Letchworth Garden City & Hitchin Lavender

Happy Thursday! The sun is shining and it is absolutely b-e-a-utiful outside! Thank goodness June is finally here and the weather has decided to be lovely and warm. It's about time. I thought the rainy cold days would never go away!

One of my favorite parts of June is when all the lavender starts blooming! There are a few lavender plants around where we live, and I love walking the dog and stopping to smell it when it is in full flowering bloom.

Today's post is the first post in a new series I'm starting here on Everyday With Ali: English Day Out. I will be posting about the days trips we have been taking in and around England. Without further ado, lets get started on our day trip to Letchworth Garden City and Hitchin Lavender!

My husband and I drove to Letchworth to start off our day. We first stopped at a little café, the Cultivo Lounge. They have a nice patio out front, and in the back they have huge windows that are open and you can enjoy the view of a small community garden in the back where they grow herbs for the café. I highly recommend stopping here to eat. Try the eton mess for dessert- you won't regret it!

If you are traveling with your dog, this place is also great as they allow them inside with you as long as they are well behaved, and on a lead.

Photo credit: http://thelounges.co.uk/lounges/cultivo-lounge/

Next, we walked around the city. Some of the stopping points near the town center include Town Hall and the Broadway Gardens.

Walking away from the town center, you come across the UK's first round about built in 1909. Other stopping points in town include Howard Park and Gardens, and the town's woodland walks.

The next stop on our day out was Hitchin Lavender. My friend had told me about the lavender fields in our area, and I had been dying to go for a few weeks.

Let me just tell you- THE SMELL. It was incredible!! You can tell you are driving near the fields because you can roll down the windows and smell it for a few miles out. I was in complete heaven when we were walking up, and seeing the field of purple was so gorgeous. I still look back at these pictures and it is hard for me to describe just how beautiful, serene and relaxing it was.

For just a few pounds, you can cut as much lavender as you want to take home with you. I will say- a little goes a very, very long way. I still have enough petals from last year that I am still trying to find ways to use! Make sure to bring your own scissors as I don't believe they have many pairs at the shop.

Pro tip: If you want the fields to be almost completely empty- go when they are almost closing and you'll virtually have the whole field to yourselves!

There is a little shop on site that sells all kinds of wonderful lavender products. They also have different varieties of plants you can buy and take home with you as well. I plan to grab one next time we go!

One of my favorite ways to use the lavender petals is to make bath bombs. They make the water not only smell amazing, but it leaves you feeling super relaxed and ready to sleep. You can find the post HERE.

I hope you enjoyed this first installment of English Day Out! Stay tuned for more travel posts coming soon!

-A

Homemade Lemonade

Greetings Everyone!

The weather has finally warmed up here in the UK and I am SOOOOOO happy!! Whenever the weather is nice, I start craving an ice cold glass of lemonade. Lemonade is not the same here as it is in the U.S., so if you want the real deal, you've gotta make it yourself.

When making homemade lemonade, you have to follow this basic recipe:

1 cup lemon juice to 4 cups water.

1/2-3/4 cup superfine sugar for every 4 cups of water.

Serve chilled. Add some lemon slices to make it look fancy if you wish. You could also add raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, any kind of fruits you like! My favorite is raspberry.

Now go grab a blanket and your sunglasses and go sit out in the sun and enjoy a glass (or two!) with a friend or your significant other!

Don't forget the sunscreen though- you don't want to get burnt!

Let me know how you like to make your lemonade. Do you add anything fun into it? Leave me a comment below!

-A

A Week Of Healthy Meals

Hello Everyone! My husband and I have been on a healthy eating kick the last few weeks. Today I thought I'd share with you one of our favorite easy, quick and healthy weekly meal plans. These recipes are catered towards two people. If you have more people in your family, just double the recipe!

Cheddar apple sandwiches with minestrone soup and apple slices

Yeild: 2 sandwiches, 2 bowls of soup

For the sandwiches:

Granary bread

Olive oil

Mild British cheddar cheese

Thin apple slices

Optional: Spicy red onion marmalade or blueberry compote

Ready made minestrone soup. I used Sainsbury's premade soup.

