Since I still wasn't feeling 100% last Sunday, the mister and I decided to have brunch at home. Going out to Brunch/Lunch has become a weekend tradition so I'm glad that it's not something I have to completely miss out on even if I'm feeling under the weather.
The night before I made some Overnight Baked French Toast. This was the first time I tried this recipe and while it's dead simple to make, it was a little soggy for my taste. Perhaps next time I'll bake it for longer. I've included the recipe below and you can also find it here.
We also whipped up some scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and berry smoothies to complete the meal.
Overnight Baked French Toast
(Recipe adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook)
Recipe [via]
Ingredients:
1 (13-14 inch) long loaf soft Italian or French bread)
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons butter) softened
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar
Directions:
Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. Cut 12 diagonal slices of bread. Reserve ends for another use (I made croutons for our salads this week). Generously butter one side of each piece of bread. Arrange bread buttered sides up in one layer in prepared dish. It will be a pretty tight fit.
Whisk together eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until combined. Pour evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate until bread has absorbed all of custard, at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bring soaked bread to room temperature. Sprinkle bread with sugar and bake until puffed and golden, about 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately sprinkled with powdered sugar and with maple syrup.
Yield: 6 servings
I tried to hold out for a true summer but it just never came.
I found this adorable site called Summer Goals with some beautiful pictures of traditional summer.
I blogged about Not Another Bill previously and at the beginning of August I received my first gift! I was absolutely tickled when I got it in the mail (I LOVE getting presents in the mail).
When I opened it, I wasn't sure what to think. It was a print of a moose/man smoking. This normally isn't something I would buy, which I suppose is why I signed up for this service, to receive quirky things. When I brought it to dinner that evening all my girlfriends loved it and began suggesting ways to incorporate it into our flat.
Perhaps if we ever find a new flat, I'll find a home for my new print.
Hey London freelancers - now you can find the best places in the city to hot desk with this very convenient curated map of London. (I can't use this now but back in the day I would have loved to know what cafes, museums, ect to drop into and actually get some work done - damn coffee shops with no outlets!)
Check it out here.
Even though we don't have Kohl's in the UK I still like to take a peak at what all the US discount retailers are doing (hello, I love Target). I really like Lauren Conrad's new line at Kohl's. Check out some of the pieces here. I especially love the pink dress and black blazer.
There aren't many sunny days in London so when they come around the mister and I try our hardest to get out and enjoy them. We recently visited the Rapscallion in Clapham Common on one of those rare sunny days for a lunch date.
When we arrived we snagged a table outside but quickly opted for a table inside because of all the smokers. Isn't that annoying?
When we finally settled in we ordered some delicious drinks. Mine an iced vanilla coffee and the mister's a mixed berry smoothie.
Unfortunately it took 45 minutes for our food to show up at which point we were both starving and annoyed. Thankfully the waiter removed the service fee from our bill which I thought was a very nice gesture.
I had the fish cake and the mister had the salmon burger. I mister thought the burger could have been accompanied by something (fries, salad, ect). I thought mine was a good portion.
The food was decent and being right across from the picture house means that I'd probably be inclined to drop by again.
A couple of weeks ago one of my dear friends surprised me with a very belated birthday present. I generally don't like touristy junk but I do have a new found affection for the royals. Now I can enjoy my morning brew out of one of these hidious yet adorable mugs. Amazing.
Iain McKell, a London based photographer, has spent the last 10 years photographing travelers. In a new series of photographs he reveals a world of very unconventional beauty and perhaps a bit more insight into such a foreign lifestyle.
All images via Iain McKell
In addition to all the looting that has swept across London I have also been feeling downright horrible making these last few weeks absolutely crazy. In the last two months I have also become intimately aware of the shortcomings of the NHS. It's been a long and stressful journey but I'm hoping a visit to a private doctor will set my life back on a healthy path.
How awesome are these viewfinder invitations. Seeing things like this makes me want to plan my wedding all over again!
All images via melangerienyc's etsy shop [here]
One of my colleague's tells a story of his 2 year old son who one day while watching TV marches straight up to the television and in one motion places his fingers on the screen and glides them from the center out to the edges of the screen. He waits. He wonders. He tries again. He's trying to make the image bigger. His Dad has an iphone that he plays with.
My kids will likely never flip the dog-eared pages of a library book (will there even be brick libraries anymore?) or be formally taught cursive in school beyond their own signature. Being a kid has changed so much since I was one, even coloring with your crayolas seems like it might be phased out.
Monster Coloring Book from twistcone on Vimeo.
I love seeing all these fun new apps but it makes me nostalgic for the "old days", i.e. The 90's.
This week we have 6 flat viewings lined up, including 4 yesterday. I've mentioned before how ridiculously small flats in London are (and I know you don't doubt me) but this chart by the BBC just drives the point home.
It turns out that the UK has the least floor space in all of Europe! This chart only encompasses new build homes, which are much more spacious from what I've seen flat hunting.
