Tuesday 29 November 2016

Hello and welcome back
My latest adventure was London
and 
The Red Carpet awards ceremony 

I have a very fond spot for London
It was the birth place of me getting to grips with life.
I was this young, not so naive teen looking to learn and have an adventure 
I found it and I also found myself 

Fortnum & Mason is the king of all places
It's a jewel 
The artist who created these beautifully sculpted murals is 
Paul Bommer
I followed Paul and his work after hearing of his work at F &M 
See more here
OR 

London had a buzz I rushed off the train dropped of my case and headed to lunch
Thankfully a table was booked and I arrived in good time to dine

See more here
The menu is an impressive mix of savory and sweet with a build your own ice cream
Heavenly for a girl like me
The pork pie and piccalilly was very moreish 
Bright and vibrant pickle
Thick and original crust pie
Their decadent Rarebit with bacon
Look at the sweet cone with my coffee!!!
The indulgence
Florentine ice-cream
Cinnamon stars and pistachio shortbread
I used to love passing by for the window displays




Soho going to 
Liberty 


Red Carpet or not I go to London every winter
Liberty had been a fave sins I was a teen
It's nice to see fans following suit and claiming it as theirs you go!

After a brisk shop and practically bankrupting myself I left
Then saw this on Wardour Street
Pretty staff, smiling collecting pretty cakes for lucky customers
Black Friday was very busy so I headed back to Shoreditch 

This via Timeout about Shoreditch
 I was staying at the 
I was vary of staying at this hotel, as I do have a fave place to stay in London however this place was way above what i expected.
Set a minutes walks from the underground and five minutes from Hoxton Square (a jewel!)
This hotel is modern, open and cool
Some of the rooms are small but they don't hide that fact, they are really comfy, well lit and friendly
From 5-8 they serve free wine and cheeses I went out just as they was wrapping up but lots of people was eating and drinking 
How many places in central London have that?




After a few drinks at Joes, Covent Garden
Why?
They serve some of the best damn cocktails I ever drank

The morning after
The Breakfast Club, Hoxton
I am not sure I am cool enough really
Don't be put of that I said that, this chain has so much to give
Yes, I did I said chain and if you are an avid reader you'll know I broke a golden rule
See this lovely lady, she kept that queue in check
I mean it there was a queue, I went round the block and came back 
Two people waiting so I got in queue 
Great coffee served well
Chicken 'n waffles at 11am

Breakfast of course ain't nothing wrong on this pate
NOTHING
A ten minute walk to 
Spitalfields
At the 
ACID JAZZ 
music event

Don't be
On then to Brick Lane

The abundance of street art is a prolific and non stop, I saw some been done live people don't bat an eyelid at it
Whilst down Brick Lane I was in search of coffe, a good coffee and came across 
KAHAILA
 Kahaila is not just a coffee shop on a famous street it's much more, not that I knew till I left.
I happened to pick up a great chocolate cake and an American girl started to talk to me who worked there. The cake was gluten free, drenched in chocolate. I was explaining about coffee bean shell flour.
I saw this really amazing documentary regarding it late one night, not only does it help save the planet as the shells become toxic to the earth it's also gluten free
Find out more below 
Here is a little more detail about Kahaila and their project
Kahaila is a Charity, so any profit that is made goes into supporting local community projects and other charitable causes. We are always interested to hear of new projects to support and work with, so please do let us know of any that interest you.
We are a coffee shop with a conscience, we want to make sure that all our products are ethically sourced and where possible, locally sourced, while still delivering a high level of service and product quality.
Kahaila is a space where community can happen. We want to give all our customers a place to relax, get to know people and enjoy excellent entertainment and new activities.
We want to take an active role in addressing issues that affect us locally, nationally and beyond by allowing people to engage with them through Kahaila. This may be by networking individuals with similar interests or just by informing people if current needs in the local area.

You must got the famous Jewish bakery, what to get?
The cheesecake and smoked salmon bagel

Tuesday 22 November 2016

Hello and welcome back
I have been really busy attending events and dinners 
Huge thanks to all that invited me,cooked for me was hosts etc etc

Let's start with 
The last leg of Hull's 
Humber Mouth literatute festival
HULL V'S LONDON
I knew little about the night ahead, what to expect who would be there, if it would be a full house or anything.
Held at one of Hull's premiere locations 
Kardomah94
In a building my mam used to work in many a moon back
Hosted by the dry humour of Russ Litten
The room was packed, happily I arrived just before it began if you know me well enough you know I normally don't cut it so close but needs be and all that
I had spent some time with Mike Watts, a dear friend during the day having lunch and happily he was there and greeted me
I took my seat and waited I took a fall before I got there, landed in a bush in the dark did not even ladder my tights
Don't ask, it involved a phone and a leafy wet path and legs up in the air
Russ got on stage and set the night off
An array of people from all walks of life
Most enjoyable 
A story was read, that came to an abrupt end
Some powerful poems spoken by a lady with the most delicate and infectious tone
A true Londoner telling us quotes from conversations he heard
(one of my fave ones)
JJ Bola who held his mark on stage and swept the room with his words Russ was indeed right he's a very attractive guy
Then to Mike
A friend which is foremost and the first time I saw him on stage, impressive energy a good northern soul telling us how it is
The night was the closing event, audience joined in there was smiles and laughter I look forward to next years events
Then to Lunch, 
Ladies who lunch

