Tag: review

Podcasts to Get You Through Life!

As I scroll through my digital library my eyes flit across the screen, ‘what shall I listen to today?’ I ponder to myself. It’s 5:40am and I’m surprised to see that a new episode of the podcast I usually listen to on a Thursday (the day it goes live each week) has already gone up. ‘Efficient’, I think to myself and my thumb swiftly taps to open it up and press play. As the episode begins, I hop in the shower, and my day has officially begun.

So what’s the big deal with podcasts anyway?

I am obsessed with podcasts. Isn’t almost everyone in this day and age? That’s possibly a slight exaggeration and probably a sign of the bubble I find myself in, in which a large number of my friends and those whom I follow online, hungrily consume podcast content as if they are the elixir of life, the resolve to their problems and the essential entertainment they need to get them through their day (and for many of us, they are absolutely that).

It’s that familiar voice keeping us company as we do the washing, or that inspiring story giving us motivation as we work out in the gym, or even that hilarious conversation making us inappropriately laugh out loud during our commute. They can comfort us, they can inspire us, and they can give us some light hearted relief when we need it most, all whilst we’re getting on with other things that we need to do at the same time. Podcasts are the multitasker’s content of choice, shall we say.

I’ll readily admit I was somewhat late to the podcast party. I only really started to get into them around 2 years or so ago. I’m not fully sure how or why it started, but since then I’ve built up a little collection of favourites that ultimately serve as life advice, guidance, motivation, inspiration and sometimes even just good old fashioned humorous entertainment to get me through my week. This might be a rather bold statement, but when I really think about it, I honestly believe that podcasts have ultimately changed my life in many ways.

I work from home alone most days (regardless of the current global situation we find ourselves in), and I do admit it can get lonely and it can definitely become uninspiring at times too. So for me, listening to a podcast is like listening to an old friend. In some I find words of wisdom, in others I find a good laugh.

It might be one particular sentence or point that’s made within a particular episode that sparks a whole idea, which then leads me to create something for my work. It can be a story from an inspiring guest on a show which pushes me to re-focus and work harder on what I’m doing. Or it can even be a piece of life advice telling me to slow down. You can learn, you can laugh, you can be entertained and you can find comfort, and that’s why I love podcasts and so wanted to finally share some of my most frequently listened to ones here with you today.

I by no means claim to provide the ultimate list of podcasts, as the list which I share is of course very much tailored to my own interests and needs, but I do think there is a mix in there, so if you are on the hunt for something new to listen to, or even an introduction into the wonderful world of Podcasts, then hopefully this can provide some insight!

Put Yourself First by Kat Horrocks

I’m not being bias here, as Kats definitely not on this list just because she is actually one of my very close friends, but I actually do really love Kat’s podcast. In fact, we sparked our friendship through her podcast, which she invited me to first be a guest on about a year and a half ago now. Since then I began to listen to Kat’s podcast on a regular basis, and now it’s become an integral part of my Monday morning routine.

Kat is a life coach, who’s podcast Put Yourself First, in her exact words, consists of ‘inspiring conversations with badass women, empowering you to make time for your personal goals and put yourself first’…and it does exactly what it says on the tin. Kat interviews all different types of women, sharing their journey, how they have got to where they are, and how they practice self care alongside all of that.

What I love about this podcast: It’s one of those podcasts that I find each time I listen to an episode, it gives me something that I’d needed; be it a piece of advice or the reiteration to just do something. I often find myself excitedly messaging Kat to tell her what I took away from her recent episode as I always find each one so insightful.

This podcast is for you if: You want uplifting and inspiring. If you want to discover more amazing women doing awesome things in the world.

I like to listen to this podcast: On a Monday morning, which is when it goes live. I find it sets me up for my week ahead, and often leaves me feeling motivated.

Where to start: You can start on any episode with this podcast, just pick a title that you like and go from there, you’re bound to find some inspiration from each episode you listen to.

(listen here)

Dreamer’s Disease by Alex Manzi

Dreamer’s Disease podcast for me, is like the the male equivalent to Kat’s Put Yourself First podcast, although Alex interviews both men and women, it’s coming from a similar angle and this time from a male perspective. On this podcast Alex interviews an array of interesting and inspiring guests, as he finds out what makes them tick and how they navigate their lives and mental health, whilst doing what they love.

I discovered Alex’s podcast after listening to an episode with blogger Samantha Maria, last year. After really enjoying the conversations they had in that episode, I swiftly subscribed and have been listening ever since.

What I love about this podcast: I really like how conversation around mindfulness is a big part of this podcast. It’s not just about focusing on people’s end goals but their continual journeys. I’m often left feeling super inspired after listening to a conversation between Alex and one of his guests he’s had on the show.

This Podcast is for you if: You like deep and interesting conversations. If you want insight into how other people navigate their lives, and if you want to feel inspired.

I like to listen to this podcast: During my working week, usually on a Thursday when it goes live. It’s a good boost of motivation to get me through the end of my working week.

Where to start: As I mentioned, I started with the episode with blogger Samantha Maria, which you can find here, but any episodes that sound of interest to you is a good place to start. Keeping things current (to the time of writing this), I also enjoyed this more relaxed episode which was a conversation with Alex and his friend’s around the current situation on working from home whilst in quarantine, here.

(listen here)

Creative Rebels by David Speed and Adam Brazier

It’s funny with interview style podcasts, it’s like opening yourself up to a whole new network of people you never knew existed, and more often than not, one podcast will lead me to another. Like in this instance, I discovered Creative Rebels podcast whilst listening to them as guests on the Dreamer’s Disease podcast.

This podcast is hosted by business partners and professional graffiti artists David and Adam, who interview fellow creatives

who have took their businesses full time, and ultimately ‘rebelled’ against the conventional 9-5.

What I love about this podcast: I only discovered this one more recently, but I’m finding it to be a good one at keeping me sane when I’m having a creative block with my own work, or simply a good one to listen to when I just want to feel re-motivated to get on with stuff.

This podcast is for you if: You’re a creative, either working for yourself full time and looking for some encouragement and motivation from fellow creatives, or if you’re wanting more insight into how to break out of your 9-5 and make your creative work your business.

I like to listen to this podcast: Anytime mid-week and usually in the morning before getting into my working day to give me a boost of inspiration/motivation.

Where to start: You can start on any episode, I guess it’s just a case of fining a guest and/or episode title that sparks your interest (and I’m sure you’ll find there’s a lot). Or if you wanted to kill two birds with one stone here and get a feel for two different podcasts on my list, you could check out the live interview episode with Dreamer’s Disease podcast and Creative Rebels podcast here.

