Florence: A Surprisingly Kid and Wallet-friendly Holiday

A plan to visit to Florence, a city close to my heart after spending a year there as a student, had been forming in my mind for a while. I'd promised my eldest son, an architecture-mad 10-year-old, that I'd take him there one day soon, but on properly thinking my pledge through, a few things worried me. It might be a good place to go if your son likes architecture, but you can't really base a whole holiday on that premise.

The pastel-coloured Duomo

Firstly, Florence is an expensive place to visit. Flooded with international visitors all year round, there's a heavy 'tourist tax' on pretty much everything, from accommodation to your morning cappuccino. Then there's the question of suitability for children - Florence is all about art, culture and history, and it can leave some visitors a little weary. There's just so much you HAVE TO SEE and the burden to do it all can weigh heavily. It's not a particularly spacious, green city, and as any travellers with kids in tow will tell you, it's important to balance sightseeing with plenty of down-time at a park or other green space. 

And would the kids be that interested in accompanying me on a trip down memory lane as I dragged them round the places I used to hang out as a 20-year-old student? In fact, would the Florence live up to my romantic expectations at all? 

Taking in some sublime views

But as the year stuttered along, I couldn't quite shake off my longing, so after a bit of research into costs, we decide to go ahead and book. Life is pretty 'safe' for us a lot of the time and while travelling to Italy is hardly pushing the boundaries of travel, it felt good to be led by our hearts and not practicality for a change. If you're a parent thinking about doing similar I'd urge you to go for it - kids make much better travelling companions than you think they will, they're open to new experiences and problems around things like tiredness, eating and other practical matters are never quite as major as you think they will be. 

Children aside, costs are always something we have to consider carefully. I have a rule that any holiday we take additional to our main holiday (which we now book well in advance, paying off month by month so we don't have to come home to an eye-popping overdraft or credit card bill) must come in at under £1000 - and much less than this if at all possible. Travelling within school holidays makes this a challenge but we managed it this time, thanks to fairly cheap flights on EasyJet (which flies to Pisa, about an hour on the train from Florence) and fantastically great-value accommodation, courtesy of Apartments Florence, a service which boasts around 200 apartments across the city, from simple, basic one-bedders to high-end, luxury villas located in the idyllic hills surrounding Florence.

We opted for the former option, obviously, choosing the Alfani, a one-bedroom apartment just a few minutes' walk from the centre of town. We'd read some good reviews and it seemed a more than adequate option for bedding down, with the added convenience of being able to cook some of our own meals, a must for keeping a handle on costs. Eating out times four is expensive in Florence, so being able to sort out breakfast and some of our evenings meals justified the cost of the couple of dinners we did have out. 

Quintessential Florence

While the kids commandeered the bedroom, we had a a comfy, perfectly fine sofa bed to sleep on. And we almost had a room with a view (well, we could watch the quintessential comings and goings of Italian life played out on the street below us.) With a bakery around one corner, a well-stocked supermarket around the other, as well as most of the key sights within a ten minute walk, the apartment was perfect for our requirements. 

However, despite my glowing report I forgot to take photos, so you'll have to head over to the Apartments Florence website to take a look at where we stayed. As I said, this is not luxury accommodation, but we paid just £472 Euros (around £378) for five nights' accommodation. When you compare that to what you might spend on a long weekend at Center Parcs, that's a total bargain in my book.

Having never booked accommodation this way, we were slightly nervous about what to expect, having heard stories from friends about turning up at non-existent villas or their rental not bearing any resemblance to the pictures on the website. The fact that all our communication with Apartments Florence in the run-up to our stay was frequent, clear and polite reassured us, and when we arrived in Italy we were met by a very friendly, helpful representative - a relief after a slightly stressful journey (it being Italy, there had been a general strike a few days before we arrived, Pisa Airport was a bit chaotic and there was no direct train running from the airport due to engineering works...the fact that Italy has a sometimes shambolic attitude to public services had somehow been erased from my romantic memories of living there!)

