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TRAVEL DIARIES/ Gibraltar
I went to Gibraltar for the first time in June. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it’s a lovely place and wanted to share my experiences. One thing I didn’t expect was for the border to be right across the airport runway. So, if you’re crossing on foot, you walk right across the landing strip, which means that the border has to be closed every time a plane takes off or lands. Quite random really!
I went on a day trip during my holiday to Marbella (see my Marbs travel diary post here) it’s a little over an hour away by coach so it kind of seemed rude not to, and I was intrigued as to how British culture was interpreted.
For me it felt as if it was very “Spanglish” – a real mix of people with broad British accents telling you they had change for a tenner, Spanish workers that worked in the city, and those who switched between the two languages at will! They accept GBP and euros, they also have their own currency which is only legal tender in Gibraltar which was a bit awkward when Mama Alice went to the cash machine expecting pounds.
There are some very distinct British touches throughout the city though- red phoneboxes, traffic lights and crossings.
You have to visit the Top of the Rock – since it dominates the whole landscape,my oh can’t not go really! Tickets cost about £11 each which included our cable car ride to the top, wandering around the main part of rock and 3hrs wifi connection (which is superb, but the way). As you can see, the views are stunning. If you were staying here for a full blown holiday, there are some great looking hotels built into the rock side which will give similar views over the city.
And of course, there’s the monkeys. I was a bit nervous to be around them as I’d heard that they will steal things from you and can sometimes event pull your clothes/hair, but they seemed pretty chilled. Quite a lot of people were getting really in their faces and trying to pose for selfies with them which seemed a bit much and I’m shocked that they put up with it. We made sure we kept a decent distance and didn’t make sudden movements or take too many photos of them which seemed to work well. They go everywhere though – inside the cafe, on top of the cable car wires, in the back of the van delivering confectionary…
we we also lucky enough to see this beautiful little monkey family – mummy was feeding her teeny baby while daddy looked on all proud (people were even going for selfies with them too and they didn’t appear to get angry once)
One thing that Gib has in common with its Spanish neighbours is a super stylish harbour area to eat, drink and play. It even says so on the sign! It’s a lovely place to spend a lazy afternoon chilling out. 
Mama Alice warned me that the shopping here was a bit rubbish before we arrived, however I disagree. The high street has pretty much all of the key UK stores I’d normally go to (though smaller they still carried pretty much all of the same stock) coupled with perfume and electrical stores that you used to see everywhere when you went on holiday in the ’90s. They even have a little M&S food tucked in the back of their reasonably sized branch!
There were a few touristy bits that we didn’t quite get to, such as the botanical gardens and the caves, but it’s a lovely place to visit and you should definitely go if you’re in close enough proximity to do so. I think I could spend a weekend here chilling out but would probably struggle to have enough to do on a full blown holiday without travelling into Spain.
Be sure to share any other Gibraltar sights and delights with me that I may have missed!
Stay stylish,
J 😘xx
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BEAUTY/ Body Shop haul
Yup, I did ANOTHER haul…I have shopped ’til I dropped lately!
I’ve always been a bit of a Body Shop fan – over the years there’s a few core products I pick up here and there (Mama Alice is OBSESSED) but I’ve bought loads for myself in one go. But I wanted some new bits and, once I started it was hard to stop! Have a peak…
Camomile
The smell of this range is very light and soothing. In short, exactly what’s needed to chill you out as part of your end of day routine.Silky cleansing oil: this is the only thing I’ve ever used that’s been able to get all of my makeup off without really scrubbing. I literally saw it melt away on to the cotton wool pad!
Sumptuous cleansing balm: this is lovely to smooth over my face after removing make up; when I rinsed it off I definitely saw how well it worked on my clogged up skin!
White musk smoky rose
I haven’t used anything at all from the Body Shop since I was really young- it was a kind of right of passage as a 90s kid! I was drawn to this because I was looking for a new daytime scent, I usually get one of their fruity edt’s (Mango or Strawberry) but this had a different kind of sweet smell before drifting into the smoky rose scent that’s really cool for summer.Eau de toilette the scent lasts a decent amount of time but I’ve already used up a lot as I’m wearing it every day
Body lotion helps layer up the scent with the edt, slightly runnier formula which drys pretty quickly and kept my skin feeling really soft
Polynesian Island Tiare
I actually intended to buy products from the Pinita Colada range (to compliment my new pina colada themed bags, hehe) but after smelling it decided it wasn’t the right thing for me. I like pineapple and coconut smells, but this just didn’t quite have the right mix.I was intrigued by this range and expected it to be a really full on tropical scent, quite the opposite! It’s a really clean summery smell; almost like an immaculate suite in a chic beachfront hotel. These products actually compliment the camomile really nicely too as they have similar undertones, so a really great combination for tapping into the relaxation vibe.
