Jamie Oliver's Thai Green Curry

Mmmm, I'm getting hungry just looking at this photo, even though it's just gone 10:30 in the morning and this was last night's dinner. But when something looks this fresh and green, it's hard not to crave it! Oooo, coriander...

This is a Thai Green Curry with chicken, made to Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food recipe. I have to admit that, despite enjoying eating food immensely, I'm not the most confident of chefs (in fact, Mr. O does the majority of cooking in our house and he has a real talent...my special skills lie with desserts!), but this is a really easy recipe that I recently stumbled upon and it's fast becoming a favourite. In fact, Mr. O referred to it as my 'signature dish' when he was on the phone last night whilst I was cooking it...get in!

A quick weekend in the North: Part Two

Another grey morning in the North (and they say Wales is always cold and wet!), but after a hearty breakfast of bacon butties, we were keen to do some more exploring. To make sure we were heading in the right direction, we decided to take a day trip to Chester, somewhere neither Mr. O or I had ever been. Packing our bags and setting off in convoy, we slowly made our way south in the Sunday traffic.

Well, Chester was a real surprise! Shamefully, the only thing I knew about the city before our visit was that it's where Hollyoaks is set...funnily enough, there's quite a bit more too it than that! We started off looking around the amphitheatre and Roman Gardens, a really well thought out area, and then I totally geeked out over the city walls, which form a 3km circumference around the old centre of Chester, so off we set. Unlike somewhere like Dubrovnik, where the city walls remain intact, Chester's walls aren't complete and several sections no longer exist, though the circular route of the path does. It meant for a strange walk, where one moment we were above the city, looking out over the river in one direction and into quaint little shops and tea rooms built into the walls in the other and then the next, we were on a freshly tarmacked pavement, waiting for the green man at a pedestrian crossing. It's a tricky one, history in action I suppose, but I found it a strange mixture of incredible character and...no character at all. And I feel horrible writing that, because the original sections really are both fascinating and beautiful.

After our stroll, we headed into Chester and had a look around the shops (Space NK? Yes please!), before stopping in at The Weighing Room for lunch. I think it's primarily a tapas restaurant, only doing full plates on a Sunday, so I can't comment on most of their food, but the roast beef that Mr. O and I had, plus Jayne's salmon, were delicious, served with really flavourful, fresh vegetables and plenty of gravy (I'm a gravy fiend - I always end up having to ask for more). Service was also great - very friendly and it felt like they were going above and beyond to make us feel welcome - heck, we even got samples of their newest cocktail!

A quick stop at Patisserie Valerie for dessert and all too soon it was time to hit the road. It's always hard saying goodbye to my lovely friend, but we had another great weekend and I'll keep great memories of exploring Crosby and Chester together. Love you Jayne!

Highlight of the weekend: Other than seeing my friend, getting up close and personal with the iron men at Crosby.

Chester Amphitheatre and Roman Gardens, Vicar's Lane, Chester CH1 2HS 

The Weighing Room, 10 Commonhall Street, Chester CH1 2BJ 

Patisserie Valerie, 31 Bridge Street, Chester CH1 1NG

A quick weekend in the North: Part One

One of my very best friends lives with her husband just north of Liverpool. This means we are separated by a pretty long journey, but we're lucky enough to see each other every couple of months. And guess what? As a birthday treat, we recently headed up the M6 especially to see them, yay!

The object of the weekend was just to spend time relaxing with our lovely friends, but we did make a couple of visits out too. Our first was to Crosby Beach, home to Antony Gormley's work, Another Place.

The weather was a definitely bracing, but we had a beautiful walk along the beach and through the coastal park at Crosby, and absolutely loved seeing the iron men up close, taking note of the ways they'd been personalised. What really struck me was the openness of the artwork and that we were allowed to get so close and interact with each of the pieces. I felt a part of the experience, immersed in the bigger picture, rather than standing on the sidelines, watching. It didn't hurt that it made us all feel like big kids either!

In anticipation of the long walk back to the car, we stopped off for a coffee at the Bar & Bistro at the Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre. Set back from the beach, as the name suggests the bistro has great views out over the adjacent man made lake, and if you find yourself in the area, the centre itself is the perfect place to try out a whole range of watersport activities.

