Review Archives - Katie Charlotte Blogs

Nokia Lumia 830 Review

As someone who is usually attached to her phone (#bloggerproblems), it’s easy to understand why I was excited when Microsoft approached me to trial one of their Windows phones for a couple of weeks.

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Mega Gloss Review

A couple of weeks ago I picked up this gorgeous gloss by L’Oréal on a complete whim. I was in a Boots store in Devon and felt like I needed a pick-me-up product, something that would make my monochrome attire look a little more colourful. Enter, the Infallible Mega Gloss.

Côte Brasserie, French dining in Cheltenham

As a Cheltonian born and bred I’ve seen restaurants come and go, but when Montpellier Brasserie closed down last summer I was disappointed. Their food and cocktails always raised a smile when I visited and I held fond memories of the place, but I was intrigued to find out who would replace this local dining spot.

Côte is a French chain inspired by Parisian bistros, putting together ‘authentic brasserie dishes with a modern twist‘. From steak to seafood and salads, there is something for everyone to enjoy and I couldn’t wait to tuck in and try what is on offer. Officially opening in Cheltenham on Monday 13th April, myself and a friend got to sample some of the delights a couple days early.

Lunchtime on a Saturday: the atmosphere was lively in an informal yet elegant setting. Friendly faces greeted us as we entered (and departed), the service was efficient and we didn’t have to wait long before our drinks and complimentary nibbles were served. Supervisors were on hand to prompt some of the staff to ensure customers were happy, monitoring the room for further improvements, something that will probably be present for the coming weeks whilst they settle in to their new surroundings. Our waiter was lovely and he was extremely attentive and the quality of the dining experience shone through, even before food reached our stomachs.

We enjoyed a bowl of juicy olives and crusty bread whilst perusing the menu, offering plenty of choice for most appetites. Whilst Sam chose the Boudin Noir as his starter (French black pudding with caramelised apples, poached egg and a frisée salad), I went with an old favourite – calamari.

I was conscious not to fill up on too much fresh bread (despite how tasty it was) in fear of ruining my two courses. Thank goodness I did as the portion of calamari was particularly generous! I’m used to sharing this dish in other restaurants so on average I would expect 6-8 pieces between two people, but there must have been 10+ pieces in this cute little pan of breadcrumbed squid! As my stomach started to shrink I felt like I had been eating a main course, so left the final few pieces for Sam to finish off. Dare I say it it might be the best calamari I have ever had! I would recommend this as a sharing dish though, unless you are feeling particularly ravenous.

For my main I chose the Salmon Fishcakes, a favourite dish of mine, with a baby spinach salad, dill, a wholegrain mustard sauce, and a side of French green beans to compliment the meal. I was slightly full from the starter but found it easy to demolish most of the main course, the only thing I didn’t care for were the number of capers on my plate – perhaps an ingredient that should be mentioned on the menu. Sam ordered the roasted duck breast with gratin potato and a griottine cherry sauce, and after trying a mouthful of the tender duck I look forward to ordering it on my next visit.

We were offered more drinks and handed the dessert menu. Everything sounded scrumptious! It’s a shame I felt so full up because the Praline Crêpes sound amazing, I will definitely be ordering this next time. We went with a coffee instead to end our lovely lunch with, and before we knew it it was time to leave.

From the decor to the service I was impressed with the experience and leaves you wanting to try more – great quality food for excellent prices.

Will you be visiting?

Wicked the Musical

‘Are people born wicked or do they have wickedness thrust upon them…?’

Fellow Ozians, a couple of weeks ago I was kindly invited along to watch the West End and Broadway hit musical, Wicked.

Home for four weeks at Bristol’s Hippodrome, I made my way to the theatre last Thursday evening with eager anticipation. I’ve wanted to see it for so long so you can imagine my excitement as I made my way up the emerald green carpet. A musical I had heard so many great things about yet hadn’t found the opportunity to see it for myself, my expectations going in were high. In fact, I felt I already knew the show so well just from listening to the soundtrack on repeat!

