Let's Start With This One...

Good Morning Lovelies, 

A few weeks ago, I roped in my neighbours dogs to help trial some new dog food. You lovelies responded amazingly and it allowed me to be given another opportunity to put Hug’s new ready meals to the test. 

Containing organic blackberries, seasonal vegetables and only the best prime meats around, including lamb, beef and chicken, their new meals are full to the brim with essential proteins, vitamins and minerals, all sourced from 100% British ingredients. Frozen to help keep them fresher for longer, each dish can be popped into the microwave for a few minutes before being cooled and served to your dog/dogs. 

Testing them out on her two spaniels again, my neighbour found that the meals went down a treat. After leaving the meals to defrost in the fridge for 24 hours, they simply popped them into their microwaveable bowls and after the set cooking time, allowed the animals to dig in. Something they truly did.   

Gifted to us to trial we had four meals to provide for them. These included a beef and sweet potato meal, alongside lamb and mint, venison and blackberry and chicken and carrot dishes. All of which the dogs absolutely adored. 

Venison is an unusual food for dogs, but hers loved it and when we watched them tucking into the dishes, we were really impressed. My neighbours stated that they would probably keep or buy the meals as a treat for their animals, instead of having them as a main meal all the time, but they would definitely continue to feed them with Hug Pet Food meals. Especially, with the great quality products they were getting and the good portion sizes too. 

They were really happy with the way that their dogs reacted to the meals overall. It left their pets full and happy, which is all you can really hope for when it comes to pet food. Plus, with one of the dogs being pregnant, it was good to know she was looking after the puppies inside her well.

Definitely one to buy when treating your animals, the Hug pet food company knows exactly how to make the whole family happy. From early puppy stages to adult dogs, there is literally food suitable for all types, which can be found on their website. It’s a barking good deal to be had!   

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

Perfume is my biggest pleasure in life. I adore it so much that I can tell what someone is wearing, the brand and scent, just by them walking past me. In my room, I have a whole drawer dedicated to the stuff. So, when I find out about a new brand, I am interested. 

Spotting Dolma Perfumes on Twitter, I was quick to reach out to them to discover more. Kindly, the team offered to send me a number of samples to test what the fragrances were like and I am so impressed. 

Measured out into small bottles, I got a fantastic parcel full of tester of every scent the brand makes. From the woody First Rain to my personal favourite Imagine, which is for men but I would happily use it, the team has made a smell to suit every single mood for both men and women. 

Made using 100% vegan ingredients, the cruelty free brand, is a sustainable and ethically great creator. Upon open each bottle, I was hit with endless gorgeous smells that lasted for ages. Over the course of the past few weeks, I have tried those smells daily and many have had compliments said about them. A huge confidence booster if I do say so. 

Although the samples were small the impact they made was massive. I would confidently tell people about the brand when asked and was proud to support a small business. They were not one I had heard of before but seeing the praise the smells got made me happy to encourage others to discover them. 

Their main aim is to become a leading fragrance brand that helps to save the planet. One smell at a time! Something I really want them to achieve. With such amazing smells like these, they honestly deserve to be up there with the best of the best. 

Since trying the brand, I have found myself wanting to now build up a collection. I’m going to make sure to ask for a bigger bottle when Christmas comes around in fact. I need the full size Imagine bottle in my life. Something I will make happen. It truly deserves a place in my perfume cabinet. 

With aftershaves available too and lots of great fragrances on offer, Dolma Perfumes, will be a brand that once you smell or try it you won’t forget. It is honestly incredible and I wish them all the best! Head to their website now lovelies to help them if you can. If you do, I promise you will not be disappointed! 

Joey X

Good Morning Lovelies, 

PAW Patrol has been a firm favourite in our house for a long time. Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye and Rocky, as well as their human companion Ryder, have helped keep my nephew entertained for hours. 

Years later, my young neighbours are now the big fans in our lives. This made it very exciting for me to be able to give them the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive look at the new film, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, out on the 13th October. 

