Tag: interiorsgoals

Bali Guide; Canggu Eats

April 1, 2024

If you’re looking for endless options of cool cafes, boojie bars and delicious delicacies from cuisines all over the world, then Canggu is the place to satisfy your ultimate foodie cravings. From the stunning smoothie bowls full of the freshest fruits and all day brunching options galore, to classic Mexican, Italian, Greek, Asian or Australian… you really are spoilt for choice!

Whether you’re vegan or in search of somewhere healthier to eat, or you’re wanting to treat yourself to something more indulgent and would like to experience some fine dining, there is something to suit everyone’s tastes in Canggu. We were blown away by the standard of the food everywhere we ate at and the prices were incredibly reasonable, hard to believe compared to the price of restaurants in the UK!

Whilst there wasn’t enough time to try every place recommended during our short stay in Canggu, we did sample some of the most famous cafes and restaurants in the area and I’ve narrowed it down to seven of my favourite.

  1. The Shady Shack – https://www.theshadyshackbali.com

The ultimate destination for vegans, vegetarians and health food lovers, The Shady Shack offers a big menu which includes an all-day breakfast, nutritious smoothies and juices, burgers and salads, share plates, delicious mains and decadent vegan desserts. I opted for one of their Insta famous salad bowls of grilled haloumi, pickled beetroot, quinoa, rocket, cucumber, avocado, tomato, roasted peppers, olives, baba ganoush, served with a creamy tahini dressing, crispy chickpeas & za’atar. Brimming with plenty of greens and colourful veggies, this Mediterranean inspired bowl of goodness was the perfect post-flight refuel my body needed. At 85K IDR, this salad cost only £4.25.

2. Kynd Community – https://www.kyndcommunity.com

Another fully plant-based cafe, Kynd Canggu was right next to our hotel and became my boyfriend’s favourite place for lunch. Despite not being vegan, we loved it here and over the course of our stay my boyfriend sampled the loaded fries with chipotle aioli, crunchy onions & jalapeños, their take on a Mexican Burrito, and not forgetting the Kynd Bigger Mac. I was excited to try their aesthetic Acai Bowl complete with fruit lettering to spell out BALI, a cliche I know but it had to be done.

3. Lola’s Cantina Mexicana – https://www.lolasbali.com

They know their Mexican food in Bali, so I was keen to try out Canguu’s top rated for Mexican eats, Lola’s. With an edgy, buzzing vibe, this cool spot on the shortcut seemed the place to be for a night out with friends. I started with a cheeky Marg of course before we had some naughty loaded nachos with all the toppings to share.

For a main course I hade their Mexi Bowl which comprised of a bed of lettuce with beans, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, red cabbage, pico de gallo, guacamole, cashew sour cream, tortilla chips, and I added BBQ jackfruit. A taste sensation of authentic Mexican flavours, I couldn’t believe it was only £3.75 for this meal, I would go here on repeat if I could.

4. M. Mason Bar & Grill – https://masonbali.com/canggu/menu/

My number one destination for date night or even just a glass of lovely vino, this Mediterranean inspired restaurant serves up sharing plates using cooking techniques like smoking and wood fire grilling to coax maximum flavour from minimal ingredients.

With its Scandi style interiors and romantic cosy courtyard adorned with fairy-lights, we went here for the perfect Friday date night and shared a scrumptious feast of small plates. Highlights included the cured meat selection, homemade hummus with burnt chilli butter & crispy bits, and those wonderfully sweet wood fired carrots with yoghurt & dukkah.

There is even a secret speakeasy bar at the very back of the restaurant where we enjoyed our after dinner drinks, it oozes sophistication and style.

5. Azoria – https://www.azoriabali.com

For a taste of Italy and another atmospheric restaurant ideal for date night, Azoria is a newly opened Italian in the heart of Canggu already making a name for itself. Serving traditional Italian dishes amongst the setting of its rustic Mediterranean inspired decor, it felt like we were transported to Europe as we sipped our red vino and the Italian guitar music set the ambience.

