bloomzy, Author at Bloomzy

bloomzy / September 30, 2015

OOTD: More Than Basic

Wood Wood T-shirt: Finch Norwich | A-line Suede Skirt: Topshop* | Scarf: Ffion Griffith

My friend and I love the phrase “basic bitch” at this time of year. It sums up all of our silly little pleasures; top down shots of our morning flat white, the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, Autumn…I could go on and on. Joking aside, recently I got thinking about the term “basic”. People love to use it as a dereogetory term, meaning boring or unimaginative. However in recent years basics have taken the fashion world by storm.

Only last year my wardrobe was full of clashing patterns and prints. Whereas I still love a good print, I have found a new confidence and clarity in my style since I introduced basics. Recently I made the decision to switch to timeless, high quality items that I can easily interchange with other pieces in my closet. It’s safe to say I haven’t looked back. Items like the Wood Wood cotton t-shirts I bought from Finch Norwich a few months ago have become staples. A plain t-shirt may seem boring, but I feel anything but when I pair it with a high waisted a-line skirt and scarf.

So I suppose what I’m trying to say is, even the most basic of items can become something special when they’re paired with the right person.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.

bloomzy / September 28, 2015

A London Life… at London Fashion Week

The Apartment | London Fashion Week SS16

London Fashion Week. Yes, only two weeks ago it was that time of year again. The time when the “fashionistas” dust off their extravagant hats, pop on their wildest outfits and head to the HQ of fashion. Brewer Street car park. Wait, what?! It very well may have been controversial to move from Somerset House to Brewer Street car park, but alas move it did. This season, London saw hives of fashion lovers descend upon Soho. Models, designers and bloggers alike took the area by storm. And it was a little crowded to say the least.

What did I get up to? Well actually I got up to a lot over the weekend. So much so that I plan to do another post on my shenanigans. To sum it up? There was… relaxing; at The Apartment. Which included… pampering; courtesy of Jurlique, and food/cocktails; courtesy of Aubaine, Krispy Kreme and Aperol Spritz. And those are just the brands featured in this post! Yes, we were spoilt rotten. Don’t worry though I worked off most of the sugar glaze and alcohol by running around doing photoshoots and attending shows such as Sadie Clayton‘s (love THAT bomber jacket).

Thank you to The Apartment & Dina Tsesarsky for the photos of me & V.A.

bloomzy / September 24, 2015

OOTD: London Fashion Week SS16

Sleeveless Duster: Topshop | Draped Top: Zara | Chelsea Boots: ASOS | Bucket Bag: Zara

How do you stay fashionable and comfortable during London Fashion Week? Honestly I thought it was impossible. I spent a good 30 minutes trying on outfit combo after outfit combo on Saturday morning. I was feeling bloated – thanks for visiting at such a great time Mother Nature – and wanted something I didn’t feel rubbish in. For me that solution was layers, and lots of them!

I’m currently in the middle of having another love affair with Zara. I’d gone off the brand for a while. But now they’re back on form, and bringing out products that are better than ever. This draped top is equal parts fashion and function. Paired with a waterfall sleeveless duster I almost look like I’m trying. Then there’s the bag. THIS BAG! Oh my god. I fell in love at first sight (thanks to V.A for pointing it out). Yes it does look like THAT designer, but I think Zara have actually one upped the original. Funny anecdote, I happened to be walking next to someone with the original, during LFW. People actually thought mine was the original, and commented on how much nicer it was. I managed to fit my DSLR, phone and purse in here, with plenty of room to spare. This bucket bag is magical. It just goes to show you that designer does not always trump high street.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.

bloomzy / September 20, 2015

Yauatcha x Charlie May | London Fashion Week

Yauatcha x Charlie May London Fashion Week Collaboration*

Food and fashion – in my opinion – don’t mix enough. But then of course I would say that about two of my life passions. So when the two do eventually come together, I am very gleeful indeed. Luckily for me, one of my recent faves Yauatcha, have done just that. To celebrate London Fashion Week’s move to Soho, Yauatcha have collaborated with fashion designer Charlie May. The collaboration includes 4 brand new macarons, and a petit gateau (based on Charlie’s fabrics).

