California Dreaming

I only returned from my last holiday a few weeks ago, but I’m already planning my next adventure. For some unknown reason, I have always wanted to visit San Francisco. I really don’t know why this passion is so strong, but every time anyone mentions this city something calls to me and reignites my longing to visit this beautiful place.

image courtesy of http://wallpapershds.com/cities-of-usa/

So, why have I not ventured here on holiday you ask? Good question! I have been fortunate to visit some amazing places in my time, and there are still so many more I would love to see. There’s just not enough time or money to be able to do it all 🙂 but I have convinced my husband that our next excursion will be to the sunny coast of California, where I will finally get to visit the elegant SF.

With our Trailfinders brochures ordered, we’ve now set upon the task of deciding where we will go.  The only problem is trying to pick our route, with so many to choose from it’s going to be difficult. From the stunning Yosemite National Park and the glitz of LA and Hollywood to laid back resort of San Diego and the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas (OK, so I know technically this isn’t in California but you couldn’t fly all this way and not spend a little time in one of the world’s most opulent cities!!).

We’ve agreed the best way to get around will be motorhome style, our time is our own and we can decide when and where we want to stay. If we like somewhere we can hang around a few days, and if we’re not loving somewhere else we can hop straight back on the road to our next destination.

courtesy of http://www.trailfinders.com

Being as impatient as I am, I would love to travel this year. Unfortunately we’re not super rich, so we’re planning for next year. All I can say is roll on 2014 and the feel of the Californian sun on my face and wind through my hair.

I’m going to enjoy planning this trip very much 🙂

Lucky Shoes

When it comes to job interviews, they can be pretty nerve wracking. There’s so much you need to prepare, research, make sure you know where you’re going (don’t just rely on Sat Nav alone – I made that mistake and ended up being 10 minutes late, not a good first impression!!) and finally what you’re going to wear.

I’ve read a few different articles that advise you to wear smart things, a suit ideally. It’s always better to dress up then look like you haven’t made an effort. All pretty basic, common sense stuff. I also read somewhere once to add a little something to make you stand out, be remembered and not just another face in a black suit.

When I was searching for a new job last year, I decided to wear a simple black fitted dress, black tights and my new pair of leopard print kitten heel shoes. I looked professional, smart but with a hint of attitude.

I kept my jewellery simple and my make-up soft. After all I didn’t want to scare them!

I think by having just one statement piece of clothing or jewellery you can emerge from the crowd, make a lasting impression and be the person who gets that dream job.

That particular interview went very well and I was offered the job. Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out, and I have since had around five or six interviews. For each one I have worn my trusty outfit, and each one has been a positive experience. So for me, it’s like having a lucky charm. It gives me an extra boost of confidence when needed most, and although I know the shoes don’t have any special powers, they’ve not failed me yet! (said whilst touching wood lol)

So, when you have something big and important coming up like an interview or performance or maybe even a sport, do you have a lucky item that you can’t leave the house without?

Friendship

A good friend came to visit me the other evening. I regard her as a good friend as even though we’ve only known each other for a relatively short time, we have come to rely on each other for advice and support. And it’s a two way friendship. When we talk, neither side makes the conversation solely about ourselves, we listen, we empathise and we try to help in any way possible. Because that’s what a true friendship is all about, isn’t it?

We’ve each had our worries about life, relationships, work. Whether the decisions we are making are the right ones, or indeed the wrong ones. Wondering whether we’ve got it all figured out and then realising with a slow understanding that we haven’t. But do any of use have it all figured out? Or do we just live each day, see what happens and hope for the best. Can you really plan for the future, or is it predetermined? Are the choices you make in life actually choices or has your path already been decided?

I think most of us try to enjoy what we have, make the best decisions with the information we have at the time and then ride it out. Whatever happens. I believe there are no guarantees in life, and you have to do what makes you happy at that moment in time. I also believe that your outlook can make all the difference. As my mum once told me a story…..

“There are two men in a prison, they each have their own cell with a barred window. One man looks out and sees the sky with clouds and a sun, the other just sees metal bars. They are exactly the same view but just from a different perspective.”

