ANOTHER_SPACE

Another gym post, but not just another gym. My new favourite!

Another_Space is located right in the heart of Covent Garden, less than 5 minute walk from Tottenham Court Road station. I've recently read that this gym has won prizes for being London's "most beautiful gym".

No memberships or joining fees, just the way we like it. You buy credits and credits = classes. 

They provide everything you need for a hassle free workout - meaning there is an entire section called "Pack Light" on their website. If you work in the area, or want to have a quick workout before brunch and a day of shopping, there's nothing better than not having the carry a heavy ass backpack around London. 

I'm talking Cowshed shampoo and conditioners, body lotions and facial cleaners, deodorants, fresh workout towels waiting in the studio, fluffy white towels for showering and biodegradable towels for your hair, cycling cleats and boxing gloves... the works!

This studio operates as a one-stop-shop for HIIT training, cycling and hot & normal temperature yoga. Their HIIT classes combine boxing and interval training, and the cycling is a similar set up to Psycle London (although I do prefer Psycle classes for how they choreograph with the music). I haven't tried a yoga class yet because yoga is boring

The Trainers are fantastic, they're super organised and the classes and explosive and well timed to the music so you leave the studio feeling like you gave it your all. 

Plus, there are there is a cafe that supplies food from The Natural Kitchen and mix-and-match smoothies for the perfect refuel. (My favourite is this breakfast smoothie with oats, banana, almond milk and almond butter)

photos from www.google.com/images

sweaty but smiling

The facilities combined with the effort and skill of the Trainers make this place my current numero 1 - if you haven't checked it out already get off your ass and get to it! 

Have you tried HIIT boxing, spinning or hot yoga? 

What's your favourite place to work out in London? Any recommendations? 

Let me know in the comments below! 

x o x o 

Monaco Yacht Show 2016

I went to Monaco once with my family when I was about 17. I remember the winding road down the harbour, the same road where the beautiful Princess Grace met a fatal accident. It was sunny, quiet and clean, a sleepy sea side village. We went into the Monte Carlo Casino for a tour and strolled along the Marina admiring the yachts and taking photos next to the super cars like ultimate tourists.   

Fast forward only a few years (because I wasn’t 17 almost 10 years ago…. I swear) you can imagine how thrilled I was when my new job said we would all be going to the Monaco Yacht Show 2016.

Free trip to Monaco to be wined and dined on big ass boats - ummm...  YASSSSS!

Main Event

The Monaco Yacht Show is the biggest event for the world’s yachting industry leaders, crew and clientele. The exhibition displays things you and I wouldn’t even believe need to exist. This is where it all comes together, and where the people who seem to have it all come to find the things they don’t.

And who popped up again?! The yacht from my previous posts *it’s a small world after all* I swear the Chief Stewardess said to me “You’re wearing a lot more clothes than the first time we met!” I nearly died.

The most exquisite yacht we visited was M.Y. 11 11. This yacht belongs to Nick Candy and his wife. Nick Candy is the property designer and architect behind One Hyde Park. A penthouse in this particular building is rumoured to be the most expensive real estate in the world... So you can imagine what this guy's personal yacht is like. The place was UP UP UP - like I nearly cried from how amazing it was and how mind-blowing it is that people can actually live like this. 

Of course, no photos allowed. So photos courtesy of Benetti Yachts

Food Food Food

The best meal I had on the trip was at Beef Bar. It’s apparently one of the best places in Monaco to dine, especially if you’re a meat lover who likes to see and be seen. 

I'm not a huge meat eater so I stuck with sea food. Perfect as we were sat right next to the ocean. It was a superb dinner, good wine and the food was fresh and delicious. I even had truffle and Parmesan cheese mashed potatoes (gasp, indulgent much). I didn’t get any good photos of the food because it just felt SO weird photographing food with my work colleagues around!

Must tries

Lobster & caviar tacos

Classic French fries with truffle, Parmesan cheese & rosemary

Sea bass ceviche, tamarind & passion fruit

Wine - Tenute Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino 2010 

The photos above are from http://monaco.beefbar.com/

Werk Tingz

The company I work for put on a presentation for about 40 yacht crew and captains that were attending the Yacht Show. 

