April 2018 Archives

I enjoy getting out of London, so today was a day that I got to visit Bournemouth to see friends and to attend a christening. I actually used to live in Bournemouth for a short while as I went to university there to do a Master's degree and visited the town a lot with friends before my days of university. The city has changed a lot over that time, and I do miss the old times when I used to hang out in Bournemouth as the feeling of the town has changed a lot. Anyway, the main reason of the visit was the christening, which took place in the morning, and then we went to get some photographs before heading to the centre to Neo's Restaurant for lunch.

We had pineapple mocktails (pina coladas) and Berry Collins mocktails, which were all delicious. The pineapple pina coladas were served in cool pineapple glasses.

The restaurant is located close to the seafront and opposite the hotels and BIC (Bournemouth's concert hall). We had a wonderful view over the gardens and the sea. I had so many good memories walking around the gardens. And Bournemouth was the first beach that I ever visited! I'd never been to a beach before and had never seen the sea/ocean from ground level (not including the view from a plane).

We choose to have a starter and a main meal, and I had the tomato soup. There was also a choice of apple and celery soup. This was served with potato bread. We also had fresh white pull-apart bread roll as a pre-starter. This was served with butter and chilli salt.

I had the chicken for the main course, and this came with broccoli and ham hock and potato rosti. The rosti was very salty and could have had more potato and far less ham hock as the salt and flavour clashed too much. That was my only complaint, but the rest of the food was really good.

After we finished, we headed back to the house to have some of the special cake for the christening. It was a great day to meet the little one, and we also met another little one as I had not seen a couple of friends (previously featured on my blog) that have since had a baby, though the baby will be three years old this year!

It was a great day to catch up with friends and again reminded me that I really need a break from London every now and again. I was born in the country, and London is too large and I miss spying the countryside from the car on the journey and the smaller town/city of Bournemouth.

After visiting the Camera Obscura, wandering around the streets of Edinburgh, and the castle at Edinburgh, I went to visit Greyfriar's Kirkyard and Greyfriar's Bobby. This was my third trip to the church. Greyfriar's Bobby is the story of a little Scottish terrier whose owner died and who lay at his owner's grave. The grave of Bobby and his master can be seen in the churchyard, and a statue dedicated to the little terrier is located on the main road in front of the church in front of a pub also named after him. I also visited Victoria Street, which is a winding road full of interesting shops and cafes.

The best route to take to visit this quirky street is to turn down the alleyway fromt he Royal Mile before getting to the major crossroad here. There is a little alley that leads down into the street, so you are walking down steps instead of up steps. (Edinburgh has many steps.)

After leaving Victoria Street, Greyfriar's is not far after a couple of winding roads and a walk through the graveyard.

The grave below is the owner of Bobby, John Gray. This is where Bobby lay. James Brown was one of Bobby's friends and is buried next to Gray's. In front of the church itself, not far from these graves, is the grave of Bobby. 

After visiting the church and graveyard, the best way out to avoid the hills is to walk out from the gates in front of the church and then walk over the bridge on the high road past Bobby's statue and the pub. Also on this road are some cafes, including The Elephant House, which is a popular place for Edinburgh's authors to write. "Harry Potter" was partially written here by J.K. Rowling.

Edinburgh is a nice place to visit, but it is at its best in the sun. It can look very dark and dreary in the wet weather. My first visit was in November many years ago, and although it was very cold, it was sunny each day. My second visit was non-stop hard rain, and my my recent visit in December was cloudy with a bit of sun.

Saturday was National Tea Day. I visited Fes-tea-val to celebrate tea at Chiswick House & Gardens. The event consisted of a few tea-related activities, the museum opened in order to visit Chitra Collection of historical teaware and tea items (which you can read in my previous post), and vendors set up to sell tea, food, and other items. (Many of the winning taste products were there to buy as well as new companies.) Before the event, visitors could sign up to a number of events, such as a visit to the museum, but I could not locate some of the events that I signed up for, and no one seemed to know about it either. I did not stay too long because I actually bought some items, and they were quite heavy to carry around with me.

