the club and spa, Birmingham

What do you do to completely relax?


There are many things that I do to relax and depending on my mood it can range from as little as reading a book or magazine to an indulgent afternoon watching movies to a day at a spa.  However as like many of us, with busy lives, I generally have to plan to relax.  After a particularly busy start to the year I was in need of a day of total relaxation and what better than a day at a spa.  I happen to have won a deluxe spa day for two at the club and spa in the Cube at the Mailbox Birmingham.  I decided to take my SIL with me as I know that she enjoys spa days and like me was in need of some down time. Having decided on a date a few weeks ago, we were both looking forward to spending the day being pampered.  On arrival at the club and spa we were directed down to The Spa reception.  After filling out the obligatory forms we were shown around the facilities before being given lunch menus and our locker keys.

We got ready for our treatments and headed to the pod waiting area.  We both loved these hanging cocoon pods, which came in both single and double pods filled with cushions and blankets, which allowed for complete chill time.  A word of warning they are low to the ground and I did have to be helped out of mine by my SIL, once she had finished laughing, (after my knee operation I find it difficult to get down to floor level without something to hold onto) just something to bear in mind if you have mobility problems. The Spa area certainly had a relaxing feel, the interiors were decorated in a dark burgundy and gave the feel of opulence.  I particularly liked the simple touch of having lanterns around the corridors.

Our therapists came to collect us and we headed off for our first treatment which was a 30 minute deep full body exfoliation.  My therapist, Natasha, was just lovely and told me what was going to happen and to let her know if the pressure was right, she then started the treatment, checking occasionally that everything was OK.  Even though this was an exfoliation, it wasn't at all abrasive, it was actually very soothing and relaxing.  It started with a body brush, followed by hot oil and finishing with the scrub. Showering off my skin really did feel silky smooth. My next treatment was the signature massage.  This consisted of a 30 mins shoulder, neck and back massage followed by a 30 mins facial and scalp massage.  Again Natasha explained what was going to happen and checked the pressure I like from my massage. I can safely say that this was a completely relaxing experience and one that I did not want to end.  I would definitely have this treatment again.  At the end of the treatment Natasha offered me a lemon sorbet, which was perfect and just finished the experience.

I then floated into the next room for my 25 minute dry flotation.  I wasn't really sure what to expect for this, but when Natasha started to explain that it will be like floating on a water, I was intrigued.  You are wrapped up in warm soft blankets, then the bottom of the bed is lowered slowly until you are floating on a bed of water.  Both my SIL and myself felt like we were being lowered into a coffin and wondered how far the bed would go. Thankfully it didn't descend too far and it really was very relaxing just lying there as snug as a bug with a lavender eye mask and not a care in the world. As there is only one dry flotation room, my SIL had her treatment before mine. So whilst I was in the dry flotation she headed of for her signature massage.

By now it was time to head up to the bar for lunch.  Apart from another couple, we were the only ones in there which I was quite happy with as it felt a a bit odd sitting in a robe when outside people were enjoying the sunshine by the canal.  We enjoyed a 'light' lunch while watching the canal boats and wedding parties.  After an hour and a half we thought we best go back to The Spa and spend sometime in the thermal suite.

On re-entering The Spa area the relaxed feel started to return.  We liked the thermal suite and spent time in the sauna and relaxing on the wicker sun loungers.  We did make it into the pool, however it was a bit on the cold side so after trying the massage jets and waterfall we re-treated to the sauna.  Unsure of the time of the next treatment we headed back to the cocoon pods where I have to admit to having a short nap.  Our last treatment of the day was a 30 minute relaxing back, neck and shoulder massage.  I tried to relax during this, but with quite a few knots in my shoulders it was a battle, but once the worst was over, I was able to enjoy the treatment.

As we wanted to go for a glass of wine at the end of the day, we asked if our last treatment could be moved to allow us time to get ready.  Thankfully this wasn't a problem for our therapists.  After making ourselves look respectable again we headed out of The Spa to the champagne nail bar for our last treatment of the day a perfect 10 file and polish.  My SIL had been growing her nails and was very much looking forward to choosing a summery nail colour.

Summing up our experience of The Spa, we liked all the treatments took place at the same time so neither of us was waiting for the other.  We both particularly liked the signature massage and facial as well as the dry flotation. We both thought that the lemon sorbet was a nice touch and not one that we had experienced at any other spa.  Both of our therapists, Natasha and Louise, were absolutely lovely and made us feel welcome and relaxed.  We think the only downsides were if you wanted a drink you had to venture out of the nice relaxed atmosphere of The Spa and into the main reception area, we felt it would be beneficial to have a drinks area by the cocoon pods along with a selection of magazines.  We also thought the pool could have done with being a shade warmer.

