Author: Danielle Aneka

Bottomless Brunch; Grind London Bridge

July 4, 2021

It doesn’t get much better than a boozy brunch on a Saturday arvo with the girls. With it being one of our besties birthdays this weekend too, it was the perfect excuse to book in for a table at Grind in London Bridge and let the boozy brunch commence…

Grind has always been my favourite cafe spot in town to grab a good coffee or nice evening cocktails with the ladies. Knowing how great their food is too, I had high hopes for their bottomless brunch deal at £15 per head free flowing prosecco for a whole 90 minutes! They even have the proper champagne coupe glasses which really is the only way bubbly should be served.

Arriving at 2pm for our reservation, the place was already buzzing as everyone was getting merry on bubbly. In fact, the general atmosphere in London was electric as the nation geared up for the England football match taking place that night. It was great to see the city alive again and people just having a good time following lockdown life.

Service was fabulous at Grind and the food delicious. I had their sweet potato harissa cakes served with yogurt and a poached egg cooked to perfection. The girls enjoyed theirs too and I just had to have a taste of my friend’s buttermilk pancakes which were divine.

The hour and a half sure did go quickly, but we certainly did make the most of our prosecco top-ups, my glass was never less than half full! So then we enjoyed a sobering walk along the South Bank via a quick stop at Borough Market where the birthday girl got a box of free doughnuts 😉

We ended our evening at an outdoor pop-up on South Bank Between the Bridges where there was live music, food trucks and more booze of course. The warm summer air made for the ideal setting to enjoy outdoor sundowner drinks.

I would highly recommend the Grind bottomless brunch and will most definitely be booking in again soon myself. Overall a top day back in London Town having fun and getting boozy with my besties ❤

GRIND LONDON – https://grind.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-MeOs4HK8QIVh-_tCh37fgMkEAAYASAAEgJZk_D_BwE

Lakeside; Dinner with a View

June 27, 2021

Al fresco dining is always such a wonderful luxury this time of year, so I’ll always opt for a table outside at the pub when the sun does decide to show up here in the UK. Whilst I do love a classic English pub garden, nothing quite beats a good view and a spot over looking the water.

One of the best destinations in the Hampshire area for a beautiful backdrop has to be Heron on the Lake in Fleet. Their outdoor terrace right on the water is stunning and made for the perfect Friday night dinner date this week. The atmosphere was buzzing as the pub filled up with locals winding down after the working week and the late summer sun slowly set over the lake. I enjoyed a few glasses of vino with my boyfriend and we had a delicious dinner with top service from our waiter too. I had the summer salad containing a mix of asparagus, cucumber ribbons, peas, radish, pomegranate seeds, green leaves, a lemongrass dressing and a chargrilled chicken breast on top. Light and delicate with a fresh assortment of seasonal vegetables, this was an exquisite dish.

We continued to enjoy our drinks whilst taking in that beautiful view and soaking up the social atmosphere once more. It sure does feel good to be wining and dining again, the way a Friday night should be spent.

Cheers to the weekend babes!

Glow Up; Rainbow Nourish Bowl

June 20, 2021

Happy Sunday Babes! Coming at you today with a healthy, super quick salad idea to pack in those vitamins and glow up ready for summertime. The secret to making nourish bowls is to simply pack them full of colourful veggies and bulk them out with those dark leafy greens. Pick a grain such as couscous, rice or quinoa and ensure to include a protein source whether that’s chicken, fish, tofu or even a soft boiled egg. This week I tried out these Tofu Co sweet chilli bites which were delicious, but I would suggest trying falafel and crumbled feta for a Mediterranean twist. Complete your bowl with a sprinkling of seeds and finally any dips and sauces you fancy. I often opt for a tex mex dip selection when I’m in the mood for Mexican, or humous and balsamic dressing to accompany falafels. Basically, throw together a combo of all your favourite flavours and don’t skimp on those veggies for the ultimate nourish bowl full of goodness 🙂

A British Summer BBQ

June 13, 2021

With a mini heatwave hitting England this weekend, it was the perfect excuse to fire up that BBQ and invite our parents to enjoy an evening of good food and drinks with us as the sun went down.

Our garden is finally complete with fabulous bamboo trees and our gorgeous new outdoor furniture. The luscious green grass was looking glorious in that sunshine, the most picturesque setup for our BBQ.

We kept the menu simple with burgers, chicken skewers and chicken thighs accompanied with a green salad, a greek salad, garlic bread and my speciality crispy roast new potatoes with garlic.

For our feast I laid up the dining room table complete with a tray of condiments and all the essential sauces which are a staple for any typical British BBQ.

It was such a joy to be host for the evening and finally be able to invite others into our home following lockdown restrictions. I do love the process of planning, preparing and seeing people having a good time, so I was in my element.

A beautiful summers evening with family in our wonderful new home; I was a happy Bee indeed 🙂

Prowling Around Again; Afternoon Tea at The Aviator

June 6, 2021

I sure have missed getting all dolled up and going out for cocktails during lockdown, so with my favourite bar at The Aviator Hotel over in Farnborough finally reopening, I had to make reservations asap!

