Winter season is here so its time to get cosy and embrace cute winter fashion, indulge in foodie delights and soak up the wonderful family time.
I might be a summer girl at heart, but I can certainly get on board when it comes to snuggling in front of a film on a cold winters night, or perhaps treating myself to a cheeky cheeseboard…or two!
So grab a hot choccie, a warming cuppa or even a glass of red, and enjoy coming along with me for a jam packed social month of November.
Monaco is the epitome of sophistication and class when it comes to wining and dining and we were keen to experience some of the most famous and highly rated hotspots. Here is a brief review of the restaurants and bars we had the pleasure of trying during our long weekend in Monte-Carlo.
*Cafe De Paris
For 150 years, it has been the beating heart of Monaco. Standing proudly on the Place du Casino, the Café De Paris Monte-Carlo is one of the legends of the Principality. An iconic brasserie where celebrities and artists, locals and visitors alike enjoy meeting up at any time of the day, whatever the occasion, to enjoy the art of living, a coffee, something sweet, or a meal to share.
We enjoyed an aperitif at the spectacular feature bar before being seated at our cosy booth table for dinner.
The opulent interiors give art deco vibes and the rich red and gold tones add to the grandeur of the main dining room.
I had a classic Caesar salad with prawns and a side of mixed vegetables; simple yet delicious.
My boyfriend had the roast farmhouse chicken served with vegetables and baby new potatoes.
Everything was exquisite and the service impeccable as you’d expect, a 10/10 fabulous experience at the famous Cafe De Paris Monte-Carlo.
We also went back for a coffee and cake overlooking the Monte-Carlo square on a sunny Sunday afternoon and it was delightful.
*Neptune
Located on Monaco’s Larvotto Beach in a chic and relaxed atmosphere, Neptune offers a creative menu of Mediterranean flavours.
We dined al fresco on the Saturday evening surrounded by palm trees and fairy lights with a live DJ too, making for the perfect date night vibes.
To start we shared the ham and cheese croquettes which were just divine.
For main course I opted for the grilled octopus in a rich marinara sauce served on top of a crisp potato rosti, a deliciously different and tasty dish.
It was an old favourite for my boyfriend, the margarita pizza topped with sun-dried tomatoes, burrata and basil. Service was superb and the chilled al fresco atmosphere made for ideal date night scenes.
*Song Qi
On our final night we were craving a different cuisine, so we found Song Qi Chinese which looked luxurious with it’s beautiful interiors featuring silky green banquettes and flower walls.
Opening in 2014 and born from the gastronomic passion of Riccardo Giraudi, the goal of Song Qi is to provide Monte-Carlo a modern fine dining Chinese restaurant.
For entrées we shared the duck lettuce wraps and a smoked chicken hot and sour soup.
The stir-fried shiitake mushrooms and vegetables in a Piri Piri sauce was my choice for main, whilst my boyfriend had the chicken Kung Po with cashew nut and chillis and we shared a portion of jasmine rice.
Despite the spicy heat of our dishes, it was all exquisite and by far the best Chinese food we’ve had for a long time.
*Amazonica
Moving onto bars, we went to Amazonica upon recommendation from a friend as well as lots of hype about it online.
On a Friday night it was very busy, but we managed to get a table for drinks on the rooftop with a view of the Monte-Carlo skyline.
We ordered three fun cocktails including a smokey mojito, a classic espresso martini and the star of the show, a sweet concoction served in this awesome jaguar head.
Whilst the cocktails were tasty and the vibes on point for a Friday night, unfortunately we had to vacate our table after an hour and just to stand at the bar. I would recommend making a reservation beforehand to avoid this situation, but otherwise it’s a very cool and trendy place with aesthetic interiors.
*Buddah Bar
An exotic and chic venue at the heart of Monte Carlo, Buddha Bar is the trendiest restaurant-bar-lounge in the heart of Monaco. This establishment offers a decor inspired by the Garnier Opera House in Paris, with a subtle mixture of gilded mouldings, ancient sculptures and a colonial Asian setting.
We found ourselves here on the Saturday night following our dinner at Neptune for night cap cocktails. I went super spicy whilst my boyfriend chose a sweet cocktail.
Sat at the main bar area with the giant buddha statue overlooking us, this is another fabulous spot for drinks which echoes that old school money sophistication and glamour of Monaco.
*Le Note Bleue
During our first stroll down to the beach front, we stopped at Le Note Bleue for an afternoon drink in the glorious sunshine. I’d seen online this was a highly rated spot and we got talking to a local couple there with their dog who said it’s their favourite restaurant in the area.
With the French Riviera style white umbrellas and palms decorating the terrace seating, it’s the most picturesque setting for an afternoon lunch or drink on the beach.
So that’s my roundup of the best restaurants and bars we tried whilst in Monaco and there’s no denying the excellent standard of gastronomy; what else would you expect from the land of the rich and wealthy!?
Cheers to a weekend of the chicest wining and dining experiences in Monaco ❤
When looking into where was best to stay in Santorini, we settled on the smaller town of Imerovigli situated between the capital Fira and popular larger town of Oia. This turned out to be the best decision not only because it avoids the busy tourist hotspots, but this area has some of the most stunning, uninterrupted views off the beaten track at sunset.
