Tag: westmidlands

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Birmingham Food Guide valentines day

BAB ABOUT TOWNS FOODIE GUIDE FOR VALENTINES DAY AT HOME

It’s that time again Babs, V-DAY is coming. Many businesses have already been promoting their Valentines day meals, gifts and hampers, and I thought it would be a great idea to feature some amazing independents and their Valentines day offers. As we cant celebrate outside our homes, don’t just give up on celebrating! This guide is full of some lovely ideas to spend with your loved ones or have a night in with yourself! From afternoon teas to five-course fine dining meals, this guide will surely get you in the mood for some Ol’ loving, HIT IT BARRY!

DINING IN SET MENU’S

Here is a list of restaurants and foodie small businesses who have put together awesome Valentines day meals for you and your loved one to enjoy in your own homes this V-Day. Simple and stress-free cooking, leaving you with plenty of time to snuggle on the sofa or strangle each other after a heated discussion about who used the last loo roll…

TUTTOAPPOSTO

Birmingham

£50 for 4-Course Set menu-Italian-Contact via Instagram or Call (Please see IG)

ANTONA AT HOME

Birmingham-Pre-order by midday on Tuesday 9th Feb for Nationwide delivery on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th February 2021

From £60 for Vegetarian-From £90 for non-vegetarian-Five Course meal for two-Order via their website here

COPPICE/THE FIG & OLIVE

Sutton Goldfield-Collection only

£50-£70 V-Day Steak boxes for two-One Course Steak and wine-Please contact via telephone 0121 308 7197 and head to their website for more information here

THE CORNERSTONE KITCHEN

Sutton Coldfield-Birmingham

£45 pp non-Vegetarian five course and £35 pp for vegetarian five course– Email James@thecornerstonekitche.com to order and head to their website here to check out menu options

BAKED IN BRICK

Home Delivery-15 miles from B23 Birmingham

£30 per person-Vegan options are available-Three course menu-Please download the app to order, you can check out the menu here

LIBERTINE BURGER

Leamington Spa/Rugeley-Nationwide delivery on 12th February 2021

Teaming up with Urban Cheesecake and NICE wines for their Valentines kits for £49.95-2 burgers + sides + cheese cake + wine- order your kit via their website here

OPUS

Home Delivery from Birmingham up to 10 miles radius on 13th February 2021-Collection also available on 13th February-please check times on website.

Five course menu with complimentary half bottle of Champagne per person-£75 per person-Vegetarian options available-Order via their website here

DUBBERLEY DELICIOUS

Staffordshire-Free delivery within 10 miles radius/Collection options available

Dine at home packages-Five course set menu for £45 PP–Vegetarian options available-Order via their website here

MAKE IT REALLY SPECIAL: SET MENUS OVER £100

CANARY & KITCHEN

Birmingham/Solihull area (Please check the website to see if they cover your area)

Love in Lockdown set menu for £42.50 pp-delivery on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th-Please order via their website here

BARE BONES PIZZA

Nationwide Delivery

Valentines Day DIY Pizza kits for two with a bottle of wine from Wine Freedom in Digbeth and two milk chocolate hearts from Bloom for £34.99-Pepperoni or Vegetarian option available-Order by 7th February for delivery on 12th or 13th- Order here

LAND

Birmingham-Local delivery within 8 miles radius on 14th February and nationwide delivery available on 13th February 2021

Three/Five course vegan set menus for one or two people from £27 to £70-Wine can be paired up with meals-Order via their website here

PULPERIA/AKTAR AT HOME

Nationwide delivery-order by the end of Wednesday 10th Feb and will be shipped on 12th February 2021. Collection available from Opheem in Birmingham

£150 for five course menu with wine-South American inspired menu-Nationwide Delivery- Order via their website here

670 GRAMS

Birmingham-Collection only from 670 Grams in Digbeth

£195 set menu for two-A special V-day menu like no other-Modern fine-dining at its best including champagne/gin cocktails-Email reservations to reservations@670grams.com and you check out the menu here

THE PLOUGH HARBORNE

Collection only

Valentines Three-Course meal for £125 with wine, cheese, and ice-cream-Collection on 13th February 2021-Order via their website here

AFTERNOON TEAS

THE EARLY BIRD BAKERY

Kings Heath-Birmingham-Collection options are available too!

£45 for vegetarian afternoon tea and £50 for non-vegetarian there is also an option to have mixed for £47.50– From Savoury to Sweet options-Please order via their website here

ROCHERS PATISSERIE

Sutton Coldfield to Lichfield delivery only

£25 per person–Vegetarian afternoon tea is also available for £25-Sweet & Savoury-Add ons are available such as Spa gifts from Heaven Sent in Boldmere/Lichfield-Please email your orders to info@rochers.co.uk and you can head to their instagram here to check the menu.

VALENTINES HAMPERS

GRACE + JAMES

Kings Heath-Birmingham-Check postcodes on G+J Website

G+J popular hamper with a Valentines twist for £50-Wine/Cheese/Meats/Chutney/Crackers-Order via their website here

MISS MACAROON

Nationwide Deliveries or click and collect option available

Chocolate Lovers hamper with sparkling wine for £60-Macaroons/Chocolate/Sparkling Wine-Miss Macaroon also provide vegan hampers-order via their website here

TASTY VALENTINES DAY GIFTS

BETHEL BAKERY

Delivery to Birmingham,  Sutton Coldfield,  Walmley, Walsall, Wednesbury and Tamworth. Collection is also available.

Various V-Day treat boxes from £18 to £30-Biscuits/Cakepops/Cupcakes-order via their website here

BEKI’S BROWNIES

Nationwide Delivery-Boxes delivered on 11th February 2021

Going live today at 6pm Beki’s Brownies Valentines treat boxes for £20-Order via their website here

COOKIE MUMSTER

Nationwide Delivery

Don’t mind if I FONDUE BOX for £20-28 pieces of cookies and brownies with sauces to dip-Special message option-order via their website here

BROWNIES BY US

Coventry-Delivery to Birmingham/Solihull/Sutton Coldfield

The His & Hers Valentines box for £25-Gooey Brownies/2 bottles of Prosecco/A Box of Lindt/and a Rose-Order via their Instagram here

BOSTIN BAKERY

Free UK Delivery

Box of seven Valentines cookies for your loved ones for £16.50-Variety of flavours available-Suitable for Vegetarians-Order via their website here

BAB ABOUT TOWN

Categories
Food Leamington Spa review

REVIEW: HART + CO BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH IN LEAMINGTON SPA

Disgustingly satisfying burgers, over the top fancy cocktails, and a bathtub full of balls? Welcome to the NO BASIC BITCHES ALLOWED Club. You can’t miss the neon signs, the pinkness, and the jaw-dropping cocktails, this isn’t no basic bitch restaurant Bab! Located in Leamington Spa and tucked away on Augusta Pl (just look for a pink sign) step on through to the world of FEMME celebrating the power of FEMALE! This restaurant just screams girl power and is a must-visit for us girls to meet up, have a bitch, with a couple of prosecco’s in hand or by the end of it…all down us!

From mountain high Mummy Harts roasts to colourful brunches where you can pimp your burger or eat a stack of rainbow pancakes, Hart + Co means business when it comes to having fun and eating good food. On Saturday, my Cousin and I decided to try out the bottomless brunch for £30-£35. We were running a little bit late due to the changes of train timetables, when we informed Hart that we were going to be late they were very accommodating and told us not to worry, our table will still be there waiting for us.

