Category: Fashion

Heckfield Place; Dinner at Marle

April 30, 2023

Heckfield Place really is a local gem for us being a world famous five star hotel nestled in the Hampshire countryside right on our doorstep! Having visited a number of times for drinks and to go to their super plush cinema, we were yet to dine in their highly acclaimed green Michelin star restaurant.

With it being the long bank holiday weekend and springtime finally in the air, it was the ideal Saturday evening date night destination. Arriving at 6pm, golden hour was upon us showering the majestic manner house at Heckfield with that gorgeous golden glow, highlighting its vivid orange hues.

I got a little glammed up for the occasion wearing these brand new Stradivarius straight leg jeans which are the perfect fit, paired with my Abercrombie & Fitch one sleeve khaki asymmetric top, matching khaki knotted mules and my favourite oversized vintage Jaegar blazer.

The grounds at Heckfield Place are truly magnificent and even more beautiful now in bloom with all the colourful tulips.

We sat out on the terrace where we enjoyed a few cocktails to start whilst taking in the picturesque view.

My cocktail of choice was a superbly sweet and salty lemon Margareta, whilst my boyfriend had this apple and blackberry concoction served in a highball glass garnished with a rosemary twist. These wonderfully vibrant cocktails were the perfect aperitif whilst we soaked up sunset on the terrace.

We were then shown inside to our table for dinner in the Marle restaurant. With their Culinary Director Skye Gyngell, also food editor at Vogue and known for her Michelin Star at Petersham Nurseries, I had high expectations for the food.

The Marle restaurant creates an immaculate ambience with tasteful interiors and beautiful foliage as you overlook the gorgeous green expanse of the grounds. This truly reflects their ethos of serving local produce straight from the earth.

As we browsed the menu we grazed on the complimentary homemade bread basket with homemade butter too. When the basics are done so well, there’s no doubt the meal is going to be one to remember.

Having devoured the moorish bread basket, we went straight in for mains. My boyfriend had the lamb kalettes served with lentils, asparagus and creme fraiche, whilst I had the roasted seabass served with peppers, cherry tomatoes, black olives and flowering rocket.

To accompany our mains we had the farm greens and these incredible crispy potatoes with black garlic vinaigrette, sour cream and herbs.

Every dish is seasonally sourced from the local land complete with lashings of olive oil, a key ingredient which Skye passionately uses in all of her cooking. Simple, pared back cooking using the freshest ingredients allows the true beauty of an ingredient to be revealed.

I chose a crisp white wine to compliment by fish dish, savouring every last mouthful as we soaked up those divine Saturday night vibes of the Marle restaurant overlooking the land as sunset.

Bill paid and bellies full of delicious food and wine, we decided to go for a moonlit stroll by the fountain at dusk.

The quintessential end to the most magical evening at Heckfield Place. We’ll be back again soon for more of those splendid cocktails and the most gloriously crispy potatoes. Thanks to the team at Marle for making our experience so wonderful. ❤

Easter Bank Holiday Weekend Scenes

April 10, 2023

It’s Easter Monday and we’re nearing the end of the long bank holiday weekend now. It’s a glorious time of year as spring is in the air, everyone slows down for the extra long weekend and we can finally look forward to the exciting summer season ahead.

Good Friday I spent the morning cleaning the house and getting the garden furniture out ready for the long weekend set to be warm and sunny. These fresh bunch of colourful tulips for the dining room looked particularly beautiful basking in the golden sunlight of the afternoon.

With the house clean and my work done for the week, I couldn’t wait to get down to a local pub garden and soak up the stunning weather with a glass of bubbly in hand.

I just love spring fashion as we can put away those winter coats and embrace layering and accessorising again. So on Friday I wore these vintage flared Stradivarius jeans, my C’est Normal strap tank top, Topshop square toe snakeskin mules, H&M Celine dupe handbag, a pair of cat eye sunnies and my current accessory obsession, a silk neck scarf – tres chic!

I then layered a denim overshirt with a long oversized cardigan on top to keep warm sat outside, as there’s still a chill in the air this time of year. Rooftop down on my Mini Cooper, tunes playing and the sun shining, bank holiday weekend vibes were in full swing and I was on a high.

That evening we went to my boyfriend’s parents for our first BBQ of the year. They also just bought this awesome fire pit for their garden, which we christened for the first time and huddled around enjoying our desserts once the sun went down.

Saturday afternoon I went to watch my boyfriend ride the jumps, before we went to the pub and ended up with his mates at the local Indian curry house for dinner. Spontaneous days like these are what the long weekends are made for.

Easter Sunday we didn’t have any plans with the family for once, so we went on a bike ride which ended up muddier than expected as we went across country fields on the way home…not good news for my brand new trainers!

