Last week we were invited to the opening of Cardiff's Winter Wonderland. It's one of our favourite places to visit during the festive season.
There have been a few changes this year. Our first impression was that it seemed smaller, however, it is simply because the layout has changed and there has been an exciting new addition.
There are plenty of rides and stalls to choose from for all ages. My girls are nearly 4 and 6 and they went on quite a few amusements. Their favourites were the fun house, the funny mirrors and some of the smaller rides.
The highlight of the night for all of us was the ice-skating with the new alpine ski trail. My youngest absolutely loved skating with her penguin. She had ice-skates which went over her shoes which I think she found quite comfortable.
My eldest started with a penguin but then bravely had a go at skating by herself.
The ski-trail is the first of its kind in the UK. It is attached to the ice-rink and takes you on a journey around the gardens and then back into the ice-rink. It's a lovely addition to the experience.
We also enjoyed the big wheel. It has had a makeover and it is now wheelchair accessible. Even in the dark we enjoyed sweeping views of Cardiff.
I will admit that we were disappointed with the food options. There was one large van serving hot food and drinks. It was reasonably priced but it was busy and we had to wait a while. I think on a very busy day at Winter Wonderland, one van will not be enough. There are other options such as donuts or crepes but for things such as burgers and chips, this is the only stall.
We ended the night in one of our favourite places at Winter Wonderland and that is the Sur la Piste bar. Hubby and I had a mulled wine whilst the girls enjoyed hot chocolates in a cosy booth under a heater.
We will definitely be returning over the Christmas period.
It is open until the 5th January. Booking for ice-skating is highly recommended.
** Disclosure - We were invited to the opening of Winter Wonderland in exchange for instagram posts. You can head over to my instagram profile and go to the Christmas highlight on my homepage to see what we got up to. Head over to my profile by clicking here, Instagram. We were not asked to write a blog post. I have written this one as we had such a good time that I wanted to share it with you. All photos and words are my own*
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Before Christmas I was treated to a lovely pampering session at Essentially For You where I received semi permanent lashes. I've never had them before so I was keen to see the results. My eyelashes have always been short so I couldn't wait for some length and volume.
Essentially for you is located in Llanishen village which is in North Cardiff. There is free parking outside (if you can get a space) or there is a free car park just around the corner, less than a 5 minute walk.
My beauty therapist was Shelley who was friendly and professional. She explained everything perfectly.
The treatment can take a while as each lash is placed on individually (it's extremely intricate) but I didn't notice how long it took as I was incredibly relaxed. I lay on the bed, closed my eyes and listened to the calming music. If I'm honest I almost nodded off, I was that comfortable.
When Shelley showed me the finished result, I couldn't believe it. I'm almost too embarrassed to show you the before picture as I literally look like I have no lashes at all. I knew my lashes were short before but I didn't realise they were that short!! We went for a more natural look which was ideal. I adored them, so much so I couldn't stop looking at them in the mirror.
They usually last around 2 weeks and then you can have infills if you require them. There's no need to wear mascara with them which I think is amazing although you can still wear it if you wish.
Mine lasted about a week and a half which saw me through 2 Christmas parties which was great.
I'll definitely be going back to have them again. I would have had some infills sooner but with the chaos that Christmas brings, I have been too busy. I'd highly recommend Essentially For you as they offer a wide range of treatments in a quiet, relaxed setting, just what us busy mums need.
*I received this treatment free of charge, however all words, opinions and images are my own*
Being a working mum can be pretty tiring and rather stressful. I constantly seem to be busy. If i'm not washing clothes or taking the kids somewhere then I am working a long 10 hour shift. Not only that I suffer with Post Natal Depression (PND). You can read one of my posts here, This is PND for me. I've openly discussed my PND journey across my social media so if you're a regular reader you will know that I am not very good at putting myself first and indulging in self care. I am getting better at it and I now able to recognise when I am becoming burnt out and overwhelmed before it is too late.
I was delighted when John Lewis Cardiff invited me to join them for a well-being Yoga morning. Knowing how busy i've been, this sounded exactly like the mummy me time I needed.
John Lewis is aiming to promote and improve the well-being of its customers by providing a one stop shop for everything you need to relax, destress and indulge in some TLC. Whether that's with a makeover, a hand and arm massage, a shopping trip with a personal stylist, some new gym equipment or simply a coffee and a cake, they aim to maximise your mood.
