You just can't win in this life can you. Well I mean, you can...but then something always comes along and screws it up. It's why I'm such an anxious person. Whenever something good ever happens I'm always thinking 'come on then bad, I know you're on your way, let's just get it over with'. I know it's not the best way to be. We should embrace the good without thinking of the bad.
This week my limits were tested. I received a message from the mechanic to say my little car, Reginald, is dead and unless if I pay more than the car is worth, it cannot be repaired. So that's that. It's not ideal. I paid an arm and a leg for the car when I first bought it and it has been my pride and joy. My little run-around. We've been here there and everywhere together. I've laughed in it, I've cried in it, I've been to festivals in it, it's become a friend, like it is an actual person. Reginald was my only asset. The only thing in the world that I owned which had any real monetary value and now it's gone. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't devastated.
I've never really had much luck with cars. The first car I bought was Max the Sax-o. I paid £800 for him and guess what? The engine blew up shortly after I signed the 'sold as seen' papers. Literally on the way home. We argued it but the 'Del Boy' Salesman would never have budged. So I wasn't off to a good start.
The 2nd car, Leo the Clio, lasted a week. I drove him to London to see my friend Millie. At first the key snapped in the lock so I had to pay a Locksmith 90 pound on a Sunday to come out in South East London and pick my lock for me. Then the only way I could get in the car (until I could get it fixed) was by climbing in through the boot. I'm not even kidding. Everyone found it hilarious but this story just sums up my life.
If this wasn't enough, when I eventually drove home from London that same Sunday, late in the evening, I got to a Service Station and then I just saw a massive gust of black smoke. I jumped out of the car - forgetting to put the handbrake on - so the car started rolling down the hill. A good Samaritan pulled over and jumped in the car for me. He helped me put it to the side of the road and I had to call my dad (who was out of the country at the time) who sent his mate down to help get me home.
The third car was Peggy the Pug. I loved her. Another cheap little runner but we shared some great times. Her fuel gage didn't work so I never knew how much fuel was in her and that could get problematic at times but other than that she was adorable. She blew up on me too though. I was driving to work and got 3/4 the way there, on the same day as my early morning first aid exam. She conked out and the AA had to tow her home for me. That was the end of her. Still ace'd the exam though... go me.
Then along came Reginald. The best and most loyal car I've had yet. Due to so much mileage I've had some problems and due to being so klutzy I've had the occasional collision with the odd curb, wall, car and even a bus, but other than that we have spent a great two years together.
I've been pretty miserable because of Reg dying. You can always rely on Public Transport to help you out though right? WRONG. On the same day that I found out that Reg was unrepairable, of all days, there were a ton of train cancellations and as a result I didn't get home until 9.30pm. After watching an episode of iZombie (really good btw.... get watching) I went straight to bed. Rubbish evening.
I know cars can be replaced but I will definitely miss my little Reginald. May he rest in peace.
Budgeting has never been my forte. In fact, I'm absolutely awful at it. This isn't the best way to be when 3/4 of my income goes on bills and the last 1/4 I need to pay off credit card debt and to eat with. Oh life. So anyway, I've decided enough is enough and I'm going to learn how to better manage my money. Here are a few ideas I've come up with that you may find useful yourselves...
1. Spreadsheets.
It's a great idea to write down exactly what your outgoings are on a spreadsheet. Then you can see how much you have to play with at the start of every month.
2. Forecasting.
Try to forecast, at the start of every month, what your outgoings are going to be. If you have an MOT due, or you know you have birthday drinks mid-month make a note so you can set aside some funds to cover it and it won't leave you short if you haven't prepared.
3. Always round up.
When you are forecasting make sure you always round up. This way you will always have a little extra spare every month to spend on what you like or in case you have any unpleasant surprises.
4. Multiple bank accounts.
Some people may find this arguably beneficial, however I really find it useful to have more than one bank account. I have an account which all of my direct debits come out of and I also opened a bank account where I can transfer the money I am allowed to spend each month. I find it so much easier to balance my money this way. Then I also have a savings account which in all honesty, hasn't been used until this month (I have had it three years).
5. Be rational.
Always be rational with your spending money. E.g is it a good idea to buy the new Urban Decay eye shadow pallet when you may need to buy a new car tyre and you've not been quoted for one yet?
If you're a bit tight for cash and need a new pair of jeans, be practical, as much as those Levis look super sexy and they only have one pair left in your size, stick with a decent pair from New Look or H&M for now and when you're next in pocket, there will more than likely be another super sexy pair of Levis' just waiting for you to invest in them.
6. Split the month.
I always think it's a good idea to break your spending money down week-by-week. Otherwise you may spend everything in the first week and then when your colleagues all head out for lunch one afternoon, you will miss out because you just HAD to have that Lush Cosmetics haul on week 1. Trust me, I've made this mistake too many times.
