Morning Lovelies!
As nothing beats feeling festive, I thought that Travel Tuesday should involve a little bit of England, because it always delivers that festive feeling over Christmas time. So over the weekend I took a little trip to the Cotswolds. It was one of those icy cold days with a bitter wind. I feel the cold pretty badly but soldiering on with numb fingers and toes I visited Blenheim Palace. I am so glad that I did because it is such a beautiful place. It has the most gorgeous parks and gardens. It's definitely a place which would be absolutely breathtaking in the summer and the photos would be seriously stunning.
After a long trek from the wrong car park, a pitstop in the cafe was in order to warm up. Then off to inside the palace I went. It is so beautiful, when you walk in you are greeted with the most spectacular chandelier, unfortunately I didn't get a snap of this but take my word for it, it's a chandelier that any chandelier dreams are made of! After looking in quite a lot of the rooms I headed to the great hall where there was a Christmas band playing carols. Hearing christmas carols definitely reminded me of my childhood and when the school made it compulsory to join the school choir regardless of the fact that you couldn't sing!
This atmosphere definitely gave me that Christmassy feeling!
Then I headed for a lovely little wander around the gardens and just took it all in. Sometimes nature and country walks can just make you feel really grateful and appreciative for all the things around you!
Then of course where would you find me? In the gift shop of course! I love these sort of shops, they always have the cutest selection of stuff. I end up buying stuff that I don't need but I did need pretty pencils and rubbers even though I've finished uni right?!!!!!
It was getting quite dark, so I wandered back to the car park. The train through the property had ended so I had to brave the cold wind and muddy path again! Once back in the car I warmed up with the heater and decided to go into the Cotswolds for some cosy pub action.
This came in the form of one of the most unique and beautiful pubs in the village of Kingham. It's called the Wild Rabbit Inn. There's a big roaring fire, cosy seats where blankets are provided if you get a bit chilly. Perfect for someone who can't deal with cold weather! There are even games you can use whilst you're there. It was such a lovely atmosphere, I just wish I could have fallen asleep in the comfy chairs! It's definitely an amazing and beautiful pub that I recommend you visit if you're in the Cotswolds! I didn't eat here, but I've heard that it is incredible and I can say I'll 100% be going back there!
Even though it may sound like I didn't do too much on this day, it felt so jam packed and it really was the perfect winter day!
Have you ever been to the Cotswolds/recommend anything?
L x
Hello Lovelies!
As it's Tuesday, it's time for another Travel Tuesday!
As I'm having major withdrawal symptoms from LA, I thought if todays post were all about one of my favourite places, it might make me feel like I'm actually there!
So here comes the first instalment all about Los Angeles.
Pamper
When I'm away I love to have a little pamper time. What better way to feel all relaxed than to have a manicure and pedicure session. One of my favourite places in LA to visit for this is Bellacures. They have many different branches but I love the Beverly Hills location. You get to enjoy the big comfy chairs and they have a vast amount of services to choose from. This place definitely puts the special and fun factor into manicures. I even treated myself to a paraffin treatment. I've never had hands softer than I did on this visit. I highly recommend a trip to Bellacures if you're after a bit of TLC in LA.
Shopping
Where to start, everywhere in LA is pretty much shopping heaven for me. Nothing beats a stroll down Rodeo Drive, even if your funds don't stretch to this shopping street, soaking up the atmosphere and looking at the super expensive cars is definitely worth it.
One of my favourite malls in LA is the Westfield Century City mall. It's huge and has every store you could ever wish for. Just wear sensible shoes because you can definitely shop till you drop.
It does get pretty busy around here, so a tip is to head north to the Westfield Topanga mall. It is a fair drive north but it's a lot quieter but still has the same shops. Heaven.
Lastly I adore a sunny stroll in Santa Monica. I love the buzz and outside feel of this place. It's near the sea, you have the sun and you have the shops. Do you really need anything else?
Treats
I'm sure we've all heard about the Cupcake ATM, well no visit is complete without at least having a look at this wonderful ATM. It's so unique and Sprinkles is definitely cupcake heaven selling a vast selection of yummy treats.
