My bedroom makeover <3

I am absolutely buzzing to redecorate my bedroom and I’m loving the rose gold and blush decor with cool whites and grey! Below is some inspiration rooms from pintrest and a selection of things that I want to buy from Ikea (images 3, 7 11), Maison Du Monde (images 1,5,9,10,12,15,18)  and Dunelm Mill (images 14 and 17)  There is gonna be some serious flat pack assembly and bill credit card bills going on in my house!!!

Has anyone got any ideas that would look great? Or wanna share a room you love?

Love Holly xx

Jimini’s edible insects! Bon Appetit!

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So my latest post is a slightly different subject matter to what I usually write about but when I started to talking on twitter to Jimini’s (twitter: @jiminisFood) I thought ‘Hey, I’ll try anything’

For some time now I’ve been aware that eating insects has been very popular and a standard element of the menu in Asia and there had been recent whispers that this niche snacking choice could potentially be the latest foodie trend to hit the UK too, so as a lover of all things a bit different and a lust for being ahead of the game I grabbed this opportunity. Raphaelle who I had been in contact with via e-mail was kind enough to send a selection of products from paprika grasshoppers and soya mealworms to all the flavours of energy bars they make!!

So to get a really good view I set out with testing the mealworms and grasshoppers as nibbles to have with having a few vinos with my family.

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The meal worms were my preferred choice of the 2 and both of them had a real crunch to them, my boyfriend really liked them and sat happily munching away and my young cousin thought that the idea of eating bugs was very cool but for me the fact that they look like what they are I did struggle to get over. I think that these would appeal to people maybe well travelled, kids and be great for parties looking for a twist with the buffet.

What I really wanna focus on though is the fruit protein bars!!

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These are made with cricket flour which is 60% protein and these are great. Think Nakd bars and Trek bars but with more fruit and a really generous amount of nuts for energy. They really are nice. Coming currently in 4 flavours, apple & cinnamon,  apricot, goji and chia,  dark chocolate and fig,  bananas and dark chocolate. All coming in at under 200 calories and packed with nutrients and antioxidants, high in fibre, not to mention dairy free and gluten free along with organic they are the perfect pre/post workout choice, great for a snack or as breakfast on the go. They are full of flavour and do not taste packed with artificial sweeteners and flavours like some fruit bars do. They taste fresh! Look out for these bars because I love them! All products are made in France at Jiminis HQ! Currently stocked in Selfridges if you fancy grabbing yourself some and be sure to check out the Jimini’s site too (jiminis.com) although at the moment you’ll need to be a dab hand at French, I’m just happy looking at the pictures!

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Has anyone else been lucky to try any of Jimini’s delights? Or tried insects in general? Thanks again to the folks at Jimini’s for letting me try your products!

Love Holly x

Turtle Bay Norwich Launch!!

A couple of weeks ago I attended the press party pre launch of Turtle Bay Norwich’s hot new Caribbean restaurant. It’s gone into the huge fabric warehouse building and it’s amazing! On the approach I noticed all the fairy lights bordering the Windows dangling in graduation which looks lovely. I am a SUCKER for fairy lights. All the wall are covered in colourful graffiti, there’s an awesome VM camper sliced in half into seating, neon quotes all around to read and much more!

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The place looks epic, completely transformed and unrecognizable.
Their ethos is broken down into 3 areas- The Rum, The Reggae and The Jerk and it sums it all up perfectly.

The Rum                                                                                                                                                  This isn’t just about their signature spirit it’s about all the drinks they do. On arrival we were served a Passion Rum Punch which was a fruity punch made with one of their favourite rums Wray and Nephews, a renowned rum at 63%! These welcome drinks were so strong I knew that I wouldn’t be walking out sober! If 63% is too much for you there’ll be something alcoholic or non alcohol that tickles your tastebuds on the cocktail menu which is 2-4-1 everyday until 7pm and again from 10pm. Around the top of the Barbados inspired bar there’s rows of extensive spirits and a range of speciality rums too. Myself I decided to play it safe with big plans the following morning and stuck with Red Stripe one of my favourite lagers which is their house beer originating from Jamaica.

 

 

The Reggae
The first thing that reggae brings to mind is the music and that’s exactly what you’ll hear there, super chilled, happy holiday vibe reggae but again reggae as a whole summarises the vibe and the general attitude of the restaurant.

 

 

They try not to turn tables as they like the relaxed vibe for an evening so no rushing and getting you in and out, the lights get dimmer as the sun goes down adding to the atmosphere and you are surrounded by greens, yellows, blues, blacks and Caribbean inspired imagery to really give it the right feel to represent what they’re all about. Finally the staff themselves really encompass the reggae attitude and are all really friendly and relaxed and look like they’re happy to be there and having fun.

 

 

Then finally my main reason to visit The Jerk which is all the food they do. We got to sample a few different things on the menu starting with the Beach Food Platter, a sharing platter with chicken wings, sweet corn fritters, pepper rotis and garlic and herb flat bread. This was a great starter and a lovely way to try a few things. The sweet corn fritters and chicken wings are particularly awesome! We then got half a jerk chicken, this was amazing! I’m absolutely addicted to spicy food (as in I have extra hot in Nandos) so this was a real treat, the marinade had an awesome kick, sometimes I find things out a little tame in the spice department but this didn’t disappoint. Marinated for 24 hours and grilled and served with orange chutney and coconut shavings. Mm Mm mmmmm. It was delicious!! We then got given a classic West Indian dish of curried goat, Turtle Bay have an entire section on their menu for One Pots and the curried goat is located there. Served with rice and dumplings it really is a filling meal. A nice kick to the spice and for those curious about the taste and texture of goat think lamb. It was lovely. A must for any curry fan. The menu has quite a lot of meat and fish, there is dishes for the vegetarians out there but just not as much choice. We finished of the dining with a dessert platter which had a selection of bite size pieces of most of their deserts and they were all really really tasty!