On night one I booked a table at The Wine Bar in the centre of Imerovigli, to have drinks and dinner as we watched our first sundown over the Caldera.
Whilst this was on the pricier side of places we ate, the wine was divine and we enjoyed our selection of dishes including pitta bread, olives, pulled pork sliders and a Greek feta salad of course.
Just next door to the bar was a white rooftop, simply perfect for those gorgeous golden hour shots.
We spent our afternoons soaking up the scorching Greek sun on our private balcony with plunge pool at Cresanto Luxury Suites, just a 5 minute walk from the town of Imerovigli.
The hotel also had a main infinity pool with loungers where we could order cocktails poolside too.
Now these are the kind of Monday blues I’m talking about!
Our private balcony provided the ultimate spot for handstand practice and I would often do my workout routine in the mornings here, before jumping straight in the pool to cool off.
One of the most incredible locations for sunset away from the crowds was Skaros Rock on the cliffside of Imerovigli.
We hiked over to the other side of the rock where there is a deserted church with the most breathtaking sweeping views of the Caldera at sundown.
Unlike the tourist hotspots in Oia and Fira, we had the place all to ourselves making this a hidden gem for golden hour.
Strolling around the town, we finally found the famous spot overlooking those iconic blue top churches.
Once the sun went down each night, the moon came out to glow over the white wash buildings of Santorini.
One evening we decided to take a sunset stroll to this church on the hill which we could see from our hotel.
Walking along this coastal path on the outskirts of Imerovigli was so peaceful and once again, away from any crowds of tourists.
Along the way we stumbled across the super luxurious CavoTagoo hotel where there is currently a Roka Restaurant popup.
Here we stopped to enjoy sundown cocktails with yet more spectacular views of the Caldera and sun dipping below the horizon.
This was a more popular spot in Imerovigli, but we got a table and soaked up the sunset whilst sipping our delicious cocktails.
That evening we strolled into the centre of Imerovigli and ended up at a local restaurant called Mama Lena.
We had courgette fritters with tzatziki to start, followed by rice stuffed peppers for me and a vegetable tomato linguine for my boyfriend. A much more reasonably priced restaurant serving traditional Greek food.
The local kebab shop called Jimmy’s Souvlaki on the main street of Imerovigli, became my boyfriend’s favourite place to grab a classic Greek lunch of chicken gyros.
On reflection we would choose to stay in the town of Imerovigli again given there’s far less tourists, there’s plenty of 5* luxury hotels and suites to choose from, and there’s no denying the outstanding sweeping views of the iconic Caldera ❤
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! ❤
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 😉 ❤
Happy Sunday babes! I can’t believe it’s already the final day of July… where is summer going? This Saturday me and my boyfriend took a little day trip into London town to make use of our Buy A Gift vouchers we had for a Thames river cruise and the London Eye.
We started the day with a quick browse on Bond Street before heading to Carnaby Street for lunch at Kingly Court. We had our favourite vegan burritos in town from Club Mexicana, a fully vegan Mexican restaurant chain which even meat eaters will love.
From Westminster Pier we then caught a City Cruise boat for a tour down the river. It was great to see the city from a different perspective on the river and the live tour guide commentary was very interesting and actually quite amusing too.
Despite it being overcast, it was in fact a very warm and pleasant summers day in London. Following our cruise down the Thames, unfortunately we didn’t make it in time for the London Eye which to our surprise, closes at 6pm! So instead we went to Between the Bridges on Southbank for pre-dinner drinks, naughty chippies and some live music.
For dinner I booked us a table at Cote located at Hays Galleria with a terrace over looking London Bridge. It was lovely warm summers evening perfect for an al fresco dinner riverside.
I had my favourite Paillard Salad served with chargrilled chicken breast, French beans, endive, lettuce, hazelnuts, croûtons, tarragon and caper dressing. My boyfriend had the classic minute steak served pink with garlic butter, peppercorn sauce and frites. As usual the food at Cote was divine and service was fantastic, French cuisine at its finest!
I couldn’t resist a cheeky Espresso Martini to finish my meal. We had a long train journey back so this was more than necessary and the perfect way to end our summers day in the city, as those stunning golden hues showered the sky at sundown ❤
The UK sun is here to stay as it’s set to be a scorching few weeks of glorious sunshine ahead. So with the first heatwave this weekend, I booked an al fresco dinner date with my boyfriend at the Bel and the Dragon in Odiham.
Cowboy boots are having a major comeback and I’m here for it! I finally got a pair from Stradivarius and I’m obsessed; they go with everything from jeans and shorts, to cute dresses and skirts.
With it being almost thirty degrees on Saturday, I paired my boots with denim shorts, a white tank and my oversized Jaeger blazer to keep the chill off my shoulders later into the evening.
We sat outside in the quaint courtyard of the pub which was buzzing on this stunning summers day. I enjoyed a crisp glass of white wine as we browsed the menu and soaked up the wonderful atmosphere.
