Make it special
Activity links & Ideas
Taxi pickup
Castle Combe driving experience
Paintball
Clay pigeon shooting
Group riding school
Perfect weekends – Pyjama Party
Friday night: Each guest brings with them an item from our supper list which is quick to prepare and creates an instant party. Choose from:
Dips and crudités / nachos
Cake for sharing
Easy quick heat up fish or chicken goujons
Sausage rolls or cocktail sausages
Big fruitbowl
Cheeseboard with crackers Et voila!! – the fastest supper ever
Friday night game – funniest boyfriend story – ask everyone to think of their best and worst experiences with the unfairer sex.
Saturday: The Big Breakfast (shopping list) cooked and shared by all, then off shopping or out for a long country walk.
Back for tea (high tea or Bath buns of course) then into the most outrageous, comfortable nightwear imaginable for a fun pyjama party – make sure you don’t forget the towelling turbans, curlers and big slippers!
Saturday one pot supper!
Get your guests into groups to organise supper tasks, here are some simple ideas;
Chill out chilli, comforting chicken curry, simple tuna bake
Then prepare yourselves for an evening of pampering in the Beauty Parlour
Each guest brings an item of make up, manicure kit, wax strips, eyebrow dye, individual false eyelashes, hair pieces, stick on tattoos or body jewels, then set up a salon with each guest giving another a treatment – hilarious! Special ingredients – lots of wine and late night tales ( don’t forget the photos!)
Sunday morning – Big breakfast
Perfect weekends – Vintage Babes
Friday night is cocktail night!
Ask your guests to bring an item from the list and rustle up a simple supper and a fabulous cocktail tasting – super!!
Bubbly
Vodka
Rum
Gin
Tequila
Triple sec or Cointreau
Galliano
Dry Vermouth
Lemonade/cola/limes/green olives
Lemons/ginger beer
Angostura bitters
strawberries, limes
guacamole (with nachos)
cheese and pineapple (on sticks of course)
cooked chicken goujons
cooked king prawns
Crisps and fruit inc. lemons
quiches
salad bowl & celery plus celery salt.
houmous and pitta bread
Orange juice & tomato juice
Saturday: Casual breakfast in pyjamas then into the haute vintage look for shopping in town.
Home for tea and a fun cup cake baking session then brace yourselves for the spectacular:
DINNER WITH THE STARS
Each guest dresses in evening wear as their favourite iconic movie star – don’t forget outrageous wigs and long gloves!
Dinner ordered in from our wonderful local caterer, or at one of our favourite restaurants, chauffeured of course by minibus straight to the door. Famous names quiz to entertain you.
Champagne all night long
Dancing to the classics and late to bed
Sunday: Stop my headache breakfast served up with bloody Marys all round – parfait!!!
Perfect weekends – Wild Things
Friday night:
Each guest brings a play list, a matching drink, outfit and supper item from their favourite era. When the party is under way, they must tell the others why they lurve the 60’s/70’s/etc soooo much!
Saturday hangover brunch – a gentle start to the day with full English. Then:
Out for a long country walk, spotting as much wild flora and fauna as you can. Back to base for a lesson in Burlesque or Pole Dancing.
Late afternoon chill out before glamming up, taxis and happy hour cocktails at Sub 13 then dinner and dancing the night away at Po Na Na, Walcot House or Second Bridge in Bath.
Sunday revival breakfast and later, Sunday lunch booked at one of our favourite country pubs!
Simple supper
Chill out Chilli – serves 8
2 large onions, 2 red peppers, 4 garlic cloves, peeled, Hot chilli powder to taste 1.5 kg lean minced beef/quorn, 2 cans chopped tomatoes, Sprinkle of marjoram 4 tbsps tomato purée, 2 cans red kidney beans, Stock cube and Worcestershire sauce. Plain boiled long grain rice, soured cream & grated cheddar to serve
Chop onions peppers and garlic . Put your pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add the oil then the onions and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, fry the garlic. Hot chilli powder to taste (don’t go mad!), leave to cook 5 mins stirring occasionally set aside.
Brown the beef or quorn . Add chopped tomatoes,1 tsp dried marjoram and 1 tsp sugar, if using and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Add tomato purée and stir the sauce well. Add about 1 pint of water and a stock cube plus a few shakes of Worcestershire Sauce.
Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes. Add kidney beans et voila!
Serve with soured cream and plain boiled long grain rice.
Comforting Chicken Curry – serves 8
8 free range skinless chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 large onions, finely chopped, 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 2 tablespoons curry paste, 1 litre chicken stock, 2 tablespoons tomato purée, teaspoon sugar, 4 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt or 2 tins coconut milk, salt and freshly ground black pepper, chopped fresh coriander to garnish
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or flameproof casserole. Add the chicken and brown it on all sides for 6–8 minutes over a medium heat. Remove and set aside on a plate.
Cook the onions in the pan for 5 minutes until golden brown, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the stock, tomato purée, sugar and seasoning. Mix well and add the chicken. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender, turning the chicken pieces halfway through cooking.
Remove the chicken to a serving dish using a draining spoon. Heat the sauce over a high heat for 2–3 minutes until reduced and thickened. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the yoghurt. Check seasoning, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Scatter over the chopped coriander.
Simple Tuna bake
800grms penne, large knob of butter, 2 tablespoons plain flour
1pt milk, large block strong cheddar, grated
4 x 160g cans tuna steak in spring water, drained
Lge can sweetcorn, drained. large handful chopped parsley
Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Boil the pasta for 2 mins less time than stated on the pack. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min, then gradually stir in the milk to make a thick white sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in all but a handful of cheese.
