Mid week break of food, fun and sea

With the start of May beginning with a public holiday I decided we had to get away. So I found a quiet little cottage in Sheffield beach.

Hearing the sea when I fall asleep and wake up is probably one of my favourite things.

Today was a day for food!!! It started off with egg and bacon rolls in bed cooked by the boyfriend and then a stroll on the beach.

We then decided to go food exploring.  A seafood lunch ended off with coffee and cheesecake and a drink at one of the local pubs.

The galley in ballito serves a variety of food whilst you stare into the distant ocean. We had a seafood platter and beers.

Waterberry in ballito is still one of my favourite. Coffee and nougat cheesecake followed by a walk in the forest was a great end to our day.

And last but not least we had to stop at a local umhlali pub called the duck for a beer and there famous peanut butter and bacon sarmie bar snacks.

So dinner....sjoe im all full up!

Lauren Leigh cc

I'm a fan of...Hello Pretty

How amazing is this new online store I follow on Twitter? Hello Pretty

I found them on Twitter through another person I am following and had a look at their website only to be amazed at the stock and different designers they have selling all sorts of different buys for you or for your home.

Proudly South African, easy to use website and oh so pretty things to buy at reasonable prices.
You can either buy or sell of their website and the details on how to do so are as clear as black and white.

So, what are you waiting for? Go shopping! and pssst...your boss will never known because its all online!

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Miss Molly Fashions GIVEAWAY

How amazing is this giveaway that Miss Molly is doing in conjunction with Sass Diva, Stuttafords and Zaba Simbine?

Go and look at the details here and enter!

Picture from Miss Molly Fashions Blog

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Thank you Glossy Box and I heart your Outfit

Picture: Ryan Adams Photography

I entered a competition through the i heart your outfit girls as they were giving away a Glossy box and I wanted to see what all the hype was about and I won!

Glossy box is a very smart idea and a good way to market or advertise beauty products to consumers who may not know those products even exist.

You subscribe online ( here) and open a customer account, pay your monthly fee of R130 to ensure your Glossy box arrives at your home or office, receive the beautifully packaged box ( as above) with a surprise array of beauty samples, trials and one or two full sized products and then log back online to write a "review" on the products you got in your box.
Absolutely brilliant!!

This is what I got in my box:

1) Anesi Stem C3 - Anti ageing emulsion - trial size
2) Creative Nail Design Scentations - Cucumber Intensive Heel Therapy - 15g ( perfect timing for winter)
3) Dr.Hauschka - rejuvenating mask - two sample sachets enough for one application each
4) Piz Buin - Tan Intensifier - two 10ml tubes ( will have to try this when the sun shows herself)
5) So Pure - organic spray hand sanitizer - 50ml full size product (LOVE THIS)

There was also a kohl eyeliner and grey eyeshadow as an exta gift.

Thank you Glossy Box and i heart your outfit girls!

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The Crack...

This is not a post on a horror movie or scary film. It is in fact a very short ( studying and sheer exhaustion have consumed me) blog on my crack nail varnish my dear friend from Scotland gave me.

I did these pictures and manicure ages ago but just found them now. OPI also sells a crack nail polish and I think its pretty cool and something different.

1) Give yourself a neat little manicure and paint a clear base coat

2) Choose a colour you like and do two coats of that on your nails.

3) Ensure your nails are dry and paint ONE very thin layer of the crack varnish over the colour. Do not overlap the crack as it will turn into a mush. It doesn't have to be perfect. Let it dry and watch it crack.

4) Paint a top coat over the crack to seal it all in.

I think it looks pretty cool.

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** Giveaway** Valentine Spoil # 4 - Go shopping at The Bedroom

The Bedroom has an incredibly wide variety of gifts, spoils and pamper products which are very suitable for this Valentines day. Something sexy with lingerie, something pampering with The Bedroom bathroom range or something naughty from the Playthings room.
With stores situated in Umhlanga, Hillcrest and Parkhurst as well as online orders with postage or delivery, The Bedroom is a brilliant concept allowing people of all ages and sexes to get in touch with their sensual and sexy side.