(listen here)

Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker

This is one of those instances where I can’t quite remember where I discovered this persons work first; was it from her podcast, or her blog, or her instagram? I’m not entirely sure, but I can say she’s one of those online creators who, if you enjoy what she does, it will ultimately lead you to exploring her work on all platforms, from which you’ll be able to take something very different from each.

Sara is a full time content creator, author, mum and fellow northerner. I’ve actually been listening to her podcast for a lot longer than I’d realised before I went to write this post. Hashtag Authentic is a podcast for creatives, with lots of insight and knowledge into how to navigate the ever evolving online world. On the podcast Sara interviews a plethora of inspiring creatives, from small business owners to artists.

What I love about this podcast: The episodes are usually both heartwarming and insightful and I personally find Sara very calming to listen to.

This podcast is for you if: You’re a creative. If you enjoy listening to other creative’s stories behind how and why they do what they do. If you’re a small business owner, or creative looking for more tips and insight into how to best navigate the online world with your business.

I like to listen to this podcast: When I’m editing photos and want to be kept company by some fellow creatives having a chat, and I tend to find Sara’s episodes quite relaxing to listen to.

Where to start: There are so many brilliant and inspiring episodes but I particularly remember this episode here standing out as one of my favourites, in which Sara interviews business owner Syreeta Challinger who founded lifestyle brand Moments of Sense and Style with her husband Rob after a huge change in life circumstances. I would definitely recommend giving that one a listen!

(listen here)

The Reggie Yates Podcast by Reggie Yates

Switching up the content in this list quite dramatically with this one, I actually don’t even know where to start with this podcast.

I’m guessing this one will probably be a bit like marmite for most people. It’s whacky, it’s random, it’s inappropriate a lot of the time, but I love it! I was introduced to this one by my friend L’Oréal about a year and a half ago, unsure of what the premise of

the show was going to be, and simply going off the recommendation of ‘it’s so funny, you just need to listen to it’, I swiftly went back to the very beginning of the episodes and began to listen to them all in order (something I have a habit of doing with Podcasts)…and I very quickly found I was hooked.

To try and put it simply, it’s a podcast hosted by Reggie Yates (who is a well known TV presenter/Documentary maker, here in the UK, for those who maybe haven’t heard of him), along with a group of his friends; Owen, Baba and Uzo, (along with other guests from time to time) and they sit and have a chat about anything and everything. From deep chats, to childish banter, it quite literally is all the intricacies of a close friendship group laid out in all it’s glory, for us to peek inside and be a part of for an hour or so a week.

Why I love this podcast: It’s like being with a bunch of friends, those friends you can chat rubbish with, be vulnerable with and also have ridiculous banter with. Although you don’t need to listen to these episodes in order, I’d recommend going back and listening to older ones first if you can, as it’s like getting to know a group of mates, so you want to be ‘in’ with some of the recurring jokes they make on more recent episodes. They also have really inspiring guests on from time to time, which I also really enjoy, but mostly I just love this show for how much is makes me laugh.

This Podcast is for you if: You have a silly side, you don’t mind a bit of inappropriate humour, you need a bit of lighthearted relief and want a good laugh.

I like to listen to this podcast: Either on a Friday afternoon, or a Saturday morning when I’m getting ready. It gets me in a silly/giddy mood and makes me feel ready for the weekend.

Where to start: Scroll all the way back and go to episode one. If you’re getting onboard then you’re in it for the long haul with this lot, once you’re hooked, miss an episode and you might get FOMO.

(listen here)

Jesus and Jollof by Luvvie Ajayi and Yvonne Orji

I’m noticing a slight theme occur here with my choices of podcasts, as for each male hosted podcast I love, I seem to have an equally loved female version, and vice versa.

This is another, spit your tea out, ‘I can’t believe they just said that’, silly humoured podcast. If you hadn’t realised already, I’m someone who is either looking to be inspired, or entertained, and actually, these woman manage to do both!

Jesus & Jollof was another podcast recommendation to me by my friend L’Oréal (clearly we have the same humour) and I’m glad that I also took up her recommendation with this podcast too, because these women make me cry with laughter.

Luvvie Ajayi is an author and speaker and Yvonne Orji is an actress, (whom you may know from HBO show Insecure). In Luvvie and Yvonne’s own words, they are ‘two proudly Nigerian women (who have no behavior) talking about the things they love, their stories, and life in general’ – making me laugh out loud as they do it. And incase you were wondering, the podcast is called Jesus & Jollof because it’s two things they can’t live without, Jesus and Jollof rice.

Why I love this podcast: Did I mention I find them hilarious? I also find them to be super inspiring too, and in-between all the tomfoolery (which I of course love), they give some straight up good advice as well as insight into their background and the hard graft that’s got them both to where they are today.

This podcast is for you if: You want to be entertained and inspired at the same time. If you want a good laugh and if you enjoy high energy chit chat and hearing conversations on everything from career to life and relationships.

I like to listen to this podcast: When I’m having a break from work, or as some light hearted entertainment to listen to as a I’m cleaning or getting jobs done around the house.

Where to start: Season 1 if you can. If you get their humour, these women will have you crying with laughter at their constant jokes and accents, so much so, you’ll want to go back and listen to every episode anyway.

(Listen here)

On Purpose by Jay Shetty (and kast media)

This podcast is one of the most recent additions to my podcast library. I say ‘recent’ addition, that still hasn’t stopped me from listening to a large number of these episodes at lightening speed.

I was recommended this podcast by my friend Chan not too long ago and it’s since become one of my favourites to listen to.

Jay Shetty interviews so many interesting guests, many of whom you’ll have heard of, and even the ones you haven’t still provide plenty of insight and wisdom, which is bound to leave you feeling inspired.

Why I love this podcast: As the title suggests, this podcast is all about living life on purpose. The people he interviews do exactly that and I always find these episodes open up my mind to another avenue of thinking. It’s hard not to take something away when listening to these episodes and I love the questions the conversations they provoke, not just between Jay Shetty and his guests, but the ones I then find myself thinking about and asking others after I’ve finished listening to an episode.

This episode is for you if: You enjoy listening to deep conversations, if you’re looking for something positive to uplift your soul.

I like to listen to this podcast: When I’m in a more serious mood but want something thought provoking and uplifting to listen to. Or even just in the morning as I’m getting ready.

Where to start: Any episode. Either look for an episode title that strikes your interest, or pick one at random, any episode you pick is likely to give you some form of takeaway and words of wisdom.

(listen here)

A Couple of Extras

The Calmer You Podcast

I discovered Brotheridge’s, The Calmer You Podcast, after hearing her speak

The Goop Podcast

You may have already heard of the Goop, wellness and lifestyle brand, founded by actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

as a guest on Kat’s Put Yourself First podcast recently.

