Fancy a Cuppa?

Not one to break the British stereotype, I confess I love tea.

I may be alone in this, but as I passed this tea house in Covent Garden I was absolutely captivated. And I guarantee you, when I entered I wasn’t disappointed…

I’m not talking a few boxes of PG Tips here and there, oh hell no (and let’s not joke about PG Tips either… the topic of ‘tea bag’ is a serious one). No, the inside of The Tea House is a haven of all tea-related business; with an array of original and unique tea blends on sale, and also a wonderful selection of teapots and other important tea equipment (yes= tea is important, no= any person caught drinking my tea will not live). 

I also came across a selection of miniature, intricately patterned Gaiwans, which are basically handleless tea cups/pots- so cute. Believe me, I would’ve been on that, except I’m very old-fashioned when it comes to my tea- drinking, and prefer my tea cups (or mugs- let’s be honest, I don’t have the time to sip tea daintily every day daarling), or pots to have handles.

This shop was a treasure trove to behold, and epitomises everything tea-loving. Thank you Tea House, for reminding me why I love tea so much, and for bringing tea to the people!

Spoiler Alert! In true Brit and tea-obsessive style, my next ‘5 Things’ post is going to be tea inspired, so watch this space! And no, I’m not going to just photograph a bunch of tea bags! Well, not really…

Goin’ Down to Chinatown

 Visiting Chinatown is an amazing cultural experience… I don’t get to go there often, but when I do I relish it! It’s mainly the endless streets of food shops, restaurants and bakeries that keep me coming back (I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of the strung-up chicken window displays within many a Chinatown restaurant, however alls I knows is it can never put me off!).

First on my travels, I visited the fantastic sweet shop in Chinatown, selling all sorts of bizarre and interesting treats, and picked up some of these chewy White Rabbit Cream Candy sweets. After opening the first wrapper of the candy, there’s actually another thin layer of rice paper around the sweet, which just dissolves in your mouth! The White Rabbit itself has a creamy, almost milky taste and is scarily addictive!

Next, my friends and I went to eat at the Royal Dragon, a restaurant we hadn’t yet visited, and my friend ordered this monster of a drink…

I know right? What the hell is that?! Well, it’s actually a melon and honey smoothie, with coconut juice and some weird little jelly raisin things floating around. For the record, the smoothie had a really strong taste of melon and was lovely. I can’t speak for those floaty fruit whatsits though… I didn’t have the guts to try them!

After a delicious lunch, we went walkabout and came across one of Chinatown’s many awe-inspiring cake shops. The cakes were huge, and the decoration and detail of each one made them very appealing and tempting, I can tell you! Oh Lordy, just look…

 

 

I myself bought a slice of a gargantuan- seeming chocolate gateaux, and believe me, it looked to die for!

 

 

 With cake and sweets in tow, we found ourselves de-toring from Piccadilly Circus, and instead took a trip to Brick Lane. It was immense. I’ve never been to Brick Lane before but the boho vibe hit us on the way in. I absolutely loved it. There was a warehouse sale on at American Apparel, so we queued (all the way along the side of the street!), and eventually got in.

All I have to say is: not impressed. At all. Since when is an “up to 90% off” sale such a scam?! And to be honest, I’ve never been particularly enthused by AA’s clothes so it was pretty boring. My friends and I got split up in all the commotion, and so after trailing around the rails for about 20 minutes, my (thankfully sane) friend and I escaped from the stuffy, pretentious warehouse and instead waited outside for the others.

Sitting on the kerb opposite the exit door like tramps (because we are), we opened our cake boxes and cheered ourselves up with the frankly glorious– looking cakes we had bought in Chinatown earlier. However, as much as it pains me to say this (and I hate to drop a bombshell), my cake really wasn’t that nice! For all of its hypnotizing appearance, it lost out on taste and just wasn’t very special; unfortunately leaving something to be desired. I couldn’t believe it!

Subsequently we reunited with the others, so picking myself up from the grief of cake-gate, we moved on to Spitalfields. Sadly, the market wasn’t around as it was quite late by that point, but I have to say- again a first time visitor- I loved it. The shops were great, and I even passed a Las Iguanas- a restaurant where (on an occassion prior to this) I have eaten the best Latin and Mexican food of my life, and have been served a Long Island Ice Tea cocktail without it being realised I was underage… Home.

We also passed a fun novelty costume and joke shop where I found this…

Great stuff!

On the way back to the tube station, this hilariously-named bar caught my eye (the shakiness and blurriness of the photo reflects the amount of uncontrollable laughter I had as I was taking it).

Awesome day.

 

Happy blogging y’all!

Crunchy Peanut Cookies

I love this recipe. 

