10 Green Bottles

Looking for somewhere to enjoy a nice glass of wine and some nibbles; date night; girly night or simply a bar thats a bit different? On Friday night I headed to 10 Green Bottles in the Brighton South Lanes for drinks with the girls. I'd been meaning to try this place for a while. It looks inviting - armchairs in the windows, good lighting and shelves full of wine bottles!

We took a window table and were immediately greeted by a fairly attractive waiter with an array of wines to choose from. The bar serves wines by the glass, carafe and bottle and also does some really yummy looking nibbles and sharing platters which definitely adds to the atmosphere. The crowd was young professionals but it wasn't pretentious. The waiters can talk confidently about the wines and were more than willing to give me some tasters when we got chatting about a particular bottle, 'My Best Friend' - a Chenin Colombard and Sauvingon combined which it was suprisingly good! We went for a Sauvingon and spent a good couple of hours chatting with some chilled out jazz in the background! What I like about the place is that that all of the wines are made by independent producers; the selection is varied but not huge and you know what you're getting is going to be good. This is nice Brighton and such a welcome break from student life, despite only having been back for two weeks.

All images taken from the 10 Green Bottles Website (I forgot my camera!). 

Models & Mothers

Morwenna Lytton Cobbold and The Gilbert Scott Present Models & Mothers: An Exhibition In Aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Burberry Model Morwenna Lytton Cobbold offers an exclusive insight into the lives of top models and their mothers in a free photography exhibition at The Gilbert Scott Bar and Restaurant throughout October.

This October, in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, model and photographer Morwenna Lytton Cobbold will be displaying her series of Models and Mothers photography portraits in an exclusive free exhibition at The Gilbert Scott.

Offering an intimate insight into the lives of top models Natalia Vodianova, Portia Freeman, Leomie Anderson, Olivia Inge, Zoe Zimmer, Greta Bellamacina and Amber Atherton, Models & Mothers looks into notions of identity, memory, relationships and families in a series of portraits of models with their mothers, photographed in their own homes.

I came across the exhibition via Vogue and it looks fascinating. The modelling and fashion industries are tough and family and external relationships play such a huge role in keeping those involved sane in my experience! This exhibition epitomises the importance of this and the display context - a bar and restaurant - is down to earth and familiar. All of the images are for sale and I've selected a few to share below... I for one am definitely planning to visit next month! 

Photos taken from:
http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2013/09/27/morwenna-lytton-cobbold-models-and-mothers-photography-exhibition

Fabulous Fashionistas

"Don't wear beige; it will kill you."

Fabulous Fashionistas. A one of documentary aired on channel 4 last week, produced by Sue Bourne, featuring 6 women with an average age of 80. All are stylish and inspirational and I was truly gripped for the hour that the programme ran for. Bourne's work has warmth, intelligence and compassion and above all it is interesting and striking.

The six women ultimately have indomitable spirit, a desire to keep going, to look stylish and to have fun. I can't touch my toes at 22, the idea of being able to do it at 87 is simply incredible. As is working for the first time at 70 in Gap. Lady Trumpington compounds the style - traditional and sleek, dressing for the House of Lords at 91. Not many of us, no matter how much interest we have in style, could do that. The women are different and inspiring: a dancer, a charity shop shoper, a model, all redefining ageing. 

When I clicked on the programme to watch it, I thought it would be a fashion documentary. Channel 4 are good at them. Daphne Selfe was in the advert, she's been a Vogue model and works professionally,  despite only taking up modelling at the age of 70. When I started watching I was transfixed by the capability of the women, their determination despite their challenges.

Clothes are a big part of the documentary and they range from smart to stunning and above all remain striking. No matter what the women have ended up doing they are all confident and vibrant. It may not all be about being old or young, dull or vibrant but this programme truly serves to show that no matter what age, women can still stand out. The women are elegant and embracing; they change the consensus of old being defined as incapable, as is so often the very British view that we adopt.

Its how I see my mummy when she's 80 - stylish, enjoying life and making the most of everything. More than anything, the documentary was thought provoking and well worth a watch!

Store cupboard supper

This is one of those suppers for when there is nothing in the fridge and you need a bit of comfort food! Pasta, with a fresh creamy sauce and using ingredients which, if you're anything like me, are likely to already be in the cupboard!

