Tag: London

Image Consultant Suggestions: Leggsington leggings for gym goers

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Are you looking for some new leggings? I believe that every woman needs a few pairs of good quality leggings in their wardrobe as they are comfy and affordable. If, like me, you are sick and tired of boring leggings then you should head to Leggsington.

Leggsington is an online shopping destination for diverse designer fashion that was established 5 years ago. The aim of its founders was to fill in a gap in leggings offerings and provide customers with quality, chic and functional leggings for all occasions:

  • super stretch jersey for the fitness bunnies,
  • luxe lounge pants in the finest French Terry cottons,
  • plush velvets,
  • flattering faux leathers for day or night.

Do you find yourself feeling totally uninspired by your workout clothes? While there is no need to be a fashion muse at the gym, I was looking for some new leggings to wear to my workouts. When considering buying some new clothes for the gym, your goal should always be to mix comfort with function and feel good in it.  I wanted to add some ‘fun’ and colour to my regular outfit but I didn’t want to buy anything fancy or expensive so I decided to go for Leggsington’s ‘Corey Black dot’ and ‘Amy’ soft jersey leggings.

They are made from a brushed soft-to-touch jersey fabric (90% Polyester, 10% Elastane). They are also Anti-bacterial and you can wash them in your washing machine so they are perfect for the regular gym goers.

I love how they look and they are extremely comfortable so I will definitely order some more soon.

You can order any leggings directly from Leggsington’s online boutique:

http://www.leggsington.co.uk/

Prices:

£16-28

I hope that you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Amazing Science Afternoon Tea at The Drawing Rooms in The Ampersand hotel

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This week, I would like to tell you about the best Afternoon Tea experience I have had so far this year, at The Drawing Rooms in The Ampersand hotel. I was accompanied by my husband-James as it was the anniversary of our engagement.

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Venue and location:

The Drawing Rooms restaurant is located in a 5 star contemporary hotel-The Ampersand hotel. It is just situated a couple of minutes’ walk from South Kensington Station and a stone’s throw away from famous museums such as: The Victoria and Albert museum, The Science museum and The Natural History museum.

Times:

Afternoon Tea is served from 2:30 pm until 5:30 pm.

Atmosphere:

We reached The Ampersand Hotel at 2:30. The Afternoon Tea is served in the Drawing Rooms restaurant and it can be found just off the hotel lobby, located on the ground floor. As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed by a smiley waitress who kindly told us that we can choose one of 2 available tables. We choose a table in the corner of the restaurant.

The restaurant is very charming, contemporary and offers a romantic setting to its dinners. I loved its chic and modern décor. There was relaxing music playing in the background. We were served by a few different waiters who were all friendly and exceptionally attentive.

The menu:

Once we were seated, we started assessing our Afternoon Tea options. I was impressed by The Drawing Rooms menu as it offered a range of Afternoon Teas to choose from: Classic, Vegetarian, Gluten Free or Science. As we were in the museum’s district we decided to try their Chef’s special ‘Science Afternoon Tea’.

We started our Afternoon Tea with a glass of Moët Ice Impérial Champagne and ordered some Peppermint and Jasmin teas afterwards.

A few minutes after we finished sipping our delicious Champagne our stand of sweet and savoury treats arrived. I loved how the Head Pastry Chef Mi Kyung Jeong presented all our snacks and they were all extremely tasty.

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As part of your experience, we received some additional treats in the research laboratory’s test tubes. They helped us to create our bespoke scones as we were encouraged to experiment and add some chocolate bites while we were creating them.

There was also a wooden box with a couple of hidden treats which we were able to dig out using a brush so we felt like experienced archaeologists.

Our sweet treats included:

  • Warm selection of plain and white chocolate scones, served with Devonshire clotted cream and homemade strawberry preserve.
  • Pastries: blood orange and passion fruit jelly on Petri dish;
  • mint and chocolate planet mousse with space man;
  • Milky Way macaroon and crescent fondant fancy.

Our savoury treats included:

  • chicken Caesar salad in parmesan basket;
  • cray fish, asparagus with some Mary rose sauce on focaccia bread;
  • bonbon of Portland crab;
  • goats cheese & sun-dried tomato quiche.

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Dress code:

The dress code at The Drawing Rooms in The Ampersand hotel is smart casual. I decided to wear my silver dress with some Jones sandals.

