Tag: fun

Date Night; The Guildford Townhouse & The Ivy Asia

August 17, 2025

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.

Christmas Party Silly Season

December 16, 2024

With just over a week to go until Christmas Day, silly season is well and truly in full swing! Last week I had two Christmas parties in London with work, so I thought I’d share with you what we got up to and how we got into the jolly festive spirit.

Last Tuesday was our member’s Christmas Social event at Hijingo Bingo in Shoreditch. We chose this activity as something different and immersive to mix up the usual networking format.

Starting at 11:30am, guests enjoyed drinks in the bar until they were ushered through the illuminated tunnel and seated in the main room for bingo.

Unlike typical bingo, there are dancers and a ‘bot’ who introduces each game and explains the rules as well as the prizes up for grabs. From a holiday for two or up to £500 cash, the prizes were very desirable and got everyone enthusiastic to play the games.

After the first few games there was a break for food served in the main room. This was a selection of festive inspired bites including pigs in blankets with a miso maple glaze, and turkey roulade with a cranberry puree.

The second round of games commenced before the event concluded at 2:30pm. Short but sweet, the bingo games were great fun and we had fantastic feedback from our guests who really enjoyed the afternoon.

I’d highly recommend Hijingo Bingo as a venue not just for the fun and immersive bingo experience, but also for the brilliant management team who were very well organised, super friendly and worked hard to deliver our event seamlessly – https://www.hijingo.com

Moving onto our second festive party of the week, on Thursday we went back to Shoreditch for our staff party at an escape room followed by a dinner. We met at BOXPARK beforehand and enjoyed some street food for lunch, as well as a few drinks to kick off celebrations.

At 2:30pm we were booked for our session at the escape rooms at which point we split into our teams and were assigned our rooms. My team’s room had the theme of time travel and our mission was to travel back in time to Paris to locate the weapon used for a murder. We all got very into the story and enjoyed the challenge of solving the mystery as a team.

Our dinner reservation at 5pm was for a pasta restaurant called Noci in Shoreditch. To start I had the endive salad with grapes, walnuts and a pistachio dressing which although was a generous portion for an entree, was still the perfect light bite to begin the meal.

My pasta of choice for the main course was strozzapreti with tomato, taggiasca olives, fried aubergine and a vegan cream cheese on top. The pasta was deliciously fresh, the sauce was very tasty and everything was served nice and hot.

For dessert I had the plant-based chocolate mousse with olive oil, sea salt and toasted almonds, a gorgeously rich and chocolatey note to finish on – https://nocirestaurant.co.uk

The night continued on at another bar in Shoreditch where the drinks continued to flow and we had a very merry time indeed. Needless to say, we know how to live up to the fun and games of silly season!

Summer Wedding Scenes; The Shack Revolution

July 8, 2024

Wedding season is well and truly underway and this weekend we had the pleasure of joining our very close friends to celebrate them tying the knot in style at The Shack Revolution.

Nestled in the heart of Hereford, The Shack Revolution is a contemporary wedding venue which prides itself on encouraging couples to have creativity and freedom in planning their dream wedding – https://www.theshackrevolution.co.uk

The day was truly one of a kind reflecting the couple’s fun loving hearts and beautiful personalities.

From the gorgeous pink bouquets of flowers and matching pink napkins, which we waved in the air as the couple entered their wedding breakfast as newlyweds; to the fun games including ping pong and the beer van where you could pour your own pint, every moment of the day was a joy and had guests entertained.

The three course dinner was a delicious feast, starting with seared Celtic king scallop on a bed of pea puree and chorizo.

To follow I had the vegetarian main of smoked oyster mushroom risotto with sage as well as a few of the sides including salad, roasted cherry vine tomatoes and the most decadent mac and cheese which me and my boyfriend couldn’t get enough of!

For dessert it was my favourite deconstructed Eton mess, the perfect little sweet treat to end the meal.

We certainly weren’t left hungry when more food came later in the evening too… a cheeseboard with mountains of caramelised onion chutney (we love to see it) and then stacks of fresh stone baked pizzas complete with garlic bread and truffle fries. Not forgetting also the snack table of crisps and giant sweetie jars for guests to help themselves, fuelling us with that extra energy as we danced the night away!

It’s always tricky finding the right wedding guest outfit, so me and my best friend were back and forth with lots of options in the run up to the date.

