roaming richmond

You may have noticed my absence from the blogosphere. It seems my brain has been frazzled by words- copywriting all day everyday is rather taking its toll. By the time I get home I frequently forget how to a sentence write. But now it is the weekend and I have lots to share with you! 

Easter has been and gone (how did that even happen?) and I am stuffed to the gills with Lindt Bunny, cake and all kinds of naughty things. But with all the indulgence also comes a blissful four-day weekend. It really is what dreams are made of, having traipsed through the bleak winter. 

Richmond Park was the order of the day- a little rural retreat to escape to after a busy winter in the city. 

   

           

Hello deer! My new best friends ^^^

                 

   

I love being able to find green so close to London. My farmer roots get a little frustrated when the hard Tarmac of the city takes over. I need to don my wellies, splash in puddles and climb a tree or two. Thankfully Richmond is the perfect stomping ground. 

                  

 

  

              

Nice pink umbrella! 

After our fun-filled walk we were in need of a beverage or two. We wound our way to a little pub by the river. 

   

   

   

   

   

I had to stop here for a good amount of time whilst the American had a little perv over the Morgan. I rather liked the Mini- never forget the little guy! 

   

Perhaps the most idyllic row of houses. We both decided we fancied living here. My property list is getting out of hand! 

   

   

A proper roaring fire to warm our toes and noses. 

   

No frills, no fuss- a charming little pub just down from the high street. 

We will be back.

L. 

wishful thinking

It's not such a little known fact that I am yearning after a sausage dog. I have been for the last three years now but am yet to actually pet one, let alone hold one in my arms. When I was little we had neighbours who had two long-haired dachshunds. Their names were Tumble and Truffle (great, I know), and though they pinned my brother down under a table and mentally scared him forever after, I loved them and always ran around trying to pick them up. 

          

^^^this isn't Tumble and Truffle, but they looked pretty similar- if not more handsome. 

Fast forward a number of years and here I am now- living in London, in a tiny flat and feeling more broody for a dachshund than I thought possible. Every time I walk past one I squeal and give puppy dog eyes to the American, who flat-out refuses to get one for me. Boooo. 

   

I just. I can't. It's.too.much. 

To make up for the lack of my sausage dog (she'll be called Noodle by the way, and will live under my desk with her navy studded collar and the American will secretly love her) we made biscuits shaped like a sausage dog instead. Almost as great. Maybe. 

The recipe is as follows: 

Pre-heat your oven to 180*

1 cup butter (softened at room temperature)

3 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 and 1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together

Add butter, eggs and vanilla and mix with a fork until thoroughly blended.(Do not use a mixer, it will give you different results.)

Shape dough into four balls with your hands.

Chill for an hour or overnight.

Roll out on floured board and cut into shapes. 

Try to use as little flour as possible -- just enough so the dough doesn't stick to the board or rolling pin. 

Remember to cook on grease proof paper!   

I found my Noodle dogs cooked perfectly in 11 minutes, but this does depend on how thin you rolled the dough. Keep an eye on them- you don't want to end up with hot-dogs!

   

   

We decorated ours with icing, silver balls for eyes and a little bit of stem ginger. You can of course flavour them however you'd like. How about lemon? Add a little cocoa powder to the dough for chocolatey dogs or decorate with coloured icing. 

   

   

Yeah, so they're not a thing of beauty, but they're great with a cup of tea! We were clearly over zealous with our icing technique... I blame him entirely. 

   

   

A great recipe to make with children, or even to curb your yearnings for a little dog named Noodle.



L. 

a word of warning

There I was, enjoying my Peter Mayle book, slurping away on a latte with the American by my side, tapping away on his computer- a daze of Saturday afternoon bliss. Having decided our evening plans, we gathered our belongings to head home. This is the moment we were both quickly snapped out of our reverie. My bag had been stolen.  

It's an easy thing to happen and a total pain in the backside. Call the police, cancel cards, re-order driving license, get a new oyster, replace house keys and student rail card... Not to mention the loss of a beautiful new handbag, sunglasses, umbrella and that last stick of gum.

So, my advice to you: don't be as naive as me and leave your bag hanging on your chair, even if you are resting against it- you don't know who might be lurking in the shadows.. even in leafy West Hampstead. Keep it in your sight and boys- don't leave your wallets on display in a coat pocket either. 


It really puts a dampener on your weekend, trust me. 



L.

sunny islington

Spring is finally on its way. The birds are tweeting, mornings are getting lighter and I've gone to work three days in a row now without wearing a scarf. It's official- bye bye winter! 

This week has been particularly lovely so whilst on my lunch break on Friday I took a few snaps of beautiful Islington. 

   

I'm just a little bit in love with houses like these. I love being able to sneak a peak into them when you walk by-even into the little basements below. 

   

   

   

   

   

Regent's Canal will always remind me of "Peaky Blinders" from now on. I'm sure there have been plenty of dodgy dealings here in years gone by...

   

            

Today (Sunday) looks glorious too. I shall be sure to make the most of the blue skies and cooler air. I hope you will do too. 

L. 

dinner & catch up

On Thursday evening myself, Mel and Sarah reunited over envy-inducing dinner at Sauterelle at The Royal Exchange. It's always so difficult to find a date that works for everyone so we were very excited bunnies- throwing hugs and smothering ourselves in kisses.

Sarah is now studying for her masters to become the greatest physchologist in the world, Mel is increasing here patience even more by staying on for another year at the boarding school whilst I am writing away every day until I can no longer see the screen. It seems all of our dreams are ever so slowly rolling into motion. 

Anyway, enough about us- here's to the food. 