Arriving at Hart & Co, they took our names and walked us over to our table which was under a beautiful pastel display of balloons. The tables were spaced out and social distancing was taking place so straight away I felt very safe in there. We were then approached by our server who asked us what drinks we would be going for, we opted for the beer bottomless brunch as the last time I had prosecco it was a complete and utter disaster…I lost my trousers…like seriously.

Our server then went through the house rules “Don’t fall asleep” “Keep your glasses topped up” very tongue and cheek, and straight away creating that fun experience! We were advised it was table service only, ordering food is done via Instagram. The brunch menu was to be found on Hart & Co’s Instagram story displaying the options for brunch where you could choose from waffles, pancakes, burgers, etc. Ordering your food, you would need to confirm the table number and your order via Instagram message to Hart & Co, very different but also something that maybe the older generation may not like due to not having social media however I am sure Hart & Co would take the order there and then.

The beer was served straight away after house rules were explained and they were HEAVY! I do love a good pint of beer, but this was like two pints in one! Very generous and very satisfying, ice-cold just the way I like it! 

Looking around, every table was full of girls, it made me realize how bloody loud us girls are! Sometimes It was hard to hear but when you are in a room with girls and unlimited prosecco, what do you expect?! The layout of the restaurant is very FEMME, Walls covered in Pink, some feminism artwork scattered around that tied in really well with the restaurant, and fun props such as a bathtub full of balls which is set up at the front of the restaurant where groups are invited to take photos accompanied with a selfie light however Due to CO-VID this was sectioned off but still plenty of photo opportunities to have here!

When it came to ordering, I went for the cheeky Hog burger, a beef patty with lots of cheese, chorizo, bacon, crispy onions and topped with brioche. My cousin went for the Cheesy chap which is a beefy patty smothered in all kinds of cheese! Within 20 minutes of ordering the food arrived and…Dayum.

I swear to you, this is a burger alright! It was monstrous! Swamped in chorizo, cheese, onions, and just pure delicious FILTH! Of course, I could not finish it with a side of “basic bitch” fries but it was pretty fun to tuck into especially been given some gloves to try and hack the mess of eating it. The beef was cooked perfectly and what an experience to trying stuff all that in my gob! 

Soon as the food arrived, we were asked if we wanted another beer, so they do keep you topped up quite well here and the staff are bloody lovely.! Filling up quite quickly with the massive portions and unlimited beer, this is one brunch where you won’t be leave starving and running to McDonald’s. 

I will say it was very HEAVY, very heavy, an overload of carbs and meat and within five minutes I was stuffed. Dining at Hart & Co was so much fun, the brunch is pretty impressive, fun, creative, and massive portions with a quirky twist, I will be honest it’s not my favourite brunch I have ever had but it was definitely an experience and it tasted delicious! We had a lot of fun here and that’s what Hart & Co is about, having fun and eating good HEARTY food.

The cocktails are next level, cocktail in a chinse takeaway box? out of a Russian doll? They certainly do pull the phones out of your pockets! 

Many may look at Hart & Co as just another Instagram restaurant to lure these IG kids in to take photos all day, yes everywhere you look is an Instagram worthy post but What I love about Hart + Co is that they are creative and fun with food, they dare to be different, I mean, Who thinks of a spaghetti Bolognese burger?! Only Hart & Co…

They care about their guests, and they want us to have fun whilst tucking into some seriously amazing food and sassy cocktais! An experience that all must experience visiting Leamington Spa, and an independent that is bound to be loved by all for being so EXTRA and fabulous!

Hart and Co are offering their bottomless brunches every weekend, please head on over to their social media page here to book. If you fancy a fun afternoon out with the girls with lots of bubbles, sterling food, and smiles for hours, then make sure you book in with Hart + Co, you won’t be disappointed…Okurrr!

Amy Eliza

Categories
Birmingham Food review

REVIEW: CRAFT BIRMINGHAM

Secret Garden meets Narnia without the snow in Westminster tube station…Intrigued? confused? of course you bloody are. I just involved Narnia and a tube station in a review of a restaurant in Birmingham! Craft Dining Rooms is not the typical dining experience that you will find on every street in Birmingham or any City! Bringing artistry, coolness, and a very British feel giving diners a unique dining experience that they would want to experience all over again.

The last time I went to Craft was for the launch of Crafts Secret Garden back in January/February time, it’s been on the list for ages to try out and finally, on a chilly Friday afternoon, my cousin and I got to try out Craft, finally! Located just outside the ICC opposite the bridge to Brindley Place (you can’t miss it) full of blooms, sleek design, and awesome futuristic dining pods outside. Upon entering Craft, you walk through a tunnel of flowers which is an impressive touch, and I can also hear the squeal of those Instagram Girls eyeing it up for their next post, An blooming lovely great impression.Inside the venue, you are greeted by the receptionist on the front desk, and on your right is a pretty cool cocktail bar that is oh so chic! We first had our temperatures checked which was a pretty odd experience as we just stood in front of a device on the wall which looked like a camera, and then the receptionist confirmed all was well and showed us to our table, technology these days hey?!

The dining room is just stunning, it’s so sleek, so fancy and so clean! Covered with blossoms and a pop of yellow here and there making it already quite the classy dining experience my cousin and I were looking for.

A set menu is displayed on your table: starter and main for £33 or starter, main and pudding for £39, and there is also a four-course set menu for £45. We decided to go for the two-course menu, starter, and main as I am not really a pudding person! A staff member came over and collected our orders. I ordered a raspberry gin with lemonade, for my starter the salted beef, pickles and mustard, then for my main I ordered the lamb, garlic and aubergine.

The cocktails came out first, refreshing, and delicious, and plenty to get through! Within ten minutes the salted beef starter came out, I loved how quirky the dish is, very beautifully presented and it was full of flavour. Accompanied by a Brioche roll, we were off to a great start with our meal! My cousin went for the tomato soup which she said was very delicious and quite filling.

Onto the mains and the lamb came out within 15 minutes, lovely and tender, absolutely full of flavour and I will say this, that was some of the best lamb I have had in a very long time! complimented with garlic, aubergine, caramelized onion, and a variety of purees, it really was quite a powerful dish. Now, a little criticism all though the food was sensational, the one thing I would have liked to be offered is CARBS, a few potatoes would have topped of the lamb dish and filled that pesky little bit of hunger in my stomach after finishing my meal. It just would have been nice to have the option of ordering a side dish to accompany the main, maybe this is something Craft can look into?

That is all the criticism I have to say. The experience and the food is sensational here at Craft, the staff are an absolute joy to talk to, so helpful, so polite, and they really do make you feel quite important here at Craft! Our server was amazing, full of information, and was delightful!

Upon our visit, we managed to get a sneak preview of About 8 which is Crafts sister restaurant opening on 8th October which is going to be the ultimate fine dining experience and something Brum has never seen before! I won’t go into too much detail but if you’d like to know more then please do head to their website here and make sure you book yourself in!

The option of private dining is available, as Craft offers a beautiful private dining area for that special occasion, and let’s not forget booking one of the garden pods which adds a bit of uniqueness to your dining experience. For £33 for a two-course meal oozing fine British dining at its best with a side order of fantastic customer service, beautiful scenery and delicious cocktails is something not to be missed when visiting Birmingham, Craft is a must-visit for all to experience something a little bit different to your “Basic Bitch” chain restaurant dining.