I was gifted with a fantastic new gym kit from John Lewis and Shock Absorber of a top and cropped trousers to wear to the Yoga Class. I've never tried their gym range before and I must admit I haven't taken them off since. The trousers are very comfortable and supportive.
The Yoga class was a small, intimate class led by local instructor Lorraine. The room was beautifully set and I immediately felt calm and relaxed. The session lasted around 45 minutes and I really enjoyed it. I'm not the most flexible person but it certainly cleared my mind. It was a great way to start the day.
I was then treated to a healthy breakfast in the John Lewis restaurant along with some refreshing fruit tea's whilst watching a demonstration of the Nutri Bullet.
My pampering didn't end there. I was then given a lovely hand and arm massage by the ladies from Liz Earle. I'm a big fan of their products, especially their cleansing hot cloth. The products they used smelt amazing.
I really enjoyed my morning of well being. It helped to remind me to look after myself and practice mindfulness too. I came away from the event feeling positive and ready to take on the day.
You can check your local store for a list of their events here, What's on.
*Thank you to John Lewis Cardiff for inviting me to the well-being event and gifting me a goody bag. All views and opinions are my own and as always are truthful*
I was delighted when John Lewis Cardiff invited me to join them for a well-being Yoga morning. Knowing how busy i've been, this sounded exactly like the mummy me time I needed.
John Lewis is aiming to promote and improve the well-being of its customers by providing a one stop shop for everything you need to relax, destress and indulge in some TLC. Whether that's with a makeover, a hand and arm massage, a shopping trip with a personal stylist, some new gym equipment or simply a coffee and a cake, they aim to maximise your mood.
I was gifted with a fantastic new gym kit from John Lewis and Shock Absorber of a top and cropped trousers to wear to the Yoga Class. I've never tried their gym range before and I must admit I haven't taken them off since. The trousers are very comfortable and supportive.
The Yoga class was a small, intimate class led by local instructor Lorraine. The room was beautifully set and I immediately felt calm and relaxed. The session lasted around 45 minutes and I really enjoyed it. I'm not the most flexible person but it certainly cleared my mind. It was a great way to start the day.
I was then treated to a healthy breakfast in the John Lewis restaurant along with some refreshing fruit tea's whilst watching a demonstration of the Nutri Bullet.
My pampering didn't end there. I was then given a lovely hand and arm massage by the ladies from Liz Earle. I'm a big fan of their products, especially their cleansing hot cloth. The products they used smelt amazing.
I really enjoyed my morning of well being. It helped to remind me to look after myself and practice mindfulness too. I came away from the event feeling positive and ready to take on the day.
You can check your local store for a list of their events here, What's on.
*Thank you to John Lewis Cardiff for inviting me to the well-being event and gifting me a goody bag. All views and opinions are my own and as always are truthful*
As someone that has travelled to Turkey many times, one of the things I love the most is the cuisine and therefore I couldn't believe that the Saray Restaurant in Cardiff has not been on my radar.
First up we were shown how they make their dough. Everything is made fresh in the kitchen which is wonderful to see. We then helped the chef to make Adana kebabs. Adana kebabs are a spicy mincemeat kebab. For ours we had a mixture of lamb mince, onion, chilli, parsley, red pepper and salt.
Saray restaurant is located on the bustling City Road which is within walking distance to Cardiff city centre. 'Saray' is the Persian word for Palace which is traditionally a place of amalgamation and honing cuisines from other ruling empires and the restaurant takes this description as inspiration for the service they provide their customers. Their menu boasts a fusion of flavours from traditional Ottoman cuisines with many traditional Turkish tastes to choose from.
Most people I know would think Turkish food was all greasy kebabs and pitta bread but luckily I know differently. Turkish food is all about bringing the family together and sharing freshly made food (especially at breakfast which is a very important meal for them).
I was invited to a cooking class at the restaurant by one the lovely owner's Selma and also Kelly from Reduced Grub. Before the class I was given a Turkish tea in a beautiful cup whilst I had a chat and got to know two other local bloggers who write at The Globetrotter GP and Welshcakes and Wellies.
