Oh my word Sunday AGAIN! What an earth? Time just seems to fly so quickly, it is June soon and the last time I checked it was January. Hmm.. Have I missed something here? :) I suppose these past five months have just been exceptionally hectic which is why I have this genuine feeling of what, how come it can be Sunday again? Well that's that.

I am pretty pleased with this week in general. Lots have been done and I suppose my new exercise routine has now given me that energy kick, I was so gagging for. I did my first ever lunch hour body pump on Tuesday -this means that as oppose to staying at the office eating lunch, I used my lunch hour at the gym burning my lunch off. It was different in a good way. I suppose, I would not do lunch hour gymming five times a week, but every once and a while when you can't fit your exercise slot to any other time in your day, lunch time exercise is a fun option. I mean I would definitely go myself. Yesterday I (accidently) went on a boot camp class in one of the gyms nearby us and yeah I did feel it. It was h-a-r-d, but I the feeling afterwards was amazing. Today, I have body conditioning and yoga afterwards so I am very much looking forward to fist the conditioning and then that lovely stretching and mind harmonising session.

Yes, I am full of positiveness and everything feels good again. I can tell you now that I went through a phase where I didn't do any group exercise for four months and pretty much lost my motivation to going to our own gym too. A bad mental and physical cycle, since exercise has never only been a way to keep fit, it always been a method of realising pressure, alleviate stress and get good sleep.

At first I was quite excited about the whole building up the muscle strength through lifting slightly heavier weights that I had been used to lift in the past fitness project. The results started to show quite quickly and I thought this works. Then when the first two months were done I started to get quite annoyed because the fat was still tightly hanging on the top of the muscles so you couldn't see what was underneath properly. I definitely felt that the muscles were there and that was great, but the point was not just build the muscle and then keep it hidden :) And the reason why this was, was purely due to the flat that I wasn't doing enough cardio which would have helped me to get rid of the fat layer. This then meant that I became heavier and looked bigger than when I had started. I did recognise then that this is because muscle weights more than fat and I was warned not to jump on a scale because it could be slightly upsetting. I did avoid scales for that good two months, but then I made the mistake and hopped on one and jesus it was a chocking. I can tell you that once that number on a scale shows you a figure you haven't seen before and all your clothes have started to fell uncomfortable and tight on you, you start to feel pretty annoyed. So, third month goes by and this is the time I am so busy work wise that I cannot find the time to do any exercise -no weights no cardio. I  felt like I also ate badly, I was constantly tired, I felt awful and probably looked awful too. I felt that I was not being able to do anything about my appearance and I was getting more and more unhappy. Then I started to resent going to the gym since I knew that cardio was the only thing I could do to help myself out. Yet, I hated the idea of running on a treadmill of cross training for an hour four or five times a day when all you could look at was a light grey wall in front of you. The whole idea made me make excuses and I made myself to occupied in other areas of life meaning that I simply wasn't able to find the time. Also, the lack of walking outside and being outside started to get me. I had been used to running outside in parks and doing things out doors since I had been a child and now, I felt like being trapped inside -weather it was home, commuting to work, or being at work. I was not a happy bunny inside. Then to make the things worst, the notorious month long rain and greyness started. Grrreat :D

Phew, it was awful. The beginning of this month, however, I thought ok enough is enough. I am the only person who can do something about this so I knew that now was the time to do it. I also recognised that there was a simple solution to my problem - I was not a gym goer, I was a group exerciser. Hence, I contacted 5 gyms, 2 nearby work, 2 in between work and home, and 1 nearby home. I negotiated trial passes with all of them and told them very openly that I am trying out these five gyms to see what sort of classes you provide and if they would suit for me. I am happy to pay little bit more if I can get a better access to facilities and have an option to make choices according to what I feel like in that particular moment. Ideally a place where they have 60+ classes a week (les milles classes, yoga, bodybalance, dance, spinning), good gym (yes I do enjoy going if I feel like it) and a pool. This would be a perfect place for me.

So now everything seems to get sorted again. I feel better, fitter and happier again. Yay! And speaking of which, I need to get going now -classes are due to start soon!

Hope you all have a fantastic rest of the day. Do find solutions to your problems, as sometimes it is only a little thing that you do differently and that then makes all the difference!
x

After 21 days of rain (literally) the sun came out. I could not have been happier when I woke up yesterday and there was rays of sun shine entering my bedroom. I walked to the kitchen and looked at the Thames on my way back to the living room and the water was so beautifully blue. Just like in my grandparent's summer cottage. I opened the windows, sat down on a sofa and just gazed the view for ages. God I felt happy and relieved that the rain and greyness had come to an end. One day I will live in a place where I can take sun for granted.

Since the sun has lifted up everyones mood again, I thought to make a visually and mentally nutritioning and inspiring posting on salads. Hah! Sad for some, but for those who love salads, far away from it! :)

Monday Wild rice & feta

Tuesday Baby Spinach bistro salad

Wednesday Chicory & Orange

Thursday Chicken & avocado

Friday couscous salad

All recipes and picture BBC Food

It has been pouring all week. It's been so miserable, grey, cold and windy that you pretty much do everything in your power to avoid going out. I mean I like rain, I have nothing against it. I suppose the only thing getting me is the greyness! That's awful.

Also by the look of this post, I think event the FT's editors have not on a very happy mood this week. Oh dear.

