Ox pasture hall hotel, Yorkshire
29/11/2014
being invited to stay at the ox pasture hall hotel for a night could not have came at a more perfect time. due to feeling a little low in my personal life responding to blog emails has been pushed back, but with a little nudge from liam i accepted the opportunity and i'm so glad i did. the hotel itself is situated on the outskirts of scarborough, has a great country house vibe which makes you instantly feel at home. we were kindly enough to be given the honeymoon suite which i wish i could have photographed. unfortunately by the time we arrived (3pm - thank you A/W weather...) it was too dark to get any good lighting for photographs. we were kindly taken to our room through two beautiful courtyards with the most stunning fountains, you can see what appeals to so many who would chose this as a wedding destination. the rustic interiors really are what made the whole stay so special and comfortable for the two of us. it really is the perfect destination for a getaway break, which is exactly what i needed.
AFTERNOON TEA:
our visit to ox pasture hall hotel instantly started with afternoon tea in the bar area. the country house theme continued, oozing of romance with the fireplace burning and comfy leather sofas ready for us to sink into. you can tell that every little detail has been thought about when it comes to the interior and design of the hotel. it leaves you at ease and able to truly relax knowing that you are in great company of a really great establishment. they cater to dietary requirements and did ask us prior if there were any changes needed; which is great for those who are gluten free or diabetic. of course we didn't need any changes and we welcomed our stack of food with open arms (and mouths). we were kindly given a glass of prosecco to go with it, i really did appreciate every little bit of care we were treated to by the staff. with afternoon tea being one of my favourite things to eat i knew it was already a winner, especially when our fruit scones were the size of my head. everything tasted amazing and the sandwiches only lasted a matter of minutes. what can i say? our drive up to the hotel really got our stomachs rumbling. the petit fours i could only manage a spoonful of each as i was so full, but liam told me the chocolate brownie was amazing. for me i was all over the lemon cheesecake; which you can tell as i came back for more with dinner.
THE FOOD:
(the most important factor)
(the most important factor)
taking ourselves back to our room for a little relaxation; cue the biggest bubble bath i've ever had and complimentary bath robes, we got ourselves dressed for dinner as we were invited down to try the award-winning courtyard restaurant. with a simple layout and well-lit with candles myself and liam were at ease and ready to try the great food. for starters i tried the mushroom and truffle oil soup which i can honestly say is one of the best soups i have ever eaten. i struggled to photograph because in reality, it is just soup. but i wish you could have tasted it. it was so, so good. for our mains i opted for the beef dish, which consisted of a mini beef fillet accompanied with tender brisket, creamy mash, mushroom duxelle and baby carrots and turnips. you could taste the quality in every bite and the presentation was immaculate. liam chose the fish dish which was poached cod with chorizo ratatouille and fondant potatoes. as we switched half way through i can also say this was cooked perfectly. by the time it came to desserts we weren't sure if we could stomach anymore, but the waiter kindly advised the assiette of desserts; which was four miniatures of the desserts on the menu for both of us to share. we were treated to the pina colada rice pudding, raspberry creme brulee, chocolate and pistachio stack and finally a lemon cheesecake. after a couple of hours back in the bar area we retreated back to our room and had a lovely night sleep in the great king size bed. before we left it was wonderful to have been able to have the option of having breakfast brought to us to have in bed. the whole staff went the extra mile for us and i had the most wonderful nights stay and i could not recommend it enough to anyone looking for a getaway.
so, can i come back soon?
what is the urban retreat beautique GWP bag?
