Take Me Out To A Ball Game

During my summer travels I got to participate in the All American Pastime: Baseball. Now I should point out that this was as a spectator, I think it’s safe to say no one would want me to participate in an actual game. 


I should also point out that I don’t like watching sports. Watching golf seems like a cruel and unusual punishment, I find football tiresome, rugby is no better and I can just about stomach tennis if the match features someone I like (really just Andy Murray). But baseball is a whole different ballgame.

First off, the game itself is quite easy to understand. It’s interesting but can last for hours. But where baseball really excels is all the extras that come along with it: clothing, food, music and games.


It feels theatrical. I attended two baseball games: the Chicago Cubs playing at the beautiful, ivy covered Wrigley field stadium and the New York Mets at Citi Field. The experiences were different but both thrilling.


Before attending we had to dress for the occasion. Most spectators wear the colours or jerseys of their team. Already I was into this, I like working with a theme and soon found that Victoria Secret’s PINK collection caters to Major League Baseball teams

Even if you don’t really know anything about the team wearing the clothes make you feel part of the action (fake it ‘til you make it, right?).

Then comes the food. If you are a healthy eater who stays away from processed food then a baseball stadium will not be your friend. If, like me, you love salty and sweet snacks that wouldn’t be out of place at a theme park then this is your sport. There are hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, cotton candy, chicken tenders, pizza, kettle corn, real lemonade and so much more (particularly in mega stadium Citi Field – they even have a Shake Shack).


Once you’ve bought enough food to feed a small, very unhealthy army you can take you seats and settle down for the game. The baseball itself is peppered with lots of fun traditions: the throwing of the first pitch, singing the national anthem, kiss cam, competitions, singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game during the seventh inning stretch (my personal favourite).


All in all, it is a really fun experience and one that I would go to again. I would seriously recommend anyone visiting the States in the summer to get a ticket and go along. Tickets aren’t that expensive ($40 - $60) and the games were a total home run!

Soap & Glory Review: The Ultimelt

I am someone who likes to wash their face. I once heard that you shouldn't use water on your face but I simply couldn't ever accept that! Last Christmas a friend gave me Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish and it instantly became one of my favourite skin care products. It smells delightful, feels luxurious and leaves your skin feeling amazing. Any review you read will tell you the same!

It is a popular product so naturally other brands started releasing their versions. As much as I love my Liz Earle, the tube I have is not the best for travelling. It's large and chunky and would never fit into the plastic bags you need to take on a plane - even when checking bag I like to travel a little lighter than my beloved cleanser. 

With this is mind, I recently purchased Soap and Glory's The Ultimelt. At £10 it's a little cheaper than Liz Earle and more travel friendly. But does it work as well?

Packaging: The product comes in a 100ml tube and as you can see above looks simple and girly! The tube means that it's easy to get out and as you use it up you can roll the bottom making it again, easier for travel.

The Product: This cleanser is different to Liz Earle in several ways. At first it looks very similar, a thick creamy consistency but as you apply it to your face it has an oiler feeling than the Cleanse and Polish. This isn't a bad thing, just different. 

It has a different but equally lovely smell and is easy to apply to the skin. Using the muslin cloth provided to remove the product was again easy (although the Liz Earle cloths are definitely softer) and it did remove the majority of my make up.

The After Effects: This product left my skin feeling soft and cleansed. It did mention on the packaging that because of the essential oils your skin may have a reaction but I was fine. I have oily skin and it didn't break me out or agitate my skin in any way. 

My overall verdict is that this is a good alternative to Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish. I didn't prefer it but I liked it, would repurchase it and will always take it on my travels!!

Amy 

Boston

After spending two relaxing days at the shore we headed inland for Cambridge. Cambridge is a town just outside Boston and it's home to arguably the most famous university in the world, Harvard. 

I love relaxing in the country but I'm a city girl at heart and I was thrilled to be back in the land of subways, busy streets and shops!!

In Cambridge we looked around the impressive grounds of Harvard (and of course, bought Harvard souvenirs) before having a lovely dinner in the sunshine. 

The following day was our last in Massatuetts so we grabbed breakfast in Camridge before heading into Boston. Boston is a beatific city to wander around and we did just that. We visited Quincy Market which is a huge food market offering everything you could possibly dream of! We then headed down to the harbour for a walk before stumbling upon a Christmas shop that we spent HOURS in. 

To end our day we decided to go to the Museum of Science. I love science museums and this one was no exception. It's exhibits were interesting and interactive and were all topped off by a lightning show that was spectacular!  

We are now off to Chicago for some more city exploration - my favourite!!

Amy 

Marion, MA - Day 2

Despite managing to stay awake all of yesterday jet lag still took it's toll and we were awake at 4am. This had its positives though as watched the sunrise before heading out on an early morning jog.

The area we are staying in is cool and sunny in the morning with a lovely breeze that managed to entice many others out for a jog and a cycle. As we jogged through the sleepy streets littered in American flags we discussed buying a summer home in the states. We think it's utterly achievable as a ten year goal. (If we win the lottery/marry rich)

The rest of the day was spent swimming, kayaking and sunbathing. In the evening we watched Andy Murray win Wimbledon, much to our delight! This really was the perfect start to our holiday.

Arriving in the States!

So, yesterday involved a lot of travel but we made it to Boston without any problems!

We arrived in the afternoon and excitement staved off any jet lag. Our first port of call on this trip is not Boston itself but Marion, Ma. But before heading off we had to refresh ourselves, American style!

Once we arrived at our lovely surroundings we decided to explore the town. Marion is a summer town that's not really meant for tourism (there are practically no public transport links) but is a beautifully quaint New England town.

The buildings are all wooden and make you feel like you're on a movie set. It has a harbour that is home to hundreds of boats so I think sailing is definitely in my near future!!

After a home cooked meal the sun began to set. We were exhausted so we headed down to the cove to watch some fireworks before bed. The photos aren't the best quality but they'll have to do as I can only upload my iPhone photos but you get the picture.


I'm looking forward to the next 3 weeks, if the first day is anything to go by it's going to be a good one!



Amy x

A Lovely Experience in Lush

This post is not a review of a specific Lush product in particular but instead a review of my shopping experience!

This post is a bit of a ramble so bear with me!

Yesterday I popped into Lush to pick up some Bubble Bars (if you haven't tried them I would seriously recommend them - The Comforter and Rose Jam have changed bath times forever!) and whilst at the till I asked about a shampoo they sell called Big. 

You may have heard about this shampoo through other blogs and YouTube, it contains sea salt and aims to leave your hair feeling voluminous and, would you believe it, big! It comes in 330g tub and is £11.25. Not massively expensive but I'm funny about shampoo so asked if I could buy a trial size.

Here is where I was left impressed, the lovely girl told me that it only comes in one size but she would gladly give me a tester away. She not only proceeded to give me a perfectly sized tester of the shampoo, she also gave me a tester of a body scrub they do called Rub Rub Rub. 

This may seem trivial but I love testers. I really don't mind spending upwards of £30 on beauty products (I probably should, but I don't) but what I hate is when I ask sales people if they have a sample of a product and I'm met with an offended and judgemental face. If I'm going to part with my hard earned cash I want it to be for something that I'm going to love. I don't think you should be embarrassed to ask for this service or be treated like you're trying to scam the company.

I know there will always be people who are just looking for a freebie but having worked for a luxury brand, I know that a huge number of people who take staples are doing so because they want to try it before they buy it! 

So I want to say thank you Lush! And well done - I left your shop feeling happy and grateful for the wonderful customer service!

And rant over - I will leave you with a lovely picture of a pink bubble bath courtesy of The Comforter.

Amy x

First Impressions: Laura Mercier Crème Brûlée Sugar Scrub

I have read about Laura Mercier products for a while and have always been eager to try some so when I got given this body scrub as a present, I was thrilled.
Laura Mercier products always seem to get a good review and in particular I've noticed her body scrubs and body soufflés popping up in countless favourite videos on YouTube.

With my holiday only a few days away I decided that it was the perfect time for some exfoliation! Here are my first impressions of the Laura Mercier Crème Brûlée Sugar Scrub:

Packaging: The scrub comes in a large glass jar (380ml) with a small plastic spatula. It's a simple and elegant looking product that I think looks lovely in the bathroom!

Smell: As you can guess from the name, the scrub smells like crème brûlée. It's sweet and sugary and absolutely delicious! What I will say is that the smell when using it is far nicer than when you just smell the jar - I found there was a strong hint of alcohol when sniffing the jar but this really was not the case when actually using the product.

Application: I was really impressed when using this, you only need a small amount and it's really easy to use. The sugar granules don't clump together and it almost feels oily (in a good way) when applying it. It was quick and easy - as it should be!

Results: After my shower my skin immediately felt amazing! So silky and smooth! I did put some moisturiser on, as I always do, but the difference the scrub made was really noticeable. I'm really happy with the results and can easily say it will now be a staple in my beauty routine!

Price: It costs £36 which is a hefty price for a scrub but on first impressions I do think it's worth it. You get a lot and a little goes a long way. Plus, we all need to treat ourselves!

I can definitely see some more Laura Mercier purchases in my future...

Amy x