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 ❤
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. ❤
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 ❤
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.
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 😉 ❤
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 ❤
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.
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 ❤
Date night this weekend with my boyfriend was at our favourite local destination for cocktails, Sky Bar at the Aviator Hotel in Hampshire. We love everything about this place, from the stunning feature staircase and glamorous bar overlooking Farnborough Airport, to the extensive menu of extravagant cocktails which every time we visit, we always say are the best we’ve ever had…and I know my cocktails!
Arriving at 8pm, it was a buzzing Saturday evening at the Aviator Hotel, so we were lucky to get a table in the bar. I was drawn to the sweet sounding honey and ginger based cocktail which came in an extra tall glass, complete with a honey dipper and garnished with a cute flower.
This decadently sweet concoction got a 10/10 from me, I was in honey heaven. Meanwhile my boyfriend went for his usual choice the ‘Air Mail’ which is a variation on a classic whiskey sour. Date night was off to a fabulous start!
Upon every visit to the Sky Bar, I can never resist an outfit photo on their iconic spiral staircase. On this occasion I wore my green ruffle bandeau top, black split hem flared leggings, green knotted mules styled with my cute little gingham shoulder handbag and usual gold jewellery to complete the look.
Whilst there is a brasserie in the hotel which we’re yet to try, they also serve food in the Sky Bar offering a varied selection of starters, salads, burgers, pizzas and other classic British dishes. I was craving a simple chicken Caesar salad, whilst my boyfriend opted for a Margarita pizza and honey drizzled chicken wings. Everything was delicious especially the honey wings, but there’s a number of other tasty looking salads on the menu which I’ll have to try next time, including a Mexican style rice salad or poke bowl, both right up my street!
Full of indulgent cocktails and wonderful food, we headed home to finish our date night with a movie. We watched Slumberland on Netflix, a heart-warming film which we enjoyed with some wine and popcorn – a perfect end to our perfect date night ❤
After four holidays abroad this year, my boyfriend and I opted for a fun little staycation in Brighton this November. We spent two days exploring the wonders of this glorious city down by the coast of England.
Arriving at midday on Thursday last week, we got settled in our room at the Square Townhouse hotel located on New Steine Street in the heart of Brighton. We loved our little room the ‘Bubble Snug’ and we couldn’t have been looked after better by the staff at this gorgeous boutique hotel complete with chic, art deco inspired interiors.
That afternoon we ventured out to explore the centre of town and the famous Lanes which were all right on our doorstep. We stopped by a cute coffee shop which happened to be next door to the Ivy Asia, so being somewhere we’ve been wanting to try, we made a reservation for that evening’s dinner.
After coffee it was nearing sunset time already, so we headed to the beach for a sundown stroll along the shore. Stunning scenes but it sure was very blustery, I almost lost my hat numerous times!
A walk along the pier is a must when coming to Brighton too. Back in the day I would visit my sister who went to university in Sussex and we would always take a trip to the pier, it’s a kids dream!
Now as adults the novelty has worn off and the precarious, rickety looking rides don’t seem as appealing. So soon enough we headed back to our hotel for some downtime in our super cosy room and an aperitif from the bar, before getting ready for dinner.
I wore my new White Fox Boutique chocolate colour playsuit, over the knee boots, gingham blazer, long trench coat and a beret to complete the look. Feeling tres chic for our dinner at the Ivy Asia!
With reservations at 8:30pm, we arrived a bit earlier to enjoy a drink at the bar first. The place was buzzing and the opulent interiors were just exquisite. Everything about The Ivy restaurants is always such a magnificent experience, from the amazing decor and detailed place settings, to the attentive service and killer cocktails.
The dinner spread we chose was on point and everything so tasty, it was all divine. We had chicken satay style skewers, tender stem broccolini in a tahini sauce, hot and sour plum flavoured chicken, sticky jasmine rice and a platter of sushi of course.
The look of love for my tuna maki roll, I was in heaven! A truly wonderful and memorable experience at the Ivy Asia, highly recommend for a special date night or evening with the girls.
The next day we woke feeling fresh and ready for another day strolling around Brighton. I wore my new Zara aviator jacket with flared jeans, Grenson Boots and my beret ready for the chilly, windy weather.
I love exploring cities on foot and Brighton really is perfect for strolling around and getting lost in the Lanes. Every corner you turn there’s another street to explore lined with historic buildings and wall murals. Brighton is the place to be for artists and creatives alike.
Following lots of shopping and walking around town, we headed back to the coastline for sunset and enjoyed a coffee at Brighton Beach Club during golden hour; simply sublime.
As dusk drew in and the lights of Brighton Pier lit up, we made our way back along the seafront to our hotel before dinner.
We had 8pm reservations at Burnt Orange, a grown-up, late-night hangout with a menu centred around seasonal ingredients cooked predominantly over fire and designed for sharing.
From the brilliant reviews and tapas style dining which I love, I had high hopes for our evening here.
Seated at the counter-top overlooking the kitchen and bar, we had the best seats in the house. What a fantastic atmosphere seeing the kitchen at work and the head chef plating the dishes in front of us, we could even do some window shopping to decide on our dinner choices.
To start we had the wood fired flatbread and my absolute obsession when it comes to tapas, padron peppers. Smokey, salty and sweet, absolutely delicious!
For our mains it was a superb fillet of flamed sea bream with basil yoghurt and a mango dressing for me, and the BBQ chicken thigh with watermelon hot sauce and kohl rabi slaw for my boyfriend.
To accompany our dishes, we shared the indulgent skillet-baked potatoes drizzled with herb cream and sheep’s cheese. Wow, I need to recreate these at home.
And not forgetting our favourite vegetable side, broccolini, and this pimped up version charred and finished with a lemon tahini dressing was a winner.
We both agreed this was some of the most flavourful food we’ve ever had and a fabulous dining experience we won’t forget. Burnt Orange gets a 10/10 on all counts from me given the outstanding service, bustling ambience, great drinks and exceptional food!
So that was our whistle stop two days down in Brighton exploring the best of what this eclectic, fun and friendly city has to offer; thanks for having us Brighton ❤
Dani Aneka 