a chippy with charm

Kerbisher & Malt is a self proclaimed modern British fish and chip shop with a love of fresh, hand prepared food and a hatred of dirty oil, soggy chips and neon lights.

If you fancy a taste of the seaside, a pebbles throw from Hammersmith tube station, then this is the plaice (sorry, couldn't resist)

K&M is slicker than your average chippy with laid back minimal interiors, table service for those wishing to eat in, and booze! yay!

a gallery of monochrome prints adorns the wall as well as a frame containing live cctv footage of the kitchen so you can watch on Big Brother style as your fish is fried

The chips were good although I wouldn't quite go as far as to say I would 'write them a love poem' as Zoe Williams of The Sunday Telegraph reported and being a Northerner, my excitement at seeing 'chip butty' on the menu turned to disappointment when I was presented with 2 slices! of white bread with chips spilling out all over - sliced bread in my opinion does not a chip butty make :(

A giant floury bap would have been much more appropriate 

(and far easier to handle as inevitably my chips fell straight out of the floppy sliced bread)

On the plus side the grilled cod was cooked to perfection, the fish nuggets a hit and the sweet chilli dipping oil exceptional!

164 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7PB
+44 20 3556 0228
TUES - FRI 12.00-14.30 & 16.30-22.00
SAT 12.00-22.00
SUN 12.00-21.00
MON CLOSED

Patriotic Panorama

Regent St is Jubilee ready!

Travel Notes - Tarragona & Cadaques

On Thursday evening we boarded a plane to visit my brother on the second leg of his erasmus year studying languages abroad.

He is currently living in Tarragona, a city located in the South of Catalonia on the North East Spanish coast.

We landed in Barcelona and 2 train rides later arrived at his apartment.

We had already pre planned, at the request of Mr R, who's birthday was another reason for taking this mini break, that we would like to spend our first full day doing a road trip to the tiny fishing village of Cadaques, a 520km round drive from Tarragona.

Mr R is heavily into his music and the drive to Cadaques features in Liam Gallagher's band Beady Eye's video for track 'Millionaire', see it here

As we were nearing our destination we reached the mountains and began our ascent up the winding road which spiralled around the edge 
(teetering very close to a drop to the valley below- drive with care!)

We began to recognise scenery from the video and caught our first glimpse of Cadaques bay, bathed in sunshine.

On we drove, higher and higher, until clouds settled alongside us in swirls of haunting mist and our ears began to pop, it was eery but beautiful.


Once down the other side we parked the car and headed off to explore. typically at this point the sun disappeared and grey skies ensued but the sights still looked pretty.

We took solace from a shower of raindrops at a waterfront cafe and enjoyed paella and people watching.

After lunch we had a wander around the boutiques which line the bay.

This little man, Senor Lucas caught our attention straight away.

A 6 month old French bulldog, he belonged to one of the shop keepers and was very efficient at pulling in the crowds with his cuteness.

We spotted 9 Frenchies on this trip which is even more than we saw when we visited my brother in France - their native homeland!!

A few things that caught my eye around the streets of Cadaques. . .

Whilst we were in the area we decided to hop back into the car and take a trip to Port Lligat, a small village a few minutes drive away.

It was here that the famous surrealist painter Salvador Dali once lived, and his whitewashed house still stands on the bay, now open to the public as a museum.

This is the main entrance to the house, I loved the weathered paint.

The museum was closed but I took a few snaps around the grounds 

Back in Tarragona we spent our time eating and drinking our way around some of my brothers favourite haunts as well as absorbing the local buzz in the market and town squares adorned with brightly coloured murals

And walked the cobbled streets of the old town, lined with orange trees and pretty balconies

Tarragona is not a place I would have probably stumbled upon had it not been for my brother studying there but it was nice to sample Spanish life in a small, everyday kind of town.

Kinfolk magazine

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love to eat!

whether it be a dinner date with my man in some new opening across town, a lazy Sunday roast in a cosy pub with the family or a long brunch catching up with friends, it is safe to say that I am at my happiest when combining the art of eating with socialising.

And so it would seem, I am not alone.

Kinfolk is an entire publication dedicated to exactly that!- 

celebrating the beauty of small gatherings with loved ones and the pleasure found in sitting together around a table sharing a meal, anchoring relationships and creating memories in these moments.

It got me thinking about some of my favourite and most memorable dining experiences and how the surroundings and company were just as important, if not more so than the food itself.

watch the Kinfolk manifesto video here

We are not just talking lavish dinner parties or wedding breakfasts here, Kinfolk is all about simplicity and the suggestion that 

''we all might benefit from incorporating more of the things we love into our daily routines instead of saving them for the weekend or our next vacation''

This really struck a cord with me.

Beautiful imagery provides styling and recipe inspiration as well as thought provoking features written by a vast range of contributers.

I got my copy from Anthropologie but the full list of stockists are available here

www.kinfolkmag.com

If you go down to the woods today . .

How breathtakingly beautiful is this??!

Renovated from an old 9 x 14 foot hunting cabin this dreamy little studio was created by Sandra Foster and is situated in the Catskill mountains outside of the state of New York.

There is no bathroom or kitchen and no central heating making this little shelter uninhabitable in Winter,

 however there is a quirky little sleeping loft, only accessible by ladder, should the fancy of a mid afternoon cat nap entice.

The interior boasts an impressive collection of flea market finds and pieces salvaged from yard sales, a labour of love just bursting with character.

all image credits: Trevor Tondro for The New York Times

You can read the full article about Sandra and how the studio was created in this link from the New York Times, click here

Also check out Sandra's blog myshabbystreamsidestudio.blogspot.co.uk

Blog crush . . . Penny Bloods Black Book

I discovered the blog Penny Bloods Black Book a few days ago and it has quickly become a firm favourite of mine!

Written by East London based artist Penny Blood, this blog is her definitive guide to Londons' best places to eat, drink, shop and do.

Crammed with suggestions on breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots, gastropubs, bars, places to take afternoon tea, markets, cinemas, bookshops and boutiques, this blog is a little black book bursting with original ideas shining a spotlight onto Londons' hidden gems.

Check it out, you will never be short of inspiration for things to do again!

www.pennybloodsblackbook.com

Anthology magazine

If you have not yet had the pleasure of flicking through Anthology magazine then it is definitely worth tracking a copy down!

Launched in 2010, this shelter and lifestyle magazine covers home decor, travel, design, entertaining and culture.

Born out of a belief that 'print is not dead' and that readers still want something real which they can hold in their hands rather than read from an electronic device, Anthology is packed with inspirational features and beautiful photography with each issue centred around a particular theme.

Since this publication is reader supported, adverts are limited meaning you don't have to sift to the halfway page before actually reaching a feature 

(such a refreshing change!)

The current issue, no.6, focuses on the handmade at home and includes interviews with artists and designers, a travel story to Amsterdam, a peek inside some homes around the globe, as well as DIY craft and recipe ideas.

Anthology is published quarterly as follows . . 

Winter (January-March)

Spring (April-June)

Summer (July-September)

Fall (October-Dcember)

and is available only at Anthropologie stores 

(London and Edinburgh) and 

Loop (London) in the United Kingdom

or by subscription 

www.anthologymag.com