Tag: review

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Leamington Spa lifestyle

THE HIDDEN GEMS OF LEAMINGTON SPA

Leamington Spa is like a second home to me, you will often find me on weekends heading up to Leam rummaging through the charity shops, trying out new coffee shops and shopping in their great independents. For those who don’t know, Leamington Spa is a spa town located in Warwickshire, home to the gorgeous Jephson Gardens, Iconic Royal Pump rooms and Samuel Lockhart’s elephant trail. A beautiful Spa town that just oozes character throughout and offers so much for a fantastic day out for all to enjoy. Whenever it’s for a bite to eat, taking the kids for a day out or just finding a quiet spot to relax, Leamington Spa is the place you should put on your list to visit. So, where do you start? From unique independents to new expiring culinary openings, your Bab has got you covered when it comes to Leamington. Here are my favourite spots/hidden gems in Leamington Spa for you all to check out this month!

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD & COFFEE ARCHITECTS

The newest attraction to Leamington Spa is The Neighbourhood which is a street food dining venue where independent food companies join forces to cook up a storm and serve up meals you wouldn’t find in your local Asda. The Neighbourhood is located on Warwick Street opposite Coffee Architects their previous location and now, Coffee Architects is based in the Neighbourhood meaning YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A SEAT NOW. The biggest pain with Coffee Architects is the food is incredible and the whole of Leamington Spa knew it so of course, you have a whole ship of people flocking there before silly old me comes trotting along from Sutton Coldfield. The coffee is fierce, the cakes are delicious, and the food is B E A UTIFUL! The new location is thriving, and I know, it will do amazingly well in Leamington Spa, the problem is I have to pop in every time I come into Leam and have a couple of dishes there (guaranteed you will be stuck for choice) which means piling on the weight on this big booty of mine…YIKES!

BERYLUNE

Berylune was once crammed into a little blue terrace house, it was impossible to move around without knocking into someone’s bottom. Now Berylune’s new location on Warwick Street is just up the road from the previous building with lots of room to browse this wonderous little gem in Leamington Spa. Berylune is an independent craft and gift shop which makes it the perfect place to be different and purchase unique gifts for your loved ones. The owners here are a ray of sunshine, always smiling, always happy and always helpful, every time I go into Berylune even if it’s raining, they manage to convince me the sun is shining outside. A must visit in Leamington Spa for all.

THE AVIARY CAFE IN JEPHSON GARDENS

One of my favourite things to do in Leamington is to go for a walk through Jephson Gardens and stop off for a coffee and a bite to eat at this darling cafe. They serve marvellous coffee/tea, delicious light bites (vegan and gluten options are available) and they offer a peaceful environment to work or to meet up with friends in whilst surrounded by artistic decor. I also would like to mention that the staff are pretty great and always comment on my lipstick…they know good lipstick! Whenever you are in Leamington, this is one of the places you most definitely should try out, a lovely gem.

LILAC ROSE

I do love my fashion and I adore small independent fashion brands that you wouldn’t see in the high street so Lilac Rose is the perfect store to find something a bit different! I find myself in here just dribbling over the dresses, the patterns, the fabrics just the uniqueness of it all, however, its not just a store for clothes. Lilac Rose also offers lovely gifts from jewellery to bags, if you are looking for something a bit different, Lilac Rose will help you find just that.

PLEASE NOTE IMAGE NOT MINE, THIS BELONGS TO LILAC ROSE

LIBERTINE BURGER

They drip, they ooze and well, let’s not turn this into a porno but these burgers are the shit. Last time I was at Libertine Burger I had a No.25 which was a signature beef patty with crispy smoky bacon, dripping stilton and red onion jam…now isn’t that just sex on buns hey? I find myself often refusing to leave Leamington without gorging on a Libertine Burger because quite frankly, they are the best burgers you can find in the Midlands.

HART + CO

Step into the world of FEMME with this little number in Leamington Spa, I have never stepped into a restaurant and been greeted by a bathtub full with balls before…Oh wait yes actually I have. HART + CO is what you call an “Instagrammable” spot with neon lights, pink lattes and props that will make you Instagram POP! HART + CO is not just offering you unique photo opportunities for the gram they offer out of this world food and creative cocktails, I mean a cocktail served in a Chinese takeaway box is AMAZEBALLS if you ask me. The cocktails are fun, refreshing and full of ZING Baby! The food looked incredible however I never managed to taste it BUT I will be doing a review of the Brunch this Month so keep an eye for it!

FAT BIRDS CAFE

From the outside Fat Birds Cafe seems to hides itself well in the high street however I call it Leamington Spa’s very own secret weapon. I have tried the breakfast and lunch at Fat Birds Cafe, both meals have soared past my expectations and really, I deserve a slap in the face for judging a book by its cover because Fat Birds Café serve exquisite food and deliver high standard service. You must try the cakes, all freshly baked offering gluten-free and vegan options.The prices are very reasonable for the food portions you receive here, the service is quick and the atmosphere is very relaxing. You are sure to leave Fat Birds feeling very satisfied.

WARWICKSHIRE STREET KITCHEN

A much-loved favourite in Leamington Spa and is one you have to set off early to so you can grab a seat. For 3 years I have been trying to get a seat in Warwickshire Street Kitchen and in December I set my alarm for 8 am, I pre-ordered my train tickets and I had my sweat pants on that I must admit, I burnt a bloody hole in where my butt cheeks lay because of the speed I was going at but all worth it as I finally got a seat…HOORAH! Well worth the wait for a good ol’ hearty breakfast to warm the baps on a winter’s day, I would recommend the ham hock, hollandaise sauce with poached egg it was utterly divine. I always pop in here for the Coffee which is brewed to perfection and grab a homemade bake in which don’t get me started on the cakes! They are a bloody treat. Another fantastic place in Leamington to eat!

I will be adding more to the list so keep an eye out over the coming months, there are more gems to be discovered in Leamington Spa and I am here to tell you about them, so keep with me Bab and subscribe.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Bars Birmingham review

THE BIG BIRMINGHAM BAKE IN DIGBETH

FAKE IT TILL YOU BLOODY BAKE IT BAB!

