valentines day

Showing posts with label valentines day. Show all posts

Valentines Day Gift Ideas With Brent Cross

Monday, 5 February 2018

February already!? All I've seen is people moaning on social media about the longest January in history but mine was actually a blast; by the end, I found myself actually wishing it wasn't going to end. But now that it has, Valentines day is the next big thing right? In a relationship or not, I have always loved Valentines day. Heart shaped chocolates, all the lovey dovey stuff in the shops and a good excuse to go and buy some gifts.

Last year, I hit up Brent Cross Shopping Center in North London to go on a pre-valentines day splurge & bought all that my heart could desire at this time of year: chocolate, underwear and avo toast for lunch. Obvs; that's all I ever want for lunch.

As you guys may already know, I'm in Vietnam this February so I couldn't make it to the centre for another splurge. Instead, I'm going to share with you what I would have liked to buy this time if I had been able to pop in.

Date Night Dress

This cream dress from River island really caught my eye. I love the hem and combined with the boning and long sleeves, I think it looks really sophisticated. A bardot neckline can also be really flattering and a different way to show off some skin. Like it's been styled here, I'd add a pop of colour with the shoes, maybe pink for the special occasion?

I also spotted a lot of longer, chiffon style dresses when I was looking online and I think they are really perfect for valentines day. A long floaty dress can be so romantic; especially in lighter tones, I think they have a kind of dreamland feel to them. This maxi dress from Topshop is a really beautiful piece with a bit of a self portrait vibe about it. Sophisticated style, beautiful layers and lace details.

And for something a bit brighter, this ochre colour seems to be everywhere so if you're feeling brave enough to try it out all over, this front tie dress from Miss Selfridge would be my choice. It's super floaty again but with such a bright, block colour, it works much better as a mini dress.

Jewellery

While jewellery is a good idea all year around, Valentine's day is a great excuse to treat yourself, your girls or your loved ones. Fraser hart just reopened at Brent Cross after a big extension so there's even more choice in there now. They hold all sorts of brands from Rolex to Swarvoski which is usually my go to when it comes to jewellery because of the simplicity of their pieces and also, they're pretty affordable! Yes, I already have a small collection of their skinny bracelets but this Crystal Rhodium Plated Round Tennis Bracelet has really caught my eye. I just think it's so dainty and classy.

Talking of classy and simple, I love this Kate Spade watch that can be found in Ernest Jones in Brent Cross. It's part of the Holland collection and just so simple; for me, less is always more when it comes to jewellery. Whilst I'm not usually a navy person, it is also really pretty in navy and rose gold.

And anyone who already has a Pandora bracelet is super easy to buy for because a new charm is always going to be appreciated. These are a few of my current favourites.

Cute Gifts

I got given a scrapbook as a gift last Christmas and even though it was a very simple idea, it was honestly one of the best gifts I have ever received. I spent my whole year working through it; filling it with photos of happy memories and now that 2017 is over, it's still something I look back over all the time. Paperchase is the best place to get one, I'd go for something simple like a brown or black one (you can get these personalised) and gift it along with some fun stickers and colourful washi tape.

Chocolate. Because what's a special occasion without chocolate?! John Lewis or Fenwick is where I usually go for it at Brent Cross. I love Hotel Chocolat or Charbonnel et Walker. Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles are my absolute fave but as long as it's either valentines day coloured or valentines day shaped I'm usually happy.

I know last year, I spent most of day in Victoria's secret. While underwear is a very personal thing, I thought this backpack was the perfect thing to add to my gift guide. Anything with patches, sequin ones at that and I'm done, look how cute it is and practical too.

As you can see, they have it all covered so for all your Valentines gifting needs head to Brent Cross!

Friday, 26 February 2016

So my monthly things seemed like too much time from one to the next so I have changed it to Things. That way I can post when I have a few thing rather than waiting until the end of each month!

