A weekend in The Cotswolds

Last weekend I took a three hour train journey down to a part of the UK I'd never been before. The beautiful Cotswolds. I won't be leaving it 27 years until I'm back this time. The occasion was to help celebrate Sarah's birthday with a large group of blogger friends. Every time we meet up, I'm so glad that these ladies are in my life. Who would have thought those weirdos on the internet would turn out to be so darn great?

It was just what the doctor ordered. Since the beginning of the year, getting used to regularly commuting into the city has taken it's toll on me and I've been burning the candle at both ends. I ended up being ko-ed for an entire week with an awful cold and sleeping for 10-11 hours. And it still wasn't enough. This weekend gave me a chance to totally recharge my tired batteries.

We all hired an absolutely beautiful house in middle of nowhere at the end of a dirt track. Located in Herefordshire, the 18th Century National Trust property was the perfect size for nine ladies eager to catch up and eat their weight in food and bubbles. Boy did we eat! We mooched around in our pyjamas until the late afternoon, laughed until our bellies hurt, had a lazy pub dinner, discovered charades talents we never knew we had, snacked on cake all day long and had a cheeky bucks fizz for breakfast. Just because.

Until we meet again ladies! Thanks for such a lovely weekend Katy, Gem, Sarah, Maria, Rosie and Char.

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Travel plans for 2016

The last few years have seen me visit as many countries as I possibly can. It's all that seems to enter my mind and I'm constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. 2016 is all done and dusted where travel plans are concerned. This year I really do need to knuckle down and save so I won't be venturing outside Europe. But I couldn't be happier.

So, where am I going?

The Cotswolds
So this trip may have been and gone but I couldn't not include it. You've probably seen the influx of pictures on Instagram! I'll do a more in-depth view in a week or so. Along with my favourite internet friends, we trudged off to The Cotswolds to stay in the most beautiful house for Sarah's birthday.

Image taken from Bow Dream Nation

Cologne
March sees me jet off to Germany for the second time. We spontaneously booked flights for a mere £20 and are staying in a lovely central hotel next to the river. This German city was never really on my radar but when I spotted the cheap as chips flights I couldn't resist. I completely fell in love with Germany when I visited Berlin so have high hopes for the country's fourth-largest city. We don't really have many plans apart from seeking out the cathedral, stuffing ourselves with schnitzels and wandering around the city aimlessly.

Image taken from ElevatorMusik

Copenhagen
I had booked this as a surprise for my boyfriend's birthday but got far too excited at my good deed that I spilled the beans. Just as well because I've heard it's expensive so he needs to start saving up! Scandinavia was never really on my list but it tops my boyfriend's bucket list so I was obviously the dutiful girlfriend. However, now I've absolutely dying to visit. I've been doing some research and realised the city is all about the FOOD. My kind of place. I'm expecting to come back four stone heavier.

Image taken from Lily Lipstick

Prague
Just a three weeks later and Prague is on the agenda. The first stop in a two week Eastern European adventure in August. Here I'll be spending three nights in the Czech Republic capital. Prague was the first holiday my boyfriend and I ever looked at and nine years later we're finally making it there. Took our time eh?! I've heard such amazing things about the city and can't wait to explore. I'm a sucker for a cute little old town oozing with history.

Image from Julian Weyer via Flickr via Pinterest 

Vienna

Next we'll be getting the train to Vienna for two nights. Oh Vienna! I definitely won't be singing that every hour... I've heard that this city really is quite beautiful and am looking forward to soaking up the historical culture. As a classically trained musician - I have many talents *ahem* - I'm looking forward to having a sneak peak into the musical history. Let's forget I haven't picked up my clarinet in about 6 years... I can still appreciate Mozart!

Image taken from The Blond Zebras

Bratislava
After Vienna we hope onto a boat and sail across the Danube river to the Slovakian capital. This small city was only really put in the itinerary because it's cheap and it breaks up the journey to Hungary. But I'm going to enjoy the two nights we have planned! I can't wait to explore and try some traditional Slovak food.

