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You are here: Home / Archives for competition

A Luxury Break At The Celtic Manor & A Chance To Win Afternoon Tea

November 12, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 22 Comments

We were recently invited to review a night and dinner at The Celtic Manor and what a stay it was. Stepping in to The Celtic Manor is like entering a haven of luxury and calm. The lobby is impressive and the reception area also includes a mall where you can purchase an array of Welsh goodies. Considering it is a large and busy hotel it could easily become impersonal and cold but this resort is far from that. Every guest is taken care of in the same manner and every inch of the hotel is designed to be beautifully modern and relaxing.

We have stayed at The Celtic Manor previously and having stayed in two different standards of room I can confirm that the rooms are comfy, spacious and full of the finishing touches you would expect from a 5 star hotel. The bathroom has spa favourites Elemis products for you to pamper yourself with, robes and slippers are also provided for you to wear if you fancy a trip down to the pool and spa area.

A fully stocked mini bar and complimentary tea/coffee tray are in each room as well as incredibly comfy beds and armchairs for you to relax and watch the world go by from your balcony.

Celtic manor room

I enjoyed two long luxurious soaks in the gorgeous bathroom using my Elemis treats. It was so nice to have some peaceful pamper time.

The true highlight of our stay was our visit to the Terry M restaurant based in the hotel. On our previous visit we had eaten in The Olive Tree and enjoyed the all you can eat 3 course dinner buffet there – the quality of the food was fantastic but Terry M is on a different scale altogether. The three AA Rosette flagship restaurant presents intricate seasonal dishes created by head chef Tim McDougall, feature the finest locally sourced ingredients for fresh, intense and mouthwatering flavours.

We decided to try the 6 course tasting menu.

We enjoyed canapés and an amuse bouche to start..and a glass of champagne of course!

Terry M champagne

Terry M canapes

There followed an incredible 6 course tasting menu:

Parfait with a delicious medjool date:

Celtic manor tasting menu

Hand dived scallops:

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Fillet of Welsh beef:

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Look at that sugar work!

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And a perfect soufflé:

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At the end of the meal we were presented with this delicious plate of goodies. The chocolate lime Macarons were the best I’ve tasted and tasted EXACTLY like chocolate lime sweets from my childhood..the palmier was pretty awesome too.

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The next morning we enjoyed breakfast in The Olive Tree and it was just as good as any other meal we have experienced there. There is such a wide variety of food on offer, from green smoothies ( delicious), pastries and cakes of all kinds – even freshly made welsh cakes, full English of course, cereal and the most amazing fluffy pancakes with crispy bacon and oodles of maple syrup.

Celtic manor breakfast

Fluffy American pancakes with super crispy bacon

After breakfast we hit the pool and spa area. We had a good swim about ( to work off our over indulgence ) then lazed about in the his and her spa areas. After we checked out we didn’t want our stay to be over too quickly and relaxed in the bar/lounge area with a mug of hot chocolate and some books. Perfect end to an incredibly perfect stay.

We have also enjoyed afternoon tea at The Celtic Manor in the Summer and it was one of the best afternoon teas I’ve tried ( and I’ve had a few ) a great balance of both sweet and savoury dishes and they catered so well for my gluten intolerant sister.

Celtic manor pate de fruit

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Celtic manor pastries afternoon tea

Now for the bit you are all waiting for..how do you fancy trying out both the Autumn afternoon tea and checking out the resort itself?

Win afternoon tea at Celtic manor

I’ve arranged for one of you lucky readers to win an Autumn afternoon tea at the resort with a guest. Just enter the easy rafflecopter form below for your chance to win. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Hotel Reviews, Restaurant reviews, Reviews, The Wonders Of Wales, Travel, UK holidays · Tagged: afternoon tea, autumn afternoon tea, Celtic manor Newport reviews, Celtic manor spa, competition, Olive tree, terry m, the celtic manor reviews, win

Win A Personalised Crate Of Lindeman’s Wine & Goodies Worth £100

June 24, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 146 Comments

You have probably heard me talking about Lindeman’s wine on the blog a few times. We really enjoy it, it’s budget friendly and tastes fabulous.

