Glammersmith this morning

Last day of work for 2013 and I was up so early the sun still hadn't risen! Don't mistake the lamp-post! Luckily my home town was living up to its name at 7am this morning #fairylights #christmastime

Magic and Sparkle

Magic and Sparkle. That's pretty much everything we are looking for at Christmas time. And magic and sparkle M&S certainly delivered with their Christmas television advert. An amazing British cast interspersed and amid a fabulous celebration of classic children's stories, there's something for everyone. My favourite scene being the Mad Hatter's Tea Party from Alice & Wonderland. 

Unlike the Lily Allen accompanied Bear and the Hare advert from John Lewis, there was product placement to satisfy the sofa-based shopper. 

Friends & Food

For a group of young twenty-something girls, there are three main pleasures in a girly get-together; gossip, giggles and grub. Having promised myself a calorie-free weekend (mistake this not to mean a low-calorie intake, but just a guilt-free, turn your head the other way kind of an attitude to over indulging) whilst visiting a friend in Birmingham, I made the most of it from the off.  I won't even divulge the train journey snacking escapades but it started like this...

I can always blame alcohol for bad food judgements. I feel bad thinking back to it now so let's just skip to late Friday evening...

This was a very good friend indeed I was visiting, one who knew to stock up on Doritos & dip (main course) and Minstrels & wine (dessert) - a diet that got me through my dissertation - for my arrival.

The next morning, I awoke to the stomach rumbling wafts of bacon flowing up the stairs. And just like they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I'd like to throw out the notion that a good breakfast is much the test of a good friendship. Check out what an amazing friend I have (never guess she's a feeder would you?) 

Within five hours of digesting this, I was 30 miles better travelled, the car was one friend heavier and we had left the suburbs for the midlands countryside. Settled in front of a beautiful open fire, us four girls got to the gossip and giggles...

...and without much of an appetite, my inner Burger Babe could not resist the Angus steak burger on the menu. 

YUM-MY!

At this point I'll breeze over the takeaway I had that night and just skip to the satisfied nights sleep I had that night (praying not for a heart attack!)

So on reflection I feel kinda gross but every mouthful was well and truly enjoyed! I'm now writing this Monday night and glad that I haven't had dinner tonight (but that's a whole other post in itself!)

Winter is a time for pie

The most warming, fulfilling, delicious, stomach-satisfying lunch from EAT. 

WARNING: Forget the 3 o'clock slump, this comes with a full-on food coma! (But totally worth it!)

My New Love

Fuelled by a cross-Channel trip to bonne Paris, my pride and joy these days is a beautifully stocked and displayed cheese board. At a recent dinner party, in which I was delegated responsibility for dessert and wine, I made a somewhat controversial decision to substitute sugar for dairy. That's your prerogative right? My course, my choice! 

My beautiful creation below was an absolute hit. Thanks to an amazing newspaper offer for Waitrose, it's wasn't too dear either. With the decoration of red and green grapes and a side dish of olives and sundrieds tomatoes plus featuring my new favourite, blue cheese, I realised this offering was a defining moment. Gone are the days of Babybell and Boursin - I'm now a hardcore cheese lover. The smellier the better! (Unless it's the Brie that's been in your fridge for a few months)...

 

Hammersmith Chocolate Delights

When I finally managed to break away from my default mode of Cafe Plum on a Sunday morning, I discovered a little gem nearer Hammersmith Grove. Situated between a florist and an independent cafe is a very cute creperie. All white wash decor, the air was filled with sugar-coated top notes!

This absolutely treat is one their classic waffle dishes (recommend one between two on next visit as this was so rich!) 

...but they also have a wide variety of savory and sweet pancakes!

Best thing about this place? No calories on the menu. See you next Sunday...

Wagas Wednesday

The most perfect Hump Day treat #foodforthought

Shoe a day...

READ THIS!!

