Riverside (markets): Let's Go!

"The bright sun, that brings back not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to man, burst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory" 
 'Oliver Twist', Charles Dickens. 

The weather has been absolutely glorious recently. I've been walking along the Thames at every opportunity, between meetings and on my lunch break. I even ate two Mr Whippy Ice Creams at the weekend. Yes, we are all gearing up for spring and summer, with sunglasses and flip flops firmly out of the closet (although naturally, heavy rain is forecast for this coming weekend). All the more reason to make the most of the sunshine while we can. As you can tell from previous blogs, I'm a big fan of markets, especially across London, as there is such variety. Just walking around them and taking in the sights and sounds is a great day out, with no pressure to buy anything. With the Great British Summer being a tad unreliable, covered markets are great because you can visit them come rain or shine. 

Greenwich Market is one of the best covered markets in London, on a historic site surrounded by independent shops, pubs and cafés. It's reasonably easy to get to, just take the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich, which is only a few minutes walk from the Market itself.

Vintage Crockery

Antique China and Crystal

Antique Jewellery

Around the edge of the market, there was an independent shop called 360 Degrees Vintage. Normally I'm a little skeptical of vintage shops, as explained in detail HERE! However, the sweet lady inside it had been running the store for 20 years, and had a classic East End accent.

 The clothing inside was proper vintage, including a beautiful blue lace dress from the 1950's. I'm going to two weddings this summer and it would have been perfect - alas, it was the wrong size, but I'm still in love with it... 

For me, markets are really all about the food, and Greenwich did not disappoint. There were Spanish Churros filled with Dulce de Leche (a thick creamy caramel), Lamb and Halloumi wraps, fresh pastries and Jamaican patties.

I decided to go for a delicious creation from BILL OR BEAK, the brainchild of a Biomedical Science graduate who decided he wanted to open a street food stall rather than going straight into further study. Medicine's loss is our gain. I went for 'Beak' - pulled duck and pork (so so tender) with a coriander, chilli & mint salad, finished with tempura battered shallots, covered in a vietnamese dressing. OMG is all I can say... 

You can find Bill or Beak at various locations around London, including Camden and Brixton. There are more and more street food stalls popping up over the City, including in City Churchyards such as St Mary Aldermary (between Mansion House and Bank) which is home to thai food, burritos, freshly brewed coffees and more. Its a great way to utilise church land, and a welcome break from the monotony of Marks and Spencers or Pret sandwiches. 

To wash everything down I had a freshly pressed apple and cranberry juice from 'Turnip',who do brilliant flavours such as Blood Orange, or Melon smoothies. There's a lot of buzz about juice diets at the moment, but I couldn't think of anything more tedious or boring (not to mention bad for teeth and general digestion). Try one of these tasty and nutritious juices to accompany a meal, rather than instead of one. 

The only downside of the market is that there is nowhere inside to sit and eat, so you need to munch and stand. Or, take a short walk across to the Thames, with a great view of Canary Wharf and lots of low walls to enjoy your purchases. 

There couldn't be a mention of a riverside market without of course exploring Borough Market, one of London's oldest, busiest and most popular locations, focusing on food. Its buzzing with people, sounds, smells, colours. 

I visited on a Saturday with my other half, and the main benefit of going with someone else or a group is that you can try a greater variety of food, by sharing everything you eat (not sure if I sound greedy or genius). First we went to 'Roast' and sampled a roast pork and apple baguette with the most deliciously crunchy but ever so slightly chewy crackling. 

Then we tried the famous Chorizo, pepper and rocket ciabatta sandwich from Brindisa, a Spanish food supplier. It was pretty spectacular, and one of the best chorizo I have tried. 

One of my close university friends is from Valencia, and introduced me to a fantastic Spanish meat called Salchichon, which is not as well known here as chorizo, or Iberico ham. It should be eaten a lot more as it is so tasty, with a rich peppery taste to the pork, and a slight salty tang reminiscent of Parmesan cheese (could be my weird tastebuds). It taste great eaten on its own as a starter, finely sliced, as is customary in Spain. 

I went against custom and had some in a baguette with lettuce, cucumber and red onion - and it tasted great! 

Both Greenwich and Borough Market are excellent places to go in order to sample some unique, fresh and tasty food and drink, and I really would recommend visiting both of them. And after indulging in food, why not wander down the Thames to the Victoria Embankment, and have a relaxing drink on one of the many Boat Bars, such as the Hispaniola?

And after all that, I am off to the gym every night this week to work off all my sins...  

That'll be 360 hours on the cross trainer and 1500 squats... totally worth it! 

Yaasica Lucia XXX

Sweet Dream, or Beautiful Nightmare?

"Candy is childhood, the best and bright moments you wish could have lasted forever" - Dylan Lauren

Pink is my favourite colour, from the richest fuchsia to the sweetest cotton candy pink. I adore powder blue and often paint my nails the colour of mint choc chip ice cream. This season, one of the key trends for clothing, make up and accessories is pastel. I especially like the pink boyfriend coat trend, and both Eva Mendes and Kim Kardashian look beautifully chic.  

