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The Stylish City Guide: Budapest

Published by Sheree Milli

The reasons for me visiting Budapest were simple… its currency isn’t the Euro. Thanks to Brexit we all know that the Pound is worth basically nothing against the Euro now so I was looking for a city break in a country with its own currency. Budapest was the obvious choice, only a 2-hour flight from London, cheap wine and lots to do. I spent four glorious days there and if you plan to visit then read my stylish guide for the lowdown.

WHERE TO STAY

Maverick City Lodge

Hotel lounge

I stayed at the Maverick City Lodge which is a hostel but with a very upmarket feel. There are super cheap dorm rooms but myself and my friend stayed in a private double which was £85 for 3 nights. The room was noting to write home about but was really clean and comfy and had an excellent shower and the best heating I’ve encountered in a hotel room. The dial went up to 40 degrees! Other than that there were towels, a hairdryer and 50% off drinks in the really rather good bar. We rented bikes here which are 14 euros a day but we haggled them down to 7 euros. The location was smack bang in the middle of the Jewish Quarter and close to lots of cool bars, clubs and pubs.

Maverick City Lodge, Budapest, Kazinczy u. 24, 1075 Hungary

WHERE TO DRINK

Szimpla Kert

This ruin bar which is the oldest and most well known in Budapest was actually on the same road as our hotel so wasn’t too hard to find at all. People had told me about this before I went but they did a terrible job of explaining this gem, so I’ll try and do better. It is a magical warren of about 20 rooms and crazy graffiti, fairy lights, bathtub seats, dolls heads stuck to the walls – it looks like the place the lost boys live in the film Hook. It’s such a cool building, the ruins of a large home (you can still see vestiges of what it used to be, parquet flooring and gilded framed artworks) with no roof and a number of bars and places to get food. It’s just damn cool.

Szimpla Kert, Budapest, Kazinczy u. 14, 1075 Hungary

WHAT TO DO

Szechenyi Baths

I was told by many friends to visit the baths in Budapest, of which there are many, but in the interest of following the crowd (and the school of thought that if it’s the most popular it’s probably pretty good) we visited the biggest and most well-know baths, Szechenyi. My day here was probably the highlight of my trip and I felt fabulous afterwards, the baths have upwards of 20 rooms with pools, saunas, steam rooms and plunge pools of varying degrees of hotness – all heated by the natural springs beneath. But it’s the large outdoor pool that is the jewel in this watery crown, the water is 38 degrees Celsius and feels like a bath, and the building itself is very rococo glamour. Plus, you can get food and drink there at a pretty reasonable price. The sun was shining when I went, so although the October weather was cold I got intense tan lines. Overall this was an incredible experience and the building is beautiful.

Tip: If you can bring a dressing gown to walk around outside in, it was so cold out of the water. And you can bring your own towel and food to save money. There are free lockers outside as well to store your belongings.

Szechenyi Baths, Budapest, Állatkerti krt. 9-11, 1146 Hungary

WHERE TO EAT

Central Cafe Budapest

One of the oldest cafes in Budapest is a stunning Art Nouveau affair that does fantastic croissants. Opened in 1884, the building is totally instagram-worthy.

Find Budapest coffee houses

A Table Patisserie Boulangerie

This was one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had – the pastries were out of this world, as was the croque monsieur. Try the blueberry brioche and the pistachio croissant, just heavenly. This café was about 2 minutes from my hotel and did a very hearty (carby) and reasonably priced breakfast.

A Table, Retek utca 6, Budapest 1024

BUDAPEST ON THE CHEAP

Get On Your Bike

Hire a bike in Budapest, it’s cheap and a fun way of seeing the city. Although you can walk pretty much everywhere in Budapest – it’s small and very easy to navigate – cycling is way more fun. And if you plan to go to the zoo or the baths I went to it’s a pretty boring walk. We hired bikes from our hotel but there were plenty of places to hire them around the city. Don’t be scared about cycling in a city, it’s super quiet and the roads are as smooth as silk so I felt completely safe. The city park is huge and the perfect place to cycle around. There’s a castle, lakes and a zoo to look at while you pedal along.

