paris

Last week I mentioned that I was going to Paris with some friends over the weekend!  For this week of Across the Pond I decided to share with you my tips on traveling to Paris, or any where in Europe for that matter! Just to warn you this is a long post and there are a lot of pictures!

+ pick a random weekend and book in advance

Don't be hesitant with picking a weekend, make sure you have nothing planned on a weekend, choose that one, and book it!  Just do it! Afterwards, get your hotel, plane ticket, and if already in Europe, buy a train ticket. 

+ getting to and from

I take the train into Paris out of London, and it easily is the best, most efficient way to get there.  As far as when you arrive, take an Uber from the train station, the cab drivers will charge you unfair rates assuming you're unfamiliar with the area.  The metro is cheaper than an Uber, but take an Uber, it's a great way to see the city, without spending your whole day on a bus tour.

+ packing and fashion

Don't over pack!  To my surprise when I arrived there were 122 (yes, I counted) steps that led to my friend's 7th floor flat.  The French dress very well all the time, so leave your lulu lemon headband and baseball hat at home! For clothing, pack pieces of grey, black, and white, and other pieces with a little color, because you can't go wrong with classic style.  I always had a scarf with me when it was chilly.  Wear comfortable walking shoes such as flat riding boots-both comfortable and chic!

+ food

Start each day out a cafe, or even the same one, and each day try something new. We went to Cafe Flore each morning and chatted about what to do that day.  Ask the locals for recommendations for dinner and drinks.

+ shopping and safety

While out of your hotel, wear this cross body bag under your coat with your i.d. passport, money, and anything else important, Paris is known for pocket pickers, but I didn't have any trouble. Never leave anything important in hotels either.  If you want to shop, know that nearly everything closes on Sundays!  I was unaware of this so I will be going back in the near future to make up for it!

+ relax 

Relax, take in the sights and sounds.  Don't feel rushed with planning ahead, just do everything day by day.  Take an extra night.  I spent my Sunday night in Paris and took an early train back to London Monday morning.  This made my Sunday more enjoyable and I didn't have to waste a day of holiday on traveling.

lastly...

+ know your manners

Although I do not speak French, a hello sir or hello ma'am can go a long way. 

 (I let my friend who grew up in Paris take it from there!) 

Hello Sir - Bonjour Monsieur

Hello Ma'am - Bonjour Madam

Merci - Thank you

Pardon - Excuse Me

p.s. my upcoming trips are...the Swiss Alps and Ireland!!

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned

tips on sleep

Sometimes one of the easiest things to go is the hardest, and that is sleeping and relaxing.  Here are some pointers on how to get a better, longer sleep.

+put away the electronics

Before you go to bed you shouldn't have had electronics on for 40 minutes to an hour. Having your phone or other device on before you go to bed messes up your sleep patterns, opt for a good book instead. Also don't sleep with your phone in bed, they have started fires in bed.

+do these yoga poses

You might think that yoga requires a studio and mat, but did you know you could just use your bed, and these poses benefit your sleep.

+create a routine

If you are an early riser but go to bed late, try to accommodate that in your schedule so you get enough sleep. Try to be consistent, so your body adjusts and becomes accustom to your schedule. Adults should be getting 6-9 hours. Even on the weekends don't sleep in late, instead try waking up an hour later than your regular time. 

+exercise 

Trying just 30 minutes of exercise daily not only will help you feel good, but sleep good. I use Kayla Itsines 28 minute workouts, and believe me you're tired afterwards.

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned 

fun shoes

Today I have a fun post for everyone.  I am always looking for bold, yet subtle ways to express some fun fashion.  I think that I found my match, and it's one simple answer, shoes!  I recently discovered soludos and I LOVE all of their shoes. I am obsessed with their embroidered collection.  Here are some of my favorites...

Just to let you know, some of these patterns are unavailable but you can get them on other sites.

see you tomorrow!
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@lemondesigned

simplified health

A lot of people think that staying healthy and fit is really hard, and unless you are doing extremely difficult workouts and diets, you not healthy and fit. Wrong!! There are easy ways to stay and feel good, that can be so simple you don't even know your doing them.