My friend and I soon found ourselves in the Piano Bar with a cheeky drink, and with half an hour until the show was due to start we had a read through the programme to familiarise ourselves with the actors.

In case you are unfamiliar with this popular musical (firstly, how? Secondly, go watch it now!) it tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz. Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ that is inspired by ‘The Wizard of Oz’, we learn about Glinda The Good’s unlikely friendship she strikes up with Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Two very different characters who meet at a sorcery school, we follow them on their adventure to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This is only the start of some surprising events, as the story takes place before, alongside and after the famous tale – warning: you may watch the original in a different way after this.

As the lights dimmed and the map of Oz lit up in green, eerie music played as monkeys crept onto the stage which set a dark scene. We were soon introduced to the Citizens of Oz as they awaited Glinda The Good’s arrival, and I awaited their powerful performance of ‘No One Mourns the Wicked’.

A fire breathing dragon, flying monkeys – for one night only, we were in the Land of Oz.

Oh my Gah-linda!

The brilliant cast were led by the beautiful, bubbly blonde Glinda The Good (think a British Elle Woods), who adds glamour and humour to the role. Played by the brilliant Emily Tierney, she really entertains the audience and holds her own on stage, a character famously played by Kristin Chenoweth in its original Broadway production over 10 years ago. I hadn’t seen any clips on YouTube nor had I read up on the background of the musical so I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t expect her to be so ‘high spirited’ shall I say. As an audience member in her mid twenties, I found her ever so slightly over-bearing at times but the younger generation around me seemed to love her. As they chuckled away at all her jokes (particularly throughout her rendition of ‘Popular’), I sat through it cringing. This is no reflection on Emily as an actress nor as Glinda, but after listening to Chenoweth’s version so many times I’ve got used to the American accent and the exaggerated Britishness just didn’t do it for me. As the show went on however, and her friendship with Elphie grew, I came to love her more (even with the British accent).

For me the real star of the show has to be Ashleigh Gray. Playing the part of Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West, Gray was pitch perfect! Her vocal range could rival Idina Menzel’s (which is no mean feat), especially during ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘No Good Deed’, and she puts on an incredibly powerful and emotional performance that you find yourself getting lost in. Her character really progresses throughout, more so than the rest of the cast, and the love triangle between herself, Glinda and Fiyero is captivating to watch. She’s a strong leading lady and as the protagonist of this story, she changes our view on one of the most well-known ‘villains’ of all time. She also rocks a black cape, perhaps Madonna should take note…

Samuel Edwards plays a rather dashing Fiyero, a prince who has both Witches falling at his feet. I mean, who can blame them? Have you seen the rest of the men in Oz? And I thought it was slim pickings where I live… It’s a tough job to lead a cast alongside two women like Ashleigh and Emily who take the main focus on stage, but Sam pulls his own weight throughout. Carina Gillespie puts on a stunning performance as Elphaba’s ‘normal’ wheelchair-bound sister Nessarose, as she falls in love with Boq (Richard Vincent) – a Munchkin who is secretly vying for the attention of Glinda.

The two ‘villains’ are played by Marylin Cutts as an excellently evil Madame Morrible, alongside Brookside’s ‘Max Farnham’ aka Steven Pinder – who plays the contrasting roles of Dr Dillamond and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The entire ensemble are commendable for their stage presence, their passion for what they do shines through and it makes the experience so much more enjoyable when you know the talent are having just as much fun doing their job.

I’m unable to compare to the West End performance, but from the standards set so high from this UK tour production I can only imagine the show to be even bigger and better in London! With lower prices and coming closer to smaller towns across the country, why not take a trip to the theatre with your family and/or friends for a fun evening out?

