It’s the final weekend for the Tropical Extravaganza in Kew Gardens, displaying the world of Orchids at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Alice (fellow blogger Form 42)and I paid a visit to appreciate the wonders of orchids (not much more than Alice) and kick in with some floral photography with my new Canon Powershot G7X. My house is full of Orchids, like “literally”! My mum has a crazy obsession with Orchids which lives in the living room, kitchen, bathroom, hallway, dining table, bedroom, sigh…literally everywhere! The floral feast was at the steamy Princess of Wales conservatory which sadly ends tomorrow (8th March) but during the couple of hours of soaking in and be in the moment of floral jungle-ness, I hope you have enjoyed the snaps I have taken with my new Canon Powershot G7X digital camera but off course, it can not compare with the naked eye. Here is my Part 1 post with more floral awesomeness to come! Enjoy the beautiful Saturday, it’s crazy sunny and beautiful (I am off to the cinema…how I love to 3rd wheel my friend ) It’s not too late to pay a visit to the Alluring Orchids presentation in Kew Gardens.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post Orchid Jungle Festival at the Royal Botanic Gardens appeared first on Red Velvet London.

On Friday, I was so excited to be staying at The Fox Club London hotel in the heart of Mayfair. The hotel is situated on Clarges Street of Green Park, yes a stone throw away from The Ritz. I am a super lucky girl to stay in this beautiful hotel with one night in the executive suite called Dorset. I really wanted to make the most of my Friday night, especially not having to worry about getting the last tube home or miss the last train and grab a taxi back! After a few Birthday drinks afterwork, I thought I was going to have a quiet night in in my executive suite, but thankfully my amazing friend called me up: “May, where are you? Let’s hangout and do something!” Yes! Yes! So glad she gave me a call (she’s such a busy woman, on call saving lives!) and told her to meet me outside The Fox Club hotel. There she was waiting…and waited hahaha! At 11.30pm we wondered where we should go that is open 24 hours and what better than Heron Tower! Ok, SushiSamba was all booked up (seriously all evening and morning?) and so was Duck and Waffle; but we tried our luck and went to Heron Tower anyway. Darn it; if I’d known we were going out I would have brought my sky high heels, but it’s ok, I have black thigh high boots on…but they are flat
My first visit to Duck and Waffle enjoying my Duck and Waffle main lol. How time flies with my best friend and before we know it, it was 3am! She drove me back to The Fox Club in Green Park and she said to me “thank goodness you are staying here for the night as you always had to run off for the last train like Cinderella” haha no she didn’t quite mention the Cinderella comment.

The Fox Club London hotel is a plush, luxurious, bijou townhouse hotel with a number of rooms and suites; combo of original and contemporary features. The decor is elegantly chic which oozes everything that’s homely and British. So what’s with the Fox? Nothing too cunning but the man himself; Charles James Fox, one of the former residents in the 18th Century- a renowned statesman and political giant and civil liberty campaigner.In his later years, he lived with his courtesan lover and then wife; Mrs Armistead; continuing his passion for gambling, drinking and living life to the fullest. What can I say, den of a fox, residence of a vixen.

I was very honoured to experience a night stay at the Dorset Suite 4 (in total there are 9 rooms), I felt incredibly homey and comfortable and just didn’t want to leave my room. With high ceilings and large windows; there was absolute privacy with the room almost split into 3 sections: the main bedroom, lounge seating and the bathroom. I am such a light sleeper generally but I literally melted between the sheets with a large bed all to myself! Another favourite feature of mine was the rainfall shower with panel mirrors across the bathroom. Every little detail has been well thought through with complimentary Molton Brown bath and shower set which smells delish. One thing I have learnt since staying in hotels is that they never provide toothpaste; why is that? Anyway, I was prepared and brought my own; would have been a disaster…what would I have done? Knocked on my neighbours door for a squeeze of toothpaste?

Unfortunately I had to wake up from this fairytale of a Fox member for one night only and enjoyed my complimentary buffet breakfast down at the dining room. I kept it very simple and healthy with a selection of fresh fruits, juices and pastries. I have read some reviews how visitors didn’t quite like the flight of stairs to get to their room but I quite liked that you had to climb up the 4 storey staircase to get right to the top (luckily mine was 2 storey up). I handed over my keys, loved my stay and would definitely come back here to relive another night at The Fox Club London. Thank you for your hospitality and hopefully see you guys soon!

Do check out my Instagram/RedvelvetLDN for more pics that aren’t featured on the blog
Interesting detail in the room: for all you lovers out there; the room supplied a box of Arcane Gallery – fully equipped with lubricant, massage oils, fair trade condoms and vibe couple rings. Lol it did make me chuckle; who needs fair trade chocolates and coffee when there are fair trade condoms now haha. Anyway, I left that box to one side (once you open it, it’s on your tab for £25 )

I hope you have enjoyed my review; do drop a comment ^^

Address: 46 Clarges Street, London W1J 7ER

To enquire: 020 7495 3656

The post One Night at The Fox Club London Hotel in Mayfair appeared first on Red Velvet London.

