I visited Hogwarts.

No, an owl did not drop my acceptance letter into my flat.

And, no, I did not get to take a ride on the enchanting Hogwarts Express. (The really drunk old man who hadn’t showered in years on our London Midlands train made the whole getting to Hogwarts experience as un-enchanting as possible, actually…)

But I did get to visit the Warner Bros. Studio outside of London

Brooke, Heather, and I are all huge Harry Potter fans. It was one of the things we bonded over in Italy and many a Harry Potter movies were watched hungover in our apartment. So, in addition to our whirlwind Brussels trip, a visit to the Making of Harry Potter was in order.

Located about 20 minutes outside of London, these studios were the production home to all 8 Harry Potter films. Today they house many authentic sets, props, and costumes from the movies, and also demonstrate some of the technology that was used to bring J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world to the big screen.

Probably the most important thing to note if you want to pay a visit is that you MUST pre-book your tickets ahead of time, either on the Warner Bros. website or through a tour company. You cannot just turn up and go on a tour. While pre-booking you choose a tour time and are asked to arrive 20 or 30 minutes before then to collect your tickets. If there’s a time of day you’d prefer to go on the tour, I’d suggest booking early. When I went to reserve our tickets about a week before our visit all the morning slots were already filled.

We were still able to book an afternoon tour, though, and with ticket confirmations in hand we made our way from London to Watford Junction where we boarded the Harry Potter emblazoned bus to the tour studio, giggling like a bunch of pre-teen fangirls.

The tour begins in a small auditorium with a video presentation. The writers and producers talks about how they decided to turn the Harry Potter books into films and there are some behind the glimpses from all the films, as well as commentary from the actors. I think I actually teared up a little hearing about how much this experience meant to them.

From there everyone is led into the Great Hall, a set that was built for the first movie in 2000 and used in all subsequent films until the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Now, in addition to the two long dining tables, the room is filled with costumes from the different films. It was interested to see how much the actors had grown (or hadn’t grown…) over the course of the films.

After being ushered out of the Great Hall, visitors are then free to take as much as they’d like to explore the rest of the studios.

The first area is a large room that contains a lot of the sets, costumes, and props used in the movies. Think…the Gryffindor common room in its entirety, Dumbledore’s office, and the Burrow. In addition to just seeing everything, the studio did a great job of placing information placards just about everywhere detailing what things were, how they were made, and when they were used in the movies. There were also employees milling about ready to answer any questions.

Once we’d seen everything there we moved onto the backlot, an outdoor area featuring some of the exterior sets. Here you can take a look at No. 4 Privet Drive, the blue Ford Anglia, and Hagrid’s bike, among others. You can also hop on the Knight Bus for a photo and TRY BUTTERBEER. As this is only one of two places in the world you can try it, I had to order a glass. While I’m pretty sure you’d get diabetes if you drank butterbeer on a regular basis, a few sips were deliciously sweet.

Moving on, we went back inside, this time to the creatures and art department. Here we learned about the technology that was needed to bring all of the non-human creatures to life and saw how the artists planned the sets. As you can imagine, the amount of planning that went into creating these large, detailed sets and making monsters and goblins and other mythical creature come to life was extraordinary.

Nearing the end of the experience, we arrived at my favorite part of the day- Diagon Alley. Walking down the street and passing all the exteriors of the shops where Harry and his pals did their pre-term shopping, I really felt like I was exploring this magical town. And I wished more than ever I was a wizard and not a merge Muggle.

We then arrived at the centerpiece of the studio tour, a handcrafted model of Hogwarts, built to scale. Visitors are able to walk around the entire model, which is nearly 50 ft in diameter, while it moves through its 4 minute day to night cycle. It’s a truly beautiful end to your Harry Potter experience.

Walking away from Hogwarts felt a little sad, so I went home, pulled the first book up on my Kindle, and happily transported myself back to that magical castle.

Are you a Harry Potter fan? Would you want to visit the studio? What did you think of my Harry Potter studio tour review?

That Time I Visited Hogwarts (Or the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour) is a post from: Farsickness

I’ve spent the past two months trying to reintegrate into American life. I have two jobs. I started to drive again. I go to Target at least once a week. While the past two months haven’t been horrible (I actually like Louisville, remember?), they haven’t been completely easy either.

I miss London. A lot. As I’m probably not going to be able to live there again, this is something I’m going to have to deal with. Or whinge about on my blog. In an attempt to deal with the fact that I can’t fly off to Heathrow right now I put together a list of the things I miss most about living in London. I’ve also thrown in a few things I don’t miss, lest you think living in London is all happy times and sunshine.

