Tulum Travel Diaries;  My 31st Birthday Celebrations

Being a January baby, escaping the UK winter in search of warmer climates is always the best way to spend my birthday. So for our winter dose of sun at the start of this year, we jetted off to Mexico and enjoyed two glorious weeks in the coastal town of Tulum.

My birthday on the 26th January was about halfway through our holiday, and it was the most perfect sunny day in Mexico which started with some chilled time on the beach.

I had a fresh coconut to enjoy as I read my book, before dipping our feet in the ocean.

My birthday bikini of choice was this cute butter yellow number with ruffle details.

These butter yellow ruffle hot-pants were the ideal finishing touch to my beachside look.

After a few hours relaxing in our cabana, we walked down the beach to have a couples massage.

With the sound of the ocean waves and palms rustling in the light breeze, it was the most dreamy location to indulge in a massage together.

We then walked along the beach road to find the famous Escultura Ven a la Luz.

This iconic work of art by Daniel Popper is a 10 meter tall sculpture made with steel, wood, rope and greenery.

Ven a la Luz  meaning ‘Come to the Light‘, represents the harmony between people and nature and is one of the most instagrammable spots in Mexico.

An afternoon pickup was in need, so we popped into Starbucks for iced coffees and some fruit to snack on.

It was then time for a spot of shopping in the many boho-chic boutiques which line the beach road in Tulum.

I treated myself to a stunning handmade top with flared sleeves and tassels from this shop called Las Lulas.

At £80 it wasn’t cheap, but I just loved the hippy-chic vibe of this piece and the level of detail is exquisite.

Casa Pink Revolver was another lovely boutique selling gorgeous gold jewellery, so I purchased this chunky statement gold ring to add to my collection.

I was yet to choose a gift for my boyfriend to get for me, so with a Sunglasses Hut just down the street, I couldn’t resist the Miu Miu classic round shape sunnies which have been on my wish list for so long.

Not a huge amount of gifts, but each very high quality pieces which I will get a lot of wear out of both on holidays and back home.

Soon the early evening crept up on us and I was hoping for another sunset moment on the rooftop of our hotel, but a huge storm came in bringing buckets of rainfall with it, so we headed back to our room to get ready for the evening.

My birthday dinner fit was this incredible Flook The Label chocolate brown maxi beach dress that my boyfriend bought me for my 30th birthday last year in Bali.

This dress is such a flattering cut and the perfect vibe for a special evening out on holiday.

To complete the look I wore my By Alona pearl necklace, Heaven Mayhem statement gold earrings, my gold swirl bangle, ruffle mule heels from Sol Concept, and my little Bottega dupe handbag from Topshop.

Beachy, sexy and a touch of glam with the pearls, I truly felt like the birthday girl in this outfit.

My restaurant of choice for birthday dinner celebrations was Ilios Greek in the centre of the Tulum beach road.

We’d visited this place earlier in our trip and it was such a fun party vibe with delicious Greek food, we had to come back for my birthday.

In traditional Greek style we did the plate smashing which was super fun.

Then they gave everyone sparklers and we all danced on our chairs!

I ordered my all time favourite, a Greek feta salad which was simply divine.

We also shared the flatbread with hummus, a hearty moussaka, and a fresh green avocado salad.

I had such a fun evening celebrating my birthday and was even surprised with a cupcake and candle from my boyfriend back at our hotel to finish the night.

Another wonderful birthday spent in paradise with the sand between my toes, sunshine on my skin and a big smile on my face; hello chapter 31 ❤

Tulum Eats; Sunday Scenes At Casa Banana

When searching the best restaurants to eat in Tulum, one place that came up time and again on recommendation was Casa Banana.

A restaurant with Argentinian roots, the open firewood kitchen is the centrepiece of this warm and rustic dining experience.

It was buzzing on a Sunday night so we had a short wait for our table, but we were pleased to be seated on the high tables at the front, giving us a great view of the bustling restaurant.

We were welcomed by our lovely waiter with an appetiser of smoked hummus toast.

The wood fired beets with goat cheese, garlic chips and balsamic emulsion sounded simply divine and it was one of my favourite dishes of the trip.

My boyfriend ordered the six hour roasted short ribs with black pepper sauce and dominó potatoes; the meat was so succulent it melted in the mouth.

We also shared the arugula salad with aged grana padano slices and citrus vinaigrette.

