Sunday, 29 June 2014

Bill Skinner Jewellery

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B here...

I journeyed to Tenterden this morning to visit Bill Skinner's jewellery boutique. I had looked on the website a few days before and found so many unique pieces I wanted, so I figured the 40 minute drive was in order to go have a look. 

Here is Bill Skinner's boutique in Tenterden. It is a lovely small store with a great window display. I noticed lots of passersbys stopping and looking at the jewellery. There is also a Bill Skinner boutique in Otford.

Here is part of the window displaying showing off the Curios collection. 

Inside the boutique, there are glass display boxes in the middle with the jewellery presented on slate. On the left is the March Hares and Tiger collection and on the right is the Curios and Frog & Lilipad collection.


Here is the leopard collection and I already have my eye on the leopard ring!


On the walls, there are these lovely shots that really show off the jewellery. The model is wearing a ring from the Curios collection, the Bee & Floral ring - "a piece of natural world captured in each glass dome"

This is the packaging and my lovely jewellery is safely boxed up inside. 

A box you can keep forever and place your jewellery in while you don't wear them. Love the grey and green satin bag!

Here are the gorgeous pieces I got today!  The Temple necklace, the Bee & Honeycomb Orb necklace and the Bee & Honeycomb ring.

The Bee & Honeycomb ring was £60, the Bee & Honeycomb Orb necklace was £95 and the Temple necklace was £50. I'm so love with them! They are unique and fun and you won't see everyone wearing them.

This is the Temple necklace up close. Set in 18ct, there you can see a miniature Statue of Zeus sitting on his Rhodium plated throne.

I think people may have to do a double take to check it's not a real bee! I was concerned that the bee may get caught on clothes, but it's absolutely fine and I can't stop looking at it.

Some of the pieces may say Out of Stock online, but it's worth calling or tweeting them to see if it is in one of their boutiques.

To buy your own unique and beautiful Bill Skinner pieces, click here!

X

No7 Cheeky Chops Nail Polish

Zee here...

I shop in Boots regularly and often get given vouchers with £3 off any No7 make up in store, whenever I get these vouchers I tend stock up on new No7 nail varnishes. I recently bought 'Cheeky Chops' which is a fun summery coral colour which looks lovely on! As you can see by the photo it leaves your nails looking bright with a smooth glossy professional finish. This colour is great for adding statement to any outfit - especially when wearing black!  I have already gone and bought another 'Cheeky Chops' as I love the colour that much I don't want to risk it being discontinued! 

One of my favourite things about the No7 nail varnish range is that it lasts at least a week and tends to be pretty much chip free! I also love the No7 nail varnish bottles - they have a sleek look to them and it looks great when you line them all up together!

Get your own No7 nail varnish here


Saturday, 28 June 2014

Wildwood Italian Restaurant in Maidstone

Zee here...

Wildwood seems to have become my new regular eating place! It seems whenever a group outing is organised we always end up here as the food is just so good! Wildwoord is a delicious Italian restaurant offering a wide range of dishes such as steak, pizza, pasta, seafood etc. There is something for everyone on their diverse menu!

Below is a picture from my most recent dining experience at Wildwood. They have a good selection of cocktails and seeing as I love anything raspberry flavoured I choose the Raspberry Bellini which is prosecco with raspberry puree. This was so yummy and easy to drink however it was quite small - it did start to go to my head though so I probably didn't need it to be any bigger. For my main I had the Sausage Calzone which has become my regular dish because its so so so good! The calzone is great value for money as its massive and stuffed with so many fillings. The caramelised onions in this dish are what really make the flavour - if I could have these on every pizza I ever eat I would! Even though I was full I still couldn't resist a desert, I went for Eton Mess...which is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth! It was so tasty with sweet refreshing strawberries and light meringue it was delicious!



Friday, 27 June 2014

La Fiamma...the only place to order pizza from in Tunbridge Wells!

B here...

Where to start...if you love award winning pizza with top quality ingredients then La Fiamma is for you. Pizza from La Fiamma has turned into a weekly Tuesday dinner for my boyfriend and I and if my waistline could handle it I would have it every night! 

La Fiamma is located in Tunbridge Wells, just a few doors away from Domino's. I won't lie, I used to really enjoy Domino's pizza but ever since trying La Fiamma, there's no going back. 

Simon, the loveliest man (don't tell my other half) and the owner and chef at La Fiamma cooks the pizza in a wood fired oven and they come out perfectly with a thin base. They only sell one size, large, 13.5 - 14 inches and to be honest, why would you want any smaller?
I have the Pepperoni Piccante, which is spicy pepperoni, onion, jalapeño and chilli, however, I have mine minus the spicy bits, so essentially it is a margherita with pepperoni and red onion and it is unbelievable! My other half has the La Fiamma, which is wood fired ham, roasted peppers, roasted tomato, garlic and olives, however, he asks for no olives. He also has mutual love for La Fiamma and loves their pizza!

