Tag: Summer

Gravitate Nutrition Supplements: 30 days later

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Are you trying to lose weight? I definitely am!

If you follow my blog and read it regularly then you will probably remember that I have recently started using the Gravitate Nutrition-a dietary supplement made from 100% natural ingredients. Gravitate Nutrition is a combination of two types of dietary supplements – Gravitate SuperSculpt and Gravitate DietVits, both of which are formulated to trigger key areas of weight loss. You can read more about it then please read my previous post:

https://firstclasslounge.net/2016/06/15/gravitate-nutritions-weight-loss-kit/

So, did it work? I’ve been using Gravitate SuperSculpt and Gravitate DietVits for the last 30 days and attending the gym 3-5 times a week:

  • I lost 1.5 kg.
  • My waist measurements decreased by 1cm.
  • My hips measurements decreased by 2.5cm.
  • My appetite was suppressed so I wasn’t feeling hungry often and when I did I ate less.

Verdict:

After using Gravitate Nutrition supplements for the last 30 days, I am extremely pleased with the results I achieved in such a short time. If you have any big events coming up and want to slim down then you should definitely try it.

The product comes with 35-day money back guarantee so you are not risking anything. Most importantly though, there are no known side effects of using these supplement and they are 100 % natural so you will not hurt your health.

You can only purchase Gravitate supplements online directly from the official website:

http://gravitatenutrition.com/

Price: RRP £54.99 but currently if you order directly from Gravitate Nutrition website you can get it for only £34.99.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Lovely afternoon Tea at Amba Hotel Marble Arch, London

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As promised, please find another review of my Afternoon Tea experience listed below. Last week, I visited Amba Hotel Marble Arch in London.

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Venue and location:

Amba Hotel Marble Arch is located just off Oxford Street-a buzzy shopping district in central London. It is easily accessible by public transport and the nearest tube station-Marble Arch is around 3 minutes away. After a shopping trip with one of my friends (Sylwia) we decided to unwind during a relaxing afternoon tea.

Times:

Afternoon tea is served at the Grill restaurant, between 2pm and 5pm daily.

Service:

We were served by a few different staff members who were all professional and friendly. They all looked very chic and classy. One of the staff members-Kelvin made our experience extra special by being very attentive and welcoming. His customer service skills were simply excellent.

Atmosphere:

We reached Amba Hotel Marble Arch at around 2:15 p.m. The atmosphere and staff were both pleasant. On our arrival, we were acknowledged by a friendly receptionist who then asked one of the waitresses to take us to our table. There was a soft, relaxing music playing in the background which was enjoyable and soothing after our shopping trip.

The menu:

Our waitress took us to a table and asked us if we would like to start our Afternoon Tea experience with a glass of champagne. A few minutes later, we received a chilled glass of bubbly each and then we started considering what to pick from an excessive tea menu. We both decided to have a pot of green tea.

Our tea arrived in no time and was followed by a beautifully presented stand of the sweet and savoury treats. We started with a range of finger sandwiches including some salmon, egg and cucumber savoury bites. We then moved to a selection of delicious cakes, pastries and macaroons. Subsequently, we had a delightful, homemade scone each which was accompanied by some homemade strawberry preserve and some Devonshire clotted cream. All cakes were simply wonderful.

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Dress code:

The dress code at The Grill restaurant in Amba Hotel Marble Arch is smart casual. I decided to wear one of my colour block dresses with a pair of Kurt Geiger kitten hills.

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Overall experience:

What a great way to start our afternoon! The Grill restaurant at Amba Hotel Marble Arch offers a welcoming atmosphere in a beautiful surroundings. I would love to visit again try some lunch, dinner next.

You should definitely go there next time you are shopping on Oxford Street as it will help you to relax before you hit the shops again.

Price: £35 per person for an Afternoon Tea with a glass of Champagne

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Website: http://www.amba-hotel.com/hotels/united_kingdom/london/marble_arch/restaurants_and_bars/afternoon_tea.html

Address: Bryanston Street, London W1H 7EH

I hope that you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Split, Croatia

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This week I would like to tell you about Split.