I haven’t listened to loads of these episodes yet but the ones I’ve listened to I’ve found to be really helpful and, as the title states, ‘calming’.

Chloe is a hypnotherapist and anxiety expert and her podcast episodes offer guidance and inspiration to help you feel calmer and happier.

It’s probably a great one to start listening to at this time too and I’m looking forward to listening to more of her episodes of the coming weeks.

(listen here)

It’s come up against some controversy from time to time for some of it’s alternative approaches to wellbeing, and in all honesty I haven’t delved too deep into that side of things, so I can’t really comment, but what I can say is that I have been enjoying the podcast.

Although I don’t listen to this one all the time, I’ve found the episodes that I have listened to, to be incredibly interesting, mainly so because of the legendary guests on there.

Two stand out episodes to me, which I would absolutely recommend you listen to are the ones with Oprah Winfrey (that woman is literally a fountain of wisdom) here, and this episode here with spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle.

So there we have it, a roundup of my favourite podcasts right now. I hadn’t expected this blog post to go on quite as long as it did, but what can I say, I enjoy chatting about things that I love. Hopefully you’ll be able to discover some new podcasts from this list and if you have any that you’d like to recommend, then do let me know in the comments below, because as you may have guessed, I’m always on the hunt for new ones to listen to.

Samio x

April 2, 2020
My New Makeup Obsession – Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk Bronzer

This content has been produced for advertising purposes in collaboration with Harvey Nichols and ShopStyle

Fenty Beauty has done it again; a new line of products have launched which are already making waves in the beauty world once again. I love how Rihanna has become a pioneer of inclusivity in the beauty world with her Fenty Beauty brand and is ticking a lot of boxes when it comes to catering for all skin types, being cruelty free and creating products that are actually really good in the process.

I was super excited to get my hands on this latest collection of bronzers and highlighters from Fenty Beauty via Harvey Nichols, so here I’m sharing my thoughts on the new range…

I first have to mention that I love how Fenty Beauty are leading the way when it comes to shade ranges. When first launching they knocked the ball out of the park with their wide range of foundation shades and now they’ve done it again with the new bronzer collection. There are 8 shades providing something for every complexion (can I get a hallelujah).

Not only is the shade range vast but I’m happy to report that the product is actually amazing too! When I say it glides on, I am not even over exaggerating. It’s a powder but with a creamy formula which makes it easily blend-able and buildable and it just easily adds a gorgeous warmth to the skin.

I’m super impressed with these bronzing brushes! I’m quite fussy when it comes to my makeup brushes in general and whilst I have a vast collection, I tend to find myself only ever reaching for a select few trusty favourites. I have to say that trying the Fenty Bronzer brushes for the first time is like discovering tools you never knew you needed. On first inspection I wasn’t too sure about the shape of the cheek hugging brush but after using it for the first time to apply the Killawatt Foil Freestyle Highlighter, I was instantly sold. It basically does what it says on the tin, so to speak, and hugs the side of the face, helping the product to glide on like a dream. I think I may have found some new go to makeup brushes to add to my selection of favourites!

Oh how I love to glow! So luckily, Fenty Beauty has me covered, quite literally. Not only are the Killawatt highlighters the bomb at giving that sunkissed glow, but they’ve now also re-launched their all over Body Luminizer and I, AM, OBSESSED! I’m suddenly very excited to get my legs out and go full bronzed goddess with this stuff. Roll on Summer!

Body Lava Body Luminizer – Who Needs Clothes?

Body Lava Body Luminizer – Trophy Wife

Exact Products I’m Wearing

Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer – Bajan Gyal | Killawatt Foil Freestyle Highlighter – PENNY4UTHOTS | Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter Duo – Afternoon Snack & Mo’ Hunny | Body Lava Body Luminizer – Trophy Wife

April 7, 2019
A Brief Overview of My 2018

It’s 6:23am on Saturday morning.

I found myself waking up sometime before 6am and then couldn’t get back to sleep. I felt wide awake at the earliest time I have done since before the festive period began. I’m normally an early riser but over the Christmas holidays I’ve been sleeping in until 9am most days, not to mention the very hungover boxing day where I didn’t manage to wake up until midday.

Now my bodyclock seems to be springing back into action. Reverting to it’s pre-Christmas behavioural pattern…maybe due to my subconscious being more ready for the new year than I am. So I unsettled myself from my the comforts of our bed and a still slumbering Damien, and made my way downstairs. I’m now sat in my favourite spot on the sofa, feet up, wrapped in a blanket, with a piping hot brew by my side, laptop on my lap and hot water bottle to boot.

I love this time in the morning. I know, I’m the strange person who loves an early morning, but there’s something about being up whilst most people are still in bed, that I really enjoy. It’s mostly silent and the dim hum of a TV next door is the only faint sign of activity and a clue that I’m not the only person up at this time on a Saturday morning.

I can hear the irregular, yet relaxing drum of rain outside and I find myself feeling reflective.

I hadn’t planned on doing any sort of re-cap post this year. It’s not that I don’t want to look back, I mean, this really has been a great year, however, I didn’t feel I had time, nor was I particular bothered to try and squeeze it in. I have already done a private recap but that’s more of a reflection of my metacognition over the past year, as opposed to a chronological timeline of the things I’ve done.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I’ve been on full holiday mode over this festive period and so any form of blogging related activity wasn’t initially on the cards. But, isn’t it funny how, as soon as you take the pressure off, the exact thing you feel like doing is that thing that you’ve told yourself you don’t need to do.

Anyway, like I said, I’m awake at an abnormally early time for the festive period, or for a Saturday full stop I suppose, and feeling reflective, so whilst I have the time I might as well utilise it. So, without further a do and pro-longing this already very long introduction, whilst whizzing through my calendar that I have to hand, I’m going to share a brief (as possible) overview of what I’ve done this year, month by month. Here goes…

January

1. I started the new year hungover after a very fun and drunken New Year’s Eve gathering at our house.

2. The second week into January I took my second driving theory test (after having failed the first one in December) and this time, passed.

3. I went on a big walk around Dovestones one Sunday with one of my best friends, Charlotte. We declared that we were going to start a walking club and then never made it to month two.

4. I saw friends quite a lot (I had a number of coffee dates) and I went on 3 nights out (according to my diary), one of which consisted of bottomless brunch. It’s January, who am I? This year I’ll attempt to do better and consume less alcohol during the month of January.

5. I also went to a Vegan food festival, which has just reminded me about the most amazing falafel wrap I think I’ve ever had. It was by the Otto-men and it was next level!

