Weekend Review: Keya Modessa

We're always pleased to meet lovely people who are excited about Leicestershire as we are! So this week we are delighted to welcome Kaya from Muddy Stilettos, the urban guide to the Countryside, to talk all things weekending in Leicestershire....

What do you do for work?

I run my own glossy, lifestyle blog called Muddy Stilettos. It's all about the fun, cool, quirky things to see, do, explore and shop in and around Leicestershire and supports local businesses. 

What's your proudest career moment so far?

I guess running my own successful blog and being able to pull off the first ever Muddy Stiletto Awards single handedly! #femaleboss! When someone says "Ohh i've heard about that blog" it's really reassuring and I start to think the risk of leaving London/having a baby/leaving a f/t editor job may have been worth it!

Image by Matt Glover Photography

What's your favourite way to relax and unwind after a busy day?

Unfortunately I don't get a lot of time to unwind because I have a toddler. I also work very late into the night on the blog. I desperately need a pedicure so right now, that is how I'd like to relax - with a long foot soak, foot massage and pedicure a lovely strong back massage would be a bonus! 

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I have always wanted to be a journalist and have worked on some of the biggest mags out there including Drapers, Eve, Food & Travel and ACHICA Living. 

What are your favourite pastimes outside of work?

I love shopping, sad I know - but i'm quite fussy and the high street doesn't cut it so am always on the hunt for cool fashion brands. I also love yoga, reading, theatre and travelling.

Just like us, you're passionate about the city of Leicester, how do sell our fine city to those who've never visited?

I live 10 minutes away from the city but also very near Bradgate Park and Woodhouse Eaves which is absolutely stunning - so peaceful and picturesque so I have the best of both parts of the city/county.
Leicester is a creative hub of talent, through working on the blog, I've met so many interesting and passionate people and so supportive too. I still miss London (a lot) but am settling in very nicely now. 

Do you ever miss Living in London?

YES - i miss the art, culture and theatre, the after work socialising, the restaurants but not the tube esp in summer!
I'm too busy to miss it too much which is a good thing though.

When is your weekend? 

Sat-Sun. I still work at the weekend - writing/attending events etc: but I work around my family as they are the priority during the weekend. 

What's a typical weekend look like for you?

We revolve everything around my toddler as we want to get him out exploring the world as much as poss. We go to the park Abbey/Bradgate or have brunch/lunch at a local pub. And then I spend the afternoon cooking or writing! 

Your ideal weekend break... 

I don't mind where I go as long as it's warm and sunny, It could be a weekend in Bath or Oxford - mooching around exploring the city or shopping in Bicester. Eating at a delicious cafe for lunch and an amazing pub or Thai restaurant for dinner! If i could go abroad I'd love to check out Seville and see the history and architecture. It's been on our must-visit list for years now!

Your ideal Sunday menu... 

Breakfast:   The Ivy, London with my sister
Lunch:  Somewhere in Toronto, Canada (this is home and where I'm from) and I'd want to be with all my friends who live there. 
Dinner: Thai food in Bangkok with my husband!!

Do you have a signature dish you like to cook?

Not necessarily a dish but I make amazing sun dried tomato and feta falafels, savoury scones with olives.
I do make a delicious mushroom risotto!

What's in your fridge?

Salad, salad and more salad, eggs, Petit Filous yoghurt, chestnut mushrooms, grapes, nectarines, cucumber and some homemade Indian food. 

QUICK FIRE - without too much thought, name your absolute favourite...

Book: The Great Gatsby / Game of Thrones (yes read them all and wayyyy before everyone jumped on the GOT bandwagon) 
Film: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - old school Sarah Jessica P (if you don't know, you better get to know)
TV Series: GOT / The Durrells / SUITS / POWER / Orange Is The New Black...I could go on!
Holiday destination: Anywhere in Italy. 
Museum: Natural History Musuem, London. It ALWAYS reminds me of the classic Disney movie 'One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing' LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Word: Effervescent 

What is your guilty pleasure?

Choc and nut (Lidl's 59p one) 
Chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream!
Digestive biscuits with tea at 10pm much to my husbands horror!

How can people follow what you do and get in contact?

@muddyleics on Instagram

@muddyleics on Twitter

@muddyleics on Facebook

Also.... My Website is www.leicsmuddystilettos.co.uk and it's a good idea to subscribe to the blog to get all the best things to see/do in Leicestershire sent directly to your inbox!
 

