Huevos Rancheros.

This is a new one, and a simple one, but a good one.

Eggs are my favourite, but sometimes a regular fry-up just won't do. This is a little something that myself, and a very sceptical Moon whipped up one Saturday a couple of weeks ago. I guess he was sceptical because he doesn't necessarily agree with tinned tomatoes for breakfast, or chilli for breakfast but I think he was curious in equal measure because Mexican food is king in our little house (after Chinese food, naturally).



This is so incredibly simple that it almost feels ridiculous to be sharing it with you but I hope it will inspire you to try a different kind of cooked breakfast this weekend, though this would also make a great brinner, particularly if you included a few black or kidney beans, yum!

Ingredients: (feeds 2)

• 1 x tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 x tortillas
• 2 x fresh tomatoes (cut into thin slices)
• 2 x cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
• ½ bell pepper
• ½ red onion
• 2 fresh chillies
• 4 x large eggs
• 3-4 sprigs of fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• Cooking oil of your choice, I use coconut
• 1 x avocado (optional)

Method:

1. Heat your pan and add your oil before adding the garlic, red onion, fresh chillies and bell pepper and cooking until softened
2. Add the chopped tomatoes to your softened vegetables and bring to a simmer before reducing the heat
3. Stir in the chilli powder and salt and pepper to taste
4. Place the fresh tomatoes over the top and crack the eggs in, you'll want them to have a bit of space so don't do them too close together
5. Put a lid over your simmering frying pan and allow your eggs to cook through (5 - 8 minutes)
6. While your eggs are cooking, toast the tortillas - this can be done either by folding them in the toaster (like we did) or sprinkling them with a bit of water and popping them in the oven for 5 minutes
7. Cut your avocado into cubes ready to go on top
8. Once your eggs are ready spoon the mixture into a bowl containing your toasted tortilla, add fresh parsley and avocado and enjoy

Did you know?: Chillies are metabolism-boosting, so having them with breakfast is actually a pretty healthy way to start the day!

What are some of your favourite 'cooked breakfasts'?

Cat Lady Mecca.

As soon as I heard about it way back in April, I knew that I had to go and tying Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium into my birthday was just so easy.


After having to slightly rearrange my booking due to the first one clashing with Moon's birthday surprise (the staff were super-accommodating about it), we popped over to Shoreditch for around 11am and were delighted to see two cute cats sprawled out in the main shop window (I might have been a bit more delighted than Moon).

Having read the mixed reviews on Trip Advisor (never a good idea) and hearing first hand from Moon's brother that maybe it wasn't as good as it could be, I went in to Lady Dinah's with an open mind and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.




I feel like maybe the cats weren't as in to me as I wanted them to be but knowing how cats are and being the owner of a fairly nonchalant kitty already, I kind of expected it. It was probably because I was quite excited and there were already quite a few people in the cafe fussing over them, and hey, they're used to it so probably aren't overly bothered anyway.

There are quite a few rules about not picking up or feeding the cats, and I completely understand, in fact the whole process of opening a cat cafe must have been a logistical nightmare. The cats seems very happy living cat life though and are pretty harmonious given that there are 11 of them living together. It's great that they have so much space, with an upstairs and downstairs as well as shelves providing the ultimate cat climbing-frame, Doll would love it. ♥



Even Moon was fishing for cats!

'Time spent with cats is never wasted.'

My favourite cat was probably Wookie, mainly for his face, but also for his ballsiness when it came to begging for food and seeing him cooling himself by sitting on one of the fans.

Speaking of food, it was actually delicious. There's quite a range to choose from, including filled croissants and sandwiches as well as a range of different cakes. Moon and I opted for a cream tea, knowing that it would fill us up and also because it's the ultimate decadence, it was my birthday after all. We also got a cronut to try and are total converts, should you visit, their pistachio and salted caramel cronut is devine. Price-wise it's really reasonable too, even when taking into account the £5 entry fee, I'm alright with that as it's for cat maintenance.




Getting rejected :(








I think if I'd gone expecting to be overloaded with kitty affection, I would have been disappointed but I got to stroke a few cats and it was quite a relaxing, chilled out place to eat, with great music. The food being so good made all the difference and the staff were super-friendly. I'm not sure how likely it is that I'd go back again soon but it would be nice to take the time to visit on a quieter day.
Still, it's completely worth the cat-lady pilgrimage, even if it's a bit weird trying to explain what it is to people.

Brewer Street.

I almost can't quite believe that it's over a month since Moon and I were in Brighton for his birthday, it's April already, before you know it Christmas will be here again. I don't want to wish the year away but I can't wait for this weather to stop teasing us and just warm up already!

