Stefanie Grace

Restaurant: Empress of Sichuan, Chinatown, London

2012-01-25T11:00:00.000Z

Chinatown last night

Last night we went to Chinatown in London, as we had been in London flat hunting for Mark. We found a lovely 1bed in Finchley Central... But anyway, it was Chinese new year and I fancied some good food, so we hopped on the tube into Leicester Square and found a very lovely place, full of people (although many restaurants were) on Lisle Street.

"Chef Kang Dong was formerly the Head Chef of Dujiang Yan Grand Hotel in the Sichuan Province and has been perfecting his menu with over twenty years of experience in both China and Europe. He presents his dishes in style and with panache, keeping true to his roots by presenting unusual cuts of meat and offal with garlic, chilli and the ubiquitous Sichuan pepper."

Taken from the restaurant website

Food: We enjoyed prawn crackers, crispy Peking duck with pancakes, hot and spicy ribs, chicken with red and green chillies, shredded pork in Peking sauce and fried noodles with vegetables. It was all delicious but we definitely over ordered as the servings were enough for 2 people per dish. We ended up bringing most of it home for lunch today.

Yummy Crispy Duck

Service: The staff were very lovely and extremely attentive, almost bordering on too much so but never overbearing. The waitresses all knew the menu well and were able to recommend dishes, help you choose between two different ones and give their own favourites. I probably wouldn't have plumped for the spicier ribs, had the waitress' eyes not lit up when I asked which were better. The chilli was a little too hot for me, but I quite liked the fact that it was too spicy because I don't often believe Chinese menus when they say 'very spicy'.

Price Range: The list of food above, plus 2 beers, 2 glasses of wine and 2 bottles of water came to £85. At just over £42pp, I wasn't shocked by the price, given the portion sizes, however it was more than I had estimated.

Lisle Street

Atmosphere: the decor of the restaurant is modern, yet still very Asian with fountains and lanterns tastefully added to a dark, classic decor style. The restaurant was buzzing, but not busy, there was a full mix of ages and races in there and everyone seemed to be enjoying their food. I would definitely go back.

Location: 6 Lisle Street, Chinatown, London, WC2H 7BG
Tel: 020 7734 8128
Web: www.empressofsichuan.com

Spotted this little side street on our way back to the station

Ideal Home Show Spring 2012

2012-01-23T12:06:00.000Z

Did you realise that the Ideal Home Show has been running for 104 years? That's pretty impressive. This year they're back and it's looking better than ever. I have often received pr emails about this event but to be honest this is the first year that I have ever been interested in paying attention to it, because I've always been a live-out-of-a-suitcase kinda gal (not always by choice, but definitely by circumstance, so I am now excited by the prospect of owning pieces of furniture and kitchen equipment without knowing that I'm going to have to sell them somehow to get rid of them before I get on a plane. This doesn't mean that I won't ever travel or live abroad again, but I definitely want to have something to come back to when I do (or be able to take them with me!). Below is a little more info for those of you who are also looking to settle down a little bit and become a "homemaker."

I'm not very good at coming up with ideas for homes. I could never be an interior designer, I need to see it all put together first to know that it all works. I have more luck with outfits in that way. That's why I'm pretty excited to know that the showhomes at the show are actual life-size mock ups in a residential street. It'll be like snooping around the homes of interior designers. Very Location, Location, Location-esque but with a glamorous element. Not that the lovely Kirsty Allsopp isn't glam enough herself! Speaking of Kirsty, she was on hand to visit the Prince's Pavillion. An entirely eco-friendly concept in partnership with the Princes' trust, this attraction is new for 2012, celebrating great British design, sustainability and traditional skills. I am a big fan of this idea, as I am currently celebrating Why Britain is Great in a series of blog posts. For more info on this project, visit this page.

And for those not quite as willing to knock down walls willy-nilly like the lovely Kirsty, then there will be a simple How-To-Theatre for DIY newbies, as well as a huge gardening section to prepare you for getting outside when the warmer weather finally arrives. I'm a bit of a gadget geek, so the ideal Home of the Future section from Virgin Media will be showcasing all of the latest domestic appliances to make it more fun to be in the kitchen or avoid the cleaning.

I love food. I love cooking and I'm excited to know that the Ideal Home Show has a lovely cookery section, with live shows from celebrity chefs and Masterchef favourite I-love-my-puds food critic Gregg Wallace will be on hand to do some tasting with you.

But if you aren't quite into home decoration or getting on to the property ladder, don't forget that the Ideal Woman section will feature a live catwalk show and there will be a plethora of shopping options. They'll even ship your purchases to you, should you go a little crazy and don't fancy getting on the Tube with your stash.

For more info on attending the Ideal Home Show Spring 2012, the lovely PR people for the event have sent me all of the finalised details here:

Ideal HomeShow 2012 sponsored by Everest, 16^thMarch to 1^st April,Earls Court, London.
ToBook tickets now log on to http://www.idealhomeshow.co.ukor bycalling the Ticket Hotline on 0844 858 6763. Group bookings can be made by calling the Groups Hotline on 0871 230 5581. The show will open itsdoors from the 16^th March – 1^st April 2012, and will beopen Daily 10am - 6pm. Thursday open until 9pm.
The 2012 show is onceagain supporting the Ideal Homes For Heroes appeal in aid of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity– see www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/ideal-homes-for-heroes/for details.

Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred

2012-01-20T12:03:00.000Z

This dvd home workout has been around for a while but I haven't tried it before. I'm a big fan of The Biggest Loser and I have used their Wii game in the past but as a general rule, I don't really enjoy workout dvds. I get very bored with them, they tend to be very repetitive as do the silly jokes made on them by the presenters. That really puts me off listening to them every day.

However, negativity aside I didn't want the expense of joining the gym when I moved back to England. And, neither did I particularly want to be a cliche: one of those people you stare at on the treadmill in the first week of January, knowing full well that they wont be around in February. And because I happened to move back into the area in December, I would therefore by default have had to become one of them.

So this dvd appealed for a couple of reasons:

1. It only lasts 30 days and it is broken down into 3 levels each of 10 days. For me that was a feeling of progression, by following a month-long programme and not just a cheap alternative to going to the gym.

2. It is not presented by some D-list celebrity who will be proclaiming how fat and unhappy they are on the front of Closer magazine in 6 months' time. Jillian Michaels is a bonafide personal trainer who I have seen transform people's lives over and over again on The Biggest Loser. She gets results. I want results. Simple.

I'll be blogging each level so for those of you interested in trying it, I'll try to be as detailed as possible, sweat drip by sweat drip. It's going to be fun.

Apres-Ski Glam

2012-01-19T17:57:00.002Z

I've been looking for a pair of ankle wedges ever since I got back from Costa Rica. My go-to work-look out and about in Costa Rica was a pair of cropped trousers with a simple T-shirt or off-the-shoulder wide-striped jumper. It went brilliantly with sandals or stylish platformed heels but now I'm back to reality (and the British winter!), I need something else to go with my cropped trousers. Whilst style is important, comfort is also imperative because I am not one to let a pair of shoes sit in my wardrobe looking pretty and gathering dust (ah-hmm, Mother!). I actually wear my shoes. Gosh, I'm a demanding gal!

However, browsing online today I found this fabulous pair of boots by London Rebel on Sarenza. Are they the answer to all of my freezing-tootsie needs? Well, they just may be! And they're perfect for wearing with rolled-up jeans too, which is great because I'm fed up of trying to cram my straight leg Levis into knee-high boots. All of that bulky denim sitting at the top of the boot is NOT a good look.

Faux-fur is NOT faux-fun!
A couple of weeks ago I popped on my faux-fur gilet over my black skinnies to go for a drink with my boyfriend who took one look at my outfit and proclaimed that I looked like an well-off, apres-ski wife in the chalet who said, "Dahhhling, I'd like a glass of Chardonnay." The problem was that I just had to put on my old, brown knee-highs and it just took away the glamour. I needed heels. I needed sheepskin wedges. That's why these shoes needs to be a part of my life. They make me want to curl up in front of the fire, click my expensively-manicured fingers and demand that chardonnay.

WIN! $500 to spend on joie.com!

2012-01-18T18:41:00.003Z

I just found out about this contest on Polyvore and I'm on my way out for dinner so unfortunately don't have time to enter myself. Gutted - maybe I'll skip dessert! But you can all still do it - it ends at midnight TONIGHT Pacific time! (For UK readers, that is 8am tomorrow morning!)

I'm a big fan of Polyvore (I reviewed the site here a few years ago) and I often use them for creating looks for my blog. Do you use it?

Joie is a fabulous label and they have a stunning website! Why not have a quick look around now and then enter the competition! You've got nothing to lose! Rules are below. Good luck!

Here is a little inspiration for you:

How to Enter:

Create a Joie-inspired set for a chance to win a $500 gift card to joie.com! Your set will be featured on the Joie website if you are successful!
All looks must include two of the featured items on contest page and the "Style Your Look" logo.
Winning set will be judged by Joie Fashion panel and announced Jan 20th!

I'm going to Paris!

2012-01-17T23:16:00.000Z

Last night I booked a trip to Paris with my Mum! We are going for three days in February. I'm hoping it will be a fun girls' weekend packed to the brim with shopping and sightseeing, plus a little wine, cheese and crepes!

I have been there a couple of times before but there are a few things that I've never really done, that I would like to do. I'd like to go to Colette and see the Mona Lisa (I went to the Louvre but they closed the other half before I got there!).

Crepes in the Latin Quarter

Jardin des Tuileries

Do any of you have ideas of where to go and what to do whilst I'm there? Off the beaten track? Any good cafes or restaurants that I should do?

Glamour at the Golden Globes

2012-01-16T21:56:00.000Z

If you follow me on Twitter, you will know that I stayed up and tweeted my way through the red carpet show for the Golden Globe Awards last night, staying up til almost 2am to watch it. When the alarm went off this morning, I was NOT a happy bunny!

One of the main things that came across last night on the Golden Globes red carpet was that glamour is back in a big way. Big gowns and big hair are right up my street so staying up to watch the red carpet arrivals on E! was a real pleasure! Dresses were long and stylish with lots of sumptious material and textures, fishtails, sequins and jewels. One of my favourites was Sofia Vergara, who kept her hair, makeup and jewellery simple and let the beautiful gown do the talking. There were a lot of nude, wedding dress looks but there were also great punches of colour up and down the red carpet.

How stunning does Reese look? And Salma is looking fabulous!

