BRUNCHING ON A SUNDAY | 26 GRAINS

With no expectations, just food at the front of my mind as usual, I made my way to Neal’s yard to visit what was the latest in the phase of porridge cafes opening up in and around London. I mean, I eat porridge every day and I do always experiment with exotic & slightly outlandish flavours, so I couldn’t help buy roll my eyes at the thought of 26 Grains.

The concept created by Hely- Hutchinson was like no other porridge I had ever tasted. There is something quite magical about how picturesque the dish looked for starters, and something very comforting about eating porridge slowly from a bowl with company in such a beautiful spot in Covent Garden. It isn’t just gloopy oats you whipped up at work to eat at your desk just to feed that boredom and hunger, these oats are clean, full of goodness and taste a dream. They could almost pass as dessert!

I went for the salted caramel Pear porridge pot that was made purely of oats, almond milk and a small amount of maple syrup, topped with sesame seeds, pistachios and a dollop of CoYo yoghurt – the dream! Without an oat left in the bowl. My friend Lauren went for a slightly fresher taste of berry compote, with hints of orange, topped with seeds and natural yogurt and I managed to finish hers too *monkey covering eyes*.  You think that’s worse but all this was followed by my breakfast consisting of 2 scrambled eggs topped with grated carrot and spring onions, with a side of peach, mozzarella and avo salad. I majorly pigged out and felt great, but to be fair I needed it to fuel my circuit session at the gym that followed, it was killer.

I wasn’t the hugest fan of the coffee as it had a very strong and bitter taste as really coffee should be, I tend to get  my usual skinny, extra hot, half shot latte, so I don’t know what I was expecting when I failed to mention my coffee requirements.  Either way it proved successful for my photos as it looked amazing served on a thick wooden coaster, separated from the almond milk.  ACE.

With their branding on point and location on the mark with the perfect outdoor setting centred in the sun trap of the famous Neal’s Yard amongst the natural and healthy scene, I have already planned my next trip back.

Anyone got any brunch faves?

MAJOR FOODIE | DINERAMA & POP BRIXTON

It is officially Autumn.  The trench coat and scarves are back out; although I am pretty sure it never went in the cupboard in the first place. It was always just hovering on the side-lines of my room, reminding me how deceiving and temperamental our British weather is. I am not even sure if we can actually say we have had a summer. Apart from my holiday in July which seems like a merge to last years holiday and the odd few days of extreme sunshine, which I spent picnicking on Hampstead Heath or day drinking food festivals or just going about my normal day because I never got the memo of a last minute heat wave. Ok, now I actually get to think about it, it has actually been a pretty damn decent summer,exploring part of London, going to events and best of all spending time with my home gyals – it’s always the best. I have probably ticked off a good few bars and restaurants on my London list which is a thumbs up, but then London went and opened a whole bunch of hipster newbies on to the map to hit up.

Last week after a slightly mad City AM 10 year anniversary party on the Thursday (and much needed, I must add), I started the weekend right with a morning Yoga class at the Hoxton followed by a bit of me time and a coffee at the Attendant, the most peaceful and very scandi looking coffee shop in Shoreditch, with the best salted caramel brownie in nibble size, which I savoured for a good minute between each bite shhh..I skipped that part out to my PT.

This weekend, I majorly made the most of all the 3 little days we call a weekend.  In fact I’m on a role at the moment for productive weekends, which is usually cramming in a few gym sessions amongst my weekend errands of the post office (online shopping problems), some form of beauty therapy (cause it’s hard being a girl), weekly money hit at the health food shop for a few bits off goodness you can’t actually see and then finally getting to a bit of civilised socialising before doing it all again the next day. The next thing you know, I am waking up on Monday morning at 6:15am to do some fasted cardio.  Call me a robot!

Making the most of the last bit of summer and the lights skies, I hit up Dinerama, which my colleague has been raving on about for ages. It was great! Not a huge choice of veggie food and I wouldn’t exactly call it healthy, but  the food was amazing never the less! I started with gluten free sweet Potato noodles with roasted aubergine from @MamaWangs , followed by a shitake  mushroom and walnut steamed bun from Yum Bum. It was banging!! I could have and shouldn’t have eaten them all night! They were full of lots of flavour and textures that melted on the tongue, BEAUT! Finally, we weighed up the pro’s and con’s of ending the night with You Donuts, but I am such a sucker for the words Salted Caramel so before even thinking twice I was in the queue, my eyes fully caught of these tiny artisan donuts with salted caramel and pecan bites - I didn't look back! I am looking for the next opportunity to head back to the fest not only for the food but the whole set up was so chilled out pretty cute with all the upper deck seating and barrel fires heating up as the night goes on.

Heading over to the other side of London on the Saturday, to the village of Brixton, which I love love love! Since one of my friends got a place there and I realised how it is actually a pretty pleasant journey from North London, I would always consider it as a chilled night of fabulous food and drinks. I sound like a right fatty, but I am a real foodie and I like to think I work hard to deserve the odd night off (don't say otherwise). Starting off with my head down, nose and eyes turned off to walk past the fish markets at Brixton Village, we settled at a little creperie serving wholemeal buckwheat crepes with all sorts of fresh, healthy and very much vegetarian goodies inside with a classic fresh mint tea! The perfect beverage choice for a night of indulgence. This tea slowly turned into Prosescco (only cause there was no Pimms cider left, not being a tottie), and we made our way to the regeneration star that is Pop Brixton. The South's version of Box Park but even cooler. Endless food and drink containers of the hottest new eateries and local beers with the most random seating options on and in containers. 

