I am finally writing about my wonderful experience with Kaliyoga; four days in the Spanish countryside spent stretching, breathing, eating and "doing" self care. Apologies this has taken me so damn long to write, I went on the trip about a month ago now. I have never had so many questions about a press trip in my life, which has made this feel like quite a daunting task writing it up as I need to make sure I cover off so many questions! I'd never been on anything like this before, and felt very lucky to be able to experience it in this way - god my job is good sometimes!

I was invited through the Kaliyoga team's PR company back in 2017 and at the time thought "this'll be good as that time of year is quiet with work so I can justify the time away." However, in reality that week was a mad one, I very nearly pulled out at the eleventh hour because the office was manic. With hindsight there couldn't have been a better time to enforce some time away like this, so if you are someone always using the excuse of "I'm too busy" then please understand it is just an excuse - there should always be time for taking care of yourself.

It's probably best if I start with exactly what Kaliyoga is, because I got a bunch of questions asking whether it was a bootcamp, rehab, retreat or diet farm (I don't know what a diet farm is, and the phrase made me chuckle when I was asked). In truth, it's probably a combination of all of those things. Kaliyoga helps it's visitors with physical, emotional, spiritual and dietary issues. My time there was focussed on yoga mainly but as you know from my Instagram it also incorporated a bunch of other aspects as the idea was we got a round up of the entire offering to be able to pass the info on to you. Ordinarily you go for a week, but we squeezed in a snapshot round up over four days. They do different weeks with different focusses, you can see all them here.

I was hugely sceptical of some of the things on our program. I enjoy yoga, but I'm not an "ommmm" person - my purpose for exercise is purely to lose weight and tone up; I'm not interested in the spiritual feel-good stuff at all. Sound bathing wasn't something I was that into and I felt like I wanted to sink into a bottle of wine and there was no alcohol, dairy or caffeine for the duration. I did feel a little bit like Karl Pilkington when I arrived; rolling my eyes in disbelief at the thought of sitting on a mat to try and "bring out the chakras" for an hour hasn't ever been in my life plan.

The property is the brainchild of Jonathan and Rosie who first visited the area nearly 20 years ago (there are two; one in Italy and one in Spain - this review is of the Spanish retreat). Their programs and retreats have grown in a really beautiful way; they've steadily built up a brilliant team of experts and they really are like a little family. There are amazing nutrionalists, masseuses, spiritualists, yoga instructors - the works. Considering how remote the property is, it's testament to the owners that the team choose to work at Kaliyoga - and some indication of quite how much they believe in the concept. They have customers who have been coming to them since the beginning, but are now looking to grow to attract more of the typically "busy" city types who need a worthwhile break. Hence inviting us lot to come and test it out.

As you no doubt already know from Instagram, Kaliyoga is pretty beautiful. It's built into the Spanish hills like something out of a movie set and has plenty of Instagrammable spots with mosaic tiles and views a plenty. What I liked about it was that they'd clearly made an effort to make it a home from home; nothing felt too "done" and it was rustic in places without feeling worried a wall might fall down. The living spaces are gorgeous with a roaring fire and lovely pool area. The bedrooms were lovely, I slept in one of the huts outside and loved it. The yoga centre is stunning, overlooking the Spanish Hills and was really quite special at dusk when we were all doing our last class for the day.

Now, the schedule. To my surprise the weekly schedules are a pleasant mix of activities and "nothing." For anyone worried there wouldn't be sunbathing time rest assured there is plenty of that. There is a morning class, breakfast, free time, then lunch, then either an activity (that might walking through the hills like we did, or a talk about nutrition, or a massage) then an evening/dusk class, then dinner. One thing I did really like is the guys at Kaliyoga recognise that most people who come to them are exhausted, so they don't inflict the sunrise yoga on them. The first yoga class starts at either 8 or 9am. If there is something in particular you want to "tackle" then you can let the team know in advance and they can make sure they have the right team in to help you manage it - I'd really advise the sound bathing as an additional class for reasons I'll go into in a moment.

Before I do, let me tell you about the yoga. To say I was hesitant is an understatement. I walked in and there were Buddhas and scents going off and I just thought "argh, here we go." In the car on the way there I said to the other girls that if I was made to hum I was walking out. What then happened, hugely to the credit of instructor who must have read my mind, was a brilliant class mixed with movement and "proper" exercise. She did make me "ommmm" but for the first time ever in my life I actually wanted to. I didn't feel silly and as I did it I feel my shoulders go down and I wasn't at all embarrassed. I left the first class a bit cross with my former self for being so ridiculously narrow minded; it was really fun and restorative. We had two of these kind of classes a day, and some meditation which I struggled with a bit more than the yoga but by the end of the week found myself able to properly switch off and grasp the basics, which I'd never managed to before.

