Last week I had the privilege of being asked to a bloggers event held by Danielle of The Bloggers Hangout. As there was going to be a fashion week event on the Monday, Danielle wanted to organise a pre party at Balans Soho with a few bloggers she hadn't had the chance to get to know as well.
Now I'm all for an event as it is one of the nicest perks of being a blogger. You get to meet new brands and like-minded people with the chance to also try and review a few products you might not have known about before but then I am also a socially awkward person. The two don't really mix.
The reason I started my blog in the first place, was to have a new hobby with the hope that it would help with my self confidence and social anxiety. I am now saying yes to a lot more opportunities by realising that things are never as bad as they first seem in your head, this event being one of them. I was very close to not going as I was so nervous but as soon as I arrived I was greeted with smiles and great conversation with Rosie from
'A girl on a journey' and felt comfortable straight away.
Danielle was really thoughtful and added personalised seating cards to the table which I got very excited about, as I never have anything with my name on with its unusual spelling. We all talked while we waited for the other girls to arrive before we each ordered a cocktail of our choice. It was really difficult to choose from the colourful menu but I ended up going for the Apple and Elderflower Collins with a little persuasion from our very attentive waiter David J. Its the perfect cocktail if you don't want something too sweet as it packs a slightly bitter kick at the end of every mouthful. A good choice if you want something light before a heavy meal.
Next up it was time to choose what we wanted for our main course. What I like about
Balans Soho is the variety of food they do, from burgers to crab linguine and all thats in between to cater for every palette. Now I'm a sucker for a burger and even though there was such good choice on the menu I just couldn't resist it and its triple cook fries, it did not disappoint. The burger was cooked to my medium/ well done satisfaction and the chips were delightful. Creamy in the middle with a crispy coating so moreish that the salad on the side was like an old friend I had grown out of.
Conversation with the girls fell like a seamless waterfall and it felt like we had known each other for ages. We were a great mix of people with different personalities which would make for the perfect girlband. We talked for ages during and in between the courses which made time fly by, nearly forgetting that we still needed to order our dessert. Now this was another tough choice but David J was ready with his best recommendations, which led to my decision of the banoffee pie. Not having ever tried this before, (I know whats wrong with me?) I had to break my banoffee virginity.
It was delicious! A buttery crumb with layers of perfectly ripened banana, topped with a mountain of delightfully light cream so big, even I was unsure if I could climb it. To add to the abundance of layers, it sat on a river of toffee so delicious I had to eat it by itself once I was shamefully defeated half way through. I had never been so satisfyingly full in a long time.
As we had turned down the offer of a hot drink, David J decided we needed to end our night with a little tipple. A tray of sweet (but yet very strong) limoncello shots came our way which warmed our bodies like a hot water bottle on a winters night. We made a toast to new friendships and celebrated what a wonderful evening it had been before the night had ended and we had to sadly go home. We are all going to keep in touch and hopefully I will see all these amazing girls again soon.
They were all so friendly, talented and very beautiful. Their stories were enchanting, with personalities to match and I am so grateful I got to meet them. A huge thank you to Danielle for organising the evening and to Balans for looking after us so well, we felt spoilt. The food was delicious and the company was even better, I will be returning to the restaurant in the future for sure.
I love their quirky interiors and cosy atmosphere. You don't feel rushed to eat and get out the door quickly with its relaxed vibe and friendly staff. Perfect for a catch up with old friends.
You all need to follow these lovely ladies I got to spend the evening with, their links are all down below. They all have amazing blogs by the way so definitely check them out:
Love Khrissie x
