Boston Tea Party Harborne Food Review

Boston Tea Party is a small group of cafe/restaurants that have slowly been popping up around the country.

Not available on every high street, BTP is a place to eat ethically sourced, simple food that is made on site daily. The milk is always 100% organic whilst the eggs and meat are free range.

The restaurants also give back to the community, acting as a social hub and place for everyone from mums to knitting and reading groups to meet and drink.

There are now 15 BTP's around the country, each designed to respect the building and locale, and I was kindly invited to review the newest BTP in Harborne, near Birmingham.

The School Yard is a compact food and drink destination in Harborne, just outside of Birmingham, and is home to Prezzo, Urban Coffee Company and of course Boston Tea Party.

Walking through the side door, it's hard to believe what's inside as you enter the shared courtyard space lit up with fairy lights strung amongst the trees. Making my way to BTP I walked past the outside courtyard seating into the main building. A converted Victorian school, the BTP space is full of quirky details and original features. With plenty of seating downstairs, I found the bar and said hello to BTP manager Dagmara.

Bike art 

We took a tour of the space, from the easy to access downstairs area and private outdoor space to the quieter upstairs area which can be hired out for free by groups and for events such as book groups, crafting sessions etc.

Upstairs seating

Finally we made our way back down and I took a look at the menu. Visting BTP for an evening meal, I could have opted for a burger, toasted sandwich or salad, but I love a good breakfast so decided instead to try out something different. I couldn't resist the Raspberry and Mango smoothie and it came out super fast having placed my order at the bar. Fruity, fresh and lively, I slurped it down so quickly!

Raspberry and Mango Smoothie 

Next I ordered my meal. Although I was tempted by the Kedgeree, Mushrooms on Toast, Veggie Breakfast and 'Get Your Goat, You've Pulled' toasted sandwich, I chose the Eggs Royale with avocado which is an English muffin topped with poached egg, avocado and hollandaise sauce - yum! Alongside the Royale I also tried out the Moroccan Mint Tea.

Eggs Royale

Having visited the Birmingham BTP I knew that they make a fantastic Orange and Almond cake and had my sights set on this before I'd decided on my main. Needless to say that this moist, orangey, marmalade laced cake rounded off the meal nicely.

Moroccan Mint Tea

There's also a huge variety of drinks available from smoothies and milkshakes to homemade iced teas, wine, craft beer and an unusually wide selection of teas and coffees.

As a gluten free foodie, I was especially impressed with how well BTP caters for gluten-free diners. The menu is clearly labelled with GF, the staff are really clued up on what is suitable to eat for those on a GF diet, and they can even use GF bread in a lot of dishes to make them gluten-free!

Orange and Almond Cake

Anyone who's been to a BTP will know that they make some incredible cakes that come out on huge wooden boards. They also make GF cakes on the regular, and as well as my Orange and Almond cake which is gorgeously gluten-free, they also had a GF brownie in when I visited.

Bakewell Tart cake slab

I had a great experience at Boston Tea Party Harborne and thoroughly enjoyed the food, atmosphere, service and fascinating building.

Although it's known as a daytime venue, they are open late until 11pm, making it a great place to go for a quiet drink or bite to eat in the evening. Harborne is a great place for evening drinks with plenty of pubs and restaurants to choose from. Boston Tea Party offers something really different to the pubs and restaurants, with a tasty menu, interesting space full of different seating areas and friendly staff. I'd definitely recommend that you try it out and I've already been back!

Macarons vs Macaroons: Yipsy Macarons Review

Finding sweet treats that are both tasty and gluten free has been a real challenge for me, and I'll always buy a gluten free cake if I see one.

One of my favourite sweet treats that are naturally gluten-free are macarons. Macarons you ask? Angela from Yipsy Macarons very kindly explained to me that macaroons and macarons are not the same thing; I know, newsflash. Macaroons are the big white coconut biscuits that your gran probably loves. Macarons are the pastel toned miniature bites of sweet candy heaven that you can find in Paris and selected foodhalls across the country.

Yipsy Macarons is the brainchild of Angela Yip. Leaving behind a career in finance, Angela Yip (nicknamed Yipsy by her friends) swapped spreadsheets for spatulas and started making macarons for weddings, events, birthdays and as corporate gifts.

I was lucky enough to be sent a box of macarons to try out; here are my thoughts.

