Getting into the Spirit of Christmas...(Fair)

Apologies to the Spirit of Christmas Fair and stallholders for the late posting of this blogpost. Christmas got the better of us and the Cross Clan and extended family have been beset with ill health. So in the Spirit of Christmas, please extend your goodwill to this humble blogger... and wishing you a happy new year!

I was so excited to receive my invitation plus one - meaning taking along my usual shopping sidekick extraordinaire and long-suffering partner-in-crime, MIL to the Spirit of Christmas Fair at Olympia. Not put off by the transport troubles that meant that it took us four different trains to get there, we actually arrived about 15 minutes early and were ushered in out of the cold by security as we flashed our press passes.

Supershopper is one label I have been given in the past (among others... another I am fond of is a rotweiler with lipstick and heels...) and I hadn't even allowed myself to take my coat off before I spotted the most must-have cashmere jumper about five metres from the entrance. Cream with fluorescent stripes, I knew the minute I tried it on that the good old Amex would be taking a bashing. And it came with pockets too. In the boyfriend fit, style perfect for those sneaky autumn/winter evenings and for pottering about town. Given the recent torrential rain, I have me snug and smug in my new purchase. Courtesy of No. 42 West Street which hails from Hampshire and multi-talented enterpreneur that is Melita Glaister (pictured with me below, with said jumper). Melita was a modest yet confident hands-on company director that served me with pride.

Opposite purchase number one was a must-buy-something fun things for under tens stall. Quirky stationery, rucksacks and ornaments. I picked up an owl rucksack and a blue unicorn bag (a bit smaller than the owl one) so the girls had one each.

On the next stall that sparked my interest, I came across a huge smile that belonged to Joanne Thompson, who is an effervescent and genuinely friendly lady who I warmed to immediately. She is co-owner in the business Holly Zang, and her line in children's clothes is truly exquisite. The company was spotted by Vogue on Twitter a couple of years ago, and since then, the company have taken flight. I still regret not buying the ballet shoes cashmere jumper for my eldest (I might get nightmares about this one).

Is anyone trying Dry January? Not that it’s any of my business, but the forward thinking Seedlip have created a unique trio of non-alcoholic spirits with a complex blend of flavours.  I have since purchased further bottles from high street retailers and enjoyes them immensely. MIL approves too. 

The 2018 (I cannot quite bring myself to say “last year’s”) incarnation of the Spirit of Christmas Fair is much improved with a much broader variety of stalls to browse. Overall, a jolly good day out. Plenty to see, plenty to buy. Roll on this Christmas. As the snow falls on February Eve...

Getting my yogini on...

I didn’t know the term yogi or yogini before I met Hannah. I thought Yogi was a bear who lived in Jellystone Park! And yogini. That just sounds like bikini. Which given this weather makes me think of the beach...

Anyway, I first got in touch with Hannah when I noticed new temporary signage going up in town announcing an exciting new studio space opening soon. There was an email address posted in the window. And that’s how I met Hannah, because I got in touch to find out more. Hannah is a brilliant, confident, enthusiastic and caring studio owner. She is open to ideas about the development of her studio, and also has a very clear sense of vision about the direction of her new venture. And what a lovely new business to have in town. So very different from everything else on the high street. 

Not long after emailing in, on a sunny Saturday, A Fine Balance  launch day was upon us and there was an exciting buzz in the town centre. A modern and inviting studio flinging open its doors so that we could start our own yogini adventures.

A Fine Balance offers a broad range of classes, class times and memberships. I took up the special introductory offer of £15 for two weeks’ unlimited classes. A great way to road test the studio and to see how you get on with the classes and teachers. With such a great choice of times and sessions, there is sure to be something to please even the most discerning of yoginis. And for me, who has enjoyed many a yoga summer school with my mum from a young age, the flexibility and quality of lessons allows me to slot the studio into my timetable with complete ease.

I regularly attend barre (thanks Kate and Marcos for giving me back my ballet legs), and yoga flow is a lovely way to go through sequences with a more relaxed and calm feeling towards the end of the week. I used to make excuses or find myself pulling out of other exercise classes last-minute, or early in the evening the day before. This just doesn’t happen with yoga at the studio. Somehow, the sense of well-being that I know will come both during and at the end of a session overrides this.

On a personal note, I am in recovery for a bipolar episode that knocked me for six last summer. The road to recovery is long and challenging. With the support of family and friends, medical teams, and my healthy lifestyle support from A Fine Balance, I am dealing with medication changes and adjustments with a smile on my face and a positive outlook that makes me feel happy and content. Life can be tricky. For everyone. Yoga calms my mind, brushes away the daily rubbish that I do not need, and allows me to focus on myself. Yoga is not just about the physical. It’s about the mind too. 

So thank you to Hannah and A Fine Balance for the healing both inside and out. May the studio live long and prosper. Because we all could do with getting our yogini on. Namaste.