7. Save what you can.
Ugh. Saving is so hard. But I think it's always a good idea to set aside some money. Even if you're just putting any spare change into your piggy bank. You may thank yourself for it when you go over your phone bill next month!
I've realised that if I put £10 away in savings every month when I first started working and never spent it, I would be a-ok financially right now.
8. Event budgets.
If you know you're going to a friends birthday on week 3, set yourself a realistic budget of what you may end up spending on drinks, club entry, taxi fares and even the cheeky kebab for the way home. Don't be too harsh on yourself, you still want enough money to have fun, but stick with a budget so you don't end up splashing all your wages on one heavy night and regretting that and every other stupid thing you did the next morning. Yep, we've all been there.
9. Prioritise debts.
Where you can, always pay off as much debt as possible. Don't just stick to your credit card minimum, try to pay that little bit extra so you don't keep paying APR. Pay the nastier debts first. If you owe a relative some money but have only a small amount to pay on your credit card, see if they mind holding off for a couple of months whilst you finish those repayments.
10. Recycle.
If you're a bit short one month, try to recycle some old clothes or gadgets on eBay, or at a car boot sale. You'll be clearing out at the same time as you're earning money. You can't really go wrong there! One man's junk is another man's treasure, you would be so surprised what people buy at bootfairs!
11. Regularly check your bank balance.
Try to check your bank balance at least once every couple of days. It's always good to know where you're at.
12. Include a separate budget for food.
I don't know about any of you, but most of my spending money goes on food or coffee. Include a separate budget for food shopping and any restaurants you plan on visiting with this pay slip. Then your 'spending money' will be just for you, for any tickets you plan on buying, a new pair of DM's or even the cute cushion you saw in TK Maxx. You crack on and buy it.
13. Price comparisons
If it's time to renew you car insurance, or you're about to invest in a new electrical item, spend a few hours one evening shopping around to get the absolute best deal you can.
Helpful tip: I am just renewing my car insurance. I visited a few price comparison sites online until I found the best deal and then I approached that insurer directly who offered it to me for even less. Shopping around has saved me a whopping £700 this year!
14. Be prepared early for expensive months
Oh Christmas. Tis the season to be jolly, right? I'm fed up of getting stressed out every year about how expensive December is. It doesn't help that the birthdays of my entire family fall in either December or January. So I'm going to be more prepared and start saving early. I will also start putting some money aside a few months before my MOT as well and also preparing for 5-week months. It's just not worth the added stress. Then if you don't need all the money you saved... treat yourself!
15. Safety net
It's a good idea to always have some back-up cash in your account, just for a rainy day. Try to never let your bank balance get below £50.
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I hope you found at least some of the above useful. If you have any useful money-managing tips, feel free to comment below.
One of my besties has recently become a Sales Ambassador for Younique. If you've not heard of Younique, it's basically an American professional make-up brand. I am now knowledgeable about quite a few of their products myself, mainly because my friend Jade is always posting it on Facebook and I just can't help but find it fascinating. Their products are very high in quality and some of the things you can do with them is actually pretty magical.
This is their Touch Mineral Skin Perfecting Concealer in action (not my hand, FYI). It provides such a reliable level of coverage that it can actually cover up tattoos.
Last night I tried their 3D Fibre Lash for the first time and I just had to write about it.
I am a huge fan of Roller Lash by Benefit, which I'll continue to use, mostly because I would rather whip out my bad boy (3D Fibre Lash) for special occasions. I'm always being told that I have ridiculously long eyelashes, so this stuff made the tips of my eyelashes touch my eyebrows. My eyelashes looked full, rather than clumpy and they didn't look too false either.
The application is pretty easy. You have two wands, one contains the fibres and the other is the mascara gel. You apply the mascara as you normally would, add a layer of the fibres on to the tips of the lashes, then the top coat is another layer of the mascara gel. You can layer up as many times as you like, depending on how much of a statement you want your lashes to have.
All in all, I am pretty chuffed with this product and I will most definitely be buying more products from Younique.
So if you follow me on Instagram you'll know that I recently returned from a 3-day trip to Disneyland Paris to celebrate Joe and I's two year anniversary (2 years already?!) Joe gets discounted tickets through his work, which is pretty handy if you fancy resting you head somewhere over the other side of the pond for a few days.
Due to recent issues, which most of you have probably tuned into on the news, we were unsure whether or not we were going to struggle getting there, as there have been several delays and disruptions as a result of those issues. Luckily we had a pretty easy journey though and the only hold up was when we were getting our room keys. Apparently EVERYONE at Disney arrived when we did so it took almost an hour before we were finally given a key to our room at the Sequoia Lodge.