If you don't speak Italian, don't worry - the company has plenty of English speakers so you can be sure nothing is lost in translation.

Ready for churches, art, and more art

So, we'd arrived and now I had time to soak it all in - would this make a good place for a family holiday? The fact that the sun was shining but it wasn't too hot (Florence can get stifling in the summer) was good, the historic buildings were just as beautiful as I'd remembered them and my kids were excited - it was all looking positive...

So, how do you enjoy a city like Florence on a budget and with kids in tow? I'll be adding another blog post on what we got up to very soon. But for now, if you're interested in finding out more about Apartments Florence, you can visit the website here.

The Health Kick Kicks In

So, as is traditional this time of year (usually coinciding with that first, horrific trip to the shops to purchase swimwear) me and the other half are on a 'health kick'. While the stream of articles that litter women's magazines on making yourself "beach ready" infuriate me (who has time for a 2 week juicing detox, or a spare £200 to splash out on a figure enhancing, designer bikini?) the thought of exposing my pale, middle-aged body on a beach full of gorgeously lithe, olive-skinned beauties when we go on holiday in August doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, either. Don't most of us get that summer feeling of wanting to be just a bit lighter, a bit more energetic and a bit more glowing at around this point in the calendar? And there's nothing like turning 40 to remind you that your face and body need all the help they can get...

Our summer holiday destination

Several months on from trying to reduce my sugar intake (which I blogged about here)  I'm noticing small but significant changes, helping me stay away from the biscuit jar. I feel less sluggish and perhaps a bit less dimply of thigh. There isn't a weight loss motivation behind me doing this, but I was quite ill last year with a long-lasting virus and when a friend suggested giving up sugar as a remedy to the debilitating headaches I'd been getting, it seemed an obvious thing to try. I can't say with conviction what sorted me out in the end, but taking a long hard look at my diet and being more aware of hidden sugars certainly helped.

More recently I've been trying to address my issues with bread. I bloody love the stuff. But it's just not that good for you, is it? I can't say I like rye bread but it helps to satisfy my bread cravings (only just, though.) I can do without toast at breakfast but a sandwich, panini or baguette would be my lunch of choice. So, I'm limiting a bread-based lunch to the two days I work in an office (purely for convenience's sake) and am then avoiding bread on other days. 

I'm eating a lot of spelt crackers at the mo - nice with almond butter as a light lunch or in-between snack (Food Doctor wholegrain spelt crackers are available at most big supermarkets.) Talking of spelt, we tried spelt spaghetti the other day (white pasta is another of my weaknesses) and it was...okay. For me, nothing can replace proper pasta, but as we eat it a lot as a family I wanted to try an alternative. The kids didn't bat an eyelid about this strange new pasta - I was convinced they'd turn their noses up at it - so that was good; less good is the price point, as a 500g packet set me back £2.45. A packet of normal spaghetti is around the £1 mark so you can see the disparity.

Some low-sugar alternatives

Cost is something that is proving the biggest barrier to maintaining my good intentions. I simply can't afford to buy all organic, fill my basket with wholesome goodies from Holland & Barrett or indulge my romantic notions of starting every day with a home-made green juice, courtesy of a shiny Vitamix blender. Plus, life is really too short to be scouring the supermarket shelves searching for buckwheat noodles or raw cacao. But there are some healthy eating tips that I reckon are worth going the extra mile for, and luckily they don't cost the earth. Here are some other things that are working quite well for me at the moment...

Kale salad - not at all unpleasant

1. Shopping for basics at Lidl

Great for stocking up on the fruit and veg shop - so much cheaper than other supermarkets and the quality is pretty consistent. Items like blueberries, avocados, spinach and salad leaves are a significantly cheaper here. Buying basics at Lidl makes buying more expensive items like the aforementioned spelt pasta more viable. 

