Coffee & Cake Date #1: Cheevit Cheeva - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Whenever I'm feeling a bit restless or down I go out and treat myself to coffee and cake at one of the many amazing cafes here in Thailand. Chiang Mai is heaven for coffee lovers, not only are there many coffee shops and stalls, they even grow coffee here so you can be sure you're getting the freshest cup there is!

Today I visited a cafe called Cheevit Cheeva which is popular because of its calming atmosphere (it's right next to a spa) and its desserts. I heard the Bingsu is really good here but it was way too big for me to eat alone so I opted for a slice of the red velvet cake instead which came garnished with dried cranberries and gave a nice tartness to the sweetness of the cake. I got myself an iced Americano which had a subtle sweetness to it despite the fact it contained no sugar and they added a slice of orange to it to which is something I've never seen before but luckily I'm a fan of orange flavoured things so it added a tasty interesting touch.

วันนี้ไปร้านชื่อชีวิตชีวา คนชอบไปเที่ยวร้านมี้เพราะว่าติดกับสปาแล้วมีอารมณ์ดีและขนมอร่อยมากๆ ฉันได้ยินว่าบิงซูที่ร้านมี้อร่อยที่สุดแต่ฉันไม่เคยกินเพราะว่าบิงซูใหญ่เกินไปกินคนเดียว กินเค้กดีกว่า เค้กนี้หวานแต่ใส่ลูกแครนเบอร์รี่เปรี้ยวนิดๆ สั่งอเมริกาโน่มาไม่ใส่นำ้ตาลแต่หวานน้อย มีชิ้นส้มด้วย ฉันไม่เคยเห็นกาแฟแบบนี้แต่ฉันชอบรสส้ม รสนี้น่าสนใจและอร่อยด้วย

 What's your favourite coffee and cake combo?

Love & Cookies

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below & buy me a coffee

It's All About Smoothies!

At the beginning of this year much to my horror my precious coffee machine which has been with me for the past decade and a half broke down and was no longer producing that smooth, silky, strong coffee I needed to start my day. That coffee machine pretty much got me through all the major moments in my life I have no idea how I would have survived University without it and I was all set to go out and buy a new one till I realised that a similar model would cost me near to £200 which is ridiculous considering I bought mine for £30! Feeling a little resigned I was all set to start my day on instant coffee when I saw my old smoothie maker sitting on a shelf in the garage (which has been with me almost as long as my coffee maker) so I pulled it out of retirement and have since found a whole new love for smoothies!

If you've been following me on Twitter and Instagram lately will know that I'm pretty much obsessed with my smoothie making and that I can't start my day without that fruity burst of healthy goodness and to my absolute joy lots of you have been joining in on the smoothie fun to and sharing your tips, tricks and recipes.

A lot of people seem to think that smoothie making is expensive and yes while fresh produce can be expensive you don't have to spend a fortune to make something delicious. Frozen fruit can be found in most supermarkets for pretty cheap, I get a bag of mixed frozen berries from Morrisons for £2 and that will last me at least a week. Be sure to check the bargain tables to as you can pick up some pretty great items for cheap, remember it doesn't have to look pretty to go into a smoothie, a couple of bruised bananas won't kill you although I would suggest you throw the mouldy stuff away!

I love my smoothies ice cold so I nearly always use frozen fruit and to save myself time in the mornings I often cut up all the vegetables and fruit I want to use the night before put it in a bag and stick it in the freezer so it's ready for morning. Another tip if your fresh fruit and vegetables are looking like they're going off is to cut them up, add a bit of lemon or lime juice and freeze them, it'll save you so much money and cut down on waste, I often buy "ripe" fruit for cheap then cut them up and put them in "daily bags" to freeze.

Simple Green Smoothies has become one of my best resources for recipes, their daily posts on Instagram and weekly newsletters have me so inspired and I love seeing what new ingredients I can add into my smoothies, I almost always stick exclusively to fruit but thanks to them I've been adding some vegetables into the mix and I have to admit they taste pretty damn good.