To start we shared an exquisite Caesar salad, and for main my boyfriend had the Beef Ragu, whilst I made my own pasta of pappardelle, tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, spinach and basil. The pasta was so fresh and I loved the idea of making your own pasta so I could personalise the meal to my taste. We never regretti our spaghetti ❤

6. LowCal Cheatery – https://www.instagram.com/lowcalcheaterybar/?hl=en

Whilst this restaurant promotes itself as low calorie and super healthy, that doesn’t mean it sacrifices on quality or options to suit all tastes. My boyfriend had the pork ribs with sweet potato fries and he said it was one of the best dinners he’d had on the trip – although we said that after every meal to be honest!

I opted for the grilled fish topped with a mango chilli salsa, served with baked pumpkin and lots of fresh salad. A nicely balanced plate high in protein, complex carbs from the pumpkin, fats from the fish and heaps of nutrients from all the salad; I love this kind of food good for the body and soul. They also have live musicians on guitars every night from 7-9pm, making for the perfect al fresco dining experience.

7. Zin Cafe & Co-Working Space – https://zin.world/zin-cafe/

The final foodie destination I had to have on my list of favourites was Zin Cafe, the restaurant within the hotel we were staying. We had breakfast here every morning and whilst my boyfriend made his way through the extensive menu of savoury and sweet brunch options, I couldn’t get enough of the fresh fruit platter and yummy smoothie bowls. The cafe spans multiple levels spilling into the co-working space, which is like an awesome tree-house perfect for chilled working vibes. We ordered lunch to our terrace one afternoon and I had a delightful plate of roasted vegetables with green tahini. We also had their local Indonesian Curry for dinner in the restaurant one evening which didn’t disappoint, it was everything I hoped for and more.

So that’s a roundup of my top food spots in Canggu. There are many more incredible cafes and brilliant restaurants we didn’t have time to visit of course, but safe to say you won’t be disappointed wherever you go to eat in Bali; it’s true foodie heaven ❤

Bali Guide; Zin Canggu Resort & Villas

March 24, 2024

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/

Welcome to the World of Zin ❤

Chapter 29; Twenty Nine & Feeling Fine

January 28, 2024

Friday 26th January 2024, my 29th Birthday and entering the final year of my twenties!

Waking up on Friday morning, it was a gloriously sunny day with clear blue skies and a crisp winters chill in the air as I took my morning walk.

I was working from home for the day, so I decided to move to the sofa for the afternoon and put ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ on as I enjoyed my coffee and answered emails.

Once 5pm rolled around and work was wrapped up for the week, I got myself glammed up and ready for an evening of celebrations.

My Birthday fit was a pair of flared tailored black trousers from Zara, a dusty pink bandeau also from Zara, my silk Le Scarf neckerchief, a cropped nude cardigan with gold buttons, my ASOS lace up maroon heels, plenty of gold jewellery to accessorise, a vintage Jaegar green oversized blazer to keep me warm and my Sandro velvet green handbag to complete the look.

At 6pm I went to our local pub for a drink with my Dad, where they gave me a glass of bubbles on the house and even brought out a Happy Birthday brownie.

We then had 8:30pm reservations at The Ivy Asia in Guildford, so my boyfriend kindly drove me and my parents there after we finished catching up with friends at the pub.

I always love visiting The Ivy Asia with its opulent interiors and buzzing atmosphere, especially on a Friday night.

We started with duck pancakes for the table before ordering a number of their smaller sharer plates.

We had all sorts of dishes from spicy tuna sushi rolls and king prawn skewers, to Korean fried chicken bites and claypot chickpea pepper curry. Every mouthful was so delicously flavoursome and my parents even said it was the best Asian meal they’d ever had!

Saturday morning we got out early to go to Bicester Village designer outlet in Oxford.

