Critics corner - my reviews for you on some recent places, plates (food), watched and worn
Countryside Cotswolds stays, Shoreditch, Hackney and Peckham plates, One Day watched, fishnet flats and denim worn - a smörgasbord if you will!
I’d mentioned in last week’s wishlist that I’d B coming at you with some of my reviews, which I thought might be a good idea because:
It might be helpful.
I feel you can be more honest on here than Instagram (not that I’m about to insult someone, but you know what I mean).
I love an honest review from someone I trust / follow / like (assuming you trust and like me in this case if you’re here!).
I’m so sick of being swayed by what I see on Instagram, which I still do and KNOW I need to STOP! Obviously everyone’s taste is subjective and maybe that’s the problem BUT do you ever see influencers give a less than flattering description of anywhere they’ve been? The only one I can think of was from someone I’ve followed for years (and very much value), Gina Jackson @ginagoesto, which made me trust her hotel reviews even more.
Okay, so with the theme of this one it’s a bit more written than usual, but I thought it would be good to give you something different and I did say I wanted to include more places / people / lifestyle in here (don’t worry it’s mainly still fashion, with a bit of home thrown in, and a sprinkling of my stories!).
I’ll do a nice list soon with my London food / drink recommendations and have been planning to create a local area guide for where I work and live (South East London). Oh! And I need to give you my Europe recs from our road trip last year, but for today I’ll give you my reviews on a few places I’ve been to recently:
STAYS - The Bull Charlbury and Estelle Manor.
FOOD - Bistro Freddie, Dalla, Little Kudu.
WATCHED - One Day (with reference to Saltburn, Top Boy and Conversations with Friends).
WORN - Those Alaia shoes (don’t hate me and let me explain!). Aligne denim: jeans, a jacket and a big bad skirt - bad as in good!
I’ll get on with it as you know I tend to natter on (I have a vision of starting a Podcast called The Natter 😂 what do we think?). I’ll try and keep this somewhat concise, but hey, grab a tea / coffee / wine, sit down and enjoy the read!
Start of February me and my husband went for an overdue weekend away, usually we plan to take this weekend of relaxation every January as our Christmas gift… after a family Christmas back North East. Where we stay a week between both our parents small crowded houses with our siblings (two each), two small kids, two dogs and one cat. I’m sure you’ll fully understand me when I say we need a debrief / de-stress after this!
This year I wasn’t organised in advance and anywhere I wanted to go was booked or outrageously expensive (my god when did English stays get so ridiculous!). In the end, with constant checking for cancellations, I managed to get us one night each at two places in the Cotswolds. Only 15 minutes drive apart and both I’d been keen to try (by keen I mean fervently checking).
The Bull Charlbury
A posh pub with rooms, not cheap as all but one of the ten rooms were booked, so this room was £320 a night. The room decor was simple, but lovely, very in keeping with the style of the pub, but if I had booked further in advance I would have taken a smaller cheaper room (we had a roll top bath in the bedroom, nice feature, but we never use).
The pub itself was delightful! We loved it, super cosy, with three big roaring fireplaces. It’s been redone, but so so nicely. Sort of feels sympathetically cool (is that a term?) but still retaining all original features and olde charm - whitewash original walls, chunky candles everywhere, dark wood furniture - gave me the ‘if Little Women had a country pub’ kind of vibe, obviously a good thing in my opinion!
I would definitely recommend the food too, our meal was delicious - cured trout, steak, mash n greens (oh god that mash), hot cookie dessert. Drinks were good too, usual pub fayre but they also did four or so simple cocktails (I love a pub that does a margarita!).
Breakfast wasn’t included in the room which for the price I did find slightly disappointing if I’m honest. But again it was lovely, especially having your coffee and eggs by the open fire.
There is out the back quite a large paved garden with outdoor seating, which I imagine is heaving in summer, but it was just such a cosy pub with low ceilings, low lighting and massive fireplaces that I can’t really imagine staying here during summer. So I’d say go now!
I’d say we enjoyed a little bit more than the next place too, which was super fancy…
Estelle Manor
Cannot fault it, everything was beautiful, it felt like staying in Saltburn (from the film, not the North East coast, which I originally thought the film was about… how wrong I was!) but fancier / more interior design driven. Definitely some funny characters around too mind, but great for observing ha-ha (it’s not nosey, it’s people watching!).
But… it just was too expensive for us. The most expensive hotel I’ve ever booked, at over £600 a night, oh god it makes me feel slightly sick just writing that!
