A few months back I was thrilled to hear news of a wine bar opening in our village. Auriol Wines in Hartley Wintney has been an established wine shop for over 25 years and following a refurbishment, last month they reopened their doors as a wine bar too.
We couldn’t wait to try our new local, so we visited a few weeks back and tried their taster flight – three different wines of your choice to taste for £10.
Some pretzels and fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic was the perfect pairing to sample our wines.
They’ve done a great job of turning the shop into a classy little wine bar complete with quirky yet tasteful interiors, creating a cosy and friendly atmosphere.
This weekend we were back again to try yet more wine and sample one of their delicious looking cheese and charcuterie boards. We opted for the medium platter of four cheeses and meats served with crackers, pretzels, grapes, rocket and chutney.
All of their cheeses are locally sourced and were divine, my favourite was the Heckfield. Portion size was very generous and our bottle of Australian Grenache red wine was a wonderful pairing to the assortment of different cheeses.
We’ve been waiting years for our village to open a wine bar as it’s the ideal location and plenty of customers on the doorstep, business will thrive there no doubt.
The team at Auriol Wines have done a fantastic job of transforming the shop into a lovely wine bar locals will love. I know I’ll be visiting on the regular for date nights and my weekend wine fix with the girl gang ❤
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! ❤
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! ❤
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 ❤
It’s Easter Monday and we’re nearing the end of the long bank holiday weekend now. It’s a glorious time of year as spring is in the air, everyone slows down for the extra long weekend and we can finally look forward to the exciting summer season ahead.
Good Friday I spent the morning cleaning the house and getting the garden furniture out ready for the long weekend set to be warm and sunny. These fresh bunch of colourful tulips for the dining room looked particularly beautiful basking in the golden sunlight of the afternoon.
With the house clean and my work done for the week, I couldn’t wait to get down to a local pub garden and soak up the stunning weather with a glass of bubbly in hand.
I just love spring fashion as we can put away those winter coats and embrace layering and accessorising again. So on Friday I wore these vintage flared Stradivarius jeans, my C’est Normal strap tank top, Topshop square toe snakeskin mules, H&M Celine dupe handbag, a pair of cat eye sunnies and my current accessory obsession, a silk neck scarf – tres chic!
I then layered a denim overshirt with a long oversized cardigan on top to keep warm sat outside, as there’s still a chill in the air this time of year. Rooftop down on my Mini Cooper, tunes playing and the sun shining, bank holiday weekend vibes were in full swing and I was on a high.
That evening we went to my boyfriend’s parents for our first BBQ of the year. They also just bought this awesome fire pit for their garden, which we christened for the first time and huddled around enjoying our desserts once the sun went down.
Saturday afternoon I went to watch my boyfriend ride the jumps, before we went to the pub and ended up with his mates at the local Indian curry house for dinner. Spontaneous days like these are what the long weekends are made for.
Easter Sunday we didn’t have any plans with the family for once, so we went on a bike ride which ended up muddier than expected as we went across country fields on the way home…not good news for my brand new trainers!
After our adventure on the bikes, we enjoyed a chilled afternoon and evening at home complete with my favourite mezze nibbles, more wine and a delicious stone baked pizza from Aldi served with plenty of salad of course.
What a wonderful bank holiday weekend we had just taking it easy, being a bit spontaneous and getting outside making the most of the spring air and glorious sunshine; happy days ❤
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 ❤
I love an excuse to get dolled up and spending a Saturday arvo with my best girlfriends enjoying a boozy brunch. Having been a few birthdays in the group recently, we decided to book a bottomless brunch this weekend followed by a night out in East London. Let the antics commence!
With the weather still on the cooler side at the moment, I decided to wear my long over the knee boots with my black NEUW denim jeans, a white one sleeve asymmetric crop top, check print Stradivarius blazer, my usual gold jewellery, cute sunnies and my green fur coat to keep warm.
Brunch was booked for late afternoon at Raspa@100 Hoxton, a Filipino fusion restaurant offering a great bottomless brunch deal lasting 100 minutes for £38 each. We made the most of the drinks swapping between cocktails, slushies, prosecco of course and they even treated us to shots on the house.
The food spread was delicious and nice to have something different to the usual brunch menu options. Livy had the pork belly silog breakfast served with garlic fried rice, fried eggs & pickle, whilst Lucy had the halloumi finger sandwich and Cara opted for the sweet option of banana & buttermilk French toast.
My dish was the karoke which are Korean potato croquettes served with poached eggs, chilli dressing and a cheese sauce. The flavours in this were sensational and that pool of chilli dressing sauce was just to die for.
Bellies full of brunch and booze, we walked over to nearby Shoreditch to have more drinks at The Bike Shed which was buzzing on a Saturday evening in town.
Another bottle of wine later, and it was time to head over to the Drag Bingo we had tickets for. I was unsure of what to expect but needless to say we had a fabulous time!
Sure enough we ended our night tearing up the dance floor in another bar. Being friends since infant school, anytime we get together we have such a laugh and never take ourselves too seriously.
I think this picture beuatifully sums up my true happiness and joy following a day of love and laughter with my very best girlfriends; let’s stay forever young at heart. ❤
We’re well into March and British Summer Time begins next week! I’m a summer girl at heart so I couldn’t be more excited for spring and the summer season ahead. Bring on those long days and warm summer evenings chilling in the garden having al fresco dinners on repeat.
Spring is also a fun opportunity to change up your wardrobe and experiment with layering separates including tees, shirts and blazers. As the weather warms up I can finally wear more interesting pieces like this cold shoulder backless sweater which I simply paired with black jeans, Chelsea boots and a fedora hat for Friday night drinks at the pub.
I recently purchased this cute khaki tank top from Zara as a perfect little transitional piece great for layering too. I styled it with a silk neckerchief, flared jeans, platform maroon boots, plenty of gold jewellery and my long trench coat thrown on top for a Saturday night dinner date with the family.
We went for a lovely meal at El Castello where we enjoyed a delicious spread of Italian food and wine in celebration of Mother’s Day and my brother’s Birthday. I had my favourite seafood linguine dish and I shared a yummy cheesecake for dessert with my boyfriend.
Now I’m winding down after the weekend and having a chilled Sunday evening at home before another busy week of work ahead. We’ve made it through a long English winter so springtime couldn’t come sooner ❤
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.
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 😉 ❤
Dani Aneka 