*This post includes products provided by Photowall.com. All opinions are my own. 

I was definitely that kid who looked at the world map and wondered what it would be like to travel to all of the places that were calling me. At the time it was always places like Italy, Egypt, New York etc. I'm proud to be heading towards the end of my twenties with plenty of miles between my belt. I haven't made it to Europe yet or to some of the more crazy places like Tokyo. But I feel like as you get older, your bucket-list just gets longer. I'm always excited to see what will happen in years to come. And I can drag Steve around Paris once the kids have left home. 

I traveled up and down New Zealand as a kid for my brother's BMX racing. We were very lucky to have a childhood that shaped us into the explorers we still are today. I've always had trinkets from my travels displayed in my room, so having my own home wasn't going to be any different. When the lovely people from Photowall got in touch with me, I immediately started browsing the huge selection on their website.  And of course, I was drawn to all of the pieces displaying places around the world. 

I came across these gorgeous maps and knew I NEEDED one for our house. You can get them in almost any of your favorite major cities like: Las Vegas, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, London, Toronto, Sydney, Chicago, and heaps more. 

I wanted to find a city that was special and for our family there's one: Boston.

It immediately felt like home to all of us which was strange, but in a good way. There were beautiful old buildings mixed with new ones, everyone was outside enjoying the weather, and the history is so fascinating there. Thanks to Photowall I can display the city proudly in my home and when anyone asks what city it is, I can tell them about my love for Boston.

So why does travel mean so much to me?

Special Memories With My Family
It seems odd to a lot of people that I almost always travel with my Mum, Dad and my older brother. I guess since we used to do it growing up, we know we travel well together. The special part about it is that we've been able to experience so much together. New cities, climbing to the top of the Statue Of Liberty, or walking the San Francisco bridge. Travel is so much more meaningful when you're with the people you love.


Reignites My Passion For Creating
You can barely keep me from taking a million pictures then going back to our hotel and spending my spare hours writing away on my laptop. I remember when we were in Seattle and I had never felt so inspired. It helped that we had been to Disneyland the week before, but it was the best feeling. It would be a dream to be a travel blogger just because I know I would be so motivated to put out great content. Getting away from your everyday routine just makes a huge difference.


Ticking Off That Bucket-List
It was the craziest feeling to be in the middle of Times Square with all the lights and the people. It's iconic places like that which leave you wondering if it's real. Or walking down Main Street of Disneyland after watching so many vlogs on YouTube and thinking:

"OMG I'm finally here!"

I'll forever be grateful to have the opportunities I've had to travel. My family has been amazing at making it all happen and the experience it always worth the months of saving money.



That Feeling Of Getting On A Plane
Going to airport the day you leave on holiday is just the best. You know you're going on an adventure and have it all ahead of you. You can get all your favorite plane snacks (peanut M&Ms and sour candy for me) and can watch Disney movies on repeat without anyone judging you.

Anyone else thinking of quitting everything and becoming a travel blogger? In all seriousness, a big thank you to Photowall for sending me this beautiful piece of art. They have also been kind enough to give you guys a 20% discount if you would also like to decorate your home with something meaningful. Just enter the code:

HelloStephCampaign2018

It will only be available for 30 days so make you go have a look at their beautiful range. If I could put up one of their wall murals in my house I would! 

What location means the most to you?

Steph x. 

Weekend In Queenstown: Foodie Diary

Hey Everyone!

It's now the Monday after a weekend trip away to one of New Zealand's most famous tourist spots, Queenstown. I haven't made the beautiful drive (and I mean absolutely stunning) down to that part of our country since I was 6 or 7 years old. But every year my Mum and I look at the marathon events they run and decided to finally make the move to give it a go. We just completed the 10km run and in a great time too. The track was so stunning as you got to run by the lake and surrounding mountains that give Queenstown it's fame. All of us are planning on completing the half-marathon next year and I'm really looking forward to it! 

But enough about running, here's all the delicious food we found!

A south island trip is no complete if you don't start with a Wild Bean coffee from the service station. It's pretty much NZ's equivalent of Costa in the UK, so it has to be done. 

We had no luck the first night of our arrival in QT. Just boring Mexican that will NOT make it to the blog. Not every foodie stop is a winner!

But on race day we lucked out big time! 

