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What a tang-tastic time

This week we celebrate Coeliac Awareness Week! So obviously as a coeliac lifestyle blogger, I wanted to bring you something that ties in with the theme. If you are local to London or just passing through I implore you to go visit Tang London. Tang is a fab little noodle bar with a great atmosphere and menu created around gluten and dairy free recipes. What a tang-tastic time I had there!

You can find Tang near Tottenham Court Road and is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. The first thing I tried out was the tofu starter.

It was traditional in its presentation yet modern in its uniqueness. Carefully fried and super yummy! The next thing on the menu (and my favourite thing ever) was the bao bun. The chefs worked so hard on creating the perfect gluten free bao bun with fried chicken and a spicy sauce. The bun is so warm and bouncy, I forgot that I was eating something that’s gluten free!

Next up I had a taste of the glass noodles with a tangy salad and egg- this one is for fans of a less spicy dish but still wanting an Asian style experience.

For mains I chose the chicken tang with rice noodles which was amazing. Again not too spicy but just enough of a kick from the ginger infused broth. The veggies were the perfect amount and I loved the authentic wooden soup spoon for extra slurping!

Finally, a palette-cleansing mini dessert called shiso sorbet made from sugarcane.

You don’t need much of this unusual dessert, it is definitely an acquired taste but well worth trying out!

Outtake of Evie drinking Karma Kola, we both had a tang-tastic time!

Saharasplash x

Thanks for reading what a tang-tastic time, I hope that you have an evening free to go and visit soon- those bao buns are the one!!!

For something a little different, go check out my post on a great jewellery brand here

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A Cadvent Kind of Christmas

I hope that 2017 has been treating you right so far. I am just settling into married life, though I don’t see much of Paul with his crazy busy work life, and into our new home. For those of you who don’t know, Paul and I moved out of London over the Christmas period and into an annex attached to his parent’s house. We were always planning on doing this after getting hitched so it’s not something we jumped into. I have some wonderful memories and photos I’d like to share with you all from the past few weeks and it involves lots of chocolate! This Christmas has been a Cadvent Kind of Christmas indeed!

Cadbury’s and I have worked together before if you remember back to last summer’s Obey Your Mouth campaign. So it was lovely to hear all about the launch of their first ever Cadvent knitwear collection last month. I think that this is a wonderful step in an ever expanding direction for Cadbury’s, so of course I had to get involved!

The products come with hidden compartments including a scarf with deep 18cm pockets that can conceal even the most generous of gorgeous goodies – such as a box of Cadbury Roses or Cadbury Heroes?!

A great idea to keep the cold and the cravings at bay!

My friend Tash helped me take some shots in Saffron Walden, I adore this snowflake-bedecked hat. I felt bad making her take shots while it was sub-zero in the centre of the town but it was too lovely a winter’s morning not to!

I also had to get my Great Dane to strike a pose with the scarf, isn’t purple just his colour?!

The collection is now launched on Cadvent.co.uk so why not take a look and see for yourself?

Now onto a few memories from Christmas 2016.

Paul and I had my friend Natasha over for a few days. We had a day trip out to Shoreditch’s underground mini golf course The Junkyard and I took Tash to see Ipswich as well.

We met these cretins (otherwise known as Evie and Ruby) and my oldest friend Cleo for a few rounds of a pub quiz (Talking Tables).

We munched on these Cadbury snacks and the snow bites went down a treat!

Let’s hope next year is a Cadvent kind of Christmas too, you can never say that too much chocolate is a bad thing around Christmas time to see you into the New Year!

Saharasplash x

Up for more winter fun? I teamed up with Simply Be and one other sassy blogger for this post- size doesn’t matter, but style does

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Three Week Journey with Esthechoc

Hey gang!!! I can’t believe that the holidays are over so quickly and we are yet again faced with another number, another year. I’m not going to do a reflective post on 2016, I am always looking forward far too much for that. So I have a lovely post all about chocolate that is good for you inside and out- call it a beauty chocolate miracle! Read on to find out about my three week journey with Esthechoc.

First things first, Esthechoc is a dark chocolate which acts as an anti-ageing supplement. If you want to go into a bit more of the science, the ingredients in the chocolate (Cocoa Polyphenols along with Astaxanthin) help to enhance microcirculation and support oxygen saturation. This is basically a huge antioxidant boost which we all know is what helps keep you looking fabulous and healthy.

I had the pleasure of attending an event at the D. Thomas clinic in Chelsea last year (wow how funny that 2016 is now last year!) and we got to try out the chocolate in many yummy forms!

Of course the chocolate at the event (and the Esthechoc three week supply) is gluten free and suitable for vegetarians too if you are curious.

