The Concierge Angel Team is always globe trotting looking for the hottest places around, searching for delicious food and exhilarating events. We are passionate about celebrating and hope to inspire you with everything from perfect gifts, fashion, lifestyle and unique experiences. We have exciting ideas for weddings, inspirations for honeymoon destinations, tips for restaurants for a special birthday, and celebrating an anniversary in style. We hope you enjoy swooning over photographs of our escapades.
Santa’s Grotto at Chessington Garden Centre
20 December 2019
There’s a wonderful sense of nostalgia at Christmas time which makes it our favourite time of year. There’s obviously a desire to create even more magical memories every year, especially for our baby. This year we were so excited to visit Chessington Garden Centre’s Santa’s Grotto with our little one. There’s a really jolly feel from the moment you enter, with cuddly snowmen singing, and dancing elves to greet you. Promptly ushered into the Creation Room by Elves, the journey through the Grotto begins. The kids get to fill a bauble with their Christmas wish and endless sparkly confetti. It was a lovely activity which seemed to be perfect for all ages groups. It seemed to be an absolute favourite for our 18 month old. He genuinely didn’t want to leave. Give a baby a room full of endless glitter and it’s no wonder really! After a bit of coaxing we managed to get him out, but we couldn’t convinvce him to close his baubel. So he sprinkled a trail of magical sparkle with every step, leaving a trail through the grotto. The displays at Chessington Garden Centre are so phenomenal. It just leaves you feeling happy as you walk through […]
Syon Park’s Enchanted Woodland
21 November 2019
Syon Park House and Garden’s annual Enchanted Woodland is back, and it is just as magical as it is every year. In it’s fourteenth year, it’s becoming our annual tradition to explore the beautifully illuminated trail, which marks the start of the run up to Christmas. Whilst most winter nights we’d rather be snuggled up indoors, we are always excited to embrace the crisp, cold evening, for the twinkly lights and music, that bring the woodland to life. There are numerous glistening light installations, including sparkly disco balls, flickering candle lights, with tiny rabbits in tipis amongst the quirky displays. The pyrotechnics in the iconic Great Conservatory are rather amazing. There are bubbles floating around, that burst leaving a trail of smoke in the air. It’s a lovely evening for the whole family to enjoy. There are plenty of appetising food trucks this year to make a night out of it too. The trail through the beautiful grounds of Syon Park is illuminated for the next few weekends only until 1st December, so be sure to check it out. http://www.enchantedwoodland.com/ *Concierge Angel were complementary guests however all views remained unbiased.
Chambers_ Immersive Dining Experience
23 August 2019
Gingerline’s legendary, multi-dimensional dining adventure is back. Formerly known as The Chambers of Flavour, Chambers_ is the fourth adventure through the multiverse, combining culinary creations with madcap storytelling. Ever-popular and always unexpected, each of the previous chapters has combined art, performance, food, drink and design, transporting diners beyond their wildest dreams into magically imaginative alternative realities. It’s all rather top secret, however if you are adventurous and hungry be sure to check it out. There are some surreal moments, which are both weird and wonderful, in this latest adventure. But it’s all hush hush so we can’t really tell you much. You have to just expect the unexpected and that’s really all part of the charm. Taking place in a hidden Hoxton location, intrepid diners only receive a text message with directions on the day of the adventure. The vague directions of left turns and right turns, it’s a wonder we made it on time. On arrival, we entered the gastronomic world of Chambers_ to join forces with a rag-tag crew of culinary cartographers. It’s sure to keep you on your toes (and taste buds), for beyond each portal sinister forces could well be at play. You work as a team […]
Alice in Wonderland Themed Tea Party
14 July 2019
Alice in Wonderland has to be our all time favourite theme for a memorable celebration. Its whimsical and ideal for a wedding, birthday party or even a baby shower. We have some simple ideas to put on a magical Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Create a table that will mesmerise and immerse your guests. Coloured papers straws in old fashioned, glass milk bottles are a nice way to serve a fruit punch to guests. Add little labels with “Drink Me” or use little chalk boards. Detailing the bottles with handcrafted butterflies is just a lovely addition to a garden party. Talking Tables have a gorgeous collection of Truly Alice plates, platters, detailed napkins and cute tea cups and saucers and adorable mini cake dome stands. The range has a floral, and sophisticated vintage look and is ever so pretty. Amongst cake stands for the food, the table requires dressing with an assortment of props. Our favourite has to be the miniature, purple door with fairy dust from The Magic Door Store. This is a charming, adorable, detailed fairy door which adds a beautiful touch to the table. For a child this will be a door they can keep in their room and always remember their magical party, and […]
The London Secret Garden
10 July 2019
Now the sun is finally here, fancy a night out on the beach in London? Well now you can kick back, and lie on a sunbed and catch some rays of sunshine, in the lovely courtyard at the Crowne Plaza Kensington. It feels slightly surreal, as you pop on some flip flops and walk through the soft golden sand, and grab a lounger in the shadow of St Stephen’s Church. Surrounded by sand, surfboards, and sipping cocktails it almost feels like being on holiday. Nibbling on the delicious pan asian food from Umami, whilst lying on a sun lounger leaves you feeling like you have been transported to a beach in the far east. The pad thai was just divine and the little bursts of citrus dressing squirted on by syringe to the summer rolls was a lovely touch. It’s a relaxing haven in the heart of a busy city, we didn’t want to leave. The service is attentive and the blankets brought out as the sun set was perfect to keep us cosy. We are still in England after all. The lush secret garden also has five air conditioned igloo style pods, seating up to ten people. These are […]
The DIY Cake Smash
7 July 2019
Making a baby’s first birthday magical and memorable is all any parent wants. The first birthday is momentous for the baby, but a victory celebration for the parents surviving the first year of parenthood. Apparently a cake smash is the perfect way to capture lovely memories of your baby on their birthday. So having done [...]
