Norwegian is what feels like a new airline on the block. The first to offer ‘budget’ long haul/transatlantic flights – not quite easyJet prices but for a hop across the pond starting from at little as £149 one way, that’s pretty reasonable. I’ve looked at booking with Norwegian for a solo trip to New York that I’m planning, the only thing that held me back was the idea of flying with an airline that is sitting towards the ‘budget’ end of the scale for something longer haul.
As a general rule, if you’re visiting the Orlando/Kissimmee area of Florida it’s a fairly safe bet that at least one theme park might be on your ‘things to do’ list. I for one, have never (up until now) visited the area and NOT gone to either Disney or Universal at some point in the trip – with Disney usually being the main reason for the trip in the first place. BUT there’s a whole world of wonderful things you can do and could easily fill a week or more with entertainment without even stepping foot into a theme park.
Ok, so this is a fairly niche post topic – and somewhat away from my usual ramblings, but stick with me…
When I first accepted the invite to go to to Grenada to experience the island and attend their annual chocolate festival I didn’t have a clue what I was going to experience. In a good way that is! I had visions of Willy-Wonka style factories and fountains of chocolate.
I’ve been fortunate to do a fair chunk of travelling this year so far and one of the best bits (you know, beyond the whole ‘seeing fab places’ thing) has to be that I’m getting pretty pro at packing. Packing used to be an absolute nightmare for me and whilst I’m certainly not a natural at packing light, I have narrowed down a few travel beauty staples that are the products I feel like I need to have with me.
A deep conditioner
When I travel, pretty much anywhere (regardless of hot/sunny climate) I always travel with a deep conditioner.
So you might have seen that I’ve been posting a few pretty pictures from Walt Disney World over the past week or so (shameless plug: you can follow me: www.instagram.com/beautyjunkieldn) Well, as pretty as they are I thought I’d actually tell you a little more about ‘behind the photos’ too. Because unfortunately this is one of those times this just didn’t go to plan… at all.
As much as I’d love to be bringing you a post with a tonne of idyllic photos from the time in Florida, I actually think it’s a good chance to just be totally transparent about the trip and how it ended up being a series of various fails.
I’m writing this as I’m sat on the Virgin Atlantic flight home. I never thought I’d say this from a trip to America. But I’m very much ready to go home right now.
So what went wrong? Well, it all started off great. We were in Orlando to take part in the Disney Marathon weekend. Ollie is really into things like marathons and triathlons and it’s become a bit of a ‘thing’ that our destinations are often linked to a race in some form or another.
So after Ollie was up bright and early to do the first race of the weekend – the 5k – Following this we kicked off the first day with a trip to the Magic Kingdom. It all started great. Space Mountain, magic teacups and a stop for a quick lunch. This is where it started to go wrong. Unfortunately very quickly after lunch (at the Harbour House quick service restaurant in Liberty Square), Ollie started feeling unwell and came down with a really nasty bout of food poisoning. So the day in the magic ended pretty sharpish and back to the hotel we went. Unfortunately the illness really did mess up the whole trip. As anyone who has had food poisoning can vouch for, even days afterwards when you’re ‘better’ you won’t be feeling 100% and will be zapped of energy pretty sharpish.
It of course put a massive downer on the whole reason we were in Disney in the first place. Ollie was in no state to do the 10k on the second day of the 4-day challenge so I stepped in so between us we could do it. That was fine. The next day he was feeling a little better ahead of the half marathon we were due to run together.
So the next fail. The weather. A thunderstorm meant the ever cautious Disney decided to cancel the half marathon race all together. Which when that was the only race I was supposed to be taking part in…pretty frustrating. Especially to wake up at the time the race was going on and see zero thunderstorms or the dramatic downpours we had been warned of. I think there were a lot of disappointed people in Disney that day.
Then when the marathon day rolled around, Ollie ended up being unable to take part due to the knock on effects of being ill and his appetite taking a while to come back. Deciding that running a marathon after being unable to eat anything more than a ritz cracker for a few days would be pretty foolish. So at this point, it felt a bit like we had travelled to Disney World for next to nothing. A four part race challenge became a 5k. My half, which was to be my first became nothing. Kind of a bummer. BUT of course, we weren’t there *just* for the races, they were just our motivation for going in the first place.
Luckily after that, the main wave of illness passed. So that’s great. But then with the storm on the half marathon day followed with a cold snap. Very cold. Colder than London cold. Which we were not totally prepared for. As much as we tried to soldier on. We had a series of days where we just had to do our best despite the combination of cold weather and knock on affect of the sickness for Ollie. Which meant we missed out on a load of the plans we had spent a lot of time setting up, including the rides, parks we were visiting and meals we had booked. It was just a series of smaller things that built up to the point we were both quite bummed out by it all.