So I've switched my possibly unhealthy coffee habit to a nice healthy smoothie obsession and despite the lack of caffeine in my system I'm feeling even more awake and energised from all the healthy goodness, so I fully recommend you guys all go out and invest in a blender as smoothies are an awesome way to start your day!

Fun & Fruits

Cate

xoxo

Coffee & Cake Date #2: No. 39 Cafe - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Just a short distance away from Wat Umong is this beautiful hidden gem of a cafe called No. 39 Cafe, I enjoy many a weekend here just enjoying the surrounding nature and the calm atmosphere. The cafe is popular amongst students here as it's near to university and it can get quite busy at the weekends with everyone determined to take those perfect Instagram shots and they occasionally have live bands playing but on a weekday you can often find yourself being the only person there.

The cakes here are really good, believe me I've tried them all, but if you're not a fan of cakes they have a burger bar you can order from to. I like coming here for coffee because they have more than one type depending on if you like it strong, bitter or sour, they also have a wide selection of teas and sodas to if you don't fancy coffee.

ร้านนีชื่อ No.39 Cafe อย่ใกลวัดอุโมงค์ ฉันชอบไปร้านนี่ทุกเสาร์อาทิตย์เพราะว่าธรรมาชาติสวยและอารมณ์สงบ นักเรียนชอบมาเพราะว่าอยู่ใกลมหาวิทยาลัย เสาร์อาทิตย์มีนักเรียนเยอะชอบถ่ายรูปให้IG บางครั้งมีคนมาร้องเพลงด้วย แต่วันธรรมดาเงียบดี เค้กที่ร้านมี้อร่อยที่สุด ฉันชิมทั้งหมด แต่ไม่เอาเค้กร้านมีเบอร์เกอร์สั่งด้วย ฉันชอบไปร้านนี่เพราะว่านักชงกาแฟถามว่าเอากาแฟแบบขมหรือเปรี้ยว ถ้าไม่ชอบกาแฟมีหลายเครื่องดื่มสั่งด้วย

What are your favourite coffee shops to relax in?

Love & Iced Coffee

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below & buy me a coffee

The Most Delicious Places in Reykjavik

Reykjavik is a really great city to explore it's full of amazing street art, quirky shops, cuddly polar bears and some of the nicest food I've had in a long time, so here are just a few of my favourite food places I found on my recent trip to Iceland...

Santa Karamba 

(Laugavegur 22)

I had a massive craving for some ridiculously spicy food to warm me up and popped into this place and OMG was it good, the food was amazing, the atmosphere super friendly and the prices were really reasonable! Anyone who knows me knows I eat a stupid amount of chilli and when I asked for some hot HOT sauce I got it, in fact I devoured the whole bowl of it much to the surprise of the chef, I'd definitely recommend this place it was the best food I had in Reykjavik and quite possibly the best Mexican food I've ever had!

Lebowski Bar

(Laugavegur 20a)

Dude is this place awesome, seriously when I heard that such a place existed I just had to go! I love quirky places like this and they went all out I mean there's even a bowling lane on the wall! I had the "Walter Burger" and it was surprisingly delicious and my first experience of a White Russian was pretty gosh darn good to, in fact if I didn't have to get up so early the next day I would have tried a few more things off their "White Russian Menu" but I'll save that for my next visit if I'm lucky enough to go again!

Icelandic Fish & Chips

(Tryggvagata 8)

Second time eating here and it did not disappoint, although the "skyronnes" are kinda weird the fish is freshly caught that day, delicious, super crispy and melts in your mouth. I decided to try the salad this time as it's kinda a rarity in Iceland and they grow it themselves and it was no joke one of the nicest salads I've ever had, so fresh and so delicious and it complimented the fish perfectly, definitely recommended if you're ever in Reykjavik!

