A weekend away | Whitstable

As I said in my last post, we went to Kent for a weekend as part of my birthday adventure!  Kent is such a lovely part of the country and one that I had never really explored before, so I was really excited to spend the weekend there.  I also love to go to the seaside, I find it such a happy place so when we heard that Whitstable was meant to be a typical, beautiful coastal town, we jumped at the chance!

What was lovely about Whitstable was that it wasn't gaudy at all - full of lots of boutiques and individual stores where you could browse or shop for lots of goodies.  I wasn't particularly in a shopping mood but we did go into an amazing cupcake shop and, of course, bought a couple to sample!

The seafront was full of character too.  Whitstable is famous for its oysters so it's very much still a working seafront; the harbour was full of boats and the restaurants scattered along the promenade were surrounded by old oyster shells which would be put back onto the seabed to help with the oyster farming.

There was also a lovely little craft market selling homemade and unique goods and food stalls; as well as the usual fish and chips and seafood stalls.  I am not a huge fan of seafood so I stayed away from the oysters... They just don't sound appetising to me at all!  

The fact that the sun was shining topped off a lovely few hours spend in Whitstable.  There is something so relaxing about strolling along the promenade eating a cone of freshly fried chips, I love it even more when you're wrapped up in a big coat!  

Do you enjoy going to the seaside?  Have you ever been to Whitstable?

Chocolate making just for me!

One of my lovely birthday gifts was a chocolate making workshop.... To do at home! This was perfect for me as I am quite antisocial at times! I took the kit away with me to Kent where we were staying for another birthday adventure and happily spent a good couple of hours on Saturday afternoon creating chocolatey goodness!

The kit itself is beautifully presented and jam packed with everything you'll need for the experience: from the chocolate and decorations to the cookie cutters and baking paper.  There's also a massive instruction sheet which you can hang up in the kitchen to help you along the way. 

First of all, you have to melt all the chocolate: there's dark and milk...and plenty of it!  Once it's melted you start on your first creation: chocolate truffles! You make the ganache by stirring double cream into some of your melted chocolate, it's incredibly decadent and took all my self restraint not to eat it there and then. After that, it's time to practise your piping skills and pop the ganache into the fridge until later, when they're ready to be dipped and decorated. 

One of my favourite parts of the experience was making the tempered chocolate. It involved putting chocolate on your top lip to check the temperature - the chocolate moustache caused a lot of amusement and giggles!

Once your chocolate is the perfect temperature to give it a lovely, shiny finish, you can start coating fudge with chocolate and using edible transfers to decorate. The best bit is, your instructions tell you to eat the leftovers and it was delicious!

You also get to flavour your chocolate and in the kit there are rose and lemongrass waters. I love rose flavouring and have used it in cooking before but I have never thought to use lemongrass with chocolate. It's so fragrant and citrusy! After flavouring your chocolate, it's time to get creative and decorate! You can choose from white chocolate shavings, caramelised hazelnuts and strawberry chocolate curls, which all look beautiful on the chocolates.

We had so much chocolate left over (must have been very restrained and not eaten much chocolate throughout the making process!) so we made extra giant chocolate buttons, chocolate covered strawberries and blueberries and a massive slab of chocolate too! 

The whole experience was so much fun and it was great to be able to do it at home and in my own time. The kit gave you enough guidance to feel confident enough to do it alone but was not super rigid - you could be a bit creative! You make around forty chocolates which you can then package in little cellophane bags and they look so appetising.  I was so impressed with the quality of the kit and the ingredients - it all felt (and tasted) luxuriously delicious.   I would definitely recommend this experience to chocolate lovers for any occasion; you can get the kit from The Chocolate Hedgehog.

Sunday lunch at Le Talbooth

Last Sunday started a week of my birthday celebrations (getting old has some perks!) and to kick it all off, we went for lunch at Le Talbooth in Dedham.  Situated in the beautiful countryside of the Suffolk/Essex border, Le Talbooth is a fine dining restaurant that offers award winning food and has been on my "must eat at" list for so long. 

As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed by the hostess and asked if we would like to have a drink on the terrace while we waited for our table, it was a lovely, sunny, albeit blowy day so we decided to see outside and enjoy the spring weather.  The terrace overlooked the river and it was such a relaxing start to our meal! We enjoyed a glass of champagne (the stars bottled!) and canapés of toasted almonds and olives which really whetted my appetite! 

The Sunday lunch menu is different from the rest of the week but offers a range of mouth watering dishes. We ordered whilst on the terrace and then asked to come to our table inside.  The restaurant is immaculately presented while still retaining its historic charm. 

For starters, we had cumin scented cauliflower velouté with a crispy chicken wing and cumin oil. Firstly, the most delicious and tasty chicken wing was bathed in a creamy, thick and luxurious velouté sauce. We enjoyed the starter with a selection of fresh baked bread; perfect for pulling apart and dunking. 

