The Alchemist Nottingham - Review

A few weeks back, we were invited along to The Alchemist in Nottingham to sample their food and explore their kids menu.

When The Alchemist first opened here, I have to admit, I thought it was just a place for adults; an extravagant cocktail venue, not particularly suitable for the mini folk.

But it appears my first impressions were off and the team invited us along to find out just what they have to offer for the little people as well as us grown ups.

Located in the old Prudential Assurance building, one of Nottingham's finest example of Victorian architecture, the sympathetic interior stylings of The Alchemist made much better use of the space than previous inhabitants had done.

The internal design made great use of an alchemy theme, the walls covered in scientific diagrams and the shelves lined with glass flasks and tubing. Even with the presence of a few hen parties, it still felt pretty chilled out. We were seated in a booth and it felt like we were in a little private bubble of our own.

The children's menus come in a little packet with some crayons, it isn't a huge menu but then kids menus never are; however with a choice of wraps or a bento box, it really didn't need to be as these will satisfy even the fussiest eaters in my opinion.

The kids picked what they wanted and set about colouring in, drawing and playing noughts and crosses. I loved that were were several things for the kids to do in their activity books and it pretty much kept them occupied until our food arrived at the table.

The adult menu is extensive and I loved the choice and flavour pairings.  I went for the duck with tender stem broccoli, harissa yoghurt and sweet potato fondant. The combination of sweet potato and spicy harissa worked really well and it was cooked and presented to a high standard.

The children's lunches came in Japanese style Bento Boxes, we use a Yumbox Bento box for school packed lunches and they have always worked really well. The portion sizes were above average and they came with all of the food groups covered.

I obviously had to try a cocktail, our waiter went through the menu in detail explaining the different types and what we could expect from the more theatrical options. I opted for the Tickle Me Pink, a mix of Portobello Road Gin, St Germain, Lime and Nettles. It came with a syringe full of a stingy liquid which you swished in your mouth and it tingled like nettles. It was a fun way to enjoy a cocktail, looking round the room there were lots of different cocktails being delivered to tables and they all looked just as exciting.

I loved the mix of industrial, modern and original features that made up the room, the staff were all really friendly and the service was great. I loved that I was able to enjoy a really tasteful meal out with my children, there were meals to suit all budgets and tastes and although it can get expensive with the addition of cocktails it was a nice treat and is definitely somewhere i'd take the kids back to if I fancied a nice meal with them in tow.

The addition of the children's menu come colouring book is great and the theatrics of the food and drinks made it an enjoyable experience for all.

We were invited to The Alchemist to try their kids menu, all words and opinions are my own.

Learning Through Play with Chad Valley plus Giveaway

I’ve really loved the Chad Valley toys that we have been sent being part of the play panel.  The main reason being, that in each bundle has been something that’s reminded me of my childhood.

We were sent some of the new selection from the 2018 range and there are some absolutely fantastic items included; toys that reignite my love of play and allow me to reminisce and enjoy time with my children.

Included in the most recent play package was the amazing 6 in 1 Multi Games Table, a 100 Piece Styling Dolls Head and the Be U Jewellery Bead Tree Set.

I absolutely love all of them but I wanted to focus on the styling head as it reminded me so much of my Girl’s World from back in the 80s.  That was without a doubt one of my favourite Christmas presents, I even remember looking for it and circling it in the Argos catalogue.

As I have a shorter hairstyle, my daughter doesn’t really get to play with my hair, so I love that she can sit and play with this and brush it as much as she likes.

It comes with plenty of accessories for clipping hair, tying up hair, and simply making the doll’s hair look pretty. The clips and accessories are bright and colourful and can easily be used in my daughter’s hair too.

It comes with a little hairdryer, which sadly is for effect only, but makes a convincing sound.  This is probably the one thing I would change as I think this would really add to the effect, and since it comes with a little bottle for water to help style then it actually blowing out air would make it feel like you were styling the hair.

We have enjoyed playing with all of the toys we were sent, the bead station has been great and allowed me and my daughter to spend some time together making bracelets.

The 6 in 1 Multi Games Table is an immense piece of kit and we haven’t managed to play all of the games yet, but I can see this being the perfect outdoor game for the summer months, especially for parties. It took me a while to put it together but it was well worth it.