Not only is it my grandma’s (the Godfather of baking)- making me more desperate to not completely ruin it, but I’ve been told by the Don herself that my batch were a perfect replica! Hence my confidence in now posting it here…

Here it is:

• 120g (40z) softened butter
• 90g (3oz) caster sugar
• 90g (3oz) muscovado sugar
• ½ jar peanut butter
• 1 egg
•  ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 210g (7oz) plain flour

1.) Preset oven at 180°C, Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a tin, or roll out a sheet of greaseproof paper, depending on your preference.

2.) Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the peanut butter, egg, vanilla essence and then the flour.

3.) Beat or mix until the mixture takes on a dough form.

4.) Break into small pieces (depending on whether you want large or small biscuits), roll into balls and place on tin.

5.) Press down on each ball of mixture with the back of a fork to form a criss-cross pattern on each (can be made as flat as you like).

6.) Bake for about 30 mins, or until cooked and lightly browned.

Right, so a few side-notes and confessions:

1.) I used soft light brown sugar for the muscovado sugar part of the ingredients.

2.) Also, I used crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth, because I feel it adds some much needed texture to the cookies, as well as that extra crunch. 

3.) In my grandma’s original recipe she uses actual peanuts instead of peanut butter (don’t ask me how), and knowing that this was way out of my small culinary league of skills, she granted me the peanut butter shortcut. 

Anyway, regardless of a few rule breaks, these cookies were lovely (if I do say so myself!) and crunchy treat. Enjoy!

Damn Girl!

Right, I’ve done what I said I was trying my upmost to avoid. Yep, another cartilage piercing. Now I have two… I can’t help it- they’re just so addictive!

Friends have already warned me off another piercing that I’ve been thinking about already; this time on my tragus (that pointy bit that leads from your sideburns to the side of your ear… Am I crazy? Don’t answer that).

Anyway, I had this one done at Needle FX in Camden, and I really recommend them. They were incredibly friendly and professional and it was virtually painless to have done. And if when I do have another piercing, it’s the only place I’m headed!

In other news, I’ve just finished (literally today, in fact) reading ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer. Personally I loved it. Instead of finding it a grueling, hard-going read as many others do, I found myself enthralled and captured by the exciting adventure story!

 

That’s all for now folks. So until next time, happy blogging and night all!

I Want Candy

Please. Just check this sexy beast out…

What= Gargantuan ‘Toffee and Banana’ candy cake

Where= Candy Cakes, Covent Garden

When= This weekend daarling

Who= ME!

Why= You really need to ask?!

Now breath deeply and calm down… Yes, I know it looks amazing, and yes, it did taste as good as it looks. And that’s not all; the Gods at Candy Cakes have many other flavours and exquisitely colourful cakes on offer, as well as original milkshakes and cupcakes, like this lovely carrot cake one…

I may have just died and gone to Candy Cake heaven! Now take my advice and please get your butts down there and try ’em out for yourselves… Alright?

5 Things

SUMMER

It may seem a tad late, as Autumn is now almost upon us; but my wardrobe has been in need of a summer spruce for some time now. I created this 5 Things post a while ago, wanting to actually post it ages before, but I unfortunately had some mishaps with the collage software (excuses excuses!). So, a month or two late, here is my first of many 5 Things posts! And to start it off: SUMMER! Here are 5 of my new summer must-haves:

 

 Coral, Barry M, £2.99             Playsuit, Topshop, £28             Trilby, H&M £5.99

               Bridge Detail Cats Eye Sunglasses, ASOS, £15          

Cobalt blue pumps, Office, £25

 

Coral and Cobalt blue are all in this summer; and let’s be honest, when is leopard print not in? One thing I will say about the playsuit though, is regardless of how pretty and summery it looks, and regardless of me putting it on this post, it actually hasn’t worn me well at all. Let’s just say: girls with hips and boobs beware!

Hope you liked, peace out!

Hay There!

So I took a long-needed trip to the embankment with a friend today… Strolling along the sunny Southbank pavements, exploring the quirky beach huts and wandering through various exhibits, transformed me into a hugely excited tourist in my own hometown! To put things plainly: I love London.

Visiting the National Theatre was particularly inspiring; not just because I love a good play (well, I do…) but because of its lovely, petite bookshop! Selling every kind of dramatic literature: plays, monologues, classics, Shakespeare’s sonnets, even a How-To for acting and directing- you name it. It was enchanting.

“So what? It sounds no different to any other average bookshop…” I hear you cry!

Well, yeah that’s true. Except this is the National Theatre daaarling, so they don’t sell any old rubbish, do they now? What-ho! As I said, it’s strictly drama-related stuff, so no Steffo Meyer or JK Whatsit. Can I get away with another ‘daaarling!’ on the end of that sentence? No…? Suit yourselves.

