Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium

As my birthday was on a weekday this year (boo) I decided to properly celebrate on the following Saturday. One of the must do things on my list for when I eventually visit Japan has always been to visit a cat cafe. So imagine my delight back in February when I heard that London would be opening the UKs very own cat cafe. Lady Dinah's is located in shoreditch just a hop and a skip away from brick lane and is completely booked up until October. Which makes me very glad that I booked a spot for 28th June back in March. 

All my life I have been a cat lady, even though I've only ever owned one once. That's the downside of moving house, county or country all the time. I'm planning on my current flat being both the last flat and the last rental home I reside in. I want a house - and when I get one, I want cats.

So on that rainy Saturday (damn you weather), Topher and I travelled down to London to visit.

There were quite a few groups there and the cats were asleep for the first hour so a few people left including the table next to us, grumbling about them not doing anything. What were you expecting them to do? Juggle? They're cats. Cats tend to sleep a lot. Those people seemed to just be there for the novelty and not for the fact that they loved cats. Well hipsters, I'm very happy to say that the majority of them woke up, were wandering around and even playing not long after you left. Patience is rewarding! (Yep, I'm being totally smug)

I actually preferred the fact that they slept for the first hour, they were sweet to look at and it gave Topher and I plenty of time to demolish the afternoon tea that we ordered. I've never had a proper afternoon tea before so it was glorious. Sandwiches, cakes, macaroons and scones with jam and clotted cream. Not forgetting the teapot of tea. Bliss. 

If you do want to see cats running around all over the place all the time, then I recommend you visit in the morning. We started at 1.30 which is prime siesta time. I had a really great time and I definitely insist that you give it a visit...unless you don't like cats then you probably wouldn't like it at all, ha ha. 

Though I loved the experience, it really reminded me and Topher that we don't have any of our own. One day. 

Have you ever visited a cat cafe?

The final practise walk

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but when it comes to thinking about doing the London to Brighton Trek in less than two weeks time, I'm officially bricking it! 

The show must go on however, we're almost at our target and have been training as much as we can - the last big practise walk being last weekend. (Blognix this weekend woo!)

It was a beautiful day, though slightly too beautiful to be honest. In terms of how hot it was. Let's just say we sweated buckets! I want it to be overcast on the day of the trek - not too hot or too cold. I'll just keep praying shall I?

This sloth/tree made our day!

I love this walk so much - it's such a pretty route. We get to see a lake, a river, green fields, a bit of woodland and a golf course. Not to mention all the little rabbits we see. So cute!

Almost stood on this little guy. He was creeping along the footpath trying to remain unseen - thank goodness he's such a contrast to the mud otherwise it would not have been pretty!

They seem to like their trains in Peterborough from what I've seen so far. This one just appears to go back and forth somewhere. Will have to give Railworld a visit!

How did you enjoy the weekend weather?

#BEDM DAY 3: Weekend Morning Routine

I always look forward to the weekend. But who doesn't right? Though I have to admit the following is very true in my case:

Expectation:

Reality:

Of course being an “adult” (only loosely using the terminology there), there is always something that needs to be done on the weekend since most of your time tends to be stuck at a desk Monday to Friday.  I have become one of those people. Sigh, farewell lie-in – rain check to next week, yeah?

So today, I was up in Peterborough looking at my new flat. It’s as nice as it looks in the photos thank god! Generally, my Saturdays are spent waking up early for Slimming World and having a laugh at the meeting. Then its food shop and time to chill. Then Sundays have recently been spent training for our 60 mile charity hike. Though it’s very rewarding, I find myself craving a good lie in!

So this weekend is another bank holiday – we are getting spoiled aren’t we? I plan on having a big lie in then maybe going to central to look at some shops. I miss looking at clothes – even if I don’t buy anything I just want to look. We shall see.

How do you spend your weekends?

A weekend of food = Food Coma

It's not every weekend when I get three meals out, but this last one had my calendar full. 

First stop was Cabana: Brasilian Barbecue on the Friday with my parents. We needed food after shopping for a dress for me to wear at my cousin's wedding (mission accomplished btw). 

I loved the decor

My mum opted for the garlic chicken which by far looked the best out of our three meals.

My dad had the burger

And I had the steak and sweet potato fries. 

Overall we were left a bit underwhelmed by the food. The sweet potato fries were more fry than sweet potato if that makes sense. I couldn't taste much sweet potato at all. I had also asked for a medium rare steak which as you can see in the photo was pretty much cremated. 

If I wasn't to be weighed the next morning I think we would have gotten some of the street food as that looked pretty good. Hopefully it was just bad luck for us that evening - we went to the Westfield branch. 

On Saturday morning, it was time for Slimming World and since it was the first meeting of the month that means tasting. Basically everyone brings in something that is free or low syn and everyone chows down. Delicious! I got to try lots of new things and learn new recipes which I have already started putting into practise. (And I lost 2lbs! Getting closer to 2st!)

For lunch with the family and the bf we went to Las Iguanas. I have been a few times before and have always enjoyed the Latin food.

I had the Xim Xim chicken which is chicken in a peanut, coconut and crayfish sauce. Yum!

The bf had an enchilada. 

And my mum and cousin both had fajitas. 

Even though we were pretty full, the bf and I managed to force ourselves to share a cheesecake!

Then finally on the Sunday, the bf and I went to our old favourite Yo Sushi for lunch. 

Now if you go on a Sunday they have an offer called Sunday Munch where you can get 10 plates for £20 each. But everyone in your party has to do it. We didn't realise that, so had to get some extra plates to get it up to 20. It was either pay £44 for 14 plates or £40 for 20. Topher clapped his hands and said "Challenge excepted". 

I have never had so much sushi in my life! Don't do this offer/challenge unless you have the stomach (literally) for it. Even the bf was struggling by the end. 

Serious food coma faces! I wanted to curl up and die.

One (or maybe two) of the 20 plates we had was chocolate mochi. Which is described as "Soft Japanese rice cake ball filled with dark chocolate ganache filling"

Seriously you need to try these. They are amazing!

Then we made a wandering, waddling pilgrimage to Laduree in Harrods. Yes this is straight after the sushi, but it was part of my plan all day and they were to be saved for later! Because no matter how full we were, we'll always be hungry later!

Raspberry gold leaf macaroon

After seeing these on Carrie's Wish Wish Wish, I needed one. Luckily they had one left when we got there! Definitely the first time I've eaten gold.

Yum!

And now that the weekend is over, I'm back onto the slimming world plan for the week ahead!

When's the last time you were in a food coma?