Right, so, sound bathing. Firstly as I'm sure lots of you are wondering, what the hell is it? This isn't the official explanation but instead my interpretation of what goes on: There is a concept that a person's energy is determined by their chakras; the seven spiritual powers in the human body. Bear with me. It is thought that by recognising how and where these powers "stick" to the human body you can rebalance them with sound. So, you lie or sit comfortably in a studio and the therapist "reads the room" (you kind of have to be there to understand this but when I say Kim - the therapist - got stuff out of us, I really do mean it, there were tears of sheer release as we all explained our stresses and woes) and then proceeds to play sounds from bowls (think large, empty drums). I cant explain it, it doesn't make any rational sense to me - but - I could literally feel stress being pulled out of me. 

At the end of the class we all felt strangely bonded, relaxed and lots of us cried. Not because we were sad, but because we just had this release of stress some of us didn't know we had. It was absolutely bizarre and I don't think any of us saw it coming. Now, I've done this before and can tell you it's not always as powerful as this; last time I did it during a press event I just couldn't get into it and was bored senseless. So the guys at Kaliyoga really do know what they're doing, and I can't recommend Kim enough - she's magical.

Another question I got asked lots about was the food. You lot know I love my grub; I'm a "meat and two veg" kind of girl and I don't stray far from it. I was astounded as to how much I enjoyed the raw food, I didn't miss my usual habits at all. Speaking plainly the food is very much based for a detox so you do, erm, go to the bathroom a bit more than usual. Becky who runs the kitchen and her amazing team really do know their stuff (they're the ones who gave us the talks on kimchi and raw chocolate making) and produced incredible meals every night. In fact they're so good at it they've made a cook book (which they gave us as a parting gift) that contains amazingly simple, tasty food. I was worried I wouldn't be able to recreate stuff, but I can with it. Here is a link to it. As a side, if you did want to come to lose weight Kaliyoga do a couple of specialised weeks a year. They get booked up very quickly but check out their site here for details.

I really hope this review brings across quite how great I think this place is, I really want to go back and try their other Italy property. I would never, ever have considered using my holiday time for a retreat, I want to sit on the beach with some wine and tan myself stupid. Having now done this I totally take that back and can confidently say I'll be returning. I felt so refreshed and revitalised, friends commented on how much more relaxed and level headed I seemed - and the week I came back was a very challenging one work wise and I suspect I'd have fallen apart if I hadn't had those restorative few days...

At the weekend we went down to Somerset and when driving to our hotel spotted this field of bamboo (we think it was bamboo and will be happily corrected - this is what happens when two Londoners "do" the country). As I'm trying to be a little more "live now" I insisted on stopping the car to take some photos... So this is as real as it gets as this outfit really was what I was wearing on Sunday...

I was intending on holding back posting about this jacket for a while as it's going to be used in a bigger project next month. But I've worn it a great deal and lots of you have asked where it was from. So, with no further ado - it's from Jigsaw, here. I've never really got the whole shearling thing before; this is the first time I've ever had anything like it. I spotted it out when I did a store visit last week and knew we'd live happily ever after. I kind of thought shearling was just for super smart, super posh people. Not for people like me who dresses in whatever first falls off the wardrobe rail, and is a constant fight between her love of colourful foods and keeping white t shirts, white.

It turns out this is really very handy; I've worn it like I am here with jeans and trainers. Given it's such a dark colour I've been staggered at the number of people who have asked where it is from - clearly it's the thing to wear if you want to be noticed... As that isn't really a decision making point for me, let me list other perks = It's bl**dy warm, like seriously warm. As in you really notice that the bits of your body not covered in it are cold (I'm in the market for a onesie version if anyone knows of one). It's a neutral colour that won't go out of fashion. It's so soft; dogs really like cuddling in it...

first to last = 1, Jigsaw / 2. J Crew / 3. Warehouse / 4. Diane Von Furstenberg / 5. Reiss / 6. New Look

It's most definitely an investment, even though it is in the sale here. I can't recommend it enough so if you're in the market for a treat for yourself, go for it. As ever, I've done a bit of a run around to find good alternatives. Before I launch into the high street, a few designer bargains. This J Crew one is half price in the sale and twice the size - that's like x4 the bargain then, right? Secondly this DVF one is also half price... Cheaper options include this Warehouse one - may not be navy but cream is also a staple and having seen it in the flesh I can confirm it's insanely warm. Lastly if you're looking to just test out the look, this one is £22.