+water

I'm sure you have heard you should be drinking a lot of water daily, but really you should! Drinking just 6 to 8 glasses a day keeps you hydrated, helps you lose the lbs, and helps your sleep.

+posture

believe it or not, posture is one of the best abdominal exercises there is.  Along with posture being a form of exercise, it will help you in the long run as you get older.

+sleep

You should get six to nine hours of sleep each and almost every night, another thing that you hear a lot...but do you do it? Not getting enough sleep, actually is a cause of weight gain, and sleeping the right amount can increase your metabolism and strengthen your mind. Just don't forget your z's!

+eating

What is the latest and greatest fad diet now? And when will people realize it's all fake.  To me there is dieting, strictly limiting what food you consume, and a diet, your cut back meal plan.  Yes I'm healthy, and yes I sometimes I will splurge on junk food. What should you do? Eat a balanced diet consisting with all your foods, proteins, carbs, and sugars, as long as you workout.

+exercise

Everyday you should try to get some exercise in, even if it it just your walk to work. Remember it's 20% exercise and 80% what you eat. So eat a balanced diet and exercise everyday, and you'll be good. 

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned

pink inspiration

Sometimes I just need a little inspiration, so I'll go through my pinterest feed and check it out.  Recently, I realized that I have some real pink inspo that really got my attention and I think it's too good to not share with you all!

via

via

via

                                       

via

via

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned

please keep in mind these photos are tagged to the site linked to the photograph on Pinterest

planning workouts

Previously, I have written a post on starting a winter workout routine, but I know for a fact that planning your workouts is just as hard!  I use three different techniques/tips when it comes to planning work outs, and getting into habit of it.

+ plan ahead
Believe it or not, planning ahead is the way to go.  Making workouts as you go along will end up hurting you in the long run, because you aren't creating a habit (which takes 21 days to form), and you can easily put it off.  Making a schedule and writing it down (like I do in my Simplified Planner), makes yourself feel commited, and when you go to all that trouble you don't want to let yourself down.

+ workout in the morning or night
I am not a morning person, but honestly I'm not a night person either! As I said before, plan ahead, know if you are gong to exercise in the morning or night.  It is tough planning, because work is early so exercising beforehand is even earlier and you are always tired after work.  Get into a routine either morning or night, becuase that will help you create that habit.

+ stick with your plans
There is nothing worse than eating ice cream and watching netflix, when the guilt of not sticking to your plans is in your mind!  Even if you're having a great time with friends, that guilt will sneak in.  If your workout is just 30 minutes, and then you  have your fun, that's thirty more minutes than before, and you can cross that off your daily to so list.  Just do it, and enjoy it later!


see you tomorrow!
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@lemondesigned

valentine's day gift guide

Happy almost Valentine's Day from across the pond, I'm so excited for week two!  I decided to share this post with you on some Valentine's Day gifts. I know...what does this have to do with traveling and living abroad? Actually, a lot! So Valentine's Day, not always a fun night, right? Doing something fun with friends would be so much better!  Make something special out of it!  I normally exchange gifts or care packages for holidays, so here are just a few suggestions on what to send to your girlfriends this Valentine's Day! 

pencils // passport holder // card // mug // tieks flats // pillow // swell bottle // starbucks gift card // planner // cosmetic bag // shampoo // polaroid camera // candle

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned

outfit: a little fur

I absolutely love this outfit because it can be for almost any occasion, and it's a perfect transitional outfit from winter to spring! Want to shop the post?  Check down below where you can get the look! 

                                                       

                                              

                                   

                                                Striped Shirt // Faux Fur Vest // Riding Boots

                                                                 See you tomorrow!

                                                            instagram | pinterest | twitter

                                                                  @lemondesigned

breakfast

I'm not a huge breakfast fan, so when it comes to breakfast finding tasty and healthy foods is always hard.   After hours and hours of searching through pinterest, I finally found my top four healthy breakfast foods that I like to eat, and decided to share them with you.

+ waffles with fruit

+ eggs with toast

+ oatmeal with cinnamon

+ yogurt with granola and fruit

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned

friday fun

Yay!  Not only is it Friday, but it is my first friday fun post!  I will be sharing just a little bit about my week, things going on, and what's to come!

