FITNESS – Page 9

SHOTS AT THE EQUINOX BARRE !!!

I was recently invited by Get the Gloss to attend my first Inside Out Barre class at Equinox, on High Street Kensington. I always enjoy a session at Equinox, partly because it’s one of the few gyms in London that’s not housed in a Bat-cave basement, but instead enjoys pride of place high up on the second floor of the historic Art Deco ‘Derry and Toms building‘, bathing in natural sunlight thanks to huge windows in pretty much every room. And the weights zone is positively oceanic by London’s standards. The whole place enjoys a ‘look and feel’ that the Americans just do better!…

As I say, this was my first Barre class and it involved a very broad mix of fitness elements including conditioning intervals, stretching, isometric holds and core work. The movements all take their inspiration from the disciplines of Pilates, Yoga, and Ballet; the fused result is a targeted, full-body workout using very little equipment – most of the session took place by a ballet barre and on a mat using your own bodyweight. The goal of the class, as it was explained, was to lengthen & strengthen muscles as well as improving posture and flexibility – creating longer, leaner muscles. The repetition of these movements both at the barre and on the mat, should ‘fatigue every major muscle group’. For example while standing by the barre our instructor Nicola had us squatting endlessly followed by pulsing and isometric holds, all along with emphasis on posture and teqnique; you certainly feel your glutes working! After pretty much every exercise, some active stretching compounds the fatigue and works to increase flexibility and elongate the muscles. It’s not a class from which you come away feeling utterly destroyed from a cardio perspective, but I like to think it’s more an exercise in conditioning the body.

After the class, Equinox laid on some fantastic hospitality at their Lounge, where the mixologists freestyled to create some impossibly delicious post-workout healthy drinks!

For the event I wore a Falke ensemble comprising the following:

Top
Zip top (similar here)
Pants (similar here)

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GOING COCO-NUTS !!!

I’m addicted to Coconut! Considered by athletes and the health glitterati alike to be the queen of the ‘superfood royal family’, I use it for so much within my daily routine! This post shares some of those tips. It’s fabulously versatile for cooking (think delicious stir-fry’s, breads, curries and desserts), and besides being super-tasty it’s also great to use for nourishing your skin, to balance your digestion, and even as a pre-wash hair conditioner! Read more below…

Poor coconut! With its high saturated fat content, it often gets a bad wrap, and is wrongly accused of being unhealthy, when in reality there are multiple nutritional benefits associated with coconut oils and their rich saturated fats – they can help protect against heart disease, they profess anti-cancerous properties, anti-microbial properties (to help protect against infectious disease), and they can regulate blood sugar levels to balance glycemic peaks and troughs. The concern about the saturated fats is also somewhat of a misconception; there are so many types of saturates. The three basic categories are long, medium and short chain fatty acids and the majority (c. 97%) in our fat and diet is made up of long chain fatty acids. Coconuts, by comparison, are made up of medium chain fatty acids, to which our body responds very differently. These house unique healthy properties and are significantly different to those fats found in many meats and vegetable oils. Plus coconuts have 0 cholesterol (unusual for fatty foods), very little sugar (with a glycemic load of just 1!), and practically 0 salt, as well as being a great source of manganese (for strong bones, blood sugar regulation, & healthy metabolic function).

USE 1: COOKING WITH IT…
Coconut oil is a great ingredient with which to cook as the oil is stable, and can withstand high heat, whereas vegetable oils oxidise quickly and become rancid at high temperatures ( )
Try using it for baking, sautéing, in desserts, or to roast your veggies. I also really love it in my smoothies ?

USE 2: A DIGESTIF
– Coconut really helps to balance your digestion. The oil has been shown to help those who suffer from digestive disorders, both mild and severe. It may also help to improve conditions such as candida. In addition to the oil, the fatty acids have also been shown to help the body absorb other nutrients as well.
– The coconut fruit itself is quick and easy to digest, is rich in fibre, and retains its nutritional value through the entire digestion process, which is especially important for those people who suffer from digestive difficulties.

