Wednesday Wish List

It's been a couple of weeks since the last one, but I'm back with another Wednesday Wish List!

Here are a few things that have caught my eye lately...

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1. I love this cross and heart print dipped hem shirt from Yours Clothing. So effortlessly stylish.

2. Lady Vintage's green poppy Hepburn dress needs to get in my wardrobe pronto.

3. I used to have a dream catcher necklace just like this Simply Be one in the nineties. .

4. I love everything about this black and cobalt blue asymmetric shirt from Simply Be, especially the colours.

5. These mouse shoes from ASOS are the cutest!

6. Sunflowers are my favourite flowers, so I'm smitten with AX Paris's sunflower print skater dress.

7. This yellow t-shirt midi dress from Dotty P's wins the award for happiest dress ever.

8. ASOS Curve's mixed print skater dress is such a beauty. The prints! The Colours! Love.

9. If I bought this sunflower necklace from ASOS, I'd never take it off.

10. I adore the print and colours on this jumpsuit from Dorothy Perkins.

11. Every girl needs a classic tan shoulder bag in their wardrobe, like this stunner from Fiorelli. Need!

12. The floral print on this Jeffrey & Paula dress is so pretty.

13. Ankle boots are already hitting the shops, and I love these black suede ones from Yours Clothing.

14. ASOS Curve's blossom co-ord set is gorgeous!

15.  I love the pistachio green colour of Lindy Bop's latest Audrey dress; it's so unusual.

16. The mouse pumps also come in gold! Who doesn't need a pair of gold shoes with mouse ears??

17. This printed shift dress from Pink Clove is lovely, and such a bargain, too.

18. And finally, I'd love to get my hands on this dream catcher choker necklace from ASOS Curve.

What's on your wish list this week? Which of these do you like best?

P.S. Have you entered my Stila and New Look birthday giveaway yet?

Once Upon A Time In London

On the weekend before last, I took a little day trip to London with my sister, Marie, for a late-birthday treat.

I'm not one for celebrating my birthdays with big parties or nights out, because it's just not my thing (introvert alert!), but I still like to do something fun to mark each one. My options were limited because of my health, but I got it in to my head that I wanted to go to London for the day regardless of the pain, and when I get an idea in my head, it's practically impossible to talk me out of it! So, we made plans for London!

Warning! This post is very pic heavy and a big of a long 'un!

So, how does somebody with chronic pain manage a visit to the big smoke without collapsing in a heap on the city streets? Tour buses! Tour buses and cabs. A great combination that involves very little walking. Genius! Okay, it wasn't my first choice, but it was definitely my best chance of enjoying and surviving a day in the city. We took tour buses around the city, went out for lunch, and took a flying visit to Oxford Street.

We left home bright and early, and arrived in Paddington just after 10am. A perk of living just an hour and a half away! From Paddington, we grabbed a cab, and headed straight for Marble Arch to buy tickets for the tour bus.

We bought tickets with The Original Tour because we've been on their tours a few times, and have always enjoyed ourselves. The tickets are currently £30 for adults, and that gives you a full twenty-four hours to hop on and off their tour buses as much as you want, and even includes a free river cruise. We didn't go on it this time because it was more than I could manage, but we've taken advantage of it a few times and it's always really fun. It's a must for your first time sight-seeing in London.

With our tickets purchased, we stocked up on drinks, and a couple of minutes later we were sitting on an open top tour bus cruising around the city. It was a scorching hot day, easily 30 degrees, and London looked beautiful in the sunshine; there was barely a cloud in the sky. It was so tropical it felt like we were in a completely different country! I couldn't stop taking photos because everything looked so pretty,,, I may have gotten a little carried away and taken over six hundred...

The yellow tour took us around most of the major sites with a live guide. Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London, The London Eye, The Shard, St. Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square... pretty much all of the iconic landmarks London is famous for.

I've visited London many times before, but I never get tired of seeing it all again. I'd never seen The Shard or The Walkie Talkie up close before, though, as it's been five or six years since I last took a tour, and I was surprised by how tall they both are; I thought The Shard was much smaller. I love that London is beginning to get a modern sky line.