However, on us mere mortals, there is an alarming risk of looking like a rather curvy marshmallow. And while I fully embrace the spring fashion trends, nobody wants to be compared to Mr Blobby. Therefore, I've been looking at ways to embrace pastel, while retaining an element of dignity. 

One of the easiest ways to add pastel elements to your everyday wardrobe is through the use of nail varnish. It's relatively cheap and easy, and if you are unhappy with a look, you can remove it in seconds. Here are a selection of my current favourites... 

- Maybelline Colorshow in Nebline

- Rimmel Lycra Pro in Peppermint (n.b Bottle has been updated)

- Maxfactor Max Effect Mini in Mellow Yellow 29

- Barry M Nail Paint in Berry Ice Cream

- Barry M nail Paint in Blue Moon 

A fun look is to paint each nail a different pastel colour. If you like an ultra matte finish, then Models Own also do a great range of pastel colours. However, these require a couple of coats and I would recommend a clear top coat in order to get the most attractive look. You could try... 

- Model's Own Nail Polish in Ice Cream Sundae

- Model's Own Nail Polish in Blooboo 

Using pastel accessories is another great way of incorporating the season's trend. For example, you could add these socks from Topshop to a cute day dress, or with jeans and high top trainers. They look great with Converse or Nike Air Force 1.  There needs to be some contrast to create a good balance, otherwise you can end up looking like a little girl that's escaped from the playground. I've never been a fan of the little girl Lolita look - and most people that are have never actually read the book, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, which left me feeling pretty disturbed after reading it. 

Cute coloured jewellery has also been popping up, both over the high street and in designer shops. I'm a massive fan of Kate Spade, especially as she advocates eating cake for breakfast, and she also has some gorgeous jewellery. 

However, unless its a special occasion, I like to buy jewellery on the high street, as its affordable and interchangeable, and if it gets lost you don't feel quite so bad. I've always been an advocate of costume jewellery (although I never say no to diamonds). Both Forever 21 and Primark are absolutely bossing the pastel jewels trend. Take a look at these that I've picked up in the past few weeks... 

Earrings - Primark. Bracelet - Forever 21. 

Forever 21

Primark

There are lots of great lipsticks out there to add a pop of pastel colour to your face. In the pictures above I'm wearing MAC Cremesheen in Shy Girl. 

Its more of a peachy nude rather than pastel, but when I tried on a bubblegum pink the MAC MUA told me that it washed me out, which can happen to a lot of people. Including poor, poor Jessie J at the Brit Awards, who got it a bit wrong... Oh Jessie... 

Pastel coloured food also has a spring like feel to it, and what city could be better than Paris in the spring? For Valentine's day, I was treated to some delicious macaroons from Ladurée, the luxury French bakery that has a tiny little cafe in Covent Garden. They are literally amazing, and my favourites. However, Paul do some pretty yummy ones too, as do Marks and Spencer. 

The flavours we chose were: Salted Caramel, Chocolate, Praline, Strawberry Marshmallow, Pistachio, Rose and Lemon. If you want to treat yourself to something sweet and decadent, a macaroon is for you. You could also try some meringues from the Meringue Girls based in Hackney, who I reviewed HERE. 

That weekend, we also went for after dinner cocktails at the Ritz Hotel, London (which I can assure you is not my regular watering hole). It was like something from the Great Gatsby, with chandeliers, marble floors and a pianist serenading us as we sipped on our drinks. I resisted taking photos of most of the Ritz... but couldn't resist a cheeky snap in the aptly named 'Powder Room', the poshest bathroom ever, complete with intricate wallpaper and a beautifully upholstered sofa, with Harper's Bazaar, Tatler and Vogue to peruse at your leisure. 

Definitely a sweet, pastel pink dream...

Yaasica Lucia XXX

February Fashion Focus

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” Pablo Neruda

It seems that as soon as one gets excited about Spring arriving, the weather changes from bright, crisp and sunny, to cold, wet and miserable. Nevertheless, as Neruda wisely says, you cannot keep Spring from coming, and more to the point, you cannot stop the arrival of spring fashion. 

There are a few trends I'm absolutely loving at the moment. The first is a modern twist on florals that has been seen on the catwalks in the Spring/Summer '14 shows. As much as I love Cath Kidston prints and adore anything vintage and floral, it is hard to wear flowers without looking either like a child or a china doll. However, things seem to be different this season... 

Hermès

Dries van Noten

Oscar de la Renta 

Emporio Armani

As much as I love these designers, I simply cannot afford them at the moment. Luckily the high street are doing some similar designs and I picked up this gorgeous dress from Primark. I've been pairing it with simple gold jewellery and my beloved red Michael Kors tote bag. When the weather gets brighter, it would go well with pastel pink or powder blue accessories. 