2. Swapping my morning latte for green tea

Apparently dairy gives you spots. So the morning lattes have been replaced by green tea, a cheap way to get a good dose of antioxidants. I'm getting quite fond of the taste. 

3. Making vat loads of Jamie Oliver's Tomato Sauce

I get why my kids won't eat kale or broccoli but I still want them to eat well, too. Feeding them veg by stealth is my modus operandi, and this sauce (annoyingly the recipe not available online) is a good one for getting them to eat squash, courgette and carrots without even realising. This recipe is similar to the one I've been making.

I also tried Jamie's Veggie Chilli recently and my kids weren't fully convinced but they were also not completely horrified by it. I think I'll convert them in time...here's the recipe. 

If these fail, most kids like pesto but to give it some extra nutritional value I wilt down massive handfuls of spinach in a pan with a little bit of butter, whiz in a blender and then add to the sauce - a quick way to top up your little veggie-phobes with some vitamins.

4. Trying the easier recipes on the Deliciously Ella website

A lot of healthy recipes not only require you being able to track down hard-to-find items but you also need to have quite a bit of time at your disposal so anything that involves simply dumping ingredients in a food processor is just fine by me. This is why the recipes on the Deliciously Ella site are so convenient as many involve nothing so taxing as a bit of chopping and a bit of whizzing. I have so far enjoyed the marinated kale salad - majorly virtuous and a lot nicer than the recipe suggests - and the cinnamon pecan granola which I'm using as a topper for fat-free natural yogurt in the mornings. It's delicious and a whole lot better for you than the high-sugar manufactured stuff. There are lots of other quick, relatively cost-effective ideas to try on the site.

Granola - not faffy to make at all

5. Finding the right exercise

Turns out I don't mind team sports (despite being pretty dismal at them at school)and it's true what they say - this sort of exercise feels so much less of a punishment. While I still don't fully understand the rules, my footwork sucks and I don't have a competitive bone in by body I've somehow ended up on a netball team. Playing in a proper league and everything! This entails weekly training and a weekly match, providing a much-needed cardio-vascular workout which I'm actually enjoying. Training is free thanks to a great initiative from England Netball (read more here) and match subs are about £3 per match. A total bargain.

Weekly Round-up

It’s been a mad-crazy couple of weeks and we have been away on our latest family adventure (look out for a blog post on our trip to Italy, coming very soon) so blogging has taken a bit of a back seat recently. And I haven't had much of interest to blog about. So, this week's post is a quick round-up of some of the small rays of sunshine in a period that's been a bit hectic, a bit stressful and not hugely interesting (bar our lovely break to Florence, of course. Talking of which...)

1.Half term in Florence

I lived in this lovely city for a year as a student and had been hankering to make a visit back to my old stomping ground for ages. The only question was, would Florence make for a successful family break or would all that art, history and culture make my kids’ heads explode? We decided to risk it, and thanks to relatively cheap EasyJet flights and very family and budget-friendly accommodation, it was a risk that didn’t prove too costly. And the kids’ heads didn’t, thankfully, explode. I think they enjoyed it, though I have a suspicion they liked buying rip-off Italian football shirts from the market more than staring at Giotto frescoes at Santa Croce church….

A full blog post on our trip is coming soon…

2. Cheap 'n' cheerful jewellery

I picked up this little beauty on a recent trip to London, at the Forever 21 store on Oxford Street. If you’ve never ventured into a Forever 21 store before, it’s a pretty manic experience, clearly pitched at the teen age group – I am not their target audience at all. That said, if you’re after cheap, fast fashion and have the time to trawl the rails, I noticed some nice little pieces and the prices are exceptionally wallet-friendly. But as I’m trying to buy less stuff and choose quality over quantity, and resist the false economy (and dubious ethics) of fast fashion, I ignored the racks of hippy-style dresses that looked quite nice and concentrated on the accessories, stumbling on this gem of a necklace that has a hint of the Anthropologie about it – but without the expensive price tag. This beauty cost me £7. Yes, just a little more than a magazine and a bar of choccy.

