5 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Stress and Relax Completely

Read article : 5 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Stress and Relax Completely

When was the last time you had a quality time dedicated to relaxing? The modern age we are living in forces us to spend more time at work, and since one day has only twenty-four hours, the contemporary “average Joe” chooses to renounce relaxing time in favor of work. Stress is on the rise for the past decade, and according to several statistics, around 80% of workers today are exposed to this condition.

Of course, there is an option to avoid stressful situations, but rather often, this is not possible. Stress is eating us from the inside out and makes our lives miserable if we let it take over. Still, devoting some time of the day to immerse yourself into relaxation is a good solution to battle stress, calm your nerves, and make you feel better.

The only important thing is, that you need to schedule that time and prioritize it. Don’t avoid it – it’s time for you to start caring about yourself.

Cancel all of your obligations tonight, and organize a relaxing and stress-relieving time.

When is a good time to relax?

Basically, any time can be determined for this. In general, I recommend the evening, or at least sundown when the city life is slowly losing its pace. There is also this soothing feeling, coming from the absence of daylight, which will help you to unwind while your body triggers the relaxing mechanism as it prepares to go to sleep.

On the other hand, if there is no possibility to separate some time for yourself in the evening, daytime is also suitable. Just remember to cover your windows. The color of the sheets covering the windows should not be aggressive, such as red or orange; choose a calming color such as cream or purple. It will bathe your room in butter-shaded color and calm you.

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For a start, put some relaxing tunes on, and set up the atmosphere. Luckily, the Internet is full of meditation tunes which can be used for free. Find the one which reflects your mood and suits you best.

1. Wash away the stress

Simple lying on the couch and resting is a good practice in the prepared scenery. But, to relax and shake down all of that stress, you must do something prior enjoying in your peaceful oasis. Start with a warm bath, scented with a few drops of essential oils. There is one simple rule that must be followed – don’t think about anything. Concentrate on the warm sensation of water on your skin.

This will help you not just to relax your muscles, but the clear your mind as well. Try to endure as high temperature of the water as possible, but be careful not to burn yourself. Hot water can help your blood course faster, making muscles supplied with oxygen more efficiently, and thus more relaxed.

In case that you have chosen the shower over a bath tub, there is an Eastern wisdom about meditation which can suit perfectly to this situation. The feeling of your worries being washed away can be achieved if you focus on your senses. In order to improve this state, try closing your eyes.

2. Relaxing your body even further

After the relaxing bath, some people have the energy to do the things they like, and some people want to go even deeper. Many turn to sleeping, the body’s natural regenerating mechanism. It is ok, but today we’re here to reach the deeper levels of relaxation. To get there,  a massage is the next step.

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Since this is a guide for relaxing in your home, you’ll either order a masseuse to come to your house or get a massaging chair. If you are lucky enough to possess this wonderful chair, you just strap in and hit “play.” The speed, pace, and intensity are not universal, so you will need to experiment, and to see which mode suits you the best.

Another add-on for ambient and overall improvement is scented sticks. Those can be bought anywhere, and the choice of the type of scent is left to you. However, pine, lavender, and bergamot are good to start with. Their primal purpose is to enhance meditation and give you additional focus, but the purpose of relaxing is also notable.

3. Being creative

The next thing might be your favorite and possibly forgotten hobby. We all have that one thing we used to do daily, but we simply lack the time (willingly or unwillingly) for it. Whether that be calligraphy, maintaining your mini Zen garden, or playing an instrument, there is only one rule; do it.

Again, it is not the point of creating wonderful pieces of art; it is about you doing something that makes you happy. If you do not have any hobby, I recommend you to try painting. It is easy, and there are no rules or limitations. You do as you please, and quite often, being creative will make you feel better. Painting has a psychological effect of relaxation.

Research results published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology are stating that people’s perspective can be changed if we practice hobbies on a daily basis. It might seem like a long-term goal, but you have to start somewhere, right?

