Sunday Brunch

No, I'm not about to write a blog post on that twat Tim Lovejoy.

Instead, SCS aka boyfriend of dreams (most of the time) treated me to an impromptu brunch at one of our favourite hangouts, The Elgin in Maida Vale. In the nicest possible way it's all a bit rough round the edges, with mismatching chairs, warehouse style lighting and unique art on the walls. It's owned by the same company as Graphic, Central & Co and The Alice House in Queens Park, which all have the same kind of feel. Pretty awkward when you realise all of your favourite places to eat and drink are owned by the same company, I can assure you. The owner is making an absolute mint out of me. 

Anyway, I digress.

While I'm usually a fan of eggs for brunch, this morning I opted for the buttermilk pancakes with banana, bacon and maple syrup. Perfect portion size and fresh ingredients. Although I must admit I did feel mildly sick after, have no self control when it comes to maple syrup. Or wine, for that matter.

Sam opted for poached eggs, tomatoes and bacon and a round of toast. Now, this was a particularly revolutionary dine for Sam, because he realised that he does actually like tomatoes. "I can't believe I like tomatoes," he said. "I literally found out today. I'm almost 24 and I just realised."

The man has eaten them in basically every meal since we've been together so it wasn't exactly a shock for me, but some people can just be rather slow on the uptake. And yes before you ask, he is younger than me. I've still got it, folks.

After a couple of cappuccinos (their coffee takes a beating also) we trotted off, myself to work where I spent 9 hours writing solidly about Kim sodding Kardashian and Sam to a BBQ. Damn him.

Thanks for a lovely brunch SCS, I really enjoyed it even though you hold your knife incorrectly. 

Xx

Ladies that lunch

I had a lovely day with my loveliest Mum on Friday.

After a bit of work at her antique shop, where I met some scary new friends, we went in search of some shoes.

After travelling across three counties and driving 2.5 hours, we tracked them down in Oxford, so after all that hard work we worked up quite an appetite.

We hit up Browns brassiere, a bit of an Oxford hot spot, which appaz used to be a Morris garage. It's quite Great Gatsby. Aside from the lack of Leonardo DiCaprio, that is.

Anyway, Mum and myself both opted for the chicken and avacado sandwich in rosemary focaccia. With chips, obvs. Mum did note that the coleslaw looked like cat sick (toilet humour is rife in the Eichler family) but once we tucked in we realised it was fresh, crunchy and delicious.

While Browns looks a bit posh the prices are ever so reasonable, these sarnies were just £8 each. And trust me, there was a lot there, I couldn't even finish it and that's saying something. Complex carbohydrates are my middle names.

Also, absolutely excellent coffee. 

Top marks, Browns! We'll be back.

Timberland for tea

When the lovely Hawt Helen from IPR (I think that's what they call her) invited me to a Timberland (no longer just for 2pac)  workshop where you could try your hand at skateboard making, whiskey tasting, DJ-ing and BBQ-ing.

My response was 'I'm in' but who else is going? Now although I find myself a megalol, discovered by many a tinder date where i've had a whale of a time.....with myself, I do tend to work better in a pair, a kind of Robson and Jerome scenario. 

So much to my delight the response was don't worry we've put you with Lucia. *phew* So me and Maxine,(Lucia's alter ego) headed with gin cocktail in hand to the skateboard seminar. #skatergals Held by Stuart Smith from inky fingers we got to decorate our own boards. Not that I'm at all competitive, but ours were mega and everyone else's sucked ass (official skate term,I'm sure) infact we had to be dragged away from the sharpies to give the others a turn. #spoilsports

From this we then went onto a tasting guide of woodaged spirits with Tom 'hottie' Sandham #taketheringoff #marryme #imyours (I may have developed a small crush) part of 'the thinking drinkers' he told us loads of different stuff about spirits. I'm sure it was interesting but I spent most the time trying to give him love eyes and mouthing to Todd that I'd found the one that I can't quuuiitttee remember. Vanilla, that's it, they have vanilla in them.  