Craft is that unique dining experience we all crave occasionally, however once visited you’ll be craving it once a week. The attention to detail, the creativity, and the passion that this restaurant has put in to create a positive and special dining experience to guests is something that should be admired by all. Craft dares to be different and is a fantastic representative of the foodie community here in our amazing city, which is sure to be loved by all.

Book Your table/pod at Craft here

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Birmingham Food review

REVIEW: BROWNS BIRMINGHAM G&T AFTERNOON TEA

Let the evening beGIN…

Last weekend I was gifted an afternoon tea experience at Browns in Birmingham by the lovely Craft Beer Pin Up to celebrate afternoon tea week that certainly did lift the mood on a miserable rainy day in Birmingham. Snugged just under the Bullring, it has been a while Browns, I think the last time I visited was about three years ago for a Christmas roast dinner so it’s nice to return and try out something different.
If you know me, you’ll know I love a good brew and love stuffing my face with sandwiches so I can never turn an afternoon tea down even if Weatherspoons offered one…

Arriving just before our time 3.15 pm, we asked if we could sit down early in which the staff were very happy to assist. We were seated at a gorgeous green marble table (it went very nicely with my green bag!) looking around Browns they certainly do have style, it just screams British Summer with all the floral however I was also getting a bit of 1940s American with the super stylish bar aswell! Tables were spaced out, hand sanitizer was displayed on the way in and social distancing was in place here, straight away I felt very safe.

We were brought the afternoon tea menus right away and left to decide, The traditional afternoon tea was priced as £18.50 however we saw the G&T afternoon tea and we just fancied a bit of a pick me up after our boozy previous night. A staff member came over took our afternoon tea order and asked us what hot drinks we would like to go for, we both opted for English breakfast.

After a five minute wait, the rhubab and raspberry G&T cocktails came out, a very generous glass in which I could possibly get lost in as a 5ft 1 woman. Ice cold and refreshing, the flavour was a little bit on the strong side at first however as the afternoon progressed it became less strong! Our tea followed shortly after and then the afternoon tea.

The Browns Afternoon Tea Includes:

Sandwiches: Prawn & baby gem lettuce, ham & dijon mustard, cucumber & cream cheese, egg mayo brioche bun, smoked salmon & cream cheese on a whisky & thyme oatcake.

Home-baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Sweets: Victoria sponge, lemon drizzle cake, almond macarons and chocolate praline mousse in a chocolate flower pot.

One Pot of English Breakfast tea or any tea of your choice

One glass each of Tarquin’s Rhubarb and Raspberry G&T

Price: £25.50

I was very impressed with the sandwich selection, for some reason I didn’t think I was going to get that much however I was pleasantly surprised. The quality is nothing to be amazed about but it was still pleasable, the sandwiches tasted fresh, there are no arty-farty ingredients here but you can’t beat a traditional cucumber & cream cheese sandwich can you? The egg mayo in a brioche roll was my favourite, just a shame it was a bit on the small side! The only sandwich in which I wasn’t so fond of was the prawn & baby gem lettuce it was a bit too heavy with the sauce creating almost a slimey texture.

The scones were definitely on the small side but I am not a massive cake/scone fan so I actually preferred them that size plus I can’t stand having the massive scones that completely crumble everywhere, you spend more time cleaning yourself than stuffing yourself with them. They were also warm and tasted fresh, so I was pretty pleased with them!

Onto that impressive looking flowerpot, which at first I thought was for decoration but it is a lovely chocolate mousse, perfect for those chocolate lovers out there. The lemon drizzle cake was delicious and so was the Victoria sponge, Wasn’t too mad about the almond macaron. Maybe could have squeezed another sweet (maybe a tart?) on there however I like the variety and I like the portions of the sweets so maybe I’m just being a little bit greedy! I have to say the chocolate mousse is very filling on its own!

The Afternoon Tea with the G&T really complimented each other well and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with this afternoon tea. For £26.50 I think it’s pretty good for the money, I have to say I have paid £30+ in grand places where I have received a small/basic afternoon with just a pot of tea, no fizz involved. I believe they have the right balance of sweet and savourly, and I have to say I was pretty full after eating it so I didn’t have to venture out to McDonald’s after.

Browns Quintessentially British afternoon tea with a splash of Gin went down a success, offering a great variety and good quality for all to enjoy. priced at £26.50 with a very generous glass of G&T, a pot of hot tea and an impressive selection of savoury and sweet,I believe that this is a worthy contender for you all to try out in Birmingham.

BOOK BROWNS AFTERNOON TEA

EAT OUT TO HELP OUT MON-WED

Please note this was a gifted experience however I was not asked to do a review, this was my choice to do.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
lifestyle travel

DAY TRIP TO STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

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 Cornish Bakery

Rose & Crown Pub

MOR Bakery

The Fourteas

Dirty Duck

Amy Eliza

Categories
Birmingham Food review

REVIEW:DISHOOM BIRMINGHAM

Gooey Naans, Seductive killer prawns that pack a punch and Harry Potter Butter Beer? Yes, believe it or not, I am talking about the eagerly anticipated opening of Dishoom in Birmingham.

The last two months social media has been dominated by Tiger King/Normal People memes, the cat with nine lives we call Aston Villa, and of course, The Kardashians, one lost their marbles, one faked her millions and one that just needs to be bloody single for Christ sakes. Ergh what a headache right? However, one thing that has been dominating our feeds and is “headache-free” is the exciting announcement of Dishoom opening in Birmingham on Chamberlain Square. In which, is now open operating their soft launch with 50% off food until their official opening date on 6th August 2020 was just the welcoming addition to the city that so many of us Brummies need after the last few months.

With branches operating over London, Manchester, and Edinburgh, it was only a matter of time Dishoom was going to make the wise choice of opening their next restaurant in the second biggest City Birmingham. I have heard so much about Dishroom, I have never dined there before so I was really looking forward to my first experience dining with them. I had a brief look at the menu before me and my cousin Jess went for our 5.15 pm sitting but even then, I couldn’t decide with the generous offering of food on offer.

We arrived on time and already it was quite busy, we sat in the bar area for two minutes just skimming through the menu and then we was taken over to our table. The tables are nicely spread out, the layout of the restaurant is big, spacious with indoor and outdoor seating. I was feeling quite chilly that evening so thank goodness we were sat inside. The staff wore face masks, there was hand sanitiser stations and everyone was keeping to the social distancing rules, so I felt 100% safe dining here.

The interior of Dishoom has really been thought out through out the whole of the restaurant, bringing Bombay to Birmingham (Wish I could of get more pictures, but it was so busy!) and very cleverly has its own story of Roda Irani finding her voice and incorporating that story into the design of the restaurant which is so creative and wonderful to dine in and feels like you are reliving the story. It’s classy and it’s 1930s Bombay Bab.