I've always been a massive fan of trainers/sneakers/creps - whatever you call them, there is no doubt that these shoes are becoming progressively more popular in the fashion world. I also love eye catching sweatshirts, which have also been popping up everywhere. I guess its because alternative/street style is ever more popularised through the different media platforms that we have today - Facebook, Twitter, and especially Instagram. The catwalks it seems are taking note of this: 

Alexander Wang

DKNY

Kenzo

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Again, I cannot really afford these catwalk styles, but in my opinion, the best trainers are made not by designers, but by the one and only Nike. Here are the current pairs I'm wearing with everything: 

Nike Air Force 1 

Nike Air Max One

Something else I really like is the satirical take on designer brands that can be seen on clothing at the moment. From Celfie/Feline instead of Celine, to Ballin Paris rather than Balmain, the slogans are really fun. 

My personal favourite is Homies rather than Hermès, and so I had to have it. You can give the look a bit more edge by adding some contrasting jewellery, like I did with this necklace from Forever 21. 

It is often the case that designer labels set the trends and gradually they will filter down towards the high street, at affordable shops. One of my favourite movie scenes is from The Devil Wears Prada, when Andy the self-proclaimed unstylish PA is told by Amanda Priestly (loosely based on Anna Wintour)that the Cerulean blue colour of her bargain basement sweater was chosen for her by the fashion editors standing in that room. Meryl Streep delivers the speech fantastically. That being said, it seems that these days there is an increasingly mutual relationship and appreciation between designer and high street fashion, with both influencing each other. 

And that can only be a good thing for every shopaholic's bank account. 

Yaasica Lucia XXX

Houseboat on Broadway

"February sunshine steeps your boughs, tints the buds, swells the leaves within." 

At last! February is here. January was cold and miserable, and now its time to shake away the blues, as a new month has dawned. So, when payday arrived, it was the perfect excuse to go out and explore. 

The weather on Saturday was crisp and cold, but sunny and with blue skies, so I took a walk to Broadway Market, in Haggerston, South Hackney, close to London Fields. To get there from Victoria Park Village (the place I call home) takes about 20 minutes if walking along Regent's Canal. It's such a lovely walk especially when the sun is shining, and you can peep inside all the houseboats. I looked out for Rosie and Jim on the Old Ragdoll but unfortunately they were not around. 

 The focus is mainly on food rather than vintage clothing, and it is much smaller than Portobello Road market or Brick Lane, but the atmosphere is still fantastic. There was an excellent group of buskers in their 20s, with a saxophone, double bass and guitar, doing jazz versions of pop classics (Spice Up Your Life by the Spice Girls was my personal favourite). A huge queue snaked outside a lot of the little cafes and shops, including Fin and Flounder, one of the best fishmongers this side of Billingsgate. There is also a traditional Pie 'n' Mash shop that sells traditional cockney fare, along with Jellied Eels, an acquired taste. 

The first stall that really caught my eye was selling freshly made, free range organic scotch eggs. I've always been a fan of this quintessentially British picnic food. Thought to have been invented hundreds of years ago at Fortnum and Mason, the Queen's local supermarket, scotch eggs are a firm favourite with people from all walks of life. The stall did a variety of adventurous flavours including an Indian curry version and one made with black pudding. However, I chose the classic version and it was probably one of the best I've ever had (and I'm no stranger to farmer's markets). The breadcrumb coating was rich and not overly stodgy; the pork was flavoursome with just the right blend of herbs; the egg was perfectly cooked, with the yolk still slightly soft. The bright yellowy orange colour is only found in the freshest, best quality eggs.

 

As its the new year, I (among millions of others) have joined the gym, massively reduced my carb intake, and started eating at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. I have already lost two inches off my waist in a month, and dropped a jeans size. So clearly, the only way to celebrate was to buy some cheese. When visiting a market, don't be shy to ask to try a product before you buy it. Its worth taking your time to choose carefully, after all, the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Don't be put off by the price per kilo - I always ask for the tiniest slice available and get £1 of each. 

The first that I tried was a Wiltshire cheese, soft, creamy and reminiscent of Brie, but with a stronger taste similar to Reblochon. It comes with the rind on, and its your choice whether to remove it or eat it all. I personally feel that its a lot less messy to leave the rind on, especially if melting the cheese. The second one that I tried was a herb and garlic cheese that also looked creamy but in fact, tasted stronger than a vintage Cheddar. You only need to use a tiny bit, and it is more suitable melted onto some rye toast, or on a naughty day, grated into mashed potato. 

I also found some amazing homemade tarts from a group of bakers called Popina, who also sell their products in Notting Hill, Clapham and Islington. The deal was two for £5. I chose one with wild mushrooms, gruyere cheese and leek, and another with butternut squash and cheddar. They tasted truly amazing, with an abundance of filling and tasty, flaky pastry without the dreaded 'soggy bottom'. I ate mine with a rocket and lambs lettuce salad with an oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. 

The last stop was to a stall run by The Meringue Girls. They started out in Hackney and have grown to be very popular, working at pop up fashion events and supplying Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. I'm a sucker for a deal, and so bought 9 meringue kisses for £3.50. There was a variety of flavours, my favourites being chocolate, passionfruit, gin and tonic, and coconut.

 Its probably best to not eat them all in one go, as essentially they are just egg whites and about a kilo of sugar. I definitely recommend Broadway Market to anyone with a love of food. 

Everything in moderation is fine - you have to treat yourself once in a while. 

Yaasica Lucia XXX