In Piccadilly Circus, we decided to get off the bus to go for a bite to eat, and stumbled upon Bubba Gump Shrimp Co right away. I'm not really a fan of seafood, but my sister loves the restaurant, so I played the nice sister card and agreed to eat there. Well, she was paying! I've been to Bubba Gump once before, in New York four years ago, and the one in Piccadilly is very similar. There were menus on ping-pong paddles, 'Run Forrest Run' and 'Stop Forrest Stop' license plates to alert the waiter if you needed service, and waiters quizzing you on Forrest Gump trivia. The sister got crab stuffed shrimp, and I had fried chicken with mash, corn on the cob, and gravy; it was delicious. There are only a few non-seafood options on the menu, but if you love seafood, you're really spoilt for choice. The service was really good, too.

After lunch, we popped in to M&M World, which was just a couple of buildings away. It was fun to look around, but it was insanely busy so we didn't stay long. The chocolate is ridiculously expensive there, but I couldn't resist buying a novelty box of red and black M&Ms in the shape of a red post box. It was £5.99 for 160g! I also came home with a couple of novelty golf balls for my Dad.

Once we'd escaped the chaos, we went to get on the blue tour, otherwise known as The Museum Tour. It was a new one for both of us. It took us past several of the museums like The Natural History and Victoria and Albert museums, and also through some of the wealthier areas of the city. We saw Kensington Palace, Harrods, The Ritz, The Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park, and a bunch of other stuff. The route doesn't have a live guide, but it has recorded commentaries in several languages. We didn't bother with it; we just enjoyed the views and the sunshine. We finished the full route and got off again in Piccadilly, where we caught another cab to Oxford Street.

I was really worse for wear by this point, but I was desperate to visit the new Lush flagship store to check out their new make up before I went home. Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed. They've launched a bunch of new make up products, including various types of eye make up, blushers, and lippies. (I've forgotten the names of them all in Lush lingo). I was so excited to see all the new products because I used to be obsessed with the make up their old sister company, B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful sold, and some of Lush's are the same, just in different packaging. I spent most of my birthday money on six of the eye jewel eyeshadows (so expensive at £10 each), and two of the liquid eyeliners. Expect reviews really soon! I didn't browse around all three floors because I couldn't afford to buy much else, but it was amazing! The shop was huge, and there were so many awesome looking products, although it was difficult to move about because it was so busy. I wish I could've afforded more, but I'll definitely be returning once I've saved up enough for a good spree.

By the time I got out of Lush, I was in a bad way. I had sciatica raging in my left leg from hip to toe, and my back was burning up to my neck. I was also struggling with the heat- I never cope well in it- and started feeling really unwell. The sis still wanted to quickly pop to Selfridges, though, so I tried to keep plodding on. We stopped for frozen yoghurt in the food hall, first, so I had a little rest, took some painkillers, and tried to cool myself down with Magicool. It didn't really work, but the yoghurt eventually helped a bit. I had one with fresh strawberries and raspberries and it was so good!

After the pit stop, I could barely move my body, and was limping around the place like a pathetic mess, trying not to cry. God knows what everyone thought of me- especially since my make up had slid off my face, and my sis didn't think to tell me I had panda eyes until we were on the train home! Err, cheers, sis! I sure felt like an idiot. I bought a few Japanese and Irish sweet treats from the food hall for myself and the family, and once the sis got what she wanted in the beauty department, we headed for the train station.

I did begin to feel a little better on the train home, but in hind sight, I probably should've called it quits about six hours earlier... but then I wouldn't have done much! I still think my fun day out was worth the extra pain, though, and it was better than sitting around at home doing nothing and still being in pain, anyway! I can't do these big trips often, but sometimes I need to push myself beyond my limits to have a little fun. I will always be up for a day out in London! It's one of my favourite places in the world! I want to go back at Christmas time and do the tour when all the lights are up, so that's something I'm going to aim for!

Have you been sight-seeing around London? What's your favourite place or thing to do in London? If you haven't been, what would you love to see most?

The Summer Tag

I've seen The Summer Tag doing the rounds on a few blogs recently, so I've decided to give it a go myself. Here we go...