After our adventure on the bikes, we enjoyed a chilled afternoon and evening at home complete with my favourite mezze nibbles, more wine and a delicious stone baked pizza from Aldi served with plenty of salad of course.

What a wonderful bank holiday weekend we had just taking it easy, being a bit spontaneous and getting outside making the most of the spring air and glorious sunshine; happy days ❤

Watch my Easter Weekend Vlog here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os5LD1tLfzQ

Date Night; Thai Curry & Cocktails

April 2, 2023

Happy Sunday! The sun is finally shining here in Hampshire following a week of gloomy rain. For date night this Saturday me and my boyfriend went for dinner at our favourite local Thai restaurant, followed by some fabulous cocktails at a new bar in town we’d never tried before.

I kept it a little more casual this weekend wearing an oversized fit in my boyfriend’s Gucci t-shirt paired with black skinny jeans, lots of gold jewellery and a cute pair of heels to add a touch of glam to the final look.

Thai cuisine is one of our favourites and the local spot Menu Thai never disappoints. Our go-to order is a green thai vegetable curry for me, a red or penang chicken curry for my boyfriend, coconut rice and a side of pad broccoli. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; wholesome, hearty and delicious, 10/10 every time!

Bellies full of of yummy curry, we went around the corner to a new cocktail spot in town, Esco Lounge and Bar. They offer an extensive menu of wonderful cocktails, so we decided to order three to share.

The amaretto sour was divine and my boyfriend’s classic mojito was on point. We also tried a strawberry and mint flavoured rum concoction, served in this interesting shaped glass resembling a magical potion.

I love simple date nights like this spending quality time with my boyfriend, sharing good food and enjoying fun cocktails, before heading home and cosying up on the coach in front of a good movie ❤

Girls Day East London; Bottomless Brunch & Drag Bingo

March 26, 2023

I love an excuse to get dolled up and spending a Saturday arvo with my best girlfriends enjoying a boozy brunch. Having been a few birthdays in the group recently, we decided to book a bottomless brunch this weekend followed by a night out in East London. Let the antics commence!

With the weather still on the cooler side at the moment, I decided to wear my long over the knee boots with my black NEUW denim jeans, a white one sleeve asymmetric crop top, check print Stradivarius blazer, my usual gold jewellery, cute sunnies and my green fur coat to keep warm.

Brunch was booked for late afternoon at Raspa@100 Hoxton, a Filipino fusion restaurant offering a great bottomless brunch deal lasting 100 minutes for £38 each. We made the most of the drinks swapping between cocktails, slushies, prosecco of course and they even treated us to shots on the house.

The food spread was delicious and nice to have something different to the usual brunch menu options. Livy had the pork belly silog breakfast served with garlic fried rice, fried eggs & pickle, whilst Lucy had the halloumi finger sandwich and Cara opted for the sweet option of banana & buttermilk French toast.

My dish was the karoke which are Korean potato croquettes served with poached eggs, chilli dressing and a cheese sauce. The flavours in this were sensational and that pool of chilli dressing sauce was just to die for.

Bellies full of brunch and booze, we walked over to nearby Shoreditch to have more drinks at The Bike Shed which was buzzing on a Saturday evening in town.

Another bottle of wine later, and it was time to head over to the Drag Bingo we had tickets for. I was unsure of what to expect but needless to say we had a fabulous time!

Sure enough we ended our night tearing up the dance floor in another bar. Being friends since infant school, anytime we get together we have such a laugh and never take ourselves too seriously.

I think this picture beuatifully sums up my true happiness and joy following a day of love and laughter with my very best girlfriends; let’s stay forever young at heart. ❤

Spring is on the Horizon

March 19, 2023

We’re well into March and British Summer Time begins next week! I’m a summer girl at heart so I couldn’t be more excited for spring and the summer season ahead. Bring on those long days and warm summer evenings chilling in the garden having al fresco dinners on repeat.

Spring is also a fun opportunity to change up your wardrobe and experiment with layering separates including tees, shirts and blazers. As the weather warms up I can finally wear more interesting pieces like this cold shoulder backless sweater which I simply paired with black jeans, Chelsea boots and a fedora hat for Friday night drinks at the pub.

I recently purchased this cute khaki tank top from Zara as a perfect little transitional piece great for layering too. I styled it with a silk neckerchief, flared jeans, platform maroon boots, plenty of gold jewellery and my long trench coat thrown on top for a Saturday night dinner date with the family.

We went for a lovely meal at El Castello where we enjoyed a delicious spread of Italian food and wine in celebration of Mother’s Day and my brother’s Birthday. I had my favourite seafood linguine dish and I shared a yummy cheesecake for dessert with my boyfriend.

