30-June-2014

The World Cup Diaries: The Mexican Curse

Mexico 1 : 2 Netherlands

Last night Netherlands made one thing one thong clear - they are willing to do almost anything to go forward. They will dive, they will hit, they will cheat, they will do the absolute maximum of everything in order to win. And Mexico knows this better than anyone else.

For good 75 minutes Mexico thought that this time they made it to the Quarterfinals, for the first time in 6 World Cups. They had the victory in their hands, until the referee decided to take it away from them. The Mexican team played with their hearts and souls, they had the best goalkeeper in the championship by now, they were almost tasting their glorious win. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

Giovani dos Santos opened the scoring with a goal in the 48 minute and that gave the Mexicans the inspiration they needed. They pressed the Dutch team back into their side of the field and made everything they could to score a second goal. The picture did not loook good for van Persie and company, especially with Guillermo Ochoa as a goalie. Did I mention how exceptional Ochoa was? 

And then Netherlands decided that that was it, they were going to whatever it take to win. Diving, not diving, anything. In the 88 minute, Sneijeder scored. It was obvious that this game is going to be decided in the extra time, and if it came to shooting penalties - Mexicon was going to win. Why? Well, because they have Ochoa. But it didn't took so long.

After van Persie's infamous dive, the referee decided it's time for him to step in and to let the Dutch win. In the 4th minute of the extra time Ochoa did not save the penalty. Mexico had the victory in their hands but it slipped away.

It seems that Netherlands are on a hunt for Spanish speaking teams. Next up against them will be the team of Costa Rica. There is a very slight chance that the Caribian team will manage to defeat the Fling Dutch and company. Or who knows, maybe they will knock them out and put them to shame. We can only hope!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

29-June-2014

Great-Grandpa's Sütlaç

 (Turkish Style Rice Pudding)

Every now and then we go to a Turkish restaurant and there will be always someone who will approach me to ask if I'm Turkish. I don't think I look much Turkish, but maybe others are able to see something specific in me that I just take for granted. Maybe they are able to see my Turkish great-grandpa through me.

There are a few things I remember from my great-grandpa - his amazing voice, his soft loving eyes, the way he drew elephants, the fact that he always called me "güvercin" (Turkish for "dove"). And the sütlaç he'll make for me every time I go to the flat where he and Great-Granny lived. And when I say every time, believe me, this actually meant every single time I'm there, he'll make me some.

Now I can't eat a spoon of it without remembering him, the way he spoke and the sound of his smile. I was very young when he passed away, just 5-years-old, but I still vividly remember him.

I'm sure that his sütlaç was way better than mine and every time I try to make it as good as I can, as close as I can to the notes he left. It's nothing very special, it's actually a very easy dessert to make, I just try to discover the sweetness of the one he made for me, so many years ago.

Ingredients (makes 5 cups):

• 2 cups of white rice
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup sugar (add more/less depending on your taste)
• cinnamon to sprinkle

How-To:

1. In a deep pan bring the 6 cups of water to boil, adding the salt.
2. When the water is boiling add the rice.
3. Turn down the heat and let simmer until the water is evaporated.
4. Add the milk and stir well for few minutes.
5. When the mixture starts to get thick, add the sugar.
6. Stir until the sugars is combined with the rice pudding.
7. Pour in cups/mugs and let cool down slightly .
8. Sprinkle with as much cinnamon as you want, the more the better.
9. Enjoy either completely cold or while it's still warm.

Memories in a mug

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

28-June-2014

Best Ever Hot'n'Cold Salad

I know, I know, Summer is not the time for hot salads, but I couldn't resist my sudden inspiration to make this one. It's just too good to be dismayed. I have no idea how my brain decided that it will be a good idea to mix hot and cold food into a salad, but I'm glad it did. It turned out pretty awesome.

Last night was my first shift at this awesome gastro pub and everything went more than fine. I loved working there, the rest of the staff is really cool, the please itself is amazing and the whole atmosphere is so much different than your local grab-a-pint-on-the-go pub. I truly loved it and I'm looking forward my next shift this Sunday. The only tiny problem is that all the bar/waiting staff dresses pretty fancy - casual fancy, but still not exactly my usual reaped jeans and tank top day-to-day outfit. Meh, not a problem big enough to get me worried.

So, before heading to shift last night, I had to prepare myself some nutritious but not too heavy lunch. I didn't want to go there and be all sleepy or to start drooling the moment I say the food, right? So, while searching my fridge for something I might snack on/ use as a lunch I was thinking mainly in terms of pasta and boiled veggies, with same olive oil and olives! You now, the usual quick fix for hungry people who ran out of carrots for carrot salad. And then I saw my bistro salad mix - beetroot, lambs lettuce, chard and wild rocket, and I had an epiphany! I could mix my bistro salad with my pasta and veggie idea, ideally with more salad and less pasta. And this is it, this is how my Hot'n'Cold salad was born!

Ingredients:

• pasta, as much as you want, any type but spaghetti
• 1 cup frozen veggies
• salad, any type you like - I currently LOVE bistro mix
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• the juice of 1 small lemon

How-To:

1. Bring to boil two small pans of water and put to boil the pasta and the veggies.
2. When they are boiled put them in a sieve and rinse them with cold water. They need to cool down a bit.
3. In a big bowl mix together the salad and the boiled food, so that everything is well combined.
4. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.
5. Enjoy!

