Monthly Archives: April 2017

Easter With Guylian

10th April 2017
It’s less than one week to go until Easter (how?!) and I’ve actually done very little in the way of content around it this year for some reason. I just had to pop up a quick post about some tasty Easter treats from Guylian, a chocolate brand I generally love but for the life of me cannot pronounce the name of.
On the shelves this year you’ll find a selection of gifts that are bound to impress whilst remaining affordable- I love spoiling those around me on any holiday but don’t have £20 to spend on a luxury egg per person, so finding some cheaper but still luxurious options is a real bonus.

First up we have a box of filled mini eggs- individually wrapped in an assortment of three flavours; milk chocolate truffle, milk chocolate praline and dark chocolate praline. With an RRP of £4 these are perfect for sharing…or not.

Guylian are probably most famous for their seashell chocolates and they make a great gift year round. Comprised of roasted hazelnuts and creamy Belgian milk chocolate these will put a smile on the face of just about everyone (nut allergy sufferers aside perhaps). For those embracing the Easter theme you can find these coupled with a Belgian milk chocolate egg for a reasonable £4 or for the traditionalists a 250g box will set you back around £5.

Also on the shelves this Easter is an adorable bunny shaped box containing Guylian’s temptations in six incredible sounding flavours; original praline, milk truffle, caramel, dark praline, biscuit and latte. Again this is a very reasonable £5.

I was very kindly sent one of the Guylian milk chocolate eggs complete with seashell chocolates and despite there still being 6 days to go couldn’t resist cracking (terrible attempt at being funny there Laura) in to it. The milk chocolate egg is small but perfectly formed. It’s the kind of size where half isn’t really enough and although you kind of know you probably shouldn’t eat the whole thing at once it’s near impossible not to. Yum.

The seashells are exactly as I recall from years gone by- it’s reassuring to know that some of my favourite chocolates still taste like they should! This is a 65g box so just about enough to share out after Easter dinner. Or to sit on the sofa and eat whilst watching a feel-go film and nursing the bank holiday food baby.

All of these products are available to buy in all major supermarkets, selected independent stores nationwide and online from the Guylian website.
What’s your favourite Easter egg and/or chocolate treat?

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Posted in Easter, food, review, snacking

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How to Wear White Jeans with Trilogy*

09th April 2017
I’ve only ever ventured in to white jeans territory one myself. Partly because I am a walking magnet for dirt and incredibly prone to spilling coffee over myself, but also partly because I’m clueless on how to wear them. They do seem to be a bit of a stylish summer staple though so today I have a post on some simple ways to style them.
1. With classic stripes A striped shirt worn tucked in to white jeans is an easy, instant chic outfit for Spring. Avoid full on nautical vibes by keeping it simple with minimal accessories. Throw on a denim jacket for a cool cover up and an easy on the eye take on double denim.

Striped Shirt from Trilogy | Jacket: L’Agence at Trilogy | Jeans: Paige denim at Trilogy

2. A touch of polish

The Hoxton cropped jean by Paige denim is a super flattering style that creates a streamlined shape with their high rise waist and skinny fit leg. They are a really easy style to dress up for an evening look or for the office- add a pretty blouse or a blazer/tailored jacket- check out Iro or Helene Berman at Trilogy for sleek and professional pieces.

Jacket: Iro at Trilogy | Jeans: Paige Hoxton Crop

3. Weekend vibes

Again, using the Paige Hoxton cropped style as a base you can create an easy laid back weekend look with the simple addition of a chambray or colourful flannel shirt (try rolling up the sleeves for an even more relaxed vibe). Make the most of the cropped length by pairing the jeans with simple ankle boots or some snazzy trainers.

Shirt: Rails at Trilogy | Jeans: Hoxton crop by Paige

Are you a fan of white jeans? How to you wear yours?

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Posted in fashion, inspiration, outfits, personal style, shopping

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Relaxing with Hampstead Tea

08th April 2017
I have a bit of a reputation for being a caffeine junkie, never far away from a cup of coffee. In a bid to be a bit more healthy I’m trying to step it down a notch though, I’m pretty sure it’s not helping my already erratic sleep pattern among other things.

I’ve always been the kind of person who’ll experiment with herbal teas- I go through phases of loving and hating them and at the moment I’m experimenting with a different flavours and brands trying to find some that don’t just taste of nothing, or worse, taste like dirty swamp water (or what I imagine it to taste like having never actually sampled it).

Enter Hampstead Tea who were kind enough to send me a couple of their new blends- an intriguing sounding Honeybush & Vanilla* blend named “Shangri La as well as a soothing camomile*.

Out of the two blends it was the Honeybush & Vanilla that I was most curious to try. As a rule I love vanilla flavoured things. It was described as being a decadent and smooth blend and I really can’t argue with that description. I’m still not entirely sure what honeybush is meant to taste like, but combined with the camomile and vanilla that make up the rest of this flavour this made for a delicate and relaxing mid-morning alternative to yet another coffee. A good 4 minutes brewing time left this full of flavour and the brand win brownie points for individually wrapping their bags making them ideal for popping in my work bag for a moment of peace during the working day.

