Canoeing on the Nene

Today I went on a family day out, dog in tow, brother at Glastonbury, to a little village the other side of Oundle called Waddenhoe. My dad's new obsession is canoeing and so we thought we'd have a paddle on the river Nene and a picnic on the river bank. For our base we used a lovely pub garden which ran right down to the river, called the King's Head. On a day like today, where we are blessed with blue skies and sunshine it really is a magical spot.

I had a wonderful time with my dad out on the water and it's a shame I couldn't take my camera out with me, but I fear that could have ended in disaster. It's lovely to see a familiar landscape from a different angle. The river was teeming with life, from fish and birds, to plants and insects. We saw swans with their cygnets, a moorhen with its chick, ducks and ducklings and even a heron. The edges of the river were lined with tall reeds tangled with some form of water lilly with beautiful yellow flowers which protruded through the surface of the water, while underneath bloomed a forrest of freshwater weed. Among many other insects, there were amazing blue dragon flies with opaque black wings that danced across the water, the motion of which couldn't be caught on camera.

I think this may well be my favourite hobby that my dad has adopted so far, sailing and mountain biking were less successful, while skiing remains a constant. I would really recommend taking to the water, along the Nene there are various places to hire canoes, and lots of pretty spots to stop at along the way. I've decided that in the future I rather fancy having a house that backs on to a river, or taking a holiday on a narrow boat.

Brick Lane

I've been going to Brick Lane in the East-end of London for about five years now, both with my friends and with my family. Then, I was a self conscious fourteen year old listening to emerging 'nu-folk' music and making some rather dodgy outfit choices, though I still stand by some of them, and Brick Lane was one of the most exciting places on the planet. Now I have friends who live near-by, frequenting its boutique cafes, celebrity spotting and making regular purchases from its plethora of vintage shops. While I could say that this has made the magic wear off for me slightly, it really hasn't. Brick Lane still remains one of my favourite places in London. The market is on a Sunday and so this is the most vibrant, if tourist-y, and exciting day to go.

As far as shopping goes I would recommend getting there early, not early early as the stall holders won't be about of bed, but I try to get to the pop-up vintage market under the Sunday-Up market (they're right down Brick Lane - you can't miss it), by about ten o'clock. This means you can choose from some of the best items and you can see them properly as you don't have to elbow your way through hundreds of dawdlers. I really recommend this market, I always find a bargain here. Today I bought a larger denim jacket, a floral sleeveless shirt, and a thick checked shirt. The other place I always seem to find success is Beyond Retro, the successful international chain, which can be found just off Brick Lane on Cheshire Street. From here I bought two funky shirts, one white lace shirt and a pair of stripy shorts. This shop is awesome.

My advice would be steer clear of Rokit and Blitz. Although Blitz is wonderfully laid out and a huge store, in general both are very over priced, that is of course unless you find that must have item that you've always wanted then who's stopping you splash out?

It's lovely to have a wander around and visit as many shops as possible, as well as making the most out of the markets, many of which are artists selling their unique creations. Despite an overcast sky and spitting rain there is always a great atmosphere on a Sunday, the vibrant street art, buskers and local characters means the street buzzes with life.

At the Sunday Up market and in the Truman Brewery you can get food from every conceivable country you can name from around the world, think of a country and you're sure to be able to find its national delicacy somewhere between the bustle of hipsters and tourists. On top of the variety, more often than not, the food is great. Today I had oriental chicken dumplings and noodles, like the ones that come as a starter in Wagamamas, but even bigger, yum!

Here is my haul for the day. I did really well, as it usually takes something big for me to part with my cash. I'm pretty pleased, and had a great day, so thanks to my parents.

Picnic by Rutland Water

Yesterday I met up with a couple of my friends for an impromptu picnic. The original aim was to go and pick our own strawberries and then picnic in the bluebell woods. However, because of the really cold spring we had the strawberries weren't ready, and to top it off the bluebells were over. But who can really complain when the sun's out and there are views like this, it was one of those days that reminded my not to take for granted the beauty of the countryside I've been brought up in. My friend Emily made some fantastic strawberry ice cream, the recipe for which I shall post a link when she uploads it to her blog, while Jenny made some awesome brownies. Now it looks like we can look forward to PYO strawberries later in the summer.

Here is Emily's recipe for her Skinny Strawberry Icream, seriously tasty. With the post you can also find some photos of my friends and I, and a particularly funny one of myself and a sheep. Enjoy!