Paris- 5 Top Tips

Mimi turned 30 in November and what better way to celebrate than a trip to her favourite city, Paris?! Having been lucky enough to have visited on a number of occasions, it's one place we never tire of and was deemed the perfect location for a long weekend of eating, sight-seeing, shopping and some well-earned girly fun with our mum. It's always handy to arm yourself with some recommendations pre-visit to a new place, especially when you have limited time and want to maximise it. Our last visit to Paris was a few years back for Mum's 60th and you can find our top tips from that particular visit here,

http://mimiandweesse.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/mimi-and-weesses-top-tips-for-paris.html

With every stay, we've discovered some hidden gems and must-see attractions which we are ever-keen to clue up any first timers to the city on. So here's our 2017 highlights...

Sweet Inn Apartments

Having previously opted for an apartment over a hotel stay, we were keen do so again for this particular trip and Sweet Inn Apartments were the perfect choice for us. We went for a two bedroom apartment situated in le Marais region of Paris and seriously lucked out in terms of location, with a metro station across the road, a department store on our doorstep, plenty bars and cafes around us and independent stores and thrift shops a stone's throw away. Sweet Inn were extremely efficient and great to deal with prior to our stay, with the excellent customer service throughout our visit. Greeted on arrival  by the most friendly, helpful member of staff, she kindly pointed out all the places we may want to visit on a handy map of the city and took the time to chat and get to know us a little. A really lovely start to our trip indeed.

The apartment itself was pretty darn awesome! Modern with a vintage edge, both bedrooms and the living room were decorated beautifully. The kitchen was stocked up with everything we needed and the bathrooms provided some complimentary toiletries, with a pair of slippers each to boot. A safety deposit box, iron, ironing board and hair-dryer were all to hand too. We couldn't fault it! 

On checkout we were able to take a short Uber ride to their offices where they stored our luggage for the day, leaving us hands free until our evening flight. Complimentary snacks and drinks were available as we awaited our taxi to the airport in the comfortable, very stylish waiting area they provide. A stress-free end to what was a pretty perfect stay. We highly recommend you check Sweet Inn out if you're Paris bound this year. With apartments also in locations such as Madrid, London and Milan (to name but a few), we may just need to organise another girls' weekend away in 2018!

Paris Opera House, Palais Garnier 

As we've been lucky enough to visit Paris on several occasions and had already checked off many of the main sightseeing points, we decided it best we book a few things in advance to ensure we had something new to enjoy each day. Being winter time, we also anticipated the need to be indoors for periods of the day with a tour of the Opera House seeming like the perfect addition to our itinerary. Having only ever admired it from the outside we booked a guided tour for our first full day in Paris and it proved to be one of the highlights of our trip! Our guide was so incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining and her commentary made exploring the building far more interesting than just wondering around on our own. The opera house is one of the most beautiful buildings you will ever see and it's history absolutely fascinating. 

At around just £14 per person taking a guided tour is well worth money. We booked with Viator and would recommend you do so in advance to avoid disappointment. Palais Garnier also offers audio headset tours which are even cheaper. 

A Bird's Eye View of Paris (for free!)

We're pretty sure we mentioned this in our last Paris blog post but be sure to go to the roof top of Galleries Lafayette department store for a perfect view of the city and all it's landmarks. Take your lunch with you and enjoy a picnic as you take in the sights Paris from above....for free! The department store is something to behold itself, with the most elaborate stained-glass dome you'll ever see. Being Christmas time, the store's decorations were an added bonus on this particular visit. If you're in to interiors, the Homeware section is a must-see also! 

LIDO

As an extra special treat to celebrate Mimi's 30th, our wonderful mum treated us to an evening at LIDO. A Parisian spectacular, this was one of the most impressive, outstanding productions we've ever seen. We opted for the 9pm performance and were given what we perceived to be the best seats in the house (in the centre of the upper balcony). 







With around 45 performers, including dancers, acrobats and a vocalist, it was a real feast for the senses. The costumes alone stole the show and halfway in we'd lost count of how many costume changes there had been.  From a traditional Can-Can to contemporary, jazz to poppin' and lockin', it was truly breathtaking from start to finish. 