6. Blogger related – I worked with CollectPlus, Cluse and Cath Kidston (which is a brand I’ve loved since I was a teen, so that’s a childhood dream fulfilled right there).

February

1. I saw friends, went to some launch parties, had two nights out and went for bottomless brunch again!? (This time for my Mother’s birthday – Honestly, I’m just as surprised as you are, this is the first time looking back at my diary in a year, and I have to say it’s very revealing).

2. Modelling related work – I shot a TV Commercial and did a shoot for Go Outdoors.

3. Blogger related work – I worked with Flybe (but unfortunately didn’t get to leave the country, however I did get to film a fun guide of my home town, Manchester for them). I also worked with French Connection, River Island and TK Maxx again.

4. Damien and I joined the gym after a long absence.

March

1. I started driving lessons.

2. Blogger related work – I worked with Hatch, Cult Beauty and worked with Polo Ralph Lauren andTed Baker for the first time.

3. I had gel nails done for the first time ever – sounds small but after years of nail varnish, it was life changing!

4. I spent time with Damien during a week he had off work and we also worked on the house.

5. I also had quite a few meetings and saw friends.

April

1. I shot a short film, which I acted in.

2. Blogger related work – I worked with Kahlúa, Monki and Ace & Tate, for which I filmed one of my favourite (and possibly most creative) videos this year.

3. I saw friends, went to events and had my first BBQ of the year.

May

1. I Took part in a panel with a group of actors, comedians and journalist as part of the Pilot Light film festival at HOME in Manchester. We did a reading of a Sex and The City script as all POC cast (I was Charlotte, to whom I gave a ridiculously deep Yorkshire accent, which luckily the audience found hilarious because I have no idea where it came from). The read through was followed by a panel discussion/Q&A talking about the lack of diversity in TV and film.

2. Blogger related work – I worked with Cath Kidston and Ted Baker again. I also worked with Reiss, House of Fraser, Gap and Tesco for the first time.

3. I did what would be my last ever modelling job before leaving my agencies (although at the time I didn’t know it).

4. Went for bottomless brunch again! (okay this is actually making me laugh now, I hadn’t realised how frequent my bottomless brunches were until now)

5. Damien and I hiked up Kinderscout.

June

I talk lots more about my most momentous month of the year in this post here. But to summarise:

1. It was my birthday!

2. I went to Wales for the weekend with 3 of my best friends to celebrate my birthday and we climbed Mount Snowdon (which I hadn’t done in years prior to that). It was followed by a night staying at my friend’s family cottage and drinking lots of prosecco in our PJs into the early hours. We had so much fun and it was a perfect way to spend my birthday.

3. I passed my practical driving test first time – hurrah!

4. I left my modelling agencies and officially became a full time blogger and creative.

5. Went to see the showing of the short film I’d been in earlier in the year.

6. I got box braids for the first time ever.

7. Worked with Oasis, Ted Baker & Kate Spade.

8. I went to Spain for a girl’s holiday.

9. Damien and I went to San Fransisco, followed by Portland for my friend’s wedding – for which I was maid of honour (also a first).

July

1. We returned home from our holiday to San Fran and Portland.

2. Saw friends and went to London with Onyi.

3. Worked with Adobe Lightroom, The Sports Edit, Links of London, Havaianas, CollectPlus and Ted Baker again.

4. I was a guest on Kat’s Put Yourself First Podcast.

August

1. Our friends came over to stay from Malaysia.

2. Damien and I began PT sessions.

3. Saw friends and went for Afternoon Tea for a friend’s birthday (makes a change from bottomless brunch).

4. I went to London and Liverpool for meetings and events.

5. Worked with Ted Baker and TK Maxx again.

September

1. Worked with Sweaty Betty, Abercrombie, Hush clothing, Aquis and Ted Baker.

2. I saw friends a lot, went out for friend’s and family’s birthdays. I also went for bottomless brunch!

3. I was a guest on Kat’s Put Yourself First Podcast again.

October

1. Went to see the play Future Bodies at HOME.

2. Went down to London for some events.

3. Worked with Ted Baker and CollectPlus, Ace & Tate and Cath Kidston again.

4. Went to Bruges for the weekend.

5. I went down south to The Wilderness Reserve on a blogger trip with Next.

6. Went to a wedding.

7. Saw friend’s and celebrated my friend L’Oreal’s birthday.

8. Went to Malaysia and Damien proposed!

November

1. Worked with Marriott Hotels and Ted Baker.

2. Went to watch the play The Maids at HOME.

3. Hosted a wine night at mine with the girls.

4. Spoke on a panel for the Calling All Curls event.

5. Went to Amsterdam on a girl’s trip for the weekend to celebrate two of the girl’s birthdays.

6. Went to a dinner event with Feel Unique.

December

1. Worked with French Connection and Boe gin.

2. Had a fun Christmas meal with the girls, where we exchanged secret santa gifts and followed it with a wine night in.

3. Ate approximately 12 mince pies within less than a week (true story).

4. Continued on working out but definitely eased off the routine over this past week of Christmas.

5. Had a very boozy and fun Christmas eve spent with My family.

6. Had a very boozy and fun Christmas day spent with Damien’s family.

7. Had a very hungover boxing day, spent at home, on the sofa. We watched 5 films within this period.

…and I think that is just about it, according to my calendar anyway. Of course I’ve only really skimmed the surface on this one and may have missed out some things that weren’t pre-planned, hence won’t have been written in my calender, but, all in all, it’s been a great way for me to re-cap and realise some of the fun things I’ve done and what I’ve achieved in 2018.

It’s been an exciting year but I must admit stressful at times. There have been emotional highs, and lows. But overall I feel so grateful for the opportunities, experiences and fun that 2018 has brought. I’ve worked so hard but also played hard too and got to make more amazing memories with lots of my favourite people. I’ve pushed myself creatively and created a lot of cool stuff that I’m really proud of.

I think 2018 will always be a special year for me looking back, as it’s been a momentous one for me personally, in more ways than one. There have been a lot of life changes, a lot of challenges overcome and I’ve learnt a lot about myself and the things I want to focus more on going forward.

It’s not completely over yet. We still have a few more days left until the year is out and I’m going to make the most of them. I should have one more post going out before the end of 2018, but if I don’t catch you before then, have a good end to the year and great new year’s eve whatever you get up to.

Samio x

December 30, 2018
My First Time In San Francisco

ARRIVING IN SAN FRAN

As we stepped off the BART and lugged our heavy cases up the escalators, we were greeted by the sound of music, cheers, the most amount of rainbow flags you’ve ever seen in one procession…and a man with his penis out, stood with his hands on his hips, stark bollock naked. He wore nothing but glitter face paint, trainers, a pair of sunglasses and an expression that read ‘this is totally normal’. It was Pride, and we’d officially arrived in San Fransisco.

