Destination Dining: The Tullie Inn

A couple of Saturdays ago I had one of those days that just sticks out in my mind as being perfect, knowing the sun would be shining me and the man decided to pack up our troubles and head for a relaxing day out in Balloch.  Situated on the  banks of Loch Lomond there are so many fun things to do here and it is a relaxing spot that makes you feel a million miles from the bustling city centre. I am always kicking myself for not coming here more often as it is only 50 mins away from Glasgow and about £6 on the train.

We spent the day sunbathing,  walking around the all the gorgeous boats and investigating Loch Lomond shores which is a fab shopping complex with lots to see. The main event though was always going to be dinner and we were so excited about it as the minute we got off the train we could see where we were going, and it looked GORGEOUS.

Sitting right next to the train station, The Tullie Inn has just re opened following a major £700 000 refurbishment  and it is now the absolutely perfect destination spot for dining  after a long day exploring the loch. I was amazed when I walked in the door and  was greeted with the truly gorgeous and fresh, nautical cape cod theme. Bright ,airy and perfectly thought out, I was a huge fan of the look and would pretty much LOVE a house that had a similar feel. The little touches tied in beautifully with the outside surroundings and the whole place was buzzing with groups from families to parties enjoying big meals and relaxed drinks. I loved the different areas on offer, there are big comfy booths, a gorgeous separate bar with a fire place, outside seating to enjoy a summer drink  and their new amazing glasshouse built on to the front of the building. Ally and I were lucky to be seated here for dinner and it was just so nice and made us feel really special and like we were on a proper holiday!

We were served by Danielle who was the loveliest waitress I have ever had, more than happy to fill us in on the Tullie Inn and surrounding places to see while providing tip top service.  We enjoyed delicious breads and flatbreads with oils while we poured over the stunning menu. What I loved about here was the variety in on offer, without being overwhelming or too diverse they have just pinpointed  good foods from a variety of cuisines. From morrocan stew, to risotto or pasta to steaks from the grill, they cater for everyone and I was honestly so pushed for what I wanted to have.

I opted for the chicken tempura to start, crispy on the outside, incredibly tender on the inside and with a dip with just the right amount of kick, it was heavenly and one of the best starters I have had in a very long time. Ally went for Cullen skink which although not up my street- he was in his element and uhhhmed and ahhhd throughout. For main I plumped for a beautiful terayki chicken, perfectly cooked and coming with rice and wilted greens and sauce on the side the flavours were excellent and it felt filling but not too heavy.  Lamb Stew was the winner for Ally and he adored it, stunning mix of flavours and served with flat bread and cous cous it was something totally different that he wasn't expecting to be on the menu.

After trying to persuade ourselves we couldn't possibly have pudding- we of course ended up ordering two anyway and man am I glad we did! On the recommendation of Danielle it was the sticky toffee pudding and chocolate brownie that won the fight and they were outstanding. I would go back just for dessert in a heartbeat. The sticky toffee was my winner, moist and juicy and a healthy serving it was just sensational and a fab end to such a gorgeous meal.

I loved the portion sizes and found it to be good value for money for quality food in such a lovely place. We moved through ( more like rolled given how much we had eaten) to the bar area which was buzzing for a Saturday night. With a  live DJ providing excellent motown and soul it was really hard to leave for the last train, I just wanted to stay and try out their pretty darn good looking breakfast menu too!

 I am so impressed that they offer a two courses for £10 during the week, which I really hope to get to one day as I think that it is fabulous value for what is being offered. I cannot recommend a day trip to here enough, there is so much to do in the local area that you can make a real mini holiday of a trip and finish it off with some mouthwatering food and drinks.

Thanks so much to The Tullie Inn for having us- everyone was so nice I cannot wait for my next visit.

Edinburgh Reviewed: The Castle Thai Spa

A review today of an entirely new experience for not just me, but Mr Beautyh2t ( also known as Ally) too. I often take friends along to any blog related activities I am fortunate enough to get to do but when I was invited along to do this review I knew I had to book him in for something while I was there. He has long suffered with a sore back from an old injury and is constantly trying to stretch himself into ridiculous positions on the floor and basically getting in the way of me watching Eastenders! One thing he has always wanted to try is a traditional Thai massage as whenever he has seen it on TV ( mostly on Take me Out!) he has been so envious of the people being bent and twisted into all kinds of positions he shouts 'That's what I want! Help me bend like that!" Being the dutiful girlfriend I give it my best shot, but my feeble attempts to pull or move any of his limbs in the right way are totally useless and do no good whatsoever- so when the lovely team at the Castle Thai Spa invited me along to try out a treatment there was no way I could leave him behind.

