September 2021 / Georgina Does

Swingers Crazy Golf, West End

Thursday 30 September 2021

I was one of Swingers very first customers when they opened back in 2014.

Apparently, that 'pop-up in a leaky warehouse in Shoreditch' was their first venture. I remember heading there for an event and leaky warehouse does it justice; it was kinda dark and a little cramped.

Fast forward to 2021 and Swingers crazy golf has come a long way.

Last week, I was invited down to their newest London venue, which is just behind Oxford Circus.

I love central London, there's always something fun going on and this is no different!

These sort of activity bars are a very welcome new addition to London's nightlife scene. They mean that you can do something substantial with your evening but still enjoy all the fun of meeting up for a drink at a bar.

The fun atmosphere and banging music made Swingers, almost a bar in its own right.

We dumped our stuff in the cloakroom and found a comfy spot with great people watching views. There were all sorts - we saw groups of friends, date nights and even a stag do.

Having cycled there, I was starving so we had a quick look at the menus from the four foodie pop ups and I went straight with a 'Smokey Robinson' from Patty&Bun and we got a couple of cocktails.

David ordered a 14" slice of pizza, which was inhaled and swiftly followed by also a 'Smokey Robinson.'

Clearly they were very good.

The hour beforehand disappeared; that in itself was a load of fun so I would recommend getting there with enough time before or after your booking to take advantage of it.

When 7.30 finally rolled around, we grabbed what was left of our cocktails and made our way over to the course.

There are two bespoke crazy golf courses at this Swingers; and two in the city. We did the Helter Skelter one and after the night we had, I'm excited to go back and try the other.

The course was super fun, each hole had its own quirk. My favourite was hole 3 because it moved and I very much enjoyed watching the less co-ordinated of people give it a go; and also number 4 which had a loop de loop.

Crazy golf wasn't my idea of a big night out but Swingers is definitely worthy of your Friday night. I'm sure we'll be back very soon.

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Tuesday 28 September 2021

I try to keep my Mondays quiet but with only a few days left to try Honest burger's limited-edition BUFFALO BLUE burger, I made an exception.

The Buffalo Blue is their 2nd second collaboration with Wingmans after the Thai fried chicken one went down so well.

Served in a shiny bun, a classic Honest beef patty (cooked perfectly pink) and smoked bacon build the foundations - nothing too extravagant about that, although it was delicious.

The main event however, is very exciting.

Blacksticks Blue cheese, which comes from a family-run farmhouse and a generous helping of Wingman's award-winning buffalo sauce smothered on top elevate the flavour of this burger to something completely new.

I understand I may be a little late on this discovery, but adding blue cheese to a burger is genius.

It takes the taste to a whole other level.

Plus, it was oozing out in every direction which is only ever a good thing.

As for the buffalo sauce, all I'm saying is I can see why it's won awards. It was very flavourful and pulled it all together. It tasted great, not only in the burger but also all over the rosemary chips it had dripped on.

Get down to your local Honest Burger before October 4th to try it for yourself!

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Monday 20 September 2021

After 21 months in the UK (have I mentioned that already) I finally went abroad last month - what a time to be alive.

Travel is one of the most important parts of my life and I forgot the joy that it brings me. I also forgot alot of other things about traveling. I forgot to barter before I jumped in a taxi, I almost forgot to buy travel insurance before I left and I forgot how it affects my eyes.

As an infrequent contact lens wearer, a holiday is usually a bit of a shock for my eyes because all of a sudden, I am putting them in for hours on end, every day. Having toughed through a few days, I soon started making a bit more effort to give my eyes a rest.

It is so important to take our eye health seriously and with National Eye Health Week this week, I have put together some tips for how to look after your eyes when you travel.

Eye drops for the plane

We all know the airflow on planes is not good for our body and with low humidity levels on board, dry eyes are a given.

Eye drops help with moisture levels and hydration plus they come in tiny aeroplane safe bottles so they're easy to travel with. Keep one in your bag and use it when needed to give your eyes a refresh.

I suffer with dry eyes quite a bit; in the air and otherwise. It's a real pain when I have a long day with my lenses, but I have started to use Thealoz Duo eye drops and find them great for giving my sore eyes some instant re-hydration.

Don't forget to drink water

If you're like me, then when you go on holiday, you choose somewhere hot. In the heat, you're much more likely to get dehydrated (alcohol consumption doesn't help) and eyes don't take well to that so it's important to drink an adequate amount of water each day.

Obviously, this is also important for your overall health, but dehydrated eyes could end up red and sore or blurring your vision. It will also cause contact lenses to dry up and become very uncomfortable; I talk from experience.

Take your make up off

Yes, it does seem that I come rolling in at 3am a little more often when I'm on holiday but that is no excuse to not wash my face before I get into bed.

I'm great at remembering to take my lenses out but anything after that seems to be forgotten until I wake up the next morning with black smudges all over my face and more often than not, clumps of mascara stuck to my lashes.

This is not smart and can be really irritating for both the eye and my lashes.

Don’t forget your glasses

This is one of my biggest holiday checks; phone, passport, glasses.

At best, you'll be straining your eyes and at worst, you'll be almost blind, like me. I literally cannot see a thing without them so my glasses are not something I can afford to forget.

Take opportunities like lazy breakfasts or the hours getting ready before going for dinner to wear your glasses and give your eyes a rest.

Keep your eyes clean

Not only were the roads much dustier where we were in Mykonos but getting around by quad bike meant that I'd often have all sorts of bits flying in my eyes. The same sort of thing can happen at the beach so it's important to take the time to rinse your face and wash your eyes when you can.

