A constant state of flux

I've been travelling for two months and I haven't posted anything about my time yet despite saying, 'yes, of course I'll blog about my travels'. This is mainly because I didn't bring my laptop with me so that I could spend my time taking everything in instead of constantly sitting behind a screen. It was also partly because I didn't just want to bang loads of pictures up and talk about all the pretty places I've seen.

I've decided that when I write about my solo travel journey, I want to share my experiences, feelings, things that I've learnt as well as say 'hey, look at what I've seen'. So many travel posts make the world look great but you don't get the real feel for what's going on along the way. What it really feels like to put your life on hold back home and book a one way ticket to New Zealand with no real plan.

I meet backpackers regularly and the subjects we connect on the most are often about what's going on inside our heads rather than which amazing places we've ticked off our list. This has been the most wonderful part of travel so far and one of the main reasons I decided to go for it. Connections. A theme that I'm currently working through is one where these connections are always coming and going.

You can make meaningful friendships within days hours when you're on the move and then within an instant, you find yourself saying goodbye, lump in your throat, flutter in your chest... Everyone and everything is so transient and it makes you realise the impermanence of all things physical.

I think about my life back at home and remember how I was done with routine and 'regular' life. Craving instead, adventure and freedom. You don't realise until you're out here, how freedom to do what you want can actually be quite challenging. To allow yourself to 'shake up the snow globe and let the snowflakes fall where they may'. Credit to my yogi hero, Adriene Mishler for that gem. I get what it means now.

You get so comfortable with routine that when you give in to going with the flow, like really going with the flow, not knowing what each day is going to pan out like but to just allow yourself to see what unfolds, it's actually a little bit scary.

Where am I gonna go next? How long should I stay there? Should I go with him? Maybe I should do it by myself? I don't actually know what I should do. 

These are all thoughts and questions that go through every traveller's mind. This constant state of flux is both liberating and daunting. On one hand you're like 'yay, I can do anything I want!' but then on the other you're thinking, 'what the fuck am I gonna do now?'

Learning to accept what is and surrender to these feelings is the only thing you can do. Nothing is permanent and everything is subject to change. Whether you are travelling or not. Travelling shoves this notion right up in your face and you know what? It actually makes you better at dealing with change. You get used to it. You get to this point where you understand that you just have to take each moment in when you're in it and be grateful for every opportunity you're given and that way you'll stay grounded when your head and heart are all over the place.

I've only been here two months and I've made some truely meaningful friendships. Some for the purpose of that moment only and some that I will carry with me and pick up again at another point in my life. An amazing gift of travel is that you make friends all the time. The word 'stranger' is becoming less relevant to me. The word 'connection' more relevant. It sucks hugging people goodbye after you've had some great (and sometimes bad) experiences with them, but I'm glad to know now from experience that I'll make more incredible friends along the way. Connection is awesome.

Thank you to all my travel companions who have contributed to making my journey so epic thus far. If I have to go home tomorrow then I will always have fond memories of seeing a friend that I haven't seen in over a year, conversations about what really matters, guitars and gravelly voices, late night boat rides accompanied by the ethereal notes of a harp, sunset boat rides and a hike up Rangitoto Island in the pitch black, hot tubs... so many hot tubs, laughing because it's so fricking cold at night and there's nothing else you can do, feijoa cider and Old China ginger liquor, singing along to the radio and thinking I can actually sing, waving at other campervan passengers and getting super happy when they wave back, bubbles, crazy purple and orange sunsets, swimming in geothermal pools when it's pissing it down, dying when I'm trying to climb a mountain and being pissed off because my travel buddy has stormed off and left me, getting to said mountain and being like 'woah', realising you've been in the same place before at the same time as someone you've just met and then talking for four hours, food! So much good food... I could go on but my point is, making connections is ace and I look forward to meeting the people on my journey that I'm yet to meet.

Just love

Rina xoxo

P.S. Here are some really cool pictures of a few of the pretty places I've been.

Lessons on a different kind of love

This is a story about love.

When we were growing up my sister and I weren't allowed to have any pets. A couple of goldfish was as far as we could take it but mum was freaked out by anything with fur. So as we grew into adults we never really felt compelled to take in a pet. Then, one December day something happened.

The weather was awful that weekend. The rain just kept falling constantly. My sister had come back home to spend some time with me and my parents as she was ill. We were all cooped up inside having our cups of tea in the morning, nothing out of the ordinary really, but then my dad opened the front door to the sound of a cat meow coming from the bonnet of my car. As I rushed upstairs to get my car keys, a muddy coloured blur brushed past my legs and came to a halt in my parent's room. 'It's a kitten!' I yelled. He stood and looked at me and as I scooped him up he wasn't frightened or stressed. In fact, when I took him downstairs he greeted everyone with a little headbutt on their legs or hands. He looked remarkably comfortable in our home and we all kept admiring how perfect he looked.

