It's about that time of day - time for a tea break...

Time for tea...The best lifestyle, culture, beauty, fashion, food and drink in London, the UK and beyond - all in your tea break!

Monday 23 April 2012

Out and About - Edinburgh Tea Break

A classic girly weekend - Tea, cake, banoffee pie, Prosecco, Cava, shopping...

I just had a lovely girly weekend with one of my very best friends in Edinburgh - my first trip to this fair City and a very pleasant one!  

We shopped 'til we dropped, both admiring all that the city has to offer and doing some window shopping, as well as making some fabulous bargain purchases!  


We were were well set up for our long days of shopping by staying at the delightful
Rick's on Frederick Street 
- a comfy, luxurious twin room with a well-stocked mini bar, organic tea and coffee, a fantastic power shower and White Company toiletries - fabulous!  I particularly liked the purple colour scheme and copious plump pillows on the beds!  

The breakfasts at Rick's were hearty and traditional, providing plenty of energy for our adventures!  Yesterday I had yummy Eggs Benedict with Scottish Smoked Salmon, tea (of course!) and freshly squeezed orange juice, and today a wonderfully filling full Scottish 
breakfast with grilled bacon, sausage, poached eggs, mushrooms, tomato, potato scone and wholemeal toast - along with two pots of tea and more orange juice, setting me up for the long journey back to Richmond!

We booked using
Rick's Sunday Escape Offer - with dinner and a (very good) bottle of Prosecco included in the price of Sunday night's stay, as well as breakfast.  Dinner was also excellent - I had haddock fishcakes which were meaty and filling, served with a light balsamic salad.  Main course was chicken in mushroom and Marsala sauce with sweet potato mash - fresh, comforting and downright delicious!  For dessert we shared a slice of melt-in-the-mouth lemon curd cheesecake with a home-made shortcake base.  

After all our shopping on Saturday, we ate a late lunch in the bar at Rick's, where we munched on a very generous charcuterie and cheese platter with salad, olives, hummus and wholemeal pitta bread, a selection of cheeses (including the creamiest Feta I have ever tasted!) and Parma Ham, Bresaola and Salami.  


We were impressed by the relaxed yet trendy decor and the hotel/bar/restaurant all have a laid-back, fun atmosphere.  The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly and we were impressed by the excellent value of the offer.  We 
thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely return to Rick's.  We highly recommend it and are both also keen to try their other establishment, Tigerlily.  

On Saturday, we had another tasty meal - this time dinner - at
Whigham's Wine Cellars on Hope Street.  I ate home-made chicken liver pate served with Scottish oatcakes, which was meaty and had a lovely taste of fresh herbs.  For main course I had rare roast beef salad, with wonderfully pink slices of the finest Buccleuch Scotch beef.  My friend had a very generous portion of roasted pepper risotto (I sadly couldn't sample it as I'm allergic to peppers) but it looked and smelled delicious and my friend agreed!  We washed it all down with an incredible rose Cava, which was also an appropriately girly shade of pink, and followed the meal with yet more tea!  Thoroughly recommended for the great food and wine, cosy atmosphere and attractive decor.


On Sunday, after walking around Edinburgh all day and lots and lots of shopping, we stopped off at
Frederick's Coffee House on Frederick's Street for their famous banoffee pie and a pot of tea.  It was very tasty indeed, and Frederick's Cafe has a lovely, relaxed atmosphere, with a fashionable turquoise/teal interior, comfy sofas and large windows that let in plenty of light.  
I rate each of these establishments very highly and would definitely recommend - I am keen to return with other friends and my husband in the future.




H&M nude heels with metallic toe
Lovely turquoise handbag from Dune















And now on to the shopping!  My friend bought a fabulous turquoise bag from Dune, which fits very nicely into the bright colours trend I talked about in my previous blog post, Personal Shopper- Sunshine and Rainbows.  Recommended by Grazia magazine, no less, we think it's a beauty - I took a photo (top right) of the bag in our lovely room at Rick's!

