Never Fully Booked

Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 08:01:00 +0000

Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I always love Afternoon Teas which are visually exciting and certainly this culinary delight at One Aldwych did not disappoint!

The timing was apt as we sat down to tea just as I had found out that I would soon be moving to the Maldives, so our spirits were high and we were in the mood to celebrate! The setting is modern and airy with some beautiful sculptures bringing life to the space which sits in a prime Central London location. Staff welcomed us eagerly and showed us to a comfortable sofa table before presenting us with menus and serving us a delicious 'Champagne Charlie' cocktail.

Everything about the experience was wonderful and theatrical - exactly how you would expect something named 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' to be. The menu itself was beautiful with an illustration from the Roald Dhal story on the back, which you are able to take home with you. We dove straight in...

Sandwiches were delicious and unusual with the much welcomed addition of a savoury tart and a basket full of brioche. The tart was also served warm which was a great touch and best of all was that they actually refilled your sandwiches before you'd started on the pastries - perfect!

Sandwiches and warm tarts

And then to the main event which has been sitting in front of us the entire time, teasing with the mysterious elements that await our taste buds. The candy-floss glistens, the golden egg excites and the milkshakes beckon with retro straws. Everything looks and smells divine and we soon found out the the taste was perfection too!

Selection of pastries and yummy things...

This Afternoon Tea really is one that you have to see (and taste!) to believe. It is visually exciting and brings a burst of flavour to the room as well as to your palate. This is a tea to be excited by and proud of, which you can tell that the staff here also feel as they are as equally excited to serve it to you as you are to eat it!

All in all I was pleasantly surprised at just how good this Afternoon Tea was. Often these themed teas go too much for the gimmick and sacrifice the taste, but One Aldwych have really hit the nail on the head here, successfully combining an exciting concept with deliciously paired teas and cocktails, tying in perfectly too with the launch of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the musical. A fabulous day out and I am only sorry that I'm now too far away to return! Thank you team One Aldwych!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea is served daily at One Aldwych and is priced at £34.50 per person

£45.00 per person including a glass of Lallier Champagne or a Cocktail Charlie

- See more at: http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-menu/afternoon-tea-menu#sthash.7pDBRO0P.dpuf

REVIEW: Sense Spa at Rosewood London

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 05:31:00 +0000

The Sense Spa at Rosewood London

A little while ago I was privileged enough to be invited to test-drive the new Sense Spa at Rosewood London. Granted, my post about this is a little late, but I've been a little busy moving to a desert island so I'm only just getting the opportunity to give this post all the time that it deserves.

Sense Spa Reception

Needless to say, I was pretty excited at the prospect of experiencing the highly anticipated Rosewood London, which had newly opened when I went there in April. The Hotel's exterior is impressive and decadent and stepping through those large golden gates feels magical and special. The Hotel itself is positioned around a large inner courtyard which gives the place its special, intimate and often secret feel, so that when walking inside you feel like you've just stepped out of Holborn and into another secret world.

Cute directions throughout Rosewood London

Finding the Sense Spa was actually a little challenging, but perhaps that was just me being overwhelmed by the beauty and intricacy of the building's twists and turns, forgetting to pay attention to where I was going. When I arrived to the Spa though I was pleasantly surprised and instantly felt calm as I entered the Sense Spa cocoon.

Sense Spa Reception

The design is sleek and contemporary yet traditional and welcoming, with sumptuous golds and wooden panels which curve intricately around themselves. After being welcomed by the receptionist, you are ushered through another secret-looking door and shown through the dark maze which weaves around a central relaxation area and diverts off into changing rooms and treatment rooms. The changing room is equally as delightful and has its own steam room and sauna as well as the usual bathrobes, slippers and amenities that you'd expect. That's actually one of my favourite parts of a Spa experience - getting changed and making use of those huge mirrors with all of the necessary hair products sat seductively in front of you!

Ladies Changing Room

The relaxation area is a welcome retreat from the changing rooms and is located at the heart of the spa in a golden circular room. It's sweet that they reserve a bed for you with your name on it before collecting you for your treatment and you are able to make use of the complimentary tea, water and newspapers before and after your treatments.

Name card placed on my own relaxation bed

I was to have a Swedish Massage, which suited me down to a tee. The Sense Spa has a beautiful range of Aromatherapy Oils which are tailored to suit your individual needs and preferences, but they also offer a range of Sodashi facials which is a brand that I adore. My Swedish massage though was carried out to perfection, with my therapist being finely tuned to my body's needs and offering the perfect levels of pressure and relaxation. She was hugely helpful afterwards too and suggested ways in which I could reduce my muscle tension in everyday life, even recommending some therapies that would benefit me on a regular basis.

After the treatment I returned to the relaxation room and fully enjoyed just sitting, drinking tea and reading a magazine. Inside this golden circle you feel as though you've stumbled upon a rare corner of London where time has stood still and where you can finally switch off your phone and escape from the world for an hour or so. Bliss!

Relaxation Room

My time at Rosewood London eventually had to come to an end and I was sorry that I wasn't able to spend more time there. Had I not just moved half way across the world I would definitely have come back to experience more of the Hotel, with the restaurant and bar looking particularly inviting. Thank you once again, Sense Spa, for providing me with a little slice of heaven in my everyday rush around the capital!

The Rosewood London opened its doors in Spring 2014, with the Sense Spa opening fully in April 2014. The Swedish Massage I had was priced at £100 for 60 minutes.

Review: Chocoholic's Afternoon Tea at Flemings, Mayfair

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 15:31:00 +0000

This was an Afternoon Tea experience that I was particularly looking forward to as not only am I a self-confessed Chocoholic, but the photos and menu looked utterly delicious.

After a nightmarish train journey we arrived an hour later than scheduled, but the staff were highly accommodating and agreed to push back our reservation. I admit I was quite surprised that they were able to do so on a Sunday, which is usually a prime day for Afternoon Tea reservations, but as soon as I arrived I saw why this wasn't a problem as, to put it politely, they were not short on table space.

I'm going to try and be as positive as I can about this Afternoon Tea experience and not let it be affected by the initial Hotel impression, which was tainted by the fact that the receptionist didn't acknowledge me when I walked in or that I had to basically beg someone to show me down to the basement.

Given that there was also a freak heat-wave (ok, ray of sunshine) on the Sunday that I visited, I definitely did not appreciate the waiter's first remark of 'isn't it a beautiful day outside' when he sat us at our table in the basement room. Again though, I'll try and put these annoyances to one side for the purposes of impartiality!

So to the tea itself...

The menu we were given was actually completely different to the one that we were expecting from the website and I was particularly disappointed to miss out on the chocolate churros listed online. After choosing our teas and being served a glass of champagne we soon resumed conversation and forgot all about the churros as we struggled to decide whether to drink the tea or champagne first. Unfortunately for us though, it seemed that the staff had also forgotten about our churros and indeed the rest of the service as after 40 minutes we realised that no tea stand had yet materialised.

Chocolate chip scones with jam, cream and lemon curd - delicious!

Eventually the three tiered stand arrived, bringing with it some dry sandwiches with uninspiring fillings such as ham, cucumber and smoked salmon. Luckily it also brought some chocolate scones which were delicious, but unfortunately they didn't come with enough jam or cream and since no one came to check on how we were doing, we couldn't ask for any more.