USE 3: SKINCARE
Coconut butter is a nourishing, hydrating & healing moisturiser for your skin:
A) Everyday – I use it as a daily facial/body moisturiser. The smallest amount goes a long way, as too much starts to get a little too greasy.
B) Natural – whatever you put onto your skin is absorbed by the body, directly into the bloodstream. So whilst I stay clear of eating too many toxins (colouring, flavouring, propylparabens etc), I try to do the same for my skin. Coconut boasts antibacterial properties too which help to deter spots.
C) The skin is thought to “age” through the oxidation of fats that are housed within the skin; coconut acts as an antioxidant. And whilst it’s not a sunblock, the antioxidant properties help to protect the skin from free radical damage caused by the sun.
D) £££ – it’s natural AND at £9 (which lasts c. 4 months, it’s very cost effective on a per-use basis!

USE 4: HAIRCARE
A) Coconut oil smooths hair, and works as a fabulous ‘pre-wash’ hair conditioner. Just massage a little coconut oil into your scalp and let it sit for 5 minutes, then wash your hair as normal. This helps to improve dry scalp conditions and keep the natural moisture locked in, making hair less brittle.
B) Make hair masks with it! Use a small amount of coconut butter on your hair, leave it in overnight and rinse out in the morning. Voila!

YOGA WITH CHARLI !!!

Living and working everyday in the health & fitness world, my ‘uniform’ so to speak, is activewear; I’m in it all day long, every single day, so I’m always on the lookout for something different, comfortable, exciting, inspiring… This post, shot amongst the breathtaking and tranquil gardens of the Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat (still one of my favourite places in the world) highlights an outfit from my latest fitness fashion find, Charli London. Click below to see MORE

As the months go by, fashion and fitness continue to converge both on and off the catwalk, and going to the gym becomes ever-more the legitimate (and even appropriate) time to dress up; Pucci, Fendi, Armani, McCartney all have gorgeous SS14 fitness lines in the shops at the moment, and other even-higher fashion names are muscling in on the act as well (no pun intended). I’m even toying with the idea of some McQueen printed leggings for some super-extravagant gym chic!

Outside the gym, I don’t typically venture too far outside my ‘fashion comfort zone’, but I regularly switch persona every day with my fitness wear! It’s the one time where you can just go totally crazy-expressive, and vary your look drastically from day to day. I’ll comfortably wear bright neon colours, bold and outlandish printed patterns, garish t-shirt prints, and sometimes just team them with more classic and subtle pieces to fuse the overall look together.

One of my recent discoveries is the UK-based brand Charli London, whose creations indulge the body in some of the most sumptuous materials; impossibly soft cottons, floaty cashmeres and smooth silk blends. The way they mix the fabrics creates super-soft jersey basics with really flattering silhouettes (which I consider perfect for layering, to achieve a proper casual-chic result). I put together this super relaxed and comfy outfit from their summer collection for my recent blog trip to Cap Ferrat, where I wanted something loose (breathable), comfortable (deliciously soft) and a bit indulgent too for my morning yoga session.

The heavenly gardens in these pictures were crafted by the world-renowned landscape architect Jean Mus, who coincidentally appears in one of the pictures below – the very well dressed French gentleman who gifted me a beautiful flower It was wonderful to meet him and get an insight into his thinking around the gardens, and what he wanted to conjure up for those who wander! It’s added an extra dimension to my love of this special part of the world.

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UN-CONVENTIONAL MOTIVATION !!!

Motivation alone doesn’t get us fit; it merely helps us to get ourselves fit and then stay there. We need motivation to stick with it and see change. There are so many ways to ‘up’ the motivation factor when it’s lacking, to re-energise and to build an arsenal of new tricks from fitness world’s armory. Personally, I love an engaging nutrition and health book, trying out new classes, and participating in the online fitness community. I get massively inspired looking at fitness models and athletes alike, to whom I aspire; fit girls who squat heavy, or olympians who profess superhuman abilities to run faster, jump higher and swim further. These things really motivate me!

However, for those times when I’m lacking motivation (which does happen!) and the normal sources just don’t cut it, I turn to external stimuli… There’s nothing better than a good Fitness Expo to drum up new ideas and determination; it’s like a supermarket for fitness innovations! This post highlights one that’s coming up in London in a months time, and offers a perfect chance to inject some new motivation to the tired training routine we sometimes find ourselves in!

