearer skin. When using this product myself I've found that when it comes to shaving after the normal tug & pull you may get is a thing of the past giving an easy and pleasurable shave.

Step two in the routine is the shave gel, which might not be conventional to your normal 'foam' gels but none the less its designed to protect sensitive skin and smells amazing! Makes the blade glide that much smoother over the skin, leaving your skin smooth and not irritated,

The last step in this grooming routine is the 'post shaving balm' with mint and honey blends its designed to cool the skin, but at the same time giving that refreshed feeling setting you up for the day!

All the products included in the gift set can be purchased separately on the cornerstone website, but for the money you save buying the gift set altogether it's a no brainer! As well as this you can pick up leather travel bags & personalise your razor with lettering on the handle of the razor itself. I've tried the complete set for myself and now is an essential part of my routine,

Head over to the Cornerstone website now for a discount on your first gift set to either try for yourself or surprise someone special this festive season.

This is a sponsored post with Cornerstone

Milan: Timex X Peanuts

10/11/2017

I am excited to share the latest addition to the TIMEX watch collection: an exclusive collaboration with PEANUTS! The brand have introduced four colourful timepieces that are a throwback to my childhood, so I had to get my hands on one as a companion on my trip to Milan.

Each watch features four of the most iconic PEANUTS characters. You can see from the above photo, with the imposing Duomo di Milano as the backdrop, that I went for Snoopy and my fellow blogger opted for Lucy Van Pelt- both comic illustrations are pointing to the time and, accompanied by a bright and playful NATO strap, are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

The remainder of the collection are just as quirky- Charlie Brown sits on a yellow strap and Lucy’s brother, Linus Van Pelt on a playful red striped one.

A unique feature across all TIMEX watches, and one that I can’t get enough of, is the INDIGLO night light. This is something I made full use of when exploring the streets of Milan, on a hunt for pasta in the warm evenings.

Outfit details
NEXT - Polo, Superdry - Chinos & Ralph Lauren - Trainers

Enjoying a cold glass of champagne, sporting our TIMEX x PEANUTS watches gave me a nostalgic realisation; taking me back to care free afternoons as a child, where the PEANUTS cartoon played in the background on the TV and I didn’t have a worry in the world. These adult watches serve as a reminder to channel your inner playfulness, add a pop of colour and fun to an outfit, and cherish every moment without getting caught up the necessities of day to day life.

This was something I was constantly reminded of during my trip to Milan, it is a great city, with endless amounts of streets and attractions to explore. In addition to the Duomo di Milano, with our trusty comic friends on our wrists, we strolled around the Galleria Vittorio, poking our heads in the designer shops and of course ate copious amounts of pasta.

My regular followers will know that I have quite a respectable watch collection, and a fair few of those are TIMEX. The brand is always being creative and innovative, however I feel that the TIMEX x Peanuts collaboration is a particularly special one. The watches adhere to both function and style and I can’t wait to take Snoopy on my next city adventure.

TIMEX x PEANUTS is available at timex.co.uk and affordably priced at £59.99.

Sponsored post by Timex

Fine dining with Alexandrie

27/7/2017

Earlier this year I visited the Alexandrie restaurant and bar for a fine dining experience including a three course meal, with a lovely glass of champagne. The setting itself was more than stunning as it was all so well laid out, also with such a welcoming hostess upon arrival.

In the pictures are the three courses I had which were: 'Mediterranean ratatouille, Slow-roasted tender of lamb shank & for desert was Chocolate delice' Each course was more delicious than the first, but particularly the desert was my favourite.

After trying the Alexandrie I will be returning in 2018 to try out some of the interesting dishes that caught my eye, but I just couldn't fit it all in!

Be sure to check out the full menu here & reserve a table today to experience it all for yourself!
The Alexandrie restaurant & bar

Amazon: #NowItsSummer

28/6/2017

Recently I took part in the Amazon campaign #NowItsSummer by choosing some of my favourite products from the website in order to get summer ready for when the sun eventually comes out, I mean we are in Britain! I chose three items that I felt that could get me looking good, having a good time & relaxing at the same time.

The first item I selected was Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitening Powder (linked) I now use this twice a day morning and night as part of my grooming routine to get those pearly whites in time for the hotter weather. I've only been using it a couple of days, but I'm already seeing results so it's a must when getting ready.

Items two & three I chose were the Vivere Hammock and Ciroc Summer Colada Flavoured Vodka, both linked. As you scroll down you can see that these two were a match made In heaven. You can lay back In the hammock with a cocktail in hand and forget the world for a moment.

Click the link to the Ciroc website for some cocktail recipes using this drink.

Throughout all items are linked as you see them, but here is a link to Amazon so you can have a browse for yourself, hurry up summer is here!

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Amazon

The Ritual of Hammam

9/6/2017

Rituals recently released their new 'Hammam' collection and with it a 5 step wellness ceremony to your own happiness or relaxation. Listed are the 5 products and the order in which they are used in.

Black Soap
Hot Scrub
Body Mud
Foaming Shower Gel
Body Cream

All designed to leave not only your body refreshed, revitalised and relax, but your mind cleared of any impurities. Thus bringing happiness within you as well as outside.

The products listed in the 5 step process can be found here with a tutorial video from Rituals themselves for you to take a look at.

Menorca

6/6/2017

Late May I travelled to Menorca with the Traverse team for a mini conference, activities and chill time around the island. We flew with the lovely people of Jet2 which was more than a pleasurable experience as budget airlines go! Along with myself there was 50 other influencers that travelled on different days to the island.

As spain goes maybe Menorca wouldn't be your first choice, but after seeing the island for myself I would 100% go back. It's so peaceful and with lots of culture around the island itself, such sights we visited were Binibeca Vell, Favaritx Lighthouse & many more.