Presentation

Beautifully presented in a specially designed gift box, my Yipsy Macarons came packaged up in a white slide out box tied up with string, a mini clothes peg and a Yipsy Macarons label.

Inside, the macaron line up was made up of 12 beautifully coloured and decorated macarons in flavours including Salted Caramel, Lemon, Raspberry, Chocolate Praline, Pistachio, Vanilla and Strawberry.

Texture

Macarons traditionally have a crisp outer shell, soft centre and a small 'foot' which rises during baking. They should all be the same size too so that when the macarons are put together, the two parts fit well. These macarons checked all the above boxes, result.

Taste

As for the taste? Whilst some macarons simply look good, these macarons taste fantastic too, and the colours really relate to the flavours they are meant to taste like! The yellow macaron is most definitely Lemon flavoured (and possibly my favourite for it's zesty, fresh taste), whilst the speckles on the Vanilla tells you that it has been flavoured with real vanilla pods. The Salted Caramel also deserves an honourable mention for its chewy texture and divine taste.

Storage

The macarons last for up to a week in the fridge and a month in the freezer. If you're taking them out of the fridge, Yipsy recommends that you leave them out at room temperature for 5 minutes before eating.

Overall

Yipsy Macarons are a sensational sweet treat that are full of flavour, texture, colour and come in at under 100 calories each. It's no suprise that local businesses including Henry Wong Harborne, The Plough and Urban Coffee Company are stocking these delicious delicacies.

Macarons are a great idea for birthdays and events, and what could be more decadent than a macaron tower to mark an occasion? I'd love one for my birthday and it's great to be able to offer up something that all your guests can enjoy, especially considering that they can be made dairy free on request too.

Thank you Angela - I'll be back!

For more information check out the Yipsy Macaron website, twitter and Facebook page.
 

Birthday Present Post ft L'Occitane, Macadamia Oil, Bioderma and Origins

Not so long ago I celebrated my birthday and in amongst many meals out, I received some lovely presents from my friends and family. I love seeing what other bloggers have had for their birthday so I thought

I'd share mine with you guys too. 

Birthday presents! Wine, Origins Ginzing Moisturiser and Clear Improvement Mask set, Per Una Originale fragrance, Barry M Nail Effects Croc in Burgundy, Hotel Chocolat Strawberry Puddles, Cake Tester, L'Occitane Frisson de Verveine Set, Bioderma, Macadamia Oil, Topshop socks, Tranquil Spa voucher, Selfridges voucher, hamsa bracelet.

There's a definite theme emerging here and it's beauty related! Everyone knows that I love receiving beauty products and I'm so lucky to have been given my favourites.

Here's my collected beauty products. I recieved a Barry M nail polish, Origins gift set that includes GinZing moisturiser and Clear Improvement mask, Per Una travel sized fragrance, Bioderma and Macadamia Oil. I am already using all of these and I love them so much! In particular, I use Bioderma every single day, the fragrance lives in my handbag for on the go spritzing and I use the Macadamia Oil on my hair when it's feeling dry on the ends in particular.

I also received this L'Occitane Frisson de Verveine gift set which includes a shower gel, cooling body gel, soap and hand cream in a very cute little drawstring bag. The new collection has a much lighter, sweeter, summerier scent to it and I've really enjoyed using the shower gel in particular.

What's on your birthday wish list this year?

Summer Holiday Outfit Part 3: Summer Stripes and Nautical Vibes

Who shies away from stripes? I do! However, we all know summer dressing is about fun and sometimes the rules go out the window, in a good way.

This summer, I ended up wearing two outfits featuring stripes, one in white and red, another in the classic combination of navy and white.

Navy and white is the only combination I would ever usually consider wearing and it was great to break out of my comfort zone and try out the white and red combo in the sunshine, which ended up being my favourite outfit teamed with a classic denim jacket.

Navy stripe dress - George // Gold sandals - New Look // Triangle necklace - Primark // Panama Hat - Primark // Aviator sunglasses - H&M

Red and white stripe dress - Primark // Tan sandals - Oasis // Denim jacket - Vintage //Panama hat - Primark

Have any of you guys been wearing stripes this summer?

Bullring Birmingham #bullringbloggers Event

The Bullring Birmingham is home to so many great shops and brands, so the lovely folk at Bullring invited myself and a host of other Birmingham bloggers along to an event recently to showcase just some of the fabulous beauty and fashion brands on offer.

Hosted in the management suite, I came straight from work and dived into the refeshments table to give me some energy before checking out brands such as Kiehls, RMK, Clarins, Urban Decay and Umberto Giannini.

