Rainy Day Date

After a delicious and filling brunch at Joe's Kitchen (read the post here), Reiss and I headed out into the rain for our adventure-filled day at ZSL London Zoo! We didn't let the rain dampen our spirits though, as a rainy Monday meant an empty zoo, leaving us free to roam around without the queues. Although a lot of enclosures in the zoo are currently under reconstruction for 2016, including the lion exhibit, there's still plenty to see, from slow lorises and aye-ayes to adorable baby gorillas!

Joe's Kitchen, Borough

I have to be honest, breakfast isn't my favourite meal of the day. Simply, I don't like mornings. I have never been, and probably never will be, a morning person. With my job and tactfully-booked morning yoga sessions, I am gradually getting used to waking up earlier, but I still don't leave enough time to really savour my morning meal. I usually just go for a quick bowl of cereal or a couple of slices of toast, or, if I'm feeling adventurous, some porridge. As a result, I can't handle too much food early in the morning, so any morning feasts are out of the question. But brunch? Well, I'm all over that.

London Cat Village, Shoreditch

I love exploring different places in London, and with so many new shops and restaurants constantly popping up all over the place, you're really spoilt for choice! However, sometimes you just don't know where to begin, and smaller, yet still special, places are often overlooked in favour of those more well-known. So for a quick and easy way to discover unique, quirky events and places, I recently downloaded the app YPlan. With hundreds of events all categorised into different groups, from events happening today and at the weekend, to date nights and music festivals, YPlan has it all covered. Simply sign up, find your perfect event and book your tickets! It's as simple as that. You can even save a bit of money with some discounts exclusive to YPlan. It's definitely one of my new favourite apps!

Trebah Garden, Cornwall

Summer is a season full of beautiful things: BBQs, sunshine (admittedly a little sporadic in England), and flowers. One of my favourite things to do on a sunny summer day is go for a long walk, particularly around a gorgeous garden in full bloom - so quintessentially English! Trebah Garden has been on my "to visit" list for a while, so on a warm sunny day, my sister and I decided to explore the sub-tropic garden. From a private beach to an ampitheatre, Trebah Garden is truly special. So if you love winding pathways, hidden gems, and flowers galore, you've come to the right place!

Porthchapel Beach, Cornwall

I've always believed that some of the most special beaches are the hidden ones. You know, the tucked away beaches where you have to get your rock-climbing, adventurous mind in set and clamber down a cliff to get to. So when we wondered upon this beachy oasis of Porthchapel Beach on a coastal walk from Porthcurno (see the post here), of course we couldn't resist having a closer look!

Gylly Beach Cafe, Falmouth

I may be back in Surrey but I still have plenty of Cornish gems for you all! If you're a regular reader, you may have seen the above photo appear a few times on my blog as well as my Instagram, so I decided it was high time to fill you in on where you can find these delicious hot chocolates with a view!

Halwyn's Tea Garden, Cornwall

It's no secret that I love tea, I love cake and I love the outdoors. Combine all three together and what do you have? My version of heaven!

Porthcurno, Cornwall

 

Almost every time I visit a new beach in Cornwall for the first time I gasp in awe and proclaim that it's my new favourite beach. The wonderful thing about Cornwall is that it never fails to provide that sense of wonder whenever I explore it. However, the other week Cornwall really outdid itself with beautiful weather and beautiful scenery, and once more I found myself a new favourite beach, although it's probably going to be a hard one to beat. Let me introduce to you my new slice of paradise: Porthcurno.

Cribbs, Falmouth

Last week I finally received my results from university and I am so happy to say I've achieved a 2:1 degree and even happier (and slightly shocked) to say I got a first in my dissertation! It's an amazing feeling to know all that hard work has paid off and to see what you're able to achieve when you put your mind to it. With my brother and sister travelling down to visit me that day, of course we had to go out and celebrate with a fancy meal and a couple of cocktails!

