Feeling Hungry? I've got just the place...

This past week I've been a bit of a spendthrift when it comes to food, dining out in what are now two of my new favourite restaurants to stop for lunch and a cheeky chinese inbetween the two, but let me tell you about these two little gems.

First up is The Oyster Bar located on the docks in West Mersea, Colchester, Essex, in which James and I headed last Sunday with hope that the summer weather we had that week would be following that day. It didn't. So we decided to have lunch here instead, and whilst the outside doesn't look too glamourous, the inside is incredble and far from your average fish and chip shop on the front! I would give you some pictures but even on this dismal Sunday afternoon it turned out we still had to book to get a seat and they were full for the day. Luckily in the grey cold outside there was outdoor seating available... Fabulous...

We still wanted to stay so I dug into a plate of the most fresh tasting plate of cockles I have ever tasted whilst James had a fancy prawn cocktail, then for mains James had classic fish and chips with mushy peas whilst I tried the king scallops and bacon salad. The food was fantastic.

And if you don't believe how good it is by the pictures or my word, take a look at their wall of fame, on the inside they have a list of all the famous people they have had tasting their food. I managed to get a quick snap shot whilst I was cueing to buy pots of cockles to take away, and yes that is Justin Timberlake on there! 

My other little discover came today after having lunch with friends at the Thatchers pub/restaurant located in Mount Bures, Suffolk. This lovely little village pub has a fantastic location, where outside seating looks over rolls of fields, and the modern yet classic interior makes you feel very at home.

The food was also amazing great hearty portions, and with a window seat what more could you want! I had delicious chicken and chorizo pasta with a creamy sauce and garlic bread, my friends had the biggest portion of fish and chips I've ever seen and we ate the whole lot.

For those of you who know me, I am a huge foodie, and absolutely love to both cook and eat! I am most definitely one of those saddos you see in the restaurant taking a picture of their frothy coffee or their food, but hey it makes for a good blog!

See you on my next adventure, 

Jadeene x

Get Unplugged at Jimmy's Farm!

So Friday just gone I was at another music event with James at the famous
Jimmy's Farm in Ipswich, known for being run by the cheeky chappy Jimmy Doherty a famous TV Presenter and Farmer.

Commonly known as a great place to take the kids, Jimmy's Farm also has a range of events put on each month, and this one was the 'Unplugged Night' based in their restaurant area, people pre paid for a set 2 course meal to choose on the night and some great acoustic acts for entertainment.

We got there and went through to the little restaurant. It was beautiful, with fairy lights and beamed ceilings with a welcoming and cosy vibe, perfect for a family event with live music. Fab!

We got settled whilst James did sound checks and we were given our set menu, filled with rare breed meat dishes and deliciously naughty desserts, right up my street! I had a cheese burger and then sticky banoffee pudding for afters, and it was absolutely amazing.

The acts were also incredibly talented, James went first and opened the night perfectly, he was then followed by another young chap named Jan and the fantastic Jake Morrell Band!

You will be able to see James, alongside these other local acts playing at Jimmy's Farm Sausage and Beer Festival this summer on the 26th and 27th July, headlined by the brilliant Toploader! Tickets are out now, hope to see you there! http://bit.ly/1N86iFp

See you on my next adventure,

Jadeene x

A Little Trip to Venice

Having visited Paris over the new year the boyfriend and I decided to go one better and see the stunning city of Venice to celebrate the 5 years we have been together, and it was absolutely perfect. However there were a few mishaps, and if you're planning a trip there anytime soon this might be a handy guide to all the things you may not yet know...

Departing at 6:20am with Ryan Air I felt shattered from clocking off work at 23:00 the night before but estatic that I was getting away for a few days. 4 days, 3 nights to be precise. We landed after an hour and a half and I couldn't wait to see the sights.

Okay guys Lesson One: Water Taxi's
If you're getting transfers from the airport to Venice, bare in mind that cars/busses/coaches cannot get onto the main land, therefore you must either get a water taxi or the monorail. If you are travelling on a budget, I promise you despite how appealing the water taxi looks, make sure you find the monorail, for a 5 minute journey it cost us €40! They saw us coming I reckon.

