Ascot’s Festival of Food and Wine Race Weekend with Lavazza Coffee

 

Last month Russell and I were invited to Ascot’s Festival of Food and Wine Race Weekend by Lavazza Coffee.

With more than 40 market stalls offering racegoers a unique day we spent our Saturday indulging in fabulous food alongside the final days of Ascot’s Flat season. 

 

 

 

Ascot is just a 50 minuet train ride from Waterloo station, with the race track just a 5 minuet walk from the train station.

 

We picked up our tickets at the entrance and headed straight to the The Furlong Club located in the King Edward VII enclosure for a coffee and cake overlooking the green.

 

Because the enclosure is upstairs it offers unsurpassed views of the action before, during and after each race. With seated balconies facing both the Parade Ring and Course offering shelter from the unpredictable British Weather the private bars, seating and atmosphere in the enclosure made the experience extra special. Being able to sit down to enjoy a leisurely drink and watch the horses ensured the long day in heels was comfortable, a God send I'm sure any lady who suffered at the mercy of her heels will appreciate.

 

 

As it is the premium enclosure at Ascot men are required to wear a jacket, a collared shirt and a tie. Russell decided to go all out, wearing a dusky purple suit which gained a lot of attention and compliments.

 

Women are encouraged to wear fascinators or hats - though it isn’t mandatory. I decided to make the most of the occasion and wear a small fascinator, as aside from weddings and Christenings there isn't much chance to wear one now-a-days.  

 

 

 

After meeting Yasmin and Matt, our companion adventure couple, we started to pick horses for the six races. We all really got into it and things got a little competitive - especially because Russell and I picked a winner for 5/6 races (pot luck, we promise!). 

Half way through the day we recharged our batteries with a very strong Lavazza Espresso Martini at the Bit and Bridle bar and made our way around the many food stalls downstairs.

 

Although the weather wasn't on our side the day was the most fun we've had in a long long time, and we can't wait to book tickets next year!

If you've never been to the races before give it a go! Trains run regularly from Waterloo and it's a great excuse to get dressed up - you never know, you might win a few races and get hooked like us. 
 

Vertigo Adventures High Ropes Review

A few weeks ago the family and I were invited to try out the new Vertigo Adventures in Welwyn Garden City, and what a thrill it was!

 

Offering both high- and low-ropes courses alongside zip-wire action, breath taking plunges and daring challenges the new course is set test even the bravest of thrill seekers. 

 

 

We started on the Monkey Trail which is 10ft tall. This can be used by anyone aged five and above, so doesn't sound too tricky, but with nine elements to tackle, from Sky Islands to Twin Tube Tunnels, there’s a variety of challenges for little monkeys to conquer.

 

I have to admit this course was probably the trickiest of them all as it takes some time to get used to the height - 10ft doesn't sound like much, but when you're up there and the wind picks up it can be pretty nerve racking!

 

  

We then headed to the Hawks View which stands over 40ft high giving you a bird’s-eye view of 126 acres of parkland the course is situated in.

 

The course includes a Trapeze Walk and even zip line - I have to say after the first two obstacles I lost my nerve and shuffled back to the main platform (I didn't realise the course so much upper body strength!), but the rest of my family continued and said it was a real adrenaline rush).

SUCH a fun day at Vertigo Adventures - we got to climb on the high ropes, zoom down a zip wire, clamber up rock walls and jump off platforms ✨

A video posted by Charlotte Clarke | London Blog (@charaimeeclarke) on Aug 28, 2016 at 1:35pm PDT

Next we got to Plummit from the Summit by taking  a leap of faith on the powerfan, which was ridiculously fun and turned my legs to jelly. We had to step off the platform just like a bungee jump, which really tested our nerve. This was (in my opinion) the best activity of the day, and looking back I wish I had done it again as the first time it flashed.

 

Next was Flying Fox, a 50m-long zip from the top of the tower, which was fun but slightly overshadowed by the thrill of the Plummit we had experienced just before. 

 

 

 

We ended the day with a very competitive Crazy Climb to see how far we could ascend to the tower before abseiling back down to earth.

Vertigo Adventures is open from 9am to 5pm peak season and during school holidays, and 10am to 3pmin winter. Packages will be available for either one element of the course, or mix-and-match to include all five. As it's only a 20 min train from Kings Cross and set in such a lovely setting, I'd thoroughly recommend the activity course as a fun family day out.

The Sticky Bundits | Sushi Burger

A few weeks ago I whizzed to London Bridge on my lunch break to enjoy a treat with Tabl. Hosted by The Urban Kitchen and Sticky Bundits, my mid-week lunch was filled with new and exciting tastes.

I arrived at the venue hot and flustered on a rather humid day, so was happy to be greeted with a cold birch water and refreshing salad of Asian-Pickled vegetable salad with smoked trout and Thai basil. 

As I had to scoot off and get back to work the lovely guys behind Sticky Bundits whipped up their signature sushi burger for me 'to go'. The concept of a sushi burger (two 'buns' of griddled sushi rice filled with deliciousness) was completely new to me, but there was no doubt in my mind that the dish would be delicious - and it was.  

I chose the 'Okonomi-Yummy', which is a seasoned chicken thigh with a moreish sweet and smoky sauce, pickled ginger, red cabbage, kewpie mayonnaise and a sprinkle of seaweed. 

I hastily made my way back to the office whilst attempting to eat the burger without dropping a morsel. All I can say is WOW. The chicken was so juicy and the sweet and savoury flavours of the rice, sauces and cabbage gave such an interesting flavour combination - it was like nothing I've ever eaten before.

If you'd like to try a sushi burger yourself then pop down to Lower Marsh market on Thursdays or Fridays or catch them at Maltby Street Market on Saturdays. 