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4. Have a delicious meal

A perfect relaxation isn’t complete without a proper meal. Regarding the type of food you like and if you like to prepare it yourself, get your food ready and waiting. We all love pizza, of course, but as I said, take it a bit further.

Italian food is rather easy to prepare, and since it utilizes light ingredients such as pasta and chicken meat, it will not make you feel heavy after eating. One of my favorites is definitely Cauliflower Penne Puttanesca, a light, vegetarian pasta, which requires about 25 minutes to prepare.

Of course, this exquisite meal should be paired with the matching wine, and if you can obtain a bottle of Villa Bucci’s Riserva, Verdicchio dei Castelli from 2009, it will be simply put, perfect. Wine is a somewhat sensitive drink, so it should be cooled to exact temperature (around 15°C). Luckily, there are many wine coolers & fridges which can do this for you. As a good wine enthusiast, I’m sure you already have a cooler. If not, consider having one.

5. The end of the night

After a good meal, you can spend the rest of the evening as you like. Personally, I love to take another round of easy massage while watching a movie or a TV show. In general, avoid watching TV while eating, because you won’t enjoy it as much.

Also, a good book is a great suggestion, and whether that be something new, such as “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough, or something more classic, like Shakespeare or Charles Dickens, the decision is yours. After reading, you can go to sleep, satisfied and happy; after all, you did something wonderful for yourself.

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Spare some time for yourself every week

It is not as much about the bathing, the wine, and food, as it is about YOU doing something you are not doing every day. After an evening spent like this, you will finally see the world as it really is, beautiful, colored and sparkly.

But you did not change it, you simply swept away the heavy clouds of every day stress and troubles, and this enthusiasm is really contagious. The next thing you will want to do is to prepare a similar evening for your loving person, knowing how good it feels. Always have the time for yourself!

Easy Bathroom Refresh + Win a $100 Target GiftCard!

Read article : Easy Bathroom Refresh + Win a $100 Target GiftCard!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.#DesignedMega #CollectiveBias

My bathroom was one of those areas of my new apartment that needed a little love. So I decided to give it an easy bathroom refresh!

Check out all the details below, plus enter for the chance to win a $100 Target GiftCard!

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="1172" />

I love my new apartment, but the bathroom has been a challenge to decorate. There’s nothing wrong with it … it’s just very brown and boring.

Here are some before photos to give you an idea what I’m talking about.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! BEFORE | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="843" />I hesitate to complain too much, because it’s actually a very nice, spacious bathroom. There’s tons of storage space, a big counter, and even a convenient utility closet.

There’s just so much brown! The walls are beige, the cabinets are dark brown, the counters are brown … the list goes on. My ideal bathroom is all white (tiles, towels, etc.), and this is pretty much the opposite of that.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! BEFORE | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="956" />When we first moved in, I hung up my white shower curtain and towels and hoped to call it a day. It was just so boring though.

To me, fall is the perfect time for a simple home decor or organizing project. Everyone’s heading back to school, the weather’s cooling off, and a little change feels good.

I love nothing more than a quick makeover, and nothing in my bathroom popped, if you know what I mean! It was time for an easy bathroom refresh, and I decided to add some color.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! BEFORE | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />On a whim, I purchased the printed shower curtain below a few months after moving in. Blue and white is a favorite color combo of mine, and it’s the perfect way to counteract all that brown. The curtain was the inspiration for my easy bathroom refresh.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />I’m a firm believer that small updates, like buying the right toilet paper, can have a mega impact. There’s nothing worse than wasting  the weekend running errands, which is why I love Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® (Mega Rolls). Each roll has four times the toilet paper in one mega roll, and more toilet paper equals fewer errands!

While I was at Target picking up the Quilted Northern paper, I spent some looking for fun bathroom accessories. I ended up getting a cushy new bath mat, a cute patterned hand towel, and a bold blue soap dispenser … all of which coordinated perfectly with my shower curtain.

When I got home, I shopped my home for more bathroom accessories. Do you ever do that? I found a couple prints and some blue and white ceramics that worked perfectly.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="952" />The first step in my easy bathroom refresh was adding art. This alone had a huge impact.