Ok I know, worlds smallest violin. It’s not meant to be a sob story at all. We did everything we could to make the most of the time we had. And a big thank you to Kelly at Port Orleans Riverside who was really helpful and really helped us with both advice and helping us to reorganise what plans we could. So we did the best we could, but can’t help feeling a little disappointed as we travelled home that the trip wasn’t what we hoped. You can’t help but feel like the time and money of the holiday have been wasted. But that happens, that’s life. Even the happiest place on earth sucks, if things like this don’t work out.
Above all else, I love Disney World. I am lucky to have so many amazing memories of Disney and I know one bad trip wont dampen those at all. If anything it just makes me want to think ahead and plan another where we can go and try again. But right now, I just wanted to share a bit about the not so shiny side of the instagtam pictures. It’s not all as magic as it can seem from a photo.
I’ll be writing up some more posts about Disney, planning for a trip and some tips I’ve picked up on my trips as an adult too. So it’s not all doom and gloom at all. But didn’t want to blog it as all sparkle and magic, when frankly – the majority of the trip just wasn’t that at all, sadly!
Last Spring I was lucky enough to be invited on a trip to explore Miami. A place I had never been, but had been curious about. Like New York and LA in many ways, a city that’s been depicted in so many TV shows and films, I had visions of it being like being on a movie set for a few days. But saying that, I didn’t know what to expect at all. Would it look like the music videos and glam TV shows? Or was that all just fancy lighting and creative film work? Well yes it was, but also yes – it is like being in a fabulous movie in so many ways. Miami is such a colourful city and has this really relaxed vibe to it all. Just one more of the reasons I totally fell for it…
ONE: The Food
Of all the things I expected to be blown away by in Miami, the food wasn’t top of my list. But I was soon corrected. The food in Miami is incredible. Lots of seafood with cuban influences. Or ‘Floribbean’ as I overheard it being called. Whatever it’s called, the flavours of Cuba/Caribbean/Seafood/Florida combine to deliver food that tastes amazing – fresh, healthy but with a kick of spice so anything but dull. I was lucky to do a culinary tour when there (along with a series of amazing places for dinner and lunch too) and a few highlights. In fact, I think I may just need a full post dedicated to where to eat in Miami to round up my favourites. But for now, highlights – Peacock Garden Cafe in Coconut Grove, Bolivar in Miami Beach and the restaurant at The National Hotel South Beach (where we stayed for part of the trip).
TWO: Wynwood
Of all the amazing places we got to see in Miami, it was Wynwood that I loved the most. The colour and creativity was just amazing. Walking the streets, guided by www.miamisbestgraffitiguide.com was just fascinating. Plus of course, made for some awesome instagram photos. But that wasn’t what sold me. It was the stories behind each of the pieces of street art. The culture that goes with it and knowing that what I saw then, will now already have totally changed. Every flat surface (and many non-flat) is a potential canvas and there’s a dynamism to it all that’s really interesting. Knowing that each piece is unlikely to be there forever – but then the politics of it and who can paint over what and it’s a ‘diss’ to paint over some pieces. But others are fair game.
THREE: The nightlife
Now I’m not the worlds biggest party animal in general, but I’m more of a spontaneous party person. If fun is dictated to me, then I tend to go grumpy… like New Years Eve has to be the BEST.NIGHT.EVER. Nope. I’ll stay home, cheers. But go out for a couple of casual drinks or dinner and end up dancing away until the early hours? Yes please. Spontaneous nights are the best. Miami is the PERFECT place for that sort of fun.
From the colourful cafes of South Beach where you can enjoy and oversized cocktail or two, or even just a lovely dinner. To places like STK Miami, which is part restaurant/part night club all in one. With an amazing DJ that will make you in the mood to hit one of the Miami mega-clubs before you finished your steak. Or even the ultimate in spontaneous night that I had when there – after an amazing time watching the performers at Cabaret bar in The National Hotel, myself and Sabina (Girl vs Globe) couldn’t resist the invite to head out for some karaoke then on to Bodega… which on the front is an amazing little Taco place, but through a door in the back you’re led to a bar with dance floor space. Miami is the sort of place where there’s something to suit you, whatever your taste in nightlife might be and I love that.
FOUR: The Climate
Year round sunshine and balmy temperatures? As I sit at my desk with three layers on, wondering if it’s really weird to throw my dressing gown over the top too… I would gladly swap a UK winter (or Summer) for year round Miami sunshine. When we were there in April it was sunny most days, the tiniest bit of rain on one morning (over before you know it) and mid twenties upwards. GORGEOUS.