Other bits in the outfit basically sum up my Sunday style, if I have one. Essentially it's all about being comfy but looking decent enough to leave the house. I find quality knits are key and the one in these shots is new from Reiss, here. You can't really see in these photos, annoyingly, but this knit has really lovely two-tone neck and sleeves. It comes in black too (I've nabbed it already) which looks super slick for work, here. It's a super flattering cut - somehow even though it's oversize it still fits if that makes sense. You'll be seeing quite a lot of it in the next few posts...

Also want to give a little shout out to the jeans, here. They're also from Jigsaw. I'd never have thought to go to them for denim but they're cuts are ace. They're made in Japan (for anyone who doesn't know, when it comes to denim you're looking for them to be made in Japan or Italy - it shows quality) and are from a very high count denim. This means that you can wash them heavily, wear them heavily etc and the fit won't loosen etc. These are their Hampton style - I also have the Richmond which is their skinnier style. For the price they really are an insane bargain.... 

This post has been a long, long time coming. I can't believe we've been in our new home for over 6 months now, it still doesn't feel like we've got it together. Neither of us had Hampstead on the original list of locations to live, truth be told we'd assumed we couldn't afford it. But, on one rainy day I took a phone call from an estate agent who told us about this place. We saw it that day, fell in love with it's quirky-ness and two weeks later we were in.

The flat is in an old hospital smack in the middle of Hampstead Village. The compromise was space. Our bedroom is teeny and therefore when furnishing it we had to be super clever with what we chose. Like most people in our position, neither of us had anything decent to bring furniture wise so it meant starting from scratch - which was both brilliant and slightly scary financially. 

We spent ages trolling through shops and sites for the right furniture, we knew we didn't want Ikea but also couldn't afford the luxurious "bateau lit" I'd spotted in a boutique in Paris (totally unrealistic, but thats what spending so much time on Pinterest does to you). It wasn't until we looked at Habitat that we really felt a brand "got" us. Their stuff seemed to combine the quality and the requirements we needed from furniture = we can't have it fall apart after a year, we have a small space and we need  places to store things. So, here is what we got... (small spaces, it turns out, are a nightmare to photograph - so do check out my Instagram Stories for a live tour here).

We realised that we may as well go with a king size bed as the size difference was only going to make for an awkward space against the back wall (when we'd picked the shelves, see below). We wanted a bed frame that wasn't going to break the bank but also wouldn't go out of trend. So we chose the Tatsuma, here. We chose it in the oak colour as it matches the wardrobe rail I'd already picked out here which really makes no sense to have as it takes up way too much space on the landing, but it was just something I've wanted since seeing Lindsey have the same.

As an aside, one thing I am absolutely thrilled with is our mattress. We did a lot of research and had heard about the various companies that give you an decent mattress and you pay for it over time. I was a bit hesitant (I'm always cynical of new concepts) but we found one on Eve that looked really good, here. In truth we ended up being gifted ours but hand on heart with the difference it has made to our sleep and comfort I would happily pay ten times the amount for it. I look forward to coming home to it after a holiday, no matter how plush the hotel - because our mattress is better. I cannot recommend these guys enough (the mattress arrived in a day too, which should not go unnoticed given the common wait times for home stuff) - check them out here.

We knew we needed units next to the bed as we both have quite a lot of stuff, but taking advice from an editorial Lucy did we went against side tables as you can't store things above or below them. We didn't want to overwhelm the room with tonnes of furniture either. These "ladder shelves" are perfect. They're white so they don't stick out and make the room look cluttered, but they do make the most of the space. Find them here, for £75.

For the final touches we bought a white-edged mirror to both bring some light and create the illusion of space to put above the bed, here and some copper touch sensitive lights (saves faffing around for switches) here. I also decided it was time to invest in some decent linen so upgraded my sheets to Elizabeth Scarlett, here and bought some huge faux fur cushions from The White Company sale here to give the bed some extra "luxe." As a final treat we bought a little tray so I can work in bed without ruining the fan on my laptop (apparently 50% of laptops die because the fan at the base of them is blocked when people use them in bed) here. 

Hope you enjoyed that little insight into our home, the next project is deciding what to do with the double height wall in the living room. Shelves of pictures?! Help!

As mentioned in my last post, I'm trying not to be an enormous cliche this month. I can't tell you about my resolutions because after a half-as*ed attempt to write some I really don't have any (other than to spend more time with less people, as 2016 showed me I'd got that a little bit wrong - ooh and also "have pride in your tribe" which is an awesome, awesome motto). Having looked at lots of blogs this month I really can't compete with their wonderfulness, so instead I'm going down the route of things that will help you cope rather than get you inspired...