Within 5 minutes of sitting down, we were greeted by our server Diogo ready to take our drink orders. Diogo is absolutely fabulous, a right character that knew his stuff, he was like a walking and talking encyclopedia of Dishoom, he knew everything. Feeling quite parched I fancied an alcohol beverage, I was thinking more on the lines of a fruity cocktail but then the words “Forget beer, drink only this” caught my eyes. What came was what I can almost describe as one of those Harry Potter butter beers but tasted so much better and tasted like…well, beer. Hoppy butter paanch is a Foam beer with a butter syrup base with a sprinkle of ginger that gave it a tangy sweet kick, different but I really liked it! Jess ordered the Colaba Colada cocktail, however, Diogo came back over to tell Jess they just sold out, he asked her what does she like to drink “gin” “something sweet” she replied and with a click of his fingers “I know exactly what to get you” Diogo went away and came back with a fabulous gin cocktail with a hint of lime, fizz, and fruit that she really enjoyed.

Diogo returned to take our food orders, he talked us through the menu and suggested the number of dishes to order, he also made the best decision for us to opt for a cheese AND garlic naan instead of ordering cheese and garlic naan separately, excellent choice Diogo! 

The afternoon menu has a variety of small plates, grills and curries on offer for you to share or not share! There is so much on offer that we defiantly didn’t order everything we wanted especially missing out on the exclusive Birmingham dish, the mutton korma but there is always next time right?!

We first ordered small plates of Lamb samosas and prawn koliwada that came literally in five minutes. We were told that the food in different sections may come out at different times, we didn’t really care as long as there was food! The lamb samosas were a nice light dish and tasted beautiful, as for the prawn koliwada, my goodness! these babies blew our heads off! Small and delicious but don’t be deceived these prawns pack an almighty punch, accompanied with a mint chutney dip to cool down the fire in my mouth. A little bit on the spicy side for me but tasted very nice. Both of these dishes are the perfect beer snack so make sure you order a few of Dishooms IPAS.

Now, in comes the feast! We opted for chicken ruby murray curry, paneer pineapple tikka, gunpowder potatoes, 2 x cheese and garlic naans, steamed basmati rice and the Vada Pau (Bombay’s version of London’s chip butty)

The colour, the smell, and the saliva dripping from our mouths everything just looked incredible. My favourite dish out of the food would have to be the Chicken ruby murray curry paired up with basmati rice which was an absolute winner. Silky texture, sweet, and chicken that is cooked to perfection and easily just melts in the mouth. The gunpowder potatoes tossed in butter, crushed aromatic seeds, and green herbs tasted nice, nothing to get overly excited about however, a nice accompany dish to the paneer pineapple tikka that I really enjoyed. The Paneer cheese had a gorgeous mouth-watering coating of tikka paired up with pineapple which left a cool refreshing taste in my mouth which helped to knock down some of those spices.The Vada Pau (Bombay’s version of London’s chip butty) I wasn’t a big fan off sadly, a little bit too spicy for me so all I could taste was fire in my mouth.

The naans were of course, bloody sensational. So gooey, and I am all for the cheese! it was just dripping and oh my god, I have literally just had to wipe the saliva off the keyboard thinking about this so let’s just end it here as it was pretty sexy… (apologies for the saliva on keyboard images)

The review doesn’t end here, oh no, we went for pudding Ladies and Gents, and we went for the Dishoom chocolate pudding with chili ice cream. All I got from this pudding was PURE JOY, melted chocolate mixed in with a vanilla/chili ice cream is the pairing that I need in my life, a sensational dish. Finishing off with a nice cup of Assam, the food must have knocked me out a bit because instead of asking for Assam tea I asked for “Sam” in which Diego was quite amused, Bill, please!

So, the bill came to £63.41 with the 50% off that included an optional service fee of £10.61 that we were more than happy to pay and more.  For all that food and the quality, it felt like we had won the lottery with Dishoom.  

The customer service is something I will always remember at Dishoom, from the host on the door to our amazing server Diogo, it was such a pleasure to dine in Dishoom as they are so attentive, and it almost makes you feel like you are the only ones dining in the restaurant. Of course, we weren’t it was completely packed out. To deliver 110% service on a packed-out Thursday with every table full and a queue outside the restaurant is absolutely fantastic and I applaud Dishoom and especially their hardworking staff.

A very happy welcome to Dishoom, a restaurant that will settle in just fine and will be celebrated by Brummies and all for a very long and foreseeable future here in Birmingham. The taste of Bombay in Birmingham is the light at the end of the tunnel that we need after the last worrying months. Thank you for the fantastic dining experience Dishoom and you will, of course, see me very soon….How does Breakfast Monday morning sound?

I would advise pre-booking your table as it’s pretty busy, you can just turn up but expect to wait!
Soft launch (50% off) ends 5th August 2020
Vegetarian/Vegan friendly
You can book your table here

Bab about Town

Categories
Birmingham Food review

AFTERNOON TEA AT HOTEL DU VIN BIRMINGHAM

For a while now I have wanted to visit Hotel du Vin & Bistro in Birmingham and see what all the fuss was about as it’s a hotel and bistro that is often praised by many in and out of Birmingham. As a lover of food and of course, afternoon tea, I thought now was the time to book myself in to experience and trial Hotel du Vin’s exceptional reputation in Birmingham.

The Hotel & Bistro is located on Church Street, a great location for travellers who are staying over at the hotel as you have Grand Central station that is just under a 10-minute walk away, you are surrounded by restaurants and bars, and if you had forgottten any essentials ( I always forget pants which is ridiculous but my brain chooses 2 x biscuits in case I feel sick in the night instead of pants, absolute LOLS) you are also surrounded by retail shops, so the location is perfect. Upon entering the Hotel, it does have a fabulous entry that leads to the courtyard where you can dine in, but our afternoon tea took place in the Bistro restaurant which is just darling! It’s elegant and it just oozes Le Paris!

We were shown to our table and then handed menus to choose which tea we would like to have, I opted for the English breakfast and my friend opted for Earl Grey. They had a pretty impressive variety of drinks on offer that you can have with your afternoon tea, from hot drinks to fancy champagne and Hendricks cocktails. I did nearly choose the “Dozy Girl” tea with lavender and rose petals but we were on a tight schedule as we chose to go in our lunch hour, so we wanted to avoid falling asleep on the keyboard and getting the sack! The tea was served first and it came within 5 minutes, sharp service, I like it!

One of the staff members asked us if we had any allergies and then confirmed we was having vegan (for my friend) and non vegan (for me) afternoon tea. Shortly after, the afternoon tea followed glistering with a range of savouries and sweets and wait, do I spy POPCORN? (I shall not quote Stephen Kings IT…POP POP POP…damn it) Vegan afternoon tea on the top and the non-vegan on the bottom. My eyes lit up and I couldn’t help but sigh with relief when I spotted the sweets because bread is Jesus and the number of afternoon teas I have had and they just plonk a load of cakes on it and have 3 tiny sandwiches?! This certainly wasn’t the case with Hotel du Vin, let’s start with mine first.

With the non-vegan afternoon tea you get a pretty good selection of finger sandwiches with a variety of fillings.

Cheese and pickle

Coronation chicken

Cucumber and mint

Smoked salmon and cream cheese

Egg and cress

A selection that I was pretty satisfied with. The bread was fresh, the fillings were full of flavour and I enjoyed the variety. Next up was the deserts which to me, are perfectly sized and again, great variety.

