Introducing Miguel

I want to introduce you to my friend Miguel de Almeida and his blog West Coast Cooking which I've been following for some time now. When the weather is dull, and I'm sat at my desk at work staring at a screen of emails on a Monday morning, I often divert and log on to see what delights he has been cooking in his kitchen that weekend.

I had the pleasure of working with Miguel a few years ago at a design company in Marylebone. Yes, the very talented Miguel is also a designer as well as a cook (damn him!) and he combined the two skills together when he wrote and designed his first cookery book last year which included British recipes with Portugese twist on them, very clever indeed!

We would talk about food (a lot), and our dreams of escaping office life. Let's hope we're both a little closer.

Inspiration for the Day

Just come across these lovely interior photos from the new Autumn/Winter 10 campaign from Day Birger et Mikkelsen. Love the grey/white/black/silver combination.

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere

We're going on holiday. It feels so good to be saying that. We've finally got round to booking a week away in November and I'm breathing a sigh of relief to know that I'll have a week of doing nothing. We're off to Snowdonia in Wales and have hired a cottage by a lake in the middle of nowhere. I'm picturing lots of country walks, pub lunches, sitting by the log fire in the cottage wrapped in a blanket with a hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other, games of scrabble over a bottle of red wine. Yes, a week sitting by the pool in the blazing hot sun would have been lovely but what's wrong with the Welsh country air?! Waterproofs, wellies, and thermals, bring it on!! Of course I've already started making a list of clothing essentials for the trip - leg warmers, mittens, wellies, wooly socks...

already spotted this jumper from Howies / mittens and leg warmers from Plumo

On yer bike

My boyfriend is obsessed...with cycling/bikes/bike equipment/bike parts/bike routes.

I listen (most of the time) when he's telling me about how far he's cycled around Richmond Park, how he's planning another big ride through the night, through the countryside. Don't get me wrong, I would rather he talked about bikes than sit on his bum playing the playstation all day long.

Anyway I've thought, if you can't beat them, join them, so I've got my eye on the Chixie bike by Giant described as cool, but not too cool for school. One supplier describes the handle bars as 'high rise cafe bars are a bonus for anyone who doesnt want to be doubled over on their way to the shops/work/pub.' Sounds like my type of bike.

photo by road.cc

Petersham Nurseries

After a failed first attempt to find Petersham Nurseries last month we were determined to find it a few weeks back when we went on a walk by the river (been busy hence the delay at getting this post live!). I only wish that I could have had a 'supermarket sweep' style moment in their shop - I would have easily piled my trolley high with all their wonderful plants, books, wellies, vintage homeware, tin pots in about 60 seconds.

These are a few of my favourite pics that I managed to take whilst oooh-ing and ahh-ing at all the lovely flowers but Artemis over at Tales of a Junkaholic has recently taken some amazing shots from her sunny visit the other week and captured the place really well. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of London town then this is the place to visit, oh and you can have a cup of tea and slice of cake too!

August

Beautiful Durdle Door, Dorset

August. Where has this month gone. I feel as though I've not had time to sit down, breathe and relax. It might have something to do with fitting in: a camping holiday in Dorset, planning and hosting a bbq party for 25 friends and family in our 2 bedroom flat in the rain, studying non-stop for my pilates theory exam, working long hours, oh and turning 34!

I'm on a mission to find some me time in September.

Greens

A crop from our garden last week consisted of one healthy sized courgette and a handful of beans, perfect for a meal for 2. The bad news is that I killed our courgette plant, whoops.... Over the past few months it had grown huge, I mean so big I was worried that the leaves would take over the whole garden. Anyway I seeked advice from my Dad (a keen gardener, who thinks of himself as Alan Titchmarsh, I kid you not!) and he said, 'chop off some of the leaves', so I did, and courgette plant wasn't happy at all. Well you live and learn I say, and at least we've got about 6 tomato plants to love and cherish!