For dinner I chose a delicious linguine of Devon crab served with spring onions and chopped chilli & garlic, whilst my boyfriend had the grilled 9oz Hampshire ribeye steak medium-rare served with triple-cooked chips and peppercorn sauce.
We also shared a side of roasted broccoli with chilli and garlic. The food was exquisite and the service impeccable, definitely a step-up from your average pub and it felt like such a treat. Very satisfied customers indeed.
We enjoyed another drink together there in the final hours of daylight before heading over to another pub for more drinks with friends. A perfect little summer’s date night with my boyfriend.
I just love getting dressed up and experimenting with cute outfits for our date nights. I’ve always loved my fashion and so these fun evenings out are a chance to get creative and feel fabulous in my carefully curated wardrobe of clothes – cheers to expressing yourself! ❤
Paris; A beautiful city full of charm, elegance, history, art, architecture, fashion, food, nightlife and of course, LOVE. This weekend me and my boyfriend spent two days exploring this magnificent European city for ourselves. With only 48 hours in town, we didn’t waste a minute and managed to cover most of the most famous hotspots whilst sampling the best of French cuisine and soaking up the glorious early summer sunshine.
Taking the Eurostar from St Pancras on Friday evening, we found ourselves in the centre of Paris within a matter of a few hours. Having booked through the Eurostar with hotel combo deal, we checked into our lovely 4* boutique HotelMademoiselle, only a 5 minute walk from Gare du Norde train station.
Waking up fresh from a good nights sleep following our journey, Saturday morning we strolled the streets of the local area and grabbed a quick breakfast at a cute corner cafe.
We then headed straight for the Eiffel Tower where we found this famous side street Rue de l’Universite for that picture perfect photo.
A quick whip around the supermarche and we had ourselves a throw together French style picnic by the river overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
From there, we walked to the Champs-Elysees for an afternoon browsing the shops before we reached the Arc de Triomphe.
Following the madness of the tourist spots on a Saturday afternoon, we stopped by Cafe De Paris for an early evening drink in the sunshine and much needed rest from our feet.
A quick stop back at the hotel to freshen up and we were ready for a night out in Paris. Destination Moulin Rouge, an iconic landmark I had to visit during our stay and only a 10 minute Uber from our hotel.
This area was buzzing on a Saturday night, so we found a local brasserie where we could sit out on the street with our dinner and soak up the those Parisian nightlife vibes. Our night continued into the early hours with cocktails and a traditional Nutella crepe for desert at 2am!
Sunday late morning, we made our way over to Le Recrutement Cafe for brunch with a view of the Eiffel Tower.
We then decided to spend the afternoon on a hop-on and hop-off bus tour around the city, a super easy way to navigate all of the tourist spots in one day.
The Louvre was a highlight with its stunning modern architecture juxtapose to the grandeur of the surrounding historic buildings.
Back at our hotel that evening, we enjoyed sundown drinks with an exquisite charcuterie board amongst the gorgeous French aesthetic of their courtyard at Hotel Mademoiselle.
We had to see the Eiffel Tower by night, so for dinner we went back to the river for a delicious Italian at Firmine.
The light show is on the hour every hour until midnight, so we had cocktails at the nearby Frame Brasserie from where we had views of the Eiffel Tower.
For the final light display at midnight, we had front row seats in the park for undisrupted views of this incredible spectacle. It felt like a dream seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle by night, showering the city in golden hues; simply divine and tres romantique.
Before we new it, Monday morning rolled around and it was time to hop back on the Eurostar to London. This was a whistle stop tour but we certainly made the most of our time here and emersed ourselves within the Parisian culture. I have fallen in love with the vibe of this exciting city with its chic style and vibrant charm; we will be seeing you again soon Paris, merci beaucoup ❤
With it being International Women’s Day last week, me and the girls decided to get together on Thursday for a ladies night complete with fine wine, good food, plenty of chats and countless giggles.
We went over to our friend’s house who welcomed us with vino and nibbles before a delicious dinner. She served baked salmon fillets in a ginger and garlic marinade alongside greens and veggie dumplings, it was delicious.
I don’t know what I’d do without my girlfriends to guide and support me along the confusing journey we call life. I’m so very lucky to have such strong friendships that go back to childhood, so we really do know each other inside out and can tell each other anything.
This short excerpt on female friendships perfectly sums up the special bond I have with my girlies. Cheers to my ladies and soul sisters for life ❤
I love any excuse to put together a classic cheeseboard alongside a delicious spread of nibbles and plenty of vino too of course! So with my bestie coming over on Saturday evening for a long overdue catchup, I set the table, lit the candles and cracked open a bottle of wine ready for our gals date night.
Hours of chatting and a few bottles of wine later, we could’ve continued nattering away into the early hours. My cheeseboard and perfectly paired nibbles went down a treat – grazing platters really are the best!
Whilst everyday life gets very hectic for us all, me and my bestie can always rely on each other no matter how much time passes. I’m lucky enough to have found my soul sister and cherish these times together very much so ❤
Dani Aneka 