A gorgeous, brown tabby without a ruffle anywhere on his fur considering he was calling out in distress from being stuck somewhere in my car. His eyes were bright and his markings were exquisite. His spots made him look like a little leopard with a stripey racoon's tail. His body moved so gracefully; he slinked in and out of rooms, round corners, through the air when he was jumping from wall to wall. He was just so beautiful. People who saw him always made a point of saying how pretty he was. Even my mum who would usually run a mile if a cat was anywhere near her, seemed at ease and softened around the edges when it came to this cat.

It was like he fell out of the sky with the rainfall that day and chose for us to be his family.

And so this is how we came to have a pet cat. It was like he fell out of the sky with the rainfall that day and chose for us to be his family. I named him Romeo. Romeo because he was so handsome that everyone who met him, even non-cat lovers, swooned and fell in love with him. So the name Romeo seemed fitting for a cat that caused such a stir in people's hearts. Romeo Bengal Deb - Lyrical, beautiful and poetic just like the lead in the Shakespearean play...

As he quickly became a part of the family, we often wondered where he came from. There's a saying that cats choose who they want to live with and that they come into our lives for a reason. So why, we often discussed, did he choose us?

Where there used to be blank spaces and mundane silences, Romeo added colour and sound.

As time went on Romeo added a different dynamic to our family's little life. Where there used to be blank spaces and mundane silences, Romeo added colour and sound. Mum and dad finally had something in common to talk about everyday. I found myself learning about the responsibility of looking after someone other than myself.

Weeks turned into months and Romeo weaved into the ebb and flow of our days. I'd wake up to get ready for work before going downstairs. I'd find him waiting patiently on the armchair to greet me hello with a headbutt on my palm. I'd put his breakfast down, he'd go out the door. He'd come back at lunchtime before my dad went to work and then slept for the afternoon. When one of us would come home in the evening he'd wake lazily and have his tea before hopping out the door again to explore his little neighbourhood.

Sounds pretty ordinary. But this was no ordinary cat to us. He was never territorial when it came to other cats. Always striving to be 'Mr Sociable', he'd actually invite other cats into our house so that he could share his food with them! He'd always want to be around to see what we were doing when we were at home at the weekends rather than go off and be by himself the way most cats do. Mum always said he just wanted to be involved in everything so he didn't miss out.

And then my gran got ill, really ill. And the most wonderful thing happened. He would walk to her house on his own accord from time to time and spend the afternoon there with my gran. He'd just curl up next to her on the sofa and they would nap together. I dubbed him 'Nurse Cat' because when he was around, her spirit would lift. Even when she would walk from her house to mine, he would walk alongside her, slowing his pace down to match hers, always slightly ahead but looking back to keep an eye on her. There were so many interactions like this, I could write a book full of them. He'd become so embedded within our hearts that when he passed away we were all in complete devastation.

It happened on a Saturday. The same day of the week as when he arrived, and on a weekend my sister decided to come up to visit too. For some reason on this night, just less than a year after he padded his way into our lives, he decided to venture out a bit further than usual and got hit by a car on a busy main road. It was only an hour or so after I saw him leave my gran's house as normal that I got a call from the vet hospital.

There was nothing that could be done. The impact of the car meant that he sustained an injury to his spine that left him paralysed from his mid-section down. He couldn't feel or move his back legs. He wouldn't be able to walk or have any control over his organs in that area of the body so the kindest option was to put him to sleep.

Even though he'd been knocked by a car he still looked perfect. Not a single scratch on his body, no blood, no ruffle on his fur. He was beautiful. Thankfully he wasn't in any pain and he called to us like he still recognised us and in a way to say 'I'm okay, let's go home'. It was heartbreaking. I just kissed his head and said 'thank you' several times over before the vet administered the euthanasia. And then he was asleep.

I was just so grateful to the kind man that found him and took him straight into the hospital. If it wasn't for him, Romeo could've stayed out all night on his own before we found him. At least this way he was given something for any pain and we got to say goodbye...

Animals respect this planet more than humans ever have. They have a relationship with nature that we should pay more attention to and learn from.

I've never understood until now why people grieved so much for pets. It's like as humans we have this arrogance that makes us believe in some sort of hierarchy of species. We should grieve for animals less than humans because we're at the top of the food chain? I know that's bullshit now. Animals deserve a place on this earth just as much as we do. If anything more so. Humans stomp around this planet poking and prodding it and devouring all of it's resources. Animals respect this planet more than humans ever have. They have a relationship with nature that we should pay more attention to and learn from. So if anything, we should grieve for them and bid farewell to them in the most sincerest and heartfelt ways.

The grief my family and I feel is no different to losing a member of the family because he was a member of the family. I've been writing and editing this since yesterday, it happened two nights ago and I still get upset when I think about it. I cried all night that night and pretty much all of the following day. It's like there are little parts of my world that are empty now. I still expect to open the front door and see him running in from under the car, or find him jumping up on the windowsill to be let back in, or hear his little paw steps pitter-patter down the stairs.

