Author: louise

I'm Louise, a London based blogger who writes about her ordinary life. I love to travel and enjoy life, so expect everything from Hawaii to Pisa with some food, fashion and fun thrown in. I want this blog to inspire people in some way (I know, big dreamer!), whether it's to visit a place that they haven't thought about before or just try something new. Please feel free to contact me for a chat about absolutely anything, or if you feel that we could work together. louise@lulubellelife.com L x

My Favourite things to do in La La Land…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It’s absolutely no secret that I adore Southern California. From the golden sunsets to sandy beaches I’m completely head over heels in love. It all started in 2015 when my husband and I spent a month on honeymoon along the West Coast of America. It was such a fun and dreamy time that I would relive over and over again in a heartbeat. We had just so much fun and it was from that moment on that Los Angeles became one of my favourite places in the world. That’s why when the opportunity arose to spend ten days in LA again I leapt at the chance and we were on a plane to soak up the sun by the time you could say USA. Well, almost. 
Anyway after returning from our trip I have been inspired to put together a few things that I love to do when I’m over in La La Land.

Being a Disney addict means that no trip is complete without a Mickey fix and the parks in California are fabulous. 

I must admit that the Adventure park and Disneyland itself are my favourite of all the Disney parks that I’ve visited (which includes Walt Disney World in Florida!). 

I think that the fact that this park was the original just gives it a little extra sparkle and there’s so many unique rides that I just love (the Cars ride is so cool!).  I also like that you can hop between the parks super easily (like in Paris) and it’s not overwhelming (like WDW can be). Plus it’s all in English so I feel like I experience it fully. Anyway, I always have so much fun here so I would definitely recommend a visit!

One of the other things that I love to do is shop. We love walking around the mall having a nosey and until recently you could pick up quite a bargain with the US/GBP exchange rate. A lot of my favourite brands are American so I’m in my element!

A new discovery from our recent trip was Knott’s Berry Farm, which is a theme park located in Anaheim. It’s so much fun and quite quirky. They have a couple of really odd rides there. It’s also not as busy as Disney and we literally never queued for anything. Hurrah!

We stayed in Santa Monica for a few days on this trip and it was really lovely. We loved cycling along the beach (which is also what I loved doing on our honeymoon in Long Beach), and the cycle paths that are literally on the beach make it super safe and easy. There’s loads of places to rent bicycles cheaply too. I think we paid around $16 for a couple of hours. 

There’s quite a lot to do in Santa Monica from the pier to Muscle Beach and the beach itself is layered with beautiful golden sands.

Long Beach is a gorgeous place to explore with lots of nice restaurants and a pretty marina to walk around. It’s also where they filmed a scene in Clueless which always excites me!

I went whale watching on this trip which is something I didn’t do last time as we had just been swimming with sharks in Hawaii and  poor Phil had felt terribly seasick so he didn’t fancy hopping on a boat. We also went whale watching in Iceland last year which was unsuccessful as I didn’t see any whales and poor Phil spent the four hour boat journey vomiting! 

This time I went with my friend Kate and was absolutely blown away. We were so incredibly lucky to see four grey whales as well as lots of sea lions. It was one of the most enchanting experiences seeing these wonderful giants living wild and free. We used our LA Go cards for this trip (as well as Universal and Knott’s Berry Farm!), so it wasn’t remotely expensive. I am planning on going again when we next visit for the summer migration.

Long Beach is also rather lovely with its marina and, er, beach. There are lots of nice restaurants in the hood (including the delicious Wokcano) and there are lots of cute places to enjoy the LA Lifestyle. As well as some totally instagrammable shops near the marina.

Have you visited LA? What would you recommend?

