Category: Review

Where to go for the Best Italian in Chiswick

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Eating Giant Tiramisu at Tarantella, Chiswick

Tarantella on Elliot Road in Chiswick London, is an authentic family-run restaurant, serving Pugliese cuisine.

I went there twice already and have a table booked for my next visit.
I have an unpopular admission: I am not the biggest fan of pasta; in general, I could live without it. But guess what I order every time I visit Tarantella? Pasta! It’s so good it’s making me change my mind!

They also make amazing pizza and of course, anything seafood is to die for.

They are known for their viral Giant Tiramisu, and I was lucky to try it just the other day, as soon as they launch it (I joined their new menu photoshoot!), and it was so good! The Dubai Chocolate is such an interesting twist for a tiramisu, and I loved it, almost as much as the original. If you go to try it – note that the Giant Tiramisu (any flavour) is a pre-order only dish, so make sure to confirm it at least a day before you visit.

Dubai chocolate giant tiramisu

A great little trattoria in one of the most charming neighbourhoods in London, Tarantella is worth the visit!

Visit their website here, to see more information: www.latarantella.co.uk
or give them a follow on Instagram: @tarantella_chiswick

Thanks for reading, see you in my next post!

Ciao a tutti!
Justina

RENT THE RUNWAY Clearance HAUL | Final Sale Bags Review

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I bought two bags from Rent the Runway Clearance at around 90% off ORP to test if it’s worth it and here is what I received.

It’s a final sale items so you always risk getting something not in perfect condition but at around 90% off ORP, I thought it was worth the risk to try out!

Item Details:

3.1 Phillip Lim, Croissant Leather Shoulder Bag ($495 original retail)

For $56 (88% off)

and

Nanushka Accessories, Black Tao Belt Bag ($385 original retail)

for $39 (89% off)

I paid total:

Subtotal                      $92.00

Shipping               $5.95

Tax                          $6.88

Order Total        $104.83

That’s instead of £880 Original Retail ( RTR: “This number represents the “Original Retail” or “Comparable Value” price.”) price which does not yet include taxes and shipping cost.

What do you think? Would you shop RTR clearance?

World’s First Sparkling Water Glass

Posted in home, Kitchen, Review, shoppingTagged , , , , , 2 Comments

Everyone that knows me know how much I love sparkling water so when my friend Kai invited me as a plus one to a water tasting dinner, to celebrate the launch of the world’s first sparkling water glass by SodaStream, I immediately said yes!

The evening was absolutely amazing, my mind was blown by how interesting a water tasting can be, and it was just an introduction to it! The location @farmacyuk is so pretty! And the sharing menu was fully vegan, gf and organic, and so so good I want to go again tomorrow! 😋

Let’s talk about the reason we were there, the sparkling water glass!

The design of SodaStream sparkling water glass is rooted in insight from expert water sommelier Doran Binder and has been beautifully hand-blown by expert glass artist Elliot Walker, winner of Season Two of Netflix’s hit series Blown Away, so it’s sure to be the showstopper on every table. 

The launch of the ultimate sparkling water glass celebrates the arrival of SodaStream’s most stylish sparkling water maker to date, the Art. Now, not only is it easier than ever to make your own sparkling water, but you can also enjoy it in a glass that enhances every aspect of your sparkling water too. So, whether you like to enjoy a glass of sparkling water at dinner (or if you are like me and sparkling water is life all day, every day) or want to impress friends with your hosting skills, SodaStream’s special edition sparkling water glass is a perfect choice. 

Each glass has been hand blown by Elliot Walker: “I’ve created a whole variety of glass projects throughout my career, but this special edition sparkling water glass has by far been one of my favourites. Whilst following the same brief, each piece is handmade and bespoke, which has a beautiful symmetry with a glass of sparkling water made with SodaStream, as no two bubbles are the same.”

The special edition sparkling water glass is available to consumers from Friday 9th September at 5pm. There will be 100 pieces available to people with the purchase of a SodaStream Art machine (I tested it out, and ohmygod, now I want to replace mine with the new model!) when using the redemption code: ARTOFGLASS. But hurry, the sparkling water glass is only available while stock lasts!

Would you add sparkling water glasses to your home glassware?

xoxo
Justina

Out In London | Roaring Twenties & Jazz Night Out

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The Occasion: Date night

The Plan:  | Immersive Play “The Great Gatsby” | 28-50 By Night

In Short:  Dress up for immersive theatre, afterwards relax with smooth jazz while sampling through an award-winning wine list

Budget: 70£/person or more if you add dinner etc

Looking for an interesting date night? Try immersive theatre! Gatsby’s mansion is located in the fabulous Mayfair and is a perfect setting to start off your evening.