Aside from being slightly shocked by the sight of the naked man and the few others that followed (I’m no prude but it’s always a shock at 4:30pm in the afternoon amongst shoppers and kids walking about, but anyway…), I was excited to be in San Francisco. In that moment I wanted to dump our luggage and join in with the celebrations but we had a hotel to find and right then, that was the main priority.

We asked for directions and had some fire-women dubiously point us in the direction of our hotel. We weren’t sure why they hesitated at the time, but as we trudged up the street away from the procession, we started to notice that San Francisco wasn’t all rainbow flags and celebration.

STAYING IN THE WORST NEIGHBOURHOOD

There were a lot of homeless people and other people just sat out on the street, some just hanging around, others visibly on drugs and some just shouting for the sake of shouting. I wasn’t sure what to think and if I’m honest, in that moment I didn’t really want to be there.

I didn’t feel like we were in the safest area to stay in and we later found out, that we weren’t. We’d arrived in The Tenderloin and this place has a bad rep that goes way back.

Now when you search this area online (which we *cough, Damien* didn’t unfortunately do before our trip), you’ll see mixed reviews. Some articles describe The Tenderloin as the worst part of San Fran, with the highest crime rates and somewhere to avoid, whilst others try and show off its best bits with a ‘it ain’t that bad’ attitude…I’ll give my honest opinion as a tourist from overseas, and as someone who has spent a lot of money to go to somewhere like San Francisco on holiday and simply say, don’t stay there.

I’m all for submerging myself into the culture and staying somewhere that’s nothing like home but I’d rather not stay somewhere that makes me feel on edge when walking down the street, if it can be avoided. Now there are some alright parts of The Tenderloin, but it just so happens that we stayed just round the corner from the worst part of it, and so you can see why we were displeased with our location choice. Well why the heck did we stay there? You might ask…well quite simply (as mentioned), we did very little research and in a city of overpriced hotels, this one appeared somewhat less overpriced (plus Damien booked it, so again, I put the blame on him).

It was only on our second day, after walking down the worst street in the neighbourhood, that we realised we’d definitely made a bad choice with our location, and after debating whether to book a new hotel, we then decided to scrap that idea in favour of taking Ubers everywhere instead.

GETTING AROUND

Ubers became our mode of transport when travelling across the city and when exploring different areas, we simply walked. I’d advise taking comfortable shoes because what they say about San Fran being hilly is no joke and you’re bound to find yourself doing a lot of up and down hill walking.

The cost of Ubers also weren’t too bad at all (compared to at home in England) and we could usually get to where we wanted for less than $10.

When we arrived in San Francisco, we first got the Bart (short for the ‘Bay Area Rapid Transit’, or more simply put, the train), which took us from the airport to central San Francisco, not too far from where we were staying. This cost is $10 each for a single ticket but after learning how it wasn’t much more to take an Uber, we decided to take an Uber when later heading back to the airport.

THE TOURISTY STUFF

Of course, no San Fransisco trip is complete without a bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and as I recently spoke about in this blog post here, this was one of my favourite experiences during our time in San Fran. Lucky for us, we’d picked a clear day and the view up close of the Golden Gate Bridge was stunning. It’s now certainly been added to my list of favourite sights to see and if you do take a trip to San Francisco, I’d definitely recommend you hire a bike and take the bike ride over to Sausalito across the Golden Gate Bridge. There are lots of different places to hire bikes from but we used the company Blazing Saddles for our bike hire and it cost us around $35 to hire for the day (although I believe booking online may offer further discounts).

Another thing I marked off my tourist tick list, was a trip to Alcatraz. We were seriously lucky to get tickets though, as we hadn’t pre-booked and after checking online to find they were all sold out up until August, I actually thought we’d missed our chance. Not one to give up too easily though, after turning up one morning, to our surprise there were just two tickets available for that same day and of course, we snatched them up. Never have I been so excited for the prospect of going to a prison but I knew I had to visit this place. I wasn’t disappointed either, and whilst initially skeptical about the idea of it just being an audio tour, I quickly found myself becoming fully immersed in the experience and I loved it. I even went into full tourist mode and purchased a novelty Alcatraz keyring at the end.

THE AREAS & MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE LOCALS

There are so many different areas of San Francisco to explore and each neighbourhood feels so different. Two of my favourite areas were Cow Hollow and North Beach. Cow Hollow, had a great little community vibe with a cluster of nice restaurants, bars and little boutiques. It was probably one of the least touristy areas we visited too and I like how it gave a sense of real San Fran living.

North Beach is another area I loved and although a lot more touristy, there are still lots of spots away from the most obvious and popular places, which are also great to explore.

One night, after previously being suggested by a local (whilst in a wine bar in Cow Hollow actually), we found ourself heading into a little local jazz bar up in North Beach. It was a pretty unassuming place (I unfortunately forget the name), and likely a place we wouldn’t have ventured into if we hadn’t been prompted by the local we’d got chatting to the night previously. I always love getting suggestions from locals when exploring someplace new, because otherwise it can often be all too easy to wind up in the most touristy place ever. This place was definitely not touristy, it was a proper old dive bar…and we loved it!

Soon we got chatting to a local at the bar and she took us around her favourite spots in the neighbourhood. It was such a fun night and although it was followed by a terrible hangover, I’m so glad we got to experience a night with the locals in San Fran.

THE FOOD

I won’t go on too much about what we ate in San Francisco, or else I’m afraid that will take up a whole other blog post. But what I simply will say is that we ate, a lot. I feel like whenever someone from overseas visits the US on holiday, they go with the intention of super sizing everything and eating their bodyweight in carbs and sugar (please tell me I’m not alone here). San Francisco was no exception to my, when in America rule of, ‘go big or go home’…and that’s exactly what we did until it finally was indeed, time to go home.

So there we have it. A somewhat prolific blog post about my first ever trip to San Francisco, which I hope you could find someway informative, or if not that, then at the very least entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, as did Damien and I’d definitely be keen to go back again. From San Fran, we actually went on to visit Portland, where we stayed for several nights for our friends’ wedding, before flying back to San Fran for one more night, and then home. I vlogged quite a bit of all of our trip, so if you’d like to see more of what we got up to, you can scroll down to the bottom of this page and watch the vlog there.

Anyway, that’s all for now and I’ll leave a quick low down of everything below too!