We were now ready for the main course! I had ordered the roast rack of Dingley Dell pork with truffled pomme purée, glazed carrot and sprouting broccoli. It was outstanding; the pork melted in the mouth and the crackling was crunchy and flavoursome.  The pomme purée was to die for: creamy, and perfectly seasoned. Dena ordered cod fillet with herbed gnocchi and spring vegetables, which she assured me was incredible - crispy topped cod which fell apart in the mouth and worked really well with the spring vegetables.  The portions were generous too, we felt very satisfied after our main but with only a little bit of room for dessert! 

However, the desserts were so tempting we just couldn't say no! I went for strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake and Dena opted for the banana and toffee pudding. The cheesecake was light and creamy with a crispy base served with strawberries, oranges and mini pistachio macarons.  It was sensational and really got me in the mood for summer! The banana and toffee pudding was sticky, sweet with chunks of crunchy toffee served with caramel sauce, decadent and naughty! 

At this point we were extremely full but the waiting staff appeared with coffee and a large wooden box... Very intriguing indeed. The box was filled with a variety of homemade chocolates and truffles. I couldn't possibly choose so we were recommended the salted caramel chocolate, Chef's special truffle, raspberry, and marmalade chocolates. The chocolate was dark and bitter cut through with the different flavours. I surprised we could fit anything else in but we managed! 

I thought we were done with food but then a birthday cake arrived for me! It was a chocolate cake beautifully presented and it looked incredibly tempting! I couldn't possibly manage a mouthful more so we took the cake home and I'm sure it'll make an amazing dessert for tea!! 

Le Talbooth is a beautiful restaurant with incredible food. The atmosphere is stylish while being comfortable and welcoming. I can't wait to go back! 

Reading American Literature : The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

I just finished my first Ernest Hemingway book, perhaps one of the most famous and influential twentieth century American writers.  It was really interesting to read this book straight after House of Mirth as they are so different in style yet are both tragic and both novels feature some desperately unhappy characters. 

source

Interestingly, The Sun Also Rises is on so many different "books to read before you're 30" lists so I'm glad I got there in the nick of time! With Hemingway, you're able to stumble through drunken youth and all of its highs and lows, in both Paris and Pamplona during the San Fermin festival.  The Sun Also Rises centres around a group of friends from the "Lost Generation" in the 1920s and the repercussions of the First World War, the effect it has on people both physically and mentally.  Jake, our protagonist, and his friends drink, gamble and generally debauch their way through life and yet, it doesn't make them happy.  They believe that one more absinthe will take away their depression or unhappiness, yet it never does.  The heavy weight of the effects of the War presses onto them and perhaps causes them to lead their pointless and to a certain degree, aimless life. 

I'm not sure why but I didn't really warm to many of the characters; I found Jake quite endearing, he's hopelessly in love with Brett who refuses to be tied down to one man.  Brett is an extraordinarily independent woman - something that struck me as very different to the females in House of Mirth - however, at times, Hemingway condemns Brett's behaviour, suggesting that her female presence is disruptive and poisonous amongst a group of male friends.  As a woman, I'm not entirely sure how that makes me feel!

I really enjoyed Hemingway's style of writing.  He uses prose sparingly and you don't have to contend with endless flowery description.  It's very dialogue heavy and this can help envelope in the characters' world.  However, I found it quite difficult to passively read this book: you need to be aware  of what's not being said as well as the words written on the page.

I'll be honest and say that I only really realised the impact of this novel after I sat down and thought about it.  While I was reading, I tended to take it on surface value (perhaps I wasn't in the mood to read such a book) but on reflection, it's clear the impact that Hemingway wanted to have.  The ending, to me, is so desperately sad and poignant, without being explicitly so and it's Hemingway's ability to convey feeling and emotion without being obvious that means this novel is powerful. 

Have you ever read any of Hemingway's works?

Casa Mexico, Suffolk.

As you can imagine, one of the things I miss most about living in Mexico is the food.  Mexican food is simply amazing:  the colours, smells, flavours.  Genuine Mexican food is very underrated, it's a million  miles away from the Tex-Mex and Old El Paso we are led to believe is what Mexican's eat every day.  Because of this, it can be really hard to find authentic Mexican products in England and even harder when you live in rural Suffolk.  However, last year Casa Mexico opened up in Stonham Aspal, a small village here in Suffolk.

We finally got round to visiting the shop last week and stepping inside the former pub was like arriving back in Mexico.  It's a treasure trove of all things truly Mexican.  It stocks all kind of Mexican goodies: from glassware to art to groceries.  

We, of course, headed straight to the food section of the shop! It brought back so many happy memories and cravings for authentic Mexican food.  There were fresh flour tortillas, corn tortillas, tinned salsas, refried beans, dried fijoles, totopos, sweets... so many delicious goodies!  I could have easily bought one of everything but instead I limited myself to a few bits and pieces, ready to make a Mexican bank holiday feast.  