To celebrate the new range of Chad Valley toys I have £75 worth of Argos vouchers to giveaway, simply enter via the Rafflecopter form below. (T&Cs apply)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beko DPHR8PB561W Heat Pump Tumble Dryer Review

When we moved into our home three years ago, we inherited a loud old tumble dryer that a member of the family was about to throw out.

It sounded a lot like a small plane taking off, the door at one point had to be taped shut and it was probably the least efficient white good in the house.

So when it seemed to get noisier, I knew it was only a matter of time before it would come grinding to a complete halt.  Lo and behold, it did just that halfway through drying a load of sheets.



I did a little research on the internet to try and find something to replace my old one. Usefully, having no vent built into the utility room (thanks architects!) it needed to be a condenser or heat pump drier and these are usually a little more expensive.

Consequently, I consider myself really rather lucky to have been sent one to review by the folk over at AO.com, the Beko DPHR8PB561W Heat Pump Tumble Dryer.

This dryer not only has a sleek, modern design but also has plenty of great features; the highlight being the internal light, which means you can hunt down that rogue sock hiding at the back of the drum on darker days. It is also quite amusing to watch the washing going round like circus tumblers under a spotlight. 

The sensor drying is a little sensitive and once or twice I've had to add an extra few minutes to finish the drying completely, but this isn’t a big problem for me and I prefer that it stops the cycle sooner rather than over-drying and wasting energy.

The functions are operated via a super-easy-to-understand dial and the water tank and lint filter are easy to empty also. It is quiet (well anything is compared to my old one) and has plenty of functions rather than being just warm or hot, which means I can dry all of the clothes and not just sheets and towels like I would do before. 

With a 24 hour timer, it is great for setting ready to come on first thing in the morning or whilst I am out at work ready for when I get back.

Overall, I love this dryer and would consider it well worth the extra outlay over a standard model.

We were sent this item in return for our opinion on the dryer, all words and images are my own.

Star Wars Toy Collection from Hasbro - Review

Star Wars has long been an obsession in our house, with my son loving the movies and getting most excited about the latest release. With the arrival of Episode VIII in Deecmber just gone, these toys couldn't have come at a better time.

Star Wars Forces of Destiny: Rey of Jakku and BB8 Set - £24.99

My daughter immediately bagged this doll and she absolutely loves it, especially as it comes with BB8 who is a great little character. The doll has a twist action similar to some of her Barbies which means she swipes her lightsaber just like in the movie.

She is very realistic and my daughter has been so in love with her that she came to watch The Last Jedi with us.  I love this character and it is great to have another strong female lead in a film. Princess Leia lead the way in the original trilogy and now we have Rey to carry on the torch of the Light Side. 

This figure is part of the Forces of Destiny range which accompanies a series of animated shorts showcasing heroic women from a galaxy far, far away. It's great to see these female characters from the Star Wars universe being given equal standing with their male counterparts.

Star Wars Forces of Destiny Rey of Jakku Extendable Staff – £29.95

My daughter instantly fell in love with the staff and has been wielding it just like Rey in the film, it is great she can battle against her brother with his lightsaber. The staff is sturdy to say the least, some might even say quite solid and heavy.  You would definitely know about it if you got thwacked during a energetic recreation and I've heard a few yelps to prove it.  The staff also connects with other items from the Bladebuilder range, which I also feature here.

Star Wars Bladebuilders Path Of The Force Lightsaber – £49.99

This Lightsaber switches between blue for the Light Side of the Force to red for the Dark Side, meaning you can fight for good or evil depending on what mood you’re in. I like that it converts and allows the role play to encompass all of the different elements of Star Wars.

Easily interchangeable even for the smallest of hands, it is super easy and comes with batteries already supplied so you can just start playing straight out of the box.

The lightsaber is part of the Bladebuilder system so it can be attached to the staff too to make one really huge lightsaber....um thing. 

Star Wars The Last Jedi Kylo Ren Interactech Figure - £24.99

I have to admit I am slightly disturbed by the voice on this toy, however after seeing the film it is true to the character. The removable helmet revealing Kylo Ren's scarred face is very realistic too, he is a really sturdy doll .

I love the fact then when you shake him the lightsaber glows red and makes those familiar swooshing/buzzing/humming sounds. My daughter and son have been having face offs with the two dolls, it has been great to see them playing together with all of these toys.

Star Wars The Last Jedi Force Link Starter Set – £24.99

The Force Link is described as an interactive play system, which in simple terms means it interacts with various figures vehicles and playsets within the Star Wars toy range that feature the special Forcelink technology.

The wearable wrist-mounted unit plays a variety of sounds and phrases that are triggered by the wearer's motion whilst playing with the linked figures. I can't pretend to understand how this works, but it really quite a unique feature they adds an extra dimension to creative play.

A huge thank you to the guys over at Hasbro for this selection of toys, they have really got the children excited about the new Star Wars films and have ignited their imaginations.

We were sent these toys for the purpose of this review, all words and opinions are my own.

Chad Valley Designafriend Amelia Doll & Fluffy Friends Sitting Dog Plush Review plus Win a £75 Argos Voucher

The children and I are excited to announce that for the next few months, we are part of the Chad Valley Play Panel and will be reviewing some of the fabulous toys they have to offer.

Chad Valley have been part of our lives for many years so we are really excited to have them on the blog. 

"Chad Valley is 150 years old, with a range of over 400 toys exclusively available at Argos. The majority of toys are for babies, toddlers and younger children. 

The really special thing about Chad Valley is that all the toys are designed and developed purely with play in mind. That’s it, just pure play and imagination! So, you’ll see hero products such as the Tots Town Pirate Ship and the incredibly life-like Chad Valley Tiny Treasures New-born Doll , which are incredibly popular as they allow younger children to submerge themselves in pure imagination, creating their own little worlds to play in. That said, older children are important too, which is why you’ll also find ranges like Designafriend and Chad Valley Double Sided Easel offering imaginative fun for children up to the age of nine."

We were sent a wonderful selection of toys to play with but the ones we are going to focus on are the Designafriend Amelia Doll and Fluffy Friends Sitting Dog.

My daughter gasped when she opened the box containing the doll, with long blonde hair it looked just like her, dressed in a super funky pair of leggings and leather jacket it looked the part too. It came with little accessories, including some super snazzy sandals, sunglasses and a little bracelet for my daughter to wear.

The box itself tells you all about the range which is a lovely touch and wrapped in tissue paper she reminds me of a doll from a book I had growing up.

The fact the dolls hair is just like my daughters is great and she was so excited to have a doll that looked just like her, the Designafriend range has dolls with all different looks and styles so whatever your little one is in to there is a doll to suit them.

The Fluffy Friends Sitting Dog has been a favourite with both my son and my daughter, it's been shared between the both of them, it has worn a hat and been covered in a blanket at bedtime. We have more soft toys than I care to remember, but this one has been loved and shared like no other before it. It is exactly as described... fluffy, so very fluffy!!

The whole Chad Valley ethos is "that just 15 minutes of imaginative play a day can make an enormous difference to a child's development". I love this sentiment and certainly feel that all of the toys we were sent enabled the children to do just that.

If you like what you see, then you too can get in on some toy action.  I have a £75 gift voucher to giveaway. The perfect little extra to put towards, dare I say it, Christmas this year.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a collaborative post, all words and images are my own.

My Little Pony My Magical Princess Twilight Sparkle - Review

My daughter is a huge fan of My Little Pony, much like I was at her age and with the release of the new My Little Pony film later this month, I have a feeling that everything MLP is going to be on the Christmas lists of lots of mini folk this year.

The Magical Princess Twilight Sparkle is without a doubt one of the most extravagant toys we've ever had, it reacts to touch and sound and is as bright and colourful as you'd expect a pony named Twilight Sparkle to be.

My daughter practically squealed with delight when she got home and saw the box waiting for her, the fact I had forgotten to buy some batteries did dampen the excitement somewhat but also meant she got to just stare at it for a day which built up the excitement even more.

I feel that this toy is going to split opinion; on one hand for a child it is the epitome of cool. A pony that talks and moves, lights up and is generally everything they want, some adults on the other hand may see it as a little bit robotic as it blinks and talks at you and it detracts from the magic somewhat.