Drain the pasta, mix with the white sauce, tuna, sweetcorn and parsley, then season. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the rest of the grated cheese. Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese on top is golden and starting to brown.
shopping trip
Bath: Milsom Street for up market clothes, The Corridor for the more eclectic finds, the fabulous new Southgate for every kind of shop and boutique.
Bristol: Cabot Circus for everything from Harvey Nicks to Primani or St. Nicholas’ Market for vintage treasures.
Beaufort taxis
Beaufort Taxis 01454 313721
Bath favourite restaurants
Bath Priory – Michelin starred restaruant 01225 331922
Rajpoot – Award winning tandoori and curry dishes 01225 466833
The Hole in the Wall – Great restaurant schooling some of Britains finest chefs 01225 425242
The Firehouse Rotisserie – Lively, Californian style food 01225 482070
Beaujolais – Authentic bistro 01225 423417
Las Iguanas – Latin American restaurant, with cocktail bar 01225 336666
King William Gastropub – Our local 01225 428096
Garricks Head – Sister to King William 01225 318368
Tea Houses
Sally Lunns – Famous for her buns, the oldest house in Bath 01225 461634
The Pump Room – Social heart of Bath serving lunch or tea 01225 444477
The Bath Bun – 2 Abbey Green City Centre,
07875 042995
Nearby favourite restaurants:
The Old House at Home, Burton near Castle Combe 01454 218227
Calcot Manor Conservatory and Gumstool 01666 890391
Bodkin House (opposite Manor & Austen) 01454 238310
Chipping Sodbury
Robertos Italian 01454 327100
Il Gusto 01454 501020
Megna Indian 01454 323510
Henrys Chinese 01454 325180
Siam Thai 01454 850095
Squires steakhouse and restaurant 01454 312121
Night spots
Sub 13 – the number one, Bath Life Award winning, cocktail destination in Bath. ‘Our aim is perfection in everything we do, from the quality of the drinks we serve to the vibrant atmosphere we create’ 4 Edgar Buildings Bath, BA1 2EE 01225 466667
Second Bridge – 10 Manvers st Bath, Somerset BA1 1PQ 01225 464449
Circo Bar & Lounge
The Halcyon, 2/3 South Parade, Bath BA2 4AA 01225 444100
Bristol: Bootlegger and so many more!!
Catering
Sarah our wonderful resident caterer 07968 162764
Local pubs
Manor & Austen
Beaufort Arms Hawkesbury Upton 01454 238217 Excellent local country pub in nearest village to Manor House
Chipping Sodbury huge selection of pubs - Squires, George, Beaufort Hunt, Royal Oak, Grapes, Horseshoe, Portcullis
Bath
The King William 36 Thomas St Bath, Avon BA1 5NN 01225 428096 Nearest pub to Brunswick and Georgian Apartments
Marlborough Tavern 35 Marlborough Buildings, Bath BA1 2LY 01225 423731
Big breakfast
Free range eggs, bacon and good quality local sausages (don’t forget the veggies!)
Mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans
Fresh bread, butter and marmalade
Tea, coffee and orange juice
Cocktail list
Classic Martini (much misunderstood cocktail that always uses gin and must always be stirred, never shaken)
Ingredients: 5 parts Gin, 1 part dry Vermouth, Green olive for garnish, Dash of angostura bitters
Method:
Place all liquid ingredients into a jug filled with ice. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into martini glasses, decorate with a green olive or a twist of lemon.
Harvey Wallbanger (created in 1952, legend has it that the cocktail was named after a Manhattan Beach surfer who was a regular at Duke’s Blackwatch Bar on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood)
Ingredients: 3 parts vodka, 1 part Galliano, 6 parts orange juice, Orange slice and maraschino cherry for garnish
Method:
Pour the vodka and orange juice into a highball glass filled with ice cubes
Add the Galliano, Garnish with the orange and cherry
Margarita (Invented by bartender Don Carlos Orozco at Jussong’s Cantina in Mexico in 1941, Margarita Henkel, the German ambassador’s daughter came into the bar one afternoon and the bartender put together the classic mixture and named if after Margarita who was the first to drink it)
Ingredients: 1 part tequila, 1 part triple sec or Cointreau, 1 part lime juice.
Salt to rim the glasses
Method:
Combine the ingredients with crushed ice and stir. Strain into margarita glasses with salted rims.
Friday night mix up (created by you)
Divide your guests into teams and each team must create their own signature cocktail, everyone judges the best effort.
And for the morning after:
Bloody Mary per person
Ice cubes, 1 part vodka, 5 parts tomato juice, dash of lemon juice, dash of Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, Celery salt & Stick of celery to garnish (optional)
Method:
Combine ice, vodka and tomato juice and stir. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and tabasco to taste, season with celery salt and stir with celery stick.
Cup cake baking
Equipment: 2 x 12 hole muffin tins 24 paper cases
Ingredients: 220g/8oz butter softened at room temperature
220g/8oz caster sugar, 4 free range eggs lightly beaten, 2 tsps vanilla extract
220g/8oz self-raising flour, 2 – 3 tbsp milk
For the frosting:
28g/10oz butter, softened, 560g/20oz icing sugar, 2 – 3 tbsp milk
Pink and blue food colouring – toppings of your choice
Method
Preheat the oven to 180c and line the muffin tins with cases.
Cream butter and sugar together until pale. Beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in the vanilla extract.
Fold in the flour, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency.
Spoon into the paper cases until they are half full.
Bake in the oven 10 – 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from tins.
Frosting
Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft and add half the icing sugar, beating until smooth.
Add remaining sugar, with a little milk adding more if necessary until mix is smooth and creamy.
Divide mixture into two and add food colouring to each bowl, mixing until well combined.
Spoon onto muffins or if you really want a professional look, pipe onto cakes with a spiralling motion into a large swirl.
Finish off with toppings of your choice.
Enjoy with your vintage tea!