When life makes you feel emotions like this I always think about the things that I have learnt from the experience. Romeo, I believe, came into our lives to teach me and my family about love. A different kind of love that I've never experienced before. He taught me how to open up my heart and create space to love an animal. A kind of love that crawls into your heart and takes you by surprise. He taught me that I have the ability to love any living thing, not just a person that you're connected to by blood. This version of love never existed in me before.

You open up your homes to these animals but you don't quite realise how much you open up your hearts to them until they go...

You open up your homes to these animals but you don't quite realise how much you open up your hearts to them until they go... They climb into them with their little paws and occupy a space like a fuzzy little ball that warms up the rest of your soul when you stroke them, cuddle them, watch them sleep. And the love is completely pure and unconditional because pets don't ask for anything back. They don't care about material things. About what you look like, the colour of your skin, whether you're fat or thin. They don't make demands of you or make you feel embarrassed or hurt. All they want is to be with you. To be a part of your lives.

He left just as suddenly as he came but the impact he's had on our lives is profound. The day he died was also Diwaali, the Hindu festival of lights. He brought so much light into our lives in such a short space of time that it was only fitting that he went on the day that celebrates light.

Thank you Romeo for all the light, magic and love.
The light in me bows to the light in you.

Just love,

Your friend, Rina xoxo

I dedicate this post to Romeo's family and friends who all have their own stories of how he added a bit of brightness to their lives.

Yoga with Adriene - Find what feels good roadshow

Adriene in the green with me and my friends :)

Anyone who knows me will know how much I love yoga and that my journey to cultivating a regular practice came from committing to a 30 days of yoga challenge on the Yoga with Adriene YouTube channel. You can read more about this here.   

The Yoga with Adriene channel makes it so easy to practice yoga wherever I am because it's so accessible, suitable for all levels and it's free! Depending on how my body feels and my energy levels I can have a flick through all the videos and choose one that suits my mood, be it a ten minute stretch out at my desk or a more strength building, energising practice.

There are so many yoga channels on the web but the main reason I always stick with the Yoga with Adriene videos is because Adriene is a wonderful teacher. She's down to earth, super chilled and funny, it's like she's in the living room with me! Her tutorials always promote listening to your body and 'finding what feels good' rather than pushing yourself too much or feeling any discomfort whatsoever.

When I found out that she was going to be doing a road show including dates in the UK, I was stoked! I couldn't wait to practice yoga with Adriene - in real life! So when the day came, I was absolutely buzzing with energy.

The venue, Manchester Academy, not your usual yoga joint was filling up with yogi's from all over the UK. It was so cool to see different coloured yoga mats in rows and people in yoga pants in a venue where I'm usually rocking out to the likes of N.E.R.D! I was super excited for her to arrive thinking I might squeal like a teenager but when she arrived on stage it was like I was there to meet a friend.

Everyone applauded and she greeted us warmly before talking about why she decided to do a road show. She then explained how the theme of the class was compassion - compassion for others for ourselves and love. Love. Perfect. So much so that I got a little teary at the beginning... 

I managed to keep it together for the class though which started out with us laying on our backs and slowly progressed from a relaxing flow to a more energising sequence to a soundtrack that included her video title tune and even a disco track! It was amazing how 400 people were breathing and moving in unison. Even more amazing how even though there were so many of us, it still felt like an intimate class and setting. 

At the end we bowed to ourselves and each other and I just sat and stared at my surroundings, big smile on my face. What a unique experience. I can't say I've ever done yoga with so many people and I was just stunned by what Adriene had created all the way from Texas; a wonderful community of people who were all there to be present, conscious, kind, compassionate, aware, to love and to find what feels good! 

I even managed to get a hug and a picture with the lady herself. She spoke to practically every person that was there and although we were at the end of the queue she was still bouncing with energy and spoke to each of us like a true friend. What a beautiful spirit. Definitely worth the wait. We were probably delirious by the time we got to meet her though! Seriously, we salsa danced in the queue - enough said. 

Days after the class and I still feel inspired by it. It was another highlight to add to my yoga journey. If you haven't already started yours, do give it a try. Yoga has contributed to my life in so many ways. From what started out as a physical practice to heal my spine, it has now become a place for me to spend a little bit of time to take care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually. Yoga doesn't just take place on my mat, I take it off the mat and into the rest of my day. It just makes everything softer. And if it can do that for me, I want everybody to do it!

Start practising today with the very first Yoga with Adriene video that kick started my yoga journey by clicking here. 

 

Just love and namaste

Rina xoxo 

 

P.S. Thanks to Kat for the pictures, my battery died. Typical!

Caravanserai - A taste of the Middle East in Leeds

I have no idea how I've been working in Leeds City Centre for the last 5 years and I've only just come across this gem of a place recently. Especially given my love for Middle Eastern/Lebanese food. Thanks to Trinity Kitchen I was introduced to Caravanserai. The owner had a temporary food stall there and when I enquired about rice dishes he told me they had them at their permanent location near the Corn Exchange.