The weather was perfect for the event. The vendors were organised in four main areas with two sets in large marquee tents, the outdoor stands, and another outdoor area selling food and drink with a stage. I wish that they had put events on the stage, because there actually was not too much to stay around for once the Chitra Collection and browsing the tents and vendors was complete. Most (if not all) of the vendors present had won Great Taste award.

I did see some people in fancy dress! Below are just a few of the companies that I spoke to and bought items from.

I arrived early due to trains. I am actually working in Chiswick now when I am not working from home, and it takes three trains to get to Chiswick. It can take anywhere from about 40 minutes to an hour an a half on average. Luckily, while I waited for the museum to be open, I was able to buy some "Simply Ice Cream", which has won a "Great Taste" award in 2011. They have a lot of delicious-sounding flavours, and I had the pistachio which was creamy and contained bits of pistachio nuts. "Simply Ice Cream" make their handmade ice cream in Kent with local products, and they are a luxury ice cream brand. (https://twitter.com/simplyicecream)

Newby Teas were giving away a free cup of tea and tea bags to visitors, and I had the Earl Grey. They are a luxury tea brand and sell bags or loose leaf in different flavours. I loved seeing the colourful pots of tea in the clear glass teapots. (https://twitter.com/NewbyTeas)

Next up are sweet treats by Great Bakes, a west London company that has won Great Taste award in 2013. There were actually two other vendors specialising in brownies, but I did not really speak to them although all brownies tasted very nice. I bought from Great Bakes. Great Bakes handmake their items and ship them in tins. They also have a special item which they described as a blend of a flapjack and Millionaire's Shortbread that they call 'Stickyjack'. I loved the 'Stickyjack' and just may have to buy some sometime. (https://twitter.com/greatbakes_uk)

MDTea were selling packages of different flavours of tea, which smelled delicious.

Next up is another sweet treat from "Ann's Designer Cakes", a company based from Surrey who make wedding cakes and cakes for films and magazines. They had several different flavours to choose from, and I had the Prosecco and Strawberry, which was a Victoria Sponge. The photograph below is of a cookies 'n' cream cake, and looking at it is enough to make me hungry. (https://twitter.com/AnnsDesignCakes)

The Tea Circle is a start-up. I'd actually won the raffle from them, but I had left the venue before I received the message (frown). They want to tap into the market of personalised tea to send as gifts. Visitors could try to make their own blend. (https://twitter.com/TheTeaCircleUK)

Next on the list is another product that I purchased - Bo Tree Kampot Pepper. They have different types of pepper as well as salt to buy, and all of it is produced in Cambodia. The product has won the Great Taste award in 2017. (https://twitter.com/BoKampot)

Nemi Teas is another tea company selling at Fes-tea-val, and I really liked the smell of the orange blend, which had cloves and cardamon. The Earl Grey was described as having a nice taste that does not linger with a bitter taste. (http://www.nemiteas.com)

Edinburgh Gin was also selling at Fes-tea-val, and I have previously purchased their gin in the rhubarb and ginger flavour when I visited Scotland last year. I did not need to buy anymore, but I like their gin. (https://twitter.com/Edinburgh_Gin)

One of the most beautiful displays was from Choi Time, a company selling teas with a range of health benefits. They sold flowery teas and green teas. I purchased one of the sets with a clear glass tea pot as I only have a china tea pot and not a clear glass one. I am really looking forward to trying these teas. (https://twitter.com/choitimeteas)

I also purchased cooking oils from Mr. Hugh's range. They were selling a range of different rapeseed oils, which are healthier than some of the highly refined and manufactured oils. I bought the standard one plus one infused with garlic, and I already tried that one with a stir fry and it was much better than the heavy and sticky nut oil I usually use. (https://twitter.com/MrHughsOil)

Tea Palace was another company selling tea, and their award-winning one is photographed below. It is the Organic Palace Tea, and it is sold at some of London's hotels. (https://twitter.com/teapalace)

