Spontaneity isn’t something I usually go in for but with the desire for some much needed sun, time away and a British Airways companion voucher about to expire, Barcelona felt like the perfect trip for a long weekend…..with a toddler!

I’ll be honest. I was a little apprehensive. Long haul trips to the US with plenty of days out to keep little one entertained felt like a breeze compared to a short(ish) flight, transfer via public transport to a hotel and stuck in a city not being able to enjoy the nightlife as you may usually do pre-children.

How wrong I was. In fact, I would go as far to say that Barcelona is by far my favourite city to take a young family to, because it has so much more to offer than just being a city.

We started the trip off with an overnight stay at the Sofitel Heathrow Airport to ease the early flight of 7.45am the following day. It’s such a great base for a one night stay and makes travelling with young ones very convienient. The added bonus was a new feature of BA bag drop and check in. A fully functioning check in desk with weigh scales and printed barcode stickers meaning that we could drop bags off and then head straight to Terminal 3.

We travelled by Heathrow Express and it was super quick! We were through security and in the lounge with an hour to spare before boarding. An enjoyable breakfast of pastries and coffee with a view of the planes kept Little PB entertained.

The flight is a little over 2 hours. With films downloaded on the iPad and a helpful love of his headphones, Little PB was quite content for the whole flight. 

Upon arrival, we were greeted by our driver from Sun Transfers. I definitely recommend a private transfer as it avoids the hassle of buggy, bags and baby to contend with. The transfer took less than 30 minutes.

We arrived at Midtown Apartments, locates between Eixample and the Gothic Quarter. We were very impressed with the amount of room and facilities. A great space for a few days and very central.

With plenty of the day still to enjoy, we headed off to the aquarium. We walked from our apartment which took around 30 minutes but you can get the metro or a bus – the whole city is well connected by public transport. The aquarium is a good morning or afternoon spot – it certainly wouldn’t take you more than a few hours to work your way around.

For our first evening meal, we tried some fantastic tapas just round the corner, El Camino. Tapas is great for little ones – such variety and as much grazing as you like. We now know we have a 2 year old who loves a charactuerie board, melted cheese and squid.

Day 2 involved a bus ride up to the top of the mountain to Tibidabo, the theme park. You could  enjoy the scenic route via the Blue Tram and funicular railway but we opted for the direct bus service from Place de Catalunya at only €3 euros each.

The theme park is a great day out with young families. Lots of great rides for all ages and even better are the views back down to the bay.

The evening tapas was at El Nacional. A fantastic array of small restaurants all under one roof and they do the best dulche de leche ice cream.

Day 3 centred around some traditional sight seeing. We bought tickets for La Sagrada Familia and found there is a significant benefit in having a buggy with you as we jumped most of the queues.   A short metro ride took us down to the beach where we enjoyed the only chicken burger I’ve eaten in it’s entirety.  I would highly recommend a lunchtime feast at Bacoa Burger as not only is the food exceptional but the view of the sea isn’t bad either.

From the beach it’s a short walk to the base of the cable car. The queue was long but was well timed with Little PB’s nap and the weather was glorious! It was worth the wait though as the view from the cable car is breathtaking. The cable car takes you up to the Olympic Park. You can usually get a funicular back down but, you guessed it, it was closed so bus it was! This time less crowded and better air conditioning.

Despite being full from lunch, we still found time for some tapas – fois gras flatbread and grilled squid with squid ink risotto soon became firm favourites.

We booked a transfer back to the airport for the final day. A prompt pick up at 11am, it only took 20 minutes back to the airport so plenty of time to enjoy some brunch in the lounge. The lounge facilities were excellent – a wide choice of food and plenty of space. All went to plan with the flight home and we were soon back in grey British weather.

Barcelona will certainly be a city we return to. It was easy. Relaxed with lots of variety and still plenty to do on our next trip. Mr PB, when can we go again please?

x PB x

With the sun shining and temperatures set to reach a beautiful 18c this weekend, you could be fooled into thinking that we’ve skipped Spring and gone straight to early Summer!

But do not fear, for those temps are short lived. And so, there is still time for a refresh around the home (and you!) to welcome in the longer days. 

1. Get those windows open! On beautiful sunny days when the air is fresh, turn the heating off and open the windows. Unsurprisingly, during Winter, we rarely sit having dinner with the doors open but when the opportunity arises, recirculating the air brings freshness into the home! It’s almost like your home is taking a deep breath after hibernating.

2. Get your bed linen on the washing line. There will never be a smell more sweet than clean linen that’s been spinning on a washing line in the sunshine

3. Time for a declutter. Get everything out of your wardrobe and drawers and start a mindful sift of the items you no longer love. It will give you a spring in your step wearing older pieces you had forgotten about or perhaps fixing that button on your favourite dress or shirt making it wearable. You don’t need to spend money on a new wardrobe – you just need to shop within your current one!

4. Book a haircut. Or a treatment or something that makes you feel that you are dusting off Winter and striding into Spring

5. Treat yourself to a home DIY pedicure. I rarely paint my toes in Winter but adding a splash of colour can make you feel positive to those heady days of Summer to come (even if you only see your toes when you’re in the shower!)

