The Weekender!

Posted in Style, Travel by Jenna Louise

February payday is just around the corner & you have booked a cheeky little weekend away with your loved one, the girls, a family break or you’re away with work (boooo!).

You don’t want to carry a suitcase because it’s too big for just your undies & a few outfit changes, but you ALWAYS end up with 6 small bags & another full of your toiletries! (come on girls, I know this isn’t just me!).

I’ve put together a collection of weekend bags to cater for all weekends & all budgets! Weekend away playing bingo with Granny Joan? Romantic Birthday city break with Mr Perfect? Wild Hen Do with the girls? You’ve come to the right place!

Family Weekend

The lovely Cath Kidston is a very cute way to travel away with the family. Great for throwing everything in & putting in the car, it’s waterproof & will hold all of your essentials for that one night away.

This is their foldaway overnight bag & at just £40.00, you’ll have Aunt Susanne ordering one as soon as you arrive. With matching travel items available here, it’s a nice little item to have stashed away!

Festival / Camping Getaway

Your going camping or to that festival you’ve been planning all summer, but you want to look the part? ASOS have this little beauty to answer your prayers!

The printed canvas design on this Mi Pac Weekend Travel Bag will have you fitting in immediately & with a removable shoulder strap, it’s easy to lug around to the campsite showers. It’s also wipe down which is perfect for those festival spillages!

Was £34.99, now £25.00. You can get it here!

Romantic City/Countryside Break

Your man has just told you to pack a bag for the weekend. He’s whisking you away to a log cabin/weekend in London. For no reason. This could be it. It could be your big proposal. Do you really want to be taking that tatty old holdall that you’ve had since your last school trip to Devon?!

No! This is your big day. This is your future husband we’re talking about here! You NEED something to scream ‘LOOK AT ME! I AM IN LOVE!’

Even if your weekend turns into a big flop (his big ‘surprise’ was his promotion at work. Yuk!), then this little beauty will make up for EVERYTHING!!!

The Louis Vuitton Keepall collection is everything. It’s something I look at and I go weak at the knees. The David Beckham of weekend bags if you like. Starting from around £805.00, this little baby will last you a lifetime!

Activity Weekend

It was January, you needed to get fit, you & the girls had too much wine. Next thing you know, you ended up booking yourself on a ‘health retreat’ activities weekend. Running, biking, swimming. You name it, you’ve signed up to it.

Well now it’s March & you’ve realised that A) You’re never drinking again and B) You actually own no sports gear whatsoever. In the hope of at least looking like you know what you’re doing, here is your perfect companion to help get you through the weekend!

This Nike Brasilia Large Holdall can be picked up from Argos & at the moment there is £8.00 off! Get it online here!

I promise, if you turn up with this, Sporty Steve the swimming instructor will be thinking you’re fit as a fiddle from the get go! Also a nice option to have stashed away for when you do choose to join that gym you have been promising to join!

Working Weekend

So, you said yes MONTHS AGO to that email that went around the office about that conference in Manchester.

I know, I know, WHY?! But you did (silly!) and the only weekend bag you have is that big fluffy, faux fur number with the pompoms that is fine for those girly sleepovers, but hello! you’re an independent professional woman (or that’s what you want your boss to think!), well up steps River Island.

A firm high street fave, this is the perfect option to board the early Train & check into the hotel ready to greet Rob from the desk opposite, who you have never spoken to, but find yourself sharing the whole weekend with.

This is black, quilted & is big enough for everything you would need for the weekend. Did I mention it’s only £65.00?

With matching wheelie case & makeup bag available here, you can’t go wrong!

Shopping Weekend

You & the girls have booked a hotel in the city of London & are going to shop until you physically drop (preferably into a large mojito!).

This Radley large weekender is perfect to take for the whole weekend but also handy to stash away your shopping bags during the day.

With the pretty pink colours & the signature dog design, this will soon become a firm favourite in your collection! Prices start from around £90.00 & you can see a familiar version here.

Hen Do / Party Weekend

You’re planning a weekend clubbing or you’re flying out to Ibiza.

Another perfect option by River Island. It has an adjustable shoulder strap & with its black snake print design, it’s fun & a bit more ‘out there’ compared to your work or romantic weekend getaway bags!

