Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld Institute of Art is one of the world's most prestigious art history schools in the world, and also claims to be one of the finest small museums in the world.

Located just of The Strand, within Somerset House, stepping into the Courtauld Gallery really makes you feel as though you've been whisked back to the 1800's, with long, winding staircases, chandeliers and candelabras, velvet chaises and wooden floors; you get the idea.

The bar at the Folies-Bergère - Edouard Manet

Admission is free for full-time students, and a bunch of other people (see here) but otherwise tickets will set you back around £6. Although the layman sometimes turns their nose up at museums and galleries that have a price tag, given the amount of incredible art the Courtauld has its hands on, I would gladly pay a fee to view the art again.

Paul Cézanne - Route Tournante

Located on 3-4 floors, with many rooms branching off each other and curling back round to the winding staircase, the gallery is tardis-esque, and we were surprised how long it took to move across one floor. Set aside at least 2-3 hours for this place, as we arrived an hour before closing time and unfortunately didn't get round to seeing everything.

Antibes - Claude Monet

Even the least arty person will recognise some of the names in Courtauld: Van Gogh, Monet, Manet; Bellini and Botticelli for Renaissance lovers; Rousseau and Cézanne also made appearances, and there was a Picasso exhibition when we visited, which is included in the ticket price.

The Red Beach - Henri Matisse

I'm not an art student, but it was quite nice how many of the paintings I recognised, but also how much better the paintings are in the flesh. Some of the Matisse pieces really were spectacular, and Cézanne, who I wasn't familiar with before the visit, also impressed me with his bright, soft colours.

Georges Seurat - Young Woman Powdering Herself

The Betrothal of the Matador - Wyndham Lewis

The Courtauld Gallery is a great place to visit, surrounded by the stunning Somerset House, located near the Thames and housing some of the world's most incredible art, it makes for a wonderful day out. And, it's not nearly as crowded as the likes of the British Museum.

Avocado, Salmon and Parmesan salad

This is a great meal if you're after something that quick to rustle up, loaded with nutrients and won't leave you feeling bloated. It's very simple to make, with no strict measurements or specific order.

For one portion, I use: 

Half an avocado

Two/ three slices of smoked salmon

One pepper

Two tomatoes

1/3 cucumber

Handful of lettuce (I like rocket but anything works)

Small pieces of Parmesan cheese to taste

Dice the pepper, tomato and cucumer up. 

Wash the lettuce.

Chop up the salmon and avocado.

Mix it all together.

Sprinkle however much Parmesan you like on top.

Et voila! Enjoy.

My dog liked the smell of salmon and she's really cute so she's got her own little picture.

Byron, London

I implore anyone in London to visit Byron. Other than a cheeseburger from a random restaurant in the French Alps, Byron have time and time again confirmed my decision that they, unequivocally, serve the best burgers in the world. 

In the above picture I went for the Byron burger, which contains bacon and cheese and set me back £9.25. For an extra £3.50 I got a side of macaroni cheese, because my friend and I thought it would be funny to do that at the time. I wasn't laughing when I felt sick from ploughing through all the heavy pasta and meat, although I'm pretty sure he was.

Anyway, the staff at Byron are always extremely friendly and service is fast. We had a great chat with our waiter before our order. The burgers are Byron are cooked medium and to perfection - it is the juiciest, tenderest, most delicious burger, with fresh patties and crunchy salad and the perfect dollop of sauce that dribbles enticingly down your finger or, if you're really lucky, down your chin.



I was told the decor in the Byron restaurants is deliberately simple, almost rustic, to represent how there's nothing artificial or unhealthy about their food - other than the fact they're burgers, of course. I'm not sure how true it is that Byron don't use artificial ingredients, it's probably not true at all, but for how wonderful their food is, it is well worth putting clean-eating on hold for a day.

The Cheesecake Factory, Dubai

As a fan of The Big Bang Theory, a visit to The Cheesecake Factory was mandatory after it opened its doors in Mall of the Emirates.

In typical Dubai-fashion, what I had anticipated on being a cosy restaurant tucked in between two equally cosy restaurants, was actually a cavernous space filled with endless tables and chairs that could never possibly be filled simultaneously. 

Dubai's Cheesecake Factory really should be in the record books for Largest Restaurant to have Ever Existed, Ever.

After the 5-mile trek to our table and scouring the novel-esque menu for something that whetted our appetites, one of the hundreds of waiters milling around took our order and we sank our teeth into the deliciously warm, soft bread placed in front of us. 

