Afternoon Tea @ The Chesterfield Mayfair
4 February 2020
Back in December my friend Larissa and I decided it was high (tea) time that we indulge in yet another afternoon tea. It had only been a hot minute since we'd been to the Selfridges afternoon tea (review coming soon but I've got to space these bad boys out) but we're aiming to work our way around some of the best afternoon teas London has to offer. It can become a bit of a minefield trying to pick where to go next when there's so many to choose from but we finally settled on The Chesterfield in Mayfair and let's just say it was probably the most fancypants afternoon tea we've ever been to!
THE MENU*
SELECTION OF HOMEMADE SANDWICHES
Honey roast ham with Cheddar cheese and tomato chutney on onion bread | Roast chicken with grain mustard mayonnaise and nibbed almonds on white bread | Scottish smoked salmon with horseradish cream cheese on beetroot bread | Free range egg mayonnaise and watercress on basil bread | Cucumber and cream cheese on white bread
FRESHLY BAKED HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP AND FRUIT SCONES
Served with Cornish clotted cream, homemade strawberry jam
SELECTION OF HOMEMADE PASTRIES AND CUPCAKES
Coca-Cola slice | Chocolate fudge éclair | Apple drop | Peanut butter cup | Cherry bonbon cupcake | Rhubarb and custard macaron | Liquorice Allsorts lemon cheesecake | Homemade Jazzy lollipop
As well as all that deliciousness, there's also a cute little sweet truck where, at the end of your afternoon tea (if you still have room), you can go and get yourself a bag of pick n mix sweeties - amazing! Like I said, my friend and I went to the hotel in December so the menu was slightly different as, of course, it was winter wonderland themed. As you can see from the photos the cakes were Christmas-afied, they switched up the regular scones to chocolate ones - which I'm pretty sure changed mine and Larissa's life right there and then - and they also created some more festive sandwiches.
The staff were super attentive, it was only when a large group of people came in that we noticed they'd backed off a bit (fair enough, it was a big table), but they kept our teas topped up and even asked if we wanted more sandwiches or scones...wish I'd stolen a month's supply of the scones to be honest... The whole atmosphere in the restaurant was really nice and after our two hours of constant eating, one of the staff members in the lobby (where this amazing gingerbread house was) even asked if we wanted a picture by the Christmas tree (cute!).
*current menu, it's subject to change through the seasons
5 Great Boozy Brunches in London
2 February 2020
I don't know about you but I like nothing more than spending a Saturday with my favourite people eating and drinking to my heart's content. The, now more common, bottomless brunch not only does what it says on the tin and offers you bottomless amounts of alcohol (and sometimes food!) but it can also work out so much cheaper, especially in this expensive ol' City of London. It's only the second day of February but I've already been on two bottomless brunches this year (neither of which made the cut to be on this post, soz) and I'm already gearing up for my third of the year next week!
But, if the world of bottomless brunching scares the bejesus out of you (there are now more bottomless brunches in London than coffee shops*) but you're the one that's been left to plan it (know them feels, lads) then take a look at my top 5 London brunches that'll ensure you have a boozy daytime sesh but that you're in bed by 8pm feeling fresh as a daisy the next day...
GRIND, CLERKENWELL
I had my first bottomless brunch way back in 2016 at Clerkenwell Grind and it didn't disappoint! My friend Leah and I decided the best way to have a catch up after not seeing each other for 2 years was to shot prosecco and eat very little. Since then I've been back a couple of times and, whilst the staff can sometimes seem to be a little overrun and the food comes out only so-so, they are very very good at top ups.
How long? 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco and bloody Mary's (food is charged on top)
DUO LONDON, CAMDEN (PANCAKES & PROSECCO)
Like Grind, I've been to Duo London a couple of times for their bottomless brunch and it's been so much fun both times! Number one, the aesthetic is enough to make any millennial girl go weak at the knees and two you get all your food and drink included in your ticket and three? Once everyone's had a sufficient amount of alcohol added to their system then they do lip sync battle. What more could you want?!