I tell you I’m like a walking-talking Expedia when it comes to Digbeth, dare I say it but I have another exciting attraction for you all to try out in Digbeth however with this one, you’re going to have to get your hands dirty Bab. Introducing The Big Birmingham Bake in Digbeth which is a competitive cooking experience where you have 90 minutes to create the winning bake and be in with a chance of taking home the Best Baker price. Very similar to the channel 4 GBBO but you don’t have to be an experienced baker and you don’t have to do it alone, you can work in teams of two. So I was pretty much over the moon when The Big Birmingham Bake invited me and Heather down to try out this brand new experience!

Upon arrival, you see the tent where the baking takes place. Opposite the tent is a couple of old bike containers offering a quirky sitting area where you can grab a coffee before the fun begins. When your time arrives you are then gathered together by the head baker to show/scan your ticket, then you head-on into the tent and choose your work station. A recipe card that you follow with all instructions is laid out for you as well with all ingredients (these are already weighed) ovens are already preheated and your baking tools are all there. The one thing we said on the way to the bake-off was “I hope we are not making doughnuts” not because I don’t like them, but because they are funny buggers to make, but guess what, it was Doughnut month, so of course, We are baking doughnuts kids!

Before we start we are given a short introduction by the head baker who went over the rules and safety procedures we must follow. The most important rule is “just have fun” and just like that my game face came on. I was eyeing up my competitors and I was choosing my enemies. It was like mean girls meets Bake-off, but of course it was healthy competitiveness. I had no plans to sabotage other bakers creations….or did I? Before my evil genius plans were coming together they were suddenly melted away by…

3..2..1 BAKE!

Everyone starts running around like headless chickens scrambling over the recipe cards and ingredients. The recipe is pretty straight forward it’s like GCSE Food Technology and you also have baker assistants there to help you if you get a bit beaten up with the baking. At the front, you have the shelves stacked with decorations, flavourings, and food colours. We were making two types of doughnuts. The ring doughnuts that were to be judged on presentation and the filled doughnuts that were to be judged on taste.

We decided to make toffee apple and cinnamon doughnuts. The ingredients were all over our work station as the pressure of the bake-off was mounting especially when they announce how much time you have left every 30 minutes and where you should be at. A little tip for you guys, you only live once…lick the bowl 😛 . It was great to get in touch with your creative side when it comes to decorating the doughnuts, for the ring doughnuts we went for a marble blue cinnamon icing covered in galaxy stars and eyes and for the filled doughnuts we rolled them in sugar and pink wafers using the same filling as the ring doughnuts. Like two kids in a free frawl candy shop, me and Heather got very creative with our doughnuts.

Surprisingly we didn’t find ourselves having any hiccups along the way but I noticed that there was always help whenever you needed it from the staff who are all lovely, so if you did manage to balls something up it can be fixed so donut worry about it! The time flies by your so busy with checking the times on your creations and making sure you are following the ingredients properly that you do easily lose sight of the time as well as just enjoying being part of the competition.

3..2..1 TIMES UP

We finished just in time and so did everyone else. We all brought our doughnuts to the front and you could just see a buffet of doughnuts with a range of colours and decoration, what a pretty picture. We all went around the group and explained what we made and the head baker got stuck into tasting them all which was absolutely hilarious to watch as the head baker is pretty honest, so if something doesn’t taste right they will say but of course, in a light-hearted way.

After a quick deliberation it was time to announce the results…

And we got beaten by an 8-year-old kid! but I think it was only because he said it was his birthday and well come on, we’ve all used that chestnut before, haven’t we?! Every time I go to Harry Potter world I say it’s my birthday so I get to open the doors to the great hall even when it’s obviously not my birthday resulting in the kids giving me death stares…suckers. However all the doughnuts were pretty incredible, I was with a right creative bunch and even though we didn’t win, I was proud that we actually created doughnuts and didn’t bugger it up! I took my doughnuts home and offered them to my Mom in which she responded: “ Did 5 years old make those?”…oh donut even go there sugar plum! because 6 doughnuts became 2 the very next day and I caught the culprit that was my Mother tucking into them whilst watching Judge Rinder.

The Big Birmingham Bake is truly a fantastic experience that I would recommend within a heartbeat to anyone, it’s fun, it’s exciting and competitive! A great quirky take on the Chanel 4 great British bake-off, so if you love the show, you will love this. A truly wonderful and exhilarating experience racing against the clock covered in buttercream and sprinkles, I took home two deserts: my doughnuts and myself, a sure winner in Birmingham!

Week day tickets are priced at £39.50 and weekend tickets are price at £42.50. Grab you tickets here

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Food review

AFTERNOON TEA AT CHATEAU IMPNEY

You don’t have to travel too far to feel like royalty these days. To many people royalty could be a fry up in your local pub, a free arm massage from your work colleague or an afternoon tea in an enchanting 1875 French Chateau surrounded by 140 acres of picturesque grounds. I know which one I would pick. Introducing Chateau Impney, a stunning venue located in Droitwich that offers accommodation and plays host to a variety of events in the Midlands. Me and my friend Sian were invited to try out the afternoon tea 2 for 1 offer and take a tour of the Chateau.

Upon arriving at the Chateau the first thing you will encounter is the 140 acres of land which is like something out of Downtown Abbey or a Jane Austin novel. Views of waterfalls, cherry blossom and swans taking a dip into the lake, now all we need is an enchanting castle to go with it..oh wait! Upon entering the Chateau, we were guided down to the Impney restaurant where the afternoon tea took place in a modern extension. We were greeted by the host and shown to our tables and were asked for what drinks we would like to be served with the afternoon tea. Once ordered we had a little wonder around the restaurant which seemed to have two different styles on either side. One side was very modern with leather chairs, purple walls and wooden tables. The other side had more of a rustic botanist theme with fairy lights and greenery covering the ceiling. Very different but strangely seemed to tie in quite well together, but not so much with the rest of the Chateau that boasts original french archtiecture. 