Apple wedges of your choice

Slice a quarter of two medium sized apples into thin pieces. Slice the cheddar cheese into desired size. Drizzle olive oil onto bread, and begin assembling the sandwiches onto a panini press. If you don't have one, you can make this in a regular frying pan on the stovetop.

Warm the soup, and slice the rest of the apple into wedges, and serve! This comes together in about 10 minutes making it ideal for a quick lunch or dinner!

Dill and lemon salmon and roasted vegetables

Yeild: 2-4 servings

For the salmon:

Two to four salmon fillets

Olive oil

Lemon juice

Fresh dill or dried dill, whichever you have available

Himalayan salt and pepper to season

For the roasted vegetables:

2 Small sweet potatoes

2 Carrots

One head of broccoli

Olive Oil

Himalayan salt and pepper to season

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and chop the vegetables, and toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper until coated. Place on a baking tray. Brush olive oil on the salmon, and season with salt and pepper as well. Place on baking tray. Put both trays in the oven for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables about half way through. When the salmon is done, sprinkle with dill and squeeze on the juice from the lemon. Serve and enjoy!

Greek chicken pitas with lemon and dill potatoes
Yeild: 2-3 pitas

For the Pitas:

3 Chicken breasts

2 Cloves of chopped garlic

1 1/2 Teaspoons dried oregano

1 Teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 Teaspoon dried coriander (cilantro)

Sliced Lettuce, tomatoes, and onion

Optional: Feta cheese, olives, banana peppers

Pita bread

Tzatziki sauce:

Greek yogurt

About half a large cucumber, shredded

Lemon juice

Himalayan salt and pepper

Fresh or dried dill

For the potatoes:

Small potatoes, diced into quarters or halves

Olive oil

Himalayan salt and pepper

Fresh or dried dill

Lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Start making the Tzatziki sauce first, so the flavors have time to blend together while the rest of the meal is cooking. Shred the cucumber and place in a cheese cloth. Squeeze out as much juice from the cucumber as possible, and then transfer the cucumber to a bowl. Add the greek yogurt, a good squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and a good two heaping teaspoons of dill, depending on the flavor you like. Taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside in fridge. 

Toss the potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 30 minutes.

Toss the chicken in olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme and coriander. Heat a pan on medium heat with a drizzle of oil and cook chicken on both sides until cooked through. Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting into pieces.

Toss the potatoes with a squeeze of lemon juice and dill. Start building the pitas by adding chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki. Add feta cheese or olives if desired. Serve with potatoes.

Copycat Nando's quinoa salad

Yeild: 4 Salads

For the Chicken:

Nando's Coat 'n Cook lemon and herb packet

4 Chicken breasts

Olive oil

For the salad base:

Lettuce, romaine or mixed greens

1 Cup uncooked quinoa

2 Cups water

1-1 1/2 Cups roasted sweet potatoes

1 or 2 Avocados

Cucumber slices

Cherry tomatoes

Pumpkin seeds

Feta cheese

Marinate the chicken in the Nando's packet for an hour or two, however long you have time for. Heat a large skillet onto medium/high. Cook the chicken until its no longer pink in the middle. Let it rest a few minutes before slicing it into pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into about 1" pieces or so, and toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. Boil 2 cups of water, and add in 1 cup of uncooked quinoa. Cook until all water is absorbed, about 15 minutes or so.

Chop the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado and feta.

Once everything has finished cooking, assemble the salad. Lettuce first, then quinoa, and then the rest of the toppings.

Damn Delicious Slow Cooker Carnitas
This recipe is very delicious. My husband and I made this when we had friends staying for the weekend and it was super simple to put together and serve!

I hope this gave you some weeknight meal inspiration! Let me know if you try any of these recipes.
Happy Cooking!
-A

2 Days In London

Greetings Everyone!

Today I am sharing our recent adventures to London. We have been a few times now, and have picked up a few great tips and tricks along the way.