The Tipsy Tart is a company selling flavoured gins and vodkas and their own range of Prosecco. I tried their Prosecco. (https://twitter.com/thetipsytart)

I also purchased brewed craft ice tea from Mangajo. They had samples, and I dislike iced tea, but these were flavoured and did not taste like the nasty chain brands. These include various flavours, including pomegranate and green tea, red grape and rooibos, and lemon and green tea. They are free from added colours, preservatives, and sweeteners. I have not had the ones that I have bought yet, but I thought they would go great with a small amount of gin and ice. (https://twitter.com/MangajoDrinks)

I also bought rose-flavoured HolyLama Spice Drops, and I cannot wait to try these. They have flavourings for drinks and food. Flavours include chai spice, cardamon, cinnamon, lemon, garam masala, red chilli, peppermint, lime zest, mulling spice, and more. (https://twitter.com/SpiceDropsUK) 

My final purchase was PureXtracts tumeric oil to help soothe pains. I actually needed to use this when I got home as my feet hurt from walking so much (it's a 20-minute walk to Chiswick House from Chiswick Park station). It did seem to do the trick.

And that wraps it up for National Tea Day Fes-te-val! I purchased a lot of great things and can't wait to try what I have not already tried. I only wish that they had some more events going on to sit down and watch as there wasn't much to do after seeing the museum and going around to the vendors, and the events that I had signed up for were not taking place for some reason.

Happy National Tea Day! Today, I visited Chiswick House & Gardens where Fes-tea-val was taking place for this weekend only. Fes-tea-val is a celebration of tea, Britain's favourite drink. I love tea and afternoon tea, so I planned my visit. I will cover my time at Fes-tea-val in another post, but for now I will cover one of the attractions at Fes-tea-val, the Chitra Collection at Chiswick House.

First on my list was my visit to the Chitra Collection at Chiswick House. The Chitra Collection is a collection of historically-significant and beautifully-crafted tea-related items (pots, spoons, bowls, sets) from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. A few significant pieces of this collection were brought to Chiswick House and put on show for National Tea Day 2018. In essence, this was a very brief historical look at tea and how tea came to be drunk in ceremonies, then by the richest of the population, and now by the general public through developments in transport to make it widely-available. The Newby company owns the collection and wants to ensure that future generations and appreciate tea.

Tea's history begun in China around 5000 years ago and soon spread to Japan where it was a favourite of the emperor and Buddist monks used it in religious ceremonies. One of the styles of tea consumed in early China was frothed, but in 1300, loose tea was brewed and favoured by Chinese. Above shows a tea bowl that was used for frothed tea and a red clay teapot from the early 1600s.

After the populatority of tea in Asia, tea was introduced to Europe during the early 1600s and imported. As tea was expensive to import and took a voyage by sea, it was only affordable to and drunk by the richest people.  

Tea and tea-related goods were shipped on boats, but not all boats made it back safely. The top left item was a teapot discovered in a Portuguese shipwreck, and the bottom of it has the remains of barnacles. The bottom photograph shows a matching teabowl and saucer. The left side of above image shows a teapot embellished with metal to add European fashion to the Asian artwork, and the metal embellishments also hid any breakages that may have happened in transit. (This image is also at the top of the article.) The last item is the ellaborate Dutch blue Delft made of ceramic with a blue and white design inspired by Chinese porcelain.

 Tea became fashionable in England in the mid-1600s, and by the 1700s, it was a staple social activity. Silver teapots were in fashion. The item at the back in the photograph below was heated from below for a short time. The gold boxes are tea canisters with locks to prevent tea from being stolen. The small teapot on the left belonged to Lord Admiral Nelson. It was big enough to make tea for one person, so I assume that at this time in the early 1800s that tea was consumed for personal outside of social situations.

Tea became wider-used in the 1800s as it became cheaper to import. The national drink of Great Britain became tea during this time, and the East India Company started to import tea from India. Below shows images of items from this time including teapots, tea caddies, and spoons, including a teapot made of caneware (bamboo). Also important to note is the teaette, which is a spoon that is filled with loose leaf tea and brewed into a cup to create a cup for one person.

