Being able to enjoy such a beautiful day, incredible food and wonderful company in safety is owed completely to the service of the many men and women in uniform, past and present.
Happy Memorial Day, everyone!
Lots of love xx
Category: Food
The Fox, The Dog, and The Crab: The Rest of my Manchester Trip
Hi, everyone!
I wish I could have continued blogging while I was in Manchester, but unfortunately, the Word Press app on my phone was acting up way too much. So, now that I’m back in London and on my laptop, I can blog again without any issues!
On my second day in Manchester, I went to the movies and saw Foxcatcher. I thought the movie was really great. I’m not surprised that Steve Carrell and Mark Ruffalo got nominated for Oscars. Their performances, although very different, were genuine and multifaceted. I think Bennett Miller really created a moving piece that is an interesting study on masculinity, family, sport and America.
But after such an intense movie, I had to lighten up the day. So, it was another day of walking around the city and eating some good food! I grabbed lunch at Brew Dog.
I had wings with their South Carolina mustard sauce. It was delicious! I had never tried a mustard-based sauce on wings. It was great to try something new!
Brew Dog is really known for its beer. I tried its Punk IPA (India Pale Ale), and it was delicious! Richard tried its Hardcore IPA. Both were really good!
Also, if you ever wanted to know more about brewing beer, Brew Dog has this wonderful infographic on everything hops!
After walking around town all afternoon, I had worked up an appetite and decided to go to one of my favorite, if not my favorite spot in Manchester: Mud Crab Cafe.
If any of you ever visit Manchester or live in Manchester, I highly suggest taking the tram to Didsbury Village or the bus to West Didsbury and try this place out! The drinks, the food, the vibe, everything about this place hits the spot for me!
On my third and last day in Manchester, I didn’t take that many photos mainly because I just wanted to soak everything in. Manchester is the city where I really grew up. I learned a lot not just academically but also about myself. I will be forever grateful to that city for everything it has given me.
Oh, I know, that sounds so sappy, but it’s the truth! I’m not ashamed to admit it.
I hope you guys had a lovely start to your week! We made it past hump day, and the weekend is so close!
Lots of love,
Back to Where It All Began
I’m in Manchester!
I lived in this city for a year, and I have so many amazing memories from my experience here. So, I decided to visit it for the next few days.
After I arrived, I went to lunch at The Alto Bar at The Raddison Blu. At The Alto Bar, you choose from either a steak or a lobster.
I chose the lobster. It’s my favorite! The lobster came with unlimited fries and a salad. As you can see, I clearly loved the salad! The salad was so amazing that I had to have seconds. It was mixed leaves, croutons, sunflower seeds, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a light house dressing. Just writing about it again makes me want to have thirds!
Then, I walked all around town. It was so nice to see that some of my old favorite places are still around, but it was also good to see new places that have been built over the last couple years. I didn’t take too many pictures because I was soaking it all in.
For dinner, I went to The Font. During my first week here, a guy asked me out for dinner and drinks at this place.
It turned out not to be a one date fluke. So here we are, recreating our first date, toasting to the past 2 years and the future.
We’re also toasting to you guys! Thank you so much for the follows and likes in the first few weeks of my blog. Thank you for allowing me to share a slice or two of my life with you.
Cheers!
Lots of love,
Brunch at the Brasserie
My weekend has been about enjoying the food London has to offer!
Today, I decided to grab some brunch today at Cote Brasserie.
I’ve wanted to go to Cote for a long time now actually. The first time I tried to go to Cote, my part of town flooded because the area’s pipes burst. Needless to say, there was no way I was going to get to Cote unless I swam there…
Luckily, today, it’s a lovely winter’s day here…
… and I enjoyed mussels with a side of fries. So not a typical brunch choice, but it’s been years since I’ve had mussels mariniere!
I hope you all are enjoying your Sunday!
Lots of love,
Aloha Breakfast!
This morning, I had breakfast at Kua ‘Aina, a Hawaiian restaurant in central London, and it was pretty good!
I got a latte and blueberry pancakes with a side of bacon.