Fast forward a couple of weeks later and I finally managed to find someone to check the place out with. Tucked away just behind the Corn Exchange, Caravanserai looks pretty unassuming but a closer look finds a magical corner food stall with tempting, exotic dishes displayed behind the window. It all looked so good and I knew then I'd be making a few trips here to make my way through the menu...

We had planned to sit inside. I heard from a friend that there's a small space to eat upstairs and I was surprised to find it to be like an Aladdin's cave filled with Persian rugs, shabby chic furniture and a long communal wooden table. Who would have thought a place like this exists in Leeds?!

As for the food, for next to nothing we got a feast of succulent chicken wings, tasty Persian rice, baba ganoush, hummus, olives, spicy potatoes and warm Lebanese bread to mop up what was left of all the dips and sauces. We were even treated to fresh mint tea and my absolute favourite, Baklava.

This is a perfect place for meeting up with friends for inexpensive, delicious food. The kind of food where you're so full but you just need to keep eating! I highly recommend it if you've never been before, you'll be glad you went.

Just love

Rina xoxo

New Year - setting my intentions for the year ahead with #30daysofyoga

I know, I know, New Year's resolutions are a tad bit corny. Why does it have to be at a new year? For all those people that say you can make resolutions at anytime of year, I hear you and agree completely. However, there is something about seeing the words 'January 1st' and feeling like you want to start something fresh and new apart from a 2015 calendar. Just something, be it a gym membership, starting a health kick or joining eHarmony - yup, I did that one January!

Thankfully I'm no longer a believer in New Year, New Man. I do, however, think that there is some value in setting intentions for the year ahead plus a friend of mine asked me the other day, 'Have you made any New Year's resolutions?'.

Now for me, 2014 was a good year so if anything, all I wanted to do was carry this through into 2015.
When I got into thinking about why the previous year was a solid all-rounder I realised that I made a conscious decision to practice gratitude and to try and have a positive impact upon anyone that I came into contact with. This wasn't a New Year's resolution, by the way, it was just something that I decided to do as I'd opened my mind up to consciousness.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I have the words 'Just love' inked on the inside of my arm as a reminder of this hence the reason why I always sign off my posts, letters, emails with those words, just to make sure I'm leaving everyone with some positivity. I can't say I have been positive on every occassion. Believe me, there have been some situations where I've completetly flipped my lid but the awareness of my intention has always been within me and it made a huge impact on my outlook on everything.

Simply put, I felt more content than ever before and I attribute it mainly to the feeling of being grateful. I did away with thinking 'what if', 'I wish I had', 'if only' and 'if it wasn't for' and instead focussed on how lucky I am to be healthy, to have good friends and family, to have the most amazing conversations with people that I instantly connected with and to be able to take part in all kinds of experiences from beautiful holidays to long walks with my parents.

2015 for me is about continuing to practice gratitute but complimenatry to that, I have recently discovered yoga and have found that it's made a great positive impact on all aspects of my mind and body. I have dabbled in and out of yoga practice but I've never really fallen in love with it until a couple of months ago when a friend suggested doing it to help with the problems I have with my lower back. She told me how she watches videos of classes on YouTube and I came across a channel called Yoga with Adriene; a yoga teacher from Texas who has a real passion for helping people to enjoy the practice through her philosophy of 'finding what feels good'.

Previously I always felt that yoga was too strict and sometimes way to extreme for me and my tight hamstrings. For a practice that promotes helping one to de-stress, I never understood how I could achieve this when my body is trying it's hardest to stay still whilst being folded up like a pretzel!

Adriene's expression of yoga encourages you to 'find what feels good' by keeping the body moving and by finding that balance between creating heat and enery with the relaxation gained from connecting with the breath to find stillness. Her style feels more playful and less serious compared to the other classes I have been to. The comfort of doing it in my own home means that I'm not worried that I'll look like a complete fool in front of others! Not that it matters because yoga has taught me that it doesn't matter if you're not perfect, it's commiting to the practice that counts! But the best thing is, it keeps me coming back to the mat which is something I've never managed to do before.

So for the month of January I have set myself a goal to take part in the #30daysofyoga challenge on the Yoga with Adriene channel. I'm really excited to join this global community and start my 2015 by breathing deeper and creating good enegry for the year ahead.

I'll be sure to let you know how I get on but if any of you have an interest in yoga I definitely recommend that you check out her page and maybe start the challenge too!

Happy New Year everyone!

Just love

Rina xoxo

If any of you practice yoga I'd love to know why you practice it and how it benefits you, please leave a comment below.

Casino night at Leeds White Cloth Gallery

Last Thursday I got invited to a casino themed blogger event by bgo. The event took place in the White Cloth Gallery in Leeds which you should definitely visit if you haven't already been. It's a cute little place that's tucked away near the train station and is a great location for after-work drinks as well as exhibitions.

The professional croupiers helped us warm up first by teaching us how to play Black Jack and Roulette. My favourite was definitely Roulette. It was difficult to pull myself away even though I didn't really know what I was doing! Thankfully there was no real money involved!

It was a fun evening and it was lovely to meet and chat with other bloggers including Hayley from Tea Party Beauty, Alex from Cl0uds in Violet Haze and Amy B.

