Heavenly Desserts Liverpool* | Just Add Ginger

If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I have a massive sweet tooth. There's nothing that makes me happier than nestling down after a long day and tucking into a plateful of my favourite pud. And when I go out for something to eat, it's always the dessert menu I turn to first. If I spot a sensational sounding sweet I will plan my whole meal around it to make sure I have enough room to give it a try.

As soon as I heard that Heavenly Desserts had opened a branch in Liverpool One, well - you can imagine how elated and intrigued I was. A whole restaurant dedicated to desserts? Oh be still my heart.

With an invitation to come down to Heavenly Desserts to see what it was all about, on a cold afternoon in December Ryan, Baby Eric and I made our way into the city centre. Located next to the Hilton, the restaurant was easy to find, and in the perfect location for both hungry shoppers and sightseers visiting the city. Sitting opposite the Albert Dock the restaurant is perfectly located for looking out at the scenery and twinkling illuminations as you eat. 

Now because I take forever to choose what I want to eat whenever we go out for food, I had tried to plan ahead and look up Heavenly Dessert's menu prior to our visit. However, being unsuccessful, I had no idea just what to expect. But whatever notions were in my head, nothing prepared me for such a vast and varied selection. Perusing the menu, there was so much to choose between -  from cheesecake to cookie dough to milkshakes and pancakes. Maybe this is why Heavenly Desserts choose to not disclose their menu - because as soon as you open it up and turn the pages, all you can think is 'wow'. 

Heavenly Desserts have really covered all basis with the selection of sweet treats they have on offer so there really is something for everybody. And as well as having pre-designed dishes on the menu, there is also the option to create and build you own dessert, with a range of toppings and accompaniments to really make it your own. So if you really can't decide just what to go for, you can come up with your own creation, adding as much or as little as you like.

Because everything on the menu sounded delicious, Ryan and I decided to choose with the intention that we would share (I'm sure you can guess how well that went). My favourite was definitely the 'Heavenly Desserts Cookie Dough' - fresh, warm, and with a smooth texture that melted in your mouth it barely touched the side of the plate. Ryan was also really impressed with his choice of a waffle with a side of three scoops of gelato. Our final choice - a trio of chocolate pots (white, milk and dark) with accompanying fruits and toppings for dipping - was a lovely complement to everything. 

Open from 10am to 12.00am most days (1.30am on Friday and Saturday) you can nip into Heavenly Desserts for elevenses, for a mid-shopping snack at the weekends, an early evening treat or a midnight snack. And with so much variety on the menu and the option to tailor make your own desserts there will always be something new to try. 

Taste buds tingling yet? Why not head on down and give Heavenly Desserts a try? With a stylish interior, welcoming ambiance and extensive menu, the only downside you might have is the struggle to decide just which dessert to go for!

* Heavenly Desserts very kindly invited us down and treated us to our meal. This does not affect my opinions. They are always 100% honest and influenced by my own personal experiences. For more details please see my disclaimer.

#Blogtember Day Nine: Ginger's Jollies - #Tweet4aTable

Throughout September, The Co-Operative Food are travelling to different locations country-wide, setting up pop-up restaurants to showcase some of their delicious range of food using a dedicated Twitter-led campaign - Tweet4aTable. The idea is simple. All you have to do is log on to Twitter, and send a tweet to @Tweet4aTable  stating why you deserve a a table reservation at the pop-up restaurant. If you are chosen as a winner, you (and up to three friends) get to enjoy a delicious meal and drink absolutely free of charge! A free meal?! I mean. Wow! 

As we were seated at our table, our waitress explained that everything on the menu was from The Co-Operative range....from the drinks to the food to the condiments. We were handed our menus, and given time to peruse the options. Of course, Boyfriend and I didn't hesitate to take some selfies with the props on the table, and talk about how yummy everything on the menu sounded. As we were musing over the menu, we were given a basket brimming full of nachos, sour cream, salsa and guacamole to boot. Both Boyfriend and I were starving so didn't hesitate to dig right in. I'm not kidding when I saw that that guacamole was one of the best I have ever had. 