Image taken from Fat Frocks

Budapest
Finally the place I'm looking forward to the most. The Hungarian capital Budapest. This city has been on my travel wishlist for a good few years and I'm finally able to go. We have four nights in this city and I'm giddy with excitement. I want to relax in the famous baths, go on a bar crawl among the ruin pubs, visit the dictators in the park, walk across the dividing bridge and get lost in the old town. I really hope it doesn't disappoint!

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A Valentine's day love in

After nine years my boyfriend and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day and I'm actually away with the girls! Oops. But I do get drawn into the heart shaped food, the vibrant pinks and red and the beautiful flowers. After all, I am a girl! So to celebrate the day of love - because what do I love more than stuffing my face - these heart shaped scones will be perfect. Paired with this gorgeous bunch of red roses* from Blossoming Gifts, they make me one happy bunny. Even if you don't have a significant other, Valentine's Day flowers are always a winner. There's nothing to say you can't treat yourself once in a while. After all, you know your tastes inside out! Buy someone special - or yourself! - a bunch with my special discount code. Simply enter BGIFTS33 at the checkout - the only bouquets exempt are the flowers by post range.

No sweet treat is every complete without having a pretty tin to carry them in. Every bake needs a finishing touch. It's a good job this Orla Kiely set* made its way into my kitchen then. It makes the perfect gift for any baking fanatic and you get five - FIVE! - tins so that means lots of cake. Lot and lots of cake. Food is always the way to a girl's heart. Well this girl anyway! These scones fit in the bottom one perfectly.

Then finally ice cream. Haagen-Dazs Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream* was made for the day of love. Vanilla ice cream is blended together with crumbly biscuit and a tangy strawberry sauce. It really does taste as good as it sounds. It's best to get two as you won't want to share this beauty with anyone!

Recipe taken from good old Martha Stewart. She's a good 'un. As always, I'd love to know if you managed to rustle these up in the kitchen so drop me a tweet. Happy baking!

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The £3.50 ASDA wonky veg box - what can you make?

ASDA got in touch and challenged me to rustle up three recipes using their new Wonky Veg box. Priced at just £3.50, the cardboard box is full off seasonal vegetables. With the only snag being the fact they're all a little bit misshapen. But they taste perfectly fine! It's to encourage the public to waste less food and trying the imperfect vegetables that usually get thrown away.

So what did I make? Well I put together three different recipes and still have so much left over! The below menu fed five people comfortable. The only vegetables pictured below that were bought separate was the radishes and the spring onions and I didn't have many salad items. 

Prawn cocktail

Ingredients:
Half a cucumber
3 peppers
1 bag of radishes
1 pack of cooked king prawns
8 spring onions
5 heaped tbsp light mayo
4 tbsp tomato and chilli chutney
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp creamed horseradish
A splash of lemon juice

Method:
1. Mix the mayo, chutney, Worcester sauce, horseradish and lemon juice together to make the seafood sauce.

2. If you have one, used a spiralizer to create cucumber ribbons. Place the chopped salad nicely in a small glass bowl.

3. Place 5-6 prawns in the middle before pouring a couple of tablespoons of the sauce over the top.

Cottage Pie - taken from Hairy Bikers Dieters cookbook with a few weeks

Ingredients:
800g potatoes
3 leeks
150g low fat creme fraiche
500g extra lean mince
1 can of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp of tomato puree
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 parsnip
2 carrots
3 small onions
500ml of beef stock made with one stock cube
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cook the mince, parsnip, carrots and onions in a large dish for around ten minutes - until the meat has browned.

2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to the boil and then let it shimmer for around 40 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

3. Once the meat has been shimmering for around 20 minutes, peel the potatoes. Chopped into small chunks and cook them until they are soft.

4. Once the potatoes are nearly done, sautéed the chopped leeks for five minutes. They must be softened but not coloured.

5. Drain the potatoes, tip back into the pan and add the creme fraiche and leeks. Mash everything together until it is smooth. Preheat the oven to 200 - adjust accordingly.