After 10 minutes the afternoon tea arrived at our table offering a very generous selection of sandwiches, cakes, and scones. There were many sandwiches with a variety of fillings such as cheese and caramelised onion, egg and cress, fresh salmon, ham and cheese, and cucumber. The sandwiches were fresh, filling and very tasty. The Scones are served with fresh cream and jam, and they were delightful. Perfectly sized cakes are on offer from cheesecake, caramel slice, fudge/chocolate cake and carrot cake. The staff are very attentive and are really friendly, the price of the afternoon tea is not high class but the quality of service and food you are receiving certainly is. The offer is 2 for 1 so it costs £20 which is an absolute steal for the afternoon tea you are getting. I have paid up to £35 in some restaurants and the quality/quantity doesn’t even come close to the Chateau.

After the afternoon tea, we were introduced to Peter who was the General Manager. He took us on a little tour of the Chateau. Peter was like a walking Wikipedia of Chateau Impney, he gave us so much information and went through the history of the Chateau. Peter showed us one of the luxury Chateau feature rooms which was just something out of a fairy tale. The room was possibly the size of my house, it also had one of those arty-farty bathtubs behind the bed that could fit a family of 6 in and a king-size bed that was fit for a King and Queen. The view of the grounds from the room is breath taking and even when you come away from the balcony the luxury of the room still makes it breath taking! On the tour, we also took a look at some of the exhibition rooms that can hold up to 800 people in. The hall that offers grand features where weddings are held and the beautiful gardens. The gardens were something that reminded me of a cross between Alice in Wonderland and The Secret garden. Sadly, the day was a bit dull so we didn’t stay long in gardens, but it would be lovely to come back in the summer to see the whole of the garden out in bloom in its full glory, bathed in sunlight. 

Chateau Impney is a venue that you could only imagine would exist in fairy tales. An enchanting building full of character and life that would make a stunning backdrop for any special event. The afternoon tea was delicious and for the price it is, I believe it to be far too generous. High-quality food, very generous portions and good value for money- it should be something you need to put on your list to do this month. Chateau Impney is a real fairytale to be explored by all, from the moment you drive into the grounds to the moment you step out, you are treated like royalty. Thank you Chateau Impney for inviting me, a tip-top royal experience I will never forget.

The Afternoon tea 2 for 1 offer ends on 27th February 2020.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Bars Birmingham

NQ64 DIGBETH- REVIEW

[REVIEW LOADING]

Introducing the newest addition to Digbeth, NQ64 is a new arcade bar located in the heart of the Custard Factory inviting gamers to relive their childhoods with classic 80s/90s arcade games that we used to rinse our parents of their money to play. Me and my friend Laura was invited to the launch night on Thursday and just like that, We stepped into a time machine and went back to the 90s to relive our forgotten youth.

Stepping into NQ64 is like stepping into the world of Stranger Things teaming up with Pizza Planet from Toy Story with, of course, a splash of Digbeth. UV lighting, neon paint and then you hear them “ITS-A ME, MARIO” “FINISH HIM” “K.O.” all the iconic phrases you would hear as a child in a 90s arcade. As a child, you would run to the nearest available game but as an adult, you now would run to the nearest bar or toilet.

The bar is not the biggest, but it seemed to have quite a few staff members behind there juggling glasses. Staff are very pleasent and interacte well with gamers. The drinks menu is on the board offering a variety of arcade-themed cocktails, beers/ales on draught and bottles. I went for the princess peach cocktail which is a peached flavoured prosecco and Laura went for Bubble Bobble which is a combination of rum/gin coconut prosecco which came in one of those ice blast cups, very quirky I like it! I found the cocktails to be quite sweet but that didn’t stop me from throwing it down me, I did opt for a pale ale in the iconic red cup which was very lovely! The prices of the drinks are reasonable, cocktails are priced at £8 and Ales around £4.50. NQ64 do not offer hot food but they do offer a variety of arcadian themed crisp such as space raiders and space invaders.

An impressive game selection here in NQ64 you have your head to head games such as Tekken, Mario Kart and even Crash Bandicoot team racing. I could spend hours on Mario kart and one thing I really like about this place is that anyone can join in with you, you come with your friends and its very impossible to make even more friends in NQ64. Time Crisis was a favourite of mine, Laura and I found ourselves shoving the tokens down the slots and slamming down on the continue button, Time Crisis did strip us the most of our tokens.The pinball machines are also great fun but I found myself coming out with sounds that I didn’t even know they existed in me. To some people, they must have sounded like “fooling around” noises. Take note Amy not to enjoy yourself too much in public places.

The prices for games are feasible, they offer a deal of 15 tokens for £6 behind the bar. When looking around you will notice 80s/90s video arcade memorabilia scattered around such as token coins and comic book covers. Good news! this place doesnt have those rob dog coin pusher “games” do you know how much pocket money I lost as a child on those Saturn machines?! You put money in and you get nothing in return, its like the gold digger of machines.

A paradise for gamers, you could spend hours in here and as for first dates, I think NQ64 just kicked Ghetto Golfs arse by taking the crown as the new first dates spot in Digbeth.

Another exciting new venue to Digbeth that is sure to have a thriving future here in Birmingham. Great vibe through out the venue with 90s hip hop playing in the background, great combination of drinks and a very generous offering of retro arcade gaming. Some would say NQ64 is a bar for “Gamer Nerds” maybe so, but it’s also a great place to let your hair down, take off that work tie and just have some good hard fun with friends. I may warn you friendships might be at stake here but the feeling of beating your friends on the driving games when they have a license and you dont is utterly delightful.

Thank you NQ64 for the crazy ride.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Hotel stay review

BLOC HOTEL REVIEW-THE JEWELLERY QUARTER

Located in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter is a sleek modern hotel with a pinch of neon that oozes Vice City Vibes. Bloc Hotel offers travellers a comfortable nights sleep in Japanese pod inspired rooms that to some might feel it’s a tight squeeze but to others may feel its compact, affordable and convenient. Surrounded by the historical yet animated atmosphere of the Jewellery Quarter, this hotel offers “affordable luxury stays” to the traveller who doesn’t have to go far for necessities.

