Yorkshire Blow Dry Review

Yorkshire Blow Dry is the a newly opened blow dry salon in Leeds city centre and last week I was invited around to check out the services. The company is the brain child of Nargas Harrison, who saw a gap in the Leeds market for an express blow dry service. As a busy mum and business woman, she recognised that not everyone has the luxury of time to a book blow dry well in advance - especially those working in the city centre and she believes that ' everyone woman deserves amazing hair'. Yorkshire Blow Dry* is a place where you can relax and have experts transform your hair for quicker and cheaper than your regular hairdresser, while still maintaining the high standard of quality. Whether you prefer your hair bouncy, straight or wavy, the stylists know what they are doing and are eager to help.

Yorkshire Blow Dry is situated in the Central Arcade between Bella Italia and House of Fraser on the main high street. It is accessible for busy career women in the city as well as leisurely shoppers and those in need of a quick fix. The salon has a modern, stylish interior featuring faux fur rugs, paper lanterns and even a branded wall where you can have your pictures taken like a superstar - the salon oozes luxury.

I opted for a natural curly blow dry and I was really impressed with the results. Not only was the service speedy (she managed to pincurl my hair curly in less than 40 minutes), but it was also really friendly and welcoming. The girls who work there are really down to earth and can hold a good conversation, without being too in your face like some hairdressers can be. 

A blow dry at Yorkshire Blow Dry is £45 - which is fantastic for city centre and I think it's definitely worth the price. I'm already looking into booking future treatments in with the team and if you're planning a night out or desperately need a hair fix, I would definitely recommend them.

What style blow dry do you usually go for?

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My First Tattoo

For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted a tattoo and this week I finally plucked up the courage to get one. When I was younger I spent hours every week watching the likes of Miami Ink and I would often doodle designs on notebooks during in high school. I've always known I've wanted a tattoo, but never really known what design I wanted. In the past I've gone through dozens of tattoo design phases from one time wanting doves flying up my back to almost booking in to get a band tattoo on chest, which thankfully I chickened out of because I no longer like the band. I've always read stories about how people have chosen a tattoo that really meant something to them, but until recently, there was nothing that stood out to me that much that I wanted it inked on me for life.

The Design

The last two years of my life have been really life changing both for the better and for worse.I married the love of my life and got a really good job - both of which make me really happy, but on the downside my health has taken a tremendous beating and during the last two years I have been diagnosed with two incurable conditions that affect my life daily. When I was reading tattoo designs and their meanings, one really stood out to me and that was an elephant tattoo. Elephant tattoos represent strength, family and  peace and also luck and success - all of which are elements of my life. The strength symbolises my constant battle with my health and the ability to stay strong when everything gets tough and the family aspect represents my love for my family who have been by my side. Despite not having the best health, I do consider myself quite lucky and I am successful in some of the things I do and that's where the luck and success come into play. Elephants also happen to be my favourite animal and they are highly regarded in Buddhist culture - something I learnt a lot about and admired during my trip to Thailand last year.

On Wednesday morning when I woke up and was doing my usual social media check, I noticed that the tattoo parlour I have been researching for months had some walk in space. After putting my tattoo off for almost a year and a half due to nerves, I decided that Wednesday was going to be the day that I got my tattoo and without telling my husband or my friends, I walked into the studio and booked myself in. I remember sitting in the waiting room with my heart feeling like it was going to rip out of my chest - I had read so many horror stories online about heel and foot tattoos being the most painful, but I reassured myself that I could handle it. 

Did it hurt?

After a couple of minutes wait, I was called into the back room of the studio and asked to take off my shoes. Harry, the tattoo artist then drew a stencil on my foot and asked me to check the design in the mirror to make sure I was happy with the placement. It was funny seeing the design I had dreamt about outlined on my foot and strangely, it looked better than I thought it would. I returned to the chair, acknowledged that I was happy and the tattooing begun. To begin with, Harry told me he would draw a small line so I could get used to the pressure and tell him how I felt. I took a deep breathe and he began. At first it was a bit of a shock to the system - it was painful, but not too bad and if anything, the noise of the machine made it more frightening than it actually was. Once he began properly tattooing my foot it began to hurt a bit more, but nothing like I expected. I read so many forums online saying that 'grown men cry when they get their foot tattooed' and that I would be 'screaming in agony.' It was more uncomfortable than really painful and after the first 10 minutes I became numb to the pain as I finally got used to the needle. My little -heel tattoo took 20 minutes to do and when I looked in the mirror at my finished design, I actually cried. A) I was happy with myself that I had the guts to walk into a tattoo studio solo and get it done and B) the tattoo meant so much to me that it brought so many thoughts into my mind after first looking at it. Since getting it done four days ago, I haven't stopped looking at my ankle and grinning.  With the rest of my body not cooperating with my life, it's nice to look at my body and feel happy with something and have a little design that makes me smile when I wake up in the morning.