Macarons:
Cinnamon and raisin – cinnamon ganache with a pedro ximenez raisin compote and cinnamon crumble.
Black sesame – black sesame ganache with toasted black sesame seeds.
Blackcurrant cheesecake – cheesecake cream with a blackcurrant pate du fruit.
Smoked salt caramel – smoked salted ganache with a salted caramel centre.

Petit Gateau:
Gianduja lemon petit gateau – Gianduja mousse, layered with hazelnut and almond daquoise and centred with lemon crème.

During the rush of London Fashion Week, these were a life saver; V.A and I were running in-between photoshoots and shows, trying to keep our energy up. So we grabbed some macarons and a petit gateau from Yauatcha, before heading round the corner to The Apartment (where I shot these photos). The cake is spectacular in looks and taste – the light, crisp outer shell encompasses a slightly tart lemon centre. A smooth and sophisticated dessert. Let’s be realistic though, you all want to know how the macarons were. I’ve come to love Yauatcha’s macarons, and I personally think they’re the best in London (for taste, and price). Their latest offering is very unique, featuring smokey flavours and dark aesthetics, among others. The Cinnamon and Raisin Macaron was my favourite by far, but then I am a big fan of spices in puddings. However I appreciated the diverse use of ingredients. I honestly can’t say I’ve tried anything like these before.

Walking in to The Apartment with my Yauatcha bag, everyone asked “Is that the Charlie May collaboration!?” It seems as though I’m not the only one who enjoys a good mash-up between fashion and food. Whilst me and V.A enjoyed our macarons and cake with a coffee, I realised that we are two very lucky ladies. Being able to do (and eat) the things I love makes me very happy, especially when it’s in the company of good friends. Yo ho, a blogger’s life for me!

The Yauatcha x Charlie May collaboration is available now, until 27th September.
Macarons are priced at £1.80 each, and the Petit Gateau is £5.90 (£8.80 a la carte).

bloomzy / September 15, 2015

A London Life… at Bettys Tea Room

Bettys Tea Room Blogger Event | A London Life Series

Betty’s tea rooms in Yorkshire are famous worldwide. Their afternoon teas are a luxurious treat that people travel hundreds, even thousands, of miles for. I remember staring in awe at the opulent cafe on my first visit to Harrogate, as a small child. I thought to myself “when I’m an adult, I will have afternoon tea here everyday”. Flash forward quite a few years, I have been unable to keep my promise to mini me. However last weekend my inner child was indulged when Bettys visited London for their first ever blogger event.

I was given the chance to test out of my piping skills, which I thought had improved after the Konditor & Cook event. I was wrong. As my dad put it “your cakes would give children nightmares”. Well, I suppose if I’m gonna excel at something… Anyway, after the piping challenge – which my lovely table buddy Emma deservedly won – we were told to decorate our tables. With boxes of cakes. Yes you heard me correctly. Boxes of cakes! If some of those boxes had also contained puppies I would have assumed I’d died and gone to heaven. My team (me, Emma and Charlotte) grabbed some crockery and accessories, and got to work. It didn’t take us long before we’d created a work of art (check out the photo at the top of the post). We had: Grand Cru Chocolate Sachertorte, Fox Cupcake Brownie, Champagne Truffles, Chocolate Fruit Clusters, Yorkshire Shortbread and tea. If my will power hadn’t been at full capacity on this particular day, I would have easily gained a stone in chocolate weight.