 

 

Throughout the night we had a selection of cocktails delivered to sample by the lovely bar manager Emma. My favourite was the One Love, a Turtle Bay version of a Pornstar Martini (with rum of course)

I left there feeling very happy (and very drunk) and had such a great night, there is a real buzz about the place which is the key to any great venue.

Thanks to the whole team for the kind and generous hospitality and including Jamie (the boyf) and I in the press launch!

Has anyone checked it out yet?  What were your thoughts?

Love Holly xxx

||REVIEW|| Tient Idole Ultra Cushion Foundation by Lancome

So there is only one reason why I tried this foundation when I heard the hype on the shop floor at work and that was to prove that cushion foundations are stupid and a gimmick. Oh how wrong I was. As you can see I bought it and I am in love with it. Now, working in beauty I don’t get a whole lot of time outside of my working week to wear anything more than the products that I’m contracted to wear by my company, so for me to pay full price for this- which I rarely ever do for anything- that really is saying something.

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Purchase, price, packaging-

I went over to my Lancome counter and I colour matched myself as there are only 9 shades and I went for an 02 Beige Rose as I am quite fair. You can buy the insert for £19.50 or with the compact holder together for £30. I went for both as I felt you do really need it and it makes it feel that more special and luxurious but it is the only initial extra cost the first time, this also makes it cheaper if you’re someone who tans easily  or fake tans to have multiple shades. When you buy the refill it comes in a packet that you just clip into the compact really easily. This is their second cushion foundation and learning from their first it now has a filter beneath the top cushion to ensure good distribution of product and to prevent drying out.

 

Application, coverage and finish 

The idea of that ‘pat, pat, pat/ tap, tap, tap’ patient and gradual application was something that me-the girl permanently in a rush- couldn’t stomach; however is really isn’t as time consuming as I had envisioned. The sponge is conveniently sized the same as the cushion so you’re covering a decent amount of surface area of the sponge and the sponge has a little loop on the back so you can slip your fingers through the back. IMG_1123

It’s a really build able coverage that you can wear light or heavier depending on your desired look but regardless of how much you put on I have found that it feels totally weightless. It has a really lovely finish too, it has a really lovely flawless luminosity despite it being oil free. I myself am extremely combination and it does last the majority of the day even without powder, although powder does increase its longevity (I use the Estee Edit Flash Photo Powder.) I have tried it on my friends with more dry and dehydrated skin and it still looks great but not as glowy and also on my 59 year old mum and it looked fab on her too- I used just a light layer.

Favorite things

I love that its in such a handy compact so I can touch up throughout the day and make the biggest difference to my makeup whilst still only using a clutch bag.

I love that its SPF 50 pa+++, it’s rare to find a full coverage foundation with a protection that high

 

At a Glance

Coverage- Full

Shade Range- 9

Finish- Satin/ Luminous

Application- Compact

Price- £30 with compact/ £19.50 Refill

Key features- SPF50 pa+++ and Oil- Free

 

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The finished look

 

 

Has anyone else tried this foundation and loved it?

Thanks for reading,

 

Love Holly xxx

Almond Extension Perfection

A couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to splash out and treat myself to some full on gel extensions as the days of wishing my nails would grow naturally into the desired length and shape were becoming more frustrating as all they seem to do is break. I made myself an appointment to go and see Chris of sketch nail design at the brand new a prestige salon The Edge. Featured in the ‘one-to-watch’ Union building The Edge offers a new dimension to Norwich beauty with its minimalist modern and stylist furniture (oh so insta-worthy), panoramic city skyline views and laid back atmosphere.

I got myself ready to go teaming the hat and leather jacket combo to combat the rainy August day.

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On arrival I noticed the reception looked incredibly premium and brand new with integrated screens and clean white surfaces and seating , it defintiely offered a great first impression. The Edge salon is on the 4th floor so I made my way up there. There’s lots of work going on in the building as the building is still in development but don’t let this put you off as soon it’ll be one of the places to be with the first Norwich rooftop bar and restaurant coming here soon.

When I walked in the salon I instantly fell in love, the furnishing was just up my street. I love big airy open places particularly with natural light and The Edge is definitely not short of that with its huge Windows and panoramic views!

Chris used to do my nails when he worked in Jarrolds and this is the first salon that had been a good location for me to get to so my long wait to be reunited with his talents was finally over! I picked myself a colour (N93) and we got started, he started by getting the tips and glueing them to my natural nails- for those extension sceptics gel extensions don’t require filing into your nail- the next step was to create the perfect almond shape which Chris did perfectly! Following this because this is a sculted gel extension he created the shape and thickness with a clear gel which is cured first….

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I actually kind of liked it like this but hopefully you can see the strength and thickness from the photo. After this stage there was more filing to make the shape even more perfect before the colour was applied and cured. The colour application is the quickest part and gives the lovely shine too! He used The Gel Bottle shade N93 which I had spied on his Instagram! Colour cured can only mean one thing…. Voila!

I love them! The look so perfect! The whole process took a couple of hours but 2 weeks later and they’re still looking pretty spectacular AND these bad boys you can infill too!

Thank you so much Chris for your precision and being a perfectionist! Go check him out ladies on Instagram @sketchnaildesign and @theedgenorwich

Thanks for reading!

Has anyone been here or have any stars of their own nails to share?

Holly xx