On the top layer of the stand were the 'chocoholic' treats. I love chocolate in all its forms and I'm fully aware of how many forms there are because I've eaten most of them, which is unfortunate for my waistline! The selection that was presented to me though was fairly uninspiring and included a mini chocolate cupcake, some kind of chocolate thing with a raspberry in it, a rosewater macaroon and a chocolate brownie. The brownie was truly scrumptious, but you can't really get a brownie that wrong, can you?

So I'm sorry that this write up isn't the best ever, but I really was disappointed with my experience and that's probably because my expectations were so high. I will give them credit for the scones because they were delicious and although our waiters were somewhat neglectful they were friendly and full of smiles, which does go a long way. At the end of it all though I don't think I'd give this Afternoon Tea more than a 2.5 out of 5 because of the overall poor service, the lack of originality and the setting of the room itself. Sorry Flemings - I wanted you to be the best!

Flemings Mayfair Chocoholics Afternoon Tea is priced at £39.00 per person and includes a glass of champagne

Review: A Spa Day at Limewood Hotel...

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 15:55:00 +0000

Relaxing in the New Forest...

I was one lucky lady last month, when my loving Mother agreed to whisk me off to Limewood for a Spa Day in honour of me turning the grand old age of 23.

I've wanted to visit the infamous Limewood for some time now, having heard rave reviews about its food offerings as well as its spa, Herb House. It certainly did not disappoint! From the moment we drove up the sweeping drive and entered the tardis that is the Herb House I felt instantly relaxed and as though I'd stepped into luxury.

We'd booked a Spa Day that included a one hour Bamford Rose Relaxing Upper Body and Facial Massage as well as lunch in Raw and Cured and full use of the spa facilities. Our treatment was at 1pm so we arrived around 11.30 so that we could have a quick go in the gym and check out the pool before being thoroughly pampered.

The gym itself is very well equipped and inspires a full on workout with the marvelous views provided by full length windows and the high, beamed ceiling. Cold towels and bottles of water are also kept in the fridge which is a completely genius idea and much needed after even the shortest of workouts!

Needless to say, our 'workout' was short and sweet as we couldn't wait to get into the pool and sauna! We donned our extremely comfortable robes and flip flops, provided in each locker, and headed off for some hydrotherapy!

The hydrotherapy pool looks out over dense woodland and the fact that it was raining outside made the experience extra special. The pool has several massage jets including some underwater seating and all over body massagers. We could have stayed in there all day had we not been drawn to the huge woodland sauna just next door. This was perfectly hot and again blessed with that full length window that made you feel like you were sweating it out in a beautiful, rainy forest!

Our treatment was similarly sublime. I was whisked away into a cosy treatment room complete with a heated bed and incredibly soft towels. My back was scrubbed with Bamford products which smelled amazing and my arms and face were massaged into oblivion. I barely woke up once the treatment had finished, but once I'd remembered that the next stop was Raw and Cured I soon leapt up!

Raw and Cured is a delicious concept. The Spa's restaurant come cafe looks out over the garden and on the other side the swimming pool and provides a perfectly relaxing and authentic dining experience. The friendly staff are on hand to put together some delicious, natural treats and serve up a smoothie or two upon request. Our package included two of the 'mini' options or one, larger board. I opted for a delicious board of breads, cured meats and cheeses whilst my Mum went for a bright, flavourful Mexican salad and a mini ploughman's. We of course shared and dipped into each other's lunches so we got to try a couple of dishes, but I could have gladly tried every single one, much like our next door diners did!!

After satisfying our cravings we headed back for some more hydro action. We relaxed all day long whilst it poured down with rain outside. Whilst this made the experience even more magical, it did have a slight downside in that the outdoor heated pool was temporarily closed until the rain subsided. This also unfortunately happened to clash with the short period of time in which children are allowed in the pool so we didn't spend too long in there!

Once we had been thoroughly spoilt and pampered we headed off, but only after we were treated to a final farewell gift of a couple of Bamford products which was a nice touch!Hopefully one day I'll get to return and try out another of their tempting treatments, but even without trying everything I'd still thoroughly recommend this spa - it does exactly what it says on the tin, only much much better!

Review: The Chuan Spa, London

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 20:43:00 +0000

It's all been getting rather stressful lately, what with arranging dates for Afternoon Teas and travelling to Prague and Paris. It was high time I had a chance to relax and unwind and I was definitely in need of a Spa day!

Where better then, than Europe's first Chuan Spa, nestled at the heart of London in The Langham Hotel? After some careful research, this place came out on top as the treatment that we wanted was within our budget and the facilities were open to us for a nice amount of time. This sounds like a silly reason, given that we were going for a spa day and not just a treatment, but many of the other places I looked at only gave access to the facilities for a couple of hours. In my mind that definitely doesn't constitute a day!

Entrance and relaxation area

So after we'd stuffed ourselves suitably silly with Afternoon Tea, we headed over to Oxford Street and found the sanctuary of the Chuan Spa. Set across three levels, the spa was quiet, serene and everything you'd expect it to be. The Chinese decor was subtle and contemporary and really complimented the more modern glass staircase and contrasting, traditional high ceilings.

Our therapists were lovely, but unfortunately I can't remember their names. They were professional, friendly and completely put me at ease right from the word go. We had a double treatment room as we'd booked the Chuan Body Detox for two, which was still a really nice touch. Even though in the same room, our therapists concentrated on us as individuals and really made sure that they connected with us personally, rather than as a pair.

First of all we were asked to choose whether we wanted a relaxing or rejuvenating massage. I instantly said relaxing whilst my friend chose rejuvenating. The therapist then brought over two pots of oil for me to smell and told me to choose which one I preferred. Again, the choice was instant and choosing the 'Earth' element meant that I was apparently a very busy person who was prone to worry and overthinking. Probably spot on to be honest!

I instantly liked that my treatment was personalised and felt somewhat prescriptive. Everyone likes to feel like an individual and as though they have a very special type of complaint that needs personally addressing. This doesn't change when you visit a spa!

Tea service for after your treatment

The hour and a half massage was heavenly, although the back, neck and shoulder part was sore in parts as the therapist skilfully worked out lots of knots and tension. Afterwards she explained what she had done and how I could avoid getting so tense in the future, which was another brilliant touch.

Once the treatment was over we were ushered into the relaxation area where a bespoke tea was waiting for each of us that complimented our treatments and was based on which element we'd originally chosen. There was also a card explaining the method behind the madness as well as a selection of fruit, but the best bit was that our therapists were also waiting to give us a little 'debrief', recommending products and techniques that were best for our skin types.

We didn't manage to have a swim in the pool unfortunately as there were too many children in there for our liking, but we enjoyed the vitality pool and sauna no end.

Vitality Pool

Sauna

The changing room facilities were also good, with proper hairdryers and nice showers so that we could get ready to go out that evening!

Pool

I'd definitely return to this little corner of heaven. As soon as you walk in off of the busy street you instantly feel calm, which is what you need after any day in London. Overall, highly recommended and I'd love to return to try some of the more Chinese style treatments, although next time with a stay at The Langham too!

My friend and I enjoyed the Chuan Body Detox package which was £220 per couple and included a 1hr30min treatment as well as full use of the spa facilities.

