Hey, It's Me

Wowzers, that was an AWOL and a half, what was that all about? Pretty inexcusable considering we've all spent more than a few days snowed in (or snowed out if you're one of the unlucky ones ha!) and I've had more than a little free time cocooned indoors. Well, what can I say - this lazy girl's been having an affair with her bed, iMac and clearly, the delivery boy from the Indian down the road. Nice.

I have Hershey's to hand (holiday present from the States), two years worth of Bollywood catch up and a lot of take out boxes that probably need to see a bin sometime soon. I'm on it though and I'll be around now - for more babble and more giggles. Stay tuned. 

xxx

P.S. If you live close by, it's one guuuuud take out. Try it. 

Indian Sizzler Watford 01923 630111

a Contained Cupcake

Cupcakes, cakepops - they're all the rage right now aren't they? You only need to look around at the cupcakeries popping up here, there & everywhere to work that out. Now, that I am a cupcake fiend (well, just a cake fiend really) has been discussed and documented here with full transparency. Look, here. Here. And here. So you can imagine my utter delight when the flatmate brought home something even more quaint, even more cute than a stand alone cupcake. Yup, a cupcake in jar. Who'd have thought. 

Somebody tell me why oh why these aren't more common? 

xx

g desserts - cupcakes in a jar. 

Currently Crushing On...

1. Yuuuuuuus, it's been out 2 months. 2 whole months that I waited to see this. A little heads up though? Catching the late show of an old movie = COMPLETELY deserted screen = freedom to wolf-whistle every time he removes his shirt.
2. Don't judge, I needed some comfort following conclusion of GG. The girly girl, chick-flick loving person I am, I figured why not find out what I missed before the movies happened. Word of warning - gives rise to MANY questions inappropriate for discussion here. 
3. Full on 80's style action flick. Forgettable but not missable as it's entertainment from start to end. 
4. Finally a trip to India in the pipelines. More later.
xx   http://www.helloonline.com/travel/201009244202/taj/mahal/india/

Christmas in Covent Garden

Somebody tell me why this was left until January 4th before being done? Very tempted to celebrate Christmas all over again tomorrow ;). Got some movies to tell you about, perhaps some reviews and an absolute bucket load of recipes. Stay tuned.
xx

Top 5 in 2012

With 2012 less than 12 hours away in most parts of the world  With New Year's done and dusted, all things Christmassy packed up and put away, I thought it might be a little fun to recap on some of my, and your, favourite diary moments of 2012. 

1. My First Time... at Yo! Shushi (what were you thinking?!)

2. The day the Instagram bug bit.

3. A quick trip to Amsterdam

4. Putting together a full Indian

Aaaand 5, Numerous Trips to WW.
Do you agree? Belated, but Happy New Year to you all. 
xx

Tongue Ticklers at Mamounia

If you've been reading a while, you'll know that I've been pretty much living on Prezzos, Pizzas & Paneer for a long time now (not a complaint, all three come in abundant combinations). Buuuuuuut, as much as Indian and Italian are well up there on my list of loves, what's with cutting out all that Mexico & Morocco have to mete out, all the flavour Greece has to gloat about? Let's not forget Jamaican, Japanese & Chinese, Thai, Turkish & Lebanese. Oh and smashing Spanish, super soups and sharp sushis. Mmmmmmm. 
And so I guess it's just as well that there's been a sudden but very, very, VERY welcome explosion of new restaurants close to where I live. Japanese, check. Tex-Mex, check. Fast food American style, check. But the glittering, sparkling, dazzling jewel in the crown, for when you just can't decide (/feel hungry enough to eat an elephant)? A world food buffet. More on that later though. 
At the moment I'm here to tell you of recent escapades in the Knightsbridge area. Don't you think the best evenings unfold when you hit them without a plan in place? I like to think so. Especially when you end up in a cosy, Christmassy corner you didn't expect to find. Mamounia Lounge, slap bang diagonally opposite Harrods, describes itself as broadly Middle Eastern - one glance at the decor and you'll understand why. It boasts "menus inspired by the tastes, recipes and flavours from the great cuisines of Morocco and Lebanon"... which would be numerous variations of humous, falafel, cous cous, tagine & pitta.
 Considering it's been... an age, at least, since a pitta last passed this pout (and I've never had a tagine before) I'd be hard pushed to say just how good the food was. All I can say, really, is that it was guuuuuuud. And affable, efficient service in a beautiful restaurant. Plus SO many (v)s on the menu!  

