This post was originally published in December 2013 but I wanted to re-publish it for you today because I have a feeling that you'll love it as much as I did. 

I've just come back from a weekend break in Prague. What I didn't realise before I went, is how beautiful the capital city of the Czech Republic is. Here are my top tips on what to do on a Christmas break.

1. Get your bearings and learn some of the troubled histories of this city by going on a tour. Almost undamaged by World War 2, Prague's medieval centre is a mix of cobbled lanes, walled courtyards, and Gothic architecture. We did a free tour by New Prague Tours. The guides work on tips and our guide, Colin, was informative and funny and helped up gained a valuable insight into Prague's history. Wrap up warm as it was near freezing in December.

2. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without visiting Prague Christmas markets. The main ones are in The Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Traditional crafts such as glassware, wooden toys and decorations, mix with food stalls selling mulled wine, Prague ham, and lager. In the old Town Square, the stunning Christmas tree, illuminated at night, is worth a visit alone.


3. Visit Prague Castle - the largest castle complex in the world. It consists of courtyards, palaces and churches of various architectural styles, and is stunning to see. Originally it used to be the residence of Princes and Kings of Bohemia.



4. Take a walk over Charles Bridge for a great view of the city. Local artists mix with tourists and historic statues line the bridge, but be careful of pickpockets as it can get very crowded in the day.

5. Visit the infamous Astronomical clock at the Old Town Hall. On the stroke of the hour, people gather to see the 12 Apostles and the skeletal figure of Death appear. Colin, our guide, told us it is among the most overrated attractions in the world, but personally, I feel it has to be seen :).

6. Visit the opera, the ballet or the theatre while you are there. Tickets can be bought last minute at a very reasonable price but always buy from the theatre's box office as Prague is known for ticket touts. Did you know that there are over 40 different theatres in Prague?

7. Prague's museums are known worldwide for the quality of their exhibitions. The National Museum and National Gallery of Prague hold great displays and exhibitions with depth and quality. We went to the Rudolfinum to see a modern art exhibition by the brothers Jake and Dinos Chapman. These British artists are well known for their modern art based on death and life and it was certainly entertaining!

8. Try the local food, or eat out at one of the many restaurants. The local dishes include a type of goulash, stewed pork or beef with dumplings, and sausages often served as bar snacks with the local lager. Prague has also more cosmopolitan places to eat and drink with a range of prices and cuisines. We ate at Sansho - and had an absolutely fantastic meal. They serve a tasting menu and although the food does not have a Michelin star we felt it should have had. The Asian inspired food was beautifully presented by a past chef from Nobu, London. Our 7-course meal with wine came to £80 and for food of this standard, we thought this was amazing. At the other end of the scale, we found a great pizza at a bargain price in Giovanni's, just behind the Old Town Square. We had a two-course meal with wine for under £30 for two. It was tasty, service was quick and the restaurant had a certain rustic charm.



9. Where to stay. There is a wide variety of hotels of all prices in Prague. We stayed at the Hotel Maximilian. This stylishly modern hotel doesn't compromise on service, you can even have a pet goldfish brought to your room for your stay! Complimentary tea and coffee are served every day and the buffet breakfast had a good mix of tempting hot and cold dishes including food cooked to order. The rooms have facilities such as DVD players, coffee machines and free Wi-Fi. We were very impressed with this hotel as on a special rate we only paid £90 a night which is fabulous for a city centre hotel of this standard.

10. Be careful of pickpockets and petty crime. Tourists can be scammed by people in the street asking if you want to change money and ripping you off. Taxi drivers are renowned for overcharging, so arrange taxis with your hotel or look at Trip Advisor for reputable companies. I had heard that there used to be a problem with stag dos but we never saw anything when we were there. Fortunately, serious crime is rare.

In conclusion, there is so much to see and do in Prague, and we were pleasantly surprised by the cost of living. It is a beautiful city with amazing architecture and is a perfect city to visit this time of year to enjoy the Christmas markets. If you have never been to Prague I urge you to go. For more cool things to do in Prague, check out this post.

Have you been to Prague? What did you think of it? If you haven't been would you like to visit the Christmas markets?

Amazingly, Strictly Come Dancing is now in its 13th series. Despite the departure of stalwart Bruce Forsyth at the end of series 11, the show’s popularity continues unabated. With all the dramas and gossip that surround the show each year, it’s not surprising it still attracts an impressive prime time audience.

Some of the most memorable highlights from previous years include Julian Clary’s double act with Craig Revel-Horwood. Craig is considered the pantomime villain of the show and has been known to reduce contestants to gibbering wrecks with his caustic comments. Julian, however, was having none of it and championed much of the nation’s thoughts with his comedy comebacks and refusal to be intimidated.

