Tag Archives: holiday

Summer Of Fun – Part 1

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I’ve not long returned from a work trip and as usual, going on an aeroplane fills my head with memories of trips gone by and those to come too so I wanted to bring you some of my top tips for some of my favourite places. Following on from the Essex Girls Half Marathon effort last year in June, we jetted off for our much anticipated trip to The White Isle for part 1 of what I’ve named the ‘Summer Of Fun’.

If you are planning a visit, these are my must-sees….

Pacha 

The ‘original’ super club. On my first visit last year, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’ve seen films and heard stories that made me think I was going to be heading into something similar to an illegal rave and being that drugs are totally not my bag, I was nervous. Yes, that exists but Pacha itself is super G-L-A-M and in 2015 the decor was themed around the Moulin Rouge which was convenient as our last trip together was to the original in Paris. There’s so many different areas to discover but my favourite bits are the roof terrace – with girls dancing in giant martini glasses and chilled beats on balmy summer nights – and the discovery this time round of the R’n’B room. If you are not into EDM and prefer something a little more commercial then this is the room is definitely the one for you!

 

Ocean Beach 

Words can’t describe how excited I was to be heading to Ocean Beach Ibiza. All my favourites in one day! My girls, champagne, vodka, old skool garage music courtesy of Kisstory all whilst enjoying the blazing sunshine!! Perfection. I’d highly recommend booking yourselves a VIP bed if there are a few of you as you will easily meet the minimum spend throughout the day. The day is spent flitting between the pool – adorned with giant glitterballs and amazing aerialists – back to the ‘Veuve Cliquot’ accessorised bed to dry off and top up the tan. My advice to you is remember to drink water and try and wear a hat to keep the sun off your head…. You don’t want to end up with sunstroke and ruin the evening plans! 

  

Blue Marlin 

Set in its own secluded spot in Cala Jondal away from the hustle and bustle of San An and Playa D’en Bossa, Blue Marlin gives you the perfect day to night venue. It’s a beach club by day, with exclusive cabana beds and a private beach before welcoming house DJs and dancing girls by night. This is flanked by an amazing al fresco dining area where you can watch the sunset before the trees are lit up with pink fairy lights. It’s not the cheapest of places but it feel exclusive, glam and is well worth every penny! You wouldn’t be surprised if a yacht pulled up and an A Lister stepped off to sit on the table next to you. I can highly recommend the Burrata with tomato, zucchini flower, Wagyu ham and fresh basil, Beef Tournedos with homemade cranberry mustard, green beans and potato purée! I was also a massive fan of the illuminated bottle of ‘Ibiza’ Belvedere vodka! Absolutely perfect venue for a more chilled night, with good music, good food, good wine, best friends and lots of laughs. 

  

 Cafe Mambo

An essential! One of the most iconic bars in Ibiza. The most important tip I can give you is to book a seafront table (as far in advance as possible) to ensure you get the best view of the amazing sunset that falls over the bay. Don’t worry about the (low) minimum spend as the food is great and the cocktails go down a treat so between a group you it’s easily achievable. As it’s such a renowned venue on the White Isle, you are likely to have some of the worlds best DJs providing the soundtrack to the view of a lifetime. And you might even spot the famous Mambo Brothers on the next table if you are very lucky.

  

The other places I would try and pay a visit to whilst on the island would be Ushuaia – for one of their club nights, nothing better than starting your night here, before a quick freshen up in the hotel and off to finish off your night at one of the super clubs, and The Ninth – the rooftop bar at the Hard Rock Hotel – clean white leather sofas, cocktails and amazing views across Playa D’en Bossa bay. I’ve also heard good things about Ibiza Rocks House, where they filmed Wham’s Club Tropicana video. I’ve not been but it sounds like my kind of place! 
  

I’ve visited Ibiza twice and I have to say that I really love it there. Besides the sunshine, Spanish food and beautiful beaches, I found an affection for this little place with a big personality because you don’t have to conform, you can be yourself and nobody passes judgement. 

Katie xx

The sun has set beautifully on 2015

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So I’ve been AWOL for quite some time. 

Basically 2015 was a whirlwind, amazing year. Well a few initial hiccups then amazing for the majority before turning a bit shitty in December but I’ll get to that. 