My husband and I purchased these prints at the Alameda Flea Market way back when we lived in San Francisco. The prints were super affordable, and a couple Target frames was all it took to make them look like expensive watercolors.

I love adding art to neglected spaces like the bathroom. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to add character to an overlooked room.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="914" />Next, I tackled the bathroom counter. It’s very long, and we have plenty of cabinet space to store our stuff, so I like to keep it mostly clear.

To break up the brown counter a bit, I added a few blue and white decorative objects on one end. These came from a thrift store years ago, so they were a bargain, too. Keep an eye out the next time you go thrifting for similar items!Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />I also replaced my white soap dispenser that was looking a little worse for wear with a vibrant new blue one. Doesn’t it look great with my colorful shower curtain?

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />Next to the counter, I hung up a new patterned towel, also from Target.

I’m kind of obsessed with this pretty towel! It’s still a white towel like I love, but the beautiful pattern takes it to another level.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />You can see already how just a few changes totally perked up my bathroom counter!

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="442" />This cushy bath mat from Target might be my favorite new addition. It’s so comfortable, and it’s much larger than my old mat. Plus, it looks great with my patterned shower curtain.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />Hanging a roll of the Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong (Mega Rolls) was the finishing touch. With these four in one mega rolls, you can forget about refilling the roll for longer periods of time. And that means less time spent running errands and more time for fun stuff, like redecorating!

These mega rolls are always in style, every bit as comfortable, and designed to give you more … who doesn’t love that?

Want to save even more time and money? Sign up the Target subscription service and get Quilted Northern delivered right to your door!

Make sure to read all the way to the end to find out how you can enter for the chance to win a $100 Target GiftCard, but in the meantime, here are some after shots.

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="843" />I absolutely love how this easy bathroom refresh turned out. If you’re stuck with a boring, brown bathroom like me, try adding colorful new accessories. It’s amazing the impact a few simple changes can make!

Blue was the perfect choice here. It adds a little coolness to the space, yet complements the brown perfectly.

I love how the art livens up this corner!

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />This is a view of the opposite corner with the shower curtain and new bath mat.

I live in a loft that was converted from an office building/department store. When the developers revamped the building, they turned some of the old office doors into sliding doors like in our bathroom. There’s even a mail slot in the door!

Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="936" />Easy Bathroom Refresh ... get my easy and affordable tips and tricks for giving your boring bathroom a makeover! | Hello Little Home" width="624" height="1040" />I hope you enjoyed my bathroom makeover and got some ideas for decorating your own space.

Make sure to stop by Target to pick up everything you need for your own easy bathroom refresh, and don’t forget to add this Target Cartwheel offer to save on your next purchase of Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong (Mega Rolls)!

Follow Quilted Northern on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for more fun ideas, too!

Don’t leave without entering for the chance to win a $100 Target GiftCard below … use it to fund your own easy bathroom refresh!

#DesignedMega Bathroom Refresh Quilted Northern Sweepstakes

Have you updated any rooms in your home lately?

I’m linking up with I Heart Naptime.

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In my beauty bag: Natalie Back

Read article : In my beauty bag: Natalie Back

Last updated 07:40, December 11 2014

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TOP TIPS FOR GREAT SKIN: Don't smoke, get plenty of sleep and cleanse your skin every night, says Natalie Back.

In her job as national beauty sales manager for Farmers, Natalie Back has access to all the cosmetics a girl could ever dream of. Unsurprisingly, her cabinet is bursting with all the latest products – let's take a peek.

SKIN

I'm a bit of a soft touch for anything claiming to help address the signs of ageing, so I tend to use a mix of products and brands.

Good cleansing is key, so I like to use Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover and Galatee Confort Cleanser in the evening and my Clarisonic Cleansing Brush with Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser in the morning. This might sound like overkill but these products work well together, and my skin feels amazing afterwards. I've used a Clarisonic brush for a couple of years now, and am thrilled we finally have these available in New Zealand at Farmers!

