Dinner at The Brackenborough Hotel, Louth | Food

Every so often I get the delightful task of travelling up north to work for a couple of days and I am usually based in the Lincolnshire countryside in a place called Louth. Now, there ain't much in Louth but it is a BEAUTIFUL northern town. So if you ever get a chance to do, please do! 

I was fortunate to stay in the Brackenborough Hotel and whilst I didn't actually take enough pictures of the room I thought I would just share with you my rather delicious meal in The lounge at the Brackenborough. Also, so about the pictures, the lighting was tricky! 

To be honest, I didn't have started but they brought out this rather impressive bread and butter. Not only was it presented beautifully but they gave me 3 different types of butter. I have to be honest, I have actually forgotten what one was called but they other two were Honey butter and Cayenne Pepper butter and oh my god!! I'm not gonna lie, I was obsessed with the Honey butter, delicately sweet but nit sickly! Basically I was really happy, it was just the perfect little thing to have before the meal! 

Moving onto the bigger piece of batter haddock I ever did see! I mean just look at that bad boy! If you go anywhere in Louth and are having fish and chips the restaurants will pride themselves on the locally sources fish from Grimsby which I think is a lovely thing. It was possibily the best fish and chips I have had in a very long time. It was a beer batter but not beer like at all, it was light and super crispy and the fish was so fresh and beautifuly cooked. The only problem was there was just too much of it, I left like a 3rd of it purely because my body couldn't in a scrap more! The chips were double cooked and as you can see, portion wise, there wasn't a huge portion but it was the perfct amount because the haddock is the real winner here. I would have liked the chips to be a fraction more crispy but other than that they were rather yummy! 

I did actually have dessert but the lighting wasn't in my favour so I can't show you what I had but I will just mention a few lines about it. I opted for the Dark Chocolate and Caramel Fondant with pistachio ice cream and beetroot puffed rice (...?) so a little random but chocolatey and gooey like just what you need after any meal. I wasn't the biggest fan of the ice cream because it had more of a perfumed flavour which I just didn't get and the puffed rice was weird but kind worked to give the dessert another dimention to the soft gooey fondant. 

Having dinner in the Brackenborough lounge was delightful, the staff were SO friendly and professional they really helped make the whole dining experience a luxurious one. 

What are your favourite hotel bars/restaurants?    

How to Style a Trench Coat* | Fashion

I genuinely believe that everyone should own a trench coat, bold statement but bear with me here guys.... It's a versatile piece of outerwear is that not only comes in a variety of different cuts and styles but you can wear it in so many different ways. There are a lot of brands like Jack Wills offering some beautiful women's trench coat options but you also have brands like H&M where I got mine (pictured) for a great price and Zara if you are looking for something a little less traditional. 

The reason why I think the trench coat is a classic staple is because it's a coat that you can easily dress up for formal occasions or keep it a little casual. I actually bought mine two sizes too big for me, but I have tied the belt up at the back to cinch in my waist a little it creates a much nicer silhouette on my body shape. As with most trench coats they are rather lightweight, perfect for the summer but let's face it in England we don't get much of a summer which is why I always wear a scarf with mine. 

I wear a lot of black but I tend to add an injection of colour into my outfit with the accessories. If I am wearing my blue Gucci bag then I like to keep the rest of my outfit in muted tones so I'll wear a plain grey scarf. If I'm feeling a bit fierce then I'll wear my McQueen scarf but wear my nude Mulberry bag! 

Even when I want to dress it super casual with my sneakers, the coat actually makes the entire outfit. I haven't included any clothes in these pictures purely because the coat and the accessories are what makes the outfit, you could be wearing a simple black dress, or some jeans, or even a jumper underneath it but if you accessorise correctly it immediately makes a statement. I often get complimented on my coat, even though I have had mine at least 2 years because I change it up with the accessories, it's like a new coat!

How do you style your trench coat?


*Sponsored Post 

31 Thoughts I have in the Gym | Health

Now I have joined the gym again I thought I would do a little fun post about 31 random thoughts I have whilst I work out..