Overall experience:

I loved every minute of our Science Afternoon Tea experience at The Drawing Rooms in The Ampersand hotel. It is an Afternoon Tea with a twist so if you are tired of traditional sandwiches, scones and pastries then you definitely need to experience it. It would be perfect for families with children as it encourages fun and you can talk about science and history to combine fun and education. The Science Afternoon Tea helped me to reconnect with my inner child and I would definitely try to take my nephews to experience it next time they are in London.

Price:

Science Afternoon Tea costs £32.50 per person or £45.50 with a glass of Moet Champagne. It was worth every penny!

Website:

https://www.ampersandhotel.com/eat-and-drink-at-the-ampersand-hotel/the-drawing-rooms

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Pauline

Dinner date at Reform Social & Grill Restaurant at The Mandeville hotel

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Last Saturday, on our return to London, we went out for our first dinner date as a married couple. I recently visited the Mandeville Hotel so really wanted to check out its restaurant-‘ Reform Social & Grill Restaurant’. For this special occasion, I wore a classic white dress from Coast with some Jones hills and accessorised it with some silver white gold jewellery and my favourite Chanel handbag.

Location:

Reform Social & Grill Restaurant is located at The Mandeville Hotel, just behind the famous shopping street-Oxford Street. It is 5 minutes away from the Bond Street station and is conveniently situated in the center of Mayfair.

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 8p.m. and arrived just a couple of minutes before. A concierge, took our umbrella (surprise, surprise-it was raining) and showed us where we needed to go. When we entered the restaurant, we were acknowledged straight away and welcomed by a friendly waiter. My new husband mentioned that we just got married a few days before and as a result we were given a great table in the corner of the restaurant that offered us a romantic setting.

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Service:

We were served by a few different staff members who were all professional and attentive. One of the staff members-Italian waiter made our experience extra special by being very friendly and his smiley face made us feel comfortable and welcomed straight away. As soon as we sat down, the chief barman-Maciej- brought us a complimentary glass of champagne to celebrate our first outing as a married couple, which was really kind touch and made our evening just a little bit extra special.

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The menu:

Reform Social & Grill Restaurant serves a great British cuisine with a twist.

Starters:

To start with I decided to go for some Crispy South Coast Squids that were served with some lemon and garlic mayonnaise and my husband-James chose some Hendricks Gin Salmon with tartare garnish. Both of these dishes were lip-smacking.

Mains:

There was a great choice of mains but we decided to try the selection from Reform Social’s ‘Josper Grill’ menu. I had a Rib-Eye Steak which cooked to perfection and my liking (medium). It was served with a side of some garlic mash and a mushroom. It was simply delectable.

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James had some minted lamb cutlets with mint yogurt and some coriander which were also very tasty. In addition, we ordered some green beans which pleasantly complimented our mains.

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Desserts:

Some of you might think that it was a weird choice however as soon as I looked at the menu, I decided to order Reform Social’s signature dessert – sweet Yorkshire Puddings selection. Who said that Yorkshire puddings are simply reserved for your Sunday roast? They were simply marvelous and I loved every single bite of these delicious puddings. The sweet selection of puddings was heavenly and included:

  • Chocolate and Carmel Yorkie;
  • Sugared Yorkie that was filled with clotted cream and jam ;
  • Banana and Custard Yorkie.

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My husband was less adventurous and chose some vanilla and chocolate ice-creams which were satisfying but boring if you compared them to my dessert.

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Overall experience:

We both had a lovely time and very really pleased with the food we chose. Reform Social serves some extraordinary, nicely presented food and is reasonably priced. Service was great, location is perfect so if you are around central London then you should definitely check it out! We finished our evening with some die-for cocktails that were prepared for us by Chief Barman-Maciej.

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Website:

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.reformsocialgrill.co.uk/

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Maison Christian Lacroix rooms at The Mandeville Hotel

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Last week, I was invited to attend a launch party of the ‘Deluxe Rivera Rooms’ at The Mandeville hotel.

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It was a great opportunity for all attendees to discover a revamped rooms. According to Sacha Walckhoff, Creative Director of Maison Christian Lacrouix, : ‘Bringing the flavour of the French Riviera in the middle of Marylebone is what Mandeville Hotel in London has achieved using our home decor collection ”belle Rives’ for their exquisite new rooms’. During the evening, I had some delicious canapes and enjoyed some delicious cocktails before I went to see the ‘Deluxe Rivera Rooms’.