Arriving at Bloc hotel that is slapped right in the middle of Snow Hill and the Jewellery Quarter train station offering a perfect location for transport links,restaurants, attractions and bars. Once we checked in and showed photo I.D we proceeded to our vista room on the third floor. Upon entering the room the first thing that jumps out at you is the size, it’s a bit on the small side. The second thing that stands out is how spotless the room is, nice clean sheets, fresh towels and not one little squirrel hair in sight. The bathroom (wet room) is also very small equipped with a monsoon shower and the essence of sandlewood.The room offers king-sized beds that are the same width of the room , ambient mood lighting (GTA Vice City vibes), toiletries such as soap, body wash and shampoo, HD TV, climate control system and WIFI. I also had a nice view from the window of the BT tower and some of the offices in Snow Hill. There is not a wardrobe in the room but there is a couple of coat hangers and hooks plus room under the bed to store away your travel bags/suitcases.

Once settled in I decided to look for food and referred to my Around the Bloc guide that’s in the room packed full of information on all the restaurants and bars in the area plus you can get discounts when you stay with Bloc! You dont have to go far to find a place that offers good grub round here, just opposite the Bloc hotel is Otto Wood Fired Pizza and located down the road in Saint Pauls Square is several eaterys and bars that are worth a pop in such as Saint Kitchen, Saint Pauls House and a golden oldie of mine: Actress & Bishop.

After a couple of red wines I headed back to the hotel just in time for bed at 10pm like the right old fart that I am. I had the neon purple “mood” lighting on with the blind open revealing a pretty cosmopolitan view of the thriving Colmore Row business district. The bed was very comfortable, duvet not too heavy and the tempature was just right. My retirement plans to bed soon changed as Ryan Gosling came on my TV screen in Nicholas Winding Refn’s “Drive” so I decided to stay up and dribble. Heading towards midnight there was a couple of “rumpy pumpy” noises in the night from next door but what do you expect the hotel is cheaper than a travelodge and well, we are all human hey? This wouldnt be the first hotel to of seen a bit of action and it certainly wont be the last. After I stopped giggling, I managed to fall asleep and my goodness, what a sleep I had, I woke up like bloody Sleeping Beauty. I suffer with a bit of back pain now and then but I felt like the mattress actually did me some good, for the past 3 years I have woken up with shooting pains in my back so it was amazing to wake up with no pain for once.

Bottled water is included in the rooms however there is no tea and coffee facilities, there is a coffee machine downstairs in the reception area however the downside to this is that you have to pay with cash. As we are leaning more towards going cashless nowadays, this may cause a right itch in the hoohar however there are many local coffee shops by the hotel that can ease the coffee morning jitters but it would of been nice to wake up to coffee in my room.

Checking out was very easy, hand in the hotel key and leave, simples. The staff were very polite and straight away they asked If I enjoyed my stay. A pleasant stay at a hotel I wouldn’t have thought to stay in but I would recommend Bloc as it offers luxurious yet affordable rooms, a great location bursting with lively nightlife, swanky restaurants and buzzing bars plus positive customer service. This hotel may be best suited for people who commute or fancy a budget stay in Brum for the night with prices ranging from £40-£80, you really can’t argue with the price even over a cup of coffee. They also have a range of bigger rooms on availability that I can confirm, do have tea and coffee facilities so its just the vista rooms that don’t provide this.

A comfortable night’s stay in a lovely modern hotel in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter where a room for the night didn’t have to burn a hole in my purse, would I book again? Of course I would, Bloc is an absolute treat for the price.

Please note this was a gifted experience by Bloc Hotel Birmingham, if you wish to use any of my photography please get in touch.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Food review

The Early Bird Bakery in Kings Heath-Review

Venturing out to Kings Heath on a cold Winters day with the family, we came across this little beauty of a Bakery on the High Street that simply gave us a wonderful family brunch with heart-warming food and a cosy atmosphere. A must visit, The Early Bird Bakery is one of Kings Heaths most valuable hidden gems.

At 2pm, the Bakery was already packed with happy customers and plates of rainbow coloured foods, luckily we managed to find a table. It’s quite a small space, there’s only a couple of tables and window seats, so a Saturday drop-in you may need to think about popping in the early morning to avoid disappointment. What first lit up my eyes were the array of cakes on display from tarts to cronuts all glistening in the display cabinet and of course, my Mom was the first to window lick the deserts on display, steady on Mom first things first, let’s check this menu out.

Quite a small weekend menu however offering a wide variety of lunch options, all different and unique with a bucket load of ingredients in each dish. Sweet potato hash brown, house-cured salmon bagels, toasties, and sweet and sour cabbage hummus, this isn’t your typical lunch at Weatherspoon’s. The Menu just oozes creativity, and whilst it took me a little while to work out what I fancied, I was quite fascinated and intrigued to see how these varieties of ingredients would go together in the dishes. The drinks menu is on a board on the wall offering a range of coffees, teas and soft drinks for all. Please note that the food menu changes regularly.

I decided to go with the ham hock & winters greens toast with a poached egg, my Sister ordered the house-cured salmon bagel, my Dad ordered the mushroom toastie and my Mom ordered a apple pecan bun. Its order at the till service and our drinks came within 5 minutes of ordering. My tea arrived presented lovely on a wooden board and it tasted as good as it looked. Looking around the Bakery, it’s very clean and simplistically decorated with a splash of rustic interior here and there. Within 10 minutes of ordering, plates of food were making there way over to our table and all of our eyes lit up.

The food is beautifully presented, full of colour and full of life. The one thing that spoils my dining experience is a stubborn egg, so a yolk test is essential when ordering eggs and it passed alright with flying yolky colours, it was a beauty. My dish held a variety of flavours, it was so delicious, I could taste the caramelised onion and mustard puree with hints of lemon and mint, it all blended so well. I always have a problem with sourdough, some places just get it completely wrong where it’s just impossible to cut into but the sourdough at The Early Bird was bang on, kudos to you guys it stayed well on my plate and didn’t go flying out the door. My Sister enjoyed her bagel, I managed to grab a bite and again, full of flavour, refreshing and not so heavy, it was perfect. I, unfortunately, didn’t manage to get a photo or try my Dad’s mushroom toastie as I was obsessing over mine so much but my Dad’s comments were “Great meal, won’t be expecting dinner from your mother tonight, that’s done the trick” I take that as a positive.