Next is a collection of German-made teaware. Germany was one of the top European teaware producers. Germans were able to create and produce porcelain that was as good as the Chinese and Japanese counterparts. As a result, the German teaware became popular. The Germans even decorated their pottery with Asian designs. The below are Meissen teaware examples.

In France, tea was a popular drink but expensive, so it could only be afforded by the very rich. In France, tea was served with milk, and girls had to learn to serve tea and had their own little tea sets. The silver teapot with the goose on the back right is identical to one that Napoleon owned.

In Russia, tea is also very popular due to the cold climate and is one of the national drinks. Tea is sweetened with sugar, jam, honey, or lemon. The collection in the photographs below is of a tea caddy made by Faberge.

Last (but not least), is a sample of silver teapots from America. Tea was brought by early settlers from Europe and quite popular until the British tax on tea. The teapot on the left below was owned by one of the people who was against the tea tax and assisted in the Boston Tea Party. Coffee became a more important drink and was grown closer to home (Caribbean and South America). The tea set below on the right with the green tops was made by Tiffany & Co.

To see the Chitra Collection at Chiswick House or to attend the events and buy tea and tea-related items, you still have a chance to visit Fes-te-val at Chiswick House and Gardens tomorrow.

JimmyC (James Cochran) is a street artist from Australia who frequently paints in London and has created some very popular works in the city. Recently, he painted on the side of the Tramshed restaurant in Shoreditch. In March, he painted a collaboration with fellow street artist 'order55', Seb Humphreys. The work features two portraits with swirling brown and turquoise colours in the artist's "dabbed paint" style.

The wall that JimmyC and order55 painted on is the "Nelson's Head" pub near Columbia Road and Hackney Road (between the two roads). It is a very stunning piece, so if you are visiting the flower market at Columbia Road, be sure to check it out. It's only a minute or two walk away from the street.

More artwork by JimmyC that I have posted about in this blog are:

JimmyC Paints 'Open the Mind'
"Mick's Hands" Mural by JimmyC
JimmyC Redchurch Street Heart
JimmyC Paints Shakespeare on South Bank
Street Artist JimmyC Paints Caledonian Road
RIP David Bowie & An Afternoon in Brixton
New Mural in Ever-Changing Shoreditch by JimmyC
New 'Spring Offering' Mural by Bailon and Sliks (JimmyC, Zadok Sonar Uno)
New JimmyC Mural on Joe's Kid (Cafe), Fashion Street
JimmyC Street Art - New Inn Yard, Brick Lane, Hackney Road
New Street Art by JimmyC
Street Art: JimmyC

One of London's popular street artists, Otto Schade (OSch) has painted a new mural on a wall off Brick Lane in one of his usual spots. The artwork has replaced his work "The Believers", which can be seen by visiting the top link at the bottom of this post. The new mural depicts Jack the Ripper, the notorious serial killer who murdered on the streets of Shoreditch and Spitalfields in the mid and late 1800s. In fact, a couple of the murders attributed to him were found in the streets very close to this mural. 

Otto Schade's popular work is in one of a couple of different styles. Famous faces and items are made out of painted ribbons for one style, and the other style features social and political issues. This style shows the item as a silhouette with purple or orange backdrop in a circular image. The "Jack the Ripper 2040" piece is the latter style. It shows the killer who has committed another murder, but many people stand around and photograph or take video of the crime instead of stopping the killer. This is a social message about people being glued to their devices.

I've previously posted about Otto Schade's work in the following posts:

Otto Schade 'The Believers' and 'WTF'
'Bull in a China Shop', 'Osch-car' and 'Flies Around Sh*t'
Otto Schade 'Peace and Love on the Streets'
Street Artist Otto Schade Paints Southampton 'Zany Zebra' for Charity (and other work)
Street Art Round-up: Spring & Summer 2015
Otto Schade's New Street Art (Meerkats, Portraits, & More) in East London
New Street Art from Horror Crew, Swoon, Otto Schade, HIN, and others
Street Art: Otto Schade

It has been a little while since I have seen street art by Airbourne Mark in east London. He was most recently painting the Origami Riots series of street art featuring origami masks. A few of these appeared in Star Yard off Brick Lane last spring and early last summer, and you can read more about them by following the links at the bottom of this post. This new OrigamiRiots mural features "Flowers of Life", a mask that was given to the artist and shipped from Sweden.

