-
Donate to this blog and podcast via PayPal
(chris . osburn @ gmail . com) Archives
Subscribe
Join 18.1K other subscribers-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Meta
Tag Archives: Shopping
You Might be a Coffee Snob If … (espressoCrazy)
Do you consider yourself to be a coffee snob? Do you judge others on how much they know (or don’t) about your favourite caffeinated drink? Have you ever done anything out of the ordinary to achieve a dream coffee situation? Do you even have a ‘dream coffee situation’ in mind? Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Coffee, Drink, espressoCrazy, Food, Shopping
Tagged coffee, Drink, espresso, espressoCrazy, espressocrazy.com, Food, illy, Shopping
Leave a comment
Get Ready to Crave the New Druid Street Market
Okay folks, I’ve got a couple of phrases I’d like you to repeat after me. The first one is “kimchi and Stilton grilled cheese sandwich” as this is the future of what you shall crave. The other is “Druid Street Market,” which is an important phrase to remember because that’s were you’re gonna head on Saturday to take a bite out of this ultra-umami toastie. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Street Markets
Tagged Drink, east london, Food, London, Miranda York, SE1, SE1 2HH, Shopping, south london, street food, street markets, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
My Food Assembled! Falling in Love with Food Assembly
Have you heard about Food Assembly? It’s a convenient new way to shop locally and seasonally that I’ve just come across – and have fallen in love with. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share my personal Food Assembly experience across a series of My Food Assembled! posts to whet your appetite (and maybe even run a fun competition to give one lucky reader the chance to shop Food Assembly for free). Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, London, My Food Assembled!, Recipes, Shopping, Wine
Tagged Drink, E3, E3 5ES, east london, Food, Food Assembly, London, My Food Assembled!, recipes, roman road, Shopping, Vinarius, wine, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
3 Comments
The Ultimate Guide to New Orleans Voodoo Culture (Miles Away)
Voodoo. How much of its mysterious traditions are hokey hype and how much is genuine religious practice? There’s no better place to find out for yourself than in New Orleans, where the legend, kitsch, and reality of Voodoo collide. Here’s … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in CheapOair, Louisiana, Miles Away, Shopping, Travel
Tagged cheapoair, louisiana, Miles Away, new orleans, nola, Shopping, Travel, voodoo
Leave a comment
Cold-Press Rapeseed Oil: Oil for One and One for Oil
One type of oil which is increasingly likely to be found in kitchens across the country is rapeseed, with sales rocketing in the last year. The golden elixir attracting discerning shoppers is not the refined, processed stuff often labeled as “vegetable” oil you may associate with rapeseed. British farmers are now producing premium cold-pressed, extra virgin oils from rapeseed crops which are comparable in quality to the best olive oils. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Food, Shopping
Tagged Food, Hillfarm Oil, Leila Dukes, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, Shopping
2 Comments
Win a Havana Club Mojito Kit
Key to mixing up a perfect mojito is getting its most important ingredient right. Made in the heart of Cuba, Havana Club 3 Anos is an ideal accompaniment for summer cocktails. The only white rum aged for three years, it develops deep aromas and tastes to suit any assortment of tropical serves, whether an authentic Cuban mojito or refreshing daiq Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Competition, Drink, Freebies, Recipes, Shopping
Tagged cocktails, competition, Drink, free, freebies, Havana Club, Havana Club Mojito Kit, Mojito, recipes, RT to win, rum, Shopping, twitter competition
Leave a comment
Pensacola, FL Is the Foodie Paradise You Never Knew About (Miles Away)
Sunny days, sandy beaches and sensational food – Pensacola is one of America’s tastiest seaside destinations. From farmers’ markets and “flip-flop fine dining” to innovative regional and international haute cuisine, if you’re hankering for something good to eat, this friendly Gulf Coast town has plenty to go round. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in CheapOair, Drink, Florida, Food, Miles Away, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel
Tagged cheapoair, Drink, florida, Food, Miles Away, Pensacola, restaurants, Shopping, Travel
Leave a comment
This Voucher Code Makes Jealous Sweets 20% Sweeter!
