Top Fridays: Holidays

I have been very fortunate throughout my life to visit some amazing places around the world with my friends and family. These places hold amazing memories so I thought I would share them with you, alongside any hints and tips that I have picked up along the way. Sometimes holidays aren't always about the luxury. I have visited some of these places on a budget and believe me; it is possible. I have ordered them in regards to my opinion, beginning at number nine. This is in no way bragging- I simply want to take a walk down memory lane!

9. Istanbul, Turkey

I visited Istanbul on a college art trip in 2011 with a few of my best friends, so it wasn’t exactly the same structure as a family holiday. For example, after getting to college at 1am and travelling to catch a flight, flying to Turkey, arriving at the not air-conditioned hotel by about lunch time- we were expected to go sightseeing at the Blue Mosque for the evening, and then walk another few miles to have some dinner. It was exhausting to say the least and I personally wouldn’t have planned it like that. However, Istanbul has got amazing culture, with the Grand Bazaar a place you must visit. I remember buying my Mulberry clutch bag really cheaply and all my friends doing the same! Even though it was an art trip and we all dragged our sketchbooks around with us, I don’t think we did any artwork. We tended to leave the galleries and go sit in a café with a shisha and Lipton peach ice tea!

8. Pas De La Casa, Andorra

Nestled in between Spain and France is Andorra. Unknown to some, Andorra boasts some amazing ski resorts and a wide range of slopes with varied ability levels. The black slopes in particular were quite tame compared to French black runs. I stayed in the resort of Pas De La Casa with my family for New Year and it was hands-down one of the best skiing I have done. The resort itself was geared towards a younger audience with a bustling nightlife, but also fitted the purpose of our family holiday with some lovely restaurants. If I was to go back, I would save some extra money and buy perfume and more alcohol out there because the whole country is tax-free, meaning everything was very cheap. I bought 2 litres of spirits for the equivalent of £15. As you can imagine, I saved money when I came back to uni in the New Year!

7. Val D'Isere, France

I think the main reason I enjoyed this holiday so much is because of the upgraded chalet we were put in because of a booking blunder with the holiday company. Nevertheless, the resort was absolutely beautiful and do the best crepes. At night, the resort is lit with fairy lights which make it look like something out of Sylvanian families. The one downside about going with my family and other families with younger children is missing out on the apres. Val D'Isere is home to The Folie Deuce- the king of apres ski that is famous for it's saxophone dance music, table dancing, and very pricey drinks. I would love to go back with friends and get the whole après experience in Val D’Isere as it did look ah-mazing.

6. Paris, France

J'adore! I had the pleasure in visiting Paris in September 2013 with my best bud, and yes, despite being nearly in our twenties at the time, we did visit Disneyland, and yes, we did wear Minnie Mouse ears for the entire day. No shame. Paris itself is absolutely beautiful and absolutely massive. We managed to do the typical tourist hotspots, like the Eiffel Tower, but we would not have been able to visit everything (including the museums) in the 2 and a half days that we had. Luckily, being the cultured people that we are, we based our plan on what would photograph best so the main landmarks were our best shot. Paris is very expensive, more so than any other city I have been in. The cheapest soft drink in a cafe was 7 euros. I bought most my drinks from a vending machine on the metro and just sat on a wall by the river. Picturesque maybe, but not very glamourous. 

5. Marrakech, Morocco

I visited Marrakech in the summer of 2011 with my family and stayed at the Riu Tikida Resort, which was looooovely. Despite this not being my favourite kind of holiday (I'm not the best at laying around doing nothing- put me on some skis!), it was by far the best sun holiday I've had as it was so relaxing, and I got to see some of the Moroccan culture. The Moroccan markets in Jemaa El-Fnaa square are strangely a nice break from all the laziness, as these are buzzing with tradesmen, tourists, and snake charmers (no thanks). Quite typically, you do get a lot of beggars and unauthorised tour guides trying to get your attention when you leave the bus, but it is important that you just keep clear. These baddies can charge you for even talking to them. So yeah, stay clear and your bank balance won't hate you. Other than that, you are sure to pick up a bargain or two, and also a tan (oh yeah).

