Greedy Cow - Mile End, London

London has in recent years has seen the rise of the gourmet burger. No longer content with the offerings of McDonald’s or Burger King, there are now restaurants where Londoners can enjoy more gourmet, premium quality burgers. Such examples are Byron Burger, GBK and Honest Burgers.
 
Greedy Cow Burgers & Steaks
2 Grove Road, London, E3 5AX

Mexico 2013 - Beaches, Blue Sea & Wildlife

My posts on Mexico conclude with a few photos from Cancun, Isla Mujeres (Woman Island) and a few "residents" of the hotel I was staying at.
Cancun is known for its white sands and blue Caribbean Sea; as well as being the go to destination for Spring Break. While Cancun Centro (Downtown Cancun) even on a cloudy, the sea looked amazing:


Mexico 2013: Chichen Itza, Tulum & Coba

One of the highlights of my holiday was seeing the ancient Mayan Ruins. It was amazing to see these structures, some in very good condition still standing today. To see what people achieved nearly 1,000 years ago was quite frankly breath-taking. I was so trigger happy….I was taking about 5 snaps of the same building/monuments!

My first excursion was to Chichen Itza, which is one of the Seven New Wonders of the World and the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico:

Mexico 2013: Playa Del Carmen & Cozumel

While it was incredibly tempting to spend the entire 2 weeks staying on the beach at the hotel, there was a lot to do and see!

Our hotel was about 10 minutes drive from Playa Del Carmen, which a beach resort. Along with a beautiful public beach, Playa Del Carmen also has boutique hotels, restaurants, shops, bars and clubs; it is a must visit for tourists. I can only imagine how busy it must get during high season; it was quite busy whenever I and my friends ventured to Playa Del Carmen (even when it rained ally day).


Mexico 2013

It’s been two weeks since I left the amazing country that is Mexico……

I had such an amazing time with my friends; when I arrived back in the UK and stepped off the plane and actually yelped at how cold it was!

Between my phone camera (I used my Samsung Galaxy S2), my digital camera and eager fingers, I took over a thousand pics!

So the next few posts are not going to be too wordy (though I can’t promise this); they will feature selected snaps of my holiday. Maybe they will inspire you to visit Mexico, or start an internet search for you next holiday destination – that’s what I’ve been doing for the past 2 weeks!

First off, the accommodation. I stayed at the Grand Sunset Princess Resort in the Riviera Maya, which is about an hour from Cancun.


AlunaGeorge

On 24 October 2013, my sister and I went to see electro duo AlunaGeorge at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. It’s been a while since I went to music gig; with my tinnitus (i.e. ringing in the ears – it never stops!) I tend to keep away from loud venues. However with tickets at a mere £15, I went armed with my ear plugs and prayer!

AlunaGeorge consists of Aluna Francis who sings and songwrites and George Reid who deals with instruments and production. They were formed in 2009 however in the last year or so they have really progressed in the industry and have more recognition.

What I like about Shepherd’s Bush Empire is that it is an intimate venue; the last time I was there was in 2008 when I went to see Robin Thicke.

Nike Free FlyKnit+

So last month*, I got to try out one of the latest Nike Running Trainers, the Free FlyKnit+

Source

Fairytale

So, it's September already.......my, my, my, how time freaking flies by!

I'm not really a Next Top Model watcher, but this morning I was watching episode 7 of season 9's Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model. The main photo shoot was about fairy tale characters; here are just a few of the pics:

Source

Fuel Your Summer

Last Thursday I and a few of my training buddies attended a roller disco hosted at Kings Cross hosted by Nike and Urban Junkies:



Kyoto Sushi Bar & Restuarant, Soho London

Last Week I went out for a friend’s birthday….it was really a spur of the moment thing. I actually intended to spend my Friday at home attempting to de-stress from work, but the temptation of food got the better of me.

We headed out to Soho, London in search of a decent sushi restaurant. We ended up at Kyoto, a sushi bar and restaurant.

Kyoto Sushi Bar & Restaurant
26 Romilly Street, Soho, London, W1D 5AL

None of Dem

Last Saturday of my usual morning workout, I went in search of a bacon buttie (bacon sandwich) with a friend. We ended up in some kooky café in Bow, where the above song was playing.



I've been aware of Robyn's music since she first appeared on the music scene around1997 - I was aged 11/12 at that time. While she is recognised in the music industry, I wouldn't regard her as a mainstream artist; I regard her as underrated. Still love her stuff though; from her early music, Show Me Love & Robyn is Here to the more quirky Konichiwa Bitches and Cobrastyle (absolutely love the video for Cobrastyle!)