We plonked our bags down and made our way to Universal Studios. My favourite ride was probably the Aerosmith ride. It was definitely my kind of experience! The walls around the queues are glazed in music memorabilia which gives you something to look at whilst you queue, then the ride itself serenades you with Aerosmith tracks whilst you're thrown around and upside down multiple times.
When we got to the end of the ride I managed to fall flat on my face as I was getting out of my seat. I had held on to the safety bars that belonged to the seat in front for support but (of course) that pushed them down and I fell down with them. It was one of those trips where it doesn't matter what you do, you just keep on falling... until you're eventually laying flat on your face. Pretty embarrassing and also rather painful - I really bruised my shins. When Joe could finally look me in the face again, he seemed to find it pretty amusing and it made a great Facebook status, so swings and roundabouts.
For dinner we went to Planet Hollywood. I have wanted to go to one of their restaurant franchises for absolutely ages. Joe reluctantly ordered a steak (I'll get to that) and I ordered the mother of all burgers. If my phone hadn't needed restoring back to it's factory settings this morning (ugh), I could have shown you a photo of this insane burger. To be fair, the photo does not even do it justice, I can't even remember what was in it, I would guess EVERYTHING went into this burger though. Joe's steak.. well I have honestly seen more meat in a ham sandwich. He wasn't sure from the start how it was going to go down, because France isn't renowned for it's excellence in steaks.
This is his forced-smile post miniature steak...
The following day we went to Annette's Diner for breakfast. We both had a cooked breakfast which was accompanied with a helping of pancakes and maple. When it came out, the hash browns were no larger than a Duracell AA battery and the sausage was about the size of my little finger. However... I still looked like I was 6-months pregnant from the beast of a burger at Planet Hollywood, so I was happy with the portion size of our breakfasts. Had I been hungry, that may have gone down a bit differently.
We went to Disneyland on the Monday and spent most of the day there. The weather was a bit on and off, but it was still a really good day. It was a shame that every single shop had exactly the same stock though. I was expecting a few different options but no, every shop had the same stock. That didn't stop Joe and I from collectively spending two hundred and forty euros though. Yep, oops and oh well. I got a bit over-excited and went Disney mad. It's too easy to do! We watched the parade which was really cute. I was surprised they only played one song the entire time on loop though. Of all the Disney music, it was a song I didn't recognise and it was just played over and over. It was stuck in my head for about four days following.
Baloo mug!
Mickey Mouse pillow pet!
That evening we went to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner. We got there before it started to get busy so we didn't have to wait long for our food. I ordered another burger (I'm all burger'd out) and Joe went for the safe option - a burger - as well. As a general rule, Joe and I never order pudding as we are usually too full to do so. For some reason we just went for it this time though. I went with a slice of cheesecake but Joe went in for this beast of an option... which was meant for '3 or more'.
We crawled back to our hotel room and had to have a nap we were that stuffed.
On the last day at Disney we were a bit unsure on what to do with ourselves. We had been to both parks and all the rides we enjoyed we had been on at least twice. I was expecting there to be a lot more rides than there were. It doesn't seem like they have updated their ride inventory for a long time. We floated around aimlessly, lapping up the last day of freedom before we returned back to normality, then went for some lunch before our journey back. Now, let me tell you about this lunch...
You know how I mentioned ordering the 'mother of all burgers' at Planet Hollywood? Well we went to the Earl Of Sandwich and here I ordered the 'mother of all sandwiches'. I still salivate thinking about it now. I can't event remember what was in it, salami, ham, blue cheese, tomato, bit of this and a bit of that, it was just so darn tasty! The stringy melted cheese, the succulent meats, the soft warm bread - oh god, someone make me another one of these sandwiches!
Yeah, the diet kind of went out of the window for this trip, but Joe and I vowed to be good as soon as we returned home. We've not been too naughty though. We've invested in a slow cooker, which by the way is excellent. How have I been cooking for this long without one?!
Back to Disney...
The journey back to Paris was horrendous. We made the error of leaving during rush hour and with £240 worth of Disney merchandise on our backs, we became a little stroppy. When we got to the RER we had to make our way to Paris Nord Station and even if the RER was written in English, I don't think it would have been any easier to understand. It honestly made me appreciate the London Underground.
But we made it back, I bought two caramel macaroons (salivating again) and we had an easy trip home watching Impractical Jokers on Joe's laptop.
Summary:
Two days is more than enough time in Disneyland Paris, don't buy steak from Planet Hollywood (I am now sceptical of their steaks globally) and I need more self control in Disney shops.
