Category: Lifestyle

A little trip to Amsterdam…

On By louiseIn Fashion, Lifestyle, TravelLeave a comment

Amsterdam had been on my ‘list’ for a couple of years before we finally took a trip there last month.  I had heard so much about Amsterdam – bicycles, partying, fancy ladies and Anne Frank, so I had devised a vision of how I expected this liberal city to feel. I thought that its pulse would be loud and fast with party goers spilling out all over the streets and bicycles gently passing. I was wrong. Very wrong. For a start, sure there are places to party but I didn’t feel like high and drunk people were everywhere and in fact I rarely saw anybody who was either during our stay. The people that I did encounter were lovely, warm and welcoming to the city they call home. I felt like we really experienced the culture and were  lucky to stay at a cute B&B (Helmers) with super nice hosts. They even left a basket of bread and pastries on our doorstop at 8:15am every morning. Anybody who leaves me Pain aux Chocolates is a winner in my book. Especially if they are fresh from the bakery. I’ll literally love you forever.

Anyway, my other preconception regarding the bicycles was terribly wrong. They don’t simply glide along on vintage bicycles carrying a fresh bouquet of flowers with their hair gently flailing behind them. Oh no. They whizz past in packs, like tigers looking for their next meal. Crossing the road was treacherous and I was honestly so traumatised from the intensity of the cyclists that I didn’t dare join them on a jolly bike ride (I was actually really looking forward to cycling through the city before I arrived). 

The other thing that I was half expecting was to see scantily clad ladies hanging out in every other window but in fact we only saw a couple and most of the shop windows were home to many high street favourites such as Abercrombie and Urban Outfitters. Anyway we had a really lovely trip and I think that we both fell a little bit in love with this pretty little city.

Here’s what we got up to and my tips…

Visit Vondelpark.

We were staying a short walk from Vondelpark, which really is rather lovely. It reminded me a little of Regent’s Park with fitness enthusiasts running, dog walkers and those bicycles. Although I found that they travelled at a more leisurely pace through the park. I would really recommend a walk through the park if you get the chance. It’s just nice to have some greenery and escape the city. Plus it’s free, so great if you are on a budget.

Visit Van Gogh.

I would also recommend the Van Gogh Museum. The collection of his paintings displayed there is insane and it was great to see his work in the flesh as well as more personal items such as letters to his brother. My favourite piece was a couple of tubes of paint that he had used. I think that it made me appreciate how he created such incredible masterpieces from little tubes of paint. If you do visit the Van Gogh Museum, book your tickets in advance to save queuing. It’s super easy to do via their website.

Walk around the Anne Frank House.

We also visited the Anne Frank House which I was really excited about and had been the driving force for our trip. I’ve read Anne’s diary a couple of times and have always felt so moved by her story. I think that it’s so easy to become complacent and just take our lovely lives for granted and visiting the museum was a reminder that we are so, so lucky to live in the world that we live in. Sure it could be a lot better, but we’ve come a long way and we need to appreciate that. Anyway without getting political, I would really recommend the Anne Frank house. Tickets go on sale two months’ in advance and sell out quickly. Unfortunately we planned our trip short notice and had to queue for over three and a half hours to get in. It’s prebooked tickets only between 9:30 and 3:30 and then those who are queuing can enter after 3:30pm. We started queuing at 2:30pm and were let in around 6pm. It was freezing and I felt like it took me a week to warm up again!

Embrace the Heineken Experience.

This was an attraction that pleasantly surprised me. I’m not a massive beer drinker so I was thinking that this excursion probably wasn’t going to be my highlight. However, I actually really enjoyed this. It was great to learn about the history of Heineken as well as how it it made. It’s a very modern experience with lots of things to see and do. You can even have your own special bottle printed and you get free drinks – hurrah! We booked our tickets in advance so we pretty much just strolled right in. I think that people of all ages would enjoy this – even children!

Take a canal cruise.

We went on a little cruise around the canals and it was really nice to see the city from a different perspective. It was also very relaxing and I again something that I think people of all ages would enjoy.

Visit the A’Dam tower.

