Emirates Air Line

At the weekend my boyfriend and I has a spare few hours in London while we were waiting for friends and decided to do something we hadn't done before. After lots of suggestion to choose to brave the DLR and  head over to the Emirates Air Line. Can you believe it's two years old? It feels like only yesterday it was being built!

After being told it was a mere 15 minutes queue we excitedly purchased our boarding passes - £3.30 if you have a pre paid oyster or travelcard. I'm a sucker for a good view and this was amazing. I never tire of seeing my favourite city from high up. There's not quite another skyline like it in my opinion. You could see the o2 Arena, Olympic Stadium, the Orbit and Canary Wharf to name a few. I can't wait to go again in the winter and see the city all lit up and looking pretty.

 Have you ever been on the cable cars?

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Feeling lippy

L-R Avon Ultra Glazewear Lip Gloss in Fiery c/o, Flori Roberts lipstick in Fierce c/o, Chanel Rouge Allure in Incandescente, Topshop Lipstick in All About Me

I'm a real lipstick fiend. I don't wear it all the time but I always carry around two or three on my bag to whip on at any moment. I find it really helps to lift an outfit even if you just have your slob clothes on! Since it's began to heat up i've found myself drawn to these four beauties. Red and pinks are clearly my thing.

I don't own very many lipglosses as I find them a bit too sheer. This one is the opposite and comes up quite opaque. It's great when you don't want something too heavy on your lips. The only downside to the gloss is the fact it bleeds so you have to constantly keep an eye on it. Not one you can forget about once you've had a few drinks. I always make sure I have a few cotton buds in my bag to help keep it looking tidy.

I was very kindly given this gorgeous deep pink from Flori Roberts and it's a welcomed addition to my collection. I've only worn it a few times as it's such a statement with just one swipe. It has quite good staying power and is even better if you pop lipcote in the mix.

I love the orange tone of the Chanel number - it really makes it ideal for the summer. It's so vibrant and again stays put even after eating. I do have such a soft spot for Chanel.

Finally I can't rave enough about Topshop lipsticks. They have such a brilliant creamy formula and so pigmented. The colour in the bullet is literally the same shade that will transfer on your lips. Nothing worse than a missleading bullet!

What's your favourite lipstick colour for the summer?

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Chotto Matte

Last week I tagged along to the amazing Chotto Matte as the lovely Michelle's plus one to an event celebrating Pervian Independence Day.  

Chotto Matte is a recently opened restaurant in Soho that specialises in Japanese and Peruvian food. I've read a few reviews so was excited to see what it had to offer. We were treated to  amazing live traditional music and some tasty food. I particularly couldn't stop going up to sample those chicken wraps. With a mixture of chicken, onion, lime and corinder wrapped in a flour tortillo, it was mouth watering. The zingy lime really brought out the flavour of the juicy chicken. I also tried a seafood ceviche for the first time and had mixed reactions. I loved the squid and the salmon as i'm a complete seafood fiend but I wasn't too keen on the other bits. It's wasn't horrible by any means and I certainly finished the bowl. But i'm a bit funny when it comes to cold food, not so much of a fan. Much perfer everything I eat to be baking hot!

I've already popped Chotto Matte on my restaurant list to sample the main menu - just need to quickly work through all the places above it first!

Have you ever tried Pervian food?

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This scene is dead, but I'm still restless

Outfit:
Orange textured floral midi dress: ASOS
Orange faux suede ankle strap heels: Primark (similar)
Gold vintage style boyfriend watch: Marc By Marc Jacobs
Gold gem rings: Topshop (similar)

This dress was a payday splurge,. I'd orginally gone on ASOS to buy a different dress but as I was browsing the new section I spotted this and all my previous plans went out the window. It's a little shorter than I usually go for - #granny - and you can see my knees when i'm walking. But despite all that I really like it. I adore the fact it's so vibrant and when I spotted these heels on a Primark trip, I couldn't stuff them in my basket quick enough. I'm a complete sucker for matching. It's the small things that make me happy!

I'm wearing this tonight to go to a wedding reception of my friend's brothers which will be fun as there's a fair few of us going along out of my friendship group. I'm looking forward to the hog roast promised - nom! - and a little boogie on the dance floor.

Have you got any plans for tonight?

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I don't care what the whisperers say 'cause they whisper too loud for me

Outfit:
White stretch vest top: Primark (Similar)
Baby blue textured midi skirt: Topshop (similar)
Nude block heeled sandals: Dorothy Perkins via Westfield City (similar)
Black chain handle across the body bag: Zara (similar)

As you can tell by the squinting eyes in these pictures, the weather was almost unbearable at the weekend. And I need to desperately get an urgent fringe cut. Taking inspiration from a shaggy dog is never a good look. I wore this to wander around East London yesterday with my mum mooching at Petticoat Lane along the way. Despite it being payday I didn't manage to splash my cash on anything. Isn't that always the way? Instead we gorged ourselves on an amazing fish finger sandwich from Bill's. Perfect Sunday right there!

Now if only I could win the lottery and buy a house like this... Fingers crossed!

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Whitecross Street Market

I very rarely spend much time in the city at the weekend - it's always so quiet and not much really goes on. It looks like a ghost town when you wander down the streets on a Saturday with hardly anyone around you and all the the shops are closed. So when I found out Whitecross Market was open for one weekend only I made the journey into town. Usually the market is only enjoyed by booted and suited city workers during the working week.