Sushi Samba

(Þingholtsstræti 5)

Japanese and South American may sound like a strange mix but it makes for a great name and some great food to. I saw some drool worthy pictures of sushi from this place in a magazine that morning and made it my mission to eat there and it did not disappoint, the calamari was so good I ordered seconds, the salmon ceviche a plate of pure happiness and the big plate of sushi rolls I had intended to share I ended up devouring all to myself so that's a pretty good indication food there was daaaamn gooood!

Café Loki

(Lokastigur 28)

Traditional Icelandic food can be a bit daunting with the pickled whale and sheep heads but Café Loki has some nice options for those of you not so brave but would still like a taste of Iceland. I went with mashed fish and picked herring on rye bread and despite my reservations it was actually really nice the fish was yummy and not too over powering and the rye bread was the best I had (I ate rye bread pretty much every day I was in Iceland it was that good!) and the rye bread ice cream definitely worth a try whilst my Dad wasn't too keen I loved it and despite the freezing temperatures outside devoured it pretty damn quickly but the "Loki tea" warmed me up so much so I even bought a pack to bring home with me. Café Loki is located right next to the church so you get a really beautiful view whilst you enjoy your Icelandic delights.

Café Haiti

(Geirsgata 7)

Last time we were there in 2011 I had the smoked salmon lunch and it was delicious but this time came for the coffee. If I wasn't already full from breakfast I probably would have devoured some of the delicious cake they had on offer but the coffee here is worth the trip alone, the owner was actually roasting the coffee beans in the back while we were there which must explain why the coffee there is so damn good, it's such a nice relaxing place to I could've spent all day there so if you're a coffee fan I definitely recommend you give this place a try.

Cookies & Coffee

Cate

xoxo

Cherry Blossom Season in Chiang Mai, Thailand

When you think of sakura flowers or cherry blossom season you immediately think of Japan and Hanami but did you know that we have our own cherry blossom season in Thailand? Sakura season falls in the cooler months in Thailand during December and January and can only be seen in the high hills of the north but it's definitely worth a trip up to see them as they're beautiful and it's a whole different experience from seeing them in Japan or anywhere else.

The northern hills of Thailand are really beautiful all year round and you can see all kinds of beautiful plants there. As the climate is cooler in the north and the soils more fertile you can find all kinds of different flowers, fruits and coffee grown there which you can't find anywhere else in Thailand, strawberry season also coincides with cherry blossom season so from December to February you can also go strawberry picking.

Coffee is also grown on Doi Pui in Chiang Mai, which is the place I visited to see the cherry blossoms, so while you're taking in the beautiful view of the sea of pink you can enjoy a fresh cup of organic coffee cultivated by the native tribes of northern Thailand, the perfect Hanami experience and of course if coffee is not your thing they also grow tea to but the coffee is worth a taste as it's my some of the best I've ever tasted!

Most people tend to visit Thailand during the summer months but my favourite time to be in Thailand is during the winter, the weather is much milder and the trees are in full bloom, it's just a beautiful time to be there, it was so amazing seeing the usually green hills of Thailand a sea of pink and I can't wait until the end of the year so I can go back and visit them again.

Have you ever celebrated cherry blossom season? Don't forget to check out my giveaway!

Love & Sakura

Cate

xoxo

❁ Wallflowers Cafe - Bangkok - Thailand ❁

Wallflowers Café is one of my favourite cafes in Thailand, a hidden gem in Bangkok's bustling Chinatown. Walking into this café is like walking into Wonderland; the ground floor is a working flower shop, full of dried and fresh flower displays with staff busily making bouquets for delivery, as soon as you walk through the door the smell of fresh flowers makes you instantly feel like you're walking through a field of fresh flowers in spring.

As you walk up the stairs into the café area, the smell of fresh flowers mixing with the scent of fresh coffee, there is so much to take in, there are flowers every where, it's exactly what I would want my dream home to look like, cosy, unique, kitschy art pieces decorating the walls, a little bit shabby, plants everywhere with cats and dogs wandering about freely. 