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Weekend Review: Ruth Clowes

We were so happy when we heard that the lovely Ruth Clowes was returning to blogging at Clarendon Spark - a blog devoted to the past and present of one of our favourite parts of Leicester - especially as it gave us an excuse to ask her a few questions about her weekend habits...!

What do you do for work?

I'm a communications manager for a charity. I also do a bit of freelance writing on the side, including writing about Leicestershire and Rutland's restaurants for Food and Drink Guides. This is brilliant because it combines two of my great passions - writing and eating delicious food.

What's your proudest career moment so far?

You won't find this on my CV, but my proudest career moment was in 2001, when I had a summer job at the Jodrell Bank Observatory café. A hero of mine, Sir Patrick Moore, was visiting the observatory (it houses one of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world) and popped into the café for lunch. I had the honour of serving him up a humble portion of sausage, chips and beans. I was seriously star struck (pun intended).

What's your favourite way to relax and unwind after a busy day?

A bit of escapism works wonders. If my day has been particularly stressful I like to spend some time researching wherever I'm going next on holiday and maybe making a few restaurant bookings or practicing ordering a coffee in the local language.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Along with everyone else in my class at primary school, I wanted to be an astronaut. I think we must have done a class project on space and we all got a bit carried away. We didn't just have vague aspirations to become astronauts - we were genuinely convinced that it was going to happen and that the lot of us were going to join NASA and jet off to Mars together. I don't think anyone in the class realised this ambition, although I did at least get to meet Sir Patrick.

What are your favourite pastimes outside of work?

I'm incredibly faddy. Apart from the obvious things that everyone does in their spare time like drinking gin and watching Lucy Worsley documentaries, my favourite hobbies change frequently. I'll probably be onto something else by the time you publish this, but right now I'm enjoying knitting, origami and the board game Carcassonne. Obviously, I'm hugely geeky as well as incredibly faddy.

What's your favourite thing about living in Clarendon Park?

Clarendon Park has got that whole 'village within the city' vibe going on. I love the number of independent shops and businesses in the area. Along with the high student population and the strong sense of community, it makes for a vibrant and laid-back atmosphere.

When is your weekend? 

My weekend starts at 5pm on Friday afternoon and doesn't end until I arrive at work on Monday morning.  That's 64 hours of solid back-to-back weekend loveliness.

What's a typical weekend look like for you?

My partner and I are both very busy at work right now, so our weekends are precious and we try to keep them as tranquil as possible. Friday evenings invariably involve a trip to Babelas on Queens Road for a few glasses of The Crossings and a cheese board. Saturday mornings are generally given over to chores but the rest of the weekend is a heady mix of tasty food, frequent macchiato breaks, blogging, reading, Yahtzee and general restorative vegetation.

Although I'm a lover of routine, I try to make sure each weekend involves something novel, which is invariably a visit to a new independent café, restaurant or shop somewhere in Leicestershire. Last weekend I spent an evening at the fabulous Delilah deli in St Martins at a 'Four Corners' wine and food tasting event.

Your ideal weekend break... 

A lazy few days somewhere in Europe with a pretty old town. No itinerary or pre-bookings or 'must-dos', just plenty of sitting outside sunny cafes, wandering through cobbled streets, soaking up the atmosphere, taking photos and eating delicious food. 

Your ideal Sunday menu... 

Breakfast: Boiled eggs and soldiers on a sunny balcony overlooking a sleepy town square

Lunch: A picnic in the park with friends - delicious morsels picked up from a local deli on the way

Dinner: Loads of tiny courses and matched wines somewhere fancy. John's House in Mountsorrel will do very nicely.

Do you have a signature dish you like to cook?

I love making frittatas because they're so quick and easy and a really good way of using up tasty leftovers. Just chuck it all in pan, cook everything through and pour some beaten eggs on top. Finish it off with a good thick layer of grilled cheese. It's not very sophisticated but it's always tasty.

What's in your fridge?

There's a Brockleby's Wild Deer Pie that I bought at the Clarendon Park Summer Fair in there right now with my name on it. Also a big pot of posh gravy to go with it.

QUICK FIRE - without too much thought, name your absolute favourite...

Book: An Equal Music by Vikram Seth
Word: Razzmatazz
Film: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, or anything else directed by Wes Anderson
TV Series: The Sky at Night
Holiday destination: Cadiz, Spain
Museum: Musée Rodin, Paris

What is your guilty pleasure?

Raw bacon. Preferably smoked. Straight from the packet.

How can people follow what you do and get in contact?

