Review: Marco Pierre-White Steakhouse

Cambridge is full of new and exciting places to eat and I love discovering somewhere new whenever I dine out. When I was invited to review the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse at Cambridge's Doubtletree by Hilton hotel, I jumped at the chance to try something new in Cambridge. I have been to the stunning SkyLounge in the Doubletree in Leeds a couple of times now, including a fantastic Great Gatsby poker night, so I knew the hotel was sure to be great quality.

The Doubletree Hotel is hidden away near Fitzbillies towards the river but once you enter the dining room, you are welcomed by fantastic views of the river. I loved watching the cows calmly walk down the riverbank from our table; it really was a stunning location for dinner.

I opted for the Town & Gown cocktail to accompany my meal, a 'Cambridge spin' on a Pornstar Martini, and it was fresh, zingy and refreshing. To start, I chose the rarebit, topped with two poached eggs, whereas my brother chose the calamari. My eggs were perfectly poached and a delicious addition to the rarebit on sourdough. 

However, the meal was always going to be all about the steak. I couldn't wait to try my sirloin steak, simply accompanied by salad, vine tomatoes and chips. My steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked exactly as ordered - and my brother proclaimed that his T-bone steak was the best steak he'd ever tried. For me, the best steak needs no accompaniment to distract from the great cooking and Marco Pierre White's ethos is clearly the same. 

To finish the delicious meal, we both chose the chocolate brownie and ice-cream. Personally, I would have liked the brownie to be warm but I loved this rich and indulgent end to the meal. Cheese, steak then chocolate is pretty much my dream meal! I can't wait to head back to the Doubletree by Hilton to either the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse or just for some cocktails by the river. The location was stunning and the food more than lived up to its environment. 

Have you tried Marco Pierre White's Steakhouse? Where was the best steak you have ever tried?

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Sticks 'n' Sushi Review

A couple of years ago, I had never tried sushi. My family's various allergies to seafood ruled out fish-based dinners and there was a distinct lack of sushi restaurants around Cambridge. However in the last few years, the mainstream chains have descended on Cambridge and I tried sushi and discovered that, luckily, I am not allergic to it - and in fact, I find it very tasty!

Sticks N Sushi is the latest addition to the sushi scene in Cambridge but it's a special one. Priding themselves as sushi for "people who don't like fish," it offers a huge variety of dishes to choose from, all beautifully presented and full of flavour. I want invited down to their soft launch, where press and bloggers were treated to an array of dishes before the official opening. 

We were probably the pickiest eaters in the room - a vegetarian and a non-tuna eater. However our friendly waitress wasn't phased by our requests and promised us a four course meal appropriate for our requirements. 

There was a lot of delicious food so I will simply mention some of my highlights. The warm, soft avocado starter was one the best I've tasted which sounds silly given it was so simple but it was served perfectly. The wonderfully tender beef Yakiniku stick melted in my mouth and I could have eaten ten of them. The wasabi caeser sauce which accompanied the breaded duck Kushi Katzu had the perfect kick. The vegetarian options were also pretty tasty - my favourite being the Mamma Mia rolls, made from avocado and cucumber. 

And who would have thought a sushi restaurant would have such a fantastic array of desserts? Pudding is often overlooked in these restaurants but the desserts were absolutely fantastic - I can't be the only one who wants to order all 12 for £30! My friend and I were fighting over the last scrap of the chocolate fondant and I've heard plenty of recommendations for the liquorice creme brulee. 

For me there was only one reason to prevent me heading back every single week; price. Dishes range from £2.20 to £9 a plate but the 'tapas' nature of the dining means the costs can soon add up. However, you can't deny the quality of the dishes and it is the perfect restaurant for a special meal. When I head back, I want to try one of the platters, most of which cost around £20 

Sticks N Sushi is a sushi restaurant but on a whole new level. It's produce is fantastic quality, the food is hugely varied and deliciously tasty and the atmosphere is modern and slick. I would highly recommend a visit, especially if you aren't a fan of fish or haven't tried sushi before, as this is the perfect place to discover something new.

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Bad Brunch at All Bar One

I was recently kindly invited to review All Bar One's brunch menu in Cambridge. As a late riser who rarely eats breakfast, brunch is my dream meal and I love spending a weekend catching up with friends over food and cocktails. Therefore I was really excited about treating my parents to brunch in Cambridge - and disappointed that it didn't turn out the way I had planned!

