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Saturday 23 February 2019

Writers block but I love this frock | OOTD

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

Dress- Topshop (Gifted by Queensagte Shopping Centre)
Polo neck body- Boohoo
Boots- Topshop

I've literally gone to write a post to accompany this outfit about three or four times now but I just don't have any words! I'd usually write about a topic and feature an outfit but I have nothing of great importance or anything I really want to discuss topic wise...

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

So lets just waffle a bit, talk about the weather and the clothes! This sudden burst of spring weather is making me SO HAPPY right now. Literally the feeling of sunshine on my face is doing wonders for my well being and sparks so much joy, making me excited for the year ahead. I'd felt a bit glum for the past couple of months but I feel like now I'm back on track and I've found my mojo again.

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore


how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

Speaking of my mojo, this outfit makes me feel terribly snazzy and cool. Now that I've hit 30  I was starting to worry that I would turn into a fuddy duddy middle aged person that favours comfort over style all the time. I mean don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a pair of leggings and a baggy tee around the house but if that begins to transpire into my out and about life please shoot me!

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

 I mean don't get me wrong, I know clothes don't define you as a person but I do feel like clothes are a great way to express ourselves and our individuality and if you can't have fun with fashion well...what's the point? Wear what makes you happy and for me that's a zebra patterned pinafore in leopard colours. Yup!

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

how to style the Topshop Zebra Pinafore

Anyway I've gabbled on for long enough about everything and nothing in this post but let me know what you think to this outfit and also what your favourite sassy pants outfit is at the moment!


Saturday 16 February 2019

A Double Date Night at The Brampton Mill AD- Gifted

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

I'm back with another restaurant review and this week its none other than The Brampton Mill in Brampton Cambridgeshire! This is one of my favourite places to come for dinner, drinks and celebrating so when I was invited to bring three guests with me to see the newly re-furbished pub, I was mega excited! Being close to Valentine's Day it seemed like the perfect excuse to make the occasion a double date so I took Chris and my two best friends along to help me try the new menu and enjoy the decor.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the re-vamp but upon arrival the decor just blew my mind...

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

The first area that caught my eye was the bar. It's swanky polished marble top with black and gold wallpaper felt very Gatsby and fabulous and before long I was ordering one of the many gins the bar has to offer.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

If you'd told me beforehand that the decor would have zebra patterned chairs, mixed with blues and greens, blacks and golds I'd have been sceptical but the designers clearly had a vision and it really works!

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

Some cosy touches of the bar area have been kept such as the crackling log fire so there's still an air of cosiness in the stylish new surroundings which are perfect for cold winter days.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

My favourite part of the pub had to be this area- dubbed as "The Greenhouse" with its gorgeous leafy foliage and a beautiful view of the working mill. It was an incredibly inviting and pretty setting and here we had canapes and cocktail to begin our evening.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

If you're a long time reader you'll know been fortunate enough to review The Brampton Mill before (read here) plus I've been many a time before so I can vouch that the food is phenomenal and this evening was no exception! Our canapes consisted of  duck liver & port parfait with a gooseberry and Prosecco compote on toasted ciabatta, deep fried brie in panko bread crumbs and some roasted lentil falafel. Everything tasted divine and was a great way to sample several of the new menu options too.

Soon we were ready to head to the more formal dining area and again we were greeted with fabulous decor.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant


The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

Our table was set on the third floor which is probably my favourite of all the dining areas with the high beamed ceilings. Again the tasteful modern decor has revitalised the place but is also in keeping with the traditional features of the 500 year old pub. The low lighting in the room made for a lovely romantic setting and atmosphere for our date evening. 

Now onto the important stuff- the food! We truly were spoilt rotten with choice as everything sounded incredible. After much deliberation we went for  Thyme-Roasted Portobello muschrooms in Cropwell Bishop sauce with rustic toast, Salt & Szechuan pepper squid, Scallops of the day and the Lobster and King Prawn pot in Devon crab crème fraiche with toasted ciabatta bread.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

I was assured by my other half and my dining chummies that their starters were delicious but I can comment most on the Lobster and King Prawn pot. It tasted incredible with a drizzling of lemon over the top and the chef didn't scrimp on the prawns either- they just kept on coming from the pot!

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

To accompany your food The Brampton Mill has an impressive drinks menu to choose from and on this occasion we opted for the Vieux Chevalier Chateau Neuf Du Pape which was delicious and full bodied.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

For mains we dined on 9oz Rib-Eye Steak with twice-cooked chunky chips, crispy onions, grilled mushroom, confit tomato, baby kale and a side of lobster and garlic butter.
The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant
 
Seared salmon fillet on Chorizo mash, tenderstem broccoli and Bouillabaisse sauce.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

Chicken, leek and creme fraiche pie topped with ham hock crumb, served with kale mashed potato and buttered green beans.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant 
Again I was reliably informed by my friends and hubby that their mains were delicious and they tasted even more amazing than they looked. I had the chicken, leek and creme fraiche pie which was small but mighty! It's deceptive size was definitely filling and the ham hock crumb topping made a nice change to a traditional pastry topped pie. The mash was incredible and if I can re-create it I definitely will because it tasted amazing! The mash itself was incredibly creamy with kale embedded inside for an added crunch and interest in texture.

