Christmas presents without breaking the budget



How's it going with the Christmas preparations? Did you manage to buy your loved ones prezzies?


I've been to Leeds City Centre today to do some Christmas shopping and let me tell you, I'm not sure that you want to be there in the weekends. Don't get me wrong, I love the Christmas Spirit and the way that the stores look, all festive with sparkly lights and huge bulbs in the windows, but in the weekend the city gets sooo overcrowded that I felt a bit overwhelmed. There were actually stores that I have avoided because you just couldn't move. I remember arriving in Leeds at 11 am and the car park was half empty and by 2 pm there were cars parked everywhere and drivers struggling to find a spot.

Times like this makes me want to stick to my online shopping but I also find myself going in store to try beauty products for example and afterwards ordering them online because I might find really good discounts that I couldn't have found in store.Also, the variety of products is so much bigger online and if you are lucky you might get free shipping as well with a small discount.

So, talking about Christmas presents, I was searching for some presents for my niece and for my nephew.
Don't you feel that in general it's easier to buy presents for your girl friends rather than for your mates?Or is this just a thing of mine?
On the same page, it's so much easier for me to find presents for my niece because I just start thinking about things that I would have loved to receive as a little kid. I've always been fascinated with anything make up related, so I know that a small make up kit for little ladies would do; teddy bears, colouring books, all sorts of toys  and loads of sweets.
 I even loved puzzles, that's what I used to receive almost every Christmas and my favourite one was the one with Cinderella when losing her shoe on the palace's stairs while running to her pumpkin carriage because it was almost midnight.
The thing that I was in awe with every time, was when I used to receive dolls, you can never go wrong with that as a present.My most loved one was a princess Barbie doll, that had some charms as accessories that were changing colour when the temperature was too high or low.Cool,right? It was for me in early 2000's.

Whenever I'm on the look for a bargain present I also look on sites such as https://www.latestdeals.co.uk/tags/doll , where I can find presents for all my family.

Tell me,what would you like to receive for Christmas?

Gin Club Tasting Event in Leeds



The first time that I have tried gin was actually quite recently, more exactly one year ago. I quickly got the taste of it ,I felt that it was a bit similar to vodka.
When Ellie, from MacComms, told me that she will organise this exclusive event to celebrate the new Gin Club Menu for Victoria Gates Casino  and she invited me and Nick, I didn't even wait for a minute to answer the email,it was a big yes from us.


I arrived there not knowing a thing about gin, but that was about to change very soon.

For example,I had no idea that gin was made with juniper seeds. Also,one of my favourite stories was about the first vending machine invented,that was giving the Londoners... gin!
Because of the Gin Act in 1736, which pretty much prohibited the sale of gin, people had to be creative. Shaped as a cat, the Puss and Mew machine, had a pipe under a paw and whenever someone wanted to buy gin,if the seller had some to sell, he would say 'Mew' .This is when the buyer put a coin in the mouth of the cat, and gin would come out of its pawn.




At the event, we tried 4 types of gin paired with 4 different tonics,but firstly we tried plain gin, with a couple of ice cubes.
It surprised me how much of a difference can one tonic make and how nicely it can compliment the gin flavour.

We had such a great night out and enjoyed the company of the people present at the event.Ever since, I found myself ordering gin& tonic when going out with my friends.
It's worth checking out Victoria Gates Casino's new gin menu,which includes 19 flavours of gin.

Tell me, do you like gin? What's your favourite combo? :)

Do Girls Play Golf?!





It was almost two weeks ago when I and Nick got invited for a golf lesson on a Wednesday evening.Don't you feel that if you have different activities rather than just your usual weekly routine, time passes by faster and you feel more energised? Or is it just me?



At first,when I received the email with the invitation I got really excited, but afterwards I felt a bit concerned.The questions that were wandering through my mind were: 'What if I won't be good at it? What if I won't like it? Do girls play Golf !?
Every concern just faded away when I stepped inside the Leeds Golf Center and I was welcomed with the warmest smile .
Me, Nick and Jade  were introduced to our instructor, Nathan.He explained to us the first steps ,told us about the clubs and showed us how to use them.
My start was a bit rough, I didn't manage to master the swing, but Nathan was so patient with all of us and was always there to help us when needed .
I got to admit it, at some point I was completely off, but I could always hear a nice word for my effort ' Nice try! Good one!' .






I couldn't help but notice that there were people of all ages, from juniors to seniors, from one to groups ,having a great time .We felt really welcomed and enjoyed our time there so after the lesson we all went for a pint at the restaurant inside the golf centre.


Big thanks to Online Golf for inviting us, I plan on going there again with Nick and bring more mates there because it was a relaxing day and if it wasn't obvious enough, yes,girls do play golf



Now tell me, have you played golf before?



