10 things #2

Hey guys! I know that I said that my '10 things' post would be up on Sunday but some things came up and I couldn't get it posted, better late than never right? So without further ado, here are 10 things that I've found funky, interesting or just down right snazzy this past week. Enjoy!

1. How lovely are these Billabong pants! Going straight in my basket. 

2. I've been reading this blog non stop for the past few days. Check it out!

3. Loving this song at the moment, got a bit of a Nick Mulvey charm about it. You go Glen coco, I mean Roo Panes!

4. Is this the most delicious looking rug or is this the most delicious looking rug?!

5. Checking out The Selby all day everyday. 

6. I've been a bit of a sucker for fitness tumblrs recently, so good for morning motivation. To see some of my favourites click this, or even this!

7. Already dreading the winter weather? Check this out so see where the best place is to find some winter sun!

8. I've been pinning a lot of DIY ideas to make little things stand out in my room next year. Check it out here.

9. Silver Island yoga retreat looks absolutely heavenly, plans for next summer sorted? I think so too. Check it out here!

10. Spotted these little branded beauties in Holland & Barrett the other day and really wish I'd purchased some. So cute, really curious as to what they taste like...?

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Smoothie Bowl: raspberry and mango madness

Hola amigos!

Something I'm LOVING at the moment is mornings. I love waking up with the morning light streaming through my window, slipping into my Spell kimono and wading downstairs with no shoes on to make what I can only describe as a heavenly breakfast. I used to be the gal who never ate breakfast and rushed out the house however now I honestly don't know how I managed that as breakfast is now my favourite meal of the day. I always start the day with a medium-hot mug of water just to kick start my metabolism, it's a pretty good habit to get into.

Okay so this morning I made this bowl of gloriousness (Surely that's not a word?!) and I thought that I'd share it with you guys.

Ingredients

Almond milk

2 Bananas

1 handful of frozen raspberries

1 handful of frozen mango

Toppings of your choice.

What you want to do is blend all of the above together (excluding toppings) until it's nice and smooth. I usually fill my blender about an 1/8 - 1/4 full of almond milk then chuck the rest of the fruit in. Once that's all blended and luscious, pour it into a bowl and start to get creative with toppings. I added chia seeds, coconut chips, mixed seeds, blueberries and nectarine. 

Have fun with it!

(@alexayo)

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Travel Diaries: London Day 2

Eyup m'ducks! I've combined two days into one in this post as I thought there wasn't much point spreading it out. I got up pretty early as I really wanted to beat most of the mayhem on Portobello market then head out to Kings road & Oxford street for some retail therapy (oops). If you're in London at the weekend, definitely check out Portobello market, it's an absolute haven for funky antiques, sweet jewellery and heavenly food. 

- How AMAZING does this look, it tasted just as good as it looks, if not better. -

- I couldn't risk. Everyones allowed a cheat meal/day/week/month right? -

- As Free People opened their first UK pop up store on this day I thought It'd be appropriate to wear my favourite FP dress. It was handmade in Bali and each one is a little different. It's absolutely beautiful but you do have to wear something under it. Over the top I wore one of my favourite items of clothing which is a Spell & the gypsy collective kimono. So much love for this thing. -

- Walking to Notting Hill Gate tube station and spotted this funky cafe. How cool are these tiles! -

- I didn't manage to snap any photos in the actual Free People pop up store because I was too bust chatting to the FP girls, who were lovely. However managed to snap some pics in Anthropologie, their sister brand which was right next door. Really wanted to purchase a flamingo head but just couldn't fit it in my luggage, goddarnit. -

- URBN interiors are so beaut it makes my heart melt. -

- I then headed over to the Saatchi gallery which had some funky pieces in. Sometimes I don't really 'get' modern art but then other times it's meaning really clicks with me. -

- I love colourful, abstract pieces, so this collection was a hit. -

- This was by far my favourite piece, I spent a solid fifteen minutes just staring at it. -

- Grey haired lady not included in exhibition. -

- The visual merchandising in the Harrods windows is seriously fab at the moment. There's an overriding motif of 'movement' behind each display space and each one is different from the next and even more interesting. -