3. Reading 'Quiet' by Susan Cain

I rarely read non-fiction and have never in my life felt drawn to self-help books, and while this wonderful, fascinating book isn't strictly a self-help book, it does help you understand yourself better if you consider yourself an introvert and reveals the natural reflexes and responses that make some people quiet and anxious, and others confident and gregarious. It's a reminder to yourself that if you like your own company, work best on your own in quiet, familiar surroundings, or shy away from public speaking and 'putting yourself out there' in the workplace there actually isn't anything wrong with you and that your contribution is just as valid as anyone else's. In fact the book is subtitled 'The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking'. If, like me you are a 'quiet' person and fancy understanding yourself a little bit better, READ this book - find out more here.

4. Eating cheese  

My kids don’t ‘do’ shopping. So I knew there’d be no browsing the boutiques of Florence’s enchanting side streets, spending hours picking through vintage knick knacks in the flea markets or searching for the perfect leather sandals (for which Florence is famous)in San Lorenzo, the city’s bustling shopping area. However no trip to Florence is complete without a visit to the Mercato Centrale (an amazing food market) and I knew my kids would be okay with this, given that they love looking at weird cuts of meat and barely dead fish…and this place is full of that sort of stuff. It was while browsing the amazing food stalls at the market that we came across a cheese that sounded just a bit special – pecorino infused with truffle oil.

All I can say is the block we bought was nowhere near big enough. Sublime doesn’t go anywhere near describing just how good this stuff is. You can buy something a little similar here albeit it at quite a price!

5. Shoes, shoes and more shoes

Alongside the cheese I somehow managed to buy TWO pairs of sandals in Italy. Just need to fix the weather so I can actually wear them, now. Florence is renowned for its leather goods so if you’re in the market for a well-made pair of shoes or a new bag, it’s a good place to be. I was most definitely in the market for some new sandals as the Topshop numbers I’d packed decided to break on me midway through the holiday. So I simply HAD to buy some new ones. I opted for some simple, traditional-style leather sandals which I picked up in a teeny shoe store near San Lorenzo, selling proper ‘Made in Italy’ products. They are unbelievably comfortable and made from high quality leather. And at just £34, an absolute steal. And how cute are the raffia slides? A rash purchase from Pisa Airport and a great way to use up the last of our euros (29 of them, to be exact – bargain)

Oh, and then I remembered we have a friend's 40th birthday party coming up, requiring another shoe purchase, hence the lovely heels that found their way into my basket on a recent trip to M&S. I really rate M&S for shoes - their range is often quite 'fashion forward', they are much better made than other high street alternatives, and they come in half sizes and wider widths, perfect for my rather awkwardly-sized hoofs. Go take a look at what's in store now - I saw some really nice, sensibly priced shoes on my last trip. 

Escaping Reality at Shoreditch House

In my (often imagined) parallel universe, weekends with the family would be a leisurely confluence of long brunches, coffee drinking, strolls round parks and perhaps a mooch around some nice little shops/cafes/markets. Of course the kids would be quite happy with these arrangements, we'd all get along famously and then we'd come home, feeling rested and restored for the week ahead. The reality, is of course, a little different, with most weekends - even ones that are supposed to be 'quiet' - passing in a blur of drop offs and pick ups from various activities or social engagements. 'Downtime' constitutes a snatched half hour with the Sunday paper and a cuppa, carried out with a nagging sense of guilt that we should really be using any kid-free moments to do something productive: ironing school uniform, helping with homework or finding out out why there's a damp patch in the spare room...Being able to escape these responsibilities every so often is a real sanity-saver and one I'm happy to pay good money for. For a couple of days each year we leave our children in the very caring and capable hands of their grandparents and take off, just the two of us, coming back to our 'real' lives a little more human again.