Rooms:

The fifth floor of this luxury, boutique hotel has been completely transformed in with Christian Lacroix designer fabrics and wallpaper collections to bring the French Rivera to you. The house of Christian Lacroix has been known in Paris and London’s Haute Couture fashion scene for a while now. The newly designed rooms bring together fresh and bold colours using the ‘Belles Rives’ collection.

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I was able to view 4 spectacular rooms:

Jardin Exotique – this amazing room take inspiration from Monaco’s Botanical Garden.

Midnight Blue – my favorite room that brings a sultry and romantic mood with its contrasting interiors.

Jewel Box – a room for any fashion lovers as it features the Cartier jewels stolen in Grace Kelly’s classic film ‘To Catch a Thief’.

Classic Lacroix – is a room that is full of light and creates romantic atmosphere.

Location:

The Mandeville Hotel is located just behind the famous shopping street-Oxford Street. It is 5 minutes away from the Bond Street station and is conveniently situated in the centre of Mayfair.

Website:

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.mandeville.co.uk/

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

 

 

 

JAPANESE AFTERNOON TEA at Silk restaurant at Courthouse Hotel, London

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This week, I would like to tell you about my Japanese Afternoon Tea experience at Number Twelve at Courthouse Hotel. I was accompanied by my fiancé-James.

Venue and location:

The Courthouse hotel is a 5 star luxury hotel located in a Grade II Listed Magistrates Court in Mayfair, Central London. It is just situated a couple of minutes’ walk from Oxford Street Station and a stone’s throw away from the famous Liberty London department store.

Japanese Afternoon Tea is served in the Silk Restaurant. It can be found just off the hotel lobby in a classic courtroom setting. It offers innovative Asian fusion cuisine and exotic menu and it features the original judge’s bench, dock and witness stand from its days as the Great Marlborough Street Magistrates Court.

Times:

Afternoon Tea is served from 3 pm until 5 pm Monday to Sunday.

Atmosphere:

We reached Silk Restaurant a little bit earlier so we decided to have a quick drink at the hotel’s Sky Terrace Bar located on the 6th floor.

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At around 2:45 p.m. we went downstairs to start our Japanese Afternoon Experience. We were acknowledged straight away and given a table next to the witness stand. The restaurant is very charming and offers a romantic setting to its dinners. There was also a relaxing music playing in the background. We were served by Ana Maria and Jozeph who were both extremely friendly and attentive.

The menu:

We started our Afternoon Tea with a glass of delicious, sweet plum Japanese wine. I am not much of a drinker but I really enjoyed it and will definitely try some other Japanese wines soon. Very shortly after that, we received a selection of sweet and savory treats prepared by Head Chef Rajesh Parmar and his talented team. We both really enjoyed them and emptied our plater very swiftly.

Our sweet treats included:

  • APRICOT & ALMOND CAKE
  • YUZU TART- Tart made from Japanese citrus

Our savory treats included:

  • DAIFUKU – Rice cake with Azuki beans filling
  • TAMAGO – Japanese style sweet omelette
  • INARI POCKET – Honey marinated tofu fillet with rice
  • STEAMED VEGETABLE GYOZA – Hearty and flavorful dumpling
  • CALIFORNIA MAKI – Inside out sushi roll with cucumber, and smoked salmon
  • VEGETABLE FUTOMAKI- Large sushi roll filled with vegetables

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Dress code:

The dress code at Courthouse Hotel is smart casual. I decided to wear my black and white Lipsy dress with some Aldo sandals.

Overall experience:

I really enjoyed our Japanese Afternoon Tea experience at Silk Restaurant at Courthouse Hotel. It is an Afternoon Tea with a twist so if you are tired of traditional sandwiches, scones and pastries then you definitely need to experience it. Silk Restaurant offers amazing cuisine in a magnificent settings so I would definitely advise you to visit it next time you are in central London.

Price:

Japanese Afternoon Tea costs £29.50 per person and for an additional £10.50 you can upgrade it to receive a glass of sweet Japanese Plum Wine or a glass of Champagne.

Website:

http://www.courthouse-hotel.com/restaurantsandbars-en.html

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Pauline

Afternoon Tea at Number Twelve at Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel

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This week, I would like to tell you about my Afternoon Tea at Number Twelve at Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel. As my fiancé was on his stag last weekend, I decided that it would be lovely to catch-up with my friend-Karen and what’s better than chit-chat while having some delicious Afternoon Tea treats.

