Although September officially marks the end of Summer and start of Autumn, we tend to forget what a lovely month September can be.
So with the weather forecast set to be a scorcher this weekend, I made the most of it and took my Mini Cooper for a topdown spin around the country lanes as soon as I finished work on Friday.
I just love getting my roof down on the Cooper and soaking up the summer sun, something I haven’t got to do a lot this summer given the rubbish August weather unfortunately.
I was channelling my inner cowgirl with this fun outfit inspired by my awesome Lack of Colours cream rancher hat and my Stradivarius brown cowboy boots.
I wore a pair of Levi 501 dark wash denim shorts, this Zara waistcoat style striped yellow-orange shirt, my Celine dupe H&M brown check handbag, classic round frame Ray Ban sunnies and a blue paisley neckerchief to complete the cowgirl aesthetic.
That evening we rode our bikes to the pub and had an al fresco dinner back home with that lovely warm summer evening air. As the sun set and the stars came out, our gorgeous solar powered lanterns and spotlights lit up the garden; I just love cosying up outside on warm summer nights like these.
The next evening we were off to the Aviator Hotel in Farnborough for cocktails and dinner on their outdoor terrace.
When we arrived, the sun was just setting over Farnborough Airport and the sky was the perfect hue of pink and orange.
It was stunning watching the final few minutes of golden hour as private jets took off and landed at the airport, making for the picture perfect moment.
I always have to get a photo on the famous feature staircase at the Aviator Hotel every time we visit as it’s such a unique piece of interior design, I love it.
For the occasion I wore my Zara white cropped flared jeans, this backless tie back baby blue crop top, my favourite Senso blush pink mule heels, my Dune London white crochet gold chain handbag, MiuMiu sunnies popped on my head and a chic flower neck corsage to finish my elegant date night look.
Out on the terrace we had magnificent views of the airfield as dusk set in and the moon rose. I started with this sweet Amaretto Mango Sour cocktail, a refreshing beverage to quench my thirst on such a humid evening.
For dinner we ordered from their bar menu as opposed to the Brasserie and we were very happy with our food choices. My boyfriend went for the BBQ glazed ribs with smokey beans, slaw and fries which was all delicious.
I had a summer salad of Ox tomato, buffalo mozzarella, grilled peach, balsamic glaze and grilled chicken. The combination of fresh flavours was heavenly and the addition of sweet peach paired perfectly with this traditional dish.
My post dinner cocktail of choice was of course an Espresso Martini and it didn’t disappoint, this was one of the best I’ve ever had!
It was another clear and starry night which we enjoyed sat outside back home in our garden with a glass of red as our night cap.
So it would seem sun has set on the Summer 2023 season here in the UK, however we’re lucky enough to be going on holiday next week to Cyprus, where their summer doesn’t show any signs of ending yet… so stay tuned for more summer holiday content to come! ❤
Every so often I like to change up some decor details to give our house a fresh lease of life, so this week I thought I’d give you a little update on what’s new in interiors in our home recently.
First up is this fun print I got from Oliver Bonas which we’ve hung above the tea and coffee corner, adding a pop of colour to our kitchen. This is very fitting for us as we do love our cocktails and the wording is fabulous – ‘Happy Hour; Because every hour deserves to be happy’ 🙂
Another piece I purchased in my Oliver Bonas order was this stunning gold plate top side table. The Moroccan detailing is very fitting for our dining room and living room where I also have elements of Moroccan style.
I’ve placed it in the corner of our dining room with this beautiful Hydrangea plant on top which my mum got for me, but I can also use this as a side table in our lounge to place my drink on; I just love how versatile this little table is!
Back in the kitchen, we’ve had to change up the plants on our windowsill because I will admit, I wasn’t the best plant mum in the past and so a few of my old plants had to go. Thankfully my boyfriend’s mum has come to the rescue and taught me how to properly water and look after this new generation of plants in our home.
My favourite new addition to the plant family is this Tradescantia plant taking centre stage with it’s deep purple leaves, perfectly complementing my turquoise stonewash pot I’ve planted it in.