This list isn’t exhaustive. A lot of what I miss isn’t easily put into words. It’s how I felt when I lived there, the routine I had, the small day to day British things that became normal, and the people that were a huge part of my life there. But these are things I think about a lot, and things I’ll be glad to be reunited with someday.

What I Miss About London

The weather

Yes, I, for the most part, extremely enjoyed English weather. It’s not nearly as bad as it’s made out to be. Yes, it did rain pretty much everyday in January and there were some summer days that were decidedly more fall like, but there were also plenty days full of sunshine, and puffy white clouds, and a gentle breeze. The best part of British weather is the lack of extreme temperatures. While all my friends and family were dying from the polar vortex last winter, I gallivanted around London in a light winter jacket because temperatures never dipped below freezing and in summer there were only a few days when it was unbearably hot. That is my kind of weather.

Fry ups, clotted cream, Starmix, Ribena, M&S Simply Food, my favorite cider…aka all the food and drink

I miss English food. Really, I do. In my opinion, you’d be hard pressed to find a better breakfast than a full English. Want to recreate that in the United States? Be ready for pay nearly $5 for one can of baked beans! Starmix, my favorite candy, isn’t sold in stores here. Ribena, blackcurrant drink and hangover cure extraordinaire, costs nearly $10 for a small bottle. Stella Artois doesn’t export my favorite cider here. And M&S’s addictive (and moderately healthy) to go meals just don’t exist.

Duck confit burger. Yum.

Besides all the English things, London has some of the best street food markets and international dining options of any city I’ve lived in. I miss popping over to Borough on a Saturday for Pad Thai, a piece of banoffee pie, and some prosecco on tap or ordering up extra spicy chicken tikka masala from my favorite Indian takeaway.

Pub culture

English pubs are quite possibly my favorite place to spend time. You can come as you are- there’s no dressing up required- at just about anytime of the day to have a no judgement pint, or even a cup of tea. You can go alone and curl up in an arm chair next to a fireplace with a good book or bring along your mates for a night out. There aren’t TVs. Everything is cozy. People bring their kids. There’s usually a meat pie and some mash to be found the menu. There’s one on just about every corner and they often have cute names like The Lion and Lamb, Tudor Rose, Drum and Monkey, Old Swam, Pear Tree, and my old local, The White Horse.

The NHS

I’m currently one of the millions of Americans without health insurance. While there has been a lot of talk about health care reform in the United States in recent years, it still really fucking sucks. I was denied for Medicaid even though when I applied I had no income and I missed the open enrollment period for Kentucky’s Obamacare, so now I’m just hoping nothing bad happens to me in the next few months. In the UK, as a foreign student, I had the ability to use all of the NHS’s services for free. While there’s a lot of talk in the United States about poor healthcare in the UK, I never received anything but the highest standard of care and wish we could implement a similar system here.

Proximity to Europe

London is such a great base for European travel. Just about every budget airline flies out of one of London’s many nearby airports and there are ferry, train, and bus options to Ireland and northern Europe. I’m having a really hard time getting used to the fact that I can’t just jet off to a a new country every month or so. What do you mean Greece isn’t a $150, 3 hour plane ride away?

(Also, the pound is worth more than the euro so for the first time in my life I was on the right side of currency exchange!)

The Tube

Yes, the London Underground has its fair share of issues and I probably complained about planned engineering works a million times over the course of the year I was there, but after driving again for two months I officially miss public transportation. After you factor in car payments, insurance, and gas, monthly travelcards don’t seem so expensive and I miss being able to read a book or just zone out while commuting instead of dealing with horrific drivers and traffic.

My flat

10 years ago I moved into my first college dorm at the University of Michigan and since then I’ve moved pretty much every year. Some places felt like a room when I kept my things and slept, and other felt closer to home, but nothing like my flat in Richmond. I was very lucky to be able to live with one of my best friends. Claire had lived in the flat for three years previous and turned the place into a beautiful, cozy home. We spent our evenings getting into feminist debates, catching up on our weird days, watching Grand Designs reruns, and laughing at 8 Out of 10 Cats. We spent our Sundays ordering loads of food and whining to each other about our hangovers. It was a practically perfect housing situation, probably one I’ll never recreate.

Living in one of the world’s greatest cities

There’s no doubt about it- London is world class. There’s diversity everywhere, from the people passing you on the sidewalk to the buildings you are walking by. There’s history around many corners. Sometimes the fast pace of city living can get you down, but as soon as you think you’re done with it, you’ll pass Big Ben lit up at night, or walk through Regent’s Park on a sunny spring day, or find a new piece of killer street art in Shoreditch, or stumble across a new street festival, or go on a craft beer brawl, or drive around with all the windows down screaming the words to Mariah Carey sounds as you pass landmarks you used to only read about and you’ll remember why you love London oh so much.

