Thursday 27 October 2016

10 songs that should be on your Autumn playlist

Autumn is here. The weather changes and so do we, as we turn inward and reflect on the warmer months and prepare for the cooler ones to come. Autumn is the season things start to tone down as we hibernate in slumbers of warm tea, apple pies and nights around the bonfire. While it is a cooler season when many take refuge in their warm homes, there's no reason to miss out on social occasions and what better than a great assortment of autumn tones to accompany those moments. For me, a playlist sets the tone of any moment and whether it be a bonfire night, just a chilled evening in with friends, or maybe just some time to yourself, these are some of the songs that should be on your Autumn playlist.


  • Helplessness Blues -fleet foxes: A more recent find, this song is a little bit more upbeat than some of the others below but I think it would be perfect for either car rides or even whilst baking. 
  • Drive Darling -BOY: I feel like there is so little to say about this one, so really just click the link and see for yourself. 
  • Home -Dotan: I love this song all year round, but there is something particularly tranquil about it during Autumn making it the perfect easy-listening song to play in the background.
  • Old Pine -Ben Howard: Ben Howard's combination of music, lyric's and his voice is always so on point and really hits a cord for me. This tune is super chill and perfect to have in the background of any situation (For this reason I keep this one on pretty much every playlist I have made). 
  • Humming Low -Odessa: Not one of the most popular Autumn song but the melodies in this song are so pretty and soothing that I couldn't resist. This would be the perfect song for a lazy Sunday or to listen to after a stressful day. 
  • California dreaming -mamas and papas: This gem is on par with Sweater Weather and really is a must for any playlist. Perfect tune for those experiencing some summer nostalgia whilst packing away their summer garments. 
  • Dirty Paws -Monsters and Men: A calming song, with references to animals and the forest. Not the most assuming but perfect to fill the silence and play in the background. 
  • Charlie Boy -The Lumineers: I love The Lumineers and this song, for some reason, just reminds me of fall so it had to fall on this list. 
  • Drunk -Ed Sheeran: Anything by Sheeran is perfect in my eyes but Drunk is my jam all year round. It is so easy to listen to and, just like so many songs on this list, such a calming song. 

What songs are a must for your Autumn playlist? Let me know below. 
Cheerio for now! 
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Monday 24 October 2016

Book review: the wind in the willows

The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame

The wind in the willows is a classic home to many a bookshelf. It's one of those books you hear as a child and hold forever, like the wizard of oz or the little princess. This book has always held a nostalgic place in my heart and while I don't often return to books from my childhood, I couldn't resist returning to it this fall. 

I find Kenneth Grahame's descriptions of nature, the river and the wild wood so beautiful and mesmerising that I often become distracted by picturing the natural surroundings rather than paying attention to the story. Fall is often the time we all hibernate into the warmth of our homes, wrapping ourselves in cozy layers with warm brews; though after spending a summer stuck inside I wanted to get out in nature -so to speak. While my health hasn't improved that much since summer, I decided rather than chance a flare and cold from the bitter cold, I'd instead turn to a book. A book bulging with references and descriptions of the life of outside nature and general wilderness. 

If you've been living under a rock and have never read the wind in the willows, I'll give you the quick run down -and the Amazon link. The story of the wind in the willows follows the adventures of the water rat, mole, toad and badger. All equally interesting characters, we read of their adventures at the river, the wild wood and the troubles they (mostly toad) find themselves in. The main lessons are to always go through the wild wood in pairs, never joy ride a motor car and do not dress as a washerwoman -it's not a good look

In all seriousness, I love this book and thoroughly enjoyed returning to it. If you like this story, its characters or even just psychology/counselling, you should also check out counselling for toads which involve toad, badger, the water rat, and mole -but mainly toad. I also loved that book and would recommend to anyone who loves the wind in the willows. 


Have any suggestions for fall reads? leave them in a comment below
Cheerio for now!
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Monday 17 October 2016

All About Juice Plus

Juice Plus Berry Capsules and Vanilla Shake Powder
Now we have all tried those fad diets, trying to shed the pounds for that beach body, your best friends wedding or to fit into that pretty dress for the Christmas parties. However often these diets are strict, unrealistic and while they may work as a quick fix, you find yourself gaining the weight back on and more. I'm guilty of all of the above and while I have tried many of the fad diets out there, there was one I had never heard about until just recently; enter Juice Plus.

Juice Plus doesn't fall into the diet/fad diet category. While results from their products are often quick, it is by no means a quick fix but rather a lifestyle change. The mission behind these products focuses on getting all the nutrients the body needs, rather than simply shedding weight; and for this, they offer shake powder, capsules, bars, and boosters. The structure of Juice Plus works by having two shakes, two snacks, and one meal a day; though there is also various combos and plans to incorporate their bars, capsules, and boosters into your programme.

