Bank Holiday State Of Mind

It’s the late May bank holiday here in the UK and I’m winding down following a wonderful weekend soaking up the heatwave sunshine.

Back on Friday evening, we met friends at The Mutton for sundown drinks in the pub garden.

I wore this cute asymmetric dress from ASOS with a pair of nude thong kitten heel mules, my Coach handbag and MiuMiu round sunnies to complete the smart-casual look.

Saturday was another scorching day, so when 5pm came I enjoyed a glass of wine and some olives in our garden, whilst watching Emz and Nick’s latest Greece vlog.

For date night that evening, I booked The Leather Bottle for dinner in their picturesque courtyard area.

Even at 8pm it was still a lovely temperature to be sat outside as the sun went down over the neighbouring fields.

To start we ordered the padron peppers because whenever they’re on a menu, my boyfriend and I simply cannot resist.

For mains my boyfriend opted for the Bavette steak frites, whilst I had the Gilt head bream fillet.

Served with potato terrine, courgette, heritage tomato, feta and a salsa verde, this dish was divine and presented so beautifully too.

As we enjoyed our meal, the stunning sunset skies turned shades of gorgeous deep oranges and pinks, before dusk eventually set in.

Back home we embraced the warm night air and had another drink in our garden, festoon lights glowing and the moon shining brightly up overhead.

Sunday we were off to my boyfriend’s parents’ house for our first BBQ of the summer season.

Temperatures were set to be over 30 degrees, so denim shorts and my new pink contrast vest from Stradivarius and classic Birkenstock sandals, were the perfect cute-casual outfit combo.

I also styled my hair in a French twist to keep it off my neck for the day, not to mention looking super chic and elegant too.

It was the first time using their barbecue and outdoor space in their new house and it was all absolutely perfect.

Every corner of their house is so aesthetic and I was particularly drawn to these stone faces in their garden which give boho-chic Tulum vibes.

On the grill we had chicken skewers, burgers, sausages, corns and asparagus.

Of course a barbecue for us is not complete without my signature Greek Salad, so I was very excited to be making my first one of the summer this weekend.

There was also a Caesar salad, beetroot salad, Jersey Royal potatoes and all the condiments necessary for such a feast.

And not forgetting the footy game which had to be on in the background for the boys!

After lunch, I sat with my boyfriend’s mum out on their cute bistro set with a glass of bubbles; it was like we were sat outside our very own Parisian wine bar, pure bliss.

Meanwhile, the boys were equally chuffed with their setup inside to finish watching the football game.

My boyfriend’s mum even treated us to our favourite dessert she introduced us to of frozen raspberries, melted white chocolate and cream.

Before we knew it the sun was beginning to set and it was time to leave, but on our way home we made a spontaneous detour.

As we passed through Farnham, my boyfriend said we should do the walk at Caesar’s Camp to catch sunset.

So we parked up the truck and made our way across the picturesque countryside.

After about a 25 minute walk, we found this incredible viewpoint from which we watched the sun go down over Caesar’s Camp.

Sunsets never fail to amaze me; I find it mesmerising to see the sun dip below the horizon so rapidly in realtime.

A majestic sunset stroll was the most idyllic ending to our long bank holiday weekend showered in sunshine ❤

Hosting 101; Preparing for a BBQ

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! ❤