These events are typically huge all-day exhibitions in cavernous arenas, with dozens of nutrition & apparel companies setting up stands to showcase what’s new and changing in their niche little corner of the fitness world, as well as a packed schedule of speakers who are usually fascinating personalities from the industry.

I’ve been to 3 proper Fitness Conventions in the UK and have found them to be inspirational treasure chests; Bodypower Expo in the Birmingham NEC (which I posted about last year, HERE), UK Running & Fitness Expo in Manchester, and FitPro in London’s ExCel Center. The first 2 have already happened this year, but FitPro 2014 takes place on the 18th-19th July at ExCel London, which will play host to a huge and inspiring, educational fitness convention. It’s not just aimed at industry professionals, but absolutely anyone who loves fitness and wants to discover new things!

It’ll be a great opportunity to get exposure to the perspectives of 100 health & fitness educators, industry experts and professionals. Last year, there were masterclasses, workshops, personal training, as well as chats about nutrition, mind and body, group fitness or business, all of which I found really useful. There’s also the chance to meet some seriously fit, strong (and occasional heavily-bronzed) fitness competitor, as well as seeing a host of nutrition or training products you might like to try out!

WHAT ELSE TO SEE?
If you’re not from London and you come here just for this, there’s so much around ExCel! Take the epic Emirates Air Line (Cable Car) across the Thames to the O2 Millennium Dome, go to Greenwich Market, head into Canary Wharf, and maybe even take a clipper down to the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, why not?! The Jubilee Line will connect you perfectly to the West End too, via Bond Street station, and from there, the city is your oyster (card).

HOW TO GET THERE?
Luckily, it’s one of the best connected places in London; you can fly into the epic London City Airport (the landing is quite spectacular and it’s only 15 mins away from the ExCel), take the driver-less DLR directly to the ExCel centre’s doors, park your car at one of the car parks in the venue, or even take a Thames Clipper service. You can cycle, and even hopscotch too, if you really want!

WHERE TO STAY?

FOR PROXIMITY TO THE EXCEL

a) Novotel London Excel
b) Ibis London Excel
c) Ramada Hotel & Suites Docklands

FOR LOCATION AT REASONABLE PRICE

a) Holiday Inn Bloomsbury
b) Holiday Inn Mayfair

FOR LUXE APPEAL

a) Bulgari Hotel
b) Intercontinental Park Lane
c) Charlotte Street Hotel
d) Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

Enjoy your trip, and enjoy the learning

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GET A HEAD START !!!

Recently, the team at Head sent me a gorgeous little retro pressie which seemed like the perfect companion for my trip to the South of France. It’s a brilliant white, leather look-and-feel gym holdall called the ‘1989 St. Moritz’, with perforated detailing, leather-grain texturing and chromed hardware which add to the overall feel of quality. As an extra bit of customisation, the tag can be monogrammed (mine has ‘F.O.T’, the initials the blog ) – If you want one, it won’t set you back an arm and a leg either, priced at £45.00 over on Asos, here. Click MORE to get the details and see my delicious breakfast after the stroll!

I took my holdall along as an ‘active’ beach-bag, but it works just as well as my gym-bag back in London! Also, the branding is subtle, by way of that little badge, which feels so much more sophisticated than the comically emblazoned logos of old; it’s a trip into Head’s aesthetic past and also, I think, quite forward looking in its design! After having just seen Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon, who’s own faux-vintage tennis bag is designed by Head, I feel that there’s proper momentum to their glamorous retro-revival!

In these photos (sadly, the last from my trip to St Jean Cap Ferrat) I was going for an early-morning stroll to Paloma Beach and back, followed by a delicious breakfast of fresh berries with plain yoghurt, freshly-squeezed orange juice, salmon and scrambled egg and mint tea.

I wore a beautiful floaty navy linen top with a distinct nautical feel, from my latest discovery, Charli London (featured in my previous post here), along with some lace Zara shorts.

