Tonal Dressing with Whistles A/W Collection

Tonal Dressing with Whistles A/W Collection

Tuesday, 17 December 2019

The easiest way to look effortlessly polished and put together this season is tonal dressing. 

What is tonal dressing? 

It’s simply outfitting head to toe in one colour of different hues, a trend that has been spotted in every fashion capital during this year’s most recent fashion weeks. Autumnal tones are all about warm shades of cinnamon, wine, chocolate, mustard, bottle green and rich blues among luxurious neutrals of beige, black, grey and khaki. The Whistles A/W collection has used this colour palette as it’s foundation to allow you to curate your very own monochromatic outfit. 

Tonal dressing may seem easy, but there are a few tricks to ensure you pull off a gold standard look every time. Be sure to mix textures as well as hues, we love the contrast of hard and soft with leather and luxury knit. If one colour all over seems a little scary at first, a great way to break up the outfit is with accessories. So, grab your trusty black bag to complete your modern Parisian look.

Here's my top picks of Whistles A/W collection:

11 Little Changes That Your Hair Will Thank You For

11 Little Changes That Your Hair Will Thank You For

Tuesday, 12 November 2019

In the age of social media, the temptation to get a new hairstyle is bigger than ever. You’ve got celebrities like Kylie Jenner with a new colour and length every week and models sporting the new must-have cuts at every event. But how long is a neon green micro-bob going to be the ‘in’ thing anyway? Truth is, these influencers have teams of hairstylists at the ready to perform miracles that we can only dream of recreating ourselves. Most of these miracles come in the form of wigs and extensions too. It’s not really a question of ‘if’ your hair is damaged. It’s to what extent it ‘IS’ damaged. Because it’s not just about extreme dye jobs, it’s the straightening, curling, drying, hair treatments and even products we are using on our locks. Of course, the quickest and easiest way to reverse all that damage would be to chop it all off and start again. Although growing it back would take ages and even the most damaged hair can be revived with some simple changes. 

Switch to Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Many shampoo and conditioners contain sulfates and other harsh chemicals. Sulfates can strip the good oils from your strands and scalp leaving hair dry and brittle. Also, if you suffer with sensitive skin or scalp, this ingredient can cause dryness, redness, itching and general irritation. By adding this ingredient into shampoo it makes the formula nice and foamy and gives you a good lather effect. But you don't really need this. Switch to a sulfate-free shampoo and your hair will be left feeling healthier and shinier than ever.

Top picks: 

Use a Serum 

Hair serum can make your hair feel soft, smooth, shiny and help repair damaged ends. It can even tame frizz and make your locks far more manageable! Apply a small amount to your palms, rub together and then distribute to the ends of your hair. Avoid putting it on or near your scalp as this can cause hair to look greasy. 

Don't Use Heat

One of the best ways to prevent damage is to stop using heat on your hair altogether. This is where most of the damage is done. That familiar hiss of the hair straightener, the steam from the hair curler and the efficiency of a quick blow dry. Heat causes dehydration, moisture loss and protein damage to name a few bad side effects.  We all know we shouldn't be doing these things too often but we all get stuck in a rut. So have a break from the tools and have a detox. Try washing your hair in the evening and leaving your hair to dry in a towel. If you hate your natural hair texture, then pull it up into a bun or a ponytail.

If You Need to Use Heat, Coat Your Hair in Heat Defence

Of course, there will be a time where you just HAVE to use a heated styling tool. You might be in a rush one morning and have to dry your hair before work or be going out-out and need an Insta-worthy barnet. Just be sensible and use a heat protection spray or serum. Make sure to coat each section of damp hair before blowdrying and when straightening for curling, be sure to spritz a light mist before styling. 

Make Time for a Hair Mask

A hair mask is a deep conditioning treatment that helps to heal the hair. They contain many rich ingredients like natural oils and lipids in higher concentrations than a regular conditioner. Unlike conditioners, you can leave hair masks in for an extended period of time; anywhere between 3 minutes to overnight. Try and use one of these at least once or twice a week as part of your self-care, pamper routine. 