Large enough for a few outfit changes & even enough room for a bottle of champagne, at £65.00 this will be a firm favourite for your girlie weekends! View this bag here!

The All-Rounder!

There are some things in life that are just perfect for any situation.

Like, a Chanel perfume or a Clarins mascara.

You can add Longchamp shoppers & travel bags to that list. These are absolutely perfect for anything.

Versatile & stylish, these will last you forever.

Starting from around £53.00, Selfridges have an amazing collection in all shapes & colours.

Check them out here!

SO! There you have it! What are you waiting for?! GET PACKING! x

16Feb2016

Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k

Posted in Entertainment by Jenna Louise

It’s February. We made it through the blues we suffered in January (yay us!), but now we find ourselves in a pickle.

During January, we were so utterly depressed, we ended up saying yes to everything and everyone, RSVP’ing to those events that we just do not give a f**k about & now we’re faced with the prospect of actually going and/or seeing these people that we have no inclination of spending time, energy OR MONEY on.

You with me?

WELL! Fear no more! I’m going to let you into a little secret! My life has changed because of it & because I’m so nice, I’m going to share it with you.

If you are a ‘yes’ person, whether at work, at home, at your daughter’s ballet lesson, at the supermarket, WHEREVER! then you need to read this book.

I’m talking about Sarah Knight’s ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k’.

I had had one of those days at work where I was saying yes to everything & then something hit me like a steam train. WHY!?

I went for a coffee after work to relax/stop me from killing someone & I stumbled upon this book in the local bookstore. I read the blurb & I brought it there and then.

It’s honest, it’s inspiring & it’s downright HILARIOUS!

Sarah has hit every nail on the head & she’s hit it DAMN HARD!

In the space of a few days, you will be saying no to Aunt Meg & her soul destroying weekly Eastenders marathon & you won’t feel bad for it!

All you people pleasers, I urge you to buy this book!

Get yourself on Amazon NOW! It will honestly change your life!

Check out Sarah’s twitter here.

7Dec2015

Afternoon Tea – The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel & Cocktail Lounge

Posted in Food, Lifestyle by Jenna Louise

It’s Monday. What better way to spend the day than an Afternoon Tea, right?

Monday blues are no more with The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel & Cocktail Lounge.

Situated on Highfield Road, Edgbaston, this 6 bedroomed boutique hotel is a beautiful destination for Afternoon Tea!

It’s definitely got a 1920’s feel about it & if you’re a fan of The Great Gatsby, (who isn’t!), then this will be the venue for you!

They are an award winning cocktail lounge, who boast an endless list of both classic drinks & cocktails with added style from the Edgbaston’s bartenders.

We entered the lounge around 12:30pm (Afternoon Tea starts at noon) & we were shown to our table right away. We were the first people there for Afternoon Tea & so I took the opportunity to have a few ‘ooohhhhs & aaahhhhs’ on the decor of the place!

The stylish yet classic layout is exactly to mine & Daniel’s taste & if we could morph our living/dining room into this cocktail lounge, we would be in absolute heaven!

There are a few Afternoon Tea options for you to chose from which are listed on their website here. Prices start from £22.00 so most definitely compete with all other venues that offer Afternoon Tea.

We opted for the Laurent Perrier rosé Afternoon Tea with the traditional Breakfast Tea on the side.

The experience started with a bit of ‘magic’…a minus 78 degree surprise! It looked totally spectacular & really excited us for the remainder of the tea!

Out came our sandwiches & little mini cakes which were all yummy (my favourite was the earl grey macaroon – I’m a sucker for a macaroon!).

Lastly, we were presented with a fruit scone & a plain scone each. The cream & the strawberry jam came in cute little containers.

After washing it all down with our lovely tea (the tea was organic loose leaf Jing Tea by the way!), we felt well & truly relaxed!

The Edgbaston is a perfect place to come just outside of the city centre which is a beautiful hideaway where you can drink fabulous cocktails in a stunning location.

I cannot wait to visit here for pre-dinner cocktails & me & Daniel were gutted we had to drive home! I had to stop looking at the extensive cocktail list before I got carried away!

