Popping to the pub for a quick one with Boo is not a sentence I ever imagined myself saying but then The Greyhound, Carshalton is so much more than a pub; and a stroll through the graveyard for a midweek Mummy and Boo early evening date is so much more than just a quick drink. It’s a chance to watch her sit there ‘like a big girl’ watching the swans in the pond and for us to catch up with what’s been happening at school plus there’s always a strong possibility that we’ll stay for dinner… I have yet to resist the magical powers of their amazingly tasty pie of the day!

Last week we were invited by Young’s to celebrate the reopening of The Greyhound after an extensive refurbishment, it’s always been really nice in there so I was interested to see what changes they had made… we weren’t disappointed. It’s The Greyhound we all know and love but just that bit nicer, that bit more social, feels even more part of the community – which has a lot to do with Colum and Anne Marie who are renowned for their warm welcome.

Boo settled down to a taster of their chicken, ham and leek pie which was such a success she cleared her bowl and asked for more. Meanwhile I sampled some of the new brands available at They Greyhound including Camden Town Brewery beer and Beckett’s dry gin, which is not only delicious and perfectly balanced in flavours but is distilled down the road in Kingston-Upon Thames.

Next came the opportunity to explore the two new signature bedrooms overlooking the ponds. The only word I can think of is wow… who knew such slices of sheer luxury exist a mere three minute stroll from my house and who can resist ‘that’ view of our very lovely Carshalton ponds. I think it’s fair to say Boo has found her favourite spot.

With weekend brunches, high-speed Wi-Fi, unforgettable roasts and everything in between, The new and improved Greyhound is the village destination reimagined for the modern family.

A while back in summer, Boo and I headed to Asda’a beauty breakfast at The Soho Hotel. We were greeted to a room full of tasty treats and all the beauty brands from Asda – Boo made a be-line for the tasty macaroons and the good enough to eat bubble bath collection by Let Them Eat Cake, yes you really can have your bathtime smelling of very berry cupcakes – Boo couldn’t believe her eyes or nose!

Whilst Boo was drooling over bathtime I got the chance to meet and chat with the lovely Andrew Barton as he introduced his No Weight Hydrate range. Designed for those with oily roots and dry ends, it features ultra-light formulations with Moroccan Aragan oil and coconut milk to infuse essential moisture into your hair. I love Andrew Barton’s mantra, ‘Dedicated to creating real looks for real women’.

Next I discovered my new and here to stay skincare secret: Nspa. I got my hands on most of the new range and hand on heart they’re giving some of the luxe products I’ve loved and used for years a bug run for their money – so much so that I dedicated a whole vlog to talking you through the range…

Anyone who knows me, know that I love the smell of bergamot so you can imagine my happiness when I discovered the brand new uplifting and revitalizing bergamot and orange blossom collection; they smell divine and the body oil is a total dupe of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Miracle Oil – and at a fantastic £3 you can guess which one I’ll be stocking up on.

And that’s the cherry on top of a very good beauty offering from Asda; the prices are so good you have to look twice, every item featured in this post costs less than £8, proving that quality doesn’t always have to come at an eye watering price.

“Brush your teeth Boo then put your shoes on!” It’s something I say every single day. Brushing your teeth is second nature, we could all do it in our sleep: toothbrush + toothpaste + 2 minutes = your twice daily teeth cleaning routine. So what happens if we drastically change one of the components… the toothbrush.

Truewhite very kindly sent me their Mirai electric toothbrush as I begin to transform my smile. The Mirai is turning our perception of toothbrushes on it’s head; made entirely of silicone, the Mirai is a revolutionary system that uses high intensity silicone bristle pulsation to deliver plaque removal, cavity prevention, stain removal and gum cleansing. I was surprised at just how comfortable the vibration was and with the choice of a multitude of intensity levels, your experience is completely customizable.

I also really like how the toothbrush sits in your hand, it’s much lighter than conventional electric toothbrushes, meaning no more having to take a manual toothbrush on my travels to save on vital weight allowance. Also no more cumbersome shaver adaptors (I swear I must have lost at least five or those, where the heck do they go?!?!) with a clever mini usb lead, you can use you phone charger mains, perfect.

Yes the Truwhite Mirai is a little pricey, however see it as an investment – in the same way you’d calculate the cost per wear for *those* shoes this toothbrush will far outlast any one on the highstreet, with a head that needs changing only once per year and a 2 year warranty it’s a low maintenance, high results addition to your tooth care routine.