- SO cool, ammiright? -

- Oxford Street beckoned and my favourite store sucked me in, screw you Urban Outfitters with you delicious decor and products. I got some underwear and a book and couldn't help admire the hanging pot plants from the ceiling at the checkout. Oh you funky chaps. -

- Handmade Balinese FP dress with the scruffiest of shoes. Contrasts. -

- Strolling back to the Notting Hill flat through Kensington and admiring all the lovely architecture. -

- So prettyyyyy. I imagine my more lavish future self eating macaroons whilst dangling my feet out of my huge bay window wearing my Sophia Webster's and listening to some french jazz. Oh what a life I'd lead -

- finishing my day off with a green tea, comfy Calvin Klein's and Elle magazine. LOVELY. -

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Travel Diaries: London Day 1

Ello ello ello! If you follow me on Instagram (@alexayo) then you'll know that I've been in London over the past few days. I stayed in the city for a couple of days then headed out to Buckinghamshire for some family events. Here's a few photos to show you what I got up to on my first day in the capital. 

How delicious is the apartment I was staying in! Full of eclectic trinkets, funky colours and personal touches. 

I spent a good few hours in the evening people watching out of these massive windows in the living room. I was located just off Portobello road so there was so many interesting things going on and cool people to watch.

I arrived at about 3pm so I spent most of the afternoon firstly exploring Kings Cross  and the public library then heading to Notting Hill where I was staying and walking around the area. The weather was glorious so I was in my element. 

These are some of the coloured houses in Notting Hill dotted around. I love funky houses. On Saturday there's the famous 'Portobello market' here. 

People watching and eating my Vegetarian lentil curry topped with some rocket. 

YUM.

Women's Health is becoming one of my favourite magazines, I really enjoyed this issue. Nothing beats chilled evenings with the sun shining through the open windows, music playing and nestling down on the sofa with a good read.

I finished the day off with a delicious Belgian hot chocolate, climbed into bed and drifted off to the mellow sounds of Ben Howard.

Check here tomorrow to see London day 2!

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10 Things #1

Duh duh duuuuuuuuuh! *drum roll please* I'm going to kick the blog back into action by doing a weekly '10 things' post. This will be up every other Sunday and just round up the week by talking about what's been 'appenin and funky little things I've found. If that's your jam then stay tuned.

1. I am LOVING this song right now.

2. I've been a bit interior obsessed recently. Here's my Pinterest board.

3. Diggin' cropped 'mom' jeans this week. Check these!

4. This Vine sums up my diving career...and life. 

5. Running in the rain is the best therapy. Oh and check the 'running' bit on spotify, so clever!

6. Shoe HEAVEN. Princess shoe delight. Lav em'

7. I've been going a bit Tumblr crazy this week. A visual delight.

8. Found this video which made me rethink how I spend my day. 

9. Really enjoyed this. The atlas of beauty by Mihaela Noroc.

10. Definitely making this for breakfast next week. SO GOOD!

Image above found on tumblr.

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New house interior inspiration

I am a self confessed Pinterest addict, I'd say it's probably my go to search engine now a days. As a very visual person, Pinterest does absolute wonders. So as soon as we sorted out the rooms to our student house next year, I couldn't get onto Pinterest fast enough to indulge myself in some interior delight. 

I absolutely love all white walls with dashes of colour, I'd describe my taste as sort of a minimalist/bohemian/ eclectic hybrid. Sounds a bit mad but it works for me. Over the past few years I've become a bit of a hoarder, not to the extremes you see on TV, but I am a victim to keeping things I don't really need. Today is all about clearing out and getting rid of things i don't need/use. I truly believe in 'healthy space, healthy mind' so I'm gonna get to it and start clearing. 

Here are some of my favourite inspiration finds, take a look and tell me what you think.

P.s If you fancy following me on Pinterest, click here!

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My Favourite Beauty Products

I'll admit it, I am a superdrug junkie. I am such a victim to buying health & beauty products. Saying that, I'd call myself a pretty low maintenance girl, I go make-up free most days but when I want to look glam, I go all out and there's no stopping me. When it comes to my skin and beauty regime, I switch between doing nothing at all to a thorough cleanse. These are my favourite products and are the ones that I'd choose to repurchase. So let's start from the top shall we sistas?