1. I need all of the weights

2. Do I have enough space?

3. When did my thighs get so big???

4. Is that ANOTHER chin I see forming?

5. Man I'm soooo unfit

6. Oh god don't face the mirror, I definitely don't need to see what I look like when I squat

7. Why are my legs **shaking** after 2 lunges? Man up! 

8. My thighs better ache tomorrow 

9. Oh shit, I've lost count? Just do an extra rep for luck

10. Only another set left...I think...

11. I like her leggings...

12. She is lifting more than me - need to up my game

13. Ooo that exercise looks good, I'm gonna try that

14. I wish I had her butt

15. Ya know, underneath the flab - I'm not THAT bad

16. I have potential!!! 

17. Oh god don't look in the mirror - you look like a sweaty potato

18. Stairmaster now

19. Why am I paying to walk on a machine when I could just walk up and down my steps at home?

20. Step, step, step

21. Must look where I am stepping otherwise I will trip...again!

22. Water! I need water!

23. Never knew the back of my hand could sweat - fab!

24. Am I panting too loudly? I can't hear myself because of my music

25. Oooo this is my jam though

26. God! How have I only done 5 minutes on this flippin' stairmaster

27. I need to vom - why is my body punishing me for trying to make it better

28. 26 flights of stairs - I don't care how it's calculated it sounds like a lot

29. Never ending flights of stairs this is a form of torture surely?

30. Finished! Woooo! 

31. Oh no my legs have turned to jelly!

Tell me one random thought you have when working out? 

Sleek MakeUp | Beauty

You guys know just HOW obsessed I am with the Sleek MakeUp CC Cream, it's the only foundation I use, super lightweight, photographs well, wears well during the day, just perfect! This post comes as no surprise that I already love the brand but one thing that has made me think a lot is Cruelty Free make up which, from what I can understand, Sleek MakeUp are. 

Now, I just want to say that I'm not a vegan, in the past I've never solely used products from Cruelty Free brands but I guess my opinion changed a little when I saw a very sad video of a monkey being tested on by L'Oreal and it was just heartbreaking. I know it's a bit of a grey area and it's hard finding things that are cruelty free but I think if I am at least trying then that's better than nothing. 

It's made me rethink a few things and I use L'Oreal a lot, so moving forward, I will not be buying beauty products from this brand, among others. As I have used the L'Oreal liquid eyeliner for literally years this has meant I had to find something else and because I already love and trust Sleek MakeUp I thought why not start there! 

Whilst Sleek MakeUp do a vast array of liquid eyeliners much to my joy, but in my local Boots they only had the Dip It Eyeliner which to be honest I wasn't that fussed about as I just wanted to try it out regardless. The style of the applicator actually reminded me of an old skool Collection 2000 eyeliner I had back in the day but better, obvs! 

The nib of the pen bit is a bit harder than what I am used to because the L'Oreal one is quite soft but I actually found applying the eyeliner was absolutely fine. I would even go as far to say that it lasts better than others I have used recently so I was really impressed.  

Moving onto a new mascara which was the Lethal Length Mascara and I have to admit I really like this one, again it reminds me of the Benefit Rollerlash Mascara with the design of the brush. As you can see, one side has short bristles and the other side is considerably longer. I'm fortunate in the sense that I have quite long, curly lashes anyway so I can actually wear most mascaras but I do lack volume. The lethal length mascara definitely gives you long luscious lashes but I would say you need two coats to ad a bit of thickness to the lashes but you can't do any more coats than this. 

Overall, I am literally thrilled with my new Sleek MakeUp purchases, it just goes to show there are some many brands out there and it's worth trying other options. 

What are your favourite products from Sleek MakeUp? 