Each bottle from the Lindeman’s Bin Range has recently been spruced up with the new logo, which is focussed on the brand’s Australian background. The phrase ‘In Life Happiness’, which appears on the bottle in Latin, reflects Dr. Henry Lindeman’s words ‘the one purpose of wine is to bring happiness’.

I know wine makes me happy. I only ever drink a glass or so but a crisp glass of wine with good food. Sunshine right there.

Lindeman’s Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc is perfect for dinner parties. This variety has a distinctive finish, with fruity tones of green apples, which complement salads and make it an idealchoice for barbecues.

Talking of barbecues..

When the sun is shining we enjoy Lindeman’s Bin 35 Rose. Its a soft, fruity wine which is delightful, particularly when enjoyed lying in the garden on a giant bean bag with a plate of cheese and olives. I mean seriously that is the only way you can drink it 😉

Those are our favourites but there are lots more to choose from and yes you get to choose in this great competition. You will receive all of the following if you are the lucky winner:

Personalised storage crate with your name engraved on the lid
2 bottles of Lindeman’s wine from the Bin Series ( your choice)
A pair of John Lewis wine glasses
Chalk board wine stopper
Disposable camera with a vintage design
Packet of sunflower seeds with Lindeman’s personalisation

Lindemans personalised crate

Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Drinks, Giveaway · Tagged: competition, giveaway, lindemans, lindemans wine, wine

Win A Pair Of Tickets To Taste Of London 2015

June 5, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 24 Comments

I’m a huge fan of the Taste festivals. We have been to the Taste of London for the last two years and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the prosecco laden, food filled extravaganza.

Taste of London 2015

As well as the vast array of food, stalls and amazing drinks on offer there are as always exciting offerings from AEG including their Taste Theatre and AEG Let’s Taste Live Cooking which gives you the chance to pick up hints, tips and techniques, in a series of interactive cooking demonstrations with Jeremy Pang, head chef at the renowned School of Wok.
Having experienced their cooking classes previously I can tell you that you are in for a treat.

Restaurants include The Duck & Waffle, Barbecoa and Michel roux Jnrs Diner amongst many more..

Other than the above does the fact that there is a Casa Havana Mojito Shack make you realise you have to go??

Us at last years Taste, you can read my review here.

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I’m extremely disappointed that we can’t make it this year but I do have a pair of tickets to giveaway to one lucky person. Just enter my simple rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Festivals and Camping, Giveaway · Tagged: competition, giveaway, Taste of London tickets

Summer Drinks Guide & Bella Pro Extract Blender Giveaway

June 1, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 16 Comments

Summer is coming..finally. I can smell it. The smoky scent of a BBQ close by, the light fragrance of cucumber diced ready for summer cups and strawberries with fresh cream. I’m sure most of you will have summer BBQ’s and picnics planned as well as maybe some camping or festival trips so I’m here to share with you my favourite drinks so far this season.

Starting with…

Alcoholic:

Marks & Spencer rise to the occasion as always with a great selection of seasonal drinks. Mojito Fizz is an absolutely delicious ready to serve cocktail. Add it a glass of crushed ice and a wedge of lime to take it up a notch. The Summer Cup is a combination of gin, cucumber, melon, spices & lemon peel with a lovely citrus hint of earl grey tea – great served in the same way as Pimms with berries, lemonade and mint of make it a bit different and serve as am iced tea or with ginger ale instead of lemonade. M&S also have some really delicious Farmhouse ciders, some traditional and others a little fruity.

Mojito fizz

Lindemans Rose – crisp, fruity and perfectly suited to a posh picnic or just lunch al fresco.

Lindemans bin rose

King Bloom are a new brand to me but one I will revisit over and over again I think! They make the most stylish ready to serve cocktails in glass jars which are perfectly on trend.. They taste incredibly good too. With flavours like Vodka, Raspberry & Kiwi or Vodka, White Cranberry & Coconut all with added milk thistle – make your party just a little bit cooler with these fashionable drinks.