The Aftermath

My tattoo is only four days old and hasn't yet heeled, but so far, so good. It doesn't hurt to walk on, there's no swelling and it looks fantastic. I've had so many compliments and a waitress even stopped me in a restaurant to look at it. The downside about getting a foot tattoo is only being able to wear ballet flats for several weeks until it has fully recovered and with the unexpected snow, it has been far from ideal. However, it is a small price to pay for something that will hopefully bring me a lifetime of happiness and I cannot wait to see what journeys 'Nellie' and I will be embarking on in the future.

Do you have any tattoos?

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A Year Since My Trip to Thailand

A year ago last week I was on a plane to Thailand, embarking on my first ever press trip and my first long haul flight. I was lucky enough to be invited by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to spend a week in some of the more remote areas of Thailand learning about the countries culture first hand by visiting small weaving villages and speaking to the locals. It was an amazing experience - one which I will never forget and I really think that particular trip helped shape me into the person I am today. From flying internationally with a group of people I met only hours before to visiting Buddha temples and finding my own inner peace, Thailand showed me what I was doing wrong in my life at that time, what I should be proud of myself for and where I want to be in 10 years time.

Travel is rewarding

Before I went on my trip to my Thailand, all I cared about was the next shoes I was going to buy or the next handbag I wanted to invest in -travelling wasn't on my agenda. However when I got back to the UK, I realised how much I learnt on my trip and my thoughts turned to how I can save up to visit another faraway destination. These days I would much rather put money away for a trip aboard or a staycation in the UK where I can learn about history than something that would bore me after five minutes. Memories are priceless.

I learnt that I can be independent

Thailand was not only my first international flight, it was the first time I had flown alone as an adult without my close friends or family. I was terrified at the thought of meeting strangers at the airport and flying across the world without anyone I knew, but by the end of the trip I had made so many friends from all over the world and I finally realised how independent I could be.  I was thrown out of my comfort zone and I survived and had fun. In fact, I would happily travel on my own again.

I discovered myself as a writer

When I studied journalism at University, I was taught to write about so many different topics and none of them really stood out to me. I have always loved writing, but I could never find my niche. Fashion interested me for awhile, but there was only so much I could write about dresses and after running a beauty blog for almost a year, I realised I knew little about beauty for it to be a viable career. I was invited to Thailand because of my fashion blogging and to write about the fashion industry out there, but when I returned, I returned as an enlightened travel blogger. I realised after doing my write ups of Thailand that I was very passionate about travel writing and I noticed that my travel blog posts were so much better quality than everything else I had written. A few months later, I rebranded my blog as a travel and lifestyle blog and focus on quality rather than the quantity of posts and for the first time in years, I'm finally happy with my blogs direction.

What has travelling taught you?

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How to Find a Hotel To Suit You

Planning a trip when there's hundreds of different websites available these days can be difficult and booking the hotel can be one of the most challenging hurdles. Firstly you have to think about the budget you have available, secondly the location and then you have to think about what amenities they have to offer. There are so many questions that can go through your mind before you finally take the plunge and book. I have stayed in many hotels over the past few years - many of which have been above 4* and I haven't had to pay full price. I pride myself in finding a bargain and I'm meticulous when it comes to finding the right location. 

Have a budget in mind

When booking a hotel always have a budget in mind. Think of the ideal amount you would be willing/ can afford to spend a hotel and make it a challenge to find cheaper. The more savings you can make on your hotel room, the more money you will have to enjoy your holiday.

Ask yourself what you want from your holiday

Finalise your rough budget and secondly ask yourself what you want from your holiday. Is there a specific place you would like to visit or something you would really like to do? Are you mad about history or do you prefer to absorb some culture? Do you prefer hiking or do you prefer to spend time on the beach? Once you have an idea of what you want from your holiday, you can then look for a hotel in an area that offers the type of things that you enjoy doing.

Create a rough itinerary

Before I book any hotel, I write up a little itinerary of museums, beaches, restaurants or any places I would like to visit. Once I have an itinerary planned, I can then look for a hotel that is central to those places or isn't too far to travel. One of the worst things you can do is book a hotel room on the outskirts of the city because it 'seems cheap' then spend a lot of money on transport because it takes so long to get to the places that you would like to visit.

Be realistic about how much time you will actually spend at the hotel

When booking an hotel room, be realistic about how much time you will actually spend at the hotel. It's nice to have a hotel with a lot of amenities, but if you're going to be spending all your the time exploring and just nipping back to the hotel in the evening, those perks that you paid extra for can become obsolete.

