Rosie Corriette

Notes from a retired blogger

Author: Rosie

  • Joolz Blogger Breakfast

    Joolz Blogger Breakfast

    Last week I was invited to the Joolz Blogger Breakfast at the Boundary Rooftop (it’s amazing, definitely somewhere to add to my little black book!). It’s no secret that up until recently I’ve been a die hard Buagboo fan , however adjusting to life with just a basic stroller after thinking Boo was too big for a pram has been bumpy (and wet) to say the least.

    Enjoying gorgeous prams and gorgeous smoothies!

    Joolz are a Dutch company producing just the most gorgeous prams! Their differing prams are based round one core product that’s suitable from birth until preschool; yet even with just one product the possibilities are endless… and oh so pretty!

    Joolz base their whole business around the idea of Positive Design – where the pushchair is designed around the human body, that of the parent and of the child, this translates in every aspect of the pushchair. From fully adjusting handle height for mini mummies and giant daddies, to a high seat position (Boo isn’t getting any lighter!) plus when folded (with seat attached – take that Bugaboo) it can be stored upright on it’s two feet.

    Ok so we all understand that this pram is pretty neat when it comes to folding, usage and ergonomics but lets get down to the nitty-gritty… colours and collections!

    Checking out the endless colour possibilities
    Give a girl a colour brochure and you’re onto a winner!

    The Joolz Day is available in 2 chassis colours and 6 fabric options complete with an impressive array of accessories – my top 2 being the cup holder (obviously!), the foot muff (it extends/ deepens to allow for shoes!) and the AMAZING XL shopping bag (I really really need this!).

    Love this!
    Love this!

    They recently launched two other collections the Joolz Day Earth Collection and Joolz Day Studio.

    The Joolz Day Earth is all about reconnecting with Earth (it’s nowhere near as new age as it sounds, trust me!) and neutrals . 6 beautiful colours that sound as lovely as they look, Elephant grey, turtle green to name a few..

    The Joolz Day Studio Collection is made up of the Studio Noir and Studio Gris and is ‘Crafted with beautiful detail and designed for a romantic stroll at the boulevard’ – now we’re talking! Black is classic so for me my out and out favourite has to be the Studio Noir with it’s double stitched leatherette trim and lining, perfect for Mummy and Boo adventures.

    Joolz Day Studio Noir
    Black is the ultimate classic!

    The Positive Design ethos of Joolz doesn’t stop as soon as you’ve bought one of their prams either – for every Joolz registered online they will plant a tree in their special forest named after your baby – they did this as a special treat for us at the Blogger Breakfast; it was lovely to come away with a certificate that says somewhere in Brazil there will be a tree with Boo’s name on.

    And to make you feel even less guilty about all the packaging that comes with having a baby, their boxes are designed to be recycled and reused by turning them into amazing children’s furniture…the box that keeps on giving, literally.

    In our lovely goody bag we were given a Joolz changing bag and Boo wasted no time in putting it to the test the very next day when she headed off on a weekend getaway with Daddy, well made, lots of pockets and surprisingly roomy she managed to squeeze all her clothes in plus a Barbie or two!

    The Joolz Changing Bag ready for Boo's weekend getaway!
    The Joolz Changing Bag ready for Boo’s weekend getaway!

    Joolz aren’t just a company who play at being nice, they really live their ethos of Positive Design, yes it’s just a pram I hear you say but for a product that really is such a big part of your family life don’t you want to get it right? I’m glad I’m Bugaboo-less otherwise I’d never have even looked at the Joolz and what a mistake that would have been.

    Disclosure: We were given a Joolz changing bag. No payment was received and all opinions are 100% honest, we promise.

  • Halloween: The Boo Debate

    Halloween: The Boo Debate

    It’s just over a week away until Halloween (like you need me reminding you!) and I still haven’t decided whether we’re ‘doing it’. As a child we never celebrated Halloween and I never really got it as an adult with all the fancy dress and ghoulish parties; I was pretty sure nothing would change with Boo and we’d be non celebrators. However it seems that Halloween is here to stay and Boo has taken a real interest in all the pumpkins and the witches hats that seemed to be in stores from the middle of September.

    Boo seems to be fascinated with Pumpkins and coupled with her love of fancy dress, she’s now the proud owner of a glittery black witch’s costume and a pumpkin bucket plus the most gorgeous metal house lantern to hang outside the house with a bucket of sweets – that way I won’t be up and down like a yoyo answering the door to trick or treaters!

    Boo’s far too young to go trick or treating plus I’m not to sure I agree completely with the idea, I suppose a toddler Halloween party or a local attraction would be best, but obviously nothing too authentic/spooky as it doesn’t take much to scare her!

    Would love to hear what your plans are for Halloween, especially if you have little ones – I suppose it all boils down to not wanting her to miss out; at least she’s got the coolest name for Halloween!

  • Astral Review

    Astral Review

    Astral is one of those products that I immediately associate with my Grandma – I have fond memories as a child of playing at her dressing table with her vintage popper beads, her rings and her face cream. So when I asked to try Astral I didn’t expect much; I’m a sucker for sophisticated and scientificky (is that even a word) skincare.

    The pot is the same as I remember it but what was more memorable was that rich yet pure smell that is so distinctive. Astral is in no way a light cream and as I’m prone to breakouts I was worried it would be too heavy for me however with the colder weather it’s perfect for my skin especially as I’ve thrown myself back into #operationyummymumy and running.

    I’ve been using Astral every night before bed for a week and I have to say my skin is plump, moisturized and showing no signs of weather damage from running; it’s like my skin has been hugged!

    Astral is the perfect secret weapon for my busy life, I love how it’s versatile, uncomplicated but effective.

