Hidden away around the corner from Dishoom, you’ll find Birmingham’s newest steak restaurant, Cow & Sow. With two sister restaurants in Bristol, they promise premium beef and encourage guests to “prepare for a new era of steak.” Since its opening, my inbox has been flooded with requests to review it, especially to compare it to a competitive steakhouse nearby—which just so happens to be one of my favourite restaurants opening in 2024. I went to Cow & Sow with an open mind and a promise to myself: don’t mention the “P word” (Pasture). But, spoiler alert, I found myself screaming the “P word” more often than Cow & Sow after this dining experience.
First impressions? The place is undeniably stunning. The interior design is sleek and inviting, with a view of the open kitchen and dry-aged steaks proudly on display. Coats hung on the handy pegs behind us, we kicked things off with drinks. I decided to behave (for once) and ordered a mocktail: The Tulip Club (£6.50)—a mix of cranberry, raspberry, pineapple, lime, and syrup. Sweet, simple, and refreshing—a nice start to the evening.
Our server was polite, attentive, and served us with a smile. While they were slightly nervous at times, the restaurant only opened in December, so I’m giving the benefit of the doubt—training kinks are to be expected. Overall, the service was good.
Now for the food. Let’s just say, the starters were anything but premium. I ordered the Potted Ox Cheek (£6.95) with truffle butter and fig bread crackers, and what turned up was something I was not expecting at all, and frankly, quite disappointing. The dish resembled a sad attempt at pâté, with the truffle butter rock solid – as if it had been frozen and barely thawed, leaving it unpleasantly cold. Beneath it, the ox cheek was dry, unseasoned, and resembled a tin of dog food. As for the crackers? They tasted stale, like they’d been left out and forgotten. It was a disastrous start to the meal.
My friend Josie ordered the Sticky Pork Belly, but after one bite, she couldn’t finish it. Naturally, I gave it a go, and I immediately regretted it. The pork tasted cheap, sour, and gamey. The smell and flavour were so unpleasant I had to spit it out discreetly into a tissue. While the ox cheek was taken off the bill after feedback, we delivered our thoughts on the pork, but we decided not to take off.
The main event – the steak – was the ultimate let down. We opted for the 35-day aged Porterhouse (priced at £10.50/100g). At 1,110g, it came to £115, served with two sauces and two sides. For three people, I thought the price was fair, but the execution was far from what I expected. We requested medium rare, and while parts hit the mark, others were gelatinous, almost reminiscent of eating raw salmon, with barely any flavour to redeem it.
The bone marrow butter and chimichurri we chose for seasoning were the saving grace because the steak itself was bland. And the fat, usually, my favourite part of a good steak, melting in your mouth with buttery richness. But here? It was tough, gristly, and inedible—like gnawing on a rock. Typically, I’m that person who turns into the dog from Tom & Jerry, clutching every last piece of steak for myself, but I found myself unwilling to fight for the last bite.
Surprisingly, some of the sides were the meal’s saving grace. The Koffmann’s chips with beef dripping were perfectly crispy, and the Miso & Chilli Jam Glazed Hispi Cabbage was gorgeously seasoned with a sweet kick that paired nicely with the steak. Sadly, the Three Cheese Mac was bland, despite looking amazing in its serving pot, and the Cheesy Broccoli and Leek Gratin was just okay (my friends enjoyed it more than I did).
On a brighter note, my friend Sarah ordered from the lunch menu and was much happier with her experience. The pricing is competitive, with one course at £14.00, two courses at £18.00, and three courses at £22.00. That said, the portions were on the small side – perfect for a casual lunch but not if you’re hoping to leave stuffed.
We split the £210 bill and left feeling disappointed. Would I go back? For all of us at the table, the answer was no. Cow & Sow has a big hill to climb, especially considering its proximity to and competition with – Pasture, which frankly knocks it out of the park. I hate to keep bringing it up, but when two restaurants with similar concepts and pricing are just a short walk apart, comparisons are inevitable. And unfortunately, Cow & Sow fell short.
That’s not to say Cow & Sow is beyond redemption. The service was friendly, the waiting times were reasonable on a busy Saturday, and a few dishes showed potential. However, when the star of the show—the steak—fails to deliver, it’s hard to overlook, especially when you’re paying premium prices.
If I were to return, I’d likely stick to the lunch menu or more affordable options. This restaurant does have potential, and with some refinement and a stronger focus on quality, Cow & Sow could live up to the hype they’ve promised. But for now, it’s a work in progress – and for me, it’s got a long way to go.
A fresh addition to Sutton Coldfield! Ash has opened its doors in the former brewhouse, offering dry-aged steak cooked over coals, alongside a classic selection of wines and cocktails. The space is lovely – its bright, welcoming, and a far cry from the dark and dingy vibe of the previous occupant.
The cocktail menu was quite impressive, offering a great variety of options to suit all tastes. From classic favourites to more inventive creations, Ash seems to have something for everyone. Whether you’re a fan of fruity, refreshing cocktails or something a bit stronger and more complex, there’s plenty to explore.
The main menu caught my eye with its variety of dishes. There’s a great selection of meat-focused options (and fish options too!) However, I will say there weren’t many vegan choices—around two options in total. But as a self-proclaimed carnivore, I’m here for the meat!
For starters, we ordered the grilled bone marrow with confit onions and sourdough (£7). Two large, chunky bones arrived, beautifully seasoned and paired with crispy sourdough. Unfortunately, there wasn’t quite enough marrow to satisfy, which was a shame as the flavours were spot on. We also tried the fried chicken (£9), which was a little underwhelming for the price. It resembled frozen chicken strips in presentation, though the taste was enjoyable thanks to the accompanying sriracha sauce.
For the main event, we opted for the Porterhouse sharing cut (£9 per 100g—we went for 1kg), which comes with two sides and two sauces/butters. The steak itself was succulent and paired wonderfully with the smoked shallot butter. However, although it was cooked medium rare as requested, there were quite a few pieces that were just rare. Additionally, a few pieces were overly charred, overwhelming the flavours of the butter and chimichurri, which also needed a good whisking as it initially poured out pure oil. I believe the presentation of the steak could also be improved. The truffle and parmesan fries were crisp and packed an epic crunch, while the mac and cheese leaned too buttery and lacked enough cheese. The standout side, though, was the woodfired tenderstem with labneh and lemon, which complemented the steak beautifully.
For dessert, we shared the Basque cheesecake, which sadly missed the mark. The top was burnt to the point that one bite was overpowered by smoke, and the cheesecake texture was unexpectedly tough. The team kindly removed it from the bill and even gave us 20% off the food as a goodwill gesture—a thoughtful touch that we appreciated. They did offer us the apple crumble as a replacement, but unfortunately, that was also not to our taste. Next time, I’ll be ordering the cheese board instead!
Later in the evening, I ordered an espresso martini, and it was absolutely delicious – very smooth and silky! – So I will be back for the espressos!
Service was a little shaky here and there, but it’s their first week, and teething issues are to be expected. Our waitress, though, was delightful, full of energy, and eager to offer suggestions.
All in all, Ash shows promise as an exciting new spot in Sutton Coldfield. They also offer a lunch menu and include a roast dinner on Sundays. Even if not dining, I think it’s a great place for drinks – especially in the evenings when the lights are dimmed, giving the space a romantic and cosy atmosphere. While there are a few kinks to iron out, opening during such a busy season is no easy feat. I’m optimistic for their future and look forward to returning in the new year to see how they’ve evolved!
When someone says “roast,” you think of thick, juicy slices of beef, crispy golden potatoes, massive Yorkshire puddings with the perfect fluff and crunch, and a generous drizzle of rich, red wine gravy. What I didn’t expect was a meal that looked more like cat food scraped out of a tin or something a 3-year-old might throw together during a chaotic kitchen experiment. That might sound harsh, but when Six by Nico’s advertising paints such a mouth-watering picture and you’re served this, I couldn’t help but feel a bit robbed.
The festive roast menu is £44 for six courses, with an optional £33 wine pairing. We skipped the wine and fancied something non-alcoholic and sweet. When we asked for a recommendation, our server suggested a strawberry daiquiri. Great! I love a good alcohol-free strawberry daiquiri (especially after a past incident involving one too many alcoholic daiquiris, which ended in me throwing up something that looked like Bambi’s forest in flames). But when the drink arrived 12 minutes later, it was orange. Confused, I asked, “Is this a strawberry daiquiri?” The server smiled and confidently said, “Yes, it is!” I took a sip. It wasn’t. Alarm bells were ringing—what if I had an allergy to orange or apple? You can’t afford to make mistakes like that, and the night had already gotten off to a nervous start.
We ordered a couple of snacks to begin with: Smoked Ham & Cheddar Croquettes and Warm Sourdough (£10 for two). The croquettes were tasty with a nice sweet topping of gherkin, but the sourdough was just sourdough—nothing special, served with chicken parfait butter that, honestly, tasted like plain Flora.
The first course, Pigs in Blankets (Pork Pressé with Sauerkraut and Burnt Onion), was decent. I’m not the biggest pork fan, but the sauerkraut added a nice tang that I enjoyed. I was starting to think there might be some hope for this meal.
The second course, Smoked Salmon, was actually my favourite dish of the night. Beautifully smoked and paired with a creamy sauce, Granny Smith apple, and dill, it was delicious. I practically licked the bowl clean. Unfortunately, that bit of hope suddenly disappeared.
The next course, Brussel Sprouts (Barbecue Hispi Cabbage with Aged Ewe’s Cheese and Black Garlic Emulsion), was a bit of a mess. The emulsion was way too tangy, completely overpowering everything else on the plate. I’m not a brussel sprout fan, but even if I were, I doubt I’d have enjoyed this. Don’t get me started on the Presentation, it was non-existent.