1. Cleansing wand.

Ok so that's not it's actual name and I was't really sure what to call it. I picked this up from TKmaxx for about £3 and I'd say it's really made a difference. I am constantly using my hands throughout the day, picking stuff up, touching different surfaces and generally gathering germs on them (lush). Basically its a silicon sponge on one side and brush bristles on the other. It just means that you can give your face a really thorough clean and not risk getting dirt in your pores from unclean hands. Plus your skin feels amazing afterwards. 

2. Vaseline

Aaaah good old vaseline lip balm, what would we do without it? I for one feel really weird if I go to bed without vaseline on my lips as I wake up and they resemble the Sahara desert. Not a good look, I'm telling you now.

3. Elemis herbal lavender repair mask.

Last summer I went to St.Lucia with my family, we stayed at The Body Holiday resort which was absolute heaven. Sun shining every hour, warm ocean, amazing food and also daily massages, oh yeah thats right. The main products that they used in the treatment rooms were by Elemis, so mum treated Cesca and I to some skincare products. Elemis can be pretty expensive but they're really high quality products so I guess you could say that you get what you pay for. One of the products I chose was the repair mask, it's basically an exfoliating face mask. It smells lovely and my skin always feels amazing afterwards. 

4. Body shop mango mist.

Oh my god, this stuff is like liquid gold to the nostrils. Seriously, take a whiff of this stuff and you're in heaven. Mangos are my weakness so this was a natural choice for me. I'm not a massive perfume wearer and feel like a lot of fragrances smell pretty similar and just in general really similar. that's why I tend to opt for something lighter and fruitier. 

5. Simple hydrating light moisturiser.

If I had to choose one product that I couldn't live without, it'd probably be this one. I'm a big fan of simple products as they just seem to work well with my skin. The moisturiser is light but works wonders. I wouldn't use another type. 

6. Barry M Kohl pencil Gold

SO NICE! I find that black eyeliners make my eyes look to small and in most cases a black eyeliner is just too dramatic for me. This colour makes the green in my hazel eyes pop out and just makes them look extra sparkly and lovely. If you're looking for a softer eyeliner colour alternative, I's definitely recommend this colour. 

7. Tea Tree peel of face mask.

I'm a once a week face mask kinda gal and also a bit of a Tea Tree freak, so this was a natural choice. Perfect for when you want to give your skin a bit of a pick-me-up.

8. Body Shop tea tree blemish fade lotion.

This is a product which I've used before and come back to. It's really cooling and fresh and it's perfect for when you want to give your skin a bit of a boost.

9. Simple kind to skin cleansing wipes.

I am a loyal fan of these wipes. I love the texture they have as it just feels like they actually clean my skin instead of just wiping my makeup off. They also don't dry my skin at all so that's a massive bonus. 

10. Topshop Eyeshadow.

I'm not entirely sure on the specific name of this product but I got it from Topshop and I know that there are three distinct colours you can choose from. This is one of my favourites and it's absolutely gorgeous on. I feel like hazel/green eyes really suit cranberry and gold colours so It's my go to eyeshadow for a night out.

11. Benefit Roller Lash mascara 

I often think that Benefit products are a little bit overpriced but I can honestly say that this mascara is SO worth it. It really grabs the lashes and lifts them up but doesn't come out too thick or clumpy. A definite must have in my makeup bag. 

12. Body Shop tea tree foaming cleanser.

You can probably tell by now that I'm a bit of a fan of the Body Shops tea tree range. This cleanser is such a god-sent  it feels as though I've had a facial after every use and it's one of the only cleansers I've tried that never makes my skin dry. 

13. Neal's Yard rosemary & cedar-wood hair treatment.

In the summer months, my hair tends to get a bit dry at the ends. My mother dearest bought this for me and it's been perfect when I want to refresh my hair and replenish the dry ends to get it's mojo back.

So that's it chaps, I hope you've enjoyed this post, if you have any questions about any of the products or would like to recommend any of your favourites then my ears are wide open.

Peace & Love,

Alexa 

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