What I Don’t Miss About London

The cost of living

London is expensive. Like way more expensive than I could have even imagined before moving there. I lived far out of the center and paid nearly $900 in month in rent. And that’s considered an absolute steal. Tube rides aren’t cheap, a pint of beer is around $5, and good luck finding a meal for under $15. While these prices are a sacrifice you have to make to live in a world class city, it was often hard, especially on a student budget. London is a city where a lot of people have A LOT of money and I sometimes wondered how anyone who wasn’t making millions of pounds could survive there for more than a few years.

Smog and hard water

Like pretty much any large city, London has a bit of a pollution problem. This, along with living close to London’s largest park, caused my allergies to go absolutely bonkers. There was about a month in spring where I just constantly felt like shit because of allergies. Then there was the water. London has some of the hardest water in the world and it wrecked havoc on my skin and hair. I was a constant frizz ball, even after hot oil treatments and a lot of work with the flat iron, and my face looked like I was about 16. I’d go to Europe and it would clear up and then after showering once in London it was all back to hell…

Not being able to look at anyone in public

As an American, even one who hasn’t spent a lot of time in the US recently, I’m used to sort of camaraderie among strangers in public places. A short exchange in the checkout line or while you’re waiting for a drink at the bar. Maybe a knowing glance when some crazy gets on public transportation. In London, that doesn’t really fly. It’s not that Londoners are rude, it’s more that everyone just minds their business (and doesn’t make any sort of eye contact at all on the Tube). While it was sometimes really nice not to have to strike up a conversation with a rando on a bus, there were times when I missed being able to make an offhand comment or have someone to silently commiserate with when someone was playing music without headphones in public.

What do you miss about places you’ve lived and left? What things don’t you miss?

What I Miss (And Don’t Miss) About Living in London is a post from: Farsickness

Planes, trains, and a night bus were booked and we all eventually made it to Glasgow on Thursday morning.

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Glasgow

If I told a British person I was going to Glasgow their general reaction was “why the hell would anyone want to go there?” Described mostly as ugly, devoid of any charm, and boring, my expectations for Scotland’s largest city were really low.

Then I went to Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis. The Necropolis, a Victorian cemetery sat upon a small hill, gave off a sense of eerie beauty. Tall, ornate gravestones, afternoon haze and sunshine, and colorful spring flowers set a scene far different from what I’d been told about Glasgow.

Okay, yeah, that was pretty much the only site I saw in the city, but I had a great time exploring the nightlife. The four of us hadn’t been together in five years- a lot of celebrating was necessary. Easily facilitating this celebration? Things in Scotland are really, really cheap, especially compared to London prices. Rounds of shots for the four of us were less than £10. Then there was the fact that everyone was absolutely shocked that four Americans would be in Glasgow. We got a lot of free drinks. We played drinking games with people who had such strong Glaswegian accents I wasn’t fully convinced they were speaking English. There were late night doner kebabs.

It wasn’t the most cultural of visits, but hey, everyone needs to have a little lot of fun every now and again.

Where To Eat: Glasgow was once named the Curry Capital of the UK so a trip for Indian food was in order. We sampled a bunch of dishes at The Wee Curry Shop and were impressed with everything. Once of my favorite Indians in the UK! If you’re into craft beer check out Munro’s, a pub serving their own brews as well as other local options alongside delicious pub fare.

Glengoyne Distillery

What’s a road trip in a Scotland without a morning stop for Scotch? It isn’t one. Because of this we made sure our first stop after picking up the rental car in Glasgow was a distillery. Glengoyne, located on the division between the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands, is unique because it is the only distillery that produces a Highland single malt that matures their whisky in the Lowlands. Or so they say.

We took the Wee Tasting Tour which costs £10 a person, lasts an hour, and includes 2 tastings. We began in the main building by watching a video about Glengoyne and then moved into the production area where we learned how Scotch whisky is made. Not surprisingly, it is a very similar process to distilling bourbon, something I know a little about. 

I’m not a huge fan of straight whisky, especially before noon, but the beautiful scenery and passion for this Scottish product made a visit to Glengoyne memorable.

Loch Lomond

After finishing the tour we continued heading away from Glasgow toward Loch Lomond for a little afternoon hike. From a car park in the small village of Balmaha, we began our ascent up Conic Hill. The climb up the 250 meter hill wasn’t too difficult, even for someone as out of shape as me. The last bit, best described on one website as a “short rocky scramble”, had me on my hands and knees but the views of Loch Lomond, the largest inland lake in Britain, from the top were more than worth it. 

