The Best Pick-Me-Up Lunch @ Free Range People, Neal's Yard, Covent Garden

A bit of a departure from my usual "Have a good weekend" posts, but I found this great little place yesterday and just had to share! It's funny how delicious food and a change of scenery can instantly boost your mood. And after the week I've had (the fraud stuff was still plaguing me yesterday, after I spent an hour on the phone to my bank at 6:00 a.m. yesterday in tears)? I decided to treat myself to a nice lunch. Instead of heading to our usual Pret, where we sit in the basement and intensely re-hash our work morning over Diet Cokes and uninspiring salads, Caroline and I stopped into Neal's Yard in Covent Garden, hoping to get a table at Homeslice (possibly my favorite place for pizza in London).

Of course, Homeslice was full and I didn't feel like having porridge (the UK equivalent of oatmeal) for lunch at 26 Grains (although I might be singing a different tune come winter) so we grabbed a seat in Free Range People - a new cafe serving Monmouth Coffee and an array of freshly-baked, scrumptious pastries and sandwiches with a blink-and-you'll-miss-it unassuming exterior.

Inside, a couple of lone freelancers looked up blankly as we walked in, Macbooks plugged in and flat whites by their sides. We decided to have a no-holds-barred kind of lunch, both ogling the selection of cakes (the plum tart looked enticing but I bullied Caroline into the Bakewell instead - my favorite) and the sandwiches (we went for the chicken, spinach, and pesto).

"I kind of feel like having hot chocolate," Caroline said, and I agreed. It'd recently turned cold outside and a hot chocolate at lunch seemed like the perfect treat.

I'm so glad I grabbed that hot chocolate because it was one of the best I've had in a long while. Instead of powdery, bitter tasting chocolate mix that pools in a horrible clump of gunk at the bottom of your cup (hi, Pret!), this tasted like real, thick drinking chocolate - properly mixed into a steaming hot cup of milk. The kind of hot chocolate someone would make in a pot over the stove.

So we sat and chatted about leather backpacks instead of work, and this was our view:

I've forgotten how pretty and bright and colorful Neal's Yard is. These days, unless I'm angling for an early seat at Homeslice, I tend to avoid it because, well, when you've worked in the same area for 8 years, you forget the magic of simply wandering and tend to head straight for places that are a part of your routine.

After our lovely lunch, we stopped into Neal's Yard Remedies for a quick browse before heading back to the office. But instead of feeling weighed down, or sleepy, or restless (which I often feel after lunch), I felt energized, more awake, and ... generally happier.

So. My advice? Treat yourself to that occasional nice lunch in that nice little area you forget about. It's so worth it.

And ... happy Friday!

Shop Indie, Shop Monday Monday

Mondays, eh? I basically had one of the worst ones ever this week after waking to text from my bank alerting me that someone had gotten a hold of my debit card details and used them for a number of transactions. By the time I'd arrived to work? My entire account had been cleared. Like, zilch.

Then, on the way back from an extremely frustrating encounter at the bank (following an extremely frustrating 45-minute conversation with their customer service on the phone), the elastic laces on my shoes snapped - leaving them twanging about on one shoe as I slapped down the pavement in Bloomsbury like a deranged (and enraged), I don't know, half-shoe person.

So, yeah. That Monday wasn't the best.

But something that's made Mondays infinitely better is the launch of my gal pal (and ex-expat) Robin Reetz's online store, Monday Monday - showcasing the best from the independent fashion and design community.

Each Monday, erm, Monday Monday launches a new sale with an emerging designer. Every sale is a limited edition run, so while you're encouraged to shop slow, you're also getting a special, beautiful piece that you won't see on everyone else. Plus, you get a sneak peek behind the brand in the form of a mini Q&A with the maker/designer - it's like browsing a shop and chatting to the store owner. Except online (which I prefer because I'm socially awkward).

A couple of weeks ago, it was this Modern Short breton-striped tee from KULE in NYC (as beautifully modelled by Robin herself - isn't she stunning?!):

And last week, it was this simple but impactful Ring Lariat Necklace by Kari Breitigam:

At the minute, Monday Monday doesn't ship internationally (SORT IT OUT, ROBIN!) but there's free shipping to the U.S. So, all you American friends (or Brits with American friends with American zip codes) can take advantage of the 15% off discount code JAIMELOVESMONDAYS (heh, ironic!) - valid until November 2nd!