We took a trip over to the A’Dam Tower which is kinda opposite Centrale Station. It’s basically a really tall building that offers great views of the city. There is also a swing on the roof top that is the highest swing in Europe and actually goes over the edge. It’s €5 a turn and I would have loved to have had a go but unfortunately I didn’t as Phil is terribly scared of heights and it was pretty cold. So I decided that it probably wouldn’t be much fun in the cold on my own. Next time though! There’s also a totally instagrammable bar to hang out in and a really fun lift.

Go Shopping.

Let’s be honest, a trip to the shops is always on our list when we are away. I like picking up bits from my favourite brands as well as discovering new ones. On this trip I spotted a really cute striped shirt by Christian Berg. I don’t know much about this brand but I’ve never seen it in the U.K. and the quality seems good so I’m quite pleased. Anyway, Amsterdam is a great place to meander around the shops.

See a show.

We didn’t see a show during our stay, but I’ve heard there are some interesting ones around as well as familiar shows that you can find on the West End.

Have you been to Amsterdam? What would you recommend?

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 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 

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 


Valley Mill wax melts and soap review…

On By louiseIn Home interiors, Lifestyle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I was so excited when the lovely folks over at Valley Mill sent me some of their products to review. Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore scented candles and wax melts, not to mention gorgeous smelling bath products, so the treats that they sent me were right up my street.


Valley Mill are a company based in Wales who specialise in natural, handmade products. They have an extensive range of items from Welsh slate to candles as well as many great gift ideas!


I loved perusing all of the different wax melts on their site. They have so many to choose from including both fruity and floral scents. They all sound absolutely divine. Being such a huge fan of all things sweet, I was rather pleased to receive the Chocolate Truffle melts. They are made from natural soy wax and are hand poured into cute little cog moulds. The burn time is around sixty minutes per melt, which I think is a good length of time for a wax melt as little tea lights don’t burn for very long anyway. The packaging is in line with the natural theme and feels very modern. They come in a sweet box of five, which would make an ideal gift. I have been using them during the cooler evenings that we have been having recently and have found that they tick all of the boxes. The only thing that left me a little disappointed is that the aroma created isn’t very strong. I love a scent to fill the room, but unfortunately this didn’t happen with these melts. It may have just been that the chocolate scented melts aren’t as strong as the other scents, but I’m not sure. They are priced at £6.25 for a box of five, which I think is in line with other brands. 


I was also sent a Grapefruit and Fennel natural soap which smelt lovely. It lavered up a treat and felt great on my skin. Made with sweet almond oil and shea butter, it’s brilliant to know that I’m using natural products rather than harsh, processed chemicals too. They have quite a few soaps and bath salts, which all sound delightful. The soap costs £4, which I think is very reasonable given the size and quality of the product.


I really enjoyed using these products and I think that Valley Mill have a lot to offer too. I love the concept of the brand and that their products are all local and hand produced. We are swept up in a life of mass production, so it’s nice to have hand made creations too. Things that have natural ingredients and are made using thought and creativity. We actually need a new number sign for our house and I’m contemplating ordering a slate one from their site because they look great!

What do you think of natural products? 

Do you have a favourite shop for wax melts?

L x 

*Disclaimer – I was sent the wax melts and soap in exchange for an honest review.

Lulubellelife’s Second Blogversary!

On By louiseIn Lifestyle, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This month marks the second anniversary of starting Lulubellelife. I can’t believe it’s been two whole years since this little blog started. So much has happened in those two years from our wedding, moving house and quite a bit of travelling. I love that I’ve been able to document those milestones and I’m so pleased with where Lulubellelife is at. It’s around this time of year that I feel quite reflective, after summer the end of year count down to Christmas begins and I like to get reorganised for the coming months. With this in mind, I am working on a new look for the blog, a refresh to keep it, well, fresh. I am also changing my posting schedule to Monday’s and Friday’s. Monday will focus more on lifestyle posts, whilst Friday will fuel your wanderlust and be all about travel. I think that this will create a nice balance and I’m really looking forward to the future of Lulubellelife.
Thanks for being part of the journey! 