When figuring out things to do for Moon's birthday, I knew I wanted to do something nice, I also knew I didn't want it to be crazy pricey - even staying in a hotel in Brighton at that time of year, for anywhere decent, is upwards of £100 a night. Knowing that, because we're so far away from there now, a daytrip would be exhausting rather than fun, I knew it would be better to stay overnight. Having seen a few bloggers use Airbnb - a lot of Kris Atomic's blog is Airbnb heaven - and knowing some friends who have used it, I figured that I'd just have a little search, it couldn't do any harm.

For £59 (the price has since been lowered to just £49, including Airbnb fees), we found the wonderful 13 Brewer Street and I almost immediately put in a request.

Our host, Justine, was really friendly and attentive, she was willing to recommend places for us to eat and even told us to book our meal for Saturday night - advice we definitely should have headed in hindsight. Just a few minutes walk from town, the room was wicked and came complete with a sturdy mezzanine bed - something I've wanted to sleep in since seeing The Science of Sleep a few years ago and now I've actualised it, I'm really jonesing after one for when we move into our own (unrented) place. The bed was really comfortable and the room was so light and airy, and filled will all sorts of fun, weird books and art.

Not Tuesday.

Here are a couple of photos from the weekend, I tend to feel a little guilty when I post about the weekend at this time of the week, I mean it's Wednesday tomorrow, I need to get it together.

This last weekend was lovely and spent back in Surrey with family. I went to Crawley with Moon and his Mum like pre-flat-teenage times and had long 'look at the time' chats with my Gran. I watched a terrible film called 'Butterfly on a Wheel', which was just Gerard Butler asking Pierce Brosnan the same question over and over up until the last 15 minutes and I popped over to Pease Pottage Car Boot on Sunday - sadly the Rusper one wasn't on even though I hoped in my heart of hearts that it was.

We also did something new; Moon's mum came to my Gran's for Sunday lunch and we had a lovely meal my Gran, my Mum, Moon, his Mum and me - my Gran really does know how to cook even if she thinks she doesn't really. I drove the whole weekend so was nearly all driven out by the time we got home, especially as the way home involves some of my regular day-to-day commute but I had a swell time and I think I did a pretty good job handling the bumpy, windy country roads of Mole Valley.

My first breakfast of the weekend was Baked Cinnamon French Toast from a recipe I read on A Beautiful Mess - I'm far too into 'pinning' recipes at the moment, so many tasty things to eat. This wasn't so bad but sadly not nearly as nice as it sounded. Moon also made me a raspberry & banana smoothie but there was kiwi in it too and it tasted weird. #breakfastfail

Moon was loving my car's sunroof (see above left), and we blared Yeah Yeah Yeahs all the way 'home home' - definitely blaming him for this week's current obsession with them (mainly Karen O).

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Few things better on a sunny Sunday morning than eating my Gran's marmalade on toast and wearing a dress covered in lemons

Spending time with my best girl, she was all about cuddles and getting all up on my face - best! ♥

Lovely buds.

Anywhere I can go where I can just creep on dogs is the best in my books. I love car boot sales!

Even though we weren't at Pease Pottage Car Boot late a lot of the places were closing up, even the fruit and veg stall. I'd promised my Gran I would pick her up some carrots so we stopped at the loveliest farm shop on the way back and I made a couple of friends ♥

It was really reasonably priced, and looked like a great place for afternoon tea. A little more upmarket than Sheeplands but definitely somewhere I hope to pop back to when we're next in the area.

Sunday starter.

Two useful things the fruit and veg man did have left was oranges and chillis, we now have more chillis than we know what to do with.

Getting home meant making the most of the weekend's last few hours of daylight by tidying up the garden, we now have enough (clean) chairs for all our friends when they come over - fingers crossed for BBQ weather - and a more respectable flowerbed.

Little Doll and Roof Cat appear to have made friends, at least Doll really wanted to play with her but she was having none of it (definitely time to get her a friend, Mr Moon!)

The beginnings of my decluttering and my babe's forever confused little face - she's back to being the sweetest again. ♥

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I'm on a major spring cleaning kick at the moment, even just doing a couple of things in the garden have made everything feel like it has a bit more order. There are going to be lots of things off to charity shops and popping on eBay in the next couple of weeks I think. I think it's down to living here for a whole year (our anniversary was on Sunday) and having a few things that were just plonked in places rather than given a real home. I really do love our little flat, I just think there's still a bit to do, especially if we're staying here a litte while longer than we initially planned.

Being in the spring cleaning mood has got me thinking about my little blog too, I'm really not happy with its look and I know it's about finding the time but I'm going to make time for it, so expect to see a little jiggle around coming up to. Spring is definitely in the air - but thank goodness Little Doll is over her spring fever!