Carrot Cake

Paris-Brest

Tutti Frutti macaroon

Black Forest gateau

Rum Baba

Now, the rum baba I never tried because my mother is the Queen of rum baba’s. She is completely obsessed with them, so obsessed that she would try and blackmail my dad in going down to Waitrose and buying her 10 packets of the stuff, “well, I am not making you dinner” whipped by a rum baba, the shame. She did comment on it saying it was delicious but of course, she would have liked a larger portion. Now, the other desserts were absolutely delicious, the Paris-Brest was my favourite and it just complimented my cup of tea so nicely. The black forest was just pleasurable that’s all I am going to say, and the carrot cake took me by surprise but they all did, because there not the sort of desserts I would go for but it sure did tickle my sweet tooth and left me pretty satisfied.

Vegan afternoon tea was quite impressive, again, a very generous and good variety of vegan treats for my friend to tuck into…

Cheese & onion tart

Tempura cauliflower

Vegan scone with peppers

Salted popcorn

and more vegan savoury tarts 

The deserts

Pistachio cake

Chocolate truffle cake

Victoria sponge

Danish pastry

As a vegan, my friend noted that it is often quite difficult to find a vegan afternoon tea and she was pretty impressed with the selection and variety on offer at Hotel du Vin. Thumb ups on the vegan front. I am a non-vegan and I have to say it did look very appetising and I liked the quirky touch of popcorn…Nope, I am not quoting “IT” again. We also received scones which had me pondering for 5 minutes if they even were scones, they had a glaze on top almost like a donut would have and the texture was also different to a regular scone “I’m not like a regular scone, I am a cool scone” Yes I just quoted Meal Girls but anyway, I’m a fan of the scones! Different but delicious.

The Bistro is absolutely stunning, decorated with wall art and empty wine bottles empowering that rustic feel with a touch of quirk. I would like to mention that the staff at Hotel du Vin are professional and very informative, they check in with you now and again to make sure you are enjoying your experience to the fullest.

When it comes to Afternoon Tea, Hotel du Vin have got it spot on. The décor, the ambience and the food is stunning here and its priced at £22.50?! in which, I believe is an absolute steal for sensational service and food. In a way, it doesn’t feel like you are dining out in Birmingham more like a French Bistro in an upper-class town in France back in the 1940s. The Afternoon Tea has fought its way into my top 5 Afternoon Teas in Birmingham, for sure! Hotel du Vin is a delightful treat for anyone, If you are a lover of Afternoon Tea then you must, I repeat MUST take a trip to Hotel du Vin & Bistro in Birmingham where you will receive luscious food served to the highest standard surrounded by French charm, it’s a stunning experience for all to enjoy.

Fancy it? you can book your Afternoon tea here

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Birmingham Food review

SPANISH TASTER LUNCH MENU AT AC HOTEL BIRMINGHAM

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

AMY ELIZA

Categories
lifestyle

WHY BEING A WOMAN IS AWESOME

Happy International Women’s Day!
I thought, why not celebrate my vagina and write up a little blog post on why it’s bloody awesome to be a woman. From connecting to soppy romantic films such as Love Actually (Fuck you Harry for hurting Karen and bringing Joni Mitchell into it!) to our “get out of jail cards” we use quite often in the bedroom department. You’ll be screaming I’m every woman by the end of this post or you might stick The Notebook on, tie hair up, put on your baggy pants and tuck into a packet of McVities milk chocolate biscuits.

WE CAN REALLY CONNECT WITH THE MOVIES

Have you ever watched a film with your partner and it gets to an emotional scene, you are sitting there filling up and your partner is just sitting there no facial expression and probably doesn’t know what day it is either? Women own their feelings more than man, it’s a fact. It kills us seeing Rose let go of Jack in the Titanic, we fill up with happy tears every time the ending credits roll on every Harry Potter movie and we fall apart when Shadow the Golden Retriever turns up at the end of Disney’s Homeward Bound covered in mud and limping to Peter after him saying “He was just too old”- God that’s worse than the bloody Titanic.

MORE OPTIONS IN THE WARDROBE DEPARTMENT

When it comes to fashion we do have more choices when it comes to Men. For nightwear, men can wear a top, shorts, trousers, boxers or go completely nude. For women, we can wear, tops, shorts, trousers, bra, pants, nightie, onesie, bodysuit, go nude, and also, our partner’s clothes.

FANNY FARTS ARE PURE JOY

A Girls worse nightmare is not the tampon, It’s the almighty fanny fart. They come at the worse times most likely during sex and sometimes they can go on for a minute straight but they make cracking stories to tell the Girls!

WE DON’T HAVE TWO BALLS HANGING BETWEEN OUR LEGS

Its the one thing I can not get over, that men have two balls that they have to carry every where in the most uncomfortable place. Thank Christ we women don’t have to have that as we already have two big balls on our chest, can you imagine two balls bouncing around like it’s a rave in between our legs as well?

GUARANTEED TO GET IN THE CLUB

If you are a female you are given special treatment when it comes to going out. The number of times I have been out with male friends and they have been refused entry to a club because they are too tall or wearing baggy trousers…baffling. I once got a pint and a packet of HP nuts for free just for being “sweet” I wish that would work all the time…

WE GO TO THE BATHROOM TO PEE WE COME OUT WITH FRIENDS FOR LIFE

I think I can vouch for every girl in the WORLD that they have met someone on a bathroom break in a club/pub. I remember I was in London with three of my uni friends, I popped to the bathroom and came back with a hen party of 15 with free bottles of Prosecco, 2 sailor strippers and a pair of balls smacking on top of my head…It was a banging night.

WE CAN PUSH BASKETBALLS OUT OF OUR VAGINAS

If we can push basketball’s out of our vaginas, crap ourselves and crack a smile at the end of it, then I think we deserve all the CHANEL in the world…and fried chicken.

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT- WE CAN NOT BE CAUGHT OUT IN THE BEDROOM

And the Oscar goes to…Sorry lads!

WE HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE NOT TO GO OUT…PERIODS

They are complete bastards but periods are great reasons to get out of something and it’s a bloody good reason too! They also give us women time out to binge on crap and give us a good excuse to put on a bit of chub.

Yes, it’s pretty god damn awesome to be a woman.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
lifestyle

DATING IN BIRMINGHAM

So a couple of weeks ago I was on Tinder and this lad who I matched with ages ago but just didn’t have the balls to say “hello” popped up asking me if I had any valentines day plans. I have never spoken to this chap, I was a bit unsure as to why I was matched with him as he’s chest was bigger than my own and in his bio, he said he doesn’t like dogs. I matched with a monster however I was intrigued with his message and I messaged back saying no, I also questioned what was with the random message that came totally out of the blue. He messaged me back to say that this would be his 2nd year single now on Valentine’s day and the 2nd anniversary of his ex-partner dumping him because he reminded her of Ted Bundy. That was it… unmatch, delete app and throw’s phone to the other side of the room…I WAS DONE. Am I the only person who puts up with this nonsense? and then I realised I wasn’t the only person, talking to my friend she had met up the other night with her Tinder date for a meal in an Indian restaurant only for her date to leave her mid-meal and then received a text to say “Sorry I’ve gone home the hamsters died” My Money is on him shitting himself to be honest. So I thought I would do a blog post of fellow Brummies experiences with the dating scene here in Birmingham. I asked and wow, you guys delivered alright…

TOMS IN SNOBS

I was on my third date with this lad of Tinder called Tom and we went out in the Mailbox and decided to hit Snobs after. We went in had a couple of drinks and I went to go to the bathroom and I bumped into my ex-boyfriend who is also called Tom. Proper awkward so it was just a small chat. I went to the toilet and I text my date on my phone saying “Just bumped into my twatty ex whos got loads fatter and has a bumchin now, currently hiding in the toilet can you come get me?” I waited for around 10 minutes and went outside only to be greeted by my ex again holding up his phone with my text message. I sent the message to the wrong Tom! He was completely pissed!”