(Below is the roast on the right and on the left, is whats inside the yorkshire pudding – stuffing?)
Then came the supposed star of the show: The Three Bird Roast. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the most disappointing dish of the night. Duck, chicken, and turkey ballotine with liver parfait and honey-glazed carrots arrived looking like canned cat food slapped onto a plate. There was no gravy—just a sad, measly squiggle of some sort of brown sauce. The ballotine was so dry and stodgy it felt like eating cardboard, and I had to keep gulping water just to try and swallow it. The liver parfait felt completely out of place on the plate, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why it was there. Where were the fluffy roast potatoes? Where were the comforting, classic elements of a roast dinner? This didn’t scream festive roast to me at all. For £44, I expected so much more.The Ultimate Yorkshire Pudding (an extra £6!) was anything but ultimate. Bland, cold, and stuffed with pork and sage stuffing that was somehow flavourless. Honestly, Aunt Betty’s frozen Yorkshires would have been an upgrade. Cutting into it revealed a soggy, sad mess that looked like something a cat might throw up. I was honestly in shock.
Next up was The Baked Brie with homemade mince pie and pear. The brie was creamy, and the pear added a pleasant sweetness to the dish. However, it wasn’t enough to redeem the overall experience. The mince pie was disappointingly small – just one bite, and it was gone. Finally, the meal ended with the 55% Chocolate Profiteroles, which unfortunately didn’t deliver. The buttermilk sorbet was overly sour and clashed with the other elements on the plate, and the “profiteroles” turned out to be just one, which was slightly frozen.
The staff were a little bit better this time- more smiles and a clearer effort to explain what each dish was. However, there were still a few slip-ups that raised some eyebrows, hinting at ongoing training issues that I think are still lacking. While the service was friendlier than before, there were moments when basic attention to detail was missing, like clearing our plates without asking if we had finished, wiping the table (it was filthy from the start when we sat down), or checking in to ask how our meal was. These small oversights made it feel like the service wasn’t as polished as it should be for the price and experience being offered.
By the end of the meal, I couldn’t wait to leave. With the bill coming to £137, I couldn’t help but feel a bit pissed. This was my fourth visit to Six by Nico Birmingham, and sadly, it will be my last. The last three experiences have been equally underwhelming. Other branches, such as London and Oxford, seem to meet passable standards, but Birmingham has struggled with consistency and execution.
Sadly, the experience fell short in many areas. Is it worthy of the title “roast”? Unfortunately, no – it’s far from the comforting, hearty meal you expect from a proper roast dinner. It’s more of a concept (a very poor one) than a true execution of the classic dish. I really wanted this to be a success, but sadly, it was one of the most disappointing meals of 2024.
There are some getaways that will stick with you for many years to come, this is one of them. This couldn’t have come at a better time as the week before I was feeling so down and out, to be honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to go…Thank god, I did. Scenery that you could only imagine appearing in the movies, breath-taking views and a getaway that worked wonders for my mind, body and soul.
Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.
THE APARTMENT
Located in Waterhead, across Lake Windermere and Ambleside Pier on your doorstep, you couldn’t get a more perfect location. It’s a 3-hour journey from Birmingham and we found the journey on a Friday morning quite easy-going. Built in the 1980s, Romney Grange is located in a prestigious development on the previous site of the Romney Hotel. There is parking available and also visitor parking on the next level, checking in is very easy and within five minutes we were in. The apartment offers two en-suite bedrooms, spacious living, and stunning views across Lake Windermere As the door opens, our eyes lit up and we both dropped our bags in amazement. The first thing that comes to mind is how stunning this apartment is and how HUGE it is, you could fit a party of 30 and more in here. Beautiful throughout, each room is decorated to the highest standards and the apartment offers westerly views over the lake and onto the Langdale pikes, as well as far-reaching southerly views down Lake Windermere itself. Sliding doors lead from the lounge onto the balcony, creating a private outdoor space to relax and unwind, this was perfect for our morning coffee. The apartment was spotless from top to bottom, not even Kim Woodburn would pick up a speck of dirt in here! The kitchen/dining area was my favourite room especially when the sun was going down which was beautiful. The living room was so spacious, I think on one sofa you could fit a family of six on – I looked like a right little hobbit on it, it even made my partner James who is 6 ft 6 look tiny! Everything you need is there from extra towels to milk to an interactive guide on the iPad – Which came in very handy as Natalie (The Owner) provided all the best recommendations from restaurants to bars to walks in the area – I hardly did any investigating at all! On a table, there were maps, guidebooks and everything you need to feel comfortable and prepared for your trip to the Lakes. The bedrooms were also stunning, nice and spacious with en-suites. That bath was utter bliss and yes, I went to town with the bubble bath. Walk-in showers that provided plenty of space to wash and do the Gangnam style dance. James couldn’t believe he could fit under the shower as a tall lad he struggles with life 90% of the time so, it was nice to see him get excited about this. Plenty of wardrobe space is available and each room provided a lovely view of the Countryside.
LOCATION
Waterhead is an ideal location; it is utterly charming and the perfect starting point for your Lakes getaway! The Pier is stunning and your able to travel to different parts of Lake Windermere via boat which came in very handy – We did use the boat and we also found travelling from car was pretty easy to do too. There is bus stops right outside the apartment making it extremely easy to visit other places such as Grasmere, Bowness and Hawkshead. Travelling around from the apartment I can guarantee you will find it extremely easy. I will do a full Lake District guide on this providing bar, restaurant and things to do recommendations – keep a look out for this over the next month. There was a lovely little coffee shop just outside the apartment (literally opposite) where we popped down for a morning coffee and sandwich, it was lovely, and they do a banging cheese and onion cob! Also, opposite the apartment was a fish and chip shop, restaurant, pet shop, and post office.
AMBLESIDE
You can walk to Ambleside town centre from Waterhead – It will take you 10 minutes. A lovely little town perfect to have a pint, a little shop and enjoy a lovely cooked meal. For food, I would recommend Lucy’s on a plate where I believe I found the bargain of the century – two courses for £20 where the food was just WOW! Baby Bobotie – EH? I thought what the heck is this reading the menu but then I was politely told it’s curried mince topped with egg custard, GENIUS! For mains I had the Lamb Tagine – I was lambing mad and totally cured of my lamb obsession after eating it – truly wonderful stuff from Lucy’s. Plenty of pubs you can pop into for a pint or tea rooms for a good cream team so I would recommend popping down to Ambleside.
SLEEP/NOISE
I was spoilt for choice, as I had two bedrooms to choose from. I can confirm both beds offer a comfortable sleep, my back never felt that good after waking up! In regard to noise, I found the apartment to be very quiet, I rarely heard anyone. Mostly every morning I went onto the balcony with a cup of coffee taking in the views, I was able to write which is something I have been struggling for a while to really concentrate on, but I just couldn’t stop my pen continuously hitting off my page. Fully engrossed in my writing, I have to thank Natalie for that! A perfect place for struggling Artists that’s for sure!
HOSTS
Natalie was helpful throughout, always there if we needed any help or any recommendations. The perfect host! We were just left to ourselves which was lovely really and if I had any questions I could just message Natalie and she was very quick to respond. To be honest, everything we needed was on the IPAD which provided a list of rules, instructions on electronics and basic information about the apartment, so we rarely had to contact Natalie other than to say, how bloody happy we were!
We couldn’t have asked for something more perfect, No.10 was just what we needed to get away from the hectic city life we live and enjoy a bit of quiet time. Waking up to stunning views of the Lakes with a cup of coffee – A real pinch-me moment and trust me, you will have plenty of these when you stay here. Natalie is the perfect host, the apartment was wonderful, and we were so relaxed, It was just flawless. If you’re looking somewhere to stay in the Lakes then book No.10, I bet my beret on it you will love it…and I bloody love my beret! Truly wonderful, thank you to Natalie for inviting me.
A new vibrant boutique hotel has opened up in Birmingham and it’s rather fabulous babs. Introducing Aloft Birmingham Eastside hotel brought to by the Marriott brand, located on the Eastside just by Millennium Point in the business district of Birmingham and offering the best of what Birmingham has to offer from just a short walk away. A modern and urban-inspired hotel where music is key and technology is seamless, keeping you connected and inspired throughout your stay. Aloft moves to its own beat and creates bold, open and vibrant spaces for guests to come together and relax. My partner and I was invited down to review my experience with Aloft and to say I was pleasantly surprised is rather an understatement on what’s to come in this review…
Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.
Located on Woodcock Street just next to Millennium Point, the hotel is not exactly City Central however soon as we arrived we realised how quiet and peaceful the area is, it was nice to be away from car horns, mouthy party-goers and Sweet Caroline that’s been on constant repeat throughout the City for the last two months. The hotel is only a short walk away from the iconic Bullring, the vibrant underground world we like to call Digbeth and let’s not forget the world’s largest Primark! Unfortunately, the hotel does not have a car park, however we were told to park in the Millennium Point car park (just over the road) it costs us £9.95 for 24 hours which was rather cheap as other times we have stayed over in Birmingham we have had to park at The Mailbox and that costs us over £20.
Walking through the front entrance of Aloft you are hit with an almost futuristic design throughout with loud colours, sleek designed furniture and mouth-watering textures, many Instagram addicts will be lunging into their pockets for their phones, I was one of them. Your eyes are constantly diverted from one area to another, The hotel is visually yummy and by the look at how many guests were there, very popular. One section that will stand out to you is the 24/7 Re-Fuel Snack bar which is great after a night out in Birmingham and you are feeling a bit peckish! The reception is open-planned and very spacious, plenty of seating if you just want to get out your room and relax. Upon checking in at reception we were greeted with smiles instantly, staff are lovely here and very down to earth. Once we checked in, we was then greeted by Catherine who agreed to take us on a tour of the hotel and the Eastside room’s.