Healthy and tasty, can't get any better than this!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

27-June-2014

Healthy Almond And Chocolate Mousse

It's a brand new day today! My grandparent left yesterday and I'm still sad, but I have a try-out shift for a bar/waiting staff in one of the best gastro pubs tonight, so there is no time for moaning. As a greater man than me had said - The show MUST go on!

This morning I woke up feeling pretty tired and grumpy, so I decided I'm obligated to have chocolate for breakfast. You know, sanity call! But since my guilty consciousness wouldn't let me go with it, I had to healthyfy my chocolate breakfast. And this is how my almond and chocolate mousse was born. You'll never guess how little is in it! And it's all natural and good for you, I promise it!

Ingredients (for 4 cups):

• 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
• 2 tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 4 tsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 2-3 tsp almond milk
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• Sliced almonds for sprinkling

How-To:

1. Put the avocado in a blender and buzz for few minutes, until light and creamy.
2. Add the cocoa powder and almond butter and buzz together.
3. Add the honey and the almond milk, until it reaches the smoothness and the sweetness of your choosing.
4. Add the chia seeds and stir well.
5. Pour in glasses and sprinkle with almonds.
6. Enjoy slightly cooled.

Yum! And it's so healthy!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

26-June-2014

All Good Things...

...Come to an end. My grandparents left Brighton this morning, very very early. I left them at the airport around 5:00 am and their aircraft successfully took of at 6:25 am, as planned. Few hours later they landed in Sofia, where my parents awaited them. My Mum was happy to have them back home safe and sound. I was happy that they had a nice easy flight. And I'm so glad that they (say) had great time with Mr.Boyfriend and me. They want to come and visit again, so this should be seen as a positive outcome from their trip, right? They also outgrew their fear of big airports, which is awesome, because even I still panic sometimes when I go to the airport.

But I'm sad. The house is quite and empty again. Everyone are at work, everyone is busy. My Granny is no longer walking after me in the kitchen, trying to be of assistance but helplessly being in my way all the time. I'm really really sad. I might not see them for another 6 months, and by this time I would have not seen my parents for a year. Pff, being grow-up is so busy and complicated.

So, if you excuse me, I'll go and cry in my bed for a bit. There is no one home so I won't bother anyone. I'm just sad.

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

25-June-2014

English Classics: Pretty Amazing Shepherd's Pie

Again, a recipe inspired by my grandparents. It's really cool when you have family home who would love to finish in one go anything you cook. Not that Mr.Boyfriend ever says a bad word about what I cook for us or that refuses to eat something, it's just the joy of finishing the dish in one go. I'm not sure what I'm going to do from next morning onward, when my grandparents leave and the house gets all quite again. But I don't want to think about them leaving just yet. I have few more hours to spend in their company and better stop moaning and tell you all about this amazing recipe so that I can go back to them.

I love me some good Shepherd's pie. Plenty of minced meat, plenty of veggies and nice homemade mashed potatoes. Mmm, I start salivating just by talking about it. The recipe is nothing complicated and doesn't require any special techniques or bizarre ingredients. It's more or less just the normal staff that you always have in your kitchen. And this is what makes it so amazing. Plus the great taste of food prepared at home with love and care.

Ingredients:

• 500 g minced meat (lamb, pork, mix, whatever)
• 2 cups of mixed veggies (beans, peas, carrots, broccoli, sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, whatever you prefer)
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped to small squares
• 10 medium mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, sliced finely
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4-5 big potatoes, peeled
• small scoop of butter
• 25 ml milk
• salt and pepper

How-To:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. In a deep pan heat the olive oil.
3. While the oil is heating, place the potatoes in a pot and boil until thoughtfully cooked.
4. When the olive oil is piping hot add the onion and garlic and fry until light and transparent.
5. When the onion is cooked add the minced meat and cook until its brown.
6. Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
7. Add the mushrooms and cook until they loose most of their water.
8. Now add the veggies, stir well, and add the tomato can.
9. Season with salt and pepper and cook until all the vegetables are cooked well.
10. By this time the potatoes should be well boiled.
11. Stain the water and mash the potatoes together with the butter and the milk, seasoning with salt and pepper.
12. When the meat and veggie mixture is cooked let cool for 5-ish minutes.
13. Take a deep oven dish and transfer all of the  meat and veggie mix in it, spreading it evenly over the whole surface.
14. Now do the same with the mashed potatoes, spreading them on top of the  meat and veggie mix.
15. Put in the oven and bake for 15-30 minutes, until the mash starts getting slightly brown around the edges.
16. And there you go, a great comfort dish, perfect pair for a nice glass of red wine or an ice-cold beer.

