Tag: #travelblogger

Holiday destinations: Corfu, Greece

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I recently stopped at Corfu Island for a day. Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian Islands Greek island in the Ionian Sea.

It is also among the most beautiful and popular islands of the country. Due to its strong historical connection with Europe, Corfu was among the first Greek islands to open to tourism.

Located on the north western side of the country, Corfu island has a cosmopolitan feeling combined with a special traditional character. We had a traditional Greek meal cooked for us by a ‘Greek mama’ in a restaurant that felt like a kitchen of your relatives. Portions were really generous and the attitude of the staff was lovely-they were all extremely friendly and smiley.

There are a lot of lovely beaches around the island and if you like discovering new places then you should definitely go for a walking trip around the city as there are some lovely ruins and castles worth seeing there. We decided to climb on top of the hill at midday which was quite challenging as it was extremely hot but as a results we were able to admire the island from its highest points.

My advice would be to do all the sightseeing during the late afternoon hours.

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I hope you enjoyed reading this short review.

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Pauline

Our lunch at Dessirier restaurant, Paris

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On our last day of our mini-moon in Paris, we decided to have a lunch at one of the best fish and seafood restaurants – Dessirier. The restaurant was firstly opened  in 1883 by Louis Dessirier and his small Parisian café became a big oyster bar and the Cadoret family was running it for 5 generations. In 1996  chef  Michel Rostang  took over  ‘Dessirier’ and refurbished it completely  with a help of the architects Hélène and Olivier Lempereur, upon Michel Rostang’s 2 passions, cooking and contemporary art. Today the restaurant stands out as one of the best fish and seafood restaurant in Paris and celebrates its 20 years old offering its emblematic dishes, still going with seafood rigorously selected and whole fish to share.

Location:

Dessirier by Michel Rostang is located just a minute away from Porte de Champerret tube station and around 15 minutes walk to the Arc de Triomphe.

Address:

9 Place du Maréchal Juin, 75017 Paris, France

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 1 p.m. On our arrival, we were greeted by a restaurant Manager-Philippe. He took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable. Once we sat down, he introduced us to our waiter – Francois who was friendly and attentive.

The menu:

As the restaurant celebrated its 20th anniversary since the famous chef Michel Rostang opened it and renewed it in 1996, we decided to choose our lunch from a special 20th anniversary menu.

Before we received our starters we got a small complimentary creamy pate.

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For a starter my husband had some oysters that were fresh and I ordered a marinated salmon with some fennel preserve with gravlax sauce. It was amazing and extremely tasty.

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Mains:

For my main I decided to have some fried Colbert that was served with a tartare sauce and grilled rice. James had some cod with garlic mayonnaise. Both dishes were full of flavour and delectable.

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Desserts:

It was unquestionable what I would have for my dessert as soon as I saw the strawberries and raspberries fraisier cake served with a scoop of Basil ice cream on the menu. Let me tell you, I eat out a lot but that was THE BEST Fraisier cake I have ever tasted in my life. If you like light and fruity desserts than you would definitely love it.

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My husband went for ‘Rum baba’ with nuts and red fruit  which he really enjoyed.

It was full-flavoured and great for rum lovers!

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Just before we left, I had some coffee latte which was a perfect end to this delicious meal.

Overall experience:

If you like seafood than you should definitely visit Michel Rostang’s Dessirier dishes. We both really enjoyed our lunch at the Dessirier-food was excellent, service was very attentive and surroundings were modern. The area where the restaurant is located was lively and buzzing so great if you want to visit a typical Parisian coffee or bar for a drink afterwards.

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For more information and to book visit:

http://www.restaurantdessirier.com/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Our dinner at Le Petit Pontoise in Paris, France

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After a day of sightseeing, on the second day of our mini-moon in Paris, we wanted to have some more traditional French cuisine thus we booked a dinner at Le Petit Pointoise.