The Eastside Rooms is located just next door to Aloft, its Birmingham’s newest conference venue that brings you amazing substantial blank canvases that are perfect for any kind of event. Eastside Rooms caters to big events such as weddings and award ceremonies to small events such as Business meetings or offer rooms that offer a quiet space for you to work, Eastside has you covered with a room fit for all kinds of occasions. There is also a light, airy gym which can be used by guests with great views of Birmingham. After our tour we finished in The WXYZ bar with a bespoke Bab about town cocktail made just for me! What do you like? Strawberries! POOF! It was done just like that…These guys are good. WXYZ offers a chilled space for you to relax in with a cocktail and you can also dine in the bar and play pool.
When we first entered the room, we only admired it for about a minute as we decided to do the tour first and didn’t want to keep Catherine waiting. Upon our second visit to the room we realised how lovely it really was and it deserved our immediate attention. Clean, spacious and cosy, a decent sized bathroom with a more then decent walk in shower that could fit the Kardashians family in there and a huge tv that kind of transported our room at night to our very own home cinema. We were booked into The Urban king Room, it has everything you need from ironing boards to hairdryers to your very own coffee machine plus a great view of Birmingham, we weren’t short of anything. What I really loved about the room is that it featured local artists art work in there which was a lovely touch to the City and something I would like to see more hospitality businesses doing. What really lit our eyes up was the gorgeous “Naughty and Nice” platter made just for me and my partner by the Chefs at Aloft. A stand full of luxurious sweets and desserts from cupcakes to trifles, it was very impressive and a lovely touch to our room, we instantly felt very special. Aloft’s tech-forward approach to hospitality comes to life at the bedroom door as you can’t enter your room via your smartphone! – there’s no key card. There’s also fast, free WiFi throughout the hotel.
In the evening we were booked into Alofts restaurant Tempo! for a three-course meal. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, music-related art work hanging on the walls and a few splashes of neon that was very Bab about town! Looking at the menu, they have a great selection of burgers, pizzas and more, the only thing lacking is the vegan options however. Luckily my partner and I are meat-eaters and we really enjoyed our three-course meal. Ham hock and pea timbale to start followed by pan fried rump steak and classic lemon tart to finish, it was very tasty, and we left feeling very impressed with our Teletubbie bellies.
After our meal we decided to go up to our room and watch a couple of films in our very own movie theatre which features cable tv, three movies later and we were fast asleep with popcorn crawling out of our mouths. We both slept through the night, I woke up with no back pain and feeling very refreshed. The bed was very comfy, I didn’t wake up ONCE which was something, I thought I might struggle with as the hotel seemed to have guests more from the 20-30 age group, so I was quite surprised that we heard no party goers shenanigans throughout the night.
Aloft serve breakfast in the Tempo! Restaurant from 6am to 10am, They usually offer a buffet breakfast however due to CO-VID they put on a set menu for guests to choose from. They offered a variety from meat/vegan fry ups to lighter options such as cereal and yogurt. I went for the English breakfast tea then the vegan fry up which I was very impressed with. I have to say it’s not the most appealing breakfast (I have a thing with skin on sausages pealing) but I was pleasantly pleased with the taste and proves the point of don’t judge a book by its cover, it was delicious. My partner went for the buttermilk pancakes and said they were the tastiest pancakes he has ever had, another successful meal at Aloft and a great finish to our stay.
Aloft Eastside is a fantastic contender to Birmingham’s booming hospitality sector, a great night’s sleep that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket and a more than satisfactory service is something that really stands out here, the room was priced at £85 for the Urban King Room and breakfast which I feel is fantastic value for money as I have paid £100 for other Birmingham hotels for just the room. Let’s not forget about the quirky perks now when you stay at this hotel such as having the luxury of renting polaroid cameras and making your stay as fun as possible especially with your furry friends as the hotel is proud of its pet friendly policy. Aloft Eastside has quickly become one of my top 5 hotels to stay in Birmingham, the staff here are fantastic and really went to great lengths to make sure our stay was positive and memorable. Aloft is bold, eccentric and dares to be different. We need more hotels like that in Birmingham.
To book your stay please click hereand to see more of the hotel please check out my reel of the Hotel here
Rosa’s Thai Cafe is yet another London restaurant crossing over to the North and opening in Birmingham, we are the second city after all and causing quite a stir on the culinary scene. Rosa’s was founded by Chef Saiphin and serves up ‘award-winning authentic Thai food that is bold on flavour’. I adore Thai cuisine so of course, I was very excited to try this out.
Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.
Located in the heart of the new Paradise Circus, this is the first Rosa’s Cafe to open in the Midlands. First impressions were at odds with every other Thai restaurant I’ve been too. The decor was understated, the atmosphere pretty vacant – but then again it was a Tuesday night in the cafe’s second week of opening.
My sister and I decided to order several starter plates: crispy prawns, summer rolls, honey-marinated pork skewers, sweetcorn cakes and the obligatory prawn crackers. The portion sizes were decent, the colours were vibrant, and everything looked appealing to the eye. Lets start with what we did like: the crispy prawns were fresh and fragrant and the sweet chilli dip provided a welcome zing. The honey-marinated pork skewers were tender and juicy – a plate I would definitely recommend. Unfortunately, the rest of the dishes were disappointing. There was way too much sweetcorn than cake in the patties and virtually no seasoning. Now I know summer rolls are supposed to be served cold but are summer rolls supposed to give you brain freeze? Biting into one of these was like biting into a choc ice that’s been sitting in your mum’s freezer since 2005. Refreshing maybe but again, bland as fuck.
Luckily the mains were a bigger hit. I ordered the stir-fried beef with black pepper sauce and sticky rice. The beef was full of flavour albeit it a little on the chewy side and the sauce was just glorious drizzled over the sticky rice and scooped up with a prawn cracker. My sister ordered the fried aubergine and confirmed it was sweet, salty and moreish. It was probably the most authentic dish we picked.
The staff were very friendly and attentive, our server was fantastic and I couldn’t help but feel bad when he asked us about the half-eaten plates on our table. Admittedly my sister and I messed up by ordering mostly deep-fried dishes to start. By the time the mains came we were rubbing our tummies and exhaling like labouring women.
Unfortunately for me, Rosa’s Thai Cafe was disappointing. I felt it was lacking the flavours and spice Thai food is famous for. Where was the spice?! I felt I could have gone to another chain such as Sabai Sabai and experienced bolder flavours. After visiting Thailand and tasting authentic Thai cuisine I don’t think Rosa’s comes close. For a quick working lunch maybe – as I said, the service was excellent – but for an evening meal with friends or family it’s a strong no. I understand there can be teething problems in the first couple of weeks so I might try it later in the year, but I’m definitely not in a rush.
I’ll be honest I wanted to love it. It’s in a great spot and the cafe itself is light, breezy and welcoming. But the absence of flavour in its dishes means that Rosa’s might well be overshadowed by others in the city centre who deliver a more authentic Thai experience
Last year I did a post on some of my favourite spots in Birmingham to take my camera, nearly a year has passed and, there is no surprise that there are even more spots in Birmingham to snap! This year I haven’t really been out a lot due to CO-VID ( as the same for every one else!) isolating for two-three months wore my creativity down until I had the green light to go back to work in Birmingham. I spent one day just walking around Birmingham and I couldn’t believe there were so many locations that I have never discovered before… From Digbeth to Chinatown, when it comes to photography, Birmingham is the perfect City to imagine and create. Some spots I found don’t even look like your in Birmingham but, more so you’re in Paris, Japan or maybe even a futuristic Birmingham, Yes Birmingham is a pretty fantastic city for creatives to CREATE and take imagination/creativity to the next level! Here’s just a few new spots that I have found that you may want to check out yourselves AND use them for photo opportunities!
I have mentioned quite a few businesses in this post that are great for photographers (very open to letting photographers in and doing shoots) HOWEVER please ask before you snap AND, don’t just snap and dash! I always ask permission and, I like to give back, buy a drink/some grub and remember to tag them in your photos!
CHINA TOWN/BATH PASSAGE
Located in China Town(right next to China Court takeaway) Bath Passage is full of amazing street art by the talented Gent 48. Bath Passage has become one of my favourite places to do photoshoots in the City! Making my photos POP and stand out!
VICTORIA SQUARE FOUNTAINS
Now covered in lavender blooms making photos pop with gorgeous lilac colours, victoria square over the years seems to be coming along quite nicely! I usually take many of the bloggers here for photoshoots and take photos against the lavender, also the architecture on the Town Hall is pretty cool to shoot against.
THE MAILBOX
The Mailbox is a lovely setting for a photo shoot with beautiful interior and stunning view’s of The Canal and The Cube It’s especially beautiful at Christmas time when they put up all the lights and the Christmas tree, really gets you in the Christmas mood and creates beautiful festive photos!
Looking for somewhere to stop off for coffee? why about stopping off for coffee and tuck into a delicious brunch as well as getting in a few more photos? Located just underneath the bridge from The Cube to The Canals (on way to Brindley Place) you will find Cocoa By Ali. A very popular spot for bloggers to snap with all the beautiful pink interior and blooms but don’t just Snap and Dash, this place has some beautiful and delicious dishes on offer for you try too (definitely recommend the french toast :P)
TOP OF THE CUBE/HOTEL INDIGO
So you can either buy a room with a view for the night or head on up to Marco Pierre White’s restaurant on 25th Floor for a pretty cool panoramic view of Birmingham. Beautiful in the day and beautiful at night, take your pick! The shot is going to be awesome any time of day.