The only small downside to the meal was that the bacon was burnt a bit… But the great upside was that the blueberry pancakes were delicious! (I’ll totally admit – I took a couple bites before I took the picture of my plate. I totally forgot that I wanted to take a picture of my plate for this blog! I’m definitely not in the habit of taking pictures of my food, but hang in there with me guys, I’m trying!)
Word on the Interwebs is that Kua ‘Aina is known for their burgers, and just from reading about them on the menu this morning, I can see why!
I thought the decor of the place was colorful, vibrant, and fun, brining the best of the Aloha State to the other side of the pond.
To see more about their food and restaurants all over the world, check out Kua ‘Aina’s blog!
Let me just say in the name of transparency here: This post is not sponsored. I really did enjoy my morning at Kua ‘Aina. It truly has an awesome island vibe that you don’t only feel in the decor but also in the food and the friendly service staff!
I love trying new things, experiencing different places. What can I say? I’m just…
Lots of love,
Chickity China the Nando’s Chicken
I couldn’t help but reference The Barenaked Ladies’ song, One Week, in this post’s title because…
… after over two years of living in England, today was the first day I tried Nando’s!
Gut reaction: It was good! It was flavorful. I didn’t go all out and get the hottest baste on the menu, but I did want a little bit of an extra kick. So, I went with something a little different – the mango and lime baste. It was really nice, just the kick I wanted with lots of flavor!
Over the last two years, it’s been hard to miss Nando’s popularity here. I can now see why a good amount of people are obsessed with it, but… I can’t say I’m part of that crowd… No shade because there is absolutely no judgment if you love Nando’s. I’m just sharing my side of the story!
I will say this: I am glad I tried it to see what the hype was all about, but I think I fall between the hatred and the hype. It was good. I gotta give Nando’s that.
What do you guys think of Nando’s? The best thing since sliced bread or a tad bit overrated?
Hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday!
Lots of love,
Treat Yo Self Saturday
Who can forget this glorious moment from Parks and Rec?
In the spirit of Tom and Donna’s yearly Treat Yo Self celebration, I try to do a scaled down version of Treat Yo Self every weekend because… Well, do I really need a reason? That’s the whole point of Treat Yo Self – to treat yourself for absolutely no reason at all! But seriously, I think it’s so nice to take time for yourself and your friends and indulge just a little!
So, I went out and bought some really wonderful essentials from L’Occitane, one of my favorite beauty brands. I’m a huge fan of their Cherry Blossom collection – and no, none of this post is sponsored! I genuinely love their products, and even though L’Occitane is a bit up there compared to other beauty brands, I love to treat myself to their products, especially their Ultra Rich Body Cream with Shea Butter. And I decided to try out their lip balm and hand cream, Vitoria Regia, from the L’Occitane au Bresil collection.
Then, I went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen and chowed down on their delicious buffalo burger, which I had never tried before. I love GBK and their array of burgers! The burger was so good (and I’ll keep it real – I was so hungry) that I totally forgot to take a picture of it… But, look! I took a picture of our drinks…
Total. Fail. Sorry, guys!
And after that, I did some grocery shopping at Waitrose, which was also a bit of a treat because I usually just go to Tesco Express, which is less than 5 minutes away from my flat, or Asda, which is also pretty close by.
So, all around, I think I can definitely say that after a week and a bit of being sick, I treated myself! I would like to think that Tom and Donna would be proud…
What do you guys do to treat yourself? I hope you all do something you enjoy because honestly, you deserve it!!! Your treats don’t even have to be extravagant. Maybe it’s just watching a movie or cooking with friends or enjoying a walk through the park, city, etc. Whatever it is, I hope you TREAT. YO. SELF.
Lots of love,
If Andy Warhol Loved Cupcakes…
… Or something like that, haha!
At Hummingbird Bakery.
After losing 7-4 in a tough air hockey match, I got treated to a beautifully delicious red velvet cake at Hummingbird Bakery.
Not a bad prize for second place!
Go Big or Go Home
When you treatyoself, make sure to do it right! Whether it’s shopping, food, travel, sleeping – whatever – make sure it’s what makes you happy in that very moment!
Slice of Life 