3 of my favourite Fairytale destinations

The view from St Martins, Isles of Scilly Between John and I we have been lucky enough to travel to some fantastic places, from Africa to America, Europe, isolated islands to cities and it can be hard to pin point exactly our favourite places and it's often the lesser know and more unusual ones that surprise us the most. Netflights got in touch to ask me what was my favourite fairytale destination and not in the Disney sense but rather real castles up on hills and breathtaking views that have your eyes doing a double take. The thing is I couldn't just pin point on destination so I thought I would share my favourite 3 that captured my heart, mind and soul as well as being inspiring in itself. 1. St Martins, Isles of Scilly I thought I would first start of with a place that is not actually that far but often overlooked and that is the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago located off the tip of the Cornish coast and not the easiest of places to get to but certainly a spec......

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Let's talk about sleep (or lack of)

Can we just be honest for a moment and talk about sleep and how much it changes when you become a parent. Before kids, you didn't even have a second thought about going out on a Saturday and coming home in the early hours because your bed was yours and you can stay as long as you like. That is certainly not the case now, in fact, each day I have a small sense of dread as we head into the evening because it often doesn't go how I planned with two young children one of which seems to avoid sleep like the plague. My youngest who is nearly 2.5yrs has never slept solidly through the night, meaning from 8pm-8am, on good nights we have 1-2 wake ups on bad nights we have multiple wake ups or waking and not settling, we had a faze where he would wake up from 3am-6am and lately with the lighter nights despite blackout curtains he is often up much later than his bedtime, not due to lack of trying on our part - its hard! When he was under 1 he was waking around 6 times a nigh......

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Glamping at Mad Dogs and Vintage Vans Part 1

I am a firm believer in the restorative power of disconnecting from technology and the busy daily routine and reconnecting as a family, away from distractions in the most simple of ways which is why we are keen Campers and Glampers. There has also been a lot of recent scientific research showing the benefits of spending time outdoors and within nature such as stress relief, improved mental and physical well-being, increased energy leaves and concentration and the list goes on. Which is why I was really looking forward to a few nights looking out across uninterrupted countryside views at the beautiful Mad Dogs and Vintage Vans  , away from technology in the heart of the Wye Valley. Mad Dogs captures all that is wonderful about childhood, simplicity and curiosity, with wild meadows waiting to be explored, paths that lead you to little hideouts and not a bar of wifi insight or 3G for that matter, it is bliss. The site is home to three vintage caravans - Elsie, Gerti......

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Simple Interior ideas for simple living spaces

Living in or near a city does often mean a compromise on space but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on having beautifully designed interiors. I'm hoping this blog post will go a little way in  helping you to achieve the designer-style you see in glossy mags and Pinterest boards but on a minute  scale as I share a few of my favourite products at the moment. The simplicity of scandi-style lends itself to smaller spaces where you are tight on space. The furniture is slim, with clean lines and generally comes in lighter colours. The main key the seasons is to declutter, simplify and also bring things into the home that are multidirectional and can be used for more thane purpose such as this shelf-come-desk below which is an example of an ingenious space-saving design. This shelf ladder is ideal for achieving a scandi inspired look while saving room and creating an office ‘space’ all rolled into one. Dwell have a version you can purchase here . The simple a......

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Summer, Cider and the Swedish Way

Summer to me is all about enjoying the best of life, long days, good conversations, warm evenings, coastal walks, picnics, eating al fresco, festivals and finding lots of down time to spend in the garden with the boys, taking it slow and savouring a summery afternoon drink. Growing up in South Africa meant very long hazey summers, people seemed more laid back there, life in the UK certainly feels very fast paced and hectic in comparison which is probably why I feel drawn to the Swedish concept of Lagom and for those who don't know what that is it's all about the concept of "not too much, not too little just finding the balance" and creating a happy life. As you may know I am only a minimalist challenge and attempting to declutter my life and lagom fits into that perfectly with the theory that just enough is perfect with lack of fussiness being key. So I'm excited to pair up with  Rekorderlig Cider which I love (cider is my go-to summery drink......

