Matcha (green tea) cupcakes

Inspired by travel

Green tea buttercream frosting

One of the things that definitely struck me as memorable during my short trip to Japan (Tokyo) several weeks back was the food. Whether it was from a local noodle shop or a tiny street stall, everything I managed to devour was absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS. Seriously, I'd find it immensely difficult if I had to state what my most favourite dish was - I can't even list out every item we tried because there were too many! Think udon, curry and of course, sushi.

Piping perfection

For any amateur cook (comme moi), there's no doubt that all of the above ingredients can easily become inspiration for exotic, fusion dishes. However, rather than going down the savoury route, I decided to travel on the sweet path and  selected matcha as my special add-on. Also known as green tea, matcha produces a sort of bitter taste. However, when combined with a bit of sugar and baking-magic, it presents itself as the perfect ingredient for cupcakes (and simultaneously transforms them into a beautiful shade of bright green). Not overly sweet in any way, my suggestion for all you keen bakers out there is to challenge yourself to create a green tea buttercream frosting to go with your light and spongy cupcakes. Sure the cakes look great by themselves, but topping them with a swirl of frosting honestly increases their elegance (and also boosts your cake crafting status!).

The (standard) steps of baking (cake mix --> oven --> done)

Oh, and did I mention the cupcakes went down a storm/ very quickly into everyone's tummies? You definitely can't say no to giving matcha cupcakes a go.

The finishing touch

A photo of a photo

And although many of my culinary adventures have occurred through the lone wolf route, I always think it's fun to bake with other keen cake makers every so often (especially since we managed to make so many different treats within the short space of 3 hours!).

Decadent, dainty, & (very) delicious

Share the fun and cake - try baking with others for a change.

One of the tastiest lunches I've ever had! 

Matcha cupcake recipe: http://www.teaglad.com/blogs/matcha-green-tea-recipes/13493829-matcha-green-tea-cupcakes-recipe 

Matcha Cupcakes and Character Cakes

Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour

The most “magical” place on earth

I think the above quote is often associated with Disneyland/World. However, on this occasion, I think the Warner Brother’s Harry Potter tour in Watford takes the crown. Yes that’s right, I’ve FINALLY gone to see the set and props that were responsible for creating the wizarding world seen in the 8 globally popular films. Whoopee and it was indeed an exciting day. Despite having to get up in the early hours to catch the train and then the bus, I managed to arrive at Hogwarts around 45 minutes before the gates were lifted. It made taking photos of the reception area much easier seeing as it wasn’t crowded!

In the reception...

Emphasis on the number of photos taken at the famous door

The great and grand dining hall

After entering the studio, we were greeted by a wall (or cube) of posters that advertised the famous film in multiple languages (think Chinese, French etc.). Having marveled at them and spotted the ones that we could comprehend, the doors to a mini cinema then opened automatically where we watched a short clip that summarized all of the movies with a short commentary by the three protagonists (Harry, Ron & Hermione). Thereafter we walked as a group towards the door of great dining hall, took a few embarrassing (but funny) photos, and began our magical adventure.

Image roll - just a couple of my favorites

One word: breathtaking

I don’t think there was a second where I didn’t feel enchanted by the spectacular items that were on display before me. From statues to staircases, costumes to Crookshanks, and wands to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, every aspect of the studio was utterly bewitching.

The famed cupboard under the stairs

Pottering around the fan store

What I found the most interesting was how the movie was put together. I never knew that a robotic head was placed on a taller Hagrid double, for the original actor was not exactly a 7ft tall giant (he was around 6ft something, still pretty tall though!), or that the room where Potions was held had previously been used as the three-headed canine monster, Fluffy, in the Sorcerer’s Stone. It’s utterly amazing how much they’ve managed to transform a couple of simple types of equipment with just a bit of imagination. If there’s something I’ve learnt from this trip, it’s that magic does exist: in films!

Next stop...

If you ever go to the Harry Potter tour, be sure to try the (non-alcoholic) butter beer (which is also available as an ice cream flavor). It’s sweet, creamy and somewhat fizzy; kinda like a butterscotch soda pop! Definitely hit the spot after a long walk in the first part of the tour. Now if only I could get some more of that in the muggle world…

The perfect beverage for a quick pit stop!

Movie magic at its best

The circle of life wands

In truth, it is immensely difficult for me to pick what my most favorite part of the tour was. Every bit of it was magnificent. But since you so kindly asked me, I’ll say that it was Diagon Alley. Loved how we could wander up and take photos of every single shop there, simply sensational.

