MAKE SOMEONE SMILE THIS CHRISTMAS

Christmas for most is the happiest time of the year. Present giving & receiving, family & friends, delicious food, lots of alcohol and plenty of resting, but for some people its actually a really difficult time. Not everyone has family and friends to share the festive period with. Not everyone has money to buy presents or delicious food & not everyone will be comforted and surrounded by close ones this Christmas. I think its important to take a step back sometimes and just be aware of whats going on in the world and whats going on around us. For the last two years I've worked in a children's home over the festive period, so I know how important it is to just make someone smile - especially now. Here's a few ways you can spread a little festive cheer.

Give Up Your Time

Time is precious and with the fast paced lifestyle that most of us lead, we forget to spend time with loved ones, lend a helping hand or do our bit for the community. Homelessness is a seriously growing problem within the UK at the moment (and probably the rest of the world) and shelters, churches and other giving places need extra help during this time of year. Do your bit.

Donate Old Clothes

Girl, you haven't worn that top in 6 months, its time to give it someone who will. I love giving to charity throughout the year but I do a little bit more in December. Lets be honest, we don't need half of the stuff we have, but theres someone out there who really does. It feels so good letting things go, especially if they are going to a worthy cause. I even give socks, bags and shower gel sometimes!

Book An Experience/Adventure

I don't want to be a Debbie Downer lol because of course Christmas is a time of giving and things do cost money but instead of buying 'things', try and buy 'memories'. Wowcher, Groupon & Lastminute have fantastic deals on experiences such as afternoon tea, spa days, theatre visits and of course trips away to different cities and/or countries. Get off social media & get outside. 

Host A Festive Dinner

Nothing means love more than sitting around and stuffing your faces right? Food really does bring people together. Start with nibbles and sharing boards, enjoy your traditional Christmas Day dinner & finish with all the sweet treats. Play board games, put on music and celebrate how lucky you are to be enjoying life.

Give Stuff Away That You Don't Use

Someone will benefit that Eve Lom Cleanser & that John Lewis Lamp more than you! Old DVDs, an MP3 thats been sat in your desk drawer for a year and even that giant chair you said you would sit on but it currently houses clothes. You don't need all that 'stuff' as much as you think. Give it to someone who needs it and will appreciate it.

Call Someone You Love Just Because...

Sometimes I call people just to gossip, just to offload my issues. Other times I call because I want something or I need someone to come to IKEA with me. I realised very recently that I rarely call the people I love, just to see how they are, just to make sure they're okay, and well.. Just because. Don't take people for granted because honestly, one day they won't be around anymore. 

THE SNAKESKIN BOOT

Im into boots all year round but I often stick with the same style and colours (chunky & black) obvs. The snake affect print has been all over the show for the past few months and these babies are brand new into my boot collection. I actually own another pair of snakeskin boots that ASOS kindly sent to me, but they're flat, and sometimes I like a little more height. I love these to jazz up an all black outfit but they also look great with dresses too!

You can get statement boots all over the high street but my favourite stores are ASOS, Office & Topshop. Do you own any snakeskin shoes?

WANDERLUST & £500 SWIMWEAR COMPETITION

This year I've unexpectedly but sort of on purpose visited quite a few countries. Greece, Portugal & New York to name a few. I well and truly have the travel bug and if I had an unlimited fund and no bills to pay I just wouldn't be in England. Im convinced I need a regular source of vitamin D in order to survive LOL, as well as constant frozen cocktails and my toes firmly rooted into the sand. 

Here are 3 places I plan on visiting.. (I just need to win the lottery now)

Barbados

Even though I'm half Caribbean, I've never visited because I could never really afford it. I literally go on to Thomson every few weeks and pretend to book Barbados lol. I can't be the only one that does that? (tell me I'm not) I just imagine it to be complete paradise with jerk chicken and rum on tap. I hear the beaches have white sand and the water is crystal clear.. Ahhh!

Venice

I would love to visit Venice with Simon, my boyfriend. I imagine it to be super romantic and a place that I would love to get lost in, walking around hand in hand with a cone full of gelato. Its only this year that I've really experienced true wanderlust so getting lost in a city excites me. When I book I am definitely opting for a room with a view.. Who wouldn't?

San Francisco

Im not going to lie, the reason this is so high in my places to visit, is because I want to sit outside Mrs Doubtfire's house lol. Most people want to go to LA, I'm a little more keen on San Fran. The trams, the food and most importantly to visit Alcatraz. Im really interested in crime (I promise you I'm not a weirdo) and I watch copious amounts of documentaries on prisons and murderers so I would love to visit such a high profile place. 

