Review: Brunch at Dishoom, Covent Garden

After sampling the main menu of Dishoom last year, I've been trying to fit in a date to enjoy their brunch. Finally Sarah suggested that we meet up with Lily before our trip to the theatre in Covent Garden. The time had finally come!

As I'm a greedy little piglet and my real life best friend was also there to egg me on, I ended up ordering the famous bacon naan and the Keema Per Eedu. A bowl of tender chicken liver, spicy, juicy chicken keema topped with crunchy sali crisp-chips and two perfectly fried eggs. All served with pau on the side. Absolutely mouthwatering! The brunch even topped the evening menu for me. A bold statement. The spicy chili jam was the perfect accompaniment to the crispy bacon wrapped in a light, thin naan bread. Something I'm keen to make myself at home. Bacon sandwiches are so last year.

As always service was great, the food came out piping hot and at the same time and it's reasonably priced. There's still so much more I want to try on the menu so I'll be back!

Have you tried the brunch at Dishoom?

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5 moisturisers for the winter

1.  Weleda Skin Food*
This handy tube is fantastic to keep in your bag to top up throughout the day - gotta keep that dry skin at bay! It is an absolute god send on my hands, really does make a difference. I love the gorgeous chamomile and rosemary scent that keeps your hands smelling fresh. The great thing is it's suitable for vegetarians too if you're that way inclined!

2. Palmers Cocoa Formula Night Renewal Cream
I treated myself to this last year in Chicago - those US drugstores are a dream right? I never even knew they had a facial range so made sure I brought this home in my suitcase. It has that same gorgeous smell of all Palmer's products and the luxurious thickness. It sinks in fairly quickly and doesn't leave your face with a greasy film. It's fantastic for the colder months because it's so thick and banishes any pesky dry patches that have crept up. A great budget buy that does exactly what it says on the tin.

3. Purepotions Skin Salvation Intensive Moisturising Ointment*
Thanks to this ridiculously cold snap in January, my skin has been out of control. My face feels so dry, my hands are chapped and my legs shouldn't been seen until July. But thankfully this ointment has been a lifesaver. It instantly soothes and soaks in the skin, giving you instant relief. The brand was founded by a mum who wanted to give her eczema-prone daughter some relief after nothing worked. After experimenting in her kitchen, she came up with this formula. Boy am I glad. It works a treat!

4. No7 Early Defence Day Cream
This has been a constant repurchase for months. SPF? Tick. Anti-ageing? Tick. Non-greasy? Tick. All the right boxes! No 7 really can't do any wrong in my eyes. Their products are always reasonably priced, do what they say on the tin and never flare up my skin. I think I'm going be a loyal customer for many more years to come!

5. Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask
I harp on and on about this product like a broken record. I sometimes use it as an everyday moisturiser when my skin is misbehaving like a trooper. It sinks in the skin like a pro and give your that supple, soft look that you would make a million bucks to have. All for under 25 smackers! A little goes a very long way so the bottle lasts for ages.

What are your favourite moisturisers?

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Turning 27

A few iPhone pictures from a birthday weekend of cake, cake and more cake. With a few glasses of wine thrown in too.

A picture popped up on my Facebook memories from six years ago at a party showing a fresh-faced
smiling 21-year-old. 27 seemed like an absolute age away to that youngster but here we are. 27 years old. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not where I thought I would be at 27 when I was that girl about to finish her Journalism degree. I had a naive mind brimming with wild ideas. But I've achieved things that that 21 one-year-old never thought she would. I've been places she'd only dreamed of. I've got to hang out with childhood idols - 911 definitely got my bodyshakin'. I've worked for publications that would have made her pinch herself. I've finally gotten the Mulberry handbags she obsessively stalked online.

With age comes contentment and I feel pretty content with my lot. I'm not a massive high achiever but I've worked hard to get to where I am. I've had quite a few hiccups along the way - especially last year - but then so does everyone. Life doesn't always follow a script. It chews you up and spits you out but the most important thing is you get back on your feet.

The older I've become the more I feel like I've grown more of a voice and the ability to do what is right for me. I've learnt to say no, go with my gut instinct and admit that things aren't ok so I don't suffer in silence. I've surrounded myself with people who just get me and allow me to thrive. I've learnt to appreciate the little things in life and despite what my ASOS account may say, I know deep down it isn't the material things that make me happy. The happiness comes from the people you surround yourself by and the love you show yourself. I am so grateful to live in this big, beautiful, crazy world and I can't wait to explore it more. I may not have wisdom yet but that's overrated right? Who wants to grown old sensibly anyhow?