L x 

After You by Jojo Moyes…

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


Summer, holidays and a good book go hand in hand. There’s something about soaking up some sunshine with a book in hand or killing flight time immersed in a fabulous plot that’s just rather special. I love choosing which books to take with me, spending hours wrapped up in a storyline so gripping that for a moment nothing else matters. 

I’ve been a huge fan of Jojo Moyes for years and was literally about to burst with excitement when her latest offering, After You, hit our bookshelves. We happened to be Stateside when it was released and I made sure I picked up my copy from a local Target store. I already had another book on the go, so popped my latest treasure to the side until alas it was time to find out what happened next to Louisa Clark.

I’ll be honest, I was expecting great things from this book. My expectations were not just sky high, they were out of the universe and back. There must have been such a vast amount of pressure put on Jojo to write a successful follow up to critically acclaimed Me before You and it must have been quite terrifying for her. That being said, I wouldn’t say that this was quite what I was expecting. In some ways I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was definitely expecting something magical and sadly I’m not certain that this was sparkly enough. From the start I felt like Louisa was rather unfamiliar and I get it, she went through something life changing and she changed. I’m just not sure if it was entirely consistent with the Louisa that I felt I knew. The storyline itself also felt a bit odd and at first I really wasn’t sure of where it was going. The last one hundred or so pages were brilliant though and I loved being dragged through the trials of Lou’s life. I loved the new characters, the representation of the old ones too. I feel like the last one hundred pages were what I was expecting all along and I was once again in love.

Read it if:

  • You loved Me before You
  • You like a decent chick lit novel
  • You like something a bit different

Best bits:

  • The humour
  • The way the storyline unfolds towards the end
  • The characters

Worst bits:

  • It took a while to ‘get going’
  • Louisa seemed a little too different to me

Have you read After You? What did you think? What’s on your to-read list?
L x

What I wore in Corfu, an outfit diary…

On By louiseIn Fashion, Lifestyle, Travel, Uncategorized1 Comment


Something that goes hand in hand with travelling is packing. Packing is something that I have such a love/hate relationship with. I adore picking out all of my favourite clothes, but hate actually packing it all. It’s such a laborious task, although admittedly I don’t help myself as I’m not a light packer, but hey I’m not sure what I’ll fancy wearing next Wednesday!

On our first day we decided to explore the town that would be our home for the week, Sidari. The coastline is so beautiful with little caves hidden along sandy beaches. The weather was warm and sunny, so I needed something cool and comfy. I had been stalking this monochrome top from Hush for weeks, waiting for a return in my size because it sold out super fast. It feels so lovely and light on and the quality is sublime. I love the cut and simplicity of it. These classic black tailored shorts were a bargain from Sainsbury’s. 

On the third day of our Greek adventure, we went on a massive trip to various parts of the island. I knew that it would be a long day and that comfort in the Greek sunshine was a must. So I wore these cute floral print shorts from Topshop. I love them so much as they are super comfy, light, have a gorgeous print and a cute lace trim. I teamed them with a basic black strappy top from H&M and some black sandals. 

After having such a mammoth day exploring, we decided to have a relaxing day. I recently bought a jumper from American Eagle whilst we were in Florida. It’s a sumptuous khaki colour and I’ve decided that I quite like a bit of khaki in my life despite not wearing it since the military camo trend of the early noughties. This whole outfit came from Topshop. The top is lovely and lightweight, perfect for the warmer weather and the black shorts have a crochet overlay which I adore as it makes them have a bit of character.

After one relaxing day, I was craving excitement, so we hired a quad bike and went on a beach crawl. I wore this incredible dress from Jack Wills. I’m a bit of a super fan of this brand because I love their style and the quality is brilliant. I adore this dress so, so much. The print is fun and it’s really lovely on.

On saturday we went into town for shopping. I wore this shirt dress that is also from Jack Wills. The print is so adorable with tiny keys, locks, hearts and letters. It’s quite unique and fun. Plus I’m a huge fan of navy, so I love it!

On our final day I wore this dress from Urban Outfitters. We went to Aqualand, which is a huge water park and this dress was perfect for throwing on and off after a day at the park. I love a little bit of floral in my life and this dress has the most incredible back, so it’s pretty much perfect.


Have you got any favourite summer clothes? 
L x