Hello, my loves, myself and the husband had a lovely evening to ourselves so we went and experienced Bombay Palace in Earlsdon Coventry. We were invited down months ago and finally were able to arrange a babysitter so we could enjoy a date night. If you know us you would know we love a good curry, we served it to our guests as our wedding breakfast.
We arrived and the décor inside is done out so lovely. We sat in a cute little circle booth section, next to one another which was nice im so used to being opposite it made a lovely change. I loved their bubble wall feature it was very relaxing and created a great atmosphere. Straight away they took our drinks order and brought out popedom’s with all the dips which were amazing as we were both so hungry.
Their menu has such a great selection of Curry’s and dishes, I don’t like spicy food at all and being ¼ Sri Lankan I should like spice, instead, I much prefer mild Curry’s and am always a little worried about what to try so when we arrived at Bombay Palace and they recommended the sharing platter it was a perfect opportunity to try other flavors.
It was the Chef Special Tawa – Sheekh Kebab, Onion Bhaji, Chicken Tikka, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Bengal Garlic Chilli Chicken Bombay aloo, Chana Masala, Chips, Nan, Pilau Rice for two £39.95 for four people £79.95 It looked very impressive when it came out it defiantly caught the attention of other people dining, we even had a couple come over and ask if they could have a look.
The flavours of the food were delicious. My favourites were the Tikka Masala and the Tikka Chicken. We were so stuffed we took the leftovers home which the husband enjoyed the following day, it all reheated nicely.
We had a lovely evening; all the staff were friendly and helpful.
Check out our Reel from the night here I would love to know what your go-to curry is? Have you been to Bombay Palace before? Saff X0
Thank you, Bombay Palace, for inviting us down for this gifted experience in exchange for a complimentary meal for two.
Coventry has needed a place like FOMO for the longest time and I’m so chuffed it’s here!
I was kindly invited down with a +1 to the Press evening Prelaunch night to experience all FOMO has to offer.
The Japanese themed aesthetics when you walk through those doors… it does not feel like you are in Coventry, the flowers, all the textures, the neon signs the colours and art on the walls are just perfect with loads of photo opportunities.
The seating is well-spaced out, you don’t feel like you’re sitting on the next table’s lap, and it’s all super comfy and spacious. They have these cute swinging chairs at some of their tables which is a fun idea!
The dance floor area is stunning! With a big tree in the center, it’s going to be the perfect place to end your night. The whole vibe of the place is spot on.
They have sooo many toilets, which I know doesn’t sound like a big deal but believe me, you don’t want to have to spend half your night queuing.
FOMO is located on the Skydome strip which I feel is the perfect location and I will explain why. Not only is FOMO going to be amazing for nights out at the weekend, cocktails and dancing it is going to be perfect for midweek date nights and catch-ups with the girls for food and a few drinks. Means the location is perfect, easy to get to and safety-wise you don’t need to walk through town on your own.
Im excited to go on a Friday or Saturday when they have a DJ playing. Midweek they have great music in the background at just the right level to set a vibe but you are still able to chat and hear one another.
COCKTAILS * COCKTAILS * COCKTAILS !
My gosh, the selection is amazing, and I hear there’s even more to come!
I had to start with my absolute favourite and go-to cocktail the Passionfruit Martini!
It was top notch! One of the best I have had. We then tried a whole host of their signature drinks, and they were not only full of flavour but stunning to look at following the Japanese theme perfectly.
We had edible flowers (which look so real I didn’t know we could eat them until we were told) dry ice with the smoke effect, chocolate, and fruit caviar all presented with stunning glass wear, we especially loved the teapot!
LETS TALK FOOD!
The menu is so unique and different I love it, such a good range and variation of dishes and sizes something for everyone to enjoy. I rarely struggle to choose what to have because there are so many different dishes I want to try. I already have my order ready for the next time I visit!
In the end, we went for 2 mains and a small plate to share.
Eve had the “Mr Miyagi Burger – 6oz prime beef burger with spiced slaw chilli cheese & Korean bbq sauce” for £10.95
Mr Miyagi Burger £10.95
Eve enjoyed the burger a lot, I had a little taste and it was a little spicy but not too overpowering which is amazing and I’m a wuss when it comes to spicy foods. Loads of flavour and the texture of the meat was spot on.
