Holiday destinations: Dubrovnik, Croatia

I visited Dubrovnik recently and it was simply breath-taking.

Dubrovnik is one of the best known Croatian cities on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, referred to often as ‘the pearl of the Adriatic’. It was also recently featured in the popular ‘Game of Thrones’ series so it’s a must-see for any fan who wishes to discover the settings of this fantasy series.

As I was there with my fiancée only for a day, we decided to take one of the guided walking tours on top of the walls. In spite of the heat, humidity and heavy crowds, this was undeniably one of the most spectacular walks in the cities we’ve ever seen. Our guide was very knowledgeable and it was very interesting to listen to the tales she told us about the city.

We loved it and would love to visit the city again. Next time we will definitely stay for longer to see all the beautiful sides.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

 


					

My new Limited Edition Pandora Club charm 2016

I love browsing the online stores. Last week, I was on the T.H. Baker website which showcases the best jewellery and watches and I came across some amazing new charms. Today, I would like to tell you about the latest addition to my Pandora charms.

As some of you might already know, I love my Pandora bracelet and I even wore it to my wedding in August so I was super excited when I saw the latest, iconic Pandora Club collection. I instantly ordered the Pandora Club Charm 2016 Heart Diamond:

https://www.thbaker.co.uk/pandora-club-charm-2016-heart-diamond-791912d

When I received my order, I was extremely excited to open my Pandora Box.

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My new charm is crafted from sterling silver. Its design is based on beautiful tiny beads and hearts that are adorned.

On the front side, this gorgeous charm has a diamond that is set in the centre. It looks very exclusive and would make an amazing gift for anyone.

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On the opposite side, the charm is engraved with ‘2016’, which is perfect as a reference point to which limited collection it was from. In addition, if you like it and you decide to order it then the person you gift it to will always know when it was gifted to her.

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This stunning limited edition, collector’s item would be a perfect addition to any Pandora bracelet. It looks amazing with all my other charms:

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You can order it from T.H. Baker a certified PANDORA retailer that was established in 1888 :

www.thbaker.co.uk

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Tried and Tested: ‘TEN EFFECTS’ Timeless Beauty Skin Treat & Make-up Fixer, JoanCollins

As some of you might remember, I have recently tried the ‘I AM WOMAN’ Dry Oil Body Polish from Joan Collins. I really enjoyed using this product thus I decided to try some more products from Timeless Beauty Collection.

This week, I would like to tell you about TEN EFFECTS Skin Treat & Make-up Fixer.

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Ten Effects revolutionary skin treat & make-up fixer aims to revise and rejuvenate your skin whilst at the same time setting make-up in place. It is a luxurious product that uses a unique blend of 7 natural ingredients:

  • Allantoin  that exfoliates and rejuvenates,
  • Red Algae Gel and Frescolat MGA that calms and soothes irritation,
  • Organic Rose Water  that tightens pores and reduces redness,
  • Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerine that hydrate, moisturise and diminish the appearance of fine lines,
  • Vitamin E that protects and revises skin.

Application:

This 7 in one product comes in a travel friendly bottle with spray. I used one spritz over my make-up. It locked my make-up in place to create long-lasting and flawless coverage. It can be used anytime morning or night and if you use it regularly then it will add some extra radiance, hydration. As I have a combination skin, I really like that Joan Collins’s Ten Effects not only fixes my make-up but also minimises my pores and tones my skin due to a pH balancing layer.

Skin type:

Joan Collins Ten Effects revolutionary skin treat & make-up fixer has been formulated for all skin types.

Price:

£20.00 for 100ml

Website:

Joan Collins Ten Effects revolutionary skin treat & make-up fixer is available at:

www.joancollinsbeauty.com

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Gremlins 2 screening at the Warner Bros headquarters in Holborn London

I was invited to attend a special screening of Gremlins 2 movie at the Warner Bros headquarters in Holborn London on Monday 3rd of October.

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The event started at 6:30pm and all participants were encouraged to play with the new LEGO Dimensions new Story Pack content, Battle Arenas and playable characters Gizmo and Stripe from Gremlins.

My husband who sometimes turns into a little boy loved the expansion of LEGO® DIMENSIONS™.

The collection was launched last week on September 30 and introduced all-new, four-player competitive Battle Arenas, and exciting new packs based on entertainment properties including Harry Potter, Ghostbusters, Mission: Impossible, Adventure Time, and The A-Team.

