Fun Things | Drinking in our Neighbourhood

London is a mega city, knitting together many different boroughs/neighbourhoods/sections into a beautiful collection of fun things and cool people. I love my neighbourhood, but am always keen to explore a new 'neck of the woods' as they say (well, as I say...).

When we first arrived, it was a weekly goal of ours to spend at least one weekend day transiting to a new neighbourhood and walking around, soaking in the sights, trying a new restaurant, or having some drinks on our wander. New neighbourhoods like Chelsea, Angel, Putney, Greenwich, and Shoreditch are fun and full of new adventures. However, there are still some places close by us that we can't help but visit on a regular basis.

Pop Brixton lasts all summer and consists of bars, food spots, and some retail, operating out of shipping containers. (All the rumors are true - Londoners love their shipping containers). If you get there early you just may be lucky enough to score a seat and get your food / drink in under 5 minute waiting time.

We Brought Beer is an amazing find, nestled on the high street close to us, and not more than a 7 minute walk from ours. We stumbled upon it, and have been going back ever since for their eclectic collection of craft beers from all over, and their back patio. Sort of a hybrid bar/retailer, this place will sell you beer and then let you drink it in their 'garden'. They also have a rotating selection of draught beers to drink, or fill your growler with. Oh yeah - and they sell chocolate!

Click on for more pictures from our recent neighbourhood adventures!

Fun Things | Saturday Adventures

Last Saturday I went on an adventure to pick up some DJ equipment from a 'Gumtree' ad (like Kijiji). It was weird. 

We followed the address to a street that is full of hotels. A lot of the beautiful, old Victorian row houses in the city centre have been converted to boutique hotels to truly capitalize on their charm and location. This street was no different. Nestled right in the heart of Marylebone, we stumbled into a rather odd little hotel.

It had obviously seen better days, and it was not an intuitive entrance. The front doors weren't even unlocked and it was 1pm! The lobby was pretty dank and dark, but the front desk reception was friendly and helpful. She led us to the person from the ad, a man who was mounted ontop of a pile of nightclub equipment. Turns out he's gutted a nightclub and is selling all the used lights, sound system, DJ equipment, and a lot of other really random stuff.

The incongruity of a gorgeous chandelier, soaring ceilings, high reaching windows and a room full of clutter was certainly odd. So odd that I knew I had to take a photo. Or maybe a few....

Read on for more random-ness captured in photographs.

Fun Things | Baking Cookies

So, I'm not really a big baker. I think it's fun, and am happy to do it now and then, but am certainly not the type of person who is scrolling through recipes, always on the lookout for an epic new cake to build, or icing design to try. 

But, baking is really fun! I sort of forgot how much I enjoy it - in small doses. When we offered to bring dessert to a friend's house for dinner, it presented the perfect opportunity to explore and experiment with baking.

We found this recipe for Blueberry Cream Cheese Cookies with Lemon Glaze, and went on a shopping trip for ingredients. We even picked up a hand mixer/egg beater...so perhaps more baking is in our future?

Read on for a review and some photos of our experiment:

Top 5 | Things to Do in Brighton

This past weekend, I was sea coast bound with some new friends and my love. Just a short hour train ride away, Brighton beckoned us and we made a day trip out of it - so fun!

I had no expectations, other than randomly hearing Brighton mentioned in some pop songs years ago, and seeing the odd nod to it in pop culture / books / movies / etc. The town (well, really a city) was interesting and very contrasting. The beach was pebbled and the water too cold to swim. The beachfront had the beautiful scenery and rolling ocean, alongside bright and flashing lights of a carnival. There were 'The Lanes' which contained a number of interesting and adorable cafes, bars (or pubs!), shops and restaurants.

Here is my collection of spots worth visiting when you head to Brighton.

Enjoy!

Fun Things | Rooftop Cinema Club

Last week, we checked out Rooftop Cinema Club in Peckham at the Bussey Building. We saw 'Do The Right Thing', a film perfectly suited to summer. The weather was a little chilly as the night went on, but RCC had blankets and bottomless popcorn which made the night perfect!

And I also became a member so I'm foreseeing many more rooftop screenings in our future!

Click through for some of my photos from that evening: