Explore: Edinburgh

Hey foodies,

Haven't the first two months flown?! I mean March, really? 

At the end of February I took a short, weekend break to Edinburgh. I've never really explored Scotland and as a belated birthday pressie for the bf, I thought a bit of Scottish, city culture would be a welcome break.

Being the organised person that I am, I researched restaurants, walks and activities and read review after review. With it being a city of great tourist attraction there's so much to see, including Edinburgh Castle, the National Art Gallery and all the beautiful garden walks. So to give you foodie explorers a heads up, here at my five Edinburgh highlights:

1. The Scotch Whisky Experience

This was part of George's birthday treat, as he's definitely more of a whisky drinker than me! However, I also really enjoyed the experience. The tour started on a ride! I was rather shocked and so excited, as we sat coupled on a journey through the making of Scotch whisky. As we disembarked the ride, we were greeted by our tour guide and taken into a brief seminar on whisky, using scent cards to embody the tasting notes of whisky from the different regions. We then got to pick our favourite to sample. Being the sweetie that I am, I opted for a blended whisky, with honey. More of a liquor really, compared to all the other hardcore whisky drinkers in the room. As we took back the notes of our chosen sample and swirled the golden liquid in our glasses, our guide walked us through the largest collection of Scotch whisky in the world. It was huge! Our tour ended with a look at some of the most unusually designed and sought after whisky bottles, from chess pieces to Big Ben, there were some beautiful whisky works of art.

We upgraded our tour to include a platter of tasters from the different Scotch whisky regions. A very sensory, but relaxed experience and it's safe to say I needed a glass of water before leaving to help me get back down the stairs!

Tours start from just £14 and it's a must! www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk

2. Afternoon tea at the Dome

It was my Dad who actually suggested this. Being a lover of luxury and I think it's obvious that I'm a lover of delicious food, afternoon tea in this stunning building was also high on my priority list. With its impressive grandeur, who wouldn't want to spend their afternoon eating petite finger sandwiches, macarons and of course - scones! I mean even George enjoyed it, so it must have been tasty.

Prices start around £18 and book in advance to avoid disappointment. www.thedomeedinburgh.com

3. Thai banquet at Time for Thai

I must have spent hours searching for a restaurant. I'm quite difficult to please and with internet reviews so easily accessible, it only takes one comment to put me off booking. When going to new places, I always try to eat somewhere local and avoid most chain restaurants like the plague. George and I have a particular love for Thai cuisine and I wanted somewhere which wouldn't disappoint. After numerous phone calls I finally got us a table at Time for Thai. The decor looked modern and elegant, so I booked a table for 8pm. When we arrived the restaurant was packed, which although meant a short break, I knew I'd made a good decision! With complimentary drinks for our patience and faultless service, this was one of the best Thai meals I've ever had. I will certainly be going back, even if only for the generosity of the front of house staff.

Set menus start at £23.95 and you definitely need to book as far in advance as possible for this one! time4thai.co.uk

4. Evening drinks at the Jazz Bar

With the dark, atmospheric lighting in this place I didn't get any pictures, but all the more reason for you to visit it for yourself! This little gem, hidden away in a basement off Chambers street, is home to the very best of funk, soul and blues. Holding up to four live sessions a day, you really have no excuse! The bar was packed, but we managed to get seats, and the live band were fantastic, especially as they were a mix of solo artists. It was like an open house rehearsal, so anything could've happened!

It was incredibly relaxed and you could tell all of the musicians were fully immersed in the music. Check out their online calendar for a little inspiration...www.thejazzbar.co.uk

5. Camera Obscura

Now this is an odd one really, for me anyway. I tend to stay clear of the typical tourist attractions, but with George not being a fan of history and castles, we thought we would try out Camera Obscura. With incredibly high ratings for being family friendly and fun for all ages, we though WHY NOT?

With several floors full of fun, obscure activities, including a rotating tunnel walkway, mirror maze and photo booths which simulate your face as a monkey, we spent hours walking round in hysterics.It really was a great laugh and we took loads of silly pictures too, see my big head below!


The original main attraction, is the camera obscura itself, where you can view live moving images of Edinburgh projected onto a viewing table, through a giant periscope. With 360 degree turning facility, this intriguing projected image allows you play games with the image, lifting people up on paper bridges and dropping them back onto the table. Although this is more exciting and interactive for the little ones, I found it fascinating and it has been a major attraction for over 150 years in Edinburgh.

