Splashes of glitter,

Cocktails and cupcakes,

Pampering to perfection!

Hello Lovelies!
When I was contacted for the chance to attend the newest beauty salon within Nottingham, I was in my complete blogging element. As you may recall my blog post in regards to the Nottingham fashion press event, that was held at The Beauty Temple; well, this is their latest establishment in Mapperley; Just a 15 Minute bus journey from the city center, with their doors opened on the 27th of June this year!

I attended the event with my two blogging buddies, Sarah and Stacey. Luckily, Sarah's husband works not too far from the location, so I felt more at ease when she was able to guide us in the right direction!


Upon arriving at The Beauty Temple, we were greeted by the staff and the PR team; where we were given an insight on the evening and our treatment times. While it was still quite early this gave us the perfect chance to have a wander around and snap some pictures! The decor and the colours used were stunning, and felt completely luxurious, just how they intended with their royalty themed packages.




One of the services which the Beauty temple provides, is their blow dry bar. With this service a treatment you can have is a semi-permanent colour named 'The Royal Indulgence colour cocktail' they use the brand Milk_shake, to create mermaid vibe effects to your hair!
We were given a live demonstration of how this product is applied and used; it was interesting to watch and learn about, due to being a person that likes to colour her hair whenever she gets chance!


Just take a look at the beautiful colour swatch wheel that can be created! For best results and a more vivid shade, it's ideal to be used upon lighter hair. Yet it gives a stunning hue on darker shades as it glistens in the right lighting.


Just from the side of this, one of the treatments we could have chosen to have, was the glitter application; A member of staff provided a selection of glitter which the client could choose from, and it was applied to the face with beautiful effects. Festival vibes were flowing as we indulged our glitter bomb cocktails and the in house DJ was spinning the latest hits.

On the other side of the salon, there were two nail stations neatly set-up, with two members of staff smartly dressed in their salon uniforms; In turn we were called over, firstly Stacey, then Sarah, then myself.  We were given the chance to choose which nail varnish shade we'd like and I had to go for the more coral/orange undertone, it just screamed summer to me!  My nails were neatly filed and shaped, then the base coat and varnish was further applied; I had such a lovely chat with the beautician, but sadly I didn't catch her name, but she couldn't do enough and made me feel at complete ease. She kindly also painted my toe-nails the same shade, so I felt extra relaxed and refreshed and brave to wear sandals! Just like the main salon in the city center, they have a bar set up in the corner and we were treated to delightful miniature cupcakes and canapes. I find this such a fun and girly touch to a pamper session! And it's definitely a unique concept to a beauty salon. The beauty temple is ideal for a well earned pamper for yourself, your family and friends; with plenty of packages to choose from and all at affordable rates too. They also stock and use the following brands -  Elemis, Delilah, CND Shellac, ST.Tropez, LVL Nouveau lashes and HD brows just to name a few! I had a marvelous time and felt like an official VIP for the evening with a big thanks to the team; Blogger's pamper day is definitely on the cards!! As we left the salon, we were generously handed goody-bags which contained in depth information about the new salon including treatments and packages; a beautifully created tiara shaped cookie, a CND nail varnish in the shade Mauve Maverick #206 and a leave in treatment by Milk_Shake! I'm excited to try all of these and I'll be sure to let you all know how I get on with them.  For more information about the Beauty Temple, including price-lists, packages and pop-up parties feel free to click here  Love Ellie xo

Derby is one of the places I like to spend the day at when I can; And I was so thrilled to be invited along to a Bloggers Brunch, hosted by Monet, at Olivers on Friar Gate.
We arranged to all meet at 11.30am, and this was perfect due to travelling and the mixed weather conditions!


Oliver's is a quaint little place along Friar Gate, with one side for take-aways and then another room where you can sit and indulge, taking up the scenery and homemade scents that bring you back to pleasant food memories.
Walking through the quirky phone booth printed door, Myself and Sarah took some shots of the stylish venue, whilst talking to the enthusiastic staff about the day ahead. One by one, the ladies who attended the brunch arrived and we looked over the scrumptious home-baked cakes and decor; I was already falling in love with the place.


We had a long table set up in the middle of the room; With comfortable seating and copper salt and pepper pots with cute menus between them, I was in awe.
The menu had been specially created for the brunch, and I truly felt like a VIP. I love organisation and the menu details packed a lot of excitement, from beginning to end we were catered for completely.


For the first part of the brunch, we were introduced to The Rested Cocktail Company. They produce handcrafted bottles of cocktails, that literally can be just poured over ice; When the cocktails have been created, they let them rest in steel barrels for over 30 days, this gives them a smoother and richer taste. We were shown the current collection which contains a dry martini, The Harvard and The Old Fashioned.


I opted for the old fashioned, which was mixed with soda water. My taste buds had a rush of rum and spice, I'm not much of a drinker so small sips did the trick! We had a wonderful talk, as we found out the story of how two friends made such a practical idea work and win awards for their creations.


The next part of the brunch was the food bit! We were chosen to taste dishes that could become part of Olivers new menu; Starting off, The Peanut butter and Jelly shake!