Sorry it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. I've been really busy trying to get my freelance work up and running properly. Exciting times! I really love designing and I've done quite a few freelance jobs in the past, but I've never really promoted myself because it's always just been more of a hobby. So now I've decided to try to push it a bit and who knows, I may get a bit of extra pocket money a month by doing something I love doing.
There's so much I want to do at the moment, I just don't know where to begin! I'm really enjoying blogging, freelance, exercising and now my job has got really busy as well. Alongside that, I have a busy social life, I am trying to cram in family visits and (of course) time to see the boyf. It's just hectic!
Attempting to find time to squeeze everything in is really difficult. So I've had to get more organised. Here's what I've been doing to keep myself on track. You may be able to pick up a few handy little tricks for keeping in-line outside and inside work.
1. Pocket diary.
I bought a cute little half-year pocket diary from Paperchase. They're great! Before I always bought an enormous one so that I could fit both work and home plans in. In the end I realised it's much easier to have a nifty little book you can carry around comfortably, rather than lugging a chunky A5 one with you.
2. Separate note books at work.
So here's a handy little tip I picked up from someone when I started my new job. I now have separate books laid out on my desk.
- Daily to-do list
I have one book which I write my daily to do lists in. On the right hand page I have a new page every day with the things I need to do that day. Then on the left hand page I use for scribbling down notes if I am on a phone call or I'm figuring out a sum.
- A meeting jotter.
I carry a separate 'smarter' looking jotter with me to meetings. It means I can flick back to a particular meeting when I need to and can clearly see any action points when I get back to my desk. It stops me from getting in a muddle and I can transfer any action points back to my to-do notepad afterwards.
- A 'how to' book.
I've basically created a handbook which includes instructions to do anything complicated or confusing or any important details to remember. I can then refer back to it if I need to remember anything and it's always being updated as I go along.
3. Keep
A friend of mine showed me a handy little app the other day called 'Keep'. It's a Google app and you can keep to do lists and set reminders. I also find it useful for taking notes on blog ideas or even shopping lists. I'd definitely recommend it.
4. Safety time.
I've started adding 'safety time' between any plans. For example, if I am going to the gym at 11am-midday and meeting a friend after for lunch, I will agree to meet them an hour after I'm done, so that if I get caught up, it doesn't matter. Then if I arrive early I can use that time to reply to emails, check-in with a relative on the phone or simply just chill with a coffee... we all need chill time.
5. Getting chores done before you sit down.
I've started getting all my chores done and getting straight into my pjs as soon as I get home after work. This way I don't procrastinate and go to bed too late and I can relax for the evening.
6. Two birds, one stone.
I try to forecast the week ahead where I can. It's always a good idea to connect plans. For example, if I need to go to the post office and am also meeting a friend, I will organise to meet them for lunch somewhere close to a post office. Simple, yet effective.
7. Tidy.
I tend to tidy as I go, rather than leaving rubbish jotted around the flat, or not filing the paperwork on my desk. I'm only going to have to spend time clearing it all up from a bigger mess at a later point. So I may as well just do it straight away. A tidy room/desk most definitely equals a tidy mind.
8. Calender reminders.
I always set a calendar reminder for anything important that needs doing. Even if you've written in your diary that you have a dentist appointment, it's always good to have another nudge from a reliable electronic device.
9. Daily rituals/routine.
Every week is pretty different for me, but I try to have a routine where I can. I just find having a bit of a routine helps you to keep on track. I have a morning ritual which doesn't tend to change. I wake up, do my work out, wash, make my coffee, get dressed and then cycle to the station. If I didn't have this routine, I'm likely to get in a muddle and forget things and be like 'damn, I forgot to make my coffee' and spend the whole train journey wishing I had my flask. There's no need for that kind of upset in your life.
10. Just get it done.
If it takes 5 minutes, don't delay, just do it. This is a tip a colleague once told me at my last job. There is no point making your to-do list extra lengthy if you can just quickly tick something off the list. I apply this to almost everything. If the washing-up is sat there from last nights dinner, rather than think 'ugh I need to do that' for the entire evening whilst I sit watching TV, I'd feel more relaxed if I just got it done and was able to chill without feeling like it's there tormenting me.
11. Big tedious jobs first.
Once you've got that short 5 minute job done and you get to that tedious list of 'omg, where do I begin', I always find it best to write everything down, look over it, decide what is more pressing and get the urgent jobs done first. Always go for the job which is bigger as when it's done you'll feel so much more relaxed and the rest of your list will feel like a breeze.
How is ‘getting trim’ going, you ask? Well not so bad actually. It’s been just over a week since I set out on my mission to lose weight and I’ve been pretty good. I’ve been exercising regularly and more organised and strict with my diet. I also have a bit of an addiction to Google'ing motivational fitness memes, like this one...