Being me, I had been desperate to try here, before I realised the cost. I’d kept checking for a cancellation and one came up, just for one night, which was perfect as there’s no way I would / could spend that much on a two night weekend stay here. Prices also look to just get more expensive as the year goes on, so I thought now or never!
It was a huge manor in its own grounds (rather boring grounds, I feel bad saying that, but sucking up the people pleasing and they won’t read this or care!). Even though it’s an old restored building it sort of feels a bit manmade, if that makes sense, like a fake world, which I suppose it was to us!
Again, this is all personal opinion, like I said I can’t fault it. The staff especially were all amazing, really friendly and helpful (no one stuck up in the slightest which I sometimes worry about with uber fancy places).
Actually I did have one fault, which makes me sound like a bit of a twat, but I’ll continue! So, there is an outdoor pool (heated - but last year I did get into wild swimming so this was nothing to get into chilly luke warm water - try 15 degree water in October, sounds warm, it’s NOT!). All good, but there’s only one pool, for children and adults.
I’m not a child phobe (I don’t have them but love being an aunty, god-mum, dog parent) HOWEVER, they really need two separate pools at the price you’re paying. They more than have the land space, and are almost finished building on site the largest Roman Bath’s in the UK… but you have to pay extra to use this!
Late afternoon the day we arrived the pool was full of kids splashing around (windows from the bar look on to it, guessing this is ideal for parents, no shade AT ALL the bar is where I would be). I’ve got to say I was surprised by the amount of children we saw at Estelle Manor (how much money must you have to take kids here!). So we took a swim early the next morning… by 9am kids were running round the pool playing tag.
Sorry I’ll continue with more positives…
The bar is beautiful, the fireplaces are huge, I loved the artworks around the place too. Also, great mints in the toilets (yes I’m like Ross from Friends, I take anything free 😂).
The drinks were delicious, a very good spicy marg I must say (not on the menu but ask) but as expected cocktails were £20 a pop. The only fizz is champagne - proseccNO! And once you’re in you’re in, there’s no where else to go!
And the food, there are three restaurants on site: two in the manor house and one in the walled garden area (we had breakfast here, big YES). We booked their Chinese restaurant, The Billiards Room. Again, couldn’t fault it, very opulent, impeccable service, expensive yes but as expected. I just wasn’t wowed by the food but I think that’s just personal taste, my husband loved it (and I did book it for him, he prefers Chinese more than me).
So when I said above we enjoyed The Bull more that’s probably just as it’s more us, and the price of another drink doesn’t make you slightly anxious. HOWEVER, the breakfast at Estelle Manor was DELICIOUS!
I’d say the best brekkie we’ve ever had, anywhere! Served in The Glasshouse restaurant in the walled garden area (sort of greenhouse effect, it’s lovely). It’s all included: a buffet with everything, juices, coffee and a cooked menu to order from - the best eggs florentine I’ve ever had and OMG THE PASTRIES.
I’m drooling right now thinking about them, the pain au chocolate was incredible (better than France) and this DIVINE cheesy marmite swirl thing. If you could go just for breakfast I would! We ate so much I think we clawed some money back. 😂
Bistro Freddie
Shoreditch - God I hate Shoreditch but I LOVE Bistro Freddie. The food, the interiors, the dark red bathroom, the burgundy lacquered chairs, the candles, the staff (cool and kind).
Okay, I’ll try to speed up and focus on the food - DELISH! A great little menu, yes some fancy words we did not know, which turned out to be simple things (why don’t restaurants just give things the names people know so they don’t have to ask?)
But everything is so tasty. Even just the bread was out of this world (don’t quote me on that as I think it changes). And the best cabbage (yes, really!) I’ve ever had. Loved the snack size egg mayo and anchovy. Oh, and the bavette steak in peppercorn… SO GOOD. Christ, the chips too! Proper chip shop chips, but less grease, more crunch. And DO have dessert (more below).
I’ve been twice since January after I’d been meaning to try for a while. Once for lunch on a Friday with my dearest friend (it was our belated Christmas party), where she introduced me to Black Velvets (champagne & Guinness), which I did not know I needed in my life! Served at BF in a metal tankard to give me the feeling of a fancy sailor / olden days pub vixen - loved it!
And secondly for dinner, early on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago with my husband, he loved the food too, and the fact they serve draft Stella (we are two quite different kettles of fish). This winter he’s all of a suddenly become a Sticky Toffee Pudding connoisseur and this was one of his best - which I agree with. Oh god I could eat it all right now!
