Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 Hotel, Bangkok

Nestled amongst the busy streets of the Bangkok Sukhumvit district is the opulent Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 hotel. Complete with spa facilities, amazing views over the city and convenient transport links, the hotel is the perfect stay for those looking for a little piece of luxury whilst visiting Bangkok for business or leisure.

The reception area boasts two grand chandeliers, beautiful interior decoration, glistening cleanliness and a more than helpful concierge service. On arrival I was presented with a welcome drink of fruit juice or water and was taken straight up to my room with no hassle. The concierge service labelled my bag and delivered it to my room so that I was free to explore the facilities. 

My room was situated on the 20th floor with a large window overlooking Bangkok. The view was breathtaking especially last thing on a night and first thing in the morning. You could see all the skyscraper buildings and the busy streets at all times of day - it was like being in movie.

The room itself was large in size with the most comfy king size bed and a large television with various channels. There was a lounge area so that you could invite friends back to your room and also a small kitchen area if you felt hungry. Dressing gowns hung neatly in the cupboard and complimentary toiletries were lined up on the bathroom sink. The hotel had clearly thought of everything from complimentary razors to sewing kits and two fresh bottles in the fridge. The room was luxurious and more beautiful than I ever imagined.

After looking at the website of the Grande Centre Point Hotel, I couldn't wait to explore the outside area. I had read that the hotel had a infinity pool and amazing spa facilities, all of which exceeded my expectations once I arrived. The outdoor area was laid out in three different sections - a jacuzzi area, an outdoor pool with garden features and right at the end was the infinity pool.

The infinity pool was on the 7th floor overlooking the busy Asoke Montri road in Bangkok. The views were spectacular and you could swim right to the end of the pool allowing you to take in the breathtaking panoramic views of the city. For those looking to relax and absorb the sun, there's a variety of loungers - some of which are submerged beneath the water giving you a chance to recline and cool down and the rest laid around the pool area complete with parasols. Complimentary swim towels were handed out at reception and there was a poolside bar for soft non-alcoholic refreshments.

If you're looking for something to eat after relaxing by the pool, the Grande Centre Point Hotel has a wonderful buffet area open at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is all you can eat, caters for many different dietary requests and has plenty of options from European food to authentic Thai cuisine.

The Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 Hotel in Bangkok is probably one of the nicest hotels I ever stayed in. The staff are lovely, the food is divine and the facilities are exceptional. My friends and I all had such a wonderful experience and I leave with many fond memories of this hotel. When visiting Bangkok in the future, this hotel will definitely be at the top of my visiting list.

Have you been to Bangkok before?

*This complimentary stay was organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. All views are my own.

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Back from Thailand!

Last week I was invited on a trip to Thailand to discover the Thai textile industry and learn about Thai culture by observing locals in their natural environment and visiting an array of Thai temples and museums. Designers from all around the world had been invited on this trip to learn more about the textile industry and on the last night present a series of new designs that would help transform some of the remote areas of Thailand into fashion forward counties. Journalists from each country were also invited to observe the designers and encourage people to visit these wonderful villages and areas that often are missed by tourists.

The trip started in Bangkok where all the designers and media met for an opening ceremony and the groups were then divided and sent out to different provinces. I was sent to northern Thailand to visit the remote, yet beautiful areas of Nan and Phrae. During my visit to these provinces, I observed the designers creating their bespoke pieces, learnt about Buddhist culture through visiting some famous landmarks and discovered the history of Thai textiles through museums such as the Komol Museum in Phrae. On the final day both groups were reunited and the designs were showcased in a closing ceremony.

Thailand has always been the one country at the top of my bucket list and somewhere I have wanted to visit from a very young age. I have always found Buddhism inspiring and the food delicious and exciting. This trip went and above and beyond what I expected of Thailand and captured my heart from the moment I arrived. I've never been really spiritual and despite being interested in fashion, I didn't know much about the textile industry. This trip opened my eyes in more than one way and has been one of the most amazing experiences I have ever encountered and something I will never forget.

Over the next two weeks I will be posting all about my journey through Thailand and everything I learnt along the way. Join me looking back at my adventure of a lifetime and experience Thailand through my eyes by checking my Instagram account here.

Have you ever been to Thailand?

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What's in my Carry On

Packing for holidays can be a little bit of a minefield, especially when you're going on long haul flights and as there as so many restrictions with carry on luggage, it's often difficult to figure out what to take. Friday I will be boarding Thai Airways for my first ever long haul flight, something I'm very excited yet slightly anxious about. I've only ever flown for four hours at a time and I cannot envisage how I will cope with the 12 hour journey. All I know is that once I land in Bangkok it will all be worth it. My carry on handbag - my Zara bucket bag is full of everything I need to survive the flight, things to keep me occupied and of course the usual essentials such as a good pair of sunglasses and my passport/flight information.

The first item in my carry on is of course my iPad which is full of games, music and TV Shows and my phone. I love playing games on my tablet and can easily spend my time enjoying previous episodes of Made in Chelsea. To ensure these stay charged and in case there's no chargers on the plane, I will be packing my cute little Power Bank that I recently bought my Primark. I'm shocked at how effective this little gadget is for the £6 price tag. The Power Bank works by charging electronics through it's USB port and can give your phone or tablet almost an extra 50% charge. I have been testing this over the last few weeks by taking it to work and charging my iPhone. Any Apple user will know that the iPhone battery life isn't as impressive as they make out, but with this little gadget there's no need to worry. My phone will easily last a day or sometimes even more.

The next item I plan on taking with me is this lovely Elephant notebook from Funky Pigeon. I bought this from my local train and thought it would be perfect for transcribing all my Thailand notes. Elephants are one of my favourite animals and I love the bright red love hearts.

One thing I love about travelling is being immersed in culture. When I travel I always to read up on the country's traditions and guides for etiquette. This lonely Island Thai phrasebook not only teaches me how to speak Thai, but it also has a lot of background about the country and the customs that I should abide by. I hope to learn everything I need to know about Thailand before entering Bangkok.

Finally, for a long haul flight a good book is a must. I've been wanting to read this Mary Portas book for quite awhile now and was so happy to receive this from my parents for my birthday.

What are your carry on essentials?

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Spring Skincare Essentials

British weather is always a nightmare to predict and even in the Spring time when the weather is supposed to be slightly warmer and sunny, it doesn't always go to plan. Changes in weather can play havoc with your skin especially if you suffer from any type of sensitivity, therefore a well thought of skin care regime is a must at any time of year.

Since I turned 24 I have been thinking about my skincare regime and the effects of ageing and the weather more than ever before. I'm pretty lucky when it comes to my skin. I've never had acne or suffered from spots and my skin falls mainly under the 'normal' category when it comes to skincare. The only issues I have ever had is weather related dryness and bags under my eyes from medication. The fact that I have been lucky all my life when it comes to my skin has made me question whether my skin will always be in good shape and what can I do to ensure it remains the best it can be. Here's a few of my tried and tested skin care products for ensuring you have fabulous skin through spring.

The Love My Skin Anti-Ageing Pen is one of my favourite skincare devices at the moment. The anti-ageing pen has six lights and it perfect for closely targeting small, harder to reach areas around the eyes, nose and mouth where wrinkles can be the most noticeable. Although many would say I'm too young to be starting any type of anti-ageing treatments, I truly believe that prevention is better than the cure and as long as the treatments I am using aren't harmful in the long run, there's nothing to lose. I have been using my Love My Skin pen for one minute twice a day - once in the morning and just before bed and my skin already looks fresh and more toned. Compared to other gadgets on the market, but this anti-ageing pen is easy to use and rather affordable.

My second favourite skin care items are the Clarins Hydraquench moisturiser and the Clinique All about the Eyes. I have been using both these lotions for more years than I can remember and they are the only skincare items that I repurchase without any hesitancy. My Clarins moisturisers is the best moisturiser I have ever used as it applies gently on the skin, leaves no excess product and my face is noticeably softer after use and not oily. The Clinique All about the Eyes is one product that I have really noticed reduce the visibility of my dark circles. The product is light and really leaves my eyes feeling refreshed after use.

The one item currently missing from my skincare regime is a good cleanser and the Love My Skin cleanser is an item I'm currently considering buying. I have tried the Clarisonic and really believed it did not live up to the hype and I have also tried another really expensive cleanser that was just as bad. The Love My Skin Facial Cleansing system is £29.99 and comes with two unique brushes designed for speed and convenience. The purple compact packaging is super cute and perfect for on the go and with such a low price tag, it really is worth a try.

Have you changed your skin care regime lately?

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Fujifilm Instax Mini 8

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 is the latest trend in instant photography world and on first glance, it is easy to see why. The cameras come in seven different colours from pretty pastel pink and blue to a basic black and they ooze femininity and style with their trendy and cute appearance.

