Book Review - A Vintage Wedding by Katie Fforde

Image from amazon.co.uk

I was loaned a copy of A Vintage Wedding by my Mother-in-Law as a light bit of summer reading - perhaps to enjoy by the pool on my recent holiday. As I took my trusty Kindle, it didn't make the holiday cut, but on a grey commute to work, it found its way into my handbag as a way to pass four hours of commuting.

In that regard, the book succeeded. It was easy to read, light-hearted and didn't require either copious amounts of concentration or a heap of emotional investment and I comfortably finished it within the day, aided by a delay at Clapham Junction.

But therein lay (to me) its flaw. its all just a little too easy.

The book tells the tale of three women, Lindy, Rachel and Beth who all find themselves for a variety of reasons living, somewhat lonely, in the village of Chippingford. Having met each other for what seems to be a total of around ten minutes, to start up a business helping people organise vintage weddings on the cheap. On the way, as the dust jacket tells us, romances are waiting just around the corner.

And that's about it.

This book lacks the conflicts or struggles that make you will a character to succeed - sure each character has some kind of 'tribulation' to face, a re-appearing ex-husband who vanishes again just as quickly, a dalliance with a farmer who isn't as charming as he seems and a struggle with what was probably supposed to be OCD that read as overly-stereotyped and essentially just an over-obsession with the colour white, rather than an actual mental illness.

I found myself irritated by some of the lazy stereotypes in the book, particularly around computing. Beth oh-so-generously offers to teach IT because 'old people' often have laptops that they can't use. She also has to help her younger sister, who is apparently competent enough to travel the world, do her wedding list because she 'couldn't do that online thing', for a book published in 2015, it just didn't ring true.

Also, businesses - wedding planning, dress alterations, accountancy, computer tutoring and even a B and B are all gleefully set up at the drop of a hat, without any forethought, significant financial or any serious planning, achieved without a bottle of wine and some nibbles. Any administrative details were merrily skipped over because Rachel 'was an accountant'. Again, it just wasn't believable, and that spoiled my enjoyment.

All in all this is an 'easy read' book, lacking any real depth with which to hook in a reader. I happily passed time on the train with it, but I wasn't itching to find out what happened next and I won't be racing to try another Katie Fforde book any time soon!

If you've read A Vintage Wedding, why not share your thoughts in the comments? Or do you have a recommendation for an other book I might enjoy? Let me know.

Retail Review - Artique Galleries

I never thought I would be the person to have a favourite art gallery. A favourite art gallery that I visited regularly enough that they know my name. An art gallery that I frequent often enough that I thought I would blog about it.

And by art gallery I don't even mean the kind that you go to look at famous paintings, I mean the kind where you might go and buy something that you can appreciate at home.

Don't get me wrong, I've always liked art, but in that kind of cluelessly appreciative 'oooh that's a pretty blue' kind of way and while I could happily pass away a couple of hours strolling around art shops I didn't really know my Manet from my Monet (for a long time I thought it was a typing error).

I still do enjoy a wandering, but Artique on the High Street in Tunbridge Wells is now undoubtedly my favourite place to call. Enough that  I have been prepared to drive an hour from home to see what they have in....

But why?

Well, a good start is that they stock many artists that I love so over the past couple of years we've bought some great art for our house there by artists like Doug Hyde, Amanda Gordon, Jonathan Shaw and Peter J. Rogers. We've also added many more to our mental wishlist - The Rocks Brothers, Philip Gray, Duncan McGregor and Csilla Orban. Sadly, the square footage of said mental wishlist is greater that that of the remaining wall space in our house...

When we couldn't find something on the walls suitable for a (belated) wedding present, but saw work by artist Gina Brown that we loved, Artique worked with us to commission her to paint something unique and original, an enticing and exciting idea! The chance to own something of our own, rather than a limited edition print, was something we couldn't pass up.

The process was simple, we sat and looked at work by her that we liked, talked about colours and aspects of other images that we liked and selected a landscape that was special to us (the view of St Paul's and the Millennium Bridge from the Tate Modern - the place my now-husband and I first discussed getting married.

Seven months later we were back in the gallery, gazing happily at a piece of art that we absolutely adore. Its really personal to us, the colours suit where it will hang perfectly and we will treasure it for ever. And that brings me onto the biggest reason we go back to Artique again and again.

It's their brilliant staff. When showing us the picture that we had waited so impatiently for, we got the feeling that gallery manager Yasmin was almost as excited as we were. That's true every time we visit, as we are warmly greeted by name (even Little Bit) as soon as we walk through the door and offered a drink to enjoy while wander round the two floors of gallery space, mentally redecorating our home for the fifth time and debating if its unreasonable to have winter and summer pictures to hang so that we can squeeze in just one more...

