Drinks I Love

I read a recent post that was recommended on my bloglovin' page and it inspired me to write about my favourite drinks, some of which are beneficial to our health.

1. Water:
For me there is nothing that quenches my thirst better than water, it is my no.1 favourite drink, and always will be. It is so refreshing and the "no taste" that people normally complain about makes me like it more.. I think. Growing up I always drank warm water too, until one day somebody told me it was extremely weird, but hey ho, I still continue to drink water, hot, warm or cold. Not only is it tasty, but is recommended again and again to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

2. Fruit and/or lemon infused water:
There are a million and one posts written about fruit infused water, and it really is tasty. If I can get a 2 year old to enjoy this, anybody can! It makes the water slightly sweeter; depending on what you add to your water. Also for those who find it difficult to drink water, infusing it with fruits or lemons makes it a little easier to swallow.

3. Vodka apple juice/orange juice (any type of juice)
This is my go to alcoholic drink. I don't like anything too sweet, so cocktails are out the window, and also drinks such as WKD (alchopops essentially) are a no go zone for me! The juices make the vodka so much easier to drink, because it literally tastes like the juice! However this sounds like I am promoting binge drinking, but who doesn't enjoy a drink once in a while.

4. Milkybar Krushems
If you go to KFC, please please please order this. Before I started to change my habits to make them healthier I ordered this EVERYTIME I went to KFC. The other krushems just simply didn't compare. It's extremely rare for me to order anything but water from most places, but KFC was just the exception!

5. Mocha
I love hot chocolate, but this definitely tops it in terms of hot drinks. It isn't as sweet as hot chocolate so is a bonus, an extra bonus is that it wakes you up! Who doesn't love a drink that wakes you up and is tasty?

So that's my list of my favourite drinks, what's yours? and HI5 to all the water lovers out there!

L'eto Caffe

A caffe situated in Soho London, which is famous for the honey cake they sell. Unfortunately for me we came in the evening after dinner, and due to the popularity of the cake, they had sold out already. Despite this, I got an indulged in a chocolate cake, and the different layers of the cake just all complimented each other. They had a lovely selection of cakes, but also sold food, and it definitely reminded me of the healthy food they sell at places like Foodilic. 

The display of cakes can be seen from the outside, which just draws you in even more!

For a caffe situated in Soho it isn't incredibly expensive, but also not incredibly cheap. So it is definitely worth a try, and the portion is BIG. For these two cakes it was a little over £8, so definitely worth a visit if you want to rest from touring London, from shopping, adding some extra time to a date you may be enjoying, haha. All in all, I would recommend this place if you fancy something sweet! 

Reflective Saturdays #4

Not settling. I think sometimes we get caught up and believe we don't deserve something. There is a famous quote that always floats around from the book Perks of Being A Wallflower, and that is, "we accept the love we think we deserve". Because I have seen this quote so often it is ingrained in my mind, even if sometimes it does not necessarily make a difference to my decisions or my days. Though sometimes it does. 

When I am thinking about dating somebody, or whether I should or should not stop seeing somebody. Or whether I should or shouldn't do something or go and see my friends, this is a quote I like to listen to. If you don't think you deserve better, then you will never get it, because you will always settle for less than what you are worth. If a friend isn't being the most loyal to you, or not giving you enough time from their schedule, and you still stick around, it is because you do not think you deserve better. In actual fact, you do, everybody does. Do not let somebody who treats you like an option stay as a "friend", they do not deserve that title. The same with a relationship, do not let them put everything before you and still decide to stick around, because when they find something more interesting, another more interesting they are bound to get up and leave. Trust me, you deserve better. If you find that your day is going downhill, it is more than likely that you decided when you woke up this is not going to be a good day. You might be having a bad day, but you deserve better, so believe it. You deserve better, but you actively have to seek it. Do not think that deserving something means you get it straight away, or that you get it without some perseverance. Believe that you deserve it, go after it, (or leave it in other circumstances) and eventually you will have what you deserve. Accept that you can have these opportunities, accept that you can have better people in your life. 