-Hannah

MEET THE FAMILY

I was introduced to this guys sister in law in the Botanist on our second date. He kept telling me that he told his whole family about us and that they couldn’t wait to meet me…I was going to end it that evening too. So Awkward!

-Sarah Lauren

WHAT A COCK UP…OUCH

I was on a date and she went to the bar to get the second round of drinks in while she was there she texts her sister “he’s nice but I’m not feeling it” Wonder how I know? the text came through to me instead!

-Max

MEN COVER YOUR CROTCHES

I was on a date and I was so nervous that I knocked a whole glass of wine on his crotch and then he walked me to the bus stop like a gentleman and when I turned around I smacked him in the crotch with my bag! I didn’t see him after that…

-Naomi

TAKING THE MOTHER HOME

Went to the Lost & Found in Birmingham for a second date, I went to the bar to get a drink and came back to my date hounded by a load of women on a hen do. They were all staring at me and when I went back to the table, My date introduces me to one of the hens who turned out to be her mother. Her mother was all over me drunk and I was invited to have a couple of drinks with them. I never saw my date ever again because I got too pissed that I went home with the mother instead…

-Jake

THE WORSE NIGHT EVER

So I was speaking to a few girls on Tinder and went on a coffee date with this girl, I think she was really into me because she started talking about a second date in which I agreed to. When the date ended I had a message of another girl who I was speaking to asking if I was in Birmingham and to meet her, I had nothing else planned so I met up with her. We had a couple of drinks in the Jewellery Quarter and we just both lost track of time and it was hitting 10 o’clock, we decided to go Actress and Bishop for last drinks. We were both proper drunk so we started kissing by the bar until someone tapped me on my shoulder and I turned round to see my coffee date from the morning there screaming at me then on my way out I bumped into my ex girlfriend. They all ignored me after this. Let’s just say I’ll never bring a date to Actress & bishop again…

-Rob

THE DATE WHO IS STILL HUNG UP OVER THEIR EX

I went on a date with this chap who was really lovely but quite shy. We had a couple of drinks and he started asking about my ex partners. When I asked him about his ex, his bottom lip started to shake, he threw his head in his hands and admitted he was still in love with his ex. I rubbed his shoulder to comfort him and he started full-blown crying in the middle of All bar one in Birmingham. I had to ask the bar staff for more tissues as he used all the tissues on the table and we hadn’t even had our dinner yet. I had to cut it short but he messaged me the next day asking for another date, I politely declined.

–Luce

CREEPING JESUS

A few years ago I worked in retail (millets on Union street) and was using Tinder. Matched with a guy and started chatting to him, arranged a date but I had a bad feeling about it so I called it off. A few weeks later, he came into the store. I wasn’t sure if it was him but he was staring at me from the other side of the shop and just stood there for ages. I asked a colleague to speak to him and when he answered he had an American accent so I knew it was him. I then went and hid in the staff room until he left and when I finished my shift he’d sent me a creepy text

-Hayley

PUSSY FART

So I just started seeing this lad of Tinder and we went back to his house after a drunken night out. We were having sex than all of a sudden I heard this massive noise that was most definitely a fart! I paused and his face went really red and he looked mortified. I giggled asking “Was that you?” he shook his head and said “Nah it was the cat coming in the room” I couldn’t carry on, I was dyinggggggg!

-Georgina

BLOODY WOMEN

Went to the cinema with my date to watch Little Women and halfway through the film she got up to go to the toilet. She came back after 20 minutes and whispered in my ear “I have got to go” I asked her if she was okay and she replied ” I have come on my period and I don’t have a tampon” Say no more she left and I stayed to finish the film. I think I would have done the same if I wore white jeans.

-Craig Z

AMY ELIZA

Categories
dating lifestyle

HOW TO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A DATE

So when do you want to go out?

That’s it, those 8 words and BANG! Questions come flooding in “Is it too soon?” “what if he’s a bloody psychopath and wants to use my body as a piece of furniture?” and “OH GOD I NEED TO GET MY HOOHAR WAXED AND THERES NO APPOINTMENTS LEFT” Let’s face it most of us crap ourselves when we hear those words, whatever the reason it just gets the heart racing and sends us into an excited/smug mode for 1 minute that quickly turns into a hysterical panic mode where we start to question life and all that jazz. Just agree to the bloody date, will you? because I have the perfect little self-help guide to help you prepare for your date and calm those pesky nerves.

PLAN AHEAD- PAMPER DAY

First things first, you are in need of a pamper day. It’s the get down and get dirty, cleanse that first date virgin out of your system. You want to look and feel great so spoil yourself as in a “budget” spoil yourself, instead of a £100 spa day get yourself a face mask and a hot bubble bath. I know plenty of girls go out to get themselves a new haircut, spray tan, wax and all but for a first date? You could be meeting a bloody ryvita for Christ sakes, meaning a waste of a bloody wax. For people who dont know what I mean by “ryvita” its the name I give to someone who is a bit plain, boring and simply unbearable (put it in a polite way) to shag.

LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME

You want to make an impression, right? What can you do? Well for a lot of girls its get the tits out but come on, first date ladies, please, Leave the kids back at home, period. Unless you want a bit of sexy time then I say let the kids hang out and play all night long.

PLAN THE DATE

You will feel so much better if you plan the date rather than “oh we will find something to do” If you’re planning to go out on a Friday night, are you sure you are going to get a table or get to the bar? plus you want to be able to hear your date theres no point him asking you what you do for your job and your just sitting there nodding your head like a dolphin. It’s just awful just wasting time on a date looking for places to go for your date to play out. Also BE SAFE, first dates at his place? Oh hell no that is one booty call and a half my friend!

EAT

Make sure you eat on the day of the date, you don’t want to be turning up on an empty belly and throwing chunks all over your poor date. Luckily never happened to me but I thought it was a good idea to not eat on the day of my date. There was no need to open my mouth as every time my date opened his mouth to speak my belly would respond to him, I think he noticed as he ordered a cheese board with the second round of drinks…

THE TOILET IS YOUR BESTFRIEND

Oh, come on, we all experience the nervous belly on the day of your first date and sometimes we just need to flush the crap quite literally, out of our system to get on and not panic throughout your date thinking that you are going to CRAP yourself. You feel loads better for doing so, so I would recommend grabbing a newspaper (not the Sun because that could cause angry shitting- not advisable) and just chill on there for a good 30 minutes.

KNOW YOUR FACTS

A last minute Tinder check is essential. It’s always good to know your facts before you meet your date especially remembering his name and don’t call them by their celebrity lookalikes, for example, I met up with this one lad who looked just like Harry Styles, I must have said Harry over 20 times that night and at the end of the night, he had to kindly remind me that his name was Tom.

BE YOU

Don’t turn up like a prissy “ I am no virgin to this first dates rubbish” It’s cute to be scatty, it’s comforting to show nerves and its sexy to be you and bloody own who you are. You’re nervous? well, join the club your dates nervous too so just bask in the first few minutes of nerves because they are sure to scatter away as the conversation gets going.

