No - I don’t have a Vajazzle

I love ‘The Only Way is Essex’ and I cannot wait for it to return to our TV screens this autumn.  I know its car crash TV; I love it for that reason.  After a day of being mum and worrying about what would have become of the world by the time my children grow up, I like to unwind with something easy to watch.  However, having spent the best part of my adult life trying to prove that there is more to Essex girls than fake tans and aspirations to marry a footballer, I can’t help but feel that the show has set my quest back a few years.

I love where I live; Essex is the perfect combination of Urban and Rural, but if you don’t know the area well, a lot of press leads you to believe that Essex starts in Epping and finishes in Brentwood.  Well, I’m here to tell you there is a lot more on offer than that.

Growing up just outside Romford I too though Essex consisted of Brentwood, Loughton, Epping and not a lot else.  After meeting my husband I was dragged kicking and screaming along the A12 towards Chelmsford and settled in Great Baddow to begin family life – and I have honestly never looked back.  From this central point I have spread my wings and found so much more to Essex than the fake tans and hair extensions of my youth, I have found a wonderful villages and tiny hamlets linked by country lanes lined by more pubs with crackling open fires than I could ever drink in.

Essex has one of the largest coastlines of any county in England. With ports such as Harwich steeped in maritime history and nearby Mersea Island producing world famous oysters its more than just the ‘kiss me quick’ resorts of the 70’s and 80’s like Southend and Clacton that our shores should be known for. Moving inland Essex is a walker’s paradise. Woodland trails, country parks, farmland and coastal paths make up enough activities to keep even the out outward bound of visitors entertained.

It does also have its fair share of glamour.  Fine dining can be found all over the county and bars and clubs such as Sugarhut, Nu Bar and Faces are perfect for a spot of celeb spotting.  All of this charm also attracts the rich and famous to reside in this fine county. Rod Stuart, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jamie Oliver to name but a few have all opted to have homes here.

With so much on offer I can honestly not see myself ever wanting to live anywhere else, I’m proud to be from Essex and would shout about it from the roof tops , but for the last time people please; No – I Don’t have a Vajazzle.