How long? 2 hours of bottomless prosecco and pancakes (with a variety of toppings)
KINGSHEAD & COURTYARD, FULHAM (MEXICAN BRUNCH)
It's not often I head to the wild wild west of London, but, I'll go anywhere to try a new bottomless brunch (all in the name of testing it for you guys, of course)! Kingshead & Courtyard is nestled in the heart of Fulham and, from the outside, doesn't actually look like much. But, head on in and you're hit with Stranger Things decor and a huge outdoor courtyard (I guess the clue is in the name there) and a delicious mexican brunch is waiting for you!
How long? 2 hours of aperol spritz, prosecco, wine, beer, bloody mary's or non-alcoholic cocktails with 3 courses of Mexican food
MARTELLO HALL, HACKNEY
Martello Hall in Hackney was where I decided to spend my first day as a 29 year old in July last year. It's, hands down, my favourite brunch I've ever done and that's mainly because everything was just kind of...great - the staff were amazing at filling up our glasses, were quick to help when something happened with our food (and gave us a free dessert to apologise) and the general atmosphere with fellow random bottomless brunchers was just so so good. If you're only going to do one bottomless brunch in your life (why?) then make it this one! Food-wise, I recommend the chilli hash browns!
How long? 2 hours of bottomless serata rum punch (it comes out in a sharing bowl, lethal!), frizzante and mimosa's (food is charged on top)
WRINGER & MANGLE, LONDON FIELDS
Another brunch that's got an amazing aesthetic is the bottomless brunch at Wringer & Mangle near London fields. Filled with gorgeous greenery it's great for both small groups and large groups for birthdays/ general celebrations. I went with a couple of friends and the staff were really good at topping up, plus they knew exactly when you started your brunch as they give you a wristband once you're seated and ready to rock and roll - such a good idea and saves a lot of arguments!
How long? 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco, beer and cocktails (food is charged on top)
*not a fact
Afternoon Tea at Amba Hotel, Charing Cross
10 March 2019 London, UK
Anyone who knows me knows I love a good afternoon tea and, if there's a glass or two of alcohol included in there then it's even more of a winner for me. My friend Larissa who you probably all recognise as she's been on here before and I wanted to have a good catch up over some good food so, naturally, we decided on afternoon tea!
It was the first time I'd seen Larissa since Christmas and, as she's currently planning her wedding, we definitely had a lot to catch up on.
When it comes to finding a good afternoon tea (especially in London) I would always look out for reviews or blog posts to see what people really thought of the food...and the tea, of course! But, as I'd been to Amba Hotel twice before for this afternoon tea I knew it would be a good'un. The hotel is just a good location if you're spending the weekend playing tourist in the City as it's literally a hop, skip and a jump away from Charing Cross station and right next to Trafalgar Square. You can't get more London than that, can you!
The staff helped us find where we had to go (yes, I've been twice before but the hotel's so huge it's easy to forget) and we settled down in our comfy seats in the Terrace Room getting very excited for our food and tea. But first, we got to have our glass of Taittinger Champagne and the chance to peruse the extensive tea list. From the more traditional Earl Grey to the not-so-traditional Persian pomegranate, there's definitely a tea there for everyone!
TIER 1 (the sandwiches)
Ham and whole grain mustard mayonnaise
Smoked salmon with black pepper and lemon butter
Hens egg mayonnaise with watercress
Cucumber and chive cream cheese
The sandwiches were just as good as I remember them from last time, the bread was spongy and soft and you get a lot of filling in each one. There's also a good amount for two people, you get one of each as standard but, if you don't fancy one or you have allergies then you can just let the staff know and they'll readjust the menu for you. Being unfussy eaters, Larissa and I tried the lot.
TIER 2 (the scones)
Freshly baked plain and sultana scones
Strawberry preserve and Devonshire clotted cream
I think this actually might be my favourite part in an afternoon tea, the scones were warm and we got a good amount of jam and cream. We had one plain and one fruit scone each but I couldn't finish mine (let's just say the wedding diet didn't put Larissa off finishing both), the cream was fresh and the jam had delicious chunks of strawberry - my fave!