I had the “Aged Beef Fillet – with grilled asparagus, oyster mushrooms & watercress and schezwan pepper sauce” for £24.95
Aged Beef Fillet £24.95
Incredible, the meat was cooked to perfection and presented perfectly. The portion size was just right and it was full of flavour, I would highly recommend this dish. The Schezwan pepper went perfectly with the meal my new favourite.
For the small dish, there were so many good options to choose from it was a struggle, I really want to try the Sushi and also the Salt and Pepper Ribs.
Then spotted the Beo buns. Now I have heard of Beo bun (pronounced bow if anyone was interested like me ) before and have always been intrigued so when I saw them on the menu, I knew we had to try them, they had a selection of filling you could choose from. “Fluffy Steamed Bao Buns – BBQ pulled Pork with crispy shallots pickles, sweet BBQ sauce” For £5.95
Bao Buns – BBQ Pulled Pork £5.95
We opted for BBQ as I love anything BBQ. These were so good, like nothing I’ve ever had before. A fluffy cloud-like texture that melts in the mouth. Full of flavour and made the perfect dish to share, definitely one I recommend you try. I want to try the Aromatic duck one next time.
Deserts….we were stuffed, they have some amazing looking desserts I can’t wait to try, Lotus Bischoff Cheesecake sounds unreal.
FOMO opens its door to the public this Friday the 8th of April 2022 and I can’t wait to hear the response from everyone. One thing I do suggest is to make sure to book your tables to avoid missing out!
I don’t know about you but finding things to keep our boys entertained especially in half term is getting harder as they get older and more and more expensive. We found an ace deal on Groupon after searching for things to do local to us on a budget and have used it 3 times now so I knew I had to share it with you.
Image from google
Our two are obsessed with arcades, they discovered their love for them when on holiday in Skegness. We all know how expensive they can be, £1 after £1 being put into the machines, you end up losing track of how much you are spending and have to say no constantly to any more games. Vortex Gaming Arcade takes that pressure away with its cashless Arcade.
GROUPON DEAL Two Arcade gaming experiences with 80 play tokens each and 2 bottomless sodas for £17.60 RRP £46.50 15% off your first Groupon using code WELCOME at the checkout
*Price fluctuates so keep an eye, vouches last 4 months and valid Monday – Thursday
Vortex Gaming Arcade has a whole host of games, something everyone will enjoy. Our personal favourites are Air hockey, Basketball hoops, Shooting Games, Racing Games and classic games like Dance Mat, Space Invaders and Monopoly. There is so many fun engaging games at a cost of around 5 tokens each. You do the maths…. that’s a lot of games and fun!
What I love is the children have a card each with their 80 tokens on to spend how they like. Once they are gone they are gone. You can top up extras at the kiosk but we don’t. The children go around choosing and swiping their cards and as parents, you feel so much better doing that than posting pound coins in. Most of the games you also collect tickets to redeem for prizes at the kiosk. At the end of the session, we add the points together spilt down the middle and the kids normal have an average of 125 each to spend, which will get them a few chewy sweets like Maoam’s and a Novelty toy like an aeroplane glider or bouncy ball.
2p Machines, they have a great selection of them with novelty things you can win, so be sure to take your stash along with you. Vortex Gaming Arcade also does food, we have eaten there before and had their Hot Dogs and chips, the food was ok and had places to sit down inside or outside on the balcony overlooking the water which is nice. But a little pricey.
Myself and luke have the bottomless drinks to keep us going as the kids don’t drink pop, we get them a Fruit shoot each for £1.20 and then at the end a little pot of ice cream for £1 to get them out the door. Car parking costs £2.50 for two hours, so all in all the trip costs us not including petrol just £24.50 for a fun afternoon.
Resorts World has lots of lovely shops to walk around and some family-friendly restaurants like Las Iguanas and Nando’s. They also have a cinema there which we are hoping to visit soon. I hope this has given you an idea about what you can do with your family on a budget. We have done it for a past birthday and it went down a treat, you can also order the deal as a gift for a loved one!