For those interested in seeing more form the artist, I previously covered some of Airborne Mark's work, in with a round-up of other artwork in early 2014 here, a round-up in 2015 here and here, in early 2016. In addition, see the below:

Airborne Mark Paints 'African Mask' - Origami Riots
Airborne Mark Paints "Paper Sprite" - Origami Riots
Airbourne Mark Paints "Greek Mask" - Origami Riots

Lily Vanilli is an east London bakery located just off Columbia Road, and they serve up sweet and savoury treats and coffee/tea during the Sunday flower market. Each week, the menu changes. I visited last Sunday during my Columbia Road Flower Market visit, but my first visit was over Easter a couple of years ago. Their treats look so nice, and I bought some of their easter miniature cakes, topped with a little golden egg.

Lily Vanilli's founder Lily Jones is from east London, and she opened the bakery in 2011. Many of her products are gluten-free or vegan, and she uses fresh ingredients. She started baking as a hobby to earn some extra money after the 2008 recession when she moved back to London from Australia. She also has some books, and most of her success has been through word-of-mouth, but I cannot help but to imagine the photographs of her very pretty creations also helped do the trick.

I recommend a visit to Lily Vanilli bakery if you're visiting Columbia Road flower market on a Sunday.

I enjoy seeing the various plants and pretty flowers for sale on Columbia Road in east London. The flower market takes place on Sunday only, and this is also when the shops, bakeries, and cafes on Columbia Road are open and at their busiest. Any other day on the street is very empty, but head over on Sunday morning or early afternoon, and the street is packed. I headed over to the street last weekend to see if I could find some daffodils for the garden. Look at the bottom of this blog post for some hints and tips about visiting Columbia Road Flower Market.

Unfortunately, daffodils could not be found as there was only one place selling large ones but wanted to sell a whole tray and not a pot; there was no way I could have carried this across to west London. However, I did manage to buy some hyacinths that are highly-perfumed and smelled gorgeous on the tube home.

My tips for visiting Columbia Road Flower Market are to arrive early. Crowds are worse later in the day, and it's impossible to see anything because the walkway through the vendors is not wide enough. (The only exception to this is if it starts to bucket down with rain as this chases many people away, but it has to be hard rain.) The flower market starts to close in the mid afternoon on Sundays, and you may get some good deals on plants if you arrive at or near closing. There are a couple of places that offer street food, coffees, cakes, and lunches but these are packed. Unless you are lucky, you won't be able to get a table. A couple of pubs are at the start/end of the street and around the corner, but these may also be a little busy. However, Hackney Road and Bethnal Green Road are not too far away, so you could stop somewhere for brunch/lunch/breakfast/coffee. Do look out for Lily Vanilli in the courtyard off Ezra Road. You probably won't get a seat, but they have hot drinks and food for sale. Overall, it should not take more than an hour to have a really good look around the plants and pop into a few shops, but this depends on your pace. The vendors themselves only take up a very small stretch of Columbia Road.

On Saturday, I found myself transported to dystopian future Los Angeles from the script of the science fiction cult classic "Blade Runner". I became Detective Schultz for the evening and dressed up for the new identity provided. Some of my readers may remember the posts where I went to Secret Cinema "Back to the Future" in 2014 and Secret Cinema "The Empire Strikes Back" in 2015. I'd actually never seen the full film "Blade Runner" until a couple of weeks ago; I'd watched clips of it in my film university classes, but this was one film that we did not fully watch. I know that "Blade Runner" was also one of Secret Cinema's earlier immersive cinema experiences. For those who do not know what Secret Cinema is, it's basically the chance to become a part of the film through a set creation and interactions with other visitors and actors/actresses to participate in a storyline.

