Tag Archives: life

Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k

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It’s February.  We made it through the blues we suffered in January (yay us!), but now we find ourselves in a pickle.

During January, we were so utterly depressed, we ended up saying yes to everything and everyone, RSVP’ing to those events that we just do not give a f**k about & now we’re faced with the prospect of actually going and/or seeing these people that we have no inclination of spending time, energy OR MONEY on.

You with me?

WELL!  Fear no more!  I’m going to let you into a little secret! My life has changed because of it & because I’m so nice, I’m going to share it with you.

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If you are a ‘yes’ person, whether at work, at home, at your daughter’s ballet lesson, at the supermarket, WHEREVER! then you need to read this book.

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I’m talking about Sarah Knight’s ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k’.

I had had one of those days at work where I was saying yes to everything & then something hit me like a steam train.  WHY!?

I went for a coffee after work to relax/stop me from killing someone & I stumbled upon this book in the local bookstore.  I read the blurb & I brought it there and then.

It’s honest, it’s inspiring & it’s downright HILARIOUS!

Sarah has hit every nail on the head & she’s hit it DAMN HARD!

In the space of a few days, you will be saying no to Aunt Meg & her soul destroying weekly Eastenders marathon & you won’t feel bad for it!

All you people pleasers, I urge you to buy this book!

Get yourself on Amazon NOW!  It will honestly change your life!

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Check out Sarah’s twitter here. 

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Mother-Daughter Lunch

Posted in Food, Lifestyle by

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Every now & then it’s lovely to get together with my mom and go for lunch, a bottle of wine to have a catch up!

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Life passes us by so quickly, & with the weeks & months speeding past us, you find yourself needing a huge catchup!

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Me & my mom like to try out different restaurants in & around Birmingham, & so Prezzo in Harborne is a perfect venue for a Saturday afternoon girlie lunch!  (It was also a perfect place to take my new Valentino scarf, which I am in love with!)

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The restaurant is located 3 miles from Birmingham City Centre, so ideal if you are based in Birmingham or just passing through!

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What is also cool is that the restaurant is located within ‘The School Yard’.

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This is a Grade II Listed Clock Tower building  which was designed originally as a school, situated on what is now Harborne High Street.  The parking in Harborne is super super cheap (amazing!), & 2 seconds away from Prezzo, so not only is it perfectly convenient, you’re also not paying the extortionate parking prices of dining in The Mailbox, Bullring etc!

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The decor is contemporary, yet cosy & the open kitchen adds to the atmosphere.

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At the moment, Prezzo are offering a special 2 course menu for £14.50, which includes a glass of prosecco! See their main menu here!

It’s always busy with a mix of couples of all ages, groups of friends, family gatherings or just business men passing through for lunch!

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Me & my mom opted for the bruschetta & the mozzarella to start.

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My mom then went for the salmon penne pasta.

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Whilst I opted for the chicken & asparagus risotto.

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Both dishes were very yummy & even better washed down with a bottle of Sauvignon blanc!

I hope you’ve all had a lovely week!  What are your plans for the weekend?

Vacation: Marbella Day Three

Posted in Travel by

By Day Three, we well & truly felt like we were home!

We had planned a girlie shopping day for today & we were so excited!

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We had breakfast & walked into the Port around 10am.

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We did a little walk along the beach, visiting some shops on the Port as we strolled along!

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We then stopped off at Piucaro for lunch.  This was one of my favourite places.

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The views were utterly remarkable.  Sitting overlooking the sea with a bottle of wine & fantastic food was perfect. At that moment, I realised this is what working hard is all about.

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After lunch & with the sun still shining, we were excited to hit El Corte Ingles!

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Just off the strip, it has the best Zara! We spent an age in there trying everything on & then we found some wonderful independent stores outside.

The Spanish girls selling their beach dresses, playsuits, day dresses etc were gorgeous! We loved walking around the little stalls & ended up buying a few little dresses from there.

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Everyone is so friendly in Marbella!

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We then walked back to the resort & had a few hours in the sunshine before getting ready for night three!

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We went to the Hard Rock Cafe for a cocktail before dinner.

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I love it in here.  It’s just a fun place to go for a cocktail!

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It’s always busy, which makes for a great atmosphere before heading off on your evening!

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We then moved on to dinner at the Belvedere.

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This place was beautiful!

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The views overlooking the beach were gorgeous & the food was delicious.

