Things to do in London this Christmas

Living in London is amazing all year round, but at Christmas I just LOVE it! However, I feel like I take it for granted so this year I've taken some time to investigate all of the Christmassy things going on here, and have scheduled some of my favourites over the next few weeks.

1. Winter Wonderland
Every year Hyde Park hosts a market-funfair-shopping extravaganza and it's always fantastic. This year I will be donning my earmuffs and ugg boots and heading there one weekend, ready to drink up some Christmas cheer...and mulled wine! 

2. Pantomime
I cannot tell you how much I love Panto! As a child I danced and was in the local celebrity pantomime for a few years. I met Paul Hendy from the Disney Club when we did Dick Whittington - remember him?? How retro! There are lots of Pantomimes running across London so I'll be booking one soon. 

3. South Bank Centre Christmas Market
I do love a good Christmas market, and this one is practically on my doorstep. There will be German-style huts and a vast array of Christmas gifts, food and drink. I can't wait! Check it out here: http://www.timeout.com/london/shopping/southbank-centre-christmas-market-3

4. Christmas at Kew 
Kew Garden is beautiful but it's getting a sparkly makeover for Christmas with lots of light installations from various UK artists showcased along the trail. There will also be vintage rides and festive music, so it's worth the £16 entrance fee. Read about it here: http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/christmas-at-kew-gardens-2013

5. Real Food Christmas Market 
One of my all time favourite things to do in the run-up to Christmas is go to a food market. I normally go to Borough but this year I'm going to try the Real Food Market outside the Royal Festival Hall. It promises to serve copious amounts of cheese, mulled wine and chutney - divine. My mum likes plum pudding but it's really hard to find; I'm hoping I'll find one here. 

6. Make a ginerbread house
In recent years I've discovered a passion for baking, and am actually rather good at it! I like to make interesting cakes, and biscuits but have never tried decorating a gingerbread house! At work, a magazine sent my team a giant box with a pre-baked house and everything we need to decorate it, so naturally I jumped at the chance to construct it! The pieces are sat in my kitchen awaiting my attention. There are little iced people and even an iced dog - it's so cute. I can't wait to get started!

7. Shopping on Oxford Street
I work just off of Oxford Street so it's lost some of its magic for me, as I run along it on a daily basis when I'm late for work. But at Christmas the lights transform it and I'm like a kid again. When it's dark I get quite nostalgic walking along staring at all of the glittering window displays - I feel like I've just landed on the set of Love Actually and am on my way to meet Hugh Grant! My friend Rachel and I used to work together and it was a tradition to go shopping after work - starting at Tottenham Court Road and making our way all the way down to Marble Arch, stopping for a Garfunkel's on the way! We've decided that this Christmas we are going to rekindle the tradition so I will be using the time to finish my Christmas shopping.

8. Visit Christmas lights
What is it about Christmas lights? They just fill the atmosphere with so much festive cheer! This year both Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square have great decorations up, and on 8th December there will be a torch lit procession for the Blessing of the Crib at the steps of St Martin's in the Fields. There will also be carol singing in Trafalgar Square - pure Christmas escapism! 

9. Christmas Past Exhibition
I am a bit of a history geek - I like going to museums, and enjoy reading about days gone by. Whilst on my Christmas hunt I came across a museum in London that I'd not heard of before - the Geffrye Museum near Hoxton. The museum shows how interior design has changed from 1600 to the present day, with lots of exhibits showing period room settings. At Christmas the rooms are updated to capture how our ancestors decorated their homes at this time of year. It is such an interesting concept, and the best bit is that it's free! 

10. Watch Christmas films 
Is there anything better than a Christmas movie? Quite frankly no! Whilst I love a good festive film, I am guilty of having never seen some of the classics, such as Elf, Nightmare Before Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life. This will be rectified next month. My list begins with the following but no doubt I'll watch more - Elf, Love Actually, It's a Wonderful Life, Nightmare Before Christmas, Muppet Christmas Carol, Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, the Holiday.