So, above are some things getting me through the month. Firstly, colour is key. At home and on my face. For the former my cushions from Bluebell Grey and Elizabeth Scarlett look lovely on my otherwise neutral sofa (which as lots of you on Instagram ask me, if from Made here). I've spent a huge amount of time curled up on it reading. Chosen reads are:

1. The Glitter Plan - The business story behind Juicy Couture. Someone recommended this to me and I initially rolled my eyes; the brand isn't for me. But there are some really good pointers and it's written in a very lighthearted, honest and funny way. Enjoyable and inspirational without getting too "business"...
2. Gut - I was bought this for Christmas and was sceptical; not the most alluring title is it? However, this book has been a revelation. From explaining what an appendix is for, to helping me understand why very specific foods make me feel queasy - it's on it. A must read (and you'll never want to eat sugar again) ...
3. Red Herring and White Elephants - An oldie but a goodie, I found this in the cupboard the other day. A really good stop-and-start book listing where all our expressions come from (hence the title). You'll be an annoying know-it-all when you finish, but you'll be excellent at a dinner party with weird and wonderful facts...
4. Carpe Diem notepad - not exactly a read, but I'm giving a go at writing things down and found this lovely notepad in White Stuff who have started doing home stuffs. Recommend a look, here.

Candles are key for January and I've become obsessed with Diptyque's Tubereuse candle here ever since I acquired it - it's fast running out. It really does prove that paying a little more for a good candle is worth it; when we burn it we can smell it down the hall from our flat the minute we walk up the stairs! I've got my eye on the room spray too which is slightly cheaper, here. Secondly the Origins Feel Good candle here was a gift from the Estee Lauder team. It's got pine and orange in it and is super invigorating. When I've felt a bit peaky it's really given me a lift, so I definitely recommend it!

Annnnnd for beauty, this month is all about fast, quick, albeit lazy stuff that makes you look fab. Quickly. I still swear by my Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturiser as it transforms my skin and general appearance in seconds. Yes it's expensive but if you are going to invest in anything surely its your face? Find it here. Combine that with Tom Ford's amazing eyebrow mascara and you're already prepped to leave the house, trust me. Find it here (and don't just find it, but it, this really is that good). I'm trying to remember to wear lipstick and this Lancome Caprice red is currently the favourite. Its bright, it's fun and it makes Mondays more interesting.

Other products I've mentioned in my Instagram's recently include; Clarins' clear lip gloss here which stays on all day - works to heal cracked lips and make them look banging... Benefit's ultimate lazy girl eye shadow palette here. You use the sponge applicator to swipe across the 3 colour options and do the same on your lids. Bam - smoky eyes done in seconds. And YSL's gorgeous illuminating cream to create the illusion you have been outside seen the sun recently, here.

Ooh and you should try and smell nice because it makes you feel good. Simples. Gus bought me the Chloe perfume for Christmas and it's so happy, delicate and pretty that I feel gorgeous when I'm wearing it - I'd never have picked it out as it looks very, very girly. Find it here. For him, I was kindly sent a new scent from Jo Malone's selection called Myrrh and Tonka. It smells insane. Insane. I am like a cat on heat when I smell it and friends on Twitter have said the same. So buy it for your "him" now, here.

Next; we can't ignore the fact that January is a great time to go shopping. As 2016 was one of the most up and down global economic climates, we consumers didn't buy as much as the retailers thought. This means there are huge surpluses of stock that need shifting. In real terms that means big discounts for us, and more things going into sale than usual. This is good. As I've been at home for the last few days I've cleared out four bin bags of clothes and taken them to Cancer Research on Hampstead High Street - and also listed as much as stuff as eBay would let me. I'm going to use these new found funds (through the £100s I make on the listings...) to buy a few things for the new year - because January is dull AF and we all need a little lift, no?

click link to shop: indigo jeans, Topshop (so cheap) / cashmere scarf, Topshop / sequin top, Topshop /leopard print pumps, Net A Porter (Saint Laurent and so discounted) / black buttoned top, Net A Porter /cream peasant top, Zara / cashmere cream jumper, Topshop / taupe culottes, Reiss / cream v neck knit, Whistles / wave tassle skirt, Whistles / one shoulder top, Whistles / cold shoulder black top, Whistles / 

