Wednesday 23 September 2015

Afternoon Tea At Capital One Hotel Knightsbridge

Afternoon Tea At Capital One Knightsbridge


Firstly would like to thank silverspoondiaires.com my fellow blogger in suggesting this lovely afternoon out. I loved loved loved it. Anyone that knows me , knows how much I love tea and coffee I thoroughly enjoy afternoon teas with the small delicate sandwiches fillings of  cheese and mustard, egg and cress salmon and cream cheese or then Ham and tomatoe, scones with jam and butter, tea given in delicate china cups and saucers with lose tea! oh what a privilege to experience what Anna the 7th duchess of Bedford 1840  had started as a mere way of stopping the afternoon hunger pangs before dinner, bravo my lady it has continued as a royal tradition.

The quiet little traditional hotel capitalhotel.co.uk was set aside from the hustle and bustle of Knightsbridge and harrods, I felt like a princess when I arrived in my taxi and the doorman stepped towards the car lifted his hat and said ' afternoon ma'am' opened my car door ushered me into the hotel, I was very impressed by that all!. The staff were friendly helpful and polite. The hotel had a very English Victorian feel and theme to it, it was as if I had been transported to a different era, I felt like I was in a episode of How We Used To Live!









I met a lovely group of ladies that afternoon, lingering over hot cups of tea and lots of interesting talk we enjoyed the delicate sandwiches, various pastries and cakes. The scones were actually bought out hot with fresh jam and a thick dollop of fresh cream it was just scrumptious! I chose to drink English breakfast tea and my friends chose the hot nettle tea which you can see in the picture was presented in a transparent tea-pot it looked interesting the way they served it. My favourite savoury treat was the salmon and cream cheese crumpet it was just mouth watering and I have taken a close picture of the presentation!

There were two tiers of cakes and sweet treats! cheesecake, wafer biscuit, lemon meringue, a slice of strawberry cake.











 What I love about afternoon tea is the regal feel to it and the delicate food that is presented in such a royal manner  you really do feel like a queen! Its my favourite way to spend an afternoon. I have taken my mum on many mothers day afternoon teas and my fondest memory is Harrods they actually have a pianist playing whilst you eat and re-fills are standard you can also ask for your own choice of sandwiches! if you have a chance to pamper yourself Harrods is lovely and affordable.

However coming back to Capital One Knightsbridge afternoon tea, it was £26 per head which I think is very reasonable included all food on the tier plus the scones that come out seperate with any choice of coffee or tea. The hotel itself is tucked away in a quiet spot just off harrods itself and what I love about this is step left and its like you have gone back in time, where I imagine horse and carriages trotting along on the streets no cars in sight ladies with long billowing dresses and tight corsets synching in their waists ! cut to NOW and take a right and there you have loud and proud harrods with so many cultures swarming around outside inside shopping eating talking and just a general feel of hustle and bustle! I loved the location and definatly has become one of my firm favourites! you must check it out!

I think the sweet treats could be cut down to one tier and maybe the sandwiches could fill the bottom and middle tier, that would have been more sufficient but I'm not complaining of having a sugar rush!

Its also nice to dress up, I wore fitted jeans from Debenhams My black peep toes heels from Dune and a lovely black top bought in by a gold belt a  red aztec style necklace from top shop (few years old now) and my Michael Korrs  long black shoulder bag.

 Do any of you like to go to afternoon teas? If so which one is your favourite? whats the best part of a afternoon tea? sandwiches or the scones! or the dressing up

I hope you enjoyed this short  sweet account of my afternoon out with some friends, do check this place out if you get a chance, I think you may just be surprised with the location.

Until Next time

Unscripted & Unapologetic
NeerusLifeStyle
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Friday 18 September 2015

My 5 Most Glittery Shimmery Lip Glosses

My 5 Most Glittery Shimmery Lip glosses:

Chanel Rouge Allure No19 Pirate, Dior Addict No 686, L'oreal Glam Shine No 101 Pink Moon, Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss No13 Pink Sequin, Tanya Burr Heart Skipped A Beat!





What girl doesn't like a bit of shimmer on her lips! It literally makes the outfit. Keeping your makeup minimal, add a winged eyeliner,  lip gloss of your choice and I am certain that right there, is a winners look!

I have a few drugstore lip glosses and a few high end, the way I usually know if a lip gloss will end up in my favourites list is if it doesn't stick too much, as in a windy day and your hair is stuck to your lips! to a shiny shimmery gloss that feels more natural than sticky. 