The first tip: Oyster Cards
Get an Oyster Card before you go to London. (If you are going for more than one day.) This is something I wish we would have done the first time we went, instead of on the fourth time. You can purchase them at any of the London tube stations, train stations or you can also order one online and have it sent to you.

Second tip: Research
Do your research about where you want to go in the city. There are so many sites to see, it is impossible to see them all in just one or two days. Pick your absolute must sees and make a list and check them off as you go. Start in one area, do what is there, and then move to the next area to maximize your day!

Third Tip: Public Transit
Don't be afraid to use the tube system! It is quick and efficient in getting you around the city. We put off going into London for a long time because we were really nervous about getting around. Once we got to the station it was really easy to navigate, you just have to pay attention to signs and make sure you are getting on the right train. The trains (just like the bus) have the station name on the front they are going on, so just make sure to pay attention if you need to go to last stop on the line! Some of the trains won't go all the way to the end.
If you are only in London for one day, you can also grab a 24 hour or all day pass. You can hop on and off the tube as many times as you want, and it also includes the bus!
If you will be utilizing the tube, make sure to download the tube map app from the app store on your phone. Google maps also has a very handy tool that you can search in public transit how to get to your destination!

Fourth Tip: When To Visit London
Visit London during the week, and not during tourist high season. Students are in school until the middle to end of June, and go back in September. You do not want to visit London while they are out of school. It's really packed, and really difficult to enjoy the city because there are just SO many people. Our first trip was in August and it was really difficult to see the sites because of the crowds.

Fifth Tip: Where to stay
Selecting a hotel in London can be really stressful. My best recommendation is stay near one of the main train stations. Recently, my friend and I stayed right down the street from Kings Cross and St. Pancras station. It was so nice being able to walk out of our hotel and hop on the tube to wherever we wanted to go. Kings Cross/St. Pancras tube stop is connected to the stations, and have many lines that go to a variety of places!
If you plan to utilize the Euro Star speed trains to continue onto other countries outside of England, it is best to stay near St. Pancras station, as the trains leave from there.
Utilize booking.com to find the best deals on hotels, or there is also airbnb.com as well that you can find fun little flats around the city to stay in.

Sixth Tip: Where to eat
There are so many great restaurants in London. Try to stray away from the traditional pub fare (its the same in almost every pub you walk into), and ask the locals what their favorite place to eat in the area is. You may need a reservation for most places you go in the city, so make sure if there is a place you fancy eating, call ahead from your hotel and make a reservation. Also don't be afraid to ask the concierge for recommendations- we never had asked when we travelled before until recently, and have had some excellent food at a great price while abroad! Note also that the British people tend to take longer to eat meals, so allow 1-2 hours to be at a restaurant eating. More time if your having afternoon tea!
If you are in a pinch, Wagamama is a chain restaurant but has delicious and budget friendly menu and wont fail to fill you up until your next meal. I recommend the duck ramen! They also have free green tea... Yes please!!
Another great and budget friendly place to grab a bite is Nando's. They have a variety of chicken dishes, and a great quinoa salad that is my favorite.
Le Pain Quotidien is a great little café if you are in the mood for a pick me up. They have coffee, tea, scrumptious croissants, pastries, and small plates.
You can't go to England and not have afternoon tea! Do your research here and find the best reviews and the tea room that fits your budget. Some afternoon tea's can be very expensive. I recommend searching on Trip Advisor to find a great tearoom. If you want a different and fun experience for afternoon tea, there is a bus that drives around London while you sip on tea and eat scones. Check their Facebook page for specials and discounts!
Keep a lookout for markets around the city. They are also a great place to grab all kinds of fun foods throughout your trip, and is also a budget friendly way to save time and money.

Seventh Tip: Plan ahead!!
With London being such a large city, make sure you plan your trip ahead of time. Make a detailed itinerary of everything you want to do by day and cross off items as you go. If you are on a budget, make sure you plan just how much you will need for each place you plan on attending. If we have learned anything about visiting London, things add up quickly and you've realized you've spent way more than you thought you would in a short amount of time! The exchange rate is higher than most European countries so be prepared for that when pulling money out of ATM's.
Something you also may plan for is bringing a credit/debit card that is chip and sign/pin, and also that has little or no foreign transaction fees. They can add up quickly! There has been a few times that we have only had our traditional swipe card, and the place we went did not accept it. All places of course accept cash, but not all places accept cards so be prepared and have cash on you as well.

