"What do you mean by 'bottomless,' exactly?" asked my friend down from Scotland. How do I accurately describe this weekend tradition without sounding like a lush? The correct description of a Bottomless Brunch in my twenties would have been, "it's a challenge to see how much you can drink in a two hour seating." I like to think in my thirties I've matured into a person who believes this is less of a challenge and more of an opportunity to enjoy more than your average number of cocktails as you catch up with friends and family over a glorious meal. In Los Angeles and New York, I've sat for more bottomless brunches than I could possibly recall. And yes, I'm proud to say I can actually recall them all. I'm not sure I can say the same for all of my friends. But, in London the Bottomless Brunch almost seems an oddity. There have been a few, scattered here and there with good champagne and light eats. But, I have yet to come across an establishment that had me wishing to make a regular reservation. Well, that was until I stepped into Hix Mayfair to experience their version of the Bottomless Brunch.
Last Saturday, the man and I slid into our green leather booth at Hix Mayfair, with a view of one of my favorite Tracey Emin neons, and we ordered our first Bloody Mary of the morning. The "jolly" cart was rolled over to our table and we were presented with a cocktail making show and an introduction to our first sip of pure milk vodka. I kid you not. It was incredible and Hix Mayfair have most definitely showcased their talents at mixing a fantastic cocktail.
Now, here's the nitty gritty. You have two hours at your table for Bottomless Brunch at Hix Mayfair. During that time you can choose to either have Bloody Marys or a champagne cocktail (ours was made with rhubarb syrup... delicious). You can even mix the two should you choose. But, there's more. This isn't just a cocktail fueled morning. One may choose from a three course menu featuring supreme specialities from the kitchen of uber chef Mark Hix. From sweet to savory, there's something here for everyone.
My recommendation is to get a great big group of people together for such an occasion. In my experience, six or more is the magic number. This is not to say that going as a couple isn't a great event in itself, but bottomless brunches are meant for crowds of people who are friends or family. Hix Mayfair has only just begun this tradition of Bottomless Brunch, but mark my words - this will become a near impossible table to book in the very near future. It's already decided it will become a regular event in this household. Maybe I'll see you there next weekend?
Info:
Bottomless Brunch at Hix Mayfair takes place every Saturday from 12-3pm. Your group may not exceed 12 people and each table setting is set for a limit of two hours. The brunch is three courses and is £50 per person.
So we thought we'd turn things a bit around for the latest segment of "Are we relevant yet?" and take a question or two from you guys. I mean it isn't so fun preaching all the time. Sometimes it's better to know that you're actually answering a question you might genuinely have, right? Queue the agony aunts of blogging. Mademoiselle Robot and I both took on the following questions and answered them in completely different ways.
1. How do your organize your time?
The simple answer is an iPhone. Ok, that's more the technical answer. But it's really the only way in which I organize my time. I organize meetings, put them in the calendar and that's as organized as I get. Some people plan intensively - I just throw meetings in until I don't have any meeting times left. Sleep is for the weak. Kidding, kidding. Seriously, sleep is important. It's just that I don't get too much of it because I'm so disorganized with my time. That didn't help anyone did it? Or maybe it helps you feel better about being disorganized with your time as well and knowing it's all ok? There you go...
2. How do you deal with gifts/product to be reviewed?
Well, here's a good question, and one that I seem to be asked a lot. Being honest, more than anything I get asked about how much free stuff I get, rather than how I deal with the reviews. The simple truth is that I firmly believe you are only as good a blogger as the items you recommend to your readers. If I tell you guys to buy something and you hate it, there goes your trust for me. I'd say about 1 in 12 items that are "suggested" to me are actually featured on the blog. And for those of you wondering - I still buy most of my clothes. My ass isn't easy to dress from a sample closet. So the American Express still gets a good workout. I'd actually go as far to say that about 85% of the clothes you see on FFG are purchased, not gifted at all. I'm not sure if that makes me seem cooler or more like a loser for having that percentage, knowing what I do for a living, but there you go - the truth will set you free.
3. Do you have an editorial calendar? Do you plan content in advance or is it more a spur of the moment thing?
Never have had a content calendar, never will. Are you starting to see a pattern here? I HATE planning. I find that the fun things in life happen to other people while you're sitting around planning. That also probably means I'll be living in a gutter when I retire because I have no forward thinking. But, I believe in the power of now. Preaching finished.
