Christmas Eve 2018

I'm spending Christmas Eve evening sat on the sofa in festive pyjamas watching a Christmas film and admiring the fairy lights adorning our small-but-perfectly-formed Christmas tree. December has flown by in the blink of an eye.

At the beginning of the month, my boyfriend and I went ice skating at the natural history museum, my favourite place to skate outdoors. It was so much fun and by the end of our session I was skating with a little more confidence...well just about! 

We also made the trek to Columbia Road flower market, with the intention of just browsing to see how much Christmas trees and wreaths were. We walked right through the market without anything catching our eye until we reached the last stand, where the most perfect tree was sat waiting! We got it netted up and my boyfriend heaved it over his shoulder for the long walk through brick lane to the tube station. It took a while and trying to navigate the crowds was a task, but it got back safely and we had an evening of decorating the tree.

The following week we went to Hampton Court Palace for their annual Christmas fayre. The palace is steeped in history with a wide array of sights to see. You can walk around the former Royal apartments, take in centuries-old paintings in the art gallery and take a stroll around the grounds.

Some of the ornate decoration on the ceilings is breath taking.

We grabbed lunch from the fayre in the courtyard (which was a little disappointing as it was not overly festive) however there were singers singing festive songs which was nice to listen to as we ate lunch. In the gardens we found the rest of the Christmas fayre which was more festive and we purchased some decorations for our tree.

Later that week my mum and I went to the Birmingham Christmas market. I like to go every year if possible, but for the last couple of years it hasn't seemed to be as good, it seems to have fewer market stalls and less variety. That said, we still enjoyed our visit and had a nice afternoon.

On Saturday my parents came to stay for Christmas, so I arranged a little festive buffet for dinner and yesterday evening we had a gingerbread decorating competition, which was more competitive than I envisaged haha, but they all turned out so cute and everyone had fun!

We've also had a couple of nice evenings wrapping up gifts whilst watching a festive film and snacking on a tin of chocolate, enjoyed lots of roasted chestnuts, mince pies and a couple of glasses of Buck's Fizz. Later on I'll do a final tidy of the flat, a little preparation for tomorrow's dinner and arrange the presents under the Christmas tree...Merry Christmas!

Wreath making at Seven Dials

Last Thursday evening I took my mum to the Christmas event at Seven Dials, near Covent Garden. We arrived a short while before it officially started so we had a walk around the area.

The cobbled streets looked festive with decorations strung up and Christmas lights waiting to be switched on. 

We stopped for a cup of tea in a cute little ice cream cafe called Udderlicious. They had so many flavours of ice cream that all looked so good, I'd love to go back and try them when it's a little warmer.

Our next stop was the free wreath making workshop. We arrived early to secure our spots and within ten minutes the benches had all filled up. 

We were each given a moss wreath, spool of wire and a selection of foliage.

The florist explained how to attach a piece of foliage at an angle and wrap the wire around the wreath to fix it in place. It was a lot of fun putting together the wreath and arranging it to look just right and half an hour later this was my finished wreath:

After we'd finished making our wreaths we went to the Monmouth Kitchen pop up bar for a complimentary cocktail called a Monmouth Fizz, which was delicious! They even added edible violas as decoration to the glasses which looked so pretty.

We had such a nice time; the atmosphere was festive and fun, with Christmas music playing and all of the local shops getting involved. There was lots to see and do, as well as wreath making there was ice curling and make up demos and most of the shops had 20% off. It was a lovely event to start the festive season with and I would love to go again next year. 

My wreath hung up on the front door!

Quick and easy pumpkin soup

Now the nights are drawing in and it's cold outside, there's nothing better than a bowl of homemade soup to warm you up on your return from an Autumn walk. 

I spotted a small culinary pumpkin in the supermarket for just £1 so, as it's Autumn I thought I'd make a seasonal soup. I kept it very simple and as well as the pumpkin used just two potatoes, an onion and vegetable stock for the soup.