Check reviews, but don't get too hung up by them

Always check reviews when you go on holiday, but don't let them influence your booking too much. There have been many times that I've gone to book a hotel and was almost put off by a few bad reviews, but when I arrived at the hotel I've had a really pleasant experience. Some of the best hotels I've stayed in have not that the best Trip Advisor reviews. Always remember that every stay is subjective and sometimes people can just be really picky. If all the reviews are bad, maybe it is best to avoid, but if it's just one or two don't let them ruin your choice if you think it is the perfect hotel choice for you.

Always look around for deals and pay close attention to cancellation policies/payment methods

When booking your hotel, make sure you shop around for deals as the first price you find may not be the lowest and always take the time to read up on cancellation policies. Booking.com is one of many great websites that allows you to cancel your hotel up to a few weeks before your holiday and not lose any money and most of the hotels on the website don't ask for payment until your departure of the hotel - great for those who are looking to save up rather than pay in advance.

What are your tips when it comes to booking hotels?

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Dining Out on a Budget

Dining out is something the millennial generation have got highly accustomed to over the last few years, often opting for convenience and fun rather than leaning over a hot stove after a 9-5 work shift. Eating out now is considered a more social experience than it was thirty years ago, where back then people would eat out only on a special occasion, people now visit restaurants regularly, sometimes even once or twice a week. I'm one of these 'foodie' people that loves eating out at restaurants - I'm always looking for my latest 'Instagram food pic' and I really enjoy trying new food that I often don't have time to cook at home. I love being able to share my knowledge of places to eat with my friends, my blog audience and my family and I feel like I get 'FOMO' (fear of missing out) if I venture too far out of the foodie scene. The only problem with regularly eating out rather than cooking a meal at home is the fact that it can be rather costly. For example, if you eat out once a week, for a year with the average meal and a few drinks coming to around £25 for the night, that is £1,500 a year alone on food and in a world where house prices are rocketing and taxes are constantly on the rise, every penny helps.

I wouldn't say I'm the best at money saving, but over the last few years I have picked up a few little tricks that have helped me save money and today, I thought I would share a few of them with you. Going out for food is often an impulsive decision - after all we've all been in the situation where you work colleague/best friend/partner (insert appropriate) pulls you over and says 'I fancy going out tonight' with no warning, but a little forward planning doesn't harm anyone. 

Plan your meals for a Monday or Tuesday

The beginning of the week is usually the quietest for bars and restaurants as everyone is too busy recovering from the weekend and getting back into work mode. A lot of companies use this quiet period to unleash their promotional deals to lure in customers, sometimes offering as much as 50% off food. If it's getting near to payday and your purse strings are getting a little bit too tight, yet you feel like you want to treat yourself, these deals can really make a difference. 

Subscribe to your favourite restaurants mailing lists

If you have restaurants that you and your friends always seem to visit or there's a new restaurant opening that has caught your attention, consider subscribing to their mailing lists online. Every now and then companies like to send promotional offers to those on their mailing lists as a thank you for being a subscriber or a loyal customer and they often reward you when it's your birthday, such as the Pizza Express deal where you can get a free bottle of prosecco when dining on your special day. If you plan on subscribing to quite a few restaurants and bars, it may be worth setting up a different email address to your professional one as they can flood your inbox.

Make the most of voucher codes

It is always worth checking with your best friend Google before you go out to see if there's any online voucher codes for the restaurant you are visiting, especially if it's a big restaurant chain. There's lots of different voucher sites to check out such as Voucher Cloud and Voucher Codes  with many offering mobile friendly vouchers as well as the traditional print vouchers.

Download discount apps

If you're always on the go and don't have time to trawl through the internet to find money saving offers,  you can always download the app versions of the two aforementioned websites and if you're on O2 you can download O2 priority moments. I love O2 priority moments as the deals are instant and easy to use and these range from money off lunches to meals out in the evening.

Treat yourself to a Tastecard

For those who dine out regularly, it is worth investing in a Tastecard. Tastecards cost £80 per year (or free with a Natwest Platinum account) and you can get 2-4-1 or 50% off a lot of UK restaurants all year round. 

Stay active on social media

My final piece of advice is to stay active on social media and follow all your favourite restaurants. By following all your favourite restaurants you'll be able to see if they have any promotional offers or competitions running and you can keep an eye out for any new menu launch events where you may be able to bag yourself a few free drinks or dishes. It is always worth searching menu launch events on Twitter in your area because bars often look for a big turnout to these events so they can get as much feedback as possible on their new food.

How often do you dine out?

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