Sauterelle is part of D&D, restaurant giants of London, and recently they have been running a promotion with The Evening Standard for dinner at some of their top restaurants for no less than £30 a head- three courses and wine thrown in- a total bargain. From Quaglino's to Skylon, the choice is fantastic and an opportunity not to be missed. 

   

           

We opted for two courses with petit fours- just the right amount to keep us delightfully happy. We took photos but unfortunately the lighting wasn't the best for food so you'll just have to take my word for it. Mel and I started with tender slices of marinated beef with cheese fondue and spring vegetables whilst Sarah opted for artichoke, quail egg and truffle. I told you it'd make you drool. For mains we had pan seared duck with a currant coulis and red cabbage and sea bass with roasted tomatoes and crushed potatoes- all divine and beautifully presented. 

  

We gossiped and caught up on everyone's news, jobs, boys and family- it was an evening that needs to be repeated at least monthly. Nothing changes with us- the power puff girls! 

  

  

Having dined to our hearts content we decided to make the most of the beautiful surroundings. The Royal Exchange is a huge building with a massive central courtyard, dotted with boutiques. The lighting is wonderful and just crying out for a photoshoot of silly proportions. We snapped away in front of Tiffanys until a very angry security man forced me to delete my photos in front of him- who knew this was sacred ground... Clearly it's a place full of secrets. 

   

We did however, take a couple outside before heading off in separate ways (me to bed- wild, and Sarah and Mel to cocktails and god knows where else in Covent Garden). Next time we fancy sampling Heston Blumenthal's taster menu... My mouth is already watering. 

A perfect evening with the perfect company and all for the price of a bottle of wine- try and beat that one! 

L. 

mediterranean chicken tray bake

I have been meaning to blog about this recipe for such a long time now. It's a favourite of mine (and his) and it is so easy and just too darn delicious. 

For a feast for two, or three little ones, you will need:

3 chicken breasts (6 chicken wings if you prefer)
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic

2 vines of tomatoes 
Chopped pancetta 
Fresh basil
Salt 'n' pepper 

Baby new potatoes 
Fresh rosemary 

All you need is two trays/baking dishes so it limits the washing up- hurray! First, slice your red onion and crush the garlic. Pour a glug of olive oil over the top. 

 

Next, chop your chicken breasts into smaller pieces and nestle in amongst the onion and garlic and lay your vine tomatoes over the top. Season to taste. Liberally tear up you fresh basil (I couldn't find any fresh herbs this weekend so had to use dried instead- works just as well). 

   

  

Leave this to the side whilst you prepare your potatoes. 

Quantity really depends on how hungry your mouths may be. He was coming from the gym, so I assumed very hungry. Slice them in quarters or keep them whole if they're eering on the minute size. Season with salt and pepper and fresh rosemary and pour a glug of olive oil over the top too. 

                  

  

Give them a shake and pop them in a pre-heated oven at 180* for 45 minutes. Put the chicken in at the same time too. 

After 30 minutes, take the chicken out and chuck some chopped pancetta over the dish. Put back in the oven for a further 15 minutes. Give the potatoes a shake if needs be. 

In the mean time, pour yourself a glass of wine, play cards, watch "The Real Housewives of Cheshire" (it's a fav- thoroughly recommended)- whatever. I told you this was an easy dish! 

  

(I didn't add pancetta this time but I reallllllly recommend it)

  

 

  

  

Perfect and crispy! 

 

(Can you see my amaryllis? It's slowing shooting up and I'm fairly confident it's only going to get bigger and better over the next few weeks).

This recipe is super easy and versatile. I like to mix it up with paprika and chorizo for a Spanish take or with asparagus and Parma ham for something fresh. Whether you're cooking for an evening in together, a meal for one in front of the television or a whole family of hungry mouths, I couldn't recommend it enough. 

Tuck in! 

L. 

wandering hampstead heath

This week has been a bitterly cold one and yet we are still waiting for that smattering of snow. I think if it's going to be this cold, it should really snow at least and be fun. But alas no, this is not the case. We are being treated to beautiful blue skies and crisp frosts- if you wake up early enough to see them. 

Sunday however, was less blue but still very cold so the American and I decided to shake off the cobwebs and take a wander on nearby Hampstead Heath. The last time we came it was the summer and we had a picnic hamper in hand. This time however, it was cloudy and somewhat sticky underfoot... We both regreted not wearing wellies. 

 

  

The Heath is huge and though there may appear to be lots of people around, it's easy enough to find your own little spot to play in. We took the road less travelled and hunted in the woods. 

  

  

  

For reasons I am still unsure of, men seem to love finding a good stick and wheeling it around as though it were a light sabre. Mine was no different. 

                 

Happy with his find, we carried on on our mission to find Kenwood House. 

   

                  

            

   

Having trudged through mud and breezy winds we found our house... Stick still in hand. 

   

Nestled amongst the sprawling Heath you'll find this beautiful and quite modestly sized house. And it is chockablock full of masterpieces! Both of us were so surprised to find them here- from Reynolds to Constable, Kenwood is quite a treasure trove of finds. 

   

   

   

   

   

   

If you haven't ventured north to Hampstead Heath, I couldn't recommend it enough. Hampstead itself is seriously idyllic and I think I said I wanted every house and visit every pub we walked past. The Heath is full of families walking off their Sunday roasts, runners keeping fit, dogs bounding about and lovers holding hands. I suggest going on a Sunday afternoon- it's the perfect end to a weekend in the city. 

I have a bunch of blogposts up my sleeve so keep your eyes peeled as we head into February. 

L.