Tate-ing it up, going to Korea and turning Japanese

Hi there!!

So I had a very busy, fun-filled and exciting weekend.

On Saturday I went to watch my boyfriend play rugby, it was bitterly cold and wet despite me having tried to dress appropriately for the weather (boots, thick socks, jeans, vest, shirt, jumper and quilted jacked with hood). But his team had a very good win so it made my suffering worthwhile. Next time though I plan to arm myself with a thermos, a hip flask and a blanket!!

In the evening I went out for several cocktails with the rugby boys and my housemates, we danced a lot and I ended up wearing one of the boy's tweed blazers and a tie around my head rambo style, so evidently it was a messy night. Thankfully there are no photos of this!!

On Sunday myself and Clare went into London to meet the lovely David from GWH Photography for a day of arsty fun-ness, starting at the Tate Modern.

We met at St. Pauls...

It was grey and very cold but I always love London.

There is an exhibition at the Tate Modern currently which is free and called The Tanks: Art in Action. A fifteen week festival celebrating performance and installation art, more info here: http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/video/tanks-art-action

It was really interesting walking in and out of all these enormous tanks and enjoying the interactive art installations in them.

We then wandered around the usual public galleries. This particular piece never fails to catch my attention so I thought I'd photograph it this time!

Clare looking completely awesome.

After all that culture we were hungry so David took us to a Korean restaurant in Central.

Kimchee, seaweed and pickled cucumber, mmmm

Gyoza obsessed, these were delicious!!

David's fantastic looking stone pot.

I had beef with glass noodles and tonnes of veggies.

David and I

Sabre tooth!

Or chopstick vampires....

Once we'd re-fuelled on Korean food David and Clare took me to the purikura photo booths at London Photo Sticker Club.

This was easily my favourite part of the day, using pre-set backgrounds and foregrounds and an array of mirror effects you can make the most amazing photos.

It's super fun, pretty cheap and certainly something different to do on a grey, wet and cold Sunday.

These are some of the results from our trip....

These purikura booths are the only ones in the UK, but getting to London is certainly easier than getting to Japan.

I'm definitely going to go again very soon, I think I could get addicted to it!!

Happy Halloween!

Themed post to come soon.

Bye for now,

Lx

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Photo post

Hi all,

Sorry for my lack of posting and commenting again recently, been uber busy but hoping to do some fun stuff in order to inspire more blog posts soon!!

For now here are a few recent photos to serve as a quick insight into life lately....

Thought I'd try a new recipe for a delicious home made brunch - avocado mashed up with creme fraiche and plenty of garlic spread on toast, topped with salsa, turkey bacon and fried or poached eggs. Surprisingly good when hungover.

Saw this chocolate bar in my local deli and was amused by the witty packaging - I am a packaging geek as it's what I do for a living!!

Myself and Oliver at his cousin's wedding the other weekend...

...the venue was a place in Essex called Layer Marney Tower, a magnificent Tudor building from the reign of Henry VIII and a stunning place to have a wedding. The food was top drawer too.

I've been on a health kick this week so plenty of exercise and yummy breakfasts that are good for me have been the order of the day.

Should be able to post a bit more soon!!

Lx

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Friends, Romance, Countrymen...

To do a play on Shakespeare's words.....

If you were wondering where I had disappeared to, fret no more - I went on a short holiday!!

My longest suffering friend Hazel moved up to Carlisle a few months ago and after promising continually to visit but never having enough money to spare for the extortionately priced train fare my boyfriend had the idea of killing two birds with one stone (proverbially speaking) and suggested that we take a couple of days off and drive up there to combine a visit to her with a romantic jaunt around the Lake District (he's a sweetie right?!).

Of course I jumped at the chance so we booked a room at an Inn in Keswick and on Sunday morning we set off.

The journey was delightfully easy and traffic free, after hearing horror stories from other people about how long it can take to get up there.

After arriving and checking into our lovely room we met up with Hazel in the town and after a pint of cider took a walk to Derwent Water, which was just stunning.

Hazel and I

Oliver pretending to push me into the water, the little scamp

We strolled back into Keswick for a mug of hot chocolate and a natter. All in all a glorious sunny day which we made the most of knowing that normally the Lake District is renowned for its unclement weather.

The following day Oli and I decided we'd like to do some proper hill walking - so armed with our trusty hiking guide we set off to tackle Catbells.

For those not in the know, Catbells is a fell with a modest height of 451 metres (1,480 ft), but despite this it is one of the most popular fells in the area.

I would love to say I was as brave as our own dear Vix and that I wore fabulously outlandish clothes for hiking but I'm sorry to report that cowardice and the need to be comfortable when scrambling across rocky outcrops prevented me from doing so. I do however think walking trousers could be more nicely made, they are deeply unflattering when one has a little junk in one's trunk....

Having scaled Catbells' summit we headed back into Keswick where we took advantage of the lovely sunshine and sat outside with an ice cream.

But we didn't rest for long. Not content with having climbed Catbells that morning we got back into the car and drove to Haystacks.

Anyone well versed in Lakes history or indeed English Literature will know that Haystacks was a beloved site of the writer and fell walker Alfred Wainwright. It is a more demanding hike than Catbells and can be a little daunting at times but the views from its lofty heights were more than worth it.

This is the 'tarn' or hilltop lake where Wainwright requested his ashes be scattered upon his death.

 

I think I look particularly smug in this photo, possibly because I was pleased as punch not to be suffering from vertigo at this moment in time...

 

After two hill walks that day we were worn out and grateful to be going to Hazel's house in Carlisle for a home cooked meal that night.

 

On Tuesday we headed South to Grasmere and stopped off at Sarah Nelson's infamous gingerbread shop.

 

Sarah Nelson was a poor woman who eventually carved out a living for herself and family with her special, secret recipe gingerbread. The cottage that houses her shop was originally the village school where Wordsworth once taught.

 

The recipe for her gingerbread is so secret that it is locked in a vault in the National Westminster Bank in Ambleside!! I'm not surprised, it is without a doubt the most unusual and delicious gingerbread I've ever eaten. And yes, I brought lots home. More info on Sarah Nelson here

 

We wandered around Grasmere, it's very quaint and full of tea houses.

A noble sentiment.

We then had a quick pit stop in Ambleside for a peek at the famous Lake Windermere.

Finally we headed further South for one last walk, this time around a tarn called Devoke Water.

It was so beautiful and peaceful, you can walk for hours without seeing a single soul.

We came home knowing our 'tarns' from our 'cairns' and seriously bitten by the hiking bug!! Planning to go up there again very soon.

Lxx

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