Dole Live Right bars are the perfect, healthy snack

photo: http://www.hungrydarling.com

Right, I am a snacker by nature so I thought I'd tell you about my latest snacking obsession. No not Popchips (though they still come a close second), I have discovered the joys of Dole Live Right bars which are made solely from nuts, seeds and fruits. So they have loads of protein, fibre and magnesium and release energy slowly so really help when I find myself flagging (which is as I type this if honest).

This stops me wanting to eat chocolate or biscuits and they are really, really tasty. They come in a wide range of flavours and three snacking options so there's no need to get bored.

The Dole Live Right Blueberry Almond Mini Crunch has fruit and nut clusters which contain almonds, seeds and blueberries (£2.99 for a pack of five bars).

 The Dole Live Right Trio Bars have three types of nuts, seed and fruit and come in three flavours - cranberry, strawberry and blueberry (£2.19 for a pack of three bars).

The Dole Live Right Cranberry Almond Crunch has cashews, almonds and cranberries and a little natural syrup (£1.59 each).

Dole Live Right has been endorsed by HEART UK as being heart healthy and helping to lower cholesterol for more informaiton visit Dole.

   

TV last night - Fabulous Fashionistas

I don't tend to review TV as I watch too much of it anyway but it's been a long time since I watched something so uplifting and life-affirming as Fabulous Fashionistas on Channel 4 last night.

Taking the stories of 6 women whose average age was a simply amazing 80, this film could have been patronising and dipping it's toe into tokenism. Instead we met 6 very diverse women who were sharp, full of personality and life, independent and inspiring. This should be shown at all schools and universities, as it not only gives a voice to the idea that life doesn't just stop when you get past 50 and that old people have not just something to say but lots to contribute.

It is all part of the brilliant Cutting Edge series and award-winning director, Sue Bourne deals with sensitive issues like body image, sex and fashion with sympathy and clarity. We meet Bridget, Daphne, Jean, Gillian, Sue and Lady Trumpington who are all determined to just keep going while looking fabulous and having fun. No botox, fillers, plastic surgery (well there was a knee replacement but that was about it), and not much in the way of hair dye either, this documentary explored their amazing stories and expectations and you cannot fail to come away with a renewed vigour and an understanding that life is for living and that you should never just give up and wear beige.

Watch it on catch up, show your daughters, sons and husbands, everyone should see this documentary no matter your age or sex there's a lot to be learned about appreciating what you have and not being afraid to live.

Meet some of the ladies

Bridget Sojourner is 75 and is an ageism campaigner.

"People stop me everyday in the street, amazed that I look so stylish at my age.  The insidious ageism in our society says that you become invisible as you get older and that’s what I’m fighting against visually with my clothes. It’s great to see women like Mary Berry and Mary Beard on television but it’s tokenism when you remember that Anna Ford and Moira Stewart had to disappear because of their age.

Jean Woods is 75 and works in a boutique gift shop. She wears Doc Martens with everything and says 

"Five years ago my husband died suddenly. I was in a terrible state and was going to get a job in a charity shop to take my mind off it. Then my son suggested that I apply to Gap instead. I thought it was a ridiculous idea because nobody over 21 goes into that shop but I went in anyway and they gave me the job immediately.

Daphne Selfe is an amazing 85 and still makes a good living as a model. She has worked in the fashion industry for over 60 years and her bone structure is to die-for. She has appeared in The Guardian, Italian Vogue and is the face of Tk Maxx.

Lady Trumpington became a YouTube sensation when she flipped a V at a fellow member of the House of Lords. She is 91 and a Conservative life peer and is addicted to catalogues. She is incredibly sharp with a dry sense of humour - we are lucky to have her like in parliament.

