This week I'm lovin'

It wouldn't be a proper weekend without my weekly escape from the uni bubble (quaint as it might be). This Sunday's outing took me to treasured North East film and all-round culture hub, Tyneside Cinema. The only full-time independent Kino joint in Newcastle, it's a cultural breath of fresh air amid its crowded city centre setting. As well as screening mainstream and indie films from across the globe, not to mention old school newsreel footage, the Grade II listed building houses a whole host of regular - mostly free - art-based events too. From their sweet third floor exhibition space, The Gallery, to their popular Knitting Club and culture quizzes, Tyneside Cinema is quite the gem in the Newcastle arts scene. A trip to the bar and coffee rooms never goes amiss, either (but that's just me). 

This week I'm lovin'

Having been faithful to Veganuary for half a month (already!), I thought it might be apt to spotlight some of the tried-and-tested treats that have kept my foodstuffs far from boring over the past two weeks. While these goodies were admittedly part of my daily fare prior to this dedicated month of veganism, they've become all the more appreciated against the backdrop of a - marginally - more limited diet.   

1) COYO // This creamy, dreamy coconut dessert tastes anything but dairy-free, soya-free, gluten-free, lactose-free and sugar-free. Available in a fine array of flavours - vanilla, mixed berry, chocolate, mango and natural to name a few - this yoghurt's so rich in flavour and texture that it serves as a satisfying cream alternative to boot!  

2) Rebel Kitchen // Having hit upon these fun, flavoursome "mylks" in Berlin's Veganz last year, I've been hooked on Rebel Kitchen ever since. Comprising of a coconut milk base - there's a theme here - these delicious dairy-free, refined sugar-free bevs come in chai, matcha and chocolate variants and are neatly packaged, too (always a plus). Chai and chocolate are my particular faves! 

3) Raw Health // I'm a big fan of this wholesome lil brand in general, but their 'Super Seed Spread' has made a particularly frequent appearance in my diet of late. A fabulous source of those vital omega-3 fatty acids - let's not demonise all fats, please - this versatile little spread is a nifty source of nourishment in the absence of fish. "Scrumptious seed power" indeed.

This week I'm lovin'

DHM -> LDN: Though the uni workload doesn't exactly lighten up during the festive hols, my much loved London ends most certainly do. Far from a frosty reception, the Brit capital has greeted me back with seasonal sights and foodie delights - not to mention the odd log fire-fuelled night (or two). Ohh, home comforts never get old.

This week I'm lovin'

Lucuma // lu-koo-mah

One of my wild habits of late is to pop into the local health food store and get a lil experimental in my ingredient choices (just to keep it lively). This week's choosing was a bright orange packet - tricky to miss - containing a certain power powder by the name of lucuma. Sourced from Peru, this little wonder ingredient has been termed the "Gold of the Incas", thanks to its notable nutrient density and caramel-like flavour. Turns out it's quite versatile, too - so far I've been adding it into smoothies, natural yoghurt and raw baking recipes. 

I went for Naturya's variety (who stock a sweet selection of superfood stuffs), but no doubt there are other quality lucuma lovin' labels! 

This week I'm lovin'

Though pretty Duz is somewhat limited when it comes to quality coffee independents, their few and far between presence makes high-grade caffeine haunts all the more cherished within the lil Durham bubble. Flat White is one such - if not the - gem, sourcing their beans from local artisan roastery Ouseburn Coffee. Conveniently (or perhaps dangerously) located en route to uni every morning, the sought-after spot has been mollycoddling me through the rather disorientating return to academic life with their first-class flat whites. Clue's in the name. 

This week I'm lovin'

It's the little gratifications that ultimately add up to a rich life, and to me - and Virgil circa 70 B.C. -  the greatest wealth is health. That, and good packaging design, obviously. Design is important. These Harvest Moon beverages, which I sourced from my local Biosupermarkt, tick both boxes. While the juice hype is huge right now, fresh and clean livin' is far from a fad, and needn't be overpriced or inaccessible either. With its boundless Bio stores (think keenly priced Whole Foods Markets on every corner), Berlin is a total treasure for slow food followers and the health-aware. 

Retailing at an economical €1.99 (about £1.50), these 300ml bottles of - vegan and lactose free - goodness come in six fresh variations: 

> Acai, strawberry + cranberry

> Guava, passionfruit + mangosteen

> Mango, peach, spirulina + wheatgrass (pictured)

> Raw cacao, banana + vanilla (also pictured)

> Mango + passionfruit

> Strawberry + orange

Having tried and tested each flavour - just for research purposes, of course - I can definitively vouch for their top taste, the raw cacao number being my current sweet treat go-to. Fresh flavours and handsome packaging ought to make you richer, not poorer - good job Harvest Moon.

This week EyeEm lovin'

Over the past couple of months, I've taken quite the shine to rapidly on-the-rise photo sharing app, EyeEm. Though I haven't entirely neglected the likes of Instagram, Berlin-based EyeEm is without doubt its cleaner, upgraded counterpart. Particularly apt for creative souls with a penchant for photography, the image stream is of high quality and above all aesthetically on point. 

What's more, EyeEm's partnership with Getty Images enables you to offer up your work to a renowned stock photo marketplace; it recognises and rewards quality photography, whether you're a pro or not. In a similar vein, regularly-set 'Missions' encourage out-of-the-box thinking, with current topics including: 'What Does Peace Look Like To You?', 'RePicture Femininity', 'Transitional Moments' and 'Supersize Yourself'; an open-call to transgress the boundaries of traditional selfies, through creative innovation. 