Whether it’s sophisticated date night drinks with your other half or a glam evening with the girls, Sky Bar at The Aviator Hotel is the ultimate destination for exquisite cocktails paired with that cosmopolitan atmosphere right here in Hampshire.

With our gift voucher for Champagne Afternoon Tea for two from Christmas time, it was the perfect excuse for me and the boyfriend to spend an entire afternoon indulging in drinks and delicious treats.

I opted for a cute leopard print mini skirt, white square neck top and thigh high black booties; simple yet sexy and glamorous ready for cocktails later!

Upon arrival we were served our glass of champagne each soon followed by the delectable array of beautifully presented mini sandwiches and sweet deserts. The highlight for me was the cheesecake style jam filled bite which tasted like Eton Mess – Yum!

To follow we had English breakfast tea served in little gold Moroccan style teapots to accompany the freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam. I’m not usually one for so many carbs all at once, but this was a special occasion and simply irresistible.

A few hours passed and it was finally time to order those cocktails. Sky Bar has such an assortment of weird and wonderful cocktails, it’s always so hard to make a decision. I settled on a spicy ginger beer with chilli garnish martini style tipple, whilst my boyfriend had his favourite rum infused passionfruit concoction.

On the whole a truly fabulous and indulgent afternoon prowling around back in my natural habitat at Sky Bar once again!

Visit Sky Bar at The Aviator Hotel, Farnborough – https://www.aviatorhampshire.com/sky-bar/

Bank Holiyay Vibes

May 30, 2021

Happy May Day bank holiday babes! Currently relaxing out in the garden on this gorgeous Sunday summer’s evening as the UK finally enjoys its first post-lockdown holiday, and it sure does feel good 😀

This time of the year is always so exciting as we look forward to the summer months ahead of soaking up the sun and enjoying those long warm evenings. Of course it also means that its time to dig out my summer wardrobe once again and get playful with cute outfits without having to wrap up in coats and boots all day long!

With it being my sister’s birthday this weekend, it was an excuse to celebrate on Saturday and enjoy socialising properly again. After a boozy lunch with her best friends, I organised for us to meet at a local pub garden for another round of celebrations and plenty more bubbles too…

Now I’m enjoying my Sunday lounging in the garden on our new stunning furniture set from Next, purchased on sale reduced from £1,300 to just £325, absolute bargain!

Iced coffee, glorious sunshine and my favourite poetry books, blissful vibes ❤

Friday Feels; All Black Everything

May 23, 2021

As I get back into the swing of full-time work again and we can finally socialise once more, I was truly feeling those Friday high vibes as my second week back to work came to a close.

No messing about, I was at the pub by 6pm with a drink in hand and ready for an overdue catchup with my girls. The place was buzzing and it was amazing to get a taste of normal life again!

I opted to go back to black for my Friday night look. Simple, classic and sexy, you just can’t go wrong in all black everything.

A few hours later and a couple glasses of wine down, it was time to go for dinner with my boyfriend. We went to another one of our favourite pubs ‘The Crown and Cushion’, funnily enough the last place we ate out at during Christmas before this lockdown!

This pub does my boyfriend’s favourite ribs in the area, so it was a must to visit as soon as restaurant dining opened back up. I got a chicken caesar salad and sweet potato fries accompanied with more vino of course…

Then to finish I simply couldn’t resist my guilty pleasure, an Espresso Martini. Coffee, sugar and alcohol all in one, I really have missed the dark temptation of my favourite night-cap. Bring on the Friyay feels ❤

New Horizons

May 16, 2021

‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone’ – a quote that could be applicable to many areas of life, but at this moment for me personally, it’s led to me pursuing a new career path. Following almost two years in my role as Events Assistant at the Four Seasons, unfortunately the pandemic has meant I’ve actually been working elsewhere in the hotel as Hostess in the restaurant for more time than I’d been doing my events job… and there was still no sign of the assistant role coming back anytime soon!

It was time to take matters into my own hands as I was unfulfilled Hostessing at the hotel, a job I hadn’t signed up for and was only meant to be doing for a short while until events finally opened back up. However this pandemic continues to disrupt all areas of life over a year on and it remains unclear how soon events will be back to full capacity at the hotel. So whilst I’m extremely grateful for my ongoing employment at the Four Seasons during such pressing times, I’ve taken the plunge and resigned from my position to embark on another exciting opportunity which has come my way.

After sending out numerous CVs to administrational and assistant roles in my local area, I was thrilled to get an interview for a Personal Assistant job just a five minute drive down the road. With both a highly successful vintage fashion label and property investments to be managed, it sounded like the varied and diverse role I was looking for. With my many years of experience in the field of admin assistance and being a proactive, super organised individual with a passion for style, it was meant to be!