What was your favourite look?

Why Britain is Great: Pub Quizzes

2012-01-15T12:30:00.000Z

Given that English pubs will easily consitute an entire post in themselves, I am starting here with the wonder that is The Great British Pub Quiz. Whilst it isn't entirely well-documented when and where pub quizzes started, we can almost definitely claim that it is British and my extensive sources and research (ie googling Wikipedia) can confirm this.

This may be the hardest round that I have ever seen!

I do love a good quiz. As does my boyfriend Mark, so we often try and find a great local quiz when I'm at his. His family are really into quizzing too so it's lovely to go in a big group. And now that I am back in Lincolnshire I am looking into some of the local quizzes around here with my mum, as well as a couple of pub meals whilst I'm at it!

Isn't he lovely?

What constitutes a quality quiz for me is a good mix of questions. I want general knowledge, things that have been in the news and also a little bit of celebrity gossip, just so that I can throw out my extensive knowledge (usually as the only one at the table with any clue!). We frequented so many over the Christmas period that our 2011 knowledge got better at each one, which really helped us as we hadn't been in the country for such a huge part of the year (I spent about 5 weeks in the UK last year!)

My local quiz produced this on Friday

Do you love a good pub quiz? Where are your favourites?

Christmas by Instagram

2012-01-13T22:02:00.000Z

I never did share my lovely Christmas pictures with you. I was trying to get my Instagram on my phone to talk to my Instagram on my iPad and somehow get that on to my laptop... confusing to say the least! However, I have cracked it! I'm not a technophobe... I swear...

I spent Christmas Eve with my boyfriend and his brother and fiancee in the pub before catching the train home for Christmas Day at home and then driving over to my grandparents for Boxing Day. I then spent a good few days on the sofa with a box of Quality Street getting over all of the festivities! Hope you all enjoyed your holidays!

I heart this!

2012-01-12T16:19:00.000Z

This is amazing. I just found it on Pinterest.

Do you pin?

Today, statistically, should be CRAP!

2012-01-11T16:25:00.001Z

It's official. The second Wednesday in January is statistically the most depressing day of the year. It's not Christmas anymore - and doesn't your wallet know it! -, the shops are now filled with Cadbury's Creme Eggs and various other Easter goodies that not only make you groan in the same way that you did when tinsel appeared in Tesco in September, but also despair because salivating at the sight of shelves and shelves of sweet, sweet chocolate is not wholly conducive to your new fitness regime, which is waning slightly because on Friday night you were so proud of yourself for getting through the week that you went for a curry. And a glass of wine. Ok, maybe two. I certainly did.

My Monday lunchtime Bellinis...

At this point in the month, you are either still going hardcore (very unlikely), have completely given up and hit the leftover Christmas chocolates (well, they couldn't just SIT there could they?) OR if you are like me, you doing all of the above - in moderation. This seems to make sense anyway, as any kind of hugely restrictive attitude towards food and exercise will only serve to drive you crazy by the time you reach your second alcohol-free, sugar-free, fun-free weekend of 2012. And if you are one of those saints, raving on about how this detox has made you feel new again and everyone should do a juice cleanse and yoga session, then quite frankly, you can take your holier-than-thou comments and shove them, well, I imagine you-know-where. And that doesn't mean that I don't believe that it works for you, because I'm sure that it does, but it certainly doesn't work for me. Yes, I am watching what I am eating and YES I am actually working out every day following a programme, but if I blabber on about it, then it will become an obsession and a fad and I'll give it up as soon as I get fed up of listening to myself go on.

At lunch the other day with a friend, I must have mentioned 'points' about fifteen times. Apologies to her because I was actually chowing down on a pizza at the time and it was mighty good. And it was tracked. And I worked out that morning. So actually, I'm making this healthy lifestyle part of my life, not just my January. In fact, I have been doing so for about a year and a half now. It feels good.

It's a crying shame that my new start has actually coincided with the New Year, so I actually seem to have a lot of resolutions (see Monday's post) (and I do state that they are resolutions giving into the hype, even though I don't like that label). However, I have been wanting to make the leap to write full-time from home for a while, and moving back to the UK just happened to be at Christmas, so so be it. Apologies if I seem like a hypocrite but incidentally, if you are lacking in friends willing to go for a Friday night curry and a glass of wine in January, give me a call. Everything in moderation.

Home is not so bad...

2012-01-10T23:30:00.000Z

Look at these beautiful pictures of the slow sunrise yesterday. I was in a hurry to work out and get to the station to meet my friend, otherwise I would have sat with my coffee and enjoyed the view. I love how the pink just sits above the old English houses and the church... So pretty.

2012: Time to SORT IT OUT!

2012-01-09T00:55:00.004Z

For those of you who follow me on Twitter (@stefaniegrace), you may have already noticed a couple of my#2012SortItOut hash tags.
This is one all-encompassing New Year's resolution. Whilst I do hope that this is not perceived to be too general, the actual hope it that it will be rather easy to stick to, due to the fact that it can apply to anything, from tidying up something at the time as opposed to doing it later to fixing your attitude.

In fact, the following list is actually what is does apply to in traditional resolution terms:

Career: This is the year that I hope to become completely self-sufficient on freelance writing. I have moved home in order to have no great outgoing expenses but am hoping not to be here this time next year. Equally I do not wish to give up and go and get a job in the City like everybody else.
Fitness: Cliche I know, but never mind. I am actually someone who works out a lot but hasn't in the last couple of months due to moving house and going away etc. I am about 3 stones (42 lbs) lighter than I was when I was 20. However, I do have a little more weight to lose in order to be truly happy and fighting fit. I keep hitting plateaus, so I am hoping that by sorting out a simple routine that I will find it easier to fit in exercise as part of my day.
Food: As well as fitness, I also want to be cooking a lot more which should help with weight loss. Yesterday, I proved that I could do that quite easily. Now I just have to keep it up. I am always looking to share recipes and get tips from all of you so don't be shy here in the comments, on Twitter and on Facebook...
Finances: This is a big one. Since leaving university, Ive had a fabulous time and really lived the high life. However, this has taken a toll on my bank account and savings are unheard of. Time to rein it in. This will not be easy.
Positivity: I have a tendency to complain about things even if I dont actually care that much about what I'm saying. It's a bad habit that I'm in and makes me seem way more negative than I actually am, so I'm working on happiness and positivity. This was something that I worked on last year too and I'm in such a good place for it. If you haven't read Gretchen Rubin's 'The Happiness Project', please go and buy it right now. It was my book of 2011 (and I read a lot of them!)

What are your New Year's resolutions? Have you stuck to them so far?

Sunday: three courses, of course!

2012-01-08T23:16:00.001Z

I got busy in the kitchen today. I love it when Sundays can be all about cooking and family time! I awoke to the sound of my brother's music playing (not my favourite, I'll admit but still...) and to my Mum laughing at Friends reruns downstairs. On Comedy Central, they were playing Chandler's best episodes and every single one was simply hilarious!

So when I finally managed to get up off the sofa, I headed to the supermarket to stock up on healthy ingredients for my three course extravaganza. No special occasion, except maybe the last day of the holidays as everyone gets back into work mode tomorrow. The pluses of living with a teacher is taking the same long holidays as them!

So first up was Grilled Portobello Mushroom with vegetables and goats cheese with a balsamic glaze. This was followed by Spaghetti Bolognese made with Turkey Mince, making it very low fat and not at all greasy. Result!

Finally this extravaganza is homemade LOW FAT strawberry cheesecake. I was amazed, firstly, that it set so well and cut into such perfect slices, but also that it tasted so good and not at all low fat. Pretty darn proud of myself there if you don't mind me saying. (Thanks to Weight Watchers for the recipe however...) Afterwards we played Scrabble (one the iPad!) and I finally got around to painting my nails. A lovely evening!

And this is my ultimate boast: Look at the beautifully clean and organised fridge stocked full of wonderful healthy ingredients for a great week! Gold star to me!

I'm off to meet a friend from uni tomorrow for the day, meaning work will have to be put off for another day. Oops!

How did you spend your Sunday? Hope you all have a great week!

Why Britain is Great: Walking

2012-01-07T23:33:00.000Z

As part of my move back to England, I have decided to write about all of the things that I love about being in the UK. This will not only aid me in getting over the fact that we moved back from Costa Rica in the midst of a Great British Winter! So every now and then you will find a 'Why Britain is Great' blog. If you have any ideas of what I can write about let me know. I'm ready to embrace pub quizzes, fish and chips, cups of tea and the countryside walks...

One of the reasons that I am so happy to be back in England because we can actually walk somewhere here. Like just walk out of your door, down the street and you can find things: shops, hairdressers, cafes and so on. We had to drive everywhere in Costa Rica which used to drive me (no pun intended) a little stir crazy. I missed getting out and about. So over the last few weeks, I have been taking advantage of the countryside right outside of my boyfriend's house, popping my wellies on and getting out. In the freezing cold. Yes that is one thing: can't wait for the bloody summer. Living in Lincolnshire I fully intend on getting out and about and seeing what this county has to offer. Any tips, let me know!

Here are some pictures around Tring (Herts) reservoir:

What do you think of my denim/leather/fur layering?

Lacking in water in looks just like a beach!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-06T00:20:00.000Z

As you may have all gathered from various tweets and other blogs, last week I spent New Year's Eve at the fireworks in London. They were spectacular! I went with Mark, his brother Simon and his fiancee Meredith and we had a lot of fun. We got the train into London for the evening, had a couple of drinks in a pub before going for a simple dinner at Pizza Express and then we headed down to the river for the festivities. There was a BBC Radio One DJ playing and everyone was in great spirits, which was fabulous to see, given some of the terrible reasons that London hit the headlines for in 2011 (There were good things too I know!). 2012 is the year for bouncing back with the Olympics so the London Mayor spent £1million ensuring that it got off to a good start!

Heading Home Today!

2012-01-05T10:45:00.000Z

I've been at Mark's house for a week now and we've had such a lovely time! Mark's SiL-to-be, Meredith, has been over from the States. It's so nice to see her for a longer period of time, especially because it is so lovely to see her spending time with Simon, Mark's brother as he is still in the UK until his fiancé visa comes through. They are getting married in August and then we lose him to the other side of the pond. It does mean a few lovely trips to the US though! :)

So what have we been up to? We have been to pub quizzes, had a lot of Come Dine With Me-style three course meals (menu to come soon!) and New Year's Eve was a lot of fun at the London fireworks.

