Happy bank holiday weekend! The weather might not be showing up for us here in the UK, but that didn’t stop me and my girl friends having a fun day together in London yesterday. Our dinner at the popular Islington neighbourhood spot Nem Nem was particularly special and too good not to share with my fellow foodies.
Located on Upper Street since it opened in 2015, Nem Nem has earned a name for itself for serving the most authentically delicious, yet affordable Vietnamese food in town. With our reservation at 8pm on a Saturday night, the place was bustling and packed out with diners, so I’d definitely recommend booking to avoid disappointment.
To start we ordered a selection of dishes including the prawn summer rice paper rolls, the vegan crispy spring rolls and the vegan Hanoi battered ‘fish’. The prawn rolls were the perfect fresh, light appetiser and the vegan fish made with marinated aubergine in a light batter was incredible.
For mains I had the squid mango salad with a side of rice which I shared with my friend who was having the squid salad too. Everything was so tasty and seasoned to perfection with the herbs and spices which feature so heavily in Vietnamese cuisine.
The portions were certainly generous and with a bottle of bubbles and a few other drinks as well, the final bill came to £28 per head. An absolute bargain for a two course dinner with wine in the centre of Islington London.
Service was very attentive and friendly and we didn’t have to wait long for food despite it being peak dining time. With another restaurant now open in Hoxton called Nom Nom, I’d say this is one of North London’s best kept secrets for exquisite Vietnamese cuisine complete with plenty of vegan options too. Highly recommend this restaurant next time you’re visiting the area and looking for a good value lunch or dinner, just make sure to book beforehand! – https://www.nemnoms.co.uk
This Saturday evening we kicked off date night in a local pub garden sipping cocktails and discussing plans for a trip we’re taking to Monaco in September.
It wasn’t the warmest of summer evenings, so I wore this asymmetric oatmeal sweater from Bershka paired with these Abercrombie & Fitch dark wash jeans tucked into my Stradivarius cowboy boots.
A silk neckerchief from Le Scarf and my Coach cross body signature print handbag completed the country girl chic aesthetic this ensemble was giving.
With a Paloma as a special on the aperitifs menu, I couldn’t resist one of my favourite cocktails ideal for an early summer’s evening.
Consisting of tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda, a Paloma is the perfect twist of sweet and sour whilst being aesthetically pleasing with its gorgeous pastel pink hue.
Earlier that afternoon I had already cooked a beef bolognese from scratch which was waiting on the hob ready to dish up when we got home.
Leaving it to sit for a few hours allowed the flavours to develop and made for a deliciously rich bolognese sauce.
Whist the linguine boiled, I laid the table and prepared the rocket, parmesan and pickled onion salad dressed in balsamic vinegar.
The final dish went down a treat and we had plenty leftover for the fridge and freezer. I didn’t follow a recipe but I’ve cooked bolognese with my mum many times and the secret is lots of garlic, plenty of basil and a generous few splashes of red wine whilst it cooks down.
Bellies full of linguine bolognese, we reclined on the sofa to watch a movie as we enjoyed the rest of our red wine and some choccie for dessert.
A cute country pub garden, pretty pink cocktails, a hearty pasta dinner and our favourite red wine whilst cosying up on the sofa, what more could you want from date night? Cheers to the weekend ❤
Happy May Day Bank Holiday! Come along with me for a fun little weekend in my life vlog as I make the most of this glorious springtime sunshine with family and friends.
I show you some new updates from our house and garden, before taking my Mini for a roof-down spin and visiting our local pub garden blossoming at this time of year.
We then had a social Saturday with an afternoon drinks do at a friend’s, followed by our first BBQ of the year at home which we invited my parents to join us for… get ready for some tipsy salad making by my mum!
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 ❤
Happy Sunday! As quickly as the weekend rolls around, it’s coming to an end before you know it. Saturday evening is date night for us, so we enjoyed a weekend wine down at the local wine bar followed by an Indian for dinner.
At 7pm we headed for sundown drinks at Auriol Wines, a local wine shop in our village which recently expanded into a wine bar; I’m thrilled to finally have a sophisticated wine bar just on our doorstep.
It might be April, but there is still very much a chill in the air so I wrapped up warm for al fresco pre-dinner drinks.
I wore my oversized grey trench coat from Nakd with a pair of dark wash Hollister jeans, a black off the shoulder blouse from Pretty Little Thing, Maroon square toe ASOS boot heels, a Stradivarius check print baker boy hat and my signature print Coach Mira handbag.
With the light spring evening and pretty sunset, we decided to sit out in the cosy huts and stayed warm with the heated fur blankets.
I enjoyed a delicious glass of Sicilian white wine, whilst my boyfriend sampled three different reds with the flight taster.
We walked over the road for our 8pm reservations at the Monsoon Indian restaurant in Hartley Wintney where it was buzzing on a Saturday night. After some popadoms to start as we browsed the menu, I had a vegetable bhuna curry with green salad, whilst my boyfriend had his usual chicken korma with peshwari naan and coconut rice to share.