Feeling energized from our pit stop, Jayne and I took advantage of the outdoor gym to work those muscles a little and psych ourselves up for the rest of the afternoon...grrrrr! Funnily enough, I really could feel my abs the next day, though it might have been because of all the laughing!

Another Place, Crosby Coastal Park, Crosby
Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre, Crosby Coastal Park, Off Cambridge Road, Waterloo L22 1RR

I'm not good with change / They changed Palmer's Cocoa Butter Lip Balm

So, a couple of days ago I ran out of my absolute favourite, can't-live-without, goes-everywhere-with-me lip balm, Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula. Seriously, it's like a drug. Of course, I had a couple in stock already, but needed to get some new ones in Sainsbury's to keep up my supply.

Anyway, this is when I discovered that this had happened whilst I wasn't watching:

Errr...what!? What have they done to the shape? What have they done to the twizzly bit at the bottom!?!

Thankfully, the formulation doesn't seem to have changed, but I can't quite get my head around it all regardless. The new version has been quickly palmed off onto Mr. O and today I trawled my other local suppliers. Yes that's right, this happened:

Thank goodness, this lot should keep me going for a few months. I know I'm just putting off the inevitable, but I'm back in my safe place for now at least.

Happy birthday to...me!

Well, this was a big week for me...I had my birthday! Even though the getting older bit is becoming less and less exciting each year, I must admit that I do still love being the birthday girl and making the most of it.

I was thoroughly spoilt rotten by Mr. O, who was able to spend the whole entire day hanging out with me. We woke up for present opening, which was especially exciting this year. I received the most gorgeous Reiss handbag from mum and dad and from Mr. O's family had two cook books I've had my eyes on for a little while, plus a pack of candy melts so I can have a go at making cake pops. The crowning glory though? The beautiful, blue Pashley Poppy bike (complete with wicker basket!) that Mr. O surprised me with. I am so excited to spend the summer cruising on this beauty...I still can't quite believe she's mine!

After getting over my shock, we whipped up a batch of birthday pancakes (because there really is no other way to celebrate such an occasion) and headed out into the sunshine, strolling along the seafront.

Having made the most of the sun (and after starting to feel the effects of the bracing March winds), I had one of my better ideas. In honour of many birthdays past (and in keeping with the fact I'd had a bike for my birthday, which made me feel about 10 anyway), we decided to head to the bowling alley for the ultimate birthday showdown! Mr. O put up a good fight, but he was no match for me (actually, I surprised even myself...must have had birthday luck on my side!). Winning two games very convincingly and losing the third by a handful of points, victory was mine! I am doing my best not to let him live it down...

As a lovely finish to the evening, I was whisked off to my favourite local restaurant, where we were met by my parents and grandmother. Grandma and I share a birthday, so it was lovely to once again celebrate together...plus I got to introduce her to Turkish cuisine! 

So another year older, another year wiser and a really perfect day to boot. I'm looking forward to seeing what the year ahead has in store and where we get to celebrate next year. So many adventures to come!

A quick weekend in Amsterdam: Part Two

1) Overlooking a canal 2) Mr. O, leaning almost as much as the canalhouses! 3) Another bridge in Amsterdam 4) Anne Frank House 5) Keeping collections in windows seems to be a thing in Amsterdam - these are corkwork dollies (which I used to have when I was little!) 6) Wedding cake toppers in this house! 7) My Mr.

We hit the city early on Sunday morning, making sure we got to the Anne Frank House in time for our pre-booked session (like I said, tour geek). This though was one of the most thought-provoking, poignant tours I've ever been on. So much information, not just about Anne and her family, but about the wider history too, and done in an incredibly sensitive way. Since reading Anne's diary as a child, I'd always wondered what the secret annexe had been like and how so many people had managed to stay hidden for so long. Being there, learning the geography of the house and seeing the small space that the two families had to share for so many months was an experience that is difficult to quantify. The hope in the hopelessness. I'm so grateful that we were able to visit (and that we got in there just a couple of days ahead of the Bieber and his ridiculous comments too...).

