The Joy of Sunday

When I was little Sundays were much the same every week: church in the morning, then the six of us gathering round the dining room table for a roast, followed by my mum's apple crumble or magic chocolate pudding. Once lunch had settled it was quiet time for an hour with our 20p mix-up sweets while my parents read the newspaper. My brother, sisters and I twiddled our thumbs, waiting for play-time to resume. Not that there was ever much play on a Sunday, anyway. Sometimes we'd go to the beach for a walk, but usually it was Songs of Praise and a slow evening with eggy bread for tea, a bath and watching Ballykissangel on the telly. Sundays used to be very... Sunday. But despite their monotony, Sundays were always comfortable and focused heavily on food, which can only be a good thing.

Before you get married and have children you have your twenties – a period of time I never anticipated until I was in the middle of it. Now, at 25, my friends are my family and these Sundays are the best ones I've had since I was six, sitting cross-legged in the fire-lit living room with a glass of milk and a biscuit while my sister plaited my hair.

There is something different about every Sunday now, but my favourites are those spent with my closest friends, catching up on each other's weeks and what we hope for the next one over baked goods.

Last Sunday's spread – brown butter banana muffins, chocolate chip cookies and blackberry and plum crumble cake – was enough to stir up all the memories of Sundays past. Balancing moments of reflection and being present helps me to be thankful for everything I have right here, right now.

Sunday food is indulgent and filling, particularly in winter but other seasons enjoy the abundance of it, too. While we warm up with cups of coffee and tea in February, ice cold glasses of milk and iced tea keep us cool in June. Baked goods work all year round, and so does great company. How do you like to spend your Sundays?

Lessons of 2017

Has anyone else spent the last week planning their 2018 bullet journal spreads/new year diary? This in between Christmas and New Year is a time for relaxation and reflection for me: sleeping in til whenever, doing yoga, taking naps, writing, reading, grazing on chocolate and crisps throughout the day... Nothing dissimilar to what most other people do, but it's the kind of self-care I live for – to not know what day it is, to be slow and self-indulgent. And while the anticipation for 2018 is building, I'm relishing in this week that has passed – reflecting and realising all the lessons I've learnt this year.

2017 has been a year of friendship and letting go. I drifted from some old friends and established and nurtured new ones. I let go of some things that had been holding me back, as well as smaller things like books and hobbies that just needed to go.

Some good gin at @themallclifton relaunch 🌟 . . #lbloggers #fdbloggers #clifton #igersbristol #bristol247 #livebristol #thursdayfun #thursdayevening #bristolbloggers #bristolfood #ginandtonic #frands

A post shared by Naomi (@wnwrote) on Apr 6, 2017 at 11:02am PDT

Adulthood really began for me when I moved to Bristol two years ago. Since then I have been blessed with so many rich friendships I can't even begin to tell you how much they make my life. I realised this year that when you grow up and move out of your parents' home your friends become your family. No one promises you a husband, wife or children, but wherever you go there will always be friends.

Fun in the sun w my number 1 hun 💖😚 . . #bestfrands #bff #swoon #because #fdbloggers #lbloggers #bristol247 #bristolfood #bristolbloggers #igersbristol #livebristol #thelmaandlouise

A post shared by Naomi (@wnwrote) on Apr 8, 2017 at 2:10pm PDT

Through bad mental health days and breakups, new jobs and promotions, I learnt to focus on my friendships. I have laughed more, loved more, experienced more with my friends than I ever thought possible this year. A lesson learnt from 2017 and one I will carry into 2018 is to invest in my friendships and love them like my family. I never thought I would make some of my best friends after uni, after school, or that the best times of my life would occur beyond this safe period but this revelation makes it all the more enjoyable. 

Friday night w my main gal @emsains 👭🤳🏻💋

A post shared by Naomi (@wnwrote) on Jan 15, 2017 at 9:44am PST

If something doesn't make you happy or helps others, why are you doing it? This is a question I ask myself to regain perspective (my word for the year) and refocus my priorities when I'm feeling dissatisifed. Letting go of things that weren't making me happy or serving any helpful purpose was another lesson I learnt this year. I let go of books I couldn't finish, TV shows I didn't like, running long distance, clothes I didn't wear, time I was wasting, all in favour of things that made me happy or helped others: reading cookery books and magazines, starting yoga, volunteering, visiting family. I started filling in my Happiness Planner (highly recommend getting one!), my bullet journal and dedicating more time to God. As a result, I feel much more content, grounded and confident in myself than I did a year ago, and for that I am so thankful.