Samio x

THE LOW DOWN

When We Visited: June to July 2018
How Long We Stayed: 4 nights, then flew to Portland for 4 nights, then back to San Fran for another night.
Accommodation: Hotels
Area We Stayed In: 1st The Tenderloin, 2nd Hotel The East Cut
Favourite Areas: Cow Hollow and North Beach
Would Recommend: Hiring a bike to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge over to Sausalito and having some lunch whilst you’re there. Visiting Alcatraz (make sure you book in advance ahead of your trip to San Francisco).
Food To Try: If you’re in the Cow Hollow Area and you’re a fellow pizza lover, try the margarita pizza with burrata, you won’t be disappointed! Also there’s lots of good seafood in San Francisco too.
Would I Visit San Francisco Again: Yes

July 29, 2018
Ten Months In Review

Achieving Goals & Setting New Ones

As we move into the final few months of 2017 I’m already beginning to reflect and look back on the year so far and not only that but also look forward and begin to think about what else I want to achieve by the end of this year and beyond. It may only be October but it’s never too early to start working on future goals to set things in motion for the new year. I’m not much of a new years resolution person per se, but like most people I do regularly have goals in mind that I’d like to work on/achieve.

On the very first day of 2017 I typed up a little review of my year and looking at it now it’s really interesting to see what I had in mind for this year and how it’s all panned out thus far. One of the main things I’d mentioned is that I wanted the main theme of my 2017 to be exploration, travel and learning. Ten months into the year and those themes couldn’t be more accurate at describing these past months. Travel and exploring new places has definitely been a large factor of the past ten months and in doing so I’ve learnt a lot. Another point I made is that one person I wanted to spend more time with this year was my mother. That’s also come to fruition as we’ve both spent lots of time with each other this year and we even took a five night trip to Copenhagen together, which tied back into the travel aspect too.

It appears that writing/typing up my goals has really helped them to come to life for me and so it’s something I’ve decided to start doing a lot more. It’s only when taking time to reflect and look back on the year so far that I truly realise that I’ve actually managed to achieve a lot that I’d set out to do this year. And it’s not too late to achieve more, as we still have three months left to get more things ticked off our lists and start work on new goals for the new year. Who’s with me?

Samio x

p.s, these photos were shot at the end of the summer whilst I was out having a coffee date with my friend Onyi (pictured below). These almost ended up in the forgotten achieve (along with about 292884774 of my other photos), until yesterday when I pulled them out and decided to give them an edit – another goal which I’ve been working on: Learn to edit photos in lightroom and get better at taking photos in the first place. I wanted these shots to have a slightly faded, almost vintage vibe and don’t think they turned out too shabby. I still have a lot to learn but what can I say, it’s another goal and I’m working on it. 😀

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October 3, 2017
A Porto Travel Guide

Another Trip To Portugal

At the end of August Damien and I decided to take a trip to Porto. I visited Portugal for the first time at the start of the year when I went to Lisbon (which you can read all about here) and it seems I’ve not been able to keep away since, as I then went for a second time for work to Vilamoura in May and then finally again for this trip last month. It’s fair to say that I’ve well and truly fallen for Portugal and Porto did not disappoint.

This has probably been my most relaxing trip of the year so far. I say relaxing, however we did managed to walk just over 94,000 steps within the 6 full days we were there. As you’ll be able to see from some of the pictures, Porto is incredibly hilly and we made it our mission most days to walk down the hill from the old part of town where we were staying, to walk along the river to then cross the bridge and do the same along the other side. We’d often do this twice per day as we did the same when we came out in the evenings too. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side of course…all jokes aside though, although both sides of the river have their fair share of fun, we just personally preferred the opposite side for restaurants as it was slightly less touristy. Plus although both sides of the Douro river have rather impressive views of Porto, we both preferred the view looking out from the opposite side to where we were staying as it was slightly prettier, so there you go.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in Porto for 6 nights, which was a good amount of time but 5 nights would have probably been enough. Once again we opted for airBnb for our accommodation and stayed in the Baixa area which was close to lots of cool neighbourhood bars and restaurants frequented by the locals. I really liked the area we stayed in and would stay around that part again if I were to go back.

Food

We had some really good food whilst in Porto and of course there was lots of good seafood available. If you are into fish then the sardines are a good dish to try whilst dining out by the river – but like I mentioned I’d recommend heading to the restaurants on the side opposite to the old town part if you do. And if unlike me you do eat meat then you may want to try the Francesinha, which seems to be one of Porto’s most popular dishes.

Port

And finally, I of course cannot speak about Porto without speaking about Port – one of things which it is most famous for. I would definitely recommend taking a visit to one of the many Port cellars and of course doing a bit of Port tasting whilst you’re there too. We chose to visit Graham’s, which was one of the Port places situated furthest away from where we were staying (but as you probably guessed – we like to walk). I’d recommend the walk though because the views from the outside of the winery are quite beautiful (as you can see on the image below) and of course the Port is worth tasting too.

The Low Down

When we visited: August 2017
Weather: Average 28 – 32 Degrees C
How long we stayed: 6 nights.
Where we stayed: Baixa.
Accommodation: Airbnb.
Must Try: Port Tasting. Sardines and the cod.
Recommendations:
-Chill out at the open air bar, Base.
-Check out the bars/restaurants in the Baixa area – and go to the Champanheria da Baixa and try the champagne sangria, it’s soooo good. The atmosphere is also great on the weekend evenings.
-Go to Galeria de Paris for a super cheap yet tasty buffet lunch in the most random restaurant ever!
-Visit the Igreja de Santa Clara church.
-Go up Clérigos Tower at night for great nighttime views of the city.
-Find Arc of Truth (wine bar) for a cosy intimate setting, great wine and window views of Douro River.
-Go to Graham’s Winery for great views and a tour of the wine cellars – and port tasting (obviously).
Would I go again: Yes and would recommend a trip in August too.

Samio x

September 19, 2017
The Creatives Coffee Club

A Change of Scenery & Creative Gal Pals

Working as a blogger can be quite solitary at times and I’ll admit that it can quite easily leave me lacking motivation when left to my own devices. Whilst I’m glad to have the balance of a more social working environment when on modelling jobs, when it comes to the days spent at home blogging and creating content, it can sometimes feel a little bit stagnant. Don’t get me wrong, some days I absolutely love those days that I have alone to work with no interruptions, especially when I’m in my creative zone and I can film, edit and write all day, happily in my element. Other days however, I can feel so unmotivated and just need to get out of the house and find inspiration in something other than the same four walls.

As much as I like to find inspiration and ideas online, sometimes I need something tangible and a bit of human interaction, just to stop me from going mad in my own confinement. I feel lucky to have a few close friends who are also self employed, with a similar unpredictable working schedule too. To be honest now I think about it, I don’t know what I’d do without them…probably end up going mad, that’s for sure.

