Friday’s Fact Files
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
Really enjoying the sounds of Jordan Rakei right now …
Eats!
Rinkoff Bakeries – The Christmas Crodough
Now I haven’t even tried this yet but listen – Mince pie custard filling, fondant and a gingerbread crumb on the top! I mean! MY DAYS!
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
I don’t know if anyone else has noticed an increase in sponsored ads on Instagram recently but this week this flashed up on my feed …
Coach have teamed up with Peanuts to create limited edition collection and well this backpack is pretty darn nice!
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
Jodie Abacus – Halfway to Mexico
Jamie Woon – Forgiven – just shut your eyes and enjoy
Eats!
There isn’t anything that a good breakfast cannot fix. On a grey Monday morning Paulie and I took a short cycle over to Ozone Coffee in Shoreditch for a quick breakfast date. I had heard a lot about this place and luckily it had been said that the coffee was of a very high standard too (important to one of us ;D) – we were not disappointed. We were quickly seen to and given seats over looking the exposed central kitchen which made for amazing views, though choosing our breakfast was very hard as everything looked fantastic!!
I, of course, opted for their seeded granola with ginger yogurt and cox apples. It was dreamy! The granola did not taste in the least bit sugary (I find a lot of granolas are coated in honey and are a little too sweet for my liking) but instead provided just the right amount of nutty, crunchy goodness. The cox apple compote was a perfect seasonal touch (I constantly crave apple crumble in Autumn) and worked well with the ginger yogurt! Honestly, this was one of the best bowls of granola I have had in a while, and I have had a lot of granola recently!
Paulie opted for poached eggs on “The Dusty Knucle seeded sourdough”
Now this may not look like much but the eggs were perfectly poached – it’s amazing how many places struggle to provide a runny yolk – and the herbs worked perfectly to make, I quote “some of the best eggs I have ever had”.
All in all our experience in Ozone was fantastic and extremely reasonably priced. We may have also grabbed one of the cinnamon and raisin morning buns on the way out … OH MY DAYS! Ozone, we will be back!
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
Ok so ignore the fact that this is a man’s shirt … I popped into the Adidas Original store the other day and this was just staring at me! It it just a plain white shirt with covered in some of the more jazzy Adidas trainers. It’s adorable and I love it!
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
Generally everything about this mix is amazing!
Dj Emily Rawson – 90s R&B Mix Supa Dupa Fly
Eats!
Recently I was lucky enough to be asked if I wanted to try some of The Protein Works products and I thought “why on earth not”. Slightly overwhelmed by the amount of tasty sounding products on their website, I spoke to one of their representatives explaining that I would love to try something that would help combat that 3pm/4pm snack attack that wasn’t nut based. Don’t get me wrong, I love nuts, I mean we all know how good they are for us but sometimes it would be great to go into my snack drawer and grab something that wasn’t an almond or a nut bar!
Following my request The Protein Works supplied me with their “Peri Peri Hot” Biltong. Having lived with a South African for a while I knew all about Biltong and how if done right this could be a seriously tasty and filling snack! Biltong is a dried meat, usually beef, which has been flavoured with herbs and spices. I am relatively weak when it comes to spices but WOWZA the TPW Biltong certainly packed a punch! Their Biltong is made with British Beef and acts as a high protein snack, which in theory means it should keep you going, in my case, until teatime. In my opinion the Biltong was super tasty and certainly did exactly what I asked, it was great to have a nut free alternative in the snack drawer. I would only need to munch away on a few pieces to feel satisfied, though that could have been because my mouth was on fire, which means the product is pretty reasonable for £3.99!! Still not sure on how I feel about Biltong as a food, dried meat and all, but taste wise it was pretty yummy and we all know we have to get that protein in! So thumbs up from me!
Thanks again to The Protein Works for letting me try their products, it was extremely kind of them but please note the opinions are most definitely my own! 😀
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
So if you happen to be in the Brick Lane area I would definitely recommend strolling into the Old Truman Brewery Carpark to enjoy this in it’s full glory …
You cannot help by smile at Ellannah Sadkin’s handywork here, it definitely brightens up any grey London day!
