London drone experience (behind the scenes)

London drone experience (behind the scenes)

 

Drone coach, Richard, hosted us on a London drone experience to find out more about how to operate this tech safely and to introduce us to the possibilities drones have on our work as bloggers and content creators.

This all happened on the same day the government in the UK announced drone registration for all users, which is probably a good thing in our opinion.

Read our beginner’s guide and 6 fly-safe tips, and stay tuned for our drone footage of London, coming soon!

Drone experience London

Visit Greenwich in London by boat

Visit Greenwich in London by boat

oh summer in London, how we love you!

If you’re visiting the city, don’t forget to explore via the Thames as well. The river bus isn’t very expensive and gives you so many beautiful, historical old views of this fab city we are lucky enough to call home.

#happyexpats

Here’s a recent adventure we embarked upon starting at the Tower of London and riding the Thames Clipper to Greenwich.

Do blondes have more fun? [review]

Do blondes have more fun? [review]

 

I had been growing my blonde locks for longer than I’d cared to realise.

As it turns out, the choice to chop it all off – for the first time in ten years – ended up an emotional one, and something I comically (for the most part) write about in the August 2017 issue of Get it Magazine (published soon).

My hair was happy to have a fresh cut and I’m liking it. The act of cutting it all off symbolised a fresh start. They’re often bittersweet, right?

Since I went back to my blonde bob of old though I’ve noticed this seems to be the summer trend, so I’ve decided to own it.

Best of blonde: luxe to less tried and tested

As it’s short, it’s imperative my hair looks blonde, fresh and fun. After all, why else go short and sweet?

These two brands got wind of my situation and wanted me to experience life as it should be for a brave blonde.

If you too are in the market for shampoo, conditioner and treatments for blonde hair, read on…

Joico

Joico’s new Blonde Life range cares for blonde hair which can tend towards feeling and looking dry and damaged in not too much time at all. These products also work to banish brassy tones, restore moisture and add shine – yummy!

The Brightening Masque is also part of the set – it’s a five minute moisture hit which revives blonde ends that are dehydrated and dry (sound familiar?).

Loved this range from the second I started using it. The promise is that hair is kept bright, smooth and shiny, as well as on-tone for up to eight weeks. Importantly, after using it my hair is easy to style and a nice colour. It’s obvious this is a quality range and I would absolutely buy it again.

Interestingly there’s no purple tones in these products – they are glossy and gold, yet they totally do the trick and maintain my colour.

– Blonde Life brightening shampoo 300ml, £15.50
– Blonde life brightening conditioner 300ml, £16.50
– Blonde life brightening masque 135ml, £17.45

More: joico-blondelife.com

Here’s my friend Jackie, and I, out and about; I could say blondes have more fun (especially after I just washed and styled my hair with these goodies), but I think she had a nice time at this masquerade party too!

 

Phil Smith

It’s difficult to tell what you’re going to get with products for blonde hair, and I can’t definitively say that all ‘cheaper’ brands aren’t as good as some of the more expensive brands. I’ve had experiences with products from all across the brand spectrum that have dried my hair out and left it feeling lifeless – literally. Not great!

This affordable range that’s exclusively available from Sainsbury’s however, has pleasantly surprised me.

Actually, I was using and loving the products before I even checked the price and expected it to be much higher.

Work ready…

The shampoo smells lovely, the treatment is violet-toned which is totally necessary for my hair which can tend towards gold; the products are vegan friendly too.

This is a lovely, gentle range of products that feel nice on the hair, offer brightness and softness and at a price that’s inexpensive for what you get.

Very happy to keep these products in my cupboard and on my shopping list.

– Bombshell blonde radiance shampoo 350ml, £3.50, Sainsbury’s
– Bombshell blonde radiance conditioner 250ml, £3.50, Sainsbury’s
– Bombshell blonde radiance intensive treatment 150ml, £3.50, Sainsbury’s

More: philsmithhair.com

So, do blondes have more fun? Yes, now I definitely am!

Bournemouth and the English seaside

Bournemouth and the English seaside

We recently had the opportunity to visit the lovely seaside city of Bournemouth for the weekend.

Actually, we’d intended to visit here for a long time. We have super lovely and creative friends from the Gold Coast who lived and worked here for a few years and loved it (shout out to Lou and Iain from P’s in a Pod); and as Aussies, we are always on the lookout for a ‘real’ beach.

As far as seaside cities here go, I’d describe Bournemouth as being a contemporary destination, conveniently located just two hours’ train ride from London; the beach is actually beautiful, there’s a pier, and plenty of bars, restaurants, serene hotels and accommodation to keep you happy for a sunny weekend escape.

