Five Family Friendly Beaches in Miami

© Our Seaside Baby

Miami is packed with things to do, not least a day at the beach. I visited for the first time several years ago when I was a student (on the way back from an archaeology dig!) and would love to return one day with my little boy. I remember it being a great place for people of all ages and especially one to entertain families. I've teamed up with fellow travel blogger Elma Humpries to recommend the top destinations in the area. If you fancy travelling across the Atlantic here are five of the best family friendly beaches in Miami.

Winter Holiday Inspiration with Clickstay & Trunki - Giveaway

Are you dreaming about your next holiday? After returning from India I definitely am! I've been told a good way to cure post-holiday blues is to book another holiday! So I've teamed up with Clickstay and Trunki to give you a chance of winning a famous Trunki suitcase of your choice and a £50 Clickstay Voucher towards your next holiday!

Silent Sunday - Hyde Park View

India Diaries: Our second week in India

Our second week continued at the coastal resort of Digha in West Bengal. During our first week in India we started in Kolkata then travelled to the 'Brighton of the East' in a four hour taxi ride. Our first week ended on a sour note because my son was sick. It started off as travel sickness but turned into vomiting after every meal. The day following our seaside trip he lost his appetite altogether and I decided to stay in our hotel all day and just let him rest, my poor 'Delhi belly' boy. I was so worried about him, thought about going to a doctor and felt really bad for bringing him to this climate. My little six year old nephew was feeling unwell too. Compared to Kolkata, Digha has a sleepy village feel and is so very hot at this time of year. I was hoping the rain would cool the temperature down but despite being there for four days in monsoon season it didn't rain at all! It was averaging mid-30s every day and very humid, so I'm thankful we had air-conditioning in our hotel, a must with kids in the heat.

It's My Two Year Blogiversary!

Wow, I've been blogging for two years! Happy blogiversary Our Seaside Baby! It actually feels like I've been blogging for years in some ways yet still so new in other ways. I feel like I was just writing about my experiences after blogging for six months. Last year, I wrote about my one year blogiversary and another year later I feel like I really 'get it'. Blogging is so varied and such a learning curve, I think I'll always be trying out new things and have loved this journey so far.

Silent Sunday

Boots Botanics All Bright Skincare Range Review

I’ve recently been reviewing four products from the Boots Botanics Skincare range. Inspired by nature and regularly given 5* reviews on the Boots website I was keen to give them a go. The Botanics experts work with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew and choose particular ingredients for their products. I have been reviewing the following products:

Boots Botanics All Bright Micellar 3 in 1 Cleansing Solution

“This cleaning solution feels as gentle as water on the skin, to dissolve make up, unclog pores and remove impurities. Skin feels toned and smooth in one easy step.”

Boots Botanics All Bright Hydrating Day Cream

“A hydrating day cream moisturiser, with SPF15 protection, that brightens and protects. It hydrates for 24 hours and is enriched with brightening hibiscus to leave your skin feeling radiant.”

Boots Botanics All Bright Purifying Scrub

“Buff away impurities with the Botanics All Bright Purifying Face Scrub, to reveal brighter skin. Enriched with brightening hibiscus, it is suitable for all skin types.”

Boots Botanics All Bright Radiance Balm

“Create radiant, glowing skin instantly with Botanics All Bright Radiance Balm. This revitalising balm works to provide skin with an instant pick-me-up effect, promoting a brighter, fresher and more radiant complexion that lasts all day long. The Botanics All Brighton Radiance Balm provides skin with a subtle glow.”

During reviewing these products I stopped using my own skincare collection and used the Boots range instead. My morning routine has consisted of using the Micellar 3 in 1 Cleansing Solution at the start of the day. I think this is fairly gentle on the skin and it certainly makes my skin feel clean, toned and smooth as claimed. I’d apply the cleansing solution with cotton wool and no rinsing is required. I’d then use the All Bright Hydrating Day Cream which was my favourite product out of ones I was sent. It has a lovely smell of hibiscus and has a very subtle affect on the skin. My skin can appear too oily with certain creams but this is very light and thin and is a perfect consistency for a day cream, leaving me feeling very refreshed!

My next step was applying the All Bright Radiance Balm to my face. Initially, I applied this over my whole face but after using it a few times I thought the glow looked better on just my cheeks. This is a good cream to reapply during the day if needed. I used these products every morning and enjoyed all three as part of my morning routine. I also used the Boots Botanics All Bright Purifying Scrub 2-3 times a week to buff away any flaky skin. All the products left a nice and gentle feeling on my skin and I’m happy to continue using them in the future. 

In terms of price, the products I reviewed are all between £3.99- £4.99 which I think is very reasonable and affordable. Boots are currently offering up to 50% off on selected items in the Botanics skincare range. There is also an organic version of products. See the Boots website for more details. 

Thanks to Boots for sending the above products for the purpose of the review. All opinions are my own.