Let me know if you go, I would love to know what you think Saff xo
We were kindly gifted tickets to see Billionaire Boy as a family at The Belgrade Theatre Coventry.
Apart from the panto, the boys haven’t seen a musical style performance so I was really looking forward to seeing how the boys found sitting still and quiet through a performance that isn’t as engaging as the panto. The boys are 6 and 9.
I was lucky enough to see Billionaire Boy 3 years ago at The Belgrade also a Gifted experience, so I have the two to compare too.
Firstly we are a big fan of David Walliams and have a good selection of his books we are working our way through. We haven’t gotten to Billionaire boy yet so the story was completely new to the children.
They loved the slack stick comedy from start to finish, it made them laugh out loud! Especially being typical boys they talk abouts Bums! There were some great songs that they have been singing at home, they had a good boogie in their seats too but the performance wasn’t overwhelming with songs for them to lose interest.
With most children aimed performances there were a couple of adult jokes which were funny and helped keep parents engaged.
They loved the characters especially shopkeeper Raj as we have read about him in previous stories.
The set was super simple and had little changes and cute hidden bits within the set that the boys commented on and liked. The costumes were great and engaging for the children. The boys loved the props…
SPOILER ALERT The boys lost their minds over the helicopter scene and couldn’t believe a “real helicopter” was on the stage, in Es words “this is so incredibly awesome”
I do however have a negative about the show, as a parent I didn’t like the mention of Bodyweight and the overuse of calling people fat and comparing body weights. I felt that wasn’t needed and not something that should be brought to children’s minds. A little more diversity in the cast too would have been ace!
There was a great twist at the end that the children didn’t see coming, it had them on the edges of their seats literally.
They both got a little teary-eyed at the end and said “I feel like im going to cry” which for me was a massive winner! When a show takes you on a roller coaster of emotions and engages with you that much you connect with the characters it’s such an amazing experience.
The moral of the story was lovely and showed the children how to value friends, money doesn’t bring you happiness and that material items are not important.
Overall it was a lovely show. Different to the one that came a few years back so well worth a visit even if you have seen it before!
Book your tickets to see Billionaire Boy here Do you like David Walliams Books? Have you any plans to book in at The Belgrade soon? I would love to know? Saff xo
*A special thanks to The Belgrade Coventry for gifting this experience to us in exchange for a review
Photo Credit The Belgrade
Billionaire Boy Live on Stage written by David Walliams at Birmingham Stage Company CAST Joe -Matthew Gordon Dad – Jason Furnival Raj – Aosaf Afzal Mrs Trafe – Emma Matthews Jayden – Bernard Mensah Sapphire – Rosie Coles Bob – Davy Bell Understudy – Joe Sangha Understudy – Mared Lewis CREATIVE TEAM Adapter and Director – Neal Foster Designer – Jackie Trousdale Lighting Designer – Jason Taylor Composer – Jak Poore Sound Designer – Nick Sagar Choreographers – Paul Chantry & Rae Piper of Chantry Dance Company Assistant to the Director – Alison Fitzjohn Design Assistant/s – Millie Else & Maisie Jackaman Casting – Kay Magson Production Manager – Adrian Littlejohns Photo by Mark Douet
It’s that time of year we all look forward to… PANCAKE DAY I mean Valentines!! Now me and the husband Luke, aren’t die-hard valentines people and never have been! We should love our loved ones all year round (you know what I’m going to say)
BUT I do think it’s a great excuse to take a moment in our hectic lives to appreciate our partners. Last year we stayed in and had a home-cooked dinner. We enjoyed each other’s company with no fancy trip out or gifts, it was lovely.
A couple of years before that I got my sapphire ring so there’s really no middle ground with us, I love it that we don’t expect anything, and there’s no major pressure. I’m all for being different. He knows never to buy me flowers on Valentine it’s to cliché for me! Any other day I would appreciate them so much more.
If you are someone who celebrates Valentine or likes us just enjoy making time for each other then I have some great gift and date night ideas for you!