If you know of any other fun London or South East events, let me know. 

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Tresemme hair tong review

Like most girls I love to wear my hair curly, however I have the straightest and most un-styleable hair I've ever come across, and really struggle to keep my ringlets ringed!! I've tried all sorts - Velcro rollers, heated rollers, those weird spongy spaghetti rollers. I've even tried dousing my hair in hairspray, and clamping my straighteners on a a twisted lock... Nothing works! Yet I remain hopeful (and perhaps a little gullible) that a solution does exist somewhere! Recently I bought myself a new hair tong in the hope that the answer was finally here, and thought I would put it to the test...

The tong in question is the Tresemme Salon Professional Volume Hair Tong. It has a 32mm hot pink ceramic barrel, maximum temperature of 200°C and 3 controllable heat settings. 

Design

I really like the design of this tong. It's easy to handle, and the clamp is the full length of the barrel which makes gripping and holding the hair a doodle  whether you use it straight up, or upside down. 

The other thing that I really like about this tong is that the heat setting is a slider, not a button. This means that it doesn't get accidentally turned off when I'm clumsily wrapping my hair around the barrel. I have used lots of Babyliss tongs in the past and the button controls are the most frustrating thing in the world, so well done Tresemme!

It also has a swivel chord and a really long cable, but I guess that's pretty standard nowadays. 

The Curl

This curler claims to give you 'beautiful soft curls and waves with a smooth finish', and I think that the finished look definitely lives up to that. I am ridiculously impatient so first tried the tong on my day-old hair, wrapping large sections around the barrel, and I really liked the result, but on Saturday I decided to do it properly, using 1-inch sections all over my head. At first I was really impressed. 

As you can see the curl isn't tight, but falls loosely in a nice ringlet. I really love the soft wave look so this type of curl was exactly what I was hoping to achieve. 

My hair is quite long so the curls are probably a bit more loose than they would be on shorter hair due to the weight. Having said that, if you're looking for something that will give you a Carrie Bradshaw barnet then this is not the tong for you!

The Time Test

When I'd finished my hair I was really pleased with the look. My locks were smooth, and fell nicely around my face. I wouldn't say my hair was curly, but it had that flicky, just-been-blowdried look that I try, and continuously fail to achieve with my hairdryer. My hair felt thick, full and bouncy; just what I wanted for a Saturday out with friends. A liberal spritz of Elnett and I was out the door and on my way to lunch. 

By the time I'd got to the restaurant my hair was significantly less 'curly', but I wasn't unhappy with it. It was drizzly and I had no umbrella so I didn't expect to look like I'd time-travelled to Streatham! My hair had dropped into a slightly undone wave which I actually preferred as it was less polished. 

My friend and I ate our way through 2 courses, consumed some really delicious wine and before we knew it the sky was pitch black! We decided that a night in was in order, so after heading to the shop for supplies (...more wine and a Wispa) we made our way to my friend's flat. 

I had a lovely evening. We had a good old catch-up and did a lot of laughing. At about 12am I decided to head home so jumped on a bus all the way as my friend's don't live far from me. 

When I got home I could not believe the change in my hair. It was basically straight! Now I'm not saying I didn't like it, and the picture below doesn't really do it justice, because it didn't look that bad in person. But it is by no means curly, wavy or any kind a non-straight term! I was very disappointed - all that effort and it looks no different to when I blast it with the hairdryer every morning. 

Despite the bad result I have since used the tong to curl my hair when it's in a ponytail and that lasts a little better. If I'm only going out for a few hours I have no qualms about using this tong, but I think for an all-day look I'll continue curling with my straighteners for now. 

Overall I don't think this tong lives up to Tresemme's professional quality claim, but I will continue to use it. As a curling tong it's not great, but it does help me achieve the blowout finish that I like, and for that I'm thankful. For the price (£14.99 in Argos on sale) it's not bad. I think the lesson here is not expect too much from something with such a low price point!