Who could forget the artistic stylings of John Sergeant? A man so left-footed he eventually volunteered to leave the show out of embarrassment. Despite featuring in the bottom two every week, he was endlessly voted back in by an underdog-loving public. He finally walked from the show in week 10, in case he ended up winning, which he felt would be a travesty under the circumstances!

This infographic by Great British Bingo looks back on the Strictly Come Dancing winners.

By far the most memorable dance so far this series has been Jay McGuinness and Aliona Vilani, dancing an astonishingly technical jive to the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction. The dance was performed during week three, when most of the contestants are still discovering their feet (and their partner’s toes!). The footwork can only be described as hypnotic and I am confident it will go down in Strictly history as one of the defining moments of the show, alongside other classics, such as Sophie Ellis Bextor’s Charleston and Abbey Clancy’s Samba.

As of the start of this current series, there have been six male and six female winners overall. Which is an interesting result, as there is often much debate over who has an easier time on the show. The men have to learn to do some complicated lifts as the show progresses, but the ladies have to be lifted, which does require an element of bravery. There is also some disadvantage attached to the costumes required by the female contestants. As Ginger Rogers once famously said of Fred Astaire; “I did everything he did, but backwards and in high heels.”

Tell me do you follow the show? Can you dance? Do you love the outfits as much as me?

*PR collaboration

Christmas will be here before you know it. At this time of year, I always look for stylish ways to update my home for the Autumn/Winter season. New furnishings and some select lighting can make all the difference and add some personal touches that can take your dwelling from a house to a home.  Here are some smart lighting ideas from Lampcommerce this season.

Gardens can be beautiful in Autumn, what with the dazzling displays of russet colours, the variety of pretty birds and the amazing wildlife.

Here are some Autumnal garden tips, brought to you in conjunction with the local gardening expert - my mother-in-law Anne.


Lawns

At this time of year the rain means lawns start to look lush and green after the dry summer. Consequently the lawn will grow faster and need more regular mowing. This is a good time to feed your lawn too before the weather gets colder and growing slows down for the Winter. Rake the lawn to remove old grass stems, dead moss and debris, over seed the bare patches and apply feed. 

Pruning 

Pruning plants and trees is important to promote growth. Check your trees and shrubs regularly for dead and broken branches. Prune as soon as you notice them. Leave seed heads though for birds to feast on. Don't forget to trim evergreen hedges to get them in shape for the Winter. 

Planting


Plant bulbs like daffodils and tulips in the Autumn for a colourful display in the Spring. Broad beans, peas and garlic also can be planted at this time of year. Leaf varieties that can be sown outdoors include pak choi, mizuna, winter cress, and spinach varieties. Small, young and delicate plants can be brought in under cover before the first frosts start.

Composting

Making compost is easy to do and free and provides moisture and excellent nutrition for your garden. At this time of year, one of the main things to go on the compost heap is fallen leaves. Other things you can add include rotten and leftover fruit and vegetables, lawn clippings, tea leaves, eggshells and manure. Making your own compost is good for the environment offering a natural alternative to chemical fertilisers.

Harvesting

Harvesting means the end of the growing season. Harvest fruit and veg like apple, pears, potatoes, cabbage, carrots and onions at this time of year for tasty hearty pies, soups and stews. 

Wildlife



Putting out food and water on a regular basis for birds in the Autumn/Winter can really supplement their diet. Good quality high fat food and scraps can be left for them on a bird table. Once you start feeding birds they will expect it so try to keep it up especially during this time of the year.

Squirrels can scare songbirds away, so if you want to feed squirrels it can be a good idea to feed them away from songbirds with a feeder specifically for them.

If you are planning a bonfire for November 5th or to burn garden waste be careful of hedgehogs and other wildlife hiding in the heap of wood. 

You can find more quick Autumn gardening tips with this calendar from Waltons.

* PR collaboration all words and opinons are my own

A guest post by Kelly from Kelly Allen Writer.

Ask anyone and they'll tell you, I'm totally in love with Aberystwyth. Having studied there for several years, it slowly etched itself into my heart and, even though I was born in Birmingham, I actually consider Aberystwyth as my home.

So, when we headed to Machynlleth for our glamping trip over the summer holidays, we (quite naturally!) ended up spending a day in beautiful sunny Aberystwyth…

When we arrived (which was pretty early in the morning!) we decided to park by the marina. I wanted to take George and Molly to see the boats so we could hear them tinkle and chime and I thought it was best to start off here and eventually head over to the other side of the seafront and up Constitution Hill. This meant we could come full circle and explore a lot of the seaside town in just one day.

For me, it was like giving my little family a guided tour of my hometown, the place that gave me peace and happiness during the time I lived there. We had a lovely (albeit short) stroll along the seafront until we came to Aberystwyth Castle. 