I finally settled on a sophisticated floral swing dress, something I actually already had in my wardrobe from when I worked for the vintage dress company Lady V London.

Whilst this isn’t my usual style of dress, I felt really feminine and lady like in this number and it matched the vibe of the venue super well.

To accessorise it up I wore this statement neck corsage, oversized gold flower earrings from ASOS, satin baby pink heels to match the corsage and my new olive green Moncrief shoulder bag, subtly reflecting the floral tones of the dress.

I also took my boyfriend shopping to Next where we got him this smart, pinstriped, oatmeal suit which I styled for him with the light blue shirt and satin pocket handkerchief. I think the muted blue and green tones of our outfits complimented each other well. Couples dressing must be carefully considered for weddings so as to pair perfectly for photos ❤

Needless to say that as an Events Executive, I absolutely adore attending weddings, especially when it’s family or very close friends getting hitched. Tears of joy and pride were certainly flowing for the happiness of my beautiful friends.

Nothing matches the feeling of celebrating together with loved ones and letting your hair down in honour of the happy couple, I’m still on such a high.

What a truly magical day shared with the most fabulous friends who are like family.

Cheers to forever girls ❤

Carden Park Hotel & Spa; A Charming Cheshire Staycay

November 14, 2023

Working in events, part of my job involves venue finding and hotel visits to scope out the best suited venues for our guests. This weekend I was kindly invited for a two night complimentary stay along with a guest to Cheshire’s Country Estate, Carden Park Hotel & Spa. With an itinerary of outdoor activities including zip lining, a gameshow gala dinner with drinks reception, and a full spa morning at their award winning spa, we were in for a fun few days experiencing the very best of Carden Park.

Arriving on Friday evening after a long four hour drive all the way from Hampshire, me and my boyfriend checked in and were greeted with a bag of treats, a bottle of their own estate sparkling wine, and this delightful dessert platter.

We unpacked and headed straight for the pool to relax and unwind following our long road trip.

A pre-dinner jacuzzi dip was the perfect way to welcome in the weekend ahead.

Soon it was time to get ready for our dinner date in Redmond’s Brasserie at 8pm.

I wore my Topshop flared split hem black trousers with this blue corset bardot top, my Boohoo electric blue mules and my new green velvet Sandro handbag.

We were generously gifted our meal along with a bottle of wine too, so we had the house red and started with the spiced butternut squash soup whilst we browsed the menu.

I opted for a favourite of mine, Caesar salad served with king prawns, whilst my boyfriend had the steak burger topped with onion rings and served with thin fries.

The restaurant was buzzing on a Friday night and despite being fully booked, the staff were attentive and the food was very nice indeed.

After dinner we went for a nightcap at the bar where we got cocktails, before heading to our room to watch Graham Norton on TV; can’t miss out on our Friday night winter tradition!

Saturday morning we awoke to the most gorgeous sunny day in Cheshire and this picture perfect view over the estate grounds from our hotel room.

We met our hosts from the hotel at 9am in the library and made our way over to the activity centre for a morning of team building games.

The activities were a mixture of logical puzzles and physical games, so there was something for everyone and it was a brilliant ice breaker to get to know everyone else on the FAM trip.

After a hot chocolate back inside to warm up, we got geared up and ready to take on the giant zip line.

Whilst it was a little nerve racking jumping off the platform, this was an awesome experience and amazing way to see right across the estate from up there. We couldn’t have been more lucky with the sunshine too, what a day for it!

At midday we had a buffet lunch and then we went back to our room to freshen up, before heading out for the afternoon to explore the local area.

For our trip into Chester I wore my Stradivarius vintage flared jeans paired with a white long sleeve pearl button through top, my Le Scarf neckerchief, a Zara cropped aviator shearling jacket, classic DKNY handbag, and my platform chelsea boot Uggs which I’m living in this winter.

Carden Park even has its own sculpture garden which we had to take a look around before heading into town.

Just a short 20 minute drive away from the hotel is the historical city of Chester with its picturesque streets lined with boutique shops, cute cafes, eclectic bars and different restaurants.

After a stroll around the magnificent Cathedral and a spot of shopping too, we stumbled across this hidden bar located down one of the many quaint alleyways which are tucked away off the main high-street.

