New Eatery: MOD Pizza

I was kindly invited to test out a new artisan pizza restaurant that has popped up in Leicester Square, London. As soon as I saw it was a new pizza joint I knew I had to give it a go, they must have known my addiction for pizza plus seeing that it was in a central location, I knew I had to go just to be able to share it among my pizza loving followers and friends. I went with my partner Nick as he is the fussiest pizza eater going. He is so stuck in his ways with his BBQ style base from Dominos that I have been determined to find somewhere else that will please his particular needs. 

I see MOD as Subways much cooler cousin with painted type on walls, options on flavours of lemonade and hipster styling. As you walk in you will see a convayor belt of ingredients, ready to be mounted onto your choice of pizza base or salad. You can either pick a pre-selected style pizza which are all named after people and sound delicious or you can make your own. I see no option in picking a pre made pizza when the selling point of MOD is that you can have as many toppings as you want at a fixed price of £7.87. There are smaller pizzas for £4.87 or if your feeling really hungry you can get a mega pizza for £10.87. 

 We both chose to make our own and went to town on all the toppings we could get, asking for extras on ingredients we are particularly fond of. Nick tried to capture his favourite dominos pizza with his choice and done a pretty good job. I went with chicken but added all my favourite vegetables on top, including olives and garlic. There is also a gluten free option on the base, annoyingly for an extra £2.00 but the option is there for those who need it.

Once our topping choice were made and we had paid, we were given a wifi device which let the staff know where we were sitting so they could bring our pizza to us once it was ready. The restaurant bares a chilled and relaxed vibe where seating is selected at your choice and drinks served by you. We chose to sit upstairs away from the bustle of downstairs so we could enjoy each others company and use this time as a mini date night for ourselves. Drinks wise I went for a glass of wine as fridays are for winding down from the week where as Nick headed straight for the lemonade. I had a little sip and it was delicious, you could tell it was homemade as it had a strong lemon flavour.

Our pizzas arrived within 15 minutes at our table ready for us to enjoy and they did not disappoint. Fresh ingredients, lovingly prepared and perfectly cooked. Nick throughly enjoyed his and said it was actually on par with Dominos so that was a massive win on my behalf as we now have somewhere else we can go! Yay! Mine was also delicious but they did miss off the pesto drizzle which I was a little disappointed about, it weren't enough to detract me from ever going back but just a little detail I will remember to check for in future when I do.

All in all I think its great restaurant! Perfect for a catch up with friends or a stop off if your visiting London and you happen to be in Leicester Square when you get hungry. They have other locations across the country so check out their website for more info if your keen on giving this restaurant a go. Its definitely a good contender with the other pizza restaurants out there and one i'll be going back to in the future.

Creamy Vanilla Porridge with Spiced Pear Compote

The chilly weather of Autumn isn't my favourite but there are many things about this season that I absolutely love! The layered fashion, the cosy nights in and most of all the warming comfort food and drinks that come with the colder months.

I am currently trying to make healthier decision with what I eat as I haven't been feeling 100% lately and I wanted to see if it was anything to do with the food I am eating. Some of my favourite foods at the moment are pears, anything lightly spiced and avocados (even though they aren't Autumnal). For breakfast this weekend I decided to try and make my own porridge with a pear compote and it turned out so well I wanted to share the recipe with you.

INGREDIENTS
Porridge
2 cups Scottish Oats / 150ml of Whole Milk (or dairy free alternative) / 3 drops of Vanilla Extract

Pear Compote
3 Ripe Pears / Handful of Raisins / Handful of Walnuts / 2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon & Nutmeg
/ Tablespoon Coconut Oil / 2 Tablespoons of Maple Syrup

METHOD
Peel, core and chop your pears and add them to a non-stick pan. Turn up the heat and add in all the rest of
your ingredients. Cook this mixture for about 10 minutes or until your pears are soft, stirring occasionally.

While your compote cooks, add your oats to a small pan and add in your choice of milk. Stir
continuously until the porridge is at the consistency you like it. Add in your vanilla
half way through cooking and stir for a few more minutes and then your ready to serve!

