Girlie Gossip takes a look at Longleat Safari Park and gives you our views on why it’s a fantastic family day out!

Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire is a must see family attraction for kids and adults of all ages. However, if you’re thinking it is all about the Safari park, you’d be sorely mistaken as Longleat has so much more to offer and once inside the grounds, the possibilities are endless!

Upon entrance to Longleat we proceeded directly into the Safari Park, a magical experience which gives you the chance to get up close and personal with wild animals from the safety and comfort of your own vehicle. Drive round at your own pace, stopping (pulling over to one side to ensure the other cars can still keep the flow) whenever you like to take photo’s or take a longer look at specific animals. We were blown away by the lions, tigers and wolves in particular.

Don’t forget that about half way round you can also stop to feed the deer, a fantastic experience which absolutely made our day. Just buy a pot of deer food from the staff and drive your car into the spaces provided and the deer will happily trot up to your car, poke their adorable heads in the window and eat from your hand! (or delve straight into the pot and help themselves if you get cheeky ones like us!) a brilliant experience.

Once you’re finished in the safari park you can drive in and park your car near the stunning Longleat House and lakes (perhaps stop for a picnic?) and make your way onwards to further attractions.

We had passport tickets and I can’t rate these highly enough. Basically this means that instead of paying for the attractions you want to visit separately, you pay a one off fee which entitles you access to almost all the attractions in Longleat. This includes The Safari Boat, Old Joes Mine, Longleat House and much more! Well worth it if you’re looking to spend the entire day in the grounds, trust us!

A few of our absolute favourite, stand out attractions are below:

Safari Boat

This is an amazing experience that you must not miss if you go to Longleat. Hop on a big safari boat and make your way around the lakes, you get to see plenty of seals eagerly jumping out of the water at you and may even catch a glimpse of Nico the silverback Gorilla who lives on his own little island in the middle of the lake. The pampered big guy even has sky TV to watch! Beautiful and amazing to watch if you can spot him!

Longleat Train

All aboard the cute Longleat train ride which takes you around the grounds, through woodland and past the lakes (watch out for glimpses of seals and Nico again!) kids will absolutely love this and there’s plenty of room in the little carriages for adults aswell.

Old Joes Mine

Get up close and personal with Bats! Watch as they fly around above your head and learn all about them from the friendly, helpful staff. Not for the faint hearted!

Longleat House and Gardens

A truly breathtaking spectacle. Wander around the house at your own pace (something we thought was brilliant!) no need for tour guides as there are staff located in all rooms should you want to ask a specific question. All were friendly, knowledgeable and answered everything thrown at them! Stunning and educational.

If you’re bringing children with you, we’d recommend allowing plenty of time for the huge adventure playground! Kids will absolutely LOVE it but be warned it will be hard to drag them away from the high rise castles, rope bridges, enormous tube slides and more! This is worth the price of a passport ticket alone in our opinion!

There’s also the massive hedge maze to wander around (or perhaps lose yourself in!) and motion simulators as well as some lovely café’s and fast food places to stop and grab a quick meal if you’re in a rush and having far too much time to slow down!

All in all a highly recommended day out for all the family, not matter what age! Get there early as you WILL struggle to fit everything in. Plenty to see, do and immerse yourself in. A top day trip idea!

Head over to the official website here for more info http://longleat.co.uk/default.htm

Ohmigod you Guys! If you’re looking for a night of fun at the theatre then head down to the Savoy in London. Read Girlie Gossip’s review after the jump!

Legally Blonde is the quintessential marmite musical – You’ll either fall completely in love with it or be left wondering ‘why?’. The show, based on the Amanda Brown novel and subsequent film, follows pampered sorority sweetheart Elle Woods as she hits the books and heads to Harvard law school to win back her ex boyfriend Warner Huntington III. With the help of her Delta Nu sorority sisters, hairdresser Paulette and geeky mentor Emmett, Elle sets out on a mission to lose her airhead image and prove herself to her peers.

The show is carried by its frivolous protagonist Elle Woods, portrayed in the London production by Gavin and Stacey star Sheridan Smith, who is both funny and engaging. Dressed head to toe in pink for the opening half of the show, it’s hard not to love her and the comedic wit between her and her Delta Nu sisters is nothing short of brilliant. Amy Lennox is particularly charming as sorority bubblehead Margot who keeps the audience laughing with her stereotypical Blonde characteristics. As the sisters tell us ‘every tragedy needs a Greek chorus’ and the musical is the same, they act as backing vocals and ensemble for a majority of the soundtrack and help Elle along her journey.

