Review: The Riding House Cafe

Since my office  relocated outside London, i've been so out of the loop with all the going ons. There seems to be a new place every week for me to try and I can hardly keep up! I'd heard about The Riding House Cafe on the grapevine so when the girls suggested we nurse our wine hangovers there yesterday, I was excited to cross it off my list.

 

With exposed brick walls, antiques dotted around and distressed wooden tables, it was shabby chic with a touch of class. I loved the industrial feel of the place and it helped give it a little something extra. I was particularly impressed with the loos, the fact on the door was a cute touch. Staff were attentive, filling up our water without us even having to ask. Our food arrived in a jiffy and we didn't feel rushed at all.

I opted for the Chorizo Hash Brown with two poached eggs and a giant mushroom. When it arrived I groaned a little inside, it didn't look big enough to satisfy my hangover but looks can be decieving. I would have prefered a little more chorizo but it went down an absolute treat. The eggs were on the perfect side of runny and the hash brown had the ideal amout of spice. The potato was deliciously soft and melted in your mouth. I could have eaten it ten times over.

Have you ever been to The Riding House Cafe?

Read more

Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift?

Outfit:
Map print cotton midi dress: Laura Ashley
Nude block heeled sandals: Dorothy Perkins c/o Westfield London (similar)
Light wash denim jacket: Primark (Similar)
Leather nude structured Kelly bag: Vintage (similar)

I'd waited patiently for this dress since the Laura Ashley press day and had a voucher burning a hole in my pocket. The lovely ladies at the Colchester branch gave me a call as soon as it dropped in. It's such a perfect length and great for those weekends when you fancy making a bit more of an effort.

I wore this out for Father's Day at the weekend for Sunday lunch at a hotel in a village nearby. I actually worked there from the age of 15 to 20 so have fond memories of spending early breakfast shifts sneaking a full English in the kitchen. It still feels strange going back and being waited on! I'm off to Glastonbury next week for the first time. So i'm manically trying to get up to date at work and write myself lots of lists to ensure I don't forget anything. This week is going to be a busy one! But i'm counting down the days, that week off work is very much needed.

Read more

Going Loco

Dominos is up there as my favourite takeaway so I was excited to recieve an invite to a special Brazillian party to celebrate the launch of their new Canivale pizza Range introduced especially for the World Cup. Inspired by South American flavours, it includes two new pizzas and two new sides. It's on offer until 14th September.

They set the bar high with the delicious Mojitos, I may not have been able to stop at one or two... I had a feeling the pizzas were going to be just as good. As my boyfriend and I grabbed a table to watch the entertainment, we eagerly kept our eyes peeled to sample the pizzas.

After much thought and a hell of a lot of tasting we both decided the Fiesta came out on top. There was just something about the cheeky mojito drizzle alongside the chicken strips, red peppers, green peppers, red onions and a sprinkling of fajita spice. It was like a party in our mouth and we proceeded to have quite a few slices!

The slightly spicer Rio was perfect for those who prefer a kick. With pulled barbacoa beef, red onions, green peppers, red peppers and a tasty chipotle sauce to finish it off. Well worth splashing out for on Two for Tuesdays.

Thanks for the pizza Dominos, it was an absolute pleasure! 

The England match today is the perfect time to tuck in - what are you waiting for? Give them a call!

Read more

Forever we tried to make it right but together we saw the end in sight

 

Outfit:
Watercolour floral textured top: Primark (similar)
Watercolour floral textured midi skirt: Primark (similar)
Suede effect strappy black block heeled sandals: Primark (similar)
Red lipstick: Chanel Rouge Allure 99 Pirate

I just don't know where the week has gone, it seems only yesterday it was Sunday! I've barely had any time to think. But can't complain about being busy! I popped into Primark a few weeks ago to grab some Glasto essentials and you know how it is. You grab something you need and get distracted by things you don't need and end up spending a small fortune. It's all a bit of a blur! This two piece set was something that caught my eye and swiftly came home with me. I actually met my friend a few days later for lunch after I brought it  and she mentioned she saw a skirt that was perfect for me and promptly described this one. It seems I might be predictable...

I gave it it's first outing at the weekend to a Murder Mystery overnight stay at a fancy local hotel for my mum's friends 60th birthday. We had afternoon tea, went for a quick outfit change before coming down for a three course meal with a bit of light entertainment. The murder mystery wasn't quite what I expected but I had a really lovely evening and don't think I stopped laughing. I drunk far too many glasses of wine and completely overindulged at the buffet breakfast the next day. The makings of a great weekend!

Have you ever been to a Murder Mystery weekend?

Read more

Dove Colour Confidence

I was invited to help celebrate a new camapaign for Dove Invisble Dry deodorant to spread the news that it's been proven to leave no white marks on a staggering 100 different colours. Pretty impressive right? They've teamed up with fashion designer Olivia Rubin to encourage women to ditch the drab black and embrace more colour. You can upload photos of yourself wearing vibrant colours throughout this month onto their website to be in with a chance to win a special capsule collection. It's been created exclusively for Dove by the woman herself.

 

I got to have a chat with colour psychology expert Karen Haller who gave her top tips on how colour can work for you. I didn't realise that hot pink is actually a cold colour as it's blue based. It's probably only called hot pink because of the sheer intensity of the colour. I wear a lot of red as it's one of the colours I feel most confident in and found out it gives off phyiscal courage. Maybe there's a reason why I always wear it then?!

In our goodie bag we were kindly given a compressed bottle of the product. It holds exactly the same amount of product as a normal bottle but has less gas meaning it can be squeezed in 75ml bottle. This makes it perfect to take in your hand luggage for your holiday. It won't run out midway through like the normal tenny tiny travel bottles.