First up we were shown how they make their dough. Everything is made fresh in the kitchen which is wonderful to see. We then helped the chef to make Adana kebabs. Adana kebabs are a spicy mincemeat kebab. For ours we had a mixture of lamb mince, onion, chilli, parsley, red pepper and salt.
We all had a go at shaping the mincemeat mixture onto the very large skewer. You have to squeeze the mixture along the length of the skewer until it is evenly spread out. I was actually a dab hand at this which I was rather impressed with.
We then made a pide which is a traditional Turkish pizza. You can use meat or vegetarian fillings such as pepperoni, mice meat, feta, spinach etc. I made a mincemeat pide.
I'll be the first to admit I was fairly useless when it came to rolling out the dough and shaping it into an oval, however, the rest of the recipe was easy to do.
Once everything was cooked it was time for us to sit down and enjoy everything we'd created and more. We tucked into a huge Turkish feast. It was fab to try lots of different dishes and the flavours were truly authentic. We finished off with more Turkish tea and a sweet treat called Kadayif, which is a form of baklava. It was delicious, my mouth is salivating just remembering it.
I had a wonderful time at Saray and would definitely recommend it. My husband and I called in one evening last week to pick up a takeaway kebab each which was the best one I have eaten in Cardiff. So much fresher and flavoursome than anywhere else and the portion was huge. We are also planning to have my birthday meal there next week as hubby has been desperate to try more of the menu out as I haven't stopped raving about how good it is there.
Have you tried Turkish food before?
*Thank you to Saray for inviting me to the cookery class. All opinions are my own*
Last week I was super busy. Between working, blogging, date nights and events, I have been a very busy lady. I haven't written a #LittleLoves post for a long time. In fact my last one was in November which you can read here, Moana, 2nd Birthday and Chicken Pox.
Read:
I read a fantastic blog post by Harriet from 'Toby and Roo' about how she is a Sepsis Surviver. After having an emergency c-section with her son Reuben she developed Sepsis and ended up being admitted into hospital for 3 days. She is attempting to raise £5000 for Sepsis Trust and is trying to raise awareness of the symptoms. You can read her story and find out more about her fund-raising here, Fundraising for Sepsis #SuckItSepsis.
Heard:
Heart radio is always on in work and lately they have been playing lots of Spice Girls classics which is literally music to my ears. I've been enjoying singing and busting a move or too to the likes of 'Say you'll be there' and 'Wannabe'. Last year I got to interview Emma Bunton which was a childhood dream of mine. You can watch it here, My interview with Emma Bunton.
Made:
I was invited to learn to cook a few Turkish dishes at the Saray Restaurant in Cardiff. We travel to Turkey on holiday every year so I couldn't wait to see how some of the dishes were made. There will be a full blog post soon but I can't speak highly enough about the restaurant. The staff are very friendly and the food was authentic and delicious. I can't wait to return.
Watched:
On Saturday I got to watch my first ever live boxing fight at The Principality Stadium. It was between Joshua and Parker. I've been to a few sporting events at the stadium but this was something else. I will definitely be getting tickets to the next one as I really enjoyed it.
Wore:
I recently went on a bit of a mini shopping spree for myself (only in 3 shops) but I managed to get quite a few new pieces. I bought quite a few things in Primark which I wore last week. One is a lovely white blouse and the other is a flowery dress. I stupidly didn't get any full length pictures in them.
And Lastly:
The girls had a lovely Easter egg hunt in our garden. The sun was actually shining so the Easter bunny hid their eggs outside. This was the first year that Ophelia was really involved. Both of them were so excited and happy during the hunt which was lovely to see.
Read:
I read a fantastic blog post by Harriet from 'Toby and Roo' about how she is a Sepsis Surviver. After having an emergency c-section with her son Reuben she developed Sepsis and ended up being admitted into hospital for 3 days. She is attempting to raise £5000 for Sepsis Trust and is trying to raise awareness of the symptoms. You can read her story and find out more about her fund-raising here, Fundraising for Sepsis #SuckItSepsis.
Heard:
Heart radio is always on in work and lately they have been playing lots of Spice Girls classics which is literally music to my ears. I've been enjoying singing and busting a move or too to the likes of 'Say you'll be there' and 'Wannabe'. Last year I got to interview Emma Bunton which was a childhood dream of mine. You can watch it here, My interview with Emma Bunton.