A sequel to the 2021 film, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie features the voices of Kim Kardashian, McKenna Grace, Taraji P.Henson, James Marsden and the new voice of Ryder, Finn Lee-Epp in his feature debut. With a mighty voice cast, the story had to be mighty too! And for young audiences it definitely was! 

After years of feeling like she isn’t as valued as her fellow pups, Skye, finds herself rising above them when a meteor lands on Adventure City. Causing all of the PAW Patrol team to gain superpowers, they decide to become the Mighty Pups. Yet, their helpful ways are soon placed under threat when the evil Mayor Humdinger escapes from prison to join forces with meteor expert Victoria Vance to steal the pups' crystals. 

For many adults, the film won’t be a thrill ride, but for young viewers it is a magical journey from start to finish. Over one hour and 35 minutes, the boys didn’t move and were captivated by what they were seeing on screen. In fact, I take it back, even the adults were. It’s an innocent feature that everyone who loves PAW Patrol can enjoy. 

Many themes from the show were connected to this feature compared to the last. This made it a real joy, providing better understandings for all. The cast are great and whist little ones may not know them, it is great as an older audience member to try and guess who is voicing who. Marsden being a stand out villain. 

After 10 years since it first made its way onto our screens, PAW Patrol is still riding high when it comes to entertaining everyone. There is nothing about this film that people of all ages wouldn’t enjoy. The crew and creators continue to make content that is fun but educational. A key element that really stood out to me was the tie in between Chase’s anxiety and Skye’s worries about not being good enough. As an adult who suffers from both it hit all the feels. 

Clever, funny and sweet, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is a real winner when it comes to sequels. With a family friendly U rating, the extra thrills means all those watching will be loving every second of the action on screen. It really is a mighty feature for all the family! 

4 Stars

Joey X

Hey Lovelies,

September is one of my favourite months of the year! It’s a time when everything feels fresh. The new school year begins. Autumn starts to appear. The festive celebration preparations begin. Oh, I simply love it. Honestly, I think that from September until January I truly come alive, so be prepared for all kinds of fun. 

This month, I found myself enjoying lots of random things. Yet, all of them made my life so much better. These included…

My Favourite Book - Magazines: September is the one time of the year where I try to buy or read as many magazines as possible. The September issues are the best ones, apart from the Christmas features, which makes them all readable. Whether it be food, fashion or films, I will make sure to enjoy them all. 

My Favourite TV Show - At Home With The Fury’s: I love me a reality TV show and this new one from boxer Tyson Fury and his family hooked me in. I hope that they release another because it was so addictive. Paris Fury is my new hero!

My Favourite Food Find - Melon: At the end of August and well into September, I fell in love with melon again. Selecting the already chopped fingers from Tesco’s to prevent waste, I have these everyday now. I’m so proud of myself for conquering this fear.

My Favourite Beauty Item - EarCalm: Okay, so not super glamorous, but I was suffering a lot from head pressure, vertigo, a temperature and nausea a lot at the start of the month. Add in my anxiety about all the symptoms and I was a bit of a mess. After medical advice and research, I found this over the counter product and it saved me so much. In a matter of days my ear cleared up. There was no residue and I could hear better again. For around £6.50, it was cheaper than a prescription too.

My Favourite Podcast - The Meatball Pod: Jersey Shore’s Deena and Snooki have started their own podcast, which is truly perfect. Telling us all inside secrets about the show and how it is made, I have such a huge amount of respect for the cast now. Plus, I love how honest these two have always been. This podcast has made watching the show even better in my eyes.

My Favourite Experience: This month I finally headed back into London. My love affair began with the city when I went to university there. It then grew when I started my dream job in Covent Garden. Now when I go back into central London, I find myself being enchanted by it all over again. London never change! 

What was your favourite thing about the month of September lovelies? 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies,

Have you ever been somewhere or doing something and had the oddest of cravings? Due to my ED, it isn’t often that I find myself craving foods. Yet, I had the oddest one the other day.