Jealous Sweets makes craft gourmet confectionery for grownups who want a little elegance from their sweet treats. I’m a fan – especially of the intensely fruity Wild Cherries – and reckon the entire range of Wild Cherries, Yummy Bears, Grizzly Bears, Fizzy Friends, Tangy Worms and Sour Beans are packed with way more flavour than any of the typical sweets on the market. Something about the experience seems amplified compared to eating most other candies. Continue reading
Share this:
Car Parts?
Where do you shop for car parts? Do you go to your local garage? Hit some big brand store? Look online for the parts you need at sites such as www.BuyCarParts.co.uk? I’m just wondering because – although very much still … Continue reading
Share this:
Win a Pot of Hotel Chocolat Fruit Bombes to Chill
Hotel Chocolat’s Fruit Bombes to Chill come in five fantastic flavours: blackcurrant, lime, lemon, cherry and passion fruit. With the perfect contrast of fruit tang and smooth chocolate, they’re best served after being chilled for at least 30 minutes. Pop in the fridge then pop in your mouth. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Chocolate, Competition, Food, Freebies, Shopping
Tagged #ChocsToChill, chocolate, competition, Food, free, freebies, Fruit Bombes, Hotel Chocolat, RT to win, Shopping, twitter competition
Leave a comment
Recipe: Jack Daniel’s Manhattan
With a taste of Tennessee and a touch of New York sophistication, a Jack Daniel’s Manhattan is Americana in a martini glass. Using the world’s favourite whiskey to create this highly regarded cocktail is a flavourful (and easy!) way to stir up some good times without raising too much of a fuss. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Recipes, Shopping
Tagged cocktails, Drink, JACK DANIEL, Jack Daniel's Manhattan, recipes, Shopping, whiskey
Leave a comment
Find the Best Hotels near the Top Shopping Areas in London
Millions of people come to London each year for travel, but they all come for a variety of reasons. While some may visit the city because it is part of their business, others come strictly to take in some of … Continue reading
Share this:
Good Stuff #43
Good stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Beer, Coffee, Drink, Food, Freebies, Good Stuff, London, Pizza, Pubs, Restaurants, Shopping
Tagged Ace Gentle Classic, beer, bethnal green, BETHNAL GREEN ROAD, blue cheese, burgers, castello, cheese, cheeseburgers, coffee, comedy, east london, ED'S EASY DINER, free, freebies, Gaggerston, good stuff, hayley edwards, live performance, London, pizza, pubs, restaurants, Roving Cafe, roving chef, Shopping, street food, The Haggerston, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
July Issue of UK Cigar Scene Out Now
The seventh issue of the monthly UK Cigar Scene Magazine is now online and ready for download. Each issue of UK Cigar Scene is free to download and includes a video interview with a key cigar personality along with news … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Freebies, interview, London, Luxury, Photography, Shopping
Tagged cigars, CUBAN CIGARS, Davidoff London, Eddie Sahakian, free, freebies, interview, London, luxury, nic wing, Photography, Shopping, UK Cigar Scene, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Hotels Near the Best Shopping in London
There are all kinds of reasons that you may want to visit the city of London. The history of the city and all of the wonderful tourist attractions you can take it are often more than enough for some people. … Continue reading
Share this:
Win a Range of Barman Sirops, Cans and Gourmet Drops from Teisseire
Teisseire has been making French sirop from naturally filtered water in the alps since 1720. The sirops come in a huge variety of flavours – from strawberry to cactus – among the most popular are Passionfruit, Raspberry, Lemon, Caramel, Mojito, Pink Grapefruit and Grenadine. They’re more flexible than cordials and go with both hot or cold drinks. Fancy a summery dash of French flair for free? I’ve teamed up with Teisseire to offer one lucky reader a chance to win a range barman sirops, cans and gourmet drops. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, Shopping