On ticket purchase, the visitors fill out an online survey to receive their character's information. The bloke and I had got the VIP tickets, which made us become L.A.P.D. detective and undercover detective. (There were other ticket categories too and some people were replicants/robots, sympathisers and other categories loosely based on the film.) Each type of character had a storyline with an end goal, and the end goal of the detective groups was to become a "blade runner", which we received a little stamp for if we helped do great things. I cannot spoil it, but everyone will have a different path/experience/story. 

VIP access also gave us better seats, two cocktails, and a meal. Cocktail bars were a part of the event with one in the detective's lounge and another as a bar with dancers known as "The Snake Pit", which is a tribute to the film. The seats were worth the cost because they were comfortable, and I remember being very uncomfortable for the "Back to the Future" showing as the seats were too narrow and close together; I have long legs and did not have enough room. 

While the film was shown, the actors and actresses acted out certain parts of the film or the lighting was changed to add atmosphere to what was being shown. The film itself is a fairly easy one for that as there's not too much action but a lot of the same type of atmosphere in future Los Angeles' Chinatown. So, most of the scene cuts and changes focused on street people going about their daily commutes in Chinatown.

Like all Secret Cinema events, mobile phones are not allowed; you're asked to put them into a bag when you arrive, and there are lockers to store items as well. So, photography is also not allowed. (There is an area just outside the event that is set up for selfies and other photographs.)

Overall, it is a great and unique experience, but I think I preferred "Back to the Future" and "The Empire Strikes Back". The world created for "The Empire Strikes Back" was larger and more interactive and amazing, and I am a big "Star Wars" fan, so of course that made it even more special for me. The set for "Blade Runner" was impressive but on a smaller scale. Visitors could interact in "Chinatown" with food stalls set up with the smells, and they also had rain falling from the ceiling indoors in the Chinatown set. The police department looked like an old-fashioned 1950s-style office, and "The Snake Pit" had exotic dancers on stage. 

The only downside is that there's not really any time to explore; it's two hours, and it goes super-quick. I think they should have shown the film later and maybe started half an hour earlier. There is an after-party as well, but they do close off some of the main areas. I also felt lacking in time with the other events as there's simply just not enough time.

This event goes on until June 10, so if you do want the chance to experience, book now. There are still tickets available. Let me know if you have been and what you thought of it in the comments.

Pan-n-Ice has been on my radar for a long time now, but I never got to visit them when they had a pop-up in Selfridges. After that, they set up in Westfield Stratford, which is on the opposite side of London to me and a place I do not visit often. However, I was excited to learn that they would be returning to west London and coming to Westfield at White City/Shepherd's Bush, which is about a 20-minute drive away from me. 

Pan-n-Ice have a unique take on frozen treats, and these were inspired by what the founders saw while back-packing in Thailand. Milk and flavours (fresh fruit, nuts, cookies, cakes, etc) are added to a super-cold steel plate. They are combined together and chopped up to produce rolled ice cream. They are then served with toppings. 

There are several flavours to choose from. Strawberries and passion fruit, pistachio, Eaton Mess, Oreo mint, strawberry banana, matcha, and coconut are a few of their different flavours.

The ice cream rolls are then created in front of you! I had the pistachio and the bloke had the Oreo mint one.

Part of the fun is watching these get created in front of you and also taking photographs of the rolled-up ice cream, which does look very photogenic. In terms of the taste of the ice cream, it's not the best I have ever eaten as I have a preference for gelato or frozen custard. This tasted more of milk with a very subtle taste of pistachio, and I am not a fan of the taste of milk. (I'm also picky and won't eat ice cream if it's melted too much and also do not like milkshakes.) Have you ever tried a Pan-n-Ice?

Pan-n-Ice are currently in Westfield White City near the new John Lewis on the first floor. They are also in Manchester and Westfield Stratford.