We were so full and two courses would have easily been enough but then we saw the desserts and our inner piggies persuaded us to have a final course. Well, all but one of us who opted for an Old Fashioned cocktail to finish the meal- a refreshing combination of smooth, rounded woodford reserve bourbon, a swirl of aromatic bitters, a hint of sugar and a twist of orange peel served over a perfect sphere of ice to create the quintessential sipping cocktail.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

Meanwhile the other three of us were in chocolate and cheese heaven with Ice cream and home-baked triple chocolate cookie. 

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

The chocolate and raspberry pudding filled with a raspberry compote middle and served with Bourban vanilla ice cream. I had this and it was epic!

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

And finally the British cheese board which contained all the cheeses- Shepherd’s Purse Yorkshire Blue, Lubborn Somerset Camembert, Belton Farm Red Leicester, Isle of Man vintage Cheddar with a selection of Fudge’s nut & mixed seed biscuits, grapes, celery and chutney.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

What a meal. We were all full to the brim by the end of it and slowly waddled our way down to the bar for a nightcap. 

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant

I was thoroughly impressed with both the food and the service at The Brampton Mill and the re-vamp has definitely given the place a new lease of life. I'm already thinking of other occasions to go for dinner such as Mother's Day next month and with the friends we dined with that evening, we've organised a dog walk and stopping by for pizza and beers in the garden over the summer time! The Brampton Mill truly is a treat and I'd recommend it to everyone.

The Brampton Mill Bar & Restaurant


Have you been yet?


I was invited to the preview night at The Brampton Mill after its extensive refurbishment and received a complimentary three course meal for myself and three guests. I was under no obligation to write a review or promote the refurbishment but I enjoyed it so much I decided to do a blog post so that you guys could discover it and hopefully go and enjoy it too!

Monday 11 February 2019

Winter Hygge Hobbies

The weather has been suitably miserable since 2019 has started. If it’s not snow and ice it’s torrential rain and wind which RUINS all chances of taking outfit pictures (!!)


So instead I thought I’d embrace being indoors, wearing pyjamas all damn day and my hygge hobbies! If you don’t know what Hygge is, here is a definition, courtesy of the internet:

hygge
noun
"a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being"


Card Making

At the end of last year I was way behind with being organised for people’s birthdays and frantically ordering cards from well known pig and pigeon sites...So this year I decided to compile a list of card occasions and set to work using old card I had laying around my office. I was surprised at just how much card making bits I had! It’s also been incredibly therapeutic to get back into some gluing and sticking, colouring and drawing to create cards for friends and loved ones that are much more personal than a stock bought. And yes if you’re wondering, that is a pickle on the card I’m making in the photo.. It’s an in-joke between Chris and I and he loved that card so the joy of making it was well worth it! I’ve made a Valentines card and now I’m working on Mother’s Day and other birthday cards to have ready and waiting for upcoming occasions.


Knitting

If you’ve ever read one of my first blog posts, this blanket may look familiar... Seven years on I’ve decided this WILL be the year I finally finish it!! Knitting is the perfect winter hobby. Being surrounded by cosy yarn and the gentle click clacking of needles is music to my ears and I find it helps me unwind. If you’re someone who struggles to relax and sit still, knitting is for you. It’ll keep you away from your pesky phone but occupies your hands perfectly! I’ve found I’m so much more engaged in watching films, tv series and the like. Plus as relaxing as it is, I feel productive doing it so instead of scrolling, try knit one purl one!


Reading

For some of you reading this it may seem like such a simple and obvious choice but for those of us who reserve books for sunshine and sunbeds once or twice a year, you’ll understand! I find getting into reading quite a challenge but once I do I get totally hooked on a book and can’t put it down. Tucked under blankets with a hot chocolate and a good book is utter bliss and something I think many of us take for granted! I’ve been re-reading The Life Changing Magic of not giving a Sh*T by Sarah McKnight which leaves me snorting and giggling aloud- much to my husbands bewilderment but I’d love some recommendations for what to read next if anyone has any! It’s also made me think how much I’d like to go to a library this year. Libraries are FREE and a brilliant service yet it’s so under utilised!


Podcasts

I’ve written a whole post on my favourite winter podcasts which you can read here but I’ve been very much enjoying a cosy listen whilst knitting or card making as opposed to listening to music. There are so many brilliant ones out there and in some instances it’s like listening to friends’ chatter which is comforting on evenings when the husband is on night shift or I’m sick of watching tv.

I think overall these hobbies are an easy way to bring joy to your free time without blowing the bank and actually just enjoying being at home and cosy. Like the definition of Hygge states, they leave me with a feeling of contentment and well-being which is what a lot of us need this time of year. I think it’s also important to take time out from busy schedules and relish some relaxing me-time!

So that’s all I had to say on winter hobbies really! I’m hoping to do some actually craft posts later on in the year but I’m yet to find a craft that is exciting enough/blog post worthy enough to write about! In the meantime, what are your winter and/or hygge hobbies?



