Tuesday 17 October 2017

VEENO | The Italian Wine Café

Hey Everyone! 

On Sunday the lovely folks at Veeno Wine Bar invited me down to try their Selezione wine tasting experience at one of their new branches in Reading. This branch has only been open for 6 weeks but i can already see it becoming an incredibly popular place to go with friends, family and partners. They have a gorgeous al fresco area out the front, which would be perfect for a social gathering in the summer with a glass of wine in hand!
We were greeted at the door by the friendly and warm staff and shown to our table, the decor is very light and bright with fantastic fittings matching the wine bar perfectly. The bottle lights, corks in the tables and the rustic looking tasting room made a lovely touch.
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Sunday 1 October 2017

TRAVEL | UK Bucket List

Hey Everyone! 

One of mine and my boyfriends favourite things to do is go on an Adventure, UK.. Europe or Worldwide every place is different and every destination is a new experience. With that in mind i think every adventurer needs needs their very own bucket list.. It's all very well and good talking about bucket lists, but writing them down and ticking them off feels like such a accomplishment! I've loved every minute of putting this together and can't wait to share more.. So to start, is my top places in the UK i want to visit or already have.. 

1. Climb the ancient volcano St Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh and take in the views of the beautiful city of Edinburgh
2. Visit the beautiful White Cliffs in Beach Head, East Sussex ✔️

3.
Taste Scotland's finest Whiskies at a distillery in Scotland 
4. Explore Scotland's Cairngorms, take a journey on the funicular and have a drink at the the Ptarmigan restaurant which is the highest in the UK ✔️

5. Explore Hadrian's Wall in Cumbria
6. Visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct and get a glimpse of a steam train on its way to Hogwarts!  ✔️
7. Complete a 10k Obstacle run.. (even if it was by accident!) ✔️
8. Find Nessy on a boat tour in the Loch Ness, Scotland ✔️
9. Go and find the seal in St.Ives Harbour, Cornwall 
11. Fly over a Welsh Quarry on Europe's longest Zipline at Zipworld 
12. Visit Skomer Island in Wales and see the Puffins
13. Frolic amongst the lavender at Mayfield Lavender fields ✔️

14. Visit the Greyfriars Kirkyard to seek out the grave of Tom Riddell, who many fans believe lent his name to JK Rowlings Voldemort
15. Explore the beautiful lakes of the Lake District ✔️

16. Learn about the crimes of Jack the Ripper on a walking tour in London ✔️
17. Climb all three of the UKs most popular peaks! (Ben Nevis, Snowdonia ✔️ & Scaffel Pike ✔️) 

18. Try and find a topless Ross at the Poldark Mines of St Agnes, Cornwall 
19. Attend the weird festival that is Bestival ✔️
20. Stay in the Tiger Lodge at Port Lymph Safari Resort
21. Eat a Cornish Pasty from a traditional Cornish Bakery ✔️
22. Visit the Eden Project, Cornwall ✔️ 
23. Hunt for ghosts at Bodmin Jail, Cornwall ✔️ 
24. Watch a Movie on Brighton beach at sunset ✔️

25. Walk the corridors of Hogwarts at Lacock Abbey in Bath ✔️ 
26. Indulge in too much chocolate at the Cadbury's Factory in Bourneville ✔️ 
27. Hunt for fossils on the Jurassic Coast and explore Durdle Door

28. Explore the incredible cheddar gorge and it's caves ✔️ 
29. See a show at the worlds famous Minack's open aired Theatre in Cornwall  
30. Stay at the Shangri-La Hotel At The Shard, London

So.. there we have it my bucket list of 30 things in the UK i would love to, or already have done! I've had so much fun writing this and can't wait to share my next bucket list which will either be Europe or Worldwide! 

Which places would you recommend.. or have been too, what's your favourite on the list? 



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Thursday 14 September 2017

TRAVEL | Prague

Hey Everyone! 

Back in April it was mine and the boys 6 year anniversary. We decided to spend it somewhere special and booked a 4 day break to the beautifully romantic city of Prague. Yet again we stayed in a charming Air B & B located about a 10 minute walk from the Charles Bridge.. (check it out here!) it couldn't of been in a better location and it was the perfect base for our anniversary trip. The communication both before and whilst we where in Prague where fantastic and the flat was almost brand new and spotless. 

