Hello from Montreal! As you may or may not know, I recently moved to Montreal with the love of my life and amongst the stresses of finding work and an apartment, we have been exploring this wonderful city. We have climbed the ‘Mont Royal’, relaxed on the banks of the Lachine Canal, walked a lot around Le Plateau and Mile End and I have been pretty snap happy along the way.
I wanted to share some of the photos I have taken so far from urban streets and beautiful houses to street art and, well, photos of us! Montreal is a super arty city and there is something to look at on almost every corner in Le Plateau. I love the industrial vibe to the buildings and I am so excited to shoot outfits photos here!
As for a life update, we have had no luck so far finding jobs but we are keeping our hopes up and persevering! We are hopefully on the cusp of getting an apartment – it has been relatively easy to find an apartment despite not having a job but we are just quite indecisive! It is also quite scary signing a year lease when we do not even know if we will find jobs here! To quote Lewis: “I hope this city is kind to us” and we feel more settled soon.
Welcome to the Bristol brunch project! As I have mentioned previously, Bristol has so many great places to eat out with such a variety of cuisines and vibes to choose from. So, with this is mind and a lot of spare time on my hands, I roped in my sister Jess – AKA Queen Of Brunch – to take a tour of familiar and new cafes in Bristol in the quest to discover Bristol’s best brunches. I have organised this post in chronological order rather than order of preference – it’s long and contains lots of food porn so grab a cuppa (and maybe a snack) and let’s see which brunch comes out on top.
PRIMROSE CAFE
First stop on the brunch tour just had to be Primrose Cafe. Located in the beautiful Clifton Village, in the charming Clifton Arcade, I have been brunching at Primrose Cafe for as long as I can remember. What I love about Primrose Cafe – before we even start on the food – is its style and character. This cosy, family-run cafe has not succumbed to the recent popularity of minimalist, hipster cafes but it has remained its charming-self, with stars on the ceiling and a small, cluttered counter. Primrose Cafe offers the usual brunch characters such as full/veggie breakfast and eggs benedict/florentine/royal but what I am here for is something quite different.
Both Jess and I chose their bubble and squeak brunch served with two poached eggs and a grilled tomato (plus a side of smoked salmon for me and mushrooms for Jess). I love this dish because it is such a different approach to brunch – plus it’s gluten free, which can be tricky to find in a brunch. The eggs were perfectly firm but runny and the smoked salmon was gorgeous. The only slight criticism that we both could make is that the bubble and squeak could do with a bit more seasoning. Otherwise, Jess and I both left Primrose Cafe very happy brunchers.
PRIMROSE CAFE | 1 The Clifton Arcade, Boyce’s Avenue, Clifton Village, Bristol, BS8 4AA
BAKERS & CO
Next up was Bakers & Co, which is Jess’ all time favourite brunch place – I’m telling you, the girl is obsessed. Situated on Gloucester Road, in the heart of where I “live” (and grew up) in Bristol, Bakers & Co has become our go-to brunch place so I had already been quite a few times before starting this brunch tour. What I like about Bakers & Co is its bustling, down-to-earth vibe, although sometimes the service can be a bit slow and definitely be prepared to queue on a weekend! Now let’s talk food. I have always ordered the same thing at Bakers & Co and it’s a classic – smashed avocado on sourdough toast with two extra poached eggs. Jess orders the same thing but with mushrooms as well and even though she has sampled other brunches on their varied and changing menu, she always comes back to this. I know that avocado has become such a predictable brunch staple but Bakers & Co’s is the best I have ever had. It is smashed just to the right consistency, freshened with just the right amount of lime juice and has the perfect kick thanks to the chopped chilli – that’s right, I am analysing avocado here. Our mum joined us on this particular brunch trip and she ordered something completely different. I tried her citrus quinoa salad with smoked trout and poached eggs and it was just delicious! Normally I would not even consider ordering a salad for brunch but this dish has certainly made me reconsider this stance! Bakers & Co won ‘Best Breakfast’ in the Bristol Good Food Awards in 2015 so keep reading to see if in our eyes they’ve still got it!