Restaurant Bucket List: South East England Edition

I have a very bad habit of going back to the same restaurants that I enjoy. I think all of us do, however I think I have a very bad case of this. For two years, I entered the doors of Zizzis probably every week. Sure I enjoyed the food, loved the location, what is worse is I ordered the same dishes every time. So in my aim to change this, I have made a bucket list of restaurants I would like to visit. Purely based on restaurants located in South East England, otherwise the list would be endless!

1. Thackeray's

Photo courtesy of Thackerays-restaurant.com

So I have always wanted to visit a Michelin style restaurant. This seems to be the easiest accesible  michelin star restaurant from where I live. Only located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, it is an easy drive. Owned by Richard Phillips, it specialises in Gournmet French Dining, and with french dining being way out of my comfort zone; this seems like it would definitely be a fine restaurant to introduce me to  the cuisine. 

2. Honest Burgers

Photo courtesy of London.everypeoples.com

As a beef lover, I am definitely all for a burger joint. Honest burger has been one of those places raved about on blogs, instagram, twitter and I really want to try this place out. However, due to my infrequent trips to London and always wishing for the easiest option if we're hungry, sometimes we forget about a place like this. 

3. Burger and Lobster

Photo courtesy of London-eater.com

Literally every Tom, Dick and Harry has been here.. but ME. Okay, that was a little bit of a drama queen statement but it does seem like it is only me. One day soon, soon I promise myself. 

4. Princi

Photo Courtesy of London-unattached.com

This is a restaurant I stumbled across after a dinner stroll, whilst walking to the dessert cafe next door. The atmosphere here looks immense, I love a busy atmosphere where people are sat close and chatting away. Definitely worthy of a place on my bucket list.

5. Jamie's Italian

Photo courtesy of Jamie's kitchen website

Though I know these restaurants opened up by big chefs from television may be over hyped, I still do want to try it. There is one located very conveniently in Brighton, and plenty more dotted around London. So there is definitely no excuse for me not to try it.

I can't wait to review and taste the food at these restaurants in the coming months!

Global Warming Menu

Okay, so this is very little to do with food, but I think it is both fascinating and an excellent way to interest different kinds of people into a more serious subject, like global warming. 

Hosted by WWF. 

I think what I have to say will add very little to watch the video already shows.

So what better way to see it than through pictures and the video.

This video is available on their youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZNiP2ufp_Q#t=82

For somebody that knows that global warming exists but does very little to change it, it is extraordinary to see how it has really impacted the world. 

I hope if anything this just brings it to your attention, as it did mine. 

Reflective Saturdays #3

As summer has arrived the amount of free time I have to myself has increased significantly. No longer needing to focus my attention on work and people. This has given me time to look through some of my old favourites on the internet. Little gems like www.elitedaily.com and Thought Catalog. I've always loved reading, but as I've grown up my interest in reading fiction has diminished. It just makes so much sense to me, and so much more motivational when I read blog, pieces of writing from people who are a little more experienced. Those who have experienced things, travelled places, made mistakes. 

Though I don't ever think by reading these I will avoid mistakes, it just makes for an enjoyable read. 

One piece I read in particular is 10 of Life's Secrets That No One Told You.

One of the "secrets" that really stood out to me is: Your best friends will change and so will you.

I still acknowledge many of those around me as being my "best friends" and sometimes I wonder whether they think the same. However, I have also acknowledged that we are different. We aren't the same and we will never be. We will never be the 15 year olds who spent every day together, we won't work together, we won't date together and we won't get angry, upset and enjoy our summers together.

It's been difficult for me to acknowledge people as my best friends, it took me a while but something did change and I did start using the term "best friends".

As we've moved away from each other, I know that we are no longer surrounded by the same people; no longer study the same subjects, no longer talk every day. At the beginning it seemed difficult, I was so focused on keeping things together with a guy that I completely forgot how important it was to keep a long distant friendship together.

We still see each other when we return home, but it just isn't the same.

And I think people will always tell you that it is okay. At this point in our life we are different, different from each other and the old us. But that's okay, because we shared memories and we were happy. We're happy now, we have just connected with different people. We have also connected in a different way.

I still find you to be one of my closest friends, I find you inspiring and motivational when I really need it in my life. Your ambitious nature has encouraged me to thrive and experience. So if one day we meet on a path much like our old one, I will embrace it and know that I will enjoy it as much as our last journey. But for now, I appreciate that we are in each others lives, even if we are going on different journeys with different people.

We can sometimes forget about those who are still so close to our side, the peoples who's journeys crossed our paths and for all the others that will continue to be with us.

So I'll love the memories we've had, hope for me, but know that people come into your life for a reason, and sometimes they leave for no reason at all, and you leave theirs without reason also. Whoever they may be, you will continually love them, especially those who were your best friends. You'll love them eternally for just being them, for now or in the past. 

Foodilic Brighton

Foodilic is a little vegan friendly restaurant right in the middle of Brighton town centre. Located on North Street leading up to the main shopping square called Churchill Square, this little restaurant is super easy to find and is super cheap (in my opinion). Brighton is loaded with food spots and there are many vegan/vegetarian friendly restaurants, however none in this price range. Dinner is £6.45 for a buffet, and the quality of the food at this buffet is much better than another other buffet you are to experience in Brighton. Healthy, cheap and unlimited, it really is a bargain!

Normally I just drink water as it is normally the only thing that quenches my first. But today, I thought I'd try something different. Grapefruit juice! If you don't like grapefruits this is probably your worse nightmare! But the juice really complemented this dinner. At £3.55 it is quite a pricy drink, but it is all freshly squeezed as you tend to yourself at the buffet. 

The buffet consists of two meat dishes, normally chicken or beef and mashed potatoes for the non-vegans/vegetarians. The rest of it I believe is vegan. Mixed beans, beetroot, pumpkin, green beans, red cabbage etc. 

I always have an enjoyable meal here, and it also helps that it is a buffet, which doesn't make you feel like you ate the entire earth, (I'm talking about you pizza buffets and chinese buffets). Delicious, cheap and definitely worth a visit, or many! 

Journeys

“Find life experiences and swallow them whole. Travel. Meet many people. Go down some dead ends and explore dark alleys. Try everything. Exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life.”

- Lawrence K. Fish

I think sometimes we get lost in comparing ourselves to others and the paths others have chosen. I certainly have, but it's also a path that I have decided is also right for me. I don't know whether at this point it is right, but for now it feels right. Finally things are starting to fall into place, slowly but surely, and I'm looking forward to the future. Through these past months I have numerous set backs, and a period of time where I felt lost, unable to get anywhere and just stuck in a rut. Then I decided to take action, more action, trying more and more, and it's all landed almost where I've wanted it.

This isn't a post bragging about how I've managed to get what I wanted, rather perseverance. I think sometimes we lose sight of what we want, or sometimes even that if we don't get the first few things we want we lose hope. We start thinking maybe this isn't the path for me, maybe I'm not cut out for this; and there are a million posts about this. I try to stay inspired by reading these posts, try to stay on top of my work, try not to compare myself to everybody else's journey. Comparison can be good for you, they can make you strive harder, but they can also make you feel inadequate. Make sure you give yourself time to self reflect, make sure you know your self worth, make sure you remind yourself everybody's journey is different.

It's fun, having loads of interviews and not making most of them, it's fun. You've been able to talk to somebody you probably would never have come into contact with. You've been able to talk about your strengths and weaknesses, helping your self reflection. It definitely all helps in some way or the other.Today, I met a girl, woman should I say. She has taken a wonderful path that I probably will not follow. But hearing about it made me ever more curious, and to just hear about her journey was amazing. Everybody we meet will have had a different journey, don't hate yourself for not having theirs. You have probably been down a road they've never been on.