The drinks were served up in adorable mini milkbottles with pink and white paper straws, and Millie's Cookies even created a special cookie cake for the night emblazoned with #bullringbloggers. Later on in the evening, we were also treated to Nandos and Wagamamas treats (can you tell I'm a foodie?) but I digress!

We were welcomed to the event and then heard a fashion presentation from Karen Millen and had a talk on the new Umberto Giannini Curl Friends range from Umberto's PR manager.

Then, we were left to our own devices! I tried out some products from Giorgio Armani including the Blushing Fabric in two shades, one, a beautiful gold highlighting shade and another that gave a lovely natural flush to cheeks. I also tried out the Luminous Silk Foundation which was super light on skin.

RMK introduced us to their beautiful skincare range, including the Cleansing Balm and we learnt about the brand and its popularity in the Far East.

I also got to try out some beautiful products from Urban Decay and was super impressed with the Strip Palette! I loved how glowing this set made me look and it's definitely on the shopping list.

Next, I had a chat with the lovely Nicki from Kiehls (hope I've spelt that right!) and went through some of their new products as well as classics such as the Creme De Corps, then the girls at Clarins went through their pretty Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector collection of plant therapy infused balms.

We also took a look of some of Shu Uemura's iconic products including the super softening cleansing oils and colour pop make up.

Here's a snap of my fabulous curls courtesy of Umberto Giannini - I just wish I could have my hair done like this every day!

NutellaTasha, The Style Floozie and me!

Last of all, we had a lovely surprise waiting for us in our goody bags - a personalised Tatty Devine necklace! This was such a lovely gesture and I adore my necklace so thank you so much!

Big thanks to everyone at Bullring for organising the event :)

Summer Holiday Outfit Part 2: Fun Florals

Have you made the great Bank Holiday escape? If like me you're still in England, here's a summery outfit to cheer you up!

Floral dress // Peacocks, Gold Flip Flops // New Look, Panama Hat // Primark, Triangle Necklace // Primark

This is not something I'd ordinarily wear in the UK as I tend to shy away from colour and stick to neutrals, but bright colours always look better in a hot climate.

The dress is so easy to wear and could still be worn with a denim jacket if the weather got cooler. Dressed down with simple sandals, it's a great throw on outfit for pool days!

Elizabeth Arden Event at Debenhams Bullring Birmingham

Did you know Elizabeth Arden is over 100 years old? That's just one fact I picked up at the Elizabeth Arden beauty event hosted in Debenhams, Bullring last week.

A host of beautiful Birmingham bloggers headed over to counter for some serious pampering. As well as snacks and drinks, Elizabeth Arden provided us girlies with neck massages, skin analysis and more at the event.

Heading over from work, I went straight to the chair for a blissful neck massage from Stephanie on counter, who runs this fabulous blog. Just the thing to help us unwind, I was putty in her hands as she used the famous Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Youth Restoring Serum on the neck, one area that we all agreed we don't pay much attention to (naughty!)

Here's a picture Chloe from Flying Fox took of me, as well as one of Hayley having a pamper.

My neck massage in progress thanks to Stephanie from Elizabeth Arden

Stephanie working her magic on Hayley from Strangeness and Charm

As if that wasn't enough, we also got to try out an absolute revolution. The Elizabeth Arden Skin Scanner is a genius machine that measures skin moisture, texture, radiance, pigmentiation and elasticity. Free of charge, simply visit the counter and the therapist will hold up the machine to your skin to measure the above. The best bit? At the end, it will also find your perfect match foundation! Mine was Ceramide Lift and Firm Make Up in shade Beige (I think!).

Elizabeth Arden Skin Scanner

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Foundation

It's such a genius idea as it can be a time consuming process to find the perfect foundation, and I'm keen to try this shade out when it comes back in stock.

I also had a look at the products available and my favourite has to be the lipglosses in these beautiful shades.

We had a great evening and it was so lovely to catch up with everyone. Here's a few group shots:

Paige - Paige's Preferences, Hayley - Strangeness and Charm, Tasha - NutellaTasha, Chloe - Flying Fox, Me, Sunny - Wardrobe Mag, Emily - Emily Jayne Image and Emma - Fashion Mommy (sorry if I've got any names wrong!)

Paige, Hayley and Emily.

Big thanks to Kim and the girls at Elizabeth Arden for putting on the event!