Advent Calendar Inspiration

30-11-2015 Local Black Bookadvent, Advent Calendar, best advent calendar, Blogmas, Christmas, December, DIY, inspiration2 Comments

Tomorrow is December! How crazy is that?

I have literally no idea how this ever happen, but it means it’s Advent Calendar time again!

If you haven’t made one for yourself / your partner / your kids yet, here is a bit of inspiration for your crafty evening tonight!

Simplicity is key for last minute projects and this tree-shaped pile of presents just looks stunning!

You can’t really go wrong with black and white, can you? Especially when there’s a printable included!

Less time on the making means more time pondering which candy to buy (or am I the only one haunting the Christmas aisle of my local supermarket?)

Along the same lines, how cute would this forest of sleek paper trees look in your flat?

(Adorable, my point exactly!)

Or what about a box of 24 chocolate truffles in colourful coatings?

Definitely a treat for the chocolate lovers in your life!

And if you’re definitely running too late for any other crafty project, you can still trim Santa’s beard!

Do you have an Advent Calendar? Do you buy it or DIY?

Festive Apple & Cranberry Pie

28-11-2015 Local Black BookAmarican, apple, apple pie, baking, cake, cranberry, dessert, pie, recipe, Thanksgiving9 Comments

I spent the afternoon cooking my first ever #Worksgiving dinner for my colleagues yesterday.

From that epic adventure, I take away a couple of things:

1. I am completely lost in a kitchen that doesn’t have scissors.

2. As surprised as I might be about it, I do like cranberry with turkey.

3. Cooking an entire meal, complete with a table worth of sides, in one afternoon in borderline insane.

4. Pie is a Thanksgiving staple (or life staple if you ask me) but baking one in a hot kitchen is not a good idea.

Luckily, I baked this little show-stopper the night before.

Meet my Christmas-meets-Thanksgiving, half Americana-half Fah la la la la masterpiece: The Festive Apple and Cranberry Pie.

Continue reading “Festive Apple & Cranberry Pie” →

10 Things to do in London for Christmas

26-11-2015 Local Black BookChristmas, Christmas carols, Christmas lights, Covent Garden, Fortnum & Mason, list, London, Mince pie, mistletoe, mulled wine, paperchase, Santa14 Comments

For more than a month now, I’ve spent most of my time thinking about Christmas

(but then, it comes early to London, where I first spotted mince pies at my local Sainsbury’s in September!)

Counting days, making lists (of presents, of food ideas, of things to do… the list (of lists!) is basically endless), drinking mulled wine, eating mince pies…

And now that all the Fah-la-la-la-ing has become socially acceptable, I thought it was about time for a little list of the best things to do in London for Christmas!

1. Tour the city to see the lights

This is probably my favourite thing about the festive season in London.

With all its lights twikling bright, the city looks so different and even more beautiful than the rest of the year!

Make sure your ‘light tour’ include Covent Garden (more on that below) and Regent Street as they’re my absolute faves this year!

2. Eat your weight in mince pies

Did you know that Christmas food has absolutely no calorie whatsoever? #TrueFact

(that I may or may not have just invented as I heard rumours that Crosstown Doughnuts created a Mince Pie doughnut for the festive season!!)

3. Drink hot cocktails

Mulled wine is a Christmas staple, so a few cups of it is highly recommended to get the party started!

But I’d also recommend you give Cinnamon Soho’s Rum Hot Toddy a try!

Strong, yet fragrant with notes of cinnamon, orange and all things Christmas-ey, it’s an absolute winner in my book!

4. Kiss under the mistletoe

Covent Garden‘s giant mistletoe decorations, that is.

So romantic (especially if you get a few macarons from Ladurée while you’re at it… #JustSaying).

(Please note that there are also giant disco balls, if you’re more in the mood for party!)

5. Witness (or take part in) a Santa Run!

One Santa is good, but dozens and dozens of them is better. Obviously.

6. Go to a Christmas Carol Service

Let’s be honest. You’ll have to queue in the cold. For a while.

But I promise it’ll all be worth it.

I have great memories of an Advent service at Westminster Abbey a few years ago; such beautiful voices in such a beautiful place!!

7. Taste as many Christmas specials as you can!

There’s more to Christmas food than mince pies and candy cane!

From Pret‘s Christmas Menu (I’m eye-ing the Beef Wellington baguette…) to Cranberry-and-turkey filled burgers (the beast above’s from Hache) and all sorts of cinnamon-y desserts, restaurants really are working hard at pushing that festive food thing to its limits.

