Restaurant of the Week (or not): Del'Aziz

Del'Aziz

Tonight I went for dinner at the middle eastern style restaurant at Westfield, White City, London. 

We decided to go for a selection of starters between us so we could taste lots of different things. The food was delicious, we both really enjoyed it.

However, the big let down was the service, and it let the place down in the extreme. The reason I had picked out this restaurant was because I have a Gourmet Society card and on the website it had a 2 for 1 on main meals at this restaurant. However, despite booking and stating my membership then the evening before I was told when I went to pay that the card wasn't accepted. When I asked to speak to the manager I was given a measly 10% of the bill and there was no sign of the manager. I pushed and finally the manager appeared and proceeded to shout at me and tell me there was nothing he could do, no apology, nothing. 

As you can tell this was not a nice experience and ruined what had been a lovely evening with my friend. Advise...avoid this place like the plague, out of principle if nothing else join with me against REALLY BAD service.

H xx

Restaurant of the week: Automat

Restaurant of the week...each week I'm going to review a different London resturant!

Automat

33 Dover Street, Mayfair, W1S 4NF

This great Amercian Brasserie is lovely full of atmosphere and 'theme'. It isn't a cheap restaurant but the food is good quality and they are generous portions. I went for the burger which was beautifuly cooked! Many of my friends went for Macaroni cheese which looked amazing...just be warned drinks are expensive so it is worth sharing wine if you are with someone and if you are in a group a 12.5% service charge is added.

All in all this resaturant is everything you'd expect from a Mayfair restaurant...so I will be reserving it for special occassions but enjoying it if and when I do go back!

H xxx

Today (well last week) I....joined the gym

So I became a member of my local gym...and when I say local about 10 doors down the road!!!

Fitness First Hammersmith

About 15 months ago I completed a half marathon, it was great and I really enjoyed training for it:

It was hard work but an amazing achievement! However due to my running partner injuring himself I didn't run again after that. So now I'm settled in London I decided it was time to get fit again. Now running is no fun without a partner so I thought to get my fitness levels back up to start with I would join the gym.

Fitness First is great, not only is it ideally located for me but it is reasonably priced at £45.95 a month and lots and lots of fun classes. There is also a one of joining fee of £55, however this includes 3 personal training sessions, a get fit pack and a rucksack. Also - and this is the part that really motivated me, it you attend the gym 20 times (including your 3 PT sessions) within the first 8 weeks you get your £55 back!! AMAZING...especially for someone who enjoys shopping as much as me!!

Keep checking back to see my progress as I attend my PT sessions, Yoga and Spinning!! 

Wish me luck!

H xxx

a date with...Rachel Zoe

So...after a day with LFW yesterday, today I headed to Selfridge's for a talk with Rachel Zoe. 

Her Top Tips:

1. Never dress head to toe in cheetah

2. Be genuinely nice to everyone

3. Work hard, stay late go in early...be willing to do any jobs

4. Don't always follow trends if they don't flatter you

5. Be confident in what you are wearing.

A bit about her..

..she'd love to style The Duchess and she can't pack light.

She was lovely and incredibly down to earth...follow her on twitter here.

H xxx

a date with fashion...SS12

It's that time of year when somerset house takes a look forward to next summer...trying to forget about the lashing rain outside. After all this is LFW!! The only place you can celeb spot Kirsty Allsop, Pixie Lott and Olivia Palermo in the same day!

Enough of that though...lets talk fashion!

Jasper Conran

A stunning collection using sharp soft lines: think pleats, sharp draping, long dresses and stripes. The colour palette was as sharp as the garments monocramtic with a repeat of this summers pop pink and red. 

The whole show was accessorised with white and clear "jelly" inspired sandals and plastic handbags...think perspex box rather than carrier bag.

Jaeger London

All about the 20's and simply cut pieces, straight silhouettes, think tea dresses, shift dresses and straight skirts...and flat sun hats...

All incredibly beautiful and wearable...the colour palette mirrored Jasper Conran to a certain extent with monochrome being a feature again only Jaeger repeated a different additional selection of this summers tones with muted corals, mustards, mints and greens...

 For more SS12 shows visit Sugar and Spice

H xx