And let’s not forget about the bottom of The Cube where you can get some pretty epic low angle shots of the “uplifted” sculpture. At Christmas time The Cube’s Christmas tree appears and it’s a lovely sight to snap!
DIGBETH/STREET ART/VENUES
Home of the future creatives, an ultimate favourite of mine and I bet it is of soo many other photographers as well! It’s like the upside-down of Birmingham, endless possible shots to take in this colourful area full of talented street artist’s work, with exciting possibilities for all creatives. Everyone knows I love Digbeth, the one reason why I love it so much is it’s always changing, there is always something new around the corner. New artwork, new venue’s, new opportunities for creatives to get stuck in and exhibit their talents. Of course, one of my favourite walls in Digbeth is The NightOwl, retro, cool and just makes a killer backdrop.
Let’s talk about the venues where you can get some awesome shots:
FloodGate Birmingham: Full of Neon, quirky artwork and rammed with photographers. I see photoshoots going on in there all the time so photographers are welcome to create!
NQ64: NQ64 to me is like stepping back in time, into the 80s, Stranger Things style. Glow in the dark, street art and retro gaming, what’s not to love?
Birdies Bar: Tropical vibes, fantastic for those cocktail photos!
Zumhof Biergarten: Quirky and different, Digbeths very only little Glastonbury, take a few photos here and convince your pals your THAT BITCH.
SELFRIDGES CAR PARK: TOP LEVEL
I am always on the hunt for views of the City, on the Selfridges car park I have view’s of Digbeth way and up-close views of the Bullring which is pretty stunning at night!
BRINDLEY PLACE/CANALS
Take a walk amongst the canals towards the Utilita Arena and, you will come across bridges with floral just like the bridges in Amsterdam layered with bikes, Birmingham to Amsterdam and I didn’t have to get the EURO?!…BARGAIN!
The trees in Brindley Place by Ikon are a must in the Spring and Autumn, The beautiful pink blossom is to die for and, then in the Autumn the splash of orange from the Autumn leaves create’s stunning images!
THE BOTANICAL WALLS
These walls make fantastic backdrops for photoshoots and you will find them near Grand Central and Snowhill Station! I use these a lot with my blogger and couple photoshoots and they always make awesome photos!
GRAND CENTRAL TOP LEVEL CAR PARK
The car park for Grand Central is amazing to take photos of The Rotunda and John Lewis (RIP!) Its an open-top car park and its on the top level, and you can grab Grand Central and The Rotunda in one shot!
GREAT WESTERN ARCADE
In my last blog, I hardly touched on the Great Western Arcade and, for most of this year, it has been the number one place for me to do photoshoots. A very popular location for photographers and it’s perfect for a couple’s photoshoot especially engagement/wedding day photoshoot’s in which, the scenery is just simply stunning to capture!
A few new neighbours have arrived since the last blog post including the very vibrant Pineapple Club. Neon, botanical, and just oozing Beverly Hills hotel-style makes it a beautiful place for those blogger/model photos as well of course, for dining and having a cocktail or two with friends.
JEWELLERY QUARTER/ST PAULS CHURCH
Unfortunately due to CO-VID I had to cancel my family shoots in Birmingham, ST Pauls Church in the Jewellery Quarter was going to be the first location as it’s so beautiful especially in Autumn with all the leaves, just look at those beautiful Autumn colours! I always find it such a peaceful location to photograph and there is just so much you can do with it!
MOOR STREET STATION/EPIC SHOTS OF THE BULLRING
Moor Street to me is one of the most beautiful train stations I have ever stepped foot in, every time I am there my mind is flooded with happy childhood memories coming to this station. The beautiful victorian interior, the old school feel you get it almost transports me back to being a child thinking I was going on some amazing holiday (that holiday being just Solihull for Christmas shopping) and the amazing photo opportunities make its quite a fabulous location for photoshoots. I mainly come to Moor Street to catch the train to Leamington Spa(usually platform 3 or 4) but, I also come here to get some fantastic shots of The Bullring too!
EDGBASTON/ THE EDGBASTON HOTEL
The Edgbaston Hotel is well-known for its beautiful Art deco interior design and especially at Christmas, where many call it “The house with the Bow that everyone wants!” Around Christmas time I will often walk past and find people outside taking photos of this gorgeous house, however, it’s even more gorgeous inside! I would 100% recommend to book for Christmas and get into the Christmas spirit and snap some beautiful seasonal photos for the gram!
It’s been a while since I last visited this medieval market Town, my last visit I can recall being smacked in the face by butterflies, smelling what only can be described as “shite” through holes in the wall (in some bizarre Museum) and having to be dragged out of charity shops because I couldn’t stop buying ugly jackets. I haven’t exactly created a perfect picture for Stratford-upon-Avon however this visit is definitely a bit more appealing, I promise! My best friend and I decided to go for a bit of a girly day out, featuring a hell of a lot of banging bites, booze, and bitching…What do you expect? We are Girls…
Oozing history, beautiful architecture, and fabulous independents, and let’s not forget about the generous offering of attractions for families, great boozers for the tired parents, and picturesque parks for those who just want a bit of peace of quiet. Yes, Stratford-upon-Avon is the perfect day out.The Town Centre is just under a 10-minute walk from the station, and a lovely walk it is with medieval architecture, flowers in bloom, and fantastic shops to do a bit of window shopping.
When we arrived we were feeling a little bit peckish so we headed to The Cornish Bakery on Henley Street, a lovely little Bakery that is well presented offering a selection of pastries and hot drinks that you can take away or dine outside in their outdoor seating area (currently no seating inside due to Co-Vid) I went for a Cornish Pastie with sweet potato and feta, god it was beautiful. The coffee tasted great and the staff there are generally very friendly there A great start!
We next went for a little walk around the Town, down some quiet streets full of pretty doors that you would see plastered all over Instagram and Pinterest. The weather was so hot, literally was gasping for a drink every five minutes so we thought…BEER. We headed to The Rose & Crown pub (Part of Greene King pubs) which is a lovely traditional pub with quite the quirky outdoor seating area with a cool-ass barn in the back. very spacious, great drink selection (especially Ales) and a relaxing atmosphere, no old rowdy men here. The pub also serves food which we didn’t order but looked great, its dog-friendly, Table service, and all CO-VID measures are in place, so I felt very safe in there. I went for quite the large Abbott Ale that went down a treat.
Next, we went on another walk around the town popping into some independents, brought a gorgeous vintage bag from Razzle Dazzle in The Courtyard which is a beautiful quirky little vintage shop with very appealing prices! full of vintage attire, jewellery, and I also spotted a few hideous jackets that I just bloody adore. Stratford-upon-Avon is home to a lot of amazing Bakery independents such as York’s, Daisy blue, and MOR Bakery. I hear the Cruffin’s at MOR Bakery are out of this world so of course, I had to pop in and order one. I wouldn’t say they are out of this world but my god, they are out of this bloody UNIVERSE! Say hello to peanut butter and jelly cruffin. Inside MOR Bakery was pretty busy however they now have a take-out hatch where you can order take out coffee and bakes such as cruffin’s!
For lunch, we decided to go to The Fourteas on Sheep Street which is a beautiful 1940s tea room, if you are a lover of all things vintage you will love it here! Tuck into an afternoon tea surrounded by 1940’s decor accompanied by 40’s music. We sat outside on a beautiful little terrace outside that definitely came in handy in this heat! Feeling quite full from the ale, I decided to go for a light lunch opting for the frittata Zenios with chorizo and feta cheese. A very tasty dish that just did the trick of filling me up and giving me the energy to venture on yet another walk around the Town! I clocked the afternoon tea on the table behind us that looked pretty good so when I next come to Stratford it would be lovely to try it out!
We went for a walk around the River and I have to say as it was such a lovely day it was pretty packed. Full of families, couples, and so on, but all were keeping to social distancing rules. We did want to hire a boat however the queue was just way too big and waiting in this heat was not something I wanted to do. We sat on the bank of the river and admired the beautiful scenery.Most of the museums were shut but it didn’t really matter because there was still plenty to do and plenty of things to try…like more alcoholic beverages?
Onto the next pub, which is the very popular Actors pub called Dirty Duck, known to be popular with some of the theatre’s Actors/Actresses (They have a wall in the pub with all the actor’s pictures who have visited The Dirty Duck) The front was pretty packed out but they had a quiet little beer garden at the back in which we soaked up the sun in sipping on some Pimms! The service was great, the staff were very friendly and kudos to them for creating a safe environment to eat/drink in. Very popular pub so you may want to book a table before you visit!.
On the way back to the train station we popped into a few more independents and quite frankly some bizarre shops such as the all-season Christmas shop. The Harry Potter shop is a must-visit for true Harry Potters fans full packed full of HP merchandise for you to get your hands on even your very own wand! We walked past Shakespeare’s birthplace which was pretty impressive to see but, of course, we couldn’t go in due to Co-vid.
All that was left was a 40-minute train ride back to Birmingham! A day well spent trying out new independents, cooling down with booze, and soaking up the sun looking out on beautiful surroundings. Please see the list of independents/pubs we tried out below and if you would like to know any more information please just comment below!