4. Orlando, Florida

Literally the happiest place on earth. Being the biggest Disney and film fan, Disneyworld and Universal Studios are so much fun, regardless of your age. I’m an adrenaline junkie so I’ll go on anything, as long as I’m securely strapped in! I went with my family and we stayed in a villa just off International Drive, which is full of hotels and restaurants. Eating out on International Drive is cheaper than eating in the parks, but I wouldn’t rule out trying some of the themed restaurants in the parks because they are an once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is also important to pack a ran mac or poncho that you can quickly put on in a Floridian storm, which can go from spitting to torrential rain in 0-5 seconds. Not exactly the best fashion statement, but when your walking and queuing in the humidity- practicality is key.

3. New York City, USA

It is my life ambition to live in New York for some part of my life. I just love how every corner there is a Starbucks or a breakfast café with about 20 different varieties of muffins. Whilst on the topic of food, there are so many salad bars where you can create a customized salad, which is perfect for lunch on-the-go. My sister and I had one every day and we still say how much we miss them (I’ve just realised how weird that sounds haha). I went in 2010 and again in 2013, so I feel I’ve done all the main ‘touristy’ things like the Empire State and Liberty Island and therefore won’t probably go and do them all again for another 10 years! After all, the queues for all these places are lengthy to say the least. I would say, that if I had to choose between the Empire State and the Rockefeller Centre, I would pick the Rockefeller because there are no queues (hoorah!) and you can get better pictures with glass walls, whereas the Empire State has these metal bars that just get in the way. Also, stay as close to Times Square as you can so most things are within walking distance. We stayed last year at The Manhattan at Times Square Hotel, which was perfect for us- and we got a double bed each, so as you can imagine, we were thrilled.

2. Barcelona, Spain

Quite possibly my favourite European city (bar London- still loyal), Barcelona is absolutely beautiful and has so much to do, whether that be shopping, site-seeing, or trying out the local cuisine. I visited with my friend in the summer of 2013 and stayed at the Acta Mimic hotel, which was about a 5 minute walk from La Rambla and the nearest metro station. This room was on the small side but it suited us fine with its great location and air-con! We did all the touristy things like Parc Guell, Camp Nou, and the Gothic quarters of the city, so by the last day our feet were so sore! As a solution to our throbbing feet, we rented bikes for our last day and cycled to the beach, which was such a good decision. The weather was perfect and the Barcelona beach is pretty easy to find, as well as it being nice and sandy. Easily one of my favourite holidays.

1. Meribel, France

My other home! I did my ski season in Meribel which is situated in the 3 valley area in the French alps. A playground for the rich and famous, but also families, young groups, and seasonnaires. I may be biased, but Meribel is a picturesque and an all-round contender for best ski resort. Meribel is made up of pretty wooden chalets, amazing apres ski bars, and restaurants (which I have to say, are pretty pricey). If your looking for a night out, each night has something going on. On Sunday's at Jacks bar is a night called 'Toss-the-Boss', where if you roll the dice higher than the barman, you get your round for free. I had many Sunday nights where I didn't spend a penny, which is ideal when you have spent too much money on nachos. If you are wanting food out on the slopes, I recommend taking a pack lunch or going into the resort, which you can access easily down the Doron piste to avoid walking up the hill. The restaurants on the slopes are very expensive, so if you are looking for food like burgers, chips, pizzas etc. then the Tavern in the centre, or the Meribar (at the bottom of the Chaudanne) are best for this. The buses in Meribel are also free. If you are wanting to venture further, Courcheval and Val Thorens are either side of the resort and costs 25 euros to upgrade for the day on your Meribel ski pass. This is so worth it, but make sure you know what time the last lift leaves, otherwise you'll have an awkward situation of trying to get back home. From what I've heard, it isn't easy. 


I can't wait to add to this list as the years go on! If you want to know more about these holiday destinations, then feel free to ask questions in the comments below. Now I reaaaaally want a holiday!

Wantfeed. The Social Wishlist...

After my recent June Wishlist post, the new social website called Wantfeed happens to launch, where you copy and paste the URL of your wanted item to your own personalised profile. Talk about timing! The items you post to your profile are then available for others to see, as they can search certain categories, whether that be fashion, hair and beauty, technology etc. and 're-want' and 'like' your items. I was informed about the launch of it through watching fashion, beauty, and lifestyle blogger/vlogger Hannah Magg's videos on YouTube as her husband created it, so I was eager to give it a try.