Review: Science Afternoon Tea at The Ampersand Hotel, London

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 16:26:00 +0000

Last week I was lucky enough to experience a very special Afternoon Tea at The Ampersand Hotel. Their Science Afternoon Tea is running for a short period of time, but the Hotel offers a delightful selection of fresh cakes and a superb traditional afternoon tea all year round.

Upon entering The Ampersand I was immediately struck by the contemporary, boutique interiors and the warm welcome offered by the staff. Sat at a nice table by the window I was able to appreciate fully the delightful concoctions and visual effects of the Science afternoon tea as it oozed with dry ice and stood out vividly with its array of shapes and colours.

Starting at the bottom, we enjoyed sandwiches made in savoury choux pastry buns, filled with a selection of delicious delights. Smoked salmon, coronation chicken and cheese and chutney were among my favourite fillings, but to be honest none of them were particularly disappointing and all were finished before moving up to the next level on the tea stand.

The scones were equally delicious and consisted of one plain and one white chocolate scone each, served with clotted cream and jam. There could have been a little more jam to accompany these and although no one offered us any more, this did actually save us from finishing off both of the scones which left room for the top level of tasty treats!

And so to the pièce de résistance...

The 'science' layer that stood proudly at the top of the tea stand was a visual delight and was equally pleasing to the tastebuds. I particularly enjoyed the little 'planets' which were surprisingly delicious. The macaroons were also rather tasty, and the raspberry coulis found in the pipettes really complimented the whole thing. I'm not sure exactly what the little drink inside the test tube was, but it was far too sweet for my liking. I loved the glass containers that it came in and it certainly added to the visual aspect of the tea, but it perhaps could have done with being a little less sugary!

You can see that this Afternoon Tea looks fun, interesting and that it ticks all the boxes for a tasty afternoon treat. Although I usually hate to see pre-made items (such as the chocolate dinosaurs), they actually didn't do too badly in this combination as they were a nice, lighter option to round off the selection. I was so completely full by the end of the tea that I couldn't actually finish it, but that was definitely not a reflection on the taste as it was all rather lovely.

I am now very much looking forward to what they think of next as the expectations are rather high from this quirky, boutique Hotel!

The Ampersand Hotel serves Afternoon Tea every day from 2.30pm until 5.20pm. The Science Afternoon Tea is available until 21st March and is priced at £32.50 per person or £44.50 per person with a glass of Champagne

Destination: A weekend in Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 10:28:00 +0000

Ooh La La, Paris!

Valentine's weekend 2014 was not spent moping around with a box of kleenex and a rom com, but with a trip to gay old Paris instead! And no, before you ask, it was not with a strapping young gentleman who had whisked me off for a romantic weekend - it was with my old chum, 'Polls'!

We headed over to St Pancras station on Sunday 16th February for the 10.25am train to Paris and slept almost the whole journey there - after the obligatory morning coffee and pain au chocolate of course! Upon arrival in Paris we swiftly got into a taxi and embarked upon the short drive to our Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris.

Yes, you read correctly. I was lucky enough to spend the night at this breathtaking Hotel, located smack bang in the centre of Paris, right in between the Eiffel Tower and the Arc De Driomphe. We were two very lucky girls.

So we pulled up in the taxi and were greeted by a very lovely doorman who whisked away our bags and ushered us inside. Our room wasn't quite ready yet, but that wasn't a problem as we wanted to get straight out and make the most of our whistlestop trip!

Turning right out of the Hotel, we walked towards the Eiffel Tower and stopped for lunch. Given that the main objectives of this short trip were to see the Eiffel Tower, eat a macaroon, drink red wine and gorge on French food, we were pretty successful right from the get go. We stopped in a little bistro and had a glass of red wine, shared some French onion soup and a croque monsieur before tucking into a delicious platter of bread and cheese. Perfect.

Feeling very full we waddled over to the Eiffel Tower and admired it from various angles before heading back to the luxurious, welcoming arms of the George V. Our room was breathtaking and as it was only a 'standard' room we couldn't help but to wonder what on earth the other categories looked like!

Draped in creams and golds, the room was big, bright and everything that you could expect of a Parisian 5* Hotel. I was particularly impressed with the rather snazzy looking TV remotes and of course by the fact that there was a Nespresso machine with complimentary coffee capsules! Heaven!

After we'd appreciated our surroundings, we headed over to explore The Spa. This was also, as you can imagine, a highly luxurious and utterly relaxing experience! A lovely lady gave us a quick tour of the Spa and its facilities before we robed up and headed straight for the pool, where we stayed for at least an hour making full use of the Jacuzzi and reveling in our own joy.

The sauna and steam rooms are equally fantastic, especially as they are located in the changing rooms so that you avoid that awkward moment when you enter to find a hairy man and then can't leave because it looks rude. There was none of that! The steam room was simply divine and we left with our pores glowing as much as our insides!

Needless to say, we didn't return from the Spa for quite some time, so we actually didn't make it out for dinner by the time we'd got dressed and enjoyed the most delicious cocktail in the Hotel bar! Not that that was any kind of a problem as we were more than happy to stay where we were and enjoy the relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere of the bar area.

The following day we headed straight out to find a croissant before continuing to explore the city. As we had such a short amount of time we decided to just walk around and see what we found. We'd also made a reservation for Afternoon Tea at the Hotel so we only had a few hours to explore.

I managed to tick off another important goal from my list as I found a rather lovely chocolate shop selling the most exquisite macaroons. Delicious!

We walked up and down the Champs Élysées admiring the views and popping in and out of shops before heading back to the comfort of the Four Seasons. Even though we'd already checked out, our bags had been taken care of and our table was ready for us at 3pm on the dot.

I do love Afternoon Tea and think that it is the perfect way to experience a Hotel without splashing out on the cost of the room, so I could not pass up the opportunity to have a taste of the George V in this way as I could definitely not afford to splash out in their Michelin star restaurant!

After we were more full that we'd ever been before in our lives, we got back into a taxi and headed back for England. Even though this trip was one of the shortest I've ever been on, it was definitely one of the most relaxing. I left Paris with a warm glow and with the feeling that I'd just experienced something truly special. Hopefully I'll be able to return soon!

Destination: Prague

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 14:51:00 +0000

Happy New Year, Prague!

That's what I said when I arrived on the 3rd of January this year! I was pleased to escape the wind and rain of England for the crisp coolness of Prague and take in all it had to offer, Christmas markets included!

I was lucky enough to stay at the decadent Four Seasons Hotel Prague and enjoyed its central location and exquisite rooms. The staff, of course, were friendly and welcoming and we were quickly ushered up to our room upon arrival so that we were able to make the most out of our early arrival to the city.

Our room was beautiful, with views of the river from our bathroom window and some delicious Czech Spa Water wafer biscuits waiting for us when we arrived. The L'Occitane toiletries smelled as good as ever and the swimming pool sized bath was just waiting to be jumped into.

We only had two nights in the Czech Republic so we were keen to make the most of each of them. With our woolly hats on and scarves tightly wrapped around our necks we headed straight out into the city to explore, heading straight for the main square at the recommendation of one helpful Concierge.

Our love of Christmas still hadn't diminished, which was lucky as there were still plenty of Christmas markets and festive cheer around the city. We loved tasting the traditional Czech dishes served fresh from the market stalls and took advantage of the fact that it seemed perfectly normal to warm up with a cup of mulled wine before midday!