Here's me on the top of the building, in rather dismal weather, but nonetheless taking a selfie the waving 'Hello' flag. General admission is £13.95 and you can come and go as you please! You will need to leave plenty of time for silly selfies! www.camera-obscura.co.uk

So all you need to do now is book a city break!

I'm really looking forward to going back to Edinburgh in May and super excited for all my upcoming city break plans through 2015. Where will your adventures take you?

Say it with experience, go explore.

Love,

Jess

xo

365 New Days = 365 New Challenges

Hello foodies,

It's been a while since I last blogged and as always, a lot has happened!

I think it would crash blogger if I tried to explain it all in one post, so expect a few posts reminiscent of 2014, just to bring you up to speed.

So it's a new year and after days of thinking of the 365 ahead, or should I say 341 now, I have finally chosen a few inspiring resolutions.

To help me choose these cheeky challenges, I reflected heavily on some of my favourite moments of 2014. I'd say my top three were:

• Disneyland Paris for my 21st birthday - who doesn't enjoy the magical kingdom?!
• Teaching culinary arts in the USA and meeting the most beautiful friends
• Celebrating my graduation, with delicious food, plenty of drink and my incredible family

So a pretty amazing year! How could I top those incredible experiences?

Well, the past few years I have been learning, leaning on others, absorbing information and setting myself up for my future. 2015 is now a year for growth - using the knowledge and learning to progress myself, my business, my career and my aspirations. So five top resolutions to inspire 2015 would have to be:

• Appreciate every day - not only because I love the film About Time, go watch it NOW if you haven't seen it, but because whilst I was in the US, I had plenty of time to reflect on what mattered most to me. Family, friends and of course - food! Don't let anything come between those all important F's.
• Share - it's incredible how social our society has become, but yet what we are sharing is so fickle. I haven't shared enough with you guys, I owe a little more time to sharing not only fantastic recipes and pictures of tasty food, but my passion and enthusiasm for life and yet again, anything edible.
• Explore - I've always been a bit of a home girl and although it's not a problem, over the last year I've learnt that a house is but a shell and it's the people that make it a home. Those people will forever be with me, wherever I go, so I want 2015 to be all about new adventures. Some may be small, like to visit my new camp besties around the UK and others may not even be physical journeys, but small steps exploring new ventures. So watch this space.

I promise this year to be my best blogging yet. It's like the all important light bulb has finally been switched on and I'm ready to begin a new journey, with all the wonderful and exciting challenges ahead.

What's your New Year's resolution? Make it count!

Keep calm, we are all in this journey through time together.

Love

Jess xo

Embarking on an American Dream

Hey foodies,

So the big day has come and today sees me jet to the USA for 8 weeks to teach culinary arts. After completing a course at Leiths last summer, I applied for the role with camp leaders and got accepted in January. How time flies as it's here already.

 I mean it was one of my goals...

I wanted to have the experience of a lifetime. To let you into my life a little more, I am the kind of person who likes to plan ahead and this was always on my to do list. People say that to...

I wanted to see a little more of the world and because I love teaching and sharing my knowledge, I wanted to share my passion for food with the kids overseas. I know in my heart that teaching in the traditional sense of the word, like state education, is not for me but I still wanted to exercise my desire to preach about the wonders and delights of fresh food and cooking. I also understand that after I get into a great job, I wouldn't be able to leave it for travel at a later date. This seems like the best time for me.

I kind of know in the short term where I am going, what my aims are and how I NEED food to be a huge part of my life, as it is what make me happy. But long term...

And being on my way is good enough for me! Trying to keep my passion at the heart of what I do, I know I will enjoy the journey and even more the unknown destination.

As mentioned above, I have been organised enough to set up a series of blogs for whilst I am away, so please don't be shy and keep in touch! I am taking a break from cake orders, clearly, whilst I am abroad, but I will be back in action on my return. To sweeten you guys up for my plans in September, I will also be sharing a few tasty treats on here, with the recipes to get your tantalise those tastebuds of yours!

As my old boss used to say...

So I will see you properly on the other side! 

Keep calm and lets get busy baking the dream.

Love, as always,

Jess

xox