I'll have what Jack's having

Last weekend I was I was tweeted by TGI Fridays asking if I wanted to be let into a secret. Being extremely nosy I eagerly traded secrets and was excited to find out they had a secret burger launching. You have to be in it to know it!

After kindly being sent some vouchers, the boyfriend and I stopped by one night after work to try it out for ourselves. When the waitress came to take your order you simply had to say "I'll have  what Jack's having". Despite feeling a little bit silly and worried she would wonder what the hell we were on about, it worked a treat. We sat back and scoffed some delicious Jack Daniels Sesame Chicken Strips and debating on what we thought the burger would be.

We were finally put out of our misery and when it arrived it was absolutely huge! The starter suddenly felt like a bad idea. It was topped with what we assumed were caramelised onions coated in a tasty sweet Jack Daniel's sauce. I often try to avoid ordering a burger in a chain restaurant - #burgersnob - because they are so thin. But this one was a beast! It had a great thickness and tasted very meaty. It was a little bit too well done for my liking but that's just personal preference, no fault of the restaurant! The melted cheese went amazingly well with the onions. Well I think it was melted cheese!

I had to cut it in half before I could attempt to eat it. As with all good burger the brioche bun held up until about half way through then it became a sloppy and squidgy mess. But this made it taste even better as all the yummy juices had seeped into the bread. In my humble opinion a brioche bun is the only suitable partner to a juicy burger out there!

The secret burger got a massive thumbs up from the both of us and it really is worth a pun if you find yourself in one of their restaurants. Thanks TGI's for a great mid week meal!

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Inspire me

Outfit:
Red sheer utility shirt: Dorothy Perkins
White and Black striped pleated midi skirt: c/o F&F
White block heeled courts: c/o F&F

A email popped in my inbox a week or so ago asking me if I'd like to take part in the Inspire Me feature named "How you're wearing". When I read the challenge was focusing on midi skirts and prints, I was sold. It sounded like it was made for me no?

I opted for the gorgeous pleated midi skirt and had a little left over on my voucher so I managed to get these heels as well when I put some money towards them. Yes you have seen them before in black! They are so comfy and I wish they did them in a rainbow of colours. I don't think you can go wrong with a monochrome outfit as it always looks so classy. The best thing is you can add any colour you want to jazz it up a bit. I chose a red shirt as I love these three colours together. I have to admit this is one of my favourite recent outfits! I may flirt with trousers every now and again but I really do feel myself in a midi skirt. I feel like they just sum me up down to a tee!

I've been reading so much about pleated midi skirts being a staple for spring so was very pleased to be able to get my grubby little hands on this one. It's a perfect length and with an elasticated waist it's great to tuck a top in to - the pleats hang beautifully.

How would you have styled the midi skirt?

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Floral Arrangement

   

Outfit:
Silky floral dipped hem t-shirt: New Look
Dark blue skinny jeans: New Look
Nude studded heels: Primark (similar)
Red plastic boyfriend watch: Toywatch (similar)

I took the plunge and went for the chop! I'd been debating cutting a chunk off my hair for a good few weeks and decided I had nothing to lose. After all, it'll grow back! At the moment I'm not regretting it at all and loving the new shorter length. For someone who has always had long hair, it's a nice change. I have a feeling salt spray will be my new best friend!

I had a bit of a mental shopping spree at the weekend. I even had to take a few things back after 30 minutes because of buyers remorse! It was a long time coming and the excuse of a New York trip in a few weeks spurred me on. New Look is on fire at the moment with their stock and to be fair I could have walked out with the whole shop. I came away with this pretty top, a black polka dot shirt and two pairs of skinny jeans. It's the first time I've brought blue jeans in 5 years. Revelation I tell you!

Speaking of New York. Does anyone have any tips for my trip to the Big Apple? Places to eat, see and shop are all welcomed. Throw them at me please!

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Chinatown

Another trip around London with the last one being a tour of Brick Lane. Admittedly I haven't actually eaten in Chinatown (a buffet doesn't count!) despite it being on my London bucket list but I have spent many a day wandering around. Tucked away behind Leicester Square, it's a series of winding roads filled with Chinese bakeries, restaurants, hairdressers and supermarkets. You won't find just Chinese eateries though, i've spotted Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese.  It's always hustling and bustling with tourists and locals alike roaming the streets. The big gates at the entrance and exit makes the perfect photo opportunity. If you're ever in London, it makes a great trip as Oxford Street and Piccadilly are both within a short walking distance. It would be a shame to pass it by!

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Sushi?

Last week I was invited along to a special sushi making class at Broadgate in the city through work. I caught the train into Liverpool Street and trotted on down to K10 to take part in the first Spring into Health event.

