You'll find it [S]hard to get a better view!

Every year to date we join thousands of others to attend some of London's best firework displays. They never fail to disappoint albeit sometimes being so busy you can barely move, or cold and rainy, or even just darn expensive! However, this year we decided to do something completely different, away from the madding crowds.

 

In Feb this year, for Valentine's Day I bought P two tickets to go up The Shard to the viewing point on the 68th - 72nd floor. We have been meaning to go for months but have wanted it to be the perfect occasion. Then on Monday afternoon whilst sitting at my office desk I had a Eureka (!) moment and decided to try and book The Shard for the 5 November.

 

 

Thinking that the whole world would have had the same idea I logged in and to my amazement was able to book a 7:30 pm slot.

Getting to The Shard was super easy as we literally followed the sign posts out of London Bridge station- which itself is at the foot of The Shard. No queues, a quick bag scan (a bit like a quick version of Airport security) and we were on our ear popping way up in the lift.

 

 

We first started in the viewing room which was warm and dark. The views were unbelievable, there was just so much to see and so many vivid colours. There were fireworks going off at every angle so we found ourselves darting from side to side to try and see as much as possible. Capturing it all on my iphone was difficult and didn't do the whole experience justice, but it really was a spectaular show all over London.

 

We then wandered up the stairs to the next viewing floor which was outside and absolutely freezing but very romantic. There were so many couples, huddled together oo'ing and ahh'ing at the dazzling displays. I imagine there are a lot of rings popped on a lot of fingers up here!

                 

 

We had such an amazing time that we are now desperate to try and get a table at one of the restaurants for New Years Eve, just imagine watching the firework display over the London Eye, that would be a truly incredible way to welcome 2014 and the countdown to our wedding!

 

Back on level ground we exited The Shard desperate to go back and see it all again, I really do urge everyone to go, you will not be disappointed!

Have you been to The Shard?

Emi x

All photo's taken on my IPhone 5. 

My spooktacular birthday cake!

So, having been sworn by the birthday girl not to wear anything "sexy" or "sultry" P and I wracked our Halloween brains and decided that in apt fashion and preparation for next year we would go as a Zombie bride and groom. Prior to the party I spent hours on eBay in bidding wars against other zombie brides to be- and maybe some real ones too- trying to win "the dress".

  

Tilly wasn't quite sure who the scary woman holding her up was...

Eventually after day's of trying and failing I succeeded and purchased a rather large, rather puffy, rather PERFECT wedding dress. I did feel a little bad that once upon a time this dress had been worn on someones very special day, but I figured this was all in aid of someone else's very special birthday party... so it was ok.  I also purchased a veil- which helped set the whole outfit off just perfectly!

P on the other hand just shoved on his dinner jacket, a white shirt and his black work shoes- boys have it so darn easy, don't they? -  but he looked absolutely brilliant non the less.

We whitened up our faces, blackened out our eyes, talc'ed our hair and reddened our lips- oh, and added a vital bullet wound to each of us!

 

In aid of Kate's birthday dinner party I decided early on in the week to make her a cake as a surprise.

Black Swan (a.k.a Birthday Girl) and the Grim Reaper. 

Us! The Zombie bride and Groom

  Death doll

Cake pops prior to decoration!

The finished cake!

I decided to make pumpkins out of cake pops and a spiders web victoria sponge cake. On the cake I decorated it in white chocolate ganache and drew a spiders web on it in black icing with some sporadic edible flys dotted around. I then made a large dark chocolate mint spider with red liquorice legs.

For the pumpkins I made an orange icing and dipped the cake pops in the icing on about 4 separate rounds until the icing completely stuck and you couldnt see the cake underneath. To decorate I used chocolate dropping for eyes and different icing for the mouths. For the stalk I cut up green wine gums!

It was a lot more stressful then I thought it would be, especially as I originally tried to make the orange colour for the pumpkins out of white chocolate- which I urge you never try- on trying to melt the white chocolate it started to congeal and on adding the colouring turned a really disgusting brown colour- needless to say, that was 5 bars of chocolate in the bin! 

 

  

 I took some candles along and after the dinner Becca and I went off to the kitchen to light the cake and took it through for Kate to blow out in typical birthday fashion. I didn't try the cake myself but I did taste a few of the "mishapen" cake pops  when I was making it and they were scrummy!

As my first "novelty" cake I was really pleased with how it turned out and I can't wait to make my next one!

Did you guys make any novelty cakes for Halloween?

Emi x