We’ve also replaced the plant in our living room to this mini palm which looks great in my tiled Moroccan inspired standing plant pot.
And on the subject of greenery, outside in our garden we now have these decorative patterned black fence panels, again tying in with those elements of Moroccan style which I’m obsessed with and has become a running theme in our homewares.
We’re very luck to have my boyfriend’s parents who have curated our glorious garden now in full bloom following a wet and rainy summer. They’ve even added these solar panelled spotlights to the plant boarders which look very smart when they come on at night.
So those are few homewares and garden updates from our humble abode over the past month. It’s all in the detail and sometimes just changing up little things like your plants or wall hangings, can give your home a fresh feel ready for the start of a new fall season ahead ❤
Happy bank holiday babes! I can’t believe it’s coming to the end of August already, where has summer gone? I kicked off the long weekend with Friday drinks at the pub followed by a girls night with my bestie on Saturday evening.
I wore my pink Stradivarius flared jeans to brighten up yet another grey August day, and paired these with this tie back Nakd grey vest and my chunky pearl sliders.
Despite the overcast weather, it was still warm enough to sit outside and enjoy a few drinks and snacks together at sunset. It’s not a girl dinner without nibbles and I won’t be missing any opportunity to put out a mezze of picky bits in my favourite bowls.
Following our holiday to Mallorca, me and the girls have been obsessed in a Greek Salad. Quick, easy, healthy and delicious, this is the ultimate girl dinner moment.
To accompany our big bowl of goodness, I heated up a sun-dried tomato flatbread for our carbs and served it with some Italian salad leaves too.
This was the perfect girl dinner to graze and enjoy as we chatted away and reminisced about our wonderful Mallorca memories from our holiday a few weeks back; cheers to cute girl dinners ❤
When it comes to hosting, preparation is key to pulling off a seamless evening which you too can enjoy alongside the company of your guests. This Friday evening we invited our parents to the house for a BBQ, so I wanted to be on my top hosting game to impress!
I got to planning what we were going to cook a week prior so we could do the food shop during the week and have plenty of time to prep in advance. I made sure all areas were covered including drinks, nibbles and decor, as well as the BBQ food itself.
For nibbles I put together a grazing board of crisps, nuts, crackers, olives, antipasti and dips. I love any excuse to buy a mezze of snacks and use my assortment of cute bowls to put them out in for guests to enjoy. And don’t forget to put out some side plates, coasters, napkins and candles to set the mood later in the evening; it’s all in the detail.
Once we did the shop a few days prior to the date, I decided what dish each element of the BBQ was going to go into because there are so many different components which make up a barbecue spread. I laid everything out the night before and labelled exactly what dish was going into what, so I knew we had every base covered.
On the menu for the main event we had: marinated chicken thighs, chicken skewers, veggie skewers, corn cobs, beef burgers, vegan burgers, roasted new potatoes, green avocado salad and of course, my favourite Greek salad.
On the morning of the BBQ, I prepped the veggie skewers, new potatoes, green salad and Greek salad so these were all ready to go straight from the fridge. That just left the barbecuing itself and the potatoes to be cooked in the oven on the night.
I was then ready to lay the table complete with wine glasses, water glasses, napkins and not forgetting the condiment tray with all the dips and dressings you could wish for with a BBQ.
Despite the cloudy day, the rain held off and we were able to get out the garden furniture and sit outside whilst my boyfriend did his thing on the BBQ.
It was a very warm, humid evening, so I wore this daisy print skirt with a simple black vest, a green short sleeve overshirt, chunky pearl sliders and a pair of sunnies to complete the BBQ fit. I wanted to get a bit dressed up but also be comfy for running around doing my hostessing duties on the night.
At 7pm our guests arrived so we got the BBQ fired up and the potatoes in the oven. I could finally take a breath at this point and enjoy catching up with our parents as everything else was all ready to go; the joy of being super prepared!