It didn't take me long to decide what to have from the menu. As soon as I saw the "Holey Moley" my heart skipped a beat. With a soft chiabatta roll jam-packed with read-to-eat, smoky and sweet BBQ pulled pork, BBQ sauce, Gruyère, and American Coleslaw it sounded like heaven on a plate (we all know my love for all things BBQ-flavoured is undying!) Boyfriend opted for "Wingin' It." Buffalo wings served alongside blue cheese sauce and celery. He ordered a side order of the spring onion fries whereas I opted for coleslaw ones instead. 

Oh good heavens above! There it was. Giving me coy "come hither" stares and looked delicious.... Pulled pork heaven on a plate. Tender, juicy, saucy, succulent. I don't think it really saw the sides of the plate. The American-style coleslaw was a perfect accompaniment to the slight smokiness of the sauce and added a touch of sweetness. The bun was super-soft, and the fries cooked to perfection, nestled next to the pork pile up. Boyfriend had a taste too and was in agreement. In the BBQ pulled pork ratings, this was high up on the list indeed. 

Boyfriend said that his wings were beautiful too, with just the right amount of kick to them without knocking your socks off. The blue cheese sauce was a welcome addition, and Boyfriend loved being able to smother his wings in it. He just wished there had been some on top of the wings themselves rather than being hidden underneath. But that's tells you how good the sauce was. 

We left with full bellies, and big smiles on our faces! 

Tweet4aTable and the pop-up restaurant has now left Liverpool, but they are heading to Manchester and Newcastle very soon (they will be in Manchester 17th-19th September & Newcastle 24th-26th September.) So if you are in the area and want to score yourself a table, make sure you are following @Tweet4aTable and give them a tweet telling them why you deserve to be dining at their pop-up restaurant. 

If you visited the Liverpool Tweet4aTable restaurant, or plan to #Tweet4aTable let me know!

To find out more about the Tweet4aTable campaign, visit: 

http://www.co-operativefood.co.uk/tweet4atable/

https://twitter.com/Tweet4aTable

*Disclaimer: I was very kindly invited to the Tweet4aTable restaurant as a VIP guest. All opinions are still most definitely my own and guided by my taste-buds.*

The Body Shop L1 Wild Argan Oil Launch Event | Just Add Ginger

Last Thursday evening, myself, Sarah, Laura, Anita & Roxanne headed in to Liverpool One for The Body Shop's launch of their Wild Argan Oil line. I'm a big fan of argan oil at the moment. It's really nourishing for the skin, and leaves me smelling and feeling amazing from top to toe, so I was really excited to see what The Body Shop range had to offer. 

I purposefully didn't research too much in to the line before going to the event (although I knew Fleur de Force had been to Morocco to see where the range comes from.) I wanted to be surprised. And boy was I! As soon as we al walked in to the L1 store, an opulent and rich display of the range was there to greet us. The range is so extensive...from bubbling bath to hand lotion to a body scrub, the range has something to suit everybody. And the packaging is just gorgeous. The turquoise against the golden glow of the argan oil products really reflects the source of the argan nuts and transports you straight to Morocco. Just looking at the bottles and tubs gives the impression that you are going to have a really luxurious experience. (You can read more about the source of the Wild Argan Oil range here.) 

After perusing the range for a few minutes, reading labels and cooing over the scent of the line, I plucked a bubble bath (£8.00) from the display and popped it in to my basket. The temptation was there to try out more products, but with a wedding to save for, I wanted to make sure I only bought what I really needed. (With two bath-holics in the house, a bottle of bath foam is nearly always on the shopping list.) 

The L1 Body Shop had really bought an exotic flavour to the store to complement the launch of the Wild Argan Oil range. A really talented henna artist sat perched ready to decorate us with beautiful designs, and - alongside other tasty treats- was a jug of mint infused green tea was there to refresh us (it was so yummy!) I was sorely tempted to have a henna design on my hand, but with driving, I couldn't take the risk of it smudging. Laura did get a fabulous design though. Isn't it gorgeous? It was so interesting to watch it being done. 

