Get better soon breakfast

After falling ill with dangerously low blood pressure (ok I added the word dangerously but it's all in the art of story telling. No?)
I was diagnosed with gastroenteritis, had to call out the emergency doctor and was given an anti-sposmadic drug intravenously.

Now if I'd ever taken a Valium (of course i havent mum) I would imagine this to be similar to about 10, blurred vision and walking on clouds. #dreamy.

In addition to this the doctor said I mustn't eat seafood or chilli #sickjoke and made the kitchen whip me Up some rice congee and ginger tea.

Now congee is a type of
Rice porridge available in most Asian counties that left me gagging after 1 mouthful.






I decided to pimp mine
With honey and raisins which made it just about bearable...
Jose goes for Fish sauce and chicken, but then again he is pretty much Vietnamese, or so the whole Of Vietnam Thought anyway....

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We Love Morning Glory

Not the oasis song, nor a little bit of over excitement in the morning but our favourite restaurant in Hoi an which we visited many times, despite the annoying little shit with the annoying gazoo.

And they let us keep on coming (no pun intended) (( apologies that gag even made me cringe)) despite the fact that each night we spiked our juices extremely unsubtely with the compulsory vodka spike, (well the trip budget only goes so far you know?)

Anyway down to the food.

Amazing amazing shrimp summer rolls



Giant king prawns and veg tempura


The mike mills favourite squid stuffed with shrimp



Chilli beef salad, amazing



And.... The ben cooke
Favourite the infamous 'morning glory' or water spinach to those in da know. A must try and also available in viet grill on kingsland road #winwin




There was much more amazing nosh but it was so tasty that each time I went to take a pic I realised we'd eaten it all.

Worth a trip to to Hoi An for this alone. We <3 Morning Glory

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Pimp My Soup

When you're not supposed to be eating bread (and not because I'm a wheato like Downie, I'm just being strong willed), sometimes a bowl of soup doesn't cut it. So, because i am such an off the cuff chef, pimp my soup is born. On this blog at least.

Heat your favourite soup - i love Waitrose lemon rasam - layer on raw spinach, add on poached egg. And there you have it, a meal which will fill you up for at least 20 minutes longer than a can of your basic heinz tomato.

Tummy Trouble

Now although many people think fashion trips away aren't hard work .........for reference please See below The Nam Hai floating spa islands.




All us fashion trippers know that this is NOT the case, not only do we generally survive on less than 5 hours sleep we also tend to fall ill. (all that foreign muck innit) please refer to exhibit A, Hannah vomming on a models hair on the way back from Argentina, exhibit B Fiona's 6 month pregnant belly after unknowingly eating wheat in Croatia and exhibit C Jill almost passing out for heat stroke in brazil. #sufferingforfashion

So a member of the team who shall remain nameless for dignitys sake (clue: she once touched Jeremy Beadles hand) fell ill with a chronic case of stomach cramps. Note the euphemism.

However imagine the shock/surprise when a home remedy cure was available in a local restaurant.



'firm up ones insides' was a drink that consisted of warm orange juice, salt, honey and water.



Tasted alright, did nothing, #hippyshit, so after approximately 9 more toilet trips it was time to move onto the hard stuff ( no pun intended)





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Snack from the Sea

Underwater 'aint just one of this season's biggest fashion trends folks - it's made it onto our snack radar too! Sushi mecca Itsu sent in some crispy seaweed snacks today, and to say they caused an office snack divide is an understatement. Whilst Zoe Aird compared their amazing low cal content (35 a pack to be precise) to celery and declared "what's not to love," Tammi (she's our publisher) described their taste as "a mouthful of sea water." I have to say I agree with her (sorry Zoe), these wafer thin snacks tasted like fishy salty tissue paper - yes Andrews, I know models eat tissue paper. Top tip from Stofberg though: break them up and sprinkle over a sweet Thai green curry. You can tell she's eaten in some posh joints, I'll be using them to wrap up Christmas presents.

The New Surf and Turf

Forget prawns and steak, the new surf and turf is here and it takes the form of calamari stuffed with minced pork.
And mike mills went mad for the bloody stuff. I mean look at that face?! If that's not the epitome of self satisfaction I don't know what is?!