Come on 27, let's make this year count. I have a good feeling. Even if it does mean I'm officially in my late twenties.

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3 places in London to go for a quick lunch

Sometimes when you're dashing around London trying to fit in anything and everything, you don't always want somewhere to have a leisurely lunch. Places to see people! But that chicken ceasar baguette from Pret can only be eaten so many times. So here are three quick, cool and tasty independent eateries that are perfect to fill your belly before you soak up even more sights and run those errands. 

1. Banh Mi Bay
Vietnamese is one of my favourite cuisines. It's a fairly new one to me but I love how fresh, flavoursome and interesting it is. Hannah introduced me to Banh Mi Bay which specialises in the Banh Mi Baguettes. You can choose from a traditional roll or a french baguette before picking your filling - warm or cold. I opted for the warm spiced pork - what a good shout that was! For just a fiver, the Vietnamese roll comes bursting at the seams with pork, oodles of pickled shredded carrots, fresh cucumber and fiery chilli. Keep in mind it's not for the lighthearted! It's a great choice to a takeaway and they have three outposts dotted around central London.

2. Sampa
I stumbled into this Brazilian coffee shop by chance when I decided to shelter from the rain in Leather lane. Offering a delectable choice of sweet treats from slabs of red velvet cake to fruit custard tart to gooey chocolate brownies, it's the perfect place to get a sugar rush. I loved the industrial vibe with green succulents, rough wooden tables and mix-matched collages on the wall. It has the cool East London hipster vibe down to a tee - in central London. I spent a good few hours stuffing my face with cake with I blogged and didn't feel rushed at all by the staff.

3. Peyton and Byrne
I touched on this in a post last week but I couldn't leave it out! Again it offers fantastic sweet treats, healthy salads, decedent hot chocolates and scrumptious sandwiches. There really is something for everyone in this joint. Thanks to its central location in Covent Garden, it's in the middle of all the action. I personally recommend the roasted vegetable, pesto and mozzarella ciabatta. Perfection!

Do you have any suggestions for a quick bite to eat?

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Recipe: Fruity breakfast bars

Breakfast is the most important meal of a day but so easily missed. A quick slice of buttery toast, a flaky croissant from the coffee shop or a plastic bowl of cereal hurriedly eaten on the train are often the choice for busy commuters. But you can be healthy and still eat something substantial on the go. Flahavan's challenged me to #betteryourbreakfast and put together something a little different for the morning. Make these simple fruity breakfast bars on a Sunday night and you'll have something tasty and filling for the rest of the week.

Ingredients:
50g desiccated coconut
250g Flahavan's Irish Porridge Oats Multi Seed*
100g chopped dates
1 can of condensed milk
125g mixed nuts
75g apricots

Method:
1. Warm the condensed milk in a large pan. Pre-heat the oven at 130 degree - adjust if you're using a fan oven.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl before pouring in the milk. Give a good sure to ensure everything is coated.

3. Line a 9x13 inch pan with greased parchment paper before pouring on the mixture. Make sure it's all evenly spread and pat it down with a spatula.

4. Pop in the oven for around 30 minutes or so. Keeping checking them as some ovens cook quicker or slower.

5. Leave in the dish for around 15 minutes.

6. Cut into 16 chunky slices and let them cool down completely. Store them in a cake tin to help keep them fresh.

As always please do send me a tweet if you make them, I'd love to know!

Inspiration for the recipe taken from Queen Nigella!

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OOTD: Chunky roll neck jumper

Outfit:

Khaki trench coat: Primark (similar)

Two tone chunky knit roll neck jumper: New Look

Navy soft touch skinny jeans: ASDA* (similar)

Two tone brown and black heeled leather boots: TK Maxx (similar)

Poppy red medium lily: Mulberry

I took fashion advice from Hannah Gale and went on the hunt before Christmas for some long-line chunky knit roll neck jumpers. The girl has a cracking collection. I eventually came across some on New Look that tickled my fancy - this two tone jumper was one of two that I ordered. Now I want to order all the chunky knits in the world. They're cosy, easy to throw on and allow you to still feel put together yet as comfortable as wearing your jammies outdoors. Win win situation all round. Now when is payday so I can buy more?

Ah Neals Yard - an Instagram wet dream eh? I met up with Lily and Sarah whilst dragging along my RL friend for a brunch date at Dishoom and a bit of Shakespeare culture with Dame Judi Dench in A Winter's Tale. You should have seen my best friends gobsmacked face when we all whipped out our cameras to photograph our breakfast. The girl didn't know what had hit her! A Winter's Tale was fun. I didn't really have a clue what was going on for the first 20 minutes and really should have done prior research. But by the second act I was laughing at the jokes and it was a pleasure to see Dame Judi in action. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday I tell thee. 

