Wine Tasting Weekend Away

Hello Kittens. I've just returned from a fabulous weekend away wine tasting with my sister, and I have to say I can't remember the last time I had so much fun! On Friday evening we got the train from Euston and headed to Bosworth Hall where the event was held. The train journey was just over an hour, and we got into the party spirit by indulging in a few glasses of Rose. Boswoth Hall is a beautiful Grade II listed mansion in the Warwickshire countryside, and a 20 minute taxi ride from Nuneaton which is the nearest station. 

We arrived just in time for dinner so quickly checked in and freshened up before heading down to the restaurant. Meals were buffet style with a good selection of courses. After dinner we headed to the bar to check out the wine selection. A few bottles and a good gossip later and we were ready for bed.

The next morning we woke bright and early and headed down for a hearty cooked breakfast. Wine tasting started at 9:45 which feels like a ridiculously early time to be drinking, but hey, when in Rome.

There were 14 of us on the course which was run by Thirty Fifty. Our host Erik Falck was brilliantly knowledgeable, put us all at ease and happily answered questions from us eager beavers. Throughout the day we tasted 17 different wines, including a blind tasting, and learned how to pair wine with food, Old World versus New World Wine, how to blend different grape varieties and how to assess value for money in a bottle of wine. The course ran until 4:00pm and included lunch with specially paired wines. It's fair to say by the end of the course everyone was feeling a bit tipsy and in good spirits. I would recommend the course to anyone who likes drinking wine and would like to learn more about it. Would be brilliant for a girls weekend away, hen do or romantic getaway. 

The following day we made the most of the pleasant Spring weather and wondered around the hotel grounds which were absolutely stunning. If you ever visit, do take advantage of the hotel facilities and book in for a spa treat. 

Great weather, beautiful venue, great company, yummy food and fabulous wine. My idea of heaven. We are hoping to make this an annual treat. Seriously can't recommend it enough. Cheers!

Summer Holiday

My sister and I have just returned from a well deserved break in Spain. 4 days of sunshine and no responsibility was just what we both needed and we are already planning our next holiday.

We flew to Barcelona and stayed in Santa Susanna which is a relaxing and chilled resort in Costa Brava. 

Most of our days were spent lazing on the beach and trying every cocktail we could find which included a LOT of sangria.

My Sister

Couldn't resist a selfie. I  love beach wraps. The one I am wearing in this photo is an ankle length beach wrap from Matalan that I bought last Summer.

We managed to drag ourselves away from our sun loungers long enough to visit the local market. Shopping in 28 degree heat is thirsty work so naturally we stopped off for more cocktails.

Apart from our trip to the market we spent every available second soaking up the sunshine. Our evenings were spent sampling the local cuisine and bar hopping. The cocktails in Santa Susanna really are good!

Wish I was back there now.

I ♥ Scotland

Last weekend I visited Scotland for the first time and I absolutely loved it and can't wait to go back. Reason for this little jaunt, this was birthday celebration number 3 for our dear friend whose actual birthday was FIVE weeks ago. Talk about dragging it out! I thought I was bad insisting on a birthday week but I've been trumped. Just goes to show that boys are bigger divas than the girls. Uh huh, yeah I said it.

Saturday morning the 4 of us headed to Kings Cross to catch the 8:00 train to Edinburgh. Starting as we mean to go on, it was beers all round by 9:00, which was probably the reason for this behaviour.

Me and my Bestie, Lady Lop

The plan for the weekend was to have a nice lunch, visit Edinburgh Castle and see Chase and Status at The Liquid Rooms. We managed 1 out of 3. 

Rather than stay at a hotel, we rented a 2 bedroom apartment for the night at The Cannon Court. Priority on arrival was a booze run so we sent the boys to Tesco for supplies. Didn't quite expect them to return with a trolley! (they did take it back the next day)

James, Mickey 'Birthday Binge' Coletti, Kirsty

Me and the boys

Having stocked up we decided to venture out and explore Edinburgh via a mini pub crawl.
Next time I visit I would like to do it slightly more sober as I didn't fully get to appreciate the beautiful architecture, although I did manage a few snaps...

I'm childish and I know it.

The rest of Saturday is a bit of blur, but we did meet up with the Scottish contingent (as our friends will now be known) and here we all are at The Liquid Rooms, getting our skank on to a night of drum n bass

On the way home to London we stopped off for few drinks at Edinburgh station and to say goodbye to our friends.

I ♥ Scotland

Blue Marlin Ibiza

On my recent trip to Ibiza I visited Blue Marlin which was a little bit of heaven. If you are ever heading to Ibiza, Blue Marlin is simply a MUST on your to do list. Blue Marlin is billed as a lifestyle concept with its own magazine and radio station as well as gorgeous venues in both Ibiza and The United Arab Emirates. 

This beautiful beach side venue is open from 10:00am until 4:00am during season and attracts a roster of top international DJ's. Reservations have to be made in advance. I booked a sun lounger for €65 which included €50 redeemable against the bar. If you are travelling in a group you might want to upgrade to the deluxe loungers which are about the size of a king size bed. Or if you're feeling really flush, book the VIP!

Cocktails are priced at around €15 and are totally worth it. They look beautiful, taste amazing and are seriously strong!

Blue Marlin is perfect for sunbathing through the day and partying through the night. I am definitely going back next time.

Holiday Snaps

I've just returned from a lovely break in Ibiza so thought I would share a few snaps. I hadn't had a holiday in over a year and I definitely won't be leaving it so long next time. There are lots of ways to do Ibiza. It's a great destination for all night partying but there is a real mix bag of people on the Island at this time of year. I stayed in San Antonio, and as well as the hard core clubbers, I spotted young couples, families with young children and older couples enjoying a break. I mixed it up with a few nights of partying and LOTS of sunbathing. I have really caught the sun and will need to buy a darker foundation to get me through the next few weeks while my tan fades - like I need another excuse to go shopping!