Nestled underground on Castle Street ( a superb location just off Princes Street) the Castle Thai spa instantly envelops you with its dark decor, sensuous scents and relaxing music inviting you down their stairs, where staff will fall over themselves to be of help. I was led to my room to prepare for their Thai Body Scrub treatment which is a beautiful hour in which my skin was exfoliated top to toe followed by an incredibly relaxing massage.

I was really impressed with the body scrub, helping to revive and refresh the skin by removing toxins and impurities the scrub was invigorating yet relaxing at the same time. My therapist was a delight and guided me through process, asking me once the scrub had been applied to use the bathroom facilities to shower off in preparation for the next step. Incredibly soothing, and expertly delivered, the massage was very relaxing and luxurious and she even took me through some traditional moves in at the end- hopping up on the bed and moving her legs around my back she was applying pressure exactly where I had been needing it- it felt amazing! These closing moves to the treatment left me desperate to try out the full Traditional Thai Massage. The Body Scrub  was perfect for relaxation and the ultimate in pampering and luxury ( I was honestly the smoothest thing you have ever felt after it!) but I think because of my tight shoulder muscles I would really love to experience the massage in full. You could really feel the strength and skill in the moves my therapist was using and you could tell she could work some serious magic on your aches and pains. 

As for Ally... well it was just everything he could have hoped for and more- I have never seem him look more pleased! When I came out of my treatment he was relaxing in the waiting area with a cup of green tea looking like he was floating on a cloud. He says it was exactly what he needed and wanted and that his back has never felt better. He was moved and manipulated by his therapist to enjoy the maximum stretch and massage from head to and he adored the whole experience, he didn't want it to be over!

Overall I found the spa to be welcoming, relaxing, friendly and very well presented (Elemis products in the bathroom is always a tick!) The services being offered are authentic and unique and they really have something to offer everyone, from a relaxing massage with the scrub or oil to the full works for anyone in need of ironing out a few kinks. I cannot wait to get back and give the traditional massage a go in full and find out what all the fuss is about as Ally is still going on about it now- which makes a lovely change from him going on about his aches and pains :) 

The Castle Thai Spa is on Castle street in Edinburgh and have the amazing opening hours of 10am till 10pm everyday ( 7pm sundays) which makes it perfect for an after work visit. Prices are very reasonable for the level of massage being given, with a 30 minute traditional massage offered at only £30. You can contact the spa for bookings on 0131 629 0794 and you can keep up to date with them on facebook here.

Edinburgh Reviewed: Vinylux Nails by CND at the Chamomile Sanctuary Spa

When CND brought us Shellac- beauty fans were ecstatic, but it was never really for me. I have too short an attention span to have one colour on my nails for such a long time, and anything that they say needs removed specially is just too much fussing for a lazy gal  like me ( although I can see why it would be perfect for holidays and special occasions). So when I first hear about CND’s latest offering- Vinylux I knew it was more up my street. A breakthrough polish once again, Vinylux requires no base coat, and has a top coat that continues to becomes durable with natural light exposure, it also removes with normal polish remover AND can last around 7 days, sounds pretty perfect to me!

 I was lucky enough to get to try out this breakthrough product at one of my favourite spots, the Chamomile Sanctuary Spa in Edinburgh and I can say it is definatley something I will be doing again. The colour range is spectacular; it applies like a dream and so far after 10 days and counting it still looks immaculate, glossy and bright. I was actually going to hold off on posting this review until after this manicure had worn off but at this rate it will be on forever so I have had to give in and share it now! The fact it has lasted so long is truly testament to how good and long lasting these vinylux polishes are- I am a total clutz and my nail polish is usually chipped mere hours after application from me fiddling with things but this still looks amazing. You can see in the snaps there is a slight amount of tip wear on a couple of fingers but that is it- otherwise it is in fantastic condition and still attracting compliments.

just a few of the amazing colours available

12 hours after manicure

My therapist At Chamomile was Sonica who gave me a full manicure, filing and buffing my nails into a beautiful rounded shape and giving my hands a gorgeous massage with an exfoliating scrub with coffee granules in it to prep my hands for my pop of Vinylux colour. She filled me in on the pro-light technology these have which creates  a network of polymer bonds that build resistance  to chips  and actually becomes more durable with exposure to natural light. It takes just two lights coats of the colour and one coat of the vinylux weekly topcoat which dries in around 8 minutes and you are good to go. Coming in a huge 62 shades with many matching the hugely popular shellac shades so you can now have your favourite one applied in the vinylux version. I was massively impressed both with my treatment at the spa and the finished product, the colour I am wearing is tropix which is the perfect corally pink for summer- I have had so many comments on my nails I will be gutted when it actually comes off!

6 days after manicure

10 full days after manicure!

I never thought I would be so impressed with a nail treatment but CND have really won me over with this. The treatment at Chamomile is only £18 for half an hour, which I think is a fantastic price for such a good manicure - long lasting colour and all from the comfort of their beautiful relaxing nail room, it is definately top marks from me!