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A day in Parliament
Blog events Fashion Travel

A Day In Parliament


Inside the Houses of Parliament

I was lucky to have been invited to some talks at the Houses of Parliament, as a part of Parliament Week and to say I was very excited was an understatement! Plus, I love fashion, so two birds were killed with one stone! It was hosted and organised by London Ethnic; a great company promoting and working with London based fashion, fashion designers and producers of clothing specifically made in Britain.

The main topic of conversation was how democracy is needed within the fashion industry.

The event included talks from politicians such as, Baroness Jo Valentine, MP Tulip Siddiq, MP Ian Paisley and leaders in the fashion & beauty industry, including Kate Hills; the founder of Make it British.

The day was introduced by London Ethnic’s founder and CEO, Saumen Kar, who explained the importance of fashion and clothing being made in London, and more ethically, rather than opting for cheap labour, which the high streets are prone to do now a days. London Ethnic aims to bring together London fashion in order to make the British economy more profitable and create opportunities for the industry. The aim being to grow demand for manufacturing here rather than going abroad.

Houses of Parliament

There were some underlining issues that were brought to the fore, such as how ethically buying clothing that are made in countries where people, even children work in sometimes very poor pay and conditions, can be damaging. Clothes being made in sweat houses, may be cheap, but where do these clothes end up? In landfill, stock piling which is detrimental to both the environment and to society. The future being to produce clothing in the UK and in a safe environment.

The quality of fashion made in London will be beneficial and this would be made easier if there were more factories and helping designers being an operative. It is therefore key to improve the carbon footprint of the fashion industry.

An interesting finding was to hear that people were willing to pay more for UK labels and 8% would be willing to pay more for a ‘Made In Britain’ label, making it a step in the right direction.

Baroness Valentine from the British membership spoke about how modern fashion has also played a part in the change in democracy. Developments being made through technology, education and even, social media. The reigns of power passed on to the younger audience and from bloggers (like me) etc. Fashion will add to the economic supply chain, attract talent and make change.  The need being to raise the profile to make fashion more profitable for everyone from designers to the people of Bangladesh.

London being the largest hub for sustainable fashion means that there is room for positive manoeuvre and a big shift coming from colleges and graduates.

A great platform is Mysource.io, an online B2B platform which is a network that matches fashion professionals with the connections and resources they need to grow successful and sustainable businesses. Companies can also gain badges to show that they are sustainable and therefore attain a better profile.

It was great to see so many people passionate about not only fashion, but also ethical fashion and the responsibility we all play in making it a success.

Apart from the underlining issues, there was a fun/cool fashion show where the clothes modelled were made from refurbished clothing and were very fashionable at the same time.

London Ethnic - Fashion

Between each talk there was also the opportunity to mingle, network and savour the delightful snacks including popcorn from Propercorn which was delicious.

Parliament Week

I must say a great big Thank you to London Ethnic for inviting me and applaud them on backing such a good cause.

I met some awesome people, heard some important talks and got to see the Houses of Parliament from the inside which was just Amazing!

 Me at the Houses of Parliament

Here I am, inside of the grounds of the Houses of Parliaments.

Coincidentally, I was in Oxford Street after the talks and bought a dress that had a Made in Britain label and I was delighted, as it was good to see the label and that clothing can be sourced within the UK and made in London. I too was contributing, which felt fab – overall an apt end to a great day!

Made in Britain Label

Blog Travel

Skiing with the family

When choosing a holiday there are many options. When going with the family the options to a holiday are, either a holiday in a sun or the snow; or if your lucky both! 🙂

A holiday in the snow can have it’s advantages and fun, especially if it is a past time that is a passion for yourselves as a parent.

Skiing with the family may sound intimidating, however there are a lot of positives about going to ski with the family. If you have little one, you can drop them off to be cared for, that is if they are really young. Otherwise if they are over 3/4-11, there are specialist ski instructors that can teach them how to ski in a fun way.

It may be a daunting thought but going with the family is something that will not only involve the family and if taught properly, it can be a really good life skill to have, especially if learnt young. Skiing as a child can be very beneficial and is relatively easier to learn for a child as they have a lower fear factor.

A good place to start your skiing would be on an indoor slope where they also have instructors. I was lucky enough to have a day out with my son to an indoor snow slope which was kindly organised by Crystal Ski. The ski slope we went to was in Hemel Hempstead, which is the nearest one to London.