I stayed in Pest but it’s super easy to cross over to Buda, just walk over one of the bridges which takes about 5-10 minutes. One day my friend and I climbed all the way to the top of the big mountain which was pretty hard but offered great views and there was a mini market for a mulled wine reward at the top. Fun and cheap.

Get Cultured

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If you don’t usually go to the opera then I would suggest trying it out in Budapest, my friend and I got the best seats in the house for £8 each and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We saw an updated version of La Boheme and it was excellent. Plus, the wine was great and very reasonable – although you weren’t allowed to drink it in the theatre.

Find Opera Tickets

Shopping

The shopping is pretty good in Budapest, they have all the usual culprits – Zara, H&M, Marks and Spencer – as well as high end shopping – Louis Vuitton, Maxmara – I don’t shop when I travel really, but if you want to it’s all there. There’s lots of traditional markets to check out too.

Eating

The food is great here but very stodgy. I definitely gained about 4lbs in as many days. Try a traditional Transylvanian funnel cake – I urge you to, they’re just delicious. Of course you gotta eat some Goulash too, it’s basically stew… but I love stew. Hungarians love bread too, everything will either come in a bowl of bread or with a basket of bread the size of a small mountain.

THINGS I DIDN’T DO, BUT HEAR ARE GOOD

I didn’t go clubbing but then again I’m a flipping grandma, if you do want to go Tessla is meant to be the place – and it was directly opposite my hotel. Go to a ‘Sparty’ which is a party in a spa, I missed out on this but a friend since told me that he saw lots of people getting very amorous in the water, so perhaps proceed with caution.

The Terror Museum

How to Get Your Favourite US Brands Delivered to The UK

Published by Sheree Milli

My Mallbox is a nifty new service which allows you to get your favourite American products and brands in the UK. The premise is super-simple, they give you a US address where you can get whatever you want delivered to and then when you’re ready you ask them to send it on. You can consolidate multiple deliveries into one package which is great, so you could pair up with a friend and then split the delivery cost.

I decided that I simply couldn’t wait any longer to try Glossier (an American beauty brand I Instagram stalk) so I made a sizable order with them and got the package delivered to My Mallbox.

Read my Glossier product review HERE

My Mallbox email you when your package arrives and then you have a choice of delivery options. I chose the fastest option which was fully tracked and cost $38. My stuff was with me in 3 days, which is crazy fast. Plus, there were no customs fees to pay.

I would definitely recommend this service, but only for big orders so it’s worthwhile. I signed up to Glossier’s newsletter which gave me a discount code, so the postage didn’t feel too costly.

TRY MY MALLBOX

DISCLOSURE: I was gifted $30 credit to try My Mallbox

Workout of The Month: Box & Bell at BLOK London

Published by Sheree Milli

Now that I’ve joined the amazing Classpass (check out my review here) – the workout subscription service or ‘Netflix for fitness’ as I like to call it – I check out an awful lot of new classes around London, so as my raison d’être is to share knowledge, or anything, with as many people as possible I thought I’d review, in-depth, a class each month to help you on your fitness journey.

This month it’s Box & Bell at BLOK London, where you can perfect your left hook…

Overview

BLOK is based in Clapton, so it’s pretty out of the way unless you live in Clapton, but don’t let that put you off it’s a great little gym with a community feel. The Box & Bell class does what it says on the tin, it’s a mix of boxing and kettlebell work.

The workout

The classes are kept small, around eight people, which means there’s a chilled atmosphere – I felt like I was doing a class in a village hall – which I mean as a compliment. It was the perfect punctuation to the high-octane, “PUSH IT YOU FAT BLOB” classes I usually do. You start off with a quick warm up, then move on to kettle bell work which is a slow and steady burn. The boxing is my favourite part, you get your own bag to go HAM on. The instructor teaches you a few combos and off you go. Boxing is really tough and the more you put in, the more you put out, I definitely want to improve my technique, and then hopefully represent the UK in the 2020 Olympics. LOL.

