Lunching with Claire's

No, no, before you ask - we did not all go and get our ears pierced. Which is a relief really as I fainted when I had mine done at 15 years old #neveragain

Instead the lovely Hind, Melissa and Josie descended on the Blue Fin Building to take us NOW mag ladies out for a spot of lunch...alrhough thankfully not at the Blue Sky Cafe where maggots in salad are a speciality.

A fave lunch haunt (and not just because of the convenient location) we hit up The good old Refinery (or the refo to regulars).

Josie had a rather theatrical chicken in a basket, which did exactly what it said on the tin. Cue dissuasion on why boys hate wicker...am quite frankly still none the wiser. Gilly had a haloumi burger, Lydia and Sarah had the chicken club and as for Hind and Melissa...I don't know as they were at the other end of the table.

Now having had a few wines the night before I was in eat like a horse mode, and - assisted my partner in carb crime Sarah - opted for a steak sandwich with the small matter of macaroni cheese and chips as a side to share. In my defence we worked out the nutritional value (calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, folks) and I didn't eat the bread so it's practically a well balanced meal. Although needless to say I didn't feel like eating anything that evening - liquids it is.

Jodie even cracked out the Halloween masks - oh the lols.

Thanks for a delightful dine, ladies! I was tempted to take a nap in the fashion cupboard afterwards. 

Eat breakfast like a king...

Just saw these in Tesco. Can't work out what has shocked me more. The fact you can get Reese's Pieces puffs, or the price tag. Don't care. Buying. Now. 

Having my cake and eating it

This is baci cake. It's Maltese. It's chocolate cake with nuts. Basically like a forrero rocher cake aka better than crack. (Or so I've heard). 

Birthday Burgers

I turned 29 last week. Luckily being on holiday while the 2-9 struck softened the blow, but still I have begun to come to the sad realisation that I am very nearly 30. FFS.

When we returned some of my favourite people in life came up to London to visit: In no particular order - nephew of dreams Oliver, Mother Dear Lesley and Sister from the same mister (presumably - I have often been told I am adopted) Liz.

Along with boyfriend of dreams SCS we hit up West Hampstead for a pub lunch.

True to form (we are German, we like order) we all ordered burgers. Well, except Oliver, he had a sausage roll. 

Four cheese and bacon burgers sitting in a row...

For pud I had an apple and berry crumble, absolutely delish. Hello comfort food. God knows I need it.

Oliver you are more scrummy than my crumble by a country mile.

More cheese

Baked camembert has become standard issue after dinner fayre at our gaff. Mildly excessive. Although one must consider the fact cheese is packed with proteins and calcium which is essential for strong bones and teeth. It is also carb free. 

Rea's Dirty 30th

First up, it wasn't dirty at all. Infact it was pretty civilised. Until the fourth bottle of wine was finished, anyway. 

Myself and D to the Ario took our fave wee Scot out to celebrate the big 3-0. Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day (also the only meal that day) we went for a spot of breakfast at The Breakfast Club in Spitalfields. And a good start to the day it was, those bottles of prosecco didn't drink themselves later on...

The hairdresses opted for the chorizo hash thing, and I had a cheat day and went for pancakes. Beyond generous portion size and absolutely de-lish. They even gave Rea a glass of prosecco as it was her birthday. Um, where's ours??

Sorry Rea blinked, bad times.

I gave Rea - a self confessed selfie obsessive - a Selfy Stick for her birthday, which went down rather well. Also a card with Selfie Whore written on it. What can I say, I go with a theme and run with it.

We had a mooch around the market, then headed off to Brick Lane for a peruse round the vintage shops. By 3pm it was time for a drink so we headed to the Book Club where the debauchery began. Thanks Charlotte for ensuring those bottles of prosecco didn't run dry. 

After that we headed back West (where we belong) and went to our usual haunt in Saint John's Wood where we met our pal Sammi. Two bottles later and I was quite frankly sozzled. I was clearly drunk because I was loving drinking rose. I usually hate rose. See ya, taste buds.

