tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83909092374362034172024-03-18T23:38:46.630-07:00Forevermissvanity - A UK Lifestyle Blogger Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.comBlogger871125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-82047322620439758762018-10-06T08:53:00.001-07:002018-10-06T08:53:29.125-07:00I Love Cosmetics New Collection Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I first started Forever Miss Vanity, my aim was to make it a beauty blog. I used to be incredibly passionate about beauty, skin and hair care. I used to spend a large proportion of my salary on beauty products and wouldn't think twice about splashing out on Chanel, Bobbi Brown or Nars. As time went by, I started falling out of love with beauty. I found products weren't as good quality as they used to be and so many things on the market felt too similar. Nothing really stood out to me and the further invested I became with vegetarianism and veganism, I also realised that there are too many big beauty brands testing animals.<br />
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These days I find it hard to get excited over makeup, but one thing I do love in body and skin care, even more so if it is vegan and cruelty-free. Recently I Love Cosmetics got in touch and asked me if I wanted to review some of the products and after seeing the bright colourful packaging and the fact that they are cruelty-free, I leapt at the opportunity.<br />
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I Love Cosmetics is a British beauty and skincare brand, established in 2009. Their four core values are fragrance, fun, refreshment and authentic. The fragrance is the heart and soul of their collection, they pride themselves on being fun, the aim to be authentic and every one of their products should be refreshing.<br />
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<b>Glazed Raspberry Bath Salts - £8.00</b><br />
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One of the first products that I was eager to try was the Glazed Raspberry Bath Salts and they did not disappoint. All of the 'Glazed Raspberry' products smell incredible and these bath salts made it feel like you were soaking in a tub of raspberries. My skin came out feeling incredibly soft and refreshed.<br />
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<b>Glazed Raspberry Body Wash - £6.50</b><br />
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I have been using this body wash for a few weeks now and it is a delight to use. The raspberry scent lingers on your skin for hours after your wash and the bottle looks great in any bathroom.<br />
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<b>English Rose and Exotic Fruit Body Wash </b><br />
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The English Rose and Exotic Fruit body washes are travel sized and I'm currently reserving these for when I next go on holiday. The English Rose is a sophisticated scent and not overly floral and the exotic fruit has a really juicy orange scent.<br />
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<b>Violet Dreams Diffuser - £15.00</b><br />
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As well as skin and body care, I Love Cosmetics has recently started selling candles and diffusers. The Violet Dreams diffuser smells lovely, but for £15.00 I was rather disappointed that the scent didn't stick around long enough.<br />
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<b>Vanilla Milk candle - £15.00</b><br />
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The Vanilla Milk candle smells lovely and makes me think of cake. It has a really delicate smell that gently fills the air with a gorgeous, lingering aroma once lit. The candle has a burn time of 40 hours and I can see myself getting a lot of use from this over the winter period.<br />
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<br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com96tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-26762947203701051482018-09-14T01:29:00.004-07:002018-09-14T01:29:37.573-07:00Six tips on how to prioritise + Nordgreen review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My life has been quite hectic lately (in a good way though). I've left one job, started another, been on holiday and started again. Whilst I've enjoyed all the excitement and the hustle and bustle of a busy life, it has been difficult to keep on track of everything - from scheduling time to go to the gym, to writing entries on here. When leading a busy lifestyle, it's incredibly important to learn how to effectively prioritise - not only so you can stay on top of your workload, but also so that you don't burn out or miss out on the things that you enjoy.</div>
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I've always been told that I have pretty good organisational skills both inside and outside work and that I'm great at prioritising, so I decided today to put together a short post on my top prioritising tips.</div>
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<b>Make a note of your most urgent and non-urgent tasks</b></div>
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One of the easiest ways of figuring out what tasks you should prioritise is to create three columns and write down your urgent tasks in one and non-urgent tasks in another and the deadline besides them. Highlight the tasks that you need to do straight away so that they stand out and create a plan on how to tackle the rest.</div>
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<b>Create a timing plan</b></div>
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Even if you haven't been given a deadline, it's always important to set one. Setting deadlines gives us a date or goal to work towards and gives us the kick we sometimes need to get tasks done. Be realistic and don't pressure yourself too much, unless you have left something until the very last minute.</div>
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<b>Take one step at a time</b></div>
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Take one step at a time and try not to rush through activities. I always schedule my day out hour by hour so I know exactly what I'm doing and can stay on track of the time. I find that wearing a watch is less of a distraction than checking the time on my mobile phone. This gorgeous watch from <a href="https://nordgreen.co.uk/discount/FOREVERMISSVANITY10">Nordgreen</a>* is one of the latest in my collection. It is sleek, sophisticated and perfect for wearing in the office. If you're in the market for a new watch, you can get 10% off by using <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">FOREVERMISSVANITY10.</span></div>
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<b>Do the tasks that you are dreading first</b></div>
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If you start with the tasks that make you the happiest, you will put off the ones that you don't really want to do. The best thing you can do is get the 'worst' tasks ticked off your list first.</div>
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<b>Don't stress yourself out</b></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Stressing yourself out leads to procrastination and anxiety and in the end, it is counterproductive. Try to stay calm, think logically and if you're struggling, reach out to your colleagues, friends or family for advice.</span></div>
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<b>Focus on the end goal</b></div>
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Always focus on the end goal to help get you through your workload and think how much easier life will be once you get your task out of the way. Once you have done have your urgent tasks, you will be able to breathe a sigh of relief and a weight will be lifted on your shoulder. Getting your smaller tasks done will make you feel great that you are making progress.</div>
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What are your top prioritising tips?</div>
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<span id="goog_218331536"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_218331537"></span><br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-16814959923900407422018-07-29T22:48:00.000-07:002018-07-29T22:48:00.055-07:00Urban Picnic in Leeds with Robinsons Refresh'd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's nothing I love more than having a picnic in the sunshine with lots of food, drink and the people I care about the most. Picnics are a great way of enjoying the great outdoors, whether you're going on a long hike in the countryside or looking to relax somewhere close to home. When you live in urban surroundings, it can be difficult to find somewhere with a plot of land, but many cities do have wonderful parks like Park Square in Leeds, you just need to hunt them down.</div>
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Robinson's recently challenged me to enjoy a picnic in my favourite inner-city park. To help us enjoy our picnic in the sunshine, they kindly sent me a picnic hamper and a few samples of their <a href="https://www.robinsonssquash.co.uk/refreshd/">Refresh'd drinks</a>. This wasn't the first time that I had actually tried their drinks - I've been a fan of them awhile and couldn't wait to try more flavours. I find them incredibly thirst to quench and as someone who likes to monitor their health, I like the fact that they are made from natural spring water and real fruit and have only 55 calories per 500ml - compared to other alternatives on the market that are full of sugar, which I actively try to avoid.</div>
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My favourite drink has to be their Raspberry and Apple as it is deliciously fruity, but I also really enjoyed trying out all the rest of the flavours too - Apple and Kiwi and Orange and Passionfruit. I'm always on the lookout for new drinks to enjoy when I'm on the go - especially on the way to work in the morning, so it's great to find a set of drinks that fit into my healthy lifestyle, and they only cost £1.29.</div>
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Along with the drinks, I was given this gorgeous blue picnic matt from John Lewis, a Bluetooth speaker from Tesco (which has the best sound quality I've heard from such a small speaker) and a gorgeous pink rucksack from Swedish company <a href="https://www.fjallraven.co.uk/equipment/kanken/">Kanken</a>. I've never been much of a rucksack person, but this rucksack is very feminine, fits lovely on my shoulders without looking bulky and is really comfortable. I can see myself going on lots of countryside walks in the future and taking this with me as it is very lightweight and looks really stylish.</div>
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Park Square in Leeds is a five-minute walk from the train station, situated in the financial district of Leeds. It is well kept with lots of beautiful flowers and seating and it is surrounded by Georgian buildings, giving you the sense that you have stepped back in time. The square has seen a wealth of history over the years and was home to brewer Joshua Tetley, the inventor Sir Clifford Allbut who invented the thermometer and renowned surgeon Berkley Moynihan, known for his pioneering surgical techniques.</div>
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What I love about Park Square is that it is in the heart of the city centre and attracts so many people from different walks of life and with different interests. During my visit, I saw students hanging out with friends, people on their lunch breaks and at one point a surge of Pokemon Go fanatics. Despite being in the city centre, the park remains quite tranquil and is a bit of a hidden gem, it's a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, whilst still enjoying the company of the residents of Leeds.</div>
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The sunshine in the UK is expected to last until September, so you have plenty of time to assemble your picnic kit and hunt down your favourite places. I know this picnic definitely won't be my last this summer.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*This is a sponsored campaign, but all views and thoughts are my own.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVT8WDHFVYR75GHmkOlx6KRLyFFSe_5H8-Dx_zQ7r4s4l20lgFcHk9cyQz4_IzSi3NKiOjcZIk1K9q3unWFABR3te6iRhWrsYv4-88_YgDLUa23TSxMond8x7fJskKqOj5Mr1Xj6aPk6Tk/s1600/architecture-22030_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVT8WDHFVYR75GHmkOlx6KRLyFFSe_5H8-Dx_zQ7r4s4l20lgFcHk9cyQz4_IzSi3NKiOjcZIk1K9q3unWFABR3te6iRhWrsYv4-88_YgDLUa23TSxMond8x7fJskKqOj5Mr1Xj6aPk6Tk/s1600/architecture-22030_1280.jpg" /></a></div>
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After a year of saving up for a house deposit, back in April, my husband and I became homeowners for the first time. It has been an exciting few months, planning out every room, turning these four walls into somewhere special that we can call our own. However, there's also so much that we discovered about home ownership that we naively never thought about. Owning a house definitely outweighs all the cons listed below, but for those looking into buying their first property, I thought I would put together a few of my key learnings from the last few months.</div>
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<b>There's so much you have to teach yourself</b></div>
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Unless you want to spend a fortune on hiring plumbers, builders and general tradesmen, there's so much that you will have to learn and teach yourself when you buy a home. From picking up a paintbrush for the first time to wiring up lights and flat pack furniture. Don't worry, in time you will learn to distinguish between different pipes, screws and bolts, but in the first instance, it can be overwhelming. It's hard to imagine a life without Pinterest and YouTube tutorials giving us a heads up. </div>
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<b>Building supplies are expensive</b></div>
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Building supplies can be incredibly expensive and soon add up. I was shocked to discover that on average it can cost £200 just to hire a skip to get rid of all our rubbish and since doing up our garden, we've already needed three of them. Whilst paint and wallpaper for inside the house can be bought at an affordable price, items such as taps can be more expensive than you originally think. Always compare prices to find the best ones to suit your budget and whilst sometimes it can be tempting to cheap out, always think long-term and consider quality or price.</div>
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<b>You will begin to find flaws in almost every part of your home</b><br />
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Once you are settled in your home, it is likely that you will begin to find little annoyances, but the best thing about being homeowners is the fact that most of them are rectifiable. The worst thing is that you will become obsessed with D.I.Y and constantly be striving for a perfect home. Every day I'm finding new things that I would like to change.<br />
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<b>You will probably experience buyers regret</b></div>
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Buying a house is one of the biggest purchases you will ever make, therefore it is normal to have some doubts - even after you have moved in. Once the thrill of being a first-time homeowner wears off, you may begin to discover a few bugbears, but it's important to remember that no house is without faults and you fell in love with that house for a reason.<br />
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<b>Your house won't be Pinterest ready straight away</b></div>