Shower gel – I’m a fan of Body Shop show gels anyway so I knew I’d like the consistency of this. I feel so nice after using it.
Body cream – again, long time user of the the body cream (I’ve been loyal to the Coconut shimmer body butter since FOREVER) and like the level of moisture it gives my skin. The consistency can take a while to sink in or feel quite greasy if you put too much on, so a little bit is usually best
Fragrance mist – the perfect way to seal in the scent after using the first two products, and fits nicely in the back pocket of my handbag.
I usually don’t try to avoid limited edition ranges in case I adore them and then can’t buy them anymore, but I’m glad I broke my rule for some of these!
Stay stylish (and smelling wonderful),
J 😘xx
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TRAVEL DIARIES/ Marbella
I visited Marbella at the beginning of June, which you may have seen on my Instagram feed. It was also the first time I’ve ever visited mainland Spain, which seems like an odd thing to say as I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a few places around the world, so it’s been on my ‘f**k it list’ fo quite a while.
This was a girls holiday – sadly two of them had to drop out at last minute so it was me and Mama Alice in the sun for a week. These are some of the highlights
Old town
I haven’t heard anybody mention Marbella’s old town before, but it’s somewhere I visited a lot. It’s stunning! Lots of winding little streets, flowers climbing up the walls, cute little shops, hidden gems to eat/drink and adorable dressed up houses
One of mine and Mama Alice’s favourite restaurants was El Balcon de la Virgen. The first reason is because it’s sooooo pretty, the second was the complimentary cava they gave us on arrival! The food was pretty tasty too, hehe. Everybody was clamouring to eat outside but we chose to eat inside as there was no wait, and it was a lot nicer being surrounded by the traditional bare brick decor and more chilled out vibe.
Image credit: Pulpazo.comFood
I’m starting with dessert- when it’s THIS epic it would be rude not to! I naively believed that churros were more of a Mexican dessert, but all over Marbella they have Churreria’s where they basically serve huge rolls of churros, chocolate (that’s what’s in the coffee cups) coffee and fresh juice. We couldn’t finish the churros, but we finished our juices and convinced ourselves that that cancelled out the naughtiness…
Spaniards lurrrve themselves a coffe or 5 during the day – and we found what was claimed to be ‘the best coffee in Marbella’ at Cappuccino just down the road from our hotel. It was pretty good.
Believe it or not, I lived on a Spanish island for almost 3 years and never ate tapas once! It’s one of my favourite foods though and we had it a few times in different restaurants during our stay. Because everywhere does it a little differently and has different options, you never have to eat the same meal twice and get to try lots of your fave things. For this is awesome.Some bars in the old town town will offer a set 5/6 dishes for 10€ which is ridiculously good value for eating locally on a budget.
Things to do
Jump on a catamaran and visit Pueto Banus. A taxi is 10-20€ but on a boat you can see the coastline, get a bit of a tan AND have a cheeky sangria en route! It’s a lovely place to spend an afternoon walking around the harbour, browsing at the beautiful designer goodies and having a drink or spot of lunch. It’s definitely more pricey than Marbs though, so be prepared.
Hit the beach. Marbella beach is fine; it’s very dark/coarse sand so not the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen but it’s a nice change of pace from the pool. A lots of the beachfront bars/restaurants offer sunbeds in return for buying refreshments, others across the beach cost about 6€ per bed. There’s ladies strolling along the beach that will give you a massage as you lay out – Mama Alice had her feet done (15€) whilst I opted for neck/shoulder/back/arm (20€)
Ride on a Segway. If you’ve seen Paul Blart: Mall Cop, you’ll know how fab yet hilarious they look to ride on! We hired them from G2move who provided a guide to come with us to ensure our safety and we had a ball.
Hotel
We stay at Senator Marbella which is a little walk from the old town and about 10minutes from Puerto Banus by taxi.
The rooftop pool is lovely – really smart decking around the pool and 2 jacuzzis, the lower level has more sunbeds and white canopy seating to relax in the shade next to the bar. The views over the mountains and the coastline from up there are gorgeous.
the hotel has an underground spa which all guests a free visit to for a spa circuit- it’s absolutely massive! A great way to carry on the relaxation if you need a bit of time out of the sun.
They’ll be more travel diaries coming through the summer – #Gibraltar is next on the list. Thanks for reading!
Stay stylish,
J😘xx
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FASHION & BEAUTY/ Post birthday haul
It’s normal to get a lil’ spend happy around your birthday right? Well that’s what I did this year! Here’s a rundown of my newly stocked wardrobe and beauty cabinet…
Pretty Little Thing sequin bomber
it’s ridiculous to think that I could have not bought this really…it’s beautiful! When I walk up my path and the sun is shining, I can see it shimmering away in my wardrobe, next to the cool af black version I bought a few months ago. I’m just waiting for the right time to share in a post of their very own so they can be seen in their full glory.