L x 

10 Essential tips for travelling to Hong Kong…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

At the start of January we headed over to Hong Kong to celebrate my birthday. I was so, so excited to explore a part of the world that was new to me and couldn’t wait to take it all in. Luckily for us, I have a wonderful friend from my uni days who lives in Hong Kong and we also met a man on the plane who lives there too, so we quizzed both of them on their top tips and must see places. I now present to you my top ten tips for visiting Hong Kong…


1. Get yourself an Octopus card

I had heard about the Octopus card that is used all over Hong Kong. It’s a prepaid card that works like an Oyster card in London. It’s great because you can save so much money on public transport by having one. As a Londoner, I found the MTR to be super cheap and such a convenient way to get around town. You can also use your Octopus to pay for things in fast food restaurants and convenience stores.


Dress: AllSaints


2. Buy theme park tickets from 7 Eleven

This is a tip that we picked up from our chatty plane companion. Tickets for places such as Disneyland and Ocean Park can be picked up from the 7 Eleven stores that are all over the city. There are two major pluses for this; firstly, no queues on arrival and secondly they are a couple of quid cheaper – hurrah!


3. Use the Openrice app

This tip was given to us by our lovely friend Cindy. It’s basically an app that you can use to source restaurants, cafes and general eateries. People post reviews and photos of the food. I found this super handy because it’s always a good idea to go on recommendations from others and we could see what was around when we were hungry. Plus I’m super cautious over food hygiene when eating out and this gave us a bit of a heads up.


Taken at Yum Cha in Tsim Sha Tsui.

4. Haggle at the markets

The night markets in Hong Kong are great, especially for choosing souvenirs. Make sure you know what price you are prepared to pay and haggle down if you think it’s on the steep side. There are some bargains to be had, but some merchants will try to take advantage of you!


5. Take advantage of the MTR

I loved using the MTR whilst we were away. I’m always a fan of walking lots and using public transport whilst away because I feel like you really get to see the place. The MTR goes all over Hong Kong and has stops near all of the major attractions. It even has a Disney themed train!

6. But also don’t be afraid to use a taxi

I was so surprised at just how reasonable the taxis are. When we arrived at the airport we went over to the taxi rank and it was so well organised. We knew how much we would be paying, the taxis are colour coded (red for Tsim Sha Tsui) and they’re all registered too, so we felt safe.


7. Do Disney

Disneyland in Hong Kong is really special. It’s much smaller than the other Disney parks that I’ve visited, it’s bitesized and a perfect addition to a visit to Hong Kong. We visited on my birthday and had such a fun day. It was super quiet in the park and we didn’t need to queue for any rides except for the Iron Man ride which had a twenty minute queue and had opened that day. We had so much time to do everything because we weren’t queuing all day and watched two parades, one show and met a few of the characters. All in all a fantastic birthday. Also, take advantage of the free wifi and fast passes.


8. Accept that it’s busy

Hong Kong is a bustling hive twenty-four/seven. We dragged our jet lagged selves out in the early hours one night for a drink and snack only to be greeted with streets still alive with people. It’s incredible. And also ridiculously handy if you need a shop in the middle of the night (which we actually did one evening when I was unwell!). It’s a bit daunting that the city is so tall and busy, but I think that’s part of Hong Kong’s charm. It’s pulse barely reaches resting state. So just be prepared to embrace it’s intensity.


9. Happy Valley Race course 

Apparently, Happy Valley Race Course serves cheap drinks and it’s a great place to go for a night out. We didn’t find alcohol particularly expensive during our trip, but according to our plane pal, the race course is where it’s happening.

10. Check out the free places 

There are lots of places to visit in Hong Kong that are either free or require a small donation. There are some beautiful temples, parks and gardens to explore. Perfect for those on a budget. Check out the Avenue of Stars for something quirky.
Have you visited Hong Kong?