Tagged #frenchflair, cocktails, competition, Drink, Food, free, freebies, RT to win, Shopping, sirops, syrups, Teisseire, twitter competition
Leave a comment
Recipe: Earl Grey Duck (Gressingham)
Here’s an extremely easy recipe that should still impress any dinner guest. Earl Grey is a brilliant marinade for duck breast, infusing the meat with range of light citrus notes and woody tannin flavour while tenderising it even more than it already is resulting in an incredibly succulent dish. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Food, Gressingham, Recipes, Shopping
Tagged duck, Earl Grey, Earl Grey Duck, Food, gressingham duck, recipes, Shopping, tea, tikichris recipes
Leave a comment
Win a £50 Online Farmers’ Market Shopping Spree + Free Delivery from Bonativo
Bonativo delivers fresh, unique products from producers who can only usually be found at farmers’ markets and specialty shops. I tried the service out recently and was impressed with the items I was able to purchase and by the use of use of the site and the speed at which my order was delivery. For your own taste of this nifty idea and a free chance to shop at this “online farmers’ market” for free, keep reading to find out about an exclusive giveaway competition Bonativo is running for my readers. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Competition, Food, Freebies, London, Shopping
Tagged Bonativo, competition, Food, free, freebies, London, Online Farmers' Market, RT to win, Shopping, twitter competition, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Recipe: Sweet Potato Duck Croquetas (Gressingham)
These sweet potato duck croquetas are crowd pleasers,perfect for BBQs and casual dinner parties. I like to dip my croquetas in an easy-to-make chipotle honey mustard sauce: one part yellow “American” mustard, one part honey and couple of drops of … Continue reading
Share this:
Recipe: Squid and Chickpea Barley
Sometime during my recent visits to Sicily, Barcelona and Puglia the elements of this recipe starting fomenting in my ravenous mind. Once home with enough time to play around with my ideas, I was keen to create what’s turned out to be a really scrumptious dish: squid and chickpea barley. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in A Taste of Puglia, Food, Italy, Puglia, Recipes, Shopping
Tagged A Taste of Puglia, barley, CALAMARI, chickpeas, Food, I Murgini, Italy, pearl barley, puglia, recipes, seafood, Shopping, squid, squid and chickpea barley, tikichris recipes
1 Comment
A Taste of Puglia: Eating
If a dietician were to design a food pyramid based solely on my most preferred eats, it would have giant tentacles extending from its based and wrapped around it to the top. Squid … octopus … cuttlefish: I had so much of it – along with all sorts of other bounty of the sea dishes – always sumptuously presented but with minimal fanfare while visiting Puglia … and at such low prices (from my gouged Londoner perspective anyway). Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in A Taste of Puglia, Food, Italy, Puglia, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel
Tagged A Taste of Puglia, Food, Gallipoli, Gareth Jones, I Murgini, Italy, La Rusticana, Le Saittole, le zie, Le Zie Trattoria di Perrone Anna Carmela, Lecce, Marechiaro, pasticciotto, polpo in pignata, puglia, restaurants, rustica, seafood, Shopping, trattoria
3 Comments
Coffee in My Garden (espressoCrazy)
You know what’s better than enjoying a perfectly made coffee every morning in my own home? Enjoying a perfectly made coffee every morning outside in the garden of my own home! This post is just a brief update on something … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Coffee, Drink, espressoCrazy, Food, London, Shopping