Personally, I find Wantfeed really exciting because I literally hoard internet pages on my bookmarks of things that I want. I always forget about stuff I bookmark so being the organised freak that I am, there is something nice and therapeutic about everything being all in one place. I'm sure that I will look back at it in a few months time and reconsider my choices but I suppose that's all in the fun of it! I mainly aim to use mine to reduce my extensive bookmark collection and to get fashion/beauty inspiration. The only thing I would criticise is that it can be a little slow, but I'm sure that's because of how recent and new it is; like it's finding it's feet in the big internet world. The next step is just persuading my friends to join so I can stalk their profiles!

wantfeed.com

The Calvin Klein Pout & Storage...

After losing my lipsticks and having them dotted around in all my bags, I found this lipstick  holder on Amazon for £3. Not only is this bargain and looks pretty cool with all my lipsticks in, the time I spent running around trying to find them has been significantly reduced- yay! I would've taken a picture but I left it at home because I leave uni in a week. However, it is beyond typical that I also use this as an opportunity to buy more lipsticks so it can look nice and full, and well, so I can have more choice. And as I always say: you can never have too many lipsticks. 

That's when I came across Calvin Klein's Luxurious Creme Lipsticks. Their original RRP was £13.50 and it happens to be that eBay, Amazon, and fragrancedirect are selling these for £2.25. Yes, only £2.25! I'm not entirely clued up as to why they have been reduced so much, but from what I have read on other people's blogs, the line might have ended so I imagine the stock won't last! For this reason, I recommend buying some as soon as possible. Due to the inaccurate colour swatches on these websites, some of these lipsticks arrived a little different than I expected. Nevertheless, I wasn't disappointed. This post will hopefully be the most accurate guide to their true colours and wearability. 

The first one I purchased is called Mesmerist (above) and it's a fuchsia pink with blue undertones- making it the perfect pink lipstick that will stand out on both pale and tanned skin. This is my go-to summer colour as it brightens up any outfit. All these lipsticks have got a high-pigment so their colour is so bold and strong. Gone are the times of layering lipsticks as these will do the job in one application!

As I was so happy about how amazing this lipstick was, I ordered two more: Victorious (above) and Henna (below). Victorious is a red with brown undertones and is a great colour for all seasons, and Henna is a pinky nude which is perfect for everyday. 

Also, can I just note; these lipsticks stay on SO well. I am forever applying lipsticks through the day/night but I don't have to with these. Then at the end of the night, I use Johnson's Makeup Be Gone face wipes to take it off which seems to do the trick. My lips also don't dry out which is an absolute miracle as my lips can get so chapped. To prevent chapped lips, I apply Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream before bed so they'll be soft again by the morning. 

I can't wait to order some more colours to try out. After all, they are only £2.25!

June Wishlist...

I have finally finished my first year of uni! With summer pretty much round the corner, I will have more time for my blog which I have neglected for about 4 months. I can't believe I haven't posted anything since February! Exams and assignments are all done, meaning I have no other writing commitments. Now one of the perks of blogging is that I can write absolutely anything I want. So, without further ado, what better way to get back into the swing of things than formulating a wishlist? 

With only a month till my 20th birthday (how scary), I have drawn together a lustful list of birthday gifts. I always try to pick things for my birthday list that I wouldn't usually go out and buy myself so it's more exciting if I get it and makes it seem more like a present. I would also like to apologise to my parents about the prices of some of the stuff I want. What can I say? You raised a daughter with great (expensive) taste! 

From Top L-R:

Topshop Rucksack

Real Techniques Core Collection Kit

ASOS Rain Mac in Flower Print

Korres Colour Zea Mays Blush in Peach

Topshop Cut Out Ball-Shape Necklace

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

ASOS Marathon Leather Loafers

GoPro HERO3 White Edition

River Island Gold Metallic Peep Toe Platform Sandals

 From Top L-R:

Giorgio Armani Si Perfume

Topshop Rainbow Gladiator Sandals

'The Fault in Our Stars' Book by John Green

Next Tahiti Room Diffuser

ASOS Blouse in Long Line Paisley Scarf Print

Benefit Erase Paste

ASOS Metal Arms Retro Sunglasses

Taking a dive into Swan Lake...

Now, I'm not one to have a rant. In fact, I like to think I can see both sides to an argument, or at least address it in my stubborn mind. However, studying a degree in Communication and Media has exposed me to noticing media tendencies and messages through the blind public eye. Sometimes, these readings can be irritating- overly examining people, negatively interpreting programmes and exposing myself to stereotypical behaviours of the 'media giants' means I cannot just sit down and watch a TV programme or read an article like everyone else (very annoying). I would like to as it must make easy, entertaining viewing, but when programmes that exploit a certain 'group' in society, whether that be anyone of a particular race, wealth, sexuality (to name a few), opinions fly- especially when one is pretty close to home. 

