Longest and sunniest day of the year!

Happy Summer Solstice! I spent today at Boogie Bounce, then went to my boogie buddies house for an impromptu BBQ followed by chocolate fondue! 

Had an amazing day, how did you spend yours?

Learning to Run: Up & Running 5k Online Course

So I was lucky enough to WIN (I know, I never win anything) a spot on the Up & Running E-Course for Women. I entered on my girl crush's Shauna's blog and I won! Woah! It was perfect timing as I've signed up for the Colour Me Rad 5k in August. So, off I went on my first training run. Sounds legit. And what a night I had for my first run!

While I can't go into the details of the week 1 workout, I can say it's a very comprehensive course. This first week concentrated on getting mentally prepared with lots of advice on things such as motivation, gear, safety etc which I have to say was really useful!

You get a training programme which changes weekly and explains any exercises you might complete with plenty of time to understand them before you implement them which is also very useful. There's a daily blog post which you can have e-mailed to you AND there's a forum to chat to other running buddies and the course leaders. Seriously, everything you need under one roof! 

I'll keep updating with how I'm finding the training. The first one went as well as it could have under the circumstances and lasted just under an hour. Looking forward to my next session! Go check them out!

Buxom Lip Glosses - The Holy Grail Lip Product!

First off I have to say what a gorgeous day we are having in Glasgow, so I thought I would take some of my favourite lip products out for a bit of vitamin D. I know this is an excessive collection of the same lip gloss, but I seriously love Buxom glosses. I love them so much I would happily wear them for the rest o my life and you wouldn't hear a single complaint from me. Not one. 

I have 6 full sizes, two mini's and a limited edition Bare Minerals Marvellous Moxie too. So why do I love them so much? 

These glosses will love your lips long time. They last...and last...and last... They stay super shiny, they tingle in a nice way and make your lips feel plump and oh so cool. They come in more colours than you could ever imagine, some with glitter and some cream formulas.  Also don't be intimidated by the really bright colours, in my experience they always transform into sheer wearable shades on the lips. The downside? They are virtually impossible to get your hands on here in the UK. I stocked up in America last year, you can't buy them from Sephora and have them shipped, but every so often some pop up on Ebay. After scouring every Bare Minerals shop and counter in Glasgow I've been reliably informed that Buxom are branching off into their own brand which will be making its way to the UK at some point, so keep your eyes peeled!

First up are the mini's, perfect for small bags, gym bags or over stuffed make up bags. On the left is Rachel a sparkly pink purple and on the right is Leslie a nude with a subtle champagne shimmer.

Up next is a limited edition Bare Minerals Marvellous Moxie in Heartbreaker. This is a different formula, and I don't like it as much as the regular buxoms but I've included it as it's a good alternative if you're struggling to get your hands on the real deal. 

On the left is Destiny a coral with a champagne shimmer. In the middle is my absolute favourite of them all, White Russian, which is a pinky nude cream and it's just stunning. On the right is Princess, a pink with a silver shimmer which is my next favourite. Seriously it's like picking your favourite kids. 

On the left is Bunny which is a coral pink with silver shimmer, the middle is a straight forward clear gloss called Krystal, and on the right is Kitty which is a deep brown with a slight shimmer. Now, to the swatchmobile!

Top to bottom:

Rachel

Leslie

Heartbreaker

Destiny

White Russian

Princess

Bunny

Krystal

Kitty

Have you ever tried any Buxom glosses? 

Weekend Fun

So this weekend I had made plans with my sister. As you can see from the picture she really pushed the boat out! We had planned to see Maleficent since we are big Disney fans then we were going to have a few drinks as I was staying over. We had cocktails, nachos, decorations, leis and some yummy snacks! 

The next day we went to Wholefoods in Giffnock. I love Wholefoods, I could wander around it for hours and always spend a small fortune. There's always fruits and vegetables that I've never seen and that look like grenades (see below!) and of course the sushi counter and the bakery section are worth the trip alone!

I mean, look at all that lovely fooooood! Yum! What did you get up to this weekend?

Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac Bag Soft Grey Silver Hardware

Today I wanted to share one of my all time favourite purchases. Ever. High praise, right? Let's find out why!

I can't remember how long I have lusted after a Rebecca Minkoff bag, they seemed to be everywhere I looked on the web. Instagram, blogs, YouTube, Facebook. Everywhere. I wanted one so much, and I decided on my trip to the US in September if budget allowed I was going to buy one. I didn't have a particular colour in mind, but I knew I wanted the Mini Mac. I bought mine in Bloomingdales and ever since I've literally taken it everywhere. On dates. Nights out. On bike rides. Shopping. Theme Parks. Disneyland Paris. On Aeroplanes. Literally everywhere. I feel like I've wore it so much it totally justified the price (£150). 

The bag has a long strap and is cross body style. It has a thick chain but it doesn't dig into your shoulder due to the leather strap at the top. 

There's hardware on the front of the bag, but this clip isn't the closure as I would imagine that would get really annoying. The entry to the bag is through a large zip at the top. 

The lining inside is a monochrome graphic and there are two slip pockets making organising the bag pretty easy. This bag holds everything you need, purse, make up, keys, passport/documents, and all the bits and bobs you need like a mini hair brush. I love mine and am already considering buying the same bag in a brighter colour!

What do you think of the Mini Mac?