L x 

Hi there…

On By louiseIn UncategorizedLeave a comment


Things have been a bit quiet over here recently. There have been a couple of reasons for this and one of the reasons has simply been because I’ve felt a bit insular. The build up to Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year, I love choosing treats for our friends and family, having people over as well as over indulging in food. It’s such a wonderful time filled with love and it’s just lovely. It’s also become riddled with emotions for me as Grandad passed away in December and last month marked the one year milestone for us. I don’t want to lay on the poor me card, but I found the lead up to his anniversary particularly hard (which took me by complete surprise) and I just felt a bit insular. I didn’t want to share much about my life for a bit because I wasn’t vibing it. I only like to post honestly and I didn’t want to be writing about what a wonderful time I was having (which I was for the most part) when I was actually just craving some time in my shell. The other reason for the lack of posts is simply because I have been ridiculously busy with renovating the house, holidaying in Hong Kong and the general madness that comes with Christmas and the New Year. Anyway, I’m here and I’m so excited for what this year has to offer. We’ve got some lovely things planned and I can’t wait to share it all with you.
Thanks for hanging around.

L x 

A Day at the Races…

On By louiseIn Lifestyle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury Racecourse. I had never been to the races in winter and was very much looking forward to seeing how it would differ from my experience in the summer. So my wonderful friend Kimberley and I donned on our glitzy outfits and coats before heading off for a girly day of racing fun.

It was one of those perfect winter days where the sun is shining so brightly and the air is still. It was pretty cold though!

I was super stuck on what to wear for a winter racing event because I like to dress up a bit, but I also like being warm. In the end I opted for a sparkly dress and a long coat with a faux fur trim. I was still pretty frozen though.

Soon after we arrived, we headed over to the Honesty Box for a winter picnic so that we could eat lunch without missing out on the races. The food came in really cute boxes all tied up with a ribbon and tasted divine. We had a beef roll, pastries and cake with some butternut squash soup.

Before we knew it the races had started, so we found a nice seat behind a glass wall. Neither Kimberley or I are big on betting, so we chose to just predict a winner. We actually got quite into it after a couple of races, although neither of us were successful in predicting a winner.

After the races had finished we headed over to the bar to have some cocktails and conclude our girly day before returning home and thawing out in front of the fire. I would definitely recommend a trip to the races for the Hennessy Gold Cup because it’s such a fun day, but make sure to wear really, really warm clothing!

Have you been to the races in winter?

L x 

A Day at the Races…

On By louiseIn Fashion, Lifestyle, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I’ve only ever been to the races twice, once with my Mum and once with my friend Sarah to cheer on her uncle’s horse and watch Calvin Harris in the evening. Both times it was in the heart of summer. Unfortunately the day that Mum and I went, we were subjected to a horrific rainstorm and I was transformed from horse race glam to drowned mess. On the day that I went with Sarah, it was a gorgeous day shimmering in sumptuous sunshine and it was simply lush.

I’ve always viewed the races as a nice girly day out where you can switch off from life, get dressed up and have fun. There aren’t many events that people make a real effort for these days and I love that you can be quite bold with your choice of fashion at the races. I love looking at all of the hats and bright dresses. 

In a couple of weeks I am heading off to the races again for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury Racecourse. I’m really excited to go because I love the atmosphere and I just know that we will have a great time. I love the glamour of a day at  the races, a chance to dress up and have fun. Having never been in Autumn/Winter, I’m a little unsure on what to wear because I know that I’m going to have to layer up. Luckily I’m a bit of a coat hoarder, so I’ve got some gorgeous coats to consider as well as some lovely accessories. I’m thinking that I can still wear a pretty dress and fascinator because I’m sure that I won’t be outside the whole time and hopefully the weather will be gorgeous anyway.

This year marks the 60th Hennessy Gold Cup, so I’m certain that it will be a special day. It’s a massive event for any horse racing fan and it always has such a high turnout. It’s also a hotspot for celebrities too, so I will be certain to do a little celeb spotting!

The main focus of race day will be on predicting the winner. I’m not much of a betting person, but I’ll probably place a cheeky bet or two. I normally pick the horse with the best name, but I might do a little research beforehand to heighten my chances of success, although a ‘favourite’ has only won sixteen times in sixty years at the Hennessy Gold Cup, so my random method might actually be successful!