Legally Blonde the musical is aimed at women as much as the 2001 film is a chick flick and it has a very specific target audience – young women, which maybe explains why the older woman sat behind me turned to her husband and said ‘I thought it would have been more serious’ during the interval. It is then, of course, natural that the subplot in which Elle and her mentor Emmett Forrest fall in love steals the show. Emmett is the classic romantic comedy leading man, an underdog who helps Elle to show her true potential and theatre star Alex Gaumond plays him brilliantly and has the appeal to keep the women in the audience swooning.

The soundtrack is fun too, the show’s high energy stands for numerous dance performances and ‘Ohmigod you guys’ is the quirky satirical opening number that will echo in your head long after the show finishes. Granted this isn’t a musical masterpiece and some of the songs end before they have really begun but they are catchy, ‘Bend and snap’ and ‘Positive’ are some of the fan favourites. The choreography in the show is excellent – a particular highlight is the highly co-ordinated skipping routine headed by Aoife Mulholland as shamed Delta Nu alumni and fitness queen Brooke Wyndham during ‘whipped into shape’.

It is the cast that shape the musical, the set design isn’t overly grand and the Savoy theatre is intimate compared to some of the other theatres in the west end, therefore it is the energy and enthusiasm of the cast which makes Legally Blonde worth seeing. This isn’t a serious musical, far from it; it was designed to be a fun night out and to give the audience a night to remember. So if your looking for a good night out with the girls then this is it.

Take a look at the official site for bookings and more info here: http://www.legallyblondethemusical.co.uk/

Review by Lauren Winter

Tia Maria has introduced Tia Breeze – a fruity and refreshing new cooler that’s a perfect summer drink.

Tia Breeze is a simple serve of Tia Maria and fresh cranberry juice. This elegant sundowner is a fantastic fusion of flavours, with the iconic Jamaican liqueur giving delicate undertones of coffee and vanilla complemented by soft berry fruit notes from the juice.

Long mixed drinks are always popular picks on the cocktail list in the summer months and Tia Maria is a favourite cocktail ingredient with mixologists. Tia Breeze is sure to be a popular ‘sundowner’ to enjoy while basking in the warm evening sunshine this summer.

Tia Breeze perfectly combines the smooth, sweet and rich flavour of the liqueur with the soft and delicate cranberry juice giving fresh and fruity summer drink. Simply pour a single measure of Tia Maria over a long glass filled with ice, top up with cranberry juice and garnish with a lime wedge and see for yourself that the Tia Breeze is the ideal drink for chilling out!

Tia Breeze’s vivid deep red colour promises to brighten up even a damp British summer, but it is best enjoyed after a long hot day, as the sun goes down. Whatever the weather though, Tia Breeze is sure to be the drink on everyone’s lips this summer.

Tia Maria is available nationally in all major supermarkets, restaurants and bars in the UK with an RRP of £13.49 (70cl bottle).

Beatbullying, the UK’s leading bullying prevention charity, has joined forces with Barry M, the country’s top fashion cosmetics company, for a number of exciting projects set to launch over the next 12 months.

The partnership will kick off with activity centered around Anti-Bullying Week in November.

The relationship marks the first collaboration between Beatbullying and the iconic beauty brand Barry M, whose products appeal to young people with their fun and fashionable colours, and represents a great brand fit for Beatbullying.

Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of Beatbullying commented:

“We’re really excited to be working with Barry M, a truly innovative brand with a great heritage.

“As a charity which targets children and young people primarily, through our in-school programmes and our peer mentoring site CyberMentors, it’s really important for us to be able to reach vulnerable young people via creative brand associations as well as traditional routes, in order to ensure that any victims of bullying know they have a place to come to for advice and support.”

Dean Mero, Managing Director of Barry M added:

“We take our responsibility to our young customer base very seriously and we are proud to be spreading the anti-bullying message to them. We’ are really excited to be partnering with Beatbullying, as we have long admired their work with young people and cannot wait to announce our exciting plans in the near future.”

