Tonic Social

Now you all know....this girl loves a good cocktail or two! So when I was invited along to a cocktail and menu launch at Tonic Social in Bournemouth....I mean, it was a tough decision but....I forced myself.

Dragging my best mate along (kicking and screaming at the idea of cocktails and food a'plenty obviously) I headed to a bar I never knew existed, in a location I pass all the time. Ten out of ten for observation Emma! Tonic Social is nestled below the Hilton in Bournemouth, ideally placed for town-centre food and drink, with a fantastic terrace, tailor made for summer-evening Gin and Tonics.

Awaiting us was General Manager, Vince, and his team of staff, plus two visiting chefs, poised to tell us all about their upcoming events in collaboration with Tonic Social. First up was Maciek from Molecular Magic who, according to his website, "loves to provide the creative fair to wow your palette and exquisite presentation to delight your eyes". Think, Bournemouths answer to Heston Blumenthal. Macieks upcoming event at Tonic Social is on the 30th April, and I am assured of dry ice and food hanging from the ceiling. Make of that what you will and book your tickets to see for yourself.

Next up was Chef Kamil from Art Sushi who wowed us with sushi making right before our very eyes... this of course went down magnificently well with Liz, my friend, who despises fish....however, I will point out that Kamil's sushi actually managed to change her mind! Its just that good folks.
I can certainly back up just how bloody tasty the sushi was, I demolished several of the blow-torch seared salmon masterpieces, along with one or two of something else which contained prawn marinated in tea.....along with several other flavours (I know there were mushrooms....) Check out @artsushi_uk on instagram and find out more about Kamil's events and lessons.

Food kept coming with dishes from executive chef Matt Budden who whipped up a selection of 'nibbles' including marinated olives, garlic bread, lamb samosas and crab & salmon parcels. Honestly....I am still salivating over those salmon/crab parcels. All of these items are available on the menu and make the perfect 'sharing board' for nibbling on whilst enjoying a drink or two.

Speaking of drinks....during this time, the incredible bar staff were whipping up an incredible selection of cocktails which we sampled (Its a tough job folks, but someone has to do it!)... including a variation on a Pink Lady, a Prosecco Margarita.... and an Espresso Martini made with Conker Cold Brew. Given the town-centre location of Tonic Social, the gorgeous interior, the friendly staff and the welcoming atmosphere, I will most certainly be returning for cocktails a'plenty....and highly recommend anyone local do the exact same thing.

Head over to Tonic Social's website here to check out their upcoming events, menus, cocktails list and opening times. 

Emma-Louise

Eforea 'Speed Spa' at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton

Full disclosure, this experience was gifted as a press treatment, however, all feedback and opinions given are my own.

The concept of a spa is just blissful to me, I would love to be one of those women who 'pops' to the spa once or twice a month....just to unwind.
As a mother of two boys, this alone cuts my 'me' time down to a bare minimum (not that I would change this fact for the world), but added to that, I also work in finance, run a Beaver Scout group and direct a Pantomime....so my time allotted to spend on me, time for pampering....is extremely limited, and for the most part, non-existent.
Generally I will make sure I have a couple hours, late on a Thursday evening once the kids are in bed and I have finished up with work, to box-dye my roots, paint my nails, and of course, slap on a coat of fake tan....and that folks, is my 'pamper time'.

So when I was invited along to check out Eforea's brand new 'Speed Spa', I jumped at the opportunity. The concept seemed tailor-made toward people like myself....busy mommas, heavy workloads, those with limited time on their hands who are just as deserving of the opportunity to unwind, relax, pamper themselves and get the treatments they're truly struggling to fit into their everyday lives.
Eforea have designed their brand new addition to their incredibly gorgeous day spa, to fit in with busier schedules.... for individuals who don't have as much time to take out for themselves but who want the same results from a treatment, in a shorter space of time. Here lies the basis of their tag line #MakeEveryMinuteCount

Find out about the full range of Speed Spa treatments available here

Arriving at the spa, the entrance lobby is utterly stunning, and the welcome is immediate, friendly and with a smile....just the way I like it. Before my treatment I was given a full tour of the facilities, including the cafe, speed spa, day spa and the outdoor terrace.... given it was a tat nippy thanks to storm Jorge? Dennis?... or whichever one we were on that week.... I decided to give the terrace and its hot tub a miss...however inviting. I headed back to the cafe to await my facial and, with a glass of bubbly in hand, had a chat with a lovely member of staff who chatted through my skin needs and recommended a facial which would suit my requirements and give me the results I was looking for.

