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Good and Proper Tea – The New Afternoon Tea in London

afternoon tea in londonGood and Proper Tea* | Brunch/Afternoon Tea in London – Cafe | Nearest Tube: Chancery Lane | Website

One of my favourite anecdotes from my time in Japan is the afternoon tea tale. Whenever I met someone for the first time (who had not been to the UK/had any British friends), they would without fail ask me “what time is afternoon tea?” This question came up again and again, and I quickly realised that people genuinely see afternoon tea as a part of everyday life in the UK. Unfortunately most of us Brits know this isn’t the case, but I do love to indulge a little every now and again.

The New Afternoon Tea in London

For me, brunch is the new afternoon tea, in London anyway. I love to spend a weekend morning – or a weekday if I’m feeling particularly luxurious – just relaxing with a cup of coffee, and a decent selection of hot food and pastries. In fact I enjoy it so much, I’m constantly searching for new brunch places. Luckily for me, I was invited along to the launch of Good and Proper Tea‘s new Leather Lane store.

Crumpets and Tea!

Ok let’s get to the food! VA and I shared a selection of G&P’s famous handmade crumpets and cakes:

  • Egg, Mustard, Ham and Cheese Crumpet – Subtle flavours on top of a pillowy crumpet. A unique take on the Croque Madame!
  • Marmite & Cheese Crumpet – Melted cheese oozes over a soft crumpet, whilst everyone’s favourite yes-no condiment adds a tangy edge.
  • Blood Orange & Poppy Seed Cake (vegan friendly) – Sweet and a little tart. Stodgy, but in a good way. I could eat this everyday.
  • Honey and Orange Madelines – These were so delectable and flavoursome. They are definitely my favourite sweet treat at G&P.

Alongside our food I tried the Dragonwell Tea and a Chai Latte, both are personal favourites of mine. Dragonwell tea (aka Longjing) is a roasted green tea. It went extremely well with my breakfast, as it isn’t too bitter or strong a flavour. My Chai Latte was made using milk, however dairy-free versions are available, which I do appreciate. It was a little spicy, and very creamy. Just the way I like it.

Let’s round it up

First things first, I’m the realest… Wait no, that’s not right. The decor! The decor is insanely gorgeous – there are some definite #interiorgoals going on here. Luckily Good and Proper Tea are as much about substance as they are style; as is reflected in their food and tea offerings. We may have gone for brunch, but you could easily while away an afternoon here chatting with friends, “working”, or of course, for afternoon tea.

You can visit Good and Proper Tea in Clerkenwell, Old Street and Brockley Market (find them here).
Read more: Where to Eat in London | A London Life

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Urban Research in Japan | Style (OOTD)

urban researchTie Waist Top: Urban Research | Trousers: Urban Research | Watch: Timex* | Sneakers: Comme des Garcon

When I visited Japan in March, one thing stood out to me. My personal style was miles away from what it was when I was living in Tokyo. It dawned on me that the stores and areas I once frequented during my time there were now alien to me. For this reason alone, I had resigned myself to the fact that I probably wouldn’t buy any clothes during my visit. However one rainy day, we decided to wander around the Sky Tree Mall – Solomachi. Filled with stores such as Punyus, Loft, and earth, music and ecology; I soon realised I was in good hands.

Urban Research

One store that stood out to me in particular was Urban Research. Sure the name might seem odd to English speakers, but the lifestyle element to the store intrigued me. It reminded me of my favourite London stores, but with a difference. However it was only when I went shopping with Renka that I properly investigated. I ended up picking up an ensemble that felt a little out of my comfort zone. Something I would admire on others, but would maybe be a little nervous to wear myself. Luckily Renka is a great shopping buddy. I knew I could trust her, and when she gushed at how much the outfit suited me I decided I had to have it. I had to admit, I felt kinda cool in it. And this is coming from the person who would never have considered wearing a matching two-piece outfit. As you probably guessed, that outfit was the one in this post. I mean, this story would have been entirely pointless otherwise, right?

Check out my previous style posts here.
Thanks to V.A (Chopstickpanorama) for the photos of me.

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My Spring Colour Palette | Style

spring colour paletteMy Spring Colour Palette | SS16

Now I’m not one to follow trends, but every so often something comes around that fits into my personal style like a glove. In 2014 it was dip-dyed hair and patterned fabrics. In 2015 it was sleeveless waistcoats and fashion sneakers. This year – in 2016 – it takes the form of a colour palette. Put simply: trending colours in style and interior. Never in my life would I imagine that palette would include pink.

Shock, horror!

Yes I have finally succumb to pink. Growing up I’ve always favoured darker colours and shades, so you can maybe understand my aversion. However SS16 has seen pink come back…with an attitude. Dusky, darker pinks are popping up all over the place. Some have underlying hints of purple, others peach. And I for one love it. This is pink, but not as we know it.

My Spring Colour Palette

Now that we’re over the initial shock of me wearing pink, let’s talk about some the colours I’m loving right now, because it’s not all about the p. Some of the colours I’m loving have carried over from Winter, but the majority are Spring shades. It’s also worth mentioning that I love pairing a lot of these colours together, as they compliment each other pretty well. Anyway, enough chit-chat, let’s look at the colours:

So the big question here is: why does any of this matter? Of course Spring-Summer usually sees people opting for lighter shades, but you know me – the darker the better. Well it’s not earth shattering but it does mark a change in my own personal style.

Check out more of my style posts here.

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Where to Eat in London: Hurwundeki

hurwundekiHurwundeki Cafe | Bethnal Green | Nearest tube: Bethnal Green/Cambridge Heath | Website

Where to Eat in London: Hurwundeki

A couple of weekends ago I was invited to stop by Hurwundeki’s cafe, to try out their new brunch menu (Tues-Sat until 3:30pm). For those that don’t recognise the name, this Korean cafe-come-salon-come-restaurant is almost a Bethnal Green institution. Believe it or not, as big of a fan of Korean food as I am, I’ve never been to Hurwundeki. As a resident of East London I have no excuse. Luckily for me I chose the perfect sunny weekend to head over with Ffi, to finally see what they had to offer.

How is the food and coffee?

We ordered two dishes to share: the Avocado & Bacon with chilli, and the Homemade Falafel with beetroot and sesame, both of which came on toast. The former was slightly spicy, and used good quality (crisped) bacon; a well loved favourite that has been executed well. The latter falafel dish was my favourite though. The unique flavours (for a typical brunch) really made this dish stand out. Both came in light, smallish portions, which were the perfect serving sizes for us. That said, they may be a little small for some people. On the bright side, this does leave room for cake – so no need to worry! We tried the Gluten Free & Vegan Peanut Brownie, and the Almond and Chocolate Bread Pudding. Neither were overly sweet or heavy, which I loved. I also appreciated the options for coeliacs and vegans – nice one Hurwundeki!

I grabbed a coffee (easy to do when I have Drip App), which uses Workshop Coffee’s Cult of Done espresso. I loved how smooth and flavoursome (sweet notes of cocoa and maple syrup) this Brazilian coffee was.

Final Thoughts

My only complaint is that Hurwundeki doesn’t carry over the Korean food into their cafe. I would have loved to have seen some Korean-inspired dishes or ingredients pop up on the brunch menu. I imagine this is because a lot of people expect certain foods at brunch in London, which is a shame really. That said, the food here is presented well, and tastes delicious. With dishes starting at around £4.50, this is more than affordable. I’ll definitely be stopping by for brunch again.

 

You can visit Hurwundeki at 296–299 Railway Arches, Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9HA or online here.
Make sure to check out Drip App for some of London’s best independent coffee shops!

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bloomzy /

Introducing The HP Spectre | Lifestyle

hp spectreHP Spectre – The World’s Thinnest Laptop

Remember how mobile phones started off massive, and then got smaller and smaller? Well I think it’s fair to say that laptops have made it through their awkward teenage years too, and are now going through their own transformation. I’m personally sold on the current thinner is better laptop-trend. I want something I can easily carry around with me, which simualtaneously does everything I need it to do. For me that means plenty of storage for my photos, music streaming and photoshop. I’m a relatively cheap date.

HP Spectre – The World’s Thinnest Laptop

Seriously though it can be difficult to find a laptop that handles these simple things, whilst looking good at the same time. Enter the world’s thinnest laptop – the HP Spectre 13. Boasting both style and substance – the matte black and copper finish is beyond gorgeous – the HP Spectre has it all. We were lucky enough to be shown the only prototype in the world right now, and it was pretty damn amazing. The laptop itself may have been even lighter than my tablet, but I was assured that it didn’t compromise on power. Perfect for storing all my photos, and the various programmes I use to edit them.

For those who love getting down and dirty with specs:

  • A carbon fibre bottom creates a thin profile that is both durable and lightweight, keeping the total weight of the notebook at just 1.1kg (2.45 pounds).
  • High gloss copper accents reflect a hand-polished, jewelry like finish and an innovative hidden piston hinge creates the illusion of a hinge-less design to offer an unmatched premium look-and-feel.
  • Full HD IPS (5) edge-to-edge display featuring Corning® Gorilla® delivers a superb viewing experience for editing photos, perfecting a presentation or watching a movie.
  • 6th generation Intel® Core™ i5 and i7 processors(2) and a lightning fast PCIe SSD with storage up to 512GB(7) with up to 8GB of memory for maximum performance. Integration of Intel® hyperbaric cooling system keeps the machine running cool even with powerful processors in a small package.
  • Stereo speakers by Bang & Olufsen with HP Audio Boost technology, a combination of hardware and software to give customers the depth they want.
  • Three full function USB Type-CTM connectors, including two of which support ThunderboltTM, to provide a fast, versatile I/O connection.