Pancake day

So we originally planned to have pancakes for dinner but Juanita decided she wanted some for lunch too so we popped off to Snowflake Gelato in Soho. They were doing pancakes just for the day and we just so happened to arrive just as they were practicing their first lot which mean we got the first batch on the house as official testers. They were pretty good for the first attempt of the day, I wish I could say the same for my own attempts. I had lunch with me so (as well as the free pancakes) I just had some gelato on the way back to work but Juanita ordered these incredible looking waffles complete with strawberries and milk chocolate gelato. *Drools*

My Hotel Chocolat Valentine

Its cute when brand get in touch and ask you to send a little treat to a blogger friend isnt it? Hotel Chocolat asked me to send a secret Valentine’s gift to another blogger and of course I picked Juanita. After spending most days with her for the past 6 months, I have come to learn that she is literally obsessed with Hotel Chocolat, we often spend a lunch hour in there where she ends up spending more than most on chocolate, so I knew she was going to love the surprise.

Juanita picked The Valentines Sleekster and they also kindly send me The Hearts & Truffles Box

which kept my company on Valentines day since I wasn't able to spend the day itself with Andrew.

Work

I didn't realise when I started working here but apparently, brand and publications love to shower us SEO types with treats and it kinda makes arriving at the office each day a little bit exciting. For Valentines day, last week we had Metro pop by for the morning to hand out heart shaped chocolates before lunch and in the afternoon. Instagram arrived with an instaprinter and a huge pic'n'mix table.

Doing Something Crazy

OK so it's not crazy for everyone but I am super proud of myself for doing it. I went to a super event with Murine last week (more to come on that) but basically we started at a Superdrug in Marble Arch and finished at The Sky Garden. And how did we get from the first place to the second at 6pm on a Thursday evening? Motorbike. Obvs. I was totally freaking out from the moment I found out until I got on the bike but I am so glad I did it. It was an amazing experience and one I am glad I can say I have. Being able to see London from that perspective, with the wind blowing in your face was amazing! We weaved in and out of cars and up and down little side streets that I didnt know existed.

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Thursday, 11 February 2016

I have just a few new LUSH products to share with you today in the lead up to valentine's weekend! Andrew and I actually have our big plans next weekend because it was half the price so this week we just have a nice meal booked which hopefully means lots of time to have a pamper and a nice bath beforehand!

I have three products from the brand here. Firstly there is the Lover Lamp bath bomb which is brand new for 2016! Its one of their £3.95 big, round bath bombs which is totally white apart from a few big red cocoa butter hearts which are embedded inside it.There are also lots of little red paper hearts hidden inside which come out later on. As the bath bomb fizzes away in the water, the cocoa butter hearts come flying out and melt adding a touch of moisture to the water. The bath bomb is made with Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute and Sweet Brazillian Orange Oil which makes it smell just like a terry chocolate orange. Perfect.

The Kiss lip scrub is back again this year and is a lip scrub. It's a super bright pink colour and also has little love hearts in it. Cute. Made with fine sea salt, caster sugar and Fair Trade cocoa butter and a touch of almond and mandarin oils. I am a big lover or citrusy scents so I love this. Use it to exfoliate you lips keeping them smooth.

Lastly I have the Roses All The Way bar of soap which is so pretty and kinda interesting with its swirly design. Based around Alice in Wonderland, the pink exterior fades to white as you start to use it. It's subtly rose scented but very delicate. Super moisturizing and starts to melt in the heat of your hands if you hold it for too long. It also contains rapeseed and coconut oil to keep your skin soft and smooth.

Are You Stocked Up For This Weekend?

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Monday, 8 February 2016

Last week, I got an email from the team at Brent Cross inviting me along for a day of Valentines shopping which was really super exciting!

Where I went to school, it was a mix of Essex or North Londoners so you either spend your weekends at Lakeside or Brent Cross. Obviously for me, I grew up going to Lakeside so I was actually really excited when I got Andrew to agree to drive us there this weekend. Funnily enough, it took exactly the same amount of time to drive there as it does lakeside and as a spoiler I actually liked it just as much.