The last couple of months have been challenging, from no rules to rules, restrictions, and penalties. I have been dreaming about this day for a long while since the start of lockdown I would kick myself daily the number of times I would wake up in the morning and moan about going into Birmingham for work. Now, we can finally see the light at the end of this long and confusing tunnel, sometimes I still think Did it actually happen? restrictions are being lifted, the number of deaths are falling, and it seems, most of us are getting our smiles back. It’s been challenging but now, we are almost at the finish line, but we must stick with our strategy and still be alert. So, I thought as everything is easing up a bit, it was the right time to reunite with Birmingham, to see my cousin, and to roam through our awesome city. Would it feel like Brum? what’s changed? Will it feel normal? Am I safe? All these questions were running through my mind and a lot of you have the same questions too responding to my IG stories last week. So, I thought I would put a post together to answer those questions and give you a little glimpse of the Birmingham we all know and love.
On arriving in Birmingham it wasn’t quite the zombie apocalypse aftermath that I was expecting especially in the City Centre. I was expecting scenes from I am Legend, scrunched up rolling newspapers, empty stores, eagle-like birds patrolling the skies, and silence. What I got instead was the countdown to Christmas shopping scenes, it was like the scene’s out of The Grinch (without the explosion of Christmas decor) where all the who’s in Whoville are rushing to buy Christmas presents and carrying bags that are way too big for them- One lady had eight large bags, possibly smaller than me! People were going about their day and well, it looked like a normal “busy” day in Birmingham. Add in a couple of hand sanitiser stations, floor markings, and queues -(never thought I would see the day of people queuing up for Poundland), but other than that, it was normal until you walk past Primark…
AVOID PRIMARK
There’s me, laughing at all these sad people waiting to get into Primark on the first day of reopening, I said: “Look at all those people lining up for shit Disney merch, fluffy flip flops and face wipes, have they not heard of online shopping?” However, I find myself queueing outside Primark for £2.50 sunglasses, face wipes, and pants…You Tit Amy Langston. However, I came away with ZERO and an almighty headache. What’s social distancing like in Primark? Well, It doesn’t exist Bab. There were floor markings and hand sanitiser stations but social distancing? Out the bloody window on the way to the bloody North Pole! It just does not exist here, someone sees a bargain and another person sees the same bargain and then you find yourself walking past two people who are fighting over the last pair of Disney pants. I couldn’t believe it, I had people brushing past me, and why is it every time you go to Primark there is always someone up your arse?
Take my advice, if you really need your basic bitch wardrobe, just shop on eBay, most of the fashion in there looks like it came out in the 90’s so just hit the charity shops instead. I have to admit I didnt feel that safe in there and I wouldnt recommend to go just yet.
DIGBETH
Now Digbeth was a bit of a ghost town, it was 1 pm and no one was about just business owners having their meetings and the one group of builders eating their sorry wife’s lunches. Many businesses in Digbeth are not open, I know this week they will be so there is a lot of meetings taking place implementing safety procedures and so on. It’s so strange because whenever I am in Digbeth it’s absolutely thriving with creatives, you always bump into a street artist, photographer, or a tv crew. However, what’s so nice to see is the street art and some added additions to this colorful urban village. The blue NHS heart sign, the Hope artwork, and the massive Co-vid wall art, all are very impressive. Businesses such as Birdies, Ghetto Golf, The Night Owl and so on are all closed still, but I still couldn’t hold my excitement of walking past these once lively places and reminiscing of my drunken times there “Oh look that’s where I found a Marks and Spencer’s sandwich!” They may be closed for now but boy, the memories are still alive and well
Digbeth felt very safe, even walking past people they were keeping their distance. Also, we walked past a few venues that had builders inside so I am guessing there are going to be a few new neighbors moving into Digbeth!!
We decided to walk through China Town and the Gay Quarter which was pretty quiet, no one was about even checking out some of the street art in which, you would see one or two photographers there but it was deserted. I got to check out Bath passage in which you might have seen on social media as it had a new lick of paint…as in a lot of lick of paint! The artwork is incredible and what an amazing background for a photoshoot! If you want to check this out and not too sure where about it is, it’s off Ladywell Walk, right next door to the Cantonese Restaurant.
COFFEE SHOPS
A couple of coffee shops we walked past in Brum had queues outside such as Faculty and Java, Everyone was keeping their distance and I saw one or two employees standing outside making sure people were too., We headed to 200 Degrees which was completely empty, so weird, this place is always packed out! Social distancing procedures have been put in place in 200 Degree (floor markings, sanatizer stations) and I felt very safe in there ordering my drink. Instead of opting for the coffee I went for their summer drinks range and opted for a summer berry smoothie which was mighty refreshing as it was bloody hot as hell day! And do you know whats nice to see? smiles, Its’ nice to see that the impact of the virus hasn’t broken employees’ spirits, There are still smiles a bout.
FOOD
I know a couple of café/restaurants were open for collection, so we just decided to download the UberEATS app instead of going on the hunt for food (best option if you still feel a bit on edge) We ordered from a much loved Brummie favourite-Bonehead. “It’s not going to be the same” well you can shove that comment down your pie hole because it was just as good as eating in their restaurant! fried to perfection chicken dipped into a smoky mayonnaise sauce with waffle fries, SENSATIONAL. Ordered and ready to be collected within 20 minutes, now that some serious service in a pandemic! We decided to head to the Mailbox and chill out by the canal. It was bizarre, I am uset to seeing this place so full of life, it was quiet, really quiet. I have to say it was so lovely to sit on the canals and eat our food, it took me back to my time in Amsterdam the sun was blaring down on us, the food was delicious and the sound of water splashing against the canal walls was someway therapeutic. I think that was the most chilled out I’ve been in the last four months
KIDSARE BLOODY EVERYWHERE
Walking from The Cube towards the Birmingham Library it was starting to get a little bit busier, the tram was running, the fountains outside the library were surrounded by kids and families and sunbathers all huddled around each other. It was like anaimals gathering round the watering hole on a hot day, it was packed out! Another negative and I am sorry parents but its children. I understand that some kids can be little bastards sometimes I know, I uset to be one BUT we are in a pandemic if your kid runs up to a random kid and licks their face don’t just ignore it, DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILD. I’m pretty sure if that was me going up to some random and licking their face I am most likely to get a well-deserved punch or end up in a cell for the night. The kids were knocking into all kinds of people, god knows what the parents fed them that day but it’s a worrying sight to see because of course, they are putting themselves and others in danger. Now, that doesnt apply to all children,I also saw some good eggs on that day sitting quietly or just playing with their Mothers but the Scallys need to be told.
New buildings, new businesses are popping up near the Birmingham Museum, The Dishroom terrace was something new and I could see new signage for restaurants opening soon to Birmingham where Paradise Forum once was. It’s good to know that we are still heading for the future here in Brum.
A lot quieter by the big Mama statue, few people around but all spaced out reading books, drinking their Starbucks, and sunbathing. Walking towards the Bullring/Grand Central was where it started to get very busy again, queues for the apple store, music blaring, and performers still performing..
I understand we are still learning and adapting but there are some players that don’t want to abide by the rules. Like it or not, we are a team at the moment, we are all in this together. Birmingham is on its way back returning to full glory, the businesses are cooperating but the public…not so much. Did I feel safe? yes in some areas of Brum, the shopping centres not so much. There were gang’s of kids and families of eight or more shopping near the Bullring without a care in the world if they brush past you. If your really worried about Co-vid I would advise to just avoid the shopping centres in Birmingham for a bit as I was really taken back at how selfish some shoppers are, It honestly felt like I was invisible to them.
I am not going to lie, I am quite worried about the re-opening of pubs today, I do think it will be absolute carnage. There are a lot of selfish people out there who only care about themselves and how much booze is in their liver. They are not going to like being told what they can or can not do, and If you are one of those people, just get pissed at home save someone the headache that’s working their ass off to pay bills to look after a chump like you. If you are heading out this weekend and thinking that it’s going to be “a mad night on the town with the lads” then you are sadly mistaken. Have a laugh, have a drink, bloody smile of course, but don’t just go out to get completely rat arsed because you can easily just do that at home? These independent businesses have struggled in the last couple of months, many business owners have woken up daily wondering if they are going to survive, some businesses owners are excited yet absolutely terrified for this weekend so please, understand. Be sensitive, and be kind. Remember, we are nearly at the finish line, focus, and we will succeed.
So, this is the part of the holiday where it gets a little bit out of control…I mean like almost dying on speedboats in the middle of nowhere and seeing certain objects that should never be taken out or even associated with a vagina, out of control.
If your reading this then I am guessing you enjoyed part 1 of the madness Jessica and I experienced in Thailand, but it doesn’t stop there at Chiang Mai, I mean, have you not heard what happens in Phuket? Trust me it’s not all madness, but I don’t think we actually prepared ourselves for the madness that Phuket had to offer. So here goes part two, again I have put together a blog post with lots of photos, hilarious stories and recommendations. We travelled from Chiang Mai to Phuket and some of the Islands. If there is anything that has caught your eye and wants to know more about just send me a comment and I’ll be happy to give you more information! Other than that, I hope I don’t disgust you too much.
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE PHUKET…HOLD ON TO YA KNICKERS!
After a very tight and sweaty flight from Chiang Mai, we finally arrived in Phuket and jumped into the nearest taxi we could find. The taxi guy proceeded to get more and more people into the taxi with us, it was like a bloody school trip, but we met a couple of them and decided to go out in Phuket. After an hour in a sweaty taxi, we finally arrived at the hotel which was a 4-star spa resort called Deevana Patong where we had a cute little bungalow to ourselves and was completely surrounded by lots of BUSH. It was around 8 pm and we headed to the famous strip in Phuket-Patong Beach. Now if you haven’t heard of Patong Beach, just imagine the strip in Malia but on a larger scale, more wild with half-naked women dancing to The Weekend, lights flashing so much they could give anyone an epilepsy fit, theatrical grand entrances to clubs and signs smacking of your face offering half-price sex shows and of course, a good time. The weirdest thing about this strip was that families were walking up and down carrying pushchairs and holding on to their clueless little kids who would just point at the bright lights. So innocent, what they don’t know is that the bright light that they are pointing at actually belongs to a strip club. As Jess and I were walking up the strip we noticed the two lads we met in the taxi, they took everyone’s numbers and mentioned that they couldn’t get in touch with the other two girls…hmmm. Anyway, we thought let’s give this Patong Beach a bloody go! So, we ordered in the shots, we ordered in the buckets and we pretty much ordered whatever the hell we wanted because it’s so dirt cheap out here, it was like getting pissed royally. The drinks started to kick in and we were all, how can I say it…. completely twatted. So, what do you do when you are so drunk and have lost respect for yourself?
