Category Archives: Lifestyle

Alfred Leroy Canal Cruises

Posted on by

Crate Brewery was started up by a brother and sister duo from New Zealand who hoped to bring some of their jolly kiwi drinking culture and fun to East London’s deserted canals. The success was almost instant as local hipsters flocked to enjoy a pint and a pizza overlooking the River Lea.

This Spring, the Crate team have found a new innovative way to utilise their waterside asset, offering guests a cruise along the city canals in a charming boat. The Alfred Leroy has been beautifully restored and now functions perfectly as a boat-bar, serving well mixed cocktails and delicious charcuterie boards, cheeses from Neal’s Yard and bread from E5 Bakehouse. Crate’s celebrated range of craft beers and house-made cider are also served on board.

The boat is named after a legendary 70s pub landlord and boat driver, and it’s a name that suits this enchanting vehicle perfectly. Visitors can admire Hackney Wick from the water and enjoy the British summer from this lovely summer hang-out. The journey passes iconic London landmarks such as the Olympic Stadium and picturesque areas like Springfield Park and Warwick Reservoir.

Cruises take place every weekend and tickets cost £40 for a two hour trip round the canals including a charcuterie and cheese board and two cocktails. During the week the boat will be moored outside the brewery and available for private hire.

More information and book a tour here.

No.1 Duke St, Richmond

Posted on by

Richmond is an area of London that is perfect for lovely walks, welcoming pubs and family eateries, but never before have I visited a stylish café that I feel suits my needs. No.1 Duke Street is an elegant neighborhood bar and restaurant offering irresistible breakfast dishes, lunch classics, and dinner feasts. Alternatively you can pop in for a quick coffee or cocktail to relax after shopping in town, or walking round the green.

I visited on a gloriously sunny Sunday morning with all my family in tow. Despite the abundance of space (there is even a private floor upstairs) the main dining room was packed and we were lucky to find a table on the front terrace. Before I looked at the menu, I ran in to admire the instagram-friendly décor – white walls, worn wooden tables and plenty of pretty plants. Unsurprisingly, the interiors are photographed as much as the food.

The breakfast menu features a long list of morning favourites and a few imaginative additions. My brothers were immediately won over by the No.1 House Breakfast – sourdough toast with poached or scrambled eggs, accompanied by dry cured streaky bacon, pork and sage sausages, slow roast tomatoes and field mushrooms. The less greedy end of the table (!) settled for Blueberry ricotta pancakes with maple crème fraiche and syrup, Breakfast sourdough bruschetta with roast tomatoes, spinach, avocado, dry cured bacon and breakfast mayo, and No.1 Eggs Benedict with honey roast ham, avocado and spinach on sourdough with housemade hollandaise.

Fresh juices and strong (Caravan) coffees arrived to quench our thirst, before the morning feast was delivered. After copious photos of the photogenic spread I set about tasting each dish. Despite the simplicity, my favourite dish was the light and fluffy pancakes served with a dollop of sweet crème fraiche and topped with plump blueberries. I also loved the crusty farmhouse-style sourdough bread that comes toasted with many of the dishes. No.1 Duke St work hard to offer ingredients that are high quality and taste great, the meat was all butcher standard and the sauces are freshly made in house. Needless to say, silence fell over the table as the group devoured the delicious food.

Though I now live in South London I am often visiting family in West London and it is wonderful to find new venues that I am excited about visiting in this part of town. Next on my list to visit is the sister establishment, No.197 Chiswick Fire Station, which has also been receiving rave reviews.

More information and book a table at No.1 Duke St. here.

Bombay Sapphire Rooftop Retreat, Harvey Nichols

Posted on by

I used to envy those sophisticated fellow travellers who would breezily order a g&t while I always stuck to white wine or a Diet Coke! Despite trying the drink regularly I found the taste too bitter, until my friend carefully made me a gin drink with a twist of lime that I couldn’t resist. Ever since that night I’ve known that the exact proportions of a gin and tonic are crucial if you want to make a drink that is tasty and refreshing.

And so when a Bombay Sapphire invite pinged into my inbox, I responded instantly with a resounding YES. Eight of us met on a chilly terrace of the London landmark, Harvey Nichols, for an evening of cocktail making with Bombay Sapphire Brand Ambassador Renaud de Bosredon, a charming man who has almost definitely been sipping the perfect g&t since childhood.

Around a table we were taught the basics: one part gin, two part tonic and as much ice as you can fit in the glass. Then we had the chance to try the method for ourselves. It was delicious, especially with a squeeze of lime, but I wondered if the great taste was just thanks to the premium brand of Bombay Sapphire and its vapour infused 10 exotic botanicals, rather than my limited cocktail making talents! Renaud encouraged us to be creative with our drinks and we were sent off into the wonder emporium that is the Harvey Nichols Food Hall, with a £20 voucher each to spend on imaginative ingredients. There were plenty of magical products, but I decided on rhubarb bitters to add a fruity flavour and pink candy floss for decoration. It was a strange but tasty combination, and great fun to learn about how to combine flavours into a classic g&t.

Open from 13th April – 11th July, The Bombay Sapphire Rooftop Retreat offers an oasis in the middle of London for guests to experience the exquisite taste of Bombay Sapphire and discover their perfect gin & tonic. With a menu featuring a range of unusual ingredients inspired by the artful creation of Bombay Sapphire and its vapour infused 10 exotic botanicals, guests can create their own bespoke gin & tonic to suit their taste.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the start of Spring.

More information on the Rooftop Retreat and Bombay Sapphire gi masterclasses here.