I've been trialing it for over a week, trying to make a concious effort to wear all different colours in a bid to find out if it lives up to its claim. So does it? A bit fat yes! So many deodorants leave the dreaded white mark, who's got time to wait for it to dry fully in the morning when you're in a rush? This dries almost instantly and so far it's not tarnished anything. Even black! I was forever running to the bathroom and splashing water in the offending area. This will definately be something i'll be picking up from Boots on a regular basis!

Are you a fan of Dove deordorants?

Read more

Review: The Purple Salon

When an email dropped in my inbox asking me if i'd like to be treated to a blow dry by The Purple Salon. I've never actually had a proper bouncy blow dry. I know right? I've been extremely lucky that my wonderful uncle is a hairdresser and he helps me keep control of my mop. As I usually have it done late at night I don't want him to spend hours blow drying my hair into shop so it usually get it blow dried straight.

I arrived to the salon with a sinking feeling as my name wasn't on their appointment list. But credit to them, they didn't seem fazed and did their best to fit me in. It took a lot of shifting but in the end it worked out fine.

I was very well looked after by the junior Chloe (I think that was her name!) who made sure I was comfortable and fetched me a drink and magazines to read. She was very chatty and made me feel at ease. My stylist Karl again was very friendly and made me feel at ease too. I was very impressed with his attention to detail and he worked well with Chloe as a team. I was in awe of the fact I had two people working in the blow dry! I was so happy with the result. Just look at those curls?! It helped put a spring in my step the whole day. It lasted for most of the day. Karl explained the curls would have held better if my hair was layered. Something i'm going to look into getting down next time i'm due a trim.

Thanks so much guys!

Read more

Review: Pizza Pilgrims

After hearing stories about the drool-worthy pizzas sold out of the back of a pizza oven van I got excited. I got even more excited when I discovered they'd opened a restaurant in Dean Street, Soho. Food vans are all well and good but when you work during the week, they're awfully hard to get to!

I'm ashamed that it's taken me this long to try Pizza Pilgrims myself. It has been on my foodie list for an age and I finally managed to try it at the weekend. We got seating straight away as we opted for a late lunch about 2.30 ish and trotted downstairs to pursue the menu. I've slowly gone off meaty pizzas so opted for the tasty sounding Aubergine Parmagiana. The menu isn't massive but there's something for everyone. Plenty of meat and veggie ones with a few unusual ones should you be feeling adventurous.

Both the pizzas arrived promptly, my friend and I had barely got down to the juicy gossip before our friendly waiter appeared with this beauty below. The mozzarella was deliciously gooey and the tomato base was nice and tart. I loved the addition of the whole cherry tomatoes and the aubergines was perfectly soft. Nothing worse than coming across one that's too tough and chewy. The bottom of the base was slightly black but this added to it's flavour, made it more authentic! The dough had perfect consistency, neither too soggy or too crisp. It was a dream to pull apart! I could have eaten it twice over.

I'm already planning my next trip back! Have you ever been to Pizza Pilgrims?

Read more

You Knock Me Off Of My Feet

Outfit:
Light wash denim jacket: Primark (similar)
Sheer black vest top: Topshop (similar)
Black and white gingham midi skirt: Topshop c/o Westfield
Nude block heeled sandals: Dorothy Perkins c/o Westfield (similar)
Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint by Barry M: Papaya
Gold boyfriend vintage style watch: Marc By Marc Jacobs

I feel like this is 'me' summed up in the outfit and something I intend to recreate time and time again now it's starting to warm up. Well hopefully, I hope that dreaded rain isn't returning for a little while! I got these sandals and skirt as part of my Westfield challenge and they've already become staples in my wardrobe. Everyone needs some nude sandals in their life. These are comfortable enough to wear all day and also look great if you're popping to the pub in the evening to help you look like you've made an effort. Win win situation!

I spent today in London being treated to an amazing blow dry (review coming this week so keep an eye out) and finally sampled the delights of Pizza Pilgrims with one of my favourite people. We spent the day drooling over things in Michael Kors we can't afford and catching up over a few ciders in a couple of Covent Garden pubs. It was nice to just wander around with no times to follow and soak up London in the sunshine. The city is always so beautiful in the sun!   

Read more

Night time skin routine

Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask, Bioderma, No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser and Heaven By Deborah Mitchell Bee Venom Mask c/o

After many experiments with all kinds of lotions and potions over the years i've finally found a night time skin routine that suits me down to a tee.

Starting with the famous Bioderma, I use this to clear every last scrap of make up. I find it just glides off effortlessly with this cleanser and a little goes a long way. It only takes a couple of minutes to do my whole face. Next I use the hot cloth cleanser to ensure my face really is make up free! I smear over a semi thick layer and place a hot cloth on my face for around 30 seconds before wiping it off. I then quickly rinse the cloth with ice cold water and place it on my face for a nice shock!

I rub in a thick layer of the intensive mask and leave it on my face for around 10-15 minutes before using the eye cream over the top to finish off the job. I can't praise the Origins face mask enough, it does wonders for dry, tight skin and is a commuter's lifesaver. Those trains don't do anyone any good! Made with Shea Butter, Rose and Lavender essential oils, the eye cream is ideal for soft  skin and i've really noticed a difference since i've been using it both day at night. It's a great product if you're looking to help rehydrate your skin. I've noticed it helps to lighten my dreaded black circles too which is always a plus.

What do you use in your night time routine? Any gems I should try out?

Read more