The shopping day cute and cosy look was a pair of Stradivarius blue flared jeans, an off shoulder brown jumper, my platform Ugg boots, an earthy tone wool scarf which I got for my Birthday, my Coach signature print cross body bag, a faux fur black Ugg coat and my favourite khaki baker boy hat from Mango.

Being a weekend, the shops were quite busy and unlike my previous visit to Bicester, there wasn’t much that was particularly jumping out at me.

We couldn’t leave empty handed though and I needed a Birthday gift from my boyfriend, so I was thrilled to find a the perfect gold ring from Monica Vinader to add to my jewellery collection.

Later that evening we were invited over to my parents house with my brother, his wife and my adorable niece Layla who I had lots of cuddles with, I just love being an Auntie!

My mum cooked her famous Spaghetti Bolognese and I did what I do best making a big salad of rocket, cherry tomatoes, avocado, parmesan shavings and balsamic vinegar. Good company, home cooked food and divine red wine, this made me a very happy girly.

Before I knew it, Sunday was here and I spent the afternoon with more family including my other darling niece and my wonderful Grandma. This card from my sister was brilliant, it’ll be a right laugh trying those poses next time I’m having a cocktail.

So that concludes my 29th Birthday celebrations and I couldn’t be more grateful of where I am at this time in my life. I want to embrace this final year of my twenties and look forward to another 12 months of growth, learning and achievements; cheers to chapter 29 ❤

Easter Bank Holiday Weekend Scenes

April 10, 2023

It’s Easter Monday and we’re nearing the end of the long bank holiday weekend now. It’s a glorious time of year as spring is in the air, everyone slows down for the extra long weekend and we can finally look forward to the exciting summer season ahead.

Good Friday I spent the morning cleaning the house and getting the garden furniture out ready for the long weekend set to be warm and sunny. These fresh bunch of colourful tulips for the dining room looked particularly beautiful basking in the golden sunlight of the afternoon.

With the house clean and my work done for the week, I couldn’t wait to get down to a local pub garden and soak up the stunning weather with a glass of bubbly in hand.

I just love spring fashion as we can put away those winter coats and embrace layering and accessorising again. So on Friday I wore these vintage flared Stradivarius jeans, my C’est Normal strap tank top, Topshop square toe snakeskin mules, H&M Celine dupe handbag, a pair of cat eye sunnies and my current accessory obsession, a silk neck scarf – tres chic!

I then layered a denim overshirt with a long oversized cardigan on top to keep warm sat outside, as there’s still a chill in the air this time of year. Rooftop down on my Mini Cooper, tunes playing and the sun shining, bank holiday weekend vibes were in full swing and I was on a high.

That evening we went to my boyfriend’s parents for our first BBQ of the year. They also just bought this awesome fire pit for their garden, which we christened for the first time and huddled around enjoying our desserts once the sun went down.

Saturday afternoon I went to watch my boyfriend ride the jumps, before we went to the pub and ended up with his mates at the local Indian curry house for dinner. Spontaneous days like these are what the long weekends are made for.

Easter Sunday we didn’t have any plans with the family for once, so we went on a bike ride which ended up muddier than expected as we went across country fields on the way home…not good news for my brand new trainers!

After our adventure on the bikes, we enjoyed a chilled afternoon and evening at home complete with my favourite mezze nibbles, more wine and a delicious stone baked pizza from Aldi served with plenty of salad of course.

What a wonderful bank holiday weekend we had just taking it easy, being a bit spontaneous and getting outside making the most of the spring air and glorious sunshine; happy days ❤

Watch my Easter Weekend Vlog here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os5LD1tLfzQ

Hostess with the Mostest

February 26, 2023

Happy Sunday! I’ve enjoyed a super chilled weekend following a busy time with work at the moment. Of course I’m still recovering from my laser eye surgery last week which I think has been making me feel even more tired than usual as my eyes need extra rest. On Saturday night I had my pregnant sister and dad over for drinks and dinner. I love hosting and welcoming people into our home, so I was excited to get the house prepared and the vibe set in the dining room with music and candles.

