spring Archives - Katie Charlotte Blogs

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?

D.I.Y Floral Nail Art

It will be no surprise to many of you who have read my blog from the start or follow me on Instagram that I love nail art. I love the process of painting my nails and creating something fun, inspired by other nail art or fabric patterns. When I saw this floral manicure on Lauren Conrad’s website (via Pinterest) I had to give it a go!

It’s perfect for spring/summer, and the only thing it really requires is patience! If you haven’t got a steady hand, ask a friend of family member to help. I painted mine whilst watching American Horror Story, so I had a good excuse not to watch all the gory bits…

Materials

Brushes – You don’t need to spend a lot of money on professional nail art brushes. I use these fine art brushes from The Works, but you can pick similar ones up in any arts and crafts store for super affordable prices.

It’s all about the base…

Step 1 – It’s important to protect your nails and I use Essie’s All-in-One base coat. It may be slightly pricier than many drugstore products but I’ve found this particular one dries the quickest and leaves a super smooth finish, sometimes I use it by itself on days between wearing polish for a ‘my nails but better’ look.

Step 2 – Choose your base colour. I alternate between bold colours, pastels and nude shades, and as I haven’t worn this beautiful blue in a while I was inspired to create something with it. I can’t fault Rimmel’s Rita Ora collection – the formula and longevity is fantastic and there is a great range of shades to choose from. This one in ‘Breakfast in Bed‘ has a slight shimmer to it but only noticeable in certain lights. I always suggest two coats for the best coverage.

Step 3 – Choose a pale pink shade (I used Barry M’s Gelly nail paint in ‘Rose Hip‘) and paint two splodges on each nail. This is to create the shape of the rose so it doesn’t need to look perfect.

Step 4 – Use a fuchsia pink to create the petals, and draw ‘c’ shapes on the pale pink splodges with a fine brush. Each nail will look slightly different and this really adds to the ‘DIY’ effect.

Step 5 – Similar to step 4, use a white polish to ‘highlight’ the petals and add dimension. An off-white like Barry M’s Gelly Nail Paint in ‘Coconut’ is perfect!

Step 6 – A dark green shade is needed to create the stems – I used Essie’s ‘Stylenomics‘ as it’s a great green grass colour. Draw one or two small lines next to each rose, again each one doesn’t have to be the same.

Once it’s dry, add another layer of Essie’s All-in-One coat for shine and protection.

Ta-da!

Follow me over on bloglovin’ and tweet me photos if you give this a go @kcallen_xo

What’s in my Bag? | Spring Edition

I’m sure I’m not the only one who carries around more than they need. I am the ultimate over-packer. This is how I usually justify it in my head…

The 3 or 4 pens… Well, in case I have to lend a pen to someone I will need to carry at least 2.

The post-it notepad... You never know when you may run out of paper in your two notebooks or if you need to stick a message onto something (or someone!)

Three lipsticks and two mini perfumes (along with the rest of the makeup)… because I’m indecisive and need options at all times to cater for my mood.

And this is just the half of it. But enough is enough! I have found the solution to this problem – just wear a smaller bag!

I have been on the hunt for an over the shoulder bag for a while now, something not too small (I have plenty already) and one where I still have the option to pack an extra couple of bits. I rejoiced at this beautiful bargain I spotted in Primark last week – it’s only £8!!

I told myself a while ago that I would only buy better quality items, even if that means splashing the cash a bit more, so that I have less clutter in my room. The logic is there, but even after searching on the internet for slightly pricier handbags I still couldn’t find one! And who am I to turn my nose up at a bag of this cost and happens to be just what I’ve been searching for? I’ve worn it everyday since purchase and have kept products to a minimum (trust me, this is minimum). My body even feels better because I’m carrying less weight! The detailing on the bag is pretty and you can even smell the leather, so you are getting a great quality bag for your bucks.

The bare essentials…

Red purse from H&M… It’s small enough to carry around a bit of cash and a few cards

iPhone 5c

Revlon Colorstay lipstick… Just the one!

Cath Kidston compact mirror

Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara… The cheaper dupe for Benefit’s Roller Lash!

Fresh compact powder in Seventh Veil (no longer available, sigh!)

Hugo Boss Jour Pour Femme perfume

Earphones

A small bag of almonds… Perfect for snacking on when you’re craving something sweet.

Red Valentina leather notebook

Pen from Paperchase

Chewing gum

Soap & Glory hand sanitiser

You can wear it from day to night too, great for if you’re out all day! They also stock a tan shade too, if you’re more of a brown bag kinda gal!

What bag are you wearing this Spring?