The menu at the Cheesecake Factory was ridiculously large; so large, in fact, that I got bored of flicking through it and never made it past the "Glamburger" section, which boasted over 15 different types of burgers at 60dhs a pop, from the "Classic Cheeseburger" to the "Over the top Meatloaf Sandwich".

Peanut butter, banana and honey milkshake - 28 dhs

I wasn't overly hungry and fancied being healthy so I ordered the Cobb Salad for 76 dhs. With promises of chicken breast, avocado, blue cheese, beef bacon, tomato, egg and mixed greens tossed in a vinaigrette, I thought I'd done well for myself, plumping for an all-round nutritious option. This proved to be a massive error on my part.

I have never seen such a large salad in my life. The whole concept of salads being light and healthy was bulldozed the minute the waiter set the gargantuan creation in front of us: there was more cheese in it that is probably healthy to eat in a lifetime, let alone a sitting, and the salad was so drenched in dressing it seemed pointless having any actual food on there.

With an appetite rivaling a killer whale, I'm all for big portions, but the size of food at the Cheesecake Factory verges on gluttony and just seemed like a complete waste. Not only that, but the salad tasted artificial and judging from how much water I guzzled down, was plied with salt and other nasty additives.

And as for the cheesecake, I was spellbound by the number of cheesecakes on display, but when it came to settling on a contender (I went for The Original) I found it to be extremely heavy and lacking in taste; none of this melt in the mouth delectability that I had assumed would have been necessary to catapult the restaurant into the limelight. The cheesecakes aren't cheap either, at around 30dhs for a standard slice.

So. Many. Cheesecakes.

Overall, I found the Cheesecake Factory to be a disappointing experience and certainly doesn't live up to its hype. 

Sangria Tapas Bar, London

After quitting my pub job one miserable Friday evening, my friend and I got spontaneously drunk and found ourselves in the Sangria Tapas Bar, on Upper Street in Angel, London.

It was probably quite clear that we weren't certain what we were doing there, nor what we wanted, but the waitress seemed equally uncertain about our presence and it took her several trips to the cashier and back until she seated us.

The decor in the Tapas Bar was wonderful; filled with candles and plush cushions and tiny little wooden tables that created a very cosy, happy ambiance, which was contrasted nicely with the pouring, grey sky outside.

Despite not being hungry, I ordered a small pepper and dish dish and garlic bread with cheese, along with a jug of Sangria for us to share. The food took a long time to come, and proved to be extremely small portions with not a huge amount of flavour to them when they did. As for the Sangria; it was my first taste of the stuff, and I was fairly drunk at the time of drinking it, so I'm no authority on the matter, but it was incredible; fruity and tangy and it heated me up on the inside.



My friend must have felt the same as the culmination of delicious sangria and a warm atmosphere ignited glorious plans of a summer trip to Spain.

But drunken visions of basking in Mallorca sun were shot down remarkably quickly by the hefty bill that was placed in front of us. For over £20 we received a very small portion of food and a jug of Sangria.

Yet despite the large price tag, the Sangria Tapas Bar was a great place to spent a drab evening, and is probably even better during the summer months. Although I doubt I'll be willing to fork out £20 for two small dishes again, I have no doubt I will return in a bid to reignite a Spanish dream with the help of a little sangria.

Breakfast at Shakespeare and Co., Dubai

Expat haunt Shakespeare and Co., along with Limetree, is one of the unwritten, iconic places-to-go in Dubai. Weekends here are best avoided as the place turns into a hive of activity; attracting extended families, gossiping groups of Jumeriah Janes, solo newspaper readers, and fitness freaks. 

Without this in mind, we visited Shakespeare and Co.'s Marina Mall branch on Friday morning for a late breakfast. Unsurprisingly  it seemed that every other person in Dubai had the same thought about how to start their weekend. The place was packed, especially outdoors where people sitting elbow-to-elbow were making the most of the spectacular panoramic marina view and the warm April weather.

Not a bad view!

Despite how busy the cafe was, we were seated within 10 minutes and service after that was very fast. I ordered the Eggs Benedict (around 30dhs) which came with hollandaise sauce and roast potatoes. 

Yet, unfortunately, the Shakespeare experience did not live up to expectations. The sauce was cold and a film had gathered over the top of it, where it had obviously been left standing too long. The potatoes were barely roasted and the portion was measly - see pictured. The English muffin tasted a little stale, but the eggs Benedict were quite tasty. That said, I'm not sure if this was just because I was a) starving and b) had never tried eggs Benedict before.

