10 REASONS TO LOVE AUTUMN AS MUCH AS ME!

This post is dedicated to my all time favourite season and time of the year...autumn. I am a self-professed summer scrooge and every year I can't wait for autumn to role by. There are so many things I love about Autumn, from the food straight to the fashion. So I thought I would share with you my top 10 reasons why I am so in love with this wonderful season!

1. Colours - Now, no one can argue with how incredibly beautiful the colours of autumn are. From the crisp orange and red leaves to the glorious pinky sunsets of the night. There is nothing I love more, than walking through a forest in autumn with all the amazing colours that surround me.

2. Weather - Anyone who knows me well, knows how obsessed I am with rain. Don't ask me why, I just am! I love the sound of it and I love watching it. It is probably one of the main reasons I love autumn and even though in the UK we pretty much get rain all year round, it feels so right to splash in a puddle during the autumn months.

3. Fashion - Autumn and winter fashion is just SO MUCH BETTER. The ability to layer up and add a staple trench coat to any outfit, just makes fashion during these months seems so much more sophisticated, and of course bringing those booted heels back out.

4. Smells - The smells of autumn are sensational. Not only does the air smell crisp and fresh, but the smell of rain and earthy leaves and trees, just gives you an incredible range of smells and lets not forget the smell of all the candles and the sweet smell of cinnamon and mixed spices.

5. Cosy Nights - I hate nights that are light! Night to me should be dark and that is exactly what autumn gives me...nights start to become cosy again and I love it! Time to draw the curtains, light some candles and snuggle under a blanket with a roaring fire in the background...delightful

6. Hot Drinks - I think Starbucks has a lot to help with this! I am tea and coffee drinker all year round, but autumn brings with it more exciting and jazzy drinks like a pumpkin spiced latte (autumn in a cup) and cheeky hot chocolate of course.

7. Beauty - I love autumn beauty. It is now an acceptable time to start rocking a dark red lip or a deep setting purple lip and it be totally acceptable. Make-up is also so much easier to wear in autumn, because you are not sweating and smudging it off!

8. Rugby Season - Rugby season is in full flow and I have so many matches to look forward too. Rugby is my favourite sport to watch, and it is the epitome of our autumn and winter. I love standing in the crowd with a hot chocolate all wrapped up!

9.  Comfort Food - Autumn brings with it the food we try and avoid all year round...pure and utter comfort food. Sunday roast dinners are back on the menu, mid-week stews and casseroles are bubbling away in the slow cooker and its time for pies and crumbles. I wait all year for my food coma hibernation.

10. Upcoming Holidays - This is the best time of year because of all the upcoming holidays. I love Halloween, getting dressed up for a party or a night full of scary movies, either way I have to celebrate. But the excitement of Bonfire Night, Thanksgiving and of course the countdown to Christmas begins...

What are your favourite things about autumn?

Much love

**This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. Images was taken from Google Images

TOP 10 TIPS FOR FIGHTING FLU SEASON

Well well well, its nice to be back! I am really sorry that I haven't been around for the past couple of weeks! I came down with a horrible fluey/virus that has really kicked my butt and put me out of sorts and I haven't had the energy to write! I am glad to be back now and promise that some really exciting posts are coming up!

So, as it is coming into cold and flu season, I thought I would do a post on what helped me through my time being ill, so here are my top 10 tips!!

1. Rest - Sleep, sleep and sleep! Don't feel guilty for staying in bed all day, it is so important for the recovery process to let your body relax. Snuggle up in bed and wait it out!

2. Drink - Another essential part of the illness is to drink plenty of fluids! I really struggled with this, because my throat was so sore and I just couldn't be bothered, but it was really important - I alternated between green tea, cucumber and lemon infused water and hot ribena.

3. Vitamins - It is so important to get your Vitamin C in, as this is what your lacking in the first place! If you can't manage an orange or some orange juice maybe try a vitamin c supplement until the sting of your throat dies down, but try and push through.

4. Antiviral Medicine - I felt so awful that I literally tried everything to feel better. Lempsips, cough medicine, sinus relief spray, 4 head patches - anything that said cold and flu relief I bought. But in retrospect the best thing for me was Lemsips, Sinus Relief spray and 4 head patches.