From the Anne Frank House, we explored the Nine Streets area, eventually settling in for breakfast at the busy Koffiehuis de Hoek. Once again I went for pancakes (Dutch apple this time) and once again they were delicious. We spent the afternoon riding the trams, taking in the squares and cobbled streets of the city, stopping off at the Flower Market and browsing the shops and supermarkets (am I the only one who loves visiting foreign supermarkets!?).

Taking advantage of our hotel's 5pm checkout (only on Sundays, lucky us!), we stayed out as late as we could, rushing back to pack before heading off to the airport. Just a couple of hours later and we were back at home, feasting on stroopwafels bought at the airport.

In summary, our trip was brief, but, thanks to Mr. O's work, I think it's somewhere we'll end up spending more time in the future, something I'll certainly look forward to. Amsterdam is nowhere near as large as London or Paris which means you can certainly see all the major sights in a short weekend trip. The city has a very laid back vibe and is full of incredible architecture and the coolest cafes, shops and restaurants. For me though, the true highlight was travelling without expectations - no long list of places to visit, places to eat or photo opportunities not to be missed. So many times I have slightly tainted adventures because I've had too many expectations and built trips up too much in my mind, only to be a little disappointed when I couldn't squeeze everything in. This time this wasn't the case though and it was a revelation. It rained (a lot), it was cold, we didn't make it much further than the city centre...and we just had the best time, laughing lots and loving each other. This 'no expectations' approach to travel could be my new thing! 

Highlight of the weekend: Throwing off the travel shackles and living in the moment! 

Additional highlights of the weekend (I just can't stop myself...): The Anne Frank House...and the steak, yum. 

Anne Frank House, Prinsengracht 263-267, 1016 GV Amsterdam 

Koffiehuis de Hoek, Prinsengracht 341, 1016 HK Amsterdam

A quick weekend in Amsterdam: Part One

Weekends away are turning out to be a bit like buses for us at the moment - you wait for ages and then several come along all at once!

Mr. O has been spending a bit of time in the Netherlands with work recently and, up until now, I've not yet been able to visit with him. Taking advantage of some Friday meetings though - and in an attempt to seize the day! - we booked a Friday afternoon flight for me and a hotel for the weekend.

The Netherlands was the destination for my very first foreign trip aged three, but I've never had the opportunity to return and I was itching to explore Amsterdam as a grown up. After packing like a pro, surviving an Easyjet flight packed with stags and looking reasonably put together after my short haul flight, I was very romantically met at Schiphol Airport arrivals by Mr. O, swoon! We raced into the city and checked in at our hotel before hitting the streets in search of food. We concentrated our search on Zeedijk, an area packed with a multitude of Asian restaurants and some incredible smells. I always struggle to pick places to eat, but with the help of our trusty Lonely Planet, we narrowed it down and got in the queue for Bird Thai Restaurant. It was already about 10pm by the time we arrived, but the place was heaving, with a queue out of the door and so this helped seal the deal! We weren't disappointed - delicious spring rolls and one of the best green curries and cashew chickens we've ever tasted, topped off by a great atmosphere.

Rolling home (with a quick detour to the Red Light District - wow, what an eyeopener!), we slept soundly til morning, thanks to our request for a quiet room at the NH Hotel Barbizon Palace. We might not have had a view, but we didn't need the complimentary earplugs!

Saturday morning and food was back at the top of our agenda. This time we headed to Gartine, a very popular brunch spot down near the Spui, and were lucky enough to bag the one empty table.  Located in a beautiful 16th Century building, with incredibly high ceilings and the most stunning chandelier, Gartine is known for its fresh produce and slow food approach. From the brunch menu, I, of course, chose the pancakes and Mr. O went for a breakfast plate of croissant and sourdough toast. Once again, we were blown away, especially by the seasonal homemade jams that came as accompaniments - worth a trip for these alone!