Now I’m winding down after the weekend and having a chilled Sunday evening at home before another busy week of work ahead. We’ve made it through a long English winter so springtime couldn’t come sooner ❤

Battersea Power Station By Night

March 5, 2023

Having recently reopened as a new and exciting shopping and leisure destination, I’ve been keen to visit Battersea Power Station to see what it’s all about. So this Saturday evening we headed into London to experience this iconic venue following its big makeover and discover what it had to offer.

Arriving at 6:30pm, we easily found a space in the multi-storey carpark and even had time to browse the shops which don’t close until 9pm on a Saturday. The Original features of the Power Station remain with the impressive four towers and industrial style interiors of the shopping centre, which is vast and offers plenty of stores to browse.

Upon passing the Gordon Ramsey Bar & Kitchen, we spotted Gordon Ramsey himself sat in there having dinner with his family! So of course we tried to get a table for dinner there, but annoyingly it was fully booked. Unfortunately that was the theme for the evening as we tried to get into Control Room B for cocktails as well, but the line was just too long and it was time for dinner.

We landed on our feet with a gorgeous dinner at Fiume, a modern Italian restaurant inspired by the Amalfi Coast. The vibe was buzzing on a Saturday night and we had a lovely spot at the high tables overlooking the open bar and kitchen.

We shared a carafe of red wine and enjoyed some fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic to start; sometimes the simple stuff done right is just the best.

To follow, I had the most divinely indulgent vegetarian dish of Cavolo Farcito – Cabbage stuffed with Vegetables, Grana Padano Fondue and Chestnuts. My boyfriend had a delicious fresh pasta of Tortelli Parmigiana – Aubergine and Smoked Ricotta Tortelli, Tomato and Basil. We also shared a side salad of Rocket, Watercress, Onion, Chilli and Breadcrumb, the perfect accompaniment to our main courses.

Everything was delicious and despite it being a full restaurant, we didn’t have to wait long for our food to come. Fresh, wonderfully tasty and beautifully presented, I couldn’t fault our dinner date at Fiume.

Overall, we had a fun evening exploring Battersea Power Station, however there is yet more to open particularly in terms of bars and restaurants as getting a reservation anywhere on a weekend was near impossible. I’d like to visit again in the future following places like Bounce and The Arcade opening, not to mention I would highly suggest going off peak on a weekday to avoid the weekend surge of visitors.

Saturday Scenes in Surrey

February 12, 2023

This Saturday afternoon we decided to head to the picturesque town of Farnham to stroll around and do some filming for my boyfriend’s YouTube channel. The town centre was bustling and those weekend vibes were in the air as we soaked up another crisp, cold winter day in Surrey.

After shooting at different locations around the town, we headed to Lost Boy for an early evening cocktail; an Espresso Martini to perk me up and a classic Mojito for my boyfriend.

With some time to kill before our 8pm dinner reservations, we decided to visit The Wine Yard for a pre-dinner cheeseboard and vino.

They got the cheeseboard spot on complete with dried fruit, walnuts, honey, celery sticks and a divine sweet onion chutney, the perfect accompaniment to our red wine.

I’ve been looking for a good local wine bar just like this to visit with my girlfriends, so I’ll definitely be back here again soon to sample more wines from their extensive range on offer and try their full charcuterie board too.

After another drink over at the Bush Hotel, it was finally time for our dinner reservation at YiaYias at The Fox. We love Greek food and so when my friend recommended this Greek restaurant, I couldn’t wait to try it. Despite it being a busy Saturday night, the food was fantastically authentic and the service very friendly.

We shared humous and flatbread to start, followed by a Greek Salad and Falafel for me, and a traditional Cypriot Greek Chicken Pitta with chips for my boyfriend. Everything was absolutely delicious and accompanied with some lovely Greek white wine I ordered on recommendation too.

What a beautiful way to spend a Saturday with my boyfriend exploring the best of Farnham bars and restaurants. We’ll call it an early Valentines treat to ourselves 😉 ❤

Chapter 28; Another Year Around the Sun

January 29, 2023

26.01.23 – My 28th Birthday. As I near the end of my twenties, I’ve learnt that growing older doesn’t have to mean life getting more serious, instead I find myself more carefree and not as worried about always having direction in life. After all, it’s about enjoying the journey and living in the present moment appreciating all those you have already in life.

In celebration of my birthday we went for a family meal to Seasons Kitchen in Surrey. Having experienced the street food vans they have in the summer, I’ve been wanting to try the restaurant here for a while now and it didn’t disappoint.

Arriving on Friday evening for our 7pm reservation, we chose the best table in the house by this gorgeous olive tree in the heart of the restaurant.

I started with a divine Daiquiri cocktail which was the perfect combination of sweet and sour complete with a strong kick from the rum.