Stirling

On Saturday, after a bit of a late start due to the previous night’s festivities, we left Glasgow for good and drove east toward Stirling. People come to Stirling to do see two things- the castle and the Wallace monument. We managed to squeeze in both in one afternoon.

First up was the Wallace monument. The 67 meter tall tower honors William Wallace, national hero of Scotland and main character of the movie Braveheart. It was here that I learned Braveheart, a movie I’ve never seen, was loosely based on fact. A very strange man with an almost decipherable accent told us the story of William Wallace. I won’t get into the details, but it didn’t end well for him. Or Scotland.

We quickly climbed the 246 steps to the top of the tower, admired the view, and ran down in order to make it to our next destination before it closed.

Stirling Castle, which dates back to the 12th century, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland. Which is saying something because there are a lot of castles in this country.

Much of the property seemed to be closed while we were there, but we did enjoy dressing up in royal clothing meant for children and having other visitors take our picture.

Where To Stay: The Allanpark Hotel is cute and quaint and there’s even a little pub (filled with very old Scottish people) inside! They let us put four adults in a family room and provide a free hot breakfast. It’s walking distance from the main part of town and there’s free parking.

Edinburgh

My expectations for Edinburgh were the exact opposite of the ones I had for Glasgow. People love to talk this city up. And for good reason. It. Is. Gorgeous. The Royal Mile, which runs downhill for one Scots mile past some of Scotland’s most historic buildings, is a lovely place to walk and admire the architecture. It’s also filled with souvenir shops and touristy restaurants, but ignore those and focus on the beauty.

It’s not just the Royal Mile, either. The beauty extends to the parks and around random corners. It’s when you look up and see a castle on a hill while you’re standing next to a H&M.

And then there’s Arthur’s Seat. This 251 meter tall hill in the middle of the city is a popular place for a city hike an panoramic views over the city. I don’t know if it was because we had spent the two hours previous to climbing at a craft beer festival, but climbing Arthur’s Seat was a bitch. Totally worth the pain and beautiful, but more difficult than it appears.

Then, after one last night out on the town, it was time to say goodbye, to Scotland and to each other. On the train back to London I kept thinking how lucky I was to explore a small part of a beautiful country with some of my favorite people. Corny yes, but after 2 weeks of solo travel it made me appreciate having great people to share great experiences with.

Where To Eat: A bit of a splurge on a student budget, dinner at Wedgwood was worth every last penny. Using local ingredients, they put a modern twist on traditional Scottish cuisine and flavors.

Is Scotland somewhere you’d like to visit? 

A Road Trip Reunion in Scotland is a post from: Farsickness

Here are a few of the best things that I ate in London this month:

The Shed

Located off the main street near Notting Hill Gate Station, this charming restaurant specializes in local, seasonal British small plates. The menu changes daily but always features a “loosener” cocktail, some small bites, and what they call “slow cooking” and fast cooking”.

Between 3 of us we shared five dishes and a dessert. While there was nothing that was bad, my favorite dish by far was the chorizo, labneh, and kale with crisp bread. The strong flavor of the chorizo was nicely balanced with the smooth, creamy yogurt. I also really enjoyed the paprika cuttlefish (apparently I really like paprika lately) with black beans, almonds, and sweet chili. I’m kind of obsessed with beans and the almonds gave the dish a good crunch.

The Shed has an impressive wine list, some of which they serve not only by the glass or bottle, but also by the carafe. In addition, the service was phenomenal. This is my favorite of the trendy farm to table restaurants that I’ve been to recently.

122 Palace Garden Terrace W8 4RT. For more information visit their website. 

St. John Bread and Wine

St. John, known for their “nose to tail” cooking, is something of a London foodie institution. Almost a decade after the first location opened, St. John opened a new location across the street from Spitalfields Market with the same approach to food but in a slightly less formal setting. I’ve actually been to St. John Bread and Wine before, as the first stop on the Eating London food tour, but I’d been itching to back and try some of their more creative dishes.

Ashley and I got a last minute table on a Tuesday night and went in with extremely high expectations. Possibly too high of expectations, but I’ll address that later. We shared four dishes: pressed pig’s ear, duck ham with quince and walnuts, calf’s brains with brown butter and capers, and foie gras and duck liver toast. The standout dish of the night was the duck ham, dried and cured duck breast made in the style of prosciutto. The crunchy walnuts and sweet quince were a perfect accompaniment to the salty duck.

The rest of the dishes though were just alright. I enjoyed the calf’s brains but they’ll hardly go down as a dish I’ll remember years to come. Same with the liver. Our other complaint was that almost everything we ordered came served with toast, something we wished the server would have told us. Maybe it was bad ordering or too high of expectations, but I was a bit let down. Maybe I’ll have to try the original location for a better idea of what St. John has to offer.