The evening went seamlessly and everyone had a wonderful time together. My Greek salad was a highlight as well as my special roasted crispy new potatoes which are always a crowd pleaser. So if you’re hosting a BBQ or dinner party anytime soon, follow these preparation tips and you’ll be sure to have a fun and stress free evening with your guests too; cheers to that! ❤
Last week, me and my two best girlfriends jetted off to the stunning Spanish island of Mallorca for five days in the town of Alcudia. We’ve been besties since we were in infant school, so we get on like sisters and couldn’t wait to be going on a proper girls vacay together this summer.
Arriving at a busy Gatwick Airport on Friday 4th August, we treated ourselves to the lounge for bottomless pre-flight bubbles and a bite to eat at leisure, before our plane departed that afternoon. Holiday mode was on!
We didn’t stop nattering the entire journey and before we knew it, we had arrived at our hotel later that evening following a smooth flight and transfer with easyJet. The next morning we awoke fresh and ready for a day of sunbathing at our hotel.
We stayed at Sol de Alcudia Apartments where we shared a room complete with a kitchenette and balcony. Whilst this is a family resort, it wasn’t too busy and the staff were friendly and helpful too.
I was very happy with the gym which was just down the corridor from our room and almost always empty, so I had the space to myself for my morning workouts.
We spent most mornings getting in our sunbathing time whilst reading our books, cooling off in the pool and chatting away of course.
The hotel was a five minute walk from the main beach of Alcudia, so we took a stroll there on the first day to see that golden white sand and dip our feet in the ocean.
After a refreshing glass of Sangria for me and Spanish beers for the girls, we found a nearby Lidl to stock up on essential holiday snacks and food for lunches.
This is what holiday lunches are all about; a mezze of picky bits including crisps, crackers, hummus, olives, cold meats, cheese, grapes, bread and of course, the iconic tub of Aioli. Sat out on our balcony soaking up the Spanish sun and chatting with my girlies with a wine in hand, now that’s an ideal holiday scene right there!
If you’re a regular here you’ll know I’m a salad lover and when I’m holiday, it’s all about a Greek Salad, so I suggested we do this for our balcony lunch one day. We just went to the local grocery store where we managed to get some tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta. Usually I would put oregano and lashings of olive oil on my Greek Salad, but seasoning wise we could only find salt in the shop, so instead my friend came up with the idea of mashing the feta with the juice of a lemon and some of the salty olive brine. This was a delicious twist on a classic and definitely something I’ll try again at home too.
It was so fun getting glammed up for warm summer evenings out with the girls. My friend did my hair a few times with her Dyson Air Wrap and I’m obsessed, I might have to get one for myself now.
On the Sunday night we decided to book a nice dinner out at Ca’an Matevet just over in Port d’Alcudia. As usual I did my research on Instagram to find the trendiest looking place and this restaurant was our kinda vibe.
I love being a bit more experimental and playful with my holiday outfits, so for this occasion I wore my leopard print swimsuit as a body paired with my Stradivarius wrap skort, chunky pearl sliders, a pair of oversized gold shell drop earrings and my Dune woven white handbag. My girlfriends are so effortlessly cool and always look very trendy in all black and neutral tones. How cute that my friend’s pearl hair clips matched my pearl sliders. ❤
We were seated at our table outside overlooking the port as the sunset and a live band played, setting the perfect evening dinner mood at golden hour.
Being in Spain we couldn’t resist ordering a number of incredible tapas to share. We all agreed potatoes bravos were a must as well as the fresh scallops. The toasted bread with cured Mahón cheese, sobrasada from the island and honey, was simply divine.
This goat’s cheese salad with walnuts, hazelnuts, capers and homemade fig jam was a highlight for me. We also got the garlic prawns, olives and some bread with Aioli to accompany our meal. Service was great, I couldn’t fault anything and don’t be fooled, we ate every last bit – us girls like our food!
We finished up with a round of cocktails instead of dessert as we were full from our feast. I had a Paloma whilst the girls had a Mojito and a Tommy’s Margarita which we enjoyed as the sun went down and the live band continued their second set. The staff were so friendly and attentive, the food was amazing and the ambience on point; I’d highly recommend visiting C’an Matevet if you’re in the area –https://canmatevet.com.
