Who needs to confine shenanigans to a day, when there’s a whole week scribbled in the diary? Yes, it’s time to start my birthday celebrations. This weekend (Friday pm) kicks off with the brilliant Hacienda Classical Concert in the grounds of Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath, conveniently close to home.

Bleary eyed, we’re then flying to Mallorca on Saturday morning for a “proper” Med weekend, before returning to normality on Monday morning.

It’s taken until now to finally learn an important lesson whilst drinking in the sunshine. Namely, consuming plenty of water at the same time.  A drill that’s easy to forget – a bottle of water for every bottle of fizz, etc.

But what about the plastic trail that comes with water consumption-a massive global issue?  I’d like to introduce you to the Puritii Water Filter Bottle.

The Puritii bottle is the most unique on the market. No other bottle filters every contaminant. Tap water is recycled up to 7 times and carries harmful chemicals, pharmaceuticals, fluoride, ammonia and chlorine, which can’t be filtered. It also contains bacteria that can cause stomach upsets, poisonous algae that encourage cancer cells to breed and ageing skin.

The incredible triple layer filter system provides healthy water, saving you heaps of money in the process.  And the real beauty of this bottle is that each single filter can potentially prevent 455 plastic bottles from hitting the environment (that could be up to 350,000 plastic bottles in your lifetime).

This incredible bottle can be filled at any water source, including Ibiza taps or muddy ponds, as it filters water to 99.99% pure. Not that I’ll be embarking on the mud test, mind.

Danny Gould: Clean Living, SUPER HEALTHY

They went down a storm at the 2017  Clockwork Ibiza Weekender and were road tested by Clockwork’s Danny Gould last weekend on the white isle, to a huge thumbs-up.

My good friend Lisa Jo has taken a £15k supply to 3 villages in Africa, where they are now able to provide fresh water from filthy water holes. I’m taking mine to the Balearics this summer. If anyone would like more info, please contact Lisa:

lisagood.puritiiocean@gmail.com

07720854902

On to this week’s super colourful instalment and we go all techno/ beauty with Crayons, solve your lost luggage dramas and to coincide with Gay Pride Month, Converse launch colours of the rainbow.

Thanks to my Guest Ed Mira Manley for some of this week’s content.

We’re back!

After a week in the blingtastically boiling Dubai, I return tanned, refreshed and half a stone heavier.

It was Ramadan during our stay, and it was fascinating observing how Muslims are so strict with themselves in observing fasting-by-day. Non-fasting people eat in restaurants behind sheets and boarded up windows, to respect those fasting around them.

During this holy month ruled by the moon, Muslims fast (do not eat or drink) in order to ‘re-set’ bodies and minds, and observe a time of peace.  I would happily do the same myself, but lack the self -discipline. Indeed, I returned half a stone heavier, and admit that I did indeed scoff behind those sheets and boarded up windows.

I also enjoyed the insanely hot temperatures. It never dipped below 32, even at night and peaked at 42 degrees. The other members of my family hated it, but as one who loves to boil, I was in my element.

My other half has a “hipster” beard, meaning that he had extra Arabic warmth to contend with. Interestingly, on this exact subject, I hear that hipsters’ worst nightmares came true, when a recent poll revealed that 43% of women wouldn’t sleep with a bearded man. It appears facial fuzz puts women off. Clearly, I think this is ridiculous, since I’m married to one. To add insult to injury, novelist Jilly Cooper claims that bearded men cry all the time and are scared of women. Hmmm.

The stats roll on. Apparently, 1 in 5 men struggle to grow chest hair, whilst 1 in 10 who can shave it off, 7% snip it, 3% wax it and 1% get laser hair removal. Men from the West Midlands have the most self-confidence, with Northern Irish men being the least confident. Although clearly not in Jamie Dornan’s case.

Sounds like a load of rubbish – but just the sort of trivia that makes the world go round.

Onto this week’s instalment of Zips It Up,and we check out an Aussie Menswear label, Ibiza’s top nail & lash technicians and discover how love eggs are good for your health, not just an orgasm.

G’day. Meet two UK friends living the dream Down Under.

 Richard Cook, a Software Developer originally from Hertfordshire, and Joe Ames, a Car Detailer and former Bouncer from Birmingham, were having a beer at their local Aussie pub, when they noticed the lack of decent ‘Street Wear’ from the smaller menswear brands.

Most brands were run by large multi million dollar companies and didn’t leave enough room in the marketplace for the smaller independent labels.  So, the boys decided to see if they could give it a go.

After month or so, they decided on a manufacturer of apparel they liked, to kick off the online shop while they were working on the brand itself. And so, Apache Street Wear was born.

Richard and Joe are also working on a selection of women’s apparel under the guise of Clair De Lune Avenue, which will feature a classic selection of ladies dresses, body suits and accessories.

The main focus at the moment is to build a strong quality brand from Apache and Clair De Lune, while keeping reasonable pricing but still maintaining high quality.

The menswear collection is vast but here are a few of my favourites.

Web: https://apachestreetwear.com

Facebook: https://fb.me/apachestreetwearor https://www.facebook.com/apachestreetwear/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apachestreetwear

Welcome to this red-hot issue of Amanda Zips It Up.

It’s another scorching Bank Holiday weekend here in London, and having just returned from a quick jaunt over to the Balearics, it’s pretty much “scorchio” all over Europe right now.

Good news for fans of Pimms, beers and barbecues.

But a word of caution. As the booze kicks-in, don’t wear ripped jeans and sit directly in the line of the sun. The combination of ripped jeans and UV rays creates unappealing burnt red legs stripes.  I’ve experienced it, and it’s not funny.

As a sucker for roasting temperatures, there will be no blog next week as I’m off on holiday to Dubai with the family. As if 31 degrees in Europe wasn’t enough, the Middle East beckons, to bake in a standard 40 degrees plus. Expect to see me looking like Madge from Benidorm upon my return.

Onto this week’s instalment and we check out Primark’s Ibiza and Space range for men, plus check out designer tights for those who don’t want to reveal bare flesh and for those who do – who will be maintain their Toblerone Thigh Gap this summer?

We all love Ibiza. Fact. Many of us spend our annual holidays on the white isle. Fact.

But what happens if you can’t get to the party capital of the world this summer, for whatever reason? Do you avoid social media completely, so as not to encounter FB and Insta friends parading in the pool at Ocean Beach Club, arms aloft at Amnesia or listening to blissful beats at The Blue Marlin?

In a word, “no”. But if we can’t be there, then let’s wear the T Shirt.

Perhaps a few steps down on the barometer from actual Ibiza, our faithful friends at Primark have pulled it out the bag, with this collection of Ibiza and now-departed superclub Space merchandise.

We’re talking tees, beach towels and hoodies, to make you feel like you were (almost) in Ibiza this summer.

Grab a £4/€5 Ibiza beach towel and work on that UK tan in your garden, thinking of Salinas beach. For the high-tempo, fun lovers amongst you, imagine you’re parading around Playa d’en Bossa in one of these tees. Or if you fancy a nostaligic keepsake, try one of these official Space T-shirts, to keep the memory of the iconic club alive.

 
The collection won’t break the bank either, and everything is either officially Space merchandise or Primark’s own Ibiza range. Although it’s a menswear collection, we girls can rest assured that small or medium will fit us perfectly, so nobody needs to miss out.

www.primark.com