9am meeting the next day, I do not remember you. Happy birthday Rea! X

Monday Meat Fest

Turns out this no carb thing means we're practically on the Atkins diet. Anything with a pulse is lunch.

So on Monday Sam took me out for lunch, to the most laddy restaurant of them all: Bodeans. Dark hill billy interior, sports on screens, MEAT. This is lad heaven. I've known guys who have dedicated 'Meat Clubs' there.

We ordered the Bodeans platter, which had ribs, pulled pork, chicken and beef on, and more coleslaw than I have ever seen. The waiter looked like us like we'd just called his mother a c**t when we said we didn't want chips. 

Anyway, it was great. Certainly set us up for a day of hardcore clothes shopping. Clothes shopping where I didn't buy anything and SCS spent about £250. Lavish as per.

Sausages

Barely a week goes by at Fernhead road without a sausage fest. Of the food variety of course.

We've dubbed ourselves sausage snobs because we only eat sausages from the pigs reared on my sisters farm. We have nightmares about Richmond sausages.

Thanks to the fact carbs are strictly out (well, strictly-ish) sausage and mash is off the menu.

So tonight clever Sam made us sausage kebabs, which were served with roasted veg, asparagus and broccoli. Delish! 

More cheese please

Baked camembert for dinner for the second night in a row. No carbs though so it's ok. Cheese is packed with protein which is ESSENTIAL for strong bones and teeth. Heart complications, not so much. 

New fave juice

I bought this little carton of deliciousness this weekend. Loved it. It was from Whole Foods so it set me back about £8.50 but you get what you pay for folks. Who else makes rhubarb and apple juice? If anyone tells me Tesco sell it for 99p a litre I'm gonna kick off.

Bread alternative

If you've read the previous post (only if you can be arsed) you'll know that our gaff has gone carb free for a bit. I say carb free, I had a hash brown with my breakfast...

Nevertheless, as we're not allowed bread (turns out that's actually carbs FFS) we've had to come up with an alternative for baked camembert. Carrots seemed a good idea. Not quite the same. In fact it's not the same at all. Could murder some pitta bread.

No Toast

Yes, that title is as ridiculous as it sounds.

No bread, no pasta, no potatoes, no rice. I am nil carbs by mouth, and have been for three weeks. Well, maybe there have been a few slip ups (Special K is not carbs, ok?) but generally, I am in hell. 

Another breakfast comes in and I am quite frankly getting a bit sick of ordering smoked salmon scrambled eggs and NO TOAST. It just looks a bit lost on the plate really. I want something with substance, damn it.

So today when the lovely Sarah from M&Co took me for breakfast at The Table, I went the whole hog. Well, minus the toast

Now I am aware that baked beans do have carbs but they also have FIBRE which is essential for a healthy digestive system. Sometimes we have to make compromises for the greater good, people.

Anyway it was effing delicious. Ate all the meat and left most of the tomato/mushroom situation. Some vegetables do have carbs in and one can't be too careful.

Thanks for a lovely brekkie Sarah! Xx

Carpet Picnic

We've recently decided to get rid of all of the furniture in our living room. Who needs a sofa, table and chairs and coffee table anyway?!

Thankfully we have replaced the sofa (changes into a sofa bed and everything -  and yes it is from ikea) but otherwise carpet picnics are the way forward until further notice. 

Last night's picnic dine wasn't cucumber sandwiches and scotch eggs. It was fajitas. I've been off complex carbohydrates for a while so treated myself to one measly wrap, and golly, I went at it like a lion mauling at an antelope. We then watched Goodfellas. Romance levels running high on Fernhead road! 

BBQ Tip

Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis (that's no one then - awkward) will know that BBQ's are a big deal at Chez Caldwell-Smith-Eichler. We've got a small one which was purchased for NYE, and we recently graduated to a big boy BBQ when I bought it for Sam for his birthday.

Now when it's just the two of us we've been known to just fire up the little one, which is of no comparison of course but hey, we don't discriminate (much).

To get the thing going Sam came up with an ingenious idea. Get the extension lead out and get the hair dryer on it. Well, he is a hair stylist. What with the fact it's fire plus electricity I did have reservations about the idea. But he pulled it off without any casualties! Hot coals in an instant! 

