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new M&S vegan footwear

Weekend news: the new M&S vegan footwear

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So there’s been quite a lot of talk about everything vegan this year, hasn’t there? What with Greggs and their vegan sausage roll (I had to laugh at the outrage from some meat eaters - it’s a food item, love, calm down), and M&S and their new vegan food range. I’m not vegan, but if you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that I’m definitely interested in cutting down the amount of meat we eat (and my breaded baked barbecue cauliflower dish is still one of our favourite suppers). I think anything that gives us a wider choice in the food aisle is a good thing. At the beginning of this year, M&S announced the launch of their new range of plant based products, with over 50 different items spanning everything from ready meals, sandwiches and snacks to no-pork sausages (which are delicious) and no-beef burgers. And now, they’ve announced that they’ll be expanding their ranges with new M&S vegan footwear.

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Send a Prosecco subscription box this Christmas!

Send a Prosecco subscription box this Christmas!

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I’ve been talking quite a bit recently about why I believe that the best gifts are useable/consumable. We’ve all got enough ‘stuff’ in our lives, and I think a beautiful, useable, indulgent gift that we might not actually buy for ourselves is the way to go. Step forward, then, the gorgeous Princess Prosecco, a gorgeous gifting company with a conscience - so it pretty much ticks all my boxes. Here’s why I think you should forget the socks and the bad Chrimbo jumpers and send a Prosecco subscription box this Christmas instead!

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A Magical Christmas at Disneyland Paris. Pic: news.disneylandparis.com

A magical Christmas at Disneyland Paris

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It’s been a bit of a whirlwind weekend for my pal, Mickey Mouse, as he’s been celebrating a very special anniversary - it’s 90 years since Mickey first appeared in Walt Disney’s iconic cartoon, Steamboat Willie. This weekend was also pretty special at Disneyland Paris, because as well as celebrating Mickey’s 90th with a celeb-filled party, and an enormous cake baked by Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Pierre Hermé, there was a special celebration to mark the opening of Disney’s Enchanted Christmas. If you’re thinking of experiencing a magical Christmas at Disneyland Paris, I’ve teamed up with Isango.com, the specialist retailer of tours, experiences and Disneyland Paris Tickets to bring you all the latest news this holiday season.

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Take the family to see Christmas films in gorgeous festive settings

Take the family to see Christmas films in gorgeous festive settings

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If you’re a regular here, you might remember that I told you all about how you could see Halloween films at the Natural History museum with The Luna Cinema. They’ve now released some lovely Christmas film screenings in wonderful locations and I just think they’re the most perfect, festive way to spend some family time together. Just imagine snuggling down in a comfy seat with mulled wine and mince pies to watch your favourite Christmas films in gorgeous festive settings on the big screen - heaven!

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Dine with Donal on your next Virgin Atlantic flight

Dine with Donal on your next Virgin Atlantic flight

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I adore Donal Skehan. We met years ago when we were part of a very small band of food bloggers in Ireland (back when everyone knew each other and there weren’t thousands of bloggers, blah blah). He went on to create a hugely popular YouTube channel and make incredible cooking shows for RTE and the Good Food Channel, as well as hosting Saturday Kitchen, and now lives in LA full time with gorgeous Sofie and his adorable son Noah where he’s a TV presenter. He’s also got a brand new cookbook out called Donal’s Meals in Minutes. All this obviously makes me feel like a massive underachiever, but I’ve followed his success over the years and we’ve kept in touch but never actually met, so I was delighted when Donal and Virgin Atlantic invited me to London yesterday to unveil their new project. Read on to find out how you can dine with Donal on your next Virgin Atlantic flight!

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Virgin Atlantic's fabulous Pride Flight

Virgin Atlantic’s fabulous Pride Flight

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I’m SO up for good news, aren’t you? There’s such a lot of doom and gloom right now, that when something fabulous and positive happens, I’m all over it! So, you’ve heard of Pride in London, right? That wonderful, colourful coming together of everything that’s fabulous about the LGBT+ community. Last year, I watched my social media with envy as friends from Disney, the guys at Virgin, and many more (remember all the brands and companies that changed their logos to incorporate rainbows during the festival?) joined in the celebrations. London friends have told me that it’s a brilliant family day out. Of course, it’s not just a celebration. It’s a way of raising awareness of LGBT+ issues, and giving those that some people want to silence a voice. Of course, there are some countries where a celebration like this just wouldn’t be possible, and that’s where World Pride comes in. It’s an international celebration where people from across the globe gather to celebrate. It’s previously been hosted in London, Rome and Toronto, but this year it’s in NYC, and Virgin Atlantic’s fabulous Pride Flight is going to get people there in the most wonderful way! Read more

Disney Cruise Line to Sail from New Orleans in 2020

Breaking: Disney cruises from New Orleans announced!

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It’s all going on at Disney Cruise Line recently! Quite apart from the fact that they have three new ships in the pipeline, this week has seen a ton of announcements from DCL about some cracking new itineraries for 2020 and there are some BIG surprises when it comes to ports, including the wonderful news that Disney cruises from New Orleans will commence in early 2020, and that Disney Cruise Line will also be returning to Hawaii!

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Student discounts for 2018

Student discounts for 2018

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It’s that time again! After my 2017 roundup of student discounts was so popular, I thought I’d go wild and do a whole new post listing student discounts for 2018. It’s been interesting to see how many of the discounts are lower or come with more terms than last year. As usual, remember that some of the discounts will be on a limited basis, so if you’re thinking of using them it’s best to do it now. I’m giving you a whole ton of information here, and there are bound to be some things you already know, so if that’s you, just skip these bits and move straight on to the discount, but if you’re a first time student or haven’t really looked into it yet, I’ve listed everything you need to know. Remember, you need to prove you’re a student and the first thing you’ll need to do is register with the NUS here: National Union of Students.

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What to expect on board P&O Cruises' newest ship, Iona

What to expect on board P&O Cruises’ newest ship, Iona

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Last week, I was really lucky to be invited to a very clever virtual ‘day on board’ P&O Cruises’ exciting new ship, Iona, arriving May 2020. Sadly, there were no phones allowed so I don’t have any pics, but it was a wonderful evening, hosted by the adorable Olly Smith, and I have a ton of information to share with you. Iona is going to be an absolute beauty: the largest ship built for the UK market, holding 5000 guests, accommodated in 7 different cabin types (including the exciting new conservatory cabins - an industry first) across 17 decks, with a breathtaking new glass SkyDome, and a chic, Scandinavian feel. Read on to find out what to expect on board P&O Cruises’ newest ship, Iona.

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The Weight Watchers lunchtime challenge

The Weight Watchers lunchtime challenge

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What do you have for lunch? A sandwich at your desk? I’m lucky enough to work from home so it tends to be egg on toast for me, but honestly, a lot of the time - especially if I’m busy - it’s a bowl of cereal, which I’m aware is not ideal. Some research recently carried out showed that one in three of us eat the same lunch every day* - how boring is that?! When the lovely chaps at Weight Watchers got in touch and asked if I’d be up for taking the Weight Watchers lunchtime challenge, I’ll be honest, I was initially a bit sceptical. We don’t really eat that many ready meals, but when faced with the delicious sounding menu of the Weight Watchers chilled prepared meals range, we decided to give it a go and spice up our lunchtimes!

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Spend Halloween at Hogwarts After Dark (Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter)

Want to spend Halloween at Hogwarts? Here’s how!