We wouldn't want to spoil the surprise but if you go, expect the unexpected and be prepared to a wowed! A pricey night out indeed, costing around £200 for the 3 of us but no more than a trip to the West End would be. We booked in advance directly through the LIDO website. It's a chance to dress up and be thoroughly entertained in the most decadent surroundings.... Paris style!

Thrift and Vintage Shopping

If you're a lover of all things thrift or vintage, le Marais area of Paris is the place to be. A random Google search revealed that we were in fact surrounded by some seriously great second-hand stores. If you're prepared to rummage check out  Free 'P' Star on rue de la Verrerrie (they actually have a few stores in the area). All 3 of us bagged some 1 Euro bargains, including a velvet blazer which fits Weesse perfectly. We also recommend Vintage Desir on rue des Rosiers and Tilt Vintage on rue de Rivoli if you're in the market for leather. 

And that my friends is your lot. 5 top tips for your next adventure to Paris! It truly is a magical city and having experienced it in all weathers, there is plenty to explore and enjoy at any time of year. We'll no doubt be back again (Mimi looks for any excuse to go!) so please share your tips with us too. 

Bonnes vacances!

Buying 'Deid People's Clothes' and other Bargains

Click bait title I know, but that's literally what my husband likes to call my charity shop treasure.....much to my dismay as one might imagine! He always takes great pleasure in grimacing to wind me up, denouncing my bargain finds as if they were actually clothing the previous owner as they kicked the bucket! Needless to say it never puts me off! I've always loved a rummage in second hand stores, whether it be for china tea sets (a business venture I didn't end up pursuing) or a wee hidden gem to add to my wardrobe but recently I've really gotten back in to it in a big way. I don't shop much for myself (the joys of being self-employed and careful with my dosh!) but when I received some birthday money last month I decided it was time to go shopping for some Autumn/Winter pieces. Uninspired by the high street, I took to the charity shops and boy, they did not disappoint. 

Having recently donated two lovely winter coats (which I'd simply fallen out of love with) to my local charity shop in a mass clear out session, I was in search of a warm but stylish coat or jacket to fill that seasonal must-have-shaped hole in my wardrobe. Following a Pinterest-athon I had it firm in my mind that I was in the market for a tweed or checked monochrome piece. Low and behold one Saturday morning on the way to the bank, a quick nip into our local The Salvation Army store resulted in the purchase of not one but TWO stunning coats. The first find was this brand new Tesco black and white checked single-breasted coat (currently in store at £39!) that I'd actually nearly bought the previous day at full price. I love it as it's got that smart/casual thing going on. It can be dressed up but also works well with my skinny jeans and Converse. Result!

On my way to the till, I spied another long-line coat from Principles and just had to have it.This pure wool coat will be perfect for our trip to Paris in November-stylish but warm! Both coats came to the grand total of £20!! Both in great condition and both very on-trend. The charity-shop challenge had begun...what else could I find?!!

Often it can just be your pot luck as to whether you come across something you really like and you do have to be prepared to trawl through those rails. A trip to Morningside Road in Edinburgh, where I was convinced I'd bag myself several bargains from the array of charity shops on offer, proved to be a flop with not one single purchase made. So I now try not to have any expectations when I venture out on a second-hand shopping spree. Another trick is not to hunt for something very specific, as chances are you won't find it. My search for a pleated metallic knee-length skirt goes on, however, in the interim I did find this brand-new grey pleated skirt (originally from Primark) for £3. Not metallic sadly, but still a good find which will go well with my both my new winter coats. And at three quid I can still afford that gold or silver skirt when I find it.....which I will!!

For sometime I've been on the lookout for some slogan tees. Instagram is awash with some seriously cool chicks wearing t-shirts brandishing all manner of statements and sayings that add a little more personality to an outfit. Teamed with a pleather skirt and heels it makes for an uber stylish Saturday brunch 'I'm not trying too hard-but I kinda did' vibe. An early finish on a Friday saw me in Stirling town centre (which has an abundance of charity shops!) in search of a bargain or two. This Topshop beaut was only £3 and as I'd found it actually on a Friday, I felt the universe was telling me it was meant to be!  

Additional bargains have included a Zara khaki denim shirt (yes, the paint splatterings are part of the design Dad!) for £1.99 and a leopard-print blouse and mustard fine-knit jumper, both from H&M and both only £3 each. You can't argue with that! 