Enjoy one of the greatest stories of the 20th century and join Jay Gatsby’s party. This brilliant adaptation of the novel takes you to the roaring ’20s… at Gatsby’s new mansion, just around the corner from Grosvenor Square.

You are encouraged to dress up although it’s not an entry requirement. Keep in mind, at least during our experience, the best and worst dressed have been acknowledged – and I am all for it. I miss the days when people at least put some effort into getting ready for theatre, our lives can get so monotonic, why not make it a bit more special by mixing in a feather here or there… or a feather boa. I went all out of course:

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My tip no2 – don’t be late! Doors close precisely at start time and you will need to wait to be let in after the initial welcome by the cast is done. It’s not more than ten minutes but still takes away from experience. This brings me to tip no3 – make sure you order plenty of drinks (be it water or a bottle of Champagne or whatever else you fancy) for the play. Once it starts, the bar won’t be open until much much later – staying without a drink at Jay Gatsby’s party sounds like a shame to me!

The play is about 1 hour 50mins and you’re welcome to stay for a drink afterwards. Another good note: the only time you can take pictures inside is after the cast leaves.

Get your tickets here

23/08/22 edit: Currently can get general admission tickets for £25 (instead of £39.95) and general admission + cocktail for £34 (Instead of £49.95)! Get them here on travelzoo.com

When it’s time to leave the Mansion, it still feels too early to call it a night – I have the perfect spot for you to visit to end your evening just right:

28-50 By Night

Head to 28-50 By Night (just about 5mins walk) to enjoy a late night dinner or snacks and some amazing wine (or cocktails but they are famous for their wine list and my policy is always: …when in Rome…) whilst you enjoy smooth jazz and blues performed by some of the best of London’s Jazz scene.

The atmosphere is dark and reminds a hidden NYC jazz bar – you do need to know where to go to find the entrance! It’s the little alley just off the Marylebone lane, sort of hiding behind their sister venue 28-50 Marylebone. The team is lovely and will be happy to direct you should you have any trouble finding it!

To find out their acts line-up for the month click here.

Full disclosure, I know of both places due to PR work. It did not require a blog review but I find this night-out plan lovely and genuinely would recommend it to anyone that wants to do a little different than just getting a drink at a bar.

Love,
Justina

5-Bullet Friday | August 2018

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Hi All!

Sooo… please welcome the second post from 5 Bullet Friday series!

I definitely enjoy writing these because I get to share a bit more random details form my everyday life, covering 5 things I enjoy and recommend at the time of the post.

Here it goes:

  • Book to read  —  Predatory Thinking by Dave Trot

  • Go try now — Byron’s veggie burger:  JACK STACK

(Veggie bean patty, pulled BBQ jackfruit, guacamole, lime dressed rainbow slaw, baby spinach, coriander). After a while, I visited Byron’s again last night and was so pleasantly surprised with their veggie & vegan options! I tried Jack Stack and it was wonderful! The vegan BEETNIK looked great as well – thinking to go try it out soon!

byronjackstack

  • Can’t live without —  steamer

I think it’s a sort of sign of growing up, caring if you look put together, your clothes are ironed etc.  I thought I’ll share with you with my best friend every morning, helping me to touch up all those stubborn wrinkles! The one I am using is probably the best price and quality combination and I truly recommend it! It’s also very small and perfectly fits in your luggage whilst travelling.

Phillips Steam & Go is a high-end option currently ruling the market and recommended by many fashion bloggers – I personally haven’t tried it yet but thought I’ll add it just in case you are interested in different price points.

  • Currently watching — Medici, Masters of Florence

“Sea of Blush – an inspired escape into a world of travel, fashion, and photography.”

  • Video to watch —

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

Love,
Hewnly

 

5-Bullet Friday | July 2018

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Hi All!

I thought I will start a monthly post series, covering 5 things I enjoy and recommend at the time of the post. Yes, this post is very inspired by Tim Ferris’s weekly newsletter, I hope he won’t mind!

Here is the first dose of “5-Bullet Friday”:

  • Book to read —    

Fahrenheit 451 – a dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury.
Trust me.

  • Best shopping finds —

I always am so hopefull when the sales season comes but I end up buying only a few select things! This month I finally got a brown work/everyday handbag, after months of trying to find the perfect one with the perfect shape, size and colour! Finally, I came upon this Michael Kors beauty, Selma!

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Find no2:

Cluse La Boheme rose gold
white & tan watch I got on John Lewis website.

la-boh-me-rose-gold-white-caramel-100007863-jpg

 

Find no3:

Jeffrey Campbells Morado Slip-On Sandal I found on freepeople.com

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Find no4:

Smart Zara paper bag trousers with bow belt in a light sand colour

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  • Currently watching — 

The Outlander, for the second time!

outlander_02

  • Blog to follow — 

Little Grey Box – I stumbled upon it on twitter couple of weeks ago and it became one of my favourite blogs! Here is an excerpt from their about page:

Hi! We’re Phoebe and Matt, award-winning Australian bloggers and professional travel creatives.

