434 days later...

It all comes to an end. Delightful Things is being retired. It's been a fun experiment but I am looking forward to the mental relief that will come from closing this permanently-open tab in my browser.When seeking the delight in your day becomes a chore, it feels counter to the whole purpose of this thing. For anyone discovering this, go ahead and take a scroll. I hope you find something that inspires you.Brad โœŒ๏ธ

September 2023

22 Sep 23 ๐Ÿš‚ Train travel. Perennially better than air travel.21 Sep 23 ๐Ÿง‡ A warm, fresh stroopwafel.20 Sep 23 ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Amsterdam!19 Sep 23 ๐Ÿฅ A crisp morning walk to pick up a fresh, still-warm pain au chocolat, and a seat streetside to wash it down with an espresso.18 Sep 23 ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท Paris!17 Sep 23 ๐Ÿฅฉ First roast of the season for moi. Feat. mon pรจre.16 Sep 23 โ˜•๏ธ Chatting with the boss man, having an espresso Crodino, on a nice hot day. (Head to Third Culture to grab yourself one)15 Sep 23 ๐ŸŽญ The Burnt City. I didn't love it, but it was very cool.14 Sep 23 ๐Ÿฐ The tiramisu at Padella. Still my fave in London (so far...).11 Sep 23 ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexican cuisine. Top 3 for sure.10 Sep 23 ๐ŸŽจ Tate Modern. An institution.09 Sep 23 ๐Ÿงธ The Bear season 2. So far perhaps even better than season 1. The chill is nice.08 Sep 23 ๐Ÿ• Giant pizzas. Why does 12" pizza even exist anymore?07 Sep 23 ๐Ÿ Curry goat, rice and peas, and plantain. What a combo.05 Sep 23 โ˜€๏ธ A warm, sunny day.03 Sep 23 ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Tuck Shop. An Aussie supper club.02 Sep 23 ๐Ÿ‘ด Chilling with el padre.01 Sep 23 ๐Ÿ• World Famous Gordo's pizza (Netil Market โ€“ skip the Gordo's joint on Kingsland Road, they're imposters). Pepp w everything seasoning crust. Deloish.

AuGOATs

Destination: Italy
Food: Good fruit
TV: Atlanta
Game: Rogue Legacy 2
Book: The Labyrinth of Spirits
Food spot: Morny
Behaviour: Going screen-free

August 2023

29 Aug 23 ๐Ÿซ Buy chocolate. Dip in peanut butter. Consume.28 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ• Franco Manca. Margherita. London Fields. Warm sun. Chill hang.27 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฑ Pickles! I ain't talkin' just cucumbers. Pickle your carrots. Pickle your cauli. Shovel some kimchi in your gullet.26 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฉ Sainsbury's own-baked jam doughnuts. Go to as many bougie bakeries as you like โ€“ this is actually a top-tier doughnut.25 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ•ถ๏ธ The Matrix. Still incredible 20+ years later.23 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฅ™ The falafel wrap at Hoxton Beach. One of the GOATs of Whitecross Market. Large for ยฃ6.50.21 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ“ฑ Going screen-free. Did it this weekend gone by. Returning to screens today felt... less than lovely.20 Aug 23 โ›ช๏ธ Church Street. A wander here makes for an ideal Sunday vibe. Eat good, buy goods, wander park.19 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฐ Morny. Go to this bakery. Order everything. (Unrelated: Be careful with your thoughts on the use of the colour green.)17 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฅ Lucky & Joy. Don't miss the peanuts, the lemon chicken, and every cocktail you can get your mouth around.16 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ™‚ Positivity day. You gotta whip one out every now and then!14 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฅง Pie. What an idea.12 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ“š The Labyrinth of Spirits. Another literary banger by the late, great Seรฑor Zafรณn.11 Aug 23 ๐ŸŽฎ Rogue Legacy 2. Video games are back, babyyyyyyy!08 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ’ก Reddit. Perhaps the last bastion of educational content on the internet that is untarnished by audience metrics, monetisation, and SEO.07 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฟ Atlanta. In general. But also season 4 specifically. Just finished. Amazing. Unlike anything else on TV. Weird, hilarious, disturbing, relevant.06 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ‘ Honestly, just this random peach I had. It was maybe the best piece of fruit I've had all year. In this wasteland of trash produce, this peach was an angel sent from the heavens to remind me of the divine.05 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฅค Granita in the summer. What an idea.04 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Cuisine. I'm cheating with this one so I can have many delightful things โ€“ mortadella and the meat fellas, spritzs, gelato, pasta, coffee, tiramisu. Italy!03 Aug 23 ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Bologna, baby!02 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฟ Anchorman 2. Such a silly movie.01 Aug 23 ๐Ÿฟ Dave. That's a wrap on season 3 for me.

