Happy New Year! Let's talk party tricks!

OK so it's mid January but Happy New Year! (It's still ok to say that right?)

Hope you all had a good one! We certainly did, although I was playing hostess with the mostess as I had drawn the short straw as the party house! Although 12 people had casually confirmed their attendance (ALWAYS DO INVITES! No one can back out of a written confirmation!) it only ended up with 4 people attending, including myself and my boyfriend (alright so 2 people actually came!!) but they were the best 2 and as always it ended up being an amazing night, things always work out hey!

So if you ever end up like me, having taken on responsibility as host, here are a few useful party ideas to break the ice and not break the bank!

1. Photobooth
My initial plan was to have everyone take a photo with a Polaroid camera on the way into the party in a photobooth style frame with accessories. (I'd even set up a little staged area with banners and everything!). Nevertheless the 4 of us still enjoyed dressing up and being silly! Now, you can either buy the photobooth accessories yourself online like the one below:
http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/gingerray/product/photo-booth-party-props

Or alternatively if like me you come up with these ideas at the last minute you can make your own! I found an old photo frame in the garage, took the picture out of it to create an empty frame that people held up for the picture (if you wanted to be really clever you could somehow attach the frame by hanging it from a ceiling!). The accessories I found in my collection of fancy dress, again if like me your friends' 16th, 18th and 21st birthdays all consisted of crazy fancy dress themes you won't have a problem here. I scrounged together a builders hat, police hat, top hat and rather fancy pirate hat, a large pair of goofy glasses, a pirate eye patch and a couple of santa hats (keep in the festive spirit ay) and finally an assortment of pink moustaches that I stuck to the end of kitchen utensils to make moustaches on sticks (I told you it was random!). Anyway these were the results ... (the parents even joined in about 2am when they returned from their party, brilliant!!)

2. Canapes
Don't cook a massive meal! Firstly it's far too much effort and once the drinks start going down that's when things get burnt! Secondly we all know everyone is there to get p*ssed anyway and no one will actually finish their meal! This is exactly what canapes were made for and now even the local Tesco sells them. I actually got them from the Co-Op and they included mini chicken pies, smoked salmon and cream cheese bites, mini toad in the hole, mini burgers, satay chicken skewers and of course your good ol' cold sausages and cheese/pineapple on a stick!If you live in London, head to COOK, they ahve the best selection of fancy canapes EVER (see below)!!
http://www.cookfood.net/menu/entertaining/canapes


3. Jelly shots
I must admit I am the queen of jelly shots, it's like my party trick, I'm now expected to make a batch to take along to any party I'm attending! Simply just buy 1 pack of jelly, break it up in a jug/bowl, add 1/2 pint of boiling water and mix until the jelly has dissolved. Next the recipe states to add 1/4 pint of cold water and 1/4 pint of vodka but that's no fun so I simply forget the cold water and add 1/2 pint of vodka...then pour into shot glasses (makes about 20!) Pop in the fridge for a good few hours until set. Then just before serving top each one with a swish of whipped cream and finally add sprinkles or chocolate buttons or whatever tickles your fancy! Voila!

4. Selfie stick
The most popular Christmas Gift of 2014! Such a simple idea too, it's things like this that make me question our intelligence, all those selfies where our arms just aren't long enough and someone is always cut out! Now if we just had some extending device that would hold our phone....DUH! Anyway, yes I was one of the millions who unwrapped their Christmas presents to find a selfie stick in the mix and OMG has it been useful! Especially at a party, you can capture all the best moments, check out some of ours below and buy yours HERE now:

5.  Party games
Time to dust off your old party games, yes the ones you have stored away in a cupboard somewhere, you knew there was a reason you kept them and this is it! I'm talking twister, catchphrase, Yahtzee, bug in a rug (the rhyming one where you make up a rhyming phrase, the next person draws it, the next person then writes what they think the drawing is, kinda like chinese whispers but on paper, even funnier when every one has had a tipple!) Or for the more sophisticated simply purchase one of these popular murder mystery dinner games, really great fun for lots of people!
http://www.murdermysterystore.co.uk/


6. Dubsmash
The new app that's sweeping the nation! I don't think I can look at a Facebook feed without someone's Dubsmash clip appearing. If you haven't heard of it (don't lie, of course you have ;)) it's a new app full of well known quotes and song clips for different moods that you can film yourself either mimicking or as background music to an action. Seriously great fun when everyone's had a few!

