31 Oct 2018
Poppy Fields At St Albans Cathedral
Today I headed to Tesco to buy the necessary ‘ingredients’ for a camembert and cranberry toastie and also came a way with a box of Christmas-shape gingerbread biscuits.
L O V I N G L I F E.
Admittedly it’s not quite Christmas yet. I’ve got to hide from the sticky-faced trick or treaters this evening and coo at some fireworks before I can fully embrace the festive season.
However, I will admit that the other significant day at this time of year – Remembrance Sunday – often passes me by.
Not this year though. Last weekend, to commemorate the First World War Centenary, St Albans Cathedral hosted a light and sound installation called ‘Poppy Field’ and it was stunning.
I mean, sure, the sheer number of people was absurd; we had to queue in the freezing rain for 40 minutes to get into a cathedral that is quite literally next to our flat but but but it was worth it because when we finally got into the cathedral, the inside of the nave looked like this:
The photos do not do it justice at all but I still want to share a few because I have never seen anything like it and both G and I were bowled over.
There was also a separate light show which accompanied poetry read by Eddie Redmayne, projections of the names of local families who served in the Great War and a section on the history of St Albans in the war. There was an old picture of the town hall and all the troops which I found fascinating and we learned about the soldiers who lived on the very street we live on now.
But it was the spectacular nave filled with poppies that made the freezing cold queue worthwhile.
28 Oct 2018
I’m Craving A Roast Beef Sunday Dinner
I haven’t eaten meat since July.
I realise that’s a pretty underwhelming statement but I feel the need to lay the groundwork because I’m not sure I’ve mentioned on the blog that I’ve gone ‘pescatarian’. (I use the quotation marks because sometimes all the labels are bloody exhausting right?)
At the end of our NC500 road trip back in July, I told G I was giving up meat. He wasn’t particularly surprised because it had been a long time coming. I was never a big meat eater, the environmental factors and – the thing that pushed me over the edge – animal ethics.
To be perfectly honest, my biggest motivator was, despite my dislike for a 'label', it felt easier to have a label rather than some version of the following: ‘I’d prefer not to eat meat on the whole but yes okay, I do have a weakness for chorizo so don’t mind that occasionally, and I can enjoy roast chicken but any other type of chicken makes me squeamish so don’t give me that. Oh but I probably will be much more relaxed when it comes to Christmas day so no need to worry about that….’
Not really what people want when they ask if you have any dietary requirements ya know? Plus, it made me feel like a hypocrite.
So yeah, I gave up meat but still eat the occasional fish for convenience. What with living with a meat eater, being a somewhat regular traveller and some restaurants still being awful when it comes to decent (or indeed any) vegetarian options; eating fish creates a little ease and compromise.
It hasn’t really been a big deal. I just removed meat from a diet that was already nearly meat-free. I barely noticed.
But now.
Now, my friends, I am craving a roast beef Sunday dinner.
It has come out of no where. One minute I was minding my own business, skipping through the crunchy leaves and enjoying the delicious autumn season. And the next I was slapped in the face with the dawning realisation that one of my favourite autumn activities (a Sunday roast by the fire in my favourite pub) wasn’t going to be quite the same. Call me fussy, but halloumi with all the traditional roast trimmings (a common option on Sunday menus) doesn’t work in my opinion. Like halloumi and gravy? Come on.
And then, after several months of not missing meat, all I wanted to bloody eat was a roast beef Sunday dinner.
AND I CAN’T GET IT OUT MY HEAD.
Like I have been thinking about that roast beef Sunday dinner everyday for over a week now. I seem to be slowly reverting back to a child who has been told she cannot have something and now wants it infinitely more. I feel very mature.
G told me to have one on the basis that we ‘wouldn’t tell’ but the person we need to ‘not tell’ is myself. I don’t really care about anyone else’s opinions on the matter. But it will be quite hard to hide it from me when I’m the one who will be shovelling beef into my mouth. I feel I’d probably notice no?
Out of curiosity I googled this dilemma and then realised that going down that particular internet rabbit-hole was probably a bad idea. But if you want to see some meat-eating folk getting really irate over lentils, it’s the place to go.
Essentially what’s going on here is that my brain is having an argument with my taste buds. And I’m sat in the middle wondering whether I should have picked the label ‘flexitarian’ instead. Except I don’t like labels.
So that’s what currently going in my life guys. I’m having an existential crisis over a roast dinner.
19 Oct 2018
Copenhagen
Despite my persistent talents for fantasising, I always think it’s important to have realistic expectations – particularly when travelling. If you accept that it won’t be exactly how you imagine and embrace the – often wonderful – reality; you’ll be much happier. Cos let’s face it, things are never really exactly like the image you had in your head.