Shoreditch House

So it was last weekend we found ourselves enjoying the sanctuary that is Shoreditch House in East London. While London might not suggest the most obvious 'go to' place to escape life's stresses, this hotel is a true oasis of calm. It's not cheap, sure, but it's also not prohibitively expensive, and as a special treat it's absolutely worth every penny. A 'tiny room' will set you back around £165 a night, with larger rooms upwards of £200. To keep a handle on costs we opted for the 'tiny' option and were pleasantly surprised by our room's size - it was roomier than we'd been expecting and we didn't get that nagging feeling of wishing we'd paid out more for a bit more space. Like everything else at Shoreditch House, the decorative style is just my thing - comfy but elegant with lots of quirky, vintage touches. It's a look that has become a bit ubiquitous but the vintage stuff in this place is the real deal and it shows. I fell in love with it all and am considering buying the hotel's style guide, 'Eat, Drink, Nap' to try and bring a little bit of its vibe to my own home (well, a girl can dream!)

Amazing furniture and lighting

Perhaps the real lure of this place isn't the rooms and luxurious bathrooms - filled with Cowshed products from its downstairs spa - but the sense that you've really escaped from the world outside. This vibe is particularly evident around the top floor, open-roof pool, a place that oozes languor. There's something deliciously indulgent about lazing on a day bed in the middle of the day, with a drink close to hand, engaging in nothing more strenuous than a little bit of people watching. 

On the subject of people watching, Shoreditch House is obviously a fashionable place, attracting an accordingly hip clientele, including a mix of club members and hotel guests. But there's a nice feel to the place without much hint of pretension. We saw several families during our stay, who were enjoying full use of the pool without feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable. Hubby and I didn't feel as confident taking a dip with an audience of trendy types looking over us, so we saved our al fresco swim for the following morning when we enjoyed the pool completely to ourselves - an amazing way to begin the day. The pool is fully heated and the views across the city's skyscrapers are fantastic. 

The stunning rooftop pool

There are two main restaurants on site, as well as the next door pizza restaurant, Pizza East, which we ate at on a previous trip to London and loved (it serves perhaps the best pizzas in London, I reckon.) This time we couldn't resist the pull of the top floor restaurant, which is a light-filled, beautiful space with unbroken views over the London skyline. Buzzy at night, relaxed over breakfast, we fell in love with this place and enjoyed a lovely dinner and even nicer breakfast. Prices are, like rooms, not exorbitant and I'd have paid more for the luxury of enjoying a delicious breakfast (full English for him - £12, AMAZING pancakes with blueberries and mascarpone for me - £6) in such beautiful surroundings. 

Top floor restaurant 

Singer Paloma Faith walked in mid breakfast which felt appropriate - you kind of want to see someone a bit famous when you're staying at a fashionable East London hotel, even if you're not allowed to take a sneaky pic. Shoreditch House has a 'no mobiles' policy which is another reason to love it - it's a joyous thing not to see all and sundry hunched over or yelling into a smart phone for once. That said, I did manage to take a few pics; the rule isn't strictly upheld, it seems, but you definitely feel you shouldn't be taking photos or even having your phone in view while at Shoreditch House - a GOOD THING!

To say our whole experience here was blissful is an understatement. The best things in life might be free but there's also something to be said for buying a bit of R&R every now and again...

LOVE the chairs (& tiles, lights, etc...)

To find out more about Shoreditch House and its sister properties in London, visit the website here.

For a more budget-friendly alternative just up the road on Great Eastern Street, I recommend the fantastic Hoxton Hotel - read more about our stay there here.

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Tuscany on a Shoestring

If you're looking for an inexpensive holiday somewhere sunny, Italy might not be the first place that springs to mind. And Tuscany in particular can be easily discounted as an unaffordable option, particularly for families. Whoever coined the phrase 'Chiantishire' helped to create a long-standing myth that Tuscany is the sole preserve of wealthy, middle-class ex-pats and beyond the pocket of most ordinary folk.