A fancy meal in for two Lots of supermarkets do a great meal deal for two where all the food is ready to cook. You can mix and match and they normally come with A starter, main, dessert and a bottle. These are a great idea if you don’t want to cook but also don’t want to just get a takeaway. It’s something you can just bung in the oven and relax with a drink while you wait! Set up some candles and it’s the perfect cosy night. Poundland and Home bargains have some lush little valentine style decorations and novelty bits so you can decorate your house.
Something personalised to you! Photo prints from the perfect gift. I think they’re so romantic especially if its something a little private you can put in your room. I love a good canvas or a photo memory book.
A date night jar gift idea is perfect if you’re on a budget! Write down on paper or lollypop sticks lots of different ideas for the two of you to do together for date night quality time. You could put things like: Candlelit bath and massage, Games night, Movie Marathon
An IOU planned day trip is perfect if you’re on a budget! Maybe a little weekend away write make a cute voucher describing what it is you would like to do.
Now I’m going to let you in on one of my most favorite things to do with Luke. Going for late-night drives! We very rarely get time away from our boys as a couple. I love going for a long drive getting lost and talking about our future together. It’s peaceful and quiet, no distractions like the boys, mobile phones or the tv and we can just enjoy each other and have a good natter! Through in some snacks and personally, I think it’s perfect! After all, valentines day is about your relationship so do something together the two of you.
Be sure to let me know what you get up to this Valentine’s Day! Saff xo
I love celebrating Valentines Day, even tho I’m married. It’s an excuse to get the girls together and appreciate one another! Not all my friends are taken, so it’s nice to distract them too.
Why not host your own girl’s night in…
Decorations for me are massive, I love making somewhere look cute and in theme for the celebration. The pound shop and Home Bargains / B&M do the best decorations, plates cups and trinkets to make the place feel dressed up.
For food, why not cook up a variety of tapas-style dishes, something you can all pick at and share. Paired with lots of yummy treats.
For drinks, there are lots of fun easy cocktails & Mocktails you can do from home. My go-to Cocktail to make is a Candy Floss, prosecco and gin drink topped with lemonade. It’s so lush and looks cute!
What would a girl’s night be without a pampering, get the foot spa out, some facemasks and of course nails while watching films and gossiping.
Valentines can be a hard time for some people, it can make them feel lonely or unloved. Please check on those you love around you and try to remember it’s just a bit of fun.
I hope this has given you some ideas on what you can do with your gal pals this Galantines!
It’s that time of year again! I have missed the Panto at The Belgrade Theatre Coventry so much and it’s finally back.
This time around we took our boys! I was so excited as this was the first time as a family we have gone together. Our boys are 6 and 9. L is super lucky and he went with his school and came back absolute loving it, so when he heard we were going again to the “Relaxed Performance” he was over the moon.
Relaxed Performance, if you are not familiar with how it works it’s honestly amazing for younger children, anyone with a disability or struggles with certain aspects when it comes to a theatre environment.
The lights come down halfway so it’s never fully dark, the Dame who is played by Ian Lauchlan who writes and directs the piece comes out and talks to the audience about what to expect throughout the show so there are no sudden surprises.
He talks through and demonstrates some of the effects, sounds and lighting reassuring those in the audience what to expect. Being a relaxed performance also means there isn’t as much pressure to keep in your seats or quiet. Everyone in the audience understands, and the doors at the back of the theatre are left open so you can come and go as needed. I know what it’s like with children who never sit still or are loud it can feel really daunting to expect them to “behave appropriately” but in this environment, you don’t feel judged at all.
Now our eldest E has additional needs and this was super helpful for us to have, it took the pressure off a lot. It was a perfect introduction to a show and we are much more likely to attend another now he knows what to expect and the place isn’t “new” anymore.
The show itself was 2hours 30mins with a short interval. The boys did amazingly, L was up dancing and E loved shouting out “hes behind you”
THE BEST PANTO TO DATE!
Every year Ian manages to top the last show, it was truly brilliant from start to finish, super engaging for the children they absolutely loved it. They have been speaking about it nonstop, singing the songs and talking about the characters. They loved Gaston and found him hilarious.
