Oh how I do love The Ritz. (Who doesn't?!)  The last time I visited was with my family -  we had the most exquisite dinner in their main restaurant and I was truly, truly taken away by the whole experience. Everything was so elegant and classy, but yet so comfortable. We didn't feel out of place at all, which can happen so often at some of these fine dining restaurants (especially considering we are a loud bunch)

So anyway, considering we had such a wonderful time,  I decided to use  Mother's Day as an excuse to go back again, but this time for Afternoon tea at the Palm Court. Mother dearest was thrilled to say the least.





Top: Target
Trousers: H&M
Clutch: Cult Gaia





We arrived a little early so we could have a drink at the bar and take in the whole experience again. I went for the rum based cocktail and my Mum went for the special but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was called. Both were absolutely divine.





















 The palm court is so beautiful, the ambiance alone just makes you feel like royalty. I honestly didn't want to leave. It's soooooooooooo pretty! Ah!









I would go back in a heartbeat but I'd need to save my pennies first. It definitely was not a cheap day out let's put it that way.

Until next time my loves. xoxox

Once you reach my age and your teenage years become more and more of a distant memory (yes I am old!), you do find yourself thinking about the person you are now against who you used to be, and how much you've changed and why... Your best memories, your regrets, the awkward moments and the times you wish you could go back to or never experience ever again!

If I could talk to my former teenage self I would tell her some truths which I've shared with you all below.

You can be whoever you want to be
You don't need to be as clever as the boffin in your class, and you don't need to be as hardcore as the bad girl in your year that's allowed to stay out late. You are fine just as you are. Stop trying to be who your parents, teachers and friends want you to be. Just do you.

Don't be so hard on yourself
You are young, you are allowed to make mistakes. So make them now and try to learn from them.

Always go with your first instinct
Trust yourself a bit more. You are a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for. Oh, and that guy who initially comes across as an arsehole is an arsehole. He won't change, so don't waste your time babygirl.

Follow your passion
These are the most free and creative years of your life. The things you love now are not a phase,  they are for real. Follow your passion and invest your time, energy and soul into whatever it is. You'll thank yourself in 5 years time.

Your parents aren't always right - but most of the time they are
They don't always get everything right, but they do have your best interests at heart and they do know a lot more than you do. Trust them but also use your own instinct when you need to. Your Mum will become your best friend by the time you're 20 and you'll be thanking her for all the times she stopped you from going to Under 18 raves and hanging around parks at night time.

The "popular" girls will not be so "cool" in a few years time
Being popular isn't as important as having a few good close friends you trust. Those girls in your year group that everyone wants to know and hang out with, smoking in the toilets and hanging around with older guys... most of them are washed out now and look old before their time. They're struggling financially and most of them had children early on and regret it. You don't want to be like them. Trust me.

Have fun 
Lighten up and stop taking everything so seriously. You will never be as free as you are now. Soon you'll have real responsibilities, commitments and dramas. Say yes to that holiday in Malia. Go along to Brighton with the girls for the weekend. Don't be such a granny, you have all the time in the world to be boring.

You can't make everyone happy
You can't always do things just to make your family happy because inevitably you are the only one that has to live with the decisions you (or they) make. They will be proud of you regardless of if you get that A grade or get into one of the top universities, so just relax.

Your hair is beautiful
Even though you find it difficult to manage one day you're going to realise that curly afro hair is beautiful, and that actually it's perfect just the way it is. There are women out there who would die to have hair just like yours. Put those GHDs down and stop with all the heat damage.

Open up
You aren't the only one with problems, everyone has their own issues and struggles. Let people in. Share your secrets and stop being so scared of being judged. There is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent yourself from being hurt. All you are doing is preventing amazing times and an abundance of love and laughter.

What things do you wish you'd known as a teenager?