Anyway, I spotted these amongst the incredibly bourgeoisie selection of books in the shop. Leuchtturm notebooks. Officially my 2nd favourite brand of notebooks ever, the 1st being Moleskine notebooks. And might I add that between the two of them there’s practically no difference- you may as well just call them identical. Just saying…   

I have a small, secret-sized Moleskine one (my size choice partly based on the brand’s pretty expensive prices), in which I write down all my writing and blog ideas, and have started making an account of the incredibley strange dreams I have… Ever known what it’s like to have Simon Cowell buy you a dress; or met a young Alan Alda on an old London tram to discuss losing your shoes and finding Kerry Katona’s phone? No? Welcome to my world!

Finally, upon heading out of the National Theatre and exploring a little more around Southbank, I discovered this little big guy!

Doesn’t he look sad? It’s probably because he’s made of hay and his silly designers have given him droopy eyes and a helpless expression! Poor guy.

Anyway, if you’re a Londoner like me and don’t appreciate your hometown as much as you should, or if you just fancy a nice day out; get down here and check it all out- there’s so much to see. Come on, how could you refuse the London Eye! Happy blogging all!

Hola!

I know, I know, I’ve been AWOL again. Well apologies, because my excuse is pretty crap. I’ve been preparing for the new school year (kill me now!), meaning I’ve had to catch up on the homework avoided all summer; collect together the school books and study material strewn across my house (it’s like bloody Treasure Island round here at the minute); and, of course, give a ‘New Year’ spruce to my school wardrobe… Yes, I know it’s not technically the New Year yet. And?

In-keeping with my decision to experiment with dangly (nice made-up word there) earrings this summer, I bought these Vintage Gem Chandliers, £10, from Accessorize.

http://www.accessorize.com/en/restofworld/medium-vintage-gem-chandlier-earrings/invt/98135170/?bklist=icat,4,shop,jewelleryshop,jewelleryshopearrings

It may sound strange, but I’m currently trying to reinvent danglies into my wardrobe, as ‘classy daytime’, rather than ‘classy evening’ style accessories. That way I can wear them even more often!

In other news, I know I still haven’t posted the ‘5 Things’ post I keep making such a fuss about! I assure you it’s coming soon!

Until then, hasta la vista bloggers!

Bloody Hell!

I can’t describe how much I actually hate blood tests. Not only do they involve someone actually taking your blood (ugh), but it’s the needles in particular that get to me. “Bah, needles are nothing. I can take them!” I hear you scream. No. You think that- I thought that. But it’s only when you’re sitting in that unnecessarily large chair that they always make you sit in (you know, the one that makes you feel tiny and insignificant and unprotected), and actually SEE that scarily big needle when you realise that you’re not prepared at all for it to pierce through your skin and enter your arm! It’s even worse when you think about it happening as it happens- for some reason it seems to make it all the more painful when you’re expecting and obsessing over it.

As you may have guessed, I had a blood test today. And obviously it was the best part of my day… I think the most enjoyable moment had to be when the nurse had trouble finding my vein and had to squeeze my arm repeatedly for what seemed like forever, hoping to find it. Funnily enough, that did make me more nervous would you believe! Yeah, blood tests are so horrible that even my vein was hiding!

Anyway after the worst was over (the experience of feeling the needle move inside my skin and the agonising wait as the nurse took three vials of my blood!), the ache of my arm following the blood test was much more welcome than another appearance of the Needle Monster would have been.

And on a much happier note, I can report that to cheer myself after my morbid visit to the hospital, I decided to spend money I don’t have on some much-needed retail therapy! I bought this top, £7.99, from New Look. It seems the whole nautical theme is always in: and I love horizontally striped tops and have wanted to buy one for ages. Also, front knot tees have been very popular this summer. Right on!

Remember Me?

Hello there!

 I know it’s been a while since my last post… like 2 weeks approximately? Well I’m sorry, I’ve been marooned in the countryside for the past fortnight with great literally no internet connection. YAY! So to make up for the recent blog silence, I am currently preparing my 1st ever ‘5 Things’ post which has sort of become my baby due to all the work I’m putting in to it. Therefore I will hopefully be able to birth it soon- wait, ‘birth’ sounds weird. Is it weird? I mean, people use the word ‘pregnant’ as a metaphor all the time in poems and shit, like “The clouds were pregnant with rain…” Eurgh, yes it really does sound weird. The clean country air’s polluted my brain, so, apologies.

Anyway, in the mean time I’ve spoilt myself again with the latest tasty treat I stumbled across this week. I went to lunch at Belgique (can’t say much about the savoury food but the desserts and cakes are lovely and look amazing!) and had this-

                                                   

I don’t remember the exact name of it, but I can tell you that it’s a fruity macaroon thing… Yeah, I’m really selling it with that description! It was very nice, however the only thing I would say is that the macaroon was less almondy and more nothing-y, sorry! But regardless, the texture of the macaroon was lovely, and the fresh fruit and tangy outer-layer of the macaroon were gorgeous!

Ok that’s all for today, and I’ll be blogging more frequently now that I’ve returned from my travels (makes it sound exciting- it wasn’t). I promise to not go missing without warning again… or I’ll at least wait awhile before I do.

Happy Blogging!