You'll need:
Fresh or dried pasta, we used tortellini
Tinned tomatoes
Sundried tomatoes
Garlic
Fresh Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Basil
Creme Fraiche

And this is very very simple! Chop two or three cloves of garlic, fry it off in some oil.


Pop some water on for the pasta to boil and when its bubbling throw it in. Add the tinned toms to the garlic and simmer gently for a couple of minutes. Roughly chop the fresh tomatoes and add these and the sundried to the pan.

Leave to cook for a couple more minutes, add a handful of roughly torn basil, a good twist of salt and pepper and a few spoonfuls of creme fraiche.

And serve! Delicious, quick and simple with a good garlic kick!

The Mistley Thorn

On Sunday evening, just before I headed back up to uni, mummy took my sisters and I to The Mistley Thorn for a farewell supper. Our local restaurant, just a few minutes walk away from home, the restaurant specialises in fish dishes and does so very well!

The interior is traditional with a mix of furniture and artworks adorning the walls. Staff are attentive and friendly and while the menu isn't regularly updated it is seasonal and there's always several things to choose between.

We began with a good bottle of white, a French Sauvingon which is always a good choice here, and surveyed the menu. It took a while but eventually we all went for fish of some description, apart from my veggie sister Joy who went for a delicious gnocchi dish. By this point the wine was gone and we had to order another bottle - we're good at social drinking okay! - and we tucked into some homemade focaccia and soda bread while we awaited our dishes.

Joy began with a soup which was spicy and fresh simultaneously, while mummy went for smoked salmon, also really good. I was saving myself for my main so just ensured the wine glasses remained topped up!! 

The star of the show was definitely my dish, a fish stew with mussles, prawns and an array of white fish, in a tomato broth with new potatoes in. It was delicious and the chips I ordered on the side were the perfect salty addition for dipping. This was my last meal at home so I was definitely making the most of not cooking for myself!!!

Mummy and Becky went for the mullet with veggies and Joy's gnocchi is below. What I like about this place is that while the dishes are not haute cuisine, everything is tasty and moorish- just the sort of restaurant that is perfect to have on the doorstep! 

Dessert finished the meal perfectly, chocolate yumminess which was rich and indulgent. Classic yet tasty and well presented. I love food and apart from my family a full fridge is one of the things I miss most when at uni so this was the perfect way to say goodbye for the term, or at least until my next visit home to stock up!!

Babys first birthday

The start of September saw my niece's first birthday. I don't know where the year has gone and it makes me feel very sentimental, from holding her in hospital when she was a day old to her starting to talk, nearly walking and playing, keeping us all busy and giggling throughout the days.

Of course, we celebrated in style! 

Party number one was a day time affair on the village green with all the neighbours: think bunting, at least 50 bottles of wine and more cakes than could fit on the table. Ona played, and socialised, and flirted with everyone! 

Party number two was a family affair. Supper on the green with huge pans of paella, yet more wine and homemade birthday cakes. Ona's papa cooked, seafood paella with homemade aioli. Sometimes not going out to celebrate occasions is so much nicer and this was just a really lovely chilled evening.  

The sunset over the village green truly added to the atmosphere of the occasion, as did the very smiley baby as she ate!

Seeing this now I'm back at uni truly makes me crave the fridge at home!!

A perfect weekend of celebrations - happy 1st birthday Ona! <3 

FRANCE

This summer has been a busy one. From work, to family, to friends and everything in between, I feel like I've barely had a minute to sit down, let alone to blog. Summer has also been amazing though and I have lots to share from the last couple of months, as well as lots coming up that look set to be exciting! However, the end of my summer was without a doubt a high point.

When I was 19, the summer after my gap year before starting uni, 19 of my friends and I headed to a chateaux in the middle of the French countryside. We'd done Magaluf and vowed never to go back. Instead, we played tennis, swam, chilled out, ate and drank far to much. It was incredible and this year we decided to do it all over again. 15 of us, 4 cars, countless bottles of champagne and some of the most incredible days of the summer. The only way for me to share it is in pictures. They sum up the chilled to the chaotic, the catch ups to the cuddles and everything in between. I just hope that we do it all again in years to come! Here's France 2013 in pictures...

- x -