The staff are extremely knowledgeable about not only the works that they have in, but a wider range of artists and so they are great at suggesting pictures that are to their customers tastes, Furthermore, they are great and discussing art in a way that is understandable to someone (me) who doesn't know their oils from their acrylics...

 We always feel like valued customers as they remember the details of not just our preferences but other things going on in our lives like where we've been on holiday and things that we are doing, especially Yasmin who we see regularly. Going there feels like visiting rather than quickly popping in and out  of a shop for a browse.

Nothing is too much trouble, from emailing through suggestions for you to consider to taking orders for a picture made on the from a service station by a husband trying to surprise his wife. Then keeping the secret when said wife rings two weeks later to order something else....

They also run artist events with a wide selection of artists, we haven't been to one yet but are planning to go and meet Henderson Cisz next month and I will report back!

If Tunbridge Wells is a bit of a trek for you fear not - Artique also have branches in Brighton, Cambridge, Canterbury, Norwich and Windsor and we will doubtless visit these if we are ever in the area.

If you are interested in art, either as a professional or an interested amateur I definitely recommend a visit to Artique, particularly if you are looking for something inspiring to hang in your home. We will definitely be back - as soon as I've managed to pin down some spare wall space...

Wine Review - Vina Sol

Image from: torres.es

Vital Statistics
Name: Vina Sol
Winemaker: Torres
Country of Origin: Spain
Grape: Parellada and Garnacha Bianca
Available at: Widely available
Price: £7.00
Sweetness: 1/10

This is one of our favourite whites, and usually occupies at least a few slots in the wine rack as we are from a family of dry, white wine lovers!  It hails from the Catalunya region of Spain, an area with a wide variety of climates in a small geographic area allowing vinyards to grow a range of grapes. It's a mix of the delicate, Catalan Parellada grape and the fruity Garnacha bianca which gives a crisp, light dry white wine which is pleasantly smooth on the tongue. 


As a result, Torres recommends this served chilled as an aperterif or with rice, seafood and fish. However, as a habitual white wine drinker I've often drunk this with a range of food and it paired really well with the Spanish omlette I enjoyed before I curled up to draft this blog (wine at my side - for reference, naturally!)

This is definitely a staple wine in our house and always the first one I reach for as a dinner party offering. Somehow, it seems even nicer now the sun is out, particularly after a long day at work, stuck inside, staring out at the blue sky - so now I have reviewed I'm off to enjoy the remaining rays of sun, with the last bit of my glass!

If you have any wine recommendations (I love a dry white, but will try anything once!)  please leave them in the comments.

Recipe - Spanish Omlette

This is a great, quick and easy meal, that made a fairly substantial meal for my husband and I. It probably took 20 minutes all-in to prepare and cook which was much appreciated after a long day at work! It's also really easy to customise to suit your preferences.

To make the omlette above you will need:

- 4 eggs

- Handful of pizza cheese (grated mozarella and cheddar mix)

- Small pack of cubed pancetta (60g)

- Handful of salad potatoes (cubed)

- 10 cm of chorizo (cubed)

- 1 onion (chopped into small cubes)

- 1 red pepper (cubed)

- Handful of button mushrooms (quartered)

- Mixed herbs

1. Parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes While they're boiling, beat the eggs with the cheese and mixed herbs in a small bowl and put to one side. Pre-heat your grill ready for the final step.

2. In an ovenproof frying pan, cook the pancetta and chorizo until golden and then add the onion, pepper and mushrooms. Cook until these are softened. 

3. Add the parboiled potatoes to the pan and make sure all the veg is mixed well before adding the egg mix. Let the contents of the pan cook for five minutes on a low heat and no matter how tempting - don't stir it!

4. Put the frying pan under the grill and cook until the top of the omlette is golden brown - this can happen very quickly, so don't be tempted to wander off and do the dishwasher!

5. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes before enjoying. We had it with some oven-warmed crusty bread but it would also be delicious with a side salad or some green veg.

I hope you enjoy - if you have any ideas for other fillings, why not leave them in the comments section?

Restaurant Review - The Cheesecake Factory - Macy's, San Francisco

Image taken from: twitter.com

I'll tell you something... its a bloody good job that The Cheesecake Factory hasn't yet made its move across the pond to the UK because if it did, forget the size of a house, I'd be the size of an industrial unit!

The portions are large, the selection extensive and the cheesecake - as you would hope - is gooooooooood.

