And so we find ourselves on the final day of the year and ready to ring in 2025 at midnight. This year has been beyond brilliant and I hope you guys have enjoyed coming along with me for the best bits of 2024 through my vlogs here on YouTube.
In this second instalment of Vlogmas, festivities are in full swing as I host friends for a wine & cheese night, enjoy more cosy date nights with my boyfriend, and help my parents prepare to host the family for Christmas Day.
Expect all the indulgent food and drinks, lots of cute winter outfits and not forgetting when we see my dad playing Santa in the local town for charity!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too and I can’t wait to share another adventure filled year ahead on YouTube, starting with an epic trip to Bali and my big 30th birthday in January.
The December Diaries are here and I thought I’d split this month’s vlog into a two part ‘Vlogmas’. As soon as the festive season begins its all about celebrating the year that’s been and embracing the merry times with colleagues, friends and family.
It might only be the first two weeks of December, but in this instalment of Vlogmas I fully embrace the festive season with cute interiors decor, cosy winter date nights with old school Christmas movies and plenty of fun work parties.
So grab a warming cuppa or maybe a cheeky baileys, and come along with me for the silly season diaries!
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 ❤
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.
Coming at you this week with another vlog as I dive into the summer season with lots of entertaining, time outside soaking up the sunshine and making memories with the family.
I’m in my element when hostessing and entertaining, so I was thrilled to welcome lots of visitors into our home these past few weeks.
To wrap up a busy week, it was a treat to be wined and dined with my boyfriend at the stunning Ivy Asia complete with a gorgeous sunset over Guildford.
Watch the full vlog here for all the summer vibes! ❤
Happy Sunday! I’m still on a high from the most perfect date night yesterday evening in the picturesque town of Guildford, Surrey.
With the sun glowing over Guildford Castle at golden hour, we wanted to enjoy an aperitif on the terrace of The Ivy Castle View. However we settled on a seat at the beautiful feature bar inside given outside was fully booked.
I enjoyed a beefeater pink grapefruit gin and slimline tonic and we shared some olives and rosemary almonds for a pre-dinner nibble.
With 8pm reservations, we finished up our drinks and headed next door to The Ivy Asia for our dinner date. The Ivy is always a treat and never disappoints on the service, food and a buzzing atmosphere complete with exquisite interiors.
We were sat at the counter top overlooking the kitchen where they make the sushi fresh to order and we had a great view across the restaurant too, wonderfully bustling with Saturday night vibes.
To start we shared the duck spring rolls and wonton crackers with a delicious dip. To drink I was on the red wine whilst my boyfriend had a yummy sweet lychee mocktail.
The Ivy Asia offers small plates to share, so it’s a lovely way to get a taste of lots of different dishes. We chose the spicy tuna sushi roll, honey glazed chicken skewers, miso marinated aubergine, sticky rice and chilli noodles.
Everything was so tasty and beautifully presented, but for me the aubergine dish was my favourite and my boyfriend particularly enjoyed the glazed chicken skewers.
As always, The Ivy Asia didn’t disappoint on delivering an overall seamless experience making for the most delightful date night with my boyfriend.
I was a very happy girly indeed; cheers to Saturday date night goals ❤
Happy May Day Bank Holiday! Come along with me for a fun little weekend in my life vlog as I make the most of this glorious springtime sunshine with family and friends.
I show you some new updates from our house and garden, before taking my Mini for a roof-down spin and visiting our local pub garden blossoming at this time of year.
We then had a social Saturday with an afternoon drinks do at a friend’s, followed by our first BBQ of the year at home which we invited my parents to join us for… get ready for some tipsy salad making by my mum!
When booking our trip to Bali, we were spoilt for choice when it came to choosing where to stay in Canggu. Whilst we considered renting our own villa given how cheap it is out there, upon researching online there was a lot of advice recommending hotels are preferable as they have 24 hour security. Zin was somewhere which kept coming up in our searches and with its jungle vibe aesthetic, it looked like the perfect tropical oasis in the centre of Canggu.
We booked via Expedia, so together with return flights it came to just under £1,400 each for the flights and hotel with breakfast included, an absolute bargain for 10 nights at such a stunning resort.
Opting for an upgrade to one of their Deluxe Bamboo rooms, we had this beautiful terrace overlooking the central pool which we had to ourselves a lot of the time, our own private paradise.
The room itself was ultimate Bali vibes too with stone flooring and aesthetic decor like this rattan woven wall hanging.