The dancing, songs and characters were all so well thought through. The set was incredible and so beautifully made. We loved it from start to finish. It was the husbands first ever pantomime and even he enjoyed it. We laughed out loud as it kept the children and us engaged all the way through.
It’s an experience I urge everyone to have, the boys are already talking about Jack and the beanstalk coming towards the end of 2022
You can book your tickets to see Jack and the Beanstalk here
Huge thank you as always to The Belgrade Theatre and to Ian Lauchlan for creating yet another fantastic experience.
NIVEA has been a household favourite of ours for so many years now, Pre kids…going back to as far as our college days me and Luke used to shop NIVEA and go through pots and bottles of the stuff monthly. Spending our money from our weekend jobs on the Refreshing Soft Moisturizing Cream and the Men’s Sensitive Post Shave Balm alongside shower products, deodorants etc. It’s the only brand we have shared and loved together equally, like the post-shave balm… amazing for Luke after he shaved and the best primer for me before my foundation (little makeup hack). I have been a part of the NIVEA family for a good year or so now and we absolutely love all the products, they are shared used and loved amongst all 4 of us and we always choose NIVEA when looking for gifts.
You can imagine our excitement when the NEW NIVEA MEN Sensitive Pro Range with Hempseed oil landed on our doorstep for us to try especially the husband!
NIVEA NEW range is 100% plant-based Hemp Seed oil + Vitamin E its formula is Vegan and has some amazing benefits.
These ingredients help soothe inflammation, preventing the first signs of ageing, and the mixture of omega fatty acids help strengthen hair, support beard growth and calm itchiness.
Let’s talk about the products in the range firstly it all smells amazing, manly and freash!
Sensitive Pro Ultra Calming Liquid Shaving Cream
For dry irritated or tired skin it claims to lather up and protects your skin from shaving irritation!
Super excited to use this, I’m going to steal from Luke and try it for my legs!
Hydrates your skin and soothes, perfect for after shaving as it claims to instantly soothes and hydrates stressed skin. Luke will be using this after has been to the barbers.
Perfect again for tired, stressed skin claims to be fast-drying, non-sticky non-greasy and keeps skin hydrated for 24hours Luke will be implementing this into his routine to try out.
We shall be putting these to the test over the next few weeks and will let you know our thoughts and if they will be adding to our skincare routine!
One last thing I would like to mention, NIVEA as a brand is actively moving in the right direction with their products being eco-friendly, vegan and recyclable caring for our skin and our planet!
Thank you as always NIVEA you can get your hands on the products HERE… also, cheeky little discount use code xmastreats10 to get 20% off until the end of December.
Unique, that’s one word that comes to mind when I first looked at Foodlovernc menu! She’s a local girl creating some amazing dishes that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home. I’ve not seen anything else like it before! Food all gifted!
Packed full of flavour, mouth watering combos and amazing portion sizes there’s not a single thing I can fault with the experience we had.
We were lucky to try a dish from the Takeaway menu and also two dishes from her NEW Street food menu.
Let’s talk Takeaway, her selection of foods on the menu all looks so yum!
We tried the Bourbon Bites Meal which comes with a delicious sauce, skin on fries and corn on the cob! The flavours were amazing, very moorish! This was my favourite I’m craving it now while I write this!
Portion size was so good, we couldn’t eat it all, brilliant value for money. Would recommend this any day of the week, I love how different it is to any other style of takeaway at just £10 a box.
Foodlovernc will but trading her street food menu at The Bullshead in Barston from mid July, Saturday & Sunday. Takeaway menu currently available all week from mid-July will be available Monday – Friday with the Street Food at The Bullshead Saturday – Sunday
From the Street Food Menu, we tried the Creamy Cajun Chicken on Skin on Fries and the Spicy Wings on Skin On Fries
Creamy Cajun Chicken was just amazing, this was Luke’s favourite. The balance between the Cajun and the creaminess was perfect not to spicy or overpowering. Definitely one to try again portion was more then enough!
Spicy Wings on Skin On Fries, comes with a yummy sauce! I’ve never really been a big fan of chicken wings, ive always found them to be a dry, a faf to eat with not much meat. These are a game changer; chicken was juicy and full of flavour and massive. The spicey level was just right I’m not very good with spicy food but you could taste the flavours, it was so good!