Photo Diary | Old And New

To continue my attempt to post weekly photo diaries including snaps old and new, here's the latest addition. 

 

Last week I attended the River Island AW16 press day and indulged in the most calorific milkshake I've ever laid eyes on. Complete with pretzels, doughnuts and whipped cream, freak shakes are set to hit London this summer and be the next big foodie craze.

  

Round the corner from me at work is Hixter Bankside. They offer a great value early bird menu that includes the best steak tartare I've ever eaten. Their chips weirdly and wonderfully taste of chicken, too - if you're in the area treat yourself to lunch and you wont be disappointed. 

 

Nik and Kix are my new obsession. It's a non-alcoholic drink which isn't fizzy (soft drink fans rejoice) which also includes cayenne pepper offering a satisfying kick after every sip. The peach and vanilla is my personal favourite - I've been told it makes an interesting twist on a Bellini when mixed with Prosecco.

 

One of my favourite food brands, The Black Farmer, has released a sweet mature cheddar cheese, and boy is it wonderful! It has the depth of flavour you would expect from a mature cheese with a delicious sweet finish. It's unlike anything I've ever tasted before and slightly addictive - you've been warned (FYI, I wasn't a fan of the Stag Crackers despite their Best Taste award). 

At a press day last week I was gifted this sweet silk Morse code bracelet featuring the word 'luck'. Hand crafted by Minimalist Me Design, it's perfect for every day wear and would be very well received as a thoughtful gift.

 

British rhubarb season is upon us, and as it's the only thing ready to harvest on my allotment we've been stewing up an abundance in our kitchen. Our favourite mix so far is with lavender and vanilla bean paste - the smell it emits is scrumptious! 

Photo Diary: Past and Present

 

I often have lots of little goings-on which I want to mention on the blog but don't have enough to say to dedicate a post to. 

So over the next few week's I'll be posting a series of photo diaries including pictures old and new to ensure these little snippets aren't lost forever. 

Hope you enjoy.

 

Last month I attended an event hosted by Tabl, the iconic supper club website, where I enjoyed a rather amazing G&T from Brighton Gin. Distilled by the seaside and served with a stick of rock that slowly turned the drink a deep ocean blue, expect fresh orange and classic juniper notes from this small batch spirit. 

Monday 18th marked the 97th birthday of my nephew's Great Great Grandma Rose. Armed with a bouquet of red and white roses (obviously) we visited her to wish a very happy birthday along with copious bars of fancy soap and tubs of jellied eels. 

This little gadget was delivered to my home on Friday, and what good timing it was! This hand blow glass bauble is a wine aerator; it blasts oxygen into your wine meaning there's no need to decant it - genius! Full review to follow soon.

 

I have to admit, I'm not a massive Tesco fan, but lately they've been selling some killer plants! The Aloe Vera in the header picture and above succulent planter were both purchased during the last week in their Epping store at really reasonable prices. M&S and Ikea, watch out!

   

It's that time of the year where we receive the occasional bright spell to start enjoying the garden, or allotment, again. We've been hard at work with the in-laws to get our plot up to scratch again, and although it's been a cold start to the year I've managed to harvest the first of the rhubarb - many crumbles and cordials to come. 

 

A few weeks ago we treated our nephew Riley to a spot of breakfast whilst we picked our Grand National horses in order to place our only bet of the year. Riley seemed pretty interested in the paper and kept pointing to a jockey with a star on his jersey. We decided to place a small bet on his behalf and you'll never believe it... he only went and won with Rule the World! Looks like the little chap will be enjoying another term of swimming lessons with his winnings.

 

Earlier this month I attended the studio showcase of RISE by Chrysalis London and was totally memorised by the sheer talent the dancers. You can read my review article on Unmissable here.

 

It's always hard finding a good cup of Chai, but local independent coffee shop Dada in Epping has got the formula down to a T. If you can manage to get a table in the tiny premises their drinks come complete with a drink of pretty pink dried raspberries - delicious.

Up at the O2 | Review

 

Fancy becoming an urban mountaineer for the day, climbing 52m above London kitted out in a climb suit, boots and harness? Of course you do!

A few weeks ago Russell and I did just that after being invited to review the Up at the O2 experience. There’s no lift, no escalator, and no-one to carry you (unfortunately). This is an experience that gets your blood pumping, your head in the great outdoors and blows away the cobwebs.

The exhilarating 90 minute experience sees you ascend all the way to the top of The O2 on a fabric walkway suspended 2m above the surface of The O2 roof (52m above ground level and 380m long).

Before setting off on our adventure we were fully briefed about our 'expedition' at the 'base camp' and issued with our climbing gear - don't worry about footwear as they provide you with boots, (make sure you bring spear socks) or a coat as you're issues with a very flattering climbing suit.

We were also given a harness and safety latch which attaches you to the cable system that runs along the full length of the walkway. I must admit this damped my experience as you need to wiggle it through safety points every few meters which was rather fiddly when you're walking up a steep incline on a bouncy walkway - I couldn't help thinking that the must be an easier system out there!

 

 

 

The walkway is pretty steep at points with an incline of 28° on the way up and 30° on the way back down; their website explains you will 'require a little physical exertion' but I was completely puffed out after the initial incline! That might be due to the massive lunch I had just devoured...

However, the stunning reward for your efforts when you reach the observation platform makes the short but steep climb worth it. You're detached from the cable system and free to walk around to take in the spectacular 360 degree panorama views.

  

With views of Canary Wharf to Wembley Stadium and the QE2 Bridge, it's a totally different way to see London. Being outside we felt connected to our surroundings compared to inside a glass building, and being at the O2 there was plenty to do after our climb finished.