Everything was delicious, the service was brilliant and the restaurant was a vibe on a Sunday evening.

If you’re visiting Tulum I’d highly recommend Casa Banana as a top restaurant with the complete package.

Warm and inviting interiors, lovely friendly staff, a bustling ambience and of course, exquisite food cooked over traditional wood and fire ❤

Tulum Travel Diaries; Follow That Dream

Happy Sunday! It’s been a week since we returned from 12 glorious days in the Mexican sun and I’m only just getting over the jet lag. I was thrown back in at the deep-end with work last week as we were hosting an event in London on Tuesday, but I do thrive on routine so it was good to get back to usual programming. As you can imagine, I have a shedload of content to share from Tulum so I will posting all of the aesthetic photos and reliving the highlights of our trip over the next series of posts on here…so do stay tuned!

Starting with our accommodation, we stayed at Hotelito Azul located on the popular Beach Road for the duration of our time in Tulum.

We booked one of their garden view villas which was very spacious with a double sink ensuite and aesthetic boho-chic decor.

I particularly liked the tall ceilings and the bed was so big and very comfy indeed.

Our maid Griselda was absolutely lovely and went to the effort of making us a different towel animal every day.

One of the biggest draws to this hotel was the infinity pool on the rooftop overlooking the beach one side, and the luscious green jungle on the other.

Unfortunately the rooftop was out of action for food and drinks service during our stay which was such a shame as the views were spectacular.

We made the most of it though and took our own bottle of wine and nibbles up for sunsets as this really is such a gorgeous and unique spot for sundown in Tulum.

On our first day we wanted to familiarise ourselves with the area, so we went for a walk back down the road towards the town and found a perfect local cafe for delicious smoothie bowls.

Raw Love vegan cafe soon became our favourite place for the most healthy and yummy all day breakfast bowls.

Further up the road was a cluster of cute restaurants, bars and shops.

Seeing this soft top Mini Cooper driving through town made me wish I could have my own Mini there to scoot around in.

Later that afternoon we decided to hire push bikes to explore the rest of the beach road on the other side of our hotel.

We road all along the beach road through the most popular part where Bagatelle, Ilios and Casa Banana are located alongside lots of chic boutique shops.

I was thrilled to find the iconic ‘Follow That Dream’ road sign which is quite far up the road where it seems a lot less busy nowadays.

Before heading back to our hotel, we stopped by Mia beach club on our way back to have a bite to eat overlooking the beach.

I indulged in my first Margarita of the trip and it didn’t disappoint with a perfectly sweet and spicy finish.

My boyfriend had a pepperoni pizza which I had a slice of too. Not exactly an authentic Mexican dish, but you can’t go wrong with a pizza sometimes.

That evening I wore an all white fit for our first meal out in town.

We ended up at Ilios restaurant which I had pinned as the best place for Greek food in the area and it certainly met those expectations.

The interiors here are on point and we were even treated to a brilliant fire show performance!

We had the hummus with flatbread to start, my boyfriend opted for the chicken gyros and of course I ordered the Greek salad which was divine.

With a time difference of minus 5 hours, we were absolutely knackered and got an early night ready to wake up fresh on Mexican time.

So that’s an overview of our first day in Tulum and I can’t wait to share all of the amazing adventures and memories we made together during our two weeks in tropical paradise ❤

A Wonderful Winter Wedding

It’s only three days to go until Christmas now and I can’t believe how quickly December has gone! This weekend we were invited to a friend’s wedding over in the Cotswolds and I was so excited to be going to my first ever winter wedding.

With the ceremony starting at 4:30pm, they fully leaned into the romantic winter vibes as we arrived at the church with the sun setting on a crisp, chilly Friday afternoon in December.

The church was glowing at sundown from the candles warmly inviting guests in, setting a dreamy, intimate backdrop for the bride and groom to take their vows.

Following the ceremony, wedding guests were transported in an old fashioned English red bus back to the reception taking place at The Feathered Nest County Inn, Oxfordshire.

With the grand Christmas tree, roaring fireplace and traditional English pub interiors, it was a wholesome and cosy venue ideal for a winter wedding reception.

For the occasion I wore a long sleeve, off the shoulder, long brown dress from ASOS, a pair of silver platform heels, my new vintage style pearl earrings from Heaven Mayhem, my timeless By Alona pearl detail necklace, Abbott Lyon gold bangle, and an iridescent Cult Gia inspired boxy handbag from Amazon.