3Dec2015

Mother-Daughter Lunch

Posted in Food, Lifestyle by Jenna Louise

Every now & then it’s lovely to get together with my mom and go for lunch, a bottle of wine to have a catch up!

Life passes us by so quickly, & with the weeks & months speeding past us, you find yourself needing a huge catchup!

Me & my mom like to try out different restaurants in & around Birmingham, & so Prezzo in Harborne is a perfect venue for a Saturday afternoon girlie lunch! (It was also a perfect place to take my new Valentino scarf, which I am in love with!)

The restaurant is located 3 miles from Birmingham City Centre, so ideal if you are based in Birmingham or just passing through!

What is also cool is that the restaurant is located within ‘The School Yard’.

This is a Grade II Listed Clock Tower building which was designed originally as a school, situated on what is now Harborne High Street. The parking in Harborne is super super cheap (amazing!), & 2 seconds away from Prezzo, so not only is it perfectly convenient, you’re also not paying the extortionate parking prices of dining in The Mailbox, Bullring etc!

The decor is contemporary, yet cosy & the open kitchen adds to the atmosphere.

At the moment, Prezzo are offering a special 2 course menu for £14.50, which includes a glass of prosecco! See their main menu here!

It’s always busy with a mix of couples of all ages, groups of friends, family gatherings or just business men passing through for lunch!

Me & my mom opted for the bruschetta & the mozzarella to start.

My mom then went for the salmon penne pasta.

Whilst I opted for the chicken & asparagus risotto.

Both dishes were very yummy & even better washed down with a bottle of Sauvignon blanc!

I hope you’ve all had a lovely week! What are your plans for the weekend?

27Nov2015

VIP Event: Boux Avenue

Posted in Lifestyle, Style by Jenna Louise

boux_avenue_logo

A few weeks ago I received an email from Boux Avenue about a VIP Ladies Night Event taking place in my nearest store. Owned by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis (Dragon’s Den), I really do enjoy a trip to Boux Avenue!

With 20% discounts, prosecco, complimentary bra fittings, manicures & a goody bag, what was there to lose?!

The event was running from 4pm to 9pm so I headed straight there after work.

As a woman, there is nothing quite like shopping for new underwear & Boux Avenue wrap it so pretty that it’s worth the purchase just for that!

Their sleepwear & nightwear range is super cute & I love their Chemises & Cami Sets. Perfect for a special occasion or just a Friday night around the house!

I love the layout of the store & the draw storage reminds me of how Victoria Secrets layout their underwear.

They also have some accessories such as candles, reed diffusers, slippers & compact mirrors to name just a few which would make perfect little gifts for Christmas!

After a lovely leisurely look around & after a glass of bubbles, I settled on a few things to take home with me!

After a stressful day at work, it was a lovely girlie evening!

16Nov2015

Date Night: Loki Wine Merchant & Tasting House

Posted in Lifestyle by Jenna Louise

If you follow me on instagram (https://instagram.com/xjennaloulou) then you will have seen that a few weeks ago I went wine tasting (again!).

Dan has been working so hard lately and I just wanted a cute little date night that we could do on a weekday to relax & unwind during another stressful week.

Up stepped the most awarded Wine Merchant in Birmingham. Located in the Great Western Arcade, Loki Wine was the perfect venue for a lovely, relaxed evening of wine tasting.

If you head over to their website here, you will see the current events that they have coming up.

We attended the Rioja masterclass which was on Wednesday 28 October 2015 & started at 6pm.

We headed over to Birmingham & grabbed a coffee & then wandered over to Loki around 6pm.

We were taken upstairs to the tasting room where we were greeted by Rioja goody bags.

On the table was water and spittoons but we were encouraged to taste the wine & swallow if we so wished, which of course we did!

We also had a slice of chorizo & some delightful manchego cheese to pair with the wines. Loki also sell meat & cheese platters & all food is sourced from the local, traditional delicatessen which is fantastic for local, independent businesses.

A pen was provided to us if we wished to make notes of the wines that we tasted etc.

The experience was led by Paul who was so educated in wine that me & Dan felt like we could have listed to him all day!