Linked - Jet2 & Port Blue Hotels

Wearing Animal UK as part of a collaboration I did with them, items I'm wearing can be found at their website here

Disney World Florida, USA

6/6/2017

Early this year I visited Florida and of course had to do the norm of Disney World! Being only the second time I've visited the US I was more than looking forward to chilling out in the sun, eating some great food and most importantly go on lot's of rides.

Disney needs no intro and I'm sure many of you reading this blog post have been before, maybe even several times if you fell in love with it as much as I did. Throughout my trip I managed to visit all parks, those being: Magical Kingdom, Hollywood Studious, Epcot, Animal Kingdom & Universal all over 10 days. Personally my favourite was Magical Kingdom as it's a little world of it's own, everyone's so friendly, the detail that goes into the rides, everything is breathe taking. The kingdom took me straight back to my childhood days with characters such as Winnie the Pooh & Mickey Mouse!

Hotel wise I stayed 10 minutes away from Disney and got Ubers to the parks daily as this worked out a lot cheaper than staying In the Park itself.

Below are a handful of photos I managed to capture throughout the trip, but there are so many more and memories that I'll carry with me forever. This trip for me was a personal one so the only thing I can say is go, go experience it all for yourself, I promise you won't be disappointed!

Any questions feel free to comment on this post

Whitewash Laboratories

9/4/2017

Recently I received this Sonic Whitening Toothbrush from the guys at Whitewash Laboratories along with some samples from their nano whitening range. The toothbrush itself has an interchangeable head with three different modes that can be used during brushing, they are: Clean, Sensitive and Massage. If you press the Power/Mode button then the toothbrush will move on to the next brushing mode and will start another two minute cycle.

As for mainting the toothbrush itself; remove the brush head and wipe surfaces with a damp cloth. DO NOT submerge the handle in water.

For me personally Whitewash has been my first electrical toothbrush as I usually use manual, however now I wouldn't go back! The modes leave my teeth feeling fresh, smooth and I've noticed a slight increase in whiteness. Also with the manual toothbrush I used to over brush and make my gums sore, now my teeth are just clean and pain free.

Whitewash Laboratories Sonic Whitening Toothbrush - Link here

Live True London

28/2/2017

This week I visited the Live True London hair salon at Clapham North, although they have salons in Battersea, Brixton, Fulham and a few more (specific locations and booking information can be found at the Live True London website which is linked).

Upon arrived I was greeted and offered a drink of my choice, which of course was tea! Then went onto have my hair washed with a head massage which was so relaxing it helped with the stress of those Monday blues. The haircut was a pleasurable experience with the stylist asking me specifically what I want, what type of styled I was looking for and the length of the cut.

At the bottom of the blog post can be found images of my hair just two days after it was cut by the lovely Vannata (Instagram: vannata_hair)

Edinburgh: Escape to Courtyard by Marriott

20/2/2017

Last week I travelled to Edinburgh, the Scottish capital for the Grand Opening event of the Courtyard by Marriott. As we all arrived it was rather chilly with some snow still on the ground, but luckily enough we were all prepared and ready to tackle the city of Edinburgh with a spot of lunch and a walking tour! Before all that we headed to our rooms for a brief moment, which gave us a chance to quickly check out the room and the amenities such as complimentary drinks, toiletries, towels and full use of the in room free wi-fi.

Lunch was at Devils Advocate which was a mixture of traditional English food, good whiskey and great atmosphere. I personally went for the steak (and so did the rest of the group pretty much!) The meal itself was sublimed to say the least and along with great service it was a match made in heaven. Afterwards it was time for a quick tour round Edinburgh before we party. Below are a few images I took during the tour, such sights we saw were the Parliament building, The Royal Mile and a few interesting spots located in the town.

Once back at the hotel we all got done up for the nights festivities to dance the night away. Unfortunately I didn't manage to capture many photos of the party as we've all got to have some down time now and then!

Edinburgh itself was amazing, but unfortunately I only got to spend one night which I was slightly sad about. I'm sure i'll be back in the future and i'll certainly be checking into the Courtyard by Marriott which is linked, so take a look for yourself and book a short get away today!

Paris & Versailles

8/2/2017

I stayed at the Trianon Palace Versailles Hotel - link here

Above photos: Marie Antoinette's Estate

Above photos: Palace of Versailles

Above photos: The Louvre

Palais Royale

Outfit details: Jacket - H&M
Jumper - Next
Jeans (customized)- New Look
Shoes - River Island

Outfit details: Suit, Shirt & Shoes - Topman
Jumper - Next

Outfit details: Coat - New Look
Bag - Michael Kors
Jeans - Pepe Jeans
Shoes - Nike

Vlog credit: Kellie Baldwin

Royal China Lunch Time Date

7/2/2017

Recently I took a short trip across London to Queensway for some traditional Chinese cuisine.
As we entered the restaurant, we were taken to our table amongst beautiful typical decorations, such as lanterns, ornate statues and flora.

Shortly after this, our order was then taken and to start was Prawn Crackers, followed by Pork Dim Sum and Chicken Satay on Skewers. The sauces that came with the Prawn Crackers were a perfect mixture of spicy and sweet, along with the Dim Sum and Chicken Satay; this was a great mix for a first course.

For mains, we opted for Lemon Chicken with Boiled Rice and Sautéed Vegetables, which was not only well presented, but a great example of good Chinese food too.

After our starters and mains, we were pretty much full to the brim - but of course had space for dessert. We chose a lovely Mango Pudding which neither of us wanted to share!

Overall, from start to a very satisfying finish, the experience was sublime. If you are a fan of Chinese food I highly recommend this place!