The Best of Brunch

So, anybody who knows me is well aware of the fact that I'm a bit of a brunch enthusiast. What's not to love?! Pancakes, eggs, sourdough, corn fritters - you get the deal. It's delicious and since moving to SW London I've tried out my fair share of brunch spots. I thought I'd put together a list of a few of my favourites...

Milk (Balham) & Milk Teeth (Tooting)

Best for: Menu variety 

Whether you're after a typical Eggs Bennie or you fancy something a little more extravagant. How about a Young Betty? Or The Convict? My personal favourite has to be Sweet Maria, corn fritters with poached eggs, halloumi, avo and kasundi <3 They also have THE best chai latte at the Tooting branch, I always get sad when I can't grab it in Balham. 

Price: £7 or £9 if you add eggs or bacon

The Ivy Cafe (Wimbledon)

Best for: Special occasions

If you're looking for somewhere that is a little classier but the price isn't too bad, then The Ivy Cafe in Wimbledon Village is perfect. You can actually book here, which is uncommon with most hip and cool brunch spots nowadays, and its worth it. I've tried to get in a few times without booking but succeeded just the once. I ordered the hot buttermilk pancakes with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, Greek yoghurt, lemon balm, and warm strawberry sauce. I also asked for additional caramelised bananas - DELISH!

Price: £8.95 or £10 with added banana 

Brickwood (Balham, Clapham or Tooting)

Best for: Your standard brunch spot

So I know my description doesn't scream and shout but Brickwood is just that, your typical brunch spot. You'll find all the usual go-tos for brunch food. I especially love their toasties. 

Price: Ranges from £6-12 

TOTA (Tooting)

Best for: Drunch

An all-time fave of mine, not only because they have some absolutely fab cocktails, but also because anywhere that has a fish finger sandwich on the menu is my kinda place! A lovely spot for brekkie, lunch and/or dinner. Here's a photo of the three buttermilk pancakes with apple and cinnamon, maple butter and an extra side of banana - cos it's me! 

Price: Usually £8.25 but an additional £1.50 for banana (criminal I know)

Saucer & Cup (Wimbledon) 

Best for: Cheap and cheerful

The cuuuutest little brunch spot, and right by my gym! This is a hidden gem perfect for a cheap and cheerful brunch without compromising any quality. I've previously had a sausage sandwich on my first trip here and most recently avo, eggs and mushrooms on sourdough. They also serve up a lush Matcha Latte!  

Price: Starting at £6 

My newest love: Mud Cafe (Tooting)

Best for: Flavours and food

First of all, they serve Ozone coffee - dare I say it THE best coffee in London sourced from NZ. Their dishes throw brunch up in the air, spin it around and come crashing back down onto the menu with some delish twists and turns. Welcome to the table Huevos Rancheros: a large taco with refried beans, avocado, pickled red onions, garlic cream, fried eggs and the option of chorizooo - YUM. A little more expensive than the other spots...

Price: This dish was £10 but so worth it! 

ldnstyleactive's Molly Horne shares her favourite summer activewear

I caught up with the lovely Molly Horne of ldnstyleactive who has shared her favourite activewear brands of summer 2018...




One of my best ways to stay motivated to workout is activewear. There’s nothing like treating myself to a new pair of leggings to get my butt to the gym. It’s important to find gymwear that serves both fashion and functionality, living in a world today where athleisure is acceptable for any occasion, you are bound to find a style that suits you. Coming from someone who’s gymwear (almost) requires a wardrobe, I have reviewed a fair share of activewear brands to make sure I am wearing the correct pieces to benefit my workout. If you're lacking workout motivation, here’s my favourite activewear brands this summer to help inspire you, not only to look good but feel exceptional whilst exercising.

Sellise

Who says you can’t make a statement at the gym? Matching sets (sports bra and leggings) are my favourite combination to wear whilst working out. Sellise, featuring fitness model Amanda Finnie, brings you flattering matching sets in gorgeous colours such as heather rose, lily yellow and lucid lilac. No need to worry about any wardrobe malfunctions, Sellise knows that comfort is key, that’s why they have created their latest collection with a new improved super soft brush fabric.

Lilybod

Thanks to its gorgeous insta-reel, Lilybod adds their unique style to your workout, ensuring that you can look on trend whilst breaking a sweat. I am wearing Lilybod’s JADE Super Burst leggings in a size small. Crafted with a high waisted fit, Lilybod’s trademark engineered micro print pattern and a subtle hint of pink – I was sold. Combining sport with street, Lilybod ensures that you can look good whilst working out. Their exquisite 4-way stretch premium fabric models the legging to hug your figure in style throughout any workout intensity. Whether you are a gym goer or beginner, it’s soft-touch fabric is moisture wicking and breathable with 27% elasticity, meaning that you can feel comfortable in any activity.

