Where To Eat In London

If you enjoy dining out with family and friends, then you are in the right place, Leanora and I have found no! Tried and tested some great eateries in London and we are sharing with you lovely lot some of our favourite places to eat in London! Each spot you guys must put on your To Do List and go and visit and with no sign of rain this weekend, why not head on out and try a few........lets get started shall we!!

Tonkotsu, soho

For those that know us and know us well we are major noodle and ramen fans, we stock up at least once a week on loads of ramen for the Asian and Korean supermarkets and guaranteed no matter the weather we will be slurping up a big bowl. Last weekend we had a little mooch around central London to go shopping and pick up some new Autumnal pieces. A lot of shopping = two hungry piggies. I asked Leanora what would she like, pretty sure it  was a silly question, she simply said ramen! Right mum mode on, boosted up google maps in search for the closest ramen bar, low and behold muggings is standing right outside Tonkotsu, Soho. It was busy, but we headed straight inside and sat at the bar, perused the menu, well I literally devoured the thing and ordered, I went for the Chilli Chicken Ramen and Leanora had the Cheeky chicken kids bento box. honest to god I literally inhaled the chilli chicken ramen and it was gone in seconds, the broth was nice and light and packe a punch and I didn't need to add anything to it, it was just right! I asked Lenaora how her Katsu bento box was going, she was like 'look mum, I scoffed the whole lot - round 2?' The food was so good we didn't even have a chance to drink our drinks, we had two Yuzu Lemonades and oh my this has to be my favourite drink to date, plus the whole thing was super affordable and cost me less than £25 to feed the both of us, I highly recommend this place for the ramen / noodle lovers.

Bunsik 

The newest craze to hit London from Korea, is the korean corn dog, from Bunsik - a short walk from Leciester Square station, when we arrived or should I say any time we've arrived there is always a queue, but fret not the queue goes down super quick, its deciding which to go for which is the issue, but the friendly staff are on hand and offer their recommendations. These super tasty, super cheesy corn dogs start from £4.00 and I personally recommend the potato mozzarella and Leanora, Beef hotdog as long as i've got the potato mozarella.  

Pastaio

We all head to the one in Westfield, this is where i first discovered Pastaio and I must confess minus the lobster, we have eaten the whole menu, its great for friends and family sharing, the plates are small enough to get a few and the staff are ever so lovely every time to we come and there is nothing better than eating fresh pasta, with fresh ingredients! Just be prepared to roll out its that good and head home to snooze!

Slice Street Bakery

Now this beauty is right on our doorstep in the heart of Clapham Junction, hands down we are there every week without fail, be it Friday after school or on a Saturday, ok even Sunday when we grab our Sunday dinner from the shops. They make the pizza fresh everyday right there in front of you and this pizza for a good ol slice starts from £2.00! Bargain or what, we always have the mozzarella and mushroom with ham! The only bad thing I can honestly say about this place, is that they dont open on Monday. they also serve fresh focaccia you can pick up early in the morning if your lucky, loads of sarnies and the fattest doughnuts in the world, plus the staff are wicked also. 

Halo Burger

Leanora is not a fan of burgers what so ever, but we come to Halo in Brixton and she is alll over it, I mean she loves it so much, even when we got to Brighton she rather have a burger than fish n chips! I've never seen her eat so quick. These tasty vegan burgers are heavenly and I would happily eat one anytime of the day, give me their Halo Fries too and i'll happily eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner! 

Three Uncles 

Now listen, I love a good Cantonese dish, but this is next level!  I can not remember where I heard about Three uncles, but let me tell you, Three Uncles offer the tastiest Cantonese-style roast meat, noodles & dim sum. I always go for the duck and rice and this bad boy for £10.50 can feed an entire family, the duck is just simply melt in the mouth out of this world and there sauce, do not get my started! The plum sauce is mind blowing and you know it does not come out of no bottle,  I know this bad boy is home made, the time and effort gone in to this whole dish is epic. You can find Three uncles nestled on a side road in Liverpool Street, Devonshire Row and certainly worth a visit. 

Well, there you go a few places to kick start off your weekend, have you been to any you guys have any recommendations? Fret not we are back out this weekend, scoffing our faces all for you guys. We will be back soon with more London eats! As always you got any great spots you would like for us to check out, then hit me up in the comments below.

Happy Friday and happy eating. 

Don’t forget you can follow me over on Instagram to see what we will be getting upto this weekend or by using the #LondonMumma tag to show me what you get up to! You can also keep up to date on what’s new on the blog via Bloglovin!

