Month: November 2023

Events Life; Organising, Executing & Celebrating

November 26, 2023

Happy Sunday! I’ve had a super chilled weekend following a busy few days hosting an event in Manchester last week. Whilst working in events certainly is good fun and very rewarding, there’s a huge amount of careful planning and prep which goes into pulling them off as seamlessly as possible.

My week started with a long road trip up to Manchester with my colleagues to setup at the venue the afternoon before. We finally checked into our hotel at 6:30pm that evening and I opted to stay in and order Uber Eats to my hotel room.

I ordered a feast from Itsu of miso soup, a veggie gyoza noodle bowl, crispy seaweed thins, chilli prawn crackers and a refreshing peach lychee zen water. It was a much needed cosy night in ahead of the event day enjoying my noodles and watching some YouTube on my iPad.

We stayed at The Alan Hotel which I booked for the team upon recommendation from my friend as a newly renovated space, featuring art deco style interiors with an industrial, urban edge.

The next morning we were back bright and early at the venue to setup for our showcase and meet with the 12 suppliers who had stands too. We had exclusive use of the National Football Museum located in the heart of Manchester, the perfect space for our Innovation Showcase.

Registration setup, 150 goodie bags packed, supplier stands in situ, and AV tested ready for the showcase, it was all systems go awaiting our guests to arrive from 9am. This Xite natural energy drink from one of the supplier entries, fuelled me for a morning of running around as the event got underway.

There are always last minute changes and issues potentially arising on the day which comes hand in hand with event management, but it’s all about being prepared for everything and calling on experience to come up with a solution whatever the situation.

An example of this was when one of our suppliers couldn’t make it to the event on the day, but their products and stand were still delivered to the venue. So me and the team worked together to get their many Twirl Extra bars out on display ready for guests to grab their sweet treat freebie.

After lunch at the National Football Museum, we walked over to the next venue to setup for our Hosted 121s session, during which retailers and suppliers get the opportunity to meet one on one in quick 10 minute meetings, much like speed dating but for business.

I booked a fun bar called BLVD where again, we had the entire venue as our event had grown so big this year, we were at double the numbers to what we usually have for our 121s! The venue was perfect with a casual yet buzzing atmosphere, as our members met and discussed all things business.

My fit for the event day was a pair of navy chinos from Next paired with this matching Zara navy waistcoat, a white Topshop polo neck worn beneath, my trusty flat black chelsea boots and a black velvet headband to complete the look. As the mirror says, it’s giving ‘Girl Boss’ vibes ready for a long day of hard work!

To finish the day, we hosted a Networking Dinner for 120 of our guests at James Martin’s Restaurant within the 235 Casino in central Manchester.

Me and my colleague made the short 10 minute walk over from the bar at 5:30pm to get everything setup and before we knew it, guests were arriving at 6pm.

This ‘Let’s Party’ prosecco wall was a fabulous welcome for our guests to the reception drinks.

At 6:45pm, we took our guests through to seat for dinner and we could finally enjoy and celebrate the success of our event, over a delicious three course meal.

To start was a cauliflower veloute served with focaccia bread and it was divine.

For main course I had the vegetarian option of BBQ curried cauliflower with a lentil dahl, coriander yoghurt and fermented potato flat bread.

To finish was a dessert of hot sticky toffee pudding, toffee sauce and salted caramel ice cream, the ultimate sweet treat, everything was exquisite.

On the whole, a hugely successful event which we organised with precision, resulting in a very seamless execution on the day and a well deserved evening of celebrations with my colleagues that night; life is never boring working in events!

Carden Park Hotel & Spa; A Charming Cheshire Staycay

November 14, 2023

Working in events, part of my job involves venue finding and hotel visits to scope out the best suited venues for our guests. This weekend I was kindly invited for a two night complimentary stay along with a guest to Cheshire’s Country Estate, Carden Park Hotel & Spa. With an itinerary of outdoor activities including zip lining, a gameshow gala dinner with drinks reception, and a full spa morning at their award winning spa, we were in for a fun few days experiencing the very best of Carden Park.

Arriving on Friday evening after a long four hour drive all the way from Hampshire, me and my boyfriend checked in and were greeted with a bag of treats, a bottle of their own estate sparkling wine, and this delightful dessert platter.

We unpacked and headed straight for the pool to relax and unwind following our long road trip.

A pre-dinner jacuzzi dip was the perfect way to welcome in the weekend ahead.

Soon it was time to get ready for our dinner date in Redmond’s Brasserie at 8pm.

I wore my Topshop flared split hem black trousers with this blue corset bardot top, my Boohoo electric blue mules and my new green velvet Sandro handbag.

We were generously gifted our meal along with a bottle of wine too, so we had the house red and started with the spiced butternut squash soup whilst we browsed the menu.

I opted for a favourite of mine, Caesar salad served with king prawns, whilst my boyfriend had the steak burger topped with onion rings and served with thin fries.

The restaurant was buzzing on a Friday night and despite being fully booked, the staff were attentive and the food was very nice indeed.

After dinner we went for a nightcap at the bar where we got cocktails, before heading to our room to watch Graham Norton on TV; can’t miss out on our Friday night winter tradition!

Saturday morning we awoke to the most gorgeous sunny day in Cheshire and this picture perfect view over the estate grounds from our hotel room.

We met our hosts from the hotel at 9am in the library and made our way over to the activity centre for a morning of team building games.

The activities were a mixture of logical puzzles and physical games, so there was something for everyone and it was a brilliant ice breaker to get to know everyone else on the FAM trip.

After a hot chocolate back inside to warm up, we got geared up and ready to take on the giant zip line.

