Coming To A Crossroads

'The only pressure I'm under, is the pressure I've put on myself!' - 

Mark Messier

Over the last few months, weeks especially, my life has turned into a complete rollercoaster. So many highs and lows, with the occasional loop-to-loop! For me, it is starting to feel over-whelming and I need a chance to digest all the change going on around me. I don't think anyone (who doesn't blog - fully) realises how much time and effort I spill into this teeny corner of the web. I spend full days typing up posts, scheduling them for certain days, buffering all of my posts for when I'm at work and unable to post links directly. The time spent taking the photos, getting the right lighting, the editing, writing up the content and testing out products fully to give a completely honest view. Doing all of this whilst working a full time job is most certainly a juggling act. It's a lot of hard work and shed load of time, which at the moment, I seem to be lacking the latter.

My work life has came to a crossroads and I've been feeling the strains from the last few weeks. What I have come to realise is that you can only please yourself. You have to look after number one because, at the end of the day, no one else will. As much as I would love to, I simply cannot please everyone and I've got to choose the right path for me. Gosh, look at me, the wise old owl! Is this the start of adulthood? I think so...

With all goings on in my work life, it's been leaving me feeling de-motivated and trying to create content for my blog has suffered. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love blogging. I love writing up reviews, good or bad, putting up outfit posts of whatever I've been wearing - who doesn't love a pose? It's more disheartening when you pour your heart into your blog and give it everything you've got, to see you've had very little traffic reading your content that day. I actually blog because I enjoy it and I find it keeps my life organised. Is that just me? When my posts are all written and scheduled for the week, I feel it's an achievement. Gold star for me!

I realise this is me having a moan today and is not my usual bubbly content. Sometimes we all just need a breather though, right? I've been surrounded with a lot of negative minds lately and it can be quite draining.  I guess we're all allowed to have some down time.

Don't worry, my blog isn't going anywhere. Even if there are only two people who read my blog (thanks Gran and Grampa) and they like it, then that's all that matters to me!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with life?

Lori x

London and The Gaucho Grill

On Friday night, after a fun-filled day of shopping and walking in the sunshine and lots of frozen yoghurt, we headed off to a restaurant that had been recommended to us. We were pre-warned it would be busy so had already booked in advance. Getting off at London Bridge we couldn't quite work out where to go to find the restaurant - how people functioned without Goggle Maps I honestly don't know. Eventually after walking up and back down a street I stopped passersby who pointed us into the right direction. Walking along the path we spotted Tower Bridge and I knew we had to be in the right place. The Gaucho Grill is a modern, stylish restaurant overlooking the bridge. The view was gorgeous and the staff were all lovely and welcoming. We had already stated on booking it was for my 21st and every staff member wished me a Happy Birthday which was lovely. Our waiter brought over a board of different cuts of steak, asked which cut we liked and how we liked it cooked then recommended what he thought was best. I have to say the steaks, both mine and Craig's, were fantastic! Well worth the money - let's just say it's not the cheapest place but they were possibly the best steak I've ever had.

Dress: Zara

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

Dress wise I went for this flared Zara number. I love how it begins to flare out at the waste, perfect for any self-concious ladies out there - Very flattering around the waist / tummy area. The neckline is absolutely gorgeous and quite different to your staple straps. I also love the coral colour and simplicity of the block colour. Moving into Spring/ Summer it's time to pop those LBD's back in the closet and play around with some colour. You may have noticed that lately I have been wearing a lot of plain clothes as opposed to prints and patterns, I just find them so wearable and versatile. You cannot go wrong with a block colour outfit. My Kurt Geigers (again) making an appearance as I only brought one pair of heels that I could pop on with anything and these babies ticked that box! Make-up wise I kept it pretty understated and opted for big, bouncy hair instead. I have found a new holy grail product for my limp hair and will do a review of it over the next week!

Before we left, the restaurant brought over a plate which read 'Happy Birthday' and gave me a selection of different chocolates. This was without Craig even asking or prompting for anything - was a really nice touch and made the evening that little more special!