We started our trip by having a little wander around, not buying anything just yet, I wanted to see what the place had and I was very pleased to spot all the usual suspects in New Look, Topshop, River Island, LUSH ect but I was also very pleased to spot a rare Victorias Secret, Yankee Candle and even the Bad Brownie Co stand.

I've never been to a Fenwick before so I didn't really know about all the cute little places to eat inside! It wasn't exactly a food hall but with a Cafe Nero and Patisserie Valerie along with THREE, it was pretty well equipped for a little hour break from shopping. THREE was all done up last year and it was still looking very fresh, clean and as good as new from what I could tell. After I saw the menu, I was very excited to eat there so we stopped off for lunch.

You might know that last week, I went a bit crazy for avo toast, I had already had it twice but this time, I had my avo toast with smoked salmon which was a nice change, not just because I haven't done it with salmon recently but also because of the incredible quality of it there. Ask Andrew, I am super picky when it comes to smoked salmon and if it's not perfect, I just wont eat it, but I finished off the whole plate - it was delicious. As for the avo? Creamy, chunky mixed in with chopped tomato for that extra freshness - super!

Andrew (like Juanita) is also very predictable (and easy) when it comes to breakfast. Scrambled eggs.

I was pretty stuffed from all the food but after I spotted this strange hot chocolate menu, I couldn't not try one! I went for the raspberry dream. The whipped cream and marshmallows were a treat but I'll be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of the drink, it tasted a bit to herby for me and I just didn't get the hit of raspberry that I was hoping for.

After fueling up, we were ready to take on the shops. The center is small but seemed to have everything I needed, there was a really good selection of shops which also meant Andrew went for a good 5 hours before he got bored and started moaning. There was also alot less hustle and bustle than what we are used to with other London shopping locations. It was nice to be bit more relaxed as we wandered around rather than jumping out of the way and spending 20 minutes in line at every shop.

As for Valentines Day shopping, they have that covered, lets just say they are very well prepared for the big day. The shops either had their own Valentines Day ranges all set up with hearts like LUSH, LOLAS & John Lewis for example and the others settled with Valentines Day picks from their current range which really did make shopping for it really very easy.

I spend most of my time in Victoria's Secret and ended up spending a cheeky £100 just in there but I am very please with my new purchases. VS is seriously the perfect valentines day gift. I also picked up another box of Charbonnel truffles and with them being in a red box, I had a great excuse to try a new flavour and I couldn't help myself when I found the Kate Spade stand in John Lewis as well.

I'm hoping just to get a cute photo of what I bought so maybe I can show you guys what I got in my February roundup post later this month!

Anyway, very successful shopping trip if you ask me. When I can convince Andrew that the ten minutes of traffic that we hit of the way home really wasn't such a big deal, I'm sure we will be back for our next splurge.

Dress / Converse / Michael Kors Bag

Huge thanks to Brent Cross to providing a gift card for some shopping and THREE for the complimentary lunch. All Opinions are 100% honest and my own

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Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Since I posted in so much excitement in the lead up the Valentines Day last week, I thought it was only fair that I shared with you what actually happened! I didn't find out until the day as Andrew managed to keep it a surprise. There's so much I want to tell you about but to keep this post as short as I can, I think it'll just be alll the photos and a little comment on what we did!

First, lets start off with my valentines day nails, aren't they cute!? I used Barry M's new 'Kiss Me Quick' and 'Viva Pink' from AVON.

Friday was the launch of 50 Shade Of Grey so of course we went to see that. We decided to go the the cinema at the 02 because our favorite restaurant - Gaucho - happened to be there. As always we really enjoyed the meal and some yummy cocktails too before walking into the busiest cinema I have ever seen haha.

The next morning, we woke up and made our way back into London for lunch. Since pancake day was later that week, I wanted pancakes so My Old Dutch it was! I had the yummiest pancake, covered in strawberries, chocolate sauce and ice cream and Andrew was boring and went for a savory one. Then we picked up some snacks for later and hopped into an Uber to our hotel for the evening!