Add in your porridge to the bowl and top with the chunky compote. There will be enough
for another serving so put it in tupperware for your next breakfast.

Enjoy
Love Khrissie

Mums on the Go Afternoon Tea

Its that time of year where we all tell our mums how much we love them and how they are the best mums in the world. No, literally mine is the best! I think this is a wonderful day of the year as many of us cannot survive without our mums, and I am definitely one of them. I ring her on a daily basis and shes always there for chats and giggles whenever I need her but I hardly get to see her in person.

Shes in Essex and I'm in London and although its not forever away, it does make it difficult to make the time to see each other to spend some quality time, making happy memories. Mothers Day is the one day I always make sure I am there for her wherever I am and its always a reminder that I should make more of these days throughout the year as you really need to make the most of the time you have.

There are lots of people in my life without their mums or nans this year and it makes me terribly sad. I cant imagine a day where you want nothing more than to see your mum and you cant. So let that be a reminder that time really is precious!

To mark the occasion I took my mum to The Orangery the Kensington Palace for afternoon tea* as part of the 'Mums on the go' campaign with WatchShop, so we could relax and have a good catch up over delicious food. The staff there were fabulous and attentive with perfectly bright smiles and huge charisma. The tea comes to you quickly, served on beautifully decorated bone china plates with assortments of sandwiches, scones and delightful sweet treats. The scones were to die for and I had a particular love for the perfectly portioned lemon eclair. yum! If only there was more of those.

The food was quickly scoffed but we managed to savour one for my sister to try as she was joining us later on. I would highly recommend The Orangery to anyone who loves afternoon tea. The views are stunning from the windows too so its a great place to sit if you want to escape the bustle of the city.

This was my mums first experience at an afternoon tea and she loved it. I definitely want to make more time do try new things with her this year. Id love to take her out of her comfort zone and try and skydive and also go to comedy nights, have a nice meal in a tall building and even take her to a silent disco and she does love to dance.

Mum, your the best and I will always try and make time for you, no matter how busy we get.
What are some things you would love to do with your mum if you had more time together?

Happy mothers day to everyone, my thoughts are with all of you!
Love Khrissie x

*some of the costs were covered by the Moms on the go campaign by Watchshop to help give some recognition to all that mums go and with not much time to do it. This was about spending quality time with your mum with the minutes you do have, as every second counts with your loved ones

Do something new

One of my resolutions for the year is the task to try or see something new each month. This stops me being such a lazy human for one and gives me goals and something to look forward to each month. I also have a happiness planner that I am filling in and loving ( I will share a post on that soon) that uses a quote each day to help you with happy thoughts. They are all amazing but this one really hit home with how happiness works...

'The three components of happiness are; something to do, something to love and something to look forward to'

- Dr Gordon Livingston

This is an amazing quote to live by and one that is totally do-able, so why not give it a go. Having something to look forward to can be really simple. You don't have to spend a lot of money but you can always save for certain things if you want to. Just doing something once per month and giving yourself something to look forward to is already one step of the way to a happier you. 

After having a few thoughts about things to do I thought I would share a few of my own monthly goals with you:

1/ See a new theatre show or ballet

At Christmas I went to see The Nutcracker, a story about a child's imagination brought to life through dance, brilliantly designed sets and costumes so flowing it made me want to spin around in my seat. It starts with a Christmas party where everyone is excited about the festivities to come and a girl is given a nutcracker toy. The story unfolds when it comes to life in a way you would never imagine and the relationship between the girl and the nutcracker transforms right in front of your eyes. It was enchanting and oh so magical, the perfect show to watch to get you in the Christmassy spirit. The casting was perfect for this production and the costumes to die for, a dream world for every girl out there. 

I did go to the ballet show at Christmas last year but it was so wonderful that I just have to experience it some more. I want to go and see Swan Lake this year and The Northern Ballet, who did the production of The Nutcracker, are actually performing it this March for a month. You can have a look here for dates and tickets if your interested, especially if you have never been before. This is THE most famous in the world so if you go to see any of them, this has to be it!

2/ Go to either Scotland, Ireland or Wales

Now this is quite embarrassing to admit but I have only been in England and never ventured out to the other parts of the UK. I have flown to other countries but never taken the steps to experience what I already have around me. Its bonkers I know but it is something I am going to change this year. 