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The Vietnamese Breakfast Bonanza

Now, just to avoid any confusion let me clear up a few things, this was not the breakfasts of a full trip, nor was it the breakfast of the whole team.
This was merely the breakfast for one. Jose 'the consumer' bass.
To his delight breakfast was included and completely limitless, although we did think if ever the staff at The Nam Hai have been close to refusing guests another plate refill then surely this must be it.
Breakfast number 1: chilli beef and noodle soup












Breakfast number 2: bacon, beans and hash brown




Breakfast number 3: chicken curry




Breakfast number 4: pastry selection








This resulted, in food sweats I've never before witnessed. (who knew someone could sweat so much from the top of their nose?!)
On the way back to the room, he declared, I don't even feel that full.
God help Vietnam ...
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Fish Central With New Look

With the biggest PR team and the biggest fashion team in the industry, a LOOK/New Look meet up was always going to be carnage. Fish Central didn't know what hit it!!

Anyway, first up we had some fishy entree's - whitebait, which I'm not convinced about tbh, eating fish heads doesn't sit well with me. There was also calamari, i was going to take a pic but everyone knows what that looks like, right? (if you don't, leave this blog immediately).

Me and Kate had the sea bass, asparagus and tomatoes off the specials menu. Kate loved it so much she got up close and personal. Kisses like a wet fish, much? Fiona had a lovely looking cod dish, Rachel had the snapper with king prawns (cue food envy) and Sarah kept it real with fish and chips. I have no idea what they had on the other 3/4 of the table, perhaps they should do a separate post. There was lots of wine, to the extent where Peter frowned upon me ordering merely a glass ("ok i'll have a bottle") and Jodie was surgically attached to a bottle of red, good luck with packing for Vietnam.

Peter was on top form, telling us how drunk he used to get when he was a PR at another high street store which shall remain nameless. Corr i could murder some percy pigs right now.

Enjoyably, because i had no clue where we were, we were all treated to addy lee's to get us home. Could we BE any more fashion? Thanks new look, you're the best.

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Carb Free Hangover Cure

If you are on a diet and hungover, i suggest you try carb free eggs florentine. Simmer spinach, poach eggs, add ketchup and voila. Not the most filling breakfast in the world but it will at least give you enough strength to pick up the phone and order a dominoes.

Roast Brekkie. Again.

Eggs benedict. The Roast restaurant way. Nothing more (except obligatory side portion of veggie sausages, a flat white and an OJ), nothing less. Breakfast perfection. Thanks Abi and Hannah at Devetta PR! I heart Roast.

Plane pot noodles

After 5 whiskeys, a bottle of red, 2 bloody Mary's , and a screwdriver avec glazed cherries #treschic. (You've gotta love deluxe economy) We started our Vietnamese food affair with a spicy pot noodle.

Now being from good stock I've never actually had one of these bad boys, but ..... it was surprisingly tasty .



After a couple of 'sleeping aids'
Mike mills was actually un-wake-up-able and whiteyed at baggage collection. What can I say the 'andrews effect' is catching.

Tune in later for more Vietnamese
Treats, that's all folks

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The mega chocolate brick torte

It's not actually called that, it's a "Bitter chocolate and hazelnut torte" by the River Cafe peeps (they obvs gave me the receipe as a personal favour but the plebs can now get it from their recipe books).
But thanks to two oversights I've had to rename it...
1) the recipe called for 16 eaters-we were 6.
2) although deliciously rich and possibly the best pudding I've mastered, it lies on ones stomach much like a brick.
So my tip is make it, but have an army of chocoholics to feed and the addition of ice cream is the perfs mortar.
500g dark chocolate.
500g butter
500g hazelnuts
500g sugar (no kcals in it clearly)
And 12 eggs!!!The ingredients should have been the clue.

Mix butter and sugar till soft, melt dark chocolate mix that in. Then beat in eggs to the mixture slowly. Lastly add chopped hazelnuts and mix well.Bake at 160 for 45/50 mins and voila- brick cake.

Saturday Stroll: Maltby Street Market

Starbucks, Costa, Monmouth - SNOOZE, there's a new coffee joint in town! Some friends of CK's (that's charlotte keohane, not calvin Klein - i'm not that well connected) opened up a little coffee stand at Maltby street market near Tower Bridge. Despite the obligatory caffeine shakes (that's my kinda high) my flat white was the best i've tasted in a long time, and more enjoyably it was next to a cake stand AND a stall where they were shaving meat off (dead) animals legs. No wonder Jamie looks so happy - he's got the best pitch in town! He's there every Saturday folks! Afterwards, i had a photo taken next to a soldier statue thing, mega lolz, and then we went to watch our horses lose in the grand national. I had to have a strong gin and tonic, and not just to drown out the drunks in wetherspoons, (my friends are so annoying) but also because i lost £8 thanks to some lame excuses for race horses who quite literally fell at the first hurdle. Such a roller coaster of emotions in one afternoon.