Day one in London:

Start the day by taking the tube to Tower Hill stop, or walking to the Tower of London. It is best to get there before it opens, and be the first group of people in to avoid the crowds of the day to get through efficiently. It takes a good few hours to get through the Tower, but it's worth it! Another tip: If you are wanting to see the Crown Jewels- get in line to do that first. The line can get really lengthy quickly and it can take an hour to even get into the building on busy days.

Next, walk the Tower Bridge and enjoy the views down the River Thames. Once you get to the other side, you can walk along the South Bank and get a good view of the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. As you walk to the right when you get off the bridge, you'll see City Hall and a free standing what my friend and I call "the jellybean". The HMS Belfast warship sits in the Thames as well near there. As you keep walking you'll come across the Hay's Galleria.

While your on the south bank, make sure to stop at Borough Market and have a good walk around. There are a plethora of great stalls there, and you won't leave empty handed!

Head back towards the Shard, and hop on the tube at London Bridge. Take the Northern line to Bank stop. Hop off and then hop back on the Central Line to St. Paul's stop. Walk to St. Paul's Cathedral and have a visit. You can go up the 300+ steps to the top of the cathedral and enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the city.
By this time, it should be about sunset. Stop over on the Embankment Bridge and watch the sunset. Here you can get your first views of the London Eye, Big Ben, and Parliament!

Day 2:

Start your day by taking the tube to Waterloo. Pop off there and start exploring! If you plan to do the London Eye, it is best to book a time online before hand. Enjoy the views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben from across the Thames! Do your research before visiting- Certain days and times are available to visit the interior of Elizabeth Tower.

Next hit Westminster Abbey. If you plan to go inside, make sure to book ahead. The abbey has a fast track pass available to avoid the long lines that can happen in the busy season. It is pricey, but oh so worth it to go inside and walk where so many royals have walked before you.

Walk to Buckingham Palace. If your lucky, you may get to see the changing of the guard! Check the time table to see when they will be there and arrive early to guarantee a great spot as the area fills up quickly. If you walk around the backside of the palace, there is a very nice photo opportunity when the flowers are in bloom, and you don't get a ton of people in your photos.

If you visit between August and September, you can tour the interior of the palace! This is on my bucket list!

Next, take a stroll through Green Park and Hyde Park. The Serpentine restaurant in Hyde Park has a delicious menu and is a great spot to grab a drink and enjoy the view of the pond on a nice sunny day. There are many great stops in all corners of Hyde Park, including the Princess Diana memorial fountain, Marble Arch, and Apsley Gate. You can walk from here to Kensington Palace and Oxford Street to finish out your day!

Some other places of note you might want to hit along the way:

Piccadilly Circus

Trafalgar Square

Shakespeare's Globe Theater

Royal Courts of Justice

Thanks for hanging in there through this long post! If you have any questions, leave me a comment below! Happy Travels!

-A

Easy Homemade Sangria

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today is a very gloomy and cold day in the UK, and I'm craving sunshine and the beach! It hasn't been two weeks since we have been back from our tropical Mallorcan holiday, and I'm already planning the next beach trip. To cure my gloomy day blues, I'm making sangria!

Sangria doesn't have to have a bunch of ingredients. It can just be wine and fruit! Here are two easy peasy recipes that you can quickly make for a last minute get together, or just for fun!

For a delicious white sangria:

1 bottle Torresella Prosecco

1 bottle Bolla Pinot Grigio

1/2 package strawberries

1 green apple

1/2 lemon

1/2 orange

Quarter the strawberries, slice the orange, apple, and lemon. Put them all together in a pitcher, and pour over the prosecco and pinot grigio. Chill for 2 hours or more to let the flavors develop.

