We’re driving through the Yorkshire Dales on an early Spring evening. The road is winding and hilly; up and down like we’re on a rollercoaster. It’s 6.25pm and it’s still light. But the kind of artificial glow when the desk lamp is on, in an otherwise dark room. Objects within the surrounding landscape are given …
Continue reading A trip to the Yorkshire Dales: ‘Walks fuelled by the painting of nature’.
Happiness comes in waves. I'd love to say I read that in a book but admittedly, it was in a clothes shop. Yes, it's a little 'Live, Laugh, Love' I know, but it felt so apt for the place I was in at that exact moment. Waves combing over the sand, leaving a furrowed brow, …
Continue reading A trip to the Yorkshire coast: ‘I was ready to become at one with the sea’.
Some might be surprised to know, confused perhaps, that I didn’t grow up in a house of tea drinkers. In fact, it was a complete caffeine-free zone, not even a coffee in sight. To this day, I still haven’t seen my parents drink the stuff. The first time I got into tea was at university. …
I couldn't believe it. My final morning in Rotterdam. As I marched down the long road with the magnificent and imposing, diagonally sloped roof of Rotterdam Centraal getting closer and closer, I was smiling as though I had finally reached the finish line of a marathon - I'd done it! I celebrated this momentous occasion …
Today was my first full day in Rotterdam and I had a lot of things I wanted to tick off the list. Firstly, I had to tip toe my way up and down from my top bunk bed several times, around a dorm of people all waking up one by one, as we each waited …
It was the day after Valentine’s Day, when I first walked through the door I came in search of pies and pints But was too late. Timings didn’t match up and I had to catch a train We chose to stay anyway for toasted Leeds Bread Co-op sourdough drizzled in olive oil, butter pats sinking …
It was the depth of winter. February 2018. Fu-Schnikens, renowned for their steamed buns, hosted a ramen night as a prerequisite for what was to come. The teaser we all wanted. A new restaurant was on the horizon for Leeds. Over three years, the name House of Fu was born, with more taster nights, anticipiation …
Continue reading House of Fu, Leeds: ‘I dip my spoon in, slowly sinking into this hot bath’.
School Diner, Leeds I remove a slice to unveil the shape of Pac-Man. Studded with gems of ruby red pepper, a smothering of blistered halloumi and slugs of muddy green pesto. My pizza sits on a paper plate it’s already outgrown and as each fragile slice is airlifted towards my mouth, rings of translucent grease …
Two cinnamon bagels, a nap and several podcasts later, I'd arrived in Rotterdam. I disembarked the train (quick Passport, money, phone check) walked out of the ticket barriers and realised...I hadn't really thought this far. I was actually in Rotterdam now. A city in Europe I'd never been to in my life and I was …
"Rotterdam? Isn't that a port?" This was the response I was met with, every time I said I was going there by myself for three days. I used, "its amazing architecture", as my go-to reply but soon realised this sounded weird when I wasn't exactly a budding architect - so I quickly added "art, food …
food with mood 