Tasty, tasty!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

24-June-2014

Travel Diaries: Exploring The South West Coast- Arundel, Chichester and Portsmouth

While my grandparent are still here, I wanted to be able to show them as much as possible. Yesterday Mr.Boyfriend and i decided that we should show them the nearby things of interest, completely oblivious of the fact that it's Monday. If you don't know this by now - in Britain on Monday museums don't work. This is generally better than not working during the weekend, however it was very unfortunate for my grandparents visit to the Arundel Castle. They took our mistake with understanding smiles and joyfully said that they are going to see it when they come to visit us the next time! Well, this sounds good enough for me!

However, I've been to the Arundel before and I've already visited the castle and the gardens. This time around we visited the Arundel Roman Catholic Cathedral, so as you might guess - I have an opinion about almost everything of any interest in the lovely tiny town of Arundel (is this a town or a village actually?!) 

Let's start with the castle and the gardens, since they are the main attraction. The castle is impressive, it looks like a postcard for Disney movie. It's very well kept (there is an actual royal family still living there) and it strikes with it's classical beauty. It's everything one expects when the think of castles - huge towers, long strong walls, huge gardens, the full package! I'm bigger fan of the outside of the castle and the gardens, the inside is mainly wood on wood with some hunting trophies on the walls. The gardens on the other hand are gorgeous, magnificent mazes and pretty exotic flowers. If you have to choose between taking a tour of the inside of the castle, or spending your time in the gardens- please choose the gardens. I promise you won't regret it!

Just  outside the castle grounds, there is the Arundel Cathedral, magnificent French Gothic building build in the second half of the 19th century. The style is not  random - between the 1300s and the 1400s this particular style was incredibly popular, and during this exact time the Howard family, Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel, have risen to power in England. The Cathedral is still active, so not to be surprised if your touristic visit is accidentally in the same time as the mesa.

Arundel Castle

Arundel Cathedral

Chichester was our next stop, a picturesque little town, very quite and laid back. I was positively impressed with their nice pedestrian central area, very nice looking and seemingly well organised. Everything being so compact and well organised, it was very easy to find the cathedral - just look up and walk in direction of the huge bell tower. The cathedral is nearly 1000 years old, it dates back to the 12th century. Build in Classical Anglican Gothic style, many cite it as the most typically English of all English cathedrals. The building is indeed remarkable, very impressive in both terms of beauty and construction. Again, it's active place of worship, so not to be surprised by children singing gospels when you go to visit it.

Chichester Cathedral

And last, but not least, on our tour yesterday was Portsmouth. Mr.Boyfriend and I have been talking about visiting it for now more than a year and when we bought a car last Autumn we talked even more about going there for a laid back day out. Well, we never managed to go, both of us were pretty damn busy with everything else in Brighton (work, work, work!) so when we were planing where to go with my grandparent Portsmouth was on top of my list, right after London.

The city of Portsmouth is situated on 3 small peninsulas, but visitors are mainly interested in the middle one. If you plan on driving there I strongly recommend the Park and Ride scheme - just outside the town there is a huge car park where you park you car for just 2GBP a day, where the parking ticket entitles the driver and up to 8 passengers to ride on the designated bus line as many times as they like. It's pretty awesome, I know! The bus stops at three main attractions in each way - Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, the city center and the Historic Docklands. There are few things worth seeing in Portsmouth and plenty of adorable places to eat - from parks with benches and flour gardens to nice restaurants and coffee shops. We didn't visit Dickens's house A: Because he was just a baby when he lived there for 1 year or so and B: It's closed on Mondays. Therefore, we explored the city center straight ahead, taking by feet the Victoria Park, through the World Wars Monument and looking at the Guildhall from the outside. The park was exactly what I miss about living in main-land - benches, flower patches, fountains, places for kids to play. Really, really liked it.

After a short walk we reached the Old Portsmouth, where it seemed like nothing special is going on. We had Spanish lunch before hitting the main attraction for us - The Spinnaker Tower. With its 170 meter (560 ft) of height, it's pretty impressive think to both look at and look from. There are three floors to be visited, but actually most people are interested in the first one where the glass floor is. That's right, you can look through a glass underneath you feet at 120 meters of height. By my standards this  is pretty cool. The tower offers a magnificent view at all of Portsmouth surroundings, including Isle of Wight and the Historic Dockyard. Tower's second floor is coffee shop and the third is just closed balcony with not much of a difference view-wise from the 1st one. Oh, and do make a booking prior to going, otherwise it's quite pricey.

Unfortunately for Mr.Boyfriend we never made it to the Historic Dockyard since my grandparent were already pretty exhausted but now we have an excuse to go back again.

The Guildhall

Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

23-June-2014

English Classics: Toad In The Hole

England may not be known as the taste capital of the world, but it still has some pretty damn good dishes. A personal favourite of mine is Toad In The Hole which combines together great taste, easy-breezy preparation and the best name EVER. I knew that my grandparent will love to try something typically English and I knew that they will love this recipe, there was no doubt in me that I have to prepare it for them.

I have no idea why the name is such and believe me, trying to explain to your Bulgarian grandparents that no real toads are involved and none will be slaughtered during the process of cooking, can be quite entertaining. And a challenge.

As I just said, this dish is really fast one to make. 15 minutes to prepare, 25-30 to bake and this is it. Nothing too complicated, the only actual secret behind it's goodness is the strong recommendation to use good quality products. Meaning - nice, chubby sausages and good, tender smoked bacon or pancetta, simple as that.

