Tag: love

Lowde Fest 23; Old School Festival Vibes

July 2, 2023

When I was younger I found it very cringey and embarrassing that my Dad sings in a band, but now that I’m older, I actually think it’s awesome he is such a rockstar even now in his mid sixties!

This weekend we went to support his band playing at Lowde Fest, an old school local music festival which features mostly cover artists. https://lowdefest.com

My Dad’s band The Rollright Stones played a great set and really got the crowd going. My favourite song they did was The Chain by Fleetwood Mac and they ended on a high with their closing number, Sweet Caroline.

I love festival fashion so couldn’t wait to put together my outfit. I wore a pair of black denim high waisted Topshop shorts with a vintage western style leather belt, a khaki tie front top from Nakd, my new boxy cropped denim Zara jacket with stud detail, my Stradivarius cowboy boots and a pair of fun yellow tint aviator ASOS sunnies.

After the festival we decided to make an evening of it and go out for dinner at our favourite local The Mutton. I had a delicious lychee martini aperitif to start our date night right.

I opted for the whole plaice served with lettuce, crispy capers, crushed potatoes and beurre noisette paired with a crisp glass of New Zealand 2021 Sauvugnon Blanc. The fish was exquisite and fell off the bone beautifully, whilst the crispy capers complimented the flavours perfectly.

My boyfriend had his favourite sirloin steak cooked medium rare served with yee-ha butter, fries, pickled shallots, parmesan rocket salad and a green peppercorn sauce. A glass of Argentinian 2020 Malbec was his wine of choice to accompany his steak.

We also shared a side of the mini caesar salad which was divine. In fact, I’d say the entire meal is up there as one of the most delicious I’ve ever had, and that’s saying something as I’ve eaten at lots of amazing restaurants. The Mutton certainly is a must to visit if you’re ever in the Hampshire area and we’re lucky enough to call this our local! ❤

Welcome To The Mutton at Hazeley Heath
https://themuttonathazeleyheath.co.uk

Life Lately; Sunshine State of Mind

June 4, 2023

English summer is well and truly here and I couldn’t be happier for my favourite season of the year ahead. There’s already lots of social events in the calendar for July and we’re kicking off our summer with a holiday to Kemar in Turkey at the end of this month, I can’t wait!

Friday evenings recently often look like this; we head to our local pub The Mutton where they have a stunning newly renovated garden overlooking the gorgeous Hampshire countryside. It really is the ideal setting for sundown drinks and the food is amazing too.

This week we celebrated my boyfriend’s mum’s birthday and so we invited his parents and grandma over to try our favourite vegan Mexican chilli bowls for a midweek dinner.

Our Mexican night went down a treat and we enjoyed a wonderful evening together as the sunset showered our dining room during golden hour.

I’ve also treated myself to some new pieces in my wardrobe this month which always gets me excited to try new outfits and looks. I’m loving my new velvet square toe mules perfect for wearing with flares, and this new taupe coloured top which is completely backless. Elevated basics are my go-to currently.

And of course next month my sister is due her baby and I’m thrilled to be an Auntie very soon. On Friday I invited her and her partner over for drinks in the garden to catchup and enjoy the evening sunshine. She’s looking radiant even now almost full term in pregnancy, I’m a very proud sister.

Today we went over to Farnham to see a car show which was a lovely weekend activity to get us up and out on a Sunday morning. It wasn’t as big as we’d anticipated, but the line up of red Ferraris basking in the sunshine was incredible.

I find summer is also a great opportunity to switch up my workout routine and get outside more. Moving my body everyday is a non-negotiable and with the warmer weather and longer days, I find myself more active with bike rides and walks as well as my daily home workouts.

So that pretty much sums up my life lately; lots of social occasions, family time, Fridays at the pub with friends, planning our summer holiday, getting outside and moving my body differently everyday, and enjoying those long summer evenings sipping a delicious drink in the garden at golden hour. You can’t go wrong with the Moth drinks for a good quality cocktail at home, perfection!

It’s a sunshine state of mind ❤

Baby Shower Scenes; Congratulations Sis

May 29, 2023

With my sister’s due date just over a month away, I organised and threw her a baby shower yesterday which was a huge success and beautiful occasion catching up with wider family too.