I like the shimmer to really shimmer, it has to be knockout shimmer, did I just mention shimmer a hundred times!  or then at least have a decent shine to it. So lets go through my top 5 favourite glosses.

L'oreal Glam Shine No 101 Pink Moon

L'oreal Glam Shine 101 Pink Moon 

Wow what can I say this by far is my favourite lip gloss and so reasonably priced, I have to admit the first time I tried this was only because I saw Cheryl Cole wear it and was convinced if she is wearing it , it had to be good and it certainly lived by its reputation! Its so shimmery and vibrant just a dab of it goes a long way! there is another colour I like in this which is a Plum shade, however this one has remained one of my favourites for a few years now. Its the third one in the swatch picture and I don't think it gives it justice, but if you are trying a shimmer for the first time with a little razzle dazzle then try this, its drug store range so will not pinch the pocket. This lip look goes great with a smokey eye in the evening, or then light makeup, maybe just eyeliner with no eyeshadow with this gloss works a treat. Also this can be added to a lipstick , little bit of mixing colours is ok and it adds that shine which makes the look so much more glamorous!

Dior Addict No 686

Dior Addict 686


I have been using Dior lip glosses for years now, this was my indulgence during my University years! I kid you not I was the one who always wore Dior gloss, my friends would take the mic that all my Student grant probably went on that! they were probably right! Its high end no doubt and well worth the money, it can be worn throughout the day and is not heavy on the lips or too sticky its light yet gives the shimmer that someone like me desires, its my firm go to and I always have a Dior lipgloss to hand. I could rave on about this for ages and end up repeating myself but if you are looking to pamper yourself then purchase this type of gloss and choose the colour that best suits your skin tone. 

Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Gloss-Pink Sequin no 13

Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Gloss in 13 Pink Sequin



 I am a lip gloss lover I do purchase most brands and give them a go at least once!  but I have to say Im a little disappointed with this Bobbi Brown gloss. Firstly its very sticky so yes on the windy day you end up with hair stuck to your face whilst talking to someone! annoying and the shine is not as bright as I would expect it to be especially when its the high shimmer range!  I have too many high shimmer glosses to compare it to, even the drug store range do the word 'high shimmer more justice'!, sorry Bobbi Brown I love your products including your lipsticks but the gloss not my favourite. A good one to put on-top of lipstick will give you a clean sheen, but don't expect shimmer or high gloss at all!

Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss No19 in Pirate

Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss No 19



I had never really tried a Chanel lip gloss before, and I am sure that I bought this last year when it was a new colour and range! I haven't worn it too much but its a deep bright red colour with a little bit of shine, more than the gloss aspect I like the colour of the red and have to admit this is the only red that I have in gloss all my reds mostly are matt. So its a likeable colour the packaging is super cute. Its a touch and push gloss so very glamours worth the buy just for that reason! The colour obviously is great for evening wear! keep the eyes simple the colour on the lips will add the glamour and speak for itself. Not the best shimmer but a colour I love.

Tanya Burr-Heart Skipped A Beat!

Tanya Burr- Heart Skipped A Beat!
Oh I just love Tanya Burr so you just have to love her products. The pigmentation on these glosses is lovely really stains your lips its a shiny sheen type of gloss and perfect to add ontop of a lipstick. I love the factor that you don't have to reapply the gloss because the colour stain has gone from your lips, you almost only re-touch if you are wanting to add more shine to your lips. Worth a try there are lots of pastel colours to choose from and some deep colours nice for Autumn.

As girls we are so very lucky that we can experiment with so many different colours so much fun! shimmer no shimmer, gloss or matt, light pastel colours or  deep autumn colours. Lets play around and have fun with it!

So there you have it! my take on some of my favourite and some not so favourite glosses, I hope this is interesting to read and helps anyone that is looking to purchase their first set of lip glosses. Give me an idea on what your favourite range or brand is, could you recommend me something?

Until Next time

Lots Of Love
Unscripted & Unapologetic
NeerusLifeStyle
x






Monday 14 September 2015

September Book Haul

Books Books Books!

Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Hardwired by Meredith Wild, A Women Of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, To Killing A Mockingbird by Harper lee, Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck


Anyone who knows me, knows I love reading, since a young girl I have always carried a book around and my criteria for my Handbag had to be that a book should fit my bag!

So thanks to booksandquills.blogspot.co.uk and Youtube.com/Rosianna@papertimelady for their encouragement in their video to read classics. I love the books they both discuss and like to get inspired with their suggestions, so here it goes!

I have 6 books that I am going to read, 3 of them are classics, 3 of them general reads that have also been a part of nonfiction literature for few years. So this blog is more of a haul for books and once I have read them I will then do another blog to review them.