So what exactly is Toad In The Hole? Sausages, wrapped in bacon, covered with the most simple batter and than baked. This is it, no biggie, even a child will be able to do it. It's a very rustic, family dinner styled dish, nothing fancy and posh. It's a comfort food, it's your Thursday evening meal that just asks for some onion gravy and steamed veggies at the side. Lovely and homemade. Shall we start then?

Ingredients (for 15 sausages):

• 15 sausages, best quality you can afford
• 15 thin stripes of bacon (or pancetta)
• 4 eggs
• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 300ml milk combined with 300ml water
• 3 tbsp mustard, your favourite one
• salt and pepper
• greasing

How-To:

1. In a big bowl mix together all of the ingredients except for the meats.
2. Beat the batter until is limp-free and as thick as double cream.
3. Grease a baking pan that can fit easily 15 sausages and all of the batter.
4. Strip the sausages from their skin and wrap them in the bacon.
5. Arrange the wrapped sausages in the pan so that there is enough space among them.
6. Pour the batter on top of the sausages. It should almost cover them all the way.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 220C, until the mixture is puffed and golden.
8. Serve with beer or wine, with grave or any other sauce of your choosing.

Guess who need a new oven, the old one is burning the food in the back ;(

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

22-June-2014

Travel Diaries: London, The Hidden Gems

London has been on top of everyone's mouth for centuries now. Actually, if you ask most main-landers, they will say that London is too glorified and that continental Europe has plenty more to offer. Yesterday, right after breakfast and me writing my travel log for Lewes, we left for London. My grandparents had clear requirements for the day - they want the classical tour of London - Buckingham palace, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, Trafalgar Square and British Museum. Again, in British Museum they had clear idea what they wanted to see - the huge Buddha in the North staircase, the  Indian exposition, Japanese center and, if there is time, anything African. They've been all around Europe, so obviously strolling in the Greek/Roman/Anglo-Saxon rooms wasn't of interest to them.

And when we were over with the classic tour of London, but the day was still in front of us, and no one was tired enough to want to go back home, we decided to go on a search for the Hidden Gems of London. We discovered two pretty amazing place in the capital thanks to my housemate Sam, who gladfully lent us his expertise, time and knowledge of London.

Docklands are London's newest, fanciest part, made almost exclusively out of glass. Resembling quite a bit to Le Defense in Paris, city made of glass, away from the old part of town, economic hub and as modern as it can be. Skyscrapers try to reach above the stars, European-style gardens with benches and water fountains, underground shopping malls, Docklands have it all. A spectacular view from every angle, those glass buildings are homes of Reuters, JP Morgan, HSBC among others. Just take a look around and see the place where a huge part of Europe and World's money are being operated. I don't know about you, but this gives me the chills!

Docklands' Canary Wharf

And while you are roaming in East London, why not go for a stroll in Greenwich? A city treasure with a stunning view, Greenwich is home to a pretty good university, a Maritime Museum, a goddamn awesome park and the Royal Observatory. Did I mention the stunning view form the Observatory? It's breathtaking. Go up the hill and stand on the Greenwich Meridian Line, one foot in the East Part of the Globe, one foot in the West Part of the Globe. The Maritime museum provides a perfect setting for an imaginary trip back in time, when the British Empire ruled the world. On top of that, the Greenwich borough is far less occupied by the noisy tourists with their never resting cameras and slow pace. There are plenty of cute looking places to grab a bite or even better - an ice cold beer, but if you feel like going closer to nature - Greenwich park is perfect for picnics and lazy afternoons spent under the lovely summer sun!

Greenwich Maritime Museum and Greenwich University

Greenwich Observatory and The Line

On top of this, I think next time we go in London we are going to ditch the Tube and try the Boris bikes. We cycled around in Paris last January, there is no reason for not cycling in London in mid June!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

21-June-2014

Travel Diaries: Lewes

Last evening, after having an early dinner, my grandparents and I went to visit the nearby town of Lewes. A picturesque little town, very quite and sweeter than a cherry pie, just 10 miles away from Brighton. And since we live so nearby the highway and the A-road to Lewes, it would've been a pity not to go.

One of the main landmarks in Lewes is the 15th C Bookshop, that is still working every day, offering everything from golden classics to the newest books. The house where the bookshop is, looks every bit as something taken from Shakespearean drama, and I must say, for it's 6 centuries of existence - it looks pretty well preserved. I'm still to buy myself a little old book from it, but there is no doubt in me that sooner or later I'll obtain something from it.

15th Century Book Shop

And while we are on the literature theme - on a small back street, hidden from the eye, there is the Round House, where Virginia Woolf lived until her death. The house itself now belongs to someone else and there is no way anyone can find it if they don't know its there. Or, like in our case, while occasionally strolling around and happen to find it. The house itself it's very pretty and the current owners have a lovely garden.

The Round House

The main attraction for the tourists is the Lewes Castle. But please, don't get all excited, the castle itself does not look like a castle anymore, in all fairness it does not look like anything at all. It's just a bunch of stones that somehow miraculously have stayed together for quite a long time. To be exact - since 1069, when was build. There isn't anything particularly interesting about the castle, just the fact that is so old. And it makes good picture background.

