mywardrobeutopia

 Hey there Sunshines!  

Wow, time really does fly when you’re having fun! I can’t believe it was February since my last blog post.

So firstly, apologies and secondly the reason! After 3 years, we’ve finally moved house and we couldn’t be happier with our new home. As anyone whose moved house will know, it’s no easy feat. We had a few ups and downs along the way including not being able to sell, time out for studying (moi) and a general fed-up-ness with the situation!

But I’m a firm believer in the cheesy ‘everything happens for a reason’ line and things have worked out just fine. Even if it has taken literally years!! 😁

From paperwork to boxes to waiting and wondering, if you’re not careful it really can swallow you up and before you know it you become a house moving diva.

But I’ve learnt that if you stick with it, it will come good. For us, it was a classic scenario of relaxing how we felt about it and then it happened for us.

Our new home needs a lot of work, but we’re really enjoying putting our own stamp on the place and seeing it become an extension of us.

So if you’re taking the plunge be it your first home, second or tenth, I have some tips which hopefully will help you! All plucked from our experience. Good luck, count to ten and above all try to enjoy it. Plus if you have any handy hints, tips and advice, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. I’d love to read them!

In amoungst the madness we tend to forget that its one of the most monumental moments of our lives and its only with hindsight you wish you had enjoyed it a bit more.

So here goes, hope it helps!;

Get Organised

So simple but so true. If you’re not careful, you’ll feel like you’re living in an archiving store (well you have all the boxes at least!). Buy some folders, punched pockets, dividers, a stapler, post its and get filing paperwork from the get go!

Sub-divide everything into categories including solicitors, estate agents, mortgage company, financial advisor etc. I know this sounds very ‘Monica Gellar-Bing’ aka ‘Friends’ esque, but trust me, when temperatures are rising it will reduce your stress levels tend fold. For a double gold star, file everything in date order, trust me!

Get packing

Ok, this is a tough one as it comes with the ‘what if’ risk. But it’s worth it! Once your purchase and/or sale has moved into the relatively safe zone, get the sellotape out and start boxing up! We did this about halfway into a 4 month purchase and it really did help. It meant we were ahead of the game and able to diffuse a large amount of the stress well ahead of time.

We bought a selection of moving 20 boxes (EBay £20.99 with free brown tape and bubble wrap! Bargain!) and we took our time boxing everything up. We started with non essentials and as time ticked by, the list reduced to things we needed day to day. On moving day this helped massively as we knew that the only things left to pack were essentials.

TOP TIP! Remember to label every box, this will save you so much time!

DOUBLE TOP TIP! Pack in room order, so everything is packed together. This will save you so much time in your new place as you know which boxes have what stuff in without having to rifle through tens of boxes! And we all know the thing that you’re looking for, will be in the last place you look!

Boxes & Magazines

Start collecting boxes you can get from supermarkets or deliveries you receive at home. And keep the bubblewrap!

No box is too small! Small boxes are perfect for packing fragile and precious items which need safeguarding.

Keep old magazines too as these are great for keeping things dust free.

TOP TIP! Don’t throw out all your boxes in your new place. They are great for shifting things about and also boot sale storage!

Make a list!

Keep lists for various subjects i.e what to do when leaving your old home, what to do when getting in your new home, what to pack and when, timescales and contact names and numbers. It sounds so simple but it’s so effective.

Your head is filled with so much information that its good to get thoughts out on paper to keep track. Plus, ticking tasks off physically is really motivating because you feel like are getting somewhere in a situation which feels like sometimes you are not!

TOP TIP! Keep a priority chart, the closer you are to moving day, the less things you will have to do!

Budget

The most important one! As much as you can feel that you’re organised and of top of things with your money, it really doesn’t hurt to keep a physical budget. I would suggest a spreadsheet to keep a track of every item.

Plan out what your budget is from the start, (be realistic!) and keep a track of all expenditure. Our biggest realisation is that there will always be incidentals that crop up and there will be things that go over budget, so if you can do it, build in some contingency too.

From solicitors, to estate agents, to moving costs, to general maintenance, to feeding moving helpers! It all adds up and its amazing how quickly you manage to spend it too! If you feel like you are losing control of your money, its a sure fire way to feel stressed and you’ll head for burn out.

Another massive reason keeping control of your budget is so that you will really enjoy the whole experience and not resent it or dislike the experience because you feel you are in a money pit!

TOP TIP! Spreadsheets are your friend! Keep receipts and update the budget regularly to keep track.

Plan your budget

As obvious as it sounds, plan your budget BEFORE you decide to buy/buy and sell.

It’s really easy to underestimate how much things are going to be and your affordability. We saw a financial advisor (you only pay IF you use them for your mortgage, haggle for a discount too!) who helped us understand how much we could afford, including the maximum. They gave us different scenarios (at our request) in terms of different borrowing values. This really helped because we then knew which properties we could view and how much of an offer we could put in, it puts you a step ahead from the start and also makes the experience more enjoyable and comfortable because you know your comfort zones in terms of borrowing. You also feel more excited about putting offers forward because you know where in your budget it is.

When planning your budget together remember to include your purchase costs, deposit for your mortgage if you need one, selling costs, solicitors, financial advisor fees, moving costs, decorating costs, new furniture costs, general maintenance (such as new keys/locks/boiler servicing/final utility bills/disposal of old furniture etc), agent fees, final rent bills, final/first utility bills and above all a contingency!

