OOTD: White dropped waist dress

Outfit:
White dropped waist sleeveless dress: ASOS (similar)
Black leather espadrilles: H&M (similar)
Poppy red Lily bag: Mulberry
Mint leather strap watch: Olivia Burton

Despite spending most of my week in London and travelling to and from the city for the best part of 13 years, the skyline still gets me. What a beauty eh? It reminds me that I still need to make it to the top of the Sky Garden for a cocktail or two. I found this dropped waist dress lingering at the back of my wardrobe when I was trying on some holiday clothes. It's amazing what you can find when you hunt around! It's a great length, such comfy material and pretty light which makes it a great choice to wear when wandering around a city. It's definitely made the holiday cut! Paired with my new leather espadrilles, it's a fab outfit to try and combat this weird muggy weather we seem to be having at the moment.

By the time this has gone live, I shall be in Prague hopefully drinking and eating my way around the city. I've got the Old Town, castle and Petrin hill all high on my list to visit. Check out my Instagram to see some snaps as no doubt I shall be spamming away!

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Review: Coin Laundry, Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell

Last week I met up with Kim after work to put the world to rights and try out Coin Laundry in Exmouth Market. Kim had kindly invited me along as her plus one and we settled down for a feast. Located on the corner of Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell, Coin Laundry prides itself on using seasonal ingredients and changing their menu frequently to ensure they always offer something different. The restaurant has a great laid back vibe with wooden tables, abstract art and exposed brickwork. They also had a cool basement bar with pinball machines - sadly we didn't get to try this out but there's always next time!

Kim was given a strong but delicious bourbon based cocktail with tangy ginger beer which handily came with a side of jelly beans to keep the hunger pangs at bay.  I was treated to refreshing  elderflower and prosecco based tipple. Just the right drink to help celebrate being halfway through the working week!

After lots of umming and ahhing we finally settled for creamy coronation chicken in a crispy vol-au-vent and deep fried battered marrow with creme fraiche to share. Impressed by the portions, the dishes were delicious. Garnished with grated pickled egg and shredded greens, the coronation chicken had a slight kick. The battered marrow was much more tasty that I thought it would be. The huge chunks of marrow had just the right amount of batter to stop it from being too greasy. All in all, a good start to the meal so we were excited to see what the main course would bring.

As a massive fan of curry I opted for the spicy vegetarian runner bean balti with an abundance of potato chunks, shredded greens, bay leaves, and topped with a slice of lemon. It was served with a fluffy naan and sticky white rice. I loved the takeaway novelty of the serving of the naan in a paper bag. It's the little touches like this that helps restaurants to stand out. The runner beans were soft and addictive with the sauce having a great kick. I like a curry sauce that makes my lips tingle!

Kim plumped for a huge nostalgic chicken kiev and rich cauliflower cheese. It came with a cool chewing gum to cope the garlic breath and a tiny little chefs hat on the kiev as a finishing touch. We were recommended the tomato salad and spring greens so ordered these to share. For such a simple dish, the heritage tomato salad was fresh, flavoursome and came with a zesty wicked dressing.

With such a great choice of restaurants located on the tiny strip of Exmouth Market, it can be hard for any eatery to stand out. But Coin Laundry is a solid choice. The cocktails were great, the food was hearty and the service was friendly if not a little slow at time. Thanks for letting me tag along Kim!

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OOTD: Yellow floral dress

Outfit:
Yellow floral midi dress: ASOS
Gold leather loafers: Topshop (similar)
Black cross body bag: Next (similar)

Throwing it back to the heatwave we had a few weeks ago, feels like a distant memory now eh? Look at that bright sunshine! I treated myself to this dress when I clocked it had gone in the sale. I'd had it in my saved items for quite a while and needed £20 off to finally take the plunge. The shopping gods were clearly shining down on me.

I'm on countdown now to my holiday on Monday. I feel like I've been waiting forever and it's finally here. We're going to be travelling around Eastern Europe for two weeks visiting Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. I never got the chance to have a gap yah so looking forward to having a mini travelling break. I think I'm looking forward to Budapest the most as it's been on my bucket list for years. We've been lucky enough to be out there on the first day of Sziget music festival so will be seeing Rihanna - hopefully she puts on a good show. If anyone has any suggestions for things to do in the cities, I'm all ears!

