Food: Hawksmoor

Ravenous carnivores, be still your rumbling stomachs! Hawksmoor is here to take care of you, to feed you to within an inch of your life, and leave you fuller than you have ever been before.


Rapidly gaining recognition as the best steak in London, Hawksmoor provides every cut and every size to suit any appetite, but we all know you're going to try and eat as much as you can, right? And I heartily encourage you to because this place is amazing. I started off with a tankard of pale ale - a mistake in hindsight; such a heavy meal does NOT need beer. 

My starter was potted beef and bacon with Yorkshires and an onion marmalade. You don't need me to tell you what it was like. Just look at it, you know it's going to be delicious.

The Hawksmoor website proudly states that they serve 'dictionary-thick steaks'. They aren't kidding. The first is my 600g Rib Eye. The second is my colleague's 800g Porterhouse (with knife for scale!).

I had sweet potato and creamed spinach with it too. It was so beautifully tender and perfectly cooked that the knife to cut it was merely a pleasantry, I could have easily used plastic cutlery to tear it.


This really is a meat-eater's dream restaurant. Next up, I want to try their Sunday roast. Bring it on!


All photos property of Shopped and Dropped, do not re-use without permission.

Explore: Spitalfields Market

I'm due to start a new job this week and I'm very excited about it. But there are two downsides: 1) The obligatory 'I'm going to miss my old colleagues' lament. 2) I will no longer be within kicking distance of Spitalfields Market.

London is full of amazing markets: Borough for food, Portobello Road for bric-a-brac, Camden for alternative bizarreness, Colombia Road for flowers. But Spitalfields is my favourite. Depending on the day you visit you could be treated to some amazing antiques, fascinating photos or amazing vintage or independent clothing stalls. I've recently bought some beautiful jewellery from there (which I'll blog about separately on a later date), and if you're looking for something new, something specialist, or just something that nobody else has, then Spitalfields is the place. 

Knowing that I wasn't going to be as much of a frequent visitor anymore I zipped around and took some snaps of some of the curios I found on a lunchtime wander. I hope they persuade you to pay a visit to the market soon! And don't forget, the market is around the corner from the amazing vintage shops of Brick Lane and Redchurch Street! East London really is a haven for some amazing shopping.

Shopping: A Market Stall Accessories Find

As I think I've mentioned before, I work perilously close to Spitalfields Market and I often love to wander around there on my lunch break to look at the antiques and vintage clothes. I managed to refrain from buying a gorgeous leather vanity case, because let's be honest, I DON'T need it. Check me out with my willpower.


So I rewarded myself with this tiny little hat pin, handmade and unique from a small stall in the market.

I don't wear hats but I'm going to pin this onto tops, lapels and coats - it's a perfect neutral colour so it'll go with everything. And yes, that is a skull on the top. Alexander McQueen eat your heart out!

This is a really tiny pin, maybe 3 inches long. Petite, a bit odd, individual and only £8. I'll keep you updated with any more of my market stall finds from my lunchtime distractions!

Shopping: Buying an Outfit for Christmas Day

I now work perilously close to some very good shops. In my opinion, East London has the best shopping in the city with a mixture of markets, vintage stores, boutiques and high street in a pretty close knit area. There's the legendary Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane markets and Brick Lane all within 3 minutes of my office, so it take a lot of strength to hold back from innocently wandering around at lunch time.


A perfect example is Tuesday, when I went out to stock up on Christmas cards. Needless to say I didn't buy any as I was lured into Urban Outfitters - my favourite of favourite high street stores. I bought a couple of things under the premise of wearing them for Christmas day so TECHNICALLY it was OK! I always find picking an outfit for the big day a bit stressful as ultimately I won't be leaving the house, however I will probably be photographed throughout the day, so I need something that is:


1) Easy to sit down in. This rules out skinny jeans as the blood flow cuts off my legs after 30 seconds of sitting on the floor.
2) Elasticated or easily adjusted. For when I stuff my face with turkey and Twiglets (not necessarily at the same time).
3) Not over the top. Because it's not a wedding, I'll be with my family who have seen me at my worst, but it is after all a special day.


So behold! My Christmas outfit purchases!

£20 in the sale

It's red therefore it's festive. I'm going to pair it with high denier black tights too. Not even thinking about shoes as I intend to wear Christmas socks or slippers to keep my tootsies toasty.

Silver collar necklace £18

I think I'll probably wear a plain black top, or a vintage jumper with silver threading when it gets colder. Either way this collar necklace gives it a bit of oomph.

WIP nail polish £6

And finally I got lured into buying this at the till point. I don't own many statement silver rings so instead I'm bringing the bling to my nails and decking them out in this glittery beast. Perfick!


(All photos from the Urban Outfitters website)