Oh and I took a real creepy picture with a life size cut out of Vern...kinda weird, right?

To see more about what happened on the night check out bgo's post.

Just love

Rina xoxo

Thank you to Emily Bailey who made me feel like a celeb and acted up as my personal photographer all night. You can see some of her beautiful fashion and beauty photography on her website.

10 ways to inspire your personal style

I'm not usually one for giving out style advice, I'm in no way a stylist nor do I present a professional opinion on fashion but my colleague was asking me for advice on how to put outfits together and as I was dishing out tips on how to find style information I realised that I had quite a few ideas on how to do this.

So here are 10 suggestions on how to update, re-inspire, refresh or re-vamp your personal style!

1) Have a 'trying on session'

Every now and then I do what I call a 'trying on session'. This probably stemmed from boredom when I was younger and didn't know what to do with my evenings after school! But it involved literally going through my wardrobe and trying everything on. It sounds lame but it's useful as it reminds you of what clothes you actually have and you'll find yourself having those 'I forgot I had this!' moments. It's also handy to do this every now and then because if you've bought clothes since your last session, you find other ways of putting old and new items together to create new outfits. I also use this opportunity to have a clear out and give clothes that I know I won't wear again to charity.

2) Archive and de-archive

This is really handy for keeping your wardrobe organised and also helps you to create space. Unfortunately, I don't have a Kim Kardashian style walk-in wardrobe the size of a master bedroom. Instead, I archive clothes according to the season. I have one of those plastic storage bags to keep under the bed by Ikea and I fill it with clothes that I know I won't wear in the current season. For example, now it's getting colder with the winter setting in, I have packed away all my summer dresses, bright coloured tops and anything else that I know I won't wear in autumn/winter.

3) Use Pinterest!

I absolutely LOVE using Pinterest for style inspiration and outfit ideas. I have a board called Fashionista and I pin all my favourite outfits on there. I don't just use it to remind me of the items I want. I also use it to figure out how to wear the clothes I already own. Last month I was daring enough to buy a pair of leather-look leggings but I didn't have a clue what to wear them with. I typed into the Pinterest search bar 'leather' 'leggings' 'outfits' and it comes up with loads of outfits that include leather leggings. I find myself looking through these outsfits and thinking 'I have a grey t-shirt like that' and 'oh my boots will look just as good as the boots in that picture'. I sometimes do it on a morning before I get out of bed! I think to myself, 'what can I wear with a white blouse today?' and then I search through all the outfits on Pinterest to get me some inspo!

4) Invest in wardrobe staples

Now I don't suggest this for everyone but for people who like clothes that can be worn for years to come and like the kind of clothes that can be worn in a variety of different ways, I suggest spending money on buying quality staple wardrobe items. Fashion shouldn't be expensive but there are certain items that I would spend more money on and these include:

- A white shirt (not too fitted or tailored)
- Good quality t-shirts in white, black and grey
- Some well fitting tailored trousers
- A blazer
- A denim jacket
- Black skinny jeans
- Black high heels (nothing too fancy)

This list will always be incomplete and I still haven't found my perfect versions of some of these items but I find with items like these I can mix them up with fast fashion and dress them up or dress them down really well. They also stand the test of time - a classic white button down tucked into some well fitting jeans with black heels will always be a great outfit to me. You can see some of my favourite versions of these items on my pinterest board.

5) Buy accessories not just clothes

If you're on a budget and you're looking to update your style, it's not always necessary to buy a whole new wardrobe full of clothes. Sometimes a chunky necklace and heels is all that's needed to make that black t-shirt and jeans combo look dressy enough for a night out. Accessories are easy to buy cheap too so if you spend five quid on a necklace from Primark, it doesn't break the bank if it goes out of fashion next season.

6) Look at what other people are wearing

If I see someone wearing something I like I ask that person where they got it from. The best thing about working in a city is that I can grab a coffee and people watch (which I love) and take inspiration from what people are wearing street style. Most people love being complimented on what they are wearing so don't be afraid to ask but don't stalk! I also read fashion blogs, one of my favourites is Sincerely Jules. She epitomises everything I love about fashion!

7) Don't buy something unless you know you'll wear it

Hands up if you've bought an item of clothing, put in in your wardrobe and you've never actually worn it? Mine is in the air right now! I am getting better at not doing this and try to avoid impulse buys by thinking if 'will I wear this item more than once?' If it's for something specific and I really need to buy it then fair enough but if I know deep down that I'll never wear it then I'll put it back. Even if I come home with it, try it on, then realise I'm not keen on it or it goes with nothing else in my cupboard, I will return it. This stops me from filling my wardrobe with absolute rubbish and keeps space for clothes I do like and will wear. 

8) Don't buy something just because it's in fashion

I find that knowing what you like and don't like is key to stress-free shopping and outfit selection. Fashion comes and goes but if you buy something just because it's in fashion and you don't actually like it, you'll end up feeling uncomfortable and putting an outfit together with these pieces will become a nightmare. If you don't like something that's in fashion then don't buy it, there will be something else that you do like. 