Check in with Monday Monday every ... Monday. They'll be your new favorite - I promise.

All photos by D Watterson III. Tee and necklace modelled by Robin Reetz.

Sandwiches & Tea With a Vintage Twist @ Hillman's Tea Room, Walthamstow

A few weekends ago, before I set off on my mission to find the Wood Street Walls murals in Walthamstow, John and I stopped for some lunch at Hillman's Tea Room.

Located in Wood Street's delightful Georgian Village, it's a fantastic little place for afternoon tea and - as John pointed out - the perfect place to take a book to read in a corner with a slice of cake.

I fell in love with its charming 1930s/1940s decor, complete with an antique black and white television and beautiful vintage plates and tea sets (which are also available for sale!). Attention has been given to every little detail in the tearoom: from the vintage boardgames that were strategically placed near our feet to the pretty floral paper adorning the walls.

In many ways, Hillman's reminded me of some of the lovely, unpretentious tearooms up in York that served nothing but good, strong tea and slice after slice of comforting cake. Tucked away in this little pocket of Walthamstow, it felt like a wonderful secret - but one I'd love to share with friends.

I mean, just look at this teapot and cup and saucer! So. Sweet.

Mostly? The food at Hillman's completely won me over. Our triple-decker chicken and avocado toasted sandwiches arrived piping hot (just the way I like it!) and were served with a delicious side salad drizzled with a sweet balsamic dressing.

As I wolfed down my sandwich, I already had my eye on the cakes (I was particularly "hangry" that day) and was pleased to see that Hillman's also offered gluten-free and vegan options - perfect for a potential meet-up with my friend Laura (who writes the amazing vegan-for-non-vegans blog, The Whole Ingredient and lives just a stone's throw away from me).

On the day we visited, the shelves were filled with enticing jars of fluffy meringues and freshly baked cookies plus cake stands that featured a gluten-free Victoria sponge, vegan banana cake, carrot cake, and a beautiful tart. Honestly? The hardest decision I had to make that day.

In the end, we opted for a slice of the Victoria sponge and a pot of English Breakfast (for me) and carrot cake and with a pot of Lapsang Souchong (for John).

The cakes were divine. The loose-leaf tea was even better: it's sourced from Scotland, apparently.

Wherever it comes from, I have  to get my hands on that English Breakfast blend. I've never had better (and I've been to my fair share of afternoon teas - both fancy and low key!).

So, if you're ever up my way, think about dropping into Hillman's. Mostly, I'm just excited about a place within walking distance from our new house that serves such amazing food and tea. Heck, I'd just go back for some toast! The pretty crockery and lovely atmosphere? Icing on the cake.

Hillman’s Tearoom is located at The Georgian Village, 100 Wood Street, Walthamstow, London E17 3HX. Gluten-free and vegan afternoon teas are available to book in advance: +44 (0)7742 436995.

Have an Autumnal Weekend

Happy Friday, folks. What are you up to this weekend?

The leaves have finally started turning here in London and I'm anxious to get out into the countryside to go for a long, muddy walk. The American in me never thought I would ever utter those words. But there you go.

I'm looking forward to staying in tonight and eagerly awaiting our newest delivery from Heal's tomorrow morning (so excited!) before heading up to Leicester to watch Argentina vs. Namibia (go Namibia!) in the Rugby World Cup. John might be just a tad more excited than I am about that last bit, but I'm sure it's going to be a terrific atmosphere.

Have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are.

Travel Link-Up: Blog Addicts Anonymous (AKA When Blogging Ruins Your Ability To Just ... Enjoy The Moment)

I love blogging. I really do. I love sharing my experiences with you in real time on social media and reflecting on a memorable meal or trip or a particularly good sunset (or sunrise!) with you on here.

But sometimes, just sometimes - I wish I could resist my desire to share so much. Particularly during my travels.

And it's not even that I want to keep those moments "private". Rather, I want to keep them special. In sharing those moments, they lose a bit of their magic. In the rush to share, I lose focus and clarity of being in the moment. Of being present.

When we discovered this view from our suite at the River House in Balapitiya, Sri Lanka, it wasn't my husband I wanted to share the moment with ... it was my iPhone.

