#CosmoBlogAwards: The Ceremony, The Cocktails and of course, The Cupcakes.

Well after 43,000 nominations, six months of voting and one panicked, last minute outfit rush, the Cosmo Blog Awards are all over - and what a fabulous night it was!

It felt absolutely amazing to be greeted at the door of the OXO Tower by the famous pink Cosmopolitan logo and there were plenty more girly surprises to be found inside.

OXO Tower

The Vintage Cosmetic Company were on hand to give our eyelashes a touch of Hollywood glamour and Electric Hair were at the ready with the straighteners for any pre-awards hair touch ups. We loved dressing up in the photo booth and posing in front of the Best British Bloggers board too! 

Cosmo!

Of course it would be wrong to be at a Cosmo event and not indulge in a Cosmo cocktail or two and there was a constant flow of these amazing cocktails and of course cupcakes, all evening. In true ATC style we treated ourselves to several miniature cupcakes which were sprinkled in glitter dusting and topped with strawberry buttercream - yum! 

But on to the important part - the awards!  We were nominated for Best Food Blog. Unfortunately we didn't get our hands on an award this year but to all the fantastic bloggers who did, well done! A huge thank you to all of you who voted - we really do appreciate your support. 

Awards time!

Moving on to our favourite bit - the goodie bags! All bloggers went home with a Cosmo goodie bag filled with tonnes of stuff from cookies to fake tan and jewellery to PhotoDirector software. But by far our favourite item, which we can't help but feel we inspired (ahem), was Gizzi Erskine's latest book - amazing!

Pinky Vodka - Yum!

It was great to meet all of the other bloggers and catch up with some blogging friends too like Ann from A Quirky Lifestyle - be sure to check out her site! 

Laura with Ann from A Quirky Lifestyle

'Best British Bloggers' - Oh why not?

We had an amazing time and would like to thank all of our readers for getting us there. Roll on next year! 

Laura and Caroline x

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Harvey Nichols Second Floor, Manchester

Harvey Nichols 'Second Floor' afternoon tea has long been on our list of places to visit, so the other week we finally decided to bite the bullet and pay them a visit. Here's how we got on:

Strawberry Tart and other Sweet Treats

Environment

Caroline:

Expansive views over Manchester's Exchange Square offer the perfect afternoon tea vantage point, whilst striking black themes complete the look at Harvey Nichols 'Second Floor' Manchester. Personal highlights included their lovely black velvet chairs which added an arty touch to the surround, perfectly complimented by the striking abstract art decorating the walls. A lovely environment in which to take tea!

Inside

Laura:

For city girls with a penchant for designer and mini pastries, Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant is a complete dream. A modern oasis of sharp décor complimented by crisp white tablecloths makes this the ideal place to sample one of the city’s fantastic afternoon teas and certainly one of the best views too.

The monochrome palette with just a few splashes of colour, give the restaurant a real touch of exclusivity. It doesn’t feel as though you’re in a department store - however there is definitely something to knowing you’re sipping tea only metres away from a fabulous display of designer shoes!

Stunning views

Food

Caroline:

Small in size but delicious in every way, the Harvey Nichols 'Second Floor' afternoon tea is perfect for anyone wanting a mid-day treat in the city. Presented neatly on slick ceramic stands, the menu contains all of staple classics catered to a high standard. The sandwiches available during our visit offered a choice of Egg, Prawn, Beef, Salmon, Cucumber and Ham, served on a variety of different breads, whilst the second tier presented the classic fruit scone prettily dusted with icing sugar.

As ever, cake was the focal point of the afternoon, offering a quirky choice of summer flavours which included: a Strawberry Tart, White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake, Carrot Cake and Lemon Macaroon. Being a stickler for a good cheesecake, my favourite out of this selection had to be just that - a fruity and light addition, prettily presented with a white chocolate disk - perfect for enjoying on a late summer afternoon!

Sandwiches

Laura:

Continuing the contemporary theme, our Afternoon Tea arrived on a minimalistic silver tea stand featuring vibrant pops of colour from the pretty array of cakes served on top. As Caroline said, this tea was slightly smaller than some others in the city but personally I found it to be just right, especially for a late afternoon bite.

To start we had a generous sandwich selection with six different fillings (Egg, prawn, beef, salmon, cucumber and ham). These were served on a decent range of breads and cut to just the right size. As I am absolute fiend for salmon finger sandwiches as of late, this was my favourite – light, soft and gorgeously fresh.

Moving on, the scones were really yummy, dusted with sugar and served with Harvey Nick’s very own raspberry jam and clotted cream. Normally I do like a mix of plain and fruit scones but on this occasion I will forgive as the desserts to follow most certainly filled the gap!

I always love having macaroons at Afternoon Tea and the lemon flavour here was a real fresh palette cleanser but like Caroline, my favourite dessert by far was the White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake. It was quite an odd take on the staple dessert with a mousse-like texture and a sprinkling of biscuit on top but this worked perfectly in a bitesize portion. Fab!

Perhaps the only thing I would add to this menu would be a selection of fruit teas. We were given the choice of simply tea or coffee, however I think a fruit based menu like this would have gone down a treat coupled with more exotic tea options.

Sugar Dusted Scones

Service

Caroline:

The service at Harvey Nichols was tip top, with out every need being catered for with the greatest of attention - well done!

Laura:

The staff were very courteous and made us feel welcome - could not fault them!

Overall Thoughts

Caroline:

A great place to visit if you're looking for a good quality tea in the city - and the perfect respite from a hard day's shopping!

Laura:

If you’re all shopped out and looking for a place to drop then Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant is the perfect place to treat yourself to a bite to eat. Style, sophistication and yummy sweet treats – need I say more?

Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant is located in the heart of Manchester's Exchange Square. Afternoon Tea is served between 3-5pm Monday to Saturday and 3-4.30pm on Sunday. For more information and to book, please visit their website: http://www.harveynichols.com/

The Afternoon Tea Club at the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards

The Afternoon Tea Club at the Cosmos

This week The Afternoon Tea Club are heading off to London for the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards. Be sure to check in with us on Wednesday for live twitter updates from the big smoke and stop by here once it's over for a full round up of the night.

A massive thank you to everyone who's voted for us to win 'Best Food Blog', we really appreciate your support - wish us luck!

Love,

Laura & Caroline

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Hotel De Orangerie, Brugge, Belgium

Time for tea

The one time holiday destination of Mark Owen (I kid you not) Hotel De Orangerie is one of Brugge's premier residences. Decadently styled in rich plum themes, this boutique hotel offers guests a slice of sophistication at a very reasonable price.

Welcome

Upon entry we were presented with a mini tray of aperitifs (incl. cakes, chocolates and biscuits) to whet our appetite for the meal to come. I always love it when you get extra surprises along the way, so this was a very welcome addition and really helped to take the edge off our hunger in preparation for the main event.

Palms

When the tea came, I was once again impressed. Served on crustless brioche bread, the sandwiches were lovely and light, coming in several varieties: Egg & Mustard; Salmon & Red Onion; and Cucumber. I very much enjoyed the addition of brioche to the sandwich menu, snaffling my way through them all quite happily - and perhaps a little too quickly  - oops.

Brioche Sandwiches

The scones, again, were delightfully light, served with an abundance of Strawberry jam and cream, which is always a winner, particularly when presented on a pretty silver tray.

Now the cakes. What can I say about the cakes? - Yum. 

I sometimes find that afternoon tea can offer too much of a good thing. Whether it's pastry, creamy fondants or cake, there is often a noticeable bias towards one particular aspect of patisserie, which can be overwhelming. However, this is not the case at De Orangerie Hotel, with a menu that includes: Summer Fruit Tart; Chocolate Cream Meringue; Chocolate Pistachio Coconut Fondant; Apple Cake; and Toffee Nut Tart. Needless to say, everything was as delicious as it looks - especially the Chocolate Meringue which was lighter than air!

Tea and Cake - What more could a girl ask for?

There's lots more that I could say about this place, but I think it's one of those you need to experience yourself before you can fully appreciate it. If you're ever in Brugge, go. You won't regret it!

To find out more about Hotel De Orangerie, please visit their website here:

http://www.hotelorangerie.be/hotel-orangerie_brugge_facilities.asp?rubriekId=7133&taal=en

Caroline

Charlotte in the City: The Ritz, London

Often cited as one of London's top afternoon tea destinations, the Ritz's reputation for excellence is second to none. Read on to find out what our City girl, Charlotte Vowden, thought when she visited last month! 

Welcome to the Ritz

Afternoon tea at The Ritz is a grand affair where traditional formalities create an atmosphere of occasion and glamour. Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket with a tie and women attend in their finest frocks. Absolutely no denim is allowed. 

The hotel’s Palm Court is where the magic happens, and it is here that my love affair with the quintessential ceremony began almost ten years ago. I returned this summer with my grandfather, accompanied by the same anticipation and awe that my first visit mustered.

Cake Collection

Little has changed since then; the service is still precise, the opportunity to have your sandwich and scone plates refilled remains and the clotted cream is just as thick as it used to be. However, there is one noticeable addition - a pudding trolley. 

Oh yes, much to our delight a four-wheeled dessert mobile now circulates The Palm Court. It’s purpose is to tempt you with even more elaborate creations and despite having a tea stand filled with tiny sugary show stoppers we kept a close eye to make sure the trolley made a stop at our table-side.

Our taste buds were tickled by slices of pistachio and cherry cake topped with vanilla cream and a miniature trifle with perfectly proportioned layers - not too much custard and a good few spoons worth of jelly. The tea stand delectables featured a salted caramel macaroon with a perfect crunch and the famous four-layered chocolate cake had a glaze so faultless you could see your reflection.

Sandwiches

When it comes to the evaluation of the finger sandwiches I quote my grandfather; ‘They are so very nice, you must have another before I eat them all up.’ The mix included ham, grain mustard mayonnaise on White Bread and my favourite, Scottish Smoked Salmon, Lemon Butter on Rye Bread. The scones were served warm so the cornish clotted cream began to melt as soon as the dollop hit the dough. Finished with a spoon of strawberry preserve they were suitably gluttonous.

Catering for plenty of tastes the tea menu has familiars such as Earl Grey, and more fruity blends such as Passion Fruit and Orange, which makes a winning cup. The Ritz Royal English, a light blend of Assam and Ceylon, is a soothing accompaniment. Just remember to sip politely. 

Perfection!

Over 400 teas are served in The Palm Court every day so sittings are limited to 95 minutes and my only criticism is that we would have loved more time to savour the experience. Instead, we retired to the Ritz’s Rivoli bar for a cocktail. Such a tough life. 

Traditional Afternoon Tea at the Ritz is £45 per person, booking is required: http://www.theritzlondon.com/tea/

Charlotte Vowden is a travel & lifestyle journalist who is as happy in the mountains as she is sipping champagne and indulging on cake. Writing for The Sunday Times and other national publications keeps her busy but she’s always looking for her next adventure or afternoon tea destination.

Twitter: @charlottevowden

DISCLAIMER: As is common in the catering and leisure industry, we were provided with complimentary services for review purposes. Whilst this has not influenced our review, we believe in the full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.