A Pork BBQ

I am writing this from my bed. I can't move, I must have gained nearly 2 stone now. #sendhelp #meatoverdose #PEA #porkeatersanonymous.

After a bacon bagel for breakfast we went to one of Brooklyns best BBQ's Fette Sau on Metropolitan Avenue. This is a meat eaters dream, veggies don't even bother. 

The knives are actually beer taps, just pull back and buy a gallon of beer. Each. Jose liked his. 

We let the boys order. Error. So instead of any variety we ended up with pork spare ribs, belly pork and burnt end baked beans with pork. 

It was tasty and just what we needed after I dragged everyone to every card shop in Williamsburg (you can NEVER have too many) it was pretty pricey though about $25 a head. We felt a little 'ribbed off' and it didn't quite 'meat' our expectations. Inhaled the lot in about 5 minutes and hit the mean streets of Brooklyn for our next dine. 

Pies and Thighs

So we're here! Good morning America. Which means meeeeeaaattttttt!!! After what seemed like a super swift flight due to the a couple of wines, hip flask of vodka and the odd 'sleep aids' we landed into a rainy NYC. 

Rocked up to our amazing air B and B. £55 a night y'all and we're ready to eat me and elz have now been #meatfree for 2 weeks now. The longest 2 weeks of my life BTW and we were waiting til entry to the U.S. To break our pact. We asked our air b n b hosts where's best to eat and they recommended 'pies and Thighs' a fried chicken place literally opposite our new pad. Apaz this place normally has yanks queuing round the block, but due to marginal rain, the type that would close down the district line for a week, the gaff was half empty. 

It was a kind of a warehouse style, open air, rough round the edges chicken shop, that also did burgers. Just what the meat doctor ordered. 

Jose 'the consumer' bass ordered a cheese burger with a side of macaroni and a fried chicken breast. Obviously. 

It was finger licking perfection.  Look what a difference a bit of meat makes. #happy #lovemeathateveg #5meatsaday

A trip to Scotts

The old man came down for the day so we decided to fish it up in Scotts, which I reckon is the best fish restaurant in London. Next level. For those of you that don't know it's now more well known as Londons top strangulation spot, ask Nigella. Rumour is they were arguing over who got the last prawn. See told you it was good.

Senior Nellist is the Mark Fowler of the North who has a 3am start time at work. As a result of this, boozing at 11am is like an evening nightcap or so he tells me as we hit the pub at opening hours. His favourite pub in audley street where he used to hang out with his hippy mates in his roadie days apaz! #dadasahippy #stillgotamullet

After a swift half, Obvs I mean pint we headed to Scott's on Mount Street. 

As you enter its like the hanging gardens of Babylon. Never been. So you know it's swank. 

Also it's proper old school the kind of place where seventy year old men in full 3 piece tweed suits with extravagant umbrellas dine alone. I'm a little in awe of  the doorman who looked like he resides at Lords. #wishhewasmygrandad

I start with a champagne cocktail 'twinkle' and the bread and butter. Now normally I wouldn't bang on about something so simple. But it's THE best I've had, I don't know what they put in it. I'm tempted to come back and ask for a tap water and bread. I wonder if that's allowed. 

As the menu is pretty much all fish, great for us weekly 'pescatarians' lolz. I am literally spoilt for choice. It is pricey like so save for special occasions or find someone rich with dollar to take you. A 'friend' of mine once went on www.sugardaddy.com so that might be a good place to start looking. 

My dad went for 8, yes 8 deep fried oysters with a sweet chilli dip (We all have mega appetites in the nellist clan) these are amazing, even if you're  not an oyster eater you should try.

I went for the seafood cocktail- I think this may be my death row meal. It has king prawn, lobster and crab. Absolute perfection, suppose it should be for £18.

After this I was full as I'd gorged on the bread and butter and previously eaten the pastry off a sausage roll. I forgot I was veggie. But the old man insisted. 'I'm paying' not one to turn down free food I ordered the sole goujons telling myself I just wouldn't eat tea. I did. 

My dad had the lobster Thermidor with a side of aubergine parmigiana.

Soooo good. I reckon I could eat here daily and never get bored. Then I managed to get the old man drunk and bundle him into Celine where he kept haggling the staff for discount. 'How much???' 'Come on you can at least knock us off fifty quid' The staff looked completely bemused, I'm not sure they deal with many fruit sellers. 

I managed to get these dreamy sandals. I have a pair just like it from river island, but whatevs these ones say ceeelliiiinneee.

 

A Reluctant Veggie Side

I'm off to NYC in a week and intend to Man vs Food my way around Brooklyn. That in combination with my fella telling me I eat too much meat?! WTF? Has meant I've gone #meatfree for a couple of weeks. Obvs I don't mean fish- give me a friggin break people. 

I always thought this would be eaaassssyyyyy, I don't eat that much meat, I prefer fish, I'm happy to eat veggie. Lies, lies, lies. I miss sausages more than most dead relatives. Jokes! 

So far I've thrown 2 full tantrums and had 5 meat dreams. 

Anyway it's meant I've had to be a little more inventive at meal time so I dusted out my 'Morning Glory' Vietnamese cookbook. Best restaurant in the whole of Hoi An btw.  I decided to go for the chargrilled egg plant with spring onion oil and fried garlic. 