We also took time to admire the wonderful bright colours in the current Mulberry range - my favourites are the fuchsia pink Bayswater, the fuchsia pink Effie Tote, and the patent yellow Holiday Bayswater.

We got some very on-trend ballerina flats from H&M - combining neutrals/nude colour with a metallic toe - another massive trend this Spring/Summer (featuring at Louis Vuitton, for example) and the theme of my next Personal Shopper post!  Here's a picture of the very pretty and practical shoes (above right).

I also fell in love with (and bought!) this beautiful green blouse from Miss Selfridge, successfully brightening up my wardrobe as well!

It would take a very long blog post to list everything that we saw, loved and purchased, but I hope you enjoyed the highlights and reviews of my favourites, and some thoughts on all the great places to stay, eat and drink.  I look forward to trying more new places and taking many more tea breaks in Edinburgh...

Until next time - hope you enjoy your tea break as much as I did this weekend!

Rachael X



















Wednesday 18 April 2012

Time for an old-fashioned afternoon tea!

Nosebag's yummy Lemon Drizzle Cake!
(Image - www.nosebag.co.uk)
I had the pleasure of taking two very civilised tea breaks this weekend, sampling some delicious traditional afternoon teas!

First, on Saturday, I visited The Nosebag in Oxford, sampling an enormous slice of homemade bacon and courgette quiche (thick, perfectly baked pastry with a copious amount of cheesy, smoky filling, with the courgettes adding extra bite!) with a selection of fresh salads (including my favourite - tomato and onion salad!), moist, zingy lemon drizzle cake (another huge slice, which we shared between two of us!) and soothing Storm organic English Breakfast tea, served in a kooky earthenware pot.

The atmosphere was relaxing and laid back, with inviting smells wafting from the kitchen and a smorgasbord of organic foods on offer, including a creative and colourful salad bar.  


The artwork on the walls can also be purchased at reasonable prices, adding to the atmosphere and allowing visitors the opportunity to take a little piece of Oxford home with them.


I thoroughly recommend this delightful Oxford institution - especially after spending a long time walking around the city and its excellent museum, the Ashmolean (the perfect stop for enthusiasts of history and the ancient world, and it has a great gift shop!)


High Tea at the Original Maids of Honour
(Image - www.theoriginalmaidsofhonour.co.uk)
On Sunday, closer to home, I paid a visit to The Original Maids of Honoura tea shop in Kew, Richmond, serving Maids of Honour cakes, which have been around since Tudor times (believed to be named after cakes that Henry VIII enjoyed with Anne Boleyn and other Maids of Honour - look out for the portraits of Henry VIII and his relatives adorning the walls!)  The tea shop certainly has a long and illustrious history - the first Richmond Maids of Honour shop can be traced back to the early 18th Century.  

My friend and I ordered High Tea for two, with a selection of sandwiches (a traditional mix of individual finger sandwiches of ham, cheese, salmon and egg), tasty plain or fruit scones (I chose plain and my friend had one of each) and our choice of cakes from a huge selection! Too full after all the sandwiches and very big scones, we took our cakes home with us! I ate a coffee eclair, which was amazing - thick and plentiful coffee icing and lots of coffee-flavoured Creme Patissiere inside. My guest chose a thick slab of lemon cake.

Tempted by all the wonderful food, I also took home a massive wedge of chicken and ham pie, which I heated up at home for dinner later that day. The pie was the best I've ever tasted - full of meaty flavour and gooey, with almost caramelised gravy oozing out when warmed!  
My friend took home a slice of homemade quiche, which looked and smelled delicious!

I was extremely impressed by the quality and quantity of both the High Tea and "takeaway" portions, and will definitely return! I've already recommended to my family and any friends who will listen!

Until the next tea break...

Rachael

Thursday 12 April 2012

Out and About - a bit of culture this weekend...

There's lots of choice in today's Out and About blog!  And plenty more to come now that Spring has sprung...!

Museums and Exhibitions - Best of British and a Right Royal Gathering...
There's a real "Rule Britannia" theme running through the current London exhibitions, celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the best of British art and design throughout her reign to date.


