I’m a Summer girl through and through, so nothing makes me happier than gloriously sunny Springtime days knowing Summer is just around the corner.
With little signs of Spring throughout April, here in the UK we’ve been anticipating the warmer weather for a long time now. Finally our wishes came true earlier this week and over the weekend, as we’ve been showered with stunning sunshine and temperatures we usually only get in the height of Summer.
Our local pub The Mutton opened their garden on Friday and treated us regulars to a spread of their new garden bites menu, the most delightful way to welcome in the weekend!
I was so excited to be getting the garden furniture out at home too and enjoying al fresco drinks soaking up the sun over the weekend.
Soon we’ll be going on countryside bike rides again, firing up the BBQ and celebrating the summer with friends and family; bring on those euphoric summertime vibes ❤
Summer holidays are the perfect time to have fun with fashion and get creative with pieces you might not get much chance to wear back home. I’m a sucker for boho beachwear and cute bikinis so naturally these become my everyday essentials on holiday, as well as summer hats and always a pair of statement sunnies to complete the look. From a casual coffee date look to the more glam beach club fit, I want to feel my very best everyday on holiday and it’s a chance to switch things up with different accessories like shell earrings and stacked beaded bracelets. Every night is date night when you’re on vacation too, so there’s always an excuse to get dolled up and show off that glowing holiday tan.
As we can finally get excited for the summer season ahead, I hope this lookbook I filmed in Bali gives you some inspiration for your next holiday. Continue reading to get the details of each look, and don’t forget to watch the full edit on my YouTube channel here – https://youtu.be/QMJs0h4XnYY?si=2YI06phcVMj6CIIV
Although September officially marks the end of Summer and start of Autumn, we tend to forget what a lovely month September can be.
So with the weather forecast set to be a scorcher this weekend, I made the most of it and took my Mini Cooper for a topdown spin around the country lanes as soon as I finished work on Friday.
I just love getting my roof down on the Cooper and soaking up the summer sun, something I haven’t got to do a lot this summer given the rubbish August weather unfortunately.
I was channelling my inner cowgirl with this fun outfit inspired by my awesome Lack of Colours cream rancher hat and my Stradivarius brown cowboy boots.
I wore a pair of Levi 501 dark wash denim shorts, this Zara waistcoat style striped yellow-orange shirt, my Celine dupe H&M brown check handbag, classic round frame Ray Ban sunnies and a blue paisley neckerchief to complete the cowgirl aesthetic.
That evening we rode our bikes to the pub and had an al fresco dinner back home with that lovely warm summer evening air. As the sun set and the stars came out, our gorgeous solar powered lanterns and spotlights lit up the garden; I just love cosying up outside on warm summer nights like these.
The next evening we were off to the Aviator Hotel in Farnborough for cocktails and dinner on their outdoor terrace.
When we arrived, the sun was just setting over Farnborough Airport and the sky was the perfect hue of pink and orange.
It was stunning watching the final few minutes of golden hour as private jets took off and landed at the airport, making for the picture perfect moment.
I always have to get a photo on the famous feature staircase at the Aviator Hotel every time we visit as it’s such a unique piece of interior design, I love it.
For the occasion I wore my Zara white cropped flared jeans, this backless tie back baby blue crop top, my favourite Senso blush pink mule heels, my Dune London white crochet gold chain handbag, MiuMiu sunnies popped on my head and a chic flower neck corsage to finish my elegant date night look.
Out on the terrace we had magnificent views of the airfield as dusk set in and the moon rose. I started with this sweet Amaretto Mango Sour cocktail, a refreshing beverage to quench my thirst on such a humid evening.
For dinner we ordered from their bar menu as opposed to the Brasserie and we were very happy with our food choices. My boyfriend went for the BBQ glazed ribs with smokey beans, slaw and fries which was all delicious.
I had a summer salad of Ox tomato, buffalo mozzarella, grilled peach, balsamic glaze and grilled chicken. The combination of fresh flavours was heavenly and the addition of sweet peach paired perfectly with this traditional dish.
My post dinner cocktail of choice was of course an Espresso Martini and it didn’t disappoint, this was one of the best I’ve ever had!
It was another clear and starry night which we enjoyed sat outside back home in our garden with a glass of red as our night cap.
So it would seem sun has set on the Summer 2023 season here in the UK, however we’re lucky enough to be going on holiday next week to Cyprus, where their summer doesn’t show any signs of ending yet… so stay tuned for more summer holiday content to come! ❤
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! ❤
Dani Aneka 