We were re-watching the Voice earlier today and there were two competitors singing James Morrison and Nelly Furtado's Broken Strings and they sang it so well that I had to youtube it an hour later. To be completely honest, I have never been a massive fan of this song, but after hearing it today it somehow sounded good.

Even though the owner of Luis Vuitton bags, Dior perfumes and Dom Pérginon champagne LVMH (Luis Vuitton Möet Hennessy) group has reported a 14 per cent rise in sales due to a good first quarter on a like-to-like basis in the US and Asia markets, the group has given a warning to its European market area. Slightly surprising give the slowdown of China's economic growth for instance. LVMH is the world's biggest luxory group by sales is headed by Bernard Arnault. According to Arnault, the luxury groups concentration on retailing towards tourists trough airport spots of Sephora and DFS helped them to increase sales with 20 per cent over the last quarter in 2011. LVMH is active in five different sectors; wines&spirits, fashion&leather goods, perfumes&cosmetics, watches&jewellery, and selective retailing.

DFS group (down town gallerias, airports shops and others) is one of the world's leading luxury retailer catering to the travelling public, and owned by the LVMH group. The groups headquarters locate in Hong Kong, whereas global financial and information technology centre being in Singapore. The luxury group offers hence off-and on-airport shopping environments where buyers can find established and rising luxury brand products including Cartier, Channel, Gucci, Luis Vuitton, Tiffany, Michael Kors, Tory Burch and many more. Also, special events such as champagne receptions, fashion shows and watch and leather making demonstrations are held regularly.

Needless to say customer loyalty is a key for making LVMH and DFS types of groups to work. Hence, promises such as 100% WorldWide Guarantee, personal shopping services, currency exchange, multilingual staff and comfortable seating areas have to be given.

Aquascutum

Starting first as a high quality menswear shop in Regent Street in 1853, became known as the first British firm ever managing to produce raincoats with wool linen (hence the name Aquascutum which means 'water shield' in Latin). All ranks of solders used the Aquascutum waterproof fabrics in Crimean War as well as trench coats in both of the World Wars. Also, especially royals and politicians  such as King Edward  VII, the Price of Wales, the Queen Mother, Winston Churchill, Lady Thatcher and many more have favoured Aquascutum's clothes, which made the clothing brand to receive a royal warrant after the wars. Now, however, the company has reported to collapse into administration due to high levels of debt putting 250 jobs at risk, which could have affected its parent company Jaeger's operations unless the owner Harold Tillman had not sold it to a private equity entrepreneur Jon Moulton some years ago.

News read from FT

 

That red- brown- beige combination looks especially good today

Hei.

The weather has been lovely for the past week or so. Even thought you could say that I am a positive and smily person in general, it is no surprise that sun shine does still add that extra shot of good mood on anyone’s days. I love the feeling when you finish work and walk towards the tube station and the sun is still high and the weather is warm and full of springy smells. Everything looks much prettier too when the nature is full of colours in all shapes and forms. People smile and hence look happier and better. It is that exciting atmosphere that fills the air.  

The best little things in my days are often very simple. Today’s mood boosters were almost all work related. I had a good training day in the morning outside the office. In the afternoon I adopted a tiger (yes you read correctly, I adopted a wildlife Tiger through WWF) for £3. His name is Hans.  After lunch time I had a very good cup of Earl Grey with milk – the combination tasted beautiful! A note to myself, I have to purchase a pack of Earl Grey next time I go food shopping.  I had received an email from my ex work colleague which made me happy as he wished me good luck with my new job and was just asking how I have been settled in. I thought that was lovely of him. Then three minutes before finishing work I had a quick chat with my lovely saviours  Miia and Niklas from work –it was way too brief,  I need to suggest them going for a drink soon, not this weekend as my dad is coming to town tomorrow  but maybe the week after that. Then on my way to home from the tube station I bumped into Matt.  Matt’s hair looked different –shorter, groomed and very good. Or maybe he was wearing a new pair of shades? I don’t know what it was, but there was something about him that was different. Another note to myself, pay Matt a compliment once he gets back home. Then came just home and had a simple M&S coconut chicken noodle salad for dinner. Ready-made-food that’s BAD I know, but this one was alright. Liked the mangos in it.  Third note to myself, maybe I could also buy mangos on my next food shop. 

I can't tell you how lovely it has been back home. I have really enjoyded it. I haven't necessarily slept enought, but it has been alrigh as catching up with your dearest and nearest gives you so much positive energy back that it feels like you don't even need that much sleep.

Mum and I had a very efficient shop today. An  hour and I managed to get myself

 

Remember when I wrote about the loafers with tassels that I was determined to acquire this spring. Well the determination has clearly paid off, as I got this pair three weeks ago. These cream colour patent loafers were  my birthday present to myself :D

The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt 2012


I have wanted to write a post about this since the egg hunt started. The idea behind the Big Egg Hunt is to raise £2 million for Elephant Family and Action for Children charities. There are 209 uniquely crafted eggs hidden around 12 zones central London this Easter and people are encouraged to find all of them. See the video below.





After the Sunday 1st of April, all the eggs will be moved to Covent Garden where people can see all the eggs together. Then eggs are being auctioned to raise funds for the Elephant Family and Action for Children charities.

                                                      My personal favourite  Fabergés being