Since the start of this year I have adopted a more positive attitude to life. And I truly believe it’s having an impact. I feel happier, I wake up each morning with a purpose and if something doesn’t go my way I try to accept and move on. After all we can’t always have what we want when we want it. It’s taken me a long time to realise this fact and once I did, I stopped trying to force life and just go with it. It’s hard but totally worth it.

So back to my friend. She has a lot on her plate at the moment and some difficult choices to make. I can give her advice, but ultimately she has to make these decisions herself. The best thing I can do as a friend, is be there and support her in any way she needs. Because that’s what friends do.

Bite size yoga for beginners

I mentioned in a previous post that I had ordered a new yoga DVD – Roxy’s Bite Size Yoga Define & Tone – so I wanted to give you an update after trying it out.

Firstly can I just mention that I’m a yoga novice and apart from maybe trying one class at the gym once, I’ve never done any kind of yoga. The reason I decided to buy this DVD was because I read a review in Look magazine where it was given 4/5 stars.

The DVD is split into six different 15 minute workouts to target different areas of the body and either energize or relax and stretch. You can either do them all at once for a complete 1.5hr yoga workout, or you can split them up and do individually depending on time and your goals. Roxy suggested doing one in the morning to “wake you up” and one in the evening to calm and relax. The sessions are below.

1. Full Body Energy

2. Lower Body Tone

3. Core Power

4. Upper Back & Shoulder Soother

5. Hips & Lower Back Release

6. Deep Stretch

So far I’ve only done the individual workouts, or perhaps two in one go and I’ve found them very easy to follow. Some of the positions can be challenging, but she offers alternatives if you’re not quite able to master the more difficult poses. After each session I feel a sense of calm and tranquility, which could be great for anyone whose had a bit of a stressful day.

I would recommend anyone interested in trying yoga to give this DVD a whirl. I paid £9.99 from Amazon and so far I’ve used it every day for a week, so that works out to under £1.50 a day! Plus you get a free recipe booklet for easy to prepare healthy meals!

My only (small) criticism would be the resolution doesn’t seem to be great, but in my opinion this isn’t really an issue as you’re only watching it for a short period of time, and plus you’re not really watching it but listening to her instructions 🙂

I hope my review has been useful and would love to hear from you about your yoga experiences.

Thanks x

The light is bright at the end of the tunnel

It’s Friday and the end of the ‘working’ week and I must say it has been a very productive week for me. This positive thinking is really working!

On Tuesday evening I attended the first class of my flower arranging course. Part of my resolution for this year was to learn something new, and I’ve always held an interest in making things so thought this would be a good option. I absolutely loved it!!

There was quite a large of group of ladies, say around 20-25 from varying degrees of experience. I found myself on the table of “newbies” which was quite reassuring we were all in the same boat i.e. first timers. Our knowledge of flowers was pitiful however this wasn’t important as the tutor would go through a step-by-step process on how to arrange our first display. Great.

Our flowers were ready and waiting so the tutor began the class. We learnt about different types of oasis and how to work with it. We were told about creating lines with our displays, which apparently is one of the fundamental basics. As long as we remember this we should be fine…..right, OK.

Our first arrangement was a simple display using birds of paradise. And I was very happy with how mine turned out. I was even more pleased to hear I had a good eye for lines!!

The second reason for my upbeat demeanor is I’ve managed to secure three interviews. Yes three! With my proactive attitude I set out to make things happen, instead of just sitting around waiting for them to fall into my lap. I trawled the job sites, sent off applications and followed up with phone calls. And it worked. I’m keeping everything crossed that I find my new job. But it’s definitely taught me that with a positive mind and can-do attitude, you can determine how successful you are.

On another note, I’ve also started yoga. I was reading one of my magazines the other day and it featured an article on a number of different exercise DVDs that are out. Standard January get fit feature 🙂 but one of them was a yoga DVD which received 4/5 stars. So I decided to order it. Look out for my next post which gives my own review.

Enjoy your weekend and keep positive 🙂

Fresh Faced

Part of my new ‘healthy habit’ is to start taking better care of my skin, and in particular my face. Now that I’m the grand old age of 31, it’s something I’ve been thinking more and more about.

