STREET FEAST

A few Friday's ago we scrambled out of work and de-camped to East London in the promise of bonfires, street food and alcohol. 

Weekend Wishlist

Festival Sundress

Paisley Sunglasses

Starfish Bracelet

Floral Slip-ons

Fluro Clutch

Metal Cuff Bracelets

Printed Shorts

Bikini Top

Watermelon Print Bikini

As London has recently turned into an uncharacteristically sun-drenched city I have predictably found myself browsing for summer essentials that I don't really need but would liven up my wardrobe & make me wistful for the next beach break.

Harriet x

REVIEW: One Kensington

Situated just opposite Kensington Palace Gardens on the bustling High Street, One Kensington is an elegant oasis away from the throngs of shoppers and tourists.

Island Escape

"This land resembles no other place. Sardinia is something else. Enchanting spaces and distances to travel, nothing finished, nothing definitive. It is like freedom itself." 
D. H. Lawrence

Wet dog days

On our last day in the Lake District we took the dogs on a long, beautiful, hilly walk and had an amazing pub lunch outside in the drizzle. The perfect antidote to congested London living. I am missing the clean air and windy walks immensely.

Weekend in the Lakes

A few relaxing days by Lake Windermere....

BRICKWOOD BRUNCHING

If you follow us on Instagram you'll already be familiar with my love for Brickwood. It is without a doubt my favourite coffee shop/ brunch spot in Clapham. My go-to place for catching up with friends over a yummy plate of eggs & avocado (the best brunch combo) or grabbing a coffee on the way to work. I thought Brickwood deserved a whole blogpost as a brilliant brunch destination in London, so here is a little compilation of photos comprising many visits to the Antipodean-style cafe situated right on the common.

Top Tips for Starting a Fitness Plan in The New Year

Probably the most popular New Years resolution EVER is some variation on getting healthier/ losing weight and toning up. We all rush out the first week of January and fill our fridges up with everything lean & green, resolving that this year will be the one we get the 'dream body' and stick to a gym routine for good.

Christmas Jumpers

Christmas jumpers are enjoying a bit of a fashion revival this year. Every store I've walked past recently has been displaying piles of the cosy, silly (or not so silly) festive knitwear. Now that the once novelty garments are no longer bottom of the fashion food chain, the only question is how garish do you dare to go?
Seeing as today is Christmas Jumper Day in the UK to raise money for Save the Children, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some of the gems I've seen around this season.

1. Fairisle Antler Jumper 

2. Polar Bear 

3. Skiing Sausage Dog 

4. Llama Roll-neck

5. Kissing Reindeer

I couldn't resist the ASOS chunky roll-neck decorated in Christmas Llamas (who needs reindeer & camels?) & ordered one this morning. It will make a perfect Christmas Eve/ Boxing Day outfit with some ripped jeans & converse!

Did you take part in Christmas Jumper Day?

Harriet x

Protein Apple & Walnut Cake

Whoever said eating healthy had to be boring? This easy protein loaf cake is the perfect thing to whip up in advance & have for breakfast, pre/post-workout or just as a nutritious snack. 

It provides you with slow-release carbs, protein, good fats & contains no added sugar.

This recipe makes two 1lb sized loaf tins, but if you just wanted to make one simply halve the quantities.

Ingredients;

125g of wholemeal spelt flour

100g of vanilla/natural protein powder

(I use Sunwarrior vanilla protein & really recommend it for baking)

1 tsp baking powder

100g of stevia

1 banana

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp of cinnamon

100g butter

50g Greek yoghurt

250g sliced apples

50g walnuts

Directions;

Set oven to 180°C

Blend the half the walnuts, banana, butter, yoghurt, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon & stevia in a food processor.

Add the sieved spelt flour & protein powder.

Line the tin with greaseproof paper (I use these hassel-free cases).

Evenly place half the cake mixture inside the tin.

Place half the sliced apple on top of cake mixture, then add the remaining cake mixture on top.

Top with remaining sliced apple & walnuts.

Place in the oven & bake for 50 minutes - 1 hour.

The cake is really moist & sweet due to all the apple in the center. It will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container.