As previously mentioned, the products you can work into your programme aren't just for weight loss or management but more so to bridge the gap between what you eat and what you should be eating in a day. The capsule, for instance, is a powerhouse full of 30 types of fruit, vegetables, and berries making it easy to get all the vitamins and antioxidants your body needs. Adults take two of the berry, fruit, and vegetable capsules a day, preferably at mealtime though some do empty the capsules into their shakes to make it easier to digest. Children can also take the capsules or, alternatively Juice Plus make chewable sweets for children.
Juice Plus Berry Blend Capsules
Although the shakes help lose or maintain weight, they also host a whole bunch of health benefits such as immune, skin health, cardiovascular health along with a ton of other benefits. They are also incredibly flexible as you can build up and use as much of the powder as you would like within your shakes; perfect for a good dose of protein before hitting the gym. The shakes are available in Vanilla and Chocolate flavours, and when added to plant-based milk such as almond or coconut milk are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. They are also gluten free, and free from preservatives, sweeteners, colours, and flavourings. 

The bars Juice Plus offer, just like the shakes, are perfect for on-the-go snacks or easy options for when you would ordinarily reach for a quick fast food option whilst out and about. The bars come in both mixed fruit and chocolate flavours, and both are gluten free. 

While the shakes, capsules, and bars are all great products to structure a healthy lifestyle around Juice Plus also places huge importance on still eating healthy foods in your daily routine. They do provide a list of foods you should incorporate into your meals and snacks, though rather than this list restricting what you can eat, it instead includes everyday foods that are sustainable in reaching the results you want but also keeping your body healthy and well nourished in the process. 


Want to read more about Juice Plus? 
click here, for their official site or check out their YouTube channel here. You can also check out the Juice Plus products here

Cheerio for now! 
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Friday 14 October 2016

Dracula

Dracula, Bram Stoker
Flat Lay: Dracula, by Bram Stoker (Red Leather-bound classic by Barnes & Nobles)
October has always been my favourite month, and while there are many Halloween movies I love to revisit each year, I wanted to turn my attention to some darker books. Initially, I had set my sights on Frankenstein but after many failed attempts, I tossed it across the room and reached for Dracula. As you can see, it's a pretty chunky book which made it a little daunting at first; however, as soon as I started the first page I was sucked into the story and within a few days I had entirely finished.

Dracula by Bram Stoker is a classic with many having read, watched adaptions or know of the story in some form of way. Going into this book I was nervous about its' length and language used. Classic books often hold the reputation of having long, difficult language throughout; being hard for the reader to decipher. However, the language used was simple and straightforward, making it a super easy read. The story is told through a series of journal entries, letters and news articles, from a handful of the characters within the story. At first, I worried whether I'd be able to keep up with whose perspective I was reading when, though it was a lot easier than I thought and I whizzed through the book. 
This was a really enjoyable read, especially for this time of year. Reading the story through multiple perspectives, corresponding letters and articles added another dimension to the tale, which made it all the more gripping. Another thing I loved was that even though it is told in an alternative way, it doesn't scrimp on describing the vividly eerie environments and surroundings throughout. 

This made for a great Autumn read -in fact, I'm probably going to find it hard finding my next Autumn/Halloween read after enjoying Dracula so much. 

Any recommendations for Halloween reads? Leave a comment below
Cheerio for now! 
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Monday 10 October 2016

A letter to twenty

You were the year of twenty. The year I didn't greet well and the year I'm kinda glad to say goodbye to. Having said that, there is a bittersweet element to bidding you farewell.

You marked five years of living with chronic illness'. You marked years of failed attempts at trying to regain my health, feeling isolated from and misunderstood by the world and more importantly feeling as though I'd failed at making something of myself and making my family proud. 'What have I achieved?' I asked myself a week before you arrived; causing an avalanche of meltdowns, panic attacks and a whole lot of tear-stained pyjama sleeves. While loved ones tried to console me, I couldn't be consoled. Your arrival wasn't to be as happy an occasion as what it usually was and so a smile went on with the layers of makeup, and I grinned and bore it through my birthday tea. I did have a better time than I thought, though when I returned home so too did the thoughts of turning twenty. 

Looking back your arrival was hard; just like a lot of moments from your year. I had to drop a lot of uni work because my body wasn't up to it, I had to flake on friends an endless amount of times, I had to miss out on spending a lot of quality time with my mom at the beach hut and I had to deal with the reoccurring fact of how weak my body has become; a realisation that hit me harder every time I saw it. 

