The Attendant

I met up with Katie for lunch on Tuesday as a late celebration of her new job, which I am immensely proud of her for getting. It was also really just an excuse for lunch out and a catch up. Her new offices are located just off of Regent Street, so we decided to eat close by on Foley Street at The Attendant. 

Monday Brunching

Monday's aren't the best of days, but days can be made the best with the help of a little brunch and a catch-up. Meriel has just returned from a romantic trip to Sri Lanka and so there was lots to chat about as we arrived at our new brunching spot - Tom's Kitchen in Chelsea.

Wholefoods Market in Fulham!

Hello, my name is Emma Bates and I am a Whole Foods addict. I realised on my third trip in under 24 hours that I may have a problem...

Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium

It was only a matter of time before I would make the inevitable visit to the newly opened cat cafe located in Shoreditch. Thursday was that day. I, accompanied by Alexa, ventured East to experience the baked delights and feline company Lady Dinah's have to offer. And what an afternoon it was. 

Dodgeball!

I am probably up there with some of the most un coordinated people I know, add a ball and team sport into the equation and it's almost a guaranteed recipe for disaster. I'm more of a solo exerciser - running, yoga, swimming seem to be my forte, as soon as I have to concentrate on not being hit, catching a ball or hitting a ball whilst being aware of other team members, everything just goes a little bit wrong.

Anyone with an ounce of common sense would presume that I, knowing this about myself, would not then embark on a Dodgeball fitness class. Unfortunately for myself but fortunately for the amusement of others, I did not think this lack of coordination would be an issue and so invited Juliana along to join me.
Juliana being from the States was incredibly overexcited by the idea of Dodgeball and decided to overly Americanise herself for the evening. Sweatbands in tow she took it upon herself to provide the team spirit for the evening shouting out words of encouragement that only her American accent could afford to get away with and floor diving on many an occasion as a symbol of her enthusiasm.

Here she is preparing for the evening's activities...

Dinner at Spuntino!

The best friends are always those that even though at times in your life you may be miles apart from one another, even though you may not speak for weeks - when you do it's like you just saw each other yesterday. This is the relationship I am lucky enough to have with many of my school friends and last night I saw Sophie for a big catch up, drinks and dinner at Spuntino in Soho. 

An evening with Charly Cox

There really isn't anything better than an evening with a close friend, laughing, drinking cocktails and consuming enough food that probably could have easily fed a family of four . 

Saturday night was one of those evenings, I spent the evening with Charly and it was wonderful.

We started the evening at Cha Cha Moon's on Ganton Street in Central London to test out a couple of their cocktails, which went down far too quickly. 

A Sunny Sunday on Southbank

Last weekend was one of the loveliest Sunday's London has seen in a fair while. 

I think us British react in a very strange way when we hear there's meant to be sunshine. The sun? You mean that glowing ball of fire that occasionally peeps out from behind the clouds and that graces us with it's warm shimmering rays from time to time?

As soon as the weather forecast announces a temperature above 12 degrees celsius we all rejoice, whip out the factor 50, dash to the supermarket to purchase every remnant of BBQ worthy food and don ourselves in scantily glad attire to bare our pasty, white skin to the outside world for the first time in 6 months. 

I honestly saw a woman two weekends back, dressed in a bright red bikini and a matching visor rubbing sun lotion into herself in Richmond Park, where it was little more than 16 degrees. 

Anyway, her lobster red bikini is not the sole thing I was planning on informing you all about today. (Unless you guys wanna talk about that kinda thing then I will totally go with it).

I wanted to tell you about my sunny adventures along on the South bank with Charly and Alexa. 

When we heard about the sunny weather, we didn't dash to the supermarket and buy BBQ food, or smother ourselves in sun lotion along with the rest of the British population. No, we decided the sunlight and the warmth would be a great day for a chat and a little walk along the South bank with film cameras. 

On Demand Massages

Ever had that little ache or pain whilst slumped at your office desk or whilst working away on a pile of essays that just doesn't seem to be reducing in size? Have you ever wished that you could just click a button and a masseuse would arrive within an hour? 

Well Urban Massage may just be your answer... It was certainly mine last week, when I decided I was fully deserving of a massage after finishing a series of essays. 

Amsterdam on Film

A little while ago my Dad gave me my Grandpa's old film camera, having not touched one since my A Level art days, I was very excited to see if I could still use one. So as I was heading off on a weekend trip to Amsterdam at the end of January I thought it would be the perfect chance to test it out. 

So here are a few of the more scenic results that I just picked up from Snappy Snaps. Enjoy! 

Hot Yoga

My mum is a qualified yoga instructor and having grown up with her taking classes in our dining room every Monday evening for the last ten years or so I've always, secretly, wanted to give it a go. 