1. What is your favourite thing about Summer?

I love the long hours of daylight. I feel less like hibernating, have more energy, and love being able to enjoy the warm Summer evenings outside having fun, if I want to. It also makes it so much easier to take blog photos!

2. Do you have a favourite Summer drink?

At the moment, I'm really loving the mango and pineapple smoothies from McDonald's. I discovered them last Summer, and they're so good! I often get one after a trip to the hospital because they taste so good, and help to cool me down. Other than that, I'm pretty boring and am happy with a cold glass of coke with lemon, or a raspberry daiquiri.

3. Is there a special place you like to visit each Summer?

I don't get to visit it every Summer these days, but my special place is Perranporth in Cornwall. It's a gorgeous little seaside village just down the road from Newquay, and in my opinion it has the best sandy beach in the country. It's so beautiful. I spent most of my Summer holidays in Perranporth growing up, and if I had my way, I'd still visit it every Summer. Strike that; if I had my way, I'd just live there! I haven't been since 2010 and I miss the place like crazy. I've made so many happy memories there over the years, and each time I go I make plenty more. I feel more content there than anywhere else in the world, and wish I was there right now.

4. What's your favourite make up look for Summer?

I like to keep my make up quite minimal during the Summer, because most of it just slides off my face in the heat- never a good look! We've all been there, right? On the hot Summer days, I don't wear a base at all, just a little concealer if I need it. I go for a blusher with a shimmer, a couple of coats of waterproof mascara, a little powder on any shiny areas (or I'll use blotting papers instead), and I might push the boat out and wear a little eyeliner or shadow in a bronze or golden shade. I keep it simple and just let my freckles do the talking. Well, I do have a gazillion of them!

5. Dresses or skirts?

Dresses, ob-vi-ous-ly. For me, there is no other answer; dresses are my favourite garment for all seasons. I find them so easy to wear, especially since I don't have to spend ages trying to find a top to match. I can just chuck one on and go. They take the stress out of dressing for Summer, leaving me with more time to enjoy the sunshine. Perfect!

6. Festivals or vacations?

As I've never been to a festival, I'd have to say vacations- or holidays, as we call them in England. There are few things better than getting away from it all for a week or two. I love visiting new places or returning to my old favourite haunts, and being able to forget about my responsibilities for a while. It's always great when I can have some fun, and do whatever I feel like for a week or two before I have to return to normality. It's a chance to relax, maybe catch up on some reading, eat yummy food, go to the beach, see more of what the world has to offer, let my hair down, and spend some quality time with family or friends. What's not to like?

7. What's your signature summer hair style?

I wouldn't call it a hair style exactly; if my hair isn't worn down, I just absent-mindedly scrape it back in to a messy knot or pony tail to keep it off my neck!

8. What is your signature summer scent?

I usually wear Escada's Taj Sunset during the Summer months. It has the most amazing exotic, fruity fragrance, which smells like sweet, orange citrus fruits. I've barely stopped wearing it since I bought the bottle four years ago; I just can't get enough of it. The smell still takes me back to my holiday in New York in 2011, where I first started wearing it, and I get compliments on it all the time, too.

9. Pool or beach?

I love both! I'm a water baby at heart, and I feel so content when I'm in or near water. I'm probably happiest when I'm at the beach, although I'll spend most of the time in the sea having fun. I love to swim and body board, especially on the Cornish coast where the waves are some of the best in the world. I might sit and read a book for a while, but I get bored sun bathing, and would rather go for a dip, or a walk along the beach with my feet in the surf.

10. BBQ or seafood?

I'm not a fan of sea food, so definitely BBQ. There are few things better on a hot summer's day than lounging in the garden with family and friends, firing up the barbie, and eating char-grilled food, watermelon, and strawberries.

11. Do you tan or burn?

I'm very fair, so I burn easily if I'm not wearing my factor 50+. I only tend to tan if I burn, but the sun makes my freckles come out larger and darker, and joins them together, which sometimes gives the illusion of a light tan. I'm 99% freckles.

12. Favourite Summer song?

I don't think I could choose just one; I have many! I love to blast out dodgy feel-good pop and reggae songs from the eighties and early-to-mid nineties during the Summer, and I also play a lot of Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco whenever the sun puts in an appearance; their music is so cheerful! I can't narrow it down, so here's a bunch of my Summer faves...