6. Pour the beef mixture into an ovenproof dish and layer with the mashed potato.

7. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven or until the topping is lovely and golden. Serve with savoy cabbage or a veg of your choice!

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

I've actually made this before and posted the recipe on the blog.

Overall I was so impressed with the box and really couldn't believe just how many different types vegetables were in it. It's fantastic value for money and a great way to encourage people to eat healthier.

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Review: Afternoon Tea at The Goring, Victoria

A couple of weeks ago I booked my mum and nan in for afternoon tea at The Goring hotel for my nan's birthday. As our birthdays are only a day apart, we always try to do something together. For the last five years it has been somewhere fancy for afternoon tea. This year I decided to pick the hotel where Kate Middleton stayed before her wedding because if it's good enough for royalty...

Now I can safely say that it's ranked second in my favourite traditional afternoon teas after Claridges. I emailed them beforehand to explain it was my nan's birthday and they very kindly gave us one of the best seats in the house AND a special chocolate birthday cake. How's that for good service? The little touches were what made it so great. Our server was attentive without being suffocating. She offered great advice about the teas and made sure we were topped up with plenty of sandwiches and cakes. We didn't even have to ask!

So onto the most important part. The food! We had an unexpected starter in the form of a cheesy, cauliflower soufflé topped with some crispy puffs. It was delicious and certainly wet our appetite for the main event.

The sandwiches consisted of ham and mustard, chicken and stuffing, cheddar cheese and chutney and smoked salmon and cream cheese - all the classics! I loved the variety of soft bread and they certainly didn't scrape on my fillings. I can't for the life of me remember what all the cakes and pastries were but I do know they tasted absolutely delicious. Especially that creamy, white chocolate log on a biscuit base. Perfection! The scones? Well these bad boys were huge. With both a warm plain and fruit scone on offer, it was hard to choose what to eat first. But rest assured I did manage to eat them both.

The Goring isn't cheap but in this case you definitely get what you pay for. The service was faultless, the food was delicious, the setting was stunning and the experience was perfect for a birthday. Looking to take someone somewhere a bit special? This is the place.

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OOTD: Grey ripped jeans

Outfit:
Khaki tunic: ASOS (Similar)
Grey ripped jeans: New look
Burgundy leather ankle boots: Next (similar)
Grey ombre midi coat: ASOS (similar)
Poppy red Lily bag: Mulberry

I hope you're not getting fed up with this coat because it's still attached to my body. Perfect for this cold weather snap - stylish and great at keeping me cosy! I went on a bit of jeans splurge a few weeks ago to try and update my drawer. Among them were these distressed grey skinnies. I am a bit partial to a ripped knee now and was keen to add to my collection. New Look jeans just fit like a dream, are reasonably priced and they keep their shape - not baggy knees on these bad boys! What's not to love?

I wore this little ensemble to a Japanese brunch date at Flesh and Buns with my favourites Lily, Sarah - the expert photographer - and Hannah to help celebrate my birthday. I was given some wonderful gifts, rinsed the all-inclusive processo, cackled like a mad woman and stuffed myself silly with steamed buns. It was one of my favourite afternoons out in a long time. Those girls are pretty special.

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Recipe: Coconut and Lime Cake

Loaves are fast becoming my favourite thing to bake! This time it's a Coconut and Lime cake from Levi Roots. I added my own lime glaze to keep it even more of a zingy kick and changed a few of the ingredients. You can never have too much citrus in a cake!

Ingredients:
175 self-raising flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
175g baking spread
175g caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
50g desiccated coconut
Finely grated zest and juice of two limes

For the glaze:
125g icing sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of one lime
4 tsp of water

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Adjust depending on your oven if you have too.

2. Put the flour, butter, bicarbonate of soda, eggs, coconut, caster sugar and lime in a large mixing bowl.

3. Use an electric whisk, start off slowly and then gradually increase the speed. Mix together until the batter looks light and fluffy.

4. Pour the batter into a lined and greased loaf tin before popping in the oven for around 40 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it as it cooked very quick!

