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.
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 ❤
Happy Sunday babes! I can’t believe it’s already the final day of July… where is summer going? This Saturday me and my boyfriend took a little day trip into London town to make use of our Buy A Gift vouchers we had for a Thames river cruise and the London Eye.
We started the day with a quick browse on Bond Street before heading to Carnaby Street for lunch at Kingly Court. We had our favourite vegan burritos in town from Club Mexicana, a fully vegan Mexican restaurant chain which even meat eaters will love.
From Westminster Pier we then caught a City Cruise boat for a tour down the river. It was great to see the city from a different perspective on the river and the live tour guide commentary was very interesting and actually quite amusing too.
Despite it being overcast, it was in fact a very warm and pleasant summers day in London. Following our cruise down the Thames, unfortunately we didn’t make it in time for the London Eye which to our surprise, closes at 6pm! So instead we went to Between the Bridges on Southbank for pre-dinner drinks, naughty chippies and some live music.
For dinner I booked us a table at Cote located at Hays Galleria with a terrace over looking London Bridge. It was lovely warm summers evening perfect for an al fresco dinner riverside.
I had my favourite Paillard Salad served with chargrilled chicken breast, French beans, endive, lettuce, hazelnuts, croûtons, tarragon and caper dressing. My boyfriend had the classic minute steak served pink with garlic butter, peppercorn sauce and frites. As usual the food at Cote was divine and service was fantastic, French cuisine at its finest!
I couldn’t resist a cheeky Espresso Martini to finish my meal. We had a long train journey back so this was more than necessary and the perfect way to end our summers day in the city, as those stunning golden hues showered the sky at sundown ❤
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!
Paris; A beautiful city full of charm, elegance, history, art, architecture, fashion, food, nightlife and of course, LOVE. This weekend me and my boyfriend spent two days exploring this magnificent European city for ourselves. With only 48 hours in town, we didn’t waste a minute and managed to cover most of the most famous hotspots whilst sampling the best of French cuisine and soaking up the glorious early summer sunshine.
Taking the Eurostar from St Pancras on Friday evening, we found ourselves in the centre of Paris within a matter of a few hours. Having booked through the Eurostar with hotel combo deal, we checked into our lovely 4* boutique HotelMademoiselle, only a 5 minute walk from Gare du Norde train station.
Waking up fresh from a good nights sleep following our journey, Saturday morning we strolled the streets of the local area and grabbed a quick breakfast at a cute corner cafe.
We then headed straight for the Eiffel Tower where we found this famous side street Rue de l’Universite for that picture perfect photo.
A quick whip around the supermarche and we had ourselves a throw together French style picnic by the river overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
From there, we walked to the Champs-Elysees for an afternoon browsing the shops before we reached the Arc de Triomphe.
Following the madness of the tourist spots on a Saturday afternoon, we stopped by Cafe De Paris for an early evening drink in the sunshine and much needed rest from our feet.
A quick stop back at the hotel to freshen up and we were ready for a night out in Paris. Destination Moulin Rouge, an iconic landmark I had to visit during our stay and only a 10 minute Uber from our hotel.
This area was buzzing on a Saturday night, so we found a local brasserie where we could sit out on the street with our dinner and soak up the those Parisian nightlife vibes. Our night continued into the early hours with cocktails and a traditional Nutella crepe for desert at 2am!
Sunday late morning, we made our way over to Le Recrutement Cafe for brunch with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
We then decided to spend the afternoon on a hop-on and hop-off bus tour around the city, a super easy way to navigate all of the tourist spots in one day.
The Louvre was a highlight with its stunning modern architecture juxtapose to the grandeur of the surrounding historic buildings.
Back at our hotel that evening, we enjoyed sundown drinks with an exquisite charcuterie board amongst the gorgeous French aesthetic of their courtyard at Hotel Mademoiselle.
We had to see the Eiffel Tower by night, so for dinner we went back to the river for a delicious Italian at Firmine.
The light show is on the hour every hour until midnight, so we had cocktails at the nearby Frame Brasserie from where we had views of the Eiffel Tower.
For the final light display at midnight, we had front row seats in the park for undisrupted views of this incredible spectacle. It felt like a dream seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle by night, showering the city in golden hues; simply divine and tres romantique.
Before we new it, Monday morning rolled around and it was time to hop back on the Eurostar to London. This was a whistle stop tour but we certainly made the most of our time here and emersed ourselves within the Parisian culture. I have fallen in love with the vibe of this exciting city with its chic style and vibrant charm; we will be seeing you again soon Paris, merci beaucoup ❤
So we may not be able to travel abroad at the moment, but indulging in some delicious cuisine from our European neighbours never fails to tantalise my tastebuds and remind me of my love for travel.
Cote Brasseries have always been a favourite of mine for high quality food and sophisticated dining atmosphere without the expensive price tag. With their new Christmas menu and Prestige set menu at only £16.95 for two courses, we decided to treat ourselves to a midweek dinner at Cote in Farnham.
I was keen to sample the Espresso Martini as my Aperitif for the evening – a hit of coffee, sugar syrup and strong liquor, you can’t go wrong with this classic cocktail! To follow, we dived straight into our mains and I simply couldn’t resist ordering an old favourite of mine, the Plates Rapides of Steak Frites and side salad. This thinly beaten minute beef cut is served pink for the most succulent taste, alongside classic french fries and dijon mustard as the perfect accompaniment.
My boyfriend chose the Roasted Pork Belly served with gratin potato, braised savoy cabbage, apples, thyme and calvados jus. The meat was beautifully cooked to a pulled texture, whilst the sweet bed of cabbage provided a contrast of flavour to the salty pork belly.
To pair with our meal we chose a bottle of the French Lagarde Rouge 2018, a medium bodied and smooth red to compliment our meaty yet refined dishes. As I savoured every last bite and sipped on my red wine amongst the bustle of the brasserie, I felt transported from that dark rainy winters night in Surrey to a cosy corner of Paris.
Delivering authentic French cuisine alongside excellent service, Cote is always a good idea for anytime of the day. Inspired by the brasseries of Paris, this relaxed all day dining culture with cosy booth seating will have you booking a trip to the city of love in a heartbeat ❤
Dani Aneka 