Sustainable & Ethical Lifestyle Blogger
A short and sweet post to finish the adventure.
We packed up the car, said goodbye to the lovely Gillie Cottage before heading off back to London.
We decided to make a pit stop at Oxburgh Hall to break the journey and it happened to be National Apple Day.
We woke up after a slight lie in to more blue skies and quickly jumped into the car to head off to another favourite place of ours; Holkham Beach.
Before I continue telling you about my Norfolk adventures I thought I’d invite you to have a little snoop around the gorgeous cottage we stayed in Gillie Cottage.
We were greeted with beautiful blue skies when we woke up so scrambled to get ready for a morning walk.
Continue reading ➞ You Know, There are Two Good Things in Life, Bacon and Cheese|Norfolk Day Two
Norfolk has been a family tradition since I can remember and although I’m sure some people couldn’t bear to visit the same place year after year it’s like reuniting with an old friend from my family and I; so we packed up the car and mum and I headed out of the hustle and bustle of London with Blakeney in mind.
Continue reading ➞ Second Exit on the Motorway and Straight on till Blakeney|Norfolk Day One
Muriel’s Kitchen might not be new to everyone but a new branch just opened in Richmond and I couldn’t wait to try out what it had on offer so along with expert foodie A we popped along to try it out.
Sweater – Topshop|Bralet – Stradivarius|Boots – New Look (similar)|Jeans – ASOS|Necklaces – New Look (similar).
Before I show you any drool worthy food photos here was my comfy casual outfit for a night of stuffing my face – over sized sweaters are a must! Also can we all be impressed that i’m only wearing one item of black!
I kick started the meal with a Vitamin Hug which is a juice full to burst with ginger, carrot, celery,apple and orange, it gets the tastebuds going and makes you feel healthier than ever.
Yes that is a starter for two, and yes that is a huge hunk of cheese. Meet The English Sharing Platter; a feast of cheese, pate, scotch egg paired with a seasonal quiche and caramelised onion relish. So good, so filling I would advise bringing a large appetite.
Luckily I had opted for the Seasonal Salad Plate; a selection of four salads from the menu which you can happily mix and match. Very fresh and full of vegan and gluten free option.
Because I obviously have a separate dessert stomach I ordered the famous Carrot Cake with Honeycomb Ice Cream and I can quite honestly say it is one of the best carrot cakes I have ever had and the biggest. Even if you don’t pop in for a full meal I would highly recommend going for carrot cake and a cup of tea.
Muriel’s Kitchen is gorgeous, the decor is quaint but stylish, the staff are friendly and great at recommending you a dish if you are stuck for ideas. All I would say is make sure you bring a healthy appetite but if you can’t finish it all you can take it away at the end of the night for the next day.
Peace Out and Pixie Dust.
For more information and a full menu click here.
I am very partial to a meal out; preferably with an old friend or family so that we can spend a long time in the restaurant lazily making our way through the courses whilst reminiscing and putting the world to rights. Being a Londoner I have a vast array of choices but have somehow managed to narrow it down to my top five places to eat in (and around) London.
Ping Pong
Kicking it all off with a well known chain Ping Pong; my favourite DimSum place for good service and amazing food. I embarrassingly frequent the Southbank Branch mainly with A by my side shoving pillowy pork buns into my mouth as fast as possible – attractive I know right. They have a great range of both vegetarian and gluten dishes and the main aim is sharing the food with your friends which makes it a great place for a catch up.
I highly recommend: Pork Buns and Duck Spring Rolls.
Website – www.pingpongdimsum.com
St Margarets Tavern
A little outside of London is a gorgeous local pub which I visit a little to often, it’s menu changes according to the season so for a regular it never gets boring but your old favourites always stay – Yes that towering burger is regularly in front of me! Each dish is packed full of flavour and there is something for everyone. It is so much more than just pub grub!
I highly recommend – Bravette and Brisket Burger and Sticky Toffee Pudding.
Website – www.stmargaretstw1.co.uk Instagram – www.instagram.com/stmargaretstw1
Grace Bar
Grace Bar is technically a night club, bar and restaurant all rolled into one but the dining area is quite separate from the rest of it that you don’t really realise. The menu which changes regularly and cocktails are equally amazing, their range of mojitos is right up my street. It’s not a mind blowing place but you know that you are going to have good food and some yummy drinks and that’s all I really look for in a place.
I highly recommend – The whole cocktail menu.
Website – www.grace-bar.co.uk
Brocca
Another one that is a little outside of Central London but trust me its worth visiting; my family and I have been visiting Brocca for years with birthdays, graduation lunches and farther and mothers day dinners taking place there. Brocca is good italian cooking paired with an amazing atmosphere and fantastic service.
I highly recommend – Everything; seriously i’ve never had a bad dish!
Website – www.brocca.co.uk
Seawise
I’ve raved on about this seafood restaurant on this blog a lot so I’ll keep this short and simple. This is the best seafood restaurant in London. Fresh fish that hasn’t travelled a long distance, that’s cooked to perfection in simple dishes that change with the season and are served with a sizeable portion of chips or salad or if you’re lucky both. Amazing staff and decoration, I highly recommend booking for the evening it gets busy quickly!
I highly recommend – The Lobster and the Bang Bang Prawns
Website – www.seawisecamden.com
What are your favourite places in London to eat?
Peace Out and Pixie Dust XO
I loved fashion and dressing up from a young age; I could usually be found wearing all my favourite clothes at the same time with my mums hat and a huge pair of glasses prancing about my room like a proper supermodel but actually finding my style has taken a long time and I am sure its still evolving.
I have fashion regrets like most people; black shorts with turquoise tights at age fifteen was probably not my proudest moments but my fashion statements and designs filter through to create my current ‘look’ – I will always have a little bit of preppy Blair Wardolf in my outfit.
Fashion is all about experimenting and finding a ‘style’ that you are comfortable in. My standard uniform has become jeans of some description with most often a black crop top. It’s simple, I know it looks good and it’s comfortable; then when it comes to special events then I can really play with different ideas. I’m always inspired by film/TV characters, especially when it comes to party outfits.
Fashion can help you become someone else if thats what you want, it’s all about breaking the rules and doing what makes you happy; never let anyone tell you what to wear and what to not wear.
Peace Out and Pixie Dust XO
This week I turned 23 and to celebrate among other things was dinner with my four closest girl friends.
Top – Miss Selfridge|Jeans – New Look (similar)|Shoes – Kurt Geiger|Necklace – Accessorize (similar).
Without getting mushy these girls have stuck by me through thick and thin and I would be lost without them.
We started off with a few glasses of good old bucks fizz before heading to one of my all time restaurants ‘Brocca‘ in St Margarets.
I went for the Coconut and Lemon Crusted Prawns followed by Braised Beef Rib with Parsnips Crisps and Wasabi Mash. Both were amazing but we skipped dessert and headed home for a spot of birthday cake.
I had such a lovely evening with my girls and they made getting a year older slightly easier!
Peace Out and Pixie Dust XO
We started our last day with another museum trip – what can I say I love museums.
The Stromness Museum is situated within the heart of the village and is full of local stories and pieces of history.
As the weather was so lovely we just strolled throughout the village soaking up all the beautiful views.
And made some more friends.
We popped into Kirkwall for a spot of lunch at a lovely cafe and live music venue called The Reel before flying home to London.
I absolutely adored my time in Orkney and my mum and I are already planning a trip back next year but this time with my sister and her family. It’s absolutely stunning and I only saw a small snippet of it.
Peace Out and Pixie Dust XO
What Kate Did Next 