The instructor

Miguel is a laid-back chap and makes you feel at ease, kind of like an older brother showing you how to throw punches in a garage. Because of the small classes he was able to give individual attention to everyone which I liked.

The facilities

Compared to some of the gyms I go to this is pretty basic but there’s a lovely big table in the reception area, cafe and lots of nice decorative touches – the look of the gym falls in-between industrial and natural. The changing facilities are pretty basic but all the equipment is good and the poured concrete everywhere gives a very cool feel.

Points to note

Bring your own towel and water.
Wraps and boxing gloves are provided.
It’s hard to find, you have to walk through a kind of industrial yard, so maybe leave a little earlier so you have time to find it.

Verdict

A fun, technical class – you won’t work up much of a sweat but it’s great for toning.
4/5

Glossier Beauty Haul

Published by Sheree Milli

I’ve been a ‘fan’ of Glossier since their creation a couple of years ago – and this is despite never using the brand as they don’t ship to the UK. As I work in digital retail, I love their social presence, slick website and amazing brand identity. Plus I’d also heard nothing but glowing reviews about their products. And then there’s the packaging… pink, girly and gorgeous.

Now, after using My Mallbox (a mail forwarding service) I’ve finally got my mitts on a few Glossier products. Here is the review.

Balm Dotcom

This is the best lipbalm ever. Fact. Aside for the great packaging, it has a wonderfully thick texture and feels super-nourishing. The cherry flavour has a pretty pink tint and the coconut one smells divine.

Super Pure Serum

When I first tried this I was suffering from an epic outbreak of those, like, really painful, red cystic spots (sexy, right?). After using this once, they calmed right down and they were gone much sooner than I expected. A miracle product.

Priming Moisturiser

This is a great, everyday moisturiser, I don’t know about its properties as a primer as I don’t wear foundation but it’s good for my sensitive skin. I tend to be sensitive to harsh alcohols and fragrance and this is very soothing on the skin. Perfect for winter.

Milky Jelly Cleanser

I loveeee this cleanser, it’s unlike any face wash that I’ve ever used before. You apply to dry or damp skin, rub in, then rinse off. It is so gentle but removes (almost) all makeup. I find nothing is a match for mascara so that’s cool. I like that this doesn’t strip your skin of its oils.

Stretch Concealer

I’m in two minds about this, on one hand the colour match is really good. I got Dark which is the perfect match for my brown skin and not too orange. They only do 5 shades but I they’re meant to cover everyone. They do go from very pale to very dark – and I got the middle shade, which I think is about right. The finish of this is dewy though, which on my already shiny face I’m not sure about.

Soothing Face Mist

I’ve been keeping this on my desk for mid-afternoon refreshes and it does the job nicely. The fragrance is really nice – even though historically I hate the scent of roses. This is probably the least ‘useful’ of all the products I got but it’s still good.

So there you have it, and the verdict is all positive. I just wish it were more widely available. The price is very reasonable for all the products and the packaging is on point.

shop Glossier HERE

The Best Winter Coats to Buy Now

Published by Sheree Milli

We’re having a bit of an Indian summer – thank you global warming – but while you may not feel like buying your winter coat now, you really should. That’s because the way fashion retail works is so archaic and the main winter drops happen in August and September, still. So buy now and be thankful in a few weeks time. Here are my picks of the best coats and jackets on the high street.

DREAMY DENIM

The blue stuff never goes out of fashion, swap your summer jacket for a longer style.

1/ Warehouse 2/ Zara 3/ Zara

FUZZY FAUX FUR

Faux fur is the most fun way to keep warm – just make sure it looks totally FAKE.

1/ ASOS 2/ ASOS 3/ Mango

ALL PUFFED UP

The puffer jacket is the season’s ‘it’ coat, and the high street has loads of styles to choose from.

1/ Urban Outfitters 2/ Topshop 3/ Mango

MAKE A STATEMENT

A coat can make or break your outfit, break the mold in one of these crazy designs.