Going to Ireland for St. Patricks day would be a perfect weekend trip away and I have always loved the thought of staying in a log cabin in the countryside of Scotland where it has a hot tub! How dreamy!

3/ Paintballing

This is going to be my February task of the month. One I am a little terrified of as I am going to bruise like a peach after getting pelted with paint balls but something I have always wanted to try and if I hate it as least I know. I will report back on that one at the end of the month, with some pictures if I can get any. 

So that is three of my ideas that I am thinking of so far. I am going to post about each month as I do it now I am getting back into the blogging swing of things. Next up will be my experience of bouldering, its a bloody great workout I can tell you now, but more of that next time. 

Have a great week! 

Love Khrissie x

New year: The same ME

Hello and Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful time enjoy the end of 2015 with friends, family and all your favourite people! I sure did! It was lovely to relax, travel to see people I barely see and eat lots of delicious food. 2016 is now upon us and wow how time flies as you get older.

Now this time of year is filled with posts and status's about new years resolutions, getting healthier and so on. I'm definitely not one of those people, not because I'm a negative or miserable person but because I have realised you have to approach a new beginning in the right way. In a literal sense it really is just another day but emotionally the thought of starting fresh is a great thing.

Everyone is much more positive for their future and accomplishments that I really love! So I am setting myself some goals for the year instead so I can stay happy and positive all year through. I am/ used to be just this person but life is hard and it does ware you down and I have come to realise I need to embrace every emotion a little more, the ups and downs are part of life and if you don't accept that, then thats when you get caught up in a web of self destruction (to put it bluntly)

So to help myself start this path of happiness and acceptance I have a few things I would like to achieve. I am putting no pressure on myself and this will make me fail and I will be taking a step backwards so for me it is all about baby steps.

1/ I have bought myself the 'Happiness Planner'
This is a planner where you document each day, with goals, feeling and ask yourself a lot of questions about what you want. I am really excited for this as I am hoping it is going to help me find what I really want out of life. I have been feeling like I have been having a quarter life crisis for the best part of last year and I really need to hone in on what is making me unhappy. I'll do a post about this all when I receive it as I think it may help some of you too!

2/ Something new each month
I have decided I want to go somewhere new or try something I have never done before each month. This is going to help me feel a lot more positive about how I am living my life as I always feel down about missing out on all the world has to offer. Either down to money or because my anxiety stops me from going out as much as I could.

I have planned to go to Scotland in April for my birthday with my family as I have always wanted to go. I also want to try rock climbing and I had a go at bouldering already this year and really enjoyed it. I'll be writing a post on that soon. Planning my future is the key for me, having a plan clams me and so knowing I have something to do each month, big or small, is stepping stones to my own goals.

3/ I have signed up to a online learning course
I was looking through Groupon in the new year and saw a voucher for an online children's book writing course and thought, yes! Now I'm not the best writer but I do have a good imagination and with practice I feel I can get a lot better. I eventually want to write a whole book, just for young kids and illustrate it myself too so I can add that as an achievement of 2016.

Do you have an goals for the year ahead?

Sorry this is a little late,
I wanted to re-brand the blog and have a fresh start but I wont be able to start that yet as I've had a
lot on with my a career move which has taken up all my time.

I will be back soon, better than ever as I would like this to be a place that I am proud of.
Love Khrissie x

#Blogmas 7: Stocking fillers under £10

Its blogmas day 13! I can't believe how quickly this month has already gone. I have been trying so hard to get a post up everyday but seeing as I decided I would do this on the 1st December, I never got a change to pre-plan posts and photographs. My days have been really long with work so by the time I get home and eat I need to go to bed. I have made it my mission this weekend to take as many pictures as I can so I can post for the rest of Christmas for you.

For day 13 I thought it would be good to show you a few gifting gems which I have found especially for you. Its coming to the start of the Christmas rush for presents and when your in a panic I find it hard to search for gifts that are affordable. So I have put together a little selection of some presents, that would be great for all sorts of people.

Enjoy! I hope it gives you some inspiration....