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If, like me, you’re a massive Potterhead, I think I’ve probably just found the perfect event for you! Fancy spending Halloween at Hogwarts? There’ll be spooky smoking cocktails and dinner in the Great Hall complete with floating pumpkins and roaming Death Eaters. Warner Bros Studio Tour London has just announced that once again, the Great Hall will be receiving visitors for a very limited time - just three evenings - for a spectacular, spooky dinner event. Hogwarts After Dark will allow the lucky guests exclusive after-hours access to the studio tour as well as a host of other incredibly cool once in a lifetime experiences. Are you brave enough to dice with the Death Eaters? Here’s how!

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Our tips for making the leap to university (copyright vanessachampion.co.uk)

Our tips for making the leap to university

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This time last year, we were just beginning to get everything ready for Charlie to go to university. He was delighted to be offered a place at Leicester, and we were slowly ticking off items from the ‘to do’ list, from sorting out a student bank account, to shopping for bedlinen and essentials for his new uni accommodation. Making the leap from living at home is a huge undertaking and can be a really stressful time for even the most confident teenager. Student accommodation provider, Unite Students has recently released The Leap – a report about the challenges involved in making the transition to uni, and providing tips for making the leap to university from a range of experts, parents and students.

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Marvel Summer of Super Heroes at Disneyland Paris

Marvel Summer of Super Heroes at Disneyland Paris

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This weekend, Mr E and I were lucky enough to be invited to the launch event for the brand new Marvel Summer of Super Heroes at Disneyland Paris (you might remember reading about me forgetting my passport when I was invited to the special exhibition in Paris to showcase the plans for the new Marvel event. What a wally. Anyway, this time I panicked incessantly and checked my passport every five minutes and yes, got to Paris in one piece in time to experience this brilliant new summer of Marvel-based attractions available to everyone visiting the park this summer. Read on to find out more about it!

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new hush summer 2018

New hush summer 2018 is out!

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Now you know that I love everything about hush - I think their style perfectly complements my own laid back luxe ethos. I do think, though, that summer is when hush truly shine. The summer pieces always include a great choice of easy to wear separates, all in a modern colour palette, and the new hush summer 2018 collection is no exception, featuring some pretty, floaty dresses, flattering shorts, effortless t-shirts, gorgeous beach cover-ups and a fab new range of swimwear. I think more and more, we’re moving away from cheap, disposable fashion that has the added shadow of murky production values hanging over it, and towards investing in great quality items from responsible retailers with integrity. This embodies hush for me. Anyhoo, on to the new hush summer 2018 collection. There are so many gorgeous pieces, but I’ve tried to bring you a wide choice of some of the best pieces that will make a great base for a capsule wardrobe when the sun finally comes out. Enjoy!

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The free Disney dining offer is back for 2019 holiday bookings!

The free Disney dining offer is back for 2019 holiday bookings!

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I honestly don’t think there’s a bad time to visit Walt Disney World resort in Florida (incidentally, for a heads up on the best times to go and loads of other info, visit my My Walt Disney World top tips post here), but the free Disney dining offer makes a family holiday at Walt Disney World considerably better value. I always recommend you stay at a Disney resort hotel if you’re visiting Walt Disney World (I think all the perks like Extra Magic Hours and free Disney’s Magical Express airport transfers add significant value), but now it’s even better value. If you’re a bit confused about what free Disney dining would mean to your family holiday booking in 2019, read on. I’ve got all the info on how the offer works, plus some top tips on the best places to book, too.

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Fast & Furious - Supercharged at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

Fast & Furious - Supercharged at Universal Orlando Resort, Florida

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Recently, I told you all about my amazing Saturday Night Takeaway adventure, and promised to update you on some of the new openings and gossip from Universal Orlando Resort, Florida. While we were in the park, we were really lucky to be given a sneaky peek behind the scenes at an incredible new attraction (and also the opportunity to eat ALL THE DOUGHNUTS at the fab new Voodoo Doughnuts on Universal’s CityWalk - more news of this very soon). The new Fast & Furious - Supercharged at Universal Orlando featuring the stars of the movie franchise as well as breathtaking original vehicles, is due to open very soon and promises an action-packed ride experience. Here’s what I learned…

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