It's very rare, as a vegetarian, to be flunked with so many choices that you don't know if you've chosen right - then there was dessert we were too full to deliberate, shisha we were shivering too much to give a shot. But always a next time. 
xx
http://www.mamounialounge.com/knightsbridge/

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Yes, I seem practically to be living here this December. Let's just say the appetite for fairground rides, mulled wine & Christmas magic is insatiable (so much so for my pre-25th Scrooge mood - we all knew it would catch up on me eventually). 
If you haven't been, go. And definitely ride the star flyer. Your eyes will sting, your hair will be ravaged & the wind will pinch your cheeks... but the view is absolutely breathtaking. 
xx
P.S. 54 hours of 2012 to go!
http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/

Seasonal Surfeit

One of the best things about Christmas time, in my opinion, is the ready availability of overly indulgent, rich, luxurious and lip-lickingly delicious food, both in and out. I know there's always something special on the hob/in the fridge around my house (even leftovers are a treat in December!) but should we choose to eat out, many-a-seasonal-special on menus as well. And what with birthday celebrations, Christmas dos, family meals, dinner dates & girly catch-ups, there's a plethora of excuses to overindulge too. 

On the flip side though, one of the worst things about Christmas time is probably the ready availability of overly indulgent, rich, luxurious and lip-lickingly delicious food (!). I've been eating no less than a little piglet (I literally have a muffin top to show for it) and silly as it sounds, I'm quite looking forward to eating slightly more moderately (hey, let's not push it okay?) once the Christmas goodies, and spirit, have run out. Yes, I know how out of character that sounds for me but... a picture paints a thousand words: 

That, in case you're ogling, drooling and curious, is the Gnocchi al Quattro Formaggi I had a few nights ago at a little Italian called Zinco. I.e. hot, fresh, oven baked Gnocchi in a bubbling, creamy four cheese sauce of fontina, mascarpone, mozzarella & parmesan. As if one cheese simply wasn't lavish enough for Christmas. Mmmmmmmmmmm. Look at it. Just look at it. So extravagant (and I daresay, calorific!) I think I'm gaining weight just eyeing it up. 
Word of advice - get in the door before you embark on your post-Christmas detox. It really is one of the better Italians I've had in a long while. 
xx
Zinco, 89-91 High Street, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 1LN

Done, Dusted.

Christmas over, sales well underway (apparently we were shopping online on Christmas Day?!) and plenty of us back to work. So now? Well of course, it's time to reel in the new year - the last burst of pomp and cheer before the inevitable January lull. January. Britain at its skintest, coldest, grimmest, fatest. Ahhh so much to look forward to. 
To me, January has never felt like the time for new starts - dietting at a time when only comfort food will do? Nah. Exercising in the snow? Naaaaah. Spring time seems much more fitting an occasion for change - warmer mornings, brighter days and promise of summer in the air. 
All said, it wouldn't really be New Years without the age long tradition of making resolutions... and subsequently breaking them within a few days due, of course, to the aforementioned lack of motivation. So what are yours? I have three, #1 being a resolution to not break any further resolutions I resolve to make. ;) Let's see how long that lasts! 
xx

Evening of Anticipation

Isn't in funny how we spend a whole month shopping and wrapping, running and planning, organising, decorating, co-ordinating & cooking; in anticipation, in preparation, in an utter state of commotion for just two measly days of lazing, grazing and vegging out (well chez moi at least - reliable sources tell me it can be quite the opposite)? 

December, in all honesty, is only bearable because of the promise it bears - I mean would you really queue for hours on end, fending off hundreds of co-shoppers in heaving stores to buy grandpa some fairly forgettable socks, at any other time of the year? Thought not. It's almost like we're so drunk on the Christmas Spirit that nothing seems unreasonable any more. Alas, Christmas Eve is upon us and tomorrow all our handiwork will be undone. Presents will be torn open, trees left bereft and all manner of indulgent food consumed. 

Today, though, is the day to step back, take a deep breath and admire our twinkling, glittering, festively attired homes. It's the peace after a storm when we can finally declare we are "done" and collapse in a heap on the sofa.

I think Christmas Eve is a hot favourite with a lot of people - probably because it treads that fine line between anticipation & culmination. The best of both worlds. But while most of us will reflect on the work that's gone into making tomorrow memorable, for me it's about what, if anything, I've achieved to render my whole year memorable. 12 hours of being 22 remain - I know I'll be spending those searching for my answer. 

Happy Christmas Eve.

xx