TIER 3 (the cakes)
Wild berry delice
Cranberry and white chocolate chip brownie
Coffee macaroon
And to finish, some teeny tiny cakes! The only one we didn't have was the coffee macaroon as neither of us are particularly keen on coffee but the rest of them were delish! The brownie, in particular was rich and chocolate-y but the hit of cranberries inside add a little extra flavour. Yum!
As you may have already guessed, I would highly recommend Amba Hotel for afternoon tea. I got a voucher from Wowcher (where I work) for mine so it was only £22 each - a real bargain for the amount you get and the quality of food and tea on offer.
Disclaimer: Whilst I do work for Wowcher, I bought this voucher with my own money using my 15% staff discount
How I Store My Clothes 👗 (in a House Share)
28 August 2018 London, UK
The last London home-y post I did was way back in October last year and was when my room here was still an awful beige/ old cream colour and just needed a little bit of care. Since then I have painted it (because waiting for the landlord to do it was just getting ridiculous) in a crisp white gloss and matte and reorganised and rearranged my belongings. What I haven’t spoken about on here before is how exactly I store all my clothes (shoes, bags and coats included) in such a *relatively* small space.
I mean, before I really go into this post, I just wanted to say I have been rather lucky with the size of both rooms I’ve rented in London. I’ve rented this one since October 2016 and still have enough room for everything to fit comfortably in it without it looking messy and cluttered…even with my sporadic spending habits!
First things first, wardrobes!
W A R D R O B E
Now, most furnished house shares come with a bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers as standard, which is great! But, this also means YOU haven’t chosen the colour and design of these furnishings, someone else has, so you have to make do with whatever you’ve been given even if it’s not to your taste. Now I’ve painted my room white I actually like the chestnut brown furniture that it came with and the fact that my wardrobe and chest of drawers match is just a bit of a win.
The wardrobe is where I tend to keep the bulk of my clothing and the things I regularly wear. Having said this I do alternate what I keep in wardrobe and what I keep on my rail (more about that later) as the season changes. As we’re being hit with a heatwave at the moment I’ve stored my cardigans and jumpers away in the wardrobe (and some in my under bed storage) rather than my tops which I have stored on my rail. As well as knitwear, I keep my dresses and jeans in here simply because it’s the tallest hanging space in my room and they’re the longest items of clothing that I own.
As you can see, I organise my clothing rather meticulously.
It goes from cardigans to jumpers, from midi length dresses, to dressy dresses to long sleeved dresses to short sleeved dresses to pinafores and the jeans are in colour order. Some call it OCD, I call it ‘easy to grab what you need when you’re in a rush’.
U N D E R B E D S T O R A G E & D R A W E R S
Like I said before I keep some more of my jumpers in my under bed storage as there’s really no need for the super thick one’s I have at the moment. As well as this, under my bed I have five other boxes – towels and bed sheets in one, winter shoes in one, bags in three (yes, I love my bags). If you are in a house share and are limited in storage space then I would highly recommend getting these sorts of boxes. They’re really inexpensive – I got mine from Wilko when I first moved to London and they’ve lasted all this time.
Moving onto the chest of drawers that, as I said, came with the room. This is where I tend to keep items that I need to also get to easily – my skirts, some dungarees, shorts, other trousers and ‘at home slobby clothes’ all live in here as well as my underwear…but nobody needs to see that.
C L O T H E S R A I L & A D D I N G S T O R A G E
So onto my clothing rail! As you can see it is something that’s built into the shelving of my room – not sure if a previous tenant left it up there or if it’s already been there – either way, I’m so happy I have a rail! Whilst I’m great at getting rid of clothes when I know I don’t want or wear them anymore I do still have a lot to store and having this rail has been a Godsend!