Plan how much time you will need to save the above and go about setting up standing orders to a dedicated account, this way you will keep the house move money separate and you won’t be tempted to dip into it! You’ll be surprised at how quickly it builds up!

If you’re in control of your budget, you’ll feel in control of the whole experience!

TOP TIP! Capitalise on good interest rates! Be sensible about your borrowing, don’t over stretch yourself if you don’t have to. If you are risk adverse, go for a fixed rate mortgage and work out if a 2 year or even 5 year is better for you. If the rates are good, go for 5, even though the rate is higher (assuming also that your new place is somewhere you want to stay for a while). If you can be flexible with your monthly outgoings, then a variable rate may be the one for you and these are normally a better rate.

Plan your move

Once you have an idea of when you are going to move and have an approximate date, plan your move.

Rally troops and lots of willing family and friends (make sure you ply them with treats and pizza or the offer of a reward!) and think about the logistics of the move itself. This can be anything from a day or a few days if you are moving far or have a lot of things to shift.

If necessary, make a physical list and a to do list for moving day. For us, we used our 3rd bedroom to house all the packed boxes which we wouldn’t need immediately We moved them into the room in a ‘U’ shape so that you could still move around the room and see what is in it. By having most of our things in one room, it meant that we didn’t have stray boxes lying all over the house, which can be quite de-motivating and also be a hindrance when decorating as you keep having to move things about.

We were lucky as we could be flexible as the people moving into our old place weren’t doing to straight away. However, some people have told me that they needed to be out and in within a day due to being in a chain. If this is you, even more reason to be organised. The last thing you want or need is to have a car full of people and belongings sitting outside your old house waiting to go in!

If you have a garage, use it for temporary storage rather than filling up the house with boxes. Again, a great way to keep the house itself clutter free and instead as a decanting space that you can quickly make your own. Its really easy to decorate and visualise a room with not much in it. Plus it is really stressful if you have a room full of stuff which you need to find the time to empty before you can do anything with it.

If you’re moving into a small property with not much storage, try to use 1 room to house your stuff and use it as the shifting room. We were previously in a one bedroom apartment, so I have become the queen of storage! If you have a loft, use it! Great for storage, however don’t forget to empty boxes you have up there and clear out temporary items, otherwise they will stay up there for years!

TOP TIP! Keep clutter minimal! And keep boxes contained within certain rooms for maximum organisation.

Change of address

Such a good tip! Before your move, start making a list of all the people and places you need to inform of your change of address. Whenever you get a letter or email, add that person or company to the list.

This will save you so much time and as soon as your move date arrives you can get the ball rolling. When we completed on our house, we went into town to collect our keys from the estate agent (such an emotional moment!) and went straight to our banks to let them know.

I found a really good check list on the internet which gives you ideas of who you need to tell. Another idea is to look through your bank statement (especially if you have a bill account) as it will remind you of companies you correspond with and it will jog your memory too. You’ll be amazed at who you have on there and also you may find that you have direct debits and payments you no longer need!

We also used a re-direction service with the post office for 3 months, again a great way of giving you time to get setup in your new place and more time to let everyone know about your new Casa!

TOP TIP! Prioritise who you tell first. Banks/Insurance companies/Car Registration/Driving Licence/Family/Friends/Work/Credit Card Companies & other loan companies/Doctors/Dentist would be my top ten.

Be Realistic

Be realistic about time scales. Most purchasing and selling take more time than you expect (unless you are lucky!) There will always be things that crop up and extra paperwork or searches to be done. Try not to let this stress you out (so much easier said than done I know!) but keep an open mind. If you are in a chain this is especially hard, but if possible give yourself some contingency rather than feeling like your dates have to be completely in sync. Don’t forget, you don’t know for sure how long it will take for you to move out of your old place and no doubt you’ll want to give it a clean before you go, which again takes time.

If you’re moving into a house which needs renovation, be realistic about how long it will take to re-decorate and most importantly how much it will cost! Give yourself an idea about how much you think it will cost and how long it will take, then double it! And don’t forget to build this into your budget if you can.

BUT don’t put yourself under pressure, if you plan to stay in your new place for a while and its liveable they way it is, give yourself some breathing space and a break. It doesn’t have to be done in 5 minutes flat and you can take your time. I made this mistake when we first moved in, thinking that we need to have everything done by x date. But in reality it doesn’t work that way. Life needs to be balanced and you’ll just stress yourself out by having too much structure.

I found that by thinking that it doesn’t matter within reason how long it will take, as long as it gets done, has really helped me. Its allowed me to focus on enjoying the experience rather than feeling rushed to get everything done. Not only that, its amazing how quickly your money gets eaten up by all the things you didn’t think of and that adds up very quickly!

Enjoy the moments, the experience and absorb yourself into the feeling of excitement. Celebrate little milestones and achievements, before you know it, they create the ultimate picture and your home is exactly how you want it.

Most importantly – take pictures throughout the whole renovation! You’ll be amazed when you look at them just how far you have come and you can celebrate in your success.

Above all, enjoy, have fun and celebrate, after all – YOU DID THIS! Xo

Hi  Sunshines!

A couple of weeks back, I had the absolute privilege of writing a piece all about self-love to feature in a series about the topic for the fantastic blogger, Suzy-Marie and to feature on her brilliant blog – Eeep I’m a blogger!