There’s also lots of nice food and drink available, so I’m quite looking forward to getting stuck in to that too. 

Both times that I have been, there has been some great entertainment in the evening so the day doesn’t stop as soon as the last race finishes. I can’t wait to see what the entertainment will be like at a big event like the Hennessy Gold Cup.

Something that I am also super excited about is meeting lots of other London based bloggers who will also be attending. I love meeting other bloggers, so it will be wonderful to mingle.

Now here’s the super exciting news, I’m co-hosting a giveaway so that you and a friend could be joining me at the races too! 

The prize is Two Premier tickets to the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury Racecourse, a Hennessy picnic and a night for two B&B in the Lodge Hotel for the 26th of November. It’s such an amazing prize to win because it’s pretty much a free weekend away and who doesn’t want one of those?! With Newbury Racecourse being so easily accessible from London and surrounding areas, it’s a great giveaway to enter. 

So how can I enter? I hear you ask, well all you have to do is hop on over to Mode of Style and fill in the rafflecopter by the 18th of November 2016. Make sure that you read the T’s and C’s first though!

If you want a glimpse of what’s to come, there’s a great video about the Gold Cup here.

Hope to see you there!

L x 

Happy Halloween!

On By louiseIn Lifestyle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Every year Phil and I carve pumpkins for Halloween. It all started a few years back when Phil arrived home laden with two pumpkins that he had picked up from Sainsbury’s and now we do it every year. Although I’m not very good at it and Phil always laughs at mine. Who needs to be a good pumpkin carver anyway?!

We usually just grab a couple from the supermarket, although last year I left it too late and we had to make do with some measly left overs from the green grocer. Determined not to be left with sub standard pumpkins this year, we took ourselves down to Peterley Farm for pumpkins and cake.

I absolutely love Peterley Farm because it’s just so lovely. There is the cutest little cafe that feels like you have stepped into a Harry Potter movie when you open the little door. They have a totally delicious menu and I had the tastiest pain au chocolat that I’ve had in a long time washed down with fresh apple juice from the farm.

You can also pick your own fruit in summer and they have an amazing farm shop that pretty much sells everything. I just love how fresh it all is and how organic the experience is.

They also had a barn filled with perfectly imperfect pumpkins that were calling to be carved. They had so, so many to choose from and we loved picking ours out. No sub standard ones for us this year!

The next day we carved our orange delights ready to put outside for Halloween. I know that some people don’t like Halloween and I can understand why. I on the other hand love how fun it can be and find that it helps brighten up the gloomy months.


Do you celebrate Halloween?

L x 

A weekend in Munich…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Over the summer, we were lucky enough to escape to Munich for a long weekend. I hadn’t been before, but the hubby had and said that it was really gorgeous, so I was excited to go. Being the type of person I am, I immediately began researching what we could cram into our weekend, I wanted to see as much of this city as we could in a short space of time.

After a flight cancellation followed by a flight delay (cheers BA!), we arrived in Munich. The sun was shining as we rode the train from the airport to the city. I loved looking out of the window and catching a glimpse of the countryside. There’s something so serene about fields dipped in sunshine. 

Upon our arrival I ditched our bags and headed out for a walk to explore. We were so, so lucky with the weather. It was just one of those perfect summer days. Warm and enchanting. I had a mooch around town, stopping for an ice cream whilst absorbing the sumptuous architecture. I felt really safe walking around and free too. I had a lovely couple of hours.

Later on we went for a walk along the river. It was so alive with people swimming and catching the last of the day’s rays. I had a paddle and the water was lovely, so clean and refreshing. I couldn’t imagine an atmosphere like it in London with the murky Thames!

I was so surprised at just how beautiful the city is. With its architecture, people and atmosphere it’s just such a positive place.

We found a great Mexican restaurant for dinner and had amazing burritos before continuing our stroll around until the sun set.

Munich is quite an active city with cyclists galore, runners and dog walkers. It was great to see so many people out and about.