7. Fireworks (optional of course!)
Didn't think fireworks were on sale after bonfire night? WRONG! Although again I was late coming up with the idea so running around to your local Macro, homebase and dodgy firework store on New Year's Eve was not a good choice, however after a near fight with a holiday making family in Lidl we successfully purchased the last box! Now for the safety announcement, like you have a designated driver on a night out, you need a designated firework lighter who is not under the influence of alcohol, otherwise you may end up lighting the box upside down like we did....oops! (video link below)

http://instagram.com/p/x4lXWyqZQP/

Happy Partying!

Lexie
xxx

New Tables in Torquay

Ok so I haven't blogged for a while! Maybe I've used up all my words blogging for 15 days straight on the other side of the world!! After the madness of Christmas has calmed down (I hope you all had a great one by the way) and before the madness of New Year begins I thought I'd write a little bit about my time back in Torquay. 

OMG have there been some great changes! I haven't been back to the bay for about 6 months which is a long time for me and it's so nice to see so many new places open. Mainly that of the seafront where the palm court hotel once was and Mojos (yes there you go, we all remember Mojos!). In fact it's now a completely different area, it's as if a little piece of the French Riviera has been shipped over and plonked down in one of the best positions of the bay. Facing South are now a selection of gorgeous modern apartments mirroring that of s cruise ship, with arguably one of the best views in the bay, starting at £425,000 for a 2 bed. Set in a shiny new white almost art deco style block with curved edges and large sliding doors onto decked balconies. But beneath these plush residencies where once stood a selection of takeaways, beach shops and failed bars now is home to a selection of up market eateries and cafes so busy you can't get a table. 

With such lovely weather in the bay at the moment it seems a lot more people are eating out and taking a winter stroll to work off their over eating of turkey and mince pies. We were doing the same and after a walk along the beach in the blazing sunshine stopped off in Visto Lounge which was also engulfed in sun, so much so that we actually sat outside (for me to sit outside in winter is definitely something, I normally shudder at the idea of sitting in the cold when there's a perfectly good, not to mention warm seat inside!). 

And what a great cafe/bar/restaurant! Actually a chain but you wouldn't know as it was very well run  and the service was excellent. The inside is full of artwork plastered over the patterned wallpaper, kind of funky but it totally works. The roof is exposed and is lined with silver pipes and lights giving it a spacious warehouse feel. Like something straight out of Shoreditch but with a little more comfort and cosyness. 

The menu is very nice too with favourites being the Lounge Breakfast and Lounge Eggs (basically eggs benny) my go to of course! They also have a selection of tapas as well as traditional burgers etc so perfect for the all day brunchers, lunchers and general coffee goers!

Just next door is another new addition: Le Bistrot Pierre. A French inspired venue split over 2 levels. You must get a table upstairs to appreciate the view and book early as this place is super popular! The menu includes a large selection of French delicacies such as muscles,pâté, Camembert, boeuf bourguinon, ratatouille and a roast shoulder of lamb to name just a few. They also have a super pre theatre menu, perfect for a pre drink or bite to eat before heading off across the road to a show at the Princess Theatre. Of course you must get a chilled bottle of wine to accompany. Bon Appetite! 

We actually had dinner at a 3rd venue in the same parade: On the Rocks. 

