Battersea Power Station By Night

Having recently reopened as a new and exciting shopping and leisure destination, I’ve been keen to visit Battersea Power Station to see what it’s all about. So this Saturday evening we headed into London to experience this iconic venue following its big makeover and discover what it had to offer.

Arriving at 6:30pm, we easily found a space in the multi-storey carpark and even had time to browse the shops which don’t close until 9pm on a Saturday. The Original features of the Power Station remain with the impressive four towers and industrial style interiors of the shopping centre, which is vast and offers plenty of stores to browse.

Upon passing the Gordon Ramsey Bar & Kitchen, we spotted Gordon Ramsey himself sat in there having dinner with his family! So of course we tried to get a table for dinner there, but annoyingly it was fully booked. Unfortunately that was the theme for the evening as we tried to get into Control Room B for cocktails as well, but the line was just too long and it was time for dinner.

We landed on our feet with a gorgeous dinner at Fiume, a modern Italian restaurant inspired by the Amalfi Coast. The vibe was buzzing on a Saturday night and we had a lovely spot at the high tables overlooking the open bar and kitchen.

We shared a carafe of red wine and enjoyed some fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic to start; sometimes the simple stuff done right is just the best.

To follow, I had the most divinely indulgent vegetarian dish of Cavolo Farcito – Cabbage stuffed with Vegetables, Grana Padano Fondue and Chestnuts. My boyfriend had a delicious fresh pasta of Tortelli Parmigiana – Aubergine and Smoked Ricotta Tortelli, Tomato and Basil. We also shared a side salad of Rocket, Watercress, Onion, Chilli and Breadcrumb, the perfect accompaniment to our main courses.

Everything was delicious and despite it being a full restaurant, we didn’t have to wait long for our food to come. Fresh, wonderfully tasty and beautifully presented, I couldn’t fault our dinner date at Fiume.

Overall, we had a fun evening exploring Battersea Power Station, however there is yet more to open particularly in terms of bars and restaurants as getting a reservation anywhere on a weekend was near impossible. I’d like to visit again in the future following places like Bounce and The Arcade opening, not to mention I would highly suggest going off peak on a weekday to avoid the weekend surge of visitors.

Sky Bar; Honey Sweet Cocktail Hues

Date night this weekend with my boyfriend was at our favourite local destination for cocktails, Sky Bar at the Aviator Hotel in Hampshire. We love everything about this place, from the stunning feature staircase and glamorous bar overlooking Farnborough Airport, to the extensive menu of extravagant cocktails which every time we visit, we always say are the best we’ve ever had…and I know my cocktails!

Arriving at 8pm, it was a buzzing Saturday evening at the Aviator Hotel, so we were lucky to get a table in the bar. I was drawn to the sweet sounding honey and ginger based cocktail which came in an extra tall glass, complete with a honey dipper and garnished with a cute flower.

This decadently sweet concoction got a 10/10 from me, I was in honey heaven. Meanwhile my boyfriend went for his usual choice the ‘Air Mail’ which is a variation on a classic whiskey sour. Date night was off to a fabulous start!

Upon every visit to the Sky Bar, I can never resist an outfit photo on their iconic spiral staircase. On this occasion I wore my green ruffle bandeau top, black split hem flared leggings, green knotted mules styled with my cute little gingham shoulder handbag and usual gold jewellery to complete the look.

Whilst there is a brasserie in the hotel which we’re yet to try, they also serve food in the Sky Bar offering a varied selection of starters, salads, burgers, pizzas and other classic British dishes. I was craving a simple chicken Caesar salad, whilst my boyfriend opted for a Margarita pizza and honey drizzled chicken wings. Everything was delicious especially the honey wings, but there’s a number of other tasty looking salads on the menu which I’ll have to try next time, including a Mexican style rice salad or poke bowl, both right up my street!