5. Bubble bath - This was my saving grace, not only did the steam from the bath relieve the blockage in my nose, the warm water seemed to give me a moments peace from the achey muscles I'd seemed to have aquired. I suggest some 'Radox Muscle Soak' bubble bath and some scented candles to give it that extra relaxing feel.

6. Blankets/Fan - I suffered from a temperature and a fever and so although I was instructed to stay warm, I felt on fire some of the time and so that is why the fan was needed, but nothing is more comforting than a big, snuggly blanket!

7. Soup - My mum makes the best soup in the world (I mean she is Scottish, so its in her blood), but nothing beats her homemade soup and when I am feeling ill, all I need is a big bowl - some of my favouites were 'Carrot and Coriander', 'Chicken and Rice' and 'Sweet Potato and Bacon'. I wasn't hungry at all with my flu but I managed mums soup!

8. Hygiene - This one is a given really, but keep washing and antibacing your hands as mush as you can to avoid spreading it within yourself and others. Regular showers help the fever and make you feel a bit more fresh and alive after a round of hot/cold hot/cold hot/cold.

9. Bloggers and Vloggers - When I had a bit more energy, I enjoyed reading through blogs...although my flu took away my energy to write, it was nice to see what others had been up to and plan what I'd be doing when I didn't feel like a zombie. I constantly had different vlogs on, as they are one of my favourite things to watch. I was watching 'How to Cook That', 'Those Rosie Days', 'The Michalaks' and 'Dolly Bow Bow'.

10. TV - Getting a good TV boxset or series can really help you through your time in bed - I like to pick an old favourite that I have seen many times before, so that I don't really have to concentrate too hard and can dip in and out in-between naps, I went for the classic 'Desperate Housewives' and my new favourite 'Dance Moms'. 

I hope you don't get struck down with the cold or flu this season, but if you do then I hope my top 10 tips manage to help a little bit.

What do you do when your ill?

Much love

**This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.

**Image is credited to Google Images and its not my own

COME DINE WITH ME...

Apologies for the disappearing act I have done over the past week - the bank holiday weekend seemed to fly by and I had no time to sit down and write!

I thought today I would share with you a restaurant trip I made last night,to celebrate a very special person's birthday. The restaurant in question is called 'Miller and Carter' and predominantly it is known for its incredible steak (not that I would know, as I don't eat red meat, but that's the word on the street). However, that is not all they do - they have fantastic burgers, meat and fish dishes on offer and it is quite easily one of my favourite restaurants in my area. Oh, and it must be said, that the cocktails are to die for!

So, yesterday was my boyfs 23rd Birthday and so what better way to celebrate the evening with steak (for him) and cocktails! Here a couple of pics I have of the food I ate...

Now, as I mentioned above the cocktails at Miller and Carter are IN-CRED-IBLE! We started off the evening with a Long Island Iced Tea for him and a fruity Mango Moijo for me, which was made with Bacardi rum mixed with mango puree, served over ice with a dash of lime and sugar and garnished with mint leaves...delicious.

I swiftly move onto our starter. I don't often order my own starter at a restaurant, because I feel too full to enjoy the rest of my meal. However, that doesn't stop me from sharing a starter with someone else! Today we decided to go for their classic Nachos, because they are the tastiest thing in the world! Homemade tortilla chips with jalepeno peppers, cheese and a selection of dips (soured cream, tomato salsa and guacamole). 

If you aren't a massive fan of fish this may seem slightly daunting and even as a lover of fish it was still slightly daunting (thank goodness it was de-boned and there was no head), but it was absolutely delicious and has overtaken the salmon as my favourite! Here, I had sea bass that was marinated in chilli, garlic and rosemary - served on a bed of grilled vegetables and baby potatoes with a roasted tomato dressing and then garnished with a lemon wedge. It was beautifully cooked and the sea bass melted in my mouth.

Finally, you can't go to Miller and Carter and not try their famous 'Onion Loaf' - it is hard to describe, but it is like an onion ring but in a loaf form if that makes sense? We absolutely love it and when we go, we always share it as a side - it would be a complete onion overload to have it just for one! So tasty and compliments every meal I have ever had there!