I decided to write all about my experience of how I discovered running & fitness, how it has helped me and continues to help me everyday and how training for a marathon helped me to love myself a little bit more and overcome confidence issues that I’ve faced ever since I was young.

I am so proud and chuffed to bits to be apart of this series, a fantastic topic and something which a lot of people can relate to, I hope it helps some of you too!

My story follows below, however please also check out the piece on Suzy-Marie’s website:  www.eeepimablogger.co.uk , I have had the most amazing, humbling and inspiring feedback, which truly is as fantastic as running the marathon itself, please check it out also the fantastic work of Suzy-Marie!

Love love

Debs xo

 

 My journey to self–love, one run at a time

By fashion, fitness & lifestyle blogger – Debs Cortes – www.mywardrobeutopia.com 

Self-Love…it’s a strange term isn’t it, it has many meanings, many concepts, many outlets and many paths.

The one thing I have learnt about myself is that self-love is something which is ever evolving within me.  It’s a constant journey of self-discovery, ups and downs and learning to understand that what you do and who you are is enough.

I find this topic so interesting having gone through many cycles of learning to love myself and trusting that the person I am is…well…great!

I think we all do it right?  We all have moments (even long bouts) of self-doubt and compare ourselves to others over anything and everything whether it be our career, our ability, our looks, our weight, our house, our skills – anything really! And if we’re not careful we end up in a whirlwind list if things to doubt ourselves for.

Personally, my self-doubts crept in over my looks and weight when I was a teen, be it lose it, maintain it or simply trying to accept it for what it was.

After years of trying every diet and make up range under the sun, I realised I needed a focus and a much healthier way of analysing my body, I was fed up of feeling the way I did and decided it was up to me alone to change this stigma I had attached to myself and I wanted to be happy with who I am.

In the spring of 2011, I decided my personal goal was to get fit, dedicate time to myself and learn about fitness and nutrition, that’s when my journey to self-love truly started.

I figured that if I educated myself about how to fuel my body, the weight and confidence would follow and with this, I discovered running, and what a truly great discovery for it was for me.

I started slow, walking a bit and running a bit and if you’ve never run before the feeling you get from accomplishing your first run is fantastic.  I set myself small challenges in bite size ‘achievable’ chunks.

That word ‘achievable’ is key, if you’re on a mission for improving self-confidence then you need to be honest with yourself and set yourself challenges that are within reach, because if you don’t, it could actually have the opposite effect on you if you feel like you’re not achieving your targets.  Once you start accomplishing these goals, you’ll be amazed at how your confidence grows and it encourages you to do more!

You need patience, determination and a willingness to succeed, and if you can start bringing these aspects of your personality to the surface, you’re halfway there!

So this is what I did and slowly but surely I started to feel better about myself.  I set myself small goals, staying at a certain pace and distance for a while and then upping my game bit by bit.  Don’t get me wrong, some days I didn’t feel like doing it and some days I can’t go the distance but throughout this process I have also learnt that this is ok too.  It’s ok to give yourself a break, to have an off day and to feel like quitting – but the most important thing is that you don’t quit, you dust yourself off and pick yourself up and start again the next day.   Just make sure you do!

So the weight began to come off and my confidence began to grow.  I knew I wanted more and more from running and it gave me the buzz and hobby that I had been craving.  I feel amazing every time I achieve a personal best goal and it keeps the game interesting because there is always new targets to try and reach.  Most importantly it keeps the feeling of self-accomplishment going – it can be as big and as much as you want it to be!  Set your goals, know your limits and stick with it!

Little by little I started  to increase the distance I was running, along with the time I wanted to do it in. ‘I’ll just go to that next lamppost’ or ‘one more lap today’ I’d say to myself, and over time I felt like I wanted to go that little bit further and push myself for a bigger challenge.

I decided to go for my first competitive race which was the Race for Life 5k for Cancer Research in July 2013.  It was an amazing experience and it felt thrilling to be taking part and even better for a great cause.  I was quite nervous on the day and wondered how I would do, but the adrenaline gave me such a buzz and the crowd were fantastic. I completed the race in 38 minutes (my goal was 40) and it felt amazing to complete the race yet alone exceed my expectations.

This race gave me the fuel to want to fulfil a dream of mine – to run a marathon.  I finally had the self-belief that I could do it and I knew I had the right attitude and work ethic to give it a go – so what was I waiting for!?

This new found journey of mine has turned me into a ‘can do’ person, I never doubted myself as a person in terms of my personality, but I had always doubted my confidence and would shy away from doing things I dreamt of.  That’s changed and now I thrive upon new challenges and pushing myself more than ever.

So this was it, decision time!  I signed myself up for the Paris Marathon in September 2013, I was so excited!  I planned my training to be slow and steady, giving myself rewards for goals along the way, including spa days, shopping, make up and of course shoes!  I found that having rewards added an extra element and motivation towards sticking to my goals.  Plus, who doesn’t want a new pair of shoes!?

Of course, there were times during my training when I wondered if I could do it, but one thing I am not is a quitter. I vowed that even if I had to walk to the finish line, I would complete this dream of my, just to be competing and be running in one of the most beautiful cities in the world was more than enough for me.

As part of my training, I signed up for my very first half marathon which was at Lanhydrock, Cornwall in February 2014.  I was so nervous!  It took me ages to get my rhythm right because I was so anxious, but I persevered and stuck with the whole 13.1 miles, having a little cheer to myself with every passing mile.

