A Day Trip to Whitstable
30 August 2018
Last Monday, me and a friend decided to make the most of the last bank holiday before Christmas {scary, I know} and head to the cute seaside town of Whitstable for the day. Unfortunately the weather wasn't on our side but it was a lovely day, so I thought I'd share some highlights in case any of you were thinking of getting out of the city for a day.
We headed to the station bright and early, grabbed a coffee and our tickets {which were around £20 for a return with a rail card} and off we went to the seaside. The journey took about an hour and a quarter, which was perfect as it was enough time to drink our coffee and fill each other in on what's been going on since we last saw each other, and before no time we could see the sea!
We were quite peckish when we arrived, so we headed to Farm & Harper for brunch. The service wasn't great - I'm not sure if we caught them on an off day as all of the reviews are glowing - but the food more than made up for it, as did the non-London price tag! I had the breakfast tortilla and my friend had the avocado toast {we're basic and we own it}.
After brunch we took a stroll through the town to get our bearings and quickly found ourselves on the beach. I mentioned earlier that the weather wasn't on our side, and by this point it definitely wasn't - the beach was incredibly grey and windy, but we came to see the seaside, so we sat there for a while taking in the sights surrounded by other determined day-trippers. By the time we couldn't feel our fingers and had developed mild frostbite, we decided to head back into town to take a wander through the shops and find somewhere for lunch.
We ended up in 'Veggie Revival' for lunch, a quirky cafe selling you guessed it...vegetarian dishes. I had the halloumi fries and the three bean chilli nachos and both were delicious. A heart attack waiting to happen, but nevertheless delicious.
After eating our body weight in nachos, we headed back out to the other side of town to explore and ended up in the Old Neptune, a traditional pub right on the beach, for a pint of Whitstable Bay {and a well earned hour out of the wind}, before heading back into town for a final ice cream from Sundae Sundae. I went for the strawberry with popping candy {which was delicious!} and my friend went for the mint chocolate chip with smarties, which looked SO pretty and apparently tasted pretty good too.
After devouring our ice creams it was time to head back to London on the train in time for an early night ahead of the working week. I had a lovely time in Whitstable and would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to escape the city for a day, or anyone who loves seafood as there was an abundance of seafood restaurants and lobster shacks, especially as its only a short train ride away from London!
xo Becky
An Instagrammers Guide to Paris
22 August 2018
Whenever I've got a trip to a new city booked, I'm vey guilty of obsessively looking for 'Instagram Guides to...' and then planning my route around the city to include some of these spots, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. I've found some of the best restaurants, parks and pretty streets through Instagram and it generally means I don't end up on a 'Big Bus Tour' of the city {a.k.a avoiding all of those tourist spots}. So today I thought I'd put together my own for one of my favourite cities...Paris!
1. The Palais Royal
I'll start with my favourite, the Palais Royal, which I'm assuming most of you have seen on your Instagram feed at one time or another. Whilst the Palais Royal has beautiful gardens, water features and buildings, it's the black and white striped podiums that you really must see. They're the perfect place to capture a fun Instagram shot, and generally have a giggle.
2. Cafe Kitsune
If you're looking for that perfect coffee picture {and just a generally good coffee pick me up} then Cafe Kitsune is the place to be. It's actually just next to the Palais Royal so you know, two birds and all...Perfect for those who appreciate good branding {the marketer in me rejoices!}
3. The Trocadero
Of course, you can't go to Paris without taking a snap of the Eiffel Tower! My favourite place to see the Eiffel Tower is the Trocadero, it gives you the perfect view and is lovely on a misty morning {or at night if you want to see the lights twinkle}. I would recommend going super early though as it does get quite busy.
4. Pont Alexandre iii
Paris is full of stunning brides which make the perfect backdrop to any photo, however the Post Alexandre iii is by far the prettiest in my opinion. The light blues and golds are so stunning, but again this is quite a popular spot so be sure to head down early!
5. Ralph's
If food is your thing, then you definitely want to make a reservation at Ralph's. Owned by Ralph Lauren, the decor here is stunning and the food is to die for! It helps that it all looks stunning too, so perfect for the gram!
6. Place Vendôme
If shopping is your thing, then Place Vendôme is for you...it's home to the best of the best {think that blue Chanel door} and oozes Parisian prettiness. There's also a good chance that you'll spot a wedding or two happening in the square!
7. Rue de L'Universite
If you want an iconic photo of the Eiffel Tower then definitely head to this street where you'll find it perfectly framed between Parisian houses. I'd recommend getting there early though as it does fill up with people wanting to get the shot!
8. Cafe Marly
This restaurant isn't the best food you'll eat in Paris, but if you want a photo looking out over the Louvre, this is the place to get it. You do need to book I you want to get a spot on the terrace though, walk ins will be seated inside and you'll miss the view!
9. Montmartre
Montmartre is full of pretty cafes and streets, head here to get a snap of the iconic Le Consulat, or wander up towards the Sacre Coeur!
10. La Maison Rose
While you're in Montmartre you can't miss this cute little pink restaurant!
As always, this isn't a comprehensive list as there are new 'it' spots popping up everywhere, but hopefully it gives you a few ideas on where you can take a few snaps...and if you have any more suggestions do leave them in the comments below!
xo Becky
The Skincare Edit: My Current Skincare Routine
15 August 2018
Having battled with acne for years {12 in total} of my life, I've tried my fair share of skincare...and medication...and anything I could to control my skin. Luckily, my skin has since cleared up and {touch wood} isn't too troublesome anymore - I still have my fair share of skincare concerns, but thankfully acne is no longer one of them - and through a lot of train and error, I'm finally in a place where I'm happy with my current skincare routine and ready to share it with the world.
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