Three food deliveries to try from London restaurants

Working in London means you're completely spoilt for choice when it comes to top class restaurants. It wasn't until we went into lockdown that I realised just how much I enjoyed the capital's food scene. So I was very excited to discover that some of my favourite restaurants had started to deliver their iconic dishes.  Sadly not all of them deliver outside the M25, I curse living in Essex sometimes! Here are three we've tried over the past couple of months.

Pizza Pilgrims
Pizza is life. I love pizza and would eat it as my last meal if I ever had to choose. I am a massive fan of Pizza Pilgrims. In fact I think it's my favourite pizza chain in London. We ordered their DIY kit, priced at £20 including delivery, which consisted of two ball of dough, mozzarella, olive oil, basil, tomato sauce, parmesan and 00 flour. Online you'll find a PDF of instructions. If you want a pizza different to a margarita then you'll have to buy the toppings separately.  I absolutely loved it and it was so lovely to enjoy restaurant-quality pizza in our home. It couldn't be simpler to recreate at home as all you need is a hot frying pan. You really can't beat the simplicity of a margarita pizza. The basil came a bit floppy but that was to be expected as it arrived through the post. I wasn't too bothered.

Patty & Bun
This is so delicious that we're already on our second batch! Patty & Bun is our favourite burger restaurant in London. In we have spent many a night dashing into the Liverpool Street branch after a few drinks before catching the train back to Essex. I honestly cannot rave about their DIY kit enough. It's superb! It seems pretty pricey at first but it is 100% worth it. For £32, including delivery, you get two beef patties, smokey mayo, four brioche buns, four slices of red Leicester cheese, a tub of pickled onions and a tub of caramelised onions. You have enough ingredients to make two Smokey Robinsons and two Ari Golds (my favourite!). The quality of the beef you get is fantastic and they're pretty generous with all of the portions. No scrimping here!

Dishoom
A bacon naan doesn't really sound like much on paper but in reality it's one of the best things you can eat for breakfast. There is just something about the cream cheese paired with the delicious chilli tomato jam. Dishoom does the best selection of breakfast in London and it's always my first choice when someone asks me for a suggestion of brunch. For £23, including postage, you get three balls of dough (one for an experiment), a tub of child tomato jam, cream cheese, coriander and all the ingredients to make a cup of chai. It might sound a bit overpriced but it was such a lovely treat on a Sunday and I would definitely recommend it. We loved it!

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The joy of discovering new hobbies in your thirties

Outfit:
Leopard print shirt dress: Asos (similar)
Brown and gold sliders (similar)

I have been talking for years about taking the time to learn a new skill but I have never gotten round to it. It's the same old story. I'm just always too busy doing other things and never have the time. As we get older we sometimes stop learning and using our brain as much. We become comfortable and stuck in the same routine. It almost becomes like ground hog day.

Since we went into Lockdown I have realised just how important having a hobby is. It's incredible how much it can enrich your life and bring you joy. I realised I just never made the time. My priorities were different. Well that all changed when I was furloughed and suddenly had all the time in the world.

The running joke is that I am trying my hardest to love the good life. I have started growing my own vegetables, constantly baking cakes, taken up cycling and am utterly obsessed with making fresh sourdough at least twice a week. Thank God flour is becoming a bit easier to find. These are things I have been meaning to attempt for a while but always made out I didn't have the time. I can't tell you how much joy they are all bringing me.

Cycling is giving me a much needed dose of fresh air and I'm discovering places nearby which I had no idea existed. I love those afternoon cycles along our local river. Baking is giving me the chance to flex my creativity which I usually get at work. I'm loving testing myself in the kitchen and attempting things for the first time. They don't always come out exactly how I envisioned but it just means I give it another go. I joined The Puff Bakery pastry school which has been fantastic. Pastry was always something I couldn't quite grasp but now I'm making delicious bakes! I feel so proud of myself! Growing vegetables is giving me such a sense of accomplishment. Who knew growing a pea could bring you so much joy? I have realised that I really do enjoy being out in the fresh air and maybe I'm not as much of a city girl as I say I am. The slower pace of life and the chance to enjoy new things is bringing me so much joy right now. The fresh air really does sooth my soul and I have such a longing to be outside. I find myself craving it.

Have you discovered any new hobbies during lockdown?

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Exploring Europe: Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Since the pandemic happened I realised just how much I missed writing about travel so I'm bringing it back. It might help you get some ideas for when it is fully safe to leave the country again and explore cultures different to our own, I'm not ready to leave the UK just yet (even if we could) but I am excited to see the world again soon.

Five years ago I was too hungover to make it to the Sagrada Familia so this time I made sure it was top of my list when I visited Barcelona back in February. The queues to buy tickets are insane so I fully recommend being organised and buying tickets online before hand. It costs around £17 for a fast-track ticket with a timed entry. I follow recommend paying a bit more and buying the audio guide as the information offered is invaluable. It can get confusing as to what section they're talking about so pay close attention.

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia is famous for being unfinished, by the time all construction has been completed in 2026, it will have taken 146 years to build. It will be completed on the centenary of his death. At the time of Gaudi's death less than a quarter of the cathedral was finished. As you stand outside in awe, you can clearly see exactly why it has taken this long. The detailing is absolutely insane and I find it so hard to comprehend how an idea as intricate as this has come from someone's head. One side of the cathedral is based on the Nativity section of the bible which is the New Testament and the other side is the Passion, the Old Testament of the bible.

It's not very often that I feel blown away by a building as I've been lucky enough to see some pretty spectacular architecture. But the Sagrada Familia really is on a whole other level. The amount of dealing really does blow your mind away. Oh to have that amount of creativity! If you only see one sight in Barcelona then this is the only place to buy tickets for. You'll be thinking about the cathedral long after you have left. It stays with you forever!

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