On our second day we were up and out quite early, eager to explore as much as we could in our weekend in Munich. The streets lining the river have some great street art and I loved just taking it all in. 

Munich made me feel so light and free, it is such a relaxing place. 

We had decided that we were going to visit the zoo which was an hours’ walk from our hotel. I like to walk a lot when we are away so that I don’t miss the little details. I’m so glad that we did because we stumbled across a little market in Mariah Platz. The market sold fresh, local produce, plants and cute gifts. My favourite part was looking at all of the gorgeous flowers in full bloom.

We continued our walk and found an Italian restaurant with Al Fresco dining. Again, the weather was divine, so it was lovely to sit outside stuffing our faces!

Once we arrived at the zoo I was so surprised by how large it was. For a city zoo, I was impressed with the enclosures and also the amount of free space for families. There are lots of play areas and you could literally spend the whole day there. My favourite spot was on the sun loungers by the giraffe enclosure. So much love for lounging in the sun!

Soon enough it was time to start our walk back to our hotel. We were almost there when a thunderstorm started, so we ran into a shopping centre to grab dinner and shelter from the rain.

The following day was our last in Munich and we really wanted to check out a restaurant that we had seen on the first day and explore the English Garden.

The restaurant was Speisen and Getranke, a trendy burger place with an amazing woodland interior. The food was super lush and we loved it.

We then headed over to the English Garden which I think is Munich’s version of Hyde Park.

The park was lovely and filled with people enjoying the weekend. We found some surfers practicing in the river, which I really wasn’t expecting. I loved watching them though, we spent ages there!

Before long it was time for us to head back to rainy old London.

We had such a lovely time in Munich and I feel like it’s the kind of city that I would love to return to. It has everything needed for a weekend getaway.


Have you visited Munich? Where’s your favourite place for a weekend away?
L x 

A day spent exploring West Wycombe…

On By louiseIn Lifestyle, UncategorizedLeave a comment


There’s something about National Trust sites that simply grip me. I’m not sure if it’s the opulent stately homes or the lush grounds, but either way I am always somewhat entranced by a trip exploring a National Trust site. I love how simple, yet complex each visit is from a casual stroll around woodland to a tour of the grandest of homes. I love using our time exploring to switch off from everyday life and escape the harshness of modern times. It’s like taking a step back into a simpler way of life. We always have a jolly good walk around and I love breathing in the fresh air, my toes skimming the grass. We always learn something new and find something different. On this occasion we visited West Wycombe, which has a house as well as grounds to explore. We learnt lots about the Dashwoods and found a giant fungus in a tree, which whilst I am quite aware this doesn’t sound exciting (and perhaps even repulsive), it’s just so lovely to take note of our surroundings, nature and none of us had seen anything like this fungi before. It was as though it had emerged from Wonderland.

I find that each visit to a National Trust site bares similar constitutions to that of a fairytale. Charming, enchanting and full of escapism. That’s why I was so excited to see what West Wycombe had to offer us as new place to explore.

Although the sky was coloured grey, it was still rather pleasant and we had a wonderful walk around the grounds.

The grounds are simply overflowing in natural beauty with the clearest waters. I’ve genuinely only seen waters as clear as these in Iceland and could barely believe that this kind of purity can be found lurking in Buckinghamshire.

The house that sits on the hill at West Wycombe is open to visitors and I would say it is very distinct. It has a lot of Italian influences and has been used for filming on many occasions (including the latest Bridget Jones instalment!) It’s brilliant that you can walk around and absorb the history of past inhabitants and there are loads of information sheets to hand too. 

Overall we had a great day and will definitely be returning!

Have you visited any National Trust sites?

L x 

9 things to do in Munich…

On By louiseIn Food, Travel, Uncategorized2 Comments


We were lucky enough to escape for a cheeky weekend away in Munich this summer. I hadn’t been before and was pleasantly surprised – it’s a gorgeous city packed with things to do. Here are nine things that you can pack into your trip to Munich.