After a champagne reception and delicious canapés, they proceeded with the speeches which were very well delivered and kept the guests entertained.

My favourite canapé was the whipped goats cheese and beetroot tartlet; a delightful bite of tasty, tangy flavours to whet the appetite.

Instead of the traditional sit-down wedding reception meal, they served a buffet of hearty dishes including beef bourguignon, vegetable dhal and a fish pie which was divine.

Later on the cake was cut and served alongside an impressive tower of cheese, so naturally I had a lovely plate of cheese, crackers and grapes to finish the night.

We stayed over nearby at The Lamb Inn, Great Rissington. We didn’t get time to experience much there other than sleeping in the very comfy bed, but the room was nicely done and the staff super friendly.

Having never experienced a winter wedding before I wasn’t sure what to expect, but with the backdrop of the picturesque Cotswolds and all the Christmas vibes in the air, it was a truly romantic celebration right out of a fairytale ❤

NYC Diaries; Bikes & Bagels In Central Park

With Central Park being right on our doorstep at the Park Lane Hotel, we decided to spend our Sunday afternoon exploring the park on bikes before enjoying some classic American bagels overlooking the lake.

We hired push bikes from a kiosk just outside of the park and cycled up the east side on the dedicated bike lanes they have all around the park.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon in late September and the weather was still warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt, so I wore my Tommy Hilfigure boyfriend style shorts, a stripy low back top, my Stradivarius cage toe mules, my Coach handbag worn across body and MiuMiu sunnies to complete the look.

We took a short detour out of the park to the Upper East Side where I wanted to go for the famous Tompkins Square Bagels.

The choice of bagel flavours and different fillings was incredible, so the server kindly let us try some different cream cheeses to help make our decision.

With the bagels secured, we packed them in the bike basket and cycled back to Central Park.

We made our way around to the west side of the park where we found the big lake looking glorious in the afternoon sun.

After finding a bench with a nice view, we unwrapped our bagels and savoured every last bite as we soaked up the wonderful views of Central Park.

For our bagels we ordered one savoury and one sweet.

Our savoury choice was the everything seasoning bagel lightly toasted with a scallion and red onion cream cheese filling.

The sweet bagel was blueberry flavoured with a nutella and peanut butter cream cheese filling which was divine!

I couldn’t wait to try my first Poppi drink which I’ve seen lots of American influencers rave about and we were not disappointed, the orange flavour was delish.

Bagels devoured and tummies full, we hopped back on the bikes and made our way to the South end of the park to return the bikes.

This was the perfect way to spend a glorious Sunday afternoon in New York and I’d highly recommend renting bikes to explore Central Park as it is so big! I would say it was one of my favourite parts of New York ❤

English Country Pub Fine Dining; The Mutton

Since opening a few years ago, The Mutton at Hazeley Heath has been a firm favourite local pub for Friday drinks as well as their award winning menu of traditional pub dishes done to a five star standard.

So this Saturday we decided to book a table in the restaurant for date night and as always enjoyed a delectable meal complete with top service.

Now we are well into September, it felt like the last weekend I could get away with white jeans and mules, so I wore my Topshop white slim fit jeans paired with a ruched detail backless top, my gorgeous Senso pink satin mules and a Cult Gia dupe mini box bag.

Blush pink hues for date night is a timeless classic and I would’ve worn my pearls to complete the look, but with a nigh neck top on I opted for statement gold drop earrings which I recently got from Na-kd.

With 8:15pm reservations, we arrived at The Mutton for 8pm to have an aperitif. I sipped a classic Dirty Martini which was delightful; I felt very Carrie Bradshaw from Sex & The City

The interiors at The Mutton are very classic countryside chic with a subtle modern twist, and the low lighting in the restaurant makes for the perfect sophisticated evening atmosphere.

To start we shared the sourdough bread with charcoal butter and homemade spicy pickles which were divine.

For main course I ordered the chargrilled sea bream, crushed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and white wine sauce with a side salad, whilst my boyfriend had the sirloin steak with nduja butter, fries, pickled shallot, parmesan and rocket salad.

I had a glass of the Gyotaku, Christophe Mittnacht Alsace, French white wine upon recommendation from the waitress as a pairing to my fish dish.