If you were a fun of Gremlins (the film is about a young man who receives a strange creature called a Mogwai as a pet) then you will be super excited to hear that Gremlins will be joining the ever expanding roster of entertainment properties on the 18th November with the Gremlins LEGO Team Pack, which features Gizmo and Stripe as playable characters.

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The Gremlins Team Pack will also grant players access to the Gremlins Adventure World and Battle Arena.

Before the movie started we were also informed about the new, special edition HMV Premium Blu-ray Collection is available to buy exclusively at HMV, from October 3.

The collection includes 10 titles:

  • sci-fi classics: Logan’s Run, Soylent Green, Forbidden Planet, Them!, The Omega Man.
  • horror classic: The Shining.
  • horror comedies: Gremlins 2 and Little Shop of Horrors.
  • classic dramas: Diner and All The President’s Men.

These beautifully packaged combo packs (featuring Blu-ray and DVD discs as well as digital download) include director’s cuts and extended cuts never seen before on Blu-ray. Each title is packed with extras and comes with a set of highly collectable film cards. They are perfect as a gift.

The screening of ‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ started at 7:30 p.m. The story is a continuation of the adventures of the creature Gizmo and we were both looking forward to discover what is going to happen next in the lives of Gremlins.

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I am looking forward to watching some more of these classic movies!

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Pauline

Image Consultant suggestions: kay me dresses

Are you tired of work-wear that is uncomfortable, inflexible, needs to be dry-cleaned and creases easily? If your answer is yes than you should check the Japanese fashion brand that is specifically designed for the busy businesswomen.

I was recently provided with an excellent opportunity to view and try on kay me’s new autumn / winter collection and meet designer and founder-Junko Kemi in London. Let me tell you a bit about the brand and their dresses.

Brand

kay me is an anglicized version of the founder’s name ‘Kemi’ and also represents ‘me’ being the customer always at the heart of the service.

Founder and Lead Designer – Junko Kemi

After graduating from Waseda University in Tokyo, Junko worked in several international companies before founding kay me in 2011. She struggled to find a workwear that follow her simple rules:

1) was machine washable so she didn’t need trips to the dry cleaners or complicated cleaning regimes.

2) was made from flexible, stretchy fabrics as the inflexible suit materials gave her stiff shoulders after sitting at a desk for a long time

3) was suitable to wear for social events after work too.

kay me was born in one afternoon when Junko couldn’t stop feeling frustrated through the lack of clothing that ticked all of the boxes so she decided to create her own.

These days, there are thousands of designers whose clothes are unwearable… That’s not the case with Junko’s collections. Every item sold by kay me is personally worn and tested by Junko herself. Resembling to Victoria Beckham’s motto, if she doesn’t feel that it’s something she would personally wear, the item never makes its way to the shop floor or online.

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Manufacturing:

All of kay me products are manufactured by artisans in Japan. kay me is able to combine traditional hand sewing techniques with cutting-edge textile technology. In 2015, the kay me team perfected a new, machine washable, 100% silk material. kay me believes that the intricate beauty and design of kimono fabrics empower women to be happier in both their professional and personal lives.

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My showroom experience:

When I entered the showroom, I fell in love with Junko’s collection. I was immediately impressed by the quality of the dresses and how stretchy and fashionable they were so I decided to try them.

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All kay me dresses meet five key criteria:

  1. Stretchy
  2. Machine Washable
  3. Business ready
  4. Made in Japan
  5. Kimono inspired

First of all, I tried 3 dresses from its vibrant and stylish Contemporary KIMONO by kay me collection. This collection combines functionality with classic Japanese beauty. The range is absolutely flawless for the modern but busy businesswoman. I was personally looking for a range of business wear like that for a long time as I wanted to have a collection of dresses that are easy to care for and look fashionable.

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Secondly, I decided try a simple black dress from key me work-wear range. It was a love at the first sight! Dress was exactly what I would like to wear to work and I gave me an ultra-flattering fit.

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Would you like to see or buy any products from key me range?

You can view the collection and order it online:

www.kayme.co.uk (free global shipping and 14-day returns )

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

A while ago I decided to pursue my career and as a result I moved to Amsterdam. I ended up living there for almost 2 years before I was certain that I want to move back to London. I always feel quite sentimental when I think about this unique city. Despite the obvious presence of thousands of visitors, its life remained authentic. The city old Centre is formed from canal rings, which give you the feeling of space and freedom.