Sometimes a change of scenery can work wonders too. I have a few of my favourite go to coffee shops in Manchester but on Tuesday when I met up with L’Oréal, Onyi and Rosie, we wanted to try somewhere different to one of our usual haunts and decided to try Porter + Cole. It’s such a cool little spot with comfy sofas, aesthetically pleasing interior, and coffee served in a proper mug (yes it’s the simple things that please me). I can see this becoming one of my new fave places. They also have a little home wear store with a bunch of stuff that goes perfectly with the colour schemes in my house (dangerous) and I quickly fell in love with an Elephant cushion that I knew I had to purchase.

An afternoon spent with fellow creative gal pals always leaves me feeling super motivated and a simple change of scenery can give me that spark of inspiration I need. Whatever your working environment, it can often be useful to try something new to help you get back in the zone and you can’t beat some girl power encouragement to help motive you along the way either.

Samio x

July 26, 2017
Eindhoven City Guide

Trying somewhere different

When I’d mention to people that next up on my travel itinerary was a trip to Eindhoven, many people responded with either ‘where?’, or ‘why?’, or more often than not a combination of both ‘where?’, followed by ‘why?’. I guess when people think of the Netherlands it’s not often the first place that springs to mind…and that’s exactly why I wanted to go, because it was someplace different.

You may have realised by now (if you’ve been reading my travel posts) that some of my trips aren’t the most obvious travel choices. I just love exploring, and as much as I do love the popular super touristic hot spots, I also love discovering other places too. It feels like I’m trying something for the first time in a way and I also like how I can get a real feel for a place without it being too touristy.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t quite know what to expect from Eindhoven prior to my visit. I’m a book flights and worry about the rest later type of person (as you may have gathered if you read about my Oslo trip). However after arriving and both Damien and I feeling very welcomed into the city, I quickly began to love the vibe and the energy of Eindhoven.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in the Inntel Art Hotel, which is half situated in the old Philips Light factory. I’m glad we got a room in the old part of the building as I loved the industrial yet modern feel of the room with it’s high ceiling and exposed concrete and pipework. It’s also situated in a great location too, as everywhere we went was reachable on foot with most places less than a ten minute walk away.

One thing I hadn’t expected about Eindhoven is that it’s home to a great deal of ex-pats, making it a very multicultural city and after a couple of days there it’s easy to see why this place is popular with outsiders. It’s innovative in design and technology, easy to get around, traffic is minimal with the majority of people choosing to ride bikes, it’s a very green city, and if you’re a foodie like me, you’ll be impressed with the amount of great restaurants and bars it has to offer.

Where we ate

Damien and I were both really impressed with all the places we went to for food. We had breakfast provided at our hotel each morning and then for lunch and dinner we were spoilt with a great selection of places. Eindhoven is full of great restaurants and bars and we were lucky enough to sample a good selection of them.

Calypso was where we went on our first evening for food…and quite a lot of drinks. We enjoyed oysters, a cheese board, calzone pizza AND dessert and spent the entire evening in there chatting to the locals and the owner of the bar, Louis, who was great fun. Our night at Calypso was a great introduction to Eindhoven, although I must admit I nursed a sore head the next day but I guess that’s usually the sign of a good night, right? Hangover aside, I really liked the vibe of this place and it’s somewhere I’d probably end up being a regular at if I lived in Eindhoven.

Coffeelab was such a cool little spot for coffee and lunch. We went on the Saturday for lunch and I had the walnut and cheese toasty, which was different but really good. They had vegan options on the menu too which is always good to note. I loved the interior of this place, full of greenery and cool lights hanging from the ceiling. It’s the type of place I could see myself visiting alone with a coffee and a good book/or even my macbook and sitting there drinking cups of coffee for an entire afternoon.

De Vooruitgang. We actually went here three times; on the first night for some drinks before heading for dinner, on the Saturday for a meal and on the Monday for a drink outside in the sun before heading home. I guess that pretty much tells you that we really liked this place. The interior in this place is again very cool and there’s also plenty of seating outside too and there’s a great atmosphere sat outside in the square on a sunny day.

The dinner we had at De Vooruitgang on the Saturday was really good. To start I went for the tuna, which was so tasty and my main of shrimp pasta just topped off an excellent meal.

Usine Not only does this place look really cool, with every angle of the place being a photographable opportunity (bloggers dream) but the food is pretty darn good too. We went for lunch on the Sunday, where we sat in a cosy corner on retro chairs and sofa drinking copious amounts of coffee. Food wise Damien went for the club sandwich and I went for the fish and chips. And I have to say it was some of the best battered fish I’ve had, as it was so, so tasty.

Down Town Gourmet Market. Damien and I loved this place and it was the perfect spot to end our last night on the Sunday evening. You’re spoilt for choice at this place as you’re presented with a selection of the amazing eateries to choose from in a relaxed gathering spot with seating both inside and out. We got food from Miss Temaki, a sushi place and Vietnamama, which is Vietnamese. We were honestly so impressed with the food from both places and probably would have eaten more if it weren’t for us being full. Like I say we were spoilt for choice and if I were to go back I’d love to try even more of the food places on offer there.

What We Did

A big part of our trip was focused on food and drink which was great because if you know me then you’ll know I absolutely love eating out and trying new restaurants.

Aside from eating and drinking away to our hearts content, we also did a spot of shopping. I’m not one to be easily drawn into the shops but as I mentioned in my previous Eindhoven Outfits post, I did find a few clothing shops that were right up my street and I also made a couple of purchases. Even Damien bought a new jacket too.

A few of my favourite shops were Hutspot, which sells a selection of cool brands including Selected Femme, Matt & Nat, Samsøe & Samsøe and lots more. They also had a Monki store in which I bought my new favourite pair of pants (if you follow me on Instagram you’ll know I haven’t stopped going on about them). We also found the most amazing home store called Home Stock, which immediately left us wishing we had bigger luggage because I seriously could have bought everything in that store if I had the chance.

A visit to the Van Abbemuseum was a highlight for me and if you’re in to modern and contemporary art, then I suggest you too visit here when in Eindhoven. There’s so much to see there and you can easily spend a good couple of hours wondering round, as we did.

It’s also worth visiting the Strijp S area, where there are lots more bars/restaurants and design shops situated in the old Philips buildings. The area had a real industrial yet modern feel and a cool vibe.

The Low Down

When we visited: May 2017
Weather: Sunny
How long we stayed: Friday to Monday – 3 nights.
Where we stayed: Intel Art Hotel (right in the city centre).
Suggestions: Visit the Van Abbemuseum
Food to try: Down Town Gourmet Market, there’s something for everyone.
Would I go again: Yes!