FIVE: The Architecture
It’s almost impossible to mention Miami without immediately thinking of the art deco style it’s famous for. The pastel hues and soft curvy edges are indeed very pleasing to the eye. I could have spent a day just taking endless photographs around South Beach. But it goes beyond just South Beach. The amazing Biltmore Hotel we stayed at the first portion of the trip is an impressive sight in itself. Imposing in Coral Gables (With it’s famous Al Capone suite in the top tower – where apparently he was well positioned to spot the cops and make a getaway before they arrived…). Not just the building though but the amazing swimming pool. At 23,000 square feet it was a famed destination in the 20’s and 30’s for ‘aquatic galas’ where synchronised diving from it’s high platform were a big crowd pleaser! Then of course there’s The Villa Casa Casaurina or ‘The Versace Mansion’ as it’s more famously known. Once the home of Gianni Versace before he was murdered on his own doorstep. Now it’s a restaurant with high end hotel suites.
Even as a write out this post I can think of so many other highlights of the trip. I have a whole host of travel posts in the works so if you’re planning your adventures for 2017 keep an eye out!
I was a guest of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, which has lots of useful information on places to stay and things to do in Miami. For more information, visit miamiandbeaches.com.
I was a guest of Thomas Cook Airlines, flying direct from Manchester Airport. Flights from Manchester to Miami start from £379.98 in economy and £619.98 in premium economy. Prices are subject to availability and valid for travel between May and June 2016. For further details and to book, visit thomascookairlines.com
Rates at The National Hotel start from £121 per night in low season. For more information www.nationalhotel.com
Rates at The Biltmore start from £148 per night in low season. For more information visit www.biltmorehotel.com.
It’s this sort of dull/dreary time of year that I can’t help but let my mind wander to holidays and travel plans. I know I’m not alone in this. I have one big trip already planned in for the year ahead. A list of about another 50 destinations I’d love to visit (in my lifetime…not all in 2017) but for today’s post I wanted to touch on a type of getaway that I don’t think gets enough credit. The all inclusive holiday. I know what you’re probably thinking, oh god – she’s going to say everyone needs to go to one of those massive resorts with people packed by the pool like sardines and drink watered down cocktails and eat soggy food from an all you can eat buffet for a week. Well, if that’s what floats your boat then crack on. But that’s not what I had in mind. I wanted to have a little ramble about why I love an all inclusive holiday and a couple of photos from these that perhaps change your impression of what an all-inclusive vacation can really mean.
When I was growing up, my family typically did one or two types of holiday. Primarily, we would go to stay in a rented villa and enjoy that ‘home away from home’ break. Most frequently in my teens we went to various places in mainland Spain. But we also went to Florida or the Balearic islands. A couple of times we did a California road trip (when I was 6 and when I was 16) and excitingly this is on the cards for me this Summer. But one thing we fairly rarely did was stay in hotels or resorts. So when Ollie and I started going on holidays it felt a bit out of my comfort zone to be looking at package holidays or all inclusive resorts. But over the years I’ve really come to appreciate how much I love this type of holiday and how much value it has. Not in money terms, although that can be a side of it. But more on the side of things where it has so much value in escaping from day to day life and really relaxing.
The main reasons I love an all inclusive holiday can be summed up fairly simply. I love how it means you can take any day to day money thoughts off your plate for a week or two. No thinking about the bill if you have a cocktail or go out for dinner. That extra drink by the pool? No big deal. It’sall covered. The ease of knowing you don’t even really need to carry a wallet around with you and just enjoy life can really ease stress levels. It might sound somewhat silly to make such a thing about it. But I find it really does make for a relaxing break. You don’t need to ‘weigh up’ your options over where to eat or what to do based on cost.
The other thing I love about an all inclusive resort is it often gives you a chance to try things you might not have done before. From paddle boarding to taking a canoe out. Or even new types of exercise class – I’ve been at places where they have had everything from horse riding to hot yoga. Things that you may hold back from, purely down to cost if already feeling like you’re spending a lot being on holiday in the first place. I know I’ve tried sailing, paddle boarding and snorkelling on all inclusive holidays when I may not have done if it wasn’t part of the package.
In 2016 I got to visit beautiful Antigua where we stayed at theSt James Club Resort. This is what I would describe as my perfect all-inclusive holiday. The resort has been really cleverly designed so that it feels small, whilst having loads to offer. My favourite aspect being how that instead of one big pool and perhaps a single separate kids pool, there were a few smaller sized pools to choose from. With a different ‘vibe’ to each one, you could find the one that suited you and make it your base or you could have a change of scenery each day of your holiday depending on where you wanted to spend the day. There were also two options for beaches too – one on the sea side and one on the lagoon side. There were a selection of places to eat, so there was never the feeling of being bored or out of options. In fact, the lunch buffet was delicious – no soggy burgers insight – you could order fresh cooked burgers (with bacon, cheese and pineapple – delicious) or there was a great salad bar with loads of options like bean salads or watermelon and feta. Breakfast gave you choices between buffet, an omelette station or freshly made eggs Benedict or similar dishes. One night there was a great ‘full moon’ party on the lagoon side beach which was filled with amazing fresh BBQ sea food and rum cocktails.