July retro

๐Ÿฟ TV tried having a resurgence in my life, but it's just not hitting โ€“ films and YouTube are on the up
๐Ÿ” Food had a SERIOUS run
๐Ÿ‘พ Video games are back on
โœ๏ธ Pick a pair of trousers and draw on 'em

July 2023

31 Jul 23 ๐ŸŽฎ Vampire Survivors. Simple game, great idea, easy pick-up-and-play fun.30 Jul 23 ๐Ÿ Dinner with the homie.29 Jul 23 ๐Ÿ• Pizzadillas. (Google 'em)28 Jul 23 ๐ŸŒ Banana milkshakes.27 Jul 23 ๐Ÿป A last hurrah.26 Jul 23 ๐Ÿ‘ฅ An adjacent homie.25 Jul 23 โ˜•๏ธ Lodestar. Coffee shop. Batch brew to start the day. You know what it is.24 Jul 23 โœ๏ธ Drawing on an old pair of chinos. (Shout out senior cords, baby!)23 Jul 23 ๐ŸŽฎ Moonlighter. An easy-to-pick-up-and-play roguelike. It's bananas that it cost me less than ยฃ3 on sale on Steam, and that my Macbook can run it fine.22 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฟ The Bear. Y'all already know.21 Jul 23 ๐ŸŽฅ Matty Matheson. Just a whacky, delightful dude who loves food and loves life. Excellent company on a sick day.20 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฅฏ Original Bagel. A great little work lunch spot run by a lovely chap.19 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฅช The French dip! What a sandwich. Not an every dayer but one I need to re-hit more regularly.18 Jul 23 ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Behind the Bastards. An enjoyable podcast about bad people.17 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฅฏ A breakfast sando for lunch. Egg, bacon, sausage, cheese, baby!16 Jul 23 ๐Ÿ– St. John. Finally. Charming aesthetics โ€“ a great mix of high and low. Trust Fergus; get his negroni. Eat pig cheek, bone marrow and many desserts.15 Jul 23 ๐Ÿง€ Borough Market. Insanely busy, but great food. Today's haul: Raclette and toastie (Kappacasein Dairy), filled doughnuts (Bread Ahead), cider (The Cider House).14 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฅ’ Quick pickles. Kitchen game-changer.13 Jul 23 ๐ŸŒณ Greenery.12 Jul 23 ๐Ÿช Some ring-shaped chocolate biscuit. I don't know its name. But the chocolate layer is thicker than any other biscuit I've ever had. Incredible.11 Jul 23 ๐ŸŒฎ Making tacos. You should make them this week. They're amazing. (Choose good ingredients)10 Jul 23 โ˜•๏ธ The Quarter Kitchen. Outdoor coffee spot. Surrounded by greenery. Mexican-inspired menu. Ideal.09 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฟ Film festivals! Indie films! Seeing something in a cinema that isn't a Hollywood production. (This was an Eat The Screen x SAFAR event โ€“ preceded by the is-it-the-best-cocktail-of-the-summer Eataly Negroni Bianco)08 Jul 23 โ˜•๏ธ Coffee. Outside. With a friend. Under an awning. Ideally while it's raining. Streetside. (Cheers to The Coffee Jar for facilitating)07 Jul 23 ๐Ÿซ“ Shawarma Bar. Get all the breads and dips. Don't skip the salmon tartare. And nab a cocktail too.06 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฅ˜ Manjal. Delicious Indian food. Loved everything I ate.05 Jul 23 โ˜•๏ธ Allpress's running rotation of batch brews.04 Jul 23 ๐Ÿฟ Beef (2023 TV show). Two people let a grudge get out of control. And it's wild and sometimes hilarious.03 Jul 23 ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Alphabet Boys: Trojan Hearse. A podcast that tells an exciting and horrifying story of the FBI and racial justice in America.02 Jul 23 ๐Ÿ• Yard Sale Pizza. Get an 18-incher, half-and-half. I recommend The Full House and Salsiccia e Friarelli.01 Jul 23 โ˜•๏ธ WAVE. Great cafe in Hackney. Get a brekkie bowl and a salted coffee.

June reflections

๐Ÿง Splurge on treats that are worth it
๐ŸŒณ Maximise time away from roads
๐Ÿ‘• Wear comfy clothes
๐Ÿ•บ Get a groove on
๐Ÿฟ Watch less mainstream films
๐ŸŽ Good fruit is divine
๐Ÿบ Drink less alcohol