We usually collect our pizza, but have had delivered at times too and it's so quick! It arrives piping hot and ready to eat. All the staff we have met there are so friendly. I have also met Simon's wife and joint owner Sara, who is lovely. They are both a delight and have brought a real pizzeria gem to Tunbridge Wells.

Our two pizzas equate to around £30, but there is always an offer like buy one, get one free or buy one, get one half price, but to be honest, I would happily pay full price because it's worth it. I'm always happy to pay for good quality food.

La Fiamma also has a downstairs restaurant and newly available at Fuggles Beer Cafe, which is very exciting!

Browse La Fiamma menu here and enjoy!

x

Thursday, 26 June 2014

minimaya Pop-Up Sale at Salomons

B here...

My girlfriends and I attended minimaya's Pop-Up Sale at Salomons in Tunbridge Wells last night. It started at 6pm and ended at 9pm. 

On arrival, we were greeted by the lovely Anna, the owner of minimaya and a glass of Presecco and brownies! 

Salomons is a great venue and was perfect for this occasion. Nice, big, light open space and an amazing view.


All the clothes were nicely laid out in colour coded order and the accessories were in the centre of the room with scarves dotted everywhere. There was a great selection of items at very reasonable prices. What's great is that they are clothes that you won't find on the high street, they are unique pieces only found in boutiques.

This amazing leather jacket in navy is designed and made by Anna, the owner of minimaya. Lovely soft leather and very well made.

We all bought these swarvoski crystal handmade bracelets, which are so nice! I'll definitely be buying another to stack them. There were loads of other colours to choose from. The bracelets we all bought had the smaller crystals on them, but there were others with bigger crystals with gold.

Overall, it was a great evening with bubbles, brownies and buying. All the ladies were lovely and great help when browsing and trying clothes on.

Make sure you subscribe to minimaya's mailing list to keep updated with events, you can subscribe by clicking here.

x

3 Girls at Bills Restaurant in Tunbridge Wells

B here...

I took my two lovely girlfriends to Bills restaurant last night as they had never been before. This is now my 4th visit and I continue to be a huge Bills fan! We were seated quickly and the staff as always are so friendly and attentive.

I had the halloumi and hummus burger but minus the hummus as I'm not that keen it. It was delicious! It had baby gem lettuce, roasted red pepper and a yoghurt and sweet chili sauce. 


Amy went for the macaroni and cheese and she clearly really enjoyed it because she didn't speak for a while! I had a try and it was so yummy. 

Gemma had the avocado, bacon and spinach and she also said she really enjoyed it and it did look like a very appealing salad. "The bacon was properly crispy, not half cripsy".

For dessert, three of us shared two lots of the mini cinnamon doughnuts and as always they were phenomenal. 

The bill in total was £51.74, which is very reasonable for a meal for 3.

Thanks Bills! We will see you soon!

X

Sunday, 22 June 2014

A Tasty Healthy Salad For Summer

Zee here...

It's that time of year where everyone is trying to lose weight but struggles to find a tasty way to do so. I have managed to make a salad which is healthy but most importantly it tastes good and is filling!! 

My salad consists of iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, 1/3 of a tin of mixed beans and reduced fat houmus. Another bonus is that it's reasonably cheap to make as a 49p lettuce from tescos and a 65p tin of mixed beans will last 3 lunches and I only use about 10 cherry tomatoes! The reduced fat houmus comes in a large pot for £1 or 2 for £1.80 and this will last about 9 or more lunches as you only need a large tablespoon of it on the side of your salad to act as a dressing. As the mixed beans come in juice I tend to drain these off and rinse them with water to remove any additional salt or sugars. 


The salad is really light which means there's no bloating, leaving you feeling healthy and happy! Adding mixed beans and houmus to the salad provides you with protein and something subtainial to keep you full up for longer! The beans alone help to flavour the salad nicely but I like to add the houmus too! 

I have now started having this salad everyday for lunch for the past 2/3 weeks and I'm still not bored of it! When I eat it at 1:30 I can last until dinner at 6:30 usually without any snacks. If I do end up snacking I tend to have an apple around 4 but this is for an energy boost as it's healthier and more effective than a cup of tea or coffee! 

Mint Velvet Snake Print Wedge Sandals

B here...

My mum treated me to these amazing Mint Velvet snake print sandals with a small wedge. We saw them in the Tunbridge Wells store and they were the last pair which were size 5, clearly meant to be! 

I tried them on and didn't what to take them off. They are so comfortable and I've already worn them for a day and they don't even need to be worn in, which is a nice change compared to all other shoes I own. 

