Dinner @ The Hilton Deansgate, Manchester UK

A couple of weeks ago I went to dinner at The Podium restraunt, The Hilton Deansgate. Beforehand as we were in town ahead of our reservation we went for a drink in The Alchemist, New York Street and All Star Lanes, Deansgate. The Alchemist serve the most delicious cocktails made by highly skilled bar staff. I always linger at the bar gawking at the incricate processes that go into making their delicious cocktails. Our walk through the city was lovely as the streets were adorned with the festive red laterns for CNY and the town hall spectacularly illuminated to mark the occasion.

At the restraunt we were greeted with a lovely glass of champagne myself and the other half set about ordering what we would like to have. Located just off the foyer on the ground floor of the hotel, we were a little unsure where we should be going, as on first impressions I thought that it was just a lounge bar / cafe. I would have preferred the restraunt itself to be separated more distinctly from the hotel lobby, given the size of the building and also the expectation of the Hilton brand. 

The menu was quite limited with a couple of dishes not available, unfortunately one of which was our first choice. I  chose the white bait with a dill creme fraise as my starter. It was very salty to the point I had to swap dishes with Luke half way through. 

Luke had a ham hock terrine and poached egg yolk with a wholegrain mustard and pineapple dressing and a shaving of dehydrated pineapple. Massive food regret. This was absolutely delicious. 

For main course I chose the duo of lamb, baby carrots and a celeriac dauphinois. Very nice, the lamb breast was succulent if a little bit fatty. The shredded lamb was very non descript, take it or leave it. The celeriac was divine, so creamy and the flavours all worked together perfectly with the lamb.

Luke had cod loin with purple potatoes, spring greens in a mussel broth. Not his first choice as the gurnard was off the menu but he enjoyed it. The fish was well cooked and was a pleasant dish as a whole.

My pudding was probably the most disappointing aspect of the meal. The prospect of a trio of rhubarb puddings is enough to get me quite giddy, I love rhubarb! Ever since picking it out of my Nanas garden as a little girl and I'm yet to try a supermarket rhubarb crumble I don't enjoy. Well I'll start on a positive, the middle contender a shot glass of custard topped with stewed rhubarb was amazing. They had got the rhubarb that perfect pink colour I've only seen in the pictures of my Nigella cookbooks. Lovely. The other two were just rubbish. The mini crumble was just that, crumble with hardly any filling . Not even a good crumble at that. The rhubarb loaf was stone cold, that is not an exaggeration as I had to used brute force to slice off a corner to try. The sponge was dry and uninteresting, if somebody told me it was from a defrosted cake platter from Iceland I would belive them wholeheartedly. 

Luke chose ( with my guidance ) the blackberry cheesecake. A gninormas doorstep of cheesecake with several fresh black berries and a swoosh of mango purée. Well thank goodness this wasn't a stingy portion because I was in a rhubarb sulk. 

Overall a nice night, good food and great company. Looking forward to seeing what other culinarily delights our city has to offer.. 

We are hoping to go to Rosso and San Carlo at some point in the next few months, I hope these posts are interesting / informative. I will write about those if you guys want more of this sort of thing :)

Peachesandcreambb 🍑

I'm nuts about about Vita Coco 🌰🌴

        

The #VITAVALENTINE hamper consisted of two vita coco drinks and a sample pot of the very much en vogue coconut oil. 

                                 

I have been drinking coconut water for quite a few years now. I first tried it on the white sands of the Bahamas and although British weather can't compare to the Caribbean it does take me right back to paradise. 

Not only is it delicious it is packed with health benefits. Contrary to old beliefs coconut water is not fattening to actually contains ZERO fat and cholesterol. It is the coconut flesh and milk made from the flesh that has the high fat content not the actual coconut water. 

It is rich in electrolytes so is recommended as post work out hydration as a healthy alternative to sugary powerades.

       

Coconut oil is the newest hype health food on the block.