At the end of the finish line there was really nothing I felt like eating. They only offered pizza, toasted artisan sandwiches, and empanadas, Which on a normal weekend I would be first in line for, but after a run all I want is some goodness to keep those healthy vibes going. After a quick search on my phone, I found the perfect spot for us: Rehab. 

It's one of those super-smoothie stores that offers fresh wraps, salads, rice paper rolls, even broth bowls! And I couldn't get enough of it. They even had raw treats for us to try out ( I HAD to get the raw tiramisu that was incredible.) 

Mum and I both got mango sprout salads that really hit the spot nicely. There were so many more items on that menu that I wanted to try, so next year we will have our post-marathon recovery sorted. 

Our lunch stop was a recommendation from Steve's Dad and he did well!  

We found another new favorite at Vudu Larder:

It doesn't look like much from the outside, but this bustling little cafe has a lot to offer. At first we thought they would be too busy, however, the waitress assured us a table would be ready once we go through the cue to the till, and sure enough we were able to get a seat. The cabinet food itself is to die for with GF, vegan and vegetarian options being available. As a vego myself, I was grateful for the selection. The sweet treats were almost too good to resist, so we had to try a raw snickers slice (10/10!) and their blueberry, kiwi, and lime raw cheesecake. Both were incredible. 

Josh ordered the burger and Mum and I shared the spiced pea, agria & turmeric cauliflower flat bread that came with yogurt and a mango chutney. It was a stunning meal with a good kick of heat for me.They offer some really different options on their menu to a regular cafe, so this place was my kinda scene for sure. 

Dinner that night was an obvious choice: Ferg Burger. 

This is the famous burger joint that everyone recommends you come to in Queenstown. You can usually find a line out the door during busy hours, although we went around 4pm and only had a 20 minute wait. This was something the boys really wanted to try so we were happy to join in. 

All of the burgers were pretty generous sizes and had some mouth-watering fillings that almost made me wish I ate meat. I went for the tofu burger that came with a satay sauce and I have to say that it was pretty good, not OMG-amazing, but still pretty good. Their onion rings are up there too!

So we were staying in the beautiful Arrowtown (10 min out of QT) at Steve's parent's B&B, and of course me and Mum had to go for a morning wander through the town. And hunt for coffee like always. 

Being a Sunday there were lots of little market stalls around. We couldn't resist the stand selling cherries, a favorite for me and Mum. They're a special treat this time of year and so we had to grab a bag to snack on for the journey home later. We do make some pretty tasty fruit here in NZ.

Our final meal of the trip was back at Vudu. I know we should have tried somewhere new, but we did get a seat by the lake front to watch everyone go by. It was a beautiful way to end our weekend. 

I was very jealous of my Mum's buckwheat pancakes and the coconut whip that came with it...

I decided to go for the black bean quesadilla and was pretty happy with my choice. It tasted super-fresh which is exactly what I wanted. But next time I am definitely going for those pancakes! 

We couldn't leave without trying the Cookie Time Bar! It's New Zealand's most famous cookie and they've made it into the coolest dessert bar ever. You can go for ice cream, a shake, or our choice of an ice cream sandwich. 

I got the dark chocolate ice cream and Steve went for cookies and cream. A mini one was definitely enough for me, especially with a long car ride ahead of us!

Well there we go, a fabulous weekend away with good company and great food. I'm really happy with the spots we found and will be coming back for more this time next year (or maybe sooner if I can!) Just another reason why Queenstown is one of NZ's most popular places to travel. 

Steph x. 

Have you had any foodie finds recently?

How To Beat The Post-Holiday Blues

Ahh, the downside of every vacation. There's nothing better than taking a break from your every day life, but unfortunately it's always over before you know it. To be honest, I usually look forward to coming home. I miss the routine and comforts of home. I miss getting up in the morning for a coffee in one of my favorite mugs, or chilling in my own bed with one of my favorite TV shows.

We all know those moments upon your return where you wish to be back on sandy beaches. And that amazing feeling of having zero responsibilities for the first time all year. But life can still be good my friends! There's plenty of ways we can beat those holiday blues and keep the happy feels flowing.

Since routine is what I miss most on holiday, changing up and perfecting a routine is a great way to feel better once you're home. Maybe you can look at what was boring you before you left for vacation and find a way to change it up. Eat your breakfast outside, incorporate new food into your diet, or blog for half an hour in the morning. Use something you loved doing on vacation to spice up your everyday routine.


