Valentine's Day at Turtle Bay- AD (Gifted)

It’s that time of year where we declare our undying love to our partners, boyfriends and girlfriends. Whether you buy a gift or go out for a swanky meal, it’s a great excuse to celebrate! 

When Queensgate Shopping Centre got in touch and asked me to review Turtle Bay for Valentine’s Day I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to try a classic Valentine’s meal with a Caribbean twist. 

If you have read some of my previous posts on Turtle Bay, you will know just how much I love the explosive Caribbean spices and flavours in every dish and this meal was no exception. But first- cocktails! 

Turtle Bay does a fantastic array of cocktails to suit everyone’s palette and with Happy Hour too, you can get 2 4 1 on cocktails! I let Chris choose my cocktail as there were so many amazing flavour combinations, I just couldn’t decide. He picked the Vanilla and Passion Fruit Mojito with Cockspur rum which tasted like a little dessert and was rather delicious! Being designated driver, Chris went for a Sky Juice- an alcohol free cocktail but was equally scrumptious and contained a frozen blend of pomegranate, pineapple, orange and lemon juices. 

As a Valentine’s setting, Turtle Bay is pretty perfect. The chilled Caribbean music playing under the twinkling fairy lights, teamed with delicious cocktails is difficult not to be romantic and to keep with the romantic theme, we opted for a sharing platter to start. We went in with all the spice- choosing the Just Jerk Platter and it sure did not disappoint! 

We were greeted by marinated jerk wings, glazed pork ribs, beef patty, jerk chicken flatbreads, sweet corn fritters and a super green salad. The flavour combinations were SO GOOD and the green salad was perfect for adding some freshness to the dish. Once again I found I was really rather taken with the sweetcorn fritters which were spicy and beautifully crispy whilst the jerk chicken wings were juicy, flavoursome and so tender they fell off the bone! 

With our main meals we both chose something we’ve never had from the menu. I went for the Jerk Salmon (which you can also order plain if you’re not a fan of spice) and Chris chose the One Pot Curry Goat. I must admit I was a little jealous of Chris’ choice as for a cold winters night it looked, smelt and tasted (I had to try it!) incredible and made for the perfect winter warmer! The rich and spicy goat dish comes with coconut rice ‘n’ peas, sweet plantain and to top it off, dumplings- perfect for dipping in the gorgeous curried sauces. 

My Jerk Salmon did not disappoint either. All the meats and fish at Turtle Bay are marinated for 24 hours in the signature jerk mix they use so you can rest assure your meat will taste amazing! I also upgraded my salad to the beach salad which included watermelon, pomegranate and mango. It was so refreshing and made a change from the traditional green salad for sure. 

Once again we felt suitably stuffed from eating two courses and as much as my second stomach wanted to order dessert, I resisted. For our cocktails, a sharing platter and two mains, the bill came in at the £50 mark which just goes to show you don’t have to blow the bank to celebrate Valentines plus you will get a really tasty and serious filling meal too! 

Whatever your budget or tastes, there is something for every couple on the menu and over the Valentine’s period there are 4 courses for £25.00 per person. Whether its a Caribbean sharing platter, a hot curry or your favourite West Indian pudding, Turtle Bay have got it all covered. They also have hand-selected cocktail and drinks pairings to complement each course and this is all available from 6th-17th February. Check out the Valentine’s Day Menu here.

All in all, both Chris and I are feeling the love for Turtle Bay. We had such a lovely date night and a brilliant time celebrating Valentine’s.

Have you booked your table yet? 

Our meal at Turtle Bay was paid for with vouchers gifted to me by Queensgate Shopping Centre in exchange for a blog post and review. My views are honest and my own.

Getting my Autumn hair on at Michael John*

Like a lot of us, I tend to switch my hair up for the seasons. In spring and summer I’ll go lighter and brighter in shades and come autumn winter I'm craving richer, deeper tones to my Barnet. Every time I’m due that change, I’ll head to none other than Michael John Hair Artwork for premier hairdressing in Peterborough and this time around I thought I’d take you with me!

The salon is located at the back of Queensgate next to John Lewis and is really easy to find, plus they have such good opening hours! Working full time I’ve been limited in the past with salon appointments but Michael John has you covered with late night appointments up to 8pm on a Thursday and early bird appointments from 8:20am. I have been known to head there on a Thursday evening for a perfect way to unwind and relax whilst getting pampered and equally heading there first thing on a Saturday morning to get weekend ready and still have a full day ahead of me. You can also book your appointments online which again is perfect if the thought pops into your head that you need a haircut and its out of opening hours. I’ve been known to book online at 9pm on occasions and it’s brilliant that there’s the facility to do that!