The real reason I don't have a content calendar is because of the fact that my life itself doesn't lend itself to a content calendar. Things pop up all the time - trips, launches, day to day life experiences - and they shift any cement calendar all out of whack. I'm a list person instead - a priority list person. I keep a word document open on my computer at all times and I add and subtract to it as posts go live. I definitely always need a reminder of what I need to write about - but I'm totally flexible with dates. You never know what might happen next!
4. How do you manage to keep your blog active while traveling?
I bring my laptop. No lie here, folks. I actually work better when I am not in London. You'd be amazed at what you can achieve when you are stuck on a plane with nothing better to do for 14 hours. Thousands of emails get cleared, blog posts for weeks in advance get considered and new creative concepts are born. I also love being able to write from wherever I am in the world. I ALWAYS create my posts the night before they go live. There isn't really any exception to that. And I find my pieces are all the more interesting if they are written from a place with an amazing view.
5. How do you balance the blog as a creative outlet vs the blog as a business?
My business is creativity. Plan and simple, right? Well, not so much. The blog as a business of course has a role to play in my creativity, and vice versa. Since this is my full time job, the way I pay the rent, I have to make sure that business stays good and good business comes from great creativity. And we all know that nothing feeds creativity like pressure, right? Ok, nothing could be further from the truth. Pressure absolutely kills creativity. But, I do have a solution and it goes a little something like this... try to stick with me as I think this may come out as a bit longwinded.
There are times that blogging is VERY difficult, especially when it comes to finances. I made no money for the first couple of years- none. Then, as times started to change, I became a full time blogger who knew nothing about the idea of working freelance and leaving the comforts of an annual and dependable salary behind. But, I wholeheartedly believe that you are never ever thrown something you can't handle and that the risks we take in striking out to pursue something we love can only ever reap rewards - whether they be financially or emotionally fulfilling, or both. Never ever give up on this as a career if it's what you love, if it fulfills you and if it makes you feel like you are doing something in the world everyday that brings joy to yourself and others at the same time. That's a pretty special gift to be given - to be able to play that role in life - and it's one that I absolutely cherish for each day that I'm allowed to see it play out. I never take any of it for granted. And that's how I balance the blog as a creative outlet vs the blog as a business. I never let the business side rule. It's always, always, about the creative first and foremost. When times are tough and the jobs are few and far between, my creativity craves attention more than ever, and from that the business comes.
6. How do you blog if you have a full time job?
I feel like a real expert on this topic as I did it for four years. I worked 12 hour days and spent six hours a night writing on the blog - no lie - but, I've already told you that. The thing I haven't told you, perhaps, is that none of it felt like work at all. I came home every night and I put on a new hat. I continued to do my day job with pride and then I came home and got to have fun. And hey, that fun decided it wanted to take over my whole life.
If you are working full time and then coming home and sitting in front of your computer and feeling as if you are sitting down to a second job, you haven't found your life's passion just yet. Maybe blogging isn't your thing, or maybe the topic you're trying to cover isn't the right fit. Truly, I believe that if you are working a full time job and blogging on the side, the blogging should be as fun to you as a night out with friends. Seriously. This is no joke. I felt alive the first few years of blogging. I wasn't ever sleeping but I felt like I had more energy in life than I'd ever had before. You know it's right - just like you know when you've found the man you're going to marry or the place you are meant to live forever.
Feel like you just received a sermon? Ha! Sorry about that. In closing, I'll just leave you with a little video of quotes from a pretty amazing commencement speech that has always been a reminder for me of how important chasing your dreams really is... Don't let fear rule. Go after what you love with every ounce of who you are. What do you have to lose?
For tall ladies everywhere, this is the year that the footwear Gods have shined down on us. This is the summer of the midi-heel and it's all about a great block cut. They're sturdy, they still have the capability of making your bum and legs look amazing and they won't leave you with feet that wish they could detach from your body after a day of being out and about. In short, midi block heels are just about the best thing trend going this season. Rather then pointing you in the direction of Chloe, Tod's or Celine (who all offer great options to cover this trend), I thought I'd save you a pretty penny or two and point you in the direction of the deals and steals on the great British high street.
So, from online shopping with ASOS to the newbies at New Look, here are five styles that are not only reasonable priced and well heeled, they're style statements that will get you attention on any sidewalk you wander.
Greetings from a journey I embarked on to find some inner piece, mindfulness and basically meaning to life. Nothing more, nothing less. Bare with me while I sort through a world of new exciting photos and excuse a throwback images from last year. Time fucking flies.