I’ve been cursed or blessed (whichever way you want to think of it) with having oily skin. This means I’m prone to breakouts, wonderful! But apparently it also means my skin will age better. I’ve been told on a number of occasions that I look much younger than my years and if I look at both my mother and her mother, their skin has aged beautifully. So even though I absolutely hate when the odd pimple makes its appearance, at least I can live in the hope that when I’m 60, I won’t look a day over 50!

Anyway back to the reason of my post. My daily beauty regime consists of cleansing my face with a baby wipe, washing with Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Cream Wash by Neutrogena and then applying Daily Skin Brightening Moisturiser SPF15 by Aveeno which I find is nice and light for my skin. I have started using an eye cream as well, also by Aveeno.

Some days I’ll wear make-up and other days I like to give my skin a break. Particularly if I’m not planning on leaving the house 🙂

I occasionally use a scrub and mask, but should do more often as I’ve been told it helps clear the pores and rejuvenate the skin. But which products to use? There are so many out in the market ranging from low cost to the price of a small car. I like to buy based on reviews but decided I wanted to try something different.

So, I had a quick look online for some homemade scrubs and masks and came across quite a few. I’ve picked around five of each that I’m going to try and the first one was a banana, peach and honey mask. It’s suitable for combination skin as the banana is soothing and highly moisturising. Plus they are non-oily so great for areas with excess oil. Peaches remove any excess sebum, which if you know anything about spots, is one of the causes if it builds up and clogs pores. Honey is great for reducing redness and dries out any existing spots. Also included are ground almonds and rolled oats to act as a gentle exfoliator and remove dead skin cells.

It’s very easy to make and you can freeze the mixture and use a bit at a time. All you need is the following:

2 x ripe bananas

2 x ripe peaches

2 x tbls honey

2 x tbls ground almonds

handful of rolled oats

Instructions:

Peel and chop the bananas into small chunks. Remove the skin and pip from peaches and chop into small pieces. Put them in a blender. Add your honey and mix for a few seconds until smooth. Add in your ground almonds and rolled oats then mix for a further 10 seconds.

The consistency will be quite loose so I put it into the freezer for about 30mins before applying. Whilst I was waiting I ran myself a bath to prepare my skin. Once applied, leave on for 15mins and then wash off with warm water.

It is quite tricky applying the mixture so I lay on my bed and placed a towel over the pillow to prevent any of it marking my sheets. It also looks a bit dubious once dried but hey if it’s good for the skin, I’m not complaining.

After the first application I haven’t really seen much difference so I’ll wait a week and try again. I’ll keep you posted on the results.

A gift of love….

On Christmas morning I remember thinking what a lucky lady I am. Not because I got lots of presents (although I was quite spoilt :-)) but because I’m married to such a thoughtful, caring and considerate man.

Out of all the gifts I received, this one is definitely top of the list. It didn’t cost a fortune, it isn’t dripping with diamonds and I can’t spend it in any of my favourite shops. The reason I love it so much is because it came from the heart.

Let me take you back a year. For my wedding gift, my husband bought me a photo album and for over a year it remained empty, sitting on a pile of ‘things to do’ when I get a minute.

A few days before Christmas, he locked himself away in our study and at the time I actually thought he was being rude and moody. How little did I know.

Christmas morning I was presented with this album complete with photos and captions detailing my husband’s thoughts and feelings for me. Some of the photos are cringe worthy and certainly not taken from my best angle; however that is what makes it even more special. The fact he can look past the bad mornings where I look like a cast member from ‘Dawn of the Dead’ and where I’m being just a little bit silly impersonating a gorilla for the delight of my niece. A surprising number of me with food are included which just proves how much I love to eat!

But in just a few pages, he managed to capture all of the little things he loves about me, both good and bad. And this is why I thought to myself on Christmas morning, what a lucky lady I am.

So whenever I’m feeling a bit down, or need a booster of happiness, I will look through this album and be reassured that I am someone who is loved and cherished.

Health Kick

As part of my plan to be more proactive in 2013, I’ve decided I want to be a bit healthier. Yes I know that seems to be everyone’s new year resolution after all the overindulgence at Christmas, but I’m determined it’s not going to be a fad and come 1st February I’ve returned to my old ways.

