You know when you've had one of those bad days where the smallest of things like dropping your tray of chips on the floor sends you over the edge, leaving you in floods of tears? We all know how to solve this problem don't we? Yep, put the kettle on! Ideally, have some cake at the ready too.

I wasn't a fan of Earl Grey until a couple years ago when I tried it with milk..is that weird? Anyway, it's nice to mix things up a bit flavour wise now and again so when Williamson tea*asked if I'd like to try one of their newest products, I jumped at the chance. They sent me earl grey with blue flowers which is being released 25th April 2016!! 

Williamson are 'committed to growing the highest quality sustainable teas to the benefit of Kenya, its communities, wildlife and environment.' The sort of company worth supporting basically :)

One thing that draws me to Williamson Tea is their beautiful elephant caddies. They come in all different colours so you can co-ordinate it with your kitchen (something I get a bit OCD about). They'd be gorgeous to collect too, sitting on a shelf all lined up! I have three at home so far :)

I shared the tea with my mum who described it as 'light and summery'. I'd say that's pretty spot on. I'm not usually a fan of floral tastes but it's very subtle. I made it with milk which may not be the recommended way of serving it but it worked for me! 

I felt like the enamel mug needed a photo of its own! I'm a sucker for cute mugs like this, it's perfect for cosying up with on a warm summer evening out in the garden, you know when the sun is starting to set? That's definitely my favourite time of day!

If you would like to try the new earl grey with blue flowers then you can get 20% off the elephant caddie with the code blueblueflowers up until the 9th May :)

What makes your bad days better?

p.s. I now have a facebook page which you can find here

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The London Series Pt 3: The Duck and Waffle

The Duck and Waffle was somewhere I'd always wanted to go since coming across it on a blog, which I would link you to, but it seems to have vanished! (It was the Brunch Diaries)

It's located on the 40th floor of a mahoosively tall building!

You walk in through the doors and are greeted by the staff which point you in the direction of a glass elevator which whizzes all the way up to the top! 

The doors opened and we found ourselves in this funky looking bar which was playing trendy music I'd never heard of before. It wasn't what I expected at all..in a good way!

The views were spectacular! We were really lucky to be seated right next to the window. The menu is quite expensive because of the gorgeous views so I'd be a bit peeved off if  I was sat in the centre of the room!

There was a good selection of breakfast/brunch, including the classics and some less traditional options. 

Ice cream for breakfast anyone?

This was the calorific fest I went for. It was really nice but it was served cold and I think it would have been sooo much nicer hot!

Tom went for 'The Duck and Waffle' which was delicious. I'd go for this next time but then again, I am more of a savoury person.

This place would be ideal for a birthday brunch or any other type of celebration. My excuse was this was my first time ever in London ..that deserves celebrating doesn't it?

Where are your top recommendations for breakfast brunch? I like reading food posts so leave me any links in the comments :)

The London Series: pt 2. I pressed for champagne!

Eating out is most definitely high on my 'favourite activities' list..If you look at my instagram (@reils92) this is pretty obvious! I'd say the majority of my money is spent on food and in Harrods  I picked going to the food hall over the ladies accessories department first...So I like food basically. A lot.

Which is why I just had to share my experience at Bob Bob Ricard with you as it was without a doubt the best meal I have ever had!

The whole night felt very luxurious, starting with our warm welcome by the staff who took our coats and walked us to the Red Dining Room (there's also a blue one) where we would dine. It felt like we were making such an entrance, walking down those steps over the dance floor and straight to the bar! 

This place is out of my usual price range so was a very special one off, meaning we could justify splashing out with pre-dinner cocktails at the bar!

BBR is known for its 'press for champagne' button which I immediately pressed when we were seated  and as you can see, I was very excited about!

Literally, within seconds, the head waiter appeared at our table to take our champagne order. The service here was something I have never experienced before. Even when I went to the Ladies to 'powder my nose...' the waiter neatly folded up my serviette, which I had not so gracefully thrown onto my seat, and put it back on the table. Impressed  by their attention to detail, Tom nipped to the Gents just after to test them and again the waiter came over.

BBR serves both English and Russian food. I had no idea what Russian food was so I went for the Truffled Potato and Mushroom Vareniki for starters; traditional Russian dumplings, served with little onion rings on the top. That creamy sauce was amaziiiingggg!! 