Ganesh Chaturthi #MySundayPhoto

Our time in India included the celebration of the elephant headed god Ganesh, known as Ganesh Chaturthi. There are many 'Pujas' in India celebrating the different deities throughout the year and I didn't realise the end of our trip coincided with the celebration of Ganesh, the God of Knowledge. At this time of year, the temples are filled with statues of Ganesh, the one in the photo being near the home of my family in Howrah, Kolkata in West Bengal, India.  The statue shown in my photo above is small compared to the huge ones I saw in some of the temples in central Kolkata. Lasting over four days people celebrate in their houses with their own small Ganesh statues and also visit local temples, giving offerings such as flowers and food. 

I won't pretend I know exactly what symbolic gestures take place over these few days but it differs between temples and regions. In Kolkata, for example, the Ganesh Puja is not as popular as in other parts of India. In Kolkata, the biggest festival in the Hindu calendar is Durga Puja, the celebration of good over evil. I remember watching the procession when I was little on one of our trips to India. A massive statue of Durga is carried through the streets followed by a huge procession of people singing, dancing and celebrating. Everyone joins in and it's an amazing sight. I'd love to be in Kolkata again one day to witness it! Ganesh Puja is on a much smaller scale but had we been there on the last day we might have seen people take their Ganesh statues down to the river to be immersed in water & float away forever. Although I didn't get to be there this time (our flight was the previous day) I did see some amazing photos on Instagram! 

Have you ever seen a Puja? What religious ceremonies have you witnessed?

Read more of my India posts:
India Diaries: We're going to India! 
Silent Sunday: Above the clouds 
Silent Sunday: At the beach 
India Diaries: Our first week in India

Silent Sunday #Kolkata

WIN Tickets to the Family Travel Show

The Family Travel Show is held on 1-2 October 2016 at Olympia London. It is the UK’s only event dedicated to family holiday inspiration and is your chance to meet with the biggest collection of specialist family providers. This year there are brand new free exciting features for all the family. With fun inspiration for you and your family to discover and explore the ever growing assortment of holidays available to families, why not make the day of it! There will be plenty to entertain children (and grown-ups!) of all ages and make the show a great family day out. Here’s a taster of the free features you can look forward to:

Free Children’s Photography Workshops with Sharp Shots Photo Club

Kids photography experts Sharp Shots are running exclusive FREE workshops for budding photographers so they can hone their travel photography skills at the Family Travel Show. From understanding how the camera works to snapping moving wildlife and thoughtful compositions showcasing dazzling landscapes, these sessions are sure to educate and inspire the next generation of travellers to capture and explore the world. Spaces are limited for these free photography workshops, however there are options to secure your child’s place by booking online at the Family Travel Show. Workshops are split appropriately with two age groups, 8-11 years old and 12 years old +.

BBC Go Jetters Magazine

Travel the world with BBC Go Jetters magazine at the Family Travel Show! Children will journey through fun activities and games, have the chance to enter competitions and take selfies with famous landmarks and their favourite Go Jetters characters – with the chance to be featured in the magazine! You’ll be able to find out more about the great title for preschool children, which engages their imagination and supports their learning; helping them to find out about geography in a way that is fun and exciting. BBC Go Jetters magazine sparks children’s curiosity and encourages them to ask questions and discover more about where they live as well as places far away.

Mark Warner Photo Booth

Make your visit to the Family Travel Show memorable and head over to the Mark Warner Photo Booth to snap a FREE family photo together! Whether your preferred holiday style is mountain ski guru or active beach fanatic, there will be a wide range of props and accessories for all to choose from. Then drop by the Mark Warner stand to find out more about their stunning range of welcoming beach resorts and cosy ski chalets, award winning childcare and kids clubs … and dazzling array of sporting activities.

Lonely Planet Kids

Discover what an amazing place the world is with Lonely Planet Kids. Want to know where you can ride a dodo? Find underground cows? Find out how cities work or uncover the secrets of The Amazon? Lonely Planet Kids will explain all this and more! Join them at The Family Travel Show where they will be bringing the world to life for young explorers everywhere, sharing their love of travel with lots of interactive features and travel inspiration for your next trip. It’s going to be a big adventure! Come explore…

Young Travel Photographers Competition

Created and organised by the Family Travel Show, the Young Travel Photographers competition has one simple aim – to celebrate the skill of young travel photographers as they capture their adventures while exploring the world with their family! With prizes from CEWE Photobook, Canon and Sharp Shots Photo Club, kids won’t want to miss this great opportunity to get creative and show off their best holiday shots! Winners and selected images will also be displayed as a photography exhibition at the Family Travel Show. Visit www.youngtravelphotographers.com to enter.

WIN Tickets to the Family Travel Show

The Family Travel Show takes place in Olympia London on 1 – 2 October 2016. Tickets cost £8 in advance or £10 on the door, under 16s are free. I’m giving away FIVE PAIRS of tickets to the Family Travel Show worth £100. For a chance to win simply enter your details below. And please spread the word! The competition closes on 18th September. Good luck!   

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