Aintree Races With Matalan

I felt a bit ropey this morning (thanks Boudoir) but after applying some sequins and a layer of fake tan I was Liverpool ready. 1st class Virgin (train service not companion), champers and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs made for a great start to the day. We had a lovely day looking at all the Matalan style contestants and posing for paps - I believe the daily mail have the exclusives.

Pour luncheon we had a parmesan risotto cake and parma ham, followed by duckling montmorency and then walnut whip baked alaska, which has to be the sweetest thing i have ever eaten in my entire life. Apart from all those german pastries and nutella sandwiches i was force fed as a child, obvs.

I had my celeb spot hat on, but the most famous people i saw were jeff 'you make me fancy essex accents' brazier and that john horse commentator man who was sporting a very victoria beckham inspired animal motif coat/tent.

There were unfortunately two downsides to the day. 1) i discovered three year old garnier fake tan does not work and i henceforth felt very pale. 2) i now have an unhealthy addiction to betting on the nags. Thankfully there is a betfred on commercial road.

I did not find a husband (again) but Toni Jones of the sun fame kept flirting with the adolescent train trolley dolley,(male) on the way home. i think the miracle grow, which she had clearly been using to dose up her 'blooming marvellous' head gear made her a bit giddy

Got to go now betfred closes soon.

Thursday Cocktails With Boudoir

Natasha and Judy, aka the gals at Boudoir aka the PR gurus behind Missguided, Lipsy and Galibardy (talking shop over) took myself, Story and the Ridge out to the London Cocktail Club for a good ol' catch up. Stofberg tagged along but she was meeting a friend - since when did paying for your own drinks get cool? Anyway, since we'd had a tough week looking at shoes, bags and dresses #stressful, cocktails in copious quantities were just what the doctor ordered (prescription, fact). My fave was brambly apple smash, such a good way to get one of your five a day and get drunk, two birds one stone and all. Natasha had something in a teacup, although she left the custard creams, whatareyoudoing. And because there was a 'like it or we'll give you your money back guarantee' (hello asda-esque marketing) we ordered a bacon and egg cocktail for the table. Literally smelt like a full english, and tasted a bit like feet. Cue white wine. Needless to say we all left a bit worse for wear, 6am rise for Aintree races the next morning so not ideal. Thankyou very much Boudoir we heart you and your catwalk copies (without which I might be out of a job).

Miracle Defying Disney Chicken

En route to Tokyo Disney and Jake says to Andrews "are you excited?!" my reply was of course "yes, for food. I'm starving".

Well I neednt have been after seeing the ranko food Mickey and Co had to offer.

After seeing the breakfast options I wasn't holding out much hope for lunch



Don't get me wrong I like a muffin, but they're not exactly rustic are they? MSG springs to mind and does EVERYTHING have to be Mickey shaped?! We get it!! We're in Disney!! Plus it's not exactly fair. Donald and Winnie didn't get a look in.

Anyhow come lunch we decided upon the Queen Of Hearts Restaurant whose speciality was rotisserie chicken. A winner surely?!

Of course, with it being Disney we had to queue. But who cares about queuing for f*cking ages when you're starving when you've got these guys to entertain?!



Major LOLZ.

After queuing to get in, queuing for our food, then queuing to sit down whilst said food was getting cold my stomach was beginning to eat itself and my hip bones were at risk of cutting passers by so I had no choice but to eat what was in front of me

Half a roast chicken with "veg"


The "veg" was broccoli boiled to within an inch of its life and boiled potatoes. I mean seriously, who boils potatoes in 2012?!

The reason I have named this post "miracle defying" is that it's the only time I have eaten and once finished there has been more on my plate to begin with.




I'm not even a Nando's fan but seriously, Peri Peri pisses all over the The Queen of Hearts. Come to think of it I never actually saw any live chickens in Japan so god knows what it was.

Maybe I should of gone for Jakes heart shaped burger with poached egg combo (wtf?!)



Not forgetting the grated carrot garnish. MmmmMmmMmmm.

Fine dining for just a mere £35. (!!!!!!!) All smiles and innocence on the outside I tell ya but those characters are nothing but scheming rip off merchants.

Sorry Mickey but we'll pass on dessert thanks. And I suggest you stop prancing up and down 'Main Street' getting your photo taken and spend more time employing quality staff in your dining departments.



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