Tom made an even bolder choice of Venison Steak Tartare! If that's what you're into, I'm sure it tastes fab..

For the main I had Crispy Pork Belly with Truffled Mashed Potatoes. The pork melted in the mouth and the crackling was crisped and seasoned to perfection.

Tom went for a rather fancy Macaroni with Lobster.

If you're a bit of a foodie, I'm sure you'll have come across loads of pictures and videos of this Chocolate dessert. Another thing that BBR is known for. Honestly, google them and you'll see photos of this and the champagne button! 

And this is the Eton Mess en perle - fancy name ey?!

Chocoholic heaven!

If you're going to London and want to go somewhere extra extra special then I highly recommend it here! For a fancy restaurant, the portion sizes weren't all teeny tiny like they are in many places so I can assure you, you won't leave hungry...I actually felt sick after this as I was stuffed!

Despite me putting this under my 'lifestyle' posts, I can only wish that this was my daily lifestyle *sob sob*

The London Series: pt1 Where to stay

I have now actually been to London. It only took me 22 years but I now no longer have to experience the look of absolute horror on peoples faces at having said I'd never been! 

It's a busy busy place and so I thought putting it all in one post would be too much...so here's part 1 of the mini London series I plan to do!

Being a London virgin, I was taken aback at the cost of some of the hotels..especially for a half decent location for getting to places but we eventually found The Hub in Covent Garden which was so much cheaper and in the perfect spot! 

If you look closely at the art on the wall, it's actually a really cool map of London!

The reason for the cheaper price is that the rooms are very small but have everything you need and lots of clever storage space! We didn't spend that much time in the room anyway with the amount of sightseeing we did.

Other than being small, the room was really pleasant to stay in and had lots of little gadgets like this touch screen control pad.

The zesty colours remained a theme even for the toiletries!

Complimentary tea and coffee throughout your stay? Yes please! They had a great selection of different teas!

The lounge area had tablets which were free to use and meant planning the day could be done in a relaxed environment...whilst sipping on a glass of wine or two!

This was such cute idea and if I ever have my own business, I'll be sure to introduce this idea :) 

Most of the areas we visited were a short walk away. Buckingham Palace was about 15mins away so basically we were having a sleepover with Lizzie!

And for anything further, the tube was so quick and efficient and not as scary as I had thought!!!

If you're planning a trip to London, I would definitely have a look into staying here as it was such great value for money and the staff were superb!! :)

May Degustabox - take a peek!

I love food and I love surprises so Degustabox was always something I'd been keen to try and after seeing that their April box containted Kinder chocolate and Nando's crisps, I couldn't resist!!

The box costs £12.99/month including delivery. I was really impressed with the delivery service as I got a text the night before which told me the box would arrive and that I could rearrange this if it didn't suit. On the day of arrival I got a text telling me what time my box would arrive and I could even track where the driver was....little stalkerish but handy!

Within seconds of shutting the door, I ran for some scissors and tore open the box like a young child (me still) on Christmas Day.

Inside there was: 

Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Barbecue Sauce 

Schwartz Honey and Soy Marinade in a bag 

Fentimans Ginger Beer

Fruity 9bar

Daelmans Stroopwafels

Sarsons Balsamic Vinegar

Slim Pasta Lasagne

Maggi Stir Fry

Fuel10K Protibrick

I have to admit that I found the theme a little confused at first...sort of barbecuey but then some health snacks? That didn't matter though because I've found some real gems amongst this bunch!

As a student, I eat a lot of stir frys so I wasn't too excited about these...until I tried them! So much more tasty than your usual stir fry and you just have to add a couple ingredients, making it super easy and quick to make a tasty meal. A great student dish and one I'll be popping in my trolley in the future!

(Just keep scrolling to the next picture to skip the rant)

So the whole Eatwater branding of Slim Pasta hasn't got me sold. I think there's so many fad products out there trying to get us to lose weight (don't even get me started on those detox teas) and I do think the best way to lose weight is a healthy diet and exercise. The pasta is carb, fat, sugar and gluten free which leaves me wondering what is actually left? I haven't tried this yet so I may go back on everything I've just said...