1/ Finery 2/ Mango 3/ Zara

shop even more coats HERE

Dandelyan Wyld Tea at Mondrian London

Published by Sheree Milli

The Mondrian Sea Containers Hotel stands proudly on London’s Southbank and offers great, if sometimes a little grim (not their fault, the London weather) views of the city. Their resident bar Dandelyan is well known for some of the best cocktails in the capital courtesy of the award-winning Ryan Chetiyawardana. Now Dandelyan is branching out into afternoon tea with the Wyld Tea, a botanical take on the classic British tea. I went along on the first weekend to try it out.

The Dandelyan bar itself is a retro affair with rich fern green walls, pink leather banquettes and copper fixtures – designed by Tom Dixon no less. It’s a beautiful room, and has riverside views. The staff are attentive and knowledgeable and were happy to cater to any request.

I had the non-boozy afternoon tea as I’m off the hard stuff for a while (in my old age hangovers are just too real). The selection of loose-leaf teas from Camelia’s Tea House was excellent and included a lemongrass infusion, citrussy Earl Grey, a peppermint blend and fresh breakfast tea – these were served in pretty, 70s-inspired Portmeirion China cups.

The savoury bites were a delight and consisted of of elderflower compressed cucumber and burnt herb cream sandwiches, rocket, ham hock and piccalilli vegetable butter sandwiches as well as a very tasty welsh rarebit. Each bite was packed with flavour – I’ve honestly never had a better cucumber sarnie.

The sweets were just gorgeous and, again, 70s-inspired. A Blackcurrant and Verbena Battenberg Cake was the star of the show, a sophistacated take on the slightly tacky pink and yellow cake we’ve all had before. There was also a Rose Blancmange and Caraway Shortbread, a Pine-scented Baked Alaska with Berries and a rich Earl Grey Chocolate Mousse with Candied Grapefruit. All were beautiful and delicious.

Overall the setting, the crockery and the food made this such an enjoyable experience. Usually I expect to be disappointed by the savoury afternoon tea options, because really how tasty can you make a finger sandwich? But all the food in the Wyld Tea was fabulous.

Wyld Tea at Dandelyan, Mondrian London at Sea Containers, 20 Upper Ground, London, SE1 9PD

Workout of The Month: AAA at The Refinery

Published by Sheree Milli

(Pssst! get £30 off a ClassPass with by clicking HERE)

This month it’s AAA (Arms, Abs and Ass) at The Refinery…

Overview

The Refinery is a fairly new gym in East London and it’s definitely a boutique, hip workout space. They offer many classes including yoga and even meditation workshops. I wanted to target my problem areas, also known as my entire body, and AAA seemed to cover most of that. You can try your first class for £5 or do three using Classpass.

The workout

AAA is a hard as balls workout that uses cardio, HIIT, kettlebells, weights and mats. The warmup will shock you – I was sweating profusely withi9n around 30 seconds – a high intensity mix of star jumps, burpees and other ungodly moves. Then prepare yourself for a lot of squats, a whole load off squats. There’s some pretty hard kettlebell exercises too and then a section of the class where you workout with a partner. When the medicine ball comes out you’re in trouble. The instructor is like an Army sergeant and his mission is to whip you into shape.

The facilities

This gym is just plain cool; very East-London hipster with a sick logo and industrial interior with moody lighting and neon details. It smells great too – they must have bought a bucket load of incense. The changing rooms are pretty small but you do get a free locker. You’ll need to bring your own beauty products though.

Points to note

Bring your own towel and water, you’ll need it.
The receptionist is so nice – make sure you chat to her.
Because you have to work with a partner I think it’s best to work out with a friend: I’d hate to impose my sweaty self on a stranger.

Verdict

This class is really, really hard. Really hard. But it was weirdly fun.
4/5

H&M Home Haul

Published by Sheree Milli

For years I’ve heard my friends and fellow bloggers rave about H&M’s amazing homewares range but never bothered to check it out until recently, because I shop online and H&M are notoriously bad at online shopping – everything takes about 4 weeks to arrive. Ain’t nobody got time for that! Now I’ve moved SOUTH OF THE MF RIVER (can you believe it) to Brixton, I’m taking advantage of the, frankly great, high street. The jewel in the crown of which is H&M and it’s shiny new homewares section.