Lewes Castle

And the last stop in our tour of Lewes was the Harvey's Brewery - Sussex Ale Brewery. Probably it won't be considered worth the visit by most, I suppose, it was a fun for my grandparents and me to casually stroll to it and take an outside look of it. I like it because it's a very authentic English thing - ale brewery, and because of the lovely idea of having a brewery, an alcohol shop and a pub right next to each other. The pub offers a fine selection of Harvey's ales and the place is rather picturesque - right by the river, offering a lovely chill atmosphere.

Harvey's Ale Brewery

This is where our Lewes adventure commenced. I'm sure that locals probably will be able to offer more and better explanations and stories about the things to do and see in Lewes, but for a tiny town such as Lewes, I guess this is more than enough!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

20-June-2014

Mouthwatering Very Berry Muffins

Muffins! They used to be my signature dessert. Now desserts are my signature course. I love making desserts, getting wild and experiment with tastes, textures and colours. And I also like trying new things! My Granny's favourite fruits are all berries, mainly strawberries and blueberries but she'll never refuse either raspberry or blackberry or anything like it. My Granddad likes pesonalised desserts, things that he can eat without having to share. Like cookies or muffins or individual pots of pudding. That said, it was obvious that I was going to prepare a dessert for them that combines their favourite things. That's me we are talking about after all. So, after some careful research, thinking hard how best to challenge the dessert and combining few recipes together, my Very Berry Muffins were born.

Those muffins are one of my favourite things, ever. They allow just enough things to be altered so that they can be different and still the same, time after time. You can have any given combination of berries for starters, it's all up to you. You can also use either fresh or frozen fruit. Frozen is cheaper, but fresh is juicier. Just do not thing of substituting the fruit for jam, it won't make the cut, I promise you. It changes the taste so drastically that these will not be my moist, soft and light muffins, but dense, overly sweet and boring mini cakes. Also, these lovelies call for both yogurt and milk. I strongly recommend using plain greek yogurt, just so that the flavour is crisp clear and natural, not artificial and fake. When it comes to milk is the usual - cow's milk or almond milk are my recommendations, soy milk is always too sweet and artificial for my taste. That said, I think is time to get started!

Ingredients (makes 20 normal sized muffins):

• 1/2 softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups berries

How-To:

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Coat the berries in the flour mixture. All unnecessary flour you can put back to the original one.
3. Cream together the butter and the sugar. Cream until it's light and fluffy.
4. Stir in the creamed butter+sugar the eggs, very slowly, adding them one at the time.
5. Stir in the vanilla.
6. Next add the flour mixture, one cup at the time until the batter becomes thick and hard to stir.
7. Then stir in the milk and the yogurt. Stir well, until it's completely limp-free.
8. Last but not least, fold in the berries. Stir gently, you don't wont to destroy them.
9. Scoop the batter into muffin baking tray. If using silicone one just ever so lightly grease it, if using a steel one - place paper muffin cups in each muffin hole.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 200C, until they are lightly browned at the ages.
11. And this is it, a great snack, breakfast or dessert. Full of taste and very berry love!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

19-June-2014

Travel Diaries: Brighton

Getting to know the town you live in is one of the biggest joys of having people visit. No that you disliked it before, it's just that now you see it in different light and you'll make sure to present it's best possible side.

So, while my grandparents are having their well deserved afternoon nap, let me tell you about the funky little town of Brighton and Hove.

It used to be a fishing village, a quite and dull place to be. That was until the 1780's when some new, fancier houses were build and what used to be fishing village became a fashionable sea resort for the bored Londoners. It is mare 55 miles away from the capital, after all!

A great role in the growth and fame of Brighton plays the Prince Regent, later known as King George IV. If it would be any help to place him in the timeline of British Monarchs, he is one of Queen Victoria's uncles. Not that this matters at all, but just in case you like royal history as I do. So, the Prince Regent loved Brighton and spent much of his leisure time in town. He also loved India. So he decided to unite his two passions and what a better way for a future king to do so than to build himself a palace. And this is how the Royal Pavilion was born. Fun fact: dear old King George IV eventually go so fat and chubby that he could not walk up and down the stairs in his privy chamber in the tower. He had to be removed from it.

The Royal Pavilion

In the spirit of the Pavilion, Brighton has one more spectacular royal landmark - the Jubilee Clock Tower. Build to commemorate Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1888. In my opinion, the Clock Tower is probably the prettiest landmark in Brighton, very royally and festive looking. During the Winter, the city council places fairy lights around it, making it look like taken from a Disney fairytale. Oh, and also has this taste of classicism trapped inside modernity.

The Jubilee Clock Tower

Nowadays, Brighton is still preferred place by Londoners, especially the young ones. It is know as London-by-sea, but also as one of the best party destinations. It is a place open for everyone, a particular favourite to the LGBT community, but not only. On a sunny weekend day, the promenade is full of screaming children, giggling teenagers, strolling adults or adorable elderly. The beach is favourite place for everyone, although the stones does not serve as a nice cozy seat. The Pier is quite the noise attraction with its numerous game rooms, carousels and places to grab a drink or bite. Although not my cup of tea, it is still very attractive for the tourists and everyone that likes a thing with a bling.

