As part of our trip to Vegas we drove from the Vegas strip to the Grand Canyon which took around 4 hours and was roughly 270 miles. It was quite a long journey but the view when we arrived was so worth it. I have never seen anything so incredible in my life.

The Grand canyon is in Arizona, America and is one of the seven wonders of the world. Not even Geologists are 100% sure about how the Canyon was formed but erosion from the Colorado River is what seems to have had the most impact. You can read more about the geology of the Canyon here

For a real sky-walk experience you can book tickets for the viewing platform which allows you to walk directly into and above the Canyon. I personally had images of the platform toppling in so I chose not to do that but if risk taking is your thing you can find out more about the sky walk here

If you suffer from Vertigo I wouldn’t recommend going to close to the edge as it is extremely high; you can however get a helicopter ride into the Canyon for a cost and it takes you further down into the depths of the rocks.

10,500 years ago, the first evidence of human presence in the area was found. Native Americans have inhabited the Canyon area and the National Park for at least the last 4,000 of those years. You will see evidence of this in the form of Tipis and huts built by them at the top of the rocks.

There is also a cafe and some restrooms around the the tourist area of the Canyon as remember it is in the Arizonian desert so you will need a drink. Especially if you decide to start swinging around like an overexcited child (me 24/7)

Just look at that view…

The fear of being up so high was quite exhilarating; I think I got a bit too over confident at times though and scared a few tourists by hanging off the edge..whoops.

Being in the surroundings of one of the seven wonders of the world was an amazing experience and one I would definitely recommend.

As you know I love animals and could never eat one; so it is a passion of mine to find meals that are moorish, tantalizing and tasty without harming anyone in the process. I actually used to eat meat as a teenager so the I first became vegetarian it was hard for me to give up the things I love, mainly KFC. But then I found out the chickens are only a few days old and are pumped full of steroids so I didn’t want to put that kind of thing into my body anymore; no wonder I had tummy aches :s

Lot’s of people say “how can you be veggy” but if you just do a bit of research you will realise that being vegetarian doesn’t mean you eat dinners any differently to anyone else. I still have spag bol, I still have hot dogs and believe it or not I still have KFC (see my vegetarian KFC blog post here). One thing I do love is a burger; especially on a BBQ so I thought I would share with you some of my faves.

The first one will surprise you; this is a pulled pork burger which surprisingly has a similar texture to actual pulled pork. Linda has done well here; these 1/4lb burgers are made with textured soya and wheat protein coated with a smoky flavour barbecue sauce and they are sooo juicy.

You do only get two in a box but I only have them every now and then as a treat when I fancy something different. They are quite cheap at around £2 a box and sometimes they come as a deal at Tesco where you can buy 3 selected Linda products for £5…bargain!

The texture is so soft and juicy and the great thing about them is that they are not dry like some veggie burgers out there, they actually have a nice slightly greasy feel. Another way of eating these burgers is to cook them and pull them apart and add them to a home made Chinese dish with some sweet and sour sauce. Who says you can’t have sweet and sour pork just because you are veggie?

The other day I chose to have mine with cooked mushrooms on top and cucumber on the side, it was delicious. These burgers have loads of protein too so they are great for a post gym workout meal.

My favourite sauce to have on top of the burger is a mixture of sweet chilli and mayonnaise; trust me it tastes amazing and really compliments the BBQ flavours. If you prefer you can have a sticky BBQ sauce with it too which goes really well when it is char-grilled.

Now if meat tasting/looking burgers are not your style, Linda McCartney also make a burger which is equally as juicy which is not a replica.

The mushroom and spinach burgers taste like exactly what it says on the box but they are nice and thick and still have that burger feel to them. They retail at around the same price and also come in a pack of two. These are definitely best when they are barbecued but for the colder nights try sprinkling on some seasoning and popping them under the grill instead.

Spinach is  really high in iron and protein so you are getting lots of goodness from these burgers as well as an amazing taste. I chose to have mine with lightly fried asparagus and Halloumi chicken nuggets. If you are not a fan of batter simply lightly fry some Halloumi on it’s own and pop it on top of your burger.

In my opinion a dollop of mayonnaise goes really well with this burger but obviously you could melt some mozzarella or cheddar cheese on top to give it some extra flavour.

To make my halloumi chicken nuggets (which btw you must try) I simply bought a cheap pack of batter mix and added one egg with some water. I then coated the Cypriot cheese in batter and deep fried them till they were golden brown; heaven!