So, it was with a touch of glee that I discovered the EyeEm team made me their 'Photographer of the Day' today! I was especially touched by their comment about 'making the mundane beautiful', as it's a philosophy I hold pretty close, be it in photography or life as a whole. They were even sweet enough to feature one of my images in their '10 Tips & Tricks For Shooting Great Portraits' article. A petite (and perhaps trivial) win it may be, but you've gotta appreciate the small triumphs. 

This week I'm lovin'

It may be raining as I type this, but that doesn't detract from the fabulous form Berlin's Wetter has been on recently. And I honestly don't think you can top an evening spent watching the warm pink sunset at Tempelhofer Feld, the city's very own slice of Summer paradise. This photo isn't even close to doing it justice. 

This week I'm lovin'

I'm a big time fan of Kwabs, and not just because he shares my SE London roots. I could gush for days about his sweet soulful tone and lyrical realness, but instead I'll treat ya ears to a track I've been particularly lovin' recently, off his Pray For Love EP. 'Into You', with its faultless vocals and bang on production by Chris Loco, is a straight up go-to on my Summer soundtrack. 

This week I'm lovin'

Why go to the sushi, when the sushi can come to you? 

I know I'm way late to the party, but being forced to slow down (a totally alien concept) has belatedly introduced me to the world of food delivery - groundbreaking, I know. Aside from the more mundane task of supermarket shopping, my laptop has also proved a nifty means of suppling me and my two lovely guests with top-notch suppers without having to lift a foot. 

After a spot of research, we thought we'd test out local Friedrichshain sushi lounge, Miyaki. Service was speedy, the edamame beans were pipin' on arrival and siblet approved of the soy sauce (so it had to be good). We ordered a nice little miscellany comprising of ya classic Makis, Hong Kong rolls and Rainbow Rolls (below) - a welcome solution to my routine dilemma of salmon or tuna topped rice. And we couldn't have been more content that evening, sat cross-legged on my wooden floorboards with our cute sushi picnic. It's the little things! 

This week I'm lovin'

In all the excitement of my new Berlin Leben, I'm ashamed to confess I'd neglected the love for my native London somewhat. But being back for just a few fleetin' days has been a sweet reminder of how much I really, really love my southeast ends. More expensive, yeah, but still so.good. Take this Eggs Royale brunch (on sourdough no less) at East Dulwich's Le Chandelier - no words.

This week I'm lovin'

N A M A S T E 

Jivamukti Yoga Berlin is without doubt my favourite yogi hangout in the city. Admittedly I haven't done a lot of research, but this is partly because when I hit upon it last summer, I was so impressed that it woulda been a bit daft to diversify. So I haven't. And I am lovin' the novelty of being here long enough to become an actual member! Considering the plentiful perks and lengthy class durations, it's very good value indeed.

Jivamukti has a couple of Berlin bases; one in Kreuzberg and the other in Mitte, which is the bigger (and in my opinion better) of the two. Set back within an idyllic little Hinterhof [backyard] off Brunnenstraße, the space even has a well-stocked über healthy canteen, with all the power smoothies and chia puddings you (or maybe just I) could possibly wish for. 

All the classes, though a tad overcrowded at times, are lovingly prepared and wonderfully taught. The ambience is schön, the mats/blankets/blocks/straps are all provided, and the teachers even come round and give y'all a lil lavender oil massage mid-class. It's all in the details. 

This week I'm lovin'

Maybs not the brightest of ideas post Sunday's gruelling 10k cross country (followed by a day of heavy suitcase liftin' yesterday), but I'm totally intent on making my transient LDN return as productive as possible! So - this morning I thought I'd start as I mean to go on and bop to East Dulwich's lovely Push Studios to give Piloxing a whirl. 

As the name hints, this relatively newfangled workout trend is an offbeat intermingle of pilates and boxing, backed by uptempo beats to keep ya motivated. Today's class consisted of 45 minutes boxing/dance-inspired cardio, rounded off with a 15 minute mat-work segment. You're even equipped with novel weighted gloves which, though seemingly not that weighty to begin with, for sure present an extra challenge on the arms and shoulders as reps increase. The diverse session strikes a super satisfying balance between testing, energising and fun. I'll be back.    

This week I'm lovin'

Morning runs along Madrid's illustrious museum boulevard, Paseo del Prado. Not the shabbiest of routes.

This week I'm lovin'

f r e s h

I fell for this Air Max 1 Hyperfuse colourway a little while ago, but my painfully average size 5 trotters made it near impossible to track down the above beauties in my fit. After a couple of weeks of dead set determination though, I've fi-na-lly got my lil mitts on them. Totally worth the houndlike hunt; I'm a bit in love.

This week I'm lovin'

 

Admittedly I wasn't exactly filled with 'wonder' at the prospect of drinking from a can labelled "sparkling fermented tea". But I am partial to an Asian pear and I'll try anything once (especially if it has nice packaging). Turns out this bubbly bev from Kombucha is more than palatable, and very refreshing indeed. So! Don't let labels deter ya (this applies to life in general, too). 

This week I'm lovin'

There's something a bit fishy about my new iPhone case. No no really. Spotted this little sardine tin-esque number in one of Madrid's TIGER stores. At the very economical price of 3€, I fell for it hook, line and sinker.