The weather was perfect during our stay reaching highs of 30 degrees, so a classic orange ice pop was the ideal poolside refreshment.
Another night, another bar, and on this evening we actually stumbled across this fun hotel bar just around the corner with another live band playing. They were called Von Bros and played reggae style covers, we were loving it!
Once again my besties were looking super stylish in chic black outfits, whilst I was in a baby blue mini dress bringing a splash of colour to the group.
On our final day we got up early to visit the markets in the Old Town of Alcudia.
There was so much to explore, from beautiful fresh produce to lots of gorgeous clothes and jewellery from local sellers.
My friend bagged herself a lovely cream crochet top and I got a white crochet cutout Grecian style dress.
I just wish I had a local market back home selling fresh fruit and veg as marvellous as this!
And not to mention the variety of olives to choose from, I was in my element.
The streets of Old Town Alcudia are so picturesque lined with ancient buildings, blooming bright flowers climbing the walls and exotic plants in terracotta pots.
We stopped for a morning coffee at a cute cafe where two coffees and a water was less than 4 Euros!
It was scorching hot so we took it in turns with my friend’s ‘World’s biggest diva’ hand fan. 😀
I’m also loving this headscarf on my friend giving market girl vibes paired with her gingham playsuit, so cute. ❤
We then explored more of the town and took a walk up on the ancient walls which boarder the Old Town of Alcudia.
I saw an old open air theatre and decided to put my gymnastics practice to good use with a handstand balance centre stage.
For lunch we found a quieter restaurant with a courtyard off the beaten track.
I had this simple but super tasty green salad and a refreshing Coke Zero.
Our final afternoon we spent back by our hotel pool soaking up the final few hours of Spanish sun.
I also brought this floppy hat on our way out of the markets which is exactly what I was looking for, I can’t wait to wear it on my next holiday.
We had a chilled dinner at our hotel before packing that night, as our transfer back to Palma Airport the next morning was at 7am.
We had a fantastic time in Mallorca together with plenty of chats, giggles, sunbathing, good food and drinks, pool time, reading, relaxing and just having lots of fun. Thank you girlies for such a wonderful trip, lets get planning girls vacay 2024! ❤ ❤ ❤
Nothing beats that Friday feeling when you get to wrap up work tasks, close work emails and welcome in another weekend. This Friday my boyfriend and I went into East London to spend the afternoon at Spitalfields Market, before a dinner hosted by Epidemic Sounds at Ottolenghi Restaurant in Liverpool Street.
I love that summertime buzz in the city and it was fun to be back in the area of town which I used to live many years ago, back when I was doing my dance training.
Spitalfields Market has changed quite a lot since I last visited, so it was interesting to walk around and explore all the different markets and shops.
Cocktail hour was upon us, so we found this lovely looking restaurant and bar with outdoor seating just on the edge of the market, perfect for soaking up the atmosphere whilst people watching.
I couldn’t resist a Tommy’s Margarita which was perfectly sweet and salty with that spicy kick too, it was heavenly.
And what aperitif is complete without olives, right?
That right there is my ideal Friday arvo setup complete with live music playing in the market and that warm summer air, exquisite vibes.
My boyfriend got the fillet steak sandwich with caramelised onions and caesar dressed leaves.I had a taste and we both agreed this was absolutely outstanding, the best steak sandwich we’ve ever had!
Another round of drinks and before we knew it a few hours had passed, we were having such a wonderful time we didn’t want to leave.
For the occasion I wore this vibrant pink corset top from Zara, my straight cut Stradivarius jeans, a pair of khaki green mules from Next, a cropped grey blazer and my MiuMiu sunnies to complete the look.
We went for another stroll around the market as well as a few shops including All Saints, Nobody’s Child and Mulberry. Then before dinner we went for one more sunset drink at The Players Social.