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When you spend months planning out your dream home on Pinterest, when you eventually do move in, you just want everything done straight away so you can see your vision come to life. However, it's not as simple as it sounds. To make a masterpiece, things do take time and you would be surprised how long even the simplest of activities such as painting a room can take. Unless you're ready to commit several hours a night on top of holding a full-time job, your dream may have to take longer than you anticipated, but at least you know it will be worth the wait.</div>
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Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com91tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-70246762235405217652018-07-18T04:51:00.002-07:002018-07-18T04:52:41.166-07:00What I've learnt from my recent digital detox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYYFqgozQCjzTpG64pcHFJNVVqaLDbf8-_mXl4FpJTGS_qFFY-qJvKUwVsEZolTHC8e61rQ0clgSGgxridyp9YocYmvZCY-DoMmWFjuqMsPIdefuzu9DM166IOaWZZsXPzsUaVoAX6v1X/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-07-18+at+12.26.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYYFqgozQCjzTpG64pcHFJNVVqaLDbf8-_mXl4FpJTGS_qFFY-qJvKUwVsEZolTHC8e61rQ0clgSGgxridyp9YocYmvZCY-DoMmWFjuqMsPIdefuzu9DM166IOaWZZsXPzsUaVoAX6v1X/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-07-18+at+12.26.27.png" /></a></div>
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If you asked me last year if I could go a week without social media, I would have quivered at the thought. For the last seven years my life has revolved around social media, so much so that I've spent family occasions glued to my phone, missed out on spending time with my friends as I was too concerned about picturing the moment than speaking to them and every evening instead of enjoying precious time with my husband, I would be on my phone from the moment I got home to the time I went to bed.<br />
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Social media is a great way of staying connected, but at times it can turn into a bit of an obsession and really affect a person's mental health. I got to the point where I began comparing myself to other people, getting FOMO seeing people I cared about spending time with others and not me and I turned to Instagram filtering my life to make everything look perfect when it wasn't. This isn't social media bashing - I love social media and it is such a large part of my life and my job, if it wasn't for social media, I would have never built a successful blog.<br />
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I never intentionally went on a digital detox, it just happened. One day I just decided to log out of Instagram and put my phone down and hours later, I realised that I didn't feel the need to check my phone anymore. Hours turned into days, days turned into weeks and I began enjoying the pressure-free, digital free life. I spent the time that I would have been editing photographs or on social media, learning how to cook, going out with my friends and husband and not worrying about curating the perfect Instagram shot, it was liberating.<br />
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<b>My mental health improved</b><br />
<b><br /></b> One of the biggest improvements I saw since stepping away from social media was that my mental health improved. I felt like I didn't have to be someone I'm not anymore and live up to the Instagram perfect life. I could relax and sleep better on a night without checking my phone at ridiculous o'clock too.<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>I learnt who my real followers are</b><br />
<b><br /></b> Since taking a bit of a blogging break, my engagement across social has dropped tremendously - it is like starting from scratch all over again. I've lost a lot of followers and only get a handful of likes on Instagram now, but the people who are liking my posts are the ones who have stuck around for months or years and supported me through every step I made. I'm happier to have those people in my life, than a dozen fakes.<br />
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<b>I'm beginning to love life again</b><br />
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Social media took me to quite a dark place after I experienced some horrible comments from trolls. It made me doubt myself and I became quite paranoid of the people hiding behind a screen name - do I even know them and if not, what do they have against me? Thankfully time is a healer and my time away has made me realise that the people who made those comments were just jealous of my life and right now I'm in a happier place than I've ever been.<br />
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<b>It has made me reevaluate my blog for the better</b><br />
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My break from social has made me reevaluate my blog for the better and take a thorough look at the content I'm creating. It has made me realise that I would rather write about what makes me happy and what could be helpful for other people than write content just for the sake of it.<br />
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<b>I can look forward to my life off my screen</b><br />
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The time I spend offline has given me the chance to focus on my life off screen by learning new hobbies and taking a closer look at my career. In the last few months, I've been able to spend more time cooking, I've made some improvements to the house and I've recently accepted a new job.<br />
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Have you ever taken a digital detox?</div>
Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com110tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-25298735998259984492018-07-18T04:21:00.004-07:002018-07-18T07:39:29.246-07:00Five Landmarks on my European Bucketlist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt47lurBrCl2Hdw_XuL8-04ysehbcJ_kZAFixlpU1d38Z5Ui793Hj766Gr4MClyBNATEoxGLZ4nyXKdEVxguGMOx5t34OTZshL60lLdmW2Bs0c7rGlk8QKO66VGz0XuUEs7wV2ErXixG-r/s1600/Parthenon+Greece+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt47lurBrCl2Hdw_XuL8-04ysehbcJ_kZAFixlpU1d38Z5Ui793Hj766Gr4MClyBNATEoxGLZ4nyXKdEVxguGMOx5t34OTZshL60lLdmW2Bs0c7rGlk8QKO66VGz0XuUEs7wV2ErXixG-r/s1600/Parthenon+Greece+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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There's nothing more thrilling than walking around old landmarks, discovering the history behind them and trying to picture yourself in the shoes of the people who once walked there. One of the most exciting parts of a holiday for me is sightseeing, learning about the culture and being immersed in a world so much different to my own. Instagram is often filled with exotic snaps from faraway countries, giving the illusion that most of the best landmarks are on the other side of the world, but this isn't always the case. You can travel less than four hours to places like Spain, Bulgaria and Greece and see some pretty amazing sights.</div>
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Earlier this year I bought my first ever home and for the last twelve months, I have barely left the country due to saving for a house deposit. Now that one of the biggest financial hurdles is out of the way, I can't wait to get back into travelling and discovering new places. Today I've teamed up with Holiday Gems to give you the low down on some of the best landmarks across Europe and to show you the top five I've picked out for my European bucket list.</div>
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<b>Greece - Parthenon</b></div>
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Greece is somewhere that I've always wanted to visit, but never really had the chance. I love Greek history and the food and my friends all rave about it. I'm hoping that the next 12 months will finally allow me to visit some of the Greek Islands and in particular, visit the Parthenon - a former Greek temple that was built in 447 BC and is dedicated to the goddess Athena.</div>
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<b>Ibiza - Es Vedra</b></div>
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If you're an avid reader of my blog, you will know how much I love Ibiza and the iconic landmark Es Vedra. I've been to Es Vedra several times, but I love it so much that it will always be somewhere that I want to visit again and again. Es Vedra is a small island off the Ibiza mainland and is host to many myths and legends, according to geologists it is one of the strongest centres of magnetic forces in the world. Whilst you cannot board the island, many boat trips circle it and host swimming sessions around it and it makes for a wonderful day out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfobdwC-fYWnVnWUVuOVID_rm3lITPHeDmmWJcWMsAG3p5_3pbv0Q5xNdqBUfYplevJ6I0ff0_5PQFRajL7968A8TfjQcVmU9q_ZHxash_2SoCMSZKhO430Ua5BGl5yMrOCjaZITjfnPv/s1600/RILA+MONASTERY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfobdwC-fYWnVnWUVuOVID_rm3lITPHeDmmWJcWMsAG3p5_3pbv0Q5xNdqBUfYplevJ6I0ff0_5PQFRajL7968A8TfjQcVmU9q_ZHxash_2SoCMSZKhO430Ua5BGl5yMrOCjaZITjfnPv/s1600/RILA+MONASTERY.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Bulgaria - Rila Monastery</b></div>
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Bulgaria is a newcomer to my European bucket list. I didn't think much about travelling here until I saw that one of my friends had visited and I began Googling it. The country has lots of amazing architecture and the Rila Monastery is just one of the amazing examples. The monastery was founded in the 10th century and is now a World Heritage Site.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFyiFv9AX9kApvKzWoqVX7_LbuBvz8DU9YmI-SsEhGDV_2HwHHFalybLVRjHnvbwXtYw0sYaganQ_HHpoMEPeedXwyWCg3JZ403aNstfvqi7aTVnmaSbmA2lb_20pk8WPdKc3Sb2JnRDp/s1600/Cathedral-Palma-Palma-De-Mallorca-Mallorca-2766167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFyiFv9AX9kApvKzWoqVX7_LbuBvz8DU9YmI-SsEhGDV_2HwHHFalybLVRjHnvbwXtYw0sYaganQ_HHpoMEPeedXwyWCg3JZ403aNstfvqi7aTVnmaSbmA2lb_20pk8WPdKc3Sb2JnRDp/s1600/Cathedral-Palma-Palma-De-Mallorca-Mallorca-2766167.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Mallorca - Palma Cathedral</b></div>
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I visited Palma when I was quite young and I remember walking by the cathedral, but for some reason, we were quite limited on time and we couldn't spend as much time there as I would have liked. One day I really want to return because it is such a beautiful landmark and Palma is also a wonderful, stylish city.</div>
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<b>Barcelona - Sagrada Familia</b><br />
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Barcelona is again one of those places that I've always wanted to visit but never got around to it. So many of my friends and family keep telling me to take a trip there and I'm hoping that I won't let another year escape me without a visit. The Sagrada Familia is a listed World Heritage Site due to it being constructed by world-famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi.<br />
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<script> var noskimwords = 'true'; </script><a href="https://www.holidaygems.co.uk/destinations/spain"> For booking holidays to Spain</a>* or just to learn about the different places in Europe, Holiday Gems can give you plenty of travel inspo.<br />
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Do you have anywhere booked right now?</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Collaborative post</span><br />
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<br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-79905853435274429052018-06-08T04:39:00.001-07:002018-06-08T07:41:27.223-07:00Who said vegans can't eat chocolate? The Slabb review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nfoz7rONSotHJH0dvPBSGAvmf2eL2uOPiovg02c45dO69tKQuC-A1f1SIz9m430E3EEjCIYR1hqQ_ChyjllEUSphKLXCTGrGQAt0FEcxFRKKZgXuTaPhyphenhyphenq3AavyuXwhGaH9AVOHTYvBr/s1600/IMG_0802_1024x1024%25402x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nfoz7rONSotHJH0dvPBSGAvmf2eL2uOPiovg02c45dO69tKQuC-A1f1SIz9m430E3EEjCIYR1hqQ_ChyjllEUSphKLXCTGrGQAt0FEcxFRKKZgXuTaPhyphenhyphenq3AavyuXwhGaH9AVOHTYvBr/s1600/IMG_0802_1024x1024%25402x.jpg" /></a></div>
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When I mention to people that I'm vegan and that I cannot eat milk chocolate, I'm often confronted with shocked and confused faces. "How can you live without Cadburys", they say and, "how can you even like dark chocolate." The truth is, before going vegan I never really liked dark chocolate. I would always avoid the Bournville in the box and I would sniff my nose up at dark chocolate even though people told me all about the health benefits. However, since becoming vegan I've discovered there's a lot more to dark chocolate than people realise and a lot of variety.</div>
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With the booming vegan market, there are more companies than ever before offering vegan chocolate from small independent stores on Etsy to the big established chocolate brands such as Hotel Chocolat. Vegan chocolate has also become a lot more experimental - gone are the days where vegans were just given the darkest, most bitter chocolates in the tin, there are now vegan 'milk chocolates' made from coconut milk, creamy vegan truffles and vegan honeycomb minus the honey.</div>
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A new brand that I have been excited to try is <a href="https://www.theslabb.co.uk/collections/vegan/products/the-vegan-party-one-100slabbchallenge">The Slabb.</a> The Slabb is an online chocolate company owned by Holly & Stuart and as well as selling dairy chocolates, they have an extensive vegan range with a variety of unique flavours. In January, Holly and Stuart launched a Kickstarter campaign called the #100Slabbchallenge, to create 100 different flavours of chocolate this year, with each chocolate being limited edition and the 'Vegan Party One' is one of the chocolates I was given to try.</div>
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The 'Vegan Party One' is a rich dark chocolate topped with party favourites such as party rings, sprinkles, jam and vegan marshmallows. It is a fun party bar perfect for a girly night in or for those looking to add a little bit of fun in their lives. The ingredients complement each other perfectly with the party rings adding crunch and texture and the jam adding extra sweetness to the chocolate - it was great to see a vegan chocolate that had a lot of character and it isn't just the standard 'dark chocolate'. The party edition would make an ideal present for a loved one as it is so colourful, unique and charming and the packaging is girly, yet sophisticated. These bars retail at £5.50 which I think is a bargain for such a unique, limited edition product and I can't wait to hear about the next vegan chocolate they create.</div>
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Have you tried any of The Slabb products before?</div>