5 Things I Miss About Italy | Lifestyle

To be honest, I've had this post in my drafts for a while and whilst I do miss Italy, I definitely don't want to go back, you can miss something and not actually want it back or whatever. I guess recently I have seen a couple of TV programmes that are based in Italy or it's about Italy and I can't help but smile. Again, going to Italy was one of my best decisions of my life and since I have been back there are just a couple of things I miss so let's talk about the most obvious one...

The Weather
I mean, Florence can get bloody cold but those blue skies are one thing that is pretty much constant. They do have awful thunderstorms which seem to last for months, but once that is over it's back to that bright Tuscan sky.The days a longer, you feel like you have go more energy and want to more!  It's amazing what a bit of blue sky can do to anyone's mood. 

The Food 
Let's be honest, the Italians REALLY know their food and I kind of miss the simplicity of it all. Over here everything is heavily processed and smothered in sauce which....of course I love but my body hates it. I've frickin' put more weight on being at home than what I did when I was in Italy. I miss that chilled out afternoon snacking with a glass of good quality wine.

Aperol Spritz
When I first tried this drink I thought it was bloody disgusting, some bitter fizzy thing that looks like Lucozade but tastes like disappointment! The Italians on the other hand bloody love it and the more I gave it a go the more I kinda got it! There is something quite wonderful about sitting in the sun with an Aperol Spritz in your hand chatting with a pal! 

The Apartment 
Whilst I rather disliked my actual apartment but loved having my own space at least. Since I have moved back I always feel like I'm in people's way, which isn't actually their fault it's just a feeling I personally have. I mean, this is something that is easily fixed once I have enough money to move out. I do find myself missing just fuss-potting around my own place. 

Wisteria in the Spring 

It's something I can't quite describe but in the spring there is a purple haze over the city of Florence, where places really seem to come to life after an indifferent winter. It's actually the smell I miss the most you could be walking anywhere and all of a sudden this strong and imediately recogniseable scent decends on you, you don't even have to see it to know it's the Wisteria. I don't want to get too poetic here but when I think of it, I can't help but smile!

That's kind of it! I do miss one to two people from Italy but I'm generally speaking really happy to be back in the UK.Some times it really feels like it was a dream, that I can't quite believe I lived there for just over a year but there are a lot of home comforts I had missed. 

Have you ever been to Florence or Italy? 

What's in my Mulberry Bag | Fashion

Though I would do a little post for all the nosy gals out there, myself included here, about what I carry in my Mulberry Small Lily Handbag. I was quite smart when I bought my Mulberry bag because I actually got it in the sale, they've stopped making this colour with the silver hardware and it is probably one of my fave luxury purchases even more so than my Gucci Dionysus, but let's not go into that right now, let's actually have a look in my bag...

The small Lily Mulberry bag, is the second smallest of the Lily family and I was actually torn between the Small and the Medium but when I looked at the medium on someone I actually thought it looked quite big and I just didn't want that. As you can see I don't actually own a purse, I have my Lulu Guinness card holder which got years ago from my parents as a Christmas gift and I have a little Coach coin purse which I bought last year. The thing is, I actually don't like carrying purses and rarely carry cash on me which is why I find it easier to have these small leather items because I can't take out of my bag only what I need at the time. You've probably seen a lot of bloggers with the Saint Laurent card holders which retail for around £150 but my Lulu Guinness one was only about £50 and I know there are loads of other brands that do a slightly lower price but still have a luxe feel about them so do a bit of hunting. The same goes for my Coach coin purse (which I can't find online) but it was actually a key holder but I bought it in Macy's for $50 because it was in the sale. 

Onto the boring stuff, I carry my keys, which again I only have 2 key rings on, one is a Queen Bee because, I mean, I am! The other is a in joke with me and the geek. Then we have my pill, I'm pretty forgetful so always having it in my bag is handy. I have a lipstick, receipts, cinema tickets, blah blah blah!  I can also fit comfortably my phone in here as well as my his glasses case on occasion so actually it's a great size for me.  

I will admit I don't carry a lot in my bag but that is just genuinely what I am like, even in bigger bags there isn't that much more, maybe an umbrella and more receipts to be honest!