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
Jamie Woon in the Live Lounge – HIS VOICE!
The Weeknd ft Ed Sheeran – Dark Times
SG Lewis ft. JP Cooper – Shivers
Eats!
I was recently asked whether I wanted to try some cooking sauces and not just any cooking sauces – protein filled cooking sauces! Now as my runs are getting more intensive and my love for swinging around heavy kettlebells is growing I thought, why not, as we all know that protein is good for us and that apparently most of us do not get enough in our diet!
So, firstly we tried the “Spanish Tomato & Chorizo”
We baked a sweet potato and then stir fried some kale, broccoli and aubergine, adding the sauce (you have to mix the powder with hot water) once everything had softened. TA DAH …. as simple as that.
My opinion: I really enjoy the sauce on the veggies, I couldn’t really taste the chorizo all that much but it did help to create a really tasty, warming meal and with the sauce it ensured I was getting 20grams of protein without the addition of any meat / pulses. Also worth mentioning it was very filling!
The second attempt “Thai Jungle Curry”
For this we boiled some brown rice, whilst mixing the sauce with chickpeas, peppers, chicken and broccoli.
My opinion: So the sauce really does give a curry feel, you can really taste the coconut in it, and Paulie loved it. For me however it was not my favourite sauce, I much preferred the tomato based sauce but maybe that is just a taste preference.
So, these sauces are dairy free, suitable for vegetarians and vegans with no preservatives or anything artificial. Currently you can buy them online in 990gram tins (18 servings) for under £20 which works out pretty reasonable for a pre-made sauce. Now I personally much prefer to make my own sauces BUT if I was looking for a quick fix I actually would not hesitate at all to cook with these sauces again. Super simple and got to get that protein in right? ;D
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
I recently went to an event which was held in Harrods sports department and apart from all the free food / drink I also “spotted” these …
Adidas Originals – SLIM SUPERGL TP
Yes there are tracksuit bottoms but they are amazing and they even have a matching tshirt and a jacket! In fact most of the stuff that Adidas have bought out this season is pretty impressive, so many good colours and prints! I don’t need more lycra but …
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
Eats!
Now I have already experienced breakfast from these guys at an event and my days it was good! However, Paulie and I recently found ourselves in the search of lunch whilst in Covent Garden but we ideally wanted to eat outside and not be completely overwhelmed with tourists. HELLO 26 grains and their savoury menu!
Tucked away in Neals Yard – a place with soo many good spots – 26 Grains opened it’s first shop a few months ago offering a mouth watering selection of healthy bowls based on grains (such as oats, buckwheat, guinoa, millet), spices and fresh ingredients!
As I said we wanted lunch and as much as I love porridge, and their porridge did look good, we were hungry for something savory! We actually went for one of their savory bowls, the Tomato and Coconut bowl to be exact. This incredible bowl is made up of coconut, tomato, spelt, avocade, halloumi and almo. It arrived in a perfectly sized bowl (I have a thing about bowls!) and it was extremely tasty and filling!
This lovely lunch experience has secured the fact that I will most be definitely be coming back for more!
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
Whilst browsing through the bottom floor in topshop on Oxford Street – the best floor in my mind – I came across this …
Uni Boob Ringer Tee – GENIUS NAME!
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
Eats!
As I mentioned in my post about cycling from London to Paris one of the most important things whilst on the road was to ensure that we just kept “having a nibble”. This meant ensuring our bodies had plenty of fuel to keep us going up some pretty serious French hills! One of my favourite snacks along the way were 9bars, and most of my friends will tell you I am a little obsessed with these yummy, seedy snacks.
9bars are a high fibre, gluten free, mixed seed energy bar, where the seeds actually make up to around 71% of the bar itself. If you didn’t already know seeds are a great source of plant protein and are also rich in essential fatty acids and high in Omega 3 – sounds pretty good right!
I have found these bars perfect for my long rides as they seem to fuel my legs and are actually pretty filling! It’s also worth mentioning that they have an incredible amount of different flavours ….