Lindsey

10 Fun Things To Do With The Kids In London

Once again as it does, the weekend is coming and I am excited for it, who cares about the weather, its Autumn, it is always going to be up and down! What does matter is 10 fun things to do with the kids in London this weekend wither you live her or visiting I can certainly help you sort out your weekend.

1. Chessington

Throughout the summer we could not get enough of Chessington, every year we go and every year, we always find new exciting rides to go on. What's better each time we go Leanora gets a little taller, meaning we can go on so many more rides. it is a great day out spent with the family and not only is just for rides, but they even have a zoo there too. 

2. Head to London Zoo

It's trying to spot the little cubs that does it for me, no I don't mean the kids, but seeing if the Lions have had a new cubs. This is the perfect place to explore see animals and birds alike that you've never spotted before, catch show and tell ad learn about animals you know and don't, and if you are lucky enough may just make it for feeding time and help feed the beautiful giraffes. What is best of all, kids under 3 go free.

3. Head To The Bookstore

As you know we are avid readers, so why not head to your local book store and find some new hidden gems that you and the kids can bundle up on the sofa with and enjoy a new magical fantasy for the family, not up for heading home then settle in at your closest and cosiest coffee shop. 

4. Brighton Beach 

Who doesn't love a good day at the beach, strolling along the promonade and eating your weight in fish and chips. Brioghton takes just over an hour and half to get there from London Liverpool Street, Or 1 hour from Clapham Junction, as soon as you get off the train, you see the glorious seaside straight in front of you. We also go to Brighton no matter the time of the year, there are loads of great boutiques, cafes and shops galore to go and explore.

5. Sail on a Go Boat

Why not sail your way around London Town and hire one of the uber cool boats for you and family and friends and taking in all it's wonder.

6. Play Golf

We are avid gamers in my house and we love a good challenge, granted 98% of the time I lose but Puttshack over in Westfield Shepherds Bush is always fun to go to. They have loads of holes and some are great because you can get to win prizes, such as your next game free, food, drinks you name it. We normally head over there after our mother and daughter Friday night dinner, It can get quite busy so I certainly suggest booking in advance, beucause if you get there you may have to wait a while or they maybe fully booked. Its a great game for the whole family to cheer one another on, just dont lose like me, as I am normally left carrying the winner (Leanora) on my back all the way home and I'm left buying the winner ice-cream.

7. Visit A Musuem

London is literally bursting with museums, our favourite has to be The Natural History Museum, but nonetheless which ever we go to, we always get to learn about so many different things, plus an added bonus most of them are FREE to attend. 

8 Eat Some Fun Crumble

OK, lets clear this up, apple crumble, any crumble is not just to eat at school with custard or your for your Sunday pud, you can have it, whenever, wherever.....! Well not wherever, we recetly headed down to Shoreditch to check out Spitafields Market in search for some tasty grub and stumbled across, Humble Crumble! See my rhyming skils there lol!

9. Go To The Theatre

Check out some of London's best Theatres and the shows on offer. I've just booked us tickets to go and see Lion King, I was meant to go a few years back, but I was heavily pregnant at the time and bought ticket for my mothers birthday, but too heavily pregnant to go I will be making up for it now. 

10. Visit Borough Market

Borough market can transform you in to a magical world of food galore from dishes all over the world. It is a great place to hang out with the kids and try some Delicious cuisines 

I hope my 10 fun things to do with the kids keep you entertained, any to add let us know in the comments below! You may also want to check out my guide to every mums best weekend.

Don’t forget you can also follow me over on Instagram or by using the #LondonMumma tag to show me what you get up to or keep up to date on what’s new on the blog via Bloglovin!

Lindsey

 

25 Minute Chicken Panang

This 25 minute Chicken Panang is currently our favourite dish of the week. Its sweet and spicy, but not too much that the kiddos can't enjoy it and what is better it takes no time at all to whip up, dinner served in no time!

With Leanora settling back into school and me back at work, it can leave little time to cook, especially when you've got homework to do, get a load of washing on, tidy the house and sort the cat out, life can be manic, so I am all about a stress free evening when it comes to some tasty, delicious and healthy grub.

With the seasons changing, this 25 minute chicken Panang is super tasty, comforting and a total crowd pleaser! Whilst your saving on time, not on flavour. 

Most Sundays we have a roast chicken, A great for left overs or B when on the school run I pass Sainsburys and I am able to pick up a rotisserie chicken, all whilst still making the 3:20pm pickup -boom! Now tell me that is not great multi tasking right there! With that said, there goes saving time on cooking the chicken as its cooked already, all you are really doing is serving it up with some lovely steamed.