June 2023

30 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡น Vegan Ethiopian food. Absolutely incredible.29 Jun 23 ๐ŸŒง๏ธ The morning coffee run when it's cool and rainy, but warm enough for shorts and not heavy enough to require an umbrella.28 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ Padella. Get a brusch, a couple of pastas, and a tiramisu. Sit outdoors. Enjoy life. (I don't think it's on the menu but ask if they can do you a negroni bianco too)27 Jun 23 ๐Ÿฟ Asteroid City. Perhaps not my favourite Wes Anderson film, but worth a watch if you typically like his work.25 Jun 23 โ˜•๏ธ The cold brew at Redemption Roasters. Incred. Also the perfect companion to reading in the shade on a hot summer's day.24 Jun 23 ๐Ÿน A dear friend's birthday drinks. (Featuring a muy tasty peach-apricot spritz)23 Jun 23 โ˜€๏ธ A chill summer evening on a friend's deck. (Accompanied by Italian delights like Campari soda and bruschetta)22 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ“ Strawberries. When they're good, they're nigh unbeatable.21 Jun 23 ๐ŸฅŸ My Neighbours the Dumplings. The second shout out for this here. Just great food and cocktails.20 Jun 23 ๐Ÿช McVitieโ€™s Gold bars. A little biscuit covered in a chunky, caramel-y chocolate-y layer. Far too sweet. Delicious.19 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ‘ Apricots and nectarines. Nature really figured this stuff out, hey?18 Jun 23 ๐Ÿฟ Reality. A 2023 film whose dialogue is verbatim lifted from FBI recordings. Unsettlingly brilliant.17 Jun 23 ๐Ÿง Lotus Biscoff cake.16 Jun 23 ๐Ÿฅƒ Brilliant Corners. Great vibe. Got a little groove on with some pals. (If their website is correct, shout out to Colectivo Futuro for the tunes!)15 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ’ป Therapy over Zoom. Super convenient. What a wild world we live in.14 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ‘• Uniqlo's current run of oversized tees.11 Jun 23 ๐Ÿฆ Badiani Gelato. Medium cup. Pistachio and La Dolcevita. Consume liberally.10 Jun 23 ๐Ÿชฆ Abney Park. A beautiful cemetery, great piece of nature, and sorely needed escape from the city โ€“ all rolled up into one.09 Jun 23 ๐Ÿท dan's. Enjoy a chilled red and a box of Shapes. The perfect summer eve? You tell me.07 Jun 23 ๐Ÿฅƒ Los niรฑos.06 Jun 23 ๐Ÿบ The absolutely silly post-work pub drinks.05 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ’Š Shout out again for the NHS. When it works, it's absolutely incredible. (Juice up that funding, y'all!)04 Jun 23 ๐Ÿ•ธ๏ธ Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Not as impactful as the first one, but the animation is just phenomenal!03 Jun 23 ๐Ÿง Nutella canelรฉ at Wilton Way Deli. Absolutely. Incredible. I want three more right now just thinking about it.02 Jun 23 ๐Ÿธ Happiness Forgets. A charming basement cocktail joint.

The ๐Ÿs from May

๐Ÿ’ƒ Wedding dancefloors
๐ŸŒญ Currywurst
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Cinnamon buns from Sammy's Berliner Donuts

May 2023

30 May 23 ๐Ÿ‹ Lemon sorbet. That's it. That's the whole thing.26 May 23 ๐Ÿธ Silk Stockings. An unexpected Dalston cocktail bar. Great tunes, great drinks. The 'Celebrity Skin' is incredible.25 May 23 ๐Ÿบ Misfit Bar, Berlin. Fab little grungy spot. Don't skip on the 3 rums for 3โ‚ฌ deal.24 May 23 ๐Ÿฉ Sammy's Berliner Donuts. Incredible doughnuts. And potentially the best cinnamon bun I've had in my life.23 May 23 ๐ŸŒญ Currywurst! What a tasty dish. Why can't every city be as swimming in it as Berlin?22 May 23 ๐Ÿณ E Pellicci. Finally got around to this London institution. Great for your mouth, horrible for your stomach.21 May 23 ๐Ÿฉ Doughnuts from Bread Ahead. Light, fluffy, and filled with all sorts of delightful creams and jams.20 May 23 ๐Ÿธ ๐Ÿ”ถ๐ŸŸฅ๐Ÿ”ต. A strange spot for sips. But definitely enjoyed.19 May 23 ๐Ÿณ Hash E8. A great, out-of-the-way brunch spot. Get the hash benedict and unlimited filter coffee.18 May 23 ๐Ÿบ Camaraderie in the face of impending disaster.14 May 23 ๐ŸŒž Good weather. Great friends. Chill times.13 May 23 ๐Ÿป The impromptu work crew drinks.12 May 23 ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ The casual dinner-at-home hang.11 May 23 ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ A compliment from a stranger.10 May 23 ๐Ÿ™ƒ Stranger Things. Still great on the rewatch.08 May 23 ๐Ÿˆ Adventure day.07 May 23 ๐Ÿ› Bath. (The city.) Very cute. Lovely wandering around in on a nice, sunny day. And with a good pal in tow.06 May 23 ๐Ÿ’ Sharing in a friend's special day. (Wedding dancefloors best dancefloors.)05 May 23 โ˜Ž๏ธ Phone calls! (Texting is functional, but completely misses the emotional side of communication.)03 May 23 โ˜•๏ธ A little mid-afternoon coffee break out in the sun. Can't wait for summer!

April faves

๐Ÿ“š Books by Carlos Ruiz Zafรณn
๐ŸŸ McDonald's + Taco Bell
๐Ÿธ World-class cocktail bars
โœˆ๏ธ Travelling somewhere new