Whilst it was a little nerve racking jumping off the platform, this was an awesome experience and amazing way to see right across the estate from up there. We couldn’t have been more lucky with the sunshine too, what a day for it!

At midday we had a buffet lunch and then we went back to our room to freshen up, before heading out for the afternoon to explore the local area.

For our trip into Chester I wore my Stradivarius vintage flared jeans paired with a white long sleeve pearl button through top, my Le Scarf neckerchief, a Zara cropped aviator shearling jacket, classic DKNY handbag, and my platform chelsea boot Uggs which I’m living in this winter.

Carden Park even has its own sculpture garden which we had to take a look around before heading into town.

Just a short 20 minute drive away from the hotel is the historical city of Chester with its picturesque streets lined with boutique shops, cute cafes, eclectic bars and different restaurants.

After a stroll around the magnificent Cathedral and a spot of shopping too, we stumbled across this hidden bar located down one of the many quaint alleyways which are tucked away off the main high-street.

Weekend vibes were in full swing and I was in my element sipping my bubbly as we soaked up our surroundings and the buzzing atmosphere of Chester on a Saturday arvo.

My purchase of the day was this Ganni beanie from Flannels which I’ve had my eye on for a while, so it was meant to be when I saw it.

Back at the hotel, we got ready for the drinks reception in the Shooting Suite at 7pm.

I loved the smart, tonal colours of my outfit on this evening featuring my C’est Normal brown tailored trousers, Missguided blush pink tie front blouse, a pair of Next square toe nude mules, these fabulous gold statement earrings, and not forgetting my velvet green Sandro handbag to complete the glam look.

Upon arrival to the drinks reception we were served a pink gin fizz cocktail and canapés to whet our appetite.

The dinner was hosted gameshow style, so the four tables of ten went up against each other throughout the evening to be crowned winners. Unfortunately our table didn’t win, but we gave it a good shot with second place and had a laugh together in the process.

We were treated to a four course menu curated by Executive Chef Graham Tinsley MBE, who talked us through the journey and details of each course too.

To start was a fish dish of pan fried mullet with bouillabaisse sauce, saffron potatoes, rouille emulsion, garlic croutes and tempura mussels.

Main course was this exquisite roast rack of Welsh lamb with a dijon mustard and herb crust, caramelised Chou rave puree, confit Chou rave, turned carrot and Navarin sauce.

Chef even carved this in the room and it smelt divine, what a showstopper!

Dessert was a delectable reverse chocolate fondant with a liquid Cointreau centre and a yoghurt sorbet.

And not forgetting the cheese course of brie a la truffe with a savoury pain perdu, quince jelly and puree. A serious tasting experience which I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, hats off to the chef!

The next day we had a morning session at the award winning Spa at Carden Park.

Whilst it was a cold and rainy day outside, the thermal outdoor pools and jacuzzis kept us warm.

Back inside I relaxed on a lounger with my favourite high fashion magazines.

Warmed in a panoramic sauna or basking in the outdoor vitality pool, this was the perfect Sunday morning reset.

The sleek, scandi style design is very aesthetically pleasing and creates the ideal atmosphere of calm and zen you want from a spa.

A final champagne brunch was then served at 12pm in the Elements restaurant, where we dined in our robes and regrouped with the other guests.

I had a refreshing mix of red berries, melon and pineapple with greek yoghurt and a long black coffee. I also tried the Carden estate sparkling wine which was delicious, a lot smoother than a typical champagne or prosecco.

It was then time to checkout and say our farewells to the wonderful team at Carden and our lovely fellow attendees on the FAM stay.

We had a truly tremendous weekend being treated to the very best that Carden Park Hotel & Spa has to offer. From the friendly staff and exceptional culinary experiences, to the plethora of fun activities and charming Cheshire countryside surroundings, I would highly recommend a stay at Carden Park Hotel & Spa.

Thanks again to the team for their kind hospitality this weekend ❤

To book, visit their website here – https://www.cardenpark.co.uk

Handstand Training Progress

November 6, 2023

So you want to learn how to hold a handstand but you don’t know where to start?🤸🏼
Balancing in a handstand is something I’ve always aspired to do and I can proudly say that after years of practice, I can now hold it for over a minute!💪🏼
So how did I achieve my goal? First and foremost, it takes CONSISTENCY, PATIENCE & TIME…
It won’t happen over night and you must be disciplined, but soon enough you will begin to notice progress.

At the start of my handstand journey, I used a wall to find my balance and test how long I could push away from the wall to stand freely. It was also necessary in these early stages to build my upper body strength, particularly in my wrists. I would occasionally feel the strain in my wrists but I would never push to the point of pain.
After about a year of daily training like this, I found I was able to find my balance for a few seconds or more without the wall. As I got more confident, I continued to experiment with finding my handstand stance unassisted. This can be the most frustrating stage as gauging that optimal position for balance and executing it without help, is the trickiest bit. However, with trial and error I learnt how it felt in my body when I did successfully find balance, and soon enough I was doing 20-30 second holds. Into my second year of daily practice, I discovered that by holding my legs in a split position, I could maintain the handstand longer. It’s important to note that this technique does require a very flexible and strong back, so it was all about strengthening the entire upper body as well.
Continued daily practice led to holding the handstand for about a minute every time. I had finally reached a level of stability at which I could experiment with different shapes within the balance and I found myself recreating the incredible yogi poses I’ve always admired on Instagram. 

It’s now three years on and I can hold my handstand for a minute on demand and even demonstrate my party trick in fun locations for awesome scenic shots on holiday.
By following these tips and tricks, you too can achieve your handstand balancing goals!🏅

Checkout my Instagram Reel here – https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzGMRmpMh55/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==