Along with the food – that I could go on about for ages. There was also a huge selection of water sports type activities in the lagoon (nice and calm waters for anyone a bit nervous) and a dreamy spa for treatments. Of course the spa was a little extra on the all inclusive but it feels easier to treat yourself when everything else has been paid for already.
I think in a world where everyone is SO busy and there’s all this wander-lust pressure to explore and adventure all over the globe. There’s something quite refreshing about the all inclusive or package holiday option. It makes for a genuine escape – getting away from it all and just enjoying a break. Keeping it simple, laying by a pool reading and enjoying a refreshing cocktail over looking the sea. Maybe a massage or a trip out on a boat somewhere. Whatever you choose to do is up to you, but I love the ease and stress-free nature of an all inclusive holiday.
I’d love to know what you think of an all inclusive holiday? Is it something you think of as the stereotype and avoid accordingly? Or are you (like me) a big fan and can appreciate the benefit of that all paid for relaxation escape from real life!
You can get more of a feel for the ‘all inclusive’ experience – and how far away from the stereotype it can be on my Antigua Photo Diary post.
What’s the first thing you need to think about when planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Fast passes? Meal bookings? Which parks on what day? No, silly…it’s where you’re going to snap those all important Walt Disney World photo ops so make sure you can ‘gram your heart out with various use of the sparkly emoji, maybe a heart and the odd roller coaster one too.
Instagram Disney World – Best Locations
Now, if you look at Instagram photos of Walt Disney World – especially from bloggers and instagram pros (not me, FYI) then you might be forgiven for thinking it’s awash with photo opportunities and ‘grammable locations. This is partly very true, and partly not. Walking Around Walt Disney World you will see endless spots of photo opportunity and backdrops and generally amazing locations. BUT it’s also a very VERY busy theme park. So capturing those shots without either five other theme park goers in your backdrop trying to do the same or perhaps even a screaming childwill be a challenge. Which is why I have put in extensive research, time and effort to rounding up the most instagrammable locations in Walt Disney World. Ok, this is slightly tongue in cheek as the ‘extensive research, time and effort’ translates into – going to Walt Disney World twice in 12 months… and a bit of pre-trip googling. I have snaps from a variety of these and as you will see… people do tend to still make an appearance in the background. I’ve left these in for both authenticity, and the fact my editing skills don’t extend to deleting people.
Cinderella’s Castle – Magic Kingdom
Yes, it’s a cliche. But if you go to Disney and don’t post an Instagram of the castle, did you really go? Doubtful. But the trick is finding a good spot where you can get that shot without a mass crowd of people doing the same behind you. There are two options for this. One, get to the park as early as physically possible and sprint down main street to capture the photo before others get there. OR take it from a different angle – head off to the side of the castle where it will be much quieter and you can pose until your heart is content. Or simply capture the castle without you posing.
The Purple Wall – Magic Kingdom
It’s become something of a ‘thing’ in WDW, with it’s own instagram account and everything. Ollie fairly succinctly summed it up when we went there – but it’s just a purple wall?! But this comes from an instagram newbie who just doesn’t ‘get’ the appeal of a perfectly pastel hued wall to serve as a backdrop. The main appeal of this are that the purple hue is universally flattering. Also, that the location of the wall is off the main foot-fall areas so you’re likely to be able to steal a few moments away from crows to get the shot you want. Top tip – head into Tomorrow Land first and grab a Mickey-eared shaped snack as a perfect prop (and post-photo snack) before you get your pose on.
How to find the purple wall at Walt Disney World – head across the bridge into Tomorrow Land (from the town square in front of Cinderella’s Castle) and take a right as soon as you cross it. As if you’re going to the Tomorrow Land Terrace Restaurant. It’s right there on the left. You’re welcome.
Tree Of Life – Animal Kingdom
In the centre of the newest Walt Disney World Park – Animal Kingdom – is a large tree. In the place where a castle may normally be seen, there’s this huge tree (not real, obviously) that on first look seems simple enough but closer you get, the more detail you can spot. With animal shapes being carved into the trunk in interlinking ways so that for each one you spot, just leads to realising that snout might be part of a fin or a tail being also a paw and so on. This makes for one of of the most obvious choices for Instagram fodder at Animal Kingdom. My tip? Choose which side you snap from depending on the time of day. Front on seems obvious, but if the sun is shining from behind all you get is a dark silhouettte. There are views of the tree from almost all angled as you make your way around the park so whatever time of day you can make it work.
