With a mini heatwave hitting England at the end of this week, we made the most of the sunshine and rode our bikes to the pub after work on Friday evening.
I’m lucky enough to ride my boyfriend’s electric bike, which is such a luxury and certainly helps having that extra boost after a drink or two at the pub!
Of course with the glorious weather comes the inevitable hayfever which was out in full force on Friday. From the minute we got to the pub I could not stop sneezing, ugh it’s the worst!
A much needed glass of crisp white wine for me and a refreshing mojito cocktail for my boyfriend, it was the perfect summer evening aperitif whilst soaking up the sun.
Back home we enjoyed a pizza and salad in the garden whilst watching Love Island on my iPad as the sunset; a dreamy little summer setup ❤
Happy Sunday! We’re well into June now and it finally feels like summer is here in the UK. I’ve had a super wholesome weekend soaking up the sunshine starting with a countryside bike ride to the pub on Friday evening, and then a fun day out at our local village festival yesterday drinking Belgian beer and enjoying some live music. Now I’m winding down before the week ahead and I thought it was time to do a little home interiors update. Having lived here for over a year now, I finally feel like the house is flourishing to reflect our style and I’m loving it; this is our home ❤
With only 48 hours in the French capital of gastronomy, we did our best to sample the most famous of Parisian cuisine during our short weekend stay in the city. First up, we got our day started with a morning coffee and exquisite croissant at the best bakery in town, Boulangerie Fabrication Traditionnelle, just a short walk from our hotel.
A picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower was a must, so we popped into a Franprix convenience store and put together a spread of typical French snack food; baguette, cheese, ham, olives and strawberries. What a picture perfect setup sat in the sunshine overlooking the Eiffel Tower as we grazed our picnic.
That evening we found ourselves in a local French restaurant A La Cloche D’Or, sitting outside on a warm summers evening taking in that buzzing Parisian atmosphere on a Saturday night.
As a famous delicacy of France, we had to share the French onion soup to start and it certainly didn’t disappoint, the cheese-pull was a spectacle in itself!
For Sunday brunch we headed to Le Recrutement Cafe with that iconic view of the Eiffel Tower framed by the beautiful streets of Paris.
We enjoyed sundown drinks before dinner back where we were staying in the quiet, quaint courtyard of Hotel Mademoiselle.
To compliment our vino we shared a delicious platter of classic charcuterie; a selection of fine meats, salad, cherry tomatoes, warm French stick and President butter – il est parfait!
For our final night dinner in the centre of the city, we stumbled across this very popular local Italian restaurant, Firmine.
I had a simple yet superb linguine bolognese with a generous sprinkling of parmesan, whilst my boyfriend had a fantastic Margherita pizza. Back to basics never tasted so good, delicieux!
With the Eiffel Tower light show every hour on the hour, we made ourselves comfortable at a nearby cocktail bar called Frame Brasserie. Here we indulged in many wonderful cocktails, including a personalised concoction made exclusively for us by the lovely bartender, before we headed to the final light show at midnight.
Paris is most definitely a foodie’s paradise with such a variety of fantastic restaurants and street food options to choose from. Produce is fresh and exquisitely prepared, we barley had time to scratch the surface of this city’s fabulous food scene. I can’t wait to visit Paris again and try more of their famous pastries, Nutella crepes, macaroons from Laduree and of course my favourite, moules frites!
Parisian street fashion is famous for its simple yet chic approach to dressing. Sleek silhouettes and effortless basics paired with one or two statement pieces, is the fuss-free formula for that timeless French style.
For our first day strolling the streets of Paris, I wore a pair of classic white skinny jeans from Topshop, a puff sleeve floral red blouse from Abercrombie & Fitch and plaited jackfruit ASOS sliders, accessorised with a subtle pearl anklet and a white beret of course.
Saturday evening we headed to the Moulin Rouge so I dressed for the occasion in my over the knee boots, white Zara skirt-shorts, black Zara ruffle strap square-neck crop and gingham baker boy. So cliche but such a vibe for the Moulin Rouge, c’est bon!
For another day exploring Paris, I opted for comfort with my Grenson boots, camel flare smart trousers from H&M, striped bandeau and statement tortoiseshell cat eye sunnies. Blue and white stripes are such a French classic and paired perfectly with that polished camel tone, il est parfait!