You go see a ping pong show of course!
PING PONG SHOWS: “I HAVE NEVER PLAYED PING PONG WITH A VAGINA BEFORE”
So, the strip in Patong beach is just packed full of men and women holding up signs for ping pong shows, you simply can’t miss them because you will most likely walk into about four of them in one minute. We approached one of the guys who was holding up a sign for the show, we told him we were interested, and he said “follow me” then proceeded to take us down one of the side alleys of the strip. I was pretty drunk, but I remember at the time thinking “Oh balls, this would be scary if I was sober right now” From the outside, it was honestly like a scene from Grand Theft Auto Vice City where your about to rob a hooker house. It was a house, a very big American-like house like X-men but of course, on a small scale. We walked in and entered this massive room with a stage with two naked women performing and Drake on blast.
You have to buy a drink, and they cost about £20 for one bottle of Corona but that’s your entrance, show, and drink fee, BUT YOU HAVE TO BUY ONE if not, your gone and especially if you get your phone out. Looking around you have a right mixture from old men to couples of all ages just watching the show with smiles and all. To be honest with you, strip clubs are not my thing, I went to Legs11 once and it just wasn’t my cup of tea, but the free chicken wings were, so that is the only positive I have to say about strip clubs. I don’t know if it’s because they all look miserable but I mean, come on, there is nothing to feel all hot and excited about when you are performing in front of a bunch of 60-year-old men dribbling over you and can’t even “make it rain” on your ass.
But Thai girls, they love it. They genuinely look like they love their job even if it does involve shoving a goldfish up their fanny. When we entered the club, the show seemed to get a little bit more exciting probably because the young lads we were with and me and Jessica were cheering them on. We also, “got involved” with the girls and what I mean by “getting involved” is quite literally getting involved in playing tennis with their vaginas… At one point watching Jessica go head to head with a vagina, You could have told me I was at Wimbledon watching a Tennis match, I would most likely believe you as I was that drunk…Next thing I know I was on all fours on the floor trying to figure out how they shove a Budgie bird up there and a string of razor blades?!! I think the girls were loving our side of the room as they kept trying to get us all to interact with them, how it didn’t end up in a full-blown orgy I will never know.
MEETING THE PING PONG GIRLS
So, with all the drink, I consumed…a girl gotta pee. So, I headed to the bathroom whilst everyone was waiting outside for me and I noticed two of the “Ping Pong” girls in there. They asked me if I enjoyed the show and of course, I asked them the million-dollar question ‘Where the hell do these objects go in your vagina?” of course they said something in Thai and I didn’t have a clue what it means but she made a hand gesture of almost like a vacuum cleaner up the Vag. God knows what that means, but they shook hands with me and walked out of the bathroom. I was on my way out of the club with the others and then I realised “Fuck, I just shook hands with them, and they had their hands up to their vaginas all night”
ISLAND HOPPING: TAKE A PILL, HOLD AND PRAY
So, Jessica and I grabbed a boat to get to some of the Islands in Phuket. We hopped on board a small speedboat with an open deck with seats, when we were about to set off the driver said, “Whoa no one is leaving without taking an anti-sickness tablet” Yes, the Andaman Sea is not full of treasure, it’s full of puke.
We went on the top deck of the boat…what a mistake because we took off and everyone on the top deck was thrown like rag dolls, Jess and I were holding on for dear life and some people, well were just completely out of it…
This was a complete stranger falling asleep on Jess’s shoulder….
DID I DIE AND WAKE UP FAMOUS?!
After an hour on the bumpiest ride of my life, we finally managed to check out a couple of the Islands. We saw Maya Bay and waved to Leonardo DiCaprio, jumped into paddle boats and went through the sea caves of Koh Talu, sunbathed in Koh Bon and went scuba diving! We also went to Khao Phing Kan known as “James Bond Island” now, I have been doing some research on this and still don’t know the reason why we had multiple people coming up to me and Jessica asking for selfies. I was just minding my own business taking a photo of that weirdly shaped rock and I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned around and it was a group of guys asking if they could have a picture of me. I was so confused but agreed to do it as they seemed really innocent, but then after that, another guy came up to me with his WIFE?! Asking for a photo. I was thinking has something happened back home that I don’t know about. Am I millionaire walking round like I don’t have a bloody clue or are they getting mixed up with someone else? Weirdly enough Jess came over to me and was experiencing the same thing. We were only on the island for an hour, but it was the most bizarre hour of my life. I don’t have a clue what they have done with those photos, I might be on some Thai wife for sale website for all I know, that would explain the weird “Guywithhugedick wants to send you a message” emails I keep getting ever since.
THE ISLAND FULL OF CATS AND BIRDS
Another bizarre Island was Ko Panyi which is amazingly built on stilts! You might recognise this Village if you have watched “Jack Whitehall’s travels with my father” with the floating football pitch which was pretty cool to see. As we were walking around it had like these dingy little areas which we had to question ourselves if we were actually allowed to go down as it was part of people’s houses. Cats were roaming everywhere, never seen so many cats in my life and there were hundreds of these little birds in cages hanging up. They have a school, police station, health center and mosque on that tiny island which is bizarre because people are going about their day and then you just see tourists taking pictures of them, a very bizarre experience, not too sure I would like experience again.
The one thing I will say is Thailand’s strippers are so friendly, they want to include you in the fun and to be honest this one stripper that was dancing, I don’t think she even cared about the money because she just demanded girls to get up and dance with her. I was drunk but I wasn’t “lets dance with my tits out” drunk yet so I was just her little cheerleader on the side but fair play to Jess she got up there, although it kind of reminded me of a constipated hamster on a pole…Sorry, Jess haha but no one cared, it was fun! We got to play snooker with even more randoms, share these buckets that took me back to the sharing jugs in Weatherspoons and we all just let our hair down whatever problems we had back at home they were gone for this night. Even bashing a nail on the head with a hammer was fun? Yes, it’s a drinking game over in Thailand that could but luckily didn’t end up nasty, even the bartenders were getting involved and throwing drinks at us, and some for free.
That night Jess and I got separated from each other. I found myself jumping into a rooftop pool at 2 am in the morning and sharing a kiss with one of the guys who we met on the way to Phuket. Although it maybe wasn’t the best time to get close to someone as I split up with my boyfriend of 7 years and was completely clueless if I was okay to do this sort of thing (me being a stupid girl) I’m glad I did, it could have gone further but it didn’t because I’m just not that girl who has one night stands and moves on so quickly plus I was still thinking about him. I was so lucky that night because I could have found myself in a situation where the lad could have turned around and said “no, you are not leaving and we are going to have sex” but he fully understood I was so confused and hurt by the situation back home. We chilled out, talked and then he helped me get home.
DON’T EAT SALADS
After all the junk food we consumed, I just wanted something nice and refreshing like a salad. We found this lovely little restaurant in the town and although I got my salad, I also got a little something extra as well…The shits. Oh my goodness, I have never run so fast for the toilet in my life, luckily we got back and I was outside, Jess was inside sleeping and I just remember thinking “I do not feel good” and running for the toilet, good lord I think the whole of Thailand came out of me that night. Whatever you do in Thailand, just make sure you don’t eat a salad over there.
It was finally time to say goodbye to Thailand and I remember staring at the sunset in Phuket airport waiting to catch our flight home. I remember thinking I don’t want to go home; I knew what was facing me and I just didn’t want to be an adult and deal with it yet. The grieving process of a relationship ending, a job that I am not fussed about, and really, reality. So many hilarious and amazing memories with my cousin on that holiday, memories that make great stories to tell those who are feeling down and will guarantee to get some giggles. I miss the Thai coffee that gave us the shits, the beautiful and the not so beautiful scenery we would wake up to, the unwelcomed visitors (Lizards) that at the time was terrifying but looking back comedy gold and just living the best life with my best friend Jess. I think Thailand was the start of learning to love myself and I was starting to figure out what I wanted in life, and it will always be a holiday that opened my eyes and finally realising what I want in life. A big thank you to Jess for coming with me, she knew I was down, and she knew I needed it so much and it did help, Thailand I’ll never forget you and your bloody mad ways!
“Have you ever played ping pong with a vagina before?”
Well, it’s not the best start to 2020, is it? for many holiday seekers relying on that booked holiday to finally relax, top up their tans and maybe even find love, are sadly having to cancel their 2020 treat due to the outbreak of CO-VID 19. Yes, corona, you have well and truly buggered 2020 “The year that was going to be my year,” said the so many millions of people that say the same quote every year. However, let’s not take this as a negative because this year could be the year to reflect, plan and save for 2021.