We were all very excited at the sight of it, with its many layers and nooks as well as the cannons that point out to sea.



Once we had exhausted every view point and I had taken a few photos of the crazy bunch, we headed to the little park beside the castle. This park is just so amazing- I love it! I have never seen a park so well taken care of, with varying equipment for various age ranges. There are lots of benches dotted around for the adults and some mini-benches for the kiddies- this is a really cute feature of the park. This isn't a massive park, but they have included everything you need! George and Molly loved exploring and climbing, and they were always in view, which meant we weren't constantly worrying about where they were.

Oh, one thing that I thought was pretty important when heading out for a long day trip like this is the toilets! There are public toilets behind the park, and these are very clean and orderly, unlike most of them we find on our travels… I think planning ahead and knowing/finding out where public toilets are is really important when going out as a family, and Aberystwyth have spaced them out perfectly!

After George and Molly had exhausted every element of the park and been to the toilet, we headed for the Crazy Golf! This is situated right by the park and castle, overlooking the seafront. It cost less than £2 per person and it was great fun! George in particular loved this part of the day, and even though Molly became restless towards the end, the length of the course isn't exhausting and you can get through it at a reasonable pace, plus it doesn't cost the earth to play- win, win!


Afterwards we headed towards the Pier for lunch. Warren and I had decided long before the trip to have pizza on the pier, it's the best pizza we have ever tasted and I was worried that we would be disappointed as it had been a few years since we ate there, but it was even more delicious than I remembered. They are between £3.60 and £4.60 for an individual sized pizza, and it really is all you need for lunch… you can always add a side of chips if you are feeling a bit more peckish ;)



After we had eaten, we headed down the seafront towards Constitution Hill and I spent this time talking to the children about Aberystwyth's tradition 'kick the bar'. The bar lies at the north end of the beach, and the tradition is seen as good luck, so we all had a go at kicking the bar and the kiddies loved it!

We then decided to walk up Constitution Hill… We were worried at first that the kiddies wouldn't make the walk up, but they surprised us, as usual! If you don't think your little ones would make it up then there is the option to use the Cliff Railway but we were on a very strict budget so we chose the 'free' option! To be honest, it is a beautiful (but steep) walk… and even though it took us a while to get up to the top, it was totally worth it. The views are stunning, but keep children close as it does have a very sharp long drop off the edge. I remember as a kid nearly going over the side, but as a kid you have no fear, so I made sure I kept George and Molly close by.



At the top of Constitution Hill we found a lovely café/restaurant called Y Consti and ordered hot chocolates as well as picking up a token for bowling. Bowling cost less than £5 and there was also air hockey and other games for us to play once we had finished bowling. At the time of our visit there was also a free bouncy castle which George and Molly thoroughly enjoyed!

We then headed back down the hill and onto the beach. It was a glorious day and we ended up kicking off our shoes and having a little stroll along the sand. For August, the beach was fairly quiet and it was lovely to not feel overrun by tourists (yes, I know I am a tourist now too, sob…). Once we had spent a little time on the beach we headed into the main shopping area and stopped at the wonderful 'Stars' shop to buy some souvenirs for George and Molly and their nannies. I just love this shop and could stay their for hours admiring the vast array of trinkets, jewellery and gifts.



By this time we were feeling peckish but still quite full from lunch, so we headed to reliable and convenient Subway. The staff here were amazing, especially with the kiddies. We all wolfed down our individual subs and then it was time to take a gentle stroll back to the car. We passed the local market this time instead of going via the seafront and this took us right towards the castle, which was very useful indeed.

We were all utterly shattered from all the different activities, the lengthy walks and the brilliant sunshine. But we were also, oh-so happy to have spent such a wonderful day in the warm and welcoming arms of Aberystwyth… the place that just feels like home xxx

You can follow Kelly on Facebook and Twitter to keep up-to-date with her blog posts.

Christmas is coming, which, for me, means sparkle and glamour! Everyone loves a sparkly little something in their stocking and I am no exception. Which is why it's great to be able to talk about fantastic websites that provide fabulous products to buy as gifts or even treats for yourself. Consequently, I was very pleased to hear from Gemporia, who I’ve been fortunate enough to work with before. They have sent me a beautiful new piece to show you and there’s a competition too!

As you may remember from my previous Gemporia review, this is a company I am very fond of. Not just because of all their beautiful, individually designed pieces, but also because all their gems are ethically sourced by Steve Bennett, who has over ten years experience in the trade. Additionally, they work with the Colourful Life Foundation to support the communities where the gemstones are found. Adding an element of reassurance to every purchase that you make.
Gemporia Bracelet Giveaway