I’ve been coming to Michael John since March last year and every time I visit the staff are incredibly attentive and friendly and this visit was no different. My stylist at the salon is Amy- a Creative Designer and master colour technician who I trust implicitly with my hair. She rescued me from a balayage disaster last year and with her magic she restored my hair as well as my confidence as you can see below!

My balayage from my last visit by the lovely Amy!

So with autumn being here, I wanted to add some auburn tones and richness into the mix with my hair colour and showed Amy some images of what I had in mind. Once we’d set out what Amy thought was best for my hair, she worked her magic and I sat and relaxed whilst the Wella colour did its thing. Sitting in the comfy chairs of the salon whilst the colour develop is oddly one of my favourite parts. I’m given an abundance of magazines to flick through at my leisure along with a coffee whilst I sit back and relax. It’s proper me time and I relish it every time I visit the salon.

Once the colour is developed, I’m guided over to the basins for the dye to be washed away. I’m always treated to a head massage which is honestly so good, I could melt into the basin and I tend to be in a bit of a daze afterwards! Like I say, the staff really know how to look after you at the salon and make you feel special.

The final part of the pampering is a good cut and a blow dry. I’ve changed my style up slightly in that this time around Amy popped some layers in, to frame my face and give a lovely soft look when my hair is curled. My fringe has been kept long as I’m in the process of growing it out slightly into more of a split fringe ad she tidied up my very silly self fringe cut. Note to self: cutting your own fringe is never a good idea and I’ll certainly be booking in for fringe trims from now on!! As Amy was drying my hair, I could see the colour come to life and I could feel my excitement brewing. It’s so cheesy but I always find it hard not to sit with a beaming grin on my face when my hair is being styled at the end as I’m always just so in awe of how Amy does my hair! And this is what she created this time...

We didn’t go for your typical balayage technique and came up with the name “Autumnal balayage with a twist” as Amy created something new and original, steering away from the typical balayage that everyone now seems to have. Being a creative colourist and with her years of expertise, she worked with the existing tones in my hair and the blonde balayage to create this Autumnal balayage effect that melts from auburn highlights down into a caramel auburn mix at the bottom. I am beyond happy with it and feel like a new woman!!

To keep my hair in tip top condition and as part of this blog post, I was kindly gifted some products to try out that are best for my hair colour and hair type so I’m really intrigued to use those and will report back on those very son!. Michael John also have a new loyalty card available. Each time you attend for an appointment, you get points added to your card and over time they add up to free products at the salon which is another lovely bonus for being a loyal customer.

Have you been to Michael John yet?

Autumn Winter Fashion at Queensgate | AW18 Blogger Challenge*

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the latest Q Blogger event at Queensgate; this time celebrating the autumn trends that have landed. 

We were all invited along to Carluccio's restaurant to begin the evening, where were met with our envelopes detailing our individual challenge and platters of the latest starters on the Carluccio's menu.

Being the foodie I am, I was super thrilled to sample the starters and had a soft spot for the chicken liver paté on ciabatta and the mushroom bruschetta which were just gorgeous with a glass of red wine and good conversation. 

After a good natter over fine wine and food, I was off to do a spot of shopping and I have to say the centre is looking fantastic after some revamping. I am loving the fresh new look of the shopping centre and have always loved the fact that it is open late on a Thursday and Friday until 8pm!

There are lots of exciting things happening at Queensgate over the next coming months, from the Christmas lights switch on being done in a new and exciting way, plus there's new shops coming into the centre; being both permanent and pop up stores. Keep an eye out on all of the Queensgate_PB social platforms as well as my own for more information!

So onto my challenge.. I was tasked to find five staple pieces for this season at Topshop, H&M and River Island. 

My first stop was River Island and I was instantly drawn to the tan and leopard pieces in store.

This coat spoke to me instantly- I mean look how cosy it is! I could see it being worn with a casual tee, converse and ripped jeans whilst the weather is milder, then layered up with black jeans, boots and a turtle neck come the winter months. A coat in this colour is definitely a staple piece for your autumn wardrobe and the borg fabric gives it a modern twist. Love!

My next stop was H&M and I felt as though the mustard colours were following me around the store.

The fluffy coat trend was also following me, with this H&M version being even fluffier than the River Island version but is more of a cropped cut. If mustard clothing feels a bit much for you but you're a fan of the colour, adding a piece such as a mustard beret can be just the right amount to give you the autumn feels and nail the colour for this season. This colour is also fab paired with burgundy! 

The next thing that caught my eye and is a staple with a twist was this gorgeous grey knit jumper embellished with pearls and small diamantes. I love being cosy during the colder months but this knit is just that bit extra and could easily be dressed up with a white shirt underneath, black jeans and heeled boots for a more dressed up casual look that is still comfy and warm! Style and comfort? That's a win win in my book.

