Stagolee's Restaurant Review - Southern American Cuisine

The deep south has landed in Fulham. And it's hotter than you can imagine.

The Texan and Tennessee natives Ashley James and Jordan Harris have graced London with an exciting new flavour. Stagolee's - an authentic southern American chicken and liquor joint.

I'm tired, so very tired, of lacklustre and soul-less meals. Isn't southern food supposed to be cooked with spice, comfort and tastes just like Mama makes it? So why is London, the foodie capital lacking a true representation of African-American cuisines? We know all about their music and culture, but we cannot taste their lifestyle.

I was so delighted to have been invited to Stagolee's Restaurant tasting night. It was fantastic to have met another food blogger, Haydy!

My bestie, Ruby and I entered the hot joint leaving our calorie-counting minds behind because we were ready for the comforting taste of the deep south.

We were treated to the familiar fried chicken with mac n cheese. However, the flavours that bounced on my taste buds weren't so familiar. I thought it would be like any other chicken and mac I've had before. I'm glad I was so wrong.

The hot chicken didn't burn my mouth, as Ashley warned us to eat with caution. But I could taste the heat coming from the delicious and enticing spices. The mac was creamy and cheesy and soaked in goodness. At long last, I had an opportunity where I could try Collard Greens! I've heard about it in so many rap songs, and now I know why they're all singing about it.

After the starters, deviled eggs and cheesy crap dips, I WAS FULL. Full to the brim. No more could travel down my oesophagus.

And then they brought out a team of key lime pie and fried doughnut balls. They sat there, looking smug, they knew I couldn't resist. Somehow the key lime pie slid into my stomach very easily. Could it be the smoothness of the cream or the bittersweetness from the lime? I don't know. Ashley must have put some magic in her food.

She assures to everyone that everything on the menu is made from scratch. She was proud of that. And so she should be. Everything is guaranteed to be made from her love and passion for food. She created Stagolee's menu from her grandma's recipes. You can't get any more authentic than that.

There is one thing that makes me want to come back to Stagolee's faster than you can say, 'get in ma belly!' Moonshine. Yep, they serve Moonshine there. Remember those hillbillies in The Simpsons that always seem drunk? They're chugging on a bottle with three X's written on it. The magical Moonshine. It reminded me of whisky but less harsh and a lot smoother. Their moonshine cocktails are notoriously impressive. Jordan offered Ruby a shot of that magic and then she had to chase it down with watermelon juice. She did not even flinch - she asked for more.

And already, Ruby has been back! She enjoyed Stagolee's Bottomless Brunch. She texted me saying she got 'absolutely f**king hammered' and sent me a picture of her food captioning it 'f**k yes'.
I guess we can imagine she loved it, even more, the second time round.

I can't get the hot fried chicken flavours off my taste buds. I think that's a message I need to have a second visit. Am I an addict now? Let's call it chicken crack.

If you're ever in the West London area or need a 'pick me up' meal packed with sensational and authentic food. Go to Stagolee's London Restaurant. Also, you'll fall in love with the staff there. Their excitable personality's match the joy of the food.

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Slovenia Travel Guide / Day Two

I am counting down the days until I go on my summer holiday. 9 days precisely. I'll be heading out to Minorca, Spain, for 6 nights.

I'm dreaming about showering 2 - 3 times a day (because the sweat will refuse to leave my skin), deciding how many flip flops I need to pack, drinking more beer than water, eating chips probably every day and getting used to constant Spanish heat.

But before I start to blog about my up-and-coming getaway I need to finish my Slovenia Travel Guide!

Day two, out of three, was the definitely the busiest day. My FitBit was confused, "I didn't know a person could do this much walking?" 

We started the morning hiring a car to travel towards the coast of Slovenia. If you've read my post beforehand you'd understand how diverse the Slovenian landscape is. Our plan was to go to Skocjan Cave and then to the old coastal town Piran. Cave exploring, then seaside strolling! All in one afternoon.

Skocjan isn't the only cave Slovenia possesses. There is an abundance of underground travelling locations in this leafy country. I've never been on a subterranean adventure before. Therefore I had no idea how frightening it would be. 

Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take any photos. I don't think my camera would have been able to capture the vastness and darkness of the natural wonder. 

We entered through a man-made passage, which led us to another trail amongst weird formations that are thousands of years old. At this point, I thought that was what the Skocjan cave had to offer. Just a walking guide to see some old rocky things. What I didn't know was that we were walking deeper and deeper into the Earth. 

As the tour guide led us down the pathway, pointing out how those strange formations were formed, her voice began to echo. I could hear an immense gush of falling water. Her voice echoed even more as she dragged us further along. And then crashing of the waterfall engulfed her speech. I stood there in absolute silence. My whole back shivered, my knees shook and my grip clung on tighter to the trusted rail. 

We were standing on a cliff, in the underground canyon. 

How is it possible to find a waterfall underground? How is it possible to be underground but it feels like you're on top of the world?

I will direct you to photos of this Indiana Jones-esque cave, it gives me goosebumps reflecting on my experience. 

And as the tour drew to a close, I could see a beam of light entering the cave. I've never been so happy to see light and the sky. We took a small hike back up to the car and started another journey to Piran. 

Piran is a gorgeous Italian inspired town. This Mediterranean hot spot is rich with colour and history. Plenty of picturesque buildings right next to the glowing blue sea. And across the sea, you'd find Venice, perched right opposite like neighbours. 

This is why I would highly recommend Slovenia. It has every activity and landscape you'd want. I needed a quiet and old town after the intense excursion. I needed fresh seafood and lots of Aperol Spritz right by the water. I needed a long sigh and a location where I could rest my feet from the day's adventure.

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DATE NIGHT / Pergola On The Roof, Paddington Central

If you can't find me behind a computer, applying to a galore of internships and graduate jobs, then I'll probably be sipping a pale ale in a beer garden somewhere. AH - the life of a hipster in unemployment. Bliss.

You must be an Instagram rookie if you haven't seen a single picture of someone enjoying their late afternoon at one of the Pergola branches. 

I don't want to jinx this, but this may be my favourite summer in London. I think it's because I've missed this city so much when I was in Coventry. There are more and more summertime joints popping up around Shoreditch and Brixton. And for me, the most indecisive person, it's becoming harder to figure out where date nights or brunches should be at. When I pick up Time Out London Magazines, I dog-ear or tear out articles on the "must-check-out" hotspots. 

But Pergola on the Roof has been at the top of my list for a while. 

The closest one to me is the Shepherd's Bush branch right next to Westfield, which has been open for a while. But I was in the mood to check out the Pergola on the Roof Paddington Central. Paddington reminds me of busy streets, St Mary's Hospital and heaps of tourists bumping into you. Leo hasn't been there before because it's not really a place I'd show off to people. 

I heard that 'KERB' food market is incredible there, and the environment has spruced up a lil. So, why not check it out?!

As we got off at Paddington Station via Bakerloo line I saw a bunch of twenty-something-year-old girls, wearing mirrored Ray-Bans, rocking the latest Topshop floral dresses paired with white converses. They were dressed for day-drinking. 

"They must be going to Pergola," I whispered to Leo.

"How do you know?" Leo replied.

"Well, they're obviously not going to St. Mary's Hospital..."

Thus, we proceeded to follow them.

Our stalker-ish mannerisms seemed to work out well. They led us straight to Pergola! Honestly, if you really want to spend an afternoon in the sun with well-known restaurants beside you. Go to Paddington Central. They have this grassy amphitheatre seating area which looked so snug. Restaurants arrayed outdoor tables and chairs for the al-fresco lovers. It was a lovely little hub for us cosmopolitans. 

Now, onto my Pergola on the Roof review. 

We arrived at the desk, obviously we weren't organised enough to have reserved a table but luck was on our side. We perched at a table-sharing wooden bench in the middle of bars and street food spots. Our favourite Patty & Bun and DF Mexico resided there. Hand on heart, my most loved burger joint HAS to be Patty & Bun. And I don't know where to get a better taco than DF Mexico. 