We walked and walked and walked, all the way up to the Castle right back down to the dancing building and back again. Our feet had that tired feeling that only the hardcore tourists can appreciate and it was a comfort knowing that we could relax and unwind with a Czech beer as soon as we got back to the Hotel. The Hotel's bar and restaurant is perfect for this. CottoCrudo - their raw/cooked restaurant and bar concept is both sophisticated and relaxed, enabling us to feel comfortable simply stepping in from the cold or heading down in the evening for a more dressed up cocktail. One night we did just that and the bartender willingly created cocktail after cocktail enabling us to sample a full range of Czech spirits and concoctions! The food is also delicious and perfect for its setting - one night's cold cuts with cheese went down just as well as another night's seafood pasta and we were left satisfied and with that warm glow that only the most memorable evenings give you.

It was sad leaving Prague, not just because we would have to leave the wonderful world of Four Seasons, but also because we would miss the buzz of the city and the smell of all that delicious food. I hope to return again, perhaps when the Charles Bridge is covered in snow as I bet that this gives Prague's beautiful landscape its cherry on top!

Odiham Christmas Extravaganza

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 23:00:00 +0000

I went to the 'Odiham Christmas Extravaganza' this week and began tickling my excitement for this year's Christmas Festivities!

It really was a lovely thing - locals everywhere saying hello, catching up and desperately trying to find the place that sold mulled wine! For some reason this alcoholic Christmas delight seemed nowhere to be found along the highstreet - we were ushered into side streets and pubs to consume this apparently banned beverage!

But there was Christmas cheer all around and enough hog roast for everyone, which of course is the main thing. The local military wives choir was out in full swing, as were the local schools and their angelic voices. All shops were open until late and many were serving up a tasty 'hot fruit punch' and mince pies. There was even a little petting zoo complete with ducks, pigs, goats and donkeys!

Odiham's delightful offering has got me well and truly warmed up for Christmas and reminded me once more of the benefits of shopping local. The beauty of a hand-made craft item really does shine through and adds a whole other level to the 'thought' that counts!

Odiham is a small village in Hampshire, not far from Basingstoke.

Review: Vintage Afternoon Tea at Reform Social & Grill, London

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 18:40:00 +0000

Free Flowing Champagne!

Probably not the wisest choice at 2.30 in the afternoon, but it was a Saturday and who ever says no to free flowing bubbles?

Once we were seated in our little booth we started off the afternoon with a peach belini before being shown the menu. The waiter informed us that we could choose from either a Vintage Afternoon Tea or a Gentleman's Afternoon Tea which both included the same set of 'fancies', but had very different sandwich options.

We opted for the Vintage version which included the usual egg, salmon, cucumber and ham. The fillings were tasty, but there could have been a lot more of them and in bread a little less dry.

Onto the second level - the scones. In this case it was just the one scone each, but it was nice and came with clotted cream and a little pot of Tiptree raspberry jam. I would have expected another scone each, but perhaps that's just being greedy!

The top layer held the 'fancies'. This was indeed a vintage selection of a rather tasty rhubarb and custard pot although no spoon was provided so I had to use the one that sat with my tea cup. Whilst on the note of tea, I had a rather nice jasmine blend, with my friend opting for a green tea. This actually was forgotten when taking our order, but the waiter covered it up well, topping us up with champagne as he subtly asked what tea we would prefer.

Other 'fancies' included a flourless chocolate and orange cake (nice, but a little burnt), a pistachio macaroon, a slice of battenburg cake and a cherry bakewell cupcake. These were all perfectly adequate, but perhaps a little uninspiring. Still, the free flowing champagne was indeed free flowing and keeping us from feeling too hard done by!

So after we had gobbled up our afternoon teas we were surprised that rather than offering us a top up of sandwiches, our tea stand was hastily cleared away. When we asked about maybe trying the Gentleman's sandwich choice we were informed that this would come at an additional cost, as would a top up of finger sandwiches, scones or fancies. We decided to pay the extra however, and were presented with a tasty looking slate of Gentleman's savouries.

We shared a slice of sausage roll, a mini Welsh wagyu burger and a Hanger steak and Herefordshire snail open sandwich. They were nice, warm and tasty, but again few and far between.

All in all the afternoon was a pleasant experience. You couldn't fault the staff or service and our glasses were kept well topped up throughout the sitting. Although the tea was nice, it was clear that they had made a decision to provide either champagne or food and opted for the champagne option. Maybe a compromise could be reached with simply an extra scone or sightly fuller sandwiches? Or maybe even just some less burnt chocolate cake...!

Review: Meadow Afternoon Tea at Coworth Park Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Well let's just say that it was not what I was expecting...

It was SO much better!

Seriously. For some reason I was expecting stuffy and highly traditional as Coworth Park is part of the Dorchester Collection. In my mind that meant that it would be akin to the totally traditional Dorchester itself, but thankfully I was proved wrong.

We arrived an hour early for our afternoon tea, planning to have a nice walk around the grounds and see that iconic sight of the hotel set behind the meadow. The drive through the grounds to the main building showcased the vast space in all of its beauty with wild flowers growing as far as the eye could see, and the grand and imposing building of the hotel itself.

Upon entering the building I was surprised. From the outside the hotel appeared a lot smaller than I'd imagined it would be, yet as I stepped inside I was greeted by vast amounts of space with a light, open feel. The friendly doorman went to sort out our table for us so that we could go off for our walk, but actually they had our table ready and waiting an hour early. Could they read our minds?!

So in we went. The drawing room is tastefully decorated in a fresh, yet traditional style. Stuffiness is non-existent with the daylight flooding in through the adjoining conservatory, the powder blue walls and the delightfully comfortable chairs. There is also a harpist, but you will be thoroughly disappointed if you were expecting him to churn out Beethoven. Peter Andre is more up his street.

We weren't sat down for long before our first waiter introduced himself and offered us a glass of Champagne. Unfortunately for me I was driving, as Coworth Park serves Veuve Cliquot as their bubbly of choice with afternoon tea. Not to fear though, as our waiter had the bright idea of serving us a delicious mango non-alcoholic cocktail which went down a treat.

Next we had a second waiter - a lovely little Irish chap - who timed our afternoon perfectly, waiting until we'd nearly finished our mocktails before presenting the tea itself. We'd also chosen a delicious Elderflower tea to accompany our treats, which was delightful.

As I was expecting a truly traditional afternoon tea, I was once again delightfully surprised. Whenever I have afternoon tea I always try to save the best until last, so naturally I began with the cucumber sandwiches and ended with the delicious ham and mustard, although none of the four varieties were exactly displeasing!

Next up to the scones, both plain and fruit, snugly wrapped up in their napkin to keep warm. These were perfectly sized and wonderfully soft, accompanied by homemade jam and some kind of compote. I must admit that I didn't take too well to the compote, but many others seemed to enjoy it so I shan't complain!

At the penthouse we found four tasty treats. A pink grapefruit and pistachio tulip (I had this first, but should have had it nearer to last!), a pretty looking lemon tart with poppy, a slice of raspberry rose battenburg and finally a blood orange and geranium jaffa cake.

Needless to say, we were completely stuffed to the brim! However our delightful little Irishman offered to pop some extras in a little box for us to take home. In hindsight I shouldn't have declined such a kind offer, but at the time I was blinded by overindulgence!

