Category: Food

Santorini Diaries; You, Me & Santorini

July 28, 2024

Upon returning from our holiday to Santorini last week, I can definitely put it up there as one of the most beautiful, picture perfect places I’ve ever had the fortune to visit.

From the aesthetic white wash towns built into the cliffs of the volcanic rock overlooking the caldera, to the stunning sunsets every evening showering the island in golden orange hues, I can see why Santorini is a world famous destination for couples in search of a romantic vacation.

During our week we explored most of the island including the capital Fira and the Instagram famous Oia. We even did a sunset boat cruise and had plenty of time for relaxing at our hotel by the pool too, so a week away turned out to be just right.

We stayed at Cresanto Luxury Suites in the town of Imerovigli situated between Fira and Oia. Whilst this is a newly opened hotel which is still finding its feet in terms of delivering a 5* service, it was a great location and our spacious room with the private balcony and plunge pool with sea view was fantastic.

Dinners and drinks out were fairly expensive which we expected, however my boyfriend’s favourite gyros spot Jimmy’s Souvlaki was less than 10 euros for a meal and drink. When in Greece it’s local gyros for lunch most days!

We enjoyed lots of delicious meals together including wonderful fresh seafood, my favourite Greek feta salad on repeat of course, and even some great Italian cuisine too.

Over the next few posts I will look back on each area of the island we explored and share my top tips along with my food and drink recommendations.

Having been to Santorini before, my boyfriend already knew of some hidden gems for sunset which avoid the crowds and provide uninterrupted, panoramic views at golden hour.

So stay posted for all the picturesque Santorini content to come as I relive our incredible week on this breathtaking Greek island of love ❤

Summer Wedding Scenes; The Shack Revolution

July 8, 2024

Wedding season is well and truly underway and this weekend we had the pleasure of joining our very close friends to celebrate them tying the knot in style at The Shack Revolution.

Nestled in the heart of Hereford, The Shack Revolution is a contemporary wedding venue which prides itself on encouraging couples to have creativity and freedom in planning their dream wedding – https://www.theshackrevolution.co.uk

The day was truly one of a kind reflecting the couple’s fun loving hearts and beautiful personalities.

From the gorgeous pink bouquets of flowers and matching pink napkins, which we waved in the air as the couple entered their wedding breakfast as newlyweds; to the fun games including ping pong and the beer van where you could pour your own pint, every moment of the day was a joy and had guests entertained.

The three course dinner was a delicious feast, starting with seared Celtic king scallop on a bed of pea puree and chorizo.

To follow I had the vegetarian main of smoked oyster mushroom risotto with sage as well as a few of the sides including salad, roasted cherry vine tomatoes and the most decadent mac and cheese which me and my boyfriend couldn’t get enough of!

For dessert it was my favourite deconstructed Eton mess, the perfect little sweet treat to end the meal.

We certainly weren’t left hungry when more food came later in the evening too… a cheeseboard with mountains of caramelised onion chutney (we love to see it) and then stacks of fresh stone baked pizzas complete with garlic bread and truffle fries. Not forgetting also the snack table of crisps and giant sweetie jars for guests to help themselves, fuelling us with that extra energy as we danced the night away!

It’s always tricky finding the right wedding guest outfit, so me and my best friend were back and forth with lots of options in the run up to the date.

I finally settled on a sophisticated floral swing dress, something I actually already had in my wardrobe from when I worked for the vintage dress company Lady V London.

Whilst this isn’t my usual style of dress, I felt really feminine and lady like in this number and it matched the vibe of the venue super well.

To accessorise it up I wore this statement neck corsage, oversized gold flower earrings from ASOS, satin baby pink heels to match the corsage and my new olive green Moncrief shoulder bag, subtly reflecting the floral tones of the dress.

I also took my boyfriend shopping to Next where we got him this smart, pinstriped, oatmeal suit which I styled for him with the light blue shirt and satin pocket handkerchief. I think the muted blue and green tones of our outfits complimented each other well. Couples dressing must be carefully considered for weddings so as to pair perfectly for photos ❤

Needless to say that as an Events Executive, I absolutely adore attending weddings, especially when it’s family or very close friends getting hitched. Tears of joy and pride were certainly flowing for the happiness of my beautiful friends.

Nothing matches the feeling of celebrating together with loved ones and letting your hair down in honour of the happy couple, I’m still on such a high.

What a truly magical day shared with the most fabulous friends who are like family.