I sautéed the onion first, before adding the pumpkin and potatoes, allowing them to soften for a couple of minutes before adding about a pint of vegetable stock (I usually just measure by eye how much stock is needed, ensuring the soup mix is all covered). Once the soup had been brought to the boil, I left it to simmer for about half an hour until the pumpkin was soft. Then I just blended the mixture until it was smooth and it was as simple as that. Whilst the soup was simmering, I roasted the pumpkin seeds and used them to garnish the soup.

Served with a buttery baguette it made for the perfect weekend lunch.

Columbia Road Flower Market

Last weekend I was looking for something to do on Sunday and came across the Columbia Road flower market online. The reviews were good so it looked worth the journey.

We arrived at 10.30 and it had been open since 8 so it was already packed. The stalls were beautiful however and we walked up and down the market several times taking it all in.

There was everything from cut flowers to shrubs to exotic palms and the prices were surprisingly reasonable. 

I couldn't resist a beautiful box of 30 autumnal coloured gerberas which were just £5 and I was tempted by a bougainvillea tree so we went and had a cup of tea in a quaint cafe on the road before I went back to buy it. Handily most stores accept card payments which saved me a trip to an ATM. 

The gerberas brightened up the fireplace and gave it a cosy Autumn feel.

I would like to go back again, perhaps nearer to Christmas when the Christmas trees and wreaths are for sale, but I'd aim to get there earlier to try and avoid the crowds.

Menorca September 2018 - Part 2

The following morning we were up bright and early again, this time getting in a short stroll to the beach to admire it whilst it was completely empty. Fortunately the grey skies and rain clouds were gone today and it looked set to be a beautiful sunny day. 

After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, we returned to our rooms to get ready for the morning's activity - paddle boarding and kayaking! After lugging all the equipment down to the beach, which strangely seemed like it was much, much further away than it had been earlier that morning (a paddle board is much heavier than it looks!), we navigated through the crowds and got them into the sea. Initial apprehension quickly dissolved and once we were out a little and away from the crowds swimming we had so much fun. The kayak was apparently difficult to 'steer' and standing up on a paddle board on the rough sea was harder than I'd imagined; we laughed so much as the kayak went off in the wrong direction and each time a wave knocked us off the paddle boards just as we had got our balance. 

After a morning at sea we returned to the hotel for lunch and a rest on a beautiful Balinese bed by the pool with drinks in hand before the next adventure we had planned later that afternoon - a snorkel boat trip across the coast! This was the thing I was most looking forward to on the trip and I had been so disappointed when I arrived to be informed by several skippers that they were not taking bookings as the weather would not be good enough to go out. Fortunately the hotel's own boat was taking bookings and we were assured that the weather looked set to be perfect for Thursday - they were right! 

We set off early afternoon and started by visiting a few of the nearby beaches and our skipper gave us lots of interesting information about the local area and the history. We then zipped along the bays before arrived at our first snorkelling point. Our skipper threw in a handful of fish food to draw out the fish and we jumped in, snorkel masks and underwater camera in hand. It was amazing to see so many fish and the diverse life on the ocean floor. I had never been snorkelling before so it was breathtaking and felt a little surreal swimming in the crystal clear water. 

After about half an hour we got back on the boat and enjoyed more beautiful scenery and even went through a few caves, before mooring at our second snorkelling point. Here the skipper told us that you could swim through two of the dark caves to find tiny secluded beaches. I wasn't brave enough as the tunnels were dark and not much bigger than you, but my boyfriend did and liked it. I waited for him at the entrance and when he swam back out I spotted a little black and orange fish, hiding between the similar coloured seaweed in the rocks. I felt like the scuba diver from finding Nemo who takes photos of the fish - except my camera had run out of film so unfortunately I couldn't get a photo! When I got back I looked online and am fairly sure the fish was a type of Blenny. 

Eventually I was too cold to stay in the water any longer so we got out and enjoyed a light lunch on the boat before taking a super speed journey back to our hotel. It was such a nice afternoon and felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Unfortunately after I got back to the hotel and taken a shower, I began to feel 'land sickness' which is apparently something some experience after travelling, most commonly at sea. This meant our dinner plans were a little dashed and after a quick dinner I had to go straight back to my room for an early night.