I had reserved a table weeks ago and phoned to try and change the time a week before our visit. This is when the problems started; four attempts later, at various different times on different days, and I still hadn't got through. I finally got through one day before and was assured that my reservation would be changed.

When we arrived on Saturday morning, the restaurant was quiet and, after waiting for a few minutes for a waitress, were told we could sit anywhere - there wasn't a reserved table for us after all. As it was a quiet day, this wasn't an issue but why take table reservations at all then? Our order was taken fairly quickly but service was generally slow, especially as the restaurant was so quiet.

Our teas and coffees arrived accompanied by, bizarrely, a shot glass each filled with Smarties. A side of chocolate with your tea, whether you are a chocolate lover or not, did feel odd at 11am! When our food arrived, it looked fantastic - the presentation was definitely the best part of the meal. I had ordered the 'Protein Power Up' breakfast, my Dad had opted for the Full English and Mum had chosen pancakes.

My Protein Power Up consisted of smoked salmon, avocado and a poached egg, accompanied by seeds. My egg was perfectly poached, but cold, and my avocado slices were rock hard and impossible to eat. However, I did enjoy my smoked salmon and the various seeds added some texture to the dish. My Dad enjoyed his Full English, particularly the bacon, but also commented that his dish was lukewarm at best.

However, my Mum's pancakes were completely inedible. They tasted straight out a packet and were floppy and dense. They were accompanied by furry bananas and a handful of strawberries and blueberries, without any raspberries as mentioned on the menu. The oddest part was the ice-cold maple syrup to pour over - the whole dish was cold, and nothing like the light and fluffy pancakes I expect at brunch.

I think it's important to write honest reviews on my blog and for me, All Bar One's brunch simply wasn't up to scratch. The service was poor and my Mum's breakfast was completely inedible; we left feeling really disappointed and that's not how I want to feel after brunch!

Have you tried All Bar One's brunch menu? What did you think? Where's the best place you've ever had brunch?

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

The Cambridge Gin Festival

Two of my favourite words, gin and festival; put them together and you've got a special event. When I heard that a Gin Festival was coming to Cambridge, I couldn't wait, and it seems like the rest of the Cambridge population felt the same way as the event promptly sold out. Luckily I was offered a pair of press tickets for the event so my mum and I headed down on a Friday evening to check out the various gins on offer - over 100 of them!

Entry to the Gin Festival was £8.35 but this included a 2016 Gin Festival glass, a book describing all the gins on offer at the festival, a pen and a badge. I think the glass was worth the ticket price alone and I can't wait to add the 2017 glass to my new collection!

The glass was used to try out the gins. 4 gins, accompanied by tonic and garnish, cost £20 and worked on a token system, meaning that there was no need to scrabble for change at the bar. This made the process much smoother and I loved that each gin had its own unique garnish, specially chosen to complement the gin. It was a fantastic to try some more unusual gins and we even tried a Palma Violet flavoured gin by Zymurgorium. I also couldn't resist trying the Cardiff Dry by Eccentric Gins, which was created as a result of a social media competition - we dubbed it the 'bloggers' gin' and it's the next bottle I plan to buy! 

Further to the bars, there were six stalls each featuring a different gin, testers and sellers to explain their product. I loved the Masons Yorkshire Tea flavoured gin, which smelt and tasted of Yorkshire Tea, but my Mum hated it - definitely one to try! These stalls gave to the opportunity to try before you buy and it certainly worked, as we went home with a bottle of Cambridge Dry Gin and Sir Robin of Locksley.

If you are a gin lover, the Gin Festival is a must to discover new and exciting gins to add your collection. It's touring all over the UK so find out when it's next near you - and Cambridge Gin Festival I will see you in 2017! 

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Allotment Cafe at Novi

Before I start talking about food (and I promise that the food is worth the wait) I wanted to say hello after an unintentional break, which some of you may have noticed. I've now got a full-time job, which is wonderful, but it is tiring stuff! I have new awe for all of you who blog daily and work a full-time job, as I have struggled to write anything in my first two weeks of my career. However, this weekend I met up with some fellow Cambridge food bloggers to try out Allotment Cafe pop-up in Novi and treating my taste buds seems to have inspired my creative juices too - hurrah!

So let's talk about the food...