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Venue and location:

A Traditional Afternoon Tea menu is served in Number Twelve Restaurant, which provides a stress-free atmosphere. Number Twelve Restaurant can be found at an independent Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel that was built in the late 1800’s. It is located in central London and easily accessible by public transport and the nearest tube station-Euston is around 3 minutes away.

In addition, the Ambassadors Bloomsbury hotel, is positioned within walking distance of Russell Square, Euston and Kings Cross St. Pancras stations which are all within 10 minutes’ walk.

Times:

Afternoon Tea is served from 2:30 pm until 4 pm Monday to Saturday and on Sunday from 2pm until 7pm.

Atmosphere:

I reached Number Twelve Restaurant at around 1:55 p.m. and my friend-Karen arrived a few minutes later. We were given a table next to the window. There was a soft, relaxing music playing in the background.

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The menu:

As it was absolutely boiling outside (not typical weather for London), we both decided to try some ice tea infusion drinks rather than a traditional hot tea. They were definitely the highlight of my Afternoon Tea experience at Number Twelve restaurant. We received a selection of sandwiches and a stand of the sweet treats shortly after ordering our first ice tea drink. Ice tea infusions are a selection of normal tea infusions that are served over ice in a tall glass with fresh fruit. They were very refreshing and tasty – drinking them felt like having some non-alcoholic cocktails. We ended up having three delicious ice teas.

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Firstly, we had some marvellous Richmond Green Mint Mojito Tea.

Secondly, we had some Richmond Forest Fruits Tea.

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Lastly, we ordered some Richmond Peach Lemon Star Tea.

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In addition, I really enjoyed a selection of delicious cakes and pastries. Subsequently, I had a lovely, homemade scone which was accompanied by some Devonshire clotted cream with strawberry and raspberry preserve.

My friend received a nice selection of fresh fruits as a gluten-free alternative to my scones.

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Dress code:

The dress code at Ambassadors Bloomsbury is smart casual. I decided to wear navy jacket from Karen Millen, white and navy top from Next and Christian Dior black skirt. I finished my look with a pair of Kurt Geiger black hills.

Overall experience:

Number Twelve Restaurant at Ambassadors Bloomsbury Hotel offers a delicious Afternoon Tea with a twist. You should definitely visit to try one of their Ice-Teas-I loved them and they are a perfect drink to refresh with during the hot, sunny days. Number Twelve restaurant offers a British Italian fusion cuisine and is also open for breakfast and dinner so give it a go next time you are in the area. Don’t forget to have a glass of bubbly to complete your experience.

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Price:

Is very affordable – it costs £25 per person for a classic Afternoon Tea or £35 per person for a Champagne Afternoon Tea.

Website:

http://www.numbertwelverestaurant.co.uk/afternoon-tea.html

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Pauline

A fashion show organised by London Fashion Kick

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I recently attended the second edition of LFK (London Fashion Kick) fashion show at DoubleTree by Hilton hotel recently.

The event showcased some novel designers and their latest collections:

  • N’ella by Daniela Vitale
  • Swimwear by Parys
  • Shaleena Nowbuth Collection by Shaleena Nowbuth
  • Zsazsazsu by Martina Silllano
  • Chloe Simmons
  • Louise Ferdinand Lingerie by Sandra Palmer
  • 7Hills by Guada Dulce

The fashion show started at 12:30 and all the attendees were able to admire some cutting-edge collections. I was really fond of a swimwear collection by Parys.

At 13:00 we all went to the main meeting hall providing us with an opportunity to mingle with some stylists, journalists, bloggers and fashion designers. After some informal networking, with a glass of prosecco in hand, I made my way to the Italian Food Tasting experiences including some great canapes, pasta, etc. The pop-up shop opened up around 15:30 and the event closed at 19:30.

I hope to attend some more LFK events in the near future.

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Pauline

Nutribuddy’s Weight Loss Kit

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As my wedding approaches, I would love to try to lose a little bit more weight. This week I decided to try Nutribuddy’s Weight Loss Kit.

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According to the information I read on the website, Nutribuddy Weight Loss Kit is:

  • Suitable for vegetarians
  • Suitable for diabetics
  • 100% natural ingredients
  • Side-effect free

First impression:

I love how the kit looks-the combination of white and pink and peach colours of the packaging are very appealing.

What’s in the box?