Ok so, the truth - I am a fan, a big fan, of guided tours. Any chance I can get to geek out and learn random facts, I'm there! I am quite the connoisseur of open top bus tours, boat tours, audio headset tours - you name it, I've booked it. We headed back towards Damrak and hopped on a canal cruise to see the city from the water. I can't even remember the name of the company we booked with...I think I've blanked it from my memory. The trip itself wasn't a bad idea - it really would have been a great way to see Amsterdam. It's just a shame we didn't get to see much of it....the rain was pouring and totally steamed up all the boat's windows, so visibility pretty awful. This was coupled with a truly terrible recorded commentary, out of time and indecipherable. In the end, it turned out to be sort of hilarious, there really was nothing to do but laugh, whilst craning our necks out of the window to catch the views that we could. Frizzy hair a go-go by the time we got back off the boat. A perfect excuse to warm up with cake and coffee at Patisserie Pompadour.

Mr. O was in charge of dinner that evening and he absolutely smashed it. Following our disappointment at missing out on Burger and Lobster in London, he booked Red in Amsterdam - a restaurant that serves only lobster and steak. Steak! And one of the best steaks I've eaten in a very long time at that. I think the lobster must have been pretty good too...the people on the next table worked their way through two plates each.

Keep an eye out for Part Two, coming soon...!

NH Hotel Barbizon Palace, Prins Hendrikkade 59-72, 1012 AD Amsterdam

Bird Thai Restaurant, Zeedjik 72-74, 1012 BA Amsterdam

Gartine, Taksteeg 7, 1012 PB Amsterdam

Patisserie Pompadour, Kerkstraat 148, 1017 GR Amsterdam

Red, Keizersgracht 594, 1017 EN Amsterdam

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Ships on the Sea: 'East of Eden' by John Steinbeck

My whole life, since before I can remember, I have been a reader. The first book I read by myself was George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl, and I have the best memories of hiding under my duvet with a torch, devouring the pages of this incredible book and thinking that reading was just the most magical thing in the world.

'Ships on the Sea' refers to a quote from another of Roald Dahl's books, Matilda (which happens to be Mr. O's favourite book). The quote in full is:

'So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone'.

This post is the first in what I hope will be a series of honest reviews of the books I'm currently reading. I promise never to give too much away, but instead focus on how each book has made me feel and what, if anything, I've taken away from it. I'm always open to recommendations too, so if you think there's a book I might like, please do let me know!

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I have to be honest. Until this year, studying Of Mice and Men for GCSE English Literature had ruined John Steinbeck for me. I really disliked everything about the book - the characters, the large doses of sentimentality and  the inevitability of the story. Not even a visit to Monterey during our Californian honeymoon a couple of years ago could respark an interest in Steinbeck's work. Then, my hipster younger brother gave me a copy of East of Eden for Christmas - argh! I must admit, at first I wasn't sure, but a sense of sisterly duty made me pick this book up a couple of weeks ago and I'm now so grateful to my brother for succeeding where an old English teacher sadly failed.

In many ways, I actually love this book for many of the same reasons that I hated Of Mice and Men. The characters (of which there are many) are...intriguing. There is back story added even for characters which don't really need it, stories within stories which I really enjoyed. There are characters to love, characters to hate and characters to back, endlessly hoping that they will 'come to good'. The book and narrative are sentimental, but beautifully so, creating - in my mind at least - a full picture of the landscapes, the families documented and their loyalties and motivations. It placed me in the Salinas Valley and gave me a ringside seat. And yes, the story often seemed inevitable, but it always came back to the choices that the characters were able to make for themselves.

This is a story about good and evil, of families and the rivalries between the two. It's a story about blood ties, rejection and the choices that we all face - to do what might come easily or to do the right thing; the choices that differentiate humans from other animals. It is also a long story, really long. At times, I wondered if the end was ever going to come and how - if at all - it could all be wrapped up. But, eventually it was, and beautifully so.

Sometimes I'll read a book and know that I've learnt something without knowing exactly what. East of Eden is this sort of book, but one I absolutely loved and would recommend wholeheartedly. If you like books that are epic in the true sense of the word, books about dynasties, history and change and if you haven't already read East of Eden, then please, find yourself a copy of this book very soon.

Happy St David's Day!

Image found via Pinterest, but I'm unable to locate the original source. If you are the copyright owner, please let me know and I'll credit or delete as preferred.

It's a very special day here in Wales and I'm planning on spending it eating cawl, pretending to speak Welsh and tending to my own daffodils, which - because I yet again forgot to buy them in advance - look more like spring onions! When will I learn!?

Happy St. David's Day everyone!