Take Care When Brushing

You may think you have the technique of brushing your hair down to a T. But there is actually a right way to brush hair. Brushing your hair can cause hair breakage. Follow these few simple steps to ensure you're doing it correctly:

• Don't start from the root down. Start a few centimetres from the scalp and then brush down. 
• Wet hair is more fragile. Therefore, stick to brushing your hair when it's dry. 
• If you need to brush wet hair, then use a wide-tooth comb and use a conditioning or detangling spray. 
• Invest in a decent brush. There are different hair brushes for different purposes and hair types.
• Don't brush too much! 

Sleep On a Silk Pillowcase

Sleeping on silk will help keep that bed hair at bay. Their smooth surface can help reduce friction on your hair which can lead to damage. Traditional cotton pillowcases are more porous, therefore absorb moisture from your locks, while silk lets moisture stay put. 

Skip Hair Wash Day

Washing your hair every day strips the natural oils from the scalp and hair shaft, leaving it drier and prone to breakage. Excessive use of shampoo and conditioner can also lead to a build-up of product which in turn weighs the hair down and causes further damage. Try and wash hair every other day, but when you can leave it even longer for maximum benefits. If it looks greasy, you can just spray a bit of dry shampoo to freshen up. Pulling your hair back into a bun or a ponytail can also disguise this. 

Nourish from Within

A well-balanced diet is a key factor for healthy hair. Hair is primarily made up of protein, so be sure to get at least 45 grams of it daily. If you take in too little protein, your hair will suffer the co sequences. It can become weak, brittle and the colour can become less vibrant. Omega-3 is another great hair food, which can be found in fish, flaxseed and yoghurt. Upping your zinc intake can mean less hair is shed, keeping it thick and healthy. Nuts are a great source of Zinc, as well as leafy greens and fruit. 

For a little extra boost, you can take vitamin supplements to boost healthy hair maintenance. Here are my top picks: 

Water, Water, Water

I bet you're fed up with people telling you to fix your life with water. But water is the best way to replenish your body. Your hair is thirsty too! It takes up almost a quarter of the hair strand, therefore you should aim to drink at least two litres a day. Drinking enough water can also eliminate scalp issues including dandruff. 

Get a Trim

Even If you are trying to grow your hair, you shouldn't stop your visits to the hairdresser. You should get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks to ensure the ends don't split far up the shaft. If you don't want too much length lost, ask your stylist for a "dusting". 

Paid to Promote - The Shady World of Blogging

Paid to Promote - The Shady World of Blogging

Monday, 4 November 2019

NOUN: Influencer. A person who has the power to influence many people, as through social media or traditional media. 

Before 2016, there was no definition for this term in the Oxford English Dictionary, and now it’s a word we can’t escape. New regulations mean that honesty and transparency is the only way for this industry to go forward. It may be good for the consumer, but what about those at the heart of the content? Lifestyle Blogger Aziza Makame tells me the after-effects of the new law. 

Credit: Aziza Makamé

Is your feed clogged up with advert-like posts that big-up random and questionable products that you wouldn’t normally touch, even with a 10ft barge pole? Detox tea that can shed 10 pounds from your body in one week… really? The world’s best protein powder that guarantees to give you abs of steel with minimal exercise… right, sounds totally legitimate and safe. Well, you’re not the only one. These days, every other social media post seems to be some sort of sponsored content. It’s hard to filter out the true and decent from the gimmicky fads. All thanks to the rise of Influencer culture. 

People with followers ranging from thousands to millions are considered Influencers. Their followers see the content, like the product, want the product, got the product. In true Ariana Grande fashion. But can we really trust bloggers? People can be gullible and automatically assume that a product is top-notch just because their favourite blogger is endorsing it. But is it all just a money-making scheme? Do these influencers really have a solid connection and belief in the products that they are effectively advertising? 

        via GIPHY

Well, in a bid to put a stop to all of the confusion and to stop the manipulation of followers, the Government decided to step in. In September 2018, a new document was released via the Competition and Markets Authority and the Advertising Standards Agency named Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines. The aim of this was to provide complete transparency for social media users. What does this mean? It simply means that everyone will be able to recognise straight away if a post is sponsored, incentivised or has been gifted. Five months on and these new transparent platforms are full steam ahead. It’s no longer a battleground with followers throwing accusations around like ammunition. No lies or AD hashtags drowning in a sea of a hundred other jargon-ridden tags. What is life like now as a blogger in this stricter, monitored blogosphere?