Cheers to forever girls ❤

June Diaries; Summer Scenes

June 30, 2024

Coming at you this week with another vlog as I dive into the summer season with lots of entertaining, time outside soaking up the sunshine and making memories with the family.

I’m in my element when hostessing and entertaining, so I was thrilled to welcome lots of visitors into our home these past few weeks.

To wrap up a busy week, it was a treat to be wined and dined with my boyfriend at the stunning Ivy Asia complete with a gorgeous sunset over Guildford.

Watch the full vlog here for all the summer vibes! ❤

Saturday Scenes In Surrey; The Ivy Asia Guildford

June 23, 2024

Happy Sunday! I’m still on a high from the most perfect date night yesterday evening in the picturesque town of Guildford, Surrey.

With the sun glowing over Guildford Castle at golden hour, we wanted to enjoy an aperitif on the terrace of The Ivy Castle View. However we settled on a seat at the beautiful feature bar inside given outside was fully booked.

I enjoyed a beefeater pink grapefruit gin and slimline tonic and we shared some olives and rosemary almonds for a pre-dinner nibble.

With 8pm reservations, we finished up our drinks and headed next door to The Ivy Asia for our dinner date. The Ivy is always a treat and never disappoints on the service, food and a buzzing atmosphere complete with exquisite interiors.

We were sat at the counter top overlooking the kitchen where they make the sushi fresh to order and we had a great view across the restaurant too, wonderfully bustling with Saturday night vibes.

To start we shared the duck spring rolls and wonton crackers with a delicious dip. To drink I was on the red wine whilst my boyfriend had a yummy sweet lychee mocktail.

The Ivy Asia offers small plates to share, so it’s a lovely way to get a taste of lots of different dishes. We chose the spicy tuna sushi roll, honey glazed chicken skewers, miso marinated aubergine, sticky rice and chilli noodles.

Everything was so tasty and beautifully presented, but for me the aubergine dish was my favourite and my boyfriend particularly enjoyed the glazed chicken skewers.

As always, The Ivy Asia didn’t disappoint on delivering an overall seamless experience making for the most delightful date night with my boyfriend.

I was a very happy girly indeed; cheers to Saturday date night goals ❤

My Three Ingredient Rawnola

June 16, 2024

This week I’m sharing with you my super quick, easy and affordable recipe for Rawnola. Using just store cupboard staples and a high powered blender, this mixture can also be used for making bliss balls to have on hand for an energy boost snack, without the hidden nasties found in packaged products.

Store the Rawnola in an airtight container and enjoy as a topping on yoghurt, mixed with your favourite cereal or even straight from the jar because believe me when I say, this tastes like cookie dough!

To see how I make it, head over to watch the full video on my YouTube Channel here – https://youtu.be/7rsGanV00Sk?si=oiRdHkcXux81mFtU

Burger Season; The Perfect Recipe

June 9, 2024

When it comes to burgers, it’s all about the condiments. Whether it’s a beef burger, chicken burger or vegan mock meat burger, pickles and salad are a an absolute must.

Loaded in a brioche bun I stacked baby gem lettuce, sliced tomato, red onion rings, the vegan patty, gherkins, burger relish and bbq sauce. Served with homemade potato wedges and plenty of salad, this was the perfect date night fakeaway dinner.

Classic, simple, to the point; that’s how you do burger night at home ❤

Date Night Perfection; Pub Garden, Paloma Cocktail & Pasta Bolognese

June 2, 2024

This Saturday evening we kicked off date night in a local pub garden sipping cocktails and discussing plans for a trip we’re taking to Monaco in September.

It wasn’t the warmest of summer evenings, so I wore this asymmetric oatmeal sweater from Bershka paired with these Abercrombie & Fitch dark wash jeans tucked into my Stradivarius cowboy boots.

A silk neckerchief from Le Scarf and my Coach cross body signature print handbag completed the country girl chic aesthetic this ensemble was giving.

With a Paloma as a special on the aperitifs menu, I couldn’t resist one of my favourite cocktails ideal for an early summer’s evening.

Consisting of tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda, a Paloma is the perfect twist of sweet and sour whilst being aesthetically pleasing with its gorgeous pastel pink hue.

Earlier that afternoon I had already cooked a beef bolognese from scratch which was waiting on the hob ready to dish up when we got home.

Leaving it to sit for a few hours allowed the flavours to develop and made for a deliciously rich bolognese sauce.

Whist the linguine boiled, I laid the table and prepared the rocket, parmesan and pickled onion salad dressed in balsamic vinegar.

