INAA.COM and the SHABA awards 2013

I am so organised with most aspects of my life it is infuriating ( especially for poor other half), my levels of spontaneity are hideously low except for in one area… haircuts.

 I go for ages without so much as a trim and then suddenly out  of nowhere I decide I must have it cut and it must be NOW, within the next two hours preferably and regardless of the fact its mid week and I work till half 5! Nothing stops me-I will just trawl the net or hit the streets in the hope of finding somewhere to give me a new do. As you can imagine this has led to a variety of disasters and of course instant regret. No matter how many times I swear I will be more organised and find a good salon next time and plan ahead,  I never do. And so the cycle continued until earlier this year when I had my first experience with INAA.com ( I Need An Appointment) I had been on the site a couple of times since its launch but never actually clicked how useful it could be to someone like me, it lets me put in what kind of treatment I want and when and then shows me all the options available to me and means I can actually choose where I want to go based on the price being offered, reviews or where it is! Basically my dream site and one I am kicking myself for not using before!

My last spontaneous cut announcement saw me paying to have it done at a salon in town called Cruz and I am so glad I did, it was the best haircut I can ever remember having, the stylist Bea was amazing- actually listening to what I want, explaining what she was doing as she went and leaving me feeling amazing and all for £18 at the very last minute, I was thrilled!

All ready for us Scottish Bloggers ( photo from INAA)

I had been meaning to share my experience for ages with you guys when the other week I was actually invited along to an INAA event which reminded me I hadn’t put it on the blog. Held at the beautiful 29 Private Members Club,the event was to launch the announcement of the  finalists for The Scottish Hair and BeautyAwards (SHABA) 2013, something the clever ladies behind INAA set up a couple of years ago and is a fantastic way to celebrate some of the amazing salons and talents we have in the industry here in Scotland. They put on a fabulous event for us lucky Scottish Bloggers and it was a great way to learn more about the company, the awards and some of the products they work in association with such as Lauren Goodger and her Lauren's Way tan line.

gorgeous Ayden getting her hair did thanks to Bumble & Bumble

I found using INAA such a handy tool and I will absolutely be doing it the next time the haircut urge strikes, and not just for that I know now I can use It for all types of treatment from mani’s to massages so make sure you check it out!

If you want to know more about the fabulous SHABA awards then you can check out the finalists HERE. I can't wait to hear who the winners are at the big glam bash on Sunday. A huge thanks to the INAA ladies and the team at Alison James PR for such a fab event.

I am not being compensated in anyway for this post- I really loved using INAA and think it could be incredibly useful for other readers too :)

Highland Fling reminder!

Just a quick post to remind all my lovely Scottish based readers to get along to Michael Bourne and the Scottish Ballet’s Highland Fling if at all possible. I went along last night and it was a truly mesmerising and  fun filled evening. I have never really ‘ laughed’ as such at a ballet before but this one was so lively, witty and genuinely funny you could really feel the warmth from the packed out audience. It was so nice to see people at the end really buzzing about the experience!

It is such an infectious performance, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it today- there were so many well observed and communicated moments, that it made for a magical experience. It is so ‘Scottish’  without being just stereotypical or twee ( even with all the tartan!). It was a piece that made me really wish I could get pretty much everyone I know along , as I just know how much they would all enjoy it, male and female, through all the generations.

A massive well done to everyone involved in creating this production,it really was a ‘romantic wee ballet’  and I felt honoured to get to see it. 

For ticket info head on over to the Ballet's website

Glasgow Reviewed: The Grand Ole Opry

The greatest birthday cakes of all time!

Enjoying some amazing food at Roastit Bubbly Jocks.

Some secret decorations and a gorgeous amulet necklace

Ready for the best night in ever!

I am on a come down today from the BEST birthday ever and I had to share. I was 27 on Friday ( sob) and had a lovely day celebrating with the boyf and the bestie ( sounds like a crap band name!) I was thoroughly spoiled rotten by  my loved ones and it was a perfect relaxing quiet day, ending in a bottle of baileys and pitch perfect on DVD- HURRAH! Saturday night however was party time, one of my good friends celebrates her birthday two days after mine so often we celebrate together with our friends, and this year we decided it was time to get something off the bucket list and have a night out at Glasgow’s Grand Old Opry and it was one of the best nights out I have had in years and I am so glad I finally went.

 Opening its doors in the 1970’s the Opry is a country and western club split over 3 levels, with 2 dance floors, a saloon bar  and even a takeaway style café filled with all the goodies you could possibly want after a few shandys- chips and cheese between line dancing- HELLO!  I was blown away by the place from the authentic décor, the line up of the evening,  and how incredibly welcoming and friendly both the staff and regulars were to our merry band of pals! With incredibly cheap drink prices, fabulous music and amazing line dances to watch ( and try to join in with!) the whole night was fantastic, there is even a break for a spot of bingo, a raffle AND there is a chance for people to sign up for the shoot out, where you get the chance to draw a gun and win respect from your cowboy pals! This might all sound a little bizarre but I cannot explain how much fun it is and how nice it was to do something completely different. 