These are one of the gems. Caramel filled Dutch waffles that you warm up on your cup of warm tea or coffee. These are a great afternoon snack! I've been getting through these at an unhealthy rate..just too good! A little different to your standard tea-and-biscuit combo!

I love 9bars! I found that these actually fill me up, unlike a lot of cereal bars out there and they're packed with nutritious seeds and dried fruits. 

Another gem.. I've used this on burgers, chips and even mixed in rice! It's got a mouthwatering tangy sweet honey barbecue all american flavour! Perfect for the barbecue season!

Okay so balsamic vinegar is what it is really...I haven't tried this but I can't say it has me excited.

The Honey and Soy marinade is something else I'll be buying again. It's an  easy way of adding some flavour to your food and feels like a bit of a treat! 

I'm waiting to get through my Weetabix before I try Protibrick which is apparently the same but boosted with proteins which I hope will keep me feeling fuller for longer than normal Weetabix does!!

And to finish off, well I haven't tried the ginger beer yet so I'm just waiting for a nice sunny day to sit out and enjoy that :)

Overall, I'm really impressed with what I got this month, even though I wasn't so sure initially! I think the chocoholic in me was a little disappointed though. Everything in the box is worth more than what I paid for it so you just have to trust that you'll love what they send you. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys trying new foods and drinks which I'm sure by now, you'll realise that I do!!

Have you ever tried Degustabox? Has anything caught your eye?

One for the Tea Lovers

I never thought I'd say this. Not in a million years. I've just always been a Yorkshire tea girl. A nice, traditional, tummy-warming brew. But I think I like this just as much....if not more. There. Said it. 

Williamson tea are a family owned business that have been creating fine teas for over 140 years...so yeah, I think they know what they're doing! I was delighted when they asked if I'd like to try their new flavoured tea range. Until last summer, I always went for a traditional English tea but then one day I had an Earl Grey by mistake and that opened a whole new load of doors of flavoured tea trying!

The range* includes Ginger Grove, Lemon Sunshine and Mint Garden. They all smell deliciously fresh when you open the box and they come in the poshest looking nylon bags! It's the little touches...

Ginger Grove was my favourite which was a surprise as I thought it'd be the one I liked least! I've been drinking it with milk..is that weird? It tastes tea-rrific anyway!!! ( did you love that?)

I drink tea almost constantly throughout the day so having a range of flavours helps to mix it up a bit! I also find the flavoured ones a little more refreshing!

Those lovely lot also sent me this gorgeous Elephant Caddie* full of their Afternoon Tea blend. I've been parading her around a bit, she is too pretty to be sitting in my cupboard all the time - my little tea guardian!! (Tea is sacred after all.)

 It's been ideal for sipping away at during revision! If you're a Yorkshire tea fan then you'll like this, trust me. 

Tea doesn't fix everything but it helps a lot. Who doesn't love a hug in a mug?

The Williamson tea website can be found by clicking just HERE. You should check out all of their Elephant caddie designs!!

A brushin' good bargain

Just a quick one today to bring a great affordable product to your attention that was kindly sent to me by beauty product testing, in return for an honest review, so here it goes...

I never really used to use make up brushes for applying my foundation, until I was basically made a laughing stock in MAC by the counter girl for admitting I used a sponge...and was bullied  persuaded into buying a stippling brush for around £30!!!!! Personally, I think that's a bit excessive...

BUT BUT BUT!!!! 

For £3 you can get yourself Revolution's Pro F103 Stippling Brush! As a student, that is music to my ears...

My first impressions of the product were good - I thought the packaging made it look a lot more expensive than it is, so I was genuinely surprised when I looked up how much it costs. I think a lot of it has to do with the rose gold foil of the packaging, I'm a sucker for rose gold - aren't we all at the moment!

The bristles are lovely and soft, although I must admit, I ever so slightly prefer the feel of my MAC brush when applying foundation to my face..not enough to justify the price difference though! 

The brush is great for applying foundation under your eyes and blends it well, leaving just as good a finish as my mac brush. The head of the brush could do with being a bit bigger but at the same time, the smaller size gives you more control.

Overall, I think that this product does its job, looks the part and doesn't break the bank! I'm quite keen to try out some of the other brushes in the range now that I'm becoming a more frequent user of make up brushes!! 

Have you ever tried Revolution make up brushes?