It comes in a cute little box similar to After Eights- each chocolate is individualy wrapped and there are 21 in a box.  I’ve tried beauty supplements before in the form of pills and drinks but I found that it wasn’t for me. With Esthechoc, it is so easy to stick to the full 21 days because who doesn’t want a piece of chocolate every day? It’s like having an advent calendar all over agin!

I thought I would track my skin over the three week course so you can have a look…

I trialled my three week journey with Esthechoc from the 1st to the 21st December as I wanted to see results just in time for the Christmas festivities. I reallly do think that it has helped make my skin look more luminous and youthful since picking up a 38kcal piece every day to enjoy.

I don’t want to fool anyone into thinking that this will turn back clocks and wrinkles will be gone overnight, this isn’t for those wanting a quick fix. What the product does do however, is that it helps to actively support your skin’s nutrition to keep it looking at its best. Think of it as maintaining rather than reversing!

I would recommend that you try my three week journey with Esthechoc for yourself if you are feeling a fresh start to your skincare routine and diet in 2017. This is not a food supplement to replace meals with, it is for those seeking a bit of indulgence which is actually good for you. So no feeling guilty for grabbing a slice of beauty chocolate for the next three weeks!

Saharasplash x

For more great content, head over to my previous post all about Sushi and Jess Wright!

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Sushi Samba, Jess Wright & KISS!

Just before the weather turned colder and things started kicking off for Christmas, I have a lovely story to tell you all about an exciting London adventure. As you may see from my blog I have many outings and excursions into London city, but it is really nice when something comes along that is so unexpected it really takes your breath away. I blog about food, fashion and beauty every month, and this post just happens to have it all in! So let me take you away for a few minutes while I tell you about Sushi Samba, Jess Wright and KISS!

As I made my way up to the 38th floor of Heron Tower, I felt like I was back in Dubai whizzing higher and higher to get to the top of the Khalifa. The view of London city’s skyline was stunning! When I arrived at the top, I met with the girls from Alex Silver PR and was introduced to the other guests too.

I ordered a mango batida which went down a treat. A fruity, creamy cocktail which incidentally matched the restaurant’s decor perfectly!

We met with Jess Wright (the new brand ambassador for KISS products) before being seated to ask her some beauty questions.

My question to Jess was:

‘Is there one look you always wanted to try but are too scared to do it?’

Her answer was a pixie hair cut! I think that Jess would rock the look.

As we sat to eat, we also had a quick fire round for Jess where she had to answer from a choice of two options. I shouted out ‘pink or gold?’ And Jess chose pink!

Before this exquisite lunch, my experience of sushi was next to none and so I was really surprised when this dish presented itself in front of me. The staff were so accommodating about my coeliac’s and didn’t hesitate to explain that all of my dishes were gluten free.

I had two fabulous courses of vegetarian goodness and they were presented so delicately it was almost a shame to dig in! Our main course was sensational- a creamy dish cooked to perfection with amazing sticky rice.

We all tucked in and had the best conversations about the new KISS range while we waited for our dessert. It did not disappoint!

The exotic fruit atop a bed of crushed watermelon was just divine! The spikey pieces resembling coral were made from apple- who knew fruit could be this different?!

Of course I had to get a quick selfie with Jess before she left- what a babe!

I’m sat with the adorable Bianca from ASPR, and I also had the opportunity to chat with Gail Porter for a bit too! Thanks so much to the ASPR team, Sushi Samba, the best company and of course to the new brand ambassador Jess Wright!

You can see more from the event by following the official hashtag #JessKissLunch on Twitter.

Find my new fav product from KISS online right here… http://www.kissusa.com/cosmetic/eyes/eyeliner/wing-it-eyeliner-kit

Thanks for reading Sushi Samba, Jess Wright and KISS, don’t forget to pop a comment below!!

Saharasplash x

Check out more from Saharasplash right here!

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London Fashion Week Day One

I am forever grateful that the weather for this season’s fashion week decided to hold on just beore it thought to take a wintery turn. This will be the last time in 2016 you will see me out and about in tiny crop tops and bare legs as winter has most definitely come to the capital now that October is here. Despite some mild showers on day one, the weather was just perfect and I am thrilled to share my experiences with you from start to finish. Here is the first of five posts- London Fashion Week Day One.

My Outfit

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Since this was a rainy day, I wore a very fitting trench coat dress from Red Herring. I paired the dress with a gorgeous bag from Today I’m Me and Steve Madden shoes. It was great to hang out with Eleasha (Duchess of Fashion) too who helped with the shots!

The Place

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The place where I spent most of my time seeing the catwalk shows was at Freemason’s Hall for Fashion Scout. There were a few other places including a congress centre and a church too!

