I’ll publish one photo a day during April (that’s 30 pics). I probably won’t say anything more about this on my blog though. So if you’re interested in having a look, Continue reading
In the initial post of my I’m a Mess series, I mentioned that I was going to look into giving Hassle a go and see how much it could help bring order back to my life. So I did – and I’ve got nothing but good things to share with you about the experience.
I’ll get to the specifics with a review of the actual service and my cleaner in a later write up (it’ll pretty much be a rave, by the way). But in this piece, I want to focus on one of the key benefits of my Hassle experience.
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Here are some highlights of our trip: Continue reading
… Stojo stands about five inches high and can hold 12oz (355ml) of liquid but collapses to 1.75 inches and stows neatly away in just about any bag or pocket. I’ve been using mine for about a week now …
Read my complete post at espressoCrazy.
It’s not just me taking notice of these slow food heroes though. The longtime street food purveyor was recently announced as one of three finalists for Best Street Food or Takeaway in this year’s BBC Food and Farming Awards.
Now, to wrap up our series of posts about Namibia, here’s a checklist of the incredible sights that make this friendly Southern African nation such a terrific place to visit.
Read my complete post at Going Places.
COMPETITION IS OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!
I’m a fan of what I’ve sipped from the Freedom range and am more than happy to spread the word and share some love for these beers. You’ll be hard pressed to find crisper lagers with cleaner, fresher flavour. Here’s a tempting look at all of beers in the Freedom Brewery lineup: Continue reading
In many ways, The Balcon’s dinner menu appears as though it were written just for me – almost eerily so in fact. A starter course of pan-fried snails with chorizo, sweet potato purée, oloroso jus, and hazelnuts (£11)? That’ll do just fine thank you – and how did Chef Matt Greenwood manage to read my mind for a perfect way to commence a meal? Ditto on the roasted hake fillet, with ratatouille, green olive tapenade, and shellfish oil (£21) main course and strawberry, pomegranate, pistachio and rosewater trifle (£7) dessert as well.
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Revered Chef Raymond Blanc’s growing group of French restaurants has been mentioned with a nom-nom-nod of approval on this blog before – just not by me. An invitation to admire the refurb and the menu at Blanc’s Southbank brasserie rectified that matter and resulted in a lovely night out in a stylish setting.
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The event saw El Dorado’s Brand Ambassador, Dean Macgregor, and Rococo’s Retail and Event Manager, Sam Smallman suggest a range of chocolate pairings to accompany El Dorado’s 12, 15 and 21 year old rums.
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The View of Pure Imagination team up runs from 25 March to 9 April with rides on the Eye accompanied by Wonka-style storytelling actors and opportunities to make and eat chocolate. Plus, one lucky family booking the experience will win a special Golden Ticket Grand Prize taking home a selection of delicious prizes including the following: Continue reading
On Saturday 2 April from 7pm, I’ll be holding up the bar at the historic Punch Tavern on Fleet Street – in celebration of my blog’s 10th birthday and my actual birthday as well. The first hour or so of select drinks will be on the bar. There’ll be 25% discount for the rest of the evening on everything else. Come hungry and thirsty!
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As yummy as it is elegant and as exquisitely executed as it is super cute, the limited run tea commences with a lemon posset amuse bouche and ends with a selection of pastries displayed as a scampering Easter Bunny scene that’s almost too adorable to eat – but definitely too delicious not too.
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The main dining area of the restaurant has been made more intimate with brass screens and a subdued colour scheme. A new Kitchen Table for eight with views into the kitchen has been introduced and is coupled with the opportunity to enjoy at the table special tasting menus created 24-hours beforehand. Continue reading
The more I go! go! go! the more things pile up at home. I love what I do. I want to do more of it. All the travel, writing, and pursuing my business and pleasure in equal measure results in plenty of reward and gratification but also less time and inclination to clean and put order to my mess at home. Plus, my partner and I share our house with the furriest cat in the universe. We love the little critter a bunch. Still, if we miss a week of vacuuming and the fur situation gets intense.
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COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!
I’ve teamed up with Bake Box to help get the word out about the service by offering one lucky reader the chance to win a free box and have a go at using the bakeware and trying out the recipes. Keep reading for details.
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Turtle Bay Dalston is a good restaurant to keep in mind for casual dining. The menu features a moreish range of what you might expect at such an establishment. I certainly found the dishes I sampled to be tasty.