The ‘Fichwa! Fellow’ Mickey Wall Painting – Animal Kingdom
I think Animal Kingdom might be one of the most instagram worthy places in Disney. There are so many little details and walls that are painted to look like various destinations across the glove (generally grouped into ‘Asia’ and ‘Africa’, but when you’re there you can start to depict where certain details might have been inspired by). There are a few areas around both Asia and Africa that make for a perfect Disney backdrop. Some you could probably try and fake being somewhere further afield, but for me one of the main ‘criteria’ of a good Disney instagram is having something still signature ‘Disney’ about it. Generally this can be that it’s either an icon of the parks, or the ever-present Mickey presence. So this is why the vintage style Mickey street art is my pick of the Instagram spots for Animal Kingdom.
How to find the ‘Fichwa! Fellow’ Mickey at Animal Kingdom – It’s on the wall to the left of the Harambe Market food area. It’s usually a fairly quiet walk through too, so if you’re of a shy disposition it’s a good bet to avoid being stared at too much (i.e. like me – I feel awkward as hell posing ‘blog style’ anywhere)
Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard – Hollywood Studios
With a tonne of facades and shop fronts with those art-deco Hollywood style, the two main streets in Hollywood Studios are awash with photo opportunities. A classic to capture is the Crossroads of the world with Mickey on top in the background. Or you can try and capture one the old-school Hollywood style backdrops instead. Biggest challenge here is getting that magic moment of minimal background crowds AND a face that looks natural and happy…
If you want to go for something without you posing in it, this is a perfect location. Shooting a photo from above head height here captures all the vintage Hollywood style or even a shot of the classic Tower of Terror, but without those pesky ‘other people’ getting in the way. My personal favourite spot is the sign saying ‘Once Upon a Time’ – because it has that bit of Disney magic to it…
Also worth a stop is outside the entrance to Hollywood studios, where you can either (daytime) capture the Minnie and Mickey shaped topiary, or if you go for an evening shot you can get the classic Mickey-ear silhouette, complete with lined up palm trees as demonstrated below:
Another iconic location at Walt Disney World, that you just have to capture when you’re there. It’s a funny one, as having visited WDW since I was a child I find it funny to look back at how my perspective of Epcot has changed. When I was young is was SO futuristic and modern looking. With the monorail whirring in and out around the park. Space-like building and overall such a futuristic vibe…that going back now, probably over twenty years on from my first visit and it is somewhat funny to see that Epcot does have quite a dated feel to it now. It’s like looking back at what the future was predicted to be… which is no better summed up really than when you take a trip on Spaceship Earth and it takes you through how technology has developed… but pretty much stops at the creation of the ‘new era’ of the internet… But regardless. Spaceship Earth (or ‘the giant golf ball’) is an icon and definitely worth a ‘gram.
Signature Disney Food – Various Locations
Another tasty and totally-instagramable thing about Walt Disney World? The food. Some of it is just plain tasty. Others, tasty AND shaped like Mickey Mouse. You do of course get extra Instagram points if you manage to combine a location AND Mickey shaped food (see purple wall PLUS Mickey pretzel below). There are all sorts of options here – from the things unique to Disney or snaps of your favourite food ‘around the world’ at Epcot. We had a delicious pizza in Italy
Food at Disney is a massive part of the fun (just me?) so I made sure to snap away at any gram-worthy treats we enjoyed. The slight hiccup in this plan being that the husband had food poisoning (see original post with story of the trip HERE) but I soldiered on and made the most of our dining plan treats on behalf of the both of us. What can I say, I took one for the team. Other instagram favourites include – Mickey shaped breakfast waffles that we had for brunch at the Grand Floridian Resort.
Top tip – don’t just buy the food for the ‘gram… eat it too…
I hope you liked this post all about the best places to get yourself a killer ‘gram shot! That’s not to say that a trip to Disney should be ALL about getting those instagram shots – it’s about memories and having fun. So that first, instagram second. But I hope this might help you get some ideas for where you might want to take some fun instagram photos whilst at Disney World!
I know the blog land is awash with these sort of look-back posts but 2017 has been a big year (is there ever such a thing as a small year?!) so I wanted to take a moment to look back at some of the highs and lows of the 365 days that made up 2017 before kicking off the New Year with some fresh posts to share.
2017 – The Highs
For me when I look back on 2017 there are two major highs that stand out for me. One being the discovery of being pregnant in July. If there’s ever such a thing as a moment that changes your life I guess that would be one for me – looking at that test and realising that yes, holy crap – your life is changing. The feeling of seeing it as a positive is one that’s so hard to describe. Excitement, happiness, shock all bundled up in one bubble of laughter, smiles and tears (and a couple of freaked out swear words from me as the news really sunk in). Sharing that with Ollie was really special.
Following this the next major highs of 2017 was telling our family and friends that I was pregnant. Just such a happy moment and so good to share the news and be able to talk about it all.
Travel was also a massive high for me in 2017 – with a lot of it happening at the first half of the year as whilst I had a couple of chances to travel more in the second half my gut feeling was to focus on staying home and really getting stuck into work. Whilst I always work whenever I travel, as much as I would love to say it’s the same – I never quite manage to work at full capacity when abroad!
