Weekly Love: Week 124
As usual the past two weeks for me have mostly been about eating. Big surprise, right? However, doing so much eating but not getting much blog content out of it, rather ideas for what I could do in the future has been really making me think about what I write and while there are not going to be any crazy dramatic changes around here, I want there to be a few more ‘features’, things that have taken time to research and put together rather than posts that give you just this recipe or tell you to eat at that restaurant. Do you know what? I think I might actually finally be growing up as a writer. What a terrifying thought!
1. A perfect avocado breakfast equates to a perfect Sunday. I like mine cubed and lightly dressed in a bit of lemon juice and French Sea Salt. | 2. I love how we’re now starting to get Spring like weather here in London. | 3. Custard Doughnuts from The Bread Man at Berwick Street Market. They were very good, but I felt the custard was not as good as it could have been. This however, has made me really want to sample the infamous custard doughnuts from Borough Market’s Bread Ahead on Saturdays (though, that will mean visiting the market on a Saturday, not to be recommended!) and from 1235 Doughnuts at Columbia Road on Sundays. | 4. Sampling the California Cold Pressed Juice at The Good Life Eatery in Chelsea over brunch. Honestly, I love there is another place I can pick up bottles of the good stuff but I don’t think it is well balanced flavour wise as the juices I was used to in Los Angeles from places like Pressed Juicery and Blueprint Cleanse. For something more authentic and better tasting I’d still tell you to head to the Canyon Juicery in the Joseph Store on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. As for the food, all great SoCal dishes, but a bit too hit and miss, again with the flavours for my taste. | 5. Tropical fruit fest breakfast from Turnips at Borough Market. I completely blame Tania and Sophie‘s Instagram feeds from Summer in Sydney for this one. | 6. A quick sushi lunch before class. I’ve been testing supermarket sushi, and by far Waitrose is always the best.
- Julia has some great tips for visiting Los Angeles’ busy Downtown Flower District.
- Emma from A Beautiful Mess have written a very heartfelt piece about changing dreams and how she came to become involved in her sisters business. I found it a fantastic read as I’m planning on taking the plunge to try and blog and freelance full time in a few months.
- Kristabel has written a fantastic post titled ‘The Reality Of Being A Blogger At London Fashion Week.’ See also my ‘10 Things They Never Tell You About LFW‘.
- If you live in LA, my friend Nicole is now offering a fun and flirty boudoir photography package. If you’re looking to do a boudoir shoot, I can’t think of a better photographer than Nikki. She’s the one who took all my profile pictures, and every shoot with her, even before we were friends she has made me feel more relaxed and have more fun than any other photographer.
- Jay Rayner writes in the Guardian how Pizza Hut’s new 2,880 calorie pizza is a prime example of the food supply crisis the world is facing. And reviews the terrible thing.
- The Science Afternoon Tea at The Ampersand Hotel.
- Apparently half sized cocktails are about to become a thing.
- All about Maestro Martino, the first ‘celebrity chef’ and cookbook author.
- 5 tips for taking better food photos at home.
- Lindsey runs through some myths people have about Parisian food that annoy locals.
- The only NYFW photo round up I want to see is by Gary Pepper Vintage.
- Rose does street food at the Kamala Night Market in Thailand. She also visited Phuket Night Market, and I wish I could have eaten all of the food she ate.
- I want Sophie’s beautiful weekend in Sydney.
Time for a little bit of me elsewhere on the web today, if you head over to Great British Chef’s you’ll find my latest recipe I’ve put together for them for a Tempura of Seasonal Vegetables with a Homemade Wasabi Mayonnaise. It is inspired by something Jun Tanaka made when I was in the Sainsbury’s test kitchen in January.
7. Again at Turnips at Borough Market, perfectly ripe, red and juicy tomatoes how they ought to be. | 8. I started using La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar Duo after countless bloggers, friends and makeup artists recommended it to me as I’m still having problems not having skin as clear as I used to before I moved to Los Angeles and had to battle the cities smog. Just over a week in I can see visible results already; I’ll be sure to keep you updated! | 9. The Vietnamese Bun Thit Nuong pork skewers and rice noodle salad at Lanes Of London on Park Lane. I had a simply incredible meal there on Monday night, just the photos came out so badly I won’t be able to review it this time around. But seriously, amazing food and atmosphere, amazing fusion concept of different London cuisines, I fantastic service. I really could not recommend it enough. | 10. The most stand out dish from Lanes Of London was their Jammy Dodgers at dessert. They came in a pair in a pretty presentation box, and were made up of the most flawless shortbread, homemade strawberry jam, strawberry liquor, fresh strawberries and cream. I will be going back for more of these! | 11. Pre review lunch drinks in The White Horse on Parson’s Green, one of my two favourite pubs in that part of London. (My other is The Brown Cow for their epic scotch egg bar snacks!) | 12. Picking up a few essentials in Waitrose. Yes, I have eaten a lot of tomatoes over the past few weeks!
- Lindsey has written an open letter to all Type A personalities.
- The Glitter Guide tours its Editorial Director Caitlin Moran’s DC home.
- Nouvelle Daily has a great guide to using a film camera.
- America: 10 Awesome (White) Wines Under $20.
- Everyone who visits San Francisco tells me I need to check out Tartine next time I go. I feel this is now a must now I’ve seen Diane’s brunch at Bar Tartine.
- The History & Science of Frozen Slushie Cocktails in America.
- Secrets From Makeup Artists You Have Not Heard Before.
- One for anyone who, like me has been to college in the USA: 5 Ways To Style Your Favourite College Tee. I’m going to start wearing my UCLA Bruins Quidditch team tee more!
- How To Choose The Freshest Fish.
- Should we be using Conditioner THEN Shampoo when washing our hair?
- Some unnerving truths about the money, politics and philosophy behind fashion blogging.
- How to make professional looking gift bags.
- Why are fancy cocktails so expensive?
- Olive farming in Toscana.
- What is the difference between bacon, pancetta and prosciutto?
- Molly goes hiking in Arizona. Her photo diary from Scottsdale is also worth a peek.
- Lily has written a great post on blogging networks, and what a blogger should keep in mind before joining one.
One thing I am absolutely terrible at is pronouncing things, to the point where some words I avoid saying all together so I don’t embarrass myself! So, obviously I absolutely adore this video put together by Into The Gloss‘ Senior Editor Annie on how to pronounce the names of lots of beauty products and brands, most of them French. The more obvious ones of products and brands I use such as Touche Éclat, Le Roche-Posay and Guerlain I’m down with because I used them often and I can speak some French, but I still learnt a lot. Also, this video is totally adorable.
What have you been enjoying this week, and what do you have planned for the weekend? Tomorrow is one of my best friends from school’s birthday lunch so all my close school friends are going to be in London so after his birthday adventures on Saturday I’m getting all of them plus my London and university friends together for one big relaxing Sunday something before my birthday Friday after next, so it is due to be a jam packed weekend.
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