A few years ago we both realised we were unsatisfied with the way our lives were going and decided to leave our jobs to pursue our dreams. It was a big decision and a scary moment but it was also incredibly exciting and, hands down, the best thing we’ve ever done. Now, we travel the world creating useful guides and fun travel videos aimed to inspire and entertain.

Phoebe is a travel writer and photographer with a love for storytelling and making people laugh. Matt is a videographer and photographer with a passion for the great outdoors and big adventures.

  • Current obsession — 

Tiny houses – I cannot stop watching Youtube videos about them! It is somewhat an increasing trend wave and I cannot say I blame people for being interested in the concept. Minimalism and conscious living is something we should all learn more about.

 

I hope you have enjoyed my interpretation of a 5-Bullet Friday. Please let me know what you think in the comments below!

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

 

Love,
Hewnly

London’s best cafés: My Place, Soho

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Sharing a wonderful review on one of my absolute favourite spots in London.

Dear Anna Bonet (the author of the thamesideliving.com), I could not agree more!

 

Thameside Living's avatar

If my world revolves around anything, it’s probably coffee. So not only do I take assessing the cafés of London very seriously, but it’s also something that’s very safe in my hands.

Of all those I’ve been to so far (new ones pop up faster than I can say macchiato), My Place, on Berwick St in Soho, comes out very near the top.

When a colleague recommended it to me a few months ago on the basis that it’s where she goes to write her novel, I knew it must be good. It did not disappoint, and, since my first visit I’ve been back so many times that the staff are starting to greet me by name – something I haven’t experienced since living in a village in Wales.

Note that although the vibe is 100% cute coffee shop, they also serve lunch and dinner. However, while the food is…

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Out In London | Saturday Night Review

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The Occasion: Saturday Night out / Date night

The Plan: Kaspar’s at Savoy | Play “The End Of Longing” | Opium | ECC

In Short: Lovely dinner, theater & great cocktails for a perfect night out.

Budget: ~200 pounds/person

When you live in London, it is so easy to get into the never-ending routine of rushing to work and back home and having all the chores to take care of, responsibilities, evening tv and weekly crazy Friday/Saturday club outings you don’t have much recollection of, thank god for Instagram, right?

But once in a while, you have to remind yourself – you live in one of the capitals of the world, full of history, culture and so much more! I wasn’t planning to write this post but recently I had one of the best Saturdays in a long time and maybe it will inspire you to plan a similar evening, or check one of the places out.

We were planning a girls night out for a while now but we didn’t want just a regular get drunk kind of night so we’ve spent a couple of hours planning and researching, and it was sooo worth it!

We decided we really want to see The End Of Longing play, so once we’ve got the tickets, the plan was built around it. We started the evening at the Savoy, drinks at their award-winning bar and pre-theater dinner at Kaspar’s restaurant. It’s such a beautiful place! Drinks, food, service and the whole experience was perfect and we couldn’t expect a better start to our night.

After a quick stroll by the river, we reached the Playhouse theater, grabbed drinks (like true ladies we’ve got ourselves a pint of Prosecco each) and got to our seats ready to be amused. And it was a great show, the first part so witty, so fun and the second part – deeper and quite sad, but with a happy ending so we left satisfied! The show is running until 14 May 2016 so make sure to go see it before then!

After the show, the night was still young and we decided it was time to check out Opium, a cocktail bar in china town. It was nominated to be one of the best bars in the world so we just had to try it out. I would recommend getting a reservation to make sure you’ll get in!

Once you are ready, and it took us a good 4 cocktails each, move on to ECC (Experimental Cocktail Club) which is just a couple of doors down the street. It’s titled and renowned almost as much as the Opium and serves truly great cocktails. I recommend checking it out because it would be a shame not to and because it has such a great atmosphere! We chose it as the last stop because it has more of a clubby lounge setting, great DJ playing and is a perfect place for the last stop of the night!

And if you feel like eating a proper meal in the middle of the night (let’s face it, maybe you’ll need it ;D) visit The Balance restaurant just around the corner. Don’t deny yourself a good meal when you have an opportunity!

night out

To sum up, I would rate this Saturday night out plan a 10/10. It is based on my personal experience and not sponsored! Please let me know if you decide to visit one or all of the places or you’ve been and if your experience was just as fun!

You can also check my social media accounts for live updates on what I’m up to on Instagram, my photography work on Facebook and digital marketing tips and tricks on Twitter.

Love,
Hewnly