On the plane ride home, I kept thinking about the positives of arriving back. You spend the months leading up to your holiday anxious and excited, so I find it's important to keep that feeling of looking forward to something in the future. It can be absolutely anything from getting a new pet, Christmas, planning a road trip, going to a concert, or having a big birthday bash. If you're sad that the vacation is over, have something else that just sits in the back of your mind, that you can turn to when you wanna feel excited. I'm lucky this time, because in 1 1/2 months me and Steve will finally be living together. We always felt more excited about the move than the holiday to be honest! Now I get to start planning the move, think about how I want to decorate the place, and get our home gym sorted. It's an exciting next chapter that makes coming home from paradise a lot more bearable.


If you miss that feeling of exploration and eating out, why not find new favorites in your home city/town? There's been a lot of activity here in Christchurch lately, with new cafes popping up every week. No matter where you live there is always a way to try something new and enjoy it with friends. One of my favorite ways of getting recommendations is through foodie accounts on Instagram. There's always someone in your area who is doing it, and you will be spoiled for choice! You can scroll their feed, drool at their delicious food pics, then make a list of all the places you wanna go. Even planning to try somewhere new once a month can help ease that travel bug that keeps coming back. You may even want to start a foodie account for your home town too!



I'd love to know any tips you guys have for beating those post-holiday blues! Steph x.

My Top Foodie Stops In Hawaii

Flour and Barley

If you're in the mood for pizza (me 24/7) then I highly recommend this gorgeous restaurant. It's tucked away at the beach end of the International Marketplace, but once you're inside the decor is gorgeous. We were lucky enough to get a table by the window, so we could have the fresh air and still hear the waves of Waikiki beach.

Their pizzas offer something a bit more special than your standard menu and come out looking so fresh. They are a decent portion, so you get your moneys worth too. Mum and I shared the mushroom pizza, which our waitress was happy about because it's her favorite. And WOW was it good! I could have eaten two of these in one sitting.

Our waitress was also great at selling the dessert menu too. We weren't going to get any, but the way she talked about the chocolate mouse made it sound heavenly. She was not wrong at all, with the oreos on the bottom, pearls on top and sweet cream to go with it, it was one of the best I've ever had. And I never ever turn down cannoli when it's on the menu!

The Pig & The Lady

With over 20,000 followers on Instagram, there's already a lot of hype around this place. Looking back we were probably lucky to get a table at lunch time on a Saturday. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but once you step in you realize why it's left an impression with customers. The high ceilings and unusual, yet funky, decor makes this place stand out. And that's even before you've tasted their food...

Of all the places we ate on our trip, this was definitely one of the most memorable meals we had. The boys started with their famous fried chicken, which is then covered in peanuts. Then our mains came out and we were all blown away with what was in front of us. I got the prawn fried noodles, which was so full of delicious flavor it may be the best plate of noodles I've ever had. I tried some of my Mum's vegan meal (sorry, I couldn't get a picture!) and that was amazing too. You can tell they put a lot of thought and pride into their meals. The Pig and The Lady lives up to it's hype and offers stunning dishes. I'm craving those noodles already!

Olive and Oliver

How gorgeous is this place? I discovered it on Instagram before we left and had to pay it a visit! You can find it at the front of the Surfjack Hotel, which looks like amazing place to stay and rocks a modern Hawaiian vibe. Here you can grab a takeaway coffee, while having a gander at the adjoining boutique.

The coffees were delicious as well, and I couldn't stop taking pictures of the adorable cups they come in. I wish I could have stopped by this place more often on our trip. And I'm definitely staying at this hotel at some point, it looks so fun!

Ono's Burger Bar, Dukes Lane 

One morning when Mum and I were sneaking in a little shopping, we found another eatery/marketplace for us to try. We couldn't resist the mouth-watering menu that the burger bar was offering. It was a hard choice between the flat-bread pizzas and the black bean pattie.

This was a really fun meal! You could watch the chefs carefully put together the food, even the flat-bread dough was being made right in front of us. It all tasted fresh too. The fries were some of my favorite that I ate, seeing as they were coated in a spicy garlic mix. It's a shame we also found this one later in the trip because I really wanted to try more on their menu. You could easily grab a meal from here and walk the two blocks to the beach for a picnic lunch of you wanted too.

I hope you enjoyed my food finds from our vacation. I would return to any of these in a heart-beat and I can't wait to see what foodie stops I find the next time we go!

Where is your absolute favorite place to eat? 

Steph x.