Saturday 9 February 2019

Dinner and drinks with the girls at The Green Man, Trumpington- AD (Gifted)


The Green Man, Trumpington

I’m back for the second time this week and with another foody post- hurrah! This Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending a media preview night at the newly refurbished pub The Green Man in Trumpington, Cambridge. With my three best friends in tow, I went along to check out the decor, try a cocktail or two and sample the delicious food on offer. 
*Spoiler alert* it was bloody amazing. 


Admittedly I had never been to The Green Man before, however one of my friends had and said the transformation was fantastic but even for a first time visit I thought the decor was spectacular. The dark navy and gold palette mixed with leafy green plants and quirky lighting was a feast for the eyes and made for an incredibly inviting setting to be in. 

The Green Man, Trumpington

The Green Man, Trumpington

We started our evening in the cosy bar area with a canapés and drinks. The canapés themselves were a bite size selection of what’s on the new menu and were just delicious! Three of us sampled the meat options and the vegetarian of the group sampled the vegan and veggie options available. As a vegetarian my friend remarked on the fact there were so many vegetarian and vegan options to choose from and they weren’t your bog standard or obligatory veggie options. Instead there were dishes such as deep fried brie in pank breadcrumbs with chutney, spiralised carrot salad, coconut tzatziki and flatbread and battered halloumi with twice cooked chunky chips. Now tell me that’s not a taste sensation for anyone let alone a vegetarian! 

The Green Man, Trumpington

For those of us with the meat canapés we feasted on seared scallops, roasted pork belly and crackling, beer-battered line-caught cod, lobster and Devon crab and fishcakes and duck. The canapés alone were sensational which made me even more excited for the three course meal ahead.

The Green Man, Trumpington
 
When it comes to drinks, you are seriously spoilt for choice. Everything sounded incredible! Alas I was designated driver but my friends happily obliged when trying out the cocktail menu. The Raspberry Mule was a huge hit, coming out in the cutest copper mug and consisted of aromatic Absolut Raspberri Vodka, ginger beer, a hint of lime and a handful of fresh raspberries. Another favourite was the Candy Floss Martini- A childhood favourite mixed with a very adult measure of smooth Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum and is expertly finished with lime and warming ginger. If this sounds up your street then you’ll be pleased to know that Happy Hour is Monday through to Friday 12-7pm!

The Green Man, Trumpington
 
For our evening meal we were led into another inviting area of the large 17th Century pub. Again this room boasted tasteful decor and was a real treat to be dining in. 

The Green Man, Trumpington

The Green Man, Trumpington

The Green Man, Trumpington

There was so much choice for what to have from the seasonal menu and we spent a great deal of time pouring over the various options. In the end we chose the Chargrilled Lamb Koftas which came with goat’s curd, plum tomato, roasted red pepper, cucumber and mint salad, whilst two of us ordered the 7oz Fillet steak with Stilton tart and twice-cooked chunky chips: one with Peppercorn sauce and the other with Lobster and garlic butter. 

The Green Man, Trumpington

The Green Man, Trumpington

The vegetarian main meal chosen (which is also vegan) was the Plant-based burger served in a sesame seeded bun with coconut tzatziki, slow-roasted tomato sauce and salad. I chose the fillet steak because it just sounded so divine and the stilton tart that accompanied it was just gorgeous. The steak itself was cooked to perfection and overall was an absolute treat to eat. 

The Green Man, Trumpington

Admittedly by this point we were stuffed but when we saw the dessert menu, our second stomachs had other ideas...Three of us went in with a full size dessert but if that proves to be too much there is always the option of a mini dessert and hot drink which one of the ladies went for and said it was the perfect size. 

The Green Man, Trumpington

You can choose from a mini apple and blackberry crumble, a mini baked vanilla cheesecake or a mini Belgian chocolate brownie to accompany your hot drink. I also think this would be pretty perfect if you wanted to stop by for coffee and dessert instead of a full blown meal! 

The Green Man, Trumpington

For those of us that chose a full size dessert, we went in with a New York style baked vanilla cheese cake, a Belgian chocolate brownie with Bourbon vanilla icecream and then the big one... the Melting Chocolate & Peanut Bomb. 


This dessert sure puts on a show! Filled with sticky toffee pudding and peanut butter cream, this golden ball comes served beautifully and with a little jug of hot salted caramel sauce to pour over the top and reveal the melted wonder inside. I mean just look at it. I don’t think I need to say anymore than that! 



By the final course we really were incredibly full but what a wonderful evening we had. Overall I was blown away with how wonderful the evening was. 


We sampled and dined on incredible food, drank delicious drinks, took in the inviting space. The Green Man is an ideal location to celebrate any occasion and come the summer months the outdoor patio area will be perfect for alfresco dinner and drinks. Both me and the girls have vowed to go back very soon! 





I was invited along with to the preview night at The Green Man in Trumpington after its extensive refurbishment and received a complimentary three course meal for myself and three guests. I was under no obligation to write a review or promote the refurbishment but I enjoyed it so much I decided to do a blog post so that you guys could discover it and hopefully go and enjoy it too!
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