Do you prefer small or big bags? 

5 Things to do in Warsaw | Travel

Travel has made a WELCOME return to Honeypot Blogs with a post about my recent trip to Warsaw. If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen a few post up there of the BEAUTIFUL architecture and you guys will know I love all of that. 

As you can see in the picture however the sky was somewhat moody so we definitely didn't have the best weather but we definitely made the most of it, so this post is more of a 5 things to do in Warsaw, if the weather is utter pants! 

Bars...
Let's face it, if you have heard of Poland or Warsaw you will know that the drinks are pretty cheap so why not enjoy that side of it and discover some wonderful bars. I would have to say Polyester Cafe was probably one of my faves and we only discovered it because the weather was so naff we had o duck in somewhere. It had a super chilled vibe, with some utter classic music playing. If you or the person you're with are into craft beers then Warsaw definitely has something for ya such as Same Krafty Vis-a-vis There is also a nice Belguim Beer place pictured above called Elephant if you fancy a little something different. 

Restaurants...
There are literally tonnes of different restaurants in the Old Town and I was surprised at the amount of different cuisines available, I noticed there were a lot of Italian style restaurants which is always lovely. I would say if you are looking for something a little more rustic and traditional you should check out Celi Bar - wonderful hearty Polish meals! For started we had some Polish Dumplings that were filled with minced meat and I tell you want I bloody enjoyed those dumplings, I could have had another plate! For my main I had the Farmers Sausage platter which had 3, that's right THREE giant sausages with chips. Those sausages were bloody delicious I tell you!  

Views...
If you guys have been following my blog you'll know when I go away I like to explore and go up tall buildings to see the city from a different angle and Warsaw was no different. We went up the Palace of Culture and Science, which in itself is a really stunning building standing out from the other skyscrapers.I think one of the things that really surprised me about Warsaw was just how modern the skyline really is there and seeing it from this angle was perfect! It was rather windy but thankfully there is a little cafe at the top where you can get an indulgent hot chocolate and a little cake before taking the lift back down.  

History...
Warsaw is drenched with History especially from the Second World War and I would advise you either have a little read up or even watch the film The Pianist to just give you a snapshot into what it was like for the Polish Jews back then. There are a lot of plaques and monuments around so just take a moment to stop and read them. There is a Jewish Uprising Museum which I would recommend if you like museums but I would suggest buying on of those walkie talkie things that guides you through each part because there is a lot to take in and there are a lot of people! 

Shopping... 
Ok this one is a bit of a sore subject for me but basically I lost my cashmere scarf in an Irish bar a matter of hours of landing in Poland and because the weather was SO awful it meant I had to buy a new one, which of course the shopper in me loved but the sentimental girl was still weeping! Anyway, turns out Warsaw has a bloody huge shopping centre plus lots of little areas that have all the high street favourites such as Zara, H&M and even Marks and Spencer (London). Also IF you wanted a Starbucks or Costa Coffee and I can confirm there is one on every damn corner, which I didn't indulge in but if you wanted to you could. 

Things to remember:- 

*It's about 4.90 Polish złoty for ever £1 so it is wonderfully cheap out there 
*Use Uber to get places - Warsaw is quite big and Uber works perfectly out there 
*Ask the bar staff what beer they recommend they know their stuff
*Thanks in Polish is - dzięki which sounds like Jen Kee 
*The Old Town is seriously beautiful 

Have you been to Poland before? 

Decluttering My Make Up Collection | Beauty

Being a beauty blogger we just can't help buying all the latest damn products and I am the first to admit I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to make up. My problem is, I tend to keep my make up style the same everyday, every now an then I might whack some eye shadow on or wear a matte lip but I don't wear this stuff every day. 

I think when I moved to Italy I realised just how much make up I wore, the Italians embrace a very natural style of beauty, of course they wear make up but it's always dewy fresh faced natural beauty, not over the top contour and lashes upon lashes. So when I moved out there I just stopped using all of these palettes I had collected for months. It got to a stage where they were just taking up all this space so I just got rid of them, considering the majority were out of date anyway because they hadn't been used for like a year or longer. 