Made:
I was invited to learn to cook a few Turkish dishes at the Saray Restaurant in Cardiff. We travel to Turkey on holiday every year so I couldn't wait to see how some of the dishes were made. There will be a full blog post soon but I can't speak highly enough about the restaurant. The staff are very friendly and the food was authentic and delicious. I can't wait to return.
On Saturday I got to watch my first ever live boxing fight at The Principality Stadium. It was between Joshua and Parker. I've been to a few sporting events at the stadium but this was something else. I will definitely be getting tickets to the next one as I really enjoyed it.
Wore:
I recently went on a bit of a mini shopping spree for myself (only in 3 shops) but I managed to get quite a few new pieces. I bought quite a few things in Primark which I wore last week. One is a lovely white blouse and the other is a flowery dress. I stupidly didn't get any full length pictures in them.
And Lastly:
The girls had a lovely Easter egg hunt in our garden. The sun was actually shining so the Easter bunny hid their eggs outside. This was the first year that Ophelia was really involved. Both of them were so excited and happy during the hunt which was lovely to see.
I'll be the first to admit that hubby and I used to despise Valentine's Day. We never celebrated it and we thought it was a load of commercial crap. However, since becoming parents we have realised that the quality time we have together is rather limited.
We decided to start celebrating Valentine's Day as a way of remembering why we got together in the first place and showing that we love and appreciate one another. We have been sending cards etc since Eva has been born but this year we decided to do something extra special.
We booked to have a 3 course lunch at the newly opened Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill in Cardiff. The restaurant is located on the top floor of the Hotel Indigo Cardiff and provides sweeping views of the city centre and beyond. This wasn't just any old lunch though, this was a special lunch where you could meet the main man himself, an opportunity we couldn't miss.
We are both foodies. We've eaten in many fantastic restaurants all over the world and michelin starred restaurants in the UK. We have a silly amount of cookbooks from our favourite chefs with of course, Marco being one of them. After all, he is the godfather of cooking.
We arrived at the restaurant and immediately met Marco who was lovely. We chatted about Masterchef Australia (one of our favourite cookery programmes) and he then signed a copy of his new cookbook for us.
We then headed to our table, champagne in hand to enjoy our 3 course meal. I had Calamari for a starter (which was delicious), Steak for my main, followed by a lovely Apple Crumble for dessert. Arwyn had a baked Camembert for starter, Steak for main and a créme brûlée for dessert. We also had a couple of glasses of Rioja which was divine.
It was so lovely to actually do something special on Valentine's Day. We felt like our old selves again (pre kids). We spent quality, alone time together and chatted about food and memories etc. It was perfect.
I managed to find Arwyn an amazing Valentine's card. We are a big Disney loving family so I couldn't resist this beauty from Design me Pretty on Etsy featuring one of our favourite Disney films. I could have bought her entire shop.
Eva received her first roses from daddy which she loved. Her little face was delighted. She felt so special and she has them on pride of place in her bedroom.
i'm looking forward to Valentine's Day next year now but i'm not sure how we'll top this one.
We decided to start celebrating Valentine's Day as a way of remembering why we got together in the first place and showing that we love and appreciate one another. We have been sending cards etc since Eva has been born but this year we decided to do something extra special.
We booked to have a 3 course lunch at the newly opened Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill in Cardiff. The restaurant is located on the top floor of the Hotel Indigo Cardiff and provides sweeping views of the city centre and beyond. This wasn't just any old lunch though, this was a special lunch where you could meet the main man himself, an opportunity we couldn't miss.
We are both foodies. We've eaten in many fantastic restaurants all over the world and michelin starred restaurants in the UK. We have a silly amount of cookbooks from our favourite chefs with of course, Marco being one of them. After all, he is the godfather of cooking.
We arrived at the restaurant and immediately met Marco who was lovely. We chatted about Masterchef Australia (one of our favourite cookery programmes) and he then signed a copy of his new cookbook for us.
We then headed to our table, champagne in hand to enjoy our 3 course meal. I had Calamari for a starter (which was delicious), Steak for my main, followed by a lovely Apple Crumble for dessert. Arwyn had a baked Camembert for starter, Steak for main and a créme brûlée for dessert. We also had a couple of glasses of Rioja which was divine.