94-96 Commercial Street E1 6LZ. For more information visit their website. 

Broadway Market

I love a good London market. There’s plenty of selection and it’s fun to make a multi-ethnic, multi-course day of it. Broadway Market, held every Saturday in Hackney, is a nice combination of prepared food vendors, food producers, and both new and vintage clothing.

My only complaint with Broadway Market is that there are so many vendors that it makes choosing what to eat difficult. This time I decided to try some Ghanian food, a cuisine that I know next to nothing about. The beef stew that I had was simple but delicious. The meat was tender and there was just enough spice.

After wandering around the market for a bit Ashley and I got a piece of caramel cheesecake to-go and sat in nearby London Fields enjoying the sunny springtime weather.

Broadway Market E8 4PH. For more information visit their website. 

Okan

Okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake, was one of my favorite food discoveries in Tokyo. Originally from the Kansai and Hiroshima regions of Japan, this dish is made of a batter consisting of flour, yam, water, dashi, eggs and shredded cabbage. Then staying true to its name “as you want”, other ingredients like squid, pork, and vegetables are added in. Once grilled, the whole thing is topped with Japanese mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, and bonito flakes.

Okan, located in Brixton Village, is a tiny restaurant that specializes in this dish. I got a kind of Korean-ized version with kimchi and pork belly which was delicious. The portions are huge (I probably should have stopped halfway through) and the prices, for London, are pretty cheap. I will definitely be back when I need a little Asian food fix.

Brixton Village SW9 8PR. For more information visit their website. 

What was the best thing you ate this month?

What I Ate in London: March is a post from: Farsickness

“What could you possibly learn when you study in an English speaking country?” I thought to myself. I saw living abroad as a way to immerse myself into a different culture, not a to live the same life I had in the States but with accents. So I spent nearly a year in Rome trying, but ultimately failing, to master the Italian language and two years in Korea fumbling over every sound that came out of my mouth while discovering a cuisine and lifestyle that were entirely foreign to me.

And then I became a huge hypocrite and moved to London.

At this point in my life it became less about living abroad and learning another language and being immersed in another culture and more about actually being able to live and study and maybe one day have a career. I knew I wanted to get a Master’s degree and since English is the only language I can really speak, my choices were somewhat limited.

On most days London doesn’t feel all that foreign. I can easily converse with shopkeepers and servers. I can read menus. I understand when they make announcements about why the District Line is inevitably stopped once again in the middle of a tunnel. I can get good burgers and beer, two things that were seriously lacking in Asia. Being an expat in an English speaking country doesn’t only make day to day life easier, it also makes it easier to understand and learn about the culture of my new home.

There are many surface level similarities between American and English culture, but if you look past these and the common language, there’s actually a strong British culture that is much different than the US.

I’ve been able to learn about the different areas of England and the stereotypes about the people, good or bad, who come from them. My friends have taught me about English history and because I can read blogs and social media posts I’ve been able to discover places like Netil Market and Brixton Village, two of my favorite places in London. I can recognize different English accents, even if I can’t understand what people are saying in them. I’ve learned to never, ever look anyone in the eye on the tube and that English people are the reigning champions of both sarcasm and passive aggressiveness. I’ve discovered that pubs aren’t a place to get drunk. They are also a community gathering place. And one that will be very crowded and loud during a rugby match of all things.

Oh, and if you think there are no differences in language try shouting “my pants are soaking wet” after a friend spills a glass of wine in your lap at pub.

Life as an American expat in London isn’t incredibly difficult. There’s never been a time where I tell the taxi driver my destination and end up in a completely different part of the city with no way to explain where I actually need to be. I can walk around, and until I open my mouth, not automatically be labeled “foreigner”.  

As an American I find London to be pleasantly foreign. There are enough differences- culturally, architecturally, culinarily- that give me that warm, fuzzy “I’m living in a different country” feeling and allow me to feel like I’m learning and being challenged. But at the same time I feel like I can live life here. That I can contribute to society and be accepted as more than just a foreigner or expat.

The Life of an American Expat in London is a post from: Farsickness

So when I found myself alone in London on a weekend with forecasts of clear skies and temperatures in the 60s I decided to take a solo trip to the seaside for a little pick me up.

Whitstable, a seaside town in Kent, lies a little less than 2 hours from London. It’s a quiet place, perfect for lazy day trips without much of an itinerary. There’s a small town center full of buildings painted different pastel hues and independent shops selling ice cream, fish and chips, cheese, and tea.

The harbour seems to be the center of activity in Whitstable. It was full of tourists the day I visited. Day trippers, like me, many of whom were clad in seasonably inappropriate tank tops and shorts. There was a stand selling local seafood, including the oysters Whitstable is known for, and a weekend market full of local art, produce, and food stuffs. I beelined past the jewelry, but couldn’t pass up trying a few oysters, especially at the price of 30 pence a piece.