I really hope you enjoy trying out some of these dishes and have fun with your own way of eating them 🙂

Sorry it’s been a little while since my last post but since Christmas it has been a bit mental. I completed my Bridal Makeup Course and have been practicing non stop since. This look however has nothing to do with bridal makeup but I just had to share it as the effect and the finish of this product is to die for and I was really proud of how it came out.

So this is my beautiful client Sarah who wanted a glam look with a smokey eye but with silver tones. I had a look around and there just weren’t any eye-shadows that were doing it for me. Until I stumbled accross a YouTube video of this product and it really caught my eye. It is the Makeup Revolution Awesome Eye Foil in Pure Platinum which you can buy online here. Makeup Revolution who are really stepping up their game lately and they have definitely made a winner in this eye-shadow; which may I add also comes in Rose gold. 

So everything you need comes in the box and how it works is really simple. You scrape a bit of the silver metallic eyeshadow (which has a gel consistency) onto the metal mixing plate and squeeze a few drops of the liquid onto it. You mix it together until you get the right texture you want and then apply it to the eye either using a brush or your finger. Always pat it on don’t swipe as it won’t be as neat or as opaque.

This was before I had done her eyebrows but as you can the finish is incredible and really reflects in the light. The brightness of the silver on this part of the eyelid really makes the eyes pop and look more awake.

Before I applied the silver foil colour to the inner and middle of the eyelid I used a primer to prep the eye which I set with a loose powder. I then used a bone colour from my Soap and Glory Tricks of the Shade palette followed by a grey shimmer colour called Street Style from my Cargo Cosmetics Shanghai Nights palette on the crease line and accross most of the lid. Lastly I used a black shadow from my M & S palette to give that smokey eye effect and to line under the lower lashes.

I primed Sarah’s face with Smashbox Photo Finish clear oil free primer and used Revlon Colourstay foundation in the shade Early Tan. This foundation has no SPF or silica so produces no flashback when using flash photography. I used the blusher from my Soap and Glory Tricks of the Shade set and Sleek’s tingling lip crayon in Notorious Nude.

For the brows I used my favourite pomade which is by Freedom in the colour Dark Brown. I used my benefit brow brush to lightly shape her already lovely eyebrows and then used a concealer to define them underneath.

With all make-up it is very important if you are going out to test your products with flash photography first before you go out so as not to get any nasty surprises later on.

Having the hair back and off the face will always enhance your make-up just that little bit more as you can see the full picture but if you choose to wear your hair down try not to have it touching your face too much as it can rub off your make-up throughout the night.

The great thing about silver is that it makes any eye colour pop so as you can see Sarah’s eye’s are really emphasized in these photos and contrast nicely to the silver above the eye.

As you can see I have used a subtle silvery style highlighter on the cheeks, cupids bow and the brow bone just to compliment the colours and pick up her beautiful cheekbones.

Overall Sarah and I were so pleased with this look and would definitely recommend it for a night out if you want to add that extra bit of sparkle and glamour to your look.

Remember to check out my Facebook page for Makeup Artist Bookings.

It’s so nice to work with someone who has their own individual style and with her unique tattoos and stunning vintage wedding dress, Lindsey looks the picture of perfection for my 1940’s bridal feature. Here is how I gave her this pin-up look and the products I used.

Firstly I began with the hair; I sectioned it off and began curling with the Babyliss 2285CU Curling Wand which you can purchase here. Make sure you curl each piece of hair the same way otherwise when you brush it through it won’t create that Hollywood Wave we need.

I left a section of hair for the fringe and took two sections from the side and rolled them upwards into a tight curl and pinned to the top of the head. This may take a few goes to get it perfect but the more you practice at the the easier it gets; I will be making a separate video tutorial for the hair. For the fringe I rolled the hair from the bottom upwards and slightly to the side to create that deep roller look and pinned into place. I didn’t brush through the curls until her make-up was finished otherwise they would drop out.