Sometimes the simplest of date nights are the most wholesome and fun and every once in a while nothing beats indulging in a classic curry at the local Indian. Cheers to the weekend wine down ❤
This weekend I had the pleasure of being invited along with my boyfriend to stay at the De Vere Hotel Cotswold Water Park. Nestled in the heart of 152 lakes that spread across the unique Cotswolds Water Park, its the perfect escape from the city surrounded by the honey-coloured villages and gently rolling hills of The Cotswolds.
Arriving late on Friday afternoon, we were greeted with a bottle of English Sparkling wine and personalised robes in our room.
After a quick dip in the spa pool, we popped the bubbly and enjoyed a drink on our balcony overlooking the serene scenes of the lake.
A quick outfit change and I was ready for 7pm drinks. I wore a pair of white Topshop jeans, a lace peplum Miss Selfridge cami top, Django and Juliette black mules and my velvet green Sandro handbag.
Whilst enjoying our drinks and scrumptious canapés, we were shown around the gorgeous event spaces where we are looking to host an event later this year.
I really liked the main ballroom with exposed brickwork and lovely bright furnishings with a view over the lake.
At 8pm we were treated to a private seated dinner with our group of about 15 other clients. Starter was sharing antipasti boards which is my favourite kind of appetiser and they didn’t disappoint.
For main course I had the seabass with a miso broth and dessert was a delicious chocolate fondue. All the food was exquisite and the service impeccable.
Thank you to the sales team at De Vere Cotswold Water Park for hosting such a wonderful evening and looking after us so well during our stay.
I’d highly recommend a trip to The Cotswolds for a weekend staycay in the UK and this hotel is the perfect destination with plenty to do in the surrounding area too, including all the fun water-sports on the lakes during summer. To book, visit their website here – https://www.devere.co.uk/cotswold-water-park-hotel
When it comes to a cocktail, you can never go wrong with a classic Margarita. It’s definitely an acquired taste which I’ve grown to love as my palette has matured with age. Needless to say, but Margs are not for the faint hearted!
As I finished up work on Friday I had a Margarita on my mind, so me and my boyfriend decided to hit the local cocktail bar and welcome in the weekend with a few cheeky cocktails.
I prefer my Marg on the sweeter side with a strong kick of spice and this one didn’t disappoint, it was so delicious and satisfied my craving.
For our spontaneous date night I wore my Stradivarius dark wash flared jeans, a Cotton On tie front brown top, my cropped grey blazer and a pair of ASOS lace up maroon heels to complete the glam look.
Friday nights are my favourite so I was one happy girly with a Marg in hand and the whole weekend ahead of us.
Salty, sweet and always spicy; cheers to the weekend ❤
Working in events, part of my job involves venue finding and hotel visits to scope out the best suited venues for our guests. This weekend I was kindly invited for a two night complimentary stay along with a guest to Cheshire’s Country Estate, Carden Park Hotel & Spa. With an itinerary of outdoor activities including zip lining, a gameshow gala dinner with drinks reception, and a full spa morning at their award winning spa, we were in for a fun few days experiencing the very best of Carden Park.
Arriving on Friday evening after a long four hour drive all the way from Hampshire, me and my boyfriend checked in and were greeted with a bag of treats, a bottle of their own estate sparkling wine, and this delightful dessert platter.
We unpacked and headed straight for the pool to relax and unwind following our long road trip.
A pre-dinner jacuzzi dip was the perfect way to welcome in the weekend ahead.
Soon it was time to get ready for our dinner date in Redmond’s Brasserie at 8pm.
I wore my Topshop flared split hem black trousers with this blue corset bardot top, my Boohoo electric blue mules and my new green velvet Sandro handbag.
We were generously gifted our meal along with a bottle of wine too, so we had the house red and started with the spiced butternut squash soup whilst we browsed the menu.
I opted for a favourite of mine, Caesar salad served with king prawns, whilst my boyfriend had the steak burger topped with onion rings and served with thin fries.
The restaurant was buzzing on a Friday night and despite being fully booked, the staff were attentive and the food was very nice indeed.
After dinner we went for a nightcap at the bar where we got cocktails, before heading to our room to watch Graham Norton on TV; can’t miss out on our Friday night winter tradition!
Saturday morning we awoke to the most gorgeous sunny day in Cheshire and this picture perfect view over the estate grounds from our hotel room.
We met our hosts from the hotel at 9am in the library and made our way over to the activity centre for a morning of team building games.
The activities were a mixture of logical puzzles and physical games, so there was something for everyone and it was a brilliant ice breaker to get to know everyone else on the FAM trip.
After a hot chocolate back inside to warm up, we got geared up and ready to take on the giant zip line.
Whilst it was a little nerve racking jumping off the platform, this was an awesome experience and amazing way to see right across the estate from up there. We couldn’t have been more lucky with the sunshine too, what a day for it!