Brighton Pier

Another favourite place among locals and tourists are The Lanes - both South and North. They are the perfect spot for anyone not afraid to dig into piles of "vintage" staff - records, clothes, jewelry, furniture, anything and everything. There are plenty of small coffee shops, offering something for every taste and diet, all very cute and in a hipster style. If you are after something that "it's so not cool, you probably haven't heard of it" - this is you place to go. On a more serious note, if you are after nice jewelry, gold or silver, with or without precious stones, and you are not in the position to splurge in a high-street goldsmiths' shop - I can promise you than in one of the hundreds antiquities shops you'll find whatever you are after. It might need a bit of cleaning/polishing, but it will be excellent quality for a fraction of the price. The same goes for real wood furniture - far less expensive than anywhere on the high-street, the Brighton Lanes can offer a wide range of hidden goods. But bear in mind that most place will not offer a delivery, so that might turn up an awesome find into a tedious disaster.

The North Lanes

My last, but not least,  favourite thing in Brighton and Hove are The Hove Beach Huts. Very colourful and cheerful, they stand bright and funky on the beach, overlooking the ocean. Back in Victorian times, they were used by the ladies to get changed before they were taken to the ocean itself. The times were such that these very modest ladies will not show themselves in their bath suits but instead they will go from the hut directly into the sea and then they will go back directly into the hut, while the former is still in water. It's so very complicated, I know. Nowadays people who own huts use them to store foldable chairs, tables and other beach-appropriate things. There are always huts for sale, so if this is your kind of thing - there is a real opportunity for anyone to obtain one. But what I love about them is how cheerful and fresh and colourful they are, how distinct from everything else around them. They look like something that does not belong in England but in Cuba or in Greece. Anywhere worm and soulful but England!

Hove Beach Huts

Ah, Brighton is not so bad, after all. There are plenty of places to go and things to see, but I guess this is more than enough for my grandparents for today. Tomorrow we are up for another adventure!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

18-June-2014

I'm So Excited!

My grandparents are arriving today! They are flying for the first time in over 30 years and are completely new to the whole secure airport mayhem. Oh, and they don't speak English. I'm rightfully excited and worried but I try to keep myself calm and not panic. It's harder than it seems, trust me!

Other than that, I went to my job inducing meeting in MacDonald's. Did I mention I got the job? Well, I did. So this morning I went to pick-up my two sets of uniform and to sign some papers. It went very nice and smoothly and my first shift will be on 30th of June, at 04:00 pm. Exciting, I'm starting a real, regular job, you know!

And just to make my day even more exciting, my big caring pack from Mum and Dad arrived today - some awesome home-made and traditional Bulgarian  food, few bags full with my summer clothes and my favourite summer sandals. Lovely, isn't it! I was so happy to see it waiting for me in the hall when I came back from McDonald's, that I couldn't wait another second and opened it there and then. Ah, the joy of receiving things!

But I should run now, my grandparent's flight is landing soon and we gotta go and pick them up from the airport!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

17-Jun-2014

Dinner For Four

The Cow, Brighton

Among other things, I managed to spend Sunday evening in town with my gorgeous friends. Since we just finished school last Friday, most of us are still in Brighton but not for long. All of m closest friends are international students, so a good bit of them are going home. I actually have just one friend that is staying in Brighton for the Summer and, dear Riccardo, I love you for this.

After drinking beers on the beach and enjoying a casual walk by the seaside we got hungry (what a surprise). I suggested going to The Cow - the place I consider doing the best burgers in Brighton. Oh, and how very nice of them to offer two for one every Sunday, right?

The place looks eclectic and a bit flea-markety and I just love it. They have plenty of tables that can fit parties of all sizes. A collection of rare beer bottles is organised in the back of the pub, fancy-looking beer mats are used to decorate some of the walls, pretty signs are pinned all over the place. It just looks really nice and off the beat, maybe even a bit hipstar, but in a good way. They are located on a place with very easy access and while are still in the city center, they are a bit aside from the noisy crowd. Oh, and it's free to park in front of it every day after 6pm, how cools is that?!

So, since the Sunday deal is 2 4 1 burgers, we had three Original Cow's Burgers and one Hallumi Burger, and all burgers arrive with hand-cut chips and a wide range of sauces. We also ordered a pint of Blue Moon craft beer, a pint of Cobra beer, a Apple Virgin Mojito Mocktail and a Peach Sniper Mocktail. The food arrived incredibly fast less than 10 minutes after we ordered, which was a good surprise since the pub was, as usually, crowded even thought was Sunday. The Original Cow's were all perfect, served medium rare and a tad spicy. Everything in the burger looked appetizing, especially the home-made glazed burger buns that after baking were grilled with herbs. Yum! The burger itself was more than a decent sized, obviously home-made, obviously artisan. It was accompanied but not overthrown by some onions, two large tomato slices and a bit of lettuce. The chips was nice and crispy while still tender on the inside. According to Riccardo the chips asked for some salt, but for me they were perfect. My friend Katja's Hallumi burger was also great - 3 huge pieces of grilled hallumi in combination with portobello mushroom and roasted red peppers. Great vegetarian combination, worth trying even if you are not vegetarian. I think that next time I'm even going to go with it, the bite I tried was so amazing! And did I mention that that the 2 4 1 price is 9.95 per 2 burgers? How awesome is that?!