Also in these photos is a super cool bond-villain yacht, remarkable not for its size (which was pretty restrained compared to some of the hulking private cruise liners along that coastline), but its menacing, shark-like poise!

So goodbye for another year Cap Ferrat; I’ll miss your gorgeous azure waters, and beautiful tranquility, and look forward to our next encounter!

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AT WIMBLEDON ’14

TODAY AT WIMBLEDON !!!

Just a quick little post on today’s fitness-related escapades. Unless you live under a sound-proof rock in England, you’ll know that the Wimbledon Championships are very much happening. Today I was lucky enough to watch the two players who’ve dominated Women’s tennis for nearly a decade, in action – Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova (though not against each other -yet, that’s probably one for the finals!). Both annihilated their opponents, who looked like mere canon fodder!

Both of these women are obviously elite athletes, but both also share a deep love of fashion (and indeed, fitness fashion, each with their own lines – Serena’s here, and Maria’s here) which is clearly an overall ethos that very much appeals to me It was wonderful to see their different interpretations of style within the limiting confines of the strict Wimbledon all-white dress code; ‘deuce’, in that respect… (MORE)

Also it’s worth remembering that as an active workout, you can burn c. 500 calories during an hour of tennis, which may not be as significant as a hardcore ‘hill-sprint’ session, but a) it’s mentally engaging so the hour races by, b) competitively compelling, c) sociable, and d) the actual calorie burn varies ALOT with factors like temperature, humidity, experience levels, player weight etc, so 500cal doesn’t need to be a ceiling!

Today was a wonderful day of sunshine (in patches – it is England after all!), fine tennis, strawberries and all things British! I even picked up a new racket…

A spot of afternoon tea?

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WEARING:

Jacket – Zara
Blouse – Zara
Trousers – Joseph
Bag – Louis Vuitton
Sunglasses – Prada
Shoes – Topshop
Racket – Babolat ?

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FITNESS ON VOGUE !!!

I’m so thrilled to say that I’ve been featured as one of Teen Vogue’s “8 fitness and health bloggers you need to know“! The Vogue brand is such an inspiration to so many around the world, including myself, and to be mentioned in it (especially in the Teen edition) is enormously flattering, and a bit of a dream really

I remember being a young, unsure teenage girl when I was growing up, experiencing the pressures of life, wanting to look a certain way but going about it all wrong; to think that FitnessOnToast might help just one girl through that journey is awesome!

Back then, I never stopped to think about how my mind and body really felt at that moment; that’s exactly what this blog is all about – being the healthiest & best version of yourself that you can be, as well as hoping to inspire the young and old to try new delicious healthy produce / recipes, training for strength and performance, taking care of your body and achieving your goals in the process.

You only have one body so invest in it, and it’ll stay ‘in vogue’ for many years to come

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AT WIMBLEDON ’14

ACTIVE TRIP TO LISBON WITH O2 TRAVEL !!!

As you may have seen from my Twitter and Instagram feeds, last weekend I was in Lisbon for a fabulous blog trip in partnership with O2 Travel, and I discovered a true European gem! I’d been set a series of active and cultural challenges to complete; a city cycle, a 5k run, a winding hike, a harbour-side Yoga class, as well as cookery classes, a fresh market tour and some extensive sampling of the local fare. Having met my challenges head-on, I now understand why this is Europe’s #1 city break destination – and what a fabulous & sporty way to discover a city’s charming character! Read my full account, with plenty of lovely pictures, HERE…

Situated on the Atlantic coast, Lisbon boasts some breathtaking coastline real estate, close to some epic beaches (amongst them the western-most point of Europe in Cascais, but more on that shortly). I was totally bowled over by the richness of the culture, the town’s easy-going identity, the magnificence of the grand architecture – it all really took me by surprise!

Yes, Portugal has endured an especially tough financial crisis (evidenced by abandoned buildings left to peel in the sunshine) but in no way did it feel downbeat. Instead the city feels full of life, energy, character and endless potential. It could be the St. Tropez of Portugal, with stunning weather, delicious cuisine and magical buildings; it just needs a little time to flourish to its maximum potential! I would recommend it to anyone, in a heartbeat. Below is a quick run through of all the fun active adventures O2 Travel sent me on over the weekend.