I completed the race in 2 hours 35 minutes, and I felt immensely proud!  I didn’t care that I finished in the final 10, I was just elated that I’d completed the race and within a respectable time.   The only thing I was conscious of is that it was only half of what needed to complete in just 6 weeks’ time! Eeek!
What the half marathon gave me was confidence and it was another notch on the to do list before the marathon.  The following week I completed 17 miles and I felt euphoric.   I was really doing it, I was seeing through my training and remaining dedicated to what I needed to do.

I did have a couple of setbacks and after a visit to the physiotherapist I was told I had the onset of a stress fracture in my left foot and an ITB problem in my right knee (to do with my hip rotation when I run), I was told to rest and do low impact training.  This was so difficult to take in and it did set back my training, but with the help of my fantastic Physio (and a lot of patience from me!) I was still able to compete in the marathon -phew!

As the weeks grew closer, I was getting anxious and so many things were running through my mind.  Was I ready?  Could I do it?  What if my injury stopped me?  What if my time wasn’t good enough?  All classic things a self-doubter says to convince themselves they can’t do it!

I started doing yoga to help with my anxiety and it really helped.  I also have a fantastic support network and my biggest rock is my husband who constantly makes me feel like I can achieve anything, plus he makes a kicking protein shake!

Before I knew it, I was packing my bags ready for Paris!  I was so excited and I remember feeling like I wanted to tell everyone what I was doing!  To me that speaks volumes that you are proud of what you are achieving, it’s not big headed and it’s not egotistical (something I constantly have to remind myself of because I don’t shout from the rooftops enough about what I’m up to in my life, but I should, and I will!).

I had a day’s rest before the marathon and my husband competed in the breakfast run (a 5k around the city) and he completed it in around 35 minutes.  I felt really proud of him too, what a fantastic place to do a 5k!

I walked the breakfast run, I took in the sights, stretched my legs and I couldn’t stop smiling thinking about what tomorrow would bring.  I knew it would be tough and I knew it would be such a challenge both physically and emotionally but I was ready and I was day dreaming about how I would feel.

Afterwards, we took in Tuileries Gardens, strolled the city and took it easy.  Champs Élysées was lined with flags, ready for the next day and the buzz in the city was already gaining momentum.  True to form, I had a carb fuelled dinner full all the foods which I’d trained with and knew would help me along the way.

Back at the hotel, I prepared my things for the next day; race number, gels, charged phone, jelly babies, safety pins, you name it I had it!  I felt prepared and I felt that I’d done everything I could to prepare for the race which was a really happy feeling in itself.

So, the day was finally here, I woke early as I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited! My head was filled with thoughts about the day and the challenge ahead of me, I was so focused on achieving my dream and crossing that finish line at that moment, it was all I could think about.

I got myself ready and we made our way to the Champs Élysées, the atmosphere was electric as the crowds started to gather.  I concentrated on my stretching, breathing and generally energising and focusing myself.   We all lined up in groups according to our approximate race finish time and as my group slowly made its way to the front I was getting butterflies.

There was music playing and people gathering all around, it felt incredible to be taking part.  Before I knew it, my group was ready to go.  We all cheered 3, 2, 1 and we were off!  My belly flipped and I off I went, this was it!

I focused on myself and my timing, it’s so easy to get swept away with all the people around you especially those whizzing past you.  I got into my stride at about mile 4 and felt at a comfortable pace.  It was incredible running this race in an amazing city, taking in Arc De Triomphe, The Eiffel Tower, River Seine and The Louvre to name but a few!  I could help but smile from ear to ear!

At times the marathon was hard and I felt it around mile 21 (oddly I also thought I was at mile 22!).  My drive and focus got me to that finish line, but it was made so much easier with the amazing crowd who cheered and clapped for the whole 26.2 miles.  There were also amazing bands playing the whole way round which was such a surreal experience and such a motivation booster.  My husband was also amazing and he came and cheered me on at the halfway point.  As we high fived each other, he ran with me for a few minutes and was telling me that I could do it, it was so amazing to have that support right beside me.

As I reached mile 25 I couldn’t believe it, I quickly sent a pre-programmed text to my husband who quickly reply saying ‘go for it, you’re almost there, get a good time!’

I felt overwhelmed as the crowds grew in massive numbers towards the finish line, and I will never ever forget the feeling I had going up the last stretch when it was in sight.  The roar was massive and from somewhere I got the energy to sprint myself across the finish line.  I screamed ‘yessssssssss’ as I did and people were congratulating me on what I had just achieved.

As my medal was placed over my head, I was in tears and I it was one of the happiest moments of my life so far.  Not only for completing the race but also for proving to myself that I could do it and that I should never have doubted myself.  I would call that a defining moment of complete self-love.

I am so pleased and proud to say that I completed the race in 5 hours 11 minutes (my goal was 5 hours 30 minutes) and not only that I had my best ever 5k, 10k and half marathon times.   Kerpow!

So self-love? I still get off days like we all do but I’ve learnt to know that they are ok too!   I am still in love with running and I am currently planning my next half and full marathon.  I call it my therapy!

We are all capable of self-love, no matter how great the task, how low you are feeling and how bad you feel right now, it’s within us all to achieve our dreams and learn that you, me and us are truly amazing – you just have to believe it!

As Albert Einstein said ‘If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or objects’

Debs

Xo
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Belated New Year to you all!  I hope you all had a lovely Christmas time and 2015 brings you lots of happiness and everything you are wishing for.  I hope you all indulged and had lots of fun (and got loads of lovely pressies!).  Apologies for the late post, I have no idea where January has gone, its been mega busy!