Tagged coffee, Drink, espresso, espressoCrazy, espressocrazy.com, Food, illy, Shopping
Leave a comment
Inforgraphic: Kitchen Hygiene
Click here for a closer look at the above infographic Did you know there are more than a million cases of food poisoning every year in the UK? It’s commonly assumed that most incidents arise from eating out at restaurants. … Continue reading
Share this:
Win the Full Range of Doisy & Dam Superfood Chocolate Bars #superchoc
Doisy & Dam makes and packages chocolate by hand in the UK, using globally sourced ingredients and high quality organic dark chocolate. Ingredients include superfoods – like goji, maca, spirulina, hempseed, and lucuma – for uniquely delicious results with an added boost of yummy energy and a wealth of health benefits. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Chocolate, Competition, Food, Freebies, Shopping
Tagged chocolate, competition, dark chocolate, Doisy & Dam, Food, free, freebies, organic, RT to win, Shopping, super foods, superfoods, twitter competition
Leave a comment
Good Stuff #41
Good stuff and lots of it! Here’s the (long overdue) lowdown on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Restaurants, Shopping
Tagged BARS, Compass Box Whisky, Drink, east london, Food, good stuff, HACKNEY WICK, Hedonism Quindecimus, japanese food, London, NOODLES, Number 90, restaurants, Sheridans Cheesemongers, Shopping, tofu, whisky, Yutaka, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Seven Dials: Bi-Annual Shopping Event Take Over
Londoners who enjoy the charm of boutique shopping and the excellence of world-renown brands will appreciate Seven Dials in Covent Garden. At its bi-annual shopping event this May, over two-hundred stores came out in force to offer discounts, freebies, tasters, … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in London, Shopping
Tagged London, Maddie Salters, seven dials, Shopping, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Find Sicily’s Tastiest Spots with the Free Agromobile App (OneTravel)
A recent and delicious visit to Sicily was made all the more juicy, fruitful and scenic with the Agromobile app. Agromobile is a website and a free to download app sharing food and wine related itineraries in Sicily. Interested “land … Continue reading
Share this:
Preview: RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015
I dropped by the show yesterday for the press/VIP preview. I skedaddled before I could get to any big game celeb and royalty spotting but managed to see most of what’s in store for the inevitable throngs of garden enthusiasts soon to swarm the gracious grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Here’s a quick look at what I enjoyed most … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Food, Gardening, London, Shopping
Tagged 2012 michelin stars, A Trugmaker’s Garden, chelsea, chelsea flower show, Edo Garden, Edo no Niwa, Food, Future Climate Info, gardening, gardens, Homebase, Homebase Urban Retreat Garden, Ishihara Kazuyuki Design Laboratory, Jo Thompson's, London, Morrice & Ann Innes – The Potato Story, RHS, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2015, Royal Hospital Chelsea, shaun rankin, Shopping, Sub Zero & Wolf, SW3, SW3 4SL, The M&G Garden 2015 – The Retreat, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
2 Comments
Artistan Wine Fair – RAW – Returns to Truman Brewery
My favourite wine event of the year, Raw, returns to London this Sunday and Monday (note: Monday is trade only) featuring “one of the most exciting collections of fine, natural, organic and biodynamic wine artisans” sharing some of the best … Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, London, Shopping, Wine
Tagged artisan wine, brick lane, Drink, E1 6QL, east london, London, old truman brewery, RAW WINE FAIR, Shopping, wine, WINE FAIR, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
You’re Saving When You Shop Online with VoucherBin, Right?
