An afternoon at Ascot

I got the wonderful opportunity to attend Ascot on the 17th October for the QIPCO Champions Day*. Me and a group of other bloggers got the chance to experience the Winning Post package at the Pavillon Restaurant which included a four course lunch, afternoon tea and drinks on tap. The food was delicious, the drinks were a great addition to a wonderful afternoon and the company was delightful.

Dress: Very / Coat: New Look (similar here & here) / Shoes & Bag: H&M (similar here & here)

I decided to wear this dress which I got from Very in the Rochelle Humes collection. It fit like a glove, was figure hugging enough on the bottom half and looser of top so you didn't feel too constricted. I love the autumnal pattern and the hint of purple in it, which I feel really suits my skin tone. I was lucky enough to have a bag and some pretty heels that matched the purple of the dress really nicely to bring the look together. I got the hat very last minute online but I didn't actually like it all that much so I barely wore it but it was nice to have and I threw on this old coat as it was the only one I could find that kind of went with everything. 

Champagne, wine and my favourite flowers covered the table when we entered the restaurant. It was a beautiful sight to say the least, you can't go wrong with a few bubbles.

For the people who decided not to dine at one of their restaurants, there were lots of food trucks to choose from if you got a little peckish. Even this super adorable vintage ice cream van that I was very tempted by.

Our starter was a prawn pate with crayfish, anchovies and a crisp bread. It was nice, light and refreshing for a starter, which just made me hungrier for the next course so I had so snack on some bread in between.

After the starter we checked out the first race. I annoyingly forgot cash with me on this one so I sat out of the first few. It was exciting to watch as the atmosphere is always full of energy and adrenaline, which is what makes the races so great to begin with. 

We then went back for our main which was a delightfully tasty roast chicken, fondue potato and a side of peas, pancetta and kale. There was just enough there to satisfy your cravings and without making you feel too full. Plus I loved that kale was an option on something like this, I really enjoyed it.

I soon found a cash point and put in some bets! I'm not the gambling kind but its good fun for a one off and it really is addictive once you win. I actually won on Solow on the left which was brilliant! I didn't win my money back but it was a laugh all the same.

 To finish our meal was a tiramisu with chantilly cream and a buttery biscuit crumb. I'm not the biggest coffee fan but I do have a sweet tooth so this went down pretty quickly. It was at this point I started to get really full but that wasn't the end of delicious food for us.

The queen of England (taken on iphone)

We then had a cheese and cracker plate to devour which excited me the most. I am a massive fan of cheese and with wine at the table, I had me my very own cheese and wine night. I actually missed a lot of this as I went to see if I had won a mini cooper in a number raffle they had for the whole of Ascot. The chances were like 1 out of 9,000 but still, its a FREE car! 

I sadly didnt win but I ended up being much happier about this as on the way back I got stopped at a barrier and couldnt get through. A few moments later the queen came elegantly out the of entrance. THE QUEEN! This was an OMG moment for me as it was only a few days later I was explaining to my housemates that I would die a sad person if I never got to see the queen in real life, and there she was!! This was a massive highlight to me and a huge tick off my bucket list. Thank you iphone for not running out of storage too, I appreciate it!

When I got over my shock of the day I came back to a beautifully selected Afternoon Tea. Full of delicious treats, sandwiches and tea for us all to share. I didn't think I could eat anymore but as it was there in front of me, I couldn't help myself.

Carolin (left) & Primrose (right)

The day ended with us all having chats around the table and getting to know each other a little better. This was a good way for me to push myself out of my comfort zone and be more confident with myself. I tried my best to chat to everyone and stop myself from pulling my famous RBF and I think I done okay. Thank you so much to Ladbrokes and Victoria and Will from Branded3 for inviting us and making it such a wonderful day. It was lovely to meet you and the other bloggers who attended who I have followed on twitter for ages and some new faces too, they were all so genuine and a delight to talk to.  

Check them out here: Little Miss Katy / Beautyfromthefjord / Style Lingua / StylePetalBlog / CharlieDistracted / CardifforniaGurl / StyleLobster / Paleandinteresting

(p.s sorry if i missed anyone off, that I spoke to I'm the worst with remembering names)

Also congratulations to Primrose for winning best outfit of the day. You looked gorgeous and it was truly deserved! 

I got home shattered from the day but with great memories that I will always keep. I had a gift toopen when I got home that Vic and Will had arranged, which was this amazing tea cup with our names on. On the back it has the date and venue written on it as a beautiful keepsake from the day. I have already used it a lot and I feel the queen would appreciate this amazing gesture too.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my day. You should definitely go with friends or family next year and experience it for yourself, if only to get all dressed up for the day. 

Until next week...Love Khrissie x