The White Dress of Dreams

This is the ultimate white summer dress for me - I love it so much!

You may have spotted my striped dress that I love so much before, well this is the original! I had actually bought the white one first, but was waiting for the perfect evening to wear it...

And that came with a sisters trip to the theatre to see Breakfast at Tiffany's!

Dressed up it was perfect for a girls evening out. The shirt shape is just so classic and feels really chic in white. The midi length also makes it feel perfectly fabulous and dressed-up. The longer length kinda makes me feel more like a sophisticated grown-up dontcha know!

But as with the striped dress it's perfect to wear more casually as well. The shirt style design means it can have a much more relaxed feel to it. I'm thinking brown brogues and long, cosy cardigans for a whole new look.

The buttons all the way down also mean that its versatile in how dressy you want to go. Stay buttoned up for a warm day in the office or leave a little slit for a night of cocktails! It also just nips you in at the waist perfectly, giving you a little more shape.

I'm actually writing this on holiday just now and can't wait to wear it with tan sandals and a straw boater to stroll about it - such a romantic look!

For pops of colour - it has to be my favourite - coral!

The coral court shoes look amazing against the white. You just can't go wrong with the classic shape and in a beautiful coral shade they're just perfect. A slick of lipstick and some gold accessories and you're good to go!

We had a really lovely evening watching Breakfast at Tiffany's, such a good production and we waltzed off into the night singing 'Moon River' as we went!

Dress - New Look 
Shoes - Next

HMV - Desert Island Discs

There's some tunes that just take you back to summer!

HMV recently asked me to put together a post about my top summer songs and I got thinking about the iconic music store. I always remember spending hours and hours in HMV flicking through the hundreds of CDs and picking out my favourites. There's something lovely about flipping through CDs and DVDs until you find the perfect one and something impressive about shelves stacked with a library of music.

With over 120 stores across the UK the iconic 'dog and trumpet' brand began in 1921. Throughout the years they helped everyone listen to music, from sheet music and gramophones to cassettes and CDs. And here's my top summer songs that you're bound to find amongst all the musical treasure. There's tunes that make me think of warm summer evenings, sunsets on the beach and even family holidays in the sunshine - love them!

ADELE - SEND MY LOVE (TO YOUR NEW LOVER)



I just adore Adele and you can always find me belting out her songs (all be it not very well). I love her latest release as it's got a little bit of a boppier beat. It makes me want to have a mojito in hand and starting to shoogle in a deck-chair or be in a sunny park relaxing on a lazy afternoon. I love how it's a bit more pop and upbeat and with an almost reggae beat it's the perfect summer song.

BEN L'ONCLE SOUL - THE SELF-ENTITLED ALBUM 



I just can't pick a song from this album I really, really, love, love, love it all! Ben l'oncle Soul is a wonderful french man who released his self-entitled album in 2011 and it's just an absolute gem. It's got an amazing summer, soul vibe and I could listen to it anywhere and anytime the sun's out - or even in the summer rain! With the beautiful french lyrics it's got a European feel and makes me feel all classy. With covers, upbeat jazzy songs and something slower it's got something for every mood and is just perfectly relaxing and happy.

BOB MARLEY - JAMMIN' 



What's summer without a little reggae?! Bob always makes me want to me to be perched at a beach bar, tanned to perfection and sipping cocktails as the sun goes down over the beach. However, it also takes me back to childhood holidays! My Dad always blasted this song through the house when we were on holiday, waking us up for another day splashing about in the pool! Bob Marley is just quite a legend and everyone can't help but bop along to his reggae beats as the sun sets on a gorgeous summer day.

KENT JONES - DON'T MIND



This is a song that I hear on the radio constantly and I just can't help but sing along - I'm sure my workies are sick to death of hearing me try and get the words right! It makes me want to be dancing about on the beach, it's just a little bit of a party in a song. It's something a bit lighter, brighter and sunnier that's got a bit of Motown inspiration behind it, has a dancing rhythm and just makes me smile! Plus you know, it'll help you with the language barriers in your chosen destination!

CORINNE BAILEY RAE - GIRL PUT YOUR RECORDS ON 



When I was picking my summer songs I don't know what made me think of this one, but I just exclaimed 'awww remember this?! I loved this song!" It makes me want to be riding through a sun-speckled park with freckly shoulders. It's relaxed summer night that are sunny, carefree and wonderfully relaxed - just how you want to feel. It takes me back to a long lazy, summer holidays from school and warm, balmy, summer evenings when there was nothing else to do but relax with friends. It's just really lovely, easy and perfect summer listening.

Thanks for asking me to put this post together HMV - it brought make some lovely summer memories! What's your top summer listening?

** This is a collaborative post, but all fabulous (or terrible depending on how you look at it!) choices are my own 

Insta-Happenings

Loads of little adventures keeping me busy!

      

      

      

It's really lovely to have a change of scene every now and again and a couple of weekends ago we went on a road trip all the down to a little seaside town to celebrate a friends birthday! After a long drive (with a lot of Disney sing-songs!) from Glasgow on the Friday we woke up to the sea-air on Saturday and headed out to explore! There's something really lovely about being by the sea, especially on a sunny day! We parked up in a beer garden by the sand and whiled away the afternoon before the big celebrations!