Did you learn any lessons this year? I'd love to know what you've discovered or let go of, and what you hope for 2018!

Sunday Brunch at Primrose Cafe – Bristol

Sunday brunch – it can't be beat. After our autumnal stroll, Em and I met Sian at Primrose Cafe in Clifton for something to eat.

Everyone in Bristol raves about this place, and now I can too. (I'm really starting to feel like I belong here, can you tell?) From the outside it doesn't look like anything special, but what's inside makes up for that.

Not only is the decor lovely – gold stars painted on the ceiling, a giant clock telling the wrong time and a teeny tiny bar – the food is absolutely fantastic.

If there's bacon and maple syrup on a brunch menu, I'm ordering it. This waffle was so worth the wait (the only downside to ordering at peak brunch time). I don't think I've ever had one homemade before but I could definitely taste the difference after many disappointing shop bought varieties. It was soft, buttery and slightly crisp on the ridges. With the bacon and maple syrup it was just the perfect brunch dish... I could have eaten another.

Em and Sian both ordered slices of the coconut and lime cake (it was amazing) and two pots of tea. It was an all-round delicious visit and I will most definitely be going back! 

What a treat to spend a Sunday afternoon with two beauties, enjoying some tasty homemade food. Didn't I say weekends are my favourite? Find out more about Primrose Cafe here.

Autumn in Bristol

Since moving to Bristol, weekends have become that bit more special. This is my kind of city: roads lined with trees slowly shedding their amber leaves, the fading feeling of newness, the beginning of belonging. A city which I have always been drawn to, one in which I am establishing friendships and a home.

Em was my model last Sunday. The night before we dip dyed her hair and I am so impressed with the result – it blended well and looks so natural. 

What a beautiful muse for my annual autumn post. Where's your favourite spot for crunchy leaves and colourful trees? Check out my post on autumn from last year – set in stunning Cheltenham – here!

The Character of Change

Queuing up for coffee at Momentum this summer

Every now and again, something happens to disrupt the flow of your life. There's no reason or rhyme to the habit of change, but it happens to everyone. We all respond differently to old things ending and new things beginning, but what unsettles me – and I'm sure many others – is that moment when it suddenly hits you out of nowhere – that, oh, this really is happening.

Homemade chicken nuggets for my final meal at home

No matter how hard I try, I am never ready. I moved out of my parents' last weekend and leading up to it I planned everything to the very last tassel on my new cushion covers – ones I didn't even buy. I wrote lists of things I needed for my new home. I counted down the days until my last day at work – something I had been thinking about for a long time, and when it happened, it happened so fast that there were people to whom I didn't even say goodbye.

Banoffee pie for pudding :)

We rarely live in the moment. I said goodbye to Anna like I was going to see her next week. As soon as I walked out of the door I felt a loss. I got into my car and I thought of all the times we drove up to Tesco on our lunch break. All the times we walked to the shop, made tea, made first second and third breakfasts, talked about wanting to move on, laughed about stupid things we'd said or done, sending each other Buzzfeed links – all so banal at the time. But not now. A few minutes' break in the kitchen at work with a friend was a solace I'll now have to find elsewhere. 

All moved in and not at all unpacked.

The feeling hit me again in Ikea on the day of the move. I was eighteen, saying goodbye to my mum in halls and crying my eyes out in front of a group of strangers, but I didn't care. I had to get that sick knot out of my stomach, and crying usually does the trick. I knew the fear was irrational, but depression and anxiety are always looming, loneliness and isolation and abandonment – all triggered by change.

Peanut butter treats - the ultimate comfort food

So what's the solution to all of this? I think it's a reassurance in yourself and where you are. It's needed to keep your feet on the ground. I find that in friends and family, near and far, and, most importantly, my faith.

If you feel in your heart that what you're doing is right, that funny feeling in your tummy will pass. All the scary bits and pieces will become smaller and change won't seem so bad after all. I think, ultimately, that the more change you embrace, the easier it gets. 

What do you think? How do you cope with change? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @hello_flower

The Breakfast Club – London Bridge

Up, make up done and on the tube by 8.30am on a Saturday? Not something I would do if it weren't for the promise of breakfast. As you well know, it's my favourite meal – I especially love going out to enjoy it – but I had heard of long queues for The Breakfast Club, and I knew I had to get there early.