You can find some extra pics on my Twitter & Instagram feeds; the specially designed tariff they put me on (for anyone travelling in Europe) let me chew through all the roaming data I could ever want in a day for £1.99. It felt like a bit of a guilty luxury to just *keep* getting emails abroad, to *keep* instagramming, to keep a check on my favourite bloggers, to Skype, to Tweet, to Facebook etc, without an £800 bill waiting at the end! So a big thanks from me to O2 for bringing my euro travel out of the technological dark ages!

1) THE LOCAL MARKET TOUR: There’s no better way to get a feel for a local culture than to sample the food. Thanks to my fabulously knowledgeable guide, Filipa from Taste of Lisboa, I discovered the Mercado Da Ribeira – it’s a bit of a ‘Jekyl & Hide’, with a 132 year-old fish market adjoining a brand new gastronomic zone (which stylishly showcases the finest of Portugal’s culinary concepts), separated by a cavernous hangar full of ripe fruit-&-veg. I picked up my super-fresh ingredients of choice (avoiding tourist prices – thanks Filipa ? ), and moved on to stage 2…

2) THE COOKERY CLASS: Chef Isabel Caramelo from Cooking Lisbon had the unenviable task of schooling me in authentic Portuguese cuisine. My menu?
– Starter: Caldo Verde Soup (Potato and Cabbage soup with Chorizo)
– Fish Main: Cuttle fish, Algarve style
– Meat Main: Portuguese Pork dish
– Dessert: Farofias (Portugese egg-white sweets)
With her expert instruction, I made light work of a 4 course extravaganza! My personal highlight was the Fish, remarkable for its lightness and unbeatable freshness, partly thanks to the Market’s authenticity, and partly thanks to Isabel – but it was certainly not my doing! After a very rich and delicious dessert, I’d need to burn it all off!

3) THE 5k RUN: The farofias simply evaporated with my exertion. Walking, jogging or running a city must be one of the best ways to see the sights, and Lisbon was an utter joy! The waterside stretch between the two bridges is so picturesque and punctuated by such a beautiful mix of buildings and landmarks, it was the perfect setting for my run!

4) THE DINNER CHALLENGE: To locate and dine at Sol E Pesca, a tiny fishing tackle-shop-turned-bar made famous by owner Henrique Vaz Pato, whose award-winning cookbook of the same name helped elevate one of Lisbon’s most famous staples – the tinned sardine – from cheap basic to gourmands’ favourite. Objective complete!

5) THE YOGA SESSION: On Sunday I awoke bright and early and headed to the idyllic, secluded beach of Guincho, 5km outside the gorgeous little town of Cascais, which looks out onto the most western point in Europe (the Capa da Roca). Normally, it’s about as good as it gets. HOWEVER, less than ideally, there was an unseasonal July monsoon, so I met up with a wonderful friend who has a summer house in Cascais overlooking the bay, where we enjoyed a yoga session together on her balcony. Afterwards, a delicious fresh fruit salad with yoghurt and honey, and a restorative coffee to prepare me for the next challenge, by which time the sun had peeped through again

6) THE BICYCLE TOUR: I took a bicycle tour of the city with Bikeiberia, checking out sites from around the city, from the majestic ‘Avenida do Liberdad’ (aka Lisbon’s Bond Street) all the way to the majestic Belem Tower! This is where the O2 Travel app came in handy, with its integrated TripAdvisor city guide to help conquer my shocking sense of direction! I also discovered a fantastic coffee house, Browns Coffee Shop!

I WAS WEARING:
TOP: Under Armour women’s Heatgear Pink Roundneck training top, similar HERE
T-SHIRT: ‘More Issues Than Vogue’ Ebay find
LEGGINGS: Under Armour Stunner Stretch Woven Capris
SHOES: Under Armour Speedform Apollos

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MY HEALTHY HOLIDAY ESSENTIALS !!!