I had pre-ordered a shuttle with a private taxi company called Prague Airport Transfers. I booked very easily online and they where fantastic to deal with, super friendly and on time. On the way back to the airport the weather was awful, we contacted them and asked if we could bring the transfer forward. They promptly dealt with our enquiry and sent a private car within about 15 minutes..! Really fantastic service and worth pre-booking. 

The Charles Bridge
Probably the most famous part of Prague is the beautifully constructed Charles Bridge. Standing proud over the Vltava river, this beautiful monument is one not to miss! We crossed each day whilst here and it never stopped being incredibly special. The quietest time to pass is around 11pm if you want a clear shot of the bridge, as it can be an incredibly busy tourist trap with street vendors. Placed about half way down the bridge you will see the historic statue of St John Nepomuk, it's very easy to identify because it has a shiny gold spot at the bottom from where people rub everyday for good luck! It is said that if you do rub you will return to Prague soon! 

Petrin Hill & Observation Tower 
The Observation Tower on Petrin Hill stands proud over Prague and offers the most insane panoramic views of the beautiful city. Firstly, if you don't like walking i would highly recommend getting the Funicular which runs from Lesser town to the top of Petrin Hill. Because, dear god was this the steepest walk! Also remember coins to buy a ticket at the funicular station, we didn't have enough and ended up having to walk back down too..(They do not take cards or notes!) The views at the top of Petrin hill are absolutely spectacular and we even stopped for a beer half way up! Once up, we decided to give the observation tower a climb. I managed to climb to the top and soak in the view, however i did feel a slight movement so quickly made my way back down. It cost around £5 per person to experience this which is well worth the money, we took some beautiful shots at the top and where lucky enough to have a crystal blue sky! 
John Lennon Wall 
This next one is a bit of a strange one and one admittedly we didn't stay for very long at. As you can see it's every instagram addicts dream, the back drop is incredible beautiful and covered in lyrics and John Lennon inspired graffiti.. apparently John Lennon never even visited Prague, so i still don't really understand the concept behind this. All be it, the buskers atmosphere and beautiful colours make it a great stop.

Prague Castle
Prague castle isn't like a normal English castle, or anything like I've ever seen before. It's high on a hill and is a long old walk but most definitely worth the visit. According to the Guinness World Records, it's the largest ancient castle in the world and covers a total area bigger than seven football fields. There are all different types of tickets that give you 2 day uses and different entries to all the different areas within the castle. My favourite part was St. Vitus Cathedral, which you can see below. It is the most beautiful cathedral and reminds me a lot of the Notre Dame in Paris. 



Favourite Pit Stops

Prague Beer Museum
This was actually one of the first places we stopped! We where looking for snacks and good beer and we most definitely found it. Located very close to the Charles Bridge and with plenty of seating for a rest, we ordered two tasting trays. One pale ale and one dark ale.. there is a HUGE choice of beer with some flavoured with honey, cherry, blueberry and even chocolate! They only have a small food menu, but the perfect nibbles to go along with a few hours of drinking beer. The atmosphere was fantastic and the service fast. 


Cafe Savoy 
This lavish looking cafe was our favourite place we stopped for breakfast, it's clearly a very popular location as we had to wait 20 minutes for a table. The incredibly ceiling even dates back to 1893. The one thing that really impressed me about this restaurant was the prices, we both ordered the english breakfast which consisted of fresh bread, fried egg, bacon, potatoes, frankfurter, pork sausage, tomato, mushrooms, baked beans a freshly squeezed orange juice AND a coffee for ONLY.. £11.00 each. Not only was it incredibly cheap, the service was spot on and the food was delicious! 


The name of this coffee shop literally combines my two favourite things, chocolate and coffee. The first thing they actually ask you when you sit down, is ..'do you like chocolate..' which all be it a little cheesy, i really enjoyed. They have a chocolate tap where they have white, milk and dark chocolate on draft and they also make all other items fresh from scratch on the premises. I went for the waffle, fresh cream, fresh fruit and warm chocolate. It was quite literally the most incredible and very naughty breakfast treat we had the whole holiday. It's a very small restaurant so it might be worth giving them a call to reserve a table. 

So, that was our Prague Adventure! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as we enjoyed our little city break.. Next stop.. Budapest! 

Have you ever been to Prague, what where your favourite things to do?! 


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Monday 24 July 2017

TIMMY GREEN | London Brunching


Hey Everyone! 