I can be a bit hit-and-miss with toners, but alternate between Clinique Clarifying Lotion and Estee Lauder Micro Essence. I love the way Micro Essence applies like a toner but acts like a serum.

I always follow with at least one, sometimes two, serums. At the moment I'm using Clinique's Smart Serum. I'm also a huge fan of Elizabeth Arden's Prevage Intensive Repair Serum, and tend to use this in the evening to target key areas of concern. 

I'm a huge advocate of using as a good eye cream, and can't go past Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate as this addresses all of my key concerns – puffiness, lines and firmness. 

As I've become more concerned with the signs of ageing, I prefer a moisturiser that helps increase hydration, and improve radiance and firmness, without being too heavy. Currently I use Clarins Super Restorative Day and Super Restorative Night Creams which are great for this.

When I want to give my skin an extra boost, I use Clinique Instant Turnaround Facial.  It's a quick and easy-to-use exfoliating treatment, and my skin always feels incredibly smooth afterwards

I like to wear an SPF every day, and use Clinique CC Cream with SPF30 all year round - either on its own or as a primer. It's great for evening out your skin tone while providing protection. If I plan to be in the sun for extended periods I use Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Sun Defense for Face SPF50.  For my body, I generally use one of the Clarins Sun Protection products, as they provide a range of SPFs to choose from and I like the spray application.

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I love facials but don't have them often – they tend to be more a treat when I'm travelling.  My most memorable one was at the Mandara Spa at the Sofitel in Fiji. I had the works – a Balinese body polish and massage, followed by an Elemis Brilliance facial and scalp massage.  It was pure luxury and I felt like I was floating six inches above the ground when I left.

My secrets to good skin? Don't smoke! Get plenty of sleep. Cleanse your skin every night - no matter how tired you are - and always wear good eye cream and sunscreen.

MAKEUP

I have two older sisters so was introduced to the wonders of makeup about age 10. This was in the era of brands like Helena Rubenstein and Mary Quant when it was all about colour and glitter! I think I was about 13 when I bought my first Maybelline Eye Shadow Quad, and can still remember my delight at being given my own mascara and lip gloss on my 14th birthday. It was all downhill from there!

Most of my colour products tend to be from Bobbi Brown. My favourites are the Skin Foundation Stick, as it's quick and easy to apply and great to keep in my bag for touch-ups; Tinted Eye Brightener to help conceal under-eye shadows; Longwear Gel Eyeliner, as it stays in place all day (I love both Graphite and Chocolate Shimmer); and my can't-live-without-product – the Brow Kit! 

My must-have mascara at the moment is Lancome Grandiose. This is amazing for volume, definition and curl, and the angled brush makes it easy to apply without the dreaded clumps.

M.A.C. is my go-to brand for pencils. I like the Powerpoint Pencil for my eyes and Pro Longwear Pencil for my lips. I've just discovered Morning Coffee, and love how it goes with so many lipstick shades. I must confess to also having more than a few M.A.C. lipsticks in my possession, as I'm always on the lookout for that one perfect shade. 

I make sure I always have my Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick, Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector, at least one lip pencil and lipstick, and a bottle of Optrex Eye Drops in my handbag.

I try to keep makeup to a minimum over the weekends, but will usually wear CC cream, mascara, lipgloss, brow makeup and a touch of blusher.

HAIR

I wash my hair every second day with John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shampoo and Conditioner. It helps to maintain my colour and keep it in good condition. 

Prior to styling, I give my hair a light spritz with L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil to help protect it from the heat, and then apply Davines This Is A Volume Boosting Mousse. To create texture I finish with Davines This Is A Medium Hold Finishing Gum.

My favourite salon is Killer Hair in St Benedicts St, Auckland. I've been going to Steven and Mimi for about nine years now, and they're amazing! I always keep my hair short but can get bored with it easily, and they're always happy to help me look at ways to change it up a bit. 

My hair tends to grow quickly, so I get it cut every five weeks or so, and coloured every second visit.  In between colours I re-touch the roots at home with L'Oreal Casting. Being short my hair usually stays in OK condition, but every couple of weeks I use Hask Argan Oil Deep Repairing Conditioner. It comes in a sachet so it is easy to travel with as well.