So here is my Prague blog!  This year we spent Christmas in the Czech Republic capital and we had an amazing time.  I would highly recommended visiting Prague especially at Christmas, it was incredibly festive and full of Christmas trees, lights, decorations – and above all the amazing Christmas markets!

We started our adventure on Christmas Eve and arrived in the capital about 7pm.  It was very quiet as in the Czech Republic, they celebrate Christmas on the 24th like a lot of European Countries. When we arrived at our hotel, we were so happy! We stayed at the Pentahotel Prague and it was fantastic.  So modern, trendy, well styled and the atmosphere and food were fab to boot.  The best thing about the hotel was that it had a great atmosphere in the evenings.  Most nights we were happy to go back to our hotel to relax, play pool, watch tv and snuggle on the the lovely big sofas.

This is an example of the tres modern decor!

25th December 2014

Christmas Day arrived (yay!) and we spent the day exploring the city.  We walked from our hotel into the centre which took about 20 minutes.   We walked to Old Town Square where there was an amazing Christmas market.  There were stalls full of food, homemade gifts, clothing, bohemian glass & local tipples and the atmosphere was fantastic.

From here we walked to the famous Charles Bridge which was built in the 14th century and is built across the Vltava river,  it has an amazing view of Prague and you can see Prague Castle in the distance.  This is a great spot for photos and you can really appreciate the city of spires from this spot.

We head back to Namesti Republiky and head to Cafe Europej for a sample of the local beer, this is a trendy little bar which is enclosed by glass and overlooks the square.  You can sit and relax, drink and watch the world go by and snuggle under blankets which they provide.  We drink up and then headed back to our hotel for dinner and drinks (and more snuggling on the sofas!).

26th December 2014

We decide to have a day exploring by foot, tram and on the metro today and first head to Muszek, Museum and Ceremonial Hall.    We then walked to the Jewish Quarter and walked around the very poignant and moving Jewish Cementary and the synagogue.  This is something I read about in our travel book before we went and also a recommendation of the city sightseeing and it was a very interesting place and so historic.

The cold weather started to come in when we visited Wenceslas Square and the sleet started to fall, but it didn’t set and it quickly stopped – boo!  We headed back to Old Town Square and tried some amazing sweet rolled bread.  Its amazing and I highly recommend trying it!  Its made in front of you in the Christmas market and they roll it and cook it over hot coals and coat it in sugar.

 

After indulging our sweet treat, we hope on tram line number 8 and head to the end of the line.  It was really interesting to see the older parts of the city and it felt like we had gone back in time.  I actually think that as good as change is, sometimes its not always a good thing, it was amazing to get a feel for somewhere of how it used to be.  Of course, with change comes progress and a better economy for countries which is fantastic, but I think that its important for places to keep their identity and for tourists to understand their history and culture, and I feel like by going out of the centre, we did just that.

27th December 

We decide to start our bus tour today and walk to Old Town Square.  We head inside Grevin (which is Prague’s very own Madame Tussauds!) as this is where the city  sightseeing booking desk is (little tip for you there, as it took us ages to find it, alternatively look out for the people with red umbrellas and bus tours written on their tops, as these are the same company).

We got a 48 hour ticket along with a boat tour and a tour of the castle.  Make sure you haggle, we did and managed to get our boat tour for only 1oo Krona and its usually 300 Krona!  I love a bargain!

We are taken to the first stop by foot by a really knowledgeable tour guide who gives us a brief history of the city and local tips on where to get the cheapest beer, jewellers who will polish your jewellery for free, the boundaries of old and new town and recommendations on restaurants to eat in both for price and quality.

Our bus is waiting for us and we hop on and start taking in the wonder of Prague.  It’s a cold day today and with the wind chill it feels even colder!  Today I have 3 layers on, 2 pairs of gloves and 2 beanies!  Haha!  I think I was feeling it!

The city sightseeing bus route takes in Masarykovo Nadrazi,  Mala Strana, Prague Castle, Strahov Monastery, Strahov Stadium, Kampa Island and Hlavni Nadrazi.   The whole tour takes about an hour and in the winter, you can catch a bus every 45 minutes from each of the stops.  The buses all have commentary in English (and 6 other languages!) and depending on which one you catch there will either be live narration or plug and play narration.

Our first stop is Prague Castle.  We are greeted at the bus stop by another city sightseeing tour guide and we are the only ones who get off the bus and so we have our own private tour!  The guide is called Tomas (Thomas) and is incredibly knowledgeable,  I was so impressed (as always) with the level of English and the amount of history and facts he was able to share with us.  Our tour lasts about 40 minutes and he takes us around the Castle, to see the changing of the guard and into St Vitus Cathedral.  Even if you don’t go into the Castle itself, I highly recommended visiting the grounds as its incredibly grand and full of history (founded in 880!).  You can get some beautiful pictures here and the top has an amazing view of Prague.

St Vitus Cathedral is equally as beautiful, it’s windows are the most colourful stained glass I have ever seen and its very decadent.  Its free to go in, however you have to pay and get tickets to go up to the front to see the tombs of the Bohemian Kings.  

We head back to the bus stop and complete the city sightseeing tour of all the stops and take in more of Prague.  Back at the Old Town we head to Sushi time for some noodles and a warm up!  I have a beef pho bo and Mr C has a pad thai, so scrummy and just what we needed!