Ever since I was little, I can remember not really liking the icing on the top of a child’s birthday cake. The kind that was always so sickly sweet, super white and smelt of pure sugar. When I was younger, I would actually take the icing off and give it to my dad after unwrapping the cake piece found inside a party bag. 

Yet, I really wanted some whilst out the other day. It was a craving that came literally out of nowhere. I was near no cakes. I didn’t even want the cake. I don’t really like cake, unless it is a fruit one, so the way this feeling came to be was a shock. 

However, it got me thinking, where do these random urges and cravings come from? You hear of pregnant women seeking out certain foods. You hear of people asking others what they are craving or fancy eating when trying to find a place when out and about. You can even crave items or products that you simply must have. But where does it all come from? 

It’s such an odd feeling. Unlike anything most of us feel or think about day to day. Do we really want what we crave? Will it be as good as we think? I honestly don’t know, but it is so interesting to think that our minds make our hearts and bodies want something so much that we start to seek it out. 

I believe it comes down to the hunter/gatherer in us all from way back when. They obviously wanted something and many times would fight for it. There so, whilst I haven’t brought a random birthday cake to enjoy the icing off of, because I don’t think I would really like it still, if you truly want something I think you should go and enjoy it. 

We don’t often get these little urges or pleasures in life, so when your mind and heart give you the urge to have them, do it! My mind is all over the place with food, yet when I have a craving to go buy some LEGO, I go for it. When I crave the scent of a candle in my home, after smelling it, I  buy it. Life is too short to resist the odd cravings we have. 

Today, I want you to take whatever you are craving, within reason and safety wise, and enjoy it lovelies! You truly deserve it! 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

Normally, I’m a bit of a sucker for prepared ginger. Often using the powder or puréed form, I get mine off the shelves nine times out of ten. Yet, there is something super special about having fresh ginger in a gingerbread mix. Especially when it comes to Christmas. 

However, when faced with ginger, I don’t know much about how to prepare it or what really to do with it. So, when I was asked if I would like some help by Microplane, I instantly said yes. 

Upon arrival, I was amazed at the sleek and inventive design. Super light but with all the shine you would expert, the Microplane Ginger Tool is a three in one gadget that makes peeling, grating and cutting fresh ginger a breeze. 

With a sturdy rubber end and an easy to grip handle, I took my fresh ginger and decided to give the slicer the first big test. Much like a mandolin slicer, this was quick and easy to do. Whilst I was a little worried I would cut myself, as I am super clumsy, on the smaller blade, I actually found that my hands didn’t go anywhere near it. All I felt were the sleek pieces of ginger that came off it. 

Impressed so far, I moved onto the grater next. This is what I was most interested in using, knowing that it would be this part I would use the most when making gingerbread men at Christmas. 

Holding onto the tool and the ginger, it was again a smooth and easy piece of kit to use. The grater took no time at all to make a large amount of fine ginger that I could easily place into a mixture. 

The hidden but key third feature was the peeler. If you weren’t looking closely, you would wonder where the peeler actually was. Placed onto the side of the tool, it is a little hard to see, yet, when you use it you definitely don’t miss it. It is a small but mighty feature, taking the skin off the ginger in no time at all. 

Overall, I was really impressed with the tool and will definitely be using it again. In fact, I know that I will be using it on other foods as well when baking or cooking. I can’t wait to put the tool to the test at Christmas in fact, because it means that I can make quick gingerbread presents easily. Something I know my neighbours will like. 

Ginger isn’t a normal kitchen staple, but it might just become one now! 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

It’s been a long time since I discussed the podcasts that I have been listening to! As we fall into what I like to classify as the real start of the year, I thought I would share what new ones I have discovered and can’t get enough of. 

Here are five of my latest listens that I simply adore popping on at home, when out and about or before I fall asleep…

The Therapy Crouch: Peter Crouch has a hugely successful podcast of his own. This one though is loads better to me and I think it comes down to the great dynamic between him and wife Abbey Clancy! Their weekly Wine Time is always funny and the discussions they have are honest, open and insightful. I can’t wait for their YouTube videos of the podcast every Tuesday morning!

