Eating Kobe Beef in Japan at Wakkoqu, Kobe

As much as a country may be well known for certain dishes, if you dig a little deeper, you'll always find regional specialities that locals are super proud of. Here in the UK we have exactly that, from Yorkshire puddings to Cornish pasties, but the legend of Kobe beef was a whole new foodie step for me. I'm a street food hunter; a dingy side-alley-restaurant-with-questionable-hygiene dweller. I've been known to dress up and splash out, of course, but this is the first time I've allocated a chunk of my holiday budget to a specific meal.

Three Things to Do in Runaway Bay, Jamaica (That Go Beyond Your All-Inclusive Hotel)

The contrast between the rural area of Jamaica that my family are from compared to the shiny tourist resorts is staggering. I've said before that the tropical island paradise that is so frequently associated with the country was a stark contrast to what I first experienced when I went to St Elizabeth, but spending a couple of days in Runaway Bay, I saw the shiny, picture perfect hotels that draw people in from around the world.

Flying Business Class on British Airways

I've never turned left on a plane before. I've been lucky enough to not always be squidged up in Economy, by going one step up to Premium Economy, which I've loved every time for just a bit more space and the fact that you're allowed an actual glass to drink out of. But I've always been jealous of those in the front of the plane; the ones who get to actually lie down when the cabin lights are turned down.

Pre-Flight Relaxation at No.1 Airport Lounge, Gatwick

Being a frequent flier, I don't find airports as stressful as I used to. Flying alone means I have my routine nailed: I know what clothes set off alarms, I know what I have to take out of my carry-on luggage before I go through security, I know that getting a full English breakfast at a Wetherspoons will be a rip off so I'm likely to get a coffee and croissant from Pret instead. And I take that coffee and I plonk myself on a chair as far away from the general public as I can, put my earphones in and wait for my gate to open.

Diane von Furstenberg Cat Headphones

Yep, that really is a pair of headphones with cats on them. Miaow! Introducing my favourite Christmas present this year: my Diane von Furstenberg headphones.

It seems that all of a sudden, everyone owns a big old pair of headphones. The simple earphones that come with your phone appear to be out of favour and have been replaced with the more obvious over-ear headphones of days gone by. I don't really get what the big fuss is and certainly would not pay hundreds of pounds for a pair of Beats as I'm not tech savvy enough to properly value why they are so expensive. That being said, I work in a very loud office and commute on the noisy underground everyday, so Spotify is my saviour and I wanted to bring a bit more fashion to my musical musings.

I knew as soon as I laid eyes on these beauties that I needed them in my life. The cat design is inspired by DVF's collaborator, New York DJ Harley Viera-Newton's cat, Marmite, and can be found on other DVF accessories too (inclulding an awesome handbag). Aside from the cat, the headphones are very simple and black in colour, very inconspicuous until you get closer!

The sound quality is great in my opinion, much better than my earphones, and so much more comfortable to wear. I also love the mini MP3 player that doubles up as an adorable button, I'm going to get it loaded with songs so I don't always have to drain my phone battery when I'm on the go.

These headphones may not be the most high tech pair on the market, but I think they are definitely the most stylish, and I'm pretty confident I won't see loads of other people wearing them on the tube! They are still available to buy from Matches.com here.

What do you think of my new headphones? And what did you get for Christmas?

Stella McCartney for Adidas hi-tops

About three years ago I bought a very simple pair of grey hi-tops from Primark. They were thin and flimsy but I have worn them way beyond their lifespan as they just seem to go with everything. They have completely died though, despite me hanging on to them for as long as possible.

Enter: the Net-a-Porter Christmas sale, which came swooping to my rescue in the form of these amazingly reduced grey hi-tops from the Adidas range by Stella McCartney. I instantly fell in love and bought them on Christmas Eve, meaning when the fun of Christmas and Boxing Day was over I could look forward to a fun parcel in the post!

I never went in for the hidden wedge trainers, but hi-tops aren't trying to be smart-casual, they are just casual. Worn with skinny jeans and a big chunky jumper, these are going to be great for lazy weekends and dress down days at work (the type of day where I need to sit cross legged and comfortably to write a massive presentation).

Jeans: Topshop
Coat: Warehouse
Scarf: H&M

The Net-a-Porter sale is still going on, and the bargains are amazing. This was my first purchase from the site, despite browsing on a very regular basis, and it was so simple to purchase via the iPad app and the delivery was really fast. I also bought an amazing lightning print skirt from Kenzo, but I'll write a separate outfit post on that soon!