The prices are very reasonable, my dish cost around £8 and I think that’s a very generous price for such a high-quality fantastic dish. After a table full of spotless cleaned up plates, we were asked if we enjoyed it and of course, we did, it was great to feedback to the staff who are very pleasant and caring towards their customers. Before we left, my Mom couldn’t leave without another cake, so we got a round of cakes in to take home with our brews before settling down to Sundays car crash Tv. We ordered the passionfruit cruffin which was very appetizing and luscious, I saved the other half for work the next day but almost lost it to a pack of vultures when it popped out my bag. I’ll fight a seagull any day for an The Early Bird Bakery cake.

The Early Bird Bakery was such a wonderful experience, the food is different but unique and more importantly, it works. I wish they would branch out and open one in the City Centre, but that’s just me being a bit selfish as I want it for myself so I will be making the journey to Kings Heath more often! Watch out fellow West midlands Bakery’s you have competition here.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Bars Birmingham review

ONCE UPON A TIME IN BIRMINGHAM

Where Elton John meets Albert Square…

Okay, So I am currently up at 2 am in the morning writing this up because guess who decided to get so drunk on a school night? This moron right here. I can now say those two words that most parents dread to hear…ITS CHRISTMAS

*QUE THE WIZZARD SONG”
Every year Christmas seems to get bigger and bigger and those pockets of yours seem to get emptier and emptier. Birmingham is always coming up with new and exciting Christmas related events to draw those with the spirit of Christmas in so when a mysterious event popped up called “Once Upon A Time In Birmingham” of course, it caught my attention however this is one event that might make you want to stay clear of Christmas this year.

Nested in the old Jamie Italian restaurant lies Once Upon A Time in Birmingham. A festive pop up with 88,000 festive lights, tea parlour, party bar and event space brought to you Bompas & Parr. Walking through the front doors I was greeted with many smiles and gold shredded tinsel. The bar was on the left and a metal chain hanging curtain was straight in front which was the entrance to the light extravaganza. First thoughts, a strange combination of materials but okay, we will go with this.

When entering the main attraction my eyes lit up, 88,000 various hanging Christmas lights and a variety of bizarre Christmas decorations you had in your house from the ’90s. They had a fair share of seating areas, from tables and chairs to booths and even a section that wasn’t lit up at all which seemed to me, very out of place. We were told that later on in the night the seating area by the DJ Booth would go and would turn into a dance floor. It’s different and it’s very extra but we like different here in Birmingham, so lets get into this!

Sitting down in the “vibrating” booth which certainly did not give me good vibrations because we couldn’t feel any vibration at all. We took a look at the menu, a range of festive drinks from eggnog to winter spiced champagne cocktails. Beers and wines were also on the menu. Its order at the bar service and I decided to go for the winter spiced champagne cocktail.

Now, please tell me how I got quite pissed off half a cocktail? Well, I tell you why because they got the alcohol measurement totally wrong. When the bartender came over to take our next drink options, I mentioned it and he said they had 60% whiskey in there and had JUST cut it down as it was way too strong. I should bloody think so, I was hanging on those Christmas decorations like a pissed-up fairy on a Christmas tree. I decided to let them off and I ordered a gin & pomegranate drink which was a lot more drinkable and had the flavours of christmas. We tried a variety of the drinks, all with festive ingredients and they do smell lovely!

Looking around I noticed a couple of issues, the décor on opening night you expect those 88,000 lights to be working, they weren’t all working. It was a bizarre mixture of lights, I had it in my head it was going to be all the same but mixing with the tinsel and the other odd Christmas décor (also the random white Christmas tree that didn’t go at all) it’s like Elton John meets EastEnders in this joint. Now, I am no interior design expert but from my experience of designing and building houses on The Sims… it would have looked a lot more classy with the same lighting throughout and no tinsel crap.  The area that turns into a dance floor is quite concerning because I can just see with the boozy drinks offerings and the cheeky helium balloons they have on the menu, it’s going to be Christmas day mayhem of ripping down those decorations. I feel for the cleaners.

The booze was catching up with me and the scent of cinnamon was irritating my nose so when things get a bit too overpowering for me, I like to sit down and have a cup of tea and that’s exactly what I did, I ordered a cup of tea at Santa’s grotto. There was no escaping these Christmas scents because cinnamon was also in the tea. Taking in the loud scenery we were offered these pretty cool looking glasses to try on to get the full “experience” boy, would you get an experience alright, an experience of someone throwing up over you with these badboys. You can’t see a bloody thing and I even tried to drink my cup of tea wearing them in which I failed to do so and I ended up sipping back a chunk of my jumper.

The only food we got to try was the crystal-clear jelly which we saw on the promotional photo on the website that looked stunning with the lights reflecting of it, so we were really looking forward to this. When it came over our first impressions was…it’s tiny and it stinks of Christmas. Now I know why many places don’t sell clear jelly because soon as I saw it, I was rolling out that scene from Something About Mary in my head. What can I say? It tasted like nothing but that’s jelly anyway, but I was expecting a bit of a Christmas tweak to the pud. They offer a festive afternoon tea but looking at this it seems there are just deserts and tea, you can’t call it an afternoon tea if there are no BUNS HUN?! Where’s the sandwiches?! Let’s be honest when we have afternoon tea we want more savoury than sweets so I don’t know how this is going to work…

Honesty is the best policy and I have to say, I really wanted to love this but it was a little bit of a let down for me. Its amazing when you are full of alchol and I think every one should go and see it, the first words you will say when you see it is “OH WOW” it’s very extra and its very camp. Instagram obsessed girls would love it as there are many photo opportunities to be had and its fantastic for kids, kids will be AMAZED but playtime is over at 6pm. To me, the place looks unfinished and it comes across quite tacky. I couldn’t imagine spending a whole night in a throw-up Christmas without the christmas music? yep, a christmas event without christmas music but there was Chris Brown and Justin Bieber. I would recommend you all to check it out, I think it would be great to take the family for a 1 or 2 hours but its not a place you would keep rushing back to. A good attempt but if tweaked, it could be massively improved however for me, it didnt really capture the spirit of Christmas, it left me completly confused and I spent most of the night thinking I was at a 90s christmas party at my primary school. 

