Manicure Post :: Haute Hippy!

It's that time again..... yep you guessed it...... it's MANICURE TIME!!!  I always get so excited when I have a nail appointment or booking.  I'm literally like a kid in a candy store... I just want to try all of the colours of nail varnish on display and never ever leave!  That is why, whenever it comes down to the big decision as to what shade I should choose.... I always give that responsibility to the amazing Lindsey who continually manages to make my nails look flawless!  (If you want to know where my salon is that I go to, it is called 'Beauty Box' and it is in Oxted, Surrey.  The girls are all so friendly in there and if you need directions, I recommend that you search on Google)!

Lindsey finally came to the conclusion that I should go for one of the 'Jessica' gel nail varnishes from their new range 'GELeration', compared to my usual choice of 'Shellac'.  I never knew that 'Jessica' made gel based nail polishes, so I was intrigued as to what the outcome would be.  I was told that the 'Jessica' gel nail varnishes were not only lighter on the nails than when you have a 'Shellac' manicure done, but that they also protect your nails as they grow... I couldn't wait to see this for myself!      

The colour that I went for was called 'Haute Hippy' and I thought the name was so sweet and carefree.  The shade is a beautiful rust/brown colour and it is so earthy and natural... ideal for teaming up with stone jumpers, khaki jackets and black jeans, (my transitional attire that I am sporting until the weather decides to cheer up and become more Spring like)!  It is such a warm shade that I feel compliments my skin tone really well.  This polish, once applied, may seem like a normal bottle, however it contains the strength of a gel, making it more durable.  The 'GELeration' collection last for up to 21 days without peeling, chipping or fading in colour... how great is that?  

I am so happy with my new nails and I just can't get enough of the colour!  It's a stunning shade for the transitional period that we are currently in and I will get so much wear from this polish!  And yes my nails feel less heavy, now that I have the 'Jessica' polish on instead of the 'Shellac'.  I will always have my 'Shellac' manicures, but now that I know about this brand... I might mix it up every now and again, as it is better for my nails and for my state of mind!

M x

Lush :: Lover Lamp!

For the run up to Valentines Day, I desperately wanted to have a long relaxing bath in preparation for getting dolled up, going out and having a great time!  I always find that a good bath can make all the difference, in not only making your skin super soft, but also making you feel good too!

I popped into my local Lush store and purchased the 'Lover Lamp' bath bomb.  It was so well suited for Valentines Day as it had the most beautiful red hearts decorated all over it and the name was so apt!    

The main ingredients in this bath bomb are:- Brazilian Orange Oil, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute and Organic Cocoa Butter... basically everything to make your skin sweet smelling and heavenly!

Once my bath was poured, I was so intrigued as to what colour and pattern the water would turn out to be.  Because the bath bomb is mainly white with little red hearts, I was hoping that it would go red, pink or a mixture of the two to create a romantic bath.

The moment I placed it into the water, it instantly fizzed up, and I was so excited to see the magic unfold.  To my amazement, the water did not change in colour.  Instead it turned my bath a milky colour and created lots of swirls of white flowing through my bath.  To be honest I was a little bit disappointed, as most Lush bath bombs create the most crazy and beautiful patterns, and this one was seeming a little bit dull.  But all of that changed, the moment I looked closer and realised that the bath bomb was releasing tiny red heart confetti into my bath, as well as three big hearts, which were the ones that decorated the outside of the bath bomb.  It was so beautiful and such a great surprise to see!  

I can't get over how stunning and romantic my bath looked when the bath bomb had finished melting. The fact that the hearts were made out of cocoa butter and bath oils was amazing, because once they were rubbed into your skin, they instantly nourished and replenished it, as well as leaving your skin smelling of Chocolate Orange... that literally lingers all day long.  I really feel that this bath bomb is excellent value, as you are not only getting a bath bomb but a bath oil as well!  I had such a lovely bath and I really hope that Lush will make this again for next year, because it is so perfect and ideal for a top to toe before meeting your Valentines Date!