9) If you like something and feel good in it, wear it!

Personal style is just that personal. Some of my friends and family wouldn't dream of wearing some of the pieces in my wardrobe but that doesn't mean that I won't wear them or that they don't suit me. If I feel good in something that I'm wearing and I know it suits me then it's getting worn. I do take risks sometimes and I'll buy something that I think suits me but if I have any doubt, I just ask someone 'does this suit me?' Often in store changing rooms I'll ask another customer or even the sales advisor, people that don't know you are more likely to be honest. Or, I sometimes take a picture on my phone and send it to a friend that will give me an honest opinion. 

10) Confidence

Number 9 leads perfectly on to number 10 - confidence, the best accessory to any outfit. Most outfits will instantly look better if you're stood up tall, with your shoulders back and looking straight ahead. When I'm style spotting the outfits that usually get my attention are the one's wear the person wearing it looks relaxed and confident. You can see it in the way they walk and they're most definitely not looking at the floor!

So there you go, I hope you find my advice useful and please let me know your own tips for personal style. If you would like to see my style inspiration board on Pinterest click here. 

Just love

Rina xoxo

P.S. This post is dedicated to Lauren Roberts, a fashionista in the making :) 

Grey is the new black: Why I won't be dying my hair to cover my greys

Recently, like many other people of my age, I've been seeing an increasing number of noticeable, white strands amongst my otherwise almost all black hair. I've always had the odd few here and there. I discovered the first one when I was nine so white hairs have never been a big deal for me, until now. I once considered my espresso coloured hair a blessing because it was always ultra shiny and healthy looking but recently it's been more like a curse. For people with hair like me, white hairs, some or many, stand out significantly.

'But why am I bothered?' I keep asking myself. Because it makes me look old? Which isn't true, I often get told I look younger than I am aaaand, 28 isn't old anyway! But for many people, going grey does make them feel old. An article by The Daily Mail Online suggests that one in three women instantly feel old when they discover they have grey hairs.

When I sit and think about it I really don't understand why having more noticeable white hairs is starting to bother me when I don't look or feel old. This feeling is obviously ingrained into me because the hair dye adverts on T.V are telling me how well they cover up greys. Basically, these adverts are saying that grey hairs aren't great. Plus the fact that most of my family dye their hair. My mum dyes her hair (sorry mum), my dad dyes his hair, my grandma sometimes dyes her hair black (this looks pretty funny) and I'm sure a whole bunch of other people I know dye their hair to cover their greys.

I've never been one to dye my hair. I experimented with home dye kits when I was younger and I do love the way that people can change their hair colour when the mood takes them. I've always envied people who have the kind of obedient hair that that turns into whichever colour they tell it to become. However, I don't dye my hair because a) my hair is so stubborn and dark that it's never been anything but tinted a different colour, and b) I just can't be bothered. My hair colour has always been my hair colour and for the majority of my life, I've been happy with that. So why oh why should I dye my hair for the sake of a few strands of white?! I was thinking this as I was plucking one of those pesky little strands out of my poor head. And yes, I understand that ten more may now attend it's funeral.

I then decided to do a bit of research and typed 'white hair' into Google. The first thing that came up was the snippet from Google's image bank stock showing fashion photographs of models with uber-cool, all white hair styles. Not so drab looking at all. This was followed by a wikihow link on 'how to get white hair'. Yes, people actually want white hair. Now I'm thinking, maybe this isn't such a bad thing after all. Then I came across a website called White Hot; a British company and movement that's dedicated to developing specialist hair products for people 'who have chosen to embrace their natural white and grey hair'.

Now I know my hair isn't quite at that stage yet, but I was happily surprised at the company's positive take on going white/grey naturally. Yes, the company is there to sell products to their niche market but the movement aspect of the brand is pretty awesome. Their twitter page guided me on to many articles written by people that explained their reasons for going grey. Albeit, most of them are in their 60's but still, their message is relevant to people of my age too. Grey hair does not have to suggest that you are getting old. As I've discovered myself, white hair can be fashionable and as Margaret Manning points out in her post 60 Shades of Grey: Why more women are going grey gracefully! it's the way you think and act that makes you look old (or not).

It doesn't just stop with hair either. There's a whole 'pro-aging' movement happening right now. I just recently came across this term coined by Cindy Joseph, a 63 year old make up artist and model, in an article featured in issue 238 of the Stylist magazine. Written by Joanna McGarry, she explores a shift in the beauty industry. An industry that used to define beauty with terms such as 'youthful' and 'anti-aging' is now starting to cater for woman that are happy to embrace the lines on their skin, and the more I look for positive attitudes towards ageing the more I find it. Think about the 'Pro age' range by Dove or fashion/beauty campaigns that feature the likes of Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltro and Jennifer Anniston - all women over the age of 40.