Crystal Ski offer some great packages for the family. So you can have peace of mind that things have been taken care of and the kids will be in safe hands. Their caring and professional childcare team can look after babies from as little as 6 months old, to children up to the age of 11 years.

Crystal Ski has a useful family guide to the mountains which can be viewed.

It’s also best to view all the options, as some resorts are better for family skiing. Also, look out for resorts that offer free child places, which can work out a much better deal. It is also best to look at resorts that include all facilities, such as, ski school, hire and lift passes.

Another great facility that they offer is called a pyjama club. It’s an evening club that is available in selected properties and operates for up to 6 evenings during the week. Leaving you to relax and enjoy your evening meal knowing your kids are being cared for -to me that sounds like bliss! These evenings arethemed and may include a Wii™ games, a party night and competitions.

They have a Whizz Kids Club for 3/4 years – 11 years, which includes:

  • Six days of child ski lessons.
  • Six days of child ski equipment hire.

  • Six full days of fun and activities.

  • All-inclusive package. Available in: France, Italy & Slovenia

So back to skiing in the snow centre. I’d like to thank Crystal Ski for arranging a fun ski day, making us feel welcome and for the introduction to skiing indoors.

We have been skiing before and so it helped keep the skills in tact and I couldn’t get my son off the slope. 🙂 It was a thoroughly enjoyable day. Here are some pictures of our amazing time!


My son annoyed thats he had to come off the snow slope.

Here’s a sample package:

Big ski area and childcare (from 6 months up to 11 years at hotel)

The price for a week all-inclusive catering and drinks for a family of four is from £1,337 at the three-star Hotel Claviere in Claviere, Italian Milky Way ski area, with flights from Luton and airport transfers (departure 10 January 2016).

A five-minutes’ walk to the ski school and nearest ski lift, pre-bookable Crystal-run Pepi Penguin crèche and Whizz kids’ clubs based in the hotel, 24-hour access to fridge, kettle, sterilise, microwave.

What are you waiting for? – Book now!

Blog Desi Vibes events Travel

Great venue for weddings

I recently went to Keythorpe Manor for a summer wedding and I must say it was the perfect location! They have fabulous grounds, beautiful arrangements and tucked away areas!

We were (my family and I) lucky to have some great weather that day too.  The wedding venue is in Leicester, which I must admit isn’t the usual place that I have been, so it was all the more nicer!

There was a lot to do there too, from crocket and skittles (with coconuts no less – being that it was an Indian wedding) to just walking around the grounds.

While driving down you could also possibly miss a hidden location which is just breathtaking and where you can hear the live peacocks while walking through.

There is also an amazing swing with flowers wrapped around it, just ever so picturesque for the perfect wedding shoot!

This being a Desi wedding meant wearing traditional and ethnic clothing. I wore this bright blue and green shalwar kameez.

Here are some photos from this breathtaking place with borrowed shoes (my mum’s, as I had kicked mine off) and my son.

Enjoy!

 

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What's in my bag
Beauty Blog Travel

What’s in my handbag

So seeing what’s in my handbag seems to be the in thing. Just take a look at whatsinmyhandbag.com to see what the hype is all about and what’s in other people’s bags. Go on, you know you want to! You might even find things you may want to include in your own handbag.

So here comes the key product; the handbag and the most important accessory you can have. It provides a haven for your belongings and an accompaniment to any outfit and ultimate fashion accessory.

My handbag is a beautiful Radley bag which was a present from my sister-in-law for my birthday, so it’s even more special. It is not only sleek but also comes with lots of pockets and storage space.

So now here’s what’s in my handbag:

My diary, bought from Boots which I must admit is a bit girlie, but nonetheless I like it for the cute illustrations. 🙂 I also like the fact that it has a separate month at glance page, so that I can record important dates.

I have my foundation, which is a convenient trial size from Maybelline, small enough for the handbag. See my full review here.

Other usual items include a black mini makeup bag, Rimmel Provocalips, Little Mix palette, Rimmel Matt powder, some brushes and a few lip products.

I also have my pass, work Blackberry, keys, lip liner and a refillable travel atomiser spray. All perfect for when travelling and on the move.

So… What’s in your bag?

N.B. Did you notice that some of the contents of my handbag are my footer?