When judged as a curling tong I'd rate this 3 out of 10, but if judged as a tool to help achieve a blow-dry finish I would rate it a 6 out of 10. 

The search for a soft wave curler continues. If you know of any, let me know! 

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My favourite pins

No, this isn't some weird post about legs! I've been ill this week, which means I've spent my days sleeping, and being bored in equal measure! To pass my waking hours I have spent quite a bit of time on Pinterest, and realised I'm nearly at 1,000 pins! Exciting!

To stop my pinning hours fading into oblivion, never to be considered again, I decided to start at the beginning and pick out some of my favourites. It's an interesting mix. Here goes...

Dream hair! 

Is this why dinosaurs are now extinct? I think so!

The cutest idea ever!

I <3 London!

Possibly the greatest magazine cover ever. Well done Elle...

I love this picture. It's both beautiful and tranquil

My dream dining room

Leo, I am available if ever you need a British wife!

Pictures like this make me miss dancing as a child

Pink lemonade - me in liquid form!

My favourite outfit from Gossip Girl

I love this picture

The best way to eat broccoli. FACT!

Such a pretty jewellery stand

Top 10: October

OMG, it's November! Only 7 weeks until Christmas, woohoo!! Last month I was loving a real mix of items, from beauty to technology. Below are the items that have earned a place in my top 10.

1. Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer
I have heard so many good things about this product, but never really believed the hype. My eyes have always had shadows, but recently the dark circles have been getting extreme, so I came back to this blogger favourite and decided to purchase it. I have to say, it was the best £4 I've ever spent. The consistency is really thick so it covers brilliantly, and lasts a long time. The product claims to last 16 hours. I'm not sure I believe that so will be putting it to the test soon - stay tuned for the review.


2. iPhone cover
Whilst in H&M at the beginning of October I spotted a neon pink, rubber-studded iPhone case on one of the racks in the queue, and instantly fell in love. It's a lot more rock-chick than my previous phone cover which was silver glitter, but still girly enough to suit my style. I have had so many compliments on it, and never have trouble finding it in my bottomless pit of a bag because it's so bright!! If I see them in H&M again I'm  going to buy another one to replace this one when it breaks!


3. Black biker boots
I got dragged into Primark by a friend last month, and am so glad I did because I found a gorgeous pair of biker boots that are perfect for everyday wear. The heel is chunky and a decent height, and they have zips and buckles on the side which give them some character. I've been wearing them everything; skinny jeans, dresses, jeggings. I can't get enough!


4. Vanilla scented candles
I gave my room a bit of a makeover and changed the colour scheme to white last month. I took a trip to IKEA and stocked up on lots of chic, feminine accessories, including lots of vanilla scented candles and a vanilla diffuser. I've been lighting the candles every night and my room smells divine! I never thought I was a vanilla scent kind of girl, but I've become so obsessed I even made my mum by some vanilla scented accessories for her house! To top it off my housemate bought a stack of vanilla candles for the living room, so our house is scented from top to bottom! The future's bright, the future's vanilla!!


5. iPhone apps
Oh my gosh, I am the biggest techno-geek I know! I'm always the one that helps my friends out if they're struggling with their devices, and am forever reading technology blogs. I recently took a 'hobbies quiz' in Glamour magazine and it told me I should learn how to code - so appropriate!

Last month I discovered a couple of apps that I'm loving. The first is called ITTT (If This Then That), and it's an app to make your life easier. Basically you set it up to perform commands based on your phone habits. For example one of my 'recipes' is set up to change my Twitter profile picture automatically when I change my Facebook profile picture. There are loads of pre-arranged recipes, but it's also really simple to create your own. I've become obsessed. You'd be surprised how many options are relevant to you.

The second app I'm loving is called Mailbox. It's an email app that allows you to process you mail in an easy and manageable way. You start by clearing your mailbox, and then use various swipe motions to file your emails as they come in. You can archive, delete and add to lists (folders) as you can with most apps, but the most impressive function is the ability to reschedule when mail is delivered. You can set it up to drop into your inbox later in the day, week or month. Perfect!