The Grand Expedition
14 April 2019
What can we say about Gingerline’s “The Grand Expedition?” Not a lot actually because we have been sworn to secrecy. And that’s part of the charm. It’s a fantastically fun evening that takes you to dizzying heights. The Grand Expedition is an unforgettable, once in a lifetime dining experience to share with your most adventurous friends as you explore the future as aeronauts. Taking place at a top secret location on the Victoria line, revellers will receive a text message with directions to the address on the day of their adventure. It’s dance, multimedia meets supper club, and billed as a “floating, feeding, falling dream.” Featuring five interactive courses paired with eccentric performance and storytelling. It’s a unique experience that would be great to mark any celebration. Book your tickets now for The Grand Expedition. *Disclaimer: Concierge Angel were complementary guests of the Gingerline, however all reviews are unbiased. Images by Gingerline.
The Enchanted Woodland at Syon Park
16 November 2018
It’s that time of year again when Syon Park is illuminated, showcasing its thirteenth year of the Enchanted Woodland. As the evenings are getting colder it’s definitely worth wrapping up warm to enjoy the magical experience. The mile long route passes through the historic arboretum surrounding Syon House, the London home of the Duke of [...]
James Cochran
30 April 2018
Nestled in Liverpool Street, the James Cochran restaurant provides the perfect spot for a memorable dinner in the heart of busy London. When you first enter, you encounter the bar area filled with young professionals eager to unwind after a hard days work, and the James Cochran restaurant provides the perfect place to do so. The staff are friendly and inviting, whilst the atmosphere is relaxed. The restaurant is filled with pictures relating to James’ past. The dining area and bar are one continuous space, allowing for the lively atmosphere to pass through without disturbing the diners. James Cochran formerly worked at the renowned two Michelin star restaurant, The Ledbury. This certainly comes through in his dishes. The seven course tasting menu provides a feast of flavours, many of which are throwbacks to the chef’s heritage and roots. An unusual fusion of Scottish and Jamaican influences prepared from fresh British produce, with menus changing daily. The dishes are prepared meticulously and are as much a feast for the eyes as the palate. There are some unusual flavour combinations, including strong Asian-British fusion flavours such as the pan fried gnocchi with pickled shimeji and even Cornish cod bathed in a lemongrass and […]
Stecca- Italian Fine Dining in Chelsea
11 December 2017
Its always exciting when there’s a new restaurant in town. Stecca opened just a few months ago, and is a lovely fine dining Italian restaurant in the heart of Chelsea. Whilst a Monday evening won’t necessarily be a night for celebrity spotting, it’s definitely buzzing with approving local Italians. Award winning chef Stefano Stecca is serving up authentic Italian cuisine inspired by his hometown Rimini in Emilia Romagna, without a pizza in sight. Service is friendly and attentive, with a generous basket of rustic basket of bread arriving promptly just as we sat down to savour over the menu. Aubergines are clearly best enjoyed doused in a tomato sauce and topped with layers of cheese as in the starter of Aubergine Parmigiana. The grilled Calamari, served on a bed of rocket with sweet chilli was delightfully fresh and delicious. The creamy Burrata, topped avocado and Sicilian Tomato and was simple, yet perfect. The Black Truffle Risotto main course was rich and creamy and aromatic with scattered shavings of truffle. The classic Bolognese Ragu Tagliatelle was cooked to perfection, with handmade fresh egg pasta, with a rich meaty sauce. Spoilt for choice for dessert, the Crema Mascarpone and Sicilian Cannoli came […]
Flip Out
31 August 2017
Flip Out trampoline parks boast some of the largest trampolines in the U.K and is flipping awesome. As soon as you enter the huge arena, there’s an overwhelming number of neon trampolines. There’s an unmistakable sound of excitable children and adults jumping up and down. Starting at the beginning is best to get warmed up, because as as you delve in deeper, and discover the advanced areas, with high towers to jump on and off; this area is for adults only! Until you actually climb the towers, you don’t fully appreciate how scary it is jumping from such heights. Flip out invites you to conquer your fears and explore your daring side. Heading out of the adult only area, there are a pair of trampolines that see you diving into a giant pool filled with spongey cubes. This was an absolute blast. It doesn’t get better than this. Climbing out of the pool was a bit of a struggle but it’s definitely worth it and we couldn’t resist jumping right back right in again. Or rather falling back in at the gladiator arena after a duel. Once you are well acquainted and warmed up, there is a competitive, timed ninja warrior course, to test your ninja […]
A night at The Trading House
11 August 2017