They were £79, which may be a little steep for sandals, but to be honest I would happily but another pair for £79 because they are so comfortable, great design and pattern and I love the small wedge!

Have a browse of all the amazing shoes Mint Velvet has to offer by clicking here.

x

Topshop Relapse Nail Polish

B here...

Here is Topshop's Relapse Nail Polish I bought the other day. The colour grabbed me because it's a lovely pink summery colour. I probably have too many pink nail polishes, but they're all slightly different shades :) 

Like all Topshop nail polishes I've tried, I find the application smooth and dries relatively quickly.

I love the colour and I also used it on my toes and the pink really pops with sandals!

It was 2 nail polishes for £9, which is very good value. 

X

Friday, 20 June 2014

Illamasqua Scarce Nail Polish Review

B here...

This nail polish is quite old now, but I love it!
This is Illamasqua's Scarce nail polish. I saw it on A Model Recommends a while ago and bought it straight away! I also have it in blue. I love the speckled effect. Soon after, other brands followed the speckled effect like Models Own and Topshop.

Its £14.50, which I don't think it excessive as it's a lovely colour, has lasted ages and great application. 

Illamasqua have now discontinued this nail polish, but Topshop and Models Own both sell a similar one.

X

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

Shellac Gel Nails

Zee here...

I've been wanting to get a gel manicure for ages and I got given a gift card for The Reef Boutique in Maidstone which was perfect! The Shellac gel manicure was supposed to cost £30.00 but as I already had a £25.00 gift card it only cost me £5.00!

From my research I had found out that Shellac polishes are a hybrid of gel polish and normal polish which means they have all the benefits of the gel manicure but are better for your nails. The Reef was lovely, the staff were friendly and chatty which made you relaxed, making the time fly! The picture below shows my beautifully manicured nails, the Shellac shade that I chose was Decadence which is a dark maroon/red. I was very impressed with the finish, the coat was put on perfectly and the best thing was that they were completely dry because the UV lamp cures them. It was such a strange feeling to have freshly painted nails that were dry but it's something I would love to have constantly! 


The best thing about the Shellac manicure? I have it on for 3 whole weeks and I didn't get a single chip! The only reason I took the polish off was simply because of the regrowth, other than that the nails looked as good as they did when I left the saloon!

Tiffany Tear-drop Necklace

Zee here...

I just wanted to share with you this stunning Tiffany tear-drop necklace I got for my 21st birthday from my Auntie! I absolutely love it - it was such a thoughtful gift! The tear-drop is in the unique Tiffany turquoise shade which makes it even more beautiful. This necklace works well as a stunning centre piece to an outfit as the colour catches the attention. The presentation box that Tiffany provide the necklace in is simple but still looks elegant.




Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Asda Floral Bedding

Zee here...

Check out my new pretty grey floral bedding from Asda! This was a bargain buy at only £12 and goes perfectly with the silver bed frame and blinds in my bedroom. It's lovely vintage floral pattern is eye catching but the subtle grey colours stops it drowning the room! The quality of the fabric is perfect too - its lovely a smooth so you end up never wanting to get out of bed!


I had been looking out for floral bedding but never realised I could get a full double bedding set for only £12! I'll definitely be checking out Asda's home decor department more often from now on.

Inside June's Glossybox

B here...

My Glossybox arrived today!! As always, amazing packaging, I'm crazy about the pink box that it always arrives in. 

So let's have a peak inside June's Glossybox.

Teeez Trend Cosmetics - Beautiful Flat Stiff Brush, €19
First impressions, I love the packaging and pattern on the brush. Will be a fab addition to my make up brushes!

So Susan Cosmetics - Universal Blush, £18. 
Again I love the packaging and on the back of the box it says cruelty free with a picture of a rabbit. I haven't used blush before but excited to try it!

got2b - Rise 'n Shine Soufflé, £4.07
Smells amazing! I also don't tend to use hair products like this but it's for volume and shine and I wouldn't say no to my hair looking shiny and voluminous.

Roger&Gallet - Fleur de Figuier discovery ritual, shower cream, body lotion and way fraîche fragrance.

nailgirls - 3 in 1 bass/topcoat & nail strengthener, £13.50 for 15ml. This one is 10ml. 
I love doing my nails, so can't wait to try this.

So far, I've loved my Glossybox's! It's great, receiving a box of mystery beauty products every month. I opted for the Monthly Plan at £10 a month plus postage.

x

Monday, 16 June 2014

New Nail Polish from Topshop and Revlon

B here...

I popped into town today and went on a mission to buy some new nail polishes. I went into Boots first and saw Revlon had 2 for £10 on all nail polish, so I chose a lovely purple colour with sparkly bits and a white nail polish. 


I've always liked Topshop nail polish so I went there next and got a summery pink colour and thought I would try their top and base coat nail polish. 