Robyn is one of the great things to come from Sweden. ABBA and Ikea are other great exports. Thanks Sweden!

Book Review – The Chocolate Run

I have read quite a few books this year…every time I finish a book, I’m like “I’m so gonna do a review on this book”, but I simply move on to the next book lol!

Most of the books I have read have been by Dorothy Koomson….in fact save for one book, I have read all her books, even her most recent novel, The Rose Petal Beach.

However the focus is on one of her older novels, The Chocolate Run, which I am currently re-reading (in a poor attempt to curb my book spending habit):


I Feast

London has experienced some fantabulous weather in recent weeks; I have definitely enjoyed the great weather! Bare legs, alfresco dining, BBQ and great company – just some of the things that make my Summer!

I and a few friends recently went to Feast, which was held just off Brick Lane in London. It was an opportunity to ‘sample’ the best of what London’s street food industry had to offer. As a food lover I do tend to think with my stomach (I mean who hasn’t?!), so all us girls were very excited to go.


Rekordelig Midsummer House

A couple weeks ago, during my blogging hiatus, I attended the Rekorderlig Midsummer House in Victoria Park East London.

  

Your Girl Is Back......

Well I think so. Kind of. 

I've not blogged in a month, but I have been checking out other blogs (I've been lurking in the background). Despite my absence, I've seen that my blog is still checked on a daily basis which I do appreciate!

The break was needed though I must admit that about 40% was attributed to laziness! However I do have a few posts coming up. I can't give you daily posts, I can't even promise regular posts, but I will try to give my blog a bit more attention!

In the meantime, I have 'claimed' my blog on bloglovin.com. There was such a big deal about Google Reader closing down on 01 July 2013 that I joined bloglovin so I could import the blogs that I followed. But it really was not a big deal because since 01 July 2013 I have been able to easily access and read the blogs that I follow whenever I log into my own blog.......


But anyhoo, If you're an avid user of bloglovin and would like to follow my small and humble mish mash of a blog, please feel free to do so.

Cheap Professional

I’ve not done a post on work wear, but I wanted to share this bargain with you!

Dress, Asda -sold out
Blazer, H&M

We Own The Night

On 10 April 2013, I signed up for a We Own the Night (WOTN) – a 10km run for women, hosted by Nike and Elle magazine in the East End of London.

I signed up to this run with the gentle nudge and encouragement of my fellow fitness darlings (Rachel, Jo, Ogechi, Nkeiruka, Nneka to name a few!). Basically this time last year…..in fact as recently as December 2012, my position as to running/jogging was “I do not run”. No ifs no buts, just no. The thought of running/jogging longer than a minute filled me with dread! However part of my goals for 2013 was to increase my cardio and fitness – this included taking up jogging. After all it was about time that I started challenging myself……..


Summer Pieces

The South East has had a spell of lovely weather for the past two weeks……a far cry from the snow we had in March! I’m also loving that the days are so much brighter.
 
I’ve finally started updating my summer wardrobe; I’ve been on the search for holiday-wear and work friendly clothes. I managed to get a few pieces (all from H&M):
 
 


These tops are essentially basic tees; however H&M have prettied them up by adding crepe material. The tops are light and can be worn casually or under a suit jacket or with a pencil skirt for those warmer days. I’m actually tempted to get the top in more colours!
 

These are the second pair of shorts that I have bought in the past month. I’m going on a long haul holiday later on in the year and I intend to wear shorts, vest tops and playsuits during my holiday (when I’m not wearing swimwear). These shorts are supposed to be loose; however I bought a size down for a snugger fit. Without sounding vain, these shorts look great on me!
 
On my last holiday I found myself wearing the same pair of shorts for most of the time; when they were in the wash I wore a longer pair which were not that comfortable…..
 

 
I also bought this sleeveless blouse for my holiday. I don't usually wear a lot of white, but I really liked that this blouse is light, oversized and airy. It would be great for the humid evenings while on holiday.
 
Writing this post has made me wish I booked my holiday earlier!

Restless

Ramble Alert!!
 
It’s been a month since my last post……I’ve been in semi weird place (in my mind) plus I've been busy.
 
I’ve been contemplating my life recently – where I am and where I want to be (in other words over thinking!).
 
Since my last post, I have gotten a year older. I’m grateful and Blessed for having another year of life, but sometimes I think “what am I doing with it?!”
 