I had wanted to go here for so long, and much like my visit to Bone Daddies the night before, it was worth the wait, and the very early start.

 

I met Iesha, my friend from university, just after 9 o'clock when London was still waking up. If you ever want to really see the city, it's early on a Saturday morning when the paths are clear and architecture is unobstructed. 

I found The Breakfast Club – just a short walk from London Bridge tube station – and was seated straight away. I soaked up the rare treat that is a Saturday spent in a new place with an old friend, enjoying good food and coffee.

I have a habit of knowing what I'm going to order before I properly consider everything on the menu, but Iesha took a bit longer deciding. In the end we both ordered the pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, and what came was the biggest stack of pancakes I had seen since I went to New York in 2009.

Four huge fluffy pancakes piled high, drenched in maple syrup and lots of crispy bacon on top with a dusting of icing sugar. The serving was undoubtedly generous, which was welcome considering we paid £8.50 each, and it filled us up, ready for the day.

The only criticism I have is that the maple syrup wasn't served on the side – I like pouring it myself – and that the bacon was a little bit too crispy – hard, almost. Having said that, I wouldn't hesitate to go back here and try something else on the menu. There is an enormous amount to choose from and that's always a good thing in my books.

Have you been to The Breakfast Club? Where's your favourite place to go for breakfast?

You make me brave – Momentum 2014

Last year I had a wake up call. 

When everything in your life changes – the norm gets taken away from you, and a black wave of depression sucks you into its deep, dark mass – there feels as if there's no escape.

But I found one. And it wasn't through 'finding myself', or going travelling, or getting a boyfriend, or partying and having a good time with people, or doing what I wanted to do, or what I thought I should be doing.

My way back to life was through Jesus. He brought me back from the darkness and things are slowly getting clearer, lighter. When I thought I knew what made me happy, when I thought that my ideas were better than His, I was actually bolting towards this inevitable drop, where I would be faced with all the weaknesses I knew were bubbling up underneath my 'know-it-all' surface.

It was a huge shock, and one I didn't know how to deal with. I was depressed, lost, alone and absolutely no one knew what I was going through, I was sure of it. But in hindsight, it's easier to change that perspective. At the time it was a huge struggle.

I remember my best friend, Bethan, asking me if I wanted to go to Momentum last year, but I was visiting my Grandpa in Scotland. Even then I knew it would be good for me to go – to get back on the right track. It took a lot of persuading for me to realise I needed God back in my life, but one day I just decided it was the right thing and I started going to church again, to life group, rebuilding my faith. It really was a, I-woke-up-one-day-and-changed-my-mind, sort of thing. Or maybe God did,



You might remember I had some time off work in August, and it was the most relaxing break – just perfect. Having time off from your usual routine gives you a chance to just live, not worry about being on time or looking smart or meeting deadlines. All of that can get in the way of God, so it was a good time to go to Momentum, and this year I arranged to visit family in Scotland in July, so I was able to go, and I had the best time. I met up with two of my oldest friends, Holly and Chloe, and I also bumped into Hebe from T.K.O.W which was the nicest surprise ever – she is so beautiful, and her blog is just brilliant.

Sometimes I feel anxious about things that no one else would even think twice about, but all of my anxiety was put to one side for those five days spent camping with my friends and spending time with God, and even though those same struggles were there when I returned home, I felt confident that the break had done me good.

Going to Momentum isn't going to sort out all your problems, because you can meet with and talk to God at any place, any time. It doesn't have to be in a big tent with lots of expensive lighting and sound and a worship band which resembles something more of a pop band. But the teaching, sharing, witnessing and socialising all made it a worthwhile experience, and it was so good to just cut myself off from the outside world and refocus on what is really important in life.

I bought a Bible when I was at Momentum. Have I read it since I got back? Nope. But it's on my chest of drawers, next to my bed, my bunny night light perched on its cover, waiting for me anytime I find a moment in between revision, long shifts at work, posting blogs and seeing friends. God doesn't count the times you pray, read His word or do things right or wrong. He is constant, and even though I am not – for I am an imperfect human being – I am grateful that I have a way to combat all my fears and failures, no matter how much they used to dominate my life.

Momentum is a Christian festival run by a church called Soul Survivor in Watford. You can find out more about it here.

A Summer Saturday in Cheltenham

Isn't my best friend beautiful? I spent the first half of the weekend with Bethan in Cheltenham. We both studied at the town's university, and she still lives there now, working as a teaching assistant while studying for a Master's degree.