It was so lovely to actually do something special on Valentine's Day. We felt like our old selves again (pre kids). We spent quality, alone time together and chatted about food and memories etc. It was perfect.
I managed to find Arwyn an amazing Valentine's card. We are a big Disney loving family so I couldn't resist this beauty from Design me Pretty on Etsy featuring one of our favourite Disney films. I could have bought her entire shop.
Eva received her first roses from daddy which she loved. Her little face was delighted. She felt so special and she has them on pride of place in her bedroom.
i'm looking forward to Valentine's Day next year now but i'm not sure how we'll top this one.
Visiting Santa at Pugh's Garden Centre has become a family tradition of ours since we first took Eva there in 2014. The theme that year was Frozen which Eva adores. I wrote a blog post about our visit which you can read here, Pugh's 2014. We were lucky enough to be invited this year to experience 'Santa's Magical Candyland'. We knew it would be magical but we didn't know whether they'd be able to make it better than previous years.
Tickets cost £14 per child and £5 per adult. I must admit as a parent, I find that price quite off putting. However, the cost can certainly be justified by the experience. The price includes a 30 minute journey through Santa's Candyland (5 different rooms in total) to eventually meet Santa. It also includes a surprise tasty treat to take home, a toy and a discounted hot drink.
It's advised to book online before visiting to ensure you get a spot. Once you arrive you can wait in the waiting area where you can write a letter to Santa. An elf then calls you in to start your journey to Santa.
You then go through to a room to board a train. This was my favourite part of the experience. It's very realistic and certainly unique. The video is also quite comical for the adults which is always a bonus.
Next up you head to the gingerbread factory where you have to help power things along by throwing balls through holes. Both my girls loved this part.
Then you head to Mrs Claus' kitchen which is beautifully decorated. It looks incredibly festive and cosy.
You then wait in a forest before visiting Santa. Your group visits Santa together but your child has individual time with him for a chat and photo opportunities.
Once the journey ends your child gets to pick their own toy from a wide selection. I think this is a great idea as you know your child will like their gift. I can't tell you how many times we've been to visit Santa in other places and the gift has not been up to scratch.
Overall, the experience was wonderful. The kids thought it was amazing and so did we. There are so many special touches that make Santa's Candyland truly magical and stand out from any other experience in South Wales. I can't recommend it enough.
My only negative comment was the parking. We went on a weekend and the car park was utter chaos which was incredibly stressful. It took us over 45 minutes to park the car. If you are going to visit on a weekend please keep this in mind.
Have you visited Santa this year? Where are your favourite places to visit him?
*We were invited to experience Santa's magical Candyland in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own*
Tickets cost £14 per child and £5 per adult. I must admit as a parent, I find that price quite off putting. However, the cost can certainly be justified by the experience. The price includes a 30 minute journey through Santa's Candyland (5 different rooms in total) to eventually meet Santa. It also includes a surprise tasty treat to take home, a toy and a discounted hot drink.
It's advised to book online before visiting to ensure you get a spot. Once you arrive you can wait in the waiting area where you can write a letter to Santa. An elf then calls you in to start your journey to Santa.
You then go through to a room to board a train. This was my favourite part of the experience. It's very realistic and certainly unique. The video is also quite comical for the adults which is always a bonus.
Next up you head to the gingerbread factory where you have to help power things along by throwing balls through holes. Both my girls loved this part.
Then you head to Mrs Claus' kitchen which is beautifully decorated. It looks incredibly festive and cosy.
You then wait in a forest before visiting Santa. Your group visits Santa together but your child has individual time with him for a chat and photo opportunities.
Once the journey ends your child gets to pick their own toy from a wide selection. I think this is a great idea as you know your child will like their gift. I can't tell you how many times we've been to visit Santa in other places and the gift has not been up to scratch.
Overall, the experience was wonderful. The kids thought it was amazing and so did we. There are so many special touches that make Santa's Candyland truly magical and stand out from any other experience in South Wales. I can't recommend it enough.
My only negative comment was the parking. We went on a weekend and the car park was utter chaos which was incredibly stressful. It took us over 45 minutes to park the car. If you are going to visit on a weekend please keep this in mind.
Have you visited Santa this year? Where are your favourite places to visit him?
*We were invited to experience Santa's magical Candyland in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own*
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