The dreamy Queen size bed was like sleeping on a cloud and waking up in heaven with the white bed net to keep those mosquitoes away.
Another awesome detail was the double shower head in our massive en suite complete with rustic stone walls and flooring.
My favourite place to relax in the afternoons or before dinner with a cocktail in hand, was our private terrace nestled amongst the luscious greenery.
Zin Cafe offered an extensive variety of options for brekky every morning.
They had a number of smoothie bowls to choose from, my favourite being the dragon fruit bowl with it’s vibrant pink colour and tangy sweet taste.
My boyfriend made his way through the menu of savoury dishes before trying the sweet treats, his favourite being the classic French toast.
The fruit in Bali is always super fresh and even the fruit bowls from Zin Cafe were a piece of art.
We had a local Balinese curry at the hotel one evening which was incredible, and another afternoon enjoyed a late lunch on our terrace.
I could tell how fresh and healthy all the food was from Zin Cafe and every dish was so perfectly presented.
The staff were very welcoming, wonderfully friendly and made sure we had everything we needed during our stay at Zin.
We even had a complimentary hour long couples massage in the spa, a delightful treat and heavenly experience.
Poolside handstand practice was the ideal setting to find balance and channel my inner yogi.
Even at twilight the jungle of tropical trees and tree house style canopy looked magnificent.
Zin was ideal for our stay in Canggu being only a 10 minute walk from the main strip of restaurants and bars and just a 2 minute walk from Echo Beach. They also have a co-working space in the cafe which offers a peaceful area for working, something we would’ve used if we were staying longer and needed to work.
I would highly recommend Zin Canggu Resort & Villas to anyone travelling to Bali, particularly young couples who are looking for a bit of luxury. Prime location and safe with 24 hour security, clean and beautifully aesthetic, brilliant food and wonderful people, it was everything we hoped for and more.
The Deluxe Bamboo room and resort grounds felt like a home away from home by the end of the holiday.
To book your stay at Zin, you can find them on Expedia and Booking.com or visit their website – https://zin.world/zin-canggu/
Celebrating Valentines isn’t something we’ve always got involved with, however with it falling on hump-day this year, it felt like the perfect excuse for a midweek date night at home.
My boyfriend surprised me with this gorgeous bunch of red roses and the cutest card with a pop-out teddy bear.
Inspired by some stunning hairstyles I’d found on Pinterest, I decided to try putting my hair into a French Roll and it turned out so well. It was giving chic and sophisticated vibes for our date night, I’m obsessed.
I set the romantic mood in our dining room with candles and music whilst I set the table ready for dinner. It’s the little touches that make dinner for two at home special, like using our nicest gold cutlery with lovely napkins and putting condiments into aesthetic serving dishes.
It was midweek Mexican night, so we made our favourite burrito bowls with a side of chilli cheese nachos and all the dips of course. A bottle of red wine, candles lit and dinner served, we felt like we were in our own restaurant.
Mexican feast devoured, we moved to the lounge to watch ‘How to loose a guy in 10 days’, a romantic comedy classic perfect for V-day night.
I love a cosy date night at home and this was the perfect way to spend our Valentines evening together; simple and fuss-free, yet super cute and romantic ❤
As an orginally German founded company, Huf Haus UK hosted their own Oktoberfest last weekend complete with all the fun traditions including strong German beer, freshly baked pretzels, Currywurst, a German Oompah band and lots more!
I was invited along by my boyfriend’s parents as they work for Huf Haus here in the UK. They also extended the invite to my parents as they love Huf Haus architecture and were keen to see around the show home too.
Lots of people dressed up for the occasion in traditional German attire, however my Dad went rogue with a quirky outfit featuring his antique cane.
My parents were given their first experience of Currywurst, an authentic German fast-food consisting of fried pork sausage, typically cut into bite-sized chunks and seasoned with curry ketchup, which my dad very much enjoyed for his lunch.
Me and my mum were on the gin and tonic cocktails served from the G&T van by a London based gin company called Jim & Tonic.
The Huf Haus feeling by definition, is essentially the unique living atmosphere created by panoramic views of the outdoors, emphasised by natural light to create calm.
We were given a tour of the Huf Haus featuring my dream walk in wardrobe setup and this stunning bathroom with a free standing bath tub.
It was a fabulous afternoon celebrating Oktoberfest and showing my parents the beautiful Huf Haus show home located in Weybridge. Perhaps one day we will be able to own our very own Huf Haus…never say never, big dreams can come true ❤
Dani Aneka 