Rock Reef, Bournemouth

Last week I headed down to Rock Reef on Bournemouth pier with a bunch of blogging ladies to check out Bournemouth's newest adventure activity attraction. We were met by the marketing manager Juan who explained that Rock Reef offers clip n climb, a high ropes course, a caving experience and they are just about to launch a zip wire stretching from the end of Bournemouth pier to the beach.

After a quick tour we were left with our instructor Will who gave as a safety briefing and tested us to makeup we'd been paying attention before letting us loose on the clip n climb, which features 25 different climbing walls throughout the building. We started off on a very normal looking rock climbing wall which gave us all a chance to test the harness system, which works a bit like a giant seatbelt, when we felt comfortable with that we were left to explore the rest on our own...

 

Our instructor will hung around to make sure we were all safe (or to laugh at us all screaming..i'm not sure which).

Louise on the high ropes course- which has to be one of the most terrifying things I've ever done.

Once we'd all been round the high line we got out of our harnesses and headed back downstairs to have a go at caving. Once again instructor Will gave us a safety briefing before we headed in. As it's an artifical cave there's emergency exits every few metres and there's CCTV built in so you can watch what's going on from outside.

Louise, Cheryl, me,  Rosie   and Sarah

We thought we'd all hate it, but it has to be my favourite activity of the day. You enter through a small tunnel and then fall into a giant ballpit, which we all sat in for a while chatting, giggling (or crying of laughter in my case) and debating building our own caving systems complete with ballpits at home..something I'm still considering. We were then given the option of going back out or exploring the tunnels, a challenge which Cheryl and I quickly accepted, quickly followed by Sarah!

I don't think I've ever had so much fun at a blogging event and thanks to Will for making the evening so much fun! I think it's safe to say we'd all highly reccomend Rock Reef, it's a perfect way to spend an afternoon and is suitable for little kids and big kids and would make a great birthday party, hen do or work team building day. We were all quite excited to hear that they're thinking of developing some fitness classes at one point in the future too, which sounds like awesome fun and we can't wait to go back when the Zip Wire is open.

You can find Rock Reef on Bournemouth Pier and online at http://www.rockreef.co.uk/

x

 

 

EAU de VIE, Westbourne

Eau de Vie in Westbourne is our favourite local restaurant by miles, in fact it's so good I've been debating if I should blog about them or not, but I'm being a good little blogger and spilling the gossip as really it's just too good to be kept a secret. Eau de Vie are self confessed foodies and liquor geeks and boy does it show, there's not a cosmo or sex on the beach or glitter bomb in sight. The produce is locally sourced and seasonal and you can tell that all the staff are passionate about where they work through their immaculate service. 

We debated what to have for ages and after some recommendation from our waiter I went for a Ruby punch; a beautiful cocktail made using ceylon arrack, loose leaf breakfast tea and ruby port. You must know how much I love my cocktails by now?Well this one is definitely going on my list of favourites. Dan went for a pint of Estrella, a gorgeously light, smooth beer which washed down his main with ease.

For dinner I went for roast parsnip and fig tart with new potatoes and leafy greens and Dan went for the 8oz Barrel steak with mushroom sauce and chunky chips. Everything was cooked to perfection, my vegetables were mouthwatering and the pastry was crisp and light. Dans steak however was out of this world, it takes a lot to get me to admire meat but it was cooked beautifully it was juicy and succulent, it melted and crumbled in the mouth and was accompanied with light, fluffy centred chunky chips. 

For pudding we shared strawberry cream profiteroles and a banoffee pie and I can't fault either. 

Honestly, it was the best meal we've had out in a long, long time- If only my writing could do them justice.

xo

The Coriander bournemouth

If there's one kind of food I would happily live off for the rest of my life it's mexican food, I've been to every local mexican restaurant going and my favourite by miles in Coriander. Nestled just off the edge of Bournemouth square it's definitely one of our towns best kept secrets.

Coriander opened in 1980 and was the first Mexican in the area by miles and the owner Wendy has been there since early days. The current managers even spent a month travelling Mexico to really get a feel for the place and there food definitely tastes and feels like authentic home cooked mexican food.

Danny went for tacos and got a selection of meat and vegetarian ones, he also got a huge stack of rice and salad and had to leave tonnes. He is also a mexican lover and said that it's the best he's had in years. I went for sweet potato burritos, again rice and salad. They are gorgeous and vegan, they're not spicy but there's hot sauce available for dribbling all over them if you're that way inclined. I sure am.

Now what I really want, heck need, to talk to you about is the Pina colada. The first Pina colada I ever had was a sip of my mums when we first went to coriander when I was a kid, from then until I was 18 I stuck to their heavenly coolada (- the rum). I've tried a hell of a lot of Pina colada's in the UK and all over the world and this is the best by miles, honestly.

The best thing about coriander? Apart from the sombreros to wear and the huge array of tequila...the fact they'll accommodate for anyone. Vegan, Veggie, Gluten Free, extra chicken, extra spice, no spice. You name it they'll make it happen.

perfection.

tourists in our own town

We always go on about needing a holiday (as if three isnt enough next year I'm flying out to meet mum in Rio for her birthday) saying we need to get away and explore a new place but strangley Danny's never been out and about in Christchurch, so we decided to battle through the cold on the weekend and enjoy a day of just us.  First stop had to be cheese&Alfies for another mouthwatering breakfast. This is the pan breakfast...basically a locally sourced, stunning fry up. I went for pancakes, I always go for pancakes. If you want to read more about Cheese&Alfies I posted about them here. We then went for a rather chilly stroll through the Priory and past Twynham castle before heading back home to the warmth. Christchurch is full of history and it was so lovely to get a chance to explore a little bit more.

When we got back Danny suprised me with this beautiful glittery rose and a trip to the Lush spa, I am so excited as we've had such a terrible past month or so due to family problems too hardcore for Jeremy Kyle and about 1001 different illnesses. I'm not sat in front the fire with a fluffy blanket waiting for Kayla to come and help me put up the christmas decs! amazing.

What've you been up to lately?

Do you love your home town ? 

xoxox