King bloom cocktails

Alska Fruity Ciders are some of my very favourite drinks. I first tasted them about a year ago in my local Aldi and the price and flavour quickly sucked me in. My favourite is strawberry and lime but they come in a variety such as Nordic Berries and Lemon & Ginger..at a bargain £1.29 for a 500ml bottle you won’t get a better bargain.

Aldi Alska cider, gin and tonic in a tin, limoncello

On the subject of Aldi they have a great Limoncello which would be great to serve freezing cold at the end of a long summery meal.

Gin ..because who doesn’t need Gin. In a can of course for maximum flexibility when camping and at festivals. Aldi have cans of pre mixed Gin & Tonic ( for your convenience).

Finally if you have a special occasion it definitely calls for some bubbles and I’m a huge fan of Prosecco.. Apparently it’s in short supply 😉 this Casa Defra from Norton Wines promises a beautifully fruity frizzante.

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Some delicious recipe from fellow bloggers:

Rhubarb Gin
Gin Melon Slushie
Peach & Basil White Sangria
Polish Style Beer with Raspberry Syrup
Gin Cocktails
Mango Margarita
Summer Vodka Lemon Spritzer
Spiced Apple Cocktail
Strawberry & Elderflower Cocktail

Non Alcoholic:

M&S have a beautiful Rhubarb Presse which is just so so good. Mocktails need never be boring again. You could also turn this into a cocktail with a little vodka or rum 😉

M&S rhubarb presse

This wine alternative which has been around for years – Shloer, have a great strawberry punch which is perfect for friends who are pregnant or breastfeeding or just don’t like to drink. A great option to serve at a meal.

Shloer strawberry punch

Heartsease Farm also have a presse – this time an Elderflower one which is light and fragrant and rather delightful to drink. Serve very cold. Perfect with cucumber sandwiches and cupcakes for ladies ( and gents ) who lunch.

Heartsease farm elderflower

Pomegranate Juice from POM, wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice from concentrate! With its unique polyphenol antioxidant profile, which helps protect the body against free radicals*, the delicious ruby-red drink is a good source of potassium and naturally gluten free plus it’s pretty tasty:

pom

Juice from Mello the UK’s first and only range of raw, fresh melon juice and which is set to be the must have drink of summer 2015. It’s so refreshing and it’s always nice to know there are no nasties in your drink. Would make great slushies or smoothies too.

Mello juice

Some alcohol free recipes from fellow bloggers:

Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie
Orange & Raspberry Detox Water
Guava Coconut Mocktail
Sunshine Grapefruit Smoothie
Strawberry and Watermelon Cooler

Now it’s easy enough to buy your own drinks ready made but how about adding them to a fruit concoction made by you in a Bella Extract Pro Blender – we have been trying one out at home and it’s great for crushing ice and extracting the maximum amount of juice out of your fruits. Just think of how good a freshly made strawberry daiquiri would be… The Extract Pro Blender comes with two separate blades: a unique Extraction Blade, designed to extract maximum goodness and nutrients from a multitude of foods; together with a Grinding Blade ideal for nuts, spices, herbs, chocolate, coffee beans. There’s also three lidded tumblers which can be used on the base in place of the jug blender attachment for smaller quantities, or for drinks on the go. If you read onto the end of this post you could even be in the running to win one of your own!

Bella extract pro blender

Then you have to decide how to serve it and how amazing would your cocktails look served up on a personalised cocktail paddle? I absolutely love this paddle and glass set I was sent recently from Getting Personal and can’t wait to show it off.

Cocktail paddle board

And if you feel like getting creative you could create your own flavoured vodkas using this Vodka Zinger. It’s a really cool product which helps you create flavoured vodka drinks in a short space of time. I’m thinking mango vodka sounds good? What would you try?

Vodka zinger

Now who wants to win a Bella Extract Pro? Hands up…

Just fill in my easy rafflecopter form below for your chance to win. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Some items in this guide were gifted for the purpose of this feature.