There was around 18 people on the tasting, which was a lovely number; just intimate enough but also a nice number to interact with.

We tasted 6 wines in total (including one white Rioja and one rosé Rioja). We then tasted a range of Rioja’s varying in price.

Every wine we tried was available to buy in the store on the lower ground.

You can also come in, order some food, buy a tasting card starting at £10.00 & work your way around the wines.

This is a fantastic idea if you’ve been wondering about a certain wine, but you don’t necessarily want to purchase a whole bottle just in case it’s not for you!

Our wine tasting evening finished on Paul opening a bottle of 1970 Rioja which was a real experience!

To drink something that’s nearly twice my age was wonderful & would make a great talking point at a dinner party!

After the tasting had finished I took a look around Loki & was impressed with how relaxed it was. There was a lovely room where you could bring your wine & have a natter after work or have a glass of wine after a morning of retail therapy.

We were also encouraged to browse the store before it closed around 8pm, which we took full advantage of!

12Nov2015

Those October Nights..

Posted in Lifestyle by Jenna Louise

Happy Friday Eve!

We’ve nearly made it guys!

I’m home from work, cup of tea made, Magazines at the ready & A LOT of trash TV to watch!

I absolutely love October nights! In fact, they are my favourite!

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week & you’re ready for the weekend ahead! Enjoy every second; it’s what we work for!

4Nov2015

We are Nine!

Posted in Food, Lifestyle by Jenna Louise

On Sunday 25th October 2015, me & Daniel celebrated our 9th Anniversary!

We honestly do not know where the last 9 years have gone!

We headed out for dinner on the Saturday evening to celebrate!

We went to our favourite Chinese restaurant in our local town of Harborne; Henry Wong’s.

We love the food & the atmosphere here & as we’re planning on doing something utterly amazing for our big 10 year Anniversary next year, we thought we would settle on a nice little dinner this year!

It was a lovely evening full of wonderful food & beautiful champagne!

I really am a lucky girl!

We woke early on the Sunday morning & headed back into Harborne for an Anniversary breakfast!

We went to The Plough which has been voted the best breakfast in Birmingham by a few reviews & you can add mine to that list!

The restaurant was super busy, but we managed to get a table around 9:30am.

After struggling to pick just one thing off the menu (it all looked so yummy!), I settled on the pancakes.

Oh wow! Hands down the best stack of pancakes I have ever had! I couldn’t finish it because it was SO HUGE!

I also ordered an orange juice & a mug of tea, which came with a biscuit; is that not the cutest thing ever!

After a relaxing morning, we continued our relaxing day & finished the evening at home with more champagne!

30Oct2015

Networking: Chocolate & Wine Tasting!

Posted in Food, Lifestyle by Jenna Louise

On 20 October 2015, I was invited to an Event organised by The Gatekeepers Guild which is a Networking Group brought to you by SimkissGuy Recruitment created for PAs, EAs & Office Managers in Birmingham.

When the email came round with the words ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Wine’ tasting, I didn’t even need to read the rest to know I was in!

So with three other colleagues from my firm, we headed into Birmingham for the event.

The event kicked off at 5:30pm and it took place at Bank House in Birmingham.

We took the elevator and was greeted with this wonderful view overlooking Birmingham!

We were given a glass of champagne (or two) & after a little mingling, the Chocolate & Wine tasting begun.

Providing this amazing experience was Chouchoute Chocolaterie who have a wonderful shop in the Great Western Arcade in Birmingham.

The shop is co-owned by Pierre Soualah who was trained at Fauchon in Paris & Selfridges in London – not bad eh!

Pierre went through the whole chocolate process. From the cocoa bean all the way through to the tasting, Pierre went through in detail everything you would ever want and need to know.

His passion really came through in the way he spoke about the chocolate and he had me completely sold even before trying the chocolate.

But next, we got to taste the chocolate – yay! Each chocolate was different from the region the bean was grown, to the percentage of cocoa in each chocolate. When going through each chocolate it was a lovely way to interact with people we work with, and getting to know the people we didn’t work with. Trying to guess and understand the flavours of the chocolate was a real fun experience and with Pierre there to talk us through everything, I think I could well be a chocolate expert!

