Llandudno, Wales | A Valentine's Adventure

 

Paris. Venice. New York. All dreamy cities brimming with romance and high expectation, and hit the mark for being a top destination to spend Valentine's day. What doesn't normally make that list is a small country west of England, that is often associated with rain, sheep, and cheese on toast. I'm talking of Wales of course, and it is where me and Gavin stayed for a few days to celebrate the day of love.

 Firstly, let me just say that, yes, Paris or New York are beautiful cities that elude romance through their glistening lights and standout architecture, but they are obvious choices for couples getaways on the 14th February. Wales was chosen with thought. I've been a little down in the dumps recently and I've decided to make some changes in my life, to welcome more opportunities and to have more adventures. I love exploring, and there's nothing quite like a snow-topped mountain, and a continuous backdrop of never-ending hills to make your problems seem insignificant. So Wales it was, and my was it beautiful. Granted, in February a lot of the attractions were closed due to the weather, but that just meant that it was so calm and peaceful. It was so nice to escape the noise of city living, which can sometimes make you feel claustrophobic.

We stayed at the Cae Mor Hotel, which is directly opposite the Venue Cymru theatre, and right by the sea front, so it's in a perfect location. The hotel itself was a decent size for a few days stay, and breakfast was lovely. The staff were extremely friendly, and we didn't experience any problems with
our stay.

 

On our second day we took a drive up to the top of Great Orme to see some fantastic views of Llandudno and the coast, and not to mention that snow-topped Snowdon! We had a fantastic American style dinner at Harvey's New York Bar and Grill one evening. I had BBQ Pulled Pork; I could barely move afterwards, but it was so worth it! On Valentine's day itself, we took a romantic trip to a waterfall, which was so beautiful, and a prime proposal spot (take note gents!). We had a lovely stay overall, full of laughter, getting lost, and great food! We'll definitely go back in the summer and hopefully visit some of the various attractions in North Wales.

Review | Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Blog formally known as Drifter's Kingdom has turned into The Pale Foxx. I'll continue to do lifestyle posts, but I'm also incorporating more beauty and fashion related posts. So welcome to The Pale Foxx and here's to my first review! Thanks for sticking with me!

Ok, I admit it. I'm a sinner. I'm lazy, disorganised, and a sucker for pure ease and simplicity. Especially when it means my bedtime has arrived- and let's face it, who doesn't love sleep?! So here I am, the she-devil of skincare routines, admitting I use make-up wipes. Granted, they're the most gentle kind (Simple), but even though I know they're bad for my skin, they're so quick! However, my skin hasn't been in the best of shape recently, so I figured it was about time to sort my skincare regime out, starting with the make-up removal process.

I have used cleansers in the past, and I have loved how hydrated and soft my skin has felt afterwards, especially compared to the prune-like texture after using alcohol smothered make-up wipes. The problem was that I found cleansing took time, and when you have to be up at 4:30am for work, you want to try and get as much sleep time as possible. So in walks micellar waters, such as the infamous Bioderma, and even L'Oreal's offering, as a quick and purifying way of removing your make-up. So, when browsing my local supermarket beauty aisle, my eyes were immediately drawn to a £3.33 bottle of Garnier's latest addition to the micellar water phenemenom. I almost felt guilty for picking it up as such a steal, and even more so now I've been using it for the past two weeks.

Forget micellar water, this stuff is holy water. It removes your make-up without leaving a trace, and it feels immediately refreshing on the skin. There's no stinging sensation around the eyes, which is something I definitely suffer with when using most make-up removers. There's also no redness from rubbing away at those last bits of mascara in between your lashes, as it quite simply breaks it down and it melts away.
I use one cotton pad for my eyes, and one for my face, which usually does the job nicely. As you can see in the picture, I have used a fair bit in the two weeks I've been using the Garnier micellar water, but I do like to really soak the cotton pad, just because I feel it glides over the face smoothly, rather than causing any irritation by rubbing away at my face. It takes just a few minutes, and I've definitely noticed an improvement with my skin. It's become a lot more hydrated, and my redness has even toned down across my cheeks. I still get blemishes and maintain some acne scarring, but that's next to tackle on the skincare agenda! For now though, face wipes it's officially over. It's not me, it's you.

You can pick up yours from Boots and Superdrug!


Michelle
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Paradise

There's something about the idea of paradise that drives people crazy. It's the standard all places must face up to, but it's an impossible task to please everyone's differing ideas of what paradise is. You can't replicate your dreams and expect them to be the same as everyone else's.

Yet, no one can say that the impeccable scenery of a crisp, aqua sea pushing against the backdrop of a blue sky, almost mirrored reflections of each other, is a bad thing. No one.