Anyway we finally got to our hotel,The Casa Sant Andrea, best described as cheap and cheerful with a rustic exterior. We walked through to the reception, greeted by a less than smiley lady with bright red hair and thick rimmed glasses, she checked us in, handed us a paper weight in the shape of a bell with a door key attached and gestured up the stairs. After walking up 2 flights of stairs and round a few little corridors we finally found room 209. Not the Ritz but not prison either!

After checking in, we just spent the first day finding our bearings and exploring, and it really was incredible. Finding our way into the mist of Venice was easy enough; it was like heading into a jungle of little bridges, cafes, pizza parlours, gelato stalls and fancy shops selling Venician glass, carnival masks and stunning jewellery. You couldn't always find your way back easily, but then again when a place is this beautiful you don't mind getting lost in it.

We had a lovely day just seeing the sights, and I had my first bolognese in Italy, tried tiramisu ice-cream and as you can see from the picture and it was delicious! 

That evening we discovered a lovely little restaurant along the canal, it was small and we could sit outside which was nice. We tucked into bread and oil, and tomatoes and mozzarella for start and then carbonara and pizza for mains. I also had the famous Bellini drink, made from peach puree and prosecco, officially my new favourite cocktail! However... 

Lesson Two: Service Charge

Make sure you always check before choosing a restaurant if they have a service charge, they caught us off guard and whacked 14% of our total bill on top, not ideal for budgeting travellers!

That night we also found a magnum shop where you paid to decorate the outsite of a magum ice-cream and get a free expresso with it! James scoffed the ice-cream and I had the expresso.

When we woke up Monday morning, it wasn't to the sound of birds or the smell of coffee, it was to the most awful sounding bell that was placed just a few yards from our hotel. The unattractive bell tower gave out an even more unattractive noise at 7:45 every morning. That first Monday morning James shot out of bed still delerious from sleep thinking there was a fire. 

Once again we spent the day exploring, unfortunatley in gloomy weather. This time trying to find things specifically, we wanted to find the Rialto bridge and San Marco square although Venice isn't one for being helpful with directions...

Lesson Three: Street Signs

Do not bother relying on street signs, the fact is you are on an island and you will come to what you're looking for eventually, and if you're in a hurry and don't have time for getting lost in Venice, make sure you get a good map, as most street signs look like this..

Once we finally got past the signs... We did get onto both Rialto Bridge and San Marco Square, both absolutely incredible in their own right. Rialto bridge looks over the most beautiful part of the grand canal and it was my favourite spot in Venice; when the sun is shining and the sky is blue, a photo cannot do it justice.

San Marco Square is probably my second favourite part of Venice. There you had the incredible St Mark Basilica, famous for its mosaic walls and ceiling, it was beautiful to see, we went onto the roof top where you could also look down to the square. The square itself was lined with coffee shops, fancy restaurants and unaffordable jewlers, I think mentally James and I spent millions choosing out watches and rings we couldn't afford!

Rialto Bridge

The beautiful square however was swarmed with street sellers and beggers wandering between tourists trying to get you to give up your money...

Lesson Four: Selfie Sticks
If you don't own a selfie stick, you will do by the time you leave! We were swamped with selfie stick sellers on the streets, we even brought ours out at night just to make a point we had one so they would leave us alone!

After leaving San Marco Square we just walked and walked, getting lost down little alleyways and over bridges, peering into shop windows and stopping for calzone for lunch! Delicious.

We also found a nice little restaurant in the depths of Venice and with no service charge either! Two main meals each for €18 perfect! We had seafood pasta and fried seafood, something a bit unsual but very tasty, I also tried a drink called Aperol Spritz, everyone seemed to drink it here so I thought I would give it a go. The best way I can describe it is a bitter fizzy orange juice, not my cup of tea but obviously everyone else's!

Our last full day and night was our anniversary, 5 years of being together and waking up in Venice, you can't go wrong. Apart from that bell waking us up, deary me. We were very lucky, the weather was perfect with blue skies and sunshine. We got ice-cream at around 11, tucked into a tasty lunch and then got a coffee at a tucked away cafe we visited a few times whilst we were there. I had the most incredible hot chocolate, like liquid gold, and a soft plain pastry to dunk into it, recommended by a little Italian barista man!