WATCH RU PAUL OR DRAMA FILLED TV TO KEEP YOUR MIND OCCUPIED

On the day of the date some people literally just sit on social media all day waiting for their date, not me, not since I discovered RU PAUL. There is so much drama going on in that program that I shamefully cancelled on a date (IM SO SORRY I KNOW I’M A SHIT!) just to watch the season finale, obviously don’t do what I did but take half your day up to watch some drama-packed tv to take your mind off the date later on. I will advise staying away from Sex Education as when I was on a date, we were drunkenly quoting “ITS MY VAGINA” throughout the night but then the drink wore off me and I suddenly realised he looked like a bit of a bellend saying it.

KEEP IN TOUCH ON THE DAY

It hasn’t happened to me yet, but I have spoken to friends on the day of meeting their dates and they don’t speak to them until they meet at 7 pm. Now for me, I need to speak to my date on the day of meeting them as…

1. Need to exchange wardrobe ideas, we need to be on the same page about this I could be turning up as a classy Hepburn and he could be turning up as Farmer Al.

2. It’s pretty rude to ignore your date until you are actually meeting them it kind of tells me “let’s cut all the small talk and try my chances of getting you into bed tonight sweetheart”

3. You know that this is REALLY happening.

LET THEM WAIT FOR YOU

The worse is right before you meet them, you have arranged the time and the location to meet. For me personally, I am a nervous wreck and I like to know my date is there waiting for me. This cures so many nerves before my date. The main reason for this is I know he’s real, he’s there I CAN SEE HIM! Where if it is me waiting around it’s just going to make my nerves get out of control and I will start panicking thinking a Catfish is going to turn up.

Taking these into consideration on the day of your date will hopefully calm those nerves down, are they going to completely disappear? Absolutely not, I am not bloody Jesus. You are going to be nervous but there are ways to lower the nerve meter for you to relax a little. I know the biggest concerns for us girls is “what if he doesn’t like me?” okay so what If he doesn’t like you? That’s it the world has ended? No more sales on shoes? The thing is SO WHAT? it’s not the end of the world, you move on this is not a world full of vaginas there’s plenty more manhood out there for us ladies to explore. The thing is it could be you who decides this is not what you want in your life right now, for me I have discovered that dating is just something to fill the spaces in my life for when I get a little bit bored it doesn’t mean that I am desperate to find the one because I’m not, I don’t have time for the one and really, I don’t have time to date. Dating can give you confidence, it can make you come out of your shell and it can make you realise that you owe yourself a lot more credit than you already giving yourself. The best advice I can give is to let go and enjoy yourself BUT know your worth. 

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Food review

AFTERNOON TEA AT CHATEAU IMPNEY

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

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

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

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

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

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

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Bars Birmingham review

ROXY BALL ROOM BIRMINGHAM -REVIEW

GOT BALLZ BAB?

Come on through Roxy Ball Room, another brand new addition to Digbeth that is guaranteed to be a popular attraction for all in Birmingham. Located on Heath Mill Lane just right next door to Birdies bar and just round the corner from Digbeth Dining Club, Digbeth is thriving lately with more independents and attractions opening up every month, so why not throw another one into the mix hey?! I was invited to the launch night of Roxy Ball Room, a venue offering a variety of thrilling games for all to enjoy. From bowling, beer pong to arcade games, there’s plenty to explore in this adult version of Disneyland.

Arriving at 6.15 pm the venue was already getting packed out, the sound of bowling strikes, the clinking of glasses and the cheers from groups of people already enjoying themselves and its only 15 minutes into opening time?! The venue is pretty big offering a good selection of games that are spread out on two floors. The ground floor offers bowling, arcade games, bar and a few beer pong tables whereas upstairs offers more games such as ping pong, pool tables, shuffleboards and well, even more beer pong! Right next to the bar on the ground floor is the games desk where you would book your games.

The bar offers a variety of craft beers, wines and flashy cocktails, with all that on offer we pulled the basic bitch move, glass of prosecco, please! The first thing that caught my eye when you walk into Roxy is the Arcadian basketball machines. Pumped up to shoot some hoops, like an absolute klutz I spilt my prosecco over the machine-For god sake, you silly bugga Amy. Filling up with embarrassment as I had only been here no more than 15 minutes, one of the staff members came out of nowhere advising me not to worry, cleaned up the prosecco and then like a knight in shining armour brought me another prosecco with a smile within a minute, now that’s a bloody good service right there.

After shooting some hoops we made our way to the games desk and booked the bowling, straight away we were offered a lane. The game was set up already for us and also a staff member was there ready and waiting for any drinks or food orders. It’s £8 per person per game which is cheaper than my local. The bowling is just good solid fun, I haven’t played bowling in years and the thought of juggling heavy balls for the night doesn’t really excite me, but I absolutely loved it. My friend and I were howling with laughter, I managed to pull it out of the bag and get myself a strike, however, being all “Billy big balls” from my strike, soon landed me in the gutter and losing the game. Now, If you don’t fancy bowling there is plenty of fun-filled games to get that competitive streak out of you! Why not fancy a bit of beer pong? Balls, Brummies and booze? Now that’s a cocktail I’ll have any time of the day.

Talking of cocktails, there is a variety on offer behind the bar from signature cocktails, craft beers and for groups, they provide drink packages for reasonable prices. For those who fancy a quiet night (lolz) or still participating in “Dry January” there is a good selection of mocktails and soft drinks on offer. The service is pretty sharp here, I didn’t wait long at all to order a drink (2 minutes) and being a 5 ft 1 girl, the struggle is real when ordering a drink at the bar. Again the customer service was fantastic, very friendly and accommodating.

Now on to the food, from baked to perfection pizzas to naughty dripping burgers on offer to satisfy your taste buds or to help soak some of that alcohol up Pal. The pizzas are delicious but dangerous, as Laura and I found ourselves drooling over the bar a couple of times watching the chefs bake even more pizza and signalling them to feed us more. The portions differ, if you’re not feeling that hungry you can always opt for snacks such as cracked pepper chips and Mac N Cheese bites. Roxy also offers vegan and gluten-free options, these are highlighted on the menu. The prices are spot on for the portion and quality of food you get.

Another fantastic attraction that fits in perfectly in Digbeth with its industrial “Ready Player One” interior, Electric vibes flowing throughout and Birmingham artwork honouring the city with Birmingham icons such as Ozzy Osbourne and Mike Skinner. This playground for adults is guaranteed to give all a bloody tip-top time. The prices are reasonable, the staff are fun and attentive to gamers and the atmosphere is buzzing. The only negative I would say about Roxy Ball Room is that all good things must come to an end and I didn’t want the night to end, you could balls it all up and still have a bloody awesome time in there. Round up your crew and head on down to Roxy Ball Room in Digbeth, it’s time to put on that game face and get your ballz wet Babs!