I have taken two long bubble baths with the Wild Argan Oil Bubbling Bath so far, and on both occasions I have been complimented on the way I smell. The scent of the products is not pungent in the slightest, but a sweet, nutty scent that is layered with something almost flowery in note. (Boyfriend picked up the scent of rose!)

What I find so appealing about the Wild Argan Oil range from The Body Shop is that for something so luxurious and decadent, all the products are still affordable, ranging from £2.00 for the Bath Lily to £14.00 for the Radiant Oil.

To find out more about what The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Range has to offer, go to: 

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/content/argan-oil.aspx

An Evening at Boux Avenue

Boux Avenue: Liverpool One

I have always been a fan of lingerie. I'm a firm believer that beautiful lingerie has the power to bring out the strong, sexy, confident side to us all, no matter what kind of day we are having. I am empowered by underwear. 

So you can imagine my delight in being invited down to the His & Hers Magazine Boux Avenue Event in Liverpool One on 6th March. Together with a group of gorgeous fellow bloggers, I headed in to the store in excited anticipation. 

Boux Avenue is a shop that I've never been in, but admired from a distance. The shop front looks so luxe that I think I've been a bit afraid to go in, fall in love, and discover that everything is just that little bit out of my price range. 

The event was the chance to indulge in some sophisticated shopping. Champagne flowed, and a very kind 10% discount was in place for any purchases made that evening. Staff ensured that everybody in the store was comfortable and were ready to lend a helping hand. There was even a manicure-station set up at the back of the shop where - if you wanted to -you could take yourself off for a pamper. Me...I was too busy oogling at the underwear! 

I really appreciated the way that Boux Avenue had laid out the store. The fixtures were no overflowing with products, so you didn't get all flustered pawing through padded bras and panties alike to find your size. A small size selection were hung up, and underneath sat drawers with further sizes where you could look through at your leisure. 

Of course, Boux Avenue don't get stock lavish lingerie. Swimwear, lounge wear, accessories, and pyjamas alike are also available. Everything looks gorgeous, feels fantastic, and, oh, did I mention? It's all really affordable too!I just had to try something on. And, with a holiday coming up in a few weeks, I decided to give a bikini a whirl. 

I can find trying on anything undergarment/swimwear related quite stressful. In some shops, the fitting rooms are small, I get myself in a state, I feel embarrassed to ask for help (I've been known to get stuck in clothes sometimes) But the Boux Avenue fitting rooms are really spacious. There's a little intercom that you can press to speak to a sales assistant (a Boux Belle) if you need help. And what I loved the most is that there are lighting options. Yes. You heard me right. You have the option to literally see yourself in a different light. And this - at least for me - really sealed the deal. I don't know how many times I've gone to buy something, but have been put off by the glare of the artificial lights in the fitting room. But trying on my Boux Avenue bikini made me feel like I was at home, playing around with my light switches to make sure I'd seen myself from every possible angle. 

Boux Avenue: Liverpool One

Of course I had to treat myself to that bikini. I dashed over to the till, avoiding the "come hither" stares of the lingerie. (Although I had compiled a mental shopping list for when I returned.) With my purchase in hand, and the promise to myself that I would return the next time I was in town, I smiled to myself and glanced down at my pretty new purchases. 

I had an amazing evening at Boux Avenue. It made me want to pretty-up my lingerie drawer even more, and indulge in more pieces from their collection. I also received a goody bag from the event, filled with Boux Avenue treats; a pair of knickers, petals, hand cream (which smells beautiful,) scented pearls, & a copy of His & Her Magazine. 

I

.....A week later, I headed back to Boux Avenue. I couldn't help myself. Now, I am the proud owner of not only a bikini, but also a lingerie set that makes me feel like a sexy D-iva every time I look at it. 

No longer afraid to go in to Boux Avenue, I'm now eagerly anticipating pay day. I think my re-discovered love of lingerie is easily going to overtake my shoe-obsession. 

To have a look at all of the Boux Avenue collection, visit: 

http://www.bouxavenue.com/