Twilight has over 90 phrases, tells stories and sings songs. If you touch her horn, which lights up and flashes, she talks about her magical spells. You can also change the mode via a button on her hoof, this changes between Friendship, Story, Singing and Spells.

With posable legs you can make her sit down or stand up, although it was a bit tough for my daughter to do and I felt like I was going to break her, though it does state on the instructions to expect some clicking sounds.

Twilight Sparkle has a long colourful tail and mane which you can style and brush and she even has her own tiara to complete the look. I think what sets this apart though is the fact that it responds to your voice and when you stroke her cheek she also giggles.

My daughter has enjoyed playing with Twilight and she is a welcome addition to our vintage and non vintage pony collection, her only one little gripe would be that Twilight seems to repeat herself and I have heard her saying to the pony, "you've just said that".

Magical Princess Twilight Sparkle has an RRP of £134.99 which is quite a lot of money, however with Christmas fast approaching I see this as the big one. For a My Little Pony fan it is the perfect gift and if you can find her whilst she is on offer then she'd make the perfect companion.

We were sent Magical Princess Twilight Sparkle to review, all words and opinions are my own.

A Family Lunch at Ego Mediterranean Restaurant

Last weekend we were invited to Ego in West Bridgford, a new mediterranean restaurant offering great food in a light and airy environment, but most excitingly on a Sunday they offer children's entertainment, to make dining with your little ones that little bit easier.

Both of my children are pretty good when we are dining out, I take books or felt tips to keep them occupied and they usually sit still. However, like most children they do get a bit bored after a while and this is where in addition to a colouring pack on arrival, the children's entertainment comes into its own.

With colouring in, balloon animals and some fabulous scratch art bookmarks the team from Party Crew keep the children entertained whilst you get some time to yourself, whether for a chat or to mull over the menu in peace. It is a great idea and one that I think makes the dining experience for everyone that little bit more relaxed.

On to the food itself, we ordered the Greek Meze to start, a mixture of hummus, chicken, stuffed vine leaves, pittas, cous cous and halloumi. A tasty starter with something on it that both the adults and children could enjoy.

Being a Sunday it meant that they had a Sunday roast on offer, or you could choose from the A La Carte menu, I love a roast but equally the food on the menu really caught my eye. I chose the Andalucian Pork Fillet, tender pork wrapped in prosciutto, pan roasted & served with apricot & sherry cream sauce served with dauphinoise potatoes, it was really tasty and the portion size was generous.

My partner chose Lemon Chicken Milanese, flattened breaded lemon chicken, rocket, sun blush tomato & Grana Padano with lemon caper dressing & skin-on fries, I am told this was rather delicious and the plate was empty so I am guessing so.

For the children they have the standard range of children's option, chicken goujons, pizza, pasta, roast chicken, however since a smaller roast was on offer the children chose to have this instead. And I am glad they did, as what came out was amazing and I was kind of jealous.

The Elfe potatoes, giant Yorkshire pudding and beautifully tender vegetables made for a fabulous Sunday lunch and I think i'll chose this next time we go, because there will be a next time.

Puddings were equally as tasty, with a large range of sweet treats we were spoilt for choice, I chose my one of my all time favourites, Tiramisu, the children both had brownie and my partner had Sicilian Lemon Tart, all very tasty and all eaten rather quickly.

Just outside of Nottingham it is easy to get to and for us is on the way back from Rushcliffe Country Park, one of our favourite places to go for a walk. I think it is safe to say this is one place I will find myself visiting regularly for a Sunday lunch, I have already recommended it to many people.

The staff were all super friendly and attentive, the service was quick and we felt un-rushed, it was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon following a walk.

With the giant roast dinner costing just £10.95 I think this is a great option to get out of doing the dishes on a Sunday. The mains are a little more expensive but the portion sizes are plentiful and the food really tasty as well as being something a bit different. The children's menu is very reasonable costing just £4.95 for two courses.

We all left full and very happy after a wonderful few hours at Ego, the children had a wonderful time and for me if all four of us are happy then that is always a bonus.

We were invited to try lunch for free, however all words, opinions and pictures are my own.