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Review: Peyton and Byrne, Covent Garden

Last week I met Sarah for lunch in Covent Garden with the intention of stuffing our faces in a new Nordic joint. But alas it didn't officially open until the next day so Peyton and Byrne was plan B. But we didn't settle as it was an excellent choice!

Peyton and Byrne is situated in the heart of the bustling Covent Garden, right next to the theatre showing the Lion King. Serving a variety of temping baked treats, squishy, overflowing sandwiches, savoury warm salads and luxurious hot drinks, it's the perfect haven from the busy streets. It's not cheap but you get what you pay for - everything we tried was delicious. They certainly don't scrimp on the sandwich fillings!

After much deliberation, I opted for the mozzarella, pesto and roasted vegetable seeded ciabatta and a miniature lemon drizzle cake. The sandwich was absolutely delicious! Filled with huge chunks of flavoursome roasted corvette, aubergines and peppers, topped with slabs of creamy mozzarella, drizzled with a generous helping of pesto and sprinkled with peppery rocket, it was a force to be reckoned with! One of my favourite combinations in a sandwich.

I finished off with a tasty lemon drizzle cake. With just the right amount of zing and a generous topping of citrus icing, it was the perfect sweet treat to finish off a great lunch. Although I couldn't resist eyeing up Sarah's hot chocolate....

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5 cities on my bucket list

I'm a fickle person and admit my list of places to visit changes weekly. At this rate I'll never visit them all! But these five have been in my top five for years - it's about time I crossed them off right?

Credit: @Retinaipadwalls via Pinterest

1. San Francisco
The beautiful United States of America. This country is my soul sister. I love everything about the brash, intrusive, mind-boggling country. San Francisco has been top of my places to visit for years and years. Right up there with NYC. I crossed NYC off in 2014 and hopefully it won't be long before this is crossed off either. I've seen so many pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge that I almost feel like I've been already. I want to soak up the history of Alcatraz, marvel at the multi-colured houses, scoff all the Dim Sum in the world's oldest Chinatown, not so elegantly cycle along the famous bridge, eat seafood at Fisherman's Wharf and hop on a historic cable car. One day!

Credit: Yakubanto via pinterest 

2. Dubai
That skyline! *insert heart eye emoji here* No one quite does a skyline like Dubai right? The slick and stylish city is just calling my name. I don't think there will be anywhere quite like it on earth. It  knows exactly how to put on a show! I want to gawp at the incredible light laser show at Burj Khalifa, go for an almighty champagne brunch,  head out to Palm Islands, spend all my hard-earned cash in the Dubai mall and see the stunning Jumeriah Mosque.

Credit: Amongraf blog via Pinterest

3. Florence
I still can't believe I've made it to nearly 27 and not yet made it to Italy. In particular, the gorgeous city of Florence. The city oozes history from it's pores and being the history buff I am, I'm desperate to soak it up like a sponge. The terracotta tiled houses, the role Tuscan countryside and delicious Italian dishes are all aspects I'm dying to experience for myself. Gazing at the city below from the top of the II Duomo De Firenze is top of my list. I wouldn't mind giving old 'David' a visit either! I feel Florence will be the perfect trip to pop my Italian cherry.

Credit: Chris Heijams via Pinterest

4. Marrakech
The rich colours, the overwhelming smells, the intense bartering and the stunning mosques all make this African city high on my bucket list. I've never been to Africa and Morocco is a mere hours away - not much further than Spain. I'd love to stay in a cosy Riad, get lost in the narrow alleyways, spend a fortune in the souks, book myself on a Moroccan cookery lesson, relax at a hammam and drink a cocktail on a rooftop terrace whilst gazing down at the city below. Why am I not on a plane there now?!

Credit: Instagram via Buzzfeed via Pinterest

5. Miami
I'm having a lot of trouble trying to persuade my holiday gang to visit Miami so this might be a bad boy to visit on my own. I've heard such mixed reviews of the city. Some have loved it yet others think it's awful. Guess I'll have to find out for myself! I think I've perhaps watched a little too many Spring Break themed films but I'm desperate to party in this Florida city.  Yep, that's basically what the main aim of my trip would be. Party like there's no tomorrow, eat all the food and soak up the vitamin D whilst lounging on the beach. Makings of a perfect trip away huh?


I have credited the pictures the best I can. All taken from Pinterest. If the image is yours and you'd like me to take it down, then please get in touch.

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