Sundown drinks before dinner we headed down to our hotel courtyard for a charcuterie and vino. I wore my H&M camel flare trousers again, white bone corset bandeau and vintage Prada heels, complete with a cute silk neck scarf to finish that feminine French look.
On our final night in Paris we had to experience the Eiffel Tower lit up by night, so we headed into the centre of the city for dinner. I felt tres chic in my oversized vintage Jaeger green blazer to keep off that evening breeze.
I just love dressing up and embracing the style of the city I am visiting by taking inspiration from the locals themselves. Paris still stands to this day as one of the most classy, chicest fashion capitals of the world…tres tres chic ❤
With the sun making an appearance in the UK this weekend, it was time to get the roof down for a sunny countryside cruise in my Mini. Having a convertible to spin around in on summer days really is the best feeling!
I got my Mini Cooper around about this time last year and having now experienced the fun of owning a soft top car, I will never go back.
Tunes up high, sunnies on and wind through my hair as I zoom around our local countryside roads showered in golden sunlight; summertime is just around the corner and I can’t wait for more days like these ❤
After 3 years away, the famous Coachella music festival has made a return this year with a show stopping lineup and as always, attracting many A-list stars and influencers out to Palm Springs for two weekends of live music in the desert.
Harry Styles took the crown for his performances both last weekend and this weekend, with his fabulous front man energy and quirky outfits reminiscent of the late great Freddie Mercury. What could be more rock n roll than that multicoloured sequin Gucci jumpsuit which of course only Harry could pull-off in such style!
The Revolve Festival took place within Coachella as well, bringing together all of the top influencers in their lavish festival ensembles. I’m obsessed with this cute look worn by Brigette Pheloung, giving me Latina vibes with the long flamenco skirt complete with statement cowboy boots and a neckerchief.
Amongst the celeb sightings at Coachella, there’s always a number of models taking the limelight in the most stunning designer pieces. Victoria’s Secret model Elsa Hosk looked like a desert princess in this FWRD sand coloured tassel dress with matching crochet mules, exquisite!
Elisha Herbert, an Aussie model and influencer, took it back to basics in this denim low rise mini, cropped vest, suede cowboy boots and Gucci bucket hat. An old school nineties inspired ensemble keeping it fresh and fun, I’m a fan of this cool-girl effortless look.
A headscarf, all in one body and mesh skirt is a failsafe festival outfit combo, I do always love Helen Owen’s timeless style. I’m a sucker for glitter when it comes to a festival and this sequin cutout skirt ticks all the boxes. To finish the look, it has to be a pair of cowboy boots, the shoe of the moment it would seem and I’m here for it!
Coachella 22′ has been the year to be together again, celebrating awesome live music and having fun with festival fashion which we’ve missed so much these past few years. I can’t wait for the UK summer festival season to kickoff soon, I’m already planning my most outrageous, glitzy outfits – let’s express ourselves babes ❤
Happy bank holiday Monday babes! It’s the end of the long Easter weekend and I’ve really enjoyed the extra time off indulging in good food in the company of family and friends. The sun has been shining too, so I’ve had my soft top down on the Mini Cooper and been on a few countryside cruises, it’s such a good feeling!
On Good Friday, we kicked the weekend off with a pub meal at our favourite local with our parents. I had the chicken salad with a honey mustard dressing along with a side of sweet potato fries and white wine. It was a fabulous evening of catchups and laughs, we were at the table for over 3 hours.
Saturday was another beautiful day, so I went to spend a few hours at the bike jumps with my boyfriend and his mates soaking up the sun as we had some drinks and I watched them ride.
And just like that, it was Easter Sunday and we were off to my Auntie’s in Surrey for a roast dinner.
I always love to visit my Auntie’s home which was looking as gorgeous as ever with the exquisitely laid dining table ready for a feast.
We had a premium cut of beef with all the traditional roast dinner trimmings including crispy potatoes, sweet parsnips, buttered leeks, steamed cabbage, fresh peas and carrots, pickled onions and lashings of gravy – what a treat!
Before I knew it, we were back home breaking into our Lindor chocolate bunnies with a cuppa and ready for an early night. A truly wholesome Easter weekend spent with family indulging in yummy food, guzzling drinks and soaking up the glorious sunshine ❤
This weekend I decided to go all out for our date night and booked The Ivy Castle View in Guildford. I had tried to book The Ivy Asia a few weeks back, but with a three month waiting list to get a reservation there, I was happy with the regular Ivy restaurant we know and always enjoy.