York
The Star Inn The City
Facebook
Website
The Star Inn The City is sat in the beautiful grounds of Museum Gardens just over Lendal Bridge
If you arrive from the train/bus station you'll go over the bridge to enter the city's heart
I have heard only good things about The Star
Vegan/veggie and meat eater alike 
I will and have to admit I was not expecting the rapture
You walk through a tunnel, into a yard with a wood burner and logs. It smelt divine
Edible flowers growing which made me smile
you just know that's a great start and then the door

Pretty staff, dressed for what was a stupendous lunch
Polite attentive and informative staff who listened and did not hover over us
( I am not a fan over over attentive staff,managers need to be aware both staff and guest need to be thought of. Yes I said it, I meant it!)

A menu was presented to us and then the specials menu also
I had no idea where to start or what to eat but made sure to have a coffee first as there was much to talk about
So to the food, it's all to easy to let you know I loved the place and did not want it to end

Venison Bolognese 
I went straight to the main dish

I ate a very good Ragu in Venice
The setting was equally perfect
Oh where do I start?
Mama would be pleased, it's a dish worth going back for over and over
Do i have one word for that dish
No sorry there's many
The pesto (which normally I loath) was luscious it was light in volume and perfectly balanced 
The venison it's self was warming, tender flavourful without being over powering
An instant satisfaction which can only be obtained through sheer good cookery
The Star is bold, yet calm
Huge windows to see out and more so to see in nothing like being sat near the water in a great city dining and feeling good, nothing!

Michael who's become some what of a friend is the head chef, we share social media platforms /chef life and food is the topic

I forgot to inform Michael of the date I would dine my bad we both came to the realization and Michael sent over these petite, stunning eye watering morsals 
(Okay, I admit I did in fact cry a little it was very very kind and I was humbled at the kindness)

My guest and I enjoyed every last mouthful
The see such talent, such dedication and to produce this splendour is a mastering technique of years of practice,dedication and love
The whole experience was an art, dinning at it's best I am telling you to book a table, dine stay over in York and don't forget to 're book to eat there again






Sunday 13 November 2016

Hello and welcome back

So let me explain this latest blog
Why I wrote it, why this subject

I intended to get a ticket to this event, I saw it in a brochure set across the city 
via
The Humber Mouth Literature Festival
I left it till the very last day
Yep I know what you are thinking, why the hell would I do that
Partly because I underestimated and because I was busy, really busy
Photo Courtesy of
Jerome Whittingham of Photmoments
To see more

 Thankfully after talking to Dave Windass who is widely known throughout the city of Hull I got myself a seat
I can not begin to tell you how grateful I was and am for that thank you again Dave!!!

So I arrived, a little later than I hoped the room in Hull's central library was packed, rows upon rows of people chatting quietly away
There was a buzz, a hyper feeling of excitement 
I did/don't know Akala at all but when I showed friends the gig I wanted to attend they all was saying how they wanted to go and how Akala is very talented, educated and interesting

For deatils on the Central library Hull for events and day to day 
see more here

So I sat among the crowd
The mc came on and then introduced Akala 
Of course I knew he had something to give, something to share and would truly educate me

After reading this 
Founded in 2009 by BAFTA and MOBO award-winning hip-hop artist, writer, poet and historian AKALA is a label owner/social entrepreneur who fuses a unique sound with fierce lyrical storytelling. The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company is a music theatre production company that explores the social, cultural and linguistic parallels between the works of William Shakespeare and that of modern day hip-hop artists
I just knew, I knew I would see and hear things I never knew about because let's be very honest here when did you ever see such an eloquent set of words jump of the screen and make you want to go see something?
Me neither...

Okay, okay I had a little crush mainly because clearly this guy is interesting, I was and am curious about him
A warm tone, gentle, open so upbeat and knowledgeable which is totally humbling by the way

This 

I need to add that it is a 'refreshing to see a man of his depth to be such a a positive and influential gift

Of course a gift, teaching is maybe not the right word educating is too formal and straight laced 
He talked to the crowd not at them, that is a factor you need to know

This
Firstly there was a great interaction 
rap quotes or quotes of Shakespeare
A raise of hands for which it was, I was hesitant to raise my hand to some
Despite what you see of me, think of me and what the outer Sydell is I am shy I can be very private 

However I joined in mostly and was happy to see I knew more than I thought

This old school 

Then to learning some lines and reciting them back, which I stayed out of but did enjoy
The conversing of stage to audience was magical 
Akala seemed to have us all in a grip, this young talented man had us all

Akala's website

It flooded into a Q&A many hands raised many points spoken all with beautifully answered replies
Given all the American "Trump gate" that did come up resoundingly Akala gave us an insight 
It was fun, I wanted more so to learn, listen and become more of what he is and what he knows

Akala is a well rounded and open man with a lot to give 
I hope he enjoyed Hull, I hope to see him again!

Here's some more about 
Humber mouth 
Hull events page