The eggs Benedict

Regardless of a disappointing meal, I would be willing to try Shakespeare's again. The sheer popularity of the place and the glorious decor makes me hope that maybe I visited on a bad day. Keep tuned for more reviews!

Cakes at the Limetree Cafe, Dubai

Dubai Marina looking spectacular in April sunshine.

It is a ritual of sorts, that whenever I return to Dubai I must, at some point, with someone, go to Limetree Cafe.

Limetree Cafe epitomises exactly what I love about kitschy cafes; the food is incredible: wholesome, organic and uniquely flavoursome - there are combinations of food here that you're unlikely to find anywhere else. The portions are generous, the staff are friendly (although a little slow), the cafes are always humming with activity, and each cafe has a section dedicated to Limetree produce.

Limetree has stormed to success in the UAE, but is yet to set internationalise its foody paw-prints. This I quite like about Limetree, as it's always nice to have eateries that you associate with a particular place or moment in your life, rather than the global chains which, in my opinion, have nothing particularly unique about them.

On this occasion, my friend and I visited the Ibn Battuta Limetree branch. Given we were both harbouring an insatiable sweet tooth, we didn't need to confer with each other to know that we would be straight onto the cake.

The slices of cake at Limetree are enormous, and choosing from a wide range of the freshly baked goods is always heartbreaking. The Triple Chocolate Brownie (around 30 dhs) is my absolute favourite - a chunk of gooey, chocolate goodness, warmed through so the chunks of white, dark and milk chocolate are soft, on the cusp of melting, and often served with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream on the side.

But we decided to be more adventurous, so I opted for the key lime coconut cake (28 dhs) and my friend for the Orange and Chunky Chocolate Cake (25 dhs).

It was the first time I had tried key lime cake, and unfortunately for me, I found it far too sickly sweet. Although the cake was soft and the lime wonderfully tangy, after the first couple of mouthfuls the sweetness was so overbearing I struggled to keep eating. I did finish the cake - waste not, want not - but the combination of an incredibly sweet cake, and the sheer quantity of it, left me feeling rather ill.

My friend's cake was served warmed through with a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Surprisingly, I found the cake quite bland, which is unusual for Limetree, whose food is normally bursting with flavour. Despite lacking in taste, the cake had a perfectly soft texture and the ice cream complemented it.

Compared to other Limetree cakes I've tried, these two didn't quite make it up there in the rankings. Still, and far as cakes go, they were yummy and to those who haven't yet sampled some of Limetree's food, it's well worth a trip!

Tony Romas, Dubai - Review

Tony Romas, in Ibn Battuta, claims to specialise in ribs, seafood and steak. With a reasonable price tag and a fairly empty restaurant, we decided to give it a go.

Playing around with the camera and taking pictures of absolutely pointless objects like a chewing gum wrapper.

Tony Romas in Ibn Battuta is set in the heart of China Court's plethora of restaurants (see blog post dedicated to Ibn Battuta here). We were seated quickly and given a cone of nachos with spicy salsa dip to munch on after placing our orders. Tony Romas is normally packed with hungry families and couples, but because it's the summer, and most sane people had left to cooler countries, the service was speedy.

Cone of nachos and hot salsa dip - a bit too hot for me!

Despite Tony Romas claiming to specialise in steak, ribs and seafood, we opted for orders of chicken and beef. After a 15 minute wait our food arrived in all its enormous Dubai-sized portion glory. 

Tony's Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad - 29 dhs (regular. Large is 39 dhs although the regular portion was more than enough): the crisp bread crumbs of the chicken against the salad was a good combination, and the dressing was flavoursome, complementing the dish. Otherwise the salad was fairly standard: neither offensive nor exceptional.

The Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Chicken - 50 dhs: chef's recommendation. The chicken was tender and tasted incredible with the gorgeous garlic and rosemary sauce. The mixed vegetables were crisp and the rice was cooked to perfection; none of the soggy, overcooked stuff that is all too common in my student digs. My only criticism of this dish is that the menu stated two chicken breasts, whereas I only received one. Given I struggled to finish the one-chicken-breast portion size, I wasn't going to complain.

The Roma Burger - 38 dhs: dubbed as their 'classical beef burger' heaped with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. The chips were quite bland but the burger was deliciously juicy and impossible to eat without smothering grease all over your face - just how burgers should be.

Overall, Tony Romas offered good service and large portions of food that, although not exceptional, hit the spot. The food isn't exceptionally healthy, particularly the burger dish which was loaded with salt and fat, but considering the restaurant isn't extortionately expensive and you'll be in and out within half an hour, Tony Romas certainly does its job.