What have I learned from these amazing women?
I won't be giving up some form of work until I am completely bedridden - it's the best way of keeping a foothold in modern life
I won't be dictated to about 'age appropriate' clothes - if I still fit skinnies when I'm 90 I will still be wearing them
I won't be afraid to say what I think - damn the consequences (although I will always take other people's feelings into account, that is hard-wired into my psyche)
I will make sure I have a reason to keep on living
I will just get on with things and appreciate every day as being special and a gift
I can't expect others to be responsible for my happiness - that has to come from within
You can wear a rainbow of colours and still look FABULOUS

Photos and quotes from The Radio Times

   

Treats from the London Marshmallow Company

I'm not actually a fan of marshmallows. In terms of sweet treats I prefer something that's a little less, er, sweet.... and a bit less wishy washy. Even though they have been quietly replacing cupcakes as THE chic sweet I still have never felt the desire to search them out. And then, at our Handpicked Media fashion suite, I was introduced to the amazing little bags of loveliness from The London Marshmallow Company.

These marshmallows are like nothing you have ever tasted before. They are more cake-like than marshmallow and have the most amazing flavours. And they look amazing - I can imagine serving them instead of petit fours after dinner with coffee they are that good. Sophisticated little cubes of gorgeousness I need to stay away really or I will become a bit addicted.

The London Marshmallow Company marshmallows are handcrafted and reflect London in their use of flavours from the city. No, not grime and garbage, we are talking exotic spices and Sicilian lemons alongside nuts and other fruits. They try to source from local suppliers and use free-range pasteurised egg whites, British beat sugar and natural real fruit. All flavours are natural and hell do they look good!

   

Swimming with Stingrays in Antigua

You can't really mention stingrays without thinking of the death of Steve Urwin who died by a stingray barb to the chest while filming. Untimely, unfair and completely freakish, this death has managed to make us far more afraid of stingrays than we should be. Even knowing this it took some courage for us all to go out to Stingray City in Antigua and get up close and personal with the stingrays in their natural habitat.

This is one of the most popular things to do on Antigua but as we were out of season we found ourselves being the only ones (so four of us) on this particular trip. Feeling like celebrities having a special trip to Selfridges, we were taken by fast boat about a mile out from land to a reef where you can swim with both stingrays and a myriad of other fish in water that is only a few feet deep (well waist height).

Surrounding this coral reef is a huge drop to the seafloor so you really are on a large underwater platform out at sea. The boats come in to two floating platforms where you disembark, and the stingrays, like Pavlov's Dogs, come in from the open water when they see the boats as they know they are getting a free feed.

I didn't realise there would be quite so many of them. My pictures are misleading as they were taken after their lunch when many had gone out to sea. At one point when we were feeding them by hand (they suck up whole squid from your loosely clenched fist) we were surrounded by 30-40 huge individuals. Stepping into the water in bare feet for the first time is beyond daunting but the expert guides from Stingray City tell you how to place your feet, hold them and what to do if they bump into you which they invariably do. After a few minutes (and a bit of shreeking) we were completely at ease with these amazing animals who are a bit like inquisitive dogs.

These are amongst the most amazing creatures on our planet. They are fish (closely related to sharks) but give birth to live young. They are naturally curious, and here in particular, not at all wary of humans. One large female even sucked my daughters bikini bottom tie causing it to be undone!

We didn't want to leave realising that we had experienced something really special and just amazing - there aren't many other places which allow you to swim with so many out to sea in this way.
If you go to Antigua make sure you go to Stingray City, it's worth every penny!

Last morning at the Edinburgh Fringe

Rather than dash off (and we did have a substantial drive from Edinburgh to London to contend with) we decided that we just couldn't tear ourselves away and another trip to the centre of town was in order. Edinburgh is like that, it gets under your skin and leaving gets harder every time.

Once again we threw ourselves on the mercy of the flyers out and about in late morning sun but it was actually a comic who overheard our conversation that solved the problem of what to do. Of course, a performance showcase! This is the perfect way of getting a taste of some great acts at the fringe but take my advice do this at the beginning of each day and not at the end of your trip to get the real benefits.

image of Lee Camp: standanddeliver.blogs.com

Back in the cave where we had seen Henning Wehn we were treated to an hour of about 8 different performers, from a group doing sketches from Bristol University to a fantastic music comedy and juggling routine from Lancashire. But the highlight, and I really feel we lucked out here, was a young stand up all the way from the US called Lee Camp and we were treated to a tiny taster of his show Destruction! Distraction! Evolution? Oh we wished we'd come across him sooner as his star is definitely on the rise and expect to see (and hear) much more from him.