These cameras allow you to take instant bold and vibrant pictures even in low lighting and are perfect for those who love 'Instagram' style photos as the film develops into credit-card white framed photographs.

Since starting my blog back in 2011 I have discovered a passion for photography. I love taking my camera everywhere with me and as you may have noticed, I'm always on Instagram. Following this, Fujifilm has agreed to team up with me and allow me to use one of their cameras to document my forthcoming stay in Thailand and help me create a photo album of mini memories from my trip. I can't wait to show you how I got on.

Have you tried any of the Fujifilm Instax range?

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New Season Hair

Are you one of those people that like to change your hair as soon as the season changes? If yes,  so am I. As soon as the summer comes around I'm always wanting to go blonde and when the winter starts to arrive I like to go back to brunette. A few days ago I had more blonde put into my hair to give it more of a 'summertime' look. My base hair colour is rather dark and although it suits me, it can make me look quite pale in the sunshine. 

It can be rather difficult keeping up with seasonal trends if you're picky about your hairstyle or if you have damaged hair from previous colours like mine. Here's a few simple tips to help those who are struggling for inspiration.

Try mid-length

If you're like me and constantly fear 'the chop', a mid length haircut is a great way of changing your style without going too drastic. Many celebrities have embraced the mid-way trend from Taylor Swift to Kim Kardashian. 

Go Ombre

There's a few people out there thinking that the 'ombre' trend was so last year, but fear not ombre lovers, it is back with avengence. Ombre hair is great for those who are looking for sun kissed locks but would like to remain dark. Dip dyed hair is one of my favourite trends and the style that suits me the most. There are so many different shades and colours to choose from and it can be as subtle or as crazy as you would like.

Experiment with longer hairstyles

Experimenting with long hair can take time and effort, but when you get a particular style right you will be the envy of all your friends. There are so many ways to style long hair from curls to platts, pony tails to beehives and best of all, you don't need to cut or colour your hair to do them.

What's your favourite hair trend?

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Michael Kors Sunglasses - TK Maxx

TK Maxx is one of those places you either love or you hate. A lot of their stores are similar to walking around a jumble sale, but every now and then you can come across some great bargains. My local TK Maxx doesn't seem to have the higher end designers like the neighbouring city stores do - Leeds and Manchester, so when we find something like a pair of Michael Kors sunglasses it's like finding that all important needle in a haystack.

These Michael Kors aviator sunglasses were £39 down from £120 and they have a beautiful rose gold finish that complements my Michael Kors rose gold watch. I've always gone for thick rimmed glasses, but last year I found myself regularly stealing my husbands aviators. These will be great for summer holidays this year and at that price, you cannot go wrong.

Have you bought anything from TK Maxx lately?

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5 Experiences Before 25

Image credits: Donna Tomlinson

My 23rd year has probably been the 12 months where I really discovered myself. I always knew that from my 23rd birthday everything would in my life would change - I was about to graduate university, move house for the first time and get married. That year was an abundance of stress, excitement and life changing moments. I learnt that if I could get through last year, world was my oyster. 

I love setting myself life goals and challenges. I'm one of those people that thrives from making lists and ticking things off. I love the excitement of reaching your goal and learning something new. I also love to explore and see the world. Although I travelled a lot around the UK when I was younger, I had a good few years as a teenager where travelling wasn't as important as it used to be, but now it's something that I want to do more than ever. I have decided that my 25th year will be the year where I see more of the world, learn new things and challenge myself in more ways than one. Here's just a few of the challenges and experiences I would like to do before I turn 25.

Glamping

I loved camping when I was younger and used to do it quite frequently, but since being diagnosed with arthritis the thought of laying on a rock hard floor in a chilly tent doesn't seem like my idea of fun. These days there are so many different ways of experiencing camping than before from staying in fancy yurts to little beachside huts. Glamping makes camping accessible for all and it's something that I would like to try this year.

Image credit: juanillooo

Visit Ireland

I usually get laughed at when I say I'm married to an Irish man but I've never been to Ireland. It's a sad, but true statement. I've always said that I wanted to go to Ireland even before I met my husband, but I've never actually got round to it. My parents booked us a ferry over to Ireland around my 13th birthday as a surprise but the ferry got cancelled due to bad weather. We were supposed to go just before the wedding too, but my university work got in the way.Visiting Ireland would mean a lot to me, but also my husband. Although I met most of his family at our wedding, there's still a few people I'm yet to meet and I really want to experience the places where he grew up.

Image Credit

Go on a Ski Lesson

It seems like everyone I know has been skiing apart from me and I want to know what it is like. I doubt i'll be booking a ski holiday anytime soon, but I'd love to go to our local indoor Ski centre and give it a chance.

Raise Money for Charity

Since being diagnosed with my arthritis, I have really seen how much work and effort goes into charities supporting different types of illnesses. Several arthritis charities have given me so much information and support regarding my condition and I would love the opportunity to give them something back.

Swim with Sharks

Ever since I have been a young girl, I've had a strange obsession with Sharks. I love how majestic they look and I'm really fascinated by them. Due to having quite serious asthma when I was younger I was never able to pass my medical to take scuba diving lessons which is something that I have always dreamed of doing. My asthma is now under control enough for me to pass my medical and the one thing I would love to do as a celebration is to go diving with sharks at my local aquarium. 

If you have a bucket list or you're looking to make on lifetime wish come true, check out Second Time Lucky competition, which is dedicated to giving people a second chance on something they have missed out on or would love to try. If there's any of these that I would love to try more than anything right now it would be the final item on my bucket list, to swim with Sharks. I know I'll be visiting Ireland soon and the others I have so much time to do, but swimming with sharks is a once in a lifetime opportunity and something unique that I can tell to people I meet.

What would be on your bucket list this year?

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Getting Back into Exercise

Sourced from Picjumbo

When it comes to exercise there are so many of us that have signed up to a gym membership, been two or three times trying to convince ourselves that we are gym fanatics and then suddenly lost our mojo. Three months into a twelve month contract and we're trying to justify why we're spending the money on the gym whilst sat in our loungewear eating ice-cream instead of exercising. Living a busy lifestyle, stress, lethargy and lack of motivation are all contributing factors as to why most people stop going to gym and these are some of the reasons I personally had to stop over the last few months. However, as of last month I'm back on track and enjoying getting back into exercise. It was difficult getting the motivation again, but I now have my own routine and feel happier and fitter than ever. With my simple tips you can put all those silly excuses behind you and get back into exercise just before the summer.

Plan out your week

My first piece of advice would be to schedule your time. I have my online calendar each week blocked out with my important activities and I can now schedule my gym time between them. Allowing yourself to build up a diary of events will help you establish which days and times would be best for exercise and those days where you think you would benefit from a more relaxing day.

Start off slowly and work your way up

When you first take out a gym membership or decide to take up an exercise regime it is tempting to go every night or push yourself as hard as you can. The reality is that you are more than likely to burn yourself out after a week or two and lose motivation because of the amount of stress you have put yourself through. Start going to the gym or exercising twice a week and work your way up until it fits perfectly in your schedule. Remember that smaller bursts of high impact exercise can sometimes be better than two hours of medium work. 

Get a fitness buddy

If you struggle for motivation, why not try get one of your friends or your partner involved in your new exercise regime? You can both set each other goals, have friendly competition and most importantly give each other the boost you need when you feel like you need to give up. My husband is a great motivator and often helps me at the gym. I probably wouldn't go half as much if it wasn't for him and I'm glad he pushes me.

Mix it up

Repetition can get boring very easily, so be prepared to mix your exercise regime up. Why not try swimming one day and gym another or look at some new exercise classes? Just keep in mind that you need a healthy mix of cardio and strength training to get the perfect beach body.

Try Outdoors

If you hate being confined to four walls and have very little budget for a gym membership, go outdoors. There's so many free exercises you can do outside from running in your local park, to go for a walk in the countryside. You can also use park stairs to do your step ups and lunges as you're walking to add variation. 

Have you fallen off the fitness bandwagon lately?

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A Forever Miss Vanity Birthday

Today is my birthday and I'm twenty four years young. I have been told that the older you get the less excited you become when it's your birthday, but for me this isn't the case. I love birthdays because they are a great excuse to spend time with your friends and family and have a day to do whatever your heart desires. Of course the presents are an additional bonus, but that doesn't matter as much when you get older. I'm happy going to for a meal with my parents today and enjoying some time off work. In fact, I'll probably spend at least an hour of my birthday blogging because it's something I find therapeutic and that I love doing.