Unfortunately, we were way to full to order a dessert at the restaurant, so I don't have a picture of the AMAZING desserts they have, but I will be sure to snap one when I next go! I've left the website details here if you are interested in checking it out - as it is a little on the pricier side of things I would say it is a great night out for a celebration. Oh and definitely make sure you grab a cocktail too!

Have you been to Miller and Carter?

Much love

**This post was not sponsored and all opinions are my own

SNACKING SAVIOUR - GRAZE LIGHT BOX

Two days down, three to go...hmm that still sounds like quite a long time when I put it like that! Oh well, the week has begun and we have the bank holiday weekend to look forward to! Today's post is a food post, because I wanted to share something that has helped me through those long days at work where the time just doesn't seem to be budging!

I had a free Graze box coupon that came in an order I recently made with Amazon and so I thought 'what the heck' why don't I give it a try. Those who know me, know I am a constant grazer. I am not one for having 3 big meals...I like to graze throughout the day! I think it's because I can be so indecisive sometimes, that grazing allows me to 'get a bit' of everything and no big decisions have to be made!
I logged onto the website and had a browse around what boxes they offer and I was amazed at the choice! I tried a graze box a couple of times when they first started, but to be honest the choice was pretty limited, so I was shocked at how far they had come! You can get boxes for breakfast, bakery boxes, savoury boxes, chocolate boxes and even sharing boxes! I was stuck for choice, but as I am trying to be healthy at the moment, it was between the popcorn box and the light box. I decided to go for the light box, purely for the variety and the fact that all snacks are under 150 cals (I will be purchasing the popcorn box next).

Now, I love receiving post...there is something SO exciting about receiving post. I think it's because I am of the 'technology generation' and everything is done online. After ordering my light box, I was super excited for it to come and checked my mailbox every day in the three days that it took to arrive, and when it did, I've got to say how impressed I was with it. The box is a cardboard box that is perfect letter box size (I haven't bothered to measure it, sorry). The cute summer design of ice cream cones on a turquoise blue background was really appreciated and really entranced me to open up the box. As I opened it, I was greeted with 4 snack-sized portions of what looked like some pretty exciting stuff! My box included;

Maple and Pecan Granola 

This was absolutely delicious, I was so impressed with how nutty the granola tasted, but also how they managed to incorporate the maple flavour throughout. I often worry with granola that is is full of fat, but this little portion only had 0.6g of sat fat...perf! As it was a snack-sized portion, I had it over some strawberries, blueberries and greek yogurt and it was absolutely delicious.

Super Carrot Cake 

Now this certainly was a sneaky surprise! Cake...under 150 cals in a light box! I love cake, it is 100%  my guilty pleasure and I always try to sneak in a slice on a cheat day! This little slice came with a tea bag...perfect for afternoon tea and cake. The cake itself had a lovely spiced flavour to it which really complimented the carrot.

Lightly Toasted Pistachios

I can be fussy about eating nuts on their own...don't get me wrong I love nuts, but you won't often find me gnawing on them plain. I was a little dubious about these, I haven't had pistachio nuts for years and couldn't quite remember if I liked them or not, but when I tried them...they certainly went down a treat! I enjoyed this little portion whilst at work when it hit that awkward 3pm slump and it certainly cheered me up!

Pitted Beldi and Kalamata Olives 

Another firm favourite of mine! I love olives. I think they are a great snack and just so plain damn tasty. This perfect punnet provided SO much flavour and I really enjoyed them. I took these to work and put them on my salad at lunch and they added so much to it! Not something I would have expected in the box, but it certainly was a nice addition.

The box also came with a list of nutrition and allergen advice for each punnet, which I think is really good, as people (especially me) like to know that kind of information! I was really shocked how each snack was so tasty, but was also low in fat and under the advertised 150 calories. Although each box retails at around £3.89, which is a little pricey...I really did enjoy the novelty of having a graze box! It was great that someone picked my snacks for me and I didn't have too! I probably won't order one weekly, purely because of price, but it is definitely something I would look at doing perhaps fortnightly or monthly.

Have a try and see for yourself...


