Oxo Tower; Champagne Sunshine Showers
What would a romantic city break be without some super fancy wining and dining? So for our first evening in London I booked us into the Oxo Tower Brasserie upon recommendation from my Dad, who has held a number of work functions there and claims it to be one of the best views of Southbank and the city.
We arrived nice and early for our reservation at 6pm and treated to a welcome drink of champagne on the house upon arrival.
How lucky we were that the skies cleared and the most magnificent golden hour of sunshine showered the skies and glistened upon the city.
The Brasserie menu had a lot to offer serving up the finest of British cuisine alongside an extensive wine list. In fact it is part of the Harvey Nichols franchise, so I knew food would be top standard.
I opted for the Josper grilled spatchcock chicken, chimichurri, autumn vegetable slaw and maple glazed pancetta, whilst my boyfriend went for a classic Rib eye steak, green peppercorn sauce, mushroom pâté and green leaf salad.
To accompany the meal we had some potato wedges and tender stem broccoli and to drink we shared a carafe of French red wine, the perfect pairing to our meaty dishes.
Our meal was just exquisite and we both agreed it to be some of the best food we’d ever tasted! Service was absolutely impeccable too and my wine glass was never more than half empty – thanks waiter 😉
We stayed to finish our drinks and soak up those final few moments of sunset, before leaving to attend our post dinner cocktails at the Four Seasons.
I have to put the evening up there as one of the most beautiful dinners I’ve ever had. From the picture perfect setting as golden hour hues painted the London skyline, to the delicious food and wonderful service we were treated to, it was truly magical. A spacial thanks to the Oxo Tower Brasserie for taking such good care of us and ensuring our experience was so special.
I’m always reading poetry and collecting quotes as I find words and writing to be one of my favourite outlets of creation. Having a little journal by my bedside is key for capturing those unique moments of imagination and other worldly dreams which fascinate me.
After a few days break from work I already feel a new wave of inspiration and motivation as my mind, body and soul has had time to catch up with itself. Not pressuring myself to go out and do lots of things on my days off has been a blessing as I’ve had quality me time, something which I’ve neglected since going back to work.
I’ve always been a night person and feel a strong connection to the moon and the stars as they accompany me in my midnight madness… perhaps I’m a moon child, still searching this infinite galaxy for the stars within myself.
I guess in some ways it has taught me to enjoy the simple pleasures of relaxing at home and soak up this bonus time we have to spend with friends and family. It’s also been a perfect opportunity to work on self care and personal challenges or goals.
One of my achievements during lockdown has been to improve on my handstands which I’ve practiced every single day since March. I can now get up without support and hold it for at least 20 seconds or so. If I keep up this consistent routine of balancing everyday, my aim is to be able to handstand for over a minute and move my body into different yogi positions whilst doing so.
Upon reflection, there are a few positives of being unable to travel at the moment, like not having to deal with the stress of busy airports and cramped planes. Not to mention getting to avoid the suffering of post holiday blues, often accompanied by a week long hangover from all those cocktails which seem so hydrating and refreshing in the scorching sun! Instead I’m feeling healthier and fitter than ever before as I relish the fresh summer countryside air of Hampshire.
Life really has been turned upside down and like most people, this year has brought me many challenges as a result of such unpresidented events. I know I’m not the only one to have struggled with my mental health during these times, as we’ve all been forced into our bubbles of isolation and given no option but to reflect upon ourselves.
Yet it has been the resilience of human spirit from within and to each other which has got us through – and that fundamental element of our species is something not even a virus can rob us of. Whilst the world is yet to find its feet with any kind of normality, lets remember to just keep our heads up and always look at the glass as half full.
Located on the distinctive blue road at The Brentford Project, this event ooses classic American 50s charm as waiting staff on roller-skates take orders from the comfort of your car window. Guests can enjoy draft beer by The Brewery Tap, cocktails from Rye by the Water, freshly popped popcorn and even the best pizza in London (as voted by Time Out) from Santa Maria Pizzeria.
Upon arrival, each car is escorted into position in front of the big screen and fellow car fanatics can be treated to the congregation of such prestigious motors gathered in one place. This is not only a fun movie viewing experience, but a truly unique opportunity for any classic or supercar owners to showcase their motors amongst the elite car community.
We had the pleasure of pulling up front row to complete a stunning white line-up of sports cars. The McLaren GT certainly made an impression as we arrived with its roaring engine and falcon-wing opening doors. It was fun to have a walk around the array of awesome classic and supercars at the event, before getting setup with our beers, popcorn and pizza on order ready for the movie.