The café itself is quite small with no more than 10 tables, I've visited this café mostly on weekday afternoons and it has always been relaxed and quiet with plenty of places to sit but I've heard on the weekends and at night when it transforms into a bar it can get quite busy. It also appeared in "Brother of the Year" which was the most popular movie in Thailand a few years ago (it even outsold the Avengers!) so it has gained a bit of extra popularity from that.

When you visit I would definitely recommend trying their home baked cakes, not only do they look beautiful but I would rate them as some of the best cakes in Bangkok! Sometimes when I visit they are already sold out so it's best to come earlier in the day if you want to try them, the dark beer cake (pictured above) and carrot cake are my favourites. Coffee is their speciality so if you're a coffee lover be sure to try a cup but if you're not a coffee fan they do have lots of other drinks on offer.

The highlight of Wallflowers Café for me is not just the cakes, the aesthetics and cosy atmosphere but their resident pets who are so friendly and will come and sit next to you as you relax there. I tell my friends it my favourite cat café that isn't a cat café. There's 3 cats and 2 dogs that all live at the café and are usually roaming around or sleeping in corners, they are all super friendly so be sure to say hi and give them friendly pets if you see them.

Chinatown is my favourite area to explore in Bangkok it has some great hidden cafes and restaurants, every time I visit I seem to find somewhere new. Chinatown also has the best street food so it's well worth visiting if you're in Bangkok, it's a beautiful area with old buildings and temples but with a contemporary feel so definitely go visit and get lost wandering around the tiny alleys of Yaowarat, I'm sure you'll discover some hidden gems.

What are your favourite places to explore?

Love & Flowers

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more of my adventures you can support me by clicking the button below, buying me a coffee and get a shoutout on my next post

5 Fandom Friday: Favourite Snacks & Drinks To Consume While Blogging

I love food and cooking is one of my favourite hobbies so this weeks #Fandom5 is right up my alley because it's all about snacks. My snack habits are much healthier than they used to be, I used to just live on sweets and candy but now I'll happily snack on some fruit, I love fruit and I think I could happily live on the stuff but I love trying new things in other words I will eat anything or at least I will try anything once....

Green Tea

Since I cut soda completely out of my diet over 5 years ago I've been living on Green Tea, I literally spend the whole day drinking green tea and although I do like to switch it up and try a different tea I always seem to gravitate back to the green stuff, at least it's a healthy habit though right?

Seaweed

Crispy seaweed is the best I've been snacking on the stuff ever since I was a kid and I still can't get enough. I always raid the Tao Kae Noi shop when I'm in Thailand because they have the best stuff, I love their inventive flavours and it's super crispy seriously guys seaweed is an awesome snack!

Flax Cookies

I'm all about the healthy snacks and this one is a creation of my own. I tested so many almond butter cookie recipes over the holidays and they all came out kinda wrong so I was about to give up until a bag of flax fell on my head (true story!) so I baked some cookies and SUCCESS! These are my new fave snacks and even better they're super easy and quick to make so go give them a try

COFFEE

I was a bit of a coffee addict at one point, I even had a coffee machine in my bedroom in university which was amazing but most likely one of the causes of my insomnia so now coffee is considered a treat best enjoyed while doing something I love like exploring or blogging in Starbucks.

Popcorn

Popcorn is the best, it's one of those foods I can eat and eat and eat and never get full or fed up of which is probably not a good thing but who cares it's delicious, in fact I opened a bag when I started writing this and I've just noticed it's all gone.... whoops!

Check out #Fandom5 creators The Nerdy Girly & Super Space Chick & join in on the fun every Friday!

Love & Popsicles

Cate

xoxo

Into The Woods - Chiang Mai - Thailand

For the past couple years Chiang Mai has been my home and one of the things I loved most about being there is the cafe culture, there are so many amazing little cafes and hideaways all over the city and as coffee is grown in the northern hills of Thailand you can always be sure you're getting something special. One of my favourite cafes in Chiang Mai is this fairy tale hideaway tucked just inside the walls of the old city, Into The Woods.