It felt strange driving into a town I had known for three years. Those were the years of my life when I changed the most – when I made the transition from childhood to adulthood. It all looked different from the driver's seat. The trees, the pavements, the houses I had lived in. I felt so much older. It's not even been a year since I left, and while I don't miss living there, it felt odd going back – like bumping into a part of myself I had left behind in a familiar, yet distant setting.

The nostalgia I felt upon arrival was soon washed away by the happiness brought by sunshine and friends. It felt like the start of summer, and while strolling down the promenade, Bethan and I decided to do a couple of outfit shots. I think this was the first time I had worn any colour other than grey, black or white all year, and I was so happy to be sporting some bright pink lipstick, too.

Bethan's dress: Forever 21. Bag: Cath Kidston. Bracelet: Pandora. Necklace: Swarovski

The hot pink lipstick. It's a Chanel number, from 2010(!) I know I shouldn't still be wearing it after four years but it's just fantastic for when the sun is out.

My jeans: ASOS. Tshirt: New Look. Cardigan: H! by Henry Holland. Bag: ASOS. Sandals: Primark. Nail varnish: Essie Go Ginza

I bought this cardigan after seeing Emma write about it over on her blog Reverie Lane (a new favourite of mine – such gorgeous photography). It's something I probably wouldn't usually go for, but I was completely won over by it after seeing Emma modelling it, and although I don't think it suits me as much as it does her, I needed something to brighten up my wardrobe and the colours are so pretty – I can see myself wearing it all through the summer. It is such fantastic quality, too – the material is heavy, handwash only and super soft. I got it in the sale for about £22 reduced from £45!

When the sun shines, everything looks prettier, but I must have forgotten how clean and beautiful Cheltenham is anyway, as I was in awe of all of my surroundings. I am glad I chose to live there for those three years. I love going back to visit. I love spending the day wandering around the streets I know so well, but my time living there came to its natural end, and now it's a place I will just go to visit. A summer Saturday spent in a town close to my heart – Cheltenham.

Tapped and Packed

There really isn't any better way to catch up with a friend than by finding a good coffee shop in which you can dump your shopping bags, tie your hair up and relax with a good cup of coffee. This time it was with Iesha in central London at a place called Tapped and Packed – or TAP for short, and it was lovely.

We spent a good while searching for the perfect place to sit down and catch up on the last nine months(! – post uni life sucks sometimes). After a few tube journeys and misread routes on our phones, we finally found this little place. I loved it instantaneously. The name especially is one that just sounds so nice in my head. I think of when I used to work in a coffee shop and tapped and packed coffee into shots while making all types of coffee on busy mornings, afternoons and evenings (everyone wants coffee all the time, seemingly).

The branch we visited was just off Tottenham Court Road on Rathbone Place, and on our way we passed the big Primark, (ahhh), vowing to go back later. I also bumped into one of my lecturers from university as well, and it was such a nice surprise. What are the chances of bumping into anyone in London, especially when neither of you live there?

The choice of sweet and savoury treats in TAP was excellent, and there were a number of things I could have easily devoured – that ham & gruyere mustard mayo baguette for one looked incredible, but I had been craving a pastry all day so I went for an almond croissant – the perfect partner to a cup of coffee.

As both Iesha and I drink black coffee, the waitress recommended the filter coffee. Like when I visited Colonna & Small's in Bath, it is best served black, made to order, and I couldn't wait to try it. We both ordered a cup of the Guatamala, and just like in Colonna & Small's, we were told to take a seat and our food and drink would be brought over to us.

I wish I could come here every day to catch up with friends, or just for some time on my own. I have, in recent years, started to enjoy going out alone – sitting and enjoying where I am, thinking, sometimes writing, mostly watching.

There's a downstairs seating area in TAP which leads to the toilet – where the toilet brush was stored in a Starbucks mug, ha.

Pretty lady Iesha with her ham and cheese croissant and coffee :)

It's a strong statement to make, but this is the best coffee I have ever had. It was served at the perfect temperature, the colour was amber-brown, and the taste was both refreshing and rich. My almond croissant was so custardy as well. I smothered it with apricot Bonne Maman jam that was on the table next to us and it was the best.

This has to be one of my favourite coffee shops to date. Everything about it was spot on and it was so nice to catch up with Iesha – it had been far too long. You can find out more about TAP here. I really recommend that you do. Where is your favourite place to go for a catch up? Are there any other coffee shops I should visit in London?