Meet Aziza Makamé, a 20-something British-Moroccan fashion and lifestyle blogger based in London. She started her journey in 2017 and now has over 10 thousand followers on Instagram. She’s worked with big brands such as Thierry Mugler Fragrances, Adexe Watches and Sanctuary Spa. If you head over to her Instagram you’ll be greeted with an absolute rainbow fest and a feed full of carefully curated posts that radiate her hard work, talent and passion. At 10k followers, she’s one of the smaller ones. 

Aziza's sponsored post with Thierry Mugler Fragrances. Credit: Aziza Makamé

“I love sharing my style with people! It’s a lot of work though”. For Aziza, it’s not a full-time job at the moment, she already has a 9-5. The fact that her blog is bringing in about half of her monthly pay packet that her day job does, proves that this woman is a multitasking powerhouse. “It’s so worth it when I get girls messaging me about how I’m inspiring them … my Instagram is a journey and I want people to grow with me”.

“When the disclosure guidelines first came out, my initial thoughts were “what the hell!” I mean the documentary for Fyre Festival had just come out and the internet was going on an influencer witch hunt!”. If you haven’t seen the Fyre documentary on Netflix, you need to. It shows high-profile celebrities get paid absolutely extortionate amounts of money to post complete lies to promote a fabricated event that stole millions of pounds from its customers. Kendall Jenner is reported to have earned $250,000 for a single post. 

"In an ideal world, you'd disclose only things you'd been paid to promote"aziza makamé

First of all, Aziza admits she didn’t think much of the laws, just that it would be a more honest place for followers to enjoy content. Deeper down the line though, it became clear that the rules weren’t so straight forward. It wasn’t as simple as adding a hashtag or two to let everyone know the post is sponsored. “I’ve had to write longer posts and try to remember if the items I’m wearing have been gifted or [I’ve] been sponsored for. There’s an Olivia Burton watch I wear literally every day and I have to say that it was gifted, even if it’s on an Instagram story”. If a blogger has ever previously worked with a brand or still owns products gifted by a company, this has to be stated in any post that includes a product by the brand. Even if the current post isn’t anything to do with them. It all seems very long-winded and quite frankly annoying. “In an ideal world, you’d disclose only things you’d been paid to promote”.

Despite the annoying bits, overall Aziza thinks this step was good for the industry and says Influencers with a larger following shouldn’t be let off the hook. “There are blogs with bigger accounts and you feel a certain level of deception when you see that most of the posts and items they own are either gifted or paid to post.” 

Aziza has found that her followers hate Ads. “The laws have definitely had more of an effect on me as a smaller blogger, people hate AD posts. And hate seeing gifted. A lot more people unfollow.” Of course, they’re the main source of income for smaller bloggers like herself. If you choose this career, there’s no way of escaping them. However, when it’s celebrities that post an AD, they’re accepted. A lot of thanks goes to the Z-list celeb factory that is Love Island: the main culprit for the nation's sudden lust for charcoal whitening toothpaste (Thanks guys, all we have been left with is dull teeth and a stained toothbrush). 
The number of followers a person has should not equate to a level of trust, but it sadly happens. 

Deception at the hand of a celebrity of a more international scale happens within the Kardashian-Jenner clan. Collectively, they boast a staggering 518.4 million Instagram followers. They are in no shortage of money or attention, to say the least. Especially Kylie, the youngest of the bunch who became Forbes’ youngest self-made billionaire at the age of 21 (The term self-made is a whole different topic to be debated). 