I wish I’d known about VoucherBin ages ago – for all the renovations we’ve undertaken but also for all sorts of other more every day sorts of situations. Better late than never I suppose. I’m certainly glad I’m now in the know about the site. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Money, Shopping
Tagged money, online shopping, Shopping, SPONSORED POST, voucher codes, VoucherBin, VoucherBin.co.uk
Leave a comment
Choccywoccydoodah: Enter a Chocolate Wonderland with their New Book
Maddie Salters pays a visit to ChoccyWoccydoodah, Carnaby Street’s infamous chocolatier, for a look at its long-awaited cookery book, Chocolate, Cake and Curses. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Books, Chocolate, Drink, Food, London, Shopping
Tagged books, cake, carnaby, carnaby street, Choccywoccydoodah, chocolate, Chocolate Cake and Curses, cookbook, FOUBERT'S PLACE, London, Maddie Salters, recipes, Shopping, soho, W1, W1F 7PS, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
Leave a comment
Le Vie della Zagara: Ceramic Dynamic Caltagirone
Caltagirone was one of those places where soon into my time there I started wondered about the price of local property. Could I afford to chuck it all in and relocate? How could I make such a transition work – and what kind of work would I even be able to do if I actually did settle there? Such a feeling of immediate attraction to a place often used to overwhelm me when travelling in my 20s and early 30s. It’s a less frequent – but much deeper and more exacting – experience when it hits me these days. No, I don’t think I’ll actually up and move to Caltagirone (and I very much love my life here in London), but that possibility lingers still in my thoughts as I remember it. And I sorely hope I’m don’t have to wait too long to return there for further exploration. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Art, Drink, Food, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, Museums, Restaurants, Shopping, Sicily, Travel, Wine
Tagged Art, Caltagirone, ceramics, contemporary art, Drink, Feudo di Santa Tresa Wine, Food, Il Locandiere, italian food, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Caltagirone, museums, Ospedale delle Donne, restaurants, Ristorante Il Locandiere, Sammartino e Delfino, Santa Tresa, Scala Santa Maria del Monte, seafood, Shopping, Sicilia, sicilian, sicily, Travel, wine
Leave a comment
Le Vie della Zagara: Limone di Siracusa
A fertile coastal plain stretching between the mountains and the sea with plenty of sea air and consistent year-round sunlight make conditions right for growing Limone di Siracusa, aka Syracuse lemons – some of the juiciest and zestiest on the market. Such conditions add up to a gorgeous place to visit too. The last of the low hanging PGI fruits picked along my journey across Sicily, here’s why I’m a sucker for the aroma and flavour of this mighty if diminutive squirt! Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, Shopping, Sicily, Travel
Tagged agriturismo, Agriturismo Pozzo di Mazza, Citrus, Drink, Food, IGP, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, Lemons, limone di Siracusa, PGI, Pozzo di Mazza, Shopping, Sicilia, sicilian, sicily, Siracusa, Syracuse lemons, Travel, Vie della Zagara
1 Comment
Le Vie della Zagara: When Life Hands You Lemons Make Granita!
One of the zestier episodes during my zip across Sicily’s Le Vie della Zagara was a visit to the seaside town of Alì Terme in the province of Messina. Here and along the Valle del Nisi, aside perhaps from the tourist trade, the locally grown Limone Interdonato is the main draw – whether on its own with a skin so sweet you can eat it raw or transformed into one of many refreshing delicacies at the local bar/pasticceria/gelateria/bomboniere. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, Restaurants, Sicily, Travel
Tagged Citrus, Drink, Food, IGP, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, Lemons, Limone Interdonato, Pasticceria Bar Todaro Carmelo, PGI, Shopping, Sicilia, sicilian, sicily, Travel, Vie della Zagara
1 Comment
Le Vie della Zagara: Sicily’s Beautiful Blood Oranges
The three varietals of Sicilian blood oranges include the deeply crimson Moro, the Tarocco (a great all rounder and Italy’s most popular orange), and the sweet and succulent Sanguinello. During my time travelling Le Vie della Zagara, I got a taste of all three blood oranges (and more – keep reading!) while visiting two places involved in the production of aranchia rossa: the lavish San Giorgio Estate with its upscale luxury Aranjaya villa and the more pragmatic but nonetheless impressive processing facilities of Pannitteri & C. Both are located in the eastern area of Sicily within the province of Catania and bestowed with jaw-dropper views of smoking and snow-capped Mount Etna. Continue reading
Share this:
Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, Luxury, Shopping, Sicily, Travel
Tagged aranca rossa, Aranjaya, blood oranges, Citrus, DOP, Drink, Food, hotels, IGP, Italy, Le Vie della Zagara, luxury, oranges, Pannitteri & C, PGI, Ribera, Ribera Oranges, Rosaria, San Giorgio Estate, Shopping, Sicilia, sicilian, sicily, Travel, Vie della Zagara
1 Comment