Overall, we were both really impressed with Gaucho Grill and would highly recommend to any steak lovers out there. I will say that the restaurant is very loud, with the music and then everyone trying to talk over it. We liked it because it gave lots of atmosphere about the place however, if you don't like the hustle and bustle of London/ dining then this is not for you.

Have you been to Gaucho Grill?

Lori x

Ashtree House

Valentine's Day came a day later for myself and Craig. Due to work and his cousin's engagement party we decided to treat the following day as our V.Day. Having just had both our 21 birthdays at the end of the year, we decided that none of us needed any presents - the surprise bouquet that turned up at my door on Friday doesn't count, apparently! So we decided to head away on an overnight, spend some time together and that's exactly what we did! We headed to the Ashtree House Hotel in Paisley which is a beautiful country house situated just off the main street. On arrival we were greeted by the lovely owners and shown our room on the first floor. When I opened the door we were both completely blown away, the room was absolutely beautiful and huge - as was the bathroom! Equipped with a flat screen TV, couch, king size bed (which FYI, is possibly the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in) a walk-in, power shower and the largest bath ever! The roof and some of the walls could have done with a quick lick of paint but for what we paid for the overnight it was nothing we couldn't put up with. We also had a gorgeous view over the town, we had definitely found a little hidden gem!

Most of the hotel guests were heading to a wedding and so the hotel restaurant was closed for the evening. We were recommended a restaurant at the bottom of the road and after a quick look on trip advisor and spotting that it was #1 out of 97, we quickly booked our table! We headed off to Cardosi's, literally at the bottom of the ridiculously steep hill our hotel was on, and were welcomed with open arms. The food was delicious but the portions were far too much! I had the Chicken Balmoral, chicken and haggis in a peppercorn sauce on top of a slab of veg and mash, however I was given two chicken breasts stuffed to the brim with haggis and a mountain of mash. I was only able to finish one of the breasts and even that was a struggle. Craig opted for steak and could only eat the meat, none of the extras that came with, it looked as though we had hardly touched our meals because there was so much waste.

Outfit wise I popped on a pastel pink slip dress, floaty and cute for Valentine's, then threw the lilac cardigan on top as the straps are so thin I wasn't entirely comfortable flashing so much flesh. I had spent so long curling my hair then ended up throwing it into a messy ballerina bun - typical! I thought it went well with the softness of the dress, pulled some strands loose and voila, job done. Make-up was kept simple too, I have been enjoying a more natural look and only using products to enhance my features as opposed to slapping it all on!

*Cute Valentine's Photo*

After the best nights sleep in the world's most comfortable bed, we headed to breakfast and of course had to have a fry up. Been a while since I have had a full breakfast but oh my, it was delcious! The staff were very friendly and attentive, nothing was too much. We sat at the window to enjoy the view and the sun was shining brightly, nothing but perfect! If you are ever in the area, looking for a lovely getaway or even a place close to the airport for a quick stop-off then I would highly recommend the Ashtree House Hotel. 

Hope you like this post!

Lori x

The Importance of a Good Bra

This is a post I would never have thought about writing. In all honesty, up until about two weeks ago I didn't even think I had much of a chest, never mind finding a good bra for it. So, with it coming up to Valentine's Day and many ladies heading off to treat themselves (and maybe some boyfriends) to some new undies, here's a little story for you all. You may want to pop the kettle on...

A few weeks ago I met with one of my closest friends who I hadn't seen for quite a while. One of those pairings where you may not see each other quite as often as we would like, not through lack of trying, but we stay in completely different places and both work full time jobs which means meeting for lunch sometimes just isn't feasible or as easy as it sounds. When we did meet it was like we had seen each other only the other day - that's the type of friendship that we all need!

On this particular meeting I was telling her that the previous night I had decided it was high time I emptied my underwear drawers and get rid of all the mutant knickers in there, the ones that haven't seen daylight since I was around 12 - Lord knows why they are still there, probably couldn't get them over one leg! On doing this, I noticed that my bra sizes ranged from ridiculously small (talking smallest size possible) to ridiculously big (who was I kidding?) and coming to the realisation that, at the grand old age of 21, I still do not know my actual size of bra. 