The final app I've been obsessed with in October is Pocket. It's been around for a while and is similar to Flipboard in that you can aggregate content within it to read at a later date, but when using it with ITTT you can make it really personal. I have mine set up to pull videos in from YouTube when I've set them to 'watch later', and I email myself blog articles ready for when I have time to sit down and read.


6. Grapefruit
When I was little my nan would eat a grapefruit every day for breakfast. I tried it once and wrinkled my nose up because it was so sharp, and have steered clear ever since. Since then I've developed a love of pink grapefruit squash, and so decided to take it a step further and try the fruit again. I've totally been missing out, it's great! I've been having half for breakfast and really enjoying it. It's taken me a while to get used to scooping out the segments, but I think I've finally got the hang of it!


7. High ponytail
I haven't worn a super high ponytail since I was about 7 and my mum used to scrape my hair up...until now! I don't know where this obsession has come from but in recent months my ponytail has been getting higher and higher, and is now back to primary school height! For me this is the easiest hairstyle, and looks good on second-day hair, so it's my go-to style. I've even started wearing it on nights out, which I've never done before!


8. Pink lemonade Lucozade
I love lemonade. I love pink. Put them together and that's a winning combination for me! I don't normally drink Lucozade but was looking for something to pick me up after a wine-fuelled night last week, and saw this in the Superdrug fridge. The packaging is a really cute baby pink, and it instantly caught my eye. It's absolutely delicious and doesn't have that weird aftertaste that normal Lucozade has. It won't be replacing my DC, but when I'm in need of some sugar-fuelled energy this is what I'll have.


9. Body Shop Lip Butter
I think I have a bit of an obsession with lip products! I carry far too many around with me, and am always buying more! Last month my go-to balm was the Body Shop Lip Butter in Pink Grapefruit. My housemate was going travelling so gave it to me in a box of beauty products that she was leaving behind. The smell is delicious, and I'm a huge fan of the body butter in this flavour so instantly tried it on. It's a gorgeous creamy balm, with a thick consistency so glides onto lips well and stays put. I've been leaving mine on my bedside table and applying every night before I go to sleep. I love the citrus smell under my nose!


10. Kiehl's Creme de Corps
This product has been sat in a draw of body products for months and hasn't been used. I was having a clear out when I revamped my room and rediscovered it. What a gem of a body cream! It's a rich formula that sinks into skin effortlessly. I normally find moisturising my body a real chore, but haven't found it anywhere near as tedious using Creme de Corps. It's a new staple of mine.


That's it for my October top 10. What were you loving in October?

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ZARA Everyday Shopper bag review

On my lunch break yesterday a friend convinced me to go shopping. Normally we grab a sandwich and work through lunch, but as it was a Friday and half of our team were on holiday we decided to ditch our computers for a couple of hours. So we ventured out in the pouring rain, and wandered down to Oxford Street, which is about 10 minutes from my office.

I am a self proclaimed shopaholic so need no excuse to buy something. I'd already spent £30 on the way out of the building because we stopped in at the Book Man travelling book shop which was set up in our office for the day! So going to Oxford Street is always quite dangerous for me. And sure enough when I got back to my desk my purse was a lot lighter!

Our first stop was to Zara. This is quite possibly my favourite UK high street store. Their clothes are stunning, and their accessories are always so elegant. I have a particular passion for their bags. It's about the only high street store I'll buy bags from now because they are, for the most part, beautiful, functional and well-made. 

The bag I've been using is the ZARA black bowling bag with white handles and mustard yellow suede panels. I've had it a couple of months, and much as I love it, I really have been craving a nice shoulder bag because my Mango one broke over the summer. Stepping into ZARA I saw a plethora of suitable options, so was like a kid in a candy store!

But I digress...

After much debate I purchased the Everyday Shopper in burgundy. I looked for some reviews about it online but couldn't find any, so thought I would write my own! 



The Style
I love the style of this bag. It's really big, with open sides, but can be transformed into a slouchy bucket bag by fastening the clips on the sides. 