ClassPass goes international! Welcome ClassPass to London and what better way to celebrate the launch at Barry’s Bootcamp and work up a sweat! I am so privileged to be invited to the launch considering my blog is very much beauty, travel, food oriented. They picked up on the fact that I have always found it difficult to join a gym and sign up to the limited classes available and worse yet; workout classes are always booked up. So ClassPass is perfect for girls like me that just wants to be motivated to workout, not constricted by a limited number of classes available and book classes without having to compete for spots when booking 7 days in advance.
I was so excited to start a new leaf and kick in the fitness lifestyle as of Sunday, the day I weerrk it hard at ClassPass’s launch at Barry’s Bootcamp in Euston. The Bootcamp session was filled with fitness and lifestyle bloggers all ready to get their sweat on; but first things first; I met this girl (probably the only girl that responded to my tweet pre-launch) Ellie, a fellow foodie and lifestyle blogger (yay I found a friend!). No time was wasted and the intense bootcamp class kicked off with half the girls on treadmill and the other half doing floor work; a mix of cardio and strength. Yes I almost died but it was so worth it; gratified with a full on blueberry thick shake from Juice Baby and a table full of Maple and Fitz healthy snacks, salads, healthy options of desserts and cold pressed raw juices. My body felt so good I caught the motivation bug for fitness; I have found my Zen!

So what is ClassPass? It is a unique monthly membership that gets you into the best fitness/workout studios around London. It is revolutionising the way we work out by stimulating us to try new classes you wouldn’t think of trying, rather than your usual day in day out gym membership where you are so used to your routine, you stop going!
ClassPass originated from the US and landed here on British soil where you would pay a monthly subscription fee between £59 – £79 depending on commitment. This gives you complete access to over 150 studios around London’s top gyms and before you “eek” with the price; I pilates class I am booked into is £35 a class for a drop in so…I think this is a pretty neat deal don’t you think? It was a total no brainer for me.

Once logged in to My ClassPass, it is a very simple, easy to use and navigate dashboard. If only you could see how many bookmarks I’ve saved before booking my first class. The list of classes were endless and I wanted to try them all! Classes range from Pilates, Yoga, Triyoga, Barretoned, powertone with power plates, ecole de pole, salsa, bikram yoga, indoor cycling, aerial silk..the list goes on!! I have become so motivated I am adding a Health and Fitness category on my blog (hahaha!) and if I can inspire one person; I can die happy (if I inspire 2..jeez I probably will die happy again and hope for the best that I have 7 more lives!)
I genuinely feel like I have found the best workout regime for me and ClassPass has filled the empty void on my road to getting fat, restless and out of shape. So excited I have cancelled plans with friends to go work out; or have plans work around my workout hours. As of now; I will be trying my best to keep up and blog about my ClassPass journey and all the classes I have been trying out. So far, I have booked 5 classes in a row now with my first class being Ecole de Pole…a pole dancing taster class watch this space!

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

For more details about ClassPass, visit their site here: ClassPass

The post ClassPass is Finally Here in London! We Celebrated by Sweating! appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Not only did I enjoy the evening for the New Simple skincare Micellar cleanser water launch, I felt inspired by the 3 insiders who attended to talk us through what Micellar is, how it works and why this is a must have skincare product.

I was supposed to attend their last product launch at the Ham Yard Hotel; only to embarrassingly turn up on the wrong day! Oops. So I made sure I did’t make that mistake again. This time, the launch took place at the new Mondrian Hotel near the Blackfriars Bridge and OXO tower. We were guided to the lower ground floor where the Agua Spa was situated and off course; the Simple event hosted by BeautySeen PR. Whilst we waited for a slot to chat to insiders such as Doctor Philipa Lowe and Lisa Valencia (Celeb Makeup Artist); we helped ourselves to some tasty sushi and pure green detox juice (thank goodness as I had an empty stomach). Finally we managed to sit down and hear all about Micellar, what is Micellar! Is this just a fancy name to sell a product; or something we should be raving about (the latter!).

So what is Micellar water? How Dr Philipa Lowe explained it; the name micellar takes the name of micelles which are tiny round balls of cleansing molecules that float in the water shaped…like a sperm! Has a head and has a tale! Once applied to the skin, the micellars come in to direct contact with dirt and oil and saps it out! Yes I mentioned sperm earlier; it is an important analogy because the way it works is that the head sticks on the cotton pad and the tail helps brush on the skin and sap the oil and dirt like a vacuum. This replaces any cleansers and toners out there and just one bottle; it can lift every dirt at every corner where you wouldn’t think be dirty. You think you washed your hands clean? Try again and test with the Simple Micellar water (which I did and mortified as to how much dirt still lifts on to the cotton pad).

