n.

Winter Wonderland.

Alex and I finally got to visit Hyde Parks annual Winter Wonderland; a Bavarian style village with stalls, rides, food and drink and generally a good atmosphere. I'm so glad i finally got to go and have plans of making a visit next year. We ate bratwurst (german sausage) and i also had a hot chocolate, we took a peak at all the different stalls selling food and fashion items, although with the fashion stalls once you'd seen one, you'd seen them all. I also made a purchase for Alex's dad: a pot of 'gooseberry and eldeflower' jam, from a stall selling unique curds, chutneys and marmalade's which was really nice to see and taste! Alex and I went on the big ferris wheel overlooking Winter Wonderland, hyde park, and parts of London could be viewed in the horizon. We also visited the Ice Kingdom which was sub zero so our fingers and toes felt like they would fall off if we took any longer inside. Winter Wonderland isn't the cheapest of attractions but i would recommend it, look up the rides and events available and scope out what you think you'd be interested in the most to get the best out of your visit.

k.

My Old Dutch.

Me and Alex took a trip to My Old Dutch Pancake House in Holborn for brunch today. A friend at my work had told me about it and Alex and I are always on the look out for new places to go and treats to try, we're proper foodies. Junk foodies haha. Its a small chain of Dutch pancake houses dotted around London. We were lucky to beat the rush as when we left there was a queue so you definitely know the food is good. They are known for their massive, and by that i mean head size pancakes but they also do full English breakfasts, fries and other dutch specialties like Kaasballen which is deep fried cheese or Bitterballen: dutch meatballs, but what i also admire is they offer gluten free menu items so everyone can enjoy.

I loved the decor, the walls were covered in large tulips, there were transfers of windmills and pancakes, lots of grass and two old style fireplaces with, what looked like, old hand painted tiles. Even the lighting was something i would expect of a small dutch village, its was done very tastefully to get a sense of 'Dutch in London'.

I went for a classic bacon and maple syrup pancake, you can make any pancake you like- oh, i should say these aren't crepes. Crepes aren't as big as traditional dutch pancakes or 'Pannekoek' and some argue that crepes are filled, whereas pancakes aren't. They're all similar as they culturally flow through Belgium to France but since we're Dutch here: its a pancake. Alex went for a menu favourite: 'Hot Dutch' which has chorizo, pepperoni, cheese chillies and tomato sauce.  I loved mine, naturally, but Alex said he wished he went for something sweet, there was so much to choose from. It hasn't put him off in fact its what is drawing us both back (yes). I will certainly go again, maybe with a party of friends and try all sorts of different pancakes, hopefully i'll be a pro at making (and eating) the stuff by next Pancake day.

Hope you enjoyed my post x

c.

Lavish in good company.