I’m yet to try the pie for two which I hear they are famous for, so as much as I dislike Shoreditch I will B back! I much prefer the area for lunch, I’d just stay away on a weekend night… and don’t venture to any bars afterwards (oh the sights on a Shoreditch High Street Saturday night, if you know you know). 100% don’t go to the rooftop bar at One Hundred Shoreditch on a weekend eve, I’ll tell you more another time.
Dalla
Homerton, Hackney - We just went here last Friday for a 7pm booking (waited three weeks for this booking). Naturally it was fully booked, and I knew it was small, which I do like, but the restaurant is tiny.
It does feel a little crammed in if I’m honest, one of those where you’re so close to the table next door that you could be a table of four 😂 . I don’t know why but I find that perfectly acceptable in Paris and kind of like it, but in Hackney for expensive small plates not so much. Sorry, that sounds fussy but I said I’ll be honest!
We had a nice time, staff were great, food was nice… but just nice in my opinion, not rave-about-it-fantastic. Again, not to be a Karen but the portions were a little on the small side, seriously where aren’t they in Hackney? Drives me mad! Other than Cafe Cecilia which we have gone back to time and time again over the past two years, a firm favourite. For me I’d take this any day over Dalla.
I’ve had tastier pasta in cheaper places if I’m honest, and the tiramisu I’ve seen people herald as the BEST EVER, was sadly disappointing. Again, I’ve had better, it was of course delish as all creamy coffee desserts are, but a little bit too wet / slightly soggy for me! Definitely not the best I’ve had. Argh, sorry Dalla!
Little Kudu
Peckham - I was going to save this one for another time as this is so lengthly already! But just quickly as I love this little place and went last Thursday with my friend (yes, I ate out a bit last week… it’s usually two extremes, this, or jacket potatoes at home, àla
I’m a big believer in heating, rather than cooking 😂).This used to be the bar Smokey Kudu (if you knew it before) from the same independent South East London Kudu collective, but they’ve rearranged the tiny interior - it’s under one of the rail arches at Peckham Queens Town Road, so you know you’ve got to be creative with the space - to now fit in an open corridor kitchen. Strangely, it now feels bigger than it did before!
It’s so well done the use of space, feels nicely nordic inside, the staff are so helpful and efficient, they still do the Saffa-Rita which is one of my favourite ever cocktails (from when it was the Kudu bar - their take on a spicy marg), and now the food is great too.
I’m raving about it as we had the Tuesday - Thursday special: £20 for peri peri mussels or Picanha steak with chips and a glass o wine (the red was delicious, I must find out what it is, oh look at that I’ve found it for you). Where do you ever get a deal these days!
One Day
I had to mention One Day in here, if you haven’t watched it please do! If you think it might be corny, it might be slightly in parts, but it’s just wonderfully done and my favourite (and very faithful) adaptation to the book. The characters are just perfect together too, so much so I can’t stop thinking about them weeks later.
If you’ve read the David Nicholls book I’d say this series is even slightly better, and usually I always prefer the books I’ve read first to film and TV adaptations.
I’ve got to say I did read the book a lot of years ago and couldn’t quite remember the ending… other than I knew it was devastatingly sad (I’ll try not to say more in case you haven’t read or watched this).
Back to the characters, Emma is just so dear, so very Emma (if you’ve read the book you know) and I now love Ambika Mod with all my heart.
And Dex is played by Leo Woodall who you may recognise from season two of White Lotus. He plays a tiny bit of a similar character to this in some stages of Dex’s life (the famous years) but it’s a testament to what a good actor he is that you fall completely and utterly in love with Dex.
Speaking of that can I just give you these two revelations from two of Saltburn’s incredible acting talents…
Barry Keoghan - Ollie in Saltburn - played that utterly terrifying Irish gangster in the last series of Top Boy! If you haven’t watched Top Boy the earlier series are better I’d say. Scary if you live in London but eye opening.
Alison Oliver - Venetia in Saltburn - OMG it bugged me the whole way through who Venetia was! The blonde hair totally threw me… this is Frances from Conversations with Friends. I KNOW RIGHT! I’d also recommend this for a slow watch, same author as Normal People, which I’d say is a better series (I’ve read both books too, bestsellers by Sally Rooney).
Alaia Embellished Fisherman Flats
I mentioned these in my wishlist here from the start of Feb. If you’ve read this you’ll know I’d been coveting the Alaia flats since last summer, both the studded and the fishnet version, so this new pair were the best of both worlds! Really a two in one pair is making a saving… there’s my fashion maths for you HA!