Trying it all is going to be quite a challenge, but I’m not one to give up in the face of adversity.

8. Join into a Christmas street party

Christmas lights, loads of food, discounts in stores and loads of fun activities…

Basically all of the best things about Christmas packed into one night!

Carnaby Street‘s and Seven Dial’s are especially popular destinations, and other favourites of mine include Columbia Road‘s and Exmouth Market‘s.

9. Go present shopping (& window viewing!)

Departments stores are well worth touring both in search of the perfect present for everyone on your list and to see their amazing window displays.

Fortnum & Mason is always a must (I could stay hours marvelling at the details!)!

But then it seems every store has outdone itself this year (above: Paperchase, Cath Kindston & Accessorize)!

10. Getting ready for all the festive craziness to come

Christmas is probably the most tiring time of the year, so taking time for oneself ahead of it is always a good idea.

Be nice to yourself. Have nice food (and maybe throw some extra veggies inthere?). Sleep loads. Take a nice walk. Don’t stress too much about your never-ending lists. Enjoy.

And relaaaaaax!

Now, can I get a Fah-la-la-la-la over here?

Pizza Pilgrims, Exmouth Market

25-11-2015 Local Black BookExmouth Market, London, London best pizza, pizza, Pizza Pilgrims, Restaurant, review4 Comments

A good pizza is simple. In theory. Good dough, wood oven, excellent toppings. Easy peasy.

And yet so many places get it wrong. But not Pizza Pilgrims.

The Exmouth Market branch is the third in London (after Soho and Kingly Court).

It’s just as good as the other two, and -miracle- it seems to be a bit less busy!

Once past the bright green door, you enter a temple for good dough.

Totally my kind of religion!

And a really cool temple it is, complete with a gallery of pizza boxes (you can even create your own if you’re in a creative mood)!

Downstairs, it’s all about honey-coloured wood and classic movie posters.

A really cozy, no-nonsense atmosphere.

And my favourite London pizzas.

Simple, quality ingredients on the best sourdough crust a pizza lover could dream of.

I have a fair few favourites, including the signature ‘Nduja, but went for the Salsiccia e Friarielli this time.

A white pizza topped with fresh fennel sausage, wild broccoli, fior di latte, parmesan, basil and chilli.

Drizzle with a bit of the good stuff.

Look at how happy it makes her! Proof if you ever needed one that chilli oil is the key to happiness!

Then grab a slice and tuck in!

And after that, you might consider getting another pizza… You know, for variety purposes…

And at that price, who would blame you?

Pizza Pilgrims, 15 Exmouth Market, London EC1R4QD

Ethos | Deliciously different vegetarian restaurant | London

19-11-2015 Local Black Bookbreakfast, brunch, buffet, Ethos, Fitzrovia, London, Oxford Circus, Oxford Street, Restaurant, review, vegetarian, veggie5 Comments

Oxford Circus is my own idea of hell.

There are just SO MANY PEOPLE everywhere ALL the time.

But one of the perks of being a Londoner is knowing how to avoid the crowds. No matter where you are, there’s always a little nook for you to retreat to.

And as I was shopping the other day, I might just have found my new favourite one.

Nestled right behind H&M, Ethos is every vegetarian‘s dream come true.

A restaurant where they’ll FINALLY be served something else than goat’s cheese tart or mushroom risotto!

Step inside an you’ll find yourself in some sort of Swedish-forest-met-IKEA-catalog.

Pretty much like stepping into my Pinterest “home” board! #IHaveThisThingWithSwedishInteriors

Once you’re done pondering whether or not you could possibly transpose all the furniture into your flat, it’s time to think about the important stuff (not, not the lamps!)

Bellinis!

And maybe a muffin or two to go with it?

Almond, maple & raisins was definitely an excellent choice to go alongside a cup of Earl Grey!

The Raspberry & almond pancakes are out-of-this-world good.

Soft and fluffy without being too airy or sweet, needless to say they were devoured within seconds.

Another day, we returned for dinner and tried out the buffet.

I forgot my camera then (baaaaad blogger!), but let me tell you that if you happen to walk around London with a vegetarian friend or three, it’s an excellent option.

Wander around the buffet, pick a bit of everything (don’t miss out on the babaganoush, the olives and the sweet soy halloumi!!), weight your plate and enjoy!

Ethos, 48 Eastcastle Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 8DX

Two times too many.