The Katie Price Show: Growing up, I was obsessed with everything that Katie Price and Peter Andre did. I adored their reality TV show, had the Katie Price bedding and even a few bottles of her perfume. Yet, in recent years I hadn’t really paid much attention to them. Seeing and hearing about her new podcast got me interested and I have to say I am hooked. It really surprised me, but I love the authenticity and relatability from Katie and her sister Sophie. Both are very open about what goes on in their lives from their mum’s illness to their love of curries and Primark PJs. Thursday mornings feel like a sleepover with the girls.

The Meatball Pod: Jersey Shore will always be my favourite reality TV show. The lives of Jenni, Snooki and Deena were everything to me growing up. So, when I spotted that Deena and Snooki were making their own podcast, I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. Full of inside secrets, it makes me want to binge watch the original series so hard. Once a meatball, always a meatball!

Live, Laugh, Love - The Ladbaby Podcast: My mum is obsessed with Mark and Roxy! Every video they post, she has seen it! However, other than a few clips and the famous Christmas songs, I didn’t know much about them! However, this podcast has changed all of that and I now have a brand new respect for them. They are so relatable and lovable that you just can’t help falling for them. 

The Phonebox Podcast: Fresh from mum influencer Emma Conway, this weekly podcast takes listeners on a trip down memory lane. Every episode features a special guest who talks about their experiences of being a 14-year-old. From Take That to Tammy Girl, it mentions all of my favourite 90s and 00s loves often. It’s a nostalgia treat each week.

What have you all been listening to recently? Give me your recommendations, as I love discovering new pods to binge on! 

Joey X

Hey Lovelies, 

Every morning, I like to start my day with a good old bowl of cereal! Topped with honey or jam and fresh fruit, before adding a splash of milk and popping into the microwave to warm up, I simply adore the stuff. 

Both me and my brother John have been like this since we were young! Whilst I don’t think he likes warm milk, we both have cereal every day and agree a lot on the best ones. From supermarket own ones to big brands, we will try a lot of them and then discuss. 

For a long time, I was scared of cereals, but thankfully with his help, I have been able to enjoy them again, instead of just sticking with Weetabix. Don’t get me wrong, I love them to, however, there is so much choice out there to embrace. 

There so, I wanted to share my favourite cereals that are always in my cupboard. Especially if my brother comes to visit…

Chocolate Hoops: Weetos may be good, but the Aldi ones are better! There I said it! Topped with strawberry jam, heated in the microwave with milk and popping a straw into it afterwards, you get a fruity hot chocolate on top of the hoops. Plus, they are so much cheaper than the big brand and healthier! Winner, winner, chocolate hoops for breakfast, lunch and dinner! 

Golden Nuggets: This is a childhood classic in our house! When my brother comes to stay he loves to share a bowl alongside me of them. These and Cookie Crisp, plus the previously mentioned hoops, were what made our mornings as kids. It makes me so happy to share the memories when eating this again with him.

Rice Krispies: Currently my favourite cereal to have, I love the supermarket own brand ones more than the branded ones. Having tried Aldi and Asda’s, I find them both super light, which is great for my IBS. Topped with honey, covered in warm milk, they are simply snap, crackle and pop amazing! 

Cornflakes: Whether branded or not, I love warm cornflakes. I was scared of these for so long, yet a holiday away, where they were the only cereal available, made me fall in love with them again. In fact, they have become a bit of a breakfast staple on recent trips if I think about it. 

Special Red Berry Flakes: Super fruity and great tasting, I don’t have these that much, but they always go well with honey. I love the sweet taste of the berries, especially in the Tesco’s version of these. 

Shreddies: When we were growing up we would always have these around. The old advert with the grannies made me want them and since then they have never left. Shreddies are simply fab with warm milk on a cold day. 

There are a few others we always have and I haven’t mentioned our love of porridge either, although we always have oats in, as I wanted this to be about the cereals our cupboard is full of lovelies. It may be odd to do a post like this, but I’m a little odd bod aha! 

What cereal do you like to eat in the morning lovelies?

Joey X