I must admit I did get these with a big discount, please don’t hate me! But a beloved friend of mine has worked at a certain department store for ten’s of years and is the sweetest to occasionally help me out (little did we know that their discount worked on Alaia, until now).
I know that’s annoying but otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to get them, and it was still a very considered purchase for me (I often wonder how fashion people can afford all this STUFF - I can tell you more about my finances another time but basically I sell to buy new where I can).
Anyway! Are they worth it??
Ooo this is a tricky one, I do absolutely love them, and there’s no way I would have kept them if I didn’t BUT upon several wears now I would say the quality isn’t super special.
It may be the nature of the type of shoe (I mean it is a flat sole with a fisherman net upper) but they could do with a sturdier / thicker sole in my opinion… they do feel very flat, which I forgot gives me a funny pain down the side of my right foot. Lets move on!
I’d also say the rhinestones are just glue gunned to the fisherman net upper (which is quite sturdy I’ll admit, it’s not a thin mesh), so far so good, but it worries me they could rather easily fall off at some point… I kicked a stone the other day whilst wearing them and almost DIED 😂
In a nutshell I love them, but probably wouldn’t buy them again, argh now I’m hating my own honesty! They’re too pricey / precious for me and lets face it not that practical… but oh how they sparkle! They do bring me much joy (Marie Kondo there) but I would only say get them if you’re going to adore them and look after them.
Side note: the Alaia box they come in is almost worth it alone, like an old fashioned shoe trunk / treasure chest. If Harry Potter had been about shoes.
Aligne Denims (£95 - £119)
I’ve mentioned them a few times in here before and since decided to let the brand know. They’ve then been so kind to actually send me a few pieces, which I was genuinely thrilled about and so grateful for. Now I can actually give you a proper review as I’ve tried and worn them… I’m giving a thumbs up!
And that’s not just because they sent me some things, like I said I’d already mentioned Aligne in here a few times before (no agenda here!).
So, denim! I chose this jacket, Aligne Moto Collarless Denim Jacket - I love that it’s collarless and would not have thought of this, but gives a more modern feel (also great to stick a big collar out the top of, if you’re an ultimate collar lover like moi). The oversized fit is great too, relaxed but not massive / bulky.
I’ve been wearing it Canadian Tuxedo style (double denim) with these, Markus Horseshoe Jeans. I must admit I’ve been wearing them none stop in the two weeks I’ve had them, the comfort factor is high! However, I still maintain I find Aligne’s jean quality a little thin, these jeans are so soft and super comfy, which is a big plus, but more a spring / summer denim to me (I like a heavier quality denim for winter / warmth).
*SIZE WISE - I sized down to a 25 inch and they’re still too big on my waist, I should have definitely gone for a size 24 in this style (I’ll alter them just at the waist as I like the baggy leg fit). I just never dare go smaller as I used to wear a 26 inch in jeans (as a size 8) but I’m sure sizing has changed? Anyone with me? I have such an issue with waists being too big now across multiple denim brands (maybe as some want us to wear low waist now, but I just can’t, forever a wear on the belly button gal).
The skirt on the other hand - Luna Volume Ankle Length Skirt - is much heavier and I LOVE this style! The denim weight, combined with the full long length shape, creates the perfect silhouette. I think I would be hot in this on a boiling summer’s day, but it’s a dream for now and most the year really. I do like a weighty denim.
Talking of trust one more thing…
I’m going to mention Emma Rose Thatcher (
) here and her recent marvellous array of denim, damn this woman looks good in jeans!Emma knows what suits her, always dresses impeccably (wardrobe envy!) and knows denim very well. So I more than trust her denim reviews, and she’s just done a fantastic one here on her most worn 7 pairs of jeans (image on the grid with the pile of jeans).
I’m so torn at the minute between the Raey 31” Dad Boyfriend (I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, size down in Raey at least one size) and the Agolde Dame High Rise Cuffed Wide Leg - which I’ve found for you cheapest here (for UK delivery) - £80 quid less than on Net!
Image via
Anna really really makes me want to try these Agolde Dame Jeans. The cuffs!
Okay and now back to your slow Sunday, I hope this was a nice wordy start and there’s been some helpful honesty in here 😊
Speak (or rather write) soon xx
I have the cowboy sweat, totally influenced 😅 and I bloody love it! I do live down under, but moving back to London this year so looking forward to getting more wear!
Currently halfway through One Day, cannot for the life of me remember how it ends, but bracing myself!
LOVED this post. Thanks so much! Especially the London recs. I’ve fallen back in love with the city, but I have a habit of booking hotels around Covent Garden. Where would you recommend as an interesting area to stay?