3 ways I've been embracing Autumn this year

1. Experimenting in the kitchen
I'm a cookbook addict. At last count I think its at about 60. I have such an obsession with buying them yet very rarely use them, instead using my old faithfuls or drooling over endless food blogs for ideas. But inspired by the Bake Off, I've been eager to get back into the kitchen and start trying my hand at the recipes. Cooking and baking is something that really does help me to chill out and it's one of my favourite things to do on a Sunday. This star baker mug from Debenhams is the perfect thing to help me potter around the kitchen. I've been filling it with fruit tea, hot chocolate and even the odd mug cake. The whole range will also make a great secret Santa christmas present if you're looking for ideas! I've been trying to choose one cookbook at random and cook around 3-4 things to try and get a good feel for it. I'll let you know the results - I've just finished Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites and it was a corker. Each recipe got a massive thumbs up!

2. Spending more time at home
As soon as the colder weather hit, I get the sudden urge to spend more time indoors. Embrace the Hygge if you will. Usually I've got a jam packed diary with work, blog and social but over the last few weeks, I've been making a conscious effort to slow down. And I feel so much better for it. It's so nice to go back to work on a Monday and not feel absolutely exhausted following a jam-packed weekend. Plus who doesn't love snuggling under the covers with Netflix on repeat as the rain beats down on the windows?

3. Having a clear out
Call it the back to school feeling but when the Autumn rolls around, I love nothing more than going through my belongings and having a good clear out. I've started listed some clothes on eBay last week and already sold quite a few things. I'm hoping to put the money towards some house bits and bobs. Hopefully it won't be too long before we take the plunge!

How have you been embracing the colder months?

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OOTD: beige trench coat

Outfit:
Black and white scarf: H&M (similar)
Beige trench coats: ASOS (similar)
Raw hem skinny jeans: New Look
Leather look croc print skaters: Vans via TK Maxx (similar)
Red leather lily cross over bag: Mulberry

Nothing ground breaking but a typical autumn weekend outfit. Put together to combat the brisk weather and for a day spent wandering around my favourite part of London. I'd been after a pair of black skater shoes for a while and stumbled across these Vans in TK Maxx during a lunchtime trip. Reduced to £25, I thought they were an absolute bargain and couldn't leave them behind. The leather look croc detailing helps to make them feel a little bit smarter.

I've been coming to Greenwich since I was a kid and it never gets old. The Cutty Sark, Maritime Museum, Queen's House and the market all hold fond memories. But there's still things I've yet to do. The Meantime Brewery is top of my list! One of my favourite views in London is up high by the Observatory in Greenwich Park. Those stunning views of the city down below get me every time. London is a pretty special place huh?

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Restaurant review: the new Autumn menu at Pizza Express

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll already know about my love of Pizza Express. So when an email dropped in my inbox asking me if I wanted to try out the new autumn menu, I obviously said yes! So I invited the best friend and we trotted along to our local branch for an evening of pizza, wine and an almighty catch up putting the world to rights.

Offering a range of drinks, starters, mains and desserts with a bustlingly autumnal feel, it was a hard decision to decide what to try. In the end I opted to start with Risotto Fresco, literally a comforting hug in a bowl. Piled high with fresh peppered salmon, juicy tomato, crunchy red onion and a splash of chilli oil, it was absolutely delicious. I almost wish I had sized up and ordered it for my main but alas I was here to try the pizzas. I drooled over my friend's portion of a creamy mushroom bruschetta with lashings of béchamel sauce and sharp balsamic vinegar.

For our main, curious by the thought of ceaser dressing on a pizza I pumped for the Rustichella Romana. Served on a thin and crispy base, the pizza boasted salty pancetta, creamy mozzarella and roasted tomatoes before being topped with a handful of peppery rocket and shavings of strong hard cheese. I'm a massive fan of rocket on a pizza as I think it helps to add a little freshness. I've had many pizzas in the restaurant over the years but I think this one has to be one of my favourite combinations!

Finally to end the meal we were tempted by the chocolate fondant with a melted rich chocolate middle alongside vanilla gelato and the intense honeycomb cheesecake with a layer on salted caramel on a biscuit base. I'm not usually a chocolate fan but this just popped out to me and I'm so very glad it did. That warm melted chocolate alongside the cold gelato was a match made in heaven.

Once again Pizza Express have pulled out some corkers for their new autumn menu. Everything I tried was delicious and it's so nice to see the menu switched up a bit. If you only have one thing, make sure you go for the risotto. I'm dying to go back and try it again!

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