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It is the second-largest city in Croatia, one of the oldest cities in the area and the largest city of the region of Dalmatia.

Split has an exceptional location. It is placed in between the coastal mountains and the turquoise waters of the Adriatic. It can be described as a lively city and as soon you step inside Diocletian’s Palace and you’ll see many restaurants and shops thriving amid the atmospheric old walls where Split life has been going on for thousands of years.

I love sightseeing and together with my fiancée we decided to climb the Bell Tower of St. Domnius. Honestly speaking, it was one of the scariest experiences ever as the stairs felt really unstable and wobbly… We were brave (or foolish) though and reached the top of the stairs to admire some stunning views from the top of the tower but I would never dare to do it again for safety reasons. Whoever is responsible for the maintenance work on these stairs needs to do a better job as I seriously feared for my live half-way through to the top!

After this frightening experience we needed to grab a drink and sat down in one of many local bars located in the Old Town. Subsequently, we continued our sightseeing around the walls of Diocletian’s Palace and admired this beautiful city whilst learning about its vibrant history.

I would definitely advise you all to go and visit Split if you ever travel to Croatia but then again probably climbing the stairs of the Bell Tower is not the best idea unless they are replaced.

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Pauline

Asian-inspired Afternoon Tea at Buddha-Bar Restaurant, London, Knightsbridge

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As promised last week, I will be sharing with you reviews of my Afternoon Tea experiences throughout the summer. Today, I would like to tell you about my Afternoon Tea at the Buddha-Bar.

Venue and location:

Buddha-Bar is located in the prominent, upmarket area of London Knightsbridge. It is easily accessible by public transport and the nearest tube station is Knightsbridge  which is just 2 minutes away.

Buddha-Bar was the winner of Best Restaurant Bar in 2014, 2015 & 2016 at the London Club and Bar Awards. I have visited it once before for cocktails so when I found out that the Buddha Bar was serving Afternoon Tea, I decided to book it and check it out. I was accompanied by my fiancé-James.

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Service:

We were served by Annie who was professional and friendly. When we sat down, she explained what was included in our Afternoon Tea experience and asked us whether we would like to start with a glass of champagne.

Atmosphere:

The atmosphere and staff were both welcoming. On our arrival, we were acknowledged straight away by a friendly receptionist. All staff that we had contact with were helpful and had a positive body language.

As soon as you enter, you are surrounded by impressive interiors and you feel like you have just arrived in an oasis of calmness. I was impressed by the floor to ceiling crystallized dragons and  the signature Buddha artwork located on the ground floor which was absolutely stunning.

The menu:

Once we sat down at the table, we were welcomed by our waitress-Annie. We had a glass of champagne each and then we received an excessive tea menu. I decided to have a pot of Jasmin tea while James had some Chamomile tea. Our Buddha-Bar afternoon tea included a selection of sweet and savoury Asian inspired, mouth-watering treats. To start with we received 4 savoury treats which were all full of aromatic flavours:

  • Duck hoisin steam bun sandwich – definitely my number-one savory dish.
  • Tuna tartar on toasted fennel bread.
  • Vietnamese vegetables summer rolls.
  • Crispy wonton cod and prawns.

As soon as we finished them, our waitress cleaned our plates and a couple of minutes later we received a set of 4 sweet treats:

  • Pistachio macaroons
  • Chilli chocolate mousse
  • Passion fruit and mango tart
  • Green tea cheese cake

All our snacks were beautifully presented and I am sure that a lot of consideration was put into preparing them.

Dress code:

The dress code at the Buddha-Bar is smart casual. I decided to wear my Monsoon Summer fuchsia dress accompanied by some Carvela heels in the same colour and my beloved Pandora jewellery.

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Overall experience:

Buddha-Bar offers a great food, atmosphere in a beautiful surroundings. I would definitely visit Buddha-Bar again and I would love to try their lunch, dinner or one of their masterclasses next. You should definitely go there next time you are in Knightsbridge area when you want to unwind and relax.

Price: £53 for 2 people

Website: http://buddhabarlondon.com/

Address: 145 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7PA, United Kingdom

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I hope that you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Exclusive Pandora shopping evening

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I was invited to attend an exclusive Pandora jewellery shopping event in partnership with Marie Claire UK.  The event’s aim was to celebrate the launch of Pandora Rose in the summer collection.