I'm thrilled with every single piece and know I'll get heaps of wear out of them this Autumn/Winter. Bargains they may be but like with every purchase I make, I ensured each item was in good condition and fitted me before committing to a sale-after all, I don't want to add more stuff I'm not going to wear to my collection when I literally just had a clear-out! You can't beat the thrill of finding a hidden gem and unearthing something that not everyone and their granny is sporting right now. If you have an eye for piecing things together and are willing to experiment with your style you never know what you'll come across in those rails. I'll be sure to keep you all posted on my charity shop adventures. I love being able to support so many wonderful charities and breathe life back in to clothes that someone has fallen out of love with. I actively encourage you to go check out your local charity shops-it's amazing what you can uncover and you'll be helping the planet and a worthy cause in the process! 

Happy rummaging! 

Weesse x

It's All about jUice, 'bout the juice....no trouble!

This week I had the pleasure of not eating any food for three days and just drinking water and juices!

Sound horrendous? Well think again! The mastermind nutritionist behind All about jUice, Glasgow,  Natalie Blue kindly invited me to try their 3 day juice detox/cleanse and as someone who is health conscious I jumped at the chance to give it a go. 

What was involved?

I was prescribed 3 days of fresh juices (4 per day) made by the staff at All about jUice in their Dumbarton Rd shop, following a consultation with Natalie to ensure I was a candidate for doing the cleanse. Four different juices per day (to be consumed every 3-4 hours) and advice given via an information sheet on how to stay hydrated, what to expect from the process etc. 

How did it go?

Day One 

I woke up late. Not a good start to the week or the first day of juicing!

 Bit of a scunner when you wake up realising you're late AND you can't eat now for 3 days! That being said, I grabbed 3 of the juices from the fridge (brightly coloured and looking appetizing indeed) and set out on my first day as a detoxer. I took Natalie's advice and sipped on hot water (minus the lemon because annoyingly I'd forgotten to buy some!) on the drive to work and unexpectedly appeared to be upbeat despite not getting my morning caffeine fix! On arrival I opened up my first bottle of juice, richly green in colour, and I got the freshest, healthiest aroma instantly. Hints of kale, cucumber and ginger, the juice was tasty, filling and had a real zing to it. 

   As lunch time arrived I wasn't dreading 'eating' with my colleague as much as I'd feared. My second juice of the day was entirely different in colour and on my first taste was definitely a different combination than the first. Carrot, beetroot and possibly apple, this was another winner and filled me up, so much so, that I did struggle to finish it in our short lunch break. 

  The last two juices of the day were equally enjoyable, tasty and didn't leave me hungry, though I did however start to feel a little headachy and tired on the drive home (could have been the day's workload though!) and had to catnap on the sofa before hubby got home from work. This was to be expected and was explained in the information notes given, so I bowed down to it and slept it off. 

Day Two

A breeze! 4 lovely juices, some different to the previous day, with my favourite being the berry soya breakfast juice which I could have drank lashings of. No sign of headaches (I did try to drink more water than I would normally to avoid getting them) but the fatigue set in on the drive home again and another catnap was in order, this time on the living room floor where hubby found me. I went back out to work that evening, last juice of the day in hand and leisurely sipped it as I worked. I was more perturbed at not getting my cuppa that evening I have to say but food wise, I wasn't left craving anything terribly or seeing people's heads as chicken legs like in the old cartoons.

Day Three

Probably the toughest in terms of wanting food as in the back of my mind I felt like I was nearly done, even though I still had a full day of cleansing to go through. A little grumpier, a bit tired but certainly, I wasn't starving as the yummy juices were again filling. I enjoyed drinking each new flavour and felt a sense of accomplishment that I reached the third and final day. 

The Honest Bits

I do admit I was a little more irritable on occasions but nothing that anyone else would have noticed (I hope!). Yes, I did have a few moments of 'Mmmm, I could eat something!' but they weren't long lasting or too tempting to sway me.   I never had a terribly rumbly tummy nor did I have the muscle cramps that can be expected from detoxing. if anything, in terms of side effects, all I would say is I was a tad more tired than usual at the end of each day. Nothing 40 winks on the couch or an early night didn't sort out. I didn't threaten to eat anyone and I didn't dislike any of the juices! They were all really tasty! And that really was all I'd been worried about...not liking the juices. No chance of that here, as each All about jUice juice was delicious 

How Do I Feel?

