There She Goes: Tea, pups, and pastys
Hello From England!
First of all — let me extend a huge congratulations to Brooke & Ethan on their recent engagement announcement. Brooke has been one of my dearest friends since Freshman year of University and it was a treat to live close by them for a few years in Boston. The two of them have been an unwavering support team for me, as well as an inspiration for what a beautiful and healthy relationship can (and should!) look like. Thank you! Can’t wait to see you thrive together in this new chapter!
Now, here’s the skinny on the state of the union: We’re a week into our time in England and I’m loving every second. Maybe it’s the comforts of the English language, or the fact that we are hosted by someone with an 8 week old puppy, but I’ve been surprised by the magic and interesting things about this country. We’ve been spending most of our time in the countryside and smaller cities and have quickly realized that the more we explore, the more we hope to see! It’s also our birthday month (yes, both my partner and I have an August birthday!) so there is much to celebrate here.
Songs To Stitch To, Sing To, Get You Through The Week
Cowley Manor, a lovely place for afternoon tea
Set Aside Some Time This Week For Some Self-Care
I. Make an oatmeal mask for your face or body. Travel can be a bit dehydrating and I notice this in the amount of water I need to consume as well as dry areas of my skin. Since I prefer to save money and also to experiment in the kitchen, homemade masks are an easy answer. I didn’t have many ingredients, so I kept it simple with a bit of rolled oats, water, and honey. There are also a slew of masks online if you need some inspiration.
II. Take advantage of summer produce! The other day, after biting into a market-fresh tomato, I was reminded of how different and crazy flavors of fresh foods can be. It’s so healthy and lovely to consume fruits and veggies of the season; even a simple strawberry juice can do wonders for the body and soul. This week, pick your favorite item and find a refreshing way to enjoy.
III. Try some gentle neck stretching. You can use this guide, or just do what feels natural and helpful to you! Our necks do a lot of work for us, and it’s only when they get those cricks that we typically appreciate their work. Show a little neck love this week.
Uplifting Things Happening Around The World
Costa Rica is reporting that nearly 100% of their electricity supply and electricity export is renewable. I knew Costa Rica to be a particularly green country, as just one year ago the president pledged carbon-neutrality by 2021, but real milestones like this news is huge!
New York has new vending machines… this time offering free books! The machines are in all five boroughs and will be restocked every two weeks with both English and Spanish reads.
There is an interesting and promising new trend— creating pollinator-friendly solar innovation. I know, it’s a mouthful but it’s essentially a landscape management strategy that will benefit pollinators and the solar industry.
Sunday Salutations, inspired by the English!
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston Churchill
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” — JRR Tolkien
“Are you the sort of person who gloats when they see a woman fall, or the kind that celebrates a magnificent recovery?” — JK Rowling
There She Goes
Judging by the experience we’ve had thus far, I think that England is going to be a sneaky favorite of this trip. Below are some tidbits and photos.
Ely Cathedral, from the side
Sights that have made me say “WOW”
I. The cathedral in Ely, England. This cathedral has been a place of worship since AD 672 and the current structure was built in 1082! It's incredible to witness something so old and magnificent. Take a look for yourself here.
II. The Stroud Market. Stroud is a quaint town situated below Cotswold Hills in Gloucestershire. Its farmers market is one of the most celebrated within Britain and, in attending it, we could easily see why. There are various streets lined with vendors selling fresh sourdough bread, handmade jewelry, fresh produce, farm fresh cheeses, and more. I personally loved running around trying free samples and browsing the multitude of options. Luckily, we’ll be in that area again next week and we hope to go back for round two!
III. University of Cambridge. Did you know that the University of Cambridge has 31 colleges dotted throughout the city? Our friend attends one of them (Queens) and we were fortunate enough to be able to explore it’s grounds, as well as King’s! The age of the buildings and the history they pack make any school in the US seem like an infant in comparison. The Queen herself had recently visited Queens College, so it was neat to see where they had held the formal dinner.
My Sunday nut roast at Canteen in Bristol
Good Eats
I. Vegan pastys! Pastys are a savory baked pastry typically associated with Cornwall and Devon. Though they are traditionally filled with beef and potatoes, the world of fillings is now quite expansive. At the Stroud Farmers Market, we saw a vendor with various vegan and vegetarian pastys. I went for the vegan one that encased tomatoes, white beans, and greens, and James had one with beet and feta!
II. Proper English roast. This is a right of passage when traveling through England. Again, a roast is historically a meat dish but nowadays there are vegetarian and vegan options. The amazing vegan curation was not at all an afterthought or full of meat substitutes but rather a delight in it’s own right. They call not-meat roasts “nut roasts,” as our protein portion was a block of lentils, nuts, and other veggies. Our hosts brought us to an amazing place in Bristol called The Canteen, which is not only a restaurant but also a community space. For just 10 pounds we had a filling nut roast and a glass of wine. Would highly recommend this place and the vegan roast!
III. Sourdough bread. Bread in France is delicious but sourdough is not always easy to find. England is different! We’ve seen loads of sourdough here, at bakeries, pizzerias, and markets. When we were at the Stroud Market we bought a sourdough rye loaf as well as a classic sourdough loaf. I didn’t expect that I would miss sourdough during this trip but we certainly have and it was such a treat to find it!
Bonus! : The day before leaving Paris, I stopped by an incredible needlepoint shop called Tapisseries de la Bucherie. Unfortunately is was closed this day but I still managed to browse through the windows and snap this photo!
Have a stellar week everyone!
Be well,
Sheila