April 2023

25 Apr 23 ๐Ÿท La Vermuteria del Tano. A neighbourhood vermouth bar. Very charming. Delicious vermouth. Great little bites.24 Apr 23 ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Random little tapas places in Barcelona.23 Apr 23 ๐ŸŒณ The view from Park Gรผell.22 Apr 23 ๐Ÿธ Sips Drinkery House. Number 3 cocktail bar in the world. Cool place; lovely staff.17 Apr 23 ๐Ÿƒ Morning run. Previously impossible for moi on a work day, but the combo of WFH and good weather finally made it happen.16 Apr 23 ๐Ÿ“š The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafรณn. Always look forward to winding down with this at the end of the night.15 Apr 23 โ˜•๏ธ Caravan Coffee School โ€“ Roastery Tour & Tasting. Good fun if you're a coffee lover. Learn interesting stuff, try 4 coffees, get a bag of beans.13 Apr 23 ๐Ÿฟ The cinema. Always the best way to watch.11 Apr 23 ๐ŸŒฏ Street food markets.10 Apr 23 โ˜•๏ธ The local coffee shop hang.09 Apr 23 ๐Ÿ– Broadway Market. Especially on a warm, sunny day. Great food, great coffee, great vibes.08 Apr 23 ๐ŸŽก The view of the London skyline from the Post Building. Doubly so on a nice, warm(ish) day with blue(ish) skies!07 Apr 23 ๐Ÿ˜ด Sleepovers as an adult. Highly underrated.06 Apr 23 ๐ŸŒฎ Taco Bell. Shamefully desirable. Dirty good. A dangerous, dangerous delight.05 Apr 23 ๐ŸŽญ Operation Mincemeat. Great story, great songs, and a few good laughs. Plus, the theatre is just a nice break from screen-based entertainment.04 Apr 23 ๐Ÿง Gluten-free brownies. Wayyyyyy better than regular. So much fudgier. Miss me with those regular brownies.03 Apr 23 ๐ŸŽฌ Video calls with a GP. In this new world of telephone-appointments-as-default, getting to have a video call adds an essential bit of otherwise-missed connection and empathy.02 Apr 23 โ˜•๏ธ Fika. Not the Swedish practice (although that's great), but the Hackney cafe. Filter coffee, choc-pistachio pastry โ€“ delicious.01 Apr 23 ๐Ÿ“š The Shadow of the Wind. Great book. Highly recommend. (Buy it second hand! Or head to your local library.)

Gamechangers from March

๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Comedy podcasts
๐ŸŠ Online grocery shopping
๐Ÿฅ› Huel
๐Ÿƒ Walking as a means of transport
โ˜Ž๏ธ Video calls with family
๐Ÿ“š Reading some good fiction
๐Ÿข Spending extended in-person time with co-workers
๐Ÿ˜Ž Holidays (especially in the sun and heat!)

March 2023

31 Mar 23 ๐Ÿง  Mental health days. Maybe not delightful that they're needed, but delightful to work somewhere where they can be taken.30 Mar 23 ๐Ÿ’ป Remote work. Both as a worker and as a customer. It's far from perfect, but it can be extraordinarily convenient.29 Mar 23 ๐ŸŒฎ Del74. Get your taco on, pals. Don't skip the pastor (or the bean dip, or quesadillas either).27 Mar 23 ๐Ÿฅช Francesinha. A whole lot of meats slapped on a sandwich, covered in cheese, and drowned in tomato and beer sauce. Outlandish. Love it.26 Mar 23 ๐Ÿ‡ Douro Valley. Incredible place. Gorgeous. Impeccable weather. And some tasty ports at Quinta do Seixo.25 Mar 23 ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น Tavares Tavares Tavares Tavares Tavares Tavares Tavares.24 Mar 23 ๐Ÿฅƒ Eddie'S Klub. A great little whisky bar in Porto. Staff were brill.23 Mar 23 ๐Ÿข Team off-sites. It's always nice to connect in person as a big group.22 Mar 23 ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Trying a new cuisine.21 Mar 23 ๐Ÿ“š World of Books. Second-hand books. Fast, cheap UK delivery. Ideal.20 Mar 23 โ˜Ž๏ธ Chatting with Mum.19 Mar 23 โ˜•๏ธ The spur of the moment coffee hang.18 Mar 23 ๐Ÿฟ Movie night. (Grand Budapest Hotel, baby!)17 Mar 23 ๐Ÿ— Chicken Selects from McDonald's. As cheap, fast, and available fried chicken goes, it's pretty decent.15 Mar 23 ๐Ÿƒ Being able to walk to work.14 Mar 23 ๐Ÿต Green tea. Maybe my fave hot beverage that isn't coffee. Practically a daily for me now.13 Mar 23 ๐Ÿฅ› Huel. Super easy to make. Super easy to eat (or, well, drink). And counts as a meal. (Probably.)12 Mar 23 ๐Ÿ›’ Online grocery shopping. The time saving and stress reduction is unbelievable! Browsing websites > browsing shelves. And doorstep delivery > the wild west that is the self-checkout area.11 Mar 23 ๐ŸŒณ A relaxing forest stroll with a good friend.10 Mar 23 ๐Ÿธ Hotel bars. Tonight's destination โ€“ Ginger Lily at the Pan Pacific. (It's not cheap, though.)09 Mar 23 ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Review Revue. Or, more accurately, the comedic stylings of Reilly Anspaugh and Geoffrey James.08 Mar 23 โ„๏ธ Waking up to an unexpected snowy view.07 Mar 23 ๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Pocket Casts. Because Apple's podcast app is inexplicably terrible. (And podcasts are great.)06 Mar 23 ๐Ÿซ“ Hummus and flatbread. An ideal snack.05 Mar 23 ๐Ÿฅช Max's Sandwich Shop. This visit has been a long time coming. And it lived up to the hype. Split 1x poached chicken (not as bleak as it sounds) and 1x goat tikka. Both incredible.04 Mar 23 ๐ŸŽฎ Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Still one of the GOAT Switch games (and it's a Wii U remake!).03 Mar 23 ๐Ÿฅ– Passyunk Avenue. I'm not sure there are a lot of cheesesteak options in London. But this is surely up there.