Products that the Kardashians have endorsed on their pages include waist trainers, hair growth supplements and the oh-so-familiar weight loss tea. One particular product that Kim controversially promoted on her account last year was FlatTummyCo’s hunger-suppressing lollypop. It’s a product that isn’t reviewed by the FDA which means there’s absolutely no proof of its safety. Kim is a UK size 8, a waist that measures a mear 26 inches and a cosmetic surgeon most likely on speed dial. Does she look like someone that would go out and buy a pack of lolly’s that cost approximately £1 per portion? Plus the fact that she was likely paid more than the average UK yearly salary to take five minutes out of her day to post it. 

Kim K's controversial post that was removed shortly after
uploading due to international backlash. Credit: Kim Kardashian

For passionate content creators like Aziza, it’s hard not to dream of a simpler world. Thanks to the shady posts from celebrities of all fame levels, there will never be and should never be a world without some kind of influencer regulation. Aziza actually hopes that the future will bring more guidelines and stricter rules, along with more respect for content creators. “People think it’s as easy as taking a selfie with a product and that everything is free. Hopefully, this will make people realise we’re not actually gifted as much or paid to promote much.” She’s not afraid to throw some shade at big players either. “It may do the opposite. It might make people realise that it’s actually all paid for, all sponsored and all gifted. Trust for bigger bloggers may go down and for smaller bloggers trust and respect will hopefully increase!”. 

"Trust for bigger bloggers may go down and for smaller bloggers trust and respect will hopefully increase!"AZIZA MAKAMÉ

Some may argue that official laws have added to the negative, judgemental and money-grabbing persona that’s usually associated with influencers. All in all, the foundations of the law are in the right place. Though the big guys in the fancy London office that drew these up probably would have benefited by actually talking to a blogger or two to fully understand the industry. Let’s face it, it was probably a bunch of old guys in tweed suits that plucked these points out of thin air that have never owned an Instagram account and who still religiously reads broadsheets on the daily commute. 

Influencer marketing became the thing as people moved away from, traditional media consumption (TV and magazines… *cries*). It’s essentially an online form of peer to peer recommendation, influencers act like your friends. Good influencers will only recommend a product that they truly believe in and won’t take the money from any old dodgy brand. These relationships are solely built on trust. The Government guidelines were put in place to formalise that trust and ensure the followers' best interests are put at the absolute forefront of every post. It’s still early days. Let’s just hope the future of blogging and influencer marketing is as bright as Aziza’s Instagram account.

Follow Aziza on Instagram @azizamakame for regular, colourful fashion and lifestyle content!

Reset your mindset

Reset your mindset

Monday, 21 October 2019

Whether you're a student or in full-time work, stress and pressure is bound to strike in at least one moment of your journey. Stress does a funny thing to the body. It can cause mental and physical strains and leave you just not feeling your usual self. It's a perfectly normal thing, it's merely a reaction to positive or negative situations. While it's commonly associated with bad situations, it can appear after you've just received good news too, such as being accepted into university or getting a new job. 

There's no right or wrong time to be feeling this way, One thing that it shouldn't do though is consume you and make you feel under the weather for a long stretch of time. Certain commitments might subconsciously encourage you to keep up the pace but it's so important to stop and unwind. It's time to get your body, brain and life back in order with a few simple steps. 



1. Have a 'me' day Self-care Sunday, self-care Saturday... self-care any day! It's a basic need and the perfect way to eliminate stress. It's a common notion to put other's needs before your own while your own needs get pushed to the bottom of the pile. Well, after a full-on week, take a day to day to reverse that role and have a day to yourself. Have a me day. A me day can consist of an all manner of things depending on what you love to do most. Whether it's a day in front of the TV binge-watching a Netflix series, reading a book or reaching for a face mask. Everyone needs to recharge and reconnect with their own needs and desires. 

2. Get outside

Busy periods filled with exams and deadlines can mean days upon days spent in front of fluorescent lights and glaring computer screens. What does being outdoors provide? Natural light! Fresh air really is what the doctor ordered. It’s been proven that walking in nature helps to improve anxiety, depression, stress and other mental strains. Being outside helps to calm the mind which also helps to reduce heart rate and blood pressure, both tell-tale signs of stress. It can take as little as five minutes to feel the benefits. 