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Set in the antiquated but impeccably restored splendor of the Grand Royale hotel’s Victorian lounge set just off Hyde Park, Tony Middleton’s show in the style of “the Golden Age of Magic” was a bewildering delight to attend. Continue reading
Photo of Traquair House Maze by marsroverdriver
Yes, the traditions of this time of year have been somewhat subsumed by stuffing your face full of chocolate, but with the right attitude and a bit of planning there’s so much more you can make of your bank holiday weekend. It’s time to get digging for those amazing eggs. So, load your back seats with your loved ones and drive out to your egg hunting destination of choice.
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For the chance to experience Africa at its wildest, yet most serene, Namibia yields a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commune with nature, and get back to basics.
Read my complete post at Going Places.
The best way to see America is by car, and the best way to taste America is on a driving tour of the country’s most celebrated BBQ pits. On a three week, six state and 2,500 mile journey from Texas to the Carolinas, I went in search of the best BBQ in the American South, revealing not only deeply satisfying meals but repeated warm receptions at these independent and mostly family-owned eateries. Here’s a starter course to whet your appetite and inspire you to hit the highway for your own foodie adventure.
Read my complete article at City AM.
COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!
Each Cointreau Fizz Cocktail Maker kits contains a 200ml cocktail maker, a 500ml bottle of Cointreau and an individually wrapped straw. By simply following the instructions on the side of the Cocktail Maker, you can make your own Cointreau Fizz cocktails in minutes. All you need to do is fill the mixer with ice, add Cointreau, the juice of half a lime, top it off with sparkling water and stir. You can also drink straight from the Cocktail Maker with a straw. Ah! Instant refreshment.
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Photo by Prasit Rodphan/Shutterstock
Here are some tips to help you make your visit to Singapore as inexpensive as possible, including advice on how to do the city on $50 a day – and still have a blast.
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
The new canal-side Merchant Square café, bar and restaurant is providing ten illustrations ranging in difficulty for customers to colour in (pencils and markers provided) during their visits. The free activity is a good excuse to let loose some creativity and chill out as well as to have a go at a chance to win breakfast for four in two competition categories: Adults and Children (15 and under). Are your colouring skills up for the challenge?
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Yep, Ye Olde Tiki Chris Weblog hath turneth the big one-O. That’s like reaching eldercare age for an online endeavor like this, right? But it’s still kicking, and so am I. And if I may have pissed my pants* over the past decade, it’s been from sheer exuberance, not lack of bladder control.
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Yep, Austinites do the tried and true Texas traditions deliciously well. However, the menu of must-eat treats doesn’t stop there.
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
Second to stoppers (and a far second at that), floor and wall coverings are the most widely used application for cork. Eight million square meters of cork flooring are sold annually by Amorim, and those numbers are said to be on the rise. It’s an ideal material for its insulating properties – keeping your noises in and your neighbours’ rumblings out while helping you save energy and lower the cost of heating and air conditioning as well and reducing the possibility of a fire spreading. Plus – in my humble opinion – it looks great and adds a warm and cosy effect to any number of settings.
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Offered for a limited run just in time for Easter, the Hot Cross Bunny Burger is stacked high with a 70% rabbit and 30% pork sausage patty topped with Lincolnshire rarebit and presented on a hot cross brioche bun with carrot miso ketchup, baby gem lettuce and a thick slice of beefsteak tomato. I savoured every bite of the prototype version of the bunny burger as created by Chiswell Street’s Head Chef Peter Fitz-Dreyer. The patty was particularly moreish – and super juicy (request extra napkins!). I loved the miso ketchup too.
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But what’s on offer in this diverse country versus what you might have grown accustomed to chowing down on at your local Tex Mex burrito bar are probably very different dishes indeed. From region to region, what’s cooking in the pot and served on the plate varies greatly depending on regional crops, climate, and culture. In fact, like the great culinary traditions of France, Mexico’s distinctive cuisine has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
The Drapers’ Livery 650th Anniversary, TheQueen visiting the Drapers’ LiveryHall 2014. © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos
As the City of London photographer-in-residence from 2013, Parr documented life in London’s ancient financial centre with unprecedented access to high profile occasions including private ceremonies, processions, banquets, public occasions and behind-the-scenes doings.
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It’s a lovely bar, as dimly lit and wisely stocked as you’d like a rum bar to be, with more than 50 varieties of rum from 18 different countries. Comfortable too. And situated within the luxury boutique digs of St Martin’s Lane Hotel – just steps from Leicester Square Station (but definitely of another, more relaxed yet sophisticated ilk) – it’s a smart and convenient place for a drink as well.
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Returning to Cinnamon Kitchen for a third vibrant year, House of Holi opens to the public today adding a fluorescent flourish to Devonshire Square with purpose-built pod set up outside the restaurant in Devonshire Square where willing participants can let loose with paint throwing festivities that mark Holi, the Indian festival of colour.
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