Having said this, I've also never felt more me. I've never felt so in sync with my body. It's almost as though I've deciphered how it works and while that doesn't take the pain, exhaustion or suffering away; it does make it slightly easier to handle. I've also learnt the power of self-care is immensely important in my weekly routine. It's of great importance, to everyone I think, to stop and take a moment to yourself. Whether that be listening to a podcast, applying a face mask or nail polish or even just taking the dog for a walk and watching the world go by in the process. 

So yes, I wasn't looking forward to you, the year of twenty, and while I'm happy and ready to say goodbye to you I'm grateful for all you taught me -even if your lessons were tough at times. 
Cheerio twenty! 
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Friday 7 October 2016

Book Review: Careless People

Murder, Mayhem and the invention of the Great Gatsby 
Books: Careless People & The Great Gatsby Covers
Book: Careless People cover

Careless people, by Sarah Churchwell, was a book that always caught my eye on the shelf at my local bookstore. It's blue and black patterned hue border, with the jazz, dancing skeleton gents made for an intriguing front cover -yes, I judged a book by its' cover. It wasn't just the cover, after quickly reading the blurb I knew I had to read this book and so, it wasn't long before I headed towards the check out with it clutched under my arm, along with a few other reads.

This book is pretty self-explanatory in its' title, but nevertheless, I will go through the motions. The book is a huge collection of information explaining the true events behind the story of The Great Gatsby and what led Fitzgerald to write the classic book. Including news articles to social events, diaries and ledgers of both Fitzgerald and his friends, even letters between Zelda and Fitzgerald. Churchwell uses every ounce of information to piece together the puzzle of what happened behind the novel, how he came to write the novel and uses all these different forms of information to form this biography of The Great Gatsby.

Book: Written Ledger account of Fitzgerald's life
Book: Black & White photos of Fitzgerald's and friends

I loved this book. Gatsby is one of my favourite novels and I loved the film adaptation too, so it felt only natural to sink my teeth into this read and unveil the inner works of the story. Through the various sources of information Churchwell draws upon, she paints the picture of the time period the Fitzgeralds lived, what they got up to and all the acquaintances that came along for the ride. We learn about the area they lived, the parties they attended, their neighbours, their travels, the social events of the time and the various goings on of the roaring 20s; all of these things adding facets to the story of Gatsby.

This book is a must for any who loved the story of Gatsby, or even those who just love reading about true events of the past. An interesting read, with vast amounts of information. I can only imagine how long the research for this book took Churchwell -in fact, it gives me a slight headache just thinking of the amount of reading and archives she had to go through to produce this book. Nevertheless, her mission was accomplished -and accomplished well. I can't wait to reread The Great Gatsby, and see it through new eyes, having read all that went into it.


Was Gatsby your type of book? If so, you have to read this! 
Cheerio for now! 
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Monday 3 October 2016

Body Love with Tropic

*If you haven't already read my Tropic post or know who/what Tropic is then you can do so here
Tropic Products - Body Love and Body Smooth
Tropic products, Body Love and Body smooth
Here are two of my favourite products I use in my everyday routine from Tropic, Enjoy! 
Tropic - Body Smooth, refreshing polish

Body Smooth, refreshing polish 
Body Smooth is the founding product of Tropic. (It is the first product that Susan Ma handmade in her kitchen and sold in Kilner jars at Greenwich market). With a blend of rich sea salts and invigorating essential oils, this product is perfect to smooth dry skin and get your skin silky, soft ready to flash some flesh in that little black dress. I particularly love using this product on my upper arms, lower legs, and knees: all of which I get super dry patches of skin. 

To use this product simply apply and massage onto dry skin before hopping into your shower or bath. Rinse off and then massage excess oils into the skin.


Tropic - Body Love, Firming Buttercream
Tropic - Body Love, Firming Buttercream

Body Lovefirming buttercream 
With ingredients such as Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, and Shea Butter, Body Love is guaranteed to give your body all the hydration and nourishment it needs. It's quickly become my holy grail product and has even worked miracles on noticeable lumps, bumps, and scars I thought would never disappear. I particularly love slathering my skin with this after using the Body Smooth.

Just like any other body cream, apply daily after your shower or bath to hydrate skin with the added bonus of a velvety finish. 


I love both these products as individuals, but also love using them together. I find the quality of these products to be so luxurious, especially for their price point and the fact that they are 100% naturally derived. 
If you would like to take a browse at other products I have featured on here, then click here; If you would like to check out all the products Tropic produce then click here. 


Have you ever tried these products? What did you think? 
Cheerio for now! 
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