We were kindly invited along to this influencer dinner by Epidemic Sounds who have collaborated with my boyfriend’s YouTube channel a lot over the years. It was a great opportunity to meet fellow creators and make some more connections in the YouTube community.
As I expected, the dinner was a mezze of small sharing plates including hummus, roasted vegetables, sea bream fillet and lamb koftas. The courgettes served with labneh, harissa tomato salsa and pine nuts was my favourite dish, accompanied with plenty of the hummus of course.
We finished with an assortment of cakes which were divine. Some great conversations were had and it was a fantastic networking opportunity meeting likeminded creators and influencers. Thanks again to Epidemic Sounds for inviting us along and hosting a wonderful dinner at Ottolenghi ❤
A few months back I was thrilled to hear news of a wine bar opening in our village. Auriol Wines in Hartley Wintney has been an established wine shop for over 25 years and following a refurbishment, last month they reopened their doors as a wine bar too.
We couldn’t wait to try our new local, so we visited a few weeks back and tried their taster flight – three different wines of your choice to taste for £10.
Some pretzels and fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic was the perfect pairing to sample our wines.
They’ve done a great job of turning the shop into a classy little wine bar complete with quirky yet tasteful interiors, creating a cosy and friendly atmosphere.
This weekend we were back again to try yet more wine and sample one of their delicious looking cheese and charcuterie boards. We opted for the medium platter of four cheeses and meats served with crackers, pretzels, grapes, rocket and chutney.
All of their cheeses are locally sourced and were divine, my favourite was the Heckfield. Portion size was very generous and our bottle of Australian Grenache red wine was a wonderful pairing to the assortment of different cheeses.
We’ve been waiting years for our village to open a wine bar as it’s the ideal location and plenty of customers on the doorstep, business will thrive there no doubt.
The team at Auriol Wines have done a fantastic job of transforming the shop into a lovely wine bar locals will love. I know I’ll be visiting on the regular for date nights and my weekend wine fix with the girl gang ❤
Another week, another festival! Last Thursday I attended Barcode Festival with colleagues from work for our summer social. Barcode is hosted by GroceryAid taking place every year at Magazine in Greenwich London and is an industry charity event for those who work in the grocery sector.
This really is an event like no other featuring celebrity chefs and A-list headline acts, this year being Sam Ryder, Sugababes and my favourite, Fatboy Slim!
All drinks and food are included with your ticket, so your spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing which drink to have next. Quite often we’d end up with a drink in each hand…
I was excited to find Moth Cocktails had a stand serving their fabulous canned cocktails on ice, perfect for a sunny day, I’m obsessed.
There’s so much to explore at Barcode; we even found this secret rooftop to enjoy our drinks overlooking the festival with amazing views of the Greenwich skyline at golden hour.
I was giving Barbiecore vibes wearing my pink flared Stradivarius jeans, an open back white vest, a pair of white Reebok trainers and my big cat eye Kenzo sunnies.
Me and the girls were loving the 3D camera complete with fun inflatables and quirky accessories.
Later on the music started on the main stage kicking off with Sam Ryder, then major throwback vibes with Sugababes and finally the one and only Fatboy Slim to close the night. What an awesome team day just having fun and being silly with my colleagues; until next year Barcode ❤
When I was younger I found it very cringey and embarrassing that my Dad sings in a band, but now that I’m older, I actually think it’s awesome he is such a rockstar even now in his mid sixties!
This weekend we went to support his band playing at Lowde Fest, an old school local music festival which features mostly cover artists.https://lowdefest.com
My Dad’s band The Rollright Stones played a great set and really got the crowd going. My favourite song they did was The Chain by Fleetwood Mac and they ended on a high with their closing number, Sweet Caroline.
I love festival fashion so couldn’t wait to put together my outfit. I wore a pair of black denim high waisted Topshop shorts with a vintage western style leather belt, a khaki tie front top from Nakd, my new boxy cropped denim Zara jacket with stud detail, my Stradivarius cowboy boots and a pair of fun yellow tint aviator ASOS sunnies.
