Chatsworth - House Style

The most fabulous exhibition opening a time capsule of fashion.

The Peak District may not seem like a fashion hot spot, but for a few months this year it definitely was. The beautiful old house, Chatsworth, which the Cavendish family made their home in the mid-sixteenth century, was host to the enchanting exhibition - House Style: Five Centuries of Style at Chatsworth. I wasn't sure whether to share this post with you or not, as the exhibition is now closed, buuuuut I just adored it so much and thought it would be a nice way for those of you who didn't get the chance to go to enjoy the show.

I'd heard about the exhibition when I visited Chatsworth earlier in the year and peered through the golden gates and since then I'd really wanted to go!

Hamish Bowles the International Editor-at-Large at American Vogue curated the show and its basic aim is to demonstrate fashion through the ages using the different looks and tastes of all the different occupants of Chatsworth. In partnership with Gucci it's all about how the family have expressed themselves through clothes.

We went from tattered slippers...

... to elaborate wedding dresses.

You take a look Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, also known as the 'Empress of Style' and beautifully portrayed by Kiera Knightley in 'The Duchess', as well as British model Stella Tennant and 'Kick' Kennedy, sister to the Kennedy brothers. We see everything from their casual clothes to the costumes from extravagant parties, their royal couture and comfy jumpers. You get a real insight into their fashion favourites, including the designers such as Dior, Gucci and Givenchy.

Everywhere you turn there's a new delight, from elaborate gowns to intricate jewels.

And the opulent setting certainly adds to the magnificent gowns.

Every room in Chatsworth House is breath-taking. It's a perfectly regal and noble background to the show and the exhibition blends beautifully into every room of the house, it doesn't take away the grandeur, but adds to it. The clothes and rooms play with each other and interact to tell a story. Everywhere oozes luxury and extravagance, but this is balanced by the places like the fairytale library that is still used by the family.

The clothes that were also worn by the family are transformed into pieces of art. Everything is so glamorous, but there's also fun touches of personality. The enchanting pieces from bygone eras are also balanced with current and contemporary details, bring every part of the exhibition into perfect harmony.

The Galliano ball-gown in the pretty turquoise blue, Georgiana corridor was definetely a favourite.

There was also delightful stories in every room and the staff who we met on the journey really wanted to share the magical anecdotes with you and it was clear that they loved being part of the exhibition. One of my favourite stories was about two outfits, a boy and a girl, who met at one of the sumptuous balls thrown at the House and went on to marry!

There was even a room re-creating a party with outfits that the family wore to various celebrations.

The treasures that were found in the attic really helped to bring the house and the family history to life. Every room feels alive and full of characters telling there story and sharing family tales. It's got a magical, glittering feel to it and I was blown away by every room I entered, with the stunning, sumptuous surroundings adding to the theatrical drama.

I was so excited to see the exhibition at Chatsworth House and I wasn't disappointed - it was all I had been hoping for and more!

x x x 

REVIEW: Mon Guerlain

A new perfume that definitely feels like a classic.

Guerlain is a really fascinating brand. I was lucky enough to hear all its storied at a St Enoch Centre event and I have to admit I was enchanted. In 1798 Pierre Francois-Pascal Guerlain began the iconic French brand. And they certainly made their mark on the beauty industry. They not only invented the 1st lipstick in 1871, but they also invented the first bronzing powder, Terracotta in 1984 - and even now one is sold every 20 seconds! Guerlain is also a brand that innovates and they discovered many of the ingredients that are found in skincare today.

But on to the perfume, Mon Guerlain, and how pretty, feminine and graceful is it - it's made for decorating dressing tables!

Guerlain has developed a unique signature when it comes to its scents, known as Guerlinade. Their favourite raw materials include Tonka Bean, Iris, Vanilla, Rose, Jasmine and Bergamont that all mix together to create the most mesmerising smells.

"This is a fragrance that is all about you. Like, an invisible tattoo, it reveals the accomplished, strong and liberated woman of today." 

Mon Guerlain is feminine and elegant. Lavender, jasmine, vanilla and sandalwood all create a really beautiful fragrance and when you wear the perfume with the body lotion the fresh and oriental smell is even more intense. It's just so charming, delicate but strong at the same time. It also lasted really well and I could still smell it at the end of the day.

The beautiful Mon Guerlain is french chic and a touch of glamour. Even though it's new for me it already feels like a classic that I'll wear for years and years to come, there's something inherently nostalgic about it. Like I've already seen it on a Grandmother's dressing table. It's rare and very special to find something brand new that gives you this feeling.

Mon Guerlain is without a doubt a new favourite of mine and every time I wear it I feel like I'm treating myself to a spritz of indulgence.

x x x

** This item was gifted to me, but I was not obliged to review it 

Come With Me On Maggie's Culture Crawl

A night-time adventure through the streets of Glasgow with some amazing stops on the way!

You might remember a little while ago I tried to persuade you to join me on Maggie's Culture Crawl? Well I thought I'd let you know what we actually got up to on the night! Just to re-fresh your memory the Culture Crawl is a night walk round Glasgow to raise money for the fabulous charity that is Maggie's.

It's a really special night to raise essential funds to keep their centres running. These amazing places offer practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their friends and family for free.

The Culture Crawl is an adventure through the city, visiting well-known spots and being treated to some cultural performances.

We started our journey at Kelvingrove museum. The iconic Glasgow venue was where we signed-up, got our beautiful, bright orange t-shirts and a map - we were all set. We just needed a little warm-up so some Highland Dancers got us moving with some improvised dancing. There was an air of excitement as everyone got going. We were then piped down the street in a sea of orange - we were off!