Baker & More, Dubai

Cake

My Achilles heel.

We visited Baker&More in Ibn Battuta because it was my birthday and I felt I deserved cake for reaching the ripe old age of 20.

The waitress recommended the blueberry cheesecake to us, so in a highly unoriginal fashion I plumped for that, while my brother opted for carrot cake. We had 3 macarons to complement the huge slices of cake because neither my brother or mum had tried them before. This was, in my opinion, outrageous and needed to be corrected.

Macrons in pistachio, chocolate and passion fruit flavours.

For 28dhs a slice, the cakes weren't cheap so I expected something that would blow me away. Something so utterly sensationally zesty and creamy and cheesecake-y that I would find myself addicted to Baker&More within seconds, and unable to function without my daily cake from there. A future of obesity was in the horizon.

But, as it happened, I needn't have worried. Despite the waitress' overzealous recommendations, the cheesecake was bland and rubbery. The macarons were far too sweet and tasted artifical (rather than faking natural tastes) and my macaron, which claimed to be passion fruit, was more like a purple, generic fruit thing.

So, the verdict on Baker&More? If you're after a decidedly average, extremely large piece of overpriced cake then look no further.

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy

July 2012, taken with a Canon 200IS and then edited slightly

Around the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine hill. Tip: rather than buying individual tickets for the Colosseum and Roman Forum, which works out to be quite expensive, you can get a combo-ticket. Also, buy your tickets at the entrance to the Roman Forum, which takes a couple of minutes, rather than queuing up for hours outside the Colosseum. Oh, and bring your passport because EU citizens between 18 and 24 get discounts!

The Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland) also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II)  in the Piazza Venezia - what a mouthful! We just called it the Victor Emmanuel. The first time we drove past this on the way to the hostel, I wasn't expecting to see it. My stomach dropped and I got goosebumps, it's that beautiful.

So much fruit, like a rainforest bursting with colour.

Trevi Fountain. Hint: go in the very early morning. The picture is misleading because the surrounding area was heaving with tourists. I had to push my way to the front and had a couple of seconds to take a snap before some equally unruly person shoved me out the way. Legend has it that if you toss a coin into this fountain, you're guaranteed to return to Rome.

Piazza Navona. Because my friend and I were brought up in the Middle East, we are pretty accustomed to coping with scorching heat. Whereas most people took refuge inside from the midday sun, we pretty much had the piazza to ourselves.

Sant'ivo Alla Sapienza - masterpiece of Roman Baroque architecture - my friend's friend's parents got married here! What a wedding that would be, eh?

Inside the Pantheon; the sunlight spills in through an open-roof into the marble room.

A view from the Spanish Steps. It was quite a trek up, especially in the heat, but the view was well worth it. You can see St Peter's dome in the background!

Top: the Vatican with St Peter's Basicilia visible in the background. 

Middle: Sphere within a Sphere in Courtyard of the Pinecone; a bronze statue that appears golden as the sun shines down on it. Each round ball (echoing the shape of the earth) is fractured, revealing an mechanically structurally complex interior, which many believe represents the complexities and harsh difficulties the modern world finds itself in.

Bottom: inside the Vatican is one of the world's most famous paintings; The School of Athens. Painted between 1509 and 1511 by Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, the piece depicts a gathering of ancient philosophers and scientists (including Aristotle and Plato).

Inside St Peter's Basilica, the world's largest church. The iconic dome, is enormous. It is impossible to describe how vast inside the basilica is - it's like stepping into a 17th century tardis. 140 saint statues line the St Peter's Colonnades. 

Swiss guards. They may look like a cross between French men and clowns but these soldiers have a reputation for discipline and loyalty, and were the most powerful troops of the 15th century. More importantly, it's impossible to make them laugh, and you'll probably crumble under one of their formidable glares before they crack. If you fancy being a Swiss Guard then you probably won't qualify, so don't consider it. Read about how to become a Swiss Guard here.

The Church of Sant'Ignazio Di Loyola. This isn't a main attraction in Rome, and we stumbled into quite by accident, but wow - it's the most spectacular church I have ever been in. The coloured marbles, richly ornamented altars and incredible Tromp l’oeil paintings in the dome make for a jaw-dropping and spiritually uplifting experience, even for the non-religious folks out there, like myself.

This is Trastevere, the area where we stayed. Unlike the main part of Rome, Trastevere was relaxed and bubbling with live music and restaurants whose diners spilled onto the streets.