Eventually we made it out of our chairs, said goodbye to the harpist and headed off for our walk. I shan't drag on with words, but instead let you see the photos for yourself. Although I will just stop to mention how truly amazing the bathrooms were in this place!! Vanity stations in every cubicle and all of the hand cream you could ever want!! Top marks to Coworth Park!!

Some busy bees working away on the lavender!

Destination: From Budapest with love

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 10:22:00 +0000

"When one goes away,

one simply must stay in a palace"

And so that is what I did.

Four Seasons Hotel Budapest, Gresham Palace

The infamous chandelier!

Beautiful mosaic flooring in the lobby

Three nights in Budapest would be fabulous wherever you stayed, but 3 nights in Four Seasons Budapest, Gresham Palace was something else altogether.

From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, I was blown away by just how beautiful this hotel was. The art-deco features and decor work so incredibly well in this place that they alone could make the entire experience memorable, before you add the Four Seasons experience into the mix.

My room was superb. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was fabulous, and the windows gave the room that extra special touch. My room was on the fifth floor, right next to the spa, which was perfect for an early morning swim and a 'relax' before breakfast!

Deluxe King room with gorgeous windows

The swimming pool is a little unusual in that it stands alone in the middle of the room, raised up out of the floor rather than going down into it. It is a simple, long structure perfect for doing a few lengths before hopping into the bubbling hot tub and soothing sauna. Of course, the staff in the spa were always ready and waiting to offer assistance and were not in the slightest bit phased at us wandering in and out in our super comfy bath robes!

We ate in the hotel's Gresham restaurant on our first evening in Budapest, choosing to dine al fresco after enjoying a cocktail or two in the hotel's bar.

Lobster and scallops at the Gresham restaurant

Traditional, and tasty, Hungarian love cake!

Subsequently, my mum's new favourite drink is a Bellini. Clearly I need to take her out with me a lot more in future, as this was the first time she'd ever had one! (Shock horror!) Whilst on the subject, the bar at Gresham Palace insists on providing the most delicious (albeit filling) snacks to accompany your cocktails. We needn't have gone out for dinner most evenings, as we were more than happy picking away at the various canapés and nibbles provided for us here!

Mother mine enjoying her Bellini!

Budapest itself is buzzing with bars and restaurants as well as having some of the most beautiful buildings and monuments I've ever seen. Head down to the city park and there's even more to look at, including the baths there which are completely stunning.

St Stephen's Basilica

Before I went to Budapest everyone told me to make use of public transport, but to be honest we didn't find that we needed to. We walked to everywhere we wanted to get to, and found that this was a really great way to see the city as you are able to go at your own pace and stop off wherever you want to.

There are so many photos attached to this post, but I think that you need them to truly appreciate the beauty and diversity of this city. There are so many different types of restaurants and places to visit, all snuggled up beside ancient buildings and a beautiful landscape. There's not many cities in which these two diversities can live with each other so closely and in such great harmony, but Budapest certainly makes it work.

Destination: Trekking Through Chiang Mai's Northern Hilltribes and Villages

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 08:42:00 +0000

On the second half of my Thailand adventure I embarked upon a three day long trek through northern Chiang Mai's hilltribes and villages, expertly guided by G Adventures.

The trip began in Bangkok where I met the rest of the group that I would be travelling with on this week long adventure. We started with all of the basics, running through our trip itinerary and getting together all our paper work before we went off for dinner with our native tour guide, Tom Tom. Here we learnt our first lesson - always let the Thai person choose your Thai food! Full of food and enthusiasm we then headed off to the infamous Kao San Road for some local beer and team building.

The morning after the night before we awoke not quite so fresh faced, but nonetheless ready for action! A quick tuk-tuk ride around Bangkok soon woke us up and soon we found ourselves packed up once more and ready to board the overnight train to Chiang Mai.

This was an adventure in itself! The sleeper train was clean and cosy, and the staff as friendly as ever in the Land of Smiles. We played cards, chowed down on some more yummy Thai food and fell asleep to the dulcet tones of the staff selling 'Oren juuuuuis!'. If anyone overcame their excitement for the journey ahead and actually slept, they almost certainly dreamt of what was awaiting them at the next stop.

When the day of the trek arrived, everyone was as excited as ever. The prospect of a quick dip in a waterfall en route was almost too much for us to bear! The heat was getting to us all, and the waterfall was a blissful oasis in the glaring sunshine.

Once we had dragged ourselves away from the waterfall and back into the rear of the pick-up truck, we ascended as far as we could into the hills before we had to get out and begin our trek. It was hot and humid, but the beautiful surroundings soon made us forget it. Walking through the jungle we all stopped chatting to take in as much as we could, only stopping to fully appreciate where we were and to point excitedly when we spotted a wild banana or mango.

Our guide was great. Sammy was an expert of the jungle and had the answers to all of our questions. He even got out his catapult to grab us a fresh mango from a tree and was our personal lychee picker! We trekked for two days, stopping at a village each evening to soak up the village life and eat some yummy home cooked food. The second day's trekking was definitely more challenging than the first, but we were rewarded at the end by elephants and by reaching paradise.

As if we hadn't already had the time of our lives, we were in for even more of an adventure! Our third day's mode of transport was a bamboo raft which was lovingly made for us by men from the village we stayed in the night before. We embarked upon the six hour journey in high spirits and arrived at our destination with sun burn, hunger and fantastic memories.

That evening we all slept extremely well and awoke still with the excitement of the previous days, but also with a sense of sadness that the majority of our trip was over. Nonetheless, we continued on our adventure with another day in Chiang Mai, another trip on the sleeper train and then our last day together in Bangkok. Somehow, 15 strangers from across the globe managed to become great friends in the space of a couple of days and share an experience of a lifetime, all thanks to G Adventures!

Review: Blue Lagoon Bungalows, Koh Chang, Thailand

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 12:02:00 +0000

I think I may have found paradise, and luckily enough it came cheap.

As you may or may not know, I whisked myself off to Thailand for a two week adventure which began on the beautiful island of Koh Chang. It was only fitting then, that I found accommodation that was similarly beautiful and certainly I knew my research had paid off when I stumbled across this gem.

Judging by its rave reviews on TripAdvisor I already had a pretty good idea of what to expect from this place - basic, but cute. It was low season when I was staying here, so the place was really quiet which was great. Located in the Klong Phrao beach area of the island, the Blue Lagoon resort is a collection of bungalows with varying rates and facilities. The sun shone strong and bright on mine, and my own private patio provided a tranquil, shady spot to while away the hours. I went for a lagoon-side bungalow with air-conditioning which was well worth the extra 200Bhat per night! These bungalows come with an en-suite wetroom, private patio and hammock, and are tastefully decorated with hand-painted designs on the walls and lovely curtains over the glass doors. These curtains were never actually closed in my bungalow however, as I wanted to make the most of that view every morning!

As a lone traveller this bungalow was great, but I can imagine that it would also be the perfect place for a couple to while away a week or so. The location is totally romantic, and is only a short walk away from one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. It's a fun journey over the lagoon via a home made raft bridge that takes you over to the seafront where there are plenty of beach bars and restaurants with friendly locals who run them. The greatest bit about the beach though is the complete lack of noisy nightlife and backpacking tourists. It seems like Klong Phrao beach is one of the last untouched spots in Thailand!