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Review: Hello Kitty afternoon tea, Cutter & Squidge, Soho

At the beginning of July I joined some of my favourite girls, Hannah, Sarah, Michelle and Lily, for an afternoon of eating lots of cake and drinking endless cups of tea at the Hello Kitty afternoon tea. On offer until 31st August, Cutter and Squidge is hosting the first ever pop-up cafe in Europe dedicated to the iconic character. At £40 it isn't a cheap afternoon tea by any means but you do get an awful lot of cake and savoury treats to savour with the option to refill if you wish. Which we did. Obviously. So, what did we get to eat?

Starting with a cute milk bottle of sweet pink lemonade, I opted for a pot of white peach loose tea to keep me refilled throughout the afternoon. My eyes grew as wide as saucers when the waitress put all our treats in the middle of the table. Following tradition we started in the selection of savoury sandwiches first. Cucumber and cream cheese, hummus and pepper, cheese and red onion and salmon and chive were all on the menu. The cheese and red onion sandwiches were divine and I made sure I asked for a second round of these. The generous fillings got a massive thumbs up from me.

After we had scoffed all the sandwiches it was time to try out the sweet treats. My favourites were the sweet strawberry milkshake biskie, rich white cake truffle and the decedent Kitty's chocolate mud pie. With so many sugar-filled concoctions, it was a welcome relief to try the savoury cheese scones with delicious red pepper relish and cream cheese. In fact, I think these were my favourite part. The scones had a lovely crunch yet fluffy middle and the subtle cheese flavour help to give them something a little special. A special shout out to the juicy strawberries with a creamy chocolate dip - they were the perfect end to a wonderful afternoon.

I'll hold my hands up and admit I'm not really much of a Hello Kitty fan and only went along because I wanted to spend some quality time with the lads. But I had such an amazing afternoon and completely got caught up in the moment. The staff were attentive and helpful, the sheer amount of food on offer was amazing and despite a 1.20 hour slot, I didn't really feel too rush as they moved us to a different part of the cafe so we could continue with our nattering. It's quite a lot of money for something if you're not into the hype but if you are, you really can't miss out!

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How to visit Copenhagen on a budget

As much as I had a whale of a time visiting Copenhagen, the city isn't the cheapest of places I visited. I work in London and have the pleasure of paying through the roof for most things but the prices here made my eyes water. But I do believe it is possible to do the Danish capital on a budget AND still have an amazing time. In fact, when I visit again I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to ensure that I don't come back to London a pauper. Again.

Eating and drinking can be a killer on your wallet but you don't have to spend a fortune on filling up your belly. Copenhagen has a cracking food market which has everything you could ever dream off. Buy a few bits and pieces to enjoy a picnic in one of the many green spaces. Or even pick up some fresh food to keep at home and trying out some recipes. If you do prefer to eat out, Paper Island is great value for money. The street food market has cuisines from all over the world and average about £7-10 for a dish. They're pretty decent sizes too so they keep you feeling satisfied. It's such a great vibe down the canal. Although we only had brunch once, I really recommend taking advantage of the brunch scene in the city. Head for something to eat about 11am and you'll last until it's time for dinner in the evening. Eating out twice a day is a lot cheaper than eating out three times a day! I'd also avoid alcohol or just have one glass with dinner because it soon adds up. I'd buy a bottle of wine from the supermarket and enjoy it at home reminiscing about what you've done throughout the day.

Accommodation is something else that isn't cheap in the city. When I was looking into places to stay, the hotels were way out of my budget. The trip was my boyfriend's birthday present so I couldn't afford to pay those prices for the both of us. So I turned to my old favourite, Air BnB. I found an amazing Scandic-Chic apartment near Rosenborg castle at a pretty decent price. However, you can find cheaper apartments but I wanted something a little more special as it was a birthday treat. Renting an apartment is a great way to experience local life and save a bit of money on a trip.

Finally, another top tip is to avoid public transport to help save money. It's not the most compact of cities but it is quite easily to walk. The most we walked from one place to another was 40 minutes. But it didn't seem that long at all as you're marvelling at the city along the way. It's a great way to really get a feel of it and to stumble across sights that you may have missed on the metro. Getting taxis, buses and the metro can soon add up and start to become expensive. Why travel underground when there is so much to see on top?