We visited one blustery afternoon in San Francisco, looking for a place to eat in the Union Square area that would cater to the tastes of two tired adults and their jet-lagged one year old who had been up singing at 4am. The restaurant is located in Union Square, on the 8th Floor roof terrace of Macy's department store. This proved fortuitous as on arrival we were informed that their would be a 30 minute wait for a table. Looking around it appeared that there had been a recent graduation ceremony and there were a number of families eating there. The wait wasn't too bad though as we were provided with a buzzer to advise us when our table was ready, leaving us free to explore the wonders of the 7th Floor furniture department and the view over the Square.

Image Copyright: E. Upson 

When the buzzer sounded, we were directed to a huge corner booth, with plenty of room for the three of us - and an additional 3/4 people should they have wished to join us. The waitress was unbelievably cheerful and attentive, but also considerate to the needs of family diners and took the order for our daughter's food first so that we could feed her and then enjoy our meal, relatively uninterrupted. I was relieved as it gave me a little more time to play 'ip dip doo' with a number of delicious sounding options on the menu.

The children's menu also offered a wide choice - from the expected burgers and chips to the salmon and mashed potato with veg that we eventually selected. The grilled salmon was delicious when it arrived (I was a bit jealous) but the mashed potato was a little bit too salty for me to want to give much to her, although there was bread at the table which she imperiously demanded with a point and then happily devoured.

After a LOT of indecision, I kept it simple and ordered an 'Old Fashioned' burger with a side salad and no pickles (urgh!) which arrived cooked to the perfect medium that I ordered. The brioche bun had been fried, rather than toasted, which was decadently delicious. My meal was delivered with a mountain of fries, but the error was quickly recognised and corrected and our long wait (due to a kitchen error, was compensated with free bottomless sodas).

Then there was a problem... The burgers were so huge (and delicious), that I couldn't even think about trying the cheesecake.

Disaster.

'Not a problem!' my chirpy server reassured me, 'Take it to go!'

My saviour!

I ordered the Key Mango Pie, a mango mousse cheesecake, topped with mango puree on a coconut macaroon base. It was light, smooth, with a deep mango flavour and a hint of coconut in the base - enough to mentally transport me from a San Francisco hotel room to a tropical island when I ate it for dinner. The only slight downside was the shredded coconut in the base which was a bit too rough and jarred against the smoothness of the cream cheese.

Taken from: www.thecheesecakefactory.com

For a convenient choice in Central San Francisco this was a great option and we all really enjoyed our meal! For my first trip to the US it was also nice to try one of the brands that we don't have in the UK and I'll definitely be back if we ever go to the States again!

To check out the menu visit The Cheesecake Factory - they ship cheesecakes too, although I suspect, not to the UK.

Book Review - The Goodnight Gecko

Image taken from: amazon.co.uk

I came across The Goodnight Gecko in Hanalei while on holiday on the island of Kauai. Playing chicken with the baggage allowance meant that I didn't bring a copy back, but luckily I was able to order a copy through Amazon Marketplace when I got back.

The book, by Gill McBurnett is a 'bedtime story from Hawaii' and tells the story of a little gecko who, unlike the rest of his gecko family, doesn't want to go out at night. He tells his mother that he'd much rather be out in the day when he can pick flowers and go swimming. After pointing out that flower arranging and aquatic adventures are not often hobbies pursued by gecko, his mother sets out to show him all the wonders of night time in Hawaii. Its a simple tale, with sections of rhyme and prose, and gently guides the reader towards a peaceful bedtime.

I read this to my one year old, who listened intently and enjoyed looking at the pictures, and I'm sure that this will be a bed time request for many years to come for both Mummy and Little Bit. It will certainly bring back fond memories of a much enjoyed holiday in which we enjoyed a lot of lizard spotting! I can imagine that this would also be a great book for children uncertain about things that go bump in the dark of night, although mine is currently too small for that.

This book is an A4 sized hardback. The back cover contains a selection of facts about gecko and inside is 31 pages of bright illustrations, of which my favourite is the tropical birds nesting in the trees, although the snorkeling gecko comes a close, and adorable, second.

If you can locate a copy of this book, it makes a great addition to the bedtime repetoire and I'm sure will be a beloved bedtime story for the under 5s.

If you would like more information or to find a copy, the Amazon page for this book is: The Goodnight Gecko

Beer Review - Castaway

Vital Statistics
Name: Castaway
Brewer: Kona Brewing Co.
Country of Origin: USA (Hawaii)
Ale Type: India Pale Ale
Available at: www.beermerchants.com
Price: £2.20

Image taken from konabrewingco.com

Hawaiian brewers Kona market themselves as purveyors of 'Liquid Aloha' and this sunny IPA takes me right back to the golden shores and clear blue seas of Hawaii. I only came home from a trip there a few days ago, and I'm already craving sea air and lush green forest...

