meemalee

You'll have seen from previous posts that I like a bit of kitchen whimsy. As well as bento bits and bobs, my house is rammed with culinary nonsense from Alessi (including that Phillipe Starck Juicy Salif lemon squeezer), Koziol , Guzzini and, last but not least, Fred and Friends , purely because the design tickled my fancy - functionality not necessarily a priority (see again Juicy Salif). It's an easy and not too expensive way of getting a little designer fun into your surroundings. Smallest M-Cup used for my Butterbean Dip My latest loves are the M-Cups and M-Spoons from Fred & Friends - a ridiculously adorable range of Russian doll kitchenware, which (obviously) stacks away for your convenience. The Matryoshka Measuring Cups aka M-Cups come in 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4 and 1 full cup sizes, making them perfect for American recipes. The Matryoshka Measuring Spoons aka M-Spoons come in 1 tbsp, 1/2 tbsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1/4 tsp sizes. They're both available in P...

There are only TWO things you need to know about #MEATEASY. Number One: New Cross is not a shithole. The #MEATEASY is situated at the top of Goldsmiths Tavern in New Cross, South East London. If I hear one more comment about New Cross being a dangerous dump, I will scream. Those lovely, middle-class boys from Blur studied in New Cross and held a comeback gig here. Damien Hirst and Jools Holland started their careers here. Goldsmiths Tavern itself saw the very first gigs by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer . Local school Aske's is the most popular state school in the UK, with top GCSE results in London and 10th best in the country ( Rafe Spall was there at the same time as my OH and used to claim it was a "ghetto school" to look hard. Tool). Look, even Princess Beatrice went to college in New Cross . I know it sounds like the lady doth protest too much, but frankly this lady has had enough of people taking liberties and resorting to lazy stereotypes about South London. ...

Sometimes when you go somewhere, there's something you always have to try. If you're in Italy, you need to go for pizza. If you're in Hong Kong, you need to check out the dimsum. If you're in Japan, you need to track down some sushi. And if you're in the US, you really ought to have a burger. I'd heard folk rave about In-N-Out before, and been impressed by Harold and Kumar 's quest for White Castle , but as I was based in Evanston, the place I was interested in was a small, independent joint called Edzo's Burger Shop . Open every day except Monday from 10.30 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, Edzo's is a quirky treasure. Whilst it's true that the bottomless soda machine comes as standard, there's also a range of unusual soft drinks such as bottles of guava and tamarind pop. And the four dollar milkshakes come in a range of enticing flavours, with specials for a dollar more - the day we visit, the specials are Spicy Mexican Chocolate and ...

I don't like trendy restaurants. You won't see me at the launch for the latest hip and happening place unless it's an accident; for example I once walked off the streets into the Wolseley when it first opened. I probably couldn't get a reservation now, but for what it's worth I rather liked it. But when I'm abroad, I often find myself homing in on places that are "cool", because those are the places that come onto my radar - certainly whenever I ask for a recommendation, nine times out of ten someone will suggest a fashionable hotspot. However, it's thanks to some local friends personally taking us that the husband and I find ourselves going to Girl and the Goat which has just that week graced the cover of Time Out Chicago. I have to admit I feel a certain frisson at being on the cutting edge for once, but this thrill is clouded rather by the concern that a certain Nathan Barley -esque Chicago-dweller who I have no desire to bump into might also ...

It's my first trip to the States. I've just quit my job. I'm waaay too over-excited, but I catch my breath long enough to ask where's good to eat in the Windy City. L2O is suggested to me by gourmet traveller and, without hesitation, I book. The husband and I are revelling at the view from the top of the Hancock Tower - he waves his hand loftily in the direction of L2O and said "It's just over there - it'll take us 20 minutes to get there, 25 minutes max". 45 minutes later, we're hot and bothered and seem to have overshot L2O as it's nowhere to be found. Turns out it's hidden inside the Belden Stratford hotel behind a nondescript door which is shut tight. The restaurant website is not clear about this, but then it's an arse to navigate and the background muzak meant I did not spend long perusing. A family in front of us tug on the door handle and peer inside curiously, and then, seemingly startled, scurry off to leave us to walk in ...