Not a lot of cleansers removes thick and waterproof makeup but this cleanser helps break down the toughest liquids (like waterproof mascara) and to remove the makeup without forcing it by rubbing and pulling your skin with aggression. The Simple Micellar water cleanser is tripled filtered, purified water…their purest possible water to minimize contamination and potential irritation. The ingredients are so gentle it hydrates your face instantly, no need to rinse at all.

I came home eager to try this out; I was completely inspired by the ladies at the event and 3 days in, using morning and night (and removing makeup); I have cleared my makeup wipes, cleansers and toners. I definitely recommend Simple Micellar water for cleansing for all skin types and a 200ml bottle for just £4.49! Another top tip; splash some micellar water on your makeup brushes and can instantly remove grime and dirt with a cotton pad.

Thank you BeautySeen PR for introducing me to Simple’s Micellar cleansing water and a wonderful evening at the Agua Spa in the Mondrian Hotel.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post New Launch: Simple Micellar Water Cleanser appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Since the launch of ClassPass on Monday, I have booked myself up this week with a wide variety of classes I wouldn’t normally try myself. My first class was at Ecole de Pole Taster Class and before you say anything…people seem to think Pole dancing is nothing more than just a filthy class for those who gyrate around the pole in skimpy outfits. In this modern age, it is still difficult to change the perception of Pole dancing but how I see it is that it is a great way to get fit; you really work your core, balance, flexibility and strength; as well as boosting one’s self esteem (confidence both physical and psychological), femininity and self expression through movement. People have different agendas as to what they expect out of a pole dance class but if you could what the girls could do at the Ecole de Pole class; it’s nothing but gymnastics! Yes they were in tiny tiny shorts and bralets but it is all necessary as you can’t do tricks with full length clothing as you won’t be able to grip on the pole properly. I admit I was pretty nervous; I have never been to a “pole fitness class” before but I have always enjoyed all kinds of dance (hip hop, commercial funk, ballroom and latin american dancing) and being the feminine dancer that I am, I wanted to give everything a go, even a taster session of pole dancing.
Our small class were full of slim girls with a form of dance background so already; in fact they were mainly ballet girls which was a surprise (so not slutty girls here). The short, simple routine teaches you how to walk/strut around the pole, do an underarm turn, how to move your body in a sassy way and slide down the pole like a fireman! The routine is simple, but it’s up to you to get over your shyness and ooze in body confidence. Katy Perry’s Dark Horse tune was perfect for the routine (whilst the class downstairs had Fifty Shades of Grey theme tune Earned It by The Weeknd). I thoroughly enjoyed my class and despite some of my colleagues (unfortunately couple of guys since we don’t have that many female colleagues) poking fun and embarrass me; I will definitely go again.

Location: Ecole de Pole: Camden Town, 66 Rochester Place, Camden Town, NW1 9JX

The post ClassPass: Ecole De Pole Taster Class appeared first on Red Velvet London.

My week has transformed me; is it goodbye coach potato and hello fitness? I really want to thank ClassPass for changing this around for me. Since their launch on Monday, I have booked myself up to different workout classes everyday to A. try something new, B. stay motivated, C. get back into shape and D. enjoy working out! So far I have attended Ecole de Pole, Pilates Mat, Reformers Pilaes and Powerplate toning. For once in my life, I didn’t feel like I am going for the sake of working out and hating it. Now I can’t wait for the next class and started to shop for more colourful workout outfits. This is a new wardrobe for me and I like where it’s heading
Thanks ClassPass for the tote bag, which I use to carry my workout clothes! Bright yellow bralet from Decathlon (so cheap in Decathlon, I need to raid in there again), Forever 21 capri leggings, Adidas Boost trainers and Sweaty Betty cotton socks. I look forward to sharing more flatlays and new purchases do drop me a comment if there is anything cool or pretty I should go out and buy!

The post Living the Sweaty Life: New Workout Gears appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Recently I have been smothering you guys with ClassPass (sorry but it is that amazing) and mentioned very briefly about Maple and Fitz, I was lucky enough to sample their menu after our Bootcamp session at Barry’s Bootcamp last Sunday. Maple and Fitz are 3 weeks old located just around the corner from my workplace at Fitzrovia, London. Their menu is fresh, using wholesome ingredients to create deliciously tasty salads; helping me feel energised, full and happy. I was a little greedy and grabbed more sample pots than my bag can carry but they are so tasty and packed full of flavours. For lunch, I enjoyed a box full of goodness: Julius Caeser and Caali in Mumbai (I think).

What’s inside the Julius Caeser Salad: shredded kale, romaine, mangetout, toasted buckwheat, cabbage, toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pecorino, Dijon-lemon yogurt dressing (and this is gluten free).
What’s inside the Cauli in Mumbai salad: quinoa, roasted spiced cauliflower, shredded carrot, peppery rocket, white shallot vinaigrette (which is gluten free and dairy free).