We then done the one thing everyone comes to Venice to do... The Gondola. We went at 16:45 just as the sun was at its peak and it was absolutely beautiful.
After the gondola ride we searched in a few more shops and wandered the streets at dusk, I truley loved being in Venice, it had such a great feel to it, although, I was in a way ready to go home...
Lesson 5: Don't outstay your welcome

Venice is a wonderful city that I would reccomend anyone to visit, but once you have seen San Marco Square, Rialto Bridge, tasted the coffee, ice-cream and pizza, and rode the gondola, for any young person you're pretty much ready to go home. We left Venice for our transfers at 19:00 and we felt like we really had been there just a tad too long.


Our last meal that night was enjoyed by the grand canal right next to Rialto Bridge, despite the bill being way out of our budget we both had the most amazing meals, and our waiter was just hilarious, singing our dishes names as he served them to us, it was fabulous.

The only other exciting thing I can really tell you is that we did discover the monorail, and when we got to Treviso Airport our plane was delayed and we had completely blown all of our money. Here's your last lesson.

Lesson 6: Airport Delays
BE PREPARED. Scraping the bottom of my purse I managed to pull together enough change for a bag of crisps which we ate routinely with James taking one, then me taking one, and also having intervals in eating to break up the delay time. You don't want to be in that situation. Trust me.

I hope you've enjoyed having a read of our four day adventure in Venice, and for those of you who are thinking of visiting Venice I hope my tips have helped a tad. It really is a wonderful city and everyone should go and see it once.

See you on my next adventure!
Jadeene. x

Visitare l'Italia nel 2015

Firstly I must appologise for the inconsistent blogging nature, juggling 3 jobs and what I have left of a life is tricky, but I promise to try and make more time for it!!

Now for the more exciting news of the day! I wanted to inform you all of my future plans as I am getting EXTREMELY excited for my next trip. I am off to Venice next week! It shall be my first time in Italy and one that is long overdue.

Photo taken from Casa Sant'Andrea Website: http://bit.ly/1FYXQ7q

I am away for 3 nights / 4 days with my boyfriend, staying at the Casa Sant'Andrea Hotel right along the Santa Chiara canal.

I have been warned of the sewage sitation in Venice and I am kind of glad that we are not visiting in the height of summer I have to say...

I shall have many photos and information about the accomodation and my first experience of Italy on my blog as soon as I am home! I can't wait to find a little coffee shop by the canal and get my notepad out, although the boyfriend may feel slightly neglected...

I have also once again emptied the bank account on yet another trip to Italy, this time to the South to finally visit the beautiful region of Basilicata at the beginning of July. For those of you who read my last blog on the Destinations Travel Show, you would have already heard about why it means so much for me to visit this region however for those that do not let me fill you in...

I work for redPepper Marketing who represents this stunning region, and having helped to write a guidebook and blogged about the area for over a year I felt that 2015 was the year I had to go. There is so much to see and do in Basilicata and has something for everyone of all ages, however I am travelling to the city of Matera with my best friend. Matera is such a special place, not only is it famous for its UNESCO world heritage site of the Sassi District, where lines of cave dwellings sit inside the rock, but it is also the European Capital of Culture for 2019. Pretty impressive huh?!

The Sassi, Matera 

Travelling from Bari, it is only a 45 minute drive from the airport into Matera, and our hotel is in the center! It is called Hotel Sassi and is a transformed cave dwelling. (For more info on hotels and other accomodation in Matera visit http://www.discoverbasilicata.com/accomodation/)

 I am visiting Matera at the start of July to not only catch a glimpse of the Southern Italian sunshine (and trust me with my current ghost like complexion I am in dire need of some!) but I am also going at that time for a reason. Annually on the second of July every year there is a big festival located in Matera, it's for the patron saint called The Madonna Della Bruna, where a day of festivites and excitement is based around a statue of the saint being carried around the town on a beautifully designed float, which later in the day is ripped apart by the crowds as a piece represents good fortune. The festival is ended by a fireworks display over the ravine.