Post-Feb reflections

๐Ÿบ Less drinking
๐ŸŒณ More nature
๐Ÿƒ More adventure days
โ˜•๏ธ New cafes
๐Ÿž Fewer carbs

February 2023

24 Feb 23 ๐ŸŽฒ Games night with some pals!23 Feb 23 ๐ŸŠ Impromptu Aperol spritz spread at the office.22 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ’ฌ Slack. You ever stop and think about the old days of email-only comms at work? Wild. I couldn't go back.21 Feb 23 ๐Ÿฅž Free crรชpe van at work for Shrove Tuesday!20 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ Routine eye tests. (Shout out health and wellness, yo!)19 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italian day. (Specific shout out to Bar Italia for the vibe!)18 Feb 23 โ˜•๏ธ The batch brew experience at Allpress. Little wooden tray, cute green cup, and a glass jug. Sparkling water on tap. The dream.17 Feb 23 ๐Ÿˆ Adventure days.16 Feb 23 ๐Ÿต Green tea Pocky. Unreasonably moreish.15 Feb 23 ๐ŸŒฏ Mercato Metropolitano. Great food market. Loved the Syrian mezze platter, and the pistachio and la dolcevita gelatos.13 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ’จ Getting back out on a run. (In the sun, no less!)12 Feb 23 โ˜•๏ธ Hardware Coffee + Kitchen. Gorgeous cafe in Liverpool. Opens early, too! The Toolbox, a cortado, and a dangerous Kinder cookie set my day off right.11 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ› Liverpool. Cool city. Had a really nice time walking around, looking at buildings, and eating and drinking. (Shout out to American Pizza Slice for a great NY-style pepperoni!)10 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ‘พ NQ64. An 'arcade bar' that makes for a fun alternative on a night out.09 Feb 23 ๐Ÿธ Satan's Whiskers. Cocktail bar with great intimate vibes and good drinks. (One critique: being bothered by the volume made me realise I'm getting old!)08 Feb 23 ๐Ÿต Surprise* weeknight adventure for oolong milk tea at Lucky Tea! Chinatown is great.07 Feb 23 ๐Ÿฅƒ Cameron's Peach at The Bar With No Name. Laphroaig 10, Creme de Peche, Orgeat, Lemon, Soda. Delish.06 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ˜Œ Not having to cook dinner.05 Feb 23 ๐Ÿž Focaccia + olive oil + balsamic vinegar. Not the first time this GOAT of breads has featured here; won't be the last either.04 Feb 23 โ˜•๏ธ Hanging with the boy.03 Feb 23 ๐Ÿฟ Mortal Kombat. It's not that great of a film, but being a fan of the games growing up, the nostalgia made this a bit of fun.02 Feb 23 ๐Ÿ“– Reading in the sun by the pool.01 Feb 23 ๐Ÿท Sangria in a sunny plaza in Marbella's old town.

January in review

๐Ÿฝ / โ˜•๏ธ Brunswick East, Luminary Bakery, Wun's Tea Room & Bar, h.o.m.e., Wilton Way Deli, Batch Baby๐Ÿธ Swift, Balzambฤrs๐Ÿฟ Chamelon: High Rollers, Loveย Life

January 2023

31 Jan 23 ๐Ÿš— Cruising around, seeing the Spanish landscape.30 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฅช Bocadillo de jamรณn. Almost odd how something so simple can be so enjoyable.29 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฅฉ Tapas in Spain! All delicious.28 Jan 23 โœˆ๏ธ A little Euro getaway! Love how easy it is to get to so many incredible places.27 Jan 23 ๐ŸŠ ๐Ÿคซ26 Jan 23 ๐Ÿถ Balzambฤrs. Instantly my fave spot in Rฤซga. Absolutely brilliant bartender.25 Jan 23 ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ป Latvian night out! Traditional food, traditional dancing, dark beers, and balsam!24 Jan 23 โœˆ๏ธ International work trips. As an occasional thing, they're quite a fun novelty.23 Jan 23 โ˜•๏ธ A post-lunch espresso and stroll. (Bonus points for doing it with a friend I hadn't seen in a minute, as well.)22 Jan 23 โค๏ธ A friend.21 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฅ– Pancetta sandwich from Wilton Way Deli. Possibly best baguette I've had outside France. And a great combo of flavours.20 Jan 23 ๐ŸŸ BBQ beef Hula Hoops. There are a lot of UK snack foods I never had as a kid, but Hula Hoops are surely one of the greats. Great texture. Nice and salty.19 Jan 23 ๐Ÿ“บ Love Life. A 2020 romantic comedy anthology TV series about love and relationships. Very watchable.18 Jan 23 ๐Ÿซ Free chocolate bar! (Cheers, Marc.)16 Jan 23 ๐ŸŒ Bananas. You might be thinking "wow, Brad, you're really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one." You might also be absolutely right.15 Jan 23 โœ๏ธ Journalling. I've done it sporadically in the past. But I think I might be on the cusp of getting into it proper. Lengthy, daily entries. It feels good.14 Jan 23 โ˜•๏ธ Batch Baby. A cafe I've given love to here before, but which has recently been recognised by Sprudge as an honoree for best new cafe in the world! (Well deserved, gang!)13 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฅ Chocolate croissant from Wilton Way Deli. Best sweet, filled croissants in London I've found so far. (Not including pain au chocolat โ€“ I've got another spot for those!)11 Jan 23 ๐ŸŒฏ Burritos from h.o.m.e.. An absolute hidden gem. I maintain a strong contender for London's best burrito (yeah, I said it).10 Jan 23 ๐Ÿป Seeing a dear, dear homie.09 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฉ Donutelier by Roladin. I'm undecided how great these doughnuts are, but great or not, doughnuts are still usually a delight.08 Jan 23 ๐Ÿธ Too hard to choose, so I'm picking two. Wun's Tea Room & Bar (don't skip on the char siu egg rice dish) and Swift (don't skip on the Sandhurst).07 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฐ Luminary Bakery. Cute spot, good coffee, fab cakes. And a really great mission, supporting disadvantaged women.06 Jan 23 ๐ŸŸ Sounds Fishy. All the joy of lying to your friends' faces, without any of the social blowback. (Because it's a game. They can't get mad at a game.)05 Jan 23 ๐Ÿต A pot of green tea. I love coffee, but not loads of it. Green tea, however, is delightful by the pot.04 Jan 23 ๐ŸŽ™ Chameleon: High Rollers. After loving the first season of this podcast, I was initially disappointed with the set up of s2. But my tune has since changed!03 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฅ Pistachio cream. Nutella's lesser-known, absolutely delicious cousin. Buy a jar from an Italian deli; apply liberally to bready products.02 Jan 23 ๐Ÿฅ Pastries and coffee at Brunswick East. Today, a delicious aubergine/tomato/cheddar brioche, a brandy butter cookie, and a flat white. (But a tad underhwelming for the price.)01 Jan 23 ๐Ÿท Port and tonic. A lesser-explored drink for me, but necessity being the mother of invention, my unfinished Xmas bottle quickly became this delight. 50mL port to 150mL tonic seems to work nicely.