Pic courtesy of The Bedroom

*** GIVEAWAY***

In conjunction with The Bedroom, Culture Concepts is doing a giveaway of a Valentines Hamper for the month of February valued over R500.

How to enter:

* Follow the Culture Concepts blog

* Like the Culture Concepts facebook page here

* Tweet: I have just entered the Culture Concepts giveaway from @laurenleigh_cc and @The_Bedroom.

Each of the above is considered an entry.

Do all three and stand a better chance of winning this awesome hamper.

The hamper will be delivered or posted to you if you reside withing South Africa.

Competition open to South African residents only.

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Valentines Spoil #1 - Get a proper bra from Liza Clifford

As you know, I am writing blogs this month of things to do, places to go and items to spoil yourself or loved one with this Valentines day.
On Saturday I found my spoil for the next three months...A proper sized, well fitted bra from Liza Clifford.

Picture courtesy of Liza Clifford - Blog

My mother and myself went for our first professional bra fitting with Liza Clifford on Saturday. I have heard many rants and raves about Liza Clifford and I eventually had one bad day of too much boob spillage and called in the professionals. Well rather I called in on her.

Situated in Kloof / Everton area ( destination is a secret so you will have to contact her to book) and working from her home studio Liza Clifford greeted us with a breath of fresh air, friendliness and immediate comfort.
Walking into her studio of subtle coloured wallpaper, designs and absolutely beautiful bra's - I knew I was going to experience something unique and special here.

Liza looked us both up and down, informed us of our actual bra size and then started handing us bra's left, right and centre.
Within a couple of minutes, we were both gleaming in the mirror feeling sexy, instantly a few KG's lighter and my tiny mother even appeared taller....yes, all of this just from wearing the right sized bra.
Just to give you all a bit of an overshare...I am "usually" a 32B and now I know I am actually a 28DD. I was shocked and excited all at the same time.

Today I honestly couldn't wear my other ill-fitting bra's and I cannot wait until Liza gets her new stock in so I can go shopping. Her bra's are imported from the UK and are of the highest quality and design so they do come with a slightly higher price tag than your regular retailers but it is worth every cent.
And when I went into certain retailers today ( stores who retail their bra's at the same price as Liza) and asked for my 28DD they looked at me like I was a crazy person as their sizes only start at a 32. So where does that leave people like me and many of you out there?

It's simple...we go to Liza Clifford.

Liza is offering a special to my loyal followers....When buying a R500 gift voucher you will receive R100 off ( pay R400 for a R500 voucher) so you will get a 20% discount. 


** All you have to do is:
              1) Like my page on facebook here

              2) When booking your voucher with Liza quote the name of my facebook page and the colour of my facebook pages profile picture.

LaurenLeigh cc

The month of the Valentine....

Yes it is February and so the month of Valentine celebrations begins.

Pic courtesy of Frills and Thrills Blog

Some people are romantics at heart and they wait for this day with baited breath so they can either be romanticised or romanticise the pants ( not literally) off someone else.
Some people are anti-valentines day people and have a black valentines where they wear black, listen to depressing music and eat horrible food.

So, because some of my followers may be either or, I have decided to do a "To Do List" for Valentines day.
I will be posting cool things I have found or heard about so that hopefully there is something for everyone to do on this day of love.

Please keep following the blog for some cool concepts for V-Day...and maybe even a little giveaway!

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Farmstyle Homemade Ice Cream

Recently, we went to visit my old friend, ex room mate and new mom Sarah at her new home and farm in Greytown.
Besides buying one of my best antique timeless pieces of furniture ( that is for another blog), I got to eat Sarah's farmstyle homemade Ice Cream.

We decided to give her recipe a bash this week. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add whatever you want into it to make it into your own flavour.

So here are the basics but we made a Ginger biscuit and Cinnamon ice cream:

* 500ml cream - beaten until stiff
* 1 tin condensed milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
* 4 beaten egg whites - I beat mine just before stiff peak stage
* half a packet ginger biscuits - roughly crushed
* 5-10ml cinnamon

1) Beat the cream until stiff
2) Fold in the concdensed milk, vanilla essence and egg whites
3) Add flavour of choice EG: crushed ginger biscuits and cinnamon
4) Freeze
5) Indulge

Although this ice cream is a creamy mouthful and spoon of heaven, it does work out quite pricey but is worth every penny.