Unfortunately the boiler exploded at my house last week meaning that there was no hot water there, so I stayed a couple of extra days here with the option of a hot shower in the morning. I have also enjoyed a couple of days getting into applying for freelance jobs and reading a lot. This has given me chance to focus on what I want to do and what kind of routine I need to be able to work from home so I am actually pretty stoked to get home and get started! I'm an definitely sticking to my resolution to Sort it Out!

2012: Going for Gold

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000Z

It's 2012! Year of the Olympics for London. I was on the Southbank for the NYE 2011 celebrations where London spent £1million on a fireworks show to officially start the countdown to the Games. The show was spectacular and the atmosphere was jolly and cheerful. Fabulous.

Victoria Pendleton in Harper's Bazaar UK Jan 2012

And now the countdown is being solidified in the beauty and fashion world too. Pantene has signed cyclist Victoria Pendleton as the face of its Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek range for 2012, swimmer Keri-Anne Payne is the face of Max Factor's False Lash Effect Gold mascara (not the waterproof version surprisingly) and Northern gold medal favourite Jessica Ennis has signed with Olay.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is my new girl crush. Wow!

The January Body Issue of Harper's Bazaar UK also featured Victoria Pendleton alongside swimmer Francesca Halsall and heptathlete Louise Hazel in stunning couture gowns championing fitness as well as achievement and patriotism for the London Games. Noone is going to escape the build up over the next few months even if they aren't a fan of sports. So I say we embrace it anyway! Let's go London! Bring on the Glory!

My Newfound Love of Reading

2012-01-03T11:10:00.000Z

I have always considered myself to be a reader. Reading, writing and yoga feature heavily on my list of hobbies for any profile that I fill in. Funnily enough, as I'm sure happens to even the most eager of us, I realised that I was not regularly partaking in ANY of these activities. In fact, I had only recently admitted to myself that 'netball' could no longer be classed as a hobby, given that I last played when I was 15, nine years ago.

Back in February last year I decided that I really needed to do something about this. I still classed myself as a writer but, despite being so busy at work, I barely wrote more than a to-do list and a shopping list in my spare time. However, it was easy enough to get back on the blog and help my boyfriend with his new blog. Task one complete. I had also recently joined Goodreads, an online social network for reading enthusiasts, where you can fill in a profile - see where this is going! - and review books that you have read, update your status as to what page you are on and so forth. Combine that with automatic, non-annoying Twitter updates to fuel my tweeting obsession (that's what should really be on my hobbies and activities list) and I was hooked. There was just one small problem: I hardly ever (read: never) read. Magazines I read, although flicking through those had become the lazy way of reading at that point too. Time for a change.

Goodreads have Reading Challenges every year where you challenge yourself to read a certain amount of books in the year and they would reward you with a badge for your blog and a virtual pat on the back. This sounded like fun. Despite it being already two full months into the year, I signed up for twenty books. I am nothing if not frightfully ambitious.

Fast forward two months and my tracker was stating that I had read three books but should ideally be on 7 or 8 by this point. That seemed impossible. Having said that, I thought that if I could just cut down on my reality show reruns, I was probably in with a shot. Then I decided to complete the Steig Larsson trilogy. Surely shorter books would have been more beneficial to the cause? By the end of August, I finally finished with Blomkvist and Lisbeth's tales but I was hideously behind on my challenge. Add to that my loaded 3-job work schedule and I was a little overwhelmed. But never mind! Soldier on... I read Hungry by Crystal Renn, If You Have to Cry, Go Outside by everyone's favourite outspoken PR guru Kelly Cutrone, and quite a few novels that had recently become movies because I have no interest in a book once I have seen the movie, so I had some reading to do before they hit the cinemas - or the DVD player for that matter... I ploughed through Something Borrowed, The Help, The Lovely Bones and One Day. I also bought Water for Elephants but lent it to a friend whilst I worked through an enormous stack of other 'to-reads'. Haven't quite managed to get that one back yet.

Reading Steig Larsson back in April

The beginning of December came and although I was still behind, it was definitely doable. I was leaving Costa Rica and on a beach road trip, giving me all the time in the world to sit back on the sunbed with a novel. For the first two weeks this worked very well, but after that once in England, I found myself caught up in a flurry of social engagements combined with a box of Quality Street and television on the sofa.

By Dec 29th, I was on my 17th book with no.'s 18 and 19 started but not finished at all. Number 17 was The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, which made me stop and look at life and just sit smiling after every chapter. Shame I didn't really have time for that nonsense! So I rushed through some parts less relevant to my life and even read Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox to try and quickly up the book count (only 84 pages!). I was barely taking in a word of anything that I read. Then I gave myself a couple of extra days to complete the 2011 Challenge, with the reasoning being that I would have wasted the past 10 months if I didn't finish all 20.

It is now 3rd of January and I have read 19.5 books plus a couple of chapters of ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six Figure Income. Have I failed in the challenge? Absolutely. Do I care? Not at all. I read nineteen and a half books last year, whilst globe trotting and holding down 3 jobs. I didn't get a badge on my blog, but I've got one for 2012. The target? 20 books in 12 months. I know that I could have possibly pledged more, but I'd actually like to enjoy the books this year and catch up on the 16 reviews that I didn't have time for last year. I can proudly say "Yes, I read" now and those online profiles are just stating nothing but the truth - on the reading front anyway. But who knows, I might drag out my yoga mat later this week...

Happy Reading for 2012!

A Photoshop Dummy...

2011-12-27T17:46:00.000Z

One of my favourite gifts this year was from my boyfriend. We weren't together on Christmas Day, having just got back from Costa Rica, we spent the holidays catching up with our own families. This meant that we didn't open our presents in front of each other, which also meant that we avoided seeing those faces of fake joy at a present the other one isn't too fond of. Having said that however, Mark is rarely nothing but spot on with the presents that he gets me even if his organisational skills are a little off... The thought put into and the choice of the gift is always amazing.

This year I had a book. And an email. Yes, an email. He hadnt got around to picking up my present from the local blacksmith's where the package had been dropped so he said he could just send me an email... I wasn't sure what that meant. However, it turned out to be Adobe Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book plus a year's subscription! And as I'm back up North, I may as well tell you that I am bloomin' chuffed with it! You see, its on my list to work on my blog and social media career in 2012 so this is just what I wanted. And it was a huge surprise. Fabulous!

Thanks mi amor!Xx

Christmas Dog Walk

2011-12-27T17:13:00.001Z

Having spent most of Christmas Day opening presents,playing with my new iPad2 and sipping champers and then most of Boxing Day visiting my grandparents, we never quite managed to get out with the dogs which left them fed up and frustrated this morning. Max, the boy, then also took is frustration out on my pile of presents! So it was time to take a stroll this afternoon! And just look at them enjoying it!

Recognising What You Have

2011-12-20T14:49:00.000Z

I believe in good karma. I also believe in helping those less fortunate than yourselves. And no, I am not a huge philanthropist. However, I always give anything unwanted to the charity shops and I almost always give to charity boxes, even when those people are at my car window, a common occurrence in Costa Rica. That 50p will probably serve them more than it will serve me.

Looking at my life in Costa Rica, I felt like one of the 'rich', despite not having that much money to prove it. I was still living in a gated building and driving around in a 4x4. I often had this feeling of indignation when people presumed that I was well-off and overcharged me for the simplest of things. Why does my haircut cost more than the local girl next to me with longer hair? The answer unfortunately is because I look like a rich American expat. I was none of the above. And in retrospect I don't blame them for thinking that way. Alongside the frustration of feeling like that came the guilty feeling. Is there any particular reason why I was born into this position and they weren't? Do not get me wrong, I was not living surrounded by extreme cases of poverty. In fact, Costa Rica does a fine job of using what they have and creating a good income for their people, in comparison to many neighbouring Central American countries. Take Nicaragua for example. Some of the nicest people that I met in Costa Rica were not local. They were in fact the maids, security guards and gardeners around the offices where I worked and the places where I lived. And they were Nicaraguan. And as a general rule, they weren't well respected by Costa Ricans. There is a lot of history between the two countries, especially when it comes to labour and immigration so I'm not about to wade into a huge political debate. I am merely stating the facts as I saw them.

One particular person that I had a lot of time and respect for was my maid/ domestic helper/ cleaner- call her what you will. She came twice a week to my house so I guess she was my cleaner. This in my eyes is a preferable phrase as it doesn't denote class difference as strongly as the other options do. I can't say that I didn't use the word 'maid' a few times though, as that was socially acceptable over there. She had a name however - Graciela - and that seemed to be the best way of referring to and addressing her. Funny that.

Graciela always had a smile on her face and despite working extra hard for fewer hours so as to shorten her day for the same money, I didn't really care because she did it with such a good character that I could never really find a reason to be truly annoyed at her for very long. So when it came to leaving the country and coming back to England, she was the most helpful for a number of reasons. She willingly took a couple of huge bags of clothes and shoes that I couldn't pack to bring home. Most were old pieces, things I had barely worn and items I had stopped wearing. I offered them to her and she graciously and gratefully took them to distribute amongst friends and family. Given that there are no charity shops in CR, I would have had to have thrown them out, so this way I feel better to have not wasted so many things and also to have made so many people happy with just a few simple things.

This blog is not meant to be one long toot-my-own-horn post, so please excuse me if it is beginning to sound that way. I suppose you cannot help but sound a little conceited when you say that doing nice things for other people makes you feel good. It is a little unavoidable, yet it should not discourage you from doing those good things in the first place. Very few acts of kindness are selfless in that respect, but that does not make them selfish. Noted to self. On with my story.

There were many more things that needed to be sold/ gotten rid of quickly when we decided to move home. Namely a wide screen plasma, a couple of desks, a computer with various screens, bedding and other soft furnishings as well as a huge mountain of, if I'm honest, barely-used kitchen equipment. Oh, and a car. Where on earth was I going to find somewhere or someone to unload this on to, and hopefully make back something on the gazillions that it had all cost?

Enter Graciela. With cash. She wanted to buy the television and some of the kitchen equipment in order to try and save up to buy her 16 year old daughter her first computer. For school. The makings of a fabulous sob story, but one I believed to be true. I wanted to help her out anyway, given that I was going to be letting her go just before Christmas. Not the best timing. It became a "How much do you want for it?" "Well, how much have you got?" scenario in which we, in an effort to get rid of as much as possible as quickly as possible, sold her the television, most of the kitchen equipment, two desks, a computer chair amongst other things for a measly $600 (about £385). Then we threw in the computer for her daughter for good measure and disguised it as a Christmas bonus. Yes, this made us feel amazing because it's unlikely that we would have sold all of those things anyway and although we may have had a couple more options, this was what made us feel the best, knowing that everything would be so much more appreciated this way.

