Tag: wine

Cosy Winter Weekends

November 13, 2022

Happy Sunday! We’re well and truly into the winter months here in England as I sit writing this at 4:30pm and it’s already dark… whilst I am definitely a summer girl at heart, there is something so comforting and heart-warming about cosying up inside on these long winter evenings.

For me winter is all about the good TV and film which comes out this time of year, enjoying indulgent food (in particular a cheeseboard of course) and going to the pub to sit in front of the fire with friends whilst lapping up the red wine and maybe even a cocktail or two.

November also brings with it firework night alongside my Mum’s birthday too, so for our family it’s always a time to celebrate. A yearly tradition has evolved recently where my boyfriend and Dad have the time of their lives letting off the crazy firework boxes from Costco which is both exciting and terrifying!

For my Mum’s birthday celebrations on the 6th November, we went over to my brother and his wife’s gorgeous newly renovated house in Bromley. They have a wonderful entertaining space there now with an open plan dining kitchen area finished with touches of Scandi style furniture and details; I particularly love the deep fern green kitchen cupboards and marble work top.

They always put on an incredible spread of food and on this occasion we were treated to a classic, hearty chilli con carne with all the accompaniments which was delicious. They also made this Mexican inspired salad including a mix of greens, asparagus, avocado, a creamy homemade dressing and heaps of parmesan. I need to get the full recipe, I’m obsessed!

We had a fabulous day celebrating Mum’s birthday. These special moments with family are so precious and I can’t wait for more fun times together as we dive into the festive season ahead ❤

London Town; Summer in the City

July 31, 2022

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 ❤

48 Hours in P A R I S

May 23, 2022

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 Hotel Mademoiselle, 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 ❤

Parisian Aesthetic

April 3, 2022

It’s official, we have our tickets booked for Paris next month! Taking the Eurostar from St. Pancras London, we’ll be staying in the centre of the city for a long weekend in May.

I’ve always wanted to visit the famous city of Paris, so with summer just around the corner it was time to get our trip booked. I’m anticipating a romantic weekend together with my boyfriend, indulging in delicious Parisian cuisine and guzzling fine French wines from afternoon through to evening, when the Eiffel Tower sparkles by night.

A picnic by the Eiffel Tower complete with croissants, a baguette, fruit, cheese and champagne is a must. Of course I’ll have to visit some designer shops on our trip and I’m also keen to discover local bars and restaurants for the most authentic Parisian experience.

I can’t wait to stroll the beautiful streets of Paris and explore the many famous city landmarks; I’ve already got my beret packed and ready for those picture perfect shots! See you soon Paris ❤

Women, Ladies, Girls; Let’s Unite

March 13, 2022

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 ❤

Chapter 2 7

January 30, 2022

On Wednesday 26th January 2022 I officially entered my late twenties and welcomed in chapter 27 of my life. It’s been quite the week of celebrations and so amazing to be with my family and friends again following a lockdown birthday last year.

I had a wonderful family birthday dinner on the big day at Giggling Squid in Farnham. I was even surprised by my brother who I didn’t know was coming all the way from London to join us for the occasion.

I’m very lucky to be so close to my family and it was the best birthday present I could wish for to have us all there celebrating together.

After our cocktails to kick off the evening, we shared a selection of starters including delicious squid and duck spring rolls. For mains I opted for a traditional vegetable red Thai curry which was exquisite.

At the end of our meal I was presented with this gorgeous birthday desert and everyone sang Happy Birthday. It was a joy to be with my family just chatting, laughing and enjoying the moment over fantastic food and drinks, we didn’t leave the restaurant until they were closing!

With my birthday being midweek, I decided to invite my girlfriends over for an evening at my house on Saturday.

My birthday fit for the night was this stunning backless silver blouse along with my stretchy flared pants and cute fluffy slider slippers – dressy but comfy.

I absolutely love hosting so I was super excited to setup the dining room and prepare a spread of nibbles as well as my famous cheeseboard platter of course. Candles lit, music playing and prosecco popped, I was ready to welcome the girls for a fun cosy evening at home.

A number of bottles of bubbly and wine later, we’d had such a beautiful night full of catchups and plenty of laughs, those girls really are my soulmates.

Now its Sunday evening and I’m feeling so content and happy following such a fabulous birthday week. It’s certainly been an epic start to the year already and I can’t wait to see what chapter twenty seven of my lift has in store.

Stay sane, stay wild ❤

Soul Sisters; Catchups and Vino

December 12, 2021

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 ❤