27/11/2014
launching the 28th of november - limited availability
christmas shopping is well and truly on. and if you're shopping for/are anything like me then premium beauty is where you will first start looking for potential gifts. i'm thinking 'hourglass lighting palette, narssisst palette or maybe some goodies from laura mercier... the list goes on. what about if with all that shopping you could get a little extra for yourself in return? tomorrow the urban retreat launch their 'utterly luxury gift with purchase*', which contains 11 beauty products worth over £110. from my photographs i've decided to show some of them, but didn't want to ruin the surprise factor by showing them all. all you have to do is spend over £150; which when you think about it isn't hard when you are buying premium beauty products, et voila this little bag of treats will be popped in with your order. if you didn't want to keep it for yourself, you could see it as another opportunity as some extra gifts for your loved ones. what do you think, is this something you'd be interested in? i'm most excited about the cover: fx illuminating powder. one day i will finally conquer my dark bags under my eyes.
the festive season's now looming large on the horizon. if you want to ensure you’re the belle of the ball this christmas, take a look at these five killer beauty tips.
source: pinterest
get glowing skin
the winter can take its toll on your skin, so it’s more important than ever to follow a good moisturising and cleansing regime. you’ll be able to find all the products you need online from beauty and skincare specialists such as Direct Cosmetics. make sure you exfoliate regularly and if your face starts to get flaky, apply a hydrating mask or rich night cream. also, if you’re not already using them, give oil-based moisturisers a go. these products can help to create a protective layer on your skin.
apply the perfect winter makeup
rather than reaching for heavy foundations, which can highlight any dry patches on your skin, try using tinted moisturisers or mixing your foundation with some moisturiser before applying it. also, some blush is a must during the chilly season. this will help to bring your look to life. if your makeup tends to rub off on your scarf or coat, use a layer of translucent pressed powder to keep it in place.
also, switch to waterproof mascara in case your eyes stream in the freezing winds. it’s savvy to apply eyeliner and shadow only to your upper lids too.
source: pinterest
add some sparkle to your outfits
make sure you add plenty of sparkle to your festive ensembles. for a lavish look, go for shimmering diamond earrings and necklaces. alternatively, opt for statement costume jewellery. this can work perfectly with a winter wardrobe. play around with different colours to achieve a range of stunning looks.
don’t be afraid of faux fur
faux fur is bang on trend, so don’t be afraid to wear it this winter season. you’ll find an array of oversized fur coats to choose from on the high street. if you don’t want to draw attention to yourself in a bright version, opt for a more restrained navy, black or dark brown coat.
source: pinterest
create perfect party locks
create perfect party locks
overly intricate hair dos are prone to being blasted by the winter breezes. it’s lucky then that ballerina buns are in vogue right now. to create a more relaxed look, use your fingers to pull your hair back into a low bun. however i love nothing more than a loose wave for that effortless look!
if i were to write santa a letter...
23/11/2014
oh making a wishlist is just too much temptation, i just want everything... oh and some topshop indigo joni jeans but what else is new? i think this year i am more focused on asking for staple pieces, more specifically homeware, as i am hoping to have a new house sometime early next year. the elephant teapot is my ultimate must-have but i already have been promised it from liam. yay! what do you think? do you like my wishlist?
hello it's so nice to finally be sitting down and writing again. with a break of almost a month all i can is i'm sorry but i've had a lot going on personally and blogging became impossible. i'm now under doc's orders to only do things that have a positive impact on myself so i thought this would be a great starter; a designer giveaway for my readers thanks to lyst. so... what is up for grabs? your very own personalised sophie hulme bag worth $600. the giveaway only runs until the 25th of november, so act quickly and get signed up to lyst and get creating. make sure you don't forget to include the hastag #lovemylyst in your description so they can track your entry.
if you want to look at an example here is my lyst i created below - please check it out and give it some love please! what i love about making these lyst's is how easy it is; you can simply search what you would like to add e.g 'chunky scarf' and a huge range of both high street and designer options will come up. once you find the one you like just hover over the image and click 'lyst it' and voila it's that simple! not only that, whilst making my own entry i found some great christmas inspiration for potential gifts to buy.
(p.s. i also have two more giveaways to launch soon so i'm spoiling you guys just to say thank you for sticking with me)
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