I find that as you get older the time just flies by and sometimes you just don’t have the time to sit down with yourself and think “Okay, what do I want to do?” I am finding whilst I am self-isolating, that I have all the time in the world to think, thoughts that have never crossed my mind are now quite common in the past week and of course, memories. I was flicking through my phone and came across my Thailand photographs in which I started laughing straight away because I remember before I went to Thailand I felt very down about life, and I just wanted to escape Birmingham for two weeks with my cousin Jess. The memories we made, the experiences we experienced, and my god, the laughs we had. I looked back at the photos in which I am gleaming, I look so happy and you wouldn’t think I just came out of a seven-year relationship with someone who I thought I was going to marry. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone, and Thailand was just that because I never fancied Thailand! a couple of my friends went before me and I would think “Why the hell would you want to go to a place like that?!” but soon as I got off that 12-hour flight, Thailand threw everything at me from condom restaurants (Yes for real), sex shows, to walking amongst beautiful temples and elephants. I learnt a lot from Thailand, and it’s a destination I would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat and so, if you’re gutted about your holiday being cancelled in Spain why not step out of your comfort zone and explore Thailand?
So I have put together a blog post with lots of photos, hilarious stories and recommendations. We travelled to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket so there is a lot to get through so there is going to be a part 2. If there is anything that has caught your eye and want to know more about just send me a comment and I’ll be happy to give you more information! Other than that I hope I don’t disgust you too much.
BANGKOK- WHERE WE ALMOST GOT ARRESTED
When we first arrived in Bangkok, we arrived with a bang…quite literally. It was like a scene you would see in a cartoon, we got off our 12-hour flight, grabbed our suitcases and headed to the escalators to get out of Bangkok Airport. We stepped onto the escalators (no steps) and missed the sign to hold onto our luggage- well my cousin Jess did, because the next thing I heard was the loudest screeching ever, so loud that the whole of the airport looked our way with panic expressions. I looked forward and I just see this suitcase running away from Jess and her running after it down the escalator. I couldn’t stop laughing and what was worse is that I needed the toilet so bad, I was having to control my bowels whilst laughing. The suitcase was heading towards these two doors made out of glass and I remember thinking “Oh shit, we are going to get arrested” the suitcase slammed of the glass doors, the sound was honestly like a bomb had gone off but luckily the doors never smashed. Jess grabbed the suitcase where security was standing looking very unimpressed. A close call to getting arrested and sharting but a moment I’ll never forget.
CABBAGES & CONDOMS- THE CONDOM RESTAURANT
I remember coming across this restaurant online thinking “This is not real! It’s got to be a joke?” so when we jumped out of our Tuk-Tuk and saw the sign and light shades made out of condoms, We knew instantly that this is going to be the weirdest dining experience we will ever experience in our lives. Just imagine condoms everywhere, floating in the sky, on the tables, mannequins and flowers made out of them, it got to the point I was starting to imagine dicks as well. The restaurant has a mission to help prevent sexually transmitted diseases and Hey, I thought I was just here for food but found myself in a sex-ed class reading of all the information boards on what you should and should not swallow. The food is pretty basic, but the springs rolls are pretty amazing, but I just kept catching the 100 condom light shades staring at me whilst eating and I couldn’t finish my rolls as I was thinking about dicks again. A very surreal experience and to our amusement when we paid for the bill, I was expecting some complimentary mints that you usually get at a Thai restaurant but nope, they gave us complimentary condoms instead.
MASSAGE- WITH AN ADDED CHEEKY FINGER
Okay, so we all know about the happy ending massage parlours in Thailand so can you imagine my face when I ask for a traditional massage and got more than what I asked for?! We went to some random parlour on the street in Bangkok, didn’t look into it but we were so desperate for a massage. They first scrubbed our feet then took us to this pitch-black room upstairs with two mattresses on the floor and told us to remove our clothes. We didn’t think much of it at first as it was just two middle-aged women plus, we have never had a Thai massage, so we did as what we were told and removed our clothes. This woman I had was pretty good she poured oil down my back and was rubbing all the knots out, from my neck to my feet however as she was gliding back up with the oil she got to my bum and well she, did me over didn’t she?! The crafty fucker slipped a finger in where no fingers shall ever go again, it was like 5 seconds, but I kept fighting with myself thinking if it happened or not. Soon as the women left I turned to Jess literally gobsmacked “I just lost my finger in bum virginity” We couldn’t stop laughing, Jess said her lady straddled her and kept thrusting her vagina in her bum, we couldn’t get out of there quick enough but my back felt great after so I’ll give her that.
CHIANG MAI- WHERE WE ALMOST GOT EATEN ALIVE.
Chiang Mai was one of my favourite places in Thailand although we had a lot of run-ins with the wildlife there, some good and some bad. One of the nights, we decided to take a look at The Night Bazaar which has everything from furniture to crocodile on a stick. On the way back we decided to get a Tuk-Tuk halfway then walk home. As we were walking past an alley, we could hear some growling, we looked down and there was a group of wild dogs. Now, these are not the dogs you get back home, they are almost mutated, dribbling and covered in wounds, not a pretty sight. They clocked us, then they started barking and charged at us. I have never run so fast in my life; I did not want to get eaten alive by dogs even if they are one of my favourite animals. The night didn’t stop there, as we were running a couple of rats decided it was a marathon and ran in front of us, so we screamed some more and increased our speed. When we got back to the hotel which was in the middle of the jungle, we felt so relieved until what I can only describe as a massive lizard orgy on our door to our room, the audacity of these big fuckers out here.
ELEPHANT NATURE PARK- A TRULY REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE
So, there is a lot of negativity when it comes to animal welfare with Thailand and especially with elephants. A lot of these horror stories you hear from elephants forced to dance to the public, carrying logs up mountains and working as beggars on the streets are sadly true. The biggest con of all is these “sanctuary’s” that make you believe that they are taking care of the elephants but when they close the doors after you leave it’s a different story. So, Jess and I did some research into legit sanctuary’s for elephants and the elephant nature park came up founded by Lek Chailert who has dedicated her life to rescuing abused elephants and is one of Asia’s heroes for animal welfare. Before you arrive you are educated in these amazing animals and how they are abused all over the world, you get to know some of the nature parks elephants stories but when you see the elephants now you wouldn’t have thought they had such a tragic past. They are chasing each other, flapping their ears and are free. No bull hooks are allowed in the nature park, each elephant has a keeper to look after them and you can see the incredible bond, they all have.
One elephant that I just fell in love with and had a tragic story was Jokia, Her story is very upsetting-Warning senstive content -Jokia is a female elephant who worked in the log trade. She suffered a miscarriage while pulling a log uphill and was not allowed to stop working to see if her calf was dead or alive. This event cause Jokia extreme physical and emotional trauma and she refused to go back to work. As a result, she was deliberately blinded in both eyes on two separate occasions by different owners.
Jokia has two best friends Navann and Sri Prae who help guide her throughout the park with their trunks. We got to meet Jokia and Navann, Navann was holding on to Jokia and they couldn’t stop flapping their ears when we greeted them. She looked so happy, for a human to hurt her like that and not attack us as we approached just shows how strong spirited and beautiful these animals are.
I shall call him Bagheera and he shall be mine!
The elephant nature park is something that will stick with me for a long time, they have strict rules of no riding, no ball hooks, no bathing, no performing and no abusing them in any sort of way. To see free elephants, behave naturally rolling around in the mud with their friends, chasing one and other and just smiling was enough for me. We did get to feed the elephants watermelon, watch them bathe in the lake and give them a stroke. The Nature park also recuse dogs, cats, and buffaloes, they all roam freely in the park and there are hundreds of volunteers who work to support the park
If you are going to a “sanctuary” where the workers carry bull hooks, promote elephant rides and elephant shows, they are chained, or not informing you about the welfare of elephants then it’s not a sanctuary, you’re paying these people to carry on abusing them. It might look great for a photo you riding on an elephant but many of the elephants at the Nature Park sanctuary have had their backbones dislocated because of this, the workers who they had worked for won’t see this (well, refuse to acknowledge) and sadly will abuse them, even more, to carry on with broken bones to make money or they die.
If you are interested in finding more about the Park, please head over to the website here
Just the best Frappe Latte at Dek-Doi Cafe just down the street from The Eco Resort where we stayed,
The sort of things you will find at the Chiang Mai markets, Me and Jess were trying to work out for a good 10 minutes if the Croc was a real or not.
That’s it for part one of The Thailand Diaries, Part two will be next week and this part gets a little bit freaky with Ping Pong shows, dancing with strippers, and bumpy rides Baby– Oh god I’m so sorry Mom!
I was invited by Hit Birmingham to a Bloggers lunch to try out AC Hotel’s new Spanish taster lunch which they hope to go live with very soon. From spicy prawn spaghetti to Spanish omelettes with a spoonful of aioli, this sure was a Fantastica feast!
The AC hotel is located in the Mailbox on the ground floor and is neighbours to Zizzi Italian. The hotel offers a variety of spacious rooms with modern furnishings featuring everything you need for a comfortable night’s stay in a prime location for restaurants and bars. AC hotel also has a Starbucks for your early morning coffee runs and a restaurant where you can sit down for a buffet breakfast in the morning or indulge in a luxurious afternoon tea. At the moment AC Hotel only provide breakfast and afternoon tea options, considering the location, they are completely surrounded by some of the big boys in the lunchtime competition, therefore, they want to start offering light bites to workers on lunch breaks, commuters and of course, hotel guests.
I have been many times to this hotel to stay over and have eaten the breakfast, of course, I was over the moon receiving an invitation to try out their new Spanish inspired lunch menu. On arrival, I met with the other bloggers and we all sat down in the restaurant area which was very cosy on quite a big table that is great for large groups of people, plenty of room for food and snaps! We were all anticipating what was to come out of the kitchen however alcohol first! A selection of white and red wine sangria’s to taste which were very refreshing and full of ZING BABY! I could taste the red wine in it which is perfect for me, as I am red wines best friend so we get along just fabulously.