Lola was my therapist for my facial and I honestly cannot recommend it more.... the chairs!! oh my goodness the chairs! I need one for my home! The massage chairs in the speed spa massage you from head to toe whilst you are having your facial... thereby giving you a full body pamper in record time. Now let me just clarify...this is not one of those 'massage chairs' like you get people demo'ing in the middle of shopping centres and feels like you're being repeatedly pummelled in the small of your back by two metal fists.... oh no folks! this is so much more.
Reclined and somewhat 'encompassed' by this chair, the massage motions grip your arms, legs and shoulders and has three levels of intensity for an all over massage. I honestly could have spent the rest of my life in that chair.
Meanwhile. Lola spent thirty minutes ensuring that my face was suitably cleansed, toned, moisturised and well and truly pampered with the most beautiful feeling and smelling range of Elemis products. Ultrasonic vibrations are then used to draw out all the impurities in the skin and slough off the dead cells. Galvanic currents then help to re-energise and restore moisture.

Feeling incredibly relaxed and with a face as soft and smooth as the proverbial baby's backside...I headed in to the day spa to explore the facilities properly. A beautifully decorated lounge is the middle ground between the spa and treatment rooms....giving guests the perfect waiting space for their upcoming treatment. Relaxation 'pods' then hung in a dark and silent room, for those wanting to completely wind down and shut out the outside world for complete relaxation. Heading past these and through the changing rooms, the hydrotherapy pool, bio sauna, foot spas, ice bath, light and dark steam rooms and heated mosaic loungers beneath a twinkling, star studded ceiling awaited. Further through from here again lay the outdoor terrace, complete with hot tub and a seating area.

Whether you are heading here for the day, or popping in for a swift treatment, I cannot recommend Eforea Spa at the Hilton Ageas Bowl more. The staff, facilities and treatments absolutely blew me away and I will definitely be back!

International Womens Day

I didn't really intend to post much in the way of content this 'International Womens Day'.....however, having received a couple of comments and messages last night, I felt it was, actually, the ideal time to speak up.

I had in fact, posted a couple of photos from an outdoor pursuits weekend which I attended as a Scout leader... next to an old modelling shot from about two years ago. This sparked some negative feedback from a couple of people, questioning my suitability as a Scout leader, as a role model... and most confusing of all.... noted that I 'didn't seem the type' to be involved in Scouting, or indeed outdoor pursuits. 

Firstly...there is no such thing as being the right 'type'! 

I modelled for a while, however, this does not define me or what 'type' of person I am, or indeed portray myself as. 

And then I am also a Scout leader, and was a Scout when I was younger too...my whole family have been in scouting and its a part of my life and a part I truly love. 

Yes, the hair extensions get taken out and the makeup gets taken off for Scouts...but I can take pride in myself and still be a good Scout... I can still be made up on a day to day basis and then still enjoy lobbing axes and spending an evening round a camp fire. 

STOP JUDGING PEOPLE ON THE EXTERNAL

Life is full of variety...as are people. Embrace it! 

Secondly...Yes I am perfectly suitable to be a Scout leader and am very much able to be one (thank you to the person who checked that with me) 

My life outside of Beavers is mine to do with as I wish......I do not portray myself in an inappropriate way during my time in Scouts. I am careful to ensure that I represent and conduct myself in a way which befits the Scouting movement whilst in uniform, when speaking with Scouts or their Parents, and via accessible social media by my Scout group. 