Disclosure: I was kindly gifted a Truewhite Mirai

Ten years ago today we packed up everything I’d bought from Tesco and Ikea into Mama’s car and drove the 198 miles from home to Lincoln. Ten years ago today I waited nervously to collect my room keys with not a single clue o were I was going. Ten years ago today I discovered I was one of the lucky ones who had a view of the cathedral. Ten years ago today I hid a lump in my throat as I waved goodbye to Mama as she drove off in tears. Ten years ago today I started at the University of Lincoln.

September 16th 2006 was when my university adventure began. Having celebrated my 18th birthday only 17 days earlier here I was going it alone, a long way from home (thank goodness Grandma and Grandpa were only 50 minutes away on the train). I’d say I was fairly independent before starting uni, but nothing can prepare you for the metaphorical smack in the face when you realize it’s just you relying on you. Although it wasn’t just me for very long; whilst I was the first to move into the six bed halls, I was soon joined by Bekki and her ridiculously tiny and not to mention dangerous toaster!! And even though we don’t see each other even half as much as we should, our escapades in those first few weeks are still some of the funniest memories! Look at me all fresh faced and full of sass!

I made so many friends, grew as a person, laughed, cried, sat there and thought what am I doing, not to mention spent my last fiver more times than I care to remember; these are all part of the uni experience. The University of Lincoln was a small city campus, now ten years on it’s continued to grow both in it’s status in the league tables and also the campus is nearly double in size.

My advice to anyone starting university this month: Take a deep breath and don’t look back, take the plunge – enjoy the ride, bumps and all. Yes you’ll be scared, yes you’ll make mistakes but ultimately you’ll come out of it the adult you’re meant to be. Oh and Freshers week will make you and break you!

Ten years on: do I miss it? Would I do it again? Yes and yes, my time at the University of Lincoln made me: Rosie Corriette BA (Hons) Marketing and Public Relations, and if I’m completely honest, I miss it; I miss learning, I miss the lecturers (shout out to the legend that is Jane Crofts and David Gannon) and I even miss the GWC library – who remembers spending hours looking out the window on a Wednesday night (hey hey student night) at everyone queuing to get into Engine Shed whilst you were battling a deadline you shouldn’t have left until the last 12 hours!

What’s your favourite university memory? I’m so fortunate that I have so many amazing memories and when someone asks me where I went to university, it is with great pride that I say: Lincoln, of course!

For me my smile is everything, I talk a lot and anyone who knows me will say that I can’t go more than five minutes without laughing! I worked really hard as a teenager with my orthodontics (who remembers getting extra hours in with their head brace over the weekend!) and ten years ago I loved my smile. Fast forward ten years: life, pregnancy and motherhood have taken their toll on my smile. My teeth aren’t as Hollywood white as they use to be (I would get asked all the time if I’d had my teeth whitened, and I never had) -Whilst everyday staining has played a part in my teeth colour, the biggest factor was while I was pregnant with Boo I suffered with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. This meant that I would be sick upwards of thirty times a day and my teeth took a battering from all the acid. Whilst they may seen fairly white to others, the difference to me is really noticeable.

Being half Iranian, I’ve always had fairly large plump lips, but these too have changed considerably over the years, so last week I headed to SmilePod in Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf for a consultation on lip fillers and at home teeth whitening. I Saw the lovely Dr Karen Orempuller who suggested my teeth could be whitened at home to achieve the shade I had before I was pregnant. When I discussed my lips, she also agreed that I could benefit from carefully targeted fillers to enhance my lip line and shape with a small amount of volume increase.

Let’s be completely honest: Nobody needs lip fillers or teeth whitening, it’s a choice and one that needs to be made with all the facts. It’s not up to me to try and justify my decision to have aesthetics, I’m having them done for my own reasons and my view is as long as your choices are healthy and you recognise that by changing your appearance won’t change you then it’s ultimately no one else’s business.

I know I’m in safe hands with SmilePod when I head there tomorrow for my appointment. I’ll be picking up my molds and at home teeth whitening kit and having the lip filler injectables. During my consultation last week, Dr Orempuller talked through the filler she’ll be using on my lips, Juvederm and the technique to in order to achieve the desired result. SmilePod offer convenient, high quality dentistry across London with their seven clinics and with clear pricing for all their services, from dentistry, teeth straightening to rejuvenating treatments – allowing you to stay in control

Make sure you’re following me across all social media – @rosiecorriette tomorrow as I share my smile transformation journey with SmilePod.

Disclosure: I’m receiving teeth whitening and lip fillers with compliments from SmilePod, all opinions are my own.