Weekend vibes were in full swing and I was in my element sipping my bubbly as we soaked up our surroundings and the buzzing atmosphere of Chester on a Saturday arvo.

My purchase of the day was this Ganni beanie from Flannels which I’ve had my eye on for a while, so it was meant to be when I saw it.

Back at the hotel, we got ready for the drinks reception in the Shooting Suite at 7pm.

I loved the smart, tonal colours of my outfit on this evening featuring my C’est Normal brown tailored trousers, Missguided blush pink tie front blouse, a pair of Next square toe nude mules, these fabulous gold statement earrings, and not forgetting my velvet green Sandro handbag to complete the glam look.

Upon arrival to the drinks reception we were served a pink gin fizz cocktail and canapés to whet our appetite.

The dinner was hosted gameshow style, so the four tables of ten went up against each other throughout the evening to be crowned winners. Unfortunately our table didn’t win, but we gave it a good shot with second place and had a laugh together in the process.

We were treated to a four course menu curated by Executive Chef Graham Tinsley MBE, who talked us through the journey and details of each course too.

To start was a fish dish of pan fried mullet with bouillabaisse sauce, saffron potatoes, rouille emulsion, garlic croutes and tempura mussels.

Main course was this exquisite roast rack of Welsh lamb with a dijon mustard and herb crust, caramelised Chou rave puree, confit Chou rave, turned carrot and Navarin sauce.

Chef even carved this in the room and it smelt divine, what a showstopper!

Dessert was a delectable reverse chocolate fondant with a liquid Cointreau centre and a yoghurt sorbet.

And not forgetting the cheese course of brie a la truffe with a savoury pain perdu, quince jelly and puree. A serious tasting experience which I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, hats off to the chef!

The next day we had a morning session at the award winning Spa at Carden Park.

Whilst it was a cold and rainy day outside, the thermal outdoor pools and jacuzzis kept us warm.

Back inside I relaxed on a lounger with my favourite high fashion magazines.

Warmed in a panoramic sauna or basking in the outdoor vitality pool, this was the perfect Sunday morning reset.

The sleek, scandi style design is very aesthetically pleasing and creates the ideal atmosphere of calm and zen you want from a spa.

A final champagne brunch was then served at 12pm in the Elements restaurant, where we dined in our robes and regrouped with the other guests.

I had a refreshing mix of red berries, melon and pineapple with greek yoghurt and a long black coffee. I also tried the Carden estate sparkling wine which was delicious, a lot smoother than a typical champagne or prosecco.

It was then time to checkout and say our farewells to the wonderful team at Carden and our lovely fellow attendees on the FAM stay.

We had a truly tremendous weekend being treated to the very best that Carden Park Hotel & Spa has to offer. From the friendly staff and exceptional culinary experiences, to the plethora of fun activities and charming Cheshire countryside surroundings, I would highly recommend a stay at Carden Park Hotel & Spa.

Thanks again to the team for their kind hospitality this weekend ❤

To book, visit their website here – https://www.cardenpark.co.uk

Barcode Festival 2023

July 9, 2023

Another week, another festival! Last Thursday I attended Barcode Festival with colleagues from work for our summer social. Barcode is hosted by GroceryAid taking place every year at Magazine in Greenwich London and is an industry charity event for those who work in the grocery sector.

This really is an event like no other featuring celebrity chefs and A-list headline acts, this year being Sam Ryder, Sugababes and my favourite, Fatboy Slim!

All drinks and food are included with your ticket, so your spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing which drink to have next. Quite often we’d end up with a drink in each hand…

I was excited to find Moth Cocktails had a stand serving their fabulous canned cocktails on ice, perfect for a sunny day, I’m obsessed.

There’s so much to explore at Barcode; we even found this secret rooftop to enjoy our drinks overlooking the festival with amazing views of the Greenwich skyline at golden hour.

I was giving Barbiecore vibes wearing my pink flared Stradivarius jeans, an open back white vest, a pair of white Reebok trainers and my big cat eye Kenzo sunnies.

Me and the girls were loving the 3D camera complete with fun inflatables and quirky accessories.

Later on the music started on the main stage kicking off with Sam Ryder, then major throwback vibes with Sugababes and finally the one and only Fatboy Slim to close the night. What an awesome team day just having fun and being silly with my colleagues; until next year Barcode ❤

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. ❤