The following morning we were due to depart at noon, so after breakfast we packed our cases and spent the last of our holiday relaxing by the pool. It was such a relaxing break and the hotel was lovely, but next time I would stay longer!

Menorca September 2018 - Part 1

This time last week I was in sunny Spain for a short break. It feels like much more than a week ago though as I've switched from summery dresses to jeans and a jacket and the weather has turned grey and rainy, I am longing to go back!

We flew out on Tuesday morning and arrived at our hotel, the Lago resort in Cala n Bosch, in the early evening. We checked in to the hotel and found our room, which was an apartment style suite with a view over the marina. The sun was just beginning to set and the journey had been long, so we just unpacked and took a walk around the marina next to the hotel to find somewhere for dinner. The marina was packed with plenty of restaurants and such a variety of cuisines that there would be something for everyone. As we had booked directly with the hotel, we were also given 10% off several of the restaurants around the marina and we ended up picking one with pretty string lights all around on the harbour front. The staff were friendly, the service was quick and the food was good so we ended up returning the following two nights!

After dinner we returned to the hotel to get some rest so we could be up early. The next morning we started our day with breakfast in the hotel restaurant, which had an impressive buffet of traditional breakfast foods with some Spanish specialities and menorcan delicacies. There was even prosecco for guests to enjoy - why not when you're on holiday! 

Unfortunately the beautiful clear and sunny skies of the previous day had disappeared, replaced by an unusual all day downpour. As we had planned a few activities that did not depend on the weather, we decided to go ahead with those and put off our other plans in the hope that tomorrow would bring better weather. 

So, after a quick trip to a convenience store to pick up an umbrella, we boarded a bus from outside our hotel to go to the nearby town of Ciutadella. The bus journey took about 20 minutes and only cost 1.95 euros per person each way. Ciutadella is a beautiful old town with stunning architecture and meandering streets a plenty. We first came across an exhibition in an old, ornate building which housed  a number of 'curiosities' - from paintings to silver whistles. Next, after a short stroll via several shoe shops (there were so many selling pretty shoes and traditional menorcan shoes that it would have been rude not have had a quick look!) we found the Catedral de Santa Maria de Ciutadella which had beautiful stained glass windows and close by was a pretty courtyard garden which I think was connected to the cathedral in some way. Before heading back we purchased some traditional menorcan cakes from a small bakery. They were like a soft and doughy iced bun, but seemed to be filled with custard or creme patissiere; very tasty! We then made our way back to the bus stop via the harbour and the pretty ballerinas store (which were started in Menorca).

Once we go back to the hotel, we made lunch with a delicious fresh baguette and local cheese we had picked up in Ciutadella and then got changed ready to head to the beach which was just a minute or two from the hotel. The beach was very clean with white sand and the sea was a real turquoise blue. It was still raining but nobody seemed to mind as the beach was still full and plenty of people were swimming in the sea. We braved the sea too and spent about an hour 'surfing' the waves and having fun before returning to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We got dressed up and took some photos in the hotel and by the harbour and after dinner we played cards in the hotel lounge until 11pm.

Yoga at the shard

For Christmas my boyfriend gifted me a voucher for a yoga class at the shard. I got in to yoga last year, albeit only using online videos, but I'd really found it beneficial. Having been to only one class quite a few years ago (my one and only prior attempt at yoga classes) I was a bit apprehensive, but it turned out to be quite fun. 

I got there early so I was able to get a spot at the front with amazing views of London, which made the experience even better, especially as it was daylight when the class started and dusk was beginning to fall and the city was lighting up as it ended.

Making Ice Creams at Magnum Pleasure Store

The annual Magnum Pleasure store pop up is currently open and in July I went with my boyfriend to see if it lived up to the hype. We weren't disappointed! 

On arrival at the store the first thing you notice is shop windows which are filled with three giant ice creams in their special designer creations. 

Once inside there is a "look book" of ice creams from which you can choose one of the special creations or for £5.50 you can design your own. We picked the latter option and first up you pick whether you want your ice cream coated in milk, white or dark chocolate. 