If you are looking for a new experience I can whole heartedly recommend trying a night at the Opry, I cannot wait to go back and the whole group has been raving about it since! They even do line dancing and 50's jive classes that I am so tempted by, I will be a pro in no time! 

Thanks to all my lovely friends and family who really made it the most memorable and fun birthday ever, maybe 27 ain't so bad after all...

Hope everyone else had a fab weekend.

Beauty Speed Dating event with Itison

Apologies for being MIA the past couple of weeks, for some reason I decided I just wasn't busy enough and have taken on three short courses to do at the same time! Clearly a mid life crisis ( I am 27 this week- SOB!) that hit at a lunchtime, and before I knew what was happening I had booked and paid for a starter sewing class and jewellery making class  to do on top of the Open University course in nutrition I had already signed up to! Loving them all so far though so can’t complain, just means blogging has had to fall a little by the wayside as I have no other time. Will be back in action shortly though but in the meantime wanted to share this even for any Glasgow lovelies as I think it is a fab idea;

 

Itison are holding the first Speed Beauty evening at the gorgeous Metropolitan in the Merchant Square, Glasgow, this coming Wednesday and it looks like an amazing  evening is planned. Just like a speed dating event, this night is the perfect opportunity to get to know a variety of beauty brands such as DIY Nails, We are Faux lashes, Hair is for Heroes, Beautiful Brows and the Illamasqua team will be there too. Each brand will take 10 minutes with you- to present their products and give you a ten minute tutorial,you then move around and get to know the next one and at the end of the evening there will be time to head back to the ones you fell in love with most and spend a little more time with them- GENIUS!

Tickets are only £5 available here and include a complimentary vino to enjoy as well- it sounds like my dream evening!

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend,

Scottish Ballet and Matthew Bourne present Highland Fling

If you are looking for something special to do this month I urge you to get along to one of the performances of the Scottish Ballet's latest work- Matthew Bourne's Highland Fling. Having seen a few of the Scottish Ballet creations and being a big fan of Bourne's innovative and modern style I know this is going to be absolutely magical and I wanted to spread the word before opening night so anyone who has never been to the ballet considers this performance for their first time!



I only just caught the BBC imagine programme last week that was all about Bourne ( who you might know best for his all male version of Swan Lake) and how he put together an updated Sleeping Beauty and it was a joy to watch. He has such a creative mind and so many fresh ideas that Highland Fling is sure to be fantastic and not be missed. This is his first collaboration with the Scottish ballet and is inspired by the classic romantic ballet La Sylphide with a contemporary Scottish Twist;

Meet James – a young Scot with sex and love and rock and roll on his mind. Recently married to his beloved Effie, his addiction to excess finds him in the fateful company of a beguiling gothic fairy.  As his love for the strange and beautiful sylph becomes an obsession, he embarks on a fateful journey that takes him from the mean streets and nightclubs of Glasgow into a magical world beyond reality and reason.

It sounds so up my street, I cannot wait to see it!

You can catch Highland Fling at;

The Theatre Royal GLASGOW April 27th- 4th May 2013
Eden Court Theatre INVERNESS 9 – 11 May 2013

His Majesty’s Theatre ABERDEEN 16 – 18 May 2013

Festival Theatre EDINBURGH 22 - 25 May 2013

I absolutely urge you to head along if you can, tickets are on sale now and don't forget they offer the fantastic value of £10 standby tickets for anyone under the age of 26, full time students or anyone not currently working. 

Sponsored Post: Getting set for summer

Pula-Croatia

With summer just around the corner ( although here in Scotland it seems as if that corner is incredibly far off…..!) I have been  looking at getting myself all ready for a bit of sunshine. I have booked a bit of an adventure to Croatia and Venice with my other half for August time, and it looks as though it is going to be an absolute scorcher. It has been 6 years since I have jetted off anywhere worthy of a swimming costume and suddenly I feel all bashful about it and want to get myself in tip top condition for the beach. From perusing swimwear on my lunch break to researching a good laser hair removal  clinic, I am all over this bikini body malarkey and it seems there is so much on offer these days to give you that boost to ditch the sarong and strut your stuff on the shoreline!

 

I still have a few months left before I head off, so still plenty of time to lost this Easter ( and still a lot of Christmas) muffin top, but I always like to be organised ahead of schedule. I have had a small course of microdermabarasion at the Sk:n clinic a few years ago and LOVED It. Since then I have been reading up on different types of procedures and have been eyeing up quite a few different ones but with this holiday coming up it is their laser hair removal courses I am really tempted by- it would make life so much easier!

All this is planning and organising it proving a fantastic distraction to what has been a pretty miserable, not to mention snowy, March. Roll on summer!

*Sponsored Post*