As always it was a 10/10 meal presented beautifully, cooked to perfection and full of incredible flavour.

We savoured every last bite and with clean plates all round, we left very satisfied indeed.

The bill came to just under £150 so its certainly on the pricier side for a meal out, but definitely worth it for a special occasion or a treat for date night.

The Mutton at Hazeley Heath remains our top spot for fine dining in Hampshire, so be sure to try it for yourself if you’re in the area – https://themuttonathazeleyheath.co.uk

Date Night; The Guildford Townhouse & The Ivy Asia

If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I love getting dressed up in a cute outfit and going on a fancy little date night with my boyfriend. So this Saturday night we booked one of our favourite spots for a romantic dinner complete with all the vibes and also tried a new bar for pre-dinner cocktails.

For the occasion I wore my white Zara miniskirt, asymmetric gold ring detail taupe coloured top, Next square toe nude mule heels, my By Alona pearl necklace and an ASOS khaki oversized clutch bag to complete the look.

It was another warm summers evening so I wore my Miu Miu statement sunglasses for the short walk to the bar and didn’t need a jacket all evening.

First stop was The Guilford Townhouse which has recently been taken over and renovated by the Coppa Club chain. We headed up to their rooftop where you’ll find The Burton Bar, a cocktail bar with style, substance and lively evening energy.

My cocktail of choice was a classic Margarita and we enjoyed our drinks in front of the glamorous feature bar in the super comfy, plush sofa seating.

It wasn’t too busy at 7pm, but I imagine it’s the kind of place that’s more popular later in the evening when the DJ sets start at about 9pm. With its elegant interiors inspired by the 1920s art deco style, this was the perfect setting to enjoy a cocktail and set the vibes for night ahead.

Our reservation at The Ivy Asia was at 8:15pm, so we made the short walk up Guildford Highstreet to Castle Street where the Ivy is located. My heels might have been quite high, but I swear by the Next forever comfort range which are always the comfiest and easiest to walk in heels.

Every inch of The Ivy Asia decor is exquisite and so beautifully aesthetic, even the bathrooms are a must visit when you’re there.

The restaurant was buzzing on a Saturday night with a live DJ and even a live electric violinist walking around the restaurant floor to entertain guests, how brilliant!

Whilst the gorgeous emerald green luminous flooring might grab your attention first, never forget to look up at the wonderful ceiling murals and pretty cherry blossom flowers overhead.

Having been quite a few times to The Ivy Asia now, we had a good idea of what we wanted and one thing that was top of our list, was the golden aromatic half duck traditionally served with the pancakes and all the condiments including hoisin sauce.

I had to have a plate of their fresh house-made sushi so I opted for the spicy tuna sesame roll.

The cucumber peanut chilli coriander lime salad was also a must for me and it didn’t disappoint. The creamy nutty sauce combines so well with the fresh crunch of the cucumber, whilst the chilli adds a subtle hint of spice.

My boyfriend also ordered the chilli noodles, wok fried greens and Gochujang glazed chicken which he really rated and remembered as another highlight from our last visit.

We ordered well and savoured every bite of our delectable Asian spread.

Needless to say we didn’t hold back and definitely over ordered, so we took our leftovers home in the fanciest doggy bag I’ve ever seen, how adorable!

The Ivy Asia is always such a brilliant option for all occasions from date nights and girly dinners, to birthday parties and celebrations, vibes are on point and the food is divine.

To find your closest Ivy Asia and experience all the fun and glamour for yourself, checkout their website here.

Mallorca Diaries; Port de Pollensa Eats

During our stay in Port de Pollensa at the start of June, as usual we scoped out and tried some of the best restaurants in the area. So I thought I’d share my top pick of the finest places to eat at in this picturesque town on the South coast of Mallorca.

My first recommendation is Stay Restaurant located on the jetty, providing sweeping views of the port from their large terrace seating area. The stunning setting, brilliant service and top quality food makes this place one of the highest rated spots in town.

We visited twice as we enjoyed it so much here, once for an early dinner and another day for lunch. They serve a more varied menu until 6pm which includes classics like Patatas Bravas, Calamari and Chicken Wings, as well as more international dishes like a Thai Curry and Currywurst.

The next must visit spot in Port de Pollensa is the famous Cappuccino Grande Cafe, an aesthetic restaurant and bar offering an elevated dining experience.

We chose to sit on the terrace amongst the gorgeous blooming flowers overlooking the port at sundown, but they also have seating out on a small jetty right on the water.

My Greek style salad was exquisite and my boyfriend enjoyed his delicious bowl of creamy bacon pasta.

I was inspired by the olives served so elegantly in a champagne coupe; I’ll definitely be doing that at home for a chic Friday arvo aperitif moment!

Another highly rated restaurant for the best local food in town is C’an Josep, located a little out of the main port meaning uninterrupted views of the coast.

We ate here for a big family meal of about twenty of us so they certainly had their work cutout, but everything was on point and the food was fantastic.

I had Padron Peppers to start followed by the Goats Cheese Salad which was divine. I also had a taste of my sister’s Seafood Paella which was delicious too.

For a more casual evening tapas dinner we went to Plaza Uno Restaurant just off the main square of the port.

We had the Chicken Wings to share as a starter, then to follow I had some tapas plates including a classic, hearty Ratatouille and the Goats Cheese, Serrano Ham, Honey and Rocket Bruschetta.

Ryan had the Penne Pasta Arrabiata and shared the bruschetta with me too, which we both agreed was the stand out dish of the evening.

So those are my top four picks for dining out in the area of Port de Pollensa. Of course there are plenty of local places which do great Spanish food too, but these are my recommendations for something that bit more special and elevated for when you want to treat yourselves on holiday ❤

Megan’s On West Street; Farnham Surrey

Since its humble beginnings on the charming Kings Road in Chelsea, Megan’s has branched out to open its doors throughout London and to neighbourhoods beyond. So with their newest restaurant opening in our local town of Farnham in Surrey, I couldn’t wait to try their stunning Mediteranian inspired menu amongst the beautifully aesthetic interiors I’d seen on Instagram.

Stepping into the bustling restaurant on a Saturday night we were welcomed with the warming glow of twinkling fairy lights, beautiful mosaic tiling and big bamboo hanging lampshades, giving the restaurant that Mediterranean chic vibe.

We were seated on the sofa booths just in front of the bar and with it being date night, I got a little dressed up for the occasion in my backless brown Stradivarius top, paired with my NEUW black jeans tucked into my faux snake skin pointed long boots.

To start we shared a portion of the padron peppers which were the perfect appetiser, you can’t go wrong with classic padrons.

For main course I opted for the warm butternut grain bowl served with mixed grains, kale, harissa hummus, shakshouka beans, slaw and cherrybell chillies. Beautifully presented with those vibrant colours and so delicious with every bite, this warming bowl of goodness was 10/10.

My boyfriend ordered the open chicken chargrilled thigh kebab served on flatbread with slaw, pickles, harissa hummus, garlic yoghurt and a side of skinny fries. He thoroughly enjoyed his dish too and put it up there as one of the best kebabs he’s had at a restaurant in our area.

Service was very friendly and effortlessly smooth despite the extremely busy peak time of a Saturday evening.

Everything was divine from the scrumptious food and lovely service, to the wonderful interiors and buzzing atmosphere; Megan’s On West Street is the idyllic date night spot in Surrey ❤

Date Night Uniform; Animal Print

Classic, fun, sexy; animal print is a wardrobe staple and I find myself particularly drawn to it when picking my date night fit.

This Saturday we were heading into Farnham town for pre-dinner drinks at The Wine Yard before 8pm reservations at Cote.

I based my look around a new pair of leopard print kitten heel slingbacks which I wore with Stradivarius vintage style jeans, this leopard print aysemmetric top, statement gold chunky hoops and my Coach signature motif tan handbag to complete the look.

At The Wine Yard we shared a beautiful bottle of Primitivo red wine along with a small cheese board as a tasty appetiser.

We then went just over the road for our dinner date at our favourite French restaurant Cotehttps://www.cote.co.uk/restaurant/farnham/menus?menucode=prix-fixe

I ordered the Breton fish stew with a side of fries and broccolini to share, whilst my boyfriend had the classic minute steak with peppercorn sauce and fries too.

The atmosphere was buzzing on a Saturday night and the service was friendly and attentive as always at Cote. I’d highly recommend the fish stew for any seafood lovers as a wonderfully warming and tasty dish which is fresh and healthy too.

Date night scenes like these make me so happy, nothing beats an old school evening of wining and dining with your loved one ❤