After a glass of wine and a bit more of a natter, it was time to catch the train back home. It was such a well organised, brilliant evening with some really lovely, hardworking ladies! Networking with people in similar jobs is a really positive experience and something companies should definitely encourage!

I really can’t wait to visit Chouchoute and pick up some bits!

They cater for any occasion; birthdays, anniversary’s christmas, Weddings & they offer a wonderful corporate gift selection. They also deliver to almost any address; business or personal & you can also add a personal message to your gift if you like.

You will not find chocolates like these anywhere. They are all handmade in a timeless fashion & the taste is second to none!

If you would like to check out the shop & you’re in the Birmingham area, their address is:

Chouchoute Chocolaterie Ltd
40 Great Western Arcade
Birmingham
B2 5HU

You can also find them on social media & I highly recommend checking out their website!

The Mailbox launch weekend!

Posted in Lifestyle, Style by Jenna Louise

Hello & happy Monday!

I have today off work & so my mood is VERY different to a normal working Monday morning!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend & no doubt we’re already on countdown for the next one!

My weekend was possibly the best weekend I’ve had in a long time!

Me & Daniel celebrated our 9th Anniversary on Sunday which was a lovely day! (more on that soon!).

But on Saturday we attended the Mailbox Sessions.

This was a celebratory weekend for the Mailbox in Birmingham. It’s finally opened it’s doors & as you may know, the new (& amazing) Harvey Nichols is also complete!

Me & Daniel parked in the Mailbox (so handy!) & headed up to grab some breakfast.

We popped into Cafe Rouge & had our favourite breakfast; eggs Benedict! We are complete suckers for it!

We had secured tickets to the Gieves and Hawkes Tailored to You show at 10:30am. The show was being held in the new Urban Room which is located on the floor with all the restaurants and opposite the champagne bar/restaurant entrance to Harvey Nichols.

The show was fantastic. It was led by Randall, an employee of the new Mailbox store, along with model, Luke, who modelled the suits that day.

Randall went through what makes a perfect suit & what Gieves and Hawkes can offer to you. A suit to a man is like that little black dress for a woman. It’s SO important! Daniel loved the show & after the 30 minute talk we sauntered over to the Gieves and Hawkes store.

Daniel picked out a tie & we got talking to the wonderful staff. They asked what brought us to the store today & we mentioned it was our Anniversary weekend. Next thing we knew the staff had given Daniel a little Anniversary gift; another tie! It was such a lovely gesture & we cannot wait to go back & purchase more things!

At around midday, Daniel went & met his brother to pick & try on wedding suits! (Daniel’s brother is getting married next year; SO exciting!).

I had got a ticket for the Art of Style show which was led by Grazia Magazine’s fashion editor, Blogger Bip Ling & Harvey Nichols’ Darren Skey. This was also held in the new Urban Room & a free copy of Grazia magazine was on each chair. Nice touch!

This show was a conversational talk all about how art influences style, style icons & a general chit chat about fashion.

It was fun & informative & made me want to quit my job & work for Grazia!

After the 45 minute show, I went back downstairs to the shop level where the new & beautiful seating area is.

They had public dance performances & also a live orchestra playing delightful background music.

I sat for a while whilst admiring the new layout & the stunning decor of the new building.

Birmingham has really stepped up its game in the last few years & I am SO proud to live here!

If shopping is your thing then I highly suggest coming over for a whole weekend of retail therapy! We now have EVERYTHING in the city that London can offer; only less busy & more relaxed!

As department stores go, we have Harvey Nichols, John Lewis, Selfridges, House of Fraser & Debenhams. With some fantastic hotels & with the Christmas Market arriving in the next few weeks, it’s perfect for a Christmas shopping weekend away!

So what are you waiting for? Come & see us here in Birmingham!

cashmere caviar

…The finer things in life.

Author Archives: Jenna Louise

The Weekender!

Book Review: The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k

Afternoon Tea – The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel & Cocktail Lounge

Mother-Daughter Lunch

VIP Event: Boux Avenue

Date Night: Loki Wine Merchant & Tasting House

Those October Nights..

We are Nine!

Networking: Chocolate & Wine Tasting!

The Mailbox launch weekend!