Whitstable is also home to a small, independent craft brewery, appropriately named Whitstable Brewery. All the beers are brewed locally in Kent and they do permanent cask ales and keg beers, as well as some seasonal varieties. I had a the raspberry wheat beer which was refreshing and not overly fruity- I’m sure it’s a top seller in the summer.

Further east on the coast are the Tankerton Slopes, grassy hills dotted with colorful beach cottages that look out over the bay. Perched above the beach and away from the crowds I admired the cloudless sky and relished the feeling of the sun on my face after many months of grey.

The beach in Whitstable isn’t overwhelmingly beautiful. The water near the shore is quite dirty, there’s no sand, only pebbles, and the beach is broken up every fifty feet by wooden beams. But it really didn’t matter. I spread out a blanket and sat there for the next few hours happily nibbling away at the haddock and chips I’d gotten from a takeaway up the road and reading. I listened to the waves crash and felt the sea breeze through my hair. I watched children and dogs run in and out of the frigid water. I smiled a lot.

The sea did exactly what I needed it to that day. It did what it always does.

I left Whitstable invigorated, a little more carefree, and a lot happier.

Practical Info: Southeastern Railway runs two trains an hour (one on Sunday) from London Victoria. A same day roundtrip ticket is £26.50.

Do you have somewhere you like to go for a little pick me up?

A Day at the Seaside in Whitstable is a post from: Farsickness

Without further ado, my February favorites:

Seoul Bakery 

Don’t let the name fool you, cakes, except in the rice or fish form, are nowhere to be found at Seoul Bakery. Instead, this tiny cafe serves up simple Korean favorites at cheap for London prices. I came here on Lunar New Year weekend for a bit of celebration. The first thing that made me happy? They have metal chopsticks! This may seem stupid, but you don’t find plastic or wood chopsticks in Korea and it always feels weird to tuck into a Korean meal with the non-metal variety.

Seoul Bakery kind of reminded me of a Korean kimbap restaurant. The menu was smaller but there were the same kinds of offerings- ddeokbokki, kimbap, jjigaes, bibimbap, and the like. I had a bowl of kimchi jjigae, and while it was a little small and lacking in pork belly, the taste was spot on. I also got a tuna kimbap to go for dinner later that night and biting into that instantly brought back memories of day hikes and field trips.

55 St Giles High Street WC2H 8LH.

Mama Lan

This was my standout meal for the month of February. I’ve already talked about my love of Brixton Village, but I didn’t go into specifics about my favorite find. Mama Lan does Beijing style street food. And they do it very well. The menu is small, two types of noodles and a few varieties of dumplings, but this is

The spicy beef noodle soup made me feel like I was back in Asia slurping down noodles on a tiny plastic stool under a tarp on the side of the road. The broth had some serious depth of flavor and that perfect level of spice that isn’t just hot for the sake of being hot. Spice that actually adds to the dish. The noodles themselves reminded me of my beloved kalguksu- medium thickness with some good chew.

I also had some dumplings which were good, but these noodles. These noodles are it.

Brixton Village Market SW9 8PR. For more information visit their website.

Four to Eight 

Okay, this is moderately self serving but I ate here twice this month and it was really good so…

Four to Eight is an Italian restaurant that is opening in Covent Garden later this year. I’m their social media intern. I’ve been working with them since late last year and it has been really fun to see what goes on behind the scenes of opening a restaurant. Plus, the group of people behind this endeavor are really great.

In February we had two tasting dinners in order to give the chefs some practice and get some feedback about potential menu items. These dinners made me very excited about the restaurant’s opening. For the most part everything exceeded my expectations and exemplified Four to Eight’s motto of ‘beautiful simple dining’.

What did we eat? Seared diver scallops. A warm salad with radicchio, guanciale, and smoked scamorza. Sea bass with a butternut squash and kale ragout. Buttermilk panna cotta. Red millet and risotto. Slow cooked ribeye. Olive oil cake with poached pears.

Coming soon to Covent Garden! For more information (please) follow our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or blog.

Sushi Waka

A couple of weeks I had a night out with uni friends that began at Sushi Waka, a small Japanese joint in Camden. Going out with people who live in different parts of the city is usually a good way to discover some “local” gems, and this was no exception. We sat upstairs, where all the seating is on the floor, amid Japanese art on wood paneled walls. One of my fellow students is Japanese and even he thought this place was authentic.