Novi in Cambridge is a fun premise which I have wanted to try for a long time. It's a permanent coffee bar, which also offers tasty smoothies and delicious cocktails all year round. However, when it comes to the food, it is always changing. Novi hosts various pop-ups from the local Cambridge food scene from Thursday to Sunday and this rotates on a daily and 'termly' basis. At the moment, Allotment Cafe is the main independent on offer, providing brunch from Thursday to Saturday 9am-4pm. Then in the evening, there is a different independent to eat from each day - check out their website to see what's on at the moment. I'm already planning my visit to Steak and Honour burgers on Saturday evening!

I love the concept of Novi and the chilled ambience and tasty coffee means that I am sure to return to try the various independent pop-ups on offer. Today it was the Allotment Cafe's turn. Fresh, vibrant and with a true 'taste of nature,' Allotment Cafe certainly hit the spot for a healthy, nourishing and filling brunch. I chose the cheese and toast; cheese served on sourdough bread with apple slices, fresh seasonal leaves and tiny cucamelon pickles. The pickles provided a pleasant burst of flavour and how can you go wrong with cheese on toast? Although I must admit that I was slightly jealous of Claire's perfectly poached egg on beetroot hummus atop an English muffin. Oh, and Pina's rainbow beetroot ribbons salad... I really could have eaten anything on the menu! The brunch menu constantly changes and you are sure to have plenty of delicious options to choose from.

I also managed to find room for a slice of the carrot and parsnip vegan cake. I was intrigued by the vegan nature of the cake and I found it pleasantly moist, if slightly oily. The icing was definitely the highlight, although I have no idea how it was made! The cakes were very popular and I'd recommend ordering quick before they are snapped up! 

If you haven't headed down to Novi yet, it really is a must on the Cambridge food scene. Make sure you pop down soon before the Allotment Cafe finishes its scrumptious stint!

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

A Snug Christmas

A few weeks ago, I was invited to another wonderful event at The Snug. You may remember my overexcited post about a certain gin-tasting event, so when an invite to try out The Snug's Christmas Menu dropped into my inbox, I couldn't wait to throw on a Christmas jumper and bring out the Christmas songs! 

The Snug is a chain of seven restaurants down South, including Cambridge, St Albans and High Wycombe. They offer great value food and unusual cocktails, often with a 2 for 1 offer - I do love a bar that offers more alcohol for your money! For Christmas, The Snug are offering more than a traditional turkey roast. Instead, they are sticking to what they do best - burgers, platters and great cocktails, but with a festive twist.

I loved the platter we were given, full of moreish chicken, cheesy mozzarella sticks and zingy jalapeño cheese bites - a little bit for everyone, whatever their tastes. My vegetarian plus one also loved his veggie platter, especially because he got it all to himself! I was also extremely impressed with the steak we were served. Honestly, steak isn't something I would normally order in a bar-restaurant like The Snug but it was cooked perfectly. Pink in the middle with a little caramelisation on the outside, it melted in the mouth and was so tender, served simply with chips. I also enjoyed the brie, bacon and chicken burger - the brie and bacon made the burger Christmassy but it didn't feel too gimmicky as it was still tasty. 

The cocktails were, as ever, excellent. I loved the miniature milk bottle cocktails which arrived with the festive platter and they were a great way to sample the cocktail menu. We were also treated to a demo and tasting of The Snug's festive cocktails, including a Mince Pie Martini, a Candy Cane flavoured cocktail and a Brandy cocktail, which was impressively set on fire by our bartender. There's nothing quite like flames to get into the spirit of Christmas right? 

Have you tried The Snug? What do you think of their festive offerings?

Have you entered my giveaway to win Sue Perkins' autobiography yet?

*I was invited to sample the food and drink at The Snug free of charge, but of course my views are my own*

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Winning at Ginning

Oh, gin. My favourite spirit, I love it with tonic or bitter lemon - I'm not fussy which. I also love learning about it, as there are simply an overwhelming range of varieties of gin available and there is always more to try! So when The Snug invited me to their Gin Masterclass, I couldn't wait for a gin-teresting evening:

Last Christmas, I headed to the English Spirit Company Distillery in Dullingham and learnt about all the spirits they create at the tiny Cambridgeshire distillery. It was fascinating so I was excited to revisit the topic of gin for another evening! 