December 2022

31 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ• Slice Club Pizza. Can't get enough of the slice game. I'll be searching every nook and cranny of London for slice joints in 2023.30 Dec 22 ๐Ÿฐ Cinnamon swirl from Ole & Steen. If, like me, you don't much enjoy the standard ultra-dry cinnamon buns of London, try one of these.29 Dec 22 ๐ŸฅŸ Steamed buns. A tasty snack on the go.28 Dec 22 ๐ŸŽ™ The Hunt for the Missing Cryptoqueen podcast. Really interesting story.27 Dec 22 ๐Ÿฅƒ The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Always a fun time visiting and tasting a few.26 Dec 22 ๐ŸŽค Karaoke in an aprรจs ski-style hut.25 Dec 22 โ›„๏ธ Cold, cosy Christmas. (Sorry, warm Christmas experiencers.)24 Dec 22 ๐ŸŽ„ Christmas markets. Food, fun, and festive magic in the air.23 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ• CIVERINOS slice. Walked past this place in Edinburgh a lot but finally found the time to try it. Delish!22 Dec 22 ๐Ÿฐ York. Cute city. (Although things seemed to shut down oddly early. Especially for Christmas.)17 Dec 22 ๐ŸŒณ Taking a break from the big city.16 Dec 22 ๐ŸŒŠ A morning swim. Great way to start the day. And even better when it's icy out and you can access a heated, indoor pool.15 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น 1 โ‚ฌ espresso (or thereabouts). Always a little delight.14 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Little local cafรฉs in foreign cities. Not the kind of thing that will show up in online recommendations, but an experience worth having too.13 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Rome! Such a great city. Too many individual things to name here (but "food and buildings" sums it up well).12 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ›’ 24/7 supermarkets. Grazie, Europe!11 Dec 22 ๐ŸŒฎ Food adventure days. One spot rolls to the next.10 Dec 22 ๐ŸฅŸ Bun House. A great little Chinatown spot, with some tasty tasty buns. Best enjoyed with a pal.09 Dec 22 ๐ŸŽฌ Video calls. Yeah, text messages are handy and phone calls are fine. But video is way more satisfying. Human connection and all.08 Dec 22 ๐Ÿบ Office beers, featuring a proper in-office tap.07 Dec 22 ๐Ÿฝ Team Xmas dinners! It's always nice to get out of the office and have some fun together.05 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ™ The unexpected, unnecessary thank you. The most heartwarming of thank yous. Its rarity and sincerity is of utmost importance.04 Dec 22 โ›„๏ธ Winter Wonderland. Bratwurst: check. Mulled beverages: check. Funhouse: check. Tiny doughnuts: check.03 Dec 22 ๐Ÿป Unplanned swift beer at the pub.02 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ‘„ Bonjela. The mouth ulcer gel. Absolute saviour.01 Dec 22 ๐Ÿ›ต Food delivery apps. I definitely have some problems with them, but the convenience can be a massive relief at the end of the week.

November 2022

24 Nov 22 ๐ŸŽ™ LeVar Burton Reads. A podcast where the legend himself reads a great short story in each episode. Perfect for winding down at night (or helping you re-wind down when insomnia comes knocking at 2am).22 Nov 22 ๐Ÿง  The mental health boost of working from the office. (Not a sentence past me ever would've thought I'd say...)20 Nov 22 ๐ŸŒŠ Swimming as a means of exercise.19 Nov 22 ๐Ÿง  Having someone you can share the weight of what's on your mind with.12 Nov 22 ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Friendsgiving. Delicious food and good company all around.10 Nov 22 ๐Ÿฅƒ Milroys of Spitalfields for a few sips.08 Nov 22 ๐Ÿฝ Dinner with loved ones.06 Nov 22 ๐Ÿœ Marugame Udon. Delicious. And perfect for this dreary, drizzly weather.05 Nov 22 ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Danishes. (The pastry. Not Danes. Although Danes are great too. And funnily enough, the pastries are actually Austrian.)04 Nov 22 ๐Ÿ“… Day off. Love a long weekend.03 Nov 22 ๐Ÿฅ˜ Dinner at a friend's house.02 Nov 22 ๐Ÿท After-work drinks crews.