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Breakfast at Jamie's, Cardiff

While our youngest is still small date nights have become extremely rare and somewhat on hold, which means that we have to get a little bit more creative with finding time for John and I to have some quality adult time to chat and catch up, away from the home and in stylish surroundings.With breakfast being my favourite meal of the day and finding it much easier to arrange childcare in the morning than the evening it was really nice to be invited by Jamies in Cardiff to come and try out their new breakfast menu and have a a quiet start to the day before John has to head over to work. I started off with a Flat white and a fresh orange juice and John went for a cappuccino while we perused the breakfast menu, which is simple and straight to the point but has fantastic choices for both meat eaters and vegetarians. John went for a classic full monty which is Jamie's version of a full English fry up except with free range sausages and eggs, black pudding, brown cap......

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Classic swimwear that never goes out of fashion

We all love summer, the heat, the outdoor barbecues, the 9pm sunsets. But one thing that’s a little trickier is trying to find the perfect swimsuit. With so many styles, cuts, colours and prices and to choose from, it can be completely overwhelming – especially if you want to be on-trend. Luckily, there are some classic swimwear options out there that are truly timeless and will look great on all body shapes. So let’s get back to the basics and this year find ourselves a classic bathing suit that we can feel confident wearing year after year. The one piece Yes I said it, the one piece is in. It’s timeless and classic and is sure to look good on a variety of body shapes. If you’re worried about all those extra calories you consumed during the winter months you can rest easy, as wearing a well-made, well-fitting one piece can accentuate your curves, down-play your trouble areas and make you look fantastic. If it’s good enough for Marilyn it’s good enough for me. After all......

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How to Always be Beach Ready this summer

For families, the summer is a great time of the year. The fact that the weather is better gives you the chance to get out and about more, and spend more time together. One of the nicest things to do as a family is to visit the beach. We take the kids all the time. They love it and so do we, which is why we are always beach ready. As soon as there is a hint of sun we grab our swimming costumes and swim shorts , pile in the car, and head to the beach. We tend to go on weekdays, when there are fewer people, but at a push we will brave the crowds and go on the weekend. Especially if it has been a while since we had a sunny day. We are always beach ready, so that we can take every opportunity to get out there, and enjoy ourselves. To make sure that we are we keep a beach bag packed, and have a checklist on hand to use so that we do not leave anything vital at home. Sun protection Top of the list is sun protection for us and the kids. That means sun hats, sungla......

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Make it Matter & Making a difference Locally

You may already know that I have been working with Marks and Spencer on their Make It Matter campaign and I recently wrote about the small things that make the days matter to me and my family. I truly believe that happiness and worth comes from our actions we do for ourselves and others and rarely from material objects we own and as a collective people can do amazing things for one another.  I was recently invited to see this in action last week as a group of store workers volunteered their time to bringing an otherwise empty yard at a homeless shelter in Merthyr, one of the most deprived areas of South Wales, into a space for the residents to relax, unwind, open up as well as socialise by bringing in colourful plants, re-painting, redecorating and providing garden furniture and flower beds. While I was there I had the chance to talk to on of the social workers who described how excited she was to finally have a useable outdoor space not only for the residents......

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A family guide to the South of France

Enjoying ice-cream in Antibes  The French Riviera is one of those places that is just perfect for those looking to get away to warmer climates, take in the stylish and laid back Riveria culture, French food and of course stunning beaches. There is also a wonderful combination of countryside and city adventures from small hilltop villages to explore to the designer shops in Cannes, it has it all. It's also a place that makes for a fantastic family break and it's somewhere I keep going back too. I was lucky enough to live and work in Nice for a few months before having children and on my days off I often headed further afield to Antibes, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, St Paul De Vence and Eze Village so it made sense look at a holiday in France with the kids and share this breath-taking coastline with them. For my 30th birthday two years ago I decided that I wanted to spend this milestone birthday on the Riviera and we opted for a stay in a James  Villa in Valbonn......

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