I met up with Lily, Hannah and Lauren armed with a few cheeky cans of Pimms in my bag and we set up shop on a kerb in front of the music canopy. The sun was out in force and we put the world to rights whilst being serenaded by a variety of singers. When my belly started to grumble we had a little wander to see what took our fancy. I opted for a burger - is it ever anything else? - stuffed with cheese and bacon finished off with a red velvet cupcake and a cake pop thrown in for the craic.

After the market packed up shop at 6pm, we wandered down to the lakes at the Barbican to bask in the sun for a few more hours. It was such a perfect way to spend a Saturday and i'll be sure to try and make more of an effort to enjoy the city more often.

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We sat and made a list of all the things that we had

Outfit:
Black sheer vest top: Topshop (similar)
Mint quilted midi skirt: ASOS (similar)
Black over the body chain handle bag: Zara (similar)
Black faux suede chunky heeled sandals: Primark (similar)

If I could wear this skirt 24/7 I would. It's my favourite midi skirt at the minute. For the moment until I have an affair with another one come payday. I love the unusual quilted material and the gorgeous vibrant colour. Well and truly a statement piece. As all good midi skirts should be! These shoes weren't perhaps the most sensible shoes to wander around London doing a photoshoot for work. But no pain no gain. Or something like that...

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Give me one good reason why I should never make a change

 

Outfit:
Pink floral blouse: c/o New Look
Pink floral midi skirt: c/o New Look
Nude block heeled sandals: Dorothy Perkins c/o Westfield Stratford City (similar)
Black chain handle crossover bag: Zara (similar)
Gem coloured rings: Topshop (similar)
Gold vintage style boyfriend watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs 
Pink nail varnish:  OMP! Nails Inc magazine freebie (similar)

Thanks to Lily for the photographs.

First things first, i'm going to join every UK blogger and say: How hot is this weather?! I seriously can't cope, as i've got older i've began to resent the heat and have no clue what to wear to stay cool. I somehow ended up in a cotton shirt and patterned trousers on the hottest day of the year. God only knows what went through my mind on that morning. But still, i'd much rather embrace this heat than the rain. Cold I can deal with but rain just gets right on my wick.

I've developed a obsession with co-rds which is getting my bank account in a right old state but luckily I was very kindly gifted a New Look voucher at their press day. I spotted this in my local one and ordered it swiftly online when I got home. It's made from perfect thin crepe-like material making it amazing for the summer. I don't think it's going to leave my body much over the next few months. Just like these sandals really. Even my boyfriend who notices nothing asked me why I had the same pair of shoes on four days running...

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Review: Ógra Organic Irish Peat

ÓGRA

 Ógra 100% Peat Face and Body Mask and Ógra Anti-Aging Facial Moisturiser c/o

I am a complete skincare magpie and love trying out new products that promise to transform me. I think your skin is one of the most important things you should look after. Premature aging strikes fear into me. Admittedly i'd never heard of organic Irish peat but was intrigued when I started reading more about the product. Peat is found in waterlogged bogs - mud is by far one of my favourite type of masks. It's said to have strong anti-oxidents to help with the anti-aging process and has special qualities to help bind together your skin tissue to create a smoother look. Wrinkles will become a thing of the past!

When you first apply the mask, they're's a slight tingling. It's not too uncomfortable but it does feel a little strange. This is because all the blood is coming to the surface. I do a thin layer over my face and leave it on for 15 minutes. It suggests you keep spritzing with water to make it easier to remove after it's set. I used Evian Facial Spray a few times to keep it moist. I then wiped it using a muslin cloth soaked in warm water. I've been using it for a good few weeks now twice a week and am about to reduce it down to once a week. The difference is amazing, my skin feels so much softer and looks brighter. Dull skin is the bane of every commuters life! Tightness is a thing of the past. The moisturiser glides on like a dream and there's no sticky aftermath meaning your make up can go on almost straight away. It sinks in perfectly and leaves your skin feeling subtle. It's really helped my skin in the summer months as it tends to dry out because of the heat.

Have you ever tried any of these products? Ógra are currently looking for retail outlets and salons to perform the facials.

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Brockley Market

Tucked away in Lewisham College car park, you'll find the small but perfectly formed Brockley Market selling some of the most delicious food you'll feast your eyes on. We of course went along to try Mother Flipper which you already know but we couldn't leave without trying a few more of their wares!

After i'd scoffed my burger I headed straight to Kooky Bakes to nab myself one of their Whoopie Pies for when the hunger pains striked again. A delicious concoction of red velvet with a layer of tasty buttercream in the middle. It was worth every penny of the three English pounds. My boyfriend opted for a more savory treat and treated himself to a small pot of garlic olives from Olive Branch.

We also got a pie each - pulled pork for me and stilton for Connor with a bag of pork scratchings to munch on. It was such a hot day and in hindsight we shouldn't have left the pies as when we got round to eating them later on in Greenwich Park, they'd gone a bit sweaty. I think they'd be much more enjoyable if we'd eaten then as soon as we'd got them. Lesson learnt! I completely forgot to catch the name of the stall.

We also spotted Professer Green queuing up for his burger next to us. Always nice to have a little celeb spot! I think he caught us talking about him as he turned round and gave us a little smile. Obviously we're not as subtle as we think we are!

Have you been to Brockley Market?

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