Valentine's Day Events - Friday Favourites

Here at the Amazing Blog,

we know that the routineness of Valentine’s Day can really drain the romance from what should be an exciting and different experience. Afterall, it's a day to tell and show someone what they mean to you! So with that in mind, we gathered some of the most interesting and unusual Valentine’s Day events in London to help you create some long-lasting and treasured memories with your loved one.

First of all we have a twist on the typical, and dare we say dated, dinner date at the same old restaurant. For a truly unique evening, swimming in romance, why not try switching up the location to beautiful evening on the thames. Bateaux London Cruises are offering some remarkable dinner packages that we instantly fell in love with!

Bateaux's Valentine's Day Symphony Tower Suite  package pulls out every stop, giving you an intimate dining experience as you enjoy the London sights. Spend time with your partner in a quiet suite, where a four-course dinner is served with drinks throughout the evening. To top off your romantic meal you can go and enjoy the live band that will be playing throughout the night. The City at night is, arguably, when it’s at its most beautiful and romantic, and with this cruise you are certain to get unparalleled views, and an unparalleled experience.

Bateaux London Cruises combine high quality dining, entertainment, and the beautiful London skyline to give you a wonderful evening whether you are celebrating a special occasion or simply treating yourself. They daily offer cruises that create unforgettable experiences for their guests, so you know that their Valentine’s day will be even more spectacular than usual! So go and book your night here from £145 a person!

For a more cultural and regal Valentine's Day, visit Queen's House in Greenwich, part of the Royal Museums of Greenwich. The museum, which is an architectural masterpiece boasting 400 years of royal history, is putting on a Valentine's Day special called 'Making Love in the Queen's House.' The day will be full of talks and courses both inside the Queen's House and in it's elegant surroundings.

You and your valentine can enjoy a Prosecco afternoon tea while hearing from experts who will be discussing love stories of the royals who lived in the celebrated 'House of Delight.' Learn more about the house's beginnings as a 'pleasure palace' and gift from King James I to his wife Anne of Denmark, while soaking up the regal environment.

For a historical and romance-filled day out, visit 'Making Love in the Queens House.' You can purchase tickets for the event here for £25.00.

If you are looking for something a little different, try surprising your loved one by visiting Sea Life London Aquarium for their 'Sea Life After Dark' evening. Home to one of Europe's largest collections of global marine life, Sea Life London Aquarium has some amazing creatures to see, from rare sea turtles to penguins. After picking up your complimentary glass of prosecco, you and your valentine can experience the Shark Walk - a glass walkway with sharks and other marine life swimming just inches away from you!

This after-hours event is adult-only and allows you to explore the aquarium at your own pace, while enjoying the pop up bars scattered throughout. Guest Experience Advisors will additionally be on hand so you can learn all about the creatures and conservation work that Sea Life Aquarium does.

It's certainly not every day that you get to spend your evening with friends surrounded by marine life, so buy tickets for Sea Life After Dark here from £29.00.

Finally on our list is a twist on the classic night of drinks. The Charming Christabel's completely drew us in with their exciting and vibrant cocktail workshops. This Valentines Day, the company are hosting a Bejewelled Cocktail Masterclass. For a fun and flirty evening with your valentine, or even just a group of friends, join Christabel's to create your own cocktail creations.

The vibrant sessions will include a masterclass on mixing and shaking their classic 'Flirt' and 'Zinger' cocktails, we personally love their 'Flirt' cocktail which sends us back to those sultry summer evenings! If that doesn't sway you though, there is also a chance to get creative and transform your drinks by jazzing them up with glitter, sequins, rose petals and much more. We think it might be fun at this stage to create a drink that reflects your partner's personality! Your evening will also be accompanied by canapes that you can construct yourself. This is a really hands on DIY evening that has the potential to be wholly unique to you and your loved one, leaving you with memories of an experience that no one else will have.

The event is in a secret location in N1, so keep your eyes peeled and buy tickets here for £45 per person.

Holiday Drinks - Friday Favourites

With the Christmas Party season in full swing, and here at The Amazing Blog we like to celebrate in style. So whether you’re a Champagne, Prosecco, Rum or Beer drinker, here’s our round up of the classiest drinks to make sure your parties to celebrate the holidays are a success. 

Finest Fizz seem to have created the impossible, a Brut Rosé Champagne which is not only lower in calories at 270 calories, but low in sugar content too.  Comparing this to a regular Brut Champagne which can come in at approximately 570 calories, that's a big difference!

The hand-crafted fizz has Strawberry, Raspberry and Red Cherry flavours and is Premier Cru Champagne. This skinny Champagne is a version of Champagne Tribaut’s popular Rosé de Reserve, just with no added sugar. Which, if you’ve had indulgent Christmas celebrations will be a good alternative. We found that you didn’t notice the Rosé was low-sugar one, and considering it is Extra Brut it’s deliciously dry. The bottle is very feminine with a pink label and the Champagne is, of course a light pink shade. Skinny Rosé would make a perfect addition to a ladies night!

You can purchase Skinny Rosé here for £39.

When you’re told a product is a multiple award-winning one you may set very high expectations, and Premier Estate’s Prosecco did not disappoint.  This extra dry DOC is produced with grapes from a single harvest which highlights the luxurious aspects of it. It is lightly creamy with a zesty freshness and flute of this is required for anyone looking for a sophisticated accessory for when the clock strikes 12. The fizz is refreshing and can work great with or without food. The price is surprising low for the quality of the Champagne and the awards, including a bronze in the International wine challenge reflect that the experts agree.