Set up at the beginning of 2014 by 2 friends, OTR (as it is known) is a great little find to see the evening through. What sets them apart is their relationship with those close by to acquire and use local produce. If you want a good burger this is the place to go as I watched a few go by and wondered why I hadn't chosen to indulge myself! Opting instead for the fillet of monkfish I certainly was not disappointed and very satisfied with my choice, arriving on a bed of vegetables and linguine I felt I had made the healthy choice although the lingering smell of juicy burger still tempted my taste buds! 

We actually visited on a Monday which happened to be pie night much to the enjoyment of my table as everyone else decided to have a pie, at under £10 why not hey! The selection of home made pies did sound delicious with chicken, leek and tarragon, lamb and mint and traditional beef and ale.

Even the selection of drinks on the menu had been thoroughly thought through and carefully selected to match the menu, including the Old Mout Cider from New Zealand. I am not a fan of beer or cider but I could drink this until the world's end! It's got a very sweet but very light bubbly texture, perfect to accompany your meal or even just on its own! Here's my Dad enjoying a glass!

In regards to food I'm basically saying pick anything it's all lovely and you can't go wrong! 

A few other new places worth mentioning  that I unfortunately haven't had time to go to! 

1. Offshore - set on the corner of the marina and Vaughn Parade, a nice little pub style watering hole to catch up with friends and enjoy the harbour view. 

2. Soho - set in the building next to Prezzo which used to be the place that served fun shots like doughnut shots (why is that not still there???) anyway I'm told it is a quaint little upmarket pre drinks or catch up drink venue. The Christmas lights outside certainly look enticing! 

3. Rockfish - I'm sooo gutted I haven't had time to visit as one of my friends Oliver is actually the head chef here! Sorry Oliver!! Owned by Mitch Tonks you won't be let down at this family seafood restaurant on Victoria Parade. 

4. Prestige - a cute little cocktail bar set above Henessy. Let's hope it lives up to the latter as I really feel Torquay is missing a fun yet sophisticated cocktail venue for all ages although maybe not the pre teens that seem to have taken over the bars of the few clubs that remain! 

So thanks for making my Christmas Holidays great Torquay, with so many new venues popping up I hope it continues so I can indulge in some more lovely meals the next time I'm home! 

Happy New Year! 

Lexie 

xxx

Australia Day 9 and 10

There literally hasn't been any time to write my final post so I'm doing it now as we've just arrived back in the UK. 

After our amazing Hunter Valley tour we had a lazy lie in before packing up and heading off to find some breakfast. What we did stumble across was infact the chocolate and fudge factory which of course we had to stop at! I bought a rather large slab of 'Cowboy' fudge named after the shot (Irish cream, white rum and butterscotch). I did choose to not eat this for breakfast though, as we did find a nice little cafe called Vittorio's to stop at and of course indulged in my last Eggs Benny of the trip! 

We then headed back towards Sydney and stopped about halfway home in Terrigal - a sweet little beach side town. We spent a bit of time catching some final rays on the gorgeous sandy beach (coming home still a pasty white colour was not an option!). Again we were lucky with the weather as it was about 28 degrees although a little windy but I hear that's better for the tan ;) 

We had a quick bit of lunch and a look round in the town where I came across the Designer Emporium and was very nearly convinced to buy a new pair of sunnies from Sydney brand Sunday Somewhere. However I refrained as I knew we would soon be at duty free haha! We headed home and had a simple spaghetti bolognese and reminisced about our amazing 10 days in Australia. 

Day 10 - our final day (holds back tears). Our flight didn't leave until early evening so we packed our suitcases ready to leave and headed for a final look round in the close by town of Chatswood. On our way we spotted an open home and couldn't resist taking a look around (of course after carefully fabricating our 'we're moving to Sydney' story!) it was a cute 2 bed just around the corner from Dan and Freya, though the carpets and paintwork were fresh there was certainly a lot of love needed! 

There was one thing we needed to do in Chatswood on our last day that would be sure to cheer us up! Visit Pet Town in the Westfield mall! Why are these not in the UK!! So many cute little puppies for sale and we even got to hold some of them! Tempted to bring them home was an understatement! So we bought one!!! Just kidding!! I wish that's how the trip ended!! 