The first time I actually ever had a chicken Panang, it was actually a prawn version, all in a pub in Brighton and I've loved it ever since, but never dared make it before. 

Fast forward a few years later, the supermarkets are brilliant as they offer pastes to help you make these creations, saving your time in the kitchen as I imaging making these beautiful fragrant pastes will take a lot of time and love to make, during the week I just don't have that, so with different pastes offered from all over the world in your closest supermarket is great for busy people like me and you. 

This past cost me less than £1.50 from the local supermarket another school run purchase and I had everything else I needed to bring this perfect dish in to magical tasty harmony at home. 

I have loads of staples that I always keep stocked at home, coconut milk, fresh chillies and fresh parsley and an obvious rice, be it brown or white, just depends on what I fancy on the day. These few key ingredients are all you need to make this 25 minute week night dish.

Now enough of the chit chat, lets get down to your new go-to week night meal. 

Ingredients

• Ready cooked chicken enough to serve 4 (always need extra for tomorrow's lunch)
• 190 grams pf Panang curry paste
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 - 2 red chilies sliced for garnish
• a bunch of fresh chopped parsley for garnish
• Steamed rice for serving

Instructions

• Put your rice on and cook as per the packet instructions
• Heat a pot with a little oil on medium heat and cook out your paste for 3-5 minutes until fragrant
• Add your coconut milk and cook out for a further 3-5 minutes
• Add your ready cooked shredded chicken and stir to combine the sauce for a further 10 minutes
• Serve the chicken over your freshly steamed rice and add your chopped chilies and parsley as you desire

Don’t forget you can also follow me over on Instagram or by using the #LondonMumma tag to show me what you get up to or keep up to date on what’s new on the blog via Bloglovin!

Lindsey

The Family Upstairs - Book Review

Looking for a new book to ready this week?! I am sharing my new favourite book with you.

What can I say, I recently went to our local bookstore to purchase some new books for Leanora and I and I stumbled upon The Family Upstairs. As you may know I am a thriller / crime junkie and after reading the synopsis about this I thought it would be a good read! Boy was I wrong it is a freakingly good AMAZING read, I have not devoured a book like this in so long, it was I have been yearning for to give me the book of life again.

The Family Upstairs I simply tore this apart over a weekend, granted it would of been a day if I did not have to get a little shut eye, but I simply could not put this down over the weekend.

The author Lisa Jewell, I hands down thank you for writing this book and bringing it to life.

The Family Upstairs, where do I start, from beginning to end it has you gripped, set in the rich borough of Chelsea, just off Cheyene Walk, a high society family's world spins out of control, gone are the beautiful dresses, the parties ,the members club and the money to boot and incomes music, a sordid unnatural cult way of living! The kids ugh!! Where do I start... Some go missing, have some died, who is this woman with two kids in tow and a dog, living in the Cote d'Azur, what does she have to bring to this story, who is her ex, is she running from something or to someone and the baby, who is this baby?

The main character Libby, how has she come to inherit this £7 million pound mansion, how come its left to her, why did her siblings not come and claim it on their 25th Birthday????

I mean the intrigue alone, I know I am simply going to have to read this book again to quench my thirst, some many little nuggets to uncover, I just needed to know and I have to say from beginning to end it really did not disappoint.

If you want to know more about the parents, the mystery kids, the baby, a herb garden curated for life and death, then this book is for you and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Well guys what can I say, I love the book so much I just recently purchased Lisa's Jewell, The Invisible Girl and I've only started reading a few pages and I am hooked, I am sure I will smash my through this book and once I do I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

Have you read any Lisa Jewells books, I can see she has written numerous and a new one has just come out these past few days I believe to be called The Nigh She Disappeared! If so let me know which or if you have any great books you have recently read I would love to hear about it in the comments below. 

Don’t forget you can also follow me over on Instagram or by using the #LondonMumma tag to show me what you get up to or keep up to date on what’s new on the blog via Bloglovin!

Lindsey

 

Disclaimer: this post has affiliate links used

Back To School Essentials

 

Yay! We made it, today is the official first day back to school for the kiddos and I have to say this summer literally flew by, but I am not complaining, especially as now normality has started to settle in, plus with the weather being lush this week, I guess we are on the up. 

This time of year for many parents can be a little manic, I’ve still loads of cute back to school essentials to get for Leonora from funky stationary from Rymans to thermals from Marks & Spencers for when the winter months arrive ,so to help all you lovely rents out I found loads of adorable bits to help see your kids through. 

