International Eateries: Armani Ristorante, Dubai

Dubai is one of my favourite places in the world. 

Be it a quick weekend away to blow off some steam, or a week long splash in the sun- Dubai caters to all needs Luxurious, Cultural or otherwise. Having been close to a ridiculous amount of times, I've become somewhat of a "Little Black Book" to my friends of places to go & see and more importantly...where to eat! [All that gallivanting in the sun makes a girl hungry!]

I couldn't give out all that knowledge without sharing it with my readers now could I? 

If indeed you're looking for an evening of delicious food, fabulous service and beautiful surroundings [both people and architecturally], then you're going to want to head to the Armani Hotel's Ristorante located in the tallest building in the world- The Burj Khalifa. 

Strut through the doors into the opulent foyer [stiletto warning here ladies: the floors are slippery] and be greeted by this interesting fellow... 

Hey, I'm in it for the food! 

Walk your way through the marble clad corridor into the Armani Ristorante and let the absolutely immaculate service of the Armani Hotel begin. We were greeted by our dedicated Maitre d' who escorted us through to the bar area. Pre-dinner, order a round of cocktails and soak in the beautifully neutral decor illustriously draped in the finest fabrics and upholstery [can you tell I was a fan?] 

"Your table is ready"... my 4 favourite words. 

Skip through the restaurant to your table, dedicated member of staff on hand to delicately place you in your seats. 

There's even room for your accessories [a man after my own heart.]

"May I bring you something special from the kitchen?" sung our waiter. 

Why yes- you may! 

A round of the freshest fillet of seabass drizzled in the most creamy cauliflower sauce topped with caviar and capers- definitely one I'll attempt to recreate at home! Needless to say... 

It didn't last very long. 

I can't stress how wonderful the service was at The Armani Ristorante- staff were attentive and catered to our every whim and fancy- so much so that I started to get the sniffles from the over active air conditioning and our Mary Poppins of a Maitre d' magic'd up a pashmina to keep me warm! Now that's what you call service. 

On to the main event- I went for the Risotto Scampi- Langoustine Risotto served with Green peas, and chives.

Now, it may not be a looker but weren't you always told not to judge a book by its cover? And in this case- that's 100% right! It was lip-smackingly delicious!

Full yet? Not in the slightest. The dessert menu isn't one that you want to miss out on! Playing a game of ubiquitous menu roulette- we left our dessert choices up to our wonderful waiter- what was to come was just proof of how wonderful he actually was! 

A golden sphere filled with Creme caramel, White chocolate truffle and Raspberry sauce

 A smorgasbord full of pralines and truffles

And if that wasn't enough- a platter of petit fours...

To die for! 

The Armani Ristorante offers the best in sleek, elegant and quite simply delicious dining. From the golden menus through to the parting white roses all women receive, the immaculate attention to detail is exuded through the strong service team- making this an absolute must visit when you're in Dubai.

I think it may be time to open one in London!

The Swimsuit Edit

After being bound to London for the last month the countdown to my next holiday excursion begins!

At the end of this month I’ll be jetting off to the Caribbean for a little island hop and a much needed frolic in the sun! 

In an attempt to avoid my signature last minute meltdown at the lack of swimwear available at the nth hour, I’ve started to have a browse before hand and am pleased to say that the range of swimwear available to the buying public at the moment is quite honestly... awesome!

I’m absolutely loving the rise of swimwear designers that are specializing in bespoke beach and poolside solutions as oppose to the normal derelict ‘off the rack’ approach that has been around for years!

My current top 2 picks for being beach wear ready this summer? Well I’m glad you asked!

The number one spot has to go to Kimberley London- home to a capsule collection of luxurious swimwear made from the finest Italian fabrics. 

The pieces are elegant with an edge of flirtation that is flattering to any woman’s form, guaranteed to have you swishing around in the water without a care in the world! Any to make it even better- they’re named after some of my favourite places in the world! My favourite pieces from the collections has to be:

Left to Right: Monaco, Beverly Hills, California 

You can find them all right here.

I discovered Melissa Odabash while on holiday in Dubai.

 The ultimate in luxury holiday wear, the message from Melissa’s collection is simple. Beautifully designed pieces with timeless style. You can dress these up for a day time pool party, or lounge around on the beach for a day of strawberry daiquiri’s and volleyball- they’re that versatile! My favourite from the collection is this Naples Halterneck Swimsuit

And this expertly crafted Orlando Halterneck Bikini.

Increase the wear factor by throwing on some of her delectable swimwear accessories such as this 

Elizabeth Lace Kaftan available in Black and White available here.

   

Fabulous swimwear at the touch of a button- Let the countdown to holiday season begin! 

Elvira Vintage

Fashion is one of those things that is forever evolving.

Collections are constantly being changed and created, hem lines are consistently going up and then down- which makes dressing up for us girls a tiresome act. But while there’s currently a phenomenal focus on preempting next season’s trends and things to come- the question is what are we waiting for?

I’m a big fan of rummaging around in closets and pairing key pieces from yesteryears with updated versions of a look, and no I don’t mean those too cool for school Pocahontas leggings or neon floral number your mum once put you in- do not even try and deny it!

With a mission to provide a distinct service that allows classic styles to be interpreted in a very present fashion culture, Elvira Vintage is the go to for internationally sourced vintage clothing and accessories... and what’s better you can shop from the comfort of your couch!

My favourites from the present collection include this 1980’s Shopper from Cartier...

This Celine Link Print Pure Silk shirt- courtesy of the ‘70s

This Dapper fur felt fedora with black accents

This vintage fitted cut out mini dress 

And admittedly I've fallen slightly head of heels for this slightly wacky Moschino Graphic Monochrome Jacket

Straight from the 80’s thank you very much!

Elvira Vintage tends to have pop-up shops that launch in a number of London based locations- but follow their twitter page to get more information on up-coming ones!

In the mean time- kick back, make yourself a Hazelnut Hot Chocolate, swaddle yourself in a blanket and shop away! 

Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

I'm a Starbucks girl- through and through. 

Come what may- the little affairs that I may have with the Costa's and Pret's of the worlds- my loyalty rarely wanes from the green twin-tailed mermaid [I kid you not- that's what it actually is!] 

However, the Starbucks I totter past every day, the Starbucks Barista that I greet with a beaming smile, the Starbucks counter I drum my finger tips on while I patiently  impatiently wait for my morning pick me up- was out of Hazelnut Syrup.

Regular Coffee? Regular Hot Chocolate? Didn't quite do it for me at all! 

To avoid any future heartbreaks and desolate expressions- one, sleepless, Monday in the wee hours of the morning I decided to experiment- and "Eureka" did I crack it! 

This is my recipe for the most sumptuously decadent Hazelnut Hot Chocolate of all time. If you've had a rough day and need a "hug in a mug" or looking for that sugar kick to get your morning started- this is just what the doctor ordered! And what's better- it is oh so simple!

For 1 Large Hazelnut Hot Chocolate:

Chocolate Sauce 

Splashing's of Hazelnut Syrup 

Instant Horlicks 

Carte D'or Vanilla Ice Cream 

1 large mug of semi-skimmed milk 

2 tbsp of double cream

1/4 Cup of Water

1 Cup Golden Caster Sugar 

Twinings Swiss Chocolate Powder 

Kenco Instant Rich Coffee 

Sizeable amounts of Nutella 

Fire up that hob ladies & gents...

she coo

Heat your Sugar and Water in a pan. Keep stirring and observe closely- warning it'll take a while- until you're left with a golden brown syrup that fills your kitchen with devilish thoughts and smells. Add the cream and put some hip into the mixing. If you're drinking now leave it to cool, if not store this baby in a jar. 

While she rests, pour your milk into a saucepan on low heat 

Just before it begins to boil, spoon in your Chocolate Powder. Now the tub will tell you 3 leveled teaspoons... 

however how heaped is not specified- so go wild! 

Get spooning!

Into the pan it goes! While you're at it, throw in a spoon of your Instant Horlicks, half a teaspoon of Kenco instant coffee and a generous amount of the good stuff...

Starbucks Hazelnut flavour syrup. Once slightly cooled, add a dollop of Carte d'or ice-cream or Nutella into your pan [depending on how nutty you like it] and shake it all together. 

Pour a few glugs of the caramel you made previously into the bottom of your mug, and pour in your hot chocolate, top with cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce! Sit back in your snuggley silks and snuggle down with someone delicious. 

How do you like your Starbucks in the morning?