Red Sangria:

1 bottle Madria Sangria

1/2 package of strawberries

1/2 orange

Slice and quarter the strawberries, slice the oranges. Pour over the sangria, and chill for minimum of 2 hours. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-A

DIY Lavender Bath Bombs

Greetings, Everyone! I'm sure by now, everyone knows how much I am obsessed with Lush products. However, the closest store is about 45 minutes away from where we live, which is probably a good thing or else I'd be in there once a week buying more products. My two favorites I always grab when I go are the twilight bath bomb and the milky bubble bar.

While watching my YouTube subscriptions the other day (yes, I watch a lot of YouTube, blame my husband for getting me hooked!), I came across a recipe for bath bombs from one of my favorite beauty channels, Rachel Talbott. I've been wanting to try making them myself for a long while now, and I finally decided after watching the video that I would attempt to recreate them at home this week. They were much easier than I thought to make, and I was very pleased with the results!

Here is the recipe that she used:

4 oz Baking soda
2 oz Corn starch
2oz Citric acid
2oz Epsom salt
2 Teaspoon water
2 Teaspoon coconut oil

I added:

12-15 drops lavender essential oil (more if you want the scent stronger)

Dried lavender petals

I started out putting all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mixing them together until everything was thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl I put the wet ingredients. Then, I put the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mixed well, making sure that the dry mixture was wet all the way through. You want the mix to come to a stage where when you make a ball in your hand it should stay in one piece when you open your hand back up.

I lined my cupcake pan with liners, because I could not find a silicone mold that I liked enough. Picky, I know. Before putting in the mix, I put some dried lavender petals in the bottoms of all the liners, making sure only to add a thin layer so they would all stick into the wet mixture. Next, I added a heaping spoonful of the wet mixture into each of the cupcake liners, and then pressed the mix into the tins as firm as possible. I Let them set for 24 hours to harden, then they were ready to use!

If you like, you can make these in all kinds of molds, and all kinds of sizes! I love when these go in the water, they fizz just like the ones you get from Lush!

Which kind of bath bomb would you make? Which ones are your favorites from Lush? Leave me a comment below!

-A

Afternoon in Hunstanton

Greetings everyone, and happy March! I don't know about you, but I am SOOOOOO ready for winter to be over! I got so spoiled living in the southern US for four years and having warm winters. This UK winter seems to be never ending! I suppose you get use to it after living in it for long periods of time, but man. I could use some warmth and a trip to a sunny beach!

Speaking of sunny, warm beach. Today I'm reminiscing about my husband and I's trip to Hunstanton beach last fall. This trip was our first to a beach in the UK, and it did not disappoint! We had quite the lovely day out together.

Our first stop when we arrived in Hunstanton was the cliffs and lighthouse. There is a large car parking area that is pay and display at the cliffs that is near the lighthouse (pictured below) at St. Edmunds Point.

First we came across the Coastguard Lookout Tower, and next the Hunstanton Lighthouse. Both are not used anymore, however they have now become private residencies! Talk about a house with a great sea view.

We then came to the St. Edmunds Chapel ruins that is also at St. Edmunds point. After, we continued on towards the café and stairwell to go down the cliffs to walk on the beach.

Such a lovely view! It must be wonderful to live locally in Hunstanton and get to enjoy the cliffs and beaches regularly.

I was very surprised to find that the water wasn't terribly cold! Of course I had to test it out, so I took my toes for a quick dip deciding then it was too cold and walked along the rocks.

While we were walking along the rocks, we came across the shipwreck. Most of this ship that washed ashore was sold off, but this is all that remains now and is a touristy stop along the beach.

Note to self when we adventure to a beach again- do not wear this type of shoe! The bottoms were very slippery on the rocks and I eventually ended up not wearing them for most of the day!

The opposite end of the cliff walk. There is a short path here to get back up the the car park.

To finish off our afternoon in Hunstanton, we stopped at the best fish and chips take away stand in Hunstanton. After, we found a bench at The Green (across from the Golden Lion Hotel) and sat to eat our lunch together and enjoy the sea view before heading home.

Have you been to Hunstanton? What was your favorite part of your trip?

Have a great week and stay tuned for more of our travels!

-A