For our second evening, we spend the first part at The Rumpus Room, which is a very exclusive rooftop bar at the top of our hotel - The Mondrian. The views over London and the Thames were amazing as the sun set. The bar was very fancy (and kinda expensive - 4 cocktails came to £61) although we both really enjoyed it and it was valentines day after all! I had a strawberry and prosecco cocktail while Andrew had his prosecco with elderflower and cucumber.

It was the perfect excuse to wear my new skirt which I picked up at the Very Valentines event last week. I love the bold stripes and the scuba material allowed it to just glide over my hips. I probably could have done with a size 6 but that wont stop me wearing it. I paired it with a plain black crop top and my over the knee boots to keep my legs warm.

Afterwards we went back down to our room, got into bed, switched the TV on and ordered room service. Andrew had also arranged a surprise delivery of champange and chocolate covered strawberries which we indulged in while watching Take Me Out on the big pull out TV.

The next morning there was a knock on the door and in came a huge table filled with food and drinks. We both had a fry up as well as a plate of salmon and the super cute heart shaped pancakes which we shared. There was also toast, tea and orange juice. It was the biggest breakfast I've ever eaten

After stuffing ourselves on breakfast, it was time for the last part of our weekend! We put on the hotel dressing gowns and went down to the spa for a relaxing massage and body scrub.

and then sadly it was time to go back to the room and get ready to leave. I had such a great Valentines day weekend. I hope you enjoyed reading all about it and hopefully it didnt babble on too much!

What Did You Do For Valentines Day?

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Friday, 13 February 2015

Giant Millies Cookie

Andrew knows I want one of these and at the moment it doesn't look like I'm going to get one. Their site has been down all week, probably because everyone wants one. But its ok, Andrew and I have been together for 5 years now so I won't mind if he gets it a week late, as long as it says my name on it and has pink icing haha yum.

Boux Avenue PJs

Since picking up my silky pyjamas at the Very event last week, I have loved the idea of actual nice sleepwear rather than Andrews old t-shirts. This set comes in pink, lilac and white. I'm not so sure on the colours but I love the design, if it came in red, that would be perfect.

and of course I always check out website like Voucher Bin for deals before I order anything online. They have a little page for Boux Avenue which says you can get a 10% discount for first time orders if you make sure to sign up for the newsletter which I wouldn't have known otherwise. Sometimes they have really useful ones like 25% off so I always make sure to check.

Pink Marc de Champagne Truffle Heart

I love the taste (and the idea) or champagne truffles. They are a lovely and yummy gift for a special occasion and of course I want the pink ones. In the heart box.

Primark Water Cup

I have seen these in stores for ages but for some reason, I have now decided I want one. Everyone has been talking about drinking more water which mas made me think I really don't drink enough so I want a pretty cup to keep on my desk that I can keep refilling though the day.

Instax Films

I wanted more in your face valentines ones they say 'I Love You' all over them but pink dots are as lovey as they get. I want to take some on my weekend away with Andrew - I love making memories and sticking them all around my bedroom.

Missguided Dress

I love lots of things about this dress. It's structured which is pretty, especially the skirt part, I like that you can see each section and it gives a really nice silhouette. I like the shiny material too. This is the sort of thing I am looking for to wear for Saturday night since I have no idea where we are going.

Whats On Your Wishlist?

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Thursday, 12 February 2015

The Circle, a Psychic Phone Reading service got in touch in the lead up to valentines and asked me what my essentials are for the big weekend.

The issue I have here is that Andrew won't tell me where we are going which makes packing alot harder although it also means the things I have picked out really are essentials and should be things that I will need wherever we end up!