Kynance Cove, Cornwall

I have always had a fascination with fog, watching in wonder as everything is shrouded with a translucent blanket. Familiar places are transformed into new mysterious environments, with only faint outlines of odd shapes visible in the distance. Kynance Cove in Cornwall is often pictured in glorious sunshine beating down on the near-white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters. So when we decided to visit the much talked about landmark the other day whilst a huge curtain of fog hid most of the Cornish coast, the view was a little bit different. However, there are some places that are truly magical no matter what the weather, and Kynance Cove is undoubtedly one of them.

Harbour Lights, Falmouth

Every seaside town has an abundance of fish and chip shops, and everyone will have their personal favourites. In Cornwall, it's no different. With Rick Stein's fish and chips gradually taking over Cornwall (Padstow is even nicknamed 'Padstein' - go visit and you'll understand why!), the fish and chip industry is as fierce a competition as the pasty industry. However, in Falmouth there's only one winner for me: Harbour Lights! I'm not actually a huge fan of fish and chips, or fish in general for that matter. However, with Harbour Lights' menu going beyond just the classic cod (although of course they have that too), there's something for everyone here!

Top 10 Things to do in Cornwall

The summer season is upon us, and that means holidays! Cornwall is an English hotspot for holiday goers, and after living in Cornwall for 3 years, I have compiled a list of what I personally believe everyone should do if they ever find themselves in Cornwall!

The Old Grammar School, Truro

Sunny weather means al fresco dining! Is this hot and sunny weather making anyone else crave a holiday abroad? Al fresco dining isn't that common in England aside from the typical pub garden (thanks a lot, rain), so I was all over the opportunity to have lunch in the open air! Tucked away down a narrow side street in Truro, The Old Grammar School is the perfect little spot for a relaxed lunch with a huge variety of exciting and unique homemade food. I visited The Old Grammar School last year for a friend's birthday where we were served an enormous delicious tapas meal, so I was looking forward to trying out their lunch menu!

Sushi Samba, London

In my opinion, a good bar or restaurant is not just about the food and drinks on offer, but the experience. Sushi Samba is definitely an experience! Located in the Heron Tower in central London, Sushi Samba is sleek, classy and unique, offering a blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine. But it's not just the food that makes this place stand out. To reach the restaurant you must first step into a glass elevator and whizz up the side of the building like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, watching London gradually disappear beneath you until you reach the 37th floor. Up here you are transported into a different world filled with the warm reds, oranges and golds of the oriental decor, a stark contrast to the grey of the streets below. We settled ourselves down on top of a couple of stalls next to a beautiful orange leaf covered wall underneath an abundance of crystal chandaliers, and gazed out at the incredible view in front of us.

Dolly's Tea Room and Wine Bar, Falmouth

If I had to choose my favourite place in Falmouth to have little bite to eat and a cup of tea to sip there's clearly only one winner: Dolly's Tea Room and Wine Bar! Ever since I first set foot in Dolly's in my first year at university, I have been back again and again, so I thought it was high time I wrote a post about just why it's my favourite.

The Baking Bird, Truro

Would you look at that... a cupcake lover's paradise! If you ever find yourself in Truro and craving an indulgent sweet treat, there's really only one place to go: The Baking Bird!

The Eden Project, Cornwall

Aside from the amazing coastal scenery of breath-taking beaches and cliffs, the Eden Project is one of Cornwall's most famous and recognizable landmarks. It's been on my Cornish "to visit" list for years since I started university, so on a sunny Spring day, we finally paid it a visit!

Good Vibes Cafe, Falmouth

With a reputation of being the "best cafe in Falmouth", I had high expectations from Good Vibes Cafe, and although two previous failed attempts of visiting due to no tables being available were a bit frustrating, they proved it's popularity! So after finally managing to get a table, I was excited to see what everyone was raving about!

Pinnock's Coffee House, Ripley

I absolutely love tea and cake, so as another treat for my 21st birthday back in December, my mum, sister and I went for a ladies afternoon tea at Pinnock's Coffee House in a little Surrey village called Ripley. We had heard good things about Pinnock's in the past, so were excited to see what all the fuss was about!

The Meat Counter, Falmouth

Mmmm burgers... Yes yes I'm well aware that the majority of my food reviews are about burgers but what can I say, I love a good burger!