What a (Hayfever) relief!

Unless you have suffered from Hayfever yourself, you can never fully sympathise with any regular Hayfever sufferer....because believe me, Hayfever sucks!

I have suffered regularly from Hayfever for about 25 years now and there is no sign of it letting up anytime soon. Every year I get to early May or June (depending on the weather) and get slightly hopeful that this year, my Hayfever will just stay away....or go on a 12 month sabbatical. But no, one day I'm able to breathe perfectly fine and the next, I'm sneezing and my eyes are itching like a trooper!

Over the years I have tried so many Hayfever and antihistamine products.....some of which have never worked for me, some which have made me drowsy (despite saying they are non-drowsy) and others that have worked for short periods of time and then stopped altogether. So after 25 years of suffering, I have come to the conclusion that everyone's  management of Hayfever is going to be varied and individual. With that in mind, this blog post isn't going to be the "top 10 things to take to relieve hayfever symptoms"; instead it's going to be "my personal guide to kicking Hayfever's butt".....

I never leave the house without....
Optrex ActiMist 2 in 1 eye spray for itchy and watery eyes - this product, my friends, has changed my life! Itchy eyes are the one thing I dread in the Hayfever season, but...since I've been using this spray daily, my eyes have been itch-free! I hate drops, so this product where you spray onto your eye lids is the perfect compromise!

Clarityn Tablets - I have recently discovered that the Loratadine clarityn tablets are the most effective for me. They don't make me super drowsy and I can definitely tell when I have forgotten to take the tablet. The best thing is that you only need to take 1 tablet a day!

Nasal Spray - I use the Beconase Hayfever Relief nasal spray when my sinuses get too congested, but I am thinking of trying another brand as this one doesn't have a steroid ingredient, which is likely to be more effective.

A million packs of tissues - okay, maybe not quite a million packs but I do carry a lot of tissues....just in case!

Lens Wipes - as most of you will know, I wear glasses everyday and so, to prevent pollen sticking to the lenses of my glasses, I use a lens wipe to clean the lenses regularly.

I always....
Drink honey and lemon hot water - to help soothe my throat and help with deconjestion. It's even better if you can get your hands on some local honey.

Have a shower straight after gardening or going for walks - pollen will often cling to the oils in your hair, so to prevent this from happening, I shower immediately after doing any outdoor jobs or cutting the grass!

Keep my bedroom ventilated  - I leave my windows open at night to stop the room from getting too stuffy and humid.

Have my car window down a fraction - this may sound like a crazy idea....(letting the pollen in!?!), but keeping my car ventilated and fresh air rolling in really does help reduce the Hayfever symptoms.

 

When I'm suffering....
I soothe my itchy eyes with a cold compress or cold cucumber slices - itchy eyes is the worst feeling during the Hayfever season so if you are unfortunate to suffer from this, I have found a cold compress of sorts on the lid of the affected eye will help soothe and prevent from further itching.

I try to allow myself time to adjust to my environment if I am moving from outdoors to indoors - suddenly changing environments will affect me and it can take time for my eyes to adjust to the sensitivity of the light and the atmosphere.

I will use a steroid nasal spray (as mentioned above) -  to help ease congestion of the sinuses.
 

I have a spoonful of local honey - I am lucky that some good friends of mine who live not far away,  keep bees and make their own honey. I've always read that local honey can help to relieve symptoms of Hayfever, but I never believed it before. That is, until now...

I've tried....
Other medication (ie. Cetirizine, piriton) has made me super drowsy in the past and have not taken the edge off the symptoms!

Nasal barrier creams (ie. HayMax) and Vaseline - they just irritated my nose and were wiped off every time I blew my nose!

Infrared nasal machines (similar to this one) - worked a little bit for me around 15 years ago but was not consistent enough and I admit, I looked a bit of a prat!

...all have failed!

I'm tempted to try.....
Putting a dehumidifier in my bedroom - this is the last thing I would like to try out to see if it works. I'm yet to make a decision which one I shall try....any suggestions?