Much love

PRODUCT OF WEEK - MAYBELLINE LASH SENSATIONAL MASCARA

Happy Sunday everyone...who else is super sad that the weekend is over? Monday morning seems to be rolling round a little too quickly for my liking!

I love doing my 'Product of the Week' series, because it gives me the space to reflect on the product or item, that has most likely been my saviour for the week! I am going to go straight in with it and reveal that my product of the week is Maybelline's 'Lash Sensational Multiplying Mascara' in waterproof. 

For years I have used mascara made by Maybelline, I have jumped on every hype when a new one is brought to market...I have owned "The Falsies', 'The Rocket', 'The Colossal' and 'Leather Black'. I have loved all of them, and have always found myself repurchasing Maybelline mascara. When the Lash Sensational came out, I was buried in my love for Benefits 'they're Real' and so didn't jump on the bandwagon straight away, but around a fortnight ago, my Benefit mascara ran out and I was on the lookout to try something new! Before I knew it, my feet shuffled over to the Maybelline counter, where I was sure that a trusty old friend would be waiting - to my surprise, a new friend was awaiting to be purchased, so how could I say no.?

I went for the waterproof version of this mascara, which is not something I often do, as sometimes I feel mascara's can be too waterproof and be a right pain to take off and you just end up smudging it around your face, but I decided to give this one a go! 

I have found this to be a great product so far. The Layer Reveal brush allows for the mascara to be really build-able and layers my lashes really well, making them appear far longer and fuller than they actually are. I have been able to wear this for two days straight without taking it off and just applying an extra layer and my lashes still looked great! The intricate detailing of the brush, with the slight curvature at the end and throughout, means no lash is left behind. I often find that the lashes in the corner of my eyes get missed out and it can be a right pain trying to reach them! That is not a problem hear whatsoever. The waterproof aspect of it is great too, I went swimming yesterday with it still on my face - I was so worried I was going to get out of the pool with panda eyes, but no nothing, not one tiny smudge. The great thing as well, is that it has been a dream to take off, I have found that it really reacts well to make-up remover and comes off with complete ease! 

I have been really pleased with this mascara and I have loved what it has done to my lashes. I would definitely recommend checking this out if you are on the lookout for a new mascara, it really is everything you could want! It retails at £5.99 at Boots, which is really reasonable for what it is!

What has been your product of the week?

Much Love

**This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own

SATURDAY AFTERNOONS - GREENWICH PARK!

Well hello mini heatwave! How glorious was the weather today? Although, I am a self-professed summer scrooge, I really did appreciate the blazing sunshine and the heat on my skin today. Being stuck in an air conditioned office all week, doesn't leave much of a chance to be out in nature getting some fresh air!

Today we decided that this Mediterranean style weather should be celebrated with a picnic in one of my favourite parks in the UK...Greenwich Park. I am really lucky to only live a 20 minute drive from Greenwich, so throughout the year, sun or rain, winter or summer, we often frequent it. I love how it gives you the feel of being completely stuck in with nature, but also, the breathtaking views of our cities spectacular skyline! You can literally see right from the O2 arena and the Olympic stadium all the way over to St Paul's Cathedral and The Shard, it really is magnificent! There is so much history and beautiful architecture, that even someone who is not so great with history, can become completely entranced! Not forgetting the Greenwich Observatory, where you have the chance to stand at the centre of worlds time! 

The 'Flower Gardens' is my favourite place to have a picnic, it is just so pretty and the perfect place to catch a few rays of British sun. Today our picnic was from Waitrose (I know I know, I should totally make it myself, but I just didn't have time and Waitrose was there to help a brother out). After feeding our tummies and having a cheeky Summer snooze, we took a walk around the park and then down into Greenwich town. I love Greenwich town, I think it has the bustle of being a London borough, but isn't crazy busy that it is just plain annoying! Down towards the river you have Greenwich Market, which promotes glorious hand made food from around the world, to cute trinkets and nic-nacs and then of course the Cutty Sark, which is a great big ship from the 19th century! Now, I am not going to profess to knowing anything about it, but it is pretty amazing to look at and I would definitely suggest checking it out if you are in the area. 

After a wonder round the town, we headed back up to the park for another walk, a cheeky ice cream and a sit down under a semi-shady tree. The atmosphere was incredible and it was so lovely to see families and children happily playing around together - it made me very proud to be British!