Full of indulgent cocktails and wonderful food, we headed home to finish our date night with a movie. We watched Slumberland on Netflix, a heart-warming film which we enjoyed with some wine and popcorn – a perfect end to our perfect date night ❤

Sunshine Pub Biking Days

With a mini heatwave hitting England at the end of this week, we made the most of the sunshine and rode our bikes to the pub after work on Friday evening.

I’m lucky enough to ride my boyfriend’s electric bike, which is such a luxury and certainly helps having that extra boost after a drink or two at the pub!

Of course with the glorious weather comes the inevitable hayfever which was out in full force on Friday. From the minute we got to the pub I could not stop sneezing, ugh it’s the worst!

A much needed glass of crisp white wine for me and a refreshing mojito cocktail for my boyfriend, it was the perfect summer evening aperitif whilst soaking up the sun.

Back home we enjoyed a pizza and salad in the garden whilst watching Love Island on my iPad as the sunset; a dreamy little summer setup ❤

V Day Vibes; Kiss Kiss

I don’t know if it’s because we’re in lockdown so we’ll take any excuse to celebrate, or if it’s just because I’m batting for the other team this year, but I certainly felt the love shared globally this Valentines Day. Having another half to spoil and cuddle is of course a bonus, however it’s also all about letting your family and friends know how much they’re loved and most importantly indulging in some self love too.

With date night booked in for the evening with my boyfriend, I spent the day pampering and pruning which was as much about making me feel good, as it was to be looking my best for my man. In honour of V Day I stayed comfy but cute in my Victoria’s Secret silk pink stripe pyjama set complete with those super soft fluffy slides. I felt like a VS angel backstage getting ready for the show!

Despite it being another Sunday night staying in at home, it was the perfect excuse to get dolled up and feel glam for an evening of romance. I had a few options when it came to my outfit, option one being the ultimate backless moment in that high-neck cut-away body simply worn with a figure hugging pencil skirt and matching electric blue mules. Not the warmest for freezing mid February weather, so option two was these leather look skinny pants, blush pink asymmetric tie-up blouse and killer red wrap stilettos.

Sophisticated with a hint of dominatrix vibes, this would’ve been a great outfit for hitting a bar in town, but not the comfiest for an evening watching movies on the sofa. So option number three and final look of choice, was this floral low-cut playsuit paired with those sexy thigh-high black suede boots. Effortless and comfortable yet dressy and cute vamped up with awesome booties, this was the ideal combo for a Valentines night at home.

Candles lit, romantic playlist on, nibbles laid out and Italian takeaway on order, it was time to shake up some cocktails. Inspired by a recipe for a French Kiss cocktail I found on SheereLuxe.com, I put my own spin on this sweet concoction. Shook over ice I mixed together orange and mango juice, a squeeze of lime, Vodka and Chombord, resulting in that very fitting pale pink colour like it was our love potion 😉

Our Italian from the restaurant down the road La Casa soon arrived and we weren’t disappointed. I had a deliciously tasty Arrabbiata Tortiglioni with added spinach and mushrooms, whilst my boyfriend had a Caprino pizza loaded with goats cheese, caramelised onions and sweet peppers.

To balance out the carb fest I made a side salad of lettuce, rocket, cucumber and tomatoes. We enjoyed every single bite whilst sipping away at our perfectly paired full bodied Australian Shiraz red wine – Bellissimo!

Full of cheese and wine we resided to the sofa and opted for a romantic, heart-warming movie classic P.S I Love You. We then shared a cheeky piece of strawberry cheesecake, followed by a few more cocktails and some naughty chocolates to end the night.

And in honour of pancake day coming up, I spoilt my man with crepes for brunch the next morning – girlfriend goals or what? So although we couldn’t spend our Valentines wining and dining out as usual, we still shared a wonderfully romantic date night at home complete with restaurant quality food and themed cocktails made by moi. I hope you all indulged this Valentines Day too, whether that meant treating a loved one, or just spending the day loving yourself because you deserve it ❤

Kiss Kiss xx