Temper Trap- Sweet Disposition.

Fall Out Boy- Young Volcanoes.

Arcade Fire- Haiti.

Panic! at the Disco- Time To Dance.

Don Henley- The Boys of Summer.

Madonna- In To The Groove.

Stereophonics- Dakota.

Boyzone- Nothing Without You.

Cyndi Lauper- Time After Time.

Kings of Leon- Back Down South.

Bananarama- Cruel Summer.

Belinda Carlisle- Heaven is a Place on Earth.

Feel free to have a crack at The Summer Tag, if you want to! If you decide to blog about it, leave me your links so I can give them a read!

What's your favourite thing about Summer?

Oh Crap, I'm Thirty

Hi guys,

Sorry I've been AWOL the last few days; I've been hibernating since I got back from London on Saturday night, and I'm only just feeling human again.

I'm a little behind with my posts now, but today I'm going to share a few snippets from my birthday, which was a week ago yesterday. Have I seriously been thirty for a whole week already?? Yikes! That's scary.

My big 3-0 was quiet and unremarkable, just like any other day. After freaking out about turning thirty for, oh, the last five years, I was surprised by how calm and relaxed I was about it when the day arrived. I'd pictured myself hiding under the duvet in denial, having a Bridget Jones style melt down, but the truth is, I felt okay... almost content.

Twenty four hours earlier, I was freaking out big time about all the things I don't have or haven't achieved with my life yet. (Remember Rachel's melt down in Friends in the one when they all turn thirty? I was worse than that!) I really wasn't handling the thought of turning thirty with little to show for my life well at all, but of course, I was just being ridiculous. There was absolutely nothing for me to be worried about. Nothing changed the second the clock stuck midnight, just the two digits of my age. Life remained exactly the same. Sure, I don't have the life I imagined I would have by age thirty, but that's okay; I'm alive, and I still have a lot to be thankful for. I've realised that nothing I can do will change the write-off that was my twenties, but I still have all the time in the world to make up for lost time and achieve all that I want to achieve. I don't have to do anything at anybody else's pace; I can do things in my own time, and make my own rules. So that's what I'm going to do!

So, I began this new stage in my life by doing... absolutely nothing! I didn't do anything interesting or exciting to mark my thirtieth. I barely did anything at all. My birthday was during last week's heat wave, and I was so hot and frazzled from the heat that I didn't want to do anything. I don't cope very well with the heat, so I was happy just to stay home flaked out in front of the fan. I had a really lazy day, just relaxing, and chatting with my family. That probably sounds really boring (it does to me!), but in a weird way, I actually had quite a nice day.

I woke up to presents and cards from my family.

My parents gave me some money, which I spent on this Scarlett and Jo dress that I've wanted for ages. It's so beautiful, and I'm so happy I finally got my hands on it! They also gave me a pretty pair of yellow topaz earrings, that can be worn with the flower drops in front or behind the ear lobe, or just the studs on their own. I love how versatile they are! As well as the earrings and the cash, the parents gave a set of Mavala nail polishes, a big box of Thornton's chocolates, a black birthday balloon, and a 30th birthday badge. I was spoilt! 

My older sister came over after work, armed with balloons, and a pretty pink gift bag. She gave me a big box of my favourite chocolates, Ferrero Rochers, obviously, and a couple of Yankee candles- 'Orange Splash', and 'Tarte Tatin.' I was really surprised by these little gifts because she gave me money as my 'main' prezzie, so I could choose whatever I wanted. I ended up spending it on some eyeshadows from Lush when we were in London last weekend, which are amazing (and expensive at £10 each), but I now feel like I probably should've spent it on something a little more special. I might just count the eyeshadows as an ordinary purchase, and buy something else from the sister that I can keep.

My younger sister gave me a beautiful cloth-bound copy of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, which I've wanted for ages, and she also gave me a cute little hardback notebook from Waterstones. I have a thing for pretty notebooks, in case you haven't heard.

My best friend sent me this cute little owl necklace, although the chain is too short for me, so I'll have to pop it on another chain. Shh! Don't tell her!