Nothing quite beats a sunny morning in London brunching with your bestie, and when she suggested Timmy Green in Victoria i was excited to see what was inside. This beautifully designed brunch spot is incredibly instagram-able and very easy on the eye, filled with beautiful gold and white marble tables, roses and green vines flowing from the ceiling it's the perfect setting for a tasty brunch in central London. Not only is the interior stunning, you can even choose to alfresco dine in front of the striking two storey, glass fronted building. Perfect for warm sunny days drinking and eating with the people you love. 

Timmy Green has an extensive menu and runs throughout the day producing brunch, lunch and dinner options, they even have a bottomless brunch for £39.50 per person (which i feel is good for such a central location!) We decided that as it was a Saturday we would order Mimosas, these refreshing cocktails where made with fresh orange which was a lovely touch. It was hard to make a brunch decision as the menu had so many options, i finally chose from the 'set for the day' menu.. and went for the broccoli and corn fritters. This healthy and appetising dish was served with avocado, poached eggs, home made chili pesto and great quality back bacon. The food was great quality, fresh and very tasty. I would definitely return as I had my eyes on the buttermilk blueberry pancakes the nearby table ordered.

Timmy Green is within very easy reach of Victoria rail station and located on the corner of Buckingham Palace & Bressenden Place. I would highly recommend for a delicious catch up with a friend or a day date brunch with your partner! All in all, a fantastic brunch with a bestie. 

What's your favourite place to brunch?!



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Saturday 24 June 2017

CHARLOTTE TILBURY | Magic Foundation Review


Hey Everyone! 

Welcome back, sorry again for the lack in posts - it has been a busy time and my blog got put on the back burner. I really want to start it up again so thought i would start with a new beauty product i have recently tried out. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation (or in my case.. the not so magic foundation) has some big claims, which include being full coverage, an easy to apply and evenly dispensed product, to be lightweight and to cover all imperfections. The videos, youtube reviews and extensive colour range really pulled me but i was left incredibly disappointed and with an expensive foundation that just didn't work out for me. Even though the cons out-weighed the pros i still wanted to share them with you. 

Pros
1. The colour range Charlotte Tilbury has managed to produce is simply impressive, not only do they have fair, medium and dark this is then further broken down into tones. Meaning you can find the perfect match in each section. The way they have done this reminds me of the Estee Lauder double wear, they have a huge selection which incorporates different tones from neutral to cool. 
2. As it states it is a very easily blended foundation and i found it worked well with a beauty blender. 
3. It has SPF 15 within the product which is perfect for keeping your skin safe from harmful rays all year round and to help protect your youthful skin. 
4. The packaging feels expensive with a glass component and rose gold lid.  

Cons
1. It claims to be full coverage, and on first application it is. However, after 1-2 hours the product starts to slide around in oily areas but cling and sticks to dry patches, making it an un-wearable product. 
2.  It covers imperfections for about an hour, but soon after the high pigmentation seems to fade away. I could see my freckles and red patches peeking through half way through the day, which is not ideal for someone who works in a hot sweaty office in summer. It literally had no hope and no staying power. 
3. It settles into fine lines, which is bizarre for a product that claims to be filled with Hyaluronic Filling Spheres, which are supposed to plump wrinkles within an hour to make the skin smoother and firmer. I did use the foundation up and didn't find this to be true. 
4. I found that i needed to use a huge amount of product to get the finish that i wanted, which meant i went through this product 10 times quicker then any of my other foundations. 
5. The smell is awful, it smells of chemicals which again seems odd for something that claims to have these wonderful ingredients. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation retails at £30.00 for a 30ml bottle. 

Overall, you can see that my cons on this occasion weigh out the pros. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who suffers from dry skin or acne.  It will get stuck to dry patches and the pigmentation will diminish throughout the day. I've been reading a few opinions from different reviewers and a lot of people have had he same trouble as me. 

For a product that was 5 years in the making and is expensive i do feel a little gutted this didn't work for me. This however, hasn't put me off the Charlotte Tilbury brand and i would love to try the light wonder foundation and the eyeshadow quads

Have you tried this product? How did you find it? 



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Tuesday 30 May 2017

WISHLIST | New Home

Welcome back everyone! 