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<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-ansi-language:UZ-CYR;} p.normal, li.normal, div.normal {mso-style-name:normal; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-ansi-language:UZ-CYR;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:11.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-ascii-font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:Arial; mso-hansi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-ansi-language:UZ-CYR;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style>Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-83630829631236568152018-05-20T00:28:00.003-07:002018-05-28T08:13:42.938-07:00We're homeowners! My thoughts on the house buying process<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JdVb3ty_V2nHAdscl9uz22tMmiBfuYMxc8P_otzOHCtgybLRTajb-sU0FEVZ3um3wH03KKkwlN5PD_fBP9UiYJw_A4f2LAN88vWt0ZP01JCtxmB15L9c3k8sVMkMP0ert0V-tLsOiEBV/s1600/door-807058_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5JdVb3ty_V2nHAdscl9uz22tMmiBfuYMxc8P_otzOHCtgybLRTajb-sU0FEVZ3um3wH03KKkwlN5PD_fBP9UiYJw_A4f2LAN88vWt0ZP01JCtxmB15L9c3k8sVMkMP0ert0V-tLsOiEBV/s1600/door-807058_1280.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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After a long, emotionally draining twelve months of saving, two weeks ago my husband and I officially became homeowners. It has been a strange process for us as we haven't been down the traditional route of buying our first home, our landlord several months ago came up to us and said he was selling the house we were renting and we just didn't want to leave. We have a lovely spacious garden - enough room for a house extension, the neighbourhood is lovely and quiet and five minutes one way we're in the countryside and another five-minute drive in the opposite direction and we're in the main town, it's a very convenient location. Knowing how much we wanted to buy the house we have been living in and waking up it seeing it every morning put a lot of pressure on us - when we started saving we had no savings in the bank and we only had a few short months to get enough money for a deposit. But we did it, with the help of a Help to Buy ISA we were able to put down a 9% deposit (which we worked day in and day out to save for, with no help from our relatives) and twelve months later the deeds have been handed over and the house is officially in our name.</div>
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When we started the house buying process, I was surprised by the lack of information out there for first-time buyers. It can be a little bit of a maze and if you get stuck with solicitors like ours who didn't inform you of the steps they were taking, it was very frustrating. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be writing a few honest posts about the house buying process, but today I thought I would jot down a few of my thoughts about what I learnt from buying our first home.</div>
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<b>It can be very long winded</b><br />
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Firstly, the process can be incredibly long-winded, even if you're not in a chain. Once we had our mortgage approved, we assumed that the house would be ours overnight, but it took almost thirteen agonising weeks of waiting and it was an emotionally draining process, wondering each day if something was going to go wrong and we wouldn't get our home.<br />
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<b>Emotions are high</b><br />
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I didn't expect to be so emotional during the process. What should have been one of the happiest times of our lives, was full of tension, anxiety and tears. In retrospect, I should have had more faith in our solicitors and ourselves that it would all be okay in the end. </div>
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<b>You need to do research</b><br />
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Always do your research and make note of every step you need to take in order keep the ball rolling. There had been several times where our solicitors forgot to inform us of a pivotal stage in our mortgage application and because we had done our research, we were able to give them a steer in the right direction. On the other hand, don't get hung up on some of the horror stories that are out there, there's a lot of horror stories on forums and just because it happened to someone else, it doesn't mean it will happen to you.<br />
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<b>Somethings don't always go to plan</b><br />
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Like everything in life, sometimes things don't go to plan and you need to make yourself aware of every eventuality. We had issues surrounding our completion date, through no fault of our own, but it all worked out in the end. The worst thing you can do is lose your stride - remain positive.<br />
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<b>You learn who your best friends are</b><br />
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Buying your first home is an expensive process from saving up for the initial deposit to surveyor fees, bank fees and solicitor fees. When buying your first home it is very likely that you would need to sacrifice nights out and social events to save some cash. Luckily for me, I have the most supportive friends who were by our side all the way, but there was a few who were less supportive and didn't understand why I needed to save the money so quickly.<br />
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<b>It's worth it in the end</b><br />
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Despite all ups and downs, you go through when buying a house, it is all worth it in the end. The moment where you get your keys or you enter the building that is finally yours is an overwhelming experience and something to be really proud of. I know how fortunate I am to have my own home and I'm looking forward to making it a space that reflects mine and my husband's personality.<br />
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Have you bought a home before?</div>
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Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-27150068411980992842018-05-16T01:21:00.000-07:002018-05-16T01:24:06.802-07:00Vegan Junk Food at Knaves Kitchen, Leeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynUjuWwVkLYOccgWtR8HjeEUkiNB4QWl_JPscPNAKYBInRdKNG_Af621EvNqZYnqAPJzTzZZaPDXPwJDaZAN4OCM3DKXiI1gyzBIUgiPCrnxBYwGfuZwBbEVs5BmpqXE2tUPMqp-7-eby/s1600/P4264526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynUjuWwVkLYOccgWtR8HjeEUkiNB4QWl_JPscPNAKYBInRdKNG_Af621EvNqZYnqAPJzTzZZaPDXPwJDaZAN4OCM3DKXiI1gyzBIUgiPCrnxBYwGfuZwBbEVs5BmpqXE2tUPMqp-7-eby/s1600/P4264526.JPG" /></a></div>
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I'm not usually one for eating junk food, but when I was invited to review Knaves Kitchen in Leeds and saw their vegan junk food menu, I knew it was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up. As a vegan, I'm always looking for exciting, unique dishes that challenge the perceptions of what vegans actually eat - we don't always eat salads and large plates of vegetables. Knaves Kitchen, situated in Oporto on Call Lane features a creative vegan menu, consisting of a vegan favourite 'seitan', which is a gluten meat substitute that can be made into a variety of complex dishes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20oRyrZsFTWfqWr9dL5VCSku_lfben4yJ9V3w7N39X6MP0lD2fAzxj7C4JTElG9r2caggfFx9WD22WOd4-Bxmzu1xHs65lEK2HpHNRXWrCiA9UzpnY_GobxnAzqa803Nl_INMm-dstaXN/s1600/P4264485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20oRyrZsFTWfqWr9dL5VCSku_lfben4yJ9V3w7N39X6MP0lD2fAzxj7C4JTElG9r2caggfFx9WD22WOd4-Bxmzu1xHs65lEK2HpHNRXWrCiA9UzpnY_GobxnAzqa803Nl_INMm-dstaXN/s1600/P4264485.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6s7W5urIlm2eTlb_I7WGk9Y94DqoLeVkIq96BYqUKZD4A1t9oOT9AK4a10A9WohoBW0Zsx7TI0-GpL8a7cq03X5e33mrCF72eZrGQS6Ly2OxLsLDj49YOGxZztp1MrxY2uM8sDLlBEWzr/s1600/P4264522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6s7W5urIlm2eTlb_I7WGk9Y94DqoLeVkIq96BYqUKZD4A1t9oOT9AK4a10A9WohoBW0Zsx7TI0-GpL8a7cq03X5e33mrCF72eZrGQS6Ly2OxLsLDj49YOGxZztp1MrxY2uM8sDLlBEWzr/s1600/P4264522.JPG" /></a></div>
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Dishes on the Knaves Kitchen menu includes lots of comfort dishes from 'fish finger wraps' to Katsu curries and onion bhaji burgers, all of which are reasonably priced and great portion sizes. Their cocktail menu is also just as creative - one of my favourites of the night being a pineapple concoction served with a side of frazzles to give it a sweet and savoury vibe. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgusSEVT_HBA6DwiBJlM83oSmhk9oUxK5NIRi46Goh4rmOPsrHYOcvOHZacYWOntL0x2-WHybu_hJmVJl4baCFtq_3Aa-UuKwsNAujB8srDp8aaSs1U1i1X4hf95xIsw8YIQqq1KIEbgsB/s1600/P4264513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgusSEVT_HBA6DwiBJlM83oSmhk9oUxK5NIRi46Goh4rmOPsrHYOcvOHZacYWOntL0x2-WHybu_hJmVJl4baCFtq_3Aa-UuKwsNAujB8srDp8aaSs1U1i1X4hf95xIsw8YIQqq1KIEbgsB/s1600/P4264513.JPG" /></a></div>
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The food at Knaves Kitchen was exceptional and the dishes that they were able to create with seitan were outstanding, you wouldn't even think half of them were vegan. Their kebab dishes were extra 'meaty', their tofu katsu curry had the perfect amount of crunch and their fish finger sandwich was heavenly especially the secret recipe for tartar sauce. The star of the show for me, however, was the onion bhaji burger, it oozed flavour, had the perfect amount of crunch and it was highly satisfying - so much so, that I dived straight in and forgot to take a picture!<br />
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If you're looking to experiment with veganism, but don't like the idea of going straight to the deep end with whole-food vegan recipes, I completely recommend visiting Knaves Kitchen - I would also suggest that those who eat meat give it a try, because Knaves Kitchen proves that life without meat doesn't have to be boring.<br />
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Have you been to Knaves Kitchen before?</div>
Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-88549896042560964312018-04-11T07:42:00.001-07:002018-04-11T07:42:19.825-07:00Why you should never deny yourself a break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many of us are often guilty of rushing around at 100mph and not thinking about the consequences it could have on our health and wellbeing. It can be hard to face up to the facts that we need to take a break from the things we love, especially when it can be detrimental in some cases to our careers and the things we enjoy in life.<br />
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Over the last few months, my body has been telling me to take a back seat and I wouldn't listen. I thought I could continue living life in the fast lane, but my health began telling me otherwise. When I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid just over a month ago, I knew something finally had to give. My body was tired and rundown and I needed to re-energise myself before I ran my body too far into the ground. For the first time in years, my mental health also took a huge hit - I was grumpy, emotional and I lost my enthusiasm for life, my body just wanted to sleep and for such a long time, I was depriving it.<br />
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Last month I took my first ever month out of the blogging world - I stopped posting on social media, I switched off all my accounts and spent the time I would have been blogging with my husband doing the things we love together. I also developed a passion for cooking and realised how therapeutic it can be and for the first time in years, I didn't spend everyday panicking about my social media stats or whether my blog had any views.<br />
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For those of you considering taking a break, here are just a few ways that taking time out can help you in the long run.<br />
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<b>You will have a different outlook on life</b><br />
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When you're tired and run down, the whole world seems a gloomy place. It's hard to stay positive and the smallest of things can leave us feeling on edge. Having a break will give you a chance to reboot your system and when you're feeling more energised, you can look at the tasks ahead with a lot more optimism.<br />
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<b>You can spend the time trying new hobbies</b><br />
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Taking a break from one thing doesn't mean switching off completely. In fact, there are many hobbies out there that are known for boosting mental health such as painting and colouring or taking up gentle exercise. When I took time out of the things causing me the most stress, I turned to cooking and developed a passion for it. It became my new way to unwind and I enjoyed seeing my creations.<br />
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<b>You can spend much needed time with loved ones</b><br />
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Life is just too short and we all have friends or family that we would love to spend more time with, but never get the chance. Taking a break from things that are becoming too life-consuming will free up time for you to spend with the people that mean the most to you. For me, it meant being able to relax in front of the television with my husband after work instead of going straight on my laptop or spending a weekend going for days out without having to worry about taking my camera or posting on social media.<br />
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<b>It could improve your health</b><br />
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The more mental stress we put our bodies through, the more likely we are to become poorly or out of shape. Having that extra time from taking a break would allow you to spend more time cooking healthier meals, more time to exercise and do things that put you in a good mood.<br />
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<b>It will make you more productive in the long run</b><br />
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Once your rest period is over and your body is feeling back on top form, you can go back to the things you enjoy doing with a new lease of life - things won't feel as stressful and it may ignite more creative ideas that you wouldn't originally have had.<br />
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Going on a blog break helped me gain a lot of perspectives and stupidly made me realise what I should have known before, that life doesn't revolve around what you put online. In fact, it has made me look at my blog in a very different light and helped me realise what I want from it in the future - my blog turned into a job when originally it was created to give me an outlet to express my emotions and do what I love doing, writing and that will be my main focus going forward.<br />
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Have you taken a break from something recently?</div>
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<br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-84931659667406395772018-03-18T06:54:00.000-07:002018-03-18T06:54:02.017-07:00How we saved almost £10k in 12 months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Saving money can be extremely difficult, but it's not impossible. It is surprising how much money you can actually save by cutting back on a few (not always all) luxuries and switching your products for slightly cheaper versions. Getting into the initial mindset of saving money can be hard at first, but if you have something you really need or want to save for, you can do it.</div>
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In the short space of twelve months, between my husband and I we have saved almost £10K. It wasn't easy - it took a lot of willpower and at times it was challenging, but we had a goal that by the beginning of 2018 we wanted a house deposit and we've done it. Although it has helped that we both have decent wages and we were able to put a big chunk of that money away each month, there has been plenty of other things that we have done to top up our wages and reach our money saving target. From mystery shopping to filling out academic studies, to selling on eBay and the odd flutter with match betting, there's a lot of money to be made online for those able to put the time in.</div>