Since starting FFG years ago, I cannot tell you the number of restaurants I have had the pleasure of dining in and, ultimately, reviewing. However, I can tell you that there are only a handful, at best, of restaurants where I have left thinking I wouldn't change a thing... ever. Well, last month that list got a little bigger with my introduction to Dani Garcia's Bibo at Puente Romano Resort in Marbella, Spain. Of course one would expect to be greeted by perfection from a two star Michelin chef, but this casual dining experience simply took my breath away. Sure, they do burgers (like nothing you've ever seen), but even I wasn't missing the carnivore's favorite meal when it came time to see the goodies Garcia had placed before us.
From whole marinated seabass to Iberico pork shoulder loin, this was a meal that did not scrimp on flavour nor presentation. Bibo is a culinary arts' paradise. Every single one of the senses is tickled as you dine here. Guests are greeted by what looks like a large octopus attempting to overcome the dining area as they approach their tables - the decor is outstanding. And when they arrive at their playground for the meal, they are given Tarot cards that seem to match personalities with cocktails. Yes, you must order a cocktail here, no matter the hour you are dining. They are meals in themselves. The atmosphere here is jovial, unpretentious and truly a celebration of fabulous ingredients and an incredible imagination.
If I had a rating system, this gem of a find would be scoring off the charts. It is one to add to your list of must dine restaurants for Marbella, Spain. Make your reservations now, however, as this isn't so much a secret anymore. Dani Garcia - you have left me wanting more!
I wanted to talk a bit more this week about the idea of "comparison." I touched on it briefly in last week's "Are we relevant?" and Mademoiselle Robot explored this idea completely last week, while I focused more on talking about creative powers. And you guessed it - this week the lady Robot is talking more about those creative powers. It's a bit of a switcheroo if you will. Off we go, and let me kick off with this statement: the biggest challenge as a blogger is staying relevant in a unique way. Inspiration can find itself anywhere and for most of us, these days, other blogs play a big part in that inspiration. But looking at other blogs can also be disheartening and sometimes drive us all to comparison insanity. So, let's explore...
When I first started FFG, I was pretty much one of the first fashion news sites in the UK that was putting out 10-20 pieces of content a day. But this wasn't an original thought. I was looking at people like Perez Hilton in the USA, digesting daily his massive amount of content and aiming to provide the same sort of service for those looking for fashion information. This was not an example of comparison and never could be as I was looking at a platform that would never be a competitor, simply a driving force for my own creativity. By default, I learned an important lesson early in my career. "Tis better to have inspiration than comparison." Since that point I have tried to digest blogs that compliment my creative side, not resemble it. In this day and age, that isn't easy to do. We now live in a world of blogging where being unique is downright difficult. Sometimes it feels like it's all been done, and ten times over.
I blame a lot of this non-original thought on the pressures that come with comparison. We have become a team of men and women that are ruled by numbers: followers on the blog, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and more. With the launch of every new social network, the masses scramble to be top dog with the most devotees following. How can one not be part of the comparison wheel? Well, first off I'll tell you it is possible. Don't believe me? Read my piece I wrote on turning off the numbers brain. If you are constantly looking sideways to see where your "competitors" are, you will completely lose sight of where you are. This is the truth. I have watched women fall because of these pressures and completely lose their way, and ultimately give up. If you measure success by comparison to others, you might as well hand in your keys to the kingdom now.
But here's a healthy way to use "comparison" to your advantage. Constantly compare yourself to yourself. Ok, sounds ridiculous, but this works. Be your own harshest critic and use your past self to improve your future. Be kind in your judgement but set your own goals. Rather than saying you want to have more followers than a friend, say I want to have more engaged followers than I used to have and actively go out and try to change that. It's possible, and it doesn't require you having ill will towards anyone else.
Now, I say all of this mostly because a lot of my friends are bloggers. And a lot of those bloggers have a hell of lot larger followings than me on a lot of social networks. Well, I could sit and stew about that and constantly look at their pages and try to mimic what they are doing to grow my audience in that way (and yes, I know dozens of people that do this regularly - they blatantly change their style to match the desaturated and white washed pictures that are successful on instagram at the moment), but surely it's better to keep these people as friends, support them creatively and find your own path to greatness? Maybe that's just my own naive mind speaking but I don't understand friendships that have an underlying tone of competition. And yes, I feel like any blog you read or follow these days should feel like someone that's your friend. Hell, even if you've never met the person in the flesh. This isn't Vogue. We're meant to be relatable - not untouchable. Anyone that's forgotten that along the way needs to check out not.
Ultimately, if you stop looking sideways you will never lose, as all you can ever do is improve if you're in the game of moving forward. Creativity doesn't have a losing streak. Sure there are ruts, but as long as you're creating, you're winning. What everyone else is doing, what companies they may be working with or how "successful" the world perceives them to be has absolutely nothing to do with you. That's the God's honest truth. You report to one person in this world and that's yourself. Do you want to be measured by comparison to others? Doubtful!
I'll leave you with few quotes I always like to remember when it comes to this topic. In fact, they've all been part of a bulletin board above my desk at one stage or another:
As I write this, I'm praying you have a holiday planned - not just so you'll have a place to wear this beautiful beach dress, but so that you'll actually get the break you most likely well deserve. Call me crazy but I have this box in me laundry room that's labeled "tropical escapes." Throughout the year I find gorgeous pieces, everywhere from thrift stores to sample sales and I squirrel away these finds in this "tropical escapes" box and hope that the year will provide a destination worthy of breaking out these fantasy items. About two months ago I added one such item...
And yes, that item is staring back at you above. Monsoon and Accessorize have a good way of teasing us all by releasing a holiday shop VERY early in the year. I am pretty sure they think they're doing us all a favor, but I blame them for my hours of daydreaming as I plan out where I'll wear their stunning ensembles. I took a risk on the Ava Lace Dress - not knowing when or where I would wear it but thinking it would be the perfect hotel room to beach lounger dress. In the box it went. Two weeks ago, it came out to play in Marbella, Spain. I can confirm it's everything and more (and still available to buy on the website).
When you live in London, weekend escapes become an essential part of life. You take them whenever and wherever you can get them (funds depending). Whether you're catching a bus to a Cotswolds weekend of coziness or hopping a plane to the continent for some sun before the two week London summer, weekends are all about escaping the city. Over the years I've tried to bring you as many quick and easy retreats as possible and my search continues with the discovery of an oasis of sorts in Marbella, Spain. Allow me to formerly introduce you to Puente Romano.
Earlier this week I showcased a video of some of the highlights of my trip. Let's just say there are certain places you visit where still imagery only tells a third of the story. Moving images were required. Needless to say, I was floored by the magnificence of this resort.
Now, before we move forward, a little history. Puente Romano gets its name from the existing Roman Bridge that guests pass over to reach their accommodation. While the bridge dates back to the first century, the hotel itself was started in 1979. Puente Romano today sits as one of the most prestigious resorts in Marbella. It has a seaside village feel, and for good reason as it has some prime beach front real estate. Only this seaside village is a step up from what you'd expect, complete with several pools, a kicking night club (that's just opened), more restaurants than you have time to visit and service with a very large smile.
The accommodation at Puente Romano is not only spacious (seriously, I could fit my whole London flat in a standard room), it's also chicly designed and given to you for usage with no luxury left to chance. The bathrooms come complete with a shower big enough for six people (don't get any ideas) and a bathroom complete with electric blinds that roll up to reveal a view of the room. Then there's the balcony. I knew the moment I walked in that this was a balcony designed for breakfasts in the room. As I sat, digging into my mountain of strawberries and cream, I took in the delightful smells and sounds of Marbella, Spain. Birds chirping, palm trees blowing in the wind and two swans gracefully swimming in front of my room made me think I had entered a whole different dimension entirely.
And speaking of new dimensions... the food at Puente Romano will set your tongues wagging. No really. You'll want to tell the entire world about your culinary adventures at this hotel in Marbella, Spain. Whether you opt for the two Michelin star restaurant by Chef Dani Garcia, or keep things more casual with a visit to Rachel's, the food here is just unbelievable. They even have a gluten free bakery, people. How thoughtful of the hotel to keep people with gluten allergies in mind! Right?
Alright, it must be said that there's more to do here than just eat - although I could have done that all weekend and I have more to say about that, so leaving for another time. One can also play golf at the local golf club, go horseback riding, visit the beach, take a bike ride into the town centre or just totally zone out at the spa. Guess which activity I took on board? Oh come on, I'm a total spa nut. That was obvious. But this spa was like nothing I had seen before. Again, I think the video is best in displaying this. I'll just say this - Waterfall glass window walls!
Now you've heard all I have to say, or all my fingers can type at this point, about this great weekend getaway from London (but watch out for a vlog on the food). So, how exactly do you get there? Well, the good news is that flights are super simple and very reasonable. I flew on Monarch from London Gatwick and the flight was not only at a decent hour, it was a great price and a VERY comfortable airline. Would definitely use them again. It's an easy win for a getaway to jump straight from the office on a Friday and jet back on a Sunday night. You'll reenter the London workforce with renewed vigour and a killer tan. Won't the other office employees be jealous! Go forth and get thee to Spain on the jiffy!