And she also gave me a big tub of mint choc chip cleansing shower butter from Bomb Cosmetics, which I've never tried before, and am looking forward to trying out. It smells so good.

My Mum, and older sister bought me some balloons, with the cutest balloon shaped weights at the end of the ribbons. They're now packed away in my memory box.

I didn't feel up to going out for a meal like I wanted to, and it was far too hot for a hot meal or a cheeky take away, so we had a 'party tea!' And didn't I feel like a five year old! I regret nothing. If you can't eat complete crap on your birthday, when can you, eh?

And, of course, there was cake. My Mum let me pick my own birthday cake this year, so I chose a chocolate cake from M&S with chocolate stars on top. It was delicious. I may have also stolen a taste of the chocolate hazelnut gelato I picked up at the same time. Hey, don't judge! It was my birthday!

And that was my birthday in a nut shell! It was a far cry from how I imagined I'd be spending my thirtieth; four years ago I was planning to celebrate it in New York with my bestie, but my health put a stop to that... but, that's life. I never wanted to celebrate with a big party or night out because that's just not me (introvert alert!), but I had hoped to at least make it out for a meal or a little day trip. I didn't even manage to get dressed up or do my make up like I'd planned; I was too hot to care. Sorry about the lack of outfit pictures!

In the end, it really didn't matter how I spent it. I had a good day, even though it was a quiet one, and I got through my big 3-0 without a melt down. A successful day, if you ask me! 

Did you freak out when you turned thirty, or reached another milestone birthday?

Birthday Wish List

I'll be another year older by this time tomorrow, so for this week's wish list I've put together a special birthday wish list.

This wish list is simply my 'most wanted' list. I won't be showing it to my family and friends. I hate asking people for presents, and I haven't asked anybody for anything in particular or even dropped a few hints; nor will I. It's just a list of things I would love to get for my birthday, and might spend my birthday money on, should I get any. Perhaps I'll even treat myself to one or two of them to soften the blow of turning a two digit number I wish I wasn't!

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1. I love the look of the Stila On The Move make up brushes set, and they're on sale, too!

2. I'd love to add this cat ears bag from Yoki Fashion to my novelty bag collection.

3. I'm dying to get my hands on the fruity berry Leda dress from Lindy Bop. The print is gorgeous.

4. The banana shaped novelty clutch bag from New Look has been on my wish list for months.

5. It seems to be sold out on line, but I still hope to get my hands on Urban Decay's Vice 3 palette.

6. I want to try Benefit's new They're Real! mascara in Beyond Blue. I was obsessed with electric blue mascara in the nineties!

7. I love this open triangle hand harness from ASOS Curve.

8. I would kill to own a Lady Vintage dress in the kingfisher print, especially this Phoebe dress.

9. The clothbound classic edition of Little Women will probably be my next purchase. I'm dying to read it.

10. The red and navy polka dot Davina dress from Lindy Bop is such a stunner.

11. I love the smell of Escada's Turquoise Summer perfume; it smells like Summer.

12. I need to add Benefit's They're Real push up liner in Beyond Green to my green eye make up collection.

13. I must own the mood stone body harness from ASOS Curve. Does anybody know what the sizing is like?

14. Millie Marotta's new Tropical Wonderland colouring book looks amazing. 

15. I don't need a new purse, but Cath Kidston's new Provence Rose travel purse is so pretty.

16. I could, however, find a place for Skinny Dip's lilac milk carton bag in my life.

17. My second favourite kingfisher print dress from Lady V. You can't go wrong with a Hepburn dress.

18. I really want to read Stephen King's new novel 'Finders Keepers.'

19. River Island's large yellow satchel is a beauty.

20. I love the cat ears bag from Yoki Fashion in pink, too. And it's on sale!

21. How awesome are these Disney Princess Jasmine print Vans?!

22. Skinny Dip's ice cream cone bag is the thing of dreams. 

23. And I've fallen in love with Mac's Isabel and Ruben Toledo Ombre blushers. I'm hoping I'll be able to track down one in 'Ripe Peach,' I should've bought it when I saw it.

And that's my birthday wish list.

What's on your wish list this week?