These Blephaclean daily eyelid cleanisng wipes are perfect as they're ready to use and small enough to stick in my bra if I went out without a bag.

Wear Sunglasses

Clearly sunglasses make everyone look better but that is not their sole purpose. Obviously, we should be wearing sunglasses to protect our eyes from harmful rays from the sun.

I have a funny relationship with sunglasses. I don't enjoy wearing them because it meant putting my lenses in first although I put up with it on most days.

Finally, having had enough of the problem, I came home to a new pair of prescription sunglasses.

Problem solved, forever.

I got them from Glassesshop.com which is where my everyday glasses came from and I am very pleased with them. We have had some particularly hot days back in London so at least they're getting their use!

National Eye Health Week runs from 20-27th September. Take the opportunity to do some research and make sure you are looking after your eyes as best you can.

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Sunday 12 September 2021

When The Pilgrm started appearing on my feed, I initially thought it was a brunch cafe, all anyone ever posted were photos of pancakes and avocado toast but that was enough for me to have a click around and find out that actually, it's a hotel - quite possibly the most instsgrammable new hotel in London at that. Just look at this lobby:

This is what they would call the reception; if this were a normal hotel but this was by no means a traditional lobby. From the street, similarly to as online, you could quite easily mistake the place for a coffee shop although like any good lobby, (pr coffee shop) the madness of the street outside disappears as soon as you step in. You feel the serenity hit you as you're greeted by a grand wooden staircase, a wall of hanging plants and a coffee bar come check in desk.

Check in can all be done prior to arrival so all you really need to do is pick up your key. It was all very quick and informal which was nice considering I was a bit of a sweaty mess having just cycled there from SW London. It was a really nice day so I did enjoy the ride but with Paddington station just across the road, I needn't have bothered - the transport links are pretty awesome.

The dark wood of the staircase and the theme of hanging plants is continued through to the bar and restaurant upstairs; it's full of character. With two separate indoor dining areas plus an outside terrace, the public spaces in the hotel were really well done and actually very peaceful considering the hustle and bustle outside. The sort of place made for ordering a coffee and getting some work done; which was exactly my plan for the afternoon.

Less relaxing is the maze of corridors which had me feeling like I was lost deep somewhere in the hotel for a few minutes although I was initially given very good directions to my room so I only got lost when I went for a wander to see what else was around.

The rooms aren't quite as pretty as the public space although absolutely nothing to complain about. Very simplistic with lots of natural light and a puffy white bed. There was a full length mirror which is always appreciated, a small rail for a couple of hangers, a TV, a fan and a little armchair in the corner. My favourite thing however was the Marshall speaker which I promptly connected my phone to whilst I got ready to head out for the evening.

The bathroom was awesome in black and white. There was a big rainfall shower and ample space to move, although the sink area was lacking, in terms of size and space for much more than a toothbrush.

I saw it being described somewhere as a hotel for locals and I can get behind this. It was the perfect base for us since we were heading to regents park that evening.

Oh, and I forgot the mention the most amazing thing about this stay - it only cost me £2 (that's if you disregard the bottle of prosecco we drank.)

Sometime way back in lockdown (the days all blend into one don't they?) I saw their pay the date promotion in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and managed to nab a room on the 2nd day - obviously a great cause and I was pleased to be a part of it.

Normal room rates start as low as £69 and in my opinion, it blows any other budget friendly hotel out of the water- a great new spot if you ask me!

Monday 6 September 2021

Known for their signature leopard-spotted crusts and incredible bottomless pizza deals, Crust bro's are now, no longer a one store entity.

Having hit it big time with their Waterloo location, they've recently taken over the kitchen at Sambrook's Brewery and added Wandsworth's Ram Quarter to their repertoire. Excellent, a 4 minute walk from my front door.

Cleary, it is a great location for me but not just because it's so close. The outdoor space is an awesome place to spend a warm summers evening because it's set still within the walls of The Ram Quarter. That means no disturbance from the outside world (namely the road traffic and people milling about aimlessly) which makes a huge difference to the vibe. It has a very relaxed and friendly feel which, of course is lovely.

We ended up wandering past on opening night a few weeks back and it has been busy every time I've walked past since; our Friday night visit was no different. We grabbed one end of a bench - I sat on the left so I could look at the dog on the next table - and ordered via the app.

They have the option for fully customisable pizzas but actually, the selection on the menu was far too tempting to bypass. David went for the 'straight outta hell' pizza which provided a kick of heat in the form of spicy njuda. A high rating from someone who eats more pizza than anyone else I know.

I had the 'Nonnas Yard' which turned out to be the pizza I didn't know I needed. It was covered in all of my favourite things so it's safe to say I enjoyed it. Mushrooms, caramelised onions and goats cheese with a generous pesto swirl - such a unique pizza topping but flavours that just inherently work well together. The distinctive, herby pesto cut through the sweet onions and creamy cheese and brought it all together perfectly. Paired with a glass of prosecco and I was a happy bunny.

Everything came out at the same time so whilst we were working through those, we also had a burrata and bruschetta to attend to.

I order burrata at every given opportunity and the Crust Bros one always stands out. This is the third one I've had here and they are just so consistently good. Sat on a pile of seasoned tomatoes which were a well-received accompaniment - and also the topping for the bruschetta we ordered.

We didn't really need dessert but declining a Nutella pizza was a hard no so we had to make room. Luckily, it wasn't a full-sized pizza so eating it wasn't too much trouble. Very indulgent but it was Friday night after all so why not?

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