A health food you can also wear? Talk about value for money.

Coconut oil can be used instead of butter or oil or added to hot coffee for an energy kick! Coconut oil can be applied to your hair protecting it from the harmful UV rays from the sun, it is reported to block out 20% of rays.. Sunscreen for your hair who knew. As well as applying it to your hair it can be used as a lip balm and a skin moisturiser. The possibilities are endless.

*disclaimer* I did not purchase these products, vita coco sent them too me as part of the #vitavalentine giveaway on a different twitter account . They were not aware I even had a blog :) 

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Chinese New Year

                                        

Last night we celebrated CNY, a day early over here , I know.. but not in Hong Kong so technically we were celebrating it right on time.. Okay? Well it's the only date we could get together as a family and we also combined the celebration with a couple of birthdays.

I made pork and ginger pot stickers and prawn, water chestnut and spring onion gyozas.. Would you like me to included recipes in my blog... let me know? Our feast from the east was a mix of different dim sum including my favourites Char Sui bao which is sticky bbq pork in a fluffy bun, Sui Mai which is king prawn in a soft, white dumpling and ribs in a chilli and black bean sauce. We also had a massive mixed satay vegetables, chinese leaf with garlic and a couple of noodle dishes my favourite being Ho fun which is rice stick noodles with beef in a soy sauce. 

My parents also gave my niece her first red envelope contains money and is traditionally meant to ward of evil spirits for the new year and encourage prosperity. My mum also bought a gigantic bamboo for the centre piece of the table so we should have a very lucky year indeed.

Maybe I should buy a few scratch cards..

Rachel x 

English Rose

Pale complexion may be en vogue but it can be a real struggle to find products that compliment those with naturally fair skin. 

I don't use fake tan and for several years had to avoid sun bathing as a topical acne cream I was using using was particularly photo sensitive so it meant if I didn't wear SPF 50 on a sunny day (in England?!) I'd usually end up with red burnt patches where I had applied the cream. I will do a post about suncream another time as it a a bit of am oxymoron applying greasy suncream over acne medication but after a bit of research and trial and error I found a couple of solutions! I dont know if it is just me but the Bobbi Brown touch up stick in porcelian (0) is a perfect match for my skin but the foundation stick which is meant to be exactly the same formula doesn't suit my skin tone?! What is that about? 

Chanel Perfection Lumiére

After traipsing around all the beauty counters at Selfridges, encountering some very snobby and rude staff along the way (Armani.. I'm talking about you) and several ladies desperately trying to convince me that the foundation they have just applied didn't look absolutely ridiculous and i wasn't as orange as a oompa loompa.. I eventually struck gold. Chanel Perfection Lumiére, Beige Rose (12) . It is long lasting. although it claims 15 hours i rarely wear makeup for that long on a regular basis, it gives very good coverage but is not caked on as it skillfully corrects your skin tone rather than masking it with a thick layer of foundation. I also find it gives a youthful glow which is often lost when using a product with good coverage. It is pricey but it lasted for ages because i only used a tiny pump which would last all day and then touch up using my Bobbi Brown face touch up stick.
Chanel Perfection Lumiére £36.00 

Bobbi Brown - Face Touch Up Stick £20.00

Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation

This mineral powder is probably my all time favourite foundation, water resistant, buildable coverage and perfect likeness to my skin tone. I can use it all year round at my palest in winter and with the addition of a sweep of bronzed it blends in with a summer glow. I buy it in the shade porcelain apply it using the Lily Lolo Super Kabuki brush which buffs it into the skin so there is no risk of harsh lines which can crop up using a liquid foundation. The powder also contains light reflecting pigments which brighten the skin and helps avoid a powdery matte look. If that wasn't enough it is cruelty free and SPF 15. 

Good news for those with problem skin the powder is also Non-comedogenic and is oil free not only that it also contains antibacterial ingredients!! It is a wonder product I tell you! 