First of all make the sping onion oil- finely dice 3 spring onions and 1 large clove of garlic, keep the white and green of the spring onion separate. Fry off the garlic and white onion with 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. When that's cooked through add in the green part of the onion for a minute. 

Add in a sprinkling of sesame seeds 

Fry off some seperate garlic, a clove or 2 until crispy- place on kitchen towel to drain excess oil. 

In a seperate bowl mix together some soy, sugar and fish sauce

Then oven cook the eggplant/aubergine for 10 minutes or until the skin comes off easily. Remove all skin. 

Chop up and place in a serving bowl, add the spring onion oil, fried onions and finally soy sauce. Garnish with coriander.

There you go a beaut Vietnamese side. No animals were harmed in the making of this. Oh shit, what about the fish sauce? Just googling now. 

A London Brekkie

Today we decided to give New Cross's "trendy"/only cafe a second chance. Last time we ventured there for a bacon sanger we waited 45 mins and received 2 slices of bread and 1 rasher of bacon. Ridiculous! EVERYONE knows you need at least 4. We're not ones for revenge but obviously on the way home we gave it a bad review on Trip Advisor "only visit the LP if you're a veggie with time on your hands".

Anyway with only that, Birdy Num Nums and Chinwags (yes.... they are the ACTUAL names of New Cross cafes) to choose from we thought we'd give it another go. And we weren't disappointed. 

Jake went for the classic sausage sandwich and I went for what only can be described as a "soooo London" bacon sandwich. Halloumi, check. Sourdough, check. Slow roasted tomatoes, check. Rocket, check. 

And despite not being 4 slices of smoked back bacon between Hovis seed sensation sliced bread it was very delicious. I mean, Jake did comment that my egg was a bit over cooked but withdrew his statement when I told him that it was in fact halloumi.

Chuck in a couple of enamel plates and you've two thumbs up right there. Told you it was trendy. There's not chia seeds on the menu yet like...give it time. 

And who needs breakfast at the top of The Shard when you've got a view like this?! 

London Particular, you've redeemed yourself. 

Blinis At Boden

A days of appointments and Press Days is tough. You probably cover more miles than the marathon and you don't see us fashion types hounding people for sponsorship. Luckily then that each press day provides enough canapés and prosecco to keep us going. 

First stop was Boden and obviously we got our priorities right and headed straight for the kitchen area. Smoked salmon blinis are fashion journalists answer to a mid-marathon protein bar. Quite frankly we need them to survive and these ones even had a pansy balanced on each one. Fancy! 

It was thirsty work walking to our first press event of the day so luckily Boden was not backwards about coming forwards when it came to the prosecco.

 As well as a preview of their A/W collection (retro knits.... oh go on then) they had pretty impressive interiors and a kids sections that was so good that half of Mumsnet had turned up and were more excited than the time when Simon Rimmer unexpectedly appeared on the Blufin 10th floor (er... just me then??)

They even had this little hottie singing to us as we browsed...

The sweet canapés were avoided by us (Rule number one - don't waste kcals on sweet stuff, save it for the prosec) but for those interested they looked pretty beaut too

Anyway must dash, we've got serious vouchers to spend. 

Shake your Buti

The H&M press office invited me to their showroom at 8.30am to check out their high summer collection and also to take part in an early morning GYMBOX 'Buti Yoga' class. The Time Lord Wanless wasn't with me, so I was pretty impressed with myself for even getting there let alone doing the class.

They'd transformed their west end showroom into a zen style yoga space. 

Now I wouldn't call myself a yoga pro #canteventouchmytoes but I do know my crow from my cobra. This however was no use to me at all when it comes to the  'buti' 

Buti yoga  = a movement practice that fuses power yoga, tribal dance and plyometrics into a high-intensity workout that transforms the body from the inside out.

Basically it was like it wandered into some tribe in South America doing a yoga class whilst on speed. Imagine rotating your hips while In downward dog pose or playing imaginary drums - you get the gist. I had to stifle the laughter while waiting for Jeremy beadle to pop out. Ok he's no longer with us, so that really would've been something. 

It was HARD and really highlighted my lack of coordination and strength. Thank god I was at the back of the class #standard so I could have a little lay down when no one else was looking. I would defs recommend it for people who like yoga but also prefer a bit more of a workout. This. Involves. Sweat.

As soon as the class was over. Thank the Lord, I checked out the super cute high summer collection and headed to H&M 's juice bar for some healthy treats.

CUTE- get me Hawaii bound. 

Zelta propping up the bar, I imagine a different one to usual ;) 

All the food came from 25 Grains and was free from gluten, dairy and sugar. I went for the vanilla pot which had oats, vanilla, Goji berries, almond milk, chia seeds and toasted coconut flakes. With a side juice of orange, thyme, grapefruit, ginger and lemon. 

For a marmite on toast kinda girl I really enjoyed this and it kept me full til lunch. 

I left feeling reenergised, looking hot (God am I really posting this) and with a monogrammed beach towel for me hols and all before 10am. #winning. Thanks H&M.

P.s don't plan anything important for the next day. Walking is a struggle. 

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