I found a lot, scouring my favourite places; Zara, Net A Porter, Topshop, Reiss and Whistles. I can't go through everything but here is a little summary. First up, denim. Sadly I missed the phenomenon that is the Selfridges Denim sale (seriously  this is the one sale you cannot miss - there are a few odds and sods (look out for Paige, AG and Levis) still available here. The White Company still have some awesome ones left too, here. This Zara top is complete bargain at £17.99, especially when you compare to the Etoile Isabel Marant version here which (in the sale) is still £120. Speaking of designer stuff, never rule out Net A Porter during sale time. Their discounts are big, especially this year. These Isabel Marant shoes are £114, their J Crew stuff starts at £24, and staples like this MiH breton tee and this Solid and Stripe crop top are things I've been after for ages (I always stock up a wish-list just before the sales and then shop from there, much easier). One more thing, if you're after a solid knit look no further than this Tibi knit, reduced from £400 to £120.

Whistles is great for solid staples with a bit of something extra. For example this one shoulder dress (reduced from £220 to £50) is a great failsafe, as is this one shoulder top (really good solid staple, with a bit of something extra).  Reiss sales are always really good because everything goes into them. I can't believe this dress has gone in as it was a bestseller, and only £95! Furthermore their skirts and work-type selection is fantastic - this skirt for £55, these culottes and this roll neck for £25 really does show quite how strong the discounts are.

other solid finds: black boyfriend jeans, Topshop / multicolour knit, Topshop /  ruffle top, Topshop / metallic black jacket, Topshop /  red and white peasant top, Net A Porter / grey stripe tee shirt, Net A Porter / grey sweater, Net A Porter / ribbed knit, Net A Porter /  /  cream crochet top, Net A Porter  

Lastly, I haven't included them in the collages but don't forget about bikinis in the winter sales as they really drop in price. She Made Me was the brand of 2016 and this mint green bikini, this cream and this red two piece is amazing... Over and out.

I've been pretty quiet on the blogging front since the holidays as I've been a bit unwell; still unsure quite what but it's majorly unsociable and means I haven't really felt like doing much. I'm going to try and make a conscious effort  to "get outside" so I decided I'd take a proper walk to get some fresh air into my lungs. I am most definitely the type to get cabin fever and after watching 300 episodes of The Good Wife and reorganising the cutlery drawer, I realised it might be time to leave the house. That and that the dog was about to wet himself...

I've felt pretty overwhelmed during 2017 so far; this year could be quite a big one for me if I put my head down. For the first time (over Christmas) I really felt affected by social media and it's made me think about what I'm projecting out to my followers. I was scrolling through the perfect feeds with the perfect outfits, lives, flat lays and houses and felt inadequate - Why would anyone read my blog? Was I good enough to write one? Was I thin enough to write one? Do I have enough followers? What if people don't like me? 

Then I got a grip of myself and took a good look. I'm healthy (ordinarily, not right now, but still) which is a bit of a miracle given I've spent more time in hospital than your average rugby side. My flat is tiny but lovely. I have wonderful friends and family, even if my sister and I do bicker like teenagers on a weekly basis. Gus rocks - I won't go into it as I know my single friends have a real thing about those who gush about their love lives on social media, and I totally get why. When I was single seeing couple-induced-happiness on Instagram used to really get me down...

I wasn't one of those who went into January with a to do list. I went in with a sick bucket, and (sadly) it wasn't because I'd stayed up all night partying. When you see all of these "10 Ways I Made Myself F*cking Awesome And Better Than You" posts on Twitter it just makes you want to scream. So, I'm giving you, me. I'm behind already and it's January the 5th. I haven't done my taxes yet, and I've lost my debit card. I hope thats ok... My posts in January will be more of the tone "Things to buy to get you through this dull AF month without killing yourself." In fact I think I might start that one right now...

All that said, this year for me is about consolidating and empowering myself. Two big words I know, but let me explain. I've been working for myself for nearly three years now and although on the surface of it I get to do some really cool stuff, see really cool places and work with really cool people, I'm ready to take it to the next level. I've never quite got there, at least in my opinion. You probably won't have heard of my little consultancy One Roof Social, but we're taking shape nicely and we're hoping this is our year. We did some work at the end of last year that I'm super proud of, and I've got the team I've always wanted to work with which feels really good. I'm also going to do some consulting for some very cool businesses, which as soon as I can, I'll share.

Blog wise, I'm going to try and work on my narrative a little as there's lots I think about and don't write about. I've seen through my Instagram Stories (here) that you guys seem to quite like my ramblings, so you're going to see a bit more of them. I'm going to write about how I'm getting on with my business as well as all the usual fashion, beauty and travel stuff. It's not going to work to a strict content schedule for a while because actually my blog exists because it's fun, it's a hobby and I'm keeping it that way. So there.