Did you see my post on starting a winter routine?

1. Have you read Mackenzie Horan's sweet story on how she met her fiancé?

2. I stumbled upon a picture on Pinterest, and could not resist clicking on the link.  Needless to say there were more pictures! My favorite pictures were numbers 5,7, and 10.
  I mean how could not love puppies and lacrosse?!

3. Yes, Fuller House has been confirmed, but wait there's more, Lauren Graham tweeted that Gilmore Girls will be coming back to Stars Hallow!! Thank you for Netflix!!

4. How well do you know The Parent Trap? (one of my all time favorites)
Take the buzzfeed quiz here!

4. Kayla Itsines, a fitness trainer has one of the most amazing blogs, it's full of inspiration, workouts, and healthy foods to eat, along with tips that are really helpful!

5. This week Lemon Designed introduced Across the Pond, a featured post every Thursday, about the travel and lifestyle of London, written by my good friend.

see you monday!
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@lemondesigned

what to bring when flying

Across the Pond is a featured post every Thursday, about the travel and lifestyle of London written by my good friend.  I'm so excited to announce this is the first week of Across the Pond! Today's post in about what to wear and bring when flying, so welcome aboard!

what to wear

+ leggings- wear something that looks good, but feels like sweatpants

+ subtle t-shirt- bring a comfy shirt that looks and feels good

+ cashmere pullover- again, wear something that looks good, but feels like a sweatshirt

+ cashmere scarf- you want to have a scarf that doubles as a blanket

+ glasses- on the plane, especially long flights your contacts will get dry

+ comfortable shoes- you never know how long you'll be waiting for your luggage to turn up or when your airbnb turns into a 5 story walk-up, bring nice shoes in case your luggage is lost- clothes are easy to replace but shoes not so much

what to bring in your carry on

+ dooney and bourke flat zip pouch
(holds my id cards, passport and money)
I wear it under my coat at all times.

+ cashmere scarf 

+ socks

+ head phones 

(ear buds will hurt your ears)

+ glasses

(contacts will get dry)

+ charger or adapter

+ large long champ

(can be a purse and carry on)

+ leggings

+ neutral sweatshirt

+ lacoste t shirt

+ long champ coin purses

(perfect for make up, hair ties, toiletries, ext.)

and

my suitcases 

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned

workout outfit

If you saw yesterday's post, filled with tips on how to start a workout routine during the winter, you would know it's hard. Do you know what's harder than that?  Finding something to wear with it!  This definitely is my go to workout outfit, and you can shop it below!

nike shoes // patagonia pullover // under armour socks // champion leggings

note: the nike shoes are unfortunately only available in pink online, stores do carry the teal.  the patagonia pullover design and colors have changed, and the champion leggings have also changed.

see you tomorrow! 

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@lemondesigned

starting a winter rountine

I know, it's winter, netfix is always on, and your bed is a lot more comfortable, than getting a good workout in.  I am one to say that starting a workout routine especially during the winter is hard, even with the commitment.  I wrote five ways to help you stick with it.

+ workout with someone

Not only is working out with someone a lot more fun, but it makes you stay committed. Even make it more fun and make a game or competition out of it!

+ decide morning or night

Make a plan either to workout in the morning or at night.  Don't change it because it could mess up your schedule.  Also, waking up early and working out will make you feel fresh all day long.

+ accommodate your diet

Staying fit is just a little part of being healthy.  Staying healthy is 80% eating well and 20% exercising.  Be sure to stay hydrated with water also!

+ add it to your calendar

If you made plans to workout, stick to them! Do not hit the snooze button at five in the morning, wake up, if there's a day where you could head to a party or workout, workout.

+ pain now, pleasure later

Believe me, working hard now and enjoying it later is the way to go!

p.s. tomorrow check out the blog to shop this outfit!

 see you tomorrow!

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@lemon designed

coach bag

If you are like or me you have a million different things in your cosmetic bag, from hair ties and bobby pins to nail filers and a tooth brush. I did a post a little while back on three of my favorite cosmetic bags, but this is definitely my all time favorite that I have (so far)! Coach is known for having style and great quality items, this bag really sets the bar high.

coach cosmetic case

see you tomorrow!

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@lemondesigned