There's one other thing I love about birthdays and that is of course the birthday cake. As someone that has always tried to stay away from unhealthy cakes and treats, my birthday is the perfect excuse to unleash my sweet tooth. To help celebrate my birthday the lovely people over at Baker Days sent me this beautiful Forever Miss Vanity cake. I've never seen a cake so pretty - maybe I'm a little bit biased as it's my blog logo, but it suits the cake perfectly and looks rather vintage.  As a massive fan of Chanel, it was great to see my favourite printed on the cake.

This cake is one of their new Letterbox cakes - a clever little cake that is so small it fits through the letterbox, making it a great surprise gift for anyone celebrating. The cake is approximately 3-4 portions and is 5 inch wide. Although that sounds pretty small, it was just enough to for my husband and I to enjoy without feeling overdosed on cake. I was slightly dubious about the delivery of my cake and whether it would affect the overall taste, but the cake arrived fresh, moist and mouth-wateringly good. It was as though I had picked it up from my local bakers the same morning. The letterbox birthday cakes are £14.99 with additional fees for delivery and come in various flavours such as vanilla sponge, chocolate chip sponge cake and fruit cake. There are gluten free and dairy free options for those with intolerances.

To give you or someone special a reason to celebrate, I'm giving away a £50 Selfridges Gift Card (out of my own money) and a Baker Days letterbox cake. All you need to do is enter your information via the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway is open to those living in the UK aged 18 and over.

Are you celebrating anything soon?

     a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Listed on Prizefinder, Offer Oasis

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Let His Shoes Do The Talking

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From a very young age women are often taught a lot about romance, drawing inspiration from the likes of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty to rom-coms and chat amongst friends.  What we aren't taught is that people can act very differently to those relationships we see in romantic movies and we need to appreciate the smaller things our men do to make us happy, as much as we would like a bouquet of flowers every day or to be taken in a private helicopter like on 50 Shades of Grey.

My husband and I are very different when it comes to romance. Like most women, I like big displays of emotion whilst my husband prefers smaller gestures and the little things that we can do that contributes to the overall happiness of our relationship. Despite our differences, we both meet in the middle quite a lot and we have a fantastic relationship. I respect what he does for me and vice-versa. He knows that every now and then a bouquet of flowers makes me happy and I know that giving him a few hours to play on his PS4 and buying him a beer to drink on a weekend is the way forward.

Mens clothing brand Jacamo recently launched their new campaign called 'Let Your Shoes Do the Talking'. The idea surfaced after Jacamo polled a survey that revealed, the first thing women are drawn to visually on a man are his shoes. Their new Shoeduction campaign gives guides on how men can pick the right shoes, but also get off on the right foot when it comes to wooing their women. To celebrate the launch of their campaign, Jacamo asked my husband to surprise me with a date night in, giving him helpful suggestions to make the night a success. As my husband often struggles with the bigger displays of affection, I thought this would be a great opportunity to see how much he knows me.

The night started with a surprise bouquet of roses. My husband doesn't like buying me flowers that often because he wants to be able to buy me flowers on special moments instead and those flowers to mean something. The fact that he went out of his way to pick up these gorgeous roses made me quite emotional and he was in my good books from the start.

Following Jacamo's guide which states the key to a girls heart is food (well something along those lines), my husband cooked me a home cooked meal of braised tofu stir fry which is one of my favourite meals. With my husband being a meat eater and me being vegetarian, it's not often that we have joint meals and most nights we cook our own separate dishes. It was great that he took note of my favourite meal.  This meal was washed down by two bottles of prosecco kindly donated by Jacamo. Finally I went upstairs to get my laptop and I came downstairs to find my favourite magazine propped up and a box of chocolates (chocolates courtesy of Jacamo). The man did well.

If you're looking to impress a partner and have no idea how to get off on the right foot, here's a few of my simple suggestions.

• Listen 

This might sound really straight forward, but take time to listen to your partner and gauge their interests. It will help you figure out imaginative ways to surprise them without getting it completely wrong and you'll both feel closer as a couple if you take the chance to talk more rather than watching TV (insert appropriate distraction here - we are all guilty of this at some point).

• Small things count

Sometimes the smaller gestures can go a long way. Take time to tell them what you like about them, give them the chance to watch their favourite tv show for a change or surprise them with a handwritten note. Not everything has to be over the top.

• Have a technology free night

These days technology is a distraction and sometimes we start playing with our phones without even realising. One of the most romantic nights my husband and I have had recently is where we put on some vinyls, drank a bottle of wine and stayed up until 2am just talking and laughing. We switched off our phones, the laptops and the television and spent quality time catching up on each others lives.

What has been the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you?

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