Getting rid of everything made me actually realise what I wanted for example, I don't wear eye shadow a lot but when I do I like those nude tones but I also like a bit of shimmer, so I went on a hunt to find something that would meet my exact needs and ended up buying the Two Faced Natural Eyes palette which I actually use a lot so this was a great investment.

I also stopped impulse buying which I have to admit I have started to do in the UK again but I will stop. Instead of buying stuff just because it's new in, I was spending time swatching everything and thinking about whether I actually like the product and not what the latest beauty product is such as the NYX Lip Lingerie - this is the most perfect shade for me because it's a nude that's also a matte liquid lipstick. 

It's so easy to get swept up into the hype of advertising and paid placement deals on blogs, that I have no problem with but I do think real opinions are something that is lacking in the blogging industry right now. But by getting rid of everything and starting again you realise what you actually need. Instead of buying something because it's a new in product, stop and think did I need a new highlighter? Will I throw away my current highlighter if I buy this one? If the answers no, do you really need to buy it?

I find that now I have less make up I am using more of it if that makes sense? I can clearly see what I have and I love all the products I have so I am more likely to try out different looks as and when. Obviously my approach of just throwing everything away is a bit drastic but you could go through your collection and if you haven't used in the last 3 months, throw it out instead.

Have you thought about decluttering your make up collection?  

Dinner at Flat Iron Steak, Shoreditch | Food

Today guys we have a foodie post and I have to start by saying if you like steak and are in London you HAVE to check out Flat Iron Steak restaurant. Yes, I know the picture quality is a bit naff but work with me guys, I can't help it with these dark places! The are currently 3 Flat Iron Steak in London, one in Shoreditch, one in Soho and another in Covent Garden, so all great locations with lots of things to do around it. 

The first thing to remember is that Flat Iron Steak, they don't do reservations but to be honest, if you get there and there is a 45 min wait, whack you name down and go to one of the many, MANY bars in Shoreditch and have a drink while you wait. Another thing to make you aware of is the menu, you either have a choice of steak or a special with is usually a burger...that is it for main. To be honest, it's really refreshing to go to a restaurant and not have page upon pages of food, just a small curated selection cooked perfectly.  

Naturally I went for a steak, the burgers did look good but I mean I just had to have the steak really and boy was I glad I did. The waitress recommended that we have the steak medium rare, I went for rare just because I'm a rebel and know what I like. The steak was incredible, so tender, cooked perfectly but also it was expertly seasoned. Seasoning on a steak is a big thing at yet most places never do it. Flat Iron Steak is a different restaurant, they just do it their way, their chefs know best and you know what, I like it! I decided to have it with a rather traditional peppercorn sauce which at first I thought was a little small because I usually smother my steak in the sauce but actually I'd say it was the perfect amount for dipping each steak slice into. The steak on it's own was £10...£10 which is a fantastic price considering it's London, if you add in a drink and a side it comes or just over £20 which again I think is a great price. 

I also went for a side of beef dripping chips which...oh my god...I don't even know where to begin! They had this deliciously beefy taste but were so light and crispy, I could have eaten FAR more than I was served actually. Flat Iron Steak does do a range of different sides, but for me, you just can't go wrong with steak and chips. 

This was all washed down with a Sloe and Strawberry Bellini, I frickin' love gin so a gin based cocktail will also be a fave of mine. 

Of course I had to have dessert didn't I? Again, there aren't pages of options you get one option which was Salt Caramel Sundae served with a little dish of sea salt. To be honest, I would say it's more of a mousse than a sundae but it was honestly the best dessert to have after a hearty steak meal! The Salt Caramel Sundae, was light and whipped with strong caramel flavours which were tamed by the pinch of salt on top.

There we have my thoughts on Flat Iron Steak restaurant, what steak houses do you recommend or what is you favourite restaurant?