Next you pick your toppings. I went for chocolate coated biscuit balls, fudge pieces and chocolate curls, finished with a white chocolate drizzle. My boyfriend went for candied lemon, crushed nuts and fudge pieces, topped with a dark chocolate drizzle. It's all finished off with a chocolate disc and then, after a quick photo of your creation in the ice cream 'insta booth' you can enjoy! 

I would recommend going along and trying it out before they close in September, it was a fun experience and they tasted even better than they looked!

New Boots from Bicester Village

Last week my mum and I had a girls' shopping trip to Bicester Village. I had been hoping to find a new pair of boots ready for Autumn for months after my favourite pair broke earlier this year and I couldn't believe my eyes when I found a pair in Ralph Lauren almost identical to my last pair that I had loved AND they were on sale! 

The RRP was £245 and they were on sale for £39.99. As if this wasn't already a bargain, I had also been emailed a 30% off voucher which I was able to use, meaning the boots were only £27.99! 

To get discount vouchers you just need to provide your email address when you shop in the outlet and then you get sent vouchers and offers.

Summer Food Markets

Over the summer I've caught a few of the weekend food markets across London. The first one I went to at the South Bank Centre had quite a buzz and a good variety of stalls, my favourite being a fresh coconut stall where you could quench your thirst with the water from a freshly sliced coconut and after you could get the coconut chopped open to eat. 

The second food market I went to was at Alexandra Palace. I was looking forward to this as it was advertised as a large food market with entertainment, but I was ultimately a little disappointed as it was smaller than I expected with less variety and it was overcrowded. That said, I did enjoy the food I ordered a lot, I had a burrito for lunch and a chocolate banana waffle. Sitting on Muswell Hill eating lunch and taking in the sights of the city definitely made the trek across London worth it. 

Most recently I went to the Victoria Park market. Again this market was not that big, but I found the variety of different food and the mix of food to eat there and products to take home good. I enjoyed a cheese and onion jam toastie with a refreshing berry juice drink and I purchased a couple of sweet treats from a stand called a pie party to take home. There was also a lady selling garden plants and as she was going on holiday the following week they were only £1.50, so I picked up a pretty Busy Lizzie bush plant for the balcony which I'm hoping to be able to overwinter. 

I'm keeping an eye out for any more food markets I can explore before the summer months are over.

Beautiful bouquets

There is nothing better than a fresh bouquet to brighten up a room and lift your mood. I often can't resist taking a photo of the beautiful bunches of flowers I occasionally treat myself to, it doesn't capture their beauty entirely but here are a few of my favourites:

Using up the courgette glut

The unusually warm, long summer has paved the way for glut of courgettes. This year I've stuck to growing my yellow courgette plants in containers, but even so, up until recently they were producing more courgettes than I could keep up with. At first I was roasting courgette slices to add to dinners and vegetable skewers when we had barbecues, but after looking on line for some inspiration a few recipes caught my eye.

The first one I tried was courgette, potato and cheddar soup. This recipe was so simple and quick to make. I peeled one large potatoe and chopped it into cubes and added it to a pan with enough water to cover the potatoes. I crumbled in a stock cube and left it to simmer for five minutes before adding about 4 medium courgettes, again chopped into cubes. I let it simmer for a further 5 minutes before added a bunch of finely chopped spring onions and letting it simmer for a final 5 minutes.

Once cooked through, I removed the soup from the heat and added a small handful of grated cheddar cheese and mixed it, before blending it into a smooth soup. 

I added a sprinkle of grated cheese and a couple of spring onions on top to serve. It tasted so good! I thought the combination could be a little bland but the flavours all worked together to make a nutritious and filling soup. I've made this a few times since as an easy way to use up a growing stock of courgettes and I particularly like using yellow courgettes as ithe bright colours give it a nice summer feel. 

The next recipe I was keen to try was for courgette cake. For this I found an American recipe online and converted all of the measurements to make a loaf cake. I was surprised by the flavour of courgette cake, having never tried it before, it was very light and almost floral. The cake was a hit and I've made it a couple of times since.

