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Some say the bolder the better. Especially high summer time when the sun’s streaming in – contrasting colours can create a collage-like effect, making everything look so much lovelier. Whether its pops of pink or playful prints, here’s how to get your graphic groove on with these happy hues and cheerful furnishings… 1. Honeycomb Jug Kettle 1.7L, £36.99; Four Slot Toaster, £42.99, The Range Bring a ray of sunshine to brekkie with this buttercup yellow kettle and toaster. 2. Palmilla Dinner Plate, (Set of 4), £71.96, rest of items from a selection, Wayfair From tropical fruit salads to salsa and dips, this melamine tableware with its tropical flower print will make every meal taste more exotic. 3. Colourful Marbled Bamboo Tumblers, £9 each, Rockett St George With their abstract swirls and pretty hues, these tasty tumblers signal sundowners. 4. Pablo Coasters, Set of 4, £7.95; Pablo Placemats, Set of 4, £25, Graham & Green These stylish seagrass placemats and coasters channel a Mediterranean vibe – we love their artisanal feel. 5. Lucy Tiffney at Next Ceramic Jug, £30, Next Pretty as a picture, this arty jug can double as a vase – and makes a beautiful statement with or without a fresh bouquet. 6. Gems Champagne/Cocktail Glass, £50, Set of 4; Tumbler, £45, Set of 4, LSA International If you’re looking to drink some summer bubbles, these minty green coupes have champagne cocktail written all over them. 7. Bombay Duck Colourful Carnival Pouffe, £150, Joe Browns A fabulous fusion of function and form, a pouffe can double up as a tabletop, footstool and accent piece to style up a curated corner. This one’s sure to please with its floral fiesta. 8. Sketch Rug in Confetti, from £95; Cut Velvet Cushion, £22, rest of items from a selection, Next This tufted wool rug has timeless appeal. Versatile enough to style up Scandi schemes, it’s also right at home with boho luxe interiors. 9. Sheridan Maplewood Quilt Cover Set in Pea, King, £69.50 (was £139), Sheridan Big blooms are all the rage and this lush, emerald green quilt cover evokes thoughts of a tropical island escape. 10. Negroni Framed Wall Art, £49.50, Oliver Bonas Sometimes even the simplest of recipes can make a showpiece. 11. John Lewis + Matthew Williamson Sunshine Beach Towel, Mustard and Blue, £20 each, John Lewis When you want to bathe in colour, these designer beach towels with their punchy pattern are right on point.

Hugh Jackman has amused and confounded his followers after sharing a photo of his recent “cheat meal,” a plate of waffles topped with savoury mushrooms. Over the weekend, the Wolverine star took to Instagram to share photos of himself enjoying a meal at a waffle restaurant in England. The album began with an excited-looking Jackman holding up a fork, before including a photo of the menu at The Waffle House in Norwich. The post also included a photo of a plate of waffles topped with sauteed button mushrooms, and what appeared to be a red meat sauce and smoked ham cheddar cheese sauce. The dish was then garnished with herbs. The savoury waffles weren’t the only item ordered by the actor, however, as the post also included a photo of Jackman’s strawberry milkshake and one of his order of sweet waffles, which were topped with chocolate flakes, banana, peanut butter and powdered sugar. “Happy cheat meal to me! Nooo! I did not share. And I’m not sorry,” the actor captioned the photo album. However, in the comments, many of Jackman’s fans were confused by the first waffle combination, with some questioning the unique pairing. “MUSHROOMS ON WAFFLES? IS THIS THE WOLVERINE DIET?” one person jokingly asked, while another wrote: “Third pic is criminal.” “A cheat meal NEVER includes mushrooms,” someone else claimed, as another critic wrote: “Sweet waffle yes! Savoury, nooo!” Despite the concern from some of Jackman’s followers over the savoury-topped waffle, others said they’d happily indulge in the actor’s cheat meal. “OMG! I’ve never had a savoury-topped waffle but that looks delicious!! You deserve to enjoy all of your cheat meal so I’m glad you didn’t share,” one person commented, while another said: “Just give me those mushrooms and I’ll be in heaven.” The meal also prompted some to compare the savoury dish to chicken and waffles, with one viewer urging a critic to try the popular dish “with a side of mashed potatoes”. This is not the first time Jackman has shared insight into his unlikely “cheat meals,” as the actor previously told E! News that he enjoys “sort of weird simple stuff like lasagna”. “It’s sort of weird simple stuff like lasagna,” he said. “I like breakfast cereal at 11 at night, all that kind of easy simple stuff. In Australia, it’s meat pies.” Read More Fiona Phillips explains why she hid Alzheimer’s diagnosis from her children Woman exits plane after tirade about passenger who is ‘not real’: ‘Final Destination vibes’ The Witcher star says they’ve struggled to deal with Henry Cavill announcement Simple summer salads: Roquefort, rocket and pink grapefruit Joey Chestnut successfully defends title at Nathan’s annual hot dog eating contest How to make protein pancakes without flour