Embrace it.

Inspire others.

Inspire yourselves.

Keep going.

Viet Rest

This restaurant is based in Deptford in South East London. This is probably the 5th actual Vietnamese restaurant I've been too, and it wasn't the worse, nor the best. To be honest, I love vietnamese food so I am so biased when it comes to judging the food. To me anything doused in the vietnamese vinegar and has lettuce and meat in it is delicious according to my taste buds.

The restaurant is quite small, with only around 6 tables of seatings for 4, but it is open all day, so whether you want a late lunch or an early dinner, this is the place. However, as all asian people do, if you choose to go for an early dinner, the staff will probably be sat behind you eating dinner too. It is also relatively cheap for vietnamese food. In comparison to the chain vietnamese restaurant, which is literally mind blowing expensive, and it really doesn't have much choice. The good thing about these small little vietnamese restaurants is the choice. They really do offer authentic and varied vietnamese food. I warn you however if you do not like lettuce or noodle soup, stay far far away from these vietnamese restaurants.

I really enjoyed this place, the people weren't extra friendly, but I don't expect anywhere to be. They were courteous and offered quick service so that to me was good enough. Fast, yummy food and cheap enough prices, worth it I believe. It is easy enough to get to, with it being in Deptford town centre and with parking right outside (albeit, it is street parking and can be sparse).

Enjoyable experience and food, definitely good enough place to recommend to those who are in and around the area at any point, looking to have a light or heavy lunch or dinner.

Greenwich Market

Greenwich Market is a nice little indoor market next to Greenwich park. It's a beautiful little place, however it is LITTLE. The stalls sell everything from little photo frames, to clothes, to cakes, cookies and asian cuisine. It caters for the family as well as couples and individuals. The stall below sold cake and cookies, as well as the many other stalls next to this one. On this particular day we bought a little gluten free cookie and a red velvet cupcake. 

 This gluten free cookie was large, but more on the expensive side. Health does come at a price though right? If you're looking for health over taste then this is probably a cookie to get, however if going for taste, Sainsburys or Asda bakery cookies are just as good. 

This red velvet cupcake however was DELICIOUS, the cottage cheese frosting wasn't too overpowering and the actual cupcake was nice an gooey. This was definitely worth the price, organic and delicious. 

Reflective Saturdays #2

Lately, I have found that I was unmotivated to even leave the house, personal issues with yourself can be the route of this problem, as it is slightly for me. But then you have to decide that your thoughts about yourself only consume your own life and your own time. People notice but they do not care. If you are a little larger then you'd like to be, so what? If somebody notices and says "you've put on a little bit of weight.." so what? Within finishing that sentence they will probably have forgotten about that and moved on. It is only you worrying about that bit of extra fat around your arms, your extra chubby legs lately. These people won't leave you or the situation because they've noticed you've gained a few pounds. They aren't fixated on your sausage like fingers. 

It is something everybody does, and some suffer more than others. Overthinking can be problematic, but it is more the control of your thoughts than to constantly think. It is taking the time to think about thoughts that matter, think through things thoroughly instead of just constantly thinking. As the quote above says "rule your mind or it will rule you", do not let negative thoughts rule your life. Do not let it do negative things to your life and your body.

What I'm trying to say is take some time to notice what you're thinking. Reflect on the things you are thinking about and this can lead to controlling them. I'm not saying controlling things makes everything better, but it can help. Sometimes I subconsciously feel like people are fixated on my flaws, when they probably don't care. They've noticed it, now what? You've noticed a spot on your friends face, now what? You don't care, and that is how others feel too. 

If you find yourself constantly thinking about one thing, just take a moment to breath. Think about it. I like to call it the buddha way. My siblings laughed at me when I said I wanted to become a buddhist. I think I was just having a moment, but I do like to take the teachings of buddhism, the mindfulness aspect and putting out into the world good, as you would like to come back to you. 

I guess what I want to say is, be mindful. Think about yourself, think about other people. Think about different things.