First day in Iceland - Keflavik, Silfra and Snorkelling




While everyone else is planning an exotic summer holiday,me and Nick were thinking about visiting ...Iceland.Yeah,that's right, cold,windy , unpredictable Iceland.It's actually quite strange how I picked this place, Iceland wasn't on my mind until earlier this year, after I've seen another vlogger's youtube video and I thought wow,that looks like such a cool place!

One day when work was a bit too much,in my lunch break I started looking for cheap flight tickets to...pretty much anywhere, when I found some really really cheap tickets to Iceland.I didn't think twice and immediately bought them.Fast forward to the day that we had our flight, or should I say the day that we should have had our flight...because we missed it. You can read here all about it: http://pixnkix.com/the-lost-flight-to-iceland-reykjavik/ .

So we missed our flight and had to stay 2 days in London at our friends place- thank you so much Daniela and Gica- and Friday morning we had our flight to Keflavik and believe me,we did NOT want to miss it this time.
A couple of days before arriving there we have booked a snorkelling tour for Nick and unfortunately I could not do it because you aren't allowed if you do not know how to swim,which is my case.

So we landed at Keflavik airport, took our car from the car rental company which by the way,  was smelling like dog food and we had a couple of hours to explore Iceland until Nick had his snorkelling tour in Silfra.
We went to the local supermarket to buy some food and then went to Thingvellir National Park , having some stops every now and again because the landscape was truly breathtaking.

Let me tell you a bit more about Silfra.
Silfra is a fissure between the two tectonic plates, the North American and Eurasian and it is the only one in the world where you can actually do snorkelling and scuba diving.It all started in 1789 because of a series of earthquakes and the crack quickly filled with melted glacier water from the nearby glaciers. The water is so clear and clean that you have a visibility of almost 100 meters and you can actually drink it.Be aware, because of the glaciers the water is constantly cold with a temperature between 2-4 °C so you cannot dive without a dry suit and gloves.


About the experience, Nick says: 
'Having the snorkelling equipment from https://www.simplyscuba.com/  made this experience so much more comfortable. The googles were a perfect fit for my face, it didn't let any drops of water get in and the foot fins made it really easy to swim with them.I would recommend to try at least once in your life to do snorkelling in Silfra!'

While he had the time of his life,I was outside, in the wind , freezing and thinking about the hot chocolate and cookie that was promised at the end of his tour.
After finishing the tour we went to our hotel to have some much needed rest.

I really wish that I could have snorkelled at Silfra,but maybe one day I will, until then I am already planning an exotic vacation where I can actually use my snorkelling set from https://www.simplyscuba.com/collections/snorkelling.

Tell me, have you ever visited Iceland?

*we received the snorkelling set for a review,but the thoughts are 100% our own.

Perfect weekend with a good deal






Summer is here! 
Hello gorgeous weather, sunny skies and late barbecues! 
I've been away for the last couple of weeks and all for a good reason, my lovely mother came to visit me and it was the first time when she actually came during summer time .Over the last couple of years she came  visiting during autumn/spring so it was rainy and cold,but she really enjoyed her time here these couple of days.
Whenever she comes to England I try to make her stays special and try to plan different trips and activities. This time is was all about Lake District and relaxing .On Saturday we took a train from Haverthwaite Station to Lakeside and after that we went with a boat to Bowness- On- Windermere. It was so lovely! I would recommend it to everyone!

For Sunday I booked a SPA day with an afternoon tea for me and my family ,it was the perfect way to finish our weekend. I was extremely lucky and I paid only half the price for it because I found the deal on a website.
This actually made me remember the first time when I took my mother to her favourite restaurant, we got such a good promotion online with the meals that the bill went down to more than half the price.

Before booking an activity, I prefer to look on different websites to see if  I can get a small discount or if they have any promotions running. You never know what you can find!
I am always on the look for the latest deals. I mean, if you can pay less for something then ... why not? I  look for discount codes even before buying products for my home like appliances, accessories  or I just look online before going to a shop if I want to stick to a budget.

So many times I feel completely uninspired before buying a gift, I think we've all been there, so I just go online and buy different vouchers.It can be an activity like Bounce Below in Wales , a meal at a fancy restaurant for me and my husband or a relaxing day at the SPA for me and my family. 

If you are looking for a gift for your half, Latest Deals is a website where you can find loads of promotions, like the ones over here: https://www.latestdeals.co.uk/tags/xbox-live . It's worth checking out.


I really hope that the good weather is here to stay! Enjoy it! :)


*this article was written in collaboration with Latest Deals
*this article does not contain affiliate links.

Summer Festivals in Spain - Don't miss out!


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I've travelled a bit over the last few years and whenever I think about vacation, one particular country pops in my mind- Spain .
With a rich heritage , hot summers and absolutely delicious food , there's no wonder that Spain is such a popular holiday destination.