Hands down any money, by the end of the week all Leanora’s lovely white polo shirts will be grey, with a splash of tomato sauce and various pen stains in them for extra good measure, or her brand new trackies will have holes in it, bet ya any money hands down this will happen, I mean kids right! So I’ve got a few good back-ups from various sites, who do a quick delivery if needed and linked them all below for you to peruse through.

Footwear is an obvious essential, to fresh shiny black school shoes, cute Mary Janes, trainers for PE, wellies, warm boots the list goes on, and below are a few must haves.

With the kids eager to get back out and get back in to school, have fun in the playground and see their friends again a coat is an essential item to get them to and from school, they don't have to be boring they can be uber cool and I've found some perfect ones for them to rule school in. 

Goes with out saying really, the major must have is the back pack and I have to say I've seem brilliant  ones out there, especially this morning on the school drop and I've got my bigger hitters linked below. 

I hope this list all helps with your little ones back to school essential needs as I thought it be fun to share, after all sharing is caring. 

Happy back to school kiddos and well done rents to getting them in. 

Let me know what you think of the list and how has the first day gone for you guys?

Don’t forget you can also follow me over on Instagram or by using the #LondonMumma tag to show me what you get up to or keep up to date on what’s new on the blog via Bloglovin!

Lindsey

Disclaimer: This post has affiliate links used

Back To Work Essentials

Hey friends! Lindsey here, what can I say, but I have returned back to work, after my some time off for the summer holiday.

Summer is finally winding down and the new Autumnal season is fast approaching.Getting ready to hang up all my summer dresses and linen skirts, and time for the autumnal tones, suits and blazers and a little intricate light layering to come back out.

As you all know new seasons and years bring new inspiration, to colours and cuts and I have to confess this transtiont time has to be my favourite, whilst still not cold, you can mix and match fabrics, whilst still getting you legs out before you have to fully layer up, plus you can still get away with for the moment a little injection of colour from your summer palette. 

For me right now, it is still not coat weather, but a good blazer and an obvious must have trench coat is key and I have my eye on a few, not only for me to wear to the office, but on the weekend also, I always think about cost per wear, I am a little frugal, especially as I am a parent and I've kid who kills me for Robux and Vbux!!!! Don't ask... But with these items, are the perfect layering essential, especially as half my summer pieces I did not get to wear, like most of us I am sure.

Suits a must this year and this year I am going a little further with a cute three piece suit! I have never been one to shop in a charity shop until recently! A new girl who has just joined my team, every lunch time I kid you not comes in with bags full of fab new pieces, she literally spends her whole lunch hour in the few charity shops that line our office street, sandwich and all and comes back with a range of goodies. Giving me a thrill and feeling slightly left out I headed to the charity shop directly across from my office and bagged myself a gorgeous navy wool waistcoat, which I plan on wearing with a grey suit that I too have been eyeing up.  A suit which has not been required for some time this past 18 months, will now be very much apart of my polished back to work look which I will be embracing fully.

Knitwear, what can I say I love it, it's cosy, it can be light and heavy it can come in various colours and prints and I am here for it. I have a few pieces that I've eyed up, especially a few lighter co-ord pieces to ease me in to Autumnal months, from Mango, Na-kd and & Other Stories, whilst some may be back in the office, this are a few that can work just as well if you are working at home. 

I must confess I am a big shoe lover, but as soon as I get to my desk, off they pop! If they are certainly off at my desk, you know I mean business. Hence why I have vast selection, my school drop off kicks, to my business shoes to the cheeky fluffy 3 pairs of slippers that I have in my bottom desk drawer and my Friday night shoes. The one thing the IT guys hate the most, is if I have to relocate, as I always have at least 2 boxes full of shoes, boots, trainers and slippers you gotta have options, you never know what occasions can spring up on you!

Just like my shoes, I need some serious good arm candy in various shapes and sizes! My go to are Radley, Arket, Cos, Mango, NA-KD and something a little more out there with a pop of colour, I head off to ASOS. Depending on the day, I will need a really good and large sturdy bag if I am out and about on sites and at any given time, I can hold upto 20 sets of keys at a time!, going to court or working at a different office, I need something a little large to hold my files in. Generally, you'll find me nestled away in a cafe and you know what that means, laptop time to 5'oclock Friday time for some drinks with the office crew, so yes a good few essentials for the office for different structured days a good bag has to come in to play.

And there you have it folks, my back to work essentials! I am planning on what actually I carry on in my bag at work, but that I'll save for an upcoming post.

Don’t forget you can also follow me over on Instagram or by using the #LondonMumma tag to show me what you get up to or keep up to date on what’s new on the blog via Bloglovin!

Lindsey