The show is currently in Bristol until Saturday 21st March, so make sure you book to secure your tickets to this spectacular production. Still not convinced? Then take a look at the musical trailer below, don’t miss out on this critically acclaimed show.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/neFPIL5kvDA]

www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

All that was missing for me were the munchkins singing ‘Ding dong the Witch is dead…’

Jamie’s Italian, Cheltenham

When I was approached by Jamie’s Italian a couple of weeks ago to review their restaurant here in Cheltenham, I leaped at the chance. As a lover of Italian food and a fan of Jamie Oliver’s I was looking forward to sampling some authentic cuisine with the rustic touches I know it is famous for.

We had a table booked for 7.30 on Tuesday evening and as we arrived on the dot we were greeted with a friendly smile within seconds of stepping through the door, I stated my name and we were swiftly taken to our table. The room was filling up slowly so it had a lively yet relaxed environment, perfect for a couple of friends catching up for the evening (nothing worse than having to shout above the noise to be heard).

The restaurant is a former County Court with original features including the jury box and judges’ table, it’s a pretty impressive place to eat your lunch or dinner – whether you are dining with friends or family, it’s a fun experience for all ages. Situated in the centre of town with bars and restaurants including Bills, Copa and Slug and Lettuce on the one side and the Everyman Theatre on the other, it’s a great location and easy to find.

Once we were comfortably seated and our coats were kindly hung up for us, our waitress for the evening brought over the menus and took our drinks order. We decided on a carafe of Sauvignon Blanc to wet our appetite and were well informed about the Specials dishes. We studied the menu and decided on sharing two starters – the Cured Meats Plank for one and the Artisan Bread Basket.

The plank boasts four types of cured meat, including fennel salami, aged prosciutto, piccante and mortadella. Served with a mini buffalo mozzarella, pecorino (thin crisp music bread) and chilli jam, a wonderful selection of pickles and olives and a delicious helping of kale slaw. Laid out on two tins, an idea Jamie himself picked up during a stay in Italy, the food was at eye level to us so it was much easier to see the contents on the plank aside from looking extremely well presented.

The bread selection was the perfect accompaniment, with homemade focaccia, ciabatta, sourdough, crackerbread and grissini sticks – served with extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic and a tasty olive tapenade.

The flavours of the bread, meat and accompaniments together were fantastic and I couldn’t fault any part of it, aside from there wasn’t enough kale slaw – it was delicious!

We chose to order our mains once we had consumed our starters, the menu has such variety we just couldn’t decide! After a lot of ‘umming and ahhing’, we eventually chose The Jamie’s Italian Burger with a side of Funky Chips and the Lamb Chops Scottaditta.

When our mains arrived we were impressed with the presentation, especially with the lamb chops. My friend was given a separate plate to dish up the meal her own way, which included a flavoursome trio of herby red onions, toasted nuts and yoghurt with a side of posh polenta chips. I sampled a mouthful of the lamb and it was tender and flavoursome, something I would definitely opt for next time.

The beef burger was delicious! With the mortadella, balsamic onions, tomato and smoked mozzarella (I removed the pickles and chillies), the combined flavours worked perfectly together. The rosemary and garlic chips were incredible, chunky and fluffy on the inside, the perfect chip – they are extremely garlicky though, so perhaps not the best choice if you’re on a date…

I couldn’t finish all of my meal as it was so filling but that’s not a reflection on the food, just my small stomach. I always regret leaving anything behind, and an hour later I was craving those chips again!

We resisted dessert, as much as we were eyeing up the Epic Brownie, I opted for a cappuccino instead to round up our lovely evening. I was impressed that the cup of coffee tasted so authentic, it was like being back in Italy.

Our waitress was extremely knowledgeable and efficient, continuously informing us throughout the evening on the food and thoughts behind the presentation of the courses which was a really nice touch to the experience. A far cry from your usual Italian restaurants, Jamie’s is a warm and inviting dining experience for most foodies.

You can check out the menu here and book a table for yourself – there is even an easy way to choose your meals according to your dietary requirements!

