How to wear a statement shirt

Outfit:
Pink and grey abstract shirt: ASOS (similar)
Grey wrap over coat: New Look
Grey skinny jeans: New Look
Grey faux suede mid heels: Matalan (similar)
Black cross over bag: Next (similar)

My uniform at the minute seems to be a shirt and skinny jeans. Every single day. Stuck in a style rut or found my personal style? You tell me... One day I might break those midi skirts out of storage when my legs have stopped resembling milk bottles. Anyway back to the statement shirt. As I'm wearing shirts 24/7 I like them to be lairy. The louder the better in my opinion. With a loud shirt I like to pick out one of the colours and base the rest of my outfit around that. This time I've gone for grey palette. I brought this warp around coat in a size up so it keeps me nice and cosy during the colder months. So to help counteract the bagginess and avoid looking too much like a barrel, I've gone for grey skinny jeans and a pair of heels to dress it up a bit. Nothing quite like walking around feeling like you've been wrapped in a blanket!

Thanks to my mega babe Sarah for taking the pictures.

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Three places you should eat in Derry

We were last in Derry over three years ago and the food scene has completely evolved in such as short amount of time. It looks to have become such a foodie place with a massive emphasis on using local ingredients. There are so many different places we were dying to try out but sadly we couldn't fit them all in which means we're just going to have to book a trip back next year. These are my three favourite restaurants we managed to try.

Blackbird
Pyke N Pommes seems to be a Derry institution and the food truck is based along the Quay. But they've recently started serving their food in the Blackbird pub so you don't have to eat your burger in the rain! As soon as I glanced at the menu I knew I was going to opt for the Legendary burger with a side of crispy sweet potato fries. The burger was a little too well done for my liking but it was still absolutely delicious. The Wagyu beef patty topped with addictive pickled red onions, american cheese, juicy tomatoes and fresh lettuce. A beast to eat and I had to cut it in half to try and eat it ladylike...We also went back a separate time for a drink so I can recommend the gin selection too. It always makes me happy when I spot a bottle of Sipsmith on my travels to remind me of home!

The Grillroom restaurant at Di Vinci's
We were lucky enough to be invited by the Visit Derry tourist board to enjoy a meal at Di Vinci's hotel. Thank you to you both! Offering a traditional menu, we tried their new Spring dishes. I had a yummy tomato bruschetta to start. Piled high with fresh chopped tomatoes and drizzled with a green pesto sauce, it was the perfect introduction to the menu. I couldn't get enough of the parmesan chips that came with the main course - I could have eaten at least two bowls! A more detailed review is coming within the next few weeks so keep an eye out.

Harry's
I have been desperate to make it to Harry's Shack in Portstewart for about a year and was all booked in to finally tick it off the list. But on the Thursday before we were due to be in Derry, the brand opened a new restaurant in the city. Five minutes walk from our hotel. It was fate so I quickly canceled the Portstewart one and booked us in the Derry one. It was absolutely incredible. Specialising in seafood, I opted for the Lemon Sole for my main with a side of the creamiest mash I've ever tasted. The deconstructed lemon and blackberry meringue was just the ticket to finish off one of the best meals I've had.  I would go back in a heartbeat and it's top of my list next time I'm back in the city.

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Exploring Europe: Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Ireland is place very close to my heart. I've been three times now and each time I fall more and more in love with the country. It helps that my boyfriend has family over there who are the best tour guides and hosts, taking us to all the great places and letting us into secrets. Thanks Brendan if you're reading this! On my trip last week we hired a car and set out to see the stunning Causeway Coast and spot a few Game of Thrones filming locations along the way.

If you're a GoT fan, you'll notice that this is in fact the Iron Islands. The home where Theon Greyjoy received a lukewarm welcome after coming back from Winterfell and the scene of his baptism. But if fantasy TV shows aren't your thing then make sure you come here anyway. It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been too. The clear blue sea, the waves crashing against the rocks and the stunning scenery blew me away. I could have clambered over the rocks for hours but alas our bellies were rumbling and dinner was calling us.

On a sunny day, I imagine it's the perfect place to settle down on one of the rocks, enjoy a picnic and admire mother nature.  Next time I'm back in the Emerald Isle it's going to be top of my list of places to visit. Definitely add it to your list if you're ever in that part of the world - pack some trainers as those rocks can get slippery!

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Restaurant review: Honey & Co, Fitzrovia, central London

Middle Eastern food is fast overtaking Vietnamese as my favourite cuisine to eat, so I was all over it when it was suggested we pop to Honey & Co to try their breakfast. For a mere £16.50, the table is presented with a selection of meze, breads, olives, pickles, cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit and homemade jams. Then everyone gets to choose their own eggs. It's one of the best value breakfasts I've had in London. The amount of food included is INSANE.

Highlights for me included the incredible addictive ashura grain cereal packed with sweet caramelised nuts topped with tart greek yogurt, the creamy hummus drizzled in olive oil and the delicious green Shakshuka with two Cornish eggs boasting a blinding orange yolk. I wish I had room to have it all over again. And again. And again.