So there we have it, my comprehensive list of Hayfever relief techniques. Do any of these help you? Have you found anything else I haven't mentioned? What are you're top tips? I'd love to know....now, please pass me a tissue! *achoo*

Big Love,
L
x

Cheltenham’s Cosy Club Review | Spring 2018

On a girly shopping and lunch date with my best friend and fellow blogger Deb (from Mabel’s Beauty Bee) we tend to eat in the same cafes and restaurants that offer vegan and gluten free choices, but just a few weeks ago we stumbled upon our local ‘Cosy Club’ in Cheltenham.

Cheltenham’s Cosy Club is situated in the recently revamped Brewery Quarter off the high street, where you can find other eateries, a Premier Inn, Gym and a Cineworld Cinema. We stepped inside the Cosy Club with wonderment - amazed by the restaurant’s decor and theming. I love chandeliers - very classy! The Cosy Club has 2 areas; a lounge/bar area and a waiter service area, meaning that you can just pop in for a casual lunch or book a table for a more formal dining occasion.

From the moment we set foot in the Cosy Club, the staff made us feel welcome and they were appropriately attentive all through the lunch we enjoyed. The staff made sure our table was clean, gave us enough time to peruse the menu without feeling rushed and they all looked genuinely pleased to be working a busy Sunday lunchtime shift!

The Cosy Club menu is clearly labelled with gluten free and vegan options, but you can also request separate menus to make it even easier to choose. I was torn between a few items on the menu, but eventually ordered the Fish Finger Sandwich & a side of fries (£8.95); which was scrummy! Deb, who is gluten and dairy intolerant, decided on the ‘Rather Elegant Brunch’ (with an extra topping of smoked back bacon, £7.95) and a side of fries (£2.50).

Both of us thoroughly enjoyed our lunch and coffee stop at the Cosy Club and immediately agreed we would be coming back. I am looking forward to sampling the further delights of the Spring/Summer menu in the next few weeks.

Have you been to a Cosy Club? If so, let me know what you enjoyed and what I should try next!

Big Love,
L x

Things I bought in April: Disney, Typo & Old English Company

Ever wondered what I splurge on when I have some spare cash at the end of the month? Well, this month I treated myself to something special from the Disney Store, a new dress, 2 new pairs of shoes, Disney stationary from Typo, a set of enamel pins, a new lunch box and a gift or two...

Let’s start with the gifts! As some of you may know, my parents have a holiday home in Italy and so now, there is a running ‘Prosecco’ theme in my family. Any family get together we have, there is Prosecco. So on a recent trip to my local garden centre, The 3 Shires, I found a magnet (“I put the PRO in Prosecco”, £2.50) and a wooden sign (“The best nights are spent with good friends and plenty of Prosecco”, £2.50) that are perfect gifts for my big sister and my mum. I hope they love them! (Psssst....Mum & Sara - if you’re reading look away now, photo coming up!)

My next purchase is also from another local garden centre, Trioscape, where they have the most gorgeous gifts! If you love the Alex Clark or Wrendale brands, then you will love this place as they have loads!! Trioscape is a traditional garden centre just on the outskirts of Newent in Gloucestershire, complete with a gift shop, deli and restaurant. If you live nearby or ever find yourself in the area, go check Trioscape out - you’ll be impressed! Anyway, my purchase was a lunch cool bag (£3.99) in a funky Alpaca print and with a hilarious motto which has got all my colleagues laughing out loud: “Alpaca the lunch!” A lunch bag that brightens everyone’s day...win, win!

Typo is a brand that I have heard mentioned a lot recently so I felt like I had to check it out. As most of you will know, I am a big Disney fan and Typo have some lovely Disney themed products! I must admit that I did have to restrain myself somewhat and I treated myself to just a few bits. For blogging reasons, I found the perfect Disney notebook (£2.50) and pen (£6.00)- they look and feel really good quality. I purchased a simple black rucksack (with Mickey ears!) from Primark last year and for a while now I have been thinking of adding a bit more Disney to it. So when I stumbled across the Little Mermaid and classic Mickey head enamel pins from Typo (£4.00 each), I knew I had to have them and start creating my personalised rucksack! Check it out below...