Whilst leaving the security of a great job was daunting, I had my next move all lined up and left the Four Seasons on great terms as they fully understood the unique circumstances Covid has caused. I certainly did time it just right as the hotel reopens on May 17th which would’ve been a gruelling return to work on those horrendous shift hours I used to loath. I much prefer a regular 9-5 job as I like to unwind in the evenings and truly live for my weekends 😉

Week one down as PA and whilst there’s a lot to learn at this stage, I’m already finding my groove and loving the varied nature of the role as no day is ever the same. Friday finally rolled around and after leaving the office a little later to get on top of my tasks ready for Monday, that Friyay glass of vino at the pub tasted better than ever before.

Cheers to fresh beginnings and new horizons ❤

Date Night, Steak Night

May 4, 2021

As the weather here in the UK took a rather miserable turn this weekend, the idea of sitting outside in the blustering winds at a local pub wasn’t the most enticing of ways to spend our Saturday evening. So instead we decided to bring date night to us and enjoy the comfort of our beautiful new dining room with a romantic candle lit dinner.

It was the perfect occasion to try out our new black crockery dinner set complete with gorgeous copper cutlery and our Dartington crystal wine glasses. I wanted to keep our table layout simple with those subtle touches of pattern in the Moroccan style coasters and abstract print mini dip bowls.

My look for the evening was casual yet classic, wearing a pair of black ripped skinny jeans and cute leopard print asymmetric crop top to add a little glam. Feeling fresh and flirty with my post lockdown short haircut, I was ready for a cosy date night at home.

Although I eat a predomenantly pescatarian diet, as a treat I do like to indulge in a good piece of chicken or steak every so often to top up those essential vitamins. We got these filet steaks from Lidl which I plated up alongside my special crispy roast new potatoes, charred broccolini, caramelised onions, mushrooms and a rocket salad. These steaks were top quality and cooked to perfection medium-rare, I would call this restaurant standard grub!

Paired with a fruity Merlot French red wine and our favourite chilled tunes playing in the background, this is how date night should be done ❤

Moving Diaries; Week Five

April 28, 2021

Happy hump day babes! I can’t believe it’s already the end of April and we’ve been here in our new home for well over a month now. Settling into a new home and getting it just the way you want it certainly is an ongoing process, as we continue to receive numerous deliveries of furniture and shuffle things around whilst we enhance decor and details also. Needless to say it’s been a busy month and each day there has been something new and exciting to look forward to as the house takes shape.

Having a four bed house as a blank canvas to decorate sure is a task, however with the help of my amazing mother-in-law we’ve had fun putting our stamp on the place. Mirrors are key to lightening and brightening smaller spaces, so we found this beautiful water droplet shape mirror for our hallway to hang over the unique radiator cover.

We chose to introduce touches of gold to compliment the grey and silver tones in the dining room and living room. I’m obsessed with this palm leaf statue and gold angel wing ornament, I’ve even got a second wing to go on the other side now. I’m also really happy with the stunning mango wood sideboard and cupboard to match in the living room. The dark wood wash adds a little warmth and the subtle gold abstract design on the doors bring the colour scheme together.

Following this photo being taken, I have already added more Moroccan style elements to the living room, including a floor standing Moroccan plant pot and Moroccan placemats with candles for the coffee tables. I plan on changing up a few cushions in here too with more boho abstract patterns as it’s feeling a little boyish at the moment! And whilst we’re yet to decide on our outdoor furniture, my Auntie did treat us to the perfect house warming gift of Moroccan style solar panelled lanterns – they create the most wonderful patterns lit up at night.

Last week we were very excited to finally sleep in our master bedroom for the first time. Despite ordering our TV bed back in February, unfortunately delivery was delayed so we have been sleeping in our spare room. We couldn’t wait to experience the novelty of a TV bed which comes with a full speaker system, under-bed storage and is super comfy. We’ve opted for an industrial style in our bedroom with the black spot lighting, black bedsheets and modern side tables. Of course we need a big photo for above the bed which we haven’t found yet, but I’m thinking either a gallery wall with prints and quotes, or some sort of beach sunset image; we want something striking yet timeless.

Now we have our gym equipment, we’ve in fact decided to swap the office and gym rooms over. Luckily we had both done with hard wood flooring, it was just too small for my boyfriend’s weight set and my yoga matt in the back room. This is just another one of those things which you learn as you live in a house, it takes time to know what will work best for you and your lifestyle.

I still love our kitchen and the simplicity of it, particularly that peaceful view of the trees out of the front window where Sandler the plant lives (we have chosen to name our house plants after actors!).

We spend a lot of time in here and eat most evening meals at the island as it is so comfortable, but we are yet to find a suitable photo or even photo gallery for the kitchen wall also.

We spend a lot of time in here and eat most meals at the island as it is so comfortable, but we are yet to find a suitable photo or even photo gallery for the kitchen wall also.

The garden is finally turfed now and soon we will be getting Red Robin trees lined along the back and flower bedding down the sides. Our patio area is another large space perfect for entertaining, so I’m keen to get a nice corner sofa and fire-pit table to fully enjoy those late summer evenings.

This is another gorgeous mirror feature we also added to complete the dining room, we are just waiting on a floor-lamp to finish off in here now. And whilst there is lots of finishing touches still to be added, the house is coming together nicely now and we are truly feeling like we are at home here in our beautiful abode ❤