Pop a slice into your gym bag to have after a workout, or serve warm with yoghurt as a delicious healthy dessert.

Let me know in the comments if you would like anymore healthy reciepes.

Harriet x

Brunch at M1LK

Last week I made a slightly hungover trip to M1LK in Balham with a couple of friends. 

I'd already been wowed by the breakfast menu back in the summer, after from Suzanne from i make it fashion suggested we try out the new addition to the Hildreth Street Market. 

I've been raving about the place & the vibrant original food ever since so this return visit was long overdue.

The seating inside is quite limited, which combined with the amazing food & artisan coffee on offer can create pretty big queues, especially at busy weekend times. 

The decor is eclectic & a little bit hipster but there's always a really nice mix of people eating there. 

I love that you can see the tiny open kitchen from the dining area, seeing the chefs whipping up all the delicious food just adds to the laid-back friendly environment.

Drinks-wise I went for a hot chocolate (I needed the sugar otherwise I would have got a flat white, as the coffee here is GOOD) whilst the others went for English breakfast tea.

I love how they serve the teapot, cup, saucer & milk in a little stack like this.

The brunch menu reads like my idea of food heaven, I could eat breakfast food all day long! 

This time I opted for the baked eggs with butternut squash & feta, Chris went for the Young Betty (poached eggs, drycure bacon & burnt butter hollandaise) & Christina got the Young Betty with salmon instead of bacon.

As well as an excellent cooked brunch M1LK also have an amazing selection of homemade cakes, which they display along the counter. One day I will try the strawberry milk cake!

The distressed cosy interior is covered in hung artwork, shelves & framed pictures all of which contribute to the happy vibe exuded by the Aussie diner.

The baked eggs were absolutely delicious, they were cooked & seasoned perfectly. 

Butternut squash & feta makes a lovely light addition to the dish that doesn't leave you feeling overly full. 

The toasted sourdough was crispy & tangy, perfect for dipping in the bright orange Burford Brown yolks.

The salmon on Christina's Young Betty looked amazingly fresh & tasty. She said it was incredible.

Even Chris who is pretty hard to impress loved his bacon with poached eggs & hollandaise. 

I appreciated the flowers garnishing his dish even if he didn't pay them much attention. 

Definitely an Instagram worthy plate of food!

We left M1LK happy & full, all traces of a hangover gone.

One of the best brunch spots I've found in London & it only set us back a tenner each.

M1LK are open 8am - 5pm Monday - Friday

            9am - 5pm Sunday

They do not take reservations, first come first served.

Harriet x

Shopping '& Other Stories' and 'Zara'

Seeing as it's payday-week I may have given in to shopping temptations & broken my self-imposed spending ban.

First of all I discovered the amazing store that is & Other Stories. It's just round the corner from Liberty on Regent Street & is the luxury counterpart to H&M.  In keeping with the Scandinavian fashion powerhouse that is H&M & COS, the store is a veritable treasure chest overflowing with beautiful clothes, accessories, lingerie & beauty products. I couldn't justify them on this occasion but I LOVE this black bustier, gold ring, wine coloured tassel sandals & grey mohair beanie.

Instead I treated myself to a couple of staple jewellery pieces that will go with everything & have been adorning my hands & wrists ever since. 

The gold ribcage ring & silver wave bangle came in at just £10 for the ring & £12 for the bangle, for the quality I think the price is amazing. Across the store they have definitely made an effort to keep prices as affordable as possible.

My next purchase was this pair of Zara boots.

I've been on the lookout for a new pair of heeled ankle boots for ages & I actually prefer these to the Ash Jalouse boots I was toying with buying. The fact that they were £29.99 was just an extra bonus!

I wore them to the Grazia event at the Harrods Fashion Lab earlier this week & they are far more comfortable than the four inch heel would suggest. They also come in black & sand but I'm glad I went for the khaki colour. The sludgey green is really versatile & neutral, working well to break up the all-black outfits I gravitate towards during the winter.

Have you made any new purchases? I love seeing what other people have been buying so please leave a link to your shopping posts or a comment below!

Harriet x