Catwalk Highlights

Ong-Oaj Pairam

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I eagerly anticipated the Ong-Oaj Pairam show just like the previous season. He uses such a range of materials and the fabrics and colours are just to die for! A #perfectseason.

Ones to Watch

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Tom Daley certainly loved being on the FROW for the Ones to Watch catwalk which showcased four top designers including Ana Ljubinkovic and Billie Jacobina pictured above.

Rocky Star

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Rocky Star stole the show with their gorgeous embellished gowns. This season had a very Moroccan vibe as the girls came out to showcase each design. Heavy eyeliner and earthy tones made for a great ending to London Fashion Week Day One.

Saharasplash x

Stay tuned for Day Two coming very soon!

PR Samples included

 

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The truth about wedding planning

So I made sure that I cleared my blogging schedule this week as tomorrow is the official start of fashion week. I wanted to do something that I never have any time to do, so this is all very new and exciting. I wanted to post something a bit different to the usual reviews and events that I normally do. This post is based on the truth about wedding planning- my truth on the whole thing! I hope that my five truths offer some important insight for those brides and grooms to be and I want to say that I support all of you out there planning right this very second, I know what you’re going through…
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1- There will never be enough time

I have a very good friend who has just tied the knot who will help back me up on this one! This is such a key truth about wedding planning I think. My blogger friend Merrell-Ann was engaged well before I was, and she had been planning her wedding (which happened last weekend!) for well over a year. I got engaged this May and have had just under 7 months, yet we both agree that the time just seemed to disappear on us. The truth about wedding planning is that you can plan as much as you like in advance, yet when it comes down to those final few weeks before you will be saying to yourself, ‘why didn’t I do this sooner?!’. But that’s ok, we are only human, we all have lives and filled up schedules to juggle every single day and adding a wedding to this just creates a paradox of delightful chaos. My advice here is to just accept that you probably won’t have everything ready months in advance, there will be something to panic over two days before and that’s acceptable!
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2- Learn to listen to your family (to a certain extent)

Learning to accept comments and advice from friends and family members has been by far the hardest part of getting engaged for me. I am a naturally headstrong person and so as soon as I hear the words ‘have you thought about…’ I automatically tend to put on my game face and get ready to argue the hell out of my POV. Even though it is technically ‘you and your fiancées’ wedding, it also doesn’t hurt to listen to advice and suggestions from others. Your loved ones aren’t trying to take over, even though it may seem that way. I guess what I have learnt from starting to listen to my family is that they may come up with ideas that don’t totally suck! I may have even taken a few of them on board, though I’ll never admit what they were!
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3- There are always going to be some things that just aren’t possible

This is another big truth about wedding planning. We are all guilty of dreaming about our weddings years (some even decades) before that vital question is popped. And of course we all like to dream big. Whether it’s a hundred white doves on a paradise beach island or a wedding in your local church, I’m sure that you have dreamed about very specific details from the big day. And when it comes to the realisation that you can actually start to purchase bridal magazines without feeling guilty about it, you might want to start discussing your ideas with your partner. Budget obviously plays a huge part in decision making, and I have certainly had to learn the hard way that I just can’t get Muse to play at our wedding like I’d always dreamed! Even though your big day may not involve rock stars, this most certinly does not mean that you have to forgo all the dreams. You can find your way around it, like finding a tribute band instead. I attended a wedding this summer where the Foo Fighters tribute band was so amazing, I really felt like I was rocking out to Dave Grohl as I closed my eyes and jumped up and down singing!
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4- Compromising with your fiance is easier than you think

I know this one sounds like an odd truth, but I’ve definitely found that since getting engaged Paul and I are master compromisers! If we have different opinions on colour schemes or vows we always seem to find a way to keep each other happy. We have naturally been more loving towards one another and I think a lot of newly engaged couples have this to look forward to. You know that you are about to make a big commitment, so all those petty things that got you angry before don’t seem to matter as much. It’s an exciting time, and the truth is that you both know it! You want to make each other happy, and so this just naturally happens- hooray!
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5- Someone will know that one person you need

It doesn’t hurt to do a little investigating with your friends and family on who they may have in their contact book. I know that several of my friends have come in really handy. Things like finding a local coach service and giving me names and numbers for caterers and chair hire. Whether your venue is all inclusive of these things or not, you may find yourself in need of a violinist and your cousin just happens to know of one! So don’t be afraid to ask around and talk a few wedding details among friends and family, chances are that someone will know that one person you need!
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I hope that this has helped/ inspired you some way, and that you now know the truth about wedding planning! Leave a comment below if you have any more truths to add!

 

Saharasplash X

 

Photos taken from The Wedding Fair at London Excel centre

 

Want to read more wedding-related posts? I’ve got one all about a couples spa day here!