My final stop on the challenge was Topshop and I fell in love with something everything.

Topshop have always been known for their boots to die for and every year they deliver. I am in love with these March boots, being incredibly soft leather and giving all the Western vibes. A good boot is definitely a staple for Autumn and I'm definitely going to be getting my hands on these babies in the near future!

And then I saw this... Drapped on a mannequin in all its animal print glory- I just had to try it on...

This zebra print pinafore dress is just perfect for this season and as I was very kindly gifted a voucher for Queensgate for the challenge, I bought it instantly! A gift card for Queensgate also makes for the perfect present for anyone who loves shopping.

 A good dress for autumn winter is my final staple to tell you about. With animal print being the pattern for this year, you'll be sure to hit the trend and with this particular dress you can dress it up or down! So far I've worn it with a sleeveless body and strappy heels for dinner but I'm also planning to wear it with a long body (like the one I'm wearing above), tights boots and a leather jacket for a day look.

So coming away from this challenge my top five staples for your autumn winter wardrobe is:

- A camel coat

- A flash of mustard: A bag, a beret or whatever takes your fancy

- A western boot

- A cosy knit

- An animal print dress that you can dress up or down

Thank you so much to Queensgate for inviting me along to do this challenge. It was so much fun and you can see more of what I got up to on my Instagram stories highlight under Q Blogger!

Where do you love shopping in Queensgate? I'd love to know your staple style pieces for this season!

Bumbling in The Lake District | Why Van Life is perfect for a festival wedding*

The beginning of September marked an exciting time for Chris and I. Not only were we going to a wedding in one of our favourite place in the UK- The Lake District, we were visiting campervan styley which meant we could really get in tune with the stunning scenery of the lakes.

We rented from the fabulous Bumble Campers who you may remember I did a post with last October on discovering the Peak District (here). Having had such a great experience and making lots of awesome memories travelling in their campers, it seemed only right that we used them again and so off we went in another of their campers, bumbling about in the beautiful hills of Cumbria.

The Lake District is a fair old trek from where we are in Lincolnshire but thankfully the journey was made really easy for us; having comfortable captain style chairs on board and the van itself being an automatic so Chris could just put his foot down and cruise all the way there. The automatic engine was also a god send when it came to the hills meaning we didn’t have to worry about what gear to be in or worse- stalling on a steep incline!

Once we reached our destination we were greeted by the stunning scenery and views over Lake Buttermere- something you just cannot get from a hotel here so we felt very lucky to have a home on wheels to take in the views over the weekend. We could see why our friends have fallen in love with the lakes and this was the perfect location for a festival come village fete wedding and to take some amazing photographs- so much so I may have twisted Chris' arm into doing a little photo shoot with me...

I mean, do I really have to explain why I wanted to take photos here!?

The campervan was totally perfect for this style wedding as being in the middle of nowhere and with non-existent phone signal, we didn’t have the worry of sorting taxis or feeling like we were leaving the party too early. The van was parked behind the marquee meaning we could dance the night away then curl up in the full size double bed in the back- bliss! With posh porta loos, we had access to washing and toilet facilities just like you would on a normal campsite and with the back of the van consisting of a fridge, gas hob and sink with running water, we were good to go an everything we needed to feel fresh as a daisy and ready for the day. The day after the wedding we may not have been fresh little daisies thanks to alcohol but our wilted selves were so thankful to be able to cook up a bacon butty on site when we awoke!

The journey home may have been long with a hangover but I was perfectly happy and entertained thanks to the leisure battery with plug socket and USB plug in space so I could watch a film, edit photos and even start the write up on this blog post! It was a total life saver for both Chris and I being technology addicts knowing that we had fully charged phones and devices on the go.

Yet again we had another fantastic adventure thanks to Bumble Campers. If you’re looking to hire one and seek adventure, I’d highly recommend coming up to the Lake District. The scenery is just phenomenal and unlike anywhere else I’ve been in the UK. I’d also recommend a camper for a festival wedding over a hotel anytime. It’s less stress and you are free to come and go as you please plus both Chris and I agree it’s a lot cheaper than mucking about with accommodation and taxis! Our next venture will most likely be to a festival but whether it’s a bumble rental or one of their vans for sale? Who knows. We are teetering on the edge of getting one eek!

After this trip I feel truly buzzing about Bumble Campers all over again and feel so fortunate to have had experiences on our trip that you'll only get in a van/ camping setting rather than a four walled hotel room. I also think it just makes a trip that bit more exciting and more of an adventure so what are you waiting for?

If you want to see more of what we got up to on our adventures, I also did a vlog!

When are you booking to #bumbleabout ?