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Birmingham Food review

WAYLANDS YARD BIRMINGHAM-REVIEW

My eggy crumpets bring all the boys to the yard…

Located in the city centre on busy Bull Street opposite the tram lies Wayland’s Yard. A quirky independent serving up a wide variety of coffee, freshly made food to warm the heart and tickle our satisfying taste buds and a great atmosphere for the people of Brum. When mentioning Wayland’s Yard to a couple of friends I was gobsmacked that they never even heard of it! so here is a lesson in educating the people of Brum of our amazing independents in the city and Wayland’s Yard is one of them.

Arriving just before lunchtime with a Wayland’s virgin (My good OL’ pal Bridge) we settled right down and grabbed a menu. It was around 12 pm, few people in there but not raving busy. The interior inside is very urban, almost feels like your dining in a warehouse with a few botanicals touches here and there. I like how it is quite minimal and it’s a light spacious venue with a generous offering of seats and tables. Every table displays a food menu and the drinks menu is right behind the till with a variety of pastries and cakes on offer. It’s order at the till service and they are pretty sharp with the service, my tea came within 2 minutes.

A wide variety of Breakfast & Brunch meals on offer, from eggy crumpets to one pans. The prices are reasonable, the prices of the big brunches are £11.50, okay, it’s not a £7 breakfast you get at your local Weatherspoon’s. We are talking about fresh, high-quality ingredients that are freshly cooked on the day…not in a microwave! There is also plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans. I decided to order the eggy crumpets with chorizo and avocado, and Bridge ordered Eggs Florentine.

The food came to us beautifully presented and full of colour. Diving straight into it was absolutely divine, the crumpets were soft and fluffy, and it was bursting with flavour. Forget basic-bitch crumpets like Warburtons think soft sassy little freaks that melt in your mouth. Never would think to put crumpets with chorizo, a strange combination that works wonders. The portions were very generous and very filling, Bridge loved her eggs Florentine, the eggs were cooked properly with a pop of a fork, the egg yolk spilled out…so satisfying when you see that right?

The staff are very friendly and very informative, I was stuck for choice with the teas as I am trying to lay off the milk and felt a bit peaky that day, so it was suggested the gunpowder green to give me a pick me up and boy, did it do wonders for me. The staff are full of smiles, there’s no denying that they enjoy working there and it’s lovely to see.

The food is stunning, the service is high class and the coffee is badass. I regularly go there now to pick up a hot drink in the morning and have a bite to eat at lunchtime. The only negative I have is that it’s right next to work and they are going to bugger up my yeast intolerance and add to my muffin top. In conclusion, this is definitely one of my favourite spots for bunch in the city and definitely a place that should be on your list to try out, dare I say? ANOTHER Brummie gem? Of course, it bloody is and please, support our independents and give your taste buds a bloody treat instead of that Costa Crap.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Bars Birmingham review

BATTER UP BAB-THE FLOODGATE DIGBETH

Ever wondered what the future might look like? Look no more! Step into a futuristic urban world with rooms full of exploding colour and quirky artwork covering the walls of this fantastic venue. A variety of exciting and fun fulfilling games await you with refreshing cocktails and mouth watering delicious food. I had the pleasure of attending the launch night of The Floodgate in Digbeth and this is what went down in Digbeth’s newest attraction.

Floodgate Street Digbeth

Just turned 6.30 pm me and my cousin arrived at The Floodgate named after the street its on-Floodgate Street. We were greeted by a gentleman who gave us wrist bands for the various sporting activities that await us inside. The entrance is where you would check-in and pay for the games plus signing a disclosure for the batting cages in which you must read before you enter the cages. Entering the front doors, you see the Bleachers batting cages and the very large bar area full of seats and a wide variety of drinks. The music is upbeat, people were already smiling and we were offered a drink straight away..this is my kind of shindig. 

We first had a look around with our vibrant and refreshing cocktails- very good choice on offer from gins to rum-based cocktails and plenty of beer. In the main room, you have the batting cages, the bar and doors that lead to an outside area where the independent food trucks are selling a variety of tasty and oh so satisfying food. The four food vendors are Home run pizza company, The Cookie Mumsters, That’s mature toasties and Phata Phat food. Good selection of variety there but we had to a bit of exploring first.

We finished our first cocktails and headed to play Pit Pat table golf, the UK’s first and only PitPat. A neon jungle room that is very generous in size and offers a variety of PitPat tables for you all to challenge each other and enjoy. It’s a race around the room, completing the variety of challenging Pit Pat courses that are harder than they look however I quite surprised myself, I was quite good at it.

The next room we went into was the curling lanes, this was one of my favourites and really brings the competitive side out of you… this game may cause a few argy-bargys! 3 curling lanes and more neon lights, the room also offers more seating areas where if you feel like giving up, you can go sit down and have a sulk on the sideline. What I absolutely love about this room, is the ceiling full of Slinkys, that’s right SLINKYS, it’s raining Slinkys!
So creative and so Birmingham.

The final activity is the Bleachers Baseball batting cages where we first entered. This was the one game I wasn’t too sure about, but I absolutely loved. Only one person in the cage, you must wear a helmet, and you must stand by your mark. The balls shoot out pretty fast so it may take you by surprise at first, it never gets easier you just get better! This is great fun for groups and it’s so satisfying when you finally get that perfect hit.

On to the FOOD, my goodness and what a treat you guys are in for. We were absolutely spoilt, from pizza to cookie dough balls and butter chicken, it really did fulfil my taste buds and even satisfied my picky cousins food habits(she’s a hard one to please with food) As we sat down, the food just kept coming out and it was great to talk to some of the food vendors who were so excited as well as the Floodgate staff for the long-awaited opening. A shout out to Home run pizza company which was honestly the tastiest pizza I have ever had (3 little pigs Pizza) The food is fantastic and we both left with full satisfied bellies.