Copenhagen though. Copenhagen was exactly how I imagined. Within a couple of days, it became one of my favourite ever cities and the post-holiday blues were real. Get comfy folks; I’m rubbish at editing when writing about something I freakin’ adored.
I wasn’t altogether surprised at how much I loved Copenhagen but I was also relieved it wasn’t a disappointment. What with being firmly in love with the Nordic countries (I have Norway, Sweden and Iceland under my belt) and mildly obsessed with the Danish way of living (A Year of Living Danishly is probably one of my favourite books); there was a lot of pressure on Copenhagen. But it more than delivered. It was a serene, colourful, hygge-filled delight and only intensified my love of all things Nordic.
Whilst I’ve been wanting to visit Copenhagen for a really long time, our trip there actually came about relatively last-minute. It was basically my mum and I chatting about her wanting to visit some new places and me up for being designated planner, and that quickly escalating to booking a family weekend away just a few weeks in advance.
So on a Thursday evening, we moseyed on down to Gatwick for a (delayed) flight with Norwegian airlines. The flight itself was only an hour twenty but the delays made it all feel a lot longer; but we woke the next morning with a fresh day ahead of us and Copenhagen’s beauty to explore.
We started the day at Torvehallerne food market which instantly become a favourite of ours. Full of fresh produce, bakeries and a wide variety of food stalls; there’s nothing to dislike and it will please a wide range of dietary requirements (there’s also a vegan bakery about five mins away).
Naturally, my very first port of call in Denmark had to be getting my hands on an actual Danish pastry and I had a minor freak-out when we hit a bakery and I saw the sheer number of snegles (cinnamon swirls). It was pastry heaven and I can confirm that true Danish pastries are mouth-wateringly good.
Can also confirm that Torvehallerne has a Grød bar. For those not in the know, Grød is the world’s first porridge bar which opened in the heart of Copenhagen in 2011. Even the smallest amount of research on Copenhagen brings Grød to one’s attention and I was keen to try out a bowl of their steaming oats. Gotta see if these things are worth the fuss right? This was my breakfast of choice on day two and it was divine. Both my mum and I went for ‘Oat Porridge I’ made with organic whole milk and topped with juicy apples, crunchy roasted almonds and the pure delight that is their thick caramel sauce; I have never had a better bowl of porridge: fact. And yes, of course, I am planning on trying to recreate at home.
Our first stop after eating had to be Nyhavn; the postcard-perfect colourful strip of houses along the water which – because I am true cliché – was probably my favourite part of Copenhagen. It was just gorgeous and so very Danish. I would definitely suggest sitting in one of the outdoor cafes along Nyhavn; it makes a hot chocolate feel extra special.
Walking is the best way to view a city in my opinion and we did just that. Whilst everyone is on a bike, Copenhagen is a very walkable city. Nothing ever seemed longer than half an hour away and we frequently found ourselves exclaiming ‘oh we’re here’ as we wandered into a square or street we’d walked through earlier that day. We weren’t great at doing much in a rush but then neither were the Danes; we didn’t have a jam-packed itinerary in order to tick off every tourist site but I found it didn’t really matter in Copenhagen. I’m sure there were more areas we could have explored but I didn’t come away feeling like I’d missed something crucial. Copenhagen was more about breathing it all in and to my delight, the city continuously lived up to my fantasies. It was tranquil, colourful and quiet (seriously: bikes everywhere). Danes just seemed to glow with health and smiles, and everyone was friendly towards us. It shouldn’t be unique but I saw more dads out pushing prams alone in those two days than I have ever seen at home, and it made me equally thrilled and sad (read up on the paternity leave in Denmark if you really want to depress yourself). I also had major regret at going hand luggage only when I had a peek inside one of their beautiful homeware stores. I wanted everything and that really is no exaggeration. Danes know how to do interiors.
Aside from Nyhavn, other tourist activities included climbing up the round tower (the oldest functioning observatory in Europe), wandering through Amalienborg Palace and trekking out to see the Little Mermaid.
The Little Mermaid was one of those tourist spots that everyone and his dog had indicated would be underwhelming; she’s a small statue a right trek out of town after all. And yet I found her to be the exact opposite. I thought she was lovely; beautifully sculptured and perfectly placed. She somehow works with the bleak backdrop and the black, Baltic sea. If you ever go yourself, I’d recommend getting up close to the water and nosing down into those crystal-clear waters. What with the sea grass and reflections, it’s really quite beautiful.
We also rented a boat (via GoBoat) on our second morning and I would highly recommend seeing the city from the water. We saw a whole heap of unusual buildings that we hadn’t seen yet including the houses of parliament, the helix spire church and the dragon tower (the old stock exchange). Plus GoBoat boats are electric and come with tables; basically ideal for peaceful picnics on the water.