The reality is that while there certainly are corners of Tuscany that attract a select crowd of Chianti swigging, yacht-owning sorts this isn't the only side of the region.

I spent all my childhood summers on the Tuscan coast, where you'll find a host of unpretentious, family-friendly resorts that deliver great beaches, good value places to enjoy the best of Tuscan cuisine and access to some of the region's most lovely villages and towns. Tuscany also has something for everyone, from mountain scenery in the Appenines to idyllic islands studded with some of the prettiest beaches in the Med. There's history and culture everywhere you look here too, not least in the region's triumvirate of most famous cities - Florence, Siena and Pisa - and you're never far from an amazing plate of pasta or a glass of something delicious. 

If this sounds like your kind of holiday but you're on a limited budget, I'd recommend seeking out a campsite option in Italy. A couple of years ago we stayed at Camping Valle Gaia - bookable through both Eurocamp and Canvas - which makes a great base if you're looking for a budget-friendly option in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. There's a beach nearby too (not the prettiest - the Tuscan coast isn't as scenic as other coastal areas in Italy - but spacious, sandy, safe and ideal for children) and the site is just over 60 km from Pisa airport. 

The innate sense of style that Italians apply to every aspect of life is usually evident in its campsites and Valle Gaia is no exception. It's a given that when in Italy you're never far from a decent restaurant, a good cappuccino or a fresh loaf of bread, and campsites in the country tend to adhere to this principle, meaning you'll often find fantastic restaurants on even the most unassuming of campsites, as well as on-site bakeries where you can pick up a ciabatta or bag of croissants fresh from the oven. You certainly don't rough it when camping in Italy. 

Valle Gaia is a small site and ideal for families with young children, and includes all the obvious attractions: two spacious swimming pools (including one just for little ones), children's play area, tennis courts, bar and two restaurants; one for informal, kid-friendly pizza and ice cream and and a smarter option for more sophisticated dining. We loved the latter, which was reasonably priced and served some absolutely outstanding food including regional specialities such as wild boar and pasta with truffle. It being Italy, even the poshest restaurants are happy to accommodate children and we didn't feel uncomfortable eating here with our (sometimes) energetic children. 

Excursions beyond the campsite are varied. We took a day trip to Pisa for the customary pic propping up the tower and a visit to the stunning cathedral. Be warned that children under 8 can't go up the leaning tower but it's a must-do for older kids and adults. Buy a slice of pizza from a nearby cafe and enjoy it in the shade of the basilica before taking a wander across the Campo Dei Miracoli and delving into the interesting surrounding side streets. 

Other nearby must-sees include Volterra, an attractive hill-top town about 30km away and San Gimignano, an atmospheric walled town steeped in history and dominated by its world-famous medieval towers. 

If you don't mind making a longer trip, Siena is well worth the effort. Its historic centre is a UNESCO world heritage site and boasts one of the world's most famous and distinctive squares, the beautiful, honey-coloured Piazza del Campo. Winding, atmospheric streets lead you to the equally stunning cathedral, and there are lots of other interesting sights and glimpses of Siena's illustrious past around every street corner.

I spent a month here as a language student and would regularly pop into Nannini, a charmingly old fashioned cafe, for a post-lecture pick-me up. It serves the most amazing coffee and pastries and is a good place to soak up a bit of Italian cafe culture and rest weary legs. 

If that's not enough culture for you the Renaissance splendours of Florence are a train-ride away (don't take the car - driving through the city and finding somewhere to park are feats not worth undertaking) but if you're visiting during the summer it will be steaming hot and heaving with tourists...possibly best avoided if you have children in tow. It's a stunning place but its gorgeousness might be lost on you if you visit in peak season.

Fancy sampling Tuscany's world-famous wines? Then head over to Bolgheri, just a short drive from the campsite, where you'll find lots of cantinas where you can drop in and try out a Chianti or Sassicaia. The drive to Bolgheri also takes in some quintessential Tuscan landscape, dotted with stone farmhouses and cypress trees. 

