{take me away : the caribbean islands}

By the time you read this, I'll probably be en-route to our romantic Caribbean break the boy and I have been planning for a little while - the product of what's kept me going through a particularly shit few weeks. I'll be mostly lying under the hot sun all loub-ed up with coconut oil drinking endless mojitos and gin & tonics. See you in a few weeks - and try not to miss me too much, rachelle xo

{a new month : march}

March is always an amazing month for me, not only is it the real start of spring but the 7th marks the  anniversary of the mine and the boys first date, six months to the date we met! Somehow four years have rolled by since that first magical night at The Killers concert (yes, it really was magical..) and we always try to take a romantic little trip away for the occasion...

Last year we headed to the stunning Paris, and this year - on the sixth - we jet to Barcelona to lose our mutual virginity of the Spanish capital, any things to do/places to eat/things to see/where to drink excreta would be very helpful...

{take me away : bora bora, tahiti}

In the depths of January, its hard not to spend far too much time dreaming of the promise of warm sunshine, white beaches and getting away from it all...

...Like the island of Bora Bora, Tahiti; where the hardest decision to make in the morning is whether to rest and relax on the sandy beaches, rejuvenate at a local favorite, the Deep Ocean Spa By Algotherm, or take a helicopter ride above the waters, palms, thatched roofs, vibrant flowers, and sandy beaches below...

...Or, for those who prefer to fill their days with adventurous activities; discover ancient rituals by touring Bora Bora’s stone temples, or may go snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, parasailing, or choose of one of the many lagoon excursions...

And for a real treat to catch a glimpse of the tropical animals and sights beneath the waters without entering, you may book a classic glass bottom boat ride. This unique boat allows visitors to glide gently over the waters, and view, up close, various multicolored and exotic coral and fish life. Far more my style than scuba-diving!

In the evenings, beneath shimmering stars, enjoy romantic sunset cocktails and walks along the deep blue waters, with golden lights flickering in the distance, and a whole new look to Bora Bora.

I've had this South Pacific gem on my to-do travel list for some time, and thought it about time to share with you all some of the most beautiful hotels, beaches, places to eat, drink and relax and of course - what to wear.

w h e r e  t o   s t a y . . .

01 | Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort

This incredibly deluxe resort and spa is located on a motu with a stunning view of the famous Mount Otemanu. There are 20 garden suites with a private pool, 10 beach suites with a private jacuzzi and 50 over-water bungalows to choose from. Each suite or bungalow is kitted in beautiful, traditional warm woods that line the interiors, with not a detail or single luxury amiss.While staying at the Pearl Beach Resort, one may enjoy impeccable service, delicious cuisine (there are four lovely restaurants in total) and indulgent spa treatments. 

Places to Stay: Riad Meriem, Marrakesh | Morocco

I adore Morocco. Its one of my favorite counties, when in Marrakesh I love nothing more than soaking up the strong North African sunshine and completely losing myself in the romance of the city and Moroccan culture.

Ex-pats doing up riads has been an ongoing trend in Marrakech for years now, and the sunning Riad Meriem is the creation of New York interior designer Thomas Hays. Inside the riad, dappled sunlight lands on oriental rugs and doorways lead into secret hallways. But it’s not all archways, polished plaster and filigree lanterns, there are modern touches, too, such as dramatic fine art, photography and custom-made lighting. You can book one of the five rooms and stay a deux, or rent the whole place, and take it over for exclusive use – the managers are experienced event planners from London and can organise special meals and even belly dancing.

Places: Kata Beach, Phuket | Hello from the Poolside

A quick 'hello' from the decking of our infinity pool at our resort in Kata Beach via the social media app thats taken over the world, instagram. The last ten days couldn't have been better - and there's still four more days of paradise left... rachel xo

Hello | Arrived in Thailand

. . . after an exhausting twenty-odd hour's worth of travelling by car, taxi, two planes, a boat and Thai tuk-tuk, we're finally in Phuket. The weather is glorious, the people are amazing and our hotel couldn't be more perfect. We're here until the 27th of September, but I've more than a few scheduled posts & will update whenever and wherever I can. When I'm not too busy sailing around Thai islands, riding elephants or drinking cocktails in the sun, of course. Life is sick. rachel xo