We appreciated how the city has been designed – there’s a central mall with shopping – at the top of that is a spot called ‘the triangle’ that boasts some nice bars and eateries like Smokin’ Aces and Koh Thai. A wonderful park and landscaped garden area (including mini golf) leads explorers through the town towards the beach and Bournemouth Wheel. Either way along the beach you can wander the promenade and discover ice-cream, coffee, cocktails and markets. Truly charming.

Recommended

Cheap treats

The Moon in the Square (Wetherspoons chain pub with rooftop terrace)

Coffee

South Coast Roast (just off the top of the mall)

Eat

Koh Thai – for delicious food and a nice atmosphere including music

Drink

Smokin’ Aces – for 2-4-1 cocktails 5pm to 8pm and check-in on Facebook for a free shot!

Sixty Million Postcards

Stay

Chocolate Boutique Hotel

Hallmark Hotel East Cliff (request a sea view room)

 

Do you have tips on where to dine, shop, play and stay in Bournemouth? Let us know in the comments.

How to use the law of attraction – manifest a better way now

How to use the law of attraction – manifest a better way now

Another morning, another effort to get up; another opportunity to implement my understanding on how to use the law of attraction. It’s not always easy though, is it?

The sunshine wasn’t helping my mood and I knew before I touched it, that I should refrain from reaching for my mobile the second I woke. Inevitably the first thing that appeared would be bad news.

There was a period of time that was like this last year when quite simply, I was unhappy. It’s nothing you haven’t experienced, I’m sure. If we’re lucky, we know that actually – soon, hopefully – things will be brighter, bit at a time.

During my particularly stressful period, I was simultaneously dealing with illness in the family, a confidence crisis, finance worries, challenging business associates and a hopeless feeling of helplessness.

Making matters worse, I was being particularly tough on myself for how I was reacting on the phone, over email and with friends. I kept apologising for being ‘that person’ who didn’t want to bring the lunchtime conversations down, and I was aware of carrying around a negative attitude. I wasn’t feeling, behaving or showing up as the me I wanted to be.

How to implement the law of attraction to make positive changes now

I am all about taking charge though, and knew the only person who could change what was being reflected in my world was me.

I invested time into shifting my view on areas of my life that were getting me down. Included in this effort was a dedicated daily gratitude practice.

If there’s one law of attraction ‘secret’ I’ve seen work wonders in a multitude of difficult scenarios, it is the act of specifically identifying what has been good each day.

When I was a child, I was encouraged to recognise that there is always someone worse off, so to be grateful for my lot.

That sentiment is largely true, although now I get that the real power in being grateful is that like attracts like.

What I – what you – focus on expands.

Some say that how the law of attraction works is like this:

like attracts like, and if we focus on the bad bits like hours of miserable news broadcasts, difficult colleagues or those who have cheated us, that’s exactly what is going to show up more in our own experience. Ask and it is Given is the bible on this stuff, if you want more; or look up Gabrielle Bernstein‘s videos on YouTube.

If, however, we practice the shift to an attitude of gratitude such as, ‘I’m grateful to have the cash to pay my rent’, or ‘I’m grateful to be catching up with Leanne today because she is an awesome friend’ (among thousands of other examples), more of the positives manifest in your world.

A little bit of magic. Quite cool!

Making the law of attraction work for you

None of this is revelatory though, so what was the big learning for me out of recent challenges?

I realised there was something I constantly omitted from my own gratitude list. Me!

Your list may include similar items to mine like ‘loving partner’, ‘friends and family’, ‘cool boss’, ‘dog’ (dogs plural, for that matter), ‘good health’, ‘upcoming travel adventure just paid off’… but do you include yourself?

I have given myself such a hard time in the past for feeling miserable and worried about a whole host of things. I didn’t consider that my resilience was carrying me through and that my nous was leading me to rewarding points of realisation.

You rock. We rock! I’m remembering to be grateful for that. I am grateful for my mistakes and the times I’ve spoken without thinking. I am grateful for the falls and how I picked myself up. I am grateful for the lessons learnt the hard way that I now share to help others. I am grateful for the words I can use to communicate, share and resolve.

These days I add ‘me’ to my list, up the top with a smiley face. My intention is that this serves as a reminder for you to do the same on yours (smiley face optional).

Regardless of what kind of day or week you’re having, take five to compose your top five things you’re grateful for now. Make it bright, bold, and uniquely you.

 

First published in the July 2017 issue of Get it Magazine, getit-magazine.com.au