To start, I put together my signature cheese board alongside some nibbles including popchips, hummus, olives and my favourite sweet ricotta stuffed peppers.

For dinner I made a quick and easy prawn tomato veg linguine. As with most my cooking, I didn’t follow a recipe but instead just seasoned to taste as I went which resulted in a delicious dish everyone thoroughly enjoyed. A big bowl of salad and garlic bread to accompany the pasta too and it was happy, full tummies all round.

What a wonderful, wholesome evening sharing good food and catching up with my dad and sister, whose baby bump is truly popping now – I can’t wait to be an auntie! ❤

Home Updates June ’22

June 12, 2022

Happy Sunday! We’re well into June now and it finally feels like summer is here in the UK. I’ve had a super wholesome weekend soaking up the sunshine starting with a countryside bike ride to the pub on Friday evening, and then a fun day out at our local village festival yesterday drinking Belgian beer and enjoying some live music. Now I’m winding down before the week ahead and I thought it was time to do a little home interiors update. Having lived here for over a year now, I finally feel like the house is flourishing to reflect our style and I’m loving it; this is our home ❤

The Ivy; Alice in Wonderland Vibes

April 10, 2022

This weekend I decided to go all out for our date night and booked The Ivy Castle View in Guildford. I had tried to book The Ivy Asia a few weeks back, but with a three month waiting list to get a reservation there, I was happy with the regular Ivy restaurant we know and always enjoy.

I’m obsessed with the art deco inspired interiors featuring eclectic artwork and a vibrant colour palette, I was definitely getting Alice in Wonderland vibes as soon as we arrived at The Ivy Castle View.

Even the ladies bathrooms were decorated with opulent wallpaper and this stunning ceiling of roses, they are just too beautiful not to take a picture of.

The place was buzzing on a Saturday night, yet we were still treated to the same friendly and attentive service from the hosts and our waiters who looked after us for the evening.

We had this lovely, romantic round table for two right by the window overlooking the castle. I was lusting over these gorgeous green palm leaf print sofa chairs too, it really is an interior lovers heaven, every corner of the place there is something different to admire.

To start, we had a cocktail each and of course I couldn’t resist my favourite Espresso Martini in their special salted caramel flavour. My boyfriend had the Surrey Passion made with passionfruit, vodka and rum, a super fruity sweet concoction and showstopper served with a flaming top!

Whilst we don’t usually get starters, we did order the salt-crusted sourdough bread to nibble alongside our cocktails. To our delight they served an entire loaf freshly warmed straight from the oven – sometimes the simple things done well are the most satisfying, it was exquisite.

For mains I actually went for two starters: Roasted Scallops served with crispy potato rösti, pea purée, parmesan sauce and grated truffle, accompanied by a big basket of the Zucchini Fritti. This was a tasty combination of flavours which I paired with a glass of their house white wine from Carinena, Spain.

My boyfriend ordered the Korean Glazed Chicken served with pickled mooli, sesame, avocado and jalapeño sauce, citrus mayonnaise as well as some thick cut chunky chips. Safe to say we devoured the lot and savoured every delectable bite.

Our evening at The Ivy Castle View was wonderful with everything from the drinks and food to the service and experience, it was a 10/10 for me.

The Ivy Collection has a number of restaurants in handpicked locations across the UK, serving modern British cuisine, reflecting the same inimitable service and vibrant surroundings for which The Ivy is loved and revered. A top destination for a boujee date night full of photo opportunities ❤

Chapter 2 7

January 30, 2022

On Wednesday 26th January 2022 I officially entered my late twenties and welcomed in chapter 27 of my life. It’s been quite the week of celebrations and so amazing to be with my family and friends again following a lockdown birthday last year.

I had a wonderful family birthday dinner on the big day at Giggling Squid in Farnham. I was even surprised by my brother who I didn’t know was coming all the way from London to join us for the occasion.