Great! Personally I know the extra boost of vitamins will have been an added bonus to my normally healthy week. I usually get around 5-9 portions of fruit and veg a day but getting it in copious amounts through a juicing detox can only serve me well. Ditching any processed foods, caffeine and alike for a spell had been something I'd been wanting to do for a while to restart my system and give it a well-needed break. For all that I am a healthy eater who is mindful of what I put in my body, I do have my 'treats' sporadically throughout the week and my vice, coffee, daily. I don't drink alcohol though. 

  

The last two days I have felt more alert for sure and that sense of accomplishment that started to creep in on the third day has only increased. I'm pretty chuffed that I saw it through and didn't cave when hubby cooked Super Noddles on Wednesday night. There was no real huge struggle in it for me but I appreciate everyone will deal with it in their own way and come up against hurdles. 

 As I lead a relatively healthy lifestyle some may wonder why I bothered to do the detox in the first place. Are the results dramatic enough to merit the, what some may deem, extreme sacrifice of giving up food for 3 days. Well I'd say, I don't know, as everyone embarking on a juice detox will no doubt have different goals, expectations etc. This is where the expert that is Natalie comes in. The initial consultation prior to any sort of cleanse or detox will determine if it's right for each person and the proper advice, including to consult your doctor beforehand, are set to ensure your experience is a safe and enjoyable one.  Natalie will ensure you're supported throughout the 3 days and your specific needs are adhered to (allergies etc) so no need to worry. In terms of weight loss, I lost a substantial amount actually. 6lbs in 3 days but have already put some of that back on from starting, albeit healthily, to eat again. i wasn't doing it to lose weight, although it was a given as you're likely to lose something when you're not eating for 3 days. The objective behind a detox is to rid your body of impurities and give it and your mind that reboot or kick start it's craving. It then should encourage you to start or continue to eat healthily. And sometimes we all need that little kick up the bahookie eh?! 

For me a huge plus point was that this juice detox was hassle free. When hubby and I attempted a DIY juicing cleanse a while back, we caved through sheer exhaustion caused by the relentless, monotony of juicing all the fruit and veg ourselves. It's phenomenal how many bloomin' carrots and apples are needed to fill a glass and Rob and I were completely  and utterly fed up with the, what felt like, hourly run to Aldi and the bomb site that had in fact become our kitchen by day two. All about jUice takes all that away from you. No fuss, no mess...no trouble! It reminds me of the Father Ted episode where Mrs Doyle 'likes the misery of making tea'......at All about jUice, they'll be your Mrs Doyle! 

So in conclusion......

Did they taste good?                                      YES, they sure did!

Did I manage three days relatively easily?        YES I did. No biggy really! 

Did I feel good afterwards?                            YES  and I still do. In body and mind.

Would I do it again?                                       YES definitely!

A huge thank you to the Team and especially Natalie at All about jUice!! If anyone has questions for Natalie do not hesitate to contact her, she'd be thrilled to hear from you and to help! 

Check them out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter too! 

 

 

Yup, I've Lost Weight!

Yup I'm a slightly slimmer version of me. 

It was through choice(& effort) & not because I had an issue with what weight I actually was (as I've never been one to weigh myself regularly), nor was it anything to do with being unhappy with my clothing size.  I've been comfortable with being mostly a 10-12 (my JLo booty sometimes needing even more room!) for the last few years. No biggy really... it was a case of, you just feel you could do with shifting a lil' bit of padding and you make the effort to do so.   I felt it had crept on gradually & was needing the heave ho, especially with a swimwear kinda holiday on the cards. 

 Hubby had also been keen to lose a bit of weight but was not so enamoured by the thought of  attending a class (for various reasons) which I could totally understand. Having taught a weekly dance class to a marvellous Weight Watchers group in Cumnock near Ayr , I'd heard great things & seen the amazing transformations of so many of my participants that it seemed the obvious choice. With the app being the affordable & best option for us both, we joined then navigated our way through the it, figuring out what our weekly points allowed us to munch on.....which we discovered was everything and anything really (you just gotta 'point it')'!! 