For a large part of 2012 I was very good, and had developed a routine of visiting the gym. I even got up to working out four times a week. I know, impressive eh?! But after an annoying back niggle (which happens frequently) I had to stop working out and try Pilates instead. This set me back and I still haven’t had the motivation to go back. Mixed in with the fact when I changed jobs, I had free gym membership so cancelled my existing one, and then when I left said job, the free membership went with it. So no gym membership = no work out! Therefore one of my tasks, will be to rejoin my old gym and start exercising again.

I’m generally quite a healthy person anyway. I eat a varied diet (most of the time) with fresh vegetables and some fruit – must eat more!! And I walk my dog every day, sometimes three times a day. But I could always do more to look after myself, inside and out.

During a recent visit to the beautiful island of Jersey, I visited their local market. What a wonderful experience this was. Bursts of colour and freshness from the fruit and veg stalls. Succulent pieces of meat from the butchers and the tastiest cheese I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. They had vegetables I’d only ever seen on TV including purple carrots! I felt inspired and made the decision as soon as I got home, I would be visiting the nearest farmers market I could find.

 

Along with eating more fresh fruit and veg, I’m going to cut out alcohol. During the last few months of being off work, I began to notice I was drinking every day. Whether it was a glass of red, a chilled Baileys with some ice or a dash of bubbly. Because I didn’t have to get up for a hard day’s graft, I convinced myself it was OK. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t drinking the entire bottle but still, I feel like I need to give my body a rest and a bit of a detox. So starting this month, I’m going to have a rest from booze and see if I notice any difference. I’ll keep you posted!

A new dawn for a new day

Well, that’s it. Christmas is done for another year. I have completely scoffed and drank myself into a merry stupor, spent quality time with loved ones and welcomed the new year in with some bubbly and fun games.

And after all that, I decided to reflect a little on what 2012 meant to me. There have been ups and downs, I left my job after five years to pursue a career within a large, well known corporate brand, only to discover that the corporate world is not for me. I’ve done a bit of travelling with my husband to the other side of the world, pondered over moving there, and deciding I’d miss home too much.

I’ve felt lost, out of control and a failure. Feeling jealous of those who know exactly who they want to be, where they want to be and how they’re going to get there. I’m still not 100% sure of what I want to do, I just know I’d like to wake up in the morning and feel like I have a purpose, that I’m contributing to something and above all, appreciated. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, is it?

So, with a brand new year ahead of me, I’m determined (and positive) that I will find my way. I’m going to be proactive and see what happens. For my first act, I have enrolled on a flower arranging course. I’ve always held an interest in things creative, and I’m hoping this will be something I really enjoy. And who knows there may be an undiscovered florist lurking in me somewhere!

What does 2013 hold in store for me? I have no idea. But what I do know is that I’m going to make the most of it, and with the support of my friends and family, anything is possible.

Happy New Year to you all and may it bring health, happiness and prosperity.

x

Road trip to the Rockies

I was doing my daily Facebook check and got a little distracted by some photos taken during a trip to Canada with my husband, back in 2009. And it got me thinking what an amazing and beautiful place it is.

If you’ve not had the pleasure or privilege of visiting this wonderful country, I seriously recommend it. You won’t be disappointed.

My husband and I decided to take a two week road trip in a camper van around The Rockies. Arriving in Calgary we stayed here for two days, before making our way to the mountains. With the stretch of days ahead of us and no fixed plans, the road really could take us anywhere.

We made many stops along the way, if something caught our eye whilst on the road then we would simply stop, and go for a wander. I love these types of holidays, where you’re not fixed to any schedule, you’re not rushing to leave to make the next bus / train / boat. It really is a perfect way to travel.

It was the holiday of a lifetime and features way up on my list of favourite experiences. So I thought I would share some of our photos with you, so at least you can witness the charming and elegant scenery. Simply breathtaking.

Enjoy!! xx

Wine tasting tour in Kelowna, Okanagan Valley

Me at Lake Louise

Chocolate Fondue

Banff