Nutribuddy Weight Loss Kit contains:

1. Sculpting Whey Shake – a delicious and low-calories shake (115 calories per serving).

IMG_83352. Hunger Fix tablets – the appetite suppressing capsules that are clinically proven to help weight loss.

3. Multivitamin tablets –tablets that contain both vitamins & minerals to help maintain the overall well-being.

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4. Shaker Bottle – great, dishwasher-safe and stylish shaker bottle for mixing up the Sculpting Whey Shake.

IMG_83335. Little Book of Weight Loss – a booklet which contains lots of facts about the products included in the Kit and information on how to take them.

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6. Recipe Book –a small book with some interesting recipe ideas.

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Price: The kit is £34.99

Website:

You can read more about all the products on Nutribuddy’s website:

http://nutribuddy.com/

Hope you enjoyed reading this review! I will let you know if the kit works.

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Pauline

Gravitate Nutrition Supplements: 30 days later

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Are you trying to lose weight? I definitely am!

If you follow my blog and read it regularly then you will probably remember that I have recently started using the Gravitate Nutrition-a dietary supplement made from 100% natural ingredients. Gravitate Nutrition is a combination of two types of dietary supplements – Gravitate SuperSculpt and Gravitate DietVits, both of which are formulated to trigger key areas of weight loss. You can read more about it then please read my previous post:

https://firstclasslounge.net/2016/06/15/gravitate-nutritions-weight-loss-kit/

So, did it work? I’ve been using Gravitate SuperSculpt and Gravitate DietVits for the last 30 days and attending the gym 3-5 times a week:

  • I lost 1.5 kg.
  • My waist measurements decreased by 1cm.
  • My hips measurements decreased by 2.5cm.
  • My appetite was suppressed so I wasn’t feeling hungry often and when I did I ate less.

Verdict:

After using Gravitate Nutrition supplements for the last 30 days, I am extremely pleased with the results I achieved in such a short time. If you have any big events coming up and want to slim down then you should definitely try it.

The product comes with 35-day money back guarantee so you are not risking anything. Most importantly though, there are no known side effects of using these supplement and they are 100 % natural so you will not hurt your health.

You can only purchase Gravitate supplements online directly from the official website:

http://gravitatenutrition.com/

Price: RRP £54.99 but currently if you order directly from Gravitate Nutrition website you can get it for only £34.99.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Qi Energy Treatment at Qi Wellness, London

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Last week, I tried a Qi Energy treatment at the Qi Wellness Centre in central London.

Location:

Qi Wellness Centre is conveniently located just around a corner from the Oxford Street Tube Station in Margaret Street.

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Centre:

I decided to have an evening Qi Energy treatment so went to Qi Wellness feeling stressed and tired after a full day at work. As soon as I arrived, it felt like I’ve entered an oasis of calmness. The reception area looked very bright and I was welcomed by a friendly receptionist who asked me to fill in a short form describing myself and my current physical and mental condition. She then showed me around the centre and members relaxation area.

Treatment:

After a short wait (I arrived too early), I was taken to the treatment room.

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The treatment was conducted by an extremely welcoming Leigh-Anne and took around half an hour. It started with a short consultation where my therapist explained what Qi Energy is and told me about the treatment.

Leigh-Anne explained that Qi is the fundamental energy that creates and supports life. It is nature’s primary source of energy and what keeps everything in balance and harmony. When we have sufficient Qi, we have health and vitality; but if our Qi is deficient or blocked, stress and ill health may occur. The  treatment aims to release tension, stress and detoxifies the body. It also helps to promote the body’s own natural healing ability by reinforcing the flow of Qi.

After a short conversation, I was asked to lie on the bed and my Qi Energy treatment started. It was similar to acupressure I’d experienced previously. In treatment, physical pressure was applied by hand to different points on the body with the aim of clearing any blockages I might have. However the pressure was accompanied by hissing sounds from Leigh Anne.

I left feeling happy, relaxed and calm. It was great to have some time for myself and stop thinking about my work or upcoming wedding.

Overall:

I really enjoyed my Qi energy treatment and will definitely visit again soon to escape a hassle and bustle of my busy life.

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Qi Wellness also runs classes (Qi Energy & Chanting) and ancestor healing so if you are interested then check their website or blog for more information:

http://www.qiwellness.org/

http://www.qiwellnessblog.co.uk/

Alternatively, you can always check and follow their social accounts.

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Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline