New Zealand day 3

We finally managed the first normal night of sleep which felt good! The 4 of us all assisted with making a good old English Breakfast to start the day and ate outside on the patio overlooking the turquoise waters below. 

It was then time for the boys to begin the preparation for their friend Rodney's stag do. Meanwhile Becks and I took Millie (their 7 year old dog) on a cycle. 

The roads around Beachlands are beautiful, so quiet with very little traffic meaning children can play on the street and little Millie can run alongside us cyclists (although she likes to keep to the grassy footpaths!) 

We stopped for a quick ice cream before heading into a local park for a further bit of cycling. 

We took the afternoon to enjoy a bit of sunshine that came out. We sunbathed on the patio accompanied by some summer jams before getting ready for our girls night out. 

We headed into Ponsonby Road to a great restaurant called Blue Breeze where we opted for sharing a few plates rather than ordering a main each as we simply couldn't choose a winner from the menu! The food was fantastic! We ate chilli bang bang chicken where abouts I ate a half a chilli thinking it was an exotic vegetable, big mistake! I still don't think my tongue has quite recovered! We then had pork and prawn wontons, simple but flavoursome and finally the one course of Peking duck with soft pancakes and hoisin sauce. A-MA-ZING!!! 

As it was a Sunday we then ventured to any bar that was open on the road which included only 2 - The Chapel and The Ponsonby Social Club. After that we headed back into Auckland City to Danny O'Doulands an Irish bar with a live band a cheesy music. Unfortunately we ran into the boys so decided to leave them to it for a couple of hours and went to the local Showgirls bar. After a couple of hours there we figured the boys had had their fun and we were free to join the party back at Donny. Finally we headed back to the hotel suite the guys had hired for the stag at Quay West and slept until 7.30am when Scott had to return his truck. 

All in all a great night and the boys were even kind enough to share a picture of Rodney's stag outfit! 

Lexie 

xxx

New Zealand day 2

After recovering from the hangover and getting back to Beachlands we took the opportunity to lap up the sun rays. I have to admit I did not think I would be chillaxing in my bikini in New Zealand at this time of year and despite thoroughly applying factor 20 sun cream still managed to burn my foot! The grounds here are such a perfect sun trap and the bonus of being able to stroll along your own beach is the best! 

After deciding to not hit the sun too hard on just day 1 we cycled to the local store to stock up on supplies for the evening BBQ. After munching on some Doritos and salsa I took the opportunity for an afternoon nap - worst idea ever as technically it would have been 3am back home so when I woke up at 7pm NZ time it would be early morning in the UK so I basically just reset my body clock back to normal!! 

Friends began arriving around 8pm and we lit a fire and started up the BBQ ready to cook some piri piri chicken, as i look around at friends catching up, drinking beers, sat outside at 10pm without a chill in the air, i think it's such a great example of the New Zealand lifestyle which makes me remember the busy London City goers, rushing around in the rain as if they're late for a flight, and am quite happy it's a million miles away, for now anyway! 

Lexie

xxx

New Zealand Halloween in Auckland

We drove into Auckland for Halloween to attend a make-up event hosting at a local nightclub. As per usual we were playing it very casual and keeping our options open. We were looking to get a hotel room ideally at the Hilton on the harbour but unfortunately there was no room so we headed to the Sky City hotel and casino and took a suite. Great hotel and great facilities included a spa, gym, pool and sauna. 

We luckily managed to get a table at Sky Tower on the 53rd floor which had spectacular views of the City. The menu was amazing, there was so much to choose from it was hard to make a decision, eventually we all decided to go for the chef's digustation menu which was 7 mini courses of heaven! Including caviar, mushrooms, venison wrapped around vegetables, shallots, pesto beef, mango and chilli sorbet and the ultimate chocolate pudding! Definitely 5 stars and the cocktails were great too! 

We then got dressed into our Halloween attire, I kept it simple with my new black leather shorts from miss guided and a black leotard also from miss guided and my sequin cardigan from topshop topped off with my mask from the photoshoot for mine and Emily Biggs' T shirts, watch this space by the way! 

We ventured to Spy bar, an underground club with a few booths for seating and a little dance floor. It was great to see the kiwis get into Halloween as much as us English. There were some good costumes! We finished the night at TwentyOne which is part of our hotel, again great dance floor and very fancy bathrooms!! 

Happy Halloween! 

Lexie

xxx

New Zealand Day 1

Finally the day has come! Our journey to literally the other side of the world has begun! Addison Lee provided a stress free taxi to the airport, quick and simple from their App Store, just fill in the pick up and drop off address, time of collection and card details - done! Easy peasy. 

We flew from Heathrow to Singapore with Singapore Airlines, I must say one of the best airlines I've flown with. We were on the new A380 airbus and it was massive. We were welcomed with calming music as if being seated at a luxury restaurant. The air stewards and stewardesses were fantastic, very attentive and friendly. The flights were so long but we only had a 30 minute stopover in Singapore which was just enough time to refresh before hopping on the next 11 hour flight to Auckland. Plenty of time to watch the latest movies, box sets and music, the entertainment is 2nd to none which means absolutely no boredom for the entire flight! 

After 26 hours we finally arrived in New Zealand, although my body clock is all over the place! My advice to dealing with jet lag is simply to sleep, whatever time it is! At least you aren't tired, I hate nothing more than arriving at a great destination only wanting to sleep! 

We were greeted by Scott and Becks at Auckland with our own sign and everything! Always fun to arrive to a sign and friends, thanks for making the efforts guys :) 

We drove to Beachlands just outside Auckland where we are staying with Scott and Becks in a cute little beach side bungalow. 

There's even private access to a beach and the place is such a sun trap that we managed to do a cheeky bit of sunbathing and champagne sipping overlooking the waters accompanied by some banging tunes! 

London Hidden Villages Part 2: Hampstead

The little village of Hampstead is set on the hills of North London, just a quick 20 minute commute on the Northern line into the bustling City but you certainly leave behind the tall grey buildings and 1000s of people in exchange for cobbled streets, local boutiques and plenty of leafy green spaces.

I took my Mum and Dad there this weekend as it reminds me a little bit of home (I'm from the county of Devon known for its beautiful countryside and local villages). We began with brunch at one of my favourites - Aubaine, a french cuisine chain serving the best selections of brunch, breakfast, lunch and dinner! 

http://www.aubaine.co.uk/

Where to shop

Kurt Geiger- One of the only stand alone stores left (when the one in High Street Kensington closed it was devastating for us shoeaholics!) - 30 Hampstead High Street NW3 1QA http://www.kurtgeiger.com/

Sandro - one of my French favourites! - 31 Hampstead Highstreet NW3 1QD - http://us.sandro-paris.com/

Zadig and Voltaire - 23-24 Hampstead High Street NW3 1QA -  always a popular one with these boutique villages http://www.zadig-et-voltaire.com/eu/uk/?___store=gbp_store_en

Exclusivo - Second hand designer wear for men and women, still pricey but a fraction of the cost of the original! I'm talking burberry macs, chanel bags and Louboutins! - 2 Flask Walk NW3 1HE

Hampstead Antiques, auction and crafts market - Tucked away on a little cobbled street sits this hidden gem of an antiques market. Perfect for bits of jewelry and trinkets. - 12 Heath Street NW3 6TE

Tea Cup Boutique - Fashionable women's wear, unique and luxurious and located in a gorgeous pink house. Selling many designers including House of Holland and my all time favourite Wild Fox - 13 Heath Street NW3 6TP http://teacupboutique.co.uk/

Where to eat

Aubaine of course! 83 Hampstead Highstreet NW3 1RE http://www.aubaine.co.uk/location/hampstead/

Maison Blanc - when you're feeling peckish, a naughty cake or sweet treat and a cup of tea is delightful here! - 76 Hampstead Highstreet NW3 1QX

The Freemasons Arms - we actually stopped for a quick afternoon tea here but the food menu looked great and it had a very local vibe which was nice. Dog friendly too! (p.s. Also taking Christmas bookings). - Downshire Hill NW3 1NT - http://www.freemasonsarms.co.uk/

The Horseshoe - Great for a burger and chips, a lunchtime favourite - 28 Heath Street NW3 6TE http://www.thehorseshoehampstead.com/

Places to visit

Hampstead Heath - A mass of 320 hectares of open green space, parks, fields and woodland combined into one. If you are lucky enough on a good day the views between the trees from the hill down into the City are amazing! Perfect for family days out as there are a couple of children's play areas. Also fantastic for dog walking or a morning jog. It can get wuite muddy if it has been raining so make sure you put on your hunter wellies!

2 Willow Road - Owned by the National Trust, a terrace of 3 houses designed and built in 1939 by architect Erno Goldfinger. A modern concrete construction for its time, Erno was famous for his large almost out of place concrete structures such as residential tower blocks. The house is now open to the public and has been since 1995, although not the prettiest of buildings it is very interesting to see his use of space, some of the walls even folded back to create a huge open plan living area. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/2-willow-road/
As a member of the National Trust you have free entry, or for adults it is £6. Become a member: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/membership/

Kenwood House - Now this a spectacular Manor House now owned by The English Heritage. Although it doesn't seem to state it on entering the grounds, the house and gardens are FREE! Yes you did read that correctly, FREE! So no excuses to not visit, it is certainly worth paying the £2.50 parking charge. Kenwood really is a hidden gem, tucked away between Hampstead and Highgate, on the edge of the heath and surrounded by beautiful green landscapes you would not think you are in London! The house is breathtaking inside and out, my favourite room was the orangery, it was so bright and had the best views down to the bridge over the pond. From upstairs you can just see the Gherkin through the trees which is a bizarre sight when you are stood in an early 17th Century Stately home. The library is also fascinating, designed by architect Robert Adam, the pink and blue decor sits elegantly with the high ceilings, surrounded by a very large book collection! The house is also one of the largest historical art galleries and displays hundreds of famous portraits and paintings. The occupants of the house also made history, the move 'Belle' was based upon Dido Belle, the mixed race niece of Lord Mansfield who once lived at the property, the book is also available to buy: http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/paula+byrne/belle/9914836/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/kenwood/

Property

Property in Hampstead has always been pricey for more than the obvious reason of its close distance to the City and beautiful surroundings but also because of its celebrity status, with many famous residents being attracted to the area and who can blame them! If you fancy yourself as a next door neighbour of a spice girl or purely like the best of both City and country living there are many estate agents lining the streets of Hampstead. However, I would recommend beginning with Savills, I have worked with them for a couple of years now and they always seem to have a great selection of properties as well as friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff. http://www.savills.co.uk/estate-agents/savills-Hampstead.aspx 1 bed flats begin around £450 per week and a luxury 4/5 bed would set you back around £10,000 - £15,000 per month.

Transport

Hampstead itself is on the Northern line which is a quick 20 minutes to Tottenham Court Road - alternatively there are many buses that run down Heath Street and Fitzjohn's Avenue to Swiss Cottage on the jubilee line aswell as the Highstreet running into Rosslyn Hill and Haverstock Hill. 

Famous people who live in Hampstead

Ricky Gervais

Emma Bunton

Rachel Stevens

Richard and Judy

Liam Gallagher

David Walliams 

Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter 

Ealing Half Marathon

We had an early start this morning (for a Sunday anyway!) as we made our way down to Lammas Park in Ealing at 8am ready for the start of the Ealing Half Marathon at 9am.

I was there supporting the staff at Aston Rowe Estate Agency in Acton who were running to support and raise money for CAPE (Community Activities Projects Ealing). Along with their 13 strong runners there were 6,000 taking part from all over the world including participants from Brazil, Singapore, America, Hong Kong and even Australia! The half marathon is one of only 3 to close all the roads on the route making it a very family friendly event and a great place to start for beginners!

http://www.astonrowe.co.uk/
http://www.c-a-p-e.co.uk/

The 13 mile run has been completed in a record hour with the majority finishing around the 2 and a half hour mark. The course offers many viewing spots for supporters and spectators to wave and cheer on the runners. Check out the route map here

A great day out and great community spirit in Ealing! I must say from all the applauding, cheering and general supporting I am feeling quite exhausted now so I dread to think how the runners feel! That's a sign to get training for next year! I hope to see you there!

The team having all completed the run - help them reach their target for CAPE by making a donation https://www.justgiving.com/Aston-Rowe-Team/

Lexie

xxx