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We went to our favourite little bar on the strip for champagne & cocktails & then found ourselves in Funky Buddha/Seven nightclub.

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This place was stunning inside, with amazing VIP areas.

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We found ourselves in here until closing which was around 4am.

I had a feeling Day Four would include a relaxing pool day after tonight!

Vacation: Marbella Day Two

Posted in Travel by

Hello & welcome to day two!

After a perfect sleep, we got up bright & early to enjoy breakfast in the sunshine!

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We had done a food shop on our first afternoon & stocked up on bread, meats, cheeses, fruit & yoghurt so we could enjoy our breakfasts on our balcony!

We then got dressed & ready for a pool day!

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The pool area at the Vasari is beautiful.

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It’s so quiet & peaceful, with palm trees & bright flowers that moving from the pool is a hard task!

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We grabbed some morning smoothies which are made fresh at the pool bar.  I went for fresh mango. Perfect in the sunshine!

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At lunch time, we grabbed a salad & a gorgeous glass of wine at the pool bar.

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With temperatures hitting over 30 degrees, we were in pure heaven! Our holiday tans were officially started!

After a fantastic pool day, we got ready for a lovely little evening in Marbella Old Town.

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Marbella Old Town is a firm favourite of mine & I love eating here!

Less commercialised than the strip in Puerto Banus, all food is traditional Spanish.

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With the old churches & restaurants lit up in the evenings, it’s just the most beautiful place.

We chose a restaurant on the corner & sat there for the majority of the evening.

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With the candles twinkling & the white wine flowing, we were so happy.

After our meal & around 1am, we grabbed a taxi back into Puerto Banus.

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With nothing really closing until the early hours, we decided to go to the Shisha Lounge on the edge of the Port.

Overlooking the sea & underneath the stars, we sat there & relaxed with a cocktail & some apple flavoured shisha.

I do not think we had ever been so chilled!

Around 3am, we got a taxi back to the Resort ready to grab some beauty sleep ready for Day Three! x

 

Hello July!

Posted in Lifestyle by

Hello!

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I hope you have all had a wonderful June!

I cannot believe we are now into July – where is the year going?  Are you all enjoying the sunshine?

I have just come back from an amazing little holiday in Marbella, Spain & I will be posting some pictures on here over the weekend!  Be sure to come back & check them out – it was a wonderful break away with my two best friends!  Sunshine, music, memories & fun, we really did have a great time.

However, it’s now back to reality, but thankfully England has been lovely and kind to us all and the sun has been shining its little heart out the last few days!

The weekend is now upon us & I for one cannot wait to top up my holiday tan!

Happy Friday! x

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Weekday Treat in Chanel

Posted in Lifestyle, Style by

Chanel-LogoSo, the other week, I was replacing my bronzer  (I swear by Soleil Tan De Chanel. I’ve been using it for over 5 years every, single, day!).

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The lovely lady on the Chanel counter in my local Debenhams asked if I would like to come along for a complimentary eyes & lips makeover for the release of their Summer 2015 Mediterrantee Collection. What girl could say no?!

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I obviously took them up on their offer & invited my two best friends along with me. I went along on a Tuesday evening after work to be greeted by a lovely Chanel makeup artist who then spent 30 minutes going through what colours I liked, what I would normally wear & what suited best based on my hair & eye colour.

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I’m going on holiday next week (make sure you pop back for holiday photos!), so I said I would definitely be back to purchase some bits!

The following was used to create my look:

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Chanel Lumiere D’ete Illuminating Powder (£46) – This powder is shaped as the iconic Chanel Camellia flower, which enhances a naturally golden complexion – making it a holiday must have! It’s Limited Edition so make sure you pick one up for Summer!

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This amazing power was applied using the Chanel Pinceau Poudre N 1 Powder Brush – £44

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Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow in Caroube (dark brown) – £23

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Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara in black – £25 (My friends thought I had applied fake lashes!).

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Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in brown – £19

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Chanel Ecriture De Chanel Eyeliner Pen – £27

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Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Parfait – £24

The collection is so so so beautiful, with reds, pinks, corals and golds playing a major part. It just screams sunshine & holidays, which is what Summer is all about, right?!

Thank you to Debenhams at The Merry Hill Centre for their time! You can access the Chanel collection online at the Debenhams website here!

Enjoy the rest of your week! x x x