I look back at that moment with a lot of regret and - some shame. Because behind the very act of sharing (or the desire to share) this photo and other moments like it was a bit (or a lot) of narcissism, no? This is something I'm painfully aware of every time I click "publish" or "post" or "tweet". And yet I still do it.

But at the same time, I see my blog as a wonderful catalogue of my journey here in London (and beyond). It doesn't stray too far from my original intention back in 2010: to highlight the best and worst parts about living abroad. I still do that (best: ALL the adventures; worst: ALL the homesickness). I've never kept anything as detailed (with photographic evidence!) as this record of my memories since my small, spiral-notebook diary that I wrote in aged 7 (my foodie tendencies started at an early age, when I liked to record what we had or where we went for dinner).

And now, if I want to revisit the thrill of weaving through the busy streets of Hanoi on the back of a moped or the sensation of sinking my teeth into a gelato-filled brioche bun in Sicily or the hot, sticky heat of the Sri Lankan jungle, I can click on a link, read my words and look at my photos - and experience it all over again.

That sounded narcissistic too, I know. But it's the pleasure and joy of revisiting memories that makes me excited for the next adventure. Then ultimately, I remember why I'm blogging in the first place: for me.

Perhaps it's selfish - in a good way.

Going forward (as they say in horrible "office speak"), I'd love to make a conscious effort to limit the time I spend snapping photos and uploading them to Instagram when I travel. A friend suggested that I simply reserve the "first half" of each day for social media/blog-free activities - which I think is a great idea.

If you're a blogger, how do you limit the amount of time you're on social media? Or thinking of possible ideas for your blog? How do you keep moments special and enjoy them for what they are, instead of how they'll translate to your readers?

This month's travel link-up was hosted by Rebecca, Emma, Kelly, and Anna. Head over to their blogs to read more about their erm, blogging addiction!

Yonder.Living's Beautiful, Travel-Inspired Homeware

If you follow me on Instagram, then you'll know that I'm a huge fan of indie homeware retailer YONDER.living's travel-inspired home decor - their Pebble Stripe Pom-Pom blanket is often found in the background of my photos, with the matching Pom-Pom cushion just in sight! I love their neon storage pots, but I also fantasize about throwing out all the mismatched mugs in our kitchen and replacing them with Yonder's beautiful Colombo cups - handmade in Sri Lanka and a terrific reminder of our trip there earlier this year.

From their brightly colored Kilim cushions (created from vintage 1970s Kilim rugs) to their oversized pom-pom blankets (handmade in the Atlas mountains), it's clear that the creators of Yonder, Phoebe and Sophia, have given a lot of thought to their store's beautifully and intelligently curated aesthetic.

I was curious to know a little bit more about Phoebe and Sophia's travels, the inspiration behind Yonder's products, and the process behind sourcing the items they decide to feature in their store (they work with local artisans and makers to produce each piece!).

Here's what they had to say when I asked:

Phoebe and Sophia, I absolutely love your store! Tell me a little more about it - what inspired you to start Yonder?

Phoebe: Yonder was launched earlier this year, with the view of creating a store that allows people to bring some of our favourite finds from around the world into their homes. With a strong focus on handmade and artisan products we celebrate the uniqueness in these pieces. Travel is so much a part of Yonder and has been key to developing our eclectic style, drawing inspiration and ideas from so many different places we have visited and explored.

Sophia: Long before we had even launched Yonder, I would always love exploring the local flea markets and handcraft districts of everywhere we visited. It soon became a tradition to bring back one item for our home from everywhere we visited (our travels), from chopping boards to coffee cups to hand-painted figurines. I once carried across India, for two months, a beautiful (and very large) handmade rug in my backpack, because I just so happened to fall head over heels in love with it on the first week of arriving. The result of such madness is we now have a home filled with some very special items that tell various story of our different adventures. While I would always advocate everyone to travel as much as they can, Yonder will hopefully also allow people to fill their own homes with pieces from the far corners of the globe, without having to scour the globe themselves get them!

You both have a terrific eye for great design and beautifully curated products. What are your backgrounds and what were you doing before you founded Yonder.?

Phoebe: I had recently graduated from Central St. Martins, having studied Textile Design, when I decided that I wanted to pursue my ambition to own my own company and to set up Yonder. Having always had a strong passion for design, colour, interiors & travel, Yonder seemed to evolve organically for me as what I wanted to do.