Five Favourites: After Sun

As a lady with dry skin, a good body moisturisation routine is the year-round key to lovely skin for me, yet never as crucual as when on holiday - and when returning. If you want your tan to last longer than a week on British soil, its so important to moisturise, moisturise, then moisturise some more. I've tried many types on my travels over the years (and after sunless tanning.. bad girl) and these are my ultimate, five favourites. Ever.
Tan Enhancing Lotion by Institute Esthederm (£39.50) - This milk-textured after sun smells amazing, almost like lemon tart. It instantly quenches dry, sun baked skin. I used this religiously during my holiday to Boa Vista and once I got home. I didnt peeled once and I still have a lovely healthy glow six weeks on. Luckily a little goes a long way because this after sun is on the pricey side. This product is excellent for anyone who tends to peel or suffer from prematurely fading tans.
Soothing Aftersun Mist for Face & Body by La Prairie (£62) - Pros: Like a magpie, I went straight for the silver La Prairie bottle winking at me. Reassuringly expensive, I place a lot of trust in this brand. I tried this after having gone a bit pink in the sun and it was refreshingly cool and nourishing. The pinkness dulled within a couple of hours and my skin felt springy again soon after. As the name suggests, this is a mist rather than a rich crème, so those after something substantial will be disappointed - however thickness does not equal effectiveness here. The expensive smell is probably worth it alone!
Golden Touch Aftersun by Ambre Solaire (£9.18) - This cream is really light, slathers well and effectively cools the skin. It contains Monoi Oil which gives it an exotic scent while pearl shimmer illuminates tanned skin. But, thanks to the shimmer you won’t be able to share this with your boyfriend, not ideal if you’re trying to pack light (or need more room for shoes). A better bet for a flirty girls holiday!

A Guide To: Faking it on the Beach

Bikini 101. We've all been there; two days prior to jetting to faraway shores, recoiling in fear at the thought of baring all at the watersedge... Keep these tips in mind when buying swimwear to flatter your best bits.

 t a n  u p  . . .

Changing rooms truly are the worst. The light is unflattering, and those sock-marks really can ruin the look. Give yourself the best possible chance and apply a self tanner a day in advance if you aren't already sporting the bronzed look, shave those legs and look your best - as you strive to on the beach. Otherwise, order online where you can try on at home, and send the rejects back.

 w h a t ' l l  s u i t  y o u  ? . . .

Look at what already suits you in your wardrobe. If you like the way a V-Neck fits, then chances are you'll like the way a halter neck fits too.

Places to Stay: Monte Mulini, Croatia

Croatia has been on the radar for some time now, with its island-hopping, The Garden Festival and non-Euro exchange rate. But while most of the attention focuses on Dubrovnik and islands such as Hvar, the less well-known peninsular of Istria, just across the Adriatic from Venice, is having a bit of a moment. The ultra-modern Monte Mulini was built here a few years back, overlooking a pretty cove, with all its 113 rooms facing seawards. Each has custom-made furniture and warm colours, with bathrooms featuring natural materials and ‘tropical rain’ showers and manages to combine high-tech functionality and intimacy beautifully.

Renowned head chef, Tomislav Gretic, and internationally acknowledged sommelier, Emil Perdec, have created a highly regarded fine-dining experience at Restaurant Mediterraneo; inspired by Greek, Spanish, Lebanese and North African cooking. There's also a Lobby Bar with a stunning 20-metre high glass wall and amazing views, and a Wine Vault which features 550 labels from Croatia and across the world.

What to Wear: Summer Holiday | Kenya

Holidays in Kenya offer a truly diverse experience. Soft, white sandy beaches await you as do the warm blue seas of the Indian Ocean. It's not all about relaxing here though. Kenya is a melting pot of culture, scenery, and of course, wild animals. 

Whether you plan on relaxing on the shores of the ocean, wandering through the Italian-style boutiques and markets of Malindi or spending your time on safari amongst the local wildlife, I have your wardrobe covered.

This printed Derek Lam maxi dress (£1,910) channels African style, in tan-complementing shades. Team it with Yves Saint Laurent Tributes (£565) in the same hue, some gold jewellery, I love this Alex Monroe bracelet (£140) and a contemporary Jimmy Choo clutch (£995) & you're good to go from dinner and cocktails, to trips absorbing the colourful culture (although, perhaps you should stuff some more comfortable sandals in the oversized clutch...).