The owner explained to us that they used to live in Guadalajara for 15 years and all of goods were bought in Tonalá (which is where I used to work out there).  It's so nice to be able to chat about Guadalajara here in England as it's something that we've had to almost leave behind.  

Everything was very reasonable priced, considered it has to be imported from the other side of the world.  We picked up tortillas, totopos, salsa and sweets for around £6.  I will definitely go back to visit this little slice of Mexico in sunny Suffolk! 

Products I loved in March

March has been a month of troublesome skin for me so I've been on the look out for skin rescuers and also I've come to re-appreciate some of my old favourites!  

Korres Laurel and Echinacea Shampoo (£10) Korres is a brand that I've come to really like over the past few months and as the winter weather and heating has played havoc with my unnecessarily sensitive scalp, I thought I'd give their dry scalp shampoo a go.  My scalp can get really dry, itchy and often bleeds due to the the cold weather or as a response to daily stress and it's something that can get me down.  I've used the shampoo on every other wash and I noticed pretty much an immediate difference.  After about two weeks, my scalp has calmed down a lot.  I'd definitely recommend this!

Monu Illuminating Primer (£27.95) This little beauty came in my Look Fantastic beauty box in February and I simply love it.  It illuminates the skin and I often prefer to wear it on it's own rather than underneath foundation, just to even out my complexion and my skin a bit of extra oomph.  It's quite thick so you need to make sure you've blended it in well but you don't need much product for an all over glow.  My only complaint is the price tag; as much as I love it, £28 is a little too much for my to spend on a primer at the moment. 

Benefit Roller Lash (£19.50) Oh Roller Lash, how I love thee.  For me, Roller Lash is the perfect mascara for every day wear.  A couple of layers of this and my eyelashes are lifted and curled enough to make me look awake early in the morning.  Ever since I bought this in February, I haven't looked back and it will take an exceptional mascara to replace this in my make up bag!

Lush Grease Lightning (£6.40) As I mentioned earlier, my skin has been particularly problematic this month and this spot treatment from Lush has helped to reduce the redness and dry spots out.  It's a lovely mixture of tea tree and witch hazel, which Lush recommend you apply as you feel the spot appearing.  It's a bargain at just over six quid; spots really knock my self confidence (I'm too old for them!) and I will do practically anything to help them be on their way. 

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Oil (£36.00) This product is one that I really can't imagine myself ever not using now.  I have used this oil every night since October and it really helps skin to retain it's moisture and rejuvenate it over night.  I apply a few drops after I have toned and smooth it into the skin, it has a subtle lavender fragrance which is perfect pre-bed!  It helps to clear up spots and my skin feels softer, smoother and generally a bit more pampered.  And it gets to feel like that every day.  Hurrah!

What products did you enjoy using in March?

Life lately #7

Goodbye March, hello April!  I like April; to me, it means the beginning of Spring!  It's also my birthday month but I don't want to even think about getting another year older.  My Peter Pan mode is in full flourish!  

Here's what my March looked like: 


Eating : I think I mentioned this last month but I really need to start thinking about what I'm eating again!  I've very much been over indulging this month: eating in lots of restaurants, enjoying lots of sweet treats, and craving naughty food!  I've very much enjoyed myself though but I'm all too aware that it's not the healthiest of diets! 

Drinking : I have an extreme relationship with hot chocolate, sometimes I love it and other times I hate it.  At the moment, it's the love phase so I've been ordering it in coffee shops and making it a lot at home for a chocolate hit!  

Reading : My schedule has been pretty hectic which has meant that I've not been able to read as much as I'd like - I've only really managed 15 minutes a day!  I have been reading my Poem A Day though which often gives me food for thought.  Although we're now in the Easter holidays, I'm working so still no time to read.  I picked up a 'blind book choice' from my local library last week; the library wrapped up a selection of books and the only clue to your choice is the novel's first line.  I thought it was such a good idea!  I picked up Santa Montefiore's Secrets From The Lighthouse  - it's a great way to introduce yourselves to an author you wouldn't have normally chosen. 

Watching : At the moment, I'm really enjoying Indian Summers.  To me, it's a fiestier Downtown Abbey.  I love the beautiful shots of India and the politics of that era are fascinating.  At the cinema, I saw Insurgent.  I thought it was okay  but has some of my favourite actors at the moment (Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Theo James!) and I liked the book series.  I also surprisingly liked 50 Shades of Grey as I hated the book.   Who would have thought it?

Planning : I've been planning a camping trip over May Day weekend, we've gone for a no electric pitch in a woodland area so it will be great to switch off completely.  

Anticipating : My birthday weekend!  I've got lots to look forward to, some surprises and afternoon tea at The Ritz!  I feel very lucky.     

Buying : I caved and have been getting the Look Fantastic Beauty Box for the past couple of months.  It's £15 that I should be saving but getting a selection of new and exciting products each month to try has curbed my urge to buy lots of new make-up and products!  I look forward to receiving it every month and I love that it's such a surprise!  

How was your March?