There is also a cooking school and restaurant here which is supposed to be one of the very best on the island. I ate in there on one of my nights and I have to say the food was delicious, but I was put off by the lack of people eating there throughout my stay. I'm sure during peak seasons the place is packed, but during the low season people tend to flock to the beach to enjoy the tranquility of dining beside the waves.

I could recommend this place highly enough and at only 800Bhat per night during low season for a deluxe, air-conditioned lagoon view bungalow you can't go far wrong!

Find more information at www.bluelagoon-kohchang.com and enjoy!

Review: Mad Hatter's Tea at The Sanderson Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 12:56:00 +0000

Wow.

That is the only way to describe my latest afternoon tea experience at The Sanderson Hotel, London. Their 'Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea' is certainly one to remember!

The boutique hotel provides the perfect setting for a quirky and memorable afternoon tea, and they have certainly taken full advantage of this in order to create an original and delicious dining experience. Upon entering the hotel itself expect to be greeted with fresh, contemporary decor and a welcoming smile, before being escorted to your table in the courtyard. Technically you are sat outside, but when it is slightly cooler they roll down the sides of the marquee-like roof that covers you so that you still have the feel of the outdoors without the chill. The space itself is bright and airy with a water-feature in the centre and quirky decorative pieces scattered around. We went there on a Monday afternoon and yet the place was packed out. Although it's no wonder really...

Once we had gotten comfortable and fully appreciated our surroundings we began to notice the little touches that had been thoughtfully prepared on our table. A hardback copy of Wuthering Heights was sat underneath a jewellery box on top of which 'a spoonful of...' was inscribed. Upon opening we found that it was filled with sugar lumps and was actually one of those musical boxes with a little turning ballerina inside which was just adorable. Our curiosity heightened, we opened up the copy of Wuthering Heights to eventually find the afternoon tea menu glued into one of the pages. I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly already felt as curious as Alice, ready and willing to jump head first down the rabbit hole and discover more delights!

Waiting eagerly for the next instalment, the waitress arrived just at the right time with some glass bottles filled with their signature teas. We inhaled the gorgeous scents of tea leaves with original flavours such as mint choc-chip and strawberries and cream before being presented with a tea stand full of deliciousness. We chose the strawberries and cream tea infusion which was unbelievably tasty, and the lovely waitress explained to us each layer of the tea stand and in which order we should indulge in them.

We started with the sandwiches which were cleverly rolled up and filled with mouth watering fillings. We had smoked Cumbrian ham with wholegrain mustard on sun dried tomato bread, cucumber and chive cream cheese on spinach bread, egg mayonnaise with lemon and a smoked salmon delight. I then stayed with the savoury items, making my next stop the savoury scone with herb butter. It made a nice change to have a couple of savoury items on the menu, and the quiche of the day was absolutely delicious!

Next I travelled right up to the top layer which housed some delightful little carrot meringues on a bed of pea shoots, all contained in a dainty tea cup. At this point I must also mention how gorgeous the tea set was, all being designed by Luna and Curious especially for The Sanderson Hotel. You can even purchase the sets and attempt to recreate the experience at home! To round off the top of the stand there were also some little marshmallow mushrooms which were a fun extra before tucking into the main events on the middle of the stand.

First I tucked into the chocolate teacup filled with green tea mousse. The fun of the teacup being made of chocolate was evident as all around us we could see other guests posing with it for the camera and delightfully chomping their way to the delicious centre. The 'tick tock' Victoria sponge was also completely yummy, very refreshing and importantly not too filling as there is still the melting mango cheesecake and scones to enjoy! The scones as it happens, were similarly great and the jam and cream were some of the best I've ever tasted.

The melting mango cheesecake was however, one of my personal highlights. Coated in rainbow patterned white chocolate, it hides an inventive and tasty secret at its core. As I delved further into the centre I came across a passion fruit 'yolk' which burst and covered the remaining cheesecake with a zesty coulis.

Full and definitely satisfied I sat back and began to notice once again the little details that make this afternoon tea experience so spectacular. The napkins are held together with a riddle, a different one on each table, and there is even a 'drink me' potion hiding on the bottom layer of the tea stand with a handwritten 'drink me' label. Sipping a gorgeous passion fruit and tropical mix of something or other from the tiny bottle really rounded off the Mat Hatter experience and made everyone smile!

The cocktails that are listed on the tea menu also compliment the theme completely, and I enjoyed a creative and yummy Scarlet Martini made with Wyborowa vodka, strawberries, cucumber, honey and water, and finished with pomegranate juice. This was just one of many touches that made this afternoon tea experience one of the very best I've ever had, and one which will definitely be difficult to top! Although I'm sure I'll have plenty of fun trying!!

Review: Yaneff at DSTRKT

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 13:32:00 +0000

George Yaneff, a top American chef, has hit London in style! We were lucky enough to sample the 10 course tasting menu at this fabulous and imposing restaurant and we were not disappointed.

When first entering the restaurant we were completely blown away by how amazing the space itself was. The giant light feature in the centre of the room is imposing and fabulous and we knew right from the word go that we were in for a fabulous evening.

We hadn't really heard much about this restaurant, but upon doing a little research we soon found that its all-organic blend of modern and innovative American cuisine was not one to be missed. Needless to say, we were excited and after being wowed by the style and glamour on arrival our expectations were high.

To begin with we were served a board of delicious bread with butter as a sort of warm up to the 10 courses we were about to be presented with. To begin with we were served a delicious oyster with a passion fruit and champagne foam, followed by a tomato and watermelon salad with a fennel and ouzo dressing, and then a deliciously creamy Dunsyre blue cheese cheese with Norfolk baby radishes. These all came quite quickly together which was great, and which really helped to section off the dishes so the whole menu became a sort of three-course tapas menu.

Next we were presented with the most delicious piece of Yellow Fin tuna that I think I may ever have tasted! This little delight was served in a delicious bite-sized portion with soy foam and avocado mousse and I could easily have eaten this for all ten courses! But once this had disappeared it was replaced with an equally delicious portion of razor clam with samphire and a tomato cocktail sauce which was fresh and completely moreish. To end the fish course was a delicious portion of Cornish river sea trout with a celeriac puree, pickled watermelon rind, Dorset watercress and sea trout roe.

Before we headed off onto the meatier courses we were given a delicious course of asparagus with a yoghurt emulsion and treated to another sip of delicious white wine. DSTRKT has a wide selection of wine to choose from, and our waiter was great at recommending one for us to enjoy with our menu. You can even upgrade the tasting menu to include wine pairings for the courses as well.

Next on the menu were Welsh lamb cutlets with lamb pancetta, fava beans and heritage white bean puree served with a dish of grilled broccolini with pomegranate, micro basil and garlic which complemented the lamb perfectly.

To round off this marathon of food was an original and indulgent dessert of 'edible chocolate soil' with strawberry mousse and chocolate truffle. Completely scrumptious, it was a perfect end to a delightful evening and it didn't leave me feeling too full and heavy to get up gracefully from the table!

In the evening this place also transforms into a club, which we were unfortunately unable to sample on the evening that we were there. I have heard some amazing reviews of this place and it seems to be a hidden gem that I shall definitely be heading back to!

Review: W London - Rock Afternoon Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:01:00 +0000

So I've been fortunate enough to be in possession of a couple of afternoon tea vouchers recently, and I was excited at the prospect of visiting the W London for their Rock Tea! As you can see from above photo, taken from their website, the afternoon tea looks exciting and delicious, and W's reputation for rock, roll and glamour certainly heightens the anticipation.