Top Hat at the New Theatre, Oxford

Last weekend the family and I took a day trip to Oxford, where we had matinee tickets to see Top Hat at the New Theatre.

We chose the afternoon performance so we could have a leisurely lunch and browse around town (they have a MAC counter, enough said?) I’ve seen a few shows in Oxford now and they are always so professional, a real joy to watch and will rival any West End performance.

As a big theatre lover I couldn’t wait to sit in my seat and wait for the show to start. I hadn’t seen the famous film, which stars screen icons Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, so I didn’t know what to expect. I had seen a few clips on YouTube and I knew it featured one of my all time favourite tunes ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz‘ (it’s actually become my kitchen dance at home, what a sight it is to behold….)

We joined the many other theatre-goers who were queuing and picked up a programme and confectionery en route, before making our way to our seats. Boasting an 1800 capacity and beautiful art deco features, this theatre dates back almost 180 years to it’s original opening and is still home to incredible talent.

Whilst we sat in our seats waiting for the show to begin I enjoyed reading the performance history of the actors, it’s always interesting to find out what their background is and occasionally you recognise them from previous work they have done. Does anyone else enjoy this? It’s a ritual now whenever I see a show.

A little bit about the show…

Jerry Travers is an American dancer who travels to London to star in a West End show, produced by the idiotic Horace Hardwick. Whilst practicing his tap dancing routine he ends up awakening the beautiful Miss Dale Tremont. After a good telling off, he immediately falls in love with her and begins to follow her all around town to win her affection. She somehow mistakes Jerry for Horace, the husband of her friend Madge and escapes to Italy with the flamboyant Italian fashion designer Alberto Beddini. After a proposal and a wedding, both from two different men, Dale soon realises she has made a mistake and reconciles with her love, Jerry Travers.

As the live orchestra started to play the overture and the golden curtains parted, I was already tapping my feet and the excitement was building rapidly. The brilliant cast were led by Alan Burkitt (Jerry Travers) and Charlotte Gooch (Dale Tremont), who I would praise as the perfect pair to play these iconic characters. With big shoes to fill I wasn’t sure anyone could live up to the talents of Astaire and Rogers but these two have surely raised the bar.

Puttin’ On The Ritz set an energetic pace for the rest of the production, oozing such class and sophistication that took you all the way back to 1935 when the original film took place. I started to fall in love with the era, the music and Jerry Travers – I suddenly wanted to take up dance again!

As the show went on and more songs were sung and danced to, the more I realised I had heard several of the songs before without the Top Hat association. Cheek To Cheek and Let’s Face The Music are all classics most of you will have heard before, whether in an advert or on Strictly Come Dancing, they are some of theatre’s greatest musical numbers to date. I don’t think there was one person in the audience who didn’t want to get up on that stage and join in.

Horace and his wife Madge, played by the wonderful Clive Hayward and Rebecca Thornhill, make up the comedy sub-plot with Gooch and Burkitt. Horace’s butler Bates (John Conroy) is a gem to watch, cue a sequence of funny disguises and accents as he keeps a close eye on Dale Tremont, while latino Sebastien Torkia (Alberto Beddini) steals the show at one point in his pants. Yes, it is just as brilliant and absurd as it sounds – what’s not to love? Burkitt makes tap dancing look so effortless and does it with cheeky charm, especially when he sweeps Gooch off her feet in that iconic feather gown.

Top Hat is a beautifully written love story with a humorous case of mistaken identity, brought to life through an astounding cast of talented individuals. Aside from the leading ladies and gents, the ensemble were just as entertaining and stunning to watch. They all seemed to be loving every moment they were on that stage, a ‘dream job’ for any musical theatre actor I can imagine. It is with thanks to Burkitt and the rest of this cast that Top Hat is now cemented as one of my all-time favourite musicals, sitting comfortably alongside Chicago.