6. Buy some daffodils and tulips. Such a simple but beautiful way to add some sunshine into your home

7. Do some gardening. If you have a garden, give it some care and attention with a bit of de-weeding, some careful cutting back and a tidy. If you don’t have a garden, perhaps buy a houseplant or a window box. The evenings are still set to be cold so don’t plant anything that might not survive a frost but just the preparation towards planting can be therapeutic 

8. Go for a walk. It’s easy to stay indoors when we’ve been used to it for the last few months, but push yourself to take a walk round the block and enjoy the sounds of nature around you

9. Get up early to hear the dawn chorus. I really encourage you to get up before sunrise one morning and listen to the dawn chorus. It’s been a beautiful way to start each day listening to the birdsong in the garden – awakening into a new day

10. Reset your intentions. You may be doing great with your New Year intentions or you may be in need of a refresh so spend some time reflecting and adjusting for the coming months

Hope that is all helpful! Enjoy the gorgeous weather this weekend

x PB x

In a world where we are always on the go and social media can take over, how we notice we are stressed and what we do about it can soon be forgotten.

So, I have 5 key steps to help calm and relax whenever I feel overwhelmed or just not myself

1. Write things down – I finally found a purpose for all those notebooks I bought over the years. I pretty much have one in every room I use in the house and one in my bag. Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed or worrying that I’m missing something, I write it down. I have a master to do list in my home planner and work notebook that ensures I capture everything

2. Getting up early – I certainly feel more stressed if I don’t start the day off right. Dragging myself into the day does nothing for my overwhelm. So, I 5-4-3-2-1 myself out of bed an hour or so before Little PB and that ensures I can get the house tidy and clean, make a cup of tea, shower and be ready for the day

3. Listen to a mediation app – I listen to Insights. I love it and use it on the go and at home. It’s fabulous for guided mediation (cos I ain’t no good at the DIY version!) and some only last 15 minutes making a perfect quick pick me up 

4. Pamper night – I’ll grab a face mask, my favourite skin care and the self tan! A tan in winter can do so much for my wellbeing – it helps to remind you of those heady days of summer (whilst smelling of digestive biscuits for 24 hours)

5. Reading – whether it’s an audiobook or an actual paperback, reading puts me in a different world and helps to suppress some of the overwhelm and calm the racing heart beat down

What do you do to alleviate stress levels?

x PB x

Towards the end of last year, I became very intrigued in the true benefits of self-care and how it can be used to both better ourselves and sometimes set us back.

After much thought and chatting through with friends, I came to realise that there are 2 versions of self-care.

We talk often about mindfulness – defined as clearing our mind and focusing on the here and now. But actually, taking the word literally suggests you should be filling your mind, not emptying it.

So this got me thinking – why would it be such a bad thing to have both mindfulness and mindlessness.

There are many activities/actions I undertake that fulfil both emptying my mind and filling my mind – both are beneficial for different reasons and I consciously choose what works for me at the time

For example, if I need inspiration or motivation, I fill my mind with podcasts, audio books, chatting to friends or reading (mindfulness)

But if I need that time to clear and cleanse and reset, I may go for a walk, make lists, tidy, minimise my screen time or rest (mindlessness)

What do you do to for mindfulness and mindlessness?

Love Hannah x

Let’s set the scene;

• I don’t have an insta style dressing room worthy of beautiful photos
• My wardrobe is not full to the brim of designer clothes, bags and shoes
• My wardrobe is conviently in Little PB’s bedroom

So, now that is out the way – I decided a couple of weeks ago that I needed to embrace what I did have and organise my wardrobe so that I could see the potential clearly every day.

Firstly, I emptied my wardrobe in its entirety onto the floor. This helped me to know what I had and what I wanted to keep or give to charity.

I then sorted what I was keeping into outfits – how could I maximise my clothes to make 3 or 4 outfits rather than one. So, taking each jacket and top and pairing them together with trousers and shoes.

If I didn’t have a coordinating item that could be matched with a piece a clothing, I put it aside.

My next best friend has become Pinterest. Searching for outfit ideas for each piece of clothing I had, helped me to feel inspired and focused. 

But rather than keep the photos on my phone, I created these cute picture boards which are stuck to the inside doors of my wardrobe. Every morning I open up the wardrobe, I can be reminded of what works well together, minisming the time I spend trying on outfits or being disappointed with my choice. It also helped to realise how those unmatched items could be paired up.

Finally, I upgraded my hangars and this was probably the cheapest part of the exercise! At only £2 for a pack of 10, these velour coated black hangars sit well in the wardrobe space, help to hold strappy and wide neck tops without slipping and keep all the clothes looking neat.



I tend to be seasonal with my wardrobe and so the drawers make for perfect storage for those clothes that aren’t in use. 

I don’t own many shoes so I keep my regularly used ones at the top of the wardrobe. All others are on the slide out at the bottom.

I now enjoy choosing my outfit for the day and find I’m inspired by my choice without needing to buy more clothes.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on

x PB x