We both very much enjoyed our day and quite literally floated out of the club and spa. 


The best way to relax and unwind........unquestionably a day at a spa!

LB rating 9/10


Lula Belle x



*apologises for the quality of the photos these were taken with my phone as I didn't take my camera

Stow-on-the-Wold

Can anything beat a day in the English countryside? 
#2

You'll know from are these the first signs of Spring? and can anything beat a day in the English countryside? #1 that I love nothing more than spending the day in the English countryside, especially Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.  Having taken the day off on Monday to enjoy a long weekend, I thought it only right to spend the day after Mothers Day with my parents enjoying the wonderful Cotswolds.  On deciding where to go, Dad suggested Stow-on-the-Wold and what a great suggestion it turned out to be.  I haven't been to Stow-on-the-Wold for quite a long time, so much so that I didn't remember it until we got to the main square.

We had such a lovely day browsing in the many antiques and vintage shops that are clustered in and around the town.

There was also an abundance of cafes and coffee houses, we really were spoiled for choice, but we decided on Huffkins which is situated in the square.  It was a popular choice with a lot of other people too as we had to wait for a seat, but it was worth it.  The food was lovely and the service excellent.

We couldn't have asked for a better day to be wandering around this picturesque Cotswold town.  We are already planning a return trip very soon.

Historic picturesque Cotswolds towns.......I love them!


Lula Belle x

Lula Belle Meets: Daisy Cupcakes

Are you championing independent businesses?

Through my feature, Lula Belle Meets, I'm championing independent businesses and finding out what drives people to become self employed.

Lula Belle Meets: Alison Goddard owner of Daisy Cupcakes in Warwick

As you'll know from are these the best cupcakes you've seen? and are cupcakes over rated? I've had the pleasure of knowing Alison for over 12 months, sampling her exquisite cupcakes for myself as well as giving them as gifts.  Here I find out what drives Alison to create such edible works of art.

Where did the concept of Daisy Cupcakes come from?

A few years ago we ordered cupcakes from London for our wedding and were decidedly underwhelmed by them.  As a home economics teacher, I know a bit about baking and thought I could make better! So the challenge began, and I started experimenting and researching and learning,  attending courses and buying  equipment and then set about my project to create the perfect cupcakes.  Baking for friends and family was a brilliant outlet for all my 'experiments' and word soon  spread.  So a year and a half ago, with regular orders coming in thick and fast, Daisy Cupcakes was born and we celebrated at Christmas in 2010 when my son created the first Daisy website for me.

How did you develop your idea?

The idea didn't so much develop as evolve. In the beginning, there was never any intention to have a business, but through my passion and some might say, pig headedness, Daisy Cupcakes really did just evolve from a competitive desire to do better than the wedding cupcakes! However, being a perfectionist and a real control freak, I wanted my own individual style and this developed through my love of all things pretty - vintage treasures, pearls, cameos, flowers, buttons and gorgeous pastel colours, all reflected in my cake designs.

Was it easy to set up the business?

Yes - my background in Home Economics means that I am familiar with the legal requirements for a food business and although I am pretty useless at the technical bit of a computer, I am happy to promote and market my business using social media. I have a kitchen that complies with Food Safety Law and has achieved a 5 star rating, I have far too much baking equipment and I have enthusiasm!  I love meeting people   and pride myself on good customer care and I believe that word of mouth is the most important marketing tool a small business has.

What is the philosophy of Daisy Cupcakes?

Simple .... cakes that taste as fabulous as they look and first class customer care.

What is the USP of Daisy Cupcakes?

The creation of an order of Daisy Cupcakes is completely bespoke and tailored to each customer's specification, from start to finish. I want my cakes to be the best you have ever seen and eaten. I have very high design standards and pride myself on the original visual appearance of my cakes as well as my culinary skills. My customers tell me that they buy Daisy  Cupcakes not only because of their fabulous taste and finish,  but also for the sheer delight and joy they give to the people they are bought for.

Has it been difficult to compete against the established chains?

I don't mass produce cakes, I provide a personal, bespoke service, so I think I bake for rather a specialist market.

What is your strategy for telling people about Daisy Cupcakes?