Nobu Malibu
This is possibly one of the prettiest places to visit on a sunny afternoon/evening. The food is incredible, the view is incredible, the service is incredible. I love the atmosphere mixed with the stunning location. It is pretty pricey so definitely more of a treat restaurant, but if you don't want to eat here it's definitely a great place just to grab a few drinks and chill on the patio outside and take some great shots as it's right on the ocean.
Fun
A thing which I really enjoy doing is hiring a convertible, even if you just hire one for a day, it's so much fun just cruising up and down the sea road, looking at all the sights, with the gorgeous sun filtering in on you. You definitely soak up the LA vibe.
Just a few tips for a fun filled beauty LA trip. I definitely have more to share so look out for another LA post in the future.
Do you love LA too/ have any tips?
L x
Morning Beauties!
I thought I'd start a new little section on my blog called Travel Tuesday. I have a serious case of wanderlust and I'm always itching to explore new places. I love exploring different cultures, finding new places and seeing as much of the world as I can. I well and truly have the travel bug and I seem to spend a fair bit of time living out of my suitcase or sitting on a plane. I've been extremely lucky to have travelled quite a lot and thought I'd share some loves, tips and pictures from along the way.
There's a whole world out there waiting to be explored!
The last place which I travelled to was New York. Since arriving back from there last week I've written a post on a few alternative things to do in NY but I thought I'd finish up with another post with a few more general tips. There will also be a whole new post dedicated to a personal lipstick making experience in the future!
Shopping!
Nothing beats a bit of shopping! Having spent 6 weeks in Palm Beach, Florida before this visit, I tried not to spend too much as I did do a fair bit of damage before it. However I can't resist a leisurely stroll on Fifth Avenue! One of my favourites is Henri Bendel. There's not too many of these stores over the US so any opportunity to go in is definitely going to be honoured. I couldn't resist picking up a few bits.
The staff in every Henri Bendel store I've ever visited are so incredibly nice! They're the most enthusiastic, kindest and helpful staff I think I've ever come across. They definitely make your shopping experience so much more fun! The only thing I found upsetting was that I couldn't buy everything in the whole store!
Another little thing I got excited about was a Gucci lipstick which I bought in the Gucci store. Only New York sells the Gucci cosmetic line apparently, so as a lipstick fanatic I knew one of these lipsticks would be coming home with me!
Transport
New York has a lot to offer and travelling there is pretty easy. Now I like to think I'm a bit of a pro when it comes to maps, transport and planning routes. I'm still proud of winning an orienteering competition in year 5! However I think this skill is actually down to a magnetic force inside me, which naturally pulls me towards the shops! The subway is pretty easy to navigate, its quick and cheap and I really recommend you use it. However if you wear inappropriate shoes like me, you can find the perfect yellow cabs simply by waving your hand out. I don't think they're too expensive, well not like London anyway! It only becomes very pricey in New York when there's heightened traffic, so it's probably best to avoid taxis in the morning and evening rush hours. As it's gridlocked and you won't be moving anywhere, but your meter will certainly be going up!
I do enjoy walking around New York, even when the weather's not the greatest. There's always a sight to look at, something interesting and unusual occurring and nothing beats fresh air to spring you back to top form. Plus there's a Starbucks on every corner where you can sit down and rest your shopping induced painful tootsies!
For the Christmas Fan!
This visit I decided what better way to get into the christmas spirit than by heading to Radio City to watch the Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes. I absolutely love this theatre, it is huge and decorated so nicely for the Christmas show. Just look at the decorations!
This show is incredible! Not one person was out of time, the talent is amazing and it really makes you feel so so Christmassy, even at the beginning of November!
Tourist
This visit I wanted to get some great snaps of New York, so I decided to go up the Empire State Building. I've done the Rockerfeller Tower Top of the Rock multiple times. This is great if you want views of Central Park and the Empire State Building, otherwise the Empire State Building offers such stunning views over New York. It is so iconic and I love the fact that it is more open, so pictures are a lot easier to take and clearer compared to the Rockerfeller as this has perspex glass at the top so this can interfere with your pictures a bit.
One tip is if you do buy tickets for the Empire State Building, I would recommend buying them from inside the actual building and not from the sellers around it. I'm sure some are genuine but some people were being marched out because their tickets were fake!
I could probably talk all day about other New York experiences, but I think it would take over my blog!
So for now, I hope you've enjoyed a few more tips and ideas for a NY visit!
Let me know what you love doing out there and also your favourite stores!
L x