Lastly can i just say, the fries were blooming amazing! They remind me so much of the ones you get at Hickorys! I would order again just for them!
We had lots left over so my brother came with his girlfriend to grab a doggy bag! They both said it was delicious and loved it!
Be sure to check them out on Instagram here and take a trip up to visit there street food in the summer, I sure will be! They also do amazing looking milkshakes which I’m desperate to try along with their burgers, which look incredible!
It’s been the longest time since myself and my husband have been able to have some quality time together, so this was so needed! Stay cations are very popular this year, I hope by sharing what we did and where we stayed could help inspire some of you to book a weekend away!
We had one night and a day and half to play with including travel. We thought where would be great for us to visit. I’ve always wanted to go to Bath and explore so that was our destination of choice! More information and photos will be going up on Instagram here
Looking for hotel availability in Bath however was a struggle and the prices were coming up way to high we were booking last minute. We decided to have a look on Airbnb and found the perfect in a far prettier location around 30 mins car drive from Bath.
Saturday morning, we traveled from Coventry to Bath and found the best parking to be in the Underground car park by the train station thanks to my brother who has been there plenty of times. That was super handy to know so wanted to share with you in case you’re planning a trip soon.
We had a lovely mooch around the shops but were most impressed by the gorgeous buildings! The vibe was so lush, it very hot day and everyone was out living their best lives. The seagulls though, wow they were the size of dogs, I’m not even exaggerating the wingspan were huge and nearly took us out! We had a nose in the Markets and seen some cute looking afternoon tea places! The Rugby was on so it was packed out but well worth looking into to book a table. We had a look in the charity shops and couldn’t find that many, the ones we did go in I was disappointed in, the prices seemed very high and nothing major stood out to me! We did see some of the streets one of my all time favorite program Bridgerton was filmed!
Once we had finished in Bath we headed on the lovely drive to our accommodation. The location of where we were staying was perfect! There’s a cute farm shop at the top of the road and we were within 3 -minute walk from The Farrington Inn Pub which served gorgeous food, very reasonable prices. We were right near a supermarket and local shop and petrol station if you needed any essentials.
The Old Parsonage
Such a cute little barn conversion with everything we could possibly need for our trip, towels, soaps and shampoos, tea coffee sugar, breakfast cereals for the next morning. Kitchen area and comfy bed. Couldn’t really fault it! Would highly recommend and would go back and visit if we were wanting to explore other places local. It was perfect for the short time we were there. The shower was amazing! We paid £101 for the nights stay.
Of course, we took our Urban Brownies treats with us! Although we did lose a couple to the heat in the car, they tasted even better melted!
We checked out the next morning and headed to Weston-Super-Mare around an hour from our accommodation… yes, I wish I had done our research me and Luke were completely oblivious. It was packed, we parked the car up and could see the sea was very far out, we couldn’t understand why no one was in the sea, we knew it was a good few mile walk but couldn’t understand why people hadn’t walked it apart from the odd group half way down the beach… so we start walking, we keep walking and then the ground started to get a muddy sticky texture, my Crocs were getting stuck but we carried on and then BAMB we step onto a muddy patch and my leg went straight down I was stuck in this quicksand like texture up to my hips! All very funny, i wish we got photos or would of loved to have seen it from someones else view! Luke had to pull my out and we lost my Croc he had to reach in and hunt for it luckily it was found but sadly I had snapped one of the straps! Luke continued on, I couldn’t risk it with my crutch, and he didn’t get much further when a group of girls said it gets a lot worse! We felt defeated, I just wanted to dip my feet in the sea!
So, we walked back to the car covered in mud, I even had it on my face, chest everywhere. A long car journey home covered in mud but at least we know not to take the kids! I won’t be in a hurry back there anytime soon! After speaking to family and them laughing saying were mad, we should know you cant reach the sea until it comes in made me think what’s the point why do people go and sit on the sand if there’s no sea! Mind blown!
We had such a lovely weekend though; it was great to get away and spend time together!
Itssaffb 