Word of mouth is a very powerful marketing tool, in addition, there is my website,  I have a Facebook page and I write my Daisy Journal three times a week. The online statistics continue to grow daily.  I also exhibit at Wedding Fairs and Vintage Fairs. My business card is postcard sized with a photograph of a beautiful display of cakes and as such, gets displayed in people's homes - excellent promotion!

What have been the highlights so far?

There have been so many highlights over the last 12 months, where do I start!  Creating my gorgeous vintage styled Daisy Studio allowed me to give my business a special home in  addition to the Daisy Kitchen. It is a cosy snug with bunting, pearls, shabby chic furniture and lots of vintage accessories. 

I launched Daisy workshops, inviting people to learn the Daisy style for themselves. I’ve had lots of fun with these and it’s great to see students leave  the Daisy Studio with a big smile on their face carrying beautiful cupcakes that they have created. 

I have also created Daisy Cupcakes By Post, posting carefully packaged cupcakes all over the UK as perfect, original birthday gifts, thank you gifts, happy new baby gifts and I Love You gifts.

I have been involved in several photo shoots, creating cupcakes for themed and styled shoots for photographers and these photographs have been published in magazines and wedding blogs. 

Its been a lovely busy time and there are lots more plans!

What does the future hold for Daisy Cupcakes?

I hope that my business will continue to evolve and grow. There are plans in the pipeline to take the Daisy Workshop programme 'on tour' as more and more people want to learn to bake and decorate cakes and I am also planning to expand the 'Daisy by Post' service to include more delicious baked goods.  Onwards and upwards!

What would you say to someone who has a business idea and wants to start their own business?

I would encourage people to follow their dream but to be realistic about it. Sometimes the trickiest part is deciding whether your business idea is a hobby or a real money making business venture. I had the financial security of a full-time job so I would suggest starting a small business part-time at first, to test the market, and work long hours at night and at weekends to build interest in your brand before taking the plunge full-time and giving up a day job! Most importantly I would suggest never being afraid to say no ....  when you are first in your own small business, it's tempting to say yes to everything, but this can often compromise your brand. Be choosy and selective!

Thank you to Alison for providing such an inspirational interview.  For me Daisy Cupcakes is such a success because Alison continues to improve her skills in order to develop the Daisy range and that she isn't afraid to stay no thereby doesn't compromise her brand.  I, for one, can't recommend Daisy Cupcakes highly enough, they really are scrumptious edible works of art!    

I'm championing independent businesses......I hope you do too!

Lula Belle x

Harvey Nichols Birmingham SS12 Fashion Show

Do you spring into the new seasons fashion?

I have to admit I much prefer Autumn/Winter clothes to Spring/Summer, as you'll know from Is there anything better than Autumn/Winter clothes?.  I can easily wear these clothes from October through to April depending on how warm the weather is.  I love the textures and the colours that can be layered to create amazing outfits. I have always struggled with what to buy for the 'summer' months but having defined my style, this year I want to get it right.  This is when I do have a capsule wardrobe, as we never have the weather to wear it most of the time, I have given up buying too many clothes.  So when I saw that Harvey Nichols were putting on a Spring fashion show, I was intrigued to see whether this would give me some ideas on how to improve my new season capsule wardrobe.  I'm not a pastels kind of girl, I much prefer bold colours or classic white/ camel, so with all the talk in fashion magazines about pastels I did wonder what would come down the catwalk.  While I waited for the show to start I purused the itinery, ate canapes and enjoyed some bubbly.  The show featured both womenswear and menswear, here are some of my favourite pieces:

Philip Armstrong Dress, Jimmy Choo slingback peeptoe

Selfridges Cocktail Club

Cocktails anyone?

As you'll know from Did you know Birmingham had great architecture? and Is this the jewel in the cultural hub of Birmingham? I spent a girly day with LBA admiring Birmingham's architecture, eating divine food, shopping and cocktails.  A pretty perfect way to spend a day off.  We left Edmunds Restaurant and headed into the afternoon sunshine with our ultimate destination being Selfridges Cocktail Club.    Along the way we browsed the many independents shops in the Piccadilly Arcade I especially like Smithonia and Picadilly Jewellers.  Finally reaching Selridges we had just enough time to have a look at the new season collections before we headed to the Moet Bar.  Taking our seats at the bar, there were a few diners having meals, but the majority were sat around the bar.  I love the position of the Moet Bar, it has an open aspect and over looks the shops on the far side of the Bull Ring.  Perusing the cocktail menu both LBA and I chose Mojitos.  Ben the bartender took quite a while to make our cocktails, but boy was it worth it when we got it.  Not only did it look splendid but it tasted it too! I'm a bit partial to a Mojito but this was the strongest I had drank, so it took me a while to drink it, but that just allowed us to soak up the relaxed atmosphere.