5. Once baked, take it out and leave it to cool for ten minutes in the tin before popping it on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze:
1. Pop all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until you get the desired thickness.

2. Pour over the loaf once it has cooled.

Let me know on Twitter if you decide to make and I'd love to see a picture. Happy baking!

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5 of my favourite cities I've visited

I'd pick a city break over a beach holiday any day. I love emerging myself into the hustle and bustle and seeking out the spots the locals rave about. I've been lucky enough to visit some absolutely fantastic cities over the years but these are the five that have got me wanting more and I've vowed to return one day.

1. Berlin
As a complete history geek, Berlin was a city I just knew I'd love. And I did. So much that I've even go as far to say it's my favourite place I've ever been. It feels cool, intense and new. Full of building sites, you can see that it's a city that's keen on reinventing itself. The Berlin Wall was mind-blowing. It's hard to imagine that this city was divided as recent as 1989 - the year I was born. Its history is seeped in every pore and they're not afraid to show off their past. We never got to experience the nightlife and didn't really do adequate enough research on the restaurants so due a visit back very soon!

2. Chicago
This city grabbed my heart the second I stepped out of hotel at 6am with jet leg on my first day. It was unassuming, friendly and welcoming. It's such an easy city to navigate and the people really can't do enough for you. The stunning skyline had me hook, line and sinker and the boat ride across Lake Michigan was one of my favourite evenings. A real pinch me moment. America is a country that I just adore. It's so similar yet worlds apart. No city in the country is the same.

3. Barcelona
This rebellious city is beautiful and unapologetic. The winding streets of Barrio Gotic, the gorgeous views from the top of Montjuic and the breath-taking Gaudi architecture all made this city feel so alive. It was buzzing every second of the day with people spilling out onto the street from various bars, restaurants and clubs. A week was the perfect amount of time to spend in the Catalan city. Thanks to a beach, it doesn't have to be a hectic time away. I hadn't felt so relaxed in a city before!

4. New York
The Big Apple was a city that I'd dreamed of visiting since I was about ten years old. A city that frequently graces the silver screen so when I arrived I felt like I already knew it's nooks and crannies. But after a few days I realised just how much there was to see. I only just scratched the surface and soaked up the tourist sights so I'd love to go back and really get to know it. It was everything I imagined it would be and more. The Top of The Rock blew me away and the High Line was by far my favourite stroll in the city. I took a wheezy bike ride around Central Park and finally made it to the top of the Empire State Building. The week went by in a blink of an eye.

5. Bruges
I'd been dying to see the Christmas markets in Europe and decided on Bruges. Whilst the markets were a little pants, the city itself was adorable. It's the perfect place for a couple of days away from the hustle and bustle of every day life. Most of the main sights can be done in a day so you have the rest of the time to wander around at your leisure. The chocolate box houses, picturesque windmills and quirky pubs all make for a wonderful lazy afternoon.

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OOTD: Winter florals midi dress

Outfit:
Winter floral midi dress: F&F (similar)
Burgundy leather ankle boots: Next (similar)
Grey ombre coat: ASOS (similar)
Poppy red medium Lily: Mulberry (similar)

An afternoon out at The Goring called for a new dress so naturally I had to oblige. This floral number was found at F&F for a mere £25. I loved the slightly 70s feel and and the long sleeves. I just need to dig out my burgundy fedora to complete the look. I say it time and time again but Tesco really is my favourite supermarket for clothes. They always bring out such gems season after season at reasonable prices and good quality.

Well we've well and truly been hit with that cold snap eh? So much for that mild winter that had us all complaining. What I'd do for that now! This weekend I'll be celebrating nine years with my boyfriend and scratching my head at how it's been so long. We've got a hotel booked in East London for Saturday night, cocktails and a Hozier gig in South London before a late brunch at Duck and Waffle on the Sunday. Something I'm so excited for. I've been dying to get a table booked there for months. Those views from the Heron Tower *insert heart eyed emoji|*.

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