M x      

Dirty Bones review!

For any of you who don't know me, I am a HUGE foodie (food lover) and I constantly try to visit as many new cafes, restaurants and pubs as I can, in order to sample some incredible food.  It is just one of my favourite hobbies to do and I simply am addicted!

For a couple of months now, I have been meaning to pop into the 'Dirty Bones' restaurant in Soho, because it has constantly been packed every time I pass it (which is always a good sign) and I really like the menu that they offer.  Perry successfully managed to book it for my birthday weekend and it certainly was a real treat!

We walked through Carnaby street before heading to our table reservation, and it was such a lovely atmosphere.  There were tonnes of people around and it gave a real buzz to the area.  There were lights decorated everywhere and I particularly liked the big light bulbs that glowed yellow, orange and red.

Once we entered Kingly Court (which for any of you who don't know... it is a huge food court that caters for Italian, Japanese, British, Mexican and American cuisine all under the same roof!)  I find this area to be particularly chic as it looks so pretty at night and so many people meet up here that it has a real trendy vibe!

I don't know what it is about me and restaurants, but when it comes to the decor I am all over it!  I literally judge a place on its interior design as well as the food... how bad is that?  'Dirty Bones' was so special inside, because it had the right amount of dimmed light without it looking too dark.  It gave the place a real intimate feeling and was perfect for dates and catch ups with friends.  What I was in awe of though, were the multiple array of lampshades that were strategically placed on their high ceilings.  Each one was a unique style, shape and colour and they were so pretty to look at whilst I was waiting for my food to arrive!

For my starter, I went for the 'Deep Fried Mac Balls', which were served with a sweet chilli sauce.  I had never tasted macaroni that was then fried before... Boy was it good!  The frying of the macaroni gave it such a great crunch to the dish and the sweet chilli sauce balanced out the food perfectly.  It was a really delicious combination and I will definitely order that again!  

Perry on the other hand, chose the 'Hot Wings' that were then cooked in Louisiana Hot sauce.  No matter how brave he came across, it was only a matter of time before the cracks would show and he would beg for mercy in the form of a cold drink!  Bless him though, he did really well considering how hot they were.  What is it with men and showing off?  Anyway he thoroughly enjoyed them and was ready for his main course.

For my main course, I wanted to try the 'Crispy Fried Chicken', as it was one of their speicalites and it sounded interesting to me.  It consisted of free range chicken thighs and drumsticks that were coated in spiced buttermilk and then fried to perfection.  The chicken was so tender and it melted in my mouth!  The skin was ultra crispy and I couldn't get enough of the stuff!

Perry's main course was the 'Dirty Dog', which consisted of a pork (hot dog) with pulled pork, crispy bacon, shallots and jalapeno cheese sauce.  It was a real whopper when it arrived onto the table. Perry's eyes literally popped out on stalks as he braced himself for the feast that awaited him.  He was in his element with this dish, as each mouthful was so flavoursome and cooked superbly!

Moments before this picture was taken I fell off my seat... yes you heard me correctly, I fell off my seat!  It was all rather embarrassing as I misjudged the edge of my seat and instead of getting up I casually fell off my seat straight onto the floor like a mad woman!  Perry was highly amused, as was the whole of the restaurant, but that didn't stop me from getting a selfie with my man!

Overall, we had such an amazing time at 'Dirty Bones' and I know that we will be back very soon. The food was so delicious and filling (we couldn't make room for desert) and the staff, music and ambiance of the place was perfect!  We even wrote a paragraph in their customer feedback book saying how much we enjoyed our dinner and that we will definitely return.  If any of you are in the London area, go and visit the Soho branch in Kingly Court, because it is one of the most trendiest places around at the moment!

M x

Manicure Post :: Plum Paisley!