It all sounds wonderful and my gut seems to agree too. Try something new for lunch if you are around or work close by: 36A Berners Street (by Mortimer Street), London. Opens Mon – Fri 8am – 6pm.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post Maple and Fitz: Gluten Free Dairy Free appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Happy Sunday! I haven’t done one of these in a while but I love playing with flatlays. Spring is technically here right? I am dying to chuck my winter coats to one side and get those sandals out, but London’s cold just isn’t prepared to shift over just yet. Whilst I wait it out I am just at home, going through my accessories case and makeup drawers and practice my photography and product arrangement. Honestly, I have so many colours I do not wear but I don’t chuck them either. Even though the lipstick and eyeshadow are a good few years old; I do like to keep them as props. Here are some of my favourite gems in my box:

La Vie est belle L’absolu perfume, Marc by Marc Jacobs nude resin bangle, Aerin nude lipstick, Aerin nude lipgloss, Nails inc leather effect nude polish, Bodyshop bronze eyeshadow (I think this is 5 years old), Burberry silver plated swiss made watch, Swarovski silver heart drop pendant and Salvatore Ferragamo Gancio Bar leather wallet in camel colour.

Enjoy your Sunday and have a good one.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post Flatlay Sunday: Camel, Nudes and Silver appeared first on Red Velvet London.

I have never tried Pilates before and my perception of Pilates was Yoga but with a bit more stretching, crunching and pulsing. I was so ecstatic when I booked this class at bePilates, not only did I want to try out Pilates but the studio was located within 10 minutes of walking distance from work. I had a blip upon arrival; ringing the bell for 15 minutes and I figured I was standing at the wrong door! Woops I was pestering someone with the bell annoyingly for the last 15 minutes! I was a little confused as to where I should be going but after climbing 2 flights of stairs I found it! I walked in and I genuinely thought I was in a penthouse suite! It’s so light, airy, spacious, clean and relaxing! Luckily, I was told that I am the only person who booked in to the session and that only means one thing; a private lesson; woohoo! I cannot remember her name but she was really really good; despite being a foundation level Pilates lesson, she pushes me hard if it appears to easy for me. I never realised how technical Pilates is and it was a class I needed to strengthen my core, lengthen my arms and legs, and work my muscles leaner. I am really keen to try the tower as it looks pretty cool to hang upside down lol but until then; I for sure will be back and keep you all up to date.

When booked into a group class it is £35 a session, a private lesson is £75 (you get the full attention you need to push that little bit extra) and for being a ClassPass member; that’s £89 a month and can attend the same studio up to 3 times a month.

All images are taken from the bePilates website, I do not own the rights to them. For more details about bePilates: 78a Chiltern Street, Second Floor, London, W1U 5AB

The post ClassPass: bePilates New Studio in Baker Street appeared first on Red Velvet London.

How is everyone’s Monday so far? I know it’s the dreaded day of the week but we are almost there! Anything planned after work? What I try to do is make plans after work so I have something to look forward to. So what exactly am I up to? Well my good friend and colleague helped build my website and I am ever so thankful to have a friend like that! I gave him enough grief and tantrums when migrating the website and as a thank you, I am treating him to dinner at Chotto Matte, my favourite Japanese fusion restaurant in Soho. What has my plans got to do with this flatlay of the day? Yeah I just felt like posting some pics of what’s inside my handbag and what I am wearing (pre-planned on a Sunday). I love my MiuMiu bag; it never goes out of fashion; it is my classic piece amongst my handbag collection.

In my handbag: Burberry pink lipgloss, Burberry Swiss made silver watch, Marc by Marc Jacobs wingman wallet in tan colour, Thomas Sabo silver charm bracelent, Orla Kiely Perfume, Alexander McQueen pink snakeskin bracelet and Nails Inc leather effect nude polish.

The post Flatlay: What’s In My Handbag appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Welcome to part deux of Kew Gardens. Couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about the Orchid exhibition which has now ended unfortunately. I spent the day with Alice from Form 42 to catch up on a bit of lifestyle photography. I didn’t bring my Canon 5D Mark ii because I recently bought a Canon Powershot G7X and thought I should give this a test drive. The compact camera is perfect for outdoor shots on automatic settings, and perfect for selfies of which the aperture goes as low as 1.8. There are big differences between the Canon 5D and the Canon Powershot camera but for what I wanted (especially less weight to carry) I was very satisfied with it.
The orchids exhibition was stunning and my home is full of orchids: every shape, size, colour and living in every part of the house! I do love them, but my mum has gone a bit nuts on orchids so it’s just part of the furniture now (please don’t buy me another orchid). I recently had my hair done in Hong Kong and since being back (and many washes later) I am surprised how bright my hair was under the light. I went from dark dark red to bright reddish/copper…I don’t know what you think but I am quite mixed as to whether I like it or meehhh. I’ve always liked it dark and bold, but not bright and bold; I don’t know, I might grow to like it…eventually.