1. Shopping. Now I’m quite aware that this may seem like a bland thing to do whilst in such a beautiful city, but Germany have amazing treats hidden in their supermarkets from tasty chocolate to strong beers, it’s all there and worth a nose at.

2. Hire a bike. Literally everyone cycles in Munich and with their well planned cycle lanes and just general awareness for cyclists, it’s a great way to get around whilst exploring.

3. Check out the architecture. Munich is home to some of the most gorgeous buildings riddled with history. You only have to walk around to become enveloped in their beauty.

4. Hang out by the river. On a sunny day, an evening by the river is where it’s at. Bring your swimmers if you fancy and soak up the bohemian atmosphere.

5. Check out the local markets. There are a few markets on all over the city on weekends. We visited the market on Mariah Platz that runs every Saturday. You can find local produce from little gifts, fresh fruits and plants. We loved having a little nose around!

6. Eat, eat and eat some more. There are so, so many restaurants dotted around the city covering every type of cuisine. We found lots of independent restaurants that served delicious food from Italy to Mexico!

7. Visit the zoo. Munich is home to a lovely zoo that is actually quite large. It’s really family friendly and they are working on a lot of conservation projects too. 

8. Go to the English Garden. The English Garden is a wonderful park in the heart of Munich. Filled with dog walkers, joggers and surfers, it’s a great way to spend a few hours. We loved watching the surfers at the park (something I never expected to see!).

9. Take a day trip to Neustwanstein Castle. You can easily catch the train from Munich Central and head on over to the iconic castle that’s been used in many films. Sadly we didn’t squeeze it in this time, but I’m all over it the next time we visit!

Have you visited Munich?

L x 

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

On By louiseIn Books, Lifestyle, UncategorizedLeave a comment


Unless you have been living on Mars for the past twenty years, you would have heard of both J K Rowling and Harry Potter. You most likely have also heard of the highly anticipated play that brings us the next instalment of Harry’s life and lit up the West End at the start of the summer.

I first started reading the Potter books whilst I was at secondary school. Only the first couple of books had been released and I was immediately hooked. The way in which J K Rowling told the story of this young boy who had been orphaned and was actually a wizard completely mesmerised me. Coupled with the release of the movies, my brother and I were transformed into Potter fans. Ever since then I’ve followed the release of both books and movies as well as treading the sets at the studio tour in Leavesden and hurling myself around The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I just love it. That’s why I was so super excited when Harry Potter and the Cursed Child landed on our doormat in the summer. 

This latest offering follows Harry’s family , nineteen years later. At first you are reacquainted with the characters and you begin to learn about how their relationships have developed. The new characters (predominantly Albus and Scorpius), are brought to life, although soon enough old habits return and we are thrown back into a world of Hogwarts and dark magic. Not to mention that painful scar.

I was terribly sceptical as the story is presented as the script for the play, completely unconventional to the other novels. I wasn’t sure if I would become quite so consumed with stage directions thrown in and it being predominantly dialogue. I was worried that the charm would be lost.

Anyway, within the first couple of pages I was immediately hooked and simply could not put it down. The storyline is fabulous and I love that they’ve chosen to go down the route of playing with time. It feels wonderfully majestic and although it is mostly dialogue between actors, I was still able to conjure up each scene visibly in my mind. I did feel that a few scenes felt rushed though and some expansion could have been created, although it’s important to remember that this is a play form of the story and that it needs to be told differently.

It made me feel nostalgic and I love that Harry has grown (just like us!). I feel like there’s room for expansion, the great story of the Potter’s could easily continue, so I doubt that this will be our last instalment.

Read it if:

  • You are a fan of the Harry Potter series (who isn’t?!)
  • You like a bit of magic
  • You love going to the theatre

Best bits:

  • The storyline itself is brilliant
  • Our favourite characters returning
  • The depth of characters

Worst bits:

  • Feels a bit rushed in places
  • Sometimes a little too far fetched


Have you read The Cursed Child?

What did you think?

L x