Instead I got a trip on SouthWest Trains to Reading - so when I finally got in from work it was a pleasure to open one of the very few bottles that I managed to cram into my already too-heavy suitcase.

This beer has a bright citrusy flavour with a distinct tropical hint, balanced by rich caramel malts and is really refreshing, both in the heat of Hawaii and in a not-so-sunny, thundery London evening. It has a distinct scent of passion-fruit that goes on to linger on the tongue and its bold flavour has means that I'm strongly considering ordering some more to see me through the summer.

Given the costs associated with importing from the US, this certainly isn't the cheapest IPA you could purchase in the UK, however nor is it by any means extortionate making it a great choice for ale fans looking to try something new. 

The Kona Brewing Co. do a wide range of ales from their Longboard Lager to a coffee Porter, Pipeline. With Beer Merchants offering a mixed case, we will be definitely indulging in a bit more of that Aloha spirit over the coming summer months!

The Perfectionist's Cafe - Terminal 2, Heathrow Airport

Image taken from: theperfectionistscafe.com

With its classic, sophisticated decor and plush leather booths facing out towards the planes, the Perfectionists' Cafe was the perfect location to start our holiday, after we had navigated the complexities of airport security with a fractious one year old. The Cafe takes its inspiration from Heston Blumenthal's TV series 'In Search of Perfection'.

Despite the trendy decor, reminiscent of a trendy central London bar, the Cafe was extremely family friendly and catered well for our toddler. The friendly staff seated us at a booth with plenty of space for our buggy and copious hand luggage and rustled up a Stokke Tripp Trapp high chair in short order.

The breakfast menu offered a wide choice although the three options on the children's menu weren't well suited to our baked bean hating child! However she happily devoured a good amount of porridge from the adult's menu, made with our choice of milk and accompanied by freeze dried raspberries - one of a huge number of delicious sounding toppings.

I opted for the eggs Benedict, which were served with a generous serving of ham and accompanied by a beautiful hollandaise sauce, containing just a hint of chili. But - quite rightly - the Burford Brown eggs were the star of the show teetering on, but not crossing the line to under-cooked. They were deliciously soft poached with luminescent, orange centres which almost didn't look real.

Given the earliness of the hour, I probably should have gone for a coffee or tea to drink - but this was a Heston Cafe, so it was obligatory to opt for the only option on the menu which offered a bit of that smoky Heston magic, the 'Summer Shrub with a mandarin and thyme non-alcoholic cloud'. This was described on the menu as a strawberry and raspberry sipping vinegar with a glass full of scented vapour.

Oh yes. We were in Blumethal territory here.

The drink was a well balanced berry blend brought to the table in a large goblet that the waitress proceeded to fill with the scented smoke, which brought to mind sunny days and summer hedgerows. At £9.50 it certainly wasn't the cheapest option on the menu but not only was it delicious, but it felt that I'd experienced a bit of the Blumenthal wonder - rather than a 'normal', albeit excellent, breakfast.

The only disappointment with the Cafe is that it lies in the domain beyond the borders of airport security, making it impossible to pop in at the weekend for a delicious bite of lunch. So I'm going to have to book another trip leaving from T2 to be able to visit again.

Pity.


For more information, including menus visit http://www.theperfectionistscafe.com

Recipe: Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

This is a great, tasty stir fry that doesn't take long at all to prepare - its full of veggies and is a bright, summery dinner for an evening when the sun is shining. I enjoyed it with a tall glass of fruity iced water (from my very exciting, new water carafe!).

Serves 2

Ingredients

250g chicken (I used mini breast fillets this time but it works equally well with thigh fillets)
2 bell peppers (I used yellow and orange)
1 onion
1 carrot
Handful of mange tout
Clear honey
1 lemon
Flaked almonds

To Serve

This time around I served the stir fry with soba noodles but you could use egg noodles, steamed rice, or egg fried rice if you preferred.

1. Heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok, when its up to temperature add the chicken and cook for around five minutes until browned off. Remove from the wok and drain on some kitchen roll.

2. Add the onion, carrot and zest of the lemon to the heated wok and cook for around 3-4 minutes, when the vegetables should have begun to soften. Then add the peppers and cook for a further 3 minutes, before adding the mange tout.

3. Once all the vegetables have softened, add a generous squirt of honey (around 2 tbsp), so that all the wok contents are coated, before squeezing in the juice of a lemon.

4. Serve with your accompaniment of choice, sprinkled with a few flaked almonds for added crunch.

Enjoy!