It felt so wonderful to be invited to a Bettys event. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the tea rooms are very special to me. Feeling that excitement and energy once again, reminded me of just how much we take some experiences for granted. Sure, I’m not going to win the next series of the Great British Bake Off, nor am I going to get a job at Bettys as head cake decorator (not with those piping skills), but that doesn’t matter. Because just by tasting their cakes, teas and pastries you realise how much love and time have gone in to making them. Whether you’re a child or an adult, Betty’s will make you feel pretty special.

If you ever have the chance, I highly suggest you pay a visit to Bettys.
If you really can’t visit, the magic that is the internet will now allow you to buy their creations online.

bloomzy / September 13, 2015

Review: Shanghai Tang Gold Lily Perfume

Shanghai Tang Gold Lily Perfume*

I don’t often do perfume reviews – mainly because it’s a very personal subject. Everyone has their favourite type of scent. Some people prefer floral, some musky, others sickly sweet. There are such a variety of options when it comes to perfume. I used to buy 5-7 of bottles a year. After a while I realised that having a signature scent made far more sense than dousing myself in a different perfume every day. The real question is, would Shanghai Tang Gold Lily perfume become just that?

Pros:
+ Beautiful packaging
+ Subtle fragrance; floral & musk

Cons:
– Very heavy bottle

Notes:
Some beauty products are practical. Some are innovative. Others are so beautiful you can’t bare to use them. But what happens when you find a product that matches all three of these? You weep a little. The first thing I noticed when I opened my Shanghai Tang parcel was the packaging. The box and bottle are exquisite; simple, yet also somehow opulent. I couldn’t contain my joy – something those who follow me on Snapchat may have noticed. One thing I did notice was that the bottle is incredibly heavy. Oddly enough this is due to the ornate lid. However I was hoping that it was the perfume inside the bottle that would steal the show. According to the site “the precious Lily flower is wrapped with accents of Jasmine, Orange flower, patchouli and musk creating a mysterious and sensual composition.” And since I’m nowhere near articulate enough I’m going to leave you with that description, because it sums it up perfectly. This is a subtle floral fragrance with a hint of musk. Whilst wearing it I feel equal parts feminine, powerful and elegant. Yes a perfume really can do that to your confidence! Is this my new signature scent? I think it could be! Would I purchase it? At £100 this isn’t pocket change. On the other hand, if I only bought one perfume a year (because they honestly last me that long), then that’s just over £8 a month. I really think this is a scent worth saving for…or popping on your Christmas wish list.

The Silk Road Fragrance collection is available to purchase in Shanghai Tang‘s Hong Kong, Macau and London boutiques.

bloomzy / September 9, 2015

Bake with Maria x KitchenAid

I spent a lot of time baking when I was freelancing last year. I loved trying out new recipes and perfecting old ones. However since I started my current job I’ve just not had the time for it. My evenings/weekends are filled with personal time with Ben, press events, and meeting with friends. Sad but true. Recently though I’ve been considering making more time for my old passion. So when Bake with Maria and KitchenAid invited me to a baking masterclass, I jumped at the chance to rekindle an old flame.

We started the evening with a small presentation by KitchenAid. I have gifted my mum (an exceptional baker) their products before, so I already know how amazing they are. However their new Magnetic Drive Blender (that’s the Torrent Blender to you Americans) is something else entirely. It uses a magnetic base rather than the usual slot base, and manages to blend even the most difficult of items. That particular evening we were using it to make chocolate ganache (on the milkshake setting…MILKSHAKE SETTING)! Any blender that can simultaneously create healthy beverages and junk food is a blender I want to own.

Anyway, back to the masterclass! We were making a chocolate tart, with a dark chocolate ganache filling and Chantilly creme. One of my personal favourites. We had a go making our own pastry (for the base, duh), making the ganache, and then finally the cream. All whilst using KitchenAid products. It was a surprisingly natural way to introduce us to the products, and show us what they could do. I’m already a convert to kitchen gadgets, so this class really drilled in how useful the KitchenAid products are. And how amazing a baker Maria is!

You can book your own masterclass at Bake with Maria, and purchase KitchenAid products at Selfridges.