I also quite like their mocktails, which are also really cheap - 2.95 GBP per coctail. And not only that- they are really great. The Apple Virgin Mojito is based on apple, lime and mint combination, making it refreshing and sweet, while the Peach Sniper Mocktail is peaches with bitter lemon, which is unexpectedly great combo where the bitter lemon dominates ever so slightly the taste. The Blue Moon craft beer is Belgian-styled wheat ale (think Weissbier, Germany) spiced and served with orange. Very refreshing and special in taste, this is one of my go-to choices when it comes to craft beer. On the other hand, Cobra is Indian pale lager with very clean and clear taste, the traditional taste for a good beer. Since interesting craft beers are a soft spot for the guys in The Cow, feel free to ask the bartender what would they recommend, they always have opinion. Their beers are a bit pricey, but they are definitely worth the price!

I really love this place, they are probably my favourite pub in Brighton and in England overall. They serve excellent food, the best burgers in town, their bartenders and waiting staff are always very polite and helpful, they have great range of good beers and they always, always, always have something new to surprise you with.

Food: 9/10

Service: 8/10

Interior: 8/10

Location: 9/10

Pricing: 9/10 (especially Sunday 2-4-1 Burger evenings)

Overall Grade: 9/10

Will we go back? - Yes! Yes! Yes! Hundred times YES! My favourite pub in Brighton, I'm even planning on going there with my grandparent this Sunday evening!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

16-Jun-2014

Lunch For Two

Iydea, Brighton

Yesterday, I spend the whole day in Brighton, being the fashion adviser to my housemate Sam. We walked up and down the streets, looking for nice and comfortable summer clothes.They had to fit nicely in his already existing wardrobe but still to look better and new. And, as with everything for anyone in our friends circle - they have to be cycling appropriate. After walking for good 4 hours or so, we got hungry and my friend offered to take me to presumably the best vegan/vegetarian establishment in Brighton. This is Iydea.

The place is situated on the edge of Hove, on the so-called main street. It is bright and nice smelling, lots of tables are there for parties of all sizes. The customers can choose to either eat-in, in a lovely hip setting, or to take-away their food and to eat whenever they fancy -home, the beach, the nearby garden, anywhere.

So here's the deal, how it works. You order a main and you get two sides and a topping at the side for the price of your main. The prices vary from 4.70 GBP to 7.70 GBP for eat-in food, slightly less of take-away. The portions are well sized but if your appetite is rather big then you might consider paying extra 1.50 GBP to "Go Large" and have 4 sides and 2 toppings in addition to you main course. In my case, my normal meal was more than enough for me and I had some troubles finishing it all by myself. But this is me.

So, what we had for lunch then. Let me just start by saying that it was delicious and very unexpected. Not unexpectedly delicious, this is a whole other thing, just the tastes and ingredients they combined worked amazingly together, although they were not some that I would've thought they will. My main was a tomato and onion quiche, the sides I chose were carrot with tamari roasted seeds and quinoa and dried fruit salad, and my topping was tzatziki. My friend had fried hallumi (that comes with tartar sauce at the side), cajun potato wedges and green beans with almond and dill at the side and a spicy tomato salsa topping. We also had home-made ginger lemonades which were top notch, honestly!

Our food was fresh and delicious, albeit mine needed a pinch or two salt. The quiche crust was nice, crispy and tasty. The filling was rich, I really enjoyed the lovely tomatoes. My tzatziki was a bit too watery, but nevertheless tasty, while my friend's salsa was simply amazing. I tried a bit of it and I was fully blown away. I can't describe what I liked that much, but I just truly enjoyed it. Sam's cajun wedges were also nice, although I prefer my carrot salad- fresh and refreshing, perfect for the summer. The quinoa salad was sweet and spicy, very interesting taste. I would have never guessed that dried apricots go so well with quinoa. Well, I learn something new every day, don't I. Sam said that the hallumi and the green beans we also very nice, the hallumies were covered in crispy batter and were generous pieces.

Overall I think this is one of the best vegetarian/vegan restaurants I know. There is room for some improvement, of course, but all in all I think it was rather nice and delicious. 

Food: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Interior: 8/10

Location: 9/10

Pricing: 7/10

Overall Grade: 7/10

Will we go back? - Yes, why not. I'm growing rather fond of vegan and vegetarian food, so I would enjoy giving them another try sometime.

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

15-Jun-2014

Last Minute 3-Ingredient Vegan Cookies

Two nights ago, for the sad Spain vs Netherlands game, my friend Riccardo came over to watch the game at big screen. The game was staring at 8:00pm and at 19:47 I had just left the bathroom and had no treat whatsoever for my guest. Oops, I did it again. Thinking on the move, while dressing up, drying the roots of my hair and other post-shower obligation, I realised that in no time I can make some pretty amazing vegan cookies. No that anyone was vegan, I just wasn't feeling like a full blown cooking baking night. I had a game to watch, after all.