However, outside of Scouts I drink, model, wear a shit load of make-up and hair extensions, and swear a little too much....

This doesn't mean I'm not a fucking awesome Beaver leader! 

I hope this clarifies things. 

So to all you ladies out there being shamed for portraying yourself a certain way on social media, being told you 'don't seem like the type to be capable of that', being told you shouldn't be doing certain things or don't fit into other peoples ideas of how you should look or act....sod them! You do you...because YOU is frikking awesome. 

This girl right here can be a (retired) glamour model one minute and then pitch a tent, fire an arrow, climb a mountain or throw an axe the next. 

#ThisGirlCan 

Emma-Louise

Bumblezest - Refresh + Relax CBD Ginger and Turmeric Sparkling Water

Full disclosure, these products were sent to me as a press item by the company, however, all views given are my own. 

Recently, the lovely Dan and Emily from Bumblezest, got in contact and asked if I would be interested in trying out a new drink addition to their line.....now I had previously heard of Bumblezest via their tonic water being included in a monthly membership box from ilovegin.com, but aside from this, the company was new to me but I was keen to know more and was thrilled to be given the opportunity to sample yet another of their products. 

Fast forward a week and in the post I received another of their tonic waters, and a 'Refresh + Relax" Ginger and Turmeric Sparkling Water. Full disclosure....I'm not normally a fan of sparkling water at all!! I truly cannot stand the taste of carbonated water given the few that I have tried over the years (usually in error having picked up the wrong bottle of still/sparkling) .... so needless to say I was tentative. Its an acquired taste isn't it? Right? Honestly, who actually truly likes the stuff...it tastes like TV static!

So....I was going into this with a slightly jaded view, lets just say that!

Packaging wise, Refresh + Relax is gorgeous! A sleek and matte, slim can...great start! Now lets talk about the elephant in the room.....the massive great cannabis leaves printed on the front, along with the letters 'CBD'! Yes....these drinks contain cannabis sativa... at a level of 10mg, and no, it won't make you high. THC is the illegal chemical within cannabis which will cause the effects most commonly associated with it....and these products contain just 0.2% which is well within EU regulations for food and drink. This is partnered with a whole bunch of other delicious and all-natural ingredients, used in plentiful doses rather than just wafting them over the product so as to be able to claim their inclusion on the packaging. 

So first up we were looking at Refresh + Relax weren't we, as usual I went off on a tangent and completely lost my train of thought...right.... so this one is a low-sugar, low-calorie sparkling water with ginger, lemon, turmeric, cinnamon and a drop of maple, which is, and I quote, 'designed to give you a fiery and refreshing pick-me-up'. Bring it on! 

Well they weren't wrong about fiery! That kick of ginger is right there from the get go and mellows to a beautiful warmth which is just delicious! The citrus edge keeps it fresh with just enough sweetness from the maple to keep that 'pins and needles' taste of the carbonated water at bay. Refreshing yes.... relaxing...it was 10am and I have two children....let us say no more on that. 

I will say, as someone who has a high pressure lifestyle (I work in finance, have two kids, run a Beaver Scout group and direct a pantomime) and drinks a fair amount of alcohol and coffee....that I could seriously do with drinks like these which give you a little, all-natural boost, hydrate and taste bloody good all at the same time. fantastic stuff Bumblezest, I look forward to trying more of your products (they have such a great looking range of drinks which I can't wait to get my mitts on!). 

I will be doing a post on the tonic water separately as I do tend to waffle on and otherwise these posts end up being ludicrously long! 

Emma-Louise

We do not claim miracles however some of the possible effects of BumbleZest include, and are not limited to: weight loss, increased; metabolism, motivation, energy, stamina and immunity, improved; skin and hair complexion, cellulite, digestion, post workout recovery, joints and arthritis, anti-aging, sleep, detoxing, cleansing and hangover assistance, decreased; anxiety, stress and bloating.