Bodily size has been the core of the debate on female self-esteem and perception over the last couple of decades. Those who are deemed to 'big' are seen as those who 'can't'. The common misconception that if you are larger than the 'ideal', you lead an unhealthy and unfit lifestyle that consists of comfort eating, in stained, elasticated jogging bottoms in front of Jeremy Kyle. The only exercise is apparently to the fridge or in the car to the drive-thru. Clothes are bought cheaply due to their fluctuating weight. And most importantly, seen as unsuccessful. This view has been examined by scientists at the University of Manchester and Australia’s Monash University who asked students to look at the CVs and photos of what they thought were 12 different women, when really they were pre and post weight loss surgery of only 6 women. After ranking the women, the overweight women were ranked significantly lower than their slimmer selves. What all these beliefs have in common is that they are all a result of stereotypical reinforcement where we conform to constructed beliefs in regards to bodily size in everyday life. The media orchestrates these stereotypes that society subconsciously conforms to. It has meant that magazines such as Glamour, Look and Heat, have had to almost justify the definition of 'real' women to their readers to emphasise what the norm is through naked photoshoots and plus-size or curvy fashion forecasts. The notion that nobody is the same can get lost in the media, so TV programmes have now resorted to a unique way of reminding us. 

Now, each argument stems from somewhere and after watching Channel 4's 'Big Ballet' last night, it's time this brewing argument has it's moment. The battle between the concept and the reality is always a risk that media companies take when creating something new. The concept of the 'Big Ballet' was to address the elitist and specific view that ballerinas have to be of a certain thin, statuesque, and elegant shape and how this has somewhat damaged the dreams of those who don't fit this strict criteria. Wayne Sleep and ballerina Monica Loughman are to direct and guide a group of 18 plus-size ex-dancers (however, I'm not sure how a couple got in there who are no more than what I predict to be a size 12) into performing Swan Lake in a professional theatre to a critical yet knowledgable audience. The reality, on the other hand, doesn't portray Sleep and Loughman as some sort of self-esteem boosting, confidence-inducing heroes of the larger lady. Instead, they are proving how difficult it is for someone, shall we say, on the bigger side (I ban the f.a.t. word) to dance, how these women struggle to keep up with their fitness because of their size and how they simply don't have what it takes to create something as spectacular as a 'proper' ballet. Well, let's face it, Channel 4 aren't going to fund the performance to the same standard that we saw of the English National Ballet's performance at the beginning (let the comparisons begin). Don't get me wrong, I believe ballet is beautiful and that ballerinas are athletes that work tirelessly in such a competitive industry. Their physique is used in professional circumstances, whereas the women of the 'Big Ballet' have been used as entertainment where we, as audiences, are trained to experience the roller coaster of emotions, the highs and lows and the sob stories that they have endured on their ballet journey. Their feelings of pain and sorrow are exploited and are all related to the battle they've had with their body- raising the awareness that we have with our own. As an audience, we are not only expected to notice, understand, and feel those moments of self-pity and sadness, but to also notice the fact that they are larger than a dancer is expected. Through the lens of cellulite, flab and bulge, we are being constantly reminded that these women are there for purely the reason that they have been neglected from the ballet industry for their weight. Camera shots of them eating, unflattering angles from below and clips of them jumping (just to prove that it isn't as elegant and beautiful as those ones we saw 20 minutes in at the Royal Albert Hall) are Channel 4's way of reminding us of two things; these women are too big and that dancing is difficult for the bigger woman. As if we need reminding this enough in today's society- bigger women doing something that society has taught them not to do, that bigger women can't, reinforces negative stereotypes and bodily dysmorphia. 

As I sat there watching this programme, I was picking out more things about myself and my body shape more than ever before- helplessly comparing myself to their body shape and size. Celebrities have always been seen as the ones held responsible for leading the army of body-obsessed women, but programmes like these, I feel, has been ignored for encouraging us to be self-critical. I won't lie, I am a naturally self-critical person. Always one that has been the larger one in a group of friends, rather busty, shorter chunkier legs (I could go on), a dancer for over 15 years and a self-confessed fan of celebrity journalism and showbiz, I would be the prime target for a programme like this. 