Personally my favourites are from are their “Cocoa Kick” range, previously known at the “Indulge range”. These bars have an gorgeous layer of yummy cocoa mixed with either raspberry, cashew, coconut or hazelnut. I don’t know how many raspberry bars I got through whilst in France ;D
And on top of being a pretty tasty they have now teamed up with UK charity SolarAid, who provide solar lights to those who need them most in Africa, so every time you buy a bar you are providing energy elsewhere giving “good energy, twice”. So many reasons to try all the flavours ;D
PS. Just wanted to say a little thank you to 9bar who kindly gave me a couple of bars to try ahead of my long ride, I have been a fan of 9bar for ages now and was extremely grateful to receive a few more before I started on those 200+ miles!!
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
Can we just dicsuss these flip flops !!!
Havaianas have released 3 different types of Snoopy flip flops and well we all know exactly where I am going before I fly off to France next week … but just which one to pick!
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
A couple of artists I have been enjoying …
Eats!
For weeks and weeks I have cycled up Pitfield Street in Hoxton and noticed a couple of lovely foodie spots that I have been desperate to try. On Wednesday after jumping off the Eurostar after a few miles of cycling (more on this soon ;D) I knew exactly where I wanted to go for a well earned breakfast!
Walking into Friends of Ours you are greeted by a clean, simple interior and extremely relaxing music – perfect for breakfast time! The pastries looked divine and my partner in crime couldn’t stop staring at the fancy coffee things … I don’t drink coffee but apparently it is good (high praise indeed!). The breakfast menu offers everything a breakfast lover could want from avo, to porridge, to fritters!
As a fan of lots of different things I went for the “All Aboard” – poached egg on sourdough toast (the egg was perfect), the granola with coconut yogurt (I didn’t even have to ask if there was a dairy free alternative) perfectly poached fruit AND a glass of OJ. I also ordered some avo on the side … it came … in a MASSIVE bowl and I couldn’t finish it – unheard of! Paulie ordered the “Breakfast skillet” with chorizo, feta, eggs, beans + + +. It looked amazing!
All in all we both adored this place. The service really was lovely and the vibe was relaxed, friendly and well just nice. The food was gorgeous and I did spot carrot cake being brought out as we were leaving … for another time I think as this place also does amazing salads so I hear!
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
Last night I was lucky enough to have a sneak peak at Brooks new A/W collection and I have to say as someone who hasn’t really worn much of their apparel I was really impressed. Some of my favourite things …
“Racey 3.5′ short“. In my sprint sets this morning they stayed in place, they stored my iphone5 and keys in the back pockets without causing me any bother (now this may have been down to the fact that I was concentrating more on catching my breath but still I thought this was pretty good!) and the colour is fab, though slightly highlighting my cycle short tan!
“LSD Jacket” The jacket is a light weight, windproof and water resistant that conveniently packs away and has a wearable elastic band to carry it whilst out. Now I wasn’t convinced that if you got too hot whilst wearing this jacket that you could just quickly pack it away and use the elastic band to just carry it on your arm. HOWEVER, on a lovely little 5km jog around Regent’s Park I did just that. Still running I took my jacket off and packed it away and then popped it on my arm, waiting for it to start moving, bouncing or just generally annoy me but it just didn’t, it stayed put and I barely noticed it. Now I am not saying I could run a marathon with it on but still I was impressed, plus the colour is gorgeous!
“Fly-By Sweatshirt” Firstly this sweatshirt feels amazing, just amazing and it’s reversible! Now who doesn’t love a reversible product! It’s quilted, cosy, and has thumbholes … enough said.
All in all I really was genuinely impressed with how the garments looked, felt and most importantly performed and will very much be keeping my eye on what they bring out next!
(ps Brooks were super kind to offer me the opportunity to test out some of their products but the opinions are totally, 100% my own!)
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
FKJ – Drops (feat. Tom Bailey) – summer chilled vibes 🙂
Eats!