The handles are extremely thin, and remind me of the Louis Vuitton Neverfull. They are great for carrying on your shoulder but if the bag is heavy I think they would be too thin for carrying in the crook of your arm (although I imagine I will still carry the bag this way occasionally). One thing I would say is that the handles are not overly long so you may have to wedge the bag onto your shoulder if you have a heavy coat on. I have no trouble wearing this bag with my leather jacket though. 


The main closure to the bag is a centre popper so it's not overly secure, unless you also fasten the sides. If you're worried about safety then this probably isn't the best option for you. I don't mind the way this bag closes too much, but will obviously try to be more vigilant when out and about. I definitely won't be using it if I know I'm going out after work either. 


Bag Organisation
I love, love, love pockets in bags and this one has a decent amount. At the back of the bag (internally) there are two flush open pockets; one on top of the other. The first one is fairly deep, and I keep my Clinique travel mirror, which is the width of my palm, and a lip balm in there. The second one is deeper and I use that to store my Oyster Card, iPod Nano, headphones and iPhone. 

The final pocket on the bag is safety pouch. It's in the same fabric as the bag, has a zip fastening and is attached to a ring on the side by a long strap, identical to the handles, so you can pull it out to access your things easily. It's not a massive pouch, and my purse doesn't fit in it unfortunately (I have a wide, bulky purse), but it would be perfect for a small purse and phone, or even as a make-up bag if you don't carry too much. I'm currently using mine for my keys and a pen as they're the items I can never find in my bag! I'm going on holiday in a week, and will be using this bag as my hand luggage, so whilst I'm away the pouch will be used to hold my passport and boarding pass etc. 


The Colour
The burgundy shade of this bag is really rich so perfect for Autumn. I was unsure whether to go for this colour or play it safe with black, but the more I look at it, the happier I am with my decision. Thinking about my wardrobe this bag goes with the majority of my outfits, and I'm quite open to a bit of clashing anyway!!


The Fabric
The exterior fabric of the bag is faux marbled leather. It's obviously not soft like real leather, but it doesn't feel horrible to the touch. I personally don't think you would mistake this for leather in the way you would some other faux bags, but it doesn't look cheap and nasty, which is always the risk for me. The bag also comes in black and camel but I think the fabric is more suited to this colour. Obviously that's very subjective though. 

The interior of the bag is the basic black woven material that comes in most ZARA bags. It does the job. Not much else I can say about that! 

The bag is finished with gold hard wear, which is lovely. The gold side clasp, popper and zip give the bag a bit of character.


The Cost
The best bit about this bag? It was a complete steal at £19.99!! For the size, style and quality I think this is an absolute bargain, and will probably buy the other colours too.  


Pros
For me, cost, size and style are the biggest pros. It's roomy enough to be an everyday bag, but still looks great. It will also double up as hand luggage or an overnight bag for me. 
The fact that the sides can brought in to make it smaller is perfect for when you need a smaller bag that still holds all of your stuff. 


Cons
The quality isn't as good as with more expensive ZARA bags. The finish could be better, for example there are dangling threads at the top, and the rubber edging on the pouch is a bit sloppy. But overall it's more than acceptable, and I don't think anyone would notice. I'm going to tidy the loose threads up myself and then not even I will notice. 

The pouch could be a little bigger. I would love for it to be big enough to hold my iPad, wallet and phone, as it would make my life a little easier. It would also be great if the pouch was detachable...but I guess that would defeat the object of having it!

My final criticism is that the bag has no firm base, so things get jumbled up quite a bit. However, that's easily sorted with a quick browse on eBay for a base insert. 


In summary...
Overall I love this bag and will get a lot of use out of it. Yes there are a couple of niggling things but to be honest, as it was only £19.99 I'm definitely not complaining. If you're in need of a cheap, stylish everyday bag, you could do a lot worse than a trip to ZARA. 

Where do you buy your bags from? What do you think of this one? Let me know in the comments. 

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