October 2022

31 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ™‚ Seeing friends.30 Oct 22 ๐Ÿบ Craft beers. (And specifically the selection at Beer + Burger.) Such fun and different flavours on offer!29 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ• Crisp Pizza. Touted as London's best. And while I can't say I'm enough of a pizza expert to certify that, it's certainly worth a trip!28 Oct 22 ๐ŸŽง Taking phone calls with AirPods. It really crept up on me how much more I prefer taking phone calls with wireless earphones compared to wired, or just using the phone as-is.27 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ› Putting a little extra effort in to make a special dinner. Miso soup, Japanese-style pickles, katsu curry, and a whisky highball.26 Oct 22 ๐ŸŽ™ If I Were You โ€“ one of my fave podcasts to have on while doing housework. (Although I do wonder if you had to grow up on Jake and Amir to find it funny...)25 Oct 22 ๐Ÿฝ Dinner at a friend's.24 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท Paris. What a city! Gotta love it.23 Oct 22 ๐Ÿท The good ol' end-of-day wine bar with cheese board.22 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ—ผ The Eiffel Tower. It is genuinely quite cool.21 Oct 22 ๐Ÿฅ Pastries in Paris. I shouldn't be surprised, but they're much better than London.20 Oct 22 ๐Ÿš‚ The Eurostar. The whole train travel experience is leagues better than air travel.19 Oct 22 ๐Ÿž Focaccia. What a bread.18 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ“ฑ Apple Wallet. What a handy way of handling tickets.17 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ  Being able to work from home when you want.16 Oct 22 โค๏ธ Seeing various top-tier pals. And having various top-tier foods and drinks.15 Oct 22 ๐ŸŽจ The Other Art Fair. Love the variety of styles on display. (Shoutout to Laura Jordan in particular!)14 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ“… The relieving freedom of the end of the week.13 Oct 22 ๐Ÿฅƒ The "Perfect Scotch Old Fashioned" from Black Rock.12 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ‘– Lounge trousers. AKA pyjama pants with extra marketing. When jeans are too heavy and sweats are too warm, these fellas have got your back.11 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ‘ž Walking to work. (No one's commute should have to be long, stressful, and sedentary if they don't want.)10 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ‚ A crisp evening walk. Still not too dark out yet. Blue sky. Cool but not uncomfortably cold. This is ideal autumn.09 Oct 22 ๐ŸŽฌ Jordan Studdard's YouTube shorts. Cute, unique, subtly magical little stories about his friends.08 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ‘ƒ A workshop at Experimental Perfume Club. Very fun, very unique experience.07 Oct 22 ๐Ÿฅƒ Perfect Boys Night. I was a little tipsy by the time I had the Highland Park Dragon Legend, but it was as tasty as the name is ridiculous.06 Oct 22 ๐Ÿฅƒ Bull in a China Shop. Great Japanese-leaning whisky bar.02 Oct 22 ๐Ÿ‚ Pumpkin spice latte to mark the transition into autumn.01 Oct 22 โ˜•๏ธ Espresso tasting at Prufrock. A side-by-side of regular espresso and one pulled on a restored vintage lever machine. A fun, novel experience!

September 2022

30 Sep 22 ๐Ÿ›‹ Cozy end to a heavy week. Couch + blanket + Spirited Away.29 Sep 22 ๐Ÿป Goodbye drinks. Bittersweet.26 Sep 22 ๐ŸŒฎ Taquerรญa. I think this is my new fave London taco spot. (Although El/Casa Pastor are still incredible.)25 Sep 22 ๐Ÿ• All Kaps Pizza. An NY-style pizza pop-up here in London. Love a slice joint. Why so few here?24 Sep 22 ๐Ÿฅณ Birthday parties, baby!23 Sep 22 ๐Ÿ“… A day off for no reason at all. Feels... luxurious.22 Sep 22 โ˜•๏ธ Batch Baby. A superb coffee shop with a focus on batch-brewed filter coffee.16 Sep 22 ๐Ÿท Humble Grape. Not a bad little wine bar.15 Sep 22 ๐Ÿฟ Secret Cinema: Guardians of the Galaxy, baby!14 Sep 22 ๐Ÿค Catching up with a good friend.13 Sep 22 ๐Ÿฐ Bake-off team social!12 Sep 22 โ˜Ž๏ธ Having a call with family back home.11 Sep 22 ๐Ÿ• NY-style slice pizza. Sure, I didn't get any โ€“ the place I wanted to visit had sold out โ€“ but it is undoubtedly glorious.10 Sep 22 ๐ŸŽ™ The Truth. The podcast self-billed as making "movies for your ears". My new fave background alternative to music.09 Sep 22 ๐Ÿ•บ Getting a phenomenal groove on at a dear friend's wedding.08 Sep 22 ๐ŸฅŸ BAO. Love the food, love the brand.07 Sep 22 ๐Ÿ Cacio e pepe. What a dish.05 Sep 22 ๐ŸŒ There's a .baby TLD, babyyyyyyyyy!04 Sep 22 ๐Ÿž Using really good bread when having eggs and soldiers. (Seems I already wrote this earlier โ€“ it's just that good!)03 Sep 22 ๐Ÿฟ Bullet Train. Great film. Exceeded my expectations. (And the cinema is still the best way to watch a movie.)02 Sep 22 ๐Ÿ— Wingstop. (Don't skip that Louisiana rub.)01 Sep 22 ๐Ÿธ The one-sip martini at Tayฤ“r + Elementary. Great flavour. Not too much. Not too expensive. Blue cheese olive. Perfection.