I’m delighted to announce that I’ve partnered with O2 Travel for a really exciting project which is currently taking me to the beautiful city of Lisbon, Portugal (Europe’s #1 city break destination!). I’ll be taking part in all things ‘health and fitness’ whilst I’m out there, with a full schedule of active tasks and fitness-based exploration laid out for me! I’ll be sharing my cycle tours, runs, walks and swims of the city, along with the fabled delicious (& healthy) restaurants too! Keep an eye on my Twitter and Instagram to see the mini-updates, and I promise a proper post rounding up the experience here too, soon ? As a little preview, I thought I’d put up my ‘Holiday Travel Essentials’ insight into what I usually like to pack for these little weekend blog trips – click MORE to see it…

I took on this project because I wanted to help de-mystify the confusion that exists around posting snaps and emailing whilst abroad. These days, it’s not just keen bloggers that post content online from overseas; we ALL love to share our holiday experiences with friends & family, and whilst pictures might tell a thousand words, data-intensive videos tell a thousand pictures! “Errr but Faya, isn’t that going to be mind-bogglingly expensive?!”

Hmm. Confession time: I used to be roam-ophobic. I’d instantly switch off ‘data roaming’ even before I stepped foot off the plane, and only ever got my internet fix from the nearest free wifi hotspot. Through bitter past experiences, it had been drilled into me that I’d certainly pay eye-watering sums just to send a mere picture message to my Mum. Roll forward a technological decade and times have very much changed, but so many people still fear the unaffordable ‘roaming monster’! O2 Travel is today’s solution, and unsurprisingly, it’s O2’s data-roaming-in-Europe proposition. It lets you use ALL the data you need in a day for a wallet-friendly £1.99 per day, so that whatever your experiences are on the continent (even with 50 funky videos uploaded to Instagram), you’ll only ever end up paying £1.99 for the days you use data with O2 Travel. No upper limit, which is MUCH more 2014!

That was the bit I had to tell you, and I actually wanted to tell you too! So now here’s my little list of goodies that accompany me for these journeys…

1. PHONE: Samsung Galaxy S4 loaded with my O2 Travel App (which has saved me a lot of research, by letting me download TripAdvisor, city guides and maps to my phone – Handy! – get it at the App Store).

2. PASSPORT & WALLET (Panama wallet in Nile blue, and Panama Passport Cover in Nile Blue, both Smythson).

3. MUSIC: via my favourite headphones (Bose QC 20i earphones, with a bit of noise-cancelling for a calm, screaming-children-free sleep on the plane!)

4. A5 NOTEPAD: Picked up my gorgeous cream-coloured one at Wimbledon last week

5. MAGAZINES: Men’s Health isn’t visible, but believe me it’s packed safely under my clothes. I’ve also included this month’s Red Magazine, in which I’ve written a feature about an active Surf Trip to Peniche (fairly close to Lisbon, as it happens!)

6. SNACKS: To avoid eating processed, artificial foods with refined sugar (which are guaranteed to make your blood sugars jump all over the place) why not bring some healthy snack along on your journey! I’ve got nuts (walnuts brazils and cashews) and chia seeds (to help raise the nutritional game of what I might find abroad), and a pack of Lindt 90% dark chocolate. See my previous post on travelling healthier HERE.

7. WATER: Absolutely crucial to stay hydrated, especially in those overly-airconditioned flight cabins! Here are my thoughts on the importance of water…

8. TRAINERS: Crucial, obviously! My trusted companions through holiday runs, hilly hikes and lazy walks. I’ve gone with a patriotic version of the Under Armour Speedform RCs (this version is as yet unreleased, but my friends at Under Armour correctly guessed that I’d love the Swedish colours :D)

9. TRAINING CLOTHES. Some ‘Virus’ range compression gear from Mayfair & Fifth, plus some Under Armour tops and leggings.

10. BIKINI: My latest find from Seafolly to help me through the spa journeys !

11. MEASUREMENTS AND STATS: Since I tend to walk a lot, ‘touristing’ around new cities, my Misfit Shine helps me stay on top of how many steps and how much daily exertion I record. Doubling as a watch, I wear it on my wrist, and it also keeps a check on my sleep patterns! It’s in the evaluation stage, and will get a full review on the blog soon! For now though, it’s certainly a pretty little thing

12. TOILETRIES; as per picture! at the top!

13. THE SUITCASE? My absolute favourite, the Rimowa Classic Flight, which looks so deliciously retro, but is so sturdy, functional, and feels quite glamorous too. Really perfectly sized to carry-on to any flight, and include all that I’ll need for the weekend!

