bloomzy /

OOTD: East London Calling

Sweater – H&M | Trousers – H&M | Bag – Zara | Sandals – Primark | Watch – Marc by Marc Jacobs | Sunglasses* – Ray-Ban

Hanging around East London isn’t anything new for me, I know. So you’d think that I’d be getting a little bored of the area by now, right? It becomes all the more exciting though when I get to share it with someone else. That’s exactly what happened when I met V.A (of Chopstickpanorama) for lunch at Onthebab. We had been meaning to meet for a while so we decided to take advantage of our time. Of course that meant an impromptu photoshoot around Shoreditch in East London. As if it could mean anything else when two bloggers are involved.
It was so nice having another blogger there to take my photos. V.A is a wonderful photographer so she knew exactly what to do. I very much appreciated her guidance and telling me to “stand straight.” I learnt a lot of things from that lovely little lady – thank you V.A. I think I’ve caught the photography bug all over again!
Photos taken by Chopstickpanorama
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: The London Coffee Festival

On Saturday I headed to the London Coffee Festival with Nuffnang. That probably sounds a bit odd as I don’t drink caffeinated drinks, right? Well I wanted to find out what other options were available, such as decafe etc. However the rest of the Nuffnang crew had avoided coffee all morning in preparation. Luckily for me I wasn’t let down and there was much more than just coffee on show. There was art, food, music and even fashion stalls on display.

I headed round with some of the girls to get all the info on the exhibitors. Amongst the various brands there were more than a few that stood out for me: One Water, Sprinkled Magic Cupcakes, Impossible iPhone Printer, Novus Tea, Nut Shot Peanut Butter, Joco Reusable Cups, and Evoni Design.

Yes, I do feel bad that I headed to the coffee festival and couldn’t fully enjoy the coffee. However I did catch some amazing smells, and I even had a cheeky little latte at one point. It was a day of laughs, learning and discovery, and I would definitely recommend it.

You can find out more at The London Coffee Festival.

bloomzy /

Where to Eat in London: Violet Cakes

Violet | Cafe | Dalston | Website
– reservations not available –

Violet’s is a well known cafe hidden in the heart of Dalston. You may have visited their stall on Broadway market on a lively Saturday. I headed to Violet’s cafe with my fiancé on a warm, Spring Saturday afternoon.

The first thing I noticed was how small the cafe was, and it’s surroundings. I know Dalston houses a variety of small establishments, but I wasn’t expecting to find a teeny tiny cafe in the middle of some houses. That didn’t dent my eagerness though as we snatched a seat from someone who was just leaving. Luckily the weather was gorgeous so we were fine sitting outside, however if it hadn’t been I fear our journey may have ended there, as there is no indoor seating. Inside the staff were busy making cakes and serving customers takeaway delicacies in little monogrammed paper bags. The staff were friendly, although noticeably rushed, however they didn’t let it affect them. We ordered some tea, and two toasties, as I’d heard from a friend that the toasties at Violet’s were pretty scrumptious. I loved the crockery that everything was served on, and it felt so in tune with the cafe – very granny-chic. Our toasties were as delicious as we’d been promised, if a little bit greasy for my tastes. Although the side of cornichons made me incredibly happy – they’re a favourite of mine. We left soon after but didn’t leave without grabbing a mini cupcake and whoopie pie for the walk home. The cakes have made Violet’s famous, and are why their Broadway market stall is sold out every weekend. So did they live up to their high standards? They certainly did. The cakes were moist, full of flavour and we devoured them in a second!

I can definitely see myself going back and buying more of Violet’s cakes.
They’d be absolutely perfect for a picnic in London Fields on a gorgeous Spring day.

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on Zomato.

bloomzy /

Giveaway & Review: Clue Quest – The Live Escape Game

clueQuest – The Live Escape Game
clueQuest Ltd, 11 Plough Yard, London, EC2A 3LP
On Wednesday evening I met up with some shady looking characters in an alley in East London.
I’m kidding! Those shady characters were actually some of the lovely people from Nuffnang.
We were there to celebrate Nuffnang’s birthday with a night full of experiences and adventure.
It was a fabulous night, but today I’m going to chat about our first outing of the evening – clueQuest.
clueQuest is currently the top #1 London attraction on Trip Advisor, so maybe you’ve heard of it?
Well if it just so happens that you haven’t, you’re in for a treat, because this is an attraction like no other. clueQuest is a live escape game where you are locked in a room (don’t worry it’s not scary!) and given only 60mins to escape. The room/s are full of mysteries and clues that you and your team need to figure out in order to progress through the game, and to ultimately escape your room. You don’t need to be strong, or fast. Nope. You just need your wits, common sense, some logic, and a bit of teamwork. Anyone can do it (it’s suitable for all ages), but you will need a team of people, between 3-6.
We arrived at clueQuest HQ and were immediately debriefed. It turned out Mr Q had been watching all of us bloggers for a long time. He had chosen us, out of everyone in London, as potential new agents. We were handed a clipboard, pen and walkie talkie (to communicate with HQ), and sent out on our mission. Little did we know what Mr Q had in store for us behind that locked door. Now naturally I can’t say much about the room, or show you any photos. Why? Because that would spoil the experience, silly! All I can say is that the whole experience was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I’m a bit of a gamer and I love solving riddles etc. so this was like Christmas for me. My team – Team Awesome – were all on the ball, and we went into super spy mood as soon as we heard the key turn in the door. So, did we escape the room? Of course, we did! Finally, as we left and celebrated our escape, we were given special secret agent cards. Mr Q was very happy with our work and had recruited us to help save the world!
There were riddles, brainteasers and lots and lots of clues to make sense of. I can’t recommend this enough, and it’s perfect for pretty much everyone – as long as you enjoy a good mystery, and solving puzzles. Prices start at £17 per person. If you’re curious, head over to clueQuest to find out more and book your escape!
Now, time for the giveaway!