I love little cute things like this! We found a bike covered in flowers and plants tied up outside the cutest bar in Edinburgh and I couldn't resist a snap! I love rediscovering sweet pictures like this on my phone - they just make me smile all over again.

I had a really fantastic week at work recently! It was our big campaign shoot and the days were long and tiring, but so much fun! Work is just amazing when it doesn't feel like work. Here's a little sneaky behind the scenes shot of the models - stunning aren't they. It was a fantastic few days with a fantastic crew - well done team!

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness The Gannet is amazing. I'd been wanting to pay a visit to the Finneston eatery for aaaaaaages and was lucky enough to be asked to go along, test out the menu and review them with CitizenM Mag. We popped along on a Sunday lunchtime and indulged in the Champagne Sundays menu. A glass of fizz should really be mandatory when browsing a menu as delicious as this one!

More pretty things! This time it was glowing lights and hanging ivy that caught my eye.

I love, love, love this dress! It's quite similar to my striped dress that I adore, but the white is just oh so special. Here's a little 'keep your eyes peeled' photo of the little details of this dress. It is just a dream to wear and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you in all its glory!

And back to The Gannet! I couldn't have raved about the place enough in my REVIEW. It was simply stunning, the food was phenomenal, the atmosphere perfect and everyone was just lovely. I wouldn't hesitate in going back. It was just the most ideal Sunday afternoon and if someone could arrange for me to do this every weekend I would be good with that!

Another little weekend adventure! This time I popped through to Edinburgh for a spot of culture. My sister and I checked out 'Inspiring Impressionism' in the National Gallery. Displaying the works of Daubigny, Monet and Van Gogh it was a really lovely exhibition that was such a delight to see. I loved the stories of their studio boats and thought it was such a romantic notion - floating down the rivers of France and creating stunning masterpieces as you go. It's a damn shame I have absolutely no artistic talent...

Ooooh la la Stylist, teach me to be French - oui, oui! I always pick up a copy of Stylist to flick through at lunch-time, but this particular issue deserves to be scrutinised with a baguette, cheese and fine glass of wine! We all want to be a little more French don't we and there's some really great reads and insights in this weeks edition - loved it.

REVIEW: The Gannet

If you like food, go here - now!

I'd been aching to try The Gannet for ages. After hearing so many good things about the restaurant in the vibrant, dining destination of Finnieston I was definitely curious to see what the 'award-winning, tipped for big things' spot had to offer!

I was further intrigued after reading the CitizenMag review! They just made it sound so amazing and after visiting I can confirm that you should definitely believe hype!

CitizenMag is a sideline project of CitizenM Hotels and posts reviews of where to eat, drink and generally enjoy yourself in the cities where CitizenM have hotels. It's just a really great way to find out what's going on in different cities. After spying the review of The Gannet and being offered the chance to visit I jumped at the chance! This was definitely a place in Glasgow that I wanted to check out.

The Gannet has a stripped-back urban look with exposed stone and wood details. Named after a cheeky nickname for someone with a large appetite it serves up "a modern take on classical cooking - our menus celebrate the best of Scottish produce, dictated by the rhythms of the British seasons". 

We opted for the 'Champagne Sundays' deal, with is quite a bargain I think! Three course for £30 and a glass of something bubbly on arrival - this is how one should spend a Sunday afternoon!

I went for the 'Rabbit anolotti, seared loin, kombucha, pickled baby carrot & radish salad, carrot puree' while the BF went for the 'Stornoway Black Pudding Scotch Duck Egg'.

Mains were 'Borders lamb, confit belly, courgette wrapped shoulder, braised fennel & puree, potato puree, cumin sauce'.

Arriving opposite was the 'Scotch Beef diamond fillet & ox tail, wild mushrooms, pickled onion, watercress puree, bone marrow & beef dripping confit Mayan gold potatoes, short rib sauce'. 

And I just need to take a minute to remember the potato puree - oh my goodness just magnificent.

We had to have pudding of course - how could we not after knowing how amazing the food was! I had the 'Salted caramel fondant, tonka bean ice cream' but also managed a taste of the 'Soft & Crips meringue, highland crowdie ice cream, Perthshire strawberries, strawberry & fermented tea foam." 

Both amazing. Just look at that caramel. It demands attention as it spills out with the touch of a spoon. Please get me more now.

I really loved my trip to The Gannet and I can't sing it's praises enough. The food arrived as poetic and artistic plates, all swirls and furls, a feast for your eyes. But it came across as effortless and wholly unpretentious. You wanted to, needed to, give the beautiful plates of food your whole attention.

Everything was just impeccable. We were given the perfect wine recommendations and the bartender spoke passionately when I asked him about a sweet wine for my dessert, it's so lovely to speak to people who genuinely care and really know what they're talking about. It was also really lovely and relaxed with a laid-back atmosphere, the perfect way to while away an afternoon.

I definitely agree with the CitizenMag when it notes that dining at The Gannet is "total experience". Scotland's food scene is really buzzing and The Gannet is a stop you really shouldn't miss do, you really do savour every bite - I can promise that.

A massive thank you to CitizenMag for inviting me to review and a huge thanks to The Gannet for making the whole foodie experience so amazing - I'll be back!

****This post was in collaboration with CitizenMag, but all mouth-watering views are my own