Baby Shower Scenes; Congratulations Sis

May 29, 2023

With my sister’s due date just over a month away, I organised and threw her a baby shower yesterday which was a huge success and beautiful occasion catching up with wider family too.

Before our table booking at 4pm, I invited my aunties, uncles and cousins over to our house for pre-drinks in the garden. House prepped, nibbles out and prosseco chilling, I was ready for my guests.

My mum gifted me this gorgeous bunch of roses which made a stunning centre piece in the dining room showered in the sunlight of the afternoon.

I’m in my element hosting and love getting all my best bowls and crockery out for a spread of nibbles which included nuts, crisps, pastry twists, sour cream dip, pesto hummus, sweet chilli graze, giant corn, sun-dried tomatoes and nocellera olives. Simple but crowd pleading snacks.

Such picture perfect scenes as we sat outside soaking up the sunshine whilst sipping our prosecco and catching up with each other. Moments like these are very special and I’m so grateful for my family who I’m very close with.

My outfit was giving summer chic vibes with a pair of flared cropped white Zara jeans, brown C’est Normal cami, this cute cropped Channel inspired blazer, square toe velvet mules, my gold Cinco anklet, a gold pearl By Alona necklace and classic cat eye sunnies to complete the look.

At 4pm we arrived at the pub where we met the other half of the party who had been at my parents for pre-drinks. Both my sister and sister-in-law are pregnant now, so I organised for a non-alcoholic cocktail upon arrival for them, along with a few bottles of bubbles ready on ice to serve for everyone else.

I chose our local pub The Leather Bottle as they have this lovely courtyard area which we basically had all to ourselves. With a pre-order placed before the day, as soon as we sat down the food was served and everyone enjoyed their meals. Lots of people opted for the roast dinner with it being a Sunday, whilst I had the smoked salmon salad but couldn’t resists a taste of the cauliflower cheese side which comes with the roasts.

It was a hugely successful afternoon celebrating the arrival of the baby next month and also my sister’s birthday which is today. With 17 guests to keep happy and the pre-drinks at our house beforehand, there was a lot to organise but working in events, I have plenty of experience and it is my passion.

Happy Birthday and many congratulations to my superstar sis! ❤

Cocktails and Besties Q&A

May 21, 2023

Happy Sunday! The sun is finally shining here in Hampshire, so yesterday afternoon I invited my best friend over for drinks in the garden and we decided to film a besties Q&A for my YouTube channel.

We had such a laugh and it was a lot of fun reminiscing on memories together. We also did some quick fire ‘This or That’ and ‘Would you rather’ which we found inspo for on Pinterest.

Later that evening we ordered Dominos pizzas with our boyfriends and enjoyed a cute double date night in our dining room. A picture perfect afternoon and evening together.

What a wholesome evening with my bestie and our boyfriends and I’m looking forward to editing the Q&A which will be out on my YouTube channel (@Dani Aneka) next week, so stay tuned!

Brighton; Coronation Celebrations & Tattoo No.2

May 8, 2023

With another bank holiday long weekend ahead of us, we decided to make the most of it and go for a mini staycay to the wonderful city of Brighton. Being one of the most iconic seaside cities in the UK, I couldn’t think of a better place to spend the King’s coronation weekend.

Arriving on Saturday afternoon at the Ibis City Centre Hotel, we were greeted with union jack balloons and a welcome gift of prosecco ready on ice with traditional popcorn too.

With our King now crowned and the night of celebrations ahead of us, we popped our prosecco and sipped our bubbles whilst taking in that fantastic view we had over the maze of a bustling Brighton town centre.

Keeping things very English themed, we headed to The Ivy for dinner. I wore my H&M slit hem leggings paired with these ASOS lace front heels, this Next oversized camel blazer and an emerald green silk wrap top as a subtle nod to the royal events of the weekend.

We always have a fabulous time at The Ivy Collection restaurants and our experience here at The Ivy in the Lanes certainly didn’t disappoint.