So travel wise I was fortunate enough to join a few brand/press trips that were really special. I got to explore Florida not once but twice – the first time being a trip Ollie and I took in the 2017 New Year to Walt Disney World which is one of my absolute favourite places in the world. Unfortunately that trip was a little dampened by Ollie getting a nasty bout of food poisoning (so technically would put that as a low of 2017…)
BUT the best news was that I was invited to go back to Florida to explore Kissimmee and head over to Clearwater and St Petersburg on the Gulf Coast side of the state. It was an incredible trip with a fantastic group of people and I had so much fun. A highlight for me was meeting the incredible Becky from English Mum – Becky is one of those people who you just warm to instantly and it was amazing to spend time with her as she really made the trip for me. I hope it wont be too long until we get to catch up again!
Another incredible trip I took in the first half of 2017 was to the Caribbean island of Grenada to experience their annual Chocolate Festival. Yes, you can just imagine the excitement when I was invited to the CARIBBEAN to go to a CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL. No joke, it’s like something out of a dream. The trip was amazing, it’s a relatively small island and one of those ‘everyone knows everyone’ sort of places. It was this side of things that really made it for me – the people – both on the island, involved in the Grenada chocolate festival and the others on the trip. There can be something daunting about going on trips when you don’t know anyone but this was the perfect example of a trip where it just worked so well and I felt like I laughed my way through the whole trip. I would 100% recommend making Grenada top of your Caribbean must-visit list – a really unique and special gem of an island. Or as they call it – The Spice of the Caribbean!
Another travel (and life) high of 2017 was being invited to go to LA for an incredible weekend with Joico. I know, I’m still pinching myself too. It really was an amazing trip from start to finish – I got to meet a great group of bloggers from around Europe where we had a whirlwind of fabulous LA experiences of amazing dinners, pool parties, hair make-overs and photoshoots. I also got to see one of my best friends from University who now lives in LA which was an amazing perk too.
I then got to go back to California for our big Summer holiday that had been about a year in the planning. Ollie and I took a road trip along with Ollie’s bother and his girlfriend so the boys could take part in the Santa Rosa Iron Man race and then follow it with a couple of weeks exploring down to LA. I still need to write up some posts on this trip as I took a load of photos and realise I haven’t shared them yet!
Blog work wise, I’ve worked with some amazing brands and I’m really proud of what I achieved not just in 2017 but since I first started out – especially when I factor in that it really is *just* me. I’m not the biggest and I don’t have an agent, support of management or a team. So when I am approached by some of the incredible brands I’ve had the chance to work with I’m both very grateful and pretty darn proud. I’ve been looking back over the brands and campaigns I’ve worked on over 2017 and it’s been such a boost to look back on the year and really see how many amazing brands collaborated with me and the posts I produced that I’m really proud of. So thank you if you have worked with me this year and I hope we can do something again soon!
As well as the blog campaigns and posts I’ve done a lot of ‘behind the scenes’ type of work including loads of social product photography and social media management for brands like L’Oreal and beautyblender. Covering London Fashion Week backstage for various clients is always really exciting (and a little hectic). I’ll never not get a buzz from seeing my images or plans in action on brands social media accounts so this is definitely a high and something I can’t wait to do more of in the year ahead.
All in all, if I could sum up main personal highs of 2017 it would come down to three things – the people, travel and pregnancy!
2017 – The Lows
All in all, I really can’t complain about 2017. It’s been a great year and overall I’ve been so content and happy. But the one low I will touch on is how I’ve struggled with blogging. Both in terms of motivation and being a bit lost in my own direction and knowing what I want. All in all, I knew I never really wanted to throw in the towel and give it all up. But there have been moments where I have come close and just thought ‘what’s the point, you can’t keep up so give up’. But I haven’t given up and don’t plan to. It’s been hard to navigate as when blogging was just a hobby I could just put it down and come back when I felt the spark return. But when it’s a major part of your day to day job, you can’t exactly check out and ignore it. You have to power through.
What I’ve done to overcome this as a low is take a step back a little and try to see the wood for the trees – if that make sense. Not getting so bogged down in competition and comparison. I had a bit of a clear out of the blogs and Instagram accounts I’m following and just focus on doing what I do. Am I ever going to be the top of the game that everyone watches in blogging? No! But did I ever want to be? No, no really. My blog has changed and grown over the years with me and no, it’s not just limited to being a beauty blog anymore. But I think that’s ok? Well, at least I hope so!
Early 2018 will mark nine years since I started my blog and I’m actually feeling pretty good about it. My blog has a new look, I’m feeling positive and excited for what I have in mind for the year ahead. With baby due in March and a whole lot less travel on the cards this year I know it’s going to look very different to the last two – but I’m sure it will be amazing in it’s own way, with a few challenges too no doubt! But I’m excited for the year ahead.