I later remembered that the mother of a colleague of mine was involved in a homeless shelter project and so on the day we moved out, we dropped a car full of linen, towels and comforters off at his house on our way to the beach. You can't get much for selling used linens anyway. And this way, the homeless would have a warm and comfortable Christmas with great quality king size sheets. I also gave another bag of clothes to a pregnant friend so that she would have some tops to grow into... She is much smaller than me normally, so they were perfect for her to throw on over the coming months.

By the time I got on the plane, I felt fabulous despite having no great cash flow. Combine that with some overdue wages, much-needed Christmas shopping and a car in Costa Rica that still hasn't been sold yet and I've gone from the glamorous high life in a tropical country to being a struggling writer living at home in England. With very little or no change to my bank account. That's why it's worth recognising what you have, especially how people in different circumstances view it and it's definitely worth helping those less fortunate than yourselves because they are unlikely to be able to break the cycle of their situation and you probably are. Besides, you never know when karma will come back to help you. I'm hoping mine's on its way very soon!

Sunrunner

2011-12-13T00:47:00.000Z

Last week I went for a couple of runs on the beach. For those of you that know me, you are probably laughing OUT LOUD right now, but I am here to tell you that it is true. And I enjoyed it. So there.

It was actually really good. I was running with a beautiful sea breeze, tropical butterflies floating past me and the waves lapping the shore. It made me want to right there and then move to the beach and run every day, thus getting very toned and very tanned. Sounds like an excellent plan to me.

PS. I'm packing up today - last day in Costa Rica! Much to do, need to get up and do it. Catch you all on the flipside and back on UK time. :)

Road Trip CR Pt 1: Guanacaste

2011-12-11T23:44:00.001Z

Part one of our fabulous road trip to end all road trips in Costa Rica (at least for now...). I finished work on Wednesday, packed up what was left of our apartment on Thursday and headed to the beach on Friday. Too much drama went on during those two days for me to even care to go back over to blog about, but I didn't care. My plan was to forge ahead and forget all of petty things in my past. By the end of the drive, all I wanted was a cocktail and a good meal. This wish was soon granted in the hotel's swim-up bar at sunset and then the hotel restaurant. Eating fresh fish whilst looking at the sea it came from really is something else. Mark's meal of mahi-mahi in a Caribbean salsa was to die for. So good that I am regretting not asking the chef for the recipe.

The next day was absolute bliss of doing nothing. Any stresses from the previous months melted away and I got thoroughly into reading and tanning punctuated by occasional dips in the pool/sea (both of equal distance from my sunbed) just to cool off. A beach BBQ, a couple of margaritas more fresh fish at the beach club next door to our hotel (Bahia del Sol on Playa Potrero) topped off my day to perfection.

On the second night, we were actually joined by a couple of the boys from San Jose and then more friends, so on day three, we were quite a large fun group. We spent more time eating fresh food, drinking too many cocktails and taking advantage of good wifi (oh, it had been so long my dear friend!). After four fantastic nights of good food and good company, I could barely remember what had been stressing me out in the previous weeks and was looking forward to my biggest problem being when to turn over in the dun to ensure even tan... Fabulous.

Fashion Fois Gras Tote at Coach

2011-12-05T23:39:00.000Z

The latest in the Coach Blogger collaborations, this is the ultimate bag for bloggers. Designed by Emily Johnston of fashion blog Fashion Fois Gras, this tote has a section for everything. I cannot even believe how well it has been thought out: it has a section for everything: an SLR camera, your iPad/tablet, a removable clutch and you can even slide in your flats to rest your feet after a long day. Isn't it just fabulous?

You can buy the bag here for $558 (about £348).

Life as I know it...

2011-12-04T23:00:00.000Z

My life has changed quite a lot over the past couple of months: friendships have changed, I've gone from having 3 jobs to 0 and I have decided to leave Costa Rica and move back to the UK, most probably to London once the holidays are out of the way.

And speaking of holidays.... I am going out in style! We are currently on a little road trip around Costa Rica. More on that to come in future blogs. This is definitely one of the things that I will miss most about CR: being able to get in the car, out of the city and to some of the most amazing beaches in the world in just a couple of hours. It's a difficult thing to give up, let me tell you.

Another thing that I will miss will be the independence of living with my boyfriend, and having my car and various other luxuries (a huge walk-in closet and jacuzzi ensuite tend to come as-standard in Costa Rican apartments). It will definitely be a change, but with other people leaving and things naturally wrapping up here, it feels like time to make the leap back.

Job-wise, I was doing various freelance things in CR, poker resets and I was Social Media manager at Cupon Cafe, but I have quit all of this to look into becoming a full-time freelance back in the UK and to focus on writing and blogging. What this does mean is that I will probably have to live at home for a couple of months at first, but I'm hoping that this will just give me peace and quiet, as well as a little determination to succeed and get to where I want to be. But where do I want to be? I guess I want to be in a place where I am writing for a living, submitting articles, doing freelance work and blogging my life away, all the while supporting myself financially as I go. I know lots of people do this, so all I need is a little focus. And I feel 100% ready to focus on that now, having travelled so much and done so much in the past couple of years.

If you have any tips, ideas or suggestions on how I should go about this, then please post them below. All of your words would be greatly appreciated.

Love xx

Sunset Drinks at Villa Caletas

2011-11-25T13:37:00.000Z

One of our favourite places to stop when driving back from the beach is Villa Caletas. They have an amphitheatre bar that overlooks the Gulf of Nicoya and always has a stunning sunset. Isn't this just stunning and it's less than an hour's drive from where we live in San Jose! Things like this are what I will miss about Costa Rica when we leave. Just beautiful.

Hmm... to switch or not to switch?

2011-11-22T22:11:00.000Z

This is what has been on my mind for a long time. I have used Wordpress so much for professional projects and often notice that beautiful blogs are Wordpress based, so I am starting to think that I should make the switch. In fact, last week I announced to my boyfriend that I was going to do this DEFINITELY. He wasn't actually that interested to be fair, although he is already on Wordpress for his poker blog so maybe it was just obvious to him.

Then, the other day a message landed in my inbox from International Fashion Bloggers claiming that Wordpress was better for bloggers - amazing! I was sold from the outset. It was then followed by such outcry that they followed it up with this. Am I confused? You bet! I also have been reading Beautifully Invisible, recommended by many on the forums as a great resource for collecting your thoughts and then the steps to move forward.

Ultimately, I think that I do want to make this move, but not until I am absolutely sure and have the time to do all of the extras. What do you all think? Have you done it? Are you considering it?

Currently here: Hotel Parador, Manuel Antonio

2011-11-19T23:32:00.001Z

I am currently here... don't be jealous!

And look! Some monkeys came to visit! :)

Beauty in Review: Shellac Nails

2011-11-18T14:35:00.000Z

I have a new beauty obsession. Aside from my hair, my next big beauty thing are my nails. I really am not a big make-up person, nor do I profess to be. However, I am really loving Shellac nails. A couple of weeks ago, I went for a quick pre-holiday mani/pedi (+ blowdry + bikini wax... just the necessary!) and was upsold a Shellac manicure by the manicurist. Having been through that first day at the beach when after one dip your whole manicure is chipped, ruining your look for the whole holiday, so when she told me that it can last at least 10 days and works like gel but without ruining your nails underneath, I just nodded. Winner.

The colour is applied in simple layers like polish, takes no longer than your usual french manicure. The only difference being that between layers, you need to have your nails under a UV light. This is easy and the results are stunning. The above photo is my nails after 13 days. I have been in the gym, on flights, in the pool, on the beach and have not once been 'careful' with my manicure. They have grown but they are still glossy and perfect, despite the growth. The only issue I had was when I caught one whilst shaving my legs and I chipped the corner - this was obviously going to damage it. And I think I'll try a colour next time!

For more info on Shellac Nails, click here.

Have you used Shellac? Are you a convert?

Hard Rock Hotel all the way!

2011-11-17T23:37:00.000Z

Last week I was in the Dominican Republic with a group of people from Costa Rica for the Punta Cana Poker Classic 2011. I didn't play it but I did live it up in the Hard Rock suite - all inclusive. It was literally one of the best places I have ever been in my life.

Jacuzzi in the centre of every room!

We weren't on a direct flight to Punta Cana. We actually flew from San Jose to Panama City and then from Panama to Santo Domingo, Dom Rep before catching a 3hour shuttle and arriving at the hotel at around 1am. It then took them around 2hours to check us in under the right name and get us to our rooms. Moral to this story is to never rely on other people to book your travel for you!

Hello Caribbean!

The rest of the week however was filled with fabulous people, great sun (mostly!) and an open bar (ALWAYS the way to go!). I may not have taken part in the poker tournament, but I did play blackjack in the casino, partook in a little roulette (6 came in! My birthday is 6/6!) and I also absolutely dominated a particularly serious game of mini golf against the boys where we bet $20 a hole. I came out $190 on top! Also, Mark and I celebrated our 4th anniversary here - I have no idea how the time has passed so quickly!

Standing between Shakira and Elton John's outfits!

One thing this holiday did give me time to do was reflect. If you follow me on Twitter, then you'll know that I have decided to make some changes are throw myself back into writing and blogging. There will be big changes here and also big changes in my life, but I'm ready for them!

I would definitely recommend this place as a place to chill and enjoy the fabulous surroundings.

For more info visit: http://www.hardrockhotelpuntacana.com/

Swoon!

2011-09-23T20:06:00.000+01:00

I thought Bradley Cooper was hot before, but now he is a downright catch! Settle down ladies!

Hmm, very Pinteresting...

2011-09-18T23:02:00.000+01:00

I've spent a lot of my weekend pinning on Pinterest. The photos are so beautiful! These are a few pictures from my I Love Summer board. Are you on Pinterest? What do you love about it?

Source: None via Stefanie on Pinterest

Source: homesweethomedecor.net via Stefanie on Pinterest

Source: prepfromthemidwest.tumblr.com via Stefanie on Pinterest

Where are you reading from?

2011-09-17T02:20:00.000+01:00

I have had page views from the Ukraine, Indonesia, Romania and Peru in the past week! That's so cool! Welcome to all of you!

