THE BRUNCH DIARIES

we've been asked what we miss most about nyc and included in our over emotional answer is 'brunching'. the weekend brunch date. slow, lazy weekend mornings where you linger in bed for extra long, before rocking up to some hipster, quirky brunch spot to stuff yourselves with the best food in town. eggs benedict, pancakes or huevos ranchero all washed down with a refillable coffee.  mmmmm.

instead of moaning about this weekend tradition that nick and i miss so much we've decided to embark on a brunch journey around london, blogging along the way. we're hoping to find the best brunch spots in and around london.

so we kicked off our first sunday brunch morning with a pretty killer place. we headed up regents canal to camden where we discovered 'the blues kitchen'. from the outside this place didn't look much, but inside was a little gem. an industrial style diner, with old fire extingusihers, edison bulbs and blues artwork. i had the best pancakes of my life whilst nick had an american breakfast which included said pancakes! this place is going to be hard to beat!

nick's american breakfast that included a side of 2 pancakes. he managed just one pancake.

bacon and maple syrup pancakes. the fluffiest, most heavenly pancakes ever. i managed to finish just two out of my three, but don't worry i finished the bacon, which is what you pay for according to nick!

i took this picture to prove to nick that he does indeed have dimples and while we at it, those lines around his eyes....nearly as good as those pancakes....nearly!

AN ODE TO OLI BOY

i was not sure about getting a cat initially. i had reservations about buying a cat in new york and then the hassle and cost of having to bring it back to the uk at some point, the hassle of finding someone to look after the cat when we went away...i had lots of excuses. but as soon as nick took me into the cattery at the animal adoption centre i was won over. yes, it cost us a fair amount to bring him over to the uk (equivalent to the cost of a seat on the flight!), yes it can be a slight pain when we go away and yes he does ruin the furniture...but none of that really matters becasue of the joy that he brings is so worth it all.....

reasons to love cats....
(well actually it should probably read 'reasons we love oli'.....)

oli loves a good snuggle. when he was a kitten he would give the most spectacular face hugs, with his paws wrapped around your chin and huddle up as close as possible. the best bit is that recently oli has started sleeping UNDER the covers with us at night time! he starts off by my feet (much to nicks annoyance...'why does he want you? i'm the one who cleans out his litter!) and slowly makes his way up towards the pillows as the night draws on. i woke the other night and there he was lying on his side, head on the pillow with his lower half tucked under the covers, peacefully asleep!

 oli loves to greet us when we get home. as soon as you walk through the door, oli is at your feet, rolling over and stretching out in front of you in complete surrender. if you happen to neglect this demonstration of affection he will stalk you, climb your leg or chirrup until you have given him an adequate snuggle.


i've mentioned before how much oli loves water and the especially the shower. in our new flat we have more of a wet room than a separate shower and oli is in kitty heaven. he is always present whilst we shower, slowly disappearing behind the fog of the shower screen. he'll just sit waiting expectantly for his favourite part of shower time. the shower scraper. as the water droplets accelerate down the screen he darts around the bathroom trying to chase them.

i joke that nick has certain 'cries', much like a baby. he has a unique cry/mood for when he is hungry, tired or sad, i'm pretty quick at distinguishing one from the other now and so can rectify the problem before all hell brakes loose! oli is very similar, instead of verbal cries oli has certain behaviours....

when oli is hungry and his food bowl is empty, he will either go and help himself from his bag of food left on the counter top, or knock it onto the floor where it lands with a great thud before one by one his small pellets of food scatter across the floor.

if oli wants his litter changing he will go to the spare bag of litter we have and claw at the paper bag until the white pebbles cascade out, he will then proceed to play with these, pouncing on them and flicking them across the room.

when he wants to play he struts over to his toy basket, picks out his toy of choice and trots back to place it at your feet/in your lap/on the computer you are working from. each toy means a different type of game depending on his mood. his mouse means hunting, pouncing games and his ball means fetch games. but theres one toy that is his favourite. its his santa hat and scarf that he was given last christmas. he LOVES this outfit for some reason and will make sure that it is always nearby. i'll often find him trotting around the house dragging his santa scarf along with him no matter the season!



when oli wants some attention he'll often come and lie next to you and just place a paw on your leg or arm. this generally happens whilst at the computer. his little paw will gently and affectionally rest on your hand as he looks up at you with his mischievous eyes and handsome face, just asking for some loving! i mean how can you resist that sweet gesture?!  other times he'll just jump onto your back and hang out for a while!

i realise that not all cats are like oli, he is one of a kind and we often feel that he behaves like a dog, with his loyalty, his companionship and his little mannerisms. i never realised a cat could be so loving and affectionate yet so playful and fun. best decision we ever made was to adopt little oli boy. 