Sophia: I have always had a strong interest in all areas of product design, specifically interiors and I think a real turning point was probably when my husband and I bought our home. I was finally able to apply my personal style to it, unpack and display all of the items we had collected over time for our ‘future home’ from places we had visited.

I know that Yonder is hugely influenced by your worldwide travels - I loved your recent photos from Sri Lanka, one of my favourite destinations! What's the one country you've been to that you can't get out of your head? The one that pulled on your heartstrings and wouldn't let go?

Phoebe: Both of us have been to our fair share of places between us, however the place that I think will always remain special to both of us, but especially me, is Morocco. Having first visited about 10 years ago, I can still remember the atmospheric scenes across Jemaa el Fna square in my first night in Marrakesh. The smells, sounds and smoke billowing across the pastel sky from the dozens of food stalls, snake charmers, groups of story tellers huddled under umbrellas and of course the freshly pressed orange juice!  It was all just all so different from anywhere else I had been before, all so totally exotic! Since that first trip it is now a place that we both know very well, and while we it may be much more familiar, it never ceases to inspire and surprise me.

Sophia: Yes, Morocco certainly has a special place in both of our hearts, (especially Phoebe who knows the souks like the back of her hand!), but one place that really has stayed with me was Iceland. I am secretly a bit of a nature nerd and the landscape there was totally awe inspiring, especially in the depths of winter when I was out there. I will never forget the almost otherworldly surrounding of the Blue Lagoon, watching the sky turn black over the endless snow covered mountains. I also love the way that folklore and traditions are so commonplace within day to day life; one morning I found myself caught up in a totally legitimate and serious protest against roadworks taking place because the area was known to be inhabited by Elves.

I also know that you work directly with artists and makers, which is wonderful and so rare to find these days. Can you tell me more about this process?

Phoebe: Yes of course, we are very proud of the handmade process that go into our products. We love nothing more than seeking out and building relationships with local makers in the countries we visit. For [our Pom-Pom blankets and Pom-Pom Cushions] we actually work with a team of makers, spanning two generations, with both father and son adding their own specific skill! Firstly the cotton or wool is coloured by hand using natural dyes and then hung out in the heat of sun to dry before being spun onto bobbins. Each blanket can then take up to 3 days for 2 men to weave, depending on size, using very large traditional wooden looms. The Pom-Poms are then each individually handmade and attached to finish.

Sophia: Most of the makers and artisans we work with are teams made up of family members, which we think also adds something special to process.

Your Instagram feed is stunning [seriously - go check it out!] - you sure have a knack for finding beauty in everything around you. Where do you get your inspiration from?

Phoebe: Thank you! We try hard to keep our followers inspired, and give them sneak peaks of all of our new products as and when we source or develop them. The running theme throughout our feed has always been travel, of course, but we always try to post little snippets of things that inspire us in day to day life as well as snaps from our travels!

Sophia: Although I have to admit we sometimes find it hard to remember to photograph things when we are away! We always get so totally wrapped up in where we are and what were doing and then suddenly it’s like ‘Oh wait! Photograph that! Instagram!’

Phoebe: We also love nothing more than seeing pictures from happy customers and how they’ve styled their Yonder purchases in their own homes! We always share these pics with our followers!

Thank you for this in-depth peek into Yonder, Phoebe and Sophia! 

I hope you get a chance to browse Yonder's beautiful online shop, and that you'll fall in love with it as much as I have! As a special treat, Angloyankophile readers will receive 15% off the Pom-Pom blankets and cushions - just use the code ANGLOYANKxYONDER  - enjoy! The code expires at midnight on 30th October 2015, so get your shop on!

Have a Cheerful Weekend.

Have a cheerful weekend, folks. What are you up to?

It's been a tough week for me and (despite not wanting to wish my life away) I'm glad that it's over. A kind and thoughtful friend who's been staying with me gave me this beautiful autumnal bouquet - isn't it gorgeous?

This weekend, I'm looking forward to relaxing with friends, welcoming John back like an over-excited-puppy-keeping-watch-out-the-window, practising yoga, and brunching with bloggers RunawayKiwi, AdventuresofaLondonKiwi, WhyWasteAnnualLeave (great travel blog name!), and SilverSpoonLondon.

I hope that you're enjoying the Fall weather, wherever you're reading this from!