The final dish went down a treat and we had plenty leftover for the fridge and freezer. I didn’t follow a recipe but I’ve cooked bolognese with my mum many times and the secret is lots of garlic, plenty of basil and a generous few splashes of red wine whilst it cooks down.

Bellies full of linguine bolognese, we reclined on the sofa to watch a movie as we enjoyed the rest of our red wine and some choccie for dessert.

A cute country pub garden, pretty pink cocktails, a hearty pasta dinner and our favourite red wine whilst cosying up on the sofa, what more could you want from date night? Cheers to the weekend ❤

May Diaries; A Weekend in my Life

May 27, 2024

Happy May Day Bank Holiday! Come along with me for a fun little weekend in my life vlog as I make the most of this glorious springtime sunshine with family and friends.

I show you some new updates from our house and garden, before taking my Mini for a roof-down spin and visiting our local pub garden blossoming at this time of year.

We then had a social Saturday with an afternoon drinks do at a friend’s, followed by our first BBQ of the year at home which we invited my parents to join us for… get ready for some tipsy salad making by my mum!

So grab a wine or perhaps a cocktail this evening and get in the springtime mood with this fun and wholesome weekend vlog – https://youtu.be/go00tDUGNg8?si=zNDilTaXOL2YPJXk

The Weekend Wine Down

April 21, 2024

Happy Sunday! As quickly as the weekend rolls around, it’s coming to an end before you know it. Saturday evening is date night for us, so we enjoyed a weekend wine down at the local wine bar followed by an Indian for dinner.

At 7pm we headed for sundown drinks at Auriol Wines, a local wine shop in our village which recently expanded into a wine bar; I’m thrilled to finally have a sophisticated wine bar just on our doorstep.

It might be April, but there is still very much a chill in the air so I wrapped up warm for al fresco pre-dinner drinks.

I wore my oversized grey trench coat from Nakd with a pair of dark wash Hollister jeans, a black off the shoulder blouse from Pretty Little Thing, Maroon square toe ASOS boot heels, a Stradivarius check print baker boy hat and my signature print Coach Mira handbag.

With the light spring evening and pretty sunset, we decided to sit out in the cosy huts and stayed warm with the heated fur blankets.

I enjoyed a delicious glass of Sicilian white wine, whilst my boyfriend sampled three different reds with the flight taster.

We walked over the road for our 8pm reservations at the Monsoon Indian restaurant in Hartley Wintney where it was buzzing on a Saturday night. After some popadoms to start as we browsed the menu, I had a vegetable bhuna curry with green salad, whilst my boyfriend had his usual chicken korma with peshwari naan and coconut rice to share.

Sometimes the simplest of date nights are the most wholesome and fun and every once in a while nothing beats indulging in a classic curry at the local Indian. Cheers to the weekend wine down ❤

A Night in the Cotswolds

April 14, 2024

This weekend I had the pleasure of being invited along with my boyfriend to stay at the De Vere Hotel Cotswold Water Park. Nestled in the heart of 152 lakes that spread across the unique Cotswolds Water Park, its the perfect escape from the city surrounded by the honey-coloured villages and gently rolling hills of The Cotswolds.

Arriving late on Friday afternoon, we were greeted with a bottle of English Sparkling wine and personalised robes in our room.

After a quick dip in the spa pool, we popped the bubbly and enjoyed a drink on our balcony overlooking the serene scenes of the lake.

A quick outfit change and I was ready for 7pm drinks. I wore a pair of white Topshop jeans, a lace peplum Miss Selfridge cami top, Django and Juliette black mules and my velvet green Sandro handbag.

Whilst enjoying our drinks and scrumptious canapés, we were shown around the gorgeous event spaces where we are looking to host an event later this year.

I really liked the main ballroom with exposed brickwork and lovely bright furnishings with a view over the lake.

At 8pm we were treated to a private seated dinner with our group of about 15 other clients. Starter was sharing antipasti boards which is my favourite kind of appetiser and they didn’t disappoint.

For main course I had the seabass with a miso broth and dessert was a delicious chocolate fondue. All the food was exquisite and the service impeccable.

Thank you to the sales team at De Vere Cotswold Water Park for hosting such a wonderful evening and looking after us so well during our stay.

I’d highly recommend a trip to The Cotswolds for a weekend staycay in the UK and this hotel is the perfect destination with plenty to do in the surrounding area too, including all the fun water-sports on the lakes during summer. To book, visit their website here – https://www.devere.co.uk/cotswold-water-park-hotel