Myself and my partner are currently saving like mad and are now on the waiting list for some new build properties - which is incredibly exciting! My new absolute favourite thing to do is create boards on Pinterest to start saving bits and bobs which i feel would be fantastic in a new home. I thought i would share whats at the top of my list, but if you want to check out my Pinterest boards you can follow me here


1. Electronics 
OK, so the first thing I'm going to do when we finally purchase our first home, is 100% going to be getting a kitten.. and to go along with the new furry addition, i thought this Panasonic indoor camera would be the perfect product for a new home and new animal. Not only does this nifty indoor camera let you keep an eye on what's important through your smart phone, it can even start recording when motion, sound or temperature changes.. and to go even further it has two-way communication, so can also be used as a baby monitor! These retail for £79.99 and can be bought directly through the Panasonic website, they look super nifty and a great electronic to keep an eye on new pets!

2. Sofa Bed 
Sofa beds are a brilliant invention, especially if like us your looking to buy a 1 bed flat or maisonette, a sofa bed is the perfect addition to a smaller living room - i love this one from DFS which also has built in hidden storage! Perfect for a smaller flat or house with limited space. 

3. Coffee Machine
The next item is clearly a very cruical item for any new home-owner.. A Nespresso De'Longhi Lattissima Touch! This machine has a built in one-touch milk system which means you can enjoy and make cappuccinos or lattes with fresh milk incredibly easy! I also love that this is a capsule machine... So no mess or fuss!

4. Posters and Prints
From being in friends and families houses that have print and don't have print, i really do think picture frames filled with quotes and personal photos can really pull rooms together and make everything that little extra homely. I absolutely love the website Desenio, they have prints that work well within Scandinavian and Nordic interior, they are so cute - and i love the inspiring and motivational quotes. The posters retail from around £11.95, all you need to do is find a stylish frame to pair them with! 

5.Pots & Pans 
When moving out i think one of the most important items you can save up for and splurge on is a good set of pots and pans. Even thought they might set you back, i think the investment is 100% worth it - especially if you love cooking like us. These Creuset pots have nothing but fantastic reviews and come in really cute colours to add a splash of colour to kitchens. 

6. Homeware 
Another thing i have a feeling I'm going to go mad on, is cushions and bedding .. basically anything soft, warm cosy and vibrant. I LOVE everything and anything from the Anthropolgie website, the patterns, colours and designs are really up my street and would really gorgeous within any colour scheme. 

I think the first thing on my list is definitely going to be the Nespresso machine! What's your favourite item? 




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* Post is in collaboration with Panasonic 

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Sunday 16 April 2017

FLOUR TO THE PEOPLE | London Brunching










Hey Everyone!

I've been away for a good couple of months, and i was considering writing a whole post on why. However, I've changed my mind and decided to keep it private for now and jump straight in with a review of a delicious brunch spot i went to a few weeks back! Now.. Who doesn't love a good brunch? I feel like it's all we see on Instagram these days, but if you don't Instagram it .. it never happened.. am i right?! My bestie took me to this adorable and tiny restaurant called Flour To The People in Battersea Park for a delightful Sunday morning brunch, before our afternoon of catching rays in the park.

Located on Battersea Park Road this quaint (and very small) family run restaurant focuses on making as much as possible from scratch, they source and make all the dishes from free-range organic ingredients and you can tell! As well as making their own sourdough they also make their own butter, marmalade, jams, sauces and mayo. In the day they focus on brunch and at night sourdough pizzas! 

Myself and Emma both started off with an iced coffee, not strictly on the menu but the servers where more than happy to accommodate. The coffee was strong, great quality and really hit the spot! I didn't manage to get a picture of the menu, but they had healthy options like bircher muesli, avocado on toast and veggie breakfasts and then the naughty options like pancakes and what i had french toast (check out the full menu here)! All dishes where reasonably priced at around £9.00 - £11.00 for a hearty plate of fresh grub! Now please don't judge me.. but i had a large plate of everything beige (i was INCREDIBLY hunger and needed bacon!) the french toast was delicious as was the sausage and bacon! Emma went for the the (V) one.. i.e the veggie breakfast which includes, eggs, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, house beans and sourdough toast. Another fantastic and quirky touch was the toaster at each table, meaning you can toast your bread to your liking and make sure it's warm for when your food arrives. 

Yes.. the restaurant is tiny.. yes you might have to cosy up to a stranger and it's a guarantee you will have to queue up for a table - but the food was delicious and well worth it. This place serves fresh and wholesome breakfasts at a great price and makes a change from all the chain diners in Central. I will certainly be returning to try their sourdough pizzas, and if you have been would love to know your thoughts!

I always love trying new places, so would love to hear what your favourite brunch spot is? 


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