My dreams from 10 years ago differ greatly to my current reality, in so many ways. It’s not so terrible, but I don’t feel satisfied. I focused on certain areas of my life, such as education and get my legal qualifications, while neglecting/sacrificing other areas. Yeah, I got my legal qualifications but I still feel I’ve not progressed as person…..if that makes sense.
 
So now the running theme in my head is Do – what to do? What I can do? What should I do? I’ve basically been feeling restless, but have not been doing much to resolve it.
 
I’m the one holding me back. I can feel it. Even when I have an idea for a blog post and a bit of free time to complete the post, I somehow manage to find a way to avoid doing it. Urgh – I never used to be like this a few years back. I have been entertaining some serious doubts in my head *sigh*
 
Source
How can I live or even enjoy life if I’m restless on the sidelines? Answers on a postcard please......in the meantime I rely on books by Dorothy Koomson for a bit of escapism!
 
Readers, this well and truly a ramble post. It may not make sense to you; not sure if it even makes sense to me. but I felt I had to do this post in order to move forward…….if you have managed to read this far, thanks for reading! I’m sure some, if not a lot of people feel like this from time to time. I had to de-clutter my brain a bit!

Big Easy – Kings Road, London

As you may have now gathered, I’m a girl who loves her food! I love eating out with friends; I actually prefer it to drinking out these days…..

So I recently went Big Easy, which is based on Kings Road, Chelsea, London.  It’s a Bar-B-Q and crabshack, serving as you may have guessed BBQ chicken, ribs, steak, burgers, crab, lobster and mussels (my mouth is watering as I write this!).
 
 

I didn’t get much pics of the exterior and interior….I found it to be quite a snug venue especially as there was a lot of people in the restaurant. However it did not really bother me once I sat down with my friends as once I got to our table there wasn’t the feeling of intrusion and we were able to hold conversations at a decent level.

Big Easy has a strict table turnover of 2 hours. Our table had been booked for 6:30pm; I didn’t arrive until 7pm as I had quite a journey travelling from work in East London (I drove as well). The last of our party arrive at about 7:10pm. Luckily everyone knew what they wanted having reviewed the menu before arriving and we were able to order quickly and get our food easily too.

And here are the meals we indulged in:
 
Half Bar-B-Q Chicken with Beans & Coleslaw

Steak & Half Lobster (another friend had the same meal)


Deluxe Lobster Bake -
1/2 lb of maine lobster, jumbo shrimp, mussels, crab claws
with new potatoes and garlic white wine sauce

Again, it being a Friday during Lent, I kept up with the no meat tradition, so I had the Crab Shack combo, which consisted of crab claws, mussels and shrimp with new potatoes in garlic white wine sauce. It was gooooooood! I noted that I had a lot of mussels on my plate; I kind of wished that I had a bit more shrimp.

Crab Shack Combo
 
My friends and I had our appetisers and mains together due to the time constraint; however the general consensus was that the food was good.
I would be mindful of the price of your meal, especially if you wanted a steak and seafood combo meal. On a Friday/Saturday night, expect to pay £27 - £34 for appetisers, main and a drink (yes, a drink) and if you’re going for a combo meal expect to pay £45 - £55.

I suppose for the food that they serve there are likely to be cheaper places to eat (TGI Friday anyone) and there isn't a strict table turnover. But sometimes, for a foodie like me, price doesn't matter especially when the food is good. I might just hit up Big Easy once more…….

Personal Shopping at Topshop

Happy Easter! I hope that you are all having a great Easter; I have spent my Easter in spiritual celebration. For those of you who gave up chocolate or any other sweet stuff for Lent, don’t indulge too much today!

I was invited by Danielle of Keep It SimpElle to indulge in Personal Shopping at Topshop, Oxford Circus. I was aware that Topshop offered personal shopping; however I don’t usually shop there and I thought that you had to pay for the service. Curiousity got the better of me, so last weeked I tottered to Oxford Circus for my first personal shopping experience.

Prior to our appointment (there were 5 of us in total), we completed a questionnaire. We provided our basic essential details; our clothing & shoe sizes and gave an insight into our style. As you may have seen from my blog, I’m the sort of girl who likes her basics and likes her comfort!

