The V&A Dundee and Lunch at Tatha Kitchen and Bar

I visited the V&A Dundee with my parents for the second time last Friday. There wasn't a massive queue outside, my parents now have memberships so we could go to the exhibition and we booked a table at Tatha for lunch. I've seen lots of posts about the new design museum in Dundee but I still want to talk about it. We've been watching it slowly rise out of the Tay for four years and I couldn't wait to go inside.

The main space is spectacular with just glimpse of the river tay meaning to museum is much more focused towards the interiors than the view outside. Personally, I don't think it is the best position for the cafe as soon as you enter because it makes the space feel a little crowded and messy but I'm confident it will change and adapt as they see how things work. 

Obviously, I was most looking forward to lunch at Tatha Kitchen and Bar. A beautiful, well light space with amazing views of the RSS Discovery and the River Tay. The four of us each choose a main dish and shared a bottle of wine between three while we watched the rain pour outside. Very atmospheric. 

My mum and I both picked the 'Chargrilled Chicken Bagel' from the Brunchy/Lunchy menu at £9.25. Overall I thought it was great value for under £10 and the chips were delicious. The bacon on the bagel was some of the best I've ever had and the egg was perfectly cooked. However, the bagel was quite thick and not toasted enough for my liking meaning it was kind of difficult to get through. 

All in all we really enjoyed our lunch. There is no doubt the restaurant is a beautiful setting and service was good, if not particularly attentive, but I'm sure there are improvements to be made as the kitchen and staff find there feet. I want to go back if not just to try the chocolate brioche french toast. You can check out the full menu online. 

Word of warning it was fully booked and they turned people away almost constantly when we were there. 

Finally we got to go round the Ocean Liners exhibition. Normally tickets are £12 each but because my parents have memberships they each got a guest in for free. I'd seen a few snaps online but in the most I wasn't sure what to expect from the exhibition. 

I can honestly say that this is one of the best curated exhibitions I've ever seen. Throughout you really felt like you were experiencing life on board the world’s greatest ocean liners. From the building of these impressive boats to the artistry that went into creating the first class rooms to the people who traveled. 

Every room was fascinating and much bigger than I expected it to be. Overall, we spent a good hour/hour and a half walking round looking at everything which for me was the perfect amount of time. 

Hopefully you enjoy the snaps I took but I would urge you to go and see it for yourself if you can.

The only section we didn't have time to full explore was the permanent exhibition because it was so busy. Definitely an excuse to go back again when the kids are at school. 

Cello Candle Review

Gorgeous smells emanated from the box as soon as I opened these candles. They were send to me to review from new, bespoke home fragrance, brand Cello. Having launched with a total of 12 fragrances their paraffin wax offers muted wax colours. I burn candles constantly through the dark evenings usually from brands like Yankee Candle and Wood Wick candles but also budget alternatives like Wickford & Co from Home Bargains and Primark candles too. 

Medium Fragrance Burst Jar - Wildflower Garden - £19.99*

Wildflower Garden: Gatherings of vibrant freesias and violets cascade wildly as their lush buds radiate towards the sunshine. This spectacular display is accented with soft rose and musk for a bold and and delightful sweetness.

This scent is beautiful - just like the flowers in spring. The candles are fragranced throughout the wax to ensure that you experience our tantalising scents from the moment the candle is lit until the very last burn. Each candle has lead-free cotton dual wicks to ensure a clean and consistent burn that will create a beautiful pool and strong throw.

The medium burst jar will burn for a total of 120 hours. I always do my best to allow the wax pool to melt all the way to the edges so my candle doesn't tunnel and thanks to the two wicks this happens fairly quickly. I didn't find this candle had a super strong scent when burning but sometimes floral scents can be really over powering so many this is a good thing. Another thing I love about this candle are the beautiful colours in the jar - the fragrance burst design is what the creators of Cello believes a fragrance would look like if they could see it. 

Scent Cup - Berry Burst - Soft Linen - Spiced Citrus - £2.69 each*

Berry Burst: Freshly picked strawberries and juicy mango work in harmony with aromatic passionfruit and cassis to give a tart yet sweet burst of vibrance.

Soft Linen: A warm gentle breeze delicately flows through freshly laundered sheets to give a squeaky clean and feathery light fragrance. Whispers of musk and sandalwood compliment this calm and pure delight.

Spiced Citrus: Sun - kissed grapefruit merges with delicate florals, mysterious black pepper, sensual musk and caramel in this complex and stimulating medley.

These little candles have a 12 hour burn time, substantially longer than a normal tea light, so are perfect for testing out fragrances. They melt to the edges really quickly for an even and efficient burn. 

My favourite scent of the four is 'Berry Burst' because it smells like summer to me and is sweet without being too sweet. Soft Linen is clean and fresh just as you would expect. Perfect for when your having guests round in the day and want your house to smell good without being over powering. I think the reed diffuser would be great for the hall or bathroom. Finally, 'Spiced Citrus' is another clean scent but because of the spices and musk it smells much more autumnal to me - perfect for this time of year.

Check out the rest of the fragrances on Cello's website and let me know which one is your favourite. 

Tips for Saving Money on Presents with Latest Deals

I must admit I've already started thinking about how I'm going to budget for Christmas presents. Although I don't have too many people to buy for there is always my boyfriend, my parents and the little kids in our family to think of so it adds up quickly. That's where Latest Deals comes in - a community of bargain hunters they share genuine deals, vouchers, freebies and competitions. So today I thought I would share some Christmas budgeting tips for those of you looking how to do Christmas cheap.

1. Start writing down ideas now

Write a list of everyone you'll be buying a gift for and start noting down ideas when you have them. It doesn't matter how small because it might spark some inspiration when you go to look at it again later on. Plus it will save panic buying which is only going to cost you more money. 

2. Start checking out the sales

As soon as possible start browsing the sale sections when your shopping. Buying a present that is in the sale can not only save you money but often you can pick up something more expensive that you'd budgeted for which is always a win. 

3. Start your shopping as soon as possible

I'm guilty of not following this advice but if you spread the cost of Christmas shopping over the next few months it will be less of a shock to your bank account in December. Again it will also save panic buying and buying things you don't really need.

4. Start putting money aside

This might be a little obvious but if buying Christmas presents isn't achievable or inspiration hasn't hit you yet then start putting some money aside now. That will mean you will have an idea about how much you can spend on each person when the time does come to buy gifts. 

4. Start browsing Latest Deals for gifts

I have a rough idea for my mum's present - her current fitness trackers has stopped working and I'd love to get there another one. It's for this specific types of present that Latest Deals comes in handy. They have a whole section for Garmin Sale including lots of Fitness trackers all with money off. Meaning I can get my mum a great present without breaking the bank. 

If that isn't your thing though they have just about every other product on their site you could imagine. I especially like browsing their fashion sections for things I could add to my own wardrobe - oops!

This blog post is in collaboration

with Latest Deals but love of gift 

giving is all my own!