3. Clear study/workplace

Clear space, clear mind. Decluttering can mentally prepare you for your next venture, whether that’s more study or work-related tasks or something completed unrelated. By doing this simple activity it can provide a real sense of accomplishment which translates onto motivation. Obviously, if you keep all your old work and things that you don’t need, it can remind you of the time you were drowning in stress and pressure. Get rid or hide it away.

4. Spend time with loved ones 

Friends and family bring out the best in you. You can be your complete self around them. Whether it’s staying at home or going out and being social, spending time with those closest to you is invaluable. They’re there to act as a natural buffer for the stressful moments of your day-to-day life, so use that time to relieve yourself, let go and have fun.

"If you want to relax, watch the clouds pass by if you're laying on the grass, or sit in front of the creek; just doing nothing and having those still moments is what really rejuvenates the body"

Miranda kerr

12 Hours in Rome

12 Hours in Rome

Friday, 18 October 2019

Rather than staying in the Italian capital itself, I was staying in a villa in the seaside town of Sperlonga. Visiting family in the nearby city of Fondi was the main purpose of the visit. But with Rome being just a short train ride away from this area, it would be crazy not to go and explore the one city I had always dreamed of visiting. Even if we did had just over 12 hours until our flight back to Heathrow...

Is it possible to see a large handful of Rome's best bits in less than a day. Possible? yes. Tiring?...yes.

In 35 degree heat and the travel method of choice being on foot it was an incredibly exhausting day. I think I racked up about 25,000 steps on my fitness tracker. But walking gave me a real taste of the culture, walking from roman ruins through to modern streets filled with shops was a feast for the eyes in this whistle-stop tour of the Eternal City.

We started at Rome Termini, the main train station, where we left our luggage in the hold facilities in the station. This cost about 30 euros to be held for the day which was perfect for us as we were getting the coach to the airport from just outside the station at the end of the day.

We set off on foot from the station towards the centre of the city. It took about 20 minutes through quirky little back alleys and side streets laced with markets and street food stalls to reach our first destination.

The Colosseum

The first stop had to be the most recognisable landmark in the city. The first introduction to the landmark was walking through the Oppian Hill Park, a public garden filled with marble sculptures, statues and fountains.  The park was built in 1800's as part of the 'urban reorganisation that followed the establishment of Rome as the capital city of Italy'.  It was busy with people having picnic, leisurely strolls and we even walked through a film set! There's a central avenue that leads down the middle of the park to the Colosseum, that acts as a majestic entrance and the perfect photo backdrop. We couldn't resist our own mini photoshoot here...

Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go inside the Colosseum. But the views were enough for us, we were mesmerised and stayed for around an hour just doing a few laps around site. Built between 70-80AD, it was the largest amphitheatre in the world at the time of construction holding around 50,000-80,000 spectators.  The oval ampitheatre was used for gladiator contests, animal hunts, executions, reenactments of famous battles a d dramas based on classical mythology. Seeing something that was built so long ago was truly surreal. Something that slightly ruined the mood though was the sheer amount of street sellers trying to flog tacky merchandise every 2 minutes. I didn't give in, but my mum ended up with one of those pretty Chinese oil-paper parasols... just what you'd want as a souvenir from an ancient roman monument. Nonetheless, this has to be NUMBER ONE on your Rome bucket list, even if you do as I did and just admire from the outside.

Roman Forum

Just past the Colosseum we found the Roman Forum. It's a rectangular forum (plaza) made up of several ruined government building from approximately . It was the centre of day-to-day life in Ancient Rome. What once stood here was temples, basilicas and vibrant public spaces. What we are left with today is mainly foundations and columns. I didn't get chance to go in, but just standing on the public path overlooking the forum gave breathtaking views. There are also many statues that line the path, including one of Julius Caesar, who was actually buried in the Temple of Caesar within the Roman Forum. 

Credit: Unsplash

Piazza Venezia

Walking a little further on from the Roman Forum led us to the Piazza Venezia. When I first saw it I was absolutely amazed at the size of it! It practically took up the whole of the skyline. The huge white building was built between 1885 and 1911. It was built to celebrate the unity of Italy in 1870 and to honour the first kind of Italy, Vittoria Emanuele II (1878) whose bronze equestrian statue sits directly in the centre front of the Piazza Venezia. We stumbled across this building a few times that day as we got lost down some side streets thanks to my impressive navigation skills... 