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Cycling is key to the city’s character and there are 400km of cycle paths so try to rent a bike and cycle a bit when you visit.

Location:

Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses. Amsterdam has a population of 840,486 and is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country.

Amsterdam’s name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city’s origin as a dam of the river Amstel.

Attractions:

There’s lots to see in the city. Here is a short list of my suggestions:

  1. Visit the Museum District houses works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and modern art at the Stedelijk.
  2. Visit Anne Frank House.
  3. Visit Dam square.
  4. Have a drink or something to eat around Rembrandtplein or Leidseplein squares.
  5. Have a picnic at Vondelpark.
  6. Take a canal cruise.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

 

Tried and tested: ‘I AM WOMAN’ Dry Oil Body Polish from Joan Collins Timeless Beauty

I have recently heard about a new range of beauty products that are inspired by Dame Joan Collins’ skincare ethos. This week, I would like to tell you about the ‘I AM WOMAN’ Dry Oil Body Polish from Joan Collins Timeless Beauty collection that I decided to try.

It is a completely brand new addition to Joan Collins Timeless Beauty collection of care, beauty and body care products.

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I AM WOMAN Dry Oil Body Polish is a luxurious at home spa treatment that contains:

  • Himalayan Salts famed for their natural purity and high mineral content to leave skin softly subtle,
  • Kiwi Seeds packed full of Vitamin C work to keep skin youthful and vibrant,
  • Avocado, Golden Jojoba and Olive Oil which are blended into the salts for optimal exfoliation and hydration of the skin.

This lavish exfoliator combines nourishing minerals to remove any dead skin, make your skin smoother, softer, hydrated and scented with the subtle fragrance of ‘I AM WOMAN’ Eau De Parfum .

Application:

I applied this luxurious scrub in shower to damp skin using gentle circular movements. When I rinsed it off my dull and dry skin looked refreshed, soft, hydrated and had a subtle smell of the fragrance of I AM WOMAN.

Skin type:

I AM WOMAN Dry Oil Body Polish has been formulated for all skin types.

Price:

£18.00

Website:

‘I AM WOMAN’ Dry Oil Body Polish is available at www.joancollinsbeauty.com

Overall result:

I have never tried Joan Collins products before so I was really pleased with the results I achieved with this luxurious exfoliator. I am using it daily now during the evening and my skin has never been so smooth and glowing. I will definitely try some more products from Joan Collins’s range soon!

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

 

Holiday destinations: Corfu, Greece

I recently stopped at Corfu Island for a day. Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian Islands Greek island in the Ionian Sea.

It is also among the most beautiful and popular islands of the country. Due to its strong historical connection with Europe, Corfu was among the first Greek islands to open to tourism.

Located on the north western side of the country, Corfu island has a cosmopolitan feeling combined with a special traditional character. We had a traditional Greek meal cooked for us by a ‘Greek mama’ in a restaurant that felt like a kitchen of your relatives. Portions were really generous and the attitude of the staff was lovely-they were all extremely friendly and smiley.

There are a lot of lovely beaches around the island and if you like discovering new places then you should definitely go for a walking trip around the city as there are some lovely ruins and castles worth seeing there. We decided to climb on top of the hill at midday which was quite challenging as it was extremely hot but as a results we were able to admire the island from its highest points.

My advice would be to do all the sightseeing during the late afternoon hours.

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I hope you enjoyed reading this short review.

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Pauline

Our lunch at Dessirier restaurant, Paris

On our last day of our mini-moon in Paris, we decided to have a lunch at one of the best fish and seafood restaurants – Dessirier. The restaurant was firstly opened  in 1883 by Louis Dessirier and his small Parisian café became a big oyster bar and the Cadoret family was running it for 5 generations. In 1996  chef  Michel Rostang  took over  ‘Dessirier’ and refurbished it completely  with a help of the architects Hélène and Olivier Lempereur, upon Michel Rostang’s 2 passions, cooking and contemporary art. Today the restaurant stands out as one of the best fish and seafood restaurant in Paris and celebrates its 20 years old offering its emblematic dishes, still going with seafood rigorously selected and whole fish to share.