If you're looking for something a bit more beachy, Eurocamp also has campsites on Elba, a tiny island off the coast of Tuscany and home to some lovely, unspoilt beaches and pretty towns and resorts. 

To read more about Camping Valle Gaia and other budget-friendly options in Tuscany, take a look at the Eurocamp website here.

Easter Adventures In & Around Bristol

The kids went back to school today after a two week holiday and I'm feeling uncharacteristically calm, relaxed and not at all exhausted. Amazing how having a run of good weather can totally change how you feel at the end of school holidays - why can't it always be like this?! Everything's so much easier - and cheaper - when the sun shines, we all rub along a lot better and it's lovely to see two erstwhile pale, snotty children return to school with a bloom of colour in their cheeks, having had plenty of outdoor activity and a good dose of vitamin D.

Thanks to the clement weather, we were able to visit some old favourites and discover some new places in and around Bristol - here are three highlights from our Easter break...

Outdoor golf at Pirate Bay Adventure Golf

Crazy golf with a pirate theme and some interesting ways of traversing the holes. I sometimes struggle to find things that both my kids will enjoy doing, as my eldest is now 10 and quickly growing out of the standard kid activities, while my six year-old isn't quite ready to hang out at the skate park just yet. Crazy golf is therefore a good one, and this fun course was a hit with both my boys. It's an imaginatively designed, 18-hole course with a pirate theme: think sea shanty soundtrack and various pirate paraphernalia decorating the place. What's especially fun are the pirate boats and rafts that you have to climb onto and then pull across the water to get to the next hole.

There's also a cafe on site and dedicated area for children's parties. Adults cost £7.50, children £5 and under 3s are free. 

You can find out more here.

Stately scenery at Dyrham Park

We'd been here before but on that occasion it was cold and wet, everyone was grumpy and there was a melt down incident over something - can't remember what - that brought out visit to a premature close. But with our National Trust membership about to expire, we decided to give this place another go, plus it was a glorious sunny day. Needless to say, second time around our visit was much more successful. Dyrham is a lovely place to while away a sunny afternoon so if you're a member of the NT and in the Bath area, it's well worth a visit. Set in green, rolling hills there are some nice walks to explore and an impressive 17th-century house to wander round. To be honest, we didn't do much aside from set out a picnic rug and enjoy the sunshine while the kids made dens in the trees. But if you're not going to do very much, this is a nice setting in which to be lazy.

Find out more about Dyrham Park here.

Authentic Japanese food at Yume Kitchen

I've mentioned my kids' slightly random culinary preferences before. They're both the sort of children who view a fish finger with suspicion but are quite happy when presented with a barely dead octopus to tuck into. Now, I have no problem with their culinary precociousness at all - I love the fact they have such adventurous palettes. It can just be a bit annoying and expensive some times. For my eldest son, no motorway journey is complete without a stop at the services for M&S sushi. Doesn't matter that it might only be 9 in the morning - motorways and sushi have become inextricably linked in his brain. Then there is his YO Sushi! obsession. It's a fun place to take kids, what with the conveyor belt and funny Japanese pop music in the background. It's just not that wallet friendly so I was excited to finally give the much praised Yume Kitchen a try over the holidays. 

We had a very nice lunch here, enjoying authentic Japanese food (not limited just to sushi)at a very reasonable price tag.Our bill for four, with a mix of sushi and hot, main dishes came in at just below £40. Everything was super fresh and felt more authentic than you might get a sushi chain. The crispy squid, gyoza and beef teriyaki were particularly good, and our two sushi aficionados rated the sushi 'excellent'.

We visited the Cotham branch but there is now a new restaurant in Clifton Village which also does deliveries - find out more here.

I forgot my phone the day we visited, hence no pics of the amazing spread we enjoyed at Yume, but if you'd like to read a more in depth review, with an array of lovely photos, check out Bristol Eating Adventures here.