You can purchase Prosecco here for £9.99

Ron Santa Teresa is one of the first Caribbean rum producers and is now sold in over 30 countries, the brand specialises on high quality and premium rum. We received their Santa Teresa 1796, it is a clear, reddish amber colour and its character means it’s suitable to drink on the rocks or with mineral water, if you would prefer. The strong, well rounded taste boasts smoke through tobacco and leather notes. These are created through the Solera method, a traditional method that uses Oak barrels to age the alcohol, from which it is produced entirely. The taste remains delicate, elegant and velvety whilst the bottle looks classic and classy, sure to wow any guests.

You can purchase a bottle of Santa Teresa 1796 here for £40.

If you’re the designated driver or not an alcohol drinker, St. Peter’s Brewery has made sure you don’t miss out! St. Peters is based in Suffolk and they create traditional beers as well as unusual beers. Launched in September, they have created a ‘Without’ range of beers that are alcohol free yet tastes just as good as the alcoholic version. The beer is brewed to the exact same standards as your usual craft ale, but without the alcohol. It is malty, full-bodied and bursting with flavour and is also fewer calories than standard beer. Unlike other alcohol free alternatives, this looks like beer as well as feels and tastes like beer. For an alcohol free alternative, try St. Peters Without here, 8 x 500ml £13.

The long-established English philosophy at Wimbledon Brewery uses the best Ingredients and traditions to ensure the highest of quality beers. We tried the Quatermaine bottled beer named after William Quatermaine, an original owner of Wimbledon Brewery. This beer is an I.P.A and has spicy orange notes which goes on to a crisp hops bitterness. We also tried the Bravo American Pale Ale which comes in a 330ml can; it is refreshing, with a fruity and crisp taste and pronounced Blackberry. They both have the sophisticated Wimbledon Brewery look, with silver labels and the large logo of the Wimbledon tower, Phoenix, barley and hops which encases the important aspects of the brand. You can buy the Quatermaine bottled beer here for £2.70 and the Bravo American pale ale here for £2.50.

The Contemporary Crafts & Design Fair

At The Amazing Blog we love to attend events throughout the year, Britain is a country full of creativity, diversity and culture. There are still plenty of events that people will attend even in the winter season which doesn’t stop events being organised. One event in particular is one to watch is The Contemporary Crafts & Design Fair, this will be held over the weekend commencing from the 11th November until the 13th November.

With over 100 UK based designers showcasing there arts and crafts, this Christmas fair will be an amazing opportunity for the public to have an exciting shopping experience. You are given the chance to interact and explore each designers' work and be able to discover the process and inspiration these designers get to imagine and create these innovative items.

You will be able to purchase alternative items that are not on the high street, most of them quirky, unique and valuable. The fair will be returning to Chelsea’s Old Town Hall for the 10th Year Anniversary it is a beautiful location, plus you will be celebrating the anniversary of the event and celebrating the designer’s creative talent in craftsmanship. We recommend people to go especially if you haven’t attended an event like this before, it is a great family day out to browse and see what’s in the market and you will experience something new and different.

To Celebrate the 10th Year Anniversary of The Contemporary Crafts & Design Fair in London, why not purchase a ticket here for £10.00.

The Handmade Kew 2016

Following last year’s success as the Handmade event was a sell-out, this year, in Britain it will return to Kew Gardens for the second edition of the Handmade at Kew. Here at the Amazing Blog we love to explore and celebrate Britain for its contemporary arts and crafts and this event will definitely be in our list to go.

This is an international modern craft’s event from the 6th to 9th October, this event offers visitors the opportunity to meet and buy from over 200 designers and makers in the arts and crafts industry. This handmade event has a variety of ceramics, jewellery, fashion and textiles, glass, paper, furniture, metalwork, sculpture and interior accessories.  

Over several days, the picturesque gardens at Kew will give the public a chance to explore the exceptional innovative British and international craftsmanship for both fashion and interiors. This is an amazing experience for the public to understand the culture and collect unique, valuable products and to invest in collections.

The day is full of beautiful views as you are surrounded by an elegant pavilion next to Kew Palace, you can enjoy the gardens and crafts to the full. It’s truly an exceptional day and a really great shopping experience for a family outing. It gives you the opportunity to browse, speak to the maker directly and also listen to the production of the exquisite work of some the world’s most talented craftspeople, also get inspiration and learn facts about this impressive industry. It is way more than a shopping day out.

If you would like to enjoy a great day at The Handmade Kew 2016, tickets are available to purchase here for £16.00 including the full entry to the Kew Gardens.

Hats Off

Summer is the season of weddings, with calendars quickly being inundated with the nuptials of happy couples. Finding a hat for these occasions can be difficult. It is lucky then that this year the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park hotel is in collaboration with British couture milliner Emily Baxendale. Together, they have created the ‘Hats Off’ collection which is inspired by the hotel’s history, its oriental influences, and makes for apt summer wedding attire. The six hats created by this luxury brand (Emily-London) will be available in the hotel until the 27th of July 2016 in The Rosebery Lounge.

Visit the hotel to see amazing hats and eat exquisite tea cakes made by the executive Chef Patissiere Heather Kaniuk. Enjoy an array of choices from raspberry rose lychee gateau and gooseberry to mascarpone and lime tarts.

To be able to admire the bespoke collection or to have a private consultation with milliner Emily Baxendale herself, call: +44 (0) 20 7201 3828 or email via: molon-rosebery@mohg.com (afternoon tea guests recieve a 10% discount off the collection).