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Below are a few hints and tips to inspire those looking to save up, whether you're planning on saving your dream holiday or a house deposit, a new handbag or a rainy day fund.</div>
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<b>Analyse your incomings and outgoings</b></div>
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The first thing you must do when you're planning on saving money is to analyse your incomings and outgoings. Pay attention to your monthly bills and tot up how much of your wage you have left when everything has been paid for. Once you have your overall total, you can then give yourself a weekly budget of how much money you would ideally like to live on and put the rest into savings.</div>
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<b>Make a plan</b></div>
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One of the best ways to stick to saving money is to write down a plan or have an overall end goal. Figure out what you want the money for, when you want it by and how you are going to do it. Set yourself monthly challenges and once you have reached half-way, reward yourself - it will keep you motivated.</div>
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<b>Register for cashback websites </b></div>
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Make money back from any shopping you do by registering on cashback sites such as Top Cash Back or Quidco - you can earn a percentage of your shopping back by using an affiliate link on their website and you would be surprised how quickly it all adds up. Many banks now have cashback schemes and it is worth discussing these with a bank advisor to see if it is worth you registering. You may have to pay a small fee (we pay £5 a month), but we get almost £10 a month back based on all the bills that we pay.</div>
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<b>Grab freebies with your weekly shop</b></div>
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Two of my favourite apps on my phone are Shopmium and Check Out Smart. These apps give you discounts and often freebies with your weekly supermarket shop. If you're thinking, what is the catch? There isn't any. These apps are set up so that you can try new products, in the hope that the brands will get new customers. Shopmium also has a market research section, where you can leave reviews of the product once you have tried them and these will be passed back to the company. Over the last year and a half I've had nearly £100 worth of freebies. If you would like your first freebie on Shopmium, register for an account and use KHUAAUYP to get a free jar of Nutella.</div>
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<b>Sell your unwanted items</b></div>
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One of the quickest and easiest ways of making money is to sell your unwanted items on Facebook selling groups, apps such as Depop, Shpock or Vinted or on eBay. We all have items in our homes that we do not use on a regular basis, so it's always worth taking a hard look at these items and if you know they are never going to get used again, you can make some money from them.</div>
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<b>Buy and sell for profit*</b></div>
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Buying and selling items for profit can be frowned upon, but if you have an eye for a deal and you know that you can make extra money from selling it on, why not? You can buy stock from car boot sales, charity shops or even grab items in sales on the high street. We found a vinyl player in a reduced section for £7.99 - brand new in the box, they were just selling this for old stock and we managed to sell it for £40. I also bought a beautiful pair of shoes for 99p in a charity shop and I didn't intend on selling them as I really liked them, but they didn't fit quite right - I gave them a £5 starting bid on eBay hoping that I would get £2-3 profit, but they went for £50! Of course, not all buying and selling for profit goes well, so you need to have a backup plan on what you're going to do with any old stock.</div>
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<b>Help academics with their studies*</b></div>
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Another website that I really enjoy is Prolific. Profilic studies is a website where you can help university students with their research. The studies are incredibly varied and well paid and you it's worthwhile doing them as you know that you will be making a difference, helping students across the world with their studies. Over the last year, I've made £180 and could have easily made more if I dedicated more time to the website.</div>
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<b>Sign up for surveys*</b></div>
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Surveys can be incredibly laborious, but if you have the spare time it is always worth registering to a few survey sites and doing these whilst watching television on an evening. Although many pay only 5 to 10p per time, it will eventually add up. Swagbucks, OnePoll, YouGov and Opinion Outpost are just a few of them, but it is worth looking around the internet to see which ones suit you and the time you have available the best.</div>
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<b>Become a mystery shopper*</b></div>
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If you enjoy shopping and have a keen eye for detail, you should consider mystery shopping. Mystery Shopping is as the name describes, where you go into a shop pretending to be a normal customer, but you will have a set of questions you will need to fill in about the service. Mystery shopping is a great way of getting free meals, free food, free clothes and earning a bit of money on the side. There are many ways you can do this - you can register for apps such as Field Agent or go down the more formal route of websites such as Market Force.</div>
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<b>Experiment with matched betting</b></div>
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Matched Betting isn't for everyone, especially those with an addictive nature and it can require some consideration, but if you are sensible with money and don't mind gambling, it can be a good way of earning a little bit of extra money. If you haven't heard of Matched Betting before, Matched Betting is where you take advantage of free bets that companies offer and place a bet backing both sides, making it a win-win situation. There's quite a lot of maths to do and it takes a lot of concentration, but if you follow many guides available online, there is money to make. We made just over £500 tax free last year before we had to stop - if you're applying for a mortgage, don't do any Matched Betting within six months of your application as it will show up on your statements and lenders do not like gambling as it shows risky behaviour.</div>
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<b>Make money from your hobbies*</b></div>
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Finally, if you have a hobby that enables you to create physical or digital products or something creative that you can share with the world, why not consider making money from it? This can range from selling graphics online to selling artwork, making bathbombs or candles to even setting up your own blog if you are passionate about writing. These probably won't make you money straight away, but it's a great long term time investment and could pay off in the future.</div>
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If you are making money, even a small amount you may need to consider declaring this to HMRC - the items with asterisks next to them means that money will need to be declared as they are taxable incomes.</div>
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What are you saving money for?</div>
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<br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-50075490581153126412018-03-10T06:40:00.003-08:002018-03-10T06:40:54.391-08:00What I eat in a week as a vegan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBzcNP7uN_Kc-SnWYQzAJ4g3J2z1MgTgBwvge3tPH75uN14SL-NBDQBUTBsCMrEmPvZ75guX53KnMdzs-UqZix-mTWJbvCCGmNKW5dmjJrWBsiBeMjSqrMOfKPYwYtyn8Dqqf5JJqXCj4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-03-10+at+14.07.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBzcNP7uN_Kc-SnWYQzAJ4g3J2z1MgTgBwvge3tPH75uN14SL-NBDQBUTBsCMrEmPvZ75guX53KnMdzs-UqZix-mTWJbvCCGmNKW5dmjJrWBsiBeMjSqrMOfKPYwYtyn8Dqqf5JJqXCj4/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-03-10+at+14.07.27.png" /></a></div>
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When you first decide to go vegan or plant-based, it can be difficult knowing where to start when looking for meal inspiration, especially if you work long hours and don't have the time to cook. Whilst there's a plethora of meat alternatives on the market, consuming them every day isn't the healthiest option when you're trying to ensure that your recommended vitamin and mineral intake. As someone who has gone plant-based not only for animal reasons but for health too, I always try to make sure that I get as much food from all the vegan food groups as possible and plan out all my meals to get a head start. The majority of my meals are foods that I've chucked together last minute, although I do try to make sure I cook at least two recipes out of my cookbooks each week to help me learn new cooking skills and give me enthusiasm for my plant-based lifestyle.</div>
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This week marks six months of me being vegan and a whopping fifteen years of being vegetarian and nearly every week, I'm asked by family and friends 'what do I eat?' I'm lucky that growing up my parents and friends supported my vegetarian lifestyle and although many still don't understand, they have adapted well to me being vegan too. Today I thought I would put together a small overview of </div>
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some of the meals I eat each week to give those looking to go plant-based some inspiration.</div>
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<b>Pulled jackfruit burgers</b></div>
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Pulled jackfruit is possibly one of my favourite quick meals to make and it is really low cost - if you have a Chinese supermarket in your local town, you can pick up a tin of jackfruit for only £1. I usually coat the jackfruit with paprika, garlic and onion powder then roast in my favourite BBQ sauce along with some black beans for extra protein. To accompany the dish, I usually make sweet potato fries and have either a side salad or some grilled veggies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8vwVPNUZh3pe_GG9JwSWEoaIu0lM9Uh0Emmm-0CB8AErPcw_dbsG3KhUBjyg3cu6uUI2I0ACySZ8D9rVUAQh2RGvJtWqAVsqQ0BEy52A3i4PGD8OUXurf1uHuOCaMW5RKUyEjRrJsCFK/s1600/salad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="865" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8vwVPNUZh3pe_GG9JwSWEoaIu0lM9Uh0Emmm-0CB8AErPcw_dbsG3KhUBjyg3cu6uUI2I0ACySZ8D9rVUAQh2RGvJtWqAVsqQ0BEy52A3i4PGD8OUXurf1uHuOCaMW5RKUyEjRrJsCFK/s1600/salad.png" /></a></div>
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<b>Avocado and hummus flatbread</b><br />
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If I'm working from home, I like to make myself either homemade soup or a fresh flatbread for my lunch, like the one above. The flatbread is made from 200g flour (or wholemeal flour) and a splash of water, salt and pepper and I usually mix some chia seeds for extra protein. The mixture is kneaded and then rolled out into the desired shape and lightly toasted in a pan. I've topped this with hummus, avocado and some veggies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0lTnfG9BQ3i6uUEF6GB35T3A3rhai1kX2YN2IhvMHhWRvFlPMl7r-ZnfhULGQUcFF00D3sfX8Cf4mAeFZJSqWgE48dxnIRS1PQxeDJ60jYvhw7nkT2H94EOsMLao97hrKH2ILeYJ0M7p/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-03-10+at+14.09.38.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0lTnfG9BQ3i6uUEF6GB35T3A3rhai1kX2YN2IhvMHhWRvFlPMl7r-ZnfhULGQUcFF00D3sfX8Cf4mAeFZJSqWgE48dxnIRS1PQxeDJ60jYvhw7nkT2H94EOsMLao97hrKH2ILeYJ0M7p/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-03-10+at+14.09.38.png" /></a></div>
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<b>Scrambled ackee bowl</b><br />
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Ackee is one of the most underrated 'egg' substitutes when it comes to veganism - it looks like a scrambled egg and is really creamy and filling. Ackee is, in fact, a Caribbean fruit, but it goes so well with spinach, peppers and slices of toast. I usually season my Ackee with garlic powder, onion powder and some chilli flakes for an extra kick.</div>
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<b>Jackfruit and mushroom stroganoff with horseradish mash potato</b><br />
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This recipe is from one of my Simply Cook subscription boxes where they send you a spice kit to make a specific meal. Instead of using just mushrooms I've added jackfruit for extra texture and substituted a few of the ingredients to make it vegan. In fact, a lot of the Simply Cook boxes can be very easily adapted to a vegan diet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Xcxgs9C-2MOyKxqEv5mmRUyA-hYMMym8fvKOCzII1sWdakMmbFtAH8DYf3N5amIrcV1Fbx9c62Nzk1jWUKpTXue5KVoOVpSqBNVlu6pu3MLmZFqlmS18eyMD6Az5trq7BCrv5liTVI04/s1600/fajitabowl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="865" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Xcxgs9C-2MOyKxqEv5mmRUyA-hYMMym8fvKOCzII1sWdakMmbFtAH8DYf3N5amIrcV1Fbx9c62Nzk1jWUKpTXue5KVoOVpSqBNVlu6pu3MLmZFqlmS18eyMD6Az5trq7BCrv5liTVI04/s1600/fajitabowl.png" /></a></div>
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<b>Fajita bowl with tortilla chips</b><br />
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One of my favourite recipes at the moment is this fajita bowl with homemade tortilla chips. The recipe was in one of my issues of Vegan Living magazine and it is incredibly easy to make. All you need to do is cook some peppers and red onion with chilli powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper with some tomato paste and then cut some large tortilla bread into triangles and bake them. There are many different recipes for this online and it's so easy to do - I've topped my bowl with some avocado and fresh coriander.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-syeCr3F4Jn90ODsGV57XytuYWvKWuFQ6jXiSPdWql4GoEhpvjWYFWLOX3gPEIn5XGWZ_hJL_88ufi85Nhh5j4yOpaLjiP38HVn3_CXmLoPRym8BgrzOx43ukr55Q9qJ8looq4zbfZa6/s1600/Vegan2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="865" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-syeCr3F4Jn90ODsGV57XytuYWvKWuFQ6jXiSPdWql4GoEhpvjWYFWLOX3gPEIn5XGWZ_hJL_88ufi85Nhh5j4yOpaLjiP38HVn3_CXmLoPRym8BgrzOx43ukr55Q9qJ8looq4zbfZa6/s1600/Vegan2.png" /></a></div>
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<b>'Cream cheese' and sundried tomato sandwich</b><br />
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Sometimes all you need is a nice carby sandwich and my favourite one to make is a vegan cream cheese sandwich with sundried tomatoes, spinach and some balsamic. The cream cheese is made from soaked cashew nuts blended with nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and garlic and onion powder.<br />
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<b>Chia flatbread pizza with sweet potato fries</b><br />