Thank you for the invite and welcome to the Digbeth family, Roxy Ball Room. To many people Roxy will be right up their alley. This place is guaranteed to become a Brummie gem in months to come.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Birmingham lifestyle

10 THINGS I REMEMBER GROWING UP IN BIRMINGHAM IN THE 90S

I was sat the other day by the Birmingham library looking out on the hectic Broad Street which is more like a classier version of the strip in Malia. Memories suddenly came flooding back to me going along this street in a car with my family being mesmerised by Broad Street, I still do feel mesmerised with the number of blow-up dolls and girls falling out of cabs with the skirts over their heads however I had completely forgotten how much Birmingham has changed over the years. I am going back about 20 years ago, back to the 90’s where I would be full of excitement going up those bloody long escalators coming out of New Street station into the Pallasades, begging my mom to go to Woolworths for the pick n mix and then using all my birthday money to buy 4 for £20 on music cassettes from Virgin Megastore. What I know now and what I knew then is pure comedy, and I thought I would do a little post and share my thoughts of Birmingham as an 8-year old curious child and I am pretty sure some of you might have thought the same of our City

BROAD STREET OR ROME?

I remember my parents uset to take me out in the car to various Saturday night events and I would always see this building that would question if my Mom and Dad had drugged my frosties that morning and took me to Rome for the night. Although this sounds like a fantastic idea (not the drugging bit) but this was not the case. As I got older I realised that my parents were not taking me to Rome every other Saturday night they were just taking me to that bloody long street in Birmingham; Broad Street. I later found out that the building that convinced me I was in Rome was in fact, The Town Hall. Parents take note if you want to take your kids on holiday, just take them to Broad Street.

FLARES WAS EVERY 8 YEAR OLDS REASON TO COMPLAIN ABOUT BEING AN 8 YEAR OLD.

Those big purple doors, the people standing outside in fancy dress and the flickers of light reflecting off the disco balls you would see from outside. I didn’t want the newest Barbie doll or any more Polly Pocket’s for my birthday, I wanted an ID to go to Flares. “It’s for big people, you can go to it when you are 18” when I finally turned 18, I checked out Flares and..it was a bag of shite.

THE DISNEY SHOP IN THE PAVILLIONS

I remember sitting in front of the TV and seeing advertisements for Disney World, of course, the overly happy kids, my favourite characters pratting around with families and the Kiss from Mickey at the end sold it to me. It was selling the dream to kids, so 90% of kids would beg their parents to take them to Disney World whereas the other 10% would beg to go to Butlins. Finally, my Mom turned around after months of begging and said we are going to Disney World and I can pick something to buy! It still didn’t hit me when I was heading into town on the bus with no suitcase. My mother had me like a fool as I stood outside the Disney shop in the Pavilions shopping centre in Birmingham looking very confused, this certainly was not Disney world. I soon shut up when I had a run around and was obsessed with watching the big screen with all narrated Disney movie trailers. I did manage to go to the REAL Disney world when I was 11 years old and they just forget to mention how bloody expensive, overly crowded and how most of the rides are not suitable for shortarses like me. This photo was taken after I was not allowed to go on the Kraken at Seaworld as I was too short…I was pissed.

TAMMY GIRL

From Bay to MK one and then we had the ruler of all girl’s fashion Etam/Tammy Girl. I remember Etam in the City Centre of Birmingham, can’t quite remember where exactly but I do remember when the redevelopment of the Bull Ring finished in 2003 Etam and Tammy Girl was moved to the Bullring. Tammy Girl was usually on top of Etam and it was aimed at the teeny girl boppers, if I had an upcoming party It would be Tammy Girl where I would be getting my outfit. Sadly, Tammy Girl is no more.

THE VAMPIRES IN THAT PARK

Getting the bus into town and getting off along Bull street, I would always walk past a park (you guessed it, Pigeon Park) that was home to “vampires” of course, as I got older I realised these were not vampires but they were people who followed the “Goth or Emo” lifestyle. I would see them all standing round in circles, some swigging back these bottles that looked like they had pee inside them (It was lambrini) and some of them would be trying to sunbathe. One thing I knew for sure when I was 8, was that I didn’t want to end up joining the vampires and drinking pee when I was older.

BRMB PARTY IN THE PARK

96.4 fm BRMB, Every year BRMBs Party in the park would come to Brum and I remember always wanting to go in the 90s however the new Millennium came and in 2002 I found myself at my very first and also my last BRMB party in the Park concert. Blue, Gareth Gates, Will Young and more acts performed at the Birmingham City football ground, I couldn’t tell you what I thought of the concert because I can’t remember a thing but if I can remember seeing S Club Juniors then I am pretty sure I would have remembered these acts so I am guessing they must have been shite.

50P FOR A BUS TICKET WAS EXPENSIVE

Don’t you just hate it when the elderly turn round to you and say, “oh you young people got it easy nowadays” No, I haven’t got it easy because I have to fork out around £5 every day to get to work and back then get asked multiple times by Randoms for change?! Gone are the glory days of paying 50p or under to get into Town and also, to add insult to injury, many of the buses don’t print out the McDonalds and Burger King vouchers anymore. However, as a child, I never understood why we had to pay for travel. I remember thinking why on earth do we have to pay, and I thought 50p was bloody expensive. To a child in the 90’s, yeah it is, I could get a load of blackjacks and Freddo’s for 50p but no, I had to spend my 50p pocket money on bloody bus fare.

THE GERMAN MARKET…IN BIRMINGHAM?

There was a time in Birmingham where the German Market only existed in Germany. I have sweet happy memories of holding my mom’s hand walking up to Victoria Square without a rub of a randomer’s arm or an end of a German sausage in my face. Usually every Christmas eve we would head into Birmingham so my Mom and Auntie would do their last-minute Christmas shopping, it was still packed back then but not so much as now. Thank god I never experienced it when I was little, I would have screamed the bloody place down and just pee myself on purpose so I could get out the hell out of there.

SCHOOL TRIPS IN BIRMINGHAM…LETS GO WILD!

From being forced to participate in games of bowling to mimicking puffer fishes at the sea life centre, there was a school trip every couple of months and guaranteed it was in Birmingham. The best thing I looked forward to on school trips was my packed lunch because for some reason my mom would let me choose what I wanted in my lunchbox, only if I was on a school trip. When I was not on a school trip, I was constantly disappointed with squished tuna and mayo sandwiches, a pathetic cheese string, an apple (that I had to get the dinner lady to cut up) and a penguin bar that would always hurt my teeth and told crap jokes. So, school trips were my favourite, It was a time for kids to let loose! One trip I will always remember is watching a music production at Symphony Hall in which me and my friend thought it was funny to make fart noises whenever the trumpets would play…I felt so powerful coming out of Symphony Hall because the teachers were too embarresed to tell me off however that soon changed when I got back to school…Am I first kid to get a detention for making fart noises in Symphony Hall?

TOYS “R” US= LOSE THE PARENTS

You don’t understand how much I would beg my parents if we ever went into town to go into Toys R Us on Dale End, they were always reluctant to take me but who could blame them? as every time I went there one of the workers would have to do a tannoy call out for me, as I would always go missing…on purpose. I would find it hilarious and hide away from them, I was a right sneaky little bugger, but could you blame me? Toys R us was almost like a drug, it sent kids wild! it was like a magical land where every kid wore a smile, and everything was free…unfortunately for my parents.

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Hotel stay review

BLOC HOTEL REVIEW-THE JEWELLERY QUARTER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AMY ELIZA

Categories
Birmingham lifestyle

8 things I discovered in 2019 in Birmingham

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 

  1. 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…
  2. I hate the tube, everyone’s running in and out of the train like they need the toilet and have chronic diarrhoea
  3. 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…

AMY ELIZA