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Filed Under: Drinks, Giveaway · Tagged: cocktails, competition, mock tails, summer 2015, summer drinks, Summer drinks guide

A Munchkin UK Giveaway

April 18, 2015 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 43 Comments

We are blog ambassadors for Lindam Munchkin and proud to be so. We use their products all day long from breakfast through to bathtime and have never encountered any problems with quality or function.

Today I’m sharing with you a couple of our current favourites and giving you the chance to win some of them for yourself.

Since we received these apple divider plates we have used them for most meal times. Izzy loves picking a different colour and I love that there are separate sections for her food. She’s a big fan of dips such as hummus or a flavoured mayo so there’s normally a dollop of that in one section, some veggies/salad in the other and whatever our main meal consists of …or you know just pizza 😉

Munchkin uk apple plate

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Then there are also these brightly coloured white hot plates and bowls:

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These White Hot® Toddler Bowls and plates feature Munchkin’s patented technology to tell you and your little one when food is too hot to eat. They also stack neatly together in the cupboard so great for helping to keep life organised.

Fancy winning a set each of the Apple plates, White Hot Plates and White Hot bowls?

Just enter the simple rafflecopter form below for your chance.

UK entrants only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Parenting/baby, Weaning · Tagged: competition

Win A Munchkin LATCH Starter Set

August 28, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 23 Comments

Another competition for you lovely lot. I do spoil you 🙂

This time you could win a LATCH bottle starter set from Munchkin.

Firstly, about Munchkin. As a blogger I work with lots of brands and Munchkin is right there as one of the best. I’ve been a blogger ambassador for them since March and we have been extremely lucky to try out a number of their fantastic products. I know that I can trust their products and that my children will like using them.

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What is LATCH?

With the goal of helping new mums reach their breastfeeding goals, the revolutionary Munchkin LATCH™ bottle feeding system is designed to offer mum everything she needs to make the transition from breast to bottle feeding as natural and comfortable as possible, for mum and baby. The LATCH teat has a truly innovative accordion base that moves, stretches and pumps, just like the breast, ensuring baby establishes and maintains a proper latch and continuous connection to help reduce the symptoms of colic. As baby grows, so does the LATCH™ teat range. Stage 2 and 3 teats allow Mum to increase the flow as baby’s feeding demands increase.

I’m hoping to start Chloe on a bottle over the next few weeks so I will keep you posted on my progress. She is very attached to my boobs so I really hope she will enjoy this new experience.

This is the starter pack you could win just by completing the simple rafflecopter form below:

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The Newborn Starter Bottle set includes 2 120ml bottles, 2 240ml bottles, 4 Stage 1 teats, 2 Stage 2 teats and the LATCH bottle & teat brush.

The range is now available from Boots and Kiddicare.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: bottles, breast to bottle, competition, munchkin latch, win

My Hotter Moment – Hotter Shoes Review

July 26, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 80 Comments

I recently attended a blogger night at Hotter Shoes in Cardiff. Not only was it wonderful for once to not have to travel to London for an event but it was a truly lovely evening meeting up with my fellow Welsh bloggers.

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First up we listened to Melanie Killilea give a talk about how Hotter began and how they have grown over the past 15 years. I’ll be honest and tell you I had it in my mind that Hotter was a bit of an older woman’s brand and that I wouldn’t be too keen on the shoes but I was wrong. And happy to admit to it.

Yes some of the shoes are all about comfort rather than cool but their range is so popular year after year that why would they end that? They have shoes which are just comfy shoes and then they have shoes which are comfy shoes but also ( in my eyes) really lovely and pretty funky shoes.

We were invited to choose a pair for ourselves and I really struggled between the skater type shoes, the gorgeous brown pumps ..and the blue/brown deck shoes. The only reason I opted for the pumps in the end is because I have so many types of deck and skater shoes that I wanted something different. I’m glad I did as they go with everything, they look pretty and feel so much comfier than any shoe of this type that I own.

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Have you been into a Hotter shop? Have you had a Hotter moment? I definitely did. Why not check out their website? You may be pleasantly surprised.