There are lots of reasons why you should travel to  Basilicata but this event in particular is something special, and something I cannot wait to experience. For a more detailed description of the festival check out my blog on the 'discover basilicata' website! http://bit.ly/19tSVRf

Don't forget to keep up to date with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to get a live feed on all of my discoveries in Venice.

Speak to you soon,

Jadeene. x


Photos credited with permission from http://www.discoverbasilicata.com/

Heading to Kensington; The Destinations Travel Show

I have been so excited to blog about my experience at Destinations Travel Show! For those of you who don't know, (and don't worry I didn't either) Destinations is a big exhibition where companys, continents, countries and places from all over the world meet in one place to promote what they are and what they can offer to the travelling public.

Located at the Olympia Exhibition Centre this year, I hopped off the train at Kensington and stood in awe outside just bursting with excitement. I have to say it did feel good to slip down the 'B Entrance' with an Exhibitors pass, smiling stupidly as if I was some kind of member of the MI5. I embarrass myself.

The reason I was there is because I work for a marketing company called redPepper and we represent the beautiful region of Basilicata in Southern Italy. I was so excited to be on the stand because despite not having yet travelled to Basilicata, I am so passionate about the region, and our stand looked great.

After setting up the literature and preparing for a busy day, I got a quick chance to go and explore before they let in the public. The other stands were incredible; with places in the world I had never even seen before, I was like a kid in a sweet store! Unfortunately at that point I had to run back and get into promotion mode as they announced that the event had started.

It felt amazing to enlighten people on the region of Basilicata, 'it's a little hidden gem that Italy offers' I told people as they looked at our stand with puzzled faces, wondering if we were located in Spain, or Brazil. Many were put off by the lack of tourism in the region, looking for an all inclusive, all organised holiday without having to worry, although by the end we had managed to change peoples minds and open them up to a different kind of holiday all together. One with adventure, romance, scenery, culture and beauty, and it felt amazing to watch people turn from 'Ohh it's only Italy...' to 'Can we book with you today!'

On my lunch break I finally got to have a proper look around the exhibition and what I saw was truly incredible. Over in Africa and China there were native singers and dancers performing, and Switzerland even had 200 pound St Bernard sprawled out across their stand. It was madness!




Mentally I spent millions travelling the world, it was fascinating to learn so much about other places in the world first hand. I have to say one of my favourite parts was that they had an Indian street food van, and oh my, I had died and gone to heaven!


Being at Destinations has been a journey for me as it has made me realize just how important travel is and that this is really what I want to do, and representing Basilicata has just been an absolute joy. This summer I will be planning my journey to visit the region I know so much about and I hope you will still be following my travels to hear all about it.

In the mean time check out our website for Basilicata, (especially the blog pages where you will find more of my work there!) Maybe you will find a new destination to travel to and fall in love with it as much as I have. www.discoverbasilicata.com

Thanks for reading, see you on my next adventure,

Jadeene. x

Making Music at the NEC

What an exciting weekend it has been! 

On Saturday morning I was travelling up to Birmingham with two close friends and my boyfriend as he got ready to perform in the Open Mic UK Final at the NEC. The journey was good, no real traffic and a stop off for a healthy double sausage and egg mcmuffin Mcdonalds breakfast- A must on long car journeys!

We arrived at the NEC with enough time to grab a Subway before James went off for a sound check. Myself and friends then went and checked in to our £27 room at Hotel Ramada. Slightly worried due to the cheap booking, it turned out we just got a bargain because our rooms were lovely and we were just a short walk from all the action. It also had a bar/restaurant which was a bonus! We freshened up and walked back into the NEC where we met the rest of our crowd to cheer on and support James.

The competition for the Open Mic Final was insane; 25 talented people aged between 16-20 years old performed in a bid to win and I honestly couldn't call it. Before the results were revealed smaller prizes were given to acts and not once was James' name read out. Third and second place were congratulated and we were all on our feet by the time they went to read out the big one...

"And the winner of the Open Mic UK Final 2014 is....

JAMES BURRAGE." 

