CEW Achiever Awards 2014 - The Beauty Oscars

 Last Thursday, 20th November, I was delighted to attend what in the beauty industry is known as the 'Beauty Oscars'. One night a year a board of women within the beauty industry come together to honour and recognise talent within the industry with the CEW Achiever Awards. We were greeted by champagne and canapés under a canopy of twinkling fairy lights and joined the crowd, which was buzzing with excitement. 

I could identify a few of the big wigs in the room; Chris Good of Estee Lauder, my idol Charlotte Tilbury and a gaggle of big brands and retailers. I felt a little out of place and a bit awkward as the waiter noticed I was a feeder and kept bringing over delicious treats. 

We were ushered into the ballroom for the awards ceremony to begin and I have to say that CEW had done an amazing job. The decor looked incredible and I was so excited to see all the women I admire and aspire to go up to collect their awards. This year we had some amazing people recognised. 

CEW LIFETIME ACHIEVER AWARD 2014

This is the big one and it was so well delivered! The woman who is just as famous for her hair as her incredible talents. This year’s winner, Suzy Menkes, was appointed Fashion Editor of the London Evening Standard at age 24 and over three decades, her reviews and insights have appeared in the world’s leading press titles and currently reach over 38 million people on 19 Vogue international websites. Her acceptance speech was heartfelt and inspiring, something I hope to have. 

“The difference between passing fashion and lasting beauty was written in the words of Avedon himself. ‘If you do what I have done, which is to record the beauty of your time, that doesn't go out of fashion,’ he said. 

I would like to thank the CEW and Caroline Neville, for giving me - a fashion editor - a lifetime award for understanding that fashion is transient - but beauty is eternal.” 
Suzy Menkes, International Vogue Editor. 

Other award winners were -

CEW ACHIEVER AWARDS 2014 - 

Céline Gilg - General Manager UK and Ireland, Tom Ford Beauty

Debbie Ansell - UK Head of Beauty, World Duty Free Group

Charlotte Tilbury - Founder and Creative Director, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty

Lisa Smosarski - Editor, Stylist Magazine 

CEW SPECIAL INDUSTRY AWARD 2014 - Michael Ward, Managing Director of Harrods.

CEW MEMBERS' ACHIEVER AWARD 2014 - Mia Collins, Divisional Merchandise Manager for Beauty at Harrods.

CEW DIGITAL ACHIEVER AWARD sponsored by Google - Claire Vero, founder of the award winning Aurelia Probiotic Skincare.

It was an emotional evening for the Achiever Award recipients and their families, I was welling up after almost every speech!  We headed off into the chilly winter night and I slipped into the warm back seat of a taxi off to bedfordshire. 

Stay beautiful

xoxo

#4London Loves | Zucca Bermondsey Street

Zucca sits right in the heart of the up and coming Bermondsey Street, a place that is buzzing with activity and quirky bars. I am pretty lucky to work on this street and one lunch time myself and some colleagues thought we would give Zucca a go. The food here is based on traditional Italian, with delicious fish, pasta and vegetable dishes!

I am not joking, it was the best food I have had in a while. The restaurant is airy and really trendy and the kitchen is open plan, so you can see the chefs cooking up a storm. I am not going to lie, the food isn't cheap at around £17.00 a dish and the portions are an average size, but the flavours are incredible! I had the fried sweet potato to start, smoked hake for my main and some crazy yummy chocolate with hot sauce thing for desert. I am sorry about not being able to tell you what they are actually called but I can't find any information on their website. 

Have you been to Zucca? What did you think?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

#3London Loves | First Date Idea: The Boy Who Climbed Out of his Face

So you're going on a date and have no idea where to take him/her? You want somewhere a little off the cards, something will make you look like you are a cool, quirky but fun person? Then I may have the best date location for you!

I literally stumbled on this place on a date of my own and having heard about the performing group Shunt 5 years previously I knew we had to go. Shunt are a group that perform immersive theatre, meaning you become a part of the act. The performance name The Boy Who Climbed Out of his Face has absolutely no relevance to what you will see, but that is the whole part of the fun!

We walked towards the Jetty in North Greenwich where we could see a group of shipping containers sticking out onto the Thames and covered in fairy lights. There is loud music playing and lots of trendy looking people milling about. There is a place to get a drink and some food before your number is called and you enter the maze of crates. The atmosphere of the place makes you feel like the coolest, non cool person ever. GREAT!

The performance takes part inside the shipping containers and I must warn you that if you like theatre with a plot and story line this is not for you. Expect hilarious awkwardness and leaving 45mins later wondering what the hell just happened and why. I don't want to ruin any of the actual performance because the expectation is a part of the sensory overload. But you also have to take your shoes off! 

Why I think this is a great place for a date? Well, you will look like you know about these wacky, cool and trendy places. If, like me, you aren't on the cool side of the fence this place will help you fake it. You will both be made to feel awkward making it all equal on the nerves front, but you will have a hilarious experience to talk about afterwards and there is also a bar to get drunk in at the end! What is not to love? 

It is on until 27th September and tickets are a bargain at £10! It will be the best £10 you spend!!