Have you ever been to Greenwich Park?

Much Love

**This post what not sponsored and all opinions are my own 

OUTFIT REVIEW OF THE 2015 TEEN CHOICE AWARDS!

I thought I would do something a little different this week and have a look at some of the outfits worn to the 2015 Teen Choice Awards. I love awards and award season as I get completely obsessed with the beautiful gowns and stylish dresses. One thing I love about the Teen Choice Awards, is that it incorporates people of all ages and it is so nice to see younger people have a chance to walk the red (or in this case blue) carpet. 

From what I have seen so far, the standard of this years fashion has been really high, so I have picked a couple who have really caught my eye. The Teen Choice awards are known for being a more casual event and this was definitely represented in the fashion! I don't really agree with picking the best and the worst dressed, because quite frankly it is not very nice. Nine times out of ten, celebrities have been told what to wear and I would hate it if I was slated for something that I thought looked good! If you are comfortable with what you are wearing and you feel good because of it, then that is all that matters!

So here is a couple of celebs who really caught my fashion eye this year...

Lucy Hale - even though I am a massive PLL fan, I promise I was not biased in including Lucy in my review. I absolutely love this midnight blue Julien Macdonald dress and I think Lucy pulls it off really well. The plunging mesh neckline adds a very cheeky element to the dress, yet the understated accessories and hairstyle allows for her to still look classy and sophisticated. I would definitely buy this dress (or something similar at a fraction of the price). As the dress is quite short, the high strappy sandals make it seem longer than it is and it is perfect for a red carpet look.

Zendaya - I am completely obsessed with the elegance of this outfit and I think it looks so beautiful. The classic A-line pencil skirt paired with a white, off the shoulder ruffled crop, looks amazing. Both the skirt and top are from Ashi Studio - who I hadn't heard of before, but I am now completely obsessed with them. You can't see in this picture, but Zendaya has a long fishtail braid and it looked so pretty. The large hooped earnings are not something I would have gone for, but it has actually worked really well and lets be honest - that leg line slit looks incredible.

Maddie Zieglar - I have been watching Dance Moms for years - way before it made it onto the big screens of the UK and it is one of my favourite TV shows ever! I was so happy to see Maddie looking so sweet and charming on the Blue carpet. Her floral Mac Duggal Dress allowed her to look classy and sophisticated, but didn't threaten her tender age of 12. I think the shape of the dress is really flattering as it pulls in ever so slightly at the waist and then out in a skater skirt style. She has paired the dress with hot pink shoes and a pink clutch and they really tie the dress together nicely. 

Sarah Hyland - Again, modern family is one of my favourite TV shows and I watch all 6 seasons on repeat constantly. Guarenteed it will be on my TV at some point during the week! I think Sarah is absolutely stunning and she has a very enviable bod! She went for a lemon cropped Christian Siriano two piece. The lemon colour really compliments her skin tone and the minimalist accessories allows for all attention to be drawn to the outfit. Although very simple, there is a certain attraction to the outfit and she looks very sleek and sophisticated. I love how she has gone for a red lip - although not something I would have thought of, I think it has worked really well in this instance.

Lea Michele - This is definitely the style of outfit that I would normally go for. I love dresses that pull in at the waist and then have a skater skirt style at the bottom, as I feel that is accentuates the female body in all the right places - the classic hourglass! Lea is wearing a beautiful white, blue and red floral Monique Lhuillier two piece. Yes, that is right, although it looks like a dress, it is actually a high-waisted skater skirt and crop top! I love the intricate detail of the flowers and I love the contrast in colour of the pattern. I have massive hair-envy when it comes to Lea Michele as I think it always looks super shiny and healthy and I love the way she has styled it . The signature red shoes make a great pairing!

I hope you liked my little selection of some of my favourite fashion of the 2015 Teen Choice Awards. As you can see, it is a lot more causal than many other award ceremonies and I think that is what makes it so different and special. It seemed like people favoured two piece outfits this year and it has definitely been reciprocated in high street stores as I have seen a lot more two piece ensembles in stock.

What did you think of the above outfits, which one is your favourite?

Much love