I have strong hair that needs to be styled every day, unfortunately, with a hairdryer and straighteners and I use GHD for both. I also have mini Cloud Nine Straighteners that are brilliant for travelling and short hair.

FRAGRANCE & BODY

I tend to choose my fragrance based on my mood, the occasion or the season. I do have a few favourites though, with Narciso Rodriguez For Her being a mainstay. I'm also really enjoying wearing Balenciaga Paris at the moment.  

After progressing on from Charlie, some of my earliest fragrances were Miss Worth, White Linen, Rive Gauche and Arpege. In more recent times I've enjoyed wearing Juicy Couture, Flowerbomb, Ellie Saab, Modern Muse, and Miss Dior.

For body, I love the Clarins Tonic Bath and Shower Concentrate, and use it in the shower every morning. When I want to wind down I love to soak in the bath with Clarins Relaxing Bath and Shower Concentrate. I also like to give these as gifts, as I think they're a little bit of luxury few women afford themselves.

I like non-scented body lotions and alternate between Nivea Firming Body Lotion Q10 Plus and Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion. 

LIFESTYLE

My beauty philosophy? From birth to 20 you have the skin you were born with. From 20 onwards you have the skin you deserve. So take good care of it while you can!

My beauty tip for travelling is as soon as the lights are out on a long-haul flight, remove your makeup and apply a moisturising mask and lip balm. I usually apply Clarins Beauty Flash Balm and Hydra Quench Lip Balm.

When it comes to shopping for beauty products, I'm the ultimate consumer. Through my job I get to see products six to nine months before they launch. As a result I usually have a list of products I'm planning to buy and their launch dates in my diary!  Luckily for me, Farmers now stocks all the brands I love to use.

Audrey Hepburn is my beauty icon. She had such a classic style and timeless beauty, and I love her philosophy that true beauty can only come from within. Her favourite poem, Time Tested Beauty Tips by Sam Levenson, is a must-read.

The one product I can't live without is Bobbi Brown Brow Makeup.

My best quick fix is to always keep a cream concealer on hand to instantly brighten the under-eye area, illuminate cheekbones, create a smooth lipline and help correct any little application errors.

A beauty mistake from my past was anything I did in the '80s! I can still see the lovely strips of bright eye colour from lash to brow.

My beauty pet hate is women wearing the wrong shade of foundation (usually too dark), and overly exaggerated eyebrows.

If I could wave a magic wand, the beauty bugbear I'd like to fix is cellulite! I would love a product that really did instantly smooth it.

The beauty product I think needs be invented is a customised foundation system where your perfect shade could be expertly blended to match your skin tone.

- As told to Melissa Williams-King

 - Stuff

Next Generation 2017 Mazda CX-5 road test and review

Read article : Next Generation 2017 Mazda CX-5 road test and review

MAZDA'S CX-5 is Australia's SUV superstar.  

We've bought more of these mid-size high-riding five-seaters than any other SUV in each of the past four years: 118,000 in total since its early 2012 arrival.  

2017 Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport

Last year, for instance, nearly 25,000 CX-5s rolled out of Mazda showrooms, decisively trumping closest rivals Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail, all despite it being a five-year old design.  

In bad news for the competition a new generation Mazda CX-5 has just arrived with fresher styling, improved specification and safety, a quieter and more refined cabin and more assured handling. Prices are up, but not by enough to cheer its rivals.  

What will it all mean? Mazda expects to keep its number one ranking in the hotly competed mid-size SUV segment, gunning for return customers ready to chop in their old CX-5, upsize from the likes of a Mazda3, or nab anyone hopping on the SUV buying bandwagon for the first time (of which there are plenty).  

There are five grades to choose from - Maxx, Maxx Sport, Touring, GT and Akera.

2017 Mazda CX-5 range

To get 'em in the showroom an opening salvo price of $28,690 looks good, but that means two-wheel-drive, six-speed manual, the lesser petrol engine and steel wheels.   