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

8 days late but here goes anyway...happy new year to one and all! i hope you all had a lovely christmas and a fun new year.

i was working a lot this christmas but we got to head to wales to spend a 'pre-christmas' with my family,...all 11 of us, including our 2 nieces and nephew! it was our first time all back at home in such a long time and was so different.... with kids around everything changes, no more lie-ins, no more midday naps, no more late night movies! despite the early starts and incessant frozen watching we did  it was so much fun..tiring...but fun! we then headed to kent for christmas with nick's family which involved a rather muddy walk, lots of games and falling asleep whilst watching films....mmm...the best feeling! 

we bought in the new year on a friends london balcony with the most incredible views over london. we got to 'ooo' and 'ahhh' at all the fireworks as they adorned london's skyline sky, it was rather spectacular!

last year nick and i started a new tradition that we plan on doing our whole life. we wrote  down our goals, desires and prayers for the year ahead before sealing them up in an envelope.

opening that envelope and reading through lasts years goals was such a good way to reflect on the year we've just had. so many changes to our life happened in 2014, major life decisions, major accomplishments and so much growth. we may not have ticked off everything on that list but we sure made a good dent in that list and saw so many prayers answered.

starting the year with intention helps us to really focus in on what we want to see happen. we're dreaming big for 2015...sow match this space!  

but anyway...some snapshots of christmas festivities....

//early morning snuggles with nain and taid//

//these two....josiah was obsessed with my dad, it was just the cutest thing ever. //

//i mean...just look at her...//

//the interaction between josiah and arabella was just so darn cute, especially when they were both sat in their high chairs....they would pass food between one another! we would all just stop and stare at them communicating to each other//

//never have i seen anyone so happy at opening up a present of 'showroom shine'. now thats a real 'taid' present!//

//a lot of frozen toys were opened this year by beatrice-she was delighted!//

//'helping' uncle will open up his presents!//

//poor arabella got a little lost in all the wrapping!//

//nick bought me a new camera lens for christmas and so i had great fun taking pictures of everyone!//

//fselfie stick face timing!//

THANKSGIVING: LONDON TOWN THE UPS AND THE DOWNS

this week i've been missing new york like crazy. maybe it was this weeks episode of the apprentice? or maybe it was london city that grated on me? london has the habit of doing that.... 

it might be the rain, the incessant rain. it never stops. or maybe its the travelling, all the travelling. so much time wasted on the tube. the hot, stuffy, packed commuter tube. or maybe its all the bike stealing. i've had my fair share of stolen bike wheels, stolen bike seats, but this week had my whole bike stolen. all of it. it was all gone. they didn't even leave a wheel! 

but seeing as its thanksgiving next week here are just a few things i'm thankful for in this new city....

-the neighbourhood we live in. we've had some weekends exploring, taking walks along the canal, trying some local restaurants, running in regents park, making friends with our new neighbours.....

-our new flat. one where we can stand up without hitting our head-no more sloped ceilings!

-living close to our family again meaning we can spend more time together and have fun spoiling our nieces and nephews.

-my new job, where i'm learning so much, i walk to work (which is pretty useful considering i can't cycle anymore!) and get nhs discount again!

its far too easy to fall into the trap of complaining about everything we dislike here in london, comparing it to our life in new york, especially as as our time there drifts further into the past. but this is a new season, a time for new challenges, new triumphs, new things to learn. we're having to make active choices at times to embrace it, to be thankful for it and excited for all that it holds. we're chasing those dreams we so boldly dreamt back in nyc, slowly putting one foot in front of the other, walking them out in the mundane day to day. its not easy, but this is a new season and i'm thankful for it. 

*SNEAK PEEK.....WHERE WE LIVE

looking for somewhere to live when we moved back from nyc was quite a task. one of things that we loved about new york was living within the same neighbourhood that we went to church and where many of our friends lived, it was like our own community, which was so refreshing in such a crazy and transient city.
london on the other hand spans such a vast area that it can be very difficult to feel grounded as it feels that you spend so much time travelling across the city from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.

moving to london we were desperate to set ourselves up to live more in community; living, working and going to church within a smaller radius; to really be able to put down roots.

after a rather disillusioning month of flat hunting we eventually walked into a newly refurbished basement studio flat in kings cross, st pancras and were moved in within two weeks. we had great fun getting creative with the layout of our studio and it was rather enlightening for me to see nicks creative side and it turns out i don't always know best, that in fact nick has some pretty good ideas when it comes to making our flat a home!

kings cross is definitely up and coming, but isn't everywhere?! theres a tonne of regeneration that has happened in this area over the past few years with google offices soon to be moving in! theres some great restaurants we want to try and regents canal that leads to regency park.

we're still getting to grips with our new neighbourhood and flat but for now heres a sneak peek
into our new life...enjoy.......