The waiting area

Kenza Restaurant, City of London

I recently went to Kenza Restaurant for a friend’s birthday. The restaurant specialises in Middle Eastern cuisine in particular Lebanese food. As a foodie I’m always up for eating out and trying new food. In the past year I have eaten at quite a few restaurants serving Turkish, Afghan and Persian food. I love the sensual spiciness of the food; it’s well seasoned and I find that I get generous portions for my money!

The restaurant is based underground in the City of London; you wouldn’t know it was there as it’s in quite a secluded area (for non-city workers anyway) and nestled between corporate companies and law firms.

The Blue Shoes Styled

Pics taken with my camera phone -
This weekend the photo quality seems to be off!


Black Top - H&M
Blue Jumper - H&M
Skinny Jeans - New Look
Blue Shoes - H&M (see previous post)

I’m by no way a stylist; hell I pick comfort over style 85% of the time (don’t ask about the other 15% lol)!
 
However I reckon that these mid heels are suited to a simple outfit; skinny jeans, leggings or even a sleek pencil skirt over a great flashy flowing dress. I think that if the heel was higher, then the shoes would look great with a body con midi dress
 
I actually prefer the shoes with the black top rather than the blue jumper, just because the shoes have an opportunity to be noticed.
 
What do you think?

Blue Shoes

Blue court shoes - H&M

I think I ordered these blue babies in November 2012….they have been in the delivery bag since then!
I actually didn’t even intend to buy them…but then they were on sale for £5!
 
I’ve not had a chance to wear them yet…kinda dreading breaking them in. Just thinking of my poor toes….all for the sake of a sale! I don't really buy shoes from H&M so I hope my experience with their shoes won't be too negative; but then again who has a great time breaking in court shoes?
 
 
 
 

Nike Training Club

You may have noticed a few posts on my blog regarding Nike and their special events. I have actually (and weirdly) realised that I’ve not really explained what Nike Training Club (NTC) is……..

I wanted to take this opportunity to write about NTC and how I got involved in it, especially as we are fast approaching March (eek!) and those goals/resolutions that you may have truly started to flounder!

So....................

What is Nike Training Club?

Well this was taken from their Facebook page:

 Nike Training Club UK is a women’s fitness community offering up the expertise, inspiration and motivation for you to make yourself whatever you want to be.

Source

Cabana Restaurant, London

Last Friday I met up with a few friends to give one of them a sending off….the lucky cow is spending 2 months with her boyfriend travelling South America!

Given her travels, we thought it appropriate that we would dine at Cabana, a Brasilian eatery. Cabana has 3 branches, and we went to the Covent Garden branch which is located close to Tottenham Court Road tube station in London.
 
7 Central St Giles Piazza
St Giles High Street
London, WC2H 8AD
Cabana’s speciality is Brasilian Barbeque, lots of meat on skewers, with street food and sides to accompany the tasty meat. They also do burgers and have vegetarian options.

We actually kept our meal very simple; we just had a main and a drink.



 I had a Cabana Colada, which I found light and refreshing:
 
 
It was an icy blend of pineapple, coconut cream, coconut water and cachaca, which is a liquor made from fermented sugarcane juice.
 
We’re currently in the season of Lent; I have mentioned previously on this blog that I’m not the best Christian around! However for the past few years I have observed the tradition of not eating meat on Ash Wednesday, Fridays during Lent and Good Friday. So my meal was essentially meat free – sitting near where the meat was being barbequed was a bittersweet experience!
 
In light of the above, while my friend tucked into burgers, my main meal was seafood based. I had a Prawn Moqueca, which was a prawn and fish curry with rice:
 
 
 
I don't usually eat curry when I eat out......this curry was nice. The fish and the prawns were well cooked an not overdone and I found the curry to be tasteful. the portions may look small, but my stomach was left content without being too heavy.

Overall the food was decent; it made a nice change from the usual Asian cuisine (with this particular group of friends). The atmosphere was really nice; I definitely enjoyed the music that was playing and it’s an ideal place to chill with friends or go on a casual date.
 
If you want a bit more info on Cabana and the food they serve, check out their site: http://www.cabana-brasil.com/
 
I love eating out in London!
 

And the Winner Is......

Sorry about posting almost an hour later than I intended to.....got caught up in a movie that I was watching!

Thanks to everyone who entered my Giveaway; the numbers were few, however it only meant less competition!

The names of those who entered, in chronological order:

1. Nee of RoseCandle 11
2. Chymere of Chymere Anais
3. Carmela of Belladonna
4. Kiwi of Kiwi Fashion & Beauty
5. Yolandaas of Pink & Leopard Prints
6. Akilah of Perfectly Random
7. Luv_lyfe93 of Highstreet, Music, Travel & Me
8. Steph Lau of Fun Size Beauty

I used random.org to pick a winner:



Congratulations to Nee of RoseCandle 11!! Let me know your address via email within 48 hours!!!