Off we went then, into the shiny black entrance of the imposing W hotel in Leicester square and directed up into the glitzy lounge ready for our palates to be treated to something which promised to be quirky and delicious. The inside of the lounge was definitely striking and there are fabulous light features and wall fixtures to keep your eyes occupied for hours, but unfortunately it was only the physicality of the lounge that ended up making a good lasting impression.

First impressions go a long way in determining the whole of the experience, and for me it was the haphazard arrival sequence and less than warm welcome that we received that really stayed with me. Firstly we were greeted as we approached the bar, before overhearing the barman call out to the hostess with "there's another afternoon tea here for you!", rather unsubtly. When we were eventually escorted to our seat for the afternoon it was not the most social of seating areas as it meant that the two of us were sat next to each other on a bench with nothing but the walls of the buildings opposite for a view.

But let's proceed to the tea itself. The actual cup of tea was served in a stainless steel teapot and with a tea bag. It was actually a very nice pomegranate infusion and was probably one of the nicest aspects of the afternoon, other than the champagne we bought as a delightful extra! The sandwiches were completely uninspiring - a standard and rather dry, single portion of egg mayonnaise, smoked salmon, cucumber and chicken. Move up a level of the record themed tea stand to the currant scones with jam and cream, and you'll find that these were actually rather nice. Although you can't go too far wrong with scones...

The rest of the experience was even less inspiring and if I hadn't have had a two-for-one voucher then I would have probably refused to pay. We actually both ended up leaving most of the desserts and no one cared to bat an eyelid when they cleared away full plates at the end of the afternoon. The desserts were trying too hard to be 'rock and roll', whilst completely forgetting to make sure that they actually tasted nice. With too much peanut butter on the devils food cake, we had to rescue it from the top shelf halfway through sandwiches as it began to fall off of the tea stand!

I'm not going to go all the way into detail about every single item because there were some good points about the experience, namely the decor and the building itself. What I would say however is that if the food itself is not going to be up to scratch then the service really needs to go above and beyond to make up for it. The girl who served us was perfectly pleasant when we managed to catch her attention, even offering to take photos for us, but other than that we found the staff to be rather cold and disinterested. It also shows a lot about the place when the server has to bring a menu to read off of when explaining the dishes that she was serving us.

With so many fabulous options for afternoon tea in London, W are clearly missing a trick. They have an exciting and unusual sounding menu, but unfortunately for me it just didn't deliver.

Destination: A 'Whistlestop Guide' to Koh Chang

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:08:00 +0000

Destination: "A Whistlestop Guide to Madrid"

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:36:00 +0000

Book Review: Shantaram

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:01:00 +0000

This may end up being the only post with a one worded title, and I think that it may be one of the only books that I read that requires one.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is widely renowned for being an epic, life-changing novel. Whilst reading I could hardly believe that the events in this book were in fact real and that the author had been honest and decent enough not to split them up into separate money making adventures. He could quite easily have made a whole franchise out of the main events in his life, but certainly this would not have captured the essence of his journey.

This brick of words begins with Roberts' arrival in then Bombay, and the introduction of honest, loyal Prabaker. Each of the people met and described seems to be perfectly suited to their moment, fulfilling unique and distinct roles in the testing of Roberts' morality, conscience and sometimes very being. Perhaps we as the reader are supposed to understand these qualities in terms of the author so that we can judge him, and perhaps that is exactly what he wants and therefore how he portrays them. Prabaker is the innocence and honesty Roberts craves. Karla is the love he desires and the distance he feels he should have from it. Living in the slum means that he cannot feel guilty for escaping prison, and opening the clinic provides a platform for redemption. The mafia is the gang he feels happiest in as he can be punished by telling himself that this is who he is and where he truly belongs and Khaderbhai is the father he longed for and the figure onto whom he can offload responsibility. Perhaps this is just my understanding of Roberts' journey, but I feel that we as the reader were meant to be a part of Roberts' process of self-exploration and ultimately forgiveness and this is why we are made to feel the way we do.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that this book is way beyond a critique or a judgement, especially mine. This is more than a novel or a memoir or a journal. This is literally a man's hopes, fears and life laid bare on paper. My copy of Shantaram certainly looks like it has been through Roberts' journey with him (it was so long that it took me a long time and a lot of mileage to read), but we must not forget the physical challenges that this book has endured as well as the author's own. I have no idea how it has emerged structured and flowing after supposedly being stolen and destroyed three times during the writing process, but this certainly helps to explain the thought and emotion that is clearly coherent throughout. With this much time, pain, adventure and emotional turmoil, there is more thought provoking material than most accomplished writers could ever hope to capture in one novel, yet this strangely poetic and charismatic criminal has won the hearts of millions.

But the main point must not be forgotten. Or the main point in my opinion anyway. For me this book seemed to cry out for approval. It implored me to see Roberts' flaws and his openness in admitting them yet forgive them. Every bone in my body, and indeed most people's, would instinctively judge this man a criminal, a drug addict and as violent. This is after all what he is, however much he tries to redeem himself by admitting it. And here I suppose is where I get stuck. I want to forgive him, and I want to feel sorry for him, yet the second half of the novel makes me do the opposite even though I can see his humanity and empathise with his pain. Perhaps this is what he wants?

It's YurtTastic!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:53:00 +0000

It's true, I do heart Yurt. Yurt is Yurtilicious. It's Yurtastic. It's Yurtingly, Yurtotally Yurt. Ahhh Yurt.

So here is the gang that thoroughly enjoyed Bert the Yurt. As you can see, we all heart Yurt.

Ok enough of the Yurt related chat. But know that we all loved Yurt. Anyway, we arrived at said Yurt, which is located in the lovely countryside on the border of Wales and Shropshire. There was a nice lady who directed us to the middle of nowhere on the phone when we couldn't find the place, and then she continued to be nice for the rest of the weekend, which was nice.

Inside the Yurt there were some lovely things. I think the nice lady's husband or son or something was some kind of woodworker, which meant that there were lots of nice wooden things scattered around. I should think that he also built the outbuilding which housed the toilet, shower and sink, which were all nice and of good quality - not at all to the usual gross campsite standard. We made full use of this feature, as you can see below.

So back inside the Yurt... There was a lovely log burner and a really comfy sofa bed in the main part of it, and then there was a second adjoining Yurt which housed the main bedroom. This was a lovely comfy bed complete with electric blankets and solar powered fairy lights! There was also electricity in the Yurt itself, which was mega handy, as well as a gas cooker on which you could make a lovely cup of tea. What more could you ask for?

On the area surrounding the Yurt itself was a beautifully made decking with enough chairs for all six of us around a table. There was also a sun lounger for when it didn't rain, and another log burner-come-bbq on which you could make some tasty sausages for dinner. The views were also spectacular. We had great fun naming the sheep in the surrounding fields and also playing on the swings and trampoline in the Yurt's garden.

As you can see in that picture, the weather wasn't the greatest...but the views were still stunning and the rain sounded heavenly on the Yurt's roof when inside. If anything the rain made the experience even better as we were able to enjoy the cosiness of the log fire inside the Yurt! Although none of us were complaining when there was bright sunshine on the last morning and we could all sit outside and eat breakfast!