 

We decide to brave the cold and catch the last bus at 4.20pm, we call this our night tour!  Its actually quite cool as we see Prague lit up in all its glory. We stay on the bus and do a full loop and end up back in the Old Town Square for drinks.  We pick a bar right in front of the Christmas market and soooo really festive, I was so happy sitting in this spot.

To our left we have the astronomical clock (another must see in Prague, this was installed in 1410 and is the 3rd oldest in the world – and it still works!) ahead of us is the Christmas market and to our right is the museum of Andy Warhol (a new favourite of mine) and of course, the amazing Christmas tree.  We sup hot mulled wine and relax under snuggle blankets.

I love the cafe culture here, its in full swing despite it being winter and there is hustle and bustle about the place with people shopping, meeting friends and loved ones or just strolling through the city.

We finish off with dinner at our hotel (the food and atmosphere are so good here we keep being tempted back!) Mr C has a club sandwich and I sample the local Goulash which is stewed beef and homemade dumplings.  Rich but delicious – you must try it when you come to Prague!

28th December 2014

We walk into the centre today and decide to take a different route along the river.  It’s really cool to see another perspective of the city.  It was minus 9 today and I am thanking myself for purchasing my thermals and Northface coat! First on our agenda today is to catch the 11am city sightseeing boat.  The Vltava River Cruise takes about 1 hour and takes in Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town, Little Quarter/Lesser Town, the Dancing House, Cechuv Bridge & Manes Bridge.  We try to do a river cruise in most places we visit as we think it always shows the place in a different way and you always notice and see things you wouldn’t either on foot or by another mode of transport.  Again, you get some really good photo opportunities from this spot.

You can either sit/stand outside (we braved the cold for most of it1!) or sit inside where you can have refreshments and food as you cruise along the river.  Once we are off the boat we head back to Masarykovo Nadrazi to catch the bus and we head to Strahov Stadium.  Its huge!  Its not active now and instead it’s used by AC Sparta Prague football team, however when it was, it had a capacity of 250,000 which was the largest capacity stadium in the world.  A host of artists have played here including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bon Jovi, Guns n Roses, Aerosmith, U2, George Michael and AC/DC.  You can’t enter the stadium but it is cool to see it and again as its up high, you have really good views of the city.

We finish the bus tour and head to sushi time (again) for snacks and then onto Charles Bridge.  We wanted to come back here to spend a bit more time taking photos of this iconic landmark.  Construction started on the bridge in 1357, however it only became known as Charles bridge in 1870.  This is a must see in Prague!  The bridge was originally used as the most important connection between    Prague Castle and the city’s Old Town.  At the time, it was the only means of crossing the Vltava river.  Its decorated with 30 statues and 16 arches.  Its very gothic and there are lots of street vendors selling jewellery, paintings and gifts and walking from the old town side you get a great view of the landscape.

I pick up a little trinket which is a bottle with my initial on, and on the back it has Prague Castle.  I don’t normally get these types of things as they normally turn into dust collectors!  But this really caught my eye and I thought it would look fab on a dressing table.  We take a slow stroll back to the main area (having some hot cherry punch and mulled wine along the way!  Um, take note, cherry punch is uh-ma-zing!).

Now,  I couldn’t resist…there is a street in the centre which is full of designer shops…including a Tiffany!  Its kind of become a bit of a ‘thing’ of mine to visit Tiffany wherever we go in the world and to sometimes pick up a little trinket.  When we know we have booked a holiday, I save a few pennies to treat myself.  Tiffany is always a good idea, but Tiffany when you are on holiday just adds that little something extra!  The Tiffany shop in Prague is one of the most beautiful Tiffany’s I have visited!  Its on 3 floors, each as beautiful as the next.

I have to say the service we received was first class.  No pressure, made so welcome and we were even treated to a glass of champagne!  I chose a gorgeous heart necklace with the signature Tiffany narrative on it, and just behind it sits a blue Tiffany heart.  I love it!

 

After my splurge, we head to Cafe Europej again for more mulled wine!   We then we head to a restaurant called ‘Gate’, which is on the way back to our hotel.  The menu is very varied and I have salmon tartare followed by chicken pesto pasta and Mr C has brushetta followed by prawn pasta.  The only slight negative was that the main meals came out before I had even finished my starter and Mr C said his main was bland.  But I really enjoy mine so give it a go – plus I had a cosmopolitan cocktail for only £3.50, so if anything, go there for the drinks!

29th December 

Our final day in Prague (for now!) and its snowing!  Yessssss!  I am like a big kid and can’t wait to get out in it! We have breakfast, bundle up and head outside to enjoy the white stuff.  Snow is one of my favourite things! (apart from in the UK as it seems to just cause chaos, but everywhere else it’s cool as they know how to deal with it!).  We take loads of photos!  Throwing the snow about, walking in it, making snow balls!  We can’t get enough!

We head to the metro and onto Namesti Republiky as we visit the shopping centre today.  Again, a must do in Prague for fashionistas as there are reams of shops and big names too – plus the sales were on!  I got some bargains in Mango and treated myself to a gorgeous rose gold and silver bracelet for £4, a grey wool cardigan for £18 and a really smart black dress with piping detail on the shoulders also for £18 (which I wore on New Years Eve).  Mr C treated himself to a bright orange wool Quicksilver hat, which I really like and really suits him. We go back out into the snow and have a little stroll and then to the river, and it looks just beautiful with the crisp white snow settling around it.  We spend about 15 minutes here just taking it in and also find a fantastic little spot to take snow ‘action shot’ photos!