I think reading should be encouraged to everyone its a wonderful way to escape, widens your creativity and a perfect way to understand storytelling from a different perspective. Its great escapism and a good way to learn more vocabulary, you can't go wrong with reading more so lets encourage it to everyone.


Lets start with the classic books first:



The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald



Those of you who feel this book sounds familiar, are probably right! Leonardo Di Caprio recently did a movie adaptation to this book, I think its fair to say that it did well and though critiques of the movie and book have said that perhaps the film didn't do the book justice I know that Leonardo performances in his movies is always appreciated.

So moving on to the book . Its about Jay Gatsby post war America and how society at that time is in awe of wealth and status this book is about Gatsbys tragic pursuit of this . How he lives in a beautiful mansion, throws amazing glamorous parties and is the talk of the town, yet seems to never entirely fit in and feels he silently watches people from afar. I think this book shows the conflict of illusion versus reality.

Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck


Im actually quite excited to read this I have heard so many great review on this. George and Lennie are friends and in some way drifters, who are in pursuit of work in California . They come from poverty and have nothing on their back except the clothes that they are wearing and hope that one day their hard work will pay off and they will live the American dream , living in their own house with a car stable job a family. This dream they realise will come at a price! Lennie the gentle soul of the two gets into trouble whilst working with the boss's daughter-in-law, trouble so bad that even his best friend and protector may not be able to save him!

To Kill A MockingBird by Harper Lee


Now most school children will have heard of this book! it has so much fame attached to it that I remember quite vividly in my Library for years it was the most requested book. It certainly is a classic and children at school today are told to read this, as I saw just last week my nephew reading through this book at lightening speed, I curiously asked I didn't expect you to read this as night reading! and his reply 'no my school have set this as reading'! so there you go. For some reason I wanted to read this book on many occasions and never got round to it and now that I am setting this challenge to myself I look forward to devouring this book.

This book deals with racism and rape during the American depression early 1930's and how one lawyer defends a  man accused of raping a lady the impact it has on his children and the  way society perceived racial tensions during that era. The story is told through the eyes of the lawyers child Scout and how a simple lawyer is trying to raise his kids in a deeply prejudiced society.

So yes these books are classics but at the same time not your typical Shakespeare or Jane Eyre or even Emily Bronte. But still perceived as ultimate classics amongst schools and colleges. I look forward to giving you reviews of these books and letting you know my take on the stories and what worked for me and what didn't.

The next 3 books are modern day books, one of them the Barbara Taylor Bradford book is actually amongst the nonfiction books talked about a great deal and it has been lying on my shelf for years, so now is the time to read this. 


Wild by Cheryl Strayed


I remember reading an extract for this book a few years back now, it was part of the Oprah Winfrey book club. It started so well I was hooked by the time the first chapter had ended, so I had firmly put that on my books to read list. However only now have I got around to buying it and reading it, this is the book I am currently reading out the 6 books and I thoroughly am enjoying this. Its the style of writing the easy manner in which emotions and turmoil is described gets you hooked.

The story is autobiographical and is about Cheryl and her journey to setting herself free from the sadness of her mothers early demise and her failure to not preserver at anything whether its her job career husband or family ties. Sh deiced on embarking on a thousand miles of a walking trek called the pacific crest form Mojave desert through California and Oregon to Washington, she does this all alone. Its that journey she takes and the people she meets along the way the silence that envelopes her and the terror exhilaration and that sense of  freedom that keeps her going on this crazy journey.

I can't wait to see where Cheryls journey takes her and whether at the end of the book she comes to some peace about losing her mother. I think the biggest hurt for her is that her mother passes away so young that also with a disease linked to smoking, which she had never done in her life! and also the suffering she had to endure when the disease had become terminal.

HardWired by Meredith Wild


This book was recommended by Richard and Judy for their book club. I came across it while standing in the line for the post office and decided to pick it up and see whether it would be something I would be interested in! and yes I loved the style of writing the intrigue that sets in straightaway and it just seemed like a book that I would enjoy. This set of books is part of a trilogy and I also purchased the second book which in due time I will review too.

The book is about Erica Hathaway she is the main character in this and her story of making it on her own. Her mother died when she was very young, father had left the family a few years prior to that,s he was left be raised by an aunt in Boston and was an excellent student who ended up studying in Harvard. Its starts with her graduation and talks about where she should start working and doing what. The storyline is that she wants to start up her own business with her own website, she faces a group of investors and one of the guys there is arrogant and determined to derail her presentation. He is Blake Landon who is a well known hacker and it seems Erica maybe going weak at her knees for him and so the story begins.