A little sad that we physically couldn't take a puppy back to the UK I drowned my sorrows in Ralph Lauren! The concept of duty free had been forgotten and I ended up with these 'puppies' ;) 

It was time to go. I cannot put into words how much I enjoyed the holiday! Thanks so much to everyone who made it great and to Becks and Scott for letting us stay with them in New Zealand and Freya and Dan in Sydney! 

Until next time! 

Lexie

xxx

Australia Day 8 - Hunter Valley Wine Country

It's wine day!! 

Our car arrived at 10am, a beautifully restored 1958 Cadillac from Arizona. We hired it from Hunter Valley Cadillacs, owned by our driver Debbie and her husband. Such a great experience for a group of 4 friends and family to do - Certainly better than going on a large group tour and definitely better than having to have a designated driver! 

We ventured to 4 vineyards, 2 before lunch and 2 after and that was plenty enough for a full day. Our first Vineyard was Thomas Allen, Moon Mountain, a 40 year old vineyard that had just opened locally about a year ago. It was just as I imagined; a lovely country villa with a veranda looking over the vineyard below. 

The Gentleman John was very knowledgeable about the wines and wine tasting itself - I learnt about the different tastes and how the back of your tongue is for the tannins, the sides are for acids and the front is for sweet. I also learnt that when you are asked to taste a wine at a restaurant it isn't just to see if you like it but to check it isn't corked (if it is corked it apparently smells like wet carpet!). Freya and Dan purchased a few wines including the 6 for $60 unlabelled bottles of Shiraz, a red wine but surprisingly good chilled! 

The next Vinyard was the Gundog Estate, named after the family Gundog. By this time we were feeling a little peckish so ordered a cheese platter to go with our wines. I bought a couple of lovely sweet wines from The Gundog (I'm a big fan of the sweet!) an off dry semillion and a desert muscat that tasted just like Christmas pudding in a bottle! Turns out that the owner of the vineyard knew the famous artists Gillie and Marc Schattner who are known for their half animal half human design and had made a couple of statues for the vineyard! 

The vineyard visits take about an hour each so you may be thinking how are we not hammered by that stage? Well the vineyard wine tastings aren't aimed at getting you drunk, but simply to try different wines, discover your favourites and purchase a couple of bottles. There are also little buckets to take advantage of if you don't like a particular wine, you don't have to drink it! It's not compulsory!! 

We had a quick bite to eat at Potters Brewery where we enjoyed some sunshine on the picnic tables too. 

After lunch we headed to Iron Gate Vineyard where we enjoyed some more picturesque views. I also learnt that the grape vines were sort of colour coded by rose bushes which signified which grapes  were in the vine. Also, Roses are more susceptible to diseases that may harm the vines so may show signs of any issues before the vines are attacked.

Before I bought my 2014 Rose (named after the owner's Mother who emigrated from the UK to live with her son aged 93!) we had a quick tour of the machinery used to make the wines which was very interesting! Here we learnt the difference between French oak and American oak barrels - the French creates a more spicy cinnamon taste and the American more nutty. 

Our final stop was Ernest Hill. We were greeted by Ross who was lovely and he showed us to our seats around a barrel before introducing his equally lovely colleague Lesley. Again full of knowledge, I learnt here that apparently it takes 3 tastes to really appreciate the flavour of the wine and clear the palate. They also had a whole menu of sweet wines! My favourite! I purchased a Luna Rouge, a very nice sweet rose. 

This was certainly my favourite day of the holiday! Absolutely amazing, you HAVE to do this if you don't do anything else while you are visiting! Debbie dropped us back to where we were staying in the H Boutique Hotel. We had a 2 bed apartment which was gorgeous, very modern yet simple with 2 good size bedrooms, a large bathroom and open plan kitchen/living area leading out to a little patio overlooking a small lake. As we arrived home there were about 6 wild kangaroos just outside the back door having supper! A perfect way to end a perfect day! 

Lexie

xxx