It's time for a 'Monday Manicure!'  (For the first time ever I have managed to successfully write and upload this kind of blog on a Monday so that it actually makes sense)... *proud face!*  I must say, it has felt like such a long time since I last had a professional Shellac manicure... I mean we're talking at least since early December!  So I couldn't wait to get back into my monthly routine.  

At my local beauty salon, 'Beauty Box' in Oxted, the girls there are all so friendly and fantastic at what they do.  They go above and beyond for their clients and that is one of the many reasons as to why I never want to go anywhere else!  I always find them ordering colours in for me to try out (I swear I must be their only client who literally has worn every colour that they sell!). They ordered in a new plum colour for me, called 'Plum Paisley' and straight away I wanted it, without any hesitation! 

The moment it was applied onto my nails, I could see the gorgeous velvety liquid cover my pale white nails and transform them into things of great beauty!  This plum shade is very on trend and I like that it doesn't have any glitter running through it either.  (I love glitter, don't get me wrong, but it's not Christmas anymore and so with that said I have now moved onto the matte/solid colours instead)!  

I absolutely LOVE this colour on me as not only does it look chic, but it changes colour depending on what light you're under...  Genius!  In dimmed light it is a dark purple/black colour and in the sun it is a true plum shade.  It goes with all of my wardrobe and I especially like it, teamed up with my khaki coat and black jeans!  Simple, yet such a statement! 

What colour have you been wearing on your nails recently? 

M x

The Breakfast club review!

I have always been such a foodie and rely heavily on my three meals a day.  Never will you see me skipping a mealtime, as without food I have zero energy and I get incredibly 'hangry' (that's right, hungry and angry mixed into one... believe me it is not a pretty sight!)  Breakfast has to be my all time favourite and most import meal for me.  Without it I just can't start my day right... and who wants that?

I had been wanting to try out 'The Breakfast Club' in London Bridge for such a long time, because I had heard from many people that they do the most incredible american breakfasts that not only fill you up but are delicious too.  Last weekend Perry and I popped down and couldn't believe the size of the queue.  There were at least 30 people waiting patiently for a seat in this iconic building and I just knew that this place was going to be good!  We were told that we would have to wait for around 25 minutes, which to me didn't sound like long (sometimes I've been told to wait for over an hour, so 25 minutes sounded like a breeze).  We were then greeted by one of the staff members who very kindly gave us all a free hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows to warm us up, as the weather was very cold. I thought that, that was a lovely sentiment to be given and boy did the hot chocolate taste good!

The moment our names were called out, we sat down and admired the wonder of the menu that we were were given.  I had never seen such a variety of choice before, with regards to breakfast so I was in my element!  There were were pancake options, fry ups, vegetarian options, sugary options... you name it.  There was something for everyone and that's why it has done so well for the 11 years that it has been around for.

 We both went for the Hot Chocolate for our drinks, because the mini ones that were handed to us were so delicious!  They arrived in the cutest of mugs... they both were bright orange with a cartoon face that had two blue eyes and a zip for a mouth.  As I looked around, I could see that everyone had different mugs/glasses to the person next to them.  Nobody had the same set and it made the place seem quite retro and vintage.  A real cool and hip place to hangout!

Perry chose 'The All American', which consisted of:- pancakes, eggs, one sausage, homemade fried potato, streaky bacon and maple syrup.  He couldn't get enough of it and said that it was incredibly tasty... its safe to say that he successfully cleaned the plate!    

I on the other hand, went for the classic 'Pancakes and Bacon', which were served with maple syrup. I have always wanted to go to New York (maybe one day if I'm lucky) and so this was the closest that I was ever going to get, to tasting an American delicacy and traditional breakfast!

Overall, the food, the atmosphere and the service was amazing.  It is so quirky and one of a kind in 'The Breakfast Club', I definitely want to come again!  Their breakfasts are all made fresh and are so hearty, they really do fill you up till dinner!  It truly is the most perfect place for anyone who loves breakfast just as much as I do and I would thoroughly recommend it!