Do not delay. Another moment cannot be lost. This book needs to be in your hands now! 

This is exactly how my friend Lizzie felt when she ordered 'Me Before You' by Jojo Moyes from Amazon. See now she's recently gone over to the dark side.. The Land of the Kindle that is. Having been my fresher friend who first introduced me to the likes of Paige Toon and Marian Keyes at university, Lizzie would often hand deliver me bundles of books which "I just HAVE to read!" Having announced my mourning that I would see the end to our unofficial book-club and  my very jammy rental service, my passionate bookworm of a friend upped the ante!

Delivered to my workplace, the delivery note read: "This is amazing. Get cracking!"

Having been in a bit of a book slump (I often have these after finishing an amazing read - I feel I need to give myself time to digest the story and jumping straight into another one would be like cheating on the last!) I did as I was told and got cracking that very day on the commute home. 

Moyes was a new author to me but her tone of voice was easily readable and the words just flowed off the page. Within the first chapter you know this is going to be a powerful story which is what elevates this book above others in its field. You get swept into the lives of a young girl who has become, rather by chance and slightly ill-prepared, the carer for a quadriplegic. You fall in love and feel every emotion on the spectrum. Buy it now. 

And if you have any reservations, I recently discovered that quite by coincidence my mother was reading this with her book club. Usually struggling with some epic biography or non-fiction textbook type read, she's always pulling all-nighters to finish the book the day before her club meets. However at a family gathering recently, you could not pull my Mum away from the pages of the book. Whenever the hosts left the room to put on the kettle or something, she would sneak back into the pages.

This is a perspective eye-opener. Get it now. 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

A Windy Wednesday

A case of right place, right time on Wednesday evening as I was invited at the last minute by my Aunt and Uncle to see The Wind in the Willows at the Duchess Theatre. 

Standing outside waiting for them to arrive just off the Strand, I happened to spot Will Young arrive with friends for the performance! So I was in good company. We had amazing seats in the Stalls!

The performance, starring Tony Robinson as the narrator and the beautiful Will Kemp (inset; pic from programme) it was a clever combination of dance, mime and story-telling. Starting at 7pm it was pitched perfectly accessible to younger members of the audience whilst still captivating us adults.

A very clever use of props and staging, combined with the most incredible facial expressions of Ratty, Badger, Mole and, of course, the infamous Mr Toad, it was lovely to be reminded of this famous childhood story. 

I would highly recommend going!!

Festival of Trees

Wanting to get wrapped up in the festive spirit, I could not turn down the offer of a Festival of Trees service at St Bartholomew of Burwash church last Sunday. Set in a beautiful little village, the entire church was filled with Christmas trees. 

Local community groups had each chosen how to decorate their tree - the knitting society, the brownies and school classes from a nearby school for example.

We walked in to a school group playing Christmas carols on the handbells. Squeezing in around a Christmas tree, which was on the end of every pew, we took out seats armed with a Carol hymn sheet. For the next hour we (a rose between my mother and my aunt) sang some of the classics whilst a choir offered beautiful harmonies. 

The smell of pine in the air and twinkling lights was certainly kicking up the Christmas excitement levels. After a walk around at the end of the service and seeing this beautiful nativity scene...

...we ended the evening with a drink next door at the The Bear (view out the back of the pub in the summer is phenomenal!)  to surprise my cousin. Lovely family Sunday indeed! 

I'll have a pint of your finest...

Monday night, I walked down the Thames river footpath to the George & Devonshire pub in Chiswick to sample a special brew of St Nicholas' finest. The local brewery had created approx 160 pints as a fundraiser for the local parish church.

Not being much of a beer drinker, there was no benchmark to meet, it just had to go down and not make me wretch. Which it didn't. Oh yes, high standards. It had a lovely fruity aroma and quite a bitter taste. I'm glad I only had a half pint but I did enjoy that I have to say. 

First of my antics this week and it had a lovely festive feel.