Spring marks the start of one of the most well known festivals -The April Fair of Seville and it all started in 1847 as a cattle fair.
Nowadays, the festivity starts on Monday at midnight with the illumination of the fairground and the entrance.Inside,you will find dozens of tents belonging to families where they welcome friends, relatives and  guests for meals,drinks and so much joy.
Flamenco has its origins in Andalucia,so you can expect loads of dancing, good food and good company.






If you missed this festival,don't worry,you can still catch one at the end of June and it's called the Wine Fight- La Batalla del Vino de Haro. From its name I think that you can already imagine what it is.
It all started in the 13th Century ,when the city of Haro has marked its lines between them and its neighbours.400 years later,because of a fight, the people of Haro and their neighbours started throwing wine at each other.
Nowadays, the ones that want to participate to the wine fight must wear white clothing and a red scarf.


Fiestas de Garcia is another well known festival that is taking place at the end of August in Barcelona, when the city comes alive at night for a whole week.
Each street picks a theme so you can be surprised by colourful decorations, delicious  street food and oh,did I mention that it's completely free to join?



This article was written in collaboration with HolidayGems, where you can find low deposit city breaks this summer.I'm planning my next one now.


So tell me,have you ever been to any of the festivals mentioned above?  Do you have a favourite festival? I want to hear all about it!



Leeds Indie Food -The Festival Foodies Shouldn't Miss



We were so blessed with nice weather lately, I feel so grateful to be able to chill for a couple of hours in my backyard, swaying in my hammock while reading a quality book...I feel like I'm on holiday!
With such weather it's a shame to spend time indoors and if you are looking for things to do in Leeds ,let me tell you about Leeds Indie Food .

Leeds Indie Food Instagram Page

For the third year in a row, with over 80 events and 150 collaborations, Leeds Indie Food Festival comes back this year to bring you all things eat, drink and do.

Festival Passport owners ( you can buy them on their page ) will be entitled to big discounts and exclusive free passes and tasters during the event.
Many activities are sold out,so people are loving them,but you can still find loads of activities and even more are announced every day!
From learning how to make truffles to eating brunch ice cream, pizza and prosecco there is an option for everyone.
The last day of the festival will be on the 28th of May, so this seems like a fun little activity for the bank holiday weekend. Make sure that you will bring your family and friends, they will love it.


Tell me, will you be attending the food festival?


Spend or Save ?





I remember my teenage years.I used to tell my mom that I can hardly wait to grow up so I can be independent, have my own money and live by my own.
Well, when this actually happened it wasn't exactly what I've imagined it to be.
Me and Nick moved to the UK with lent money and it was just enough  for rent and food for a month and that was all.We had to figure it out from there and damn,that was tough.
Going from staying at my parents house straight to being on my very own felt like a slap in my face.
There were so many things that I didn't know about paying bills, managing my finances and I had to learn the hard way through my own experiences.








Pictures by Matt Chappell

Two weeks ago me and Nick were invited to Giffgaff's Spend or Save event. Basically, we had to play a game that is about saving money but also spending it wisely.It's exactly like Monopoly, but instead of buying properties you buy Life Goals .( Saving's Account, Buying a Car, Getting Married, etc)

It's crazy how I've almost gone broke at some point and managed to win the game at our table at the end .It's exactly like in real life isn't it?You never know what comes your way.The money that I've managed to save for my retirement sent me on the second place with the most money after retirement.
For this I've won a 250£ towards a charity of my choice.

We've had so much fun, it felt like a night in with our old friends and new friends while drinking prosecco and eating gluten free pizza.
I had the chance to hang out with my fellow bloggers Sarah, Bridie , Luke ,Nick and Steve from Giffgaff as well,  so thanks to Giffgaff  and Jennie for inviting us,we had a blast.


You can find here more details about the event.






Pictures by N. Calini

Lazy Sundays - Pampering and Recovering after a Stressful Week - Adagio Teas, Skinade, Cetraben ,Vitamin Buddy,


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Sundays are meant to be spend with family and friends,but sometimes I like my Sundays to be quiet .When I think about Sunday I think about two things: late mornings and relaxing activities.
Sometimes I like that Nick goes to the gym for a couple of hours and leaves me alone so I can have some me time.