1/ Personalised Pencils from - Not on the High Street
As mundane as that may seem when you say you have got some pencils, it really isn't. If you know someone who loves stationery, then there is nothing better. They are also personalised so that adds a special touch and it stops the problem of other people stealing your things, especially if you have a spelling like mine.

2/ Arthur egg cup and spoon - Not on the High Street
This is a cute little gift for your friends or family who really enjoy breakfast time. Why not make it that little bit more interesting by presenting it in something fun? This would also be a great little gift for a kid who is into kings and princesses.

3/ The Night Before Christmas' gift set - Lush
There a lot of people in this world that love nothing more than a bit of me time and a bath. This christmas gift set would be perfect for that friend or family. This little box comes with the snow angel bath melt and intergalactic bath bomb. Both which are amazing on their own as gifts but much better wrapped up beautifully together.


4/ 'Love you to the Moon and back' keyring - Not on the High Street
I love this little keyring as this saying is something I say to all my family. I love how no matter where in the world you are, we all share the same moon. So when you feel like your far away from someone you miss, just look at the moon because you know they will be looking at it too. It sounds so cheesy but it really does help in those times where you feel the most lonely. The base keyring is £10 but you can add letter pebbles to it for £3 each if you wanted to personalise it.

5/ Puffin Classic books  - Anthropologie
This is perfect for your book worm in the family. Theres nothing better than a classic story to read while your relaxing the winter. With the book covers so beautifully illustrated, they would look wonderful on a book shelf and totally Pinterest worthy.

6/ Russian Doll measuring cups - Amazon
These measuring cups are adorable! I really need some myself. They stack into each other to make it space saving and super cute on your worktop at the same time. These would be perfect for the baker e the family. They are always useful to have around, even for meal recipes and theres nothing more enjoyable to have pretty tools to do it with.

7/ Beatrix Teacup & Saucer - Oliver Bonas
Last up is this gorgeous tea cup and saucer. I mean just look at it! They have different styles on the site as well as a full 4 piece set and a teapot cup if you wanted something which was more of the whole package instead. I really want these, well I want everything I have shown you today but this is just gorgeous! There are a lot of avid tea drinkers out there, and there is nothing better than drinking tea in style. I feel this pays homage to Britain and the British ways in which we do things, which I think is great. Ughh I love it!

So that is all I have to show you today, but check out the rest of the sites that these are linked too as there are lots of other amazing gifts available!

See you tomorrow...hopefully!
Love Khrissie x

#Blogmas 3: Brunch at Counter

As part of the Bloggers Hangout I had the wonderful opportunity to go to brunch at a nice little restaurant/bar called Counter*. It is situated within the Vauxhall Arches in London, right next to the tube station. We arrived here after roughly at 10:30 after our sleepover at a secret location in Putney for breakfast followed by a 'make your own' bellini and a choice of dessert. Our mountain of bags were taken off us and stored behind the reception as we entered the venue, which was really appreciated as we had a lot of goodies with us. This means you can shop until you drop and pop by on your way home without the worry of trying to fit all your bags round the table.

The restaurant was quaint with modern touches and a warming atmosphere. We were greeted at the door by a wonderful gentleman who showed us to our table, that he had prepared especially for us. Filled with beautiful flowers and neatly arranged tableware, the table was nothing but inviting. We were given a menu where we could choose from a choice of sweet or savoury options including pancakes and french bread right through to baked eggs and pesto.

We were served quickly by the most pleasant waiters with smiles on their faces, ready to make sure we had a relaxed and enjoyable time. We were given a pot of tea followed by a fresh juice of our choice, while we pondered over the extensive menu. In the mean time we got to meet the owner of the restaurant who was full of personality and had a loving passion for his brand, which was really endearing. He later took us to look around his neighbouring bar which is quiet during the day, but really comes to life at night. If you love a night out that is a bit unexpected, stop by sometime. I assure you, you wont be disappointed.


I decided to go with eggs benedict for my main as I wanted something savoury and comforting on the palette. This really hit the spot and tasted as delicious as it looked. The poached eggs weren't perfectly runny as I would have liked but I let it go as the rest of it was so tasty that it did not matter.