We head back to our hotel around 2.30, check out and chill in the lounge until its time for pick up.  In the meantime we play pool, watch tv, read and indulge in an amazing cheese Penta-burger (highly recommended!)  I can’t remember the last time I ordered a burger in a restaurant and I wasn’t disappointed as its not something I am normally fussed about!  But we saw people having them throughout our stay and they just looked so good!  It tasted like it was fresh from a BBQ and was a touch pink in the middle – just how I like it!

As our driver takes us to the airport and we whizz through the Prague streets, I catch myself reminiscing over the past 5 days and realise that I recognise quite a few places we drive past – we crammed a lot in!

One things for sure – put it on the list – we’ll be going back!

Lots of Love

Debs xoxo

  

NEW FEATURE!

New styles from an old wardrobe!

This is my new take on #ootd which is all about mixing the old with the new!

I’m coining it my ‘wardrobe recycle ootd’. It’s a way of sharing styles and shaking up my wardrobe!

I’ll be tagging details of where my items are from, some will be new & some will be older, but the idea is to shake it up and come up with new ways to wear outfits!

I wanted to do this feature to re-discover old clothes, refresh them to fit new styles and trends and also to find new ways to style up my own clothes.

We’re all guilty of saying ‘I’ve got nothing to wear!’ when we’ve got a wardrobe full of clothes we haven’t worn in yonks, so this is all about dragging out those lost clothes and remembering why we bought and loved them once upon a time!

I’m really excited to do this and it’ll also give me lots of reasons to clear out my wardrobe and really have a good spring clean! Something we all put off right!?

Plus, it’s January, which means everyone is watching the pennies after the festive period so to discover existing clothes is a winner!

Todays work wear was all about New Look! I wore a grey knitted jumper (which has lace detail at the sides) a tartan shirt, faux leather skirt, black patent shoes and a camel coat with PU sleeves from Zara (which features just as much as my pink beanie!).

Hope you like it and hope it gives you some ideas-please share yours too, I’d love to see them!

Have fun sunshines! ☀️

Debs xx 💗

So…it’s almost Christmas Day (yay!) and for those of you who are going away for the festive period I have some handy hints for you to help make your journey that little but easier (and hopefully more glam without adding to the luggage weight limit!

For the last few years we have been lucky enough to go away for the Christmas period. It’s always a tricky one in regards to packing and styling especially if you’re going to a cold climate and you’re limited by the weight of your luggage!

My key for travelling to colder climates is always layering and outfits which can interchange. It’s quite a challenge when you’re fitting everything into a carry on case!

If you’re going to a cold climate, for me, 2 essentials are a thermal top and thermal leggings.  Ensure you get these tight fitted to you (but still comfortable!) so that any clothes you put over them fit nice and snug. By taking thermals it allows you to pack slightly thinner clothes and not be weighed down by loads of heavy clobber like massive jumpers!

Beanies (of course!) are another must for me to add a pop of colour and very comfortable footwear.   And this doesn’t have to mean frumpy and un-stylish!   This year I’ve opted for knee high patent boots for more formal days and going out for dinner and colourful walking boots for during the days to style up my outfits. (Plus my new black and pink Nikes for travelling, which I absolutely looovvveee!)

Mini versions of toiletries are fab and this year I’ve bought travel bottles from superdrug and filled them up with my favourite creams and fake tan to save space.  Plus an added bonus is that these are under the 100ml limit required for liquid carry on luggage.

I like to travel light when I am exploring, so I’ve opted for a cross body Mango bag which is small enough to be light but big enough to carry essentials.

Plus if you have a small bag,  you can keep it in front of you or even tuck it underneath your coat and then do the zip up to keep all your things safe!

If you’re lucky enough to be going to a warm climate my top tip if you’re limited by your luggage weight limit is (if you can) to use a clutch bag which has a strap to use for travel and glam enough to use when at your destination.  I did this when we went to Spain this year and it was ideal for carrying my essentials but also looked stylish enough to take out in the evenings.

Same with shoes, if you have heels with are of a sensible height (!) you can use them for travel and going out, I used a pair of cream mules with a double strap.   They look great with jeans but also with dresses and skirts for evenings out.

For hair styling, I tend to stick to one if I’m away for a short break, this year it’ll be curls as my hair will be down under my beanie hat.  A great tip though is to take ghds if you’ve got them, that way you can have curly or straight hair !  Mini straighteners are also a great space saver.

Don’t forget your currency!  I’ve leant that sometimes it’s easier to get it at your destination as the exchange rate is sometimes better. But always make sure you have some currency for taxis and trains as these don’t always take cards (and don’t forget if you use your own card, your bank will charge you a foreign currency transaction fee!)

Instead of taking wads of cash, use travel cash cards.  You can load them up with cash before you go and use them like debit cards in most places without being charged.  You can get these at most agents and the best thing is your money is protected if you lose your card.  If you’re not travelling alone, give some cash to another person so it’s spread out a bit in case you lose it.

If you’re travelling on a budget, public transport will always be much cheaper than taxis or transfers.  Do your research in advance so you know which metro/trains/buses to get in relation to your hotel so you know how to get there without panicking.  Most hotels will also have their address and directions on their website, so make a note of it before you go. I’d recommend doing the same research with restaurants so you know which ones are in your budget.