I’m obsessed with the art deco inspired interiors featuring eclectic artwork and a vibrant colour palette, I was definitely getting Alice in Wonderland vibes as soon as we arrived at The Ivy Castle View.
Even the ladies bathrooms were decorated with opulent wallpaper and this stunning ceiling of roses, they are just too beautiful not to take a picture of.
The place was buzzing on a Saturday night, yet we were still treated to the same friendly and attentive service from the hosts and our waiters who looked after us for the evening.
We had this lovely, romantic round table for two right by the window overlooking the castle. I was lusting over these gorgeous green palm leaf print sofa chairs too, it really is an interior lovers heaven, every corner of the place there is something different to admire.
To start, we had a cocktail each and of course I couldn’t resist my favourite Espresso Martini in their special salted caramel flavour. My boyfriend had the Surrey Passion made with passionfruit, vodka and rum, a super fruity sweet concoction and showstopper served with a flaming top!
Whilst we don’t usually get starters, we did order the salt-crusted sourdough bread to nibble alongside our cocktails. To our delight they served an entire loaf freshly warmed straight from the oven – sometimes the simple things done well are the most satisfying, it was exquisite.
For mains I actually went for two starters: Roasted Scallops served with crispy potato rösti, pea purée, parmesan sauce and grated truffle, accompanied by a big basket of the Zucchini Fritti. This was a tasty combination of flavours which I paired with a glass of their house white wine from Carinena, Spain.
My boyfriend ordered the Korean Glazed Chicken served with pickled mooli, sesame, avocado and jalapeño sauce, citrus mayonnaise as well as some thick cut chunky chips. Safe to say we devoured the lot and savoured every delectable bite.
Our evening at The Ivy Castle View was wonderful with everything from the drinks and food to the service and experience, it was a 10/10 for me.
The Ivy Collection has a number of restaurants in handpicked locations across the UK, serving modern British cuisine, reflecting the same inimitable service and vibrant surroundings for which The Ivy is loved and revered. A top destination for a boujee date night full of photo opportunities ❤
It’s official, we have our tickets booked for Paris next month! Taking the Eurostar from St. Pancras London, we’ll be staying in the centre of the city for a long weekend in May.
I’ve always wanted to visit the famous city of Paris, so with summer just around the corner it was time to get our trip booked. I’m anticipating a romantic weekend together with my boyfriend, indulging in delicious Parisian cuisine and guzzling fine French wines from afternoon through to evening, when the Eiffel Tower sparkles by night.
A picnic by the Eiffel Tower complete with croissants, a baguette, fruit, cheese and champagne is a must. Of course I’ll have to visit some designer shops on our trip and I’m also keen to discover local bars and restaurants for the most authentic Parisian experience.
I can’t wait to stroll the beautiful streets of Paris and explore the many famous city landmarks; I’ve already got my beret packed and ready for those picture perfect shots! See you soon Paris ❤
Happy Sunday and the official first day of British summertime – bring on those long sunny days! Yesterday I was so excited to be going to my first gig back post covid down in Southampton to see Ocean Alley. Being an Aussie band, I heard their song Confidence for the first time a few years ago when I was living in Aus and I’ve been a big fan of their music ever since.
With a group of my friends all coming along to the gig, we met for an early dinner and drinks at Bills in West Quey at 5pm. We enjoyed a spread of delicious food including these exquisite chicken dumplings and my favourite miso padron peppers, the perfect pre-gig nibble.
I couldn’t resist a cheeky espresso martini to finish and it didn’t disappoint. Nothing like that wicked combo of caffeine, sugar and alcohol to set me up for a night of dancing ahead.
We made our way around the corner to the Engine Rooms just in time for the gig already kicking off with the support band at 7pm. Beer in hand, I was ready for some much missed live music and a good old boogie with my friends.
Ocean Alley put on a fantastic show and sounded so great live, it was like listening their original tracks! I felt like I was back down under in a room full of fellow fans many of which had that typical Aussie bogan moustache long haired look going on… if you know, you know.
What a night and novelty to be at a live gig once again without any social distancing restrictions. I forgot how many awesome songs Ocean Alley have under their belt too; highlights for me were Knees, Baby Come Back, Happy Sad and of course Confidence. I definitely felt a pang of nostalgia for my Australia life down under. What a time that was with so many unforgettable memories, I’ll have to take a trip back to my spirit land again soon ❤
Dani Aneka 