All attendees were able to enjoy cocktails, bubbly and canapés whilst shopping or admiring the range, which fuses a unique blend of metals to create beautiful rose-coloured jewellery.

The new delicately hand-finished collection features Daisy stacking rings and the ‘Hearts of Pandora’ necklace, which is embellished with sparkling clear stones. I absolutely love this range and decided to purchase a couple of the items from their new collection.

Throughout the event, the Marie Claire fashion team was on hand to give some more insights into the new summer trends. It was great to hear from them about the jewellery styling ideas and get a little bit more understanding about how you should wear your jewellery this summer. On the other hand, I was surprised by Marie Claire presenter who seemed unprepared and lost in her notes… In my opinion, this was the only negative aspect of this event.

I hope to you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

SlimKitten 7-Day Morning and Bedtime Teatox

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Last week, I decided to try SlimKitten 7-Day Morning and Bedtime Teatox to detoxify before I start my diet.

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SlimKitten’s Morning and Bedtime Teatox is based on 17 highly nutritious natural herbs only. According to the producer, after 7 days you should: ‘Stop feeling bloated, feel refreshed and awake, reduce sugar and carbs cravings and boost your immune-system.’

SlimKitten’s complete Teatox system contains daytime tea bags and night time cleansing tea bags:

  • 7 days’ supply of Daytime teabags;
  • 4 Bedtime Cleanse tea bags (one for every other day).

Result:

I love drinking herbal teas and SlimKitten 7-Day Morning and Bedtime Teatox has helped me to kick in my healthy regime and prepare for my diet. On another note, I feel lighter and my skin looks more radiant. I liked the taste of both teas and would recommend it to anyone who wishes to try an affordable TeaTox.

Price:

£8.99 for a 1-week supply of the product.

You can order it from:

https://www.getnutriplan.com/products/slimkitten-morning-and-bedtime-teatox

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

The BB Bakery Sightseeing Afternoon Tea

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It’s warm, it’s sunny and the season for catching-up over some tea has started 🙂 Over the next few weeks, I will share with you some reviews from my recent Afternoon Tea experiences.

This week, I would like to tell you about an amazing Afternoon Tea I had on the BB Routemaster Sightseeing Bus.

I moved to London 13 years ago but then again I love discovering new sights and wonders of this city. As soon as I heard about the opportunity of combining an Afternoon Tea with a sightseeing bus tour around the marvels of London I decided to give it a go.

The Route:

Together with my friend-Magda we booked the afternoon slot leaving from the Victoria Coach Station , Gate 0, at 5p.m.

Our vintage Routemaster bus drove around Central London and we were able to see some of the City’s greatest places of interest including:

The London Eye, Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St James’s Park, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, The Royal Albert Hall, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Harrods and many more.

The Atmosphere:

The atmosphere on the bus was a warm and welcoming. Our hosts were two lovely French attendants-J.C. and Marie Antoinette. We were sited at the upper deck (table 9). Each table is secluded enough to feel intimate. We had a great view of some of the City’s most beautiful monuments and other tourist attractions.

At the beginning of the tour, our friendly server offered us a hot drink from a large selection of the teas and coffees. Our tea arrived in a wonderful BB Afternoon Tea Bus’s cup.

The menu:

Our High Tea was accompanied by a selection of mouth-watering, sweet and savoury delicacies including:

  • Macarons
  • Mini Cupcakes
  • Sweet Pastries
  • Scones
  • Sandwiches
  • Mini Quiche

They were arranged attractively on the stand. A highlight for me was a deliciously moist quiche and a small salmon canapé.

Duration:

The London sightseeing tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes (depending on traffic). We were back and ready to re-join the hustle and bustle of Central London at 6:30 p.m. .