We headed off to Debenhams, after doing some research and discovering they are rated the highest for most accurate size. For some ladies, getting a bra fitting can be quite daunting, but the lady from Debenhams put me right at ease from the get go. She never made me feel uncomfortable or self-conscious at any moment - big up for Debenhams Glasgow. On inspecting the god awful bra I decided to wear that day, she pointed out that a) it was far too small for me (yay!) and b) the dangers of wearing a bra that didn't fit properly.

With it being too small, the wire pushes your breast to the side and in the worst case scenario can cause lumps which we all know, can mean Breast Cancer. This struck a chord with me. How could I have been so unaware of the dangers of something that I use everyday? That is obviously the worst case scenario, there are in fact many other health risks at hand such as; tension across shoulders and neck, headaches and even spinal problems - all of which I would like to avoid! Not only that, the difference it made when I popped on the size I should have been wearing, unbelievable! 

So please ladies, lets avoid any of these risks and go do something so simple but so effective - plus it's free! It genuinely takes a grand total of around 10 minutes and the women of Debenhams (probably most places that do fittings) are more than happy to pick out a selection of bras for you to try on. Go get your bra fitted - then treat yourself to some new undies! With it being Valentines just a few days away I have chosen some of my favourite pairings as inspiration;

 

 

 
Click the images to take you to the products!

Lori x

Lush Haul

As promised here it is - my Lush haul! Recently I have found myself loving all things bath related. From finding my favourite body washes to butters and even bubble baths. It was only a matter of time before Lush was ambushed by one over-excited lady on a mission! Let me make it clear not all of this was purchased by myself, I do have some self control, I was fortunate enough to be spoiled with Lush goodies for my Christmas and Birthday. I am most definitely a bath lover, never been a shower type of gal! I love coming in from a long day at work and relaxing in a super warm bubble bath. Who wouldn't?! 

Think Pink // Space Girl //

  Ickle Baby Bot

I actually have two Think Pink bombs which I only realised when I was photographing for this post! I bought one and I had actually received one for my birthday. I can't wait to use it as it has a Vanilla and tonka fragrance and I love all Vanilla scents! If you love Rock Star and Creamy Candy then you'll love this bomb. On melting, this bomb explodes and surrounds you with confetti hearts which will melt away! how cute?!

Space Girl will be for a day when my head is up in the clouds - which is quite often come to think of it, maybe I should have purchased quite a few of these ones!

How cute is Ickle Baby Bot! How could I not get this little bot? Infused with lavender this is actually to relax children before bedtime but I'm sure it will work perfectly fine for my adult self too! The aromatherapy oils will surely send me off to sleep too! 

Big Blue // Tisty Tosty //

The Comforter

I actually had the Avobath bomb too which made the bath turn this amazing green shade however someone wanted it for their bath instead so I forfeited my green bomb as I knew I had the Big Blue lurking in the bag! This will be much the same except give me a beautiful blue bath tub!

Tisty Tosty looks absolutely beautiful! Filled with traditional scents which are associated with love and each one contains seven real rosebuds. Well it is Valentine's Day soon isn't it?

The Comforter: Very excited to use this bubble bar - never had one before! I've used the magic star before which was originally what I went into Lush for but they had unfortunately sold out! My lovely friend bought me this beaut which claims to 'wrap you up in a big comforting hug' - must keep this for a tough day at work!

I can't find this set online but these soaps are for Bath, Shower and Hair under the new 'FUN' section. They look and smell great! See it's not all bombs, I do use soap too! 

Rosie 

Firstly can we all take a moment just to appreciate just how lovely the actual wrapping is? Don't even want to open the box! The box contains;

- Rose Jam Bubble Bar

- Rose Queen Bath Bomb

- Amandopondo Bubble Bar

- Ro's Argan Body Conditioner

What an exciting box filled with lots of different goodies! Especially excited to use the body conditioner which is an in-shower (or in my case in-bath) conditioner with a Rose (yes, Rose, can you believe?!) scent.

What is your favourite Lush product?! 

Any suggestions for my next trip to the best place in the world!

Lori x