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One of my weekend staple dishes is a homemade vegan pizza - which is really easy to make and affordable too. I made the chia bread by using part flour, part water, part chia seeds and mixing them all together to make a dough and then I grill it on the hob. I then add tomato paste and all my favourite veggies. Sometimes I will also add 'tempeh bacon' made by marinating tempeh in soya sauce, paprika and maple syrup. I usually serve this with sweet potato fries or wedges and a glass of wine to celebrate the weekend.<br />
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<b>What are your favourite vegan dishes?</b></div>
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<br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-35199884774087249322018-03-01T23:24:00.000-08:002018-03-10T06:04:51.460-08:00The Emotional Stages of a First Time House Buyer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Buying your first house is a life-changing decision and even with the most straightforward of applications, there are always things that pop up that you can never quite prepare for. It's a journey full of emotions from the excitement of looking for your dream home, to the agonising and tense wait of house and mortgage offers. I always knew that applying for a mortgage wouldn't leave me skipping down the street to the bank, but I never expected it to give me the rollercoaster of emotions that it did. Today I've decided to reflect on the emotions I've had so far through my house buying process to let first time buyers know that you are not alone - it's such a momentous time in your life and it's bound to have anxiety attached to it, but also you shouldn't let this anxiety ruin your happiness because eventually you will own your dream home and it will be worth it.</div>
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<b>Excitement</b></div>
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The first emotion that any first-time buyer will experience is excitement. It is a very exciting time looking through houses and knowing that one of them could eventually be yours. There's the thrill of being able to start planning your dream bedroom, bathroom and kitchen and knowing that when the house is yours, no landlord is in your way.</div>
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<b class="">Self doubt</b></div>
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Once you've picked the house and it's time to get the mortgage, the self-doubt phase kicks in. S*** suddenly gets real and you have to be an adult and talk about complex financial decisions and prove that you're capable of managing your own money - not great when you look at your last three bank statements and realise that almost half of your wage goes on clothes shopping. You become critical of everything, analyse every fine detail and regularly ask yourself 'why would a banker trust me with a mortgage?'</div>
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<b>Anxiety</b></div>
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Once you've had the two-hour long bank meeting, it is a waiting game to see if your mortgage has been accepted. Even though mine was processed within the space of three days, it felt like forever. The hours creep by, you check your phone every five minutes and then Google makes you paranoid when you accidentally stubble upon forums of people discussing their failed mortgage applications. You wake up every morning thinking, will this be the day I find out?</div>
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<b>Relief</b></div>
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All being well, your mortgage will have been accepted and you enjoy your temporary state of relief - the bank thinks you're good to go and you can begin to feel optimistic. You can finally pop the fizz, have a quick 'yay us' moment and after a long, tiring wait, you are able to have a good night sleep before the next section of hard work begins.</div>
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<b>Fatigue</b></div>
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The emotions of the last few days, weeks and months finally catch up with you and you begin to feel irritable and tired, but the hard work isn't over yet. You have to make sure the solicitor is in place, liaise with the bank and make sure all the paperwork is organised from your side. You feel drained all you want is a few days curled up on the sofa watching Netflix but don't lose sight of the finish line.</div>
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<b>Second thoughts</b></div>
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Buying a house is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make and something you will be paying off for a considerable time of your life (unless you're super rich), so it's normal that at some part of the process you will begin to have second thoughts. These can range from thinking the house isn't quite big enough to being worried about the location and whether it is somewhere you would still want to live in 20 years time.</div>
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<b>Last minute panic</b></div>
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Once the solicitors are involved and you have your eyes on the completion date, last minute panic will set in. It's the stage where the banks do their final checks and where you are so close to owning a home that it feels like a reality. The last-minute panic sets in as you realise the end is in sight and you don't want anything to go wrong and jeopardise it.</div>
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Right now I'm in the last minute panic stage, but I'm sure once everything is signed on the dotted line, the house is in our name and we have our own home, that the ultimate feeling will be elation. That euphoria of knowing you've done this - yes, you, the person who thought that going a month without Starbucks would be difficult or the person who never looked to the future and lived in the moment. There will definitely be a big bottle of champagne with my name on it when this is done and the process is finally over.</div>
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Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-31815600332581293252018-02-12T03:59:00.000-08:002018-02-12T03:59:40.225-08:00Making time for the things you love with Virgin Trains on the East Coast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DQ3xL8iwdI-gx8KXsr0IwTxD5wtZj5qPsXNlTWJQ93kQtPnRcCVKFP3W-FP2HY9iZGAQ9p4v_rTwLdGIsFh1E6owt23mGnwpFD5d1_mHXRDXBd8oFPMk91d9H9XxSPvu10WWqprd" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DQ3xL8iwdI-gx8KXsr0IwTxD5wtZj5qPsXNlTWJQ93kQtPnRcCVKFP3W-FP2HY9iZGAQ9p4v_rTwLdGIsFh1E6owt23mGnwpFD5d1_mHXRDXBd8oFPMk91d9H9XxSPvu10WWqprd" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" /></a></div>
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Life often has an annoying habit of getting in the way of the things we love, from busy work commitments to lack of money or suddenly making us feeling poorly or blue. It can be really hard to make time for the things you love when you have so many other commitments and only seven short days to fit them in.<br />
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This week I've teamed up with Virgin Trains on the East Coast to show how planning ahead can give you a head start and give you more time for the things you love. During the last week, Virgin trains on the East Coast have challenged me to work my way through my to-do list, comprising of things that I either needed to get done or have been putting off for far too long.<br />
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<b>Booking a gym class</b></div>
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One of my first items on my to-do list was booking into a gym class. I've been paying for a gym membership for nearly four years which includes unlimited gym classes and I've never been to any of them. This was mainly due to my lack of confidence, but also partly due to the fact that I always forgot to book in advance and spaces would fill up. This week I booked myself into a class a few days early on my fitness class and then attended my first ever pilates class. It was fun, it really pushed me out of my comfort zone and it gave me the motivation to do a lot more of them.</div>
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<b>Book a trip to London</b></div>
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The next item that I was keen to tick off my to do list was booking a trip to London. It has almost been six years since my husband and I spent the night in London and the last time we went, it was when we got engaged. Over the last few months we have been working really hard to save for a house deposit, so it was about time that we treated ourselves. We booked our tickets in advance on the <a href="https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/" rel="nofollow">Virgin Trains on the East Coast</a> website travelling from Leeds to London and we managed to get tickets considerably cheaper than booking only a few days ahead.</div>
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<b>Cooking from scratch</b></div>
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Meal prep or batch cooking is a great way to save time when you have a busy working week and something that I've been looking to do more of recently. I leave the house at 7am and usually don't get home until 7pm and I often feel too tired to cook, but I need to cook a lot from scratch due to my nutritional needs as a vegan. This week I bought lots of ingredients in advance and spent an evening cooking and freezing meals to free up space for the next few days. It felt like a big task, to begin with as I needed to cook several meals at a time, but it was great knowing that I could come home from work the night after and simply reheat my meal. I was then able to dedicate the time I freed up to blogging and even going to the gym.</div>
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<b>Sorting out my photography</b></div>
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On Friday night, I spent the evening in front of the television, with a big glass of wine, printing off my travel photographs from 2017. Now we're in the digital age, most of us just keep our photographs on our phones or computers, but what happens if they break? Last year I lost a considerable amount of photographs when my hard drive broke and I was devastated. I kept telling myself that I would print off my photographs in future, but the months have crept by and until now I hadn't printed off any. Printing my travel photographs means that I have physical copies of my favourite memories and also that I can make space on my camera for more photographs of the things I love.</div>
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<b>Spending time with loved ones</b></div>
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Last, but definitely not least on my to-do list was to spend much needed time with my husband. Although we live together, we rarely get to spend quality time together because we're too tired on an evening and we both have very hectic lives. We spent Saturday having a few cocktails then went for a meal at one of our favourite restaurants and it was great to be able to have a laugh together without feeling too rundown. It also happened to be the day that we finally put an offer down on a house and it was a great distraction whilst we waited for it to be accepted...hopefully we will hear back from them soon.</div>
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<b>How do you make time for the things you love?</b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Collaborative post</span></b></div>
Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-80910991512299098632018-02-05T04:22:00.000-08:002018-02-05T04:22:45.955-08:00Six ways to rekindle your lost motivation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've all been there, staring at a to-do list and not knowing where to start. It can be incredibly frustrating when you have a task to do for a specific deadline, but you cannot find the 'get go' to begin. Before you know it, the list gets bigger and what seemed like a one hour task can suddenly feel overwhelming. There are many things that can affect our motivation from juggling our workloads and problems at home to simply feeling tired or the weather making us feel cold and uninspired.</div>
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This week I'm teaming up with <a href="https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/" rel="nofollow">Virgin Trains on the East Coast</a>* to highlight how planning ahead, such as purchasing earlier train tickets or meal prepping, can help you stay organised and free up your time to do more of the things you love, rekindling your motivation for life. Over the next week, I will be posting my daily challenges on social media and striking off my to-do list, but first, here are just a few tips to help you find the motivation to get what you need done.</div>
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<b>Declutter</b></div>
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Your working environment can really affect your mental health and positivity, so before you embark on your to-do list, make sure you declutter your desk space and create 'thinking room.' Hang up photographs of the things that inspire you, make note of what you would like to achieve and have space where you can spread out all your paperwork so you can see and think clearly.</div>
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<b>Set goals</b></div>
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Some people work better when they have a target or a set goal to reach, so try to think of a date when you would like to have completed your work by or achieved what you are setting out to do. Think of your short and long-term life goals and write out a plan to help you get there.</div>
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<b>Don't overdo it</b></div>
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Taking on too many tasks at one time can lead to stress and burnout and you're less likely to achieve what you have set out to do and if you do achieve it, your performance may be subpar. Only take on what you can handle and only take on a few tasks at a time.</div>
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<b>Be positive</b></div>
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Although it can be hard at times to remain positive, always try to keep a smile on your face and surround yourself with positive people. If you have a 'can do' attitude, you're more likely to get things done.</div>
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<b>Be inspired</b></div>
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Sometimes we all require a little bit of inspiration to show us that the tasks we are doing are worthwhile. Think closely about what you would like to achieve and then browse social media, the internet or books to find inspiration from people who have had similar successes.</div>
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<b>Reward yourself</b></div>
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Once you have completed your goals, don't forget to reward yourself however big or small. You will work harder knowing that there's something you want at the end of the task and once you have that sense of achievement, you're more likely to do it again when you have something else you need to get done.</div>
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Do you have a long to-do list?</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> *collaborative post</span></div>