Before our table booking at 4pm, I invited my aunties, uncles and cousins over to our house for pre-drinks in the garden. House prepped, nibbles out and prosseco chilling, I was ready for my guests.

My mum gifted me this gorgeous bunch of roses which made a stunning centre piece in the dining room showered in the sunlight of the afternoon.

I’m in my element hosting and love getting all my best bowls and crockery out for a spread of nibbles which included nuts, crisps, pastry twists, sour cream dip, pesto hummus, sweet chilli graze, giant corn, sun-dried tomatoes and nocellera olives. Simple but crowd pleading snacks.

Such picture perfect scenes as we sat outside soaking up the sunshine whilst sipping our prosecco and catching up with each other. Moments like these are very special and I’m so grateful for my family who I’m very close with.

My outfit was giving summer chic vibes with a pair of flared cropped white Zara jeans, brown C’est Normal cami, this cute cropped Channel inspired blazer, square toe velvet mules, my gold Cinco anklet, a gold pearl By Alona necklace and classic cat eye sunnies to complete the look.

At 4pm we arrived at the pub where we met the other half of the party who had been at my parents for pre-drinks. Both my sister and sister-in-law are pregnant now, so I organised for a non-alcoholic cocktail upon arrival for them, along with a few bottles of bubbles ready on ice to serve for everyone else.

I chose our local pub The Leather Bottle as they have this lovely courtyard area which we basically had all to ourselves. With a pre-order placed before the day, as soon as we sat down the food was served and everyone enjoyed their meals. Lots of people opted for the roast dinner with it being a Sunday, whilst I had the smoked salmon salad but couldn’t resists a taste of the cauliflower cheese side which comes with the roasts.

It was a hugely successful afternoon celebrating the arrival of the baby next month and also my sister’s birthday which is today. With 17 guests to keep happy and the pre-drinks at our house beforehand, there was a lot to organise but working in events, I have plenty of experience and it is my passion.

Happy Birthday and many congratulations to my superstar sis! ❤

Cocktails and Besties Q&A

May 21, 2023

Happy Sunday! The sun is finally shining here in Hampshire, so yesterday afternoon I invited my best friend over for drinks in the garden and we decided to film a besties Q&A for my YouTube channel.

We had such a laugh and it was a lot of fun reminiscing on memories together. We also did some quick fire ‘This or That’ and ‘Would you rather’ which we found inspo for on Pinterest.

Later that evening we ordered Dominos pizzas with our boyfriends and enjoyed a cute double date night in our dining room. A picture perfect afternoon and evening together.

What a wholesome evening with my bestie and our boyfriends and I’m looking forward to editing the Q&A which will be out on my YouTube channel (@Dani Aneka) next week, so stay tuned!

Brighton; Coronation Celebrations & Tattoo No.2

May 8, 2023

With another bank holiday long weekend ahead of us, we decided to make the most of it and go for a mini staycay to the wonderful city of Brighton. Being one of the most iconic seaside cities in the UK, I couldn’t think of a better place to spend the King’s coronation weekend.

Arriving on Saturday afternoon at the Ibis City Centre Hotel, we were greeted with union jack balloons and a welcome gift of prosecco ready on ice with traditional popcorn too.

With our King now crowned and the night of celebrations ahead of us, we popped our prosecco and sipped our bubbles whilst taking in that fantastic view we had over the maze of a bustling Brighton town centre.

Keeping things very English themed, we headed to The Ivy for dinner. I wore my H&M slit hem leggings paired with these ASOS lace front heels, this Next oversized camel blazer and an emerald green silk wrap top as a subtle nod to the royal events of the weekend.

We always have a fabulous time at The Ivy Collection restaurants and our experience here at The Ivy in the Lanes certainly didn’t disappoint.

The opulent artwork and eclectic interiors of The Ivy create that elevated ambience, which is of course is matched with the impeccable service and top tier food.

We can’t visit The Ivy and not get their salt crusted sourdough to start, it’s simply divine. A bowl of olives and a bottle of wine flowing too, I was in my happy place ready for a fun night ahead.

For mains I ordered the blackened cod baked in a banana leaf with soy marinade, citrus-pickled fennel, yuzu and herb sauce served with broccoli, whilst my boyfriend had the chef’s special sirloin steak served with peppercorn sauce and fries.