The Guardian is quoted as saying 'for those still mourning for Bill Hicks, you'll find plenty to enjoy' and although the comedy is very much planted in US culture it translates easily and he references Edinburgh and the UK easily into his set.

He has already been banned from Fox News for being 'anti-American' but he simply puts iPhones, Fox News and all the pressures of modern day living under the comedy microscope. Brilliant delivery, slick, well-written comedy that actually says something - all too rare these days and highly reminiscent of the satirical and political comedy of the Eighties, Lee Camp is a breath of fresh air not to be missed if you get the chance! Alternatively visit Lee Camp and download his podcast for a great sample of his sharp wit and wisdom.

Or check him out here.


   

Edinburgh Fringe - third day out on the streets

Working it on the Royal Mile

A typical August day at the Edinburgh Fringe seems to be slightly warm and wet but that doesn't stop those who need to sell a show on the Royal Mile from coming out and doing what they do. Not so many punters though on day 3 of our trip so we had breathing space to think about what to do next without too much bustle.

The next on our 'to-do' list was Musical Theatre as Edinburgh together brings Musical Theatre Societies from all over the country.

Members of CUMTS when not in costume...

Most are very young (students still at uni) and they bring bags of enthusiasm and energy to Edinburgh and often showcase from one of the two stages set up for the purpose on the Royal Mile. We didn't see these guys here but who can resist a Stephen Sondheim musical we asked ourselves when we came across the Cambridge University Musical Theatre's Society (CUMTS for short) production of The Assassins on the app. 

This is a bit of an odd musical, telling the story of a nine of those who across the centuries have attempted (and sometimes succeeded) in assassinating a US President. Chronologically Assassins is a bit of a mess but you can't blame the cast who not only sang their hearts out (Sondheim is challenging) but often left the stage to pick up an instrument - what an annoyingly talented bunch. It was a bit raw in places and voices not always as strong as they should be but the two girls in the cast were worthy of extra praise as they were very good indeed. Nice to hear some great music sung with gusto in the afternoon!

Following a musical theme we checked out 'looping artist' Adam Page all the way from Australia. Adam uses looping pedals to record and playback, effortlessly recording the sounds he makes or plays and layering others on top of them to create a wall of musical sound and beat. He also has an extraordinary beard which, with the use of a small microphone, he 'plays', recording the scratchy sounds and layering them into the music.
If you want to catch a bit of Adam yourself then check out the following video...




A brief stop to fill up on pizza and we were off to our third show of the day. The Peculiar Tale of Pablo Picasso and the Mona Lisa is a new piece of absurdist comedy performed by the talented Fourth Monkey Theatre Company. They have been working very hard to establish themselves on the Fringe over the past few years and I have to say this was genuinely one of the best things we saw this year.

Fourth Monkey from Colin Hattersley Photography

Taking Picasso's early life, this tells the story of an outrageous theft of the Mona Lisa and the muses who inspired the young Pablo. Using a simple white set, beautiful costume, this play brought to life the spirit of Paris in the early twentieth century. It's visually arresting and great fun with tons of artistic license and an appearance from the Desmoiselles d'Avignon to help and hinder Picasso throughout the story. It's all a bit mad, farcical and shows Picasso as the egocentric bastard that we can all imagine he was. Gertrude Stein and Georges Braque also make an appearance. We loved it for it's energy, sense of fun and absurd storyline and came out of the theatre smiling and uplifted - what more can you ask?

Final stop of the day was to This is a Damage Manual, a piece of dance with physical theatre thrown in for good measure from BONEdanse. It sounded really interesting, using vintage instruction self-help recordings from the 1950s (all on scratchy vinyl record) to explore how universally damaged we all are and how many of us simply stay that way. All with a lot of satire and wit thrown in.