<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;} @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073711037 9 0 511 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:black; mso-fareast-language:EN-GB;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:11.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Arial; mso-ascii-font-family:Arial; mso-fareast-font-family:Arial; mso-hansi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; color:black; mso-fareast-language:EN-GB;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:595.45pt 841.7pt; margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:0cm; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-page-numbers:1; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style>Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-67443919098452312142018-02-04T14:07:00.001-08:002018-02-04T14:07:33.320-08:00Burns Night at The Dakota Leeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_rjJNhSuLyV-dqVET4wTFrPfbx0Z4xpYVKR3ThO8FHPpnZkl1mTQiWZvkkoHLE8Xims7WtHjGVCpXPL9gCHWCKz0kEIDPoLJWPXvQVc6yV3PpeO_9A6bBM0jNTyBnVpaaIMhfV-P8q-W/s1600/_DSC6015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-_rjJNhSuLyV-dqVET4wTFrPfbx0Z4xpYVKR3ThO8FHPpnZkl1mTQiWZvkkoHLE8Xims7WtHjGVCpXPL9gCHWCKz0kEIDPoLJWPXvQVc6yV3PpeO_9A6bBM0jNTyBnVpaaIMhfV-P8q-W/s1600/_DSC6015.jpg" /></a></div>
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The Dakota hotel in Leeds has been open less than twelve months, but it has already become an established part of the city with its sleek, modern design, sophisticated bar and grill and it's close proximity to Greek Street, the bar and restaurant hotspot in the city centre. The hotel boasts 84 bedrooms and is the fourth hotel in the Dakota group with the other three situated between Glasgow and Edinburgh.</div>
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Just over a week ago, I was invited down to the Dakota hotel in Leeds to celebrate Burns night with them and to take part in a Scottish whisky tasting session with Johnnie Walker and a traditional Burns night supper. With my love of food, whisky and boutique hotels combined, I really couldn't wait to attend.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvAhpR7D4matZGh1-B9aalBAtVR78lQ2HTsV7Atndcaz6TQYQqV_BtMDuDOE1ryOTOrEoEY5fONy8gBbfMulj0rVFd4pdz5PvKbqBinDElVAodSbHbE74TFCtJHTmMJAp6C11Se0ohEqT/s1600/P1254333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvAhpR7D4matZGh1-B9aalBAtVR78lQ2HTsV7Atndcaz6TQYQqV_BtMDuDOE1ryOTOrEoEY5fONy8gBbfMulj0rVFd4pdz5PvKbqBinDElVAodSbHbE74TFCtJHTmMJAp6C11Se0ohEqT/s1600/P1254333.JPG" /></a></div>
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The Dakota hotel is a boutique hotel with a very modern, yet retro vibe and from top to bottom, it is full to the brim with character. The decor features a lot of greyscale and vintage style artwork, contrasted against abstract furniture and ornaments. All of the rooms come with state of the art televisions complete with Sky TV, a work desk complete with Bluetooth and HDMI connectivity and the bathroom features a rainfall shower with bespoke Dakota hotel toiletries, everything you could need for a luxury, comfortable nights stay in the city.</div>
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I was very impressed with our bedroom, it had lots of space to get ready, the plugs were at the side of our bed (which is the first thing I check when I get to a hotel) and the view from our hotel window was lovely as we could see the town hall lit up late at night. There were ample amounts of space to hang your clothes as you're getting ready, great tea making facilities and the bed was firm, yet soft enough to swallow you up and make you not want to leave.</div>
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The Burns night event took place in the stylish Salon Prive on the first floor of the hotel. The Salon Prive is one of the Dakota's event spaces, which can accommodate up to 150 people. It featured a glamorous bar with plush seating and the balcony looked over the hustle and bustle of Greek Street. Our welcome drink consisted of Johnnie Walker Black Label and Ginger ale - one of my new favourite drinks. If you love Jameson and ginger ale, you will love the alternative J.W version - Jameson has quite a smooth texture, whereas Johnnie Walker and ginger ale has a lovely kick to it.</div>
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Once we had all arrived, we were lead to our tables and talked through the history of Scottish whiskys and were given a selection of the best Scottish whiskys to sample. In between each whisky, we dined on traditional Burns night grub - with vegan alternatives for myself and my husband. I was incredibly grateful and impressed with the level of detail that went into creating my vegan dishes, one of the highlights was my little vegan Scottish haggis tart made with lentils, topped with a layer of 'neaps' and 'tatties'.</div>
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With our bellies full of scrumptious food and warm with the feeling of whisky, we decided it was time to call it a day and head back to our room. When we arrived back to our room, the staff had put chocolates on our pillows, turned the radio on to Smooth FM and dimmed the lights, it was created the perfect relaxing atmosphere to end a busy day and helped us gently nod off.</div>
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Our night at the Dakota was nothing short of wonderful from the doting staff to our comfortable and sophisticated surroundings. Breakfast in the morning was plentiful and satisfying - I had the most wonderful avo on toast and we woke up with a spring in our step ready to embrace the next day, as well as also feeling that little bit sad that we wouldn't be returning back to our room. Until next time, Dakota.</div>
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Rooms are available from £110 per night at the Dakota Hotel <a href="http://leeds.dakotahotels.co.uk/rooms/" rel="nofollow">website</a>.</div>
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Have you stayed at the Dakota before?</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*My stay was complimentary, but all views are my own.</span></div>
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Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-60197019801539079612018-01-30T11:51:00.000-08:002018-01-30T12:30:53.146-08:00Think Vegans can't eat desserts? Think again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2N8jD2OT-grrepk5NK3IL7EryLK-qTVW8973NSZOazrkcMp4kSymYQyp84O6q2RD9nKm1cIPtWNlzlhdQee7LJIb8Fw5jdVLUXu0_o1pmxD-nyYiooV4rXVyz2n1nD85bERFGycKiEOW/s1600/P1244228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2N8jD2OT-grrepk5NK3IL7EryLK-qTVW8973NSZOazrkcMp4kSymYQyp84O6q2RD9nKm1cIPtWNlzlhdQee7LJIb8Fw5jdVLUXu0_o1pmxD-nyYiooV4rXVyz2n1nD85bERFGycKiEOW/s1600/P1244228.JPG" /></a></div>
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One of the questions I get asked a lot since going vegan has been 'what do you eat?' It's a perfectly valid question from someone who has not been exposed to a plant-based diet before, but it is a vegans bugbear when it crops up on a weekly basis. The short answer is, what don't I eat? I pretty much eat everything that someone following a meat-based diet would eat, but all the meat and dairy has been substituted for plants. In fact, I'm yet to find one of my favourite omnivore dishes that cannot be 'veganised'. However, desserts can be troublesome.</div>
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Vegan versions of traditional dishes such as pies, crumbles, yoghurts and ice-cream are quite easy to find in your standard supermarket, in fact, the majority of them are 'accidentally vegan' without people realising, but creamier desserts such as vegan cheesecakes can be difficult to obtain. One of my favourite desserts before going vegan was GU, I loved their rich indulgent flavours and it was the one craving that I had on a weekly basis (but didn't succumb to), but thankfully now I've found a vegan, dairy-free replacement that I would say is even better, <a href="https://www.freaksofnature.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Freaks of Nature*</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSv4s0TZostSf49VtZN9RBWgAw3S3pqR6dZxFuC9E2UkyJ-hqJm7_PxPDuagNrCRoVe3mrPDVdPhAxmzu_G1O1p7N4lz0ckRXDEqnrEkF8wr1rMPYs2gptTcSPjqaK4D_FbWwST_cqScQ/s1600/P1244232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSv4s0TZostSf49VtZN9RBWgAw3S3pqR6dZxFuC9E2UkyJ-hqJm7_PxPDuagNrCRoVe3mrPDVdPhAxmzu_G1O1p7N4lz0ckRXDEqnrEkF8wr1rMPYs2gptTcSPjqaK4D_FbWwST_cqScQ/s1600/P1244232.JPG" /></a></div>
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Freaks of Nature's puddings and cheesecakes are free from gluten, dairy, egg and soya and are vegan and vegetarian society approved. Their products are delightfully creamy and indulgent, so much so that you wouldn't even think that they are plant-based. The range includes a Strawberry Blonde and Choc & Awe cheesecake and a 'Coca Loca' and 'Mango Fandango' pudding, which is deliciously fruity and satisfying. Their products are great for those who suffer from intolerances or who are following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle or for those who are actively trying to broaden their plant-based diet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXC20YACtOcdpIIaB7DEH__ubcJVT7ud8tp1vqa5-9CMrWAf7WECwxfdaJg1Fl9FZkOzR2094guPAJGnKG-lgadTu78iVZh8lJjxibKkQISqK1u6xneSebfrmC0OkzmdmmfOuj7KQoEZ7t/s1600/P1244197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXC20YACtOcdpIIaB7DEH__ubcJVT7ud8tp1vqa5-9CMrWAf7WECwxfdaJg1Fl9FZkOzR2094guPAJGnKG-lgadTu78iVZh8lJjxibKkQISqK1u6xneSebfrmC0OkzmdmmfOuj7KQoEZ7t/s1600/P1244197.JPG" /></a></div>
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Today I've teamed up with Freaks of Nature to give one of my followers a selection of the Freaks of Nature desserts. All you need to do is fill out the form below before the 28th February. Good luck! Open to UK residents only, aged 18 and above.<br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="bfbaafb915" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bfbaafb915/" id="rcwidget_77q5m535" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-55332951984113034362018-01-25T04:30:00.001-08:002018-01-25T04:30:11.776-08:00Issho Vegan Menu review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Vegan food over the last year has seen a surge in popularity, creating a demand for more plant-based cuisine in restaurants all over the UK, not just in dedicated vegan eateries. Eating out as a vegan was something that always daunted me and initially put me off my transition to a plant-based diet, but now more than ever it is becoming easier to grab food on the go and even dine in some of the best a la carte restaurants. The Leeds foodie scene has adapted incredibly well to the veganisms newfound followers and we're seeing more and more vegan menus popping up all over the city. One of the newest restaurants to announce their vegan offering is the ultra trendy, Japanese tapas bar <a href="http://www.issho-restaurant.com/" rel="nofollow">Issho</a>, situated in Victoria Gate and a few days ago, I was invited to try it.</div>
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The word Issho is Japanese for 'together', which is a pretty apt name for a restaurant that is incredibly open to dietary requirements. Whether you're with co-workers or looking to head somewhere for a date night, Isshos low lighting, relaxed, but sophisticated surroundings make it the perfect place to come together and enjoy the array of Japanese sharing dishes, sakes and Asian inspired cocktails.</div>
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Issho's vegan menu boasts nine sharing dishes and six snacks ranging from sushi to tempura to hot pots and bao buns. It is recommended that you order 4-5 dishes each to give you a full range of dishes to share. I opted for the Maki, the pumpkin tempura and a bao bun with spicy tofu. The Maki rolled with cucumber, peppers, cabbage and lettuce was incredibly fresh and flavoursome and beautifully presented - it was great to see a vegan dish that had so much thought put into it. The pumpkin tempura had a lovely crisp outer layer and soft, melt in the mouth pumpkin inside, it wasn't too greasy and there was plenty to share between us. The Bao bun had the crispiest tofu inside and the bun itself was light and bouncy, everything you could want to satisfy your bao bun cravings. </div>
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Between us, we also ordered some pumpkin miso gyozas and the robata grilled sweet potato with smoked lime coconut butter. The grilled sweet potato was a simple, yet incredible dish and possibly the star of the show. The robata grill gave it such a smokey barbeque flavouring and the lime added an extra zing to the dish. The pumpkin gyoza was exactly as a gyoza should be - flavoursome, moreish and cooked to perfection.<br />
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I'm not usually a dessert fan, but after seeing the superb quality of our main dishes, our curiosity got the better of us and we felt that we couldn't leave without sampling the remainder of the vegan. The only vegan dessert available is sorbet - which is usually the case as vegan desserts can be quite complex, but it did not disappoint. Our sorbet selection consisted of mango, green apple and sake, black cherry and lychee flavours and each of them were the perfect palate cleanser for the meal. Incredibly fresh, very juicy and not too overly sweet, it was a great way to end the night.</div>
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If you love Japanese food and you're looking for somewhere with a classy atmosphere, Issho is a great choice. I left with the restaurant feeling incredibly satisfied, wowed at their vegan menu and with an appetite to visit again.</div>
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Have you been to Issho before?</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*This meal was complimentary in exchange for this review. All views are my own.</span></div>
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<br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-36704212335095976102018-01-24T08:28:00.002-08:002018-01-24T08:28:44.803-08:00Why you should consider furthering your skills with an online course<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHRyXZwSA41AbB8nMYLOxOcC7ZwwdAY9x5BIJ5BRuc3eX3Y93fWjG7VZxBKxDSxLCN68wuShrdUzDjJVHD8LrZNKeBcMavRZaaaY3pmsAor1hR1d5Ci1LHTx_skwRaF1C7ejEhSs8y6oF/s1600/laptop-2004499_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHRyXZwSA41AbB8nMYLOxOcC7ZwwdAY9x5BIJ5BRuc3eX3Y93fWjG7VZxBKxDSxLCN68wuShrdUzDjJVHD8LrZNKeBcMavRZaaaY3pmsAor1hR1d5Ci1LHTx_skwRaF1C7ejEhSs8y6oF/s1600/laptop-2004499_1920.jpg" /></a></div>
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Do you ever feel stuck in a rut in life and wish you could start over? Or do you long to make one of your passions into a career? Maybe you just want to learn something new that you can share with your family? We've all been through these phases and thanks to the array of courses now available online, it's now possible to make some of these questions a reality.</div>
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I've always been interested in health and nutrition and my recent explorations into the vegan diet has made me even more intrigued by how our bodies work and what we need to function on a daily basis, so when <a href="https://www.ncchomelearning.co.uk/qualifications/online/" rel="nofollow">NCC Home Learning</a> asked me if I would like to take one of their courses, I decided to enroll on to their Weight Management diploma. </div>
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Taking an online course can cost considerably less than going back to college and it is a great way for you to learn something new in the comfort of your own home, without giving up the day job. You can look into developing a hobby or learning a new skill that could be beneficial for your current career or even your family. Below are just a few reasons that taking an online course could be beneficial for you. </div>