I wore one of my white cocktail dresses from COAST with some Karen Millen hills and accessorized it with some silver jewellery and my Furla handbag that I took with me for our trip.

Location:

Le Petit Pontoise is located just 5 minutes’ walk from Notre Dame Cathedral in the center of Paris.

Address:

9, rue de Pontoise, 75 005 PARIS

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 7 p.m. When we arrived only one other table was taken but within 30 minutes the restaurant was full and buzzing with tourists and some regular dinners.

On our arrival, we were greeted by a friendly waitress-Boom. She took us to our table and made us feel welcomed and comfortable.

Service:

We were mainly served by Boom however there were also a few different staff members who attended our table. They were all friendly and looked after us well.

The menu:

The menu at this gourmet bistro offers an impressive selection of dishes that are all built around traditional French recipes. The Head Chef-François Récapet works at Le Petit Pontoise for more than 14 years and provides his dinners with a high quality, traditional French cuisine with a twist. Some of his traditional recipes are treasured since his childhood in Périgord and all dishes are made with fresh, seasonal products.

 

 

Starters:

To start with I decided to have some roasted Camenbert cheese with almond and honey crust. I love melted cheese so it was just what I needed to re-charge after a full day of sightseeing.

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My husband had some signature ‘Petit Pontoise’ roasted shrimps. They were cooked to perfection and tender.

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Mains:

There was a nice choice of mains but as I love fish I decided to have some Roasted monkfish with prosciutto. It was delectable!

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My husband had a Rack of lamb with some garlic crust. Both dishes were of good size and were presented nicely.

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Desserts:

I have a very bad sweet tooth and I decided to have one of my favourite desserts-Tiramisu ‘Veronese’. I love, love, love tiramisu and could have it for breakfast, lunch and dessert so I really enjoyed my little treat!

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James was slightly more adventurous and he had a fruit salad with Armagnac. He really liked it as it was served with some homebrewed Armagnac.

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Overall experience:

We both enjoyed our time at this traditional French gourmet bistro. You should definitely go there if you wish to discover and enjoy some great home-made French cuisine. If you wish to have a good-quality meal in a typical Parisian atmosphere then look no further. I would advise to book it in advance as Le Petit Pontoise is a relatively small, popular restaurant so it tends to be fully booked often (especially during the weekends and the peak tourist season).

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For more information and to book visit:

http://www.lepetitpontoise.fr/en/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Our lunch at La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL in Paris

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Two weeks ago, on our arrival to Paris we decided to have some lunch at La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL in Paris.

I wore one of my Karen Millen dresses with some Jones hills and accessorized it with some silver white gold jewellery and Furla handbag.

Location:

La Régalade Restaurant is located at  Hôtel de NELL in Paris. The Hôtel de Nell has designed a variety of spaces to meet the needs of every guest with luxury, discretion and quality. It is located just 15 miutes walk from Gare de North station. It is also 5 minutes away from the Poissonniere station in the center of Paris.

Address:

9 Rue du Conservatoire, 75009 Paris, France

Atmosphere:

We booked our table for 12:30 p.m. and arrived just a couple of minutes before. Some would say that it was a perfect timing as I was able to take some photos before the arrival of all other dinners. As we went there straight after arriving to Paris, a friendly concierge took our suitcases and escorted us to the restaurant that is located opposite of the main reception area at the hotel. In order to get through it you need to walk through modern and spacious lobby and game room which I loved.

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What a perfect place to unwind at after a day of sightseeing!

When we entered the restaurant, we were welcomed by a friendly waiter. He offered us to choose our own table as we were the first dinners that arrived. We choose a table next to the bar area as it provided a romantic setting. Within minutes of sitting down the restaurant was full.

Service:

We were served by a few different staff members who were all professional and attentive. One of the staff members- a French waiter of Turkish origin was very friendly and had great customer service skills. He explained our menu in detail and provided his recommendations. Throughout our visit he was attentive and looked after us well.

