In the middle of my panic-filled weekend, I managed to sneak in breakfast with Rebecca (also known as RunawayKiwi) at Workshop Coffee in Clerkenwell - one of my favorite brunch/coffee destinations in London. Clerkenwell's where the main cafe is located, but Workshop also has smaller coffee bars in Fitzrovia, Holborn, and Marylebone.
As for Rebecca? Well, she's one of the kindest, most generous bloggers I know. I've been blogging for 4 years now, so I'm not exactly new to the scene, but I'm extremely new to "the scene", if you know what I mean. By "the scene", I mean blogging events, networking "meet-ups", #competitive #uses #of #madeup #hashtags #on #Twitter #and #the #like, and just ... competitiveness in general. I had no idea this existed.
And I am so not into that.
I'm not a #luxury, #food, #beauty, or #fashion blogger. I sometimes post photos of my shoes. I'll write about hot dogs and prosecco. Or my newest favorite skincare brand. Or my childhood stamp collection (yes, really). I blog because I've got something to get off my chest and because, sometimes, you read what I write and leave me a comment that says, "ME TOO!" And those comments make my heart sing.
Rebecca gets this, because she writes posts like that too (btw, my hand appears for about 0.5 seconds at around the 0.25 mark of her first YouTube post - so famous) and she's incredibly generous in sharing tips, advice, and ideas. She'll be the first to introduce me to a new photo editing app, or tell me about a meet-up that I should go to, or a blogger I should know. She's a good egg.
Speaking of eggs ...
Rebecca's Ham Hock Stack (sweet potato cake, poached egg, and spinach) at Workshop looked incredible. That yolk!
I was in the mood for something sweet (the opposite of how I felt that day), so I ordered the French toast: brioche, poached rhubarb, orange mascarpone and hazelnuts.
It was divine. The brioche was soft and fluffy, and the rhubarb was just tart enough to offset the subtle but sweet orange mascarpone.
I love Workshop, but sometimes, I find it to be a little pricey (our breakfast for two set us back by nearly £30!). Still, I grumble and keep going back because they keep coming up with delicious dishes like this. It's definitely a treat, rather than the norm.
After blowing off some steam with Rebecca and getting her sage perspective on things, I calmed down a little and walked away feeling happier and inspired. Sometimes, you just need a like-minded person to remind you how to keep things real.
(p.s. we're now collaborating on a Pinterest board together on #London #fashion - if you're interested!)