The opulent artwork and eclectic interiors of The Ivy create that elevated ambience, which is of course is matched with the impeccable service and top tier food.

We can’t visit The Ivy and not get their salt crusted sourdough to start, it’s simply divine. A bowl of olives and a bottle of wine flowing too, I was in my happy place ready for a fun night ahead.

For mains I ordered the blackened cod baked in a banana leaf with soy marinade, citrus-pickled fennel, yuzu and herb sauce served with broccoli, whilst my boyfriend had the chef’s special sirloin steak served with peppercorn sauce and fries.

Upon recommendation from our lovely waiter, we went for post dinner drinks at a bar called The Font in the Lanes, before heading back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Sunday morning we took a stroll around the Lanes exploring all the awesome vintage shops before grabbing burritos at Chipotle.

That afternoon we enjoyed some coffees at this cool cafe Bread & Milk whilst discussing options for my tattoo.

I’ve been wanting a wave tattoo on my ankle for some time now, so being in Brighton where there are so many tattoo shops and of course being by the sea, it was the perfect opportunity to finally get my 2nd ink.

We’d come across this tattoo shop Skinned Alive on our way to lunch earlier and enquired about my fine line tattoo. Being one of the top rated tattoo places in Brighton I couldn’t go wrong and I got a good vibe from the guys working there.

I showed them my inspiration and explained where I wanted it on my ankle, before the tattooist drew up my design which I then worked with him to get just right.

So with my stencil finalised and my placement agreed, I got seated in the chair ready for my 2nd tattoo!

It couldn’t have taken any longer than 10 minutes and not too painful on the whole, although I felt it more than my wrist tattoo as this was right on the ankle bone.

Ankle wrapped to protect the fresh tattoo, I couldn’t be happier with my 2nd ink. Thanks to the guys at Skinned Alive who made the experience so positive and ensured I had the perfect placement and design I had envisioned for the wave.

Early Sunday evening the skies were finally blue and the sun was shining, so we headed for the seafront via my favourite corner of Brighton, Dukes Lane.

The vibes were high at the beach bars as everyone embraced the bank holiday weekend and soaked up the early evening sunshine as music played and drinks were in full flow.

Having been on our feet all day, we grabbed an early dinner at a Greek restaurant called Adelfia. I was craving lots of veggies and hummus, so I had a big bowl of traditional Greek salad with pitta and hummus to share, paired with a crisp white wine from Greece; exquisite.

We finished our evening with a sunset stroll along the seafront and a walk down the pier lit up in all its glory at night. That concluded another brilliant weekend away exploring the best of Brighton life which we continue to love every time we come back to visit ❤

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. ❤

Aura Glowing; Energy Flowing

April 23, 2023

‘Be the energy you want to attract.’ These past few months I’ve been investing more of my spare time into those things which perhaps in the past I’ve put off for fear of not being good enough. However at the beginning of March I felt something shift and my creative energy was flowing again. Since then I’ve been inspired to vlog more, film my workout routines and even take on the challenge of securing collaborations for travel trips alongside my boyfriend’s business. As soon as I believed I was capable of doing all these things which constantly play on my mind, I have been able to accomplish goals I previously thought were unachievable for me.

Other habits I’ve incorporated into my daily routine is reading, journalling and positive affirmations. Being a moon child at heart, I believe the cosmic movements of the moon and the stars strongly impacts our own energy flow. The Moonly app I have keeps me in touch with the phases of the moon and also offers daily affirmations which are always uplifting and inspiring.

Remaining present and grateful is another key contributor to feeling happy and fulfilled everyday. Even if I’m not having as much of a productive or positive day mentally, remaining grateful for the little things keeps me grounded, present and thankful.

It feels great to be creating content I am passionate about and I’m excited to continue seeing where this energy flow takes me both personally and professionally. Aura glowing; energy flowing. ❤

Checkout my YouTube channel here – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn-5SAMWZAO9HdcSTzQzMRw

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.