Walking into this cafe is like walking into a dream, from floor to ceiling the cafe is decorated in various fairy tale murals, cute funko figures and props, there's even a bookcase full of books and games for you to check out while you enjoy your food and drinks, it's a place that you could easily spend the whole day relaxing in.

I found out about this cafe because I was blown away by their latte art, seriously just check out the owner's Instagram because some of the things she's done are amazing from Disney characters to Game of Thrones to realism to movie posters. My coffee came with this cute bear latte art on it but if coffee isn't your thing you can order many other drinks as well as Thai and Western food which is prepared fresh to order and they also have adorable cakes which seem to be super popular as they almost always seem to be almost sold out when I visit there!

Halloween is the prefect time to visit this cafe because they have special horror themed food and drinks but still all year round you can enjoy the story book ambience and take a break from reality so if you're in Chiang Mai and need a break from all that temple hopping I definitely recommend a visit Into The Woods.

Where are your favourite places to visit to take a break away from reality?

Love & Pumpkin Lattes

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below, buy me a coffee, get treats & a shoutout on my next post

Coffee & Cake Date #3: Yellow Crafts Cafe - Chiang Mai - Thailand

One of the reasons I mostly drink my coffee black is because I don't do too well with dairy and most cafes don't offer a milk alternative but Yellow Crafts Cafe uses organic soy beans to make their own fresh soy milk daily. This is a great spot to come to for a morning pick-me-up as the decor is fresh, vibrant and clean, they make each cup of coffee fresh (even grinding the the beans) and there's a small selection of baked goods to or you can enjoy a hearty bowl of grains served with fresh soy milk.

I'm not usually a breakfast person, I tend to just grab something quick on my way out or skip the meal entirely but Yellow Crafts Cafe is the prefect breakfast spot and one I would definitely make the effort to visit, there's just something about the mood there that puts you in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day.

ฉันไม่ชอบกินนมสดเพราะว่าเวลากินท้องเสียแต่ฉันดีใจเพราะว่าร้านYellow Crafts Cafeใกล้ที่บ้านทำนมซอยสดทุกวัน ฉันชอบมาร้านนี่ตอนช้าวเพราะว่าร้านเเต่งสดใสและน้่งอยู่สบาย ถ้าไม่มีเวลาน้่งเขาขายขวดมนขวดกาแฟให้กลับบ้าน

Love & Lattes

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below, buy me a coffee & get a shoutout on my next post

Asian Dramas I'm Watching & Loving!

Since returning from Korea I've been watching an endless amount of K-Dramas, there seems to be a new one released every week that I want to watch. One of the things I've started to realise is that I really do love watching romance dramas and maybe I am a bit of a romantic afterall because even with all the drama and tragedy they always end up making me feel really good and warm inside... it's strange how much things can change I never ever thought I'd be calling myself a romantic...

Alchemist

연금술사

I recently watched an interview with Young Ji (KARA) saying that she wants to marry Lee Dong Wook after seeing him in Goblin (don't we all?) and she mentioned how he's been helping her with her acting which got me curious to see what her acting is like so I stumbled across this little web drama from 2015. Young Ji (yes that's her name in the drama to) upon starting university falls in love with a guy at first sight which leads her to join a secret society who has banned dating and romance in the hope that she might get to know him a bit better. The cast are so cute and adorable and Young Ji is very funny, it's only a short drama so watching this made a nice little fun break between the more heavy dramas, so if you're looking for a giggle definitely check this one out.

Scent of a Woman

여인의 향기

Lee Yeon Jae a single woman in her mid-thirties, who has spent most of her life working hard for a company who doesn't appreciate her suddenly get diagnosed with cancer and decides to live the remaining 6 months of her life without care and too the fullest. From the start I knew this drama was going to be a sad one and it was but at the same time I really enjoyed it to, I watched it for Lee Dong Wook but I stayed for Kim Sin-A who did an amazing job and made me both laugh and cry. I like to binge watch my dramas but it took me a while to finish this one because of all high emotions and the subject it dealt with but at the same time I loved the humour and the romance which was incrediably sweet, you'll definitely need tissues if you watch this!