United States

354

United Kingdom

250

Ukraine

Indonesia

Romania

Peru

Australia

Germany

India

Canada

What are you guys coming to see? I notice that people mainly come here looking for "Kendall Kardashian" (she is a Jenner) posts. I guess she's the next big thing according to the stats!

Who reads your blog?

More Fun in England!

2011-09-11T02:28:00.000+01:00

Mark and me with our friends Sinead and In, who we met when we lived in Santiago, Spain

We met our friends Dani and Matt for a whirlwind stop in Birmingham

Cosmo in a can on a London bus... classy!

This paella smelled amazing in Covent Garden. How yummy does it look?

Bedroom Interiors: (I'm moving again!)

2011-08-31T23:16:00.005+01:00

I am in the process of moving house and so cannot blog because I have no internet yet! I hope to fix this soon, but in the meantime, here are some ideas of how I am going to decorate the main bedroom. It's a bit old so it needs modernising without major changes (we are renting here in CR). I have recently bought a big duvet/comforter in blue and white with a hint of gold (stripes) to freshen the room up. The curtains are gold and a bit outdated but I can't really replace them because the window is one entire wall and they are floor-to-ceiling and custom made (not well I hasten to add!) with white tulle to cover the main part. The white and gold actually works, they only look a bit odd when closed, so I'm not planning on doing that very often.

Any ideas from all of my super stylish readers? I'm going to be getting involved on Pinterest asap!

Stef x

Why does it always rain on me?

2011-08-26T17:28:00.001+01:00

I have lived in 3 places in my life: England, Santiago de Compostela (Spain) and Costa Rica. They have one thing in common. RAIN.

This was our BBQ planning going to pot whilst I was home last month:

This was my balcony the weekend I got back to Costa Rica:

And this is from Santiago a couple of years ago (I took a picture of a picture, but you get the point!):

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!

Recipe: Mini Pitta Pizzas

2011-08-24T18:15:00.000+01:00

At the weekend, I love to make every meal an event. This could me a lot to do with the fact that I don't have time to do that during the week. I eat cereal for breakfast standing up checking my blackberry and then usually snack on my lunch still at my desk (the perils of working for a start-up!) However, the weekends are time for me to get the recipe books out and get creative in the kitchen. This weekend had been a three-day weekend, as it was Mothers Day here in Costa Rica last Monday!

This is what I made for lunch that day:

2 medium wholemeal pittas

1/2 onion, medium, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

2tbsp tomato puree

Basil, dried or fresh, chopped

Handful of fresh spinach, roughly torn

1tbsp sweetcorn

Feta cheese, crumbled

Few sprays of low-calorie cooking spray

Fry the sliced onions and peppers in a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray until soft. Add the sweetcorn to heat slightly. Slice the pittas in half to create four pizza bases and spread the tomato puree and basil over them (I used a carton of chopped tomatoes with basil as that is all I had in my cupboard). Cover with the vegetable mix. Sprinkle over the torn spinach and crumbled feta. Season and put in a preheated oven (180degrees) for 10 minutes. Serve immediately!

Let me know if you like this!

What do you like to cook?

My Current Reading List

2011-08-20T19:16:00.000+01:00

This is what I am currently reading or planning on reading. I need to get catching up on my Goodreads challenge for 2011!

1. The Girl who Played with the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson.

2. Naturally Thin by SkinnyGirl Bethenny Frankel

3. Hungry by Crystal Renn

4. One Day by David Nicholls

5. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

6. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

7. I don't know how she does it by Allison Pearson

8. The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone

Have you read them?

Can you give me other recommendations?

LONDON: Portobello Road

2011-08-20T18:17:00.004+01:00

When I was in London recently, I took the opportunity to go and check out Portobello Road with my Mum. For those not in the know, it is in the Notting Hill part of London. The houses are beautiful, the the markets are full or beautiful antiques, jewellery and other lovely goodies. I was decorating my future Notting Hill pad in my head complete with big travel trunks and hat stands! Oh, and I stopped The Travel Bookshop (Hugh Grant's place in the film. swoon!)

There is something really sad happening in this areas that I would like to draw attention to: The rent is getting too high for the some of the original business owners in the area and chain stores are taking over meaning that no-one is shopping locally. Unique shops are closing down at a rapid rate and The Travel Bookshop is one in such danger. It is currently up for sale. For more info, read this. There is a Facebook page to Save Portobello Road. Please get involved to help save this area!

Shoes Everywhere!

2011-08-18T20:30:00.000+01:00

This is just a taste of the unpacking that I had to do this weekend (and didn't really do!). Most of these are new and were on sale. I can't really shop in Costa Rica, as everything is shockingly expensive due to import taxes, so when I go home to England, I tend to stock up!

A Tapas Feast!

2011-08-16T22:50:00.000+01:00

I cooked all of these things when our new housemate Dani moved in back in May. Living in Spain has inspired me in many ways and cooking is just one of them!

What do you think?

Theatre Breaks: Yes, Prime Minister and Legally Blonde

2011-08-15T20:07:00.001+01:00

I went to two amazing shows when I was in London: The first was a matinee of Yes, Prime Minister with my Mum and my best friend Chris and the second was a fabulous evening performance of Legally Blonde with my Mum.

Yes, Prime Minister

I was by far the youngest person in the audience at this show, but it did not prevent me from enjoying the supposed madness that transcends when the British government is confronted with a genuine moral dilemma and the prospect of huge international power. It was laugh-out-loud ridiculous and great British humour from the original writers of the Yes, Prime Minister television series.

Legally Blonde

Yes I still love Lee Mead. Yes I still want to be Elle Woods. And NO, you cannot wash your hair for at least 24hrs after getting a perm at risk of deactivating the ammonium viglocalate.

When I was in London, I went to see Legally Blonde at the beautifully old Savoy Theatre on The Strand, just a stone's throw from all of the great theatre meal deals of Covent Garden. I wasn't sure that the film could be translated into a musical at first, I was a little confused for the first 20mins of so, but after that I was thoroughly enthralled by the magic of Carly Stenson (she really was VERY good, which was most unexpected after making her name at Steph in Hollyoaks). By the time, we were all questioning whether the key witness in the trial was in fact 'gay or european', I was hooked!

Top Marks to the whole cast!

Recipe: Gallo Pinto

2011-08-13T17:03:00.003+01:00

This morning was our first Saturday back in Costa Rica and our lovely housemate decided to make us some Gallo Pinto, a traditional Costa Rican breakfast dish. It was so nice to all sit down and chat and catch up together.

I have posted the recipe here for you all to try it too!

Ingredients
300g cooked rice
300g freshly cooked black beans
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 red or green pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 tbsp Salsa Lizano or Worcester Sauce
Salt and pepper to your taste
Preparation
Fry onion, garlic and pepper. Add the beans and stir well. Mix in the cooked rice and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the Salsa Lizano (Worcester Sauce) and the fresh coriander. Cook for another couple of minutes and serve.
There are many different things to serve with the dish, but I prefer soured cream and fried egg, but you can also traditionally add scambled eggs, toasted baguette, fried sausage, bacon, fried plantain and a nice, steaming cup of Costa Rica's finest coffee. This is actually making me hungry now, despite having had it already! YUM!

A Rainy Sunday in San Jose...

2011-08-07T08:37:00.000+01:00

Just before we came away to England, we spent a rainy Sunday afternoon hanging out at our friend's house, borrowing their laundry (ours is out of action!), baking carrot cake muffins with my little friend Scarli above and making our own Caprese salad. There are ways to get through the rainy season in Costa Rica.

How do you spend lazy Sundays at home?

I don't know why you would think this is ok....

2011-08-06T00:25:00.003+01:00

...cos this is NOT ok! This is the space that I had on the train today at the table that I was sitting at! Who puts a suitcase ON a table??

“Tickets, Passes and Excuses please!”

2011-08-05T17:31:00.006+01:00

I have spent quite a lot of the past three weeks riding the Great British Railway, enjoying the Great British Summer (in large part with a Pimm’s in my hand) and tucking into some seriously great British food! I am in England visiting a LOT of friends and family.

Here are some observations that I have noted:

Pimm’s is an acceptable daytime drink – at any time of day.
Yes, people really do still play croquet.
You will still need to cover up in the evening. It may be summer, but it is still England!
Trains are very expensive. Planes are even more so.
The theatre is still a wonderful London tradition attracting all ages.
Men still aren’t interested in Legally Blonde, even when you put it to music. In fact, especially when you put it to music.
I still secretly wish that I was Elle Woods.
The British government probably do sit around drinking whiskey and wondering what to do about the foreign minister’s request of a young friend, instead of focusing on the bigger picture.
Yorkshire folk will make jokes all day long even when they know it isn’t funny themselves (see title of this post!)
A pub quiz is secretly shockingly competitive even if you all say “Oh, well” when you don’t know the answer to the 5^th question in a row.
British people have an amazing ability to let people off a train whilst at all times moving forwards!
Portobello Road is one of best places to pass the day.
I really would quite like to live in Notting Hill one day.
Wills and Kate are still the best thing since sliced bread (except maybe for Pippa’s bum, which people are still talking about).
Everybody has suddenly realised how much they loved Amy Winehouse. Young and old alike are mourning the loss of a great talent whilst ironically listening to ‘Rehab’ on repeat.

I have much more detailed accounts coming for all of you but this is just a taster of what is to come.

Sunshine-y Times!

2011-07-10T16:09:00.003+01:00

Photos from my recent travels...

Tamarindo, Guanacaste

Volcan Arenal, Costa Rica

Puerto Viejo, Caribbean side, CR

Manuel Antonio

Los Suenos, Jaco, Costa Rica

I am quite lucky, aren't I? Sometimes you need to stop and think...

I have joined the Blackberry Elite!

2011-06-13T04:49:00.001+01:00

After months of faffing around and attempting to work out another part of Costa Rican bureaucracy, I have blackberry service on my phone! I feel connected to the world! Haha! :)

After all, a blackberry without internet is like a party without music. There is just no point!

What technology can you not live without?
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

My new job and other updates in my life!

2011-06-12T21:52:00.000+01:00

I am aware that I have distinctly absent from the blog recently, with only the occasional book review to keep you guys entertained! On the plus side, this made my week recently and all of these book reviews worth it:

Any time your writing gets noticed by a big time PR guru is a huge bonus! The fact that I had been writing about her is beside the point...

