Midnight Ramblings

Evening everyone, or morning.. whichever way you look at it! Tonight is just one of those nights where I feel I have been plagued by insomnia, where as usual tomorrow is a morning where I have to be up super early to travel down south at 8am. Ever have those kinda nights? Yeah, not the most ideal but hey ho! I thought I would try a spot of writing to tire me out enough to sleep, so I apologise in advance for the weary eyed ramblings! This post isn't about anything in particular. Just.. stuff really, and questions. Like why does scrolling through Pinterest keep you up for another 4+ hours before you know it and why is there always one more Youtube tutorial you have to watch before bed. Social media is honestly such a fantastic thing but sometimes don't you just think that there is so much of it around you all of the time its actually hard to keep up with it all. You switch off to sleep, curl up under your duvet.. then decide to flick through Instagram and see what's been going on, glance at the clock and before you know it its like 3am?!

This happens to me far too often! I need to learn to switch off properly, I mean look at me I'm sitting typing this at 1am, whit is going on. Counting sleep clearly aint getting me anywhere Mr Sandman. Im needing some full proof sleeping remedies here! But not those weird sleeping tablets.. not feeling them all too much.

So I turn to you.. do any of you guys have any night time tricks to help you unwind? I think I could do with a little helping hand! 

X.O 

JF

Blog Post Take Over!!

Hello Everyone! A slight change for you all today as Jodie is not writing this blog post and has very kindly offered me an opportunity to talk to you all. Let me first begin by introducing myself. My name is Duncan and I am Jodie’s other half (You may have seen pictures of me in previous posts). We have been dating for a few months and we are the best of friends. I enjoy reading her blog posts just as much as I’m sure all of you do so when she suggested that I write this post I was very excited. At first I had no idea what to write about as we have done so many fun things recently but then, being the smart one in this relationship, Jodie suggested I wrote to tell you all about my project that I have ongoing. So here it goes!

The project originally was just a one man team but now Jodie is on board too as she is contributing massively to the marketing and advertising aspects of the project, most notably setting up the projects twitter account- @EVProjectDB.  The project primarily looks at the possibility and the concept of electric cars being as efficient and practical as today’s petrol running models. People are always full of praise for the electric car (as it is ‘clean’ energy) but then quickly realise that it quite simply is not feasible in the real world as they take hours upon hours to charge only to run out of charge after a few miles of running. Petrol cars take little over two minutes to fill and then can run for hundreds of miles before needing topped up again which is much more practical.

But there must surely be ways of finding a happy medium? Myself and my fellow third year engineers at university are looking into the technology behind all this and trying to sort out a basic solution that can then be developed and evolved in the same way the petrol car has over the years.

But there are much more experienced designers in companies with far larger budgets so why has this not been done before now?  The truth is companies only want profit. The more people spend on fuel and new car parts and new cars, the better for them. But that isn’t us or who we are. Should this project reach the heights we hope it can, users of this technology can make money themselves. Ask yourself how much money you would have in your pocket each month if you didn’t have to pay the ever increasing fuel prices!

So can it be done? The eco-friendly people and people who perhaps work in the renewable energy sector will already know that this is scientifically possible. But people who consider themselves ‘petrol heads’ are more sceptical. That is why the project is testing the technology in the form of a racing car. If it is faster, cheaper than and just as efficient as a petrol car then what would be the reason to stand by the aging gas guzzling models? And this technology can also be implemented into trains, planes, boats and helicopters too. What’s not to like?!

I am always very interested in people’s thoughts and opinions on this highly debatable topic and Jodie and I would love to hear everybody’s opinions! Also if anyone has any questions related to the topic, please do not hesitate to comment below! Thanks guys!

X.O

Duncan and JF

Summer Skin Saviours

Hello all! So the last couple of days in Aberdeen have been scorching! Its actually been sweltering boarding on impossible to sleep at night the last few days/nights in Aberdeen, and when I haven't been stuck in work I have been attempting to lap every inch of sun rays that I can!
Obviously to try and refrain from burning and protecting my skin from the rays that cause the wrinkles there have been a few affordable easy to use products  I have been incorporating into my beauty routine which I would like to share with you guys.

The first product I would like to share with you all is the Boots Simply Sensitive Day Moisturiser SPF15. I love this product as it literally does as it says on the tin, its simple to use doesn't irritate skin especially around the eye area and it gives me confidence that my skin is being  protected during the day from harmful UV rays due its SPF15 properties.I find the sunblock factor to this moisturiser so handy especially during the summer as usually I wear a foundation that has SPF in it anyway however on hot days I find that using a light moisturiser and a little concealer or powder instead of a heavy foundation is so much easier as you don't feel like you are just sweating off your make-up in the daytime heat, but with SPF moisturiser you are still getting the protection you need without having to wear an SPF foundation or actual heavy sun cream which I find just sits on my face and can leave a greasy like residue.