We did a 4 course dining experience, each course the attendees swapped so everyone got some food. I won't go too much into it, but it involved a big production with a van with thousands of £ worth of product being driven from London to Monaco by two Jamaicans... blind folds...Phantom of the Opera masks... fake cocaine with sterling silver straws.. long list. 

photos from @Harlequinldn Instagram

I can't wait to go back, next time with more beach days and friends.

Maybe I'll see you next summer Monaco.

x o x o

SARDINIA, PART II

I left my flat in London at around 8:30 am, arrived at Olbia Airport by midday and by 2 pm I was on a tender speeding from the Porto Cervo marina to a super yacht anchored off the coast. 

Sometimes in life things line up so beautifully you all you can do is laugh and watch it unfold.  

The steward helped us from the tender on to the deck and up the stairs we went -instantly greeted by a glass of champagne and a spread of snacks. Looking at the glasses, and the spread of food I realised this yacht was one of our clients! It had been a tricky job, just 2 weeks before our first proposal was turned down and after so many adjustments and changes they eventually chose the products we were using! 

It's so crazy to go from seeing them on your computer screen and wrapped in bubble wrap to being on the receiving end living "dat good good life". 

The best part was it was girls only. We had the entire yacht to ourselves and unlimited champagne and then... tequila shots. You wouldn't believe most of us only just met that day or the night before, it was like partying with old friends. 

The girls said the crew had taken them fishing the day before and they caught a tuna that the chef had prepared for our lunch. 

We had the tuna curried some sorta way and a cous-cous salad with a magnificent white wine on the deck. Dreamy.

Then back at it again at Phi Beach. 

DJ Solomun was playing that night, I'm not a house fan, but the blend of setting sun and savoury suds made the music sounds just so sweet. 

Day one done. 

THE FIRST RULE OF FIGHT CLUB IS…

A few years ago, I saw a video of Adriana Lima and her preparation for the VS fashion show, standing in a boxing ring looking way too perfect for someone who just completed a day’s worth of training.

I’ve worked with a few trainers since then and I can honestly say boxing is one of my favourite exercises. I just picture some assholes face on the punching bag and jab, right hook, jab, jab -Frustrations out, sweat out, confidence up. 

Having a one-on-one personal training session every weekend is very expensive and unrealistic for my current budget and lifestyle. The boutique gyms around London give pretty much the same results without the price tag. 

Their facilities are immaculate and well designed, the trainers are attractive, friendly and the best at what they do. You can go to these spaces and do your class, have a special health smoothie, get some special health food in the special on-site café from their special on-site kitchen or even get your hair done in the salon surrounded by like-minded special people. Very LA.

My top picks for Boxing-HIIT combination classes are: 

• Another Space
• 1 Rebel
• Core Collective
• KOBOX London

My latest trip was to KOBOX on King’s Road, Chelsea. It’s sparsely decorated and very minimalistic, with a room for the classes and a boxing ring.

The fitness room is dark except for UV kind of lights, with big mirrors and colourful lights along the ceilings. My class had about 30 people, a mixed crowd of both men and women. My friends were quick to point out how hot all the guys were (apparently, an unusual phenomenon)

We did the full-body workout with a pint-sized fierce teacher called Maciela - it was so tough! We used weights, body-weight, punching bags, everything. You either start on the bags or on the wall and then switch after about 3 or 4 minutes with minimal rest in between.

Not looking like Adriana Lima after class

We pre-ordered our smoothies before the class so they were ready for us as soon as we were out. I had an almond-chocolate-protein-something and my friend had a coconut blueberry protein smoothie.

After we showered and cleaned up we took a stroll around Chelsea. Every Saturday there is a market by The Duke of York Square next to the Saatchi Gallery.

They have stalls with all kinds of food, from oysters and champagne to Ethiopian vegan wraps or crispy duck sandwiches. You can grab a bite and sit in the square where there is usually a live band playing. That afternoon a Spanish guitar group was playing The Gipsy Kings (my grandma loves The Gipsy Kings, who doesn't love the Gipsy Kings?)

SO good! But it was way too chilly to sit outside so we ended up having a long lunch at Nell’s further down King’s Road.

Do you like to keep fit with friends? Or maybe you prefer a strictly a boozy brunch or sleeping in all Saturday? 

Let me know in the comments below! 

xoxo