Beer, cider, tacos, burgers and sun. You could see the excitement welling up in Leo's and my eyes. 

Pergola was ramo (Leo's word for packed and busy)! So many groups of people chatting and drinking their weekday blues away. There was a point when I felt like I was in Made in Chelsea. A swanky group of socialites decided to stand instead sit and waved their champagne flutes around. Leo asked me if 'that guy in the blue shirt' was famous. I shook my head. He just looked like your very attractive and oozing with confidence typical Chelsea boy.

I could have spent more hours people watching and digging into more street food. I would love to try the Raw Press plant-based dishes. I know Leo would want some oysters from Decatur. 

The only let down was the drinks menu wasn't extensive. I don't think the drinks were overly pricey because I do understand that comes hand-in-hand with rooftop bars. But, as it is a rooftop bar I would have liked to experience an array of craft beers, or more exciting cocktails than your regular Pimm's or Aperol Spritiz (even though I can't get enough of that bitter orange stuff!). 

Overall, I don't know of other welcoming, fun and trendy rooftop bars quite like this one. I would definitely go back! Definitely. And next time I will eat more and drink more.

Pergola on the Roof, summer's hotspot. 

I realised I didn't take a picture of the actual bar, so here's one from Pergola's Instagram!

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Personal Shopping in Topshop

This time two weeks ago I was invited to Topshop's launch of Personal Shopping. 

It was the hottest day I've ever experienced in the West Midlands. And my denim mini skirt begged to make an appearance on this glorious day. 

I love it when I can go to events and bring along friends. What's a better way to spend a summer's evening than sipping on cocktails and having conversations all about fashion? They could not say no to this invite. 

When we arrived to Birmingham Bullring Shopping Centre, we headed straight to Topshop. Their massive store was buzzing with excitement. Funky and party music welcomed us as we entered the store.

Some of you may know that a few exclusive Topshop branches have Personal Shopping services. 

Yeah, you heard me correctly. There is a specialised Topshop stylist who can show you the 'must-haves' and the 'got-to-buys' that suit your style. It's all about you! Whether you want a gorgeous holiday look, need some inspiration for your work wardrobe, or willing to jazz up your personal style. This Personal Shopping service is much more reliable than dragging your partner or friend around Topshop asking for their opinions. We all know they just want to sit down or get out promptly.

Topshop's Personal Shopping experience is completely complimentary. Yeah, you are definitely hearing me perfectly fine! You don't have to spend any money to receive their personal shopping service and advice. 

In Birmingham Bullring Topshop, the stylists showed me and my friends what's in store for summer trends. Floaty and floral Topshop dresses, gingham (of course) and casual khaki jackets are in for summertime. Has anyone seen those shiny silver boots they have in store? My gawddd, I NEED them.

I had a conversation with my friends about what I want to wear this summer. I'm all about off-the-shoulder tops and crop tops, but ones that don't show my whole stomach. High-waisted trousers, mini skirts and floral but tighter fitted dresses. 

If you wanted to use Topshop Personal Shopping, you can book an appointment and highlight what your style is and what you're lusting over. But if you're like me, and can't put a finger on what your exact style is, I'd suggest creating a mood board or a Pinterest board (have a look at mine!) This way it can highlight aspects and certain items you've been eyeing up lately. I've placed a few inspo outfits below of the kind of styles that I'd be searching for in Topshop.  

I honestly think this is the most effective way to change things up if you're feeling uninspired about your personal style. We are so likely to pick the same-old garments and become safe in our styles. This experience gives you a new perspective and reveals clothes that you may have never tried on before. 

  

Also I forget to say you'll get your own spacious dressing room. How gorgeous do they look? Plus, you can do group personal shopping! Imagine, you and your friends planning a 'girl gang' look for your Ibiza holiday? All your outfits coordinating together like Little Mix. It may sound super cheesy but your Instagram would look fiiiiiierce!

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