Make sure you allow room in your budget for tips! In a lot of countries it’s standard to tip at least 10% so make sure you allow for this.

Our most successful way to explore a location so far  is to use the city sightseeing ‘hop on, hop off’ busses.  We’ve used these in New York, San Francisco, Paris, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Toronto, Boston (to name a few, aw!)  We’ve found that these without doubt have been the best (and cheapest!) way to get around.  Also if you take certain packages they will also include River Cruises, money off vouchers and dinner offers.  You can get these for 1-3 days (recommend maximum time) and whilst you are on the bus, you have a narrator explaining where you are plus it gives you loads of ideas of when you want to visit next.

New York was the best citysight-seeing tour we’ve had so far. We had a downtown tour, uptown tour, Brooklyn night tour, dinner at Hard Rock Cafe and a river cruise to the Statue of Liberty.  Great value and amazing to fit so many things in on one ticket.

Make the most of your safety deposit box for holding passports/tickets/money/valuables etc-and remember your password!

But most of all, travel safe and have an amazing time!  Explore and write a itinerary before you go so you know exactly what you want to visit to get the most out of your holiday.   You want to make sure you see everything you want to see!

Every night in our hotel room we do research and every morning at breakfast we plan what to do for the day.

So my next write up will be all about Prague and our travels, very excited! I have my thermals ready! Lots to see and do, I have my notebook and pen handy!

Safe and amazing travels to you all. Or if you’re staying home, enjoy being snuggled up and eating amazing food watching Christmas films.   Either one is a winner!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Debs xxxx

💗🎄

Be it rain, wind or shine, to me a beanie is just as much a stylish accessory as a handbag or banging pair of stilettos.

Let’s face it, they are cool, edgy, fun, go with smart or casual and they can cover up a multitude of bad hair days!

My beanie love propelled during the neon phase when I purchased a pink one, and if you see my Instagram feed (my_wardrobe_utopia – plug plug, ahem!), you’ll see that I style it quite a lot!

Since then, I have added a few to my collection and I love styling up or down an outfit with one of these mop toppers!

My favourite recent outfits with a beanie were faux leather trousers, camouflage jacket with sequin sleeves, & black strappy stilettos and the other was skinny jeggings, black h&m jumper, holographic office pumps and zara camel coat with leather sleeves. 2 completely different looks with 1 hat!

In the winter I’m constantly looking for ways to style ‘up’ my outfits and I find the beanie is the perfect accessory to do just that. Amazing colours to brighten up a one colour outfit, jewels to add some sparkle and gold chains to add some edge.

They take me right through to spring for the cooler days too when I perhaps ditch the coat and go for a light jumper and jeans. In contrast I’ve also been wearing mine out coastal walking with a nice warm coat, boots, jeans and ultra cool sunglasses.

Check out a few of my favs below!

My latest addition and perhaps the most beautiful is from United Colours of Benetton and for those of you in the UK and local to Truro in Cornwall, they are holding a special party night this Wednesday from 5.30pm in aid of Cancer Research. Tickets are £5 and includes bubbles and a 30% off everything sale! Go check it out!

Big beanie love for Benetton 💗

Up close and personal

My Neon Go To

Can’t Beat A Pom Pom

River Island Edginess

River Island Flower Power

Yellow Neon from Amazon (yep, Amazon!)

Share your beanie snaps with me on Instagram! @my_wardrobe_utopia #beaniemeup #beanielove

Debs XoXo

So we’ve all been there…laden with arms full of shopping, handbag strewn over your shoulder, hot and sweaty from carrying what seems like an amount of clothes fit for a 2 week holiday and bags hanging off every available limb! Enter the rucksack!

For me, the rucksack is the perfect bag partner. Don’t get me wrong, I love a tote bag just as much as the next girl, but a rucksack provides so much more freedom. Be it shopping, travel, a day out at the beach, there’s nothing better than popping a handy rucksack on your back to house all your belongings. Plus I think they are perfect for yummy Mummy’s who need hands free!

Once upon a time the rucksack was only for either hikers or college kids, but recently we’ve seen an influx of gorgeous rucksacks be it luxe leather, quilted, holographic, designer or stud heaven. Not only are they good for casual days but there are also versions which go perfectly with a smart outfit.

My recent Instagram post (check me out at my_wardrobe_utopia) sees me teaming mine with my favourite Zara coat, leather trousers and black boots.

They make getting about hassle free and also I’ve found it good for those of us who have bad backs as the weight is more evenly balanced. I have a weakness in mine from 2 slipped discs when I was younger and occasionally carrying a large shopper bag gives me a bit of gip!

A favourite of mine is one I recently purchased from select fashion – http://www.selectfashion.co.uk

It’s available in black or tan and I went for the black version as that’s what I’ve been after and the gold trimmings perfectly compliment it.

It has adjustable straps so you can wear it loose or close to you. A gold clip down fastener and gold studs at the sides of the bag so you can enclose the contents more securely.

It also has a mobile phone pocket inside and also another pocket for lipstick (that’s what they are for, no?!).

I love this bag because it’s smart and not at all bulky. It fits quite a lot in it too but not too much that it becomes heavy.

Definitely a classic, I can tell I will be using this for a long time to come and it’s on my list to take with me during my Christmas break! Hands free to blog! 😘

Wardrobe staple born!

Love Debs XoXo