We ordered a bunch of stuff to share- huge platters of sushi and sashimi, tempura vegetables, gyoza, and fried chicken. I’m a person who always thinks sushi isn’t anything special. Then I eat good sushi and am reminded that it is actually amazing when it doesn’t come prepackaged from the grocery store. At Sushi Waka there is one sushi chef, a very old man who obviously knows what he is doing and takes great pride in his work.

Sushi Waka is also great value for money. I had two beers, left absolutely stuffed, and only paid £20 for my portion of the bill.

75 Parkway NW1 7PP. For more information visit their website.

The White Horse

One of my favorite things about England is pub culture. Pubs are more than a place to drink, they serve as a community gathering place. The White Horse is about a two minute walk from my flat and I guess you could call it my local. The White Horse is firmly in gastropub territory with a changing seasonal menu and even though they are owned by Fuller’s, they serve Frontier, a “craft” beer they produce.

My birthday was luckily enough on a Thursday, the same night as the pub quiz, so I had a little birthday dinner here. I had one of the day’s specials: pheasant breast, confit pheasant leg cake, butternut squash rosti, parsnip, honey glazed broccoli, and wine pearls. The pheasant was flavorful and not dry and it went well with the rosti and parsnip. My complaint, though, is that the broccoli was frozen. I don’t understand how you can get away serving frozen broccoli in any restaurant these days, but especially one that prides itself on sourcing locally.

Frozen veg aside, I’ll be back. I still haven’t won the pub quiz.

14-16 Worple Way TW10 6DF. For more information visit their website.

What I Ate in London: February is a post from: Farsickness

If you’re like me, the answer to that would be “not really”.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I purchased tickets to Craft Beer Rising less than five minutes after hearing about it on Twitter.

Craft Beer Rising is an annual festival that aims to showcase craft beer in order to benefit the masses and the brewers. This year over 60 breweries brought their beer to Old Truman Brewery giving the London beer fan a chance to find their new favorite brew and allowing these brewers of varying sizes to gain new loyal fans. Most of the breweries were from the UK, but there were also representatives from Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, New Zealand, and the United States.

After living in Korea, the land of crappy, mass produced water beer, it is refreshing to once again live in a country with a deep appreciation for the good stuff. I have my favorite American craft beers, so I was very excited to get the chance to explore some of what the UK and Europe have to offer.

It was nice to see a Michigan brewery in London!

I purchased tickets to the Saturday afternoon session from 11 am to 6 pm for £15. The ticket included £5 of beer tokens and a free Craft Beer Rising glass. Tickets sold out the week before the festival and I was slightly worried that I’d turn up to find long queues and masses of people. I feared wrong. The organizers capped the event at the perfect number- there were enough people to give the event a buzzing vibe, but the lines were never more than a few people deep.

Spread out over six rooms at the Old Truman Brewery off Brick Lane, the 60 or so brewers had stands set up with a few of their beers on tap or in bottles. Most people were more than happy to hand out samples until you found something you liked and pints, half pints or bottles could be purchased with tokens. Half pints were usually around £2 and bottles seemed to run around £3.

My favorite part of the event was the passion from the brewers. Most everyone seemed eager to chat with us, tell us about their product, and listen to our opinions about it. For many people craft beer is a passion project and this was truly evident at Craft Beer Rising.

In addition to beer, there were also street food vendors scattered throughout the event. I decided to have some Kansas City BBQ from Prairie Fire in order to prep myself for an afternoon of tasting. Now, I’m fairly picky about my BBQ. My parents live in Kentucky and whenever I’m home I make sure I eat at my favorite Kentucky style BBQ places. In addition, my father, a fabulous cook, makes some of the best brisket I’ve ever tasted. But when I found out that owner of Prairie Fire was a fellow American I figured that this would be a good opportunity to have my BBQ cravings satisfied. I was right. The brisket was tender and the sauce had the perfect amount of tang. It was so good that I had to ask a stranger to photograph his sandwich as I devoured mine before I could remember to snap a picture.

Now back to the main event- the beer. What were my favorite brews of the afternoon? I really enjoyed Arbor Ales Yakima Valley IPA because it reminded me of all the IPAs I love back home. I was also a fan of the Crowded Hops Pale Ale from Brains Craft Brewery in Cardiff. It had the punch of hops that I like but was light and fruity enough to make it a good session beer. Beavertown Brewery‘s Bloody ‘Ell Blood Orange IPA was really unique- I liked it because it wasn’t overwhelmingly fruity but had enough of the blood orange flavor to separate it from a traditional IPA.

There were of course many other beers that I tried and liked, and many more that I wish I could have sampled. It’s an exciting time in the UK right now for craft beer and this event did a wonderful job showcasing some of the standouts and rising stars on the scene right now. I really hope I’ll still be in London next February so I can attend Craft Beer Rising again.