When I was reading that particular issue of Stylist magazine on my lunch break, my colleague walked past me and upon seeing me reading a beauty column she said, 'the only way you'll avoid wrinkles, Rina is if you live like a nun. I have wrinkles on my face and every single one of them was worth it!' I admired, Norma, for her frankness but more than anything, I admired her for accepting herself the way she is and being proud of the lines she's achieved through actually living her life.

So, I've confirmed what I probably already knew in the first place: That I am okay with my white hairs, that there's nothing actually wrong with having white hairs and I don't have to dye my hair to cover them up. So here's to going grey (or white) gracefully and joining the revolution of other women (and men) that are choosing to go grey, to those people who are happy with how they look and feel whatever their age and to fellow revolutionaries that are helping to break down these crazy myths and taboos associated with getting older. I only hope this feeling lasts!

Norton House Hotel & Spa Review



As I'm getting closer to 30, I've noticed that my love of a good night out is slowly being replaced by more love for a good spa break. You can't beat them really. You get to lounge about in a fluffy robe and slippers, you can have a nice nap, you can even take a nap in a hot tub if you wanted to (I don't recommend this). So given that my visit to Norton House Hotel & Spa was my third spa break in less than 6 months I kinda feel like I've been to enough to know what a good spa break should look like.

The hotel is part of the Handpicked Hotels group and is located in Edinburgh by the airport. My friend and I booked a spa break which included a one night stay at the hotel, a three-course meal, breakfast and £75 towards a spa treatment plus full access to the spa facilities.

Hotel

The hotel itself was lovely. It's surrounded by beautiful, spacious gardens and fields which really does make it feel like a proper getaway. The old Georgian building sits in the middle and looks pretty impressive amongst the scenic backdrop. The exterior was like a postcard picture and was one of my favourite features of the hotel. This is definitely the kind of place to go to if you like the outdoors, so if you're a fan of running or long walks, I highly recommend it.

Spa

The spa was good but not the best spa I've been to. It had a large pool, steam room, sauna, experience shower, hydro therapy pool, gym facilities, treatment rooms and a relaxation area. It had some great facilities but I just didn't get the same kind of relaxing ambiance that I've experienced in other spas before. Perhaps this is because it's quite a large spa and maybe it takes away from the cosy, peaceful feeling you get in smaller spas. There were also families who were staying in the hotel so the pool did get a bit noisy at times. My main dislike was the fact that the spa was in a separate building to the rest of the hotel, which meant that you either had to get dressed or you had to walk outside in your robe and slippers to get to your room. I prefer the kind of spas where you can stroll out of your treatment room and glide straight to your room...

Food/Service

This was probably the best part of my stay. I've been to hotel/spa breaks before and food options have always been limited with small portions. At Norton House they had a good slection of starters, mains and desserts at the The Brasserie restaurant. The main dish was the most stand out part of my meal. I ordered the Roast Chicken Breast with Leek Dauphinoise Potato, Fondant Carrot and Sherry Wild Mushroom Sauce and it was absolutely delicious. The chicken was succulent and tender and it was complimented by the sauce perfectly. The carrot had just enough bite and the mushrooms added an earthy depth to round off the dish. I would definitely eat here again. The service was fab, all the staff were polite, friendly and were always on hand to help if we needed anything, like an emergency beans on toast!

So, the overall verdict - I'd give it a 7 out of 10. It was really good value for money and would be a nice relaxing excursion if you're in Edinburgh for a few nights.

Click here to go through to the hotel website.

I'm always on the lookout for new spa's to visit. Can you recommend any good ones?

Just love

Rina xoxo

If you're reading this you're probably wearing the wrong bra size

 





Breasts. Also referred to as boobies, babylons, baps, bajongas, hooters and a whole host of other names. Regardless of what you call them, all women have them and they’re fab in all shapes and sizes. Just recently, however, I have discovered that I've been getting bra sizes all wrong my whole life. This revelation came to light when my sister was poking fun of my back flab and told me that my bra didn’t fit properly. I was pretty annoyed. I mean I’ve always thought I had small boobs but didn’t want to come to terms with needing a bigger band size. That’s how it works right? If I have a bit of overhang it meant I needed a bigger band size. Which would mean I’d need to go even smaller in cup size…Great! So to get to the bottom of this I decided to get measured properly at shop that specialises in underwear.

The first place that came to mind – Victoria’s Secret. I went over on my lunch break and asked to be measured for my ‘angel fit’. I walked in a 36B and walked out a 34DD! This was mind boggling! All my life I was convinced that women with double-D cups were the sort that graced the pages of magazines on the top shelf. I just couldn’t get my head around it. But the bras she suggested did fit and my boobs did look great…

So to make sure the lovely shop assistant at Victoria’s Secret wasn’t playing a cruel trick on me I went to Bravissimo the following week, just for good measure. Interestingly, they don’t measure the traditional way using a tape. The lady asked me what size bra I was wearing - a 36D (yes I still wasn’t convinced that I needed a smaller band size). So she got me several different bras in all shapes and sizes to compliment my boob shape and size as the padded one from Victoria's Secret still felt like it was standing off my boobs. My fault entirely as I went for a bigger band size - lesson learnt. So at Bravissimo my bra style of choice fit me best in a whopping 32F! Insane, I know, but I was taking her word for it this time. She was the pro and I clearly didn’t have a clue!