Website: ruthclowes.co.uk
Clarendon Spark Blog: clarendonspark.co.uk
Twitter: @ruthclowes
LinkedIn: ruthclowes

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Why I Love... Where I Live

My love affair with my neighbourhood - Clarendon Park in Leicester - began six years ago, when I first visited the area for a colleague’s birthday celebrations.

I’m not sure if it was her stories of guerrilla gardeners or the excellent tapas at Barceloneta, but the next morning I found myself searching online for rooms to rent and a couple of months later I made the move.

On that first day, hungry from unpacking boxes, I stepped out in search of lunch – and almost immediately bumped into a friendly neighbour who warmly welcomed me to the street.

Fifteen minutes later, the guy chattily wrapping up my doorstop sandwich at Salvador Deli offered to lend me a hand if I needed any help shifting heavy boxes or putting up shelves. I was going to be happy here...

So starts the beginning of an article I've written for Leicester's cultural magazine Great Central! 

You can read the rest of the article HERE - including insights from former and future Weekend Reviewers David, aka One Man and His Loaf. and Ruth from Clarendon Spark (who I have to credit for the photo at the top of this page!)

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Weekend Review: One Man & His Loaf

We LOVE our bread - not the processed long-life stuff, but the real deal.  Baker David Belcham, aka One Man and His Loaf, is Becca's regular supplier - providing a weekly hit of his delicious sesame seed sourdough. So who is the man behind the loaf?

What do you do for work?

I work as an artisan baker under the name 'One Man and His Loaf'. I use traditional techniques and locally milled organic flour to create and sculpt rustic loaves including  sourdough and Scandinavian style rye breads. These are available at The Tiny Bakery in Clarendon Park, Leicester.

What's your proudest career moment so far?

It's not one distinct moment, more the culmination of a number of years of work. I feel a sense of achievement to have learnt a skill from scratch, taking something I was passionate about and turning it into a career. When I see customers return time after time to buy my loaves I feel a sense of pride. This makes the job worthwhile.

What did I want to be growing up?

Just content and fulfilled by my work. I didn't have a clue what that would entail and that worried me. I did however have a clear sense that Monday to Friday, 9-5 was not for me. So I tried a variety of jobs to find something that I was suited to. Once I found that niche, I was motivated to follow that path. I will follow it until that changes. 

What's your favourite way to relax and unwind after work?

Plants are another of my passions and I love gardening and being outside. Alongside baking I have studied horticulture and garden design at Brooksby College (in Melton Mowbray) which has provided me with a really good understanding of plants. I have been inspired by planting designers such as Piet Oudolf and Dan Pearson. 

I also value time to exercise. It renews me in many ways. I enjoy running and I have also just started attending a yoga class.

When is your weekend?

"Monday, Tuesday is my weekend..." 

Saturday is the busiest day at the bakery so luckily I have no problem working on Saturdays... I enjoy the buzz. 

However I also do private work at a handful of local gardens maintaining planting designs I have implemented over the last few years so I often work on those gardens during my days off from baking.

What's a typical weekend look like?

I enjoy looking for bargains in charity shops and catching up with friends for coffee. I enjoy trips to garden centres, country walks or meeting up with my family who all live in Leicester. 

Due to the early starts that baking involves I often crash out by 9pm. Not rock and roll but just reality. 

Ideal weekend break?

I enjoy breaks that are a combination of city and countryside. 

I enjoy trips to Bath, Cambridge, York, places with plenty to see and do without being overly hectic. Often trips away will involve a visit to a garden or two. 

Describe your ideal Sunday  menu...

Breakfast - In bed. Cereals, milk, very strong coffee. Simple. Boring even. That's what I like. 

Lunch - Sitting in the garden, sun shining, floriferous plants doing their thing. Avocado on seeded rye, a liberal sprinkle of sea salt and chilli flakes. Simple, again, but effective. 

Evening meal - Peter's Pizzeria with my whole family. My nieces and nephews love the place. Delicious and darn effective for all. I don't go enough now I come to think of it. The Strokes playing in the background would be a nice little bonus. One day... someday. 

What's your signature dish?

A green risotto. When I bother, I do it the laborious/ traditional way, stirring, ladling stock, all that. I include peas, griddled courgettes and asparagus. I enjoy it served with a big bowl of crispy salad leaves, little gem works a treat as you can use them as a spoon to scoop up the risotto. Crusty loaves of wheat sourdough also make an appearance. 

I also make a pretty tasty Panzanella. It's a great way to use up any stale bread. It's the fresh basil that does it, it's got to be loads. 