Craft Beer Rising: A London Celebration of Beer is a post from: Farsickness

Notting Hill is probably known best in the United States as the title of a film starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. For anyone who hasn’t connected the dots yet, the film takes place in this London neighborhood.

The infamous blue door from the film.

It is also famous for the eponymous Notting Hill Carnival, a celebration of West Indian culture held every year in August, and Portobello Road Market, a street market full of fruits and vegetables, vintage clothes, antiques, jewelry, and secondhand records. While Saturday is the prime day for antique hunting, most of the shops had stalls set up on the sidewalk on Sunday and there were plenty of goods to browse.

My favorite part of Notting Hill is the architecture. This is one part of London that gives me serious real estate envy. Each street seems more beautiful than the last, with rows of Victoria townhouses stretching down both sides of the road. Some are painted in bright or pastel colors, while others are white. Not matter what, I’m left dreaming about how much money I’d need to live in one.

For many years Notting Hill was known for being a hub for artists an alternative culture. While mosts of the artists have moved further east in search of lower rents, there are still some reminders of the neighborhood’s hipper past including some street art.

The best find of the day, though, was Acklam Village Market. This market is open on Saturday and Sunday and showcases international street food alongside live music and local art. Not expecting to find a street food market, I’d already eaten but still managed to find room for a beef empanada and half of a huge Polish sausage.

With the discovery of Acklam Village Market, I know I’ll be spending future weekends gawking at houses I can’t afford with an arepa in one hand my camera in another.

A Wander Around Notting Hill is a post from: Farsickness

It’s not beautiful. It’s not very central. There aren’t the kind of historical sites that would put it at the top of a visitor’s list. And it’s not (yet) as famous as some other hip London neighborhoods.

Brixton, a gritty area located south of the Thames, is perhaps best known for the riots of 1981 and for years was a place most people wouldn’t step foot in. But Brixton has recently experienced a bit of a renaissance. Some call it a needed resurgence, others bemoan the effects of gentrification. Without getting into the social politics on this blog, I will say that Brixton is home to a thriving small business community  and creative dining scene, while still retaining some of its African and Caribbean roots.

I still have a lot of exploring to do in Brixton, but these are my favorite parts of the neighborhood so far:

Brixton Village

Brixton is home to a vibrant and thriving market that is made up of many parts, my favorite being Brixton Village. Located in the old Granville Arcade, this market is made up of food stalls selling fish, meat, produce, and goods from around the world; small cafes and restaurants serving up British and global cuisine; and shops full of jewelry, furs, and vintage clothes and bags.

I first visited Brixton Village a couple of weeks ago and ate some Beijing style street food at Mama Lan. The spicy beef noodle soup had great depth of flavor and brought me right back to the plastic stools of street food in Asia.

This past weekend I went back and ate at Honest Burgers. Honest Burgers has a few locations around London, but that doesn’t mean they skimp on quality. The menu is small (chicken, beef, or veggie burger) and all ingredients, both produce and protein, are locally sourced and sustainably produced. Served on a glazed bun with red onion relish and lettuce, the cheeseburger was a simple combination of flavors that worked. Also, the rosemary fries were spectacular. The fact that they also had a good selection of craft beer have made Honest Burgers my new favorite burger place in London.

Brixton Village gets crowded on the weekend. Go early for lunch or be prepared to queue for a table. Also, be prepared to want to come back again and again.

Kaff

I first found heard of Kaff when I saw a photo of a £3 cocktail on Beverley’s Instagram. A cocktail for £3? Count me in.

Kaff reminded me of an American dive bar. It’s not a traditional English pub, but it has a laid back vibe. 80s and 90s pop music played from the speakers and people sat around at tables that looked like they came from grandmother’s house, chatting or sampling some of the interesting looking food menu. Besides the aforementioned cheap cocktails, you can also find some of the commonly found draught beers in England, as well as local microbrews in bottles.

If I lived closer Kaff would totally be my local. No doubt about it.

The Craft Beer Co. 

Craft beer is having a moment in the United Kingdom right now and The Craft Beer Co is a good place to discover some of the best small batch beers and cask ales in the country.

I came here for one beer after dinner and ended up sampling about half the menu. Even though the place was packed to the gills on Saturday night, the staff were still friendly and helpful, carefully selecting a new beer for me to try every round based on my preferences.

Because it is still somewhat difficult to find craft beer in any old pub you might wander into, I’ll be making the trip out to a Craft Beer Co location when I’m looking for something extra hoppy.

Does Brixton sound like a place you’d like to hang out? If you’ve been, what’s your favorite place in Brixton? 

Brixton: A London Neighborhood Worth Exploring is a post from: Farsickness