Credit: Unsplash

A little bit of wandering...

We were on our way to the Trevi Fountain, but found cute little shops, bars and markets so we had a bit of a pitstop. We saw a sign for a rooftop bar so jumped at the chance to see a good view and a large glass of vino. I can't remember the name of the bar and can't seem to find it anywhere on google! But it was lovely and quiet and offered views of the orange, sand coloured buildings and their garden terraces. It had quirky little interior features like big buddha heads and the Mona Lisa on a door... 

Big Buddha lamp decor

Mona Lisa doorway

Surrounding the Trevi Fountain there were rows of little tourist shops. We couldn't stay away from the liquor shops that offered free tastings! Bottles came in all shapes and sizes such as the Italy boot shape and some more provocative shapes as seen in the first picture below... Belgian chocolate, pistachio and strawberry and cream were just a few flavours on offer. And I walked away with a banana one to take back to England. 

Trevi Fountain 

This was one of the most crowded tourist spots in Rome that day. It was HEAVING. As if it wasn't hot enough. But this fountain is definitely the most elaborate one I have ever seen. It  was so beautiful. The site was originally an acquit that provided pure water for Ancient Rome from around 19 BC. It was made a fountain in 1732. According to legend, throwing a coin into the fountain will ensure you return to the Eternal city. Of course I had to throw in a euro if It gave me a higher change of coming back! Roughly €3,000 is thrown in to the fountain each day, this mounted up to around €1.4 million dollar In 2016. People have tried to steal money from the water, which is illegal to do so. I sat on the wall that surrounds the fountain and dipped my finger in the water for a short relief from the heat and was immediately shouted at by security... 

Spanish Steps

I must admit, Spanish Steps wasn't on my list of places to see. My mum was the one who insisted on the stop. I'm glad we did though because it's a really  lovely part of Rome and the atmosphere was amazing. Tons of tourists were sat on the steps taking a few minutes downtime with a gelato in hand. Although now there is a law stopping people from sitting and if caught you could face a hefty fine of €250. They opened in 1725 and boast 136 steps up to Piazza Trinità dei Monti and the Trinità dei Monti church. I miraculously managed to get a picture of me walking up the steps with not a tourist in sight... 

Vatican City, St Peter's Basilica 

We walked through the city and a long the River Tiber, which was lined with art and book markets, to reach the Vatican. This was our end goal. Vatican City is an independent city state encapsulated by Rome. It became independent from Italy in 1929. It is ruled by the Pope. Within the city lies various cultural and historic sites like St. Peter's Basilica, the largest in the world, and the Sistine Chapel, which is home to Michalangeolo's ceiling famous painted ceiling. 

Aerial view of St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square

THE HA GIANG LOOP - "It’s something you would never experience if you stayed in a Hotel"

THE HA GIANG LOOP - "It’s something you would never experience if you stayed in a Hotel"

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

[Myself and my friends] booked to go to The Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam and do the infamous three-day motorbike tour.  We were sat on the back of these rusty looking motorbikes with our tour guide driving. It’s so different than being in a car or coach or whatever, you see so much more in the open air. You’d look around and you would be surrounded by mountains and dense jungle. You can’t ever describe it unless you are there yourself, it’s a beautifully indescribable place. 

Sophie braving a photo on the cliff edge 

7 Days In Barcelona

7 Days In Barcelona

Saturday, 19 January 2019

WHAT A WAY TO CELEBRATE TURNING 21

Much to my excitement, my boyfriend chose to take me to Barcelona for my 21st birthday! A trip that was supposed to be a surprise for me to receive on the morning of August the 4th, was actually accidentally found out by me a good 4 months prior to this.. oops! I stick by the fact that it was accidental! I'd always wanted to go to this city, so I was absolutely over the moon when I discovered the destination.  

People usually plan something like a long weekend trip or a 3 to 4-day trip here, as a chance to explore the sights and experience the Spanish culture. However we went for a long 7-day break, and we saw and did so much In this beautiful place. 