Hubba Hubba. He made us drink tequila, whiskey and rum and tried to convince us that if we weren't keen on the flavours it was important to drink more to become accustomed. SEE mum that's what I've been doing all these years. FINALLY a bit of back up from a professional, those AA people have no idea. On leaving Lucia asked for his 'details' wasted on marriage, this one would have cleaned up on guardian soulmates.

                     Tequila- VOM

On from tequila tasting we made a move for the decks. That's right the decks. Unfortunately they hadn't got the Beyoncé memo, but the event was so super slick we'll let em off. DJ Bristow showed us all sorts of tricks.. That left Lucia speechless. Anyone that knows her will understand this is no small feat. 

We hung we our new BFFs, Nas in particular, or pharrell to us, actually he doesn't know we call him that but if you will wear one of those funny hats what do you expect? After this us gals and the ladZ hit the final workshop which was my fave the BBQ stand.

Held by DJ BBQ and his mate Steve the butcher, we learnt how to make melt in the middle burgers and beercan chicken.

Deelliissshh 

Apaz I made the best burger and got offered a job in a butchers. GET.OVER.IT. So we celebrated in style.. With our new crew. Aiiiggghhht

                   Brothers 4 life.

An amazing time had at an amazing event. Thanks IPR. thanks Timberland. http://www.timberlandonline.co.uk Ayour clobber was pretty cool too.

And here's Tom from thinking drinkers when he realised our love could never be. One day tom, one day.

Nellist

A shopping tip

Check the cupboards and write a list before you go. Not only will you avoid buying things you already have but you'll save money, too.

No household needs this many bottles of soy sauce. 

Dean Street Town House

No, before you ask - Richard P Bacon was not in attendance. I'm beginning to go off him if I'm honest. (Only joking RPB forever).

Anyhoo, the lovely Emily from Emerge treated me to a Dean Street Dine, and how lovely it was.

Now I'm normally a sausages for breakfast kinda gal, but today I bucked the trend with an omelette. I even ordered off menu and asked for "a proper omelette." I don't go in for this egg white nonsense. It was filled with spinach and ham (and cheese, obviously).

Now I'll admit, when it rocked up at the table I instantly thought it looked like a perfectly formed poo. But, once I got over that and tucked in it was delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned and I even had a token round of toast. Yes readers, as well as egg yolks I also like carbohydrates. High fashion I certainly ain't.

Emily opted for the classic avacado on toast with side of smoked salmon. I'd never considered smoked salmon as a side before, but I certainly will now. 

Emily rubs shoulders with the elite (aka the Made in Chelsea cast) so I got some excellent gossip. We talked about work for a bit, too. 

Thanks for a great start to the day Emily!

When your boyfriend is out...

....eat the things he says are "bad for you."

Macaroni cheese here I come! Also just inhaled three glasses of wine.

Might as well make it a fat-trick and start on that jar of Nutella in the cupboard.

Welcome home darling! Yes I've eaten, I had a salad....

Jess's last PR supper

My darling friend Jess celebrated her last day as a fashion PR yesterday. Yep, the girl who I wrote groundbreaking fashion columns with for our university magazine has had enough and is leaving to be a teacher. It's the in thing, appaz. 

So what with that and the fact it's her birthday next week, a good old piss up was the obvious choice. A monumental day, followed by a monumental hangover, I can assure you.

We started the night off well by having an amazing dinner at soho hangout Jackson & Rye.

Super friendly staff, amazing ambience and the grub was top notch too. 

Jess, Pippa and myself opted for the buttermilk fried chicken and coleslaw which basically beats any fried chicken you've ever eaten before. Chicken Cottage  included.

Becky had the crab cakes, and chose a side of lettuce wedges. She was intrigued by what lettuce wedges actually were but quite frankly I'm not entirely sure what had her so confused. It's lettuce, cut into wedges.