The V&A

Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
In keeping with all things related to the Diamond Jubilee, why not visit the fantastic V&A exhibition - Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton - A Diamond Jubilee Celebration (until 22 April)
?  The exhibition features portraits by the iconic royal photographer Cecil Beaton, showcasing Queen Elizabeth's role as Monarch, Princess, and Mother.  
Continuing the Best of British theme,
 British Design 1948-2012 (until 12 August) - also at the V&A - celebrates the best of British post-war art and design, bringing together design in all its forms including fashion, textiles, photography, architecture, fine art, sculpture, graphic and product design.  Highlights include Vivienne Westwood's innovative early designs and the Dyson!

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX
Another right royal show is Diana: Glimpses of a Modern Princess (until 2 September), displaying a selection of dresses - some on view in the UK for the first time - worn by Diana, the Princess of Wales.  The dresses are displayed alongside fashion illustrations and photographs, reflecting some key memorable moments in Diana’s public life. 

While you're there, why not stop for a tea break in style with afternoon tea at
The Orangery  or at the Royal Garden?

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AUSneak a peek into the hedonistic love lives of the Stuart courtiers with the new exhibition The Wild, The Beautiful and The Damned (until 30 September).  Charting the sexual revolution of the 17th and early 18th Centuries, the display includes portraits and dresses from the time, including Barbara Villiers, mistress of Charles II.  One for the grown-ups, evening only tickets are available and it stays open until 9.30pm on the first Monday of each month.

There's also a daily exhibition on the
Young Henry VIII
- focusing on the monarch as a vibrant young prince - before he became the more well-known figure of the fat old king!

Orleans House Gallery

Orleans House, Riverside, Twickenham, TW1 3DJ
Continuing on the royal journey, Orleans House hosts
Royal Connections, exploring the Borough of Richmond's royal links. 

Tate Modern

Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Celebrating royalty of the art world,
Damien Hirst at the Tate Modern (until 24 June) features his most iconic works from the past 25 years, including the famed shark in formaldehyde (1991's The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Livingand diamond-encrusted skull (2007's For the Love of God).

Tate Britain

Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
The cleverly curated Picasso and Modern British Art (until 15 July) displays Picasso's creations alongside works of British artists who were inspired by his work.

After all that culture, take a break and take tea fit for a queen at one of London's lovely afternoon tea spots - check out this free guide at
AfternoonTea.co.uk for inspiration!

Time to put the kettle on - until next time...

 - Rachael

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Personal Shopper - Sunshine and Rainbows...add a dash of colour to your wardrobe

The sun was shining today - hooray!  


Despite a big thunderstorm this afternoon, I really enjoyed having some time off in the (intermittent) sunshine and made the most of a full day of shopping!


Bringing another little ray of sunshine to your life at the moment, there are plenty of lovely, colourful clothes in the shops.  Here's my edit of what I think are the nicest splashes of colour on the high street, ready to update your wardrobe for Spring/Summer 2012:


Yellow - conjuring up thoughts of sunshine, sunflowers, lemons, the Mediterranean...
There are lovely bags, both large and small to be found in LK Bennett (in shades of green and other bright colours as well as yellow), H&M, Boden, to name but just a few...  


The picture below is of a lovely big tote in the LK Bennett window in Kingston, Surrey:


(Note the cute LK Bennett pastel slingback shoes in the window too - pastels are of course another big trend, to be explored in another post!)


They also have some shiny patent belts in yellow (and the red version is in the sale!)  


Boden has a lovely sunflower-yellow bag and a "must-have bag" in a range of colours, including tomato red (which we'll come on to later...)


H&M currently has some nice satchel-style bags - I saw a bag in a lovely lemony shade of yellow today for £24.99 and there's a zingy orange messenger bag available online - a vibrant, citrus-like shade.


Which brings me on to the next sunny colour - orange...
There are lots of bright orange clothes and accessories about too - I particularly like the Next orange cotton jacket, which is also available in Petite sizes for petite people like me!   Would look great with black trousers or skirt, or jeans.


