The Beauty Drawer: misc

Sunday, 4 October 2015

San Antonio, Ibiza

I visited Ibiza in mid August for 4 nights, and it's so hard to say goodbye to San Antonio sunshine. My 2 friends and I stayed in the famous Ibiza Rocks Hotel, and chose a roomy superior stage view apartment, meaning that we could watch gigs from the comfort of our own balcony (if you're not afraid of heights). We booked our stay well in advance and only found out who were playing at the hotel weeks before we arrived. On our first night De La Soul played until midnight, followed by a live session from the amazing Gorgon City on the Saturday.

IT by Alexa Chung

Being naturally not much of a reader, I of course had to make an exception for Alexa Chung and purchase her debut book simply titled 'It'. Published in 2013 I'm about 2 years too late, but my obsession for her only recently kick-started after a late night visit to Alex Turner and Alexa Chung dedicated tumblr pages - cringe. Alexa is no doubt an It Girl of the 21st century, and the self confessed groupie has listed her somewhat strange style icons in this book, pulling inspiration from the likes of Wednesday Adams and even her own grandfather.

Even for me, I found this book to be quite a quick read. However, the lack of words is quickly made up for by the vast amount of personal photographs and doodles; a real insight into Alexa's life and musings. The top 10 best seller covers everything from heartbreak, to how to get dressed in the morning, and even tips for the perfect selfie (it helps if you have Alexa Chung's face). If you're looking for a witty read, I'd definitely recommend 'It' - also available in paperback.

Salt House Charcuteria and Tapas Bar, Liverpool

Churros with cinammon sugar and chocolate dipping pot, £4.95

I'm just back from a few days in Liverpool visiting my cousin. Every time I visit, I never want to leave! I haven't been to many cities but this one might just be my favourite. It's not surprising that Liverpool John Moores is the #1 choice of university for Northern Irish school leavers. One of the places I went to for food just so happened to be Salt House Charcuteria and Tapas Bar on Hanover Street - purely for the promise of churros on the dessert menu. Come on, I mean look at them!

'Malaga Fried Fish' - fried calamari, prawns, and cod, £5.95

This was my first time at a tapas bar and like we did, I'm pretty sure most diners will share dishes - because they're small it means ordering something you haven't tried before, isn't as risky. Food comes out as it's cooked, meaning you can eat confidently knowing your plate has come out fresh and hasn't been sitting under a hot lamp for the last 15 minutes! However, I can imagine this has made for some awkward dates in the past if you've decided not to share and waited for your other half's food.

Char grilled fillet steak with pomme puree, shallots, and pepper sauce, £7.95

Libby's toast with aioli, £2.95

Don't be fooled by the idea of small dishes, we left feeling fuller than ever. In hindsight we definitely should have ordered less dishes for 2 people, but it's just so hard to decide with all of the yummy choices and reasonable prices. My favourites had to be the Libby toast to start (the aioli is to die for), the crispy fried potatoes (spicy), and not to forget the churros to finish, if you can! I'm not much of a seafood girl but the prawns were surprisingly good too. We ate from the main menu but you can see their full list of menus here. Aside from their mouth watering food, Salt House are fully licensed and offer a range of cocktails. Thankfully it was lunch time and I decided to behave myself.

Crisp fried potatos with harissa red pepper salsa and regato cheese, £4.50 & Sauteed baby chorizo with honey, £4.95

iflorist - Mother's Day

Mums - we'd be lost without them. Mums have been coping with our mood swings, mending broken hearts and replacing teeth with coins for years. Whether you're showing your mum how much they mean to you, or treating someone who's like a mother to you, flowers are the perfect thank you. iFlorist just happen to have a stunning collection of Mother's Day flowers starting from just £14.90, and each bouquet comes with a personally messaged card free of charge. If you haven't already guessed, iFlorist allow flowers to be ordered at the click of a button directly to the recipients door, especially convenient for anyone who won't get to spend this Sunday with their mum. iFlorist refer to themselves as the world's local florist and boast being able to send flowers anywhere in the country within a matter of hours.

Sunday, 4 October 2015

San Antonio, Ibiza

Friday, 24 July 2015

IT by Alexa Chung

Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Salt House Charcuteria and Tapas Bar, Liverpool

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

iflorist - Mother's Day