I’m very lucky to be so close to my family and it was the best birthday present I could wish for to have us all there celebrating together.

After our cocktails to kick off the evening, we shared a selection of starters including delicious squid and duck spring rolls. For mains I opted for a traditional vegetable red Thai curry which was exquisite.

At the end of our meal I was presented with this gorgeous birthday desert and everyone sang Happy Birthday. It was a joy to be with my family just chatting, laughing and enjoying the moment over fantastic food and drinks, we didn’t leave the restaurant until they were closing!

With my birthday being midweek, I decided to invite my girlfriends over for an evening at my house on Saturday.

My birthday fit for the night was this stunning backless silver blouse along with my stretchy flared pants and cute fluffy slider slippers – dressy but comfy.

I absolutely love hosting so I was super excited to setup the dining room and prepare a spread of nibbles as well as my famous cheeseboard platter of course. Candles lit, music playing and prosecco popped, I was ready to welcome the girls for a fun cosy evening at home.

A number of bottles of bubbly and wine later, we’d had such a beautiful night full of catchups and plenty of laughs, those girls really are my soulmates.

Now its Sunday evening and I’m feeling so content and happy following such a fabulous birthday week. It’s certainly been an epic start to the year already and I can’t wait to see what chapter twenty seven of my lift has in store.

Stay sane, stay wild ❤

The Next Chapter; Moving House

March 22, 2021

It’s been a long time coming following two other properties falling through last year, but it was third time lucky as my boyfriend finally exchanged on a stunning new build which we move into this week! It’s all very exciting and an absolute dream to be moving to our own four bed house complete with a huge driveway, garage, front lawn and lovely south facing garden – bring on those summer BBQs!

No doubt it will take some time for us to settle and get everything just the way we want it as we are starting from scratch. But what a beautiful blank canvas to be working with, I can finally live out my ultimate interior goals from hours scrolling Pinterest and creating vision boards.

Outdoor entertaining will be a big focus this summer following lockdown measures easing, so I’m keen to have a sociable area on the patio for lounging and soaking up the sun whilst firing up the BBQ. I’m obsessed in the corner sofas with a fire-pit table to keep us warm late into the evenings. Fairy lights and outdoor string bulb lighting are also a must for that atmospheric nighttime ambience.

I will of course miss my cosy little bedroom back home with its eclectic style and many wonderful memories in particularly captured in my photos. I’ve always taken pride in organising and displaying my favourite pictures from special times throughout my life, it never fails to make a house a home. I’m a sucker for inspirational quotes as well, so my favourite ‘Stay Wild’ gold text print from Maggs London years ago will definitely need a feature in the new place.

That classic Audrey poster from Breakfast At Tiffany’s is another timeless piece which I think might be a classy photo to go in the new dining room. My collection of treasured books will take pride of place on a bookshelf perhaps in the lounge, as I have some great coffee table style hard backs too.

Then there is the wardrobe which is going to be the biggest task of all! Being a self-confessed shopaholic and shoe addict, I’ve curated quite the collection of garments during my 26 years. Whilst moving is an opportunity to get rid of those less worn items, I do love it when trends come back around and I can give older pieces some love once again. However I want to aim towards a more minimalistic approach to my style, so keeping only what I wear most of the time will help to establish a refined capsule wardrobe…it’s going to be a process that’s for sure!

Focusing on the initial move however, I want to get the furniture and each room arranged perfectly before putting too much stuff in there. I have the luxury that I can leave what I want at my parent’s at least for now, then once I know how much storage we actually have in the new place, I can get organised and donate or bin anything which will be clutter. I’m looking at this as a fresh start and opportunity to live a more minimalistic lifestyle, free of the burden and stress of too many material things.

I guess it’s time to be a proper adult and say goodbye to my teenage room for now. My parent’s home isn’t going anywhere though, so my perfect little den will remain the spare bedroom and home to so many special memories.