Holiday bliss

Los Angeles – a love affair

Was it all a dream? The most amazing ten days of my life. I have found home at last, on the beach in Santa Monica, in the traffic jams of LA, in a cosy restaurant in Newport Beach and somewhere between Sunset and Hollywood Boulevard.

Sunday 10th February 2013 | 5 comments | Category: Dena, Holiday bliss | Tags: beach, California, hollywood, LA, Los Angeles, Newport beach, Santa Monica, Sunset boulevard

Marrakech

Been back from Marrakech for almost 10 days now but been busy catching up with friends and life. Me and Christina has the most fantastic time in Morocco. I have never been on a girlie holiday before and it was so incredibly relaxing. We both work hard here in London and live busy lives so a good rest was much needed. We did some sunbathing, visited the Atlas mountains which was probably my favourite part of the trip, and explored the souk (bazaar) almost every night hunting for treasures. I returned to London with a suitcase filled with jewellery and Argon oil. We met some really nice people and ate delicious food every day. Not to forget our Spa days, if you visit Morocco then you have you try their hammam.

Friday 5th October 2012 | 1 comment | Category: General, Holiday bliss, Travel | Tags: argon oil, holiday, Marrakech, Morocco, Travel

Motivated

You know you’re motivated when you drag yourself to the hotel gym after 5 hours of sunbathing in 40 degrees. Beach 2013 – we got nothing to fear.

Saturday 22nd September 2012 | 4 comments | Category: Holiday bliss | Tags: gym, Marrakech, motivated, sun

From one home to the next

Enjoying my last day here in our winter home in Tenerife. It’s been so nice to be next to my family, catching up on love and sleep. I fly back to London later today. I know the cold is awaiting me, but so are all my loved ones and I can’t wait …. London is a funny city. It takes time to get used but then it suddenly feels like home and you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

This is the view from our balcony. My favourite place to go for a walk to clear my head. Since I’ve been here alone this time I’ve had plenty of time to think about life and the future. What I found is that I’m comfortable with my thoughts and where they are taking me. And it’s true what they say, the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one we have with ourselves.

Saturday 4th February 2012 | 3 comments | Category: Holiday bliss | Tags: beach, relationship, Tenerife, view

Beach hair

I look so happy here don’t I? I’m already day dreaming of our next beach holiday. When I’m in the sun I protect my hair by using Spray Shine by Hemp Organics. It adds instant shine while guarding your hair from UVA/UVB and it smells like candy. For deep conditioning I use a hair masque in the lengths and leave it on while my hair in a bun. When I wash it out in the end of the day my hair feels silky.

Wednesday 3rd August 2011 | 9 comments | Category: Holiday bliss, Travel | Tags: beach, Greece, hair, hemp organics, protection, sea, shine spray, UVA, UVB, zakynthos, Zante

A wonderful stay – Mabely Grand

I’ve had all kinds of experiences in hotels, some good others not so good. Our experience in Zakynthos was so amazing that I decided to thank the Hotel we stayed at with this post.

During our week on the Greek island we stayed at 5 star hotel Mabely Grand. It’s located in the north of the island far from the crowds. What I found interesting was that many of the guests were Greek which says a lot about the hotel. The Greek guests told us that Mabely is known as one the best hotels in the country, so no wonder it’s scored a massive 96% on Tripadvisor.

When we arrived to the hotel we were greeted by the beautiful Giota who was really friendly and helpful throughout our stay. I was so impressed by the grand lobby, it was like inside a palace but still so comfortable that you wanted to sit yourself down on one of the comfortable chairs or sofas and put your feet up. This hotel is ideal for those who seek peace and relaxation. If you want to experience bars and clubs you will need to rent a car or catch a taxi. Mabely has a view of olive groves and the sea beyond that.

It has around 100 rooms so it never gets too busy. There are two large swimming pools and suits with private pools. We were staying in a large suit which was very comfortable with a view of the Ionian sea. What we noticed during our stay is that there’s nothing the staff at Mabely won’t do for their guests. Anything you need you ask for it and they will make sure you have it.

I really recommend to opt for the all inclusive if you stay at this hotel because the food is unbelievably good. Unlike most hotels we’ve stayed at in the mediterranean the food never got repetitive at Mabely. Every single day we had new dishes served for lunch and dinner. The Chef takes great pride in his food and often comes out to talk to the guests and explain what’s being served and even sharing recipes. I am crazy about Greek food so I really enjoyed every meal. We were very impressed by the restaurant manager Vasilis whose looks were a hot topic for discussion amongst the guests. Many say he looks just like Al Pacino but I’m convinced he is Robert De Niro’s twin brother. This man is the most hard-working one I have ever met. Breakfast, lunch and dinner he was there making sure all guests were happy and everything was running smoothly. We especially liked the Greek nights he arranged with wonderful live music.

The hotel lobby has an elegant bar where you can sit and chat away with the charming barman George who enjoys his days on the beach and nights at Mabely. He mixes some wonderful cocktails and is a delightful figure to talk to.

Zakynthos

At the end of our stay we tried to think of something we were not pleased with and could no think of anything. Now that’s a first- especially for me. We are already planning our return. I want to Thank the staff at Mabely Grand who showed us wonderful hospitality and made our stay a comfortable and happy one. Mabely is Grand indeed!

Wednesday 3rd August 2011 | 7 comments | Category: Holiday bliss, Hotel Reviews, Travel | Tags: experience, fantastic, Greece, hotel, Hotel review, Mabely Grand, review, Sante, Travel, zakynthos

Where I belong

My darlings,

Sorry for the long silence. I’ve missed you and the blog world. Our holiday was heavenly and I wanted to share it with you so much but the wi-fi wasn’t good enough to upload any large photos. We got home last week and I got a horrible chest infection (no I don’t smoke) and I’m now on antibiotics. Taking it all very well though after that wonderful break. Today I’m sick but that’s not the only reason to why I’m home. I have joined my colleagues in striking against cuts and job losses within the BBC. So the next 5 days I am off work and will be blogging lots. But first lets catch up with some holiday posts.

Zakynthos (Zante) is a beautiful Greek island surrounded by the crystal clear waters of the Ionian Sea. My favourite beach was Alykes where the photo below was taken. It has a village atmosphere to it, with traditional tavernas and bars running along the beach. And the best part is that it’s never too crowded.

Monday 1st August 2011 | 14 comments | Category: Dena, Holiday bliss, Travel | Tags: Alykes, bars, beach, beingdena, Greece, Greek, holiday, Ionian, relaxation, sea, snorkling, tavernas, Travel, zakynthos, Zante

Sunny escape

I’m all packed for tomorrow morning and couldn’t be more excited :) It’s time to escape the horrible weather here at home and head for the Greek Island of Zante (Zakynthos). We’ve booked a suite at a 5 star hotel in a romantic village far away from the bars and clubs in the south of the island. I can’t wait to feel the sun on my skin. The hotel has good Wi-Fi so I will be updating from there.

Wednesday 20th July 2011 | 15 comments | Category: Holiday bliss, Travel | Tags: Greece, holiday, hotel, island, Travel, village, zakynthos, Zante

Stockholm on a sunny day

The past 10 days at home have been more than amazing. I am so well rested and happy. There’s something magical about Nordic countries and I feel so blessed to have my parental home in the most beautiful capital in the world, Stockholm. Some times I wonder what it would be like to move back home after all these years. Perhaps I would get bored after a while since I’m used to a totally different life tempo now, but one thing I would never get bored with is the amazing nature we have. And what’s better for our minds and souls than being close to nature.