The wonderful thing about Tiger Bills, is that Tiger Bills is a wonderful thing

The newly opened Tiger Bills, or as I affectionately call it Tigger, up in Consett in County Durham was the perfect location for a chilled out lady-like bloggers’ tea party on a warm summer evening.

Settling into the cavernous restaurant, I realised Tigger is deceptively like a Tardis; SO much bigger and interesting on the inside than the outside.

The atmosphere was pleasantly buzzing with a mix of families and groups of friends enjoying mid-week festivities.

Seated on the plump cushioned seats, I took the opportunity to size up the menu and was delighted to indulge in a non-alcoholic honey-based cocktail, which was the perfect aperitif for the feast that awaited us.

And what a feast it was! Tigger specialises in authentic Thai and American food options – the perfect east meets west neighbourhood dining experience.

In fact, so keen Tigger is to ensure that their Thai food is authentic they recruit specialist Thai chefs and ensure they have local accommodation. What a wonderful way to ensure authenticity and boost the local economy.

Tigger’s menu offers a huge variety. From burgers, steaks and fajitas to curries, stir fries and noodle dishes there really is something for everyone.

To start we feasted on a huge selection that included the most amazing prawn toast I’ve come across in years (prawn toast really is excellent if done properly), spring rolls, and sweet potato fries – all of which were cooked to perfection and pleasantly presented.

It was difficult to contain the grazing pace as we indulged in these delicious nibbley treats – the perfect accompaniment to girly chat and putting the world to rights.

Almost replete I insisted on a petite-sized main portion of Pad Thai. However Tigger, being such a generous beast, served me my meal in a bowl as big as my head. Nevertheless it was an authentic dish and thankfully there is the option to take left-overs home in essential doggie bags.

Tigger really is a perfect venue for a fun evening for family and friends alike. The service is attentive and friendly, the food is presented beautifully and the venue is perfectly relaxed and atmospheric.

And if you’re lucky you may even meet the restaurant’s friendly mascot. Who, obviously, looks a bit like Tigger.

It’s worth a visit; after all Tigger is the only one!

Check out Tiger Bills on Facebook and Twitter or visit their website.

A boost for my bare skin

Bare skin beauty is what I’m after.

I’m acquiring an increasingly aged look thanks to months of accumulated stress and leaning, perhaps a bit too heavily, on vices like smoking, drinking, and far too many late nights.

It doesn’t help either that I’m hurtling towards 40 with increasing speed.

I’ve noticed my skin is dry and sensitive. More worryingly for me, full-on bags have developed under my eyes complete with deepening wrinkles and general crinkles.

Now I understand to achieve desperately clear skin requires a certain amount of healthy living, and to my self-confessed credit I drink gallons of water a day and always get at least six hours sleep a night, even if that means missing the alarm.

But nonetheless, I was keen to review some beauty products, aptly named Bare Skin Beauty.

Luxurious, natural and organic skin food, this product is formulated perfectly for the natural beauty gourmand.

The citrus green clay cleanser is made with marine and botanical extracts and designed to decongest the skin and withdraw even the deepest impurities.

Goodness, this exactly what is required here! And certainly after using for a few days while relaxing in a hot bath my skin does feel unblocked, calmer and, dare I say, a little bit radiant. Quite a feat.

I’m addicted to facial moisturiser so I was keen to try out the antioxidant firming face cream that promises to deliver a powerful boost of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids to my face. It smells beautiful and has a lovely cooling zing; my poor dehydrated skin really benefited from this lovely cream, restoring a little calm and relaxation.

Equally, the illuminating eye serum was a godsend. Anxious about the appearance of my wrinkly and puffy eyes, this lightweight balm is blended to soothe and nourish the delicate eye area. After two weeks of use I have started to notice the dreadful puffiness and dark circles are abating somewhat.

The organic peppermint water worked perfectly in my everyday emergency situation where I need to wake up quickly. A quick spritz is all that is needed for a refreshing mental AND beauty boost.

Bare Skin Beauty claims you’ll feel happy on the inside and look fabulous on the outside.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Visit the Bare Skin Beauty website.