   

Edinburgh Fringe - second day and things get serious

Supermen and women on The Royal Mile

It's when you wake up in the morning in Edinburgh and realise that there are far too many shows to even begin to get your head around, that you realise that just getting up and out there is the best course of action. Experience tells me that 4-5 shows in a day is hard-core but do-able. I am sure there are those who get to do more, but I find that after 4 my brain gets a bit too full.

So second day on the streets of Edinburgh and what did we see?

Well we saw lots and lots of flyer-ing on the Royal Mile - start from there to get a feel for the atmosphere and what you'd like to see.

Selling a show on the Royal Mile

We had already pre-booked theatre in the form of the world premier of An Actor's Lament by and starring Steven Berkoff after lunch, and Adam Hills in the early evening, so had plenty of hours to fill - but what to choose?

So the first thing to get us in the mood was a comedy showcase Just the Tonic off the Royal Mile. We got to see 4 stand-up comedians plus compare for £5 - a pound a pop which was much cheaper than the laughs which were really rather good. Checking out new comics is best done via a showcase - then you can decide to see a fuller set by a particular comic at a later date should you choose. These showcases are often free but if you want quality then it is best to pay something, even if it's just a fiver!

Photo: Berwickshire News

Steven Berkoff's An Actor's Lament was our biggest ticket in terms of price and it was definitely an event that had to be booked way in advance. Joined on stage by actors Jay Benedict and Andree Bernard, this new play gives us an insight into the world of theatre from the point of view of an actor, director and writer.

Never one to miss the opportunity to have a pop at critics (Berkoff is well-known for his intolerance of critics) which he does vociferously in the opening speech, he also puts actors themselves under his own particular spotlight showing up their ego-centricities, vanities and of course their enormous frailty. He takes on the world of theatre but also can't resist pulling apart TV soaps and films that are churned out for the money rather than the artistic value. We see the frustrations of being a performer laid bare for all the world to see, but in my opinion the star of the show is the language itself which is both melodic and has acerbic wit but above all is really quite funny. If you get a chance to see it at a future date then grab it - a real theatrical treat is in store.

The Dance Dome

The wonderful thing about Edinburgh is that you can go and see things you wouldn't normally and it won't be a costly mistake. Our little group all like dance and physical theatre so DanceDome in particular caught our eye. This 'event' took place in a large inflatable dome at the bottom of Cowgate in Dance Base and is a 360 degree film created by an international crew based in Cardiff. Using digital technology, cinema and some great choreography the dancers leapt and wove in film above our heads while the rain absolutely bucketed down outside. There were three films in total featuring everything from contemporary dance to parkour and breakdance - and all with original music. Explore more at The Dance Dome.

The very funny Adam Hills

Adam Hills was our other hot ticket this trip with Adam Hills: Happyism at The Assembly Hall. He opens his show with an audience member joining him on stage for improvised banter which he clearly loves as much as his set. Off-the-cuff and wonderfully spontaneous, Adam Hills is obviously joyful to be alive and although he has a spring in his step his show is one of many layers covering topics from what's not acceptable in society, drawing on his own experiences on US TV, to the differences between Aussie and British culture. It is far more sophisticated than you first imagine seamlessly switching from one topic to another, but he does make an audience laugh - really laugh. He will soon be up with the greats in terms of stand-up and I'm not surprised he has packed out such a large venue for two weeks here in Edinburgh. He overran by 15 minutes - apparently this happens a lot - which isn't great if you've got another show to catch, but it was obvious that he could have gone on all night if time had allowed, we were all having so much fun.

   

Edinburgh Fringe - first day entertainment, Gretchen Frage and Henning Wehn

The real trick to booking a short break to the Edinburgh Fringe is to have one or two things planned and booked before you go up and leave the rest to chance. That way you're not too overwhelmed when you get there as you will have some structure already in place, but will still have lots of time to take in the shows that take your fancy on the Royal Mile or via the fantastic official Edinburgh Fringe app. The app gives you everything on at every time for the whole month - so if you've got a slot to fill from 3pm - 6pm that day, you simply put in the times and order your tickets directly. Of course you will still need to make sure you can collect tickets from the various Fringe box offices when needs be.