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

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It doesn’t matter how many times an influencer tells you that “courage” is the only thing required to travel – it doesn’t change the fact that you normally need cold, hard cash. Airlines and hotels don’t care about our personal motivations and bucket lists, and travelling is – now more than ever – a luxury. At a time when food banks are bursting at the seams, millions of people have placed travelling in the “maybe next year” category. I’m one of them – I simply can’t afford to go abroad right now. Even a trip to visit my parents in my native Poland must wait till autumn, when Ryanair tickets fall low enough to be within my price range. At the same time, I firmly believe that summer is for fun and making memories. So, one morning in June, I decided to take a day trip from Glasgow to Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands. I initially planned on using a return ticket, returing home the same evening to cut costs. Then I saw a backpackers’ hostel on the town’s picturesque high street. I couldn’t resist. I had to check-in. Read more on Scotland travel: Take the train for a sustainable Scottish Highlands adventure Best budget hotels in Scotland The best Scotland road trips to travel in your lifetime What comes to mind when you read the word “hostel”? Temporary accommodation for people with no luck? Prison-like conditions? A horror film from 2005? In my case, the answer is community. At the age of 18, I began working in the funky and vibrant hostels of Krakow’s Jewish Quarter. What initially started as a way to escape hellish call-centre work quickly turned into the most fulfilling job I ever had. As a result, my nostalgia-fuelled stay at Pitlochry Backpackers felt magical yet surreal. The pandemic nearly destroyed the industry. Sleeping in one room with multiple strangers simply wasn’t an option at a time when most people were meeting their friends and loved ones in parks for socially distanced walks. Even the award-winning hostels I used to work in didn’t survive, and they were among the best in the world. Hostels aren’t just about a cheap bed; if you choose wisely, yours might be more fun than any fancy hotel. And trust me – I love fancy! But it’s a chance to meet new friends from all over the world, or at least encounter characters you’re unlikely to spot at the local branch of Hilton. The hostels I worked in had a tremendous reputation because the whole team worked hard to provide an unforgettable experience. We showed our guests around the city, partied with them, cooked for them at no extra charge, played games and booked tours together. I’m still in touch with some of my former guests, many of whom I met way back when people on the internet were arguing about the colour of a dress. Nearly a decade later, most of us are scarred after a deadly pandemic and much poorer than we wanted to be. If ever there was a time for a hostel renaissance, it’s now. Hostels aren’t just about a cheap bed; if you choose wisely, yours might be more fun than any fancy hotel I think everyone with a passion for travel should try a proper hostel at least once in their life. There is something harmonious about exploring a new place – whether it’s a Highland forest or the Old Town in Prague – and returning to a communal space filled with personality, where the sound of laughter welcomes you as soon as you cross the threshold. In Pitlochry, I spent the day spotting kingfishers in the forest and listening to Joni Mitchell by the Loch Dunmore. Upon my return, I was greeted by a cheery Australian lad who said we should go for pints later. In the hostel’s kitchen, people were making a casserole together. I ended up solving jigsaw puzzles with two Brazilians at 2am while discussing the Arctic Monkeys and Harry Styles’ newest album. In the digital era, and in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, it’s harder than ever to establish new connections face-to-face. Even asking for a napkin at McDonald’s gives me anxiety. That night in Pitlochry, I was showered with generosity and kindness. Chatting to everyone and learning about their circumstances felt liberating and natural. The process of choosing a hostel is not much different to picking a hotel. Pay attention to reviews; a place with a good rating is likely to be perfectly clean and tidy. A caring management is key. Ideally, you want your hostel to include various references to backpacking and the outdoors. Speaking from experience, if the place is filled with maps, flags, and leaflets, that’s a good start. A hostel should be a warm, authentic place that brings together people who are passionate about visiting new places and learning new things during their adventures. There’s nothing worse than a cold, lifeless hostel with white walls and fragile, aluminium frame beds that squeak and shake every time you take a deep breath. Many hostels offer private bedrooms at prices much lower than budget hotels. Booking one is a best-of-both option for those who would love to experience the social elements of a hostel without having to share a dorm with strangers. If you’re staying in a dorm and the place isn’t fully booked, they will most likely offer to move you to the most comfortable dormitory or bed available. Receptionists are there to tell you about the area, offer recommendations and help you book attractions. In the digital era, and in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, it’s harder than ever to establish new connections face-to-face Pitlochry is a popular Scottish tourist destination, but my stay still cost me a paltry £25. Book a good hostel in Central or Eastern Europe, and you could end up paying half that price. On the other end of the spectrum, some of Europe’s best hostels, such as Majdas Hostel in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or the House of Sandeman in Porto, Portugal, charge somewhere between £30 and £45 for a night in a dorm during the summer months. That’s still far cheaper than most hotels, for digs that are arguably far superior. Pitlochry Backpackers helped me find a bit of that 2010s joy in me again. Surrounded by board games, DVDs, musical instruments, and quirky posters reminded me that you don’t have to splurge to have memorable, delight-inducing travel experiences. I might be cash-poor, but I now intend on getting out and exploring more of Britain’s nature while staying in cheap and cheerful backpackers’ hostels. I don’t plan on staying home all summer, and you don’t have to either. It’s time to shake off your British reserve, channel your inner extrovert and swap buttoned-up luxury for the hotel’s more affordable, cooler cousin. Read more of our best Scotland hotel reviews

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