BAKERS & CO | 193 Gloucester Road, St Andrews, Bristol, BS7 8BG
THE NORTH STREET STANDARD
Having been to the sister restaurant, The Urban Standard (as it is more in our neck of the woods) a few times before, we decided to venture south of the river to The North Street Standard and I am so glad we did. The Bedminster branch is much bigger and brighter with a large outdoor seating area from which you can watch the world go by.
I had The Standard on my brunch list from the beginning because they do a mean veggie breakfast and that is exactly what we both ordered (apologies that we keep ordering the same brunches but we know what we like!). The veggie breakfast consists of a fried egg (which we changed to poached), a small bubble and squeak, two slices of grilled halloumi, baked beans, spinach, mushrooms and grilled tomato. Oh and one slice of toast, which Jess thought was a bit stingy but that’s our only complaint. I love this different take on the veggie breakfast with not a fake meat sausage in sight, just lots of lovely little bits that go together so well. Also, I think halloumi is an inspired addition to a veggie breakfast and it is one of the main reasons I order this. I had this brunch before heading to London on a long bus journey and it kept me going rather well indeed!
Other location: THE URBAN STANDARD | 35 Gloucester Road, St Andrews, Bristol, BS7 8AD
SOUK KITCHEN
After a slightly disappointing mid-week brunch stop at GRUPO LOUNGE (great for eggs on a hangover but nothing special), we kicked off a sunny Sunday with our first ever visit to Souk Kitchen. Located just off Whiteladies Road in Clifton (with another location south of the river in Southville), Souk Kitchen does a Mediterranean take on brunch and god is it good.
Everything on the menu sounded so good that it was hard to choose but eventually I went for the courgette, sweetcorn and feta fritters with a poached egg, roasted tomato and Moroccan chilli jam. It was a total taste explosion in the mouth and exactly the kind of quirky brunch I had been looking for. After nearly ordering the Shakshouka, Jess chose the garlic mushrooms on toasted with wilted spinach, a fried duck egg, pumpkin seed dukkah and lemon butter. Even though my brunch was absolutely divine, I have to admit that Jess’ may have been even better. As a big mushroom fan, Jess was in heaven and when I asked her for a more detailed description, she just replied “it was so so so good.” Well there you go – you will just have to go and try it yourself. So if you are fed up of smashed avocado or traditional full English breakfasts, get yourself down to Souk Kitchen – I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
Other location: SOUK KITCHEN | 277 North Street, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1JP
BEST BRUNCH?
I hereby declare Bakers & Co the best place for brunch in Bristol thanks to its changing menu, perfectly smashed avocado and ideal location. Bakers & Co will always be a go-to brunch place for us both and how could I ever think that Jess would choose anyone else as the winner?! Souk Kitchen definitely comes in at a close second with its alternative take on brunch that introduces out of this world flavours and unusual ingredients to the Bristol brunch scene.
I hope that you have enjoyed this brunch tour of Bristol and thank you to Jess for being my trusty co-bruncher and for being patient while I photographed all these brunches when really she just wanted to eat! There are certainly a few more brunch spots that I would like to try in Bristol but in the meantime, try the above and let me know which is your favourite.
I apologise profusely that things have been a bit quite on the blog this week. It has been rather hectic because ya know, I am moving to Canada today! That’s right – as this post goes live, I am on my way to Gatwick to catch my flight to Montreal. Of course I have been living abroad in Europe for the past few years but moving to Canada definitely feels like a bigger step! I am feeling all sorts of emotions right now from excitement, hope and pride to sadness, fear and everything else in between.
So I thought it was fitting to do a video to mark this special day, bringing together my two passions – fashion and travel – and show you what I am packing for Canada. I can tell you that it has been pretty bloody hard – especially as a fashionblogger – to pack my rather sizeable wardrobe down into just two suitcases. But I have managed it and I always have the excuse to buy even more clothes over in Montreal.
Happy Sunday everybody! Last weekend I spent the weekend in London with some lovely ladies. See what we got up to in today’s mini vlog, which of course include lots of eating, shopping and drinking.