Price:

The BB Bakery Sightseeing Afternoon Tea is £45-48 per person. In my opinion it is worth every penny as it combines both sightseeing and a divine afternoon Tea experience. You can buy vouchers for this experience on:

http://shop.bbbakery.co.uk/

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Overall experience:

I loved every minute of our 90 minutes BB Bakery Sightseeing Afternoon Tea. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is visiting London and wishes to have a more exclusive sightseeing experience. I would love to try some more Afternoon Tea experiences from BB bakery.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Barcelona, Spain

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A few months ago, I joined my parents for a few days break to Barcelona.

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There are lots of places to visit and things to do while in Barcelona but in my opinion these are the top 3 attractions you definitely need to see:

1. Basilica of the Sagrada Familia

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. It is absolutely stunning and if you ever visit Barcelona then you should definitely put it on your list of places worth seeing.

2. Park Guell

Located in the city of Barcelona, the Park Guell is one of the most beautiful icons of the city. It’s a work of Antoni Gaudi located in the upper part of Barcelona, which has wonderful views of the city. You can enjoy a fantastic green walk surrounded by a modernist works.

3. Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is the national museum of the arts located in Barcelona. It is one of the largest museums in Spain, housed in a huge Palau Nacional dating back to 1929. The museum is situated on Montjuïc hill and leading down to the famous Placa Espanya. If you are into art then this museum is especially notable for its outstanding collection of church paintings, and some Catalan art and design from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Food:

We went to many local restaurants and bars but to be honest I wasn’t ‘wowed’ by any of them so I am afraid that I won’t be able to recommend any places in particular. Although, the food we had in Barcelona was average, I would definitely recommend you go to any local cuisine i.e. some tapas or paella accompanied by the Sangria.

Hotel:

We stayed in the city centre in the Barri Gothic area in NH hotel. Hotel was very conveniently located-just 5 minutes’ walk from the tube station. It had a nice, artistic décor and very friendly staff. We arrived around 9p.m. and were greeted by extremely friendly receptionist who checked us in quickly and made us feel welcome. When we arrived in our rooms-they were really spacious and had a clean, modern décor. I would definitely consider staying there again the future.

Overall experience:

Once again, I really enjoyed my stay in Barcelona with my parents. It is still one of my favorite cities in Europe and I will definitely visit again soon.

Holiday destinations: Argostoli town Kafalonia, Greece

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I recently visited Argostoli with my fiancée. As we were there only for a day we decided to take a prearranged coach tour to see the most sought after attractions on this Island.

Argistoli is a town on a Greek island of Kafalonia. Our coach left the port of Argostoli and drove around stunning coastline to reach the Robola winery. When we arrived at the winery we had a guided tour around it and listened about the process of elaboration of Robola wines from the grapes to the bottle. In addition, our guide described the history of the area and took us around the different rooms where the wine is produced. Our experience ended with some wine tasting. Honestly, their sweet dessert wine was to die for and even though I am not much of a drinker I had a couple of glasses. The interesting fact that we learnt during the tour was that Robola winery donates all unsold wine from the previous year to the residents of the island for their August bank holidays celebrations. Would like to check it our someday!

After our visit to the Robola, we took a short coach journey to our next stop – Fragata village and the Monastery of St. Gerasimos. This part of the island is a destination for pilgrims especially during festival celebrations when it can attract hundreds, even thousands, of pilgrims. The Monastery of St. Gerasimos (patron saint of Kefalonia) is built on the side of the older church which wasn’t suitable to host thousands of worshipers thus a larger monastery was constructed next to it. It is a definitely a go to place if you are Christian and happen to visit this Island.

Once, we completed our spiritual experience, we took a trip to the Melissani lake in the village of Karavomilos. It was my favourite part of our trip to the Island. Melissani lake is known to be one of the most beautiful underground lakes in the world. After a short walk through a tunnel we reached the lake and climbed aboard a wooden boat. We were sailing slowly around the lake for around five minutes and admired the surrounding caves. The sun was getting into the caves from one of the sides which gave rise to changes in shades of water. We were admiring thousands of shades of blue. It was truly magnificent.

Following on from our trip to the lake, we took a tour around the island where we were able to appreciate all it has to offer.

To conclude, I think that anyone who is considering visiting Kafalonia should go there at least for 2-3 days as 1 day is definitely not enough to discover its full potential. I would love to return here in the future.

I hope that you enjoyed reading my review!

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