Upon recommendation from our lovely waiter, we went for post dinner drinks at a bar called The Font in the Lanes, before heading back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

Sunday morning we took a stroll around the Lanes exploring all the awesome vintage shops before grabbing burritos at Chipotle.

That afternoon we enjoyed some coffees at this cool cafe Bread & Milk whilst discussing options for my tattoo.

I’ve been wanting a wave tattoo on my ankle for some time now, so being in Brighton where there are so many tattoo shops and of course being by the sea, it was the perfect opportunity to finally get my 2nd ink.

We’d come across this tattoo shop Skinned Alive on our way to lunch earlier and enquired about my fine line tattoo. Being one of the top rated tattoo places in Brighton I couldn’t go wrong and I got a good vibe from the guys working there.

I showed them my inspiration and explained where I wanted it on my ankle, before the tattooist drew up my design which I then worked with him to get just right.

So with my stencil finalised and my placement agreed, I got seated in the chair ready for my 2nd tattoo!

It couldn’t have taken any longer than 10 minutes and not too painful on the whole, although I felt it more than my wrist tattoo as this was right on the ankle bone.

Ankle wrapped to protect the fresh tattoo, I couldn’t be happier with my 2nd ink. Thanks to the guys at Skinned Alive who made the experience so positive and ensured I had the perfect placement and design I had envisioned for the wave.

Early Sunday evening the skies were finally blue and the sun was shining, so we headed for the seafront via my favourite corner of Brighton, Dukes Lane.

The vibes were high at the beach bars as everyone embraced the bank holiday weekend and soaked up the early evening sunshine as music played and drinks were in full flow.

Having been on our feet all day, we grabbed an early dinner at a Greek restaurant called Adelfia. I was craving lots of veggies and hummus, so I had a big bowl of traditional Greek salad with pitta and hummus to share, paired with a crisp white wine from Greece; exquisite.

We finished our evening with a sunset stroll along the seafront and a walk down the pier lit up in all its glory at night. That concluded another brilliant weekend away exploring the best of Brighton life which we continue to love every time we come back to visit ❤

Date Night; Thai Curry & Cocktails

April 2, 2023

Happy Sunday! The sun is finally shining here in Hampshire following a week of gloomy rain. For date night this Saturday me and my boyfriend went for dinner at our favourite local Thai restaurant, followed by some fabulous cocktails at a new bar in town we’d never tried before.

I kept it a little more casual this weekend wearing an oversized fit in my boyfriend’s Gucci t-shirt paired with black skinny jeans, lots of gold jewellery and a cute pair of heels to add a touch of glam to the final look.

Thai cuisine is one of our favourites and the local spot Menu Thai never disappoints. Our go-to order is a green thai vegetable curry for me, a red or penang chicken curry for my boyfriend, coconut rice and a side of pad broccoli. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; wholesome, hearty and delicious, 10/10 every time!

Bellies full of of yummy curry, we went around the corner to a new cocktail spot in town, Esco Lounge and Bar. They offer an extensive menu of wonderful cocktails, so we decided to order three to share.

The amaretto sour was divine and my boyfriend’s classic mojito was on point. We also tried a strawberry and mint flavoured rum concoction, served in this interesting shaped glass resembling a magical potion.

I love simple date nights like this spending quality time with my boyfriend, sharing good food and enjoying fun cocktails, before heading home and cosying up on the coach in front of a good movie ❤

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! ❤

Saturday Scenes in Surrey

February 12, 2023

This Saturday afternoon we decided to head to the picturesque town of Farnham to stroll around and do some filming for my boyfriend’s YouTube channel. The town centre was bustling and those weekend vibes were in the air as we soaked up another crisp, cold winter day in Surrey.

After shooting at different locations around the town, we headed to Lost Boy for an early evening cocktail; an Espresso Martini to perk me up and a classic Mojito for my boyfriend.

With some time to kill before our 8pm dinner reservations, we decided to visit The Wine Yard for a pre-dinner cheeseboard and vino.

They got the cheeseboard spot on complete with dried fruit, walnuts, honey, celery sticks and a divine sweet onion chutney, the perfect accompaniment to our red wine.