Blue Glass £5, Yellow Vase £10

I’ve just moved house so needed a few things to spruce up my room and I was pleasantly surprised by how cheap the stuff is. I got a few great cushions, some jewel-toned glassware and a cute pineapple candle. Is the pineapple trend over yet? I refuse to let go of it without a fight.

Shop H&M home

Gold pineapple candle £12 (Bella Freud candle HERE)

black rope basket £6

Teal & yellow cushions £6 each

Finding Your Signature Scent

Published by Sheree Milli

When I was younger I never bothered with perfume as I went by the rule of ‘if no one can see it, I’m not spending money on it’. This rule also covered underwear, pyjamas and ‘house clothes’ all of which consisted of anything my mum had bought me or ex-boyfriends’ t-shirts.

Now I’m a real-life grown up lady woman, I appreciate the power of a great fragrance; and I do my research. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I don’t want one of those sickly sweet scents that everyone down Topshop is wearing, there are so many lesser known perfumers that it’s possible to find a perfume as unique as you. That’s cheesy I realise, so perhaps I need to search for some eau de brie…

What’s your flavour?

I like to start with my ‘womanly essence’, or in less twatty terms, my personality. So maybe that’s where you should start. Are you sexy and sultry, youthful and girly or chic and sporty? I’m a bit sensual (ooh er) and, I like to think, strong so I favour spicy scents and hate things like roses and vanilla. If you’re a girly girl then florals might be your bag, or if you’re a cool fashionista then maybe try a more masculine scent or woody notes.

Find your tribe

If you’re a classic kinda gal then you can’t go wrong with a perfume by Chanel or Dior, a 90s aficionado might like one of Calvin Klein’s iconic scents, or Helmut Lang for that matter. Fashionistas swear by Swedish brand Byredo or the super chi chi Le Labo. If you’re an environmentalist, earthy person then Aesop do some wonderful perfumes. Identify your tribe to narrow down the brands that will suit you.

Mix it up

My go-to scent is Serge Luten’s Ambre Sultan which is a heavy, spicy fragrance that I adore – and I’ve never smelled anyone else wearing it. This suits my personality but some days I don’t want to be all hot and spicy, I want to feel light and fresh, or sophisticated and clean; on these days I switch up my perfumes. A signature doesn’t mean you have to wear it *all the time*. I also like to layer fragrances to create a totally new smell.

Dressing table appeal

Let’s be honest the look of a bottle is important too, personally I love Byredo’s minimal monochrome bottles and Loewe have just releases a perfume with a wooden lid that looks splendid. As a teen I preferred the Juicy Couture perfume’s with pink ribbons on – but whatever floats your boat.

Make it your signature

Once you find something you love then stick with it, it’ll make people think of you when they smell it or something similar. Sense of smell and memory are so closely linked that sniffing a familiar scent can take you back to a certain moment in time instantly. A tip is to find out the base note of your fave perfume and try other perfumes with the same base note, my signature scent has an amber base so i try perfumes in that family.

What’s your signature sent?

My Travel Photo Book by Artifact Uprising

Published by Sheree Milli

It arrived, it finally arrived! Actually I only had to wait a mere week for my hardcover photo book by Artifact Uprising so I was caught off guard when the postman delivered it this morning, I thought it would take much longer to get here. I knew the way I wanted to commemorate my backpacking trip was with one of these babies, it’s such a lovely idea and a real novelty to look at photos that aren’t on a screen.

Making the book could not have been easier, you can upload photographs from your computer or direct from you VSCO or Instagram account. Or a mix of the three like me. You can choose the layout of each page, colour of the book and the dust sleeve; creating a book that is totally unique to you. These memories are all so precious to me (I mean I had a lot of f*cking fun), and this book is perfect for preserving them.

Hardcover Photo Book, Artifact Uprising