After the festival we decided to make an evening of it and go out for dinner at our favourite local The Mutton. I had a delicious lychee martini aperitif to start our date night right.
I opted for the whole plaice served with lettuce, crispy capers, crushed potatoes and beurre noisette paired with a crisp glass of New Zealand 2021 Sauvugnon Blanc. The fish was exquisite and fell off the bone beautifully, whilst the crispy capers complimented the flavours perfectly.
My boyfriend had his favourite sirloin steak cooked medium rare served with yee-ha butter, fries, pickled shallots, parmesan rocket salad and a green peppercorn sauce. A glass of Argentinian 2020 Malbec was his wine of choice to accompany his steak.
We also shared a side of the mini caesar salad which was divine. In fact, I’d say the entire meal is up there as one of the most delicious I’ve ever had, and that’s saying something as I’ve eaten at lots of amazing restaurants. The Mutton certainly is a must to visit if you’re ever in the Hampshire area and we’re lucky enough to call this our local! ❤
Whilst Balmy Beach Resort is a tropical paradise by day, it also comes alive at night with live music every evening and cocktails served until the early hours.
I love getting dressed up for evening dinners on holiday and having fun with cute outfits I wouldn’t get a chance to wear out at home.
With our first proper evening at the resort being a Friday night, weekend vibes were in the air from noon and by dusk the live DJ was getting the atmosphere buzzing at the beach bar.
I wore this Stradivarius skort paired with my favourite floral wrap frill blouse, these ASOS woven sliders and my new Dune white crochet handbag with gold chain which I brought in duty free at the airport.
When we were at the airport on our journey over to Turkey, I also decided to really splash out and treat myself to these magnificent MuiMui sunglasses.
I wanted to debut them for our special romantic dinner for two on Saturday evening at the Balmy a la carte restaurant.
First up though, it was sundowners at the beach bar where I enjoyed a glass of bubbly in this beautiful champagne flute looking so elegant next to by cute new bag.
Having got a golden glow from the first few days of sun, I decided to wear this white body con middy dress I got in Australia years ago paired with my pear detail sliders, a pair of oversized white shell earrings and my By Alona gold chain pearl necklace which I wore almost every night, the perfect holiday jewellery piece.
I was feeling very St Tropez in all white complete with those killer sunnies and sipping my champagne at that beautiful boho beach bar.
There’s nothing like dining al fresco on holiday with that salty sea air and mellow pink and blue sky as the sunsets and dusk draws in.
We had a wonderful evening together enjoying delicious food and being looked after so well by our lovely waiter; can you tell he was making me laugh here 😉
Sunday night I wore this tropical print maxi dress which is completely backless and features a flattering thigh split. Very little accessories needed with this number, the dress does all the talking.
That evening the live music was over at the garden bar, where we sat in the charming surroundings of the courtyard and could gaze up at the stars in the night sky.
Monday night I went a little more casual with these black crochet Zara shorts, my boho print bardot style croptop, those timeless ASOS plaited sliders and my usual gold jewellery to complete the look.
And once again we found ourselves down at the buzzing beach bar for post dinner drinks and another live band session.
For the final night we got dressed up and ready for dinner in time for golden hour down by the pool and beach bar.
I had to get out my favourite summer minidress from Abercrombie & Fitch, paired with this pastel pink shell detail ASOS clutch for a pop of colour, and of course my new MuiMui babies.
That golden hour glow was giving me all the fuzzy feels and I just wanted to bottle that magical moment forever.
Once the sun hid behind the mountains and the pastel pink sky set in, we went for pre-dinner cocktails at the beach bar.
We couldn’t have wished for a more exquisite setting for our final dinner at Balmy Beach.
Later in the evening the crescent moon came out to sit just above the mountains at dusk; how peaceful and spiritual this moment felt.
And so that marked the end of our stay at Balmy Beach Resort and we couldn’t be more grateful to the staff who were so kind and friendly in making our time there an absolute joy and pleasure.
Sunset views and moonlit hues; goodnight Balmy Beach ❤
Dani Aneka 