Location:

Dessirier by Michel Rostang is located just a minute away from Porte de Champerret tube station and around 15 minutes walk to the Arc de Triomphe.

Address:

9 Place du Maréchal Juin, 75017 Paris, France

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 1 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a restaurant Manager-Philippe. He took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable. Once we sat down, he introduced us to our waiter – Francois who was friendly and attentive.

The menu:

As the restaurant celebrated its 20th anniversary since the famous chef Michel Rostang opened it and renewed it in 1996, we decided to choose our lunch from a special 20th anniversary menu.

Before we received our starters we got a small complimentary creamy pate.

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For a starter my husband had some oysters that were fresh and I ordered a marinated salmon with some fennel preserve with gravlax sauce. It was amazing and extremely tasty.

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Mains:

For my main I decided to have some fried Colbert that was served with a tartare sauce and grilled rice. James had some cod with garlic mayonnaise. Both dishes were full of flavour and delectable.

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Desserts:

It was unquestionable what I would have for my dessert as soon as I saw the strawberries and raspberries fraisier cake served with a scoop of Basil ice cream on the menu. Let me tell you, I eat out a lot but that was THE BEST Fraisier cake I have ever tasted in my life. If you like light and fruity desserts than you would definitely love it.

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My husband went for ‘Rum baba’ with nuts and red fruit  which he really enjoyed.

It was full-flavoured and great for rum lovers!

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Just before we left, I had some coffee latte which was a perfect end to this delicious meal.

Overall experience:

If you like seafood than you should definitely visit Michel Rostang’s Dessirier dishes. We both really enjoyed our lunch at the Dessirier-food was excellent, service was very attentive and surroundings were modern. The area where the restaurant is located was lively and buzzing so great if you want to visit a typical Parisian coffee or bar for a drink afterwards.

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For more information and to book visit:

http://www.restaurantdessirier.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

Pauline

Our dinner at Le Petit Pontoise in Paris, France

After a day of sightseeing, on the second day of our mini-moon in Paris, we wanted to have some more traditional French cuisine thus we booked a dinner at Le Petit Pointoise.

I wore one of my white cocktail dresses from COAST with some Karen Millen hills and accessorized it with some silver jewellery and my Furla handbag that I took with me for our trip.

Location:

Le Petit Pontoise is located just 5 minutes’ walk from Notre Dame Cathedral in the center of Paris.

Address:

9, rue de Pontoise, 75 005 PARIS

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7 p.m. When we arrived only one other table was taken but within 30 minutes the restaurant was full and buzzing with tourists and some regular dinners.

On our arrival, we were greeted by a friendly waitress-Boom. She took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable.

Service:

We were mainly served by Boom however there were also a few different staff members who attended our table. They were all friendly and looked after us well.

The menu:

The menu at this gourmet bistro offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional French recipes. The Head Chef-François Récapet works at Le Petit Pontoise for more than 14 years and provides his dinners with a high quality, traditional French cuisine with a twist. Some of his traditional recipes are treasured since his childhood in Périgord and all dishes are made with fresh, seasonal products.

 

 

Starters:

To start with I decided to have some roasted Camenbert cheese with almond and honey crust. I love melted cheese so it was just what I needed to re-charge after a full day of sightseeing.

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My husband had some signature ‘Petit Pontoise’ roasted shrimps. They were cooked to perfection and tender.

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Mains:

There was a nice choice of mains but as I love fish I decided to have some Roasted monkfish with prosciutto. It was delectable!

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My husband had a Rack of lamb with some garlic crust. Both dishes were of good size and were presented nicely.

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Desserts:

I have a very bad sweet tooth and I decided to have one of my favourite desserts-Tiramisu ‘Veronese’. I love, love, love tiramisu and could have it for breakfast, lunch and dessert so I really enjoyed my little treat!

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James was slightly more adventurous and he had a fruit salad with Armagnac. He really liked it as it was served with some homebrewed Armagnac.

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Overall experience:

We both enjoyed our time at this traditional French gourmet bistro. You should definitely go there if you wish to discover and enjoy some great home-made French cuisine. If you wish to have a good-quality meal in a typical Parisian atmosphere then look no further. I would advise to book it in advance as Le Petit Pontoise is a relatively small, popular restaurant so it tends to be fully booked often (especially during the weekends and the peak tourist season).

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For more information and to book visit:

http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline