We needed a base in Cornwall pretty last minute so we could view a few properties & after exhausting all the Hotels & B&B’s we thought we would browse Airbnb with everything crossed we could find a place that had availability (as it was the height of the Summer Holidays). Almost immediately my husband spotted the listing for ‘Bespoke cabin set in meadow‘ the photos looked incredible and the location couldn’t have been more perfect for us to use as a base, so of course we had to book!
At £90 a night we were blown away by the location, accommodation and just how friendly the host Carol was. To get to the Cabin you wind your way along the back roads from Bodmin, which are breath taking in themselves but you come across the cabin which is set in a Valley in one of the most peaceful locations I have ever visited. The Cabin has its own gates, white gravel drive and there is a meadow as far as your eye can see. We instantly felt relaxed.
The Cabin itself is rustic, minimal, has touches of modern and the attention to detail is second to none. I lost count of how many times I said to my husband that I would be 100% happy to live there. Its all wooden inside which has such a nice cosy feel & the use of soft furnishings and bright colours make it feel homely. The space is more than comfortable for two and everything from the furniture, right down to the amount of light that comes streaming in thought the beautiful windows has been carefully thought out so the cabin feels bright and like you’re part of the countryside.
We had two very happy days here & were lucky enough to enjoy the sunshine & sit out on the decking area until it went dark and also snuggle up with the wood burning stove lit on the day it inevitably rained. It felt cosy, romantic and although the heavens opened the well positioned windows let in so much light that it never felt gloomy.
If the Cabin wasn’t beautiful enough you have access to your own private meadow and use of the Summer House which sits at the top of the hill which has breath taking views over the Luxulyan Valley. Its a romantic spot to watch the sunset.
To say I fell in love with this hidden gem is an understatement and I was thinking of keeping this discovery to myself but I know that would be selfish and if you’re thinking of heading to Cornwall make sure you see if this Cabin is free and take full advantage of its location and what it has to offer.
This is right next door to our hotel & every time we’re in Amsterdam we go here the night we arrive. The menu is concise but has something for everyone and I have found the kitchen to be very good at accommodating any specific requests. Oh & they have a substantial selection of Beers too! I went for an avocado & courgette salad with a side of crispy potatoes and may have washed it down with a few cold Heinekens (when in Amsterdam & all that!)
SLA
I was beyond excited to stumble upon SLA on our second day. I had heard about this healthy eatery from my Instagram feed and planned on eating here but I came across it by chance. I visited the one just off Rembrandt Square and it was the perfect place for lunch. Now first let me say that you get an almost ridiculous amount of food, which shouldn’t really be a complaint but both my husband & I left a lot of food because it was too much to eat. We both went for the Vegan Falafel Bowl which was made up of amazing curried cauliflower, seeds, hummus, beetroot, sweetcorn, carrots, broccoli, spinach and 4 huge crispy falafels. I was in food heaven (food coma).
SLA have a great selection of salads, soups and sweet treats, not to mention their tea bar (tea addicts heaven). So many dishes on their menu are Vegan friendly and utterly delicious. If you love delicious, fresh healthy food then you must visit next time you’re in Amsterdam. They have 5 cafes across the city.
One important point is that it is PIN only, so they don’t accept cash which seems to be quite common in this City.
Friday Next
As I said in my Amsterdam Photo Diary we really just explored Amsterdam this time walking up streets that looked cute & off the beaten track and thats how we came across most of the places we ate in. The next place we stopped was Friday Next which is a Concept Store where interior, fashion, design and hospitality meet. It was a really creative place to have breakfast, the food was off the chart delicious & beautifully presented. I wanted to put the plate in my bag after I had finished. I went for a simple Avocado & Hummus on rye bread with a topping of seeds.
I loved it here & after we finished eating we browsed their home wares wishing we had more baggage allowance & a bigger bank balance! They also had a beautiful selection of jewellery, although a little out of my price range.
This photo was taken on my second attempt to visit this cute cafe, again this was a place I had seen on my Instagram feed and it looked so relaxed and sweet I had to track it down. On our first visit it was closed for refurbishment but I promised to return after peeping through the window & seeing how charming it looked. So we did manage to visit again a couple of days later and i’m so glad we did. The staff were friendly and the decor was perfect. I had a loose leaf tea, served in the sweetest tea pot and although we didn’t eat here they had a lovely menu & they make everything fresh on the premises.
If you like a cafe where you can relax and dream the day away T Eten & Drinken is that place, I have promised to visit again and make sure I sample some of their home cooking.
STATCH is a place for food lovers, I spent a good portion of time browsing their store. STASH sources their food locally and changes their selection dependant upon season, they have 6 shops across the city. Most of them are takeaway only but a couple have seating if you want to stay in. They serve coffee, amazing juices and smoothies not to mention sweet treats, salads, soups, quiches and bread (oh the bread is incredible). I wish these convenient corner shops would open in Britain and bring their healthy food and attitude with them. You better believe I was in here daily buying all the snacks!
Back to Black is like your living room away from home, its just the most relaxing place and space. I think it was my husbands favourite watering hole. We popped in quite a few times and felt instantly welcome, I don’t drink coffee but my husband swears its the best he has tasted, I can also add the tea (earl grey) is up there with the best too.
Surrounded by people tapping away on their keyboards to people reading and chatting it was a place we wanted to spend more time. I wished I lived around the corner so I could work from there too, it felt creative and very homely. They played great music and to top it off they have a resident kitty that will make itself at home on your lap. If I gave you one place you HAD to visit it would be Back to Black, but try not to spread the word to far and wide because It seems to be Amsterdam’s best kept secret and I’d like it to stay that way. Oh & if you want a pick me up, their Raw Vegan Cacao Energy Balls are a winner.
The Hoxton Hotel wasn’t initially where we wanted to eat that day, we had our sights set on Vegabond Vegan Cafe but it was closed the day we went (queue my I’m hungry melt down outside the window). So we walked along the canal and came across The Hoxton, I had seen lots of photos from its launch party the previous week so was excited to give it a try. All the photos I had seen looked incredible and we weren’t to be disappointed.
The staff were so friendly and attentive, telling us all about the menu and recommending what to try. I went for a lettuce and avocado salad with a side of spinach & lentils (can you see an avocado theme to my meals). It was delicious and the setting was pretty cool too, I know its brand new but the decor is low key and very on trend. Its the place to be seen and I so wished we have booked in to stay there, next time it is where I will be staying for sure. The food was reasonably priced and very good quality. I was sad the Vegan Cafe was closed but all turned out for the best as we sat in The Hoxton for a couple of hours and watched the comings and goings.
Rein was so hard to track down & I was a little disappointed with the service but my Super Green Juice was good although I would have preferred it with ice in, I find Green Juice so hard to drink unless its ice cold. John ordered a Soya Latte and a Raw Brownie which he wasn’t keen on – he kept saying the Brownies were not half as good as our friend Hayley’s – here is her Vegan Brownie Recipe.
I wouldn’t say Rein is a place to seek out but if you’re passing they do have a good selection of Juices, Smoothies and Salads. Oh and it is PIN only too.
Bagels and Beans are dotted all over Amsterdam and always seem to be right where you need them when you’re beyond hungry. The bagels are delicious and fresh and as you can imagine have a massive selection of toppings and filling options. We both went for the Spelt Bagel with Hummus and Sun Dried Tomatoes and it was so good. If you spy one of these whilst walking around you can always get one to take away to snack on later. Its so affordable and fresh.
So they’re some of my favourite places to eat in the City. All my meals were Vegan and it wasn’t hard at all to find places to eat and almost all of the restaurants and cafes we went to were accommodating and adapted dishes to be Vegan which was so nice of them! Let me know if you have visited any or plan on trying them out next time you’re in Amsterdam.
My husband & I went to Cornwall on our very first holiday together almost 14 years ago and we have been back so many times since. We even lived there for 18 months before my dad got sick. Its such a beautiful place and holds a very special place in our hearts.
Last month we really needed a relaxing break & thought what better place than Cornwall so we packed up the car and off we went. The weather was kind and surprisingly warm considering it was still only June. We went back to all our old haunts & visited some friends – we even went and had a peak in our old house (which made me really miss life on the Cornish Coast).
So I am sharing a few photos I took whilst we were there. Mostly from Charlestown & Porth.
I would say my favourite place is Charlestown, which is where we used to live. Its on the South coast of Cornwall and is a tiny fishing town with a really cute harbour. It can be busy during the Summer months but there is such a friendly atmosphere that makes it feel really special. I used to sit for hours on the bench over looking the sea and read my book listening to the waves crashing on the rocks.
Its peace and beauty make me long to move back there but it is so far from Scotland which is where my dad lives and he needs my support in his Stroke recovery so its with a sad heart that I say Cornwall can’t be my home right now. I’m just glad I can still visit and feel that connection with such a special place.
Let me know if you have visited Cornwall and tell me what you love to do there, or your favourite place to eat.
At the end of August I spent a week in Amsterdam, its a city I have visited a couple of times before & I just love it there. Its such a beautiful and vibrant city. I thought I would share with you my travel skincare. I must say I was very pleased with myself as I normally over pack & this time I was determined to pack light & take samples and sachets which I had been hoarding for a while now.
First up is my blue and white polka dot Dirty Works wash bag, this was so handy as I was able to hang it up in my hotel bathroom & have easy access to all of my toiletries. It has two small compartments & a much larger one at the bottom with a zip.
In the top compartment I had:-
Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitiser in Vanilla Berry Sorbet. I never leave home without one of these bottles & once in Amsterdam I transferred it to my handbag.
Essence Makeup Wipes* – I used these as hand wipes & found them very useful. I used all 15 wipes throughout the week
In the middle compartment are my sachets & I had been hoarding so many. They’re perfect for holiday.
I took 7 Kleenex Face Cloths instead of my normal muslin cloths as they took up less space and I didn’t have to bring them back in my suitcase. These Kleenex Face Cloths have been discontinued
Estee Lauder Stress Relief Eye Mask – I love using eye masks & these ones are so hydrating and calming. I also took a set of the DHC Revitalising Moisture Strips Eyes – Another pack of eye masks. I like to sleep in these ones, so when I wake up my under eyes look fresh and my concealer doesn’t sink into my fine lines.
Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Sheet Mask – These are so nice after a long day sight seeing and just keep your skin looking plump and hydrated. It’s cooling on the skin and once you take the mask off you can pat in the remaining Hydraluron (don’t want to waste that).
Bio Beaute NUXE – I didn’t need to use this Moisturiser so I have it saved for my next trip
Kiehl’s Rosa Arctica Lightweight Cream – This was a very lightweight moisturiser and it had a velvet finish. It wore very well under my foundation. I’m tempted to purchase the full size of this.
Garnier Ultra Lift Moisturiser – I like how smoothing and hydrating this Garnier cream is. It always makes my skin feel instantly soft.
Garnier Mineral Invisible Deodorant – I normally use a natural deodorant which is in a glass bottle & didn’t want to take that away so bought this Garnier one. It was good but I do prefer to use a natural one & didn’t bring this back home with me.
Palmers Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze Gradual Tanner– LOVE the sun kissed glow this gives. It looks so even and natural. Its one of my favourite discoveries of 2014. I couldn’t go away without it. It helps my legs look 100% better than they usually do.
Batiste Dry Shampoo – No one wants greasy hair! I always have a mini can for when I travel. It’s not my favourite dry shampoo but it does a good job.
Tresemme Heat Defence – Just a good lightweight heat protector. Since having my haircut short I do use heat a more often than I used to so I had to bring this with me to stop my hair drying out & I will purchase the full size.
Moroccanoil Treatment Oil – This is very nourishing and helps keep frizz at bay. I like how smooth and silky my hair feels after using this.
Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm – This is a lovely gentle balm cleanser with tiny granules in so it exfoliates away all the dead skin and leaves your skin feeling very smooth. It also removes every last scrap of makeup so you’re skin feels very clean and fresh. I loved using this each night and will purchase the full size.
Bioderma – Can we just have a moment for how cute this mini bottle is. I like using this to remove my eye makeup as its gentle and you don’t have to rub at your eye.
Merumaya Treatment Toner* – After a long day sight seeing and being in the elements this helped to keep my skin hydrated, bright and feeling soft. It feels very fresh on the skin and has that recognisable Merumaya scent (which I love).
ESPA Optimal Skin Pro Serum – The only product I used on my face over night & I LOVE this serum so much. If you need to wake up with skin that looks well rested and very healthy then this is the serum for that job. It is like great skin in a bottle. I don’t think I have used a serum / oil that is this nourishing. I only have good things to say about it & could go on all day. I have spoke about it many times on my blog.
Murad Essential C Eye Cream – This wasn’t very gentle & stung my eyes. I have used a couple of other products from this range & really liked them but this eye cream wasn’t a hit for me & after 2 days I stopped using it.
Apivita Face Cream SPF50 – This didn’t break me out & wasn’t too greasy. It was quite thick when I first applied it but after It was massaged in it felt nice on my skin & I like to wear SPF50 on my face. Even though we had mostly rain you can never be too careful.
Let me know if you think I managed to pack light for a weeks holiday. Also let me know what you take away with you.
Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own