At midday we had a buffet lunch and then we went back to our room to freshen up, before heading out for the afternoon to explore the local area.
For our trip into Chester I wore my Stradivarius vintage flared jeans paired with a white long sleeve pearl button through top, my Le Scarf neckerchief, a Zara cropped aviator shearling jacket, classic DKNY handbag, and my platform chelsea boot Uggs which I’m living in this winter.
Carden Park even has its own sculpture garden which we had to take a look around before heading into town.
Just a short 20 minute drive away from the hotel is the historical city of Chester with its picturesque streets lined with boutique shops, cute cafes, eclectic bars and different restaurants.
After a stroll around the magnificent Cathedral and a spot of shopping too, we stumbled across this hidden bar located down one of the many quaint alleyways which are tucked away off the main high-street.
Weekend vibes were in full swing and I was in my element sipping my bubbly as we soaked up our surroundings and the buzzing atmosphere of Chester on a Saturday arvo.
My purchase of the day was this Ganni beanie from Flannels which I’ve had my eye on for a while, so it was meant to be when I saw it.
Back at the hotel, we got ready for the drinks reception in the Shooting Suite at 7pm.
I loved the smart, tonal colours of my outfit on this evening featuring my C’est Normal brown tailored trousers, Missguided blush pink tie front blouse, a pair of Next square toe nude mules, these fabulous gold statement earrings, and not forgetting my velvet green Sandro handbag to complete the glam look.
Upon arrival to the drinks reception we were served a pink gin fizz cocktail and canapés to whet our appetite.
The dinner was hosted gameshow style, so the four tables of ten went up against each other throughout the evening to be crowned winners. Unfortunately our table didn’t win, but we gave it a good shot with second place and had a laugh together in the process.
We were treated to a four course menu curated by Executive Chef Graham Tinsley MBE, who talked us through the journey and details of each course too.
To start was a fish dish of pan fried mullet with bouillabaisse sauce, saffron potatoes, rouille emulsion, garlic croutes and tempura mussels.
Main course was this exquisite roast rack of Welsh lamb with a dijon mustard and herb crust, caramelised Chou rave puree, confit Chou rave, turned carrot and Navarin sauce.
Chef even carved this in the room and it smelt divine, what a showstopper!
Dessert was a delectable reverse chocolate fondant with a liquid Cointreau centre and a yoghurt sorbet.
And not forgetting the cheese course of brie a la truffe with a savoury pain perdu, quince jelly and puree. A serious tasting experience which I won’t be forgetting anytime soon, hats off to the chef!
The next day we had a morning session at the award winning Spa at Carden Park.
Whilst it was a cold and rainy day outside, the thermal outdoor pools and jacuzzis kept us warm.
Back inside I relaxed on a lounger with my favourite high fashion magazines.
Warmed in a panoramic sauna or basking in the outdoor vitality pool, this was the perfect Sunday morning reset.
The sleek, scandi style design is very aesthetically pleasing and creates the ideal atmosphere of calm and zen you want from a spa.
A final champagne brunch was then served at 12pm in the Elements restaurant, where we dined in our robes and regrouped with the other guests.
I had a refreshing mix of red berries, melon and pineapple with greek yoghurt and a long black coffee. I also tried the Carden estate sparkling wine which was delicious, a lot smoother than a typical champagne or prosecco.
It was then time to checkout and say our farewells to the wonderful team at Carden and our lovely fellow attendees on the FAM stay.
We had a truly tremendous weekend being treated to the very best that Carden Park Hotel & Spa has to offer. From the friendly staff and exceptional culinary experiences, to the plethora of fun activities and charming Cheshire countryside surroundings, I would highly recommend a stay at Carden Park Hotel & Spa.
Thanks again to the team for their kind hospitality this weekend ❤
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! ❤
Happy bank holiday babes! I can’t believe it’s coming to the end of August already, where has summer gone? I kicked off the long weekend with Friday drinks at the pub followed by a girls night with my bestie on Saturday evening.
I wore my pink Stradivarius flared jeans to brighten up yet another grey August day, and paired these with this tie back Nakd grey vest and my chunky pearl sliders.
Despite the overcast weather, it was still warm enough to sit outside and enjoy a few drinks and snacks together at sunset. It’s not a girl dinner without nibbles and I won’t be missing any opportunity to put out a mezze of picky bits in my favourite bowls.
Following our holiday to Mallorca, me and the girls have been obsessed in a Greek Salad. Quick, easy, healthy and delicious, this is the ultimate girl dinner moment.
To accompany our big bowl of goodness, I heated up a sun-dried tomato flatbread for our carbs and served it with some Italian salad leaves too.
This was the perfect girl dinner to graze and enjoy as we chatted away and reminisced about our wonderful Mallorca memories from our holiday a few weeks back; cheers to cute girl dinners ❤
Dani Aneka 