Number one is my new Michael Kors bag that my parents got my for Christmas. Its super tiny and super cute. Not so good for my days running around London but perfect for the evenings with it's gold details.
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I picked up these pyjamas* at the #VeryVIP press day earlier this week - perfect timing and I at least know we are staying a hotel! They has this set as well as a matching robe and a teddy which was super cute - I just love the subtle colours and the big polka dots.
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This little box is actually a YES TO Cucumbers Facemask* which I got from ASOS and I thought it was something nice we can try together while we watch TV in bed (as you guys know we love Saturday night TV when we stay at a hotel)
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Batiste goes everywhere with me, especially this one for brunettes which I have recently discovered. It comes out brown so there is no white powder residue to get rid of!
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I've been going on about these polishes all week. I'm thinking pink for valentines day so I'll probably paint my nails on Friday with Kiss Me Quick* and then just it (and the topcoat) with in case of any chippage. They are now avaliable to buy on the Barry M website.
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I'm not sure why I gave 6 and 7 separate numbers, they are both bath products from Lush of course. The first one I picked up yesterday on my trek to buy my other brother's girlfriend a secret present and it's the Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment. I don't usually go for melts but it smelt like snow fairy so I couldn't resist! Since melts don't do much to the look of the bath, I think I am going to bring along the Lonely Heard Bubble Bar* as well for some bubbles and glitter.
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Number 8 consists of my Eyeko Eyeliner pen and Benefits Bad Gal Mascara. The eyeliner lives in my handbag now so I take that everywhere with me and I'm loving Bad Gal at the moment when I do decided to wear mascara which isn't that often. This is all the make up I need and will just use a little bit for when we go for dinner. I picked up both of these on ASOS*
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Now 9 and 10 are the snacks for the evening! I might not take the bottle of prosecco as it's heavy and instead we will just order one when we get there but you get the idea. I will definitely be taking along the little belini mix* as I love a peach belini and this little pouch is so easy to pack. Then there is some leftover chocolate from Christmas which will do nicely as a TV snack.
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Lastly, We have my bikini. Andrew said the hotel has a spa. I don't know if we are using the spa for swimming, saunas, treatments, I have no idea so it's best to bring a bikini either way. I picked my red one to go with the valentines day theme as also it's a very comfortable one with no underwires for if we do have a treatment.
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What Are Your Valentines Day Essentials?

P.S I made those cookies that I was talking about baking with my new heart cookie cutters. I used a simple Betty Crocker cookie mix. Just add water - so easy!

*In collaboration with TheCircle

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Wednesday, 11 February 2015

As usual, I love putting together a gift guide for special occasions. Valentines day is fun as I like to get gifts that we can share as a couple rather than just a new pair of shoes or something for Andrew. I've picked a few things that we will be able to share and a few that are pushed more toward either me or him but hopefully I will be able to give some of you some inspiration for later thist week!

Sweets

Every one loves heart shaped chocolates and sweets on valentines day and Retro Sweet are a great place to get them because they sell all sorts of gift sets which you can personalise with a name and a message. This is one of the smaller gift sets from the site for £15 but they go up to £30, £40 + and arrive in a big wicker hamper which is a lovely idea.

Subscription Boxes
As well as gift box sets, subscription boxes are loads of fun. You sign up and each month you will be sent a box of goodies, each time it's different and you get to try all sorts of new things that you wouldn't have done otherwise! It makes a lovely gift to sign up and pay for them for your other half! Over the past few years, these boxes have become so popular which means loads of new ones have appeared, they have boxes for all sorts of likes and interests. MyVoucherCodes have put together a subscription box guide so you can scroll though a list of them and pick the one you think will suit your valentine best! Cute.

Toilet paper

Ok so this is a gift that is definitely just for him. It more a jokey extra to put in with all the other gifts but I'm pretty sure he will be entertained with it. Boys. I got this from Dot Com Gift Shop

The Body Show Strawberry Heart Gift Set
The Body Shop always have a great range of gift sets for every occasion but this one is perfect because it's red and love heart shaped! It's actually called The Sweetheart Gift Set and it contains a shower gel, body butter, lip butter and an Eau de Toilette all in their strawberry flavour. I'd definitely appreciate this more than Andrew would so this is one of the girls. Andrew actually bought me a heart shaped Body Shop gift set when they released their chocolate scent! And if your single, this is a lovely set to pamper yourself with!