For our gin masterclass, we got to taste five gins - Beefeater, Hendrick's, Adnam's Copper House, Bulldog and the Cambridge Distillery Gin. I had tried the first three gins before but it was a completely different experience trying them with a dash of water rather than mixer - it's a method I'd recommend to really taste a gin with no distractions. We started with the mainstream gins before moving to the more specialist (and expensive) gins. I was really excited to try the Cambridge Dry Gin as it's simply out of my price range and I wanted to try a top-end gin. However, my favourite was actually the Bulldog London Dry Gin, which was unlike any gin I've tried. It was delicious neat, which shows how good it is served with a mixer! However, I can't manage to track it down as my local Waitrose has stopped selling it - I need locate a bottle for my gin collection!

After we had tasted our fair share of gin, I definitely needed something to soak up the booze and The Snug promptly brought out some chicken wings. The Dante's Inferno wings really were super hot and since I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to heat. my favourite were the Lemon and Pepper chicken bites. I love that you can choose a variety of heats, as well as either boneless or buffalo wings - perfect if anyone is picky about eating meat off the bone. 

I was seriously impressed with the range of gins and cocktails, as well as the knowledge of the staff, at The Snug and can't wait to head back - are you a gin fan? Which is your favourite?

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Pizza Express Autumn Menu

A few weeks ago I was invited to review the new Autumn menu from Pizza Express at the Newmarket branch, near Cambridge. I was really excited to get the opportunity to review something in my home-town as I’ve never had a blogging opportunity there before:

I find that all Pizza Express restaurants are clean, well-decorated and have a great variety of sizes of tables, perfect for two people to dine or twenty. I had browsed the new Autumn menu before our meal and I immediately knew what I wanted to try – the menu was full of some of my favourite things. To start, I was pleased to see that Calamari has made its way onto the menu as I absolutely love fried squid. It can be hard to get right in the UK, and I am very picky as a result of spending my summers since childhood eating fresh Calamari throughout Greece. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the Calamari at Pizza Express, they were slightly chewy but the batter was very good and the dip was delicious. I also thought the fried squid were well priced for a fish starter, at just £5.75, and they were an enjoyable start to the meal. They went really well with the Soave DOC I had chosen, a new Italian white wine added to the menu which was crisp and refreshing.

For my main course, I chose the Autunno pizza. If I could design my own pizza with any toppings, this would probably be the pizza I would choose; butternut squash, goat’s cheese, chorizo and plenty of chilli. It was delicious; full of heat which I love when the weather gets colder and on a light and crispy base. There were so many toppings on the pizza, every bite was slightly different and I wouldn’t hesitate to choose this pizza again. My friend Katt from What Katt Eats chose the Pennette Bolognese, which was also new to the Autumn menu, and she also really enjoyed her main meal. Thumbs up on the main courses!

The salted caramel profiteroles were my choice for dessert, accompanied by a mocha. I was feeling pretty full by this point and I always like that you can choose a smaller dessert and coffee in Pizza Express. I was really excited to try the profiteroles but unfortunately they were my least favourite dish of the night. I had envisaged traditional-style profiteroles, with salted caramel rather than chocolate smothered on top, but these were entirely encased in a very sweet caramel-flavoured exterior. They somehow just didn’t taste fresh and I think I should have chosen something less sweet to finish my meal, as it left me feeling a little stodgy and full of sugar. If you have a sweet tooth, these would be a perfect dessert but they just weren’t for me.

The waiter was obviously fascinated about blogging and I actually headed back to Pizza Express the following day, thanks to a birthday voucher I had received entitling me to a free bottle of prosecco – sign up to their newsletter if you haven’t already! It was great to see that everyone was being treated with the same level of service as I had received the night before and I was happy to get to answer a few questions the staff wanted to know about the crazy world of blogging. Overall, I was really impressed with Pizza Express and their new Autumn menu; there are an impressive range of new dishes and drinks and each one has clearly been designed over a long and careful process to create creative dishes full of flavour. 

Have you tried the new Autumn menu at Pizza Express yet?

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Blogtography Workshop

Last week, I headed to Cambridge for a Bloggers' Photography Workshop which had been kindly set up by Karen from I Don't Like Peas. I always admire Karen's photography on both her blog and Instagram so when I heard about a chance to have a picnic, socialise with some fellow bloggers and learn how to use my camera better, I was excited to get involved:

I feel like my photography is one of the weaknesses in my blog; yes, I own a DSLR but I am lazy about using the Auto settings and never feel like I am making the most out of my equipment. Some of my fellow bloggers had brought an incredible spread of goodies and we quickly set up a huge picnic to both eat and photograph. Karen chatted to us a little bit about composition and thinking about drawing the eye around the image like you might read the page of a book.