15-11-2015 Local Black Booklife, ParisLeave a comment

{Day 9219 – Heartbroken but still determined to make love & kindness win}

I’ve spent most of this weekend staring at screens trying to make sense of the tragic news that were sent my way. Not that there was any point. It doesn’t make any sense.

I went to bed on Friday hoping that the shootings I had been spending the evening reading about were just a horrible nightmare I could wake up from. But it wasn’t.

It’s the second time this year that Paris has been the target of terrorist attacks. Two times too many.

Paris has never been my home, but I have lived there and many of my friends still do.

Most importantly, Paris is the capital of the country I’m from, this douce France I love so very much even though I left it.

It angers me that these attacks so obviously targeted civilians. Bars, restaurants, football stadiums, concert halls… It was an attack towards Paris’ heart and soul, its very spirit.

But on that point, I know terrorists can not win.

No matter how hard they try, Paris will always be the best place on Earth to enjoy life at its fullest, and this has well been proven through the immediate reactions to the atrocious events of this past Friday. The #PorteOuverte mouvement was such a beautiful initiative and restored part of my faith in humanity.

I still worry about the aftermath of these attacks. The finger pointing. The advantage taking. The political consequences.

Which is why there are two things we mustn’t forget.

1. Terrorism has no religion. The only group terrorists can be linked to are the terrorist organisations that they claim to belong to. There is no reason we should blame other people for the crimes those individuals committed, simply because they worship the same god.

2. The only way forward is love. There will always be people to try and take advantage of terrible events like this one to drive their own political, religious or social agendas. Those people have no interest whatsoever in doing what’s best for humanity and protect it against crimes. Don’t be fooled into their traps. Be kind instead and the world will be a better place.

All there is for me and us all to do is to stand strong and not give up to fear.

Instead let’s live and be kind, laught and be happy, to keep the spirit of Paris alive and help it remain the indestructible City of Love & Light.

London’s First Mulled Wine Festival

13-11-2015 Local Black Book#MulledWineFest, Christmas, drinks, event, festival, Lic, London, mince pies, mulled wine, Mulled Wine Festival, things to do in London, winter, yelp, Yelp London1 Comment

There is no better way to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season (yes, it’s only mid-November, I know, I know!) than with a cup of spicy mulled wine.

Oh wait. Yes there is.

Several cups of it.

Plus mince pies and candy canes.

And London first Mulled Wine Festival, organised by Yelp London, has it all and then some more, making it the best thing that could have happened to your weekend.

To find it, easy, just follow the Christmas trail!! (or you could check it out on Yelp…)

Strong Christmas sweater game? You’re probably getting close…

Yelp #MulledWineFest London | Cake + Whisky

Giant reindeer? Getting hot!

And when you see a big group of Santas, you know you’re in the right place!

Download the app and check into the event, get your wristband from one of the fantastic Yelpers on site (and say hi! for me), and you’re all set to go!

Go where I hear you say? The most wonderful place of them all.

Mulled wine land!

A hot cup of the Christmas staple will make you forget that winter is coming.

And soon you’ll be saying that it’s ice cream weather.

(YES, mulled wine ice pops are a real thing. A really, really good real thing even!!)

A side of mince pies is pretty much obligatory.

But that’s if you can resist the inviting smell of MeatLiquor‘s burgers (don’t even bother trying.)

Eat, drink and be merry!

London’s first Mulled Wine Festival sure is the best way to welcome the festive season!!

Yelp’s #MulledWineFest is in full swing on Covent Garden Plaza today and tomorrow (November 13-14), 12-9 PM. Entry is free if you download the Yelp app and check into the event.

Borough Market

11-11-2015 Local Black BookBorough Market, food, food market, foodie, London, market, street food, things to do in London, things to see in London, visit london8 Comments

You’d have to give a lot of money to miss out on the opportunity to explore a market.

A trip to a foreign supermarket is always one of the things I look most forward to when abroad on holiday, and I always come back with suitcases full of spices, sauces, sweets and other local specialities.

If anything, I like markets even more.

Especially one as epic as Borough Market.

If you’re a foodie, Borough Market is really close to the idea you have of heaven.

They have everything you could possibly wish for.

From fruit and vegetables stalls, pilled high with the most gorgeous produce the season has to offer…

… to mountains of cheese…

… along with some excellent deli products…

… a few essentials (if you don’t think Iberico ham is essential, you’ve clearly never been to Brindisa!) …

… and piles of fresh bread, still warm from the oven.