HP Lounge: Music Streaming

Music streaming is also covered on the new HP Spectre, thanks to HP Lounge – a new streaming service exclusive to HP laptop owners.

HP Lounge is a truly immersive platform for music fans. You can enjoy specially curated content from HP and Universal Music including behind-the-scenes news, making-of videos, artist interviews and album reviews. Of course that’s not all, because HP loves to spoil their users. You also have the chance to win gig tickets, and gain access to exclusive experiences such as meet and greets, record studio visits and VIP packages. With 12 months of ad-free, unlimited web radio streaming you can listen to your favourite artists, or discover new ones, via a variety of stations grouped by genre, artist or mood.

HP Lounge: AlunaGeorge and Jack Garratt

Oh HP you do spoil me! After we were given the chance to exclusively check out the new HP Spectre, we were treated to an HP Lounge gig; with none other than AlunaGeorge and Jack Garratt! I actually listen to both on the music streaming service I currently use, so it was pretty fitting that this was my introduction to the HP Lounge.

If you have lived in the UK since 2013, and don’t know ‘White Noise‘ then I am seriously judging you right now. It’s such an anthem, and it was even more amazing watching AlunaGeorge perform it live. The highlight of the night though was watching Jack Garratt (check out Phase) do what he does best – which is apparently play every single instrument known to man whilst melodically singing. Seriously though, this man is talented! I was in awe of his music skills.

The HP Spectre will be released in June 2016. Follow #ReinventObsession to find out more!

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This post is in collaboration with HP, however all views are my own. Photos courtesy of HP.

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Kyoto Shrines and Temples | Japan Travel Diary

kyoto shrines and templesKyoto Shrines and Temples | Japan Travel Diary

Before our trip to Japan we decided to purchase the JR Pass, so that we could travel around the country a little. Kyoto was definitely on our list of places to visit again, as on our first visit we hadn’t been able to appreciate the city as much as we would have liked to. Naturally I made a mental note of all the shrines and temples I wanted to visit, because when you’re in Kyoto that’s what you do…

What makes Kyoto Shrines and Temples special?

Kyoto’s shrines and temples are pretty special to me. There is a certain air of tranquility and calm surrounding Kyoto, and I think this even translates through to their tourist locations. There is so much beauty to take in around this region, and I don’t think I will ever bore of it.

Which Kyoto Shrines and Temples should you visit?

Check out some of my picks, several of which feature in the photos in this post:

  • Fushimi Inari – You may recognise this famous shrines red gates from movies such as Memoirs of a Geisha. Climb to the top of the mountain, and brag about it after.
  • Kiyomizu-dera – Featuring the famous ‘floating platform’ and a waterfall that supposedly grants wishes.
  • Kinkaku0ji/Rokuon-ji – The ‘Golden Pavilion’ is known worldwide for it’s beautiful golden exterior. Check out the amazing reflection in the nearby lake, and stroll through the garden.
  • Ryoan-ji – A must-see for any zen garden fans!
  • Saiho-ji – This is actually on my list of temples to visit. This natural beauty has a difficult entry procedure, but it sure looks like it’s worth it!

This is just a small list of temples and shrines to visit in Kyoto. However I would also recommend just wandering around Kyoto, because you will come across tons of smaller shrines/temples that are just as wonderful.

Check out the rest of my Japan Travel Diaries here.

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bloomzy /

The Nor-Folk Look | Style (OOTD)

nor-folkJumper: Nor-Folk | Trousers: New Look | Hat: Blake LDN | Shoes: New Look

The Nor-Folk Look…

In my last style post I talked about The London Look. So in this post it seemed only fitting to return to my roots and discuss the infamous Norfolk Look. Well really there’s not much to discuss. Most people assume Norfolk is full of people dressed in flat caps, Joules gilets and riding boots. That’s great, but in recent years I’ve seen some amazing brands and designers coming from Norfolk, and that excites me a lot.

Finch womenswear are on top of keeping Norwich fashionable, but if I had to choose a brand, hands down it’s Nor-folk. Nor-Folk is a graphic design-led lifestyle brand founded by husband-and-wife graphic designers who reside in Norfolk, UK. Timeless minimalist aesthetics are backed up by the idea that our wardrobes (and lives) should consist of quality over quantity. This is something I thoroughly believe in, and have been working on in my style, and home, for the past few years.

I was so pleased to meet Fiona when I visited Norwich a few months ago. Not only is she incredibly friendly and kind, but her outlook on fashion is so refreshing. We chatted about the use of quality fabrics, interesting cuts, and fair trade. It’s safe to say that my love for Nor-folk was cemented that day. It’s so good to know that the clothes you own are created with such love and care. That’s what the Norfolk look is all about.

Check out my previous style posts here.
Thanks to V.A (Chopstickpanorama) for the photos of me.

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