Using the app & following the ProPoints system has been a walk in the park...a breeze...an absolute doddle! Each day you type in what you've eaten (1000s of brand name products are uploaded in to the site for you to find and choose from) & you can see your remaining daily allowance, as well as your weekly points. So there's no way to lose track of what you've eaten! Of course you can also use it to make healthy, informed choices too. If you fancy something but not sure how many points it is, you simply type it in & it'll bring up the value....then it's down to you to decide if it's worth it to dive in or opt for something lower in points!  

We began our weight loss journey June 4th & within that 4 months of sticking to the program & enjoying regular exercise (I have an active job) I have lost 1 stone 6lbs thus far!  It's been a steady, gradual process with some weeks there being no weight loss at all. 

So what does a typical day look like for me? Firstly I'd like to point out that these are my preferences & that the program offers variety....I'm just a creature of habit most of the time & enjoy certain food groups over others. 

Brekkie? 

Crumpets have become my staple diet. They are low in points, filling and go with almost anything.  Can't even imagine how many of them I've eaten since we started the diet!  I quite often have mashed-up,  heated banana over them. Could literally live on that. It's soooo yummy! Eggs are a fave too and I usually boil an egg the night before to ensure I get that protein fix first thing. 

Lunch? 

Tends to be either tuna or chicken breast with heaps of salad. Low points, mega filling (haven't imputed my spinach leaves below but believe me, they're always there). I've seen myself add all sorts of veg too. Whatever we have that's zero points & will fill out my lunch goes in. Spring onions, broccoli, peas.... My tub is always brimming with greenery! 

Dinner?

We are enjoying the foods we ate before (mainly)but have adjusted portion sizes and thought twice about a jarred sauce, opting to make our own to allow us to control the calorie intake. Chicken fajitas, burgers, stir fries, curries.....we enjoy a varied and tasty diet. Will be posting a few recipes soon!

  My current daily allowance is 26 points which I ALWAYS eat. Rob on the other hand, has a much higher point allowance than me (men get more and it also differs depending on weight) and almost NEVER eats his full allowance. He annoyingly updates me every evening after dinner, when I've only got 2 points or so left, that he has something like 26 left....26 left??!!! He's eaten all day and is still left with the amount of points I get in a whole day! What the actual....?? He apparently should be trying to eat all his points each day but he finds it virtually impossible. He snacks on fruit mainly at work which has a zero points value so he doesn't clock up points during the day. We also both have 49 'weeklies' which you can tap into if you'd like to have that dessert or that glass of wine. Some days I find myself going over my daily 26 by a few points so this is where the weeklies come in to play and I don't feel too guilty about stretching out my allowance. I rarely eat even half of my weeklies but I know they're always there in case of scran emergencies! Oh yeah, we all have 'em! Birthday cake is of course a must-have! 

 My diet hasn't changed much to be honest. I was a healthy eater beforehand with a very balanced diet. What I would say has been the magic ingredient for me with Weight Watchers is the weighing and measuring of my food. Portion control is the key! Yes fruit and veg are 'free foods' so they require no measuring at all but my meat, dairy, carbs etc are weighed (or their weight checked on the packets) before consumption. Cooking or preparing food for two often left us in a scenario where we were overeating at dinner time in an attempt not to 'waste food'. Of course we could have cut down the portions and used the leftovers another day but we weren't....we were just eating them unnecessarily. Filling up on veg and fruit now allows us to eat plenty of the good stuff and manage everything else better than ever before. Tonnes of salad with a burger means I don't need potato wedges with it. Heaps of veg in a casserole means one chicken breast each is plenty for us. Swapping rice for grated cauliflower allows us to eat a heaped plateful without the bloated tummy and the carb overload! It's not rocket science but it kinda feels like it.

  As someone who ate healthily I wasn't convinced that the diet would work for me. I thought any weight loss would only be in high intensity workouts, which sadly (due to my work load,  I don't always have time for. I love exercise, it's my job to be active but because of the regularity of my daily 'workouts', my body expects that level of cardio and needs something far more intense to have an effect.  I was convinced that I didn't have much to change diet wise and yes, that was partly true but a few tweaks have made all the difference surprisingly.....1 stone 6 lbs to be exact! 

I'm down a dress size. I feel great. I'm never hungry. I have stacks of energy. I'm not bored as I can eat anything. It's given me the boost I needed mentality as well as physically. Result, I say! 

I'll keep y'all posted on our weight loss adventures and will be sure to post some recipes too. 

Over and out,

Weesse x