August 2022

30 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ› Delicious, delicious leftovers. Tasty. No cooking admin. The dream.29 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ› The comfort of home.28 Aug 22 ๐ŸŒณ Little Sparta. An unexpectedly surreal garden experience.27 Aug 22 ๐Ÿฅง Steak pie, beans, a yum yum, and a flat white. Breakfast of champions at Chums.26 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ˜Ž A day off. A short week. At the Edinburgh Fringe. And had one of the best sour beers I'd had in a very long time.25 Aug 22 ๐Ÿป Seeing an old friend I hadn't seen in many years.24 Aug 22 ๐ŸŽญ Coming Out of My Cage (And I've Been Doing Just Fine). More delightful Fringe quirkiness.23 Aug 22 ๐ŸŽญ Tarot: Cautionary Tales. An unplanned bit of sketch comedy at Fringe. Very funny.22 Aug 22 โœ๏ธ The Reagan diary format. Saw a sample of this. Felt like an easy way to try a daily journal again.21 Aug 22 ๐Ÿฅƒ The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. A cool place to try some unique whiskies.20 Aug 22 1๏ธโƒฃ Time for oneself. To rest, relax, and recharge.19 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ“… A relaxing end to a long, hectic week.18 Aug 22 ๐Ÿธ Cocktail nights. Anything short, dry, and a special of the house, please.17 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ’Š The NHS, baby! Universal healthcare is only way we should have it.16 Aug 22 ๐Ÿป Rooftop drinks with friends.15 Aug 22 ๐Ÿฅช A hot breakfast sandwich (feat. black pudding). What a treat.14 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ– Lulworth. Gorgeous bit of coast. Sun, breeze, water, greenery. A good walk, and a tasty spot of ice cream.13 Aug 22 ๐Ÿฐ Weddings again! At a castle!12 Aug 22 ๐Ÿฅš Foccacia soldiers. Vastly better than your regular toast.11 Aug 22 ๐ŸŠ Aperol spritz! The essential drink of summer.10 Aug 22 ๐Ÿฝ The wonderful hosting of a dinner party by lovely friends.09 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ• Pizza Union. London's best budget pizza (until I'm proven otherwise...).08 Aug 22 ๐ŸŒฎ Pork tacos from La Casa del Burrito. Not what I expected, but undeniably delicious.07 Aug 22 ๐ŸŸ Scampi and chips by the seaside, on a hot, sunny day? You best believe it.06 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ‘ฐ Weddings! What a beautiful and fun way of celebrating the love cherished ones share.05 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ• The Hayman's Kitchen. A self-described "tiny, family-run pizza restaurant" that is phenomenally good.04 Aug 22 โ˜•๏ธ Coffee cupping at the local. A fun alternative event to the norm.03 Aug 22 ๐Ÿป Free office beers. Every little helps.02 Aug 22 ๐Ÿฆ Hackney Gelato. Not bad for a pre-packaged tub of ice cream.01 Aug 22 ๐Ÿ• Leftover pizza. It's like the food equivalent of falling back asleep and picking up that brilliant dream right where you left off.

July 2022

31 Jul 22 ๐Ÿฉ Crosstown Doughnuts. The UK can't do donuts like the US can, but I do love me a Crosstown every now and then.30 Jul 22 ๐Ÿ“… A weekend with no plans. Gotta have one of those every now and then.29 Jul 22 ๐Ÿฅ Starbucks breakfast. Yeah, I said it. A ham and cheese croissant, turmeric shot, and cold brew goes down a treat.28 Jul 22 ๐ŸŽค All Star Lanes. Karaoke, baby! Word around town is that the boys just might be back in it.27 Jul 22 ๐Ÿ˜Ž Meller sunglasses. Cool, polarised sunnies at a price that would make Luxottica execs scream.26 Jul 22 ๐Ÿฒ Bรบn chแบฃ. What I ate today wasn't quite it, but it was still incredible. God's own food, to be sure.25 Jul 22 ๐ŸŒต Clase Azul Reposado tequila. You won't even believe this is tequila. Like drinking caramel.24 Jul 22 โ˜€๏ธ A relaxed, sunny, Sunday morning stroll. Essential weekend activity.23 Jul 22 ๐Ÿก Blueberry mochi. Simple. Delish.22 Jul 22 โ˜•๏ธ Ngopi. Lovely Indonesian coffee spot in London. And featuring my fave barista.21 Jul 22 ๐Ÿ—ณ Doodle poll. Great little free product to get RSVPs when you no longer use Facebook.20 Jul 22 ๐ŸฅŸ My Neighbours The Dumplings. Prawn: great. Vinegar: great. Cold peanut sesame noodles: great.19 Jul 22 ๐ŸŽง Discover Weekly by Spotify. Took me a while to get good recs from it, but now it's on a roll.