Outfit of the Day - Honeymoon Special!

 Finally packed and ready to go on my honeymoon!

Holiday packing can be a total nightmare. There are so many things to consider, buying the right sized case and not going over your limit, fold, roll or bundle your clothing items to all fit into your luggage, keeping your luggage safe and secure etc etc. But most importantly WHAT TO WEAR FOR EACH DAY?!?

That was my biggest dilemma, especially as my honeymoon was divided into three separate journeys - sightseeing in a Capetown (Summer wardrobe essentials, including evening wear), Garden Route driving (casual/comfortable clothes) and safari (practical shoes and clothes).

In the end I chose three outfits for each day which was more than enough here are a few:

 Maxi Dress - New Look(available in regular and tall lengths)

Maxi Dress - New Look (available in regular and tall lengths)

Bag - Primark

Blazer - River Island

Dress - River Island

Blouse - Primark

Skirt - Zara

 Dress - Forever21

Leggings - New Look

Hairband - Primark

Sandals - New Look

 

The hardest choice was deciding what to wear on Safari - it's not everyday you go searching for wild animals in the bush! After taking advice from my sister who had done a safari holiday she urged me to pack linen/khaki trousers, boots, a hat and for the morning drives a jacket for when it the temperature drops and becomes a lot colder.

Picture 1 - Sweater -  Forever21, Khaki trousers Topshop

Picture 2 - Top - H&M  Picture 3 - Top - Asos

 

Leopard print money belt - River Island

Boots - New Look 

South African Honeymoon

Honeymoon in South Africa - out of this world!

I just got back from my holiday in South Africa - what an amazing holiday!

We spent four days in Capetown exploring the beautiful city, visited Robben Island Museum, had a tour of the prison and visited Nelson Mandela's prison cell, went on a day trip to vineyards in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek for wine tasting and then hired a car to travel along the amazing Garden Route. 

 Visiting vineyards and wine-tasting in Capetown

We stopped off to visit the Cango Caves in Outdshoorn doing an extreme "Adventure Tour" (not for the faint hearted!) and then Plettenberg Bay to visit the beautiful beaches before ending our wonderful trip with a three day Safari in the incredible Kariega Park Game Reserve - AMAZING! 

In Africa, the big five game animals are the lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros. We saw everything but the buffalo and leopard but it was still a fantastic experience.

Lion spotting on safari - beautiful but deadly animals!

 A family of Giraffes - so graceful and peaceful creatures

 A rare sight - herd of elephants drinking by the water especially the baby elephants - super cute!

And the food - how good was it? Absolutely delicious that's what! The portions were very generous (they say that tourists should expect to gain a stone in three weeks because of all the delicious food on offer!) 

 Lunch in Stellenbosch

 Dinner in a fab restaurant, Savoy Cabbage in Capetown

 Lunch at the PepperClub hotel's restaurant, Sinatra's

The seafood was fresh and tasty, straight out of the Indian Ocean and the meat was so succulent and delicious! Not only was there chicken, beef and lamb but meat I had never tried before such as Ostrich, Kudo and Eland. For non-meat eaters the salads were out of this world, so filling and scrumptious filled with the most ripe and sweet avocados, tomatoes, sweetcorn and fruit you could imagine. Delicious!

 Dinner and cocktails at the Harbour House, by the V&A Waterfront, in Capetown

It was a truly fabulous holiday and experience I will cherish forever and never forget!

My VERY fabulous dressing table

My dressing table from Very

I have been on the hunt for a traditional dressing table for my bedroom for a while.  There are dozens of stores on the high street and companies online that sell beautiful dressing tables but at prices that often range between £400 - £700, they were well out of my budget. 

Laura Ashley dressing table set - £700

I was on a mission to find the perfect dresser, that had the qualities of the traditional dressing tables but at an affordable price.  After searching stores and online, I finally found the perfect one from Very.

I love the traditional look of the dressing table which comes with an adjustable mirror and matching stool. (I added the stripey black and white pillow for the stool to go with the style of my bedroom). There is also a glass cover that sits on the table top to prevent any staining by makeup, making it easy to wipe down.

The dresser is strong and sturdy and easy to assemble. It fits perfectly into the alcove space in my bedroom and the two drawers provide a good amount of space for more storage. It is the perfect dresser and at such an amazing price I would definitely recommend it. 

Other stores that sell dressing tables under £200 are Ikea, Dunelm and Argos so worth checking out too.

