Good morning! Hope everyone is enjoying a lovely weekend! We have friends visiting this weekend and at the time of writing, we have nothing much planned apart from chips and wine down the beach one evening if the weather holds! Just hold out until the schools go back, please weather gods - I know we have had a fantastic Summer but I am not ready for it to end just yet!
I’m not ready to stop eating out doors, I am not ready to start wearing a jacket or even thinking about bringing one - what a false sense of security we have been lulled into with this Mediterranean summer. And, as I said last week I am not (and never will be) ready for pumpkin spiced anything, in particular, candles. It is now time (for me at least) to avoid the candle aisle in TKMaxx - just thinking about it brings on one of my heads. Ha
Fact remains though, Autumn is waiting around the corner but I for one am not letting her in, just yet.
That said (and yes she be fickle) suddenly something intangible will kind of switch in the air and inside my brain and I will be ready for Autumn within seconds. This shift might happen today, or any time. I’m not in charge of it. I just go where the brain goes.
If, like mine, your skin is currently drier than the Sahara, try this - I have been using it at night on my legs and it’s lush Use 15FOR YOU for 15% off . I love NEOM - it smells lush, and they always make really lovely gifts. (Including the ‘to me from me’ type)
Well, it arrived - and I am SHOOK. The colour match to my skin is perfection. It feels like a serum and looks like a filter. If I was a fancy beauty blogger I’d record a video RAVING about it and I would tell you about all the fancy ingredients in it - but I’d have to learn what all those fancy ingredients actually do, and the bottom line is the product is FANTASTIC and as far as I am concerned, the hype is true. My litmus is the friend who told me about it.
And TBH I don’t ever really look at what ingredients are contained in any foundation, all I am ever really worried about is, have I just wasted my money, is it the right shade, and will my skin like it. I ordered ‘sheer’ the lightest coverage - and I am delighted with it. 5 STARS - highly recommend. FYI- their products are vegan, and cruelty free and UK made. Check.
Scuse the massive photo of the 55 year old boat race, but this is it. No filter, with the foundation and a light bronzer powder. FIND IT HERE - I asked for a code and they yielded- use SALLY20 for 20% off.
I love a podcast. Especially when I am walking Molly, or doing something houseworky when I don’t want to pick up my phone and become side tracked by god knows what, and subsequently lose an hour down a rabbit hole. GAH
Last year when we were knee deep in decorating, I’d usually just ask Alexa to play radio 2, but sometimes, amongst drilling and sawing I just wanted something different delivered straight in to my ears. I don’t know how I discovered it, but ever since I did, I have listened to every episode and it has become part of my day. These Australian women are bang on the money with their daily chat and I really enjoy listening to them. You can listen for free every weekday except Tuesday and Thursday (the paid subs get those extra days and I am seriously considering this as an option)
Each day they dissect the news, current affairs, celeb gossip, Trump, Taylor Swift’s wedding, The Royal family, Meghan Markle’s jam business, what to watch, listen to, wear, and I really enjoy listening to all of them. Holly (my favourite) is on holiday this week so the panel changes a bit, but if you love chit chat and current affairs, a laugh, and a little bit of chaos, I think you will love this pod. It is Australia’s number 1 Podcast so we are in excellent company.
FIND IT HERE (or wherever you get your pods)
And now, a recommendation I often make because they are SO COMFY and yep, I binned all other knickers in favour of this brand.
I KNOW.
I waved bye to a drawer full of M&S undercrackers that had definitely seen better days (the utter shame if I had got run over) and replaced them all with Stripe & Stare. ALL of them.
…also, *strokes beard - is it just me with some undiagnosed childhood trauma, who has an irrational fear/memory of someone (maybe a grandmother way back?) warning me I could be runover and thus, the shameful state of my underwear would be exposed. Has this EVER happened. NO. Would my knickers be on my list of things to worry about if I was run over? NO. I am making myself laugh just thinking about it.
ANYWAY, a drawer full of old grey knickers is most overlooked and also quite depressing, and we don’t treat ourselves enough in that department (I didn’t at least)
I like a decent knicker so I choose high rise, however there are lots of different shapes/cuts (?) to choose from and they are life changing (not to be too dramatic).
Here is a link to my CURRENT FAVOURITE I absolutely love this pack and - as an aside the packaging is compostable and the knickers themselves are 95% tencel, a biodegradable fibre made from wood pulp.
THE most soft, comfy, gorgeous knickers that we should all wear for the absolute comfort and joy they bring. I am wearing them on the hill I will die on whilst shouting about how excellent they are.
I grab the multi packs when I spot them on sale - like the brights in the pic - currently £25 for a pack (I wear a medium, I am a 12) but I love the new colour combos.
Stripe & Stare is also female led, B Corp business. Tick tick tick (their jarmies are ace too btw Heart frill short bottoms on sale)
They also make bras and I would be proud to be run over in any of them. HA
It has come to my attention that polka dot jeans are bringers of joy. I bought a pair earlier this Summer and they are fab - especially now, when I don’t want to go full jean, but linen trousers are not quite right either - a polka dot jean ticks my boxes so I figured they might tick yours too.
In the name of research, I have found an absolute banging pair ON SALE in Fat Face so you know they’re gonna be good - they are currently available in most (not all) sizes and (vitally) 3, THREE, yes three - different lengths. The actual holy grail! AND at an EXCELLENT PRICE - click here. Fab with flip flops, ballet flats, trainers and, when is comes to it, ‘proper shoes or boots’
Heart layer necklace on sale £19.60 Spinner Necklace on sale £19.60 (down from £49) and if you prefer a more vintage style this one is also on sale and is rather lovely.