For the make-up I began with the Smashbox Pore Minimizing 24 Hour Primer which you can find here on the Smashbox website in two different sizes. I used my Real Techniques Foundation Brush to blend this into the skin. I then used Dior Forever Foundation in two shades 020 and 031 to give the skin a medium coverage as I didn’t want it to be a heavy look. To set the foundation I used a Nude by Nature Loose powder and just lightly dusted a thin layer over the face to stop any shine; it’s also good for the skin as it contains natural ingredients. I used the Makeup Revolution Collection Palette which you can buy for just £10 here. It contains 144 colours and I used the bone colours as a base over the eye-shadow primer to begin with, then blending in the more violet colours from the edge to create a gradient. I then used the darkest colour in the palette which is a warm black to create a very subtle flick at the ends of the eyes to really lift and emphasize the shape; her eyes really pop and they look huge 🙂

For the lashes I used Urban Decay’s Perversion mascara as it really lifts the lashes and makes them stay up all day long even underneath heavy false lashes, it also contains marine glycogen which is known to stimulate lash growth. You can find this mascara at your nearest Urban Decay counter or buy online here. Lindsey chose to use her own false eye lashes which I applied for her using Eyelure eye lash glue.

For the eyebrows I used a pomade by the brand Freedom in the shade Soft Brown which you can find at Superdrug. This is supposed to be a dupe for the Anastasia Beverley Hill Dip Brow and to be honest, it does a pretty good job. It’s a bargain at just £5 per pot and it’s waterproof too so will stay on throughout your big day and through to the evening.

For the rest of the face I used a subtle blush from MUA which you can buy on special offer at the moment from Superdrug or online here. With this type of look you don’t want the blusher to be too overpowering as it can ruin the entire look and you really want the lips and eyes to be the main focus.

Of course no pin-up make up would be complete without a statement red lip and for Lindsey I used a red lip liner (which is actually listed as an eyeliner) from Sleek which is smudge proof and waterproof so perfect for kissing on the big day. I then filled in the rest of the lips with a lovely Revlon Colourstay Lipstick in Boho Chic. This lipstick is nice and light so can be re-applied throughout the day and will also keep them moisturized.

To complete the look I just brushed through the curls to create a Hollywood wave and added a few small flowers to her hair. Overall Lindsey looked absolutely stunning in this vintage 1940’s style look really suits her.; this is the perfect make-up and hair to accompany a vintage wedding dress. 

Dublin Castle

So, for the first time ever I went to visit Dublin as everyone always tells me how great it is. Unfortunately I only got two days off work to explore but I tried to make the most out of my time there as I could. Flights were only £60 return on Ryanair so I thought why not?

The first morning I woke up and got a bus into the town; be warned they only accept coins on the bus and not notes or card. I found this out the hard way when I tried to give the bus driver a 20 Euro note; luckily he let me on for free. They do their own version of the Oyster card too which is called a Leap Card but I wasn’t aware of this until I got there. The trains and buses all have free wi-fi which was great as I nearly got lost many times (Dublin is bigger than I thought).

My first stop was the Museum of Modern Art which is just around the corner from Heuston Train Station. If you are staying near a train station then I would suggest getting the train as it is much faster.

The Museum of Modern Art Entrance

The Museum Grounds

The grounds of the museum reminded me of Somerset House in London which has a very similar layout and also hosts Art Exhibitions. The Museum is free and there are a range of different exhibitions to explore including moving film and photography.

One of my favourite pieces was the replica of ‘Image of Samuel Beckett’ by Louis Le Brocquy. Beckett is one of my favourite playwrights; he was born in Dublin and there is even a theatre and a bridge named after him in Dublin.

Image of Samuel Beckett

To the side of the museums are several barn-like workshops where you can take part in various arts and crafts sessions. There is more information about the museum and the different workshops here.

Workshops and sculpture to the side of the museum

If you walk through the back of the museum there is a large, beautiful park with a monument you can walk underneath which resembles the Marc Du Triumph in Paris.

Park and sculpture to the rear of the museum

When I had finished at the Museum I walked back round past Heuston station which was now lit up beautifully and made my way to The Guinness factory. Heuston station is around a 30 minute walk into the hustle and bustle so I would only get off here to see the Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Modern Art and The Guinness factory.

The Front Entrance of Heuston Station

You have to walk along the river and all the way round the cobbled streets to get the The Public Entrance to The Guinness Storehouse but I didn’t mind as the views along the way were lovely. There are so many bridges that go across the River Liffey and they are beautiful during the day and the night.

The Rory O’Moore Bridge

The entrance to the Guinness Storehouse is just right of the Rory O’Moore Bridge and up a beautiful cobbled street which veers around the walls of the factory. Walking along here you will see horse and carriage rides and smell the burning of the Barley and Hops from the factory.

