Think festival and you could be forgiven for thinking I was knee deep in mud, portaloos and warm beer…

…err not this gal!

My dream festival experience would include bunting, a restaurant quality barbecue and the finest alcoholic beverages served in glasses…

And guess what?

The HighField delivered exactly that!

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to GinFields – a very civilised, grown up festival!

It had all the fun and frolics you would expect to find at a Summer festival – including music, games, food, selfie props and bars.

But rather than a muddy field, camping chairs and pot noodles; we were in a beautiful garden complete with hay bales, sofas and amazing food!

And gin, more gin and guess what..?

G I N!

We had a fabulous time meeting interesting people and hearing stories from gin companies near and far and of course sampling the different varieties of gin.

However, don’t you worry if you feel you have missed out!

As gin is so fashionable right now, The HighField have made sure they have plenty of options for you to choose from.

Like your gin served in a grand coupe?

The HighField stock at least 10 different types of gin – served with ice, fruit and juniper berries.

Fancy a cocktail instead?

How about an English Garden? Hendricks Gin, cloudy apple juice, elderflower cordial, cucumber and of course the all important ice.

Or a jug of Pimms (while the sun is still shining)? This gin based classic is served with lemonade and fruit.

Or maybe you can be tempted with a Sipsmith London Cup? London Dry Gin infused with Earl Grey tea and lemon verbena, lemonade and ice.

Tempted?

How about a few facts to impress your friends next time they pop round for a G & T…?*

⭐️ Gin is actually flavoured vodka!

⭐️ Gin is meant to be mixed, not drunk straight – making it perfect for cocktails!

⭐️ Gin isn’t actually British! The English discovered that Dutch soldiers drank Jenever in the 17th century, to boost morale before heading into battle. The term “Dutch Courage” was born, and the English brought the idea of making and drinking gin back with them. It would take another 150 years before they would have their own version!

⭐️ London Dry gin is not always made in London!

⭐️ The Philippines drink more gin than any other country in the world!

GinFields was The HighField’s first ever Gin Festival – but I have a feeling that it may become an annual event!

What’s your favourite tipple? Is it gin? Let me know in the comments below…

The HighField

22 Highfield Road

Edgbaston

B15 3DP

We paid for our own tickets to attend this event and I did not receive any reward for this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own and all photographs were either taken by me or used with permission from The HighField.

*Gin facts courtesy of FoodRepublic.com

Hold onto your horses Solihull, there’s a new gal in town!

With the refurbishment complete, The Beech House has finally opened its doors to the public.

If you’re thinking the old ‘ Lazy Cow’, has just had a lick of paint and a new name – you are in for a shock as this Oakman Inn has had a major transformation!

It has a completely new look including open plan theatre style kitchen, beautiful seating areas inside and an impressively landscaped outdoor area.

It’s this exciting outdoor area that first greets the eye on arrival. Where once there was a small seating area overlooking the front car park, there’s now a pretty terraced dining area, complete with pergola and overhead lighting and a trendy artificial grassed area that houses comfortable seating and an al fresco bar.

Further exploration through the restaurant revealed another outdoor seating area…

…and a stunning double tepee that can be used for functions, including its own bar made from a shipping container.

The restaurant itself is light and spacious with a variety of options for seating. Experience the bar in full swing…

…relax by the fireplace,

…or choose to sit in this beautiful space to eat your meal.

Alternatively, sit with a view of the open plan kitchen.

This enables you to watch your food being cooked. Oakman Inns are famous for their Josper charcoal ovens and wood fired pizza ovens too.

We sampled canapés of cured salmon with avocado purée and chicken liver pâté and if these are any indication of the food that will be served – it will be amazing!

I also partook in a little cocktail tasting – well it’d be rude not to! And if you’ve been following me for a while, you know that it’s a weakness of mine.

This was the rhubarb and custard – it came highly recommended, made with Warner Edwards rhubarb gin and was so worth it.

Hubby had a virgin Mojito which he assured me was very good too.

Solihull I believe, will welcome the arrival of The Beech House with open arms and I am certainly looking forward to sampling their full menu.

So far so good!

The Beech House

727 Warwick Road

Solihull

B91 3DA

The evening was a pre-opening event and by invitation only; however I did not receive any reward for this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own and all photographs were taken by me unless otherwise stated.

Watching the weather forecast all week, I wondered if the garden party would be wonderful or a wash out.

Summer is a little hit and miss at the moment in the UK – you can’t leave the house without taking both umbrella and sunglasses. However, fortune smiled upon us and sent some sunshine between the clouds.

The High Field is a gastro pub that always delivers fabulous food in a friendly and stylish setting (click here if you’d like to read about my previous experience). And I was excited to attend their garden party especially when I heard that The Glamophones were performing.

We sat by the fire pit and relaxed with a beverage of the alcoholic kind…

There was a selection of games to play…

…food to be eaten picnic style (with your fingers!)

We even had time for a card trick or two…

…and finally enjoyed the ladies performance of 40’s classics and modern pop songs all sung with beautiful harmonies in their unique vintage style.

It was a fabulous afternoon full of good company, great food and glamorous gals.

Here’s to a Summer of more of the same (fingers crossed!).

Tell me – what’s your idea of a great garden party? Who would you invite – real or imaginary; alive or dead?

Let me know in the comments below…

The High Field

22 Highfield Road

Edgbaston

B15 3DP

 

This event was open to the general public and I did not receive any reward for this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own and all photographs were taken by me unless otherwise stated.