DJs set up camp in one of the biggest containers for a bit of rave till the early hours, but behind all that is what seems like a maze of ramps and stairs with hidden bars and seating, getting a bit of shelter and peace from all the madness that is surrounding.

Each little pop up smelt incredible and there was so many options. If I ate meat, I would have found it impossible to choose. The best thing is to probable dabble in a dish from each place and end with sharing the deserts. Ice cream made in front of you of any flavour and the choice of sweet hot crepes are hard to say no to, so just get it all! Why not! This is now the second time I have been and I loved it more so obviously it won't be long till I make my next visit. 

ACE HOTEL, SHOREDITCH | ROOFTOP YOGA & BRUNCH

Don’t you just love that Friday feeling on a bank holiday weekend? It just feels 10 times more exciting, with more possibility & no Sunday blues! It makes the week go faster and the following week just shorter! Winning all round, until you realise it is the last one the year until ….Christmas.

Yes, I said it, the dreaded word to mention when it is still technically summer - It is time to accept it. Summer as we knew it is over; with festivals, short shorts, rooftop this and outdoor that are slowly slipping away. On a more positive note, let’s look at what we have to look forward to: Christmas for one. It’s always festive and joyous with crazy amounts of food and gifts. It’s always great catching up with old friends and going to Christmas markets and winter events happening in London.  Got to love longer holiday break as we welcome in 2016. Most importantly and most pressing this September is Fashion Week! Ahhhhh.

This weekend, the last bank holiday of 2015, I set my self the aim of relaxing! Not that hard of an aim you may think but being on the go from 6am till 11pm pretty much every day, kind of gets you into this active routine of doing and not being. To come to a middle ground I kept myself active but committing myself to relaxing activities. Going swimming on Friday followed by a cheeky clean Nandos and movie night, was a lot to cram in in one night, but to my advantage it proved to be pretty chilled and relaxing night and I finally caught up with the much anticipated and realistically disappointing Magic Mike XXL! Great but not that great if you know what I mean..

Saturday consisted of the most relaxing and therapeutic yoga by the team over at Frame Fitness disrupted by lots of family and food that followed before hibernating away in the bath with a turmeric face mark while watching The Great British Bake Off - perfection! I had the pleasure of heading down to the Ace Hotel over in Shoreditch in the early hours of Sunday to attend my third Yoga session of the week, this time on the roof top overlooking the grey skies of London. Luckily, It wasn't too intense for the bank holiday and I managed to get away with a few too many child poses. To be honest my tummy was rumbling and I couldn't take my mind off the 4 course brunch that was to follow.

As we seated ourselves on a banquet of teas and coffees, fresh iced tea and beautifully crafted flower vases, the team brought round the cutest looking Bloody marys and Pina Coladas, both much much more stronger and feistier than their pretty exteriors - cheeky.

I can't even talk about the food, because the pictures of all four courses do it justice. Starting with a light peach and goats cheese curd with a topping of elderflower and seeds. course two,was a crispy duck egg with asparagus and girolles, skipping on to course 4, the best course, Strawberries, creme fraiche ice cream, almond crumb and as the brunch went on and 5 cocktails, 1 coffee, 1 ice tea & 1 herbal tea later, I WAS STUFFED. 

FRESH FACED | MAJA WYH

images via Maja Wyh

Slouched back style yet fashionably chic with little trace of tramp to her style or face. She is the ultimate combination of Parisian cool, mixed with Swedish minimalism mixed with a hint of New York androgyny, all rounded off with a London face of perfected steel.

What a mouthful! 

My girl crushes on the Kendall’s and Cara's of this world have passed their hay day and I’m on to the next one! One thing that works in Maja's favour (obviously, otherwise we’d all be rocking up out of bed looking like that) has got to be her height. Height is my major downfall. I mean, who wants to be someone’s bundle of joy,the ‘little one’, cute but feisty – Just NO!!! Give me some height and it might rid me of my short and stumpy legs, along with the Jersey shore term of ‘meatballs’. 

Next has got to be that German heritage. The cool, laid-back and highly efficient nature of  zee Germans has got to be another factor pretty high up there as to why we can’t all just be Ms Wyh. Finally, it’s that hair! It’s got no sign of London contaminated air or any sign of that pushing and shoving through public transport, rain on the day the weather woman said IT WAS GOING TO BE HOT or day three of being a girl and the shameful signs of greesy hair.

Nothing has changed, but I absolutely can't get rid of my love for the oversized thing i've had going on for years now and i'm glad it is still up there with what is hot for this season. Wide sleeves, legs and fits are in, paired with something  tight to bring back that feminine appeal.

OSLO, NORWAY - JUST ONE NIGHT

Soruce
Hidden in the slopes of Oslo, Netherlands is a magical place called Hollenkollen, a ski jumping hill the size of..well I couldn't tell you. What I can say is even if I was scared of heights, absolutely hated the cold orr had the choice to lie on a beach on a Croatian island. I would jump at the opportunity of living in this bad boy! 

Living at that height would be a far less traumatic experience with the interiors being so damn amazing. For something that is so angular & futuristic, it has been turned into a warm, personality filled home with all the design features I would wish for in my own home.

Minimalistic with hints of colour, warm fabrics with lots of open space, cosy but simplified. I have basically changed my mind. I no longer want to run away to live in a tree house, this will do just fine! :)