Crane Street

Entrance to the Guinness Storehouse is normally €20 but with student discount I only paid €18. In comparison to it’s exterior, the inside of the Guinness Storehouse is absolutely magical. All seven floors are lit up with fairy lights and it feels a bit like being in Willy Wonker’s Guinness Factory.  

First Floor of The Guinness Storehouse

As you walk around the first floor there are grand displays of the ingredients that Guinness is made from; Barley, Hops, Water and Yeast. If you walk up one level to the second floor you get the chance to enter the Tasting rooms which is super exciting. It’s a sensory experience where you not only smell the ingredients but get your first taste of the famous beer.

The Tasting Rooms

You can view a virtual tour of the tasting rooms here online 

On the 5th Floor you get the chance to trade your ticket in for a full pint and if you pull it yourself you get a certificate. But the best part for me was The Gravity bar on the top floor; the panoramic views of Dublin were incredible.

The view at night from the Gravity Bar

From the Guinness Storehouse I took a stroll into the central part of town near Temple Bar which is famous for it’s bars and lively atmosphere. I walked past some stunning sights along the way including St John’s Lane Church and

St John’s Lane Church

The predominant religion in Dublin and the Republic of Ireland is Christianity so the majority of people are Catholic which is why there are a number of beautiful churches around the city. Although I do not practice a religion myself, I appreciated the beauty and architecture of the buildings.

Roman Catholic St. Audoen’s Church Portico II

As I headed back to the station I walked back along the river which was now filled with light and colour from the several bridges that run across it.

Butt Bridge Illuminated at Night

The following day I decided to head out early as I needed to catch two buses to get to Marlay Park. It did take a good hour and a half to get there so I would suggest driving if you can as it is only around 25 minutes from the centre of town. Marlay Park is one of the starting position of Wicklow Walk; a world famous mountain walk. You can read more about the Wicklow Walk here but it is known as one of the most scenic walks in the world.

Marlay Park

I had read online that the forest in Marlay park is full of wonderful sights so I took a wander through there first to get lost and find some waterfalls. I almost wanted a Troll to pop out from underneath this bridge it looked like something from a fairy-tale.

Waterfalls in Marlay Park Forest

There is also a beautiful lake where you can feed the ducks and swans and sit out on the decking.

The Lake in Marlay Park

Although there a few signs around the park pointing you to the Wicklow Walk is it always best to ask the Park Ranger or a local for directions; otherwise it’s quite difficult to find. Luckily for me I made friends with a lady who was walking her weekly lap of the park as I was going the completely wrong way. As you can see from the signs there are a few start points for Wicklow Walk and it can be confusing but the one I took was just under the under-pass that goes under the motorway next to the park.

Eventually after walking up a long hill with huge houses either side I ended up at the small car park at the entrance to the walk. If you choose to do this mountain walk yourself I wuld advise taking a car up to the entrance just to save yourself time of getting buses and walking as i was quite worn out by the time I had even got to the sign; more cardio in the gym for me I think.

There is a map which tells you the routes you can go and if you choose to do the whole of the mountains it will take you around seven hours so make sure you are prepared and give yourself the whole day. I unfortunately only had a few hours before it got dark and I needed to catch my bus so I didn’t get to experience the whole walk.

The Start of Wicklow Walk

Although I didn’t get to climb all of the mountains I still very much enjoyed the parts I did climb as the forests are beautiful and the views were wonderful over Dublin.

The Forest of Wicklow Walk

I would definitely suggest going in Autumn as you won’t get too hot from the sun and the colours you see in the forest are just incredible.

Beautiful Trees of Wicklow Walk

Around half way up I realised that there was a golf course adjecent to where I was walking. It was very steep but the views were incredible so I sneaked in and took a few pics of Dublin and the bay.

The view over Dublin from Wicklow Golf Club

Now I only had a very short time in Dublin so unfortunately couldn’t climb as high as I would have liked but if you keep going to get to a point called Fairy Castle where there are stunning views over Ireland and you would walk through Glenealo Valley which is just spectacular to walk through.

Glenealo Valley

Unfortunately this is not one of my own Photographs but I am definitely going to go back to Ireland and complete the walk as part of my Bucket List. There is so much of Dublin to see and obviously I have only scratched the surface;but I hope you liked reading about my adventures and I cannot wait to re-visit this beautiful city.