Another great attraction in Digbeth to draw friends, families, parties and even first dates. The vibe in here is electric, throwing back beers to upbeat music and hearing the roars of laughter throughout the venue. Another Brummie gem, Well done Floodgate I am sure you are going to do fantastically well! Thank you for the invite, it was an absolute pleasure and we had a belter of a time!

So many exciting attractions, it is never-ending! You really are spoiling us aren’t you Brum?

AMY ELIZA

Categories
lifestyle london Personal

MY 28TH BIRTHDAY SHENANIGANS

So last week I celebrated my 28th birthday with a very uncomfortable hour-long wax and a cossie wedgie…the joys of growing older hey? This year I wanted to do something different and I wanted to pamper myself with a spa day. I have NEVER had a spa day before and I am not too sure as to why maybe it’s my fear of peoples toes in those horrid flip flops or those swimming costumes that are in fashion now, you know, the ones where you have most of your crotch hanging out? Whatever it was I decided to take the plunge and book my first Spa day at The Belfry Hotel in Sutton Coldfield.

So, what did I learn from my spa Day?

  • Don’t leave it to last minute to buy a swimming costume as your butt may not be able to fit in it. That is exactly what happened, I couldn’t get my sodding butt in the cossie.
  • Children are everywhere, there is no escape even at a “relaxing spa day” there are 11am children swimming lessons going on, whatever happened to taking your kids to school and leaving them there for the day?
  • I was right, the white flip flop slippers are minging.
  • Everywhere is slippy, even the sodding swimming pool is slippy.
  • Spa days are not that relaxing

Whilst there were a few negatives, I did overall enjoy my experience of my very first spa day at The Belfry, the back massage gave me a bit of relief, the afternoon tea was filling and delicious and overall the Belfry is a very impressive spa hotel.

The next birthday treat was a meal at Tattu in Birmingham in which I am sure many of you have heard of but if not, just follow the blossom trail. A Modern Chinese restaurant next to Snowhill station on Barwick street kitted out in beautiful blossom and oozes sleek design. Now, this is my second time to Tattu as I loved it so much the first time. As a group we ordered a couple of plates to share from Monkfish to Dim sum, the food is colourful, vibrant and god damn bloody tasty. By far the best Chinese food I have ever had. One thing that stands out with Tattu is the service, the service is first class PERIOD. I know it’s my birthday but even when it wasn’t my birthday last time, the service and the positive energy our group received from the employees was great and it really does make the experience second best to none.

My final treat was a trip down to London to stay in the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. My cousin Jess and I caught the 6 am coach to Victoria from Birmingham and I spent most of it sleeping and hissing at the little kid in front of me. Soon as we arrived it was time for coffee and where’s best to head for coffee in Victoria, why, Peggy Porschen of course! Well known for its beautiful floral decorated shop front and pastel pink sleek design, it really is a stunner, but did you know they do great coffee and cake too? You see, unfortunately, many people see Peggy’s as a photo opportunity. I am sitting outside sipping on my cappuccino and I see people stopping to take photos outside and then running off, why don’t you taste the product before abusing it? Peggy Porschens is a lovely not so hidden gem in London with lovely staff and mouth-watering cakes, An absolute delight.

Another favourite is Dominque Ansel Bakery, I have wanted to try the brunch there for so long. We luckily got a table in the morning, we sat in the autumn decked out conservatory and we felt like we were in Autumns aura. After a morning of non-stop walking around Oxford street shopping for our Friday night outfits and death-trap tubes, it was time to meet my friend Laura and head to the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. I was looking for arty-farty, more art, less of the fart and that that’s exactly what I got. The room was for four ladies, but you could fit 2 hen party’s in that joint. Little touches such as vinyl players, vinyl records, lifestyle magazines made it so unique and I was even surprised with a bottle of bubbly from the staff to celebrate my birthday and yes, of course, we googled the cost £15!

The Ace Hotel even has a rooftop bar that showcases a pretty view of Shoreditch with some classic cocktails. We headed out for pizza and met my other friend Heather to head on over to Tonight Josephine. Now you may recognise this place on a lot of bloggers social media pages or if you are an Apprentice fan, it was on The Apprentice 2 weeks ago where the lads made a right cock up on the ice lolly’s, quite literally they looked like Willys! Another place where people go to take “selfies” for the gram and it was quite incredible how so many girls were taking it quite seriously, not one to fuss over an Instagram photo however all of us found ourselves fighting over photos and shooting down our blurry photos. We just wanted to feel like the spice girls for one night okay! Tonight Josephine is good but only when you are a bit drunk, its full of repetitive pop songs and cocktails full of sugar. If you need a photo for the gram, I guess, you could go here.

The last day we went exploring Brick Lane. full of amazing art, quirky markets and exotic people, it is defiantly my kind of place! The markets are incredible here not like your fruit and veg market back in Brum, but they have all sorts of offerings furniture, cronuts, pretty dresses and sexy paintings. The Vintage Market on Brick lane is one of my favourites, why did I not go there to find my Friday night outfit?! I am a big lover of sunglasses and found myself trying on an impressive selection of Elton John’s glasses. After our afternoon of exploring it was time to head back home to Brum.

It was pretty great to return back to work to some of my colleague’s shell shocked that I turned 28 ” You don’t look like a day over 18″ which is simply quite flattering but then still annoying as I still get I’D!I am growing up and I am having to make important decisions to better myself in this life, I decided soon as I turned 28 to make a checklist for the year and to stick to it, this is something I have not done before. I know what I want to achieve by the time I have turned 29 and I do feel that it’s achievable.Turning 28 I have found myself to be a lot wiser and a lot more confident in myself. I have mentioned before in another blog post I have had a terrible 2 years and although the start of the year was bad and there have been moments where it’s been very difficult but I am still here, I am not a quitter and as my family would say, I’m a Langston, we laugh our way through life. The fire is burning in my belly and confidence is growing so I’m ready too take you on 28!

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Bars Food review

BAB, WE ARE NOT IN BRUM ANYMORE- BIRDIES REVIEW

Birmingham to classy Ibiza who says you can’t have both in a day Hey?

Birmingham has opened up its very own tropical paradise in the heart of Digbeth. Birdies is an outdoor cocktail bar with a beach/island theme selling refreshing cocktails and bloody good BBQ food. 