Booking holidays or short trips away can be expensive. From the flights to accommodation, to money for food and excursions, everything adds up doesn't it? Also, if you're anything like me you will also raid ASOS, Topshop, Missguided, Boohoo & every other shop for flip flops, summer dresses and kimonos. Its cool to buy things slightly on the cheap side but one thing us women, especially us curvy/big boobed women can't skimp on is swimwear. I need my boobs up, my bottoms high and I also need my back fat in place so I don't feel like string around a piece of pork. CAN I GET AN AMEN? 

If you've followed my blog for a while and seen all my bikini pictures and selfies, you would know that my favourite luxury swimwear store is Simply Beach. They reached out to me months and months ago and I have been hooked on them ever since. They have now given you guys a chance to win £500 worth of Seafolly swimwear - totally hooking you up for your next trip.

To enter this competition please;

Comment below with a country/place you would love to visit and why.

Follow my blog via bloglovin here.

Follow @SimplyBeach on Twitter.

This competition lasts for a week and will end 16.12.15. The winner shall be selected at random via randomiser.org. Good luck to everyone who enters. Can't wait to see your sassy bikini pictures.

This post is sponsored by Simply Beach.

3 PLACES TO EAT IN NYC

Whenever I travel to different places, including the UK, I always plan where or what I'm going to eat. My entire life is practically based around food ok? And yes - I am very much ashamed to admit this lol. A girls gotta eat right?

During my recent trip to New York I ate at some amazing places, but these 3 stick in my mind the most. Get your tastebuds ready, its time to feed that wanderlust.

Balthazar | 80th Spring St NY

French toast, bacon & maple syrup. Just stop it. Stop it right now. A beautiful french restaurant just off the shopping district of Broadway. Its in the perfect location to fuel up before a day of splurging. A casual but upmarket atmosphere, friendly staff and insanely mouth watering food. The portion was just enough of New York, but not too much to cause a food baby (ain't nothing wrong with food babies though). Crispy bacon laid across cinnamon sprinkled french toast, maple syrup poured on top, washed down with a BOWL, yes a bowl of coffee and fresh orange juice. I bet you want to book a flight to New York right now don't you?

Dough | 14th W, 19th St, NY

There are no words. Just no god damn words. Dough isn't just your regular donut place. Firstly, you can get Nutella filled donuts (I mean, come the F on lol). Secondly you have just never tasted donuts so fluffy, so light, but so freakin giant in all of your life. They even had pumpkin flavour.. seriously? PUMPKIN! I obviously had Nutella (and then a few hours later the glazed but who's counting). They were both utterly delicious and surprisingly not sickly or too sweet. Dough is probably my favourite NYC find and as soon as I return I shall be heading here. Its just off 5th Avenue too, a 3 min walk from Sephora (where I spent most of my time.... and money).

Egg Shop | 151 Elizabeth St, NY

On my last morning in NYC, a few hours before it was time to head to the airport, I had no idea where to eat. I googled 'breakfast near me' & this little gem came up. Im a huge fan of eggs (obviously) and the menu looked different, yummy & also interesting. I had avocado on toast, poached eggs with hot sauce, a side of hash browns & a side of fried chicken (don't judge me ok), if fried chicken is on the menu I am OF COURSE going to order it, I don't care if its 10.30am. LET A GIRL LIVE. My meal was delicious! Unbelievably tasty and FULL of so much flavour. The fried chicken was the best fried chicken I have ever had in my life - I even had to ask the waitress how they made it. She said 'They drizzle honey over it', & in that very moment.... I DIED. Imagine KFC BUT 10000000X better, really juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside & not greasy at all. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

I had such a fabulous time in New York City that I am already planning a 5 day trip in March. If you would like to visit New York too I recommend using Booking.com, Skyscanner & the app 'Hotels Tonight'. I feel so at home in NYC. I am literally counting down the days until I go back.

25 THOUGHTS EVERY GIRL HAS WHEN SHE'S ON HER PERIOD

(Donuts seem appropriate, right?)

I hate my life.

Why doesn't this happen to men? They couldn't it anyway. Pussy's.

Mmmm, McDonald's.

Yeah. I hate my life.

FFS. I can't possibly leave the house today.

My nipples hurt SO MUCH.

How many cal...... (I don't care I'm eating the entire bar)

This is just gross.

I need more chocolate.

Why am I crying? A g a i n?

I am currently the size of a whale.

I will cut this bitch.

Oh, ffs.

I hate everyone.

So why doesn't this happen to men?

£5 for tampons? F**K off.

Im dying.

Don't speak to me. Just don't.

Galaxy or Cadbury?

I'm going back to bed.

Ugh!

Everyone's a dick.

I want to punch you in the face.

I'm hungry.