A tiny restaurant tucked in what seems like no man's land in central London, Honey & Co is like eating in someone's living room. It's a tad annoying that you can only have the table for 90 minutes as I believe Middle Eastern food should be drawn out to be enjoyed. But alas, that's what you get when you dine in such a popular restaurant - we booked brunch three weeks in advance. The food was absolutely delicious, the staff were attentive and now I'm frantically trying to get my hands on their cookbook to try out their recipes at home.

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Hotel review: Hotel Grand Ferdinand, Vienna, Austria

As we were only in Vienna for a couple of nights, I wanted to make the most of it by booking us into a really nice hotel. Enter Hotel Grand Ferdinand. Located about a 15 minute walk from the centre, this sleek and stylish hotel couldn't be in a better location. Boasting three restaurants and a rooftop bar, there's no need to really leave it either if you don't want to. It seemed like the perfect hotel for us. And it was.

We booked the smallest room which worked out about £130 plus 13% tax and a local city tax when you check out. What it was lacking in size, it certainly didn't lack in style. The quirky suitcase minibar was a lovely touch and I loved the opulent marble sink against the cool white and grey colour scheme. The bed was comfy and the open plan bathroom helped to make the room feel bigger. We certainly didn't feel cramped. It was well worth the money and was lovely to have a little bit of luxury in such a beautiful city.

We made it up to the rooftop infinity pool one night which was slightly surreal looking out over at the the Viennese skyline. Ordering a G+T, I remember feeling so carefree, emotional at being able to travel and incredibly lucky that I live in such a diverse and cultural continent. When I got the bill, I didn't quite feel so lucky then so keep in mind that the bar isn't cheap but definitely stop for one! Towels and dressing gowns are provided which is a lovely touch.

I can't vouch for the restaurants as we didn't eat there but if you ever find yourself in Vienna, definitely book yourself in for a few nights of luxury. I will certainly stay here again if I ever find myself in the Austrian city.

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Recipe: sweet potato and chickpea vegetarian stew

I'm trying to make a conscious decision to eat less meat and adapted some of my cookbooks to be vegetarian. I find it encourages me to be a lot more adventurous with my meals as it's so easy to just go for meat, potatoes and veggies. I omitted the chicken from the original recipe and bulked it up with more beans and vegetables. It was delicious and even better the next day when I had the leftovers for lunch. Definitely something I'd rustle up again.

Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson's Chicken Cosimo

Feeds 6

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of plain flour
1 bag of chopped butternut squash
1 can of butterbeans
1 can of chickpeas
1 large onion
500ml of vegetable stock
1 pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
1 teaspoon of sweet paprika

Method
1. Pour the olive oil into a large casserole dish and cook the chopped onion until soft but not quite browned.

2. Stir in all the spices and flour before popping in the sweet potato and butternut squash. Cook for ten minutes.

3. Pour in the chicken stock and give it a good stir. Bring it to the boil.

4. Once boiled, add the drained chickpeas and butterbeans. Give it another stir.

5. Pop the lid on and put it in the oven for around 25 minutes until the sweet potato is tender.

6. Take out the oven and leave it for ten minutes with the lid still on. Then serve. I enjoyed it with some crusty bread.

As always I would love to know what you all think and do send me a tweet with a picture if you make it!

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A whirlwind winter weekend in Paris

A few weeks ago I went on my first trip of the year to Paris. I managed to snag some bargain Eurostar tickets for my mum's christmas present and conveniently booked it for my birthday weekend. Two birds, one stone eh? It was my mum's first time to Paris and first time on the Eurostar so I was pretty excited to show her around. It's always so lovely to see something through someone else's eyes for the first time.

We were in the French capital for less than 24 hours but we packed in a hell of a lot. After pulling into Gare Du Nord station, we jumped straight on the metro to dump our bags at our hotel. Hotel Cervantes was the perfect location for us and did the job for one night. A 15 minute walk from Galeries Lafayette department store and a 20 min metro ride away from the Eiffel Tower.

Our first stop of the day was the Arc D'Triomphe. I'd seen it a few times but never managed to walk to the top until that weekend. After struggling up the stairs - convinced my mum was going to stop breathing at one point - the view we were rewarded with was beautiful. It's my favourite thing I've ever seen in Paris and looking out at Paris' most famous landmark was pretty special.

Then it was off to Galeries Lafayette, again something I had never done. We wondered around marvelling at the stunning dome before reading the food section to take some goodies home. Sadly we couldn't stay long as we had a dinner reservation at Corsican Le Wagon Bleu. On my mum's bucket list is riding the Orient Express. So as the next best thing, I booked a restaurant in an old Orient Express carriage. It served delicious food, good wine and didn't break the bank. A great choice! We very nearly went straight back to the hotel room after drinking a bit too much wine but we decided to jump back on the metro to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle. I am so glad we did as it was the perfect end to the trip. I had such a wonderful weekend away with my mum and made me think why I don't do it more often. We're already planning out next trip!

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