M x

Topshop Trio!

Lately, I have been so impressed by Topshop's jewellery collection for this season.  There have been some amazing styles and colours and I wanted to show you my top three pieces that I purchased last week.

The first thing that caught my eye was this gorgeous long silver necklace.  I love how thin and elegant the chain is, because it makes the overall design less heavy and instantly gives off an impression that it is more expensive.

But for me, the thing that did it, was the fringing!  It is such a simplistic design but one that dresses up the most simple of tops/jumpers.  I can't wait to create lots of styles with this!

The next department that I delved into was all about earring!  Ever since I got my ears pierced (which was about 4 years ago now), I have been obsessed with earrings, whether they are studs, cuffs, hoops or dangle.  I needed a pair of studs that were a little bit more dressy than my usual plain ones, and could be worn from day to night (as I go to a lot of meetups etc).  These green/cream/gold ones were ideal and I just had to buy them!  

The three colours blend so perfectly with one another and I find the shape to be so contemporary and one of a kind.  It is shaped as an irregular hexagon due to its six sides, but I really like how when you wear them, the side nearest to your ear is a straight side and the opposite side is at a point.  It creates a modern look and I find that these work so well with casual jumpers, as well as a smart dress or trouser suit.

The last thing that I utterly failed to resist, was another pair of earrings (surprise, surprise) and they are bohemian 1970's inspired with such personality to them.  I can just imagine wearing these with a high neck polo jumper and velvet pinafore mini dress or with a fitted jumper and flared jeans.  They are so psychedelic and simply ooze coolness.  

The prominent tortoiseshell pattern was the pinnacle that drew me to the earrings in the first place. It was that, together with my love for bohemian fashion and style, that persuaded me to buy another pair of dangle earrings (I seriously have far too many to count!)  I like how these earrings have pale gold going through them, because it isn't too bold and therefore it easily can be teamed up with any of my autumnal colours such as khaki, camel, burgundy etc.  They are so easy to wear and they weigh absolutely nothing, which is even better for you and your ears!

I absolutely adore my three new pieces of jewellery from Topshop and I can't wait to start wearing them.  They are each so unique and I just know that they will effortlessly complete any outfit!

M x

23 amazing things that have happened to me this year!

For any of you who didn't know, it was my birthday on Sunday and although it was a wonderful day... I couldn't help but feel a little sad that I could no longer sing Taylor Swift's infamous song "22" at the top of my lungs, with such meaning *sad face*.  Oh well... This year I know is going to be very exciting and scary, as I will be getting married in the next few months, hopefully buy my first property and then try to gain another promotion at work.  So with that said, I thought that it would be a good idea to write down and share with you all the 23 amazing things that have happened to me this year.  So let's get started!