I like the idea and concept, it has a gritty storyline and a love angle to it . I have never read any work by this author or whether she is a new author I'm not quite sure. But I do believe this trilogy will be intriguing and interesting to read.

A Women Of Substance


I am so glad that I am finally going to read a book by this very famous and popular author during the early 80's and 90's. This book was so talked about during my part time job days of being a Librarian and was always on my book list of must reads. It has a feel of a Lesley Pearce book where the main character is a strong young women and the story will cover 3 generations, family drama, lives upheavals and many more exciting things that happens in a long exciting life.

Its about Emma Harte in 1905 single and pregnant by 1968 she is one of the richest women in the world ruler of a business empire stretching from Yorkshire to the glittering cities of America and the rugged vastness of Australia. Its a family dynasty style saga and I look forward to reading this perhaps on my next holiday, its easier to devour a book as big as this when doing nothing, to fit it in, normal life can be hard but not impossible when you are a book lover like myself.

The author is now 82 and hasn't stopped writing so I look forward to reading more of her books once I have read this first book of hers.

So over the next few months I have a lot of reading to do. I love setting myself challenges, big or small I like to learn develop and grow it keeps the fire and curiosity in me burning I think we all should try and set up small challenges for ourselves. What have you all challenged yourself with this year? doesn't have to be anything big maybe reading a book or learning a new recipe let me know in the comments.

Also have any of you read the books I have mentioned? let me know

Lots Of Love
Unscipted & Unapologetic
NeerusLifeStyle
xx

Monday 7 September 2015

Liebester Award Nomination!

Liebester Award Nomination!

Firstly never been smart enough to ever get an award let alone be nominated, and no matter how big or small this means so much to me so thank you
itslizzygrace.wordpress.com\2015 for the nomination you are a doll.

So Here Are 10 Answers To Your Lovely Questions

My Hobbies:
I love to read any genre aside from science fiction! watching youtube videos and eating italian food its my favourite! gorging on Pasta with garlic bread is self indulgent for me. :). Did i mention watching tv in my Pj's and going into boots and surrounding myself with makeup

3 Handbag Essentials
Small bottle of Water
Lip Gloss- a girl needs her shine 
A book , if I'm stuck anywhere I need to know that I have some reading material oh and my handbag has to fit a book!

Ride Or Die Product
My creams obivously
E45/Cetraben/Aquamax :)

Favourite Perfume
Joe Malone-English Pear and Freescia

Favourite Things To Do In Autumn
Wearing Warmer Clothes
Drinking Hot Chocolate
Wearing Warmer Shades in lip colour and nail polish
Drawing the curtains earlier 

Goals For Next Year
Make my blog more successful, meet more bloggers and attend more events
Read more
Meditate consistently
Stop worrying what people think
Travel to Dubai

Favourite Clothing or Favourite Brand
Brand- Diane Von Furstenberg, I love her wrap around dresses still they work so well with a curvier fuller figure which I have! and I loved the show she seemed so kind warm but driven and focused
Shop- River Island and Warehouse, they have clothes for the slightly larger women nice flawy fun tops that still look chic

DrugStore Makeup Brand
Has to be Rimmel I love their wake me up foundation and concealer 

One Place I have To Visit
Australia- its far but one time I would like to see what the people are like the culture and their way of life, and who doesn't want to see the Sydney Opera House or Bonsai Beach!

Favourite Film
Holiday- it is my favourite film during winter at least but I just love the cosy feel to the film and the romances, how they blossom and also the LA plus London swap that they show.
Stars- Cameron Diaz
Jude Law
Kate Winslet

I hope this answered your questions Lizzy Grace!

So here are my nominations for other bloggers they need to be people who have below 200 followers I will nominate you and ask you to answer my 10 Questions , kindly add my link to my blog when you answer the question and nominate a further 10 people with new set of questions. I can't be nominated again.


10 Question For Fellow Bloggers

Best thing about blogging?
Favourite book you are reading currently?
Which makeup brand do you like high end or drugstore?
Which item in your wardrobe can you not live without?
What 2 items is an essential in your clutch bag on a night out?
5 Favourite things you do during Xmas?
Most important person in your life?
How do you keep motivated with your blog
Favourite you tuber and why
Which subject did you love at school and why?

I hope this has been informative and fun! Would love to hear other people answer these questions doesn't just have to be fellow bloggers. Get writing and let me know your thoughts

Until then keep loving and smiling

Lots of Love
Unscripted and Unapologetic
NeerusLifeStyle
x