Now if you follow me on Instagram, you probably came across this picture recently! They were presented in petite glasses on this delightful serving tray. I had to have a waft of the scent, I could smell the rich peanut butter and began to indulge. The only point I'd have to make was that as they used Banana for thickness, it did mask the other flavours out. This was a shame really and may put me off in ordering a full size, but I'm glad that I was able to step out of my comfort zone and just give it a try! I do like the fact that they have put this type of flavour into consideration though as it's a brilliant American classic.


Next we had the smoked salmon with horseradish, soured cream and chives. For a savory dish, this had to be one of my favourites. Everything just worked so beautifully together, cooked to perfection; I would have to order this if they were to place it onto their menu! The egg was cooked just right so that the yolk would work with the fresh salmon, and crispy potatoes; The lightness of the sour cream made it overall refreshing and subtle to taste.


Moving onto the next dish, we had a soft fluffy coconut pancake with roasted rum pineapple and a scoop of vanilla icecream. Absolutely mouthwatering.. I have never tasted anything so sweet and sharp. This was my second favorite of the whole menu, I could eat this daily if I could!

We then had a short interlude where we could let our tummies rest a little for the next dishes; it was very pleasant to talk and sip our cocktails and reflect on the food that we just had.

Credit to Sarah for the picture of the next course

This was a dish I was a little bit nervous for! I've never had black pudding before, so I thought i'd take the plunge and try it. This also came with roast potatoes and applesauce, and I was actually surprised at the taste. The black pudding wasn't as bad as I thought, it tasted quite herby a little like stuffing, and the applesauce complimented it well. I was proud of myself to be a bit more adventurous with food!


Last but not least, we were presented with brioche french toast, with maple roasted apples, and mascarpone. French toast was another thing that I had on my 'to try' list! I absolutely loved it, the brioche bread was sweet to the taste, and the mascarpone was lightly gooey which together melted in the mouth. I couldn't believe how full I was after the brunch, but it was worth it!


Towards the end of the experience, we were given a sheet each to fill out about our thoughts on each dish, to give it a rating and to then add what we would like to see on their new menu. As you could probably gather, to limit it down to one selection was tricky. I'm looking forward to finding out which dish that they add, when I return.
We were given sliders of mini treats, which unfortunately I couldn't eat that much more, but had to get a shot for you all. And beautifully finished off with a coffee; The day was an enjoyable one and intimate, with the amount of bloggers there and the venue's size.



A big thank you to Monet for organizing it and Olivers for the fantastic brunch!
It's a place I'd definitely recommend to all, do feel free to have a browse at their website and maybe pop in if you're ever around Derby!

Love Ellie xo

When I received an email in regards to attending Chino Latino's Birthday celebrations; I couldn't resist the urge! I've not been to Chino's before, But I had heard many wonderful reviews on the food and atmosphere. 

Chino Latino has their venues within 4 locations, Nottingham is one of them and can be found upon Maid Marian Way, right within Park Plaza. They create and serve pan-Asian cuisine, And have created Latin cocktails that will compliment the dishes.
 The email pointed out, that there will be a dress code of red and black which I found exciting and had to hunt the perfect outfit out for the evening! I decided to go with a shocking red shift dress, with bell sleeves, and used a black clinch belt to provide a hourglass effect.

On arrival at the venue, red lanterns gracefully hung across the ceiling, where a walk way led us to two smiling ladies, to take our names and mark us off of the list. Our welcome, was very warm and inviting, as we were offered an alcoholic beverage and watched as the guest list arrived in style. Outside was an outstanding fire performance that literally made us 'ooh' and 'ahh' in her marvelous display; Including the popular fire eating trick which left us speechless.

It was brilliant to see the way that the guests used the dress theme, stylish dresses along with modern statement accessories; The night quickly became busy, as a long outstretched table with freshly caught sushi cleverly positioned upon it, it was definitely center of attention. 

Staff would come around offering delicious canapes of intense flavours, That can only make me wonder what their full menu would be like, as we mingled and conversed; It was great to see a lot of the East Midlands blogging ladies there too as it gave us time to catch up and enjoy the night together.

Within the reception area we were then surprised by their very own Chinese dancing dragon! The dragon dance had to be my own personal highlight of the evening, the live music was so powerful and strong. The costume itself was fantastic, with batting eyelids and moving mouth; Telling a story through it's movements and emotion, it was spectacular.

This couldn't be more true! 

On the 13th of February myself and a mixture of other local bloggers, were invited by the newest App on the block, Snizl, to attend a 4 stop tour of Nottingham's local businesses, for an insight on places to venture to.

Firstly let me just tell you what Snizl actually is; Snizl is an app where you can get quick deals and offers in your local area, sent straight to your device! There's also competitions with fantastic prizes up for grabs too. They will soon be reaching out to more cities so watch this space! To download all you need to do, is to head over to https://www.snizl.com/ and follow the steps.

I adore Nottingham as I admire the growth of local businesses, there is always something for everyone when you visit. On arriving that evening our meeting point was The Pudding Pantry.