I couldn't stand or see because I cried so much but what an abolsutely amazing feeling. We were all so happy, one that James won it, but also we knew we would all be out celebrating that night! It was a slap dash trip back to the hotel, a few drinks and a bite to eat before getting ready to go out and celebrate. In the mist of excitement two friends booked up a hotel to stay the night before realising it was miles away and non refundable... By the end of it they had two hotels to choose from and not much money left over! Well, there had to be a little bit of drama!

Photo taken from Open Mic Uk Facebook Page > http://on.fb.me/1H0s8em

We caught a train into central Birmingham and headed for anywhere with a good atmosphere and alcohol! A perfect end to an incredible evening with the best people. Congrats James you have made us all proud.

Although James won his age category final, he finds out who has won the Open Mic Uk Final overal on Tuesday the 27th January. If you want to hear his original songs, covers or want to know when his next gig is to see him live, check out his soundcloud and youtube channels and his facebook page listed below.

Soundcloud: http://bit.ly/1CIQ01X

YouTube: http://bit.ly/1z2AETn
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/18kZchN

See you on my next adventure.

Jadeene x

Bonjour 2015!

So after procrastinating for too long, I am finally composing my first blog to you all! I'm guessing if you're reading this then you would have read my bio, (unless you've stumbled across this blog procrastinating against your own lives!) but either way, reading my blogs will give you a little insight into my hobbies, passions and hopefully some travelling experiences! Speaking of travelling, I have my first little adventure to tell you about, and it's based in the beautiful city of Paris.

On the 30th December my boyfriend and I travelled by coach with the fabulous Newmarket Holiday team (if you're looking for a short break away I highly recommend them-http://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/NMP11290.htm) We reached the 4* Hilton hotel at the Charles de Gaulle Airport and was blown away by the modern interior with a glass roof and elevator. Although this style did come at a price when we ordered drinks from the bar... If you're visiting Paris I would make sure you bring your credit card... Or sneak a bottle of the cheap fizz in your bag!

After one of the most comfy nights sleep I have had, we headed into central Paris on the morning of New Years Eve. On arrival we were dropped at the Place de la Concorde. It was busy, very busy. Bustling through the crowds we made our way up the Champs Elysee, and at the bottom beautiful Christmas stalls stood either side selling everything and anything.

After you get past the markets the mood changes, leaving behind the €12 jewellery and hot dog stands your suddenly in another world, only suited to those who don't have to look at a price tag before they decide if they like it or not. With Tiffany & Co on my left and Louis Vuitton on my right I couldn't help but wish I was a high flying success that could afford to just walk into one of those stores let alone buy anything! Instead I just stood outside and photographed the architecture.

After getting to the top and admiring the incredible Arch de Triomphe we headed back to catch the coach for our boat ride on the River Siene, catching the sights of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the spectacular Eiffel Tower. We were lucky enough to catch it being surrounded by one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.

When the boat trip was over, my boyfriend and I headed to lock bridge where we put on our lock and threw the keys into the river. A corny romantic tradition for all couples that visit Paris.

After a long day we set off on foot to find somewhere to eat, and we came across the cutest corner restaurant. It was compact and busy, with tables so close you could hear what the people next to you were talking about, but it made it even better. It had a cosy atmosphere and the staff were exceptional- similar to the food standard!

There is something so satisfying in exploring a city at night, it comes alive, especially on New Years Eve! Street sellers are out in their full offering champagne and roses, families and couples wander the embankment and crowds start to form as the build up to the new year gets closer. The Champs Elysee was shut off and filled with people looking up at the Arch de Triomphe lit up in glory ready for fireworks.

At midnight the tower sparkled and people united in cheers as we said hello to 2015. Firecrackers were being let off on the walkways and children could be seen holding sparklers. It was an amazing atmosphere. We head back to our coach at Place de la Concorde but got stuck on the roundabout, people were blasting their music, sticking on the hazards and getting out of their cars to dance with one another in a mist of madness. It was great to watch.

I hope that whatever you lovely people were doing, you saw the new year in, in the best way possible! If you haven't started thinking about what your plans are for seeing in 2016 (probably unlikely, I haven't even planned what I'm having for dinner tonight!) then Paris should always be considered.

See you on my next adventure.

Jadeene x