Burger blind date at TGI Fridays in Leeds

Last week, I was invited to a ‘burger blind date’ at TGI Fridays.

“A burger blind date??!”, I hear you say.

The invitation said;

Do you lie in bed craving a relationship you can really sink your teeth into?

Are you looking for romance of the incredibly meaty variety?

We’ve arranged a line-up of our sexiest new handcrafted burgers who are all dying to meet you – but choosing your lover for the night won’t be as simple as love at first sight.

So I asked my dear friend Laura from the blog Top Style Advice if she fancied sinking her teeth into a juicy burger and come sip some cocktails with me, and off we went – not knowing what to expect.

We were welcomed by the lovely staff at TGIFridays in Trinity shopping centre in Leeds, and were offered some lovely mahooossive cocktails by some quirky bartenders who thought they could perform magic. To be fair they were really good at flaring, but I don’t know about the family lime trick with the shakers… anyway...

We were then sat down together with a few other bloggers and got presented our date candidates – the sexy burgers!

The menu was set out as a dating profile. It didn’t explain what was in the burgers, but it explained their personality, and you simply had to guess what might be in them and base your choice on that. For example, contestant #2 said;

Down south, everything’s better when it’s smooth... and I’m no exception. One bite, and you’ll be mine. I’m all over everything and I’d like to be all over you. (PS – Think you know me? You don’t know Jack.)

I really liked this concept. It’s cheeky, interesting, and it definitely brings a smile to people’s faces. The one I chose in the end was contestant #5, which said;

Bonjour. I bring a certain je ne sais quoi to this date. I’m rich, romantic and mysterious… but pour your sauce over me and Voila!! I’m Yours.

Based on this dating profile I guessed that it was a French inspired burger, probably with a red wine gravy to pour over it – and I was right! This burger was amazingly tasty. Soooo delicious!

I personally think the event was a success. The campaign was very well planned from the initial email invite to the actual event, and we all had a good time. As a fun memory we all had to pose for a #burgerface photo, which then was printed and framed for us to take home by the end of the evening.

Thank you so much TGI Fridays for inviting me along to this.

Oh, and happy Friday! :D

Freshen up your home with scented candles

When I’ve talked about interior decoration before, a lot about it is about candles and candle holders. I can’t get enough of them, and I always try to match them with the rest of the interior. When the candles aren’t lit they simply match the room, but when you light them – as you know – they change the atmosphere of the whole room. There’s nothing cosier than a Friday night in with some lit candles and music :)

Anyway, so when the lovely people at Scented Candle Shop asked if I wanted to review some of their offering, I jumped to the chance! The first item I chose was a classic Yankee candle in a jar. I went for the medium size, but cared more about the colour of the candle rather than the smell, as I wanted it to match my purple bedroom. This scented candle is called Midnight Oasis, and leaves a subtle but absolutely lovely smell that reminds you of summer and holidays.

The second item I chose is not a candle, but a room diffuser. I’ve never had one of these before, but have always been curious about how they work. The one I picked is by the brand Bolsius and has a scent of Lily of the Valley – super fresh and gives you lots of spring feelings! I’ve placed it on a shelf in the livingroom, so everytime you walk in the door after having been out of the house you are met by this lovely flowery smell. You don’t light a room diffuser, but the oil in the bottle spreads its scent through the wooden sticks you place in it. For a boost of scent you can simply flip the sticks around after a few days or so.

I also picked out a few wax melts of different scents from the brand Colony as well. These are supposed to be melted in an oil burner with the help of a normal tea light, and your room will be filled with a lovely smell.

Although, I’m also using these wax melts for an alternative use. Since they give away a lovely scent without being burned, I’ve simply popped one in a jewellery bag (without the plastic film on, obviously) and I’ve placed it in a drawer of clothes so that my garments will smell fresh when I get them out to wear.

Brighten up your home for summer with textiles

Spring is all around us, and Easter is coming up this weekend, which means summer is just around the corner!

Happy days! But how do you reflect the weather outside inside your home in a simple way?

You can easily inject life and a splash of colour into your home with the help of fabrics. Believe it or not, but a new table cloth can change the whole look of your dining room.

The examples I’m referring to in today’s post are from the online fabric shop Linenme.com, and are designed exclusively by Inga Lukauskiene, who is a very talented graduate from the KLC School of Design. This luxury collection of table linen come in an array of bold and bright colours that are just perfect for this season! 

The collection, which is crafted in Lithuania, is made of 100% linen and is handmade using the highest standards of weaving crafts. Linen is a timeless fabric when it comes to homeware, and depending on how you style it, it can look either classic or contemporary.

I must say that the zesty citrine tones are my favourite, but they’re all absolutely lovely. What colour would you go for in order to spice up your home this season?

Raise the value of your home with these 7 simple home improvements

Home improvement is rarely cheap, but there are ways to keep your costs down. In fact, there are a lot of things you can do to improve your home or flat that cost relatively little but can improve the value of your property a lot. If you're looking for a cheap and easy way to increase the selling value of your home, try these areas.

Landscape 

Improving the appearance of your garden is one of the best ways to increase the value of your home. In fact, a homeowner can expect to earn about 107% of what he or she invests into landscaping when it's time to sell a property. Best of all, this can be improved slowly as funds become available. Some ideas for inspiration here.

Kitchen appliances 

Replacing an old fridge or range can cost some money, but it's not nearly as expensive as an entire kitchen remodel. New appliances can refresh the look of a kitchen for a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, new appliances tend to be more energy efficient, increasing the chance that you'll make back your investment by saving on your utility bills before it's time to sell.

Window treatments 

Curtains and blinds can be purchased relatively cheaply, and they do a lot to make an otherwise cheaply furnished room look like it was put together by a professional. On the outside of a home, shutters not only enhance the curb appeal, but they also act as a barrier in the event of major storm.

Electrical outlets 

If you live in an older home, you might want to consider hiring an electrician to install extra outlets. Many homes that were built before the 1990s do not have the capacity for computers and large entertainment centres. By adding outlets, you make your home a lot more modern.

Home theatre

For similar reasons, a home theatre system can be a great selling feature. If you don't have the money to construct an addition to your home, consider adding built-in speakers and improving the television. Don’t get too carried away, though!

Paint. 

This is one of the cheapest ways to improve the look of any room in your house. While it can be time-consuming, a fresh coat of paint is a good way to brighten up just about any room. If you're looking to sell, however, pick a neutral colour that can go with just about any potential buyer's furniture.

Cabinet hardware. 

Replacing all of the cabinetry in a kitchen or bathroom is expensive, but swapping out the cabinet pulls is relatively cheap. Updating the hardware can modernise a whole room.

Some of these improvements are so cheap and easy that anyone could do them themselves. Others, like renovating your kitchen, require a substantial spend. If you are going down the route of refinancing to pay for it, check out this mortgage interest calculator in order to forecast what the real cost will be over the long term.

These are tried and tested ways to add value. Which ones you choose (and there are more than these) is up to you!