Red Onion Restaurant, Glasgow

It seems like it was a lifetime ago I booked tickets to see Wicked in Glasgow, but the date finally rolled around and a good dinner before had was to be expected. So we popped along to the Red Onion in Glasgow's City Centre and had (another) great meal. First up was a glass of Prosecco, after all it would be rude not to! Starter was Bang Bang Chicken Salad with Crispy Noodles which was delicious. It usually comes with a peanut sauce but as I'm allergic I had a sweet chilli sauce and it was delicious. The chicken was well cooked and there was plenty of it, pretty generous for a starter, and it tasted fresh and moreish. 

The main course was a Steak with Pepper Sauce and Skinny Fries with a Side Salad. This was really delicious, I had my steak medium and it was cooked to perfection, the sauce was creamy with a hint of heat and complimented the steak perfectly. I also loved the skinny fries, and again this was a really generous size!

Dessert was shared (the best way) and as is mostly the case, it was my favourite part. Warm Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream was my favourite. It was dense, smooth but not stodgy and I wished there was more! The other dessert was Vanilla Ice Cream with Salted Caramel Sauce and Wafers. I love salted caramel but this was a pretty simple dessert, and I wasn't blown away by it.

Red Onion is a great restaurant with good service and it's always busy. It's also well known for good vegetarian options so it's worth checking out! 

Fit Body Boot Camp Glasgow

Last week I rejoined Fit Body Boot Camp in Glasgow (there's also one in Edinburgh). I went to Boot Camp a few years ago, and I remember having a quite intense love-hate relationship with it. There was a deal on Amazon Local which was £39 for 6 weeks and I decided to go along and check out the new (to me!) premises! I've been going for just over a week now so I thought I'd share my thoughts. 

The studio is in Bothwell Street in Glasgow's City Centre so it's really easy to get to, although parking can be a bit tricky. There's no mirrors in the studio which I like and the classes are small enough that the instructors can keep an eye on your form. Classes last half an hour and start super early 06:15 to 20:00 although there are some small windows of time where there aren't classes on. As a shift worker I've found it easy enough to get to classes and there are no classes at all on a Sunday and classes only go to lunch time on a Saturday.

Each day has a different focus such as legs and cardio, arms and abs, there's even a running session first thing on Saturday morning. Classes can include anything from body weight only circuits. weighted circuits, equiptment circuits, or doing a workout in pairs or groups of three. Some of the things I've used so far are battle ropes, kettle bells, dumbbells, medicine balls, weighted balls, TRX ropes, ab rollers, and there's punch bags too! I've never done the same workout twice and it seems that the sessions are always fresh and exciting and time goes by so quickly!

The workouts are pretty tough, I'm always seriously sweating just at the warm up, I've felt close to being sick a few times, and I always need to jump outside for air, but I love it! I'm always sore the next day and the day after that, and the instructors are always a good laugh. 

I'd highly recommend checking this out if you're in Glasgow or Edinburgh, or a similar facility in your area. Have you ever been to Boot Camp before?  

China Glaze Pink Voltage

Holy neon nails, Batman! I bought this colour on holiday in America for $7 on a whim fully anticipating I'd hate it on. I love it! True, it's a once-in-a-while colour but, it always makes me feel cheery and people always ask about it. It's £4.17 on Beauty Bay just now. 

Do you like neon nails? 

Fitness Gadget: Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor

A few weeks ago I replaced my deceased Polar FT4 with the FT7. I loved my Polar FT4, I felt it kept me accountable and it helped me more accurately track my progress and my workouts. I really noticed a decline in the intensity of my workouts and the frequency without it, so I decided to replace it and upgrade. Here's some info and my thoughts!

You get the watch (mine's is black and purple), a chest strap and the sensor which clips into the chest strap. The chest strap is really comfortable to wear and needs to be wet (just run it under the tap) and then it's adjustable to make sure you get the right fit to pick up your heart rate. The sensor clips onto the strap, you select training mode on your watch and you're good to go!

I don't notice much difference between the FT4 and the FT7. The only thing I can see that's different is the FT7 tells you what work out zone you are in, e.g. fat burning, fitness, but the rest is pretty much the same. I wouldn't say it's worth the difference in price to be honest.

With that said, I'm so glad I have it. I feel I've picked up the intensity of my workouts because I can get instant feedback on my heart rate and calories burned. It also helps when I track with my fitness pal as I've noticed a big difference in the calories MFP calculates for me and the numbers my heart rate monitor give me.

Do you have a heart rate monitor or would you try one?

Bread Meats Bread Glasgow

Today I went to Bread Meats Bread in Glasgow's City Centre. I've been waiting to go to this restaurant for a while now, so I jumped at the chance to go with a few friends and the weather in Glasgow was absolutely gorgeous! Result!

I ordered the Redhead which was ginger garlic and chilli marinated grilled chicken served with mixed leaves and sriracha mayo on a soft bun. It was really delicious, the mayo wasn't too spicy and the chicken had a tonne of flavour. I felt like it was one of the healthiest choices on the menu, one of my friends got a bacon cheeseburger and it looked amazing!

The sweet potato fries were really tasty, crispy and sweet and well seasoned. The restaurant itself was really busy, they don't operate a reservation system, it's always first come first served and there wasn't a spare table the entire time we were there.

It's a relaxed place with good food and quick service, and I really enjoyed it!