The menu:

La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL serves a great traditional French cuisine with a twist. All ingredients are locally sourced and purchased on a daily basis from the local market.We choose a 3 course lunch from the special menu (37 euros per person). We had a glass of champagne to start with to celebrate our mini-moon trip to Paris.

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Starters:

Before our starters arrived, we got some traditional french pattee served with some pickles.

To start with I decided to go for some ‘half cooked’ tuna, eggplant caviar and baby roquette salad.

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My husband had a cold tomato soup, served with some fresh goat cheese, olive oil, pine nuts and Espelette chilli pepper. Both of these dishes were extremely tasty.

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Mains:

There was a great choice of mains I decided to have some Cod from Brittany, roasted eggplant and candied vegetables.

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My husband had some pork belly with a selection of seasonal vegetables.

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Both of our mains were cooked to perfection and I think that my cod was one of the best cods that I have ever tasted. I loved it.

Desserts:

Desserts are often my favorite part of any meal. I decided to go for some red fruits, verbena infusion and white cheese sorbet-it was yummy!

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My husband had some blanc-manger – a peach, peach sorbet in Bellini emulsion. It was heavenly.

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Overall experience:

We both had a lovely time at La Régalade Restaurant at  Hôtel de NELL. All food was delicious, beautifully presented and reasonably priced (only 37 Euros for 3 course meal which is very reasonable for Paris!). Service was great, location is perfect so if you are traveling to Paris anytime soon then you should definitely check it out!

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For more information and to book visit:

http://www.hoteldenell.com/index.php?cat=14&ID=14&nom=La+R&lang=eng

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Our stay at Hotel Balmoral in Paris

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As our honeymoon is planned for December, we decided to go for a couple of mini-moons before the trip of our lifetime to Asia.

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To start with, we decided to travel to the most romantic city in the world – Paris. We both love staying in centrally located, boutique hotels so the Balmoral Hotel seemed like a perfect choice for our luxurious mini-moon break.

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Location:

Hotel Balmoral is located just one minute away from the Arc De Triomphe and just around a corner Champs Elysées on a quiet street – Rue du Général Lanrezac between the renowned Avenue Carnot and Avenue MacMahon. We couldn’t have dreamt of more ideal location. It is situated in a characteristic Haussman-style street with blocks that were designed as homogeneous architectural wholes dating back to the 19th century.

A couple of years ago, in 2014 Hotel Balmoral was completely renovated by Michel Jouannet who is internationally recognised for his work on revamping the design of hotels, spas, restaurants as well as some work on residences of his VIP clients. I really enjoyed the chic and beautiful décor created by this interior designer that reflected the Parisian elegance.

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Service:

As soon as we entered the hotel, we were welcomed by extremely helpful and smiley Anne-Claire. I have stayed in many hotels but she was definitely one of the friendliest receptionists I’ve ever met and she made us feel at ease – almost like at our own home throughout our stay. Her customer service skills were exceptional. Once we checked in, we walked through a stunning lounge and were taken to our room by a friendly porter who dropped our luggage a couple of minutes later.

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Rooms:

Hotel Balmoral has 50 elegant Bedrooms and Suites as well as 2 Prestige Apartments. We stayed at the Prestige room no. 35 on the 3rd floor.

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Our room was spacious, bright and stylish. It was perfectly equipped with Air-Con, flat-screen TV with 50 satellite channels, minibar, hospitality tray with coffee and tea as well as Nespresso coffee machine and safe.

Above our bed, there was a huge, modern painting by a French artist-Arnaud Franc.

The Room had a lot of storage space and we both had a separate wardrobe to store our clothes in.

Our room featured a typical Parisian French window leading to a mini balcony with drapes and sheers to help us to create a romantic atmosphere at the end of the day and reduce any noise from the street. Our king-size bed was extremely comfortable and after a day of sightseeing we felt asleep almost immediately.