It’s very to get caught in the busy/chaotic bubble of London but once in while, it’s very relaxing to to come out of zone 1 and enjoy the green scenery in Kew Gardens. It’s perfect for family days out (not sure about dates) and general photography as there’s always something going on. It was a pretty cold wet day but be mindful that some greenhouses in Kew Gardens can cook you with humidity and turn your hair wild; as well as melt the makeup on your face! Yes, that happened last year so I was prepared. For more details about Kew Gardens and what’s on, check it out here: Kew Gardens.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

Photography: Form 42 (and all other images by me). Do check out her post Kew Orchid Magic; her photography is amazing (she used a Canon 5D Mark ii; big difference in quality and colour accents).

The post Selfie Moments at the Orchid Exhibition appeared first on Red Velvet London.

I’m third day into my ClassPass and have already attended Ecole de Pole, bePilates and now Epoch Fitness in Fitzrovia. ClassPass is truly a revolution as to how we approach fitness. Instead of a gym membership, we have a class based membership with access to the best studios in London. You can attended unlimited number of classes with a cap of 3 classes per studio (which is fair) for £89 a month. It may be steep but if you think how much a pilates reformers class is; it’s approv £25 per session so it’s pretty darn worth it. I’ve had my first pilates mat class at bePilates which was fantastic and wanted to do more! I noticed this girl on the reformers doing cool workouts on it and I wanted to give it a try myself so instead of jumping back on the bePilates; I wanted to try a different studio which is also near my workplace; Epoch Fitness studio. The studio hosts a small class per session and we were lucky to work with the Founder, Dmitri Tkatchev, the founder of Epoch fitness. He really worked us hard and 40 minutes in, my legs were already shaking; this shows that my legs have been working really hard! The hour session was fantastic; despite being the only one with no experience on the reformers; Dmitri showed me the ropes with a quick intro to Reformers and guided me through the class when working on a new move. The class is effective at building a strong, toned and healthy physique. The focus is both on strength, postural alignment and flexibility ( really want to be able to do the splits). Pilates helps increase muscle strength, promotes fat loss, reduced waistline and tone up stomach, increased flexibility, lowered levels of stress and heightened feeling of wellbeing. Without ClassPass, I don’t think I could afford to pay £22 (soon to be £28) per session so ClassPass gives me the opportunity to book classes without hesitation on price and choose a time slot that suits me in London. Interested to know more just drop me a message ^^

Location: Epoch Fitness, Fitzrovia Community Centre, 2 Foley Street, London, W1W 6DL

Now you can enjoy ClassPass with £50 off your next month of ClassPass by joining with my promo link here RVLxClassPass50 . There’s only 2 weeks left for this promo; so sign up by 31/03/2015. Happy ClassPassing ^^

The post ClassPass: Reformers Pilates at Epoch Fitness appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Almost 2 weeks into my fitness regime; working up a sweat in different studios in London. I feel like my appetite has shifted since working out almost every single day! On Saturday; I had a 1/2 hour Power Plate class at Powertone in Chelsea. It was short but effective and I was already starving! Luckily, there was a food market and spotted a health snack stand called Cru8. No idea who they are but the one thing I spotted were their food samples. Can’t help myself with food samples and much to my delight; they were very good! They have a good range of 5 different flavours and I was particularly interested in their Kale Crackers! Their Kale crackers were so good; ingredients including cashews, lemon, nutritional yeast, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and sea salt! Cru8 are known to be gluten, wheat, dairy and refined sugar free. Serves raw, low GI, nutrient dense, slow releasing superfood crackers and crisps. I am not huge on all the facts and health conscious labels; as long as they are a healthier alternative and taste great; I would pay the premium for it. A pack is £4, but at the market; I bought 2 packs for £7. I hope to see more of them in stores and restaurants; but for now; they were a great discovery and available to order online.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post Lunching Healthily with Cru8 Kale Crackers appeared first on Red Velvet London.

It’s almost two weeks in and I am enjoying my evenings hitting up all the different, local studios around London. In fact; I have surprised myself how motivated I am and ClassPass has helped me in every step of the way to lead a healthier, happier and fitter lifestyle. Love my new ClassPass tank top with the additional complimentary freebies of Sweaty Betty’s cotton socks, headband and water bottle. I realised that I only have 2 capris and 1 activewear top that fits! Gosh; it made me really think as to how much I really work out…or don’t work out. As ClassPass is still very new in London, a lot of the instructors were curious about the membership program and who I am because I am basically wearing their brand. I feel very proud and privileged to be a part of ClassPass, feel like I am representing them! I wish ClassPass all the success because give it a few weeks; their membership following is going to rocket.

ClassPass is a non contract, monthly membership program that gives you unlimited access to London’s boutique studios offering a wide range of classes: yoga, pilates, reformers, dance, cycling, barretone, pole fitness and much much more.

I can proudly share with you guys that if you are interested in trialling out ClassPass, you can try a week of ClassPass for £10 with unlimited access to classes. Here is my link for you and I can guarantee you will love it: ClassPassTrial

Let me know what you think or questions you may have, I have tried a lot of their classes to date so feel free to read my reviews over on the Red Velvet London Lifestyle Blog ^^
May x

The post ClassPass Unlimited 1 Week Trial For £10 appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Kanada Ya is an authentic Japanese ramen bar which specialises in tonkotsu ramen; cooked from a recipe by Kanada Kazuhiro. Kanada Ya is situated on St Giles Street of Tottenham Court Road; the restaurant may be small, but by night the queue can get pretty long…all evening. The menu is relatively simple; just 3 ramens to choose from: Original, Moyashi (with beansprouts) and Cha Shu men (with chashu pork collar around the bowl). All bowls have a soup base of 18 hour pork bone broth with secret sauce, hand pulled (yes hand pulled) noodles, chashu, pork slices, wood ear fungus (the brown, black slicey thing), nori (seaweed) and spring onions. So so simple! You can add extra toppings; be it extra nori, maramisu or hanjuku egg. For starters we ordered 1 of each onigiris, basically a triangular shaped/moulded rice with a nori sheet. I had the Sake (salmon flake) onigiri whilst my friend ordered the Ume (Japanese sweet plum) onigiri. We also ordered 2 calpis (a bit like yakult, a probiotic drink) and 2 chashu men, the most popular ramen at Kanada Ya. I didn’t want to draw attention when taking photos but when I looked around me; every diner seemed to have the same idea and instagram/tweet/facebook a picture of their meal! So I didn’t feel awkward at all and went all in snap happy. Again, I didn’t want to piss of my friend who came with me to dine at Kanada Ya so I tried and kept it minimal.
We couldn’t wait to scoff down the ramen because we were pretty hungry; my friend was probably more hungry than I was as she seemed to like chanting “I am sooo hungry” a lot so when our Onigiris arrived; she had to wait a little bit longer as I wanted to take photos (hehehe). The bowl of chasu men was delicious, you can instantly tell that the noodles were hand made and fresh. You can choose to have your noodles served as hard, regular or soft; and the best way to eat it is to soak everything in. Chuck the nori in the broth, mix it all around so the wood ear fungus is all intertwined in the noodles. The broth was absolutely to die for; I remember visiting Bone Daddies and recall it being waayy too salty and … overly brothed! Can soup be over brothed?? Anyway, Kanada Ya had it just right; bone deep rich in flavours. I am so glad the restaurant is small; it is a very comfortable, homey, intimate little place where it is all about the ramen (and the broth). Ken, from Kanada Ya had a little surprise for us; he offered us a sample of the new Japanese plum wine he is about to introduce to the menu and oh ma gad…. it was so so good!! I am not going to reveal the brand of it but all I can say is oh ma gaaad. I hope you have enjoyed my review and I hope you do get a chance to visit and try their deliciously, tasty ramens. They are located at 64 St Giles High Street in London. Unfortunately there is no booking because they are that busy

You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. I am May from Red Velvet London blog.