As you can see, I keep all my tops, shirts and blouses on here but I’ll change this in a couple of months to all my jumpers as it gets colder again. Even though it’s a super handy rail to have, it’s incredibly high up (even for 5ft 10 me) but luckily I have a little pouffe that I got from ASDA agessss ago and that gives me a little bit of extra height to easily grab what I need from the rail.
But, where the heck do I keep the majority of my shoes and my many many coats?
Well, I used to keep my coats in my wardrobe but it was just too jam packed in there so I decided to use my £19 worth of Nectar points in Argos to get myself a hanging rack and shoe rack. Between my flatmate and my room there’s a small corridor area with quite a bit of extra space so I thought that would be the perfect place for me to keep the majority of my coats! I was so chuffed with myself when I made this up – even my mum was surprised I did it all on my own – strong independent woman over here!
And there you have it! That’s how I store all my clothes in a house share – I hope this post has given you a bit of inspiration on how best to store all your bits and bobs, any questions? Just leave me a comment below!
What's In My Radley Bag
9 August 2018
Full disclosure…my bag doesn’t always look like this! I mainly keep my bags pretty tidy though (apart from the odd post office ASOS return receipt or chocolate bar wrapper) as I change them around so much. I have one bag - my beloved Kate Spade that my mum got me for my birthday last year - that I use every day as it’s the perfect size for work but, when I’m heading out for the day then I want to take a smaller bag. And, that’s where my second most-used (now) bag comes into play.
My new Radley!
I was kindly gifted this bag out of the blue from a lovely PR but was under no obligation to write a post. But, after I got such lovely feedback from my What’s in My Beach Bag post recently then I thought I may as well share with you what I thought of this one just in case you were thinking of investing in a Radley bag yourself. I was sent the bag way back in March so I’ve had enough time to fully try it over weekends and when I’m at home to see what I can carry around with me and what won’t quite fit.
Firstly, let’s talk about the actual bag just a little bit more *eye heart emoji*
It’s a really good size for when you don’t need to take much out with you and is in a great taupe colour that you can wear with SO many other colours – it particularly looks great with white in the summer, though! It’s made from smooth leather and has so many compartments including a zip compartment, two slip pockets AND an adjustable strap which I LOVE on a bag. Yeah, bags are my thing, can you tell? And, to top it all off it has the classic and iconic Radley dog charm that is also detachable and comes with a Radley dust bag.
But, now on to what the hell I keep in there…
Normally when I take a small bag out I’ll not usually won't bother with a purse, I’ll just take my little card wallet instead that I picked up for a mere £2 from Primark. So many smaller bags rarely fit a purse (this one does, however, even my huge Kate Spade purse) and if I’m just going out for the day I’ll only take a couple of cards with me – it’s also easier when you’re using contactless and hopping on and off the tube and bus in London.
Now that it’s sunny I can swap my winter gloves out with my summer sunglasses! Hurrah! And, Primark comes up trumps again with this pair for just £3 – they have some in store still and I would definitely recommend this shape! I also carry a little notepad around with me just in case inspiration should ever strike when I’m out and about (it so rarely does, but you never know!). So many people write to do lists and ideas into their phone now but I prefer good old-fashioned pen and paper, because apparently I’m 80 years old.
The little bits and bobs I keep in my bags, I transfer out from one to the other as and when I use them (I have around 20-30 bags so things get moved around a lot). In this case I took my hand cream and lip balm that I got from my Christmas advent calendar (yeah, these things have lasted a long time) that my Mum got me. And then there’s just the absolute essential thing I’ll never leave the house without – my keys! I only have two keys as I only have two locks to my flat in London and a simple ‘Beatles’ key ring on there, mainly so I can find them a little easier!
And there you have it! My What’s in my Radley bag post! Even though this one was gifted to me I do tend to spend a bit more on my bags now as the quality is so much better and they last forever…like, literally forever! I would definitely recommend getting a Radley - they're SO well made and beautifully designed - not to mention the gift box it comes in is insanely pretty and makes it feel even more special.
Shop the bag here
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