Boody

Imagine treating yourself to new activewear that not only makes you look great but feels incredible on your skin too? Introducing Boody, an Australian company that designs beautiful activewear by using earth-friendly materials. Boody keeps comfort in mind, that’s why their activewear is made from bamboo. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth. An important benefit of bamboo fabric is that it’s great for the environment. Bamboo fabric absorbs moisture away from your skin, keeping you drier. Feeling comfortable in your activewear is the key to getting in a killer workout, it’s time to get fitness motivation with Boody.

NEUapparel

NEUapparel includes a stylish range of activewear fit to suit all exercise types. So, if you are a runner, gym goer, yogi or somebody who simply loves to wear activewear on a daily basis (like me) NEUapparel have got you covered! Nothing screams gym goddess more than when your sports bra matches your leggings. NEU Apparel’s luxe tonal bra is the perfect shade of creamy taupe to create an effortlessly chic look when paired with the tonal luxe leggings. Their leggings feel incredible high waisted, squat proof, true to size and actually stay up during your training.

FLEXXFIT

FLEXXFIT is your answer to fitness motivation. I discovered the clothing company by Instagram and fell in love with their new colours. I bought their Luxe Leggings in Dusty Rose along with matching sports bra and All White Everything Leggings.

Its beautiful cross over back creates a stylish look. Being comfortable in what you wear at the gym is crucial to smashing your workout. If you feel great wearing just leggings and sports bra, do it. If you don’t feel comfortable revealing as much, don’t worry, adding a vest/tee on top will still show off the flirty details from the sports bra.

***

Molly is always my go-to for activewear inspiration and fitness tips!

 I recently wrote a feature on How Exercise Can Make You Feel Good on LDN. Check it out HERE. 

Foodie Fresh: How I've Changed Up My Diet

With so many of my friends changing up their eating habits and becoming Pescatarian, Vegetarian, and even Vegan, I took a step back and started to analyse my own diet. 

This started whilst I was on holiday with my family in February. My sister had previously tried out a Vegan diet around November time, but by this point had found her happy balance by becoming a Pescatarian. I decided to try it out and join in whilst I was on holiday, and traveling around Thailand and the Maldives actually made a Veggie diet fairly easy. I'd been playing with the idea for around a year as my best friend has been Vegetarian since she went traveling. I've always been aware of gross animal farming and the mass effect that it has on the earth, but let's be honest, for those of us that love the taste of meat taking that first step is bloody hard!

Now I'm nowhere near a saint for doing this, there is no way I could become vegan, I love cheese and milk too much (and wine and beer), but taking the time to observe my diet and make a few changes has for sure left me feeling fitter and more energised. 

After a few months of going full-out Veggie, I've found myself a middle ground. I realised that after a while my meals became a lot more carb-based as I was trying to fill myself up without having meat. So with a bit of trial and error, I have now decided to include fish in my diet to try and find that balance.  

I know that for sure I am a lot happier with cutting down on my beef intake and that by making these dietary changes I eat A LOT more fruit and veg a day, dare I say more than my allotted 5... and I'm feeling a lot better for it. So keep your eyes peeled for a good few recipes coming your way. I'm really into my veggie burrito bowls, baked cod, chili and prawn tagliatelle and aubergine curry!

Back To Blogging: Best Beauty Bits

I can't believe its already MAY! What have I been doing?! God knows, but I haven't posted on here since February, and that's the longest break I've had from blogging in four years. Its been good to clear my head, focus on what's important, and really have some me time, which if you saw my post New Year More Me, I'm really doing well at - aha, slightly selfish I know! I've been spending a lot of time focusing on my career, where I want to go, changing up my diet, and experimenting with what works best for me in the gym and exercise wise - I'll get into that in another post. But, I have been doing quite a bit with my skincare routine and my best beauty bits. Here goes...

SO... VERSO. What can I say about this gem? Yes, an absolute beaut of a brand that I stumbled across due to work. Pricey stuff... but worth it! The Hydration Serum, whether used before work or before bed works wonders. I have very sensitive skin that is pretty bipolar in that some days it can be a dewy dream, and others dry as a desert. I usually use this serum before bed and the next day my skin is looking fab and fresh, although, on the off-occasion that I wake up with a dry forehead or nose, two drops of this sorts me right out and brightens up my whole complexion. Now for the Reviving Eye Mask. can't say a bad word about it apart from that its so good I kind of want to use it every night so I can get rid of my dark circles and bags every day. The Retinol element must be what's making a mega difference, it puffs those bags right out and leaves your eyes looking as fresh as a four-year-old's (maybe not quite but it was super close!). My only downer on these Verso products has to be the pricing, I will not be buying these every time they run out, but I will be asking for them as a treat come my Birthday or Christmas. 

I thought I'd also treat you to this mug shot of myself using the reviving eye mask...

 

Gotta love an attractive selfie!

So here's my next little secret, although I have shouted about it on Instagram as I am in absolute awe. Baija Gommage Festin Royal Body Scrub in Caramalised Honey - yup I reeeeeallly wanna eat this, it smells so good! But, stop yourself there, as when applied to certain parts of your body, works absolute wonders. I am a little late to the party when it comes to body exfoliators, but after seeing a product pop up on my feed over and over- which looks very similar to this one- I decided to do exactly what the advertising of that product said it was great for, smoothing out your bum. So, my legs and thighs aren't perfect and I've had cellulite on the tops of my thighs/bum since I was about 15, but after applying this, and might I add only 3-4 times in the shower, I'm already seeing smooth improvements. No, you can't completely get rid of bumps, no amount of exercise and skincare products can do that, what's natural is natural, but this is making a significant difference and making me feel more comfortable and confident, and for that this is a top pick for me - even if it does make me crave sweets in the morning!

Last but not least. Magnitone's Wipeout! I can't remember how many times I've mentioned this in a blog post but I know I've for sure featured it farrrrrr too many times on insta and on my stories. But what can I say, its a keeper. I'm trying to cut down on all the nasties that I pop onto my face and this even takes off waterproof eyeliners and mascaras! Yes, you've got to put it in the wash every few days(I have two so I can alternate), but throw it in your usual wash at a low heat and it makes no difference! Its super soft and fab for sensitive skin. When mine eventually fade away I'll be grabbing another set, this will be a staple of mine for years to come.

So those are my Best Beauty Bits, hope you enjoyed. Planning on getting back into blogging from now on, so expect to see a few more of these up soon!

Fast Fitness: Full Body Workout

My New Year's resolution is still going strong! I'm hitting the gym 2-3 times a week and practicing yoga at home an additional 1-2 times. I have also recently changed up my training routine by increasing my reps and introducing a bit of cardio (I HATE CARDIO). I'm working on getting leaner for my May trip to Malta, so I'm eating more fruit and veg, and am pumping that iron. I thought I'd share one of my sessions with you guys, so you can follow this routine, or pick and choose the parts that you like...

Squats 6-8 x3

Bent over row 18-20 x3

Stiff-legged deadlifts 15 x3

Standing shoulder press x15 - flies x10 - x3

Cable legs 10 each leg x3

Bicep curls with bar 10 x3

Glute holds 20 x2

Leg curls 15 x3

Feel free to use whatever size weights you feel comfortable with for these exercises - the trick is to maintain your technique, don't let this suffer because you are trying to go too high in weight! 

Finish the session off with some HIT training on a bike, cross trainer or treadmill. 20-30 seconds sprinting 30-40 seconds even-paced for a minimum of 5 minutes.

What I'm Loving Right Now

I may have posted a few photos... but if you haven't seen, I've been away on holiday, so there has been a lack of reviews and posts the past month. Its almost Match 2018... HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?! If you're wondering how my New Year More Me is going, well not too bad thanks actually! I've changed up my diet- not fully veggie but I'm doing well- and I'm spending a lot more time with those who matter to me. ANYWAY, let's get back to the good stuff shall we...

What I'm loving right now. I've compiled a list of my favourite, whether they are all-time go-to's or new found loves, beauty products...

Twilight - Lush
Limited edition body wash that smells LUSH. I'm trying out more eco and animal-friendly products at the moment. I'll have to stock up on this again next December! 

No Oil Oil - Percy & Reed
I used this product whilst I was away on holiday and didn't touch the hairspray once! Amazing at preventing frizz and holding a style.

Chocolate Soleil Bronzer - Too Faced 
This matte bronzer is sooo smooth, I never get blotchy spots, and it smells of chocolate... what's not to love?!

Mon Guerlain - Guerlain
This is now my daily perfume - floral notes, but not too sweet! I'm not the best at describing perfumes, but if you like La Vie Est Belle and Si, I can guarantee you will love this.

Rouge Velvet The Lipstick - Bourjois
Such a lovely tone, it suits my complexion down to a t. I often find it hard to don pink lipsticks being blonde, but this is the perfect mix between pink and nude.

Better Than Sex Mascara - Too Faced 
I always rave about this product. SO much love, you have to try it!

Lemon Highlights Shampoo - OGX 
I have spent so much time in the past trying to find a good blonde shampoo. Some have sent me ashy, some bring out yellow tones. This does exactly what it says, awakens sunkissed highlights.

No Big Sweat Face + Body Cleansing Wipes - CliniqueFIT
My sensitive skin often prevents me from using wipes, as they sting and irritate my face. These wipes are soft and smooth - perfect even after a long day.