Choreographed by Bill Deamer and directed by Matthew White, the team behind the production have created something spectacular and no doubt will leave audiences all around the UK falling in love with the show. The lavish sets, glam costumes and timeless music really make it a magical and memorable performance, I’ve had the soundtrack stuck in my head ever since and there doesn’t seem to be a sign of that stopping.

Top Hat, Top Show.

See here for the Top Hat tour dates, and let me know if you see it!

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

I’m forever on the hunt for a new mascara. One that lengthens, volumises, separates and doesn’t leave any nasty clumps. As a big mascara junkie I’ve always got more than one on the go but I’m eager to find just one that will do the same job that three are currently doing.

Rewind a few weeks to when Maybelline launched this pretty pink metallic mascara, I had to get my hands on it! I used my trusty Boots points to pay for it, currently on an introductory price offer of £5.99 (will go back to £7.99 in a few days!), and off I went home to test it out.

Initial thoughts…

I found the brush really interesting, shorter than Maybelline’s The Falsies mascara but had a similar curve to it which I love. Curved wands make it easier to apply the product to the top and bottom lashes, something most mascaras can struggle to tackle, and this one does both jobs with the two curves perfectly.

The brush is firm and does a great job of separating the lashes whilst doing some sort of volumising magic on them. The clump free formula make it easier to layer the mascara on, perfect if you are wearing it day to night. You haven’t got to worry about any smudging as it dries quickly and gives you a really pretty, natural look.

Removing mascara is one of my least favourite things to do usually but using my Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser this mascara is pretty easy to take off. If I’m feeling lazy I use my Simple makeup remover wipes, but they don’t remove it very well without a lot of rubbing so I would suggest using a stronger and softer solution. This does prove that the mascara doesn’t budge and still looks great from day to night without any necessary layering, always a good thing in my book.

I’ve used it every day since purchase and it’s a new favourite in my makeup collection! I actually might go and buy another whilst it’s cheaper…

What mascaras are you currently loving?

The Vine, Thai Food in Cheltenham

Last week one of my girlfriends suggested going to The Vine for dinner, somewhere I had never been before in Cheltenham but had heard plenty of great reviews about.

The restaurant has a pub vibe which gives it a very laid back and relaxed environment. It was around 6.30pm and it was already starting to get busy so I would definitely advise booking a table in advance. We happened to grab a table on a whim towards the back of the room so it was slightly quieter. We sat down and perused the menu, Sidonie had been before so I asked her to recommend dishes (she knows I’m a wimp when it comes to heat and spice). There was a 2 courses for £7.50 special offer so we decided on doing that and ordered a couple of extra starters to share too. You have to make your order at the bar so if you prefer table service, this probably isn’t the restaurant for you.

Wine and spicy prawn crackers set the evening off to a good start.

We had a giggle and a gossip whilst we waited on our starters, but we didn’t have to wait long which I was impressed with. We had ordered the vegetable spring rolls and prawn toast as part of the specials deal, as well as the Thai pork dumplings. Served with a small salad, each dish was delicious and the flavours tasted ‘authentic’ – something that is promised in the menu. The dim sum were my particular favourite, but I have my eye on trying the Thai fishcakes next time!

Onto the next course!

The menu boasts a huge variety of dishes to choose from so it took some time trying to decide. I have wanted to try the Pad Thai with chicken for a long time and I’m always tempted by it when I see it on the menus in other restaurants. Sid chose the Thai green curry, which she requested to be ‘mild’ as opposed to hot that it was labelled as. Unfortunately the chef didn’t get the memo and it came out packed with a lot of heat! Luckily the portions are large and I shared some of my meal with Sid – one of the perks of ordering food you both enjoy.

We both have a sweet tooth so had to order a pudding each, naughty but nice! I chose the chocolate fudge cake and Sidonie chose Glouy tod, Banana fritters in coconut and sesame seed batter, drizzled with honey served with vanilla ice cream – yum!

Here are Sid’s thoughts on The Vine...