Aside from tourist sites, we spent a lot of time in cafes which, less face it, I do a lot of at home. But Danish cafes, oh man; GAME CHANGER. I loved how so many of them allowed you to sit outside under a heater; this seemed doubly special whilst in Denmark in October. I was living for the fact that every single one was full of candles and blankets, and were all beautifully furnished and styled. Oh and peaceful! No loud music or echoing interiors in Copenhagen folks. It was all so aesthetically pleasing. I’d be willing to bet that even Danish McDonalds had hygge (if that’s not the case – don’t correct me. I’m enjoying the fantasy). No wonder Danes are so flippin’ happy; cafes that beautiful are truly good for the soul.
Naturally, I drank a lot of hot chocolate, ate a lot of pasties and, of course, tried smørrebrød. Getting the opportunity to eat smørrebrød whilst travelling with a vegan is somewhat tricky but I finally managed it when we settled in Café Europa sat outside (with blankets of course) overlooking Stork fountain. This pleasant scene was mildly hampered by the British hen party that came along and ruined the peace by mistaking the fountain for some shit club in Leeds. Insert big fat massive embarrassed eye roll… please let me be Danish? Anyway, I asked the waiter to tell me how to pronounce smørrebrød correctly. He insisted I wouldn’t be able to do it and then begrudgingly admitted that my attempt was actually pretty good. See, I’m basically Danish already. I had the aged cheese smørrebrød on rye bread with cloudberries compote and dark rum. It was honestly delicious. On my next visit to the city, I refuse to eat anything but smørrebrød, pastries and Grød porridge.
Our final morning saw us up-and-out early to go see Nyhavn in the morning light and when considerably less busy. I’m so glad we did this because the lighting was gorgeous and a good photo is my favourite kind of souvenir. We also poked our noses into the Botanical Gardens. It was too early for anything to be open but we got a glimpse of the famous palm house and it was very pleasant to see all the golden leaves in the glorious sunshine (it always comes out just as you’re leaving right?!).
Sadly, that was that. We had a final couple of pastries in a café near the metro before hopping over to the airport for our flight home, during which we flew over the Ǿresund Bridge which – in case you didn’t know – goes underwater… they haven’t just, ahem, not finished it yet.
I shall be back to Copenhagen one day for sure. In the meantime, am off to hunt down Danish bakeries based in England.
12 Oct 2018
Little Gems: 34 | Embracing Routine
Before I delve into the recent good stuff, the little things that have made me happy recently, I’m just gonna note – like a massive cliché – how freakin’ quick summer and September went and how can we possibly be in the final leg of 2018?!
(But also, yes, beyond thrilled that Christmas is a mere 10 weeks away. My inner elf will be emerging any day now. Don’t turn that into an innuendo ffs.)
After a very hectic summer, at lot of which was spent living out of a suitcase, I am very much embracing a bit of routine at the moment. The suitcase is now in the cupboard for the next few months and I am all about fresh paperchase planners, organised inboxes and twice weekly gym sessions. No seriously…
Autumn. We all know the season of golden leaves and blustery winds is my favourite time of year so, yup, currently being that person kicking my way through the piles of crunchy leaves with child-like glee.
Hello Fresh. Beyond bored of the mid-week meal rut and finally accepting we were not getting out of it, we signed up for a meal subscription service. Reader, I am loving it. It is a sheer joy to constantly have healthy, delicious meals ready to whip up after work. We’re eating so much better, potentially actually saving money on food and I love the fact it’s improving my cooking skills. I am an official Hello Fresh convert.
Joining the gym. I know; who am I? G and I now have a couple’s gym membership – a sentence I never thought I’d say. We’re trying to go twice a week and I’m actually kinda enjoying it? Assuming I’ve been body-swapped with an alien or summin’.
Skin care routine. I realise this list is starting to sound kinda wanky – I can only apologise. This is what happens when you get really excited about having a bit of a routine to get into; I want routine in all aspects of life. Anyway, yeah, I’m taking my skin care routine seriously. Clay masks! Double cleansing! Acids! Nope, no idea what any of it really means either. But my skin feels incredible so there ya go.
Wardrobe clear out. Ya know capsule wardrobes? Yeah, I don’t have one. Not even close. But I’m trying to adopt the mindset of a capsule wardrobe meaning my wardrobe clear-out in September was brutal and I’m trying to be more mindful with clothes in general. Unless I love it, it ain’t staying or coming home with me and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much this does for my confidence (you’d have thought it would have been obvious but apparently not). Also, I can actually open the drawers/wardrobe without a fear of being swallowed up by a pit of long-forgotten clothes so that’s nice.
Thinx Period Pants. They deserve a shout out okay? A huuuuge shout out. I love the period pants you guys, LOVE EM. Don’t wanna be dramatic but, yes, my life has changed forever. I will keep talking about them over breakfast and I have no shame.