On a recent trip to Cheltenham, I found myself in the Apricot dressing room with an armful of dresses and tops. I love Apricot clothing because it suits my shape and style and it is affordable fashion! Although I tried on quite a few items, this month I only came away with 1 dress; a gorgeous denim look, thin cotton shirt dress with button up front detail and denim look belt (£15 in the sale). Since purchasing a few weeks back, I have worn the dress once and it was so comfortable and airy. It can be dressed up or dressed down, worn with tights or no tights....it’s very versatile! I love it! For a more casual look, I styled it up with a pair of my next purchase.....

....Tom’s! If you know me, you will know that I practically live in Tom’s during the Spring and Summer seasons. Why? Because they are the comfiest canvas shoes on the planet! I love their ‘One For One’ Campaign, where they send a pair of shoes to a child or an adult who lives in a poorer, developing country. This time I went for 2 bold colours that will fit with a variety of styles; Fuchsia & Peacock (currently in the sale for £29). These Tom’s will be perfect for my summer trip to Italy!

Everyone needs a bit more Disney in their life, especially if it’s blue and fluffy, with big ears and is totally adorable! Of course I’m talking about the loveable Stitch...but not just any Stitch, I bought Hawaiian Stitch (£22, The Disney Store)! Do I really need to say anymore?

My last purchase was from ‘The Old English Company’*, a UK online shop which sells clothing, stationary, prints, homeware and enamel pins. You can find some of their products stocked in Oliver Bonas, Paperchase and Urban Outfitters. Their style is right up my street and their enamel pins are so cute! I treated myself to 4 enamel pins to add to my collection (£7.00 each). Check out their enamel pin collection online here and enter their competition (before 30th May) to be in with a chance of winning a set of enamel pins from their new collection. I have my sights set on the ‘Ice Cream’ pin and some of their coasters. If you haven’t already, take a few minutes to look through their products and I’m sure you’ll find something you fall in love with.

I’ve linked everything in the blog post in case you are interested in buying any of the items. Let me know your favourite item from my mini haul in the comments section below.
Until next time....

Big Love,
L x

*The Old English Company Ad

Top 10 things to do in New York City

I have had the privilege of visiting New York City 3 times; taking time to explore the tourist sights as well as wandering off the beaten track. Here are my top 10 things to do in New York City....

1. Top of the Rock

The best time to visit is late in the afternoon, an hour before sunset so that you get to experience the sights of Central Park and the Empire State Building in the daylight and by night.

2. Stroll through Central Park

Start at the Columbus Circle entrance to the park and walk aimlessly, taking in the sights and sounds. Be sure to explore Bow Bridge, Strawberry Fields and Bethesda Terrace.

3. Staten Island Ferry

There is no excuse not to do this trip as the ferry is free for everyone. I would suggest travelling out to Staten Island later in the afternoon when it is still light and travel back as the sun sets. Look out for Lady Liberty on your journey.

4. 9/11 Memorial Pools

Even if you don’t get time to go to the museum, make time to stroll around each memorial pool and reflect on the events of 9/11 and spend a few minutes thinking about all of the people affected. Despite being in the middle of a busy financial area, it is amazing how peaceful this place is.

5.  Take the Ellis Island Museum Tour

New York is a multicultural city and that all started decades ago when millions of travellers from around Europe left their home country to settle into NYC....only to be investigated at the Ellis Island Immigratiom Centre. The museum is full of fascinating history and well worth a visit.

6. Have a burger at ‘The Counter’

If you love burgers, fries and milkshakes then you have to visit ‘The Counter’ - it’s affordable, in a central location and most importantly.....the burgers taste amazing!

7. Walk along the Brooklyn Bridge

Rain or shine, a leisurely walk along New York’s iconic bridge is an absolute MUST.

8. Go to a Broadway Show

There are plenty of productions to choose from, from Les Mierables and the Lion King, to Frozen and Sponge Bob Square Pants! Our choice was the popular and long running musical, Phantom of the Opera; it was a beautiful production.

9. Explore Times Square at night

Times Square is my favourite area of New York and perfect for the ultimate Instagram selfie. If you love late night shopping, hustle and bustle and bright lights, then Times Square is definitely for you!

10. Watch the ice skaters in Central Park, Bryant Park and the Rockerfella Centre.

New York has 3 main ice rinks in the winter and whilst they can get very busy on the ice, being a spectator can be just as fun!

Have you been to New York? I’d love to know what are your Top 10 things to do in the Big Apple....

Until next time. Big love,
L x