For a completely fresh start, there’s no better way to start the new school year than with brand new stationery, bag and lunch boxes featuring the gorgeous Tatty Teddy from the Me to You range.

The Me to You range has something for all ages, especially now it has launched the new Sketchbook range of Back to School goodies for trendy teenagers. With its eye-catching white polka dots on raspberry pink and artistic sketch of Tatty Teddy, these young adults will be able to bring the sunshine back into the classroom after the summer holidays with a wide range of items including an over shoulder bag (RRP £12.99) and purse (RRP £3.99) to start school in style, and an A4 ring binder and bound hardback book (RRP £4.99) to make sure they’re neat and organised for the term ahead.

For ‘Tweens’ and younger children, make school work fun with everything from lunch boxes (RRP £7.99) and trainer bags (RRP £5.99) to note books (RRP £3.99), pencil case sets (RRP £4.99) and fluffy-top pens (RRP £2.99) – all in vibrant blue, pink and yellow with the adorable classic Tatty Teddy design.

With a helping hand from Me to You, motivate your child and make learning fun with some new school kit that will make brighten even the rainiest of autumn days.

We absolutely love the new Back to School range, it is perfect for all the mini ‘Girlie Gossip’s’ out there and the cute, classic designs mean that you’re sure to make an impact in the playground with these sets! Fun and fashionable for kids!

Drawing inspiration from the infrared laser face-sculpting technique, LIERAC Laboratories have developed Coherence L.IR (£65), a luxurious cream which helps reactivate the synthesis of collagen fibres.

An unprecedented combination of pink tourmaline, capable of emitting infrared light similar to the medical aesthetic laser technique, and Collagen III Synthesis Accelerating Vectors (ASC III) boost collagen synthesis, helping to restore the look of young skin. Skin is firmer and face contours appear redefined.

Launches November 2010.  Available from Harrods Pharmacy, Independent Pharmacies and www.lookfantastic.com.

a silky mineral powder duo that helps highlight, define and accentuate features to create a believable, natural blush of color for an all-over healthy look.

apply the neutral shade to cheekbones; then, top with the brighter shade for instant highlighting effect and the supernatural blush look. mix together or wear alone for additional shade options.

shades: hugs & kisses, honest & true, sunny & bright, healthy & happy

philosophy’s the supernatural mineral blush duo is £18.00 and available exclusively through QVC at launch.

Urban angels and indie princesses will be eager to get their hands on our new and exclusive Hooch range. The good news is that they can as of now in store.

This fierce new range is aimed at fashion conscious 8-16 year olds who have their own statement style.

This laid back, eclectic collection is made up of key pieces that can be layered and mixed up to create cool individual looks.

All the key catwalk styles are covered from military and rock chick to indie and urban casual. Floaty, embellished dresses and waterfall cardigans give a feminine feel to the range which can be teamed with studded shorts and skirts or printed sequin leggings for glamour with an edge.

Complete that original and unique style that’s all your own with our chic range of Hooch accessories. Stud detailing and sequin embellishments, perfect for individual styling.

Take a look at the Matalan website for more info: http://www.matalan.co.uk/

We love the Autumn/Winter season as it means cold nights snuggling up on the sofa with a hot chocolate (and hopefully a hot guy!) and warm clothing in dark sensual colours and fabrics.

First up we are loving the current biker jacket trend and think this cheap alternative Bomber Jacket looks great! Perfect for teaming up with some jeans and killer heels for a rock chic look!

The Gilet is a classic winter item and great for those who don’t want to feel heavily bundled up with clothing. Simply wear over a long sleeved top and there you have it! Stylish and practical it’s a must have addition to your winter wardrobe!

Of course we couldn’t not mention the stunning long line tunics available either could we? Great for wearing with skinny jeans or leggings they are warm, comfy and cosy for winter’s days! This Button Shoulder Tunic is one of our faves!

OPI presents its sensational new Swiss collection for Autumn Winter 2010/2011.

Twelve irre-Swiss-tible shades for chalet-chic nails which will have fashionistas yodelling all the way to the Alps.

We’ll be reviewing a few of the individual shades soon along with swatches and our thoughts on the best of the collection, but for now take a look at the full set.

We just love the fun names that OPI has become so well known for and can’t wait to show you the colours in more detail soon.

Stay tuned and click the thumbnail for a larger picture of the full set in all its glory!