Go on and spoil yourself!!

LaurenLeigh cc

Live Comedy at The Upstairs

What are you doing on the evening of 2nd February?Durban live comedy at its best - Glen Bo and Dusty Rich return from their cruise liner tour and share their adventures.
It is at the Upstairs which is an awesome new venue above Spiga in Florida Road.

Pic courtesy of DurbanIsYours

I found it on Durban Is Yours website which is my "go to guide" for cool things happening in and around Durban. Have a look here for more details on the comedy evening.
With Durban being a smaller city than JHB and CT, it is a bit more difficult to find things to do besides dinners out, the odd live band and pubs or clubs.
The people at Durban Is Yours have found a way to keep us corporate folk in touch with what is happening in music, arts, comedy, festivals and nightlife.

I use this website when I am looking for something different and unique to do in Durban, find something that may be up and coming and hasn't been advertised (they always have there fingers on the button and know most things first) or to learn more about the really radical people/ artists we have in our own city and country. They have featured articles and interviews as well as reviews and a gig guide...what more could you ask for? have a peek here
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Welcome the year of The Dragon - 2012

Pic courtesy of theholidayspot.com

Monday 23rd January, we say goodbye to the year of the rabbit and hello to the year of the dragon.
Chinese new year starts today and the year of the dragon promises to be a prosperous one.

In Chinese astrology, the dragon is the only creature or animal that is not real and the chinese hold special reverence with the dragon. The zodiac signs are represented by 12 animals and determined by the year of birth rather than the birth month as per western zodiacs.

People born in the year of the dragon can be quite confronting, but if you can break through, they have a soft heart. They are also said to be very passionate, brave, enterprising and innovative personalities who enjoy the outdoors and nature.

To everyone celebrating Chinese New Year, I wish you all a happy and festive celebration.

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Oh how I wish for a kitchen like this one day...

Last year we went to the Midlands for our anniversary. I was clicking through images on my pc today and I stumbled across this picture I had taken in one of the old eclectic coffee shops we had lunch in.
I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the coffee shop but I do know that I fell in love with the set up of this old shelf and "kitchen" area.

The colours are amazing and allow your space to feel bright, cheerful and happy, just like a kitchen should be. For me, the kitchen is my happy place where I get to experiment with food, flavours and recipes, de-stress and completely let go.

I love how nothing matches but it all seems to fit together.

I have started my collection of little bits and bobs and hopefully one day soon they can all go onto an old wooden shelf.

LaurenLeigh cc

Dorothy says: "There is no place like home"

Well Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz had red beautiful shiny shoes. Mine are not red. Or shiny but they beautiful all the same.

Again, I found another really Cool Concept. A second hand or vintage website called Closet Space.
They sell vintage or second hand clothing online but they work on an auction process.
So you bid a price and can either win the item or out bid someone else to claim the item as your own.

My little "Dorothy" Shoes are from Zoom. Tan and denim leather and in brilliant condition - practically brand new.
They arrived in the post after I paid for them ( only R120 including postage!!) and I love them.
I must admit though, they are definitely walk in and sit down shoes but there is nothing wrong with having a pair of those in your closet.

Have a look at Closet Space here.

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Mr.Price...keeping consumers excited and on our toes

For Christmas I was lucky enough to get a very fancy smancy laptop from my parents.
And with the laptop came a laptop bag chosen by my dad. Now, bless his soul, he only had my laptops protection at heart, but this bag was big and black and briefcase looking. Something a dad would use...

I looked at a few PC shops for a different laptop bag and ended up resorting to Twitter and Facebook to ask my fellow friends and followers where I could find a reasonable laptop bag.
And guess what the answer was from my good friend Lisa when I asked...why Mr.Price of course!

Meet Lola. She is purple and green ( surprisingly enough my two favourite colours) and has a bit of gold for that splash of bling. It is padded and does the job of storing and transporting my laptop in style.