So holidaying in Mallorca last October was definitely a taste of the quintessential relaxation nirvana. Sitting atop a rocky cliff, surrounded by greenery, watching almost as if in slow motion, the world turn before me. It seems a little crazy now being home, rain constantly falling, and the Winter's breeze here to stay. Reminiscing is great, and partly why I wanted to write this post now, rather than so soon after our return, but also because I'm finding myself edging closer to the edge of the earth, ready to take giant leaps and see where I land. The travel bug has definitely hit me, and I'm feeling sicker by the day.

I love how different you can feel in various parts of the world; how a destination can shape you into someone completely new.
There's so many more visions of paradise I have left to see. I recently returned from a short stay in Llandudno, Wales, and although on the opposite end of the paradise spectrum to Mallorca, it was still equally as beautiful. More on that trip soon, and hopefully many more travels to come.

Michelle
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Adaptation

A new year brings the obligatory resolutions. To me, I've always felt like my birthday was the fresh start, time to grow up, make a change and all that malarkey associated with New Year, but instead, it has always made sense to take each new year of age as a chance to grow stronger, wiser and into a generally better version of *you*. But let's cut the bullshit. A year goes by so fast we hardly notice the changes we make. Most of us don't feel any different. And resolutions? By February, most of us are back on the booze or cigarettes, and have completely forgotten about all the reasons you made that resolution in the first place. I never said I was an optimist..

However, I'm not all doom and gloom. The value of these resolutions comes from that fact that we try. We try to change ourselves by adjusting the things we don't like, or improve our health and our lifestyles. The truth is, change occurs to us naturally. Things happen, whether that's shit or life, you choose your favorite bumper sticker. This year was pretty significant for me. Not only did I graduate, leaving education for the first time since I was four, I also entered the world of work. Oh and I also got engaged. That was pretty major. Of course those sorts of things don't happen every year, but there will be plenty of new things to encounter, and changes I'm going to have to make. Therefore I say, leave the resolutions. Don't ever stop trying to better yourself, but be aware that you'll have to make changes as you go along. A fresh start can happen at anytime.

Now, enough of me trying to dish out significant, omniscient advice, and move onto what I really wanted to talk about. I've always been useless at maintaining a diary (and blog- sorry about the lack of posts over Christmas!), but I love the idea of mapping your whole life for a year. Starting the 1st January this year, I began an epic 5 year battle with myself to commit to a journal, and I'm hoping to reign victorious! The Q & A Journal makes it easy. One question, every day for a year, that you answer on that same day for the following five years. The idea is to see how you, your situation and your life changes. Pretty interesting, huh? Or you could just scroll through your tweets for the past five years, but then you wouldn't have this beauty on your bedroom table, and let's face it, it looks cool. 

Winter is coming

Is it ok to be excited for Christmas yet?

It's not like the brisk morning journey to work in the dark is fun, but it certainly adds some festive charm to my day, and is a little reminder that December is nearly upon us. It's also nice to go and explore little villages and craft fairs to see what's on offer, and there's nothing like wrapping up warm with a hat, hands tightly gripped onto the arms of your loved one as the cold air pulls you closer together. Today, me and Gavin did exactly that. After visiting a village hall for tea and cake we took a stroll around some local countryside. The hat and boots were definitely needed!

Soon the radio will start to play The Pogues Fairytale of New York, and it will be acceptable to watch Elf for the millionth time. It's also a better excuse than any to get a little crafty, whip out the sewing machine or glue gun, and make some festive creations, either for your home or as gifts. I'm going to do a series of posts leading up to the main event, showing what I'm making this year to keep that Christmas spirit going! Stay tuned as the first Crafty Christmas post will be on its way soon.

Keep warm folks!
Michelle

Sunbeam

Oh how lovely it is to spend some time outside! It feels as though so far this year, with a delightful mix of final University deadlines and poor English weather, that I've been imprisoned in my own little bubble of a bedroom. So to have the sun shining and and some time to be able to enjoy my freedom (before the workplace beckons!), I'm really enjoying having spontaneous weekends, basking in the glorious heat, the sun's rays bouncing off my pale, moonlight skin, and watching butterflies and bees flying among the greenery. This weekend, me and Gavin took a stroll around a local park, before heading home for a cosy BBQ in the garden- and you can't beat cold cider on a hot day!

Summer Scoop

Today, me, my mother, my grandad and my sister took a trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon. The weather in England has surpassed expectation so far this summer. The trees look greener, and the skies have adopted a clear pale blue colour over the usual grey of city living.

Everyone seems happier, and the summer dresses have come out to play. Today was a perfect mini-adventure with my family. We were surrounded by iconic British history and a quaint culture of tea, cottages and cobbled pathways. It's a beautiful life to be living. More mini-adventures, outfit and lifestyle posts coming soon.

Michelle

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