Now I have only recently discovered the amazing taste of Acai (and of course all the benefits) but since my first bowl I have been keen to find as many places as possible that serve these up for breakfast. So, fast forward a couple of months and imagine my delight when I heard about an entire bar dedicated to this incredible tasting berry and that the wonderful Charlie was suggesting a breakfast date there!
This lovely little bar, in found in Gloucester Road, serves up amazing bowls of frozen acai berries which are blended to create in a gorgeous sorbet like consistency. To this amazing bowl of goodness you can then add your choice of toppings, anything from fresh berries, chia seeds, carob nibs, bee pollen … basically far too many yummy ingredients to chose from. I personally went for blueberries, raspberries, coconut, goji berries, bee pollen and granola! As well as bowls you can grab a smoothie, freshly made cold press juice, pukka tea or a coffee all at a very reasonable prices. I love this little bar and well … in my acai bowl knowledge I would happily say this has been my favourite bowl to date!
YUM
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
Saw this and I couldn’t resist but fall in love with it just a little bit …
Goodie Two Sleeves My Little Pony Magical Drop Arm Vest
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face (after the secret gig on Tuesday I thought it was only right to include this in here ;D)
The Internet ft Kaytranada – Girl
Jamie Woon – Sharpness – The link will take you to a little snippet of his lovely tones …
Eats!
MYPROTEIN – Oats & Whey Flapjack, Chocolate Chip Flavour
Now usually I shy away from these kind of things because the long list of ingredient frankly overwhelms me! Why do you need so many ingredients when a Nakd bar generally has three and they are pretty darn tasty?! Anyway! The other night, after a late night run I found one of these in a goody bag and thought why not just try it. After a long work out we all know it’s good to get that protein in and with 20.9grams per bar I thought that should do me ;D. The bar is pretty darn heavy, you know immediately it is going to be dense and opening the packet you are not disappointed. On taking my first bite .. WOW … it takes quite some munching to work through it but I have to be honest it was pretty darn tasty! A dense, chocolate, flapjack with only 2.6g of sugar?!
I still don’t know whether I would actively go out and buy these bars but after if given one after a run/race/gym session I would definitely not say no.
It’s also worth mentioning that I only managed half this bar … which is pretty shocking considering how much of a dust bin I usually am … did I say the bar was quite dense!
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
What happens when a designer and sports brand come together … lust worthy items are created. Sadly the price tag means for me they will stay fixed on the wish list … but they are nice to look at 🙂
Friday’s Fact File
Things that I have discovered or just loved this week …
Music!
After seeing the incredible man that is D’angelo this week at the Roundhouse in Camden I thought it was only right to dedicate my week’s favourite tracks him. The man was INCREDIBLE live, just incredible!
D’angelo and the Vanguard – Really Love
D’angelo – Untitled (how does it feel) – OH THIS VIDEO!
Eats!
J+A CAFÉ
If you are like me and like your pancakes thick and stacked high then J&A Cafe might be worth a visit. Tucked behind Clerkenwell Road this lovely little spot has a wonderful little outdoor area, bunting and all, as well as spacious indoor seating. We decided to head here for breakfast the other morning as I may have spotted an incredible photo of their pancakes and wanted to see if they tasted as good as they looked! Think pancake, scrambled eggs, bacon, pancake, scrambled egg, followed by another rasher of bacon! Oh and with some maple syrup on the side! It was just flippin (get it!) awesome! Quick, smiley service, lovely atmosphere, this really is a bit of a gem and looking around the other breakfasts looked pretty good too. But let’s be honest I will be going back for these …
Worth mentioning their Victoria sponge, carrot cake and chocolate Guinness cake looked pretty tempting too, even at 7am!
Stuff, things, bits and pieces!
I had heard of a women’s only sneaker shop a while ago but it was only last weekend that I finally visited the store located in Shoreditch (near one of my favourite cake spots) and made my feet extremely happy!
These beauts are Adidas FX 500 2.0 and amazingly they were on sale! The store has a lust worthy collection of shoes from a huge variety of brands as well as some extremely nice clothes and bags! I have a feeling this place could be very dangerous to me!
Run Round Town 