What to Wear: Summer Holiday | Getting There

Welcome to the first in series of a special What to Wear feature; for fashion and shopping inspiration to help compile your own suitcase-full of holiday attire carefully selected to suit your destination from a selection of my favourite locations.

Lets start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. Getting there. Comfort and layering are key and easy to pull off without compromising on your personal style, va-va-voom and oh-la-laaa. To go beyond the beginning, and see how to pack, I've already posted a guide to help you.

Comfy cottons are my arses best friend when travelling. These Seven for All Mankind Chinos are comfortable, stylish, dark in colour to hide early-morning-wine-with-breakfast-stains (lets face it, you're not going to last all day in squeaky clean condition). Team with a simple, pretty cotton tee like this Vince Jersey and the crucial layering piece - a jacket (preferably a gorgeous suede Acne number) - to see you from cold departure, to stuffy departure lounge, to cool plane, to red hot destination. The 3.1 Philip Lim Leather Tote is big enough to hold some comfy slipper-style flats in once the Acne Sandals have seen you through the people watchers at duty-free.

A Guide To: Holiday Packing

After being back on English soil a mere twenty four hours and 100% riddled with the holiday blues, I thought I'd share what my friends & family call my "pedantic packing" & holiday perparation with you.

So once you're toned, honed & bikini ready, waxed & de-fuzzed, painted, polished, sprayed & pampered within an inch of your life its time to start looking at what you need to pack in order to ensure a relaxing and stress free trip, wether it be for business or pleasure.

I always like to start at the very beginning - In Flight Essentials. Once I've boarded a plane for what will be at least two hours I'll remove all make-up and general grime with Clarins Cleansing Milk (the small 50ml bottle is perfect for flights) with a couple of cotton pads. I'll then apply SkinCeuticals B5 Gel under Prescriptives Super Flight Cream. Optrex Brightening Drops rehydrate post-flight-peepers and I adore the This Works Travel Kit with 8 skin-saving goodies including my most essential in-flight must have, Breathe In which combats nasty in-flight germs. Alongside the beauty stuff I make sure I have my camera, iPod, a selection of books & magazines and a purse full of pennies for a bottle of champagne - whats better than relaxing with no mobile phone or distractions than kicking back with a glass of bubbles a mile high in the sky?

On the beach I'm never without an embarassingly low factor tanning oil, shame on me, but I do adore a tan! I'm always concious to apply plenty to prevent burning but nothing says holidays like being oiled up in a coconut scented Hawaiian Tropic haze. I understand some ladies with fairer skins & more cancer-conciousness than myself prefer a higher factor & the brilliance of La Roche Posay Anthelios Cream in SPF 20, 40 or 50 is constantly being raved  about as it offers the highest UBA (the one to cause premature ageing) and UVB (the one to cause burns) protection available. On my face, I do use a higher factor, usually from  the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream range with SkinCeuticals Serum 10 applied underneath which prevents ageing and stimulates repair. My lips are protected by Yves Saint Laurent SPF 10 Baume D'Ete Tinted and Matrix Biolage Protective Hair Oil protects my locks from salt, chlorine and the sun.

I have a Smythson travel notebook I always use to make a list of what I need to pack, which I can tick off as I lay the items out on my bed. Not only does the scoring lines give great satisfaction but it comes in very useful when packing to come home, I then tick off the items in a different colour. I always write my clothing lists in day-by-day format so nothing is left behind, and try to condense as much as possible, eg "Do I really need seven pairs of black shoes/sixteen bikinis". If I have time, I wrap each garment in tissue paper. Ever wondered why shop assistants do this? Clothes only crease if they come into contact with sharp edges - like those of your suitcase. Wrapping up the items prevents wrinkles & creases, but be warned that this will add at least an hour onto the task in hand!

Always pack your shoes first and fill any holes along the bottom of the case with socks, lingere and swimwear. Lay a few sheets of bubble wrap or tissue paper over this then place the legs of your trousers together and lay them down so that the top and hem drape outover the edge of your case. Layer your tops, dresses and any other delicate silk or chiffon items folded perfectly in tissue to the top of the case. I find it easiest to use my washbag as a "core" and fold all of the other items around it before filling any further gaps with more hoisery and lingere or left over bubble wrap. Remember - with no sharp edges or places to move, your clothes will remian at the other end in tact.

Thats the hard work done ladies, have a well earned Mojito and enjoy your break!

Rachel x