The other main thing I learnt was the importance of props. For example, the plate of brownies looks so much better on a vintage plate, accompanied by interesting fabrics, some bunting and totally adorable miniature golden pineapples. I've started collecting bits and bobs to make my images more visually interesting and add some texture to a potentially flat-looking image.

I also learnt to switch up my settings and the secret basically seems to be a high ISO and the AV setting (if you use a Canon like I do). I normally shoot on P or M, but check out the difference between the photo on the left on P versus the photo on the right on AV. Totally dreamy right? I love the super blurred background and how the raspberries pop as a result. It's definitely my new favourite camera setting!

I then tried to put everything I'd learnt into practice the following day. I was kindly sent these special edition Diet Cokes* and the packaging was so pretty I wanted to do it justice. The bottles were designed by JW Anderson and I love the striking pattern and pixelated shapes. They're a bargain at just £1,95 each and could easily be used as props once they're empty. I also had a some of Betty's wonderful Fat Rascals sent to me by Kel from Adventures in Tea and Cake; she knew I'd a tough week and what better way to cheer me up than some of my favourite Yorkshire treats? They didn't last very long after this photo, I will admit!

Do you have any top photography tips? How do you raise your blog photos to the 'next level?'

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Review: Wasabi, Cambridge

Last night, I headed to the hotly anticipated launch of Wasabi in Cambridge. Since I've been running my giveaway for a £40 voucher to spend at any Wasabi, I've been itching to actually try this sushi I've been promoting and I wasn't disappointed:

The Cambridge Wasabi has been hotly anticipated by everyone I've spoken to and as we arrived at the event, there were plenty of passers-by stopping and checking out the new restaurant. Rumour has it that over 120 people queued for the official opening today at midday but we were lucky enough to be treated to a sneak peak before the opening. The decor is futuristic and sleek and the eating area is full of light. The long wooden tables are communal, in a similar style to Wagamamas, but it doesn't feel crowded or like a canteen. The location is fantastic, near Boots and the Lion Yard Shopping Centre and the fact that it is open til 9pm every day is a huge bonus - perfect for a lunch whilst shopping or a pre-cinema dinner.

Most importantly, however, what is the sushi like? Much fresher and tastier than other chain brands (I'm looking at you, Yo Sushi) and far more affordable than I was expecting too. For example, the 'Harmony set' features 18 pieces of sushi and is just £6.99, or you can mix and match your own sushi for as little as £1 for two avocado or cucumber hosomaki. It's cheap enough to be brave with your choices and try something a little out of your comfort zone. Some of my favourites included the salmon nigiri, the crabmeat and avocado hosomaki and the chicken teriyaki roll. The Aloe Vera drink is also worth trying as I found it to be really refreshing and a little bit different. My only criticism would be that the soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi are all 5p a packet to add to your sushi, which seems a little stingy when I would argue that these are all necessities to accompany sushi.

I had created the ultimate test for Wasabi by bringing along a friend who had spent a year in Japan and is heading to Tokyo to teach in just a month's time. If there was anyone who they needed to impress, she was the one to convince! However she was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the sushi and the affordability and gave it a thumbs up - success! We were both a little underwhelmed by some of the hot dishes, although the rice was deliciously sticky and full of flavour, but some of our fellow diners who weren't too keen on sushi preferred these dishes. Therefore, I think these dishes are perfect for those who are perhaps a little wary of sushi, meaning there is an option for most people. Next time, I plan on trying the tempura prawns and the pumpkin croquette salad set - delicious!

If you want to try Wasabi, remember that there is one day left to enter my giveaway to win a £40 voucher to spend at any of the UK branches - that's going to buy a lot of sushi! Have you tried the new Wasabi in Cambridge yet? Let me know what you thought!

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Review: Charlie's Coffee Company

Happy Monday! Today I wanted to write a review of my current favourite place to eat in Cambridge: Charlie's Coffee Company. Located near Primark and the Grafton Centre, it offers authentic stone-baked Italian pizzas and great drinks and has become my favourite place for lunch or coffee:

Last weekend, I headed to Cambridge with an old housemate from university who had never visited the city before and I naturally chose Charlie's for lunch. We couldn't resist sharing a gigantic 16" pizza and opted for the Dr Johnny, a spicy pizza topped with pepperoni, smoked mozzarella, olives and rocket. Charlie's is unique because of the wood fired pizza oven which sits in the centre of the café. You can sit and watch as your pizza is handmade and cooked in the hot stone oven right in front of you; the food is that fresh. I love watching my food being made and you can see the skill and enjoyment put into the cooking process. Not to mention that this massive stone baked pizza only cost us £16 and this was one of the more expensive options, which worked out as a bargain lunch at just £8 each for such a fresh and delicious meal.