Rachel being pescatarian decided to go for the baked eggs with truffle mushrooms and walnut pesto. I loved the quirky touch of the pan that it was served in, to give it a rustic feel. This looked like a great option for those who like to avoid anything too heavy before lunchtime.

Brogan decided to go for the apple and cinnamon stuffed toast with candied walnuts which looked and smelt absolutely amazing! I can imagine that being the perfect brunch during the Christmas season as it definitely has a festive touch to it. I'm surprised I didn't ask to try some thinking about it now.

We were then privileged enough to make an alcoholic beverage mid morning with our own make your own bellini, which consisted of peach and prosecco. We added in a peach puree to a glass that had a slice of peach already in it and topped it with my favourite kind of bubbles. I thought it was delicious and would be great addition to your meal if you were with your girlfriends celebrating a birthday or new job.

I was personally too full to the brim with food to even comtemplate the dessert menu but it did all look so delicious. So while Rachel tucked into what looked like the best apple pie, ever we chatted all things blogging while we finished our bellinis and juices.

It was great to not feel rushed and to take all the time we needed to enjoy our experience, which is quite hard to find in a busy city like London where the turn around is so quick. I would definitely recommend this restaurant if your looking for a nice quiet spot to catch up with friends or family. It is right next to Vauxhall station, so no need to worry about rolling home after you have eaten yourself into a food coma.

Thank you to Danielle for inviting and organising this for us and to Counter for hosting the brunch. It really was the icing on the cake to a great weekend.

Happy Thursday everyone! The week is almost over and it will soon be time for lay ins, Christmas films and hot chocolate, I just cant wait....

Love Khrissie x

(All images are my own unless stated)

#Blogmas 2: Wrapping up for Christmas

 As Christmas approaching we are all rushing out to the shops to buy our friends and loved ones presents in the hope they are going to love them and have the best day full of laughter and happiness. One thing a lot of people forget is the wrapping of the gifts. Frantically searching in WHSmith and the like to find bargain wrapping paper in any assortment of colours and patterns, just to make sure your presents are kept a surprise for the big day.

 Now I'm an odd ball when it comes to this as wrapping is a big thing for me. I'm a designer, so of course I'm going to take pride in the design of the wrapping of the present as I feel it is just as important as having a wonderful gift on the inside. I'm a little bit of a control freak I know, I'm working on it.

Now this year I have gone for a different look to my presents! I was going to do the whole brown paper thing as I found some great double sided rolls in IKEA but on my second trip to the store in two weeks I found all these beauties. Paper, tags and ribbons all in gorgeous pastel hues with hints of copper! Its a Pinterest lovers dream and not too expensive either.

I LOVE how it all comes together with accents of different colours. All ice cold and wintery with a Swedish twist on them. The rolls of paper also came with a similar monochrome pattern too so that will be for the boys of the family.

 I then saw some mini glass baubles in Paperchase and decided they would go perfect with my theme. Perfectly complimenting the colours of the papers and tags where that touch of Christmas is needed. I think the whole styling of my wrapping this year has really come together and I couldn't be happier. Keep an eye on my social media for the final display of all the presents once they are wrapped. I can't remember where the heart pegs were from but I have a feeling I found them also in Paperchase last year.

I hope you have enjoyed day two of Blogmas and to see how I will be wrapping my presents this year. If you want to get your hands on any of this I would suggest going to the stores to buy it as there is always a lot more to offer than the websites at this time of year.

I will be putting together a Pinterest board here of some more inspiration for you incase this style isn't for you. Enjoy wrapping! It can be really fun and satisfying when the person receiving the gift is just as excited about it as you are.

Leave any comments below of things you would like to see this Blogmas
Love Khrissie xx

Blogmas #1: Christmas has arrived!

 I was thinking about stopping my blog for a bit and starting fresh in the new year. I've been ill with kidney stones and not feeling myself. It is the first of December as it is unlike me to not be in the spirit already, all day being a right moner until on my way home as I was passing through Waterloo station in London. They has a brass band that was playing Christmas songs, and that was it! I officially started to get excited and decided to try and blog everyday this month.