I love to travel and will jump at every chance I get to do so. Of course throwing a baby into the mix does mean that the opportunities to travel might be a tad more complicated… but I still plan to make every effort to travel as much as possible.
I decided to write this post about Zafiro Palace Alcudia as it’s actually our second time staying here. The first time was in September 2016 when we came as just the two of us (Ollie and I) for a long weekend when Ollie competed in the IronMan Triathlon Mallorca.
Before I write any advice type post I always feel like I need to sense-check myself and make sure I really feel I have the experience/knowledge to ‘entitle’ me to be sharing my own ‘wisdom’ on whatever topic it is. For this, I have the grand total of ONE holiday with a baby under my belt.
Before I get fully stuck into this post I have to explain this isn’t a guide as any sort of expert – more of a first impressions/things to do based on my experience. My recent visit to Vegas was my first time in the city, I was there for around three days and loved some of it and didn’t love other bits.
Earlier this month Ollie and I escaped on a lovely long weekend in Chicago – BABY FREE!!! The whole reason for the trip was because Ollie had a spot to take part in the Chicago Marathon combined with a generous offer of along weekend of childcare from the mother in law and it didn’t take us much thought to book those flight and start planning our Chicago adventure.
A weekend in Chicago
When did we go
We went early October and the weather was definitely turning from end of Summer (the week before we went it had been mid twenties…) to Autumn time. Which feels close to winter in the UK but I know not anywhere near as extreme as a mid west winter gets. The weather wasn’t bad but definitely a case for layers and a decent coat.
Getting there
We flew with British Airways direct from Heathrow to Chicago, as it was just the two of us flying we did something very special and upgraded our flights which really did set the trip off to a special start. I may now have ruined travel for myself going forward as it really was such a good experience I’m going to miss it when travelling as we normally do! The experience of the First class check in at Heathrow Terminal 5 and the Concorde Lounge just takes all the stress and hassle out of the start of a journey and makes a trip away feel even more exciting. We also pre-booked to use the Elemis Spa to have mini treatments before we took off. All in all, I couldn’t have wished for a better way to start the trip.
Where did we stay?
We booked to stay at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel*, the location was just perfect for the marathon as it was right across from the starting area in Millenium Park. We had a view of the Chicago Bean from our hotel window. I chose the hotel as I’d previously read lovely things about it and knew the location worked. I also knew it had some great food options within the hotel as Cindy’s was a recommendation that came up time and time again.
Overall, for location I couldn’t fault the hotel. But there were a few things about the hotel that I didn’t love. Within the room there’s a lack of plug sockets and mirrors so doing things like drying hair was trickier than maybe it should have been. There was quite a lot of street noise from our fifth floor room and the entrance area felt very public (there’s a Shake Shack and a coffee shop there) so did make me wonder about security a little.
However the room was stylish and the bed really comfortable and I love the athletic touches like the gymnastic bench as the end of the bed stool etc. The building is full of history and Cindy’s on the rooftop is well worth a visit too.
Marathon morning sunrise view from our hotel room
Getting about in Chicago
We booked a taxi to collect us from the airport and take us to the hotel and had planned to just use taxis to get around. But we ended up defaulting to using Uber or walking as found taxis harder to find (which we think was largely down to the location of our hotel being so close to all the marathon activity). I used the L on marathon day to get up to China town to cheer on from there and it was really easy to navigate so wouldn’t hesitate to use that if we go back. But having Uber/Lyft on your phone comes in really handy and we found that easiest way to get around.
Things to do
One of my favourite things to do when on a city break holiday is to simply wander around. Explore the area around the hotel or venture out to new neighbourhoods to see what there is to see or do there. This is largely what we did, although on the pre-marathon days walking miles wasn’t on the cards as much as it would be normally and post marathon it was more of a slow hobble (for one of us…)
Shopping is pretty ace in Chicago too – as the centre is fairly small there’s a huge selection of big name stores (plenty of Sephoras… ) in a small area (the Magnificent Mile). We didn’t venture to other neighbourhoods for shopping but I’m sure if more independent brands is your thing then this would be a great thing to explore.
The number one thing I would really strongly recommend everyone do who visits Chicago is the Architecture Boat Tour. I found this absolutely fascinating, loved every moment of it and there were so many interesting buildings with stories galore to be told. I felt like I learnt a lot and really got to know the city and it’s history a little more in just a couple of hours.
Places to eat
Now I’m splitting this into two sections because in Chicago the deep dish pizza needs it’s own category. So if you want specifically pizza related points then scroll on. However, we didn’t *just* eat pizza so have a few more suggestions to share.
Ollie and I both love our food so we had done a fair amount of research and pre-planned a few places we wanted to try. One of my favourite things about Chicago is how it really is a foodie city, for all tastes. With the perfect mix from high end fine dining to down and dirty gooey pizzas and beefy hotdogs… and cheese fries….oh the cheese fries.