You can buy the foundation in samples sizes for £1.49 on the Lily Lolo website if you are unsure what shade would suit you best. 

Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation (full size) £13.95 

Lily Lolo Super Kabuki Brush £14.99

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder 

Bronzer might not be the first thing that's springs to mind when you think of an English Rose complexion but it's been a must have for me over recent years, in combination with my mineral foundation. It has meant I havnt needed to buy a 'summer' foundation as a light sweep of my Bronzer lifts my colour, contours and also brings out my freckles which I really like. Bronzer used to scare me they look so dark and the most unnatural thing to apply to my skin but as soon as I tried it I was converted. I use the Bobbi Brown bronzing powder in the shade Golden Light, it is matte and doesn't contain orange hues so I think that's why it complements my skintone. It gives a really natural sun kissed glow which is perfect for pale skin which doesn't naturally go brown as soon as you step into the sunshine! 

£28.00

Soap and Glory You Won't Believe Your Eyes 

This product is for anyone who is prone to dark under eye circles and puffy eyes which, I think sometimes pale skin accentuates. This product is a illuminating serum applied by cooling metal roller which massages it into the skin. It's key ingredient to fight puffiness is live yeast cell derivative which decreases inflammation and illuminating pigments which brighten the under eye area. 

£12.50 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I bought this after I lost my beloved touché éclat, I had heard about it on youtube as several beauty bloggers raved about it. They are right to, it gives great coverage claiming up to 16 hours wear. I use the doe foot applicator and then  blend in using a fluffy concealer brush and I usually use it over my S&G eye serum and to cover blemishes or any redness. There are only 4 colours in the range so slim pickings but at this price it is certainly worth a shot. 

£4.19

I hope that this was useful, this is all from personal experience so by no means is this a one size fits, even if you are not of a fair competition all of these products I rate very highly and should exude the same quality whatever shade you purchase them in. 

I will be posting about my Vita Coco goodie box very soon! 

Rachel  x

Valentines Day

Well hello there,
I hope you had a lovely Valentines day if you celebrate it. I was so pleased Luke could come back for University for the weekend as I haven't seen him for weeks and weeks. We had a really relaxing time which we both needed as we have had lots of deadlines and work to do. In the morning I made a huge stack of Nigella's American Breakfast Pancakes which were absolutely gorgeous with golden syrup drizzled over them. We then went on a long walk for a couple of hours with Gracie. It was a bit of an exploration as we haven't ventured that way before so it was lucky we didn't get dreadfully lost. Luke is of the mind you head in the direction you think you need to be going in and hope for the best, I on the other hand like to know i'm actually on a footpath and on the designated route...

We decided not to go out for dinner and have something nice at home instead. My, oh, my am i glad we did that! We had a starter of scallops with a pea and mint puree, which was so fresh and delicious. Two ginormous sirloin streaks, parmentier potatoes, garlic mushrooms, roasted baby carrots, garlic tenderstem broccoli and french beams ... so, so good. It doesn't even stop there as we had Tarte au Citron a little bit later on, i initially only had half and was saving the rest for the next day but somehow managed to eat the rest without even realsing.. oops! . The Cava we had with it was really nice, not too dry which is a personal preference of mine.

Such a lovely weekend and would not have wanted it any other way.
Rachel x

Winter Essentials

Hello there,

Well now I have my latest assignment out of the way and I can stop thinking about antigens, mucus membranes and blood clotting 24/7 and I can guilt free devote some time to my blog. 

I promised my winter essentials and this is what I deliver, I am going to try not be too obvious with my choices and hopefully a few products you may not have tried. 