We also had a Cosmopolitan, with being such a fan of Sex and the City I had always wanted to try this cocktail, however I was disappointed.  Suffice to say I won't be having any more and I will stick with Mojitos, sometimes it pays to go with what you like.

At £3.50 each we thought the cocktails were exceptionally good value, although we did find a difference in the quality of presentation and care from the two bartenders that served us.

I wasn't really sure what to expect, maybe I thought there would be more people than there was, I know if I still worked in Birmingham I'd be popping in for after work cocktails as often as I could.  The Cocktail Club takes place every Thursday and it's a great way to kick start the weekend.


Cocktails to start the weekend.......I'm there!

LB rating: 7/10


Lula Belle x

Edmunds Restaurant

Is this the jewel in the cultural hub of Birmingham?

Last week I had a rare mid week day off and headed to Birmingham for my first visit to Edmunds Restaurant.  I knew of Edmnuds Restaurant but had not visited to date, being The Good Food Guide Midlands Restaurant of the Year 2012 it was definitely on my list.  So when I won a Twitter RT competition it was the perfect opportunity to try it out.  I invited LBA to join me for my prize which included a three course lunch for two with a glass of bubbly.  It felt very indulgent to be eating a fine dining meal during the middle of the day, but I soon got over this and I think I could get used to doing it every week.  The day couldn't have been better, the sun was shining and spring was in the air, on our journey to the restaurant it was lovely to see Birmingham's architecture and statues standing out against the brilliant blue sky (Did you know Birmingham had great architecture?).  The restaurant has a gorgeous covered terrace which people were enjoying, how lovely to be able to eat outside in February. On entering we were greeted by the maître d' who showed us to our table.  

The restaurant is not large and with only five other couples dining that day it didn't feel crowded, although we did feel that we had to talk quietly as to not disturb the other diners.  We were having the De Jour menu which had two choices per course, luckily we liked the choices so found it easy to decide.  Whilst purusing the menus our glass of bubbly arrived.

We started with the Chef's amuse bouche which was the most divine parsnip soup.  I loved the presentation which was simple but elegant.

After just about the right amount of time, our starters arrived.  LBA had belly pork, which she was pleasantly surprised with and which exceeded her expectations.  I had the crab, salmon and caviar which was lovely and just perfect for a lighter choice.

We had both decided on the same main course of  beef and toffee cheesecake for dessert.  The beef just melted in your mouth and was packed full of flavour.  Whilst some may think the toffee cheesecake on the small side, it packed a punch where flavour was concerned.  All three courses were mouth wateringly delicious with many Mmmmm's and for me that's what I love about fine dining food.  

We ended our meal with a cup of filter coffee by which time we were one of only two tables left dining.   We had enjoyed our time in the restaurant immensely that we didn't notice we had been there for over two hours.


From start to finish the service was impeccable and the food absolutely divine.  You'll know from my reviews of  Opus Resturant and Queans Restaurant that I like fine dining food and Edmunds Restaurant is now on my list of places to continue to visit. 


Edmunds Restaurant is......fine dining at its best!


LB rating - 9.5/10




Lula Belle x




The De Jour menu costs £18 for two courses or £20 for three courses

Birmingham in the West Midlands

Did you know Birmingham has great architecture?

What a glorious few weeks we have been blessed with, you would be forgiven for thinking that Winter was behind us, it really has felt like Spring. As one of  my favourite seasons, I just love it when there isn't a cloud in the sky, there is warmth in the air, you can wear lighter clothes and the first flowers of the season appear (are these the first signs of Spring?).  Last week I had a rare day off in the middle of the week, LBA and I were heading to Birmingham to visit Edmunds Restaurant and Selfridges Cocktail Club and what a day we picked it was the warmest we have had in February for a while.  As you know Birmingham is one of the Cities where I get by city buzz and I do adore the architecture.  So I wanted to share with you some of the sights that greeted us on our journey to get to Edmunds Restaurant.

Art in Victoria Square with the Town Hall as the back drop

Birmingham Council House

Birmingham Council House

Town Hall

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Town Hall

New Birmingham Library

Statue of Matthew Boulton, James Watt and William Murdoch

Fountains in Brindley Place

We have some great architecture.........lets celebrate it!


Lula Belle x