Mazda's not expecting you to buy this one though. The Maxx Sport and Touring grades with 2.5-litre petrol, AWD and auto gearbox ($37,390 and $38,990) will be the volume sellers, and look the picks in terms of value versus included specification.  

You'll notice the exterior styling is hardly revolutionary over the old CX-5, with program manager Masaya Kodama saying he wanted a simplistic design, a "less-is-more Japanese aesthetic" and an enhanced premium feel for the cabin. This has been achieved by dropping the black plastics in favour of soft touch materials, but most pertinent has been a dramatic decrease in cabin noise - a common grumble from drivers of the outgoing model.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Akera

On the base model you get LED headlamps, reclining rear seats, seven-inch colour touchscreen display with MZD Connect (it's good, but many buyers would still prefer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), keyless push button start and safety kit including blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, smart city brake, rear parking sensors and reverse camera.  

Maxx Sport models (from $34,390) add 17-inch alloys, LED fog lamps, auto headlights and wipers, dual zone climate, rear seats with a pair of USB inputs, sat nav and rear air vents.   

CX-5 Tourings (from $38,990) bring a flip-up display showing your speed in your line of sight, leatherette seats with suede inserts, keyless entry, front parking sensors and traffic sign recognition technology.  

2017 Mazda CX-5

The GT models (from $44,390) truly add the premium. On 17-inch alloys the CX-5 does look rather underwheeled, so the 19-inch offering here boosts the style, and the cabin benefits markedly with the black or white leather trim. Adaptive front lights, power tailgate, glass sunroof, power heated seats and Bose stereo also tempt you in.  

The range-topping Akera (from $46,990) really only adds your fancy modern active safety gear like radar cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and side camera. If you love your safety, buying the Akera is the only way you can get these systems.  

2017 Mazda CX-5 Akera

ON THE ROAD

Classy, unfussy and solidly finished, the CX-5's cabin successfully delivers an air of semi-premiumness no matter the model.  

There's nothing gimmicky, showy or unnecessary, but nor is there anything to offer the wow factor. There's enough style however, plenty of soft touch surfaces and a solid feel to the switchgear. It feels "safe". As a high-volume family SUV should.  

The Touring model's leatherette with suede seating ups the classiness, while full leather in the top grades looks and feels quite superb. You'd be brave (or childless) to go the white leather option.  

A recline feature is a nice touch for the rear seats; there's excellent head room back there, average leg room and decent toe room under the seat in front. In all but the Maxx there are rear air vents and rear USB ports to make back-seat passengering more pleasurable.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Akera

There's 442-litres of boot space - 40-litres more than before - but it's still a fair whack smaller than a Toyota RAV4 or Nissan X-trail rival. Which engine you should choose depends on your usage.

Bargain-shoppers needing the CX-5 for the school run, town and highway drives only could manage with the 114kW petrol and two-wheel-drive, but it's worth stretching to the 140kW 2.5-litre petrol where you get all-wheel drive included and not much worse fuel economy.  

The diesel offering still makes a lot of sense in the CX-5 though. We returned bang on the quoted 6.0-litres/100km, and its 420Nm of torque makes overtaking a breeze and is the pick should you choose to tow anything (up to 1800kg by the way).  

None of the powerplants offer many thrills however, but proved competent (as did the unfussed six-speed auto gearbox) and quiet in their operation.  

2017 Mazda CX-5 Akera

This is partly to do with the excellent improvements in cabin noise. New seals, bushings, insulation and a thicker windshield means the new car is as quiet at 100kmh as the old one was at 80kmh. It's a welcome change, boosting the CX-5's feeling of refinement.  

The improvement continues with the CX-5's ride. Composed, safe and comfortable, our test cars on 17-inch wheels absorbed bumps with aplomb for an always-compliant ride.  

Throw the SUV into a corner too and the balance is praiseworthy; it handles and steers with impressive predictability, partly due to the inclusion of Mazda's clever G-Vectring Control (as standard) where engine torque shifts loads between wheels as you corner, boosting responsiveness and stability and lessening the roll more noticed on higher centre of gravity SUVs.  