This week I actually went for a run every morning, except Thursday. I woke up at 5.55am and met my friend Fil for a half hour jog everyday... except Thursday. Admittedly we do a bit of 50/50 with the walking and jogging, but the point is that I was up and I was burning fat. I am really determined right now and I feel like I just want to exercise all the time! I’ve also been cycling to work every day still. It’s such a hard journey on the way in, as it’s mostly up hill. I’m glad that’s on the way in and not the way home though! There is one horrendous hill which goes on for about 5 minutes. It feels like it’s never going to end. It’s even made me a bit teary at times where it’s so darn hard and I just want it to conclude. Other cyclists overtake me, pedestrians have overtaken me, but I keep going until I get to the top and feel incredible when I get there. I’ve also figured out how to use my gears properly now… turns out I wasn’t making it very easy for myself. The hill is now a lot easier so that’s good. It’s still horrendous, but a tenfold better than it was. Have another...
The diet hasn’t been so bad either. I’ve not been snacking in-between meals, I have cut fizzy drinks completely out of my diet, I’m drinking a lot of water (seriously, I’m weeing all the time!), I don’t really eat any bread and I’m just keeping a track on what I eat. During the week I had a McDonalds, due to my evening plans not allowing me enough time to cook dinner. This was a planned decision though and as mentioned in my recent blog, Time To Get Thin, I am allowed to eat fast food, as long as I am good during the day and it’s not because I am being too lazy to cook. It’s important to still have the odd treat whilst you’re dieting. Otherwise you will just become really depressed and turn to food for comfort. Well, that’s what I tend to do anyway. I went to my first Vibe Cycle class on Thursday, hence not getting up for my morning run. I was so nervous as I had heard so many people say it is tough. I LOVED IT. I think cycling to work these past few weeks helped to prepare me. Even though my legs were like jelly the following day, it was so much fun! The music really keeps you going and to be honest, it felt a lot shorter than 45 minutes! I am booked in to go again this week. I am aiming to make it a regular thing. I will own up... I also had chips and a jumbo sausage from the chippy today. Sounds like I am being bad, doesn't it? But I didn't have anything in-between meals, I laid off the fizzy drink and it's a weekend, which (as per my Time To Get Thin blog) is allowed.
I weighed in at the gym today and I have lost three pounds! That's quite impressive for just over a week of being on this fitness-mad diet. I will continue to keep you all in the loop with how I am getting on. Anyway, have a great weekend! Mel x
I thought it would be a good idea to write about my ever-changing make-up collection.
It's taken years of investing in different brands, some good, some bad, some mediocre. But I feel like I'm almost at the point where I know what I like to wear and rather than shop around, I could happily stock up on the same products. There are a few items I am not so keen on though.
So anyway, enough chatter and here we go...
1. Benefit Roller Lash.
This is honestly my magic wand. It does everything you need it to do. It lengthens my eye lashes, stays on, separates them well and they don't look too false. I used to use They're Real (also Benefit) which was great, however, I found it would dry out quickly and it didn't lengthen my eyelashes as good as this bad boy does.
2. Bare Minerals Get Started
My God. I swear to you, there is literally nothing better. Face coverage make-up products are something I have experimented with most. I've tried so many different brands to try and get the best coverage and also to not upset my skin, This stuff is literally the best you can get.
It is a dry mineral powder but gives flawless coverage and stays on all day. Mineral make up is so much better for your skin and I've definitely seen an improvement in the past 4 months I've been using it. I bought my kit on Amazon for £36.00 and it comes with a cute little carry case. I apply it in the morning but don't lug it around with me when I go to work.
3. Studio Fix by MAC
As mentioned, you can't really lug Bare Minerals around with you and it's not the easiest for a quick powder of the nose, so that's why I use Studio Fix when I'm out and about.
It's really good coverage and lasts ages. I've had mine for about 3 months, I use it everyday and still have two thirds left in the pan. I do feel like I can get just as good a use out of more cost effective high street brands though, so I'll probably try something else next time.
4. Brows That by Seventeen
Now I know all of the above are department store goodies, but I'm not a complete snob. I can't find a single fault with Brows That by Seventeen. In fact, I think Seventeen is a great brand and such good value for money. I've had this since the start of the year and I wouldn't be surprised if this takes me through to 2017. Ooo.. 20Seventeen... soz, moving on.
5. Shimmer Pallet by No7
I like to have a bit of a glow to my cheeks and Shimmer pallet is great for that. I am however considering trying Seventeen's version of this because it costs half the price so I promise to report back with my feedback.