Taking place from March to May, the events are aimed at helping city workers gain a fresh perspective to nutrition, wellness and fitness. Broadgate held a study and found out a staggering 50% of Londoners only occasionally think about nutrition. Even more shocking 80% of Londonders rarely have time or simply just don't bother to think about what is in their food before they purchase it. They taken it upon themselves to change this. Check out the website for any upcoming events.

Having only shamefully tried supermarket sushi I was excited to try the real deal. Craft has never been my strong point as I suffer with zero coordination but I was willing to give this rolling lark my best shot. As it turned out my rolling wasn't the best but thanks to some patient chefs I eventually perfected my sushi and prompted ate it all in record time.

It was really interesting to hear all about the history of sushi and some facts about what ingredients are used and why. As a complete foodie I love hearing about all different cuisines and find it fascinating to find out why cultures employ certain practices. A word of warning you should never plonk your chopsticks in a bowl of rice in Japan unless you want to severely offend your guests. It's the sign of death!

We were kindly given a 20% off voucher and I can't wait to return with my boyfriend and sample some different types. I've got a taste for it now!

Have you ever been to a sushi making class?

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Like Mother like Daughter

My outfit:
Graphic print scuba midi dress: c/o Florence and Fred
Block heeled faux suede court shoes: c/o Florence and Fred
Red lipstick:  Chanel 97 Incandescente

Mother Bears outfit:
Brown and black floral dress: Next
Black suede court shoes: Primark
Cyrstal pendant: Swarovski
Nude lipstick: Barry M 165
Black shawl: TK Maxx

Tesco got in touch to see if I would like to take part in a special Mother's Day challenge where I get to pick an outfit insipired by my mum. I obviously jumped at the chance as my beautiful mum is one of my most favourite people in the world. She's honestly my best friend. I sometimes think she knows me better than I know myself. Although I know that statement is likely to give her a very big head! I'm an only child and as a result i'm very close to both my parents. I love spending time with my mum and we often make out sunday morning ritual to scour the bootsales looking for junk that makes my dad tear his hair out. She enjoys stuffing her face just as much as do and gives me honest advice without holding back. Sometimes you need to hear that your current hairstyle is getting a bit boring!

So where have I taken my inspiration from? As long as I can rememeber my mother scrubs up extremely well when she's heading off out. We both like to longue around in our PJs at the weekend though if we're in the house! She takes great effort in keeping up to date with the trends whilst still being age appropriate. My mum loves a a knee length/ midi dress, something I find myself always gravitating towards. I just think it looks very elegant and classy. My mum isn't afraid of braving patterns and loves something that makes a statement.  She always loves a court shoe. Go in her wardrobe and you'll get a serious injury when you open the door and all these heels come falling down! I've chosen a black court shoe as she always says you can't have too many black shoes! Sound advice there guys!

Some of the quality isn't too good but here are a few more pictures of my mum and I through the years. Thanks for being such a star mum!

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Classic Car Bootsale

 

Last weekend Lily and I decided to hit up the Classic Car Bootsale on the Southbank after hearing about it on Twitter. It was a car boot with a bit of a vintage twist. Set out of the back of some amazing classic cars there was a mix of handmade goods, vintage clothing, bric and brac and cracking street food. We had such amazing weather and it was lovely to mooch around at a leisurely pace peaking at all the bits and bobs on display. It was a fantastic place to people watch and seeing people in full vintage clobber makes me wish I'd mastered that victory roll and wasn't so lazy in my dressing. I sense a vintage shop trip to Brick Lane coming soon....

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Goodnight Mister Tom

Outfit:
Cream lace shirt: Primark (similar)
White stretch vest top: Primark (similar)
Black skinny jeans: Primark (similar)
Jonathan Alder grey espadrilles: c/o TOMS
Silver multi-strand necklace: Car Boot (similar)

When TOMS got in contact with me offering me the chance to to try out something from their range to help raise awareness of the brand, I couldn't reply with a big fat yes please quick enough. After browsing their site, I noticed that they also stocked a cracking range of sunglasses from vintage styles to classic aviators. It's well worth checking out! It's the exact same concept as the footwear, they offer a pair of glasses to those in need in developing countries. It's such an amazing concept and it feels amazing to know you're helping someone out.

I wore these for an afternoon stroll along the Southbank with Lily in the sunshine. By the time I got home I didn't have one blister on my foot - something unheard of for me when I wear new shoes! I know they'll be a staple during the warmer months for me. The grey is such a great neutral colour and the pattern makes the stand out.

Do you have a pair of TOMS? Did you realise they did eyewear too?

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