Olympic Studios!

Olympic Studios are located on Barnes High Street, and in my opinion this is the way we should all watch films. 

Perfectly chic decor, a delicious choice of popcorn (the Salted Toffee is incredible) and sweets. And that's without mentioning the amazingly comfortable, reclining seats, or sofas if you want the full at home experience.

Brunching in Notting Hill

Notting Hill is my favourite place in London. There is just something about the roads lined with white pillared houses, the blossom on the trees amongst, the pastel colours of terraced houses along Portobello Road. And if that doesn't make it tranquil enough then just to make Notting Hill even more perfect there's a wide the range of cafes and restaurants providing brunch.

Dirty Bones!

A couple of days ago I had the pleasure of trying out Kensington's, and potentially London's, hottest new addition to the restaurant scene.

Valentine's Lunch!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! 

I'm sending you all internet love and hugs.

Despite how ridiculous I find the concept of only celebrating love on one day of the year I don't see any harm in an excuse to share the love with anyone and everyone. 

So go out and make someone smile. Or if you need the courage provided by a Hallmark holiday to tell someone how you feel then why the hell not. 

I spent my Valentine's Day lunch with Katie, at a new eatery in Mayfair called Drunch.  

Cocktails and Tacos!

Remember a little while ago I visited the downstairs restaurant at La Bodega Negra? If not you can read it here. It's okay I understand you don't all have wonderful memories. 

This afternoon Juliana, Marcus and I decided to go for a little post-lecture Mexican and cocktail afternoon to relieve our boredom from the previous two hours, and where better to do so than La Bodega Negra cafe?

Brain soothing strawberries!

So this blog post has come about as a result of an entire day, slash, maybe the last 4 months, of degree-loathing. 

A loathing of reading articles and books, that to be quite honest I really have very little interest in.

I had a moment today (also potentially known as near insanity), where I decided that instead of the mind-numbingly dull articles I was supposed to be reading, I needed to leave the house and do something a little more creative.

Something that wasn't killing off every creative cell left in my brain. 

Something like writing. Something like eating. Something like writing about eating.

What would you eat to soothe your brain from the mundane facts of the language of securitisation? (I am still unaware as to what this language is, however this is besides the point)

STRAWBERRIES!

Top 5 Pop-Up Bars in London

It's no secret that London is blessed with a list of cool an charismatic pop-up bars as long as your arm! But with so much going on, keeping tabs on the very latest talk-of-the-town pop-up is no easy task. Here at Design My Night, we take this problem very seriously, which is why we're teamed up with My London to bring you our top pop-ups of the moment.

Sunday Brunch in Chelsea

Okay I have a little confession, when I say it was brunch, this brunch actually occurred at around 3 in the afternoon. So maybe brunch isn't the correct terminology... Dunch? Linner? Can we make that a thing?

Despite myself, Georgia and Katie's sheer laziness this morning we did eventually make it out the house. When The Good Life Eatery is the incentive it's hard to curl back up in bed, ignore the horrific London weather and go back to sleep.

Pizza Pilgrims, Soho

In my last post I promised you pizza. So pizza you shall have.

This particular pizza was lovingly mastered and baked at Pizza Pilgrims on Dean Street in Soho. Although I'm sure you would never have guessed this from the title of the post...

Burgers on Portobello

Now, I know I may have said that Five Guys was the best burger in London. But oh how wrong I was.

Honest Burgers on Portobello. I almost don't need to say anymore, just go. All of you.

The final supper!

First of all I would just like to apologise for the use of the word 'supper', I really despise the word supper, it's never done anything to me but I have taken a dislike to it for some unbeknown reason. 

Secondly, last night was our final evening in Miami as we're flying back to England tonight. So where better to eat on our last night than Hakkasan. 

Huahua's Taqueria

Okay so I tried to eat a different cuisine every night of my stay in Miami, however when I heard about Huahua's I knew I had to give in and eat mexican again.

South American Sushi!

As I said in my previous blog post I went for dinner at a sushi restaurant in South Beach last night. This particular restaurant was called Sushi Samba. 

Rosa Mexicano

If you know me or  have been reading my blog for a while then you will know that I would never pass up an opportunity for a Mexican. 

This time it was at Rosa Mexicano just a short walk/taxi drive away from our hotel on South Beach. 

I'm in Miami!

You have no idea the will power I just had to exert when refraining from calling this post, 'I'm in Miami bitch'. However in a bid to be a little less cliche I didn't, as you can see. 

As you have probably gathered, seeing as I just told you all, I am now in Miami, South Beach specifically. But this is not the the main piece of news I wanted to tell you all about, the primary reason for this post is to share the incredible meal I just ate at BLT steak.