The post Kanada Ya Ramen Bar in Tottenham Court Road appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Is it officially Spring? Why does it still feel so cold and grey?! (Rhetorical question by the way; it is London afterall). Most importantly…why did we have an epic solar eclipse fail this week? I was so disappointed! I felt pretty hungover this morning after a fun, Birthday bash night out at Babble in Mayfair; celebrating 5 people’s Bday’s, gosh it might as well be everyone’s Birthday celebration. At home; feeling lifeless and chugging down mug after mug of warm water (yes, we Chinese people are weird and drinks warm water…it is very good for you; good for digestion and overall wellbeing). It’s Sunday, I am home, chilling out with my sister…catching up with blogging ( I think the living room is our working station) whilst having 4music channel in the background.
I haven’t been posting much about beauty lately and I think you can tell that I have been branching out to a lot of food, hotels, activewear and Workouts. I think what’s really important is to blog whatever you want that’s you, being true to yourself as to what you like/want to blog about because at the end of the day; it is your personal blog hoping your readers and new readers enjoy reading about your (my) life and discovering new interests and general lifestyle. I am not trying to please anybody and most importantly, what we have to remember that this is a personal hobby; write what keeps you motivated to blog as we do have jobs during the day and have the rest of the evenings and weekend to make your life ever so interesting for yourself.
I still love playing with flatlay photography on a Sunday and having a bit of sunlight shining through does help so I am pretty lucky today. I do like to use the same old makeup bags as this Marc by Marc Jacobs makeup pouch has been with me for almost 2.5 years now (since my retail days). I like to stick with my basic beauty pieces and new addition to my makeup bag has been the Burberry oxblood lipstick which I adore! The Burberry oxblood lipstick was a Christmas gift from my sister and I have to admit, my best Christmas pressie. I wear it to work a lot and I did struggle in the past to find the perfect dark red lipstick. Love Love. Right, this is a real time blog post so I hope you enjoy your Sunday; make the most of it and I am off to Westfields to Watch Focus with my Doctor friend who’s never free! Check out my Instagram for more updates.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post What’s In My Makeup Bag appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Easter is just around the corner, have you bought your Easter eggs yet? I was so excited to receive this complimentary Easter egg from Charbonnel et Walker; the iconic British chocolatier since 1875. There’s nothing more special than to gift a luxury Easter egg for your family and enjoy the chocolate surprise inside. I am a guilty chocolate eater and how can I say no to a chocolate egg filled with Pink Marc de Champagne chocolate truffles. For us bloggers; it’s not so much about eating and enjoying the chocolate eggs; we do love to create an occasion for it by photographing our eggs and Instagram, Facebook and Tweet them; even if it means pissing everyone off because they just want to eat the chocolate; rather than watch and wait for you to take your pictures (the same picture 10 times). Guilty! I have had my fair share of chocolate eating this week but nothing beats my Easter egg filled with chocolate truffles and so far; I have had 3 chocolate truffles and half a chocolate egg! I know a lot of girls feel guilty when eating cake and sugary naughtiness; I don’t think you should hold back. Enjoy what you eat it if it makes you feel happy; I just went for a quick 45 minute jog to make myself feel better (Which I did :D). This particularly special Easter egg comes in two sizes; I received the 185g egg, the most popular egg which contains 8 pink Marc de Champagne truffles inside. It is wrapped in their sweet, pink signature ribbon and with a matching baby pink box for £20. Whilst researching their general selection of Easter eggs; I was surprised that there wasn’t a picture of an opened Marc de Champagne truffle egg whereas the other eggs did! So I was curious what it looked like on this inside!  Nevertheless; here you go, a full on chocolate photoshoot for these bad boy champagne truffles! Have you tried them before? I hope you enjoy your week ahead and get your Easter egg shopping and hunting done, it can be stressful.

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post Charbonnel et Walker Easter Egg with Pink Chocolate Truffles appeared first on Red Velvet London.

I was super duper excited when I received an email update from ClassPass last week. I’m not a big fan of automated email updates but when I received the email that Pineapple Studios has been added to ClassPass I almost hyperventilated! I was a lil gutted with the lack of dance classes with ClassPass and I couldn’t be happier with this news and the one thing that would cling me on to the ClassPass membership. At the moment (hopefully there will be more classes to join) it is Lil-J’s Street Fusion class available (pretty much everyday of the week). I have been doing a lot of Ballroom and Latin American dancing the past few years and I always feel like I can’t have/do it all; it’s either one or the other. Now that Lil-J’s street fusion class is part of my workout regime on ClassPass, I can continue with my passion for dancing! Ok, I was actually really rusty; my memory is so poor it’s unreal. I need to go regularly to improve my memory and get those moves nailed! Lil J is so cool; her moves are so fresh and introduces all these new tunes. The track we danced to was Coke Bottle by Agnez Mo, an Indonesian singer and actress who is looking HOT by the way in the music video! The song also features Timbaland and T.I.; a catchy tune to get those hips popping and feet fast to the beat. Love it; cannot wait to attend the next class with Lil-J. May x

The post Dancin’ to Agnez Mo at Pineapple Studios appeared first on Red Velvet London.

2015 has been a rather busy one for me and who knew I would be so proactive with blogging! I’m sure you have all noticed (if you have been a follower since last year) that my content has been changing up lately. I started off as a beauty blogger; blogging all things makeup and skincare which I loooved. However, I felt like I was cornered that I had to stick with a genre; which was beauty, skincare and makeup for the benefit of my readers. I understand that my content needs to be consistent with the overall theme but lately I have realised that I should enjoy all the experiences in life and hope that my readers enjoy reading what I’ve been up to. I love blogging about beauty; but surely you must get bored to write about beauty day in day out? Also, I do get shy when I google my name or my blog name and my vain pictures are out there (so awkward! Especially whn your work colleagues Google you (which they have and questioned!)) I don’t feel inspired to stick with that one genre; but don’t get me wrong; there are loads of amazing beauty bloggers out there, but for me, I have loads of interests and hobbies outside the world of makeup and want to explore all of these and share my experiences with you all through my blog. Perhaps I am hoping there are like minded girls out there who enjoy dolling up, dance to your favourite jam, eat at the most exciting places and travel the world! It keeps me motivated, interested and inspired to write and share what I love! I am quite a private person and not many people know what I get up to these days, or generally what I do! If you have recently discovered my blog; welcome ^^ and for everyone who’s been following me for a while (who are you, say helloooo :D) here is my 411 and what you would expect to see/read on my blog:

Passion: I have always loved all things dancing! I remember as kid listening to cool music and thinking I am in a music video in my dreams. at 16, I came across Strictly Come Dancing on TV and thought that’s so cool! I wanted to try Ballroom and Latin American dancing but at the time; I had GCSE’s and Chinese school on a Saturday; Ballroom classes are known to be expensive so it was never an option to take up classes. Then I went to Uni, discovered a Ballroom Society and long story short; competed at the Uni Open Circuit and danced at the infamous Ballroom in Blackpool! Fast forward a bit more I plucked up the courage to train and take up the Bronze ISTD exam and passed with flying colours (92% for Ballroom and 95% for Latin). Again, Ballroom is not my only genre, I love a good ol’ hip hop, street jazz and dancehall.

Music: Similar to my passion; any good tune makes me “wanna dance to this jam!” I love discovering new tunes and sometimes, I do kill it and have it on repeat like 10 times! I tend to discover new tunes when I go to dance classes so if you have any suggestions; holla ^^

Food: I’ve recently been blogging a lot about food; that’s because I bought a new compact camera to take all those important pictures of food without looking awkward with a crazy DSLR at a restaurant!! I enjoy fine dining; it’s one of those things you should enjoy in life; even if it means going there once. At the same time; London is full of cuisines around the world; plenty of gems here so I get excited when I try something new every time and connect with you food bloggers out there. You will also find me on MaybeLdner blog, I am a guest writer there too and contribute to posts on all things London.

Fitness: This is still new to me. I love eating, I love to sit on my couch and watch telly all day all evening. Luckily, I have the Oriental gene where we don’t get fat as easily but sometimes; you can only hold on to that for so long and unfortunately; I am feeling the wobbles! I have joined ClassPlass, like a gym membership but classes; access to all the best boutique studios in London. I think it is an amazing concept for those who hate the gym so hopefully; I can review all the different studios I have been going to and hopefully inspire you guys and different ways of working out.

Fashion and Beauty: I am a girl so off course I will have the odd feature of fashion and beauty elements ^^. I love shopping it should be a disease. I do a lot of flatlays because I don’t feel like it is very me to pose and duck face! Also, it is tricky to do a fashion post when it requires another person to help photograph you. Again, I felt like I was coming across vain when there’s a lot of pics of me so the odd one here and there should be fine (for my soul at least). Luckily, I have the amazing Alice from Form 42 to photograph me and vice versa. Funny how we met; she was commenting on my Instagram asking for tips and thought; let’s meet up as bloggers!

Travel: I never had the travel bug until last year! I think we should focus what’s important in life which is live your one life to the fullest. As Buddhists put it; you will be reincarnated in your next life… no! I want to live my one life as a human and enjoy what I can whilst I am alive and young. For all I know, my next life could be a pony! I think I have a great circle of friends and family who loves to travel and explore new places. Without them, I don’t think I will have that mindset to want to travel as much. However, I do love London, I cannot imagine myself to live anywhere but here.

Well hopefully that sums me up! I am really excited for new projects and collaborations in the future, 2015 is looking very promising. Lastly, I thought I explain why I am called Red Velvet London. I actually cringe when people ask why Red Velvet London or be asked “what’s your blog called?” At the time, I wanted the world to know I am a London blogger; so it was gonna be something like London blah blah, or blah blah London. I was obsessed with red velvet cupcakes at the time so I came up with Red Velvet London. People did notice the connection but at the same time there is a side effect; it sounds a lil seedy (yes there is a twitter handle called @redvelvetlondon which is an escort handle eeeeeekkkkk. But I am @redvelvetldn so please, don’t think I am the escort agency :s ).

Hope you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. May xx

The post My Blog is Transformin’ appeared first on Red Velvet London.

Who is Jhené Aiko? Good question, I did not know who she was until I saw a funny Youtube clip when the interviewer got a lil speechless/tongue tied; he was probably in awe as to hot she looked on the red carpet at the Grammys. Just so we are on the same page and that you know what I am talking about, here is the video clip:

It was just a short moment but I thought it was funny. I was more intrigued about her surname and had a pretty good idea that she’s mixed race and that Aiko sounds Japanese. She is in fact an African American Japanese (African Father and Japanese Mother) from LA California. Then I did some research on Youtube and I came across a new tune Post to Be by Omarion ft Chris Brown and Jhene Aiko; although it wasn’t really my kind of song; I dug a bit more for her solo tunes and eventually found Wading. A soultry R&B track from her album Souled Out is her best track in the album and incase you guys didn’t know what Wading means, it’s slowly walking on water or a liquid substance. It is one of my favourite new tunes at the moment and of course; whilst writing up this post I have had her album playing and Wading on repeat numerous times. I hope you have the same music taste as me but enjoy; this is Jhené Aiko Wading.

May x

The post The Enchanting Jhené Aiko appeared first on Red Velvet London.