I've passed the pudding pantry on many occasions and always had a peek through the windows, seeing the delightful cakes and beverages that have all been homemade. This was the first time I've actually been in and I know for definite i'd be back!

We were greeted by the Snizl team who were wearing their bold red jackets, clutching tote bags with delicate paper roses peering out from them. They were very friendly and overwhelmed with us camera armed bunch! I could already sense the night would be fantastic as they had so much in store for us!

We were led to the area of which they reserved for us; wooden tables and chairs in a row, with glass drink bottles and soft pink roses placed in them. The room was very bright and pastel shades graced the walls, it was definitely the most beautiful eatery I have seen. 

The pudding pantry is very well known for their Freak shakes, and we were lucky to sample the mini versions of this phenomena! A concoction of chocolate milkshake, thick chocolate sauce, Whipped cream, salted caramel sauce drizzled and a chunk of chocolate brownie right in the middle. Thank goodness it came with a spoon! It really was heavenly, I'm not too sure i'd be able to manage the full sized version though!

We were then offered a slice of their scrumptious cake which simply melts in the mouth, the sponge was so light, topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and a toasted walnut. The flavors complimented so well together, It's great that they also do gluten free deserts too! 

  

I do apologize if these pictures are making you slightly peckish..! With brunch to afternoon teas, The pudding pantry is a spot to try out! I can just picture myself there in the summer, Freak shake in hand and a slice of cake.. what could be more perfect?

Now as you know I'm a complete makeup addict.. whether it's buying it or applying it. So to hear our next stop would be Cabella, I was like a child in a sweet shop!

This is a hidden gem in Nottingham; if you're looking for a place to learn a new makeup technique or need that TLC before your night out with the girls, Cabella provides all of that. With budget friendly advice and tutorials, we were welcomed in by the flawless looking staff and the drop dead gorgeous decor. 

I loved the fact that they also used pressed glitters by Glitter Eyes which I've followed on Instagram for a long time. We got the chance to swatch the products and I had serious glitter envy.. The pigmentation in one swipe was incredible and not at all messy. I may have to go back to Cabella and purchase a palette.. or two..

We were all seated to watch a makeup demonstration with a glass of bubbly, hearing about their most loved products that they use on their clients. From MAC to even Miss sporty I was pleasantly surprised and had to take note on what to add to my wishlist.. Roll on payday! 

They told us about their makeup brushes and kindly gave us one each, which was the CB2 Angled crease brush which you can find here.

Everything was girly in Cabella and that was their aim; I'd love to decorate my future home the way that they do and have my very own boudoir!

With makeovers and even LVL treatment for gorgeous lengthy lashes, it's the place to treat yourself and others.

After the fantastic trip to Cabella, we soon made our way to our third stop, Weavers. I've not actually heard of Weavers of Nottingham before, this is why I adore Snizl. They've really opened my eyes up to places I only dreamed about. 

We were led to a very charming Georgian building, specially set up for where they perform their wine tastings.

Inside was the most elegant and nostalgic rooms, making us feel like true Vips for the evening. This is where we met the fourth generation of the family, Alan Trease, whom is the managing director and two of his experienced staff, Fergus and Pete. Their knowledge was astounding and presented us each with a glass of Cremant Du Jura, which I found very palatable. It had a scent of sherry entwined within it and tasted divine. 

Behind us was a laid out table of samples of reds and whites, both wines were talked through and you could just admire the passion that they had, as they led you through the story of the way they were produced.

We were also given the rare opportunity to go into their cellar caves, I have never seen anything like this before as we all spooked ourselves out a little, with some stories thanks to Pete! Being underground it was actually a peaceful feeling, keeping at a comfortable chilled temperature all year round.

It's intrigued me on their wine tasting events and will truly be something I'd have to attend some time. Upon leaving they gifted us with a bottle of their red wine which I'll admit, I did give to my mum, but that's due to her being more of a red wine drinker than I am.

This will be an experience I'll look back on!

Our final stop of the evening was 400 rabbits. A tequila bar that was very well hidden away from the market square. The question was, how many bloggers can you fit in a bar? 

Surprisingly we all did!

I loved the vibe that the bar gave, with uptempo 90s hits, that we couldn't help singing along to and amazing mexico decor hanging from the ceiling. We were handed some quirky bandannas and pop up hats, and were shown around. I was way too happy to see a Sega mega drive set upstairs, as well as a  foosball! This was such a quirky place that I wished I had found it sooner!

Back downstairs they were sampling sangria, along with shots of Tequila and Mezcal; which goodness me they were strong! I'm more of a classic cocktail kind of lady so I did have to refuse certain spirits! I can see why they are called 400 rabbits though, as we were given the full insight on the bar's history and enthusiasm to their ingredients in their cocktails through a masterclass. 

If you were wondering, they have a happy hour every day 5-8pm! 

I'll have to stop by for a catch up with the ladies, a cocktail and a game of Sega!

It was one of the most enjoyable evenings, and was great to meet so many lovely bloggers and fabulous businesses, big thanks to all of the Snizl Team and the companies for having us!

Let me know if you download the App and what your thoughts are on it.

Love Ellie xo