Behind a rather ordinary façade, inside The Trading House, it’s unexpectedly quirky. The restaurant is rather intriguing, stylish and unique. The dark wood panelled room is ornate, adorned with the most beautiful lights and interesting murials on the wall, and a variety of stuffed animals. The scene set is that of exotic trade and travel and leaves one expecatant of an interesting culinary journey. Whilst there’s a traditional feel to the restaurant there is modern vibe, with lovely live music, which set the tone for the evening. As the night went on the DJ took over and played some great classics, and the restaurant and bar were buzzing with city folk. Whilst muddling through the menu, we nibbled on the chipolata and olives which arrived promptly. The refreshing peach and ginger mojito was the perfect choice for a cool, summery drink. The menu is an interesting assortment of hearty, comfort food from across the globe. Starters were our favourite, especially the crusty roll stuffed bursting with a hot, creamy, cheesy truffle mushroom centre. The Calamari served with a charred lemon was light and crispy and cooked to perfection. The pulled pork burger topped with jalapenos was packed full of juiciness and spiciness. The Trading House is famous for their hanging kebabs so we had to try it out.The […]
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Afternoon Tea at The Ritz, London
27 September 2015
The Ritz, London is one of the finest five star establishments in the world. It is renowned for being quintessentially British. With refined opulence, you are made to feel rather special at Afternoon Tea. In the heart of the bustling city, it’s pure luxury. The banquet room is grand, with beautiful music from a harpist. The afternoon tea is served with towers of cakes and sandwiches. Warm scones followed by an assortment of hot cups of tea from the Orient. The Tea menu is rather vast and the precision of timing for brewing ensures the perfect cup of tea every time. It makes for such a lovely afternoon celebration, or even a perfect gift experience. If there’s one Afternoon Tea to make time for when you are in London, it has to be The Ritz. The Ritz London 150 Piccadilly London W1J 9BR
Samsung Galaxy Virtual Reality Gear #10minbreak, London
25 November 2015
If your are fortunate enough to catch the pop-up Samsung #10minbreak bus by Southbank, you may find yourself mesmerised by their virtual reality demo. Hear about their new products and how NFC (near field communication) is all the rage. After years of virtual reality technology not really hitting the mark, Samsung Galaxy has revolutionised it. Simply slot your Samsung Galaxy phone in, and be marvelled by the most amazing experience ever. Mount a surf board and take a ride. Look up and it’s sunny, look down and you are riding the waves surrounded by beautiful scenery in high definition. It’s definitely the gadget to get your hands on and top of our Christmas wish list. Imagine it’s a grey, rainy day and you fancy a holiday, just pop on your virtual reality portal and you could be anywhere from the comfort of your own home. We are complete converts to virtual reality now and you will be too Samsung Galaxy VR
Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford
3 September 2015
Raymond Blanc’s Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is a lovely manor set in 30 acres of picturesque grounds in Oxford. As you walk through the gates you feel like you have entered a secret garden. Fresh herbs and vegetables being grown amongst Japanese gardens add to the charm. The hotel and restaurant atmosphere is lovely and relaxed. The seven course lunch is rather indulgent and spanned a whole afternoon. With the finest ingredients, each dish is intricately presented, with divine flavours and attentive service. We would agree it is rather deserving of its two Michelin stars. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Church Road, Great Milton, Oxford, OX44 7PD, UK
Dominique Ansel Bakery, Tokyo
6 November 2015
Imagine the excitement when I heard Dominique Ansel had opened a bakery in Tokyo. With years of visiting the New York bakery to be deterred by the mile long queues, there was a chance I could could finally savour an infamous Cronut. Or so I thought. Cronuts are a hybrid combination of donut and croissant, and I can’t imagine anything better than that. Donut on the outside and layers of heavenly croissant on the inside. As a self confessed foodie, travelling thousands of miles across the world just on a whim of what I fancied eating is not unheard of. So when already in Tokyo popping down to Shibuya to get my hands on a Cronut was top of the agenda. Tucked away behind a Louis Vuitton store, I was surprised to stroll straight in. Not a queue in sight. The smell of sweet pastries diffused through the bakery with displays of amazing looking pastries. Walking straight up to the till I requested my Cronut. The smiling staff gestured a cross and said “Sold out.” I knew it had been too good to be true. If they are so popular why not make a few more I wondered. So I […]
The Hairy Pig Deli, Stockholm
16 October 2015
We stumbled across The Hairy Pig Deli, Stockholm in the rustic Old City Gamla stan. It was quirky with hog’s head and cured meats and dried spices hanging from the wooden beams. With just a handful of tables it’s rather quaint. The appetising menu of sausages and spectacular hearty, sharing boards of delicious tapas was a feast for the eyes. Salt and vinegar potatoes, garlic bread, olives, spicy chickpea and spinach, mushroom, and interestingly a moose lasagne. As a delicacy in Sweden, we took our chances with the Moose Lasagne. It tasted like a red meat and was actually quite pleasant. A Gamla Stan gem, a stone throw from the Royal Palace, that makes for a memorable feast.