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<b>Gives you alternative career options</b></div>
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Taking an online course is a great way for you to get a foot in the door of a new career path or test the waters to see if something is a viable career option for you. A lot of the qualifications are industry recognised and if you're looking to go to university to do a degree, it's a great way of building up your entry qualifications and showing your commitment to your new area of study.</div>
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<b>It looks great on your CV</b></div>
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Workplaces like to see that people are adaptable and that they can pick up things easily, not only do you gain an additional qualification, but it will also look great on your CV due to your willingness to learn new skills, especially if you're juggling this on top of a full-time job. </div>
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<b>Flexible learning</b></div>
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Taking a course online gives you the option of learning at your own pace and you can go through the content whenever you like from first thing in the morning, to the last thing at night. It is very easy to fit around your existing career or family life.</div>
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<b>It's great for mental health</b></div>
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Do you remember that 'just passed feeling'? Taking an online course can really give you a sense of achievement and when you have that sense of achievement, it can really boost your overall wellbeing and positivity. It shows that you can do whatever you put your mind to. </div>
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Have you taken an online course before?</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Collaborative post</span></div>
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Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-61878459671220086322018-01-17T07:48:00.003-08:002018-01-17T13:22:32.034-08:00Staying Sober this Dry January with Fentimans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVCgGRuMf_w2WU6aWKHzaSqGYM3Kh8TnddQw5xP1B3jBPUIdWp9pxnbzWLWqtZeKplUeZzSUsqyhsZFSMXRwT4_cPaAIMSzD82Ip_hVajASxa65ZDe6mRYpMoJdMHqUbgnW-EAN6rrahV/s1600/P1133968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaVCgGRuMf_w2WU6aWKHzaSqGYM3Kh8TnddQw5xP1B3jBPUIdWp9pxnbzWLWqtZeKplUeZzSUsqyhsZFSMXRwT4_cPaAIMSzD82Ip_hVajASxa65ZDe6mRYpMoJdMHqUbgnW-EAN6rrahV/s1600/P1133968.JPG" /></a></div>
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We're midway through January and for those taking part in Dry January, they are fast approaching the finish line. Dry January started in 2014 after an advertising campaign highlighted the dangers of drinking too much booze and four years later, it is a roaring success and a household date for many calendars. Over 3.1 million people have said to be taking part in Dry January this year in a bid to save money, lose weight and better their overall health. According to research by Deliveroo, 17th January is the date where most people are likely to break their Dry January promises, so today I've teamed up with <a href="http://www.fentimans.com/drinks/soft-drinks" rel="nofollow">Fentimans</a> to help get you through the final hurdle by introducing you to their range of non-alcoholic drinks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRinUd3QZAxoWNekF5do3CEzRZFdQGxpXFMyu47LO91mUoKDpnYXLNXrF3IK-ZuvC0ANoxV3Tmg_nBlOB2t_rqDCKc4hT3Oq4_HHtkYcPztPM48RxtQdVcqfLTVYs_6m7zJY0z6btfkNS/s1600/P1144031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRinUd3QZAxoWNekF5do3CEzRZFdQGxpXFMyu47LO91mUoKDpnYXLNXrF3IK-ZuvC0ANoxV3Tmg_nBlOB2t_rqDCKc4hT3Oq4_HHtkYcPztPM48RxtQdVcqfLTVYs_6m7zJY0z6btfkNS/s1600/P1144031.JPG" /></a></div>
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When it comes to non-alocholic drinks currently on the market, a large proportion of them are tailored towards younger people and many of them lack the flavour and sophistication that most adults desire when opting for a soft drink over an alcoholic beverage. Botantically brewed to get the best infusions of their natural ingrediants, Fentimans is a non-alcoholic drink that really packs a punch in the flavour department and with their retro inspired bottles and quirky names, they are loved by people of all ages. Those who are long time fans of Fentimans will remember that the smaller 125ml mixer bottles used to be green, but Fentimans has undergone a slight rebrand to give the bottles a linear design across the collection.</div>
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Fentimans pride themselves on being a premium brand that offers a twist on classic soft beverages such as the Victorian lemonade and their Curiosity Cola. There's also more unique flavours such as the Madarin and Seville Orange Jigger and Sparkling Lime and Jasmin. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhck7cskZw-SZew75ICw7akeUK_K3wycmXGBX4YB0mPFLihzj9LdHl2fB7wgAwaweo8jLjN9Lj4q6S7QmNwOpiG5klY7JtzCBqdcRSGb7NIYCY565Z2nPbN9QdQ7IHqEDdm3IPKbTdFmT-Z/s1600/unnamed+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhck7cskZw-SZew75ICw7akeUK_K3wycmXGBX4YB0mPFLihzj9LdHl2fB7wgAwaweo8jLjN9Lj4q6S7QmNwOpiG5klY7JtzCBqdcRSGb7NIYCY565Z2nPbN9QdQ7IHqEDdm3IPKbTdFmT-Z/s1600/unnamed+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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Fentimans drinks are not only great for drinking on their own but making mocktails (and even cocktails if you prefer) too. Simply add 275ml Rose Lemonade, 20ml Hob Elderflower syrup, garnished with a sprig of mint for a refreshing afternoon drink or make yourself a non-alcoholic Ginger Beer mule by mixing sugar syrup, concentrated apple juice, Ginger Beer and fresh mint if you're looking for something fierier.</div>
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Have you tried Fentimans drinks before?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Contains PR Samples</span></div>
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</style>Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-76059234869829504092018-01-12T04:32:00.000-08:002018-01-17T07:48:42.496-08:00Why I won't be dieting this January<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rvA93Z5q-C0tBfX9MorFzWyyzXlfMCLyRRlDv52W0b-8mUZgB3i-7yftkpjyhnegeEg_k2k_B1yv0Shm3py0YlNOUkrVJJUkyCloT4q6qhEUiuR0jR3umU8UF-N0CP1XUpM60BLjm56e/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-06-28+at+17.01.23.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="896" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rvA93Z5q-C0tBfX9MorFzWyyzXlfMCLyRRlDv52W0b-8mUZgB3i-7yftkpjyhnegeEg_k2k_B1yv0Shm3py0YlNOUkrVJJUkyCloT4q6qhEUiuR0jR3umU8UF-N0CP1XUpM60BLjm56e/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-06-28+at+17.01.23.png" /></a></div>
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Everywhere we look right now there are people tucking into their salads, skipping to the gym and feeling guilty about eating the remainder of their Christmas chocolates. The magazines are telling us their secrets to 'get slim quick' and Instagram is a plethora of 'clean eaters'. While I encourage healthy eating and exercise and I will be doing my best to not pile on the pounds during this long, gloomy month, I will not be joining the January diets this year and here's why.</div>
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<b>January is the hardest month to get through</b></div>
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Six weeks until payday, no social life and going back to work after blissfully eating chocolates and dancing around a Christmas tree for two weeks, January is the hardest month of the year. It's the time of year that a lot of people suffer the blues and it is incredibly hard to get the motivation to do the things many of us love. Although January represents a 'new year, new start', I would much rather tuck into my favourite treats when it is still cold and windy outside and not feel guilty about the odd glass of wine after a hard day of work - you can keep your carrot sticks.</div>
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<b>There's still a lot of temptation around</b><br />
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I don't know whether it is just me, but I have a lot of Christmas chocolates left over and I have no intention of throwing them out. I'm not going to be bingeing quite like I did over the Xmas period, but I'm not going to deny myself of my Christmas presents either. When there's a lot of temptation lying around, you're more likely to cave in from your diets so you're best waiting until they are out of the house.</div>
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<b>Cheap January restaurant deals</b></div>
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With everyone cutting down their spending after splashing the cash throughout December, a lot of restaurants naturally see a dip in their customers during the beginning of the year. This has led to top quality restaurants offering lucrative deals to entice new customers, sometimes with up to 60% off or 2-4-1. If saving money is one of your New Year resolutions, it makes sense to get your money's worth of going out in January and consider becoming a hermit in February instead.</div>
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<b>There's too much pressure</b></div>
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As soon as you confess that you're dieting to others who are looking to trim the pounds, it is like you suddenly enter a competition without realising. There's a lot of questions that arise from talking about your diet such as 'what did you eat last night' and then comments like 'I went to the gym last night, did you?' If you're someone that thrives off competition, this can be a good thing, but dieting can be a rather sensitive subject for others and at this time of year, there can be quite a lot of peer pressure.</div>
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<b>Healthy eating should be all year round, not just thirty-one days</b></div>
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Healthy eating should be all year long and not just thirty-one days. In January we put too much pressure on ourselves to lose weight in such a quick timeframe and when some of us don't achieve our goals, it can be disheartening and leaves us feeling defeated. This can put us off dieting in the long run and lead to a 'what is the point' attitude. I would much rather adopt a 'balanced' approach all year round than having one month of crash dieting - you're more likely to keep the weight off in the long run and have a healthier outlook moving forward.</div>
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Are you dieting this January?</div>
<style type="text/css"> p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #454545; min-height: 14.0px} </style>Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-29407961937483644762018-01-03T23:03:00.000-08:002018-01-03T23:03:08.646-08:00How to succeed this Veganuary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpi8EA40_3x3ONuRrRrMcMWwk8zSLjKuB192bVqT_bSNFXvKO0mo8HmMdWu2d7fcUGzHQkG0a-CmdAL-PzBsnObMku1JQoK2PcPhUqy4JvdDhsXVvtBtvqhsSMSO1paeVWXdV2NGe9s0T4/s1600/PA293558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpi8EA40_3x3ONuRrRrMcMWwk8zSLjKuB192bVqT_bSNFXvKO0mo8HmMdWu2d7fcUGzHQkG0a-CmdAL-PzBsnObMku1JQoK2PcPhUqy4JvdDhsXVvtBtvqhsSMSO1paeVWXdV2NGe9s0T4/s1600/PA293558.JPG" /></a></div>
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At the start of January, a lot people like to embrace their 'New Year, New Me' mantras with many opting to diet, hit the gym and cut back on the booze. As each year passes, not everyone manages to suceed with their resolutions, so to help keep us on our toes, the likes of Vegnuary and Dry January has been invented so that we can all make a collective effort to stick to our goal, help our bodies and even save environment during the hardest thirty days of the month.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Veganuary is a 30 Day vegan challenge, where participants are asked to consume only plant based foods and take an ethical standpoint throughout the first month of the year. The animal rights charity's mission is show how easy it can be to go vegan</span><span style="text-align: left;">, raise awareness of animal suffering and highlight the impact the dairy and meat industry is having on the environment. </span></div>
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Three months ago I made the big decision to go completely plant based after almost fifteen years of being vegetarian and I haven't looked back. I didn't expect to it to be as easy as it has been and the results have been incredible - I'm more energised, I've lost almost two stone in weight and for the first time in years my stomach issues seem under control. Every person is different and not everyone will have these type of results, but veganism is great for those looking to inject additional plant nutrients into their diet and experiment more with healthy eating. Below are just a few of my top tips on how to suceed this Veganuary. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN38Sl7phUOQJfc2KU2lAS1XNNlSe09MSBM0mWZj7HW3ZVKxsBjW4mi1mD5gpoxECYUY2_k6jN-OAFem_RJ7V4m3rlAZvjV45KY_PU02O-zasCmtFV0NWNMTNN7CfSiy8_7BXXBScYAFLT/s1600/PA053389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN38Sl7phUOQJfc2KU2lAS1XNNlSe09MSBM0mWZj7HW3ZVKxsBjW4mi1mD5gpoxECYUY2_k6jN-OAFem_RJ7V4m3rlAZvjV45KY_PU02O-zasCmtFV0NWNMTNN7CfSiy8_7BXXBScYAFLT/s640/PA053389.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Look for subsitutes of your favourite dishes </b><br />
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So, what do vegans eat? Well, pretty much the meat free equivalent of everyone else's dishes. With veganism being so popular, supermarket shelves are now full of juicy meat free alternatives to the nations favourite dishes and there's very little that you can't get a replacement for. Just becareful with some Linda McCartney and Quorn products as not all of them are vegan, but many are.<br />
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<b>Follow social media</b><br />
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Utilise social media by following your favourite vegan brands, Instagrammers and bloggers. The majority of my food inspiration comes from there and there's so many unique ideas that you cannot always find in recipe books. One of my favourite discoveries is ackee and how much is resembles scrambled egg!<br />
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<b>Download vegan apps</b><br />
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There's so many apps available on both Android and IOS dedicated to helping make vegans lives a little bit easier. Sometimes it is hard looking for a vegan restaurant in somewhere you don't know and reading labels can be troublesome when you don't know what all the E numbers mean. Happy Cow and Vanilla Bean are both great for recommendations and Is it vegan is a handy app that enables you to scan products to check, as the name suggests, if it is vegan.<br />
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<b>Look for Veganuary restaurant offers</b><br />
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Zizzi, Las Inguanas and Bella Italia are just three of many high street chains that are offering deals this Veganuary to those taking part in the challenge so they can see how easy it is to eat out. Why not book a meal out with some friends to give each other motivation and discover new food?<br />
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<b>Get experimental with your food</b><br />
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One of the best things about being vegan is discovering new ways of cooking with the most basic of ingrediants. If you live off the likes of Quorn and chips, you are likely to get bored quite easily. Invest in a good recipe book or browse online and get creative in the kitchen.<br />
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<b>Don't be too hard on yourself</b><br />
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Every vegan will have made some mistake in the early stages, don't be too hard on yourself if you do. Each day that you're not consuming meat or dairy is a triumph and can make quite a big impact, if you do slip up, just take it as a lesson learnt and pick yourself back up again - don't admit defeat.<br />
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Are you taking part in Veganuary?</div>
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<br />Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-22140378091154202052017-12-20T14:21:00.000-08:002017-12-20T14:21:05.359-08:00How to be the best you can be in 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pt4fgP-VvE64vkY5dducNxY6W0hstL-12dfaI0NvK5LWhtAp5QP9uQJj-1LaPfz7kgArUT2A1fOl1Hb9heV_VEwI6Qlhmsj9reGCiLUEHs80RmoV3JP3tTYVw9h9XugomQEkNmnae7nR/s1600/me.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="865" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pt4fgP-VvE64vkY5dducNxY6W0hstL-12dfaI0NvK5LWhtAp5QP9uQJj-1LaPfz7kgArUT2A1fOl1Hb9heV_VEwI6Qlhmsj9reGCiLUEHs80RmoV3JP3tTYVw9h9XugomQEkNmnae7nR/s1600/me.png" /></a></div>
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A new year is on the horizon and it is almost that time again that many people start thinking about their goals for the next 12 months. For some people it is a change in career or saving up towards something big such a holiday or driving lessons, for others it is the simple differences they want to want in their lives to help them get ahead or make their life run a little bit more smoothly. I've been quite vocal about saving for a house for the last few months and buying a house is still one of my main priorities, however, I really want to focus on my own self-development next year by learning new things and above all, boosting my confidence. I want to be the best I can be and learn to love and respect myself. I'm getting the point where I'm almost in my late twenties and if I don't start appreciating myself before the big three-o, I don't know if I ever will.</div>
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Today I thought I would put together a few motivational tips to help me start on my journey to confidence and to hopefully inspire you to join me on the way too.</div>
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<b>B</b><b>e yourself</b></div>
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Firstly, always remember to be yourself. It's cliche, but Kurt Cobain's quote 'I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for someone I'm not' is what we should all live by. There's a lot of pressure from social media, our careers and friendships someones to try to pretend to be someone we just could never be, but the truth is, if you're having to put on an act, they're never going to like you in the end. It's better to focus on the people who genuinely care about you and for that one person who you don't quite get on with, there will be 10 more than appreciate and love you for who you are.</div>
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<b>Know what you want</b></div>
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Knowing what you want in life is easier said than done - not everyone knows exactly where they want to be in ten years time. However, as a general rule, it is helpful to think ahead and get an idea of the smaller things that you want that could tick off one step at a time and contribute to the wider picture in your future.</div>
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<b>Dress to impress</b><br />
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The way we dress can have a huge impact on our productivity levels and the way we generally feel about ourselves - I always feel the most productive and confident when I've got my favourite lipstick and dress on. Get up that little bit earlier in a morning and try a new style or put on an outfit that you know will make you feel good. The dress that gives me the most confidence right now is the one above from <a href="https://www.cariscloset.ie/product/taylor-long-sleeve-lace-dress-in-navy/" rel="nofollow">Caris Closet-</a> it has a beautiful feminine shape and looks sophisticated, yet stylish. Teamed up with a blazer, it makes a great 'power dress' outfit and can be worn for lunchtime meetings straight through to the evening.<br />
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<b>Get rid of any negativity</b><br />
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Having negativity in your life will only drag you down and weigh heavily on your mental health. Take steps to phase out the people or an aspect of your life that you feel is making you lose sleep or get stressed out on a night. It may hurt in the short term, but in the long term, it will help you build a better, brighter future.<br />
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<b>Embrace your passions</b><br />
We're always at our happiest with we're discussing something that we love, so embrace your passion and make it a bigger part of your life. You can try to incorporate it into your career, start a new blog, join a group or meet with friends who have like-minded views.<br />
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<b>Don't be afraid of failure</b><br />
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Always look at failure as a learning curve - address where and if you went wrong and what you're the plan of action is so that you don't do it again. Failure is, unfortunately, a big part of life, but if you don't let it get to you too much, it can, in the end, make you strong and a better person for it.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
What are your tips for success in 2018?</div>
Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-35496863761109919372017-12-17T08:07:00.004-08:002017-12-19T01:06:38.322-08:00My 2018 Travel Bucket List<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOUHHUzgf0G39P6JViN7LA3nc6n_NEW8azKGkSEDBXzP_SWvWLIquk0IxLM9MTMPo-BSBVCsJ9hyG3Fb3AKooEWwHk6VHP2-3ZnNJXBrz47MpW0no2ThSGtxivbKQ7-b_6-ZD5uPIoV_8/s1600/15036292_10210060831450051_1271826726949337870_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOUHHUzgf0G39P6JViN7LA3nc6n_NEW8azKGkSEDBXzP_SWvWLIquk0IxLM9MTMPo-BSBVCsJ9hyG3Fb3AKooEWwHk6VHP2-3ZnNJXBrz47MpW0no2ThSGtxivbKQ7-b_6-ZD5uPIoV_8/s1600/15036292_10210060831450051_1271826726949337870_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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When I was growing up, travel was never the first thing on my mind. In my teenage years and even early twenties, all I cared about was more superficial things in life such as my next designer handbag or makeup collection. In fact, I hadn't stteped on a plane in almost 10 years until my 21st birthday and that was the time when most of my friends were on gap years or going on girls holidays. Looking back I was young and naive and to be fair, aren't we all at some point? Over the last few years I've been making more of a concious effort to see more of the world and the UK and I managed to cram quite a lot of places in. However, changes in circumstances meant that I've had to spend most of 2017 saving for a house rather than an exotic holiday and my travel plans went temporarily on hold. </div>
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Although early next year will be dedicated to setting up my base, I'm hoping that towards the end of 2018 I will be able to reward myself after twelve months of saving with one or two little breaks. Today I've decided to put together a little bucket list on places that I would like to visit next year and hopefully give you a little bit of inspiration on the way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-AENUFuK3XsVcbdbu39H1c8X_pWb6iir1CZAF4QyWs7MLFtH_51fan_9e126J1gWhByupwfcfHdhXvWu54j5ruHtD5EsWmXwjHtktliLOQCovJsrvDGjf6EwtbfWjTmmiW3N1tEQ0b_s/s1600/clouds-1841296_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-AENUFuK3XsVcbdbu39H1c8X_pWb6iir1CZAF4QyWs7MLFtH_51fan_9e126J1gWhByupwfcfHdhXvWu54j5ruHtD5EsWmXwjHtktliLOQCovJsrvDGjf6EwtbfWjTmmiW3N1tEQ0b_s/s1600/clouds-1841296_1920.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Japan</b></div>
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Last year Japan was high up on my bucket list and we began saving up for it, but house hunting became more of a priority and our plans fell through. I'm hoping that next year will finally be the year I get to see Tokyo as it has been a lifelong dream of mine to visit and I've heard it is such an amazing place to visit.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBBmyvanO62HcmThGjmYYk89GF0ssj7GVfxfIfhLYsQQ06h6KBp0EBelm2O5paPXMJ_2qdnyg7bvp08VzKQw1VbX4tjH1jMAVCBXeW7ngtzxiP3aZmXiQM6qgTuDFUryNQ8PRJq0s_fPN/s1600/DSC_1247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBBmyvanO62HcmThGjmYYk89GF0ssj7GVfxfIfhLYsQQ06h6KBp0EBelm2O5paPXMJ_2qdnyg7bvp08VzKQw1VbX4tjH1jMAVCBXeW7ngtzxiP3aZmXiQM6qgTuDFUryNQ8PRJq0s_fPN/s1600/DSC_1247.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b>Thailand</b></div>
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Prices to Thailand are coming down each year and it is becoming a really affordable destination to travel to with great deals on websites like <a href="https://www.destination2.co.uk/destinations/thailand">Destination2</a>. The cost of food, drink and even accommodation is very little compared to other places to visit, hence why it is so popular with backpackers. I visited Thailand back in 2015 and I would love to return with my husband and show him everything I fell in love with about this country.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c7XAjysINTFWsAXK0Mu1DrwbNv-DU2WrGfzZGJ0dSD5nrx9kuVEbuuJPOcFgJJfS19GzVYl9V4EThautcUlyBXiANGJe-dkl9g_Vae7DPvaAjiQH3_DF1Jxjgls4-7-gsoHEe6gP-TgD/s1600/carabinieri-2127621_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c7XAjysINTFWsAXK0Mu1DrwbNv-DU2WrGfzZGJ0dSD5nrx9kuVEbuuJPOcFgJJfS19GzVYl9V4EThautcUlyBXiANGJe-dkl9g_Vae7DPvaAjiQH3_DF1Jxjgls4-7-gsoHEe6gP-TgD/s1600/carabinieri-2127621_1920.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Venice</b></div>
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Venice is another place that I've always said that I wanted to visit, but never got the chance. Although I've heard it is expensive when you get there, you get now get some great deals on accomodation and flights online and it would make a superb mini break. I've also heard that despite all the rich italian food, Venice has quite a lot of vegan hidden gems.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y2YE1SrMmJv74SCsGlGHrcj2BuHAefy4VHaRO-RTUSin8TyrDrgnL65H6NXX9ZRGMl_xpBCNKcBjcsyOJ01V8cNAf2RhT9WYoxQB29T93AIGRAKLDXXNsY_qEvAmOcsXkdkyhjoHmyvi/s1600/oia-416136_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y2YE1SrMmJv74SCsGlGHrcj2BuHAefy4VHaRO-RTUSin8TyrDrgnL65H6NXX9ZRGMl_xpBCNKcBjcsyOJ01V8cNAf2RhT9WYoxQB29T93AIGRAKLDXXNsY_qEvAmOcsXkdkyhjoHmyvi/s1600/oia-416136_1920.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Greece</b><br />
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Greece has been on my bucket list for a considerable amount of time and I still can't believe I haven't been here yet. There's nothing I love more than learning about history, but also being close to the sea and feeling the heat, so Greece would be a perfect choice for me. Compared to some of my other dream destinations, </div>
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Where would you like to visit next year?</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*Collaborative post</span></div>
Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8390909237436203417.post-51637811870020189332017-12-13T23:04:00.002-08:002017-12-13T23:04:27.910-08:00How to travel stress free this Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXzMqsDFuUU9G3WiamjBlCmAv0eVrWyHbluz4wSKKDrpz0ChQfNxHCrGL7-Vmo_cPyAoEZcLWddaFNgD3Ef__K11zOA-KgT91uy9bmOOWYYighyphenhyphensqvPgdVmlm3dnXVbMT2FNriJIZFjXy/s1600/flying.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="865" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXzMqsDFuUU9G3WiamjBlCmAv0eVrWyHbluz4wSKKDrpz0ChQfNxHCrGL7-Vmo_cPyAoEZcLWddaFNgD3Ef__K11zOA-KgT91uy9bmOOWYYighyphenhyphensqvPgdVmlm3dnXVbMT2FNriJIZFjXy/s1600/flying.png" /></a></div>
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Travelling at Christmas when you're spending the festive season with loved ones can be an apprehensive time as no-one wants to miss out on Christmas day. No matter how prepared you are, there's always something that can go wrong when you're relying on different modes of transport and with Christmas being the busiest time of year, you're competing with thousands of other people all wanting to get home to their families too. </div>
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Today I've put together a short guide on how to travel stress-free this Christmas so that you can sit back, enjoy your journey and spend more time thinking about the things that truly matter.</div>
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<b>Book in advance</b></div>
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When you're travelling at busy times, always book as much as possible in advance so that you don't have to waste time waiting around or miss out due to people queuing in front of you. Booking in advance is particularly important during the festive time as there might be limited services due to restricted opening hours.</div>
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<b>Give yourself plenty of time</b></div>
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Give yourself plenty of extra time in between your bookings to allow for any delays that may occur in between your journeys. It may mean waiting around if you're earlier, but it is better than missing your connection altogether.</div>
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<b>Check your flights regularly</b></div>
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If you are flying, make sure you check your flights regularly for any delays or cancellations. Ryanair has already announced that they are going on strike this Christmas and with the UK experiencing severe weather warnings regularly at the moment, there's a small chance that flights could get disrupted over the next few weeks.</div>
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<b>Research the area you are travelling to</b></div>
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Research the area that you are travelling to so that you can see where will be open around Christmas to avoid any disappointment. Each country or area will have their own Christmas traditions, many places will stay open, but some may have limited open hours or shut entirely so that people can celebrate the festivities with their families.</div>
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<b>Have a backup plan</b></div>
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Although the chances of your travels being cancelled are very slim, it's always important to consider the 'what ifs' when travelling at busy, wintery times. Consider having a backup plan if something does go wrong so that you still have a way of spending Christmas with the ones you love.</div>
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Have you flown over Christmas before?</div>
Forever Miss Vanityhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10238945190720794362noreply@blogger.com1