Catford Canteen - Pop Up Restaurant

I love trying different food and visiting new restaurants and always on the look out for new and exciting dining experiences. I came across a tweet from one of my followers about Catford Canteen, an indoor pop up restaurant in South East London and knew I had to book tickets.

The night was hosted by Basement Galley, who run the popular underground supper club in a decommissioned 1967 Victoria Line carriage (it doesn't get more exciting than that!)

We went last weekend, on the second evening. I've always driven past Catford Broadway Centre but never visited the shopping centre but luckily I managed to find the location, a vacant shop unit that had been especially revamped for the supper club.

 Me at Catford Canteen

Catford Canteen menu for the evening 

We got to sample the delicious five course menu of soy-braised salmon pâté and pulled pork loin. I loved the pork loin served with creamy mash and beetroot salsa. The anchovy mayonnaise was the perfect compliment to this dish.

 Pulled pork loin served with creamy mash and beetroot salsa

 
The "Gin & Tonic Trio", an unusual but tasty mix of fizzy G&T jelly with a shot of iced G&T and cured cucumber, was served to clense the palate.

Gin & Tonic Trio

For dessert we had warm plum clafoutis with maple syrup & lime ice cream, sprayed with edible gold (!) which was absolutely delicious!
 

 Plum clafoutis with maple syrup & lime ice cream

The Catford Canteen is just part of a number of projects by Lewisham Council to enhance Catford Broadway for shoppers, businesses and residents.

It is such a great idea to entice not only enthusiastic foodies but also local residents who are interested in exploring new and exciting projects in their neighbourhood. 

I love quirky events like this and really did feel quite privileged to experience the fantastic culinary skills of Basement Galley with really good company in such a unique setting. The food was fantastic I can't wait for the next event!

To find out more about Catford Canteen and register for their next event click here. 

Visit Grub Club to find out about local foodie events in your area.

 

Oufit of the day - F&F Chain Detail Dress

Dress - Florence & Fred

Bag - Primark

Watch - River Island

Earrings - H&M

I have been on the lookout for a dress with chain detail for a while but couldn't quite find the right one. A few weeks ago I spotted this dress by Florence & Fred on the Clothing at Tesco website in blue but it was the red* version that really caught my eye.

I'm a big fan of tunic style dresses and the gold chain across the neck line looks great. The dress is a lovely floaty chiffon material so would keep you cool on a warm summer's day.

 Round neck chain collar

But it's the cross over cut out back that really makes the dress. I wore it with a high bun so I could show it off - it would be a shame not to!

 Loving the cross over/cut out back!

*Disclaimer: This item was sent for review however all words and opinions are my own*

Upcycled coffee table

My upcycled coffee table

I have been looking for a country style wooden coffee table for my living room but so far all styles in stores are not quite the style I was looking for.

I decided that I would find a second hand coffee table and paint it myself! I found this one in my local charity shop and decided it was perfect for my living room. 

Before

I cleaned and sanded the legs and top of the coffee table then painted the legs using Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Paint.  After painting the legs two coats of paint, I waxed and buffed the legs and then painted the top with clear varnish.

After

I am so happy with the final product! It is exactly how I wanted it and really love how the colour came out on the coffee table legs.

Would love to see what other people have upcycled let me know of your favourite projects!

Maxi dress - outfit of the day

Maxi dress - Matalan

The temperature in Provence was so hot! We were lucky to have a pool where we stayed to cool down, however you can't be in a bikini or swimming costume all the time. Luckily I had a choice of maxi dresses to wear,my favourite was this one from Matalan.

I love the exposed back on this maxi dress!

The pattern was a lovely white, brown, green and black and I loved the exposed back, an absolute must for hot temperatures as anything too clingy is just too warm. 

Here are some of my other summer favourites from Matalan:

Pleated detail maxi dress £15

Crotchet pleated dress £25

What is your favourite dress of this summer so far?

Summer Holiday!

Lace dress - Florence and Fred

Wedges - River Island

Floppy Hat - Primark

Location - Provence, South of France

My husband and I spent this Summer in Provence, south of France for some time away from the hustle and bustle of London.   

One evening, we took a trip to Saint Rémy-de-Provence for dinner.  I love the French style, so chic and sophisticated, so I was waiting for a special occasion to wear this peach lace dress from Florence & Fred. 

If you're looking for that special occasion dress to wear this summer check these out from Florence & Fred collection:

F&F Shimmer Stripe Dress £25

F&F Chain Trim Tunic dress £25

F&F Halterneck Maxi dress £40

Where is your go to store for special occasion dresses? Let me know!