Wayne Sleep's transparent humour of it being an "all-round" performance (followed by a cackle from his arguably unintentional pun) attempts to add a comedic flair to the women's size and when one is asked by him, "did you ever feel to lose the weight?", my response was pretty much disgust. Not everyone has put on weight because it's a life-choice. Some put on weight because of emotional life experiences, medical issues, prescribed medications, and pregnancy. Wayne's desired answer would be that the women liked to eat 'too' much and thats what he got- an overweight women looking lazy and unbothered that she was bigger than the 'ideal'. With programmes like this, negative stereotypes of overweight women are inevitable. The constant comparisons we are encouraged to take are there to formulate our own opinions. By doing so, we are taking part in media segmentation- grouping people together over their appearance and size. Even the oxymoron in the title is there to make us watch it- 'a big ballet, surely not?'. In a society where bodily size has become obsessive and where I say that enough is enough, the bigger lady and her sob story is becoming boring now. It's not funny. It's not entertaining. It's not unfair. Just irritating. Their choice, not ours. 

Cool Ghoul...

I love halloween. If anyone knows me they know that I hate anything scary like horror films and haunted mazes so it's weird how much I love this time of year. My fashion sense is not very colourful so when the shops bring out all their 'halloween-y' stuff, I do find it exciting. However, I do this annually- consider whether these items are worth buying for the festivities or if they're legitimate long-term wardrobe members. Here's a selection of high-street favourites that I gathered off the web for me to do my yearly debate on whether they are worth buying... (typical Becca)...

ASOS. This is possibly my favourite collection of all the ones I've looked at because they are all very much wearable all year round with leggings/jeans in the winter and shorts in the summer. I wear baggy t-shirts a lot of the time just because they are easy and cater for everyday purposes. Wearing them with a chunky chain necklace and lipstick will make these look less 'pyjama-like', as some may say. But at £18, get your use out of them then make them into pyjamas- double the purpose! Sorted. 

Now this is a moment of 'it-doesn't-hurt-to-look' as these from Charlotte Olympia's Halloween '13 collection are ranged between £800-£1000- something I definitely cannot afford (to me that's a holiday). However, they do fit the Halloween purpose perfectly and that clutch bag is pretty darn cool.

More graphic tee's from River Island (top) and Urban Outfitters. These will be the easiest Halloween outfits- so long t-shirt-ripping, blood-painting, last-minute panicking. With some black bottoms (leather skirt/shorts will look amazing) your pretty much done and dusted.

Good ol' Topshop. You never fail to let me down! I managed to find a rather huge collection of festive pieces here. The bat jeans in the top left, are my particular favourite as they will go with my ridiculous collection of Topshop knitwear and t-shirts. Also loving the novelty nail wraps and the eyelashes. I can imagine these being quite heavy but they are definitely something I've always wanted to try (only on Halloween is this acceptable though- don't wanna look like a drag queen).

As of now I don't have any Halloween plans but there will probably be some themed night on in a club at university. At home, me and my friends go pretty all-out in costumes so I'm hoping I don't have a Cady Heron moment whilst I'm here. Zombie bride is definitely off the list! 

Topshop October wish list...

I need to start my christmas list! And where else better to begin than making a wishlist. I swear I do this every year; end up falling very much in love with everything that I can never wait so I end up going and buying it myself! Topshop, to me, can never go wrong. I would wear pretty much anything in there, which doesn't make shopping any easier for me or my bank balance. I need to demonstrate some serious willpower and self-restraint from all these...

Topshop- Camera Check Tunic Dress

Topshop - Oversized Floral Shirt

Topshop- Mono Floral Jumpsuit

Topshop- Bat Print Mini Skirt

(how cute is this? :O)

Topshop- Dark Chiffon Floral Shirt

As you could probably tell, I'm not much of a 'colour' person. Monochrome is not only slimming and on trend, but it's just generally easier and timeless for all seasons as it can make outfits from what you have already got. I prefer to wear oversized clothes, with not much colour and then to emphasise the whole look with a bright lip and a statement accessory- whether that be a belt or bag. My favourite lipstick to wear with these would be MAC Satin Lipstick in Rebel A23- the perfect shade to go from summer into winter and to make it look like you've made that little bit more of an effort! 

All I need now is that extra £200- anyone?