To finish Jess and myself shared the peanut butter cookies and ice cream which was basically like crack in pudding form, and Becky and Pippa had the marshmellows. Never been a fan of marshmellows myself but they seemed impressed.

We then had espresso martinis, which are my new favourite thing. Sadly Sam doesn't feel the same and told me they are his new least favourite thing, mainly because I got in and woke him up "singing excessively" and then apparently bit his beard hair. Clearly the man doesn't know a come on when he sees one.

Anyway, after our delicious dinner we met up with Katie and Macca who was absolutely steaming having had her own leaving drinks, and nipped across the road to a place called O Bar.

It was seedy at best, played pop music and served double gin and tonics as standard. I was in my element!

A great night had by all, well done for jumping the fashion ship, Jess! Good luck pandering to those snotty nosed little shits. There are some similarities between being a primary school teacher and being a PR after all...

P.S if you go to Jackson & Rye, check in on Facebook and show the staff and you get a free Bellini!

Mexican Salad

Yes, before you say it, we really do only eat Mexican and BBQ food at our gaff. 

Tonight's dine was a spin on the classic Caesar salad, I've made it a number of times before and it always goes down well. It's funny how just a bit of chilli can take things into man territory.

Start by beating up your chicken. Lay chicken breasts between two sheets of grease proof paper and beat with a rolling pin until the breasts are about an inch thick. Excellent stage for taking out a spot of agression. Sodding.Post.Man.I.Hate.Royal.Mail.

Then grind together some spices with a pestle and mortar - basil, paprika, cumin and fennel seeds make a great combo. Sprinkle this over the chicken then massage in to make sure the spices get absorbed. You can always beat the spices in if anger issues have not yet resided.

Start to fry the chicken in a little oil in a frying pan. In a seperate pan fry off some chopped up bacon until crispy.

Meanwhile make up your salsa - slice tomatos, chilli, spring onion and coriander, the juice of one lime and a drizzle of olive oil.

Then make your Guacamole - blend avacado, a few cherry tomatos, coriander, a chilli and the juice of one lime in a food processor. Or keep it real and mash with a fork (how primitive).

Put the squeezed limes in your salad bowl.

Tip: before squeezing your limes, roll them on a flat surface to release the juices.

Layer up your salad in the bowl with the limes - baby gem lettuce, rocket, coriander, a red chilli and crumble in some feta cheese.

Check your chicken - it should be turning nice and crispy so turn it over. Stir your bacon.

Make your chips - slice up tortilla wraps into triangles and lay onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive and sprinkle with salt. Pop into the oven for about 5 mins until slightly brown.

When your chicken is done, slice it into chunks. Pop your bacon, guacamole and salsa into seperate bowls, and take to the table along with your lettuce leaves and some soured cream.

Then leave your guests to make up their own salad - sociable, healthy(ish), filling and utterly delicious. With it's mix of Mexican and Greek flavours this bad boy is like the love child of Julius Caesar and Speedy Gonzales. If they were foods of course. 

Thanks M&S

Absolute snacking perfection from M&S. 

Loads of prawns, amazing tangy sauce.

Now craving a full on prawn cocktail.

The inventor of which is a genuine genius. Possibly the best starter ever, way better than all this ponsy caviar crap - we like to keep it real on this blog.

Breakfast

I've run out of cereal. And bread. And milk.

So because I also couldn't be bothered to go to the shop, breakfast was looking a bit bleak this morning. 

Luckily we had eggs, avacado and some cherry tomatos in, so I whipped up some scrambled eggs, seasoned slices of avacado and heated through the tomatos in a frying pan. 

Et voila, a healthy and filling breakfast that might seem weird but works perfectly and tastes delicious. 

For lunch there's some cheese, some asparagus, peppers, spinach,

one egg and some left over cherry tomatos. Tune in later to see what I make.

I feel like I'm on ready steady cook.