Center Parcs, Woburn Forest
15 October 2015
A holiday usually consists of sun, sea, sand, and sipping mojitos by a tropical beach on the other side of the world at a five star resort. So when we booked a summer break in England, we could only cross our fingers and hope for the best. However we were pleasantly surprised by Center Parcs, Woburn Forest.
Northern Lights, Iceland
1 January 2016
To catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights we booked a trip to Reyjkavik. We had our fingers and toes crossed to see the Northern Lights. The phenomena arises from charged particles from the sun reacting with the earth’s atoms causing electrons to move to a higher energy state. The drop of electrons energy state emit a photon of green light-the Aurora Borelias. It’s a cold time of year, with plenty of snow and chasing the Northern Lights requires patience in the cold. We packed in base layers which are a great way of keeping warm, fleeces, thermal legging, socks, hats and double layer gloves, and snow boots. We thought we would give the new WOW airline a go but there’s something that makes us resent having to pay extra for luggage. So after meticulous weighing by jumping on and off scales, subtracting the weight of our bags, determined not to exceed our allowance, we decided to wear our snow boots and ski jackets. We felt like silly, overdressed snowmen at the airport, but were relieved to see many others had done the same. With a six day trip booked in December we eagerly sat on the right side of the […]
Tried & True, Putney
6 September 2015
Fancy an indulgent breakfast? Pulled Pork Benedict is a must have at Tried & True, Putney. Pulled pork tossed in a hickory hoisin sauce, served on a unique jalapeno, cheddar cornbread and fully loaded with poached eggs. It is a delightful breakfast treat. Tried & True, 279 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, SW15 6SP
The Corinthia Hotel, London
31 December 2015
The Corinthia Hotel is a grand, five star hotel with a prime London location, a stone throw from Embankment station. The Northall Bar and Restaurant are charming. The homemade artisan bread is rustic and deliciously served warm. The starter of salmon was presented meticulously with a multitude of flavour and sumptuous textures.. The gourmet take on Bubble and squeak, traditionally leftovers from Christmas dinner, was served topped with a poached egg. The sea bass served with a foam, gem lettuce was perfectly seasoned and delightfully balanced. The highlight had to be the gingerly dessert sprinkled with golden popping candy nuggets. Tangy and sweet, with little explosions in our mouth, this dessert tantalised our taste buds. The festive warm mini mince pies were sweet, with buttery pastry that melted in our mouth brimming full of a sweetly spiced filling. The Northall Bar & Restaurant has a delightful menu with attentive staff. The Corinthia Hotel is a glamorous venue for a wedding, and perfect for a special celebration. The Northall, Corinthia, Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD
The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
5 January 2016
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland was a surreal experience. In -2 degrees Celsius the thought of braving the elements in swimwear was slightly daunting. The changing rooms are well equipped with heated floors and sophisticated locker systems. We were impressed with the well maintained, pristine, luxury facilities, given this is a tourist hotspot. You can rent towels, slippers and robes for a comfortable spa day. You can also take advantage of massages, face masks to enhance the experience. The geothermal spa is warmed naturally to 38 degrees Celsius. Fortunately you can wade through from an indoor pool into the outdoors. This is a great way to get you acclimatised to the temperatures. As the cold air hits your face the warm water embraces you. Surrounded by mountains snowed in its one of the most amazing places we have been to. It is unimaginable that you could be relaxing in naturally hot lagoon whilst it snows. The 6 million litres of water is enriched with silica, algae and minerals and takes 48 hours to replenishes itself. We were truly marvelled by this experience. The snow falling whilst we bathed made it even more exhilarating. Somehow your face is resilient to the […]
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