2017 Mazda CX-5

VERDICT  - 4 stars

The CX-5 isn't the cheapest, highest spec'd, most stylish, roomy, powerful, economical or dynamically brilliant mid-size SUV in the segment, but I'm in no doubt it will remain the best-seller.  

Why? Because it does all of the above very well indeed. It's the consummate all-rounder, and there's the assurance of great build quality, strong cachet with the Mazda badge and brand loyalty built on positive previous ownership experiences.   

It's not a giant leap forward from the old CX-5, but it didn't need to be.   

2017 Mazda CX-5

What matters most

The good:Super blend of value, style, quality, dynamics and desirability, far less noise in the cabin than previous CX-5, brilliantly assured chassis, only $300 for special metallic paint like Soul Red.  

The not so good: Needs a bit more joy and personality from the engine range, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is not offered, need the top spec Akera to get the full active safety suite, not a huge leap over the old model.    

2017 Mazda CX-5 Touring

Vital statistics

2017 Mazda CX-5  

DETAILS: Five door 2WD or AWD mid-size SUV.  

PRICE: From $28,690-$49,990 (plus on-roads).  

WARRANTY: 3 years/unlimited km.  

SERVICING: $921 over 3 years.  

SERVICE INTERVAL: 12 months/10,000km.  

SAFETY: Untested, 6 airbags.  

ENGINES: 2.0-litre 4-cyl petrol, 114kW/200Nm; 2.5-litre 4-cyl petrol, 140kW/251Nm; 2.2-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 129kW/420Nm.  

TRANSMISSIONS: 6-speed manual (Maxx only) or 6-speed auto; FWD or AWD.  

THIRST: 6.0l/100km - 7.5l/100km.  

DIMENSIONS: 4550mm(L), 1840mm(W), 1675mm(H), 2700(WB)  

WEIGHT: 1511kg - 1744kg.  

TOWING: 1800kg (braked).  

SPARE: Space-saver  

2017 Mazda CX-5 Akera

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Relax and Dine at The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong

Read article : Relax and Dine at The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong

Prior to this, I had made a review of Cathay Pacific’s excellent new First Class lounge called ‘The Pier’ in its main hub of Hong Kong. However that lounge review was done in conjuction with the other First Class lounge ‘The Wing’. This review will concentrate on ‘The Pier’ itself as that was where I chose to spend my time for the transit. Not only is this my favourite First Class lounge in Asia, but this lounge was closer to my boarding gate for my connecting flight to Zurich. The lounge is located one floor below the main departure level, and is accessed via an escalator around gate 63/65.

Reception desk to The Pier First Class lounge

Before entering the reception, there are 2 staff members who take a cursory look at your boarding pass to check eligibility, and they were able to provide keys to store your luggage. However as I wanted to shower, I needed the stuff in my hand carry. I do bring my own towel for my travels for hygiene reasons, and of course a change of clothes for the continuing journey. Then I proceeded to the reception desk which feels like checking into a luxury boutique hotel.

Foyer View at The Pier

Past that, the lounge has a central walkway that connects the various sections of the lounge. This lounge was designed by StudioIlse, based in London with Ilse Crawford as its lead designer. The choice of materials and fixtures create a cohesive look that is impressive and yet not too flashy, giving it the feel of a restrained luxury.

Elegant walkway in the lounge

My first stop in the lounge was The Retreat which has another reception counter where guests could reserve spots for the private day beds, shower rooms and a massage. Unfortunately, there was no time slot left for the next 3 hours during my layover. Given it was just a short 20 minute massage, I would not say it was something that fantastic of an offering, especially when considering Thai Airways provides an hour long for First Class passengers.

Reception for The Retreat Spa section

However, the shower rooms are probably one of the best inside any commercial airline lounge. Not only is it functional with luggage bench, the shower rooms have good lighting, hangers to hang your jacket and even a stool with a built-in coat hanger.