The Camomile was equally good. I’ve drunk a lot of Camomile tea over the years, in a bid to relax and unwind before bed more than anything and I’ve mostly been non-plussed. This was up there with one of the best I’ve had. Naturally caffeine free and full of flavour after a 3 minute brew this is a Camomile I’d actively seek to buy again and at £2.30 for 20 sachets of tea I can’t argue with the price.

For anyone looking to meditate their inner spirit, Hampstead Tea have also released a Valerian and Lavender blend, I declined to try this one as I don’t like lavender and can’t take Valerian but it sounds promising- the combination of ingredients are designed to help send you to sleep and essentially soothe the soul.

Hampstead Teas scour the world looking for the best sources of herbs and spices to use in their teas and where possible only use bio-dynamically grown ingredients- this essentially means ingredients grown with the greatest respect for their environment and in total harmony with nature.

Overall a brand I highly recommend, and with many more interesting sounding flavours on their website it is a brand I look forward to getting better acquainted with over the coming months.

What is your favourite relaxing tea blend?

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Posted in life, review

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Bristol Life: Grandaddy at The Colston Hall

07th April 2017
It feels like ages since I last went to a gig- it’s something I fell out of love with as I found it more stressful than pleasurable. Social anxiety means crowds can be a nightmare so often it’s easier to just miss out, however when I was given the opportunity to go and see one of my favourite bands at The Colston Hall last Friday I knew I needed to push myself and go.

The band in question was Grandaddy, an indie rock band from Modesto, California who formed way back in 1992. I was introduced to them four years ago and I’ve been a fan ever since my first listen- fronted by Jason Lytle (who has also released some excellent solo work) I find the combination of clever lyrics and eclectic beats strangely soothing/ an. They push boundaries which lifts their sound to the next level- I’d love to be inside the mind of the band, creative genius in my opinion. They split as a group in 2006 but re-formed in 2012 and it’s their later releases that have impressed me the most, their new album “Last Place” especially.

I’d heard they were good live and had high hopes for the gig. I find can be a double edged sword- going in to something unknown with high expectations can often be a set up for disappointment but I’m delighted to report that this wasn’t the case and the band (despite a last minute crisis) exceeded expectations.

Their set lasted just over an hour and was a mix of their latest work and some old favourites. Lytle has a somewhat aloof stage presence and yet still manages to work the room. His voice, live, somehow manages to sound exactly like it does on the records (and this is often where I find live performances fall short) and the band clearly have good chemistry as the banter flowed between songs. They have an almost mesmerising manner about them and the set passed by in the blink of an eye leaving me wanting more and more- I could have watched them perform for hours on end.

If you’re a fan of the band and have yet to see them live then please, do, I can promise you’ll love it. I really hope that Grandaddy continue as a band and bring us albums for years to come. Like good wine they really do get better with age and I would jump at the chance to see them again.
A big thank you to The Colston Hall for making this possible, Bristol may not have any big music arenas but when you have a venue like this you really don’t mind that much! I’ll leave you with one of my favourite tracks from the band- let me know if you’re a fan and what your favourite track is.

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Posted in bristol, life, lifestyle, music, review

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Are you Sitting Comfortably?*

05th April 2017
There’s nothing like slipping a couple of discs to make you realise the importance of taking care of your back. Given that I manage to knacker mine up doing every day things and still ending up in A&E requiring a catheter, having a useless left leg for months and requiring surgery and a lot of physio I seriously had to take a look at my lifestyle- especially my posture to prevent a repeat of the drama. Three years on and *touch wood* I’ve not had much in the way of further problems so I thought not might be a good time to share a few pearls of wisdom as well as a really useful e-book by Adjustable Beds & Riser Recliner Chairs retailer Adjustamatic.
One of the things I learnt through physio is the importance of strengthening your core. Your core is made up of not only your abdominal muscles but also your pelvic muscles, hip muscles and lower and middle back muscles. Having good core strength can help alleviate back pain, keeps your posture in check and can help you to make safer daily movements (think lifting, sitting, standing…). Yoga, pilates and swimming are brilliant ways to strengthen your core and trust me, you will notice a difference!
It sounds really boring but footwear is another thing that really affects my back, if I spend too long in heels- or at least the wrong type of heels I get some serious backache. Platform heels are fine, as well as supportive flats like trainers. Ballet pump style shoes are rubbish for me as they provide little in the way of support but other people might not find this a problem.
My third and final tip before moving on to the ebook is to make sure you have a decent mattress and a decent chair at work. We spend a LOT of our time either sleeping or sitting. I find a firm mattress best for me and if I stay overnight anywhere I often wake up with a niggling spine. The same for chairs. You need to find a chair that really supports your back, or get a detachable back support to go on it- I have one of these at work as well as a back “belt” for days where I am in a bit of pain- it’s great for stopping the slouch!
Anyway, a far more comprehensive guide is this e-book- any one who spends a long time sitting or suffers with back pain really should give it a read. It’s funny, you never really appreciate having a healthy spine until it’s suddenly not so healthy so it really does pay to look after it now.
Have you got any top tips or experiences to share? Leave them in the comments below.

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Posted in fitness, healthy living, lifestyle

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