The reason that I still have time to read and not to blog is that my new favourite thing to do in the gym is to take a book or magazine and double up on my me-time. It's so easy to ignore reading when you have a million emails/facebook msgs to respond to and blogs to catch up on.

And the reason that I am so busy is this:

Cupon Cafe is a daily deal site for Costa Rica. It has been set up by my friend (wife of my other boss) and I am running the social media side of things. I will also be running the bloggers and website affiliate scheme and working on the travel deal side of the business, once we get the daily deals up and running, but at the moment we are just launching the Facebook and Twitter. That is a lot in itself, as we are currently all over the radio every day, meaning we get hundreds of Facebook likes a day - the iPhone4 giveaway helps as well ;) !

An interesting tale to tell here too: I recently went to my friend's dentist to work on negotiating a deal with him for work. But i also fancied a check-up as I don't have a dentist here in Costa Rica... And it would seem that my recent comments about preferring to be in a dentist's chair over a hairdresser's chair have come back to haunt me because I need to have my wisdom teeth out - he X-rayed me and found that one was growing sideways! Boo.

On the plus side, I do like my hair more and more each day. It is growing in length as well as growing on me... haha!

Book Review: If you have to cry, go outside...

2011-06-07T22:59:00.001+01:00

If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You by Kelly Cutrone

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Any girl looking to further her career or do well in life should probably read this book. Scratch that - they definitely should! Kelly Cutrone (of The Hills and The City fame - although even move admirable in her own show Kell on Earth) has written a guide to life in the only way that she could. Straight to the point and honest. Does she care about being called a 'bitch'? Are you kidding? She relishes it. That's because, to her, bitch is not a negative word. It's a woman in control of her life and who is not afraid to speak her mind. Brilliant! In that case, I'm a bitch too!

Although well-known for her reality show appearances, Cutrone is not a reality star and she didn't go on television for the limelight. She did it for business. Her international PR company People's Revolution is one of the go-to PR groups for Fashion Weeks across the world, thanks in large part to her no-nonsense attitude. Here, she tells you how you can be as successful as her - work damned hard! - and how you do not need to be afraid to have it all; she balances her hectic work life with weekends in the country with her daughter, Ava.

If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: and Other Things Your Mother Never Told You follows Cutrone through her life from a simple childhood in the suburbs and nursing school to sleeping on sofas in New York until finding a calling in bi-coastal public relations. It is an honest, and surprisingly spiritual, tale of life in the fast lane from one of the best in the business. You would be stupid not to read it.

View all my reviews

Mi Nuevo Look!

2011-05-29T22:44:00.001+01:00

Hello all,

Thanks for the feedback on Twitter, Facebook and in the comments here on the hair colour change. It felt like something fun to do last week and I enjoyed bringing all of you into it.

Yesterday I finally did it! And it didn't quite go to plan. My hair took the blonde much quicker than the hairdresser expected, so it is a little 'ashier' than either of us intended. Eek. I have a longstanding tendency to absolutely hate my hair when I leave a hairdressers. I would much rather be in a dentist's chair than a stylist's chair, so I am pretty surprised that I was relatively chilled when I arrived yesterday.

I will admit that whilst I held it together last night (we were out for a friend's birthday!), this morning I imploded.

I went on a rollercoaster of emotions - did I like it?

Did she do it right?

I hate it.

Oh it's not that bad.

How can she call this 'subtle'? It is DRASTIC!

Why did she cut it so short when I had just said don't?

Aarghhh!

That was my biggest panic. The length. I spent four, long years growing it and she took it upon herself to give me a new cut to go with my new colour! The entire bottom layer of my hair was chopped, meaning that it is now almost all one block length at the back, which doesn't really work for when my hair is curly.

However, we have made it out of the other end and you can judge for yourselves the results. I took these above pics when I got in from lunch today, hence the slightly messy look, but I guess this is how it may be day-to-day. It looks more blonde today, don't you think?

I'll update in a couple of weeks when I am more used to it and it has settled a little more, but I feel that this could be a fun change for summer and also, you know what? Hair grows.

Book Review: Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

2011-05-27T23:39:00.001+01:00

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is an absolute page-turner. You identify with every part of the friendship of Tully and Kate and you gasp at the twists and turns in the books. They go through their whole lives together and you follow them at every stage. A brilliant read that made me laugh, cry and nod along all at the same time. I absolutely recommend it.

View all my reviews

Another Kardashian Wedding!

2011-05-26T16:04:00.000+01:00

Kim Kardashian is getting married! And she has a $2million 20carat diamond to show for it!

Which Kardashian ring is better? This debate ignited my dinner party last night (whilst watching the American Idol finale - It's a reality TV house, I'll admit)

Kim's or Khloe's slightly less flashy $850,000 offering?

Now go on... Who is a little bit excited for this E!xtravaganza?

Hair: Lighten up for Summer?

2011-05-26T12:29:00.001+01:00

How often do you get a nagging feeling to change your hairstyle? I have had the same hairstyle for years barring the odd fringe and slightly, varying lengths. When you have curly hair, you are kind of let off the styling, because you can just leave it and look good to go. I guess, in that case, I'm pretty lucky. But recently, I have been wanting to do something else. So I'm thinking of brightening up my look with some subtle highlights along the lines of the pics below:

Which do you like best for me?

At the moment, I like Kate Beckinsale's do but with Audrina's colour, because the lighting in Kate's makes hers look a bit yellow.

I look like the picture below most days, curly and just left to do it's own thing. Next to it, is a picture of me with my hair styled, which I like a lot. (I have worn this dress out maybe five times in the past six months and have managed to pick photos from two of the five I did!)

So I'm thinking of embracing a style a little more often, but how blonde should I go?

So, here is my 'before' and you can help me choose my 'after'

Stef x

Look what fell into my inbox this morning!

2011-05-23T15:59:00.001+01:00

How amazing are these little emailer images from my-wardrobe.com? I love them! They evoke a perfect, glamorous holiday feeling and even include suggestions for stylish destinations of the moment as well as the books to read whilst you are there! It just makes me want to buy everything on there, pack a stylish trunk and head off for a fabulous time!

A Stickler for Perfection

2011-05-22T16:43:00.000+01:00

Loving this on the blogs at the moment!

Don't Forget to Smile!

2011-05-20T19:55:00.000+01:00

What is your biggest flaw? Mine is negativity and finding it difficult to flip it around and find positivity again. Positivity was my main new year's resolution and I think I have actually done quite well with it. (2010 was not my year I don't think, looking back on it!)

However, every now and then (around that time of the month!), I lose said positive vibes and wallow in self pity. This happened today and I really had to sort my head out and switch my thoughts around (I did this in the gym whilst pounding the crossramp!)

Sometimes you need to remind yourself to smile. I love the top 'Take a Smile' picture that I found online.

And I dedicate this post to my boyfriend who spends his life looking on the positive side of everything and encouraging me to do the same. :)

Some weird things happened to me today...

2011-05-20T18:40:00.001+01:00

Well, not so much to me, but around me...

On my way home from the gym, I popped into the shop to buy some milk and other essentials and spotted three young girls in front of me chattering away and buying supplies for Friday night. Their supplies were not chocolate, chips and dip as one may expect, but in fact they were buying fresh mozzerella, tomatoes and fresh basil with a french baguette. Interesting. Then I spotted that one had car keys in her hand. Ok, so not fifteen as first thought. Do you ever get that feeling of "I wish I could look and dress like that" succinctly followed by "How old am I now?" ? Then they walked out giggling and got into a shiny new silver Toyota Corolla. Nice.

Second funny thing: I drove past three guys who had accidently run into the back of a police car. Oops, boys!

Number three? I then drove from a dry place into a place where the floor was wet and it was raining into another dry place. Not that weird yet? This was over a distance of about fifty metres. The micro-climates in Costa Rica never fail to amaze me. I guess it's how the country is so green and diverse. (I snapped the above pic when in the rainforest on a rainy day).

A strange drive home from the gym was then topped off by hearing that one a friend's girlfriend broke up with him. Via email. After 9months together. Ouch. Quite sad really as I helped them get together. :(

Hoping to go out tonight to watch the boys in a poker tournament at a local hotel. Sounds fun!

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind!

2011-05-17T16:24:00.000+01:00

When you are working out and in a routine, your whole life seems easier. That is what I have found recently, because I actually stopped working out for a while; partially because I have been busy planning/reorganising my life and partially because I am excellent at making excuses. I found myself irritable. Just ask my boyfriend. It was like having PMS but at the wrong time of the month - and once a month is bad enough! I also had no energy and couldn't be bothered to do anything. I found myself snacking throughout the day to try and find energy and I even had a nap last week, just because I knew it was better than eating the entire contents of the kitchen cupboards. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been trying to get back into the gym most days.

This morning I realised that I really enjoy working out. I am almost back at that point where I cannot get up in the morning without going to the gym, otherwise I feel drained and lacking in energy. I genuinely cannot wait until I wake up in the morning so that I can go back. It is such a brilliant feeling!

Do you have that happy feeling when you leave the gym?

The Royal Wedding- LIVE!

2011-04-29T08:41:00.002+01:00

The day is finally here! Congratulations to Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Come watch with me on Twitter @stefaniegrace !

I'm staying up through the night in Costa Rica for this!

Stef x

Friend Friday

2011-03-25T16:36:00.006Z

Today I have decided to take part in the FBFF over on ModlyChic . It's a pretty deep one to start with, but hey, why not?! :)

1. Do you think there is an incompatibility between feminism and a love for fashion?
I think that the fashion girl is often characterised by relaity tv shows and films like Legally Blonde, but the fashion industry is clearly a place for people to express themselves and often to feel part of a team. You can be a strong, independent woman and still look great in this season's wedges. :)

2. There is more to each of us than a love of fashion, how do you incorporate every aspect of yourself into your blog?
This was something that I changed on my blog about a year ago. I found that I was churning out trend blogs, without really putting very much 'me' in them. I also found that more people commented on my own updates, rather than what wa sin this season. After all, thats why they read magazines. So now I do blog about my life, but I dont incorporate everything. For example, my parents separated a year ago and this is the first time that I'm sharing this with my readers. That is more to protect privacy of friends and family, in case other people that we know read about it. My blog does however does feel more personal and more me these days. I look at high fashion blogs and think "I want that gorgeous minimal look", but I'm not high-fashion and I'm not minimal. I'm a total hoarder - just ask my poor mother, who is still hosting piles of my crap back in England whilst I sun myself in Costa Rica!

