Among My Souvenirs

Madrid is a great city to enjoy a little retail therapy and there is an amazing selection of fashion retail shops. Whether you want to treat yourself to a new outfit or grab a little something to take home for a loved one, you wont be disappointed. Take a look at this guide to shopping in Madrid. Including a list of all the best areas and the most popular stores for buying clothes in Madrid. Main shopping areas in Madrid Gran Via This one of the busiest streets in Madrid. It’s the equivalent of Oxford street in London because its packed full of shops and well as being a main thoroughfare for cars and buses. You will find every famous Spanish high street brand here amongst the cafes, theatres and hotels. Sol Running North away from Puerta de Sol there are a number of pedestrianised streets that will lead you to Gran Via. Along these streets you will find many restaurants and shops. It’s a great area to pick up Madrid souvenirs, look at small independent shoe shops or scour the ra

In keeping with the theme of console cakes for my boyfriend’s birthday, this past year I decided to make him a Nintendo 64 cake . This was the console we both grew up on ( holla 90s children! ) and as a verbally abusive Mario Kart enthusiast (and proud Hylian Shield owner), tackling Nintendo seemed to make a lot of sense. This year though , I wanted to kick things up a notch. That’s when I decided that every part of this birthday gift was going to be tied to the N64 theme. After a bit of brainstorming, I had a major lightbulb moment… I was going to make an Nintendo 64 cake, complete with a controller-shaped card and a gift wrapped as a game cartridge, plugged right into the cake. Dayum that’s genius. Curious about how I did it? I outline my methods below! (NOTE: I made this cake last year without any intention of blogging about it, so this tutorial lacks photos and is not super in-depth. I do assure you it’s easy though, and will be happy to answer any questions in the comments!)

I am so delighted to receive BLOGGER RECOGNITION AWARD from an established fellow blogger Helen of Mostly Woman. I would like to thank Helen  for selecting me and my travel blog. This is my first award on blogging. I am very much excited for having this opportunity, because this award connects myself with fellow bloggers.  Sitting at one place and connecting with people across the world who are sharing varied interests/subjects is very informative & learning process. I was having my afternoon tea and I was scrolling my mobile as usual but suddenly after reading something on my notifications, my mobile slipped from my hands as I was over excited by reading that my blog has been selected for this award.  Thank God mobile didn’t break, but my happiness level rose till heights as I could not believe on my eyes that I am reading this my blog has been nominated among-st 15 best blogs. My selection for Bloggers Recognition Award by Helen on MOSTLY WOMAN is here.  As a part of nominat

It was still dark when we climbed down the stairs of the ghat, leading to the Gange river. The air was cold and we couldn’t see anything beyond the steps ahead, just a white cold haze, surrounding us. When we stopped, on the gray concrete lane leading from one ghat to the other, we suddenly heard a choir of laughter. We looked at each others confused… what was it, where did that laughter was coming from? We took a few steps to our right and we discovered the source: a group of maybe 7 people, including a child, all following a yoga teacher, laughing after each move. “Laughter yoga” – an old Indian told us, seeing the confusion on our faces. Laughter yoga, or Hasyayoga, is a type of yoga that involves voluntary laughing. It is believed that voluntary laughter has the same psychological and physiological benefits as spontaneous laughter and, the forced laughter will anyway soon transform into real laughter. It is a technique developed by the Indian physician Madan Kataria and it combin

Writing is something I’m passionate about, but writing a blog is something I’ve avoided like the plague. So many people have encouraged me to create what you’ve stumbled upon today, but I made excuses not to do it. It’s narcissistic to think anyone would want to read about my life or what I have to say. Who has time to sit around reading about other peoples’ lives, anyway? I sure as hell don’t. It’s terrifying to feel exposed and have something so personal become public. I thought the idea of writing a blog in past tense was stupid. I said, “It’s too late, I should have started a blog a year or two ago.” And it’s true; I should have. But I can’t change the past, and I need to take advantage of the present before it, too, becomes the past. Someone told me, “A blog can be anything you make it.” So I’m going to make it something. I am a widow and not yet 30 years old. How my “fate” or “bad luck” landed me here, I won’t venture to guess. It’s selfish to make it about me, when my husband i

