Chloe Likes To Eat

I know Wahaca is a bit of a 'blogger thing', but T & I had our first experience of the revered chain just before he left, and we liked.

We opted for the Wahaca selection for 2, which I thought was rather good for less than £20 (£19.95) and we had a few extras too, but our bill was by no means excessive. We done much worse in our time!

For a well priced and enjoyable quick meal, I'd definitely go back to Wahaca. I'm glad we tried the selection of recommended plates as I don't think we would have known where to start with which dishes to try and what kind of size they might be. or what might work with what. We also didn't need a huge amount of supplementary extras, they were mostly wants rather than needs.

I also have to make note of the cocktails. I'm not usually a wild fan of tequila- a few too many shots during my uni years I suspect, but the quality of the tequila used was fabulous, and we enjoyed our rather nice drinks very much. They weren't a bad price point at roughly £6.50 on average.

Blues Busting

You might have seen via Twitter over the last 7 days, but T has gone for a couple of months.He's gone to Sandhurst with the Army. A bit like last year (I blogged about my experiences), I don't really know when I'll next see him or how it's going to work exactly, but this year we are at least in the same country and time zone. Last year, I also had my final exams of my GDL to contend with, this year, it's a full time job, which is minorly less time consuming, so on a mission not to dwell too much on being missing the person I have become used to coming home to most nights, I decided to amp things up with my fitness regime.

As you might know from Things You Never Wanted To Know About Cycling I get my cardio in by cycling to work on a regular basis, it's approximately 10km each way to and from, and I manage it 3 times on a week on average. Not bad, but since T should be coming back even fitter than he was before, I thought I might have a go myself.

Spending a lot of time in sneakers.... I knew my pretty, clean, pale iridescent shoes wouldn't stay this way for long!

We're also heading on a little holiday in September, and it would be nice to feel confident in my bikini. My bad, because I am not keen on the idea of diets (at all) and exercise routines solely for a 'bikini body'. Fitness is about being the best version of yourself possible, being strong and being healthy.

I'm spending some time getting to know my abs, which have been long buried, high there, your ache tells me we're becoming re-acquainted. The 2.5kg weights are a new part of the furniture, my triceps and biceps might eventually come to match my somewhat hulk-esque quads, and I'm not entirely sure what the name of everything else is that's currently being stretched, flexed and all round pushed, but I know it has to be good.

Exercise is about more than just body though, and the other reason I've thrown myself into fitness is that it makes me a much, much nicer person, and keeps my temper nicely in check. It's also been a good way to feel like I'm achieving something whist T is gone.

I should probably clarify and say here, that I am capable of achieving anything I want to, with or without a partner, and I'm very fortunate to have a partner who supports me in everything I set me mind to, so when he gets back, I want for T to come back and to have something to show for those 2 months he's been gone, to see that I didn't spend all 56 nights crying into a bottle moping.

So I'm spending a lot of time like this, less time growling at registrars at work, and no time moping- ok, maybe the first full night I had here without him, but that's different.

I might also indulge myself in those Converse I was looking at more recently.... #beprettyonrestdays but there's no harm in enjoying my feet whilst getting my sweat on.... right? And if it goes ok for the next couple of weeks, I am tempted to go back to the training programme I followed when the Air Force was still a possible dream, give the office in my life a run for his money. Nothing wrong with a bit of friendly *cough* competition....

Palm Green

I do love this skirt. At £12, it was a supermarket bargain and the print makes me smile every single time I look at it and wear it.

Skirt, George at Asda, Top, eBay (although I think it was sold by New Look at some point...), Shoes, Betty London via Spartoo

Speaking of shoes.... my favourite black flats were looking disgraceful in all honesty, so I decided it was time for a replacement. Thus, far, I like. I really really like the patent all over versions too, but thought the effect on the toe (and at the back) might just prevent me from destroying them too swiftly.

I'm also now focused on finding my some summery shoes, maybe some sandals, as T and I are off on holiday in September (WHEEEEEEEEE) so the hunt is on.

Chloe Likes To Eat

I am from a foodie background, and foodie gifts, especially something new or different can be great, finding them can be a pain in the behind. For my dad's birthday back in April, I got a fab deal on a pair of tickets to the Foodies Festival on Clapham Common and that festival kicked off at the weekend.

The Foodies Festivals run all over the place, and this weekend turned out to be a glorious weekend in Clapham, so that was a bonus, I currently have a watch strap tan line and on the other wrist a hair tie stripe.

So the festival... a collection of stall holders from the independent like the ladies I was desperate to meet, The Marshmallowists, through to larger companies like Whole Foods, lots of places to eat, galleries with demos and famous cheffie types, an Elemis Spa Bus, and a sizeable volume of bars and booze. We went along with sunglasses in hand, cash in purses and canvas totes ready to fill with goodies.

First stop was a cup of coffee (see where I get it...?) and a look through the different exhibitors. We opted not to register for any of the demos as they weren't especially of interest to us personally, but we did single out a few things we definitely wanted to see and try.

After a first wander about, my mother and I got a little sidetracked by this....

Mum and I both had a neck and shoulder massage, otherwise known as a beating.. The ladies were offering a selection of 15 minute treatments such as mini facials and massages as well as selling lots of their goodies. Not a bad way to kick off the morning, even if my shoulders were killing me the next day! 

Next job- finding some foodie goodies. I really really wanted to talk to and purchase from the Marshmallowists as I'd sampled some of their products that my mum had bought and have been following them on Twitter. This pair are seriously lovely, total perfectionists and had their full selection of marshmallow goodness on offer, and better still, with a little discount on the online price, which was an unexpected bonus. 

Next, I stumbled across Fruitbroo. I loved my coffee and I also like fruit and herbal teas, but coffee is not exactly great for you in high quantity, and whilst my current favourite (Liquorice and Mint FYI) tea is nice, it's also not convenient to have cold, and I am no longer drinking fruit squash either, since it contains sugar. Fruitbroo have come up with a fantastic solution, especially for those who don't especially like fruit tea. 

With Fruitbroo, you simply add a teaspoon (or to taste, but they suggest you start off with a teaspoon) to hot or cold water. These bottles of genius also contain solely fruit concentrate- no added sugar or chemical nasties. Having paid a little more some good quality teas lately, these bottles were a bit of a bargain at 3 for £5, with roughly 15 servings per bottle. 

With a few purchases in hand, and quite a lot of boozey samples- my parents found a distiller who is local to their home in Cambs.... HIC, I was quite glad to grab a seat and a falafel wrap for half an hour. The sun had made it's full appearance, and although the festival was starting to get a little busier,  the atmosphere was nice- lots of people looking to have a nice afternoon. 

My last purchase destined for my goodie bag came from another super friendly stall specialising in Arabian foods, Terra Rossa. Not only were these people really, really friendly and happy to explain some of their more unusual products (Green Harrissa), but they had some of their relishes for sale along with dips. I picked up this Baba Gnoush with their aubergine and tomato relish for £2.50. I tried it with bread at the stand, but I'm so looking forward to having this with crackers or with toasted pitta breads. And then, well, then my mother and I got a bit of a taste for a proper drink. A full sized one. 

At £5 for a champagne cocktail, we thought that wasn't bad, so we both had a bellini, and another, and before we new it, we'd spent £50 between us and it was 1530. And well, a whole bottle would be much better value... oops. 

Whilst my mum and I sunk sipped our champagne, it was really really pleasant to enjoy soaking up some rays, a common full of people all out and about to have a good time, and feel London at its absolute best. 

The tickets for the festival have been on various offers- they were £15 full price, I bought the pair for my parents on Groupon, and they were being sold on Groupon again just before the festival for £7, I reckon they represent a great day out- especially if you have an interest in the shows as well as the exhibitors. 

Not A Week in Photos

This week has been not an eventful one, but a little outside of the usual eat-work-sleep routine.

Monday was my birthday, and I was spoiled....

I spent a couple of days at home and visiting family in the early part of the week. My parents recently finished working on their new house, so I had a play with my new toy.

Coming back into London, T & I continued on a boozy theme for the week with a trip to Harrison's in Balham for cocktails and dinner...

I love their light fittings with these huge filament bulbs

Since Summer continued to shine a light on London this week, T and I had our last evening before he left for the summer enjoying a couple more drinks at Dane's Yard Kitchen (I wrote about our brunch HERE)I did tell you it was a boozy week....

I also couldn't leave this behind when I saw it outside my local grocer....I have been scoffing it ever since.

It was every bit as yummy as it looks, by the way. I rounded off the week at the Foodies Festival on Clapham Common. There will be a full scale post about this later in the week. It was a beautiful day weather wise, and I really enjoyed myself and spending time with my parents (for whom their tickets were a gift from yours truly).

My mother and I managed to drink £50 of champagne cocktails and then decided we might as well do it properly and buy a bottle....

Today has mostly been about stopping, and not drinking. It's the first time since T left on Friday that I've been home for any time so it's also been a bit of an adjustment day since he'll be gone for a couple of months. I've been munching on a few goodies bought yesterday, catching up on some trash TV and sorting myself out for tomorrow.

Happy Weekend my friends.