This evening’s screening was the another automotive classic film 2Fast 2Furious. As the moonlight twinkled at dusk casting a pinkie blue hue across the sky, everyone took their seats back behind their wheels ready for the movie to commence.
The Fast and Furious series never get old and what a spectacular and scenic setting in which to watch it again! Duke of London showrooms even brought out a number of their own range of classic cars for the event from partner RNG Classics, including a Porsche 928, Lamborghini Murcielago, Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari 308 GTSi and MGB GT.
We were in our element as we kicked back in the McLaren and devoured our delightful pizza delivered up to the car window by our very own roller-skating waitress. Supercars, a movie classic, authentic Italian pizza and beers on tap – now that’s a date night right out of a Hollywood movie!
At the start of lockdown, my room also became my office as I worked from home for a month or so. I like my desk space to be well ordered and neat for me to work most efficiently, as well as decorated with inspiring quotes and art pieces to fuel my creativity.
This gold text printed piece from Maggs London is one of my favourite quotes. For me ‘Stay Wild’ evokes a number of motivating ideas; don’t be too serious about life, trust your instincts and remember to have fun.
On the subject of quotes and words, I always have a collection of books on my bedside table which I am currently reading. I tend to dip in and out of self-help books and poetry from time to time, as well as flick through coffee table books often related to style, fashion or food.
Candles, fairy lights and flowers are another finishing touch to making my bedroom feel warm, comforting and homely. The ideal nighttime routine for me is to set the mood with twinkling fairy lights and subtly fragranced candles, before winding down with a book before bed. (Ok, I admit that I scroll through Instagram before bed also, but I am consciously trying to reduce my screen time now!)
I often light a candle whilst working at my desk too as this helps me to stay calm and present when trying to get a lot done. My diary and personalised kiki.K organiser are never far either as I always write to do lists and jot down ideas as they come to me.
Onto my wardrobe and I would be lying if I didn’t confess that I have an obsession with clothes and shoes too! Nevertheless, I have been minimising my shopping during lockdown and have taken the time to consolidate my wardrobes. I dream one day of having a much needed walk in wardrobe for all my treasured garments, but for now I’m happy with my well ordered dressing corner.
And finally, number one job I do every morning is to always make my bed, something I have done since I can remember. There’s nothing better than coming home to a freshly made bed and if you feel like you haven’t achieved much else in a day, at least you can say you made your bed :)
A little off the beaten track and quite the scramble down a steep hill, Dancing Ledge is a flat area of rock at the base of the cliff where a small rock pool forms at low tide.
With the ledge being a straight drop off point into the sea deep enough for small ships, it was previously used for the quarrying of Purbeck stone. It’s now an ideal spot for divers and fisherman as well as those seeking a picture perfect moment by the ocean.
The swimming pool carved into the rock was originally created in the early twentieth century for a local school. It now remains a beautiful spot for a dip overlooking the sea without the danger of a vicious tide. As keen photographers and always on the hunt for epic content, me and my boyfriend were in our element capturing some unique shots.
I love playing with reflections and colour, so the rock pool was an incredible canvas to play with. Using Lightroom to edit, I focused on experimenting with different colour hues and exposures to enhance my images.
Here I added more green to the mix along with golden oranges to create a vintage effect. Alternatively with the photo below, I reduced the colour temperature and opted for an overexposed, ethereal style final picture.
I’m still learning a lot when it comes to editing my photos, so I often seek inspiration from my favourite Instagram pages or Influencers whose style I like. Having good quality photos in the first place is always key too and going out to explore new places never fails to get my creative juices flowing!
Practicing and trying different methods will improve editing skills and eventually you will find a signature style. I was really happy with the outcome of the edits in which I brought out those purple colours in the sky and turned down the exposure to achieve that moody tone.
But whilst you capture your life through the lens of the camera, always remember to enjoy those moments before they become memories. And upon reflection, that’s when a photograph will say a thousand words – when you are truly happy and living in that moment ❤
In celebration of my good news, we stopped at the local pub for drinks to enjoy this beautiful summers evening from the pub garden. Of course the McLaren never fails to turn heads as we pull up and exit the car feeling like celebrities 😉
Soon enough it was Monday morning and time to get back on that work grind. It felt nice to be smartly dressed again in a crisp blue shirt paired with a suit skirt and classic court heels, a welcome change to trackie pants and leggings!
What a joy it was to be reunited with my friends and colleagues and such a relief to see that business is continuing to thrive at the Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire. I was of course exhausted by the end of the day as my mind and body aren’t used to those 8 hour shifts following extended time in Furlough. Nevertheless, I am extremely thankful for my job and lucky to be working again after such an unpredictable period worldwide.
Dani Aneka 