Getting there and getting around 

We flew from London Gatwick with Norwegian Airlines, who are a fantastic budget airline offering all sorts of flights from the usual short European flights to long-haul (I've flown with these a few times to America). It took us around 2 hours to get to BCN airport.

Once you're in Barcelona, you're inundated with transport options. You've got taxi, metro, bus, tram and train. As we had only just got there we didn't have the energy to be spending time figuring out a new county's public transport system, so we opted for the quickest option: taxi. Looking back I wish we had done some research prior to this as it cost almost 50 euros for a 15/20 minute journey, whereas a 5-day metro card cost 30 euros each and is valid for unlimited uses In that 5 day period. So throughout the rest of the holiday, we opted for the metro. Exactly the same as the London Underground, however slightly less busy and 1000 degrees hotter.

My top 4 places to eat

BRUNCH AND CAKE

I'm pretty sure every major place on earth now has a restaurant that's highly Instagrammed due to its high aesthetic factor. This is Barcelona's.. and its probably visited by hundreds of bloggers every day across their 3 cafe's scattered across the city. I'd seen this all over my Instagram feed by various bloggers and had even been recommended to eat here by every friend that I asked! I'm a sucker for pretty things, so of course, this was top of my to-do list for day 5...

I had the Nutella Paleo Pancake and let me tell you it was a thing of absolute dreams. Although it was more of a super fluffy cake, it was a  purely delicious experience of annoyingly moreish hazelnutty goodness (annoying because it didn't last long). The perfect brunch choice for a die-hard chocoholic like myself. Plus it contains no refined sugar (hence the paleo), so healthy its really healthy too!

My boyfriend Mike had a strange dish of thick crisps with sweet potato strips and Spanish sausage bits. It was advertised at more of a meal containing crispy potatoes, so we were thinking fried potatoes or some sort of hash brown? I wouldn't recommend this if you're hungry or even for breakfast at all. It's a good and tasty light lunch. 

Nutella paleo pancake 

Crispy potato and Spanish sausage thingy...

ROSSINI

Who would have thought that I'd come across the most amazing Italian restaurant I've ever been to in Spain? Well, I did. Rossini is in the Plaça Reial, which is just off La Rambla. This is quite a touristy area with dozens of restaurants bordering a square which boasts a big wishing fountain and towering palm trees, as well as the odd street performer doing flips and tricks to a cheering crowd of tapas eaters and sangria drinkers.

The food is a really good price for the type of fine dining that they serve. I had the Foie Gras Mushroom ravioli which without a doubt is the best pasta I've ever eaten! My boyfriend opted for the heavily meat-based dish of course, in the form of lamb shoulder with sweet potato. He ate it in a minute so I think the pure speed of that speaks for itself.

TALLER DE TAPAS

Our first restaurant choice of the trip wasn't a planned one, it was a quick pick from 2 very hungry tourists a few hours after touching down in Barcelona. We were ready to expect a boring okay-ish take on Spanish cuisine from an apparent chain restaurant - wow were we surprised! We got the classic seafood paella accompanied by their set tapas sharing board. Good authentic food and good for saving your euros. I believe there's a few of these across the city, so be sure to try it. 

MIRABE

Mirabe boasts the best panoramic view of Barcelona. It really is breathtaking. You can sit at the table whilst landmark spotting, its like a real-life map set out right in front of you. As expected this restaurant is a little more pricey, the food and impeccable service lives up to this. A must visit!

MUST DO/SEE

BIKE-RIDING

The best way to see the city in your own time is to hire a bike for the day. It's also the best way to stay cool because the Metro is like being in hell it's that hot! This way you get to see all the winding back streets and find secluded places you never would have by simply walking or on public transport. It gives you the chance to stop as many or as little times as you like. Plus the freedom to see whatever you want. Prices for a bike here can be anywhere between €10 and €25 for 24 hours. 

SAGRADA FAMILIA

No photo or written word could ever do this place justice. I didn't know just how spectacular this basilica would be. This has to be on top of your to-do list when you're not just in Barcelona, but EUROPE as a whole.