A few months have passed since I have written an "empties" post, although I have managed to empty a few beauty products but not as many as I hoped I would. (I'm working from home a lot, so I am not using products daily.) I was inspired by similar "empties" reviews that I have seen on other blogs to look back on the beauty, make-up, and skin-care items that have been finished up and to decide if I would like to re-purchase any of those items.

Bath & Body Works 'Be Enchanted' luxury bubble bath: This is an American brand (similar to 'The Body Shop'), and I always buy a lot of their products when I visit America. I've had this luxury bubble bath for awhile. It smelled fruity-floral and produced some nice bubbles. Would I buy it again? No, as the UK has other brands of bubble bath products that suit me. (I would buy it if I was living in the states.)

The Body Shop 'Cassis Rose' Eau de Toilette: This is another High Street bath product, and it comes in a range. This perfume smelled like a beautiful rose. I received this many years ago in a gift set. Would I buy it again? No. I love the smell, but there are better rose-smelling perfumes on the market, and the scent lingers for longer. It's not a bad product, but I would not re-purchase it.

The Body Shop 'Glazed Apple' Eau de Toilette: Another product from 'The Body Shop', I purchased a couple of these and then a couple more after the holidays when they were on sale. I absolutely loved the sickly-sweet apple smell, which was perfect for the holidays. Would I buy it again? Maybe. I actually had purchased a few of these and their most recent edition. They change the scent slightly each year. However, there are similar scents on the market where the perfume lingers for longer.

The Body Shop 'Frosted Cranberry' Eau de Toilette: Another product from 'The Body Shop', I purchased with the above product during the holiday season. Would I buy it again? No. I enjoyed the scent, but the scent does not linger.

Sand & Sky Brilliant Skin: This is a skin mask made with pink clay to help purify and sooth tired skin. Would I buy it again? No because I have similar products to use up, and I simply prefer those products.

Klorane dry shampoo: This is a dry shampoo made with oat milk to help soften the hair and reduce the oils produced. It's also a product that can be used on sensitive skin. Would I buy it again? No. It left white residue on my dark hair from use, and a lot of dry shampoo products do this.

Anna Sui 'Secret Wish' hand lotion: I love 'Anna Sui' perfume, but I have not bought any for awhile since I have so much perfume to use up. I am unsure if 'Secret Wish' is even made anymore...and I hope my favourite 'Flight of Fancy' has not been discontinued as it's one of my favourite perfumes ever. This lotion came with a gift set, and it had a grown-up floral scent. Would I buy it again? I would not purchase this product on its own as I don't use a lot of lotion.

Eslor day cream: This day cream promises to rejuvenate and soften skin, and it has a wonderful smell. Would I buy it again? No. I just don't use a lot of creams, and this one did not have a long shelf life as it hardened quickly.

eos melon lip balm: This is the cult lip balm product that made some girls break out from allergies. I'd purchased it awhile before those claims but only just managed to use it up recently. I loved the melon scent. Would I buy it again? No, because I have so many lip balms. I also found that the tubing was difficult to use and prone to dirt becoming trapped into the rim.

Mirenesse mascara: I had a trial size of these with an offer, and I purchased the larger size of this mascara with promises fuller lashes. Would I buy it again? No. The product dried out before much use, and I found it very clumpy. I really disliked the product.

Lacome Genifique eye light-pearl: This product helps to brighten the area around the eye. Would I buy it again? No. The product felt cool on my skin, but I could not really see any benefits.

Jane nail polish and glitter nail polish in purple: I am a magpie, so the glitter nail polish appealed to me, and I paired this with the glossy purple colour to allow me to use as a bottom coat or paint some nails in glitter and some in the gloss with a nice effect. Would I buy it again? No. The nail polish took a little too long to dry.

NakedLips Superfruits lip balm: This lip balm is made with super fruits to help add moisture to lips. It made my lips feel nourished and soft quickly. Would I buy it again? Yes, this was a good product, and I loved the fact that it is 100% natural.