First I want to tell you why I’ve been quiet for so long. I’ve covered off the first half of the year during previous posts on my #100daysofhappiness so I’ll just give a whistle stop tour of the second half. 

In June, myself and 4 of the best ones completed our new year challenge. We ran a half marathon. When I say ran, I actually ran. The entire way. I never ever thought I would be able to do it and with actual blood, sweat and tears through training we managed to achieve it, together. The dream team! 

To reward ourselves, we headed off to Ibiza shortly after. God I love that island. The weekend was full of laughs and memories that will last a lifetime. I want to share the places we visited but I’ll save that for another post! Sunning myself with my best girls, partying to Kisstory at Ocean Beach and experiencing how the other half live at Blue Marlin were definitely highlights for me! 

  

In August my parents celebrated 40 years of marriage. What an achievement! They are a shining example of true love, married at 18 and still having fun together 40 years later. My aim is to share the same kind of true love with someone myself one day. If I can have even 10 years experiencing the same depth of love they have for each other then I’ll be happy. I don’t want to settle for anything less. 

A reoccurring event in my annual calendar is V Festival. Those who have read my blog know about my love of music and I am so lucky to welcome some of the worlds best bands and artists to a festival on my doorstep every August. 

The following week I headed off to one of the most anticipated events of the year… My friend’s wedding in Rome. There were many things going through my mind prior to the trip as it was my first time in Italy, I’d never experienced a wedding abroad before and the thing that was making me most apprehensive was that these friends (and all the other people going) were people I had met through Mr Long Term, so he himself was going to be there too. I was nervous but I needn’t have been.  

Rome turned out to be everything I wanted and more. The city and food were amazing, the wedding itself was INCREDIBLE and I laughed until my face hurt every moment of every day there. Most coined phrase ‘when in Rome’ made almost any behaviour acceptable. I also met someone, who I’ve named Mr Nice Guy, you’ll hear more later. I’m so honoured to have been given the opportunity to celebrate with the happy couple and experience the love surrounding them, something that I will never forget. 

  

After four days at home, I jetted off to my happy place in Majorca where I spent two blissful weeks with my family. Sunbathing, eating, drinking, repeating. 
  

On my return to the UK I wasn’t met with the usual horrendous blues I have when I leave there. Many reasons for this included dates with Mr Nice Guy, one of my girls getting engaged, another two giving birth to their beautiful babies and one of my closest friends asking me to be her Maid of Honour next year. 

The final few months of the year sped by with lots of nights out, weekends with Mr Nice Guy and work being so busy heading into the festive season. 

So, Mr Nice Guy. Who is he? He is exactly that. He’s fun, good-looking, so kind, adores his family and is loyal beyond words. I made some great memories with him which made it all the more difficult when things didn’t work out for us just a few days before my birthday and Christmas. It was a bit of a shock as things seemed to be great during my visit to see him the weekend before.

I’m not really sure what happened. I questioned myself (and still do occasionally) wondering if it was something I did wrong. Did I say or do something wrong? What’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t he want it to work? Why is this happening to me again? Feeling so sad at a time when you are meant to be full of Christmas spirit is really hard. So I got drunk a lot with my friends. 

But now, I’ve focused on the fact that everyone crosses your path for a reason. His reason? To show me the sort of person I’d like to be with and that there are actually some decent single guys left out there. I’m really happy we met and that I had the opportunity to get to know him. 

What now for 2016? 

Well even though we are only 10 days in, it’s shaping up to be quite some year already. 5 weddings plus 3 hen weekends, a new baby in the summer (not mine, obvs), 2 wedding cakes to make and 10 days in Majorca in the Autumn. But I have also felt the need to make some big changes to my own life so have been focusing on self development. 

I’m going back to uni to complete my marketing diploma, I’ve never been more focused on saving money to achieve my goal of buying my own home, I’m going to learn Spanish and I am determined to shift the last 10lbs that has been lingering during 2015. Basically, I’ve chosen some things to achieve that I am solely responsible for so basically my happiness has no reliance on other people. If I don’t achieve these things, I can only blame myself. On the flip side, when I do achieve them, I’ll be able to feel immensely proud. 

I hope 2016 is the happiest yet for you all and that your hopes and dreams come true x