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So you’ve turned 30.
When you tell people you’re turning 30 you almost feel the need to grit your teeth and act as though it’s a big deal, or that life is being unkind making you say goodbye to your 20s, but in all honesty I wasn’t that bothered and it turns out I feel exactly the same as I did at 29. Perhaps when you have far more important things going on in your life, starting a new decade becomes quite insignificant. I have listened to podcasts by women talking about turning 30 and how it really got them down, a lot of it was due to losing the innocence of their 20s…
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Le Champignon Sauvage
For years we’ve been meaning to visit one of Cheltenham’s most celebrated, and highly decorated restaurants, Le Champignon Sauvage, which translates to ‘the wild mushroom’ (if, like me, you’re not a big mushroom fan, don’t worry – there are plenty of non-mushroomy options!). Recently we finally got around to a long overdue visit! So was it worth the wait…? Tucked away in the quiet Suffolk Place suburb of Cheltenham, the very modest and understated frontage gives little away. Enter and you feel like you’re walking into the front room of a private house; it has a warm and homely feeling with sofas and a wonderful range of art. We were…
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Pinkmans, Bristol
Bristol’s got dozens of bakeries, pizza places and coffee shops. If you want a fantastic bakery Harts or Hobbs will see you right. If you want great pizza head along to Bertha’s or Pizzarova. If you want coffee I can’t help you with specifics as I don’t drink the muck, but there’s plenty of coffee shops in town so I’m sure you’ll find somewhere which’ll willingly take your hard-earned money, grind it up, stew it with hot water and give you a cup of bitter liquid. Did I mention I’m not a fan? What Bristol’s been missing until recently now though is somewhere which does all three – breads/bakes, pizza…
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Getting the most out of your first NYC trip
Recently it was Steph’s 30th and to celebrate the start of her 4th decade I knew expectations would be high; a trip to Nando’s and a new top wasn’t going to cut it this time! Steph’s love of travel and exploring makes things a bit easier, but where to go?! It’d felt like a long Winter so a bit of sun was considered, but in the end I decided on a trip to New York. We had a full week out there and packed a heck of a lot in, but I thought rather than give a blow by blow account of our visit, I’d share some of our key…
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A long overdue bike ride
Living in the center of Bristol I get around on foot, by bike and by car. Doing a bit of everything I see hostility from each group towards the others; in such a busy environment there’ll always be conflict (especially when the roads in the center of town are constantly being dug up, diverting at least one group into the regular territory of the other). I feel like cyclists get the worst deal: They’re not welcomed onto pavements by pedestrians, and they’re not welcomed onto roads by drivers, so on the many roads and routes where there isn’t a cycle path then it’s not much fun being on a bike.…
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Holidaying on a boat
Last month James and I went away to Falmouth for a long weekend with some friends. We had been talking about going away together for months and finally got something pretty special booked up. We scoured the internet before stumbling upon a spot just on the outskirts of Falmouth town centre. What made it so special you ask? Well, it was in fact a boat. A boat with all the necessities: the top floor was all open plan with a big kitchen, dining area, and a large lounging space with lots of glass to enjoy the views. It gave the impression that you could almost walk out onto the outdoor…
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A new skill with an old craft
A few Sundays ago we went for lunch at the Rose of Denmark in Hotwells. I understand the pub’s changed ownership a few times over the last couple of years and the food’s been on an up and down journey. The roast we had on that Sunday was one of the best I’ve had, anywhere, ever! It rivals the Rummer, and that set a high benchmark. Wonderful moist meat, crunchy roasties on the outside with a fluffy middle, well cooked and flavoursome veg, a rich gravy and huge Yorkshire pud’. Steph had the veggie option and that was also excellent. We’re thrilled to have this fantastic option on our doorstep!…
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Mini-mooning to Rhodes
James and I had lots of honeymoon ideas, we were really struggling to narrow it down to something that was adventurous, yet relaxing, somewhere new, that also had a bit of culture. We had a lot of boxes to tick and in the end we couldn’t decide. For me, a honeymoon should be something really special and a trip we can plan together so whilst we were planning the wedding, we couldn’t dedicate enough time to it. Oh the regrets we had after the wedding. We were both ready for a holiday so, in the end we just booked a last minute trip to Rhodes for a bit of guaranteed…
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Gambas, Wapping Wharf
Situated in the food haven that is Wapping Wharf, the owners of Bravas tapas bar on Cotham Hill, have brought their small plates down to the Harbour. Already owners of Cantina, the mexican restaurant, they’ve opened Gambas only a few shipping containers down. Serving up authentic Spanish dishes with a seafood focus, hence the name (Gambas mean prawns in Spanish) however don’t be put-off if you don’t like seafood! When I went along with my friend Emma, both not being huge fish fans, we were able to pick out plenty of dishes to keep us grazing for hours. We visited one evening after work and made the most of the…
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The Mint Room, Bristol
Have you ever been jealous of your tastebuds? I discovered that it is entirely possible when James and I went along to The Mint Room in Clifton. Our lucky tastebuds went on a culinary journey through India, via the Tour of India tasting menu. I have never been to India but I feel like I’ve been treated to a little taster via the chefs at The Mint Room and the staff that explain each dish, showing off the various styles of cooking and the flavours that vary from region to region. Before we began our tour, we needed to hydrate. Naturally we opted for cocktails, the best way to quench…