This whole experience was a huge learning curve for me. All my life I’ve been wearing bras in the wrong sizes and I know loads of other women will be doing exactly the same thing. So for anyone that’s reading this, here are the main things you need to know about bra sizes:

1) Cup sizes have nothing to do with how big or small someone’s boobs are. They’re relative to the band sizes. The volume contained by a 32F bra is completely different to that of a 36F. And DD doesn't always mean Pam Anderson sized boobies.

2) Most women will always overestimate their band size. I’m a dress size 12-14 so I would never dream of buying a bra with a band size of 32. But according to the professionals a well fitted bra should fit snug around the band and you should only be able to fit two fingers underneath it. Yes, it will feel tight to start with but they are made with elasticated material that stretches over time. I read this post on Fuller Focus that explains how bras are like new shoes, you're suposed to break them in before they start to feel comfortable.

3) Bra cups need to cover all of the breast tissue. When I try on one of my old bras now, I notice how all these years the cups only cover the fullest part of my breasts. A good bra should go all the way across the breast and under the middle of the armpit.

4) Bra straps need to be pulled tight enough so that you can only pull it a quarter of an inch away at the most. This way your boobs are lifted and your back gets more support. So get tightening those straps!

5) A new bra should always be worn on the loosest strap to begin with and as it stretches with more wear you then start using the tighter hooks.

6) Most importantly, all bras fit completely differently. A 34DD might fit you perfectly in a balconette style but not so great in a plunge style. It’s so important to always try before you buy and to try different sizes and styles on until it ticks all the boxes.

Since I have realised the error of my ways I googled this topic and found loads of useful information on blogs and forums. Jen at Epbot wrote a funny and insightful post on Everything You Never Knew You Needed To Know About Bras. It discusses things like ‘sister sizes’ and breast shapes in more detail and really helped me to debunk some myths about bra sizes. I also found some really handy instruction guides on the Bravissimo website. Things like ‘how to put a bra on’ and a fitting video. Sounds like a no brainer but honestly, you’ll be surprised by how most of us aren’t even wearing a bra properly!

So there you have it. How I got bigger boobs without going under the knife! The impact that this experience has had on me psychologically is pretty amazing. Being told by a professional that I’m smaller in the band and bigger in the cup has literally made me feel like I’ve had a boob job and I wanted to share this with other women so they can get a bra that fits right. Please share with your friends and spread the word! And remember to 'swoop and scoop'!

Thank you to the wonderful shop assistants at Victoria’s Secret and Bravissimo in Leeds. I received a fantastic and personalised service at both places and would definitely recommend them to other women looking for their perfect bra.

I would love to know about your thoughts, suggestions and experiences on this subject so please leave a comment.

Just love

Rina xoxo

Just need to figure out what to do with all my old bras now. Bra burning session anyone...?

My Best Friend's Wedding

This post is well overdue. Apologies to those of you who have been waiting. I've been lacking flow...
But I've got my writing hat on now and I wanted to share with you a piece on what was to many, the wedding of the year. My best friend Krishna got wed to her soul mate on a scorching hot weekend in July and I was honoured to be doing her wedding make up!

So how do you make up someone who never wears make up? Krishna has great skin so the lucky thing doesn't need to wear make up - ever! But it was her wedding day and she wanted to look great in her photos so for a couple of days only she was willing to be the centre of attention and let me touch her face with my make up brushes! I had been waiting for this day for a very long time and knowing her as well as I do it only took one trial and a little bit of faith from Krishna for us to come up with the perfect look for her.

It was an Indian wedding so colour was a must and given her love purple I did a soft smokey eye with violets and indigos using a combination of MAC and Front Cover eye shadows. I even managed to get her to wear false eyelashes! Eyelure Naturalites are my favourite lashes for someone who wants to wear falsies without them looking too much. All I did with her skin was use a touch of MAC Face and Body foundation to even the it out and give her a bit of a glow. Bobbi Brown Uber Beige Pot Rouge was used for slight colour and contour on her cheeks and the look was finished off with Bobbi Brown Beige Lip Colour and a slick of clear gloss over the top.

Krishna looked beautiful but still like herself and it just goes to show that brides don't need to wear tonnes of make up to look good on their wedding day. Everyone knows my love of natural looking make up, flawless skin and making my brides look real and I was uber chuffed with how my best friend and her two sisters looked on the day.

It was a perfect wedding and all the clothes, accessories, hair and make up looked just gorgeous. Enjoy the rest of these beautiful photographs of not only the make up but everything else that looked pretty too :)

If you liked any of the looks I created for Krishna, Krupa and Kirti and you are interested in booking me for you wedding day please get in touch :)

Just love

Rina xoxo

All photographs in this blog were courtesy of Manesh Mistry. Go check out his work!
http://www.snapuriphotography.com/
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