And the tuxedo-style jacket in Miss Selfridge is fun and affordable - would look great with some slim black trousers and a black vest top.


And for a special occasion (perfect for weddings, Christenings and other summery events), I am completely in love with this beautiful orange lace pleated dress (called "Butterfly" - how appropriate!) from Reiss.  


Red - traditionally the colour of power, confidence, and my favourite food - tomatoes!
Boden has some great choices in red too, depending on your chosen shade and size of bag - there are more traditional satchel styles and I also really like the Classic Colourful Tote.


Vivienne Westwood, as always, has some fantastic red bags like this beauty I was eyeing up today, and I fell head over heels (pun intended!) in love with a far less practical but oh-so fabulous pair of shoes today - Melissa for Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Skyscraper - 5-inch round-toed heels in beautiful, bright red!  Ah, trying not to drool into my tea...!


For high street bargains, head to New Look - they have a lovely 20s-inspired clutch (ticking the boxes for yet another trend...) for only £6.99 (yes, you did read that correctly!), and even that all-important iPad case by Fiorelli (available online).


Please don't step on my blue suede shoes...
Electric blue and turquoise are my favourite colours - have been ever since my teens - and I already have a lot of clothes and accessories in varying shades.  


There are lots of electric blue jeans, blouses etc on the high street, so you're really spoiled for choice is this is your chosen colour.  Gap, TopShop and Warehouse all have good ranges and there's something to suit all styles, shapes and sizes.  It's a colour that pretty much suits everyone, too.


I used to love my electric blue patent leather Kurt Geiger court shoes that lasted for many years, and haven't yet found a pair I like as much to buy as a replacement.  At long last, I spotted these blue suede shoes on Asos that may well fit the bill...


Happy shopping everyone! 


Rachael XX


Next time in Personal Shopper - metallics and pastels...


Coming up next - The Beauty Spot and What's On...

Monday 9 April 2012

Fast food - Easter leftover recipes

...Actually, these make good use of leftovers any time you have a roast dinner, but particularly useful today after Easter culinary indulgence!


The recipes are also particularly appropriate today, when the weather is cold, wet and gloomy!


I'm not one for measurements etc. in cooking (I don't do baking - sorry!) and find that my "chuck it all together" approach usually works well!  The recipes below serve 2 and can be adapted depending on how many you're trying to feed and how much food you have left over!  


Apologies also to the vegetarians for the hearty meat content in these recipes, but the same principles can be used using leftover vegetables and vegetable stock to make a tasty sauce or soup.


Pasta with rich beef ragu - serves 2:

  • Cooked roast beef, chopped up into small pieces/chunks
  • One small red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Beef stock - cube/gel/paste, or whatever you have (leftover gravy also works!)
  • 400g tin tomatoes - or chopped fresh tomatoes if you have them
  • Any leftover vegetables (goes towards your 5 a day!) - carrots work well
  • Blob of tomato puree
  • Dash of Lea & Perrins
  • Glug of red wine
  • Glug of good olive oil (I'm using Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil at the moment)
  • Fresh rosemary and thyme or dried mixed herbs/Bouquet Garni (again, whatever you have!)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
This is so easy - it really is a case of throwing in all the ingredients and leaving it to simmer!
  1. Chop the onion and garlic and fry gently in some olive oil.  
  2. Add the leftover veg and chopped beef and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, until it is all warmed through.
  3. Add the tomatoes and stock, stir, and bring to the boil
  4. Add the wine, tomato puree and Lea & Perrins, with another glug of olive oil - this really gives the sauce a rich flavour
  5. Reduce the heat and simmer - meanwhile, cook your pasta according to pack instructions
  6. Add the herbs, salt and pepper to the sauce and simmer until piping hot
  7. Serve on top of pasta with a generous helping of grated fresh Parmesan - or any leftover cheese you have from your festivities!
Something that made this particularly nice last time I made it was using chickpea flour pasta.  It's fresh pasta that cooks in around 4 minutes, and doesn't contain any wheat - great for those with wheat/gluten intolerance.  I used the Dell Ugo range available at Waitrose - you can get Fusilli or Spaghetti (I used Fusilli and it was yummy!)