I wore my C’est Normal two piece set simply accessorised with nude mules, a cream blazer and plenty of gold jewellery. I even treated myself to a blow dry that day and loved the subtle shape she gave to my hair.

We shared an assortment of starters including these flavoured butter boards which take your classic bread and butter to another level. I couldn’t get enough of the caramelised onion topped one, it was delightful.

I was thrilled to have my brother and his wife join us for the evening all the way from Bromley. I’m close with my family so it always means a lot to spend quality time together on special occasions.

For main course I had the Roast Romenesco Cauliflower dish which was a delicious combination of fresh flavours. I also had a taste of my mum’s Chicken Caesar Salad which was very tasty indeed, a classic favourite of mine.

The boys shared this incredible Korean BBQ Short Rib served on pak choi with steamed bao buns. Another highlight of the evening, this was a refreshing Asian twist on your regular bbq ribs.

I had this cute little birthday chocolate assortment after the inevitable Happy Birthday sing song from the staff and restaurant. I also couldn’t resist a cheeky Tia Maria tipple to finish my meal on a high.

What a truly wonderful evening celebrating my 28th Birthday at Seasons Surrey. I’m starting to appreciate everything in my life as it all falls into place and I can’t help but feel like one of the luckiest girls in the world; cheers to another year around the sun ❤

Life Begins Outside of your Comfort Zone

January 15, 2023

We’re only two weeks into 2023 and already I’m feeling my mindset shift as I strive to achieve my goals for the year ahead and embrace a new perspective on things. I’m determined to make progress this year particularly in my personal mental health and wellbeing, which will in turn give me the freedom to reach my highest potential in all aspects of life.

I was listening to Riley May’s podcast this week in which she delves into The Power of Discomfort: How Embracing the Uncomfortable Leads to Growth and Success. Riley has experienced an extremely successful year building her business as an online mentor and she claims this is very much down to her quote on quote ‘unfuckable mindset’. It’s all about not letting anything external decide your pace or the way you feel or the way you behave, because that will not serve you and it will not excel you. Instead, you have to take responsibility to control your own mindset, and just let go of those things you don’t have power over. It’s this elite frame of mind which will always support you regardless of anything else externally that happens around you or to you whilst navigating through life.

This reminded me of one of my favourite quotes; ‘Every next level of your life requires a different version of you.’ I believe each individual goes through different seasons of their life which challenges them in different ways. My taking from this is that the key is to find your inner peace and power to know no person or event in life can take you from you. So, as I continue forward into the new year, I choose to work on creating my most resilient inner being in order to drive me towards reaching my goals, whilst providing me with that unshakable mindset which isn’t affected by external factors.

Wholesome Winter Evening in Winchester

December 18, 2022

Happy Sunday, I can’t believe it’s already one week to go until Christmas! As schools breakup and businesses quieten down for the holiday season, I am lucky enough to have two weeks off of work from Tuesday this week. I’m looking forward to winding down and embracing the Christmas festivities before we enter the new year.

This past week has been full of fun social celebrations with my office Christmas party last Thursday, a dinner with my boyfriend’s parents on Friday and a night out to the Winchester markets with my best friend and her partner on Saturday evening.

There’s nothing like the annual Christmas markets to get me well and truly in the festive spirit. Wrapped up in my oversized green trench coat, a mulled wine in hand and the smell of hot roasted chestnuts in the air, I had all the fuzzy festive feels as we wondered around Winchester Cathedral grounds lined with the eclectic market stalls.

Winchester was very busy and all the restaurants packed out, but luckily I grabbed us a spot in Overdraft for the best beers on tap alongside the most delicious Mexican food in town.

A casual bar and diner with a live DJ on the decks, Overdraft is the perfect vibe for a low-key date night, double date or grabbing drinks and food with friends.

With a Margarita special on the board, I couldn’t resist a cheeky cocktail to accompany our Mexican feast.

I ordered the smoked pulled aubergine tacos served with lime slaw, crispy courgettes and coriander, whilst my boyfriend opted for the classic chipotle roast chicken burrito with sour cream, red rice, lime slaw, pico de gallo, refried beans and cheese.

Given the tapas sharing style nature of these dishes, we also got some loaded nachos and lime salt fries to share between us all. Everything was super tasty and authentic, you just can’t go wrong with classic Mexican cuisine, it was all delish!

Having finished our food, we went for drinks at another bar in town before heading home. It certainly was a chilly winters night so I was very glad I wore my warmest long trench coat layered over a thick knit jumper, skinny jeans, chelsea boots and my baker boy hat to keep me cosy.

What a wonderful few days of festivities I’ve had complete with the perfect double date night with my best friend and our boyfriends. Bring on another week of Christmas fun in the lead up to the big day; the countdown is on ❤