Private shower room

Cathay Pacific also provides premium products from Aesop which I use on a daily basis and that meant showering here felt like the one at home. While it might lack a bathtub, I do not need it for a layover shower in an airport. Thus a good rainshower with sufficient water pressure and great temperature controls was adequate and allowed me to refresh myself.

Toiletries provided for guests

On top of the normal bath amenities like shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, the shower room has toiletries like a toner, moisturizer, hand lotion and face wash on the counter top. That allowed me to try out some products which I might not otherwise have used.

Aesop bath amenities

After a nice hot shower, it was time for dinner and I proceeded to the end of the lounge where there was a staff member by the entrance of the aptly named The Dining Room.

Dining space at the end of the lounge

Furnished like a proper high end restaurant, there was plenty of seats since it was slightly past dinner time.

The Dining Room inside the lounge

As I got seated, the host handed over the menu, for there is no buffet here. All the items are cooked on demand and complimentary for guests. I was hoping for the pork neck dish they had last time I was there but there seems to be a change in the a-la-carte menu.

A la carte menu at The Dining Room

Thus I had some corn soup to start, though I was apparently given the soup of the day as well. It seems they might have made a double order for me. Since the soup portion were not too big and I love soup, I finished up both portions. They were light and delicately flavoured and hits the spot when travelling. Quality of the starters was up to a bistro level you might get in cafes located in town centres, and definitely better than that of any airline lounge I have been too.

Sweet corn soup with fish maw" width="1024" height="683" />Sweet corn soup with fish mawPumpkin soup – Soup of the day

For the mains, I had the wok fried clams which seems to be a dish one can get in most Hong Kong eateries. The stir fry was surprisingly good, since it was not too oily and the addition of cashews and crunchy celery gave it a refreshing taste. As a main course, a bowl of mixed white and red rice was served and it was tastier than what I had in the First Class cabin. I think it makes sense for First Class passengers to eat first before their long haul journey so they can get to sleep immediately once onboard.

Wok fried clams" width="1024" height="683" />Wok fried clams with steamed rice

For drinks, I had something warm early on with the jasmine and lily tea that the server recommended. It was a dried flower that ‘bloomed’ when hot water was added to the pot. The taste was similar to a light floral green tea.

Jasmine and lily teaRestaurant bar

After the meal, I ordered ‘Ginger Forest’ which is a ginger and lime drink topped with mint and it was such a refreshing drink that I ordered another glass to bring with me to one of the day beds in The Retreat.

Ginger forest beverage

With still plenty of time before boarding, I chose to relax by one of the day beds and these are really great places to rest during the afternoon with light from the windows overlooking the planes on the tarmac. In fact the gates here tend to have the A380s by other carriers, since Cathay has none of these large jets. At night, the space became a bit dark even though there are several lights guests have access to.

Private day beds" width="1024" height="683" />Private day beds

I spent some time finishing my drink and relaxing in the space until I needed more drinks that I proceeded next to The Bar.

Inside The Retreat

The Bar is at the opposite end of The Dining Room, and features a U-shaped bar counter with plenty of comfortable lounge chairs scattered across this spacious carpeted area.

Bar counter

Next to it, there is ‘The Pantry’ which is a moderately sized room with a table full of snacks and pastries and a full fridge of beers, non-alcoholic soft drinks, juices and yogurt parfaits that guests can avail themselves to.

Assorted pastries at The PantryBeverage fridge at The Pantry

I spent the remainder of the time by the bar as I browsed through some magazines that I obtained from the well stocked shelves inside the lounge. It seems that the main reading lounge between The Dining Room and The Bar was quite packed, and this meant I was able to find some space beside the bar counters.

Reading lounge

With plenty of sections to allow privacy for guests and great amenities, time spent inside the lounge does pass by quite quickly and it was soon time to board my flight, but the staff advised me that boarding has yet to commence. In actuality, there was a slight delay to boarding my aircraft. meaning I had more time to just stay inside the lounge. Ensconced in this beautiful surrounding, this was one delay I did not mind, and that just speaks to how comfortable this lounge is.

Seating around the bar

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