The ragu can also be made from scratch with fresh lean mince or any other meat - just cook the meat with the onions and garlic in some oil at the start then leave to simmer in the sauce.  

Creamy chicken casserole - serves 2
  • Cooked roast chicken (whatever you have left!)
  • 2 large tablespoons low fat cream cheese/reduced fat creme fraiche
  • Chicken stock/gravy granules (whatever you have in the cupboard!)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • One large/2 small onions (red or white are fine - or spring onions if you have them)
  • Any leftover vegetables - leeks, carrots, sweetcorn, peas, cabbage - anything works well!)
  • Glug of white wine
  • Any herbs - rosemary and thyme work well, dried mixed herbs/Bouquet Garni, or even a bit of tarragon for a different flavour
  • Dash of Lea & Perrins/soy sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste (it doesn't usually need salt, especially if you're using soy sauce and/or gravy granules, but lots of black pepper works well)
  1. Chop the onion and garlic and fry gently in a little oil ( I use olive oil but you can use whatever your prefer).  
  2. Add the leftover veg and chicken and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, until it is all warmed through.
  3. Add the stock, wine, cream cheese/creme fraiche, stir thoroughly
  4. Reduce the heat, add the herbs, salt and pepper (if needed) and simmer
  5. If the sauce needs thickening, add a little cornflour or a tablespoon of gravy granules and stir thoroughly
  6. Serve with leftover/fresh potatoes, wholemeal rice or even pasta - the beauty of this casserole is that it goes with everything!
This casserole can also be made from scratch with fresh chicken and fresh/frozen vegetables, cooking the chicken first by poaching in stock with the veg and herbs.  

If you have a slow cooker, both recipes are also great to throw in the slow cooker and leave to cook throughout the day.   

Hope you enjoy the hearty comfort food!

 - Rachael

Sunday 8 April 2012

Smile - it's Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!  


The weather's miserable and it's nice to be tucked up indoors with the obligatory cup of tea, copious amounts of chocolate and comforting TV/the latest box set marathon!


Here's a few things I've seen on the TV that never fail to make me smile on a gloomy day - who needs sunshine?!


Electric Dreams...
The cute little creature on the current EDF advert makes me smile every time.  Never mind that it's for an energy company - this happy chappy just makes me want to dance along with him!


If you want a similar little friend for yourself, you can buy a My Keepon robot from Argos for around 18 pounds.  Not quite as cute, but just as fun - My Keepon


Pure happiness - for free...
Speaking of adverts that make me smile, I defy anyone not to feel warm and fuzzy after watching this very happy little lady splashing in the puddles - she doesn't mind some wet and gloomy weather, and no purchase necessary!


Everyone needs a furry friend...
Finally, for those of you similarly fond of furry creatures, try watching Ring of Bright Water - a beautiful film from the 60s with the incredibly charismatic Mij the otter!  


Based on the book by Gavin Maxwell, it tells the story of a Londoner who buys an otter at a London pet shop (anything was possible in the Swinging Sixties!) and moves out to the Scottish Highlands to write a book.  With stunning Scottish landscapes and the gorgeous Mij, the film is both funny and touching and, although there are some very weepy moments (don't want to spoil the story but there is a very sad bit near the end), Mij's antics always make me smile (and want my very own otter!)  


Enjoy!


 - Rachael
It's about that time of day - time for a tea break...

Here at the Tea Break I will be sharing my experiences and views on lifestyle, culture, fashion and beauty, and, of course, tea - all the kind of things you read in a magazine but never really have time to put together, except on your tea break!  

While taking a break (and time for tea!), I'll be sharing my favourite things and recommendations of things to see and do; recommendations on products for you and your home; sharing recipes for yummy food and drink; musing on interesting places to visit; and generally just pointing out all the nice things in life that you only really get time to think about while having a little tea break!

I hope you find it interesting and useful, with helpful bits of info gathered together in one place.

So sit back, relax, pour yourself a cuppa, and have a tea break with me today...

 - Rachael X