EGO furry sliders
These are the lightest and comfiest sliders EVER – perfect for taking on holiday now that luggage allowance is shrinking. I need them in more colours immediately.Miss Pap nude long sleeveless jacket
My sleeveless jacket obsession of last year has crept in a little, but I like that this is a longer length and therefore less potential for windswept moments. I’m looking forward to taking this on holiday in a few weeks.
Boohoo navy harem jumpsuit
Definitely purchased with holidays/hot weather in mind. I have it in khaki which I wore in Vegas last year, it’s really comfortable and cool to wear walking around. I really like the extra pointy bits on gone side for an extra bit of drama.Rock on Ruby make up bag, NYX soft matte lip cream in London, Benefit Watt’s Up highlighter, Nip + Fab Dragon’s blood fix plumping serum, Benefit They’re real! mascara
I clearly didn’t I got enough ROR merch with my 2 birthday bags (not forgetting all my tees and sweatshirt, and mug) did I! This is so cute and a great size for thre extra makeup I’ll need to take away with me. My usual #NYX lip cream is Stockholm but I wanted to try a darker shade. This is more of a pure nude which isn’t quite what I was after but it works well for daytime for the moment.
I haven’t had any good #Benefit products in ages so ive been long overdue to rectify this (I also had my brows done using the new brow products. Honestly, they looked fabulous). So far I’ve had lots of lovely comments on my lashes and am enjoying the more muted champagne shade of the highlighter. I’m used to using High Beam so this is a by more subtle.
NKD SKN Pre- shower tan, Barry M Molten nail paint in Copper Mine, Coco Brown Golden Goddess shimmering body oil, NYX Prismatic eye shadow in Liquid gold, NYX lingerie liquid lipstick in Teddy
This is my bronze-y summer collection of stuff! I haven’t tried the tan yet but will report back when I do. I like the colour of the nail polish but I definitely wouldn’t say that it looks molten-like when it’s on, copper with a silver shimmer running through would be a better description.
I’ve wanted the body oil for ages and they finally started stocking it in #Hull it’s everything I expected and more! Great on untamed skin so this is going to look INSANE when I bronze up a bit. Tip: a little shimmer goes a loooooong way, so use sparingly
Recently I put a call out on Twitter for suggestions of a copper-y/orange coloured shadow, and the lovely Megan suggested this, which is turned out to be a great recommendation. The pigmentation is really strong and long lasting, so it’s become a go-to shade for me at the moment.
This is the third lingerie lippy I’ve bought, I won’t be stopping there! I really like this darker brown shade (though it doesn’t look this colour online) it makes me feel very sassy and cool. You know what they say: fake it ’til ya make it.
A few quick swatches – all unblinded
Left – eye shadow, highlighter, body oil
Right- lingerie, matte lip creamHope you enjoyed the haul, let me know which products you like the most.
Stay stylish,
J😘xx
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June Favourites
I’ve NEVER done one of these posts before but, since they’re one of my fave types to watch/read from others, I thought I’d give it a go!
Fashion
Off the shoulder
Bardot, cold shoulder, oversized and casually sliding off the shoulder…I adore them all! I have this In the Style beauty as part of a coord in 4 colours (I know, not at all like me is it. Hehe) and have been wearing them every time there’s a break in the dark clouds. I don’t think I’ve been this obsessed with off the shoulder since I was about 18 and The gypsy trend was in full effect.Food
Spanish food
You may have seen on Instagram that I recently went on holiday to Marbella with Mama Alice – and for the whoooole time we were there I made her eat paella or tapas every single night! Spanish food is in my top 5 of favourite food EVER for sure. I’m going to Barcelona really soon and have heard they do tapas tours so I’m super excited to sign up for one of those.This paella is one the first one I have ever myself using my new pan (as seen in my recent Birthday post) and it was pretty yummy!Candy Kittens Fresh Raspberry jellies
I bought these on a whim from the Sainsbury Local opposite my house – theyir products have never been stocked before I was intrigued to test them out. The outer part looks like the flavour could be quite muted or almost ‘milky’ if that makes sense, but they’re super juicy and the flavour lasts right until the very end. They’ve been a good alternative to keep on my desk for when the sugar cravings hit.Fun
Ministry of Sound Throw Back Summer Jamz
My music tastes were definitely formed between the ages of 16 – 23, so my go-to tunes are a kind of a pop/garage/RnB mash up. Almost every song in this collection transforms me back to a fun memory which is lovely driving to/from work.
What else?Light box
(also part of my recent birthday post) I don’t know how I lasted so long without one of these now I have one – cute messages, inspirational quotes, letting Mr Alice know I’ve popped out…Hope you like my first ever (short but sweet) favourites post; I’m working on July already!
Stay stylish,
J 😘xx
About Me
I’m Jenny, nice to meet you. I’m a thirty-something who likes fashion, holidays and wondering about life. A lot.
Jenny Chat 