6. Seventeen eye shadows
I was out of eye-shadow a couple of weeks back and had been planning to invest in Naked 2 by Urban Decay as I've heard so many good things. I only tend to wear natural colours to add a gentle bit of character to my eyelids so when I was in Boots and noticed they had a 29p sale (I'm not kidding) on Seventeen eye-shadows, I didn't hang about. I practically cleared the shelf.
Though I would still one day like to invest in Naked 2, I'm happy with paying 30p for my eye shadows, instead of £30.
7. Rebel by MAC lipstick
Up until recently, I was a huge fan of Revlon colour sticks. I still find them brilliant but now I'm using MAC lipsticks. Admittedly they are double the price however there are some great colours and they really do last on your lips throughout the day.
8. Rimmel liquid eyeliner
I'm using this cheap little liquid eye-liner at the moment, which does the job. However I'm on the hunt for something which will last all day. I am thinking of trying the liquid eyeliner by Lush Cosmetics.
So that's put that one in the bag, or taken it out of the bag, so to speak.
I popped into Boots and picked up a home bleaching kit. I went with the more expensive option because, you know, the more you pay the more you trust (you'd assume). Anyway, after I had finally got round to dying it I almost had an emotional meltdown at the results. My hair actually turned to chewing gum. I could rip it out without even trying.
I had left it in for the correct amount of time. In fact, even a bit less time than suggested. On the packet it said it changes medium blonde to a light blonde colour. But, let me tell you this folks, all that home bleaching kits do is dry out your hair. NEVER under any circumstances would I ever suggest to anyone they bleach their own hair.
I've now had a few more inches chopped off of my hair so I've definitely learned the hard way.
I've since invested in a pot of this magic potion, known as R&B by Lush...
My friend swore to me that this stuff is the holy grail of hair products. I've been using it for the past couple of weeks and it's amazing. My hair is already in great condition, it smells delicious (like really, I want to eat my hair) and for £11.50 for 100g it hasn't exactly broken the bank.
I've also bought a bottle of L'Oreal's Professionnel Silver Shampoo...
I bought this on Amazon for just £6.95 after a girl at work suggested it to me. You basically leave it in for 10 minutes before using it as normal shampoo and washing it out. In just a couple of washes it rinsed the horrid yellowness out of my hair. Admittedly it does turn your hair a delicate shade of purple first time round, but I love purple, so I was cool with that.
Lesson learned. Avoid home bleach and stick with toner.
So as I said in my last blog post, I now own one of those cute folding bikes (named Reuben) and am cycling in London everyday.
It's quite a long distance each day and my bum is now in agony every time I place myself on the seat. I'll get used to the uncomfortable seating soon, I may even develop some hot bum muscles but I'm pretty sure there are one or two bruises right now. Apologies if I'm over-sharing.
This is my journey:
Home - Ashford Station: 15 minutes
London St Pancras - Islington: 25 minutes
Islington - London St Pancras: 25 minutes
Ashford Station - Home: 15 minutes
Total time = 1 hour and 20 minutes.
This may not sound like a long time to some of you, but that obviously means you've not seen the hill from Kings Cross into Angel? No, as I expected.
I've learned a few things since I've been cycling in London. I'd like to share them with you...
1. There is a reason I never passed my cycling proficiency test when I was like 9.
2. Cars don't know where they're going.
3. Busses don't know where they're going.
4. Cyclists don't know where they're going.
5. Pedestrians don't know where they're going.
6. I don't know where I'm going.
- nobody has a clue
7. Traffic lights are more boring if you're on a bike than if you're in a car.
8. Never sit down when cycling over a speed bump. This may explain the sore bum issue!
9. Bicycles should have wing mirrors.
10. Fit everything you need into a rucksack. I have reason to beleive that H&M carrier bags, filled with tins of tuna, hurt when they bash into your shins.
11. I've had more near misses with bus wing mirrors in the space of two days, than I have with gym sessions since owning a gym membership - this is a lot btw.
12. Steep hills are impossible to cycle up, unless if you're planning on going backwards.
13. Other cyclists are speed-competitive. 'Take over, by all means, I'm going to be here a while anyway.'
14. Helmet hair is much less attractive than bed hair.
15. Never cycle with a skirt or dress on. Just don't.
16. Always carry deodorant in your backpack.
17. The wind and rain are not your friends. The two combined are your enemy.
18. One way road 'systems' are the worst.
19. They should make helmets with room for ponytails.
20. Don't get too cocky. I do this with ice skating. When I gain confidence I start showing off and soon make an idiot of myself by falling over.
21. If the roads aren't making sense (which even as a driver, they really never do) tag along with a group of big boys who seem to know what they're doing.
I'm sure there's more that will enlighten me as I continue in the cycling world. I'll more than likely tweet about it.