3. With the fashion industry still being a male-dominated profession, how do you think it would differ if women played a larger role?
I think there are a lot of women in fashion. They may not be the head designers but they are still definitely doing their parts, especially on the editorial side of the business. Anna Wintour is proving that. Maybe men are more practical with their designs than women, who maybe overcomplicate things. Or, maybe its the femal designers who are making the fully wearable clothes, whereas the men are designing the more attention and media-grabbing pieces? Either way, I'm not sure that it would differ too much.

4. How is your self-image and the way you carry yourself informed by your beliefs?
I try not to look too deeply into that kind of thing. My main belief is that everyone should be themselves and dress accordingly. Do not try to be something that you are not. I'm sure even Lady Gaga wakes up some days and thinks "I'm having a pyjama day today!"

5. Do you think clothing/makeup/hair helps communicate the truth aboout yourself or are those things superfluous add-ons?
I think that they are big communicators. They give a first impression of you to the world and they show a lot about your personality. They can also boost confidence and help you to be the person that you want to be that day. If I want to be in work-mode, I'll wear a blouse. If I want to be powerful, I'll stick on some killer heels. And so on.

Date a Girl Who Reads

2011-03-23T23:12:00.001Z

This is all over blogs at the moment. Written by Rosemary Urquico, it is making people across the world pick up a book for the first time in a long time. We must all keep reading - you just dont get the same enjoyment out of television or even blog reading! Enjoy, my friends!

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes."

Do you vlog?

2011-03-22T03:17:00.004Z

I've been thinking about video blogging for a long time. But I'm just not sure what to vlog about. I attempted a video for Fashion Week last year but I wasn't so hot with my editing skills at that point. Do you video blog? Do you have a specific thing or is it just how you feel? I think I should be showing something when I vlog and not just stick my ugly mug on the screen for the sake of it - I like to think that I am a writer after all.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

My Happy Place!

2011-03-20T23:21:00.004Z

This is my little corner in our new house. I sit all day Sundays blogging, catching up on the week's tv and relaxing. The sunset on the balcony is amazing and in the evenings, its nice to open the patio door for a warm breeze. Happy Place.

Recipe: Beef and Guinness Casserole for St Patrick's Day

2011-03-20T22:06:00.002Z

This week I have been cooking a lot. On St Patricks Day I made a Beef and Guinness Casserole using a recipe that I found on Weight Watchers UK. I then followed it up with a Baileys Mousse, which was scrummy, if a little thin due to my lack of electric whisk!

The recipe is below, let me know what you think!

Ingredients


	5 spray(s) Cooking Spray, Calorie Controlled
	500 g Beef, Fillet Steak, Lean, Raw, (1lb 2oz), cut into chunks
	2 large Onion, All Types, sliced
	3 stick(s) Celery, Cooked, chopped
	2 medium Carrots, Old, Raw, sliced
	2 cube(s) Stock Cube, Vegetable, beef, dissolved in 300ml (1/2 pint) hot water
	568 ml Guinness Original Guinness, (1 pint)
	175 g Mushrooms, (6oz), sliced
	2 sprig(s) (fresh) Parsley, fresh
	1 teaspoons Thyme, Dried, dried
	450 g Potatoes, Old, Raw, (1lb), peeled and cut into chunks
	1 pinch Salt
	1/8 teaspoons (ground) Pepper, Black (Whole, Cracked or Ground)

Instructions

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F.
Spray a large flameproof casserole dish with low fat cooking spray and place over a high heat. Add the beef a handful at a time, so that it seals and browns. Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
Add the stock, Guinness, mushrooms, parsley and thyme. Season. Bring up to the boil, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ hours.
Add the potatoes. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are done and the meat is tender.

What did you guys do for St Patricks Day? The reason that we stayed in and celebrated if because its not actually that big a deal in Costa Rica!

Enjoying Pancake Day!

2011-03-10T17:22:00.001Z

This is how my Pancake Day went this year. We cooked at home, got a little messy and had a couple of drinks! I was extremely impressed with how well it all went... it had a lot to do with Mark expertly reading out Delia's recipe and a wonderful non-stick pan. Nobody was quick enough to catch the flipping on film though! Shame! We had bacon, cheese and onion pancakes followed by Nutella and banana ones! I think we'll do this every week! Pancake Tuesdays? - yes please!

Afterwards, we all sat down and watched The Proposal on dvd. The boys did laugh out loud at some parts, but the cheesy end put them off, which was a shame. I reviewed the film a couple of years ago here.

A Perfect Weekend!

2011-03-07T23:21:00.001Z

This weekend, I had a great weekend. I got back from work on Friday, sat down with a glass of wine, cooked up a storm (photos next time? We were hungry!) and watched 'Blow' starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz with Mark. I was completely emotionally drained by the end of the movie, but it was nice to watch something that didn't have Kate Hudson in it (not that I don't love her, but I do have a tendency to watch 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' on repeat..!)

On Saturday, I woke up late and we made brunch for the first time in a while, I spent the afternoon reading blogs, catching up on American Idol and reorganising my bedroom. Extremely proud of my efforts, I went out for sushi with my friend Dani and then we came back to our place and watched 'The Blind Side' - my usual Sandra Bullock movies are once again romantic comedies, but I absolutely LOVED this film - such a heartwarmer. Up late again, I crawled into my beautiful new bedroom and slept 'til gone 11am the next day too!

Sunday - another lazy one! I did a bit of research for some articles that I

am writing, watched a few reruns of Friends, worked out on the balcony in the sunshine, and tanned a little before watching Mark create a masterpiece healthy homemade curry (I shall start taking more food pictures!) and watching 'Couples Retreat' on TV with our housemate Rob. I needed a funny film after two that pulled at my heartstrings!

All in all, it was one of those weekends that made you pleased to wake up on Monday morning. My great mood didn't last long, when I opened my email inbox at the office, but a glass of wine and a bit of 'Kim and Kourtney take New York' after work and I am once again calm.

How was your weekend? xxx

My bedroom makeover!

2011-03-07T23:07:00.001Z

There was something quite boring and uninviting about our bedroom when we moved into this house and I have spent a few weeks literally only entering there to sleep, but recently I decided to give it a little makeover. I found some cushions in the spare room and a cuter painting than one of the Virgin Mary (apologies but I just can't deal with the pressure of her hanging above my bed every night!), then I just moved the furniture around, added a couple of bedside tables and lamps that had been hanging round the house and hey presto! - a warm and inviting room (not to mention - free!) where I happily snuggled up with my book that night! Heaven!

P.S. click on the picture to make it bigger - I am having a blog fail here! - Stef x

The Joy of Friends!

2011-03-02T23:25:00.003Z

Today I was not feeling well and just generally not in a good mood. I came home from work to cuddle up on the sofa with some cheery tv. The emotions of American Idol were just too much for me - people put their whole lives on the line and everyone is sobbing like it's a huge drama. I usually get very involved in the drama but it's just a bit much when all you want is a giggle.

My go-to for such situations is Friends. Given that my dvd collection is halfway across the globe, probably being very badly looked after by my teenage brother (there is not one member of my family that does not love that show!), I resorted to searching my usual online TV haunts for some traditional laughs. Yes, I can say traditional now - the episodes I just watched were from 15years ago! Yes, I was EIGHT years old when they made that and I hadn't even discovered the show. Within 10 minutes of Ross' neuroses ("9 minutes, people!", Chandler and Joey's bickering ("He took my essence!") and Monica's crazy brokenhearted antics "Nooooooooo!", I was giggling away. My appetite came back, which made me reach for the mini chocolates ("Maybe I'm getting my period or something, I don't know") and two episodes later I was loving life and feeling a whole lot better.

I know that our generation is going to be pushing this show onto our own kids ("Mum, I NEVER got Cheers - sorry!"), saying something along the lines of "They don't make shows that in my day!" Well, it's kind of true. I am only 23 and quite frankly need a good tv show in the world. People, please help me! What should I be watching? I love Modern Family and quite a few English shows, but nothing can change my mood like Friends. Even all of the E! reality shows can only hold my attention for so long. Until I find a perfect replacement or one of you comes to get me, I'll be over at Monica's eating chips and trying to get someone to drink the fat.

Bye!

Roma: Sarò di ritorno

2011-03-02T00:37:00.005Z

Last April I went to Rome. It was a last minute decision based on a slight pickle that I was in: stranded on Sardinia with my best friend with no flights home due to volcanic eruption. It was definitely time to rethink my plans! I had always wanted to go, but never really got round to it. Mainly, because whilst studying French and Spanish at university, it seemed silly to go somewhere where I couldn't practice my skills! However, I have recently been flicking through my photos and here are a selection:

I love Rome. I would go back in a heartbeat. I loved the cafe culture, the fashion (may have even beaten Paris!), the quick stops for espressos and the amazing architecture and tourist sights!

I just discovered goodreads.com !

2011-03-01T06:01:00.001Z

goodreads is a fabulous new website that I discovered whilst browsing earlier. I have literally forgotten where I discovered it in the past 30minutes, so if it ever comes to me - I'll let you know! Once I get back into reading more, the more analytical side will come out in me. It is a virtual bookshelf where you can note the bookes you've read, those that you want to read and those that you recommend. You can rate them using stars out of 5 and also write a review if you so wish. I have written a couple of very short and simple reviews to test it out. So far, it is very easy to use!

Check the site out and let me know what you think!

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the book that got me back into reading! I was stranded in Rome (the irony of this will dawn on you once you read the book!) due to the Icelandic volcano eruption and had heard from a friend that she had loved the book. I hadn't even heard of it. And I read it in 2 days, whilst fitting in much impromptu sightseeing and changes of travel plans.

The book is split into 3 main sections: Italy, India and Indonesia. The Italian part set my soul on fire and made me realise just how much I LOVE Europe and how much I was enjoying my first trip to Rome. The Indian part tended to drag a little bit - Elizabeth Gilbert can be quite descriptive at times. Yet by the time we arrived in Bali, Indonesia, I was living the adventure with her and desperately willing life to go her way!

A great read.

View all my reviews

A Weekend Getaway!

2011-02-28T23:23:00.001Z

A couple of weeks ago, we decided to go and explore a little more of Costa Rica and visit Manuel Antonio, a beach town on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We had such a fabulous time and really got up close and personal with the wildlife. Days were spent playing cards, lying in the sun, sipping cocktails (happy hour!) and sampling the local guacamole! Absolutely delicious!

(click on the picture to see it bigger - I am training myself in photo editing! This one was a little OTT, I admit!)

I love Sundays!

2011-02-27T04:50:00.002Z

What are you guys all doing today? I am heading to the shops with my boyfriend for some essentials, possibly lunch with a friend in the sunshine and a dinner date in the evening! Don't you love Sundays?

Vogue Turkey Feb 2011

2011-02-25T18:05:00.004Z

I'm completely in love with every one of these pictures from this Vogue Turkey feb spread. How beautiful is the entire set up? Turkey is a gorgeous, cosmopolitan place full of beautiful people, fashion and cool bars. This is Behati Prinsloo photographed by Mariano Vivanco wearing Marc Jacobs and Celine amongst others.

Reading and Relaxing!

2011-01-30T13:50:00.001Z

LOVE this!

2011-01-24T22:34:00.004Z

How gorgeous is this collection? Perfect for summertime and therefore Costa Rica?

It is called T-bags, a label from Los Angeles and coming soon to Net-a-porter!

Check out their website here!

Sightseeing and Socialising!

2011-01-23T22:43:00.000Z

This week I have been mainly:

hanging out with friends

roadtripping in Costa Rica

visiting acvolcano, a sanatorium and a cathedral

hitting the gym

eating out a little too often!

improving my poker

cooking more
struggling with understanding Weight Watchers

getting organised

writing lists

Lazing Around and Living it Up!

2011-01-16T19:55:00.002Z

This week I have been mainly:

watching English television
thinking I should go to the gym
heading out for coffee with friends
catching up with other friends
working on scheduling more social activities
living it up at Palmares street festival
having fun at the local theme park with the girls :)
eating junk food
not losing weight! oops!

I'm spinning around!

2011-01-11T23:22:00.005Z

I took up spinning just before I went home for Christmas. I wanted to get into it before I went home for the holidays, so that it would feel like a quick break instead of getting the January fitness bug! Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks in this way, because I met my friend Brogan for a coffee just before Christmas and she was on her way to rejoin the gym, so as not to be a January-joiner too! Funny.

I have always been a big fan of cycling (outdoors and indoors). It's my favourite machine in the gym because I just picture long bike rides in the country when I'm pedalling (yes, really!). So spinning has always appealed to me, even though I know it's hard work. When cycling, I can also never forget my very poor showing a couple of years ago, when I had to leave the Camino de Santiago 5day bike ride because I wasn't well. At least, at the time I felt ill, but now I see that I was just grossly unfit and overweight. You've heard of the "Freshman 15", well this was my 3rd year of university so you can imagine where I was at! Since then I have lost over two and half stones (just under 40lbs actually) and have realised that I never want to be in denial like that again! None of my friends were big gym bunnies but they managed it! I felt like such a failure when I came home from that trip, that I'm determined to go back one day and try it again - or maybe something even bigger!

So, I started off softly in my first couple of spinning classes by not always turning up intensity when the instructor said, as I wanted to experience the whole class first, but tonight, I absolutely went for it! It was one of the most difficult classes that I have done and wasn't helped by the fact that I had been on the crosstrainer for 40mins beforehand. Good move. However, I was chatting to my friend and spinning buddy, Dani, about investing in some spinning shoes on the way home, so maybe I sadistically enjoy putting myself through this kind of thing!

Do you spin? What are your fitness resolutions this year?

2011 is about positivity!

2011-01-10T22:24:00.000Z

This week I have been mainly:

rediscovering blogs and blogging :)
catching up on writing
working really hard
sunbathing in the garden
going to bed early and loving it
playing online poker and learning more
failing to find time to learn more Italian :(
eating heathily using Weight Watchers
losing 4lbs due to Weight Watchers!
thinking about going to the gym...
hanging out with friends
shopping in the Zara sale!
chatting about life
planning little trips :)
economising in the supermarket...
smiling every day!

2011 is all about PMA - positive mental attitude! My life is no different to what it was a month, yet I am genuinely embracing every second! I am looking forward to the future and enjoying every second of the present and I urge you all to do the same. It's like a switch that went off in my head and I may be the happiest and most balanced I have ever been!

PMA is the way forward!

Christmas at Home!

2011-01-09T17:20:00.000Z

I spent the festive season at home and by 'at home', I mean in England, because we actually spent Christmas in a pretty country cottage in Suffolk, not Lincolnshire where my house is. It was so nice to do something different this year and really enjoy family time with board games, festive TV and too much food! We even got a real tree, which we have never really done before and had to chop it because it was too big for the room!

We also had snow this year, making it a perfect white Christmas, and very cold weather for puppy walking!

At the end of my trip, I even squeezed in a day in London with my uni girls! Fabulous fun!

Hope you all had a great holiday!

Winter Wonderland!

2010-12-04T20:41:00.004Z

It is snowing in England this week, and the sun has started to shine perfectly in Costa Rica, because the summer is here! I couldn't believe the pictures when my mum sent them to me this week. This cute one of our dog Max is now my desktop picture in the office! It makes me feel Christmassy, whilst sitting in my sandals! :)

Dear Santa, I've been such a good girl this year!

2010-12-04T20:12:00.006Z

Dear Santa,

I've been such a good girl this year. I'd love to find all of the following things in my stocking:

A shiny new bikini for the Costa Rican sunshine!

Make-up! And LOTS of it!

Some pretty underwear to make me feel good on the inside as well as the outside

Replacement GHDs :(

Accessories - jewellery, light scarves, headbands...

Gym clothes, especially trainers!

A Blackberry so I can tweet on the go!

Thanks Santa!

Love Stefanie xx

I may be in Costa Rica... but I miss Primark!

2010-11-20T03:45:00.000Z

So I'm in Costa Rica, and much as I love it and as lucky as I am, I miss the British High Street. I think that is why I blog less these days - I'm just not surrounded by inspiration like I am in the UK. I miss Grazia, I miss shopping and yes, I miss Primark! Where else can you grab a quick bargain bang on trend that ends up becoming your favourite piece of clothing for a few weeks (or months!) until you find the next hidden treasure?!

This just landed in my inbox this week and I am again, pleasantly surprised. Ok, so occasionally the items don't live up to the photographs, but how cute are these little dresses...? And the maxi above is gorgeous!

And as for this coat.. my mother would LOVE it!

Sometimes you just need a day...

2010-11-15T05:26:00.003Z

Today I took one of those days just for me. Instead of sitting getting stressed by the silly, little things in life, I decided to take a breather and went shopping. It's a very calming experience, even in a packed shopping centre on a Sunday afternoon, to be alone and wandering around window shopping. Blissful contentment :)

I bought myself some new underwear and had a coffee, plus wandered around a couple of department stores. I was even feeling generous and so bought my boyfriend Mark a polo shirt whilst I was out. The whole day was calm and I was actually smiling to myself whilst sitting sipping my espresso macchiato. Just wish I hadn't left my diary on my desk. That would really have transported me to another place!

Happy Anniversary!

2010-11-12T15:43:00.003Z

It is my third anniversary with Mark today! Here are a few pictures to celebrate!

I love blogging... so why don't I blog?

2010-11-12T15:24:00.004Z

Just what have I been up to? Well, moving to Costa Rica was the biggest thing, but I think you guys already know that! Other than that, I was teaching English, but I am now HR Manager at The Poker Farm Costa Rica, meaning that I barely have any time to sleep, let alone blog! I have started playing poker now, though I wouldn't exactly call myself an expert!

I have however updated this blog for you (and for me, come to think of it!). I am much less high fashion now and much more ME. After all, the blog is named Stefanie Grace and not Vogue. That doesn't mean that I am no longer interested in fashion or that I no longer pore over a copy of Grazia, whenever I can get my hands on one! A lot of my time now is spent wishing I could get back into blogging, so I'll definitely be writing a lot more now that I've given it a makeover. I have also given myself a makeover (see below!), but unfortunately it hardly ever looks like this in a tropical country!

What do you guys think of the new look? Both of them!

Where did the summer go?

2010-09-17T23:03:00.003+01:00

Where did the summer go? I distinctly remember MOVING to Costa Rica in May but now I am talking about Christmas dinner and winter boots, and I'm not quite sure what happened in between!

Well, that's not exactly true. I do know what I've been up to! I did my TEFL course in June, went to Virginia and started working properly with Berlitz in July, took on yet another job as HR Manager in August, which pretty much left me exhausted working 14/15hr days and the September rocked up on me! This month has pretty much started as a continuation of August, with a LOT of work and NOT much fun, but my best friend Chris (very old picture of us above!) did come out to Costa Rica to visit me and we visited a coffee plantation and went ziplining (more on that on my travel blog!). So here I am. Back in the UK, mid way through September, making plans for Christmas and waiting for the Costa Rican summer sun to arrive in December. Yes, that's right - December! Very confusing! I've never had a tan on Xmas day before but it may just happen this year! My life takes so many different turns that I can NEVER predict what's coming next. My only hope is that I continue to love life and appreciate working life (which I am starting to do!), because being a lazy student bum doesn't appeal to me any longer!

Stef x

"Unreal!" AusNTM is back!

2010-07-28T21:54:00.005+01:00

Australia's Next Top Model is back! I am so excited, as it is one of my favourite TV shows. Definitely my fave Next Top Model, although I have to say that Elle is doing a fabulous job with BNTM this season! Sarah Murdoch is back with presenting duties but Jonathan Pease has gone and has been replaced by a little stylish dude called Josh Flinn and all of my favourite judges are back: Charlotte Dawson, Alex Perry and Jez Smith! Perfect! Read on for my lowdown on the girls:

Kathryn is absolutely beautiful. That tiny face reminds me a little bit of Olivia Palermo, but Kathryn is prettier and softer than her. Kelsey is great and I am in love with Amanda (above) and her beautiful dark eyes. They just draw you in. I also really like Chantal's look. I hope that she goes far because that Egyptian/Italian mix is gorgeous. I love Ashton for high fashion, but she seems a little clumsy at the moment. As does Brittney. Joanna and Jessica (top) are good, but I need to see more from them to make a decision. Jess's pic this week was fabulous though! They're both brilliant 'normal' models, but not sure they could win at the moment. I'm not big fan of either of the blondes, Sophie and Kimberley. They are both highly irritating and incredibly boring at the same time. Let's hope that next week's makeovers help people to stand out more - for the right reasons! Although given the content of Week 3's preview, I can't see it happening!