I do realise I am writing this right at the end of this year's Fringe (well there are a few days left but not many) but having made my third trip to Edinburgh I do feel that any snippets of advise I have will be just as relevant next year so get that trip planned!

We arrived (after a 7 hour drive up from London) at around 4pm and our first show, Henning Wehn's Authentic German Christmas Do wasn't until 7ish. So using our app (there's a first time for everything) we went on the hunt for something good to see. Coming across Student Medics performing A Midwife Crisis at Space at The Surgeon's Hall we went down there in the hope of buying tickets on the door. Of course it was sold out but the bright and smiley girl on the ticket office managed to sell us into Love: Gretchen Frage and we decided to take a punt on it. By the way Gretchen Frage is a play on the German 'Gretchenfrage' which means 'crucial question'.

Seeing that we were one of about a dozen audience members, and understanding that this was the opening show, we were a bit apprehensive as to what we would find. Well, let's just say any visit to the Edinburgh fringe when you take a blind punt is always a bit risky, and it wasn't awful. But it wasn't great either. Billed as 'Gretchen Frage is on a quest: to unravel the conundrum that is love in the time of capitalism. A confessional, eclectic and whimsical journey interlacing performance art and folk music by sibling duo Lex and Lian' we were quite excited to see what this was going to turn out like. What it turned out to be was a girl with a very sweet voice and songs she had penned herself, accompanying herself on the lute and being accompanied by her brother on box/guitar/harmonica - or did I dream that. There were a couple of actors supporting the thin narrative who needed a hell of a lot more rehearsal than was evident. We did get to make paper airplanes and play sweet whistles, but I wasn't sure why her clothes were cut off at one point leaving her centre stage in a body stocking that left nothing to the imagination. Hey ho the joys of the fringe - it was only about £6 so can't really complain and it did fill an hour nicely.

The Surgeon's Hall, Edinburgh

This did, however, whet our appetites for something really good, and something really good was what we got. Henning Wehn is 'that German comic' off the telly and radio. And he is very, very funny. We caught his show in London and seeing he had something new to offer decided to book for his Christmas spectacular while up at the Fringe. We weren't let down. He's comical, sharp, has an incredible understanding of the British vernacular and even though we were in the Caves (a large cellar underneath the street) and it was rather hot, the hour absolutely flew. I am sure he will be touring with this show nearer Christmas so I highly recommend booking tickets should it come to a town near you. His whole premise is how our Christmas drags on from January through to the following January whereas the Germans are far more ordered in their Christmas festivities which last a whole two days. The Germans obviously know how to do Christmas properly (well Christmas and a whole lot of other things as well). This show has been reprised from one he did a few years ago which I didn't see, but I can only agree that singing German Christmas carols in August somehow didn't feel wrong in a basement in Edinburgh because of the charm of our host, and the fact that you never know what stereotype he's going to tear to shreds next. I hope we see more of him on our mainstream media as he should be encouraged!

   

Where to stay in Edinburgh when the fringe is on

The Edinburgh Fringe is one of the largest festivals of it's type and actually sits alongside a further 9 festivals held in Edinburgh during the month of August. So to say that Edinburgh gets a bit busy is something of an understatement!

This is our third trip in the last decade so are fairly experienced in terms of the best ways of approaching it all. First off is to pre-book your travel and accommodation and in the case of Edinburgh during August, you really mustn't leave everything to the last minute. If you do, all that will be left will be hotels with exorbitant prices - you may be lucky and get into Edinburgh University accommodation but if you're looking for something a bit more comfortable and less crowded, then we've found hiring a holiday apartment well in advance, is the way to go.

