Unusual brunch at Ox Club in Leeds

A friend recently asked if I wanted to try Ox Club at Headrow House in Leeds for brunch, and after having browsed the menu online, it didn't take me long to take her up on her offer.

Despite being a bit on the pricy side, Ox Club is very well-known for their amazing steaks, and the brunch menu promised exciting combinations that I hadn't even heard of before. Therefore, I decided that it was definitely going to be worth every penny.

I opted for the smoked avocado and poached egg on sourdough bread, with something called za'atar, sumac oil, and oven roasted tomatoes.
I was even greedy enough to add a side of well-done streaky bacon, which worked as the cherry on top, and was the perfect finishing touch to this dish.

The restaurant itself was decorated in a very simple way, playing on the fact that it was a steakhouse grill. The napkins were like kitchen towels, the tables and chairs were of simple wood and metal, and there were bags of charcoal decorating the corners. Very hipster, like so many on trend places at the moment, but it does really work for this type of restaurant.

DIY hen party invitation for the bride

If you, like me, have been spending the last couple of months planning a hen party, and it's time to send a save the date invitation to the lucky bride-to-be, why not make her something special.
After all, it's a once in a lifetime event (hopefully) and it's something lovely to remember the day by.

Having browsed Pinterest for inspiration on DIY hen party invitation cards, I found a gorgeous one that looked like a corset, and decided to make my own version of it - wedding dress style.

 I started by folding a card into one that would open as a double, then cut out the sides to create the waist, as well as the top to create a heart shaped bust. Make sure the folds of the card are still intact at the hips and the ribs to make it work.

I then decorated it with with pressed patterned paper, mini pearls (with flat backs to make them stick to the paper), as well as a coloured ribbon as a waistband.

As for the back, I wanted it to resemble a corset, and therefore made 4 holes on each side in which I added a very thin piece of ribbon and criss crossed it, finishing with a simple bow.
Just don't forget to add your message inside the card before you close it up!

 The last step of the DIY hen party invitation was to add the skirt to really make it look like a wedding dress. I put a few stitches in a piece of tulle to make it scrunch up and fall the right way, and then simply glued it to the inside of the card.

As for the presentation, I decorated a small white box with a champagne coloured bow, and carefully laid the wedding dress card inside.

And that's it, folks. It was a bit tricky at points (threading the corset ribbon!) but the end result really makes it worth it.
Now I just can't wait to see the bride-to-be's face when she opens it!

Introducing a new food and cocktail menu at Roxy Ball Room

Do you like good, simple food and fun games?

I mean, who doesn't?!

Roxy Ball Room opened up in Leeds a while back and is the go-to place when you want some casual fun with friends in the form of pool, ping pong, mini golf, or even beer pong. They just updated their food and drinks menu, and invited me to trial it all along with some fellow Leeds bloggers.

 When we arrived and had downed our first drink (a fresh and delicious Bellini) they set up an absolute feast for us.
We couldn't believe our eyes!

 There were pesto chicken and parma ham burgers, beef burgers a few different pizzas, mac & cheese balls, onion rings, garlic dough balls, and accompanying dips. 

Basically, classic party food with a twist - just perfect when you're out for a laugh with friends, either for a night out or a quiet(ish) game session.

 I had to try a little bit of almost everything, but my favourite was the pesto chicken burger topped with crispy parma ham.
It was super tasty!

 When we had munched on several goodies, it was time to test the new cocktail menu. 

Hello, yes please! 

Roxy Ball Room has been really creative with their new menu, and they were serving drinks such as 'A perfect serve', 'A right racket', and 'Match point'.

The first one mentioned consists of Amaretto, Chambord liqueur, cranberry and lemon juice, fresh raspberries and rosemary - it was like heaven!

I love it when bars use fresh herbs in drinks - it really takes the drink to the next level.

A few drinks later, and a couple of games of pool, and we were pretty satisfied with our evening.

I'm a big fan of playing pool, so Roxy Ball Room is really a place for me.

Thank you so much for inviting me to this new menu lunch event of yours!

How to make delicious savoury scones

There's nothing more mouth watering than the smell of freshly baked bread, but most types of bread take absolutely ages to bake as they need to rise, then rise again, and then bake on a low temperature for about an hour. So if you want to quickly throw something together for the family scones are a great alternative. Now, you may automatically think about jam and clotted cream when you hear the word scones, but here comees the twist - these scones are savoury!
The secret ingredient is chorizo, and once you've tried these you won't want to go back t your sweet scones again... believe me!

What you'll need:

 450 g (7½ dl) plain white flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

100 g cold butter

300 ml (3 dl) milk 

Finely chopped chorizo

 Start by frying the chopped chorizo and get rid of the excess fat.

Put it to the side to cool a bit.

 Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, add the butter and work it into the mix evenly, then add milk and quickly knead into a dough.
Add the fried chorizo, mix it well into the dough, and then divide the dough into 3-4 parts.
Shape each part into a round, flat cake that is 1½-2 cm thick.

 Place the scones on a baking tray covered with baking paper, cut where you want them to break once baked, and then bake in the centre of the oven for 10-12 minutes at 250 degrees Celsius.

 Let the scones cool down a little bit, then serve with salty butter and your favourite cheese.

A glass of ice cold milk with that, and you can't go wrong!

Delicious!

These savoury chorizo scones are perfect as an evening or a weekend snack, or to compliment your soup lunch.

8 Moroccan decorations that will spice up your bathroom

Personally, I think the bathroom is the only room in the house where you can go wild and crazy with decorations without people questioning you. However, most people go for very basic styles in this room, with lots of white mixed with cold tiles. 

If you want to up the game in your bathroom and give it more of a personality, why not get influenced by the warm and eccentric Morocco?

Below are 8 oriental style decorations that will definitely spice up your bland and impersonal bathroom.

 1. These colourful and patterned perfume bottles will look stunning on your bathroom shelf - IKEA

 2. A miniature lemon tree will thrive in the warm and damp environment of ypur bathroom, and will take your mind to warmer latitudes - IKEA

 3. These wicker baskets of different sizes remind me of snake charmers, and they're great for storing everything from cotton pads to hair bobbles - IKEA

4. Why not go all out Moroccan patterns when it comes to your bath and hand towels? Dare to play with colours and see the impact they make on your overall interior - H&M Home

5. You can't go wrong with these green glass decorations for your soap and toothbrushes. No doubt this is inspired by the mesmerizing Morocco - H&M Home

6. A classic Moroccan decoration, that will go in any room of the house, is of course the patterned mirror tray. Place some candles or a plant on it, and place it on some wooden legs to use as a side table - LionsHome

7. You can't get more Moroccan that the popular swirly metal lanterns. Opt for clear or coloured glass to suit your style - LionsHome

 8. And last but not least... in order to really feel that you're walking into another part of the world when you're entering your bathroom, choose a room diffuser to spread your favourite scent. This specific one, 'Golden Amber', has a beautiful oriental scent - Next