I always enjoy going to The Vine – I like the atmosphere, music, candles etc. It’s good for meals with the boyfriend or an evening with friends. I usually get the Thai fish cakes because they are light and delicious, but the Dim Sum was lovely! They could hold on the red chilli in the Thai green curry but apart from that it’s an affordable restaurant for everyone.

As it’s Valentine’s Day coming up, I would recommend it for a first date as it’s not too formal and the lighting, service and music is perfect!

The whole experience overall was good, and I would highly recommend it to others. I’m looking forward to visiting again soon to taste more of the menu, there is something for everyone! You can check out The Vine’s restaurant and menu here – let me know if you take a visit!

Bioré Pore Strips

I’ve been meaning to do a review on these for a while now, so when I reached for the box of pore strips this morning and found only one left I thought now would be a good time to type up my thoughts.

There’s something strangely satisfying about removing all the built-up dirt (which can lead to blackheads), and nose strips like these ones by Bioré are an effective way of cleaning your pores. Using them on a regular basis may also visibly reduce the appearance of your pores, so they recommend you do this once every three days. At £7.99 per pack of 6 I tend to only use one per fortnight (when I remember), trusting that my daily makeup remover routine is doing its job well enough without any more assistance.

I’ve tried out an almost identical product from Marks and Spencer and found them to be slightly better than the Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, but unfortunately they seem to be discontinued in most M&S stores.

If you’re not too familiar with the process, here are the steps:

First, remove the nose strip from the packaging.

After washing your face, wet a cotton pad under the tap and gently wipe around the nose area (the strip won’t stick to a dry nose).

Take the smooth and stickier side and apply it on the nose – like I have in the photo below – press down to ensure the whole strip has contact with the skin.

Set the timer for 10-15 minutes, make yourself a drink and sit down and enjoy the latest YouTube upload in your feed whilst you wait. You can generally guess when the strip is ready to remove as it will feel rigid and firm – similar to how papier-mâché dries. Slowly (and carefully) start peeling back the strip from the edges until you get to the centre.

If you have any pain removing the strip, use your wet cotton pad and dab over the area of the nose where you are finding most difficulty. This should ease it gently and peeling it back will feel easier and pain-free.

And there you have it, my pores. Bared to the world wide web. No shame, just a feeling of satisfaction of knowing my skin is clean. To be honest you probably can’t see much on there (thank goodness), the pore strip didn’t reveal too much so I’m hoping that this means my skin was pretty clean already…

Have you tried these pore strips before? Leave me a comment and let me know your opinions and recommendations 🙂

The Lost & Found, Birmingham

Last weekend during my stay in Birmingham with friends, we were taken to our friend Alyson’s favourite pub in the city centre. The Lost & Found is a classic British restaurant that is situated in a large Victorian building featuring quirky rooms within. The interior is incredible, boasting a ‘library’ and a ‘conservatory’ – an Instagrammer’s dream! (Not to mention extremely Pinterest-worthy).

You will need to book a table in advance as it gets super busy, especially during the festive period. We were greeted by a friendly waitress who escorted us to our table in the ‘dining room’, where we found this cute Alice in Wonderland style bottle with our reservation tagged on.

As I sipped on my Champagne cocktail, we devoured a board of delicious Polenta chips and marinated stuffed olives.

In all of the excitement of gossip and giggles with the girls, I totally forgot to take a snap of my main meal. I ordered the Ultimate Fish Finger Sandwich, You will just have to take my word for it when I say that it really was the ultimate sandwich!

For dessert I opted for the Cappuccino Crème Brulée, two loves of mine combined. I dipped the hazelnut biscotti into the coffee froth, before reaching the crunchy caramelised topping that was hiding beneath the surface. Yum!

Despite the service being a little slow (it was a busy Saturday lunch time), I really enjoyed the overall experience. If you happen to be visiting the city, I would highly recommend stopping by here. Good friends and a cocktail required.