Bumblezest 

Blogger Evening at Lush Bournemouth

Recently I was invited to attend a bloggers evening at my local LUSH store, Bournemouth, to check out the new lines for Valentines, Easter and Mothers Day, as well as learn a little more about the company itself...

If you don't know if you have a LUSH store local to you, step outside your front door and if you have one within a 25 mile radius, you'll be able to smell it!
Alternatively you can head over to their website and use the store locator. Either or.

If you've been living under a rock since 1995 and aren't aware of the Poole, Dorset-born company, pioneering natural, cruelty-free hair and beauty products with a sustainable and planet-friendly ethos....well I've just covered the basics in the first half of this sentence so we are pretty much all caught up now aren't we.

I could waffle on about the founding of LUSH happening just down the road from where I grew up, or the figureheads behind the brand, or the all-natural basis to LUSH's approach to beauty, hair and skin care products...but all of this is readily available on the company Wikipedia page or a simple google-search away, so lets not waste one another's time now shall we.
What I will say, however, is that I am somewhat blown away by LUSH's efforts to reduce, and eventually eliminate single-use plastics in the cosmetics industry. Just think for a moment, how many bottles of shampoo you get through a year, how many toothbrushes, how many bottles of foundation or plastic wrapped soaps...the list is endless and not everyone is proactive in recycling these plastics. LUSH is pioneering a movement toward alternative packaging within an industry which sorely needs this change!

Our initial discussions on arrival at LUSH Bournemouth, for our 'invite only' blogger event, featured, in part, much of what I have just touched upon, and the fantastic staff were keen to inform us of LUSH's valuable work in making strides toward sustainable and planet-friendly alternatives when it comes to packaging. If you have ever been into a LUSH store, you will no doubt have noticed what I never fail to pick up when in conversation with staff...that these team members truly believe in the company and the work they are doing. This is something LUSH should really pride themselves on, the passion their staff exhibit is not only apparent, but infectious.
I was impressed to hear that not only is the wrapping paper used on the gift sets, recycled, but as is the ribbon which is made from recycled plastics, and there are also fabric and natural alternatives for wrapping available. The minimal plastic packaging LUSH offers is fully recyclable and a vast majority of products are offered without a plastic option at all, for example the solid shampoo bars, facial oil moisturiser bars, bath bombs and soaps.

Speaking of bath bombs, these are perhaps what LUSH is best known for, and somewhat synonymous with the brand. We were able to trial a few of these to see the gorgeous visual and aromatic effects of them in water, before being welcomed to assist in making our very own fresh face mask from scratch. Water was served in LUSH's famous recycled black pots and a selection of vegan chocolates offered around. Hand massages and a demo of a vast variety of products rounded off the evening.

Valentines being the upcoming holiday (when we attended), 'love' was the theme of the evening and the products being featured definitely veered toward this.... I would love to have seen more of the Mothers Day and Easter range whilst there, but have since popped back in to check these out for myself anyway.

The products which really stood out to me from the evening, and from LUSH themselves are LoveBoat bath bomb which was not only visually epic, but the scent was just incredible... I actually received one of these as a gift from the staff so I look forward to giving this a go again at home!
Full of Grace naked facial oil bar, which is a revelation -  simply rub the bar between your hands until the warmth begins to melt it, and then massage the oil into your face before bed for baby-soft skin. Utter bliss.
Gor-geous facial moisturiser which is my absolute favourite facial moisturiser, although the price point on this product is ludicrously high and my allergies mean that I'm restricted on which of LUSH's moisturisers I can use as it is. However, this cream is AMAZING.... seriously! I have fairly combination skin with some parts prone to extreme oiliness and some dry and flakey...fun! And this awesome stuff deals with the lot, AND sits beautifully under my foundation and doesn't make it slide!
Bluetooth toothpaste jelly...which I can't actually attest to its effectiveness...but was so intrigued that a purchase had to be made and this one will definitely feature on my social media soon when I've given it a try...the premise is fab!

I want to say a resounding thank you to the incredible staff at LUSH Bournemouth for putting on a great evening for us, we were truly spoilt.


Emma-Louise