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Recipe: Chicken and courgetti with kale pesto

I'm a massive fan of spiralizing vegetables so when Lakeland sent me the handy hand held spiralizer I set about making one of my favourite dinners with a twist. Courgetti, chicken, tomatoes and kale pesto. After a bit of a indulgent week, this is my dinner I always turn to so I can get back on track with the old healthy eating. The hand held sprializer is such a great gadget. It's so easy to use, quick and easy to store - it's in the sale now too!

Ingredients
85g curly kale
85g pine nuts, plus some to sprinkle
85g parmesan cheese
150g virgin olive oil
A pinch of sea salt
A handful of cherry tomatoes on the vine
1 courgette
1 chicken breast
Spray oil

Method
1. Using the hand held sprizaliser, turn the courgette into noodles and set aside.

2. Pop the chicken breast under the grill to cook. Keep an eye out on it.

3. To make the pesto, put the kale, pine nuts, olive oil, sea salt and parmesan cheese into a food processor and give it a quick whirl until it resembles pesto. Keep in mind this makes enough for 12 servings so keep in the fridge in a air tight jar.

4. Spray a frying pan with the oil before popping in the courgetti and the cherry tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes before stirring in a tablespoon of pesto.

5. Transfer onto a plate before topping with the chicken and sprinkling over a few pine nuts.

It really is as simple as that! A really quick, healthy dinner when you feel like you've been eating too many burgers. As always, let me know on Twitter if you ever make it. I'd also love to hear about any other spiralized recipes you recommend.

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Exploring Europe: a weekend in Copenhagen, Denmark

I feel like I'm quite well travelled in Europe but Scandinavia is a region I had yet to visit. And it happened to be on my boyfriend's bucket list so I decided to kill two birds with one stone and book him a trip for his birthday. Well Stockholm actually was top of his bucket list but Copenhagen had cheaper flights so that sealed the deal. Oh my, I feel head over heels in love with this Danish city. I genuinely could imagine myself living there - it felt like it could be home.

One thing I will say about the city is to make sure you save up plenty of money. It will be an expensive trip! What I loved most about the trip was that Copenhagen is just effortlessly cool. The people dress impeccably and always willing to help you out, the restaurants and bars are casual yet buzzing and the architecture is beautiful without being too try hard. There are endless places to eat at, visit and explore - I think I could go ten times and still not see everything I wanted too. Like I mentioned in Sunday's post, the food scene blew me away. I had some of the best meals I've ever eaten. The possibilities were endless and of such high quality. It's worth just going for the food and forgetting about all the sights. In fact, that's how I'm looking to visit next!

We wanted to take the four days pretty easy as there's nothing worse than coming back from a holiday and feeling even more exhausted than when you left. Plus if you never manage to fit everything in, there's an excuse to visit for a second time. I love leisurely city breaks as I feel you get a real feel of living like a 'local'. We had a list of sights we wanted to visit and an order in which we wanted to do them. I love a castle but alas my boyfriend does not. I would spend every weekend visiting a castle, stately home or palace but my inner 80 year old lady is crushed every time. But for once, I did manage to get him to agree to Rosenborg Castle with the promise of the Crown Jewels. This was one of my highlights! I'd also recommend trekking up the Round Tower for some incredible views of the city. There's nothing better than being at the top of a building and gazing over the rooftops of the city below. I really enjoyed the hour long canal boat tour too as it was a great way to see the city and learn all about the landmarks. It's always good to have some knowledge of the place you're staying.

The things that didn't really float our boat were Tivoli despite it being top of my boyfriend's list of things to do. I'm not a massive theme park person anyway and it cost us £70 for two unlimited tickets. A bit of a waste as neither of us are that keen but we made of the most of it and dragged ourselves on four rides to get our money worth. It's a cool place to see but not really worth it unless you are into those sorts of things. The mermaid was a little underwhelming considering it's probably the most famous landmark in the city. It's small and over crowded. I'd recommend getting the canal boat tour so you can see it on the way round.

I had a great time in Copenhagen and it's made me eager to visit more of Denmark. I'd urge everyone to move it further up their travel list and pay it a visit. You won't be disappointed. Hopefully it won't be too much longer until I'm back in the city!

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