Its going to be posts of 24 things I am loving each day in the lead up until Christmas. I'm going to wing it and post on the day every day so I am really living in the moment...so here it goes!

Day 1 and it is time to put up the tree and some little decorations! Now this is something I will always do, even if I am doing it on my own because I really just enjoy it! The designer eye in me is never 100% satisfied with the outcome but I never will be.

One thing me and Nick have decided to do each year is buy a new tree decoration which symbolises us and this year, its a gooden.....

I mean how amazing is this! A pizza! Who ever thought of this is a genious and I love him/her a lot! Its from Paperchase by the way and you cant get it online so pop to your nearest store quick, its a keeper! Me and Nick do order quite a few dominos through the month, mainly Nick I would admit as I do prefer a stone baked pizza but our love for it is the same, non the less. So this is the year that we bonded over pizza! Sounds made but food is the key to a mans heart.

This was our decoration from last year. Love birds moving into their new home together! Plus it went with our white, silver and mint green theme of the year. This years has broken that but it will be nice over the years to collect decorations that mean something to us!

These are a few other bits I have around the living room. The snow globe is from when my friends went to New York and I have kept it ever since as I dream of going there, especially at Christmas.

Those crackled glasses are for candles. The burner is from Yankee Candles and the smaller one from ASDA, both using Christmas scent. The smaller glass has my candle in from my advent calendar today. Yankee 'Icicles' and it smells divine! Fresh but warming at the same time, that feeling you get when you catch the cold breeze of winter as your sitting indoors with a hot chocolate and a blanket. You can actually buy the Yankee Candle advent here for 50% off.

The last is a mint green and gold stag I got from Paperchase and I just love it! I love a woodland themed christmas and the white tree behind it really finishes it off nicely.

I hope you have had a wonderful first day of Christmas, enjoy your sleep and I'll see you tomorrow for more Christmas fun!!

Love Khrissie xxx

A glorious adventure...

I can tell you I am an avid traveller but in real life I'm not. I only dream of the places I want to see and visit, when I haven't actually been to many countries in my life time, as I had once wished.

It has now coming up to year since I took my trip of a lifetime around Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and its all I can think of. I have a huge desire to travel again, as I just loved the way it made me feel.

I felt free and the happiest I have ever been. I could have easily spent a few months travelling around with groups of like minded people like that and had the time of my life but the reality of paying rent, bills and having a job to pay them with slowly became apparent and so the trip I had always dreamed of had to come to an end. 

My mission in life still is to travel as much as I can. I am the worst at saving but I need to find a way to be savvier with money so I can fulfil my dreams! The one thing that keeps me going and that I can being home with me, is the food. The citrus aromas, the fresh spices and depth of flavour.

 I was lucky to experience a cooking lesson out there where I even surprised myself with my culinary skills. Given that the teacher we had was amazing and knew everything you would ever want to know when making a Thai meal. Now knowing what real Thai food tastes like I went in search of some options that I could find in the supermarket, that took me back to sitting in the Thai countryside and boating down the Mekong river with nothing but nature to look at.

 Soup is the one thing I got for this winter, especially for lunch and it is quick, easy and full of flavour that you need, plus it does a good job at warming you up on those chilly days. GLORIOUS Soup have an amazing range of soups, their main ones bringing you the exotic flavours of your favourite places. This is when I love in indulge in their Fragrant Thai Carrot soup on those times when I am dreaming of my own adventure. Infused with ginger, lemongrass and lime to give you that authentic taste, with an aroma to match.

Thailand has also has an array of amazing street food that you must try if you ever go, its a brilliant way to suck up the culture and experience what they have to offer first had. This is where the GLORIOUS Sunny Thai Chicken soup comes in with its hot and sour flavours, you cant help but be transported back to the beautiful sunshine.

Why don't you have an adventure with food too and enjoy the many wonderful flavours Glorious have to offer. Whether your keen on going to Mexico or staying close to home in the countryside of England, make sure you make every adventure a great one and experience everything that is on offer as memories last a lifetime so its worth taking the time to make them.

I hope you enjoyed my throw back post to Thailand. I'm off to plan how to save for my own adventures. Enjoy your week!

Khrissie x