Have you been? Or if you go on your first date here, how did it go?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

#2London Loves | Lest We Forget: Poppy Memorial Tower of London

Want to see something super amazing in London?! Head down to the Tower of London to see a really beautiful installation. The Bloodswept Lands and Seas of Red, by Paul Cummis, marks the 100 years since the day Britain entered the First World War. 

The 888,246 hand made ceramic poppies represent a British fallen soldier and a poppy will continue to be added until 11 November 2014, the day the war ended. It is a painful, visual reminder of just how many we lost during that war. You can purchase one of these poppies for £25.00, which will be donated to Help the Heros charity. 

Have you been to see the exhibition? What did you think?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

Party Like We Were Famous: Company MusicParty! @Rimmellondonuk #risingstars

I think I’m getting ahead of myself in the ‘cool’ department, I’m almost developing a swagger. On Wednesday night I once again made my way to East London for another Company Magazine party and this one was a corker! In association with Rimmel London, Company threw a bash in support of the music industries rising stars. Held in the super hip Queen of Hoxton bar where we sipped on various fruity concoctions and took photos in the photo booth. 

What I wore:

Dress: Miss Guided

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Dorothy Perkins

Watch: Michael Kors

We were treated to a little bit of pampering with glorious summer manis from Rimmel London and sleek hair dos by the creative kids at Blown Avenue – you can see what fabulous creation they gave me below.

The sun was shining and we headed up to the quirky roof top bar for some Pimms and meaty treats. I highly recommend the prawns on a stick, fishly delicious! After my belly was full and the alcohol was being absorbed I fancied getting a pretty Henna tattoo by Dina’s Mehndi and proceeded to walk around the party with an awkwardly held hand - looks good though! 

The #risingstars of the evening were Rainy Milo and Laurel. Sadly I missed Rainy’s performance because of the BBQ happening upstairs but from the cheers I heard I would say she was pretty good. I did manage to see Laurel, apart from telling people to quit talking when she was singing (which was pretty hilarious) her voice is something I haven’t heard for a while. Her voice is beautifully haunting and soulful, you wouldn’t expect it of her young girlish exterior. However, I am so pleased she is now on my radar and I really think you should all go and listen to her. Dat girl gonna be big yall!

And so home to bed I went, weighed down with a decent goody bag and and new tunes in my head.

What bands do you recommend?

Stay beautiful!

xoxo

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

My Idea of the Perfect Ham: The Ham Yard Hotel Review

Last week I was invited to the opening of the Ham Yard Hotel in Piccadilly Circus. I love the Firmdale group of hotels, they are all different but super cute and quirky. We enjoyed a few glasses of bubbly and some delicious canapés whilst being shown around the stunning roof terrace, bedrooms and bars – there is even a bowling alley! The hotel is perfect for a little bit of modern luxury in the heart of London or even if you just fancy an after work tipple.  

HAM YARD HOTEL

ONE HAM YARD, LONDON, W1D 7DT T: +44 20 3642 2000

Sorry for the slightly blurred pictures, I only had my iPhone. 

Have any of you been to the Ham Yard yet? Let me know what you think. 

Stay beautiful!
xoxo

#5London Loves | Meat Mission Hoxton Review

During my early years of childhood red meat was off limits. I would throw princess tantrum if my dad tried to make me eat it or if it was served at a kids party. It was never the thought of the poor cow that made the burger that put me off, I would happily scoff chicken for breakfast lunch and dinner if I could, but the smell and texture was not appealing to an eleven year old. It looked like someone had grabbed an old leather shoe, popped in between some bread and named it a burger. The dislike was so extreme that I turned down BBQ’s with friends in the fear I would have to eat it. Then two years ago I went to France and the only food on offer after a long day skiing was raw beef that you dipped in boiling oil I was not a fan, but in hoping to impress my then boyfriend I gave it a go. This was my epiphany. Gradually I have developed a taste for a good rare steak, the odd meaty sausage and, if I'm drunk, even a Mac Donald’s cheeseburger.

So when I was lured into Meat Mission in Hotxon Market I assumed I would be eating some sort of red meat and it being a treat day I decided to go all out, as you will see. When I walked into the restaurant I instantly felt I wasn't  'cool' enough to be there, the place was buzzing with business men and hipsters bellowing at each other as they ate. The waitresses and bar staff were all in casual afternoon clothes that I was often mistaking them for restaurant goers. The interior is very dark, their own Meat Transmission Radio is blasted throughout the bar and there was some woman yelling through a megaphone while someone poor man tried to eat his weight in meat.

There is an ironic religious theme that runs throughout, with a huge fake stain glass window lighting feature on the ceiling. 

The cocktails are divine and cost around £7.50 which is a normal London price and you can also get 3 pints of cider for £11.00. 

Gin, Grape & Elderflower Cocktail

3 Pints of Cider

Rather than napkins you are given a roll of kitchen paper and you eat off a tray rather than a plate. I would not recommend going on a date here, unless you want to see the other persons face covered in burger grease and ketchup. There is no lady like way to eat a mahoosive burger.

Cheeseburger

Peanut Butter Sundae

If you are planning on going I would make a reservation, we had to wait 40 minutes to be seated on a long table with lots of other people, the only downside. I loved this place and it is somewhere I would definitely come again, the food is delicious and reasonably priced.

Have you been to Meat Misson? What do you recommend?

Stay beautiful
xoxo