Spring Beauty

It's at this time of year that the fashion mags are full of features on 'spring cleaning' your beauty regime. But frankly who's got the time to shampoo their makeup brushes, declutter their beauty bags and organise the bathroom cabinet with season-appropriate products? Plus there's the small issue of not necessarily having the cash to fund a little jaunt around Space NK. That said it's this time of year my skin does tend to do some weird stuff, my limbs are their most dry and pallid and I generally look 'peaky' (as my mother regularly reminds me.)Her theory is that the changing of the seasons are responsible for all manner of ills, looking peaky being just one of them. Glancing in the mirror this morning, I do see her point.

Just recently I've made some cost-effective beauty discoveries that I really recommend and which are helping to address some of the aforementioned beauty issues. Not all are bargain-basement cheap, but they do, in my opinion, offer value for money, and might be worth looking into if, like me, you're feeling and looking a bit run-down and want to make some wallet-friendly additions to your beauty cabinet this spring.

1. Alpha H Balancing Cleanser with Aloe Vera

I've been using Alpha H products for about a year now and can't recommend them highly enough. If you have sensitive, reactive skin that erupts with the slightest mishandling, this range is well looking into. According to beauty blogger and skincare expert Caroline Hirons problem skin needs an oil, milk or cream cleanser and anything that foams or is in gel format is a big no no because they break down the acid mantle of your skin, just making inflammation worse. I used to use gels all the time but since making the switch to this creamy, non-lathering cleanser I noticed a change almost instantly. It's brilliant and at £23 for 200ml is not prohibitively expensive. I buy mine from fab online beauty retailer Bath & Unwind which has a reward points system so you can get money off subsequent purchases.

2. First Aid Beauty Daily Face Cream

A light-weight, oil-free moisturiser that is also fragrance free, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic. What's not to love? It's basically suitable for all skins, including sensitive and acnegenic. A lot of moisturisers I've used in the past - including ones that claim to be non-comedegenic - have brought me out in spots so it's nice to find a product that does what it's meant to do without any annoying side effects. It costs £15.50 from Bath & Unwind.

3. bareMinerals Faux Tan Face

Talking of products that have a propensity to bring skin out in pimples: facial fake tan. Usually pretty horrific. Finding a non-orange facial self-tanner that doesn't render the skin a mass of seething pustules is no mean feat but this product pretty much hits the spot (excuse the pun...)It contains no parabens or artificial oils, which helps keep spots at bay, and develops into an even, light tan that looks natural. It's tinted too so you can see exactly where you're putting it and make sure it's sinking in evenly - a nice bonus as streaky, blotchy faces are not so nice. Highly recommended for adding a touch of colour to sun-starved faces. It costs around £15 from various online beauty retailers.

4. Rodial Brazilian Tan - Light

Moving on to bodies and mine would have a grey, ghostly pallor were it not for this nifty product. I buy this from TK Maxx (they seem to have a constant supply)for around a fiver, which - given Rodial is a 'prestige' brand - is quite a bargain and cheaper than mass market fake tanners. The Light version is jut that - natural rather than TOWIE-style scary. 

5. & Other Stories Fig Fiction Body Scrub

There's something quite cathartic about feeling like your sloughing off dry, moisture-starved winter skin. It's the perfect prep for fake tan, too. There are loads of great scrubs around but for the feel-good factor with just the right amount of 'scrub' (not too harsh, not too weedy) the body scrubs in the & Other Stories range is fantastic. I love all the & Other Stories beauty products and last time I was in London I stocked up on this delicious Fig scented version. You can also buy online and the scrub costs a reasonable £7 (a little goes a long way, too)

6. Dr Stuart Skin Purify Tea

I wanted to give this a mention as it really seems to do what it says on the tin. In conjunction with cutting right down on sugar, going easy on the vino and trying to eat a bit more healthily generally, this tea seems to be aiding a general clearness of skin and feeling of overall well-being.