I'm going to start planning which of the fun and quirky cocktail bars I've read about that I'm going to visit the next time I'm in Los Angeles, and also officially add going wine tasting in Napa or Sonoma to my foodie travel to do list. Why? Because today is my 21st birthday! I arrived back in Kent last night so I could celebrate with my parents. As in my close group of best friends everyone but Kathryn's birthday are within a month of each others, we've already done some celebrating together, and I had a pre birthday lunch at
Dishoom a few weekends ago with my London friends, I just wanted to keep it low key! We're just going out to one of my favourite local restaurants tonight. I'll try and take some photos for you all, but I do want a bit of a blog break today! However, to celebrate my 21st today
if you enter the code BIRTHDAY21 at the checkout when buying blog advertising, you will get 21% off - today only, though! Right, I'm off to make myself a birthday breakfast.
1. Bloody Mary late lunch meeting at
Wright Brothers Oyster & Porter House by Borough Market. | 2. A simply divine Morello Cherry Purée Fondant Doughnut from the
Dum Dums Donutterie at Boxpark in Shoreditch. | 3. An early breakfast of Cherry Tomato, Red Onion & Rosemary Focaccia from
Bread Ahead at Borough Market. | 4. An early birthday lunchtime feast at
Dishoom in Shoreditch. | 5. Pre-birthday drinks on a sunny Sunday with Victoria & Jon outside Rough Trade on Brick Lane. | 6. Beautiful blossoms walking along Southbank.
- Los Angeles? My favourite stationary brand Sugar Paper Los Angeles is having a studio sample sale on the 29th, 10am to 2pm, 2032 Stoner Avenue. So jealous of everyone who can hit it up!
- Elsie from A Beautiful Mess has written a great post on blogging as a young new industry, which gives a nice perspective on blogging as a business model.
- Rose visits the 'What's The Point Of It?' by Martin Creed exhibition in London and had a whale of a time. It is open at the Hayward Gallery until April 27th.
- Sophie has captured an idilic Summer in Sydney in an epic photo diary. She has also taken some brilliant pictures of an Australian Summer storm.
- Some beautiful snapshots from Paris in Springtime.
- Laura Simpson's account of attending the Oscars with her best friend, Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic, witty and a brilliant insight into Hollywood.
- Brockley Market is for sure on my Saturday to do list. Broadway Market is another one I've been neglecting, which is terrible as it is technically my local!
- Lucy actually managed to get a table for brunch at Jackson & Rye, twice (trust me, it is harder than it looks!) and her photos have made me want to go even more now!
- Kate has discovered M1lk, a fantastic brunch in Balham, zone 3 people.
- I love that Helen Graves recreated Findus Crispy Pancakes at home with 100% horse meat.
- Camille Styles has put together an Austin restaurant guide.
- Foodie highlights from Mexico City.
- The story behind Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap.
- 8 Forgotten British Bakes That Deserve A Comeback.
Last week on a busy Tuesday night a joined a group of other bloggers and their executive chef at Wagamamas on Wigmore Street as part of their
#thewayofwagamama campaign. The idea is really to get people to try new things based on the tastes they already enjoy. How many of are are guilty of sitting down in Wagamamas and just ordering the Yaki Soba, Chicken Katzu Curry or the Duck Ramen? We were asked to inform the chef of our favourite dish off the menu before we arrived (I'm a Yaki Soba girl) and they presented us with a couple of dishes they thought we'd like based off of that idea. After a rice dish I was not a fan of, we discovered my favourite; the Raisukaree (above), a green curry chicken dish that I'd already stolen a fair bit off of
Ellie's plate who had been given it first and was sitting next to me. This is what I'll be ordering in Wagamamas in future, as well as their plum wine served with sparking water which I also tried for the first time.
Above we also have my little side dish of Kimchee I ate in about 5 minutes flat, while talking with my chopsticks (apparently I spent enough time living in Los Angeles to consider not only salt and pepper as basic and fundamental condiments, but kimchee and sriracha too!), and the delicious Chicken Chilli Ramen across the table I had serious envy of it was so pretty. Not pictured I was also a big fan of the delicious Chicken Firecracker, but that much chilli I don't think I'd manage if I'd ordered the whole thing, and the miso soup that I slurped down almost as quickly as I put away the kimchee. I know I usually don't write about chain restaurants, but I've already loved Wagamamas for their fresh flavours and ingredients, and I think it is a great place, especially if you don't live in London and have assess to our food scene to try new dishes and flavours. I'm pretty sure that my much loved local branch in Canterbury, for example, is pretty much the only place I could order my favourite fermented cabbage!
7. Hanna in action rolling my Korean Pulled Pork at
Kimchinary, parked up at
KERB King's Cross. | 8. That Monday, 5pm feeling at the end of a sunny day. | 9. My new tripod and I are really not friends. Some hints and tips would be much appreciated! | 10. Probably the best birthday cake I've ever had at
The Savoy Grill for my friend Edward's birthday. | 11. 1/2 pint of prawns at Wright Brothers. | 12. Pineapples on the Sunday Brick Lane market.
What have you been enjoying this week, and what do you have planned for the weekend? I'm down in Kent as I took the train back last night for birthday celebrations today, I'll probably spend the weekend baking a few things for the blog and finishing stuff off for my next university deadline on Thursday, which also happens to be my last day of classes ever. Scary stuff, right?!