These are the Revlon nail polishes I bought: 050 White On White and 260 Girly.

These are the Topshop nail polishes I bought: Relapse and Top & Base Coat. 

I'll be trying them soon, so pop back if you would like to see what they look like! 

X

Homemade Chicken & Chorizo Paella

Zee here...



Today I made a yummy chicken and chorizo paella from scratch! I absolutely love Spanish food however I'm not a fan of fish so cooking a paella with chicken and chorizo was perfect for me! I think this may be my favourite dish I've cooked so far and is perfect for impressing any dinner guests.

This dish was really simple and easy to make, the prep was took up the most effort! I loosely followed the recipe on the BBC Good Food website which has a great range of easy dishes.







What you need (serves 3):
110g of sliced, peeled chorizo
1 brown onion chopped up
10 cherry tomatoes chopped into quarters 
100g sweetcorn - you can add any veg you like (peas, peppers, mushrooms etc)
600ml chicken stock
1 tsp of ground turmeric
250g of chopped chicken breasts
225g of long grain white rice
A sprinkle of mixed herbs

How to cook it:

  • First brown the chicken all over, then add in the onion, garlic and turmeric - cook like this for around 2 minutes. 
  • Next add the chorizo, rice and chicken stock. Bring this to the boil and season with salt and pepper then cover and cook on a medium heat for around 15-20 minutes.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and sweetcorn then cook for another 10 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the stock. Then you are ready to serve!



Check out the recipe on BBC Good Food 






Sunday, 15 June 2014

Soufflé Restaurant in Bearsted

Zee here...

After lots of hard work and long hours my boss decided to take my team out for lunch to Soufflé in Bearsted, Kent. I had heard that this was a really nice restaurant with incredible food which explains the high prices. 

For my starter I had 'Caesar Salad with Anchovies and Parmesan Straws' as this is my favourite salad. This was by far the best caesar salad I have ever had, the flavours were incredible and the parmesan cheese grated on top added to that taste. Personally I'm not a fan of anchovies so I only had a small amount of the straws but what I tasted was really well seasoned. This dish was fairly small which of course is normal for a starter but it was surprisingly filling!






For my main I had Breast of Chicken with a Wholegrain Mustard Sauce with a side of Hand Cut Chips. As you can see the presentation of the dish was pleasing however it looked like a fairly small portion of food - it turns out it was the perfect amount! The chicken was beautifully moist and the mustard sauce was so yummy! The dish was served with asparagus and carrots along with a couple of roasted potatoes. It turned out I didn't necessarily need the extra chips but these were delicious - you could tell that they were handmade!

For desert I had Vanilla Panna Cotta with a Raspberry Compote which has become my new favourite desert! I honestly could eat this all day everyday the flavour was so good!
I'm known for my sweet tooth but I would recommend this desert to everyone!







This is a fine dining restaurant but I truly believe the food was worth the price. I originally was going off the three course set menu which was a bargain for £19.95 but I did go off the set menu for my desert which was £7.50 alone. 

We had a fantastic time at Souffle, the food was beautiful and the service was perfect! I will definitely be going back again!






Find out more about Souffle here: Souffle Restaurant in Bearsted, Kent


Saturday, 14 June 2014

Aussie Hair Products

Zee here...

Due to my long bleach blonde hair I'm constantly on the search for good shampoos and conditioners that can help repair the damage I've done over the years. After browsing around Superdrug the Aussie collection caught my eye as they were on a 3 for £10 promotion. Seeing as I've always heard good things about the Aussie hair products I thought I'd give them a try. 

My hair has become really dry due to the amount I used to straighten my hair so I decided to choose the Miracle Moist shampoo. When applying this shampoo it can make your hair feel a little coarse but once you wash it off you can feel the improvement in the condition. Another good thing is that you don't need to use much in order to cover your whole head! This shampoo works really well but you obviously need a good conditioner to compliment it.

For the conditioner I chose the Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle Treatment to help with the heat damage that my hair has been subjected too. I love this product as it leaves your hair feeling super soft and smooth! I try to leave it on as long as possible each time I use it but it works well on just the 3 minutes alone. And the best thing about using this alongside the Miracle Moist shampoo is the heavenly scent you're left with. Hair products that leave my hair smelling incredible for the rest of the day always win my seal of approval. 


And last but not least is the Miracle Recharge Shine Spray which I chose to help give my hair a boost in between washes. Just like the shampoo and conditioner this smells beautiful - I now use it just before I go out for the day to make my hair smell lovely! This also works well on damp hair as it helps your brush ease through your hair.

All in all I can say I am thoroughly impressed with the Aussie range and can't wait to try out more of their products, especially their ones for beach hair when I go away. They help to improve the quality of your hair whilst leaving it smelling amazing!

Get yours here: Aussie Collection at Superdrug