Today’s post is all about taking risks, not playing by your rules and giving something else a go. Take these photos as an example – this is the first grungy outfit that I have worn in a long time; my hair is swept dramatically to one side; and I am standing in a park experimenting with sunlight to create beautiful imagery rather than just standing on a street. I would not say that I have one particular style. I love the retro sixties and seventies; I like minimal, basic looks and, like in this outfit, I am into a bit of grunge. I think that is what fashion – and indeed life – is all about. It is fun to mix up personal style, try new things and take risks. Although today’s outfit does not seem super risky, it is different for me because I hardly ever wear figure hugging dresses and I am normally hiding behind my big floppy fringe. It is a funny story about the different hair here really – I was basically just so hot and flustered getting ready for this shoot that I shoved my hair to the side and actually really liked it (but don’t worry, I won’t be getting rid of the fringe just yet). I guess I am thinking a lot about taking risks at the moment. Lewis and I are currently in Bristol, in limbo, trying to decide our next life move. Last March, we applied for Working Holiday Visas for Canada and after a long wait, we finally got them in October. I feel that it will be such a risk to move to Canada because we do not know what the job market is like over there and we do not know anyone. I also feel like I am getting on a bit – I know, 26 (and a half) is not old but as a woman, my body is a ticking bomb and I need to work out what I am doing with my life! On the other hand, what is life without risks and travel and experiences? If it doesn’t work out, then we can just come back. Nothing is permanent, nothing is wrong and everything can be positive if you have the right attitude. Am I talking about a super random mix of things in this post? I apologise if you are confused – fashion, life, what?! Sometimes, it is good to get things out, written down and perhaps someone will understand my ramblings.
Aujourd’hui, je vous parle de prendre des risques, de ne pas être réglo et d’essayer quelque chose de nouveau. Si on prend ces photos comme un exemple – ça fait longtemps que je n’ai pas porte un look « grunge » ; je suis sans frange et je porte mes cheveux sur une côté ; et on expérimente avec de la lumière pour créer des belles images au lieu d’être au milieu d’une rue.
Je vous avoue que je n’ai pas qu’un style. Je kiffe les années 60s et 70s ; j’aime bien porter des looks basics et minimalistes ; et comme dans ce look, j’adore un peu de grunge. Je pense que dans la mode – et dans la vie – c’est bien d’avoir plein de préférences. C’est marrant de changer son style personnel, d’essayer des nouvelles choses et de prendre des risques. Même si cette tenue du jour ne parait pas super « risque », pour moi elle est différente parce que je ne porte presque jamais des pièces serrées et normalement je me cache derrière ma frange. En fait, j’ai fait mes cheveux comme cela parce qu’en me préparant pour ce shoot, j’ai eu chaud. Du coup j’ai mis tous mes cheveux sur le côté et je les aime bien ! (Mais je ne vais pas pousser ma frange – vous ne vous inquiétez pas !)
Je pense beaucoup au sujet de prendre des risques en ce moment. Lewis et moi sommes à Bristol, dans le flou, et nous essayons de décider ce que nous faisons pour notre prochain chapitre de vie ! En mars 2015, nous avons applique pour les visas pour aller en Canada et après avoir attendu trop longtemps, nous avons reçu les visas en octobre. Je crois que nous prenons un risque d’aménager là-bas parce que nous ne connaissons pas son monde de travail et nous ne connaissons personne. Je me sens que je vieille – je sais que je n’ai que 26 ans (et demi) mais comme une femme, nos corps font tic-tac et il faut que je trouve ce que je veux faire dans la vie ! De l’autre côté, c’est quoi la vie sans prendre des risques, sans des voyages et sans des expériences ? Si notre aménagement a Canada ne marche pas, nous pouvons revenir ! Rien n’est permanent, rien n’est perdu et tous peut être positif si on a la bonne attitude.
Je ne sais pas si je vous parle d’un mélange bizarre de sujets dans ce poste ?! Je suis désolée si vous êtes confus – la mode, la vie, quoi ?! Des fois, c’est bien de dire ou écrire ce qu’on pense et j’espère que vous me comprenez !
