Book Club - Girl, Interrupted.

"People ask, How did you get in there? What they really want to know is if they are likely to end up in there as well. I can't answer the real question. All I can tell them is, it's easy."

Unfortunately, I'd seen "Girl, Interrupted" the movie, a long time before I read the book, which obviously is always the wrong way to do it. When I did decide to get the book, I was really hoping that the movie wouldn't create a biased picture in my head of the characters and their situations and I'm very glad to say that it didn't. The movie is a great representation and exaggeration of the book but it didn't spoil it for me too much, because the book is much more in depth and we get to learn a lot more about our main girl Susanna and her "Condition".

"What about me was so deranged that in less than half an hour a doctor would pack me off to the nuthouse?"

         Read more to access my full review of "Girl, Interrupted" at LiveLotus.co.uk

Afternoon tea at The Great John Street Hotel

It was  a crisp November afternoon and the city was buzzing with that pre Christmas glow. The markets were being delivered and set up, and the shoppers were starting to emerge. I met my lovely friend Lai -Yin at Beetham Tower, and after an excited hello we strolled our way down Liverpool street and towards the Great John Street Hotel. 

Lai-Yin had arranged afternoon tea for us, so we could  have a much needed catch up and a gossip about all the new events in our lives. Having only visited GJS in the evenings before, it was lovely to see it in all it's glory during the daytime.

For those of you that don’t know GJS is a converted school house which is now home to one of the most luxurious and friendly hotels in Manchester. It has a plush and eclectic interior full of interesting little trinkets and objects to explore. 

We were seated in the lounge and instantly got stuck into our news; trips to Rome, new jobs and love interests were all in the headlines of course...Read More

Milani Cosmetics Baked Blush Collection.... Yes Please

I am an absolute sucker for anything that promises to give me radiant, illuminated skin. I long for Eva Mendes’ glowing complexion. So with this in mind my beautiful friend, Alexandra, introduced me to the Milani Cosmetics baked blush range. Unfortunately Milani isn’t readily available in the UK but you can purchase from their European website. I however, am lucky enough that my aforementioned beautiful friend is a flight attendant for a major UK airline, and often flies to the US and picks up products for me on request... Thanks Love!

Milani’s promise to us is that:

“This silky blush with benefits can be used so many ways. It shapes, it contours, it highlights. Sunbaked on Italian terracotta tiles, it’s buildable from sheer to vibrant. Yes, it adds a cheeky pop of colour to your complexion. Radiance and warmth, too.”

Now, I don’t know about sun baked on Italian terracotta tiles, but these blushes definitely add a whole lot of sunshine to my face.... Read More 

Marrakech Madness

I don’t even know where to start with Marrakech.....

Marrakech is a crazy mixed up world of its own tucked away inside the walls of the Medina. The first thing I will tell you and be completely honest about, is that it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. I’d read a few other blogs and posts before I went; and I imagined this incredibly, almost glamorous Arabian world of beautiful colours and fabrics with interestingly detailed tiled work and carvings on every street. Don’t get me wrong, Marrakech is definitely all of those things but “selective” photography can be very misleading, and I actually had no idea of what to expect inbetween all of these beautiful places. I’d almost forgotten that Marrakesh is, like every other, a working, living city and that is definitely reflected in the Medina’s narrow busy streets.

We scored big time with Riad Khol, it’s probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever stayed in. (There will be a full separate review on this soon). Fresh from the airport, bags in hand, we were immediately greeted with people offering to carry our bags to the Riad for 300dh (£30) and a group of pesky boys running a broken sandal scam trying to make money out of us; I was completely overwhelmed by how busy and noisy the streets – and particularly the alleyways leading to the Riad- still were at gone 11pm and to be honest I was a little scared.

Head over to the full Live Lotus blog to find our more about my trip to Marrakech.....