Our first destination was the Mitchell Library, a really beautiful building. We got to visit some of the top rooms that aren't always open and we were treated to a gorgeous performance from a talented violinist. There was also a poetry station where people could flex their creative muscles. This was one of my favourites I found!


Next up - Merchant's House. The House was originally built in 1605, for the culture crawl it was transformed into a party venue and the old building was absolutely bouncing! We were greeted by a Brewdog beer before we went next door where everyone was dancing to an amazing pipe band. There was even an impromptu ceilidh. Definitely my favourite stop.


The next stop was a little more subdued, but a touch more enchanting. I'd actually never been to Glasgow Cathedral before, which is pretty shameful to admit considering how many years I've lived in Glasgow. It's a stunning building with a majestic feel to it. Inside there was a beautiful singer performing traditional Scots songs, perfectly adding to the magical air of the place.


We were beginning to feel a little peckish now so thankfully our next stop, Barras Art and Design Centre was a much needed food break. The cute courtyard had been decorated with Maggie's balloons and flags and a DJ added to the party atmosphere. We re-fuelled with some tasty burgers before we headed off again. It was a really nice chance just to chill out for a bit and take it all in.

We then headed to The Briggait. The Grade A listed building first appeared in 1873 when it was the city's fish market. Today it has been transformed into a new home for visual artists and cultural organisations. We were welcomed by a jazz singer who had us bopping along. And then oh my goodness we had the best eclairs I've ever tasted.

I was wondering how what would be happening at the next stop as all it said was, Brodies. Brodies are the official sponsors of the event, but I did wonder how the stop at the state-of-the-art offices would fit into our cultural crawl. But is was really great! The lobby was filled with all kinds of experiments and games from Glasgow Science Centre. We tested out our focus, balance and reactions before leaving for the penultimate stop.

I'm not going to lie by this point we were feeling a little tired. The Project Cafe was a really lovely spot just to rest our weary legs with a cup of tea and some home-baking. There was also some gorgeous live performers who we loved listening to before we embarked on the last leg of the journey.

And we did it! The Hunterian was the final stop and we were treated to a glass of prosecco and a shiny medal for our efforts.

We had such a fantastic night and really loved it. It was so nice to have a sense of achievement at the end and know that you've helped out a really fabulous charity that does some amazing work. I'm so looking forward to getting a big group of the girls together next year and doing it all over again!

Thank you so much Maggie's!

x x x

** This was a collaborative post 

The Drugstore Social: New Menu

This a place where mushrooms have been described as pure luxury and oh my goodness they are.

The Drugstore Social is another hit on the burgeoning Finneston food scene and it doesn't fail to delight. The restaurant/bar first opened its in October 2016 with the aim to 'celebrate the importance of health and happiness' with a live well attitude. Kained has nailed every other eatery is has in Glasgow and Drugstore Social is no exception. It follows their aim of building communities around fantastic food that hopes to surprise and delight.

So off we popped on a rainy Wednesday evening to sample their new menu!

The new menu really captures the essence of the place. It's basically all about enjoying good food and wine - what could be better! The menu is made for sharing and the food becomes a really social point of the meal.

We started with an orange wine whilst we studied the menu and oh my goodness we could've ordered everything! It all sounded so fabulous. Luckily though we had the most amazing waitress who took us through the dishes, recommending different things. She was so knowledge and wasn't afraid to recommend different dishes to ensure that we had the most amazing meal.

To start there's Picnic Boards. This is one of most favourite things. I'll always say yes to a charcuterie board and the Picnic choices all sounded sublime, big boards filled with an amazing selection of different things to nibble. I was very pleased.

We went the Forest Picnic which included: cured venison, pickled mushrooms, baby crab apple chutney, beetroot crisps and freedom bakery bread. It was amazing and the venison was sublime. Everything individually was fantastic, but together it was even better.

Time for a new glass of wine!

The menu is bursting with some amazing choices and we fancied a gorgeous red to go with the food. Again our fabulous waitress helped us out and paired the wine with the food. It was delicious and something really different from your standard red wine.

For mains we picked a selection of the small dishes....

• Smoked mackerel pate, picked cucumber ribbons and Arran oatcakes
• Foraged mushrooms, sautéed onions and scot pine
• Braised Blackridge pig cheek, blackened shallot, confit of wild leek and pineapple weed
• Ardgay venison haunch, parsnip puree, beetroot crisps, blackcurrant leaf
• Oven-baked camembert, candied pecans and oat crumb

All so amazingly fabulous. My date for the evening took a mouthful of the mushroom and immediately exclaimed that they were just pure luxury - and I have to say I agreed straight away. Just so delicious. The small dishes were a great way to share everything. The cheese was so indulgent, the pig cheek was mouth-watering - all just exquisite.

All the food is a mixture of fresh and foraged food, they even have their own in-house mushroom forager! Everything is sustainable and ethically sourced and they really do ensure that you get the best possible produce. 

And we just couldn't resist dessert!

We were lucky enough to be offered a little trio of the three - imagine our grins! There was: Gin ice cream, rhubarb sherbet and crumble - Lagavulin and cardamon cranachan - Orange infused chocolate ganache. This was the most delicious way to round off a pretty fabulous meal.

I really had such a fantastic night at The Drugstore Social and the new menu was just exceptional. I really enjoyed the sharing idea (no food envy!) and you can really enjoy a meal discussing the food. It becomes the focal point as the meal, as it should be, and you can share your excitement as you try each of the amazing dishes.

Go to The Drugstore Social for a weeknight meal to perk you up on a rainy Tuesday, go for a special treat, pop in for a Saturday night date or spend Sundays there with a big group of friends - go anytime and for any occasion!

Thanks so much to Drugstore Social for having me - I'll definitely be back!

x x x