And the best part is, you get to taste it all!

You can truly make a meal out of nibbling your way through the stalls.

But if you’re feeling quite peckish, Borough Market is also home to some of London’s best street food stalls.

Raclette, hog roast, sandwiches, paella or Asian food, the only difficulty (as usual) is to choose!

But whatever you go for in the end, make sure you save some room for dessert!

Maybe save some for me as well?

Borough Market, 8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL

Market Porter, Battersea

10-11-2015 Local Black Bookartisan, Battersea, café, charcuterie, cheese, deli, delicatessen, Embassy Gardens, London, lunch, Market Porter, Restaurant, review, sandwich, wineLeave a comment

Those last few weeks, I had been working really hard on blog scheduling, trying to make sure I balance content to make sure you guys don’t end up reading 7 restaurant reviews one week, and then none for weeks.

It was all going well, but then I visited the newly-opened Market Porter in Battersea and everything tumbled down.

Forget being organised and planning content ahead, there was no way I was keeping this one from you for one second!

Nestled in the still-being-built Embassy Gardens luxury development right by the river, finding Market Porter is still a bit of a challenge…

But it’s well worth the effort as Market Porter is the cutest café / deli I have ever seen.

Worthy of my Paris’ favourites!

Quite small, but so very charming and welcoming, just like the people running it!

People who love wine, cheese and charcuterie are always the best people anyway.

And true to its roots (Market Porter is the first off-line venture of Meatporter.com, famous for delivering exceptionally high-quality meat cuts right to your door), Market Porter focuses on the quality of ingredients.

Only the very best, carefully sourced with both taste and ethics in mind, is to be found on the shelves.

The artisan deli selection of course includes some of Meat Porter‘s gorgeous own produce, usually only available through their website.

Along with a fine selection of wine, coffee, cheese as well as other high-quality British food and drink products.

You can of course take all those beautiful things home and turn them into the most beautiful of picnics.

Or you can turn to the man behind the bar and trust him to come up with something wonderful.

Like this Green Peppercorn wild boar salami on sourdough with spinach and roasted red peppers.

Crunchy toasted sourdough, spread with a touch of the very best mayo, fresh baby spinach leaves, paper-thin, smoky and delicate salami, soft peppers, simply drizzled in fragrant olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt, this beauty shines by its simplicity.

But when everything that goes into a dish is that good, nothing more is needed to create something absolutely stellar.

Both picture and taste-perfect and one of the best lunches I’d had in a while.

So if you happen to be in the area, go give them a go (and get me some of this salami when you’re at it!).

Market Porter, 5 New Union Square, Embassy Gardens London SW8 5AJ

Afternoon Tea at Park Tower, Knightsbridge

08-11-2015 Local Black BookAfternoon Tea, cake, Knightsbridge, London, luxury, nut, Park Tower, party, Restaurant, review, scones, Starwood, Starwood Hotels, tea3 Comments

With Christmas fast approaching, weeks are becoming crazier and crazier already.

So busy in fact that it’s becoming difficult to take time out to just enjoy something nice and relax.

Luckily, birthdays are nature’s way of reminding us to eat more cake, so afternoon tea was in order to celebrate Michelle’s (of Petite Tea Lover) & Binny’s (of Binny’s Kitchen).

So we all braved the rain and more-than-unhelpful Google maps and made our way to the Park Tower in Knighstbridge to forget life for a few hours over tea, cake, presents and giggles.

The Knightsbridge Lounge, where the afternoon tea is served, is one of the most beautiful rooms I have ever set foot in.

The walls are covered in flowering magnolia trees paying tribute to the ones flowering each year in nearby Hyde Park.

Complete with some of the comfiest, marshmallow-like chairs and delicate tableware!

A truly stunning room indeed!

Only matching for the truly stunning, nut-centred (almond, peanut, hazelnut, walnut, they were all there!!) afternoon tea that followed.

Starting with what might have been my favourite; a stunning, crisp and elegant mushroom quiche.

Made truly exceptional by a perfectly executed, paper-thin pastry case and the addition of toasted nuts complementing the wild, umami mushrooms brilliantly.

The sandwiches selection is rather classic, featuring British favourites, such as Salmon & cream cheese, Coronation chicken, Pastrami, and Egg and cress.

Simple but not boring, thanks to small twists to the old classics: walnut bread for the Coronation chicken (quite a genius move!), the addition of nori to the salmon roll, or this golden brioche encasing the eggs…