Finally I wanted to try making courgette fritters, as I'd bought them ready made a couple of years ago from a supermarket and really enjoyed them. They are so simple to make! You just need a bowl of milk and a bowl of plain flour to start. Cut the courgettes into batons, dip them in milk and coat them in the flour before frying them. 

These were a hit too, simple and quick to make and a great accompaniment to summer dishes. The courgette plants have slowed down a lot now so I don't think there will be too many more to pick before the end of the season, but hopefully there'll be enough for another cake or batch of soup!

Mayfield Lavender Fields

Last week I went to Mayfield Lavender fields, which is just outside of London. I had read about the fields last year, but they are only open for a short period between June and September before the flowers are harvested and I couldn't get there in time.

I read online that due to the prolonged heatwave the harvesting was likely to take place sooner this year as the flowers were starting to fade earlier than usual, so I decided to go as soon as I could. 

As soon as you arrive type are engulfed in the most relaxing lavender fragrance and you look out over a see of purple. As I walked around I noticed how relaxed and calm I felt and how tranquil the setting was. There were hundreds of bees flying around but they were focused on collecting pollen and didn't seem to bother anyone. 

After walking around, taking in the beautiful scenery and of course taking plenty of photos, we stopped in the cafe for a snack and I called in to the gift shop for some lavender bags to put in my wardrobe to hopefully deter moths as well as a couple of tasty treats. 

It was a lovely morning and I could have stayed longer, especially on such a lovely summer's day and I would definitely recommend as visit. 

Snow storm

It has been snowing for five days and the last two days the snow has been so deep we have been stuck indoors. It looked pretty and festive at first, but now we are running low on food so I can't wait to get to the supermarket and stock up! 

I've never seen such extreme snow drifts before, some of them are about four feet high. Parts of the garden have patchy snow and then the patio looks as though a truck has dumped a delivery of snow there, it's a small mountain! We braved the cold earlier for a walk but we couldn't go far before the cold was biting at our toes.

We've also been feeding the few birds that have ventured out. Yesterday the resident robin was taking shelter in the honeysuckle plant, occasionally darting out to get the seeds and nuts we'd put out and today the blackbird has been for his lunch too. 

Bird prints in the snow:

Lush Christmas Sweater bath bomb

I dipped into my Lush sale stash a few days ago and tried out the Christmas Sweater bath bomb. It had a festive spicy clove and citrus scent, which reminded me of mulled wine and left orange and red swirls in the water. The scent did not fade whilst I was in the bath but it did leave some red marks which I rinsed off and would recommend rinsing the bath after use to avoid the colours staining.

I'm looking forward to trying the other bath bombs over the next few weeks.

Lush Sale 2017

This year my mum and I decided to go to a nearby city for some retail therapy on Boxing Day. Overall the sales were quite disappointing; most years we spend Christmas money and vouchers we received as gifts, but this year I only came away with a few things from Lush.

I spotted a queue outside lush at 9.55 and naively hoped the store would be opening at 10, but unfortunately it wasn't open until 10.30 so I waited in the cold for half an hour, trying to decide what I wanted to look for. I mostly buy bath products from lush but I still have enough bubble bars for now, so I decided to look for a few bath bombs and bath melts. 

When the store eventually opened the whole queue, which was by now snaked around the block, was let into the store and although I had reached the bath section, so many people were in the tiny store that it was impossible to move. I had picked up a couple of bath bombs and found the Christmas tree bath melts I wanted to buy and decided to just pay and leave the overcrowded store as the atmosphere was quite unpleasant.

In the end I only spent around £11, but I was pleased as although the Christmas items were all half price, I still think they are a luxury which will be used up in just one bath so I didn't want to get caught up in the hype and spend a lot, I prefer to use them as a treat.

I purchased a Christmas sweater bath bomb, a thundersnow bath bomb and three tree-D bath melts. For Christmas I also received another thundersnow bath bomb, a shoot for the stars bath bomb and a bath melt, so I am looking forward to trying them out.