Columbia Road Flower Market

Sunday again!

Quick summary: Columbia Road Flower Market. Overwhelming crowds. Beautiful flowers. Bit of rummaging. Hackney City Farms cafe. Eggs on toast. Friends so cool they wear sunglasses indoors. Marathon vintage shopping.

Unpictured: The delicious pear and ginger muffin a friend bought over. Eaten too fast for documentation. 

Easter Weekend

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For Easter weekend I finally went to visit my friends from home, Holly and Rich. I took the train to Alsager on Friday morning, it was a beautiful day and I'm not going to lie, I was looking forward to a weekend in the country away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The weekend was amazing; we drank countless pints in the sun, walked through fields (with sheep! Sheep!), ate oatcakes (which I think are particular to the Stoke area?), I met all of their friends, we went to Manchester for a day, cooked a vegan Easter dinner, had an egg hunt, watched Liam Neeson movies, went to a little market. It was so nice visiting someone from Newfoundland, a little bit of home away from home.

I know it's a bit late - but I hope you all had nice Easter weekends! Or just regular weekends, if you aren't Easter celebrators.

I don't know about you, but I'm glad it was a four-day work week because I am already so ready for the weekend. Mine is going to feature pints after work, yoga in the morning and a market in the afternoon.
See you soon! x

ps. - My mom's last words before I left were "don't forget your camera card!". Which, naturally, I did, even after my snobby "Obviously I won't, mom!" response. So these are all iPhone pics, oops.

Owl Cookies

After seeing cookies like these at the market last weekend, I decided to give them a go myself! I just used a basic shortbread recipe (this one, if you're wondering!), added chocolate chips for eyes, almonds for beaks and forkprints for feathers! Easy peasy. And jeez, they're cute aren't they?

BBQ

Last night we barbecued. Well, Joe did. The rest of us sat around and drank Pimm's and talked until the bbqing was done.
I'm loving Spring here, warm days and warm evenings, reading outside and long walks in green parks.

Broadway Market & The Ballet

Saturday morning I woke up early and went to Broadway Market to wander around. I got there just as the vendors were setting up and by the time I left the place was bustling. I bought some candy colored meringues from The Meringue Girls, and some pretty purple flowers and some Feijoa chutney.

I went home after, and read a little and arranged my flowers and watched Bella make a rhubarb cake. A few friends came over for a barbecue, I had some Pimm's and then got ready to go to the ballet!

I saw The Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera house and it was beautiful. Seeing a ballet is on my 25 Thing to do Before 25 list, and I don't think it will be a one time occurrence. I somehow lucked into getting incredible seats thanks to a kind lady who gave me her friend's ticket, so I saw the show from a great spot. The costumes were gorgeous, and the music was beautiful and obviously the dancing was incredible.

And so that was my Saturday! Another great one in London.
(Also, as a side note, this Saturday made it three months I've been in London. Three months! Old lady comment: time goes so quickly. When you're having fun. Which I am.)