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Travel

Saas Fee, A Travel Blog

Here is the first blog I professionally wrote for Inghams.co.uk

Saas Fee, Switzerland – A gem of a place to visit

Switzerland is a great country to visit any time of the year – fresh air, snow-capped mountainous peaks, luscious lakes and great scenery all round! Think of Switzerland, think of fresh breads, cheese and tasty chocolate. That’s why it was high up (excuse the pun) on my list of places I always wanted to go.

Our journey started with a hassle-free short flight and all too soon we stepped into Switzerland’s veritable beauty. We were greeted by Inghams’ helpful Reps who informed us where to go for the efficient Swiss transport network to Visp, through Montreux and Lake Lucerne and it’s amazing lake and views! …Then we boarded a coach to journey to the much anticipated Saas Fee.

I knew nothing about Saas Fee, however, I had heard that it was very green and a great base to experience lots of activities and of course lots and lots of walking. It is known as “Die Perle der Alpen” translated as “The Pearl of the Alps” a traffic-free mountain village environment, great for families. The resort also had the added bonus of free use of lifts in the summer.

Exploring Saas Fee

Our holiday started with a wonderful and informative welcome meeting. Our Rep was very helpful and an all-round nice, smiley guy. The main highlight was a visit or should I say dip in the Kneipp hydrotherapy area (pioneered by Sebastian Kneipp). Well known for reviving your senses, we partook in a few key steps. Firstly we removed our footwear and socks. Then we went around a cobbled trail barefoot, before dipping our legs in a cold water bath, which refreshed the body as well as the mind. Wonderful. On the way back we couldn’t resist leaving the party and going straight on a cable lift to Plattjen, and Langfluh for Spielboden. We hoped to feed the Marmots, but unfortunately we didn’t spot any, although my son, Ayaan did have extreme fun exploring and playing in a mini sand-pit. We paused there for some delicious coffee and home-made ice cream at the Spielboden mountain restaurant (with outdoor cosy/fleecy rugs to keep you warm while sitting outside).

Luckily we did spot some Marmots while visiting Hannig. The lift is a short walk up-hill, but once at the top, it was well worth it. There was a play area for my son where he was happily climbing and sliding about. This is also a good walking area where if you are lucky, apart from the stunning views, you can spot an Ibex or two. Ayaan also had great fun playing with some friendly local goats.

switz

While in Saas Fee, the Feeblitz toboggan is a must-do, thrilling, experience and fun for all ages.  Nearby high above the trees also lies the Abenteuerwald, an adventure forest, which is a great fun day out.

We took a trip via the Felskinn cable car and Metro Alpin (the highest underground funicular railway) where you can summer ski, take a rest and enjoy the views while sipping coffee at the highest revolving restaurant in the world at 3,500m. We also visited the ice pavilion, which was fun, although not for the faint-hearted as there are a few steep steps to come down and climb up after a visit.

14101 Saas Fee, Switzerland A gem of a place to visit

Everyone loves Marmots

The free use of lifts in Saas Fee covers not just Saas Fee but also the nearby resorts of Saas Grund, Saas Balen and Saas Allmagell which can accessed via an easy bus ride.  We especially loved going to Kreuzboden in Saas Grund and The Hohsi Land, where Ayaan enjoyed pulling himself along the lake on a raft. There was lots to do here; tyre swinging, go karting, a water park and secret tunnels. You can even hire a mini motorbike for the day to explore and take yourselves down the mountain. We also enjoyed the mini zoo where you can pet the goats.  And if nothing else ,you cannot fail to enjoy the stunning Kreuzboden lake where you can relax for a while and eat the lunch kindly packed for you by the Chalet Hotel Ambassador’s staff.

The Mattmark, a dam in Saas Almagell also makes for a good trip. We took an excursion to see the magnificent Matterhorn via the Gornergrat rack railway which was built over 100 years ago. We stopped at the various stops, took in the glacial views (where you can see a reflection of the Matterhorn in the crystal clear lake)  had a mini train ride and enjoyed the local flora. At the top we took in the stunning  panoramic views.

Saas Fee is a great must-visit place, for adults and children alike.  It’s a perfect location for scenic walks, viewing beautiful glacial lakes and offers oodles of choice for exploring and fun!

See the blog here: 

collage1 Saas Fee, Switzerland A gem of a place to visit

I’ll leave you with an interesting fact you may not know! Saas-Fee was one location where the video for Wham!’s (anyone remember it??) hit single “Last Christmas” was filmed in 1984.