I was also charmed by the life size model of Hogwarts; I mean honestly, have you SEEN the detail and time that was needed to construct the school bridge? Dumbledore's office was equally as fantastic - the detail put into every aspect of it was simply incredible.

Hogwarts's exterior and interior (Dumbledore's Office)

And of course, I daresay I was not the only one who was delighted to see a beautifully hand-drawn sketch of Dobby the house elf on the wall (it’s in the photo below).

But aside from the treasures and treats that crafted the fantasy world I was exploring, the absolute highlight of the day for myself personally was being able to visit the studio with some long-lost friends. I like travelling alone, but it’s always a bit more fun to go somewhere with others (it was also useful for me on that day as well seeing as my camera had broken but theirs hadn’t).

Wizard treats and snacks

Educational and entertaining – I went back with a very big smile on my face after a day of catching up with friends and magic at the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio tour.

All aboard the Hogwarts express

Don’t believe me? Go see for yourself ;)

The most stunning view ever.

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Cragside - Northumberland

Yesterday was the day.
The day that I'd be setting out early to get to a new country house I'd just heard about literally 24 hours before yesterday. Cragside had been the home to the inventor of Lord Armstrong but now is a property of the National Trust and opened to tourists (and dogs!). I'd just gotten my (young persons :D) National Trust membership on Saturday and was desperate to use it to go to properties I'd normally have to pay for had I not joined. I was also looking forward to a good afternoon tea and a nice walk in the garden and house that Cragside had to offer.

Unlike some of the other properties I'd looked up, Cragside was one of those that was accessible via public transport (i.e. a bus). Annoyingly the bus that takes you there, the 508, from Newcastle only comes twice every Sunday until October. There are ways of getting to Cragside on the weekday through public transport as well but it only comes once every hour and wouldn't take you directly up to the entrance; it would stop in the town, Rothbury, which was right next to it. Being on a student budget and the fact that I am not yet qualified to drive (cries*), I had no choice but to take the public transport option. And so the day began at 8:10am, with me scoffing down a quick breakfast and speed clothing changing before hurtling towards the train to get up to Newcastle. On arriving, I quickly headed towards the bus stop, in anticipation of my journey and adventure ahead. Despite the bus coming 15 minutes late and the fact that it would take a little bit less than 2 hours to get to Cragside, I continued to stay cheery in the sudden cold and windy weather. Nothing, I thought to myself, could spoil my day.

 Pretty architecture at Darlington station

The stunning Angel of the North from afar in Gateshead on my way up to Newcastle

Obviously I had some assumptions 
(loads actually) of what Cragside estate would looked like. I'd been to some other properties with a home/ hall and gardens (Walmer Castle and Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens are two on the top of my head, but we'll leave their stories for another day). The house to me looked like a huge version of the house owned by the seven dwarfs in Snow White, and I assumed that I'd be walking through a garden with flowers, shrubs, trees, you know, the usual jazz you'd expect in a garden. I only had 4 hours at Cragside before I was due back on the bus so I'd planned to leave an hour for lunch and the remaining time for the estate. Clearly, I hadn't done enough research prior to my departure. Not only was I amazed at the gorgeous and large lake that awaited me at the entrance to the estate, but I was absolutely flabbergasted  that the entire estate was around 400 hectares big! To top it off, there were around about 100 rooms inside the country house itself, and only 1/3 of it was actually opened to the public!

From this, Cragside doesn't look like a huge place but definitely a nice one....

THIS is what I ended up seeing

It was clear that I'd have to come again

Filled with gardens (yup, not just one), waterfalls, wooden bridges, forest, wildlife, a clock tower, power house etc. (and yes the list does go on), Cragside had me occupied for the entire day; my camera iphone is currently suffering from an overload of visual information. What was also good about the enormity and structure of the estate was that it had you constantly walking on different surfaces (e.g. rocky, flat, sloped, grassy etc.), which was good for someone like me who was literally STUFFED with the delicious treats Cragside's cute tea room had to offer!

The food at Cragside <3

A memorable day definitely, and it was just such a beautiful place to explore and enjoy nature in. Every corner and sight I saw inspired me to come up with a new story, stories of which I would form the basis of my drawings/ fashion illustrations (i.e. my all-time hobby). My aim is to walk on every path the estate has to offer - not at once (obviously), but eventually. But for now my fellow readers, enjoy looking through the pictures of my "big day out" at Cragside. Hopefully, it'll persuade you to come roaming up north to enjoy this glorious gem.

The quirky finds at Cragside...