The spacious living room

We booked our gorgeous West End Condo around 6-8 weeks before we planned our trip and really fell on our feet. This was still a bit late to book bargain train tickets (think well in excess of £100 return from London this far in advance per person) so we decided to drive which takes around 7 and a half hours from North London to the centre of Edinburgh.

We stayed not too far from Murrayfield Stadium and just in from Edinburgh Zoo - in fact around the corner from the Museum of Modern Art' which was a fair walk in (I reckon about half a hour to the Royal Mile at a good pace) but is on bus routes and costs around £7-8 by taxi. I cannot write enough superlatives about this particular holiday rental. It's been beautifully decorated and fantastically well equipped with everything you would need. Even a torch in the DVD storage cupboard so you can really see what's there!

The kitchen was better than my one at home (always galling when that happens) and there are two bathrooms in this two double bedroom-ed flat, one with an enormous bath and one with a walk-in shower. There is even a spare single bed up in the loft room so it does sleep five adults easily.

There's a large and comfortable sitting room complete with a huge flat-screen TV with Sky. The folder supplied by the owners really does cover everything from the best places to visit in Edinburgh to when to put out the various bits and pieces of recycling and rubbish. Beds were large, very comfortable and with gorgeous cotton bedlinen - even the furniture was fine quality and solid.

We booked this short break in the UK through Holidaylettings.com and our three night stay for 4 adults cost from £92 per night (outside of festival) which for a flat in Edinburgh of this high standard during festival season was an absolute bargain - we will definitely be back!

Other places to stay if a hotel is more your thing (I haven't tested these but they come up time and again)

21212
Perfect for foodies this multi award winning restaurant has 4 beautiful bedrooms with lounge areas to relax over the two upper levels of the house. You can even have restaurant quality breakfast in bed. 3 Royal Terrace, EH7 5AB 0131 523 1030

The Glasshouse
This is truly amazing - architecturally brilliant and based in the centre there are 65 guestrooms and a two acre roof garden with spectacular views. The Glasshouse, EH1 3AA 0131 535 8200

The Sheraton
This is a Sheraton with a rooftop pool and spa and all rooms have mood lighting, media hubs and amazing beds (the Sheraton is known for it's Sweet Sleeper Bed). Ask for a room overlooking Edinburgh Castle. 1 Festival Square, EH3 9SR. 0131 229 9131

The Caledonian (Waldorf Astoria)
A luxury £24 million renovation and investment programme means that this is one of THE places to stay. Formerly a Victorian railway hotel in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle this is a beautiful place to stay and has the largest bathrooms of any in Edinburgh (apparently). Princes Street, EH1 2AB. 0131 222 8888.





   

The Pride theatre review - London West End

Last night, to get me in the mood for a trip to the Edinburgh Festival (in all it's guises) next week, I went along to the Trafalgar Studios off Trafalgar Square to attend the opening night of The Pride, a play written by Alexi Kaye Campbell and set in both 1958 and the present day.

This often hilarious but also very touching piece of theatre explores themes of honesty and openness in relationships and centres around 3 main characters who are involved in a love triangle. Themes of homosexual behaviour and society's take on what is and isn't permissible are explored through the time shift which is cleverly portrayed both in the performances and the staging.

Given the recent law in Russia forbidding the promotion of homosexuality to anyone under the age of 18, this play is very contemporary and absolutely right for now. The cast even came on stage after the first curtain call with placards stating 'To Russia With Love', a reminder that in some parts of the world the movement for equality and recognition is still as it was here in the UK in 1958.

Image from The Evening Standard

Philip, Oliver and Sylvia are played by Al Weaver as Oliver, Hayley Atwell as Sylvia and Harry Hadden-Paton as Philip. Comic relief was brought by Mathew Horne who made the audience laugh out loud with his characterful portrayal of a role-playing rent boy - this particular role requiring a Nazi military costume, and the effusive editor of a men's magazine (thinks Nuts not Esquire).

All four actors were highly believable and the play itself well-written and thought provoking. Catch it while you can as it is on a limited run until November 9.

The Pride is at The Trafalgar Studios, London.





