Celebrating Afternoon Tea Week at Park Plaza

Did you know that it's Afternoon Tea Week so if there was ever a time to indulge in some scones and cream now is the time and why not I say? Everyone deserves a little treat every now and then and if you live in or around Cardiff I can highly recommend the Hendricks Gin Afternoon tea at Park Plaza if your looking for something just for adults with a fun and creative twist. This is not actually the first time we have reviewed the Hendrick Afternoon tea, you can read my other reviews here . It is however the first time John and I have paired it up with a little spa session at Laguna Health and Spa before enjoying the teapot cocktail and indulgent cakes as part of the Hendrick's Afternoon Tea and Spa package. You have the choice of either a Laguna Signature back massage which is what John opted for or a divine Laguna Signature facial which is what I had and it honestly was the best facial I have ever had, perfect for anyone who needs a bit of a pick up. As ......

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Walston Castle family restaurant review

We were recently invited to review the newly refurbished Walston Castle Beefeater in Wenvoe, a nice little spot in the Vale of Glamorgan. Having never been to a Beefeater before we were unsure of what to expect and wether they would have something to meet everyones needs and tastes, but as always we approached this open minded. First of all there is plenty of parking which is useful especially if you have young children with you. The staff were friendly and took us to our seat straight away. The interior is simple and well designed, I love the large hanging lamps and wooden panelling everywhere. It was a little dim inside making it a bit difficult to take decent photos but that had nothing to do with the atmosphere which was nice and cosy and perfect for relaxing family time. The fun Mr Men inspired kids menu is also packed with activities which Mr A enjoyed doing while we waited for our food to arrive. I was pleasantly surprised with the healthy options in......

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Alternative easter gift guide

How cute are these hand painted candle eggs £4.50 Easter doesn't have to be all about kiddies chocolate and sticky fingers, why not make it your own and as well as treating your family why not treat yourself to some Easter fun. Whether it be something cute for the home like the hand painted candles above or a nice little necklace or some wine to go with your Sunday roast, there are lots of alternatives to hollow eggs and even if you do want a spot of chocolate you could opt for something a bit more refined like some delicious Belgian  praline truffles. Here is a little Easter gift guide with a difference Easter treats by laura-sidestreet featuring a crate and barrel dinnerware 1. Guylian Belgian Chocolate Easter gift box 2. Easter Rabbit interior decoration - Joss and Main 3. Lindemans Wine 4. Happy Easter Chalkboard £31 from Etsy 5. Crate and Barrel hand painted egg £3.50 ...

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Mothers Day gifts for the home + Giveaway

Enjoying some Tea Pigs tea and a new book Mothers day is one of those wonderful little celebrations of gratitude, a chance to show our mothers that we care, to give a little back to all the years they have given to us so if your stuck for what to get your mother on mothers day here are a few last minute suggestions that may help. Glass Bird stopper bottles  Mollie and Fred have an array of cute home wears and quickly little gifts including these sweet little glass bird stopper bottles which would be perfect on a dresser or in a kitchen and are only £5.99 and offer something a little bit different. They also had an array of pillows, plates and things for the home. I love this heart map The Handpicked Collection is another great site that offers a huge selection of original and interesting pieces including this personalised trio of hearts framed maps which would be perfect for any travel loving mum. Debenhams Flowers Okay so some people my think ......

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Best Gluten-free pancakes & Choc Shot giveaway

Our favourite Gluten Free pancakes After trying out a few different recipes, a few months ago we all agreed that these Gluten Free pancakes were the best going and often having them on Sunday mornings as a family treat. They are super easy to make and contain now wheat or gluten although they do contain eggs as well as delicious greek yogurt. I often cover mine in sliced bananas but on this occasion we were excited to try out some Choc Shot which had been sent to us and made a lovely chocolaty change without all the sugar and calories as it's 100% natural from carob and is gluten and diary free and suitable for veggies/vegans and the little man has become a real fan of having a dash of this in his almond milk. Chic Shot has been a hit in our house Gluten Free pancake recipe 200g gluten-fre flour blend (we often use rice flour) 1 1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder 2 free range eggs beaten 200ml milk - dairy free versions also work, we use almond 120g greek yogur......

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Lazy weekend food - Lighter Creme Brûlée

I have been trying to keep on top of my sweet cravings during my pregnancy, normally I have no problems with this and we enjoyed a healthy lifestyle with lots of fresh fruit and veggies on a daily basis but lately I have been dreaming of something light and creamy. We usually stay away from dairy - in fact I have been drinking dairy-free milk for almost ten years but every now and then a cheeky dessert is required. I wanted to take this family straightforward recipe from Sunrise-care  and see if by making one (or two) small changes if I could make it slightly less calorific. So instead of using standard double cream I opted for Weight Watchers double cream which is 70% less fat but is still perfect for cooking and baking and worked really well, I also reduced the amount of sugar in the original recipe, only by a little but then every little helps and it made no difference on the outcome. I popped four of these ramekins into the oven while making a Millet, Aubergine and mush......

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Pregnancy Update...33 weeks

Wow so time is really flying by and I cannot believe that on Tuesday next week I will be 34 weeks pregnant. The bump has gotten a little bigger since my last pregnancy post at 31 weeks but I have been dressing it up in my Bibee maternity tunic and pairing it with my new jacket to have something this is very comfortable but not too frumpy either, plus you can interchange the front "bibs" making these dresses very versatile. Great news I also have 15% off any bible dress for my readers, just use the special code side street  Wearing - Bibee Maternity tunic, M&S jacket, Morlands boots and Carlos bag The past month I have also been enjoying some of the delights on offer in my monthly Nonabox which has been a real treat through my pregnancy and it's always lovely receiving a little surprise each moth, especially as things become more uncomfortable as you get further into a pregnancy. it'a also a great way to get a selection of products that you may not......

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Street Style Sunday - Stripes and Jacket

Laura wears - MS jacket, Uniqlo tee, HM leggings, Morlands boots, Topshop hat, Vintage bag First of all I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and New Years and so happy to be starting of the year with another Street Style Sunday with the lovely Natalie from Style Me Sunday . I am sure a lot of you have a few new pieces to share and I was over the moon when I was given this lovely Jacket and wolly hat from the other half for Christmas and couldn't wait to share it. I also treated myself to this striped Paris print tee from Uniqlo and have been keeping my feet warm with these beautiful lines Morlands boots. I love nothing more than indulging in some wooly hats and jumpers at this time of the year. It's been a little bit harder than usual being pregnant in winter as last time I was coming to the end of my pregnancy during summer and would simply buy t-shirts and shirts one size larger but I am still on the lookout for a stylish maternity jacket to see me through t......

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Big Beauty Giveaway

Near the end of the year I always like to put together a little Beauty Giveaway for one of my lucky readers and this year is no different. I have a lovely little pamper package - great for a new look in the New Year and Giveaway includes a 48 piece ELF eyeshadow Palette with mirror and dual ended eyeshadow applicator. Elf Smokey Brown nail polish ELF eyebrow lifter and filler Colour Club "Regain in Spain" nail polish No 7 Instant  Radiance highlighter O.P.I Hand and Body lotion mini The Bodyshop Vitamin E overnight serum Elemis Lime and Ginger Body Wash Elemis Lime and Ginger Body Lotion ELF has a store in Cardiff, which I have visited a few times and I can say that I really love their products so I am very excited to be giving this lovely palette and other goodies away to one lucky reader, plus the Elemis Body wash and lotions are divine. It's super easy to enter and good luck a Rafflecopter giveaway ...

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