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo

역도요정 김복주

This is a coming of age drama about a group of young athletes training to succeed in their fields and find a healthy balance between career, love and life. After watching Scent of a Woman I was so happy to find a drama that was so much fun and light-hearted, it was such an easy watch and the cast are so sweet and funny, whilst it did deal with some heavy issues of the struggles of youth such as finding love, body image and family it was done in such a way that wasn't too heavy handed or overtly dramatic. I loved the relationship between Lee Sung-kyun and Nam Joo-hyuk, it was incredibly cute and it was nice to see the stereotypical strong protective male role reversed showing that women can be strong and protective not just emotionally but physically.

Coffee Prince

커피프린스 1호점

Coffee Prince is probably one of the most popular KDramas of all time so I probably don't even need to tell you to watch it because you probably already have. As great as Gong Yoo was in Goblin I just didn't get the hype around him and then my friend told me to watch Coffee Prince and now I totally get it and I totally get why this drama is so popular. So if you haven't got round to watching this drama (it was only released ten years ago!) then do go ahead and watch this classic.

Cinderella and Four Knights

신데렐라와 네 명의 기사

Eun Ha-Won is a high-school student who works multiple part-time jobs in order to save up money to go to college, she meets Hyun-Min a rich, arrogant, playboy who hires her to pretend to be his fiance for the night in order to ruin his grandfather's wedding but his grandfather actually find's himself so impressed with Eun Ha-Won's way of dealing with his grandsons that he hires her to move into a house with them and unite his three grandsons under the condition that she cannot date any of them. This drama isn't anything new when it comes to plot or characters but I really enjoyed it, Eun Ha-Won is so adorable and I was really rooting for her.

What series have you been watching and loving lately?

Love & Iced Americanos

Cate

xoxo

Midnight in Seoul - Gangnam - Seoul

Cereal is one of my favourite foods, I think every time I buy a box I end up eating the whole thing in one go so when I found out that there was a cereal cafe in Seoul I just had to check it out. Midnight is Seoul has been on my radar for a while, I actually wanted to visit it on my last trip to Seoul but it was closed so this time I made sure to stop by and check out that awesome pink aesthetic.

Midnight in Seoul now sell their own branded cereal which you can find in some Olive Young stores and their packaging is so on point, I love the cartoon movie theme and the bright colours they use, they've definitely created their own unique brand, the place was just so beautifully decked out and so on point. They also have a merch store next door where you can buy not only the cereal but clothes, phone cases, pins and much more featuring their kawaii movie characters.

So let's get onto the food, you can either tailor make your cereal bowl exactly how you want it or order one of their sets which is what I did because although the ice cream was tempting I really needed some fruit! They also have a selection of different milks you can choose from so if you're vegan don't worry there are plenty of options for you to try and they will make stuff exactly to your liking. If cereal isn't your thing then they also have a few other breakfast items on the menu you can chose from and of course all the coffee because Korea is all about the coffee.

If you're curious Midnight is Seoul also has a KPop connection to as Jo Kwon from 2am actually owns this place and if you check out his instagram you'll see he's there quite often so if you're lucky you might be able to see him and his cute doggies there. I honestly loved this place so much and I'm kinda kicking myself I only decided to visit on my last day as it was only a short walk from our apartment, also I feel like you can't go wrong with cereal but then again I am a cereal addict! I adored the aesthetics and the cartoon, movie theme so much, I think it's very me and I kinda just wanted to move in there but one thing for sure I will definitely go back there on my next trip to Seoul!

What's your favourite cereal?

Love & Blueberries

Cate

xoxo

Psssst if you want to see more awesome cafes from around the world you can click the button below, buy me a coffee, get treats & a shoutout on my next post