1. Perry and I celebrated our 6 years together by going for dinner at 'Bob Bob Ricard' in Soho, London.  It was such a magical night and the food was incredible!
2. I became a blogger!  I decided to properly blog about fashion, beauty and lifestyle and try to do as many blog posts as possible!  I enjoy writing about things that I love and I always like to hear your views and opinions on them!
3. I was chosen by Suzie Bonaldi from 'HelloOctober' to attend an event in London at the Kiehls store in regent street.  I met Suzie and Alix from 'IcovetThee' and they were so beautiful and lovely in real life.
4. My sister and I booked ourselves into a dance class at the infamous 'Pineapple Dance Studios'.  It was so much fun and a really great workout.  We went for the Commercial Hip Hop class and boy was it strenuous.  The hour long class  only cost £8 and I will definitely go again!
5. I was invited to go to a food festival called 'Model Market' in London and I got the opportunity to try so many fantastic food and drinks.  As a food lover, I was in my element.  The place had such a buzz and great atmosphere.  I definitely want to return next summer!
6. I won a Jacelyn Hill Champagne pop highlighter through a Twitter competition by Lily Pebbles!  She wrote a card and emailed me to know how it was and that I had received it.  She's so sweet!
7. I celebrated my grandad's 85th birthday with all my family.  We went for a lovely meal that was local and it was just so nice to be there with my grandad and help celebrate his big day!
8. It was a miserable rainy day in London and suddenly I saw a huge Ben&Jerrys van pull up.  They started asking people to come over and try their new flavoured ice cream.  We were given a huge portion each and it was all free.  It instantly perked up my day and it made me proud to be British, because even if it's raining out we will never turn down ice cream!
9. I went to Hastings with Perry and his parents and ate the best fish and chips ever at 'Rocanore Kitchen'.  It was the cutest little restaurant that had such a great following.  It was so nice to relax by the seaside and check out all the little lanes.
10. I learnt how to make sausages!  I know that most of you won't be impressed by this, but to be the fiancé of a butcher... I kind of have to be skilled with meat and food.  He kindly showed me the process that goes into making sausages and it was a lot of fun!  I was very impressed by the results and I ate my sausages with pride!
11. It was so amazing to see my best friends from school... We try to meet up every couple of months, because we are all so busy with work etc.  But when we come together it is as if we have never been apart!  I love them all with my heart and I can always be my immature self with them!
12. Perry and I chose and bought each other's wedding rings... It was so special and very memorable!
13. I met up with my best friend Lorena and had the nicest catch up and last day with her before she jetted off to Madrid.  We went to the Saatchi Gallery, to an authentic Italian restaurant for lunch and then had the most relaxed afternoon tea at cafe BB.
14. My sister and I have been spending way more time with each other this year which I have loved!  We have had so many film dates where we see chick flicks and so many laughs over dinner.  I vow to continue this into the new year because she is my only sister and family is important to me!
15. I booked myself into my local opticians and discovered that I needed reading glasses for blogging, writing and reading.  It was the best thing ever because I had been suffering with severe headaches and since I've been wearing my glasses... I have been feeling so much better!  For any of you out there with eye strain/headaches... Get your eyes tested, it's so important!
16. Perry and I went to Hawker House in Canada Water, London for the food festival, 'Oktoberfeast'.  There were over 20 pop up food stalls selling sweet and savoury dishes in the style of German cuisine.  It was an incredible experience and I definitely want to go there again for other street feast festivals.  We both ate far too much food and practically rolled out of the venue!
17. I re-designed my blog with 'pipdig' who were so incredibly helpful and I'm so happy with the results!  It looks so much more organised!
18. Mum and I went to Primark in Tottenham Court Road (as its my favourite branch) and I don't know what happened, but we both somehow managed to spend over £150 each in there, which was crazy!  It felt so good to be laid back and splurge, as we hardly ever do that!  We're dangerous when we go shopping together!
19. For my Mum's birthday, I took her to Kensington Palace and treated her to a royal afternoon tea at The Orangery.  She looked so happy and it definitely gave me satisfaction to know that she liked the day that I had planned.
20. Christmas Day with my family was very special this year.  Partly this was because it was my last full Christmas Day with my family.  Once I get married to Perry and move out, I will be splitting my Christmas Day between seeing my family and then seeing his family.  So this year was my last time to have all of my family with me for the whole day!
21. Finding my wedding dress!  I found it within 15 minutes and it was literally love at first site!
22. Being told that I had won a free complimentary wash, blow dry and style worth a total of £45!  It was amazing and I booked it for a day when I was having dinner with a friend so that it didn't go to waste.
23. Perry bought me a new laptop for my blogging... It has seriously made my life so much easier!  I now can successfully type up my posts and edit my blog more efficiently!

So that concludes my 23 best things that have happened to me this year.  I don't want to admit that I'm 23, but hey ho... I've just got to get on with it - Afterall I have some exciting things coming up!

M x