 

Recipe for Stuffed Peppers Persian style

My stuffed peppers just before they went into the oven for a long slow cook.

Stuffed peppers are particularly good if you make the stuffing according to Iranian (Persian) recipes. Here is mine that I have developed from a few recipes according to available ingredients. I adore Persian food for it's textures and flavours which are subtle and truly delicious. They are perfect for a family meal or for a dinner party - they will impress guests but are simple to make.

This makes 8 stuffed peppers

400g minced beef
100g short grained rice
Beef stock cube
teaspoon sweet paprika
pinch cinnamon
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
2 crushed cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons dried taragon
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 can finely chopped tomatoes
lemon juice
olive oil

Fry the onions, garlic and beef in some olive oil. add in the various herbs, half the tomato puree, lemon juice. Boil the rice in water until it is not completely cooked and drain then mix into the meat mixture. Add half the tin of tomatoes and a small amount of beef stock. Cut the top off the pepper and take out the seeds. Keep the top to pop back on while cooking. Put olive oil and the rest of the tin of tomatoes and tomato puree into the bottom of an oven proof dish. Stuff the peppers and place on top of the tomato sauce. Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven for 1 and a half hours or until the peppers are nicely cooked and soft. Serve with salad, courgettes with hazelnuts and french bread to mop up the juices!

Myddelton House, Enfield

Hidden away just behind the Spurs training ground Myddelton House isn't the easiest place to get to, but if you do have a car and fancy walking around a beautiful garden (the house itself is not open to the public) then it's worth a trip on a Sunday afternoon if you live in North London.

Owned by famous garden designer Edward Augustus Bowles from 1865 until his death in 1954, Myddelton House is part of the Lee Valley area and is set in 8 acres of grounds. All year round there is something to see from spring crocuses to summer iris. There is an impressive kitchen garden the produce from which is on sale in the house shop, a small cafe, green houses, a carp lake and even an alpine meadow and giant Redwood. Simply stunning, if you're into gardens it's a hidden gem and perfect for a day trip to explore the Lee Valley area.

Myddelton House,

Bulls Cross  Enfield, Middlesex EN2 9HG

The Horseshoe Pub, Hampstead

image: Tourbytransit.com

One of my favourite walks in London is to park the car near Kenwood House and walk from the house and it's ground into Hampstead Heath to admire the view then to drop down into Hampstead High Street for a spot of lunch.

I am always amazed that this very large piece of land remains free and open to the public so close to the centre of London but it does and we should all be very grateful. It really does feel like the lungs of London and the views across the city are breathtaking.

image - thewritingnut.com

Lunch is another matter of course and this time we opted for a table at The Horseshoe Pub. Well it's definitely a gastro-pub serving their own brewed ales and organically sourced meals so it's a move away from the traditional to serve it's Hampstead clientelle. You can even take a brewery tour if that's your thing.

The menu is a bit limited (it's a pub kitchen after all) but came across as modern, British and perfect for a lunchtime snack. According to Time Out you usually need to book (my fleet of foot husband leapt across the road when he saw a table become free through the window) as the lunchtime rush is good value for such good food.

I couldn't resist the venison scotch eggs with a celeriac salad. Not overpoweringly strong the meat was extremely tasty and the eggs really glowing in terms of the bright orange organic yolk. I would never have matched this with celeriac in a creamy mayonnaise sauce but the combination was brilliant!

My husband chose his favourite lunchtime dish, eggs benedict, which was an enormous portion (good job we had to walk back). For those of you who don't know what eggs benedict is, it's an American dish taken lovingly to the hearts of the British palette as it consists of two halves of an English muffin topped with ham, poached eggs and a freshly made Hollandaise sauce. Far too rich for me I confess but my husband adores it!

The decor is all stripped wood floor, large bench tables and a large bar running the length of the pub. A friendly atmosphere, superb food and right in the centre of Hampstead you should give it a try when next passing through.

The Horseshoe, 28 Heath St, London, Greater London NW3 6TE Call 020 7431 7206 to book.