Relocating to a new city is a big move. A new city, in a new country (when you don’t speak the language) is an even bigger move. Luckily, we’ve had a bit of practice at moving to new places. However, it still feels quite daunting when the day finally comes to pack up your things and get on that flight. Moving from London to Madrid was exciting for us. I wanted to share our experience so that you can see how a big move overseas isn’t as scary as it might first seem. Anyone can relocate their lives to another country if that’s what they want. Moving to Madrid I think the key to moving to another country is a bit of planning (so that you don’t feel overwhelmed). A bit of research into your new home (so that you know what to expect). Plus a lot of courage (you made the decision to move for a reason, have faith in yourself and don’t look back). We spent a lot of time on planning and researching our move to Madrid and that really helped things to go smoothly. If you want to move to

If you are looking for the best doughnut shops in New York City then look no further! Inside this guide, we have everything you need to know to get the dough. From rainbow doughnuts to sugary fried treats from a cultural institution, these are the doughnut shops you need to frequent. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCZlPS9J_rz/ Dough If a giant donut glistening with a colourful glaze is your idea of a good time, then look no further than Dough. Cafe au lait is my personal fave but the filled lemon curd doughnuts with a scorched meringue are the stuff of miracles. 448 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn // 14 W 19th St, New York https://www.instagram.com/p/CBhFfUzH8SL/ Doughnut Plant Owner Mark Israel is the king of cake doughnuts. But he is also an expert in yeast doughnuts too! He is most famous for bringing Crème Brûlée doughnuts to the world as well as Blackout doughnuts and so much more! 379 Grand St, Lower East Side, plus three more locations https

Now is as good a time as ever to start planning those summer road trips. With international travel still a while away in the endlessly vague distance, it is start to think closer to home. If you are based in Los Angeles, there are endless great road trips waiting on your doorstep. From beach vacays to quirky escapes in the Yucca Valley, these are the best road trips from Los Angeles. Joshua Tree It is without question Joshua Tree is one of the greatest escapes from Los Angeles. But there’s so much to see here beyond the famed Joshua Trees, especially if you’re up for some wild and weird adventures. There are some great vintage stores to be found in Joshua Tree, as well as postcard-perfect cabins to escape to for the weekend. You’ll need at least two nights to make the most of this road trip, so, what are you waiting for!? Palm, Springs A two-hour drive from Los Angeles, Palm Springs is the perfect summer escape. With beautiful hot summers and a

On my recent visit to Marrakech I was floored by how much had changed. Of all the cool places in Marrakech I remember, ten more have popped up in their place. I remember visited Marrakech about 6 years ago and falling in love with the culture and quirkiness of the Medina. Everything felt exciting, raw and unexplored. Today, Marrakech is one of the most popular weekend trips for Europeans and Brits. A lot has changed and despite losing some of that unexplored charm, it is mostly for the better. These are the cool places in Marrakech you need to visit, pronto: Heritage Berbere This beautiful perfume store is located in the heart of Marrakech, just a few steps away from the Majorelle Gardens. This is an opportunity to purchase a unique scent to remember your time in Morocco. Magasin General If you are looking for antiques and collectibles in Marrakech, Magasin General is one of your best bets. The shop is owned and operated by a Belgian couple who have a keen eye

So, you’ve done all the hard work planned your route, read the guides, packed your bags. Nothing can go wrong. Can it? How carefully did you consider the most important aspect of your trip? Who you travel with can literally make or break your experience. So if you recognise your mate in the line up below or you manage to pick one up on the way, lose them. Fast! 1. The Lohanista Self obsessed and spoilt with a sense of entitlement that the world owes them a favour. This travel partner is going to be a nightmare from the get-go. Never happy with the hotels, the food or the weather they will spend the whole time complaining and demanding that you spend a month’s budget on a nights stay in an upmarket resort. Days will be filled with lounging by the pool or shopping trips in the most expensive air-conditioned malls in the country. On the positive side, once they have a drink they really let go and you might find you are the centre of attention in the nightclubs. 2. The OCD Freak This

There are few countries I visit more than once and still feel like I have barely scratched the surface but New Zealand is one of them. No matter how many times I visit New Zealand, I always find more to discover. This year I returned to visit the three best luxury lodges in New Zealand and report back. Tough gig, right!? Matakauri Lodge Let us begin with Matakauri Lodge , my personal favourite from the Robertson collection. This lodge is ideally located just a short drive outside of Queenstown. I visited this lodge a few years ago and upon my second visit, not much has changed. Its just the way I remember it: quiet, ethereal and incredibly serene. There are a few different rooms to choose from and all come with full board. Rates include breakfast and dinner with matching wine. However the beauty of Matakauri really lies in its location near to Queenstown. So be sure to fill your days with visits to the towns and surrounding areas. Nearby Paradise is a must visit, espec