What's in your fridge?

Apples. Cold and crisp. Yogurts. A day without yogs isn't on my agenda. Avocado. I am late, very late, to the avo party but I'm hooked. 

Salad leaves. Cherry tomatoes. I like them cold, sorry. Humous. Milk.  Jam. Bonne mamam raspberry. Innocent juice- orange, carrot, ginger thing, darn zingy.

Chicken or salmon... or both!  Stewed Apple.  Dark chocolate. Maybe with hazelnuts. 

Quick fire questions - what is your favourite...

Book - Watership Down... Book and film merge for me, but I adore the visuals in both

Film - Lars and the Real Girl

TV series - Animals of Farthing Wood. Watched as a child, but has had a profound effect on me. Much like Watership Down, it tells us a great deal about humanity. 

Holiday destination - Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour

Museum - I don't really have one, but I enjoyed Cresswell Crags. If you asked me a favourite garden, then you would have a very long list. I have learnt more from gardens than museums so far in my life. 

Word - Contentment

What's your guilty pleasure?

I get carried way with eating cereals straight from the box and handful after handful or raisins. But I'm most guilty, most ashamed by my current ritual of snapping the dark, thin chocolate off the top of Choco Leibniz biscuits, eating that and then putting the biscuit back.

I shouldn't keep doing it but I am not ready to stop...

Where can we follow you?

Twitter:  @OneMan_HisLoaf
Facebook: One Man and His Loaf
Instagram: one_man_and_ his_loaf

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Looking forward: June

How have we reached June already?! Here's a few things we are looking forward to this month...

ELLE

• Making elderflower cordial...
• And possibly some gooseberry jam too.
• Creating beautiful wedding cakes, June is looking busy!
• Hosting a Summer meringue workshop on July 1st at The Refectory Table
• Leicester's Riverside Festival this weekend.

BECCA

• Watching the stage version of one of my favourite films, The Graduate at Curve
• Seeing some beautiful blooms at RHS Chatsworth with my mum and her best friend
• Attending my friends' son's 5th birthday party (super hero themed!)
• Tending to our increasingly green garden...
• And adoring our beautiful new cat!

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A Beginners Guide to... Canteen

Street food in Leicester would usually conjure up ideas of a heavy nights drinking followed by a kebab of uncertain origin that would almost certainly be lived to regret the next day. However, around a year ago I began to hear whispers of rather fabulous event held in Birmingham called Digbeth Dining Club, the idea of street food for foodies really appealed to me and I vowed to visit but then never had the inclination/was too lazy/too busy to travel all the way to Birmingham on a Friday Night. Enter CANTEEN, bringing the street food trend to Leicester, offering a whole host of creative and innovative local street food vendors and proving once again that Leicester is definitely not shit!

Last Friday night was C and I's second visit. So being as we are now aficionados I thought i'd share a few tips on what to expect...

• Arrive early, CANTEEN gets busy, with around 800 people turning out to the last few events its a good idea to get there early so you can take your time, browse a little and be sure to get a plate or two of food before the traders sell out. The doors open at 5pm till around 10. there's live music, DJ and a few bars so its well worth making a night of it.
• Take cash, and plenty of loose change. None of the traders take cards and having the correct change speeds up the process considerably.
• Work the room, or courtyard, have a good stroll round first to decide what you want, then go for it!
• It's worth sampling a few dishes too. The variety of Traders, from burgers to waffles via greek platters and halloumi fries, means there's something for everyone.
• Expect to bump into everyone you know, seriously! It's so rare for me to bump into anyone I know these days in Leicester so it was a lovely surprise to catch up with some old faces, and meet a few new friends too!
• Be prepared to que, this is part of the fun, grab yourself a drink and get in line, you'll be able to watch your food being cooked to order at some of the stands too! A few more traders were added to the bill for last nights event which meant the ques were a little shorter and the traders a little less under pressure. 
• Beware of que jumpers- do not tolerate this behaviour, its just rude.
• If in doubt- divide and conquer. C and I joined separate ques, I was in charge of obtaining the burgers, whilst C was on a bao & Kimchi mission. We then reconviened to share our spoils.
• Eating is mostly done standing up, unless you really do get there early enough to bag yourself a seat.
• Be kind to the traders, these guys work so incredibly hard and get absolutely hammered so be patient and courteous, obvs!

LCB depot hosts the event every last Friday of the month, so the next event will be 26th May, get it in your diary and we'll see you there! For more info and updates on who will be trading you can follow the CANTEEN facebook page here.

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