Bathroom:

Our bathroom had a modern décor with a grey and white colour scheme. It had a bath and a double washbasin, which I prised as we didn’t need to fight for sink space. I definitely need to redesign my bathroom in London and get a double washbasin fit in. It also had a make-up mirror and heated towel rail. In addition to soft towels we were also provided with some slippers and bath gowns which were made from the Egyptian cotton-perfect for lounging in before and after our sightseeing.

Facilities:

The reception desk is open 24 hours.The hotel has a huge lobby area leading onto the street and to the garden where you can sit down and relax.

Breakfast is offered for a surcharge and provides a selection of cold and warm dishes to choose from.

During the afternoons and evenings, the breakfast room is transformed into a bar serving a selection of hot and cold drinks as well as some wines, champagne, spirits and beer.

Overall experience:

We both really enjoyed our stay at the beautiful, chic boutique Hotel Balmoral. From day one, we could see that the hotel not only had chic, designer interiors but the service was of great quality. Its original features dating back to 19th century worked perfectly with its  contemporary yet elegant décor. Our room had all that we could ask for and provided us with comfort away from our home. The location was perfect and service was faultless so I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who plans to travel to Paris.

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Website:

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.balmoral-paris-hotel.com/en/

Address:

6 Rue du Général Lanrezac, 75017 Paris, France

Phone: +33 1 43 80 30 50

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Paris, France

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Last weekend we went for our mini-moon to the most romantic city in the world – Paris. It is a capital city of France and it has a population of 12 million (2014) which covers 18 percent of the residents of France. In 2015 Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

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Travel:

We travelled to Paris by Eurostar as it is the easiest way to travel to Paris from London. It takes under 2.5 hours and trains depart from King’s Cross Station in central London every hour. Prices vary from £29 for a standard single ticket booked in advance to £249 for a business premiere ticket including an access to the Executive Lounge and some complementary drinks and a meal on-board. Our meal was disappointing both during our morning and evening journeys and on our way back the service was extremely slow so I am not sure if it was worth paying £1000 for 2 return tickets…

Attractions:

The Central area of Paris along the Seine River is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and includes many notable monuments. In addition, Paris is the home of many important museums and cultural institutions. There are many places worth seeing however if you are in Paris for a limited time (we were there for 3 days) then you should definitely visit:

  • The Eiffel Tower – an iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars that was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.

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  • The Louvre – the most visited and the largest art museum in the world.
  • Arc de Triomphe – is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.
  • Notre Dame Cathedral – is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité built in the 12th century.
  • Pont Alexandre III Bridge – is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower.
  • Basilica du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre – is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that opened in 1914.

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Furthermore, I would definitely recommend that you either take a walk down the river or alternatively you can take one of many mini-cruises especially if the weather is nice. We were extremely lucky with the weather and we decided to have a romantic walk around the River Seine on our way from The Eiffel Tower back to our hotel which was located just a minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe. In addition, if you love live-shows and cabaret then you should definitely visit Moulin Rouge but be prepared-tickets for a show and dinner are quite expensive and start at 190 Euros per person.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Maison Christian Lacroix rooms at The Mandeville Hotel

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Last week, I was invited to attend a launch party of the ‘Deluxe Rivera Rooms’ at The Mandeville hotel.

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It was a great opportunity for all attendees to discover a revamped rooms. According to Sacha Walckhoff, Creative Director of Maison Christian Lacrouix, : ‘Bringing the flavour of the French Riviera in the middle of Marylebone is what Mandeville Hotel in London has achieved using our home decor collection ”belle Rives’ for their exquisite new rooms’. During the evening, I had some delicious canapes and enjoyed some delicious cocktails before I went to see the ‘Deluxe Rivera Rooms’.

Rooms:

The fifth floor of this luxury, boutique hotel has been completely transformed in with Christian Lacroix designer fabrics and wallpaper collections to bring the French Rivera to you. The house of Christian Lacroix has been known in Paris and London’s Haute Couture fashion scene for a while now. The newly designed rooms bring together fresh and bold colours using the ‘Belles Rives’ collection.