TheBalm Stainiac lip and cheek tint: This product can be used on cheeks or lips to create a pink glow. Would I buy it again? No. I disliked the product because it has an uneven colour. I mainly used it as blush, but there are better products. The design of the product also makes it difficult to use.

SebaMed: This product promised to remove acne and blemishes from the skin, so I was excited to try the product as I suffer from acne sometimes. Would I buy it again? No. It actually made my skin worse and caused break-outs.

Oskia Renaissance Mask: This skin-care mask promises to nourish and transform skin to a youthful glow. Would I buy it again? I'd rate this higher than some masks, so I would consider re-purchasing it.

L'Occitane Precious Cream: This is one of the brand's staple products. It helps to nourish the skin and smells divine. A little does go a long way. Would I buy it again? I am unsure of the benefits that this offered, so I would not repurchase.

L'Occitane Hand Cream: Another divine-smelling product, and a little goes a long way and really does help to make dry hands soft again. Would I buy it again? I would buy this again.

In December, I visited Edinburgh's Camera Obscura. This was my third visit to Edinburgh's Camera Obscura as I had visited it in previous times when I travelled to the city with different groups of people. The Camera Obscura is located near Edinburgh Castle on the Royal Mile, and it is one of the original tourist attractions in the city. In addition to the Camera Obscura, visitors can also see a museum in the same building with other optical illusions and a mirror maze, known as the World of Illusions. (I don't remember the World of Illusions in place on my first visit, but that first visit was in 2005.)

The Camera Obscura is located at the top of the building, and it uses a pinhole and mirrors to project an image onto a white table in a dark room. This is the same technique as the standard camera. The pinhole creates an upside-down version of the image using light through the small hole. The surroundings of the outside area are placed onto the table, and the projection can be moved around to different areas 360 degrees and up and down to a specific angle.

In order to see the clearest projection, the sky must not be overcast. It needs sunlight in order to project the image.

Before the tour began or after it had ended, visitors could look out from the top of the tower and get a view of the camera obscura tower, Edinburgh Castle, and the Royal Mile and buildings. The stairs must be climbed to the top, and the World of Illusions is located over the different floors and can be explored on the way to the top and as a rest from climbing the flights of stairs.

Have you been to the Camera Obscura in Edinburg? What did you think?

I have been covering street art (primarily in east London) for the past six years now, and one of the pieces that has been around the longest is Fin DAC's cat on Cheshire Street. If I am not mistaken, this artwork was painted in 2012, and I originally covered work by the artist in my post here: Street Art: Fin DAC. Street art to last a couple of months without being tagged over is rare, let alone several years.

The piece above on Cheshire Street appears to have inspired a new mural by Margaux Carpe. Margaux Carpe is a street artist and illustrator based in London. Her work is normally painted with bright colours and simple shapes with geometric symbols.

Both of these murals can currently be seen on Cheshire Street in London.

Happy Easter to all of my readers! It's been a wet and rainy weekend, unlike last year's sunny Easter. I've had a quiet day and a quiet weekend as I've been catching up on sleep and recovering from (in no specific order) migraines, illness, and toothache. I also think I've burnt myself out from the long hours I have been putting in with work, but I've taken a break over the past three days and relaxed in between doing housework and gardening. I really wanted to go into east London today to Columbia Road Flower Market and walk around, but I wasn't feeling up for it at all.

I ended up going to Toby Carvery for Easter Sunday lunch today. My first choice of venue was booked as I didn't book in advance. They offered a special Easter sundae today, and I had this for dessert. It was caramel, strawberry, and Maltezer sweets with a Maltezer chocolate bunny.

I spent a couple of hours in the garden yesterday between and during some of the rain showers we've been having. Since moving here toward the end of 2015, I've not really done much with the garden and could not last year due to the building work. The worst thing is digging up the briars like vines. I'm also considering digging up the three rose bushes because they are just too much maintenance, and I dislike the unruly thorns. However, the daffodils are growing and are very pretty.

Overall, the weekend has gone much too quickly. I hope that everyone else has had a good weekend and has not eaten too much chocolate.