I look forward to doing another giveaway in the future x



Just Bitten Kissable ™ - Revlon

Just bought another beauty product to add to my slowly growing make-up collection!

My most recent purchase is the Just Bitten Kissable™ Balm Stain by Revlon; the colour is crush:

"Just Bitten Kissable" Balm Stain in Crush - Revlon

 
 
When I saw that it was a balm stain, I thought that it would quite a subtle shade. However when I put it on my lips I actually found it to be quite vibrant.
 
Without flash

With flash
 
This is a nice shade, however I found it was the only shade that was suited to my skin colour and probably the most universal.
 
It was easy to put on and actually felt quite nice on my lips – it didn’t feel sticky or feel drying. It’s lightweight, but it does have staying power. I liked that the balm is like a chubby crayon (similar to/rip off of Clinique?!); not sure why but I found this to be quite attractive!
 
The normal price is £7.99 however I bought at the promotional price of £5.99, so it was a bit of a bargain. As I have mentioned before, I don't regularly use make-up however, I find that this product would be ideal for those rare occasions when I do throw on the slap!
 
My Giveaway is still ongoing - due to close at 6pm GMT/UK Time. You can enter here; all the best!
 




Coastagram

Sunday is such a bittersweet day; it’s relaxing, but there is the reality that Monday is less than 24 hours away *sigh*…….
 
My giveaway is on-going; click here to find out what’s for grabs and how you can enter!
 
In the meantime, I wanted to show off a quirky new purchase:
 
 
These are coasters featuring pics from my instagram account by Coastagram, a niche online business. Basically, they put instagram pictures on wooden coasters.
 
Left - in my local area at dusk
Right - view of St. Paul's Cathedral, at One New Change Shopping Centre

Left - on holiday at Sosua Beach, Dominican Republic (Sept 2011)
Right - Victoria Park, London
 
I found out about the business through Groupon (a discount site for anyone who hasn’t heard of it) and got a voucher which allowed me to order 4 coasters for £9 including delivery, compared to the standard price of £18 for 4 coasters plus delivery charges.
 
I have a fair amount of instagram pictures, so it was hard to pic just 4; however multiple orders in sets of 4 can be made. You can also use the same picture for all the coasters, or like me, choose different pictures.
 
There was a slight mishap with my order, courtesy of Royal Mail (i.e. it never arrived despite my order being dispatched nearly a month ago), but Coastagram were very helpful and recreated my order.
 
I think the coasters are of good quality; it’s quirky items like these that make a house a home!

Giveaway! - CLOSED

Hi fellow readers,

To celebrate 1 year of blogging, I’m doing a giveaway! It also serves as a thank you to those of you who have read my blog and/or followed me. As you can see, it is not a fashion based or beauty based blog; I don't expect fame or fortune from blogging. There are so many blogs around, it easy for a blog to be overlooked. So for you to find my blog, read my posts and even follow is a privilege. Thank You!

So, what’s up for grabs?
 
Clutch Bag from New Look

Sleek Divine Eyeshadow Palette, Original

Sunnyside Bubble Bar, lush Cosmetics

NYC Nail Polish
Left - Prince Street, Right - Fashion Ave Fuchsia
Earrings, Forever 21
The above tickle your fancy? Then this is what you need to do:
  1. You have to be a GFC Follower of my blog – leave a comment stating your GFC name, because I will check! New and Current followers welcome to enter!
  2. I would also like it if you could leave a comment as to what your favourite post has been and/or what you would like to see more of on my blog. This is not an entry requirement, but it would be nice to hear from readers/followers rather than always looking at my blogger stats....
 A few Notes (including a disclaimer):
  1. Please do not leave your email address; don’t want horrid spammers using them
  2. To keep this simple (for my benefit!) entry is limited to one per person.
  3. This giveaway is open internationally HOWEVER custom rules/taxes may apply or need to be taken into consideration, and I cannot be held accountable for delay in delivery of the goods or loss of the goods.
This giveaway will close on Sunday, 17 February 2013 at 6pm GMT/UK time and the winner will be announced at about 9pm GMT/UK Time. I will pick a winner using random.org. I will email you letting you know you have won; if I don't hear anything back from the winner within 48 hou
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