Next up was what we were all waiting for…the Spanish buffet. The Head Chef came out and talked us through the plates that they are looking to put on the menu and my, what a selection it is. A variety of wonderful dishes on offer made with fresh ingredients and comnpletly from scratch…this is no microwave job Bab. Below are the dishes that are on offer:
Garlic spicy prawn spaghetti
Spanish omelette with garlic Aioli
Spanish Mediterranean toast- serrano ham, tomato and manchego cheese
Spanish ratatouille with quails eggs
Chickpea hummus and chilli oil
Chicken meatballs in tomato sauce and garlic bread
Crème Brulee
Churros with chocolate
My favourite dishes had to be the chicken meatballs which just oozed with flavour and almost came across as that one snack you find out a Buffett party that you just gorge on all night until the host tells you its time to go. The omelette seemed to be a hit with everyone, it was just a shame that it was a small portion as I could have eaten about 10 of them! One dish that took me by surprise was the ratatouille with the quail’s egg which was absolutely delicious, cooked well and the yolk complemented the ratatouille which I was not expecting at all! The crème Brulee was so sensational that it made me question…did I die and go to heaven? It’s light, creamy, and definitely a winner! The churros I found were a little bit on the hard side but I am not too sure if this was because they were left on the table for too long but I am also not a big fan of them so I was not fussed.
Overall some fantastic Spanish inspired dishes that a lot of guests will feel spoilt for choice within a lovely hotel which deliver high-class service to its guests. The restaurant is very cosy, with a classy and sleek interior throughout including the service. The staff are very polite, hard-working and have an eye for an empty glass (no glass shall be left empty Senorita!) I would recommend you all to try out this fiesta of Spanish inspired dishes and drinks when it launches! In the meantime, why not treat yourself to a stay in the hotel? for just under £100 for a whale of a room which is SPOTLESS, with gorgeous canal views and a more than comfortable nights sleep. Everything you want for a short stay in Birmingham or as its soo nice a long stay…Just saying, I would happily opt for the suite life in AC Hotel.
A big thank you to Hit Birmingham the AC hotel for inviting me, please note this was a gifted experience.
If you are interested at staying/dining at The Ac Hotel- please check out the website here
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.
2019 was the year of discovery and finally venturing out into the world on my own. It was nice on Sunday to sit back and flick through all my photos from 2019 and seeing the drastic changes through imagery from the start of the year to the end of the year. I have learnt a few things about myself, but I have learned more about the city I live in, Birmingham. There is always going to be something new around the corner of this buzzing city whether it be a new venture, a new role model or a new Cronut. It’s crazy to think years ago I wanted to move out of Birmingham and move to London which would be such a bad move as
It’s not so much I don’t like people its the fact that I don’t like being surrounded by so many of them…
I hate the tube, everyone’s running in and out of the train like they need the toilet and have chronic diarrhoea
You have to pay every time you use a toilet or you have to pay for tap water…Christ, these are dark times we are living in.
Now I feel Birmingham is my home and I want to finally settle down here and be comfortable. I look forward to another year of discovery in my city but let’s just have a look back at the couple of things I discovered/did in 2019 in Birmingham.
CRONUTS
Our Birmingham bakers have gifted us the gift of the gods and they are called Cronuts. These little minxes come from The Medicine Bakery in the City Centre. They are baked to perfection, they are crispy and packed full of delicious filling that just oozes out creating a sensational mouth orgasm. Apologies for the pornographic chat, but take it from me, they are better than sex. Unfortunately for me, I introduced my mom to them so now every time I am in Birmingham which is 90% of the time I have to visit the Medicine Bakery and buy her a Cronut. I think she feels the same way too…
DIGBETH IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SPOTS IN BIRMINGHAM
last year I found myself going to Digbeth a lot more as I was doing a lot of blogger/model photoshoots in that location. I have found over the year that Digbeth just seems to grow bigger and better each year with more unique venues bursting with creativity and fun for all. Digbeth has become one of my favourite places to photograph, I can photograph kids, families, couples, bloggers and even dogs! The background is unique, its edgy, different and it makes my photos stand out. The place is crawling with not only photographers but videographers, music artists making their music videos, painters/graffiti artists, models and TV/film crews. Whether it’s a quiet sit down with a coffee at Kanteen or a buzzing night out with friends indulging in a variety of cuisines at Digbeth Dining Club, Digbeth caters for all and It’s kicking Shoreditch’s arse, period.
BIRDIES BAR- BLOODY GOOD GRUB AND BEST PLAYLIST IN ALL OF BIRMINGHAM
If you like Pina Coladas and awesome music, frigging delicious street food, palm trees, and well, a free holiday where you don’t have to get on a plane and pay the extra luggage fee, then escape to Birdies in Digbeth. This has become one of my favourite places in Birmingham to go out, day and night, its Birmingham’s very own tropical paradise. A place for all ages to mix and mingle over a cocktail, listen to some banging music ( Fleetwood Mac, Phil Collins, Catfish and the Bottlemen)and pretend they are on holiday for just a couple of hours. Intrigued? I did a review of Birdies back in October on the blog so check it out!
MY VERY FIRST GAY PRIDE
Last year I encountered my very first Gay Pride, it was full of colour, kissing, bondage and DRAG. Watching the parade and the number of people that came out to support and cheer on the people that were taking part was incredible to see. The costumes, the people and the zero fucks given is what I absolutely love about Gay Pride. It’s wild, it’s colourful and its ME! so it’s now become a tradition that I must go to Gay Pride every year with my glitter and my boobs.
THE PHOTOGRAPHY COMMUNITY
Photography credit to Rob Heath Photography and Exquisitevisualz
Last year we saw the photography community grow even bigger in Birmingham, more people entered the photography game last year and it’s great to see so much support for photographers. I see so many Birmingham social accounts like hotels, newspapers & magazines, independents and lifestyle blogs sharing photographers content daily and it offers so much exposure for that photographer. A couple of times last year I was finding my photography everywhere I was clicking on social media, I would see people commenting on my photos and tagging other people which is insane as I remember at the beginning I was so petrified to share my content to anyone! It gives you the push and the confidence we need to continue in this tough industry. I hope this year the photography community continues to grow and help promote our talented photographers.
SNOBS IS NOT SNOBS ANYMORE
2019 was the year I went to Snobs, god, it hurts so bad to call this place “Snobs” because it’s not the shithole we used to know. Snobs never played pop music, it wasn’t full of 10-year-olds and it was never snobby, the staff can clearly see you are not 10 years old so you just get a load of weird glares behind the bar. Snobs was the place where our parents would get engaged, it was acceptable to be a sweaty mess and we would have to get friends to unstick our feet from the floor. Ah sweet memories, RIP Snobs, there will never be anyone like you again
DATING IN BIRMINGHAM
So last year I was thrown into the world of dick pics, ghosting and “This is my friends” dog pics, an uncomfortable combination but that’s ONLINE dating for you. I can’t remember the last time I dated so, of course, I didn’t know what to expect. It could be a nice casual date at Yo Sushi or a date where I end up blindfolded in the back of a boot of a Ford KA (That’s my mothers warning words) but I did it. I tried dating and even though I did it when I didn’t feel ready to do so, I have no regrets. I enjoyed my dating experience of 2019, it helped to build my confidence, I got to meet a variety of characters, I went to many new places and I saw a lot of things [please insert dick jokes here]
INDEPENDENT SHOPPING
Don’t you just hate it when you see a blouse you like in a high street store like Topshop for £35 and you go into an independent or a charity shop and find something that is exactly the same or even better quality for less than half of the price? This is the ultimate tit twitcher. So last year I stopped shopping at the High street big brands and started to shop at independent shops. I found so many beautiful independent shops not just in Birmingham but around the Midlands that I can buy clothes, accessories and gifts for family & friends. I just feel the high street is pulling the wool over us shoppers eyes a lot in regards to prices and I am sick to death of wasting £100 on just 3 items! so last year I managed to save myself a lot of money (est of £600) from just boycotting the high street and giving my money to the independents that need and DESERVE it more. We all know that it ends up on eBay or the charity shops after two months of it being in the shop anyway…
Not the best start to 2020 as I am currently suffering from the flu and then my asthma decided to come back being bitchy and all with me, so I am 99% rotting right now. So what do you do when your ill and feeling sorry for yourself? You get yourself on booking.com and book yourself a getaway, Christmas in Amsterdam here I come! Okay so I got a long time to wait but its something to be excited about as last year I went to Amsterdam for the very first time and fell in love. Real love, the kind of love you would give your last beer battered chip and miss an episode of Love Island for. Sorry lads but my heart belongs to Vegan Junk Food Bar in Amsterdam. Blue unicorn bread, rainbow coloured hot dogs and burgers that look and taste like well, burgers? It is the best vegan food I have ever had and of course, I would book a trip to the Dam just for that baby. Not only is it amazing for food but Amsterdam has a lot to offer, culture, architecture, the people, the art…I could literally go on all day but I thought I would post a photo diary of my trip to Amsterdam last year instead for you all to understand why me and my camera fell in love with this beautiful City.
Please ask away if something has caught your eye and you want to know more! I would 100% recommend Amsterdam it’s a city where you simply can not run out of things to do and is beautiful any time throughout the year. There is still so much that I havent done in Amsterdam so I cant wait to go back and tick them off my to do list!
MY AMSTERDAM PHOTO DIARY
Along the Canals
Amsterdam Canal Central
You’ll find the famous Fault in our Stars bench here.
If you know…you know.
A Swanky stay in The Tyre Hotel
With a cute coffee bar right on our doorstep.
Overload on sugar is essential here in Amsterdam.
Peace & quiet- PLUK Amsterdam
For all you healthy & happy people out there- PLUK Amsterdam
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.