Those cookies are really easy and open to interpretations. Just the way I like them, you know, different cookies every time. You can always sweeten them up by adding sugar, honey, agave syrup or maple syrup. You can add vanilla extract, rum or cinnamon to them if you feel like stronger, predominant aroma. Chocolate chips, nut butters, shredded coco, dried fruit (chopped) or crushed nuts are all welcomed. Feel free to try and experiment. Why not adding almonds and raw strawberries to them? Or covering them with melted chocolate after they are baked. The options are endless and I would love to hear if you make them, simple as they are or any more elaborate version.

They are also perfect for everyone on a specific dietary plan - they are dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, gluten-free (use GF oats ofc.), they are vegan, natural, amazing, tasty. Crunchy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, they are perfect for a breakfast cookies or for a healthy snack between the meals.

. They are cookies to dream for. Well. except if you have banana or oat allergy, then I'm really sorry and I'll try to make up for this. I promise!

Ingredients (for 20 bite-sized):

• 1 1/2 cup quick oats
• 2 medium ripe bananas
• 1 tbsp raw unsweetened cocoa powder

How-To:

1. With a fork or a blended mash the banana to a puree.
2. Add the oars and the cocoa powder and mix until well combined.
3. On a grease proof paper scoop small amounts of the mixture, allowing some space between the cookies.
4. Bake for 10-13 minutes and serve cooled down.

Healthy cookie that tastes good! Life is perfect!

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...

14-Jun-2014

The World Cup Diaries: Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold

Spain 1 : 5 Netherlands

Let me start by saying that I love football, I have loved it all my life and I don't think I will ever fall out of love with it. Ever since I was a little girl I'll sit and watch the games with my Dad, getting all excited about two things: A) I was sharing something very special with my Dad, we were enjoying together an experience on our own and B) Watching something so special, global, amazing, breathtaking as a good football game. Over time I grew to like some teams more than others, some players I admired more than others, normally. Sometimes my Dad and I will root for different teams but that would never make it less fun. And when there was a big championship - we will always, always, always watch the important games together, no matter anything.

The 2014 World Cup is the first big championship in 20 years that we are not watching together. I would much rather watch it with him, if that was possible, comment the games and have our minor disputes over it. That is how I like my games, with him by my side. Well, not this year. Let's hope that we will be able to fix this for the next European Championship. Let's hope.

Spain vs Netherlands was a highly anticipated game among other reasons because the last time those two teams met was 4 years ago. On the 2010 World Cup. On the Final. It was a very specific game, Howard Webb gave his best and booked 14 yellow cards, one being second yellow card. I would say that Mr. Webb was the man of the game, he most definitely was the most important player on the field. In 2010 Spain won, 4 minutes before the end of the extra time Andres Iniesta won the game for the Spaniards. Spain won their very first World Cup, just two years after they won their European Cup. The latter they won again, in 2012. For the past 6 years Spain has dominated the world.

I sat on my sofa tonight with my friends by my side and we all knew we were in for a treat. But we never knew that it was going to be so big. I have always like the Spanish team, I like how they communicate between themselves, how well they all know each other, what a good working passionate machine they are. I like their dynamics and I also like their name - La furia roja. It suits them well, or at least it used to before tonight.

Xabi Alonso opened the score with a easy-breezy goal, shooting a penalty. It wasn't anything pretty nor special, but it was a goal and I guess this is all that counts. 1:0 is a classic result and the Spanish team seemed in good spirit and able to keep their lead, so I had no reason to believe that anything else would ever happen in this game. Oh, boy, weren't I wrong. The Netherlands smashed Spain, made it look small and pitiful. The defending World Champion seemed like a bunch of kids that somehow managed to get their hands on a ticket to the big boys game. 

Can we talk for a second abut this state of art head shot? Robin van Persie worked his magic, twice, on full speed, Arjen Robben scored as well, twice, and to top up all of the Stefan de Vrij scored as well. My heart was breaking while watching poor Iker Casillas, the best goalie in the world, miss a goal after goal. Three of those goals were completely his fault, because goal keepers should stay where their goal line, not out in the field. Pique and Ramos weren't particularly helpful either, letting the Dutch so dangerously close to our beloved San Iker.

But it wasn't simply and only Spain's fault. It was the way van Persie and the Dutch played. They knew why they were there and did their best to prove their point. And they did. Spain, on the other hand played as a defending Champion of (the) two important football achievements. They played as if they knew they are supposed to win this game. But football is a game far more important that one's personal expectation's and assumptions. Football is the game of those who are all-in in the game, without hesitations and without set standards of winning or loosing.

Although I support Spain, I cannot say anything bad about the way Netherlands played. The played well, extremely well, the played beautifully, they used all of the opportunities presented and did what they are payed to do - play good football. It was joy (with a sadistic taste of it) to watch them make fun of the Spanish team. We all knew that the team in orange will look for revenge, but they gave us a spectacular match and a very very very cold revenge, the best type.

Super Van Persie's Goal

You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...