Damien and I both really enjoyed our trip to Eindhoven and as my first trip to The Netherlands it definitely left a great first impression. The city has a cool vibe, the people are friendly and it’s full of great food, so what’s not to love. Until next time.

Samio x

May 30, 2017
Lately

Most Worn

It’s probably a tad bit inappropriate to post an outfit of me wearing a sweater when it is in fact (for once) boiling in England at the moment but in today’s post I wanted to share some of what’s been going on in my life lately, and this pink jumper is one of those things. Now I realise this jumper doesn’t fit with my usual style but my whole point for buying it was to have something super cosy that I could throw on when travelling or on those chilly early mornings when I’m heading to a shoot and want nothing more to be comfortable. I thought if I’m going down the cosy/comfortable route, I may as well make it fun and so I went for this bold oversized 80’s style sweater from Topshop. I believe it says ‘I am happy’ on the back in French, which I think is très appropriate as I’m often smiling my head off.

Eating Out

I’ve been eating out A LOT. This is something that at the start of the year I said I’d sacrifice somewhat in order to fund my travel addiction but alas that one didn’t last very long and I find myself eating out more than I dare to admit BUT with so many amazing new places forever popping up in Manchester (along with many old favourites), it’s hard not to!

A recent new spot I visited was the Brasserie Abode in Manchester, where I went along with my friend L’Oréal for dinner last Friday. The food and service was excellent. And although I may have gone for one of the least photogenic dishes on the mains menu (fish and chips), I have to say it was really good. My starter was the winning dish for me though, as I went for the Tuna tartare, spicy avocado and it was absolutely delicious! Just thinking about that dish makes my mouth water…after that we were too full to even think about desert but we did manage to wash it down with a tasty champagne cocktail which was the perfect way to start our Friday evening.

Music

I’ve been listing to some new(ish) music recently. I say some and by that I mean the same three albums on repeat, quite literally. I listen to music almost everyday but I must admit I easily get stuck in my ways listening to my firm favourites. Some current tracks I’ve been particularly obsessing over from from of these albums are:
Big For Your Boots – Stormzy
Sweet Dreams – The Last Shadow Puppets
PRIDE. – Kendrick Lamar

I have quite the eclectic taste in music so I never find myself listing to just one genre. Now I’m greatly anticipating the new Lana Del Rey album. So far I’ve been obsessed with every one of her previous albums so I can’t wait to get this new one in my life. Unfortunately it looks like we will have to still wait until the 21st of July for this one but at least we now know the release date.

And that’s it, just a little bit of what I’ve been loving and been up to lately. I’m happy to see that the weather has hotted up here but it probably won’t last long so I best go and make the most of it. Have a great weekend!

Samio x

May 26, 2017
A Long Weekend In Malaga

A Relaxing Weekend

I can’t believe it’s almost been a month since Damien and I went on our long weekend away to Málaga. It was a somewhat impromptu trip, having only booked it all a couple of weeks prior going, but we decided that we both felt the need for a little break and to go somewhere warm where we could simply relax.

I’m pretty much a pro when it comes to planning short trips abroad now and with nowhere specific in mind on this occasion, I decided to go with southern Spain for our best chances of warm weather and affordable flights. Málaga came up best in my search and whilst I had been before a few years ago, it had been for a shoot and so I was excited to visit again, on a non work related trip this time

We arrived in Málaga on a Thursday for the last couple of days in March and then returned home on the Sunday, which was the second day of April. It was definitely a good idea picking Málaga, as the weather over that weekend was just splendid.

I found us the perfect little AirBnb only a very short walk from the centre and right by a few little convenience stores where we were able to buy our eggs for breakfast and wine to drink whilst sat out on the roof terrace. Yes we had our own private roof terrace which was exactly what we’d wanted, a nice open space to sit out and enjoy the sun.

The Sights

Although the main focus of the short holiday was to relax, never ones to sit still for too long, Damien and I of course couldn’t help ourselves from doing just a little bit of sight seeing whilst we were there.

Málaga is actually a lot more beautiful than it’s given credit for and away from the high rise hotels that are situated further down the coast line, the city centre is full of old buildings filled with cute little restaurants and bars.

Speaking of the beauty in Málaga from the top of Mount Gibralfaro we were able to see the most wonderful views of the city. It’s quite a walk in the blazing heat but it’s certainly worth it once you get to the top and also very scenic as you walk through beautiful gardens to get there. Of course once at the top we went in the Castillo Gibralfaro and wondered around the castle ruins before heading back down.

Eating Out

One of the restaurants we visited, as recommended by our Airbnb host, was tiny little traditional Spanish restaurant called El Tapeo de Cervantes. We were told to book beforehand, which was wise as we found it was full to the brim when we arrived and still had to wait for ten minutes or so outside before we could even get in to be seated at our table. But we were glad to find that it was certainly worth the wait.

I didn’t take any pictures in the restaurant as it’s so tiny that you are pretty close to the diners either side of you and behind you, all strategically fitted in on high slim wooden tables and chairs. Although this is something that would in most circumstances irritate the heck out of me, in this instance it only added to the character and charm of the place and I rather enjoyed the atmosphere. The staff were great and I had some of the best tapas I’ve ever had. Opting for fish and vegetarian dishes, each plate we had was delicious and if you do find yourself visiting Málaga I’d definitely recommend this place.

Another evening we decided to take an hour long walk along the beach to a few of the highly recommended local fish restaurants located in El Palo. We stopped off at a bar along the way and watched the sunset before continuing on.

Once we arrived we picked one of the restaurants, Restaurante Gabi. It was no thrills dining at its finest and we took a table outside across from the outdoor fire on the beach, where they cooked the fish. Although quite a long walk to get there it was worth it in the end and the fresh fish was excellent. It certainly seemed popular with the locals and we could see why, as its reasonably priced fresh seafood made the visit worth while.

A Drink With A View

There are of course also plenty of bars to chose from in the centre of Málaga, along with a few rooftop bars. One evening before dinner we went to the roof bar La Terraza de la Alcazaba which has excellent views of the town centre and Alcazaba of Málaga. It’s quite a busy spot but fine if you don’t mind potentially standing. It has quite a young vibe and although the drinks are (expectedly) a little pricer than some of the other bars, it’s worth visiting at least for one, just to see the view before sun down.

Well I think that’s almost everything. I’ll end things here before I run the risk of waffling on too much but we really did enjoy our little trip away to Málaga. Sometimes three nights away is all you need to unwind and relax whilst also having the fun of exploring a different location. Now I can’t believe it’s only two weeks until Damien and I jet off on our next little city break, I plan to be a lot swifter with my upload of that travel post once we return, so be sure to check back soon for more travel adventures. 😀

Samio x

You can watch my Málaga vlog here:

April 26, 2017