Bon Voyage ? x

HAUTE VEGAN CUISINE ???

There aren’t many vegan restaurants a non-believer would dare approach, and for many, the term ‘vegan’ carries a stigma, conjuring up images of bizarre nut-cheeses that are dry and uninviting. You’re certainly be unlikely to associate the term with ‘elegance’, ‘flavour’ and ‘pleasure’. But you’d be wrong. Recently, I was invited along to The Montagu at the Hyatt Churchill, In London’s Portman Square, just opposite Selfridges ‘Food Halls’. It’s part ‘in-house hotel restaurant’, part ‘piano bar’, but upon request, can dispatch an intricate 5-course vegan degustation menu, deisgned by the celebrated LA vegan chef, Ali Parvinjah! I was asked to sample the fare and share my reflections, which I’m more than happy to do because I was quite blown away! Click below to read the full review…

COURSE 1: TOMATO SOUP (Pictured below)

First up is the tomato soup; served cold, it’s not sharp in the slightest, but is beautifully balanced, light, and feels as if it’s cleansing the palate. Surprisingly full in taste for something that you’ve probably had a million times in the past, and the ‘not-red’ colour surprises. It’s simultaneously familiar and unfamiliar in flavour and texture, so the taste buds take a while to think. Also, the crunch of the naturally dried Kale complements the smooth creaminess of the soup. A winner.

COURSE 2: ASPARAGUS (Pictured below)

The plate arrives, accompanied by the rich odour of truffle. The asparagus is cooked to perfection, both crunchy and soft, whilst totally fresh. Their almond ricotta is fascinating with the texture of tahini and the flavour of a cheese tinged with almond. It totally glorifies the humble asparagus by embellishing it with these indulgent and raw, nutritious touches, and it really works. Usually vegetables are the accompaniment to a dish, but here, the chef successfully makes them the focal point they deserve to be.

COURSE 3: BLACKENED TOFU (Pictured below)

The description in the menu makes it sound like a rainbow orgasm of flavours, which is odd given that Tofu is one of the most bland foodstuffs in the world, but they’ve done an incredible job of imbuing it with personality and life. A vibrant coconut mustard sauce frames the delicately charred tofu parcel, whilst the cardamom carrots and dainty ‘grilled exotic broccoli’ play off against each other; presided over by a very subtle parsley, and a chilli kick from within the tofu! Boiled, grilled and fresh; It is a balanced, light yet fulfilling dish.

COURSE 4: RISOTTO (Pictured below)

Combining a candied lemon slice, semi dried tomato, foraged mushrooms, coconut butter and cashew cream, this risotto is simply one of the best I’ve eaten. It is even verging on a dessert when a the ingredients are sampled simultaneously. The lemon cuts through the richness of the coconut & cashew and neutralises any heaviness whatsoever.

COURSE 5: DESSERT ASSORTMENT (Pictured below)

This was always going to be the hardest for them to pull off as vegan ingredients definitely lend themselves best to savoury interpretations. The simulation Hazlenut-and-Espresso ice cream (which contains no dairy) could be considered merely ‘a valiant attempt’, but I think it’s more than that; don’t look at it as ice cream, but rather a whole new texture, which boasts strong flavours of its constituents. The ‘Raw Cacao Vanilla-bean crusted Cheesecake’ is the standout for me.

THE BILL:
It’s a mere £26 for 2 courses, £30 for 3. I consider that to be exceptional value for the innovation, quality of ingredients, effort and delicacy of execution they achieve here. And you feel full. It’s not trying to prove anything about the vegan ethos here, it’s just being what it is. It’s not a pretentious gastro-environment, it’s not a hippy vegan commune; it just happens to have some seriously creative vegan food. I would comfortably recommend a try!

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