I’ve been looking for a good local wine bar just like this to visit with my girlfriends, so I’ll definitely be back here again soon to sample more wines from their extensive range on offer and try their full charcuterie board too.

After another drink over at the Bush Hotel, it was finally time for our dinner reservation at YiaYias at The Fox. We love Greek food and so when my friend recommended this Greek restaurant, I couldn’t wait to try it. Despite it being a busy Saturday night, the food was fantastically authentic and the service very friendly.

We shared humous and flatbread to start, followed by a Greek Salad and Falafel for me, and a traditional Cypriot Greek Chicken Pitta with chips for my boyfriend. Everything was absolutely delicious and accompanied with some lovely Greek white wine I ordered on recommendation too.

What a beautiful way to spend a Saturday with my boyfriend exploring the best of Farnham bars and restaurants. We’ll call it an early Valentines treat to ourselves 😉 ❤

Chapter 28; Another Year Around the Sun

January 29, 2023

26.01.23 – My 28th Birthday. As I near the end of my twenties, I’ve learnt that growing older doesn’t have to mean life getting more serious, instead I find myself more carefree and not as worried about always having direction in life. After all, it’s about enjoying the journey and living in the present moment appreciating all those you have already in life.

In celebration of my birthday we went for a family meal to Seasons Kitchen in Surrey. Having experienced the street food vans they have in the summer, I’ve been wanting to try the restaurant here for a while now and it didn’t disappoint.

Arriving on Friday evening for our 7pm reservation, we chose the best table in the house by this gorgeous olive tree in the heart of the restaurant.

I started with a divine Daiquiri cocktail which was the perfect combination of sweet and sour complete with a strong kick from the rum.

I wore my C’est Normal two piece set simply accessorised with nude mules, a cream blazer and plenty of gold jewellery. I even treated myself to a blow dry that day and loved the subtle shape she gave to my hair.

We shared an assortment of starters including these flavoured butter boards which take your classic bread and butter to another level. I couldn’t get enough of the caramelised onion topped one, it was delightful.

I was thrilled to have my brother and his wife join us for the evening all the way from Bromley. I’m close with my family so it always means a lot to spend quality time together on special occasions.

For main course I had the Roast Romenesco Cauliflower dish which was a delicious combination of fresh flavours. I also had a taste of my mum’s Chicken Caesar Salad which was very tasty indeed, a classic favourite of mine.

The boys shared this incredible Korean BBQ Short Rib served on pak choi with steamed bao buns. Another highlight of the evening, this was a refreshing Asian twist on your regular bbq ribs.

I had this cute little birthday chocolate assortment after the inevitable Happy Birthday sing song from the staff and restaurant. I also couldn’t resist a cheeky Tia Maria tipple to finish my meal on a high.

What a truly wonderful evening celebrating my 28th Birthday at Seasons Surrey. I’m starting to appreciate everything in my life as it all falls into place and I can’t help but feel like one of the luckiest girls in the world; cheers to another year around the sun ❤

NYE; Reset & Resolutions 2023

January 1, 2023

Happy New Year! It’s the first day of 2023 and I’m ready for a reset following a few weeks of fabulous festivities and celebrations this Christmas. Whilst I’ve enjoyed a wonderful holiday season spending lots of cherished time with friends and family, I always crave routine and look forward to getting back into the flow of daily life.

So having seen in the New Year last night with close friends and my boyfriend, I took a quiet few moments on this first day of January to write my resolutions for the year ahead. I always try to make goals on my resolutions list realistic and attainable to avoid feeling disappointed in myself if I don’t achieve them by the end of the year, but equally I want to hold myself accountable for those things I say I am going to do but may have pushed aside in the past.

My list also contains a mixture of specific goals such as starting my PT course and getting a second tattoo, as well as more general actions I would like to take forward into the new year like nurturing relationships and simply just staying sane!

A few days before NYE I also put together my yearly Pinterest vision board for 2023. I love using photos of art, fashion, food, travel and quotes to envision my aspirations and goals as well as gaining inspiration for the kind of aesthetic I picture my life embodying.

Cheers to another year ahead full of achieving more great goals, travelling exciting new places, being grateful for the everyday small things and being present whilst living in the moment with loved ones ❤