I've always been a curvy girl, since a young age. I have a really over-enthusiastic sweet-tooth and never used to be one for exercise either. I probably went to about 4 P.E classes in the whole time I was at school. Another issue is that I have an under-active thyroid so my weight tends to fluctuate each time my medication needs altering. It's a bit of a nuisance!
Last year I decided to join the gym. I have gone almost every week in the year and a half I've had a membership. About four months ago I decided to start working out 3 mornings a week and I've done really well at committing to it. I've had the odd break here and there but generally I've stuck to the plan. What's really frustrating however is that I've not lost any weight.
The reason why is because I'm only doing a short (but intense) workout in each session. So I'm only burning about 200 calories each time I go. To lose a pound you need to burn 3500 calories. So that's about a month worth of exercise to lose just one pound. I've definitely gained muscle in that time but I've not burnt any fat.
The other issue is that I've not done too well at the ol' dieting. So although I'm now having salads for lunch, I'm still partial to the odd Caramel Latte from Costa and I may go a bit overboard on the salad dressing. If I eat 300 less calories a day than I have been, I will lose that one pound in half the time. So I've decided to make some changes. Here's what I'm gonna do...
I am going to commit to the gym on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. If I miss a day, I will go on the weekend. I am going to do a slightly longer workout and include more cardio.
I am going to eat less porridge (I do overfill my bowl a bit) and have only two spoonfuls of honey (rather than squeezing it out straight from the bottle - I'm so bad).
I am going to stick to a maximum of 3 coffees a day, still using sweetener but not sugar.
One full 750ml bottle of water during my work day.
I will continue to cycle to and from work.
I will continue to have salads for lunch but will have more salad content and less ceaser dressing.
Fizzy drinks are forbidden from my diet.
If I go out for lunch with my colleagues, I will have soup in the evening for dinner and if I can't do that, I will make up for it the following day.
I will weigh myself once a week at the gym. I have a really bad fear of the scales. It's been ages since I last weighed myself so I must face up to it and regularly check my progress.
Joe and I will need to have less fattening meals and more nutritious food. I will make meal plans every week for the week ahead.
I will aim to reach my goal weight before my birthday (December 3rd). I will probably pile it all on again over Christmas but hey ho.
If Joe makes me a 'joast dinner' (roast by Joe) I will have scrambled eggs for breakfast and will include an additional workout into my week.
I am going to keep a food diary of what I eat and when I exercise. I will also have a timetable of what I am going to eat and what time I am allowed to eat it.
I am allowed fast food however I must not eat anything bad during the day so it's well-balanced. I'm also going to make sure that I only have fast food on the weekends or if I am working late/going to an event.
I'm allowed a maximum of 3 coffee shop coffees a month. Any more = one extra workout.
So this is my plan. I will keep you in the loop with how I get on. Now I've spent the past half an hour writing a blog post I actually have to do this. I've said it now and there's no going back.
So I've just got back from such a lovely weekend, with my mum, staying in London. Naturally, I've decided to write a blog about the experience, the attractions we partook in and my views on them all. Let's start with the hotel...
The Wesley, Euston - 7th -9th August
A 5-minute walk from Euston Station is what made this hotel really ideal. As you may know, Euston Station is set before the line-break on the Northern Line. Considering most of our Underground use throughout the weekend was via the Northern Line, this made things really easy.
The hotel itself was nice too. It wasn't overly glam, but it definitely wasn't sham either. I'd stay in it again for the accessibility over anything else.
Friday
River Cruise
After checking in to the hotel we set off to the Southbank to hop on board a river cruise boat. I'd definitely recommend this experience, whether you're familiar with London or not. It was actually quite educational. The trip itself lasted about 40 minutes which I'd say was a good amount of time.
London Eye
After the river cruise we queued up for the London Eye. The queue lasted about an hour, which was a bit tiresome, however paying £16 for two fast track tickets would have been a bit silly.
I've been on the London Eye before so knew what a smooth and fascinating journey round it is. This was mums first time and she loved it. Their air con was also something which deserves a thumbs up.
I booked the River Cruise and London Eye together on the website for London eye as it works out cheaper, fyi.
The Ice Bar
This was a pretty 'cool' place, so to speak. Tickets were £33 for two of us, which I'd say was a reasonable price. They include an ice cocktail upon arrival, usage of the capes and gloves and access to the ice bar.
It is something which is worth trying, but doesn't leave you desperate to go back. When you're inside the bar, its a pretty small space, with not a lot to do. The music wasn't particularly upbeat so it doesn't help you if you're trying to dance away the chance of frostbite. The ice sculptures were impressive but once you've looked at all two of them, that's pretty much it. I'd recommend the 40-minute experience for a first timer, but won't be in any rush to head back.