We chose some homemade iced rose tea to accompany our pizza as it was a hot and sunny day but the hot chocolate is another of my favourite things at Charlie's. It's a proper thick hot chocolate, accompanied by a miniature jar of marshmallows and a glass of water. As someone who is used to getting a glass of water to accompany my coffee in Greece, this is a sign of something rich, luxurious and strong! I would definitely recommend it if you try there. The entire café is friendly and welcoming; Charlie the owner is generally working behind the till and all the staff go over and above to ensure that you have a fantastic meal and experience. It's somewhat of a hidden gem and I am so happy to have discovered it - so of course I had to share it on here.

Have you tried Charlie's Coffee House? Is there anywhere else you would recommend in Cambridge - I want to try everywhere!

Is sushi more your thing? Then don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a £40 voucher to spend at Wasabi!

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

Giveaway: Win a £40 Wasabi voucher

I love food and I love sushi - a fact which is odd in my family, as almost every other member of my family is hugely allergic to it. Wasabi is a great chain which offers high quality sushi as well as hot Japanese dishes and I've been itching to try it for a while. When I discovered that Cambridge was finally opening a store I was so excited! The sign outside the store reading 'Opening Spring 2015' has been taunting me from April so I might have let out a little squeal of joy when an invite to the VIP Press Opening of the Cambridge Wasabi landed in my inbox.

Imagine my excitement when I then discovered that Wasabi will be officially opening in Cambridge on Thursday 18th June and the first 25 customers at 12pm will receive free sushi every month for a year. How amazing is that? What an excuse to fill yourself with sushi at every opportunity! I will definitely be in that queue as there will also be plenty of free samples being handed out to the crowd even if you aren't one of the first 25.

In order to promote this amazing opening deal, and allow those of you who can't make the opening a slice of the action, Wasabi have given me a £40 voucher to give away. This voucher is for any Wasabi restaurant, so you don't even have to be in Cambridge to get your hands on some free sushi. All you have to do is enter my Rafflecopter giveaway below. The competition will close on the 19th July, so even if you don't manage to get a whole year of free sushi, you might still win £40's worth!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of luck to everyone - get entering, tweeting and joining that queue on the 18th June! I also need some recommendations - what is your favourite dish from Wasabi?

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -

#CambMeetUp

I love meeting local bloggers and have missed my amazing Leeds bloggers since moving down South. However, it turns out there are some pretty nice bloggers in Cambridge too and I recently got the chance to meet a few of them at the #CambMeetUp. The meet up itself was held in Revolution and I was amazed by how many bloggers there were in Cambridge, after assuming that there were hardly any of us! Pippa, from Clashing Time, did an incredible job of involving a huge range of brands to talk about their businesses and even treat us to some goodies. It was a brilliant mix of some very well-known brands and smaller independent companies.

The Million Dollar Moisturiser from Lush is an intense facial moisturiser, with the added benefit of SPF 15. It's a little heavy for me to wear on a daily basis underneath makeup, but I think it'll be great in Summer to provide some sun protection. I'll be taking it to Croatia with me next month! We were also treated to a miniature L'Occitane's Cleansing Oil. I love my The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil, so it's great to compare the two as I think they're a great part of my beauty regime. The L'Occitane version is very gentle and the size is perfect for travelling.

There were also some independent brands who I hadn't come across before. I love the cute cake-themed badges from Jilly Jilly - they couldn't be more perfect for me! This beautiful scarf from Lisa Angel was also so generous. I love the tie-dye and purple tassles, along with the motto 'we are made out of stars, you and I.' Finally, what better theme for a Cambridge meet up than a bicycle necklace? This one is from Claireabellemakes and is a cute addition to my jewellery collection.

There were also some tasty treats from Chocolat Chocolat and Kettle Chips, which were obviously demolished before I got round to photographing them! I'd also like to thanks The Blogger Programme for helping Pippa with her meet, and of course Pippa again for allowing me to meet some lovely local bloggers!

All products included in the #CambMeetUp Goody Bag.

Jess

- Bloglovin . Twitter . Instagram -