First off, Nspa brightening day cream. I have owned this for a little while and rediscovered it lurking in one of my overnight bags. It is a brightening day cream with SPF 15 ( which as we all know is just as important in winter as in summer ) it contains Vitamin E and Maca Root which has invigorating properties, sweet almond oil also contains Vitamin E as well as essential fatty acids and Neroli oil which is sourced from orange blossom petals giving the cream a delicate citrus perfume as well as a toning and balanced effect. The consistency is nice, I've found in the harsher weather my skin has dried out quite easily and an application of this cream in the morning has ensured my skin has been glowing throughout the day. Although it does contain oils it doesn't leave a greasy residue and has not triggered any breakouts in my acne prone skin. 

The most surprising things about this cream is the price and where you can get your mitts on it, it available exclusively at Asda and retails at £6.00, there is currently a promotion on and it is on a  2 for £8 offer with other products in the range 

Ah Carmex, my old buddy, my old pal. I won't dwell too much on this product as it is a staple in most peoples collections however just a few quick points. I do like the Carmex in a tube concept, when I think about the hygine of repeatedly rubbing germy fingers into the little pots and god forbid double dipping it does make me shudder. I imagine it would make quite a busy Petri dish if a swab was taken towards the end of a pot. Also, no awkward lip balm finger residue. 

Yay SPF 15! 

£2.69

Nails Inc, Maryleborne Mews. Okay so this was one of Glamour Magazines amazing freebies and yes I did buy some of the other colours because who wouldn't. I'm actually very glad I did because inside the magazine was a little red card from The Body Shop which you took into store it had a value of £3, £5, £15, £100 or £1000 and turns out on one of the cards I acquired after a weak moment and desire for more nail varnishes had £100 to spend in store on it ! Woo!

 I digress.. This colour is so pretty it's a grey lavender like nothing I've previously owned and I think it just looks beautiful.  I think I've come to realise that some of the more 'boring' shades that you may not notice as readily as the more pretty colours can looks so chic and professional. 

This was a Glamour Exclusive so no long available.

Kikoto advanced hair therapy, Volume-Enhance Cleanser with Date, Green Tea, Fire Tulip, Smetic Clay and Karité. This was one of my stocking fillers, expertly chosen by my Mum. I have never used a hair cleanser before so this was very intriguing as well as it's blend of African Plant extract and Electron Acceptor Technology... Okay so this is probably the most nerdy shampoo ever blogged about but bear with me. Cleanser it is, it's of a creamy consistency more like a hair masque if I had to compare it to any previous hair products I have used. Electron Acceptor Technology is a blend of antioxidants that specifically target free radicals to prevent damage to the hair, so quite a claim and I would have to have used of longer to comment on this but it did leave my hair feeling very refreshed. 

£8.95 75ml , Amazon

Finally last but not least.. Pantene Pro V 2 min intensive nourishing treatment for fine hair. 

It does what it says in the tin, I'd pay good money for a product like this, especially with the tendency for masques to be so heavy and greasy it's so noticeable with fine hair because it makes if limp and greasy before you can blink. I usually apply a couple of packets of the masque all over my hair root to tip let it soak in for half an hour or so while I'm sat up in bed and leave it in over night. The next few days my hair is so soft and I feel like it does the world of good. 

£4.49 200ml, Ocado

I hope this was useful and not too ropey for a first attempt, of course I'd appreciate any feedback!

Rachel x 

First Post

So, I have finally taken the plunge and decided to start a blog. 

I will start by telling you a little bit about myself.. I am Rachel, 20 years old and from Cheshire but my nearest city is the lovely Manchester. I am a student so love a good bargain and like most girls my age, if I do want to buy a high end item I always have a look what people are saying about it ( thank you fellow beauty bloggers ! ) I recently started a twitter account purely for competitions as my personal account is restricted so I can't enter any comps and  I rediscovered how fun beauty blogs are and decided to give it a go.

My first proper post is going to be a collection of my winter essentials, products that I particularly enjoyed using during this funny old weather we have been having. 

I am currently in a bit of a technology situation, as my laptop has become poorly so I am fully reliant on my iPad hence why the aesthetics of my blog leave a lot to be desired but hey, I won't let that stop me :)

Rachel x