My ideal Sunday would be literally a sunny day,with two or three hours just for myself, where I can drink my cup of tea, stay online for a bit and just pamper myself.This happens sometimes,so here are the products and drinks that I like to use on those days :





Nothing relaxes me more than a good cup of tea!I drink tea every single day and sometimes a few times per day and I feel the effect on my body immediately. Normally I would drink fruit tea or plant based teas for relaxing,but if there's a rainy day I would for sure choose a black or green tea to get energised.
A couple of weeks ago I received a huge PR box from Adagio Teas and I was totally blown away by the huge variety of teas.When I opened the box I just didn't know where to start.So many flavours and combinations !
I will just talk about some of my favourite ones. Peppermint  and chamomile tea are a must at all times in my house, so I was very happy when I received those ones, but I was even more excited for the Fruit Sangria  and the Blood Orange tins. Fruit Sangria tea contains strawberry, wild cherry, hibiscus, apple and rose hips ,which are all my favourite flavours for a sweet and juicy tea and Blood Orange tea is a combination of blood orange peals with hibiscus flowers and rosehips ,which is a bit more tingly and provides me with vitamin C.
Nick really loved the Jasmine Phoenix Pearl tea,that was the first flavour that he would choose whenever I asked him to pick one.
I think that you can find a flavour for everyone on their website and they have beautiful gift ideas so make sure to check them out.
You can get 20% off  your first order on Adagio Tea website and if you don't know exactly what to pick,you can order the loose tea sample tasters and you will get four types of tea that lasts up to 40 cups.
You can also  buy Adagio Teas on Amazon.





Cetraben face creams and lotion are the best thing that have happened to me while sick.
I have a very,very sensitive skin and whenever I get a runny nose it becomes a pain for me because my skin gets irritated and really red.
If not treated,my skin becomes even flaky and really painful at touch.
When sick I use this face cream that has a thick texture  on my nose, on top of my upper lip and on my cheeks.
I don't like to use these creams before applying foundation  because I feel that the foundation doesn't set right, so I do not use them as day creams(my current one is from Clinique)  but they are for sure my first choice as night creams.
Overall they're good,they're cheap, under a fiver and you can buy them from boots or online on Amazon.
Price: Starting from 2£


Supplements are extremely important to me, I didn't use them before I was 25 but after that I have quickly added them to my daily routine.One big reason why I did that is because of the lack of sun in the UK which affects my mood and energy too much.
Vitamin Buddy offers you a tailored subscription. It's so easy: you will have to take a quiz and depending on your answers they will suggest you a tailored vitamin box .
After  finishing my quiz,these were my results for my tailored box: Vitamin B complex with C,Vitamin D,Magnesium Citrate,Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
 Your vitamins will come in 4  boxes that represent 4 weeks, and each box will have 7 bags of vitamins.
Price: 35£/ month


For my hair and skin I have tried a while ago the Skinade drink.I have received a month's worth of samples to review and the brand says that the real results will be visible in 3 months, but after one month I cannot say that I've seen big results.
The only thing that I can really say is that comparing my skin during winter ,how it was this years versus how it was one year ago ,my face used to become very dry and flaky but this didn't happen while using  Skinade , so I might say that this drink increases hydration, but that is pretty much it.
They say that this drink will give you a natural energy boost,it makes your nails looking healthier and it reduces the appearance of fine lines and I didn't notice either of this effects,but they might be possible after 3 months.
The drink doesn't taste bad,it's slightly tingly and tastes like peaches, quite enjoyable I might say.
Price: 100£ / 30 bottles for 30 days



Holiday Feeling and Celebration





This week got me thinking about my upcoming holidays.It's crazy how time flies, so here I am leaving all the planning last minute making sure that my week is going to be a busy one but at least I've done my final shopping before going abroad.Also, last week I've celebrated Nick Calini (Happy Birthday baby! ) and we've also celebrated MacComms, a PR agency based in Leeds.



Last Thursday I've been invited to MacComms third year anniversary and it was so much fun! I met so many inspiring  people ,had a couple of cocktails with them, ate some cake and laughed until my cheeks hurt.
Congrats to Ellie and her team for smashing it ,winning award after award and working so hard to make their clients happy.









Also,talking about holidays, I've been gifted two snorkelling kits by  https://www.simplyscuba.com/  , one for me and one for Nick and let me tell you how excited I am for this!
There are two major reasons why I'm so excited .The first one is that whenever we wanted to go snorkelling on our holidays,we always had to schedule this activity a couple of days before and sometimes the agencies schedule wasn't on the same track with ours.Therefore,sometimes we had to cancel it or we had to skip other activities in order to go snorkelling.
The second reason is that snorkelling is a bit expensive. Every time you want to go snorkelling for two hours or so you will most likely pay from your wallet anything between 30 to 60 euro per person .
Having my own kit means that I can use it whenever and wherever I want ,at no extra cost.
Also,my kit fits in my carrier bag , so I cannot wait to take it with me on my next adventure and to share my experience with you!
You can find here their range of snorkelling kits and many more: https://www.simplyscuba.com/collections/snorkelling .

So tell me,have you ever gone snorkelling? Did you like it? Would you recommend it to anyone?