bloomzy, Author at Bloomzy

bloomzy / July 10, 2015

Where to Eat in London: BIRD

BIRD | Fried Chicken | Hackney | Website
– reservations available –

Fried chicken is my guilty pleasure. In fact it’s one of the few things I think I could eat everyday…without growing sick of it. Even though it’s relatively common in the UK, it can be difficult to find good fried chicken. BIRD isn’t exactly the new kid on the block. But in the short time it has been open, it has made a pretty good name for itself. I’ve been a few times myself, what with the restaurant being only a 10min walk from my office. So when BIRD invited me back to try their new lunch menu of course I said yes.

I had been drooling over some of the new additions to the menu, such as the Korean Burger (fried chicken, gochujang glaze and kimchi slaw) and the Fried Chicken Biscuit Sandwich (freshly baked buttermilk biscuit, fried chicken, honey butter & hot sauce). Naturally we ordered both when we arrived, alongside some fries and pickled cucumber. I had been excited for the biscuit as it’s something I have only had in America (and loved). It was crunchy outside and soft inside, with a slightly oily aftertaste. Although I felt it definitely could have been bigger, it was pretty authentic. The chicken was moist in both the sandwich and the burger, with a slightly crispy outer. The Kimchi Burger boasted a delicious slaw and oozed hot sauce. This is one messy burger. Over all it’s wasn’t the best fried chicken I’ve had, but it made for a good lunch. I saved my doughnut for later, and boy was it worth the wait. I honestly think BIRD make the best doughnut dough in London. This one was bigger than my hand, and I finished every last bit of it.

Our lunches came to £10 each (without drink), which included a main, side and a doughnut – or £8 with a side or doughnut. The difference between BIRD and other fried chicken restaurants is definitely in the ingredients. The chicken is brought in fresh everyday, and cooked twice to make sure that it is perfectly done. The doughnuts are made daily in-store, and the flavours change to match. The fresh, quality ingredients are definitely reflected in the taste, right down to the special seasoning on the fries. In fact I loved the little details so much that I ended up taking away the recipe for the seasoning, and jotting down the name of the hot sauce. BIRD may look like a hipster joint, but it the food feels more like home cooking. This may mean a few mishaps here and there, but more often than not they get it right.

If you liked this, why not check out the rest of my Where to Eat in London series.

bloomzy / July 8, 2015

Latest in Beauty Get The Gloss Summer It Kit

Latest in Beauty Get The Gloss Summer It Kit*

Everyone has their Summer travel essentials: sunglasses, notebook, city guide etc. This year I’ve been trying to simplify how I travel, and that includes my make-up and beauty favourites. Old me would have brought along half the bathroom cabinet. Convincing myself that I really do need to bring an extra 3 moisturisers. Now I’m doing better, but truth be told, I still need a little help. So when Get The Gloss offered to send me their Summer It Kit Box (a collaboration with Latest in Beauty), I was over the moon. Latest in Beauty say: “We have teamed up with the editorial team at Get the Gloss to bring you the Summer ‘It Kit’ for 2015. Bursting with 8 amazing products, from Nuxe to Nails Inc, this is one beauty kit you don’t want to be without!”

Inside the box is…
+ NAILS INC Gel Effect Nail Polish (full size)
+ NUXE Huile Prodigieuse® OR (10ml)
+ Bourjois Aqua Blush (full size)
+ Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Cube (full size)
+ Salon Science AquaCacteen Hydrasoothe™ Cooling Spray (full size)
+ Philip Kingsley Swimcap (50ml)
+ Elemental Herbology Cell Plumping Facial Hydrator SPF 8 (15ml)
+ Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Refine & Polish Miracle Balm (15ml)

Thoughts?
At only £19 this is slightly more than the usual beauty box. However the box features 4 full size products, and Latest in Beauty have claimed that the box values at over £85. Taking that into consideration, you’re getting one hell of a deal here. But what did I think of the products? I was really happy with most of the products. They’ve covered hair, skin, body and nails. I can definitely see myself packing most of these for a weekend away. Sure I probably won’t use NUXE Huile Prodigieuse® OR (pasty skin 4life) or the Bourjois Aqua Blush (I prefer powder blush), but that’s not to say I didn’t like them. In fact I happen to think Get the Gloss have curated this box with expert precision. They’ve chosen some great brands, and an eclectic mix of products. I think what I like the most about this box is that it hasn’t taken the easy route. My only niggle: how can you have a Summer box without sunscreen?

Head over to Latest in Beauty to purchase the Get The Gloss Summer It Kit.

bloomzy / July 6, 2015

OOTD: Cool Chic

T-shirt: Zara | Culottes: Warehouse* | Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs | Sandals: Fit Flop*

As a Brit, I do love to complain about the weather. Summertime is no different. Each year, at the beginning of Summer I find myself staring sadly into my wardrobe. What do you wear when it feels like you’re going to melt as soon as your step outside? It can be quite the challenge trying to look good, and feel comfortable. So when I find a Summer staple, I stick with it.

You may remember my current fashion motto: quality over quantity. That means I’ve changed my buying habits. Now I buy one high quality item, instead of several cheaper items. This new motto has transformed my wardrobe, and the way I style outfits. Not surprisingly it has also made it easier for me to find my Summer staples this year. Like these culottes. These are ridiculously comfortable, and perfect for Summer. Apart from being comfortable, they’re easy to dress up or down (these are perfect for the weekend, work, or an evening dinner). My current favourite is pairing them with a breton stripe top. I feel as though I could easily fit in on the streets of Paris in this outfit. In fact, if I squint hard enough, the streets of London can look a little Parisian.

I styled this outfit as part of a project run by think money.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.

bloomzy / July 1, 2015

Kopparberg Urban Forest Festival

Kopparberg Urban Forest Festival*

I think it’s fair to say that Britain goes a little festival crazy during the Summer. But I’m not in to camping, so I was all set for another festival-less year. That was until I was invited to the Kopparberg Urban Forest Festival. So on the longest day of the year I headed to Hackney Wick to celebrate the Summer Solstice – Swedish style.

I wasn’t entirely certain what to expect from Kopparberg, as I’d missed last year’s offering. The venue might have been slightly smaller than Glastonbury, but it had all the essentials. There were street food trucks, a photo booth, a couple of bars, hair braiding and even a DJ booth. I headed straight to the bar for a frozen Kopparberg. It sounds a little odd, but it’s perfectly refreshing on a hot Summer’s day. Next we went for food…we have our priorities straight. I chose Le Bun, a French twist on the typical American Burger. I went for Le Duck Frites; a duck confit burger with straw fries and champagne slaw. Ben went for a more Scandinavian affair with The Hackney Pearl’s Swedish Meatball Sandwich. We shared our dishes, and truth be told, we couldn’t decide whose was better. Both were delicious, and perfect alongside our ciders. After our mini feast, I decided to join the queue for the braid bar. The Braid Bar is pretty well known among beauty enthusiasts, and celebrities alike. With my short, thin hair, I wasn’t sure if they would be able to do anything. Luckily they cater for all hair types, as I saw whilst watching others have their hair braided. I went for the Eva – two small side braids. It didn’t take too long and I was pretty happy with the result (although I wouldn’t pay £10 for it in-store).

In true Scandinavian style there were plenty of fresh flowers. But instead of crowns, these flowers were being weaved into our braids, and the mens beards. As my braids were so petite and tight, I went for a more delicate look. I really loved how it complimented the style of the braids. Ben had actually had his hair and beard cut that morning, so I was a bit sad that we couldn’t adorn his hair too. We still had plenty of time left though, so we headed to the photobooth and snapped some memories. After a couple more Kopparbergs, the heavens began to open, so we scarpered. It’s fair to say that this is one festival I can definitely see myself going back to.

The Kopparberg Urban Forest is on until July 12th – entry is free.

bloomzy / June 29, 2015

Where to Eat in London: Toconoco Japanese Cafe

Toconoco | Japanese Cafe | Hackney | Website
– reservations not available –

It’s difficult to explain the serenity I felt in the cafe’s of Tokyo. It really feels as though you are being whisked away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A cafe is no longer just somewhere to eat and drink. It’s a sanctuary from modern life. It is this feeling I have been craving ever since I returned from Japan. I didn’t think I’d find it again, until I happened upon Toconoco.

Toconoco is a child-friendly Japanese cafe on Kingsland Basin, Regents Canal. Surrounded by canal boats and wildlife, this little sun trap feels miles away from the streets of Shoreditch. I headed there on a weekday afternoon around 12:30. They had tweeted their daily lunch set photo, and it looked too perfect to miss out on (only 15 lunch sets are made each day). Lunch sets are very popular in Japan, and I miss the concept here. It varies depending on the restaurant, but they usually come with a main, a side salad, rice and a miso soup. Toconoco’s lunch set on that particular day was ham croquettes, and it was every bit the same as those I’d had in Japan. The ingredients were fresh and delicious, complimenting each other perfectly. The delicate use of sauces and dressings is something I have yet to master in my Japanese cooking. However Toconoco are clearly skilled in this art. We also ordered a side of Egg Miso-Mayo Toast with spring onion, sesame oil and chilli flake. How could I pass on something that sounds so intriguing? The toast had a distinct Japanese flavour to it and was lighter (and less rich) than regular egg mayo.

The main thing I took away from my visit to Toconoco, was how authentic it is. The food is prepared fresh everyday, and is fitting to the weather and season. This is real Japanese food. Not the hyped up, overpriced kind you find in restaurants in Soho. This is home-cooking style, made with love and care. It reminded me that we should all take some time to relax, and that eating should be seen as one of life’s simple pleasures. Because eating at Toconoco is certainly no chore.

bloomzy / June 26, 2015

OOTD: The Caped Crusader

Sleeveless Duster: Topshop | T-shirt: COS | Jeans: Topshop | Heels: Clarks*

It’s safe to say I’m not a heels kinda gal. My feet ache just thinking about them. To think I wore them religiously whilst living in Japan – I don’t know how I did it. Despite my dislike for wearing heels, I love how they look…and how they make my legs look. This leaves me in a very awkward position. That position is usually staring at beautiful heels online, but never adding them to my basket. However when I spotted these beauties on Shoetique I decided to finally go for it. After all, Clarks are well known for quality, comfortable shoes.

Naturally I chose a pair of black and white heels, and I think they look damn good. I’ve become a bit of a monochrome master, if I do say so myself. I’ve even managed to match my outfits to my location. Did you spot that? Ok so I didn’t really do it on purpose, but I did actually scout the location beforehand. I’d seen a few photos of the new Crossrail Place Bridge, and I wanted to join in too. So me and V.A headed there last weekend for a photography afternoon. The whole area is shiny and new, and surprisingly quiet. We were able to shoot pretty easily, and get THAT shot of the bridge. For something that looks like it’s made of corrugated iron, it’s eerily beautiful.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.

bloomzy / June 24, 2015

Interior Design | In The Window

As a child I loved wandering around showrooms and home stores with my parents. I would make imaginary wish lists in my head, choosing pieces for my dream bedroom. As a little girl, that was as far as I got. As an adult moving away to university, I started taking interior design a little more seriously. Although I still hadn’t quite found my style yet – my uni dorm was a jumble of pink bed sheets and Korean boyband posters. After university the next big move was London, and my own little apartment. No more house sharing. However a small flat in Stoke Newington doesn’t really offer up much of a blank canvas. Still, I decorated the walls with art prints, and the tables with carefully placed trinkets. I had so many ideas of what I wanted to do to the flat, but realistically I knew it wouldn’t work. So when we moved in April this year to a bigger, brighter apartment, I was over the moon. I went into interior design overdrive. Luckily I had a little friend to help me – In The Window.

In The Window enables designers, makers, and brands to share their stories and collections in a uniquely visual way. It is about giving the designers and their products the spotlight. I personally prefer this to a company whose goal is only to sell to you. Of course if you like what you see, you can click through to a stockist where you can purchase your object of desire.

But the real point of In The Window are the stories – delving into the worlds of the designers. Each window showcases the work and story behind the designer, maker or brand. Users can take part too. In The Window’s community can discover, experience, and meaningfully interact with the content via curation, sharing, and conversations. My favourite aspect are the labels. By simply selecting any product or window, you can add them to custom labels you have created under your account. Other users can view these and comment on them, or add them to their own labels. You can even interact with the designers themselves. For creatives, and those who just adore interior design, In The Window is an innovative way to discover via a new, unique social network.

You can view my labels at In The Window.

Thank you to V.A who took the photos of me.