All I can say is that Mr. Price knows how to follow consumer trends and give their clients what they want. This is what will make them one of the most successful retailers in consumer history for South Africa.

And thumbs up for the accessories buyer who decided putting this in store was a good idea...you deserve a summer island vacation.

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Vintage Love..or rather Vintage Lover

I stumbled across Janece from Vintage Lover's facebook page. I honestly do not remember how it happened or when but what I can tell you is now I am a TOTAL addict.

Vintage Lover is run by Janece Frick. She, as are many young trendsters nowadays including myself, have a love for vintage fashion.

She collects, finds, sources and buys vintage clothing, handbags and the odd accessories to retail them to her loyal fans via the Vintage Lover facebook page. And she has loads of loyal fans!

She works on a comment first and it is yours basis and has exceptional customer service.

And she lets you know when she will be posting new items on the page in advance.

This is my first parcel I recieved from Vintage Lover. Janece personally sourced me a pleated coral skirt. I didnt buy it off facebook. She went out of her way to find one for me.

I then found the most incredible little clutch bag and my parcel got packaged and sent via the SAPO.

I got an email with a tracking number, collected my parcel and what I got was a beautiful little present with a vintage postcard with a personalised note on the back and naartjie fizzer...one thing to look forward to with Vintage Lover's parcels.

Since this parcel I have recieved two others and I am looking forward to another one arriving next week so I will keep you posted.

Janece and her vintage love allows for a very affordable revamp of the closet, exciting present parcel arriving in the post and the BEST customer service I have got in a very long time.

Go and have a look see here and support a fellow fashion lover.

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Lets get proactive

I was lucky enough to be very spoilt this Christmas from my parents and I was given a very fancy laptop as my gift.
For me, this made me ecstatically happy as not only can I now focus on Culture Concepts 100% but I start studying in the new year ( brave or stupid- I am still deciding) and this laptop will help me keep everything in order.

So as from tomorrow, there will be loads of new and exciting Culture Concepts posts.

I know I have been very scarce lately but to those of you that have been following...Thank You!

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Culture concepts on Facebook!!!

Culture Concepts now has it's very own facebook page. Please go and Like the page here and show me some support.

From this page I will be posting ideas, fun news for Culture Concepts and goodies that go on sale and eventually I will be running giveaways and competitions off the blog and the facebook page so please get to Liking that button.

To start with, I have got my first project on the go...it is to help my good friend Simone clear out her clutter ( or once loved goodies) that she doesn't want, need or cannot fit into her new home.

Pls go and view the facebook page here to see what we have started sorting or look on my Once Loved page here for a quick reference.

You can follow Simone on ScrambledNotes. She has some awesome pics and ramblings going on.

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News for Culture concepts

Picture courtesy of this website

I have decided to take the plunge head first and get Culture Concepts off the ground. This means a huge revamp for me, the blog and a need for loyal followers and lots of them.

As well as the help from friends and the boyfriend as I am not 100% clued up on photoshop yet.

I will keep you posted but for now, all I can say is that there is a big change to come....

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Ding Dong the post man is here

I am so excited as this week I have two fabulously wonderful gits arriving in the post. And I do love them presents.
The first one I am getting is from Kirsty at The Mint Shop. She has wonderful "retired" goods that she sells both online and at the i heart market once a month. From her, I am getting a beautiful red vintage kettle. Wait and see what it looks like or visit her website here to do some shopping.

The second is from Janece at Vintage Lover. She is based in Cape Town and finds the most adorable, well pried vintage goodies to adorn your bodies with. wait and see what I have managed to get from her....
or go visit her cool blog here

will post my pics when the post man delivers

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RyanMatthewAdams

The boyfriend has just launched his blog, company and business card and I am only but so proud and happy.
It has been a long, long road to get there but he is doing it precisely and cautiously and I know he is going to be brilliant because he is brilliant.

He is a photographer who catches what his subject is thinking, feeling and experiencing all in that single click of his camera. And his photo's really do speak a thousand words.

Anyone needing any kind of photography work...he is your man.
(yes I am his agent and I do get a cut)

http://rmadams.blogspot.com/

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