All in all this was a fantastic place for a weekend gathering. We managed to fit six of us in there fairly comfortably, and found that the shops of Oswestry were close enough to make a few trips for food and drink. This Yurt trip has made us all fall in love with Yurt, and we are determined to come back or do a Yurt trip around the country!!

This Yurt costs £80 per night and sleeps 8 people, with 2 people sleeping in a tent outside. www.offasdykeyurts.com

I guess it's been a while...

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Well a while is probably an understatement. More like 6/7 months, but who's counting? (No one actually, because I'm the only one that reads this...)

I would like to make some kind of joke here about how I've just been away reading one book and it's taken me 6 months, but I kind of sort of have. And it wasn't War and Peace.

To be fair I have been on holiday (in September) and been back at uni doing a dissertation and the like, but I still have only managed to finish about three books in this time, which either says a lot about my reading abilities or the books themselves...

The first one I finished on holiday was none other than Steig Larsson's The Girl Who Played With Fire. I love this trilogy and I'm ploughing through the final one as we speak! After I'd finished this one though, I began to read The Kite Runner. I loved the film and I love Khaled Hosseini, but for some reason I took months and months to get through this book. I do think it was more me not having much time to read it rather than it being a bit of a rubbish book, but I do still think that says something! I remember reading A Thousand Splendid Suns in about a week because I couldn't put it down! But then maybe that is because there wasn't a film version to remind you of what was yet to come...

I found a similar thing occurred to me whilst reading The Picture of Dorian Gray. I know, I know! How can I slate Oscar Wilde?! But the thing is, I could 100% tell that this was the book that was made out of several short stories and put together to make a book, with a few added chapters in which ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED! The ones in which something did happen were of course fabulous, but I felt that I was reading this book for years! In the end I had to stop taking it to read at the hairdressers with me because she was beginning to question why I hadn't finished it yet! Although she agreed with me about the rogue chapters...

Anyway, I'm happily settled with The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest, and I gather that my one reader is now content that I have informed them of what I've been reading these past few months, because what I read is obviously oh so important.

I would quite like someone to recommend me a good book for after I've finished this one, that way I can blame them if I'm still reading it when I'm 40.

The Afterparty. Or Publicity. Or 'The Interactive Novel'

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 09:26:00 +0000

Yes, that one. Anyway, at the request of the author (how good does it feel to write that!) I am expanding on my comment to him - about how I felt cheated by his subtle marketing campaign. Let me explain...

I actually won a copy of this book, and when I did so I was excited! I never win anything you see. But now I see that this was only the beginning of my journey with The Afterparty. From here on, I had already been sucked in to it's subtle 'publicity' campaign and I had technically already entered the novel. This made the fact that I had won the book both better and worse. Don't get me wrong, I understand that winning the book is a normal publicity tactic, but this time it was different.

This novel should be described as an interactive novel for many reasons. Firstly, having won the book and having read somewhere online that it would be out in Spring, I got a little confused when I skipped to the back of the book (I can never help it) and found the section on the back page devoted to telling readers about how they could cameo in the book, get their tweet on the cover, and even review it! Exciting prospects! But I was confused, how could these things make it into a book that was already published and in my hands? Was this book I was holding just a promotional copy? Or would there always be a constant stream of new editions? I'm still not sure on this, but I like it anyway. And you can see how it was beginning to make me think.

As I continued reading, I then began to question everything that cropped up in the novel. Even the e-mails - were these real? Well of course not, but see how these clever clever plans draw you into the novel on another level? On hindsight it was a brilliant trickery, but whilst reading I can see now that I had fallen into it hook, line and sinker, and continued to as I interacted with the novel some more.

Now I hope that this is not coming across as a dislike for the novel. This is quite the opposite in fact, I did really enjoy it. I found that it was so cleverly written that it could send some readers into a schizophrenic episode, and that can never be a bad thing. I have been rightfully and correctly conned of my ability to be a passive consumer, and I have been willfully dragged straight into the world of The Afterparty whether I would have liked to have been or not.

Although it should probably be re-named - "(Free) Publicity"

Letter to my 10 Years Older Self

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:51:00 +0000

So we've all read the Letters To My 16 Year Old Self, but writing to them is a little late don't you think? What would you say to yourself if you could see you in 10 years time? What are all your hopes and dreams for the future, that you'd not want yourself to forget? What little piece of yourself would you want to keep with you throughout the next ten years, and what piece would you want to change? Give it a go - I bet it'll be tougher than you first thought!

Dearest Amy,

I hope that this letter finds you well, and that you have aged gracefully. I know that you're only 30 right now, but I'm only 20 and so to me 30 still seems a little bit old. I hope you don't feel old though, because if you feel old in your mind, then you really will become it. Just remember how much fun we had when we were my age, because 30 isn't too old to still have fun!

Anyway, I hope you finally learn what it means to be beautiful. I hope you've realised that beauty isn't just on the outside, and you don't need people to tell you you're beautiful in order to be it. Please know that beauty comes from within, and that if you work hard at being a good person, the results will last much longer than anything you could get done at a beauty salon.

I wonder whether you have had children yet. I wonder if you are married. I hope that you've fallen in love at least once, and if more than that I hope your heart hasn't been broken too hard. I wish you could tell me all about it, love, and explain to me how fantastic it is. I'm sure it is.

I hope by now you've set out on our correct path and found something we both love to do for a living. I don't care what it is, so long as we enjoy it, and preferably make a bit of money out of it! I bet you've ended up doing something really messy. Like being a farmer or something. And I bet you adore it. Anyway, if you don't you've still got plenty of time to find something new. Don't forget that - nothing is ever set in stone.

Anyway, you're probably busy feeding pigs or children or husbands or something. I hope you're still baking things, and with a little more skill than you do now!

All my love, and good luck.
Your 10 years younger self
xx

One Day I'll be able to bake cupcakes without feeling guilty...

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Sefton) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:29:00 +0000

This post is going to skilfully sidetrack any mention of David Nicholl's bestselling novel - One Day. Oops, I just mentioned it. Anyway, the point is that I don't really think I'll be able to do it justice with what I have to say about it, so I'm going to subtly reference to it through some cupcake metaphors.

Cupcakes are both tasty and delicious, as well as being the opposite of guilt free. And I’m sorry, but those 'healthy', 'skinny' cupcakes just taste like crap. And porridge oats. And this is really what I thought of One Day. Yes it was delicious to imagine these characters as being potentially realistic, and yet it still had that element of bad feeling when you realised that all the good bits you were imagining and picturing in your head were in fact imaginary. Don't get me wrong, this book was a good read and it didn't really bore me in the slightest, but as usually happens with 'best sellers', it was a little bit of an anti-climax. Good, but not 'ohmygoshthisisfreakingamazing'. And perhaps this is also the bit that relates to home-made cupcakes. Good, but not as good as in the shops.

As for the guilt factor? Well this must inevitably come from reading the book in public, and hence hopping onto the One Day bandwagon. This may just be me, but somehow I lose a bit of the love for a book if I know it's sharing itself out with every other Tom, Dick and Harry. I like a bit of book monogamy. Or if nothing else a touch of discretion.

I will be realistic however, and agree that yes this book was a nice little summer read. It was an interesting study of people and the characters had a wonderful, if not slightly predictable, amount of depth. But let's all be honest here, I don't think there's a single person who didn't see the twist coming. I mean, it was pretty obvious she was going to die right?

Oops.