For all of you lucky readers you can claim 10% off some fabulous shoes or bags:
Please use the code: PKCTEN
10% off plus FREE delivery is for first orders only. You are entitled to 10% off the total order value of any full priced items in the Hotter range (excluding shoe care products) plus FREE delivery. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or on Sale or Factory Clearance items and gift vouchers.

And finally how about winning a gorgeous new handbag?

Yes you can win this pretty Juliet handbag:

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It’s super simple just fill in the rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Reviews · Tagged: comfort, competition, hotter shoes, style

Degustabox Giveaway

April 13, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 14 Comments

A few days ago I posted a review of the March Degustabox you can read it here – there is also a pretty amazing slow cooked lasagne recipe on there too.

Degustabox is a monthly foodie delivery service. You receive a selection of food and drink products from both new and stablished brands for £12.99 per month with no fixed contract.

The goodies I received:

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I was thrilled with my first box and as its my blogs birthday weekend I thought it would be nice to share the love and give a box away to one of my lovely readers.

Plus it’s super simple to enter via the rafflecopter entry form below so what more could you ask for.

In case you don’t win here is discount code for you to use for £3 off your next box: W4BMD

I’ve read some great reviews from my fellow bloggers so why not check out what they think too:

Michelle from Thou shall not covet is a fan of the milkshakes.

Whilst Bex from I Always Believed In Futures loved the Nachos.

Chantelle tried the February box here and loved the Goody Good stuff sweeties.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Reviews · Tagged: Blog birthday, competition, Degustabox

Bahlsen Pick Up Biscuits Review & Giveaway

March 31, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 42 Comments

Last week I was lucky enough to receive some pretty lovely parcels in the post. One of which contained these:

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I opened this parcel after a day in London on trains and tubes. I was worn out and in dire need of chocolate and a cup of tea.

This met all my needs for chocolate and a biscuit. You have a thick hunk of delicious chocolate in the middle sandwiched by two crispy and tasty biscuits. Therefore no chocolate melted over yours (or your toddlers) hands if you can’t eat it all in 15 seconds – which I totally can by the way.

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They are wrapped individually so stay fresh if you need to keep one in the changing bag and one or two by the side of your bed – I am breastfeeding after all so snacks close at hand are essential.

I’ve shared some of these with the pickiest biscuit eaters you could find – my Dad who will only eat certain brands and my toddler who thinks nothing of spitting them right out at my feet if they aren’t up to her standards. Everybody gives these a big thumbs up and there is certainly one from me too.

You could win yourself a whole case of these treats by entering my competition – a whole case! That’s 14 packets don’t you know.. Or 70 bars.. Drool.

Follow @BahlsenPICKUP on Twitter

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Filed Under: Giveaway, Reviews · Tagged: biscuits, case, chocolate, competition, giveaway, reviews

In The Night Garden Live 2014

January 12, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · Leave a Comment

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You may remember that we went to see In The Night Garden Live last June and thoroughly enjoyed, you can read the review here

Well it’s back for 2014 and we are definitely going again..not sure who is more excited to be honest with you 😉

Tickets go on sale 31.1.13 but you can enter the pre sale competition on Facebook from the 14.1.13.

Every day from 14 – 27 January, Facebook fans can win Premium family tickets worth £160. To sign up for the pre-sale Facebook users must visit www.NightGardenLive.com

Competition entrants earn points by sharing Facebook posts, playing games and inviting friends. There’s a daily ticket prize for the top scorers and the more they play the further ahead in the queue they get to book tickets in the pre-sale.
Over 440,000 people to date have seen the world’s only live production of the CBeebies top-rated show. This will be the fifth consecutive tour of this delightful children’s summer classic, which takes place in its own family-friendly Showdome.

To find out more about the staged event of the BAFTA award-winning CBeebies children’s TV show visit: www.NightGardenLive.com

*Also check back here in a few weeks for a super discount code for money off your tickets 🙂

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Filed Under: Family, Parenting/baby, Reviews · Tagged: competition, discount code, iggle piggie, In the night garden live 2014, itng live, O2, Reviews

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