TV. I mean, where to begin? There is so much good stuff on atm, I’m genuinely struggling to keep up. I have a physical list of what to catch up on for crying out loud. Shout out to Bodyguard though – what. a. series. Also a female Doctor! I loved Jodie Whittaker so much that I watched the first episode twice. Oh and Bake Off is back which is a fabulous excuse to eat cake if nothing else. Rahul to win?
Chilli honey. So this my friends, is the discovery of the summer. It is dreamy with a whole heap of sexiness thrown in. I first came across it at my favourite pizza market stall in St A and loved it so much, I ordered my own bottle. It’s food of the gods, I swear. You can buy a bottle here. You are welcome.
Honeymoon is (mostly) booked. We’ve still got a few nights of the trip which we need to book our accommodation for but our little post-wedding adventure is coming together. I’ll probs spend 90% of the time referring to G as ‘husband’ just because.
Caffe Nero. I have discovered that the top floor of the St Albans Caffe Nero is this peaceful little haven that’s perfect for a good writing sesh. Their cakes aren’t at my standards but nobody’s perfect I suppose.
Sainsbury’s candle haul. Another reason I love this time of year; CANDLE TIME. G had to wait patiently whilst I ran around the Sainsbury’s home section the other weekend. There were rows of candles and I was losing my shit. Crackin’ times.
Have a great weekend dear reader.
8 Oct 2018
The Split City Guide | Croatia
Despite not originally living up to my expectations, I really enjoyed Split, Croatia. If you just want to get a taste for the city itself, I’d say you only need a couple of days but if you want to explore some of the surrounding areas, then a week suited us well. Let’s get crackin’ shall we?
Where To Stay
Airbnb is your friend in Split. There’s a huge variety and all considerably cheaper than a hotel. I’d recommend staying perhaps 10 minutes out of the centre so everything is still accessible on foot but nice and quiet at night. This is the airbnb we stayed at and I can’t recommend enough. Really cute, epic view and lovely, lovely hosts who picked us up and dropped us back at the airport and brought us crepes for breakfast on our final morning. The location meant we were also in reasonable walking distance of some of the infinitely nicer beaches.
Where To Explore
Diocletian’s Palace is the place in Split; gorgeous roman ruins, twinkling bars and restaurants and allll the atmosphere. If you don’t get lost amongst the labyrinthine streets, then you’re doing it wrong. Definitely go up the bell tower for the stunning views although if you’re scared of heights, it might not be the one for you. It’s very ‘open’ when going up the stairs, with nothing more than a bar between you and the large-enough-to-fall-through glass-free windows. I wouldn’t consider myself to have a fear of heights but even I had jelly legs. Worth it for the view though.
Speaking of views, Marjan hill viewpoint has the best views of the city. I promise you, it’s worth the hill climb. Plus there’s a gorgeous café at the top which was my favourite place to eat.
In terms of beaches, our favourite was Kasjuni which was a bit out of the city but worth the walk in my opinion. It had lovely sun-loungers and a bar that served excellent drinks/food (the baileys and banana cocktails was incredible) but still maintained a chilled vibe. The sea was flippin’ gorgeous to swim in.
There are approx. 734749 different types of boat trips that you can take from Split and they are a great way to see more of the coast and nearby towns. We did a half-day one which took us to the Blue Lagoon for snorkelling and to Trogir – a lovely little town. I’d recommend going at sunset.
Krka National Park is a must. It’s only about an hour’s drive from Split; if you don’t have a car, there are plenty of companies that arrange coaches there and back.
Where To Eat
Oh god where to begin? After a bit of a bumpy start food-wise, we soon found our groove and ate at some great places. Vidilica, the café at Marjan hill viewpoint, was my favourite. The food was dreamy and the view insanely good. Not easily beaten and not one to miss.
In town, NoStress Bistro was probably our best meal – I would highly recommend the starter cheeseboard. Galija did some top-notch pizzas for cheap and we had the nicest homemade pasta at BEPA.
For dessert, get epic crepes from Choco Café or incredible ice cream from Luka’s Ice Cream & Cakes. If you want to go a bit bonkers, the bubble waffles from Juice + Waffle Box were, well, bonkers. Try Croatian doughnuts from a stall or pick up Krempita from a bakery. Krempita is essentially a orangey custard slice with pastry and icing sugar – so obvs I loved it.
Of course, it would be rude not to have a drink (or three) and there are more bars than you can dream of. Stick to the ones within the labyrinth streets of the palace – they’re the ones with the best atmosphere and the location speaks for itself. The bar is Lvxor which is set right in the heart of the palace, just under the bell tower. It’s the most unusual – the seats are simply cushions on the steps of imperial square where you can sit and watch the world go by. I adored it. Also, Croatian wine is dreamy folks. Drink lots.
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