    Disclosure: We were sent Astral for review. No payment was received and all opinions are 100% honest we promise.

  • Where Should I Spend The New Year?

    Whether you like it or not the festive season is fast approaching and with the majority of my Christmas shopping done (yes I am that annoying type of person who likes everything done and dusted by the end of October) and plans for the big day all sorted, it’s time I turn my attention to New Years Eve and New Years Day,

    Pre Boo were standard in terms of seeing in the New Year, however those with children will know that it’s one of those celebrations that’s never really the same once little ones are among you; spend the equivalent of a small nations GDP on a babysitter for the evening and constantly check in to make sure they’re ok or abandon all plans of celebrating the New Year and sit in with a glass of wine and head to bed before the chimes – can you sense my familiarity with the latter?

    However one option which I’ve not considered before is a staycation style break that’s fun for both Mummy and Boo. Butlin’s offer a selection of new year breaks in the UK which offer the perfect place to stay, dine and play not forgetting seeing in the new year with a big bang – a confetti shower to be exact!

    I must confess to never being to a Butlin’s resort before, so I think a mini break of 3 nights is a perfect way to get to know them better and the perfect excuse to escape the leftover turkey and by the stale mince pies! Butlin’s New Year Breaks are the perfect idea if you really do want to customise your trip, from where you stay – be it Bognor Regis or Skegness there’s bound to be the perfect apartment or hotel room even that’s right for all the family. There is also the option to tailor what type of dining package you choose; whilst there’s the option for self catering I can’t help thinking how nice it would be not to have to worry about cooking after the hectic festive season. On top of Food and accommodation Butlin’s have a fantastic programme of live shows and entertainment with something for everyone. And to help families make the most of the 3 day break, Butlin’s offer New Years B Line Passes – which get you early access to main shows and attractions, the perfect add-on as a little treat.

    While only a week after Christmas, New Year wasn’t even on my radar however knowing that there are some great options available that aren’t too far away is definitely food for thought – because you can never have too many adventures!
    Sponsored by Butlin's

  • Thomson Family Resorts: The Mummy and Boo Lowdown

    Thomson Family Resorts: The Mummy and Boo Lowdown

    Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave last week me and Boo jetted off to Majorca with Thomson to see what their Thomson Family Resorts had to offer.

    Despite living not a million miles from Gatwick, Thomson very kindly arranged for us to stay at the Sofitel Hotel (it’s literally attached to the North Terminal – complete with covered walk way!) as our Monday morning flight was at a pre dawn 6am! Let’s just say that a pre holiday hotel has most definitely made it onto my ‘must have’ holiday checklist, just a little touch that makes traveling with a toddler a little bit easier.

    It was mid morning by the time we got off the plane at Palma (Boo was a happy little girl as we went flying high in the sky and I had a smile plastered on my face owing to the fact I was able to enjoy a Starbucks Via coffee on the flight!)
    Ok so I know this isn’t going to go down well but as they say the truth hurts: It was hot, like really hot. Glorious sunshine and not a cloud in the sky!

    Boo striking a pose
    Boo striking a pose while exploring the hotel

    After a transfer of an hour we arrived at our resort and hotel The Protur Aparthotel Bonaire a stunning resort which is a Thomson Family Resort. All rooms are in fact an apartment with main bedroom, living area with 2 sofa beds, dining table and kitchenette with ample equipment to cook a meal. You see that’s one of the first advantages I found out about Thomson Family Resorts; whilst we we’re experiencing all inclusive, guests had the option of self catering, half board and all inclusive – keeping in touch with Thomson’s promise to families that they can provide/organize as little or as much of a holiday experience.

    Balcony View
    Can’t beat palm trees outside your balcony!

    It wasn’t long before we ventured out of our rooms and set out to explore what the resort had to offer. We soon discovered there was enough to keep us busy for a few weeks let alone the four days we were staying, where to start?! With hungry tummies we headed to the main buffet restaurant to meet up with the other Mallorca Mummies. Now I don’t know about you but I’ve had some rather interesting encounters with all inclusive buffets so I was interested to see what Thomson had to offer: well all I can say is wow, wow, wow! Great choice of both traditional Catalan dishes and some more familiar to the British palette, all though really well cooked and presented; they’re big on choice and that includes the dedicated childrens’ buffet area, over the next few days I made a concerted effort to try as much of the buffet to offer – I mean who can resist freshly cooked pancakes in the morning!

    Unfortunately due to a complication from Boo’s operation we had the opportunity to try out the medical services on the first afternoon. The Thomson holiday advisor was so helpful and arranged for a doctor and a nurse to visit us in our room within an hour – as a parent knowing that facility exists is a real comfort and is just another example of how Thomson live up to their family resort name. The doctor was polite and friendly and after a quick look prescribed some medication and in just over a day Boo was back to her toddler self!

    Thomson Family Resort has so much to offer over the rest of our trip we enjoyed the pool (correction I enjoyed some adult time while Boo got familiar with the crèche – more on that later this week), the pool bar – because everyone deserves afternoon cake! And the à la carte restaurant on the Tuesday evening; not to mention the beach and of course Boo’s favorite part of the holiday: Thomson the Dog who she is utterly in love with and hasn’t let go of him since we’ve returned home!

    Thomson The Dog
    Boo and the gang meeting Thomson The Dog!

    Their literally is so much to tell you about our holiday experience at Thomson Family Resorts that I could write a book, so over the coming week or so look out for more blog posts which will see me talk about specific parts of our holiday that made for unforgettable memories, someone please take me back!

    A massive thank you to Luke and Claire from Thomson who went above and beyond to make sure that we as a group and our children had the best time possible!

    I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Network Research Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity