Updates & Apologies

I’d like to apologise for the lack of content on my blog, I’m sure no one cares but man oh man December has been a rubbish one. For the first week my depression set in and quite frankly everything became difficult and I didn’t find anything enjoyable. I then I had my work Christmas party and then managed to get the flu, which basically left me stuck in bed for three days. So literally for the first twelve days of December I was a miserable fucker.

All of the stuff I had planned for December seems to be a bit too late to post now, so right now I am focusing on what sort of stuff I want to post in January! The post with my friend’s crackers was meant to be up ages before it was posted but for reasons listed above it wasn’t. Sorry that all the above sounds like a moan, but it's only been this week that I've actually felt better physically and mentally, so I'm just getting it out there. 

That’s all from me. I do have a couple of posts planned before the end of the year, but they won't be festive ones as I am not a Christmas person. I hope everyone has a good weekend! 

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EATS: Dirty Tommi's Pop Up

So I am a burger fiend through and through, I have a long list of burger places in London that I will chow through. That’s in addition to my 'restaurants in London to go' to list. I just bloody love burgers. So when I read about a Mac and Cheese burger in Timeout London, I was ready to cross another burger place off my list.

I’d read about Dirty Bones before, but after reading that they were collaborating with Tommi’s Burger Joint to create a one off menu and it involved mac and cheese and burger in one, I knew I had to finally pay it a visit. So 2pm last Sunday I took myself to High Street Kensington, to do something other than sitting at home dreading Monday. The collab is only available on Sundays, so there's that as well. Not going to lie there are far better blogs out that explain the collab properly, so give it a search if you’re really interested but for now, let’s get on to the food!

I don’t have the greatest pictures as it was so dark in there. 

We ordered: Chicken Wings. Strawberry Shortbread. Dirty Bounty. Dirty Mac Burger. Dirty Fried Chicken Burger. Dirty Bones Mac and Cheese. Sloppi Dirty Fries.

So as you can see we did quite well for the three of us. We only ordered one starter because two of us just wanted to get straight to the burger. I thought the chicken wings were absolutely lovely and I’m pleasantly surprised by this because it didn’t sound all that great, but they were lemon, chilli and spring onion chicken wings and they were just amazing.

My friend and I tried out the two boozy shakes on the menu which were Strawberry Shortbread and Dirty Bounty and they were looooooovely. My other friend got orange juice, so I didn’t even ask what he thought of it.

So onto the main meal then! So two of us got the Dirty Mac Burger and then there was the Dirty Fried Chicken Burger. Plus two sides of mac and cheese and some Sloppi Dirty Fries. Let’s just say it was like love at first bite, the bun was so soft, the burger was delicious and the mac and cheese just gave it all kinds of cheesy goodness. I could have been cheesier, but the burger was a beaut there is just no denying that. I am told the Friend Chicken Burger was absolutely amazing, but I was too busy chowing down on mine that I declined to taste. So the actual mac and cheese was where I was a bit like ‘meh’ don’t get me wrong it was nice, but it lacked some flavouring. The boys were mega happy with it though, so maybe that’s just me!

For me the star of the show was the Sloppi Dirty Fries, I just looooooved the Kimchi sauce which I had never tried before. To give you a better idea of what was on the fries I’ve kindly borrowed the description from here ‘triple cooked fries covered in Tommi’s sloppi joe mince, topped with Kimchi sauce & spring onions. Served with Dirty Bones gravy.’ I loved it and so did the boys, they actually ended up finishing if for me because I was super stuffed! I think because it was something I'd never tried before, it really stuck out in my memory, that and it was bloody tasty.

The boys said they could have happily eaten the meal again, but I was stuffed, so we talked for a long arse time and were not made to feel like we had to leave (there wasn’t that many people around anyway). We didn’t order desert though, I’m not actually a person that really orders deserts in restaurants as I’m always SO full from my main, as was the case here.

Now I will say I think the reason I wasn’t uber impressed was because the food was like lukewarm, I dunno about you but I like my burgers like fresh from whatever cooking device. So I think that’s what made me feel ‘so so’ about everything, because for the most part the flavour was all there, but I feel like when food is hot it just tastes better. We had the most fantastic waitress though; she knew her stuff and was super friendly so overall I was super happy with the dining experience.

I’m pretty sure this Sunday might be the last Sunday, but it's also pretty unclear when it ends. But if you want a taste of the above, I say head down there sharpish just incase I am right!

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5 things you need this November

The Essentials: Blankets, Electric Blankets, Candles, Hot Water Bottles and Hot Drinks

Seeing as we've arrived in November and there's a chill in air, I thought I'd talk about keeping warm and cosy in the colder months. You'll probably see a theme developing as you read, but I'm all about light and warmth right now, the season just calls for it! 

1. A blanket – If you don’t own a blanket, then I don’t really know what I can say to you, apart from GET ONE. They are so perfect in the winter, from keeping you warm in bed to keep your legs warm when you’re lounging on the sofa watching TV (admittedly I don’t watch TV, but watching it with a blanket sounds good). I actually only have one blanket that I love; I don’t even know where my other one is. My blanket was actually a present from my ex when he went to Ireland so I’m terribly afraid for the day when it has had its time, as I don’t have the slightest clue where he got it from! But it’s purple (my favourite colour) and just incredibly warm, it’s not fluffy like a lot of blankets (which I hate). Make sure you get a feel for your blanket because not all blankets are made equal! They are just perfect for keeping you cosy and warm. 

Blankets I’ve had my eye on: Fleece Blanket, Pearl Knitted Blanket, Winter Berry Blanket

2. An electric blanket – I know, you’re thinking this is overkill, a blanket AND an electric blanket? But trust me it is needed (plus I'm talking an electric UNDERblanket), if you get cold really easily like I do. Or even worse if like me, you have the coldest room in the house. You can layer yourself like a sandwich with the blanket method I have going on. I stumbled across electric blankets when I was visiting my ex’s (doesn't he feature a lot in this post) family in Ireland. Their house was seriously cold and in the middle of nowhere, so we had blankets upon blankets and then she told me “make sure you switch on the electric blanket before you get into bed to warm it up.” And I was just there like what is this contraption?! Call me dim but I imagined electric blankets to be these crinkly things you had when you went camping, I don’t even know where I got this idea from because I’ve been camping loads and never had one of them. I got given the Morphy Richards Electric Blanket (Double) a year ago and I love. I've had it out for a month, but didn't actually use it until like three days ago. If you live in the UK, you'll know that it is getting super cold. When my nephews come round, they do not move from my bed when this is on. This just a top up to adding some warmth into your life, just don’t sleep with it on all night because you will most likely wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you’re about to boil. 

For you choosing pleasure: Dreamland Double Electric Blanket, Silentnight Electric Blanket (Double)

3. Scented candles - You can just buy normal candles, but I honestly don’t remember the last time I bought a regular candle. Why buy a non-scented when you can fill your room with gorgeous smells whilst having that beautiful candlelight glow? I recently went to Primark to repurchase a favourite Sweet Vanilla & Coconut and ended up picking up Pineapple & Ginger, as well Red Berries & Orchid. I'm a lover of sweet scents and always seem to go for anything that has vanilla in it. I’m a candle whore and have tried a whole bunch, Yankee candles are obviously a favourite but Sainsbury’s have lovely smelling candles, as does TK Maxx. I actually bought the nicest candle from TK Maxx about two years ago which was eggnog scented - It was SO good, but I can't find it anymore. 

Candles I adore: Yankee Candle Strawberry Buttercream, Sainsbury's Madagascan Vanilla, For Every Body Candles (they don't seem to have the eggnog one but they do other awesome scents). 

4. A hot water bottle – Yep I have rounded it all off by coming back the topic of heat. This one is perfect for if you’re at home, at a friend’s house or at work. Obviously it depends on where you work, but I work in an office and there are forever wars about the temperature, which then results in us all working in Antarctica. So it depends on where it’s easier for you to keep one, I’ve taken mine to work because as we can tell from the above, I have enough to keep me warm at home. You can pick up water bottles from anywhere; I’m pretty sure mine is from Poundland and is like 3+ years old. 

Hot water bottles: Nordic Knit Hot Water Bottle and Cover,  Personalised Heart Hot Water Bottle Cover, Hello Kitty Hot Water Bottle and Cover

5. A hot drink – Ah to keep one’s self hydrated. Hydration is super important anyway, but of course you know during the winter you have to really amp it up. I find hot drinks are the best way to do this mainly because it keeps you warm. I am a lover of herbal teas and I'm constantly drinking green tea during the day. I buy the Sea Dyke Brand from Chinatown or my local Thai shop, but I also love camomile tea or just hot water with lemon. Find your drink and hydrate your body, it will keep your head clear and keep you warm. 

Teas I love:  Twinings Jasmine Green, Twinings Camomile & Honey

So that is it for my November needs. Is there anything you can’t do without during the winter months? Let me know, I’m always looking for things to make this time of year bearable!

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EATS: DF Mexico & The Diner

So thanks to Lily I had to go and try out DF Mexico. I'm not really a fan of Mexican food (something that seems to shock everyone), my past experiences have just left me feeling very full and bleh (I'm looking at you Chiquitos)  and honestly, I just feel it's the same food packaged differently. I don't like churros either. Just no. That said I frikkin love nachos. Seriously I will eat them all day, every day.

Anyway fear not I don't hate all Mexican food. I'm actually a huge fan of Wahaca, granted I've only been there twice but I really really like it. If you haven't been it's basically marketed as Mexican street food, I wouldn't know if that's true as I've never been to Mexico, but it's good. Some of the dishes are a bit like tapas, so you end up with a variety of light flavourful dishes.

So after Lily's vlog I looked at the menu for DF Mexico I was excited. Everything looked so bloody good! I did a little further research and saw that DF Mexico (DF stand for Distrito Federal because I know how much it bugged me that I didn't know what the stood for) and Wahaca were owned by the same group and I was like yup I AM GOING THERE and so I did on Friday. I'm not a food reviewer and I'm not even going to try and act like one. But here are pictures of how frikkin glorious the food was, I actually didn't manage to take a lot because I was hungrrrrrrrrry. I had soup that day at like 1pm and we didn't eat until 8pm!

I had the Chilli Beef Torta, which was nice but didn't blow me away! We also had the beef nachos to share and oh man, they were absolutely amazing. I want to have them again and again.

DFrozen Margaritas Passion Fruit

The star of the show that is Beef Nachos

Bad Boy Burrito with Chilli Fries

Chilli Beef Torta with Chipotle Mayo.

Not the best pictures, but I tried. I'm looking forward to going back and having the nachos again, but I also really want to try the DIY Mexican Boards.

I did more research after (I like to know my stuff okay) and it really hasn't been open for long, my guess is like 3 months? It's also meant to be cheaper than Wahaca, so wahey! Not that I found Wahaca to be incredibly expensive but who doesn't like cheaper? Our meal came to like £35 something with drinks. Absolute bargain! The staff were lovely, the atmosphere was lovely AND whoever runs their twitter account is an absolute champ - so hilarious.

Bonus photos include lunch at the Diner on Saturday. Anyone who knows me knows I just love their chilli cheese fries. So I in addition to my earlier statement, I could eat that, and nachos all day every day.

 Yes I did order that all for me. I was feeling sorry for myself. I took the rest home in a doggie bag!

Some sort of BBQ chicken burger thing. Meh. Despite my love of The Diner, I can never recommend their burgers! 

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And now I return back to veggies and fruit for the week...until next weekend that is!

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OOTD & Honest Burgers

So turns out my plans to take a decent amount of pictures yesterday was a complete lie. However I have some to show you an outfit I wore and what I got up to. 

Dress - H&M - £12.99

Necklace - Select - £1.50

I popped into Camden yesterday only intending to go to Boots but somehow ended up in H&M and Select. The dress is perfect for this weather - easy to pair with anything and lightweight! So put those on and went out to eat at Honest Burgers. I'm a complete burger fiend and have been wanting to try this place for ages. It was such a lovely day yesterday so we sat outside and chowed down. 

I really liked Honest Burgers. Considering the last burger place I went to (Five Guys I'm looking at you) was lacking flavour, I too excited about this burger. But it was frikkin good. I went for a red Leicester cheese burger. My date had the tribute burger and I am told it was amazing (and much better than Five Guys and he loves it there). There was also the chipotle mayo which was very good! I wish I was a better blogger and had taken half way burger shots (you know what I'm talking about) but it was way too good to stop. 

Today I'm off to Southbank - hopefully the weather stays good. Enjoy your Sunday!

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Water Your Body (App)

I've always like drinking water. I've just never ever taken to drinking enough of it. Since making the decision to become healthier, consuming the right amount of water has become really important to me. Thing is, I just cannot drink 2litres of water a day - water becomes bland after a while. I've never been into fizzy drinks, rarely buy them and really only ever seem to have it at Nando's because of the free refills. I've always been fond of juice but after realising it has a lot of sugars I cut back.

Then green tea entered my life. The first time I tried green tea it tasted like what mud smells like (I think that was just due to the brand). This was about two years ago and after trying various green teas and putting sugar in them to get used to the taste (I know), I have finally settled on a tea I like (with no sugar) and therefore increased my water intake.

Measuring how much water I drink has always been an issue because I am forgetful. And in comes this app.

Home screen

Choosing your cup size

 My first 500ml of the day timestamped. 

Has looking at a chart ever been so exciting?! This is my actual water chart

 I haven't been so good in the past two days! 

I got this recommendation from Michelle at Daisybutter from her Five Fitness Health and Lifestyle Apps post. If you're anything like me you will enjoy ticking things off. The app is simple you input how much you weigh and it tells you how much water you should be drinking. This means I've had 515ml added to my water intake. It will give you different cup sizes so that you can always measure how much you're drinking, so you'll never have to be confused adding things up again! It also gives you a daily summary and overall summary of how close you are to your targets. You can also set it up so it gives you reminders to drink water.

I've had this app for over two weeks and just love it, because it has made me drink more water and as a result that sluggish feeling that I have had for years and years and just gone away! Seriously I was having terrible headaches for the better half of the morning for years and I always knew I was dehydrated, but having the app to hand prompts me to drink water and as a result no more headaches or sluggishness!

On most days I hit my water target and this is through drinking water and green tea. Often it's 1.5litres of water and the rest green tea. Two months ago I purchased those plastic ups with a straw which has made drinking water so much easier. I figured it would work because when I'm out drinking (alcohol) I inhale it though a straw. And I was right - straw cup means water is easier for me to drink.

I'm always on the lookout for more lifestlye apps so please let me know if you have any interesting ones!

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