The View From The Shard - at Night
The views at night are completely mesmerising. I adore city lights at night, if I could afford to, I'd love to live at the top of a huge building so I can look at over the city after a long day at work.
I've been to the top of The Shard during the day and now also during the night and both times were great, however nothing can beat the city lights at night. If you've not been before, I'd recommend going late in the evening. It's also good because it isn't as busy and there are no children.
One other thing... GO TO THE TOILET. Even if you don't need to go, go anyway. Each cubical gives you your own window, so whilst you're doing your business you have a whole London skyline to keep you entertained.
Saturday
Afternoon Tea Bus
At £90 for two people, this was quite a pricey bus journey. The staff are also not English which made it difficult to understand their accents as they pointed to landmarks on the journey round.
However, the staff were very friendly and the food was delicious. The good thing about this journey was that the bus took you around the more upmarket areas in London, passed the posh hotels, expensive residential areas and even Buckingham Palace. This was good as it was different to the other sightseeing tours we'd done the day previous.
I'd definitely recommend this bus tour.
They were fully booked online when I was trying to get us booked onto this, so I told them it was mum's birthday, just a little white lie, but we managed to get a table. Mum's birthday isn't actually until December so it was quite funny, in August, when they came out with candles to sing her 'Happy Birthday', Oops. Here's the video...
Ripley's Believe It Or Not
If it wasn't for the 2for1 voucher we had, I'd probably have been a bit disappointed. I think £26.95 per adult is a bit steep. Anyway, I've wanted to do this for a while so I'm glad I've finally done it. There were some really interesting things to look at and the attraction was quite educational.
I'd recommend this if you find a good discount like we did. I personally wouldn't recommend paying full price.
The Railway Children, Kings Cross Theatre
It wouldn't be a weekend in London without some form of stage entertainment now, would it?!
As a child, I loved the film The Railway Children. This was a perfect stage adaption of a wonderful story. The set starts the minute you enter the building, as the foyer and bar area is laid out like an old fashioned railway station. It really makes you feel as though you are part of the show. The cast all communicate with you during the performance, but not in a degrading pantomime kind of way. It's very cleverly done.
Uber Taxi
I requested a Uber taxi as we left our seats in the auditorium of Kings Cross Theatre. By the time we had left the building, the taxi was already there waiting for us. It's such a quick and cheap service. Don't bother with the black cabs, use Uber.
Hard Rock Cafe
When we got to Hard Rock Cafe we had to wait about an hour to be seated, due to how busy the restaurant was. If this was in Pizza Express I'd have probably cried of boredom and hunger, but there is so much music memorabilia on the wall, great rock music to listen to and really friendly staff, I was in awe. We spent most of the hour picking and choosing cocktails. For £13.95 you get a giant cocktail and get to keep the branded glass. I was pretty happy about that.
I'm pretty sure the portion sizes almost killed Mum and I. The starters were large enough to feed a family of four. The food was served quickly and was made to perfection. The only thing which was a bit disappointing was how expensive the food was. They add a sneaky service charge on at the end which they don't make a point of informing you about to begin with.
Sunday
Brick Lane Market
This place was great! So many vintage stalls and cute quirky things to look at. They also sold vinyls for £5 each! I loved Brick Lane Market and will definitely be going back.
If you've watched all of How I Met Your Mother you'll also love what I stumbled upon in the form of boot...
The Breakfast Club, Angel
I used to walk past this place every day on my way to work so I am glad I've finally tried it. It's a really cute little diner. the staff are all really friendly and the food was served really quick. The fruit juices are really nice and if you get a pitcher you basically get four glasses for the price of two. So do that!
Oxford Street
Most of our Sunday was spent shopping. We (of course) had to head down to Oxford Street. We went in to Lush, this was our first time in the Oxford Street branch and there were 3 floors of scented goodies to keep us entertained! There are also lots of Oxford Street exclusive products so definitely go there if you've not been already.
Roofnic, Oxford Street
I was looking forward to trying this place as I'd heard people talking about it. Mum and I were so exhausted after Oxford Street Shopping, mum needed a wee, we both needed a sit down and a nice cold drink.
The entrance is tucked away and you feel a bit like you've walked into some sort of abandoned crack den when you first enter the building. This is before climbing the massive flight of stairs and by the time you've reached the third floor you feel like Frodo and Sam climbing Mount Doom.
The one toilet was in a a shed (nothing compared to the toilets at The Shard) so mum didn't fancy weeing like she was in the 1940s. It's not very easy to get a spot looking out over the views and you can only pay by cash so we didn't hang about long for this one.
Overall we had an amazing weekend in London. If you're planning a trip to the city, definitely plan an itinerary, but leave enough spare time between each attraction. You'll cram a lot more in and still have breathing time to embrace the city!