1. Have dinner at the top of The Shard - There is absolutely no reason why I haven't visited this tourist attraction yet, I'm pretty sure it's been up for over a year so it's a must! (expensive but definitely worth it, methinks)
2. Visit Borough Market and eat from one of the stalls like a hippie
3. Race for Life in Regents Park 
4. Hampton Court Palace Festival
5. Sketch Bar
6. Ride a rickshaw (How have I not done this?!)
7. Lion King in theatre
8. Go the Ritz Hotel
9. Watch a concert at the o2 arena
10. Go to dinner at the Burger & Lobster
11. Eat at Nobu
12. See the ballet at the Royal Opera House
13. Eat at Hakkasan
14. Regents Park Open Air theatre
15. Winter Wonderland
16. The royal ascot
17. The electric cinema
18. Explore Portobello Road
19. Check out Gilgamesh in Camden
20. Hang out at camden lock

1. Have a career that I love (Well I'm now working in my dream firm, just need to work my way up to the career I want. So I guess I'm halfway there)
2. Go the Harry Potter Wizarding castle
3. Buy my own property (epic fail so far) 
   
4. Ride a camel (Egypt, 2008)
5. Visit the pyramids in Egypt
6. Caribbean Cruise 
7. Climb a mountain (Dominican Republic, 2009)
8. Shop until I drop in New York 
9. Indulge in luxury living in Dubai
10. Go to an opera/ballet (2014, The Nutcracker)
11. Visit Hawaii 
12. Watch a Shakespheare play (Twelfth Night in Regents Park Open Air Theatre)
13. Get high in Amsterdam (2009)
14. Go island-hopping in Thailand
15. Go to Paris!
16. Stay in Bora Bora 
    
17. Visit Hong Kong
18. Visit Prague (2009)
19. Go snorkelling in the Red Sea Coral (Egypt-2008)
20. Party on a yacht (Jamaica 2013 + Ibiza 2012)
21. Sleep under the stars at this beautiful resort in Finland (

    Hotel Kakslauttanen,)

    
22. Dance at a carnival in Brazil
23. Go to a world cup football match
24. Write a book 
25. Go camping with friends
26. Stay in a cottage for a few nights (2013 - Kent)
27. Live/work/travel in another country 
28. Relax in the Maldives
29. Eat lobster (Jamaica 2013)
30. Go to an outdoor cinema
31. Stay in a lodge with a private outdoor hot-tub
    
32.  Ride an elephant
    

Save for a mortgage

Do the things that make me happy

Avoid things/people that affect my energy in a negative way

Live!

I ain't gon' sit around and front like I ain't thought about it

A perfect smile is more appealing but it's funny how

My shit is crooked look at how far I done got without it

We ain't picture perfect but we worth the picture still

And they all look my eyebrows: thick as hell

Love yourself, girl, or nobody will 

With all the pressure to look impressive and go out in heels

I feel for you

Killing yourself to find a man that'll kill for you

You wake up, put makeup on

Stare in the mirror but its clear that you can’t face what’s wrong

No need to fix what God already put his paint brush on

What it's like to have a crooked smile

This crooked smile

I'm on my way, on my way, on my way down

I'm on my way, on my way, on my way down

You're the one that was tryna keep me way down

Like a sun all you know if I'm on my way down

To all the women with the flaws, know it's hard my darling

You wonder why you're lonely and your man's not calling

You keep falling victim cause you're insecure

And when I tell you that you're beautiful you can't be sure

Cause you see that no one wants you back and it got you asking

So all you see is what you lacking, not what you packing 

And baby you're a star, don't let 'em tell you you're not

Now is it real? Eyebrows, fingernails, hair

Is it real? if it's not, girl you don't care

Cause what's real is something that the eyes can't see

That the hands can’t touch, that them broads can’t be, and that’s you

Never let 'em see you frown

And if you need a friend to pick you up, I’ll be around

And we can ride with the windows down, the music loud

I can tell you ain’t laughed in a while

But I wanna see that crooked smile

I'm on my way, on my way, on my way down

I'm on my way, on my way, on my way down

You're the one that was tryna keep me way down

Like a sun all you know if I'm on my way down

Crooked smile, we could style on 'em (back 'round)

Crooked smile, we could style on 'em (back 'round)

You’re the one that was trying to keep me way down.

Like the sun, I know you know I found my way back round

We only fronting like the people on the screen

You know them movie stars, picture perfect beauty queens

But we got dreams and we got the right to chase ‘em

Look at the nation, that’s a crooked smile braces couldn’t even straighten

Seem like half the race is either on probation, or in jail

Wonder why we inhale, cause we in hell already

I asked if my skin pale, would I then sell like Eminem or Adele?

Yo one more time for the 'Ville

And fuck all of that beef shit, nigga let’s make a mil

Hey officer man, we don’t want nobody getting killed

Just open up that cell, let my brother out of jail

I got money for the bail now, well now.

If you asking will I tell now? Hell naw

I ain’t snitching cause

Man, they get them niggas stitches now

If you was around, then you wouldn’t need a witness now

How you like this crooked smile?