TANK TOPS (hurrah for the correct title - not 'sleeveless knit' TANK top. Thank you anyway look - absolutely lovely but which one?? Perfection with a soft denim shirt under, or just a plain white, long or short sleeve tee. Laaavily.
My house plant obsession continues, buoyed by the fact that so far, I am single handedly keeping 5 house plants alive. Not only alive, but thriving! No one breathe or move in case they notice and decide to expire on me. Sshhhhh
As an aside - the CANDLE I took a punt on in The White Co sale, is a triumph! Smells lush. Check. And look how I am showing off with the candle AND a live plant.
Absolute miracle let me tell you as I have previous where live houseplants are concerned. Anyway, this latest buy is a Peperomia plant. Otherwise known as a Chinese money plant I think, and there are seemingly 100s of variations.
This is a faux one (I don’t like to think of them as faux though, just that they will live forever) Linked here - I bought my living one in a local shop and I love it. Apparently they are also nicknamed Radiator plants and love a bit of central heating so I am hoping I can keep this one alive through the winter too. They hate being over watered (excellent news) so I am very hopeful my £8.50 was spent well.
Have you come across these?
I absolutely love them but refuse to pay £30 for one and I have seen them for even more. Now, much as I grimace about Amazon, the prices are excellent on the Japanese Knot Bag front.
The style and shape itself is a long established design using the Japanese tradition of making a bag with handles where one loops through the other to make something that was otherwise quite ordinary feel a bit special, but with a very practical reason because it also stops your stuff from falling out. Clever clever.
There are heaps to choose from, from woven patterns, to plain, velvet to sparkly.
Here is a small selection mostly on next day and under a tenner. I have researched this and the design is historical so I don’t think this is a rip off of any small biz or designer, (unless somewhere a fabric has been copied) the design itself goes back hundreds of years. They knew what they were doing back then.
CORD version woven version flower version stripe version
Or if you fancy making one, there are loads of patterns online Like this
I really like them so thought you might too :)
If you are a Newquay regular, you will, no doubt be aware of the Nici - which pre its 20 (although I heard 30) million pound refurb, looked like this… (GREAT bones)
And now has been transformed in to this… absolute stunner
Following the award winning success of its flagship spa hotel in Bournemouth, The Nici group has expanded and the old Victoria Hotel, built here in Newquay in 1899, was secured and it’s future, safe. I see too many beautiful Victorian buildings in Newquay, ‘mysteriously’ burn down to be replaced by (in my own opinion) soulless boxes. SO this is absolutely wonderful to see and lifts this end of town hugely!
It is an absolute triumph and is truly a brand new old jewel in Newquay’s crown. details here
although I have to say.. (do I have to? yeah I kind of do) that I wish the original glazed Victorian entrance was saved, but to be fair, I only realised once I compared the pics while writing this and the transformation is so lovely, the lack of original Victorian veranda (?) is forgiven. Maybe it will make a return. Let’s see.
Anyway! Feast your eyes - loads of interior inspo - I actually really love that they painted the wood in this fresh blue green - it looks stunning (I love that the bikes match) I also love that in the main, all the features have been saved - and they are such beautiful features.
No expense has been spared. It feels and looks super high end, but you don’t have A) be high end or B) stay here, to enjoy it - whether you fancy a light lunch, dinner, or a cocktail at the bar, all are welcome - even the dog.
We were invited along for a peep at the new pool and spa areas and to have a massage - which was a wonderful treat. (Ad pr invite)
The spa and treatment rooms are downstairs, along with a state of the art gym. My massage was absolutely wonderful, although I realised I have really ticklish calf muscles and had to stifle a giggle when Demi was working on them. This was new information to me as I had not realised this ever before in my life. ANYWAY, the massage was glorious and I managed to stay awake for the whole hour. Nothing more annoying than dropping off during a massage and missing it is there! Or worse, twitching or snoring omg.
They use EVOLVE products which are organic and award winning - I have no idea, all I know is that they smell, what I call ‘proper’ - spa like, you know?
They mix your massage blend according to your skin type and fragrance preferences - I chose ‘Zen Whisper’ a relaxing blend of Lavender, Sweet Marjoram, Vetiver and Bergamont - if you fancy a bit of that - here is a pulse point roll on (£14) to try. It’s a bit addictive!
The Nici’s huge renovation is so new it’s not quite finished yet, but coming for next Summer is an outside pool to compliment the infinity style and rather glorious, inside pool.
And also - OMG this makes me ridiculously happy - they are reinstating the old Victorian lift that used to take guests from the hotel, directly down to the Great Western beach below. The remains of which has been a source of fascination for me, for years. I cannot wait to see it all!
This will be so cool - will update
Once again, if you are not a guest you are warmly welcomed to enjoy a visit with a SPA day such as Relax and Renew, including a 50 minute treatment, full use of the spa facilities such as the pool, steam room, sauna and outside spaces, and a 2 course lunch, from £129 pp - or just pop in for a drink or dinner. (Here's the menu ) Laaavily.
And this is where I leave you - it’s so funny, when I start writing, I often don’t know what I will write about and then all the words and pictures fall out of my head and I hope that they fall in some sort of order and that you’ll enjoy reading them, which is why our Sunday Meeting is often a really mixed bag - but at least that is consistent, if nothing else is!
Have a fabulous Sunday and I wish you a peaceful week ahead. I’ll be back next week with whatever I trip over that I feel the need to share with you!
Love
Sally x
The Sunday Meeting is free and always will be - I use affiliate links when I can, to help keep it that way.
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