Recommendations:
Portillos: For Chicago signature hot dogs and dirty-but-in-a-good-way food (beef hotdogs, cheese fries and shakes) this was the post-marathon stop and it was PERFECT.
Spiaggia: Upmarket Italian famous for both the Truffle Gnocchi and the fact the Obamas apparently go there. I can’t confirm any Obama spotting but I can confirm the Gnocchi is a very rich delicious plate of creamy goodness.
Acadia: A two Michelin star restaurant we booked to go to on our first night in the city. A 10 course tasting menu was a stretch on jet lag but beyond worth working through. A incredible meal of truly phenomenal food.
Dinner at Cindy’s
Cindy’s: The bar/restaurant on the rooftop of the hotel we stayed at. The food was good but the real wow is the view. We went for dinner but if we went again I’d have to go for brunch as that’s apparently pretty epic.
Little Goat Diner: Another one I got on recommendation and it was well worth an adventure out of the downtown area. If there’s one thing I am a sucker for in America, it’s an American Diner breakfast. So there was no way I was having a weekend in Chicago without my own dose of pancake goodness.
This place is like a kitchy cool updated version of a diner with a menu of traditional diner food with a twist. I stuck with my favourite pancakes and Ollie had their fried chicken waffle. He was iffy about chicken for breakfast but then tasted it and SOLD.
Brunch at Little Goat Diner
The Pizza
Ok, so if you think Chicago and don’t think pizza then you’re a more cultured person than me. The signature Chicago deep dish is the thing of legend and when you’re going to visit a city famous for a certain dish then you do it right. On doing our research into where to get the ultimate deep dish Chicago pizza and without fail one of two names came up. So we did what was the only option to bring a true pizza review. We tried both.
Giordanos
For both pizza options they have multiple locations around the city and we opted for one just off Millenial Park which was mega busy. If eating at Giordanos be prepared for a wait. The pizza itself takes nearly an hour to cook and there’s often a line outside waiting for a table. It’s the norm to pre-order your food so when you sit down you won’t have another wait for it to arrive.
Chicago Deep Dish – Giordanos
But what about the Pizza? It was pretty phenomenal. Gooey, cheesy. Crispy deep base. We had a combination of meatball, pepperoni and cheese with garlic. I have to say I highly recommend the garlic addition. SO GOOD.
Lou Manalti’s
Lou Manalti’s was the other name that repeatedly came up. A new location has just opened up really close to the river downtown but it only opened the day we were leaving but looked really cool. I loved the base of the Lou Manalti’s pizza as it was crispier than the base from Giordaos.
Chicago Deep Dish – Lou Manalti’s
My overall recommendation for pizza in Chicago? Try both. I’d say the filling and the Giordanos filling was my favourite but the atmosphere and base at Lou Manalti’s was better. So the decision between the two is a hard one to make. All I can suggest is try both!
Apparently Uno Pizzeria is also worth a try… so if we go back I’ll have to explore more pizza experiences. I know, I’m selfless and just willing to take one for the team…
A weekend in Chicago…
Chicago is a great city, loads to do and amazing food to try, definitely one I’d love to visit again. Except not in January or February as the weather sounds horrific then… but I’d definitely go back. Overall I’d describe it as a like a smaller, cleaner alternative to New York.
For more information on things to do/places to eat/where to stay for a weekend in Chicago see: Trip Advisor/Chicago*
I recently returned from a few days on a solo visit to one of my favourite places in the world, New York. This time around I stayed in a different neighborhood to my usual Midtown/Gramercy location – I wanted to explore somewhere new, whilst still being in a central enough spot I felt I could walk all over without issue.
When I was growing up, my family typically did one or two types of holiday. Primarily, we would go to stay in a rented villa and enjoy that ‘home away from home’ break. Most frequently in my teens we went to various places in mainland Spain. But we also went to Florida or the Balearic islands. A couple of times we did a California road trip (when I was 6 and when I was 16) and excitingly this is on the cards for me this Summer. But one thing we fairly rarely did was stay in hotels or resorts. So when Ollie and I started going on holidays it felt a bit out of my comfort zone to be looking at package holidays or all inclusive resorts. But over the years I’ve really come to appreciate how much I love this type of holiday and how much value it has. Not in money terms, although that can be a side of it. But more on the side of things where it has so much value in escaping from day to day life and really relaxing.
Another travel (and life) high of 2017 was being invited to go to LA for an incredible weekend with Joico. I know, I’m still pinching myself too. It really was an amazing trip from start to finish – I got to meet a great group of bloggers from around Europe where we had a whirlwind of fabulous LA experiences of amazing dinners, pool parties, hair make-overs and photoshoots. I also got to see one of my best friends from University who now lives in LA which was an amazing perk too.