Mac n Cheese

I like traditions.

Especially when it involves food.

Now whenever I visit Jess's parents gaff in Bath it is customary to eat some of Mrs Davis' legendary macaroni cheese.

Every time she's shocked by how much we eat. Waste not want not and all that. You said it was for two...

And yes those are token tomatoes.

Also obligatory is making Rusty pose with bottles of wine. Don't tell the RSPCA, he likes it. Too much if anything.

A BBQ Tip

Coals struggling to light? 

Get the hair dryer on the case. Quick, easy, and definitely without risk of third degree burns. 

W is for Wedding

I love a wedding.

And it's not just because I'm one of the most hopelessly romantic/neurotic people ever and I like to dress up and dance.

No, no, no.

The real reason I love a wedding is because of the sheer level of food and booze it's acceptable to consume.

The wedding of Nick and Ria (aka Mr & Mrs Campbell) was so top notch there wasn't even a notch in sight.

Amazing location with a festival themed wedding at Cornish Tipi Holidays, we all stayed in super cute tipi's. I say super cute, ours had a massive rainbow painted on the side so I felt like one of the Gay Pride pack.

Now what with both Nick and Ria being Yanks, a few ghastly Americanisms were part and parcel.

In a good way of course - on the first night after the BBQ I was introduced to this revolutionary new snack which obviously I forgot to take a picture of. 

Melt a marshmallow, put said melted marshmallow on a digestive biscuit, put a couple of chunks of dairy milk on top, then top with another chocolate digestive. I do love a sandwich. 

We'd been provided with breakfast packs with sausages, eggs, bacon, beans etc, with more kitchen equipment than in my own kitchen at home.  So on the day of the wedding we woke up (mildly hungover) and lined our stomachs for a day of serious boozing. 

One of the most romantic days I have ever experienced, blubbed the whole way through. Told you I was neurotic.

Anyway enough of that - let's talk food.

We had a delightful shot of pea soup as our amuse bouche, followed by cured meats, olives, breads etc (Danielle "picky bits" Brown was in her element), roast lamb, salad and new potatoes for main and for pud we had the best brownies I've ever eaten in my entire life. And that's saying something. Loved how they were decorated with pretty flowers, too. Looked way better than the boring old fruit cake some weddings have. I ate my own portion and Danielle's and SCS had about six helpings. Potentially from our fellow table guests when they weren't looking #snoozeyoulose 

SCS also in his element with novelty new tankard. Those breasts move and everything! Ah, look as his face.

Now what with the fact wine was on tap and I got far too excited hanging out with my new BFF Freya (she's 10) an early bed time was inevitable. We'll say it was midnight but it could have been before. I missed a silent disco and everything. 

Best wedding evverrr, so glad we could be there. Am still feeling a bit wobbly with emotion. So happy for those two Yankee doodles. Big love xxx

Ascot with Phase Eight

I've long been a fan of going to the races.

My favourite year of which being the time I went to Aintree with Matalan and ended up lost and sobbing on the streets of Marylebone. SCS really enjoyed coming to rescue me and putting me to bed that night...

Well this time I upped my game and went to Royal Ascot with Phase Eight (amazing AW14 collection FYI - not just tapework dresses).

We were treated to a three course lunch in Ascot village, afternoon tea and more drinks than you could shake a stick at AND I even got to wear some of Phase Eights new season clobber. Lucky doesn't even come close!

Now as this was a few weeks ago (and the fact drinks were on tap) exactly what I ate remains a bit of a blur. A delicious blur at that.

I had an excellent day, saw some interesting outfits (Lucia Debieux of Marie Claire fame being one of them - that girl has no fashion sense). If her editor finds out she wore an old season H&M dress she'll get the sack. High street clothes bring those high fash girls out in a cold sweat - Jodie Nellist told me.

Anyway, thanks Phase Eight for a brilliant day, this lowly freelancer felt truly spoilt. I came back having won a tenner, seen the Queen and I made it home sober(ish) in one piece. Result!