Valentine’s Day

So my Valentine’s evening celebrations got off to a somewhat unconventional start in a series of unfortunate events that included an earring falling down the sink, a broken u-bend pipe trying to save said earring (water everywhere), a blocked toilet from all the tissue used to mop up the spillage, and to top it all off…a prosecco explosion incident. To be honest, I think it’s a miracle that we even made it out the house in the end.

However, despite this distinctly unromantic start to the celebrations, we were determined to enjoy the evening that we had planned together. And so, with the U-bend left on the floor and prosecco still sprayed up the wall, we decided to forget all about our mishaps and head out for an evening in Birmingham!

We had originally tried to book a meal at a restaurant called Tattu, which is probably one of the most instagrammable places ever. Unfortunately, it seems everyone else had the same idea and so the entire place was booked out a month before the big day! So where else could I turn for a delicious Valentine’s meal? My favourite restaurant of course, the fabulous French bistro Côte Brasserie. It appears that after moving back to the UK nearly 7 months ago now, I am missing the French cuisine more than ever, and so, Côte has very quickly become one of my favourite restaurants to go to. The food is simply to die for, the service is always amazing, and yet it isn’t super expensive, what more could you want? I knew it was the perfect place to go for the occasion!

For Valentine’s, like most restaurants, Côte had a set menu of choices, all of which were tempting. We both opted for the prawn gratinée for starter which was delicious, (of course I got a cocktail to accompany my food).

Next up was Duck confit à l’orange. A classic French dish, this was what I was most excited for on the menu, and I was not disappointed. Served on a bed of thinly sliced potatoes and a gorgeous sauce, I could probably eat this every night for the next year and not complain.

Last but not least, we enjoyed a delicious sharing platter of mini desserts. This was literally the perfect choice for someone who is as indecisive as I am. With crème brûlée, apple crumble, lemon sorbet, truffles, macaroons, a chocolate fondant, chocolate brownie and a fruit garnish, it’s safe to say we covered everything on the dessert spectrum with this platter, and it was the perfect way to finish off the meal.

As always, we had amazing service and lovely food at Côte and I am so happy that we spent our evening there! But after we were full up, it was time to head to a couple of bars for the evening.

Our first stop was at Aluna, which is near the Mailbox. Think boujie decor, loud music and crazy cocktails, and that will give you an idea of what this place is like. It’s one of those places where waiting at the bar can actually be one of the most entertaining parts of the night, with cocktails smoking, bubbling and even being set on fire, you never know what you’re going to get! We opted for a sharing cocktail which resembled more of a science experiment than a drink, but tasted amazing. I definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a cool experience in Birmingham!

After this, we headed over to the very different, but equally cool Lost and Found. This place is super pretty, with floral decor everywhere, elegant ceilings and a rustic feel to it. This is definitely one of the prettiest bars in Birmingham!

I only managed to get one good photo in this lovely place, does anyone else find it super hard to get nice pictures on a night out or is it just me?

For the celebrations, I wore this gorgeous ruched dress from Boohoo! I thought the pink, floral pattern was perfect for the occasion and I love the style of it, as it’s not like anything else I own! The style gave me real Lorna Luxe vibes, and I just thought it was super elegant with a little white mini bag and heels! If you would like to shop this, or any other looks on Boohoo then you can use my discount code QUEEN69 for 25% off! Treat yo self x

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*dress was gifted as part of an ongoing collaboration with Boohoo*