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I was able to view 4 spectacular rooms:

Jardin Exotique – this amazing room take inspiration from Monaco’s Botanical Garden.

Midnight Blue – my favorite room that brings a sultry and romantic mood with its contrasting interiors.

Jewel Box – a room for any fashion lovers as it features the Cartier jewels stolen in Grace Kelly’s classic film ‘To Catch a Thief’.

Classic Lacroix – is a room that is full of light and creates romantic atmosphere.

Location:

The Mandeville Hotel is located just behind the famous shopping street-Oxford Street. It is 5 minutes away from the Bond Street station and is conveniently situated in the centre of Mayfair.

Website:

For more information and to book visit:

http://www.mandeville.co.uk/

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

X

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

Summer ball at Porters Park Golf Club

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Last week, I was invited by my fiancé’s father to attend a summer ball at Porters Park Golf Club. Porters Park Golf Club is located just outside the picturesque village of Radlett, in Hertfordshire.

The evening started with a champagne reception. Around 7:30 p.m. all guests were invited to take their seats in the beautifully decorated marquee. Once everyone was at their tables the speeches and awards begun. Luckily, they didn’t take too long and we were served a delicious 3-courses dinner. Subsequently, a great live entertainment from Déjà vu band begun. We all had the opportunity to show our best moves on the dance floor while enjoying the iconic songs from 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

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Summer Ball Menu included:

Starter

Beetroot home cured Gravadlax

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Main

Prime boneless saddle of Lamb

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Dessert

Assiette of Desserts

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Dress Code for the event was black tie so I decided to wear one of my cream ball-gowns paired with some Carvela hills.

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Subsequently, a great live entertainment from Déjà vu band begun. We all had the opportunity to show our best moves on the dance floor while enjoying the iconic songs from 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

To sum up, I had a great evening of fine dining and dancing. I am looking forward to attending another summer ball next year!

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If you would like to visit Porters Park Golf Club then you can find all the details and directions on their website listed below:

Website: http://www.portersparkgolfclub.co.uk/

Getting ready for a summer ball

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I was invited to attend a summer ball at the Porters Park Golf Club last week. I wanted to look my best so I spent my afternoon preparing for that event.

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Face:

I have recently bought a mineral-rich PRISTINE Beauty Dead Sea Mud Mask from Amazon.co.uk so it was a great opportunity to try it and check if it really works. According to the producer, the Pristine Dead Sea Mud Mask helps to:

• Purify the pores as a natural skin cleanse.

• Promote clearer skin and reduce the frequency of blemishes.

• Remove excess oil to combat shine.

• Minimise enlarged pores.

• Diminish the appearance of wrinkles.

• Address blackheads.

PRISTINE Beauty Dead Sea Mud Mask contains Vitamin E and is based only on natural and organic ingredients. Furthermore, it is a cruelty free vegan so it protects your complexion and the planet at the same time. I have a combination skin and enlarged pores so it seemed like a good idea to try it before the event as mask promised to deeply purify and provide anti-aging benefits.

The mask has a nice, creamy texture. I applied it for 15 minutes and then once it dried I rinsed it off with some warm water. My skin was soft, looked radiant and I could see some instant and noticeable results. The mask gave my skin a fresh, healthy glow and my pores were less noticeable. In addition, lines from under my eyes looked visibly smaller.

The only unfavourable feedback I could give was about its packaging. It looks very simple and unappealing but then again mask offers instant results and a great value for money. One pot of the mask (250ml) costs only £16.90 and it will definitely last you for a few months. I would recommend that you use it 2 to 3 times a week to see a long-term improvement.

You can get it from Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/PRISTINE-Dead-Sea-Mud-Mask/dp/B01FLUGRYG

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Make-up:

I decided to wear my favourite ‘smoky eyes’ make up with some soft beige lipstick.

Hair:

I added a lot of volume and after decided to do some soft curls to get a soft look.

I hope that you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

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Pauline