My second skin saviour that I wear religiously every day is the Boots Simply Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream. Wearing eye cream for me has only been a very recent development in my beauty regime but I picked this one up in Boots and it was so affordable I thought I would give it a try. Being only 21 wrinkles and bags aren't something that I really have to worry about too much but I found applying this super hydrating eye cream just made your eyes appear so much brighter and the skin around the eye so soft and luminous. I just feel that it wakens up tired looking eyes and if you are being exposed to sunshine on a daily basis it can strain your eyes so I find this cream just a lovely added treat to them to help feel more soothed and hydrated in the morning.

My last skin saviour that I am wearing daily is the Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Ultra Moisturising Tinted Lip Balm in Dark Chocolate & Cherry with SPF15. This stuff is actually incredible. It is so super moisturising which I find amazing especially in the summer months when lips can get quite dry. The fact it has SPF I also find such a win as lips are something not many people actually consider protecting from UV rays however no one really would ever want burnt lips! The fact that this is tinted too is just lovely as it adds a lovely cherry pink colour to your lips that is hydrating, protecting and casual which is just great for the daytime.

I'm not a massive mixing facial products person as I do feel if you overuse a lot of different products on your skin it can just cause break outs. However I do feel that you are born with the one face that will live your life and show all of your experiences. You will live with your face for the rest of your life so protect it, keep it hydrated and protected from harmful suns rays. The younger you are and start looking after your skin I feel the better it will age. That may not be strictly true but its just how I feel personally :)

Are there any steps or other products you guys can recommend to keep your skin looking hydrated and protected? Let me know in the comments! I hope you all enjoyed this post and I will link the links below to the products mentioned :)

Simply Sensitive Day Moisturiser - http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Simply-Sensitive-Day-Moisturiser-SPF15-125ml_1189241/
Simply Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream - http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Simply-Sensitive-Hydrating-Eye-Cream-15ml_1189237/
Palmers Cocoa Butter Lip Balm in Dark Chocolate & Cherry - http://www.boots.com/en/Palmers-Cocoa-Butter-Formula-Ultra-Moisturizing-Tinted-Lip-Balm-Dark-Chocolate-Cherry-SPF-15-4g_1454190/


X.O
JF

Midnight Getaway - Malmaison Dundee

Hello all! Last night I took a trip home to Fife; my homeland, and had the pleasure of staying at Malmaison in Dundee for the night. The building that the hotel is situated is that of the former Tay Hotel, which in the past did have a stigma and history about it as it was once linked to a murder that took place in the city years ago and the building lay derelict for quite some time after. However the way that the Malmaison chain have taken on this historical building is something quite incredible. Even before you are parked you can see the white gleam of the Malmaison logo blaring from the side of the building in a stream of silver white lights. The decadent velvet decor and the glass doors on arrival only add to the glistening newness of the building that once lay empty for years. The interior itself is adorned in lavish purples and silvers, its a dark themed hotel but it suits the brand and only adds to the lavish mysterious atmosphere of the place as a whole.

The rooms are pure luxury each containing a purple velvet sleigh bed with pillows and a fur throw and the bathroom is fully equipped with a huge waterfall like shower head. One of my favourite pieces about the room was the concealed mini bar, coffee counter and wine glass rack that was built into the light up staple Malmaison wardrobe. I called it the wardrobe of dreams, and boy do I want one in my own room, fully stocked preferably! Another quirk of the room which I really liked was the fact that they incorporated the devilish face of Dennis The Menace from the Beano comics. The Beano is a long standing British comic who's home town is Dundee. The fact that Malmaison took the time to include this Dundonian legend into the interior of the hotel was such a lovely gesture and makes the hotel in my opinion stand out from others with this unique feature. I had such a fantastic night at this hotel at an affordable price and I cant wait to go back.



Have any of you got any hotels you have stayed in recently that you have loved? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below. I hope you enjoyed this post and I will leave a link to the hotel if any of you feel interested in a little getaway to a purple adorned paradise! :)

X.O
JF

https://www.malmaison.com/locations/dundee/?gclid=CjwKEAjwi6OeBRCCrZqp-qaQhhISJACrfbtABPk_YskL0GUBGUiw3yx6ri1Sdit4d0puomgcQd2GABoCCt_w_wcB



Disclaimer: all opinions shared are my own, I am not receiving any form of sponsor for this post, I just really enjoyed my stay and wanted to share it with you all :) 

Foodie Post! Lairhillock Inn and Crynoch Restaurant

Hello everyone! Apologies for not writing in a little while, I have been very busy with various different projects this summer, one of which was updating the look of the blog! I hope you all like its new simplistic yet still girlie theme :)

Today I thought I would write a wee food post about one of my favourite restaurants this summer, Lairhillock Inn and Crynoch Restaurant. Located between Aberdeen and Stonehaven, this lovely little Inn boasts all the traditional features from its 200 year old history as a coach house. Its such a charming little escape from the busy streets of the city, and serves the most amazing food! Whether you are looking for a soup and a sandwich or a more a'la carte menu, this little jewel in country has it all.

Are there any cafes or restaurants in the Aberdeen area any of you guys know of? Let me know in the comment section below :)

X.O
JF