Right next door to Ghetto Golf and just down the road from Digbeth Dining Club, you will see the Birdies neon sign flashing amongst palm trees to lure those of us desperate for a holiday. Stepping into Birdies is like stepping into your holiday without the hassle of early morning rises, broken toilet signs and crying children. The place has been made out of shipping containers (of course, that’s Digbeth for you) decorated in fantastic art that gives that quirky edge. Open roof in the centre means it’s the place to be in the summer, however, I am wondering what they are going to do when dreaded winter arrives.

It’s order at the tills, they have a main bar for ordering the drinks and then they have the kitchen bar where you can order the food. They do not display food menus on the tables so you will have to check the main menu by the food bar. From halloumi burgers to salt and pepper chicken and even ‘Buddha Bowls’- there is a variety on offer and they even cater for vegan and gluten free.

I opted for the salt and pepper chicken fries and a cheeky can of Estrella. Once ordered, I sat back and relaxed listening to the music, the music is bloody good in here and I need the playlist ASAP. Seating area is very generous here from container seats to barstools and deck chairs. Warning: the bar area is not so generous as there is only one bar, so it gets very busy on the nights as it’s lit up with fairy lights and looks like a classy full moon party-if they ever do exist. You have a great mixture of people in here, people of all ages and it’s great to see a couple of the old gals dancing with the young lads and teaching them how the older generation get down- I learnt a few things that night…

On to the important stuff, FOOD. The food is from streetvendor Apocalypse Cow who also provides the food for Ghetto Golf. It took about 20 minutes to come but I didn’t really care about the wait as I was too busy downing my drink and enjoying my holiday. When it did come my eyes lit up like a Christmas tree (too soon? Okay, okay) My salt and pepper chicken was POPPIN’ forget bloody KFC, Birdies chicken is finger lickin’ good! Layered with a Chinese sauce, very vibrant, very tasty, and the portion sizes are very generous, I actually couldn’t finish mine as it is quite filling. I made another trip back to Birdies for the cocktails, also very refreshing and tasted great and the prices are quite reasonable here. A variety of fruity cocktails on offer and beer, so you may be stuck for choice. For all you non-alcoholics or those nursing a dirty hangover, Birdies provides mocktail versions of all the cocktails so you don’t feel left out.

Birdies is the place to be, vibrant, lively and just a pretty god damn cool place to have casual drinks in the day and then a dance on the night. The only downside I would say is the bar on the nights, it gets way too busy and you could be waiting there for 20 minutes or more to be served. In the day, its perfect and the staff are very friendly and willing to help. If you’re sad that summer is over, you can always pop to Birdies as it’s summer all year round but just don’t expect a tan at the end of it.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Food review

Breakfast at the Medicine Bakery Birmingham

Sunday Morning and Cronuts are calling.

Never heard of cronuts? Well, you will after your visit to Medicine Bakery in Birmingham however this bakery has a bit more to offer then just the yeast and Sunday morning I was there to find out.

Hidden away in the centre of Brum, you’ll find this gem squished in between Nando’s and Santander Bank literally 20 second walk from Victoria Square, look out for the fresh bread outside. When you step through the front door you are greeted with a grand staircase, but don’t let that put you off as what’s awaiting for you at the top of that staircase is bakery heaven, so in fact, it’s a stairway to heaven.

As I got to the top, I have never seen such a lovely display of bakery goods, but what caught my eye first are the cronuts. The staff are very helpful, straight away a young girl was there to assist me with my non-existent bakery knowledge, I asked what is a cronut? Instead of “its soo good you got to try it” she actually explained what it was “ A cronut is a croissant/donut pastry, looks like a donut but its made from croissant-like dough which is filled with cream, these are blueberry mascarpone flavoured” it’s nice to have staff actually explain what they are selling instead of throwing the “don’t care what you say just buy it” card at customers. Soo tempting but I was here for breakfast, so I quickly shuffled forward to the restaurant/seating area and never looked back… Until 2 hours later. 

The restaurant is pretty huge, light, spacious and straight away felt really chilled out in there. Its order at the till service, and straight away I was greeted with a smile, given a menu, and informed of how the service works. Menu was pretty impressive, lots of options – vegan friendly, and I was spoilt for choice. Still dreaming about the cronut, I opted for a light dish-Avocado & chilli on sourdough with a green tea with mint. 

Set my laptop up, my tea arrived, and I zoned out, people started to flood in, but the room is so big, it never got loud! I was surprised how quiet it was with the amount of people coming in maybe because the seating areas are all spread out in the room, you are not too close to people. I was then greeted with a big smile carrying a more then generous plate of my avocado and sourdough! Bright, colourful and bloody good looking- tucked straight into it but found myself struggling half way through as I found it to be quite filling! Very tasty and very fresh. I paid under £10 for what I ordered, and I wouldn’t have minded paying more for it as I enjoyed it so much. In fact, I have paid more for a similar dish however the quality didn’t compare to Medicine and I actually paid £15 for what looked like a baby’s nappy that had exploded on my plate.

Plate to the side, work was calling, I was checked on after I finished, and I have to say I was pretty impressed with the customer service. Quite a lot of young staff working, smiles and friendly service, that’s what I like to see! I was already eyeing up the lunch menu after my breakfast but still full, I decided to pack up and pay the bill, however I couldn’t exactly just walk out there just yet, a cronut was calling.

A young girl was assisting with packing the cronuts, I also queried about the carrot & walnut cake , only because I know my mom would kill me if I walked past a carrot cake and didn’t buy her a piece, I landed in her good books that afternoon, I have to say the cronuts are bloody divine however word of warning you have to be quick to swipe one of these bad boys, I tried the following day and failed miserably- all gone by 4pm! Not a big fan of carrot cake however I found myself gobbling it down on the night and vacuuming at midnight *sigh*.

In conclusion, The Medicine Bakery is quirky and different, Great for a grab & go and even better for wining & dining (Yes! They sell alcohol) I would definitely recommend and would like to go back and try the lunch & dinner menu. An independent Brummie gem, I would say that is definitely worth more credit and more visits. 

AMY ELIZA