Lola & Grace Jewellery
I don't really wear jewellery but if I do, it will usually be from Lola & grace, I really like the idea of them being Swarvoski's younger sister as they are part of the same group. They are a fun, young and affordable brand and it's so easy to pop in, spend £20 and leave with something really nice which makes it a lovey treat for yourself or a great gift for/from someone else. I love that they do each style in a range of pretty, bright colours. This blue reel pendant comes in a few colours and is in the sale at £8 down from £17. The big jewel and chunky chair of this Solitaire Necklace also really caught my eye and is also under £20 at just £14.50.

Funkin Cocktail Sets

This is the perfect gift set for us to share as a couple, we love going out for cocktails so I know we would enjoy having a night in with some! The best thing about these kits is that they come with everything you need, including the alcohol which means you don't been to go out and find it as well! Belinis are our favoruite drinks but I just couldn't resist the pina colada set! I love the cute little coconut cups that came with it!

Chocolate Red Wine

Same story here, think romantic night in with a bottle of wine. Except it's Rosso Nobile Red Wine with a chocolate fusion. I couldn't think of anything better!

Cookie cutters

Valentines day is a nice time for some themed baking so these will definitely come in handy for making some cute heart cookies! Hopefully I will have time to bake some today!! These also came from Dot Com Gift Shop

Gift Cards

Boys are hard to buy for and gift cards usually work well for Andrew, although he has been known to completely forget about them and find them at the bottom of a gift bag 6 months later, boys just don't get excited by new clothes like girls too. Which is why I though it'd be nice to move away from a traditional clothing gift card and think about the other things he likes!

Andrew has recently started a new job and he gets coffee every morning. I think he really enjoys telling me how the baristas have remembered his order and messaging me 'BRB getting coffee' so a Costa giftcard would be perfect for him! I might cover it in girly stickers before I give it to him so he can think of me when he gets his morning coffee every day next week!

Shirt

As I said earlier, Andrew has a new job and it's the first one that has required him to wear a suit. Shirts are now a lovely gifts to buy him for work as I know it'll get used and it's nice to pick one out together! This one came from Guide London and is £60, I love the black and white details.

LUSH

Lush have released their new valentines day range and as usual there are a few new products as well as the old classics. Valentines bath products are a great idea for couples on valentines day, it's lovely to have a themed bath before you get ready for a nice meal or to share a bath after a dinner for a romantic night in!

The big product release of this year, The Unicorn Horn. This is a pastel rainbow bubble bar that smells like lavender, very relaxing. The colours are so pretty and it has a silver shimmer on top as well as little candy hearts dotted around! It's £3.25 but bubble bars are worth their money as they can be used a few times!

Lonely Hearts is a bubble bar and Heart throb is a bubbleroon which I think it just the same as a bubble bar (it does look like a giant red heart shaped macaroon with a gold glitter filling.) Both of these will turn your bath red with gold glitter to make your water sparkle. These are great for the girls as I don't think Andrew (or many guys) would appreciate being covered on gold glitter.

I also have the Cupid Love soap which has hearts running through it. It smells very rich and fruity and I have just found out that it contains passionfruit which his one of my favourites!

Slowly I will get around to posting a review of each one separately!

What Are You Doing For Valentines Day?

*The products included were gifted for the purpose of this guide. I handpicked each one and each opinion is 100% honest.

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SLIDER

Valentines Day Gift Ideas With Brent Cross

Monday, 5 February 2018

Things | Feb 26th

Friday, 26 February 2016

BEAUTY: LUSH Valentines Range 2016

Thursday, 11 February 2016

LIFESTYLE: Valentines Day Shopping At Brent Cross

Monday, 8 February 2016

LIFESTYLE: My Valentines Day Weekend

Tuesday, 24 February 2015

LIFESTYLE: Valentines Day Wishlist

Friday, 13 February 2015

LIFESTYLE: Valentines Weekend Essentials

Thursday, 12 February 2015

GIFT GUIDE: Valentines Day

Wednesday, 11 February 2015