What can you win?
1 x Visit to clueQuest for 3-5 people.
(This prize is for one winner, and up to 4 friends.)

How to enter:
+ Be a follower of ‘Bloomzy’ via Bloglovin
+ Earn extra entries on Twitter, Facebook etc.
– Entrants who do not follow the rules will be disqualified.
– Twitter accounts created purely for giveaways will be disqualified.
clueQuest is based in London so you will need to be closely located.
You must be able to arrange travel to and from the venue yourself.

Running for 1 week (ending 6th April at 12am).
The prize is provided by clueQuest and will arranged via Nuffnang.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!!

bloomzy /

Photo Diary: London Skies & Coffee Bars

Florin Court, The Barbican, Exchange Building, Shoreditch Grind
There’s nothing better than walking around East London on a sunny day. I took my mum and sister around my usual haunts, and to a few new places. The sky was absolutely clear, so it was no wonder we were looking up at the rooftops. I find that a lot of amazing architecture is missed out on because we just don’t look up. Well I spent last Sunday looking up, and I saw some amazing sites.
bloomzy /

Review: Clue Quest – The Live Escape Game

clueQuest – The Live Escape Game
clueQuest Ltd, 11 Plough Yard, London, EC2A 3LP
On Wednesday evening I met up with some shady looking characters in an alley in East London. I’m kidding! Those shady characters were actually some of the lovely people from Nuffnang. We were there to celebrate Nuffnang’s birthday with a night full of experiences and adventure. It was a fabulous night, but today I’m going to chat about our first outing of the evening – clueQuest.
clueQuest is currently the top #1 London attraction on Trip Advisor, so maybe you’ve heard of it?
Well if it just so happens that you haven’t, you’re in for a treat, because this is an attraction like no other. clueQuest is a live escape game where you are locked in a room (don’t worry it’s not scary!) and given only 60mins to escape. The room/s are full of mysteries and clues that you and your team need to figure out in order to progress through the game, and to ultimately escape your room. You don’t need to be strong, or fast. Nope. You just need your wits, common sense, some logic, and a bit of teamwork. Anyone can do it (it’s suitable for all ages), but you will need a team of people, between 3-6.
We arrived at clueQuest HQ and were immediately debriefed.  It turned out Mr Q had been watching all of us bloggers for a long time. He had chosen us, out of everyone in London, as potential new agents. We were handed a clipboard, pen and walkie talkie (to communicate with HQ), and sent out on our mission. Little did we know what Mr Q had in store for us behind that locked door. Now naturally I can’t say much about the room, or show you any photos. Why? Because that would spoil the experience, silly! All I can say is that the whole experience was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. I’m a bit of a gamer and I love solving riddles etc. so this was like Christmas for me. My team – Team Awesome – were all on the ball, and we went into super spy mood as soon as we heard the key turn in the door. So, did we escape the room? Of course, we did! Finally, as we left and celebrated our escape, we were given special secret agent cards. Mr Q was very happy with our work and had recruited us to help save the world!
There were riddles, brainteasers and lots and lots of clues to make sense of. I can’t recommend this enough, and it’s perfect for pretty much everyone – as long as you enjoy a good mystery, and solving puzzles.
Prices start at £17 per person. If you’re curious, head over to clueQuest to find out more and book your escape!
bloomzy /

Where to Eat in London: Village East of Bermondsey

 Village East of Bermondsey – Lunch, Dinner, Weekend Brunch – Bermondsey: Website
– reservations available –
Village East of Bermondsey is a European bar/restaurant located on Bermondsey Street. The outside is welcoming, and inside the decor is simple and stylish. I headed there on a Friday evening with 3 friends. Bermondsey is not somewhere I head often. I’ve only been there twice and I never really expected to find any ‘decent’ restaurants. Luckily a foodie friend of mine just moved to the area and had already checked out the place. We had made reservations and were lead to our table as soon as we arrived. It turned out that we were sat directly opposite the kitchen, and this wasn’t any little ol’kitchen with a window. This was an open plan kitchen with chefs plating up the food right in front of you. I thought it might be a bit noisy and off-putting to start with, but it added to the lively atmosphere, and we all enjoyed watching the chefs and wondering if it was our plate heading out next. We ordered a main and a dessert each; I went for the Soft Shell Crab Bap, and the Pineapple & Mascarpone Trifle. My crab bap originally seemed like an odd choice for an evening meal but my woes were left behind me as soon as I took my first bite. The bun and crab were delicious, and the sauce & garnish complimented it wonderfully, whilst the chips were cooked perfectly. I didn’t want it to end. As for the dessert, I felt it was a fun and tasty take on the traditional British trifle, but it lacked a little extra something. I think next time I would go for something a bit sweeter.
The service at Village East of Bermondsey was perfectly on point. The waiters were friendly and fast with our food and orders, but didn’t make us feel as though we had to be herded in and out. I will definitely be heading back, most certainly to check out the brunch menu.